Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 212

Episode 212

After that, Alisa became overly wary of Isana. Isana, considerate of her feelings, silently watched her. Of course, he initially tried to ease the tension in his own way. However, each attempt backfired, with Alisa reacting strongly. As soon as he spoke, she would bristle, and even his courage would evaporate.

Still, from an outsider’s perspective, there wasn’t much to worry about. It wasn’t like she was completely ignoring him; it was clear that Alisa was very aware of Isana. The proof was in the way she would glance at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. Just like right now.

“How do we contact Lapis-nim [using ‘nim’ is a Korean honorific]? The communication device could only be used from Lapis-nim’s side, right?”

“We can send a spirit. It will take some time, though.”

“Ah, right, that method.”

As they had a casual discussion, the intensity of her gaze increased. It was so obvious that Isana quickly noticed her staring.

“Alisa, what is it? Do you want to ask something?”

Isana’s face lit up with a welcoming expression, happy that the girl, who had been avoiding him, was now looking at him. As he smiled gently and met her gaze, Alisa’s face instantly stiffened.

“N-Nothing!”

With a quick reply, she quickly turned her head away. Isana’s face, which had been full of expectation, clouded over in an instant. “I see…” His voice was devoid of energy. Perhaps her heart wavered at that sight. Alisa, closing her eyes tightly, reopened her mouth with a determined expression.

“Um! Where are we headed now?”

“Huh?”

Isana’s expression brightened again as he looked back. I watched him with a bittersweet feeling. I had never thought of him as simple-minded, even though he was gentle, but now I wondered if anyone could be more straightforward than him. Still, it seemed Alisa had gained courage thanks to him. Her lips, which had been hesitating, formed a clear voice.

“I-I mean, the final destination. Our business here is done, so all that’s left is to go to Isana-ssi’s [using ‘ssi’ is a Korean honorific] home country, right? But I don’t think you’ve told me which empire you’re from yet.”

Although somewhat stiff, she managed to articulate her words properly. She still couldn’t meet his gaze directly, but it was definitely a positive step. She had been the one creating the awkward atmosphere, so she must have felt sorry. Her head, held high without running away, showed her efforts to somehow reconcile. Fearing that the flow might be interrupted again, Isana quickly replied.

“Ah, now that you mention it. We’re going to the Swalt Empire.”

“Swalt? You mean the Holy Empire of Swalt, where the main base of the Demon God Church is located?”

“Yeah, that’s right. You know about it?”

“D-Don’t underestimate me. Even though I’m a concubine’s daughter, I grew up in a Count’s family. I’ve heard my father discussing international affairs with other nobles.”

“Wow, really? It’s amazing that you remember all that. It would have been difficult to understand at Alisa’s age.”

As the saying goes, even whales dance with praise. With that one word, Alisa seemed to completely relax. The atmosphere, which had been somewhat tense until then, felt lighter in an instant.

“Of course, I remember that much. The Emperor of the Swalt Empire is young, right? I heard he’s not very interested in state affairs and only indulges in pleasure, so there are only sycophants around him trying to take advantage of him.”

…Although the main topic was a tragedy for Isana. In any case, Alisa chattered again in a friendly manner as before. Isana hesitated with a face that couldn’t be happy or displeased.

“I-Is that so?”

“Isn’t it?”

I even broke out in a cold sweat at the question asked so casually. Alisa probably had no idea that what she had just said was no different from badmouthing someone to their face. Faced with her purely questioning gaze, Isana wore a troubled expression before looking at Alisa with serious eyes. He had made up his mind to tell her everything.

“It’s true that I was a young and inexperienced emperor. But I never tried to harm my uncle. It’s not that there weren’t any temptations, but there were far more people who opposed it. Rather, all the vassals were against it. It hadn’t been long since the late Emperor passed away, so there was no time for that, and above all, the Regent King had a good reputation, so it would have been more harmful than beneficial to touch him. It was a position that would be returned naturally when I came of age, so there was no need to take it by force. It was the Regent King who launched a sudden attack.”

“Really? The Regent King attacked, not the Emperor?”

“Yes. His soldiers suddenly invaded the Imperial Palace at dawn and occupied it. I was late in noticing, so all I could do was sneak out. If the Imperial Palace servants and the Imperial Guard knights hadn’t risked their lives to protect me, I would have been captured.”

“I see. But how does Isana-ssi know so much about the situation?”

“Haha, who would know better than the person who experienced it?”

“The person who experienced it?”

The eyes, which had been momentarily bewildered, shook greatly. It was clear that she had realized the true meaning of those words.

“Could it be…”

The wariness that had disappeared reappeared clearly on her hardened face. Isana wore a flustered expression but eventually opened his mouth calmly, thinking that it was a problem he had to face.

“Isana Ranne Swalt. That’s my real name. I should have revealed it from the beginning, but I’m sorry I’m only telling you now.”

“…Isana-ssi is the Emperor of the Swalt Empire himself?”

“Yes.”

Alisa gasped at the unwavering answer.

“T-Then, the Grand Duke that has been mentioned all this time is perhaps…”

“He’s my uncle. The Regent King, Duke Ykarte, who forged the oracle, killed my father, and covets the throne stained with blood. As soon as I return, I plan to bring him down and correct the false rumors.”

“…”

Perhaps the shock was great; Alisa couldn’t say anything for a while. Her eyes, which had been swirling in confusion, calmed down before quickly becoming complicated again. Isana, watching her, wore a bitter expression and said.

“Now that you know all the facts, your position must be different from before. I’ll ask you one more time, Alisa. This is probably the last chance to turn back.”

“Turn back?”

“As you know, the Swalt Empire cannot avoid civil war. If you go with me, you’ll be caught up in a war that has nothing to do with you. Can you still be with me?”

“Of course! I’ll go!”

The answer that came back was unhesitating. Isana blinked with a dumbfounded expression, as if he didn’t expect her to answer so readily. Alisa’s expression turned sulky when she saw that.

“Aren’t we already in the same boat? It’s more upsetting that you’re asking me this now.”

“But… you weren’t fully informed.”

“That doesn’t matter. Did you think I would just agree to go without that much resolve? I told you that I knew Isana-ssi was no ordinary person from the moment I first saw you. I didn’t expect you to be the Emperor, though. It’s not enough to reconsider my decision.”

“R-Really?”

“Of course! It’s nothing compared to when I found out that El-nim was a Spirit King. I was already surprised back then. And we made a promise, too.”

“A promise…?”

“That no matter what happens in the future, or what we find out, we’ll see you as you are. That included Isana-ssi’s appearance and status, right?”

“You… remembered.”

Isana let out a low breath that he had been holding in. His eyes, looking at Alisa, were shaking as if he were about to cry.

I also remember that promise. It was a condition that Isana had set in advance on the day we decided to accept her as a member of the group. He probably laid the groundwork in preparation for a day like this, but he didn’t expect it to actually be kept. That’s probably why he seemed so shocked by her words.

“What, did you think I would have forgotten it already? What, don’t tell me you want to call it off?”

“No.”

Isana shook his head urgently. He looked anxious as if she would turn around if he was even a little late in responding. Alisa smiled brightly when she saw that.

“Then don’t doubt Isana-ssi either. I’ll keep that promise. Well, I was a little awkward because I wasn’t used to Isana-ssi’s original appearance. But it’s okay now. I thought you had changed, but now that I see you, your personality is still the same. I was relieved that you’re the Isana-ssi I know. I have nothing to lose if I can get along with someone as high up as the Emperor. No take-backs later, okay?”

The reply was playful but not light. At that moment, a smile slowly spread across Isana’s face, which had been stiff with tension. The gloomy air cleared, and the surroundings quickly brightened. It was as if vivid colors suddenly bloomed in a world made up only of black and white. I could feel how happy he was at this moment, and my heart was full.

What was unexpected was Alisa’s reaction. Her face turned bright red, as if she had just realized the existence in front of her.

“I’m glad. I was wondering what to do if Alisa found me difficult.”

“D-Don’t be silly. Do you think I’m someone who would be overwhelmed by something like that? How brave do you think I am!”

“Yeah, thank you for saying that. Thank you so much, Alisa.”

As if unable to control his overflowing emotions, Isana suddenly hugged Alisa. It was an unusual action for him, who had been learning strict etiquette since he was born. He would probably be the most embarrassed when he came to his senses, but for now, he seemed to have forgotten all about appearances and the gazes of those around him. Thanks to that, Alisa’s face was about to explode, as if it had turned completely red. Still, she didn’t push him away and was quietly hugged, so it seemed she didn’t dislike it.

“Hmm, even if they’re young, the bonds of the stars are strong. Well, it’s the most interesting of the stars of destiny.”

“Huh? What do you mean, Kanos?”

I tilted my head, bewildered by the muttering voice. Kanos, who was looking at Isana and Alisa with an interesting gaze, smiled.

“I’m talking about the star that’s protecting that little lady. You know that she was born with the destiny to become the consort of a monarch, right?”

“Oh? Was that real?”

The content that the blacksmith Fallon had passionately preached, spitting saliva, came to mind. According to his explanation, Alisa was a companion star born under a blue star. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe his words, but I had actually regarded them as half a fairy tale. That’s because her characteristics as an earth spiritist were more prominent than the star of destiny, which could not be confirmed immediately. But if the god Kanos himself mentioned it, it seemed that destiny was real.

“In fact, companion stars don’t appear alone. They are always born in the same era as the monarch’s star. So the appearance of a companion star means that the monarch’s star has also been born.”

“Hmm, so they’re destined to be together from the beginning. Can’t they be with anyone else?”

“It’s almost impossible unless one of them dies. Stars that belong to destiny strongly attract each other, so no matter how far apart they are, they will somehow form a relationship. Just like your contractor and that young lady right now.”

“I see. Like Isana and Alisa… Huh? W-Wait a minute! Isana? Then Isana is the star of the monarch?”

Kanos smiled when I shouted in surprise. It was an expression that said, ‘Didn’t you know?’

“Didn’t you feel a strong pull of destiny while watching the two of them?”

“I noticed that Isana was particularly concerned…”

“Haha, well, Troel would probably be the only one among the Spirit Kings who could recognize this at a glance. You’ll be able to distinguish them better later. Children born with the stars of destiny stand out a little more than others.”

I looked at the two with a slightly strange feeling. In the meantime, Isana, who had belatedly come to his senses, was repeatedly apologizing to Alisa with a reddened face. Was it because I found out that they were destined lovers? The relationship, which had seemed as fresh as siblings until just now, began to feel special.