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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 24: Fiancé (3)
A day had passed.
Beatrice quickened her steps, feeling inexplicably stifled.
Yuren's words had lodged like a thorn in her heart.
She had to pull it out, and as far as she knew, there was only one way to do that.
"Ah, Bay!"
She was there in the park.
The girl, with her pastel-pink hair, round eyes, and deep emerald gaze, seemed to embody serenity itself as she smiled at Beatrice.
A smile crept onto Beatrice’s lips in return.
Anyone watching might be surprised to see Beatrice—often referred to as a perfect ice sculpture—actually smiling.
Even she acknowledged this fact.
Until now, no one had been able to make Beatrice smile like this.
Beatrice's pace quickened on its own, and she soon found herself before Rebecca, greeting her with a voice brimming with warmth.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
In truth, she had arrived right on time.
But since Rebecca had arrived first, she considered herself late.
The stifling sensation in her chest vanished.
Whenever she held Rebecca’s hand, it felt like the thorn was pulled out, and petals filled the wound, soothing her.
In that moment, Beatrice was able to deny Yuren’s words fully.
— I don’t care if you enjoy dalliances with other women, but you should at least have a sense of priorities.
No.
This was not about physical attraction or lust.
It was a relationship that gave her complete emotional fulfillment, a bond between two people as humans, as friends.
Rebecca was her one and only friend.
"Bay, did you finish everything? You mentioned a spell you were preparing for the Founding Festival!"
Rebecca chirped like a lark, asking about her work.
Beatrice responded with a bright smile.
"Yes, it’s going well. I’ve got most of it prepared."
"Oh, that’s good! But please don’t push yourself too hard! I know how driven you are to achieve things, and that worries me. You’re not overdoing it again, are you?"
A gentle pang resonated in Beatrice’s chest.
Yes, this was it.
She loved that Rebecca cared about her well-being rather than her achievements.
Unlike anyone else, Rebecca saw Beatrice as a person, not a status.
Rebecca would comfort her, even if she failed.
She’d wrap Beatrice in a warm embrace, filling her big, round eyes with worry.
And she’d say,
— It’s okay. Even if you didn’t make it, it’s fine. I’m here with you. It’s okay to cry now.
Just like that first day they met, she would affirm her.
Family?
The Tower?
Engagement?
None of that mattered.
Those things only got in the way of meeting Rebecca.
With that thought, Beatrice felt that nothing else scared her.
As long as she had Rebecca’s smile, she felt like she could live forever.
It was at that moment that her fingertips suddenly trembled.
Rebecca tilted her head, confused.
"What’s wrong?"
“…That necklace, I haven’t seen it before."
"Oh! This?"
Rebecca laughed lightly.
"The Holy One gave it to me! It’s supposed to help me sleep well! Hehe… I’m not sure if it works, but it’s so pretty I decided to wear it. Isn’t it nice?"
She showed off the necklace, looking for Beatrice’s opinion.
Beatrice’s heart tightened.
She forced a smile, but it couldn’t be as bright as before.
Words hovered on the tip of her tongue.
‘No. Don’t get close to that man.’
But the words didn’t come out.
She was afraid of being disliked if she tried to control Rebecca’s actions.
Yet she couldn’t suppress her emotions either.
Faces flashed through her mind.
The Holy One, the Grand Duke, and the Master of Shadows.
They were harmful to Rebecca.
They didn’t adore her purely and selflessly, like Beatrice did, but only sought her body.
They were vermin who would one day try to bind Rebecca.
Beatrice wanted Rebecca to distance herself from them.
Even if she kept them close, she hoped Rebecca wouldn’t pay them any attention.
Beatrice thought,
She wished that all the time Rebecca spent on them, mind, words, and glances would turn to her instead.
This was unmistakably possessiveness.
Beatrice feared the moment Rebecca might begin to see those men romantically.
If she ever became romantically entangled with them, the time and devotion Rebecca showed her would diminish, and her priority would shift.
Her heart raced.
Her unfocused eyes were locked solely on Rebecca, as if desperate to trap her within.
At that moment,
"Bay, are you okay? You don’t look well."
Rebecca furrowed her brows and placed a hand on Beatrice’s cheek.
Beatrice felt warmth spread from that touch.
Once again, she felt a sense of fulfillment.
The unruly rhythm of her body returned to its natural state.
Beatrice placed her hand over Rebecca’s.
With rising relief, she smiled.
“It’s nothing. I just had something on my mind.”
In that moment, Beatrice solidified her wavering resolve.
— Stop with the stupid stunts. Cleaning up after you is a hassle.
Don’t make me laugh.
It’s not foolish.
This is what I must do.
Rebecca didn’t know anything.
She didn’t know what was truly important.
Therefore,
‘I must…’
She had to protect her, to make her understand.
It was time to take action.
‘I have to make Rebecca mine.’
Otherwise, she was sure she wouldn’t be able to go on living.
* * *
“Pharos, Pharos. Are you dead~?”
“Yes…”
Aria poked my body, sprawled out on the bed.
Even those slight pokes made my stomach churn.
Why was this recoil still not healed?
Every time I thought I was getting better, the muscle aches and nausea would return.
…Well, what’s the point in blaming others?
It’s my own fault for not conducting myself properly.
I should have just rested and taken care of myself, but I needlessly got involved and made a fool of myself.
The first mistake was using mana to strike the crown prince.
The hangover in my gut started churning all over again.
And then I met Beatrice in that state.
Wanting to intimidate her a bit, I unleashed my mana and, driven by the thinking for the chef, stuffed my upset stomach with rich food.
So, both my body and mind are in shambles.
What’s frustrating is that I didn’t really have any other choice.
‘As for the crown prince incident, fine, but that woman…’
Thinking of Beatrice makes me click my tongue.
It was obvious she was thoroughly entranced by that commoner girl.
She could endure insults directed at her, but she couldn’t tolerate a single bad word against her—especially that.
So, I tried to create a sense of intimidation.
Honestly, I wanted to flip that situation around and pressure her about the demon summoning, but there was only one reason I couldn’t act immediately.
‘I need to know when the demon summoning is supposed to happen.’
Think about it.
Even if I know the future, accusing her now of something that hasn’t even started, or might not even have crossed her mind, would only make me look crazy.
And it would probably end with people calling me a scoundrel for associating the Tower’s promising magician with demon summoning.
In the political sphere, it’s even more complicated.
Demons are the ultimate taboo.
Just mentioning it is regarded as a blasphemy, given all the incidents that have marked human history since time immemorial.
I could poke the beehive only to end up facing backlash myself.
Stirring things up with her over something that hasn’t even happened would be a poor move.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Clara]
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So I simply called off the engagement.
By doing so, I gave a warning without direct accusations, letting her know she’s being watched closely to stop her from acting out once more.
‘Ah, ending an engagement is frustrating in its own way,’
I thought as my older sister’s somber face flashed in my mind from the day I broke the news.
“If it’s your choice, I’ll respect it, my Lord. Choosing a life partner is a serious matter. I’ll look out for a suitable match. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”
She spoke with her head lowered slightly more than usual, her shoulders slumped.
I felt so guilty; my face burned just thinking about it.
Anyway, that day wrapped up like that.
I had wanted to focus on resting today, but…
“Pharos!”
Here was that little troublemaker again, pestering me.
“…I’m unwell.”
“Yes, Pharos, you look sick!”
Is she actually understanding?
I glanced at Aria, only to realize I had been overly hopeful.
“B-But, do you know something, Pharos? When you’re sick, you have to eat a cheeseburger to get better…!”
She explained as she peeked at my reaction.
“Think about it. To get better, you need to feel good! And to feel good, you have to eat something delicious… Gulp. Cheeseburgers are the most delicious thing ever, so they’re like the ultimate remedy! So, cheer up and make a cheeseburger so you can eat it!”
I let out a hollow laugh.
It was clear she just wanted to eat one herself, using this flimsy excuse.
The way she gulped while talking made it obvious.
She was hungry for a burger but also trying to look concerned.
This child who lacks guile seems to lead a busy life.
I would’ve made one for her just for her effort, but I really didn’t feel like moving today.
So I turned to ask for help.
“First Princess, Your Highness.”
Sitting at my desk with documents, Erilda lifted her head in an uninterested way.
As she had mentioned, she was here “to look after Aria.”
“Yes?”
“I think it’s time to send the Third Princess back.”
“Sorry, but I haven’t finished reviewing these documents.”
“I believe I’m not a nanny, though.”
“Just make one for her. She’s so happy about it.”
In that instant, I realized.
‘They’re in on this together.’
There’s an old saying: beware most of those who seem to have transcended desires like wealth and power.
This sly human clearly intended to use Aria as a shield to get herself a burger.
…What can I do?
The best course is to make them a burger and get them out of here before they become even more of a nuisance.
“…Alright, alright. I’ll make it.”
I stood up, and only then did Aria beam with excitement.
“Yes! When you eat the burger, all the sickness will fly away!”
“Are you pleased?”
“Mm-hm!”
Aria hopped down from the bed, and Erilda got up from her chair.
When I narrowed my eyes at Erilda, she gave me a look that said, “What do you want?”
‘Such is my fate.’
Just as I hung my head, I noticed the documents on her desk.
“…By the way, what are those documents? For the Foundation Day Festival?”
It seemed to be an inventory of items with pictures.
I thought perhaps they were tribute items and wondered if I could get something out of it, and she responded.
“Yes, it’s a catalog of items for the upcoming Grand Auction.”
I froze.
‘Oh, the Grand Auction.’
A distant memory.
The Grand Auction is the largest auction held by the Imperial Family during the Foundation Day Festival.
The items include relics, artifacts, and many valuable pieces of history.
Each one holds astronomical value; things money can’t usually buy are put up for bidding for just one day.
‘I bought plenty of drinks here back in the day.’
I remembered recklessly spending a fortune on rare liquors, even though I didn’t appreciate their taste then.
“Hm…”
“What? Interested?”
“No, just reminiscing.”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t touched alcohol since the first night of my return to the past.
But if it’s the fine spirits that show up at the Grand Auction, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to buy one to enjoy slowly.
I was intrigued, so I asked.
“May I take a look at the catalog for a moment?”
“Of course, it’s not classified.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Pharos, what about the cheeseburger?”
“Wait a moment.”
“Aw…”
I flipped through the catalog.
Suddenly, my eyes widened.
“…What?”
“Hm? Oh, that page is the relic section. Nothing good this year, just a few accessories with no powers. I recommend checking the artifact section instead; we got some great items this time.”
What nonsense is she talking about?
Saying the relics are dull.
‘That’s an ancient artifact.’
My gaze was fixed on a certain piece of jewelry.
[Necklace/Origin Unknown]
It was a necklace with two silver curves twisted together.
The unique design and exceptional effects meant there was no way I was mistaken.
I had seen this item before.
A subordinate of mine wore it in my previous life.
— Oh, this? It’s a necklace my father gifted me. I didn’t know at first, but it turned out to be an amazing item.
The necklace’s power is simple.
— When you channel mana into it, it transforms it into physical healing. It’s incredible for curing hangovers.
It transforms mana into healing.
In other words, to put it simply…
‘I’ve found it.’
A way to restore my health.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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