I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 23

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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 always, Viscount Lancer did not teach me swordsmanship.
While anxiously wondering when Servant Deilsa might arrive, he would read me my favorite storybooks.
I sat on Viscount Lancer’s lap.
“Now then, today is a tale of the guardian dragon. Long, long ago, there lived a most terrifying black dragon. The black dragon’s name was Kadelina.”
“I’m s-scared.”
With a child’s body so earnest that I threw myself into pretend play, I felt an instinctive fear at such a story.
A chill ran through me.
A cold shiver crept up my spine.
For some reason, it felt as though the black dragon was truly staring at me.
Without thinking, I covered both my eyes with my hands.
‘I’m rarely this frightened… This is strange. It’s as if there’s really a black dragon right beside me.’
I listened to the story while swallowing nervously.
Kadelina was a terrifying dragon.
What was peculiar was that this dragon had many names.
“The Final Black Flame Dragon. The Concluding Black Flame Dragon. The Destructive one, the Transparent one. She had so many nicknames. That must mean she did many different and terrifying things, yes?”
“I-I’m truly scared.”
“Any mention of ‘the Black Flame Dragon’ came to mean Kadelina.”
“Does the Black Flame Dragon still exist? Is she still doing bad things?”
“Don’t worry. A brave Hero punished the wicked black dragon. The Hero made a pinky promise with the black dragon.”
“What promise did they make?”
“She promised to never do anything bad again and to become a good dragon who would help the Hero.”
“Wow!”
My pride was wounded once again today.
How could such a storybook be so delightful?
‘No. This is reality too. Don’t be ashamed.’
I had decided to simply accept it now.
A child’s body carried a child’s joy.
Wasn’t it a blessing that there were so many things to enjoy in this world?
Viscount Lancer closed the fairy tale book.
“Princess, did you know?”
“Pardon?”
“The Hero in this story was the very first Emperor of the Villorian Empire.”
“No way, that’s a lie!”
I shook my head vigorously.
Of course, Viscount Lancer’s story was interesting, but still, there had to be limits.
I was a reader of this novel, and the term “guardian dragon” had never once appeared in it.
“It’s true. He became a guardian dragon and has been secretly protecting the Imperial Family.”
“My father is the one who protects the Imperial Family!”
Viscount Lancer seemed to have made a firm resolve.
Like someone deeply moved, he murmured something to himself alone.
“Dailsa! The answer is a daughter, a daughter!”
I rushed into the hallway and shouted toward Servant Dailsa, “The answer is a daughter! A daughter!” though I couldn’t quite grasp the exact meaning of those words myself.
* * *
The next day.
I prepared a small mana stone—one that emitted a faintly cool breeze.
With it in hand, I made my way to Michael’s room.
With his animal instincts, Michael opened the door before I could even knock.
“Oh? What’s that? Is it food?”
Michael snatched the mana stone from my hand and popped it into his mouth, crunching down hard.
He seemed to think it was some kind of ice cream.
He spat it out.
“Ugh, it’s hard and tastes awful.”
“Oh, Brother. Your teeth—I mean, your teeth… are you alright?”
I’d definitely heard a crunching sound.
“I almost shattered them.”
“…Usually people say they almost got shattered.”
“Why would they shatter?”
“Because it’s a hard stone!”
Michael grinned as if he couldn’t care less.
“My teeth are harder.”
Michael remained as thoughtless as ever.
“So? What is this? A gift for me?”
“No.”
This was made for Bumblebee.
I had layered a basic magical formula of my own creation onto a Siberun mana stone, which possessed a cold property.
“When you infuse mana like this, a cool breeze flows out.”
As I channeled mana into it, the Siberun mana stone glowed blue.
Soon a chill seeped out, cooling the surrounding air pleasantly.
In modern terms, it was like an air conditioner.
“Wow. That’s incredibly fascinating.”
“Isn’t it?”
As I studied magic, I came to realize one unfortunate truth.
Magic in this world had indeed developed tremendously.
Terrifying spells existed that could shatter fortress walls with a gesture or summon lightning.
However, magic related to daily life had not developed much at all.
‘Because this isn’t a peaceful world.’
It was different from Earth.
The people here still fought monsters for survival, and wars broke out frequently across the continent.
So magic related to warfare and combat had developed rapidly, while practical, everyday magic had been neglected.
“I’ve become interested in researching these trivial kinds of magic.”
The true mages would be too preoccupied researching war-related magic, so I decided to study these trivial spells myself.
Fortunately, I had plenty of time and knew methods to earn considerable money, making this the perfect environment to study minor magic.
“Sure, go ahead.”
My brother seemed entirely indifferent to the matter.
“Chirp!”
Fortunately, Kim Beolggwol absolutely adored the magic stone I had created.
He even slept while hugging the magic stone, which made me feel quite proud.
“Next time, I’ll make you something even cooler!”
The analytical magic applied to Kim Beolggwol worked perfectly when Karin wasn’t nearby.
Kim Beolggwol seemed to love being called by name.
[Call. Please.]
“Kim Beolggwol.”
[That’s X. Completely X.]
“Huh?”
Kim Beolggwol didn’t seem to like the name “Bumblebee” very much.
He kept displaying X marks in succession.
“Then… hmm…”
Why would he dislike it? It’s cute and nice.
But I couldn’t ignore the hopeful gleam in Kim Beolggwol’s eyes.
“Kim Beolggwol?”
[Correct.]
[Very correct.]
[♡]
I couldn’t understand what the difference was between “Bumblebee” and “Kim Beolggwol,” but in any case, he sent me a heart, and I gently stroked his forehead in return.
* * *
Luluka hummed cheerfully as she descended the underground stairs.
“Today I should prepare chocolate milk with floating ice. The Princess would surely enjoy that, wouldn’t she?”
Luluka prepared Isabel’s snack with a joyful heart.
The chocolate milk was ready. She only needed to retrieve the ice from the freezer in the Underground Storage.
“…Huh?”
But something seemed amiss in the Underground Storage.
“Good heavens. What is this?”
Frost covered the storage walls completely.
A biting chill filled the air, making her hands terribly numb.
“What on earth happened?”
This small freezer in the Underground Storage was an extraordinary luxury item.
A product of magical engineering that common people could never even see.
“Why are the ice blocks frozen so solid?”
It was strange.
For something occurring in the height of summer, it was far too bizarre, so she reported it to Servant Deilsa.
“Steward Deilsa. In the Underground Storage….”
Deilsa hurried down to the Underground Storage to see for herself.
Just as Luluka had said, the Underground Storage was saturated with magical energy.
The Underground Storage was a rather secretive location even within the Imperial Palace.
If magic could penetrate this place so thoroughly, it meant it could infiltrate anywhere else as well.
‘If an unknown force conducted a simulation test…this is serious.’
They may have tested whether magic could penetrate the Underground Storage using harmless spells first, to see if infiltration was even possible.
Deilsa felt a deep sense of unease, yet even she couldn’t discern what was happening.
‘This is precisely why I’ve repeatedly recommended stationing mages within the Imperial Palace.’
The scholars of the Sword Academy, whose pride in the blade was excessively strong, had vehemently opposed bringing mages into the Imperial Palace.
‘Stubborn old fools.’
She walked quickly to present herself before the Emperor.
Since this incident had occurred within the Arena Palace, the residence of the imperial family, it was an urgent report.
As she walked swiftly down the corridor, she encountered someone.
“Steward Deilsa, hello?”
“Viscount Biatonn?”
It was Viscount Biatonn, who had been on a business trip to the Mirotell Magic Federation.
“Hellooo.”
“….”
“Pleased to meet you!”
“….”
Since it had been over a decade since he’d used that greeting, Deilsa felt oddly embarrassed.
Deilsa glanced around her surroundings.
“You still have no sense of propriety.”
“I just risked my life completing a mission, and you’re going to be so cold to me? Biatonn’s feelings are hurt.”
“….”
There were exactly two people in the world who gave Deilsa difficulty.
Not her husband, nor the Emperor.
It was Biatonn and Michael.
Both troubled her in different ways.
“Have you already forgotten the glorious, magnificent, and solemn camaraderie we shared crossing battlefields together?”
“Be quiet.”
“I’m just adding a suffix, so why are you insisting on formal speech?”
“I said be quiet.”
“That’s right. Now that’s the real Deilsa. If you live behind a mask, you won’t live a full life. I just want my friend to live a long time.”
“If I die young, the cause will be high blood pressure and stress.”
“What? Deilsa, are you stressed lately? Is it because of your husband?”
“….”
Deilsa gave up on having any sensible and normal conversation with Biatonn.
She let out a deep sigh and led Biatonn down to the Underground Storage.
Before reporting to the Emperor, I needed to examine the strange phenomena occurring in the Underground Storage more carefully.
“Seems you haven’t forgotten that I’m a Mage Swordsman.”
“Are there signs of external intrusion?”
“Doesn’t appear so.”
Viscount Biatonn touched the frost accumulated thickly on the wall with his finger and tasted it.
“Hmm. Not particularly threatening mana… hmm?”
Viscount Biatonn tasted the frost again.
Once. Twice. Multiple times he tasted it.
“I think I know who owns this mana.”
At first, I was uncertain.
But now I was beginning to understand.
This feeling was far too familiar and dear.
The owner of this mana was someone I cherished and cared for deeply.
That child, bright as sunlight, whom I wanted to rush over and embrace immediately, came to mind.
“Who is it?”
Servant Deilsa’s expression grew serious.
Who dared to employ unauthorized magic within the Imperial Palace with such shallow tricks?
Viscount Biatonn lowered his voice.
“Well, you see…”
And he whispered with a radiant smile.
“I’m not telling you.”

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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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