Home/I Saved the Villain and Fell Asleep/ch 19

Chapter 19

"But lately, the trash crawling out has been getting on my nerves."

"You mean the dark mages."

"How long do you think we can keep Hari's unique magic hidden?"

"At least until she comes of age."

"Suppose it gets discovered. They'll definitely be drooling over her unique magic. In the worst case, they'll try to tie me down and go after Hari."

The Duke rested his chin on his hand and murmured.

Dark mages. Those who abandon humanity and stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Listing all the atrocities dark mages have committed would take more than a week.

The Empire wants to eradicate them, but they're good at hiding, making it difficult. If they gathered in groups, they'd be easier to find, but dark mages have a strong individualistic streak.

Madmen obsessed with research would never share their findings with others.

"Personally, I don't think it's all that pessimistic."

"Hm?"

"Didn't the young lady say she'd smash them all?"

"Ah, she did."

"That declaration keeps echoing in my head."

The Duke seemed to recall his daughter's shout as well, covering his mouth with a chuckle. Since coming to this villa, she'd seemed listless, but at some point she'd regained her energy and become lively—it was endearing.

"I thought... maybe it's not impossible. No, actually, isn't it quite a good idea?!"

"Not impossible?"

"If the enemies are mages, it's more than enough! Depending on what she puts in those ten subspaces, her survival rate will be determined. Setting off poison or flash bombs unexpectedly—who wouldn't be thrown off? Flying magic can be swatted away with a few swings of the club, and once she learns to crack some skulls—I mean, heads—she'll be more than capable!"

Kaelen spoke with clenched fists, somewhat excited. He already seemed captivated by the young princess's magic, which had easily nullified the small whirlwind he'd created.

"She seems to be already practicing her swings... I suppose teaching her hand-to-hand combat like Irein's would be good?"

"I'll look into suitable magical tools for the young lady's club with Lord Irein! Hand-to-hand combat sounds great! Whoever tries to harm her will get a nasty surprise for underestimating her!"

"It's better than her being frail. She already has good stamina, it seems."

"Tea ceremony? Who cares if the tea's a bit bitter. Dance? So what if she can't dance well! Protecting herself is more important!"

They didn't know.

That the precious youngest princess of the Algenprina ducal house would one day become a goblin risen from hell, playing whack-a-mole with dark mages and smashing every one of their skulls she laid eyes on.

"I've been thinking."

"Stop thinking."

"What?"

This kid's mouth has been running lately—now he's talking back.

"Your stamina is pathetic."

"Huh?"

"Every time we go up to the lake, you're huffing and puffing."

Kali's face twisted. There was no way he could argue with that!

We'd climbed the mountain together, and I hadn't even broken a sweat, while Kali had collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

I rubbed Kali's sweaty bangs with my handkerchief. Through his tangled hair, I felt his sharp glare.

"Let's do some stamina training!"

Kali looked at me as if I were crazy. But you can't escape it—your stamina is getting improved!

"It's nothing. Just run around the mountain a bit."

"Why would I do something so pointless?"

"Ha... Oh dear, oh dear."

I dramatically pressed my hand to my forehead and shook my head. Such a typical mage reaction!

Because improving stamina doesn't increase mana capacity, mages never even look at exercise.

They usually react just like Kali. Tsk, tsk. That's why mages in fantasy novels get called frail!

"A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body! Haven't you heard that?"

"Uh."

"Then start keeping it in your head from now on!"

Rather than explaining endlessly, I chose to show through action. I dragged Kali over to a flat rock. He had a bit of pride and a hot temper, so I knew he'd follow if I did this.

"Hold my hand. I'll show you just how weak you are."

Nyah-nyah. So what if your magic is strong? You look like you'd fly away from a single body blow!

There was a considerable height difference between us, but our hand sizes weren't that far apart—thirteen and fourteen are about the same, after all.

"We're arm wrestling. Ever done it?"

"...No."

He seems to know what it is, though.

Out in marketplaces, there were people who'd bet money and arm wrestle—if he'd lived as a commoner, he couldn't have missed it.

"Grab on. We'll go on the count of three, okay?"

One. Two. Three.

It ended before I even needed to count. Of course, it was him who went down—not me.

"Puhahaha!!! You're totally weak, aren't you?"

I deliberately held my belly and rolled around laughing. Kali stared at his own hand for a long time, as if he hadn't expected to lose so easily.

I got up energetically, approached Kali, and lifted him like I would a five-year-old, slipping my hands under his armpits.

"Building strength isn't just about magic. Stamina and mental strength need to grow too! At the very least, you should be strong enough to beat me—then you can do all sorts of things, right?"

"Why..."

"Hm?"

"Why are you going this far for me? The Duchess, and you too."

I scratched my cheek, not quite understanding his question. I haven't even done anything yet...?

"Mom probably... because you're her close friend's son? After seeing you in that state, how could she just send you away?"

"What if I'm not that person's son? I never said my mother's name was Eve. The Duchess only assumed."

No, anyone could see you affirmed it at the time. You just didn't answer out loud, but you showed every sign of agitation.

"Are you trying to say you're not that person's son? That you're just a wandering thirteen-year-old?"

"..."

"You are, aren't you? The Czerban Grand Duke's heir."

In the end, Kali didn't deny it and changed the subject.

"Then what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why are you helping me so much? It's bothersome. Just leave me alone. Whether I control my mana well or not."

If I left you alone, how would you grow up?

...I swallowed the words I almost said. Now that I think about it, I wondered—would he really grow up that way?

The Caelius who was chased by those who wanted to kill him and struggled desperately to survive walked the path of a brutal dark mage. But Kali, who met me and came into Algenprina?

Since the path he walks has changed, isn't it natural for the future to change too?

I set up "no entry" signs and fences on the road to villainy. And it was none other than me who put up signs pointing to a different path.

"If that incident hadn't happened in the Czerban Grand Ducal house, you and I... would have been childhood friends, right? And it's not bothersome at all. I just don't want to leave you alone."

"You, you..."

"What do you want to do in the future? Uncover the truth behind that incident? Become Grand Duke? Seek revenge? Become an imperial mage? You could even become an Archmage of the Magic Tower. But you don't have to become Grand Duke, and you don't have to become a great person."

"I don't have to become Grand Duke?"

"You could use your magic just as firewood to light a flame, or only to boil water. So what I'm saying is—whatever you do in the future is up to you! You can imagine anything and do anything."

Kali dropped his head low. I quietly watched him, lost in thought and silent.

Saying he didn't have to become Grand Duke was just something I blurted out. If Kali said he didn't want to be Grand Duke, Mom would be disappointed, but she'd understand.

Because that would be Kali's choice.

When Irein, as the eldest, said he wouldn't inherit the title, our parents understood him.

Since it was rare to pass the title to the second child when the eldest had no issues, Sier had objected, but... what could he do if Irein didn't want it?

"Brother, are you crazy?! You want me to be the heir?!"

"Hmm. Is Sier still a bit young for that?"

"Sigh. Hari, do you want to be Duke? You can eat all the cookies you want."

"Father, what are you saying to a child! I'll do it! I'll do it!"

Sier was ten at the time.

Since it wasn't forced upon him, Sier gradually began his heir's education from then on. Being the scholarly type, he actually found the lessons quite interesting.

That's how the Algenprina ducal house was. And my parents in my previous life were the same.

The conventional mold of "nobles should be this way or that way" didn't apply in our house. I grew up that way.

Back   Next