Chapter 23
What’s going on?
Berieta only used support magic. There was no way he could beat someone like Heliote, the Crown Prince and Commander of the Imperial First Knight Division, who was nearly as strong as Duke Tessarion.
No way… right?
But Berieta casually brushed off his hands and clicked his tongue. Shiny green sparkles floated around him with each movement. He pulled the frozen Roy into his arms and shouted at the knights rushing in.
“Who are you trying to catch? Why are you all yelling like the Crown Prince did something great?”
In the early time loops, Berieta used to be scared stiff by Heliote’s temper. But after going through many regressions, he got tougher and smarter.
Now, he had a secret move that worked only on Heliote—“Brain Activation Rising Fist.” When Berieta hit Heliote in the head, he’d be stunned for 5 seconds and suddenly start thinking clearly for 55 seconds. That was all Berieta needed to take down a Swordmaster—at least, when it was Heliote.
Berieta scolded the wobbling Heliote, holding his jaw:
“What kind of older brother tries to assault his sister before her wedding?! You should be bowing down to the Claremont knight who stopped your disgusting behavior! And now you want to hurt him?”
“P-Princess…” one of the knights murmured.
“Go ahead, beast! Didn’t they tell you to behave like a person outside the palace? I even helped you escape punishment from defying the Emperor, and this is how you thank me? By attacking my savior?”
“P-Princess?” Roy looked up, eyes wide, completely shocked.
The same Princess who used to cry silently under pressure from the Emperor and Heliote was now waving her glowing green fist in the air and yelling like a storm.
But the shock didn’t end there.
Heliote, still holding his swollen jaw from Berieta’s punch, calmly said:
“Speaking so lowly of the Crown Prince in front of Roy Dover… This is an insult to the royal family, Berieta.”
His tone was creepily flat.
“Insults don’t count between royals,” Berieta shot back.
“But still, how can you ruin your family’s honor and protect your enemy’s knight? And ‘assault’? All I did was smell the fragrance of a beautiful flower. For a butterfly to pass by a fragrant flower without stopping—that’s the real crime.”
“Hah. Now even your nonsense sounds polished.”
“Desiring beauty given by the goddess is human instinct—it inspires art and culture. It’s not as harmful as some war maniac who burns villages.”
Heliote proudly puffed out his muscular chest and pointed at Roy.
“Knight of the North. What do you think is better for our empire? Ah—right. You’re a backwoods northerner. Probably don’t know much about aestheticism.”
“…”
Roy rubbed his eyes. No matter how many times he did, he couldn’t believe it.
Was Heliote, who usually just shouted nonsense, now speaking long, elegant speeches with a charming smile?
“Don’t worry,” Heliote went on. “As Crown Prince, I’m personally spreading southern art and culture to the underdeveloped North!”
“…”
“Isn’t it admirable? Even embracing Duke Claremont, the war-loving brute, and bringing unity to the Empire? I’m the ideal ruler, don’t you think?”
Yes… “Brain Activation Rising Fist” was an insanely powerful support magic.
Watching Heliote like that for the first time after ten regressions, Roy felt like he was turning to stone. He muttered to himself, “What happened to the original story? Why is everyone so crazy?”
But then, just as the 1-minute brain boost wore off, Heliote stopped mid-sentence and stared blankly into the air. He tilted his head.
Then—
BANG!
The door burst open like it would break.
Heliote jumped in surprise and pulled out his sword.
Tessarion appeared, breathing like a furious beast, cold murderous energy around him.
“Haah… Roy…” he said—looking only at Roy.
Roy gasped and jumped out of Berieta’s arms, immediately kneeling before Tessarion.
But Tessarion’s fury wasn’t at Berieta or Heliote—it was aimed straight at Roy, as if no one else existed.
“Roy Dover. I told you not to leave my sight, didn’t I?”
“I-I’m sorry, Duke! I only left to protect the princess…!”
Tessarion grabbed Roy by the collar and lifted him. Roy’s face went pale as he was dragged up to Tessarion’s furious face.
“When did I tell you to protect that one? I said don’t leave my sight! And then, while I was resting, you pulled the Holy Sword and flew off?!”
Roy flinched under Tessarion’s roar and stammered.
“I-I saw something unjust and moved without thinking…”
Tessarion ground his teeth. Roy had died too many times trying to protect someone when he shouldn’t have. Often killed instantly by Heliote’s sword.
Tessarion threw him aside.
“Guess I spoiled you. You’ve lost your sense of fear.”
“…!”
“Your aging grandfather, the former Baron Dover, adores his youngest grandson so much he can’t live without you. So I’ll be generous. I’ll kill your youngest sister first.”
Roy gasped and desperately begged.
“I was wrong! I’ll never leave your side again! Please forgive me!”
Tessarion ignored him and walked past coldly.
“Duke! P-please, Duke!”
The Holy Sword’s glow disappeared. Roy’s soft wings vanished into the air, leaving only his hunched back.
Then Tessarion’s golden eyes, colder than ice and hotter than fire, turned toward his next targets: Heliote and Berieta.
They both flinched.
“Who gave you permission to step on my land? I don’t remember ever saying that was okay.”
Heliote put an arm around Berieta’s shoulder and rested his scimitar on his own shoulder. Berieta frowned and knocked his arm away.
“Your land? All land in Bellatinaum belongs to the Emperor. I came here under his command. I’m the Empire’s only princess—of course my older brother should escort me to my wedding!”
“The Emperor’s command?”
Tessarion snorted and glared at Berieta. Berieta crossed his arms and silently mouthed:
‘Told you so.’
For the first time in 10 regressions, Heliote hadn’t objected to Berieta’s political marriage.
Instead, he offered to escort her, stabilize the North with the 1st Division, and even win over Claremont and the northern powers.
Berieta had persuaded him—not to get locked up for opposing the Emperor, or crash the wedding with an army—but to boost royal prestige among northerners by being her knightly escort.
Of course, Berieta had to endure Heliote’s sleazy behavior the whole trip. But he had a goal:
Escape the mad Emperor!
Get Roy back from Tessarion!
Heliote confidently pulled out the Emperor’s decree.
“Duke Tessarion Arker Claremont, obey His Majesty’s command.”
