Chapter 13
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Translator: Diva
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: They Say Even a Huge Age Gap Doesn't Ruin Compatibility
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Elhart must have finished preparing by now—or at least, I was getting antsy wondering if those guys had scrounged up some shabby clothes for him. I wanted to hurry over and check.
At some point, my impatience must have shown on my face, because the Crown Prince gave a wry smile.
"That eager, huh? She's probably busy getting ready herself anyway."
"I was supposed to help her out personally."
"I sent my personal valet over, so no need to worry. He's not any less skilled than Ser."
How would you know how good I am?
My eyebrow twitched upward, and the Crown Prince tilted his head quizzically.
"Ever picked out men's clothes before?"
Of course not...
"Ever trimmed a man's hair?"
Obviously not. Though I have lopped off a few heads.
"Do you know that prince's clothing measurements?"
This is tricky.
Now that I thought about it, I realized I knew absolutely nothing.
"Let's hang out here a bit longer and head over right when the banquet starts. I'll have them pass the message to the annex too."
Hmm, not ideal. I was starting to get bored of looking at jewels anyway.
"Or... want to tour more of the Crown Prince's palace? We only saw the first floor earlier."
Oh, that's tempting.
But if I jumped at it, he'd get suspicious.
"You're busy, Your Highness. I couldn't impose."
"That's my excuse to take a break too."
...Even if I refused, he wouldn't let me go anyway.
Asking for my opinion when he was just going to do whatever he wanted.
It worked out for me, but yeah, his personality's a bit off.
I nodded reluctantly and followed the Crown Prince.
Might as well scout every corner while I'm at it.
And see if there's anything else worth snagging.
Maybe score a box of tea to share with Elhart.
If I'm greedy, a couple bottles of good liquor and some plush slippers too.
***
"Here, I've brought your meal."
Elhart glanced at the servant setting the heavy basket on the table and asked,
"Where's my maid?"
"The Crown Prince dragged her off."
"What? Why?!"
Elhart shouted in surprise.
"Whoa, you scared me. Why are you yelling?"
Rick, Elhart's direct informant who had been undercover in the Cradion palace for years, grumbled.
"Said he'd help her prepare for the banquet and took her away."
"Why say it like she was kidnapped...? Wait, why's the Crown Prince personally handling that?"
"No idea. Maybe he fell head over heels."
Rick casually opened the basket lid as he replied.
"Whoa, no wonder it's so heavy. How many servings is this?"
But Elhart ignored the food entirely, pacing the room frantically.
Rick watched his teeth with his eyes and sighed deeply.
"Is now the time to worry about that mystery maid of yours, Your Highness? I'm dying to know what the empire's scheming by inviting us to this banquet."
"I'll handle myself. But she..."
Elhart stopped, let out a long sigh, and muttered weakly,
"She doesn't know this era's common sense."
After a brief silence, Rick lowered his voice.
"Are you really sure that maid is 'Her'?"
"Yes."
Elhart answered firmly without hesitation.
"But that maid really..."
Rick paused, searching for the right words.
"Looks about my little sister's age."
"My guess back then was probably right."
"You mean how time and space are severed inside the Black Rift?"
Elhart nodded.
"Yeah."
"What about the chance you're mistaken, Your Highness?"
At Rick's words, Elhart recalled that day.
"...I wish that were the case."
The night she dropped right into his lap.
The intense pull robbed him of reason, and he tossed aside his usual caution to cross the line.
I thought it was fate.
He never imagined he'd be the one uttering that irresponsible, absurd line about love at first sight.
The silver hair spilling into his arms shimmered like sunlit snow, and her sky-blue eyes held stars in rapture.
Her beauty, sacred even, stole his words for a moment.
He feared losing her.
Desperation made him blurt promises and grab her hand.
Whether it was the emperor's scheme or someone else's plot, he couldn't escape.
Not when kissing those soft lips felt like it stole his soul.
I didn't even realize she was someone I shouldn't covet.
He noticed something off when he saw ancient magic manifest naturally from her hand.
No mage in this era used magic like hers.
And she said she wasn't even a mage.
Just capable of basic daily spells.
And one more thing.
"Look at this."
Elhart pulled a pendant from his bosom and handed it to Rick.
"Huh, this... Isn't this the one you always carry?"
"Yeah. I took it from the royal treasury after my first campaign victory."
It held treasures from the Founding King's armaments and more, but Elhart chose this seemingly useless pendant.
As if entranced, he picked it up, and inside was a portrait of a beautiful woman.
"Wha...? Huh...?"
Rick's eyes widened as he opened the pendant.
"Isn't that the maid?"
"Looks like her to you too, right?"
"Like her? It's the exact same person."
Bardia's second king, Caleb, for some reason collected the portrait of Iserna Airbaine left in the palace.
He even intervened in the records, deleting all descriptions of her appearance.
Caleb's actions were so shocking that it wasn't seen as important.
Just another eccentricity of the tyrant.
Now, 300 years later, no clues remained about the Expedition Leader.
This pendant Elhart carried might be the only one.
"Uh... Could it be some other king's pendant? Like a secret portrait of a concubine?"
Rick asked, struggling to believe it, and Elhart shook his head with a wry smile.
"The back of the portrait has a message the Founding King left for her."
He'd opened it himself with the same suspicion.
"Whoa, let me see..."
Before Rick could touch the portrait, Elhart snatched the pendant back.
"No touching."
His instinct told him it was the Founding King's secret no one should peek at.
Rick stared at his empty hand with a dejected look, then sidled up to Elhart.
"If that maid really is 'Her,' that's a huge gain, right?"
Elhart tucked the pendant deep away and grumbled,
"What gain?"
"The hero who ended the Dark Ages has returned. That's enough firepower to strike Cradion where it hurts."
"Yeah, plenty would think like you."
Elhart sighed and sat at the table.
Just days ago, he could barely stomach thin gruel, but now his table overflowed with appetizing dishes.
"While my future's pitch black."
Whether Iserna Airbaine returned alone or with the whole Expedition Team, they deserved proper rewards.
But Bardia's current state?
No preparation to welcome heroes—the nation's fate hung by a thread.
"No choice but to accelerate the plan."
"...You're serious?"
"Can't let traitors welcome the Expedition Team."
Those vile scum would use every dirty trick to wield that immense power for their own gain.
Of course, the Ser he'd met wouldn't be used by anyone.
I don't want to look pathetic in front of her anymore.
That was the problem.
"One thing I want to ask for that reason. Rick, don't you have an older sister?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Any tips on impressing a woman about 300 years your senior... as a man?"
Seeing Rick's shocked expression, Elhart buried his face in his hands.
Yeah, the real big problem was...
He'd already fallen for someone he wasn't even allowed to have feelings for.