Chapter 92

11-14 minutes 24.09.2022

What happened?

A lot had changed since Elisha had returned from the past, where she had failed and led a new life. It could be said that she had violated the laws of nature by deviating from the cause and effect back then.

In the midst of that, she was agitated because the words Mergin territory had popped out prematurely. Elisha closed her eyelids tightly. She knew why she was shaken.

It was probably because she had been the one who had watched closely what had become of the crown prince who had lost his only and strongest sword after the death of Marquis Blemir in Mergin territory.

Nevertheless, it must be more because she had also been the one who had completely ignored the child and left him to his death.

However, none of that had happened now. And the mission this time was to suppress monsters, unlike the rebel conquest that had previously led to the death of Marquis Blemir in the past.

And it was not just Mergin territory; several places had already failed to work independently and turned to Barossa for help.

Elisha opened her eyes. The sky blue eyes that were revealed again were as indifferent as always.

“Are you all right?”

Blemir asked anxiously, but Elisha reached out to the two opposing energies before her instead of answering.

A clear stream of water gushed out from the open palms, and then, Pang! The battle between the 1st Order and Marquis Blemir’s guards ceased instantly.

“Hwoh!”

Gasps of surprise erupted from the side of the guards. The power of the 2nd Consort was still unfamiliar to them.

“What are you surprised about? This isn’t a big deal for our consort.”

In the background, Miller bragged as if he had done it himself.

“If only the 3rd Prince were here…”

Elisha couldn’t understand why every word that Perry started always ended with the 3rd Prince. Elisha was tongue-tied because of the 1st Knights barking in front of Blemir’s guards. This situation was very much like when the cotton ball bit her arm.

However, even if there were some signs of dissatisfaction, the characteristic coldness of the 2nd Consort was nowhere to be felt. That alone seemed to show a certain bond between them. It wasn’t very deep or sticky, but it seemed familiar enough for that 2nd Consort, and it greatly offended Blemir.

“I guess you guys resemble your leader, speaking nonsensical things offensively.”

The loyal bodyguard sensitively felt his owner’s feelings and burned with even more hostility. In particular, Vincent was annoyed by the 2nd Consort. Sure, she was taking care of the people who had accompanied her to the West, but his owner had also done much for the 2nd Consort.

Even if she hadn’t known it at first, by now, she should’ve known, right? Even though there were rumours that he was forced to comply with the crown prince’s unreasonable request, the trust was that he had done it in the end.

Vincent took a step forward. In the 1st Knights, Rohan stopped Miller from trying to move.

Elisha had wondered if the relationship between the two knights was not good, but this was worse than she had expected. It was more so than when there was no particular contact between them.

In any case, Elisha, who had no idea that she was the reason for the sour relationship, did not want the commotion to continue.

“I can’t believe you radiate your energy in front of the imperial family without permission. Was it not enough for me to have let it slide the first time?”

Words were energy, and if Elisha decided to nitpick and make a problem out of it, it could lead to treason. Of course, not that Elisha would go that far, and it wouldn’t be worth it…

No one here wanted to test her warnings. As the surroundings became silent, Elisha looked back.

And greeted him. Instead of words, the sky-blue eyes fell and stayed on Rohan, and Rohan, who had read her intentions, looked down and bowed his head slightly.

Later, as Elisha headed for the exit, Blemir shot Rohan a look and disappeared after her. The guards were angry because it seemed like their owner had given up to the 1st Knights’ commander, but it was not like there was anything they could do.

Gradually, as the guards followed their owner, the marquis, the 1st Knights corps’ exercise field returned to normal. Perry, with a determined expression, approached Rohan, who could not take his eyes off the direction in which the 2nd Consort had disappeared.

“Captain! Would you like a match?”

And so, his efforts for imperial peace continued without end.

Elisha, who had come out of the 1st Order’s training ground, took Blemir to her 2nd Consort’s Palace.

“You’re back?”

She was greeted by the maid Jean-Marie, who said that refreshment would be served soon as she had prepared them. As they sat down at the patron’s table, a bowl, tea, and snacks to match were served, looking more attentive than usual.

Just as Elisha occupied an ambiguous position in the crown prince’s faction, so did Blemir. I’ll have to reward Marie later for doing a great job.

When the 2nd Consort’s Palace’s financial condition improved, Marie started showing off her abilities in earnest. With these small details gathered together, the 2nd Consort’s Palace no longer looked like an abandoned palace.

Unlike Elisha, who was satisfied, Blemir stared down at the teacup before him in a bad mood.

“Marquis, didn’t you have something to say?”

As Elisha spoke, Marie disappeared with the maids.

The silent Blemir opened his mouth.

“What brought you to the 1st Knights’ exercise field?”

“Does that have anything to do with what you wanted to say earlier?”

“… a close friendship with Sir Rohan, a loyal knight of the imperial family, will make the nobles of the crown prince’s faction who have already distrusted you more uneasy.”

“Did you forget, Marquis? You’re the only one I’ve ever held hands with, and the nobles of the crown prince’s faction have to thank me for giving them the scraps I’ve spilled. Otherwise, does Marquis want me to put up with those nobles claiming my contribution as if it were their own and put up with their scorn?”

She had made it so she would not be used as the emperor’s sword, but now they wondered if the opponent was swaying her. Although—

“No. Don’t let them off!”

Blemir answered, further hardening his already bad expression.

Elisha frowned.

“If that’s the case, what were you talking about just now?”

“… that is because I’m afraid that they will develop distrust and jump into something that’s beyond my power and do things that will harm the 2nd Consort and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Hmm.”

Elisha lightly stroked the rim of the teacup with her thumb. Then, she picked up the teacup, took a sip of the tea, and asked Blemir, who was seen through the teacup’s rim.

“So you mean you want to eliminate that anxiety, Marquis?”

For a moment, Blemir felt the air around him grow heavier. The 2nd Consort was pressing him. Blemir should be able to push it away. He could have fought back and blamed her for her rudeness.

But he didn’t. As a swordmaster, Blemir, who had even naturally let down his guard, accepted her energy defensively. Even if he hadn’t immediately counterattacked, Elisha expected he would do at least enough to show his strength.

“Are you so relaxed because you don’t think I’ll hurt you, Marquis?”

Blemir shook his head when Elisha asked, resting his chin on his left hand.

“There’s no swordmaster anywhere in the world who will let go of an opponent who exposes their teeth before them.”

“Is that so? How strange. But that kind of person is sitting right in front of me.”

“That’s because… it’s you.”

There would have been no exceptions if it were anyone else, Blemir’s eyes said. Meanwhile, the pressure on Blemir grew stronger and stronger. Just because the swordmaster’s body was steel-like solid, and tough didn’t mean it wouldn’t break if this kept going. The graceful muscles that covered the toned and slender body wavered against the force applied.

Elisha quietly drank the tea as if it had nothing to do with her. After a while, the slender torso turned toward Elisha, and a long arm stretched out.

What is he going to do? When Blemir’s hand grabbed the teapot in the middle and filled Elisha’s empty teacup with tea.

Croorosh.

The flowing, thin stream of water did not tremble at all.

The movement of straightening the body and sitting back in place was also neat. If it weren’t for Blemir’s gaze, which was obsessively following Elisha, it would have looked like they were just having tea.

He’s strong. Elisha flicked the teacup that Blemir had just poured out with her index finger. There was a clear sound. Elisha flicked the teacup with her fingertips a few more times as if playing an instrument before opening her mouth.

“Do you want anything from me, Marquis? I don’t know what makes you endure this much.”

There had been too many emotional and unruly acts if she were to say that his personality had simply changed, that he was not confident in the 2nd Consort’s Palace, so he just came straight to the 1st Knights’ headquarters and deliberately made the atmosphere ugly.

The only person he’d take a step back for was Ascensio, the crown prince. And even if Ascencio went far from his own intention, he’d solved the problem by eventually sorting out the problem himself.

He was a man who had little to endure in his life. Even the emperor, who would have angered him most, could wield this strongest swordsman of the empire only because he had used the crown prince, Blemir’s weak point.

“Will you listen to me if I tell you?”

“As long as it does not violate our common interests and there is no damage to this side, I will do my best.”

The marquis was a strong background with a bloodline connection with the crown prince. If it helped Ascensio by giving Blemir what he wanted, that’d be a good thing, and if Elisha could find out what he wanted and use it, that wouldn’t be bad either.

Elisha built up speculations as to what the Marquis might be interested in.

“What made you go to the 1st Knights’ exercise field?”

With the Marquis’ response, the speculations collapsed at once, but Elisha was genuinely curious.

“Is that really what you want to know? My favor is rare, and the chances of asking the right thing are less than that.”

And what’s far less likely than the possibility of those two things happening allowed him to reconsider the opportunity she had given.

Although those three things were possible if it was for Ascencio or Leon… Nevertheless, Blemir, who was determined, had no hesitation. 

“Yes, I would like to know. Does that mean I can talk to you without using other people as an excuse from now on?”

Elisha’s eyes widened. Just what sort of situation is this? And that Marquis Blemir had such a card up his sleeve? Since when?

“Well.”

Elisha waved her hand lightly. The power that had suppressed Blemir’s whole body disappeared as if it had been washed away, and only refreshing energy remained.

“I don’t know much about Marquis.”

Elisha said, tilting her face sideways. She wondered about the young man sitting before her for the first time.