I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 156

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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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My Biological Father answered without the slightest wavering.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Just because you didn’t waver doesn’t mean harassing someone becomes not harassing them.”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“…Really?”
“Ask Prince Arun.”
I shifted my gaze toward Arun.
Prince Arun looked at me and smiled lightly.
‘Wow…’
I nearly found myself staring at Arun without realizing it.
This had to be protagonist privilege.
His beauty was truly on a different dimension.
In terms of appearance alone, my Biological Father was certainly not inferior.
But the feeling was slightly different.
The difference in impact between witnessing the beauty of blood relatives and that of strangers was immense.
It seemed even more pronounced because we were the same age.
‘Get a grip!’
It was genuinely dangerous.
The characters in the novel had been quick to marvel at Arun’s beauty, and it was no exaggeration.
‘Black eyes with black hair.’
Perhaps because of that, there were aspects in which he resembled my Biological Father.
In truth, I had grown tired of seeing black hair and eyes.
Most South Korean people possessed black hair and eyes.
Yet in This World, it felt as though only two people had black hair and black eyes.
I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.
The moment one beheld the beauty of those two, every other face in the world would be erased from memory.
I grasped at my composure as tightly as I could and spoke again.
“Prince Arun, give me an answer.”
“I would not say that merely being summoned and made to stand here by the Emperor constitutes severe persecution, given that I am but a trainee Knight.”
“He was persecuted.”
It was like an intern at a major corporation meeting the chairman.
Though the pressure would probably be about three hundred times more intense.
Of course, the three hundred times here is merely a figurative expression, not an actual mathematical figure.
I’m a talent brimming with sensibility, a blend of humanities and sciences, but saying something like this in front of Yuri would be exhausting.
Arun spoke again.
“You did glare at me with a powerful gaze, but there was no physical persecution.”
“He harassed you.”
I looked at my Biological Father.
My Biological Father glared at Arun, then suddenly turned his gaze toward the window.
It was all exposed.
“Therefore, Your Highness, there is nothing for you to worry about. Thank you for your concern.”
“Strangely enough….”
“Pardon?”
I couldn’t quite place it, but there was something oddly similar about him to Viscount Biatonn.
“It’s nothing. I was going to ask you to step out for a moment… No, wait. Actually, I think it would be nice to discuss this together. After all, Prince Arun is also the Grand Duke’s son.”
We shared the idea of wanting to visit Sky Island.
* * *
Last time I went because of the symposium, so I didn’t get to see it properly.
I heard there are many beautiful places, and I want to travel there.
…That was essentially the gist of it.
“Not a bad idea. We depart tomorrow.”
“Pardon?”
Isabel didn’t understand for a moment.
Arun interpreted for her instead.
“It seems the Emperor intends to accompany you, Your Highness.”
“Father? Or rather, my biological father?”
“In private, you may call me father.”
“But father is so busy.”
I knew he spent nearly twenty of every twenty-four hours devoted to sword training.
That was also the primary duty of the Sword Art Empire’s Emperor.
Yet the idea that he would join in such a leisurely journey seemed odd.
“Viscount Biatonn is also occupied with many matters, making extended business trips difficult. Wouldn’t that mean I must accompany you instead?”
Arun interpreted again from beside me.
“Your Highness requires a truly trustworthy escort with exceptional skill. By the Emperor’s standards, that can only be Viscount Biatonn, yet it appears the Emperor intends to keep him occupied.”
“…Keep him occupied?”
“He is someone who can make even an unoccupied person busy.”
Conversely, he could make even a busy person unoccupied.
Of course, Ron intended to keep Biatonn occupied.
“Therefore, it seems the Emperor has no choice but to personally accompany his daughter on this journey.”
Isabel shook her head.
“That won’t do.”
The Emperor’s primary duty is sword training.
Isabel didn’t want to be a burden to Ron.
“It will.”
“You’ll lose a lot of time for sword training. I don’t want to be a daughter who causes you trouble.”
“I happen to have a match scheduled with Robena.”
“Pardon?”
This was the first I’d heard of it.
Usually when the Emperor and the Grand Duke schedule a match, the news spreads everywhere.
‘Father’s voice seemed a bit quieter just now.’
There was something slightly shameless about the feeling.
“You said you had a sparring match promised with Robena?”
“That’s right.”
“Why does it feel like Father is lying?”
Ron’s body flinched.
He might be the Iron-Blooded Emperor before others, but he couldn’t maintain that facade even before Isabel.
An unfamiliar lie was bound to show through.
“I wish Father wasn’t lying.”
Ron’s expression darkened slightly.
He hesitated briefly before asking anyway.
“Do you dislike coming with me?”
“I like it.”
Isabel burst into laughter without realizing it.
‘There’s a certain charm to teasing him.’
There was a unique appeal to watching such a handsome man look flustered.
Ah, this won’t do.
It feels like my taste is becoming strange.
‘He’s kind of cute, actually.’
Then she suddenly came to her senses.
‘This is serious. I’m starting to resemble the people around me.’
The departure was scheduled for tomorrow morning.
* * *
Arun returned to his quarters and fell into meditation.
‘I couldn’t take my eyes off her.’
Isabel as seen through a ratel’s eyes and Isabel as seen through human eyes were completely different.
My heart pounded inexplicably, making it difficult to meet her gaze.
I wanted to remember every word Isabel spoke, every breath she took.
Those memories felt more precious than anything.
‘I must be doing this right.’
I had spent considerable time contemplating how to treat Isabel going forward, and what kind of life Arun—not Kim Beolggwol—should live.
And today, I could reach a conclusion.
‘My role model is Biatone.’
To Kim Beolggwol, Biatone had been an irritating rival.
He always stole Isabel’s attention and affection.
That’s how Kim Beolggwol felt.
‘I think I did better than expected.’
When I slipped out of the office, I heard Ron say, ‘Strangely, you feel like Biatone—it’s repulsive.’
The plan was a success.
I had observed Biatone extensively through Kim Beolggwol’s eyes and clashed with him many times.
He waited for the next day, recalling the Biatone he both loved and hated.
Sleep simply would not come.
‘This won’t do.’
Three in the morning.
I rose from my bed and stood at the entrance of the Arena Palace.
‘If I wait here, I can see her one second earlier.’
I waited for Isabel with a joyful heart.
How much time had passed?
Before long, dawn broke and the day grew bright.
“Prince Arun?”
“I’ve come to escort you.”
“How long have you been waiting? You should have sent word inside. Then I would have hurried more.”
“I just arrived. Please don’t worry about it.”
The current time was 8:30.
Those five hours and thirty minutes of waiting for Isabel were but a fleeting moment to me.
I extended my hand.
Isabel grasped it and carefully began to walk.
“Isn’t this breaking the Emperor’s orders again? You’re talking to me again.”
“I was permitted to converse during the duration of the journey.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and even if that weren’t the case, I would have intended to defy the Emperor’s orders as much as possible.”
“What?”
Isabel burst into laughter.
“Can you really say such things in front of the Princess?”
“I trust that the Princess will keep this secret.”
“Why? Why should I keep your secret?”
“To be precise, I’m asking you to. I wish to have a conversation with you, after all.”
“So, why?”
“Because you’re my first love.”
“Pardon?”
I lifted my head abruptly without thinking.
‘What did I just say?’
I couldn’t quite remember what I’d just spoken.
As I busily calculated in my mind how Biatone would have said it, the words spilled out instinctively.
‘It’s because of Kim Beolggwol’s consciousness.’
Kim Beolggwol was the type whose actions came before his words.
That consciousness was so powerfully influential that such mistakes often slipped out.
Isabel slightly protruded her lips and narrowed her eyes.
“When did you see me to call me your first love?”
From Isabel’s perspective, it was rather absurd.
Suddenly, Narmore’s words came to mind.
“Yes. Rumors of him being a philanderer are quite widespread.”
It seemed he had the reputation of a womanizer.
Isabel’s heart grew cold.
‘So he’s merely beautiful to look at.’
In novels, when Arun said “I like you,” the heroines would respond with “Oh! Yes! I love you too!”
But Isabel was different.
She had already been somewhat wary of Arun, and for him to suddenly confess his first love made it all the more strange.
It didn’t resonate with her at all.
Arun was equally flustered.
He had merely cried out on instinct and couldn’t even remember what he’d said.
“It seems I’ve misspoken.”
“Yes, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make such jokes with me in the future.”
“My apologies.”
Shortly after, a carriage carrying Ron arrived before Isabel.
Isabel and Arun boarded the carriage.
Inside the carriage.
Ron, who was already seated, opened his mouth. His gaze was fixed on Arun.
“In truth, a guide isn’t necessary for this journey.”
“I pride myself on knowing the Sky Island better than anyone.”
“Of course—how much ground must you have covered learning to steal?”
“…I have never committed theft.”
“It appears you plan to in the future.”
“Is it perhaps uncomfortable for you to intrude upon the Princess’s intimate journey? If so, I apologize, but it seems you have no other grounds to persecute me, Your Majesty. I am native to the Sky Island and know it better than anyone.”
“The way you speak—you sound just like Biatone pretending to be sane.”
“Compared to the Chief Advisor, I fall far short. However, I shall take it as praise and strive harder.”
“We shall see.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It would be wise to be cautious with your every action going forward.”
As Ron glared at Arun, an awkward silence fell.
Isabel, caught between them, grew deeply uncomfortable.
Unless one were a fool, one couldn’t help but notice the strange tension flowing between the two men.
“Father, why are you being so harsh with Lord Arun?”
“Harsh? Did I?”
“It’s so uncomfortable I can barely breathe.”
“…”
“You’re strong against the strong and weak against the weak—that’s the Emperor of Villorian. So why are you persecuting someone weaker like this?”
“Weak? You’re saying that fellow is weak?”
“Yes. You are the Emperor of the Empire, and Lord Arun is merely an apprentice knight.”
Ron let out a small sigh before continuing.
“Isabel. That fellow is not as weak as you think.”

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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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