Chapter 29

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

Chapter 29

“…It’s not a dream.”

From Leonhard’s gaping mouth, a word that was so stupid even by his standard came out.

Celine rolled her eyes.

“Oh, my God. Leonhard, it’s not even night yet.”

“Right.”

He glanced around Celine, who had her body pressed against the grate. Her dark hair, and even the dirty clothes of the escort maid… It was understandable that she was disguised as the escort maid, though he had no idea why her clothes would be so dirty.

“How, how did you get here…”

She cut Leonhard’s words and poured out questions.

“It’s all my skills. No, how did this happen! Is, is it true that you harmed the Crown Prince? If, if it’s true, that’s a serious crime! I’m so worried… I’m worried…”

Celine’s voice, who couldn’t keep up with her words, was wet.

“Don’t worry.”

Leonhard sighed.

“It’s a week at most. Inside, a group of monsters or warlocks that cannot be dealt with by the knights alone will appear. Then, I can be released with that.”

For a moment, Celine’s words stopped.

Leonhard was talking about his hard work as if it was taken for granted. Last month, he performed her mission with him. Naturally, Leonhard was strong, and most of his tasks were solved without hesitation. However, that did not reduce the weight of his duties.

As before, whenever Leonhard casually spoke of such an absurd duty, Celine’s eyes would darken. Seeing that, he looked worriedly at her pale complexion as she was lost for her words.

“Are you okay…? Did you overdo it? Get some rest. No one comes except for meals.”

Celine still couldn’t say anything.

If she spat out even a single word, she felt like crying. As if nothing that, he reached his finger out of the grate and lightly touched the back of her hand.

“I’m sorry for worrying you. As you can see, I’m very lively. Rather, you look worse.”

“I’m fine.”

She barely answered in a trembling voice, “Rather than that, Leonhard…”

“Didn’t I say, it’s a week at the most.”

“There’s no guarantee that you will be completely freed!”

“Well, if not, my father will use his ways.”

Leonhard shrugged his shoulders.

“Besides, it happened while following the orders given by His Majesty, and His Highness Ricardo would have no choice but to bow down.”

“…Leonhard is very sure.”

“Because it’s not the first time. It will not be the last.”

Celine’s eyes widened as she pushed out her question.

“Harm, harming the imperial family?”

“Oh, that’s the first time.”

“Leonhard…!”

A smile appeared on his lips. He had a knack for amusing Celine, even though he didn’t say much.

“I should at least try to make it the last one.”

“I think I’m going to die from trembling because of Leonhard…”

Celine grabbed her chest. She herself trembled like this, and Leonhard, who joked about this situation, was very slightly resentful. He still had a smile on his face as if something was so enjoyable.

“I say it again, but don’t worry. Actually, I am more worried about you.”

“Ah…”

She understood the meaning of his words without further explanation. Except for the fact that she was a wizard, a very ordinary commoner broke into Topin to meet the prisoner. Perhaps, even the use of magic itself constitutes a crime of blasphemy.

“It’s okay if I don’t get caught. I’ll have to find a place to hide.”

Celine replied bravely.

“That’s a good idea, too.”

Leonhard nodded his head.

“But, I have a way out.”

“….?”

“I can’t stand watching you nervous, hiding here and there.”

Celine’s eyes widened. She could hardly believe the calm voice she could hear in her ear and shouted, “But, it gets worse when you come out!”

“I’m leaving, anyway. There is nothing wrong with leaving early.”

“Then, why did you come to this place in the first place?”

“I have to give His Highness Ricardo time to unwind.”

Saying so, he took a pocket watch from his arms.

“About half a day has passed. Enough now.”

“Leonhard…”

Celine let out her sigh.

“Is it easy going out? I heard from Danny that they say you can’t use magic in the center of Topin.”

“You have to go through people.”

“….?”

Leonhard gazed happily at the big eyes, which changed from moment to moment—from dazed, to twinkling, then to absurd. Celine actually didn’t know what he was going to do now. It was crazy.

So far, he had been far from rebellious. In fact, he never entered the imperial court during the ten years of his duties. However, he felt he could do anything with Celine.

…No, he had to right now.

“Huh… How are you going to get out? Maybe Rashir?”

“Rashir has been stolen. It won’t be in Topin in the first place.”

“….!”

Celine’s cheeks flushed with anger.

Leonhard did not remove Rashir from his body except when he slept in his own bedroom at Bernoulli Castle. Where he could not carry a large sword, he transformed it into a small dagger and carried it in his arms.

“How can they do that to Rashir!”

“I was a bit resentful about that. Well, I understand.”

Nonetheless, she immediately regained her composure. The situation was now too serious for her to get angry.

“So, how are you going to get out? It cannot be broken by force.”

“I need you to open the door.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“There is a good way.”

He did not explain it properly. It wasn’t because he ignored Celine though, because he considered it a bit ridiculous to explain in words.

“Find a place to hide until the meal comes.”

“All right.”

Celine stared at him suspiciously, then began to look around her.

‘Is he trying to act like you’re sick?’

Nonetheless, would anyone believe in the trickery of a man who fought warlocks and was the only magic swordsman in the Empire? Besides, Leonhard was the type of person who didn’t look really sick when he was sick.

Although she could hardly control her anxiety, but she decided to do what Leonhard told her for now.

“Here, how is it? To hide.”

Celine opened the dusty closet and asked.

“No. It’s so dirty that they’ll suddenly feel like they need to clean it. My guard seemed to be a very conscientious person.”

“What about here?”

Celine pointed behind the large sofa.

“If the jailer sits over there, are you sure you won’t be found out?”

“It is dark under the lamp.”

“No.”

While she continued to point to a decent-looking place to hide, Leonhard rejected them all.

“No, where should I hide then? Is there any in the hallway?”

Leonhard’s reply came a little late. He hesitated for a moment, then vomited out a few words as if he had made a big decision.

“Go back. That is the safest.”

Celine’s reaction exceeded all his expectations. She was blatantly snorting her nose.

“What do you think all these stains are?”

He peered into the escort maid’s clothes, which she was pushing at him. The black, gooey liquid was all too familiar.

“No way…”

Leonhard was unable to speak though he could hear Celine’s cheerful voice the next moment.

“Don’t worry, it’s not my blood. You will be able to sleep well tonight.”

“…That’s a relief.”

Leonhard sighed in relief.

“But, I almost died. Are you going to send me back to that place?”

“I get it.”

The next moment, her joyful voice was heard as she asked again, “Then, where is the best place to hide?”

“…That closet.”

“That’s where I first said it!”

Leonhard avoided her tenacious gaze.

“They’re all bad, but that’s better.”

“Of course, I get so.”

Celine decided to experiment, and she went into the closet. Even though she was a bit choked in the dust, it didn’t seem like there was anything particularly uncomfortable about it.

“There is nothing that seems very important. I was expecting it.”

“If something is important, it’s a big deal. We can open it to find it.”

“Then, I’m glad. It has nothing but cleaning tools.”

They rehearsed until the guard with the meal came.

First, when she heard the guard coming, she would hide in the closet. Second, Leonhard escaped from prison. Then third, after he and the guard have completely left, Celine would come out of the closet.

…The first and third were not too difficult. In her opinion, the second was a huge problem.

“Now tell me. What are you trying to say to get out of here?”

Leonhard looked at her as she had no intention of backing down.

“It’s nothing. Just convince them that the time has come for my only use, and then I can get out.”

“….”

Perhaps he thought Celine’s silence was because she did not understand his words, and he spoke his words in a hurry.

“So, since a monster has appeared near the Imperial Capital, I can say that I need to go get rid of it right away.”

“No, would that work?”

Her voice rose.

By what meant was how Leonhard, who had been imprisoned here, knew that a monster had appeared?

“Of course.”

Celine flinched. It was because his voice was full of certainty.

“…Really, can I trust you?”

“Yes.”

At that, she didn’t ask anymore.

It seemed that there was not much time left. If his plans fail, she would have to stay here until Leonhard would be freed, as she had initially planned.

The next moment, footsteps were heard.

“Go in!”

Leonhard exclaimed in a low voice.

And so, she hurriedly went into the closet and closed the door. Celine couldn’t see anything but a little light coming through the cracks in the door, so she had to guess by the sound of what was happening outside.

“Lord, it’s dinner. The main dish is duck stewed in white wine, which is said to have been a favorite when you stayed in Libron.”

It was a voice that was polite enough to believe that he was not a guard, but a servant.

Leonhard’s stern voice was heard.

“Did you say your name is Hafez?”

“Yes? Yes!”

“Hafez, now is not the time to eat ducks. A monster has appeared on the outskirts of the Capital.”

“Yes…?”

Celine doubted her ears.

Obviously, she expected a suspicious or bewildered reaction. However, Hafez had a distraught voice.

“Lo, Lord… Is that true…?”

“Yes.”

“Gasp, I’ll report back soon!”

The sound of Hafez running out of the room was heard.

“Stay still. He’ll be back sooner than you thought.”

As he left, Leonhard gave a soft warning. With that said, Hafez returned so quickly that she could hardly believe he had reported it to his superiors.

“Lord, hurry up!”

Hafez even hurried him, and the sound of the prison door opening was heard.

“What about Rashir?”

“Here it is. I have prepared a horse right in front of the gate.”

Celine clenched her mouth to keep from groaning in surprise.

All of this was happening with one lie from Leonhard…!