“Oops!”
“Beep!”
In the blink of an eye, the black vortex swallowed up the three people. The vortex, which looked like a mist or a distorted shadow, was actually a barrier. The letters, which were connected like a bug biting its tail, transported the three people to somewhere else.
“Beep!”
Pipi blew flames toward the black vortex.
Sss… ss!
The tip of the letters, which seemed to be digging into the ground, burned a little.
“Ugh, I missed it.”
Ryan belatedly raised his sword aura and struck the poor ground.
The ground cracked open at the playful action.
“Beep…”
Pipi poked his head out in surprise to see how deep the ground had cracked.
“What could it have been? Was it the Demon? It definitely didn’t tear the magic scroll or anything.”
Lescal felt the empty space where the three people disappeared.
“If that was the case, the scroll would have remained. Unless there was a magic that automatically destroyed the scrolls used.”
“Ah… That’s right. And it feels a little different from magic. If it was the moving group, the three people should have taken their positions in the middle of the formation. If you look at the marks left on the ground now, they are all in different positions.”
“Beep!”
Pipi added that the suspicious smell was no joke.
Ryan wrinkled her nose.
“Then this is going to be a real headache. We have to consider the scope of the Demon’s reach, not just the Empire, but even Dell’Arta. Oh, it could be anywhere, not Dell’Arta.”
“Don’t let your guard down.”
Lescal squeezed Lasilia’s hand and spat it out.
“From now on, not even for a moment.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
It was a situation where it was impossible to know when, where, or who the Demon would send. It was a problem that could not be solved by simply defending against attacks.
“We have to find out where they are hiding.”
They had to start searching for the Demon’s base.
“Beep.”
Pipi flapped his wings. He was hungry and sleepy, so he said it was time to go back.
“I agree with you, Your Majesty.”
Lasilia sat the whining Pipi on her palm and said.
“I want to go back now.”
There was no excuse for what Ecelion had done, but at least he left one thing behind. He made it clear to Lasilia where she had to go back.
It wasn’t Dell’Arta. It was where Lescal was.
“Willingly.”
Lescal lifted Lasilia’s hand and kissed her finger.
It was time to go back to where she had to go.
* * *
Foodduk!
It was a quiet afternoon.
Lasilia was reading the diary left by her first companion.
The warm season made the sunlight coming through the window tiring, and the faint scent of flowers relaxed her mind.
The tea that Yvette warmed up before it got cold was just the right temperature.
This is what we should call the peaceful everyday life of the palace.
A pigeon flew into that place.
“Koo-koo.”
The pigeon tapped the glass window with its small head.
“Tsk!”
Woo-woong!
Pot!
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
And the word peace disappeared without a trace.
Pipi burst into flames, and seven magic circles were activated at the same time. The purple sword Aura cut through the wall, and Ryan quickly appeared, and then the guards guarding the Empress’s palace opened the door with a loud noise and rushed in.
“Hwa, Your Majesty…”
Yvette gulped and called out to Lasilia softly.
Even so, Yvette was holding the teapot tightly in her hand. If there was an intruder, she was prepared to pour hot water.
“No need to be surprised. It seems that a pigeon has come to find me.”
“Gu, Guu…”
The pigeon fluttered and made a pitiful sound.
“Peeet! Pee!”
Pipi nagged at her for touching the window.
“Ah, ha. It must be a bird sent by the shield. At this point, I think Decan needs to learn new magic.”
Ryan motioned for the guards to go out.
The chief knight of the guards nodded and pointed to the gaping hole in the wall with his eyes.
“That needs repair.”
“Ah, I’m in a hurry. Can’t you just ask Decan to send a wizard? Someone who is good at healing magic. It’s the truth of Her Majesty the Empress, so it would be a bit much if there were any traces.”
“I’ll tell you anyway.”
But that wasn’t necessary either.
Woohoohoo.
A passage created by magic appeared toward the intact wall. Then, Lescal and Decan walked out of the passage.
Ryan shrugged her shoulders as if embarrassed.
“No, Your Majesty, you came too. You didn’t have to. As you can see, I’ve been guarding well without letting my guard down.”
At first glance, it sounded embarrassed, but in fact, it was a hidden boast.
‘I cut down the wall, but I was the first to arrive. I’m this strong. So don’t worry.’ That’s what it meant.
“I knew it wasn’t much of a threat.”
And Lescal’s answer contained a warning not to show off too much in front of Lasilia. It wasn’t that he was later than Ryan, he just didn’t make a fuss.
Lescal approached where Lasilia was sitting and kissed her on the forehead. Lasilia, who knew how crazy Lescal had been since returning to the palace, smiled bitterly.
As it became known that the Demons could use any human, Lescal had to reexamine his friendly relations with neighboring countries.
First of all, the places where the Demons were hiding were expanded from the Imperial territory to the entire continent. The Silver Shields, who were diligently chasing the Demons’ trail, might have to cross the border.
No royal family would be happy to have an organization like the Silver Shields operating within their territory.
Lescal had to resolve these diplomatic issues, and he had to prepare for the possibility that the Demons might use other countries’ armies.
“As Lord Sigress said, His Majesty wasn’t supposed to come, but if you have time, please sit down for a moment.”
“The time is fine.”
Lescal sat down on the armrest of the single-seater sofa where Lasilia was sitting quite naturally.
It seemed natural, but it actually became uncomfortable to sit down, so Lasilia grabbed his arm and moved to the couch next to him.
Lescal looked at Lasilia with eyes that seemed like they were melting.
No matter how much he experienced, he couldn’t become numb to something like this.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. My pigeon didn’t listen properly again.”
Decan took care of the pigeon, which was shivering, more embarrassed than Ryan, who had made a hole in the wall.
The pigeon was completely scared because of Pipi, who was glaring at him fiercely the whole time.
Lasilia nodded as if it was okay.
Yvette was surprised, and the wall was damaged, but this was okay.
It was like this all the way back to the palace.
Last night, there was an incident where the bats in the basement were mistaken for monsters, so there was an unexpected bat hunt.
It was a good thing that the palace basement was completely cleaned of the old grime, but some of the court ladies suffered because of it.
Even though it was revealed that it was not a monster but a bat, Lescal and Ryan did not let their guard down, so everyone had to stay up all night and search the basement.
“I know it’s not your fault. Don’t worry too much.”
“Then… if you allow me, I will retrieve the pigeon.”
“Let’s do that.”
Decan left first, holding the trembling pigeon.
The guards left to call the magician at Ryan’s nagging, and Yvette stepped forward to bring back the tea that had spilled from the kettle.
The only ones left were Lasilia, Lescal, and Ryan, who were left with a hole.
“Why are you still there?”
Lescal asked Ryan. Meanwhile, Lescal was fiddling with Lasilia’s hand.
Ryan tried his best to make a polite expression.
“Your Majesty’s escort is my job, Your Majesty.”
“You don’t have to stay in the same room.”
“Oh, but if you don’t, you might break the wall again.”
“So you’re saying you’re going to stay?”
“Wouldn’t that be better?”
Ryan suddenly raised his aura. The purple aura surrounding the sword was so clear that it could be seen even with his eyes closed.
Lescal asked with narrowed eyes for some reason.
“Why?”
“Oh, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve shown your aura to Your Majesty yet.”
Ryan made a sudden remark with a face filled with pride.
“How is it, Your Majesty? Do you like it?”
“I don’t think it matters whether I like it or not… But I feel like I feel a similar energy. It’s a beautiful light.”
At those words, Lescal’s expression became strangely unpleasant. On the other hand, Ryan made an unexpectedly shy face.
“No, you say I resemble you! How embarrassing to say such things… It’s not me, it resembles Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Me? Is there a reason why your power resembles me?”
“Didn’t I tell you? The master of my aura is Her Majesty the Empress. It must resemble its master. Look. It has the same eye color as Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Ah…?”
“Beep?”
While Lasilia and Pipi let out a small exclamation that it seemed that way, Lescal reached out and turned Lasilia’s body.
“Well, if that’s true, then use it as much as you want. But…”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Ryan, who suddenly had no one to look after, pursed his lips invisibly.
I think you’ve forgotten something.”
“Is there something like that?”
“Yes.”
Lescal nodded vigorously.
“Last night. I wasn’t by your side. I was on guard against the monster.”
It wasn’t a monster, it was a bat, but Lescal stubbornly said it was a monster.
In fact, it wasn’t something Lescal had to do himself, but Lasilia felt her heart sink as she thought she knew why he had chased the bat away so cleanly.
“Yes.”
“That’s why you couldn’t practice.”
“Yes…”
That practice was that practice.
Lescal glanced at Ryan with eyes that told him to just disappear and continued.
“So now seems like the time to practice. You can look at things like Aura later.”
Lasilia glanced at Ryan with a different meaning.
Hoping Ryan didn’t know what practice meant.
“Um… It’s a bit ambiguous right now. I’m not done with work yet.”
“If I don’t do it now, I’ll miss a day.”
Lescal spoke as if it were the most important and serious thing in the world.
“That can’t happen.”
“…”
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on September, 7.
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