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Chapter 32
“Alright. Since Your Majesty promised to protect me, I don’t need the help of the two of them. Just having Your Majesty by my side is enough. So… does that mean I have your permission? We’re leaving tomorrow, right? I’ll go prepare.”
“What?”
Killian realized a little too late why Red had said such an absurd thing that completely stole his composure.
He had been caught off guard. That was why he listened to the two of them.
Just as Killian was about to say no, Red placed a finger on his lips and shouted solemnly:
“The words of His Majesty the Emperor carry great weight!”
With that, Red left the room like the wind.
Standing there dazed, Killian couldn’t stop replaying Red’s words in his head.
[“I don’t need the help of the two of them. Just having Your Majesty by my side is enough.”]
[“Just Your Majesty by my side is enough.”]
Red’s words sounded like a confession, and Killian felt his heart pounding.
[“Just Your Majesty by my side….”]
Suddenly, his face burned. Killian covered his heated face with his arm and muttered.
“Hah… Red….”
He had long been looked down upon by his father for not having ice magic.
And not just his father.
He had also been ignored by the nobility. The reason the Oscaldea Empire had prospered for a thousand years was the ice magic passed down to the emperor’s heir.
[“Useless brat. If you don’t have magic, at least put effort into something.”]
[“You’re the only one born without magic. I would be ashamed to meet the past emperors with eyes closed.”]
[“Prove your worth until the day you die.”]
Killian had faced countless cutting words like these as a child, all because of a single lack of magic.
The countless days of being ignored and belittled.
“No one knew… that I had immense magic inside me.”
He trained every day in the alleys of the slums, using the magic he had. To prove himself. To protect himself. And for Red as well.
Now, he could freely control this magic. The range of magic he could operate expanded, and with it, Killian’s confidence grew every day. He felt he had proven himself.
After returning to the palace, he also resumed his sword training, which had stopped while living in the slums, training every day. Whenever he thought of Red, he picked up the sword.
When he reunited with Red, her gaze did not change, whether he had sword skill and ice magic or not. It had always been constant.
The life of constantly having to prove his abilities to someone became unnecessary in front of Red. His mere existence was proof enough.
Thinking about it, leaving for the southern empire with Red seemed fine.
“While we’re at it, riding horses like last time could be fun. Just the two of us… a little date…”
A blush and smile spread across Killian’s face.
The first group was selected to install waterways in the Grikendal region. Workers departed first with the magicians.
“Your Majesty… you’re not going to make me do something absurd again, are you?”
Nathan looked at Killian skeptically in the office, his eyes sunken with worry.
“Nathan, you know how much I trust my chief aide, right? For five years, the one who has mimicked me best has been none other than my chief aide.”
Nathan paled, waving his hands frantically.
“No, I absolutely can’t do it this time! I can’t mimic Your Majesty’s… temperament, your noble character!”
“Do it.”
Killian’s gaze instantly radiated sharp authority. Nathan, seeing it, rolled his eyes and nervously corrected his words.
“I mean… Your Majesty, I could never express your noble character, that’s all I meant, Your Majesty.”
A curve formed on Killian’s lips.
“Yes, I know well the respect my chief aide has for me. This time, do your best to mimic me so that I am not disappointed.”
Nathan stared at Killian, dumbfounded.
“…Understood. Understood. But… when we go south, please don’t make me do work?”
Killian twitched as if struck at the core, giving Nathan a forced smile.
‘He’s been serving me for a long time, yet he’s only gotten good at reading my cues.’
Killian cleared his throat.
“That wasn’t my intention. This time, just mimic me; you won’t have to do any work. I’ll make it known in the palace that I am overworked with duties and have caught a cold. You may remain in my room and rest.”
Nathan’s eyes lit up.
“You promise, Your Majesty. I won’t do work and will lounge in your chambers. Understood? You won’t make me work.”
“Yes, but send reports immediately on what happens in the palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Killian had obtained Nathan’s near-forced consent. Nathan had mimicked Killian’s eight-year-old self for five years, so it would be no problem this time.
‘Recently, I even succeeded in making him resemble my current appearance.’
There was no better alternative than Nathan for going south with Red.
After the fall of the Laoten Empire, many magicians had died or disappeared. With their disappearance, the magic that supported the Laoten Empire was also at risk of vanishing.
The surviving magicians barely maintained their existence, continuing the thousand-year-old traditions of magic in the Oscaldea Empire.
‘Twenty years ago, there was one last war among magicians.’
Without that war, more magicians would have survived, but Killian’s father, the former emperor, caused another war where many magicians died.
Now, only a few magicians remained by Killian’s side.
‘Thanks to Nathan. He gathered them.’
Each magician had a unique magical ability.
Transforming into another person’s appearance for a long period was particularly difficult. Transformation was Nathan’s unique skill, and he stayed in Killian’s room all day, only using it when visitors came.
‘Once we return from the south, we can replace the bed Nathan used. And… I suppose I can leave packing to Red?’
I volunteered to pack for Killian for the southern journey. Having done it several times before, packing both our luggage wasn’t difficult.
‘This is easy.’
I carefully packed a week’s worth of clothes, the fairy soap Killian gifted, towels, toiletries, and emergency herbs.
Also, ribbons to tie hair when washing, the book Laoten Empire Diet for the carriage, and a notebook to record and improve the waterways.
Oh! Rope too, in case we have to hang from cliffs. And a whip, definitely necessary. What if we lose it while riding?
We might get hungry at night, so dried jerky and fruits. Right! A telescope for surveying the forest. And flint for camping…
“What on earth is all this? Are you moving?”
Sir Lloyd’s eyes widened as he entered the room to fetch the luggage I packed.
“This is for the journey south.”
“Huh?”
Lloyd’s eyes were as wide as a startled rabbit’s.
Of course, I knew the luggage was a bit much.
But everything packed was necessary. It just ended up being a cartload.
Sir Lloyd looked at the huge pile, pursed his lips, and said:
“I suppose I must lend you my strength, officer.”
Rolling up his sleeves, he began sorting through the precious luggage I had packed.
“Ah! My spare toothbrush! That’s essential! Sir Lloyd! Shoes might wear out in a few days; you need a spare pair. Ah! It could get very cold at night. These two blankets are necessary.”
It was useless. Despite my pleas, Sir Lloyd said firmly:
“Officer, honestly, just take your body. You can buy everything you need there. And again, this is not a war zone.”
His words hit me like a blow to the stomach. I couldn’t argue a single word.
