TLS : Shenks

  Since then, we’ve stopped by the "most famous and popular restaurant in the Capital" and headed back to the Lombardy mansion by sunset.

  In a quiet carriage, I enjoyed the wind with the windows open as I did on the trip here.

  But thanks to the hairpin Perez gave me, I didn’t have to worry about messing up my hair.

  "Tia."

  At Perez’s call, I opened my eyes.

  "Are you ready to talk now?”


  ’.……Yes,’ Perez said, taking a small breath.

  "I’m going to the academy.”


  And there was silence in the carriage.

  Perez somehow looked a little nervous.

  "Yeah, that’s what we decided to do."

  I had some idea.

  The new semester of the academy will begin soon.

  "Perez, are you going because you want to?”


  ’Yes,’ Perez answered my question with a tight lip.

  In his previous life, Perez left for the Academy at the age of 15.

  There’s only one difference between then and now.

  In his previous life, he was forced to go to the academy by Imperial Order, who was instated by the empress.

  "Good for you. Go learn a lot, Perez."

  "……I want to ask you something, Tia."

  "What is it?"

  "Is it good for me to go to the academy, does Tia think so?”


  "That’s right."

  "Why?"

  Because you’ll meet your people there.

  The people who’ll make you the crown prince and eventually an emperor.

  "You’ll learn a lot."

  "But why didn’t you convince me? You could have told me to go to the academy because it’s a good thing for me.”


  "It’s……"

  I was tongue-tied for a moment.

  And I said.

  "It’s something you have to decide for yourself."

  Perez has been through so many things at a young age.

  But clearly not as much as the Perez from the past life.

  At that time, he was a desperate man trickling of venom.

  And the venom made Perez overcome everything and become the crown prince.

  But the present Perez in front of me is not.

  In this situation, even if you are pushed into the academy, you cannot achieve the same results as in your previous life.

  Perez’s people were all who held grudges to someone and wanted the world to pay back for everything.

  They were driven by his venom.

  If he was going to waste time vaguely at the academy, He’d rather not go.

  That’s why I didn’t convince Perez to go to the Academy.

  "What I have to decide for myself……”


  "Tia, you’re right."

  A gentle smile spread around Perez’s mouth.

  "This is the first path I’ve decided and chosen.”


  Perez’s face looked much more comfortable than before.

  "After much thought, I found out the reason why I have to go to the academy."

  Perez’s red eyes looked at me.

  They were deep and clear eyes without a smile.

  After a while, the carriage arrived at the Lombardy mansion.

  Even though I said he didn’t have to, Perez got off the carriage and escorted me.

  Just before I said goodbye, I asked Perez.

  "So when are you leaving for the academy?”


  Perez thought for a moment and said,

  "……I’m not sure yet.”


  "Call me as soon as it’s decided. I’ll see you off."

  "I see."

  After walking into the annex, I looked out the window and saw Perez’s carriage leaving late.

  * * *

  It was still early in the morning where dawn had not broken out yet.

  Caitlyn approached Perez, who was alone in the dark room tying the leash of the cape, as well as prepared to leave for a long journey.

  "Your Grace, everything is ready."

  "Okay, I’ll be out."

  "Well, Mrs. Impigra would like to see you for a moment……”


  "Chief maid Impigra?"

  Perez, who tilted his head, allowed her in.

  After a while, Impigra with a cane came into the bedroom.

  The coldness of the dawn seemed to be hard work, and the Chief maid didn’t look so good.

  "I was told last night that you were leaving for the Academy a long way today, Your Highness."

  "What’s going on?"

  "I have something for you."

  Mrs. Impigra said so and handed over a long box.

  Perez, who opened it very lightly, murmured blankly.

  "……Gloves?"

  It was a black leather glove, apparently of high quality.

  "When I asked the Knights of the Palace, they said there was nothing better than gloves for midwinter training.”


  "Oh?……"

  "The Academy is located in the mountains, so winter is very cold, unlike the capital. It’s a snowy area."

  Perez took his eyes off his gloves and looked at the chief lady-in-waiting.

  Though keeping a tough face, there was a look of concern about Perez heading for the Academy at an early age.

  "Thank you……"

  Perez said, clearing his throat for a moment.

  "I only heard yesterday that I’m leaving for the academy. How……"

  The maid of honor replied bitterly.

  "I knew you were leaving for the Academy one day. And……"

  Impigra hesitated.

  It wasn’t like her.

  "Your mother, Kayla……She entered the palace as a maid, but she was a woman of integrity and intelligence, and I promoted her to a lady-in-waiting. I took her in and taught her."

  Perez opened his eyes wide when he first heard it.

  But Impigra maid’s face grew darker.

  "If she was just a maid, she wouldn’t have been seen by His Majesty, and if I hadn’t, I hadn’t been there."……”


  When Kayla’s pure and innocent face came to mind, Chief maid Impigra seemed to have a heavy rock weighing on her heart.

  After hearing the news that she had fallen ill, she tried to let the physician into the palace somehow, but the empress’s power kept her from staying in touch.

  Eventually, she was held back by the empress and locked up in her room for a week.

  It was already late, though she managed to be released thanks to Emperor Jovanes who found out about it.

  Kayla died and Perez was waiting for Impigra to leave the palace in the middle of the night.

  So she made one debt, and another for living without knowing that Perez remained in the palace.

  Impigra, who recalled the past, deliberately hid her sorrow with a stern voice.

  "No outsiders are allowed to enter the Academy, but it is possible for errandsmen sent from the palace to come and go. If you need anything, send me a letter. This old woman will get it ready."

  "……I will. Thank you."

  I heard a horse cry in the distance.

  Perez put on his gloves and packed his sword a little awkwardly.

  Gloves wrapped his hands warmly, which had become cold due to the chilly weather.

  Finally, Perez looked back Madam Impigra who stood alone in his bedroom and gave a nod.

  "Please take care of your health, Your Highness."

  Impigra said so and bowed deeply.

  Perez watched it for a moment and then turned away.

  Step by step.

  He stepped out of Poirak Palace.

  He will not be returning to this palace for the time being.

  And when he finally comes back, Perez will become a completely different person than he is now.

  When he thought so, his heavy steps became lighter.

  Although the prince leaves for the academy, the silence of this one-sided palace was also pleasant, except for the ladies-in-waiting who came alone.

  Perez’s steps were not rough.

  "Good morning, Perez."

  Until he found Florentia standing in front of the carriage.

  "How…… did you know?"

  He didn’t tell anyone on purpose.

  Emperor Jovanes was the only person he ever informed that he was leaving today.

  It was because permission was needed.

  Caitlyn also promised to respect Perez’s intention.

  He even only wrote a letter to his guardian, Lord Lombardy as he had a meeting this afternoon.

  But how.

  "Just because."

  Tia said with a smile.

  "I thought you’d go today. At this dawn, where no one knows."

  A cheerful voice rang clear in the quiet dawn air.

  Tia came without hesitation on behalf of Perez, who could not move as if she had taken root in the place she was walking.

  The thick brown cape hem of each moving step danced together.

  Tia, who came right in front of Perez, smiled brightly.

  "My friend is going a long way, so I’ll see him off."

  Perez laughed in a low voice of despondency.

  She was read again this time.

  Tia was always like that.

  She seemed to know Perez better than himself.

  When I stood in front her, I felt like she was reading everything inside of me.

  "You showed up again this time, Tia."

  My little hero who always showed up when I needed someone.2

  Peres looked at Tia with a bitter smile.

  "For the first time in your life, you’ll be going out of the capital. It’s a little sad to leave alone, right?”


  "……Thank you."

  "This is nothing between friends. Oh, and I put chocolate and candy in the carriage. Eat it on the way."

  "……Yes."

  Sweet food was Perez’s favorite.

  When the sweetness spread in my mouth, I thought of Tia.

  Just like the fishy and bitter taste of herbs came into my mouth.

  That’s how Tia came into Perez’s dark and lonely life.

  When I bit something sweet in my mouth, I remembered the white and round face of little Tia.

  "I wish you would live. No, I think you should live. ”


  She was the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

  "And I’ll help you.”


  It was a touch of salvation.

  And Tia kept her promise.

  Perhaps the hardest thing about my time at the Academy is that I can’t see Tia.

  Perez was already depressed and closed his lips as he recalled his future.

  Tia, who was watching the scene, took a step closer.

  "Perez."

  Then she slowly raised her hands and wrapped Perez’s in his cape.

  Tia’s pretty eyebrows were wrinkled as if finding something unpleasant.

  "I think it’s going to be cold on the way……”


  Perez, who doesn’t get cold as he can use aura, was going to say it’s okay.

  But Tia’s actions left him speechless.

  "Wear this and go."

  It was because Tia untied her brown scarf and tied it to Perez’s neck.1

  The scent of the flower-like Tia rose in an instant.

  "Oh?……"

  Perez groped around his neck in a daze.

  The fabric felt soft at his fingertips.

  It was like Tia.

  Then another sensation awakened Perez.

  "Have a safe trip. Write often."

  It was Tia’s hand stroking Perez’s head.

  "It’s a shame that outsiders can’t visit the Academy. Don’t forget to show your face every vacation."

  Thanks to the height difference, Tia’s face was right in front of Perez.

  Badum, badum. (sjdhash a doki doki moment)

  She had such kind, and friendly green eyes.

  Sadly, however, those warm eyes was not for Perez alone.

  Tia is such a nice and kind person.

  She simply cannot turn a blind eye to those in need of help.

  I had to share with others that hand of salvation that once extended to me as a child.

  I desire it all for myself.

  When Tia’s green eyes captured other people, dark thoughts grew uncontrollably his my mind.

  Perez himself didn’t even know he was thinking that way.

  Tia also spoke in a clear voice.

  "Let’s write to each other whatever happens, okay?"

  "……Are you worried about me?”


  The voice coming out was low and murky.

  "Of course. Isn’t that obvious?"

  You’re worried about me.

  Perez felt a great relief at the word.

  But then again, out of the blue, got greedy.

  Just this once.

  Let’s be a bad kid to Tia just this once.

  Perez swallowed "just this once" and looked at the horse’s face that tilted his head in ignorance. (lmao poor horse)

  Then, he kissed Tia’s white forehead.18

  "You, you, uh……!”


  Tia, who quickly stepped back, covered her forehead with her hands with her face dyed red.

  Perez was somehow pleased to see the embarrassment.

  "Instead of saying goodbye."

  Red eyes like rubies folded and a deep smile bloomed on Perez’s face.

  "Tia."

  Perez said with all his heart.

  "You can’t forget about me.”1

  As if he’s casting a spell while looking at her with ardent eyes.

  "I’ll think of you every day.”11

  Tia’s eyes were seen shaking like the leaves trembling in the wind.

  Yeah, that’s enough for now.

  Perez smiled contentedly.

  "I’ll be back."

  Wait for me.