The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go Chapter 61

 

“Favor? 

 

“Yes. It’s simple.” 

 

I wasn’t sure if she was crying or smiling, or if it was the look on her face and the story they’d just shared. 

 

Felix, who had been standing still, approached her anxiously.

 

“I, Princess, if there is anything I can do for you, I would like to be the one to take over—” 

 

“Felix.” 

 

Then the Princess called out the name of her escort knight. 

 

“It’s not such a strange thing to ask…” 

 

Her tone wasn’t at all offensive, but there was a hint of resentment in her voice as she said it. 

 

Felix recognized it, and he sucked in a breath of panic. 

 

“Oh, No! Forgive me…” 

 

And then he bends at the waist at 90 degrees to apologize to Persephine. 

 

Persephine’s eyes widened in embarrassment at his behavior. 

 

“Well, how many times have I told you that you don’t need to apologize so profusely for something so trivial…” 

 

“I’m sorry.” 

 

Seeing Felix apologizing again, Persephine shook her head wordlessly. 

 

“Anyway, do you think you could do me a favor?” 

 

“Oh, sure,” I said, nodding to Persephine, “And what would that favor be?” 

 

“Well…” 

 

She hesitated, clasping her hands together for a moment, unable to speak, then spoke in a small voice with determination. 

 

“Do you think you could let me see you use your sword just once…?” 

 

From the way she said it, it sounded like she was asking for a very difficult favor. 

 

In reality, it was not at all. 

 

“Sure. I don’t see why I can’t show you how a knight uses a sword.” 

 

Persephine smiled and graciously accepted the favor, her face turning a peachy color as she expressed her gratitude.

 

“Thank you.” 

 

“Don’t be.” 

 

Pleased with my newfound fascination, I smiled and looked at Persephine. 

 

Just then, Felix, who had been watching us both alternately, approached the table and asked in a cautious manner. 

 

“Captain, if you don’t mind, would you mind dueling with me, it would be easier for you to show the princess how to handle a sword if you have an opponent…”

 

“Ah, that’s a good idea, we did promise to duel once, didn’t we?” 

 

“Yes, that’s right.” 

 

Felix said, blushing slightly. And so the spontaneous duel was arranged. 

 

Felix lasted quite a while, just like the original male lead. 

 

‘Good balance. You seem to have a good selection of techniques optimized for your physique…?’

 

We exchanged a few more blows before my sword was pointed at his throat. 

 

“Ah, I see. You’re not giving me a chance.” 

 

Felix, staring at the blade pointed at him, lowered his sword and nodded. 

 

“Good match. Captain Minerva. You were very flexible in your response to all my attacks.” 

 

“Not quite, Lord Flithia’s attack was just as good.”

 

“No, it wasn’t. I guess I was so focused on the offense that I didn’t work on my defense.” 

 

Felix said, scratching his cheek awkwardly. 

 

‘I had thought so myself, but you realize that.’

 

It’s all relative, really, and I was nothing compared to the other knights. 

 

Perhaps if he’d fought someone other than me with Caliberne, he would have won.

 

“We’ll work on that, but thank you for the duel.” 

 

“You too. It was a great experience.” 

 

I was just exchanging brief pleasantries with Felix when I heard Persephine’s excited chatter. 

 

“You were both gorgeous…!” 

 

She clasped her hands together, her violet eyes sparkling like jewels. 

 

‘Oh.’

 

I felt like the original Persephine I knew had returned. 

 

Now her eyes were the brightest they’d been since she’d arrived in the Empire. 

 

“For some reason, I was nervous too, so I watched the duel with my hands clasped tightly in front of me. The swords flashed and clashed, and at the end, I saw the captain’s sword cut through the air…” 

 

“Ah,” Persepheline gasped, interrupting herself mid-sentence.

 

“I’m sorry, I got so excited, I had to stop…” 

 

“No, I was just glad you liked it.” 

 

“It was so cool, I never knew swordplay could be so cool.” 

 

She muttered incoherently as she stretched out her hands and clenched them into fists again. 

 

“If only I could have…” 

 

I wonder why those words sound so regretful. 

 

My heart felt heavy, as if I were looking at myself in the orphanage, unable to hold a sword, before I was chosen by Caliberne. 

 

‘This was supposed to be yours.’

 

My feet moved before I could think. 

 

Standing in front of a row of swords lined up to one side, I reached out without hesitation.

 

‘Amethyst.’

 

I turned back to Persephine, holding up a sword with a violet amethyst in the center. 

 

“Captain, this…?” 

 

“You may hold it, Princess.” 

 

“What? Me? I don’t know how to handle a sword at all…” 

 

“It’s okay.” 

 

I smirked and held the sword out to Persephine.

 

“I might drop the sword, if I handle it clumsily and break it…” 

 

“Everyone is clumsy at first, and it doesn’t matter if it breaks, there are plenty of other swords.” 

 

“Still…” 

 

“If you’re nervous, you can just hold it.” 

 

“Uh…” 

 

Caliberne’s voice rang in my head as I watched Persephine hesitantly accept the sword. 

 

[Hey, what are you thinking?] 

 

‘Just, nothing in particular.’ 

 

[Hmm… I get it, but-] 

 

Caliberne sighed, then spoke. 

 

[Don’t feel sorry for her, it’s not your fault she wasn’t chosen, you don’t have to feel sorry for her]. 

 

‘…I know.’

 

If I said I didn’t feel sorry for Persephine, I was lying. 

 

What she should have had, the Caliberne, ended up with me. 

 

Still, this wasn’t something I was doing simply because I felt sorry for her. 

 

‘You know, I’ve gotten a lot of comfort since I started sword training.’ 

 

The idea of being able to do something I love again. That I was truly fulfilling a childhood dream. 

 

That I could use my talents to protect and help people. 

 

Those thoughts gently caressed my wounds. 

 

‘I’m just trying to tell you because I’m afraid she might be the same way.’

 

Holding the sword clumsily, Persephine looked down at it with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. 

 

“Why don’t you try holding it like this?”

 

I corrected Persephine’s hand and adjusted her stance so that she could hold the sword properly. 

 

Just then, the amethyst began to glow brightly. 

 

Persephine’s eyes widened as she stared at the faint purple spark. 

 

“…?” 

 

[Mmm, not bad.] 

 

Caliberne said in a low voice. 

 

‘You see, it wasn’t for nothing that I spent all those years.’ 

 

[Well, it’s true, it’s not the best, but it’s a shame that she hasn’t learned swordsmanship until now, her magic power is quite adequate to become a magic swordsman]. 

 

I was still listening to Caliberne’s voice when Persephine asked me in a trembling voice. 

 

“Ma— master, this is…” 

 

I smiled at her, and she glanced at Felix, who was standing there looking equally surprised.

 

“Princess, with this much magic power…” 

 

She’d make a good magical swordsman. 

 

With trembling hands, I turned to Persephine, who held the sword. 

 

“Princess, if you’re interested, you could meet me and-” 

 

“Captain Minerva.” 

 

A chilling voice spoke from behind me.

 

Felix spun around, startled, and jumped to his feet, unfit for his size. 

 

‘Someone who can come freely into my personal training space, who can spread the word without making a fuss, and who Felix would be horrified to see.’ 

 

There’s only one person. 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty, what is it?” 

 

I casually let go of Persephine’s sword and whirled around to face a smiling Cedric.

 

‘Your eyes aren’t smiling again. Maybe he’s pouting.’ 

 

I sighed inwardly, but Cedric took a step forward and leaned down. 

 

“I don’t know what’s going on. I’m pretty upset.” 

 

Although his expression looks bright, there’s a chill in the air for some reason. 

 

“You’re seriously planning on adding the princess as a student? What about my lessons?” 

 

No, you’re making me speechless.

 

I was just going to tell her that if she’s interested, I’d be happy to train her in swordsmanship from time to time. 

 

“Lessons? What do you mean…” 

 

Cedric chuckled at Persephine’s unintelligible question. 

 

“Captain Minerva is my ‘personal’ teacher.” 

 

His gaze was thick as honey as he looked back at me. 

 

It was the kind of gaze that was half dangerous, half mesmerizing. 

 

How could he look at me like that, with the most beautiful woman in the world right next to him? 

 

Still thinking it was strange, I blurted out. 

 

“So, what can I do for you?” 

 

🗡️

 

After leaving my private training area, Cedric led me to a corner of a deserted hallway. 

 

Stooping to my full height, he whispered in my ear and pressed something into my left hand. 

 

“This, from Rukia.” 

 

He held out a single note.  

 

“She wanted me to tell you that you should read it when you’re alone.” 

 

“Yeah.”

 

Hearing my answer, Cedric looked down at me with one of his polite, pretty smiles. 

 

“I’ll see you tonight, then.” 

 

Then, unbeknownst to me, he leaned over and kissed the back of my right hand. 

 

“You— Your Majesty, what is this…” 

 

“What’s between us.” 

 

Cedric released my hand with a mischievous look on his face and stepped away.

 

“I’ll be going then. Oh, right, I’ve had a long day, so I need twenty minutes?” 

 

“I’d rather be asleep when you say that.” 

 

“Be my guest.” 

 

It’s so amazing to give advice that truly helps your master. 

 

I sincerely thought I’d be better off resting by myself if I had time to say those things. 

 

‘Eh, I don’t know.’

 

With a sigh, I looked down at the small folded note in my hand. 

 

I wondered why Rukia had sent it through Cedric. 

 

‘And what the hell does it say that I should read it when I’m alone.’ 

 

Luckily, there was no one else around. 

 

Persephine and Felix had gone back to their quarters, and the corridor wasn’t normally frequented. 

 

Now was a good time to read the note. 

 

My heart was pounding in my chest for some reason, so I slowly unfolded the letter with bated breath. 

 

‘What? There’s nothing on it…?’ 

 

Just then, silver letters sprang to life from the blank page and floated into the air.

 

I froze in place as I read the words that appeared before my eyes. 

 

“What the…”