/
With the prince’s remarks gaining strength once more, the political meeting was concluded. It was also because the presence of the 2nd Consort dripping blood was enormous, but more than anything else, it was largely because the reason to push ahead had disappeared.
The reason they rushed was that they were trying to discuss the prize they would share first before the 2nd Consort returned.
When the emperor left, Rohan followed, and the nobles also glanced at Elisha’s party before leaving through the door.
Only the nobles of the crown prince faction held their seats in the middle and then quickly disappeared, revealing their displeasure at Elisha, who didn’t even look back at them.
“Marquis, would you like to go with us?” Only Count Morell recommended until the end, but Blemir did not budge. Instead, he stared at Count Morell with a face asking why he should do so.
“The marquis will see you again soon. We’ll arrange a separate meeting, so you’d better leave for today.”
When the crown prince interceded, Count Morell sighed and turned around, only to meet Elisha’s eyes. While startled, Count Morell lowered his head slightly.
It was a thank you. Due to the actions of the 2nd Consort who respected the crown prince, the rumors that the crown prince was the 2nd Consort’s puppet would be put to rest. Instead, other stories would be floating around for a while, but they couldn’t be helped.
Elisha received his greeting with her chin raised. Count Morell then moved away without saying much.
“Are you deliberately keeping your distance?”
She couldn’t be said to have a friendly personality, even as a joke. But she was never someone who deliberately ignored others. No, in that respect, she was actually someone who treated others without discrimination more than anyone else.
So, her attitude, which was not particularly excessive, may not be strange to others, but Ascensio, who always watched and paid attention to her, was bound to wonder. That’s how he came to a conclusion.
Elisha looked at Ascensio, who had grown up and was a little below her eye level, and kissed his forehead.
“I got close with the marquis, but it will take a little while with them. There will be a good time someday.”
“It’s good that you two get along. It is something I have always hoped for,” the black-haired, blue-eyed boy said, looking back and forth between his maternal uncle whom he trusted the most and the 2nd Consort whom he liked the most.
“I’m going to see Leon now. Would you like to come with me?”
As Elisha spoke, Ascensio gave a big nod and reached out to her. Like a knight serving his lady at a banquet hall, politely and gracefully.
“Then, please, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Elisha placed her fingertips on the boy’s hand. Blemir followed them as if escorting them. An uncommon non-violent smile lingered on his lips.
***
“Mother!”
Leon ran and clung to her. Cotton Ball, wrapped around Leon’s neck like a scarf, woke up and screamed and tried to swing its claws, but Blemir grabbed the nape of its neck and threw it away.
Cotton Ball quickly rotated its body in the air and landed on the floor before glaring at Blemir. Then, as Ascensio approached, it put the tip of its nose on the boy’s hand and groaned as if complaining.
As Ascensio stood at a distance holding Cotton Ball, Leon released one of his arms from Elisha’s grip and stretched it out to him. Likewise, Elisha held out one hand to Ascensio. Ascensio hesitated a little, but then dug between the two to become one with them.
Elisha finally realized that she had returned home.
***
“By the way, Your Ladyship, did you really like what I said?” Ascensio asked cautiously while drinking tea in the backyard of the 2nd Consort’s Palace with Elisha, who had washed and changed her clothes.
“Of course. If not, I would have told you earlier. It was a fresh perspective and a bold decision.”
Actually, she thought that the prince was able to do so because he was still young. Although Ascensio was much more mature and intelligent than his age, he didn’t know how to consider the surrounding factors… Wasn’t this what youth was?
As you get older, and you mature, there are many things that are naturally filtered in your head. You will think of the most efficient and good results among the things you’ve done on your own, and your thoughts flow naturally in that direction.
Things like the Crown Prince’s remark, which was not simple but radical, with an excessive and complicated process, would’ve died down before they even came to mind.
“But it was dangerous. Your Highness, if His Majesty the Emperor hadn’t accepted it, this would have really been a self-inflicted attack.”
And the fact that the emperor accepted the opinion of the crown prince, whom he usually didn’t even look at, must have been of great benefit, but perhaps…
Elisha turned to Blemir and pursed her lips silently. However, Blemir understood at once what she meant.
‘Prince Patrick.’
Yes. The emperor was always confident of shaking up the duchy. Here, he must’ve thought it might’ve given great power to the West.
Recognizing the meaning of Elisha’s words, Blemir frowned. But soon, he straightened his expression and blinked at her, meaning he would pay more attention.
“Your Highness, you don’t have to ask for permission in the future. However, just because the situation is urgent, throwing a card first is not an option, but a gamble. You want to be someone who created yourself, don’t you? Or would you prefer to wait and leave yourself to chance?”
“No! I will be a creator!”
Ascensio’s rather violent reaction was rather satisfying to Elisha.
“Luck is a very important factor in doing things. However, it shines the most when everything is ready and only needs an additional point. You cannot count on it alone to turn the situation and lead you to victory.”
“Because what I have done is mine, but luck is not entirely mine?”
“That’s right. Crown Prince, don’t forget it. If you mistakenly believe that luck continues, it will turn into bad luck and attack you. Doesn’t everything in the world has a price? Luck isn’t free either. The indolence that makes you forget how to work hard may be the price of good fortune.”
“If I don’t get lazy after receiving luck, I will continue to be lucky, right? So doesn’t that mean luck is free?”
Elisha picked Leon up from the seat next to her and sat him on her lap when he intervened. Ascensio held up the cookies and gave them to Leon, who took a bite and chewed it. Cookies with large chocolate chips and almonds disappear little by little.
With her chin resting on Leon’s head, Elisha said, “That is also an effort. It’s not easy to have an unshakable heart. So, you also paid for luck in this way.”
“Ah…”
Leon opened his mouth wide, saying, “Oh, I see,” and everyone around him laughed because it was very cute. Only Blemir remained indifferent. He wasn’t interested in Leon, to say the least.
Was Leon not cute? How could anyone be so indifferent?
Although it was difficult for Elisha to accept… Perhaps, to Marquis Blemir, the 3rd Prince could still be considered a risk factor to the crown prince. However, he would soon love Leon when he knew he was not.
He had been so nice to Elisha as soon as he changed his mind. So how much more would he do to Leon? If Ascensio, Leon, and Marquis Blemir gathered, he would look like an older brother.
The smell of blood hadn’t gone away no matter how much she washed. Elisha quietly closed her eyes and felt this peaceful air. She carved and inhaled deeply, hoping she could deliver it to the child who was deeply asleep in her heart.
***
After saying goodbye to the people she missed the most, Elisha visited the mages, Georg and Jillian. To Elisha, the two people were a valuable key to solving the West’s final problem.
Everyone in the empire was engrossed in the West itself, forgetting for a while that… currently, the Western Magic Tower had lost its owner. It was not clear whether William, who had lost his life at Elisha’s hand, had entered the beginning of the 8th circle.
Even though the emperor knew it, it was impossible to connect, so it seemed that he had neglected it so that others would not be interested, but Elisha took a different position.
She had been a mage, and she knew what was most important in moving them. It was not faith, power, or wealth. Those were necessary, but couldn’t be of absolute value.
The truth that can reach the world and the source of mana! Elisha could give what all mages dreamed of. In the magic tower built in a territory in the west that would become the land of the duchy who would be on her side, where even the owner of the magic tower had disappeared, and no one would disturb her!
“We built a laboratory by renovating an abandoned warehouse a little away from the 2nd Consort’s Palace because there should be no disturbance. Both of them will be there,” Marie, the maid of honor, answered.
“A laboratory?”
“Yes. The 3rd Prince requested permission from His Highness the Crown Prince. It was made by Sir Dell and Sir Shamir.”
Marie stopped Elisha from taking the lead as if she were trying to guide her.
“Don’t disturb them. Wait for them to come.”
“Will it be okay?”
Usually, high-ranking people didn’t like to wait. Even though Marie knew that the person she served was different from those people, she couldn’t help but ask. It was because she read the sign of great haste.
“I did less, but when someone knocks on the door when they’re concentrating, ordinary mages sometimes break down the door immediately and burn the visitor to death or sprinkle a reagent that separates flesh from bone to prevent that kind of thing from happening again.”
Marie, who had always been calm, was a little flustered.
“Is that so?”
“Our 2nd Consort’s Palace’s mages have good personalities, so it won’t be to that extent. Still, it’s best not to touch experimenting mages.”
Marie had knocked on Georg’s laboratory door several times to consult with him about the 2nd Consort’s Palace, so her saliva went dry. Elisha, noticing Marie’s expression, lightly patted her on the shoulder.
“Just don’t do it in the future. If they haven’t thrown fireballs up until now, they’ll probably do it in the future, but there’s no need to try it, right?”
“Yes, Your Ladyship,” Marie responded immediately.
She had many things to do now that she was back. Regarding the remark the crown prince had made today, she had to organize what she had to make up and what to add.
As Elisha tried to go inside to find the documents while organizing her thoughts in her head, Marie said, “I got a new lady-in-waiting while you were away.”
“Really?”
Until then, Elisha didn’t think it was a big deal. It was Marie’s business, and she had never disappointed Elisha. However.
“Yes. Her name is Janice, and although she is the youngest among the maids, I picked her because she’s nimble and smart.”
Elisha, who had taken a step forward, returned her foot to its original position. It reminded her of the words that Leon in the past had shouted against her.
‘You don’t know how long I’ve waited for today. I’ve been dreaming about this moment at that time when I lost Janice, when I lost Ascensio, and even when I lost Chad. The moment I’m most excited about.’
Was she happy today? Was she smiling? Was this why she got punished? Elisha clenched her fists tightly, but her sky blue eyes remained calm.
She didn’t waver. She had to pull herself together. She had to protect her child.