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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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There was no such thing as an unbeatable opponent.
At least, I was confident I could gain the upper hand against anyone if I set my mind to it.
But… Adele’s words shook that very foundation.
I had been so sure I could leave her behind and move on my own, but now, it seemed impossible.
Priorities.
Honestly, there wasn’t much I could argue with in Adele’s words.
It was true that I always prioritized others over myself.
I had never considered how it appeared to others.
I slowly averted my gaze from Adele. Or rather, I tried to.
When Adele, sensing my attempt to escape her gaze, held me back…
I didn’t know what to say. It was definitely dangerous.
No matter what I did, Kaitel would surely notice Adele because of this.
I couldn’t predict how things would unfold.
“Was this what you meant when you said you wouldn’t let me go?”
“This is what I meant. You tend to undervalue yourself. I don’t like seeing that.”
“Even though you know it’s dangerous.”
“It’s better for both of us to be in danger than for you to be alone. And you’re close to the Princess, aren’t you? You can save me if anything happens. Surely…”
Adele poked my chest playfully and smiled.
She seemed to be trying to lighten the mood, but her words felt like a jab at my insecurities.
I tried to smile back, but my lips twitched awkwardly.
“You’re not thinking about what happened before and assuming it will happen again, are you?”
“I can’t say it won’t.”
Kaitel had always been involved in my death, and that was something Adele and I had in common.
If Adele got involved in something that directly concerned Kaitel, what kind of variable would that introduce?
Could I stop it if I had to?
I pondered this for a moment, then realized how foolish my thoughts were.
Almost everything was different. As Adele had said, it wasn’t the same as before.
I was a Duke with far more authority, and Adele knew that her death was connected to Kaitel.
She could avoid it if she wanted to. Perhaps Adele was right.
I always had a tendency to project the past onto the present.
I rubbed my forehead and sighed softly.
I hoped I was just worrying over nothing. I hoped Kaitel had no interest in Adele and that she wouldn’t be harmed in this life.
“…I give up.”
It was something I had never said before, despite all my regressions, but her words had swayed me.
I couldn’t bring myself to stop her from coming with me.
It was true that having Adele with me would be helpful. I would have to keep testing Kaitel’s thoughts on her.
“So, what’s your answer?”
“Let’s go together. You’re going to follow me no matter what I say, aren’t you?”
“It seems you finally understand me a little.”
I just had to try harder. Even if something unexpected happened, I could protect her.
A future where Adele survived was the future I had envisioned from the start. I just hoped she would still be alive when this year ended.
“I can’t analyze the information we gathered from the ruins myself. I’ll have to send it to someone who can and wait for the results.”
“Someone who can analyze it?”
“There was someone I saved during the Full Moon Festival. I hired her. She’s been helping me gather information in exchange for appropriate compensation. She was also quite helpful when I became Duke.”
Adele would clearly remember the events of the Full Moon Festival, and her eyes narrowed as she recalled Arwen.
She was probably reacting this way for one reason.
Arwen was a woman, so Adele was likely questioning my intentions.
“She was a woman.”
“She is, but I’m not interested in her.”
“That sounds like something someone who is interested would say. You’re surprisingly honest.”
I sighed at her teasing smile, and Adele chuckled, finding my reaction amusing.
I didn’t consider Arwen a woman. She was more like a transcendental being.
Her strange obsession with the Four Dragons, her ability to easily manipulate lunar magic…
She had reached the pinnacle of magic, surpassing everyone else. Her lifespan would likely be different as well.
Adele, surprisingly perceptive in these matters, quickly dismissed her suspicions and changed the subject.
“So, we can’t do anything until we get the results? How long will it take?”
“I think it will take about a week.”
My plan to stay here for only a week had been completely derailed, and I had postponed all non-essential tasks.
I had plenty of time now.
Renold complained, but I had decided it was best to focus on this matter for now.
Adele glanced at me when I mentioned my schedule, and the corners of her lips twitched.
It was barely noticeable, but she seemed quite pleased.
I also enjoyed staying in the North. It would have been even better if it weren’t for this serious matter.
It was better to be optimistic.
“So you’re planning to stay for about a month?”
“That’s right. But you seem very comfortable.”
I said it to Adele, who was sitting on my bed, and she chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the fact that I had casually sat down on the blanket.
It seemed like she had planned this. There was no reason to make the beds in our rooms identical otherwise.
While I appreciated her honesty, it made my heart skip a beat.
“Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it? We’ve already slept together.”
“Someone might misunderstand. We just slept.”
“It’s the same thing to others. Should I tell the Saint and the Princess?”
‘That we slept together? ‘
Adele grinned, then casually lay down on my pillow and patted the space beside her, inviting me to join her.
I sighed at her invitation, but I thought this kind of relationship wasn’t so bad.
It was much better than the awkwardness we had when we first met in this life.
It was just a drunken night together, but I wondered how Adriana and Miragen would react if they found out.
I didn’t want to think about it. It wasn’t something to joke about, and it could easily lead to misunderstandings.
Adriana, in particular, had similar feelings to mine.
She understood my past lives, so her attachment to me might become strangely strong.
It would be better to be careful. I would have to warn Lothos in particular.
“It’s nice to have some free time. I would have been busy right now otherwise.”
“That’s because I helped you. Didn’t I tell you? Things would go faster if you were with me.”
“…Well, considering what we saw in the ruins, that’s true.”
The title of Grand Duchess wasn’t just a name.
Her words held considerable influence in the Empire. Most matters could be easily resolved with her approval.
While I had tried to avoid involving her, I had to admit that things were much easier when I was with Adele.
I couldn’t shake my concerns about the danger, but I would just have to be careful.
Since things had turned out this way, I intended to resolve the matter of the masked figures while I was in the North.
There would likely be occasions where I had to use force, and it was time to put my almost fully recovered skills to the test.
The fact that the Four Dragons’ consciousness was still alive was a definite threat.
I couldn’t ignore the possibility of their resurrection, something I had previously considered impossible.
If the Four Dragons were resurrected and tried to destroy the world, could I defeat them in my current state?
…I wasn’t sure.
Perhaps if I fully recovered my original strength, but otherwise, I needed to be more proactive.
That was why I needed more experience wielding a sword. I intended to utilize force whenever possible.
“I’ll be busy again starting tomorrow. You’ll have to work too, so I won’t be the only one busy anymore. But is your schedule alright?”
“Schedule?”
“Don’t you have things to do? It’s almost summer, so you’ll be busy soon.”
Summer in the North was a time for preparing for the coming winter. “Winter is coming” was a common saying here.
The winters in the North were harsh and unforgiving, so preparations during summer and autumn were crucial.
Repairing damaged houses, stocking up on food… Adele, who had to manage all of this on a regional level, would be extremely busy.
Adele seemed to understand my question. She groaned softly, then shrugged nonchalantly.
“Lothos will take care of it. He’ll handle it if I tell him I’m busy.”
“…So Lothos is in charge of that.”
Adele hadn’t personally handled such matters often.
It was mostly Lothos and his subordinates’ responsibility.
I chuckled, realizing some things hadn’t changed at all, then I suddenly remembered there was someone else I needed to call to the North.
Arwen wasn’t the only one who needed to know about the Four Dragons.
While Arwen possessed a wealth of information, any information about the Four Dragons had been erased throughout the Empire, making it difficult to find anything.
If there was anyone who could easily obtain such information, it would be someone connected to the Church.
And there was one person I knew who fit that description.
I stood up, and Adele looked at me intently.
“Where are you going?”
“I think I need to call someone else to the North. I’m going to contact them.”
“Who are you talking about? Do I know them?”
“You know her. The Saint.”
Adele’s expression hardened at the mention of Adriana.
She made it quite clear that she didn’t like it.
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