The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go

“So we’re getting married in five and a half years?”

It was a misjudgment.

Cedric was smarter than I thought, and he had an unnecessarily good memory.

And he was a scary kid.

“That’s what you’re talking about, right Ciel?”

While pretending to be natural, I gulped down while looking at his eyes that secretly induced the answer of ‘yes.’

[Wow, I think you’d be in trouble if you say that you’re going to marry the yellow boy. At that age, I could already feel the madness in his eyes.]

Caliberne, who was easygoing, whistled, leaving a line of comments as usual.

[Of course, I think kids with little taste are more attractive than ordinary kids!]

‘Argh! Please don’t tell me your taste. I don’t really want to know.’

I have to stay still even though it couldn’t be helped, but this kid really doesn’t help at times like this.

“Uh, uhm, Your Majesty. As far as I know…”

In the end, I couldn’t overcome the burdensome gaze and managed to hardly speak out.

If I don’t say anything, he might misunderstand it as if I’m agreeing with his opinion.

“We could get married if you hold my hand for 2,000 times, but there are conditions.”

“Conditions?” Cedric frowned and said.

“Yes, I heard that the people holding someone’s hand should already be dating.”

Of course, it’s all nonsense.

I was just trying to figure out how to get out of this situation.

Even if they are actually lovers, the possibility of marriage would not be decided by the number of times they hold hands.

To be honest, there are probably a lot more couples who got married without holding each other’s hand for more than 2,000 times.

Nevertheless, Cedric’s eyes drooped grimly.

“Should we be dating?”

“Yes, from what I heard.”

Then Cedric turned his head and pondered about something, then he looked back at me and opened his lips.

“Then Ciel, we-”

“Your Highness Cedric! You have to get ready for dinner!”

The birds sitting on the tree flew away at the loud cry of Paul and the nanny looking for Cedric.

Along with that, Cedric’s voice was completely overshadowed by the nanny and Paul’s voice.

I didn’t miss the fact that Cedric’s face, who had a very serious expression, crumpled.

‘Nice Timing!’

Nervous that Cedric might say something strange again, I got up and looked down at Cedric.

“Paul and the nanny are looking for you. It’s getting dark now, so let’s get back.”

Cedric opened his lips as if he had more to say, but eventually closed it again and held my hand.

“Oh, my lord. You’ll catch a cold again. Let’s go inside!”

“Wait, nanny! I could walk well on my own!”

“Ciel, thank you for today’s class. You can return now, we’ll accompany his highness.”

Soon, Cedric turned to the palace, unable to beat the nanny and Paul, who were constantly worried that he had to go back before the sun went down because he had just recovered from his cold.

As he returned to the palace, he kept glancing back.

When he looked back for the last time, with tears in his eyes he shouted.

“Ciel, see you tomorrow!” Then Cedric gently bowed his head towards her.

Ciel did not leave until he finally turned his head and shouted, just before entering the palace, and until the black-haired boy disappeared.

Before I knew it, when I looked back, the sky was dyed blue.

My twelve-year-old summer, which seemed to last forever, passed by like that.

✤

【Fifteen years old】

Ciel went on an expedition outside the capital and caught the Blue Chimera Dragon, which was famous for its ferocious behavior.

Caliberne scolded me again, saying that the mana could have gone wild, but nothing happened.

I was awarded the title of Count in recognition of my small achievements so far, along with defeating the Blue Chimera Dragon.

And the Commander of knights, Farbe retired after appointing me as the next commander.

News about Persephine was still unheard, and Cedric didn’t seem to show much interest in her.

✤

【Seventeen years old】

Thanks to me, Cedric now has no problems using mana except when using large scale magic.

Still, he’s not yet capable of using a thunderbolt.

Caliberne declared that my problem with mana was completely cured.

After the contract period’s over, there’s really no reason to get involved with him anymore.

Now, as long as Cedric and Persephine get married, there’s not much more to care about.

So I brought up Persephine’s story in front of Cedric, but the bastard didn’t pay any attention.

In addition, this bastard recently talked about renewing the contract.

Even if the heroine and Cedric didn’t get married, I thought it would be a priority for her name to stand out for now.

✤

【Nineteen years old】

At the end of that winter, when it was unusually snowing heavily, the emperor passed away.

The palace, which had always shone in gold, was covered with dark sky.

While everyone was weeping silently, Cedric watched his father’s funeral resolutely without shedding any tears.

He would become the next emperor, while he says that if he falls, all of his people would also collapse.

✤

Imperial calendar, September 2, year 872.

It was the day before the full moon, two months after the new emperor ascended to the throne.

“Thank you so much for telling me,, but honestly, I’m embarrassed.”

A green-haired man, sitting across the table, put his hands together and opened his lips with a puzzled expression.

“Was this so embarrassing?”

Looking at the green-haired man, I said, resting my chin and tapping the table with my fingers.

“Yes… I didn’t think the day would come when I would become the Commander of the Knights.”

That’s the problem with this person. People are too humble.

Of course, that’s why I believe it.

“Lord Turka, there’s no one more qualified than you. Trust me.”

“But I still couldn’t believe…”

“You don’t believe me, do you?

Lord Turka waved his hand in surprise at the mischievous remark.

“No way, Commander. I didn’t mean that.”

I smiled satisfactorily as I looked at his honest face.

“You’ll do well. You’ve actually been in the knights longer than I am. I have experience as a vice captain, so I’m sure you’ll do well.”

“Haha, that would be great.”

Seeing Sir Turka answering that, Ciel sighed. “You’re overly humble. You could have pretended to be better.”

“But you don’t like people who show off.”

“Oh, you know me that well.” Ciel smiled and poured tea into the empty teacup.

Lord Turka stared at her like that. He seemed somewhat restless, but he wouldn’t open his mouth.

“Not enough tea? Would you like more?”

“Oh, n-no.” Lord Turka shook his head as if nothing had happened, but he also seemed to have something to say.

Eventually, I couldn’t stand it and asked.

“Was there something wrong, Lord Turka?”

At that, Turka looked embarrassed, tried to look elsewhere as if he had been stabbed at the right point.

“Well, it’s not like it’s a problem, but…”

“It’s okay, talk to me.”

“No, it’s a question out of pure curiosity-” Turka fixed his black eyes on Ciel and spoke in an indecisive tone.

“I’m really grateful that you gave me the chance to be the next commander, but could the transfer as the next commander be done after a long time?”

After all, the commander of the knights, Farbe, retired at the age of 60.

If you think about it normally, it’s usually the case.

“I don’t think you’ll be able to retire in 10 years, or 30 to 40 years at the earliest. I was wondering if you really needed to appoint me as the next commander.”

But Ciel didn’t intend to follow the usual circumstances.

After pouring out his words, Ciel spoke quietly to Turka, who was drinking tea.

“No. I’m retiring soon.”

“Wha-, what did you say…?”

At that word, Turka spit out the tea he was drinking.

Ciel smiled calmly as she handed a handkerchief to Lord Turka, who had black tea dripping on his lips.

“I’m going to retire at fortnight.”

 ✤

At that time, Cedric was having a meeting with the ministers he trusted as usual.

“So, Keitan’s daughter was not allowed. You know well that the Keitan family was still in an ambiguous position to be considered a pro-imperial faction, right?”

When the minister, with his long gray beard and ponytail, exclaimed with excitement, the other minister sitting across from him raised his voice, saying,

“What should I do if there are no suitable women from the pro-imperial faction family? Everyone’s already married or too young to become an empress. However, we couldn’t just bring in a random noble woman!”

“If this was the case, let’s not find someone from the Empire, let’s look in another country! Ackeleta’s Princess Persephine was still-”

In the words of the ministers who were busy shouting, Cedric massaged his throbbing forehead.

Another Persephine story.

‘I wondered who the hell this Persephine was.’

That’s how it sounded to Cedric who’s not interested in their discussion.

“So, Lady Keitan was better-”

“Stop.”

In the end, Cedric, unable to bear it, interrupted the ministers’ words.

As ten pairs of eyes looked back at him, Cedric raised his hand and spoke in a tired voice.

“Please, explain it to me. Why on earth are you guys having a heated discussion about my spouse here?”

“But this was a matter of great importance for the survival of the empire, Your Majesty!”

The servant, who insisted that Lady Keitan was better, appealed earnestly, and the rest seemed to agree with his opinion.

The more he did, the more tired Cedric felt.

“I understand, but I don’t think now was the right time for it. There are other things that are more urgent now.”

“Your Majesty, I dare say, at this rate you may lose some really good spouses.”

(N: The minister really used ‘spouses’ here even in raw.)

“I’ll do my best to make sure I won’t miss the right time-”

However, the ministers, worried that their master might not be able to get married at the right time, or that they would lose a good spouse after the age of marriage, couldn’t agree with that statement.

“Your Majesty, please reconsider your decision!”

“Your Majesty, that’s not–”

“Your Majesty, absolutely must not-!”

Cedric glanced at the ministers who got up with desperate faces as if they were about to shed tears at any moment, couldn’t stand it anymore.

“I already have someone in mind!”

The crowd shuddered at his words.

Ten pairs of eyes that were about to cry were now staring at Cedric.

“Your Majesty, you already have someone in mind…”

“You have never said anything about it so far, have you?”

The ministers, bewildered by the emperor’s first revelation, began to clamor with each other.

Paul’s lips, who had been standing next to them and assisting Cedric, moved anxiously.

“Your Majesty, then, the one you had in mind… Who in the world was it?”

Considering that no one mentioned anything else, he seemed to represent the curiosity of the other nine ministers.

Cedric smiled softly as he looked into those eyes that were mixed with curiosity, anxiety and anticipation.

Watching his red eyes glow dangerously like that, Paul sighed inwardly thinking that his master might do something unexpected again.

“Ciel Minerva, the Knights Commander.”

The faces of the ministers gradually hardened at the low voice that filled the conference hall.