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149th Chapter

After that, Diego and I had quite a lengthy conversation. The topic was recent developments.

“Did you ask if I was doing well? No, I haven’t been well, Shushu. Rumor has it Mir got blown up and vanished into thin air, and she doesn’t respond to my messages, so I feel like I’m wilting day by day. If your goal was to see me die prematurely before I became emperor, then it’s been a very successful endeavor.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“You even stopped all your swordsmanship classes, and Serenon came to me asking every day if I didn’t know anything about my brother’s friend. I had a rather sticky student. How do you think I felt having to tell Serenon that while I’m very close with Miss Kashmir Crisis, I know absolutely nothing?”

“……Should I just go lie down in the lake?”

“Haha. What are you saying? You don’t have to go that far. It’s just that, despite being the crown prince of the empire, my tolerance is as small as your interest in me, so don’t mind my words. You’re too cheerful to listen to someone like me who hasn’t even contacted their friend.”

“I promise I will contact you next time…”

Until now, I thought Diego had nothing in common with Helios except for their appearance and political skills, but today, I witnessed the strength of genetics. The way Diego dissected people with his words while smiling was undoubtedly Helios’ legacy.

“I saw something interesting not long ago.”

Was he feeling pity for me as I dried out like a squid in the sea breeze, or was it an act of kindness? Diego turned the conversation this time as if to let it slide.

I seized the opportunity and followed the topic change.

“What is it?”

“The swordsmanship tournament is coming up soon. The HR department sent me a list of participants to keep an eye on.”

The topic he brought up piqued my interest as well. I chuckled inwardly and raised my eyebrows as if I knew nothing.

“Is that so? And?”

“I saw a familiar name on that list.”

Diego’s blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked at me.

The swordsmanship tournament. This historic tournament, held once a year in the empire, was a battleground where numerous swordsmen compete to showcase their skills.

As long as one had citizenship in the empire, both nobles and commoners, knights and mercenaries can participate, so when spring draws to a close, a diverse swarm of swordsmen would gather. During the month the tournament was held, weapon shops in the capital would sell out and shut down, and all the inns would be completely booked.

The reason so many people gather for the swordsmanship tournament is primarily due to the enormous prize money.

It was an eye-popping amount for commoners and even for most nobles. Naturally, it was expected that those seeking a windfall would flock there.

Secondly, countless bigwigs attend the swordsmanship tournament.

Noble families always needed knights to protect their households, and they would confirm their skills at the tournament and recruit them.

If one could catch the eye of Captain Farve from the Black Dragon Knights or Captain Noah from the Imperial Palace’s First Knights during the tournament, their future would be bright beyond measure. The Black Dragon Knights and the Imperial Knights offered the best benefits.

Thus, many swordsmen would go all out to get noticed by the big shots.

“You, you’re participating in this swordsmanship tournament.”

And as for me, I didn’t have any particular reason to join this tournament, either.

“Oh dear. I thought I could make a surprise entrance, but I’ve been caught.”

Lightly bantering, Diego chuckled.

“That name, Crisis, carries too much weight. The news of your participation has already reached the royalty. His Majesty the Emperor is quite interested, and Serenon said if you participate, he will too.”

His deep blue eyes sparkled with intrigue.

“This makes me curious. You must be concealing your true power, yet here you are stepping forward?”

Diego’s observation was valid. I had earnestly requested not to reveal myself as Mir, yet it was absurd to enter a tournament practically showcasing my power.

I scratched the back of my head, feeling embarrassed, but smiled casually.

“Is there really such a thing as a permanent secret? Since it will be revealed anyway, I thought it would be better to have a dramatic reveal.”

It was a moment I had longed for while tightly hiding my identity as Mir. I boldly met the gazes directed at me.

“The weight of a name calls for a grand stage, doesn’t it?”

I intended to become the eye of the storm that stirred up a tempest in the empire.

“Ha, haha!”

Diego laughed heartily. He was always smiling, but it was extremely rare to see him genuinely laugh out loud. Whenever I witnessed his genuine laughter, it felt like finding a pearl in a sand dune filled with shells and brightened my mood.

“I don’t know why talking to you makes me so happy. You must resemble happiness itself.”

Diego’s words were like poetry singing of love. They seemed carefully chosen, refined words fell from his sweet voice in a gentle tone, like a lover whispering before falling asleep. Compared to a song, it reminded me of jazz coming from an antique gramophone.

The corners of Diego’s eyes, which had been coolly raised, curved beautifully.

“If I see you compete in the swordsmanship tournament and send a love call to become my knight, would you accept it?”

Though he spoke with a soft laugh and a gentle tone, his voice carried an oddly heavy undertone. A hint of greed flickered through as well. I blinked for a moment before playfully narrowing my eyes.

“Aren’t you already my lord? Do you need more loyalty than that?”

I had already pledged my loyalty to Diego. My rightful sun was none other than Diego.

The vast sea was repeatedly cloaked in golden sunlight, revealing its form. As I enjoyed marveling at Diego’s long and lush golden eyelashes, our eyes met, and I held my breath.

“Despite that, you are a knight who protects everyone. I wanted you to be my knight alone.”

In Diego’s eyes shone an unfathomable desire that stretched wide and deep.

“I wish for you to move only for me, for your sword to follow nothing but my commands. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could only be my knight who can do nothing without my permission? Then, there would never be another day I’d have to fear seeing your lifeless body. I would never have to feel frozen, unable to do anything.”

His murmured voice dipped low with gravity.

I could not help but realize the dark and heavy emotion behind his sincerity. I felt the effort he put into sublimating the terror incident lightly.

I pressed my lips tight.

My sword could not be wholly devoted to one person. It was raised to protect, and I indeed had much to protect.

What kind of expression did I have at that moment? Diego’s face twisted slightly as he looked at me. He let out a long sigh before breaking into a bitter smile, fiddling with the delphinium hanging by my ear.

“But I know that’s my loss. I should be setting you free to fly instead of holding you down. That’s why I’m holding back.”

While his hand fiddling with the delphinium slowly moved toward my ear, I jumped at the sensitive touch of his long fingers against my ear.

His fingertips slowly swept over my ear. It was ticklish and strange against my skin.

“Please, don’t get hurt anymore. So I can truly support your flight without reservation. Don’t make me want to bind you.”

Diego whispered softly as if a breeze just brushed past my ear, but the weight of his words was not light at all. I swallowed hard.

“When the main event of the swordsmanship tournament starts, you should come find me once. I’ll gift you my token.”

After letting go of my hand and pulling back, Diego shifted the topic with his melodious voice. He wore a friendly expression as always, and I regained my senses just in time to respond.

“Ah. I still have the ribbon you gave me during the Hunting Tournament.”

“That’s another story altogether. This time I will gift you something more suitable as a token.”

Diego’s gaze slowly descended from my face. The lingering feeling of his gaze seemed to stick to my body until it eventually landed on my left hand.

After staring at my left hand for a while, Diego lifted it. His thumb brushed lightly over the two rings overlapping on my ring finger.

“Are there… two betrothal rings?”

His deeply settled voice whispered softly. I blinked, not understanding what he meant at first. Diego smiled gently while gritting his teeth.

“Your ring-picking skills are like a bug.”

“What?”

I was baffled by the abrupt insult aimed at my choice, which my sword and Aria had suddenly received. Diego continued without regard for my state.

“I will also gift a ring as this token.”

He tickled my left hand’s ring finger with his thumb and index finger. His gesture felt like he was ready to pull the ring off any moment.

“I don’t care to wear it on my ring finger, so if you give it to me, I will just accept it.”

A hot breath traced over my hand as Diego lowered his heated lips to the spot he had just caressed. It was a passionate kiss.

“It’s a gift from Sword Prince and Lady Aria… Does that design not suit you?”

Diego’s body stiffened suddenly.

“Is something wrong…?”

As I glanced at his expression, he remained silent for a long time. Eventually, he tilted his head abruptly.

And this time, it was I who gasped in shock.

“Oh, is that so?”

Diego wore an unfamiliar, beaming smile.

“Haha! I completely misremembered something! I see! What a beautiful ring!”

“You just said it was like a bug…?”

“It’s a staggering, jaw-dropping design I was referring to! You must have a good sense, being siblings with her. It’s beautifully matched with you.”

I had never seen Diego in such high spirits before. His face looked so refreshed as if a heavy decade-old blockage in him had cleared, radiating immense happiness.

“Well… understood. And if you’re gifting me a ring, I’ll wear it as a necklace around my neck.”

“Huh? Why not wear it on your hand?”

I chuckled softly at Diego, who tilted his head in confusion.

“Then I can always keep it in my embrace. I’ll cherish it right above my heart.”

Diego’s face instantly went pale. He stared at me for a long time, then buried his face in his hands. His ears, barely visible, turned red.

“Damn… Those are words I should say… Why do you strip me of the chance to woo you when you’ve already spun a tangled web around me…?”

Diego lamented softly. I blinked.

“Ah, would you like to repeat that? I will take it into account.”

“That’s not it! Ha…!”

Diego struck his chest with his fists.

I couldn’t make sense of what he meant, staring blankly at him. The sound of the medals hanging from Diego’s chest jingled sweetly.

‘…I sense something.’

And at that moment, my instinct rang out a warning.

I felt the presence but didn’t particularly stand on guard. That noble and divine aura was very familiar to me.

“This feels like… discovering a lover making out in our front yard.”

A captivating voice tightened around my ears. The aroma of the garden’s flowers wafted through the air, much thicker than the scents of lilies.

A tall figure leaned against the garden entrance, arms crossed. Observing his face, which wore a smile yet wasn’t smiling at all, I realized that both he and Diego were hiding their emotions behind a poker face.

“How bold you are, Crown Prince. If it was a declaration of war to challenge the temple, I’ll say it was a fine attempt.”

The formidable figure who appeared with such a threatening remark was none other than the owner of this place, Pope Helios.

 

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