Chapter 128
“L-Lady Roina. So suddenly—uh, welcome!”
Yoseph was flustered by her visit, and Maili looked amused like a cat with a toy placed in front of it.
Then, as if realizing something, Yoseph hastily fixed his disheveled hair, revealing whatever he had been doing.
“Yes, I came so suddenly, didn’t I? I hope I haven’t disturbed you.”
“Not at all! If it’s Lady Roina, you’re welcome to come anytime.”
“Oh—Yoseph, I don’t think you’ve ever said that to me before.”
At those words, Yoseph rolled his eyes dramatically. He seemed to be telling her to be quiet with just his expression.
Roina chuckled at the cute and lively sight of the siblings again today.
Thinking back to the first time she met Maili, it was truly remarkable.
“I came by because I wanted to talk about the New Year’s Celebration. When it comes to the social scene, Maili and Yoseph know more than Lutan.”
“Ah, we were just talking about that, actually.”
At those words, Maili nodded and began to speak.
“For the New Year’s Celebration, is your partner definitely the Great Archmage? What about my little brother?”
“Huh?”
“Wait! That’s not what we were going to talk about!”
Partner? She had never thought about that. Roina blinked. Yoseph yelled at Maili, puffing up, but he also glanced at Roina as if curious about her answer.
Roina gave a troubled smile at that sight.
“I want to go without a partner.”
“Without a partner?”
Maili looked at Roina in surprise, then stroked her chin. She even murmured, “Ah, I guess that’s possible.”
“I never thought about it being possible… But you’re right, there’s no rule that says you have to go with a partner.”
If she were a noble young lady seeking marriage, it would have been a very important issue.
Because it would be regarded as the same as saying her family lacked influence or she was unpopular to the point of not being able to find a partner.
Unless she was still young enough to not yet be the subject of such talk, it was typical for ladies to do whatever they could to find a partner, and up until last year, Maili had been no exception.
But with Roina’s words, her thoughts seemed to have changed a little.
“Mm, alright. The partner talk was honestly half a joke anyway. Let’s think about that later. Roina, what I really want to ask is… will you be okay? Going to the Imperial Palace.”
At those words, Roina gave a faint smile. Maili, who knew what she had been through, seemed understandably worried.
“Yeah, I’m scared too. That my body won’t obey me if I see the Imperial Crown Prince again. But I can’t put it off. Veronica is there, and so is Ethan.”
At the mention of Ethan, a name she had forgotten, Maili grew solemn.
If it hadn’t been for Ethan in the final moment, Roina wouldn’t have been able to escape—and Maili wouldn’t have survived either.
“It’s not just that, is it? There are many others who’ve been harmed by the Imperial Crown Prince. You know that.”
It was Yoseph who responded to that. There were countless people who held a grudge because their families had been killed by the Imperial Crown Prince. They had only remained silent before overwhelming coercion, fear, and wealth.
Recently, Yoseph had been discreetly approaching those people, working to bring them in.
“There are so many things I want to do. I want to conduct new research that combines the theories of current magic scholars with the magic I perform. I want to reorganize the classification of medicinal herbs in this world. There are still so many unexplored areas of research, and there’s so much I can touch.”
Everything she researched and presented would remain in academic history and be used to benefit many people.
That was the kind of research she wanted to do, and furthermore, she wanted to grant true freedom to those who, like her, had once been slaves. She wanted to give everyone equal opportunities to learn.
Even knowing what one wants to do is something only possible when one knows something.
Most ordinary people in this world didn’t even have the opportunity to find that out.
The Imperial Crown Prince’s talk about how slaves are also people was, in truth, an empty lie.
It had likely been more of a show to maintain friendly relations with the country at the eastern end beyond the mountain range, where the slave system was strictly opposed.
The old Roina didn’t know that, but after acquiring various knowledge, she was now able to read such simple political currents.
“But as long as the current Imperial Crown Prince exists, I can’t do any of that. I’ll be forever trapped. In my trauma.”
Roina spoke quietly. At that, Yoseph and Maili fell silent.
Especially Maili, who had initially found Roina unpleasant, who had tormented her while clinging to wrong ideas, now wore an expression filled with guilt.
The way she had thought in the past was short-sighted, and it continued to torment her deeply.
“That’s why I’m going to fight—for myself.”
Roina’s eyes shone quietly.
Yoseph thought that she was someone who was beautiful even standing alone.
Someone who had found a cause far more admirable than mere loyalty or allegiance to an Emperor, someone who discovered it on her own without relying on anyone.
Who else could escape from such a lowly place and refuse to settle?
Who else could awaken that brilliant intellect and desire to seek knowledge on their own?
Yoseph silently imprinted that image of her into his mind.
I want to help this person.
I want to build the world she desires together.
I want to stand by her side.
The boy, who was in the midst of becoming a man, had, without even realizing it, become deeply captivated by one woman—no, one person.
It was a change that would have a great impact throughout his entire life.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.