Chapter 280 : Chapter 280

Chapter 280. Dream of the Underworld Butterfly (3)

This was Leon's memory. Something Radel did not know.

It was what happened to Leon as he wandered between tents looking for the disappeared Radel.

'So this happened.'

Radel was watching Leon's back as he stopped still before the tent.

'As expected, my prediction was right.'

This was inside Leon's dream, so Leon would move according to past memories. Then he just needed to secretly follow behind.

Radel hid his body first. And he tailed Leon searching for him.

It was to naturally peek at Leon's memories.

"...Mother?"

Young Leon could be seen agonizing. Whether to eavesdrop on Mother's conversation or not.

After briefly contemplating, Leon eventually approached closer to where the sound came from. Radel also put his ear to the tent.

"I can't do that. What about the wounds the children will receive then?"

"Why does that matter? Those kids are imperial family. Being swayed by private emotions will only make them weak."

"They're still young. They need their mother."

"Don't talk nonsense, Bianca!"

Leon's eyes trembled. Leon knew who was getting angry at Mother.

The master of the Silvert ducal family. Bianca's father, the 5th Imperial Consort, and his maternal grandfather.

"How foolish! Though you gave birth to them, don't think of them as your children. They are seeds to become the Emperor of the Empire. One of the two will become Emperor. No, must become."

"Don't say such nonsense. How many imperial family members are above these children... And Radel hasn't even manifested yet. Doing this now is too early."

"There's Leon, isn't there?"

The maternal grandfather's voice lowered. He spoke as if whispering.

"Give me Leon."

No. Leon involuntarily stepped back.

Mother would never send me to my maternal grandfather. I'll continue to be with Mother.

"It's none other than 'Dragon's Blessing.' It's not an Ability you can handle."

The maternal grandfather's voice gradually lowered.

"I'll raise him well. I know how."

"No. I can do well too."

"Foolish one! That's just your thought. You don't know anything. If such an Ability is mishandled, what happens...!"

The maternal grandfather breathed in as if genuinely frustrated. But Mother did not back down either.

"He's my child, Father. Whatever happens, I'll handle it."

"Will you really?"

RUSTLE.

A sound came from outside the tent.

"Who's there?"

When Duke Silvert came outside, there was no trace left.

* * *

It was a lie. Leon returned to the 5th Imperial Consort's tent, pale as a sheet.

He had even held his breath and run away for fear the maternal grandfather might discover him. His heart was still pounding.

What should he do? For young Leon, it was too big an incident.

'I don't want to be separated from Mother.'

But if the adults decided that way... Leon's eyes darkened.

That was when it happened.

"Where did you go?"

Radel was sitting inside the tent with a nonchalant expression. Leon was even dumbfounded.

Thinking about it, this happened because he went looking for that guy. Looking at Radel's face that knew nothing, Leon got angry.

"I went looking for you. Where were you?"

"I went to take care of business."

Radel shrugged his small shoulders like a child. That action looked like an adult, and Leon found it absurd.

"Did you forget Mother told us to stay quietly? Don't cause trouble."

"Trouble? You don't need to worry about me."

"I'm not worrying about you. If you're not here, Mother will..."

"I know, I know. Leon really worries about me too much."

"When did I?"

Leon's face turned red. He could not shake the feeling that he had been caught up with this guy again.

Well, he was usually a cunning guy. Last time too, the professors...

'Professors?'

What am I thinking...?

Leon stopped moving and looked at Radel.

Golden hair and golden eyes. A young face that resembled himself.

The brother who had been together since birth suddenly felt unfamiliar. As Leon felt an inexplicable sense of dissonance, Bianca returned.

"Radel, Leon. Mom's back."

"You're back?"

Bianca approached to hug the children as usual.

"...Mother."

Leon closed his eyes while being held in Mother's arms. Mother would not send him away.

It was just a bad thought for a moment. Because he overheard strange words.

Adults' words were originally hard to understand. He must have misunderstood.

Today, and tomorrow. Days with Mother would continue. Together with Radel too, though annoying.

However, Mother's next words shook Leon's heart.

"You know, Leon. Mom has something to tell you..."

Mother looked at Leon with slightly trembling eyes.

"If... just if Leon wants... do you have any thoughts about going to Grandfather to learn magic?"

THUD.

Leon's heart dropped to the floor.

He had hoped it was not so... Mother was trying to send him to his maternal grandfather.

"I don't want to."

Leon shook his head vigorously.

"If I go there, I can't come back."

"That's not it. You'll just learn briefly and come back."

"I don't want to. If I have to go, I'll go with Radel."

Then Radel's eyes widened.

"Me?"

That annoying expression. Leon got angry at Radel acting as if it had nothing to do with him.

Even such a guy is my brother...!

"Leon. Radel can't go. He hasn't even manifested an Ability yet."

Mother said as if troubled. Radel nodded beside her, chiming in.

"Right. I'll stay by Mother's side."

He really wanted to hit him. Leon scrunched up his face.

When Leon closed his mouth tightly and did not say anything, Bianca urgently waved her hands.

"It's not that you must go. After all, Mom isn't a mage... so there's not much I can do for Leon. That's why I said it. Mom doesn't want to send Leon away either."

"..."

It was a lie. Leon thought.

Earlier she said she could do well. She said kids need their mother.

Radel doesn't have to go? But I do?

'I don't want to be separated from Mom either.'

Leon lowered his head with his mouth firmly closed. The atmosphere sank.

SWOOSH.

Until Radel's face appeared from the floor, that is.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Leon was startled by Radel's eyes that suddenly appeared. Looking closely, Radel was lying flat on the floor looking up at Leon who had lowered his head.

"Leon. You're not crying, are you?"

"Who's crying...!"

"Your eyes look a bit moist though?"

"No!"

When Leon denied it, Radel shrugged like an adult.

"I thought... Leon had really become a child."

"...What?"

Again. The sense of dissonance felt from that guy.

Leon's eyes shook.

What is it? Like he was missing something...

Then, Bianca spoke to the children in a deliberately cheerful voice.

"Oh, right. I just heard they caught a large prey. It's a rare magical beast, aren't you curious?"

Was it to lift her son's sunken mood? Bianca opened her mouth looking at Leon.

"I heard it's a magical beast similar to a dragon. It might have been in the book Leon was reading before."

It was a strange thing. As soon as he heard those words, his heart became uneasy.

As if he knew what would happen next.

"Shall we go see it too?"

"Now?"

Leon, who heard Bianca's suggestion hesitated slightly.

It was really strange. He kept thinking he should not go.

"Yes. Actually Mom wanted to see it too. I think it would be good to go together."

But he could not not go when Mother recommended it that much. It was probably a thought she came up with feeling sorry toward Leon.

Leon eventually nodded.

* * *

The place Bianca took the children was a tent with the Cretian Empire's emblem hanging. Other tents were large too, but this tent was as wide as ten other tents combined.

As Bianca and the princes entered, the guards standing at the entrance saluted in unison.

"We greet the 5th Imperial Consort and the princes. What brings you here?"

"I came to see the prey that was just caught. Can I see it with the kids?"

"It should be fine. We just securely confined it with magic."

Radel's eyes examined every corner.

'It's not decorated very splendidly.'

There were few knights guarding the surroundings and not many people visible either. There was probably a separate tent where the banquet was held.

Most nobles and imperial family members would all be there.

'Because the main figures are there, the forces here were weak.'

Radel looked around the place where the incident happened and felt a strange feeling. No matter how inaccurate his memory was, recalling at least this place was not difficult.

Iron cages lined up here and there in the tent containing magical beasts. Cloths covering collected prey that had already stopped breathing.

And the clearing where the incident happened.

The more he looked around, the clearer the memories of that day became.

"This way, Your Imperial Consort Highness."

The guards guided Bianca and the princes to a clearing prepared behind the tent. In the center of the clearing was one large cage.

- GRRRRR...!

A magical beast's breath flowed from inside the cage. A magical beast that resembled a dragon but had no wings.

It was a Black Drake.

GULP.

Seeing that black magical beast, Radel's Adam's apple moved. He had thought he knew everything, that he had already experienced it.

This was not even the real past. It was all just a dream.

A dream created by Leon.

'Then what is this anxiety?'

Radel unconsciously looked at Leon. Leon was also looking at him.

It was the moment their eyes met.

CRASH!

"What's this! Why are the magical beasts...!"

"Didn't you say you properly confined them earlier?!"

"I don't know, where they suddenly appeared from... AAAAH!"

...That incident began.

* * *

The magical beasts' sudden attack. The knights inside the tent quickly formed ranks and responded.

However, there were too many magical beasts.

- KIEEEEK!

- GRRRRR!

"Quickly escort the princes and Her Imperial Consort Highness to safety!"

"Why did everyone go for support at a time like this! Damn it! Block them somehow!"

"Your Imperial Consort Highness! You must come this way!"

In the chaotic situation, Radel examined the surroundings with sharp eyes.

Fewer troops than usual. Suddenly broken iron cages. A large number of monsters appearing from who knows where.

'There are definitely too many suspicious points.'

It made sense for Leon to have doubts about Mother's death.

"Kids, come here quickly!"

Radel turned around at Mother's cry. Mother was still alive.

"Run, Radel!"

Until now, at least.

The back of Radel's neck grew cold. Because he recalled why Mother died while covering him.

He had definitely slipped and...

SLIP.

"Ugh!"

Radel fell to the ground and braced himself with his hands.

No.

The past was trying to repeat itself. Sharp magical beast claws descended on the fallen Radel.

"Radel!"

Mother. Radel barely lifted his head to look ahead.

"...Mother."

Mother was running toward him frantically.

No. It can't be like this.

'A sword!'

He needed a sword right now.