Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.3 – Crown Princess Isis, Not the Heroine
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"Uuu."
Did this adorably whimpering child know?
That she was the precious illegitimate daughter born between the current Pendragon royal family's Crown Princess and the last surviving prince of the Briton Kingdom.
For reference, the Briton Kingdom was the hostile nation that had waged war against Pendragon just three years ago. And now, that Briton had been reduced to a mere principality barely clinging to survival.
Pendragon had claimed most of Briton's territory in their victory.
'And that child will become a king who unites both Pendragon and Briton.'
She was a child who had inherited the bloodlines of not just Pendragon, but the Briton royal family as well.
With her silver hair and eyes—the symbols of Pendragon—it was clear her Pendragon blood ran strong.
Yet, having inherited Briton's blood too, she would possess mysterious powers to match.
That was the nature of royal bloodlines.
"You know it too, don't you? This child is a symbol. She'll become a splendid bridge connecting Briton and Pendragon, who are like water and oil right now. She has the legitimacy to unite them both."
"...I'm not well-versed in politics."
"Hmph! Don't play dumb. I know your视野 is wider than most bugs'. Don't act like you don't know."
"Umm."
As Crown Princess Isis had said, he had some idea of how the country was run.
He knew that Briton, despite being devoured, was still fiercely resistant.
He also knew that the prince, Briton's last bloodline, was suffering from a chronic illness and could die at any moment.
So, if that prince grew up healthy and became crown prince, then Pendragon and Briton would truly unite.
If that happened, this nation would possess power vast enough to overwhelm even the mightiest countries.
...Though that was still a distant dream.
"Arthur Drake de Pendragon, Arthur Pendragon! My son will undoubtedly become a great king, hehe."
"......Haha."
Hmm, for some reason, the name felt ominous in all sorts of ways.
'Ah, no, he will become a great king, so that's fine...'
Lee Han decided to bless the child's name for now.
After some casual chatter, Lee Han relaxed his tense body and stayed seated.
It seemed the conversation would drag on a bit longer.
"So, sis. What's the main point?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb yourself. Do you think I don't know you? You have a knack for peering into people's hearts."
"I have no such knack. I simply trust my ability to discern truth from lies by reading atmospheres and tones, and to grasp intentions."
"...What's the difference from reading minds?"
He personally respected her greatly.
Recalling how she'd saved him from an assassin, no man—no, woman—could match her heroism.
- You saved me? Impressive.
Even in a blood-soaked tent, her unflappable demeanor had overwhelmed everyone present.
In any case, because she was such a heroine of the age, Lee Han knew.
This woman never visited anyone without reason.
Not even for him, whom she'd saved and made her sworn little brother, treating him casually. She wouldn't meet anyone without political intent.
So, what he had to do was clear.
"Haa, seriously. Treating me like a hunting dog again."
"Hehe, sorry about that."
For the first time, Isis apologized at his muttering of unknown intent. And the next moment—
Pfshk!!
"Wh-why...?"
The chest of the maid attending Isis by her side was pierced clean through.
The hand axe Lee Han carried in his bosom had unhesitatingly stabbed right through the center of her chest.
In that state, he moved like a nimble hound and seized her throat.
Blood vessels bulged starkly around the eyes of the maid, who could barely breathe now.
And in that state, Lee Han said,
"Sis, ask whatever you're curious about now."
"Thank you. Tsk, I thought you were reliable since you kept your hair neat."
Isis looked at the maid with contempt.
This maid had served her for over two years in the royal court—harsher than any jungle—yet Isis gave her nothing but an icy glare.
"Briton remnants? Or a northern assassin?"
"I-I...!"
"Hm, still hiding the truth even now? Impressive loyalty."
Isis glanced at Lee Han, who without hesitation—
Crack!
"Guhhh!"
yanked out one of the maid's teeth, revealing a poison capsule inside.
"Oh, magically treated, huh? Feels just like a real tooth."
"Probably to avoid suspicion. Spies and assassins are all so meticulous."
The maid, realizing everything was exposed, tried to move her hand.
Moving in that state—chest pierced, throat crushed—proved she wasn't ordinary.
She knew Fighting Technique.
One specialized in stealth.
Stupid.
She shouldn't have bungled it like this. Better to have killed herself.
Then she wouldn't spill any info.
Kwachik!
"Guhhh!"
Unhesitating hands.
The best way to block movement? Rip off the limbs.
...Not exactly something to do in front of a child, but given the circumstances, he'd let it slide for now.
"This isn't Pendragon style, nor Briton..."
"You sure?"
"Fought Briton soldiers until I was sick of it in the war. Saw plenty of their knights too. Like us, their style has roots. But hers? Not really."
"Oh, you know that much? For someone who mocks his own talent, you have sharp eyes."
"It's not talent; it's instinct. You know my senses are special."
"Hoho, true. Better than ten hunting dogs."
"......You're really treating me like a dog."
Isis laughed like it was a comedy, while Lee Han stayed calm amid it all.
Neither seemed particularly normal, and the throat-grabbed maid thrashed in terror.
Until finally—
Snap!
"Ah, see? That's why you shouldn't have struggled."
"Dead?"
"Yep."
"A shame. I wanted more info."
She waved her hand dismissively.
Like discarding trash now that it was worthless.
At her gesture, black-clad figures who had been waiting outside the carriage appeared.
They casually cleared the corpse. Now, inside the carriage, only Lee Han, Isis, the baby, and a maid tilting her head with a dumb look remained.
And that maid wasn't imagining things when she said,
"Um, Your Highness."
"Crown Princess. Or 'Your Highness' if you must."
"Hehe, yes, Your Highness. I don't get it—what happened? Was she a traitor?"
She really was a bit slow.
"Fool. Precisely, both of you were under suspicion."
"Aha!"
"...I suspected you because you're so foolishly naive. How can your brain be so pure?"
"Hehe, my parents often praised my clean mind too."
"That probably wasn't praise."
"??"
"Haa..."
Isis sighed, and watching her, Lee Han understood.
Why someone with ghost-like intuition like Isis struggled to find the traitor and came to him.
'Even having a too-pure brain can get you suspected.'
That was surprising too.
Isis was one of the few who knew Lee Han's secret.
Beast's Olfactory Sense.
A nose that could detect scents no ordinary human could, catching even the faintest traces.
He suppressed it in daily life, but when focused, it absorbed massive information through smells.
Especially thanks to his assassin organization days?
He sniffed out poison, blood, metal like a ghost, and even a person's malice via the scent of cold sweat.
And just now, that maid—despite bathing and heavy perfume—reeked of toxic herbs she couldn't hide.
"One day, poisonings started cropping up in the palace. Especially Arthur showed symptoms."
"...Crazy. They poisoned a baby too?"
"Fortunately, Pendragon blood resists poison well."
"......"
That didn't mean it didn't hurt.
Swallowing his unspoken words, Lee Han trembled in fury at their viciousness.
Despite all the suspicions, the palace hadn't purged everyone but narrowed it to two and brought them here.
And called even him to catch the one reeking of poison.
'What an incredible person.'
Any other mother would rage and lose reason, but she stayed utterly cold.
Thorough to the point of scary.
"Many find Arthur a nuisance. If Briton and we fully unite, the power would be unimaginably vast. Other countries would want him dead too."
"......Annoying as hell."
"That's national politics."
Isis recited the harsh facts calmly and stroked Arthur.
At a glance, she seemed a loving mother, but her monarch's ruthlessness shone through.
Lee Han stuck out his tongue, wondering if he could ever do the same.
He instinctively knew he'd never match her boldness.
"...So, is that it now?"
Having played hunting dog, could he clock out? Lee Han asked politely.
To which Isis replied,
"No, two more things."
"...T-Two more?"
"I'll reward you, don't worry. If you want, you can kiss the back of my hand."
"No thanks. Who're you turning into a pervert?"
"Hehe, passing up a chance to kiss the kingdom's top beauty from my youth."
"Cut me some slack."
He admitted she was beautiful, but her venomous thorns? Hard pass anytime.
"Can't be helped then. I'll repay you later on my terms."
"No, really not needed."
"I'll ignore your refusal. Anyway, I'll now state what I 'request' of you. Etch it into your mind."
"...It's just a request in name. How's it different from a threat?"
Whether Lee Han grumbled or not, Isis's request (order) continued.
......And the moment he heard it.
"...Sis, are you insane?"
"Hehe, not at all. Perfectly sane."
"......"
Lee Han seriously pondered if that was the real issue.
And understandably so.
'...Asking someone to kill your own brother? Is that even human?'
An assassination commission had dropped.