Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Hitchhiker on the Timeline (4)
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"S-Sorry!"
"...Hm?"
"I already have an owner!"
At Justina's words, Kairen paused in his fidgeting before suddenly flushing red and raising his voice.
"I mean, I have a girlfriend!"
A brief silence filled the room.
"Well, that's good."
"Pardon?"
"After all, as the Empire's precious First Imperial Princess, I've lived every moment basking in power."
In that silence, Justina, her eyes slightly narrowed, whispered softly to Kairen.
"...So I like taking what's not mine."
And at that very moment, something squirmed in Kairen's pocket.
"Peep!"
A canary with a thoroughly annoyed expression poked its head out.
"Yes, there you are at last."
"...!"
"I knew I caught a whiff of kin..."
Around then, Justina's lips curved up slightly.
"...But do I have any siblings who transform into such a tiny bird?"
She muttered in a chilling voice and began walking toward Kairen and Peep.
"Or maybe it's a bastard child."
"...!"
"Hm, could it be my kid?"
Right then, a cold voice came from behind.
"Don't talk nonsense, Justina."
"Why not? It's possible."
"We're the same age."
Indeed, as Astridje said, the Justina of the past was too young to have a bastard child.
"You never know. It could be my child from the future?"
But as Justina scratched her head and stuck to her claim, Astridje's expression grew even chillier.
"How long do you plan to waste my time?"
"Yeah, I guess the joke went too far."
Only then did Justina burst into laughter, turning her head and muttering softly as she began to walk.
"...If it were my child to begin with, the hero's power would have let me sense it ages ago."
At those words, Peep flinched for a moment before burrowing back into the pocket.
"Anyway, leaving aside the guardian angel who swore Astridje would never come in such a dangerous situation..."
"...".
"...Shall we continue what we were doing, just us?"
Justina glanced at Peep, then flashed a bright smile and pointed her rapier at Astridje.
"Astridje. Won't you die now? If I can't assassinate you, it'll be quite politically troublesome for me."
"...Ha."
"At this rate, we might actually grow fond of each other. Haha..."
Right after, the two girls' gazes locked for a moment.
- Rrrrrumble...
And soon, red demonic energy and golden aura began to rise and mingle in the room.
"W-Wait a second!"
"...?"
"I have a question before you fight!"
But just before their killing intent fully turned on each other, Kairen thrust his hand up and jumped between them.
"J-Just now... You said none of your siblings transform into a tiny bird like this, right?"
"...That's right?"
"Then, you can transform into other animals?"
Kairen alternated glances between Astridje and Justina, firing off questions urgently.
"That's what you wanted to ask?"
Justina, having heard everything, opened her mouth with a somewhat disappointed expression.
"The imperial family of the Shinehart Dynasty each possess the ability to transform into a unique animal."
Kairen blankly listened to her response, then fixed his gaze on Peep in his pocket.
"Take me, for instance—I snuck past Belverk's security by turning into a cat."
"Uh..."
"Of course, transformation isn't our true power... Oops."
Excitedly continuing, Justina suddenly clamped her mouth shut.
"...Did I say too much?"
In that instant, her killing intent shifted toward Kairen.
"You're the first peer who's to my taste..."
"Eek?"
"Sorry, but you'll have to die today too."
However, Justina's rapier wasn't aimed at Kairen.
"But Astridje comes first."
"...!"
"Wait just a moment; it'll be over quickly."
Of course, Astridje, having heard it all, was also reddening her eyes in preparation.
"...Ugh."
But due to the aftereffects of that day's punishment, her condition was still poor. Clutching one arm and trembling, she didn't look like she had much chance of winning.
- Crunch...!
Thus, when Astridje's timing to use her ability was a bit slower than usual, victory seemed decided.
"...Hm?"
But at that exact moment, Justina's rapier—worn with a confident expression—snapped in half.
- Rrrrrumble...
Holding the broken rapier in his hand and radiating ferocious killing intent, with eyes dyed red, was none other than Kairen.
"You should put away your weapon."
"...".
"No one... touches Lady Astridje and gets forgiven."
Justina stared silently at him, who was unleashing killing intent for the first time since the incident two years ago, then slowly backed away.
"...Even if it's you, the Empire's First Imperial Princess."
Kairen followed Justina, peering at her with a chilling expression.
"If you so much as scratch her, I'll twist your neck myself."
The moment he finished speaking, Kairen and Peep were enveloped in bright light and vanished.
- Zap...
Sparks flew briefly, then young Astridje's room fell completely silent.
"...Gone again."
Breaking the awkward silence that followed was Astridje, who opened her mouth with an incredulous expression.
"Missed another chance, huh, Justina."
"...".
"Guess you'll get scolded by Father again."
Clenching her fists and grinding her teeth, she walked toward Justina, who stood blankly in place, continuing her words.
"I don't know what's so fun about a girl like me that you keep letting me off like this..."
But was the venom gradually fading from her voice because, as Justina had said, she'd truly grown fond of her?
Indeed, over years of repeated assassination attempts, it was possible the two girls in similar straits had developed feelings for each other.
"...Heh."
However, the reason Justina failed her assassination today was a little different from usual.
"Uh-huh..."
Panting roughly and clutching her chest, Justina slowly turned to look at her one and only friend in the world.
"...".
After a moment of silent stillness, Justina wore a shocking expression she'd never show normally.
"...Astridje."
But soon reverting that shy expression, she spoke to Astridje in a low voice.
"What if I dated your guardian angel, with marriage in mind?"
Suddenly, the room's atmosphere turned icy.
"Huh."
In that mood, Justina quietly tilted her head, then lifted the corner of her mouth and asked.
"What's with that unpleasant look?"
"...".
"...Ah, wait. You're getting serious all of a sudden."
But thanks to Astridje firing a hidden knife at her with telekinesis instead of answering, that day's encounter ended forcibly.
- Pop...!
As the familiar noise rang out without fail, nausea welled up from deep in his gut.
"Ugh..."
Still, having adapted somewhat from the previous time travels, Kairen staggered to his feet.
"That was close... really close."
Muttering that, he quickly closed the window left open for ventilation and headed to the bed.
"...Right, Your Highness?"
"Peep?"
At his smiling remark, Peep—who had settled on the bed and was watching warily—tilted its head with a dumb expression.
"Lady Justina. What are you doing?"
"Peep?"
"How long do you plan to stay like that?"
Gazing down at Peep with a smile, Kairen slowly leaned in.
"P-Peep..."
As their faces drew closer, Peep flinched, eyes dropping lower and lower.
- Poke poke...
Kairen's finger prodded Peep's body, but the bird that would normally bite viciously just bobbed like a bobblehead, frozen stiff.
"You've been found out, so return to normal."
Though his mouth smiled wide, his eyes didn't, as Kairen issued his final warning in a low voice.
"...P-Peek."
Peep, eyes downcast and frozen, let out a mix of bird chirp and whimper.