I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 29
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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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Long ago, Viscount Biatonn and Ron found themselves isolated together, surrounded by enemies.
They fought side by side, prepared for death, and by fortune managed to break through the encirclement and return to the Empire.
Viscount Biatonn was gravely wounded, and Ron personally nursed him back to health.
On the second day after Viscount Biatonn lost consciousness, Ron spoke to him.
“This is a royal command. Wake up.”
But Viscount Biatonn could not rise.
On the third day after Viscount Biatonn collapsed.
“In the future, I will become Emperor. When that time comes, I will grant you the authority to disobey an imperial decree once. So wake up.”
“Really?”
Thanks to Ron’s devoted care during his time as Crown Prince, Viscount Biatonn was revived and gained the right to refuse an imperial command.
And today, he decided to use it.
“I’m afraid I must disobey an imperial decree, Your Majesty.”
Viscount Biatonn told Ron about what had happened with Isabel.
“So for now, instead of me, please assign someone to track Wilhelm. Ideally, someone as capable as Viscount Lancer.”
….
After a long silence, Ron nodded.
“Granted.”
“You’re approving this surprisingly easily? I thought the order to pursue Wilhelm would be your top priority.”
Viscount Biatonn had observed Ron for a long time.
He had expected Ron to naturally become angry, but his expectation was thoroughly proven wrong.
“Because there are only fifteen days left to grant Isabel’s requests.”
….
Viscount Biatonn fell silent for a moment.
“In any case, I’ll be heading to the Erbe Mountains. Please authorize my use of the transit gate.”
“Authorized.”
“Last time I went on a business trip, you told me to run there on foot.”
Viscount Biatonn let out a deep sigh.
He deliberately shook his head and provoked Ron’s temper.
“Still, I’m supposedly the Emperor’s aide. Couldn’t you help me maintain some dignity in my daily life?”
….
Ron’s eyebrows twitched.
Viscount Biatonn thought it was fortunate.
‘Yes. It’s better if he’s angry instead.’
Because there were only fifteen days left to grant Isabel’s requests.
Viscount Biatonn did not want to see the expression on Ron’s face when he said that.
He had seen too much sadness in the face of the friend he had spent his entire life with.
So he deliberately whined.
“Since you’re already granting permission, you know, that unlimited transit gate access given to Silver Star Medal recipients. Could you give me something like that?”
“You? Why would you need that?”
“It’s cute. Wink.”
Biatone poked his own cheek with his index finger and winked.
Ron’s patience had reached its breaking point. He was on the verge of drawing his sword.
“If you dislike that too, at least raise my salary! Argh!”
Biatone hastily threw himself backward.
He rolled across the floor four full rotations.
A few strands of his bangs fluttered through the air.
“Is it really acceptable to swing a sword around so recklessly!”
“Unfortunate. I was aiming for your neck.”
“What did I do wrong… Argh!”
Thwack!
Ron’s fist struck Biatone’s eye socket.
Since no mana was channeled into the blow, there was no serious injury or pain, but his vision still flashed white.
Biatone was shocked not from the pain, but for an entirely different reason.
“Wow. The Emperor of the Sword Art Empire abandoning his sword to throw punches instead. If others saw this, they’d faint, wouldn’t they?”
“I should have knocked you unconscious.”
Ron rubbed his knuckles, looking satisfied.
“That’s where Dailsa hit me.”
….
“Hitting the same spot twice is the worst.”
“Want me to hit you more?”
“I genuinely don’t understand why I deserve to be hit.”
Now that I thought about it, there was no real reason for Biatone to be hit.
Still, Biatone was nominally the Emperor’s aide and the second-in-command of the Sword Art Empire.
He talked a lot, but he hadn’t actually done anything deserving of a beating.
Ron found an appropriate justification.
“You violated an imperial order.”
“But Your Majesty told me to violate it! You said you’d give me one chance!”
Ron chuckled.
“But I never said I wouldn’t hit you.”
* * *
The night had grown deep.
“Princess. Have a good night tonight as well.”
The Midwife tucked the blanket around me, then gently kissed my forehead before withdrawing.
I wanted to whine and ask her not to leave, but I held back.
‘I’m six years old now, after all.’
My body still yearned for someone to remain by my side.
I suppressed my body’s instincts and gazed toward the dark ceiling.
‘Well. Another day has passed safely.’
Surely I didn’t do anything wrong?
I replayed my conversation with Karin from today in my mind.
I was right to ask the Midwife to find books related to Tesleron.
Karin was the type of character who could exploit even the smallest clue to construct a devastating weakness.
That’s why I always had to be careful.
I had made considerable effort to justify and rationalize my actions, and fortunately, it had worked on Karin as well.
If the truth about my possession were ever revealed, it would be catastrophic.
Especially if Karin discovered it—my peaceful life of possession would end that very day.
It meant my remaining fifteen years could be utterly destroyed.
More precisely, the Holy Knights would swarm in and drag me away.
“No, no, no.”
Just imagining it made every hair on my body stand on end.
The thought of Holy Knights coming to seize me suddenly filled me with dread.
Then, I heard the sound of a window opening.
It was too dark to see anything.
‘The… the window opened? Why?’
The Midwife had surely locked it from the inside.
‘A… a burglar?’
Logically speaking, the chances of a thief breaking into the Imperial Palace were virtually nonexistent.
But once fear had gripped me, I plunged into extreme panic.
‘I must have misheard.’
But I hadn’t.
Whoosh—
A breeze swept through.
‘The window really did open.’
I couldn’t sense any presence at all.
Paralyzed by terror, I couldn’t even produce a sound.
‘I… I need to cry out.’
My throat felt completely constricted.
My body trembled uncontrollably.
Rustle—
A faint sound reached my ears.
It was like the footstep of a skilled assassin.
That sound, mingled with the wind, sent my nerves into overdrive.
‘P… please!’
I hid beneath the blankets, yet I felt as though someone’s gaze was upon me.
My body continued to shake violently.
Then, I felt the blanket move.
It was as if someone were lifting it.
And in the darkness, I saw a pair of eyes fixed upon me.
Reflected in the faint moonlight seeping through the window, those eyes gleamed like obsidian.
‘Huh?’
I could identify the intruder who had invaded my room.
It smelled of honey.
“Kim Beolkkot?”
Kim Beolkkot shook his head vigorously from side to side.
Kim Beolkkot hated the name my brother had given him.
“Right, right. Kim Beolkkot.”
Only then did Kim Beolkkot break into a wide smile and nod his head enthusiastically up and down.
“Sigh.”
I exhaled a deep breath.
As much as I had been frightened, a wave of tremendous relief washed over me.
“Thank goodness.”
I pulled Kim Beolkkot into my arms.
Kim Beolkkot didn’t seem to mind, emitting an adorable chirping sound—bing, bing.
It was a sound he only made in front of me, and I felt secretly proud of that.
“Wait a moment. Let me cast an interpretation spell for you.”
I summoned mana and cast the spell.
My heart was still pounding rapidly as my mind hadn’t fully settled, but Kim Beolkkot, oblivious to my state, burrowed deeper into my embrace and rubbed his head against me.
“That tickles.”
Kim Beolkkot’s fur was incredibly soft.
I didn’t dwell too deeply on how a wild ratel’s fur could be so incredibly soft.
Words appeared above Kim Beolkkot’s head.
[Missed you.]
[So I came to visit.]
Kim Beolkkot’s eyes seemed to be absolutely brimming with honey.
Gazing into those dark eyes as if honey were dripping from them, my heart felt as though it were melting away.
“Did you come because you wanted to sleep with me?”
[Affirmative.]
[Will you permit it?]
I nodded.
I had been thinking it would be nice to have someone beside me anyway.
“Sleeping with brave Kim Beolkkot will help put my mind at ease.”
[Brave Kim Beolkkot.]
Kim Beolkkot patted his own chest as if to say I should trust only him.
I buried my nose in Kim Beolkkot’s fur and inhaled deeply.
I truly loved Kim Beolkkot’s scent.
How could such a sweet fragrance come from an animal?
And his body warmth was perfectly comforting.
“I wish we could sleep together every night.”
[Agreed.]
[Strongly agreed.]
Thanks to the brave Bumblebee staying by my side, sleep came to me quickly.
The Bumblebee nestled in my arms seemed drowsy too, blinking slowly.
‘Hmm?’
Above the Bumblebee’s head, a red ‘♡’ shaped magical character floated into view.
And there were three of them, no less.
‘But the interpretation magic has already ended?’
A small heart.
A medium heart.
A large heart.
The three hearts were bobbing and floating gently.
It felt subtly different from the characters of the interpretation magic, but I didn’t think much of it.
‘The aftereffects of the interpretation magic must still be lingering.’
I simply assumed that was the case.
* * *
A few days later, Viscount Biatonn returned to the Arena Palace.
“Your Highness.”
Viscount Biatonn wore his usual radiant smile, but something about his mood seemed slightly off.
“You must have worked so hard becoming such a dashing adult.”
I should have just killed that thought outright.
I caught a small murmur, but I pretended not to hear.
I decided to comfort the former sword demon’s heart a little.
“Master Biatonn, you’re always cool.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Viscount Biatonn laughed genuinely.
Seeing that real smile, my heart eased a bit.
“I did meet that fellow named Tesleron, as Your Highness suggested.”
Viscount Biatonn began to continue his story.
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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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