I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 152

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“As many of you know, I’ve been engaged in friendly competition with Princess Isabel since childhood. I believe our connection first began at the Olympiad competition. At that time, the Princess secured first place.”
Reina used this as a starting point to flaunt her deep friendship with the Princess.
“More recently, we met in the Kingdom of Zirdel and shared many old stories.”
Narmore could discern Reina’s intention.
It seemed Reina was trying to gain an advantage over the other successors by revealing her closeness with Isabel.
Narmore laughed inwardly.
‘So she’s finally using her head now that she’s gotten a bit older?’
The Reina who had openly displayed hostility was nowhere to be seen.
At least on the surface, she was playing the role of a duke’s daughter who got along very well with the Princess.
‘She’s reached the age where she’ll soon make her official debut in society.’
Was Reidu eleven or twelve years old?
I wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed she would soon make her official appearance in society.
This appeared to be a rehearsal for that.
Reina was hiding her true feelings while speaking sweet words.
“I’m very proud of Princess Isabel. There were some minor growing pains due to slight misunderstandings in the past, but I still admire the Princess as a dear friend.”
Narmore could see through Reina’s scheme clearly.
‘She thinks if she extends her hand to the Princess like this, it will work? The Princess has such a noble heart.’
So she would think it’s fine to approach her this way.
It was certain she had judged that by pretending to be close, she could improve and deepen her relationship with Isabel.
‘I was going to humiliate Reidu no matter what.’
It seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.
‘Does the Princess look like a pushover to you, Reidu?’
Isabel is certainly kind.
She always wanted to help others, and she hoped the world would remember her as a good person.
The way she did her best every single day for that was truly beautiful.
‘But when she’s resolute, how resolute she can be. Reidu, you don’t know that fact.’
Moreover, Reina had even falsely accused and persecuted Yuri, Isabel’s one and only best friend.
Isabel answered with a bright smile.
“I didn’t know Princess Reina thought of me so highly. The image of you pressuring me to sell my precious friend for money has remained too vividly in my mind.”
“….”
Reina, who had underestimated Isabel, looked greatly flustered.
She had thought that if she extended her hand like this, Isabel—the spring and sunshine of the imperial palace—would simply accept it gladly.
“It’s difficult to dismiss it as merely a slight misunderstanding when my feelings toward Princess Reina aren’t particularly favorable.”
“That, that is…!”
“However, if Princess Reina offers a sincere apology, we could become good friends.”
Reina finally let out a sigh of relief and nodded.
“Of course. I’m prepared to apologize to the Princess as much as needed.”
“Not to me.”
“Then…?”
“To Yuri.”
“Yuri?”
Reina had completely forgotten about the existence of someone named Yuri.
She was merely one of countless children sponsored by the Rosilde family, hardly anyone of significance to Reina.
“Surely you haven’t forgotten after doing something so terrible?”
Isabel’s expression, which always radiated warmth, had turned rigid.
A chill swept through the conference hall with all its windows sealed shut.
It was an artificially conjured wind of mana.
“Because of what you did, Yuri nearly lost her mother, yet it seems like such a trivial matter that you can’t even remember it, Princess Reina of the Rosilde family.”
* * *
The special royal conference adjourned, and Holy King Rahela and King Balkio departed in the same carriage.
“Did you see that mana wind?”
“I saw it. I knew Isabel had learned magic, but I didn’t expect it to be that powerful. Magic manifesting in response to her will alone—that was shocking, absolutely shocking.”
“What does ‘shocking’ mean?”
“Short for ‘startled in surprise’—I made it up.”
“Wouldn’t it be ‘startled’ then?”
“….”
Balkio was momentarily flustered but quickly regained his composure.
“I just made it that way. I’m not a trendsetter, after all.”
“You meant ‘trendsetter,’ didn’t you?”
“Right, trendsetter. Anyway, if you hadn’t tipped me off back then, things could have gone very badly. I confirmed it clearly today.”
Years ago, Rahela had taught him.
That Isabel was the Bilatian Empire’s primary political strategic asset.
“Exactly. It showed precisely why the special royal conference was called.”
The special royal conference.
This meeting had a truly special purpose.
To demonstrate the imperial will to reclaim the ‘financial power’ that the Bilatian court had been distributing to Rosilde.
“I clearly saw it too. She completely crushed Rosilde. Goodness, demanding a sincere apology to her own maid—I suspected it might happen, but I never thought Isabel could be so ruthless.”
This all transpired in a gathering of seven kings and their heirs.
Not an apology to a princess, but commanding her to bow to a maid—that was absolute submission.
“I wouldn’t simply call it ruthless. That method was undoubtedly elegant and dignified. Princess Isabel handled Reina with grace, and Reina was utterly defeated. In the end, her face turned crimson and she rejected the proposal.”
“That’s the thing. If Reina had accepted, the imperial court would have gained the submission of the Rosilde family—excellent. If she refused, they’d have grounds to make an enemy of Rosilde—also excellent. The calculation is truly meticulous and terrifying.”
Balkio, who had been silent for a moment, stroked his chin.
“Tell me, Rahela. If I fathered a son now, wouldn’t that be too late?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Making Isabel my daughter-in-law. Hehehehe!”
“Is that what you call speaking?”
“Speaking is hehehehe! And laughing….”
Balkio glanced cautiously at her expression.
Sensing that Rahela might become truly angry if he continued, he hastily moved on to the main point.
“I simply can’t think of a better guarantee for the world to come.”
“Well, let’s say I have an exceptionally wonderful son. What comes next?”
“I’d have him marry, of course. These days, a ten-year age gap is nothing, isn’t it?”
“What’s the minimum age for marriage in Zirdel?”
“Fourteen. So the moment he turns fourteen, I’d have him married right away.”
Rahela shook her head vigorously.
“By then, Isabel won’t exist in this world.”
“….”
“Did you forget?”
Balkio sat in stunned silence for a long moment before slowly nodding.
“The aura emanating from that child is so pure and luminous and innocent that I momentarily forgot.”
* * *
The royal council meeting had concluded.
I made my way to the Arena Palace with Narmore.
“Want to take a walk with me? Clear our heads a bit?”
“Of course.”
Narmore broke into a grin at my suggestion.
“You usually hate walking because you find it tedious. Are you sure?”
“Not tedious today.”
“You’re not just saying it’s not tedious because of me, are you?”
“You know I’m not the type to be that considerate.”
“That’s true.”
We walked slowly in the night breeze.
I felt somewhat frustrated.
“Why is a simple apology so difficult?”
If Yuri had offered me a sincere apology, I would have been willing to befriend Reina.
Everyone makes mistakes, and Reina was still so young.
Even now, she was still at a tender age.
So I had hoped that an apology would lead to friendship, but it seemed we were simply not meant to be friends.
“Sometimes there are fools for whom pride matters more than life itself.”
“What does apologizing for your own mistakes have to do with pride?”
“Many people know they’ve made mistakes but still can’t apologize. The higher their status and the greater their power, the more pronounced this tendency becomes.”
“But my mother and father apologize to me immediately whenever they’re wrong.”
My mother and father are the Empress and Emperor, after all.
Despite their supreme station, they sincerely apologize for their wrongs.
“Viscount Robena of the Northern Duchy, Viscount Biatone the Chief Advisor, Viscount Armitel the Second Advisor, Viscount Kirren the Commander of the Guard, Steward Deilsa—all people of the highest rank—they all honestly acknowledge their mistakes. They know how to apologize when they should.”
Narmore smiled warmly.
I found Isabel’s complaints endearing.
My heart softened, as if watching a youngest sibling pout.
“That’s because they’re truly strong people. Only the genuinely strong understand how to acknowledge their own mistakes. And even those people become steadfast and powerful only in front of the Princess.”
“What do you mean?”
“I haven’t seen the Emperor or Empress much, so I wouldn’t know. But I’ve never seen Viscount Biatone apologize to anyone except the Princess.”
“R-really?”
“Viscount Kiruen is only that docile in front of the Princess. Servant Deilsa is the same way.”
Regardless of how the conversation had started, its current flow was being steered by Narmore’s leading questions.
“The Princess is like a baby angel who makes the people around her stronger.”
“….”
Isabel found herself momentarily at a loss for words.
A baby angel, no less.
She had defined herself as someone who “loves praise and craves attention,” but even she found this difficult to accept.
‘Hm?’
Then, in the distance before the Arena Palace, I noticed someone lingering.
Narmore also caught sight of him and his expression darkened.
Even in this darkness, his radiant handsomeness instinctively put me in a foul mood.
‘Whether it’s Arun or Amon. What is he doing here?’
The apprentice knight who had recently become very famous among the maids.
He was standing before the Arena Palace.
As if he were waiting for someone.

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