May I Kill You, Your Majesty? - Chapter 4

004

The sharp blade was about to dig my neck.

Earendel felt a short deja vu. This is due to the experiences she has accumulated while regressing.

Something like your throat will be cut and also your limbs.

Even if you have a lot of experience, you still can’t get used to it. It’s more traumatic, because the fear stayed.

Earendel’s light purple eyes shook violently.

“I asked who you are.”

The man asked me again because I didn’t answer for a long time.

“Answer me.”

The blade came a little closer, and soon I felt a stinging pain. I could feel something hot to my neck and blood dropping to my dress.

“You don’t want to answer?”

“….”

“Then just die.”

It was the moment when the man tried to wield the sword.

“A-Acckk.”

Above Earendel’s strange scream, there was a sudden sound of strong brim.

It was the man’s sword that fell to the floor.

“….”

Earendel, who hit the man’s hand as hard as she could, shook her fingertip.

It was good enough to save my life and escape but the problem was that I’m not in my right mind once the sword fell.

“Ha…”

Whether Earendel’s mind was confused or not, the man looked puzzled. How can a woman be so strong? Of course I was holding the sword roughly, but…

The man’s gaze naturally turned from her.

“….!”

Earendel was startled at the unexpected behavior of the man. The man did not strangle or hit Earendel.

He just snatched Earendel’s hand.

“…”

The eyes of the man looking down at Earendel’s hands were mysterious.

To be exact, he was staring at Earendel’s ring finger. The ring that the old woman gave her.

Earendel, who returned to her senses late, struck the man’s hand.

“W-w-why are you doing this?”

The man was still looking at the ring.

What? Is he going to get this? But he’s not going to do that because he’s a noble, right?

“….”

The man’s golden eyes toward the ring slowly scattered Earendel. I strangely got goosebumps but I realized the reason.

Those eyes are the same to the murderer who killed me.

During the past few returns, the man that killed Earendel without hesitation had those eyes.

Cold, relentless, emotionless.

Earendel hesitated.

‘Let’s just run.’

I might lost again, but it’s better to be lost than to die. Earendel, who thought that way, was prepared to do something.

The man that was alternately looking at Earendel and the ring suddenly told a strange word.

“The ring.”

“Yes?”

“Is it yours?”

She looked at him as if he was talking about something crazy. What do you think, you think this is yours or mine?

“That’s….”

The man’s eyes narrowed. There was something strange about the atmosphere. So Earendel spoke in a hurry.

“Do you know anything about this ring?”

The man didn’t say anything. He was just staring at Earendel.

…are you crazy? Because you want this?

It’s a little difficult.

Earendel gently hid her ringed finger.

“Name.”

“Name… what?”

“Don’t make me say it twice. What’s your name?”

The man said with a slight impression.

“Oh… uhm… that’s…”

Earendel agonized.

It seemed clear that the man in front of me was an aristocrat, but he was suspicious. To be honest, he seemed like a crazy person. What kind of normal man is making a fuss with a sword like that? And we’re at the count’s territory!

He’s crazy.

“You’re not a fool who can’t even remember her own name, right? Or did you get scared and forget it?”

“….what?”

“So what’s your name? I told you not to let me say it twice.”

But I can’t give him my name… It felt uncomfortable.

Besides, I came to meet the prince and this is my last chance.

Thinking about it, Earendel decided to say the noble she knew.

“Elizabeth Lunner.”

“…the famous daughter of the Lunner family? Lunner?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

She was the daughter of a family who frequently interacted with the duke. I think we were about the same age.

She couldn’t even come out to social gatherings because she was weak. Thanks to this, people who knew Elizabeth’s face were very rare.

….I think I deceived him very well.

But the man’s reaction was weird.

“What a surprise. You’re Elizabeth Lunner.”

“What… ah, yes.”

“Yeah, I never thought I’d see you like this. What an honor.”

“No, you don’t have to say that….”

“Why? It’s amazing. I can’t believe I ran into a ghost in a place like this. In broad daylight.”

“…yes?”

Earendel made a stupid face.

“Elizabeth Lunner died last month.”

“….”

“No matter how hard they tried, there was no way they could save her. Also, I heard that the side effects of the medicine made her face black. It happens sometimes when you use strong drugs. But you…”

The man grabbed Earendel’s chin with his big hand. Then he flipped it right and left.

“It’s very white.”

“….”

“Did you whiten yourself? Or is it because you’re a ghost?”

I’m doomed.

Earendel’s face hardened.

“I-I’ll just call you….uh, young master. I just tested it to make sure that the young master was really an aristocrat. There’s no law against protecting yourself from suspicious people trespassing into the county’s territory, is there?”

The man laughed in vain.

“So what’s your real name?”

Earendel’s mind moved faster. There was someone I saw recently.

However, after I returned, I did not meet anyone at all, and because it was already my fourth return, I could not remember what happened before.

What Earendel, who had been agonizing for a long time, recalled was the name of a young lady that was close to Lilent. Fortunately, a few days before I bought a ring from the old woman, I remembered Lilent and her bullying me.

Yeah, let’s say the name of that bitch!

“Karina Dorwin. You know that, right? The only daughter of House Dorwin…”

“Karina Dorwin left for study with her brother the other day.”

“….”

“…she’s a daughter, and she’s very close to me. I mean Karina.”

Earendel said something ridiculous. The man smirked. He seemed like a very interesting person.

“One more time. You’re funny.”

It was a disaster. There was no more name that came to my mind.

“T-that’s…”

Earendel was unable to say anything, and the man suddenly burst into laughter.

“Who are you?”

The man kicked the sword rolling back on the floor with his foot. He picked up the sword and aimed at Earendel again.

“If you lie again this time, you’ll lose your voice.”

A blue veins pop out on the back of a man’s hand with a sword, and he was young with golden eyes staring at Earendel.

I might really die at this rate.

I got goosebumps for a moment.

“E-E-Earendel!”

Ok, well…

What’s so expensive and great about my name?

There will be nothing wrong with being known by name.

Earendel decided to believe that.

“Last name.”

“Last name… I don’t have it. It’s just Earendel.”

Is she a normal citizen?

But how did she hide in a noble mansion as a citizen? I can’t understand.

The man was silent for a moment, and then opened his lips again.

“Where do you live?”

“On Bellerophon territory… I lived there…”

“….Bellerophon.”

The man who heard the castle slightly frowned.

Earendel looked at him with a sigh.

“….My mother took me into the Duke’s family and she became a concubine a long time ago…. I wasn’t given a last name, it’s the truth. I’m not lying this time.”

Earendel spit it out. Then, the tip of the sword that aimed at her neck was removed with trembling hands.

First, I have to run away. I don’t know what else he’s going to do.

Earendel, who thought so far, hurriedly talked.

“Anyway, can I go now? I’m late for an appointment.”

“Are you talking about the meeting?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

Soon the man put the sword in the scabbard. Earendel sighed with relief, but it didn’t last long either.

It was because the man was looking at her up and down.

“….”

An uncomfortable silence sank between the two. The man looked at Earendel with his eyebrows slightly crossed.

I thought I knew who the woman in front of me was.

The Duke’s illegitimate child, whom the concubine brought with her.

It was the first time I met her in person, but I could immediately guess how she was living as an illegitimate.

But how can a woman like that attend such a meeting? It’s a group of aristocrats with status in the Empire.

The woman in front of me looked like a beggar even if I liked her.

Her hair is bent like a madwoman, her faded dresses are torn everywhere. It was worth looking at her face. Although dirty soil was buried in places, it was not an ugly face at all.

Silver hair that comes down to the waist. Oddly colored, light purple eyes. She has white skin like snow and her features are well-placed.

“People…”

Yeah, even those thick, red lips weren’t that bad.

No, it’s rather pretty….

“People looked at others like they’re looking at a butcher’s meat… everywhere….”

“….butcher’s what?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m sorry.”

Anyway, I don’t have any room to say something. So I just held my mouth shut.

At the sametime, I heard someone’s presence in the distance.

“There you are.”

It’s a very young-looking man. His status does not seem low, but he gave a presence like a crazy person.

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time, Pri…”

“Cliff!”

This nut screamed, and the baby flower shuddered in surprise the same as me.

Soon, Cliff lowered his head slightly.

“I’m sorry. I’m just about to tell you that the meeting is almost finished.”

“What! No!”

This time, Earendel screamed. Why am I still here?

“What do you mean, it almost finished? It hasn’t been long since it started!”

“Oh, yes… It was supposed to end in the afternoon, but it was cancelled.”

“What’s the matter with meeting! Why today…!”

In Cliff’s eyes, Earendel was like a madman. However, Cliff did not show it because he already mastered etiquette.

“But who is this young lady?”

“She’s Earendel.”

I don’t have to lie anymore, when everyone already caught you. Earendel already told her name and she realized that she really needed to get out of here.

The meeting is said to have been canceled, but if luck permits me, I may be able to meet Castian.

“Do you happen to know which way to get to the meeting place?”

“Oh, over there.”

Cliff pointed over there.

“Thank you. I’ll be on my way. And, uhm… It was nice to meet you. Then, bye.”

He might say something weird again. So, Earendel came as fast as a gun before the nut grabbed her. Then she began to limp toward the direction Cliff pointed.

Cliff, who had a curious look on his face, looked back.

“It must be her. An illegitimate child of Bellerophon brought by the Duke’s concubine. I think I remember seeing her name.”

“…..”

“The investigation says she’s quiet and shy, but it’s more unusual than I thought.”

There is no return word. He had a mysterious look on his face. He had a very delicate face.

Cliff said something again.

“Prince Castian?”

When his name was called, Castian looked at Cliff.

“What happened?”

“….well.”

Castian murmured quietly and looked back to Earendel, who was moving away.

On his golden eyes that shone brightly in the sun, Earendel’s back was reflected like a disappearing dot.

“That woman.”

“Yes?”

“Investigate her closely right now. Don’t be harsh to her.”

Cliff replied while wondering, but he eventually found out.

“Yes, please leave it to me.”

…our prince, he always does unexpected things. I always did things for him and all of his commands were always justifiable and useful.

Of course it wasn’t this time, but Cliff couldn’t tell what it was.

…so Earendel never find out. She didn’t know that the crazy guy was the prince she was looking for.

•─────⋅☾ Wendy ☽⋅─────•