Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Tomboy
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“……Let go of that.”
“Ah, sorry. I did it without thinking.”
Elenoa Princess, who had been gripping the cuff of my jacket, smiled awkwardly and released her hand.
I didn’t particularly like such behavior even when we were alone, but with people around like this.
“Ahem.”
Especially when King Orpheus was present, I wished she would restrain herself.
It could lead to strange misunderstandings for no reason.
The reason we had gathered at the palace’s main gate was to see off Elenoa Princess.
With the incident resolved, she had to return to Robern Academy, and a carriage was waiting for her.
“……Deius is a professor too, so couldn’t he just go with me?”
Looking somewhat dissatisfied, Elenoa glanced at me and the king before making her request.
Hearing that, Orpheus scratched the back of his head and shook his head.
“He still has business at the palace.”
Once he cleared the final third trial, he could become the first black mage officially recognized by the king in Griffin Kingdom history.
No one knew how long it would take, but even after completing the trial, he probably couldn’t return straight to the academy.
It would cause a huge uproar.
“Then should I just stay and go with him? It’s just one trip anyway.”
Seeing the princess, who had been suffering from chronic fatigue due to nightmares, now so energetic was good, but Orpheus looked troubled, thinking it was a bit much.
He didn’t want to coldly reject his sister’s request, judging by his expression.
“The midterm exams are coming up soon. Don’t you need to take first place this time?”
“Urgh.”
When I interjected, Elenoa glared at me with a pouty expression, sighed, and nodded as if complaining.
“Yes, because I am Elenoa Luden Griffin.”
Knowing the meaning and weight of her own existence, the smile on her lips was brilliantly beautiful.
I nodded in satisfaction as well.
“A good answer.”
Elenoa headed to the carriage with a confident smile.
I was about to end the send-off there, but the unusual glances from King Orpheus and Archmage Rockpellican made me clear my throat and approach Elenoa again.
“Hm?”
Elenoa opened the carriage window and tilted her head, wondering what was up.
“I have something to tell you.”
I cleared my throat again, deliberately drawing the attention of the king and the archmage.
Elenoa gulped, her face flushing slightly with anticipation at my serious tone.
“Uh, yeah. You can say it…… it’s fine.”
She glanced at her brother, then nodded as if resolved.
To her, I stated coldly.
“At Robern Academy, I’m a professor and you’re a student, so use formal speech. And don’t act so casually like now.”
“…….”
“As a princess, you know well how to show proper respect.”
With that, I turned sharply, and the king gave a bemused, dumbfounded smile.
And from behind came an angry scream.
“You little……!”
The archmage hurriedly cast a sound-blocking spell to prevent the princess’s harsh words from leaking out.
The carriage jolted as the princess tried to leap out, but at the archmage’s gesture, the coachman whipped the horses into a hasty departure.
“You are truly enigmatic.”
Orpheus grumbled that I was exasperating as he watched me calmly see off the princess’s carriage, then slyly asked.
“You, exactly this year…….”
“……Twenty-eight.”
Kim Shin-woo was twenty-five, but Deius was three years older.
“Hmm, quite the age gap.”
“…….”
“Think carefully about your current position and situation, and don’t forget.”
I wanted to dismiss it as unnecessary worry, but seeing the king likely ready to argue that his sister lacked nothing in any way, I simply kept my mouth shut and elegantly let it pass in silence.
Only when Elenoa’s carriage was out of sight did King Orpheus speak in a more serious tone.
“I’ll give you the next trial tomorrow. You must have been quite worn out from research for a while.”
“Thank you.”
“And there’s a guest here to see you.”
“……?”
Wondering what he meant, another carriage came down the same path Elenoa had left by.
It was a carriage I had ridden several times before, emblazoned with the crest of Northsweden.
The black-haired woman in it hurried down and immediately knelt politely before the king and archmage.
“I am Deia Verdi, sister of the Count of Northwedden. Thank you for permitting me entry to the palace.”
“Enough of that. A border count from the north is always welcome. We’ll step away now. That thing behind the carriage looks like a gift—unwrap it later. For now, catch up with your sibling.”
“Thank you for your boundless consideration.”
Seeing Deia, King Orpheus playfully patted my shoulder.
“Deius, your little sister is far better than you.”
“…….”
The young king laughed like an old man and left, followed by Archmage Rockpellican.
Left alone with Deia.
Deia didn’t rise until the king’s footsteps faded, then stood abruptly and glared at me.
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
Arms crossed, openly showing her displeasure, I pondered briefly before answering.
“Have you been well?”
“Have I, been well……?”
Deia nodded emphatically, exhaled deeply, and then.
“Have I been well? Huh?! Do you think I’ve been well? I thought I’d die of fright when some lunatic turned himself in as a necromancer! I was so worried coming into the capital that we’d all get lumped together for treason and executed, me included!”
Deia even knew I had confessed to being a necromancer and gotten arrested.
From her perspective, entering the capital Graypond was no different from gambling with her life.
“……And yet you came.”
When I prodded, Deia stammered as if her throat was clogged, then snapped irritably.
“I had no choice! I needed to grasp the situation first!”
One tomboy left, and another took her place. This one had a foul mouth and her hatred toward me stained with resentment, making it even more exhausting.
‘At least the trial was easier.’
She caught me thinking that and pouted, glaring.
With nothing else to say, I was about to ask directly.
How she felt about me occupying the body of her original brother, Deius Verdi.
I was certain she would have arrived with an answer in mind, so I opened my mouth.
“Wait.”
Deia held up her hand to stop me.
She glanced around, swept her hair back with her hand, and said.
“It’s been about two months since you left Northsweden, right?”
Yes, I left in March, and now it’s May. The streets of Graypond were naturally filled with floral scents.
“If we count a month as thirty days, and you asked for five minutes from me…….”
Deia suddenly started saying something out of left field. She spread her fingers, calculating.
“One month is 150 minutes. Two months is 300 minutes. That’s five hours.”
Snap.
She spread all five fingers, eyes wide, and shouted.
“You can use five hours of my time!”
“…….”
“Well? How about it.”
I had no idea what she wanted. I wanted to sit down somewhere and talk properly, but I could read her subtle reluctance to suggest it first.
“No need…….”
“What?”
I was about to say forget the five hours, let’s just go to a café separately, but Deia glared fiercely.
She seemed to insist on the stance of being dragged along unwillingly.
Since this choice could be the last depending on her decision, I accommodated her as an older brother.
“Five hours means we go into the city streets. They’ll probably allow that much because of this matter.”
The archmage’s disciples would likely tail me from afar, but given my position, going into the city wasn’t unreasonable.
‘Graypond.’
Thinking about it, I’d wandered Graypond often in the game, but never on my own feet.
The thought made me a bit excited.
“Graypond streets? It’s my first time too—know any good spots?”
“……Yes.”
Good spots.
Of course, I knew plenty.
With all its minor, miscellaneous sub-quests and events, the information naturally filled my head.
“There’s a restaurant called Mersenne. Their food should suit your taste.”
“…….”
“Let’s go.”
I walked past her first, and Deia’s hesitant steps soon followed behind me.