I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 32

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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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Tesleron had been rejected by people and deeply wounded by them—so much so that he once harbored extreme thoughts. Yet it was his companion dog, Ppippi, who gave him the strength to endure in this world.
Ppippi, an abandoned dog, entered Tesleron’s life and became his reason to live.
Wherever Tesleron went, Ppippi was always by his side.
Through his time with Ppippi, Tesleron grew to cherish animals more than people, and before long, he had become an animal lover.
Fifteen years passed that way, and Ppippi crossed the rainbow bridge while cradled in Tesleron’s arms.
That had been two years ago.
Tesleron spoke.
“How soft can fur possibly be for you to keep saying it’s incredibly, incredibly soft?”
Isabel spread her fingers wide.
She made a gesture of pushing her fingers into empty air.
“When you sink your hand into the fur like this, it feels like you’re putting it into a fluffy cloud.”
“….”
“Your hand gets completely buried—you can’t see it at all.”
“Is the fur really that abundant and plush?”
“Yes!”
“You’re not lying, are you?”
“My hand sinks in this far.”
Isabel pointed to her left wrist with her right hand, showing how deeply it would be buried.
“Bring it to me at once!”
Biatone looked like someone desperately needing the restroom.
His feet weren’t tapping, but his entire body radiated impatience.
“First, I need to meet the ratel. After that, I’ll decide whether to help you or not.”
Biatone’s expression darkened.
The Princess had come to him directly—he should be honored—yet she was sending him on errands. As the Emperor’s aide, he couldn’t simply stand by.
“This old man doesn’t even realize what an honor this is.”
“Did you know about the ratel?”
“I did know.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“You didn’t ask me.”
“If I don’t ask, you won’t tell?”
“Does anyone usually answer questions they weren’t asked?”
Biatone suppressed the murderous intent rising within him and forced a smile.
“I’d like to develop a deeper friendship with you. Someday, let’s share a passionate bond. In any case, sir, since the Princess has come to visit you once, shouldn’t you come visit her once as well?”
“When did I ever say I would come?”
Isabel smiled with innocent grace.
“I’ll help you earn a lot of money too.”
“Look at how I live. Do I seem like someone interested in money?”
Isabel smiled with an innocent smile and spoke.
“I’ll make sure you earn a lot of money too.”
“Look at how I live. Do I look like someone who cares about money?”
“But if I earn a lot of money, I can help so many poor animals.”
“….”
Tesleron exhaled a long sigh.
“Fine. Let’s go see for ourselves then. But if you’re lying, I won’t let it slide. The fur better be incredibly fluffy and soft. My hand should sink all the way through!”
* * *
Empress Serna was busy preparing to receive an important guest.
The identity of the guest important enough to warrant the Empress’s personal attention was none other than Rosild Duke and his only daughter, Reina.
The prestige of the Rosild Duke’s house across the continent was truly immense.
[The Vilotian Royal Family rules the continent through military might, but the Rosild Duke’s house rules it through gold.]
Such words circulated openly.
They controlled the continent’s finances and were one of the Empire’s two greatest ducal houses.
Serna spoke.
“The Rosild Duke has very particular tastes, so we must pay special attention even to the water quality.”
Moreover, the Rosild Duke’s house was a prestigious ducal family with a long tradition.
They were a house that had witnessed the Empire’s founding, and they maintained deep connections with the Geomrim Scholars—an institution designed to check the Imperial Palace’s power.
In other words, they were one of the forces that coexisted with and counterbalanced the Royal Family.
* * *
At the same moment.
A carriage carrying the Rosild Duke and his daughter passed through the main gate of the Imperial Palace.
The Rosild Duke spoke.
“Reina. You haven’t forgotten what Father told you, have you?”
“No, Father.”
Reina answered halfheartedly while gazing out the window.
“What did Father ask you to do again?”
“You told me to build a relationship with Michael at Arena Palace.”
Reina was the precious only daughter the Rosild Duke had obtained at the age of forty-five.
The Duke adored Reina deeply, and she had grown up wanting for nothing in the abundance of his affection.
“That’s right. I’m glad you remember so well.”
Ideally, it would have been better to build relationships with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Princes, but they were currently absent from Arena Palace, so it couldn’t be helped.
Reina muttered with a dissatisfied expression.
“I hate swordsmen—they’re so uncultured and barbaric….”
“Don’t be too disrespectful. He’s still a Prince.”
“What if he smells like sweat? What if I feel so disgusted I get nauseous?”
“Even so, since we’re inside the Imperial Palace, it shouldn’t smell quite that unpleasant.”
“Look over there.”
They were just passing a fountain shaped like a white horse.
“There’s no intricate magical craftsmanship, the quality is just mediocre mid-grade marble finishing, and the flooring is equally unremarkable. Goodness, I can’t believe this is the Imperial Palace of the Empire. How much would people laugh at it?”
Ten-year-old Reina found nothing to her liking about the Imperial Palace.
There weren’t even the common statues of master artisans, and she saw no landscaping works by renowned designers.
To her eyes, the Imperial Palace felt like nothing more than a gathering place for smelly swordsmen.
“I’m saddened that there’s not even a speck of grace or dignity to be found.”
“Grace and dignity? Is that something you eat?”
In that instant, Reina was startled.
She hastily reached out and lowered the carriage window shade.
“What, what, what!”
A blonde boy was running outside the window.
Keeping pace with the carriage.
His expression was bright, but his face and hair were covered in dust.
The same was true of the uniform he wore.
“What’s wrong, Reina?”
“Oh, no, it’s nothing at all.”
I must have seen wrong.
I must have seen wrong.
What on earth was that just now?
“Did you see something?”
The Rosild Duke, who adored his daughter dearly, carefully raised the shade again.
There was nothing outside.
“I thought I saw something, but it seems I was mistaken.”
“I see.”
The Rosild Duke gently stroked his daughter’s head.
“Our daughter has grown weary from riding in the carriage for so long. Once we return to the duchy, I’ll have her drink bear bile to restore her strength.”
* * *
Before I could even fully escape the Erbe Mountains, I reached the limits of my physical endurance.
“Teacher, I’m so sleepy.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Biatone held me close in his arms.
Being held by Biatone felt as comfortable as lying in bed.
It seemed he was using some sort of magic, though I couldn’t understand the principle behind it.
“Well then, Your Highness. We’ve arrived at the Arena Palace.”
“Already?”
“Yes. While Your Highness was sleeping soundly, I rode a bit faster.”
But something seemed odd about Teslone’s condition.
His legs were trembling, and he made a retching sound.
“Rode? Was that riding? If we did that twice more….”
Biatone covered Teslone’s mouth.
Teslone’s body crumpled, and Biatone naturally hoisted him onto his back.
“It seems Teslone is quite exhausted as well. Since he appears very drowsy, I’ll let him rest.”
“He, he seems to have lost consciousness….”
“No. It appears Teslone is simply feeling the physical strain of aging.”
Biatone’s eyes curved into crescents.
Truly, she smiled with brilliant radiance.
I wasn’t sure what had happened, but that sunshine-like smile was so warm that I found myself smiling back at her.
“It has grown quite late. Please rest well. I shall visit you again tomorrow.”
Viscount Biatonn laid me down on the bed.
Now that I thought about it, where had Tesleron gone—the one she’d been carrying just moments ago?
“You mustn’t be unkind to Tesleron. I wish to become friends with him.”
“Flinch.”
“Don’t say ‘flinch’ while actually flinching.”
“…Understood. I shall treat him with ease and comfort, as the Princess commands.”
“Thank you.”
After tucking the blanket around me, she placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
“May you have a warm night.”
And that night truly became warm, thanks to Beolkkot nestling into my embrace.
Having not seen me in so long, Beolkkot wagged her tail with such vigor that the bed trembled.
“You smell wonderful.”
I buried my nose in Beolkkot’s fur and inhaled deeply.
As always, she carried that sweet honey scent.
“I’m so sleepy, Beolkkot.”
Beolkkot’s tail stopped as if lying.
Her expression seemed to droop slightly.
She appeared quite sad that she couldn’t play with me.
I stroked Beolkkot’s head.
“I’ll give you a kiss when I wake up tomorrow.”
At that, musical notes [♩♪] appeared above Beolkkot’s head.
Hmm, I hadn’t even used interpretation magic—why was this happening?
Could this be an aftereffect of magic I’d used before?
A six-year-old body was far too exhausted to ponder such things deeply.
I drifted into sleep.
I slept very soundly.
* * *
The next day, I opened my eyes when it was nearly noon.
Beolkkot sat on my belly like a puppy, staring down at me with bright, eager eyes.
No wonder my lower belly felt so warm.
“Good morning.”
Beolkkot’s body trembled.
Her tail was wagging.
The tail wagged so vigorously that her whole body shook with it.
“Does your tail have a mind of its own?”
I reached out and touched the soft fur.
But then, Beolkkot bared her teeth with a sharp yelp.
Her expression was fierce.
“Why, why are you like that? Are you angry?”
A voice came from outside.
While the tone itself wasn’t particularly loud, it carried a distinctly sharp edge.
“How long do you intend to keep me waiting?”
“My apologies. It appears you’ve been quite exhausted from pushing yourself with a demanding schedule until yesterday.”
“How dare you speak back to me with such an attitude?”
“You are the one who arrived unannounced without making an appointment, Your Highness.”
“So now you, of all people, are pointing out my rudeness? I’m deeply displeased.”
“If I have caused you displeasure, I sincerely apologize. However, as the Midwife serving the Princess, I believe I spoke only what was necessary.”
I leaped from the bed, clutching Bumblebee tightly to my chest.
Who on earth was tormenting our kind Midwife?
“These types always exist. They don’t know their place and act recklessly until they’re beaten into understanding their station.”
I opened the door.
And I saw it—a child with pink hair kicking at the Midwife’s shin.

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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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