Hikan returned to the study alone and touched his forehead. Cedric’s story disturbed his mind.
Cedric is too much for a small child like Dalia to handle……. Well, it is now over anyway.
Transcendents are more tolerant with fellow transcendents. This is because they share different perspectives than others and know the same pain.
There are only five to six transcendents in one era.
Although they often become enemies because of their arrogant and self-deprecating personality, those who have once shared friendship remain friends for as long as possible.
Of course, there were many cases of marriage. There was a certain consensus between Hikan and the Emperor, so they could be close regardless of their age and status.
Cedric, on the other hand, was not on good terms with Hikan even though they were both transcendent.
Before meeting Dalia, Hikan’s personality was worse than it is now, but Cedric was never innocent either.
Cedric smiled as Hikan became more sensitive at a social gathering after he was expelled from the family. (*t/n: sorry not sure about this one)
“Well, isn’t crying about being kicked out of the house is a challenge to overcome for a five years old?”
He can’t have a friend because he talks like that.
There was already a famous incident where he set fire to the entire residence of a noble after he rudely commented ‘it’s like it’s on fire’ when he saw the Empress flaming red hair.
There was also an incident that was often talked about in secret when he offered a blank check to a devastated noble and asked him to claim damages on his own.
He also heard some stories from Adrisha. If a subordinate makes a mistake, no matter how trivial it is, he or she will be fired right away.
If they invade his personal space or ask a few personal questions, they’re fired.
It doesn’t matter even if the person has worked there for 10 years or 20 years. A smiling face is just a mask to hide his contempt, Adrisha said with confidence, that he clearly despises everyone.
How did such a person like Cedric end up falling in love with Dalia?
It was more complicated because he couldn’t think of any idea at all.
He recalled what he heard from the Emperor today.
Surprisingly, Cedric wasn’t like that from birth. Rather, he heard from the Emperor that he was softer and milder than the average transcendent.
But there was a problem. It was because of Cedric’s unusual constitution. For whatever reason, the Emperor’s ability as a transcendent was partially manifested in the young Cedric.
Emperor Alexandro Duncan Michelio has the ability to read other people’s emotions through physical contact.
However, Cedric had that power from birth, compared to the Emperor who gained his ability after he was 17.
It was completely different from Cedric’s innate power as a transcendent – the multi-attribute magic.
Moreover, it was slightly different from the Emperor’s power. He could read emotions without necessarily touching them, and he can perceive bad emotions more sensitively than the good ones.
Furthermore, the Imperial Palace is always filled with people with various purposes. Rather than a good person, a person with the desire for power or ambition visits this place.
Combined with several factors, Cedric knew the darkest side of human beings before his rationality was established.
“It would be better for the world if Count Salamander died.”
“Huh? Why is that?”
“He looks at me with animosity.”
The five-year-old Cedric frowned and looked with contempt with a corner of his mouth raised. It was an expression that a child of that age shouldn’t make.
The Emperor immediately investigated the Count and found out the huge underworld network behind him.
He launched a massive rescue effort in the area to rescue Adrisha. However, he did not manage to save Cedric’s already crooked heart.
“Do all human beings live with that thought?”
No matter how good a human is, they also have bad thoughts sometimes. Jealousy-like emotions exist in any normal human being.
However, no matter how much the Emperor says so, Cedric’s prejudiced view of the world did not change easily.
Even the Empress could not escape. During a ball, she poured all sorts of criticism inside because of the bad breath of the nobleman she was talking to.
At that time, Cedric looked up at her with a strange expression, and the Empress shed tears for three days and nights.
But it didn’t work.
The energy of negative emotions is much stronger than positive emotions. After all, most of the humans that Cedric saw were full of negative emotions.
In order to break through such barriers of mind, it took intense and purely positive power. However, such feelings are not common. Thanks to that, the Emperor gave up halfway and just told him to stop getting into an accident.
But maybe Dalia had a strong, tremendous energy to break through that deep barrier. And she just happened to be in front of Cedric.
‘Since when?’
Until that point, Hikan didn’t know.
But it didn’t surprise him at all that Dalia had a soul strong and good enough to make Cedric fall in love.
Even when he looked at her, he often wondered where someone like Dalia came from.
Because it was harder not to love someone like Dalia who loved others for nothing.
In any case, nothing changes even if his intentions are pure. He needs to somehow stop Cedric from approaching Dalia.
Hikan was determined.
* * *
[I’m done with my book report, Dalia. Come check it out. I reserved the fourth room of the Imperial Palace Library.]
Three days later Dalia received a letter from Cedric. She folded the letter nicely and put it back into the envelope. After that, she tore her hair off and buried her face in bed.
‘Ahhhhh……’
She’s doomed. She’s screwed.
Why didn’t she think this would happen? Did she think it would be over if she took one step ahead and escaped from the palace?
No, it wasn’t her fault, it was Cedric’s. How would she know that it would take him three days to finish it all instead of a month?
‘What should I do if I really need to get engaged?’
Besides, Cedric is so handsome. Since she is weak to handsome face, he might push for the engagement and she may be already at the ceremony once she managed to get a hold of herself.
She slammed her head into the bed. It was so soft that it didn’t hurt at all.
“Dalia, please, just what is this about?”
Outside, Hikan was banging on Dalia’s door.
As soon as she saw the letter in the dining room, she ran to her room with a pale face, so Hikan’s worry was natural. But what would she say to him?
‘I pretended to be a teacher to His Highness the Prince, but he finished the assignment.’
“…….”
He’s not some kind of idiot.
But now that they’re here, she can’t hide it anymore.
Dalia opened the door to Hikan with a pale face. And she showed him the letter she received.
“…….”
Sitting side by side on the bed with Dalia, Hikan touched his forehead after hearing all the explanations.
“What should I do?”
“…….”
“I want to stay with brother.”
Dalia clung to his arm with a desperate look. Hikan’s face deepened further like the depth of the water.
He patted her on the head and said.
“For now, go first.”
“…….”
“If you go, I’ll do something no matter what.”
His expression was serious.
Hikan couldn’t have been more reliable now. Dalia nodded eagerly.
Dalia went into Room 4 of the Imperial Palace Library, wearing the ring the Emperor gave her and a yellow dress, carrying several books from Hikan’s study.
The structure of the room was simple. A long table that could fit eight people was in the middle, and a chalkboard occupied one side of the wall.
Cedric came first and was waiting for Dalia. He spoke casually as soon as he saw Dalia.
“I’ve done my homework, teacher.”
“…….”
“You won’t give me any compliments?”
“G, good job!”
Dalia put the book on the desk while saying so. And she got the book report from Cedric. It was very thick and dense.
‘He really finished it all.’
Dalia felt guilty. She ordered that to buy time. She didn’t mean for him to actually do it.
Dalia apologized in a small voice.
“I didn’t know you would do everything so quickly. I’m sorry.”
Cedric replied casually.
“There’s nothing you should be sorry for.”
“But…….”
“I worked hard to impress you.”
He smiled at Dalia as he closed his eyes.
