“You know, Noah. As expected, wouldn’t it be better to tell the Duke?”
“Girl!”
Noah grabbed Clarisse by the shoulder and pushed her, meeting her gaze.
“You mean my existence could threaten the peace of Sheridan. The Duke should know.”
“Not necessarily. As long as me and the girl properly keep secrets…”
“But once the war starts, it gets out of hand. Everything gets messed up in an instant.”
Clarisse knew how affectionately Maximilian cared for Sheridan.
She didn’t want red blood to flow in this winter city where his sincerity melted warmly.
Because of Clarisse.
‘…What should I do.’
Clarisse regretted the fact that she insisted on her life for the first time.
Noah had said earlier that Clarisse was an excellent golem master, but she was actually not very strong.
It’s just enough to make friends the size of the palm of her hand and live without being lonely.
She didn’t want to drag a lot of people into misfortune because of a power that wouldn’t help much.
“My opinion is that I only assumed the worst.”
“But there are plenty of possibilities.”
As Noah had said, if the Wizard’s Castle wished to possess Clarisse, Maximilian had no choice but to fight them.
No matter what, he has to take Clarisse, when she was eighteen years old, to the place of execution.
So in the end, the castle of the wizard who wants Clarisse and Maximilian will be at odds with each other.
‘If that happens.’
Clarisse bit her lips tightly.
She always wanted to live.
As she feels the little joys of each day.
But if she wanted to live by hurting the person who gave her grace, that wasn’t it.
‘If this life becomes a nuisance to Sheridan, I’d rather die.’
As her thoughts gradually drifted out of control in a bad direction, Noah grabbed her by the shoulders.
“I didn’t want the girl to think badly.”
“But… There is no other way on days when things get big.”
Once Clarisse’s identity became widely known, there was only one thing she could do to stop the war.
To get rid of herself, who became the seed of war.
She had to do this on her own.
The Duke, who values his promise to the King, will never execute Clarisse before she is eighteen.
“….”
Noah, who kept his silence for a while and looked at Clarisse, opened his mouth after a long time.
“…I.”
His voice cracked a bit.
“Noah…?”
Are you going to kill me?
Clarisse’s heart skipped a beat.
That seemed like a pretty good idea.
Noah is kind, so she’s sure he’ll come up with a way that will make the pain short.
Clarisse looked at him expectantly.
“You dare to look at me with disquieting eyes.”
Tak.
Noah tapped Clarisse’s forehead with his finger.
It didn’t hurt, but Clarisse was a little startled by his suddenness and quickly wrapped her forehead with both hands.
“Uh.”
“I won’t kill the girl. Never.”
“…You won’t?”
“Does Sheridan’s child make a friend do such a thing?”
“That! I don’t think so, but…”
For some reason, Noah started talking seriously, saying “I…”, so she was expecting a little bit.
“What I was trying to say to the girl is… so.”
“….?”
“…I meant to run away with you.”
“Run away?”
“The continent is wide, and there are places in this world where the Wizards and the Saphers’s royal family don’t reach. And just as I… a wizard who escapes the constraints of space and time.”
Clarisse recalled Lockhart and the broad map she had seen while studying history.
Hearing it, she thought that there might indeed be such a place somewhere.
If Clarisse disappeared, the wizards wouldn’t bother Sheridan any more.
And Clarisse will have to return quietly on the day she turns 18 and meet her promised fate.
“Therefore.”
He patted Clarisse’s pink hair lightly.
“For now, girl, live as you wish. In case of an emergency, I will take you anywhere.”
“Why…”
Are you doing that to me?
Clarisse mumbled, unable to bring up the question.
But Noah seems to have understood enough. A light voice answered.
“I’m just imitating it, my master.”
“Master…?”
“Jonah Astor, he’s the person who would be my refuge.”
So this time, it seemed that Noah was meant to be Clarisse’s refuge.
The only light she can see in the worst of times.
“So there is nothing to worry about. This is for me. I just wanted to know what kind of heart he had for becoming my refuge, and for him, I have no choice but to try it myself.”
“You know, since Noah said that, somehow I became less scared. There was nothing but fear a moment ago.”
“I did too.”
“Your Master said he would take you anywhere, right?”
Noah nodded his head quietly.
“It’s a strange thing. If I thought I could run away at any time, somehow I was able to focus more on what was right in front of me.”
“Rignt in front…of you.”
Clarisse naturally thought of repaying the favor and taking the official exam. That difficult test was eligible at the age of sixteen.
“I can try at least twice.”
In the meantime, how great would it be if Clarisse could produce great results?
If that were the case, even at the moment when her immediate life ended, she would probably be able to smile.
‘No, even if it isn’t.’
The memory of working really hard will never make Clarisse sad.
It was even more so considering that she didn’t even have a chance to do that in Grezekaia.
While Clarisse was proud, Noah tilted his head as if it were strange.
“Why do you have only two chances?”
“H, huh?”
“You can take the public service examination as many times as you like. Most of them are young people, but it is not difficult to find examples of elderly people scoring high in newspapers.”
“Ah, yes! T, that’s right.”
“So, not just twice, but ten times, no, no matter how many times.”
“That’s true! I, I…!:
Clarisse thought this was an opportunity to tell Noah about her situation.
That she would be executed at eighteen.
But how… her mouth didn’t drop easily again this time.
Knowing that Clarisse’s life, which he is trying to cherish, will disappear with only two chances… Won’t he leave in disappointment?
“Girl?”
“R, right. Several times… eung! I can do it many times!”
Clarisse said in a very awkward tone and jumped up from her seat.
“I have to go back to sleep now. If I go to bed later, tomorrow I’ll sleep like a sick chicken, and I won’t be able to meet Noah.”
“…Girl, are you okay?”
“Of course I’m fine! Let’s go, huh?”
Clarisse held out her hand to Noah.
He looked at her with a strange expression on his face, but he didn’t ask any further and got up, holding her hand.
They carefully shook Sir Benson to wake him and went out into the garden together.
In the garden, small lamps were placed at regular intervals to light the way for the two of them to return.
As they came out onto the safe road the adults had made, Noah let out an ‘Ah’ sound as if he had remembered something.
“Come to think of it, I wonder if it is necessary to try a second time.”
“E, eung?”
It seems like he’s about to talk about ‘opportunity’ again, so Clarisse flinched and turned to Noah, who was standing beside her.
“The exam questions aren’t that difficult.”
“What?!”
It was a remark that made people who were going to take public service exams or who had already gone through it all at once turn into enemies.
Even if she reads the newspaper articles about the test right now, the main point is that many young people are suffering as a result of its broad scope.
“I’ve solved previous questions after listening to a girl’s story before. If you memorize thoroughly, focusing on the introductory books by field, you can easily solve them.”
Clarisse stared at Noah.
Despite being her close friend and refuge, he somehow… seemed very strange now.
Enough to let go of her hand that was secretly holding him.
“The application questions are usually within the expected range, so it didn’t feel particularly difficult.”
Of course, Clarisse had also seen a book called ‘The Types of Applied Problems’.
The one-span thick book consisted of a total of five sets.
“If you set the foundation firmly and repeat the problem solving, you will easily get everything right.”
“….”
She thought it was a lie that only comes out in an interview with a chief public service exam…
… She can’t believe there are people who really think like this!
While Clarisse somehow hated Noah, she was a little worried that she could compete with people like Noah to get the best position.
“The girl will be fine.”
Noah gave Clarisse a hearty cheer, not knowing he had let her down.
* * *
The next morning.
Queen Devina woke up at dawn, as usual.
As she lightly raised her body, an elderly maid approached her as if she had been waiting.
She was the Great Queen’s paternal relative from the Marquis Lenox family, and since Devina is married, she has always been by her side.
After exchanging morning greetings and a quick wash, she changed Devina’s clothes.
“Did the Duke say anything yesterday?”
Then suddenly, the maid asked a question.
“You know, Noah. As expected, wouldn’t it be better to tell the Duke?”
“Girl!”
Noah grabbed Clarisse by the shoulder and pushed her, meeting her gaze.
“You mean my existence could threaten the peace of Sheridan. The Duke should know.”
“Not necessarily. As long as me and the girl properly keep secrets…”
“But once the war starts, it gets out of hand. Everything gets messed up in an instant.”
Clarisse knew how affectionately Maximilian cared for Sheridan.
She didn’t want red blood to flow in this winter city where his sincerity melted warmly.
Because of Clarisse.
‘…What should I do.’
Clarisse regretted the fact that she insisted on her life for the first time.
Noah had said earlier that Clarisse was an excellent golem master, but she was actually not very strong.
It’s just enough to make friends the size of the palm of her hand and live without being lonely.
She didn’t want to drag a lot of people into misfortune because of a power that wouldn’t help much.
“My opinion is that I only assumed the worst.”
“But there are plenty of possibilities.”
As Noah had said, if the Wizard’s Castle wished to possess Clarisse, Maximilian had no choice but to fight them.
No matter what, he has to take Clarisse, when she was eighteen years old, to the place of execution.
So in the end, the castle of the wizard who wants Clarisse and Maximilian will be at odds with each other.
‘If that happens.’
Clarisse bit her lips tightly.
She always wanted to live.
As she feels the little joys of each day.
But if she wanted to live by hurting the person who gave her grace, that wasn’t it.
‘If this life becomes a nuisance to Sheridan, I’d rather die.’
As her thoughts gradually drifted out of control in a bad direction, Noah grabbed her by the shoulders.
“I didn’t want the girl to think badly.”
“But… There is no other way on days when things get big.”
Once Clarisse’s identity became widely known, there was only one thing she could do to stop the war.
To get rid of herself, who became the seed of war.
She had to do this on her own.
The Duke, who values his promise to the King, will never execute Clarisse before she is eighteen.
“….”
Noah, who kept his silence for a while and looked at Clarisse, opened his mouth after a long time.
“…I.”
His voice cracked a bit.
“Noah…?”
Are you going to kill me?
Clarisse’s heart skipped a beat.
That seemed like a pretty good idea.
Noah is kind, so she’s sure he’ll come up with a way that will make the pain short.
Clarisse looked at him expectantly.
“You dare to look at me with disquieting eyes.”
Tak.
Noah tapped Clarisse’s forehead with his finger.
It didn’t hurt, but Clarisse was a little startled by his suddenness and quickly wrapped her forehead with both hands.
“Uh.”
“I won’t kill the girl. Never.”
“…You won’t?”
“Does Sheridan’s child make a friend do such a thing?”
“That! I don’t think so, but…”
For some reason, Noah started talking seriously, saying “I…”, so she was expecting a little bit.
“What I was trying to say to the girl is… so.”
“….?”
“…I meant to run away with you.”
“Run away?”
“The continent is wide, and there are places in this world where the Wizards and the Saphers’s royal family don’t reach. And just as I… a wizard who escapes the constraints of space and time.”
Clarisse recalled Lockhart and the broad map she had seen while studying history.
Hearing it, she thought that there might indeed be such a place somewhere.
If Clarisse disappeared, the wizards wouldn’t bother Sheridan any more.
And Clarisse will have to return quietly on the day she turns 18 and meet her promised fate.
“Therefore.”
He patted Clarisse’s pink hair lightly.
“For now, girl, live as you wish. In case of an emergency, I will take you anywhere.”
“Why…”
Are you doing that to me?
Clarisse mumbled, unable to bring up the question.
But Noah seems to have understood enough. A light voice answered.
“I’m just imitating it, my master.”
“Master…?”
“Jonah Astor, he’s the person who would be my refuge.”
So this time, it seemed that Noah was meant to be Clarisse’s refuge.
The only light she can see in the worst of times.
“So there is nothing to worry about. This is for me. I just wanted to know what kind of heart he had for becoming my refuge, and for him, I have no choice but to try it myself.”
“You know, since Noah said that, somehow I became less scared. There was nothing but fear a moment ago.”
“I did too.”
“Your Master said he would take you anywhere, right?”
Noah nodded his head quietly.
“It’s a strange thing. If I thought I could run away at any time, somehow I was able to focus more on what was right in front of me.”
“Rignt in front…of you.”
Clarisse naturally thought of repaying the favor and taking the official exam. That difficult test was eligible at the age of sixteen.
“I can try at least twice.”
In the meantime, how great would it be if Clarisse could produce great results?
If that were the case, even at the moment when her immediate life ended, she would probably be able to smile.
‘No, even if it isn’t.’
The memory of working really hard will never make Clarisse sad.
It was even more so considering that she didn’t even have a chance to do that in Grezekaia.
While Clarisse was proud, Noah tilted his head as if it were strange.
“Why do you have only two chances?”
“H, huh?”
“You can take the public service examination as many times as you like. Most of them are young people, but it is not difficult to find examples of elderly people scoring high in newspapers.”
“Ah, yes! T, that’s right.”
“So, not just twice, but ten times, no, no matter how many times.”
“That’s true! I, I…!:
Clarisse thought this was an opportunity to tell Noah about her situation.
That she would be executed at eighteen.
But how… her mouth didn’t drop easily again this time.
Knowing that Clarisse’s life, which he is trying to cherish, will disappear with only two chances… Won’t he leave in disappointment?
“Girl?”
“R, right. Several times… eung! I can do it many times!”
Clarisse said in a very awkward tone and jumped up from her seat.
“I have to go back to sleep now. If I go to bed later, tomorrow I’ll sleep like a sick chicken, and I won’t be able to meet Noah.”
“…Girl, are you okay?”
“Of course I’m fine! Let’s go, huh?”
Clarisse held out her hand to Noah.
He looked at her with a strange expression on his face, but he didn’t ask any further and got up, holding her hand.
They carefully shook Sir Benson to wake him and went out into the garden together.
In the garden, small lamps were placed at regular intervals to light the way for the two of them to return.
As they came out onto the safe road the adults had made, Noah let out an ‘Ah’ sound as if he had remembered something.
“Come to think of it, I wonder if it is necessary to try a second time.”
“E, eung?”
It seems like he’s about to talk about ‘opportunity’ again, so Clarisse flinched and turned to Noah, who was standing beside her.
“The exam questions aren’t that difficult.”
“What?!”
It was a remark that made people who were going to take public service exams or who had already gone through it all at once turn into enemies.
Even if she reads the newspaper articles about the test right now, the main point is that many young people are suffering as a result of its broad scope.
“I’ve solved previous questions after listening to a girl’s story before. If you memorize thoroughly, focusing on the introductory books by field, you can easily solve them.”
Clarisse stared at Noah.
Despite being her close friend and refuge, he somehow… seemed very strange now.
Enough to let go of her hand that was secretly holding him.
“The application questions are usually within the expected range, so it didn’t feel particularly difficult.”
Of course, Clarisse had also seen a book called ‘The Types of Applied Problems’.
The one-span thick book consisted of a total of five sets.
“If you set the foundation firmly and repeat the problem solving, you will easily get everything right.”
“….”
She thought it was a lie that only comes out in an interview with a chief public service exam…
… She can’t believe there are people who really think like this!
While Clarisse somehow hated Noah, she was a little worried that she could compete with people like Noah to get the best position.
“The girl will be fine.”
Noah gave Clarisse a hearty cheer, not knowing he had let her down.
* * *
The next morning.
Queen Devina woke up at dawn, as usual.
As she lightly raised her body, an elderly maid approached her as if she had been waiting.
She was the Great Queen’s paternal relative from the Marquis Lenox family, and since Devina is married, she has always been by her side.
After exchanging morning greetings and a quick wash, she changed Devina’s clothes.
“Did the Duke say anything yesterday?”
Then suddenly, the maid asked a question.
