The Emperor Who Was Chapter 68 : Chapter 68

Chapter . 68

Yolande and I reached an agreent, but Michelon was different.

When we returned to the residence, Yolande greeted us and went to the room she shared with Nanette, but Michelon ca to my room.

“What's the matter, aren't you tired?”

“You must be more tired. You didn't use my mana this ti.”

“…Yolande is still Imperial Father's person. It's better not to do anything that would make her suspicious of you.”

Even if Yolande left Imperial Father and ca to , Michelon's secret had to be kept until the end. That way it would be safer not just for

and Michelon, but for everyone.

But Michelon still seed dissatisfied. Being soone whose instincts are sharper than humans, he might have sensed that I was hiding sothing from him, if not Yolande.

“…Is that all you have to say to ?”

“Of course.”

I lied calmly. Michelon would know the truth soday. But I would never let him see the full picture of Ilaves's last monts with his own eyes like I did.

“…Do you take

for a fool?”

Michelon said coldly.

“Yolande is a talented individual even among the Emperor's mages. Far from not knowing what happened when Mother died, there is no way she didn't participate.”

“Yolande's hostage is also a mage, and they are in a complicated situation. I had to save Yolande and her husband together, and to do that, I needed to know how the two t.”

“So you used mory magic. So that Yolande wouldn't break the taboo of silence.”

Michelon interrogated .

“You saw Yolande's mories alone. But I saw your face watching it. You shuddered but didn't look away. Overflowing with determination to see it through to the end even while bleeding.”

“…There isn't much new information I found out. Our conjectures weren't wrong. Imperial Father's intention in forcing the polymorph experint doesn't appear in Yolande's mories. Because he isn't a man who explains his will to subordinates.”

I spoke my best, but Michelon sneered.

“Don't change the subject.”

“That's not it—”

“How terribly did Mother die that you are trying to hide it from ? I already told you I saw a bit even with incomplete mories, was the full picture worse?”

“…….”

“Why, am I wrong? You must have decided that I must never be allowed to see that scene, that only you should know?”

Michelon's golden eyes burned.

“Because you think it's a mory I can't handle, so you'll handle it instead? Judging by how you were bleeding profusely from your nose, it doesn't seem like you could handle it at all?”

“…I'll try.”

“What?”

“If it looks like I couldn't handle it now, I'll try to handle it.”

“…It's my mother's end.”

“It's also my friend's mother.”

“Hiding it from

while calling yourself a friend? Is that your friendship?”

“Yeah.”

In an instant, Michelon's golden eyes narrowed vertically, and he attacked

just like that. Charging forward.

I imdiately erected an invisible shield with magic.

Even if his power was usually hidden, it far exceeded human strength. Blocking that power wasn't easy even with magic.

‘It's tough…….’

I was already exhausted from performing new magic. Although mana and magic beco stronger every ti a new circle is ford, physical stamina to adapt was also needed when it was just ford.

We competed in strength like two stags pushing each other with horns locked in spring. Michelon trying to push my shield and knock

down too, and

trying to block Michelon's attack.

‘A dragon is indeed a dragon.’

That untad dangerous aggression. Is that why a brand is needed?

But Michelon was my friend. The thing I envied most about my other brothers, the fact that they were always surrounded by friends.

“Why are you laughing? Is it fun? Fighting with ?”

“Yeah.”

Michelon got angry pushing harder, but I couldn't deny it.

“My brothers always had many friends unlike .”

“So, are you sad because your only friend is attacking you?”

“No. It's fun thinking my brothers never fought with those many friends.”

“…….”

“I'm the only one who has a friend I can fight with.”

Suddenly strength drained from Michelon's attack. Because I laughed and he got angry, the tense balance tipped and I was pushed back. I ended up falling backward.

Michelon looked down at

with an angry face.

“You dare compare

with those things? With the crowd that only flatters around imperial family mbers calling themselves cousins or cousins of cousins? Those things aren't real friends.”

“How would I know? Those are all the friends I saw, and they always hung out together, playing fun gas and laughing excitedly.”

“Did you envy that so much?”

“Yeah. I wanted to play like that with my brothers too. Even with those who aren't brothers.”

Michelon sighed towards the ceiling. Then he tilted his head and looked at .

“I'll count it as a joke.”

“What?”

“That word just now. It's not funny, but I'll count it as a joke.”

“Ah, that thing about being allowed to joke with you?”

“Right, so it's a joke that you wanted to play with your brothers or flatterers. Don't say such things again.”

“Of course I won't. Since I have you now.”

“…Do well if you know.”

“I am doing well.”

“You doing well is hiding the mory containing my mother's end from ?”

“…I'm sorry.”

I lowered my head. Actually, I was sorry too.

“Show .”

Michelon said, gritting his teeth.

“…Please. I ask as a friend.”

“…No.”

“Why!”

Michelon shouted. The bedroom window vibrated. If I hadn't set up a barrier, it would have shattered.

“…I don't like it.”

“What don't you like? You saw everything.”

“I don't like you seeing it.”

“…You saw it and overca it, do you think I can't? Or, are you afraid I might kill your father right away?”

“Why would I worry about such a cruel man? But if you see this and get sad…….”

“If I get sad?”

“…I don't have the confidence to comfort you.”

“What?”

“I didn't have friends before you, so I don't know what to do in tis like this.”

Michelon stared at

intently.

“…My nanny died of illness. Because she suffered a lot. Still, she didn't die painfully screaming like that…….”

“What do you want to say?”

“I didn't want to watch Nanny's death. I wanted to run away and hide. I only watched because I didn't want to be separated from Nanny. Because it was the last ti I could be with Nanny.”

“You were young then. I am not even a weak human like you.”

“Pain is pain. Child or adult, human or dragon.”

“…Then, do you like fighting with ? Did that emotional and sentintal heart of yours feel just good and not hurt while fighting with ? Even now?”

Michelon's eyes clearly showed an intention to hurt .

“It hurts.”

“Still can't show ?”

“Yeah.”

“Because you don't trust that I will overco that wound like you?”

“I didn't overco it. No one can overco it. Just living carrying it for life.”

“What? What does that an?”

“What do you an what does it an, why must one overco it in the first place? Thinking one must forcibly do sothing impossible is also a wound. I had no choice but to watch as the manifestor of mory magic, but there is no need for you to do so too.”

“…You watched Nanny's death too. This is my duty as Mother's son.”

“As the son of the man who caused your mother's death, let

take that duty for a while. When you grow up, I will pass on that mory. Leave it to

until then.”

Michelon did not answer. After a long ti, the voice opening again was locked.

“I'll think about it.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“I haven't decided to leave it to you yet. I said I'll think about it.”

“Still, thank you.”

Michelon glared at , then extended his hand.

“How long do you plan to sit on the floor? For a Prince.”

“Because my legs hurt.”

I really had no strength in my body. Fighting with a friend was a very hard thing. More than high-level magic.

Then Michelon sat down beside .

We sat on the floor like that, silent for a while. Still, it was comfortable. I thought it would be awkward after fighting. Even though it was a bit awkward, thinking Michelon felt awkward too made

feel at ease.

“…Was it that bad?”

“…Yeah… Should I tell you in words at least?”

“Forget it, better to see once later. I asked about your nanny's story. Was it very hard when your nanny died?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell .”

“You want to hear?”

“Then do you expect

to let you carry the mories of your nanny's and my mother's deaths alone? Should share at least one.”

“…….”

“What are you looking at?”

“You are a really good friend, Michelon.”

“…Just start the story. I'm waiting.”

“Nanny… her face was white as a sheet. She had a high fever and kept coughing. Coughing and coughing, she vomited blood too. When I wiped the blood on her cheek, she told

not to co closer. Saying I might catch it…….”

The story that always hurt my heart just by recalling it flowed out without blockage. The sorrow knotted in my heart rode the story flowing from my lips, flowing endlessly like water, like wind.......

***

For a while, I thought Michelon would be fuming even in human form, but far from it, he was very lively.

“So, you an we have to liberate Vincent and Yolande together because of the brand and hostage issue?”

At Michelon's words, I nodded.

“That's right.”

“Hmm, then we are snatching the Emperor's and the Third Prince's mages simultaneously.”

Michelon smiled brightly.

“Setting the two free.”

“Of course. So they must pledge loyalty and dedicate their lives to you who set them free for the rest of their lives. Or else their conscience is dead.”

Michelon said, glaring at Yolande.

“Actually, I already back then—”

Since Yolande was also glaring, I quickly added from the side.

“No need to dedicate lives, if the succession war becos too dangerous, you can take Nanette and go to another country. There is no guarantee that it's safe from mage hunting there, but it would be better to live in hiding than here where many know you.”

Yolande's eyes widened. But Michelon was more shocked.

“What? Are you crazy?”

Michelon shouted.

“You saved mages with difficulty, but you won't accept loyalty?”

I shouldn't say she's a benefactor from before the regression here. Although I want to fight together badly, I didn't want to make the benefactor who suffered so much before the regression suffer again. Since she died because of

in the end.

“Um, because she suffered a lot in the anti?”

“No, did you make her suffer?”

I did though.

“Um, Vincent got hurt because of —”

“No, did you hit him!”

“Um, because she has to take care of Nanette?”

“No, why does Nanette leave in the first place? Sticking by your side as a cutie, when you ascend to the throne, she would live in luxury receiving favor along with her sister and brother-in-law who contributed to that victory. Rolling around excitedly with knights like the noble ladies seen at the First Prince's banquet and living fun lives!”

“I will absolutely never send Nanette to such places before she turns forty. Sa for you—”

“rciful Prince Leontes!”

Yolande, who had no chance to intervene because the two of us kept talking, raised her voice.

“I told you I would pledge my loyalty as I serve the Prince. I am boundlessly grateful for your consideration for my family, but we want to repay the grace.”

“She says she wants to do it herself! Stop saying clueless things!”

“Ahem, being by my side can be dangerous. If the succession war breaks out, everyone will get involved, so Nanette won't be safe either.”

But Yolande said firmly.

“In a world full of people trying to use us, there is no safer place than by the side of the one who helped us.”

“Right, you speak refreshingly, Mage!”

Michelon nodded greatly.

“I like you, Yolande. Will I like your husband too?”

“Of course, Lord Michelon.”

When Yolande answered smiling brightly, Michelon grinned too.

Although forced, I worried because Yolande participated in the magic causing Ilaves's death, but the two seed to get along well.

When I asked Michelon quietly later, he just shrugged.

“You acted so ineptly, I had no choice.”