I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 117

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

“A favor?”
What could Armitel possibly ask of me at this point?
I felt a twinge of unease for no particular reason.
“How are you finding life in the barracks, Princess?”
“It’s been enjoyable.”
“….”
Armitel’s body stiffened, as though he hadn’t expected such a positive response from me.
“Then it is comfortable?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that exactly.”
“What troubles you most?”
“The bathing facilities are absolutely dreadful.”
I had Yuri, a Spirit Summoner, and Bangwul, the water spirit, so I managed well enough, but the bathing facilities were truly abysmal.
I mean, in this age of magical civilization, we’re still scooping water with ladles to bathe?
And there’s not even warm water!
“Do you not feel cold when sleeping?”
“I sleep while embracing Bumblebee, so I’m never cold.”
Bumblebee, who had been dozing beside me like a puppy, suddenly lifted his head with a snap.
He surely hadn’t heard what was said while drowsing, but the moment his name was mentioned, he looked proud.
Bumblebee, suddenly puffed up with pride, began nodding off again.
I don’t understand why he keeps dozing like that when he could just lie down and sleep properly.
In any case, he was undeniably adorable, so I reached out my right hand and stroked his back.
Bumblebee made a contented purring sound.
“I see. And perhaps the Princess feels the cold less because you possess a Villorian body.”
“That’s true as well.”
I acknowledged it readily.
This body was remarkably sturdy and healthy, resistant to both heat and cold.
It was something I was grateful for every single day.
“However, the common soldiers are not so fortunate.”
“I see?”
I listened quietly to what Lieutenant General Armitel had to say.
‘So in summary, improving the soldiers’ treatment is urgent, is that it?’
I understood what he meant.
Lieutenant General Armitel came from a commoner background and seemed to pay particular attention to those in lower positions.
“Wouldn’t it be better to petition the imperial palace directly?”
“The budget for Zirdale Base Camp is managed by the Geomrim Academy.”
He said he had already tried.
He had requested improvements to their treatment multiple times, but the Geomrim Academy had dismissed the requests.
There were likely various political reasons, but I couldn’t know the exact circumstances.
“I will be reassigned to another unit within a year.”
It was thanks to Armitel’s efforts as the leader here that conditions at this base had improved at all.
A year from now, when someone else takes command of this place, the soldiers’ treatment will certainly worsen, he said.
“Lieutenant General Armitel, you seem to care deeply for your soldiers.”
“They are the shield that sustains the Empire.”
“And you love the Empire dearly as well.”
“…That is only natural for any citizen of the Empire.”
How many trials must a person with such devotion to the Empire have endured before ultimately betraying it?
“Why are you telling me this? I’m just a powerless young child.”
“I heard about the Kingdom of Alpea. You gifted the volunteers something called an air conditioner, a remarkable invention. Thanks to it, work efficiency increased significantly. Moreover, I heard you also provided pulleys utilizing magical engineering.”
“Many people didn’t believe it.”
People rarely believe what they haven’t seen with their own eyes. Even when shown with their own eyes, they often still don’t believe.
Whether they believed or not didn’t matter much to me.
“My hometown is near there. My younger sister still lives there.”
“A, a younger sister?”
“Yes. My sister doesn’t lie.”
Could it possibly be that female lord Aselia?
“You had a younger sister?”
“Yes. I have a very young sister.”
Lieutenant General Armitel’s eyes grew distant as he spoke. Even the thought of her seemed to move him deeply.
“A very young sister, you say…?”
“Ah, she would be the same age as the Princess. She’s eight years old now.”
“May I ask her name?”
“It’s Aselia.”
“Yes, what a beautiful name!”
“Yes. She’s very beautiful too.”
A faint smile crossed Lieutenant General Armitel’s face.
“Lieutenant General Armitel, you must adore your sister very much?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s written all over your face.”
True to his sister-loving nature, Armitel went on about his sister.
How adorable and cute she was. How sorry he felt that her sister was too busy to do anything for her.
In any case, those were the kinds of things he said, but from his expression alone, it was abundantly clear. Just how much this person loved his sister.
“But my sister probably doesn’t like me.”
“What?”
“I break my promises every day and can’t spend time with her. She calls me a bad sister every day, calls me a liar. She tells me every day that she hates me.”
For just a brief moment, his expression looked as though he’d lost the entire world.
A great soldier who rose to that position from commoner origins, yet truly, everyone’s life is the same, I thought.
“That’s not true. Aselia understands.”
“What?”
“Even just watching from the side, I can feel it so vividly. With this much, Aselia will surely be able to feel how much you love her.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes! I’ve felt it deeply through Brother Kaman as well. On the surface, he’s quite taciturn and gruff, but I can sense that his heart toward me is warm. Aselia must be the same way.”
“….”
Why did she suddenly wear an expression as if she’d lost all trust in what I was saying?
“It seems our conversation has taken a detour.”
Why did she suddenly look like she’d come to her senses?
No… but it’s true? Brother Kaman really does care for me and cherish me so much?
From her expression, it was clear she was convinced that ‘Prince Kaman could never be like that, therefore Princess Isabel must be mistaken.’
I felt a bit wronged, but at this point, it seemed awkward to press the matter further.
No, but it’s really true—why doesn’t anyone believe me? How unfair, how unfair.
“In any case, the reason I’m making such a request of the Princess is not solely because of your accomplishments in the Kingdom of Alpea.”
* * *
I felt a bit embarrassed.
‘Hmm… I made ramen because I wanted to eat it.’
It seemed that what Narmore had argued at the last forum had considerable impact.
Apparently, Isabel had actually developed something called ramen for the hungry and impoverished, and was providing it at nearly no cost.
I was grateful it was actually helping many people, but the truth was I felt embarrassed that my intentions had been packaged far too beautifully.
“And such a person even helped the soldiers guarding the outposts of the Erbe Mountains through the Teisabel Transit Gate.”
Lieutenant General Armitel, who had witnessed the entire series of events, had decided to request my help.
‘Somehow, it’s been exaggerated far beyond what I actually did….’
Well, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I wouldn’t live long in this world anyway, and if people remembered me more in exchange for leaving sooner, that would be nice.
Though there were exaggerated aspects, it was certainly a good thing for me.
“I understand well how much you care for your soldiers, Lieutenant General. I want to help too. However, there is a condition.”
“A condition?”
“You must make a promise with me.”
At the word ‘promise,’ Armitel’s expression darkened.
I understood well why Armitel wore such a dark expression. He was someone who valued the weight of a ‘promise’ more than anyone else.
That’s why he couldn’t carelessly say something like, “Yes! I promise!” with hollow words.
Even in the novel, Armitel had suffered greatly when betraying the imperial family.
I recalled the scene where he wept while searching for Empress Serna, now my mother.
「”Did you not promise a world where soldiers could smile? Did you not promise to create a world where people sing? Did you not promise a better future? I believed in that promise and waited. For twenty years.”」
This was also because of Isabel, who had been the villainess in the novel.
Empress Serna had developed a heart ailment from cleaning up after Isabel’s messes, and the vigor she once possessed had vanished.
Because of this, she couldn’t properly check the Sword Forest Academy, and it fell into corruption and graft.
Those who died in the process were the poor and powerless.
From Armitel’s perspective, they were the common soldiers.
“What promise are you speaking of?”
“Don’t betray the imperial family.”
At those words, Armitel was startled.
As if he had never even considered a word like betrayal.
“What do you mean by that?”
A subtle anger flickered across Armitel’s eyes. He seemed offended that his loyalty was being questioned.
Good. He still hasn’t even thought of the first letter of betrayal.
“If the royal family errs, if Villorian walks down a mistaken path, then be angry with me just as you are now.”
“…Pardon?”
“Glare at me with those furious eyes and demand to know why I would do such a thing.”
“…”
Armitel suppresses his anger for twenty years, bottling it all away.
He trusts and believes, waiting all the while.
And then one day, it all explodes at once, and he betrays the royal family.
Among people, that’s the worst thing that can happen. Holding it in, holding it in, and then bursting all at once.
It’s bewildering for the one being blamed, and a horrifying experience for the one unleashing the rage.
“Speak to me honestly, just as you did today. I will listen. I will do my best to move us toward a better path.”
“…”
“Tell me when I’ve made a mistake. Tell me plainly.”
My words seemed to catch him off guard, and Armitel fell silent for a long moment.
“I need someone like that.”
For my family, who will remain after I’m gone—so that the edge of Armitel’s blade, sharp as it is, will never turn toward the throats of those I love.
I had to do my very best.
“If you promise me just this, I will do everything in my power to help you. Budgeting through the Sword Academy takes an enormous amount of time and effort. The likelihood of willing cooperation is low. But if I move together with Narmore Corporation, we can improve the soldiers’ treatment immediately. We can also explore ways to cooperate with King Valkio.”

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