NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 62
The war cloud had settled.
As soon as I stepped outside with the help of the Luinongs, it was apparent.
A completely collapsed ruin.
Half-burnt gates and walls.
The charred ashes and acrid smell tormented my nose.
Buildings that symbolized the glory and prosperity of the Imperial Palace had suffered a catastrophe. Edanant and Ludmilla, upon witnessing it, moved forward with stiff expressions.
“Sister!”
“Liza…!”
A beautiful Princess ran over, adjusting her tattered dress.
It was Elizaveta.
Her flawless white skin was now covered in soot, showing the trials she had faced.
“Are you hurt? Are you okay?!”
“Everyone in the banquet hall is fine. The Luinongs protected us.”
The little Fairies shrugged and cleared their throats.
On another day, I would have thought they were acting ridiculous. But this time was different.
If it weren’t for the Luinongs, the banquet hall would have become a complete mess like the others. The nobles who barely escaped with their lives expressed their gratitude for the Luinongs’ efforts.
“Edan! Edan!”
“Your already ugly face looks even worse.”
Like Elizaveta, the girl with light green hair was a mess too.
Edanant took out a handkerchief and wiped the soot-covered Rue’s cheek.
“Ugh, heeek…! It’s ticklish!”
“How much smoke have you inhaled? Hurry and blow your nose.”
“Peeew! Sniff sniff!”
“That’s right.”
The rebel nobles who attempted to assassinate the Emperor by burning down the palace began to surrender in droves. Although skirmishes still occurred here and there, it seemed they would soon be suppressed.
We somehow got through the crisis.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I stared at Rue’s face.
“Mila…! Liza…! I’m so glad you’re all safe!”
“Father, are you okay?!”
The Emperor, clad in splendid golden armor and accompanied by the Imperial Knights, arrived at the scene. He was drenched in blood, having fought against the rebels along with the soldiers defending the Imperial Palace.
What a bold Emperor he was.
If he were another Lord, he would have been safely waiting for a victory message in a secure location.
Like a lion, the brave Emperor personally wielded his sword to eradicate the invading rebels. The rumors about his former bravery as a warrior seemed fact.
“I have eradicated all these unidentified monsters that wreaked havoc in the Imperial City. Furthermore… the Disaster God’s Mine, which dared to assassinate the Emperor, was slain by Edanant.”
“That’s truly a remarkable feat!”
We captured the Apostle of Fresh Blood in the Fairies’ Paradise.
But Ludmilla reported to the Emperor that the Mine was killed.
We executed the Mine on the spot. Moreover, she boldly added that all the Mine’s corpses had been burned.
“……”
There was a moment of confusion, but ultimately, she didn’t report the truth to the Emperor. Ludmilla had sent a glance, pleading to follow her intentions.
It wasn’t hard to understand what Ludmilla meant.
Edanant silently joined her in her intentions.
‘No matter how much she tries to protect me… I can’t believe that Ludmilla, who has always shown blind loyalty to the Imperial Palace, would lie to the Emperor. I’m worried she’s going too far.’
It was more perplexing because Ludmilla had shown an unyielding sense of loyalty.
It was an act of treachery and disloyalty to her father.
Perhaps this was the first time.
I was concerned that Ludmilla might later suffer from heavy guilt.
“She doesn’t seem wounded, but she must be somewhat exhausted. Leave the rest to the Imperial Knights and take a break. I’ve already informed the maids to guide you.”
“But the skirmishes are still ongoing. If you let me handle it, I’ll suppress them all at once.”
“It’s okay. Aren’t the loyal Seven Swords with you?”
“…Yes, understood.”
When Barbarossa issued his command in a solemn voice, Ludmilla had no choice but to relent. She also felt a pang of conscience for the false report.
If there was a person in the world who was the worst at lying, it would likely be Ludmilla.
Showing discomfort, Ludmilla bit her lip.
It was as if she was advertising, “I have committed a sin.”
Seeing Ludmilla’s change, Edanant couldn’t help but chuckle. The sight of her fidgeting like a scaredy-cat was just too cute.
*
Edanant and Ludmilla were soon sent to the medical station.
They didn’t need treatment.
They had only suffered some scratches from debris.
However, under Elizaveta’s firm insistence, Edanant and Ludmilla had no choice but to comply. They briefly sat on hospital beds and received first aid from the healers.
“Why did you say that?”
When the healers left and only the two of them remained, Edanant spoke up.
Ludmilla turned her head aside and replied.
“I had to do whatever it takes to hide your identity. It was an unavoidable choice.”
Ariel Spellada.
The Apostle of Fresh Blood, who had attempted to assassinate the Emperor of the Valtarian Empire, was like a precious master key that could unlock countless questions.
The identity of the Chaos Realm.
Information on the suddenly appearing cultist forces.
And how she had usurped the Magical Equipment belonging to the sage, who was a member of the Saintess Party.
We had to rigorously interrogate her to uncover the underlying truths.
But Ariel already knew that Edanant served the Disaster God of War. So, she had concealed the facts by lying to the Emperor in order to maintain confidentiality as much as possible.
“Today, I’ve been receiving nothing but help… from you, Ludmilla.”
As soon as Edanant called her “Your Highness,” Ludmilla’s gaze sharpened.
Edanant quickly changed his wording.
“Please don’t worry about it. Until now, you’ve worked hard to protect the citizens. I hope you see it as a small repayment for that.”
“Yes, understood.”
Once they were alone in the hospital room, a meaningful atmosphere began to flow.
Despite the clunky conversations, they both kept stealing glances at each other.
How peculiar.
To be alone together like this.
Edanant and Ludmilla were exhibiting awkward reactions, seemingly hesitant about how to break the clearly awkward atmosphere.
“Are all the Luinongs safe? I’m worried the young Fairies might be in shock from this disaster.”
“They’re all fine, as usual. But just in case, I plan to check on them later.”
Cough cough, “The Luinongs’ efforts were truly significant once again.”
“Yes.”
With her face heating up like a teapot, Ludmilla coughed awkwardly, trying to speak again. But it wasn’t enough to improve the uncomfortable atmosphere.
It was awkward.
I really wish someone would come!
Ludmilla was experiencing a situation that was dozens of times more challenging than fighting off the monstrous beasts. Her slightly trembling red eyes seemed to speak volumes.
How,
What do I do now?
It was undoubtedly a “moment” that often appeared in romance novels.
Being completely inexperienced in romantic relationships, she quickly spiraled into a panic. She had no prior experience to draw from in dealing with situations like this.
“Is it okay to leave the Apostle of Fresh Blood as is? What if she tries to escape…?”
“I’ve already taken measures, so it’s fine.”
He had placed guns around, which were designed to react to Ariel’s movements. If she dared to run away, the guns would spit fire immediately.
No matter how much of an Apostle she might be, she couldn’t deceive the blessing of war.
If she had at least minimal intelligence, she wouldn’t clumsily consider escaping.
“Ludmilla.”
“Hmm? Wh-what’s wrong?”
Just as the awkward atmosphere was reaching its peak,
Edanant suddenly spoke up.
“By any chance… is that proposal from back then still valid?”
“…Eek!”
The bold promise they had made in front of their sisters suddenly came to mind. Suddenly, Ludmilla’s face heated up as never before.
SIZZZZ…!
It felt as if thick steam was rising like a train.
It wasn’t just a simple metaphor.
The temperature in the hospital room was indeed rising rapidly.
Watching Ludmilla, Edanant worried about a fire. It seemed the Red Dragon could spit out flames at any moment. So, he hurriedly grabbed a water bottle instead of a fire extinguisher.
“Of course… it’s still valid. If you wish for it…”
As the heat surged in a volatile situation,
Ludmilla, with her head bowed, whispered in a crawling voice.
“But is it alright? Thanks to the Luinongs’ barrier, the banquet hall is fine, but the area around it is completely devastated. Is it okay to dance leisurely in such an emergency…?”
“Don’t worry…! I’ll take care of it!”
“If it’s too much for you, you can postpone it until later.”
“No! I’ll find a way to make it happen!”
Hmm.
That doesn’t need to be the case.
Ludmilla’s insistence was extremely resolute. Edanant felt awkwardness wrapped around him for having made a hasty remark.