8. Pendant

I couldn't find the words for that expression on Princess Bella's face.
After all, she was the one who tried to catch me, so what was with that look?

'Just like in the game....'

No, that can't be. Right now, Princess Bella sees me as trash she wants to kill. Far from love, it's only natural she'd want to tear me to shreds.

The Princess's hand approached me. Then, she stroked my chin with her finger and traced it up along my jawline.

"What on earth was the problem...?"

The Princess moved from using her finger to caressing my face with her whole hand.

"I definitely, definitely swore I would kill you...."

I froze, unable to say anything despite the Princess's touch. To say such a chilling thing about killing someone right in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠front of them.

What was even scarier was that if she really set her mind to it, my body and head could be separated. I suppressed the goosebumps rising all over my body and endured the Princess's touch.

"Why does it happen like this whenever I see you...."

The Princess looked at me as if she were genuinely puzzled, then let go with a tak. Because of that sudden release, I nearly slammed my chin into the ground.

"Forget it. I don't know what kind of trick you're pulling, but it'll end once you're dead. Bring the sword."

At those words, a knight standing nearby brought a gorgeously decorated sword.
I know what that object is, too. The Imperial treasure passed down to the Emperors of the Empire for generations.

Yeah, so you're not even hiding that you're the absolute ruler of the Empire anymore?
Before, you at least pretended the Emperor existed, but since there are no prying eyes here, you're showing it off confidently.

Princess Bella slowly drew the sword. The snow-white blade revealed itself.

"Hold him."

At that command, the knights grabbed my body. I struggled as best I could, but it was useless.

"Haeil Cartis, it's a pity."

The Princess's words reached me. I want to say something, but no words come out. My head, forced downward, hurts. My restrained limbs hurt.
If things go on like this, that sword will strike my neck.

'I'm going to die?'

Just like this? No, that can't be. Why is this happening to me?

At that moment, the pendant I was wearing began to glow faintly.

'The pendant?'

Right, the pendant I found here. It was an item I'd never even seen in the game, but I was sure it had to be useful for something.

Perhaps the Princess saw it too, as she lowered the sword.

"What is that?"

The Princess's hand headed toward my neck.
Then she reached out and looked at the pendant hanging around my neck.

I ended up looking like a dog on a leash, with my neck being pulled toward the Princess.

"This is...."

Princess Bella's expression stiffened the moment she saw the pendant. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was as if she had seen an object that shouldn't be here.

"Where did you get this?"

I didn't say anything to the Princess-nim's question.
I picked it up here in the Black Prison, but would she even believe me?

'No way.'

Besides, there's no reason to tell her. I kept my mouth shut silently.

When I remained silent, Princess Bella continued, as if she had expected as much.

"Ha, right. Of course you wouldn't tell me...."

The Princess touched the pendant as if she were used to it. As she fiddled with it here and there, the pendant separated with a dalkak sound.

Princess Bella left the pendant hanging around my neck and picked up the detached half.
Then, she made a wistful expression, as if looking at something she missed dearly.

"...Mother."

A very small mutter to herself.
But it was clearly audible to my ears.

'Mother?'

Princess Bella's mother is the Empress. It's not like there's some story about her being a concubine or anything; she was a woman born into a noble family who became the Emperor's wife.

In the game, there was only a passing mention that Princess Bella's mother died when she was young, so I had forgotten about it.
I looked at the half-pendant remaining around my neck.

'This was Princess Bella's mother's—in other words, the Empress's—pendant?'

Then why is it here in the Black Prison?
Questions filled my head. The Empress who died when Princess Bella was young, the pendant hidden in the Black Prison. And crucially.

'The red and yellow markings I saw.'

A characteristic of items mainly seen in the Demon God Cult.
An item that is both a crisis and an opportunity.

All sorts of possibilities flashed through Haeil's mind, but he soon shook them all off.

'That's not what's important right now.'

Whatever story is tied to the pendant, I'm about to lose my head right now. I looked at Princess Bella, who was lost in emotion while looking at the pendant. Seeing her like that again, she really is pretty.

'It would be nice if she weren't trying to kill me....'

No, come to think of it, memories of when I dated the Princess in the game came to mind. Obsession, confinement—memories that were terrible, even if it was just a game.

As I was thinking that, the Princess clutched the pendant and approached me.

"I don't know how you got this, but I'll have to take it."

The moment the Princess grabbed the pendant hanging around my neck along with those words.
A flash of white light erupted from the pendant.

At the same time, I felt something entering my head. No, a scene was playing back inside my head.

"Mom!"
"Ah, Bella, my daughter, what's the matter?"

A red-haired woman who looked just like Bella—no, with a more mature feel—picked up the child called Bella.

'That's Bella... no, is that Bella in her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠childhood and Bella's mother, the Empress...?'

"Mom, can I wear the pendant you always wear?"
"Hmm... shall we do this?"

The Empress touched the pendant just as Bella had touched it earlier, and soon the pendant split in half. Then, she placed one of the split halves into young Bella's hand.

"There, now it's Bella's. Do you like it?"
"Yes!"

With the image of young Bella rejoicing, the scene playing in my head ended. At the same time, my mind returned to reality.

What I saw before my eyes was the Princess staggering while covering her eyes.

"Princess-nim!"

The surrounding knights were startled and ran over to protect the Princess.
At the same time, the Captain of the Imperial Guard, who had been far away, immediately sprinted forward.

As expected of the Captain of the Imperial Guard, the speed at which he was coming this way, despite the considerable distance, was no joke.

'Looks like I really got under his skin.'

It seems my comment about how they failed to properly protect her when the maid tried to stab her with a dagger really got under his skin. Seeing as he's rushing over like that even though it was just a flash of light and the knights are already surrounding her.

All the Imperial Guards in the vicinity moved to protect the Princess.
The place where the Princess had been turned into chaos in an instant, and for a moment, I was left unattended.

'Now is the timing.'

But my body is tightly bound with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ropes. Unless someone helps me....

Just then, something tugged at my clothes. I turned around at the sensation and saw Hector looking at me with a smile.

"Old man?"
"Well done, you rascal. I don't know what kind of trick you pulled, but let's go."

Just as Hector was about to pick me up and move me, the Imperial Guard knights spotted him.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Hector stomped hard on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, and then launched himself off the ground. The knights tried to pursue, but the Captain of the Imperial Guard raised his hand to stop them.

"It's already too late. Focus on protecting Her Highness."

At those words, the knights could only watch as I and Hector retreated.
As I watched the Imperial Guards getting further away, Hector spoke to me.

"A young guy with a lot of guts. Above all, one of our members owes you a big debt."

A debt? Ah, is he talking about me pushing the revolutionary member called Charles?

'I just pushed him to get out of the way....'

But there's no need to correct the misunderstanding here. I just smiled slyly and said,

"Where would you find a guy who abandons his comrades?"

At those words, Hector's eyes widened, and then he grinned.

"Hahahaha! Right, comrades. Indeed! It's been a while since I've come across a guy I like."

Hector seemed to be in a good mood because of what I said; he slapped my back repeatedly and chatted about various things. From saying I'm not like the young people these days to talking about how one must have camaraderie.
I responded appropriately while slowly looking at the pendant hanging around my neck. The red and yellow markings on the pendant were still clearly visible.

'What on earth is this.'

I don't know why the pendant suddenly emitted light. I don't know what kind of object it is, and I don't know what it's used for.
But what's certain is that I was able to save my life thanks to this. I looked at Princess Bella, who was getting further away.

Perhaps she was okay now, as the Princess stood up, supported by the Captain of the Imperial Guard and the knights. The Princess glared at me and then clutched the pendant tightly.

Then, she seemed to mutter something very quietly.
It was hard to see because of the distance, but guessing the lines from her lip movements.

'It's... a... relief?'

A relief? Saying that while looking at me? There's no way Bella, who was trying to kill me until just a moment ago, would do that.

'I must have seen it wrong.'

That must be it.

.

.

.

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[You have acquired the Pendant of Memories. Now, parts of the memories between the owners will be shared randomly.]

[Synchronizing. Current synchronization rate with the Princess's memories: 6%...]