I had immense confidence in the decisions I made to ensure the prosperity
of the Imperial Magic Tower and prevent its sale.
But upon reflection, I realized there was another issue.
The proposal letter.
My relationship with Hedera wasn't just between a princess and the tower
auditor. We were once teacher and student, and I had even sent her a
proposal letter while drunk.
What if this visit wasn't about the sale?
What if Hedera's visit was because of the proposal letter?
"…"
My head hurt.
But it was already spilt water and an unquenchable fire.
Lost in thought, I suddenly sensed a presence.
At the other end of the corridor, a woman with the overwhelming aura of
dragon blood was staring at me.
I stood my ground as she approached, accompanied by a guard, maintaining
a steady pace.
At a certain point, the distance between us closed, and when we were within
arm's reach, we both stopped.
"It's been a long time."
A restrained tone. It was the woman who broke the silence first.
She had changed a lot but was still beautiful.
Her jet-black hair and mask that covered her mouth. The only part of her
face visible was her eyes, which sparkled like blood-formed jewels.
"Yes, it's been a long time."
This woman was Hedera, the 2nd Princess of the empire.
A woman skilled in commands and dragon words due to her dragon blood
and who might one day become the empress of the empire.
It was around then that I sensed a fierce killing intent.
At first, I thought it was Hedera, but fortunately, it wasn't.
The source was the guard standing like a statue by Hedera's side.
His face was hidden by a helmet, and his hand was already on his sword's
hilt, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
I ignored it.
Feeling threatened by a mere guard. Never.
"Have you been well? No, what have you been doing?"
Hedera asked in a very restrained tone.
Not a simple greeting, but a question about what I've been doing.
In my situation, it was a very difficult question to answer.
─This mission is confidential.
─No one but you and me must know.
─Your deceased men… there are quite a few survivors.
─At least they should live. Do you understand?
It was difficult to reveal the mission I had carried out at the time.
The Emperor had eliminated everyone who knew the truth except for me,
and Hedera, despite being his daughter, would be no exception.
However, it wasn't just for Hedera's safety.
─Ah… Captain…
─Our names… Please tell them someday…
─I promise.
Because I made a promise to my men that day.
My men were the core of my life, so I never forgot that promise. To
eventually reveal this truth across the continent, it was too soon to tell
anyone now.
To make one fatal strike, the blade must be honed quietly. No one should
see the process, and sometimes even I had to deceive myself.
A grand mission, revenge, is like that.
So, it was best to evade Hedera's question for now.
"It was just okay. Ordinary days."
It was the best answer, but Hedera's eyebrows twitched.
Complex emotions flickered in her eyes. It was clear she was thinking about
how hard it was for her to ask, yet my answer was so simple.
It seemed she decided to confront it directly.
"Do you remember the last game we played?"
Hide and seek. I remember.
"You never found me."
I quietly nodded.
At that time, Hedera's obsession was beyond imagination.
The mission to close the demon realm's gate while the emperor held off the
Demon King. Hedera was so determined to stick with me that it was the
best excuse to get her to stay away.
When I didn't respond, Hedera sighed.
Swish.
She quickly gathered the documents she was holding.
Then she pulled out a small piece of paper from between them. Even from a
distance, I could immediately recognize it as the proposal letter I had
written and sent.
"Why did you send this letter?"
"…"
But this had a different reason that I couldn't explain.
I wrote it while drunk. I couldn't possibly say that.
Our reunion was after a very long time, and there were huge circumstances
I hadn't even begun to explain.
…But for the cause of that reunion to be a drunken letter.
Hedera pressed for my answer.
"Do you have no intention of answering?"
It was clear that telling the truth would be disastrous. At this moment, the
best I could do was ask her a question in return.
"Why are you asking?"
"…Hmm."
Hedera slightly furrowed her brows.
She had a face that showed she couldn't understand why I would ask that.
Well, what would it feel like to face a man who sent a proposal letter but
couldn't explain why he wrote it?
But she continued in a restrained tone.
"You once said this. To always give my best in front of you."
Hedera's red eyes were staring at me.
"So I'm asking you with all my effort now. Why did you send this letter?
More importantly, did you write it yourself?"
Countless thoughts crossed my mind.
First, I couldn't tell her the real reason.
Several plausible excuses came to mind, but I didn't want to deceive
Hedera with shallow lies. My life itself was a product of the royal family's
falsehoods.
After finishing my thoughts, I finally said this.
"…The reason isn't that important."
Then, the black pupils in Hedera's red eyes narrowed vertically like a
reptile's. From behind her mask, I could hear her teeth grinding.
"I did write it, but I can't tell you the reason yet."
"Ha…"
In the end, Hedera let out a hollow laugh.
No, it was more of a sigh than a laugh.
A disappointment in herself for having expected something. A feeling of 'of
course.' I couldn't dare comprehend the complex emotions she was
experiencing.
"Indeed, the past seems to be heavily romanticized."
A dry tone, like leaves about to crumble.
"I was nothing to you, and now you covet a royal position… Yes. Now I
understand for sure. It's a relief. I can live from now on without holding
onto distorted hopes."
Hedera crumpled the letter and put it in her pocket.
"I'm leaving."
That was her last word, and Hedera started walking down the corridor,
passing my shoulder.
Click. Clack. The sound of her high heels echoed at regular intervals in the
corridor.
Click. Clack.
The girl who had once waited idly for days in the distant past had now
grown into a woman who could say she was leaving and do so confidently.
It was a pleasing growth, but at the same time, I knew.
That I couldn't just let Hedera go like this.
"Hedera."
I spoke the 2nd Princess's real name.
But even though she clearly heard me, she didn't stop. There was no
hesitation in her steps.
"I'm not finished speaking yet."
Only then did she stop.
She still had her back to me, but I understood the meaning of her stopping.
She would listen.
"The reason isn't important because there's something more important."
Then Hedera started walking again.
Click. Clack.
She walked as if she didn't expect anything from what I was about to say, as
if she would treat it as an excuse no matter what.
I took slightly larger strides to catch up with Hedera.
And in the moment our distance closed,
Swoosh!
I grabbed her pale wrist and turned her towards me.
At the same time, a bright white blade slashed towards my neck.
Clang!
The guard had quickly drawn his sword, but his hasty strike couldn't cut
through the ice wall I swiftly erected. I could sense surprise from the tip of
his blade.
I slowly parted my lips.
"That letter…"
Though written under the influence of alcohol, the sentiment wasn't false.
A word I could still say without hiding.
At the same time, a word that wouldn't deceive Hedera.
"At least, it was sincere."
Immediately, both Hedera and the guard stopped moving.
The corridor fell silent as the sound of footsteps ceased.
Our gazes met in midair.
In the moment my blue eyes mixed with her dragon's red pupils.
In a peculiar moment where time and space seemed to stand still.
I was still holding her wrist.