Chapter 61
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: It's About Time You Started Repaying Your Debt
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The resolute declaration of the Argent Family Head, who vowed to clearly separate public and private matters.
For a brief moment, Erdas froze at those words.
But it didn't last.
Because the only one present wasn't just the head of the Argent Family.
She was a scion of the continent's supreme hegemon, the Abellan Empire.
"Princess Aira is a precious person to me."
It was a calm voice.
"P-Princess...?"
"Even if it's the king himself, if you're trying to harm my dear friend, I won't stand by idly either."
The one who spoke was Second Princess Evelyn, who had watched the entire Proxy Blood Fate ritual from start to finish.
To her, the Proxy Blood Fate had always been just a ceremony passed down under the name of "tradition."
From the stories she'd heard in the imperial palace, it was nothing more than the long-standing custom of the Argent Family, the empire's second most powerful house—a mere symbol.
But today was different.
She had witnessed it firsthand: a girl right before her eyes staking her life to share blood with her family.
It couldn't have been entertainment.
Nor joy or amusement.
It was simply horrific.
Both the Argents, who had carried out such acts for centuries, and the elf king, who refused to accept defeat and ultimately tried to kill his own daughter.
All of them.
Yet right now, to protect Aira, she was willing to join hands with them.
Even if the partner was one of the masters of this "devilish game."
"According to the rules of Proxy Blood Fate, the victor may demand one thing from the loser."
It was a clear voice.
"And there's only one thing Aira wants from you."
Evelyn's gaze turned toward Erdas.
"To vanish from that child's sight forever."
A short silence.
"...Hah."
In the meantime, Agram chuckled lowly.
"Princess, you seem to know quite well the laws of our Argent Family."
He tilted his head slightly and added,
"Did you study them separately at the imperial palace?"
"Well..."
Evelyn replied without averting her eyes.
"You could say I learned them despite myself, thanks to Lucas Argent."
With those words, she naturally took a step to Agram's side.
As if that spot had been hers from the very beginning.
The princess who spoke of the Argent rules before even his own heirs did, standing boldly beside the family head without hesitation.
At that audacious attitude, a faint smile crept onto Agram's lips.
Unlike the first prince, she held little political influence, so there had been no real reason to approach her.
That's all he had thought of her.
But—
The poise that didn't yield even facing the elf king head-on.
Her body trembling ever so slightly with tension, yet maintaining the dignity of imperial blood.
Above all, the boldness to push her words to the end.
Even as a member of the Abellan imperial family, if they had placed the first prince in her position against that elf king, the outcome would have been different.
Just like his four children behind him now, frozen like insects under the overwhelming pressure.
Agram thought to himself.
'Lucas Argent. I never imagined the day would come when you'd be useful to the family.'
Though unofficial, a clear alignment was forming at that moment.
The Argents.
And Abellan.
The blood of both families enveloped Aira like a single shield.
Erdas now had virtually no choices left.
If it were inside the elf forest, maybe—but this was outside the forest.
"...Tch."
His teeth ground together.
"You short-lived fools dare...!"
His mouth spat curses, but he couldn't hide the cold sweat trickling down his spine.
The king's authority had already lost its place here.
In the end, only one option remained.
Flee.
"...So for the time being, the elf kingdom won't openly target Aira anymore."
I explained everything that had happened.
Facing the two powers that gripped the continent's light and shadow respectively, the elves crumbled without being able to do a thing.
They barely managed to scoop up the fainted Elsia and flee the Argent territory in haste.
Of course, as they left, they spat third-rate villain lines like "You'll regret this!"
But the reality was obvious.
They were strong only within the forest; they were utterly inept at pursuing targets outside it.
That's why they foolishly went after Aira right there, and having failed even that, they'd have no choice but to stay quiet and lick their wounds—at least until the original story truly began.
Aira listened to my explanation without a word.
Her appearance still looked like a young child, but was it the characteristic composure of a long-lived race?
There was hardly any anxiety or agitation.
A moment later, Aira rose from the bed.
"I'm fine now."
With those words, she slowly began unwrapping her bandages.
I instinctively averted my gaze.
Even though I tried not to, my eyes kept wanting to follow.
The same room.
The same space.
A man and a woman alone together—I only realized it a bit too late.
Aira, unconcerned with my wandering eyes, fully unwrapped the bandages and stripped off her clothes without hesitation.
The sound of fabric brushing against skin rang unusually clear.
Her movements were precise.
So natural that it made me feel more awkward instead.
The treatment was already done, and I'd told her multiple times to rest—
"I still have my duties to attend to."
Saying that, Aira buttoned up her maid outfit one by one.
Somehow, those motions stuck in my mind.
...No way.
'Is it because of this kid-like appearance that she's treating me completely like a child?'
Aira, a conservative and insular elf, wouldn't do this without thought.
Thinking that made me oddly self-conscious.
Sigh.
At times like this, this young body was a cheat in another sense.
Combining my past life age, I might even be older.
I cleared my throat and said,
"Um, Aira. No matter how young I look, I'm still a guy, you know? So... tell me ahead of time when you're changing clothes."
"Pardon?"
Aira tilted her head.
"I'm a slave, and you're my master, Lucas. Is it proper for me to say such things?"
"...I'm fine with it, so do that. Or go change in your own room."
Truth be told, that was more an excuse for my own sake.
I wasn't the type for that sort of thing.
It was then.
A very faint presence of someone approaching.
The moment I turned to look back, Aira was already right by my ear.
So close that I had no room to even step back.
And she whispered softly,
"You don't need to worry, Master."
Her breath grazed my ear.
"I'm only doing this because it's in front of you."
"...In front of me?"
"Hee hee. Yes."
I was at a loss for words for a moment.
I had to mull over the meaning of her words.
It must mean she trusts me that much, right?
Thinking deeper, from the moment Aira first entered the Argent territory, I'd already touched her body several times.
Under the guise of treatment, inspection, or monitoring recovery.
Plus, Piel had once dragged Aira over saying, "We'll help you!" and we'd all bathed together in the tub.
Looking back now, it wasn't wrong to say we'd seen everything there was to see.
Yeah.
This was surely Aira's way of expressing trust.
'I trust you this much.'
Just as I convinced myself of that—
"...Piel's coming right now."
"Piel?"
"Yes. And—"
Aira glanced toward the window.
"That presence over there... it's Second Princess Evelyn. She seems to be approaching in her transformed state."
I reflexively strained my ears.
No sound.
No presence, no footsteps.
Yet Aira stated it as if it were obvious.
Superhuman senses were on this level, huh.
A moment later.
"Aira!"
The door opened, and Piel's voice burst in.
"Piel!"
"Waaah, I was so worried when you didn't wake up for three days...! I'm so glad you're okay!"
Piel set down the bucket she was carrying and rushed to Aira without hesitation, burying her face in her chest.
"...I was worried, Princess Aira."
Following that, the small shadow by the window naturally unraveled into human form.
It was Evelyn.
She watched the two with a quiet but satisfied smile.
"I heard that right after the Proxy Blood Fate ended, you raised your voice on my behalf, Princess."
Aira bowed her head.
"I should be the one thanking you."
A restrained smile and gaze passed between the two of noble birth, a language only they understood.
Watching that, a smile unwittingly formed on my lips too.
Only now did the realization sink in: I'd handled another major "issue."
It felt similar to my past life, standing in the operating room.
After stopping fatal bleeding, excising the problem, finishing the final sutures, and confirming the patient had stabilized.
That strange mix of emptiness and relief.
That's exactly how I felt now.
Lost in that lingering sensation for a moment—
"Lucas Argent."
Evelyn called my name.
I turned naturally.
Probably just wrapping up with final goodbyes, I thought.
She took a step closer.
And—
Swish.
Without a word, she extended her hand.
As if demanding something, with the most natural expression.
"It's about time you started repaying that 'debt.'"
"...Debt?"
"Yes. Your debt."
As I faltered, Evelyn added calmly, as if being kind.
"Starting from Piel's case, and now secretly buying Aira in my name—all those expenses."
"......"
"Even a simple tally exceeds 100,000 gold easily. Equipment, transport, bribes—you used the Ashen Hand operatives quite thriftily."
"...Ah."
Only then did it come back clearly.
"Now it's time to settle up."
She kept her hand out, tilting her head as she said,
"Of course, if you don't have the money, you'll pay with your body. You know that, right? Little bro."