Chapter 41
“The bet should’ve been with me, not the princess. What? ‘If you win, I’ll grant your wish. If you lose, become my lover’? Seriously, if I changed the situation and said that to you, would you go ‘Oh, he must love me so much!’ or would you be cursing like crazy?”
“…How dare you insult the Crown Prince of the Empire?”
The red sword energy slashed down, and death’s door was just a breath away from opening behind him.
The comforting death flag waved at me, urging me to grab the enemy commander’s waist and cross into the threshold of death.
“Insult?! Want to see what real insult is? The Crown Prince who insulted Princess Berieta! Hey, you want to feel it, huh?”
I flapped my aching wings and closed the distance in an instant. Then, with a full swing, I split his sword energy in half.
A beating was the cure for a crazy bastard like him. Yeah!
The flashing swing of light and justice’s radiant strike filled my vision as the world turned white.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Roy? Are you awake?”
Berieta asked, her eyes glistening with tears.
Wow, it’s the princess.
Wow, she’s so beautiful.
Am I in heaven? The dream felt so vivid that I couldn’t help but smile. Berieta hugged me tightly.
“I’m so glad… Really glad…”
Her embrace was so warm and fragrant. The pure soap-like scent, so soft and rare in this world, made me press my cheek to hers and rub against it.
“…?!”
Her breath, which had been full of relief, stopped abruptly. Her clear, bright green eyes widened, and the tears she had held back fell down her cheeks. I raised my hand to wipe them away. Her frozen face slowly melted, and a warm smile bloomed.
Berieta took my hand and kissed it.
“I was so worried… your wings were so damaged…”
“My wings?”
“Yes.”
Berieta frowned and held my hand tighter. Her heavy body suddenly felt lighter, accompanied by a sweet scent.
I wanted to get up, but I didn’t want to wake up from this sweet dream. My chest fluttered in a pleasant way. How long had it been since someone was by my side?
Seeing Berieta worry for me in this dream, I must have been really starved for companionship.
She gently swept my bangs aside and murmured something strange.
“They used to be so white and beautiful… but now… they seem to be getting worse.”
“Is that so…”
“Roy, don’t be sick.”
Yes. I’ll get better soon.
I nodded.
“Has your fever gone down?”
Her cold, low voice cut through the space between us like a barrier. I had an idea who it was, but I didn’t want to know.
I turned my head toward Berieta and lay back down. I just wanted to lean on her like this.
Berieta gently stroked my head.
“There’s still a bit left. The fever is gone, so after a little more rest, you’ll feel better.”
“Okay.”
Tessarion sighed deeply. She lowered her head and whispered in my ear.
“Roy, sleep a little more.”
I was already deep in the dream.
“Berieta. Convince Helios to make sure that no reports of matters outside of his duties reach the palace.”
“Why should I?”
“That bastard used you to take control of the joint training. If he reports anything about Roy, things will go wrong.”
“Ha! It’s your fault for agreeing to it, knowing exactly what kind of man Helios is. Why do I have to clean up after you?”
“You’re the one who brought Helios here.”
“Who was it that sneaked Roy out, hiding him away?”
“Don’t you remember how Helios, blinded by jealousy, nearly killed Roy? Or how the Emperor, bent on killing me, would’ve snatched Roy if you hadn’t done this?”
“… Hmph! Cough cough.”
“If you’re going to bring a dog, at least manage it properly.”
“Fine. I’ll manage the dog. Just hand Roy over to me.”
“Do you want me to trust you? You’d be dragging him around on a leash.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Helios, blinded by jealousy, listens to me better than anyone else. Even when he loses to me, he falls for it every time when I smile at him as a reward.”
“Did the Emperor’s madness rub off on you?”
“Who’s talking here?”
Ugh, chilly, so chilly.
Why are these two still fighting in my dream?
I shivered, curling up.
“Hah! Roy, Roy? Hey! Your words are making him feverish again.”
“Lower your voice. Berieta…”
“You’re torturing him too much. What did he do wrong to deserve this kind of threat?”
“Shut up…! Sigh, let’s not talk.”
Yeah, why threaten me?
What did I do wrong? Is this Roy’s fault, the debt he inherited? The fact that Baron Dover went bankrupt, trying to feed his starving peasants and ended up with a sunken trade ship?
Is it reasonable for a twenty-year-old boy, suddenly made the head of his family, to be asked to pay back 50 million gold? Should he not even have his privacy respected, constantly dragged around by you all for some money?
Princess, please scold him more!
“It’s your fault… My dove’s beautiful wings have been ruined…”
Berieta cried out.
“Do you know what it means for the Guardian of the Holy Sword to lose its wings?”
“…”
“The demon that devoured my homeland is still out there, roaming. If Roy loses his wings, there will be no more hope!”
Berieta’s strained breathing, trying to hold back tears, filled the air.
“I know. I know, that’s why I’m here. To protect him…”
Berieta let go of my hand and stood up. Her cane slammed on the floor as she walked away, and then, with a sharp sound, she slapped her bare palm on her own flesh.
“Protect? You don’t understand at all.”
Berieta glared at me sharply. Tessarion remained silent for some reason.
Ah, that feels so refreshing!
Princess, more! Please, make him wake up!
I cheered for Berieta in my mind.
“You don’t understand anything, so you’re threatening him and keeping him caged. You’ve torn his insides apart and ruined his wings.”
“…”
“Please, give my dove back. I’ll fix him.”
It’s nice when the main lead and heroine finally face each other with passion, but this feels a bit awkward? Why am I the one causing the conflict? Shouldn’t they be fighting over each other, not me?
In the original, I think it was when the ailing heroine was caught between Althea and Tessarion fighting like this…
Hmm.
Seems like a strange dream.
A blinding light, so bright it almost made my vision go blank, struck like a lightning bolt.
Helios frowned. In that moment, his sword strike bounced back as if it had struck a heavy stone. His palm and wrist burned with a sharp, stinging pain.
He never imagined he’d lose a power struggle with Roy Dover.
“…”
Tessarion, who had grabbed Roy by the waist, swung his massive greatsword with one hand, slicing through the hazy dust cloud and dispelling the summoned force. On the marble floor, feathers piled up as bloodstains of unknown origin scattered around.
When did this happen?
A delayed, excruciating pain surged in my side, as if my waist might snap. Helios staggered, clutching his side. His teeth ground together as he glared at Tessarion.
Tessarion scooped up Roy, whose wings were scorched black.
“The training ends here for today.”
“What? Wait, Your Grace! Ugh!”
Helios tried to stop Tessarion, but clutched his side in pain, swallowing a groan. Hot blood dripped between his fingers. It wasn’t a shallow cut.
An old knight from the First Imperial Knights, who had been watching the training on the platform, stiffened and hurried to help Helios.
“Your Highness! Are you all right?”
“Don’t shout.”
“How dare he strike the Crown Prince with his sword…! What is this! Get the Duke now!”
“Ha, Herman? What nonsense are you spouting right now?”
Helios turned bright red in the face and grabbed the old knight by the collar. The knight, startled by Helios’s fierce energy, stood frozen. Helios leaned in close and whispered in his ear.
“Is the general planning to disgrace me in front of everyone now?”
