The Man’s 101st Bad Ending

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“How much do you know about the relics?”

“I only know that they exist. This was just a guess, but… not anymore.”

Kaitel, who had me sit again, nodded his head. It was absurd for me to know the details about the relics.

Even I only knew about the Moonstone, but I didn’t know what abilities each relic possessed.

A question that suddenly came to mind was whether the Moonstone still remained.

Since I had used it, it should have disappeared, but at this point in time, I had not used the Moonstone.

Was it gone, or did it still remain? Around the time I was pondering that, Kaitel opened his mouth.

“The power possessed by the relics is enough to capture an entire city, according to a book. I think it’s necessary to obtain them to achieve my goal. What do you think?”

“If we can have them, it’s better to take them. But the problem is whether we can bring them, wouldn’t the church keep an eye on relics related to the moon?”

“…If they were relics related to the moon, that would be the case.”

The Crown Prince, who chuckled slightly, soon glanced around and fixed his gaze on me.

Then, as if uttering a quite light topic, he opened his mouth in a cheerful tone.

“But the empire’s relics were not related to the moon. Rather, they might be the opposite.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Think a bit deeper. If they were relics related to the moon, why hasn’t the church been searching for them all this time? They tried to protect the temple at all costs even during the process of the south being consumed, so why didn’t they take any measures?”

His words made some sense.

If it was related to the moon, the church would spare no effort, but considering that even now, with the saint appearing, they showed no interest in the relics, wasn’t there definitely something?

After pondering for a moment, I gasped at the word that suddenly crossed my mind.

…No way.

“If they are related to the Dead Dragon… they wouldn’t want to find them.”

“That’s right. The empire’s relics are like that. Because they are related to the Dead Dragon, no matter how powerful they are, they weren’t used.”

The idea that the relics were related to the Dead Dragon was something I had never thought of until now, so I could only blankly listen to Kaitel’s words.

Then did it mean that the Moonstone I had used was also a relic of the Dead Dragon? If I had regressed using the power of the Dead Dragon, why on earth did the Dead Dragon create such relics in the first place?

Before my questions were fully answered, Kaitel pointed to a part of the map and began to speak again.

“I plan to use the resentment of the Dead Dragon. If we control it and contain it, we can use it in a beneficial way. It’s still in the experimental stage, but if you bring just one relic, I think we can use it a bit more actively.”

“What happens after I bring the relic?”

“What do you mean what happens? It will happen as I call for it.”

After a brief pause, Kaitel added with a small smile.

“Lord Taylor, should I call you that then?”

***

Although it was a bit disturbing that the relics were related to the Dead Dragon, it seemed there was no need to think deeply about it.

If the regression of the Moonstone was related to the Dead Dragon, wouldn’t I have been affected by it long ago?

Even putting that aside, if I thought about the immediate gains, it was that I had gained a connection with the Crown Prince.

The humiliation of kneeling was nothing.

Right now, he would be pleased that the son of the Taylors had bowed to the Crown Prince to that extent.

But if the situation turned around, I would never have to bow my head before Kaitel.

Now that I had finished my business and was about to leave, I noticed a figure standing in the corridor.

I could recognize her immediately because she was wearing the same clothes as before.

As I slightly bowed my head, Miragen smiled brightly and approached.

“I see you’re done talking. I was just passing by, I didn’t expect to run into you like this by chance.”

“Is it really by chance?”

“It is by chance. You didn’t think I would wait here until you finished talking, did you?”

I thought Miragen was capable of doing that, but I shrugged my shoulders and walked forward.

Perhaps because the conversation with the Crown Prince had been quite long, the sky had already turned completely dark.

Although the streets were still bright with lanterns, there probably wasn’t time to do anything.

Miragen must have known that too, as she didn’t repeat what she had said earlier.

She tended to do anything if she thought it would benefit her, but she probably didn’t want to hear rumors about socializing with a man late at night.

So we walked for a long time. Neither Miragen nor I had much to say, so only silence flowed.

Then, as if she found this quietness boring, Miragen’s elbow nudged my side.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Your making me feel awkward, did you get scolded earlier or something?”

“It’s not like that. But what can I say to Your Highness the Princess? The difference in status is clear when it comes to making small talk.”

“Ugh, do I seem like someone who cares about that?”

“…No, you don’t.”

She would probably engage in small talk with commoners if they got along well.

In the first place, the reason she became close with Adriana was for that reason, so Miragen really disliked such formalities.

But it was still better to draw a line. There were quite a few things to question about Miragen in many ways.

“You can just call me by my name. There’s no one around now, so try calling me Miragen.”

“I’ll just call you Your Highness the Princess. We’ve only met twice, haven’t we?”

“You said you’re friends with Adriana. I’m not that strict with my friends’ friends.”

How could a person not change at all?

Of course, it was Miragen at a point where she couldn’t possibly change, but seeing her speak so familiarly as if it were natural made me feel strangely emotional.

Our first meeting was in the Moon Tower last time, and this was the second time.

Even if it was awkward to the point of being shy, it wouldn’t be strange, but I kept my distance from Miragen, who kept approaching me.

It was more comfortable being with Adriana or Adele.

Since she approached me so blatantly, I couldn’t easily brush her off, so I soon let out a small sigh and opened my mouth.

“I think I should get going. It’s late, so you should go in first.”

“…We’re not even at the main gate yet?”

“It wouldn’t be good to set a precedent of the princess coming out to see me off at the main gate. I don’t mind, but someone might find fault, saying it lacks dignity.”

Perhaps she took my words as concern again, Miragen stared at me intently for a moment, then nodded slightly.

But since the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch, I laughed bitterly at the sight.

I knew she had an interest in me. But it wasn’t romantic feelings between a man and a woman, so there was no need to think too deeply about it.

So we walked for a long time again, and Miragen, who thought she should stop following me now, halted her steps.

Then she tapped her chest and took out the artifact she had given me last time, adding.

“Keep that with you. I might request something of you next time. Adriana might call and contact you on my behalf, so don’t ignore it.”

“Why would I ignore your message? If you contact me when you need to, I will always answer. But… Please refrain from saying anything too difficult.”

“Di- difficult, what do you mean?”

“If you mention the word paramour again, it will be troublesome for me. Wouldn’t the saint misunderstand as well?”

Then Miragen waved her hand, telling me not to worry, and quietly said goodbye, telling me to leave now.

Seeing her smiling face, I turned around, and the princess, who seemed to have no intention of following me anymore, was seen getting farther away.

Then I should go now. There were many things to do even if I returned to the ducal estate.

Now it was about time to start working on the servants’ families as well.

If this matter was over, it would be better to prepare to go to the north.

After going to the north, it would be the south again.

Only after visiting the south would my forces be complete, so only then would the preparations to bring down Yuria be finished.

So I walked for a long time, and suddenly, hearing the sound of a carriage coming from far away, I raised my head.

The pattern on the carriage that had stopped near the one I was riding was truly familiar. After staring blankly at the Taylor family crest for a moment, I smirked upon seeing the woman who got out of that carriage.

The reason our Young Lady had come all the way here was too obvious.

“…Robert, I hope you didn’t cause a scene.”

“I didn’t expect you to come out to see me off. Were you worried?”

When I said that sarcastically, Yuria frowned as if displeased.

Seeing her furrowed brows, the purpose of her coming all the way here seemed clear.

She probably heard that I had gone to the palace and came. Since I could make connections without her knowledge, it must be a part of her keeping me in check.

“I was worried you might have done something foolish again. Like you did before, do you know there are things you can’t whine about like a child?”

“Whine? That’s a ridiculous analogy.”

“Did you think the princess would listen if you did it like you did to Mother? I believe you wouldn’t have done that. You were young then, but now you’re a grown adult.”

Even after experiencing what happened last time, this attitude was simply to provoke me.

My expression hardened for a moment, but Yuria sneered at that face and continued.

“I don’t know what business you had at the palace today, but no matter how hard you try, nothing will change. Even the imperial family can’t directly intervene in the succession of the Taylor family head.”

“Then why did you come? If not to keep an eye on someone as insignificant as me?”

“I came to see Her Highness the Princess. To apologize for the foolish act you committed regarding the subjugation last time, thinking she must have misunderstood.”

“…Do you think it was a foolish act?”

There was a limit to foolishness.

Seeing her caught up in the thought that what I had done was simply wrong, my brows furrowed.

Where would I even start correcting her, and whether she would even listen to me in the first place was questionable.

I had to show her some evidence to pressure her, but there was nothing to show in the current situation.

So as I was pondering, the ‘evidence’ to show her appeared in an unexpected form.

“Your tone sounds quite sharp, are you really siblings?”

At the sudden voice, I turned my head to see Miragen walking towards us.

I didn’t know how she had heard this conversation.

She would probably make an excuse that she just happened to overhear it while passing by. But with Miragen appearing here, the advantage had shifted.

Seeing Miragen’s expressionless face as she passed by me, I couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Miragen only made that expression when she was quite angry.

“The Young Lady of the Taylors, may I call you Lady Yuria?”

“…I don’t know what this is about, but if it’s about business, I’ll go first-”

“I didn’t come to talk about that. But do you have some business with Lord Robert?”

“We were in the middle of discussing family matters. It will be over soon, so if you wait inside, I’ll be right there.”

Even though it was merely an interruption, Yuria bowed her head and replied without showing any such intention.

Seeing this side of her was admirable, but unfortunately, her wish was unlikely to come true.

Miragen, who grabbed my arm, narrowed her eyes and stared at Yuria.

If she had heard the entire conversation earlier, she must have realized that it was quite an aggressive remark towards me.

What Miragen, who was favorable to me, would say was too obvious.

“Unfortunately, there will be no discussion with you today.”

“…Pardon?”

At the solemn and serious tone, Yuria looked at Miragen in surprise.

Unlike the playful tone she had with me, the widely known voice of the princess filled the surrounding stillness.

Yuria barely managed to answer, but Miragen pulled my arm, pressed it against her body, and continued.

With dangerous words that could be quite misunderstood if someone saw.

“I’m thinking of borrowing Lord Robert. Probably…”

When her rolling eyes finally stopped, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh at what she said.

“All day long.”

I didn’t know how she would handle these words.

She probably just blurted out whatever came to mind.

But Miragen seemed quite pleased with the fact that she had taken a jab, so I couldn’t say anything about it.

Of course, Yuria’s expression as she blankly stared at Miragen was quite refreshing.

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