Chapter 191
Chapter 191
‘I didn’t mean it like that. I was asking if I was worthy to rise above everyone else after spending my childhood as a beggar and growing up in a tower.
‘I don’t understand. Didn’t you always try to rise above other people?’
‘…I don’t mean it like that, though? It’s a little different from becoming stronger.’
‘If you rose to the top, wouldn’t it be easier to help the people you love? I think it’d be weirder to hesitate.’
‘Oh? Would that… work?’
‘The decision is yours. It’s none of my business.’
‘You’re my friend. Apparently, His Majesty is trying to make me the Crown Prince, so my relationship with the current Crown Princess will be a little different, right? I’ll be threatened.’
‘I don’t think you’ll be threatened so openly.’
‘The palace is a dangerous place. You’ll help me if I’m in danger, right?’
‘Shut up and take care of yourself. You’re annoying, go away.’
‘You’re heartless. I’m going to the palace where no one’s on my side. You should be on my side.’
‘I told you to go away.’
He felt bitter when he remembered the conversation he had with Kaichen when he first found out that he was the prince. Kaichen told him to go away, but he protected him by producing a barrier even when he was attacked by a hundred assassins.
Kaichen always felt annoyed and disliked other people, but Julius knew that he was one of the only two people in the world that he opened up to. Now, there were three people.
“… Damn it.”
From the beginning, Exchetra wasn’t aiming for the northern territories, and she wasn’t aiming for his supporters either.
‘Kaichen Tenebre, the great wizard of the empire with many titles, who was admired and envied by everyone.’
From the beginning, Princess Exchetra was aiming for Kaichen, who was a supporter that was stronger than the public and his supporters combined.
He couldn’t help but laugh. Julius closed his eyes as he thought of Kaichen, who had been with him before he became a prince, and helped him even though he was annoyed after Julius became a prince.
When he heard the report of time magic appearing in Acrab, he even instinctively thought of Kaichen. As the Crown Prince, he wanted to have Kaichen officially by his side. He knew that research on time magic was taboo, but since Momalhaut had used it until it posed a threat to the empire, he convinced Kaichen with the excuse that he had no choice but to study it.
Kaichen helping personally and including him as part of his forces were two different things. In fact, after Kaichen was part of the forces supporting him, Matabju’s attitude became friendly, and absent-minded nobles approached him.
Since he was young, he knew that Kaichen cared for a woman named Dalia Alshine, but he didn’t think their relationship would develop like this.
‘There are many things I don’t know about.’
Exchetra must’ve slowly gotten ready, knowing that Kaichen would come to her side someday. Perhaps she even went as far as to attract Dalia Alshine from Acrab who had touched time magic.
‘How on earth did she know that Kaichen cares for Count Alshine?’
It was difficult to estimate her intelligence since long ago, but this was beyond his imagination.
In the two years following the Acrab incident, Momalhaut caused a few minor incidents, but Exchetra remained silent. But it felt like he’d taken a big hit. She was silent only for a moment, saving her energy and planning for today.
“Ha… that’s amazing.”
She was the enemy, but he couldn’t help but admire her. Where on earth did she get her hands on a wizard who could use such magic? No, if it were her, she must’ve raised someone from the ground herself.
Julius shook his head violently before taking a deep breath. If Exchetra was targeting Kaichen, he had no choice but to let him go. He wouldn’t lose his friend because of selfish greed.
When he opened the door, he saw Dalia sitting down, leaning on the head of the bed, with Kaichen sitting right next to her.
“I’m glad you regained consciousness early.” He smiled casually, storing away all his emotions that were a mess just a while ago.
“Outside… what happened?”
Her bright and cheerful voice cracked. He felt sorry for allowing her to be alone again in time magic as he missed her voice and her conversations.
“It’s a mess, of course. If three months passed while I blinked once, I’d be shocked too.”
“The Castle… Walter…”
“The esteemed son’s funeral will be held immediately. The Viscount said that he wanted to send his son in peace as soon as possible.”
He heard that the Viscount had already reached out to all the acquaintances he knew for the funeral. Julius calmly summarised the conversation he had with the Viscount, as Dalia calmly listened to the story, looking tired.
“Can you do without more rest?”
“I’m okay, I think I… won’t be able to sleep.” Dalia lightly brushed her straight bangs. She wanted to pause for a moment, but she took a deep breath and spoke.
“As you might have guessed, the medium of time magic in Hoiore was the esteemed son, Walter. He had only one month left to live, and he didn’t want to die. So, he wanted time to stop.”
“Planned by Momalhaut…”
Nodding quietly, Dalia slowly took a scroll from the bag she had set aside and handed it to him. Julius opened the scroll and identified the two portraits. As Kaichen also looked at the scroll, his expression soured.
‘Tsk, is it the dark wizard again?’
It was Kaichen, who never treated dark wizards like humans because of their macabre tastes.