◈ 161. [STAGE 6] To the ecliptic
“I am not Ash, but someone else. Did you know from the start, Lucas?”
“… .”
Lucas, who had been silent for a long time with a hard face, responded slowly.
“I don’t know what you mean, lord. The lord is Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack. Aren’t you the third prince of the Everblack Empire?”
“Don’t be foolish, man.”
I crossed my arms with a sigh.
“You know. That I’m a completely different person from the Ash you’ve been living with all your life.”
Lucas is an exclusive escort who has been protecting Ash since he was very young.
I was suddenly possessed by Ash’s body.
Even if you don’t know it, everything from your behavior to the way you speak and every little gesture must have changed.
But Lucas didn’t question me and continued to be by my side.
I also didn’t say much because Lucas was absolutely loyal to me.
We were tacitly agreeing that there was no need to break the current relationship.
But I’m leaving for the ecliptic now.
Ash’s family relationship, of course, without even knowing what kind of person the original Ash was.
It shouldn’t be like this.
The people of the zodiac will surely catch up.
So I just told Lucas openly and honestly. Originally, to ask about Ash’s personality and human relations in the ecliptic.
Nevertheless,
“No. My lord is undoubtedly Prince Ash, whom I have served all my life.”
Lucas had been saying this all along.
I widened my eyes. Why is this guy trembling all the way? You thought you knew everything about each other?
And Lucas had a reason to say this.
“Didn’t you tell me in advance that day?”
“what?”
When is that day? What can I tell you in advance?”
“The night of the second day after being surrounded by black spiders at the outpost. He called me and said,
It was on the third day after being surrounded by the Black Spider Corps that I possessed this body.
The night before, that is, the day before I became possessed… … .
Ash said to Lucas:
“’Hey escort. Starting tomorrow, I will suddenly act like a different person.’”
“… !”
“’But even then, no matter what I look or do, I am me. This is the Ash you’ve been taking care of all your life.’”
At the time, Lucas looked at me with an unwavering gaze as he recited Ash’s words clearly.
“’Do not doubt, and continue to assist me as you have been. request.’ … said.”
“… .”
“At the time, I didn’t understand what you were saying, but from the next day, the behavior of my lord changed markedly. As if you became a different person.”
Lucas smiled faintly and bowed his head slightly at me.
“However, because of what you said in advance, my loyalty to the lord could not be shaken.”
I was stunned by the unexpected fact and my whole body froze.
Then Ash… … Does that mean I knew how to possess my own body?
‘How did you know that? Besides, even after knowing it, you quietly gave up your body? why?’
Could it be that Ash wasn’t just a crazy prince with madness?
Lucas cautiously called me, lost in thought.
“Lord?”
“Oh yes.”
I swallowed dry saliva.
If I told you now that I am a gem-dol from another world, you wouldn’t understand.
Let’s just take the toss from Ash.
“Yeah, that’s what I said then. From that day on, I lost all my memories. I’ve only been pretending to be a prince according to the situation.”
Fortunately, Lucas was immediately convinced.
“Somehow, there are many times when you don’t even know common sense things. I guessed that, but… … .”
“haha. It’s because you’ve been beside me subtly explaining it well, so I’ve been able to get over it.”
“Then suddenly you know about monsters and dungeons… ?”
“Ugh. that.”
I was also moderately circumspect.
“In exchange for losing all other memories, I instinctively knew how to defeat monsters. Maybe the me before losing my memory used some kind of special move… … ?”
“… .”
Even as he said it, he thought it was nonsense, but Lucas nodded his head in agreement.
How much does this kid trust me?
“Kuhm! Anyway, Lucas. I want to ask for your help.”
I am in a situation where I need to know my relationships in the ecliptic and my original habits.
When I asked if he could tell me something like this, Lucas nodded happily.
“All right. Then we’ll let you know right away. We don’t have much time left before departure, so we need to be quick.”
Thus, Lucas’ ‘Original Ash’s Personality & Special Lecture on Human Relations’ began.
***
Fortunately or unfortunately, Ash’s personality is that of an eccentric… … It is said that the range of emotions fluctuated so much that it could be said that it was a different person depending on the mood of the day.
One day he was kind and kind like a saint, and the other day he acted like a mad dog.
Thanks to that, no matter what my personality is now, I don’t think I’ll even buy into the suspicion that I’m a different person.
“In moderation that… cheeky? As long as you keep your attitude, everyone will not be very suspicious.”
“good. But what is it like to be cocky?”
“So um… Lord. Would you like to tilt your chin back for a moment?”
Lucas holds my chin carefully and angles it slightly.
My head was lifted back, so I looked down at Lucas.
“yes! It’s this angle! The former lord always maintained this face angle. Whoever your opponent is, you just have to keep an eye on them as if you were looking down on someone below you!”
“… .”
No, the load is definitely on the back of the neck. You mean Ash always had this face angle?
I looked in the side mirror.
I only slightly turned the angle of my face, but I could see Ash Kim’s face, which seemed to look down on the other person.
Whoever your opponent has flirted with like this? Isn’t this a crazy bastard?
“I must have lived without worrying about becoming a turtle neck… .”
Having put my neck back, I patted the back of my neck. Staying in this position all the time is a bit harsh for me.
“Next, among the people you will encounter in the ecliptic this time, your lord should be careful… These are not easy people.”
Lucas hesitated.
“It seems impossible to explain the master’s complicated family history in the remaining time.”
How complicated is that? Come to think of it, I think I said the same thing before.
“I will tell you one by one how the lord was related to the key figures in the imperial kingdom.”
I don’t know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate this time, but basically Ash’s position is the imperial family’s troublemaker.
It seemed to be about the size of a thunderbolt from the imperial family.
That’s why even the tallest people didn’t care too much. No, I think it would be more accurate to say that I didn’t care.
“His Majesty the Emperor sometimes had private meetings with his lord.”
After explaining my relationship with the main figures of the zodiac, it is finally time to explain my relationship with the emperor.
Lucas chose his words carefully.
“At that time, I couldn’t keep up, so I don’t know exactly what the two of them were like. but.”
“but?”
“My lord was always afraid. Even when being called by His Majesty the Emperor, and even after coming back… … .”
“Mmm.”
Even Ash, the goddamn bitch of My Way, was afraid of the emperor. what a scary person
“At this point, it seems that the arrangement is roughly finished… Oh!”
Lucas clapped his hands as if he had suddenly remembered.
“There is one more very important person.”
“huh? however?”
“hmm… I won’t bother talking about this person. Even if you know in advance, you will have no choice but to be defeated.”
“… ?”
Lucas, who had been serious all day, had a bitter smile on his face.
“You will know when you meet him. The reason I said this.”
“What is it, who the hell is that?”
“Sometimes there are natural disasters that we cannot prepare for. That is the case with him.”
“What is a natural disaster? It’s scary! Stop doing that and tell me! Or give me a hint!”
“Kuhm! Then just know this. In the ecliptic… … .”
Lucas turned his gaze to the side with a pale face and murmured softly.
“… Your lord has a fiancée.”
I gaped. what?
yay yay about… … .
“Fiancéeuhhh?!”
oh… .
Oh yeah eh?!
***
As I was receiving accelerated tutoring all night, the day was bright and it was getting closer to noon.
After listening to the special lecture until the end, it was time to leave, so I packed my things.
In the first place, the prince was going back to the imperial family, so he didn’t need to pack many things, so he packed only the things he needed for his work in the ecliptic.
When I came out to the entrance of the manor house, all my party members were on standby. I chuckled.
“What are you seeing off… .”
But everyone followed me with a serious face, so I left it alone. If you see me off, I feel good.
As I headed towards the south wall with the party members behind me, I saw my soldiers lined up on top of the wall.
“What’s up?”
These kids are doing things they weren’t even told to do to be loved.
As I quietly laughed and went out through the gate, the soldiers on the wall saluted in unison.
“Please return safely, Your Highness!”
Leaving behind the resounding greetings of about a thousand soldiers, I went to the front of the airship.
All three airships had their engines started and Reina was waiting for me in front of the hatch of the Imperial Task Force Alcatraz.
Behind Reina stood 4 officers and 50 soldiers. They were reinforcements to remain here at Crossroads.
As I approached, Reina smiled.
“Are you all ready, Your Highness?”
“What roughly.”
I gestured toward Lucas, who was standing next to me.
“While I am away, Sir Lucas MacGregor will be here as Acting Commander of the Southern Front.”
Reina and Lucas’ eyes met. For an instant, sparks flew between the knight and the wizard.
I said sternly.
“As a reinforcement, I expect full cooperation, Sir Reina.”
“Of course, Your Highness. We will cooperate faithfully.”
“Please. Oh and.”
I whispered to Rayna in a low whisper.
“If you act foolishly, I’ll kill you, so don’t sit around and catch the monster.”
“… .”
“Sir Reina, should I answer?”
Reina bowed her head deeply.
“Do you have any questions, Your Highness?”
Reina reached out and looked toward Alcatraz’s open hatch.
“Get on. We will safely take you to the ecliptic.”
I looked back.
“Don’t go.”
I showed my teeth and grinned at the party members who were looking at me with a mixture of trust and concern.
“I’ll buy you something delicious!”
I waved my hand and boarded Alcatraz.
The hatch closed slowly, and an officer who appeared to be a knight politely guided me through.
“Come this way, Your Highness.”
There were seats exclusively for the imperial family inside the aviary, which was decorated with splendor like a flagship exclusively for the imperial family.
On Earth, I’ve never been able to ride an honor class, let alone first class, but it’s nice to come here.
As soon as I sat down, the officer fastened my seat belt.
Right after that, I felt a floating sensation, and the flying boat rose into the sky with a loud engine sound.
I could see my party members and soldiers through the window next to the seat. The guys were saluting me until the end.
‘Don’t come back soon.’
At the same time as I was thinking, the emptiness accelerated, and in an instant, everyone’s appearances disappeared.
I was falling into this world and leaving the crossroads, the city I always stayed in, for the first time. I clenched my fists.
To be honest, I was a little nervous.
Going to the imperial capital, meeting the emperor, negotiating with my brother, and recruiting key figures.
and… .
‘Fiancée uh uh ?!’
… .
The airship was flying northward at terrifying speed across the sky.
***
[STAGE 6 – CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP – Reina (SSR) < Guest Character >]
[Level Up Character]
– None
[Dead and Injured Characters]
– None
[Acquired Items]
– Wyvern Legion Magic Stones: 274
– Trishura Magic Core (SR): 3
[Stage clear reward has been paid. Please check your inventory.]
– N-rank reward box: 3
– R-rank reward box: 3
> > Get Ready For The Next STAGE
> > [STAGE 7: Prodigal Return]
