Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: I Will Teach You Fear (3)
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The day of departure for the Luiple Region and the bet.
A grand mansion befitting the term "castle," in an antique room.
The 2nd Princess, Word Command user, Dragon Blood possessor... Hedera sipped her tea while basking in the light filtering through the window.
It was premium tea leaves specially procured from the Heavenly Realm. They said it was worth its weight in gold in the human world.
Meanwhile, her gaze was fixed outside the window.
In the training grounds stood Balton and two other knights.
Whoooosh—!
The knights gripping their swords moved ceaselessly.
It was markedly different from just a week ago.
Balton was still holding the center, but now the other two knights could roughly keep up. Their coordination was starting to show.
The training grounds echoed with all sorts of shouts.
"Give it everything you've got! Her Highness commands you to give your all and not underestimate the opponent in this bet!"
"Yes, sir!"
Since Hedera hadn't explained the circumstances, Balton must see Zekiel as just some commoner parachuted in as inspector.
Yet the fact that they were giving it their all regardless was impressive. It wasn't mere words; he showed no sign of letting his guard down.
As expected, he wasn't a knight with an undeserved reputation.
"Hmm."
However, Hedera's mind was exceedingly complicated right now.
She set her teacup down with a sharp clack. Even the famously rich aroma of the tea leaves didn't register. Her thoughts were that tangled.
"...Zekiel."
Hedera murmured, her brow slightly furrowed.
A week ago, Zekiel's presentation had been remarkable. As she already knew, his magical prowess and potential were not to be dismissed. Still.
Yes, that's why 3rd Princess Solana, who clearly knew it too, had recommended him for inspector. It was only natural.
"It was within expectations."
Since it was natural, she had anticipated it.
Yes, she had clearly seen it coming.
But even so...
What had happened then left Hedera full of questions.
Not doubts about others, but about herself.
If the expected had occurred, she just needed to handle it according to plan. Hadn't Hedera always dealt with life's issues that way?
Rational thinking. Emotionlessness.
These were crucial elements for her as both a Dragon Blood possessor and Word Command user. She had always viewed others merely as human entities.
Thus, that day's memory was simply a puzzle.
"Why did I..."
instigate the bet without realizing it?
Knowing the deadline was tight.
Knowing the odds were slim.
Even dangling imperial records as the prize.
"...Why on earth did I propose the bet?"
She had made what seemed a fair judgment, but it was true she had egged it on with an excessive reward.
Treat humans as mere humans, expect nothing from them. No interest, so certainly not as playthings... That's how it should have been.
...What frame of mind had driven her to do it?
—I'm serious.
Suddenly, a phrase Zekiel had uttered flashed in her mind.
Hedera unfolded the letter she had crumpled.
Among them, one line written boldly, standing out starkly.
[May your short life be happy, at least.]
"..."
And beside it, a drawing she hadn't managed to crumple.
It was undoubtedly a picture Zekiel had drawn himself. A distant past scene: her profile, focused on her studies.
...Had she truly worn such an expression back then?
Is this the face Zekiel always saw?
Hedera found it hard to believe and looked in the mirror. The innocent girl of those days was long gone, replaced by a woman with a cold expression.
An absurd drawing. Utter nonsense.
Yet the reason she hadn't crumpled this picture yet was...
[May your short life be happy, at least.]
Happiness.
The girl in the picture clearly looked happy.
"...Could it be, for my happiness?"
Had he, purely for Hedera's happiness, started giving his all as inspector? Had he accepted and even escalated the ridiculous bet conditions?
Determined, no matter what it took, to grant her that happiness.
And at the same time, was she hoping for it?
Had she impulsively proposed it, wishing Zekiel would find that happiness for her?
If that were the case...
If it really were...
"Enough thinking."
Hedera shook her head vigorously.
What mattered to her. What was her happiness.
It was the Ascension Ceremony now. Becoming a dragon in the Heavenly Realm was her sole aspiration.
Emotionlessness. She had to maintain that state.
She could just ask directly why he accepted the bet. He wouldn't find that suspicious.
"Stop thinking about stopping the thinking."
The woman soon sank into deep meditation.
The day of departure and the bet.
I started warming up at dawn.
Shhh...
The state of my freezing magic was excellent, as always.
More refined than when I was lounging around like a loafer in the neighborhood. Using magic frequently lately had raised my proficiency again.
Shhh...
I created a few ice crystals first, then stopped. I was confident in my own magic anyway, and what I really wanted to check was something else.
I glanced at the pink mage beside me.
"Belka."
"Y-yes, yes...!"
Belka scurried over and stood at attention.
My constitution can't handle the excessive chill in my body and mana. But if I could get the heat to neutralize it from a person instead of Sunweed?
...Easy.
Absorbing Sunweed's heat into my body takes quite some time in the first place. So if I want to use magic at 2 PM, I'd have to start chewing it from 1 PM.
But from a person, it's instant.
I placed the back of my hand on Belka's forehead. Steam rose immediately just from that.
Sssizzle—!
"Haaah... So coolll..."
Belka stuck out her tongue like a puppy on a summer day and made a blissful face. I could definitely feel heat similar to Sunweed's.
However.
"—!"
At some point, Belka's eyes went wide.
Snot dripped from Belka's nose.
"C-cold, c-cold, c-cold, so cooold...! I'll freeze to deaaath...!"
"That's enough for now."
I pulled my hand away immediately.
As expected, the total heat output was negligible compared to Sunweed.
If I'd kept pouring chill in, she would've frozen solid.
"The total heat isn't sufficient..."
But being able to get it instantly was highly satisfactory. With growth potential, the returns would be huge.
I showed Belka a Sunweed.
"Say hello."
"H-hello...! But who to...?"
"To the Sunweed. Your senior."
"S-Sunweed senior...! Hello...!"
That was when it happened.
"...What on earth are you doing?"
Anes appeared in the training grounds, expressionless as usual, twirling a cube in one hand.
"It's time. Are you ready to depart?"
Checking the clock, it was indeed departure time.
"Let's head out."
"Understood."
As the three of us started walking, Anes asked,
"...In the end, we didn't do any training for a week. Is it really okay to go like this?"
"No need to ask. You'll see soon enough."
I wasn't without a plan. I just had a concrete one already, and confidence in executing it.
This wasn't my first time visiting Luiple anyway.
"Understood."
Anes gave up surprisingly quickly. She still looked thoughtful, but this wasn't something words could resolve. Doubts turn to certainty only on-site.
We soon left the Magic Tower.
The starting point was a wide plaza near the tower. Two large carriages were already waiting.
The three knights from the other side greeted us.
"You actually showed up instead of running away. Inspector."
Balton, clad head to toe in helmet and armor, started with sarcasm, but I ignored him.
The truly important figure was elsewhere.
Clunk—
Someone stepped down from the massive carriage and approached.
The Empire's 2nd Princess, Dragon Blood possessor, Word Command user... Hedera. She boldly positioned herself between me and Balton, holding a yellow commission scroll.
"Due to the severe Erosion Phenomenon in the Luiple Region recently, we dispatch the Magic Tower inspector and escort knights personally. Prioritize the safety of imperial citizens over competition between the two parties."
"Yes! Your Highness!"
Balton bellowed. I just nodded along.
Hedera nodded as well.
"Good. Oath complete. Depart immediately."
The three knights boarded their carriage right away, and Anes and Belka climbed into the other. I was shuffling toward mine without much thought when—
Right then.
In that fleeting moment.
"Shall we talk?"
Hedera's voice grabbed me.
As I half-turned, Hedera's pupils were already slit vertically, her mask down.
And in that unexpected instant, Word Command erupted.
"Tell me the reason you accepted the bet."
Fwosh!
Immediately, absolute force enveloped me.
I had innate resistance to Word Command, but resistance fundamentally required vast mana.
In simple terms, with only one Sunweed left, the cost-performance of heavy mana resistance wasn't great.
In that split second, I thought.
'This question is fine to answer.'
Better to answer and conserve mana.
Decision made, I applied minimal resistance. Just enough for the answer to come out abstractly.
Soon, my mouth spoke.
"There is a reason I must win the bet."
"..."
Silence followed briefly.
"...?"
But shock was prominently etched on Hedera's face. Something I couldn't comprehend.
"..."
Beyond surprise, almost horror.
No matter. It wasn't a slip-up.
"...We'll talk more after the bet."
I turned away first.
Feeling her gaze boring into the back of my head.