The Protagonists Of The Novel Escaped – Chapter 31

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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The bakery in the nearby city center boasted immense popularity, with long lines forming from early morning.

That’s why the sweet aroma of baking bread never ceases at the bakery.

Soft butter cake.

Strawberry tart with refreshing fruit bits.

And the unique chocolate macarons that were limited to only 100 customers per day.

Provincial noblemen who came to the capital went to extremes trying to get a taste of the macarons renowned as the capital’s specialty.

Some nobles, completely blinded, even mobilized their families’ prestige to win the macaron procurement contest.

“How immature, despite being adults old enough to know better…”

“Indeed.”

If Emperor Barbarossa had witnessed the unseemly spectacle of nobles fighting over desserts, he would have raged and demolished the bakery.

Why are grown adults acting like this?

Sighing deeply, I left the bakery with Rue.

“Hehe! It’s going to be delicious!”

The jelly-loving fairy hummed happily as she walked with a spring in her step.

She seemed very excited at the thought of eating the sweet cakes. As if to show her inner feelings, her hair bounced like the hand of a clock.

“I didn’t say I was giving them to you.”

“Come on, Edan is such a tease! You lined up at the crack of dawn just to appreciate my brilliant achievements!”

If Rue hadn’t informed me about the stench emanating from Meiros disguised as Dagilec Branon, who knows what horrible disaster would have occurred.

If I had to choose the top contributor in this subjugation, wouldn’t it naturally be Rue?

She was the first to see through Meiros’ identity. To be precise, she unintentionally provided the clue while backing away.

Since Rue’s contribution was reported to even the Valtarian Imperial Family, she would undoubtedly receive a generous reward.

“Well, you’re right about that. If you hadn’t given me a hint, it would have been really difficult.”

“Hehehe! How embarrassing.”

I praised her sincerely. Then Rue smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of her head.

“Cake! Want cake!”

When we arrived at the residence, Rue bounced around, clinging to me.

It was like a tiger throwing a tantrum, saying, “If you give me one rice cake, I’ll think about sparing you.”

I quietly looked at the little one. Then Rue firmly nodded and went to the sink to wash her hands.

“Hands washed! I washed them squeaky clean with soap!”

“Wait for now.”

I took out the various desserts I had brought, enough to make my hands full, from their packaging.

Then, I laid out the unwrapped desserts one by one on the table and lit the candles on the silver candlestick.

“What are you doing, Edan?”

Rue approached with her head tilted.

I brushed aside the little one’s question and proceeded with the “ritual.”

“I, your favored believer, sincerely offer these offerings to you. Please accept them graciously.”

“Eek! Edan has suddenly gone crazy!”

Initially, gods and believers were connected through faith in a subordinate relationship.

That’s why blessings were granted based on the presence of faith, but I was a bizarre exception close to a mutant.

I paid for the blessings I used with “offerings.” It could be called a business relationship where holy faith was hardly found.

I had used blessings when defeating the Bomber and also when confronting Meiros.

That’s why I prepared a feast with the bakery’s popular menu items to pay the accumulated price simultaneously.

“He must have hit his head badly while fighting Meiros! Hospital…! We need to go to the hospital first!”

Arranging colorful desserts on the table and performing a ritual was undoubtedly a bizarre sight that could be regarded as lunacy without question.

It would seem like a clumsy children’s play.

Rue’s bewildered appearance with a pale complexion proved that.

“Waaah!!”

Finally, Rue collapsed onto the floor.

I tried to explain the whole story to the girl, who was at a loss for words.

“Edanant von Hohenberc!”

“His Majesty calls for you! Prepare yourself quickly!”

-Bang, Bang, Bang!

Loud shouts and knocks rang out.

Dull sounds followed one after another.

The knocks were fierce as if the door would be shattered at any moment.

Damn it.

Surely, the ritual resembling children’s play hadn’t been discovered, right?

The door was smashed as if to say they wouldn’t allow even a moment’s time.

Soon, knights in full armor suddenly barged in.

Judging by the golden lion emblem clearly engraved on their chests, they seemed to be troops dispatched from the Valtarian Imperial Family.

“His Majesty summons Sir Edanant! The fairy over there, you are to follow us as well!”

Sturdy knights poured into the reception room in droves. It was like watching a scene of drug offenders being arrested on the spot.

“…Pardon?”

“Eek!”

The sturdy knights grabbed both of my arms.

Indeed, befitting the imperial guards known for their blind loyalty, there was not even a hint of consideration. Moreover, the knights didn’t provide any explanation.

And so, I experienced the absurd situation of being kidnapped in broad daylight.

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The Red Dragon spewed out the flames of hell, incinerating the monsters that had threatened the Pug Kingdom all at once.

That wasn’t all.

The 15 portals installed at the border,

And even the dark mage forces lurking behind the scenes were all eliminated.

It was like the return of a myth.

The citizens of the kingdom who had witnessed the sight of Ludmilla’s overwhelming power, surpassing even the Sword Saint, cheered loudly.

The citizens abandoned by the king and nobles naturally gathered around Ludmilla.

They cheered as if they would make her their queen right away. In response, Ludmilla acknowledged them with a nod and passed through the crowd gathered like clouds.

“Princess Ludmilla!”

“We have always believed in the Valtarian Empire!”

The empire’s Red Dragon descended and repelled the monsters from the demon realm.

The king and nobles who had locked themselves in the fortress like rats while abandoning the kingdom rushed out.

Despite having cowardly fled, they put on a dignified appearance as if nothing had happened.

Ludmilla frowned.

The king and nobles who had abandoned their duties and responsibilities, prioritizing only their own survival, were the ones she despised most in the world.

Nevertheless, the tactless king and nobles quickly praised Ludmilla, who had achieved the impossible.

As if they didn’t care about the suffering of the citizens who had screamed in desperation during the crisis.

“I am Erik von Pug, the First Prince of the Pug Kingdom. It is an honor to meet Your Highness Ludmilla, renowned as the Red Dragon who protects the empire.”

“I am Ludmilla Dreg Valtaria.”

The crown prince of the Pug Kingdom politely greeted Ludmilla, flaunting his handsome appearance.

He seemed to think that his charm, which had captivated numerous noble and young ladies, would surely enchant the empire’s old bachelorette princess.

However, his dazzling smile instead evoked strong contempt from Ludmilla.

What a trashy bastard.

He fled, abandoning the citizens, and now he dares to wag his tail.

She would have slapped him immediately if he weren’t the crown prince with the right of first succession.

Looking at the brazen king and nobles, she felt disillusioned.

She had even saved the lives of these scum who deserved to be despised.

These survived wretches would return to the palace and wield their power again.

“We have prepared a banquet. Please come to the palace. A luxurious feast will be ready.”

“No need. I will return to the empire.”

Although she had annihilated the monster legions that threatened the kingdom, she couldn’t prevent the damage.

Numerous homes had collapsed.

The farms preparing for harvest had also turned into wastelands.

In this situation, they prepared a luxurious feast? If they had even an ounce of consideration for the citizens, they would have first mobilized personnel for relief measures.

‘If it were Edanant, he would have faced the monsters even alone. Because that’s the kind of person he is.’

Only half a day had passed.

Nevertheless, she missed Edanant terribly.

Was it because they saw each other’s faces and conversed every day?

The sense of normalcy she had felt unconsciously turned into longing, like homesickness.

Thinking of Edanant, her heart, filled with disgust and anger, became peaceful.

Through him, Ludmilla realized that her favorable feelings towards Edanant had now turned into affection.

Let’s go back now.

Since she had eliminated all the enemies threatening the kingdom.

She coldly turned her back on the king and nobles who persistently offered flattery. And spreading her blessing, she unfolded the wings of the Red Dragon.

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Returning at full speed, Ludmilla arrived at the imperial palace of the Valtarian Empire.

‘Her Highness the Second Imperial Princess has arrived.’

Knight-General Cecilia greeted the Red Dragon, returning from the Pug Kingdom.

Ludmilla, who had been briefly absent, learned about the events that had unfolded in the capital from Cecilia.

As the report continued, Ludmilla’s expression changed from moment to moment.

“Are you saying that Young Master Edanant subjugated Meiros?”

“If it weren’t for the young master… a terrible disaster would have surely occurred.”

Cecilia, who had been in charge of guarding Elizaveta, trembled as she recalled Meiros covered in solid metal, the unidentified monster who had targeted the princess’s safety.

If Edanant, a holy sword wielder, had not confronted him, there would have definitely been numerous casualties.

Perhaps even the catastrophe of the empire’s princess being kidnapped by Meiros might have occurred.

It was natural for Cecilia, who had witnessed the fierce battle on the scene, to highly praise Edanant’s valor.

She exalted him as a “hero” with a voice filled with conviction.

“Yes, that’s right… Once again, Young Master Edanant has protected the empire.”

He had suppressed the Bomber and saved the capital.

This time, he subjugated Meiros while protecting her younger sister.

How could she not adore him?

The Valtarian Imperial Family had received help from the young master of the Hohenberc family twice.

Ludmilla smiled faintly, imagining Edanant’s appearance as he fought more bravely than anyone else.

And with confident steps, she walked through the corridor. It was to report the victory to her father and immediately meet Edanant.

“Your Majesty, I have returned victorious from the Pug Kingdom-”

Ludmilla entered the hall of the throne with dignified steps.

However, upon seeing the situation before her eyes, the princess who had raised her head lost her words for a moment.

‘Father, Liza, and even Edanant…! What on earth is going on here?’

Father, with his face flushed red as if revealing his anger.

Her younger sister is blushing and acting shy.

And Edanant, who had turned pale and was prostrating on the carpet.

I don’t know.

What the hell kind of situation is this?

Ludmilla, who had entered the audience to report the victory, froze on the spot.

‘Could it be…’

Something flashed through her mind.

Although not as much as her younger sister Elizaveta, who was more interested in romantic love than anyone else, Ludmilla was also an avid reader of romance novels like most women.

The bookshelves in her bedroom were packed with novels.

Perhaps that’s why.

She began to overlap the current situation with a scene from a romance novel she had read before.

“Give me your daughter, Father!”

“Over my dead body! Get out of here, you rascal!”

The male protagonist requests a formal courtship.

The female protagonist’s father vehemently opposes it.

Ludmilla, who had been expressing doubts, suddenly started interpreting the situation in her own way.

‘Ahem! It seems Edanant has finally pleaded for permission to formally court me…’

Judging by Edanant’s trembling appearance as he prostrated, it had to be.

Hoho. Look at this daring man.

He dared to ask for courtship with the princess.

Edanant’s appearance seemed cute to her.

He had denied it so much until now but came out boldly like this.

She couldn’t stop smiling. With her rose-colored glasses firmly on, Ludmilla wholeheartedly supported Edanant, pushing her father to the back of her mind.

‘But for Father to show such anger… Is it because Edanant is the second son of the Hohenberc family? He definitely won’t allow it even if dirt gets in both of his eyes.’

Throwing dirt in the eyes of her father, the Emperor, would naturally be an act of disloyalty and a lack of filial piety.

But what if she only throws it in one eye?

Then, wouldn’t he overlook it as a momentary mishap?

Ludmilla, who thought that the man perfectly matched her ideal type, had come to the palace to seek permission for courtship and even started having dangerous thoughts.

It was because she had already become a 27-year-old bachelorette.

Even if she had no intention of actually doing it, the fact that she had such thoughts showed how desperate she felt.

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