CH 33

「…I will, Father.」

Honestly, he still wasn’t sure if he had made the right decision.

Seeing Eila’s happy face brought indescribable joy. But the mere thought of losing her felt like the ground crumbling beneath his feet, plunging him into an abyss.

Julion left the study and went to his workshop.

He took out one of the scrolls placed next to the desk and laid it out on the floor.

As he recited the activation phrase, his mana circulated throughout his body, and the magic circle drawn on the scroll began to glow blue.

Soon, a small projection of the same color as the magic circle appeared. It was a man wearing a large hooded cloak all the way down to his head.

On the chest of the cloak was a symbol of a snake biting a bird.

“I have a request.”

– Please proceed.

“I want you to escort my third son and daughter. If possible, I’d prefer your presence to be undetected by them, but it doesn’t matter in case of emergency. Above all, keep them safe.”

-Accepted.

Julion then began to explain the details.

*****

After returning to my room, I lay on the bed, waiting for the night to deepen.

I couldn’t wait to tell Clyde the news. Perhaps that’s why, even though I hadn’t slept properly for over two weeks, I couldn’t keep still.

I cast illusion magic on the bed, making it appear as though I was still lying there, and then I cast invisibility and transformation magic on myself before leaving the house. And after an hour, I arrived at Clyde’s mansion.

As I entered the bedroom, Clyde jumped to his feet.

“Ruby.”

“Clyde, I’m here.”

With a big smile on my face, I scurried over and sat down next to him.

Clyde seemed slightly bewildered, but a smile crossed his face as if he had thought of something amusing.

“You seem to be in a pretty good mood today. Did something good happen to you?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

I said, smiling broadly.

“I’m leaving Trachen.”

In that moment, the light vanished from Clyde’s eyes.

“…What, what did you just say?”

He asked, the corners of his mouth twitching.

I tried to answer immediately, but Clyde didn’t give me a chance to speak. He grabbed my shoulders with both hands.

“Ah, ouch!”

An intense pain caused me to involuntarily groan. Clyde’s red eyes flashed sharply, as if they could pierce through my entire body.

“You’re leaving? Where? Where are you going without me?”

“Clyde…”

I wanted to say that it wasn’t like that, but no words came out of my mouth.

“No, you can’t. I can’t let you go. I won’t lose you again. Seven years is enough. I can’t do it anymore. Never…!”

Clyde’s grip on my shoulders tightened, as if he could crush them.

“Aah, aah!”

At my scream, Clyde snapped out of it as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.

“Ru, Ruby. Are you okay?”

I couldn’t answer, my body was wracked with pain.

Clyde stumbled, not knowing what to do, and hurriedly took off my coat. This revealed my chemise and bare shoulders.

There were faint bruises on both of my shoulders in the shape of Clyde’s hands. When he saw them, his face turned pale as if all blood had drained from his body.

“I’m… sorry, Ruby.”

Clyde’s voice trembled as he spoke. He couldn’t bring himself to touch me or let go of me.

“Ruby… No, I… I didn’t mean for this to happen…!”

“…It’s okay.”

I managed to force out a voice through gritted teeth.

It still hurts, but I still can move my shoulders normally. Thankfully, I didn’t seem to have broken any bones. I struggled to put my clothes back on.

Clyde knelt in front of me, his expression filled with despair.

“I’m sorry, Ruby…. I… I….”

“Clyde. I’m fine. Look.”

I grabbed Clyde’s cheeks with both hands and made him meet my gaze.

“Are you really okay? Nothing’s wrong, right?”

I forced a smile, lifting up the corners of my mouth as much as I could.

His eyes, which had been staring blankly at me, gradually softened. And in an instant, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

“Clyde…!”

Clyde grabbed my hands with both of his and brought them to his forehead as if in prayer.

“…I’m sorry, I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I never… I didn’t mean it. Really.”

Clyde whispered apologetically, and I mustered my strength to hold his hands firmly.

“I know. Of course you didn’t. Clyde, you wouldn’t do something like that. It’s my fault for misleading you.”

Clyde lifted his head, his eyes still glistening with moisture. The tears were as pure and transparent as his innocence.

“Mislead…?”

“Yes. I’m not leaving you. I came here to ask you to come with me.”

“…With you? Where?”

“There’s a place called Andela in the northern part of the Empire. It’s famous for its snowfall for almost half a year and beautiful starry skies.”

“…….”

“But even if we go there, I won’t be able to be with you all the time. I’m sorry, but I’ll visit as often as I can….”

Before I could finish my sentence, Clyde hugged me tightly. His grip was so strong that my back almost bent backwards, and I nearly lost my balance.

“C-Clyde.”

“…….”

Clyde didn’t say a word. He just held me tightly in his arms, suppressing his suppressed sobs.

I stretched out my arms and held him still. I ran my fingers through his smooth hair.

*****

He doesn’t know how many times he apologized after that.

But Ruby, without showing any signs of being tired, said she’s okay as many times as she received apologies. She kept her bright smile throughout.

After Ruby left, Clyde, who had been sitting on the side of the bed in daze, suddenly grabbed his wrist.

The next moment, a black aura formed on his hand, and then, as if in an explosion, his wrist was sliced off below the knuckles.

“Argh…!”

Clyde placed his bleeding wrist on his other arm and released another burst of magic. His other hand was sliced off and blown away.

Clyde trembled as he held the severed wrist in front of him..

A moment later, bone and flesh sprouted from the wounds on both arms, regenerating new hands. At the same time, the hands on the ground crumbled to ash and disappeared.

The wounds disappeared cleanly without leaving a trace. It felt as if there had never been any injuries, except for the bloodstains here and there.

Clyde stared at his hands, and then concentrated mana on both wrists again.

Two hands flew away again, scattering blood.

“Ha…ugh, ugh….”

Clyde, covered in his own blood, let out a painful groan.

“…I’m sorry.”

Clyde murmured in a hoarse voice. Tears mixed with blood streamed down his jawline.

“I’m sorry, Ruby…”

For a long time, until the end of dawn, Clyde repeated his apologies endlessly.

*****

Count Mazenkir accepted my application without saying anything.

Perhaps my father had given him a hint in advance.

The one who was most delighted by my participation in the investigation team was Cecile. She had already submitted her application and passed.

“Now we can have pumpkin pie even in Andela.”

“What? Was that the only reason you wanted me to come along?”

Cecile giggled, watching me roll my eyes in disbelief.

*****

“Andela? That far? When will you come back?”

Sylphia asked, gathering her pretty eyebrows.

“I’m not sure of the exact date. Maybe if it’s short, about six months…”

“That long?”

Sylphia’s expression was as if the sky had fallen.

I couldn’t even bring up the word ‘a year at the longest’.

“Don’t forget about me while you’re there, Eila. Do you understand?”

Sylphia took my hand in both of hers and said firmly.

*****

“I’m surprised. How did you manage to convince Department Head Rojasis?”

Raphir looked genuinely surprised.

“Well, my brother Aslan agreed to go with me as an advisor to the investigation team.”

“Oh, well, that’s good.”

“So, speaking of that, that offer you made me earlier….”

“There’s no rush. I’ll get your answer when you get back.”

“What? But, surely, then….”

Raphir had said back then that the crown princess’ ceremony would take place in a month. Now it was less than a week away.

“I canceled the ceremony.”