chapter 53
53. Emperor (4)
Yuma was climbing the stairs after finishing his early morning walk. His mind was full of things he had to do in the future.
First of all, I started worrying about the Demon Army that I would have to face in 5 months.
Cough!
But then hemoptysis came out. He barely covered her mouth with her handkerchief and wiped away the blood.
It was the discharge of impurities that occurred in the process of converting the blood in the body into blood that is impervious to poison and sting in order to achieve a body impervious to poison and sting thanks to the effects of the <Fruit of Impermeable to poison and sting> that I ate yesterday.
Yuma thought about the Demon Army again.
Remaining period, 5 months.
“Not much time left….”
Once again, I had to properly decide on my future schedule.
Yuma continued to worry and went up the stairs.
***
“….”
Bell felt all the doubts he had been wondering about in his mind being resolved all at once.
Why does Yuma only use sword energy at the moment of killing an enemy?
To defeat the enemy with minimal force.
‘In order to put as little strain on the body as possible… .’
If you continue to use Aurors when your body is severely deteriorated, it will inevitably put a strain on your life.
Sigh…
Belle wiped off Yuma’s blood, which was very faintly on the staircase handle, with a handkerchief she had taken out of her pocket.
Belle barely calmed her pounding heart and climbed the stairs.
‘method.’
Is there a way to extend Yuma’s lifespan?
However, Bell, who had just emerged from the Land of the Midnight Sun, could not think of a way to extend Yuma’s lifespan.
And that these worries are useless. I knew it deep down. Because of Yuma’s personality, there’s no way he wouldn’t have tried all possible methods.
Wow!
Belle ground her teeth in a growing sense of helplessness.
‘Anymore.’
And I made a promise.
‘We have to make sure Yuma doesn’t use the sword anymore.’
‘Yuma’s Sword’, who called himself Yuma’s right-hand man.
We need to make this more than just a self-proclaimed thing.
“Whoa…ah.”
Belle took a breath and wiped away the tears that had already formed under her light pink eyes.
‘Should I tell you?’
Belle was deeply troubled. Should I inform Brigitte, Clone, and Hestia about Yuma’s physical condition?
Belle, who was worried, slowly shook her head and went up the stairs.
It struck me that Yuma said yesterday that he was a little tired and wanted to be alone.
‘It must have been worse yesterday than it is now… .’
Maybe that’s why they were reluctant to go outside.
I tried my best to hide it.
I am bearing my pain alone.
Bell is a fan of Yuma’s efforts. He did not want to let his consideration for them go to waste.
‘How much is left?’
Yuma’s life. The time remaining until the brilliant flame of life fades out─
Would he have the courage to ask Yuma about it?
My heart started beating quickly again.
It felt as if a much stronger sense of helplessness was pressing down on my body from the top of my head than at the end of my four-year life when I was properly confronted with the karma of the Byakuya clan.
16 years old. When a boy who played with me as a child could not endure the family’s fence and crossed the territory, his heart stopped and he died.
Because of that, I barely ate anything for a week.
The immense misery and helplessness that had oppressed my body at that time reappeared throughout my body.
Belle slowly climbed the stairs.
Very slowly.
***
1Breakfast at the princess’s palace.
Sigh!
“Are you here, Yuma?”
Druk-
As soon as Brigitte saw Yuma, she jumped up and suddenly pulled out the chair to her left.
“Sit down.”
Yuma couldn’t help but say a word after seeing that bizarre appearance.
“What kind of heir to the throne would take out someone else’s chair like this? Isn’t there such a thing as authority?”
First Princess Brigitte lightly cleared her throat at Yuma’s very valid words.
“…I heard you were a little tired. I was just being considerate in my own way.”
Yuma couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Brigitte’s words, which were so frank that it was obvious that they had been delivered through Chamberlain Roian.
“You’re acting out of character. Don’t worry, I’m literally just a little tired.”
Brigitte and Clone, who were sitting on the right, nodded, feeling relieved at Yuma’s words.
Now that I think about it, Casiella, the leader of the <Dawn Revolutionary Group> that I had sent earlier, was not seen at the 1st princess’s palace.
“Caciella?”
Brigitte had a strange look in her eyes.
“Ah, the subordinate you sent. Indeed, Yuma. It seemed like you could trust him and send him. He decided that it would be better to completely monitor the first prince than to protect me, and camped in a building in front of and near the first prince’s palace. He is always monitoring the movements of 1st Prince Schwerche and moves with only half his strength.”
“Right.”
Yuma thought that Casiella’s judgment was not bad.
Unlike the low-key attitude shown in front of Yuma, Casiella had always lived an aggressive life. So, this time too, it seemed like an aggressive decision was made rather than a general decision.
“He said he would continue to watch from there until I completely completed the coronation ceremony.”
Yuma nodded and pointed out another invisible person.
“Where’s Belle?”
Clone slowly opened her pretty lips at Yuma’s words.
“Belle said she doesn’t have an appetite right now and will eat separately later.”
“is it.”
Yuma ate the soup. As expected, the imperial chef’s cooking was perfect, even the soup.
Yuma’s eyes turned to 1st Princess Brigitte again.
“Has the date for the coronation ceremony been set?”
Brigitte nodded.
“It’s 20 days later. The announcement to the nobles has been completed. It was passed at the Grand Noble Assembly… Even if my father wakes up and nominates my brother as the next emperor, he won’t be able to change the game easily.”
Brigitte drank a glass of water and then continued speaking.
“If my father hears what has happened so far, he will not point out my brother.”
He will be crowned at the end of August.
Yuma put the steak in his mouth. The juice flowed out of my mouth beautifully.
“Among the races that live in the sea, are there any that are friendly to humans?”
In <Loop Blood>, the fishmen and whales were friendly to humans.
The fishmen were close to the sea warriors.
The whale was a creature that protected the sea and symbolized the tranquility of the sea itself.
Brigitte gave the answer to the question.
“They are the fish people and the whale people.”
It seemed that the fish-men and whale-people were the same in this world as the races that were friendly to humans.
Yuma got to the point.
“Demon Army.”
Brigitte, Clone, and Hestia’s brows furrowed slightly.
“They said they would attack in five months. That guy.”
This was what the new Increnu said.
“As you all heard. He mentioned something called the Book of Revelation. Like there is a book of prophecy that only the gods can see.”
<Revelation>.
“You said it as if there was information about the Demon Army. Perhaps the invasion of the Demon Army is a planned procedure.”
Take what you need.
Yuma planned to prepare for the Demon Army with Brigitte.
Brigitte realized what Yuma meant by the previous words.
“I understand. Immediately after the coronation ceremony, prepare to head to the western coast of the empire. The map, the customs of the different species…culture, the current situation. I will tell you to prepare everything.”
There is no way the demons would invade by land, sea, and air.
Even in records from a thousand years ago left in imperial literature, the Demon Army invaded the land, sea, and air simultaneously. With an army of tens of thousands.
And also from the perspective of the Imperial Emperor. It was necessary to build friendships with the different races nearby. Especially in a situation like now where the empire could fall into crisis.
Brigitte stopped eating her steak and stared at Yuma.
Yuma felt Brigitte’s gaze staring at him and his right hand holding the fork stopped.
“What can I say? Brigitte.”
“…I feel so ashamed of myself. Yuma, seeing you endlessly think and move in preparation for dark clouds.”
hook! hook!
Clone, the black-haired, golden-eyed wizard who was quietly eating soup, also nodded vigorously as if he agreed with the princess’s words.
Yuma slowly opened his mouth.
“I’m just trying to do something. There’s nothing to be gained by staying still. There’s not much time left.”
Those were Yuma’s honest words.
I felt like I was floating alone in the vast ocean.
I feel like a shipwrecked person with only an old ferry boat to lean on.
There were too many enemies.
Seven evil spirits waiting far away.
And the demon army waiting nearby.
That’s why Yuma couldn’t remain stagnant.
If you work diligently, you may be able to reap some unexpected harvests.
“Yuma-sama.”
Clone said, staring at Yuma with clear golden eyes.
Those eyes contained firm faith and deep affection.
“I will try harder too. To be helpful.”
To help Yuma.
Clone swallowed the most important subject and spoke.
Because of the burden he may feel because of his blind affection and loyalty.
“So, please don’t push yourself too hard, Yuma.”
The end of Clone’s words were trembling.
“Yesterday, when he didn’t come out of his place to rest. I was really worried….”
As Clone finished speaking, Brigitte was heard next to him.
“Okay, you don’t have to use your brain. I will try harder.”
Yuma couldn’t figure out why these two colleagues were suddenly acting like this. I just stayed locked in my room for a day.
In addition, the Miao swordsman, Hestia, was added.
“If a fight breaks out, I’ll kill at least one more guy! Sigh! So don’t overdo it, Yuma.”
When I told him that I was so worried, he nodded slowly.
“Okay, now let’s not worry about anything.”
After finishing his meal, Yuma headed to the dance hall next to the princess’s palace.
For some reason, I was certain that Belle would be here.
I saw a twenty-year-old woman.
Wedge─!
There was a swordsman with flowing blue hair who continued to sharply strike his sword from top to bottom, regardless of the sweat running down his forehead.
‘Is it martial arts?’
After all, people who are immersed in something are beautiful.
Yuma thought so and slowly walked towards the swordsman.
“As expected, were you here, Bell?”
Belle quickly wiped the sweat on her face and collarbone with a towel.
“Ah, my lord…uh, what’s going on?”
For some reason, Belle’s voice seemed weaker than usual.
Yuma approached Bell.