The Crown Prince’s Warning

“Lord Jonah, how about this outfit?”

“No, Lord Jonah—my choice is clearly the superior one.”

Preparing for the evening banquet, Aurora and Priscilla kept handing Jonah outfits, changing him again and again like a dress-up doll.

This had been going on for two hours—Jonah was exhausted.

“Th-then, I’ll choose something myself later and get dressed—I need a break until it’s time!”

“Muuuu…”
“Muuuu…”

The two looked dissatisfied but reluctantly agreed, mindful of Jonah’s frail health.

“Then, please excuse us.”

“Please take your time and rest well, Lord Jonah.”

Aurora and Priscilla bowed respectfully before leaving the room.

“Now then…”

Jonah changed not into the outfits they chose, but into his traveling clothes, and sat at the desk.

He needed to write letters—to Carlo, Aurora, and the others.

“Um… I should start with thanks.”

As his pen moved, Jonah thought back on meeting Carlo in the border forest, the seafood he’d eaten in Benedia, the slightly overzealous but caring twin maids, the sea-serpent monster, and above all—the legendary Guardian Deity of the Central Sea.

He’d spent less than ten days in this kingdom, but the memories he made rivaled even the precious ones from Zwerg—with Marguerite and Count Hagenberg.

He wrote his gratitude, his happiness for the time they shared, and a small request—then sealed the letters.

“Alright… time to go.”

Carrying a leather bag far too big for his small frame, Jonah crouched to draw a magic circle—

“Yo.”

“Ah…”

The one who entered without knocking was Carlo.

“I figured as much… You’re already leaving, huh?”

“…Yes.”

Jonah hesitated before nodding at Carlo’s question.

He truly wanted to stay longer, but he only had ten months left. He didn’t want Carlo and the others to bear the pain of his death. So he chose to leave quietly.

But Carlo had caught him—so much for leaving quietly.

“…Honestly, that’s for the best. No offense, but it’s better if you’re not here. For the Kingdom—and for you.”

“Ah… r-right…”

Jonah forced a smile at Carlo’s words, clutching his collar tightly.

Carlo had told him he wasn’t useless—he was allowed to be here. But now, hearing this clear rejection, Jonah realized it had all been a misunderstanding.

He really didn’t belong here after all.

“Right. Your insane magic… If it were just me and Galileo, we could’ve kept it quiet. But with all those sailors there? It’ll leak no matter how strict the gag order is.”

“Huh…?”

It was true—Jonah had used ancient magic in full view of the sailors.

But he never intended to hide it, nor did he mind being seen. So he tilted his head at Carlo’s concern.

“…You didn’t realize, huh. Well, can’t blame you.”

Carlo scratched his head with a grimace.

“Listen, Jonah. Only a tiny handful of people in this world can use magic. And even then, it’s way weaker than Fire of Judgment.”

“Ah…!”

Hearing this, Jonah finally understood.

Magic in this world was weak—nothing compared to ancient magic.

Until his journey began, Jonah lived shut away in the Langheim mansion. He knew the theory from books, but not how magic actually worked in society.

That’s why he failed to realize how dangerous it was to reveal ancient magic to others.

“In our Kingdom, we could manage it. But other nations? They’d be terrified. One person with the power to wipe out an entire country.”

“N-no, I wouldn’t…”

“Even if you or Benedia have no intention of that, other nations won’t trust you. Which leaves them with two options—to recruit you, or eliminate you.”

Yes… even Imperial magitech was nothing but a toy before Jonah.

With him alone, any nation could be forced to kneel.

Even the Estraia Empire.

“That is why—you should never use magic unless you absolutely have to. Only to protect yourself.”

“…Okay.”

With Carlo gripping both his shoulders and speaking seriously, Jonah nodded.

Given Jonah’s power, the Crown Prince of Benedia should have wanted him desperately.

Yet Carlo chose to let him go. Jonah was deeply grateful.

“Thank you… for thinking of me until the very end.”

“Hey hey, knock it off. Say it like that and it sounds like a final farewell.”

“Ahaha…”

Jonah gave a lonely smile at Carlo’s grumbling.

Considering his limited time left, Jonah believed he would never see Carlo again—and his chest ached at the thought.