The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go

 “Ah.” 

As soon as I reached the top of the hill and felt the gust of wind, I realized that we had arrived at the temple.

 

I dismounted as soon as I reached the temple and glanced at the person in the distance, dressed in colorful robes and a crown on his head.

 

‘James seems to be alright, thank goodness.’ 

 

The woman in the carriage following closely and with a silver wig seemed unaffected.

 

She was dressed in armor bearing the coat badge of the Imperial Knights, as I’d come to expect, with a sword at her waist.

 

‘Where is Cedric?’

 

Just then, someone called my name from behind me.

 “Ciel.” 

The person who called me was dressed in a black robe that covered his entire body, but I recognized a pair of red glowing eyes beneath it.

 

I knew this was the man I was looking for.

 

‘Thank goodness. Cedric seems to have arrived unharmed.’

 

Relieved at his seemingly unscathed appearance, I smiled.

 “Your Majesty, how did you recognize me right away?” 

Like Cedric, I was dressed in black robes that covered my entire body.

 

Cedric had appeared from behind, so all he would have seen was my back in the robe.

 “I recognized you by your gait.” “Wow, you can tell me apart by that…?” “Yes.” 

With that, Cedric shifted his gaze from my back to James and the woman in the silver wig.

 “I see they are safe, as well.” “Yep. Thank goodness.” 

Cedric said that as we headed to the temple, instead of reducing our numbers, we would be better prepared for an attack through efficient deployment.

 

Hearing that, I thought hard and came up with an idea.

 

We would use camouflage tactics.

 

I dressed James in Cedric’s clothing, as he was similar in build to Cedric and could defend himself somewhat with the use of a thunderbolt.

 

Then, taking advantage of the fact that Cedric was known to travel with me most of the time, I dressed a palace mage in my likeness and sent him to ride next to James.

 

In reality, Cedric and I were in different carriages, with our black robes pulled up to our heads to make it hard to tell who was who.

 “I think this is a good idea, Ciel. Thank you for thinking of it.” “No, no. You’re being flattering.” “Are your hands any better?” 

I clench and unfold my bruised right hand in front of Cedric as he asks.

 “Yeah, I’m glad it looks okay.” 

Before we left, I thanked Cedric for pulling me in the opposite direction when the horse ran over me.

 

He’d examined my hand, which had healed, and now he was checking it again, obviously bothered by my injury.

 

‘I’ll have to restrain myself for a while.’ 

 

Each time my magic was unstable, I felt bad that I seemed to make Cedric worry.

 

I was rather numb to the idea of myself getting hurt, but Cedric, seeing it, would not be.

 

‘Yeah, that’s how I feel when I hear that he’s sick or injured.’

 

When I think about it, Cedric’s reaction was somewhat understandable.

 

Of course, that doesn’t mean I understand his usual tendency to obsess over me.

 “Your Majesty.” 

Paul called out to Cedric from out of nowhere.

 

Behind him stood the priests, dressed in robes of pure white fabric embroidered with gold thread.

 “Greetings, Emperor.” 

Standing alongside each other, the priests bowed their heads toward Cedric.

 “Yes, it’s about time.” 

Cedric, who had returned their greeting, looked back at me and said.

 “I’ll be right back.” “You took care of that, didn’t you?” 

Cedric smiled sheepishly and nodded.

 “Of course. You’re the one who gave it to me, not anyone else.” “Right.” 

Relieved that he’d taken care of the leaves, I took a step back, but for some reason, Cedric followed me and took a step forward.

 

‘What the hell is he doing all of a sudden?’ 

 “Ciel, don’t leave yet.” “What? Uh…” 

Why the hell was he giving me this adorable look, like he was looking at a stash of honey?

 

Amidst my confusion, he quickly wraps his arm around my left hand and squeezes.

 

And then there was a loud, unmistakable pop.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Cedric smiled seductively as he kissed the ring finger of my left hand, the spot where the sign of the oath was placed.

 “I promise.” 

The gentle voice said.

 “I’ll be back in no time, just be patient.” 

And with his usual mischievous smile, he waved and left.

 

But having been kissed by my employer so unexpectedly in the presence of others, priests living in the most sacred place in the Empire, I had to watch him disappear into a transparent barrier.

 

The shame that followed was mine as well.

  “Okay, it’s almost time for the Oracle. Please go inside and wait.” 

The priest spoke as he opened the door to the anointing chamber.

 

Cedric nodded and looked back at Paul, who was wearing a hood.

 “I’ll be right out, Paul.” “Yes, please. I’ll wait in the next room, as I always do.” 

The royal family was allowed to enter the temple, accompanied by neither a sword apostle nor a mage, but a personal servant.

 

This meant that unlike swordsmen and wizards, who were barred from the guarded entrance to the temple, a commoner’s chief attendant could accompany the imperial family for a considerable distance on their way to receive oracles.

 

But the servant was also forbidden to enter from here, from the depths of the temple.

 

The massive stone doors were closed behind them, leaving only Cedric and a single priest in a large room with a round well in the center.

 

‘The water is already glowing.’

 

That meant it was not long before the oracle descended.

 

Hurrying to the well, Cedric clasped his hands together in front of it and said a short prayer.

 

When he finished, he stood in front of the well and stared intently at the water’s surface, which was gradually beginning to take on a glowing white color.

 “The oracle will come out soon, you just need to wait.” 

The priest, after a quick glance at the well’s condition, clasped both hands together and spoke respectfully.

 

Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Cedric gazed into the well, which was increasingly illuminated, and thought.

 

‘There should be a clue to Caliberne.’

 

No, actually, anything was good.

 

Anything that would protect Ciel from those who sought Caliberne.

 

‘I’d rather have the oracle come down and say that Caliberne has completely vanished from this world.’

 

Cedric knew it was unlikely, and he secretly felt pathetic for wishing for it, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

 

‘Ciel can only hide so much from the world that she owns Caliberne.’

 

If it was true that Caliberne had chosen a master in this world, Ciel was the only one who could be her master.

 

Caliberne resides only in those who are skilled in swordsmanship and possess a large amount of magic energy suitable for magic swordsmanship.

 

‘Of course, judging from the way you acted when I mentioned Caliberne, I don’t think Ciel herself knows anything about it.’

 

As yet, no one has attacked Ciel in the name of Caliberne.

 

‘Those who seek Caliberne may know that its owner is skilled with the sword, but they may not know that it was always chosen for someone with more magic.’

 

Cedric himself had only learned of it from a secret record left by a certain Emperor long ago, in a restricted section of the West Wing of the Imperial Palace of Deamant.

 

But that didn’t give me any peace of mind.

 

For at any moment, the Oracle might descend on another nation that was targeting Caliberne, and the truth would be known.

 

Just then, a very powerful light emanated from the surface of the well.

 

‘Here it comes.’

 

The long-awaited oracle had finally arrived.

 

Staring at the surface of the well, now completely white, Cedric held his breath silently.

 [The true master of the sword.]

 

Then a golden inscription appeared on the surface.

 

Cedric’s heart pounded at the word ‘sword’ that appeared before him.

 [You will never return to where you came from without a price.]

 

Cedric’s blood ran cold as he looked at the words on the surface.

 

‘Never to return…?’

 

The words on the surface disappeared, and new ones appeared, one after the other.

 [When the Sword’s Master closed its eyes, only to catch the last of its light.] 

 

What does it mean?

 

‘Close her eyes?’ 

 

Cedric bit his lip and peered into the well, his hands trembling with anxiety, clutching tightly at the edge of the well’s opening.

 [You]

 

His stomach burned as the words slowly appeared.

 

Still, not wanting to miss a word, Cedric gritted his teeth and stared into the well.

 [The most precious one]

 

The very last line of the Oracle. That last part was about to appear.

 

It was just then.

 Boom—! 

Cedric looked up at the tremendous sound that shook the silent temple.

 

And a rapidly collapsing sheet of cloth came crashing down on him.