The Male Lead’s Father Refuses to Break Off Our Engagement

Chapter 102

 

-Your Majesty.

-You have the divine beast of the kingdom. How can you say that you want to live in an Empire?

Lionel was the successor to Trika, the guardian of water. That was why he, an illegitimate son, was able to enter the royal palace and live as a prince.

However, Lionel was never happy that he was the successor to Trika or the prince of the Kingdom of Cesia.

To him, those two things were just a burden.

There was only one way for him to escape his duty.

-I will give up my qualifications as a successor.

-What?

-If I give up my qualifications as a successor, the next successor will be born immediately.

-Haha.

The King burst into laughter.

-Do you think I brought you here just to do that?

-Your Majesty.

The king gave orders to his knights.

-Take Lionel and imprison him in the castle.

Lionel resisted, but was outnumbered and had no choice but to be imprisoned.

[Would you like to go back to the Empire?]

Trika asked him as he was imprisoned. Lionel shook his head.

―As long as I maintain my status as a successor, I cannot leave this place.

More than anything…

―Don’t you know that the heir can’t escape the kingdom?

How long has it been like that? The king came to visit him.

―Please allow me to deliver news to the Empire.

Lionel appealed to his father. If she didn’t hear from him, Julia might have another misunderstanding. More than anything, I was curious about Julia’s well-being.

The king made an offer to him.

-Do you know that there is a severe drought in the kingdom?

―……

-Let me make you a suggestion. If you solve the drought, I will let you have your way. Of course, I will also send the news to the Empire. Did you say Julia Adelhard? I’ll also tell you the news about that child.

―……!

With those words, Lionel visited a territory suffering from drought and brought rain. The king sent the letter to the Empire as promised. He brought him news from Julia.

-They said the child was fine.

Lionel spent his time catching only one piece of news from the King.

A year has passed as promised. However, the King did not keep his promise to release him and imprisoned him again.

Thinking that he had already done enough, Lionel tried to escape the palace and head to the Empire. But it failed every time.

It was around that time that he realized that the King had not sent his letter and that Julia’s news was false.

Lionel was furious, but there was nothing he could do. I felt like if I insisted on leaving like this, I would continue to play into my father’s hands.

So he pretended to obediently follow the king’s will.

-I was wrong, Your Majesty. I will dedicate myself to the kingdom from now on.

-You choose the right choice.

However, even after that, there were several people watching him. Trika was not aggressive, unlike Celsion, who had an aggressive tendency. Lionel could not escape from the people watching him.

Then one day, I heard that someone from the Empire had arrived.

-I need to know at least some news about Julia. I need to find out if the baby was born safely.

So he contacted Count Venion, who was said to be from the Empire, and asked for news about Julia.

The answer that came back was shocking.

―Both Julia and the child are dead….

He suffered from extreme self-reproach, loss, and pain. The stress was so extreme that his hair turned gray in just one night.

After that he decided. He decided to get revenge on his father who made him and Julia like this. I decided to take advantage of his weaknesses and become the next King.

Lionel began competing with the second prince, the current queen’s descendant, for the position of Crown Prince.

People found him strange for his sudden change, but soon they admired his abilities and support for him gradually increased.

As time passed, many people stayed by his side. But on the contrary, Lionel was becoming more and more empty.

Lionel, out of his thoughts, muttered softly.

“It would have been better if I had given up everything and gone to you….”

It was when he smiled self-deprecatingly.

I could feel strong mana from somewhere in the distance. Lionel was startled and stood up.

“This…”

The cat sleeping at his feet pricked up its ears and raised its head.

[It’s awake.]

Lionel didn’t need to be told what had awakened it.

He approached the window. Then, I looked towards the Empire in the distance and shed tears.

“Julia….”

He knew instinctively.

My child and Julia’s is still alive.

 

*****

 

[The guardian of water.]

As soon as Evelia heard those words, she looked at Cassis in surprise. He looked as surprised as she did.

Evelia tried to calm down as much as possible and asked Celsion.

“Then it is said that the place Prince Lionel visited had a good harvest…”

[It must have been raining using Trika.]

“Then…”

Evelia thought, unable to continue speaking.

‘Is that why Lionel didn’t come back?’

Lionel went to get permission from the king to live in the empire after getting married.

However, if he was the guardian’s successor, the king wouldn’t let him go easily.

Cassis must have realized that, too, and his face hardened. He muttered quietly.

“That doesn’t change anything.”

“Cassis.”

“If it were me, I would have come back somehow. It’s just a cowardly excuse to say you couldn’t come back because of opposition.”

“…….”

Instead of adding anything, Evelia silently held Cassis’ hand. It was an unspoken sign that I understood your feelings.

Thanks to Celsion, I felt like a question that had been unanswered for a while was being resolved. So what’s left…

“To resolve Ruth’s illness, we need to meet King Cesia.”

“……”

“But I don’t know if he will obediently let Ruth go if we visit him for no reason.”

Evelia’s face looked deep. Cassis hugged her tightly.

“There must be a way. Since Lady Donoa is there, I think something will work out.”

“That’s right, but….”

Shouldn’t Ruth be told about his biological father someday? Julia is dead, but Lionel is alive…

Evelia could not bear to say those words out loud. Instead, she looked at Celsion and whispered in a worried voice.

“Anyway, Celsion. It would be difficult to see you in such a large form.”

[Why?]

“Well, first of all, people are surprised. How many people can stand by and watch a large wolf roam around? And I want to hide Ruth’s power as much as possible.”

[In that case, I have no choice.]

Suddenly, Celsion’s body began to glow. When the light completely disappeared, a small puppy stood where Celsion had been.

‘Aw, it’s cute.’

Evelia picked up the puppy without realizing it.

“Celsion… Right?”

[I’ll let it go.]

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Evelia carefully put down Celsion and smiled.

“I think Ruth will like it too. He likes animals.”

[I am not an insignificant animal, but a guardian.]

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

[Hmph, you don’t look like you’re getting it at all. I think we’re done talking then, so I’ll go to Ruth].

The puppy turned its head and left the office with a whimper. As Evelia stared blankly at that, Cassis held her cheek.

“Cassis?”

“Is that so cute?”

It was a face that looked somewhat displeased. Evelia, who had guessed the reason, asked in a voice of uncertainty.

“Are you jealous of the puppy?”

“Didn’t it say it was a guardian, not a puppy?”

“You’re not denying that you’re jealous, are you?”

“……”

Evelia looked at Cassis, whose mouth was tight, then raised her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.

“There is no need to be jealous. I like you the most. Oh, and Ruth too.”

She narrowed her eyes and said playfully.

“You’re probably not jealous of Ruth either, are you?”

“… No.”

“Your response was slow?”

“No.”

Evelia laughed softly and sat down on a chair with Cassis.

“Anyway, what should we do now?”

There were more important things right now than Ruth’s illness.

“Until now, Prince Lionel probably didn’t know that Ruth was alive. Because it was hidden from the Adelhard family. Besides, if he had known, he wouldn’t have stayed quiet until now.”

“Yes.”

“Then who on earth Cesia sent the assassin? Judging by the way they’re targeting Ruth, it seems like they knew that Ruth was Prince Lionel’s son…”

Evelia, who was muttering and organizing her thoughts, said, “Ah!” made a sound

“Count Venion.”

She gritted her teeth.

“It’s clear that Count Venion informed them.”

Cassis kissed Evelia’s forehead as she got angry.

“I will solve that problem, so don’t worry about it, wife.”

“But….”

Evelia was about to protest, but then nodded.

“All right. Then….”

What are you going to do about Prince Lionel?

Evelia couldn’t finish asking those words.