‘It’s not that I can’t understand Fjodra’s position.
Setting aside for a moment the fact that the original author wants Fjodra and Reysir to be at odds, even focusing solely on the character of “Fjodra,” it was the same.
After all, the Demon Realm Conquest is a matter of life and death.
‘Not only could she die herself, but one of us could die too…!’
She must be afraid.
As a member of the Imperial Family, who arbitrarily formed the “Awakened Special Class.”
If the students forcibly conscripted by imperial order were to lose their lives in the Demon Realm, she would be crushed by guilt.
‘She must have become sensitive without even realizing it!’
A sense of duty not only for her own life but also for the lives of others, that she cannot let anyone die.
How could I not empathize with that feeling?
Suddenly, it occurred to me that perhaps she resents her father, the Emperor, a great deal.
‘Just as I, who was abruptly dropped into this novel’s world, keep resenting Author Senna, who seems to be driving everyone to their deaths…’
Even though circumstantially it doesn’t seem that Author Senna possessed me into this body.
Every time I felt that the characters I met in this world were “people” like me, as the conversations with them piled up and the time together increased.
It felt as if the original author was the source of evil, trying to ruin my peace and plunge me into misfortune.
The hostility kept rising.
Moreover, the Emperor is a character living in this “world within the work,” and he clearly knows that we are living beings.
Unlike the original author, who lives outside the work and thinks of us as “non-existent fictional characters.”
So, the antipathy that Fjodra, who knows shame, feels toward the Emperor must be far from light.
‘Still, they say he’s her father after all. According to the original work, she didn’t seem able to completely hate the Emperor…’
It’s not for nothing that the word “love-hate” exists in this world.
When she faces those harmed by her father’s unjust decisions, she feels both guilt and responsibility.
And she cannot turn away, even at the cost of her own sacrifice, trying to clean up the mess somehow.
I suspect that stems from the emotion of “love-hate.”
“There’s nothing I’m guilty about.”
“To say that after being caught hiding your abilities. You certainly have a way with words.”
“The way you say that, it seems Your Highness the Imperial Princess has nothing to hide about your abilities either.”
“Of course not.”
As this exchange went on.
Reysir did not look directly at Fjodra’s face but slightly lowered his gaze.
According to the etiquette here, meeting the eyes of royalty without permission was a very insolent act.
Fjodra didn’t seem to find anything strange about Reysir’s behavior—she appeared to take it as natural.
But?
Reysir wasn’t lowering his eyes to show respect or observe courtesy toward the Imperial Princess.
So, was he unconsciously careful not to reveal his rebelliousness and stare at her disrespectfully?
That answer is half right and half wrong.
What he truly wanted to hide was something else.
‘In the end, he’s using 【Jin-Ik-Nun】 on Fjodra too!’
This was the reason the Original Protagonist didn’t lift his head to face her directly.
If he was clearly facing her but her focus seemed oddly off, and especially if his pupils moved slightly, wandering somewhere in the air—
There’s no one who wouldn’t find that suspicious.
‘Especially now that the existence of the Original Protagonist’s Silver Ethere has been fully revealed, and hints about its abilities have been given!’
It was useless to have fabricated the fake skill 【Identification】 and false settings; he must not be caught having a skill that allows him to read others’ information at will.
Reysir’s lips were tightly shut as he secretly perused Fjodra’s information.
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he was holding back a sneer-like bitter laugh.
‘In the original work, Fjodra’s Ethereal Characteristic Skills were only 【Wind Mastery】 and 【Space Leap】. So unless Author Senna gave her a new skill…’
What she said about currently having the 【Wind Domination】 skill is a lie, and she actually possesses the S-rank 【Wind Mastery】 skill.
Or perhaps she confirmed an exception written in the description window of the 【Space Leap】 skill.
For reference, this ‘exception’ appears in Chapter 195, but it would be too much trouble to reopen and read that chapter.
So, for the readers’ convenience, I’ll write the relevant content again below.
==========
: Exceptionally, if cooperating with someone possessing the same ability, you can move to the other person’s location without vision restrictions.
At this time, the maximum movement distance is [n] km, where n is based on the distance the person attempting the move can leap alone.
==========
Currently, Reysir’s 【Jin-Ik-Nun】 has just entered Stage 2, and it’s from Stage 3 onward that he can check detailed descriptions including such exception conditions.
So, normally, he wouldn’t be able to read it.
‘But my 【Encouragement】 skill is currently boosting 【Jin-Ik-Nun】, right?’
Therefore, the possibility that he read that content cannot be ruled out.
Judging from Reysir’s expression, it seems my guess is correct.
“Honestly, Her Highness the Imperial Princess is…”
For a moment, Reysir’s lips parted and a voice seemed to flow out, but then it closed again without conveying any content.
He knows that if he blurts out what he discovered here, it might feel satisfying for the moment, but greater disadvantage could come to him.
So he barely swallowed his words and endured.
He must have clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth so hard that the grinding sound was clearly audible.
It was impossible not to know that his emotions had become too heated.
But if he remained silent, it would be like admitting fault.
So, was he dominated by the thought that he had to say something?
I saw the Original Protagonist lift his head sharply, face Fjodra directly, and slowly part his lips.
“Phew~!”
I let out a deep sigh and grabbed his arm tightly, signaling him to restrain himself.
Reflexively, Reysir’s gaze landed on my face, and for a moment, the anger in his eyes shot toward me.
I flinched involuntarily, but I didn’t let go of his arm in fear.
I knew the target of that anger wasn’t me.
Because I understood that cold, harsh emotion was not malice, but merely a resistance refusing to yield.
Then, calmly settling my mind, I met his eyes and lightly shook my head.
“……”
Perhaps feeling sorry for scaring me unintentionally, Reysir bowed his head low with a sheepish expression.
Then he stepped half a step back.
It was an action nearly equivalent to conveying that he would leave the conversation with Fjodra to me and stay quiet himself.
“We have to go into the Demon Realm together and fight monsters. If we don’t properly understand each other’s abilities, our lives could be in danger. So the demand not to hide our abilities is justified.”
Even as I said this to side with Fjodra, when I glanced at Reysir’s face, I couldn’t find any sign of resentment.
Relieved that he had truly calmed down, I quietly let go of his arm.
“You understand well. Then why did you hide your skill?”
“I believe I already told you before we fought the Boss Monster. It’s a skill I obtained very recently. So I just hadn’t had a chance to mention it yet.”
“Don’t you think that excuse is too weak?”
“No, I don’t think so. It’s such a recently acquired skill that I haven’t even told my family about it. But since I told my brother today, I suppose Father and my sister will find out soon too.”
I didn’t mention exactly when the 【Encouragement】 skill appeared in front of her.
So if I claim this while even bringing up my possession body’s family, she’ll think I obtained this skill less than a week ago.
“If you truly didn’t intend to hide it, when were you planning to tell us?”
“I thought I’d mention it during Professor Radvicin’s ‘Aether Attribute Enhancement’ class next Tuesday.”
“Why not tell us immediately? Why delay until then?”
“Currently, our skills aren’t at a level to be deployed in real combat, are they? We never expected a Demon Realm to suddenly appear at the Academy today. So I simply judged there was no urgency…”
I paused for a moment, then looked straight into Fjodra’s eyes and continued.
“Does Your Highness the Imperial Princess believe that if we achieve any results, we should immediately come to report to you?”
Earlier, I wrote that “meeting the eyes of royalty without permission was a very insolent act,” but anyway, since the content of my words is already insolent, what does it matter?
It’s not like an Imperial Princess, not even the Emperor, can punish a direct descendant of the Ducal House just for making eye contact.
“We are merely ‘students’ who have just started training for the great cause of protecting people from the anomaly known as the ‘Demon Realm.’ We are not Your Highness’s private soldiers or subordinates.”
“I do not view you all that way.”
“Then why do I feel that way?”
“……”
At my accusation that there was something wrong with her attitude, Fjodra did not immediately respond.
After a brief silence, the words that came out of her mouth were as follows.
“I did not… expect a report. I simply thought it would be better to mention it as early as possible, since a Demon Realm could suddenly appear nearby like today.”
“I see. It seems our standards of thinking and judgment were merely different.”
“Hmph, I think so too.”
When I stepped back as if to concede, did she take it as an offer of reconciliation?
Fjodra readily agreed.
I then asked her.
“But why, when I explained the reason, did you treat it as an ‘excuse’ and press me with a coercive tone?”
“That is…”
Once again, the other party was at a loss for words.
Earlier, I waited for her to organize her thoughts and choose an answer.
But this time, instead of waiting, I threw out consecutive questions.
“Your Highness’s words are correct. But even if something is right, it doesn’t mean one can unconditionally accept it, does it?”
“……”
“We are emotional people, and there are more of us who are here against our will than those who are here willingly. Could you not have considered our situation?”
“……”
Thank you for the new chapter!