The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go

⚔️

 

My mind briefly went blank.

 

“What, what…?  Explode?”

 

“Certainly because when the mana overflows, your body will get ripped to pieces, and you’ll die.”

 

This plot was truly taking unimaginable turns.

 

If I hadn’t gotten involved with Cedric, I was supposed to be a side character in this drama who wasn’t connected to the tyrant, but now I’m about to die.

 

“You crazy sword! Why are you only telling me this now?”

 

I grabbed Caliberne, who was in the sword, off the wall and started shaking it violently while shouting furiously. 

 

Caliberne’s response, however, was calm,

 

“Hey, it’s not like I could talk to them. I’m not a human, I’m a sword.”

 

“That isn’t the point right now!”

 

I gripped the sword even tighter because I was so enraged.

 

“You should have told me that first. You haven’t said anything about it before, but you’re telling me this now?”

 

“That’s why I’m trying to tell you about it now,” answered Caliberne.

 

This monster, no I mean this sword, you one hell of a dirty sword.

 

Was the idea out of this world??

 

“Anyway, stop being angry and listen to me. Firstly, your mana was overflowing now. If you don’t discharge it or distribute it to others, your body won’t be able to withstand it.”

 

Caliberne talked with a monotone that irritated me.

 

I wanted to destroy this cruel sword right away, but I chose to listen, stay alive, and then deal with it after seeing how my life turned out.

 

“I’m in your body, so it’ll get better, but that’s not enough.”

 

“What…?”

 

“Maybe if I hadn’t gotten into your body, you’d be in danger within a few months.”

 

No way, I was destined to perish from the start. However, it does imply that I survived by absorbing Caliberne.

 

“I’m absorbing your mana as much as I could, but it wasn’t enough. You have to constantly give it to someone who lacks it and could absorb much power.”

 

“Are you suggesting that I give to the Crown Prince on a regular basis?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Calibernet answered with a soft light, “There are countless people who lack mana, but he’s the only one who can absorb other people’s power.”

 

“Wait, then how do I pass him this mana…?”

 

“Through physical contact. Just do as the Emperor commands and clasp his hand. Each day, five minutes ought to be sufficient.”

 

Five minutes a day of holding was not even a work.

 

My body won’t be able to withstand it if I don’t give it out to others.

 

In light of what would occur afterward, it was relatively little.

 

The most crucial factor was that I needed to leave Cedric before war broke out.

 

“You’re not saying that I have to hold his hand for the rest of my life… right?”

 

Then I would want to cry so badly!

 

What’s the difference between getting tortured to death and dying away after losing a battle?

 

“No, just a few years… Yes, you don’t have to do that anymore if you stay like that for about five years,” said Caliberne.

 

At Caliberne’s words, I exhaled a sigh of relief.

 

Fortunately, the contract’s duration of five years allowed me to leave the Imperial Palace once it was through.

 

That’s fortunate.

 

“Hey, but why are you telling me this now–”

 

Just then, someone came knocking on the door.

 

“…are you there?”

 

The dull sound of knocking on the door made me stiff without realizing it.

 

⚔️

 

An enormously strong-built man with brown hair, dark brown eyes, and bulging muscles.

 

Paul, a close friend of Cedric, was waiting at the doorway.

 

He briefly called me into another room before settling me in a stunning-looking red chair.

 

I was seated across from Paul when he glanced down at me with cold brown eyes that were similar to the way he looked at the director. I gulped down my saliva as I stared at him.

 

‘Why the hell did you call me…’

 

The fact that he called me here but avoided conversation makes it extra scarier.

 

His arms and legs’ muscles seemed to obtrude threateningly for some reason.

 

“Umm.”

 

When I heard his icy voice, a cold sweat started to roll down my spine.

 

The bulging muscles appeared to twitch and threaten to crumple me if I didn’t provide the right answers.

 

‘I’m scared…!’

 

I heard a steady voice as I was trying to figure out how I could leave this place.

 

“I didn’t call you here for something significant, so you can relax.”

 

However, there was no resentment directed toward Paul’s words.

 

Paul continued talking calmly with his shoulders bowing a bit. I’m not sure if he noticed that I was looking at him with a bent neck at an angle of over 90 degrees due to the height difference.

 

“It’s just because His Majesty has ordered me to deliver it. You don’t have to be afraid at all.”

 

At first glance, he seemed angry because I could not feel any change in his emotions, but when I looked closely at his expression, I realized it.

 

The fact that there was no hostility in his dark brown eyes.

 

I smiled softly and thought to myself.

‘Your eyes might look fierce, but you’re a kind man.’

 

“And I’m sorry if I interrupted you, Lady Ciel.”

 

“Oh, no! It’s okay!”

 

Since that time, Paul has been very polite. When the tension subsided, I wiped my sweating hands and assured Paul that I was okay.

 

Paul didn’t start discussing the actual matter until I repeatedly affirmed that I was all right.

 

“There are many things I have to give you today, Lady Ciel. Firstly, this…”

 

In response, Paul reached inside his right hand and brought out a large sack.

 

“His Majesty has ordered me to deliver this.”

 

Inadvertent accepting the sack, I stumbled when dragging it because it was heavier than I had anticipated.

 

“Oh, be careful. It’s heavier than you think.” said Paul.

 

“This, what in the world was this?” asked Ciel.

 

Then Paul answered, “It’s a down payment. Open it and check the contents.”

 “A down payment?” 

There was no word like this that they would offer me.

 

Paul urged me to examine the sack, and when I did, I was greeted by a really bright light.

 

There were countless jewels in the bag.

 

The joyful glow and the overwhelming sense that I had reclaimed the light in this dark world made me want to confess to the crime I did not commit when the gems shone before my eyes. 

 

“Hey, this was really just a down payment?” asked Ciel.

 

“Oh, don’t you like jewels as a payment? If you want, we could change it to gold.” said Paul.

 

No, that’s not the problem now.

 

“No, I couldn’t believe you’re paying so much as a down payment. It’s even more burdensome…” explained Ciel.

 

“Ah, this was a separate payment from the 200 million Kerta.”

 Oh, my! 

If I had informed the

‘Labor Administration’

of the existence of such a business owner, they would have been recognized as a role model for employers.

 

Paul responded by raising a portion of his cloak, “And, um, I think that it would be better to maintain your mind and body in the best condition in order to teach his Highness Cedric well.”

 

He continued, pulling something out from his cape, “You said you were twelve, right? This was a good fairy tale book for emotional development, and this one was a music box. It’s good to play this when you can’t sleep.”

The title of the storybook Paul handed over was this.

 < I want to live in a snack house. >

, < The Rotten Teeth. >

And

< The Adventures of Tom the Foolish Knight. >

 

I was embarrassed to even look at the books he gave me, I wanted to turn my head away and hide in shame at the sight of the books’ puffy covers.

 

“Oh, would you like to have someone to sleep with or to sing you a lullaby?”

 “No!”

cried Ciel.

 

“Don’t you need a servant to read you a fairy tale?”

 

As I shook my head enthusiastically, Paul nodded and moved on to the next question.

 

“If you’re afraid of the dark, or you couldn’t go to the bathroom alone at night…”

 

“No, it’s okay! Really!”

 

Then Paul tilted his head and asked, “Oh, don’t you really need it? It’s fine to be honest. I know that Ciel was only twelve years old, living in the Imperial Palace alone might be scary.”

 

“No, I’m really fine.”

 

“Then let me know if you need anything later.”

 

“Yes, thank you…”

 

Paul let out a sigh and said, “Ciel, there’s one more thing I need to tell you, then I’ll take my leave.”

 

Paul scratched his head and focused his dark brown eyes on me.

 

“You don’t have to pretend to be mature. It’s okay to behave a little childish, except for official appearances.”

 

 “Yes?” muttered Ciel in confusion.

 

His eyes, which were as dark as chocolate, briefly exhibited a serene glow.

 

Before I knew it, the crumpled eyebrows that appeared menacing began to relax.

 

“I don’t want his Majesty Cedric and Ciel to act like that.”

 

He rose up to arrange his clothing after straightening his hunched back.

 

“Well, I hope you have a good night, Ciel. I look forward to your class with His Majesty Cedric…” said Paul with a smile on his lips for the first time.

 

Paul had that smile on his face the entire time he was in my room, and I knew that he was genuinely thinking of Cedric and me.

 ‘He was a decent man.’ 

I guess because of his appearance, I had previously assumed that he was frightening. But now I felt bad for him.

 

Paul’s touching remarks regarding looking after his master and the hefty down payment stacked in the corner of my room.

 

“If he does this thing, I can’t help but also work hard.”

 

I stretched out to the sword where Caliberne was and decided to develop a lesson plan straight away.

 

“Caliberne, are you there?”

 

A voice came from the sword that started to emit blue light.

 

“Oh, why?”

 

 “Hey.”

 

With a grin, I approached the sword emitting a blue light and whispered.

 “Let me ask you something.”