A laugh escaped my lips, which had been fuming at his words.
Jealousy grounded in trust was like a delightful game.
He wouldn't stop kissing me, whether I smiled or not, whether my lips were closed or parted.
After giving him time to cherish me, I said,
"Let's go to the training ground together tomorrow."
I'm running my hand down the back of his neck.
...Why the training ground all of a sudden?"
His straight shoulders twitched nervously.
"Let's go watch Grand Duke Joseph receive swordsmanship training from Commander Macrom."
"I... thought jealousy would turn into a duel, so I was nervous."
I glared at him, and he seemed to enjoy this expression on my face, as if he'd been waiting for it.
"While we're on the subject, how about a swordsmanship duel at the training ground?"
"Hey, that's not fair."
"You're confident in your victory?"
Are you underestimating my skills because I'm pregnant?
"You said that because you thought you'd lose?"
"!"
"What good would it do to beat someone holding the Incarnation Sword? You should just crawl."
His feigned dejection was quite convincing.
The mention of swordsmanship suddenly brought to mind a story I'd heard from Grand Duke Joseph.
"Oh, by the way, when did your swordsmanship start improving? I heard you were terrible when you were young."
"...Macrom's memories are distorted. I've been good since I was young."
A vein near his temple bulged.
The two of them were happy to be warm, and I was happy to be able to let off some of that unwanted heat.
As the three of us walked through the cypress forest, hand in hand, young Joseph asked me,
“What’s your ideal type?”
As expected, Grand Duke Joseph looked terrified.
"Is what Empress Elan just said true?"
"I-I don't think you'll believe me..."
"No. I'll believe you, no matter what anyone says. I'm not on good terms with Emperor Adrian either. So, you can be honest with me."
I smiled calmly, trying to reassure Grand Duke Joseph.
I vowed to myself that I would tell Grand Duke Joseph when he was an adult that I was the one who had recently knocked Emperor Adrian unconscious.
Grand Duke Joseph looked at Empress Elan warily for a moment, then spoke timidly into my ear.
"Emperor Adrian is the sorcerer 'Philike'. The sorcerer who cursed Your Majesty and me and caused Grand Master Macrom to lose his sight."
"...But how can that sorcerer be Emperor Adrian?"
“When I was trapped in the cursed ice... he came to the secret room. It was before I left for the Continental Hunting Tournament, and he clearly told me then! She was Philike!”
I raised my head, glancing back and forth between Linel, Macrom, and Empress Elan.
“If what Grand Duke Joseph said is true... that sorcerer Philike is in Emperor Adrian’s body, right?”
Empress Elan asked, her lips trembling.
She looked shocked and confused.
Of course, the shock was even greater because she was Emperor Adrian’s Empress.
“It’s impossible to live in someone else’s body without using black magic. I clearly cut off that bastard’s right arm in the Valley of Death and threw it down the valley... but how is he still fine...?”
Linel’s face twisted as he recalled that day.
“Oh, if that sorcerer Philike really used black magic to borrow Emperor Adrian’s body, wouldn’t he lose the use of his right hand?”
Even if you borrow someone else's body through black magic, if there's a flaw in your own body, that part will function weakly, just like your own.
Linel nodded, looking confused.
"Oh, His Majesty Adrian doesn't usually use his right hand! Come to think of it, he often drops things he picks up with his right hand."
Empress Elan, who had been deep in thought, raised her voice.
"Your Majesty, wasn't that Philike a wizard employed by Emperor Adrian? There must be some connection."
Commander Macrom asked him through clenched teeth.
"Yes. I think it would be best to speak to the Magic Tower Master again. Philike was his disciple and should be well-versed in black magic..."
"That would be good."
"For now, everyone, treat Prince Tesla as before until his trial is over. He mustn't know we know this."
Everyone nodded with determined eyes at Linel's request.
“I told you I wouldn’t let you off if you spoke...”
Grand Duke Joseph lowered his head, trembling with fear.
“Did Emperor Adrian threaten you?”
“Yes... Ma’am. He said he’d lock me back in the ice if I told you.”
What a despicable man.
Not only did he curse him, but he even threatened a child while stealing someone else’s body?
Sparks erupted from my fingertips.
I flicked the sparks at several oil lamps lined up at regular intervals on the wall.
The sparks from my fingertips landed squarely on the wicks of the lamps, fanning the flames.
Normally, I would have clenched my fist and swallowed the heat, but I released it, fearing it might affect the child.
“Wow! This is incredible!”
Jealousy grounded in trust was like a delightful game.
He wouldn't stop kissing me, whether I smiled or not, whether my lips were closed or parted.
After giving him time to cherish me, I said,
"Let's go to the training ground together tomorrow."
I'm running my hand down the back of his neck.
...Why the training ground all of a sudden?"
His straight shoulders twitched nervously.
"Let's go watch Grand Duke Joseph receive swordsmanship training from Commander Macrom."
"I... thought jealousy would turn into a duel, so I was nervous."
I glared at him, and he seemed to enjoy this expression on my face, as if he'd been waiting for it.
"While we're on the subject, how about a swordsmanship duel at the training ground?"
"Hey, that's not fair."
"You're confident in your victory?"
Are you underestimating my skills because I'm pregnant?
"You said that because you thought you'd lose?"
"!"
"What good would it do to beat someone holding the Incarnation Sword? You should just crawl."
His feigned dejection was quite convincing.
The mention of swordsmanship suddenly brought to mind a story I'd heard from Grand Duke Joseph.
"Oh, by the way, when did your swordsmanship start improving? I heard you were terrible when you were young."
"...Macrom's memories are distorted. I've been good since I was young."
A vein near his temple bulged.
"Commander Macrom said there were many witnesses besides himself, didn't he?"
I asked, needlessly sarcastically.
"Their collective memories must have been distorted. They were jealous of the Crown Prince's prowess at swordsmanship."
The expression on his face as he sullenly retorted was quite adorable. And he didn't realize how poorly he was at lying.
“You said you’d throw your sword and act like that when you lost to Commander Macrom? Claiming it was a cowardly move.”
“That was a legitimate protest.”
“Since when is poking someone’s eye out during a sparring match a legitimate protest?”
He flinched at my words.
“Macrom even told Joseph that? Leaking something like that... This is almost treasonous.”
I patted him on the back and asked him what had been on my mind all along.
“By the way, why did you go to Pecilini’s palace? If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll make a legitimate protest.”
I raised two fingers and pretended to poke his eyes. He burst out laughing, then his expression changed to a serious one.
“Pecilini is pregnant too.”
“...Huh?!”
“Calm down, baby. I’m not your brother or sister.”
Linel whispered, pressing his face against my stomach, then turned back to face me and began to explain in detail.
***
The next morning, Linel and I went to the main palace and took Grand Duke Joseph to the training ground. Before entering the cypress forest path, Grand Duke Joseph stomped his feet and insisted on walking hand-in-hand to the training ground. Linel checked my condition first.
“Are you alright?”
“Of course. No problem.”
I lightly dismounted and took Grand Duke Joseph’s hand, who had already dismounted. I expected Linel to take his younger brother’s hand, but he came up next to me and took mine.
“What... are you doing?”
“We held hands, just like Joseph said.”
“You should have held the Grand Duke's hand, not mine.”
I whispered softly into his ear.
“You don’t hold your rival’s hand carelessly.”
“Rival? What are brothers competing over?”
He looked at me and lifted his chin in response to my question. Could it be me?
“Yes, Lady Zelda.”
When I pointed at myself, Linel nodded.
“I don’t want your hand either, Your Majesty. It’ll only make us both colder.”
At that moment, I heard the clear voice of Grand Duke Joseph, who was standing right next to me.
“Haha, it’s nice to hear that.”
He chuckled and nudged Grand Duke Joseph’s cheek with his finger. He pretended to be competing with Grand Duke Joseph, but in reality, he was acting out of consideration for his younger brother.
As Joseph had said, the two of them holding hands was sure to make their body temperature drop even more. I held the two men’s hands on either side of me and shared my body heat equally.
The two of them were happy to be warm, and I was happy to be able to let off some of that unwanted heat.
As the three of us walked through the cypress forest, hand in hand, young Joseph asked me,
“What’s your ideal type?”
Linel craned his head forward, looked at Joseph, and said with a displeased expression,
“That’s exactly what my ideal type is.”
He looked smug, confidently claiming he was my ideal type.
“Really?”
Grand Duke Joseph asked me, looking at his older brother with distrust.
“Um... well, looks are like that.”
“Are you saying it’s not his personality?”
He bristled slightly.
“I prefer a man like you who laughs a lot.”
“Ahaha, I’m a pretty funny guy, aren’t I? Hahaha.”
Grand Duke Joseph’s bright smile was truly beautiful.
“He’s already popular even without smiling... And now that he’s laughing a lot, how am I supposed to handle it?”
He muttered to himself with a discontented voice. Could he be jealous of his younger brother?
“I want to marry Your Highness someday!”
“!”
Grand Duke Joseph puffed out his small chest, revealing his ambitious ambition.
“He’s definitely...”
Linel muttered quietly, glancing sideways.
Aha, it seems the Grand Duke has declared war, intending to marry me. And so began a subtle war of nerves between the two brothers. The two men grabbed my hands from both sides, causing my body to dance as I walked to the training grounds.
When I arrived at the training grounds and entered, Commander Macrom was already waiting. And...
“Elan? What’s the matter with you?”
I approached Empress Elan, who was talking to Commander Macrom.
“You seem to be in better condition than I heard from the captain. That’s good.”
Empress Elan was also happy to see me.
“I wanted to get together anyway... So, what brings you here? Are you two planning to spar or something?”
I smiled, glancing back and forth between Empress Elan and Commander Macrom. Commander Macrom's expression, however, seemed quite serious. As I approached Empress Elan, Grand Duke Joseph suddenly hid behind me and stopped walking.
"Um, I'll stay here."
"Why?"
I asked, turning around. Grand Duke Joseph muttered with a frightened expression. He seemed to have something to say, but he couldn't quite bring himself to say it. Ah, maybe it's because Empress Elan is unfamiliar. I quickly introduced her to Grand Duke Joseph.
"Oh, the person next to Commander Macrom is someone I know well. She's Empress Elan of the Tebello Empire."
"I know..."
"Have you met Empress Elan before?"
I asked Grand Duke Joseph, and Empress Elan answered.
"I saw you a while ago, when you were taking a walk by the lake with His Majesty Adrian."
"...Not the silver hairtail, but the Emperor of the Tebello Empire has awakened?!"
“Yes, I was surprised too. I was planning to visit your residence today to deliver the news anyway.”
Empress Elan spoke to me, observing Linel, who was silently listening. My expression crumpled involuntarily at the mention of Emperor Adrian regaining consciousness. But strangely, Grand Duke Joseph’s expression also turned sour.
“Elan, did something bad happen to Emperor Adrian and our Grand Duke Joseph at the lakeside?”
I asked her, patting Grand Duke Joseph’s back as he held my waist tightly with both arms. She hesitated for a moment before nodding and slowly opening her mouth.
“The one who trapped Grand Duke Joseph in the cursed ice... seems to be Emperor Adrian.”
“...What do you mean?!”
So Emperor Adrian is the one who cursed Linel with hypothermia and took away Commander Macrom’s eyesight? No, I said he was a wizard from the Southern Continent who knew the Wyvern language. Emperor Adrian also knows the language of the wyverns...
“I don’t know for sure. I just overheard your conversation. You should ask him yourself.”
Empress Elan cautiously nodded to Grand Duke Joseph and spoke to me.
“Joseph, speak. Quickly!”
Linel’s angry voice echoed throughout the training grounds. He wasn’t angry with Grand Duke Joseph, but the young Grand Duke could have heard it as somewhat oppressive.
I lowered myself and met Grand Duke Joseph's gaze.
As expected, Grand Duke Joseph looked terrified.
"Is what Empress Elan just said true?"
"I-I don't think you'll believe me..."
"No. I'll believe you, no matter what anyone says. I'm not on good terms with Emperor Adrian either. So, you can be honest with me."
I smiled calmly, trying to reassure Grand Duke Joseph.
I vowed to myself that I would tell Grand Duke Joseph when he was an adult that I was the one who had recently knocked Emperor Adrian unconscious.
Grand Duke Joseph looked at Empress Elan warily for a moment, then spoke timidly into my ear.
"Emperor Adrian is the sorcerer 'Philike'. The sorcerer who cursed Your Majesty and me and caused Grand Master Macrom to lose his sight."
"...But how can that sorcerer be Emperor Adrian?"
“When I was trapped in the cursed ice... he came to the secret room. It was before I left for the Continental Hunting Tournament, and he clearly told me then! She was Philike!”
I raised my head, glancing back and forth between Linel, Macrom, and Empress Elan.
“If what Grand Duke Joseph said is true... that sorcerer Philike is in Emperor Adrian’s body, right?”
Empress Elan asked, her lips trembling.
She looked shocked and confused.
Of course, the shock was even greater because she was Emperor Adrian’s Empress.
“It’s impossible to live in someone else’s body without using black magic. I clearly cut off that bastard’s right arm in the Valley of Death and threw it down the valley... but how is he still fine...?”
Linel’s face twisted as he recalled that day.
“Oh, if that sorcerer Philike really used black magic to borrow Emperor Adrian’s body, wouldn’t he lose the use of his right hand?”
Even if you borrow someone else's body through black magic, if there's a flaw in your own body, that part will function weakly, just like your own.
Linel nodded, looking confused.
"Oh, His Majesty Adrian doesn't usually use his right hand! Come to think of it, he often drops things he picks up with his right hand."
Empress Elan, who had been deep in thought, raised her voice.
"Your Majesty, wasn't that Philike a wizard employed by Emperor Adrian? There must be some connection."
Commander Macrom asked him through clenched teeth.
"Yes. I think it would be best to speak to the Magic Tower Master again. Philike was his disciple and should be well-versed in black magic..."
"That would be good."
"For now, everyone, treat Prince Tesla as before until his trial is over. He mustn't know we know this."
Everyone nodded with determined eyes at Linel's request.
“I told you I wouldn’t let you off if you spoke...”
Grand Duke Joseph lowered his head, trembling with fear.
“Did Emperor Adrian threaten you?”
“Yes... Ma’am. He said he’d lock me back in the ice if I told you.”
What a despicable man.
Not only did he curse him, but he even threatened a child while stealing someone else’s body?
Sparks erupted from my fingertips.
I flicked the sparks at several oil lamps lined up at regular intervals on the wall.
The sparks from my fingertips landed squarely on the wicks of the lamps, fanning the flames.
Normally, I would have clenched my fist and swallowed the heat, but I released it, fearing it might affect the child.
“Wow! This is incredible!”
Grand Duke Joseph’s eyes widened as he saw this for the first time.
As if he had never been trembling before, he rushed to the lamps. He stared intently at the flames, then turned to me and gave me a thumbs-up.
“Emperor Adrian practically squelched the Grand Duke's mouth by the lake. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t just step in.”
Empress Elan looked at the excited Grand Duke Joseph and brought up that day again.
“Actually, it’s been on my mind ever since that day, and when I heard that Commander Macrom was going to the training grounds to train the Grand Duke in swordsmanship, I wanted to apologize to him.”
After speaking, she bowed slightly to Grand Duke Joseph with an apologetic expression.
“Empress Elan, you won’t tell him, will you?”
Grand Duke Joseph asked her.
“Of course. I am Her Majesty’s servant. So I won’t do anything that would harm the Grand Duke.”
Empress Elan said, kneeling before Grand Duke Joseph.
Only then did a relieved smile spread across Grand Duke Joseph’s face.
Who dares threaten this silver hairtail?
I wanted to go there right away and roast him whole.
But with that Philike inside Emperor Adrian's body, I couldn't do anything rash.
What should I do...?
After visiting the martial arts training hall with the two brothers who love me, I returned to my quarters.
Lately, I've been feeling lazy while eating lunch, so I took Sharon to the beautifully landscaped West Palace for a walk.
As I was walking slowly in the cool breeze, Sharon stopped me in my tracks.
As if he had never been trembling before, he rushed to the lamps. He stared intently at the flames, then turned to me and gave me a thumbs-up.
“Emperor Adrian practically squelched the Grand Duke's mouth by the lake. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t just step in.”
Empress Elan looked at the excited Grand Duke Joseph and brought up that day again.
“Actually, it’s been on my mind ever since that day, and when I heard that Commander Macrom was going to the training grounds to train the Grand Duke in swordsmanship, I wanted to apologize to him.”
After speaking, she bowed slightly to Grand Duke Joseph with an apologetic expression.
“Empress Elan, you won’t tell him, will you?”
Grand Duke Joseph asked her.
“Of course. I am Her Majesty’s servant. So I won’t do anything that would harm the Grand Duke.”
Empress Elan said, kneeling before Grand Duke Joseph.
Only then did a relieved smile spread across Grand Duke Joseph’s face.
Who dares threaten this silver hairtail?
I wanted to go there right away and roast him whole.
But with that Philike inside Emperor Adrian's body, I couldn't do anything rash.
What should I do...?
***
After visiting the martial arts training hall with the two brothers who love me, I returned to my quarters.
Lately, I've been feeling lazy while eating lunch, so I took Sharon to the beautifully landscaped West Palace for a walk.
As I was walking slowly in the cool breeze, Sharon stopped me in my tracks.
"I think it would be better to go around the other side."
"What's wrong?"
"There's a carriage from the Empress's palace in front of Her Highness Pecilini's quarters."
"Judging by Roxana's visit, it seems the rumor that His Majesty visited Pecilini's quarters yesterday has spread to the Empress's palace."
"That's right. Word spreads fast."
Since it was a rumor deliberately spread on Linel's orders, it couldn't have been faster.
As I recalled the conversation he had with Pecilini the night before, my eyes met with Roxana's as she emerged from the living quarters. I had no choice but to greet Roxana, begging her to stay away, but my wish was denied.
Roxana began to walk towards me, smiling as if we were so close.
Damn it.
'Baby, I'm sorry. I only wanted to show you the good things...'
I stroked my belly, letting him know that life was about to get a bitter taste.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a carriage from the Empress's palace in front of Her Highness Pecilini's quarters."
"Judging by Roxana's visit, it seems the rumor that His Majesty visited Pecilini's quarters yesterday has spread to the Empress's palace."
"That's right. Word spreads fast."
Since it was a rumor deliberately spread on Linel's orders, it couldn't have been faster.
As I recalled the conversation he had with Pecilini the night before, my eyes met with Roxana's as she emerged from the living quarters. I had no choice but to greet Roxana, begging her to stay away, but my wish was denied.
Roxana began to walk towards me, smiling as if we were so close.
Damn it.
'Baby, I'm sorry. I only wanted to show you the good things...'
I stroked my belly, letting him know that life was about to get a bitter taste.
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