Chapter 217

Same kind

Everyone was busy with their work, so were the wizards led by Jaire. Jaire came out of the training site and ran to me quickly. He called to test the protection magic of the tool he had just completed.

“Miss, are you hurt? You must have been very surprised!”

“It’s okay. Because it flew to a place far away from me.”

Right. Like it was planned. I twisted my lips up.

“First… here. Please stand here for a moment.”

“What are you doing?”

“I think we need to pull the test run of the tool. I don’t know if the operation date will change.”

Jaire’s words make sense. It was good to make sure that there was no more room for mishap, even if the other side declared war. I glanced at Jaire, who was preparing my arm with a magic tool.

Lenag was looking at Jaire’s hand.

“That, can I do it?”

“What? Ah……. um, uh. Yes.”

Jaire looked around, and moved away from the place.

In fact, the rather s.p.u.n.ky Archwizard tended to be wary of the inc.u.mbent prison warden. I thought he was going to be brazen.

Lenag, who was handed the tool like that, began to put it on my arm. In the form of a bracelet, several bracelets are stacked on top of each other.

“…… Were you very surprised a while ago?”

“Ah. A little bit.”

I smiled and nodded. Lenag’s eyes looked concerned.

“Something like this happened ……. It must have been strange to Miss Iana.”

“Really?”

“I meant to tell you something in advance…. It is my mistake.”

“Hey, why is it Lenag’s fault?”

I looked away without a smile.

“It’s the fault of the person who cast that magic.”

I looked outside, precisely to the side where Cantala was. I went back to him and said again casually.

“The person who ordered it.”

Lenag put the bracelet on without a word. The bracelet made of string had a jewel in the center and a chain at the end. Come to think of it, didn’t Jaire give me a bracelet in prison?

“Um, Lenag. You don’t have to be like that.”

He grabbed my arm with almost no strength, and worked delicately. Then, the long eyelashes went up immediately. I didn’t flinch when I looked at these eyes anymore.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“No, not like that.”

I tapped his hand that was holding my wrist.

“Because you’re holding on to it as if it’s about to break. You don’t have to.”

“Ah…….”

“I’m stronger than you thought.”

As proof of this, I clenched my hand a few times and opened it. Then, looking at him, I saw that Lenag’s ears were starting to flush.

…… why? I thought I had seen Lenag for a long time, but I couldn’t figure out why this time around.

“I, um…… have been holding on to you for too long.”

I didn’t even force him to let go right away, but he was startled and let go of my hand. He only calmed down after hearing my explanation that it wasn’t like that, but his calmness was also impressive.

“It’s done.”

“Ah, thank you.”

So the misunderstanding was cleared up, and Lenag put all the bracelets on my hands.

“Didn’t you say that I could just stretch out my hand and shout?”

“Yes. I heard that if you are in a hurry, you can rip it as is.”

I looked worried, disregarding the fact that I was proud of being strong a while ago.

“…… Can I rip it?”

“Ah yes. I don’t think you need to worry. I heard it was made to get ripped even by your power.”

If that’s the case, I’ll be safe. I looked up at the flickering bracelet.

“Lenag, when are you coming back?”

At that moment, Lenag’s eyes sank seriously.

“I will be back soon.”

“I think you should go back sooner.”

He nodded

“…… I think so too.”

Right before the big event, Lenag had a job to do. In the plan, I placed the stem and the three roses filled in the details.

“Your role is the most important.”

It was this man who took on the most important role in the upcoming ‘Operation’, not Ricdorian nor Francia.

“You know? This is a race against time. Be sure to go to the Imperial Palace and ask for the ‘Rose Festival’.”

Ricdorian and Francia’s roles were not light either. But more than that, this man’s role is to hold the rudder of this ship.

“…… of course.”

He spoke in a firm voice, not losing his soft, calm tone.

“Don’t worry, no matter what, I’ll get it done.”

Seeing this man’s face who was always so serious, I smiled.

“I’ve never been worried about you.”

He widened his eyes at my sincere words, then immediately lowered his head. At the same time, he seemed to smile softly.

“…… I am happy to find the meaning of my existence. I will do my best not to make you worry…… I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Yes. Good luck.”

***

At the same time,

A place far away from Iana. There was a person who looked at Iana, who was busy checking the wizards and the tools. The look on the watcher’s expression frowned as the wizard approached and re-fastened the bracelet to Iana. He was the commander-in-chief of this place, Ricdorian.

“That gaze is very piercing. It will break through.”

There were people who looked at the man and clicked their tongue.

“You have to be jealous in moderation too. If you overdo it, will you still be loved?”

When the grouchy words came one more time, Ricdorian, who was staring at the bracelet with a piercing gaze, glanced away.

“Oh my goodness. Grand Duke.”

Francia tilted her chin and smiled.

“What are you looking at?”

Francia took a look at Iana’s side and confirmed her position. It wasn’t until she saw that Iana had completely turned her back, that she changed the shape of her smile.

“Oh no. Why that brooding gaze? Oh, so scary!”

She smiled and used a sneering tone without hesitation.

“Don’t lose your energy against me for nothing. Shouldn’t you be running until your feet are already on fire?”

The Operation will begin soon. In this operation, Francia and Ricdorian are tasked with appearing in front of the Chaser Louve Domulit and fight as fiercely as possible. Their role is infiltration and combat. And it will be a disturbance. Bind Chaser’s feet, or at least prevent his minions from doing anything else.

This was also to buy Iana time to go find her guardian deity.

Their king’s plan was more radical than expected and at the same time devastating. For her young age, she has been through a lot of battles, which is surprising. Rather, it was an operation that was thought of because she did not think about her well-being.

Francia did not hide her disgruntled voice.

“Why are you so anxious and restless? After all, it is you that Sister loves.”

Behind her words, there was a saying as if ‘is this not enough’. Ricdorian could not have known this.

“The Red Rose had it full. Some people can’t have it even if they want it.”

The two had already met and clashed with each other countless times before reuniting with Iana. Ricdorian did not hide his cold expression contrary to the innocent face he had in front of Iana. Then he just silently uttered a word.

“Your att.i.tude changes as well.”

Despite his ice-cold voice, Francia did not lose her smile.

“What’s wrong with you? Like you didn’t know I was like this?”

Next to Ricdorian, Pudding stood on all fours. It stayed here instead of following Iana. Pudding did not hide its ferocity and let out a sharp cry.

The fact that it belonged to Iana did not mean that it had lost its essence as a guardian deity. Pudding still shared Ricdorian’s image.

No, it is inevitable that the Rose and the guardian deity will resemble each other. Callisto also showed sharp teeth and claws rather than a cute form.

“Hnng, but even if you are loved, you can’t help but feel anxious, right?”

“I wonder why you are doing this even though there is nothing good about scratching me so gently. Do you want to see the end here?”

Ricdorian, Grand Duke Hernim, was well-known for being cold-hearted but never shy away from a fight. It wasn’t just a rumor.

“Ah, if we fight each other, Sister will really like it!”

Amid the sudden tension, Francia moved her steps and cleverly hid in the shadow of the cliff. She then slowly leaned her back against the stone wall. It was a perfect place. Iana can’t see.

“I’m not going to say that I’ve been living this way.”

She raised her eyes. Her eyes were of different colors, and in one of her eyes, a bright White Rose was drawn.

“Actually, you’re the same too, right?”

“…….”

“I know.”

The last courtesy that had been wrapped around like a sh.e.l.l was erased from Francia. She shows a bright but th.o.r.n.y smile.

“You and I are the same kind.”

As she spoke, someone approached them. It was a member of the paladin. Unusually, he had a white shirt in his hand, and his upper body was not dressed.

“Saint.”

The man with a heavy physique politely bowed his head. Francia nodded her head without looking. As if the knight had been waiting, thump, he knelt down.

The knight’s face seemed to come to Francia’s waist. Francia leaned her upper body slightly and gently rubbed the paladin under his chin. As if she’s very used to it.

In one of her hands, Francia, suddenly held a long stick. She turned it around casually with one hand. It was a long baton that bent in a smooth curve.

“I’m sorry, but I heard all of the conversation you just had with Sister.”

This scepter, called the Holy Monarch’s Scepter, was none other than a historical relic that only the Holy Monarch possessed.

“What are you hesitating about?”

To have it in Francia’s hands meant that she had all the power of the temple. The size of the scepter has become as small as the palm of her hand. Francia handled it freely, as if revealing that she was the owner of it.

Her lips slightly touched the tip of the scepter.

It also serves as a boost to the priests, doubling their healing powers like hers. The scepter symbolizes the power of the temple, the knight who took off his coat, and the saint in neat and comfortable clothes.

It was the image of the saint, no, the true ‘Pope’ that Ricdorian had seen all along.

“Now there is no way Sister can’t abandon you. Even I wonder if my obsession is really the effect of this terrible rose.”

Ricdorian narrowed his eyes.

“You’re just like that, right?”

Francia sounded quite sarcastic, but she grinned.

“Because you and I are very much alike. Method and values.”

She also had a past in which she had no choice but to live with force. Francia swallowed her last words, biting the scepter. There was a circ.u.mstance where Ricdorian and Francia were forced to grow up with the shadow of the world, whether by birth or by environment.

Therefore, they had to live fiercely.

“Maybe we would have connected in a different way if we hadn’t met Sister.”

Francia spat out meaningless a.s.sumptions.

“Like an engagement relationship.”

It was a tone with a hint of teasing. Of course, Ricdorian’s expression became even colder.

“What, there’s no better relationship than this to go hand in hand and step on other b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, right?”

“If you really want to see the end today, I won’t stop you.”

“Who is fighting? Please don’t look at me like that, Your Excellency.”

Francia bent her big eyes and smiled.

“Because I don’t like you either.”