Chapter 46

Liber was born with immense magical power and a genius mind. The toys he made for fun were traded as top-tier artifacts.

But his mental age was low. Maybe like a mischievous eight-year-old.

Mages were not social creatures, so their development was slow.

He’d reached the peak of his abilities as a teenager, and his body had stopped aging. Some mages said he aged one year for every hundred.

With the mind of an eight-year-old, the face and body of a teenager, and top skills, Liber was like a firework—uncertain when he’d explode, blurring the line between good and evil.

Handled well, he could be a festival for all, but mishandled, he could destroy everything around him.

“Hurry up and show me the Captain’s woman.”

“She’s gone.”

Shutal said.

“Where?”

“She went back to her Kingdom.”

“Already? Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

Liber looked aggrieved.

“What would I call you for?”

“To see her face. Let’s go, hurry.”

“Go where?”

“She went back to her Kingdom, right? Let’s go there. Where is it? Which Kingdom is hers?”

Liber’s expression was innocent as he questioned them.

“You’re lucky. If you want, you can just pop over anywhere.”

“If you’re jealous, become a mage too.”

“I’m not jealous. No way.”

While Liber and Shutal bantered, Braden’s blank eyes gradually regained focus.

‘Yes, let’s go bring her back.’

At first, he’d intended to wait for Adela to summon him.

But he couldn’t. He already missed her desperately.

“Let’s go.”

Braden jumped to his feet.

“What’s with you now? Where do you think you’re going?”

Shutal was alarmed.

“No matter how great a swordsman you are, you can’t take on the entire Kingdom’s knight order.”

“Hm? War? It’s fine. I’ll blow them all away. Wait, but then the woman will be blown away too, what should I do?”

Liber looked genuinely troubled.

“Blow away what? Do you think people are monsters?”

Shutal was horrified a second time.

How could anyone handle this terrifying weapon?

“Let’s go. To Sovaro Empire.”

Braden spoke as if he’d made up his mind.

“Sovaro Empire? Really?”

“She’s in Sovaro Empire?”

Shutal and Liber said at the same time.

***

Adela got out of the carriage and took in the grand, old-fashioned view of the royal palace.

She had returned to Edel Kingdom. She’d only been away for a month, yet it all felt unfamiliar.

The air against her skin was damp and cold, and Adela shivered. She’d gotten used to dry, hot air, so the autumn weather felt chilly.

“It’s cold. Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Joy asked with concern.

They were still dressed for summer.

“I’m fine. But I should change clothes before seeing His Majesty.”

After returning to her chambers, Adela changed and had a simple dinner.

Meanwhile, Logan came in to report. Logan had left a day earlier, on the day Adela decided to return to the Kingdom.

Her body had been in Lasve, but she’d kept up with the affairs of Edel Kingdom. She’d handled most of the important and urgent matters before leaving, so as long as nothing unexpected happened, things would be fine.

“He handled meetings and government affairs diligently.”

In fact, things were going better than when Adela was present.

“He doesn’t drink anymore, either.”

Logan reported.

“Really?”

“Recently, he’s even refused his aperitif. He’s also stopped getting angry. His insomnia continues, so he drinks tea for sleep and burns incense.”

Even just hearing the report, Adela could see Holden’s efforts.

“If I’d known, I would’ve taken a vacation sooner. He does so well without me.”

A small smile appeared on Adela’s tense face.

It had been a hard day, but this comforted her a little.

“Your Highness, His Majesty asks you to come tomorrow morning, as he’s tired today.”

Joy relayed the King’s message.

“Alright.”

Adela replied.

“This is the list of new candidate bodyguards.”

Logan handed her a document.

“I’ll interview them tomorrow afternoon. Is Alexa still here?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Call her in.”

Soon Alexa entered.

“You called, Your Highness.”

Since Adela’s attack, the once cheerful Alexa now looked noticeably somber.

“Alexa.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“We’re selecting a new bodyguard.”

“Yes.”

Alexa bowed her head deeply.

“Just so you know, this isn’t because you’re being blamed for the attack. It was always planned.”

“I understand.”

“I need you to do something.”

At Adela’s words, Alexa’s eyes brightened.

“Your Highness, thank you for giving me another chance.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Logan also expressed his gratitude.

“I’d like to let you focus on your prenatal care, but I can’t. You’re the only one I can trust.”

Adela sighed.

“Please don’t apologize. What do you need me to do?”

“Become the knight order’s swordsmanship instructor.”

“Teach swordsmanship?”

Alexa’s face showed, ‘That sounds a bit boring.’

“On the surface, yes. But your real duties are twofold. First, earn the knights’ trust through your instruction. Second, identify and, if possible, win over Marquis Adamante’s supporters.”

Adamante was the former knight commander. There were quite a few knights who respected and followed him.

He was the youngest swordmaster in the Kingdom’s history, and his improved sword techniques had greatly raised the members’ skills.

Now that Adela knew Adamante was dangerous, she had to stay alert. The Marquis’s influence within the knight order was worrisome.

The knights were supposed to be loyal to the King, but with their current weak loyalty, they might follow Adamante’s orders.

Knights respected those with superior skills. Through Alexa, Adela needed to split Adamante’s faction.

It was just a shame that she’d started too late.

She should have checked sooner.

During the long peace with no invasions, she hadn’t noticed that the Kingdom’s force, meant to protect the realm, could become a threat.

“It’ll be hard alone. Your peers should be vice-commanders in each order by now, so work with trustworthy ones.”

“Yes.”

“If there’s a knight commander loyal to Adamante, promise them a reward if you must.”

“You mean to replace the knight commanders too.”

Adela nodded.

A reshuffle was needed.

“Logan.”

“Yes.”

“Keep an eye on the movements of each noble. Not just by buying information—plant spies if you can.”

“Yes.”

After giving her orders, Adela told the two to rest and headed to her office.

“Your Highness, you should rest today.”

Joy followed after her.

As soon as she returned, Adela switched into workaholic mode.

“I had enough rest.”

“But you just arrived.”

“I have to work to pay for the vacation.”

“If you think about it, creating scandals was work too.”

Joy muttered in a small voice.

“It was as sweet as a midsummer night’s dream.”

The word ‘scandal’ brought Braden’s face to mind. Just thinking of him made her heart ache.

‘What was he doing now?’

‘Was he still in Lasve, or had he left?’

She missed him.

This time, it felt like her heart was being scraped out with a fork.

Their parting had always been inevitable. Even without Adamante’s interference, their relationship would have ended when the time came.

She’d known that when it started, but in less than a month, he’d become deeply engraved in her heart.

How long would it take for this mark to fade?

At first, she’d miss and ache for him, but eventually, she’d think of him less.

The pain would lessen.

Maybe, in time, she could forget.

Adela looked at the ring on the fourth finger of her right hand.

Why had he put the ring on her right hand?

Wedding rings were usually worn on the left.

If she’d worn it on her left, she’d have drawn suspicious looks.

He’d told her to return it in person if she wanted to give it back.

But if she didn’t return it when they met again? Would the ring move to her left hand?

Adela shook her head. Her thoughts were in turmoil.

‘Should I take the ring off?’

She hesitated. Seeing the ring would inevitably make her think of him.

Would that slow her forgetting?

But would removing the ring really make her stop thinking of him?

No. Thoughts of Braden would pop up anytime, anywhere, for no reason.

Whatever happened, it was impossible to go back to before she met him.