Chapter 90

90

"Then you know that, right?"

Sharent Clown extended his arms to embrace me and set me down on the floor.

I looked at Sharent Clown, watching his approaching hands.

"Isn't that, Shubbu?"

He hesitated, his hand slowly retracting in mid-air.

Sharent Clown met my gaze, his eyes deep and dark, making it hard to tell what he was thinking.

"Do you like the teacher?"

"Teacher? Who... Oh."

He sighed softly.

"Are you talking about Empress Esmeralda?"

I didn't know her name, but it was surprising.

Come to think of it, she had never introduced herself as the empress from the first time we met until now.

He also seemed to enjoy being called "teacher."

"I think she is a respectable person, but why are you asking?"

If Sharent Clown admitted it, she must be quite capable.

He is not often so favorable towards people.

"Is the teacher sick?"

"...Yeah, she's not in good health. I heard she has overcome many critical moments. Because of that, the emperor almost kept her confined, but the empress strongly opposed it."

If I were in the emperor's position and she was in such poor health, I would have confined her to a room and focused on her treatment.

Honestly, I could understand the emperor's intentions.

While it doesn't feel good to think that Sharent Clown had to struggle for two years because the emperor wouldn't let her go, it's not entirely incomprehensible.

"Jugul, get out."

"Who?"

"The teacher."

At my words, Sharent Clown's forehead creased.

Looking at his deeply furrowed face, I bowed my head.

Sharent Clown was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"Her health is managed by the emperor. The best doctors are there, so there's no need to worry."

Sharent Clown reached out and gently ruffled my hair.

His soft touch slowly ran through my hair. He must have thought I was worried about the sick empress.

"Would you be relieved if she didn't die?"

"What?"

"Shubu, if the teacher doesn't die, would you be relieved?"

"Why did you suddenly think of that? About the empress..."

"Just... I know."

I couldn't help but know.

I was confident in my ability to control mana, and I still am.

There's probably no one better at controlling mana than me.

"If the empress dies, the emperor will go mad. If I tell him that, you might not be able to continue your education."

Oh, that can't happen.

"No! It's fine, just make it better."

When Chaser comes, I'll go to the market.

I can't immediately untangle the mana, but I can slow down the rapid flow of mana to reduce the pain.

'Simply making it into a tea and drinking it should be enough.'

The body, which has been overworked, should feel much better with this measure.

And to treat her, I think I need to call my father, who is skilled in this kind of healing magic.

'...I'm sure I gave him the communication device number before.'

Each communication device has its own unique number.

There is a space on the communication magic circle to write the number in ancient language. By writing the number and placing the communication device, you can connect with the other party by infusing mana.

'I need to remember it.'

My father, who had distinguished himself in the war long before me, went into seclusion shortly after the establishment of Silphia.

Honestly, I still don't know why.

He just suddenly disappeared, leaving me a letter that would burn and disappear over time.

"I'm going, Shubbu."

"Remember today's events."

Hearing Sharent Clown's words, I couldn't even force a smile, and I laughed only with my voice.

Not much had changed since Deshar Clown.

I was still a coward and turned away instead of answering.

* * *

"Hey, you idiot!!"

As I shouted, the people around me turned their gazes toward me.

Sharent Clown pressed his forehead and glared at me.

"Be quiet."

"What!"

This morning, he suddenly told me to get ready and then dropped me off in a huge place like a coliseum.

Why am I here in the first place!

"You must have made a promise."

When did I!

"I didn't! What is this!"

What is this gloomy entrance! What are these nobles and the people gathered in the huge coliseum! I turned my head to look around again.

Around me, pairs of parents and children wore matching scarves on their wrists.

To be precise, the women who approached one by one were tying scarves around their children's and husbands' wrists.

Of course, since Sharent Clown is officially divorced, I will be forced to wear one by him.

Anyway, that's not the issue right now.

'Why do I have to look like a monkey in a zoo!'

"This is the price for hiring the bodyguard you want. The event in this coliseum is a simple maze game. You and I are just participants."

"Maze... game...?"

"Yeah."

What, suddenly a maze game?

I looked at Sharent Clown, bewildered.

He also seemed annoyed, turning his head and sighing deeply.

I don't need to dig deep to know that the emperor is involved in this, but I can't understand the reason.

"It's a small game and a tradition of the nobility. The newly enthroned and bored emperor personally designed it."

I don't want to know the details.

So, what exactly is this, this is so frustrating.

"The game involves pairs of parents and children navigating a maze. The maze is recreated by court mages to resemble ruins. Of course, it's almost risk-free."

Ah, could you be talking about the design I did for a request to enter the magic tower in the past?

I know all about it, Sharent. The court mages just followed the design and magic I created.

Why would I challenge a maze I designed? Of course, the difficulty level changes according to the participants, but since I designed it, I can't fail to pass it.

Anyway...

"Parents... and children?"

I asked, still bewildered.

Well, even if I participate, isn't the premise wrong? You are not my parent, and I am not your child, Sharent Clown.

"Legally, you are my child."

Sharent Clown seemed to have guessed what I was thinking and gave an appropriate answer.

"Ugh..."

At the same time, the candy Vera had given me as a snack before we arrived fell to the ground.

I could see Sharent Clown's face contort.

He glared at me with a look of disgust. I have my own complaints.

"And you should change your way of expressing dissatisfaction so openly. Don't act so undignified."

"Shubbu, you're saying nonsense!"

"What's nonsense about it? If you want, I can show you the records."

"Ugh..."

The candy has already fallen, and I didn't even put it in my mouth, but I mimicked the same action, and he immediately scowled.

Seeing that, I felt bad and closed my mouth.

Sharent Clown's expression soon turned to irritation.

"It's an imperial decree."

He answered, gritting his teeth, as if he didn't like it either.

"Ah."

If it's an imperial decree, there's nothing I can do, but still.

I had never known that such a festival existed in the empire. I was always confined to the mansion, so I didn't know that people actually lived like this.

"The difficulty of the maze is adjusted according to the participants' level. At the end of the small maze, there will be a few rooms similar to ruins. Inside, you'll play a simple game, and if you win, two doors will appear."

I already know this, right? Since I designed it, why wouldn't I know?

Just pass through it.

When I designed it, I didn't expect it to be used for something like this.

"One of the doors is the correct path, and the other is not. If you fall into the incorrect path, the difficulty of the test increases, and you'll have to pass through more rooms."

"Um..."

"Anyway, the team that passes through the maze in the shortest time and escapes first wins."

It seems the design I provided has been slightly modified.

The design I created had only one door, and you could escape after passing through it once or twice.

"People and mana."

"The coliseum festival is also a state-sanctioned form of gambling. You can bet money on the events in the coliseum. There are odds, and for this maze, money will be bet on which team will pass through first."

Oh, so you're going to gamble openly in front of the emperor?

I could see the emperor watching from the best seat, and the empress sitting beside him, veiled.

'She rarely goes out...'

Sharent Clown seemed to notice where my gaze was directed and smiled.

When I looked at him, Sharent Clown bent down and embraced me.

Lifting me with one arm, the cheers in the coliseum grew louder.

"They say that after a three-day protest, the emperor and the empress agreed to separate rooms, and she finally came out because you were coming."

While I was surprised and looking at the people, he whispered in my ear.