An imperfect memory that looks shallow over a misty of fog.
Kahu was also confused by the mixed flow of time.
âI think something like this happened.â
Usually, this is a blurry thought.
However, there were rare memories with distinct colors.
No one knew, but Kahu had met Dylan before the return.
âI think it was when the emperor was waging a war of conquest.â
At that time. One day, just once. He saw the 13th Prince.
Because the 13th Prince came to Kahuâs mansion.
And surprisingly, what Kahu saw.
[True Master.]
[Itâs an honor to serve the true master of the Empire in the mansion.]
His parents, the Duke and his wife were seen calling a man on the border between a boy and an adult as the master.
The 13th Prince Dylan.
His parents knelt without hesitation, kissing his feet, not even the back of his hands.
He had never seen his parents like this before.
Hardened by shock, the Duchess grabbed Kahuâs arm.
Carried away by the situation, Kahu bowed his head to the 13th Prince.
âYes, my parents tried to introduce me to him.â
[This is my son. Kahu Delmon. Heâs a child whoâs good enough to serve Your Majesty in the future.]
[Thatâs right, Your Majesty.]
âYour Majestyâ? In this empire, the current emperor is still alive.
The blood on his face seemed to cool off.
Kahu listened to his parents with his head down.
Honorific and polite attitude to the 13th Prince who is younger than Kahu.
But to ask why on the spot. He was weighed down by something overwhelming.
Kahu held his breath without even moving his lips.
[âŚ]
When he managed to raise his head courageously. Kahu made eye contact with Dylan.
Dylanâs first impression was terrifying.
His noble appearance was completely expressionless. Rather than deliberately erasing facial expressions, a face that doesnât really feel any emotion.
There was a strange sense of incompatibility.
When Dylan nodded a little, the Duchess took Kahu out of the drawing room.
[Mother, who is thatâŚ]
[You have to pretend you didnât see it.]
The Duchess had a face that Kahu had never seen before. A firm and cold eyes.
[Donât even ask. Erase it from your memory.]
It was full of things that he didnât understand, but the Duchess drew the line firmly.
She left Kahu and went back into the drawing room.
âI donât have a choice.â
Unconsciously, such thoughts came. With it was just the end.
His parents had never talked about the 13th Prince since then. Kahu didnât ask either.
This is no joke. Because he felt that intuition.
Only Kahu investigated alone.
âBut surprisingly, it was hidden in a veil.â
Very few people knew about Dylan.
Even though he is the royal family who survived the fierce battle for succession to the throne.
Despite the long investigation, the results were small.
The more he investigated, the more he got goosebumps.
Itâs the first time he had seen a person with no presence like this. No one knew there was the 13th Prince. Although it has earned the evaluation of few people who survived.
But in terms of influence, different from presence.
âEverything moved according to his will.â
The emperor wandered outside and waged war.
The moment the emperor finally united half of the continent and saw the 13th Prince standing in the gap of the imperial court, he thought about that.
All of this. Itâs going according to that manâs will.
Already happening in secret, the high-ranking nobles who use their power obeyed the 13th Prince as their true master.
It was even scarier that nothing leaked out.
Dylan knew how to manipulate the situation without having to step in.
He was very smart, and he was also thorough.
Even if the emperor changed, Dylan lived well without being checked by any forces.
He didnât know the purpose of the 13th Prince. But he learned from his long observations that he wanted to live without being revealed.
âIt must be his will that Emperor Dietrich almost conquered the continent.â
When Dylan died, the empire was in turmoil for a while.
Itâs because of Dylanâs unrealistic genius. This is because his influence on the imperial court was revealed in Dylanâs diary.
Dylanâs diary was published after his death, and Kahu also read it.
The contents are as follows.
ăThree days ago, Dietrich II called me to the imperial court.
The 2nd generation kept holding Kieraâs handle, and then letting go and repeating as if he was anxious.
The 2nd generation asked me.
-Donât you want anything?
I answered there was nothing because I didnât want anything. The 2nd generation said.
-When I ruled, I realized something. Do you know who the scariest person in the world is? âŚIt is not a person who will divulge top secrets if you give him money. Not even those without weaknesses. The person who doesnât want anything is the scariest.
I read the horror, but I did not soothe him. Because I could see that the 2nd generation had already made up his mind to kill me.
Sure enough, yesterday. The assassin sent by the 2nd generation came to me.
The 2nd generation was the only one who came to my motherâs funeral. I really wanted to repay that favor.
So today, I went to the funeral of the 2nd generation.ă
It was only a short story in the diary, but the shock he felt at that time was still vivid.
âAt that time, all scholars were studying Dylan.â
Dylan was more famous after he died.
And after the return, the man was obsessed with grandmaster Charlize. It was the most different part from before the return.
âBut,â
Whether that obsession is the real feelings of Dylan, who became the current Emperor. Or he did not know whether it was Charlizeâs intention.
Does Charlize remember before the return? Even with the question he wanted to ask, Charlize did well.
No, that wasnât the only change before the return.
âKiera the magic sword.â
An object used by the Dietrich family to conquer the continent.
It was called the magic sword and it took the lives of countless people. Kahu, who had seen it up close, knew.
It was an ominous beautiful sword.
A well-crafted sapphire on a creepy silver blade that seems to have blood. It was in the hands of the emperor.
âWhere is it?â
It might be better not to show up. If it appears, the world may have been stained with blood again.
With that beautiful magic sword.
Then Kahu remembered. He had a strange sense of deja vu after the return.
âThat sword.â
Somewhere. He thought it was an impression he had seen. He heard it late.
***
It was the third day of the ball.
Charlize blinked slowly.
âDid Kahu say he found Kiera?â
She heard such strange news. The Emperorâs intelligence service doesnât hide anything from Charlize.
Dylan also seemed to know about the Kiera project.
Kahuâs actions were suspicious enough, but he is the young duke. Nothing much happened because there was no clear evidence as if he didnât know her.
And Kahu also looked it up a few times.
âBecause youâve returned, thereâs no way you donât know about Kiera, the magic sword.â
But why are you looking for it? Just because it reminds you? Or do you have a job?
Kahu was dangerous. Of course, Dylan canât have unrealistic ideas like return, but what he does goes to Dylan like a fine clue.
She had to kill Kahu if she thought rationally.
She didnât want to do that to an innocent person. And a quick-witted Dylan would immediately know that Charlize killed him because of the word âKieraâ.
Charlize was the only one who could kill without leaving any evidence.
âIâm glad I didnât see him at the ball today.â
Charlize thought while drinking.
Soon she felt better.
Everyoneâs attention was drawn to Charlize wearing a veil.
It was a subtle gaze, fearing that it would be rude to look at it openly.
After watching the dance with the emperor, the young noble masters lined up asking Charlize to dance.
âWill you dance with me, grandmaster?â
âAfter that me, me too.â
She could have refused it.
Charlize was in a good mood after a long time, so she responded to everyone. The result is.
The dozens of young noble masters blush in shame. They left Charlize with an ecstatic look, unable to speak properly.
Maybe itâs been a while since she swung her sword, and it was rather comfortable to move her body violently.
âGrandmaster.â
The young noble master, who was dancing with Charlize, called her with a trembling voice.
Although he is the second son of the Countess, itâs a face she had never seen before returning.
âA local noble who rose to a decent position in loyalty to Dylan.â
Charlize thought and looked at the young noble master.
âI, I am âŚa nobleman of the grassland and my surname is ZepherâŚâ
Sounds uninteresting. Maybe it was to get Charlizeâs attention somehow, he managed to squeeze out his courage and talk to her.
âBy any chance⌠Are you not in touch with Ronan?â
But the subject was not very good.
Seeing Charlizeâs looks, the young noble masters who were watching for no reason flinched. Charlize smiled casually and brightly.
âBut arenât you still a family member?â
âIs that so?â
The story of Ronan is an unwritten rule. Everyone stared at the young noble master in struck dumb. Charlize stopped languidly.
âBoring. Such a question.â
The song for the dance kept playing, but Charlize didnât move.
Her excitement has cooled down.
Charlize, who had no intention of dancing, let go of the young noble masterâs hand.
The young noble master was embarrassed, but he didnât dare to hold Charlize.
Charlize stopped dancing and walked away. The music still continued, but no one dared touch her.
No one stopped her.
âYou speak so tactlessly in front of the grandmasterâŚ!â
Rather, others seemed to blame the young noble master, who was left alone.
It was because of Charlizeâs status soaring in the aristocratic society. He is a noble, but how can he be the same noble?
Charlize drew attention and walked toward the wall of the banquet hall.
Soon after, Charlize faced a welcome face.
âOh.â
Charlize saw V. Charlize saved him by hand and sent him to Dylan, so he was always a follower of Charlize.
âIsnât that V?â
When Charlize pretended to know him first, V raised his head.
As soon as V caught Charlize in his eyes, he came running with great pleasure.
âGrandmaster!â
âLong time no see.â
V almost lived a miserable life as a gladiator.
Seeing V attend the ball as an official knight after being awarded a noble title. She felt new.
âYou look great in your knightâs uniform, V.â
âItâs all thanks to the grandmaster.â
Charlize was a little surprised to see V who came close.
It was a face that couldnât hide its misery. Even if you try to hide your miserable heart, it will be revealed.
Charlizeâs gaze reached him.
âWhatâs wrong?â
V bowed his head somehow to manage his facial expression, but Charlize grabbed Vâs chin and lifted it, so it was unavoidable.
Even the slender hand could not shake the Master. Even if it wasnât for his skills, V wouldnât have been able to shake it off.
Looking into Charlizeâs eyes, he couldnât lie.
âBut I canât do any harm.â
As V lowered his gaze, Charlize said.
âWhatever it is. Donât you think I can handle it?â
The words were true.
Charlize was powerful.
Take down even a flying bird, the powerful family.
More than that, the absolute and unrivaled ruler of the empire.