I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 80
“Ugh!”
“Is that all?”
A cruel smile played on his face as he addressed me.
“You’re much weaker than I expected.”
“Did it never occur to you that you might be abnormally strong?”
I forced myself to stand, but my body ached all over. As expected, facing a dragon alone was too much.
Ahin, who had started attacking immediately after declaring we’d “play together,” left me no choice but to draw my sword. Protecting my father, who had been put to sleep by Ahin’s magic, while fighting him was no easy feat.
The stinging pain in my back from a recent hit couldn’t be ignored. Even so, I straightened my posture even more deliberately, prompting Ahin’s eyes to narrow.
“I was really looking forward to fighting a half-blood dragon, but you’re not much. How boring.”
The light in his glittering eyes dulled, and his face took on an expression of dissatisfaction. A sense of foreboding gripped me as I faced his disinterested pout.
“Let’s stop playing.”
With those words, golden dust began to gather in his hand. That was the problem.
The gold dust, resembling mana, had been freely swirling from his fingertips since the beginning, disrupting all my attacks. Without a definite form, I couldn’t strike it with my sword, and even trying to scatter it with aura proved impossible.
Dodging or evading the endlessly regenerating gold dust seemed futile.
‘What do I do?’
I wracked my brain, but no solution came to mind.
This was why I had never wanted to deal with dragons. How could an ordinary human like me, who had lived an unremarkable life, hope to overcome such overwhelming beings?
But surrendering wasn’t an option either. Gritting my teeth, I raised my sword once more.
I had a place to return to.
“It’s over, Lindel.”
With a cruel farewell, the golden dust surged toward me.
Then, the heat in my chest reacted.
I had grown accustomed to the heat that spread through my body whenever I used aura, to the point that I hardly noticed it anymore. But this heat was different.
Instead of spreading outward, the heat that usually radiated through my entire body was now concentrating inward, gathering at my heart.
The heat seemed to find its place, transforming into an intangible energy that made its presence known.
I knew what it was.
It was something I had never been able to use before.
Mana was igniting my heart.
The heat that had been tickling my heart all this time turned out to be mana.
“……!”
“Mana?”
Ahin’s expression shifted to one of surprise as he noticed the change in me.
“Didn’t your mother erase your mana? Then why…”
White mana fused with my aura, enveloping me completely. The pain that had wracked my body disappeared, and a sudden warmth filled my eyes.
“Your eyes—!”
For the first time, Ahin’s face hardened. He stared directly into my eyes.
“…So even half-bloods are still dragons.”
His red tongue flicked across his lips as he glared at me, his hunger evident. Then, without hesitation, he charged.
“You’re still just a half-breed!”
-Boom!
A deafening crash accompanied the collision of our attacks. But this time, the outcome was different.
Ahin’s face contorted in frustration.
“What the—”
I didn’t miss the opportunity. I imbued my sword with aura, striking with all my might.
The golden dust swirled around me like a sandstorm, but it was no longer a threat.
White chains made of mana danced through the air, blocking the golden dust from reaching me.
Ahin began to cast another spell, but before he could act, the white chains surrounding me shot toward him.
Confusion spread across his face as his movements were sealed. His golden eyes flickered with uncertainty.
“How? How can a mere half-breed—”
“Not because I’m a half-breed.”
The aura radiating from my sword burned brighter than ever.
“It’s because I’m me.”
In moments like these, a little self-confidence couldn’t hurt.
As Ahin’s body crumpled to the ground, the black sphere that had trapped us shattered completely.
***
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
As I blinked in a daze, someone called my name.
“Lindel, are you awake?”
“Laroche?”
The person looking down at me was none other than Laroche.
Unsure why she was here, I hurriedly tried to sit up, but the world spun around me.
“Careful.”
She caught my faltering body and gently laid me back down. The way her hand brushed my forehead reminded me of my mother.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in my room. So, don’t worry.”
Turning toward the voice coming from the other side, I saw Ascal sitting there.
His skin looked rough, and dark circles shadowed his eyes, making it clear he had been under a lot of stress. Without thinking, I called out to him.
“Brother.”
“……!”
His wide eyes made his expression almost comical. The usually composed and stoic face twisted with surprise, leaving me equally taken aback.
“Ah, I mean—”
“You called me brother.”
His silver-gray eyes glistened as they wavered, holding an unmistakable sheen of tears. Seeing him, I recalled the small boy in the vision who had anxiously hovered around me.
He had never hated me. He simply hadn’t known how to approach me.
“Brother.”
When I called him again with a soft smile, a single tear finally slid down his cheek. He quickly lowered his head, seemingly unwilling to show me his crying face.
“What could have happened in there for you to call him that so sweetly?”
A playful voice interrupted. Schrein entered, grinning as he wrinkled his nose. Melaine and Tumel were with him, forming an unusual group that piqued my curiosity.
“Why are Laroche and Tumel here?”
“We sensed dragon mana while in the palace. It was strong, too. When we tracked its source, we found you in the middle of it. So, Tumel and I came immediately.”
“I see.”
Since the black sphere had been entirely Ahin’s creation, it made sense that its presence would be felt all the way from the palace.
Laroche then pointed teasingly at Schrein. “But as soon as we arrived, that man attacked us.”
“What?”
“Ahem!”
Schrein coughed awkwardly, feigning ignorance.
When I stared at him persistently, he uncharacteristically attempted a clumsy excuse.
“You appeared out of nowhere, so I assumed you were enemies. How was I supposed to know you were Lindel’s friend?”
“If Melaine hadn’t stopped us, we might have fought for real.”
If that had happened, our estate—no, the entire territory—would have been reduced to rubble.
The horrifying thought made me break out in a cold sweat.
“Absolutely not.”
“We know. That’s why we waited patiently for you to wake up.”
Laroche gently clasped my hand with a cautious touch. The youthful recklessness she had once displayed was gone, replaced by a mature, earnest expression.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
Perhaps because I had seen my mother in the vision, Laroche’s motherly demeanor stirred my emotions.
“Oh, now that I think about it, my mana—”
My muddled mind finally recalled something important. As soon as I mentioned mana, Melaine’s voice, oddly urgent, interrupted.
“What happened?”
“Oh? Well, while we were fighting, I thought I couldn’t afford to lose. Then, suddenly, I could feel my mana. Or rather, I was able to use it.”
“What about now? Can you still use it?”
“Let me try.”
Though perplexed by his sudden urgency, I complied obediently.
Closing my eyes, I focused on recreating the sensation I’d felt earlier. However, my heart remained still.
“…It’s not working.”
“I see.”
Melaine’s expression grew unusually grave.
Everyone’s attention turned toward him as he appeared lost in thought, but he seemed unaware of their stares.
Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, someone caught my eye.
A figure was trying to slip away quietly. Turning quickly, I shouted.
“Father!”
“……!”
My father’s legs froze mid-step. His stiff back remained turned toward me.
I thought I might have to call out again, but thankfully, that wasn’t necessary.
He slowly turned to face me. Even that small movement made my chest tighten.
“…What did you just call me?”
His voice was cold.
The man who had called out to me in the vision and within the black sphere seemed like a different person entirely.
“Father, no…”
But I already knew the truth.
“…Dad.”
Such a simple word, yet my voice trembled as I said it.
When I smiled, his face hardened even further.
“…Still dreaming, I see.”
“It’s not a dream. It wasn’t a dream earlier, either.”
“Not a dream? I, I thought it was—”
“It’s okay.”
He looked so confused, stammering and unsure of himself. I had never seen him like this before.
Well, today wasn’t the first time I’d seen him act out of character.
I wanted to hear him call me “my child” again.
Schrein gave his back a firm pat, startling him. No matter how I looked at it, this couldn’t be the same Count of Bodebachne I knew.
“Come on. It’s time to be brave.”
“Schrein.”
“Go on. She’s waiting.”
My father’s eyes wavered. Slowly, hesitantly, he began walking toward me.
The short distance felt like an eternity. As if he had traversed a long journey, his eyes were red when he finally reached me.
Kneeling on the floor, his gaze met mine from a closer distance.
In his silver-gray eyes, I saw myself smiling brightly.
“I’m sorry, my child.”
His trembling voice conveyed an apology I was more than willing to accept.
After shedding a few tears, my father finally regained his composure.
We talked about many things after that. Most of the conversation revolved around my condition and what had happened inside and outside the sphere.
Throughout it all, Melaine remained silent. Lost in thought, he wore a grave expression that drew everyone’s attention.
Unable to hold back, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Lindel.”
His gemstone-like eyes gleamed with an unusual light. It was a sign he was reading someone’s soul.
His unexpected scrutiny made me tilt my head in confusion.
“What is it?”
“Using mana is still difficult for you?”
“I don’t think I can do it right now.”
As usual, I could only sense a faint warmth, but nothing like the sensation from earlier.
When I looked at him with questioning eyes, Meline murmured in a serious tone, “There seems to be a connection between your mana and your soul.”
“Huh?”
“When you were fully enveloped in mana, the distortion in your soul disappeared.”
The room fell silent.