Chapter 118

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Translator: Ebonarch

Chapter: 118

Chapter Title: Lucia is Crying (1)

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It had been a week since we arrived at the imperial palace.

I was preparing a demonstration of 'Shadow' in front of the princess.

"...Then, I'll begin."

"Yes! I'm looking forward to it!"

I took a short breath, raised one hand over the shadow spread out in front of me, and chanted the incantation.

At that moment, I felt the ground beneath me give way, and starting from my legs, I was silently pulled into the shadow.

Surprisingly, the inside of the shadow was quite comfortable.

It wasn't hot or cold, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was spacious enough.

If I had food and water, I could probably stay in there until my mana ran out.

'This should be enough.'

About 30 seconds later, when I resurfaced, Liana was staring at me intently.

"...How was it?"

"Mmm! As expected of Eugene! Though, it's so obvious that it's hard to even praise you! Melphisa must have worked hard teaching you!"

"No, I didn't do anything."

"Ahaha! Even if Eugene is talented, teaching 'bloodline magic' in just a week! Melphisa, you're too humble!"

"..."

Melphisa looked at me with eyes full of awe, so I subtly turned my head away.

Both the princess and Melphisa seemed to be increasingly misunderstanding me as some kind of genius.

'...Well, it's understandable.'

Since I'd only been having sex every day instead of practicing magic, and suddenly awakened to it.

In the face of Melphisa's burdensome gaze, I wanted to shout that this was all thanks to my traits.

Look at this cheat trait.

To be able to take other people's learned skills just like that...

No matter how I thought about it, Tamer was an absurdly overpowered trait.

"Well, honestly, this isn't that important anyway!"

Liana's attitude flipped in an instant, and the word 'bitch' nearly rose to my throat.

Of course, it was true that I'd learned the magic easily through 'Tamer', but I'd been desperate in taming for it.

"So, Eugene. What should we do for fun now?"

But getting angry wouldn't change anything, so I smiled softly and replied.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I don't think I'll have time to play."

"...Huh? What do you mean? No time?"

Liana blinked in confusion.

"Hasn't the promised week ended today?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, I'm leaving now."

"...Huh?"

After staring at me for a moment, realizing I was serious, the princess shouted.

"Huuuh?! Wait a minute! It's over, sure! But Eugene, you've only been practicing 'Shadow' this whole time! The time we spent together, even added up..."

"It's unfortunate. But promises must be kept, what can we do?"

I glanced leisurely at the clock and continued.

"Oh, it's already this late. The carriage reservation is soon, so I should get ready to leave."

"Wait! Wait! Wait! You mean leave right now?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Where to?"

"Carnea Academy, of course."

"Vacation still has a few days left!"

"I have preparations to make in advance."

"Then I'll go too! Take me...!"

Slap─

As Liana rushed toward me, Melphisa blocked her.

"What the! Melphisa!"

"Your Highness must not go."

"Why! Why! Why can't I go!"

"You know procedures are needed for Her Highness to leave the palace. The princess of the Lumenhark Empire can't just wander freely."

Melphisa stated the obvious facts.

"...Ugh!! Eugene...!"

Liana shot me a look that said she trusted I wouldn't abandon her.

"Then, Your Highness. See you at Carnea."

I replied with a bright smile.

—The best way to deal with the princess.

Don't engage her at all from the start.

'...Fighting the princess in the palace is suicide.'

I knew better than anyone that I couldn't beat Liana head-on.

So, like a spider waiting in its web, I needed her to enter my territory first for a chance at victory.

'...And for that, I need to tame the saint first.'

Acquiring the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠saint's abilities.

That was the minimum condition for the 'battle' with the princess I had in mind.

"Now, Your Highness, if you prepare this way, you can arrive before the opening ceremony."

"...Melphisa... wait... Eugene...!"

Ignoring the princess desperately calling after me, I left the room.

A few days later, upon arriving at the Creampie Inn in Sankisan Village, I took a seat in the corner and dropped the glass cup I was holding onto the floor.

Swoosh─

Instead of shattering with a crash, the glass cup naturally sank into the shadow.

'Come out.'

And as soon as I thought it, the cup popped out from the shadow.

'...As expected.'

Whether because I was Pavolrie's direct descendant or if all bloodline magic was like this, 'Shadow' had several peculiarities compared to other magic.

First, the moment I acquired the spell, I intuitively understood how to use it, as if it were my innate ability.

Second, I could use it without chanting, like now.

—Using without chanting? Of course impossible. Bloodline magic is still magic, after all.

I'd subtly asked Melphisa, but she seemed clueless, so I'd chanted on purpose in front of Liana to hide it.

'And... this is the most important part.'

As I focused my mana on the shadow draped over the desk...

"...Eugene?"

I heard Marjan's voice.

"Oh, Marjan."

I'd been prepared to drink alone all night, but we met sooner than expected.

I waved happily in greeting, but Marjan fidgeted nervously before suddenly bowing deeply and shouting.

"...I'm truly sorry for that time!"

It was loud enough to draw stares in a normal place, but the rowdy inn let it slide.

"...Even if it was an order, to lay hands on the heir of Calliope! ...I have no excuses!"

"It's fine. Don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worry about it. If not for that, the princess would've noticed."

"...Thank you so much for saying that."

Marjan placed a hand on her chest, sighed in relief, and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"By the way, how did you escape the princess's interrogation? She must've asked why you got hit."

"..."

Instead of answering, I quietly downed my beer.

No way was I admitting I'd asked to see her panties right in front of her.

"...Speaking of which, where's Lucia?"

"...Ah, Lady Lucia is waiting in room 401."

"Why didn't she come down together?"

"She seemed exhausted and said she wanted to rest in her room without disturbances today. I came down just to check if you might've arrived. Our timing worked out well."

"Yeah, it did. I just got here too."

Marjan brushed her hair behind her ear again as she replied.

"...Just so you know... I'll be staying in room 402."

I nodded.

It was natural for her escort duties to have the adjacent room.

"Got it."

"..."

"What? Something to say?"

"...No, nothing."

"Alright, then I'll head up to rest."

As I rose and climbed the stairs, something occurred to me, and I said,

"Marjan."

"Yes, Eugene."

"That earring suits you well."

"...Uh... Th-thank you..."

Leaving Marjan bowing her head for some reason, I went up the stairs.

The Creampie Inn is divided into four floors.

The first floor is the tavern, second has dormitories, third has private rooms, and the fourth has suites.

Naturally, Lucia was in a fourth-floor suite.

Knock knock─

I stood in front of room 401 and knocked, but no response.

"Lucia."

I knocked again and called her name, still nothing.

'What's going on...?'

Cautiously opening the door, I saw Lucia lying on the bed.

"..."

Approaching quietly to check her condition, fortunately, nothing seemed wrong.

If she'd told Marjan not to disturb her, she must be really worn out.

'Guess I should get my own room.'

As I quietly stood to leave without waking her...

"Eek...!"

Lucia's arm suddenly pulled me onto the bed.

"...M-Master...?"

"Lucia...?"

"Hehe... It's really Master. Hee hee."

At a glance, Lucia's state was off.

I swallowed hard and said,

"Lucia... did you... maybe drink?"

"...Hehe... Yesss...! Lucia had juuust a little! Drink... Huh...? M-Master... two...? ...Or... three...?"

There was no strong alcohol smell, but I knew Lucia was weak to liquor.

"...Sniff... sniff... Hng... Master... smell... Haa..."

Straddling me, Lucia buried her face in my chest, sniffing wildly while wiggling her hips side to side.

Seeing that, I thought if she had a tail like Emma, it'd be thrashing like crazy.

"Lucia... calm down first..."

Her sniffing was so fierce it felt like she'd rip my clothes off, so I grabbed her shoulders to pull her back a bit.

"...Hic..."

Tears welled up in Lucia's blue eyes...

"...Lucia?"

"...Hic... Master... abandons... me... Hng... Hic... Waaahhh...!"

...and she burst into tears.