Chapter 333

Episode 333: White Lion (1)

"How did you do it?"

"It's a simple sealing magic. I just blocked the force trying to seep out."

"Simple? Really?"

"It's not perfect, so be careful. Your awakened power will grow stronger over time, and once it surpasses a certain level, the seal will easily break. But for now, it buys us some time."

"A sealing magic, huh. Unbelievable."

Rine may appear this way, but she is a student who boasts considerable knowledge in theoretical aspects.

Even for someone like Sören teacher who has devoted sufficient time and effort, sealing magic is considered quite advanced.

It's not a magic that can be immediately unleashed in such a short time.

'Well, it's Mr.Rudger, so it's not that surprising anymore.'

However, Rudger's attitude, nonchalantly treating it as nothing out of the ordinary, was somewhat peculiar.

At this point, it seemed almost intentional.

"Rine, I've explained everything to you, but remember, you must not tell anyone that you possess the judgment eye."

"Why ?"

"If news spreads that you have the judgment eye, the Lumensis Church will do whatever it takes to take you away. And the demon that appeared this time is no different. We can't guarantee that there won't be others targeting you."

"That's... I understand."

Rine nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation.

However, she suddenly remembered that there was one more person who had seen her changed iris.

"Um, Teacher."

"Why? You're not considering revealing that it has already been discovered, are you?"

"...."

Rine instinctively averted her gaze from Rudger's eyes and a cold sweat ran down her forehead.

"Who saw it?"

"I-It was just one person. Senior Erendir."

"Erendir von Exillion, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, I see..."

Since the two of them were often together, it wouldn't be strange for Erendir to notice Rine's changes.

However, the problem was her position.

If she was an ordinary student, Rudger could handle it casually, but Erendir was a member of the royal bloodline.

No matter how you look at it, even Rudger hesitated to warn her about it as a personal matter.

'But if I were to ask Princess Eileen, I would have to explain the judgment eye to her as well.'

It would have been better if fewer people knew about the existence of the judgment eye.

Even if it was Eileen, Rudger wouldn't go as far as telling her about it.

Considering Eileen's personality, she would probably try to use Rine in some way.

It was best to keep it hidden.

"Rine, do you consider Erendir as someone you can trust and follow?"

"Yes? Me?"

"I want to know your opinion."

"Well..."

Rine hesitated about what to answer.

She could either evade the question or even tell a lie.

But Rine knew that's not what Rudger wanted.

At the same time, she didn't want to give a superficial response.

"Senior... I can trust her."

"Is that entirely your own judgment?"

"Yes. Of course, I don't know everything about her. There may be aspects of her that I'm unaware of. But still, I want to believe."

Rine answered honestly while her heart trembled with anxiety.

Even if Rudger were to criticize her for being naive and ask what she could do with such careless thinking, it wouldn't be strange.

However, Rudger readily accepted Rine's answer with a surprising level of trust.

"Alright. If you say it with such conviction, I won't probe any further."

"Oh, you understand?"

"Didn't you mention that you have faith in her?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then that settles it."

Rudger believed that if Rine expressed such strong conviction, he could place enough trust in her words.

It was closer to trusting in the power of the judgment eye than trusting her judgment.

'She won't associate with someone who has a negative impact on herself.'

Of course, as Rine, she was overwhelmed by deep emotion, thinking that Rudger trusted her and spoke so easily.

"But Rine, even if you trust her, you never know when news might leak. So be cautious as much as possible."

"Yes!"

"If someone unfamiliar approaches you, be on guard. If they are overly friendly, be even more suspicious."

"Yes? Yes."

"Don't follow someone just because they offer you food."

"....Teacher, aren't you treating me like a child?"

And what about Rudger?

Rudger wasn't the type to stay quiet when facing someone hostile towards him.

Especially if the person knew his weakness, there was a possibility that he would use somewhat extreme means to shut their mouth.

'What should I do?'

Sedina hoped that neither of them would get hurt.

Both of them were precious to her.

"Sedina, do you have something to say?"

"Oh, no. Well..."

In that fleeting moment, Sedina agonized over whether to ask or not, more than a hundred times.

"Just, it's nothing. I think I must have been mistaken about something."

Sedina's final choice, as she mumbled it as if it were nothing important, was to dismiss the matter.

Rudger also noticed that Sedina's behavior was somewhat awkward, but he didn't bother to pry.

He thought there must be a reason for Sedina to act this way.

"Oh, right. Hans senior sent a message."

"Hans?"

"He's currently waiting, but he said he wants to see you as soon as possible."

"He wants to see me quickly?"

"Yes. He didn't explain the exact reason, but judging by his urgent tone, it seems like something has happened to him..."

Rudger pondered what could have happened to Hans.

The answer came to him quickly.

"Oh, I see."

He recalled who Hans and Bellaruna were currently with.

Grander.

His eccentric mentor was with them at the moment.

'I wondered why my mentor didn't come to see me. He must have found another target to torment.'

As it was, Grander had been quite intrigued by Hans for a while.

A person who accepted the beast's nature and transformed accordingly.

Even for Grander, who had lived for a long time, Hans was an interesting subject.

"However, it's not pleasant to be the target of my mentor's interest."

Hans urgently wanting to meet must be to ask Rudger to intervene with his mentor.

Rudger shook his head.

He felt sorry for Hans, but at the moment he couldn't leave the palace.

There was no justification, and calming down his mentor's boredom, which had fallen into monotony, was quite a burden for Rudger as well.

"Send a reply asking Hans to wait a few more days."

"Yes, understood."

After Sedina left and Rudger was alone, he tried to recall what else was left to do.

There was nothing.

He had received all the compensation from Eileen, and he had been in contact with President Elisa.

He had finished all the conversations with Rine, which had bothered him the most, so it was safe to say that he had completed everything he needed to do during his stay at the palace.

'The only thing left is sending news about Bellaruna to Mr.Chris.'

Should he at least take a look during the remaining time?

With that thought, Rudger returned to his assigned residence and narrowed his eyes when he saw a doll standing awkwardly at the entrance.

"What business do you have in my room, Mandelina?"

"Uh, uh?! Weren't you in the bar room!"

"I stepped out for a moment to have a conversation with the President."

"Oh, you went to the external communication room."

"Yes, so if you came looking for me, it must mean something has happened."

"W-Well, that's true, but..."

Mandelina broke into a cold sweat and avoided Rudger's gaze.

She still found Rudger intimidating.

Even though she knew he had no intention of killing her, the deep-rooted fear engraved in her memory didn't easily fade away.

Rudger had no intention of reassuring Mandelina either.

Knowing that once you give her an inch, she takes a mile, it was better to keep this tension intact.

"So, what brings you here?"

"W-Well, I wouldn't call it a business. A guest came from outside."

"A guest? Did someone come to see me?"

"Oh no, not you. They came to see the emperor and the first princess."

A guest significant enough for the Emperor to personally come.

Rudger sensed a strange uneasiness in Mandelina's attitude and her words.

"Although the First Princess told me not to say anything, I can't help but worry a little."

"So, who came to visit?"

After hesitating, Mandelina answered.

"It's the Kingdom of Bretus. They sent an envoy."

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