Chapter 5
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 5. The Princess's Calculation
Lucia Von Astellia, standing in the middle of a blood-soaked canyon, was acutely realizing just how impoverished her vocabulary was.
Monster. Nightmare. Calamity. Cataclysm. Force Majeure.
No matter what word she attached, it was woefully insufficient to define the existence before her eyes.
Language is originally a vessel meant to contain reality.
But vessels have limits to their capacity.
If one tries to contain ocean water in a teacup, wouldn't the teacup feel wronged?
'Shouldn't I apologize to the word monster?'
Lucia thought seriously.
Those demonic beasts that just died.
Terrible creatures contaminated by the Abyss.
Aberrations with six eyes, horns growing like crystals, and festering skin exposing muscles.
Those are 'monsters.'
At least by dictionary definition.
Then what about that Black Knight?
That is a monster that slaughters monsters.
An apex predator. The peak of the monster ecosystem's food chain.
'What should I call him? Monster among monsters? Super Monster? Mega Monster?'
Lucia's brain wandered searching for appropriate nomenclature before giving up.
It was the limit of her vocabulary. The moment when the language ability of the Princess, who received the Empire's best education, revealed its bottom.
'……Let’s just call him the Black Knight.'
Let’s elevate it to a proper noun. Further classification is meaningless.
'Scary.'
Lucia admitted honestly.
'Scary. Too scary. Scarier than the demonic beasts.'
The scene from just moments ago was etched onto her retina and wouldn't be erased.
Over thirty demonic beasts.
And variants contaminated by the Abyss at that.
A scale where casualties would pile up even if the Northern Elite Warrior Corps attacked.
But that man?
He slaughtered them like eating cake.
Three or four fell every time he swung, and corpses piled up with every step.
And in the midst of that──
'Not a single drop of blood splattered on me.'
Lucia looked down at her clothes.
In the middle of this sea of blood, she alone was clean.
She couldn't know if that was consideration or obsession. Perhaps it was both.
"We rest here."
The Black Knight's voice echoed in the canyon.
"Y-Yes!"
Lucia answered reflexively.
Politely. As politely as possible. So as not to go against him.
The Black Knight walked indifferently among the corpses and took a spot under the shade of a rock on one side of the canyon.
Lucia swallowed dry saliva and followed him.
That is a calamity in human form. A walking cataclysm.
But if asked what that cataclysm is doing right now.
Bubble bubble.
He was cooking.
Lucia's gaze turned to the side.
'……What is that.'
A portable pot.
Inside it, a milky broth was boiling.
The ingredients were the front paw of the Frost Bear caught yesterday. And the spices and dried vegetables he had brought along.
'Cooking?'
That Black Knight?
It even smells good.
The Black Knight stirred the ladle.
Swish swish.
His touch was so delicate that she wondered if those were really the same hands that crushed a troll's skull with bare hands just a moment ago.
Growl-
At that moment, the traitor appeared today without fail.
'Wait, be quiet!'
Lucia shouted at her stomach inwardly.
Can't you grasp the situation right now?
Groooowl!
It rang even louder.
A 3-day journey. Irregular meals. Extreme stress.
The human body was brutally honest.
The Black Knight lifted his head.
The red glint of his helmet turned towards Lucia.
'Caught.'
Lucia's face burned hot.
Embarrassing.
Could there be humiliation worse than this?
……Ah, there was. Barking "Woof."
The Black Knight put stew in a bowl and held it out.
"Eat."
Steaming meat stew.
Pieces of meat cooked golden brown.
Thick and milky broth.
"T-Thank you……"
"Need to fatten you up a bit."
The Black Knight muttered.
"That way there's something to eat."
"……Hiek!"
Lucia's hand stopped.
'S-Something to eat?!'
As expected, it was that!
He intends to fatten me up according to his taste and eat me!
"Th-Thank you for the meal……"
Lucia lifted the spoon with trembling hands.
Of course, there is no right of refusal.
If she said 'I won't eat' here, the ingredients inside that pot might change from bear paws to princess paws.
One bite.
"……!"
Her eyes snapped open.
Delicious.
Absurdly, unfairly, it is delicious enough to bring tears to her eyes.
Meat that chews softly, broth with deep flavor, appropriate seasoning.
'Why……!'
Lucia screamed inwardly.
'Why are you good at cooking…!'
If you are a monster, you should tear into raw meat like a monster; why do you possess such delicate gourmet senses?
Lucia shoveled the stew into her mouth frantically.
Survival instinct overtook reason.
Slurp. Chomp. Slurp.
"Eating well."
"Yes? Ah, yes! Thanks to you!"
"On the first day, there was only old stew."
The Black Knight nodded as if satisfied.
'What is that reaction? Did he perhaps take it to heart when I said the stew tasted bad on the first day?'
Lucia stared blankly at the Black Knight with her spoon still raised.
'I don't understand. What is it. What on earth is this man.'
Lucia racked her brain while eating the stew.
Multitasking.
A basic accomplishment required as a princess.
Smiling at a banquet while avoiding poisoned wine, identifying the opponent's weakness while praising them, sharpening a knife while bowing one's head.
That was the way to survive in the Imperial Palace.
Okay, let's tap the calculator.
One, the Black Knight is overwhelmingly strong. To the extent that even if the Imperial Knights swarmed him, the outcome couldn't be guaranteed.
Two. He does not kill her. Nor does he force himself upon her.
Three. Rather, he is protecting her to the point of being overprotective.
'What is the reason?'
Goodwill without a price? Don't make me laugh. Such things only exist in fairy tales.
One of the truths learned in the Imperial Palace. Every relationship is a transaction.
Even between parent and child. Even between monarch and subject. Even between lovers.
If there is giving, there is receiving; if there is receiving, there is repaying.
There are no exceptions.
The moment you believe there is, a knife stabs you in the back.
Then what does the Black Knight want?
'Become mine.''Pay with your body.''Fatten up so there's something to eat.'
Only his choice of language is vulgar and destructive; the core is clear.
Desire.
Lucia's eyes narrowed.
Conclusion.
The Black Knight wants Lucia.
Although it is still unclear in what sense he wants her.
Whether it is appetite, lust, or possessiveness.
Or perhaps all three.
Anyway, the fact itself that he 'wants' is important.
Then, a question.
Why hasn't he done anything yet?
'There were plenty of opportunities.'
The first night in the cave. Yesterday when she fell asleep by the campfire. The defenseless moments after battles ended.
But he didn't lay a finger on her.
Rather, he was overprotective so that not even a scratch would appear on Lucia's body.
Covering her with a cloak, tearing wolf packs to death, butchering a bear.
So that not a single drop of blood would splatter.
'Preciously.'
Lucia's eyes narrowed further.
Hypothesis 1: Pure Love Faction.
No, don't say crazy things.
Look at that armor. Look at that blood-stained greatsword.
Pure love my ass.
Hypothesis 2: Elegant Pervert.
Then that means he is just a pervert.
And a pervert with very elegant and picky tastes at that.
A type of predator who feels no interest in things easily obtained, waiting until the opponent opens their heart before eating them.
Or, he could be a sadist who enjoys the process of breaking someone.
……
This side is more plausible.
It gives me goosebumps, but logically, this side is correct.
But it doesn't matter either way.
What is important right now is the fact itself that he has desire.
'One who has desire can be handled.'
Those who are greedy move for money. Those who want power move for status. Those who want women move for women.
And that monster──
Is fixated on me.
The corners of Lucia's mouth rose minutely.
Then the story changes.
'The Empire has been overturned.'
Lucia faced reality cool-headedly.
'I have no power base. No army. No money. No one to trust.'
Current Assets: 0 Supporting Forces: 0 Troops: 0 Enemies: The entire Empire
It’s miserable.
It’s so miserable that it rather makes me laugh.
To reclaim the Empire in this situation?
A miracle is needed.
She slyly lifted her gaze to look at the Black Knight.
Honestly, that is closer to a calamity than a miracle…
'If I can make that power mine?'
Even a calamity becomes a miracle if the direction is turned well.
To obtain that man's martial power, that overwhelming violence.
Of course, she has no intention of actually giving her body.
A Princess's chastity is an incredibly expensive card.
It is not an item to be dedicated to a crazy knight who appeared suddenly one day.
Teasing as if she might give it, making him anxious, praising him, flattering him.
Making that Black Knight anxious enough to prostrate himself at her feet on his own.
That is exactly──
Princess Lucia Von Astellia's art of living!
'Good. Let’s experiment.'
Lucia put down the bowl.
Placed the spoon neatly.
Tidied her clothes.
Tucked her hair behind her ear.
Corrected her posture.
"……Knight-nim."
She lifted her head.
And stared straight into the Black Knight's red glint.
Without avoiding. Without trembling.
The Black Knight's glint flickered.
"For saving me, for protecting me, and for giving me a delicious meal."
Lucia smiled as pure and pitiful as possible, yet simultaneously with dignity.
Mouth corner angle 15 degrees. A slight eye smile.
Chin pulled in slightly. Gaze looking up slightly.
"Thank you so much. Because Knight-nim is here, I feel really… reassured."
Now, how is it.
It is a Princess's gratitude.
A noble greeting a ruffian like you would never hear in your lifetime!
Be moved. Be touched. Shed tears.
The Black Knight reacted.
He slowly nodded his head.
'……That’s it?'
And opened his mouth.
"It is a natural thing. Managing possessions is the owner's duty."
"……."
Snap.
A vein popped on Lucia's forehead.
'Endure. You are enduring, Lucia.'
Right, treating me like an object, is it?
I expected a reaction like that would come out.
But I definitely saw it.
The Black Knight's shoulders shrugged minutely.
And that his voice was strangely excited.
'It worked.'
Lucia was certain.
That is him being happy. He likes being praised.
This man is craving my attention.
'I can control the Black Knight!'
The Black Knight stood up without a word.
And silently took the lead.
Lucia followed behind him.
Like that, they walked.
Breaking through the blizzard, crossing mountains of corpses, passing through blood-scented canyons.
The distance that was five steps.
Became four steps. Became three steps. And before she knew it, narrowed to two steps.
How many days did they walk like that?
Beyond the pure white horizon, the silhouette of a massive castle wall revealed itself.
The Impregnable Fortress of the North.
A black citadel covered in perpetual snow.
"We arrived."
"Ah……"
An exclamation flowed from Lucia's mouth.
Frostgard.
The Heart of the North.
The stronghold of the Grombalt family.
'We arrived.'
Tears gathered in Lucia's eyes.
Emotions welled up.
Things she had suppressed came rushing in all at once.
That night she escaped the Imperial Palace. The sacrifice of precious people. The betrayal of those she trusted. The snowfield she walked while eating snow. The accompaniment with the monster-like Black Knight.
She just needs to pass through that castle gate.
Once she meets her maternal uncle, Grand Duke Grombalt, this terrible fugitive life is over.
Lucia glanced to the side.
Now she can give proper 'treatment' to that arrogant Black Knight as well.
Whether she throws him a few sacks of gold coins and tells him to get lost, or incorporates him into the warrior corps and works him to the bone.
In any case, the initiative will now pass to her!
The corners of Lucia's mouth went up. This time, it wasn't acting.