The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go Chapter 68

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For a moment, I almost let out a scream, then quickly covered my mouth again.

 

“Ciel?”

 

Looking up at Cedric calling my name, I silently put my finger to my mouth.

 

Cedric, seeing the scene in front of him, also fell silent.

 

The man standing in front of the bush was Persephine.

 

Unaware that Cedric and I were behind the bush, she was clutching something with both hands and swinging it around clumsily.

 

‘A branch?’

 

She had picked up a twig from the lake shore.

 

‘But somehow it looks like she’s swinging a branch…’

 

Just then, a gruff voice came from behind them.

 

“Captain Minerva, Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”

 

The unexpected appearance of Felix’s voice startled Persephine, and she froze in place, clutching her chest.

 

“Humph, Princess!”

 

Felix, a bucket of water in hand, was the first to rush to her aid.

 

Cedric and I followed Felix to the shore of the lake, seeing the frail, slender Persephine hesitate.

 

“Princess, are you all right?”

 

“Oh, no, I just suddenly heard Felix’s voice…”

 

Persephine’s violet eyes wavered.

 

“But why are His Majesty and Captain Minerva here…”

 

She trailed off, her violet eyes wandering uneasily.

 

“You two, have you seen…?”

 

To which I tried to blurt out that I hadn’t.

 

But before I could say anything, Cedric nodded without a second’s hesitation.

 

Then Persephine turned bright red and buried her face in her hands.

 

“Oh, please tell me you didn’t see it… I can’t believe you found out…”

 

Persephine crouched down and spoke in a very small voice.

 

She twisted this way and that, embarrassed to have been caught mimicking swordsmanship in secret.

 

In fact, I had demonstrated swordplay in front of her a few more times since I had given Persephine a sword in my private training room.

 

Each time, she seemed to look at me with a twinkle in her eye.

 

[So she’s interested in swordsmanship].

 

Caliberne said in a low voice.

 

‘I suppose so.’

 

[So it’s through your efforts? That’s good, you secretly wanted the Princess to learn swordsmanship.]

 

‘Yes.’

 

The best person to learn swordsmanship would be someone who loves swords.

 

The way Persephine looked at the sword with such enthusiasm, it seemed like a waste to let it rot.

 

But I didn’t expect her to be so eager.

 

“Um, Princess. It’s okay.”

 

Taking a seat next to Persephine, who was still holding her head down in shame, she blurted out.

 

“No, it’s not okay, I must have looked so clumsy and weird.”

 

“Everyone does at first.”

 

“Maybe I should have just stayed still.”

 

Persephine lowered her hands to cover her face in defeat.

 

“There’s no use in a frail, unathletic fellow like me swinging a sword.”

 

Her violet-colored eyes, which sparkled like stars as she swung the branch, looked sorrowful.

 

At the same time, the liveliness of Persephine’s snow-white face vanished like a lie, casting a dark shadow.

 

The sight of her reminded him of someone.

 

A twelve-year-old boy with a grim look on his face and chewing his lip every time he gripped his sword.

 

“Ciel?”

 

Cedric, realizing I was staring at him wordlessly, called my name.

 

I chuckled softly and shook my head.

 

“Nothing, I was just thinking about old times.”

 

Then I turned from Cedric, who looked puzzled, to Persephine, who bowed her head gloomily.

 

“Princess.”

 

A pair of violet eyes looked up at me in response.

 

“There is no one who cannot learn swordsmanship.”

 

With that, I held out the sword in its scabbard to her.

 

But she hesitated to take it.

 

“Are you sure I can do it?”

 

I nodded without hesitation.

 

Persephine’s amethyst-like purple eyes flickered.

 

As she slowly reached for the sword, Felix stepped up beside her and dropped to one knee.

 

“Princess, of course, you can do this.”

 

“Felix…”

 

“I’m not good enough, but as your knight, I’ll do my best to help you.”

 

At Felix’s sincere words, Persephine’s gaze sparkled with life.

 

Biting her lip as if to make up her mind, she finally accepted the sword.

 

🗡️

 

“How fitting that this should be a joint lesson, Your Majesty.”

 

Persephine, who was resting in the shade of a tree, turned to Cedric.

 

“I see.”

 

Cedric replied briefly.

 

“I know you were supposed to have a private lesson with Ms. Minerva, but I apologize for interrupting.”

 

“No, you don’t have to mind.”

 

Cedric, of course, was deeply regretting that he had missed a golden opportunity to be alone with Ciel.

 

But he still had the chance.

 

He could just make another appointment with Ciel and use it as an excuse for not being alone with her today.

 

‘On the contrary, I should be grateful for the excuse to see Ciel’s lovely smile one more time.’

 

Cedric thought as he watched Ciel chatting with Felix by the lake.

 

“Captain Minerva is a remarkably amiable person, I thought so when we first spoke, but the more I get to know her, the more I realize she’s a good person.”

 

Persephine said softly, “I think anyone who is engaged to her must be very happy.”

 

“Engaged?”

 

Cedric squinted at Persephine’s words.

 

“Oh, doesn’t she have a fiancé, with a ring-like tattoo on her left ring finger…”

 

“Ah, that. I made that symbol for her. Unfortunately, it’s not a symbol of engagement.”

 

“What?”

 

Persephine asked, a confused look on her face.

 

“It’s more of a token of loyalty, then?”

 

“Well, you could look at it that way.”

 

Cedric added, fiddling with his ring, studded with a red ruby.

 

“It’s more of a symbol of the unbreakable bond between us.”

 

“I see…”

 

Persephine was evidently being pressured by Ackeletta to marry the Emperor of Deamant.

 

Ever since their first meeting, Cedric had been blocking that possibility.

 

‘As expected.’

 

Cedric concluded, glancing at Persephine as she watched Felix and Ciel by the lake.

 

She has no interest in being romantically involved with him.

 

“To be honest, I envy you, Your Majesty.”

 

“Of what?”

 

“I envy you for finding such an unbreakable bond.”

 

Persephine replied hoarsely, “For I have yet to meet such a bond.”

 

As she spoke, her violet eyes reflected the azure sky.

 

Seeing the color of the woman he cared for most reflected in those violet eyes, Cedric slowly began to speak.

 

“You’ll find someone like that soon enough.”

 

This surely must be what Ciel would have said, he thought.

 

‘Ciel seemed to want me to be close to the Princess.’

 

Cedric smiled to himself silently, thinking that he might be able to thank her later.

 

“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

 

Cedric’s voice sounded slightly tearful, and he turned his head in the opposite direction.

 

🗡️

 

“Well, that’s for today.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Cedric held out his hand and I held it still.

 

He wrapped both hands completely around my right hand and looked very pleased.

 

Like a kid who just got an extra marshmallow.

 

How could it be so pleasant after eight years of holding hands with the same person every day?

 

“Well, Your Majesty, does it feel so pleasing to hold my hand…?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Red eyes twinkled.

 

And Cedric, with a mischievous grin on his face, brought my hand to his cheek.

 

“What, if I say yes, will you give me more?”

 

Wow, he’s jumping in here like that?

 

‘Oh, how about putting some flowers up, huh…?’

 

But I’m a professional, I don’t let it get to me.

 

Eight years of experience as an imperial sword master, and a lot of hard work.

 

“No, I wouldn’t dare to steal your time. We always have a set amount of time.”

 

“Well…”

 

Cedric’s face faltered, and I smiled broadly in front of him.

 

“Your right hand is precious, so you sign papers, write letters to other countries… and keep the Deamant Empire running smoothly.”

 

“…Okay, I’ll just have to work a little harder.”

 

Cedric sighed and placed my right hand, wrapped in both of his, on his lap.

 

“We’re going to have to do a five-day strike.”

 

“What?”

 

“That way, I’ll have Friday completely off, and you can rest your right hand for that one day.”

 

“No, that’s too extreme!”

 

Wow, look at that glazed look.

 

‘Are you serious…?’

 

Just as I was about to answer his near-madness, Paul knocked urgently on the door.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

He opened the door a moment later and stood there, breathing heavily, his face flushed from the rush.

 

“Paul, what’s wrong?”

 

Cedric said, standing up, realizing something was amiss.

 

Then Paul let out a ragged breath and cried out.

 

“The se— search..!”