32 – Gaze from the Future
“Didn’t I ask?”
Duke Cardi Luminel effortlessly dominated the audience.
“Who dared to speak like a commoner?”
The energy, liberated from the leash of restraint, pressed upon the souls of all, regardless of age or gender. It was a prayer worthy of being called the empire’s greatest warrior.
In a scene where not a single person dared to speak properly, only one young girl boldly expressed her own opinion.
“Grandfather, can’t you stop being scary? It makes me sad when you get angry…”
The untranslatable years permeate unchanged.
Mounted on horseback, with her head deeply bowed, Tina’s voice obstructed the Duke’s view.
No matter what, the atmosphere was peculiar. I should hurry and run to shelter Tina. That’s what I had firmly decided back then.
“Oh, at this sensitive age, you shouldn’t be like that. This old man has never been angry, absolutely never.”
… The Duke’s face opened wide like a folding fan.
“Really? It doesn’t seem like it?”
“Well, argue if you must. It’s the way people are as they age.”
“Oh, then I’m relieved!”
The sensation of shattered blade fragments dispersing in the air vanished in an instant. I wondered what magic Tina had cast for the Duke to treat her with such respect.
Not only me, but someone with good manners took the initiative and asked.
“Excuse me, Your Grace Luminel. Could you please tell us about the relationship with the two children accompanying you?”
“Oh, was that what you were curious about?”
The Duke gestured with his fingers over his shoulder.
“This child is my granddaughter.”
Then, looking at Glen, who shook hands next, he continued.
“This child is my successor.”
“… What?”
“Yes? Your Grace? Me?”
The banquet hall buzzed instantly. Even Glen, as if taken aback, raised his shoulders significantly. Watching this directly, Cardi Luminel chuckled and corrected his statement.
“Hmm? There seems to be a misunderstanding. It’s not the successor of a Duke but the successor as a patriot’s sword.”
“I… Your Grace? When did I become the successor?”
“From now on.”
“Ah…”
Glen nodded, unaware of how things were unfolding.
“Yes…”
“Indeed.”
After compelling Glen to accept, the Duke took a step in this direction. Passing me and Elphesia, whom he thought was the destination, he approached the rigid Crown Prince.
“Yes.”
“…”
“Speak again. Quickly.”
“Your Grace… First, please release the child…”
“Release? How dare you say such words.”
The Crown Prince, who had seemed fearless just moments ago, was now sweating profusely.
On the other hand, the Duke, with a chilling smile, called out to the visibly shaken Crown Prince.
“Well.”
“Yes?”
“How does it feel when you look down from a high place?”
“It’s incredibly fascinating and fun.”
“So it seems.”
The Duke pressed the Crown Prince as if indifferent to the authority of the imperial family.
“My granddaughter, a commoner, says that it’s a pleasant sight to see you, the crown prince… I wonder if there’s any need to get off.”
“Oh, that’s not what I meant…”
The shift in attitude was instantaneous.
“Ick, it’s because my grandfather’s ears are blocked. He can’t understand a word.”
It was an utterly insane statement. Elphicia, who was listening from the side, repeated her dry cough as if she couldn’t bear to see it.
Even if someone claimed that the person who heard the words of the first prince outside the thick door had blocked ears, it wouldn’t be convincing.
“What if I can’t hear well…?”
“Well, I guess it would be better if someone blew into your ears.”
“Oh, I understand. Hoho, hoho.”
Tina blowing into her shoulder, trying hard to blow into her ears. And the national sword, who enjoyed it nonchalantly, was the only duke in the empire.
It was a ridiculous sight.
At that time, I probably suspected for the first time that Tina had inherited the brainwashing magic from the dragon’s blood.
The duke hardened his smiling face again and looked around.
“As the only duke in the empire, everyone should know about my wife’s background… I’ve seriously underestimated it.”
“I can’t believe that. My incompetent child made a false statement. Who would have known that the duke, who had never attended the National Foundation Day even once, would come down like this?”
“Well, Your Majesty the Empress, it’s difficult to burn my granddaughter.”
The duke made a dry remark. The empress took the greeting as if it were a familiar thing.
“You may have a lower status, but there’s nothing good about coming out like this, disregarding etiquette.”
“It can’t be helped. Aren’t all ignorant worms like that, who only know how to use their bodies?”
It was then that I finally realized the greatest weapon that Duke Luminal had.
It is freedom itself.
It’s not power built through business and political connections, so it’s difficult to oppress others. However, being free from the pressure of others, as there is no reciprocal relationship.
Even the Empress of the Empire could not escape this exception.
“You still have that audacious demeanor, Duke. Well… I suppose someone who’s about to become a son-in-law would boldly shout about going to the maze garden.”
“What.”
“Being free from investigation as well…”
“Is that really so?”
“…Yes?”
The Duke approached the Empress closely. As if he would shake her shoulders vigorously if given permission.
“That statement just now is about whether you can take responsibility.”
“That’s enough. If anyone asks, I can handle it…”
“Ha… hahahaha…!”
The Duke, interrupting the Empress’s words twice in a row, rushed towards us with an infinitely joyous face.
“Well done, my daughter! And son-in-law! If it continues like this, there’s nothing more to wish for.”
“…”
“…”
Elphesia and I simultaneously turned pale.
Yes, I admit it. I misunderstood.
The weapon possessed by Duke Luminael was not freedom but the Duke’s ‘true madness.’
“He must have heard the slope. I will go and have a conversation with His Majesty the Emperor and the Pope. Truly fortunate, fortunate indeed…”
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“Oh, no, Your Grace? Tina and Glen should be released…”
“Of course, my sleeping wife will surely be satisfied… hahahaha…”
The Duke was someone who never pretended to listen to others until the end. It was an added bonus that Glen, who seemed to be almost dragged along, turned back to look at us until the very end.
As for Tina… well, it’s fine as long as she remains innocent.
“… It doesn’t matter. Elphesia, I apologize for gossiping… It seems like your father-in-law has truly lost his mind.”
“There’s no need to apologize at all. Even I can see that he’s already halfway gone.”
Urien, who had been listening to our conversation, chimed in.
“Not only the Duke, but Tina, who has adapted to such humans, is also quite remarkable.”
What on earth happened while we were trapped in the palace…
It feels like the world is lying to me.
“It seems like emotional education has already failed.”
“… I will take responsibility and somehow get her out later.”
“Thank you, Elphesia.”
In response to my sincere gratitude, Elphesia averted her eyes, looking refreshed.
“You’re welcome. By the way, I’m exhausted after going through so many things. It feels like the war fought with tongues has finally come to an end…”
“Shall we go to the lounge and talk?”
“You were quite sensible this time, my dear.”
“That’s good news. Urien, what will you do?”
Urien briefly glanced at the Second Prince behind him and made up his mind about the path to take.
“I’m going to talk with my second brother. We’ll meet again around the end of the ball.”
“Yeah, because family comes first.”
I empathized wholeheartedly and encouraged Yurian, but his expression seemed somewhat uneasy.
Next, he bestowed upon me an unexpected emotion.
“There’s a flaw in Director’s words.”
“A flaw? What flaw?”
Yurian lightly licked his tongue inside his mouth. Then, as if being forced to say something he didn’t want to, he twisted his lips stubbornly.
Soon, he spoke.
“If we follow that logic, there’s no reason for Director’s family not to be the top priority.”
“Yurian, you…?”
“…Being family is the same. Whether it’s my brother or the Director.”
“Ahahahaha.”
“I’ll tell you this! Just because you suggested becoming family first doesn’t mean you can make fun of it or have any misconceptions!”
I didn’t do anything, but Yurian was strutting around as if he had vented his resentment.
Perhaps this side of him was unexpected even for Elysia, as she blinked and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Elysia.”
“…Yes.”
“You really do resemble each other.”
With my remark, both of them became agitated in an instant.
“They don’t look alike at all!”
“They’re absolutely nothing alike!”
That must be it.
Is this what they call speciesism? Perhaps these two are polar opposites precisely because they resemble each other. Maybe that’s why they couldn’t coexist in the original.
I had a sudden hunch.
Right after.
An unexpected event occurred without any warning.
“Harte?!”
“Director!”
I disregarded everything and rushed to the other side, opening the terrace door. As soon as I did, the lovers who were enjoying a secret rendezvous on the terrace jumped apart in surprise.
It was a breach of etiquette and a sin, but I didn’t care enough to be concerned.
Instead of apologizing, I rested my foot on the terrace railing, ready to leap out at any moment.
But I didn’t leave the ballroom.
“H-hey…! What are you doing!?”
“…”
The path leading to the palace.
A corner of the island where the lights of the National Foundation Day festival flickered.
There was definitely something ominous.
◈
The outskirts of the island, at the edge of the jurisdiction.
The two hooded figures, their hoods flipped deeply, concealed themselves in the shadows of the wall.
“Is that the being we’ve been so cautious about?”
The man asked, raising his binoculars.
“…”
A nod.
The other figure affirmed without a word. Upon this, the questioner exhaled a long breath.
“It feels distinctly beyond fate. It’s probably not a distance one could perceive with the naked eye…”
“… We’re turning back.”
The commander gently touched his neckscarf.
Though it should have become a memory that no longer existed, the phantom pain, like a throat being slashed, tormented him for a long time.
“Assassination somehow… seems impossible.”
“It’s not realistic.”
Swiftly accepting the superior’s attitude of outright refusal, he quickly turned to express a drastic example.
“I will uphold the will of the Demon King.”
While they somehow maintained composure, the moment the subject of their vigilance emerged beyond the terrace, they barely swallowed their hitching breaths.
Especially the king of demonic spirits, experiencing the phantom pain, felt his insides churn.
‘That man’s face… unforgettable.’
In a distant future.
Or at some point yet to unfold.
Due to the wrath of one man, half of the territory would be overrun by demonic spirits.
“Upon arrival, go straight to the High Priest.”
The prophecy of the Oracle was correct.
The structure of this world had already twisted once.
“The hourglass of destiny for humans… has been reversed.”