TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 143
Saintess.
Astria Stigma Freeman.
She was currently very angry.
A few hours ago, she had advised Kraush to take care of his body, but he returned in shambles, dangling in Durandal’s hands.
She had hastily healed Kraush and was about to scold him as he remained unconscious, but stopped herself.
It was because her heart inexplicably softened whenever she looked at his face.
“I really hate this!”
Saying something she didn’t truly mean, she leaned her body against the bed where Kraush was lying.
As a result, Kraush’s face appeared right in front of her.
Sharp eyes and a face that seemed inherently impudent.
Anyone looking at him would think he had a mean streak.
However, to Astria, it was a face that perfectly matched her tastes.
‘Why does it have to match my taste so well?’
Astria grumbled as she tapped the tip of Kraush’s nose with her finger.
In truth, it wasn’t just his face.
The fundamental reason Astria kept finding herself drawn to Kraush was his attitude toward her.
He didn’t care that Astria was the Saintess.
As if they had been friends for decades, he treated her simply as a person.
[Astria.]
Even though she was angry, his mid-low voice, which had just passed through puberty, was also to her liking.
Occasionally, his smile directed at her seemed tinged with inexplicable sorrow, causing her to stare blankly at him.
She couldn’t help but wonder why he made such expressions toward her.
This was the reason Astria kept thinking about Kraush.
Although he occasionally acted mischievously, even that didn’t bother her anymore, which she found amusing.
“How long has it even been since we met?”
How had she ended up like this in such a short time?
‘I never thought I’d be so shallow.’
Astria withdrew her hand from Kraush’s nose and leaned back.
He undoubtedly had a fiancée.
A girl with white hair who resembled a chick.
Even by Astria’s standards, she was bound to grow into a stunning beauty in the future.
And Astria knew that Kraush treasured her immensely.
“You like that girl too, don’t you?”
Astria held a wistful sigh within her lips.
The fact that the man she was drawn to had a fiancée left her utterly disheartened.
“Still, you said you’d release my shackles, didn’t you?”
Astria gently cupped Kraush’s cheek with her hand.
“Then, while you’re at it, why not replace them with a different kind of shackle?”
Expecting so much from a boy she’d known for merely half a year, Astria let out a bitter smile.
“That was out of line.”
She muttered to herself as she tried to straighten up.
But she overestimated the strength of her arms.
“Ah!”
Exhausted from healing Kraush, her arm, which she had been using for support, gave way unexpectedly.
By the time she flinched and tried to steady her arm, it was already too late.
Kraush’s face was right in front of hers, and before she knew it, she found herself in his arms.
Astria’s chest, pressed against Kraush’s, pounded with the sound of her racing heart.
Having no immunity to men, she was utterly flustered as it was her first time being held in a man’s arms like this.
As she panicked with a flustered expression, fumbling awkwardly—
Kraush’s hand suddenly rose and naturally cradled the back of her head.
Fully enveloped in Kraush’s embrace, Astria’s eyes widened like the sunlit sky.
Her face turned completely red, like a beet.
Yet the warmth emanating from him, mixed with the faint scent of sweat from his battles, struck her senses like a whirlwind.
At that moment, Kraush’s eyes slowly opened.
Kraush stared silently at her flushed face, held against his chest.
Naturally, Astria was rendered speechless as well.
In the end, Kraush was the first to speak.
“It’s not right to pounce on someone while they’re asleep.”
“W-who’s pouncing?!”
Yelling in embarrassment, Astria hastily pushed Kraush away and got up.
Then, unsure of what to do, she tidied her clothes and fiddled with her side bangs.
The lingering warmth from his body made her heart pound uncontrollably, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“I slipped while checking on your condition! And you’re the one who grabbed me!”
She shouted, her eyes darting around as if trying to justify herself.
Kraush, who had long since figured out Astria’s tsundere tendencies, simply let it slide.
“You healed me. Thanks.”
“…I don’t need your thanks. Just stop coming back in that state.”
From Astria’s perspective, Kraush’s injuries were mostly his own fault.
When she told him to take it easy, Kraush wrapped his arms around himself.
“Sorry, I can’t promise that.”
Kraush couldn’t swear that he’d never return in such a state again.
He would continue to push himself.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to move forward.
“…”
Astria gazed at Kraush silently.
She didn’t know his goal.
She only vaguely sensed that he was obsessively pursuing something.
And she knew she couldn’t stop him, no matter what.
Astria opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself.
Instead, she looked at Kraush directly and spoke.
“…Keep the promise you made last time.”
Kraush turned to Astria.
The promise she referred to was that he would come to her first if he was injured.
For some reason, a laugh escaped Kraush’s lips.
“What’s so funny?”
When Astria pouted, Kraush stifled his laughter and answered.
“Don’t worry. That’s one promise I’ll definitely keep. After all, you’re the only one who can heal me.”
Astria opened and closed her lips before averting her eyes like she always did.
Her earlobes, however, were dyed a bright red.
“…You’re so unfair.”
Watching Astria grumble, Kraush rose from his spot.
Although Astria told him to rest more, he couldn’t afford to.
He had to check if Durandal had accepted the submission and prepare for the Lion Order’s mission.
“I knew this would happen.”
Just as Kraush opened the door, blue hair came into view.
A girl with twin buns resembling dumplings confidently placed both hands on her waist.
“I’ve already finished what you were thinking about, so just lie down on the bed.”
She was none other than Sizelry Ephania.
Come to think of it, she had been around.
“The submission.”
“After all that fuss, there’s no way it wouldn’t pass. I’ve also put in a mission request through the Lion Order to Hardenhartz. I borrowed your name, but you don’t mind, right?”
Of course not.
That’s why it’s good to have smart people by your side.
They keep things moving smoothly even when you’re just resting.
“As soon as the mission request comes in, we’ll move immediately. Haring Lagrain and I are part of the Lion Order, and we’ve let the Empire know. The Empire won’t be able to act recklessly.”
You’re too competent.
Sizelry thought that Kraush had essentially done everything he needed to do.
“…How about you just become the Emperor?”
If Sizelry became the Emperor, the Empire would never fall.
Then, Sizelry scoffed.
“Then the world would be unified under the Empire.”
It was a different kind of arrogance from Charlotte’s.
“And that’s not the right choice. I lack the strength, and my body is weak, so my lifespan won’t be long. The moment the Empire relies on me, it will begin to decline with my death.”
Kraush understood why Sizelry had completely withdrawn from the battle for the throne.
Sizelry had stepped back from the beginning, all for the sake of the Empire.
Even if she could bring wealth and honor, she couldn’t bring eternity.
Once the wealth and honor are gone, the Empire will forget its past glory and crumble even faster.
Sizelry had considered all of this.
She judged that it would be better for one of her family members to take the throne than for her to do so.
‘And Arthur wanted to take the throne.’
He must have hidden the White Dragon’s seal and committed suicide.
‘Was it Sizelry who cared the most about the Empire, not anyone else?’
But in the end, the Empire she cherished so much fell.
What would Sizelry do if she knew that?
“Still, you never know.”
Sizelry looked at Kraush with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“If I had a strong husband, becoming the Emperor might not be such a bad idea, don’t you think?”
“Even if you had a strong husband, you’d die and it would all be over.”
“If I had a child as smart as me and as sturdy as my husband, who knows? If I had ten children, one of them might turn out like that, don’t you think?”
The person who just said her body was weak is now talking about having ten children.
Doesn’t this remind you a bit of Crimson Garden’s antics?
Are all smart people the same?
[I can hear you badmouthing me, you know.]
They’re the kind of people you can’t let your guard down around.
“Of course, I’m joking. The Saintess behind you is glaring at me, so I can’t keep joking for long.”
“M-me?”
Austria stared at Sizelry, then jumped in surprise and pretended it was nothing.
Kraush realized belatedly why Sizelry had said that.
She was testing Austria.
“And there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
Sizelry looked displeased about this.
“It seems the White Lamb Order plans to follow us on the same mission.”
The White Lamb Order, created by the 3rd Princess Sigrid Ephania.
Sigrid, that damn woman, is following us.
“Is there a way to stop them?”
“Honestly, there isn’t much we can do. Since I’m involved, our justification has weakened. If we block them just because they’re part of the Imperial Faction, we’ll face backlash.”
Kraush tapped his crossed arms thoughtfully.
“I’m sorry. Because I got involved, I gave your sister an opening.”
Sizelry knew that Kraush really disliked Sigrid.
Though she didn’t know why, she felt indebted to him.
Compared to Sigrid, who was too distant to be considered a sister, Sizelry wanted to side with Kraush.
Above all, in Sizelry’s eyes, Sigrid seemed like she would lead the Empire in the wrong direction.
“No, she would have found a way to get involved no matter what.”
Kraush told Sizelry not to worry about it.
“And it doesn’t matter. I expected Sigrid to get involved. We’ll just change the place where the mission is assigned. That way, she won’t be able to join.”
Sizelry quickly caught on to Kraush’s plan.
“Are you thinking of using Balheim?”
“No.”
If we used Balheim, they might find Ebelasque and actually kill her.
We want to avoid that.
“The Starlon Royal Family.”
What Kraush planned to use was none other than the Starlon Royal Family.
It’s a mission directly assigned by the 1st Prince.
Sizelry narrowed her eyes.
“Are you planning to become the head of Balheim? You seem pretty confident, considering you have a solid connection with the royal family.”
“I have no such plans. I have my own connections. You have to use what you have.”
“I had a hunch when the Starlon Royal Family kept your information secret. You’re playing on a pretty big scale.”
Was this within the expected range too?
“Hmm, if Starlon steps in, even Sigrid won’t be able to move.”
Sigrid is essentially the center of the Imperial Faction.
And right now, the Empire is asking Hardenhartz to let them in to chase the World Erosion Being that severely injured the Poison King.
Naturally, Hardenhartz and the Starlon Kingdom are strongly against allowing Imperial Knights to enter.
We might be able to force our way in up to Hardenhartz, citing our friendly relations and the fact that we’re Academy students.
But if the Starlon Royal Family steps in directly, Sigrid won’t be able to act.
Since Starlon has declared they will handle it themselves.
If the Empire steps in here, it would be an overreach.
“Wouldn’t that cause problems for me too?”
“The Commander is Charlotte, isn’t she?”
“I see.”
Charlotte lives life on her own terms.
Even if she whimsically made an Imperial Princess a member, it somehow makes sense when it’s Charlotte.
So Sizelry, who is practically out of the running for the throne, can get away with it.
But Sigrid, who is vying for the throne, cannot cross that line.
“I’ll get to see the look on my sister’s face when she’s frustrated.”
“Well, if it’s Sigrid, she’ll find another way to get involved somehow.”
Given her personality, there’s no way she’ll just sit back and do nothing.
She’ll try something.
‘And on top of that, Charlotte’s involvement will make them even more suspicious of her.’
Especially with the strange suspicion that she might have been involved in the Ebelasque incident.
Though it’s unfair to Charlotte, she needs to play her role well here.
A smile played on Kraush’s lips.
At that moment, urgent footsteps echoed from the hallway.
When Kraush turned his head, he saw a familiar figure standing there, panting and covered in sweat.
It was none other than Aslan’s personal maid, Lirina.
“Lirina?”
She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Kraush at the door.
Then, pretending she hadn’t just run over, she adjusted her clothes as she approached.
That was just like her, brazen as always.
“Mr. Kraush, you seem to be in good health.”
As she said this, she glanced back and forth between Austria and Sizelry.
And for some reason, she wore a different smile than usual.
“Still, don’t you think he looks quite healthy?”
Lirina, who had implied something meaningful, turned her head slightly as if she was pouting.
Seeing this, Sizelry pressed her small chin.
“I never thought I’d witness a woman’s ordeal in person. It’s quite interesting.”
Sizelry’s eyes sparkled mischievously.
What could possibly interest her in a place like this?
Kraush suppressed the urge to slap her shining forehead.
For some reason, it seemed like everyone would have the same thought upon seeing this scene.
And such a scene was one that Kraush had often witnessed.
After all, women never ceased to be around Arthur.
At that time, Kraush had looked at Arthur as if he were a bug.
‘Rotten.’
Kraush quietly thought that he never expected to understand such a thing.