CH 48

‘.. D*mn it.’

He felt so thirsty. It was a terrible thirst that could not be quenched with a mere lot amount of water as the sea. What would happen if she didn’t show up? Just the mere thought of that caused turmoil in his heart. It was a feeling that he had never felt before. Verndia with his bowed head covered his face with both of his hands.

Where did this thirst come from? How to vanquish it? He doesn’t know. It was terrible. He just longed for something for the first time in his life. He hoped and hoped like he had never hoped in his entire life.

He wanted to see her,

He wanted to see that she was alive and well with his two eyes. No, he only wanted to see her but to ow where she could be…

At that very moment,

“……!”

The ring resonated.

Verndia turned behind him. He looked at the tent where the giant dolls had protruded. There was Psychke Silkisia, there she is. He ran toward her like a crazy man. The crow was flying in front of him, perhaps feeling the other half of his soul. He pulled back the tent that had become rags. He saw that the floor where there was nothing swelled up as if it was going to explode.

It was where Aiden claimed that there was a magic circle. Verndia drew his sword. The easiest way to destroy a magic circle is to destroy it. Even though all you can see was black, if he cut it down, wouldn’t it react to something? He thought so.

He wasn’t like the cold-blooded man he usually was, not taking the slightest consideration into the reaction this thing would have. But before he even swung the sword once. The floor exploded.

Dirt poured out of the air like a fountain. A crow popped out of the dirt. It was Croa. The crow, whose vision was blocked by the dirt, collided with the brother who was flying so hard that it sounded like a thud.

– Kaaaaw!

– Kaaaaw!

“Cough!”

The crows that had fallen, tangled together, quacked. However, Verndia did not pay attention to them. He heard the voice of the princess, but why can’t he see her? He desperately groped the ring in his finger, she was definitely here. But why can’t she be seen? And why was the princess’s voice so small that it seemed like it could be heard from far away?

“Cough!”

There was a small, harsh cough, as if vomiting dirt. Verndia reflexively looked back in the direction of the sound.

[Move!]

[You get out of the way!]

It was a point not far from where the crows were fighting. An unbelievable sight unfolded before his eyes. He froze for a moment.

“… Princess?”

“Cough, cough!”

Psychke’s appearance after rolling on the floor was a mess. Her body was covered in dirt and dust. She has wounds that still bled. Yes, that was what he was expecting of her appearance. He expected that she might be hurt here and there. Because she always goes out and gets hurt. Because she didn’t follow him today.

She might be, she thought.

However,

“Why…… is she small as a bean?”

He had never even dreamed that a situation where Psychke in this small figure will happen.

***

“It’s a taboo to invite Silkisia to the North.”

Was he six or seven? It was the day he went down to the capital in his carriage to meet Silkisia. Young Verndia nodded his head. He knew that too, that Silkisia had never been to the North except in its earliest days.

“Is it because here is too far away?”

“Rather than that-”

His mother looked out of the window. It was still a northern territory, so the whole territory was covered with snow.

“The only thing the South doesn’t have is always in the North.”

“….?”

“You will know when the time is right.”

Little Verndia didn’t know why. It was the same even when he became an adult.

‘Did I fall asleep?’

Bright light seeped in through the open curtains. Verndia, who had been sleeping uncomfortably on the sofa with one arm covering his eyes, stood up. The report resting on his chest fell onto his thigh. It was something he watched even before going to sleep. He squeezed his tired eyes.

No matter how much time you split, there was a limit to what the capital could handle. As for the monsters, he had to return to the north as soon as possible.

It should be…..

‘It’s okay to stay a little longer.’

Verndia had no intention of staying in the capital for this long. The reason why he came to the capital in the first place was that Lia had called him in saying that he had discovered ‘Traces of the use of forbidden magic’.

The prince’s banquet?

That sort of thing. He originally intended to return after having Isolet present as an agent. It may cause the emperor’s anger, but it’s not a big deal to be hated. It was enough if the situation became difficult because they did not send imperial knights.

But…

‘Shall we stay until the banquet?’

After Psychke sent Lia’s magic formula, things got a lot better in the North. People are no longer helpless, and he has heard of some victories in small battles. So, wouldn’t it be okay to stay in the capital until the prince’s coming-of-age banquet is over?

‘It’s going to be hard to see after that anyway.’

Silkisia cannot go to the North. Honestly, he wanted to take her. Whether it’s using swordsmanship as an excuse or breaking up engagements. He wanted to take her no matter what excuse he had to say. The moment he saw Psychke, who appeared after a few hours, he realized his feelings.

He couldn’t believe it even after realizing it, so he pondered and questioned himself over and over again. However, no matter how much he thought about it, there was only one conclusion.

‘Since when did this happen?’

Small laughter came out. He never could have imagined that he would feel this way for someone. He wondered how he had become such a blunt person. However, he had no regrets. He was honest with his feelings. He wouldn’t know if he didn’t realize it, but he didn’t pretend he didn’t know.

(TN: Maaan, the wait is over!! Guys, Verndia finally realized his feelings. Celebration!!! Psychke, now, when?)

Hence, he decided to move as his heart led him.

‘I missed you.’

(TN: Aacckk!! M-my heart! Wa-wait…. Ahhhh…)

It’s been hours since he hasn’t seen her. He wanted to see Psychke. As soon as he felt that he wanted to see her, he checked her location with his ring.

‘Is she in her room?’

Even today, the princess was well in his mansion. It was one of the things that got better after her body got smaller. That she would never go out alone anymore. After checking where she was, he picked up the fallen report. He wanted to finish these things quickly and go see her. But nothing caught his attention.

‘Is there no other than these?’

His mind was filled with princesses wearing cute doll dresses. There were no clothes that fit, so Cecil put the doll’s clothes in the storage room in a hurry. Unexpectedly, it fit so well and looked so cute, so there was an uproar.

‘I don’t want this….’

She really didn’t like them, so he doesn’t know what to do.

‘Ah, what should I do?’

Unknowingly, he laughed out loud. She is so cute he was going crazy. What should he do? He don’t think he can go back to the North alone.

(TN: Psychke’s cuteness attack overload!! Pew, pew, pew!)

‘Should I just kidnap her?’

Verndia, who was giggling, eventually tumbled to the floor. Then he stood up with a smile on his face. Isolet’s eyes widened as he quietly opened the door and came in, staring at his who looked like a madman.

(TN: Isolet, hush, you know that love makes him crazy. Ahaha.)

***

[For the Princess one.]

Tak.

[For Myself one.]

Tak.

[For the Princess one.]

Tak.

[For Myself one.]

Tak.

The chocolate cookie tops piled up according to a certain beat.

“It’s okay. You can stop.”

Psychke dissuaded the cookie tower from collapsing. She was eating a piece of cookie that Croa splits.

[Why are you eating so slowly? It tastes awful?]

“No, it is delicious. I just eat slow.”

After her body got smaller, she could only do basic training, so her activity level decreased. It seemed that she ate more and Croa she took care of her and there. Croa in the form of a crow tilted his head to the side. The wind blew and the bracelet on the top of her head glittered.

It was an ornament that Psyche had brought from Silkisia. The crow stretched out his wings and put her bracelet back on so it wouldn’t fall off.

[Princess, when will you grow up again?]

“I am not sure.”

She couldn’t even figure out why she was so small. Although she said that Lia and the Duke would help her.

‘I don’t think this is too bad.’

Is it a joke or serious?

Verndia’s harsh words came to her mind. Psychke let out a light sigh.

[Hehehe. You are shorter than me.]

Croa stabbed her with his words, as if it was strange to be a person smaller than crow. Psychke sneezed at her a few times as her feathers rolled around in front of her nose.

[Do you want to ride on my back? Do you want to leave?]

“No, it’s okay.”

After being nearly run over by the servants a few times while wandering around her hall, Croa kept trying to give her a lift. Even when she escaped from the maze, it was difficult because of her motion sickness, so further flying was not recommended. She was also afraid that she would fall.

[Mmm. Then what are you playing with?]

Something came to her mind when he asked what she was playing with.

“Croa.”

Psychke, who was drinking tea, put down a small teacup. She quietly stared at the crow. She then forgot about it and couldn’t tell him. She seemed to have something to say.

[Yes?]

“Sorry. I don’t think you listened to what I said in the maze.”

[What did I say?]

As if he really couldn’t remember, Croa tilted his head while holding the bracelet on his head.

“I mean, don’t go anywhere, and ask me to play with you. This is a secret though…”

Before receiving a Suin’s blessing, all of Crow and Croa’s words sounded like cackling. So, even if she tell Croa the secret, it will not enter anyone else’s ears. Psychke lowered her voice so that the words would not leak out of the room.

“Sooner or later, the duke and I will break off our engagement.”

[What is a breakup?]

“To cancel an engagement?”

[Oh, I know that. Why is that?]

“…. What?”

[Can you play with me even if you cancel your engagement?]

Croa blinked his innocent eyes. Psychke was perplexed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with the Duke?”

[Yes. I need to be with father. But why is that? The princess is also with father.]

“…. If he cancels our engagement, I won’t be here anymore.”

[…] !]

Croa was surprised and froze. She didn’t have the confidence to look at those wide crimson eyes. Psychke lowered her eyes.

“Sorry.”

Croa stared at her as if he wanted to deny the reality.