TDKSR 15

Chapter 15

If you asked why I couldn’t look at him, honestly, I wouldn’t really know myself.

Jonathan kept his head lowered toward the bowl, quietly moving only his spoon.

“You’re bowing your head too much. Your hair might touch the soup.”

“I’m not eating.”

“Why are you acting like a child?”

Jonathan lifted his face, leaving the spoon in the bowl.

“Pfft!”

“? ”

“You got it on you.”

Livga brushed Jonathan’s hair with her hand as if sweeping it aside.

“!”

Jonathan pulled his body back, but it was a moment too late.

Livga wiped the soup off her hand with a handkerchief. Jonathan’s eyes followed the motion.

“Still, you ate quite a lot.”

Livga checked the bowl and smiled brightly.

“Can you stop treating me like an invalid?”

“I heard shoulder recovery takes quite a long time.”

“When are you planning to return to the capital?”

“In a few more days.”

“How many more days exactly?”

“Are you suddenly curious?”

“It’s not sudden. There’s nothing good about staying on a battlefield for long, but…”

“It’s amusing to see Your Highness so repulsed.”

“Sigh…”

Jonathan covered his eyes with one hand, pretending to press his forehead.

“The war ended in a great victory, and Count Gibati is handling all the post-war documents and meetings. What are you so worried about that you want to send me away?”

“Having a child on a battlefield is uncomfortable in itself.”

“I feel like we’re repeating the same thing. I’ve been an adult for quite a while now.”

“Right. I know it’s a matter of my own feelings, but… I just don’t want a Star in a place like this.”

Jonathan knew it too. How unreasonable he was being.

“Because I’m a Star?”

“There are already two Aura manifestors in the Empire, counting me, but there’s only one Star.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Even though the war ended in a great victory, this place had been a site of mass slaughter where lives were taken. The very fact that Livga was here was unpleasant.

If someone were to do that to Livga…

As dark thoughts rushed in, Jonathan consciously blocked them.

*’The war is won. All that’s left is to bleed the enemy dry. This is a pointless worry.’*

He knew it rationally. Truly, it was a concern he didn’t need to entertain at all.

But…

“Couldn’t you just go?”

It came out like a passing remark.

“If you command me, I’ll go.”

“What kind of command would I give you?”

“You’re the head of the Intelligence Department, aren’t you?”

Jonathan looked at Livga’s face through the gap between his fingers pressed against his forehead. Livga was looking back at him.

He was the one enveloped in light, but was it just his imagination that she seemed to shine?

Jonathan continued speaking with his eyes closed.

“Return to the capital.”

“I obey Your Highness’s command.”

“That wasn’t an order.”

“Then I’ll stay a little longer.”

“…I’ll see you in the capital. My Star shouldn’t be in a place this dangerous.”

“Hmm.”

“This is an order.”

Jonathan opened his eyes slightly.

“Ah, Your Highness’s command…”

Livga straightened her posture.

“A command to Yona.”

As expected, he ended up being soft on Livga. How dare someone like Jonathan Kusakov give orders to a Star.

“Yona, that bastard. What does he take his superior for? You’ve seen that I’m recovered, so pass that on.”

“Yes. I obey Your Highness’s command.”

“That reply of yours is also so old-fashioned.”

“Sir Yona told me to speak this way.”

“You just want to see me disgusted, don’t you? Just saying ‘Yes’ would be fine.”

Livga reached out and lightly grabbed Jonathan’s arm. Jonathan was so startled that he flinched.

“Your Highness, I know this is a bit insubordinate too.”

“Wh-what?”

His voice trembled slightly from the shock.

“Promise me you won’t overexert yourself just because I’m not here.”

“…Fine.”

Honestly, he wondered what kind of promise he was making to this child, but he answered anyway, because she wouldn’t leave without hearing his reply.

“You’ve lost muscle.”

“What are you talking about? How would you know, having barely touched my body?”

He was dumbfounded. Could she tell just from grabbing his arm?

“Eat well, sleep well, and I’ll see you in the capital in good health.”

“Right.”

She should have left by then, but Livga held onto Jonathan’s arm for a long while.

Livga wasn’t a trained knight, so he could have easily pulled his arm away, but Jonathan stayed still.

“Sigh…”

Livga’s sigh was deep.

“Why are *you* sighing? I should be the one sighing.”

“Everyone is worried, so please, really don’t overdo it.”

Jonathan was the one dumbfounded by her tone, as if she were soothing a younger sibling, but Livga’s worried face kept him from saying anything.

Livga gave a spirited salute and left the room.

Jonathan made excuses to Emperor Samuel that he was still too injured to return, and stubbornly sat down at the ceasefire negotiations.

He recalled his promise to Livga, but he didn’t think participating a little in the negotiations counted as overexertion.

He had no intention of yielding on the ceasefire negotiations.

Many of his allies had died.

Many enemies had died too, but that wasn’t his concern. He had to take what was due and settle what needed settling.

The other side had been the aggressor.

Their circumstances were of no interest to Jonathan. Burning with ambition to fill this opportunity with everything that could benefit the Emperor, he gave it his all.

And then a ceasefire was declared.

As soon as the ceasefire was declared, Jonathan and Count Gibati made plans to select the remaining knights and return to the capital.

Of course, they also needed people to stay behind and guard and clean up the war-torn Gesel region.

They made various plans, considering troop placements and soldier deployments.

Perhaps because of the ceasefire, everyone seemed more relaxed after the declaration.

Alcohol was prepared for those weary of Gesel, the border region.

“It’s about time to head home, isn’t it?”

Everyone seemed to finally feel the reality of returning to the capital.

It was Jonathan who had deliberately arranged the drinking party.

Since nothing made people more honest than alcohol, he planned to gauge Daniel Evans’s true intentions.

The atmosphere in the capital was being swept up by stories about Daniel Evans and the commoner knights who had distinguished themselves this time.

Jonathan planned to use this war as an opportunity to introduce new factions into the capital.

The war hero faction.

Not just Daniel, but among those who had performed well in this war, there were fallen nobles and illegitimate children of nobles.

The rotting capital needed new blood—new forces like them.

A smile naturally rose to Jonathan’s lips.

Jonathan was moving among the soldiers and knights, casually acting chummy, when one knight of mercenary origin, slightly drunk, grinned and spoke.

“Honestly, someone of His Grace the Duke’s stature is so high-ranking that we common folk rarely get to see him, so it felt distant, but this time I was truly moved.”

“Really? I am a bit moving, aren’t I?”

This man was one worth keeping an eye on.

“I feel the same. Honestly, rather than the invisible His Imperial Majesty, we consider ourselves followers of Your Highness.”

“That’s right. Fighting side by side—there’s certainly that bond between us, isn’t there?”

Several knights chimed in.

“His Majesty looks after me in various ways, so I can act the fool, that’s all.”

“I don’t know about all that complicated stuff. My lord is none other than His Grace Kusakov! Now, a toast to His Grace Kusakov!”

“Cheers!”

Many raised their glasses and clinked them.

*’Oh, this isn’t good.’*

There was no reason for people to rally under him. And he couldn’t allow it either.

Since they would disperse once they reached the capital anyway, he probably didn’t need to worry too much, but…

Jonathan laughed appropriately and excused himself.

Daniel was raising his glass with other noble knights.

“Hey there! Our hero! I heard the capital is already buzzing with talk of you.”

Jonathan laughed lightly and slung his arm around Daniel’s shoulder—the uninjured one.

“A hero, you say.”

“Now our Empire has an Aura manifestor as a knight. You have nothing to worry about. You’ll experience a rise in status as soon as you return.”

*’Because I’ll make sure of it.’*

Jonathan grinned. Daniel gave an awkward smile.

“Honestly, your performance in this war was outstanding. I fully agree with His Highness’s words.”

Already, among the noble-born knights, there were those eyeing Daniel.

Considering Daniel’s exploits in this war, it was a natural outcome.

“My sister is quite beautiful. Would you care to meet her?”

“Hold on. Hey, you people! Daniel, I have a sister too. She doesn’t quite match me, but she’s an elegant and refined lady. How about it?”

Jonathan seized this opportunity to bring up his sister, the princess Rachel.

“If you mean Your Highness’s sister… Her Highness the Princess?”

Daniel asked with startled eyes.

“Well, my sister does hold a small title. She’s my younger sister, but she’s really a good person. You know fairy tales usually end with the brave knight marrying the princess, right?”

Jonathan’s eyes sparkled.

Since Daniel was an Aura manifestor, rather than steering him elsewhere, it seemed better to make him the husband of his younger sister.

In case Emperor Samuel failed to produce an heir, the child born between Daniel and his sister Princess Rachel could succeed the throne.

Whether son or grandson, a child between those two would certainly be born with the potential for Aura manifestation—it was perfect.

“W-well, I don’t know…”

Daniel’s face flushed.

Jonathan’s face overflowed with delight.

“If you get together with my sister, a fairy tale will be complete! A dream-like ending for the princess and the knight.”

“I’ve never even met her. Marriage with Her Highness the Princess… isn’t that getting ahead of ourselves? Besides, I also believe marriage should be based on love…”

Daniel seemed a little embarrassed by his own words and couldn’t finish the sentence properly.

For a moment, silence fell over the group.

Soon, one knight sighed and spoke up.

“Ah, really. With Daniel’s level of skill, his success is guaranteed, but he still doesn’t know much about society.”

“Huh?”

“Right now, you’re in a transitional period from commoner to noble. On top of that, you’re an Aura manifestor and a war hero. This is an opportunity to climb the solid path to success and raise your status.”

The knight patted Daniel’s shoulder and advised him.

“Love at a time like this? What’s your goal? If your goal is to rise in status, love isn’t that important. If love is truly your goal, well, is there another woman you like?”