A Blend of Romance and Fantasy - Chapter 100

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

100.
William bit his lip as he took in the sight before him.
‘This won’t do. At this rate, they’ll destroy all of Witness Mountain.’
There was a possibility that a limb or two might be torn off, but William steeled himself and mounted his horse.
His destination was naturally where Leonard Blake was.
Demian’s Aide seemed to share the same thought. With an ashen face, he came rushing from the opposite direction.
Heaven must have been merciful—both men paused to catch their breath for a moment.
William didn’t miss that opening and shouted.
“Your Highness! This is too much! Please, regain your composure!”
“Lord Demian, you must first capture the deer!”
At the aides’ cries, the two princes lowered their clashing swords slightly.
Both men were unscathed, their clothes merely tattered. Only the surrounding environment lay pitifully destroyed.
William first used magic to extinguish the flames consuming the grassland, then offered Leonard Blake the horse he’d brought.
As expected, Leonard Blake’s own horse had fled.
“Please, let’s go. Whatever the prey may be, we’re running out of time…!”
“…”
“Your Highness!”
William urged Leonard Blake once more, who was glaring at Demian.
“…But Demian has found the answer at the same time. If we search together, there’s no way forward.”
“What creature is it?”
Leonard Blake, who had pushed off the ground and mounted the horse, whispered softly.
“Ah, so that’s the answer!”
William let out a brief exclamation, then spoke quietly.
“But the red deer must have fled far from here. It’s a matter of who finds it first. Let’s dispatch the Royal Guard to search.”
“William, this competition requires tracking and capturing the prey alone.”
“But that’s better than missing it entirely. Besides, Your Highness always tends to lose your way…”
“…”
Sensing what came next, Leonard Blake fell silent.
He turned his gaze back toward Demian.
Demian’s Aide seemed to be making a similar appeal.
“…Very well, dispatch the Royal Guard. Once they find it, I’ll go.”
William bowed his head and disappeared back the way he’d come.
Suddenly feeling a gaze upon him, Leonard Blake turned around.
Demian, who had been watching him, quietly mounted his horse and disappeared in another direction.
‘…Perhaps it’s because I brought up Aria’s story.’
Leonard Blake was equally shaken.
He had fallen into this world without knowing the ending of 【The Fall of Baldur】.
So he hadn’t understood why Demian wanted to become Emperor, or why he wished to destroy Sincester.
He had merely assumed it was because he was a dark mage and opposed to the Holy Kingdom.
But when the Duchess read Demian’s past with her eyes of truth, and he heard that fact whispered to him by Charlotte…
I was certain of everything.
‘I never could have imagined the reason would be because of a single woman….’
Not just anyone, but Demian of the Blue Heart Family.
“No… Rather, it makes even more sense precisely because it’s Demian.”
After all, people desperately crave what they lack.
That’s why I too cling to the trust I left behind in the past.
-Leonard, have you ever lived as yourself?
“…Damn it.”
I continued the conversation as if nothing were wrong, but in truth, each word pierced deep into his heart.
Leonard shook his head roughly, then yanked the reins hard and spurred his horse forward.
* * *
The Archer Knight appeared to be of considerable age.
“Why did you attack me, and why did you kill the doe?”
Looking at him, his face was so filled with vengeance toward me and Leonard that I didn’t even need to ask.
I grew tired of waiting for his answer.
When I sat on a nearby rock, Cedric answered in my stead.
“Your Highness, this man appears to have been a knight who served the 3rd Empress.”
“I heard they were all either imprisoned in Tartaros or dead?”
In truth, Leonard and I had switched identities and granted him asylum in Sincester.
At that, the man suddenly rose to his feet, raising his voice.
“I retired years ago due to war trauma and moved to the countryside! How was I to know the 3rd Empress would be so misunderstood and pass away!”
Then, as if his injured leg pained him, he sat back down again.
“Sigh….”
Conversing with someone of such strong political conviction only wears out one’s mouth.
I fidgeted with the magical communication bracelet on my wrist.
“I should contact Leonard about something this important.”
“…I see.”
Oh no. Now that I think about it, Leonard must be a forbidden subject in front of Cedric.
Feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt, I tried to contact Leonard.
Or rather, I was about to.
If only I hadn’t spotted the Lost Prince looking around uncertainly in the distance.
Seeing his flustered expression and the magical map he held in his hand, I understood the situation perfectly.
“Lost again, I see.”
“Pardon?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Leonard seemed to have noticed us as well.
He urged his horse forward rapidly, reaching us in mere seconds.
He turned toward us with a puzzled expression, but upon discovering the dead doe, his face hardened.
“….”
“This man shot an arrow and killed the doe.”
“They appear to be remnants of Silverstone.”
At Cedric’s words, Leonard pressed his forehead.
“…Fighting Demian was a miscalculation.”
“Did you lose the deer while fighting him?”
“If Demian killed the horse with magic, nothing would work either way, so I intended to engage in combat first and then pursue. I didn’t expect him to use magic so violently, though.”
Leonard exhaled a long sigh and slumped onto the nearby rock.
“…In any case, Demian won’t be able to arrive at the correct answer either, so that much is fortunate.”
“Then wouldn’t it be better to bring a different prey and explain it well with that?”
At Cedric’s thoughtful suggestion, Leonard’s expression shifted to surprise.
“How unusual for you to be kind.”
“Because if you become Emperor, the Princess can return to Sincester.”
“…Ah.”
Leonard washed his face with his hands dryly.
“That’s right.”
“….”
A brief silence fell between the three of us.
Soon Leonard sprang to his feet.
“Time is running out. As the Duke said, I’ll find another prey.”
He looked at Cedric.
“But Duke, aren’t you an inspector of the royal tour? Is it alright for you to remain here?”
“That man shot an arrow at the Princess. I have reason to protect her.”
“…That man shot an arrow at Charlotte too?”
The air suddenly turned cold.
Leonard approached the kneeling man step by step.
“L-Leonard?”
“….”
He gave me a smile as sweet as honey, as if to reassure me.
‘But I’m uneasy.’
And ah, just as I feared….
A large teleportation circle of flames was drawn in the air, and Leonard gripped the man’s nape forcefully.
“Aaaahhh!!”
He threw him directly into the teleportation circle. In the blink of an eye.
“….”
“….”
“May I ask where you sent him?”
Cedric asked flatly, and Leonard dusted off his hands.
“Where he needs to go.”
“Leonard, surely you didn’t kill him?”
“Of course not. I’m a virtuous prince who values rational procedure.”
“Wow.”
He’s lying without even moistening his lips.
But I’m not the kind of person who would show kindness to a man who tried to kill me.
“Fine. But let’s make sure we don’t leave any evidence.”
“Charlotte.”
Then suddenly Leonard grabbed my shoulder.
“We need to teleport to the Castle right now.”
“Right now? What’s the context?”
“If you meet Demian, something dangerous might happen. He’s in an unusually agitated state.”
Isn’t that your fault, Leonard? You were fighting while destroying mountains.
I was about to grumble when Cedric stepped forward.
“Your Highness, I agree as well. There’s no guarantee that no one else will target you.”
“Going isn’t difficult, but Leonard, have you found an alternative answer?”
“That is…”
Leonard’s expression darkened as he trailed off.
“In any case, it’s my burden to bear for making the wrong judgment. You just go inside and eat some pastries.”
“Sixth Prince, the Princess won’t listen to words. I’ll escort her myself.”
“Wait, now one of you treats me like a glutton and the other treats me like a troublemaker.”
“Isn’t that the case?”
“…”
I couldn’t argue back.
Because it was true.
So I decided to ignore it.
“Leonard, Cedric. Do you both trust me?”
“Why are you saying that now?”
“Even if you don’t trust me, just trust me for now.”
Both of them nodded with bewildered expressions, and I smiled.
“Bring me the leader of the does, not the bucks. That will be the answer.”

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————