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Published at 6th of June 2021 10:22:52 AM


Chapter 5: 5

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“Yes, I’m in a desperate situation.”

I nodded, and Ixion gave me a strange look.

“Thank you so much for saving my life. I haven’t said anything yet.”

“It’s allright.”

I shrugged in response to Ixion’s words.

“I will comeback in victory. And if there’s anything else you need—”

I speak carefully.

“Then keep me safe and give me freedom.”

“If you are free—”

“It’s difficult to be trapped in a palace like this. Can you please let me go?”

Ixion appeared to pause for a moment before responding calmly to whether the calculation was completed quickly.

“But the palace is the safest place. It’s good to stay here until all the risks are gone.”

“I know. But if Decan dies after the war, I don’t have to be locked up.”

“Well, being locked up in this small room for three years wasn’t easy.”

I’ve only been locked up for a few days, but I’ve been going insane. It was so boring that I could see why Elsia was so absorbed with eating.

I’ve been slowly working out and getting myself together for a long time.

“The push itself will be difficult because releasing you will benefit no one. But even if you are trapped here, the fact remains that no one will benefit you….”

Finally, I meant that I was not profitable at all.

It was impossible to decide whether to be happy or sad.

“It’s difficult right now, but I don’t think it’ll be difficult if we can create a positive atmosphere after we destroy Artise.”

In any case, there was still hope. With a twinkle in my eye, I listened intently to the words that followed.

“The Royal Family—I’ll take care of it. However, the aristocrats should be willing to do it for you, but I lack a foundation. Besides, I’m about to go to war.”

Isn’t it true that he’ll do something about the Royal Family? I was well aware that he was not particularly popular with the Emperor.

“The noble— Then I’ll do everything I can.”

First, he threw words as quickly as he could, in case there was something difficult to say.

Of course, he didn’t seem to believe what I said either.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety and freedom. I guarantee it.”

“I understand.”

“I’m the one who brought you three years ago, and I’m the one who’s starting this war again. Don’t worry, there’s reasons for that, but—”

Ixion gave a strange look.

“Even if we postpone the disposition, it will be more difficult to be in the palace when the war begins.”

“It’s all right! So long as there is freedom at the end of the war.”

Finally, there’s a chance of getting out of this dreadful little room.

It was exactly what I expected, but I couldn’t help but smile. I guess I liked it so much that Ixion added it after looking at me.

“You saved my life, and I’m sure there’s more I can do for you. That’s far too little for just a little bit of freedom.”

“Oh, that’s something you can think about after you win.”

His eyes staring at me were bothering me for some reason, so I hurriedly swept over my hair, and the flowers Sera had given me as decorations fell down.

He said, holding out a pink flower that had fallen on the table.

“You must be like pink color. You attended the banquet in a pink gown.”

“Oh, no, not really.”

The dress is simply a pair of these. I shook my head and replied, not knowing what to say.

“My favorite color is blue.”

“Ah, yes.”

I was only speaking the truth, but I coughed as if embarrassed.

‘Wait, what? What’s the matter with him?’

He sipped his tea slowly, blinking his blue eyes more than necessary.

“There aren’t many blue flowers. It’s difficult to decorate with blue flowers.”

“It doesn’t matters. Flowers aren’t just for decoration.”

It’s not the time to ramble on about your favorite color, but I couldn’t figure out why the conversation was going so smoothly.

‘There isn’t enough time to inquire about the kingdom’s secrets or topography.’

I stuttered, trying to recall the book’s contents as best I could.

“Perhaps Decan will go out on his own. And…… There are ten soldiers with blue armor. They are close to the Decan, and if you take them out first, the rest will be mess.”

“Yes.”

“Decan’s tyranny is so severe that the people are unlikely to revolt. We are on the verge of collapse as a result of excessive war preparations that are out of proportion to the size of the country.”

Still, I began to rummage through Artise’s weaknesses and terrain for his victory as far as I could remember.

“It’s good to go back to the Irite Mountains, because Decan likes to ambush soldiers in high places.”

Ixion listened quietly to my words in the messy order.

But he didn’t seem to think it was particularly important information.

‘Yeah, you’ll know I’m right when you get to the scene.’

I didn’t care and talked hard.

And his blue eyes were just still looking at me.

*******

After we finished talking, he took my hand in his and kissed it again.

Even though I knew it was proper etiquette, I felt goosebumps all over my body because I was unfamiliar with this culture.

When his blue eyes locked on mine, I felt pierced.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be so sincere in your hope for my victory.”

‘Isn’t that obvious? If we don’t succeed now, we’ll all die together.’

He spoke quietly, and I nodded and smiled awkwardly.

“In fact, I thought you might be another Artise trap. It’s also suspicious that the princess, who is imprisoned in the Imperial Palace, is so aware in her homeland’s secret operations.”

“Decan…. I’ve kept in touch on time of time. He sends out tea leaves on a quarterly basis, and there was a signal there.”

I had to make my lie as plausible as possible in order to avoid reasonable doubt.

To tell him the truth, I could be treated as a delusional person.

“Why did he let you know?”

“Don’t you think it means to survive on your own? Of course, I’m a hostage in the event of a war, so I’m in danger. He’ll need another dark magic material later. The black magic need the soul of the royal family.”

Knowing Ixion’s meticulous personality, he had made a plausible answer to all the expected questions when he said he would come.

Fortunately, in the original book, the kingdom of Artise was a mysterious and ominous country engulfed in various secrets.

It meant that I could make up my own words because the Empire’s people wouldn’t know much anyway.

Of course, I had to inform Ixion that the Artise was using black magic, and I didn’t have a choice.

Because there was no loyalty to the Artise royal family, there was no sense of guilt.

“But my brother’s death is terrible, and I despise Decan’s tyranny— and I am afraid that I will be used by Decan at some point.”

And for all of these reasons, I decided to put a little bit of Elsia’s heart into it.

Three years ago, a man who couldn’t recall doing even the smallest favor for Elsia.

I’m sure his relationship with me will end soon enough, but I hope he can understand her heart a little better.

Would her first wish, if she was desperate, be to save him?

When I remembered her desperate voice, her voice trembled unknowingly.

Even if I don’t remember who I am now, Elsia said three years ago with all her heart, hoping to be remembered in some way.

“…First, I wanted to thank you for your kindness three years ago at the victory banquet. I’ll never forget what happened back then.”

Ixion nodded as if he had confirmed something with that word.

‘What exactly is it? You don’t remember, do you? Did you think about it later? You didn’t seem to remember dancing at the previous banquet.’

“That was to be expected.”

‘What?’

“I will make sure to win the war and remove all those who are likely to harm you.”

He appeared to be certain of everything.

Anyway, it seemed that the situation ended well without much doubt.

“Yes, thank you.”

“At the same time, freedom as well—”

He looked me in the eye and smiled slightly.

That’s cheating. He’s really handsome.

My ears quickly heated up as I realized I was sitting alone with Ixion.

“I will fully repay your heart with the price of my life. I will go to any length for you.”

Do you have to pay for your own life? Not freedom, but  plus alpha?

‘Oh, it’s about money,’

When Artise falls, I lose my motherland and I’m no longer a royal lady.

I couldn’t tell him because I didn’t have anything planned, but I expected that being a free man wouldn’t immediately provide a place to live, so I would naturally reduce the settlement cost.

I didn’t think I’d be kicked out of the palace because I was broke.

Anyway, because he’s a prince, he’ll have a lot of money, so I figured it’d be a good idea to plan on having enough money to play and eat in the countryside for the rest of my life.

‘Yeah, everything is going as planned! If I do well, I’ll be able to make a living!’

My goal from my previous life was to save some money, move to a nature-friendly place and live leisurely.

I replied, unable to hide the corners of my mouth rising.

“Thank you very much. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

*****

Aiden didn’t get to meet Ixion until later in the evening.

“Didn’t you say you were going to meet the Princess this afternoon? Have you double-checked everything you’re suspicious of? You don’t have to be concerned about black magic?”

“Yeah, I don’t think we need to be concerned about dark magic any longer. I was concerned because nothing was known.”

Ixion replied quietly, wiping his sword.

“Anything else would have been a contradiction. She doesn’t seem to like Decan’s tyranny.”

“The King Decan lost a lot of popularity in Artisée, too. Besides, don’t you remember?”

“About what?”

“When Princess Elsia is brought in as a hostage. It’s deserving of King Decan’s displeasure. He’s a man who treats his sister like this.”

“Hmm,”

“I would have preferred the Prince over the evil brother.”

Aiden responded without hesitation, then shifted his tone and inquired with a smirk.

“Did you hear why she saved you? Am I correct?”

“Well, I guess so.”

Ixion couldn’t look Aiden in the eyes because he was too embarrassed to respond.

“Three years ago, she couldn’t forget the victory banquet.”

“She had a crush for you, you see. Everyone at the banquet is aware. Marquis Evgeny’s wife admitted it right away.”

Aiden and Mela were correct when they stated that she saved him out of love.

‘It’s pointless in the face of desperate love, blood, and motherland.’

He was constantly skeptical, but when they got together and talked, all of their hypotheses seemed to be correct.




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