NOVEL NEXT chapter 122
122 – Tomb of the First Emperor (3)
‘Noisy… ‘
Ruid woke up in a commotion.
Charlotte was on his knees with her hands up, and Amelia was restless.
“Are you awake?”
“… Huh.”
Louise stood up scratching her messy hair.
“Kang!”
The fox ran up to Louis and licked her cheek.
She’s finally coming to her senses.
‘That’s right. Yesterday… ‘
Ruid crossed over to the first line of defense through the gate.
However, there were no students who should have stayed after arriving.
I didn’t think it would go smoothly since it’s the combination of Amelia and Charlotte, but I never thought it would even arrive.
I had no choice but to call Miho, and while I was dismissed, I transferred to the place where the ‘Tomb of the First Emperor’ was located.
“Louis is lovely even as a familiar.”
By the way, Victoria really liked her Miho.
Well, to northerners, arctic foxes are recognized as “Animals that bring good luck.”
More than anything, it’s cute.
“By the way, Mama. Why is Charles kneeling?”
“I don’t know.”
Victoria really didn’t know.
Charlotte awkwardly raised her head.
“Choi, you are expressing the utmost obedience.”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
“… I.”
Amelia opened her mouth cautiously.
“Um, no. What is the head of the family doing here?”
‘Am I still ashamed?’
Amelia was in timid mode.
As she touched the tips of her fingers, she looked at Victoria.
As expected, our second sister is cute.
“Ruid wants to see the ruins.”
“Yes… ok Louie. You can’t use it to annoy the head of household.”
“At least I didn’t cry.”
“Poop.”
“… ?”
Amelia glared at Charlotte with a straight face.
Charlotte turned his head and whistled.
But I didn’t know how to whistle, so all I could hear was the wind blowing.
“You seem to be playing the role of an older sister.”
Victoria looked at Amelia with her warm eyes.
“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have sent Louis to the Islands.”
Amelia replied with a flushed face.
“Go, thank you… “
“It is not a compliment.”
“Yes.”
Amelia, who looked like she was going to wag her tail at any moment, lost her spirits.
It was a bit pitiful… I’m glad she’s the usual Amelia.
“And, it is impossible for Windsor, who should always light the way forward, to wander on the road.”
Amelia was completely sullen. No, she looked depressed beyond that.
“… Sorry.”
“Now, isn’t it time to understand the geography of the North? The successor is Irene, but you have not yet been deprived of your successor status. Trying to catch up with your sister even a little… “
The number one thing you shouldn’t do to your children.
Compare with other families!
Ruid, who lived the life of an unemployed man, knew that.
‘This will break the family.’
Ruid, for whom happiness is the number one priority in life, did not want discord in his family.
But that’s why it’s a bad effect to hit the cover here.
Who would like a little brother to shield him?
That only leads to other misery.
So, Ruid suggested the best plan.
“Mama.”
“Are you hungry?”
Victoria, who was so cold that it was like an ice field, her mood changed in an instant.
She caressed Louis de cheek with a friendly face.
“No. I want to show you my assistant.”
“Let’s see.”
Louis took Victoria’s hand and dragged her along.
Victoria was pleased.
Before Ruid left the barracks, she looked back.
Amelia looked down at her floor, her face pensive.
‘I think it’s strange again.’
“Ame noona.”
“Ugh, yes.”
Amelia looked at Ruid in amazement.
“I like my older sister the most.”
“… !”
“So, cheer up. Because I will cheer you on.”
After saying that, Louis ran after her.
… I was a bit ashamed.
**
“You have already become a person who knows how to be considerate of others.”
Victoria was just admirable about Ruid.
Thinking of my sister, I knew how to say pretty things, and I thought that I had grown up a lot.
It couldn’t be more lovable because he’s playing the role of the youngest.
But-
‘I’ll have to be careful when scolding Amelia from now on.’
The Windsor family’s view of education is not so easy.
Victoria later thought that she should call Amelia aside and reprimand her.
“I think Mama is too strict with Ame noona.”
“There are children who do well when they are praised well, and there are children who do well when they are strict. Ame is the latter. She gets elated at the slightest compliment and makes her mistakes.”
“Still, be a little nicer.”
“Don’t be mindful.”
As I was heading to the place where the academy students were gathered, someone ran up.
It was Vincent, the leader of the 3rd group of the 2nd Knights.
“Vicky! Did you finish your conversation with the vice-captain?”
Victoria has kept her identity hidden.
Maybe that was natural.
Because the authority of the Duke of Windsor is enormous, the knights can’t do their job properly even if they just appear.
So, when I want to do a simple patrol or investigate something, I act as a person called ‘Vicky’.
Vicky belongs to the 1st Knights of Windsor, and is set to be under Victoria’s direct command.
However, since she doesn’t wear makeup separately from Victoria, the trap is that she recognizes everyone she knows. – Change the color of her eyes.
However, when promoting as ‘Vicky’, she wears her long hair loose, and then people who know her face treat her as ‘Vicky of the Knights of Windsor’ rather than the Duke of Windsor.
It was a secret rule that spread throughout the duchy.
By the way, Ruid didn’t lie about his identity.
Children’s privilege.
“Yes. It is an order to continue the mission. Don’t mind this side, you go on with your work.”
“Yes!”
Respect gleamed in Vincent’s eyes.
The 2nd Knights were more like soldiers than knights. To them, the 1st Order of the Knights is a huge mountain and a dream they want to achieve.
“Louis. Where is the assistant named ‘Ella’ you mentioned? Let’s meet and go to the ruins.”
The tone was to go to an amusement park at least. Ruid pointed towards the students gathered in front of the campfire.
“Maybe over there. But mama Can’t Ella come with me?”
“Hmm. That’s trouble Did she say she would bring her later? Does that mean you’ll accept me as a member of the North?”
Louise nodded her head without hesitation.
She’s sorry, but she didn’t have a choice with Ella.
Where is the professor who will let go of such a talented person?
“Still, it’s ambiguous. We haven’t done a solid background check yet-“
Getting permanent residency in the North is tricky. In particular, it must be an identity with an accurate source. Of course, criminals are not allowed, and nobles are also politically dangerous.
“Ella is definitely a commoner. That’s what I checked. Right?”
“Kang!”
Miho panted and waggled his tail. Ruid hugged Miho and looked up at Victoria.
Victoria is knocked out of her head by the eye-attack of her own son, and her cute arctic fox.
“… Let’s just take it to the entrance. The exact investigation hasn’t even started yet… And keep it a secret from others.”
Louise stroked her fox, raising the corners of her mouth into her.
‘Are you quite quick-witted? It’s useful.’
[So, please take care of the amount in the future.]
‘Sorry about that.’
**
The entrance to the ruins presumed to be ‘the tomb of the first emperor’ was a stone staircase.
Since it stretched underground, I thought I had found something like this.
– It’s just an estimate, so don’t be too disappointed. It’s possible that it isn’t.
Victoria’s words came to mind.
Ruid wanted to confirm.
“Feelings.”
Ruid’s eyes burned blue.
‘There is no special preservation magic applied, and the estimated age is 900 to 800 years ago. I guess the times are right.’
There was a high probability that this site was the tomb of the first emperor.
“Lu, Ruid-sama… this person is?”
Victoria was glaring at her with her wary eyes.
Ella was a bit taken aback at the expression that looked like she was looking at a thief.
“Who… ….”
“A member of the 1st Knights of Windsor, get out of the way.”
As I was about to introduce myself, Victoria replied coldly.
‘The assistant was a girl.’
Ruid is pure. She is like pure white snow without a single flaw.
She is also very cute and lovely. Victoria was sure.
On this continent, there could be no woman who didn’t like Ruid.
In other words, all the women in the world were, to her Victoria, criminals who had their eyes on her one and only son. Same with Ella.
‘If you have dirty feelings for my son… ‘
Victoria couldn’t help it. She has no choice but to withdraw the order she gave to Irene, ‘Stop killing me.
In order to do that, I had to check. Of course she would like Louis, but her choice of Victoria would be different depending on whether it was her ‘love’ or ‘respect’.
She unknowingly risked her life while being tested, said Ella blankly.
“You were a member of the Knights of Windsor… You are very beautiful.”
“… ….”
“Since he looks so much like Ruid, I thought he might be a distant relative… Oh, oh, I’m sorry. Ho, were you rude?”
In Victoria’s mind, Ella’s score went up by 2 points.
“Let’s go down. Mama… Vicky.”
“Let’s see.”
Victoria cradled her Louise in her arms as she descended her steps.
“I can walk alone, too.”
“The top of the stairs is high. Louie. Always be careful in places like this.”
Louise looked at Victoria with her salty eyes.
‘If you want to hide it, hide it properly. Where is the article that treats her Young master badly?’
Victoria was not very good at acting.
Fortunately, Ella, who was not familiar with etiquette, seemed to say ‘I guess so’ and move on.
When I went down the stairs, what came out was a huge cavity.
Two gigantic statues of knights guarded the larger gate on both sides.
‘If it’s a cliché, if I do something wrong, it will move, right?’
Louise blinked and got down from Victoria’s arms.
“This is… ?”
“It’s a historic site, Ella. Your mission today is to do your best here.”
‘To be precise, to Victoria.’
If Victoria didn’t acknowledge it, Ruid couldn’t help it either.
But she thought it couldn’t be. Ella is a genius magical girl who surprises even herself.
“Oh, yes. Can I open this door?”
Victoria said in a grave tone.
“It is not easy. It’s a precise device, so if you touch something wrong, you can’t enter forever.”
“Yes, I will be careful.”
There was a stone tablet embedded in the center of the door, but there were strange characters written on it.
Ella looked around with her curious eyes.
“There are letters. Unfortunately, it’s a language I don’t know.”
“It is an ancient language. It reads, ‘Is this a blessing or a curse’.”
“Isn’t it originally ‘Is this a curse or a blessing’?”
“You got it right, Louie. Right. But that’s written the other way around. It is the only clue that can open this door.”
Victoria stroked Louis with a happy face.
‘It’s simple.’
Ruid rubbed her eyes as she yawned.
I already knew how to open that door.
With the 5th magic, I can turn it to a time when that door didn’t exist.
‘But, then it wouldn’t be fun.’
For some reason, I didn’t want to write a foul in a space full of romance like this.
Ruid always hoped that Ella would release her gracefully.
“It’s nice to be proud of your assistant, but Louie, the problem seems too difficult.”
Victoria said calmly.
“Even a team made up of many wizards and explorers at the highest level couldn’t even get a hold of it. All I found out was that it was ‘too dangerous’.”
“Ah, I found it.”
“If you are a genius Louis, you will easily find out soon, but no one else will… “
“Looks like you’re doing it like this.”
“?”
Ruid grinned.
Ella turned her slate in reverse.
Drruck!
The door vibrated with the sound of gear wheels turning.
Bits of plaster fell from the huge door, and Victoria’s pupils quivered.
“Well, Ella is a genius.”
Louis looked up at Victoria with her triumphant eyes.
‘Huh?’
Beyond Victoria, who was quite embarrassed, she saw something foreign.
The statue of the knight who was clearly looking straight ahead was-
They turned their heads and were looking at them.
Victoria seemed to have noticed her too, and put her sword in her hand. But seeing all the ruins, she seemed to hesitate for a moment.
“Mama. Wait a minute.”
Ruid pointed at Ella.
Ella was lying on her floor and writing down some mathematical formulas with magic.
“This joint has some magic. Interpreted, it’s magic that moves the statues on either side. There are two orders, one asking for blood and the other asking for an answer.”
Ella’s hands became faster. The statue raised a huge sword high into the sky.
Victoria closed her eyes while holding her sword. I could feel Victoria’s magic spreading lightly.
‘This is Mama’s power.’
It felt like the statue was already broken to Ruid.
“The blade of the statue is also enchanted. If it doesn’t match the pre-entered blood, the ruins will automatically collapse. Of course, even if the statue is destroyed.”
Victoria was unmoved.
Ruid could tell. That it was the tomb of the first emperor, and if something went wrong, it would be destroyed right away.
However, the statue did not move with its sword high in the sky.
Ella got up from her seat.
“Magic has priorities. Of the two inputs, the one I put first was ‘the answer to the question.’ I used that to omit the blood request process and changed the formula so that the statue chooses the more important one.”
As soon as Ella finished speaking, her statue put down the sword.
[Chosen one.]
[Welcome.]
It was an unpleasant voice.
Ruid was just amazed.
Victoria seemed to be the same. She opened her eyes and stared blankly at Ella.
[Then I will ask-]
[Is it a curse or a blessing?]
[What is ‘it’ here?]
Ella spoke without hesitation.
“Eternal life.”
[Enter.]
[Enter.]
The statue stopped moving and-.
Koo Goo Goo -.
The door started to open by itself.