"There's never been a moment when I wasn't human."
Charlize replied with a smile.
Yeah, she was a human.
The inner side of Charlize was always human. She never lost her essence. Even if everyone denied it, Charlize respected herself as a human being.
She kept it that way. Even when she was a sword, she defined herself as a human being.
Gold's eyes sparkled at her sincere answer, but it was a moment.
"Kids! It's snack time!"
Gold smiled broadly at the teacher's call from close and ran away.
Like a child, she quickly forgot the conversation with Charlize. She also put down the iron in her hand.
Charlize laughed because Gold was cute.
'It was good to put a barrier around the mana.'
From the moment Gold opened her mouth, Charlize controlled the air with her mana.
So that everyone couldn't hear her conversation with Gold.
Free from the keen swordmaster.
But the smell of a fairy?
It was something that Charlize herself had never been aware of, so she kept thinking deeply.
Charlize stood up slowly.
The tree trembled in the winter wind.
'Dylan is innocent.'
Though she wants revenge for the empire and the imperial family.
Charlize's eyes turned to Dylan.
Maybe it's because she thought of Kiera.
Charlize's atmosphere was cool and sharp.
'Did I get attached to him, too?'
Dylan was smiling.
Seeing his side face like that made her heart flutter to some extent.
Dylan, I didn't want to hurt you.
***
"Are you and this brother dating?"
'He asked if we were dating.'
Dylan thought.
Giving the candy was an impulse. Charlize seemed genuinely caring for and cherishing the children, but Dylan was not very interested in others.
Except for Charlize.
Everything was worthless to him.
'I have to raise the orphanage children big.'
Contrary to the aristocracy's assumptions. Dylan had no intention of turning the orphanage into a training center for the emperor.
But from the moment he heard the child's question, he changed his mind.
It's not just a luxury facility like Count Hart's villa. They will receive the best education guaranteed by the imperial family.
Because Dylan wants it.
They would have grown up with the education and training of high-quality teachers comparable to the imperial academy.
Charlize came back to Dylan.
"I had a conversation with the child for a while."
"Yes, I watched from a distance."
Of course, he couldn't hear the conversation.
It must have been Charlize's intention.
But it was a small and young child by anyone's eyes.
'There is no reason to dig into it.'
Dylan thought and said.
Unfortunately, it was time to go back.
"I was happy to be here with you."
"I was happy too, Your Majesty."
"I have to go to the Imperial Palace soon for New Year's Day."
Dylan spoke plainly.
In fact, all he wanted was Charlize. But he couldn't express his feelings as they are.
New Year's Day.
The year has passed and a new year has come.
Dylan was now twenty years old. A perfect adult who will not interfere with their children even if they have sex.
"It's been six years since I've been with Your Majesty."
"We'll always be together, so is there any meaning in the number of years?"
At Dylan's words, Charlize paused for a moment.
But Charlize did not forget. No matter what Dylan does, she vowed that she would never leave his side.
Dylan seemed to look at Charlize with seemingly infinite trust.
Somehow, her heart felt heavy, so Charlize lowered her gaze.
"It would be great if I could play a piano ensemble with Master in the new year."
"I'm happy just imagining it."
The piano class progressed step by step, and now it is possible to play together with both hands.
Charlize smiled openly.
Silence creeps in for a while.
The sound of children laughing just like a distant background sound.
Dylan looked at her and said politely.
"I have to go now."
"I was worried that I had been holding on to Your Majesty for too long. Take care, Your Majesty. I'm going to stay a little longer."
"Yes, Master. I'll see you at the Imperial Palace in the evening."
'It sounds like he emphasized the evening, maybe because Kahu is watching.'
Because she stayed at Kahu's mansion the other night.
But it must be an illusion.
Charlize looked at Dylan give the courtesy as a disciple.
She couldn't find the man's desire in his neat and quiet manner.
The emperor stepped down. Some of the Shadow followed him.
On the other hand, there was a gaze that was watching Charlize.
It was Kahu.
'They weren't that close before the return.'
Charlize and Dylan. There was no contact between the two.
Although travel back was extremely rare, Kahu, her fiance before returning, was closer to Charlize.
[Hello, young duke.]
[Yes, nice to meet you.]
The conversation with Charlize was the only two words they had when they met at the engagement ceremony.
Kahu bit his lips slowly.
There was a calm atmosphere.
The orphanage in winter is preparing for the new spring. Children relax and have fun. The nobles who attended the founding ceremony showed their faces, but another nobleman showed up again.
Busy yet moderately exhilarating peace.
But in the middle of it, Kahu felt an ominous feeling.
Strangely, he feels like he's on the verge of ruin.
'I want to prevent the ruin.'
Kahu couldn't figure out why he was obsessed with such ideas.
Just.
Charlize, who made all these situations possible, has a laid-back face. Although everything has changed from Charlize. She was at peace.
Feeling Shadow's eyes secretly hidden in the dark, Kahu approached Charlize.
Knowing the boundaries. He knows everything will be reported to Dylan.
'I need to talk to Charlize.'
Kahu approached with a firm mind.
Charlize, holding a glass of wine, looked back at Kahu's presence.
A colorless, transparent white wine.
"Grandmaster, I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I don't think I can tell you about it here… But can you spare me a moment? There was a deserted garden behind the villa."
Charlize seemed hesitant for a moment, but put her glass down on the table and nodded.
Kahu led Charlize to a secret back garden.
Just in case, Charlize took control of the area around with her mana this time.
Kahu looked at Charlize firmly and spoke.
"Do you remember what I said on the day of the important task?"
At Kahu's question, Charlize recalled her memories.
[Whatever circumstances the grandmaster has. Unless you tell me first. I'm saying that I'm not going to dig into it.]
It looked like he spits out something he had been thinking about as if he had promised.
'Why?'
Charlize suppressed her surprise and looked at Kahu.
Having heard that, Charlize has never been wary of Kahu.
However, Kahu was in a pretty serious mood now.
"…Yes, I remember."
Kahu didn't immediately get to the point, but first started off with another word.
"I realized something while sweeping the traitors together with the grandmaster."
Kahu's voice was low.
"Of course, I reflected on my swordsmanship. Apart from that, I was walking in the underworld and something, somewhere."
"…"
"I had a strong intuition that it was tightly twisted. And I wondered if this empire was right to be led by light, because there was only too dark and strange domination to be read for the Empire of God."
Looking at the underworld engulfed in darkness.
Looking at Charlize, who reigned like the god of death there.
Suddenly, even the nobles of this country worshiped at her feet.
Like the candle on the verge of dying out burns the most brilliantly. Like the most beautiful poison mushrooms that drive people crazy. Kahu had thought.
This country, it's not the empire of God.
"I regressed."
"…Is that so?"
"I'm confused as well, whether I should say exactly that I've returned, or whether I just saw a future that's highly feasible as a dream."
Charlize did not say anything.
"I'm here beyond the time that was returned. And grandmaster, in the future I saw there was no grandmaster."
He didn't know if this was right, but the cards were already thrown.
"It wasn't an insult to His Majesty, but there was no rebellion either, and the emperor still had to be Dietrich I."
Kahu told Charlize one by one like a faithful believer in confession.
Charlize had a strange look in her eye. She doesn't say Kahu is crazy, she doesn't doubt it, she just agrees and is quiet.
Kahu was also taking a huge gamble.
If there are rumors that Duke Delmon's successor has gone mad. It will be Kahu's weakness. If you are suspected of not being loyal to Dylan, I have nothing to say either.
Who would believe that?
'Regression sounds unrealistic.'
But Charlize was silent.
Kahu looked at Charlize. Anyway, he had to say what he had to say.
'What do you think?'
"When I say I won't dig into it. I'll cancel it."
Kahu breathed out as if he were declaring.
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to find out."
What Charlize's purpose is. Who is Charlize. Why the empire has changed, and why she has been involved in it.
No matter what he has to pay. No matter what responsibility he takes.
Kahu was prepared for everything.
"…"
There was silence for a long time.
The winter wind is colder than in autumn.
But only when passing by Charlize. It looked dreamy and as gentle as the distant moon.
Ash blonde is fluttering.
Charlize's eyes sank mysteriously like the universe. Her presence was particularly clear and distinct.
Kahu clasped his hand tightly.
The reason why he's out of breath is. Is it because he is fascinated or because he says he will challenge the authority of the grandmaster?
The pink dress, which looked so innocent when she was hanging out with the children, was beautiful.
Dong-
A drum was beating slowly from outside on time.
On New Year's Day, there was a custom of beating drums every hour like this.
"…Happy New Year, young duke."
Kahu belatedly came to his senses at the natural words that broke the silence.
"You too, grandmaster."
He cleared his throat.
"Happy New Year."
As for the word to dig into it. Charlize gave no reply.
But let's repeat the same phrase to each other. The feeling of cold inside the tongue was strange.
Kahu bowed his head.
It's warm inside the tongue. Suddenly, he realized about Charlize's swordsmanship.
'That sword.'
The swordsmanship that Charlize showed in the underworld. It was like someone who was accustomed to killing others.
There is no characteristic. The only characteristic is that it is so high that the people can't understand it.
Her skills were the only characteristic.
And Kahu had only seen such a talented person once.
'And it was clearly in a swordsmanship competition.'
When facing off in the final of the swordsmanship competition. The sword stopped too short without stabbing itself in a subtle moment.
A person with a thrilling ability that will still be remembered.
In the end, the boy won.
"No."
Without realizing it, he said with his mouth.
The thought of 'boy' was just because he was small.
It was just a stereotype. Because no one thought that the gender of the strong man who even defeated Kahu and Akan was a woman.
It was ridiculous and illogical, but his intuition shouted.
Maybe.
That person is.