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EPISODE 174 – COUNTDOWN (1)
Jude and Cordelia sat next to each other as they looked at the invitation with fancy handwriting. The invitation was made from a very high-quality paper and sealed with the royal family’s seal.
“Uh… Does that mean we’ll all be taking a bath together?”
“I think so. The contents are a bit different from what we first heard.”
An hour or so after their tea party with Princess Daphne.
If he summarized the contents of the new invitation that Maja brought to them, it was as follows:
Let’s play in the water together two nights later.
Together with Jude, Dion and Darianne.
‘Hey, isn’t this a bit too much for a bath?’
Since it was an act of revealing their naked bodies, he didn’t want others to see Cordelia’s naked body, even if they were of the same sex as her.
“The place remains to be the same… Perhaps we’ll be wearing swimwear in something like a hot spring. Or is this kind of like a night pool?”
When Jude muttered to himself, Cordelia’s eyes widened before she asked.
“Night pool? What’s that?”
“It’s literally a swimming pool that you go to at night. That is, if the pool in broad daylight is a playground for the whole family, the night pool is like a playground for adults.”
Because no kids would be there.
At Jude’s vague explanation, Cordelia frowned and began to think before she asked again with a curious face.
“Is it like a club then?”
“There are places like that in clubs, and there are places like swimming pools in hotels that are only open at night.”
Having said that, Jude stared off into the distance for a while as if he was recalling something.
Cordelia then asked in an unexpectedly fast tone.
“Had you gone there in the past? Who did you go with? A woman? A girlfriend?”
“Eh?”
“Who did you go with?”
Cordelia’s face drew closer.
So Jude’s shoulders flinched in reflex, and he unconsciously said as if he was making an excuse.
“That… I’ve never gone there to play, I just happened to know about it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Why would I pretend to have been there, or lie about never going there…right?”
“Hmmmmmm…”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes and Jude spontaneously gulped in nervousness before she soon smiled. She couldn’t help it.
“What? Why are you smiling all of a sudden?”
“Why? I just want to smile.”
Jude narrowed his eyes like Cordelia did before he slyly smiled. Cordelia somehow got annoyed and pinched the back of Jude’s hand. It didn’t hurt much though.
“Moving on, we’ll have to get prepared.”
“Prepared?”
“We have to buy swimwear. We didn’t bring any swimwear.”
Because it was winter now.
No, even if it was summer, they wouldn’t have brought swimwear.
How could anyone even imagine that they would be swimming and playing with the princess in the future?
“I’ll cash the cheque we got into easy money. We need to prepare for the other events too.”
As Jude enumerated the other events one by one, Cordelia looked at the invitation again before raising her head.
“What about the preparations for the ball?”
“There is that too… but we really have little time left before that day arrives. We have so much to prepare.”
Their plan to foil the plans of the Black Moon, which was the limbs of the Lord Protector in the royal capital, was not yet perfect.
The political position of the Lord Protector had been somewhat weakened due to the attacks of the aristocrats, but the attack time itself was too short in the first place, and Black Moon and the Lord Protector wouldn’t just collapse from a few of their corruption cases being revealed.
They needed a stronger shot.
“Are we doing that for the third time?”
“Yes, it will be the third and last notice of Phantom Thief Pink Bomb.”
The third target for their crime had been decided a long time ago.
Including what they had decided to steal.
“In addition to that… there are other things to prepare, right?”
“Yes, I have to plan an escape route… and there are a lot more people to protect here than in Langesthei.”
At that time, only Lucas and Cordelia needed to be protected.
But this time, the number of royalty they needed to protect far exceeded 10 people.
‘Of course… if we’re just going to prevent the destruction of the barrier, protecting Princess Daphne only will be enough.’
But that was really the worst case scenario.
‘We need to save as many royalty as possible. No, we need to make sure no one dies.’
It would be best to make sure that there were no victims.
Cordelia would wish for that too.
“One way or another… it will be a big fight in the end, right?”
Cordelia said with gloomy face.
Even if they succeeded in protecting all the royalty, it would be impossible to completely ensure that there would be no casualties.
‘A bloody uprising.’
The Lord Protector’s side would be fighting to the death, so damage was inevitable among those who guarded the royal capital, such as the patrol guards and guard knights, as they would be stopping the enemies.
‘What we can only do is to minimize the casualties.’
Destroying the Black Moon was also just to reduce the damage.
“Eueue… I feel a bit frustrated at times like this. I wish I could just tell them everything and make them understand.”
If they could inform the royal family in advance of the plan to annihilate them, they could detain or execute the Lord Protector.
But that was impossible.
People wouldn’t believe what Jude and Cordelia would say.
Who would believe that the Lord Protector, the hero who saved the country, was plotting to annihilate the royal family just because the two recalled the memories of their previous lives?
Rather, they would imprison Jude and Cordelia or send them to a mental health facility.
Jude nodded in agreement to Cordelia’s words, and he placed his hand over her hand.
“Aren’t we lucky though?”
“What?”
“Because we’re together in this.”
At Jude’s words, Cordelia was puzzled as her eyes widened before she giggled and said.
“Hey, you too?”
Are you happy to have me? Are you relieved that I’m here?
Jude nodded his head at her cute look.
“Yes, me too.”
If I was alone, I would have to do all of these things by myself, so it would be much harder and lonely than now.
“I would have become Pink Bomb if I was alone.”
“It’s not too late for that, Mister Black-hearted Black Cloak.”
“Yes, Miss White-hearted Pink Bomb. I am satisfied with just being Black Cloak, your sidekick.”
Jude smirked like always before he stood up and said.
“Anyway, let’s go. It’s shopping time, shopping time. Shouldn’t we spend the money we earned?”
“Hmm… well, that’s fine. We came to the royal capital, but we didn’t have the time to properly tour the royal capital’s weapon stores. I was thinking of getting a whip.”
As Cordelia grinned and answered, Jude had a bitter smile.
What kind of girl would be thinking of a weapon store first when going shopping?
“Why? Did I say something weird?”
“No, Princess. You said it very well. Let’s hurry while we’re at it.”
“We’re going now?”
“Is there a problem? It’s not even dinner time yet. Shall we go to a restaurant this time? We’re in the royal capital, but we haven’t eaten much from the restaurants here.”
Cordelia turned and looked out the window after hearing Jude’s words.
It was late in the afternoon, but there was still some time left before the sun sets.
“Let’s go shopping, have dinner, go to a bridge or something, and see the night view.”
“And eat parfait?”
“If my princess wants it.”
As Jude laughed, Cordelia slightly nodded in agreement to the plan.
But it was at that moment.
‘Uh, wait a minute.’
Go shopping, have dinner, and see the night view?
Just the two of us?
No, of course, we’re almost stuck together every day.
Even so.
To do something like that.
Isn’t that a bit different from what we’ve been doing together so far?
As if we are going on a…
‘D-date?’
At the word that came to her mind, Cordelia raised her head and met eyes with Jude who looked at her as he tilted his head.
“Cordelia?”
“Eh? Uh…yes. That, yes, yes.”
What’s wrong with a date?
I can do it.
‘That’s right. We’re engaged.’
It’s natural for us to d-date.
It’s not weird at all.
Rather, it’s strange that we haven’t done that so far.
Yes, yes, that’s right.
I can at least go on a date.
‘With Jude.’
That was it. Cordelia lightly bit her lips and looked up at Jude again.
She could see his usual smirking face and green eyes staring at her.
“Anyway, you’re really wily.”
“Eh? Why are you falsely accusing me of something?”
“Hmph.”
In any case, Cordelia felt strangely better, and she stood up at once and said.
“Okay, let’s go now. My father will allow it if I tell him my sister will be watching us.”
Because it would be really late if they were going to see the night view. The royal palace doors would be closed once the sun fell, so they would have no choice but to stay outside.
“Well, it’s not a bad excuse, but would your father really want that…”
Adelia and Gaël ‘watching’ us.
Will he really want that?
Wouldn’t that cause some problems instead?
“You’re thinking of something strange again.”
“No, I just felt sorry for your father.”
“What are you talking about? That’s enough of your nonsense. You should dress up too. I’ll go out once I’m done dressing up.”
It was a bit sudden, but this was their first date.
Cordelia spoke while thinking of something different, and Jude exaggeratedly greeted her as if he was in a play.
“I look forward to seeing you.”
“Yes, Milord.”
With a bright smile, Cordelia turned around and hurriedly walked out.
And after 30 minutes or so.
A carriage carrying Jude and Cordelia, who had hurried as much as possible to leave the palace before sunset, passed over a large drawbridge.
***
At the Salome Dress Shop, the so-called flower of Velden Street which led the fashion industry in the royal capital.
Madame Salome’s niece, Marlene, had been working here for three years, and she looked at the couple in front of her with a happy face.
‘How cute.’
Are they in their mid-to-late teens now?
A young woman with bright red hair and a handsome and tall young man with black hair.
The girl in a white dress with a pure impression was wearing a white hat with a wide brim, and she looked around the dress shop with feelings of curiosity, fear, a bit of envy, and some expectation, as if she was unfamiliar with everything.
‘It’s an expression I’ve seen a lot of times.’
Especially from the ladies who came from far places.
‘She seems like a young lady from a fairly good family, but…’
She could tell by just looking at the white dress the girl was wearing.
The design was modest, but it wasn’t made of ordinary fabric.
She had a ring on her fingers and a brooch on her chest.
The designs of those weren’t the latest ones, but she could clearly tell that those accessories were of considerable value.
And above all.
‘She’s so pretty!’
It feels like I saw a doll who became a real person.
How can her eyes, nose, and mouth look so delicate in that tiny face?
And the young man next to her.
He’s probably a lover or fiancé, and he’s a handsome man who looks like he came out of a painting.
Unlike the girl, the man seemed to be quite familiar to the place as he acted naturally. Marlene was attracted to the young man’s face, though she still behaved properly.
‘I have to be careful.’
From the moment they entered the store.
It only seemed to be a normal walk, but the veteran Marlen knew. The young man was always alert of the girl’s movements wherever she went.
Like an ideal escort.
An escort who paid attention to everything in order to protect the girl anytime and anywhere.
‘There’s that too.’
The young man did not take his eyes off the girl for a single moment.
Even when he looked elsewhere for a moment, he always put the girl in a corner of his sight.
‘He’s interested.’
When someone came to a dress shop like this, it was usually the woman who was excited and would look closely while the man would take a step back and have a silent expression.
If you asked the man if they liked it, he would just reply with one word.
But this couple was a bit different.
Because the man was much more enthusiastic than the woman.
“Ha, this won’t do. Anyway, it would be better if there were more variations.”
The young man, Jude, muttered before he looked back at Marlene and said.
“Just give us everything from here to here.”
From the left end to the right end.
Around ten dresses.
At Jude’s words, Cordelia was surprised and quickly pulled Jude’s sleeve.
[Hey! Are you crazy?! You’re seriously crazy!]
[No, I’m not. Why are you saying that?]
[You’re completely overspending! Squander out! I refuse! No! Absolutely not!]
Cordelia firmly declared with <Message> magic, and she looked around in a hurry and said, pointing to the dress displayed on the other side.
“That one! Please give me that one!”
If I don’t properly choose something, Jude might persist with his actions again.
It looks a bit expensive, but I’ll pick the prettiest one if I have to choose.
But it was at that moment.
“Oh, as expected of Cordelia.”
“You have a good eye.”
Jude and Marlene spoke in turn, and Cordelia was forced to blink her eyes.
“Eh? A good…eye?”
“Yes, that’s the best item in our shop.”
Marlene brightly smiled and said, and Jude quietly whispered into Cordelia’s ear instead of using message magic.
“That one is more expensive than the ones on this wall combined.”
“What?!”
Jude had whispered, but not Cordelia.
She shouted loudly without realizing it, and she shook her arms afterwards, not caring if Marlene was surprised or not.
“C-cancel! Completely cancel it! Super cancel it!”
Cordelia was so surprised that she spoke some strange words, and she stepped hard on Jude’s foot because he was smirking at her, while Marlene bit her lips and barely held back her laughter.
And another half an hour or so passed.
After purchasing two dresses and three swimwear to wear for two days later, Jude and Cordelia went out of the dress shop with a lively face on one side and a completely exhausted face on the other.
“The world must have obviously gone crazy.”
“Because the dress is too expensive?”
“It’s just stupid.”
Cordelia was from the Chase family, one of the 12 northern families, so she was accustomed to a ‘noble’s spending habit’ since she spent 17 years of her life as a noble.
But there was a limit to a noble’s spending habit.
“It’s a total waste. A complete luxury. Besides, I think you’ve lost your sense of money, Jude. Don’t you know not to spend so much just because you suddenly have a lot of money?”
Cordelia spoke like she was giving a sermon, and she walked forward before continuing her words.
“It’s really hard to stop once you begin to spend money lavishly. That’s why ruined nobles spend their money lavishly even after they’ve gone bankrupt or been disgraced. It’s not that they’re stupid, it’s just their human disposition in the first place.”
“Where did you learn that?”
“My school’s economics teacher.”
At Cordelia’s reply, Jude grinned as if he was saying, ‘Really?’, and Cordelia pinched Jude on the cheek.
“In any case, I hate that.”
And she stepped back.
At the moment she crossed the bridge and stepped into the long shadows made by the setting sun.
“Why don’t you come out now?”
Cordelia suddenly spoke to behind her, and Jude also realized it at that moment.
Who Cordelia had noticed.
And who Jude himself knew too.
It was outside the range of his ‘detection field.’
Because it was located exactly one step away from the edge of the detection field Jude always unfolded, and that person was determined to hide their presence, so Jude had not noticed him earlier.
But Cordelia sensed that person.
Her senses, which were sharper than a wild beast, made it possible.
Cordelia turned around, and Jude stood by her side and looked too.
A man whose presence was like a ghost.
“Hey, your senses are good, huh?”
A man with a mischievous face and long and neat dark blue hair.
“I was just passing by, and I saw you two. I followed you two because I wanted to eat with you together. Uh… did I interfere with you two or something?”
Rhun Froud, the Sword Saint of Light.
Commonly known as First Sword.
A man who was shameless enough to interrupt the date of a sweet couple.
First Sword slyly smiled, and Jude and Cordelia – especially Jude, faced him with a sulking look.