I Captured the Enemy Who Tried to Kill Me - Chapter 5
A child who became mute from shock.
Though the frightened green eyes were completely different, that shimmering silver hair resembled the detestable emperor.
This child was the emperor’s brother and the disciple of Hillaria, whom I had possessed.
In other words, a political hostage between Awakened Ones and mages.
At the same time, he would be the one who would later drive relations between the emperor and Hillaria to extreme hostility.
‘So you’re the imperial family member, Luias.’
I accepted the note the child had written with fidgeting movements.
There were clearly foreign characters that should have been unfamiliar.
Fortunately, I wasn’t illiterate.
Whether it was a trait given to those who possess others’ bodies, I could read and write fluently.
But that wasn’t the issue.
“……Banquet?”
The contents of the note read:
─Master, please attend the banquet with me.
“……”
The cute handwriting might have made me laugh, but the content wasn’t funny at all.
A banquet—that must be it.
The most important event.
Although I didn’t know the exact timeline of the original story, I roughly knew that this was before the original story began.
I remembered enough to know that the banquet happening tomorrow was the event where the original female protagonist would first appear before the emperor.
And he’s asking me to go there with him?
And this child would definitely be severely injured by the rampaging emperor at that banquet venue…
“Luias.”
With that single word I uttered, whatever he felt was clearly visible as his rising expectations slowly subsided.
Oh, what should I do? I might make the child cry at this rate.
But I hadn’t even decided whether to break from the original story or safely blend in as a supporting character to survive.
Was it right to attend such a major event?
As if detecting my dilemma, the status window annoyingly intervened again.
This time, there were no fancy fireworks.
The gray status window asked me:
[An important branching point has occurred.
Luias’s invitation.
The child wishes for his master to be his partner and appear before his brother.
The child respects you and his brother, but also finds you both difficult and frightening.
Will you accept Luias’s invitation?
Please decide carefully.
Your choice will determine the flow of events ahead.]
I bit my lip firmly.
I will survive.
I will remain as the emperor’s political opponent, not a villain with a death sentence, but one who stubbornly survives until the end!
Until then, without ever being discovered, safely!
So no matter how I thought about it, it seemed right to skip this banquet.
I still don’t know enough. So clearly the right choice would be to decline this…
“……”
“……”
It should be the right choice.
Ah, this is truly cruel.
If I say I won’t go, this child will go to the banquet alone and be injured to the point of near death, just as in the original story.
Seeing his pale face, tightly closed lips, and trembling fists clenched firmly, I could tell how much courage it took for him to come here.
“Sigh.”
With a feeling like my heart was being stabbed, I slowly parted my lips.
“Luias. I can’t go.”
***
Where am I? Who am I?
Duke Ariel, whom I thought only wore formal attire, had quite a number of luxurious and splendid dresses.
Enough that even after deciding to attend the banquet with just one day’s notice, no special preparations were needed!
“Oh, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you at a banquet, Your Grace! I see you’ve come to brighten the mages’ presence!”
“I admire you, Master! Perhaps someday a magic demonstration…”
Yes, I had ultimately lost.
[A branching point has been selected.
You have decided to save Luias.
This will greatly influence future developments.
We wish you a wise choice!]
Luias, who stood beside me holding my hand with a shy smile, was today’s winner.
Yes, it’s okay. They say even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, you can survive if you stay alert.
Yes, so…
“Your Majesty.”
Ah, damn. That doesn’t mean I wanted the tiger to come right away!
***
Young imperial family member—that was the nickname given to Luias.
The ten-year-old imperial child knew his place.
His mother, who had been a mage, disliked his father and brother, but he himself was the true outcast.
Compared to his brother, an excellent water and ice Awakened One, he was the shame of shames—a mute mage prince who couldn’t even properly activate magic.
But Luias lived.
Under the decision of his proud and cold, yet kind-to-blood-relatives brother.
Although he had to leave the imperial palace where he grew up and was entrusted to an unfamiliar master, Luias knew well enough to be grateful for even that.
So he tried not to cry even when his master treated him harshly and coldly.
He wasn’t disappointed even when his master didn’t visit him once during the week he was bedridden with a high fever from a cold.
Even when he missed His Majesty, his brother, he would shed tears at his own inability to speak a word when approaching him, but never complained to anyone.
But he had one desire.
At the Founding Festival banquet, he wanted to show his brother that he was living well, that his master hadn’t abandoned him despite his muteness.
So he had courageously asked his master, and…
‘She held my hand.’
Hehe, Luias swallowed a shy laugh.
Regardless of being a fire mage, his cold and icy master’s expression remained unchanged from usual, but she had held his hand throughout their time at the banquet hall.
His feet were fidgeting.
If he could show this to His Majesty, his brother, wouldn’t their relationship improve!
His little heart was pounding with anticipation, but seeing his brother and master face to face…
‘Gulp.’
He could only swallow dryly.
Though he had rarely seen them properly, from what he had heard servants gossiping, the two really didn’t get along.
‘I wish they would reconcile…’
The boy liked both of them.
He really did.
So he hoped for the day when these two precious people could look at each other and smile.
His brother, who had been glancing at Luias rolling his eyes around, spoke to his master first.
“Is declaring your attendance one day in advance the courtesy that you, Duke, emphasized so much?”
Ah! He’s angry!
Luias shrank his neck.
His brother’s expression, atmosphere, and tone were fierce and sharp.
Would his master be alright? Because of me…
He felt like he might tear up.
Just as he was about to become dejected, an equally cold voice was heard.
“As the Magic Tower Master responsible for the imperial palace’s security, I merely delayed my decision due to numerous duties. Do I not even have that much discretion, Your Majesty? Your treatment of loyal subjects is harsh.”
Gasp!
‘M-Master?’
Luias’s clear green eyes opened wide.
His master didn’t seem affected at all… rather, he was now worried about His Majesty.
Though Luias didn’t know it, the boy was destined to roll his eyes many more times today.
***
Beep-beep-beep.
[Warning!
Character identity is wavering!
For user protection, selecting dialogue and actions appropriate for ‘Duchess Hillaria Daen La Ariel’.]
‘As expected, this happens.’
Whenever I faced the emperor, a warning window would naturally appear.
Then I would immediately lose control of my body and watch the sharp exchanges like a mere spectator.
“Using my brother as a shield and hiding behind him is a vile trick you should have known better than to employ, Duke.”
“My, anyone can see that I’m standing in front to protect my disciple.”
“Can’t you see how stiff that child is? Or was this a low tactic to pressure the emperor?”
“I’m not sure when showing a well-fed and well-rested child became a means of intimidation. I merely came because I thought my disciple would want to see his cold-hearted brother.”
“Ha, so you acted purely out of consideration for the child?”
“I wonder if speaking such words in front of everyone will actually help my disciple. It’s disappointing that this isn’t exemplary behavior for either a monarch or an elder brother, Your Majesty.”
“……”
Wow, this is truly fierce.
No matter how I thought about it, Hillaria had extraordinary courage to speak her mind in front of an SSS-tier character.
At that moment, feeling the warm touch of a small hand tightly gripping mine, I inwardly wailed.
Yes, I know. Are you scared?
This auntie is scared too!
I was trembling inside.
But what could I do?
To avoid being discovered, it might be better to surrender control.
And that man’s energy, that terribly destructive and ominous Esper energy, was suffocating me.
It resembled the eerie sensation that had gushed from the Gate too closely, making it impossible to avoid the trauma of death blackening my vision.
I wondered if I would ever get used to that power.
I quietly organized my thoughts while my body moved of its own accord to fend off the emperor.
‘Since I’ve come to the banquet hall as Luias requested, I should send him back as soon as I regain control of my body.’
Luias should not be in this banquet hall.
