TWQA 05

Chapter 5

“Ah……. I heard it was okay to take a walk.”

‘How could I not sense her presence?’

It was strange.

Normally, after having an attack, his senses became even more sensitive.

Karion relaxed the tension between his brows.

“It is early.”

“I usually wake up early.”

Karion silently turned around and started walking away. Leia quickly followed him.

“Your Highness!”

Just as she almost caught up with him, he suddenly stopped and turned around, causing the two of them to almost collide.

Karion quickly grabbed Leia’s wrist as she stumbled backward.

After she regained her balance, an awkward silence hung between the two of them for a moment.

Karion let go of her and asked,

“……I heard there are two princesses in Zephyrus. Which one are you?”

“I am the only princess of Zephyrus.”

“That is not what I heard.”

“There is only me now.”

The information Karion knew about the Kingdom of Zephyrus was several years old.

‘Did something happen during that time?’

“I need to take a walk alone right now. I would like you to leave.”

“……Yes. I won’t disturb you.”

After she left the inner courtyard, Karion looked back.

He looked down at his hand and clenched and unclenched it.

What was that feeling?

The moment he grabbed her wrist, a refreshing energy had surrounded his entire body, making it easier for him to breathe.

Had it just been his imagination?

Karion desperately suppressed the urge to chase after Leia and grab her again to find out.

The delegation from the Kingdom of Zephyrus arrived at the Echo Fortress of Poema, one of the Imperial military bases in the northeastern region of the Empire.

They quietly entered the fortress accompanied by the guards directly under the Commander-in-Chief, who had come to see them from a long distance away.

Only a few members of the delegation were guided to the official residence, where they could meet Leia.

“Princess!”

“Penny!”

The two hugged each other and shared the joy of their reunion.

“You worked hard, Penny. This is your first time leaving the kingdom and coming this far, right?”

“Is my hardship really the problem? You’re the one who has never done this before, Princess.”

“Hm? Ah……. That’s right. It’s my first time too.”

“You’re okay, right? You didn’t experience anything dangerous while coming all the way here alone, did you?”

“I’m perfectly healthy, and I’ve been doing well here too. I left a letter saying that you didn’t need to worry about me.”

“One letter like that isn’t enough. I thought I was going to worry myself sick the entire way here.”

Leia comforted Penny as she poured out her complaints, then turned her head toward Kasim.

Looking at him, he seemed to have aged ten years in the meantime, and Leia felt sorry.

Kasim let out a deep sigh and said,

“I can only thank God that I am able to see you safe and sound, Princess. If Your Highness finds me unpleasant to look at, please ask His Majesty to dismiss me. I would rather retire dishonorably than commit the disloyal act of failing to protect Your Highness.”

“What are you talking about? You are the sword and shield of our royal family and kingdom. Do you know how much I trust and rely on you? It was because I trusted you that I caused this trouble in the first place.”

“It is truly fortunate that Your Highness realizes you caused trouble.”

Leia smiled brightly and linked her arm around Kasim’s arm, just like she had when she was young.

Kasim tried to remain cold, but his expression had already softened.

“Princess. Did you take care of the important matter that brought you to Poema first?”

“Ah, about that…….”

Leia smiled awkwardly and said,

“It’s still in progress. I’m sorry. I acted on my own.”

“His Majesty has entrusted the entire mission of this delegation to Your Highness. We can only follow your orders.”

If it had not been for Leia, the Kingdom of Zephyrus would have been destroyed in a miserable way.

Therefore, Kasim had no objection to Leia being the representative of the delegation carrying out a mission that would determine the kingdom’s fate.

“Sir. There is something I need your help with.”

“Just tell me.”

“Please request an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince and arrange a meeting. However, I will go there alone.”

Karion headed to the conference room with only three of his close aides.

Since the delegation from Zephyrus had requested an audience, he had to meet them at least once.

But today would be the first and last time.

“As soon as the audience is over, assign a few soldiers to escort the entire delegation to the capital.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As soon as Karion opened the conference room door and entered, he stopped.

Rustle—

A gentle breeze brushed against his face and passed by.

He felt a sense of déjà vu.

He had definitely experienced something similar recently.

Just as he had done then, he turned his head in the direction of the wind.

At that moment, Karion’s brow twitched.

The Zephyrus princess was standing where his gaze had landed.

She had been sitting alone in front of the table, but she stood up.

“Your Highness. The King of Zephyrus has entrusted the entire mission of this delegation to me. I am the delegation itself.”

Karion stared at her with an uncomfortable expression, then walked in and sat across from her.

His adjutant, Cedric, intelligence officer Orbin, and Captain of the Guards Luke, who had entered with him, stood at appropriate distances.

“I have only one thing to say to the representative of the Zephyrus delegation. I will provide an escort to safely guide you to the Imperial capital.”

“Will Your Highness accompany us?”

“I will not.”

Karion answered quickly. He did not want to give that princess any room to hope.

“Are you truly saying that you have no intention of getting involved at all while the Kingdom of Zephyrus goes to the Emperor to offer its flag?”

“I clearly told the princess my intentions, and I have no intention of changing them.”

“The Kingdom of Zephyrus has symbolic value. Our becoming a vassal state would complete the glorious Great Empire. If Your Highness becomes the mediator, it would be a great achievement for you. Surely you know that.”

“I already told you. Achieving merits is of no interest to me.”

“Please say it clearly. Are you saying you would rather give up an achievement than marry me?”

Karion flinched for a moment at the force in Leia’s voice.

But.

He had no intention of achieving merits.

He did not want to catch the Emperor’s eye, nor did he want to attract attention.

Karion had no attachment whatsoever even to his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast.

He had only accepted the position because he knew that if he held nothing, people from all sides would rush to tear him apart.

That was what being one of the Emperor’s five princes meant when there was no clear successor.

All he had to do was answer yes to her question.

It was the best way to end this troublesome war of nerves.

Even though he knew that, the words would not come out of his throat.

He could not shake off the memory of meeting her in the inner courtyard at dawn.

What was that strange sensation?

Would he know what it was if he grabbed her arm again?

“……It has nothing to do with marriage.”

Leia thought his words did not make sense.

‘Is it really because he doesn’t want to achieve merits? He says he isn’t interested in power, so why are his words and actions different? He’ll be good at his job anyway.’

Ten years later, the northeastern region of the Empire that Leia knew from the future had been managed stably, unlike the southwestern region, where several rebellions had occurred.

In the northeast, the Commander-in-Chief was an object of awe, regardless of the strange nickname he had among outsiders.

That was why Enoc, who became Emperor, killed him.

There were signs that the reputation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast was becoming a threat to the Emperor’s authority.

“You simply have no intention of achieving merits…… How careless and selfish of you.”

“Huh.”

The three men standing behind the prince unconsciously made sounds of surprise.

“The merit is right there for Your Highness to take simply by reaching out your hand, and you refuse it. Does that make you feel proud? Is it self-satisfaction?”

“Princess.”

“If I join hands with another prince, then just as much as that other prince gains, Your Highness loses. You are not the only one who loses. The people who serve Your Highness lose too. Someone in the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast cannot be alone. You should think about the people who share your fate and stand with you.”

Karion spoke in a cold tone.

“You have no fear, Princess.”

“They say that for someone standing above others, there are three worst qualities. First, being cowardly. Second, refusing to listen to honest advice.”

Bang!

Karion slammed his hand down on the table and stood up.

When he left the conference room, Cedric quickly followed after him.

Orbin watched them leave and thought,

‘This is unusual. His Highness is reacting so emotionally.’

Leia let out a deep sigh and covered her forehead with both hands.

Her disheveled hair slipped between her fingers.

‘Sigh. I came here to persuade him, but I only made him angrier.’

“May I ask you one question?”

Leia raised her head and looked at the unusually large man.

Luke asked without thinking,

“You said there were three worst qualities. What is the third one?”

“Ah……. Well, I just said the first thing that came to mind. I suppose I need to think of the last one too…….”

Orbin looked dumbfounded, then could not hold back and let out a small laugh.

“Can I ask something too? Does His Highness have someone he loves?”

“He has no such thing.”

Orbin was about to say something with his lips to Luke, who answered immediately, but then simply closed his mouth.

“Ah! Then perhaps he likes men?”

“Absolutely not!”

Orbin answered with a completely serious expression.