Chapter 21

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 21

One day, about a month after Celine discovered Lou.

The frozen lake cracked, and columns of water gushed out, and the monsters that were running across the lake immediately fell into the water.

Then, she froze the lake.

Because monsters couldn’t breathe underwater, by letting it drown a day or so under the water, they could take them out.

She stroked the dragon on her wrist, which she named Lou. Without Lou, it would be suicide to use this magic that consumes five magic stones at a time.

Leonhard handed her some of the bloody horns.

“It’s the head’s horn.”

Celine carefully wrapped the horns, purifying the magical powers with her magical powers. It didn’t take long before the horns began to crumble little by little, and gem-sized magic stones appeared among the black crumbs.

Lou got off her wrist and began to swallow the magic stones one by one.

“Hiccup—!”

Although Lou hiccuped every time it ate the magic stone, it soon rumbled with satisfaction and blew out small sparks.

After, they got on Leonhard’s horse and slowly returned to the castle. The castle towers that were now familiar came into view.

The two naturally headed for his castle tower.

The largest and most cozy room in Leonhard’s castle tower was now filled with all sorts of things for Celine. It had her favorite plush cushions, carpets because the floor was too hard, and snacks that change every day…

Celine lay halfway down on her favorite sofa, staring at the ceiling for a brief moment while Leonhard went to change his clothes covered in the monster’s blood.

‘…I have to wait.’

It was still too early.

When spring came, and the ice melted, she would be able to ask him a favor that would never be easy.

Leonhard’s voice mixed with laughter was heard.

“What are you thinking?”

Raising her head a little, Leonhard, who had changed into comfortable clothes, was holding a small box.

“I think the sweets are delicious.”

“It’s worthwhile to find a chef who is good at making desserts.”

Leonhard sat down next to her naturally.

As Celine made a will o wisp and tickled his nose, Leonhard’s hand slammed it down. However, her reaction was one step ahead. The will o wisp was placed on his shoulder at some point, and she put it on his waist before it suddenly appeared before his eyes again.

Nevertheless, he soon succeeded in catching the will o wisp.

“You have improved your skills.”

Celine just smiled without saying a word.

When they first played this game, he caught the will o wisp in just three seconds. Seeing that it now takes tens of seconds, she seemed to be training herself.

She made the will o wisp again—this time, near the ceiling.

Seeing that, Leonhard raised his eyebrows.

“It looks like you want to win.”

“Of course.”

In the next moment, he jumped like lightning and grabbed the will o wisp in his hand.

“Easier…”

He was speechless.

Because Celine herself was lying on the couch, slumped over. Leonhard immediately got his body up with a face that remembered something. The sound of his chest beating to his throat echoed in his ears.

After a really long time, there was an awkward silence between the two of them, not knowing what to say.

‘Well, what should I say…’

Nothing came to mind, as if her head was hardened.

Celine couldn’t understand why she couldn’t even blink her eyes and say a word to him. All she could do was just gaze at him, hoping that he would break this awkward mood by saying something.

Eventually, his lips opened very slowly.

“Cel…”

Just then, Leonhard’s attendant knocked on the door and called for him.

“Lord, I have something to tell you.”

“Come, come in.”

The servant looked at Celine, who was still lying on the sofa, still stiff, and Leonhard, who opened and clenched his fists alternately, though he regarded it as ordinary because it was a common sight.

“His Excellency is calling you.”

“I’ll go now.”

Leonhard prepared to leave immediately. The attendant’s gaze fell on Celine.

“Lute Celine should go, too.”

“Me…?”

In the end, she followed Leonhard and the attendant with a puzzled expression. Neither of them said anything on the way and were busy trying to calm each other’s flushed faces.

The Grand Duke’s office was filled with a chill that day. Instead of a shivering body, Celine wrapped herself and Leonhard’s body with warmth. The moment she saw the Grand Duke, anxiety took over her.

He was looking down on the cliff just below the window with his back to them.

Leonhard opened his mouth first.

“Did you call?”

The Grand Duke turned slowly towards them.

“….!”

Celine couldn’t hide her surprise.

It wasn’t the kind and neat Grand Duke she usually used to see. The Grand Duke’s eyes were wildly bloodshot, and his head was also messy, apparently ungroomed.

“Father…what happened?”

“His Majesty…”

The Grand Duke’s voice uttering his words was still.

“Is giving you a mission.”

“His Majesty?”

Leonhard frowned.

In recent years, it was Crown Prince Ricardo who sent him the mission, and it was rare for the Emperor to personally issue a mission.

“Yes.”

Although frowning, he still replied.

“…Do you think His Highness Ricardo knows?”

“No, he knows. He was just against it.”

The Grand Duke’s voice sounded very tired. It seemed that he had been thinking a lot about this issue.

“What is that?”

There was a hint of anxiety in Leonhard’s voice. It was a task that the Emperor approved of, and the prince opposed. So, it would be different from the missions he had ever done so far.

The Grand Duke inhaled slowly.

“…They want you to sneak in.”

“Where?”

Leonhard had a bewildered voice. Needless to say, there was no noble who did not know his face. Rather, it would be easier to obtain information by stabbing with Rashir.

The Grand Duke let out a single word with a sigh.

“His Highness Ricardo’s side.”

“….!”

“Several signs of a warlock have been found in the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

Celine took in a breath.

The warlocks she had heard from Leonhard so far are evil beings that made their base a land where no life could live. That such a warlock was found nowhere else, though in the Crown Prince’s Palace…!

“Does His Highness Ricardo knows?”

“Of course.”

The Grand Duke replied impatiently.

“His Highness Ricardo is claiming it was an outsider invasion. But, His Majesty…”

“He suspected that it was one of Ricardo’s close associates.”

“Yes.”

The Grand Duke let out a sigh before continuing his following words, “He was asking me to stay in the Crown Prince’s Palace and pursue the warlock.”

“….”

A heavy silence struck them down. Leonhard put a worrisome question out of his mouth.

“Do I have to investigate His Highness Ricardo externally as well?”

“No way.”

The Grand Duke waved his hand as if not to worry about it.

“It’ll be announced that you will be staying at the Crown Prince’s Palace in favor of the Crown Prince so that you can carry out your duties during the winter.”

“Your Majesty Ricardo will clench his teeth.”

Leonhard tried to speak calmly as if telling the truth, but he could not hide his confusion and anxiety.

“He wouldn’t be happy, of course.”

The Grand Duke looked into the eyes of his confused son.

“Son, I want to refuse. However, this is an Imperial order. It’s not something I can reject in my own way.”

It didn’t take long for Leonhard to nod his head.

“All right.”

The way back was also quiet. He struggled to get his words out until he reached his tower.

“This, I will go alone.”

“Leonhard…!”

Even though Celine immediately tried to refute, Leonhard cut her off.

“Wait, wait… Listen to me.”

Leonhard closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

“His Highness Ricardo is not a bad person. But… When he gets angry, he becomes an unstoppable man.”

Leonhard’s hand moved toward Celine’s, then flinched and stopped.

“The sparks could be at you.”

“Then, Leonhard?”

Leonhard smiled bitterly.

“Wouldn’t it be better to cut off his arm if His Highness Ricardo got angry with me?”

She couldn’t help but agree. Leonhard was currently the only talented person in the Empire. The Crown Prince wouldn’t be able to cast Leonhard under any circumstances.

“Sleep…”

“No problem.”

Leonhard snatched Celine’s words as if he had been waiting.

“It has already been a month. Now, I know your skills well. I’m not even worried.”

“Really…?”

The blue-grey eyes were intertwined with the deep blue eyes, creating a strange tension between them.

Celine did not believe what he said.

Over the past month, he had hardly left her side. It wasn’t just to fool around. He was there to thoroughly train her. No matter how hard she practiced, he would suggest a higher level, as though that was not enough.

Leonhard’s reply came back slowly.

“…I’ll try.”

“You, you won’t be able to sleep. You know.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

A slightly harsh word came out of Leonhard’s mouth. Celine frowned slightly.

“It doesn’t matter, what do you mean? You came to see me because you couldn’t sleep in the first place.”

HIs shut his mouth as he was about to say something.

“Besides, I was thinking of going to the Imperial Capital.”

“What…?”

Celine swallowed a gulp.

The whole time she listened to the Grand Duke, she couldn’t shake the thought in her mind that now was her chance.

Last month, she died six times.

With monsters twice, once when she slipped in the hallway, twice while learning to ride, once while testing wind magic…

She would have been dead more times if it wasn’t for Leonhard and her new escort, Danny. Celine was overly optimistic. She thought that once she learned magic, she would never die once, she died only when she wanted to and that she would have a body that could be revived.

The dead-ending was lurking everywhere, and unless she had the wits of a beast level, she had no choice but to face death.

She had to get out of this life.

In a life where she couldn’t run in the hallway or ride a horse…

‘I have to go back to that damned mansion.’

From the moment she realized she had entered the game, Celine had thoughts running through her head.

…All games end as soon as you see the ending.

‘If I clear the game, maybe… I can go back.’

In other words, she had to see the ending somehow.

Nonetheless, she had not yet cleared the first stage, the Cursed Mansion.

After winter, she would ask Leonhard to return to the cursed mansion and clear the first stage. When she was imprisoned there, it was, of course, impossible for her, although now that she could use magic, it should be possible.

So, now was a good time since Leonhard was going to leave for the Imperial Capital for his mission.

“I have to go back to that house.”

“…What are you thinking?”

The emotion that appeared on Leonhard’s face was astonishing. Realizing that, Celine picked her words with care.

“Since the curse started in that house, I was wondering if there might be a clue to unravel the curse.”

She couldn’t give a detailed explanation. How can she say that she was not from this world and this was just a game world…?

“….”

As he seemed to be seriously thinking, she hastily spoke up.

Naturally, Leonhard would worry that she would die as soon as she entered the house.

“I know what you are worried about. To be honest, I can’t say I’m not going to die either. But breaking the curse is really important to me.”

Celine saw Leonhard nod his head very slowly and stopped talking.

His eyes fluttered with determination.

“I know. I’ll do my best to help, so just say anything.”

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