.｡.:✧ Chapter 70 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The handcuffs clicked around Mikael Portren’s wrists.

Heini Rosales and her knights, who had been on standby, looked at me as if I had performed magic, seeing Mikael, who had been ready to charge at them until the day before, now willingly surrendering to the arrest.

“Thank you. It seems it will be resolved well because of you.”

Heini deeply bowed to me in genuine gratitude, but I responded with a bitter tone.

“While he is certainly a villain, he is also a father to a child. Please show some consideration for the child’s sake.”

Adding that it was for Michelle Portren, not Mikael, she agreed to my request.

Being the one who made the arrest, she could probably exert some influence.

“But there are more knights than I expected. Did you call for backup because you didn’t trust me?”

Looking around, it seemed there were about fifty knights present, as if they were prepared to fight Mikael head-on.

However, Heini awkwardly smiled and glanced at the knights.

“No, the royal knights showed up even before we could request backup, how did they know?”

“…”

“I thought I was going to die from the tension. If you hadn’t sorted it out in advance, Mikael Portren would have been dead today.”

Saying this, Heini went back to organize the scene, heading towards the mansion.

I stretched slowly and looked up at the sky.

As dawn’s end approached, signaling the start with the sunrise brightening the city, three female students walked from different directions.

Rin appeared unharmed, as if the hotel hadn’t been attacked at all, just like when I left her there.

Hayun, although injured, seemed somewhat satisfied, having completely shed her identity as a Len.

Sen looked the most severe.

Although she had successfully driven away the Chokugen Faction that came to kidnap Michelle, the blood from her wounds, indicating a fierce battle, soaked her clothes.

Of course, Rin quickly came to treat Sen, but even before that, Sen didn’t seem too upset despite her injuries.

‘Both of them succeeded in their own ways.’

Hayun and Sen.

Both declared their independence from the binds of family and parents.

And now, the last one.

It was the turn of the girl with ash-gray hair, holding Sen’s hand as they stepped outside.

“Ah, Dad?”

“Michelle…”

Unable to lift his head at Michelle’s voice, Mikael had wanted to see his daughter one last time before leaving, but now faced with the reality, he was overwhelmed with guilt.

“Dad…”

Initially teary-eyed, Michelle slowly clenched her fist and hit Mikael’s thigh.

“Idiot! You said I had to be a good child! What were you thinking, being a bad person!”

“Ah, Michelle. I’m sorry, Dad is really sorry.”

Kneeling before Michelle, Mikael was immediately taken away by the knights, but Heini stopped them, allowing them some time.

The father and daughter embraced, shedding endless tears.

Despite her sobbing, Michelle made it clear to her father.

“I’m sorry, Dad, is it because of me? Those bad people took my medicine, so you joined them because of that?”

“No, Michelle, no.”

Mikael didn’t want Michelle to know it was because of her, but she was even more adamant.

“So, I’ll live a good life. I’ll help and save many more people than the harm and hurt Dad caused.”

“……!”

“Maybe then, Mom in heaven might smile a bit? Maybe God will lessen Dad’s punishment?”

“Ah, aah…”

Tears streaming down his face, Mikael looked at his daughter.

“Dad, you must face your punishment clearly. I don’t know if we can meet again, but I will… survive and live well.”

“When did you grow up so much?”

Being together always, there are things one fails to notice.

It’s change and growth.

The little girl he thought he only needed to protect was now standing proudly on her own.

Mikael gently kissed her forehead.

“Thank you for growing up like this, for being born as this unworthy father’s daughter.”

“Me too, I really, really loved being your daughter.”

The girl took her first flight out of her father’s embrace that dawn.

***

“Ah, do I really have to attend such a party?”

Elise, or rather, her real name, Elise de Frisia, fiddled with the ludicrous mask. The third princess of the Frisia Kingdom was preparing to attend a party hosted by the Sermon family to celebrate the academy’s vacation.

The maid beside her, impeccably tidy, laughed softly as she fixed her hair.

“You should attend such parties. The Sermon family wanted to invite you so badly they even organized a masquerade ball to make you feel comfortable.”

“Ah, what a hassle.”

Elise had not been active publicly except when she was very young.

She had no interest in power struggles, being the low-ranked third princess.

Watching her elder brothers fight for power, she was already sick of the idea of power.

The veiled third princess.

The Sermon family had specifically organized a masquerade ball to invite her, creating an environment where Elise could move comfortably.

“Please give me a mask that’s somewhat elegant.”

“How about something in the style of a swan?”

“That sounds good, and for the necklace… this one seems best.”

“Isn’t it a bit long?”

Indeed, the necklace that hung down to her cleavage seemed a bit long on her, but Elise, having taken a liking to it, chose not to change it.

This had always been her way.

Once Elise took an interest in something, she tended to immerse herself in it excessively or become obsessed.

This time was no exception.

She had suddenly taken an interest in a commoner boy, creating an unusual stage for him.

“Speaking of which, the last message came from Lavender.”

“Hmm?”

Lavender was a spy network Elise had created herself.

Though lacking in combat skills, it consisted of individuals with exceptional abilities to manipulate and gather information.

The first and second prince and princess were aware of it but did not pay it much attention, considering it merely a pastime of the youngest. However, Elise had an exceptional eye for talent, and the network consisted of individuals whose skills were too significant to be taken lightly.

Up until a week ago, Elise would have been noticeably delighted by news from Lavender, but now her response was lukewarm, as if her interest had cooled.

“It seems Daniel McLean has gone to the Forest of the Demon Realm, likely in search of Michelle Portren’s herbs.”

“School is starting soon; he’s quite bold. And despite his exceptional skills, the Forest of the Demon Realm is a place that tests more than just one’s abilities… I had high expectations for him, but now I’m equally disappointed.”

Elise sighed as she placed the necklace around her neck.

“I thought I could capture the Len and Portren families in one fell swoop, including an assassin. But the Len family fled without showing their tails, and Mikael Portren was captured without being killed. There was some evidence left by the assassin, though…”

“Those folks are notoriously elusive, hard to catch.”

“Ah, it’s all so disappointing. I had believed Daniel McLean would shine even brighter on the stage I prepared for him.”

Elise muttered as if she had lost all interest, prompting a cautious inquiry from the maid.

“But Princess, why Daniel McLean? Wasn’t it originally Ares Helias?”

“Well, Ares wasn’t bad either. But somehow, Daniel had a bit of a wild side. An untamed, uncontrollable vibe?”

“…”

“I was considering scouting him if he passed this test, but it’s quite disappointing now.”

Elise’s interest in Daniel had amusingly sparked during a play rehearsal.

“Just do it moderately. Is this a game to you? It’s a play. You all read the script and agreed to participate.”

“You wouldn’t like it, right? Having some weird boy touching you. But I feel the same. I don’t like being sandwiched between two strange girls. It’s disgusting. But we just go through with it.”

“Ugh, you kids don’t even know what desire is.”

“Just tone it down.”

During the play, Daniel openly expressed his disdain for the notion of a lowly commoner touching Elise, emitting a palpable hostility.

It was a first for her.

Always towering above everyone else, a mere flick of her finger had been enough to make people vanish from her sight. Daniel was the first to instill such fear and intimidation in her.

From that moment, she became interested in him.

Her interest only grew after discovering that he had defeated a powerful insect demon at the festival.

Thus, she prepared for this event in Bethel.

Leaking information, summoning characters, calculating the return time from Yggdrasil.

However, none of the participants in the Bethel play realized they were mere pawns in the game orchestrated by Elise.

“Well, it’s all the same. Expect, then disappoint.”

“…”

“Ares is no different. Following a commoner man around in courtship was a novel and entertaining experience, but given his recent actions, it seems that too must come to an end.”

“That’s a relief, honestly. I was worried he might do something to you, Princess.”

“That fool? Haha, that’s amusing. I might actually reconsider if he did.”

Ares Helias was special, just as Daniel McLean was.

A commoner who didn’t repel her with his appearance, demeanor, and charm, allowing her to play the role of a lovestruck woman following him around. If he had been an ordinary commoner, she wouldn’t have been able to even speak to him.

“I hope something interesting happens at this masquerade ball.”

With that, Elise left the maid behind and headed towards the stage.

But, as expected, she was only met with disappointment.

It was her first masquerade ball, so she had hoped for something different, but aside from wearing masks, it was no different from any ordinary social party.

Wandering freely among those unaware of her status as the third princess was somewhat pleasant, but that was all.

Even though men who couldn’t hide their nobility under their masks approached her for dances, Elise firmly declined.

‘Boring.’

It was dull.

Too dull.

As the ball reached its climax and the musicians and conductor picked up the pace, Elise’s steps were already heading out of the ballroom.

That is, until a man wearing a black mask and with black hair did not ask her to dance.

Different from the nobility, he exuded a wild aura, not knowing the basic courtesy of requesting a dance, simply extending his hand as if for a handshake and saying,

“It feels unfair to be the only one dancing, don’t you think you should dance at least once?”

From his voice, she was certain.

Daniel McLean was standing before her.

Her heart began to race, and her mind raced to make sense of the situation.

How?

Hadn’t he gone to the Forest of the Demon Realm to conclude the Bethel incident and obtain Michelle’s medicine?

Why was he here before her now?

What had he discovered?

Could it be that he had realized she was the mastermind behind Bethel?

In that brief moment, Elise’s brilliant mind churned, but she could find no evidence that Daniel McLean would identify her as the villain.

Slowly, a smile formed on Elise’s lips.

How did you come to stand before me?

She was dying to know.

Her mind, which had been on the verge of dozing off from boredom just moments ago, was now electrifyingly alive.

“Ah, the ball is just beginning.”

Elise accepted Daniel’s invitation to dance.

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