I Transmigrated into the Nameverse, and My Name Came with a Time Limit - Chapter 26

“Let him in.”

As soon as Karl gave permission with visible interest, the large doors opened and Leonhardt strode into the audience chamber. When he noticed the unexpected combination of people gathered there, one eyebrow tilted sharply upward.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor, the Sun of the Berg Empire.”

“Yes. I summoned you because there is something that must be confirmed. It seems a Name has appeared on Lady Wilhelmina, your partner. I hear that you already know about it. Is that true?”

After hearing Karl’s explanation, Leonhardt’s eyes flashed as he slowly looked around at everyone present. Then he noticed her standing to the side, looking completely intimidated.

So that’s why everyone gathered here out of nowhere. Because of the Name.

Leonhardt answered with a blank expression.

“Yes, I already knew.”

“I thought as much. The problem now is that the Name is too ambiguous. With only the word ‘Leo’, it is unclear whether it refers to you or to Leopold. That is why you have also been summoned here as someone who must be confirmed.”

Karl’s explanation was unexpectedly direct. Since Leonhardt had personally confirmed the Name himself already, there was no need to discuss that part further.

Leonhardt calmly glanced over the faces of those gathered there. Leopold, with an irritated expression. Rose and the Wittgen couple, looking furious. Tilda, staring at him with her lips twisted unpleasantly. And finally Mina, standing with a bright red face, her lips tightly pressed together as she stared down at the floor.

The reason was obvious. What mattered to them was whether Mina’s Name threatened Leopold’s safety or not. If it were Tilda, she would certainly try to remove any variable that might threaten her precious son’s life before it became a problem.

Leonhardt knew better than anyone what kind of person Tilda was. After all, she had been the one secretly sending assassins after him for years. All because she believed the foolish rumor that Leonhardt might be Karl’s hidden illegitimate son.

Perhaps that was why Mina had dragged him into this situation. He had already confirmed the Name himself, and the ambiguous nickname Leo also fit perfectly with the claim that he could be the Name’s owner.

And most importantly, Karl secretly feared the North. The power of the North, which had long protected the Empire’s vast lands from barbarians, had grown steadily stronger. The Emperor clearly understood that it had become a force that the central authority could no longer treat lightly.

Therefore, if Mina’s Name pair was indeed Leonhardt, they would never dare to kill her carelessly, if only because they feared the military strength he commanded. No one liked their future security being threatened.

Finding Mina’s unexpectedly clever move somewhat pleasing, Leonhardt nodded leisurely.

“Lady Wittgen’s Name only reads as ‘Leo’. How can you be certain that it refers to you?”

At Karl’s question, Leonhardt’s bright red eyes turned toward Mina. Looking straight at her, he answered,

“Since we grew up together as childhood friends, isn’t it naturally mine?”

Mina’s mouth fell open at Leonhardt’s confident answer. She had indeed called him in hopes of putting out the immediate fire, but seeing him respond with far more confidence than she expected left her completely bewildered. What in the world was he thinking?

At that moment, Leopold’s agitated voice suddenly cut in.

“What are you talking about? Of course that name is mine!”

Everyone was startled by Leopold’s sudden claim. At his absurd remark, the faces of Duke Wittgen, Duchess Wittgen and Rose turned red and pale in turns, while Mina herself simply stared blankly.

‘What the hell? What is he doing right now?’

Rose was equally stunned by Leopold’s unexpected outburst.

‘What is he saying? Has he lost his mind? Did he forget who his fiancée is right now?’

Then Leonhardt’s icy voice suddenly cut through the room.

“That is an interesting claim. Shouldn’t you actually hope that it isn’t yours? Considering you already have a new fiancée, why would you think it is your Name?”

Leopold’s face immediately flushed red at the direct hit. Turning toward his cousin, he snorted in disbelief.

“I was engaged to Mina for six whole years. You cannot say that time meant nothing. Isn’t it only natural that the weight of an engagement where two people promise to become husband and wife is different from simply spending time together as childhood friends?”