Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Noble Competition (3)
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The Emperor dreamed.
It was a continuation of the bizarre dream he’d had a few days prior.
The dark lioness, wolf, and young leopard that had followed the black fox.
Fortunately, they had returned to his embrace.
Afterward, they rubbed against his legs, expressing their affection.
“Ooh… yes. You’ve come back!!”
The beasts were even plumper than before, looking healthier.
Their fur gleamed with luster, making them a sight to behold.
“As expected… it was just a silly dream…”
The Emperor chuckled in satisfaction at the returned fierce beasts.
He slowly lay down on the grass, pressing his face against the lion’s soft belly.
Then came the young leopard, curling up beside him.
Even the beautiful silver wolf rested its chin on his side.
In this moment, Leonhardt envied no one.
He simply wished to let go of everything and sink into a deep, peaceful slumber.
But.
The lioness’s belly, where he had laid his head so calmly, twitched.
As if reacting to someone approaching.
“...?”
The Emperor raised his head, following the beasts as they lifted theirs.
At that instant.
“That guy!!”
The black fox he had been wary of appeared.
It carried a massive hunk of beast meat in its jaws.
With its nine tails, it sauntered over leisurely and dropped the prey on the ground with a thud.
As if providing for its family as a husband would.
“Get away from here!! How dare you encroach on this place!”
The Emperor flailed his massive hand, trying to shoo the fox away.
Yet the creature merely tilted its head, not even perceiving the old conqueror king’s gesture as an attack.
Instead, with a sly wriggle, it climbed onto his lap.
As if recognizing the Emperor as family, it curled up right there.
“Y-You rascal…?!”
Leonhardt’s eyes widened at the fox’s brazen nesting.
There was a fang mark on the nape of its neck, likely from the hunt.
“How dare you nest here!”
To assert the pride of the pride leader, he tried to shove it off.
But at that moment.
“...!!”
The curled-up fox and the Emperor were enveloped by the beasts.
They gently wrapped around him.
“No, no. I can’t breathe, you lot!!”
The Emperor tried to eject the fox and claim the beasts’ embrace for himself.
But the lioness, wolf, and leopard hugged them both with their soft fur.
So they couldn’t separate.
“Urgh…”
Leonhardt struggled to shake off the enveloping warmth.
But the beasts’ embrace was far too cozy.
“...”
His mind grew languid, resistance fading.
Helpless against the tide, he began to melt into the warm hold.
But he soon pulled himself together.
And the moment he barely poked his face out from the beasts’ fur.
“Hm…?”
A clear voice from his youth slipped out unbidden.
For he had spotted a certain ‘presence’ approaching them unseen.
“You…”
A stunning figure cloaked in radiant golden fur.
And sapphire eyes like embedded jewels.
The Emperor’s lips stiffened at the sight of the pride leader lioness returned to his side.
Yet this female bore countless new scars.
Overwhelmed by irrepressible emotion, the conqueror king reached out.
Just as his hand was about to touch her…
“―――――”
“Father!!”
He awoke to the voices of his princesses calling him.
“Gasp…!!”
Leonhardt bolted upright reflexively.
He barely regained his senses on the bed.
“You’re awake!”
“We were so worried!!”
“I’ll call the physicians.”
Lydia spoke first, followed by her sisters in turn.
Their beautiful faces glistened with tears.
“No… I’m fine…”
The Emperor stared blankly, the beautiful lioness still vivid in his mind.
He finally snapped to and recognized his daughters.
“I had a strange dream…”
“What dream left you with such an overwhelmed expression…?”
Lea asked on their behalf.
The Emperor gazed at his eldest daughter’s lion-like tresses and murmured.
“Female lion…”
“Pardon?”
Lea, her voluptuous figure draped in a dress, tilted her head.
The gesture was alluring, yet endearingly feline.
“No… just a hallucination. Don’t worry.”
To reassure her, Leonhardt caressed her soft cheek.
The feel was akin to the lioness’s belly in his dream.
“Fuuu…”
The Emperor took in Irina and Lydia’s faces one by one.
Then, as he glanced around.
“Hm?!”
His eyes met mine, where I stood at a distance, watching fondly.
‘W-Why is he glaring at me all of a sudden…?’
The Emperor stared at me like I was a ghost.
As if I resembled something from his dream, his gaze pierced unrelentingly.
“I’m relieved you’ve awakened, Your Majesty.”
I bowed my head from afar, quick on the uptake.
The Emperor addressed me in a trembling voice.
“Lord Veil…”
His eyes fixed especially on my neck.
He scrutinized the area hidden by my uniform’s shirt collar.
“Come here for a moment.”
“What is it…?”
I approached his bedside calmly.
The Emperor reached out.
As if to confirm something, his trembling hand grasped my shirt collar.
“Show me your nape for a second.”
Silence fell over everyone at the conqueror king’s touch.
The tension mounted.
“...!!”
At last, the Emperor lifted my shirt collar.
And there.
He faced my pristine, unscarred nape.
“As expected… just a silly dream…”
The Emperor sighed in relief.
He dismissed Lea’s impulsive act before his faint as a misperception.
“You must be exhausted. It’s been a while since you attended such a grand event, right?”
Lea smiled sensually at her father.
As if hiding something.
“Yes… after the tournament ends, there are things I need to consider…”
The Emperor had been stressed over disciplining his son and Empress.
He chalked up the faint and visions to that.
“Rest a bit more and recover, Father.”
Ever the dutiful eldest, Lea tucked his blankets tighter.
As she leaned to help him lie back, her ample curves shifted downward.
“…”
I stole glances at Lea’s beautiful contours, pretending nonchalance.
Then our eyes met as she glanced sideways.
“...!”
She flashed me a mischievous smile.
As if signaling, she pointed to her nape, then posed a silent ‘shh’.
I nodded, rubbing my nape in response to the Il-hwangnyeo.
The magic faded, revealing the sharp fang marks anew.
“Fuuu…”
“Father, can you attend the party tonight?”
Irina asked the Emperor with worried eyes.
Leonhardt nodded slowly in reply.
“Of course. The people will be anxious if word spreads that I collapsed.”
“Understood. Please take it easy and join us.”
The Empire’s second princess, now a poised and mature woman.
Her concern eased the Emperor’s mind somewhat.
“I’ll be waiting.”
The Empire’s third princess, Lydia, who had waited beside her, felt the same.
True to her youngest status, she hugged her father tightly with her cute features.
Only after embracing her petite form did the Emperor’s unease finally subside.
“Yes… how could I show weakness with you all here. See you at the party.”
The three noble princesses demurely covered their chests and bowed.
Then they passed by me in a line.
“See you later.”
Lea brushed my neck’s fang mark tenderly as she went.
Her queenly, haughty gait was relaxed.
Like an empress brimming with confidence.
“Rest well too, Veil.”
Irina straightened my shirt collar.
Her touch buttoned it, concealing the rosary she’d given me.
Like a tidy wife preparing her husband for work.
“Don’t get too excited. What good is the star of the night trembling?”
Lydia took my hand lightly.
Our fingers intertwined softly, the rings on them resonating clearly.
Like fresh lovers matching rings.
“Take care on your way out.”
The princesses’ alluring gazes.
Even before the Emperor, their intimate markings persisted unabated.
“Fuu…”
Only after they fully exited the chamber could I exhale deeply.
“…”
The Emperor lay in bed.
He stared at me with a serene expression.
Perhaps because he no longer needed to hide his feelings from his daughters.
He seemed joyful at the prospect of expressing his love freely.
“So, Lord Veil. How do you feel now?”
“Like I could fly.”
Matching his mood, I answered honestly.
I too felt I’d overcome a major hurdle.
“You were the Empire’s foremost swordsman, the only knight worthy of captaincy alongside the Grand General. Enough to have a voice before the Emperor.”
A voice.
I had awaited those words and approached him slowly.
Hands behind my back, I spoke politely.
“I’ve been waiting on that very matter.”
“You already have a request for me…?”
The Emperor’s blue eyes flashed in surprise.
“Yes. It’s quite an important agenda…”
“I’m curious just hearing that. Speak.”
Leonhardt propped himself against the wall.
He regarded me with the wise gaze of a conquering monarch.
“…”
I took a deep breath.
Then voiced my prepared proposal.
“How about meeting Her Imperial Highness the Empress at tonight’s party?”
The continent’s ruler fell silent at the name.
He merely met my eyes with a cold stare.
“Rozanna…? She’s under house arrest now.”
“I know. But as Your Majesty knows, there’s a misunderstanding between you two.”
I spoke calmly, avoiding irritation.
“I plan to arrange a chance to clear that ‘misunderstanding.’”
“…”
The Emperor eyed me intently, gauging my intent.
Then, gazing at the distant window, he warned quietly.
“Veil. I commend you for subduing all of Rozanna’s black knights. But this is a private matter between her and me.”
Leonhardt raised a finger.
Pointing at my face, he said.
“You needn’t concern yourself with imperial affairs.”
“I understand. However, as the Empire’s foremost sword guarding its security, I believe this must be resolved swiftly.”
I invoked the position he’d granted, speaking boldly.
The Emperor was speechless at the implication his wife openly threatened security.
“Ahem…”
“I know Your Majesty still cherishes Her Imperial Highness. Yet she is the root of all this turmoil.”
“Rozanna won’t even speak with me.”
The Emperor murmured pitifully.
His hands clenched the blanket, trembling faintly.
“I slew her younger siblings before her eyes. Ignored their pleas, even.”
“There was reason for it.”
“I know. But if even I said I’d execute Irina, Lea, and Lydia before your eyes for threatening the Empire… could you endure in your right mind…?”
Hearing this, I was speechless for the first time today.
Truth be told, I couldn’t bear it if someone threatened to kill the princesses before me for any reason.
“Honestly, some of them were innocent…”
I nodded quietly.
The Emperor smiled bitterly, as if even I couldn’t resolve this.
“No matter how capable you are, you can’t sway her heart.”
Leonhardt sighed like an old pride leader abandoned by his mate.
Just moments ago, his daughters had lifted his spirits.
Pity for his wife stirred his deep-shadowed eyes.
But they hardened swiftly.
“No need to worry.”
The man who looked like a black fox had swayed the Empress’s heart, which he couldn’t budge for so long.
“Her Imperial Highness will attend.”
“...?”
Leonhardt looked up at me with baffled eyes.
I smiled broadly in response.
“She promised me she’d speak with Your Majesty.”
Only then did the Emperor recall a scene from his dream.
The reason that unusually mature lioness had appeared.
That female had followed the black fox back to him.
“How did you…”
I drew close to His Majesty.
Kneeling, I declared confidently like a reliable son-in-law.
“I’ll have attire from Your Majesty’s glory days prepared.”
In truth, tonight’s stars were the Emperor and Empress, not me.
“Part your hair sharply with pomade for once. And shave.”
Now the Empire’s grand sorceress and notorious villainess.
Just bring Rozanna.
I didn’t know what sweet traps lurked in her confined palace.
But if she changed her heart…
The last festering grudge eating at the Empire from within would end.