Chapter 295: One Step Ahead(2)
Chapter 295: One Step Ahead(2)
There is a saying: a fixed game of Go-Stop.
It refers to the act of people pretending to know nothing while colluding to deceive someone else. It’s the perfect way to make a fool out of a person.
While it’s usually slang used for match-fixing or scams, it’s also used jokingly among friends in daily life.
‘I’m glad I knew in advance.’
Marie, who had just been questioned by Hiriya, was one of the players in this fixed game.
Naturally, the target of the deception was Hiriya, who sat across from her. Currently, the princess wore a blank, dazed expression after hearing Marie’s response.
Marie almost let a laugh slip at the sight of that face, but she managed to suppress it. This was the moment where the poker face she had honed in high society truly shone.
The reason Marie could react so nonchalantly was entirely thanks to Isaac.
After noticing Hiriya’s stalking through Cherry, Isaac had informed Marie of the situation, as she was the only one who could meet with him privately without raising suspicion.
Had he met with Cecily or Lina separately, Hiriya would have noticed immediately. Fortunately, those two were currently away dealing with state affairs.
The stage was set, and she could see all of her opponent’s cards. All that remained was how she chose to play her hand.
After discussing it with Isaac, they had concluded that revealing his identity would be exposing their strongest card too early, so they decided to keep it hidden for now.
The card they held was undoubtedly powerful—so powerful that a nation, not just an individual, would have to step in. But there was no need to show it yet.
Hiriya would waste her time, and Isaac would gain the time he needed.
Even if Hiriya lost her patience and jumped to her own conclusions, it didn't matter; they had prepared countermeasures long ago.
‘First, I need to see how she moves.’
As Isaac’s dependable fiancée, Marie had long ago resolved to handle the political side of things.
Though she was a member of the Duke of Rekilis’s family, she wasn't a princess of a nation like Cecily, nor was she a direct assistant like Adelia.
Because of this, Marie had harbored some subtle insecurities, but in a situation like this, her position was a great advantage.
Unlike Cecily and Lina, she was publicly announced as Isaac’s fiancée, meaning she could meet him anytime, anywhere, without question.
Even when Isaac was in a position where it was difficult to meet others, like now, she could act as a bridge to help him navigate the situation more easily.
‘Anyway, what is this bitch up to?’
Marie watched Hiriya, who was lost in thought after her answer. All of Hiriya's cards were on the table; the key was her next move.
Specifically, whether she would continue as usual, become more suspicious, or reach a conclusion on her own.
Even if she reached a conclusion, there were two possibilities: whether Hiriya would act as an individual or as royalty.
If she acted as an individual, any outcome would be favorable. Even if Isaac’s identity were discovered, they could simply silence her through negotiation—or blackmail.
If it were the opposite, this situation would likely repeat itself. Her petty, un-princess-like vengefulness would surely continue to annoy Isaac.
The only ways to resolve such a situation were through dialogue and persuasion. Failing that, they would have to find Hiriya’s weakness and use it as leverage for a deal.
However, the above only applied to her as an 'individual.' If she took the stance of 'royalty,' things would get much more complicated.
Reveal that he’s Xenon? There was no way the Kingdom of Ters would keep that secret, and they would use all sorts of nonsense to harass Isaac.
Keep it hidden? Then Hiriya would become even more aggressive, and the situation could escalate into a diplomatic conflict.
‘But of all the people to mess with, she picked the absolute worst one.’
Marie snorted inwardly as she watched the still-contemplating Hiriya. The man she loved wasn't just some ordinary great writer; he was Xenon.
If this had been a few months ago, she might have just cursed her out and been done with it, but now he was practically deified.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the moment someone messed with him, an entire nation could literally be destroyed. He wasn't just a powder keg; he was a hydrogen bomb.
"...Is that true?"
After a long silence, Hiriya looked Marie straight in the eye and asked cautiously. Suspicion still lingered in her gaze.
But suspicion is merely a step toward reaching a conviction. Marie decided to turn that suspicion into a different kind of certainty.
"Yes. Isaac being Xenon? You should at least say something that makes sense. What on earth made you think that?"
"If you're planning to deceive me, you'd better stop."
"If he really were Xenon, I would have been the one blackmailing you, Princess Hiriya. I'd ask how you dare challenge Xenon. I'd ask if the Kingdom of Ters thinks it can fight the entire world alone."
"..."
Hiriya fell silent at Marie’s sincere-sounding response. The suspicion in her sky-blue eyes began to fade.
However, a shred of doubt remained. Her expression suggested she hadn't reached a final conclusion yet.
Eventually, Hiriya stared at Marie for a moment before asking again in her characteristic husky voice.
"Then why is Princess Lina protecting him?"
"Pardon?"
"There are moments when Lina seems to go out of her way to shield him. It was especially noticeable at the exhibition."
During the speech in Helium, it could be dismissed as a coincidence that Cecily made eye contact with Isaac. But Lina’s case was different.
The rumor that Hiriya was trying to steal Isaac hadn't even started yet. Hiriya herself was trying to delay any unnecessary gossip for as long as possible.
In other words, only those connected to Isaac knew the current situation, and since Marie was from the Rekilis family, she was connected to the Imperial family.
Yet, the Imperial family was directly protecting Isaac based on a fact that hadn't even become a rumor? Even for business partners, it felt excessive.
If she could resolve this doubt, she felt she could reach a conclusion. Hiriya fixed a sharp gaze on Marie.
"Um... this is a bit difficult to talk about..."
Aha. Got you. Hiriya smiled, seeing Marie’s troubled reaction.
Yes. No matter how you looked at it, direct protection from the Imperial family was suspicious. Even if it was to bolster the prestige of a ducal house, they were being too protective.
Of course, Marie could have personally begged them to handle it. But the probability of that was extremely low, so she ruled it out.
After a moment of deliberation, Marie glanced at Hiriya and let out a deep sigh, as if she had no choice.
"Sigh... I really shouldn't tell you this... No. Before that, why do you keep prying when there's no evidence that Isaac is Xenon?"
"Because there are many circumstances that only make sense if he is. It's also strange for a lady of the Duke of Rekilis’s family to marry into a mere barony."
"I was the one who confessed first, you know. We only got engaged after we started dating."
"Enough. Just tell me the reason."
What an insolent brat. Marie cursed Hiriya inwardly and reluctantly opened her mouth.
"Do you know about the border regions of the Minerva Empire? The areas bordering Albenheim that are practically lawless."
"Are you talking about the Northern Region?"
"You know it well."
"Of course I do. It was an area where monsters and barbarians ran rampant until a few decades ago. How could I not know?"
The Minerva Empire boasted a vast territory, and its borders were much wider than those of other nations. The reason its military power had to be strong was that it required more border guards.
Fortunately, they had the economic power to support that military might; any other country would have had to abandon the territory or be left helpless against foreign invasion.
The Northern Region Hiriya mentioned was a place of bitter cold, powerful monsters, and 'barbarians.'
It was also where the Navy Knights, known as the Empire's strongest knight order, primarily served. Though it had become more peaceful recently, it remained a place full of danger.
"Then, do you know of the Red Lion?"
"I've heard the name. Known as the protagonist of the Ascanal Incident. But since it's mostly in the realm of rumors, I don't believe it blindly."
"What if the Red Lion actually exists?"
"If that's the case... wait."
Hiriya stopped mid-sentence. She looked at Marie with a face that asked if she was serious.
Marie wore a confident expression, gracefully tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear before speaking.
"It's exactly what you're thinking, Princess. The Red Lion is real, and he is Isaac's father—my future father-in-law."
"Don't lie to me. Why wouldn't they use someone like the Red Lion as a public figurehead?"
Hiriya’s doubt was perfectly natural. When demonstrating 'national power,' the importance of 'military might' went without saying.
Unlike Earth, in this world, a nation's power could vary wildly depending on the martial prowess of a single individual.
One only had to look at how Albenheim, despite losing the Race War, still held the status of a hegemon, or why Helium had emerged as a rival.
That was how important individual martial power was. So what about the Red Lion, who had supposedly suppressed a rampaging dragon? What about a soldier rumored to have brought peace to the chaotic borderlands?
They should be shouting his name to the world as the face of the military. They should be declaring that their country possessed someone as powerful as an Elf Warlord.
That single piece of propaganda would naturally strengthen the Minerva Empire's national power and reduce the means for other countries to keep them in check.
But to not use such a person as a figurehead? As a princess, Hiriya couldn't understand it.
If she, a princess, only knew of him as an urban legend or a rumor, what about other countries?
However, one had to consider that the Kingdom of Ters had no direct military conflict with the Minerva Empire.
On the other hand, Albenheim shared a border with the Empire and had frequent skirmishes, so the Red Lion's reputation had reached their ears.
When Isaac visited Albenheim, it wasn't strange for Keir to think of Hawk upon seeing Isaac's red hair and golden eyes.
"That's because our Empire's military strength doesn't rely solely on the Red Lion. But he remains a formidable force, and since he personally doesn't want the spotlight, he's kept a low profile as much as possible."
"Nonsense. Politics isn't that simple."
"It's a different story when it comes to the Red Lion."
"..."
When Marie countered so clearly, Hiriya fell silent, seemingly having nothing to say. The prestige held by the Red Lion—Isaac's father, Hawk—was just that powerful.
And as Marie said, the Minerva Empire wasn't so weak that it had to rely on Hawk alone. There were countless soldiers who could serve as the face of the military.
It was just that their culture was relatively weak. The reason the Kingdom of Ters could form a rivalry with the Minerva Empire was because of its culture.
"Anyway, the reason Princess Lina is trying to protect Isaac is because of my father-in-law. If he were to become dissatisfied with the Empire, it would be a major headache for them."
"..."
"Are you satisfied now?"
"Yes."
She had no choice but to be satisfied. Hiriya nodded obediently, unaware that she had been completely fooled by Marie’s eloquent lies.
However, as if she couldn't entirely erase her doubts, she asked one more time.
"Is he truly not Xenon?"
"Of course not."
"Could you give the same answer in front of Luminous?"
"Yes."
Luminous will surely forgive a lie of this magnitude. At Marie’s unhesitating answer, Hiriya slowly leaned her head back.
The thick cloud of suspicion in her sky-blue eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a certain kind of conviction.
She sat in deep thought for a long while before letting out a short chuckle. At the same time, a crooked smile formed on her lips.
‘To think he dared to confuse me...’
While it was annoying, she found herself liking him more and more. His looks were already a pass, but his background was also formidable.
If she married Isaac, it would mean the Empire would lose the exceptional talent of the Red Lion, and she could also satisfy her desire for revenge against Adelia.
Truly killing two birds with one stone. Hiriya slowly formulated a plan in her head.
First, the 'justification' for bringing Isaac to the Kingdom of Ters was most important. On her home turf, even the Imperial family of the Empire wouldn't be able to do anything.
First, she had to make Isaac commit a fault against her. To do that...
‘Adelia. I’ll have to use that illegitimate child.’
Seeing Hiriya openly plotting her dark schemes...
‘She’s walking into the fires of hell all on her own.’
Marie clicked her tongue inwardly, mocking the princess's arrogance.
‘Honestly, why does he have to be so unnecessarily handsome? I’m going to have to give him a piece of my mind today.’
She felt she needed to clear this foul mood by looking at Isaac’s face.
