NOVEL NEXT chapter 37
37 – Bet 3
Since the sound came 30 seconds after Eirika hung up, naturally, I assumed it was Eirika who called.
[In that brief moment, those words sounded like I had just finished a call with Erika.]
I never thought the emperor would reach out.
Of course, my communication device was linked to the emperor’s, so I knew we would eventually talk. But never did I expect it to be at such a timing.
[Come to think of it, you called the daughter of Jim ‘Erika.’ If Jim’s memory serves me right, until the last time, you referred to her as the princess. When did you become so familiar? I’m genuinely curious. Will you tell me?]
I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.
Well, what should I say!
Erika asked me to call her by her name during our first call.
So, at that time, I didn’t attach much significance to it.
There wasn’t much deliberation on how to respond.
Let’s just say I called her Erika because she asked me to.
What’s so special about calling someone by their name?
I tried to speak, but the emperor was quicker to speak than I was to open my mouth.
[Do you know why?]
“Excuse me? What are you talking about?”
[You are the only one, excluding the family, who calls Erika by her name.]
“· · · · · · · ·”
Phew, let’s think again.
The emperor clearly asked when I became so close to Erika.
The first time I met Erika was when I was kidnapped by the emperor and returned to the dormitory.
At that time, we exchanged simple greetings and parted ways.
The second meeting was when Erika suddenly interrupted the conversation between the Emperor and the Cardinal Rogue.
Erika asked me to tell her everything I knew about the Cardinal Rogue.
The third meeting was when I got injured while learning the shadow steps from the Emperor, and Erika healed me.
During the healing process, I talked with Erika.
We didn’t have any particularly special conversation.
After the first healing from Erika, whenever I got hurt while learning from the Emperor, Erika continued to heal me.
Since I never went through the learning process from the Emperor without getting injured, it was practically like meeting every day.
I had been pondering for a long time, but I didn’t come up with any meaningful results.
“During our last call, Erika, no, Her Highness asked me to call her by her name.”
In the end, the answer I chose was to tell the truth.
No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like the best answer.
[During our last call, that means, it’s not the first time we talked with Erika.]
Huh? Is that so?
[Come to think of it, it seems like Erika has been talking to someone every day before going to bed. And the time Erika started making calls is after you entered the academy. Do you think this is just a coincidence?]
“It’s not a coincidence, is it?”
There’s no one who can confidently call it a coincidence after hearing the Emperor’s words.
[Moreover, today Erika also said she wants you as her bodyguard.]
Since it was a conversation I had with Erika before the Emperor contacted me, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
“Initially, when Erika said she wanted someone as her bodyguard, I refused.”
“················”
[However, I granted permission for you to become a guardian knight. It was because I was confident that by the time you graduate from the academy, you would be stronger than most imperial knights. But well.]
The Emperor paused and tapped something lightly.
Since neither I nor the Emperor said anything, the sound of the Emperor tapping seemed unusually louder.
Probably tapping on a chair.
I perceived the sound as if it were contemplating how to kill me in this situation.
No matter how I pondered, I couldn’t find a solution to escape this predicament.
[Your Majesty.]
At that moment, a lifeline of salvation descended upon me.
The sound of someone calling the Emperor reached me through the communication device.
[Your, Your Majesty.]
The Emperor seemed taken aback and bowed.
There was only one person in the world who could make the Emperor like this.
The wife of the Emperor and the mother of Erika and Lucas.
Former Saint. The current Empress of the empire.
[I interfere with Erika’s · · · ·. It’s · · · meddling · · ·.]
Although I couldn’t hear what the Empress said due to the distance with the communication device.
[But Erika · · ·.]
There was only one thing I could be sure of, and that was that the Emperor was being scolded by the Empress.
[Your Majesty.]
[Understood.]
After a while, the sound of the empress leaving echoed through the communication device.
[· · · · · · · · ·]
The emperor remained silent, so I spoke first.
“By the way, why did Your Majesty contact me?”
[Ahem, I heard that you’ll be fighting with the prince of the Arshen Kingdom, staking expulsion.]
Today’s events—Eureka knew, and so did the emperor.
“Has Your Majesty also heard it from Lucas?”
[If Jim wishes, he can know everything happening at the academy.]
This statement is straightforward.
The emperor has an informant at the academy.
Considering the talent there, not having an informant would be stranger.
[Even among the third-year students, he seems quite strong. Seems skilled in swordsmanship, and if it were an ordinary first-year, the duel would probably end in an instant.]
“But then again, I’m not an ordinary first-year, am I? If I were to fight that person, who do you think would win?”
[Prince Lofri, being a third-year, is likely proficient in swordsmanship and probably has considerable stamina. Moreover, being a prince, he has likely consumed a fair amount of potions.]
“So, Your Majesty thinks that he would defeat me?”
[Naturally, you would be the one winning.]
Even though Lofri has better stamina, sword skills, and has consumed potions more than me, the emperor was confident that I would win.
[If there’s anything to be cautious about when Prince Lofri fights, it’s uncertain what magical tools and artifacts he might bring.]
“It doesn’t matter what magical tools and artifacts he brings. I will win anyway.”
[If you become burdened, come under my wings. I’ll nurture you for three years, taking responsibility.]
“Well, that doesn’t sound too bad. Of course, I have no intention of losing.”
Fortunately, the Emperor seemed to have no further interest in discussing matters related to Erika.
[Oh, by the way, there’s something I haven’t mentioned yet.]
As if he had forgotten something, the Emperor spoke.
“What’s the matter?”
[Come to the palace this weekend. Let’s see how much you’ve improved in the meantime.]
I won’t let a scarecrow test my skills just to see how much I’ve improved.
Certainly, I’ll spar with the Emperor, just like when I learned from him.
It means that I’ll be praised by him until I’m about to lose this weekend.
Should I say I have plans for the weekend and decline?
[By the way, if you refuse, I might feel a bit disappointed.]
“I will definitely come!”
.
.
.
Ring – Ring.
After ending the call with the Emperor, the sound from the communicator echoed shortly after.
To avoid the same mistake as before, I checked who was calling this time and answered the call.
Fortunately, the person who contacted me this time was not the Emperor, but Erika.
[Who have you been talking to for so long?]
As soon as I answered the call, Erika spoke.
I guess it was while I was on the phone with the Emperor that someone tried to contact me.
But her tone was like that of a wife interrogating her husband.
“Is this a bit overboard?”
[Your Highness?]
“Somebody seems to be quite obsessed with you.”
Erika, who heard my words, spoke with a slightly chilly voice.
[Hmm~ Is it a woman?]
“No. Unfortunately, it’s a man.”
[Really?]
Even though I said it was a man, Erika seemed skeptical for some reason.
“Of course. I have no reason to lie to Erika, do I?”
[Who are the women connected to your communication unit?]
I don’t know why she’s asking, but she must have her reasons.
Right now, the people connected to my communication unit are the Emperor, Lucas, and Erika. Only three people.
“There’s only Erika as a woman.”
[· · · · · · · ·]
Even though I answered Erika’s question, for some reason, she remained silent.
“Yerica?”
The response came after a very slight pause, accompanied by a sudden question.
[Could you repeat what you just said? I didn’t quite catch it.]
“Yerica.”
[Before that.]
“There’s only one woman named Yerica?”
[Hmm, that’s right. There’s only one woman, me.]
Yerica said nothing more.
I could hear a faint laughter through the communication device, but it was probably just a glitch.
“Master?”
Yerica called me with a slightly trembling voice.
“Yes?”
“I can’t sleep, so can we talk for a bit longer tonight?”
The thought of talking to Yerica until I fell asleep was surprisingly comforting.
“Of course, if that’s what Yerica wants.”
After that, I had an unusual conversation with Yerica until I fell asleep.