Chapter 157
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Bold Moves and Royal Letters
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That look in her eyes, as if she understood everything because I'd grown so much more mature!
Even if I was still a bit clumsy when it came to dealing with people, I'd never been the type to hesitate in facing someone.
I have to shatter that arrogant attitude of hers.
With my temper flaring, I grabbed her hand and yanked her toward me.
At the same time, her eyes flew wide open.
I reached out, cupped both her cheeks, and pressed my lips to her forehead.
Lips might be too much for now, but I'd claim this much at least.
After the warm, soft sensation passed, I staggered back, reeling.
I hadn't planned to go this far—it felt like I'd crossed the line too easily.
"Uh......"
Now that it was done, even more blood rushed to my head.
Flustered, I took a step back, then another.
What would Luna do?
With that thought, I looked up at her.
"Ah...... A-ah......"
And I was a little surprised.
Luna, who had been flirting and showing affection as naturally as breathing, had collapsed to the floor as if her legs had given out.
Her face was red as an apple, her trembling hands clutching at her body in confusion.
Wait...... was she a glass cannon type?
In other words, the kind who fires flirty shots at her lover like cannonballs, but shatters like glass when the tables turn.
I'd heard stories like that before.
I considered testing it with another try, but honestly, I wasn't confident anymore.
In the end, I had no choice but to flee the scene.
"Oh my......"
"Oh dear, how sweet......"
I spotted maids passing by who had seen the whole thing. They covered their mouths, eyes sparkling, peeking from hiding.
I shot them a quick glare to shoo them off, then hurried away.
The aftershocks of my surprise attack on Luna lingered in my mind, making it hard to focus.
"Hey! Pay attention?!"
Melissa's voice snapped me out of my daze as she swung her sword fiercely.
Her oppressive aura crushed everything around her, the sharp blade slicing toward me.
What she wielded was unmistakably a real sword—she was swinging with full intent to kill.
In contrast, I was facing her with just a tree branch I'd picked up nearby.
"Ease up on your left leg, you idiot. Even a moron should get the hang of it by now."
Melissa's raw talent far outstripped mine.
I'd just put in the time.
That made it all the more satisfying—finally, the talented one was being worn down by sheer effort.
Crack!
"Ow!!"
Pain disrupted her aura for a moment, but she quickly regained her form.
It's starting to work.
Melissa had now broken through to mid-tier Sword Expert.
Compared to the monsters I'd faced before, this was nothing—but at her age, mid-tier Expert put her among the continent's rare geniuses.
Which was exactly why I trained her even more brutally.
"If that's all you've got, quit. You couldn't even squash an ant."
"Hup!!"
Clang!! Clang!! Clang!!
Heavy impacts burrowed in with fluid precision, sparking repeatedly.
Astonishing for a real sword clashing with a branch, but her onslaught didn't stop.
She used to be so cautious she wouldn't even dream of pressing in like this.
"Not bad. You've improved."
"Now that I'm used to it, you won't find it so easy."
"Heh......"
"You look good like that. All cocky. Guess it's the bloodline—I've got some talent after all?"
"Hahaha!!"
I was moderating my strength, but she was holding her own. Still, there were plenty of ways to up the difficulty.
"Hey! Why are you laughing?!"
"Then let's try this."
I shifted my grip on the branch.
And flung the flash artifact I'd hidden in my pocket.
Having been blinded so many times before, she instinctively shut one eye.
Even now, she kept me in sight—worthy of praise.
But the flash wasn't the point.
A bluish aura unlike the usual began flowing over the branch.
Azure Dragon Aura Blade
"Huh? Wha...... what's that! Why is the sword changing......"
It took less than ten seconds for Melissa to hit the dirt.
Cascadia's Border Count, Melissa Cascadia, led a ridiculously busy life—even from the sidelines.
Handling territory affairs, external matters, and preparations to return to the academy.
Thanks to that, only when I helped with her work did she have time to visit Arsha.
She was swamped now, but things would ease up eventually.
I was sorting through incoming documents, gauging the situation, when a fancy letter caught my eye among them.
The style screamed love letter.
Obviously from some high-class foreign house.
I examined it silently, and my eyes widened.
"To Melissa?"
Made sense. She was of marriageable age; suitors were inevitable.
Most would eye Cascadia's Border Count privileges, but one from abroad? That changed things.
To them, rustic Cascadia offered little appeal.
For such a letter to come anyway meant she'd caught some guy's eye without me knowing.
"Hmm......"
I pondered. Men worthy of dating Melissa...
"Whoever it is, poor bastard. Should I save him as a fellow human?"
As I checked the seal to identify the sender—
My hand froze.
"The Imperial Family?"
A letter from the Pascalia Empire's imperial house.
Why would they send Melissa a love letter?
Puzzled, I glanced around suspiciously.
Wait, did something spark during her visit to Bernier County?
Melissa had dumped the work on me and was guarding Arsha's bedside while she slept.
A quick peek and replace should be fine.
I needed to know who it was to decide on rescue.
I stealthily opened it and read.
Then realized my huge mistake.
It wasn't for Melissa.
Knowing I was dating Luna, I'd assumed Melissa had set it aside—but it was for me.
The sender: Imperial Princess Eirena Lu Pascalia.
The contents were straightforward: inquiring after my health, then inviting me to the empire for tea if I was free.
Among nobles, such words in a love letter meant far more than tea.
It was a bold move to sink her teeth in and advance things.
Against the imperial family, it was practically a decree—no real status gap mattered.
"What?"
"Eek!!"
Too focused, I hadn't noticed Luna sneak up beside me. I jumped.
"Hmm...... that little kid?"
Luna nodded knowingly, spotting the sender instantly.
"Uh...... yeah, seems like it."
"Like her?"
"What's to like."
"She's cute. Sounds good?"
Her eyes narrowed slyly.
Lately, she'd started showing jealousy.
"I'll refuse anyway. She mistook my rescue in danger for love. Better for both if it ends."
My explanation didn't soften her gaze.
She was teasing me.
I considered retaliating but shook it off.
Why bother fighting and losing ground...
Good thing it was personal from the princess, not official.
I penned a polite refusal on fresh stationery.
Princess Eirena probably knew about my broken engagement with Mielephon.
Hence the approach.
But breaking off didn't mean I'd entertain her.
That'd disrespect Luna from the start.
I stamped it with the Cascadia seal and called a servant.
"Send to the merchants. Destination: Pascalia Imperial Palace."
"Understood, Young Master."
With work wrapped, only the mine inspection remained.
At least the Paradise artifact business with Aurora needed no attention.
"Heading to the mine. Coming?"
"Gotta watch Arsha for a bit."
She wanted to, but Arsha's situation made slacking off awkward to push.
"Alright. Cover for me."
I circulated elemental mana and triggered teleportation.
Simpler than shadow transfer in terms of complexity.
Riskier, but no real issue.
The scenery shifted instantly, revealing crowds and the developing mine.
Strolling in, I saw territory folk at work and undead hauling loads.
"Oh! Young Master."
"Been a while, Berus."
"Tch. Not that long, but with how busy things are, it feels ages. Here for inspection?"
The dwarf craftsman Berus, directing laborers and undead from the mine office, shot up at my sight.
"Yeah. Lots to report anyway."
"No issues?"
"The undead work nonstop, so operations are smooth—but the new underground vein's causing headaches."
He shrugged.
Dwarves were mining experts.
Berus, from a mining family back home, had surprisingly deep experience.
"Outlook?"
"Prospects? Obvious."
He paused, then spoke.
"Those new shafts. Environmental hazards mean we need mages for work."
"Mages? Can't artifacts handle most?"
Artifacts worked fine; rarely needed high mages unless extreme.