Can an Enemy Become Salvation? - Chapter 33

Just as Ibnel was about to call out to the unresponsive Shuher once more, a deep voice echoed through the hallway.

“The young lady is correct.”

“Pardon?”

“That we have grown accustomed to this peace.”

She was taken aback by his unexpected words. She never thought he would admit it so readily.

“Even now, we see problems arising from the illegal distribution and trade of magical beasts quite often.”

Magical beasts, once objects of fear, had become various means of making money, and intrusions into their habitats for this purpose were becoming increasingly common. Despite knowing the potentially dire consequences.

Ibnel silently listened to his words. Somehow, it felt like that was what she should do right now.

“If this continues, we may indeed walk the same path as Aodin, as the young lady said.”

This was also what she had been about to say earlier.

As time passed, generations who hadn’t experienced past tragedies would grow, and naturally, the resolve to prevent those tragedies from repeating would fade.

If magical beasts were to proliferate uncontrollably by then, no one could guarantee they could be overcome as in the past. Moreover, if Karies were to lose its power like Aodin did.

‘Perhaps an even more terrible tragedy would befall Karies than in the past.’

Ibnel was surprised that he calmly acknowledged everything. She had thought he would tell her never to bring up such things again.

“I thought you were angry that I brought it up. It’s not really my place to say such things, after all.”

“I was just… surprised. I didn’t expect the young lady to think the same as me.”

Shuher had no choice but to stop her words at that moment, flustered.

Moreover, he couldn’t understand why he had followed Ibnel to say these things when he could have just ignored it.

It was none of her business anyway, what answer did he want to hear from her?

“I’ll be going now.”

As she watched him walk away, Ibnel recalled his face, mixed with various concerns for that brief moment, and belatedly spoke.

“It won’t be.”

At her words with unclear meaning, Shuher turned back to see Ibnel still standing there looking at him. But unlike before, her lips now curved into a smile.

Seeing his questioning look, Ibnel stepped closer to him.

“Karies won’t become like Aodin.”

Curious about her voice filled with strong conviction, he asked. How could she be so sure about an unknown future?

“Why is that?”

“Because Your Majesty already knows. That it must not become like that.”

That was the biggest difference Ibnel felt from Aodin. Shuher, from his position as emperor, led the protection of Karies more than anyone else. That alone was reason enough to be confident.

“Besides, with me here, wouldn’t I be of some help? Even if it’s not hunting magical beasts, these eyes of mine should be quite useful.”

She said, spreading her thumb and index finger, but Shuher remained silent. Ibnel nervously glanced at him and slightly narrowed the space between her fingers.

“Or maybe this much?”

When there was still no response, she narrowed it further.

“At least this much, surely.”

At that moment, Shuher, who had been maintaining his silence, let out a short laugh. Hearing his pleasant laughter for the first time, Ibnel stared at his face in a daze.

With the sharp atmosphere that usually surrounded him lifted, such an expression suited him quite well.

“Aren’t you being too confident?”

“You mean not even this much?”

Seeing her serious face quickly turn indignant, Shuher felt his heart lighten somehow. As if the very thought of it had been unnecessary.

“We’ll have to wait and see. Whether you’ll be of help or not.”

With those final words, he completely disappeared from her sight. Still with a smile on his lips.

[This is the timeline separator]

Dressed in her training clothes as usual, Ibnel headed to the dining hall for breakfast. While sitting and chatting with Emil as they waited for the food, an unexpected figure entered.

“Your Majesty?”

Ibnel rose in surprise, but Shuher sat at the head of the table without even glancing at her. Seeing that she still showed no signs of sitting down, he spoke.

“Are you going to keep standing like that?”

“Ah, no.”

Ibnel sat down, but she wondered why Shuher was still in the palace at this hour. Usually, by the time she had her meal, he would already be in his office.

That’s why she had never encountered him like this before.

The conclusion she reached after that thought was.

“Did you perhaps oversleep?”

“Kup.”

That sound came from Emil standing behind her. She was momentarily flustered but quickly composed her expression at Shuher’s gaze.

He soon looked at Ibnel with an expression of disbelief. Like yesterday, she occasionally blurted out unexpected, silly things. And without hesitation, to him, the emperor no less.

“No, I mean, you must have worked late yesterday too, so it’s perfectly understandable.”

“I simply had no special schedule this morning.”

“Ah, I see.”

Just then, the food arrived, and the two began eating. That’s when Shuher’s eyes fell on the training clothes she was wearing.

“Is that your only set of training clothes?”

“Yes. But why do you ask so suddenly?”

The reason he asked such an unexpected question was because the wear and tear on the clothes was visible even from the outside. There were even mending marks.

“Is there something strange about my clothes?”

“Don’t you have any other clothes? These are torn.”

“Yes, I couldn’t bring such training clothes when I came here. And Lia mended the torn parts, so it’s fine.”

Having only worn the clothes Emil initially prepared when she arrived here, it was inevitable that they would wear out quickly with continued training.

For her, it wasn’t particularly problematic. It wasn’t uncomfortable either.

However, from Shuher’s perspective, it was incomprehensible. She could have just asked Emil to prepare new training clothes.

‘Come to think of it, it’s the same with clothes other than training wear.’

Since coming to Karies, Ibnel had hardly any belongings to speak of, and her usual attire was unbecoming of her status as a duke’s daughter. Too plain, one might say.

Considering the treatment she received in House Estella, it wasn’t surprising.

[“Well, looking like that, of course not. Who would ever think she’s a duke’s daughter?”]

Recalling the voices of the young ladies mocking her then, Shuher spoke.

“Emil.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare what the young lady needs.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

Emil, catching his meaning, immediately left the place. Ibnel, however, couldn’t understand what conversation had just taken place.

“What do you mean by that? What I need?”

“Things you need while staying here. What you brought from Aodin seems woefully inadequate.”

“You mean things like clothes and such?”

When Shuher nodded, Ibnel hastily waved her hands. Such cumbersome things were not particularly necessary for her.

“I’m fine. What I have now is enough.”

“Just accept it. It’s included in the compensation I’ve already agreed to give you anyway.”

“But I really don’t need it. Rather than that, couldn’t you prepare a gun for me first? I can’t even train without it.”

For her, the most urgent need right now was the gun that had broken during the subjugation.

“A gun again. If you had heard what the young ladies said yesterday, shouldn’t you feel at least a little need for proper clothes?”

“Not really. I want to let them think as they please. It’s not important to me.”

Ibnel, still accustomed to modern clothing, found the attire of the young ladies she saw yesterday unfamiliar and burdensome. Just imagining herself wearing such clothes made her feel suffocated.

She couldn’t really picture herself wearing such elaborate dresses.

Either way, she was bound to hear unpleasant comments, so she didn’t want to struggle to meet their standards.

“Everyone has different interests and values they prioritize. Mine are just different from theirs. Besides, judging by what you’re preparing, it’s not just a trifling amount. Since it’s compensation, I should be worth the money, right?”

Ibnel couldn’t shake the feeling that Shuher would use this as an excuse to make her work.

“It’s convenient that you understand so quickly.”

“So it’s all debt in the end. But since you insist, I’ll accept it gratefully. There might be occasions where I need it later.”

By this time, Ibnel, who had finished her meal first, put down her utensils. Seeing that she was done, Shuher said.

“You may go ahead.”

It might not have been proper etiquette, but if he allowed it, there was no problem. However, for some reason, she continued to sit.

Thinking she hadn’t heard him, Shuher spoke again.

“I said you may go.”

“I heard you. But Your Majesty hasn’t finished eating yet.”

Which meant,

“Are you saying you’ll wait for me?”

“Yes.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“There might not be a need, but eating alone in such a spacious place feels a bit, you know.”

At those words, Shuher stopped moving his utensils and looked at Ibnel. As if asking what she meant.

“No matter how delicious the food is, it feels, how should I say, less tasty?”

When she was Arang, she often had late meals due to training until late at night, and at those times, her younger sibling always sat across the table to keep her company.

Even when she said it was fine and told them to go to bed, it was no use. And they said the same thing as she was saying now. That they would stay because it would be lonely eating alone.

In fact, those words were so appreciated that Ibnel naturally developed the habit of waiting for someone to eat with.

“Shouldn’t that be considered a problem with your sense of taste?”

From Shuher’s perspective, he couldn’t relate at all. He was used to being alone, and above all, there was no one who would say they would wait for him, the emperor.

“Well, that’s how I feel. Ah, if it’s uncomfortable for you, I’ll leave first.”

Not wanting to cause discomfort to the other person, she was about to get up, when a single word of response came from Shuher’s lips.

“…Not particularly.”

At his words that seemed to say it didn’t matter, Ibnel hesitated before sitting back down.

“Actually, I had asked Emil and Lia to eat together, but they refused quite firmly.”

“They are servants, after all, so that’s natural.”

“I could see they were uncomfortable, so I didn’t ask twice. Ah, the most delicious thing I’ve eaten here so far is…”

Shuher resumed eating while listening to Ibnel’s story. The space that was usually filled with silence was now filled with her gentle voice.

As he walked away from the palace without a word, Ibnel’s voice reached his back.

“Have a good day today as well.”

Shuher paused at those words and turned back, but Ibnel was already walking in the opposite direction. It was all a first for him.

Someone waiting for him to finish his meal, hearing wishes for a good day.

Shuher’s gaze lingered on her back longer than expected.