Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Party is Over
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The party was over.
Several days had passed since the festivities resumed, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
The nobles, who had been stiff and on edge at first, gradually regained their composure. Smiles returned to their faces as conversations flowed once more.
During that time, Sion had deliberately summoned Lucia to the party hall and dragged Kim Yu-hyun along, hoping to create an opportunity for him to connect with Princess Vanessa. But Kim Yu-hyun showed no interest in anything beyond sipping his carbonated drink.
Of course, some noble ladies were drawn to his cynical looks and aura, and a few curious nobles approached him as well.
'Fucking bastard.
Of course the disciple of Raido, Number Two Lunatic, would act like this.'
Even so, Kim Yu-hyun maintained a baseline of courtesy toward the noble ladies.
Was it his way of saying, 'Hey, I'm not a eunuch'?
But with the male nobles—especially the hot-blooded heirs of noble houses—he was like a razor-sharp blade, ready to slice anyone who got too close.
Thanks to that, he received a few duel challenges, which he met with mocking laughter before utterly demolishing his opponents.
'Ludwig.
Thanks for holding back.
You're not ready to die just yet.'
Whether Ludwig was actually holding back or had realized he'd get wrecked without even breaking even, he just clicked his tongue and avoided eye contact with Kim Yu-hyun.
In the meantime, Kim Yu-hyun had taken down four noble heirs who were reputed to be promising talents.
Only then did the nobles catch on.
Better not to tangle with that guy.
'He's a pretty decent swordsman.'
The silver lining was that the princess had finally taken an interest.
Sipping the carbonated drink imported from Hynes at her subtle request, she approached Kim Yu-hyun.
Watching the scene, Sion inwardly shouted, 'Fuck yes, finally! Is it happening at last?'
'That was some impressive swordsmanship.
I must offer my compliments.'
'···Thank you.'
'If it's not too much trouble, may I ask a favor?'
'···?'
Oho, is she asking him out on a date or something?
I knew you could do it, Princess! Damn it!
'I'd like to cross swords with you.'
*Crash.*
The moment those words left Vanessa's mouth, Sion felt like something inside him shattered.
What the hell? You build up this pink atmosphere and then suddenly go, 'Let's spar'?!
'I won't go easy on you just because you're a princess.'
'Just what I hoped for.'
And don't you go accepting like it's a good idea, you idiot!
Sion was so stunned that even as other nobles kept calling his name, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the pair.
Were they going to fight like kids and somehow bond over it?
That wasn't in the original novel at all?
Oblivious to Sion's inner turmoil, Kim Yu-hyun and Vanessa each grabbed a wooden sword and headed to the royal training grounds.
Under the gaze of the nobles, they clashed without holding back an inch, sparring with full enthusiasm.
'Why do you look so anxious?'
'Surely Kim Yu-hyun won't get punished if he accidentally hurts the princess, right, Marquis Volko?'
Sion had no desire to see the palace that Kim Yu-hyun had defended reduced to rubble by his own hands.
Even if his body wasn't fully recovered, Kim Yu-hyun was still Kim Yu-hyun.
He had effortlessly dispatched Rishika Dal, an upper-class knight, and if he felt like it, he could bisect an entire knight squad with a single stroke. The monstrous bastard!
Right now, he was playing it a bit safe while recovering, but a lunatic once was a lunatic forever.
'They'll go easy.
The princess and that guy both.
You know that, don't you?
The princess's swordsmanship is better than most men's.'
He knew that much.
Swordsmanship was part of the basic training for the royal family.
But the princess's skills were meant for self-defense, while Kim Yu-hyun's were infused with lethal intent—vicious slashes meant to kill.
'Yu-hyun, please.
Don't do anything stupid on a whim.
Just play it safe.
Even if you don't plan to lose, at least make it look good...'
*Clack!
*Clang!*
With a single strike, Vanessa's wooden sword flew from her hand.
Kim Yu-hyun's blade hovered right at her throat as she stared at her weapon rolling weakly on the ground.
'···.'
Sion clutched his face without realizing it.
Oh God.
What am I supposed to do with this protagonist asshole?
'No matter how you dress it up, the essence of the sword is one thing.'
'···.'
'Killing your opponent.
Snuffing out their breath.
But Your Highness's sword lacks that will entirely.'
Damn it, bastard.
Why do you have to kill our princess's vibe?
And this was a spar, you idiot.
Who brings life-and-death into a friendly match?
Still, Sion had imagined Kim Yu-hyun sparring lightly, pointing out her flaws with words and blade, gradually drawing closer.
He'd spun that happy fantasy, only for Kim Yu-hyun to burn it to ash in three seconds flat.
'Why the hell is he like this?
In the martial world, he was busy filming melodramas with every girl he met?'
Unlike the sweet, romance-filled martial world overflowing with girly energy, this otherworld had plenty of women clinging to him—but almost no actual connections. Now he knew why.
He spat out every spoon of rice that came his way!
Who could eat like that?
'···Maybe it's because this is after the martial world timeline, so he's a bit different from the Kim Yu-hyun I knew.'
Unlike Kim Yu-hyun in this world, who was monstrous from the start, the martial world's version had been weak.
Naturally so.
It was right after his dimensional transfer.
Being weak meant constant danger, and people around him died every time.
Including several women he loved.
'No, this is still bullshit.
I'm doing all the hard work for you.
No heartbreak on your end, you prick!'
He'd prevented a feud between the Clauzen Margrave Territory and the original enemy.
In the war with Nudia, he'd stepped up himself so Kim Yu-hyun could play the hero, enduring the stares and jealousy at the royal party in his stead.
Hell, even Trisha Faker—the girl who'd later turn yandere and become his worst nightmare—was being handled by Sion himself. She was still holed up underground.
'No Lucia coin means his emotional wounds aren't healing.
Fuck, who knew making Lucia like me would backfire like this...?'
Things were spiraling in the most unexpected way.
He needed to hook him up with a good girl fast to temper that explosive temper.
Until then, it was driving him insane.
'Telling Lucia now that Kim Yu-hyun's actually a great guy would be bullshit.
No interest in the princess.
Lilit's out from the start.
So which heroine coins are left...?'
One fairy, one celestial, three humans.
They'd all had decent vibes with him but retired, faded into the background, or vanished abruptly.
'Fairy and celestial are too early timing-wise.
One of the humans has king potential... but she's on the opposite side of the Clauzen Margrave Territory.'
Kim Yu-hyun had joined to suppress a northern rebellion.
It escalated beyond mere revolt into an international war, colluding with barbarians.
And there, he'd meet the chieftain of a tribe called the Daughter of Winter.
'···But that's fucked too.
No rebellion brewing.'
Who'd start a revolt in this tense atmosphere after you wrecked Kashugar like that?
The radical fairy's internal rift in the fairy kingdom—the very spark of the rebellion—had been perfectly dismantled by Sion himself.
'Sorry, Yu-hyun.
Romance might come faster in your next life.'
Sion decided to watch and wait.
Who knew? Maybe something would happen.
Lucia would stick by Kim Yu-hyun anyway, naturally drifting from Sion and growing closer to him.
Princess Vanessa might warm up more, smiling even brighter.
'···Enjoy the final night, everyone.'
With Vanessa's closing remarks, the royal party's last day arrived.
Once it ended, everyone would return to daily life, and the royals would fully dismantle the Kashugar Count family.
Sepher wouldn't even get the mercy of death; he'd spill every fact, real or fabricated, confessing until it filled a novel.
Noble houses linked to him would live in fear of the fallout.
'Got to weed out the backstabbers early.
Yeah.'
Sion hummed a little tune to himself.
The Hynes Merchant Group, which supplied carbonated drinks to the royal party, had raked in a fortune over the past few days. He was thrilled.
He provided the idea; they handled production.
He demanded not a single coin from the profits.
In exchange, the guild would fully back him on any items he wanted.
That was the deal with Helen Hynes.
'···But.'
Suddenly, the nobles were buzzing with unrest.
Sion slipped in to eavesdrop when someone grabbed his shoulder.
'Sion Clauzen, Young Lord.'
'Oh, Princess Vanessa?
What's up so suddenly?'
'Have you heard the news?'
'What news...?'
Vanessa let out a heavy sigh at his question, her face twisted in clear displeasure.
'I was already pissed about that unsavory incident mid-party.
And now, on the last day, uninvited guests show up.'
'Uninvited guests?'
'Nudia's envoys.'
Her words made Sion grimace too.
He mentally calculated dates from the truce negotiation to now.
The conclusion: extremely high chance they'd left Nudia right after Basura County accepted terms and signed the truce.
'···No way they're backing out now?'
Unlikely.
If talks collapsed, Clauzen wouldn't be the one embarrassed—it'd be Basura.
Sion held several leverage points; exposure would brand them near-traitors.
No way a desperate Basura County begged Nudia's royals for envoys.
'They arrived at the capital moments ago and are currently in private audience with His Majesty the King.'
'And His Majesty approved that?'
'Officially, they're an envoy delegation.
Can't just turn them away at the gate.'
What the hell were they scheming, dispatching envoys so quickly?
Sion felt a twinge of unease.
Maybe they sent some "gift" that's actually trouble? His mind raced with possibilities.
'Enjoy the final party for now.
It's to celebrate your victory, after all—the last night.
I'll head up and check on things.'
With that, Vanessa left the hall.
Fuck, why'd those bastards show up now?
Ruining the last day.
Sion grumbled inwardly but kept smiling outwardly, enduring the noble ladies clinging to him and local nobles desperate for connections.
He finally escaped and reached Lucia, lounging near the balcony.
'···Pfft.'
'Why are you laughing.'
'You look so worn out, Young Lord Sion.
Not even in the thick of battle.'
'There, enemies and allies were clear-cut.'
'Not here?'
Obviously.
Sion nodded.
In war, yesterday's ally could be today's foe.
In politics, your ally three seconds ago might club you from behind three seconds later.
Yet no one's outright an enemy, so open hostility's off the table. 'What a tiring battlefield.'
At the same time, such a fun one.
As he muttered and caught his breath, Edgar IV—who'd briefly stepped out—reentered the hall.
Nobles halted everything, rising at his appearance. He scanned the room and spoke.
'Envoys from the Kingdom of Nudia have arrived.
Bearing a personal letter from their king, setting aside past unpleasantness to pursue peace between our nations and grow strong together.'
Oh.
Not a bad development.
A letter personally penned by a king on peace? For his own honor, he'd avoid reigniting war in his lifetime—a solid guarantee.
'Fittingly on the party's final day, Nudia's envoys arrive to promise brief but beautiful peace between our lands. I hope all you gathered nobles spend this night more joyfully than any other.'
Sion glanced at Edgar IV's side.
Prince Erader, who appeared briefly, and Princess Vanessa beside him.
Behind them stood a middle-aged man he'd never seen and a frail-looking woman.