Chapter 16 : The Tyrant’s Tranquilizer
Translated by Tam
Edited by Genie
Alie and Serwin returned to the room. For Alie, it was a familiar scene, but she was with Serwin so she felt so awkward today that she only moved her eyes.
It was Serwin who opened his mouth first, breaking the silence.
“First, I’ll apologize.”
“Pardon?”
That was a word that she had never imagined would co out of his mouth. Alie opened her eyes wide and looked at Serwin.
“For your neck.”
“The stranglehold was because the disaster took over your body.”
“But it’s what my body did. And just before this— I hugged you as I wanted.”
“Ah, that’s an apology.”
Alie blushed and avoided eye contact. On second thought, it was embarrassing. Seeing her embarrassed, Serwin beca embarrassed.
As his gaze wandered it reached Alie’s neck. His fingerprints remained there. Seeing the handprint, he rembered what the disaster had done with his body. When wrapped around her neck, he clearly rembered her blood beating that ran hot, the fragile bones that he felt under her thin skin, and how she was struggling to live.
The disaster tried to kill her from the bottom of its heart. It’s terrible just imagining it. Serwin took a deep breath to calm himself. Then, the scent that had disappeared like a prank filled his lungs.
“It’s strange. If I sll this scent—.”
Serwin’s eyes beca hazy.
“Scent?”
Alie asked again.
She put her nose on her arm and sniffed, but all she could sll was dirt on her clothes.
“Don’t you know? You sll good.”
He approached her as if he were possessed by the sll. Then he bent down and inhaled deeply. His tension lted away. He wanted to be buried in this sll. And he could also sleep comfortably because of it.
‘Aaaa—’
Alie swallowed a scream. The skin did not touch, but the hot breath tickled the neck. It’s too close, but it’s not touching. She was torn between whether to push Serwin away or not.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
Serwin said. His low voice stimulated Alie’s ears. Every ti his breath touched her Alie’s face turned red.
“Your Majesty, stop—.”
Alie whispered like she was crying. Serwin only then realized that he was too close.
‘You’re making a fool of yourself.’
Serwin frowned. As soon as he slled her scent, he couldn’t co to his senses as if he were drunk. He strode to open the window. As the wind ca in from the outside, the scent of Alie was gone. He was both relieved and sad.
Serwin’s face was more terrifying than ever.
‘Look at his face. I should stay still—”
Alie slipped away to the corner of the room. It was the sa as when a bird looked at another person’s eyes by lowering its head slightly so that the round top of its head could be seen well, and moving only its eyes.
Even though the appearance changes, the inside remains the sa. Serwin laughed in vain.
“I never thought the witch I was looking for would be next to .”
“……I’m sorry I lied to you. But I didn’t know why Your Majesty was looking for , and I can’t just get caught.”
“Didn’t you go there on your own for that? Where the hell does that recklessness co from? You really almost died.”
“That— I didn’t know there was such a thing as a disaster. I thought you’re just evil…”
Alie shuddered.
“Is it because of the sa situation you were looking for , Your Majesty? Because I can defeat the disaster?”
“Let’s correct that first. You didn’t make the disaster go away.”
“Then?”
“It doesn’t go away. It’s still sealed inside . Your power only calms the disaster. Now… You seem like you’ll faint.”
“What is it about that makes it possible?”
“I don’t know.”
“Pardon?”
Alie asked back blankly. You don’t know? No way! Serwin ca to visit Alie on purpose. And when the disaster was pulled back by her, she accepted it calmly. Then he should have known its secrets to so extent.
“If it’s hard to say, tell it’s hard.”
“No, I would have explained it right away if I knew.”
“You really don’t know? So how did you know that you have to co here?”
“The person who sealed the disaster in my body told . Find the Witch of the Fidelia Forest in 20 years.”
“That’s it?”
Serwin nodded.
“You ca to without knowing what it was? This far?”
“Because I had no other choice.”
Alie was speechless. Isn’t that too much of a pain? On the other hand, it occurred that he must have been so desperate.
“Let’s talk about the details slowly. It’s a long way to the palace.”
“……I haven’t said I’m following you yet, Your Majesty. Would you mind not deciding on anything you want? And don’t think everyone will absolutely follow your word.”
Serwin giggled and laughed.
“You were about to run away. Didn’t you make up your mind then?
“…..”
“Aren’t you worried about your family? You don’t look very similar but they seem special to you.”
Serwin knew everything. Alie shut her mouth tight.
‘How can you look into people like that, you’re a jerk. When did you notice that my father is the Count?’
It was as Serwin said. The mont she hesitated in front of the window, she had already made her decision. No matter what the disaster is, no matter how strong it is. She will follow Serwin to defeat the disaster.
She still wanted to run away. Serwin is scary, and life in the palace is scary. The disaster is worse than she imagined, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it. Nevertheless, Alie could not run away.
Alie wanted to live happily. Before, she thought she could live happily even if she left alone, saying, “It’s a disaster or whatever.” But it wasn’t true anymore. After accepting Count Dellahaim and Renee as her own family, Alie learned that the happiness she hoped for was with them. So surviving alone was aningless to her.
It’s scary to follow him. She didn’t know what kind of misfortune would be waiting for her like in the original. However, if she turned a blind eye to the disaster and tried to avoid it, it was clear that this continent would soon be destroyed. It was better to face it herself.
Alie, who made up her mind, made eye contact with Serwin. His eyes were sharp as if they looked inside of Alie.
“I’ll help you defeat the Disaster. But I can’t do it with just what you said. Please give a fair reward and guarantee my anonymity and safety. Otherwise, I can’t follow you to the palace.”
Alie looked at Serwin’s hand. There was no guarantee that this hand would not strangle her again. Alie still vividly saw Serwin strangling her.
Still, Alie reached out her hand.
“Co on, now we’re in the sa boat.”
Serwin looked at her hand. The white hand trembled with fear and tension.
“I’ll help you, and you have to protect .”
Alie continued her words straightforwardly.
“I promise.”
Serwin grabbed her hand carefully. The soft feeling that filled his hand was the sa as holding a bird. He felt sleepy again, so he let go quickly, and felt disappointed.
After a brief conversation about what was to co, Serwin prepared to return to the palace, and Alie visited Renee and revealed the secret she had been hiding. There is a disaster in Serwin, and it was the disaster that manipulated Serwin’s body, and that she needed to prevent it.
Alie adapted the story into sothing like a dream and told Renee, and Renee’s expression changed mont by mont when she heard her story. Renee shouted when Alie told her that she had decided to follow Serwin to the palace.
“Following the Emperor to the Imperial Palace! That’s not good! The palace is a tough place. You’ll never be left alone!”
“He has decided to be assured of my safety and anonymity. It won’t go according to the prophecy. That’s why I’m going to do that.”
Alie asked him to keep it a secret that she was the daughter of Count Delahaim to prevent it from going according to the prophecy. And she asked for several additional safety asures. It may not be a big deal in a way, but it was an important matter for Alie. Because she didn’t want to see Delahaim destroyed by himself.
“It’s too dangerous..”
“Renee, I’ve already made up my mind. And don’t worry. I will be able to stop the crisis this ti and get out of the way of the precognitive dream, right? It won’t be like that in the future.”
“If you really want to go, I’ll go too.”
“You can’t do that.”
When Alie flatly refused, Renee bit her lips. She seed to have made up her mind. Eventually, Renee was forced to agree to Alie’s decision.
While the two were struggling, the preparations were completed, and the knights began to get on their horses. Alie, who got into the carriage, grabbed Renee’s hand and couldn’t let go easily.
“Are you sure you’re not going to see father?”
When asked several tis already, Alie nodded.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I’d be able to leave if I saw father.”
Renee sighed.
“Please take care of father.”
“Don’t worry, you can trust .”
“Thank you.”
Alie patted Renee on the back. Finally, the two hugged each other tightly and released their hands. The carriage slowly began to move away.
Renee looked quietly at the carriage that was moving away.
‘You almost died because of . So, this ti, I’ll do whatever you want. But I won’t let you suffer alone. Hang in there.’
Renee had decided. She’ll follow Alie as soon as things get sorted out here. It was obvious that Alie would stop her, so she had to keep it secret.
Renee went back to the mansion where her father was waiting alone, making promises for the future.
******
The Delahaim estate was far from the Empire, they had to pass through the space transport magic camp twice. In addition, the space transport magic camp was mainly installed in the middle of nowhere, so there was no village to rest on the way. It was a hard journey.
The party stopped for a while before passing through the first moving magic camp. It was to take a break and allow any stragglers to catch up.
Even though the first break was only for a half day, the knights moved about busily. The movents of watering the horses and preparing them for als were seen, and they seed to be very familiar with long-distance travel.
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