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What kind of person is Elteman Edelweiss?

First, let’s distinguish whether he is a hero or a villain; there is no doubt he is a hero.

A power struggle over the Duke’s throne?

A younger brother jealous of his overwhelmingly superior talent?

Such things cannot happen in the House of Edelweiss.

The relationships in <The Princess is Loved> resemble a black-and-white Go board, and as a member of the Edelweiss family and Elena’s older brother, he is undoubtedly the white (白). He is on Elena’s side.

As much as there is an age gap between Elena and Elteman, he is firmly established as the heir of the Duke’s household.

Moreover, Elteman, who has a natural inquisitive temperament, would even bring his sister into his field if her talent surpassed his, in order to satisfy his curiosity.

As can be seen from Elteman’s major, he specializes not in the Sacred Magic related to the Edelweiss family’s unique magic, but in Alchemy, and he advanced to a doctoral program at the Golden Tower, which can be said to be the headquarters of alchemy.

Had he even the slightest ambition for power, regardless of his field of study, it would be normal for him to be observing the stars at Dawn’s Tower rather than attending the Academy.

His very existence makes it impossible for a conflict to arise between him and Elena. Above all, whether he inherited some of Joachim’s foolishness or not, he can be considered a reliable older brother who takes good care of Elena, even if it’s not to the extent of what people call a sister complex.

Therefore, at the beginning of the novel, in the Academy, Elteman, who is a professor, provides a lot of help to Elena.

Thinking about it this way, Elteman’s significance may just be as one of the assistants for Elena’s smooth Academy life.

This is rather too blatant of a character trait.

In any case, he is a person with guaranteed stability in various ways.

That’s why, when Orcus first mentioned Elteman, I wasn’t worried at all.

I was taken aback, thinking, “Why is this guy’s name coming up here?” But knowing there was no connection, I figured that if we met and exchanged a few words, it would be resolved quickly.

The problem was simply that this guy didn’t come to the Star Tower, leaving me without a chance to meet him.

However, on that evening when the long-awaited Elteman finally returned to the Star Tower, I parted ways with him without any significant conversation, leaving my emotions in the dust, especially compared to the feelings I had while talking with Orcus.

The reason why there was no conversation between Elteman and me was very simple.

Originally, conversation requires both parties to open their mouths and speak, but on that day in the banquet hall, Elteman opened his mouth and uttered only a single word.

“Hello…”

After this one word, Elteman never spoke again.

Of course, some people find it difficult to converse with strangers when they first meet, but neither I nor Elteman belonged to that category.

In the story, Elteman has an active personality, contrasting with Elena, and acts as a mood-lifter when his occasionally gloomy sister, Noel, is down.

Above all, when they first met, he seemed more like he was observing what kind of person I was rather than being tense about the appearance of a stranger. It doesn’t make sense for someone who can act so calmly while assessing others to find conversing with them difficult.

Come to think of it, when Elena was set to break off her engagement with Damian, it seems Elteman went to confront Damian with his golem army after learning the truth…

Now, that’s a story that no longer relates to me, but just thinking that the protective system installed in this mansion would attack me makes my spine shiver.

It was somewhat later that I realized Elteman’s condition.

Just as I immediately thought of Elena upon seeing Adelia, Elteman has a level of looks that naturally reminds one of Joachim’s face. His somewhat serious demeanor and sharp eyes reveal more of the dignity of a ruler than the arrogance and vanity typical of nobles.

He is indeed a person who embodies the word “noble scion” in ever way.

However, the atmosphere Elteman exudes isn’t artificially created; it naturally stems from his innate appearance, so when I began to examine him more closely, elements that had been hidden in the glow began to emerge.

At first glance, he appears well-groomed, but his disheveled hair and the drooping skin around his eyes tell a different story. It’s as if some dark mage has been draining his vitality, leaving his eyes devoid of life.

I understood instantly why Elteman hadn’t said anything throughout dinner, even without asking for a reason.

Is it because his research isn’t completely wrapped up yet? Unlike how he appeared in the original work, he looks like he’s on the brink of death.

At this point, he seemed in such a fragile state that I couldn’t even approach him to speak. Even if he did respond to my words, I wondered if he would be coherent enough to reply. What’s more, why would someone in such a state even attend dinner?

Due to Elteman’s abnormal condition, I couldn’t muster a single word towards him until dinner concluded.

Elteman started the meal more slowly than anyone else present, then finished with the main dish before heading straight to his room to sleep. As someone who has also experienced heavy workloads, I couldn’t bring myself to stop Elteman as he walked to his bedroom.

As a result,

I couldn’t see Elteman again until the day I entered the Academy, aside from that day.

This… isn’t right…

*

When Elteman left the Star Tower without saying a word, I initially thought he might have gone for a walk and didn’t give it much thought.

And rightly so; where could someone looking like that possibly go? No matter how much sleep he caught up on, he was still in no shape to be considered normal. Even taking into account that he is a superhuman and the level he has achieved, this was a dangerously alarming state.

Just as knights, those who call themselves mages are individuals who pay great attention to their own health.

There’s a saying that a healthy body harbors a healthy mind.

Even if they are not warriors by trade, the reason they cannot afford to neglect their own bodies is that a robust body underpins strong mental strength. Most mages prioritize maintaining their condition.

That’s not absolute, but it generally is the case with most mages.

I thought Elteman had returned home from the research lab for a similar reason.

Both mages and knights have a strong sense of awareness regarding their physical condition, so even if Elteman were a research fanatic, he would surely be aware that his body needed rest. Thus, he must have stepped home to rest.

No matter how much he set up shop in the lab, being human, he wouldn’t prefer his workplace over home. For Elteman, who loves his younger sister and family, home itself must have been a healing spot.

“Still, it’s crazy. The fool jumps right back to work after sleeping for just one night…”

I thought he would at least stay two days, but how much does he love research to make such a choice?

It was painfully obvious that he was not well, yet he must think he’s perfectly fine.

At this point, I began to question whether the zombie I saw that day was indeed Elteman from the book.

Elteman would only get involved in Elena’s story midway through the second year, so if he finished his research before that, it wouldn’t be hard to understand. Nevertheless, that gap is far too severe.

Despite my hopes of resolving matters regarding Elteman before entering the Academy, the way things are going makes me feel like that’s a lost cause.

With the situation as it is, I can only set aside my thoughts related to Elteman for now.

There is nothing more foolish than worrying about what can’t be helped. With the little time I have left, it’s best to utilize it as effectively as possible.

“Huuh….”

Letting out a sigh that wasn’t quite a sigh, I began to meditate, clearing my mind.

I inhaled the energy wafting around outside, infusing it into my body, merging it with the energy that was originally circulating within me. Although the origin is the same, it has changed due to my qualities, so the goal of meditation is to harmonize and integrate them.

This isn’t just about increasing my inner power; it’s also about enhancing my mastery over the aura I can use.

The reason I avoid distractions while meditating is that it’s a task that absolutely cannot be done if my mind is elsewhere.

If the energy I possess is small, it’s manageable, but the larger the energy I harbor, the harder it is to control. A wrong move here could lead to an imbalance of power when external energy overwhelms internal energy, causing chaos.

Interestingly, the higher my level becomes, the more difficult meditation becomes. It’s less about difficulty in controlling energy and more about the conflicting ideas, learned martial arts, and various complex factors pointing in different directions, making it challenging to bind them all together into one.

Somehow managed to complete my meditation, I rose from my seat and took up my sword as usual.

While it’s unlikely there’s a training ground in the Edelweiss family’s Star Tower, the estate is spacious enough for me to move around freely. This is why I haven’t slackened off on my training since coming to Ruden.

Normally, Hailey would be there to spar with me, but since it’s the day before the entrance ceremony, she seems to have a lot on her mind with various preparations. At this moment, I found myself standing there alone.

Traditionally, the day before starting school is always the most exciting time. It’s a period that arouses all kinds of imaginings about what kind of friends I might make and how my school days ahead will unfold.

“School life, huh…”

Seeing everyone so excited about entering the Academy reminded me of my former school days.

A photograph capturing all the laughs and chatter shared with friends. Flipping to the next page, there’s a candid shot of all of us frantically studying for exams, doing all we could to keep pace with the clock.

Given how much time has passed,

It feels like the stories that carried sadness and anger have vanished, leaving behind only the happy memories.

I swung my sword once to cut off the mental images of that photo album that began to flood my mind.

That should suffice. After all, they are all bygone events. Now, amidst the transformed world, holding onto them in my mind only diminishes the meaning of what I just meditated for.

Still, these memories conveyed one undeniable truth to me before they vanished.

In the original work I know, <The Princess is Loved>, the significance of Elena’s school years was primarily one thing.

The protagonist growing through pain.

In the beginning, it starts with her escaping from a malevolent fiancé, leading to a series of new relationships that emerge, indicating without a doubt that Elena would find happiness in the future.

Indeed, Elena freed herself from Damian’s grasp and enjoyed her days with her new friends. Perhaps all the torment she faced earlier served as compensation, as the world taught her the sweetness of connections.

I wish it could have ended with happy memories… but just as there is light, there is darkness; that lesson also bore a bitter taste.

Her joyful school days ended with the deaths of her friends.

After an attack by heretics, Noel died, and the Academy crumbled. Unlike my own photo album, Elena’s was so torn apart that it could never be restored.

What she gained from abandoning those happy memories were nothing but a thirst for revenge against the heretics and a slight degree of mental growth.

“That’s just not a fair trade-off.”

The reason I hold this sword now hasn’t changed one bit from the very beginning. Naturally, it’s for the happiness and safety of myself and my family.

Once again, I swung the sword toward the void.

 

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