NLS Ch4

“You’re not thinking of running away, are you?”

Pfft.

Ashin spat out the water she was drinking and started coughing. Vize watched Ashin with her chin resting on her hand. The jet-black cat, Lira, sitting on Vize’s lap, also looked at Ashin as if she was pathetic.

“I know what’s going on in that head of yours. Don’t even think about it.”

Ashin desperately cleared her throat, which had caught on something.

“No, Your Majesty. Seriously, why are you doing this? I don’t want to. When I saw Mur back then, he looked like he was about to die too.”

“Give it a try. In my aesthetic opinion, he’s one of the most handsome men in the empire. You can’t dislike that face.”

“What good is just a pretty face? His personality is like a rock, a rock! We fought so much even in the barracks. Whenever I tried to do something, he opposed me at every turn!”

“So, you did like his face. The rumors were true.”

“What rumors?”

“The rumor that you were flirting with Leotar in the barracks.”

“Wh-who said that!”

Vize narrowed her eyes as Ashin’s cheeks flushed red. She must have thrown it out there and figured out the truth from Ashin’s reaction. Ashin realized she’d messed up, but Vize already had a winner’s smile on his face. Ashin sulked and turned her head away.

“You’re telling me everything.”

“I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Oh, how rude.”

Vize lifted Lira’s paw and pretended to punch Ashin. Seeing that cute sight calmed her rising anger a little.

But not completely. They even spread rumors? There were definitely only Ashin and Leotar in the barracks. Ashin had never told anyone about what happened that day, so the culprit was definitely Leotar. Ashin pictured the man gossiping about her over drinks. It didn’t suit that taciturn man at all… but if it was true, he was more petty and despicable than she thought.

“I just liked his appearance a bit.”

“Well, everyone would agree with that.”

“I don’t have any feelings for him.”

“Really?”

Ashin briefly pondered how to make excuses without losing too much pride.

“If Mur had agreed, I might have spent one night with him… that’s about it. A lot of people do that in the barracks, right? The war is over, and it would be clean and without complications, wouldn’t it?”

“Is thaaat so?”

“Why are you doing this, seriously? Would a meticulous, rational, and logical great sorceress like me still be bothered by just one man?”

Vize’s expression became even more sinister as she observed Ashin shrugging her shoulders. It would only be a loss for Ashin to say more here. She quickly changed the subject.

“And I was planning to go on a trip soon. You know that.”

“……”

“Your Majesty told me to as well.”

Vize’s expression became guarded when the talk of travel came up.

Who knew which lord in which country might snatch her up while she was traveling? That was absolutely not going to happen. Vize was the Emperor of Riyat, and Ashin was the empire’s greatest asset. This possessiveness was separate from loving and cherishing Ashin.

From their childhood when they happened to grow up together, Vize had invested in this genius sorceress for over a decade. How could she keep Ashin in the empire? He pondered that whether Ashin was in front of her or not. But even if she bestowed gold worthy of Ashin’s abilities and achievements, and gave her extraordinary treatment equivalent to royalty, Ashin was indifferent. She didn’t even pay attention even when she gave her a fiefdom for a collateral line of the imperial family.

Nothing could reliably keep Ashin in the empire.

Was that what a genius blessed by the heavens was like?

While agonizing over it for more than 20 years, Vize heard interesting news. News that Ashin was showing interest in Leotar.

Vize rejoiced and simultaneously facepalmed as she pondered a justification to keep Ashin after the war ended. It was good to be happy that the person Ashin wanted was within the empire, but it was a big problem that the person was Leotar Van Mur. He was the legitimate son of a powerful family among the feudal lords that even the emperor couldn’t easily touch.

Of all people, she had to pick that man.

She was just like her sister.

Ashin sighed and pressed her forehead with both hands. As she rubbed in circles, her eyes contorted and went up and down, it was a mess.

“I think I need to tell you why I’m trying to go on a trip.”

“There was a reason?”

“Ugh…”

Ashin never hesitated in words or actions. She was born with a fearless personality, and Vize had liked that about her for a long time. For such an Ashin to be worried meant it was no ordinary matter. Vize straightened up from leaning leisurely on the throne.

“I don’t think the Prince of Pihan is dead.”

“…What?”

Pihan was the kingdom that confronted the Imperial Allied Forces until the very end in the continental war. It did not stand out in the early stages of the war, but was later revealed to be the main culprit behind secretly moving the countries near Ismil to start the war.

The Pihan allied forces, led by necromancers gathered from who knows where, grew stronger over time and threatened the empire. And the Prince of Pihan was the person who commanded the army for many years as the leader of the Pihan army.

“There were still traces left on the artifact that was cursed by the Prince. I found it while belatedly investigating the spoils of war.”

“Why now!”

“I don’t know much about spiritism either, so I’m still not completely sure. But generally, curses should disappear when the caster dies, but the fact that traces remain bothers me. If there is even a slight possibility…”

“You mean he might be controlling or bewitching someone else to do something again.”

Ashin nodded.

“So, I was thinking of finding out myself.”

After thinking for a moment, Vize came to the same conclusion.

“Then you should get married even more.”

Ashin was so surprised that she even lifted her butt.

“H-huh?”

“If what you say is true, then you will have to leave the tower for a long time at this important time. If the Prince is determined to hide, it will not be easy to find him. Do you think those old ministers and the temple will leave the tower alone while you are away?”

“That’s…”

Vize cast her gaze somewhere beyond the open window.

“It is an era of peace. I intend to protect this peace as much as possible. The resources that were divided by the armistice agreement will gradually run out. Then greedy bastards will turn their eyes inward. Where will be the first place that catches their eyes? It’s obvious.”

Ashin was vaguely anticipating the future she would face. However, it was the first time that Vize had clearly pointed out her situation.

“Are you saying the tower will be in danger? Even so, there can’t be any imperial citizens who don’t know how strong the sorcery is now.”

“Magic isn’t necessary for politics.”

Originally, sorcery was close to a mere trick practiced within some tribes, but with the appearance of Ashin, it quickly established itself as a powerful force capable of overturning the country in a short period of time. The Sorcery Tower, led by her, also grew rapidly and achieved many feats, but the situation was different now that the war was over.

“The tower as it is now can be seen as synonymous with you, even if it changes over time. But you’re leaving for a long time at a time like this? I’m even more afraid.”

“Then…”

Ashin briefly considered whether it would be better to stay in the tower and protect her position, but she was the only one who could track down the Prince faster than anyone else.

“If you just get married, I won’t bother you no matter where you go on the continent.”

In the empire, marriage symbolized an alliance with a family. Because it was a country that started in the desert, alliances to survive in the harsh environment were as important as life.

So, even if Ashin disappeared, the alliance with the Mur family of Ailem would not disappear.

Vize’s words that the reputation of Ailem would protect the tower while Ashin was away were all perfectly correct.

“There are many other prestigious families.”

“More than Ailem?”

Ailem was now a feudal territory of the empire, but it was a country ruled by the Mur family since hundreds of years ago. During the years when countless families and countries had fallen, Ailem’s Mur had survived and firmly protected their land and people.

When Ashin didn’t answer, looking sulky, Vize added as if to appease her.

“The more urgent it is, the more certain you have to be. Power doesn’t come from the imperial family alone.”

Ashin grabbed her head as if she was going to tear it out.

“Then know that’s what’s going to happen.”

“Ugh!”

“Tell them to call Leotar back and quickly prepare for the wedding ceremony.”

Vize watched Ashin, who was suffering as she accepted reality, as if it was fun. Ashin was an interesting child to watch. She was unreserved even in her informal behavior that others would never do in front of the emperor. After living a lifetime seeing only those who trembled, a special child like Ashin felt cute. If she was even talented on top of that, there was no reason not to keep her close to the throne.

Vize stroked Lira’s chin and watched Ashin lamenting her situation. The possibility that the Prince of Pihan was alive made him feel uneasy, but there was no need to shrink back with just a possibility.

In any case, it was a war that the empire had won, and that crazy spiritist had been defeated by Vize and ran away.