101 – The Day Before Departure
“Don’t do this! Fight us fair and square, mighty dragon!”
Ascal shouted with bloodshot eyes.
After enduring such hardships, we cannot end it all in vain.
Ascal pointed his sword at the dragon.
Lightbane, shining an odd color beyond gold.
“Calm down, Minister. Why are you doing this if the opponent is surrendering?”
Sushia grabbed Ascal, who was about to rush out alone.
It wasn’t enough; only after Eileen sealed his left arm and Yulia his right, could they restrain Ascal.
“This is your land, isn’t it infuriating? Dragon! Remember the humiliation of having your land taken by humans! The hatred that dwells in your heart!”
“Are you mad?”
The dragon said indifferently, looking at Lightbane.
– I’m not a fool to fight a losing battle. I will admit defeat.
Thud.
Ascal slumped to the ground.
Imperial Year 234.
“The mighty dragon Karnax declared surrender to the hero Ascal just three seconds after seeing him.”
This event would later become a legend in the empire.
And so.
Leaving behind Karnax, who had sworn not to harm humans using the inviolable contract—The Edict—Ascal and his companions returned to the capital.
“Minister, you’ve looked pale since earlier, are you alright? Your beard seems to have grown a bit, um… gotten dirtier?”
Regardless of what Sushia said, Ascal stared intently at the distant capital.
Fortunately, the capital was not aflame.
‘It’s too early to be relieved.’
He had returned after seeing countless futures where the empire fell.
Yulia becoming a tyrant, Bernstein turning into the Mechanical Emperor… and even the most absurd future where jewel frogs multiplied and took over the empire.
Gulp.
With tension, Ascal entered the imperial palace.
“Are you okay, darling? You seem tense. Let me hold your hand.”
Serena tightly grasped Ascal’s hand.
Julia’s gaze was fixed firmly ahead.
“What are you doing to my man?”
“Huh? Nothing much. We’ve decided to date.”
“?”
Could it be that lovers could exist as an intersection?
While Julia was momentarily frozen, unable to comprehend what she had heard, Ascal entered the palace.
“Ah! Darling, wait!”
The throne, let’s look at the throne.
“This is where His Majesty the Emperor resides, how dare any… Oh, it’s Lord Ascal Erindale. Please come in, your weapon? If it’s too heavy, you can leave it with me.”
The royal guard opened the grand doors.
Ascal hurried to check the throne.
And the person sitting there was.
“Is it already mealtime? Oh, it’s you. Count Erindale! It’s been a while!”
Kamalron Barba.
The ever-present Emperor.
“Your Majesty…!”
Why such a joyful face.
Tears streamed down Ascal’s face.
Seeing this, Kamalron Barba leapt from the throne and embraced Ascal tightly.
“Indeed, the only true loyalist who thinks of me is you!”
They felt each other’s warmth, standing like that for a long while.
Until Julia came in and forcibly dragged Ascal away.
“You’ve really worked hard, Ascal.”
Julia, who led Ascal to the Room of Truth, changed her stance significantly after hearing about all that Ascal had endured.
Her gaze shifted from ‘I’ll definitely break this scoundrel’s legs today’ to ‘Today, I won’t touch whatever mischief you cause.’
Serena’s case also somehow went smoothly.
“By the way, didn’t you say you would tell me a secret, Julia?”
“…That’s right.”
Ascal pulled a hair tie from his pocket.
It felt like he had been the princess for an unusually long time.
“`
Now it’s time to return to being Secretary Lia.
Askel, whose hands have grown adept, tied up Yulia’s hair.
However.
Even after tying her hair, Yulia stood straight and said,
“hehehe. It’s been a while, Askel. Didn’t you miss seeing me?”
Her tone was like the Yulia he had seen in a dream.
And then she hesitated, bowing her head deeply.
As if frightened.
“Is that what a secret is?”
“I didn’t want to be hated by you. Didn’t I say, in this life, I would only serve you?”
And Yulia fiddled with her fingers.
“Do you hate me?”
Askel took a step forward and embraced Yulia tightly.
A small moan escaped, “Eek.”
“I love you, Lia.”
“Me too, Askel.”
Askel gently grabbed Lia’s tied hair.
“We must follow the rules.”
“…I love you, Askel.”
And then, this time, Askel was the first to lean in for a kiss.
“Darling, I’ve confessed to my brother! Fortunately, the royal family forgave me with just disownment! So now I’m no longer a princess… Huh?”
The drawing room.
Serena, after consulting with the Crown Prince, was forgiven by renouncing her position as a princess.
But the timing of her return could not have been worse.
“Hmm…”
Serena, who had been staring at the two, waited until the kiss ended.
And once it did, she spoke.
“Wasn’t the first kiss with me much more pleasant?”
It was the beginning of a long period of sibling rivalry.
Such were the events.
“`
Ascal sat in the appraisal department’s office, pondering.
‘Not much time left now to sit in this chair.’
The crown prince had dissuaded him several times, but couldn’t break Ascal’s resolve to retire.
In the end, Ascal retired from his position as the head of the appraisal department and went to his western estate in Erindale.
‘It’s just a countryside with nothing much. Not as grand as the Kingdom of Kellie, but perfect for a leisurely life.’
Smelling cow dung, gazing at the grass fields.
Occasionally traveling.
That’s the life.
-‘Take us with you.’
-‘It’s boring without you, so boring.’
-‘Scratch my back… You’re… the best.’
…Why haven’t these guys disappeared yet?
-‘You almost got me killed, take responsibility. My power has dropped to a tenth.’
-‘I’m down to about a third…’
A snake and a puppy roamed the office.
A turtle in the aquarium spouted water.
-‘The light comes in well here…’
Under the window, where the sunlight entered, a red lizard had settled.
It was the ancient dragon, Karnasc.
“Why, or rather, why are you here?”
-‘I’ve never seen a human stronger than me. That sparked my interest in the human world…’
“What, you train the youngest when the sea turtle comes in, but not this one?”
-‘Oh, training? Intriguing.’
The lizard turned its pupils.
The snake avoided its gaze.
-Hmm, hmm. How could I possibly do such a thing to my great-aunt… It’s a misunderstanding.
It seemed the hierarchy within the office had changed.
Speaking of hierarchy, something comes to mind.
The imperial succession ceremony is soon.
Finally, the current emperor, Kamalon Barba, will step down, and the crown prince, Cain Barba, will become the next emperor.
—
‘When the crown prince becomes the emperor, the next prime minister will also be decided.’
Ascal smiled.
‘Indeed, who will be the next prime minister? I’m truly looking forward to it.’
A few days later.
“I always knew from the beginning that you would do well, my friend.”
The imperial succession ceremony.
Kain Varba, blessed by all, became the emperor.
And there, Kain Varba immediately pointed out the next prime minister.
– Minister of Development and Innovation, Bernstein, step forward.
It was Bernstein.
“Wow, you’ve made it. You’ve really made it. From a mere inventor to a minister, and now the prime minister next. It’s crazy, absolutely crazy. A historical figure indeed, and I’m so proud to have such a friend.”
“Arrrgh!”
Bernstein threw the wine glass he was holding.
Ascal caught it skillfully.
“I curse you, Ascal Erindale!”
“A curse? Good. Come visit our estate if you’re ever bored.”
Having finished his tea-bagging splendidly, Ascal stepped forward to enjoy the party.
A party that can be enjoyed without any worries, how delightful it is.
“Would you like to dance with me, Ascal?”
“Darling, come here. Let’s dance together.”
Lia and Serena, their eyes met.
“Having the nerve to show up late and still be so shameless. Wait your turn quietly over there.”
“What are you talking about? You lost your first kiss, and now, oh dear, looks like you’re about to lose the first dance too?”
“What did you say?”
From Noble mtl dot com
The two were ablaze.
The argument began.
A petty sibling fight, dredging up matters from as far back as when they were five, and Ascal discreetly left his spot.
“Lady Senestia, would you like to dance with me?”
“I’m sorry… I’m looking for someone.”
What he found was Susia, looking troubled at the party.
—
It seemed she was still plagued by suitors.
Sushia spotted Ascal and sent a plea for help.
Eyes begging, “Please help me!”
Just then, Ascal stepped forward, having something to return to Sushia—a single shoe.
“Would you care to dance with me, Lady Senestia?”
“Of course!”
Sushia took Ascal’s hand and they went to the center of the ballroom.
Just as they were about to dance.
“…What are you doing now?”
“This is quite troublesome, darling.”
It was then that Lia and Serena, who had struck a dramatic truce, spotted Ascal.
“Everyone’s here. I’ve just finished praying.”
Even Eileen joined them belatedly.
“This, this is, well, you see.”
Ascal, attempting to make excuses.
Then slowly backing away, he fled.
“Ah, he’s running away again! It’s a habitual escape!”
“…Doesn’t this remind you of the mansion?”
The day Ascal ran away from the Duke’s party.
“We missed him then, but now it’s a different story.”
The four women decided to form an alliance.
Ascal was captured ten minutes later.
Even a swordmaster couldn’t escape from a net formed by a princess and a saintess.
After lengthy negotiations, Ascal agreed to dance with each lady in turn.
Until the night was entirely over.