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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: I Hate You
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“This kind of thing gets better on its own!”
“No, it doesn’t.”
At his firm tone, Jussie pouted and shot him a glare.
“Your Majesty is an idiot.”
“I know.”
Ekiel finally replied with a hint of a laugh, and Jussie scoffed in disbelief.
“Whatever.”
Jussie found it strange that Ekiel, the emperor of this nation and a powerful mage, would so readily accept her harsh words.
Was he kind, or was he a fool?
Ekiel Isles Rilberg.
Was it really alright for him to continue as emperor like this?
Lost in serious thought, Jussie glanced at Ekiel, who was still gently holding her hand.
A warm-colored light was pouring over her palm.
Ekiel’s magical energy was golden.
The magical energy of other mages was typically white.
While there were rare cases of silver, like Regent Jetar or Claude, Ekiel’s brilliant gold was an exceptionally unusual case.
Ekiel’s healing magic, unlike that of other mages, was also golden, and the sight of his face, focused intently on her hand, was incredibly handsome.
Not a single one of his features, neatly arranged on his small face, was lacking.
His black eyebrows, crimson eyes that looked as if they were crafted from the most beautiful coral in the sea, high nose bridge, and full lips were as handsome as a painting.
When they were younger, she simply thought he was pretty.
But as he grew, he became more and more handsome, exuding a strange atmosphere.
It was as if he had gained the wistful, fatal charm of a rose, capable of captivating anyone who looked at him.
How could he possess such a heart-fluttering, decadent beauty when he was still just a boy?
Just like right now…
“Jussie, it’s done.”
Ekiel released Jussie’s hand, who was still lost in a daze, and gave her a bright smile.
“Ah, yeah, right.”
Jussie hadn’t taken her eyes off Ekiel’s face and hadn't even noticed when the magical light had faded.
‘Idiot.’
Embarrassed, Jussie pretended to examine her hand while trying to cool her flushed face.
Her hand hadn't even hurt in the first place.
But what was this stinging in her chest and this feeling of breathlessness?
Had she caught a cold? Just as Jussie tilted her head in confusion.
Ekiel, still kneeling on the floor, asked calmly.
“Jussie.”
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing here?”
Ekiel’s attitude instantly turned cold, so different from when he was healing her, and Jussie’s heart sank.
Annoyed, Jussie wrinkled her nose, lifted her chin, and said confidently.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“At this hour?”
Jussie grew even more heated at Ekiel’s equally chilly reply.
‘How dare he avoid me, the great Jussie? I came here to make sure he wouldn’t get away with it.’
Jussie decided to ask directly.
“Yeah. Ekiel, you know I’m a tiger, right?”
“…You do?”
Ekiel tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled.
Jussie grinned.
“I’m extremely aggressive. You know that? I came because I couldn’t stand it anymore!”
Jussie raised her voice at the end, uncrossing her arms and pointing a finger at Ekiel as she exclaimed.
“Couldn’t stand what?”
“What do you mean, couldn’t stand what!”
Jussie fumed.
“Why did you cancel training yesterday and today? Why are you avoiding me?”
“I wasn’t avoiding you. I believe I explained why.”
“Do you think I’m an idiot? Normally, you would have explained it to me yourself!”
Jussie took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then looked him straight in the eye and spoke deliberately.
“Ekiel Isles Rilberg, you are avoiding me, aren’t you?”
Her words left Ekiel speechless.
Jussie narrowed her eyes slightly, then tapped her lips and sighed.
“Have I become uncomfortable for you now?”
That couldn’t be true.
Ekiel, frozen, shook his head, but Jussie didn’t see it.
“Are you more comfortable when I’m a white tiger? Is that form cuter? Well, I guess so. It’s easier to get close to an animal, after all.”
“That’s not it.”
Ekiel finally denied it aloud, but Jussie just smiled faintly, as if she didn’t believe him.
Ekiel was bewildered.
“Jussie, please listen to me…”
“Ekiel. Are you weighing your options with me? What on earth are you doing?”
“Jussie.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not the Divine Beast Anash anymore. I’m the white tiger beastman Jusielia, and it’s more efficient to fight in this form. I have no intention of turning back into a white tiger.”
Jussie was so angry that her pale neck was flushed red, veins standing out.
“You didn’t even know that? You’re pathetic!”
Jussie shrieked, her voice sharp with accusation.
She wasn’t crying, but her large eyes were moist.
Flustered, Ekiel didn’t want to provoke her any further.
No matter what he tried to explain, right now she was…
“I… hate you!”
“What…?”
The shock hit Ekiel like the sky was falling.
The immense weight crashed down on his chest, and he gasped in pain.
Jussie hated him.
As Ekiel stood frozen, as if turned to stone by a Gorgon’s curse, Jussie continued to shout.
“I like Claude way better than someone who acts like you. Hmph! I’m going to the party with Claude, you idiot Ekiel.”
“Party?”
Ekiel asked back, a look of confusion on his face.
“That’s right! And I came here for two reasons. One is to end our friendship, and the other is to get the mana stone access pass.”
Jussie held out her hand expectantly.
“I succeeded in attacking you the day before yesterday. You have to count it properly. Right?”
Ekiel calmly tried to process Jussie’s words.
So, the party was her birthday banquet, and she meant she would be escorted by Claude Continell.
And she came to end their friendship… which meant she was telling him to hand over the pass and get lost.
Ekiel’s heart shattered.
He had earned the hatred of the one person he never wanted to be hated by.
If it was his fault, he had to fix it.
Ekiel quickly placed his hands lightly on Jussie’s shoulders and leaned down to meet her eyes.
“Jussie, that wasn’t what I meant.”
“I don’t need it, Ekiel.”
“Jussie, please.”
“I can train by myself now. Besides, I need to start sword training from now on. I can just ask Xaviet or Claude for that. You’ve barely ever held a sword.”
As Jussie looked into Ekiel’s crimson eyes, her own clear blue ones were filled with anger.
“You’d… do it with someone else?”
Ekiel’s eyes wavered in shock.
“Yes! You’re the emperor, so just focus on your duties. Don’t worry about me. From now on, I’ll handle my own training to become strong enough to fight the Dark Divine Beast. Stay out of it!”
Furious, Jussie shouted harshly.
“I can do just fine… without you.”
After she finished speaking, Jussie finally looked away from Ekiel’s hurt expression.
“Jussie…”
Ekiel started to call her name, then bit his lip.
This wasn’t what he intended.
He swore he had no intention of hurting Jussie’s feelings in the slightest or causing a misunderstanding.
‘Moron.’
He cursed himself, trying not to tighten his grip on Jussie’s shoulders.
He had skipped training with Jussie twice, something he hadn’t done once in the past five years, and had avoided her.
Truthfully, his mind was a mess.
When Jussie had completed her humanization.
He had been a little taken aback when he saw her, but the problem came afterward.
That night, while Jussie was asleep, Ekiel had secretly entered her bedroom to check on her condition.
Everything had become perfect.
By becoming human from a white tiger, Anash’s unstable supernatural ability had stabilized and become tranquil.
It had reached the point where she no longer needed his healing magic or the magic to periodically drain her supernatural ability.
‘Jussie is fine.’
Jussie’s skills had also improved by leaps and bounds.
Though she was only an eight-year-old princess, she was so strong that it was obvious she would win even if all fifty mages of the Rilberg Imperial Palace attacked her at once.
And she would only grow stronger.
Now, once he consulted with the Penterin Emperor in detail and determined the empire was stable, Jussie could return to Penterin.
But that’s where the problem began.
He had to think rationally.
Princess Jusielia was from Penterin. Once it was safe, she should, of course, return to her home country where her family was.
‘I don’t want that.’
But strangely, he felt a strong sense of rejection.
His mind was a mess, his heart ached as if being prodded by a fiery poker, and he felt resentful.
Yes, this feeling was resentment, and loneliness.
