I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 158

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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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The shadow didn’t have the shape of a person.
‘If it were a person, there’s no way I’d see a tail-like shadow there, right?’
The tail was swaying side to side. Like a puppy who’d just met its guardian.
Though it was merely a shadow, it was unmistakably so.
Arun spoke.
“Is something the matter?”
“Just now, I clearly….”
I examined the shadow once more.
But now it was simply in the form of a person.
I rubbed my eyes, but nothing changed.
‘That was definitely Kim Beolggwol’s tail.’
Even if others wouldn’t know, I do.
How the tail sways.
The angle at which it sways.
How vigorously it sways.
So I could tell just from the shadow.
That tail’s shape just now was unmistakably Beolggwol’s form.
‘Bumblebee must be missing me terribly.’
That’s why I’m seeing things that aren’t there.
“It’s nothing.”
Arun sat beside me, a little distance away.
And unlike when speaking with my father, he spoke in quite a gentle tone.
“If there’s anything you wish to say, please feel free to speak at any time.”
“I understand. I’ll do that.”
My father seemed displeased with Arun.
“Twelve years old.”
“I am Arun, Your Majesty.”
“I don’t recall ever telling you to interpret my words arbitrarily.”
“Nor has Your Majesty ever commanded me not to interpret your words arbitrarily.”
Wow, listening to him speak, he was somewhat like a more courteous Viscount Biatonn.
So I felt a strange affection for Arun.
Not because he’s handsome, absolutely not, truly, really.
“From now on, do not interpret my words.”
“If it is a command, I shall obey it, but….”
“But?”
“Would that be acceptable to you?”
My father’s eyebrows twitched.
Wow, impressive.
I thought only Teacher Biatone could make my father’s expression change in such an unfavorable direction.
Now there was one more.
He certainly acted like a male lead.
“What do you mean?”
“If I could grasp Your Majesty’s true intentions more accurately and articulate them specifically, the Princess might find it easier to understand Your Majesty’s sincere heart.”
If he truly shared a similar temperament with Teacher Biatone, Father wouldn’t hold back any longer.
It was time to slowly draw my sword against him, just as I would with Teacher Biatone.
‘Huh?’
But I didn’t draw my sword.
Rather, it felt like I was assenting to something.
Arun smiled faintly.
“I will do my utmost to ensure Your Majesty’s sincere heart reaches the Princess.”
“That is your own will to do so.”
“Of course. Such a noble and righteous endeavor of conveying Your Majesty’s sincere heart to the Princess cannot involve any coercion or compulsion. I shall, of my own volition, narrow the distance between Your Majesty and the Princess, and help paternal love blossom between you.”
Father doesn’t particularly like it when people speak at such length.
He prefers short, concise statements—sharp and decisive.
It seemed Arun hadn’t fully grasped Father’s nature yet.
As expected, Father’s expression was quite severe.
Yet the emotions conveyed through his magical energy felt strangely different.
‘Is he satisfied?’
It was peculiar.
* * *
Arun spoke.
“Does the Princess harbor ill will toward Prince Sermon? I heard something quite significant happened at that time.”
Arun felt dizzy whenever he thought of that moment.
It was fortunate that he awakened the dragon’s consciousness; otherwise, he would never have seen Isabel again.
Regardless of the circumstances, for Kim Beolggol, Sermon was nothing but an enemy.
“It wasn’t Brother’s fault.”
“…There’s no need to force yourself to forgive him.”
“If anything, I think it was Mother and Father’s fault.”
Isabel glanced cautiously at Ron.
This was an issue she would have to address eventually.
‘Will he be angry?’
Fortunately, Ron simply listened to Isabel’s words in silence.
Isabel gained a bit more courage.
“Father didn’t love his son, and Mother neglected him.”
“….”
Isabel glanced cautiously once more and asked Ron.
“Am I being too disrespectful?”
“No.”
Ron wasn’t angry.
It felt as though he had contracted an illness that prevented him from being angry with Isabel.
“It’s unfortunate, but what’s done is done, and there’s nothing I can do about it….”
“….”
“From now on, I just wish Father would love Prince Sermon and everyone else, just like Mother does.”
Serna had changed greatly from before.
With a heart seeking atonement toward the children, she was making every effort to spend time with them.
However, Prince Sermon displayed extreme hostility toward Serna.
Kaman was trying to accept her love well enough, while Michael still had no particular thoughts on the matter.
“I really wanted to tell Father this.”
“Tell me what?”
“Every child needs their parents’ affection and attention.”
In the past, even I lacked the courage to say such words.
I was only preoccupied with protecting myself.
But now the situation was different.
From the shoulder where my head rested, magic flowed into me.
Within that magic was love so profound it could not be expressed in words.
“I couldn’t speak like this before because I was afraid of Father. I don’t know how terrified every single day was back then. I tried so hard to become a useful child.”
“….”
“But it’s different now. Because I can feel how much Father loves me.”
“….”
Ron, who had trained only with the sword his entire life, didn’t know how to respond.
Silence was simply the best he could manage.
“So please share some of that love with my brothers too.”
Isabel smiled brightly.
“Though I still hope you’ll love me the most.”
“….”
Watching her, Arun smiled faintly.
In Arun’s world, Isabel shone brilliantly today as well.
Enough that he wanted to protect her for a lifetime.
After a long silence, Ron finally spoke.
“Such things feel awkward and difficult to me.”
Truthfully, I had no confidence in myself either.
I didn’t consider myself an affectionate father.
I too had never received love in my childhood.
That I had changed this way was because of Isabel.
In other words, Isabel was my variable.
So it wasn’t strange that I showed a different side only before that variable.
“My usual self is my daily life, and the self I show when facing you is the extraordinary.”
I understood my own limitations clearly.
Of course, I would try as Isabel suggested, but I knew it was nearly impossible.
“Wouldn’t it be enough if you cared for them a great deal?”
For Ron, Isabel’s single smile was worth more than ten million efforts on his part.
Sermon, Kaman, Michael—all of them.
They appeared far happier in the presence of their sister Isabel than when standing beside their father Ron.
Isabel continued speaking with composure.
“I won’t be able to stay with you forever, after all.”
Isabel had less than ten years remaining.
“So I’m asking you, Father.”
Thump!
Ron felt as though his heart had plummeted to the depths.
* * *
A fierce, biting cold swept through the air.
It was Robena, the master of Sky Island and the Grand Duke of the North.
“Excuse me, Your Majesty the Emperor—have you lost your mind?”
“What?”
Arun stepped forward in front of Isabel.
It was to shield her from the bitter cold radiating from Robena.
“You’ve deployed thirty elite White Whale Knights to Sky Island?”
“Yes, I informed you.”
“I never gave my permission.”
“Since when do notifications require permission?”
The two locked eyes in the empty space between them.
Sparks seemed to fly.
Here was how the matter had unfolded.
1. Isabel was searching for someone. (Of course, her reasons were absurd, but Ron didn’t seem to mind much.)
2. Ron wanted to help Isabel.
3. So he deployed thirty White Whale Knights directly under the Imperial Palace to Sky Island.
4. Afterward, he notified Robena.
Robena spoke.
“You understand this is an enormous diplomatic problem, don’t you?”
The White Whale Knights were publicly known as the Imperial Palace’s representative intelligence organization.
Of course, it was true that they were the Palace’s primary body handling intelligence matters.
But they were also a military force that infiltrated enemy territory to assassinate key figures, uncover fatal weaknesses of enemies, or secure attack routes to enemy strongholds in advance.
In other words, each of them was a military strategic asset.
Yet thirty of them had been deployed to Sky Island—from the perspective of Sky Island’s master, it was infuriating beyond words.
“It’s a private matter. Don’t concern yourself with it.”
“You deployed the White Whale Knights for a private matter? Arun, what have you been doing? I’ve known for some time that His Majesty isn’t in his right mind, but you should have stopped him while you were at his side.”
Arun stepped forward one pace.
That would have been fine, but he suddenly uttered something strange.
“Mother, I would appreciate it if you would restrain your cold aura somewhat.”
“…What?”
“The Princess is cold.”
“….”
Robena was momentarily at a loss for words.
The absurdity was so overwhelming that even her anger dissipated.
“Do you not understand what’s important right now?”
Besides, the Princess wasn’t cold at all. She looked perfectly fine.
“Please withdraw your mana emission.”
Arun’s gaze was so resolute that Robena ceased her mana release.
Only then did Arun speak again.
“This is truly a personal matter. There will be no political or military machinations regarding Sky Island. I stake my honor on this.”
“Don’t make guarantees so carelessly. Even if you are my son.”
“I understand.”
“Sigh.”
Robena pressed her forehead with her hand.
“Fine. Let me hear the details of what’s going on.”
After hearing the explanation, Robena let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re telling me you did all this because of a dream? With nothing but a single montage created from what you saw in that dream?”
“Yes.”
“By mobilizing the Imperial Palace’s finest personnel?”
“Yes.”
“If someone with such tremendous ability existed on Sky Island, I doubt I would have missed them?”
“….”
“There’s no way someone like that could be on Sky Island….”
At that moment, Gailrop, the commander of the White Whale Knights, appeared.
“We found them, Your Majesty.”

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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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