Chapter 34

“…There’s no such a thing. Delmar is everything to me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course!

“Then wouldn’t there be nothing more to bother about?” 

Indeed, his tongue was like the devil. 

He was a man who sold out all his colleagues and followed his own glory.

Diana thought for a moment that she should use her sword to cut that smiling face to protect herself, which was pretty extreme and dangerous, but she soon gave up.

There’s no way that would work for a wizard who can see the future.

Diana suddenly swept away the creepy thought that he might have expected even this appearance.

“…Is it true that His Majesty can’t know the prophecy I received?”

“Yes. Only me who raised it and the person who swallowed it can know the prophecy.” 

“Is it my guess that I think you might tell His Majesty, Radanum?” 

“No, you can misunderstand. But, Your Highness, you should know that I am not loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.”

What is this nonsense again? 

It was not something a wizard who claimed to be the Emperor’s watchdog would say.

As she narrowed her eyes and stared at him, Radanum shrugged his shoulders.

Then, the restraints hanging from his body swayed as if they had been shaken openly.

“As you can see, being loyal to His Majesty and being loyal to Vladin’s Emperor are a bit different issues.” 

“….” 

“I say it again in the name of the wizard. The prophecy can be known only to me who raised it and to the person who swallowed it. Unless Your Highness speaks, I swear that only two people in Vladin’s land will know the prophecy.”

There is no choice.

Turning around here would be like hinting at him.

That there is something more precious to her than Delmar. 

Diana knew that the best thing to do was to stick to this unfair contract and make him shut up.

She agreed with a feeling of vomiting blood.

“I can’t give you all the prophecies. As I said a moment ago, it’s a prophecy that’s still in progress. But…there is a prophecy in which the strands are visible and the flowers are in bloom.”

“You mean I have to pay for things that aren’t perfect?”

“Isn’t a gem that hasn’t been worked on still a gem, Your Highness?” 

Radanum tilted his head and smiled at her.

“Of course, you won’t pay as much as following the full prophecy. Don’t be too scared.”

“….” 

“I fully understand how you feel, but I would like to say that it is time for you to exercise the determination you showed earlier. In fact, I have a lot of respect for Your Highness the Empress Consort. This is sincere.” 

Does that mean everything else is a lie? Is he saying he doesn’t respect others?

Her patience had long since run out when it came to trying to understand the ambiguous words.

“Okay, then.”

Radanum pretended to pick something in the air, and surprisingly, a golden apple appeared in his hand where there was nothing before.

The wizard held out the apple, which Diana accepted slowly.

It’s cold.

‘A golden apple.’

There is a story left as a myth in the Vladin Empire.

A servant who admired the Gods who were always eating golden apples secretly stole them. 

He gained strength after eating a bite, and after eating two bites, he was able to exercise power, if he ate all of them, he would become young.

Now I am also a God. Now that I have the power of God, what is it that I’m not God?

Conceitedly, the servant who ran away from the Garden of the Gods was surprised to see himself in the mirror the next day.

Because he found himself weak and old beyond compare to what he was before he ate the golden apple.

He did not know that if he continued to eat golden apples, he would die rather than become a God.

A prophecy in the shape of a golden apple that, once touched, will destroy itself unless it is repeatedly eaten. 

‘The Devil.’ 

Diana closed her eyes tightly and bit the apple. It was sour and bitter.

Swish–.

The sound of hundreds and thousands of people whispering along with the wind passed her ears.

It was something she couldn’t believe even after hearing it with her own ears. Diana paused for a while and said with a white face. 

“Find your fiancé…?” 

“You have succeeded in swallowing the prophecy. Congratulations.”

“Wait. Does this kind of thing help my son? All I have to do is find a fiancé?”

“Yes. It will be useful to His Highness the Prince.”

Stunned, Diana reflected on the golden apple she bit.

It was the same. She looked here and there, but nothing changed.

Radanum, who was looking at her, smiled and added.

“The wind from the west is unusual.”

****

Fifteen-year-old Luce realized one more truth in her new life.

“Marry me!”

Even if she eats the cream bread that came out as a snack, some kind of lightning strikes.

It was a short break after the first class of pharmacology lessons.

Mrs Plum left to prepare the ingredients for a while, and the maid gave her a big, plump cream bread as a snack.

It was, in a way, one of Luce’s favorite times of the day. It’s peaceful, and quiet, and she’s a little proud that she has learned something new—.

But? 

“Didn’t you hear that? I told you to marry me!

How can this stupid, eight-year-old kid interfere with my rest!

Luce asked, as she was dumbfounded and lowered her head.

“You don’t know what marriage is, do you?”

“I know!” 

The handsomely dressed boy stretched out his chest and spoke proudly.

“It’s what pretty and handsome people do together!”

“….” 

“So you and I deserve it!”

“Go eat more snacks, kid.”

“W, what do you mean snack! That’s a word only for children to use! So it’s a word that doesn’t suit you and me. You need to learn a little more about common sense…Ack?!” 

The boy, who couldn’t say anything but scream, was soon caught in the armpit of a man wearing some armor.

Luce, who was blinking, thought quickly. What kind of situation is this?

She was studying pharmacology when suddenly she got a marriage proposal.

From who? From a strange boy.

Where does she study pharmacology? In the Baron’s study. 

How could such a kid end up in the Baron’s study? The guard gave permission, so he must have come in.

Getting permission from the guards and wandering around the Lord’s castle at will?

“Are you a member of the Baron’s family…?” 

Because he’s such a person! Like a direct family!

As soon as the calculation was over, Luce jumped up and bent her knees to be polite as she did to Baron Felice. 

But a man in silver armor waved his hand to stop her.

“You don’t have to do that to me, Lady. Of course, including this cunning fellow.”

“Yes?”

“So…he’s not a nobleman or anything, he’s just the son of a Baron. Do what is comfortable for you.” 

Doesn’t that mean aristocracy?

The image of me running to the company director and him telling me to “stay comfortable and relax” went by in a flash.

What would you say if I really stayed comfortable! You’ll find fault with the way the staples are placed in the report! After saying that anything and everything is fine, you’ll say something meaningful like ‘Ha, this is a bit much’ to the lunch menu you chose after much thought!

There are a lot of things connected with it, so there are many things that come to mind. I want to cry, really.

Even for a short moment, Luce’s expression seemed to be all visible, and the man smiled broadly.

“Well, if you don’t believe it. Do you have any idea where His Excellency is?”

Why are you asking me that?

It seemed that Luce’s expressions were all visible this time as well.

“I was going to say hello, but he wasn’t in the office. Then I thought he was in the study, so I came here, but I was surprised because there was a Lady there.” 

“Ah, I apologize. My introduction is late. My name is Lucette and I’m currently studying under the patronage of the Lord.” 

“There is nothing to be sorry for, Miss Lucette. It looks like His Excellency’s wish will finally come true? Are you studying alone?” 

“I have one other friend besides me.” 

“Really? That’s great. The more talented the better. I can see your excitement.”

The man who laughed cheerfully raised his eyebrows.

So where is the Lord? It seemed like he wanted to ask. 

I can hear you. I can hear the sound of your heart.

Quickly, Luce politely gestured with both hands.

“I understand that the Lord is in the right tower with Aide Yohan at this time. They are busy these days with new equipment coming in and demonstrating it.”

“All right, let’s go to the top. I’ll ask for your understanding for this little boy’s rudeness.”

“Oh no! Not at all! What do you mean rude! It can’t be!”

As she waved her hand loudly, the man laughed as if he was having fun.

“It’s a big deal because this guy secretly steals my wife’s popular novels, reads them, and says this to everyone he meets.”

“I don’t do that to everyone I meet, Father! It’s only for qualified people in Parents Act.”

“I have to go before he says more nonsense. See you next time, Miss.” 

The man with a big smile and the dangling boy’s hips moved away from each other.

Luce, distraught at the two people who had swept away like a storm, turned her head at the sound of footsteps.

Before she knew it, Mrs Plum was back full of herbs. That is to say, 

“Now, let’s start the second class. Should we try medicine for night blindness?”

My Cream Bread!

Luce alternately looked at the cream bread that the maid took back and the door where the two went out.