Chapter 16

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 16

Celine couldn’t say anything. Even though she had no reason not to speak, it must be because of her heart beating as if it wasn’t hers.

Leonhard could no longer speak.

They just stood there, feeling each other’s presence.

“Lord, are you okay?”

…Until Karl popped up.

At that moment, Leonhard hastily removed himself from Celine.

“I didn’t want to disturb the two of you, though your complexion looked so bad…”

Hearing his words, she frowned as she glanced at Leonhard and agreed with Karl. “Yes? You’ve been up all night. Shouldn’t we call a doctor?”

Leonhard frowned.

“What can the doctor do for me? They’ll tell me to go to sleep or get a good night’s sleep.”

“I see.”

Celine let out a sigh.

In fact, he didn’t really trust the doctors here. Nevertheless, it was better than no treatment at all although Leonhard hated the doctors strangely.

Karl handed him a small pouch.

“What is this?”

“It is a scented candle that helps you sleep. It’s not about magic, it’s the method my mother used often.”

“Thank you.”

He took the candle bag from Karl with an expressionless face.

And so, the three naturally entered the central tower together. Leonhard did not let Celine fall from his side, and Karl followed them along.

“Lute Celine, the next training will only be possible next week. When will you be okay?”

“I’ll be on time for Lute Karl because I’m free.”

She smiled at him as if she had just remembered it.

“I have improved a lot. You will be amazed.”

“I never expected Lute Celine to grow so much in such a short period of time.”

“Is it?”

Karl was poised to report in an instant at the question of the Grand Duke’s successor.

“Lute Celine can now handle fire, water, wind and light. Even at this level, wherever she goes, she will be treated like a wizard.”

“I can only use all of them at a low-level magic. Besides, it is very difficult to control the magic power. I put all my energy into nothing.”

Celine babbled, showing her excitement.

“I’m happy, though. I was worried about what would happen if I only had some magical power.”

Eventually, the three arrived at the door of the Grand Duke’s office, and Leonhard entered, leaving them behind. The Grand Duke was not surprised to see his haggard son.

‘The informants must have already informed him.’

Leonhard lowered his head lightly.

“Uncle’s estate is now safe. It was a small fry. I brought the remnants here.”

He handed the chest of the warlock’s bones to the Grand Duke.

“Good work.”

The Grand Duke smiled kindly and pointed to the armchair in front of his desk. They talked for a while about the condition of the estate.

“Three new groups of monsters have been discovered. Fortunately, there is still a lot of time left for the boss to transform.”

“Are you sure it wouldn’t go out hunting?”

“No.”

The Grand Duke shook his head.

“It is underdeveloped, but the scale is huge. It wasn’t something it could do. Sometimes it takes half a day to get there.”

“Good job.”

Leonhard sighed in relief. The Grand Duke was reckless, and Leonhard feared that one day it would lead to an irreversible catastrophe.

“All right.”

Leonhard’s answer implied that he would, of course, solve it on his own.

The northern part was different from the Capital. The existence of a genius named Leonhard made the monster knights that were essential in other territories not even exist in the north.

“…Until tomorrow, rest.”

At that, he nodded his head.

Leonhard wasn’t stupid, and he knew that his stamina was at its limit.

“Still, I have to leave early in the morning the next day.”

The Grand Duke gazed at his successor, rubbing his eyes with a tired look. He had just returned from slaying a warlock and had not slept for days. However, if the timing was missed and the boss transformed, then Leonhard would have a hard time.

Besides, how many times has Leonhard gone directly to another mission without a moment to catch his breath?

He might be lucky to be able to rest for just one day tomorrow.

“I got it. I’ll trust your judgment.”

“Thank you.”

When Leonhard came out, Celine and Karl were having a heated conversation about magic.

Anxiety for an unknown reason rose deep in Leonhard’s chest. He frowned. No matter how much he hadn’t slept for three days, the sudden surge of unexplained emotions would mean that his mental power was weak.

Celine glanced up at him worriedly.

“Leonhard, when the report is over, wouldn’t it be better for you to go and sleep right away? See, I’m fine. Rest assured.”

She waited for Leonhard’s answer to say yes, but he only flapped his lips and didn’t say anything.

“…Leonhard?”

When Celine asked the question again, he swallowed a gulp and opened his mouth with a determined expression on his face.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“Yes? I’ll listen to anything unless it’s impossible. There are only a few things I can do, anyway.”

Celine replied jokingly, but she meant it.

There were really few things she could do for Leonhard, none of which was difficult.

“Sorry but…”

She gently placed her hand on Leonhard’s shoulder to reassure him. She could do whatever he asked for. Besides, isn’t he the person who would ask Celine to not harm herself?

Leonhard flinched momentarily, then asked in a low voice.

“I’m sorry, but can you stay by my side until I sleep? Leave me as soon as I fall asleep. Just, until I sleep…”

For a moment, Karl gasped and took a breath.

Leonhard and Celine did not care about his reaction for different reasons.

One side of her chest tingled.

Perhaps, it was because he had returned from fighting the warlock alone, and Leonhard seemed to have reached his mental limit. He refused Celine’s help on a night when he had to endure the pain of her body shattering, although now, he turned to her for help.

She was very sorry about that, too.

Celine gazed up at Leonhard and smiled slightly.

“When I saw you thought about it a lot, it turns out it was just that? All right.”

“…Thank you.”

“After all, we slept together before arriving here. It’s not even new.”

Finally, the two left Lute Karl, who had a puzzled expression, and left the central tower at a quick pace.

Suddenly, Celine furrowed her face with a sullen expression on her face.

“Ah, Lute Carl!”

“Why does that name appear?”

“I couldn’t even say goodbye properly to him before… Oh my, I keep being disrespectful to my Master.”

“If he’s offended by that much, you can say that Lute Karl is a narrow-minded person.”

Leonhard replied bitterly. He did not like the name Master at all. In addition, how long have they known each other already?

“It could be, well.”

Celine uttered in a slightly excited voice.

“Anyway, I am very grateful to Lute Karl. Oh, you know? Leonhard should also thank Lute Karl.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you know?”

Celine recounted her first lessons with Lute Emile.

“I’m really glad that Leonhard didn’t have to go through that.”

At that, his face hardened. Celine’s magic raged out, and she was told that Lute Karl had solved it, yet she didn’t know that she was about to die.

“…You should have shredded that idiot with Rashir.”

She was dumbfounded, and she laughed. Meanwhile, Leonhard was more aggressive than usual, as the loss of sleep for a few days was a major blow.

“Is there even a need for that? Regardless, he lost a good job as my teacher.”

“Don’t you resent the coward who nearly killed you?”

“Why should I complain?”

Celine rolled her eyes and answered.

“I didn’t die, anyway. Even if I died, I would still be alive. Just like when Leonhard came after me.”

“….”

Immediately, Leonhard lost his words and bit his mouth. He had completely forgotten about that time. Remembering that, his face heated up.

With what kind of look did he ask if she didn’t resent Lute Emile…?

He was no different…

No, he was much worse than that.

“…I am so sorry.”

“Well, it was all a misunderstanding.”

Celine shrugged her shoulders.

“It is also thanks to Leonhard that I am not dying these days. Don’t worry about it.”

In the end, the two arrived at Leonhard’s bedroom. Celine glanced around the room with curious eyes.

One word that came to her mind was ‘desolate.’ There were only a few huge, old-fashioned pieces of furniture, and a bedroom the size of an average apartment had no ornaments and no carpeting.

“Isn’t it cold here?”

Leonhard made a face as if biting his tongue.

“Oh, do you think it’s cold? I didn’t think of that. I should have told them to get ready for you to be here.”

“No, it doesn’t matter that I don’t sleep here every day. I’m asking if Leonhard is cold.”

He seemed to understand what Celine was saying.

“It’s hard to get out of bed when it’s warm. You have to be ready to run at any time.”

“…Have you ever slept properly? Even before the nightmare?”

“I’ve always slept.”

Leonhard replied as if he was saying something absurd, so Celine couldn’t ask anymore. Then, he rang the bell and called the attendant. The attendant looked at them with wide-eyed eyes.

“Lute Celine will be staying here for a while. Bring her a brazier, a blanket, and lap coverings.”

While the attendant went to get things, Leonhard disappeared into the dressing room for a while, changed into pajamas, and lay on the bed.

The tension that had been dominating his body all along disappeared in an instant.

Celine felt a little strange.

All the nights she spent with Leonhard were always with him on alert. It was the first time she had seen him lying in bed like this defenselessly.

With that thought, she dragged an armchair next to the bed.

“Good night.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Leonhard muttered a single word that sounded like sleep talk before immediately losing consciousness. His pale, tired face and thick dark circles let Celine know that his condition was not normal.

She looked down at Leonhard with sad eyes.

‘I wish he could sleep comfortably…’

She simply thought that if she didn’t die, he would be able to sleep comfortably.

However, the reality was just the opposite.

‘What if…’

Celine bit her lip, thinking that her very existence was making Leonhard uneasy.

At that moment, he moaned softly.

“Celine…”

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