Chapter 81
Chapter 81
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: In the Flower Garden
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling, tra-la-la.
The lively melody echoing through the hall after the sudden noble investiture ceremony following the Emperor's birthday rites.
It was the signal that the full-fledged celebration party had begun.
'Haa...'
As the pleasant tune rang out, nobles gradually took their seats in the grand hall.
They settled in with a sense of order.
'A ball, huh. It's suffocating.'
A scene that clearly showed they hadn't come to celebrate the Emperor's birthday.
Regardless of young or old, male or female nobles exuded an intense aura of seduction toward the opposite sex.
Pairs who had already locked eyes moved without hesitation to find their partners.
The hall, cooled by magic, was suddenly filled with a hot, steamy energy.
"Um... Count Kayer..."
'Hm? What are these ladies now?'
Should I call them curiosity-driven females?
A woman spoke to me as I watched the ball begin from the Emperor's dais.
No, women.
Over a dozen finely bred noble ladies had gathered around me, their eyes sparkling.
Their eyes sparkling.
Like girls eyeing a celebrity with curiosity, sending signals of 'Oppa, I'm free'—the daughters of noble houses.
They were cute.
Not the jaded aunties who had tallied up all their experiences with age, but a group of girls fresh from their coming-of-age ceremonies.
"What can I do for you, ladies?"
A salesman's smile naturally bloomed on my face.
"Oh my..."
"His eyes are black too... so mysterious, like a demon."
Today's outfit concept was black.
It wasn't a stretch for them to see me as a demon.
"If it's not too forward, may I have your hand..."
A girl with striking red hair boldly extended her white-gloved hand.
'Shouldn't the man offer first?'
Glancing around, in most cases, when a woman flirted, men approached and offered their hands.
'The Emperor must be tired...'
As I turned my gaze to the girl, I caught sight of the Emperor withdrawing.
Supported by knights, he quietly departed with the Empress.
'Huh? That guy!'
Just as I was about to give my first touch of the night to the bold red-haired girl, a scene caught my eye far across the room.
It appeared the moment I looked away from the Emperor.
The most unappetizing bastard in this hall was approaching a woman with a sleazy grin.
"Sorry, ladies. I have a prior engagement..."
I bowed politely so as not to embarrass her.
"Ah, no. Time is short anyway, isn't it?"
"Thank you for your kind words. Then..."
Not born of noble blood, but having devoured plenty of screen time, lines like this were nothing to me.
'I've achieved my goal for today anyway. You rotten scum.'
I slipped through the dancing couples spinning round and round, quickly heading toward the woman he was targeting.
We'd only shared one meal, but I couldn't stand seeing her end up in that wolf's arms.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
'He was the lord of Neruman...'
Princess Rosiatte, who had come as the Habis Kingdom's representative envoy to celebrate the Bazran Emperor's birthday.
She was shocked to spot the lord of Neruman here—the owner of that wyvern from the interspecies breeding she'd seen in her territory recently.
His unassuming appearance had suggested high status, but learning he ruled a neighboring territory inseparable from Habis Kingdom startled her.
'To boldly petition the Emperor and receive a countship—such an unusual man.'
Thinking of Kayer brought a pleasant smile to her lips.
The man she'd met at the border, sharing wild boar meat and a brief memory.
Seeing Kayer here, boldly asking her for meat without hesitation, made her heart race.
She had reason to visit Neruman at least once anyway.
Orders from Neruman had suddenly flooded in, doubling Habis Kingdom's tolls and tax revenues.
Rosiatte knew well that just one year like this would significantly strengthen her kingdom's power.
"Haha, it's a pleasure to see you again, Rosiatte, the flower of the northern continent."
Lost in happy thoughts of the eccentric Kayer, Rosiatte turned at the sudden male voice.
"I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince."
She snapped to attention, gathering her dress skirts and bowing.
"What were you thinking of so joyfully? It made my own heart tremble just watching."
The Crown Prince approached Rosiatte, feigning polite nobility.
As he appeared, the empire's nobles who had been about to speak to her backed away.
The tyrant temperament of Crown Prince Poltvi.
They knew getting entangled would bring no good, so they retreated.
They pitied the innocent neighboring kingdom's princess caught in the gaze of his eyes gleaming with lust today.
"I was contemplating the graces bestowed by the Empire."
Rosiatte knew it too.
That the politely acting Crown Prince before her was savage-tempered and a notorious womanizer.
Even with a fiancée set for Crown Princess, countless women had lost their purity to him—a fact known even in Habis Kingdom.
"Haha, I see. I've heard lately that surrounding kingdoms harbor ill will toward our Empire, but it's reassuring that Habis is different. When I become Emperor... I'll ensure no such rumors spread."
She shuddered.
An overt threat.
As a diplomatic envoy representing her nation, she understood his meaning perfectly.
The Bazran Empire's resolve to discipline any neighboring kingdom for displeasing actions.
"O-our kingdom will not give Your Highness cause for such worry."
The deer trembled before the young wolf's fangs.
The sorrow of the weak.
Compared to the Empire, her kingdom possessed not even a tenth of the strength—it wasn't a kingdom at all.
If the Bazran Empire withdrew protection, the Rabiter bastards would devour it in one gulp.
They'd been gnawing away steadily, and now Habis's lifeline hung by a thread.
"That's good. The ones I despise most in the world are those who don't know their place and rampage. Hahaha."
What was he trying to say?
The wolf's claws slowly stripped the frail Habis princess, her body trembling.
No one would help.
They could only glance sidelong, foreseeing the pitiable woman's fate.
"Princess Rosiatte, shall we dance now? Let's enjoy the ball Father created to the fullest. Isn't that the duty of a loyal subject?"
With the lion father gone, the Crown Prince claimed ownership.
Not politely requesting the lady's consent, but commanding.
Rosiatte clenched her fists, swallowing her humiliation.
She knew too well that rejecting him rudely here would doom her kingdom the moment the wolf became Emperor.
She extended her trembling hand to the arrogant wolf's smug smile.
She bit her lip lightly to steady her heart.
Her wretched body, about to be embraced by the beast reeking of blood, felt cursed in this moment.
"Heh heh..."
The Crown Prince's lewd, desire-laden chuckle.
His sticky gaze preyed on Rosiatte's white nape.
Once he took her hand, no one knew what her fate would be tonight.
'Kayer...'
And then, one man came to Rosiatte's mind.
The simple smile of the man who had offered her the boar's hind leg.
She yearned for it desperately now, without realizing...
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Haha! Long time no see, Rosiatte."
"...Kayer!"
'I'll gouge that bastard's eyes out!'
The filthy aura of desire was blatantly visible even from afar.
The other males fled with tails between their legs from his fishy stench.
And before him trembled the pitiable woman.
I stood beside her, calling her name vigorously.
"Y-you bastard!"
"Haha, Your Highness the Crown Prince, thanks to you, I've become a count. I won't forget this grace lightly."
Even during greetings to the imperial family after the rites, the Crown Prince bastard had glared at me.
Now that I'd suddenly appeared to ruin his fun, his foul temper blazed in his brown eyes.
"Grrrr... You've got some guts."
"No way. How could someone with guts spilling out survive? I'm simply grateful for today thanks to the Bebeto Your Highness graciously permitted. You kindly gave Bebeto and sent him to Neruman, making today's me possible, right? I'm no ingrate. I'll repay that grace forever."
I stared into the Crown Prince's bulging eyes, a cold smile on my lips.
"Grrrr..."
The foul-tempered wolf pup ground his teeth.
It was pathetic how the heir to a nation flew into a rage at mere words.
His father was the perfect Emperor, but if this one took the throne, the Bazran Empire would go to the dogs in no time.
"Rosiatte, didn't we have a prior engagement?"
Her eyes widened round at my words.
Cute.
The startled eyes of the northern continent's flower delighted me.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince will understand. A man of imperial stature won't pettily seize a lady's hand with a prior commitment. Right, Your Highness?"
If I was going to crush him, better do it thoroughly.
"Y-you...!"
Instead of replying, the Crown Prince glared once more.
Then he turned on his heel.
His wounded pride must have nearly burst his heart.
Even a rowdy, ill-tempered Crown Prince wouldn't display his filth openly at his father's birthday party.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. May you receive boundless fortune."
I hurled mocking words at his retreating back mercilessly.
"Pfft..."
Rosiatte burst into the laughter she'd been holding, seeing me deflate the Crown Prince with words.
"Thank you."
The panic from meeting the Crown Prince was gone; she now wore a sweet, cute smile.
"We're acquainted, aren't we?"
"Yes."
"Nice to see you like this. You've grown even more beautiful since we last met."
"Th-thank you."
'What the heck?'
My flirting instinct kicked in at the worst time(?)
Steamy lines poured out effortlessly.
"Care for a dance?"
"Huh? A d-dance?"
"Haha. In Neruman, we say 'one tune' when asking a lady to dance."
"Oh..."
She nodded, accepting my nonsense.
'But what's this killing intent from behind?'
Having rescued the lovely Rosiatte from the Crown Prince, just as I aimed to enjoy the ball I'd only heard of, gazes from two directions.
I turned my head slightly.
First, the nobles whispering while staring at Rosiatte and me.
And...
'Aegis!'
They'd escorted her to the hall, so others must have assumed I'd dance with Aegis first.
'Irene!'
Not just that.
At my 7 o'clock, 10 meters left, Countess Irene watched with an 'I knew it' look.
Now I was undeniably a playboy.
Different woman entering, different one dancing—no excuses.
"Please."
Rosiatte extended her hand, her white nape and face faintly pink.
"My honor."
The water was already spilled.
Ignoring the two women's gazes, I took Rosiatte's hand.
'Sigh, if only I had two bodies...'
Lamenting my single form, I lightly gripped her ant-waist-thin waist with my left hand.
'Whoa!'
The elastic feel of Rosiatte's waist in my hand.
Ding-ding-ding-di-ling.
The upbeat waltz-style ball music in my ears.
'Life's what? Just do your best moment to moment!'
The best choice I could make now.
No regrets.
Regret can wait till death.
My life held only hot forward momentum.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"What? Eleven gold wyverns? And dozens more wyverns?"
After the Emperor left, Duke Omar handled countless nobles in place of the politically disinterested Crown Prince.
He'd seethed at his own silence watching Kayer ascend to count, suppressed by imperial authority.
With grim resolve, he endured, building ties with nobles.
The vast Bazran Empire.
Knowing nobles still didn't support him, he seized the opportunity.
Then Viscount Farkes rushed over with absurd news.
"Yes. A knight who visited Neruman confirmed it."
In a corner of the hall.
The two spoke discreetly.
"Hmm... gold wyverns out of nowhere..."
The black-haired man who danced with Habis's Princess Rosiatte now held Imperial Princess Aegis's hand, dancing joyfully.
He'd become the hall's center of attention.
Customarily, the Crown Prince danced center stage at such balls, but he'd vanished, leaving Kayer with the princess drawing all eyes.
Even to Omar, it looked dashing.
A man whose looks matched the Empire-endorsed Rosiatte.
He exuded overwhelming charisma over the masses.
Freshly titled count, yet his demeanor resembled a king.
"What will you do? With this evidence... we could charge treason."
Viscount Farkes, intent on killing Kayer anyway, spoke freely of treason.
"Now's not the time. He'll never leave this place anyway."
Duke Omar showed mercy to the man at his last supper.
"Oho! Count Halbastro, long time no see."
He turned from Kayer toward a politically vital noble.
The moment the party ended, that man would tour hell.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Sorry."
"For what?"
'You see it in moments like this—they're women through and through.'
Aegis, holding my hand for the second time.
The princess so regal before others now couldn't hide her jealousy before me.
"God seems like a cruel person."
".....?"
Her eyes questioned my sudden mention of God.
"If heaven plants clear stars in human eyes, how can a mere mortal like me gaze into Your Highness's eyes?"
"Peeh..."
The nobles naturally cleared space as the princess and I danced.
"Oh my, now it's the princess?"
"Just who is Count Kayer to dance with Princess Rosiatte and now Her Highness?"
"Look closely—he's handsomely manly."
"The soldiers who returned alive from Neruman spread the word, but it must be true."
Admiration whispered from noblewomen everywhere.
"Hmph! Thinking all nobles are equal is a mistake."
"Arrogant country bumpkin with no pedigree..."
"Daring to touch Her Highness's sacred form with filthy hands."
Followed by petty murmurs from male nobles.
'If you're jealous, just say so, you bastards.'
A ball prepared for me.
I enjoyed it to the fullest.
'The mood isn't great...'
Even while dancing, I sensed rough auras here and there.
The Emperor wouldn't last long, plain to see.
If he passed, Aegis and second-in-line little Razsion's lives would be at risk.
No way the bastard Crown Prince, unrelated by blood, would spare his half-siblings.
'That must be Duke Omar.'
Bazran Empire's powerbroker, known even to me.
Even in the Emperor's health, his influence pierced the heavens.
'And the one who sent me to Neruman to screw me over.'
The Crown Prince's uncle, Duke Omar.
Tied to me by invisible grudge.
He wielded most of the Emperor's power.
Any non-idiot could connect him indirectly to sending me to Neruman.
'What to do.'
Aegis, her mood lifted by my praise, danced joyfully holding my hand.
The golden-haired princess like Rosiatte immersed in pleasure, unaware of her looming fate.
"Aegis..."
".....?"
She looked up with joyful eyes at my call.
"If you ever need refuge, come to Neruman. I'll protect you."
She shuddered.
No fool, she grasped my meaning.
She nodded, eyes welling up.
"Thank you."
Rustle.
'Whoa!'
With thanks, she gently leaned her head on my shoulder before the watching nobles.
The melody shifted from waltz to blues.
Aegis's sweet fragrance wafted like spring haze into my nose.
'Yeah, trust your oppa.'
Most men would vow to be a sturdy protector as the helpless beauty—no, peerless stunner—relied on them.
Short life.
Living cool and stylish—that's a true man's dream, right?
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"Oh my... now it's the Ice Countess Irene?"
"He looks so cool..."
"Look closely—her poise is no joke."
Sensitive ears caught noblewomen's gasps.
Others' rice cakes always look bigger.
Dancing with big fish instead of small fry sent my stock skyrocketing.
"That bastard to kill..."
"Even Countess Irene..."
In contrast, male nobles lost all fight.
Jealous ones weren't few, but surround-sound alternated women's admiration and men's sighs.
"Playboy."
"You're too kind."
Irene, utterly unreadable.
Her silver hair neatly tied back reflected magic lights with each dance step, creating a mystical aura.
"Playboy" from her lips.
I flashed a grin and admitted it.
I was innocent, but to others, I fully qualified as history's greatest philanderer.
'Sis, don't look at me like that. Makes me want to kiss you.'
Her alluring smile hovering on her lips, red pout.
My heart pounded meeting her playfully twinkling eyes.
And vivid memories of that thrilling first flight.
On the air plate, touching Irene's shy breasts.
Her moans carried by wind revived, heating my heart.
"Planning to be king?"
Ting-a-ling, tra-la-la.
Amid fitting tempo music, Irene's out-of-nowhere question about becoming king.
"Who knows..."
"To take all these women as official wives, don't you need to be king? You playboy Sky Knight Count."
Boom!
'Oh! There's that way!'
A massive bell of realization rang in my head at Irene's joking advice.
Monogamy was divine law here, except for kings and emperors.
'If I become king... heh heh heh.'
No need to agonize over one wife.
In Korea, it'd spread online, dooming me to death by incel blades.
But this was Kaliyan Continent, not Earth.
If king, my rules.
"If interested, I'll reserve a spot."
"Naughty."
'Ack!'
With "naughty," her hand at my side pinched my waist mercilessly.
"Ugh..."
I stifled the groan rising to my lips.
All nobles watched Irene and me.
I gritted teeth, enduring.
'But no "no" from her?'
After "naughty," Irene slightly flushed.
I felt her dress-hidden slim waist quiver faintly.
"Leave tonight."
".....?"
"Too many targeting you."
She whispered as our bodies pressed close mid-dance.
'Irene notices too, huh.'
I planned it anyway.
Business done; no need to linger.
"If anything happens in the palace, please look after Razsion and Princess Aegis. You're the only one I trust, Countess Irene."
No connections in Bazran Empire.
Irene was my crisis lifeline.
"I'll do my best."
"Please."
No more words.
The tune neared end, regrettably.
'Time to go.'
Like Cinderella leaving her princes, I gazed at Aegis, Rosiatte, little Razsion, and finally Irene watching me.
'Leave without a word when departing.'
Some gazes had irked me knowingly.
Certain nobles monitored my every move.
"Well then..."
"Be careful..."
As the song ended and I bowed, Irene whispered caution.
One phrase, packed with worry.
I shot a grin at her sky-blue eyes.
'Playing's work too.'
Not hating time with Aegis.
But wanted distance from the pack hunting my life.
And now, time to return to Neruman, my new home.
Pushing aside reluctance, I slipped carefully through noble gaps.
Snatched a wine glass from a servant's tray, pretending a brief rest.
Like a spy's ruse in movies...