Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 209

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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 209

* * *

An evening with steaming teacups placed before us.

“I’m glad you returned safely.”

Mikhail comforted me with his usual expression, but my mood was utterly dismal.

If Mikhail had seen with his own eyes all the cash items that had been sleeping in the King’s Treasury, he wouldn’t have been able to say such words even as empty consolation.

‘There were so many things that could have helped in the war against the demonic beasts.’

As the treasures from the King’s Treasury flashed before my eyes, the harvest laid out in front of me looked even more pitiful.

“Your Majesty stayed in the garden with the World Tree the entire time. Were there any warning signs that the World Tree might wither?”

“I didn’t see anything that could be called a sign. The Saintess came by not long after you entered the King’s Treasury… and it slowly began to wither after that.”

“Did Ophelia perhaps give any hints? That the World Tree’s condition was strange or anything?”

Since it was a World Tree that had grown through Ophelia’s ability, she might have sensed some kind of omen.

But Mikhail silently shook his head.

At my sigh, Mikhail’s gaze turned to the three items of harvest placed in one corner of his drawing room.

An old letter sealed tightly with wax.

An hourglass filled with pitch-black sand.

And finally, a long sword with an ominous dark hue.

Each item was worth an enormous amount when considered individually. But if you asked whether they were practical, well…

The letter left by the First King was sealed with magic and could only be opened by Leo, who possessed the mark of the ‘Hero’s Star,’ and the hourglass of time regression could only turn back time by a mere 5 minutes.

‘That’s why it was the representative item of ‘saving it until it becomes useless’ in 【Hirome】.’

If it could return to the past 50 minutes ago instead of 5 minutes, it would have been much more useful.

The only harvest worth salvaging was the magic sword that Cheri had brought out by grasping the tip of the decorative tassel attached to the blade.

Though he said he wasn’t ready to wield a magic sword, the fact that he unconsciously chose this sword at the last moment meant he truly needed it.

“The sword looks quite excellent, so if used well…”

“Ah, it would be better if you don’t touch it. Since it’s called a magic sword, it really seems dangerous. I heard from Cheri that while bringing it here, there were several near-incidents of bloodshed among Your Majesty’s attendants.”

Mikhail quickly withdrew the hand he had been extending toward the sword.

I smiled weakly and finished my report on the harvest.

“Cheri will keep the magic sword, I’ll hold onto the hourglass, and I’ll send the First King’s letter to Chaser to break the seal.”

“How about asking the Hero’s Star, no, Leo to open the letter? It might contain important information.”

“The letter is addressed to the ‘Hero’s Star.’ If Leo sees that and becomes suspicious, it would be a disaster, so I won’t show it to him.”

Leo thought exploring the ‘First King’s Treasury’ was like a kind of picnic, but if he thought about it a little deeper, he could notice that the ‘First King’s Treasury’ was strangely lenient toward him.

After all, every entrance was opened by Leo’s hand.

What if Leo became suspicious of this point and conducted his own investigation to learn about the Hero’s Star?

Even knowing it was overthinking, I couldn’t hide my anxiety.

“It’s true that Leo Blanche is still young, but you’re being overprotective.”

At Mikhail’s casually spoken words, I glared at him.

Nevertheless, Mikhail didn’t stop talking.

“I’m not saying we should burden that child with everything like before, so don’t glare at me so fiercely. However, there are duties that those with power and ability must shoulder. Didn’t both you and I spend our childhood that way?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Mikhail’s words.

He had been raised as a crown prince from the moment he first cried into the world, receiving the education a crown prince should have from a very young age.

Belinda had also received successor training at around ten years old.

Even if he wasn’t the Hero’s Star, Leo carried the Blanche name, and whether Leo wanted it or not, those around him would regard him as the heir to the Blanche family, so I knew he needed at least minimal heir education.

But…

“If possible, I’d like Leo to remain a child for a long time.”

When I answered like a complaint, Mikhail held the First King’s letter up to the sunlight and continued speaking.

“I think a guardian’s duty isn’t to completely block all dangers to protect their child, but to give them opportunities to choose while knowing it could be dangerous. And if they go down the wrong path, to teach them how to find the right way.”

It sounded like a story from his own experience.

I stared intently at Mikhail’s serious face and realized.

“If you prepare them that way, even if they’re suddenly pushed to become an adult one day, they’ll surely be able to find the right path on their own.”

That this really was his story.

The day the Queen was poisoned and left this world, he probably had to become an adult despite being completely unprepared.

I was mulling over his words when I suddenly burst into quiet laughter.

To him tilting his head and asking about the meaning of my laughter, I shrugged and answered.

“We’re both unmarried, but just looking at our conversation, we’re like parents who’ve already had two or three children and are seriously debating proper educational methods.”

As if agreeing with my words, Mikhail also laughed lightly and handed me the First King’s letter.

I took it while muttering.

“Someday that day will come.”

“We have to make it happen.”

After sharing an unspoken promise with Mikhail, I got up from my seat.

Dwelling on what was already lost and regretting it wasn’t like me.

What I needed to do now was look ahead and prepare for the future, instead of retracing the past.

* * *

Autumn in the Royal Capital was originally short, but this autumn felt like it passed by strangely quickly.

Of course, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Vivian spent many days holed up in the manor’s laboratory, working on the revolver modification I had requested.

Terry often left the manor to investigate the financial flows of merchants who had belonged to ‘Those Who Lift the World’s Veil’ together with Sewer Rat, and Chaser left the Gray Magic Tower entirely and departed for the Mage Republic.

Since the fragments of the First King’s memories had been completely shattered with Chaser being the last, Chaser seemed to be struggling because he had to interpret the First King’s black magic circles relying solely on his own memory.

Giuseppe gradually tightened the net to find the Ascetic, and Mikhail was also preparing for war by steadily expanding the size of the Royal Knights he had established.

Finally, Leo, who had finished the last classes of the summer semester, began accompanying me to the study more often.

“According to Asillia, there are many ports in the south but not many beaches. So the reason everyone goes on vacation to the south isn’t to enjoy the beaches, but to ride incredibly large ships.”

“That’s right. Those are called cruises, but due to Jenos Kingdom’s lack of large shipbuilding technology, we’re in the position of purchasing large cruises from the Maritime Alliance.”

After briefly explaining the world situation to Leo, when I asked how we should use the Blanche family’s land purchased in the south for commercial purposes, Leo fell into serious contemplation.

Instead of answering hastily, Leo pulled books about shipbuilding technology and the Maritime Alliance from the bookshelf. And he examined the books with a more serious expression than ever.

I had no doubt that in a day or two, Leo would find his own answer.

To be honest, when I asked Leo if he wanted to learn about the Blanche family’s affairs, I thought he would refuse.

But Leo gave an unexpected answer with sparkling eyes.

“Great! I’ll learn by Belinda’s side like Terry does.”

Though I was curious why he specifically mentioned Terry instead of me when asked about becoming the Blanche family heir, fortunately Leo followed the family succession lessons quite well.

I was smiling fondly at Leo’s figure, which showed seriousness even from behind, when an unexpected guest’s letter came looking for me.

‘Is it Ophelia?’

Seeing the temple’s crest stamped on the letter, I thought so, but soon realized it wasn’t.

On the letter envelope, Giuseppe’s name was written in neat handwriting.

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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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