Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Alhena (2)
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The past few months had been hell for Alhena. The feeling of her life being held hostage in reverse was unimaginably horrific.
Of course, it was exactly what she had done to her younger sister Meb her entire life, but now it came as a far more tangible threat.
The Goldline sisters shared a twin bond. Unlike Alhena, who had been confined to the mansion to minimize the shared sensations, Meb—now free—lived with her naturally lively spirit and zero hesitation in her actions.
"Unlike me, she even files her nails short, which felt so alien that I lived in daily terror."
That day, half-dazed by the vulgar threat from the barbarian, she had come to her senses only to find herself forced into a truce. After much deliberation, Alhena ultimately chose not to interfere with Meb's merchant company taking over the north.
On the contrary, she tacitly allowed the use of Goldline's existing distribution networks and goods. In the end, only one of them would survive, but for now, it could expand the family's influence.
Thanks to that—should she call it that?—her physical safety was assured. Her scatterbrained little sister refrained from petty retaliations like stubbing her pinky toe at dawn just to make Alhena feel it too.
If that had settled everything, it would have been fine. But there was an incident that finally forced Alhena to move from the capital.
"Being a prince consort candidate doesn't mean you can treat a Goldline daughter however you like in bed."
"Me? I didn't do anything."
"Your very existence is the problem."
Sometimes, mostly in the dead of night, an aching sensation would pierce through her entire body.
She had woken gasping for breath several times. Though inexperienced herself, she knew exactly what Meb was doing alone.
At first, she truly mistook it for pregnancy. Weeks later, her stomach felt heavy, and nausea hit. Until she realized it was just overeating unrelated to those sensations, she had to move carefully like a pregnant woman. Rumors even spread in high society.
She never wanted to endure such humiliation again, so Alhena decided she couldn't let the barbarian—the root cause—live. After closely monitoring the merchant caravans crossing the border, she rushed to him the moment she spotted him. Even last night had kept her tossing and turning; her body still burned now.
"You've prepared yourself, haven't you...?"
"Not really. But if sharing sensations bothers you that much, I have a proposal."
Yet, surrounded by numerous adventurers and facing the daughter of the empire's greatest power broker, he spoke calmly.
"Help me, and I'll sever your twin bond."
One hand resting on the straw he sat cross-legged on. Even behind bars, his eyes exuded overwhelming pressure.
*
Using Dragon Words could cut the thread of fate binding Meb and Alhena. Save Papfna's descendants and earn lifespan from their god, and he'd eliminate their twin bond.
In return, they had to gather and cooperate to survive the Night of Falling Petals.
Inside the now-empty auction house. In the VIP lounge, Alhena pondered my proposal deeply.
It was an absolute opportunity. Killing one barbarian wouldn't fulfill her long-held wish anyway. But she hesitated entirely because of her mixed feelings toward me.
"This chance to finally escape that accursed fate... But..."
"Aren't merchants supposed to prioritize profit?"
"You... I just can't stand you!"
"What's so bad?"
The grudge ran deep, one-sided from Alhena's side.
"H-how can you blackmail someone by exploiting their weakness with pregnancy!? You have zero credibility as a trading partner. If you were me, could you ride in the same boat as a barbarian with such vulgar ideas?"
Unfortunately, it had been Meb's idea, not mine. And even if her prospective partner rubbed her the wrong way, Alhena had few choices.
Call in the waiting adventurers to butcher me—what then? The northern trade routes, built with family funds, would collapse without a trace, turning her into blood enemies with Meb and forcing a real deathmatch.
She might not even succeed in killing me. Even in the heart of the empire, few could stop me.
The two axes hidden under the straw now lay beside where I sat. Alhena stared at them with conflicted eyes and sighed heavily.
"I still can't trust you. For starters, there's no proof you can wield the black dragon's power..."
"Want a demonstration?"
"Really?"
"It's simple."
It was easy. Temporarily nullifying the twin bond was possible anytime with just one of them nearby.
I stood and approached Alhena's side. Drawing on ancestral power, I activated the seventh rune.
"What are you... F-feel...?"
It was subtle power. Enough to leave Meb legless for a while. Irena had a similar but slightly different reaction.
The liberation of escaping the cursed fate binding her and her sister. And the terror of facing an overwhelming being no living creature could resist.
"Gasp...!"
Perhaps from the latter, Alhena instinctively cradled her lower abdomen protectively. The memory of mistaking it for pregnancy made her shield what she thought was a fetus.
By her conduct, she was every bit the villainess from a romance novel. Yet her maternal instincts ran deep. And it wasn't even her child—strictly speaking, her mortal enemy's offspring, which had never existed.
"N-no, it's not like that..."
As if sensing my thoughts, she hunched over with a non-excuse excuse.
"It's just that my body is precious to me."
"..."
"I can't understand a barbarian who would push a newborn off a cliff."
Newborn, huh.
Come to think of it, back in the capital, she had mentioned listening to music good for prenatal care. Also, Arrowhead Cliff drops weren't for newborns but right before the coming-of-age rite—but I didn't mention it. No need to poke her shame further.
Minutes later, after adventurers knocked sensing the sudden threat. Having confirmed I could sever the twin bond, Alhena's eyes had changed.
Her mind abacus clicking furiously. Calmed, her merchant greed began to bloom.
"You plan to take all of Papfna's descendants to the plains?"
"Their will matters. I won't force those who want to stay."
"Well then, I get profits beyond the deal."
Judging she could use Papfna's descendants as labor for her gain, I extended my hand. A grassland tribesman's clasp for an ally whose heart aligned. A short alliance, but comrades until this ended.
"...Use the carriage you came in. We got it from Schmidt's merchants; they're coming with us."
Alhena eyed my hand—several times larger and thicker—then rose gracefully. We were leaving for Pharon at dawn.
"Before fully joining the auction, I need to meet some people. For favors."
"Not buying slaves with your company's funds?"
"Why waste time and money so crudely? Those desperate to get familiar with me will flock like moths~."
She boasted endlessly about noblemen who would hand over liver and gall just for a smile.
True to her word, she was impressive. One flower in the garden. News of the golden lotus joining the Night of Falling Petals whipped Pharon's social scene into a frenzy.
Nobles from nearby estates flocked, invitations poured in. Alhena handpicked the promising ones.
Party day. I rode to the venue with Rez in the carriage. To induce slave purchases from Goldline-friendly nobles, showing my presence directly was most effective.
Plus, Alhena wanted to play owner. The man who slew Black Dragon Caladrak solo and ruled the northern plains' barbarians.
She craved to flaunt possessing such a being, even temporarily.
So she brought me—unrelated to Papfna's descendants—to the party. Even making me disguise.
"Hurry and get ready; we're almost there."
"The lenses won't go in."
Special-ordered to mimic reptilian pupils. Inserting them in a jolting carriage with hands scarred from lifelong weapon use was no easy feat. Rez tried helping, but his clumsiness just poked my eye the same.
"Sigh..."
Alhena leaned over, hand outstretched. At breath's distance, she deftly inserted the lenses.
"There."
"Thanks."
"Save the thanks. Once this ends, we'll be enemies again."
Severing the twin bond just removed the need to kill Meb; mending ties was unlikely. Only one could become finance minister. Alhena couldn't leave her sister—who qualified as imperial steward—be.
"Gratitude is gratitude."
"Eek...!"
"It's our custom to repay aid received."
Still, I thanked her. Without her help, saving Papfna's descendants so easily would have been impossible.
I held her withdrawing hand and shook twice. Contrary to expectations of disgust, after the rough clasp, Alhena stared at her hand and nodded vigorously.
"W-we enter separately, so wait for the servant's guidance; don't wander."
Then she flung open the carriage door and hurried into the party. Confused by finally feeling those distant sensations up close.