The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go – Chapter 100

Author: Nikss

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In truth, I could feel that my mana condition was gradually worsening.

If I could injure someone without even touching them, it was clear that things were quite serious now.

‘At this rate, my body won’t be able to hold on.’

Just as Caliberne had warned me when I was twelve, if I couldn’t alleviate the excess mana by coming into contact with Cedric, I would go out of control.

“Ciel!”

I saw Cedric’s face as he rushed over upon hearing that I had been injured.

“Your Majesty.”

I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, even if it meant my body wouldn’t hold on, and I would go out of control. I had to find a way to prevent the rampage while also preparing for the possibility that I might not find a solution in time.

“Are you alright now? I heard you hurt your hand…”

Cedric tilted his head and looked at my bandaged hand as he spoke.

Even though I said I was fine, he kept asking if my mana was stable and if the injury from before still hurt. I felt guilty for making him worry.

So I acted even more nonchalant and assured him I was fine.

“I’m okay. More importantly, there’s something I really need to tell you today.”

A minor hand injury wasn’t important at all.

There was a more urgent issue at hand. That’s why I had to say this today.

“I… am the owner of Caliberne.”

“What…?”

Cedric’s face completely froze upon hearing my words.

“Felix Flithia said it before, didn’t he? That he had to take the sword from you. That sword is undoubtedly Caliberne.”

Despite Cedric’s reaction, I calmly continued my explanation without stopping.

“Right now, I’m the one who has Caliberne.”

Until now, I had thought that if Cedric found out I was the owner of Caliberne, he wouldn’t leave me alone, just like in the original story, where he would go to great lengths to obtain Caliberne.

Early on after my possession, that was certainly the case, and even after I realized Cedric didn’t show as much interest in Caliberne as I had expected, I still didn’t tell him that I was its owner.

I had seen what happened in the original story after Persephine was revealed to be the owner of Caliberne.

Caliberne herself had also warned me.

The moment it became known that I possessed the only sword of victory in this world, I would be in danger, so she asked me to keep it hidden, just as I had been doing.

That’s why, when Cedric had casually asked me before if I knew about Caliberne, I couldn’t tell him the truth and had to pretend not to know.

But now, the situation was different.

“Wait, Ciel. Just give me a moment.”

Then he pulled out a square metal object from his pocket.

When Cedric spun it three times in his hand, the surrounding air momentarily shook.

And then all the surrounding noise completely disappeared.

‘A soundproofing spell…’

I didn’t think we needed to use this spell right now. In fact, I wanted the information that I was the true owner of Caliberne to reach the ears of our enemies.

That way, they would realize they had been targeting the wrong person and stop attacking Cedric.

So I had deliberately revealed that I was the owner of Caliberne, planning to use written communication only when discussing truly critical matters later.

“It’s too dangerous to talk like this out in the open.”

Cedric stepped closer to the bars and looked at me as he spoke.

“Ciel, did you know all along that you had absorbed Caliberne…?”

He asked with a look of disbelief on his face.

I had really put all my effort into pretending not to know when he had asked about Caliberne before, so his reaction made sense.

‘But why did he say [absorbed]?’

His tone made it sound like he already knew I had absorbed Caliberne.

“Yes. When you asked me before if I knew about Caliberne, I couldn’t answer honestly. I’m sorry.”

“No, I understand. You couldn’t say anything because it would’ve been dangerous if rumors spread that you had Caliberne, right?”

Cedric looked straight at me with his red eyes as he asked, “If someone overheard you saying you knew about Caliberne, which only a handful of royals and some foreign royalty with temples know about, rumors might spread that you could be the one who possesses it.”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah. I also thought at first that you might be hiding it because you didn’t want to get involved with those who covet Caliberne.”

Cedric scratched his cheek as he spoke.

“But you never mentioned Caliberne even once in the eight years we’ve been together… Even when I asked you directly, you acted like you really didn’t know, so I thought you might not even realize that you had absorbed Caliberne yourself.”

That made sense.

Back then, I had put all my effort into acting because I was afraid Cedric, who had been with me for so long, might figure it out.

“Did you expect that I might be the owner of Caliberne?”

“Yes.”

Cedric nodded as he answered, “I thought there was no one else who could possibly have that sword but you.”

Then he told me about the prophecy he had heard years ago regarding Caliberne, as well as his conversation with the former emperor.

He explained how he had learned about Caliberne’s appearance and why he had suspected that I might be its owner.

“I actually felt relieved when it seemed like you didn’t know about Caliberne. I wanted to leave you in the dark about it.”

After finishing his story, Cedric spoke again.

“That way, those who seek Caliberne wouldn’t know who the real owner is, and I thought I could protect you.”

So, except for that one time when Cedric subtly questioned me to find out if I knew about Caliberne, he had never brought it up again.

“Judging by the fact that they actually demanded I hand over the sword, it seems Ackeleta has been under the impression that I was the one who possessed Caliberne all along.”

“But because of that, you were attacked in my place.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, I clenched my fists as I spoke, “All the attacks you endured were supposed to be directed at me.”

I was sorry, so sorry. I had vowed to give him a happy ending, to protect him as his knight, yet I had ended up putting him in danger.

Though unintended, I was the reason Cedric had been targeted.

“That’s why I’m sorry. But nothing like that will happen again.”

Cedric immediately frowned and opened his mouth. He was about to ask what I meant and tell me not to say such things.

Feeling a pang in my chest, I cut him off.

“Please, just listen to me for a moment. I’ve been trying to find a way to resolve the mana overload, but honestly, I don’t know how many days it will take.”

“No, we’ll find it soon. The magic research department is working on it from every angle. We’ll definitely find a solution, so don’t worry…”

But I didn’t know how many days it would take to find that solution.

Though it was hard to say it to Cedric, I knew it myself.

At this rate, my body would collapse before we found a way to stop the mana overload.

“Your Majesty, you know how badly Ackeleta wants Caliberne. Just look at the attack a few days ago—it’s obvious.”

Cedric closed his mouth and listened quietly to what I had to say.

Somehow, his eyes looked sad.

“They’ll attack again soon. It’s possible they’ll do so before I find a way to stop the mana overload.”

I looked straight into Cedric’s red eyes as I spoke.

“The manipulation of dark mana surpasses the common understanding of the Deamant Empire, right? So, losing even a single soldier would be a blow. If I’m unable to fight when the time comes, it’ll be a problem.”

When I paused, Cedric looked confused.

Yet, his crimson gaze remained fixed on me.

“So, if by any chance we haven’t found a way to suppress my mana by the time Ackeleta shows signs of attacking, I want you to do this.”

“Ciel, you can’t possibly mean…”

“Send me to the enemy’s side—to Ackeleta. You stay in the imperial palace and protect Deamant.”

It might have been difficult to completely stop the rampage or restore my body to its original state.

But according to Caliberne, slowing down the rampage was possible.

“You can even deliberately spread the rumor that I’m the true owner of Caliberne. That way, Ackeleta’s attention will shift to me.”

“Ciel, you can’t possibly be thinking of fighting in that condition?”

“…I can fight.”

“The more you use your mana in that state, the closer you’ll get to a rampage!”

Cedric grabbed the bars and shook them desperately, his face filled with shock as if he had realized something.