CH 68
Translated by Tam
Cesare closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as if recalling the meaning of the word ‘weakness.’ Seeing this, Catherine had to realize again that she was such a weak being.
‘Percyville is a knight representing the Vatican, and from what they said, Belial’s contractor didn’t look weak either.’
But what about her?
At the most, isn’t that all there is to call something by borrowing Cesare’s magic?
Until a few days ago, she thought that was enough to protect her. Cesare was there, so she thought that it could be resolved quickly if there was a problem.
But that was the case when the opponent was a human being or an ordinary devil.
“What are you thinking about?”
Catherine lifted her head, suddenly coming to her senses. With his chin resting in his hands, Cesare was staring intently into her eyes. Catherine spoke her feelings without hesitation.
“It’s just, I think I’m too weak.”
“Human beings are all weak.”
It was Cesare’s own consolation.
“I’m curious. Can great people like His Majesty the Emperor or His Holiness deal with the Great Devil?”
The answer that came was relentless.
“No.”
Then is there really nothing she can do but run away or hide behind Cesare? Perhaps because Catherine’s face was gloomy, Cesare hurriedly added back.
“It’s possible if it’s just about driving them out of Eden. They just have to deal with the contractors. No matter how much we do, we can’t even use half of our power if we don’t have the contractors. You can be beaten up by the transcendent and driven out into the fire pit.”
That meant that because of the contract between Cesare and Catherine, the restraints of power were lifted.
‘Then—’
Not the Great Devil, but strong enough to deal with their contractors. Strong enough to fight alone without Cesare’s help.
With that kind of power, wouldn’t Cesare be less concerned?
‘That way, he won’t be shocked by the fact that he has a weakness like now.’
Catherine vowed to herself. Let’s not become a burden to Cesare when it comes to protecting herself, even if she borrows money and power flatly!
“I’ll be strong, Cesare.”
She pulled back Cesare’s loose hand again. And she strongly patted the back of his hand and fingers that she couldn’t even hold in both hands.
“I’ll be strong and protect Cesare.”
Protecting me is protecting him, isn’t it? Cesare’s face became subtle as she heard Catherine’s words. She didn’t mean to be unpleasant, but rather—.
“It’s hard to be strong. Catherine, if you’re going to be strong, you have to use your life.”
“But I’ll be strong. I’m a person who does what I want.”
Cesare chuckled and gave a picturesque smile. His face was completely softened without any boundaries. It was also a smile that felt like a child. He looked so happy that she couldn’t bear to think he was laughing at her.
Cesare stared at Catherine’s two hands that were wrapped around the back of his own, and opened his mouth.
“That’s a nice thing to say. Then do I have to wait until you can protect me?”
That’s a bit—.
“I think it’ll take too long.”
“Didn’t you say you’re a person who does what you want? Or do you want to be strong 100 years later?”
100 years later, as Cesare said, she could have become a real earthworm wizard. So as not to do that, it seemed like the current goal was needed.
“For now, I’ll set Percyville Benedicto Fahenrihin as my target. I’m the same age, so if I work hard enough to die, won’t something work out?”
“It seems that somehow the goal has risen to the ceiling.”
Cesare leaned and pressed Catherine’s forehead.
His cool cobalt eyes were curved in front of his nose, drawing a beautiful line. The shape of the long eyelashes dancing like silver thread looked delicate one by one.
Catherine lowered her gaze involuntarily and took a deep breath. She was afraid that he would hear the sound of her pounding heart in his ears.
Cesare’s low voice taps the back of her ear lightly.
“I will wait for you at any time.”
She doesn’t know why, but she thought he would kiss her on the cheek. Luckily, that didn’t happen.
…Luckily? Does she feel lucky to have such a delusion?
Catherine calmed her beating heart and lifted her head. Cesare, raising his body, stood in front of her door.
“On the day you go to Busperfield, please come to my office. I decided to move with you, so don’t go alone.”
Then his figure disappeared behind the door. Catherine rolled over her bed and slammed her pillow into the room, left alone. The inside of her heart tickled, and she couldn’t stand it.
******
Lunch time the next day.
There were literally dozens of dishes on the table, enough to break the table. Catherine asked the Marquis of Phanya, looking at the endless display of dishes that were hard to capture.
“Who’s coming today?”
The Marquis replied with eyes as to whether she was asking something obvious.
“Didn’t you come?”
“I don’t think there used to be this much in the past….”
“Now that you’re all grown up, you need to eat more and move more. With such a skinny body, you can’t even learn magic properly. Physical strength is essential even for wizards.”
All of them were correct. Catherine first tasted the food from nearby places one by one. The taste was delicious.
“The Black Lion.”
Damian, who was quickly emptying the plate at the call of the Marquis of Phanya, raised his head.
“Yes. Yes.”
“You’ve been fighting in swordsmanship with the knights of Phanya since early in the days, aren’t you?”
“Ah—. Haha! Yes. Have you heard about it yet?”
“How was it?”
Damian’s forehead was covered with sweat. He expressed his feelings in a cheerful voice as if he had waited.
“It’s absolutely great. I’ve only heard rumors about it, but the knights of Phanya also seem to have the ability to compete with the Imperial Knights. In particular, Sir Carl is a monster enough to suppress our leader’s terrifying pride—”
After that, Damian’s praise continued. Hearing what he said, he seemed to be very fond of Phanya.
Moreover, as a knight, he seemed to communicate well with the Marquis of Phanya, and Catherine thought it was very good to bring Damian in.
“Then will you come to Phanya?”
Cough, cough. Damian, who was swallowing pasta, tapped his chest and replied.
“I asked if you had any plans to come to Phanya. The Black Lion. You seem to fit well with Catherine, too— if Grand Duke Cesare is good enough to keep you next to his disciple, then it would have nothing to do with politics.”
Damian stared at Catherine with a blank face.
‘Grandma doesn’t let anyone hear the story of the Phanya family.’
The Marquis of Panya seems to have been very fond of Damian since the first meeting. Catherine was also aware of that fact to some extent, so she didn’t kick him out after revealing the family’s secrets.
The Marquis of Phanya has loved young talents for a long time. It bothered her a little that Damian was a fool, but that part seems to be considered cuteness.
Catherine pretended not to know Damian’s request for help and ate the octopus in the distance.
Hmm, the sour taste is art.
“Your Excellent, I am… the illegitimate child of His Highness Prince Chevrok… in other words, an illegitimate child.”
“I’ll ask His Highness Chevrok to give me the Black Lion.”
“…is that possible?”
“What can’t I do?”
The Marquis of Phanya continued, slicing the lamb elegantly.
“Have you not been of any help to your biological father, Prince Chevrok, and Crown Prince Saferan, whom he supports?”
Damien’s expression was visibly dimmed.
“Usually, the Imperial Knights leave the Knights Templar when they are old. It is because they have to succeed in a family or occupy an important position in the Imperial Family. But what about you? What will the imperial illegitimate child wielding only swords do?”
As expected from her grandma. For reference, Sir Carl had been beaten and wept after being hit with her grandmother’s tongue mace many years ago.
“The Imperial Knights commander? It’s impossible due to a bloodline problem. Imperial escort knight? Even an illegitimate child, a body the same size as the Imperial Family, can’t escort the same Imperial Family. Does that mean that the line of succession to the throne is high?”
Predictably, at least 20 members of the imperial family had to die before Damian could ascend to the throne. The Marquis Pganya put the lamb in her mouth and shook the bait vigorously.
“If you stay there, it’s obvious how His Highness Prince Chevrok will use you. He will send you to be the son-in-law of a poor family and leave you there with just a fake title for the rest of your life. Do you want to live like that?”
This time Damian asked back.
“What can I do if I come to Phanya?”
“You can do anything. Is the life you can enjoy as an adopted child worse than that of Prince Chevrok’s illegitimate child?”
Cough, cough. Damian tapped his chest again.
“A, are you talking about Your Excellency’s adopted son?”
“It is only at that level that there is a title to bring the Prince’s illegitimate child. Did you think that I was saying that you would serve as a vassal?”
At this point, it seemed like they wouldn’t stop talking about “Damian’s Adoption with the Marquis of Phanya” until the meal was over. Catherine put her dishes down and slipped between them.
“Grandma, I have something to tell you. Can I leave after I tell you first?”
Marquis Phanya, who had been shaking the bait for a long time, nodded. Catherine moistened her throat with juice and opened her mouth.
“I’m going to Busperfield this afternoon. I’m not going alone, Damian and His Excellency Cesare will be with me. I just want to tell you in advance.”
Dangerous things are supposed to be told in time. It would have been a bigger thing if she had gone into the tiger’s cave without worrying for no reason.
Marquis Phanya’s eyes sharpened.
“Busperfield? Why are you going to that dangerous place?”
“It’s a place where Nephilim like me are gathered. I have a lot of things to look into.”
“I’m not worried if the Grand Duke accompanies you, but….”
Marquis Phanya continued with a look of disbelief.
“How the hell did you meet the Grand Duke? I can’t believe he’s with you all the way to a shoddy place like Busperfield.”
After all, Busperfield becomes a sloppy place when it’s her grandmother. One day wouldn’t be enough to tell the whole story of how she met Cesare. Catherine frowned slightly.
“It’s not a great relationship. I was lucky.”
“Hmm.”
After pondering for a moment, the Marquis of Phanya took out a small glass marble from her arms and handed it to her.
“This—”
“It’s a magic tool for engraving a location. Since it’s the highest quality item used by the imperial family, it’ll be usable even if they use the same tricks.”
“How do you use it?”
“When there is a problem, you can break the marble. Then it will send your location. After reporting the situation to the Emperor, lead the border guards to your rescue.”
Support couldn’t be more reliable than this. Catherine cherished the glass marbles in the bag she always carried. She won’t be using it, but just in case.
Marquis Phanya once again asked before she rose from her seat.
“If anyone wants to harm you, be the first to tell the name of this grandma. If they’re a sane person, they won’t dare touch you. If they’re insane— they’ll pay the price.”
Cesare closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as if recalling the meaning of the word ‘weakness.’ Seeing this, Catherine had to realize again that she was such a weak being.
‘Percyville is a knight representing the Vatican, and from what they said, Belial’s contractor didn’t look weak either.’
But what about her?
At the most, isn’t that all there is to call something by borrowing Cesare’s magic?
Until a few days ago, she thought that was enough to protect her. Cesare was there, so she thought that it could be resolved quickly if there was a problem.
But that was the case when the opponent was a human being or an ordinary devil.
“What are you thinking about?”
Catherine lifted her head, suddenly coming to her senses. With his chin resting in his hands, Cesare was staring intently into her eyes. Catherine spoke her feelings without hesitation.
“It’s just, I think I’m too weak.”
“Human beings are all weak.”
It was Cesare’s own consolation.
“I’m curious. Can great people like His Majesty the Emperor or His Holiness deal with the Great Devil?”
The answer that came was relentless.
“No.”
Then is there really nothing she can do but run away or hide behind Cesare? Perhaps because Catherine’s face was gloomy, Cesare hurriedly added back.
“It’s possible if it’s just about driving them out of Eden. They just have to deal with the contractors. No matter how much we do, we can’t even use half of our power if we don’t have the contractors. You can be beaten up by the transcendent and driven out into the fire pit.”
That meant that because of the contract between Cesare and Catherine, the restraints of power were lifted.
‘Then—’
Not the Great Devil, but strong enough to deal with their contractors. Strong enough to fight alone without Cesare’s help.
With that kind of power, wouldn’t Cesare be less concerned?
‘That way, he won’t be shocked by the fact that he has a weakness like now.’
Catherine vowed to herself. Let’s not become a burden to Cesare when it comes to protecting herself, even if she borrows money and power flatly!
“I’ll be strong, Cesare.”
She pulled back Cesare’s loose hand again. And she strongly patted the back of his hand and fingers that she couldn’t even hold in both hands.
“I’ll be strong and protect Cesare.”
Protecting me is protecting him, isn’t it? Cesare’s face became subtle as she heard Catherine’s words. She didn’t mean to be unpleasant, but rather—.
“It’s hard to be strong. Catherine, if you’re going to be strong, you have to use your life.”
“But I’ll be strong. I’m a person who does what I want.”
Cesare chuckled and gave a picturesque smile. His face was completely softened without any boundaries. It was also a smile that felt like a child. He looked so happy that she couldn’t bear to think he was laughing at her.
Cesare stared at Catherine’s two hands that were wrapped around the back of his own, and opened his mouth.
“That’s a nice thing to say. Then do I have to wait until you can protect me?”
That’s a bit—.
“I think it’ll take too long.”
“Didn’t you say you’re a person who does what you want? Or do you want to be strong 100 years later?”
100 years later, as Cesare said, she could have become a real earthworm wizard. So as not to do that, it seemed like the current goal was needed.
“For now, I’ll set Percyville Benedicto Fahenrihin as my target. I’m the same age, so if I work hard enough to die, won’t something work out?”
“It seems that somehow the goal has risen to the ceiling.”
Cesare leaned and pressed Catherine’s forehead.
His cool cobalt eyes were curved in front of his nose, drawing a beautiful line. The shape of the long eyelashes dancing like silver thread looked delicate one by one.
Catherine lowered her gaze involuntarily and took a deep breath. She was afraid that he would hear the sound of her pounding heart in his ears.
Cesare’s low voice taps the back of her ear lightly.
“I will wait for you at any time.”
She doesn’t know why, but she thought he would kiss her on the cheek. Luckily, that didn’t happen.
…Luckily? Does she feel lucky to have such a delusion?
Catherine calmed her beating heart and lifted her head. Cesare, raising his body, stood in front of her door.
“On the day you go to Busperfield, please come to my office. I decided to move with you, so don’t go alone.”
Then his figure disappeared behind the door. Catherine rolled over her bed and slammed her pillow into the room, left alone. The inside of her heart tickled, and she couldn’t stand it.
******
Lunch time the next day.
There were literally dozens of dishes on the table, enough to break the table. Catherine asked the Marquis of Phanya, looking at the endless display of dishes that were hard to capture.
“Who’s coming today?”
The Marquis replied with eyes as to whether she was asking something obvious.
“Didn’t you come?”
“I don’t think there used to be this much in the past….”
“Now that you’re all grown up, you need to eat more and move more. With such a skinny body, you can’t even learn magic properly. Physical strength is essential even for wizards.”
All of them were correct. Catherine first tasted the food from nearby places one by one. The taste was delicious.
“The Black Lion.”
Damian, who was quickly emptying the plate at the call of the Marquis of Phanya, raised his head.
“Yes. Yes.”
“You’ve been fighting in swordsmanship with the knights of Phanya since early in the days, aren’t you?”
“Ah—. Haha! Yes. Have you heard about it yet?”
“How was it?”
Damian’s forehead was covered with sweat. He expressed his feelings in a cheerful voice as if he had waited.
“It’s absolutely great. I’ve only heard rumors about it, but the knights of Phanya also seem to have the ability to compete with the Imperial Knights. In particular, Sir Carl is a monster enough to suppress our leader’s terrifying pride—”
After that, Damian’s praise continued. Hearing what he said, he seemed to be very fond of Phanya.
Moreover, as a knight, he seemed to communicate well with the Marquis of Phanya, and Catherine thought it was very good to bring Damian in.
“Then will you come to Phanya?”
Cough, cough. Damian, who was swallowing pasta, tapped his chest and replied.
“I asked if you had any plans to come to Phanya. The Black Lion. You seem to fit well with Catherine, too— if Grand Duke Cesare is good enough to keep you next to his disciple, then it would have nothing to do with politics.”
Damian stared at Catherine with a blank face.
‘Grandma doesn’t let anyone hear the story of the Phanya family.’
The Marquis of Panya seems to have been very fond of Damian since the first meeting. Catherine was also aware of that fact to some extent, so she didn’t kick him out after revealing the family’s secrets.
The Marquis of Phanya has loved young talents for a long time. It bothered her a little that Damian was a fool, but that part seems to be considered cuteness.
Catherine pretended not to know Damian’s request for help and ate the octopus in the distance.
Hmm, the sour taste is art.
“Your Excellent, I am… the illegitimate child of His Highness Prince Chevrok… in other words, an illegitimate child.”
“I’ll ask His Highness Chevrok to give me the Black Lion.”
“…is that possible?”
“What can’t I do?”
The Marquis of Phanya continued, slicing the lamb elegantly.
“Have you not been of any help to your biological father, Prince Chevrok, and Crown Prince Saferan, whom he supports?”
Damien’s expression was visibly dimmed.
“Usually, the Imperial Knights leave the Knights Templar when they are old. It is because they have to succeed in a family or occupy an important position in the Imperial Family. But what about you? What will the imperial illegitimate child wielding only swords do?”
As expected from her grandma. For reference, Sir Carl had been beaten and wept after being hit with her grandmother’s tongue mace many years ago.
“The Imperial Knights commander? It’s impossible due to a bloodline problem. Imperial escort knight? Even an illegitimate child, a body the same size as the Imperial Family, can’t escort the same Imperial Family. Does that mean that the line of succession to the throne is high?”
Predictably, at least 20 members of the imperial family had to die before Damian could ascend to the throne. The Marquis Pganya put the lamb in her mouth and shook the bait vigorously.
“If you stay there, it’s obvious how His Highness Prince Chevrok will use you. He will send you to be the son-in-law of a poor family and leave you there with just a fake title for the rest of your life. Do you want to live like that?”
This time Damian asked back.
“What can I do if I come to Phanya?”
“You can do anything. Is the life you can enjoy as an adopted child worse than that of Prince Chevrok’s illegitimate child?”
Cough, cough. Damian tapped his chest again.
“A, are you talking about Your Excellency’s adopted son?”
“It is only at that level that there is a title to bring the Prince’s illegitimate child. Did you think that I was saying that you would serve as a vassal?”
At this point, it seemed like they wouldn’t stop talking about “Damian’s Adoption with the Marquis of Phanya” until the meal was over. Catherine put her dishes down and slipped between them.
“Grandma, I have something to tell you. Can I leave after I tell you first?”
Marquis Phanya, who had been shaking the bait for a long time, nodded. Catherine moistened her throat with juice and opened her mouth.
“I’m going to Busperfield this afternoon. I’m not going alone, Damian and His Excellency Cesare will be with me. I just want to tell you in advance.”
Dangerous things are supposed to be told in time. It would have been a bigger thing if she had gone into the tiger’s cave without worrying for no reason.
Marquis Phanya’s eyes sharpened.
“Busperfield? Why are you going to that dangerous place?”
“It’s a place where Nephilim like me are gathered. I have a lot of things to look into.”
“I’m not worried if the Grand Duke accompanies you, but….”
Marquis Phanya continued with a look of disbelief.
“How the hell did you meet the Grand Duke? I can’t believe he’s with you all the way to a shoddy place like Busperfield.”
After all, Busperfield becomes a sloppy place when it’s her grandmother. One day wouldn’t be enough to tell the whole story of how she met Cesare. Catherine frowned slightly.
“It’s not a great relationship. I was lucky.”
“Hmm.”
After pondering for a moment, the Marquis of Phanya took out a small glass marble from her arms and handed it to her.
“This—”
“It’s a magic tool for engraving a location. Since it’s the highest quality item used by the imperial family, it’ll be usable even if they use the same tricks.”
“How do you use it?”
“When there is a problem, you can break the marble. Then it will send your location. After reporting the situation to the Emperor, lead the border guards to your rescue.”
Support couldn’t be more reliable than this. Catherine cherished the glass marbles in the bag she always carried. She won’t be using it, but just in case.
Marquis Phanya once again asked before she rose from her seat.
“If anyone wants to harm you, be the first to tell the name of this grandma. If they’re a sane person, they won’t dare touch you. If they’re insane— they’ll pay the price.”
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