THJDM 15

Chapter 15

Elion was born a prince, but he spent his childhood not in the imperial palace, but in his maternal grandfather’s provincial estate.

Florentia, too, because of her frail health, spent more time in the countryside than in the capital.

Since Elion’s grandfather’s estate bordered the Mirren dukedom, the two of them often played together from a young age.

They were each other’s only friend of the same age.

Now, sitting across from each other at a table, they conversed in a relaxed, familiar tone.

“Is His Eminence not in today?”

“Mm. He had to rush out this morning for some urgent business in the provinces.”

“I see.”

Elion nodded, lifting his teacup and sipping the black tea.

“I heard from His Eminence that you’d be coming to the capital because of the barrier maintenance issue.”

“That’s right. Do you think the reorganization can be done quickly?”

Elion set down his cup and asked in a somewhat businesslike tone.

“First, we’ll need to identify exactly what the problem is. That comes before anything else.”

“How long will that take?”

“I can’t be sure yet. The time depends entirely on what the problem turns out to be.”

“…That makes sense. Then when can you begin?”

Elion’s face and tone carried a certain urgency. Florentia simply smiled gently and nodded.

“We’ll start right away tomorrow. If the barrier is really compromised, then the lives of tens of thousands of people in the capital are at risk.”

“Thank you. Could you share the investigation plan with me?”

“Of course. I’ll be forming an investigation team and holding a meeting soon. I’ll send the draft to the Imperial Knights this evening.”

“If you need the knights’ cooperation, don’t hesitate to say so.”

“I will.”

Having settled business, Elion rose to his feet.

The capital was in crisis, and he couldn’t afford to leave the Knights’ office unattended for long.

“I should go.”

“But…”

Florentia also rose, hesitating as she opened her mouth.

Elion stopped and waited for her to continue.

“Yes?”

“Are you really alright? You said you’d suffered for a whole year from fevers and headaches.”

“Mm. Strangely enough, I feel fine now. It must be thanks to your prayers. Thank you, Lady Saint.”

“…”

Florentia looked up at him, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

Her thoughts, however, were in turmoil.

Just a week ago his mana was in shambles, and now suddenly it’s fine? That makes no sense. Even mana stabilizers can barely help in such cases. How did this happen?

She had many questions, but chose not to voice them.

Unless Elion himself volunteered the truth, she had no intention of prying.

Even if she asked, he likely wouldn’t answer honestly.

So Florentia simply smiled sweetly and offered her farewell.

“Then please be careful. Don’t stray too far.”

“Stay well, Lady Saint.”

As she watched his retreating back, Florentia bit her lower lip hard.

Otherwise, she feared she might cry out his name and run to seize him.

For the past five years, Elion had been constantly on battlefields.

She had prayed again and again that she might see him soon.

So when she heard the news that he was returning to the capital, her joy had been like soaring into the sky.

But then, one day, Elion had come to the temple.

It was because of his unstable mana.

Although Florentia possessed outstanding holy power, for some reason she could not ease Elion’s condition.

She concluded his illness was not like that of other patients who suffered from unstable mana.

So, she resolved to specially concoct mana stabilizers for him.

And she secretly hoped this would allow her to see him regularly.

But that fragile hope had been shattered.

I thought I could keep him by my side… see him more often, more closely, for longer…!

A sharp ache pierced her chest.

Heat surged, and tears welled at the corners of her eyes.

How could he be fine overnight?

It was utterly incomprehensible.

There was clearly something more.

I must find out which physician he saw, what treatment he received, what medicine he took—everything.

Florentia clenched her trembling hands tightly.

This might be her last chance to keep Elion close.

If he left the capital this time, he might never return.

Her heart yearned desperately to follow him north, but she was bound to the Grand Temple.

She could not leave.

So Elion, don’t go. Stay here. Stay by my side.

Elion was her first love.

As a child, she had always dreamed of a future together with him.

She imagined the abandoned prince and the sickly daughter of a duke living peacefully together in the provinces.

But fate had dealt her cruelly.

Her holy power awakened, and Florentia became a saint renowned for her healing.

Everyone thanked heaven for such a blessing, but she herself despaired.

For it meant she could no longer dream of building a simple life with one man.

At first she tried to accept her destiny and give up Elion.

But some things, no matter how hard you tried, could never be done.

For Florentia, that thing was giving him up.

Even if I cannot marry you, that’s fine. I’ll find another way to keep you by my side.

Her golden eyes glinted with a dangerous light.

Elion was catching his breath back at the Imperial Knights’ office when it happened.

A sharp knock sounded, and Fred rushed in with an urgent voice.

“Your Highness, abnormal mana fluctuations have been detected in the northern outskirts of the capital. A monster outbreak is imminent.”

“Has the exact location been identified?”

“Yes. Between Stoll Village and Bayhe Village.”

Even before Fred finished speaking, Elion was already sprinting out.

“Summon an elite squad immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Tell them whoever arrives last will be in charge of the report.”

“…Yes.”

Watching Elion disappear into the distance, Fred grumbled under his breath.

“The report always ends up on my desk anyway.”

Five times in a row now, he had been the last to arrive.

Click, click—Fred pressed the red comm-stone on the bracelet around his right wrist twice.

The reply came at once, as if waiting.

—“Hey Fred, what’s up today? Don’t tell me another deployment?”

“Nathan, you guessed it. North of the capital, between Stoll and Bayhe. Last one there writes the report!”

He kept it short.

Ending the call, Fred dashed off at full speed.

Maybe this time, just maybe, he wouldn’t be last.

He allowed himself a little hope.

“Graaahhh!”

The final monster shrieked a horrific, ear-splitting cry before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

“Hahh… hahh… hahh…”

Elion exhaled ragged breaths, shaking the monster’s blood from his sword.

Even for a Swordmaster, fighting more than twenty monsters alone was exhausting.

“Captain, couldn’t you have waited for us?”

“Seriously. Keeping all the fun to yourself, that’s too much.”

The elite squad knights, who had arrived late, spoke with disappointment.

“You were the ones late.”

Sliding his sword into its scabbard, Elion replied flatly.

The knights’ grumbling continued.

“If you’d just waited five minutes. Why are you always in such a hurry, Your Highness?”

“It’s not just this time. You always do this. It’s like you live as if you don’t value your life at all.”

“What, does a Swordmaster have two lives to spare?”

That was as far as it went.

Their complaints stopped.

Because Elion’s expression had twisted into something frightening.

Though renowned as the most handsome knight of the Imperial Order, when his ferocity showed, his face resembled that of a monster.

It was as if his very facial muscles rearranged, transforming him completely.

But Fred, failing to notice the shift in his expression, continued to run his mouth.

“Please, at least act like your life matters, Your Highness.”

“Fred, you talk so boldly. And you—do you value your life?”

“Of course. Naturally, I—”

Fred cut off with a choking gasp.

For only then did he see Elion’s eyes, blazing with a deadly, icy blue light.

It was dangerous.

“S-sorry, Your Highness.”

“Good enough.”

Elion turned away, mounting his horse. Fred let out a long sigh of relief.

But relief was premature.

Elion’s cold voice soon followed.

“Since you all seem restless, you’ll run a hundred laps around the training grounds as soon as we return. Understood?”

“Y-Your Highness…!”

“That’s too—!”

Faces fell instantly, the knights drooping their heads in despair.

“…Understood, Captain.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Leaving them behind, Elion fiddled with the violet comm-stone bracelet on his wrist.