Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 178

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 178

“A child born under the Star of the Hero and chosen by the star is said to bear a mark. I was always skeptical, but I discovered that very mark described in the prophecy book on Leo Blanche’s nape.”

Curses rose to my throat, but I barely managed to hold them back.

Making excuses would be useless. Mikhail had already completed all his investigations and was now informing me of the facts.

At this moment, the man before me wasn’t my childhood friend Mikhail, but Crown Prince Mikhail Zenos Pondrich.

I composed my expression and asked back as if it were absurd.

“A mere spot is a mark? You’re making claims with woefully insufficient evidence. And a prophecy book? All prophecies belong to the Temple. The Temple would never have allowed the royal family to keep their prophecy books.”

Things called prophecies or fate all originated from the Temple and were thoroughly managed by them.

So if Mikhail thought Leo was the Star of the Hero based on the contents of a prophecy book, I could deny his opinion by negating the very existence of that prophecy book.

However, Mikhail was not an easy opponent.

“Of course it’s not a prophecy book officially recognized by the Temple. The Temple doesn’t even know of its existence.”

The following silence was unsettling. And as expected.

“But there’s someone in the royal lineage who received God’s love to such an extent that they didn’t need the Temple’s recognition.”

At Mikhail’s words, I couldn’t hide my agitation.

A royal who received God’s love.

I could immediately tell who he was talking about.

“The Temple hushed it up, but the First King possessed the divine power of foresight that allowed him to see the future.”

In the end, all questions were beginning from one root: the First King.

A hero who saved the continent and a tyrant who killed half the kingdom’s people.

A prophet who foresaw destruction 700 years later and a dark mage who delved deep into forbidden magic.

I couldn’t tell which was the true face of the First King.

The only thing I was certain of was that to protect Leo, I must not acknowledge the Crown Prince’s words.

So I revealed the last card I had been hiding.

“But didn’t the First King stray from the righteous path?”

One who strayed from the righteous path.

To someone who knew nothing, it would sound like I was talking about the First King’s tyranny, but anyone who knew the truth would realize I was referring to his involvement with dark magic.

As expected, the Crown Prince’s eyes grew heavy and dark.

“I know more than Your Highness thinks. So for the sake of cooperation with me and our future relationship, let’s stop here.”

“The First King may have dabbled in dark magic, but he wasn’t insane.”

“Ha, even though he killed half the kingdom’s people? If his son hadn’t killed the king to claim the crown, he might have massacred all the kingdom’s people.”

“Belinda, I won’t allow you to cross the line any further.”

It was the first time Mikhail had asserted his authority in front of me.

The first time he had ever shown his royal nature.

I glared at him, then gracefully bent my waist in a bow befitting one shown to royalty.

“Yes, command me as you will. How could I possibly defy Your Highness’s orders? You are royalty who carries the bloodline of the First King.”

“Don’t be sarcastic like that. I’m just…”

Mikhail’s true face revealed beneath the Crown Prince’s mask was filled with guilt, shame, and inevitable helplessness.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but think of my future with Mikhail.

As Sir Cheri had said, he was indeed a wise king.

In some future, knowing it would destroy him, hadn’t he refrained from staining his hands with the blood of his only childhood friend for the sake of the kingdom? Even knowing it would remain a lifelong regret.

Mikhail pressed his forehead and spoke like an excuse.

“I’m not trying to make a young child shoulder all the burden. I just want to give him time to prepare so he can be ready for the worst moments.”

I know. In 【Hirome】 too, he existed merely as one of the supporters.

Not once had he mentioned to the Star of the Hero the heavy duties he would have to bear.

Moreover, he was increasing the royal military forces despite opposition from all the nobles. As if preparing for war all alone.

Knowing this, I opened my mouth.

“Mikhail.”

Mikhail looked at me with a face layered with fatigue like geological strata.

I couldn’t even dare to guess the weight of the duties and anxiety he carried.

But Leo was too precious for me to sympathize with him.

“I think that child is special. But that’s because I love Leo, not because he bears such a heavy fate. Leo is just an ordinary child who has only just turned twelve.”

“…”

“So bring me proof that the mad king really saw the future and that the world will end in six years. Until then, I won’t believe anything.”

With those words as my last, I left my seat.

* * *

After that, there was no contact from Mikhail for a while.

My own mind was complicated. The truth that only I knew kept giving weight to Mikhail’s words.

The existence of the game called 【Doki Doki Hero Maker】.

Even the future six years later, which was unknowable because the game had ended.

When I faced Mikhail at the banquet, I thought only protecting Leo mattered.

But if Mikhail’s words were true… I couldn’t tell what the right decision would be.

What use would it be to protect Leo if the child ended up losing the place where he belonged?

It was when I couldn’t concentrate on work at all and kept looking out the window.

“Lady Belinda, it’s almost tea time.”

Leo suddenly poked his head toward me, though I hadn’t noticed when he’d entered.

It was already time for our evening tea time that we enjoyed every day.

Instead of organizing my seat and getting up, I gazed at Leo’s face and suddenly said.

“Leo, your hair has grown quite a bit.”

“Has it?”

“Yes, shall I cut it for you?”

After saying that, we both burst into laughter without anyone going first.

It reminded us of how Leo had burst into tears one day when he misunderstood my offer to cut his hair.

I immediately had Leo sit in the study chair, using it as a salon chair.

Nine-year-old Leo had been so small that he needed several cushions stacked on the chair to sit on top of them.

Twelve-year-old Leo had grown tall enough that he didn’t need even one cushion to sit comfortably.

Snip snip.

I skillfully trimmed Leo’s hair with the scissors. It was when I stood in front of the child to cut his bangs last.

“Lady Belinda, you have worries, don’t you?”

“No.”

When I answered without a moment’s hesitation, Leo pouted his lips and grumbled.

“I’m all grown up now too. So maybe I could help solve Lady Belinda’s worries…”

He seemed displeased about being treated like a young child.

But you see, Leo.

“I think you still have a long way to go. You need to grow like a weed and become as big as Sir Cheri.”

As big as the knight…?

Perhaps recalling Sir Cheri’s build, who was a head taller than most people, Leo’s face immediately became serious.

Finding that cute, I lifted the child’s bangs and planted a kiss on his bread-white forehead.

Then I grabbed a handful of Leo’s bangs and continued speaking while cutting with the scissors.

“Right, so for now just focus on growing tall…”

Snip.

“…!”

I stared wide-eyed at Leo’s bangs, which had been cut crookedly like a rising curve with one cut of the scissors.

“Focus on growing tall?”

“Uh, um… Right. Just focus on… growing tall…”

C-calm down. I haven’t completely ruined it yet. If I just balance it well, I can restore it to normal.

I carefully crossed the scissor blades.

Snip snip.

Hmm, should I cut the right side a bit more.

Snip snip.

…This time, the left side a little more.

Snip snip.

“It’s taking longer than usual today.”

“….”

“…Belinda?”

“….”

After a while, I quietly stepped aside.

Finally, Leo was able to see his reflection in the mirror.

“….”

“….”

A heavy silence with no words exchanged lasted for quite some time.

Just then, with perfect timing, Terry entered the study with a cheerful face after a light knock.

“Master, your tea is getting cold….”

Terry stopped mid-sentence and looked at Leo’s bangs, cut short like Jui-bam-tol’s, then burst into laughter.

“Puhaha, I don’t know whose handiwork this is, but….”

In an instant, her gaze turned to the scissors in my hand.

Immediately, as if switching masks, she swallowed her laughter and changed her words while clapping with soulless applause.

“What a masterpiece. Very unique.”

At Terry’s reaction, Leo covered his face with both hands and mumbled.

“How am I supposed to go to the Academy now.”

Leo was devastated as if he had just heard that the world would end tomorrow.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh, making all my previous worries seem pointless.

Because Leo’s words sounded like the biggest worry a normal twelve-year-old could have.

What had I been thinking so hard about all this time.

What I needed to think about for Leo right now wasn’t the fate of the world six years from now, but the child’s school attendance tomorrow.

Having gained this realization, I stroked Leo’s head and said comfortingly.

“That’s right. Our Jui-bam-tol, how will you go to the Academy starting tomorrow.”

“That’s too much!”

Leo jumped up from his seat, covered his bangs with both hands, and ran out of the study.

Only after hearing Leo’s footsteps fade away did I speak to Terry.

“Terry, prepare a pen and paper for me.”

And I hurriedly wrote a letter right there.

“Where should I send it?”

“To Ophelia at the Temple.”

What I needed to do had been clear from the beginning.

To cherish and love Leo as I always have, and protect him from all unreasonableness.

Even if that enemy should be the world itself.

I pressed my seal firmly into the wax sealing the envelope, as if making a resolution.

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