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Chapter 323

After confirming the librarian’s words, a flash of madness gleamed in Princess Eilena’s eyes, hidden beneath the clear certainty they carried.

“Uh… Your Highness?”

“Yes. Please, speak, Instructor.”

I met her gaze with a calm expression.

I thought everything had been settled.

Was I wrong?

My first impression of the princess had been that of a cold, composed young woman focused solely on exams and good grades.

But now?

What should I call this?

She wasn’t even trying to hide the affection in her eyes.

Ah.

I see now—I misunderstood her.

Princess Eilena hadn’t changed.

It had only deepened.

The thought struck me as strange.

Wait.

The librarian’s message, fine.

But just now—who was it that spoke to me?

I quickly glanced around the room.

And then I realized it.

A faint trace—barely a soul at all, more like a fragment than a being.

Recovering slowly, yes, but far too weak to call a human soul.

I recognized that form.

A soul-splitting ritual.

And there was only one person in this world who wielded such power.

“Meryl Dyne.”

Even when I called, the soul fragment didn’t react.

It simply floated like a natural phenomenon.

I left instructions with Muyeong, my shadow.

Retrieve that soul.

It was her last trace in this world.

Better to recover it than leave it drifting.

Somehow, that gave me a little peace.

She had died fulfilling my request, after all.

Her soul still lingered, and her body remained intact as if she were still alive…

Perhaps one day…

But for now, her soul was too faint to even hold a conversation.

That faint voice earlier had probably been nothing more than her instinct crying out—I’m still here.

Without Princess Eilena noticing, Muyeong darted forward, snatched up the fragment, and slipped back into the shadows.

I didn’t know why she had resorted to the ritual.

“Instructor Leon?”

“Ah. My apologies, Princess. Perhaps we can continue later?”

I needed to handle this matter first.

Just as I was about to turn away, the princess stepped forward and grabbed my sleeve with a firm grip.

“Are you trying to run away?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re trying to run away from me.”

“That’s strange. Do I have a reason to run away?”

I put on a shameless face.

She herself had said ‘You’re getting married? Fine, so what?’ before.

“You already know, don’t you—that I like… no, that I’m deeply in love with you?”

Sorry.

I assumed you’d put your feelings in order and forgot all about it.

I gave her an awkward smile, silently apologizing in my head.

“Your reaction now is a bit different from when I told you I was getting married.”

“No. I don’t oppose your marriage.”

“…Excuse me?”

“If Instructor marries that woman, and also marries me, wouldn’t everyone be happy? There’s a wonderful system called concubinage, after all.”

Her words made my head ring.

Was she trying to ruin me?

“There are two problems with that, Your Highness.”

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“First, I do not intend to accept your feelings. And second, for a princess—of the empire, no less—to become someone’s concubine? Are you trying to bury yourself alive?”

Not just any royalty—she was a princess of the Pascalia Empire, the ruling power of the central continent.

The emperor’s favorite daughter, at that.

Her as someone’s concubine, not even a primary wife? Impossible.

“Above all, once more, Princess—you know nothing about me. For you to say you love me… it doesn’t make sense.”

“…”

“That isn’t love. It’s a mistake.”

That was when she smirked.

“Heh… heheh. You shouldn’t dismiss my feelings as fake… not when they’re real…”

Strange.

At first she’d been full of caution, then showed favor.

Now, she seemed… broken.

“I… I really like you. This isn’t a lie. My heart beats so fast… so why do you keep denying it?”

She pressed a hand to her chest, muttering.

“Your Highness…?”

“No… no… I really do like you…”

She staggered forward, clung to my arm.

“This is…”

Her trembling voice cracked.

“Not even giving me a chance—that’s just cruel, isn’t it?”

A conflict between reason and desire.

Her reason told her this was wrong, but she was also at an age when love consumed her thoughts.

It tore her apart inside.

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“I wanted to send you letters, but I held back… I wanted to see you, but I held back… and now, not even a chance?”

She sobbed.

I waved my hand, casting a barrier to muffle the sound.

No one should see her like this.

She was still so young.

And that was one reason I couldn’t see her as a woman, despite our ages being close.

To me, she was still a child.

Then suddenly—

The princess raised her head, eyes burning, and shouted,

“A duel! Have a duel with me!”

“…A duel?”

Out of nowhere?

“If I win, you must marry me! I’ll even settle for being a concubine!”

Absolutely not.

“And if I win?”

“I’ll marry you!”

What kind of nonsense was this?

This couldn’t go on.

If I humored her, the imperial princess might very well get herself killed by a former archangel.

“Your Highness. For your own safety, I must refuse. I see you as a child, not a woman.”

“What?! Are you calling me a child?!”

Well… what else would you call this tantrum?

I held back a sigh.

“That’s not the issue. It’s personal. And besides, whoever becomes my wife cannot be someone who would ever ask me to hold back—because she isn’t even human.”

“…”

She clenched her teeth, glaring at me.

Then she suddenly rushed forward, threw herself into my arms, and darted away again with a satisfied look.

“I don’t care! If I say I like you, then I do!”

“Your Highness…?”

“Do you know this? Among Pascalia’s ancestors was an Empress.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“She had a political marriage. Everyone pitied her.”

Speaking so of one’s own ancestor was questionable, but I played along.

“Yes. Unfortunate indeed.”

“And do you know this? Powerful states sometimes pressured weaker ones into political marriages.”

“…?”

“That’s how the Empress obtained a kingdom’s treaty.”

Ah.

So that’s where this is going.

“And how does that relate to this?”

“I don’t want a political marriage. I want to be with the one I love.”

“And?”

“I’ll have you. I’m a princess! A princess of Pascalia!”

“Regrettably, I cannot see you as a woman.”

“The record says the Empress was told the same thing once. Heh…”

“I’m not weak, though.”

“The world doesn’t always run on brute force! Just wait and see!”

Like a mischievous villain, she shouted “You’ll see!” and ran off.

I chuckled.

Her words had the tone of a challenge, but it felt more like watching a granddaughter’s antics.

Unlike Lispa Elde, who had been frightening, Eilena only seemed… cute.

I decided to leave it be.

People said once adolescence passes, such things fade.

* * *

The Duchy of Cascadia was already aware of what had happened in Berner.

After all, it was Luna who had restored Meryl Dyne’s body to its intact state.

As soon as I returned, Luna rushed to me with Grivy in her arms.

“Leon. Are you all right?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Even if we weren’t close, it never felt good to lose someone you’d once exchanged jokes with.

All the more so for someone like me, who carried painful memories of letting people go.

“Father.”

Perhaps my expression was darker than usual.

Grivy tugged at my pant leg.

“Are you sad? Should I give you a massage?”

Her innocent offer made me laugh.

“I’m all right. More importantly, Serqet did a great deed this time. It deserves praise.”

Grivy’s eyes sparkled, delighted as if it were her own achievement.

“Serqet! Good job!”

When she clapped and praised her, Serqet hopped down from my shoulder and spun in circles, dancing with glee.

“Well done! Well done!”

And then—

Thud.

Like a broken cat, Serqet suddenly collapsed and fell asleep right there.

Not from fatigue, not from drowsiness—more like ‘I want to sleep now. Oh, was I just playing? Whatever. Nap time!’

Grivy looked up at me in confusion, and I only shrugged.

“Father. Is Serqet sick?”

“No. Serqet’s just like that.”

Then I noticed—

A tiny crimson chick, no bigger than a hand, trembling violently.

The fire spirit, Sur!

The second of the spirit siblings.

Sur stomped its little feet, face full of jealous rage toward the one who had been praised.

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