The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 31

30. Joshua Ernhardt’s Circumstances (4)

2023.11.30.

-Are you looking for a jewel?

-Yes. This is a magic stone that protects its owner from threats. So always keep it with you.

There was a time when I looked at this and thought, ‘If only Mother had this instead of me, she wouldn’t have been so tragically poisoned.’

I knew the shape of the jewel well because I would look at the pendant and regret it every time I forgot about it.

However, the jewel, which had always shone brightly, had lost all its light and turned black.

‘Why is this……?’

Could it be that an assassin sent by Duke Lilith came while I was sleeping?

But why am I so young? Did someone give me a strange medicine?

After pondering, Joshua searched the room diligently and realized that he had not simply become younger, but had returned to the past. To the winter of his twelfth year.

‘Then what about the others?’

What about Master and Daniel? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Joshua threw open the door and asked a passing servant.

“Master, no, what happened to Duke Adrian?”

The servant was a little embarrassed by the sudden question, but soon composed himself and replied.

“If you are referring to Duke Adrian’s whereabouts, he went to see His Majesty a little while ago… Your Highness?”

Joshua brushed past the servant and headed for the Emperor’s audience chamber.

“Your Highness, you can’t do this!”

“Get out of my way!”

Barely pushing aside the servant blocking the door, he went inside and found Duke Adrian talking to the Emperor.

Duke Adrian, a Sword Master, aged very slowly. Perhaps that’s why the Duke’s appearance hadn’t changed much since the last time he saw him.

But the atmosphere was different. He felt less like a seasoned middle-aged man and more like someone radiating a raw, cool intensity.

‘Master has returned too.’

Joshua hugged Duke Adrian and cried like a child.

At the same time, he made a resolution. He didn’t know how he had gone back in time, but this time he would protect all his loved ones.

That was how the story began.

* * *

Back to the present.

After reminiscing about the past, Joshua took out the necklace he had kept in a secret jewelry box. The pendant was still black.

‘I want to ask Mother about the pendant in detail, but…….’

If he did, she would definitely make a fuss asking what happened. Perhaps the weak-hearted Ophelia might collapse. In more serious cases, the Emperor might investigate what happened.

That would mess everything up.

‘But I can guess what happened.’

Joshua roughly guessed that someone had turned back time.

In the process, the magic stone seemed to have considered it a harmful magic and protected Joshua. That’s why he remembered the past unlike other people.

He wondered if that was even possible, but for now, that was the most plausible theory.

‘The problem is who turned back time.’

In fact, he hadn’t thought deeply about ‘who’ had done such a thing. What was more important was that he had returned to the past. In the meantime, Joshua pondered how to change the future.

He had only vaguely guessed that it was done by Celine Owen, a magician belonging to the Adrian family and known as the Witch of Fire.

But now the situation has changed.

‘If Rosette Dallas turned back time…….’

What was her ulterior motive for turning back time, and why is she in the Adrian family?

What on earth is her intention?

‘I should meet her.’

First, he had to confirm whether Rosette Adrian was Rosette Dallas.

After that, he could decide what to do with her.

Since things had come to this, he was about to get up, intending to visit the Adrian mansion right away.

A calm knock was heard. When Joshua told them to come in, a servant came in and bowed.

“What’s going on?”

“Her Majesty the Empress is looking for His Highness the Prince.”

“Mother is? I understand.”

Joshua put the pendant he was holding back in its place and headed to the Empress’ Palace.

* * *

While leaving Sapphire Palace and heading to the Empress Palace, Joshua thought about his mother, Empress Ophelia Ernhardt.

In his now faded memories, his mother was always a beautiful and graceful woman.

Because of her position as Empress, she didn’t dote on Joshua publicly, but her love for her son was second to none.

Ophelia Ernhardt was originally a princess of the Kingdom of Ivelin, famous for its magic. To protect her country, she left her beloved family and came to the Ernhardt Empire.

Unfortunately, Joshua had never met Ophelia’s family. He had never set foot in the Kingdom of Ivelin either. Because the Emperor did not allow it.

Conversely, people from the Kingdom of Ivelin were not allowed to come to the Empire.

Ophelia was isolated alone in a strange land. The Empress Palace where she resided was decorated more splendidly than the Imperial Palace, but it was no different from a well-decorated birdcage.

Even young Joshua could see that his mother was withering away day by day.

I have to protect my mother when I grow up a little more. With that thought, he worked hard to learn swordsmanship and magic.

But before that day came, Ophelia suddenly died. He was twelve years old.

13 years ago, he held back his tears at Ophelia’s funeral. Ignorant people gossiped that he was a cold-blooded person who didn’t know sadness, but the truth was different.

He was sad. He wanted to kneel in front of his mother’s coffin and beg her not to leave him alone.

But he pretended to be calm, thinking that his mother should not have any regrets in this land.

It was the consideration of a twelve-year-old child, telling her not to worry and leave because he would be fine without her.

Also, he didn’t want to be looked down upon by people.

But what good was it? He should have expressed his feelings more to his mother, acted spoiled, and so on.

Still, after 13 years, he thought the sadness over his mother’s death had disappeared.

However, on the day he returned to the past, on the way back from meeting Duke Adrian, Joshua suddenly turned his steps to the Empress Palace and wept like a child once again when he saw Ophelia.

-Why, Joshua. What happened?

The name he heard after a long time. It was the first time he had heard the name since Ophelia died, so it had been a full 13 years.

Joshua then realized anew that his name had such a sweet and beautiful pronunciation.

-It’s nothing, I just had a nightmare.

-Oh dear. You must have been very surprised.

Ophelia did not laugh at the words that the Emperor had ridiculed. Rather, she gave him a warm and soft hug with a worried expression.

At that time, Joshua realized. He loved and missed his mother more than he thought.

‘I’ll protect you this time.’

This time, he will be a little more honest with his feelings. And he will build up his strength to protect his loved ones.

So that people don’t look down on him even if he reveals his emotions.

With that resolution, Joshua entered the Empress Palace.

Empress Ophelia Ernhardt was in the rose garden attached to the Empress Palace. It was still early spring, so there were hardly any roses in bloom, but other flowers were in bloom, so the garden was not desolate.

Joshua approached Ophelia, who was admiring the flowers while being attended by maids.

“Mother. Did you call for me? Is there anything wrong?”

Ophelia turned to him and smiled.

“Is there anything wrong? I just called you to see your face. I haven’t seen you lately. Oh, did I bother you when you were busy? I heard you canceled all your classes today, so I called you.”

Her face was clouded with worry. Joshua quickly denied it.

“No. I was resting after Daniel left.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Ophelia took Joshua’s hand and headed to the table set with refreshments. Joshua was swept up in subtle emotions as he looked at the white hand still holding his hand even after sitting down on the chair.

To be honest, Joshua was still awkward with Ophelia. He couldn’t believe that she was alive in front of him.

Even if that wasn’t the case, he wasn’t originally very close to Ophelia.

It couldn’t be helped. As soon as he was born, he was raised by a nanny, not Ophelia, according to the imperial etiquette. He didn’t spend much time with Ophelia either.

But…….

After hesitating, Joshua took Ophelia’s hand in return. It was rare for him to initiate skinship like this, so Ophelia’s eyes widened.

Joshua couldn’t stand the awkwardness and lowered his eyes.

Ophelia, who had been observing his face, asked in a worried voice.

“You look worried.”

“Ah…….”

It was strange. Ophelia always knew his heart well, both in the past and now. He had never been caught hiding his feelings from others.

In fact, Joshua had been anxious lately after hearing about Duke Adrian’s accident.

‘I have to prevent Mother’s poisoning somehow.’

He had been working to prevent Ophelia’s poisoning. First, he kicked out the maid who was the culprit under another excuse.

‘But I can’t be satisfied with just that.’

Unless he completely revealed the mastermind, the poisoning attempts would continue. If only he knew what poison was used, he could prepare an antidote……!

“Joshua? Are you okay?”

“Ah, I’m just a little worried about Master. Daniel said there’s no need to worry, but…….”

“Oh, yes. I heard that Duke Adrian had an accident this time. It almost became a big deal. But I’m glad.”

“Yes, I’m really glad.”

“Still, if you’re worried, why don’t you visit the Duke’s residence?”

“Yes, I was thinking about doing that anyway.”

Joshua, who muttered softly, plucked up his courage and said.

“Mother.”

“Why?”

“I’m very happy to be able to have tea with Mother today.”

Ophelia opened her eyes wide as if surprised.

“Why are you doing that?”

“To hear such words from you. It’s amazing.”

Joshua coughed awkwardly as if he was embarrassed. In the past, he never expressed his feelings to Ophelia like this.

But seeing her smiling happily, he thought he would have to change a lot in the future.

“I’ll visit you more often.”

“I’d be happy if you did.”

“I have something I suddenly remembered today, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Okay, do that.”

Joshua got up from his seat and scanned the maids standing around with sharp eyes.

‘Could there be another spy among them?’

Joshua guessed that the person who killed Ophelia was Duke Lilith. As soon as she died, Leoni Lilith was appointed Empress as if she had been waiting, and Louis appeared.

If Duke Lilith is really the culprit.

‘Wouldn’t Marquis Dallas also know about the poisoning?’

Then did Rosette Dallas also know the culprit?

Damn it, if I had known this would happen, I would have asked her when I met her last time.

Joshua gritted his teeth as he passed the maids lined up and returned to Sapphire Palace.

The need to go to the Adrian mansion and confirm whether the youngest daughter is the same person as Rosette Dallas has increased.

“Prepare the horses.”

As soon as he returned to Sapphire Palace, he instructed the servant.

“I have to go out.”