Chapter 14 Part 4

As I turned away from Canerva’s sigh, Ten’s face showed blatant anxiety mixed with hope. I couldn’t possibly estimate how crucial this news was to him, who had been desperately searching for a solution.

Furthermore, the Emperor was also Ten’s father. Regardless of the long period they had spent apart, the perilous condition of his bloodline must have been deeply unsettling to him.

“There was a time when the master of the mage tower came to Tornado himself, following the trail of the children’s mana… He thanked me for saving the children and gave me a ring, saying that I could summon him whenever I needed.”

“…The master of the mage tower?”

“Meeting even a regular mage from the mage tower is rare, let alone the master… I knew you were extraordinary, but this is beyond expectation…”

As Canerva continued to express his amazement, I pulled out a ring from around my necklace—a ring still brilliantly ornate—and handed it to Ten, while Canerva’s voice filled with intrigue followed by Ten’s deeper, more serious tone.

“…Wasn’t it dangerous? What if he had harmed you…”

“It was nothing. As I said earlier, he was amiable once he saw the children were safe.”

Canerva’s scrutiny of Ten’s complexion indicated just how grave Ten’s tone was. His concerns were valid, and I smiled nonchalantly to affirm that everything had indeed been fine. I didn’t want to cause him unnecessary worry over a trivial matter. Although I had been scared at the moment, the mage tower master had been consistently friendly and, in reality, nothing untoward had happened.

“Given that the Mage Tower Master himself gave you such a ring, he must truly favor you. To have a ring that can summon the Mage Tower Master at any time is unimaginably precious.”

“Well, if there were anyone in this empire who wanted to meet the Mage Tower Master…”

However, Canerva Grey’s excitement didn’t fade easily. His intense gaze at the ring I had handed to Ten was evident. Canerva said, “Many nobles are aware that magic is not as threatening as it is perceived. But they prefer that it doesn’t exist at all, so they choose to keep quiet about it. The fear of mana feels more real to the common people in the streets.”

“The situation is similar in Rohan. There were attempts in the palace to take in children who showed signs of mana, but they were thwarted by the nobles.”

“They think accepting those with mana will reduce their share. They don’t care if that’s true or not; they’re content with the status quo.”

I carefully observed Ten’s increasingly somber face. Holding the ring, he was silent for a long while.

“Ten…?”

“…The more I think about it, this just seems wrong.”

Finally speaking, Ten let out a statement that dropped like a bombshell, setting the ring down on the table. Canerva’s eyes followed the ring, filled with disbelief. Confronted with questioning looks from both me and Canerva, Ten clarified his thoughts with a troubled expression.

“As Lord Grey said, this ring has a value that cannot be easily bought with money. Moreover, it was obtained through your efforts with Tornado. I simply cannot presume to use it.”

Canerva looked exasperated but did not contradict him. He just sighed heavily and looked at the ring with regret.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“But Your Highness… about the Emperor…!”

Unmoved by Canerva’s interjection, Ten turned away with a firm expression, indicating he would not entertain any further objections. His eyes, fixed on me, showed a stubborn determination not to easily yield.

“Fine, have it your way.”

As I seemed to agree, relief washed over Ten’s face, and Canerva sighed deeply, looking dejected. However, I had no intention of letting the matter drop just like that.

“I will also do as I please.”

“…Milady.”

Ten called out as if to dissuade me, but I was not to be easily swayed. There was never going to be a need for me to call upon the Mage Tower Master. I accepted the ring out of courtesy for the goodwill offered, never really believing I would need it. The same held true now. I was confident that whatever might happen in the future, I would not need this ring as much as Ten might now.

“I’ll return to the manor tonight and summon the Mage Tower Master to ask him to heal Emperor of Endeavor.”

“But milady, this is…”

“Just as Ten said, this is my item to use as I see fit.”

Canerva glanced at both Ten and me before sending me a supportive gesture. It was an amusingly cute act, completely out of place in the serious atmosphere, and I almost chuckled, but managed to contain myself after seeing Ten’s solemn face.

“You might regret this.”

“I would regret it if I had said I wouldn’t help you. From the start, I said I would…”

My voice grew louder as I became more emotional, perhaps driven by a sense of guilt. I wanted to shake off the guilt of having hurt him with my stubbornness and help him now.

The sudden loudness startled them both. Realizing I had been too intense, I closed my mouth. It was understandable that they were shocked by my emotional outburst, given my usually quiet demeanor.

“I’m sorry for raising my voice. But I’m serious. I want to help you, Ten.”

As I appealed earnestly, Ten’s hardened gaze fixed on me. Canerva Grey, sensing the tense atmosphere, tried to lighten the mood.

“Well, the palace will soon be closing. Milady, may I escort you?”

“Stay here, Grey. I’ll go alone.”

Stopping Canerva Grey who was trying to stand, Ten extended his hand to me. Taking his hand, we left the Dorothea Palace. As we passed, some nobles murmuring during their commute glanced our way, but as expected, we ignored them completely and moved on.

The silence that had enveloped us grew thicker as the crowd thinned, and I was the one to break it. I needed to finish the conversation we had started earlier.

“Ten, I know you do these things because you’re thinking of me.”

“……”

“But I hope you understand that I feel the same way. Just as much as you care for me, I care for you.”

As I spoke, I felt his gaze on me, a heat that made the air around us seem warmer. I whispered, almost confessing.

“I know I’ve wronged you. Acting on my own under the guise of ‘doing what’s best for you,’ I realize now that it might have all been just wounds for you, and I understood this far too late…”

Yet, in every moment, my thoughts were filled with you, I murmured cautiously. Ten quietly mused in response.

“Milady, I knew why you did what you did… But it was me who stubbornly refused to give up, knowing full well you wouldn’t like it, because I couldn’t let go, driven by my own greed.”

“……”

“From the moment I first saw you, I was always filled with that greed. Despite knowing you suggested things thinking of me, I wanted to stay by your side, so much that I whined about not wanting to go to Endeavor, and I stubbornly crawled back to you, ignoring all the advice you gave me for my sake.”

The suffocating sense of self-reproach that lay beneath Ten’s composed tone made it hard for me to breathe. It wasn’t my intention to make him feel this way, but seeing him blame himself even more was heart-wrenching. I had only ever shaken him with my desires, yet there he was, considering even that his own fault.

“Ten…”

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me.”

His firm words only deepened my guilt. Why did it seem that each time he spoke so calmly, I could see the wounds etched behind his composure?

“I’m completely satisfied just knowing you’ve looked my way again. There’s no happier moment for me than when you call me ‘Ten.’”

That was something I should be saying. Does he know what he means to me… how much I’ve relied on him? My past has been held together by memories with Ten, something he probably doesn’t realize. I’ve never spoken of it.

But there wasn’t much time left for me now to delve into those stories. So I chose a different approach.

“…Ten.”

“Yes, milady.”

“I want to give you a choice.”

Even faced with words he couldn’t quite grasp, Ten remained focused, listening intently as I spoke. It was just like him, always directing his full attention my way, just as he had always done. I felt a little reassured by his presence and smiled slightly.

“I’m going to summon the Master of the Tower when I get back, just like I said earlier. From then on, it’s up to you, Ten.”

“…”

“You’re someone who can outshine anyone, Ten. With just a little help from me, you’ll quickly spread your wings. I’m happy to think I can be of help to you.”

He silently watched me as I rambled a bit. It seemed like he was patiently waiting for me to say all I needed to.

“Once this is resolved, you’ll be freer than anyone. No one will be able to fault you, and you’ll ascend to a place higher than anyone else.”

It seemed he finally caught the gist of what I wanted to say. He looked like he was about to speak, but I was quicker.

“Ten, my clover, if you wish, you can choose to become non-existent.”

“…!”

“I will respect whatever choice you make.”

Just as I had multiple choices laid out for me in the past, now so too would he. Whatever path he chose, he would handle it well, and all I needed to do was wait for his decision.

“Thank you for escorting me. I should be going now.”

I stopped walking first and offered him a farewell, to which he responded with a look filled with swirling emotions. The hand that had been escorting me had dropped away at some point. I absent-mindedly fidgeted with my suddenly empty hand.

“…I will come to see you soon.”