CH 116

Cecile stared at the person kneeling before her. With waist-long straight silver hair and deep blue eyes like an azure sky, there kneeled an eye-catching beauty in the form of a handsome little boy. He exuded an alluring but pitiful air that stirred the urge to tease in the beholder; like an adorable puppy, somehow, he made women want to say “Follow me and come lie down on my bed”. That’s how most women would react, that is, except for Cecile.

“That’s Richard!” Cecile yelled with fright.

Richard’s appearance had transformed from that of a man in his late twenties to that of a young prepubescent teen, but there was no mistaking that he was the mage lord who’d been diced to bits at Estian’s hand.

“Wow. How did she recognize me with one look?” Richard wondered aloud, as he stood and wiped the pitiful look off his face.

“Wouldn’t it be strange not to?”

“I’ll have you know that no one else has ever seen through it,” The mage lord shrugged. With a look that said ‘I told you so!’ Richard turned towards Estian and crossed his arms.

Cecile was baffled—no matter how she saw it, he appeared like a slightly younger Richard. How was no one else able to tell? However, she moved on to her more pressing concern. “Rather than that, it can’t be that the person who’s to guard me is…?”

“Yes. It’s Richard,” Estian replied. Seeing Cecile’s look of betrayal, Estian quickly continued. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, I’ll explain.”

It took a while before Estian was finally able to convince Cecile of the arrangement. “…So, you’re saying, he can never harm and must protect me unconditionally due to a magical vow,” Cecile summarized hesitantly.

“Right, so it’s okay to rest easy,” Estian assured her.

“You say that but…” Cecile trailed off, remembering how Richard was the culprit that had brought the phantom beast egg, made a mess at the imperial palace, and how he’d continued to jabber on despite having his arms and neck dismembered. Even being trampled by Girgantia had failed to stop him.

Worry and wariness were clearly reflected in Cecile’s eyes. Truthfully, Estian was as uneasy as Cecile, but he couldn’t think of anyone better suited to guard her in his and Kane’s absence. Richard’s capability was undeniable. His title as lord of the Mage Tower meant there was no one on the continent more proficient or stronger than him in magic. The only problem was the man was somewhat of a lunatic.

Fortunately, when Estian proposed placing various magical constraints on Richard, the mage lord had obediently accepted if that meant he could remain at the empress’s side. His overflowing curiosity towards Cecile had led him to accept Estian’s offer of release in return for guarding the empress’s safety. In fact, he’d begged for it.

“Will this be enough? Now I can never do harm to your wife. Not only that, I made it so that if she dies, I’ll die too. Should I add some more?” Richard enthusiastically began casting magical restraints upon himself with glee. Even in Estian’s eyes, the amount of restraints cast was excessive. What more could he ask for?

“You’ll have to change your appearance a bit,” Estian commented. Richard’s appearance was recognizable; it would be wiser and less troublesome to have his identity obscured, and it was a simple task for the mage lord.

“I don’t mind changing appearances, but… I have the feeling it’ll be pointless in front of your wife.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly as I said.”

The emperor had wondered what nonsense Richard was uttering, but it turned out that Cecile had indeed recognized Richard at a single glance. She appeared dubious that no one else had managed to recognize who he was, as if it was strange that it wasn’t apparent to everyone else.

It appeared that Cecile was the outlier though—Estian had called upon Kane to test out Richard’s disguise, and while the knight commander had eventually discovered Richard’s identity after sensing his mana, even he initially was unable to determine who was the man-turned-boy.

All that aside, there was still the matter of Princess Yuliana. Her power was not of the offensive kind, but it was necessary to figure out how it functioned. Cecile had to be protected and Yuliana had to be stopped simultaneously, and there was no better person than Richard for the job.

“Cecile, it’s alright,” Estian comforted, as she hid herself behind him and gazed fearfully at Richard.

“But I’m still scared,” Cecile whispered.

“What am I? A rabid dog?” Richard complained.

“Here, I’ll prove that it’ll be fine. Cecile, go ahead and give any command to Richard,” Estian said.

“Any command?”

“Yes. It can be anything. Something that’s as humiliating as possible. Something that you’d doubt he’d ever comply with.”

Cecile lapsed into thought—what had Richard said a moment ago? Rabid dog? Remembering the man’s complaint, Cecile commanded Richard, “Sit!” Instantly upon command, Richard kneeled before her. “What’s happening?” Cecile said in amazement.

“As you can see, Richard will unconditionally obey your words.”

All that aside, there was still the matter of Princess Yuliana. Her power was not of the offensive kind, but it was necessary to figure out how it functioned. Cecile had to be protected and Yuliana had to be stopped simultaneously, and there was no better person than Richard for the job.

“Cecile, it’s alright,” Estian comforted, as she hid herself behind him and gazed fearfully at Richard.

“But I’m still scared,” Cecile whispered.

“What am I? A rabid dog?” Richard complained.

“Here, I’ll prove that it’ll be fine. Cecile, go ahead and give any command to Richard,” Estian said.

“Any command?”

“Yes. It can be anything. Something that’s as humiliating as possible. Something that you’d doubt he’d ever comply with.”

Cecile lapsed into thought—what had Richard said a moment ago? Rabid dog? Remembering the man’s complaint, Cecile commanded Richard, “Sit!” Instantly upon command, Richard kneeled before her. “What’s happening?” Cecile said in amazement.

“As you can see, Richard will unconditionally obey your commands.”

Cecile tentatively stepped out from behind Estian. “I still feel anxious, so I think I’ll try another command.”

Richard fearfully watched the empress gaining more confidence, and stammered, “W-what are you going to…?”