I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 36
CHAPTER 36
“Uweeeeek.”
Something crashed onto the ground with a thud.
“Uuuuugh…”
I’m going to die.
I feel like I’m going to vomit even my internal organs.
Even though I took medicine beforehand, I didn’t expect it to be this bad.
‘There were times when I rode dozens of times and was fine.’
As I was crying over past glory, Betty asked with a worried voice from behind.
“Are you okay, Your Highness?”
I nodded my head vigorously with my hand covering my mouth tightly.
I feel like it will come out again if I remove my hand.
“Would you like some water?”
I nodded.
As soon as I nodded, Betty quickly turned around and brought a bottle of water from the carriage.
“Here you go, Your Highness.”
I took the bottle and drank it all in one gulp.
I feel alive.
“Wouldn’t it be better to rest here, Your Highness?”
“We’re almost at the tower, just a little further.”
As Betty spoke anxiously, Leonard immediately nodded.
“It’s better to rest at the tower than to rest here where there’s nothing.”
Upon hearing that, Betty shook her head sadly. It seemed like she was worried about me.
“Your Highness Leonard is right.”
I nodded with a smile.
“It’s about two hours from here to the tower…….”
There was a distance between the teleportation circle and the tower, for fear that the enemy would use it to get in.
Although there are some magic circles that go directly inside the tower.
‘That’s only available to mages who belong to the tower.’
Or only a few people who were recognized by the tower could use the inner magic circle.
So even if you were a mage, you had to use this outside magic circle whenever you had guests.
“So it’s better to endure a little longer and go.”
Taking a short break wouldn’t do much.
I’d have to lie down for a few hours on a bed to feel better.
‘If we go to the tower, there might be medicine for teleportation sickness….’
I should have prepared another medicine just in case.
Sigh.
Betty’s face showed a hint of sadness at my words.
“But still, thank you for suggesting that we rest.”
It disappeared quickly though. Betty also smiled when I smiled widely.
“Yes, then would you like some more water?”
“Um, no, I’m fine. Aren’t you feeling queasy in your stomach?”
“No!”
Betty laughed, clenching her fists tightly.
“I’m strong, you know!”
Hmm, it’s rare for someone not to feel teleportation sickness from the beginning.
Does Betty have a talent for magic?
“Yeah, yeah. But still, drink some water just in case.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Betty nodded and drank the water in her hand.
Oh my, she drinks well.
Leonard watched the two of us quietly and then spoke up.
“Let’s get going. It would be good to arrive quickly.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Leonard and I rode in the same carriage, while Betty climbed onto the carriage following behind.
“We’re departing!”
The coachman immediately started the carriage.
Clunk, the carriage moved smoothly forward.
Meanwhile, Leonard stared at me intently.
‘What’s up?’
Earlier, he seemed to be avoiding conversation and was just reading a book.
“Lottie.”
After a moment of silence, Leonard spoke up.
“It would be good to properly educate that maid from earlier. And you should also refrain from being too friendly with the maids.”
“What?”
“The same goes for Arkin. If you indulge them too much, they won’t grow up properly.”
His red eyes behind the glasses gleamed coldly.
Then, almost muttering to himself, he added.
“A maid who feels close to the royal family. Ridiculous.”
What?
I smirked and opened my mouth.
“I see what you’re getting at, and I’ll leave Betty to her own devices, but.”
“…….”
“I want to do what I want in private, not in public.”
Leonard remained silent.
He just continued to stare at me as if urging me to say more.
“And Arkin needs nurturing care before being noble.”
“No, you’re mistaken.”
He said firmly.
“The most important thing for anyone in a position of power is dignity.”
“The most important thing for anyone in a position of power is having supporters.”
Leonard frowned at my response.
“You’re talking idealism.”
“I’m just stating facts.”
You should try getting along with the gods too. They see everyone as just humans, regardless of nobility or whatever.
“No, you’re wrong, Lottie.”
Leonard sighed as if weary.
A gloomy shadow fell over his face.
His tired red eyes disappeared behind his eyelids.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“…?”
I blinked for a moment as I looked at him.
What’s this acting ?
‘And Arkin said you’re kind, but…’
Arkin wasn’t completely unaware. If Leonard was pretending to be kind on the surface while hiding his true feelings, Arkin would have noticed somehow.
‘Why does he seem so anxious?’
At 20 years old, as a Level 5 mage, he should be calm even just breathing. But it doesn’t seem like he’s the type to be restless due to pressure.
‘Hmm?’
As I stared at Leonard, I felt something. A very faint discomfort.
It was more likely nothing, but if it was true, it was a sign that needed to be addressed quickly.
…Should I check?
Clunk!
At that moment, the carriage jerked heavily as if a wheel had gotten stuck somewhere.
Here’s my chance!
“Ouch, oh dear!”
I exclaimed awkwardly and leaned forward.
Startled, Leonard reached out and grabbed me.
In that moment, suspicion turned into certainty.
‘Is there a mana depletion in the circle?’
Circle.
The act of accumulating mana around the heart was referred to as a circle.
If there’s a depletion, it means mana is leaking even when just breathing.
Until this is completely cured, you can’t build the next circle.
It’s like ignoring a crack on the first floor of a building and trying to build the second floor, it’ll collapse.
When the circle is completely shattered, you can’t build another circle and can no longer be called a mage.
Becoming a half-baked mage who can’t use magic.
‘But how did the circle get depleted?’
Normally, injuries are just injuries, there’s almost never an impact on the circle.
What on earth did he do?
“Are you okay?”
“Oh, yes!”
I quickly nodded at the voice coming from above and promptly sat back in my seat.
“Thank you for catching me. It was dangerous.”
“It’s fine as long as you’re not hurt.”
Leonard lightly replied and tapped the wall near the coachman’s seat.
It was a signal to tell what happened.
“Sorry, Your Highness. Suddenly, a beast jumped out.”
“Tsk.”
“Sorry… Your Highness.”
As Leonard bit his tongue, fear crept into the coachman’s voice.
“It’s unavoidable for animals to jump out.”
I smiled as I straightened my disheveled hair.
“If we collided, the carriage would have shaken more, which would have been more dangerous, right?”
“Oh, yes, yes!”
The coachman immediately replied, realizing it was a statement for his own benefit.
After staring at me for a moment, Leonard sighed.
“…Let’s depart.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The carriage set off again.
He doesn’t seem like such a heartless guy to react this way.
Has he become grumpy because of the broken circle and whatever happened?
Leonard didn’t speak further, and neither did I.
After a subtle silence, the carriage arrived at the tower.
“Welcome! Prince Leonard!”
Some mages who had been informed in advance came out to greet Leonard.
Surrounding him as he got off the carriage.
“We’ve heard the news that you’ve brought someone proficient in ancient languages.”
“Can we finally decipher the ancient texts?”
“Yes. It’s someone recommended by Her Majesty the Good Empress.”
“Oooh!”
“If it’s recommended by Her Majesty the Good Empress, then it’s trustworthy!”
…What kind of life has the Empress lived to even have them go out of their way at the tower?
“So, who is this person? If they’re a professor at the Academy, they should be trustworthy.”
“Could it be, Professor Maylin? If it’s her, she can definitely decipher the ancient texts….”
The excited chatter of the mages died down.
Because I got off the carriage.
‘Judging by the looks in their eyes, they seem to know a lot about me.’
If Leonard wasn’t here, they would’ve muttered ‘half-baked’ and left.
I clicked my tongue.
“Let me introduce you.”
Leonard took my hand and led me forward.
“Lottie Pandelion, the Second Princess and my sister, as well as the interpreter I’ve brought.”
“….”
In an instant, the faces of the gathered mages darkened.