When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 43

Is this what it feels like to elope?

Together with Kavel, Reilly was practically running through the night sky. She expected to teleport or use a magical device, but Kavel simply reached out his hand to Reilly.

Using magic could draw attention, so they decided to travel on foot.

As they cut through the wind and traversed the starry night sky, Reilly couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful sight unfolding before her eyes.

“Your Highness must have seen sights like this often.”

“Well… I saw it a lot when I was running around trying to find you.”

Reilly blinked at Kavel’s words.

She couldn’t imagine how many things she didn’t know about him.

“You should have just forgotten about me.”

Reilly said softly, looking at Kavel, who was holding her hand. She had never been honest with him. Even when she knew his feelings, even when she received his confession, she pushed him away.

“I would have, if I could.”

Kavel gave a faint smile at Reilly’s words. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried. After sending Reilly away like that, he had devoted himself to state affairs.

Thanks to that, he was able to develop the qualities of a great emperor. And, he learned to handle mana for Reilly’s sake.

“Does His Majesty… know?”

“He knows.”

He was just watching quietly. He must have decided that it wasn’t the time to step in yet. He couldn’t guarantee when his mind might change, though.

“Since he trusts me, he’ll give me some time.”

Kavel hoped his father would wait just a little longer. Now that Reilly was in the imperial palace, there was no chance she would fall into the hands of others, and with Ren by her side, there would be no other threats.

“Even if you make a contract, I’ll make sure you can live the life you want.”

He didn’t want Reilly to be hurt by him again. Now that he could handle mana, those who urged her to make a contract with the sword would also quiet down.

“Will it really be like that?”

“Whatever you want.”

Reilly stopped in her tracks at Kavel’s words.

“I will become the head of the Trilla family.”

She would rightfully reclaim her position. Not as an abandoned princess, but as the rightful heir to her place.

She wanted to return to her original state with her beloved sister, Leta.

Kavel could grant Reilly’s wishes, but Reilly couldn’t reciprocate his feelings.

“Don’t like me.”

His heart would only get hurt. She was already married once. No matter how much she was the rightful heir to the Duke’s family, it was out of the question for them to be together.

“Just as I don’t force my feelings on you, I don’t think you have any reason to force me.”

Kavel said, holding Reilly’s hand even tighter. His golden eyes were sadly sunken, but he forced a smile.

“Just don’t run away.”

Reilly couldn’t say anything more at Kavel’s tearful voice. After that, they arrived at the imperial palace without a word.

“Leta is coming tomorrow, so get some rest today.”

He quickly left the room before Reilly could say anything else.

* * *

“Ren, are you really not coming out today?”

Reilly asked the sword with a slightly haggard face. Now that she had entered the imperial palace, he could come out, but he didn’t budge.

‘He’s definitely sulking,’ she thought.

He hadn’t even come out the day she arrived in the room. She could summon him by command, but she didn’t want to.

The mana surge she felt at that time wasn’t very pleasant.

“I have to go to court soon, are you not going to see me?”

Reilly glanced at the sword while organizing the documents. Seeing that there was no reaction to the pattern [the magical mark connecting her to Ren], it seemed that this wasn’t working either.

She had no choice but to put the sword on her waist and gently touch the blue gem.

“Then I’ll have to take you like this, I guess.”

It was quite a heavy sword, but Reilly wanted to take Ren with her. He would also be curious about what she was doing.

‘It feels awkward because I’ve never worn it before. It might be a bit much,’ she mused.

Just because she had a lot of mana didn’t mean her body was strong. Above all, her stamina was almost at rock bottom.

She had overdone it, and the unstable mana was eating away at her body, so even this sword was too much for Reilly.

Reilly was about to leave the room with the documents. At that moment, she felt the weight on her waist lighten.

At the same time, Reilly smiled brightly.

“You were going to come out like this anyway.”

Ren was holding the scabbard in his hand and looking down at Reilly with a sulky expression.

‘What the hell did that bastard do to Reilly?’ Ren wondered.

Not only did she arrive with Kavel holding hands at night, but the awkward atmosphere between them was enough to irritate him.

He tried to erase the thoughts that he didn’t even want to imagine.

“When did you tell me to go?”

Reilly awkwardly avoided his gaze at Ren’s blunt words.

“I was worried Ren would be in danger. Is your body okay?”

Since he was in the main body, he would be better than being outside. Reilly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart because his face looked a little better than usual.

“As you can see, weren’t you having a hard time preparing alone?”

Ren showed Reilly his body here and there and looked at the documents piled high in her arms.

‘Is this really the end today?’

On the one hand, he felt relieved, but on the other hand, it was the beginning of another hardship. It was a headache how to take away the position of Duke Berito, but it was even more terrible to be around Kavel.

“I can do well on my own.”

“Of course, who was by your side?”

Ren lightly stroked Reilly’s head with a proud expression as if it were his own business. Reilly poked Ren’s side and came out.

“But are you going to keep going like that?”

“Well, there’s no reason to hide.”

“The others don’t know yet.”

Reilly didn’t want Kavel to be in trouble. There must be a reason why he hadn’t revealed it to the other nobles yet.

“Well, if you don’t like it, I just have to not be seen by others, right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Ren hid his appearance at Reilly’s words. He thought it was okay because it was inside the imperial palace, but it seemed that Reilly was worried about Kavel.

‘This is going to be dangerous,’ he thought.

He knew that Reilly had no feelings for Kavel, but the fact that she was starting to care was not a good sign.

He didn’t want to lose Reilly to someone else. Of course, Reilly couldn’t even imagine that Ren had such feelings.

Emotions that have already arisen cannot be helped.

‘If I weren’t a sword…’ Ren lamented.

Ren gently stroked the pattern drawn on Reilly’s neck with his hand. Reilly, surprised, looked up at Ren.

“Why? Is there something wrong with the pattern?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Ren didn’t look at her even in Reilly’s gaze. He just pushed her back, telling her to go quickly.

* * *

Reilly headed to the courtroom in a carriage prepared by the imperial palace.

“Why isn’t that bastard Kavel coming?”

“He has something to announce today.”

Kavel was making his move because he had to quell the rumors that had been circulating. As soon as the trial was over, a lot of people might flock there.

“My father wouldn’t be still after hearing the news.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes, today His Highness will announce that he can handle mana and about my existence.”

“…Are you okay? If that happens…”

Reilly knows what Ren is worried about. However, this was the only way to have the legitimate power to become the head of the family and to deal with her father.

‘If I kill my father, I will never be able to become the head of the family,’ she thought.

The people of the territory and everyone else will point fingers. It didn’t matter why she had to get her hands dirty.

She might just be branded with the stigma of being the head of the family who killed her father and took the position.

If that happens, even the imperial family will not be able to help her. They may have to deny everything about her, including the contract.

“That’s right, you have to stay in the imperial palace for a while until things calm down. Maybe you have to be some kind of strength by Kavel’s side.”

“…Are you still okay with that?”

Wasn’t it the imperial palace that she hated so much?

Reilly nodded at Ren’s words. It was true that she didn’t like it, but she had no choice but to help.

In fact, on the day she came to the imperial palace, Reilly secretly met the Emperor.

And Reilly learned something she never knew and accepted the Emperor’s offer. He assured her that she would never become the sword of the imperial family.

‘He said he would never force me if I didn’t want to,’ she recalled.

Reilly had a private meeting with the Emperor that day, but what she encountered was a father concerned for his son. She could feel his concern for Kavel.

“It’s okay, I got what I wanted in return.”

If her father comes to court today, everything will go as Reilly wants.

As the imperial carriage stopped in front of the courtroom, the eyes of the people gathered were focused on her.

Reilly took a short breath and got out of the carriage and headed to the courtroom. She felt her steps were lighter than usual.

She even felt a sense of pleasure at the thought that she could finally end this tiresome relationship.