CH 109

Ilior, who was walking in such a hurry, was able to face the Third Prince, Eleon, who was walking this way from afar.

"......"

"......"

There was an awkward atmosphere between the two brothers who hadn’t met each other in a long time.

"Long time no see, Brother Ilior."

"......That’s right."

Ilior instinctively realized that Eleon was also on his way to visit the Emperor because of what happened in the Alton Estate this time. It must be like that because he had a card to give to the Emperor. There had been a subtle sense of distance since the common goal of succession to the throne was established between Eleon, once a friendly brother, and himself. Ilior felt bitter about it.

"After Brother Cazer is gone, our relationship isn't what it used to be."

A faint smile appeared on Eleon's lips at Ilior's bittersweet voice.

"I'm the same as before, Brother."

"Eleon, I mean......"

"I know. It would be incomprehensible that I, who does not seem to be greedy for the throne, would come forward here."

At Eleon's words, Ilior flinched and trembled as if he had been caught in a secret he didn't want to be revealed. That was right. To be honest, he thought that if Cazer was removed, the throne would of course be his. That was until his younger brother who only knew to travel and read books quietly claimed the right to succession. Of course, Eleon also had his right, so even if he exercised his right to the throne, he could not stop it. However, when he realized that he had ruled out Eleon's existence from the succession to the throne, Ilior felt an unbearable shame. When Eleon spoke as if he knew everything about it, his tightly closed lips could not open in embarrassment.

"I also wished that if someone had to become Emperor, it would be Brother Ilior, not Brother Cazer."

"......!"

"At least you are not the kind of person who will rise to the throne by stealing everything I have."

Ilior's eyes widened at the words of Eleon, who showed no greed for the throne as much as he had thought. It was a completely unexpected remark. After driving out their common enemy, Cazer, they fought a psychological warfare with their respective forces.

"You speak as if you don't want the throne."

"The throne is just a means to me. To protect what I have."

"......"

"How about Brother? What is Brother coveting the throne for?"

"Of course it’s......"

Ilior's face, who was about to answer Eleon's question, hardened for a moment and soon distorted. He couldn't think of a reason why he thought it was too obvious. Why did he want to become Emperor?

"At first, I just wanted to see Father's distorted face."

At first, he just thought he didn’t like to see the only son that his father really acknowledged ascend to the throne. He was already fed up with him and his brother being treated like tools that should only be used for an Empire ruled by Cazer de Crombell. From some point on, Ilior felt the thrill of imagining his father's face that would be horribly distorted when he became Emperor, not Cazer.

"It's not very pleasant to see him as soon as there's a problem with Cazer’s safety."

Ilior tapped Eleon's shoulder a couple of times, who was smiling quietly, and then passed him by. He had come too far to come to think of a problem he had never considered before.

"......"

Eleon looked at Ilior's back for a long time before moving on.

* * *

Sarah asked as she sat on the chair and looked at Belluna with her twinkling eyes.

"What do you think?"

"......Um."

"Belluna, is it just plain medicine to you?"

Belluna was analyzing the ingredients of the medicine Sarah had asked her to find out by pulling out silver mana like a thread. The medicine fluttering in the vial followed Belluna's silver mana, gradually twinkling up and down in mysterious colors. Sarah's eyes also sparkled, moving up and down along the rising and falling medicine. And Claude, who was shining with her eyes next to her, asked in a voice full of curiosity.

"Sister Belluna, is this a bad medicine?"

"......We don't know yet."

Belluna, who had been receiving the gaze of the two of them, tried not to let them notice her fingertips trembling with slight tension. After Sarah brought the medicine vial, saying it was used by Claude's friend's nanny, Belluna had a heavy task. The task was to investigate whether the medicine in this vial was intact.

"One thing is for sure, this is not a drug you take to recover your body. We'll have to find out more about what effect it has, but it's toxic."

"......I see."

Claude's face hardened at Belluna's words.

"So the scary nanny was trying to hurt Elexa's mom?"

"......"

Sarah gently hugged Claude, who looked surprised. Then, holding him in her arms and patting his back, she comforted him for a while.

"She's a really bad person."

"Yeah, she's a really bad person."

Claude grabbed Sarah's hem and bit his lip. He was horrified to imagine what he would have been like if someone as scary as Elexa's nanny had become his nanny. He liked Sarah. He loved that Sarah was his nanny. So Claude buried himself deeper into Sarah's arms.

"I feel sorry for Elexa."

"We can help Elexa-nim. So don't worry too much."

Sarah hugged Claude, who was hugging her tightly, a little tighter. Then she quietly beckoned Belluna. Then, in the air, letters made by Sarah's magic appeared quietly.

[You'd better be careful about what you say in front of Claude-nim from now on.]

Belluna nodded quietly. Then, just like Sarah, she used magic to make letters.

[It is more toxic than you think. It's a small amount right now, but if you increase the amount even a little, you could lose consciousness right away.]

[Are you sure?]

[I'm sure. I'll be able to identify the types of medicinal herbs soon.]

[I’m counting on you, Belluna. I'm glad you're here.]

A very faint blush appeared on Belluna's face, which had become redder at Sarah's words. At that moment, Benjamin, who was watching Sarah and Belluna having a conversation with magical letters from afar, said.

"I also know how to do detox magic."

Benjamin was not allowed to be with Claude. Therefore, he had no choice but to speak loudly from afar.

"That's not what we need now, Benjamin."

When Sarah politely but resolutely refused, he shut his mouth again. Benjamin, who was about to bow his head a little sullen, made eye contact with Claude, who was looking at him in Sarah's arms.

"Hmph."

Claude looked coy and stuck out his tongue when his eyes met.

"Ha."

Seeing Claude acting as if he was teasing him, Benjamin swallowed a smirk. Without Claude, he would be able to get even a little closer to his master. However, there were few times when Claude and his master were separated, and Benjamin had no choice but to stand this far away. That little brat knew it and would tease him like that every time.

'That little brat seems to like Belluna somehow.'

Claude generally didn't like his master's disciples very much, but he liked Belluna a little. Did he know that Belluna was weak against small and cute things? Occasionally, when Claude grabbed Belluna's hem with his tiny hand, she would stiffen. Claude seemed to enjoy it a bit.

'......While he hates me.'

Was it because his first impression was not good? Only Benjamin was on the lookout for Claude. He told his master that he was afraid of Benjamin, that Benjamin was staring at him whenever he had a chance. In fact, it was clear that he wasn't scared anymore if he had been teasing Benjamin by sticking out his tongue like that.

"It would be better if he was truly frightened, though."

Benjamin nodded as he recalled Claude, who had been shaking in front of him but had blocked his master. He was now trying to lower the corners of his mouth that were about to go up. But then Claude's words saved Benjamin the trouble.

"Nanny, I'm scared of that uncle smiling."

"Benjamin, take two more steps back."