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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: A Voice Heard
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Jusielia blinked, noticing a new star-shaped pendant hanging next to the white jade tiger pendant she always wore.
‘It’s pretty.’
It shimmered with a soft blue light.
“It suits you perfectly. I knew cool tones would look wonderful on our princess!”
“Kyang.”
“It’s an Adinite mana stone. Hehe. His Majesty the Emperor specially…”
“Noah.”
“Yes.”
Ekiel cut Noah off.
Jusielia tilted her head in confusion but soon returned her gaze to the Adinite pendant, staring at it blankly.
Ekiel smiled, relieved that Jusielia seemed to like it.
This magical device had one more function besides translation.
It was designed to automatically cast a single advanced offensive spell if the wearer was ever in danger.
White jade couldn't withstand high-level magic. This meant that the spell on Jusielia's white jade tiger pendant wasn't actually very powerful.
Adinite, on the other hand, was a powerful mana stone, considered a national treasure even in the Rilberg Empire.
In the magical empire of Rilberg, mana stones were more valuable than jewels.
Ekiel had unhesitatingly pulled the incredibly expensive mana stone from a subspace and ordered Noah to make a magical device with it.
Noah had been taken aback, but he'd assumed it was fitting for a gift to the precious daughter of the Penterin Emperor.
He hadn't imagined it held any deeper meaning.
After all, the Emperor was too young, and the Princess was a tiger cub.
Of course, the same was true for the two involved.
Even Ekiel was unaware of the feelings that had prompted him to give Jusielia the gift, and Jusielia herself gave it little thought.
Meanwhile, while Jusielia was captivated by her new magical necklace, Ekiel fastened a simple, ring-like bracelet onto his right wrist.
After infusing mana into the fingernail-sized, silver-blue mana stone set in its center, Ekiel approached Jusielia.
He sat down in front of her, meeting her gaze, and spoke.
“Will you try speaking now, Princess?”
The night breeze stirred, rustling the jet-black hair that fell over Ekiel's pale forehead.
Jusielia met the young emperor's eyes, which were like flowers blooming in the night sky. After a moment of hesitation, she replied.
“L-like this?”
A voice, slightly childish yet clear and pure, echoed distinctly in Ekiel's ears.
Ekiel's eyes widened slightly, his expression dazed.
Seeing his lack of response, Jusielia glanced nervously at Noah and added.
“Uh, hello, Your Majesty?”
Belatedly, Ekiel broke into a bright smile and let out a short laugh.
Ah, truly.
She was so lovely.
So lovely it felt unfair that he was only hearing it now.
“Archmage Noah can't hear you. Only the person wearing this bracelet can hear your voice, Princess.”
“Aha!”
As Jusielia nodded in relief, Ekiel's smile grew even gentler.
Noah, who was watching Ekiel and Jusielia from the side, was going mad with frustration and curiosity.
He could only hear Ekiel's words; to him, Jusielia's voice still sounded like the cries of a tiger.
Why? What is it?
How lovely must her voice be for His Majesty to wear such a tender expression?
“I want to hear the princess's voice too, please!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Noah interjected between the two, raising his hand high.
Ekiel tried to ignore him, but Jusielia felt a little sorry for the haggard-looking Noah.
“Let him try. He said please.”
“Do we really have to?”
“Yes. He’s the one who made it.”
“…You’re very kind, Princess.”
Kind? Me?
Jusielia questioned him with her eyes, but Ekiel, who was looking at her with a strange expression, remained silent.
“Of course.”
Jusielia lifted her chin haughtily.
I am the reincarnation of the merciful White Tiger, Anash.
Well, not exactly kind. I just looked after and cared for the lesser creatures.
Then that damn Black Snake started running rampant…
“Priiiinceeeess!!!!!!!! Can you hear me!!!!!!!!!!”
Noah's voice was so loud it completely shattered her foul mood from thinking about the Dark Divine Beast of a thousand years ago, making Jusielia's eardrums ring.
Archmages have no middle ground.
Ugh.
Lifting her front paws, Jusielia folded her ears down and replied mechanically.
“Too. Loud. And. Clear…”
But despite Jusielia's reaction, Noah seemed moved, raising a hand to cover his mouth.
It was partly because the simultaneous translation device worked on the first try, but also because the princess's voice was clearer than he had expected.
Besides…
As Noah stood there with his mouth covered, saying nothing, Jusielia spoke again.
“I said I can hear you, Archmage.”
“Woah! Princess, your voice is so adorable!!!!!!!”
The excited Noah suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Your voice is too loud.”
“I know, but, oh my god!!!!!!!! So cute, so precious, it's insane!!!! Absolutely perfect!!!!!!!!”
His booming voice struck Jusielia's sensitive eardrums directly, making them ache.
With her paws still pressed against her folded ears, Jusielia fumed silently.
“Yes. Your voice is loud enough to shatter the eardrums of those who have been dead and buried for a thousand years.”
“My goodness, listen to the way you speak! You're as smart as our Emperor!”
“Haa… Never mind.”
“Gah! So cute!”
Jusielia tried to calm him down with the softest tone she could manage.
But it had little effect.
If anything, it only made Noah more excited.
The way she spoke so maturely with a voice that perfectly matched her adorable appearance only piqued the archmage's innate curiosity.
“He’s still going.”
Jusielia pressed her ears down harder against the booming voice hammering her sensitive ears.
As the soft, lovely white paws he had always yearned to touch wriggled, Noah snorted and drew closer.
“Princess! I have a favor to ask! Please let me just touch those front paws once… Ugh!”
*Clang!*
Unable to watch any longer, Ekiel used magic. He subdued Noah by wrapping his body in chains and pulling him back.
“Aaargh!”
In the end, Noah returned the bracelet to His Majesty and trudged down from the observatory with a sullen expression.
Jusielia watched Noah's reluctant figure descend from the observatory and let out a small chuckle.
“He's a bit pitiful. That Archmage was kind of cute, though.”
“…Jusielia, Noah is twenty-three. That's very old.”
Jusielia looked back at Ekiel, who had put the translation bracelet back on and was now advising her in a serious voice.
Seeing his slightly displeased expression, Jusielia narrowed her eyes and pondered.
‘What on earth does he mean by saying that to me?’
Jusielia studied the slightly disgruntled-looking Ekiel.
Surely he wasn't scolding her for being rude by calling Archmage Noah cute?
Or did he think she saw Noah as a potential romantic interest?
‘That’s insane.’
That was too much of a stretch.
No matter how mentally mature I am as the reincarnation of Anash, my body is so young!
‘Ekiel is a bit strange.’
Jusielia couldn't figure out what Ekiel was thinking at all, so she shook her head.
When Jusielia let out a long sigh, Ekiel looked at her worriedly and asked.
“What's wrong, Jusielia?”
“It's nothing, Ekiel.”
‘Geniuses are bound to be peculiar, so their way of thinking must be unique too.’
I should give up on trying to completely understand this delicate yet strange genius.
I wonder if strange misunderstandings and weird episodes like this will happen often while living with Ekiel from now on.
Jusielia decided she should prepare herself and spoke.
“You know, you said Noah is twenty-three, right? That's still very young for an Archmage. He's incredibly smart. Amazing.”
“That may be true… but I'm younger, Jusielia.”
Ekiel's expression as he replied calmly was extremely serious.
Bewildered, Jusielia's mouth slowly fell wide open.
So, was Ekiel boasting right now that he was a much younger and greater mage?
‘He seems childish, and a little obnoxious.’
But Jusielia couldn't argue.
He was right.
The youngest emperor of Rilberg, and also the youngest person to become the most powerful Archmage.
That was this very boy.
Just then, Ekiel grinned at Jusielia.
“Right?”
“Uh, y-yeah.”
Looking at Ekiel's beautiful smile, Jusielia nodded before she knew it.
Ekiel felt a bit displeased that Jusielia was interested in others besides him, especially other males.
Was it jealousy?
It was a novel feeling, difficult to define.
