Chapter 20 (2/2)

「I don’t understand why you keep acting so frightened… Are you listening to me?」

「…」

The o racked his brain at full power After a few seconds of scrutinizing Tris’s words, he answered

「Do you have a question for me?」

He forces a stiff smile to try to look composed

Though Tris looked puzzled, he seemed to decide to brush it aside

「A lot happened the other day and I’m a bit unsettled」

It didn’t seem to be about Liz after all

He breathes a sigh of relief in histo Tris

「Boy, who are you exactly?」

「What do you mean…?」

A slight ray of light glitters, and a cold blade is placed on the nape of his neck

「Depending on your answer, I may cut off your head」

「…」

Looking into Tris’s eyes, Hiro gathers that he is serious

「I trust you, boy I also owe you a debt for saving us from that battlefield which reeked of death However, after witnessing such powers, I cannot play the fool」

「Well, that’s true」

「If anyone would bring harm to the princess, I will personally take care of them, even if I am indebted to them So don’t try to deceive me」

Hiro gulped and cleared his throat

If he said that he was the second Emperor, his head would likely tumble across the floor

But if he said he came from 「Earth」, his head would still fall

—What do I do?

As Hiro hesitates…

「Tris, what are you doing?!」

Liz enters the room in a panic

She clings to Hiro’s neck and pushes hilares at Tris

「I don’t knohat happened, but this going too far!」

「Princess…」

「Quiet And sheathe your sword」

Without a word, Tris sheathes his sword and takes a knee

Liz re the hint of a sweet smell

「Tris, tell me what happened exactly」

「Actually, this is perfect There’s so I want you to hear too, Liz」

Hiro gets up and stands between the two

「What is it?」

「—My true identity I’ about it, too」

「… You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to I don’t really mind」

Seeing her eyes tre, Hiro hesitated a bit, then stroked her face

Hiro forced a smile at Liz who looked like a lonely child that had been separated from her parents

「It’s okay I want to tell you now」

「… All right If you want to tell me, I’ll listen」

「It’s not that coh—」

After a brief pause, Hiro quietly spoke

「I’m a descendant of the second Emperor」

「… Huh?」

「… Hmm?」

If he were to tell the whole truth, he would have to tell theo as well

They had to depart to in half a day

So he decided to simply tell a lie

「If you want proof, I guess it would be the color of my hair and eyes They’re atavisms」

「…」

「…」

While he thinks their silence is odd, Hiro continues

「By the way, I think the reason I was able to enter the Anfang forest was because I’e」

「… Hiro, do you knohat that means?」

Hiro tilted his head in response to Liz’s serious question

「Eh, what does that means?」

「If what you say is true, that means you’re a successor to the throne」

「That’s not true I’m just a descendant」

「Of that 「Mars」, right?」

「… Yeah, that’s right」

「Then that puts you at the bottom of the Imperial family Probably」

「Wh-Why?」

「Well, there’s the first Emperor’s last testament」

「Last testament?」

「Yeah It’s a strange last testament」

Liz looks at the silent Tris

「If one who calls himself a descendant of Schwarz appears, confirrant unto hi status Those who do not adhere to this last testa’s curse」

—Altius… what are you doing?

He’s a sht have had some sort of premonition

He may have done that so that no matter which era Hiro returned to, he would have no inconveniences

But to think that he predicted that Hiro would claim to be a descendant What a scary man

「So, you ht able to enter the Imperial family Are you happy?」

There was a srab his arms

If Hiro wasn’t thickheaded, he s of love

He ht have realized it wasn’t a love which arose fros

But Hiro ed a stiff smile in response to the unexpected development, and looked towards Cerberus, as if to request any form of assistance

It e for the incident earlier, but Cerberus turned his back in a huff and ignored Hiro

「… Hmm I suppose that’s fine for now」

Tris says reluctantly as he gets up with an unconvinced look on his face

It was only natural, because even though Hiro had answered the question about his origins, the mystery of his poas left unexplained Tris was likely holding himself back in the presence of Liz

「I can’t believe that you were a descendant of the second Emperor But I think I’m a little disappointed that you weren’t a spirit」

He wanted to poke fun at her about bringing up that topic again, but there was a more important matter

「U a descendant of the second Emperor?」

「I know We’re in no situation for that right now And there’s so me, too…」

「Yeah… thanks」

Though he brought this on his even more complicated

Thisin their own scheme

He sighs at the fact that nothing goes his ith his life in this alternate world

Hiro’s hts of the future

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