Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Negotiation Invitation
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Nudia's senior knight, Risikida Amshel, had decided to surrender to the Clauzen Margrave's side.
Right after that, Sion designated her as his new escort knight.
It was such an unexpected turn that not only the knights but even some of the retainers voiced their doubts.
Risikida, who had been renowned even on the Clauzen side as a model of loyalty, had become a completely different person after just those two days spent with Sion Clauzen.
And Sion Clauzen was keeping her, a knight from an enemy kingdom until moments ago, right by his side as his guard.
‘What the hell?
What is this?
How is Risikida Amshel right next to Young Lord Sion?'
'Maybe the Young Lord seduced her with his devilish charm?'
No, you fucking idiots!
Don't spread weird rumors!
I barely managed to keep her close!
'Hey!
You people!
Isn't that obvious?
You all saw it too!
The Young Lord diving into that hell to save a single soldier!'
'Ah, yeah.
I saw it.
Fuck...
It was a scene so unbelievable I couldn't trust my own eyes.'
'Even the knights' mouths dropped wide open in shock.
I'll never see anything like that in my lifetime.
What noble heir jumps into danger like that for one soldier?'
'That guy, Jimmy, right?
The young one was praising the Young Lord nonstop, saying he owed him his life. Spit flying everywhere.'
Mm, good.
Very good.
That's exactly why I dove into that inferno and made a huge fuss.
'In my view, she must've been moved by that scene and switched sides.
Otherwise, how could she enter our castle alone, get captured, and then after just two days, be glued to the Young Lord's side!'
'They say good deeds bring their own rewards, drawing people in... and it's true.'
Sion let out a groan amid the flood of embarrassing praise from all directions.
It had felt nice at first, but now it was starting to get awkward.
All he'd done was run around like a madman looking for Jimmy Faker, carry him on his back, and bolt out desperately.
"Lucky you.
Getting all that atten—tion."
"Not at all."
"Hmph."
Lilirt, walking beside him in her hood, snorted and strode ahead.
They'd told the soldiers she was just a mage, a decision made to avoid chaos if word got out she was a demonkin.
Fortunately, few soldiers had seen Lilirt from start to finish amid that chaotic battle.
Who could focus on anything else with meteors blazing down from right overhead?
"Why do you keep acting like that?
I told you nothing happened last night."
"Well, if we're talking strictly about intercourse between man and woman, then sure, nothing happened.
I know that.
I don't need to spy—I can roughly check my contractor's status."
"Status?"
"What do you think succubi are sensitive to?
Male ejaculation, obviously.
Oh, and don't even think about lying that it was just masturbation.
Our succubus clan isn't that incompetent."
"...Kuhk."
She couldn't read minds, but she could sense ejaculation?
What convenient—no, terrifying perception ability was this!
'No way I could ever get away with doing anything with another woman.'
He'd have to stick to sweet talk or holding hands at most.
He had no plans to embrace other women yet, but looking at Luciana hovering nearby and Risikida blatantly sticking to his side without any intention of leaving, Sion couldn't help thinking Lilirt's ability was superior to any other.
"But where's your wannabe gum on your shoe?"
"Kim Yoo-hyun's sparring with her.
Looks like she wants to settle that unfinished match from before."
"Humans.
Always wasting energy on the weirdest things."
With that, Lilirt pulled ahead again.
Sion stared at her back for a moment, then quickened his pace as if resolved, catching up to her side.
"Don't worry."
"What're you on about, all of a sudden?"
"My type is exactly the big-sis style like you, Lady Lilirt."
The moment those words left Sion's mouth, Lilirt's face turned beet red.
It flushed so intensely that Sion half-jokingly worried steam might erupt from her head and make it explode.
"...Hah, you bastard.
My heart skipped for a second there."
"Feels like more than a second to me."
"Shut up.
Damn, getting weak against my contractor is just another succubus flaw, fuck."
Ah, so that's why she's especially soft with me.
There was a gap between the succubus queen Lilirt from the novel and this version.
It made perfect sense to Sion.
Once a subjugation contract was formed, a succubus had only one way to gain mana and essence: through desire from her contractor, mutual longing.
"Come to think of it, Lady Lilirt.
You used a lot of power blocking Luciana's spell back then. You okay?
Don't we need to replenish soon?"
"You're asking early.
That was ages ago!"
"It's been four days."
"...Normally, it lasts at least half a month, up to a month.
Using mana like that shortens it.
But it wasn't that bad, so..."
"So?"
"...We might need to do it again within the week..."
A succubus getting shy about mentioning sex—another first.
It seemed contractors got to see a whole new side of succubi.
"Hmm, shall we try a different position this time?"
"Wh-what the hell, kid!
Shut your mouth!
Are you crazy?
Talk about that later, later!"
Sensing she'd smack the back of his head if he kept going, Sion nodded immediately.
"B-by the way, where are we headed now?"
"Father's office.
He summoned me—said he has urgent business."
"Hmm?
Suddenly why?"
"What else?
Obviously the negotiations with Nudia."
"Negotiations?"
The battle was over, but the war wasn't—not officially.
Unofficially, it had ended the moment Nudia's assault fizzled out completely.
'Dates, wars—it's all about the momentum.'
Once swept up, it was incredibly hard to reverse, no matter who came along.
The commander who pulled it off would ascend to legendary general status, but sadly, Nudia lacked such talent—and Sion knew it well.
The first battle had crushed the noble house guarding Nudia's border.
Their second push to invade and pressure the Clauzen Margrave had been utterly dismantled by Sion's "Stratagem of Resonance" and Risikida's sudden actions.
Even with fresh central troops, a demoralized army was no longer warriors—just civilians armed with swords and spears.
The enemy had won twice already; their edge wouldn't rust easily.
Continuing the war here would just bleed them dry pointlessly.
'As a reader, what I like about Nudia is they read the room fast and pivot quickly.
Fucking impressive bastards.
Makes my chest swell with pride.'
Not even half a month since the declaration of war.
They could've dragged it out for pride, but Nudia offered negotiations without hesitation.
"Those guys have no pride?
They started the fight, and now they're the first to sue for peace?
Wow, what balls.
Don't they feel ashamed?
If it were us demons, we'd bite our tongues and die first."
"Between individuals, maybe, but this is nation to nation.
Pride could fuck everyone over, so they figured cutting losses now is smarter."
Wars drag on if there's gain, but if there's zero profit, it's already lost.
Better to smile and say, "Hey, let's call it quits? Cool?" without hesitation—a hundred, thousand times better.
"Father."
"You're here."
The Lichten Margrave looked quite cheerful.
It started as a border skirmish turned war—not a total national or all-out effort, just a territorial one—but a conflict expected to last at least two months had ended in under half.
"You earned the greatest merit, Sion."
"Don't say that.
I just talked big up front.
You were planning the preemptive strike too, weren't you?"
"True.
But I didn't expect the soldiers to fight that well.
In that sense, you're the one who claimed the biggest credit this war."
"Just some wordplay."
"To some, mere words—but you made it reality."
He meant the fuss over saving Jimmy Faker.
To Sion, it was a nightmare of yelling "Fuck this shit!" while scrambling like a dog, but to the Lichten Margrave and others, it was a heroic, noble, sacred moment.
Inspired by Sion's actions, soldiers had recovered not just the wounded but even comrades' bodies to bring home.
Families who'd faced funerals without corpses could embrace their returned loved ones and see them off properly.
'I won't leave a single soul behind in that damned battlefield.'
Sion's words from that day still burned in the soldiers' and knights' hearts.
The heir of a count's house, risking death for one left behind.
And emerging through flames with the wounded on his back.
All of it.
"So I reported to the royal castle that your merits were the greatest."
"Pardon?"
This was another unexpected twist.
Normally, the Lichten Margrave would've been summoned as the top hero, and Sion planned to tag along quietly, handling things in the shadows while spotlights shone on his father.
'This is a total mess.'
Greatest merit meant all eyes on him.
And it wasn't just attention—going to the capital as a war hero brought jealousy, envy, subtle wariness, and rivalry too.
Sion Clauzen's past was a string of idiotic fuckups he couldn't erase.
Heading to the political heart—the royal castle—as the star, with those liabilities unknown, was a huge burden.
"Why the long face?
You used to beg to go to the capital every day."
"Ah, yes.
I did.
But lately, home feels comfy."
"You're twenty already.
You've had your coming-of-age. Time to mingle with central nobles and read the kingdom's currents."
He already knew those currents.
Who'd smack whose head, whose would shatter.
Who'd profit as fishermen in troubled waters, yelling "Jackpot!"
Politics was blooming flowers in mud, but Hespania's mud was radioactive waste topped with shit and a thin dirt cover.
"I just want to finish negotiations perfectly before claiming merit proudly at court."
"Hmm, that's why I called you.
Word is, Nudia sent a letter hoping you'd attend the table instead of me."
"Me?"
Calling him over the Lichten Margrave, who handled all border matters, or the Lion Knight Commander with full proxy authority.
Something smelled fishy.
"Um, sorry to interrupt a father-son talk."
Lilirt, who'd been listening quietly, raised her hand.
Demonkin or not, she'd helped the territory and contracted with his son, so the Lichten Margrave opened his mouth without displeasure.
"Speak, Succubus Queen."
"Can I come to those negotiations too?"
"Regrettably, they specified Sion and one knight."
"Then I'll take that knight spot."
"We've already discussed the knight's name."
At the Lichten Margrave's words, Sion and Lilirt both looked like they'd eaten shit.
Lilirt was pissed she couldn't go.
Sion because he could guess who the other person was.
The Lichten Margrave turned to Sion.
"Risikida Amshel.
They want you to come to the negotiation tent with her."
"...Do you know who's representing Nudia at the table?"
He already suspected, but asked just in case.
If that bastard had any shame, he wouldn't show his face.
But of course, the bastard had none.
"The count responsible for Nudia's border.
Head of the house always clashing with us Clauzens."
That guy.
Risikida's former master, who'd used her up and cut her loose the moment she became a liability.
'...Should I smash his fucking pottery face.'
For a moment, Sion wanted to flip the whole negotiation.
[Author's Note]
I crave recommendations!
Recommendations, pleeease!
Hit me with those recs quick!