Translator: Maru

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Chapter 24

Seeing as the man had his mouth wide open as he watched the scene unfold before him, it seemed that I was not the only one who found it strange.

“…Your Highness.”

I couldn’t stand it and called him.

The fact that such a nasty tempered man has become so gentle.

“Please go see a doctor.”

Before he died from overworking.

Signus raised his eyebrow. I was very serious, even if his face looked like I was talking nonsense.

“You have to rest. If you keep doing this, it’ll be bad for you.”

It must be very serious since he did not usually look this bad. He needs to call the doctor quickly.

He said I woke up in three days. I don’t remember anything, but he said he comforted me when I cried.

Which meant he barely had time to rest.

No matter how much he changed, the kindness he gave me did not disappear.

No matter how much I hate him as my enemy, he’s still my friend.

“Ha. Nothing has started yet, but I’m already in trouble.”

Signus only smiled faintly as if he already expected this.

“Just give in already. I can’t afford to wait for you until you’re ready.”

Then he held out the spoon again.

What do you mean by nothing has started yet?

I have no idea, but I got scared for some reason.

It feels like something I don’t know storming in.

I clasped the bowl with my stiff hand because I got the feeling that I wouldn’t be able to handle what was going to happen.

Whatever it is, let’s get out of this embarrassing situation first.

‘Let’s just eat and get this over with.’

So I gobbled up a spoonful of rice gruel. I hunched down and covered my mouth almost immediately.

“Oh my…”

The man who had been watching us silently said as if he felt sorry for me.

“I guess your body can’t consume the food yet. You need stamina to digest it…”

I closed my eyes tightly. It felt like my stomach was turned upside down. I couldn’t swallow or spit it out, so I just resorted to covering my mouth.

Soon I felt the warmth remove my hand, and touched my chin.

“Spit it out.”

I stuck my tongue out at Signus’ words. When the rice gruel disappeared, I felt so much better.

“Oh my..”

I opened my eyes at the sound of the man gasping, and I was instantly petrified by what I saw.

The place where I spit out the rice was right above Signus’ hand.

“Oh god.”

I was so surprised and quickly held his hand.

It wasn’t a plate? It wasn’t a tissue?!

Signus was the only calm person among the three of us. He stood up and asked the man.

“Where is Leo?”

“He’s always waiting downstairs…”

“Tell him to prepare a carriage.”

“Not a horse?”

Signus looked at me while I was busy wiping his hand with a tissue.

“We’re going to the Yeronimo residence.”

A relaxing smile was plastered on his handsome face.

“I need to find out exactly how that body works.”

***

The door to the mansion of the Yeronimo family opened.

Elaine, who was processing the documents with a pale face, told Rosin to come in.

“Ah, captain. Come in.”

“I’m sorry for being late.”

“Don’t worry about it. What’s the state of the capital city?”

“The capital is currently busy preparing for the festival. And….”

Rosin handed over a letter. The outer surface of the letter was stamped in red.

“It’s from the Duke of Cyben.”

Elaine took off his glasses and read the letter.

“You issued a lot of funds as always.”

“Is the Duke still in charge of the finances of the Imperial Palace?”

Elaine rubbed his neck at the question of the butler who helped him organize the documents.

“That’s why he’s asking for our help. Since they have to prepare to treat the nobles from various countries, the Duke must have had a lot on his hand as well.”

The butler spoke in a cautious tone.

“But, master. Why don’t you prioritize yourself first this time? Don’t you see that other marquisate are trying to keep us in check?”

“It’s okay. Because that marquis was jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Yes. He completely failed to educate their child. So don’t mind them and let’s just do our job.”

“Well, if the master says so…I understand.”

Because the people of the Yeronimo family also had a lot of work to do.

Soon, the Imperial Palace will be open, so they need to get ready to go.

Elaine, the butler, and Rosin’s eyes went to Ulysse’s room.

“Our young master needs to come to his senses quickly.”

The day when Signus notified that he would not send Navian back, Elaine and Ulysse visited the Imperial Palace.

They said Signus had found her, but he didn’t return to the Imperial Palace. After that, Ulysse stayed in his room.

“I understand how he feels, but…”

At the butler’s words, Elaine sighed and pulled his hair out of frustration. Elaine was barely able to pull himself together and get back to work, so there was no strength left to handle his son.

“I’ll go and see if he’s okay.”

Elaine pulled out a strained smile at Rosin’s words.

“Will you do that? Thank you, captain.”

“It’s all right.”

Looking at Rosin’s retreating back, the butler also said.

“I’ll be back later, so please take a rest.”’

Elaine, who laid down at the table, waved his hand.

***

Knock, knock-

“Young master, this is Rosin.”

Rosin approached Ulysse who was looking out the window and asked carefully.

“Are you okay?”

“Captain.”

Ulysse turned around and continued his words.

“You said you were acquainted with His Highness Signus in the past.”

“For a short time, yes.”

“Please answer me. What kind of man is His Highness?”

Rosin was looking at him with questioning eyes.

“Wouldn’t the young master who stayed with him in the north know better than I do?”

“There’s not much I know since His Highness has never been hurt.”

Then Ulysse added.

“I want to know what you think of him.”

Ulysse was staring at Rosin with fierce eyes, so the butler tried to interfere.

“The captain only knew His Highness for a short time, too.”

“I know. I know that I can’t stop whatever His Highness is trying to do. But what can I do if I’m worried?”

Ulysse said, sweeping his hair up irritatedly.

“I need to find out about His Highness since Navian chose to get engaged with him to save us.”

His intelligent green eyes only contained Rosin.

“I don’t care about the rumors about him, I just want definite information from a reliable person.”

“But I only knew about His Highness before he changed, is that alright?”

“Of course.”

Rosin walked to the door and looked outside to see if anyone was listening. A moment later, Rosin opened his mouth after closing the door.

“His Highness was a very outstanding and strong man. He had achieved so many things as the third prince.”

Rosin, who recalled an old memory, added.

“Ah, of course, he always speaks so rudely…”

“……”

“Ahem, his way of talking is the same as now, but he was a reliable person.”

Ulysse asked a question.

“I know His Highness is outstanding. But he wasn’t a kind person, right?”

“That’s right. He’s colder than ice.”

The corner of Ulysse’ mouth trembled. If Signus ever treated his sister badly, nothing could hold him back anymore.

Rosin, who saw his grim expression, added.

“But I’m sure he’s someone who takes care of his people.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. There are only a limited number of people that he opens up to. It was obvious that he has a small circle of friends.”

“…Of course, he has an old friend.”

“Who?”

An awkward smile rose on Rosin’s handsome face.

“The esteemed daughter of Duke Cyben.”

‘God, please forgive me.’

When Rosin apologized to God inside, Ulysse crossed his legs with a dissatisfied expression.

“Come to think of it, they were engaged, right?”

“Yes. But it was a political engagement. I’m sure young master knows it well, too.”

“I know, but breaking up with an old friend means there’s a problem. Did His Highness do something wrong?”

“Well, actually….”

Rosin sighed and eventually revealed the truth.

“His Highness and the esteemed daughter of Duke Cyben were not on good terms.”

“I know that.”

“It’s more serious than it looks. To the point, they wanted to become enemies to each other. That’s how much they fight….”

“….”

“…”

Ahem- Rosin cleared his throat again.

“Anyway, it doesn’t sound right to call them friends at that point, but after the breakup, the Duke of Cyben continues to support His Highness. If there was a problem, he wouldn’t have helped the imperial palace.”

Ulysse asked with a doubtful tone.

“Why are they engaged if they hate each other so much?”

“As far as I know, His Highness and the esteemed daughter of Duke Cyben were willing to put up with each other because of one person.”

Ulysse asked in a low voice.

“Are you talking about Dame Lerine?”

(T/N: There’s no female equivalent term for knighthood in Korean, but from now on, we will use Dame/Damehood for Lerine’s honorific title.)

A nostalgic smile appeared on Rosin’s face.

“Yes.”

A blonde hair tied up high appeared on his mind.

Rosin, who was reminded of how her hair scattered like butterfly wings on her imposing back, opened his mouth.

“That’s all I know.”

Ulysse, who clicked his tongue, looked out the window. His eyes were tangled with complex emotion.

Rosin and the butler watched his back silently.

Ulysse, who kept looking up at the sky, moved his feet and picked up a bag in a corner.

The butler asked as he rummaged through all kinds of medical tools, medicines and medical books in his bag.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve always been fine.”

“May I ask what you’re doing right now?”

“Packing up my stuff. I’ll go to the imperial palace.”

“No way…”

The butler was going to ask if Ulysse was going to murder Signus with medicine, but Ulysse turned around.

“Butler, do you know?”

When Ulysse suddenly asked him, the butler looked at Ulysse with suspicious eyes. Maybe he had already calmed down because his green eyes were as bright as usual.

“The sky doesn’t lie. It will always tell us the exact truth. But sometimes, I couldn’t understand anything.”

His bright green eyes captured the sky.

“It was the same on the day when Navian came back alive. I really didn’t know that she was in critical condition. Because I didn’t sense the energy of death.”

Ulysse sneered at himself.

“I was arrogant.”

“…..”

“If I was truly a genius, I wouldn’t have left Navian’s side. I realized it only then. I’ve only read useless things so far, and I still have a long way to go.”

The butler and Rosin stayed still and listened to him.

“My teacher told me to read the celestial energy and prohibited me to talk about it. So I couldn’t say this to anyone. But I can’t do that anymore.”

“What’s going on?”

“Yes. There is an ominous energy in the imperial palace.”

Ulysse said, recalling the star constellation that he saw right before leaving the north.

“There is black energy around Prince Damian right now.”

A snake was next to Damian, and a watchman from hell in the form of black cat was hovering around him.

That day, Ulysse saw a threatening darkness that covered half of the sky with its large wings.

The appearance that wrapped all the ominous beings was frighteningly huge.

“But the problem is not Lord Damian.”

The darkness that engulfed the sky resided in one person.

“His Highness Signus.”

It was Signus, the Crown Prince of Avita.

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