Chapter 82: I Want to Be Free for Now

“…….”

A quiet silence flowed through the spacious room for a moment.

Then.

“Puhahaha! Just as you said, Roanna.”

“Didn’t I tell you it wouldn’t be easy?”

With the laughter of the prince and his partner, an inexplicably warm atmosphere began to fill the hall.

‘What is this, what’s going on?’

As I rolled my eyes in bewilderment.

“What if……. Ah, of course, it’s unlikely, but what if I guarantee that there will be no repercussions for you and your family even if I lose the war of succession?”

“……Pardon?”

“It’s just as I said. In fact, you could say this is a foregone conclusion that doesn’t even need my guarantee.”

“What does that mean…….”

“None of my brothers or I are foolish enough to cast out a talent who might become a future Seven-Star.

You show such a timid attitude, brother-in-law, because you underestimate your own value.”

Uh…….

Come to think of it, he wasn't wrong.

My father, in a country corner of the North, wouldn’t know the character of the princes, which is why he had warned me like that.

On top of that, Roanna added with a smile.

“Little brother, let’s be honest.

Can Drasen, a vassal family of our Trian, exert much influence on the politics of Iron?”

“No…… it can’t.”

“My brothers have no reason to mess with Drasen either.

Of course, I’ll be the one to win the war of succession.”

My mind began to go blank as the couple bantered back and forth, cornering me with their words.

‘Is that so? Does it not matter?

Was I worrying for nothing?’

If so, there was no reason to refuse this offer.

“So, Sir Muno. No, brother-in-law.

Won’t you definitively become my man?

I will bet everything to nurture you.”

Trian would support the 3rd Prince anyway, and it would also be helpful in crushing those Demon Cult bastards.

‘And she’s here too…….’

As the thought flowed, I stealthily shifted my gaze to Karina, who stood beside Roanna.

At that moment, I saw her mouth something.

- Freedom.

The moment I saw it, my mind snapped back to attention.

‘What a fool I am……!’

I was about to get swept up in the atmosphere and lose sight of the value most important to me.

“Ah……. I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I don’t wish to belong anywhere just yet.

Please understand my desire to see the wide world.”

I wanted to live like a human being.

Of course, I wanted to succeed and live a life of luxury, but I couldn't decide my future by being swept away by the situation like this.

“Hmm…….”

With the prince’s sigh, the couple made eye contact again.

“It seems I was not enough to become someone’s world after all, Roanna.”

The prince feigned sorrow and playfully hugged the Grand Princess.

At that, Roanna pouted at him.

“Your Highness, it’s not like that. Muno is the peculiar one.

I did guess this might happen, but I’m a little disappointed.”

The princely couple treated me with a playful attitude.

Seeing them, Muno, who had refused their offer, was able to ease the burden on his heart.

“Then will you not help me find my enemy?

And you won’t tell me why those bastards are chasing me either?”

I retorted in a joking manner, referring to Roanna’s half-threatening words.

She chuckled at that, shook her head, and sighed.

“Of course not.

That’s just a gift I prepared for you.

I just threw that out there earlier to build up the atmosphere, but you just don’t go as planned.”

As expected.

Roanna was a great woman with a vessel as large as her ambition.

“Of course, if you had just said you would follow His Highness, I would have had an even greater gift for you…….”

As the Grand Princess said that and glanced sideways, Karina, who received her gaze, narrowed her eyes and hardened her expression.

“Grand. Prin. Cess.”

“……It’s a joke, Sir Karina.

A joke. Please be nice with your eyes…….”

It seemed she still couldn't give up on her pointless jokes.

‘Sir Karina is more thoughtful than I thought…….’

Muno secretly sent a nod of acknowledgment to Karina, who had brought him back to his senses.

Thinking about it, a sense of regret lingered.

Because now was the time to choose a path that diverged from hers, even if I had to force it.

“If you keep staring like that, you’ll burn a hole through our Sir Karina’s face, Muno.

If you’re that regretful, why did you refuse in the first place…….”

“Your Highness!!”

“Ah, no. I’m not insisting, but Sir Karina saw it too!

Ah, really! Both of you are so dishonest……!”

Watching the sister-like lord and knight bicker again just made me laugh.

‘Well, I don’t know what the future holds…….’

Whatever the time, there would be a day to repay today's help.

“Agh, anyway, since I called it a gift, I’ll tell you right away.

If this helps, then our side scores some points, right?”

“You don’t need to say it like that to me, Your Highness.”

“Jeez, I told you to call me sister. So impersonal!”

I’m not falling for it, woman.

When Muno maintained a composed expression even at her feigned rebuke, Roanna pouted again.

“Tch. Have you forgotten what His Highness said?

You underestimate yourself too much, little brother.

I agree with His Highness on that, so I hope you’ll just accept my goodwill.”

“……If that is the case, I will gratefully accept.”

“Hmm, good. First, what I found out……. Ah, please understand that Orlando will be present.

He is to His Highness what my Sir Karina is to me.”

Honestly, it made me anxious that even one more person would learn about my ability.

“Yes, please speak.”

But in this situation, I could only nod.

The very fact that the Grand Princess was asking for my understanding was already a sufficient consideration.

“First of all, my finding out the exact details of your origin was honestly a complete coincidence.”

“Pardon?”

“When you caught the witch in the city of Ruble, I was tracking a suspicious flow of funds that had entered the area and lost the main body, but the tail turned out to be a guy who was in that laboratory 10 years ago.”

What?

“That guy’s name was…….”

“Rokpard or something.

Do you know him? It’s a name our technician found, so it’s likely not false.”

Rokpard.

The moment I heard that name, my head throbbed.

And.

- Kid, I’m going to cut your arm muscles first and draw out some blood vessels. Kehehehek.

- Actually……. there’s no anesthesia. Is that okay? Kyahahahaha!

Grind.

Thump.

“That son of a bitch……. Where is he now?”

Before I knew it, my teeth were grinding and a chilling voice escaped me.

And only after becoming aware of the surprised eyes looking at me did I realize my current position.

In my uncontrollable anger, I had stepped forward with a low voice, and I had ended up looking like I was pressuring the Grand Princess and the Prince.

“I-I’m sorry. Your Highness, Your Highness.”

I immediately apologized, but my excitement did not easily subside.

“……No, it’s fine. Ha, so that unbelievable information was true.

Then you really are…….”

“Your Highness.”

“Ah. I’m sorry, Roanna. Please continue.”

“Hmm. Ahem. Anyway, I’m sorry.

That person is no longer in this world.”

“Pardon?”

“We tried to extract important information, but his head exploded.”

At that moment, Muno recalled the final moments of Viscount Moeno Connell, and the fire burning in his chest couldn't help but rapidly cool down.

“Hooo……. Yes, I understand what you mean.”

“Mm. Anyway, his existence clearly revealed that my grandfather’s subjugation 10 years ago was only a half-success, but……. we kept that hidden on our end.

You understand why, right?”

“Yes. It doesn’t matter.”

The 3rd Prince and the Grand Princess would have no reason to diminish Trian’s achievements themselves.

That must be why the perpetrators of the terror attacks happening throughout the kingdom were being defined as ‘magicians who developed new technology’ or ‘remnants of an evil cult.’

Of course, that really didn't matter to Muno at all.

What was more important was.

“What did that bastard say?”

It was about how much those bastards knew about his ability.

However.

“The reason they were chasing you so intently was…….”

Gulp.

The tension rose along with the Grand Princess's expression.

“Because you were an experiment who survived being offered to a demon…… is what he said.”

“Pardon?”

At the words that followed, the tension that had boiled over to its peak fizzled out with a hiss.

And perhaps my feelings were all over my face.

The Grand Princess showed an awkward face and forced a smile.

“……What, you knew?”

Aish, jeez. You scared me.

Muno could only feel relieved that his secret had not yet been revealed to the world.

‘That witch knew anyway, though.’

It would be stranger not to know after what she went through.

However, through the Grand Princess’s words just now, I learned that the fact wasn't known even to the lower-ranking members of the organization.

Rather, another question arose.

‘Why? Why not reveal it?’

It would be nice if it was simply because the evil cult’s claims wouldn't be accepted by the world, by the empire…….

Just as my mind was about to get complicated, Roanna caught my attention.

“I’ve never heard a story of someone surviving after being offered as a sacrifice to a demon, Muno. Is that really true?”

That demon lived in my head and was eaten by me a little while ago.

Would anyone believe me if I told them the truth like this?

“……I don’t have any clear memories either, but I do remember there was a commotion when the Count’s army charged in.

Maybe the flustered servants of the demon did something wrong then.”

“Hmm……. Well, there’s a high probability of that.

But they’re chasing you so desperately for that?”

Her words carried the meaning that if I knew anything more, I should spill it.

“I beat the shit out of every one that came for me, and I even found and screwed over the ones in hiding, so they must be pissed.”

Muno put on a brave face.

This probably wasn’t far from the truth either.

However.

“Is that all……?”

I wanted to give at least a minimal hint to Roanna, who was openly showing her disappointment.

“It seems that because of that faint memory, I’ve become good at recognizing those with demonic energy.

I think that got on their nerves even more.”

“Hmm, so your ability to distinguish magicians hidden within the ‘Veil’ wasn’t solely the power of an anti-magic artifact.”

“……Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm.”

Roanna, who was staring at me with a subtle smile, soon turned her gaze to meet the eyes of her partner.

Seeing the 3rd Prince also smiling meaningfully made me feel uneasy and guilty for some reason.

It seems like Roanna would be a trustworthy ally, so should I have just told the truth?

That's what I thought.

But Muno soon shook his head internally.

‘Still, not yet. Not until I become much, much stronger.’

For the sake of continuing my life, my own life.

The later my secret is revealed, the better.

Thinking that, I managed my expression.

However.

“Well, I’ll be satisfied with this for now.”

The couple, who had been exchanging meaningful glances, took a step back first.

And.

“I heard the verification starts tomorrow. Is that right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Then you should probably get some rest now.

Let’s continue the rest of our talk at the party in four days, after your abilities have been proven.”

He subtly confirmed my attendance at the Founding Day party hosted by the 3rd Prince.

But in this situation, I couldn't even refuse that.

I could just attend the other princes’ parties late.

“……I understand. And thank you for the gift.”

“Ah, and my gift isn’t over yet.”

“Pardon?”

What else could there be?

Roanna’s eyes turned to the female knight in red armor standing next to her.

“You promised to spar, didn’t you?

But the situation isn't good for sparring, so before you go to your quarters, have Sir Karina give you a tour of the royal palace.

This is my real gift.”

“…….”

What should I say?

The words wouldn't come out, but even so, I felt a smile naturally forming, so I forced my expression to remain neutral.

And at that moment, Muno felt a strange sense of connection with Karina.

Because he could see that she was making a similar expression to his.