[Third Person POV]

“You came quickly.”

Dim candles were barely shining in the cave, which was as cold as midwinter.

A woman wearing iron armor over a maid outfit threw a man in a shabby prison uniform to the floor.

A dismal low voice resounded deep within.

“Baby, did the other child die gracefully?”

“Since he set himself on fire, he wouldn’t have survived even if he was alive, master.”

The woman with her black hair neatly combed said shyly.

“Yeah. A broken arm is a burden, so even a dead child will understand. Thank you.”

It caught a glimpse of a shadow wriggling inside the cave, which was dyed pitch-black due to lack of light.

The shadow was as huge as a giant cave. But after a while, it gradually got smaller and took on a human figure.

“No one will be confused by the name anymore. Your brother is dead, you’re the only Bradley.”

The shadows gradually approached the light. A man in a prison uniform lying face down on the floor opened his empty brown eyes and captured the scene.

“Are you angry? That your brother is killed?”

The man in prison uniform did not answer. The shadow clicked its tongue.

“Did you cut your tongue instead of your arm?”

“I, My muse.”

The man in the prison uniform’s jaw dropped and the sound of his teeth clashing was heard. It was a relief that he didn’t stutter.

Hmm, the shadow that hadn’t even come out of the darkness beckoned with a nasty snort.

Then something rose from the floor and took the form of a chair. He sat down there and rested his chin.

“That’s what you call me now. Whenever you say that the muse is that child.”

“… …”

“Well, I don’t care. Now, if you have something to say, say it.”

“……One, give me one more chance.”

“Give it to you?”

“I’ll bring her alive.”

“Hmm.”

“But after you have taken what you wanted from her, Muse.”

The tongue freezes and does not move properly. His skin also froze and it hurt every time he spoke.

Nevertheless, the man in prison uniform acted like nothing was wrong with his eyes wide open. His chestnut brown eyes, which had been empty, shone brightly.

“At that time, can I take over?”

The prisoner forced his hardened cheeks up into a sullen smile.

“Give me the body, my muse.”

Tok Tok, the shadow that tapped its cheek with a finger on its chin crossed its legs and stomped its feet.

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“I can’t do that.”

“I can succeed this time… …!”

“No, it’s not. Didn’t you hear that too?”

The prisoner, who was trying to crawl up to the shadow and beg him, hesitated.

Didn’t he hear?

“The kid said that. Don’t order her to come and go and come in person.”

The shadow laughed as if it were really funny.

“As she said, it’s me who wants to see her, so I’ll have to go.”

“Master, you don’t have to go there. I can go.”

“It’s nice to think of me, but I will just accept your heart. Actually, I’m curious.”

Curious?

The woman asked, and the shadow snapped again. She couldn’t see it because it was buried in the darkness, but it seemed that her eyes were on its feet.

“Now that ten years have passed, I want to see if she’s still being rude with my own eyes.”

“… …”

“Let’s see what those kids are going to do in the future, and let’s go see it as soon as possible.”

Keke, the shadow which had been laughing again, cast a glance at the prisoner.

“You may do as you please after I regain my strength from the child, baby. It was just that you didn’t have to bring it.”

Only then could the prisoner smile again.

***

[Renée’s POV]

When you think of a general audience room, you are bound to think of a somewhat solemn space with a staircase in a wide hall and a throne above it.

But why is this place more like a judgment room than an audience room… …

The king looked down from the throne with a languid expression on her face for some reason, as if she had been drunk.

I swallowed even the cough that was about to come out of awkwardness and looked around.

In a hall with a long red carpet, there was a semi-circular table facing the throne.

I was sitting at the end of the table and surprisingly Aiden sat next to me.

“It’s late, late.”

“Should I run out and grab their hair?”

A black-haired escort knight appears at the king’s murmur of disapproval. Then the king laughed.

“Haha! If you do that, Miss Renée will be angry. Right, Miss Renee?”

She called me Lady, then Miss Renée, and then I barely smiled at the king, whose title for me was very arbitrary.

“I just appreciate your consideration for me…….”

“Miss Renée is very good at talking.”

Then a guard near the huge door shouted.

“Dame Anastasia Solen, Marquis Reden Blair from the Blair family, has visited!”

“There’s no point in saying it. Enter.”

The huge door opened smoothly and without a sound.

Reden and Anastasia, dressed in royal wizard uniforms, stared straight ahead with expressionless faces and greeted them with a simple bow.

“I see you, Your Majesty.”

“Marquis Blair and Dame Anastasia. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

When the king spoke, Reden replied bluntly.

“I think it’s just you. Didn’t I see you a few days ago when I was giving you a report.”

“You’re not very friendly, unlike your younger sister.”

A question mark appeared on Reden’s face. I don’t think he understands why I’m being mentioned.

The king pointed her finger.

“Sit down for now. It would be nice to be next to the Duke.”

Reden and Anastasia, who were about to head to the place indicated by the king with confused faces, hesitated.

Because my eyes met.

I was able to wave hello to them without fear because I had vowed to be brazen countless times before I came to the audience room.

“You…”

The more I greeted them, the more Reden’s face distorted and Anastasia’s dazed face was quite worth seeing.

I could see Reden trying to curse at me, but he seemed to holding back because this place was not the place.

Soon after, the two of them were seated.

“But why isn’t Sir Zion coming?”

“……Sir Glass will come from the dungeon.”

“Ah, there’s a fire.”

Dungeon? Fire?

I blinked at the unfamiliar words and looked at Aiden. Aiden’s expression strangely changed as if he had heard it for the first time.

“What do you mean, fire in the dungeon?”

When Aiden asked about the fire, the king laughed.

“Oh my goodness! Duke, you didn’t know that? A fire broke out in the dungeon while you, Lady Blair, and I were enjoying our tea time. Ah, Marquis. Don’t be too upset. Next time, I will invite you too.”

Tea time, Your Majesty. I haven’t had any tea today. Even if I’ve been threatened.

Reden’s and Aiden’s expressions turned into insect-bitten expressions at the same time.

“Let’s talk about it when the other two come.”

As soon as the king’s words were over, the guard shouted again.

“Sir Diwen Fergus, the leader of the 7th Knights of the Royal Family, and Sir Zion Glass, the Vice-Caption, have visited!”

Finally, we’re all here.

I sighed and touched my fingertips. It’s because I still don’t know if the choice I made was a good one.

Before I came to the audience room, I finally told the king everything.

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Once while I was organizing by myself, Twice while confiding in Reden, This was the third time I confessed. 

I still don’t know why I shouldn’t tell you the damn process of confronting Bradley because Reden didn’t tell me until the end… … I said it anyway.

Yes, the Bradley brothers were targeting me. That, what is it. Have you heard my speculation that the dragon might have been stealing the dragon bones and giving them to the Bradley brothers? Maybe not, but I’ll call it Dragon for convenience.

The dragon seemed to be targeting me. The dragon told Bradley to get me. So the Bradley brothers were after me. That’s why Bradley wanted to be alone with me. I don’t know why it’s targeting me.

Anyway, that’s why I got into a fight with Bradley like this. Yes. That’s it.

But, Your Majesty. Reden did nothing wrong. I didn’t tell Reden. That’s why Reden must have forgotten about it when he reported it to His Majesty.

Ah, Diwen and Anastasia…… How did they know if the Bradleys were targeting me or not in that frantic situation. The two of them would have been out of their minds. As Your Majesty knows, there is a fire! You know that Anastasia is weak to fire, right? I’m sure you know, yes! That’s why neither of them told you that Bradley brothers were targeting me.

TL/N: Absolute word vomit LMAO

How was the king’s expression when I talked like a fast cannon while covering up the three people?

‘It gave me goosebumps. Because she laughed like a child who found a funny toy.’

I let out a deep sigh once again.

Soon after, Diwen and Zion sat down. I was about to raise my head when I heard the sound of a chair dragging.

“I know that the 7th Knights and royal wizards are working hard to install.”

The king said something like a bolt from the blue.

I stopped staring at the two men and looked at the king.

The king, who was looking down at us in a crooked posture from the throne above the stairs, grinned. It was that childlike smile I had seen before.

“I’ll shut my eyes. But there’s a condition. Miss Renée Blair must accompany you to the meeting from now on.”

…What?

“What are you talking about… …”

Excluding the king and the escort knight, there were six people in the audience room including me. And four out of six said the same thing at the same time, then shut up. I was just dumbfounded and had my mouth open.

At that time, the king waved her hand while saying ahhh. It seemed as if there was something she forgot to say.

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“I forgot, let not only the young lady but also Duke Aiden Burwars be with you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Aiden, who showed no reaction, completed the unfinished words that the four spoke at the same time.

“What do you mean. Don’t you understand? It means that not just the four of you, you should all hang out together and not bully the two of them”

“Your Majesty, one.”

“Ohoo, Marquis, stay still. Because you, Dame Anastasia, Sir Diwen, suppress everything about your younger sister in the report.”

Eum, as expected, you’re a king. It wasn’t that she had a soft temper to accept my words as they were.

Reden kept his mouth shut as if he had noticed everything at the king’s words.

“You know what you’re working on. The knights are looking for dragon bones, and the wizards are looking for dragon lairs.”

Dragon Lairs. It’s unfamiliar words I heard from someone’s mouth a few days ago.

It’s not that I don’t know the meaning. I was just wondering why it popped out all of a sudden… …

Were you looking for Dragon Lairs? The wizards? Why?

“I don’t know what happened between you that led to the establishment. It’s not empty words to say that I’m going to overlook it. Gathering dragon bones as soon as possible, I agree. I’m in favor of finding Dragon Lairs and wiping out dragons for the reputation of the Kingdom of Konia.”

The king painted a nice smile.

“As I said earlier, join Young Lady and the Duke. If you refuse this, I will leave the search for dragon bones to the 1st Knights.”

“……Could you please tell me what could be the reason? The Duke, aside, the lady is a very ordinary person. It’s dangerous to have a search and sweep together.”

Zion said calmly.

It was a moment when I looked at him as a sign of agreement.

Diwen, who was sitting next to Zion, caught my eye. It was him I hadn’t seen in a long time.

But somehow, unlike usual, the atmosphere seemed to have settled down, which made me wonder.

‘No, it’s not just that the atmosphere has subsided… …’

A pale face, tired-looking eyes, and a body that looks somewhat heavy.

‘Looks like you’re sick?’

It was like the day after we met for the first time at the banquet hall.

He looked sick then too, and he still does.

‘Unexpectedly, are you the style to catch a cold easily?’

I was thinking about useless things in front of a sick person, but Diwen turned his head as if he felt my gaze.

I met the dark purple eyes.

Just when I thought about a simple handshake, Diwen immediately turned his head.

‘What. Aren’t you avoiding my gaze, now?’