The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go Chapter 60

 

“Um, hey…” 

 

I spoke softly as I walked over to Felix, who was anxiously consoling the princess. 

 

I had already taken out a handkerchief on my way over. 

 

Although royalty wouldn’t use just any handkerchief, this one was made of fine fabric, and I’m sure they wouldn’t object to me giving it to her. 

 

Felix seemed even more surprised to see me, and his mouth gaped in disbelief. 

 

“Captain Minerva?” 

 

At hearing that, the princess stopped wiping her eyes. 

 

“Uh, excuse me…” 

 

Though I had come to the princess’s side in a panic, I hadn’t thought of what to say.

 

And I couldn’t ask her outright, ‘Are you crying?’

 

Eventually, I decided to turn around and ask, “I was just wondering if you were okay, Princess…” 

 

I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m asking if she’s crying out loud. 

 

“…?” 

 

Persephine’s voice sounded surprised.

 

“Yes, I saw you earlier, and you seemed a little distressed, so I came to—” 

 

But I didn’t finish my sentence. 

 

‘What?’

 

Persephine raised her head and looked back at me, her face clean and unblemished, not even a trace of tears. 

 

What the hell?  You weren’t crying?

 

“Ah… Thank you for your concern. My body is weak, and I often falter,” Persephine said calmly. 

 

“It may look precarious to others, but it’s nothing serious, so don’t worry. Everything is fine.” 

 

Persephine seemed to think that I had seen her stumble and had come to help. 

 

“Uh, well, that’s one thing, but…”

 

“What?” 

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I thought you were in tears just a moment ago and…” 

 

“What?” Persephine repeated, puzzled. 

 

Laughing earlier, surprised now. 

 

She seemed to be showing so many emotions compared to the first day they met. 

 

“I’m sorry, well, you look like you’re wiping the corners of your eyes…” 

 

It was then that Persephine’s violet eyes traveled to my left hand, which was clutching the handkerchief. 

 

Realizing she was looking at me, I tried to hide the handkerchief in embarrassment, but she had already seen it. 

 

“Oh, the dust had gotten in my eyes for a moment.” 

 

“Sorry…” 

 

My face flushed with embarrassment. 

 

It wasn’t bad enough that I’d mistaken a perfectly fine person for crying, but now I’d mistaken Cedric for making Persephine cry. 

 

‘I’m sorry, Cedric…’

 

Yeah, he doesn’t deserve it. 

 

He’s not the kind of guy to hurt someone he’s only just met. 

 

“It’s okay, but where were you? I don’t remember seeing anyone around after we left the hall.” 

 

Persephine gestured around. 

 

“Well, I was behind that pillar when I saw you.”

 

Persephine’s eyes widened at my honesty. 

 

“Wow, you saw it in that distance?” 

 

“Um, I have pretty good eyes.” 

 

“I see. And that’s why you came right this way?”

 

“Yes.” 

 

For some reason, Persephine seemed to be talkative. 

 

‘No, no. The original Persephine was closer to this way.’

 

The first day’s appearance of just gazing at the floor without speaking seemed more characteristic to me. 

 

“Thank you, it’s not easy to pay attention to someone you’ve only just met…” Persephine smiled broadly. 

 

‘Uh, she also smiled at me!’ 

 

Seeing the original heroine’s smile up close and in person. 

 

I realized that there was someone else in the world besides Cedric who could cleanse my eyes. 

 

I stared at Persephine with my mouth agape, and then I came to my senses and snapped out of it. 

 

“No, I’m sorry, I misunderstood.”

 

“Oh, that’s okay, don’t worry too much, it’s really fine.” 

 

“Thank you.” 

 

Persephine gave a faint smile as she bowed her head.

 

“You must be the head of the Imperial Knights from Minerva, the one I briefly greeted the other day…” 

 

“Yes, that’s right.” 

 

“I heard you also spoke with Felix, and I’m glad we were able to talk today, since we didn’t get to talk at all that day.”

 

“I’m just as happy to be able to talk to the princess.” 

 

For the briefest of moments, I thought I saw a sparkle in her eyes that I thought was dead. 

 

It was hard to tell if I was mistaken, or if she had truly come to life. 

 

“Well, why don’t we move to where there are chairs instead of standing like this?” 

 

Persephine smiled softly at my suggestion, and the three of us made our way to the training grounds.

 

⚔️ 

 

[What the hell are you thinking?] 

 

Caliberne interrupted me as I scanned the swords organized along the wall. 

 

‘What was I thinking, why?’ 

 

[No, why did you suddenly bring the princess and her escort to your private training grounds]. 

 

‘I’ve got some free time today anyway, and her escort said she wanted to talk to me about swords.’ 

 

[There’s no way you’d take him up on that offer. Are you trying to work dirty tricks to get him into the Imperial Knights?] 

 

Oh, you hit the nail on the head. 

 

Even after eight years of being the closest to anyone who has been reading my thoughts, it was still a little creepy.

 

[Bingo! And to be friends with that princess.] 

 

‘What are you trying to do with that princess? I’m not judging, I’m just curious.’ 

 

[Well, I’m trying to do this and that.] 

 

I wanted to protect Princess’s fragile mentality once she came to another country. 

 

Playing up the goodness of the Empire and Cedric while emphasizing that we don’t intend to harm her.

 

This should sum it up.  

 

“Well, it’s a bit small for a swordsmanship training facility, isn’t it, so it’s not ideal for group practice.” 

 

Sitting down at a table in one corner of the training center, Persephine looks around curiously. 

 

“This is small…?” 

 

Felix, whose mouth had been slightly agape, asked. 

 

“Yes. According to the Empire’s legal regulations on the size of training grounds for magical swordsmen and knights, and the number of people allowed to train, this training area will only hold two or three people at most, even when used as a group training ground.” 

 

“Ah, I see.” 

 

“That’s why it has traditionally been used as a personal training range for the Knight’s Commander.” 

 

“And if it’s your personal training ground, you manage it all by yourself?” 

 

“Yes. I can’t maintain all the weapons, so I often have the smithy do it, but I do everything but sharpen the blades.”

 

“That’s impressive…” 

 

Coincidentally, the place where Persephine and Cedric had tea was not far from here. 

 

Both Persephine and Felix were foreigners, young or old, and I couldn’t take them anywhere in the palace for security reasons. 

 

This automatically ruled out the private facilities for the knights, which I usually use to receive guests.

 

But then I realized that this was my private training quarters, and there was a chair for Persephine to sit in. 

 

‘Good thing you both seem to like it…’ 

 

Felix, the knight, didn’t know, but Persephine didn’t seem to mind, judging by the curious glances he darted her way. 

 

“Sir Flithia, please have a seat here. We have some light refreshments for you.”

 

“No, I don’t think it’s quite right for me to sit at the same table as a princess…” Felix said, scowling at his massive frame. 

 

But Persephine shook her head. 

 

“Sit here, Felix. The three of us should sit together.” 

 

Still, Felix refused. 

 

A moment ago, Persephine had been gazing at the training ground with wonderment, but now she was sullen. 

 

‘It’s like a shriveled-up chickadee…’

 

Nope. More like a sunbird? 

 

The color seems more like a chickadee. 

 

Anyway, feeling sorry for the little bird, I decided to sit with her. 

 

“I—  I hope you don’t mind if I sit with you, Princess?”

 

“Oh, of course, it’s so lonely sitting alone.” 

 

“Oh, of course.” 

 

With a slight smile, I sat down across from Persephine. 

 

“I’ve never been taught swordsmanship, and I’ve rarely seen anything to do with swords.” 

 

It was an odd thing to say for a woman who had been chosen by Caliberne to fight in the original story. 

 

She was even called the Lady of the Sword. 

 

“Everyone around me said I shouldn’t do swordsmanship if I’m weak, and the one time I picked up a sword, I got scolded.” 

 

“Why did you get scolded…?” 

 

A frail body may be an excuse to delay learning swordsmanship, but it’s never an excuse to prevent someone from learning swordsmanship. 

 

Even if a woman had a relatively weak body, if she was royalty, she was expected to learn swordsmanship, and many nobles with weak stamina would learn swordsmanship to improve their physical strength. 

 

So I don’t see Persephine’s naturally weak body as a reason for her not to learn swordsmanship. 

 

“Actually, I don’t know,” said Persephine with a bitter smile.

 

“I was beaten with the scabbard. They said a kid like me shouldn’t touch this stuff.” 

 

“What?”

 

“You don’t believe me, I swear.” 

 

Persephine laughed bitterly. 

 

“I haven’t touched a sword since that day, because I was so afraid of getting beaten.” 

 

“Who would do such a thing…” 

 

I trailed off and covered my mouth. 

 

How many people could hit a princess directly in the face? 

 

‘A king, or a queen, or a prince…’

 

Why on earth would they do that? 

 

After all, it was her family that made Persephine unfit for Caliberne. 

 

“I know you don’t believe it, and it’s funny that I’m telling you this when we’ve barely met. You can believe it, or not.” 

 

“No.” 

 

The original Persephine and the current Persephine seemed like different people. 

 

But are they different people?

 

At her heart, she would not be different. 

 

The woman I knew would never be weakened by the loss of her sword, even if it meant the loss of her talent. 

 

‘You’re telling me this because…’

 

Maybe it’s because she’s had to hold it in for so long. 

 

Perhaps she couldn’t tell anyone back home. 

 

Or maybe she was desperate.

 

“I believe you.” 

 

Her painted lips curved into a smile. 

 

No, I don’t know if it’s a smile. I’m not sure if she’s laughing or crying. 

 

With that look on her face, she spoke, “I, uh, have a favor to ask.”