Chapter 70: Chapter 72

At a quiet bedroom

Only the burning of the fireplace and the quiet conversation between the man and woman lingered in the bedroom.

Ivan asked with a languid smile.

“Do you know about the dragon’s cradle?”

Adelia thought carefully about the dragon’s cradle.

The cradle of dragons

A huge mountain range bisecting the southern and northern continents of the Huizeniac Empire.

The world’s most rugged and highest mountain known as the cradle of dragons had very little access due to its harsh terrain. Thanks to this, there was not much well-known information.

“I don’t know. All I know is the legend that there are giant dragons sleeping under the mountain range.”

“If the legend is true, would you believe it?”

Adelia’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

“Is it true?”

Ivan raised himself from lying down with a small smile. He thought for a moment and spoke at once.

“When I was young, my uncle told me about the cradle of dragons.”

Ivan’s uncle was the younger brother of the former emperor and the former Grand Duke. He was known as a geek in the aristocratic world. A man who enjoyed a free relationship even though he was a royal family and was traumatized by the death of his last lover and never married in his life.

His movements were famous among the nobles. Even though the former emperor tried so hard to marry him off, he never married.

Because of that, he had no successor so Ivan was able to succeed the Grand Duke.

“First of all, there are real dragons sleeping underneath the mountain range.”

“…wasn’t it just a legend.”

Adelia was a little surprised.

A dragon.

It was surprising that the eccentric creature, which only comes out in fairy tales, really existed.

“According to the records of the first emperor, he signed a contract with a dragon, the king of dragons.”

“What contract?”

“For the eccentric dragons to stay out of the human world.”

“…but I don’t think the dragons would have accepted that.”

“Instead, the emperor decided to offer precious gold and silver treasure to the dragons.”

Adelia was speechless for a moment.

It slept under the mountain range in exchange for gold and silver treasures?

“As the legend says, dragons loved jewelry.”

“I still don’t understand.”

Ivan smirked and shrugged.

“If it were a race we could understand in the first place, we would have chosen symbiosis.”

Adelia nodded in silence.

Yeah, if you could understand and communicate, the dragons wouldn’t have to disappear in the first place.

“A lot of records have been lost, so I don’t know the details, but this is the only thing for sure. The Hamilton family was created to deliver gold, silver and treasure to the dragons.”

“I didn’t know about this.”

“It’s strictly a secret.”

At Ivan’s words Adelia squinted and asked.

“How can you tell me that without hesitation?”

Ivan replied with an eye smile.

“Because you’re special.”

For a moment Adelia’s face flushed red.

Adelia got up with a silly smile.

“Don’t joke around.”

“What do you mean by a joke? I mean it.”

Adelia shook her head at Ivan’s sly attitude.

“I’ll tell you why I told you this secret story….”

Adelia listened to Ivan’s voice.

There’s a reason…?

“Because you told me a secret, too”

“…I told you a secret?”

“Yes, you showed me that special power.”

“It was for a deal.”

Ivan shook his head and spoke.

“It’s hard to show all your cards.”

“…that’s true.”

“So, I thought I should tell you a secret.”

Adelia burst into laughter at the reason that seemed to be nothing important. Ivan looked at Adelia and bowed slowly.

Adelia’s laughter stopped. There was a heavy silence. Adelia gently lowered her eyelids on Ivan’s face as he got closer. Just before Ivan and Adelia’s lips overlapped, a sudden knock rang.

knock, knock.

Then Liam’s voice came through the door.

“Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

Adelia came to her senses first and hurriedly pushed Ivan. Ivan alternately looked at Adelia and the door with an uncomfortable stare. An irritable sigh came out of his mouth.

“Come on in.”

When permission was given, Liam opened the door and entered the bedroom. As soon as he entered the bedroom, he checked Adelia and made an apologetic face.

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine, let’s check the letter from the royal family.”

At Ivan’s subdued voice, Liam quickly gave the letter and backed down.

“Did His Majesty send it?”

“Yes.”

Ivan slowly opened the letter. The displeasure in his eyes as he read the letter grew deeper and deeper. Adelia asked a question, wondering what the content was.

“Is it bad news?”

“Hmm…”

Ivan could not immediately answer. He thought for a moment and handed over the letter to Adelia instead of answering her.

“I think you should see this for yourself.”

Adelia accepted the letter with a quizzical look.

“…Come to the capital with me?”

For a moment Adelia’s eyes shook. But she soon regained her composure.

“The Empire Capital…”

Adelia’s head was spinning fast. Focusing on the situation and conditions that surround her.

It’s time to show myself up.

“Your Highness.”

Adelia raised her head and called Ivan.

“Did you make a decision?”

“Yes.”

Ivan waited quietly for Adelia’s answer. Adelia spoke to Ivan in a calm voice.

“Let’s go to the capital.”

***

Adelia and Ivan quickly sorted things out in the Duchy.

Adelia wrote to the nobles with whom she often met, a letter stating that she was going to be away from the duchy for a while. And she also had to give Baron Farmer a brief reminder about the greenhouse.

It’s only been a year since I stayed in the Principality, but I am deeply connected with more people than I thought.

She felt a new emotion. Adelia turned and looked out the window. The sky, which had been sunny, had turned gray. This is because a huge amount of snow began to fall last night. The snow that began to fall once showed no signs of stopping.

I won’t be able to see this heavy snow for a long time now.

She suddenly had this thought.

Will I be able to step on the land of the Duchy again?

A moment of hesitation came to Adelia’s eyes and disappeared. Adelia took her eyes off the window.

I should not be shaken.

Then, the gentle voice of Vishna, who had been quiet all along, came.

– May my child’s path be full of blessings. So please….

However, unlike usual, Vishna’s voice was cut off in the middle. Adelia frowned and waited for the words to continue again. However, after a long time, Vishna’s voice was not heard again.

“It’s selfish to show up and disappear.”

Adelia left the room with a short click of her tongue.

I had to get ready to leave the Duchy as soon as possible.

***

Three days after the emperor’s letter arrived. Adelia and Ivan headed to the Empire Capital. Thanks to the sudden snow, she had to ride a sled led by reindeer, rather than an ordinary carriage.

Adelia turned her head out of the window and enjoyed the scenery of the fast-passing snow field. Ivan, who read the worries and anxieties from Adelia’s face, asked cautiously.

“Are you worried?”

Adelia paused for a moment, but soon confessed her feelings without lying.

“Honestly… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. I’m just… I’m not sure I can do it.”

Ivan listened quietly to Adelia.

“As His Majesty said in his letter, the names of Hestine and Valkyr have become too powerful. More than I expected….”

“I can’t deny that. But you will be able to. Because you have the ability to do so. And I’ll help you by your side, so you don’t have to carry the burden alone.”

Adelia smiled quietly.

Hearing that, she felt the burden weighing on her shoulders becoming lighter.

“It would be a good thing if I don’t die. Cut me out when that happens. I don’t want to cause you any harm.”

Ivan’s face hardened when he heard Adelia’s words.

“Adelia, such a thing won’t happen. But even if that happens, I won’t cut you off, so don’t say that.”

Adelia was taken aback by his cold voice.

Was it too much to say that I was going to die?

Adelia quickly admitted her mistake.

“…I made a slip of the tongue. I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It just makes me angry when you talk about death. Don’t talk about death easily again. Even as a joke it made my heart pound.”

Ivan sighed and held Adelia’s hand. Her body temperature, which was lower than usual, reached Ivan’s palm. The two remained silent and moved to the teleport hall.

Passing through the teleport hall, they soon arrived at the Capital. She felt strange to see the scenery of the capital after a long time. Her pledge not to step on the empire’s land again has been in vain.

“We’re going to go to the palace right away. Will it be, okay?”

“Of course. First of all, I’d like to greet your Majesty.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Oh, come to think of it, are you staying in the blue flame mansion while we’re in the capital?”

Adelia’s question caused a frown between Ivan’s eyebrows.

“Of course, but it sounds like you won’t stay in that mansion.”

“Oh… well…”

Ivan saw right through.

Adelia looked perplexed.

“It’s dangerous. You will inevitably have many enemies in the future. So, it’s dangerous to be alone. Although Demalo is with you, he alone is not enough.”

“I know. So, I was going to ask the emperor for an escort.”

The emperor needed a prophet, and Adelia needed a shield.

Ivan stared at Adelia with an expressionless face. Under silent pressure, Adelia sighed.

“That escort, I’ll do it.”

“That’s …”

“We’ve arrived.”

Just in time, the coachman announced their arrival. Ivan said in a subdued voice, briefly kicking his tongue.

“I’ll have to put this off later. But stay in the mansion today.”

“…I will.”

Adelia nodded helplessly.