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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Fury
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She saved me.
But there’s nothing I can do.
Claude trembled with helplessness. Everyone was trying their best.
High-ranking mages from the imperial palace had all rushed over, casting spells, and the beastmen were using their supernatural abilities, but progress was slow.
They were only managing to lift and clear the bricks one by one.
The walls of the mages' training grounds weren't built with ordinary bricks.
They were special bricks, extremely heavy and highly resistant to magic.
That made casting levitation spells on them difficult.
Crying at the slower-than-expected progress, Sophie, who had been clearing bricks near Jusielia, approached the mages to confront them.
“What are you doing right now! We don’t have time for this, the Princess! *Sob!*”
“But we can’t just destroy the bricks! The Princess would be at great risk of getting hurt.”
“Besides, there’s a high risk of a secondary collapse. For now, we have no choice but to clear them one by one as quickly as possible!”
Sophie and the mages argued heatedly, but no solution emerged.
The people grew more and more anxious.
Just then, Claude, who had just rushed to the scene of the accident, started moving a brick, and the palace attendants were horrified, trying to stop him.
“Young Master! Please stay still, we’ll do it.”
“I’m fine! Leave me be.”
“But!”
“I said I’m fine!”
Claude snapped at the attendants, then wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks with the back of his hand as he cleared away the bricks with his bare hands.
And he continuously apologized to the White Tiger Princess, who was buried and taking shallow breaths.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”
“Enough.”
Just then, a young but dignified voice came from behind.
“Everyone, move.”
Emperor Ekiel, who was said to be away on a trip far outside the palace, had returned.
His usually expressionless face was chillingly sharp today, making everyone tense up.
Normally gentle, when he was angry or displeased, the air around him would crackle.
Nothing like this had happened since Ekiel ascended the throne. Now, it was enough to make one’s skin tingle.
‘He truly is a frightening person.’
At the emperor's appearance, everyone bowed their heads and swallowed nervously, all thinking the same thing.
Those gathered here were either individuals with considerable magical power or extraordinary beastmen; that was the only reason they could remain standing.
If they had been ordinary commoners, they would have fainted while crying.
Ekiel was in a foul mood.
‘Yes, because I cherish Jusielia.’
An accident like this should never have happened.
Ekiel thought as he walked.
‘Of course, she’ll be fine. Still, Jusielia. This isn’t right.’
His eyebrow twitched faintly.
Ekiel quickly went to Jusielia, who was trapped under the debris, and knelt.
Beside him stood Claude, sniffling and crying.
Jusielia's state was devastating.
Because she was an exceptionally pure white tiger, the blood covering her body stood out in a stark, vivid red.
Placing a hand on her small body, Ekiel's heart ached.
‘Ah.’
It hurt so much it was hard to breathe.
He already knew this feeling, this emotion. The one you feel when you lose someone precious, like family.
And that it was a terrible feeling he never wanted to experience again.
The sense of loss, sadness, and pain felt when a loved one is hurt before your very eyes.
‘I hate this.’
Ekiel’s lips twisted into a grimace.
Did this happen because I wasn’t by your side? Then I must never leave you again.
Ekiel drew up his mana and lightly swept away the heavy debris.
“Isn’t that right, Jusielia?”
He murmured softly, gently stroking the head of the unconscious Jusielia.
Then, after casting a high-level healing spell, he checked her condition.
‘As I thought.’
As expected, Jusielia was safe because the defensive and healing spells he had placed on the translation artifact he gave her—the adinite star necklace—had activated automatically.
It seemed she had a wound on her back and had bled, but it must have already been cleanly healed by the magic.
If not for the high-level spells Ekiel had cast in advance, this could have been a true disaster.
His expression hardened further.
“Your Majesty.”
Ekiel glanced at Claude, who had called out to him cautiously.
Seeing his face, a mess of tears, was astounding.
The notoriously proud Claude Continell was crying like that.
He had much to say, but his concern was not for Claude.
Also.
‘A levitation spell on Jusielia’s body.’
Simultaneously, Ekiel’s golden mana poured out.
“Disintegrate.”
With the emperor's soft whisper, the stones that had been heavily pressing down on Jusielia instantly turned into fine sand and trickled away.
And at the same time, Jusielia, instead of being buried in the sand, was enveloped in a glowing sphere and floated in the air.
‘My goodness!’
‘It’s truly amazing!’
‘Heavens. To think he could eliminate those special bricks in an instant?’
The onlookers were dumbfounded, their jaws agape at the emperor's next-level magic.
Ekiel gently received the floating Jusielia with a soft touch and held her in his arms.
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
Sophie sobbed, rushing toward Jusielia in Ekiel’s arms.
“She’s fine. She just needs treatment and rest. It would be best for you to calm down first.”
“*Sob*, th-thank you, Your Majesty.”
At Ekiel’s words, Sophie came to her senses, took a deep breath, and wiped her tears.
As everyone stared at him and Jusielia, Ekiel turned and spoke calmly.
“Let’s go. The Princess must be examined.”
Only then did Sophie compose herself, bowing deeply as she spoke.
“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Ekiel, who was walking toward Stella Palace with Jusielia in his arms, stopped and turned his head.
“Why are you following?”
The emperor's tone was incredibly cold, but Claude, undaunted, swallowed hard and made his request.
“...Could I not just see her settled, no, just see that she is alright before I leave, Your Majesty?”
“Hah.”
“I beg you, Your Majesty.”
Claude pleaded, his face a mess of tears.
In truth, if Ekiel were to name his close peers, Claude would be one of his top three friends.
But he had heard what happened on his way here. Ekiel could not bring himself to forgive Claude.
How dare you! To her, of all people!
Jusielia is the one who will save the world, my precious…!
While a fire raged within him, Ekiel’s voice grew even more subdued as he coldly rejected Claude.
“No.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Leave.”
The young emperor's dismissal was all the more resolute.
Just then, having heard the news that the wall of the Stella Palace training grounds had collapsed and her son was trapped, Countess Continell rushed over through a warp gate.
She was briefly relieved to see her youngest son unharmed, but after assessing the situation, she quickly ran over and held Claude back.
“Yes, yes. I understand, Your Majesty. I will take Claude with me.”
“Countess. Furthermore, after the Princess awakens, the degree of negligence will be assessed and punishment will be dealt. Until then, Claude Continell is to be confined to the county estate.”
“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
Countess Continell answered on behalf of her youngest son, who couldn't take his eyes off the limp, unconscious White Tiger Princess, and pressed down firmly on his head.
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
As Claude belatedly caught on and reluctantly replied, Ekiel, with a look of displeasure, swiftly covered Jusielia with his cloak.
“Go.”
Ekiel quickly turned and headed for Stella Palace, preventing Claude from seeing Jusielia.
The look in Claude’s eyes as he watched Jusielia was utterly desperate.
It was understandable to be worried, seeing Jusielia's small body covered in blood, but,
in reality, thanks to the healing and defensive magic artifacts, Jusielia was almost completely unharmed now.
Honestly, she was just exhausted and had fallen asleep.
‘However.’
Ekiel was lost in thought.
Claude’s gaze.
It wasn’t just worry and guilt; his eyes held the same kind of affection as his own.
‘I don’t like it.’
There was something else that was even more unpleasant.
According to the report he received, when the wall collapsed, Jusielia had tried to protect Claude and had almost been gravely injured herself.
‘How unpleasant.’
Why?
Why would you protect a boy you just met today and get hurt in his place?
Ekiel sighed, adjusting his hold on the small white tiger nestled in his arms.
The warmth radiating from Jusielia was, thankfully, still there.
‘…Should I just tell Claude that Jusielia was badly injured and died?’
Ekiel shook his head, dismissing the uncharacteristically cruel thought.
Even as a rumor, such words were horrifying.
The thought of you dying.
Ekiel looked down at Jusielia.
Breathing, a warm body, lively movements—those are the things that suit you.
He hugged Jusielia a little tighter and entered her bedroom in Stella Palace.
Just live worrying only about yourself, please.
Don’t try to protect others.
Jusielia, please.
Forgetting her destiny, Ekiel continued to pour out his selfish wishes.
Please.
