THCF 05

Chapter 5

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

‘I didn’t sense anyone’s presence.’

It was strange.

Normally, after having an attack, his senses became even sharper.

Karion relaxed the tension between his brows.

“It is early.”

“I usually wake up early.”

Without saying anything, Karion suddenly turned around and walked away. Lea quickly followed him.

“Your Highness!”

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

Karion quickly caught Lea’s wrist as she stumbled backward.

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

Karion released her and asked,

“……I heard there are two princesses of Zephyros. Which one are you?”

“I am the only princess of Zephyros.”

“That is not what I heard.”

“There is only me now.”

The information Karion knew about the Kingdom of Zephyros was from several years ago.

‘Did something happen in the meantime?’

“I need to take this walk alone. I would like you to leave.”

“……Yes. I won’t disturb you.”

After she left the inner courtyard, Karion turned around.

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

What had that feeling been?

The moment he grabbed her wrist, a refreshing energy had surrounded his whole body, and his breathing had become comfortable.

Had it just been his imagination?

Karion firmly suppressed the urge to immediately chase after Lea and grab her again to find out.

The delegation from the Kingdom of Zephyros 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 a long way to escort them.

Only a few members of the delegation were guided to the residence to meet Lea.

“Princess!”

“Penny!”

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

“You worked hard, Penny. It’s your first time coming this far after leaving the kingdom, right?”

“Is my hardship the problem? You are the one who came here for the first time.”

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

“Are you all right? You didn’t have to go through 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 you didn’t need to worry.”

“One letter isn’t enough. I thought my heart was going to burn up the entire way here.”

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

Seeing him looking as though he had aged ten years in the meantime, Lea felt sorry.

Kasim let out a deep sigh and said,

“I can only thank the gods for allowing me to see you safe and sound, Princess. If you find me unpleasant to look at, please ask His Majesty to dismiss me. Rather than commit the disloyalty of failing to protect you, I would rather step down in disgrace.”

“What are you saying? You are the sword and shield of our royal family and kingdom. You don’t know how much I trust and rely on you. I did what I did because I trusted you.”

“It is truly fortunate that you are at least aware that you caused trouble.”

Lea smiled brightly and linked her arm through Kasim’s arm, just as 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 required you to come to Poema first?”

“Ah, that……”

Lea smiled awkwardly and said,

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

“His Majesty has entrusted the entire mission of this delegation to you, Princess. We will simply follow your orders.”

If it had not been for Lea, the Kingdom of Zephyros would have perished in a miserable state.

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

“Sir. There is something I need you to help me 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 toward the conference room with only three close aides.

Since the Zephyros delegation 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.”

The moment Karion opened the conference room door and entered, he stopped.

Whoosh—

A soft breeze brushed across his face and passed by.

He felt a sense of déjà vu.

He had definitely experienced something similar recently.

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

For a moment, the muscles between Karion’s brows twitched.

The Zephyros princess was standing where his gaze had fallen.

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

“Your Highness. The King of Zephyros has entrusted me with everything concerning this delegation’s mission. I am the delegation itself.”

Karion stared at her with an uncomfortable expression before walking in and sitting 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 Zephyros delegation. I will provide you with an escort so that you can safely reach 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 will have nothing to do with the Kingdom of Zephyros going to offer its flag to His Majesty the Emperor?”

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

“The Kingdom of Zephyros has symbolic significance. Becoming a vassal state would be the completion of our glorious great Empire. If Your Highness becomes the mediator, it would be a great achievement for you. Surely you know that.”

“As I clearly said, gaining achievements is not something I care about.”

“Please answer me precisely. Are you saying that you would rather give up an achievement than marry me?”

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

However.

He had no intention of gaining achievements.

He did not want to catch the Emperor’s eye or attract attention.

Karion had no attachment 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 every direction would rush to tear him apart.

That was what being one of the Emperor’s five princes was like when there was no clearly designated heir.

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

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

Yet, even knowing that, the words would not come out of his throat.

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

What was that strange sensation?

If he grabbed her arm again, would he be able to find out?

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

Lea thought his words did not make sense.

‘Is it really because he doesn’t want to gain achievements? He says he isn’t interested in power, so why are his words and actions different? He’s obviously capable of doing his job.’

Ten years later, the northeastern region of the Empire, as Lea knew it from the future, was managed stably, unlike the southwestern region, where rebellions had broken out several times.

In the Northeast, the Commander-in-Chief was an object of awe, regardless of the strange nickname outsiders gave him.

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

There had been signs that the reputation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast could threaten the Emperor’s authority.

“You simply have no intention of gaining achievements…… How careless and selfish.”

Gasp.

The three men standing behind the prince involuntarily let out startled breaths.

“If it is an achievement that the Crown Prince can easily obtain, does rejecting it make you proud? Is it just self-satisfaction?”

“Princess.”

“If I join hands with another prince, then just as much as the other prince benefits, Your Highness loses something. You are not the only one who loses. The people who serve you lose too. A Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast is not alone. You have to think about the people whose fate is tied to yours.”

Karion spoke in a cold tone.

“The princess has no fear.”

“I was told there are three worst kinds of people when you stand above others. First, a coward. Second, someone who does not 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 him.

Orbin watched him leave and thought,

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

Lea 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?”

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

Luke asked without thinking,

“What was the third one of the three worst kinds?”

“Ah…… I don’t know. I just said what came to mind. Do I need to think of the last one too……?”

Orbin looked dumbfounded, then could not hold back his laughter.

“Can I ask something too? Does His Highness have a lover?”

“He has no such thing.”

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

“Ah! Then perhaps he likes men?”

“Absolutely not!”

Orbin answered with a stern expression.