TL: Zimmings
âFirst, avoid staying within a 30km radius of Leblaine.â
âIt wonât happen!â
âTwo, do not refer to Leblaine by her nickname, Blaine.â
âIt wonât happen!â
âThird, if you see her again, you will die.â
âD-dieâ¦â¦.â
When I noticed the man in front of Isaac, I asked him a question with a perplexed expression.
âWhat are you doing?â
Isaac and the man both stared at me at the same time. Isaac quickly put his arm on the manâs shoulder.
âWeâre playing together.â
Isaac poked the manâs side and whispered, âSmile, laugh.â The man raised the corners of his lips awkwardly.
I took a deep breath and gestured to Isaac.
âRelease the young master and come here.â
ââ¦â¦.â
As I narrowed my eyes, Isaac pulled up his arm from the young masterâs shoulder while trembling and approached me.
âDid you break another young masterâs bone again?â
âAre you going to look for your real parents? Now that doesnât work.â
He grinned as I looked at him and smiled.
âIâm going to run away to find my husband.â
âYouâ¦â¦!â
âSend the young master back safely.â
âBut that bastard has already come for the third timeâ¦â¦!â
âShould I start packing?â
âHey boy, go back! Right now!â
Seeing Isaac shouting to the young master, I shook my head.
Having grown tremendously over the past eight years, Isaac is now the tallest out of the three Dubblede brothers.
With a height of nearly 190 cm and an athletic build, a slimmer face, and shining silver hair, he is a wonderful presence. Isaac, who is about to turn twenty, exudes the scent of a manly man.
A small laugh was heard from outside the door.
âHenry.â
Henry, who is a year older than Isaac, has also developed into a handsome young man.
Henry, who was like a delicately crafted doll even as a child, is still beautiful as if he came out of a painting, but has become a handsome man with a slightly dangerous atmosphere.
âItâs amazing that you got up so early.â
âYes, I have to prepare for the graduation ceremony!â
As I spoke proudly, Henry rubbed his cheek lightly against mine and said,
âCongratulations on your graduation.â
I attended seminary last time, and I am graduating today.
And after graduating, I planned to go on to , an overseas academy that my three brothers attend.
[But why havenât your brothers graduated yet?]
Suddenly, I heard Chul-sooâs voice in my head.
âJohannâs graduated early. But Henry and Isaac havenât graduated yet.â
[Thatâs right. When the second brother is already 20 years old and the youngest is 19 years old, isnât it time to graduate?]
âIn your world, do you graduate at 20 years old? Odis Academy graduates are usually 23 years old. The age of admission varies greatly.â
[Oh, so itâs like college? Then, is it a prestigious educational institution like S university?]
I donât know what S University is, but it is true that it is the most prestigious educational institute on the continent.
And because I received the honorable title from the emperor, I even received permission to join the of Odis Academy.
All of my 3 older brothers also participated in the Elysiano class with outstanding grades, so they will have an outstanding educational background in the capital.
âDubbledeâs land is plenty, our wealth is the best on the continent, not to mention our military power. Now, as long as we do networking, we are ready to become independent.â
My older brothers have excellent grades, but they donât know how to network.
My aunt said, âThey have similar personalities to their father.â¦â¦. If only they were like Lisette.â and clicked her tongue.
âLady, where are you? You must eat.â
âLady!â
âWe have salmon, your favorite breakfast menu!â
I could hear my three maids looking for me from afar. I screamed, âWow!â and ran to them. I could hear Henry and Isaacâs laughter as they chased the young master around.
Today was a good day as usual.
***
That afternoon at the graduation ceremony.
I came down from the podium with a certificate and a bouquet of flowers from the principal as I approached my dad.
âI graduated.â
âYes.â
Seeing my dad smiling, I quickly jumped into his arms. I hugged his neck and rubbed my cheek against my fatherâs neck as he patted my back tenderly.
âYou worked hard. Your mother would have been happy to see it.â
âSheâd be crying.â
âYes, she would be the loudest.â
After listening to a lot of my momâs stories from my dad for the past 8 years, I could easily guess what my mom would have been like if she were alive.
She would lead the servants as they recorded me and said, âShoot it! Donât miss a single moment! My baby! Itâs mom! Look here!â When I think of my mother who must have been like that, I keep smiling.
It was Lea and my aunt who replaced my mother today. They brought the mages from our mansion to record us even before the graduation ceremony started.
My aunt approached me after checking the magic tools that had recorded me from afar. In her arms was a bouquet that was too large to hold with my hands.
âCongratulations, my baby.â
âI am no longer a baby.â
âEven when you grow up, youâre always my baby.â
I laughed and hugged the bouquet I got from my aunt.
âWhereâs my brother?â
âHenry and Isaac are waiting for you at the Odis Academy, and Johann is attending the State Council meeting on behalf of your father. You should have seen how much Johann and your father fought to choose who attended the ceremony.â
âSo thatâs why Johann didnât look well this morning.â
I squinted my eyes and looked at my father, who had a childish war with his son at the age of 40. My aunt smiled and said.
âLetâs go. Iâve reserved a restaurant.â
I looked at the servants while holding my fatherâs and auntâs hands, as they filled the hall.
âLetâs all go!â
Everywhere I walked, the servants sprinkled flower petals. At the entrance to the seminary, Tri was sobbing while scattering the petals.
âLeblaine, you get to go first.â¦â¦.â
âIâll come to your graduation next time.â
âEmeline wonât even talk with me because I havenât passed my graduation exams in two years.â¦â¦.â
Tri and Emeline entered the seminary a year earlier than me.
The seminary is a school for children with divine power, and Tri is the niece of Empress Cecilia, so special admission was possible.
The priestâs hidden daughter, Emeline, had divine power. Knowing that Emeline had divine powers, I asked my father to grant her admission with the support of Dubblede. And Emeline, who was brilliant from the beginning, graduated early from the seminary with excellent grades.
âAnd Triâ¦â¦.â
I remembered the last time the three of us met.
âTri, you speak quickly. How was it?â
âE-Emelineâ¦â¦â
âTell her now. I passed and you didnât.â
âF-failedâ¦â¦.â
âThis idiot-!!â
She failed the graduation exam twice and did not graduate this yearâ¦
âWhy did you fail? Was the professorâs interview a problem? You must have passed the test. Blaine and I have helped you for three months!â
âI-I didnât even pass the testâ¦â¦.â
âWhat?! Ahh-!â
âSave me, Blaine!!â
âYou come here! Hey!â
At the seminary, the three of us always went together, and the kids nicknamed us as trio commoners.
But each time, Emeline berated the kids, so Tri and I could walk around comfortably.
However, since Emeline and I graduated, the gentle Tri must have a hard time with the kids. Emeline was hoping for Tri to graduate somehow.
Tri shrugged.
âWhy am I stupid?â
âTri, youâre not stupid. Even if youâre stupid, so what? Tri has the warmest heart. And you have Emeline and I.â
Triâs face brightened.
âThatâs right! Iâm a little stupid, but itâs okay because Emeline and you are smart. You were the top of the class every time, and Emeline will also go to the Odis Academy this year because she entered a special selection for commoners that only selected one person every three years right? You guys are my pride.â
Seeing the excited Tri, I chuckled. Then, I pointed to the tree behind her. As Tri turns her head, the person who was behind the tree shrugs. Tri quickly ran towards her.
âEmeline, youâre here!â
âI didnât come because of you. I came to see Blaineâs graduation ceremony⦠Whatâs up with your clothes? Itâs all crumpled.â
âOh, when was it crumpled?â
âBlaine and I are leaving for Odis Academy, so we canât take care of you anymore.â
Even if her words are cold, she knew she wonât be able to see Tri for a while, so she must have come to see her.
âIf someone bothers you, just run or grab their hair tightly. Okay?â
âYes!â
âAnyways, good luck.â
Seeing the two of them chatting, I laughed out loud.
âIf you guys are talking there, Iâll leave you behind!â
When I shouted, Emeline and Tri quickly turned their heads.
âWhere are you going?â
âWhere are you going?â
âMy aunt made a reservation for a restaurant. Aunt, can they come with me?â
When I asked my aunt, she smiled and nodded.
Their faces brightened immediately.
Emeline approached me, and looked at my aunt with a shy face.
âC-Can I really go?â
âOf course. Our babyâs friends are welcome.â
âThank youâ¦â¦.â
Emeline had a dreamy expression on her face. She held my hand tightly and whispered with a determined tone.
âI want to be your friend for the rest of my life.â
I laughed when I remembered about my auntâs photo album which was only sold on the black market at Emelineâs house last time.
Tri who didnât understand it exclaimed âMe too, me too!â innocently.
My aunt started walking first, and Emeline followed behind her.
âIs your name Emeline?â
âYes, yes! My dream is to join the white horse battalion like Countess Ariege.â¦â¦.â
âA holy knight is welcome. Can you use the sword?â
âIâm learning, but Iâm more comfortable with a bow than a sword. Though Iâm still not very good.â
âNext time, you can come to the mansion. I could teach you a little bit.â
Emeline stopped walking, holding her chest and panted. Tri asked her âEmeline, are you okay?!â and grabbed her shoulder quickly.
I giggled as I looked at the three of them from a few steps back.
âIs it already time for a friend to be better than a father?â
To my fatherâs question, I asked, âHuh?â and looked back at him.
âBecause you donât care about me. Iâm already miserable at the thought of sending you away.â
âThere is a long-distance teleportation scroll. I will come every day.â
As I lifted my hand and put them on my dadâs shoulder, he smiled and stroked my cheek.
âLetâs go.â
âYes!â
The restaurant I went to with my dad, aunt and friends was a very luxurious place.
A small artificial waterfall flows to the left of our seat, and the illusion of a butterfly made by mages flaps its wings gracefully in the air.
The food was also really delicious. I was full from all of the food my aunt, dad, Emeline, and Tri gave me, but I also ate all the desserts.
My last day before leaving for Odis Academy was as sweet as a dream.
And that evening, Emeline and I got into the carriage to depart for the Odis Academy.
Weâre off to the place where Isaac, Henry andâ¦â¦.
âAdrian is waiting.â
***
At a war zone, a man wearing armor got tired because of running while dragging his broken leg desperately.
When the man was about to arrive at the barracks,
âUghâ¦â¦!!â
The sword pierced the manâs back without hesitation.
Blood was also oozing from the corners of his eyes. As he was dying, the man in the armor looked over his shoulder at the man in the robe wielding the sword.
In an instant, a sandstorm blasted through the area.
With his hood removed, the manâs stunning blonde hair and tall stature were revealed.
Aside from that, the robe couldnât conceal his imposing build. His eyes were a stunning shade of crimson. At that moment, the communication device inside his robe cried.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
[See you soon.]
A friendly smile hung at the lips of the blonde man who checked the communication device.
âAdrian.â
The copper-skinned man who approached Adrian smiled and continued.
âWho is it that could make the bloody prince laugh?â
Returning to his expressionless face, he put the communication device in his pocket and said,
âClean it up.â
âYes, weâll finish it. Anyway, the Odis Military Academy test is brutal. Who would have thought they would throw them into a war zone and ask them to bring back the ancient artifacts?â
âRelics huh.â
The man threw a stone-like artifact at Adrian.
It was when Adrian lightly accepted the magic tool.
Bzzt-!
The joints of the device were twisted into a ball shape. Then, the tool shined.
Thud-!!
The place shook.
Darkness came in an instant. The students of Odis Academy, who were walking towards the barracks, looked up at the sky.
Through the dark clouds that obscured the sun, a red circle was seen. A shining door appeared in front of Adrian.
And what appeared through the door wasâ¦
âA-anyone here? Are you a foreigner? Anyway, Iâm gladâ¦â¦.â
It was a woman with auburn hair and light brown eyes.
She had a bag on her back, skirts above the knees, and a jacket with an unusual shape. She fell down on the floor and said,
âEven after walking for a long time, there was only darkness, you donât know how scared I was. Where is it? Filming locationâ¦â¦? A surprise?â
ââ¦â¦.â
âOh, you donât speak Korean? How are you?â
ââ¦â¦.â
âI want to go to Seoul Station. Seoul Station, what? Understand? Hey, when someone speaks, you have to answer- Ah!â
The girlâs face turned pale. It was because Adrianâs sword was aimed at her.
âWho are you?â
âW-what? You can speak Korean? Hey, is this a fake sword?â
âAnswer me.â
âI-Iâm Jeong Mina.â
âWhat?â
âCall me Mina.â
Mina and Adrian looked at each other.