“There’s a place where you can relax your body.”
Alicia spread her arms with a smile as she introduced the location.
It was a hot spring.
“I felt something weird though…”
Danya rolled her eyes playfully and skillfully avoided making eye contact.
Ian, who was considering teasing her, dropped the idea.
Danya cornered was amusing enough on its own.
It’s not good to be cautious about speaking just to avoid teasing.
So instead, he complimented her.
“Well done.”
“Ugh!”
But it seemed like the compliment hurt Danya even more as her face turned red.
Without time to ponder why.
“Ian, would you like to bathe together?”
Asilia asked with a bright smile.
Her skin was moist because of the dewy moisture in the surrounding white steam.
“That’s good, my muscles are already tense. You too, come in, Ian.”
Yerina said, taking off her outer garment.
Her top seemed to press firmly against her chest, the volume was quite… no, that’s not it.
“I, I’m… fine. It’s not like it’s anyone else but Ian, right? Yeah. It’s okay.”
Lina muttered, nibbling the handkerchief around her neck.
Is promiscuity a common occurrence in this world?
Come to think of it, even in some countries in his past life, men and women…
“Everyone, snap out of it!”
Dodo.
Danya, who had rushed over, made Yerina and Lina put their clothes back on.
Then she rushed over again and lifted herself on tiptoes to cover Ian’s eyes.
“What are you looking at, Ian! Of course, it’s prohibited! Peeking is also prohibited!”
Covering Ian’s eyes with her small hands, she spun around.
‘It’s a relief that at least one person in this small party is normal.’
The thought of at least one person being normal in this small party brought tears to Ian’s eyes.
“…Lumbs of fat are also prohibited.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, it’s nothing! Anyway, don’t peek! Absolutely!”
Splash!
Of course, there was no door in the cave, but if there were, that’s the sound it would make.
In the moment Ian’s mind was swirling, he calmed it with a deep breath.
“Hehe. Well then, Ian, would you like to take a walk with me?”
Swoosh.
The sound of fabric brushing against the floor was heard.
Asilia, who had appeared out of nowhere, was smiling.
She seemed to have something to say.
◆
Inside the cave, there were quite spacious and diverse areas.
Ian followed Asilia, who was leading the way.
—Step
Asilia stopped walking where the light was hitting the ground.
When she looked up, light was coming in from a small hole in the ceiling.
Asilia turned around.
Not a single snowflake fell.
“My child. Seems like I raised her wrong.”
It was a confession.
If they remained silent for a while, there seemed to be no way out.
Ian scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“…Did you notice?”
“When everyone talks about that child, they glance at you, Ian. Mothers are quick to notice things children when it comes to matters of their child.”
“…”
Ian cautiously observed Asilia’s reaction.
Rather than her being an overwhelming authority…
It felt more like discussing with a friend’s parent after a fight with that friend.
Sharon must be just a friend or even less than that.
It felt peculiar.
“You two fought?”
“Yes.”
“It seems that girl, Sharon, was mostly at fault.”
“…Yes.”
He didn’t ask how she knew.
It would probably be a parent’s intuition, as Asilia had said.
A hint of sadness settled on her eyebrows, then she smiled bitterly.
“Ian is very considerate for his age. When someone is young, they don’t realize that people like you are good people.”
Was he really a good person?
Even considering Asilia’s feelings and trying to understand her, it was just a single clue to her heart.
Ian lowered his head.
“That’s also consideration. Come here.”
Asilia, sitting on the ground, tapped the spot next to her.
In front of her, there was a small hot spring with rising steam.
Asilia lifted her dress and dipped her feet in.
Ian followed suit.
Snowflakes falling one by one through the open ceiling.
It felt like being in an outdoor hot spring.
“I’m sorry. I raised my daughter wrong.”
“I don’t think you need to apologize for that, Miss Asilia.”
“Hehehe. That’s true too.”
Tickle. Tickle.
Asilia playfully wiggled her feet.
‘This isn’t the behavior of a mother, but that of a child.’
Indeed.
Sharon and she were separated when they were young, and considering that marriage happens early in this world… Come to think of it, how long has Asilia been trapped here?
“It’s a secret.”
“But I haven’t asked anything yet?”
“It looked like you wanted to ask about my age.”
…She’s really sharp in unexpected places.
“Instead, I’ll tell you another story. Is there anything you’re curious about in this world?”
“You said this is Richard’s prison. Are you referring to this cave?”
“No. More than that.”
“More than that…?”
Asilia closed her mouth as if to let Ian guess.
There was no need to ponder on it.
“So, could it be… you’re saying this entire snowfield is Richard’s prison?”
“Yes.”
Ian recalled the snowfield he traversed to get to the cave.
It was a vast expanse of snow with no end in sight.
If this vast space was all Richard’s prison…
Ian’s eyebrows trembled.
It was the first time he felt such a distant feeling since the possession.
“…….”
Shiver.
A chill ran down his spine.
How big was his prison right now?
Even if he managed to fill it up diligently, with all the effort he could muster…
It’s an overwhelming difference.
As Ian bit his lip, Asilia asked him.
“Are you anxious?”
“…This isn’t the end here. Richard Pierce will continue to grow stronger. Even in the future.”
“Were you planning to confront him?”
“I was considering it, but…”
“Did you have a plan…?”
Asilia asked.
Plan.
There was certainly a plan.
To capture Yerina through his performance at the tournament.
To gather evidence with Lina’s social skills.
Karen was to survey the mansion for intel.
Even if there was a hint of evidence, they would quickly retreat and request support from the princess.
Of course.
All of those plans have now gone up in smoke.
“So, are you going to give up in the future?”
“No.”
There is no giving up.
It’ll just get a little harder.
No, maybe a lot harder.
‘So what?’
To survive, you always have to consider the best course of action.
This game is inherently difficult.
If you sacrifice more sleep, think harder, train harder, and don’t slack off, there are still plenty of options.
Strategies began to be developed in real time.
“Even if we fail to gather evidence against Richard Pierce, I believe we can survive and leave the North. It’s just that things will get a little more difficult from now on. The biggest problem with failing to contain Richard is that the influence of the Bloodstone Cult will seriously affect the entire continent. Especially if they quietly infiltrate the upper echelons of the Empire.”
Asilia listened quietly, smiling, as Ian spoke.
“First, we need to exert a little more political influence. Politics is essentially about people’s interests. I’ve already built a good relationship with a journalist from the Imperial Gazette. If I ask him to exaggerate my activities a bit, that should be a start. Being named the Promising Mage of the Year is just the beginning.”
Being named the Promising Mage of the Year.
It’s not a grand title, but it’s certainly one of the most popular titles among the public.
“The political issues regarding society, diplomacy, and so on will start to be pointed out. Especially focusing on areas where the Bloodstone Cult is silently exerting its influence. We can lead the support of the Third Princess. I will step forward as the face of the front, and she will be the political figurehead. We can also utilize Silvia Laurent’s connections. We need to simultaneously strategize and conquer all aspects of the economy, society, and politics.”
Asilia stared at Ian.
His insights were profound, his plans bold yet meticulous.
And…
Desperate.
In Asilia’s eyes, Ian seemed incredibly desperate.
Ian’s expression was composed, but the corners of his eyes trembled thinly.
His voice was composed, but his lips were parched.
Despite his confident demeanor, Asilia didn’t miss the trembling of his fingertips.
Because that appearance resembled Asilia herself.
It was like her, after realizing Richard’s true nature and worrying.
And Asilia knows.
She knows the outcome if they continue down this path.
Anxiety intensifies tension.
Impatience and urgency grow.
Efforts are made to do a little better, plans are made.
But no matter how hard you try, no matter how perfect your plans are, there are things that cannot be achieved.
Sometimes, the answer lies not in effort.
If you don’t realize that, the ending will always be tragic.
Asilia stared at Ian’s intensely serious gaze.
She looked into his slightly trembling pupils.
Ian’s mouth opened once again.
“The problem lies with the Imperial Family. The influence of the First Princess is too strong. If they join hands with Raymond, the Second Prince will undoubtedly become more actively involved with the Bloodstone Cult and…”
Snowflakes scattered.
Along with the wind that entered through the ceiling, strands of dark blue hair fluttered.
Ian stopped speaking.
No, the words involuntarily stopped flowing.
Something touched his lips. It was soft flesh.
It didn’t take long for Ian to realize that he was embraced by Asilia.
It was as natural as the wind wrapping around something.
“Ian.”
A soft voice tickled his ears.
A faint scent wafted through his nose.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He wanted to say something in response.
But instead.
A deep inhale filled his body before leaving.
The tension eased.
Nestling even deeper into Asilia’s embrace, Ian finally realized.
That he had always lived like this, giving his all with every fiber of his being.
Asilia gently patted his back.
“You’ve really worked hard.”
It was comforting.
It was the first time he heard it since coming here.
