Chapter 62 - A Moment of Glory (3)

As Regina appeared, Robelia quickly changed her expression, smiled, and answered.

“Oh my- Your Highness, of course, it's perfectly fine~.”

Her tone was as gentle as it usually seemed.

But I saw it. For a fleeting moment, Robelia stared at Regina with that chillingly blank expression.

“It's just that I have an appointment with the Young Master, so I asked him to wait for me here… I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but may I take him with me?”

That was a lie. Regina and I had never promised to meet here.

Regina had grasped the flow of the situation at once and was bluffing to get me away.

Hearing those words, Robelia looked back at me.

“I heard you were close with Her Highness… but I didn't realize it was to this extent.”

Naturally, there was no way for Robelia to see through the lie.

‘…I can breathe now.’

Entirely thanks to Regina's quick thinking, a way out of the situation had appeared.

Tap.

After tapping my shoulder once, Robelia passed by me and…

“Then I shall gracefully take my leave, Your Highness. I can't get in the way of deepening the friendship between the Imperial Family and the House of Enlight, can I?”

Leaving those words with a smiling eye… she disappeared with light footsteps.

“Ha, ah…”

I let out a heavy sigh and leaned a hand against the wall.

‘What on earth happened between Rain and Robelia?’

‘And what was with 『Iron Will』 activating at Robelia’s words?’

‘It’s too big of a variable. But how…’

And just as those thoughts flashed through my mind.

“Young Master.”

I heard Regina's voice.

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

At her words, I turned my head and replied, but Regina's face didn't have its usual smile.

“I had something to discuss with you… but it's a bit awkward to have you talk on the street with that look on your face.”

Then she continued.

“Shall we have a brief afternoon tea time?”

***

Regina Eliade Abellon did not trust people. She only doubted, used, and exchanged what was necessary.

It was an all-too-natural principle that one born of the imperial bloodline had to learn.

Especially since she was born as one of the Emperor's only two blood relatives, and the current Emperor had not clarified the line of succession.

Regina had learned that principle with alarming speed in order to survive, but it did not change the circumstances she had been born into. Unfortunately.

It was only natural. From birth, she was in a disadvantageous position compared to the legitimate first prince, Claudio Renart Abellon… and the influence of the vassals who followed her was relatively weak.

But the greatest misfortune for her was that her rival in the fight for the throne was Claudio.

Regina was a broken person.

Because something in her heart that a person should have was broken, she could commit any act without hesitation to survive.

It was a weapon more precious than her brilliant intellect or her charisma that drew people to her.

However, Claudio was even more ‘broken’ than Regina. Because of this, Claudio's actions were not easily predictable.

This was partly due to his overwhelming intelligence, but fundamentally, it was because his disposition was the polar opposite of Regina's.

Regina had a perfectionist tendency to take profits carefully and safely.

Therefore, Regina's judgment required a perfect understanding of her opponent above all else.

But Claudio had no minimum code of ethical conduct.

This was a factor that made it impossible for Regina to predict Claudio's movements.

Considering that Claudio Renart Abellon was considered the greatest and worst villain in , it would be right to rate Regina's ability highly for maintaining even a slight disadvantage…

In the end, it was true that Regina was at a disadvantage.

And just when the tide of defeat was turning against her, Rain Enlight appeared before Regina.

The boy, with weary and deep sorrow in his eyes, appeared before Regina and said he would be her sword.

What were Regina’s thoughts when she heard those words?

When she first saw him, Regina inwardly scoffed at Rain.

She thought he was a loser whose worth had long been exposed, who could not shake off the label of a failure.

However, her perception changed after talking to him. Perhaps to the extent of 'he might be a useful person.'

She thought he might be a good diversion in her endlessly boring academy life.

Even when he broke through the 8th stage in the entrance examination and proved himself by defeating Milo Gloss, her perception did not change much.

It was certainly an outstanding achievement by any standard, but talents with that level of ability were a dime a dozen.

Even if he was in the top ten of his year, how many would that be in the entire generation?

He was merely a useful talent within the framework, within the category.

…But the boy constantly caused anomalies.

He found a girl with overflowing talent somewhere and defeated a gargoyle together.

When it seemed he would be isolated by Milo Gloss's public opinion war, he ended up making a name for himself by subjugating an A-grade wanted criminal.

Not only that. The boy constantly formed connections with students who could be called the key figures of the academy.

Not only the children of prestigious families like Serene El Stellia and Arien Ortega… but also Yuna and Khan, who had conspicuous talents.

And recently, he had even achieved the merit of stopping an intruder who had breached the academy's security system.

Seeing this series of actions by Rain, what do you think Regina thought?

‘Dangerous.’

Rather than being pleased at the discovery of a key card that could turn the tide of a losing battle, Regina was first wary.

It was only natural when you thought about it. Although she had been convinced by their first conversation, Rain was, in fact, a member of the Enlight family, a representative pro-prince faction family.

Could it be that I am still being deceived?

Could there be poison in this sweet fruit?

If so, how should I act?

Regina agonized endlessly, and yet again agonized. All the while, she wore a thorough mask in front of Rain, hiding her heart so that this wariness would not be discovered.

And in the midst of that, she found it. The sight of Rain, collapsing in front of his older sister.

Just by watching that scene, Regina was able to gain insight into several facts.

‘The Young Master is definitely estranged from the Enlight main family. I was on the fence, but seeing their final conversation, it's certain.’

-I’m begging you, won't you answer me?

-……I re, fuse.

‘And, the Enlight main family hasn't grasped the source of Rain Enlight's abilities either.’

-How on earth did you get so strong?

She had found out that Rain was clearly hostile to the Enlight main family.

But there was other information that Regina valued even more.

‘Rain Enlight's weakness.’

Had Rain ever been so shaken?

This made Rain, who had been an unpredictable and unfathomable existence, appear a little closer to Regina's position.

Perhaps, if they were to part ways for some reason… she could use it as a weapon, Regina thought.

But despite such a harvest, Regina's heart was not very light for some reason.

Well, why was that?

Perhaps she thought that Rain, who had spent his academy life disguising himself as a superman, resembled her own self?

Or perhaps she thought their fate of having to confront their own blood relatives was similar?

Unless she said it herself, there was no way of knowing. Even then, it was uncertain whether it would be the truth.

***

The place where the two who had left the auditorium and the princess's escort knights headed was the terrace on the top floor of Aurora Hall.

A space that the upper-class students staying in Aurora Hall favored for their own tea times.

Rain and Regina had settled down in a quiet spot on that terrace.

“……”

Rain's condition, seated at the table, was much better than immediately after parting with Robelia.

Of course, on the way to the Aurora Hall terrace, Rain's noticeably weakened appearance had already been exposed to the eyes of several people… but what did it matter?

“Are you calmer now?”

Regina asked in her usual gentle voice. Then-.

“…Yes, just now… I would like to thank you first.”

It was a natural thanks for Regina's quick thinking that had gotten him out of the situation.

“And… I also apologize for my unsightly behavior.”

Rain said, his voice still tinged with a slight strain.

“Huhu, it happens. You, and I… we're only human.”

It wasn't something you'd expect from the lips of one descended from those who received divine authority from the heavens, but that was what Regina thought.

As silence fell again, Regina was the first to break it.

“Originally, I was planning to praise you for the achievements you've shown this time, but you seem a bit too weary for such a conversation.”

“…I am ashamed.”

“Huhu, well, that's fine. We can talk about that anytime… For now, why don't we relax and enjoy some refreshments?”

Thus, for the first time in Rain and Regina's meetings, a period of rest without any specific purpose followed.

Watching Rain pull himself together during that rest, Regina thought.

‘Was he living with a weak self hidden inside that strong mask?’

Thinking that, she couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.

That form of life was so similar to the fierce life of someone she knew best… her own.

“They say the lord and retainer come to resemble each other…”

With that murmur, the afternoon tea time was passing by.

***

About two hours passed by leisurely like that.

Rain's ragged breathing had at some point become steady, and Regina also had her usual smile on her lips.

But tea time couldn't last forever. Although various small talks came and went in between, those topics also came to an end.

“…Thank you for today.”

With Rain's words of gratitude, the leisurely afternoon tea time also came to a close.

“Huhu, don't mention it. I enjoyed it too.”

Regina's words were, for once, quite sincere. The reason she enjoyed it… well, perhaps a strange sense of kinship had eased her loneliness.

“Thanks to you, I feel like I've come to understand you a little better, too.”

Regina stood up from her seat and approached Rain with a smile.

“Ah, do you have any plans set after the first semester ends?”

“No, nothing is decided in particular.”

“Huhu, then please keep it that way.”

“By that, you mean…?”

To the boy's question, Regina answered with her characteristic smile.

“Well, now? Maybe I intend to take you somewhere with me, or something like that?”

“I see…”

It wasn't an answer that showed he was completely convinced, but even that lukewarm reaction was, in its own way, a form of amusement for Regina.

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