Chapter 132: Snow Globe (1) (1/2)
I made a chair by mixing clay and snow, then a primary residence with a modern design. It was a combination of resiliency and aesthetic sense. Meanwhile, Sophien was still eating with all the etiquette expected of a royal diner.
“Let me explain.”
Sophien put down her spoon, drawing my eye.
“There was no lag in my bedroom. I took possession of the cat as soon as you picked up the Snow Globe and made you stop. But there was a delay outside the bedroom.”
“Yes. Then-“
“Perhaps this Snow Globe has put a force field around my bedroom. It must be projecting a certain radius around both the outside and the inside of the snow globe. It must be a defense mechanism of its own.”
“Yes. And-“
“This time difference may increase over time, or it may be constant.”
Sophien closed her eyes for a moment, sending her mind out to possess Munchkin.
Tick-tock-
My watch ticked on.
“…”
She opened her eyes again and followed my line of sight to my watch.
“The time lag is gradually increasing. Four days here is about a day in the outside world.”
“I see.”
It was a reasonable inference. Sophien placed her chin atop her hand.
“Aren’t you suspicious?”
“Your Majesty can’t say anything wrong.”
I mimicked her as she grinned and opened another cup of ice cream.
“…But, it’s amazing.”
I checked the blood flowing through my body to guess the concentration of external mana and calculate the speed at which mana was restored. Midas’ Hand and Understanding the Snow Globe consumed 5,000 mana, but 200 mana was refilled.
“There is nothing different about it from the outside world. Rather, the concentration of mana is thick. It’s perfect for practice.”
I looked back at Sophien, who tilted her head like a child told to study.
“Your Majesty?”
“…You practice. While waiting for you, I trained in speaking and swordsmanship, so I used up all my mana. I ran out of it now.”
“Is that so? So let me ask, Keiron.”
I called Keiron instead because his position still stood firm behind Sophien.
“Keiron.”
“…”
“Keiron?”
“That guy is a statue.”
I tapped his body, hearing a metallic ring.
“He left this statue and went on an expedition to find out how wide this world is and what else there is.”
“…”
“It will take him a while to come back. If your brain is stupid, your body suffers.”
I nodded. Sophien raised her eyebrows, her expression turning sullen.
“Why, are you uncomfortable that it is just the two of us?”
“I am just grateful to be with Your Majesty.”
“…”
Sophien stared at me, scouring my face for a hint. Then, her expression wrinkled up into a frown.
“Those aren’t empty words.”
“Of course.”
“…”
Sophien could grasp human emotions at a startling speed, mine included.
Whoooosh—
A chilled wind wrapped around us, and she pulled up the collar of her coat.
“Are you cold?”
“…It’s because I almost don’t ever leave the Imperial Palace. I also ate cold food in a cold place.”
I took off my coat. Sophien looked at me with mild bewilderment as I handed it over.
“My suit coat is an artifact. It will keep you warm.”
“…”
Sophien put the coat over her own without a word. Since Midas’ Hand was applied to it, its performance was certain.
“It is warm.”
“Yes.”
“But… Deculein.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know?”
The Emperor’s face suddenly turned hard.
“Freyden was involved in my poisoning. Your fiancée’s family.”
The air stopped for a moment. No, even time halted. In the cold world of the Snow Globe, with even time frozen for a moment, I stared at Sophien.
“It wasn’t only Freyden, but also many other families. Among them was Yukline.”
Sophien ate another scoop of ice cream.
“Nearly all the prestigious families on the continent worked together to kill me. Its principal axis was Freyden.”
“…”
“But… why did they do that?”
Sophien, staring at the ice cream, raised her head. Her gaze was as dry as the sand in the desert.
“Of course, I have no intention of blaming you now. Your ancestors are the problem.”
“Are you going to get revenge?”
“…Even that is faint.”
Sophien sighed.
“If I punish them all, just imagining the ripples on the continent is troublesome enough. And even if I punish them, they will not suffer as much as I do. It would be pointless.”
“…”
“So I want to run away.”
I looked at Sophien. Now, strangely enough, a death variable was spreading from her. It was a sign of suicide. How ironic.
Freed from her boredom and indolence, she easily learned more about herself and eventually grew skeptical. Compared to her revenge and the time and passion needed to plan the continent’s future as the Emperor, the reward she would receive was extremely small.
“I will be by your side. So, don’t say that.”
“…Hmph. No need. Will anything change if you are by my side?”
“No.”
Sophien let out a morose laugh, but I continued to stare at the red aura that fluttered beside her. The death variable was burning like a bonfire.
“I will always be there for Your Majesty’s process.”
For a moment, her face stiffened with shock. Of course, this was a way to suppress the death variable, but it was by no means a lie.
“And at the end of Your Majesty’s process, I will surely be there. I will face Your Majesty. Even if I die.”
I didn’t add, ‘Because your death is Game Over anyways.’
“…”
“So, don’t run away. The ruler of an empire never turns their back.”
Sophien’s expression turned as cold as ice, and a heavy silence hung over us. But soon after, she forced an awkward smile to reach her lips.
“Deculein. Do you know?”
“What?”
Swooosh-
A whirlwind kicked up snow outside, forming a blizzard. As I watched, Sophien spoke as lightly as that wind.
“You have already died for my sake.”
“…”
I turned my gaze back to her.
“…Your Majesty?”
A small smile crept across Sophien’s lips.
“Forget it. Just focus on the current situation. This Snow Globe is not a romantic object like a bunker or a cradle.”
She looked at the blizzard on the horizon without a word, darkening the Snow Globe’s world with a deafening roar. At the same time, the surface began to crack.