Chapter 30

Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea

Chapter 30

“Thank you.”

Leonhard’s calm reply and familiar footsteps were heard.

Celine was on edge. She had felt Hafez’s presence and was still devastated.

‘When should I leave?’

Celine bit her lip nervously. Hafez told Leonhard that he had his horse ready.

If Leonhard leaves Topin too late, he will be questioned.

“Oh my, oh my.”

But instead of leaving the prison, Hafez sat on what was supposed to be a sofa and started groaning.

‘Come on out! Hurry!’

Celine screamed in her heart, but that couldn’t be heard by Hafez.

It would be a big deal, though, if he did.

“Oh my, these demons don’t even rest!”

Hafez lamented loudly, wherever the polite attitude reminiscent of an imperial servant went.

“This duck…… How hard Mitchell worked.”

Celine swallowed nervously. A bad foreboding ran through her head.

‘No way…….’

And it happened. Hafez started eating duck meat.

‘If you want to eat, go out and eat!’

Celine buried her face in her hands.

If it weren’t for that guard, by now, she and Leonhard would have ridden the horse and left Libron Castle.

But it was foolish for her to go out and confront the guard.

Wasn’t it because of her that Leonhard played this trick?

About the time Celine’s hands were brimming with cold sweat, and barely suppressing her urge to pour a curse on him, Hafez finally came out.

When she listened for him, it didn’t seem like there was at least one person around the prison.

“…… Phew.”

Celine sighed in relief and stepped out of the closet.

She was in a musty closet that smelled of dust and old wood, and breathing the clean air outside made her feel a little more alive.

‘I have to get out of here.’

Celine hurried out into the hallway. As she came here, she looked at several windows from which to escape.

Leonhard would be waiting near the front door, but this was not the time for Celine to be choosy.

Celine reached the closest window.

She smashed the window with one wave of her hand and built an ice ladder.

Celine quickly climbed the ladder when she confirmed that no one had come.

-Whoosh!

There was a sound of wind. Celine looked down at the distance.

‘…….’

She couldn’t even dare to go down normal stairs. It seemed as if she could sit down in the middle and stay there, unable to come or go.

‘Let’s do this.’

Celine took a deep breath.

An ice tunnel big enough for one person to fit in from the high ceiling with Celine in the bottom.

It was a sight reminiscent of a water slide in a water park, except for the circumstances in which it was located.

Celine hurriedly sat down in the tunnel.

After a few seconds.

“Uh…… Uwaaaaaa…… !”

Celine kept her mouth shut, trying not to let her screams escape, but her crackling teeth betrayed her.

‘I should have made it thicker!’

No, it might have been better off walking down the stairs even if she was scared in the first place.

Celine closed her eyes and curled her body for a moment, even after she had reached the ground.

Her hair was jagged and she couldn’t possibly stand up.

Suddenly, she heard a worried voice.

“Celine? Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Celine shook her head to get up, but Leonhard sat her on the ground.

“Did you escape using this?”

His voice expressed disbelief.

“I regretted it.”

“Everyone makes mistakes. You’d better get rid of it right now though. It’s very conspicuous.”

It was then that Celine knew exactly how Leonhard had found her.

With a small nod of her head, the ice tunnel disappeared into the air.

“Can you ride the horse?”

“Yes.”

With Leonhard’s help, Celine cautiously mounted the horse.

Leonhard drove his horse very carefully, but Celine closed her ill-feeling eyes and fell half-way down on the horse.

She didn’t even know where they were going.

‘Should I have rested a little bit more?’

But Leonhard has to get out of Libron Castle as quickly as possible, so he has no time to rest.

Finally, the painful shaking stopped.

“We’re here.”

“Already…… ?”

Celine blinked. It would have taken quite a long time to get out of the castle.

“Leonhardt, this, this is…….”

Celine was so startled that she stuttered.

The splendid building standing in front of her was the main building of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“Why, why did we come here?”

“What do you mean why?”

Leonhard looked genuinely puzzled.

“Of course, to see His Highness Ricardo.”

“Why, why the Crown Prince…… ?”

Celine was astonished by Leonhardt’s actions beyond common sense.

“Because I must ask you to accept the detainment.”

“I see.”

Celine murmured as she gave up understanding any longer.

It was completely contrary to her common sense of the Middle Ages, but Leonhard was a special person, so an exception may apply.

Perhaps he had a similar experience before.

‘Let’s trust Leonhard. Even in the prison, as Leonhardt said, it happened.’

Celine grabbed Leonhardt’s arm. He flinched slightly, but didn’t pull away.

“It will be fine.”

“You’re not asking if it’s going to be alright.”

“Because I trust Leonhard.”

Leonhardt didn’t answer, but a faint smile crept onto his lips.

***

“Ricardo, did I interrupt you?”

“No.”

The Crown Prince replied politely to Tripila Unsorem, his mother and Empress of the Empire.

“Mother will always be welcome here.”

“Oh.”

A smile bloomed on the Empress’s face.

“I was worried that you had been attacked, but I’m glad you seem to be alright.”

“Attack…….”

The Crown Prince smirked.

His direct subordinates, as well as his employees, seemed to have spread strangely distorted rumors.

“That was only a small misunderstanding.”

“We must make sure that something like this never happens again. How about replacing the Grand Lord…….”

The Empress clicked her tongue slightly.

She had been interested in Leonhard Bernoulli long ago, when young Leonhard began living in the palace.

“I think it was too much of a burden for a child to bear.”

“What are you talking about? Now the Grand Lord is a grown young man.”

The Crown Prince reacted sharply.

The Empress was renowned for her compassion and altruism, but she sometimes embarrassed him.

Just like this.

“Wasn’t it too much to drive out even the Grand Lord’s party?”

“Mother…….”

The Prince sighed. No matter what the mission was, he had dared to shed the blood of the Imperial family.

If the perpetrator had not been Leonhard Bernoulli, the execution date would have already been announced.

“Was it better to be imprisoned, tortured? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with telling them to go back to where they lived.”

“Even if the employees are, but the Lady.”

The Prince sighed softly.

“Mother, it is a rumor that the young lady is Leonhardt’s lover!”

“You said it with your own mouth, how is that a rumor? She must be imprisoned for contempt of the Imperial court.”

Because it was true, the Crown Prince could not refute it. The Empress spoke slowly.

“You’re right too. What’s wrong with sending his lover back to where she was supposed to be? But it will remain a scar in Leonhard’s heart.”

“…….”

The Crown Prince couldn’t afford to tell his mother to her face that he had wished for it.

The silence didn’t last long.

Because the official in charge of the prince’s daily routine appeared breathing heavily.

“Your Highness!”

The Crown Prince stood up.

“What’s going on?”

“The Grand Lord…….”

The Crown Prince and Empress’ identical eyes widened. The Crown Prince urged the official who could not speak properly.

“Did the Grand Lord escape from prison? In Topin?”

“That …… he was asking to meet Your Highness.”

“Ah, that’s no big deal.”

The Prince breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m busy right now, so tell him that I’ll visit Topin when I have time.”

“Not that! The Lord is waiting right outside the office!”

“…… !”

Before the Crown Prince could react, the Empress spoke first.

“Let him in.”

The door made of ebony wood opened slowly.

Leonhard looked as majestic as he had when he pulled out Rashir and dared to shed blood from the Prince’s hand.

And the woman standing next to him…….

“Lady…… ?”

A stupid word escaped from the Crown Prince’s mouth. He had hardly forgotten the face of a person.

The woman with black hair and mottled clothes like Leonhard was Celine Hunt.

Leonhard walked over and knelt down, as if he didn’t care whether the Prince was dazed or not.

“Frederick’s son Leonhard greets the Empress and the Crown Prince.”

“Rise.”

The Empress answered softly. She looked at Leonhard, who had raised his body, with warm eyes.

“Long time no see. Three years?”

“Yes.”

“Have you been well?”

“Yes.”

Leonhard answered briefly, and turned toward the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, I apologize for interrupting your time with Her Majesty the Empress.”

“I’m glad to know that you apologized.”

Leonhard didn’t even blink an eye at the Crown Prince’s sarcasm.

“But, I have a request that I must make, so I came to see you.”

“What the hell is that? You, who violated my orders and even escaped from Topin.”

“I want you to release my detainment.”

“…… Ha!”

The Prince jumped up from his chair.

“You are going too far, Leonhard Bernoulli!”

Even the Empress seemed to agree with the Crown Prince’s thoughts.

She looked at Leonhard with a mixture of regret and reproach.

Leonhard answered calmly.

“It is not just a request. If you release the detainment, I will destroy Agathirsus.”

“…… !”

This time, only pure surprise appeared on the Crown Prince’s face.

Agathirsus.

The nest of monsters that have tormented the Imperial capital for decades.

As the years passed, it grew in size, and even Leonhard expressed his displeasure that it was difficult to destroy.

“Is that the Agathirsus I know? Aren’t you referring to something else with a similar name?”

“You are right in your thinking.”

Leonhard’s tone was firm.

“If I come back undestroyed, you can detain me again.”

“That’s a given.”

The Crown Prince’s voice suddenly brightened. He looked straight at Leonhard with a satisfied expression.

“When you return, I will collect the detainment order as well as the deportation order for the party members.”

“All of my party have left for the North, so you can come and collect it now……”

The Crown Prince beckoned to the woman next to Leonhard.

“Your Lady.”

“This is Celine Hunt, Your Highness.”

A clear voice that did not match the dirty clothes resounded in the Prince’s office.

“Yes, I will also collect Lady Celine’s deportation order. I’m not going to ask you what she’s been up to without leaving the North.”

“Your Highness, there is one more request.”

“Another?”

The corner of the Prince’s lips twisted. The destruction of Agathirsus would cost even Leonhard his life.

He can give enough goods, titles, and territories for that.

“I escaped Topen because I deceived many officials. Please do not punish them.”

“…… !”

Only Celine Hunt was not surprised in the office.

The Prince was silent for a moment, then he barely regained his composure and answered.

“Yes. If you destroy Agathirsus, I will reward them. Do you have another request?”

“None.”

Leonhard bowed his head politely and left the office with Celine.

Their light steps showed a sense of victory.