Chapter 61: Erendil (2)
The princess lowered her teacup with a delicate touch, maintaining her gaze toward Carlyn with an orphaned gesture.
She was not the woman Carlyn remembered. It was only natural, given that over a decade had passed, and she had grown younger. (+)[1]TLN: What he meant to say is over a decade when MC still played the game which the princess is already an adult. Well, at least I think thats how I understand it.
Yet, she was unmistakably the same person. Except for the slight loss of plumpness in her cheeks, it was the familiar face she knew.
There was a cold dignity about her, too, much the same as before.
Aunt! Sister!
Youve come. Even though its been a long time, youve become even lovelier. Have you been well?
Yes!
The Empress and the imperial princess warmly welcomed the approaching Haisens Princess.
After a brief embrace, their attention naturally turned to Carlyn. The Empresss gaze was ambiguous.
Did they really assign the right agent?
Carlyn was younger and more handsome than she had anticipated. She had heard he was young, but he exceeded her expectations.
His appearance was equally striking.
Appearance and age were separate from abilities, but it was a kind of prejudice.
As he had done before the king, Carlyn placed the tip of his sword on the ground and bent one knee.
Your Majesty, the Empress, and Her Imperial Highness the Princess, I pay my respects.
Since he hadnt officially become a royal guardian yet, he refrained from using lofty titles like honored.
There was also the purpose of not arousing suspicion in the princess.
Perhaps the Empress found this irritating; her gaze momentarily sharpened, but she couldnt reveal it.
The Empress responded with a smile,
Pleased to meet you. Ive heard much about you.
Carlyn responded with a slight upturn of his lips, maintaining silence. The princesss gaze remained fixed.
In a whispered voice, the Empress urged the princess,
Erendil, why are you remain silent?
I humbly request your guidance going forward.
Her words were concise. It was the rigidity ingrained in him from childhood due to her royal bloodline.
Yet, even in her speech, there was an air of dignity.
Very well.
Carlyn bowed his head again. Only then did the princess shift her gaze.
Step outside. Well discuss matters later.
Erendil.
For now, Merien is my priority.
The princess didnt want to intertwine this joy with other affairs. She feared the joy might fade.
The Empress, too, couldnt say more.
Amongst others, her daughter was the only one who treated her warmly. And plus, the Haisens princess were the only two.
Just by observing her demeanor moments ago, it was clear. Given the future events, her daughter needed space as well.
Carlyn withdrew from the room. While he did feel a bit drained, his concerns were greater.
The prospect of discussing later seemed to imply a possible confrontation.
Once again, the gazes of the royal guards were upon Carlyn.
One was a middle-aged knight, the other young. The hostile gaze came from the younger one.
So, youre the new guardian?
Yes.
Quite young. Skill doesnt necessarily come with age, though.
It was the older one who spoke.
Unlike the knight beside him, he wasnt hostile. Concern was more apparent in his words than dislike.
Carlyn knew that he was a decent person. His concern was for the princesss safety.
He had expected colder looks at first, but maybe it wouldnt be as bad as he thought.
If my abilities are proven, they will likely be favorable.
Carlyns judgment was somewhat accurate.
Since the princess was young, Emmet had been her guardian knight. She was somewhat like a daughter to him.
Therefore, he had looked forward to the news of a change in her guardian. Karzan had come from a good family, after all.
Furthermore, he knew the name Carl Schurtafen.
Talk of knights was common among them.
He had heard some rumors about knights from the Southern Kingdom who never removed their helmets.
I thought hed be better than Karzan at least.
The stories that had reached him werent extraordinary. As this was the Empire, evaluations were modest.
However, to had ones name spread with such an attitude meant a certain level of skill.
Combat experience was similar as well.
Yet, when expectations were high, disappointment could be equally great. His own bias had prevented their first meeting from being entirely positive.
Ill show you later. If you have time, today works too.
This was why Emet liked Carlyns confidence. The older knight let out a dry chuckle.
I hope its not just empty boasting.
That was the end of the conversation. A guardian knight wasnt meant for idle chatter.
An hour passed.
They chatted for quite a while. Just as Carlyn was about to sigh due to familiar fatigue, the princess and the Empress emerged from the room.
As if there was a silent understanding of a forthcoming confrontation, the Empress received the greetings and walked along the corridor.
Following behind, Princess Haisen quickly whispered to Carlyn with a regretful expression,
I hope we can see each other again.
Until you return to Haisen, well have plenty of opportunities to meet.
I mean after that!
When Carlyn laughed, the princess with a serious face dashed after the Empress. Inside the room was the princess.
Her gaze was icy.
Enter.
* * *
The princess sitting on the chair was silently staring at me. In the silence, our gazes met.
The atmosphere felt odd, making me needlessly anxious. Lies were meaningless in front of the princess with truth as her Mysitic.
That was why I was tense.
I still hadnt decided how to approach the princess. It was my limitation. I didnt know what kind of person the young princess was.
Carl Schurtafen.
The princess broke the lingering silence. I sensed an unusual tension in her gaze that met mine.
Had she caught on to something?
I decided to start by muffling sounds using winds. The soundproofing in the palace was good, but it was better to be cautious.
There could still be Imperial dogs lurking below the windows.
In truth, I had felt it since I set foot in Imperial territory. Through Winds, my surveillance range was beyond imagination.
Even if there was no issue with the Empress summoning me, I had anticipated Imperial suspicion. Thats why this was a risky mission.
Yes.
The princess who had called me fell silent again. She seemed to be pondering what to say.
In silence, I could predict to some extent what the princess might utter.
Is that really your true name?
As expected. It was a blatant question. She had already figured out the situation. Her insight was remarkable.
Or perhaps she had sensed something strange through the Empress.
No, it must be. Among the people the princess met, only the Empress knew about our plan.
There wasnt much time to think. I made a quick decision.
No, its not. My real name is Carlyn.
The princesss pupils dilated. The Winds brushing against her wrist informed me of an increased heart rate.
This situation was somewhat incomprehensible.
Whats going on? Since my name was Carlyn, it wouldnt have been a lie. Could my straightforwardness have caught her off guard?
No matter how you look at it
For someone skilled at discerning truth, being so flustered was unusual.
Was it because she was still young?
That possibility seemed plausible. After all, there would be no one whod openly reveal their own motives.
However, due to others perception, I humbly request that you address me as Carl Schurtafen for Your Highness and my sake.
Understood.
The princess answered a beat late. It seemed like she regained her composure with a moments pause.
Are you here to make me into an Empress? (+)[2]TLN: She meant the title Empress as the ruler of the Empire, not the one that means a wife of an Emperor.
Yes. I am here as a member of Haisens intelligence agency to turn Your Highness into an Empress.
There was no need for lies after everyone had caught on and questioned me. Direct confrontation was the way. It was what I had pondered from the start.
Ambiguity was the worst.
Since I would inevitably have to hide the truth, it was better to genuinely put forth my intentions. The princess furrowed her brow.
I might not know much about that side, but it cant be so easy to say.
Exactly. The principle was to maintain the status quo until further instructions.
That means until Mother persuades me.
Thats correct.
The original plan was for the Empress to persuade the princess.
It was a natural step. After all, the princess had already declared her lack of interest in the Emperors seat.
Rather than an external force, it would have to be the Empress persuading her.
Why? I dont understand your reason for openly revealing it. You could have lied.
Because I didnt want to lie to Your Highness.
The princess narrowed her eyes. In reality, objectively speaking, the princesss words were correct.
What am I doing, speaking like this? It was a move based on knowing the princesss Mystic.
There was one reason. To leave a deep impression in order to maintain a relationship with the princess in the long run.
Although it would be possible to reveal the truth at an appropriate time after telling lies
To someone like the princess, who could see through lies and truth, speaking only the truth was rare.
The reason I hadnt made a decision was because openly revealing everything from the first meeting would appear strange like it did now.
I swear, my words are sincere. Even if it wasnt my mission, I wished for Your Highness to become Empress.
I still dont understand. Why would you want me to become Empress?
Because thats the path that will save more people.
I couldnt discuss the devil, their followers, or the prince right now.
Originally, I expected the princess to remain composed at this point. This baseless claim would seem like the truth.
I didnt anticipate the uncertainty that would set in from the moment I revealed my name, though.
What do you mean?
I cant tell you just yet.
Its Erendil Kisturath asking. I would appreciate an answer.
I apologize.
The princess even furrowed her eyebrows gracefully. Then, there was silence for a while. It seemed like her contemplation deepened.
At the end of the long silence, the princess sighed. In any case, it was the Empresss doing. I couldnt just turn things around now.
For now, I understand. However, its hard to believe sudden words. The idea of becoming Empress is even more bewildering.
Thats a valid point.
The princesss response was only natural. It was no place to show signs of recognizing the truth.
And from a practical standpoint, my words might not make sense to her.
Get out for now. Skip any bothersome formalities like an inauguration ceremony. You can get the details of your task from Emmet outside.
Yes.
The princess would need time to think on her own. I gave my regards and withdrew.
Before I could approach Emmet, the face I had seen earlier was right in front of me.
The Empresss lady-in-waiting.
Sir Carl Schurtafen, is it?
Yes.
Her Majesty the Empress is looking for you.
Internally, I frowned. It was best for us to avoid each other as much as possible. What could this be about again?
This was a matter that required a long-term view. I worried that the Empresss impatience might be a cause for concern.
* * *
Why cant I see it?
The princess, Erendil, tried to calm her troubled mind. It was due to her Mystic not working.
It was the first time she had experienced this since gaining her Mystic. Her composure had been disrupted after a long time.
Louine!
At the princesss call, a lady-in-waiting who had been waiting outside hurriedly entered.
What do you think?
Yes? What do you
Im referring to the knight who just left. How did you feel about him?
It was just a moment, so Im not quite sure, but he didnt seem like a bad person.
The truth. The princess internally sighed in relief, realizing that her Mystic was not malfunctioning.
Of course, that didnt mean her confusion had disappeared. It hadnt worked on the knight named Carlyn.
Sensing a bewildered gaze, the princess snapped out of her reverie and let out a slight laugh.
Its not because of his appearance, is it?
The lady-in-waiting blushed. The princess extended her hand.
Alright, you can leave.
What is he?
The princesss thoughts deepened. It was her first time encountering someone who couldnt read the truth or lies.
She couldnt understand what could have prompted him to say such things to her.
Both the silent Mystic and the straightforward knights revelations continued to complicate the princesss thoughts.
Haisen wouldnt have sent a madman
Could he have become infatuated during the process of investigating her? It was a sudden thought.
Although a remote possibility, based on her experiences, it wasnt an entirely impossible scenario.
The princess inwardly shook her head. Her mystique allowed her to perceive depth in peoples minds.
Carlyns eyes didnt hold such desires.
He couldnt have said that without knowing my Mystic.
However, that was even more implausible.
Since gaining her Mystic at the age of 10, Erendil had never revealed that fact to anyone.
No matter how much she pondered, she couldnt grasp it.
It could have been the words of a madman, but if he were mad, he wouldnt have been able to become her guardian.
Right. I used to feel like this in the past.
Contemplating peoples words felt unfamiliar. To her, truth and lies were visible.
Thats why she could always remain confident and unflustered.
It felt like the mask she had been wearing was slightly cracking.
Erendil turned her head toward the mirror on the left. There was a version of herself that looked quite unfamiliar.
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