Chapter 229
Chapter 229
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: 66. Sometimes a Gentle Plea is Stronger Than a Sword (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The king looked more dignified than ever.
It was as if his soul, faded by despair and failure, had finally regained its original luster.
My chest tickled.
Without regard for my own will, the corners of my mouth kept twitching upward.
The sound of the king's footsteps cutting through the center of the nobles in silence stirred my heartstrings.
It was a truly indescribable, subtle feeling.
If I had to define it,
"Cool."
It was close to satisfaction.
I descended from the dais to greet the king.
Thud.
The king lightly patted my shoulder before ascending the dais.
I watched him from below.
Back when we first met, he hadn't suited the throne at all.
But not anymore.
I could confidently say that even if the descendants of far-sighted sages were here, none would fit the seat better than the king did now.
It wasn't just the effect of the elixir he had consumed.
The nectar had healed the king's near-fatal wounds and granted him vast mana, but nothing more.
This majestic figure now was the resilience the king had awakened facing death head-on.
It was also the integrity and spirit he had been born with, trampled mercilessly by the empire until it was finally broken—now reclaimed at last.
The twitching corners of my mouth finally curled up fully.
Sitting demurely beside the throne for a day, upholding his dignity, didn't seem so bad. It even sounded pretty good.
That's what I thought, and I fully intended to do it.
If only the king hadn't suddenly stabbed me in the back.
"Whoever captures the crown prince's heart shall become the crown princess."
I was dumbfounded.
"Rank, origin, background—none of it matters."
My mouth hung open as I stared at the king.
But he gazed down from the dais without even glancing my way.
Even though he must have felt my stare.
I turned my head. I looked for Marquis Bilefeld.
Swipe.
The old marquis, whose eyes met mine, subtly turned away.
I looked at Shiorin.
The prime minister, seeing his fully armored daughter, was so dejected he paid no attention to me.
Betrayal made me nauseous.
Then a sense of unease froze me.
The noble ladies were eyeing me with burning gazes.
Dozens of pairs of eyes pierced me. Each one sharp as a honed sword.
They stung so much I flinched involuntarily.
And how hot they burned.
That was the beginning.
Nobles rushed forward one after another to greet us at the dais.
The greetings were mere formality; they quickly introduced the ladies accompanying them to the king.
The ladies bowed to me.
Sometimes boldly, sometimes gracefully, sometimes shyly.
Their manners varied, but the predatory glint in their eyes was uniform.
"This isn't what we agreed."
As one noble finished and retreated, just before the next approached the dais, I protested to the king.
"You agreed to it yourself."
"But..."
"Did I tell you to dance with the ladies to the music? Or force you to do anything else?"
The king replied shamelessly without even turning his head.
I couldn't refute him.
He hadn't forced me to move. He'd merely moved others.
I was speechless.
I wanted to storm out of the banquet hall right then, but I couldn't because of our prior agreement.
All I could do was scowl, showing my displeasure.
As I did, the nobles began sneaking glances at me.
Naturally, the number of nobles stepping forward to introduce their daughters or nieces dwindled.
"You're scaring the ladies. Soften your expression a bit."
The king, finally noticing my face, gently chided me.
"I'm just sitting here quietly, Your Majesty."
I retorted peevishly and scowled even harder.
The king burst into hearty laughter.
If he'd gotten angry, I might have felt better, but he just laughed as if I were a sulking child.
For some reason, it pissed me off.
So I subtly released my aura.
The nobles watching me halted abruptly.
Only then did I smile satisfactorily.
I should have done this sooner.
"Your Highness. How can you go that far against unarmed ladies who can't even wield a sword..."
The captain of the Royal Knight Order, standing behind the king, looked incredulous and pointed out my childish, petty behavior.
I ignored him as best I could.
I'd merely reinforced the invisible wall between me and the ladies with my aura.
The king shook his head.
His face said he was throwing up his hands.
Seeing it improved my mood a little.
Of course, I had no intention of withdrawing my aura.
"Your Majesty."
Then Marquis Bilefeld poked his head toward the dais.
With a lady at his side.
I'd raised my aura to keep the ladies from daring to approach, yet the one beside the marquis showed no fear despite her bowed head.
I frowned.
Inside, I debated giving her a bit more scare.
Then it hit me—she looked familiar.
"Adelia?"
The lady—no, Adelia Bayern, dressed unusually elegantly like a noble lady—lifted her head.
"Your Highness."
Her flushed face softly called my name, then she quickly averted her eyes upon meeting mine.
I was genuinely shocked by Adelia's unexpected appearance.
A fresh ivory dress, neatly pinned-up light brown hair, subtle makeup.
I'd only known her in plain attire or covered in blood, so her dolled-up look was striking.
Was Adelia always this stunning?
I was surprised at first, then quickly convinced.
A refined, gentle face—not flashy, but pure.
Paired with a perfectly balanced body from reaching master level, and skin cleared of impurities, transparent as a winter lake.
She'd been overshadowed by the rare beauty Arwen, but Adelia was no slouch either.
In fact, plenty of men in Winter Castle had admired her.
Her innocent charm was irresistible, unlike typical northern women.
Of course, their affections vanished after seeing her rampage on the battlefield a few times.
Anyway, when not gripped by madness, she was the epitome of loveliness.
"Dressing up while still unwell must have been quite the ordeal."
As I stared blankly at Adelia, Marquis Bilefeld chuckled and hinted.
Snapping to, I shot the marquis a glare.
"No. Why drag a sick person here in the first place?"
"It wasn't dragging..."
"Even if she wanted to come, you should have stopped her. She's a patient."
Frustration crossed the old marquis's face.
He looked like he had something to say but couldn't.
"If you consider the feelings of a woman who dressed up beautifully despite her condition to come here, you'd know what you should really say."
The king belatedly intervened and scolded me.
I scowled.
"What if she collapses from exhaustion? How foolish."
The marquis and king sighed.
"You have a long way to go, Your Majesty."
"Not just disinterested, but oblivious too."
Their exchange was incomprehensible to me, their sighs baffling.
"Then, having made our greetings, we'll take our leave."
The marquis bowed and withdrew, Adelia with him.
"Wait."
I grabbed the marquis.
"Leave Adelia."
"What..."
"She went to all that trouble dressing up. It'd be a shame with an old marquis like you."
The marquis's expression turned peculiar.
"Do you know what you're saying, or not? Sometimes I really can't tell."
Then he smiled faintly and handed Adelia over.
I took her hand from him.
"You okay? If it's too much, just say..."
"I'm fine, Your Highness. Really, no problem."
"Good."
I smiled, and she smiled back without knowing why.
"Then today, you protect me."
Her eyes widened at my words.
"Pardon? What do you..."
Ignoring her, I turned.
Countless nobles watched me. Ladies narrowed their eyes, scanning Adelia and me.
Before them, I deliberately gripped Adelia's hand tightly.
Flirting with someone who has a partner is a grave discourtesy.
Besides, Adelia was the kingdom's proud Silver Lion.
The invisible wall from my aura was just a low fence; Adelia was an impregnable fortress.
Enough to shield me till the banquet's end.
"I'm counting on you."
Clueless, Adelia nodded with a sense of duty.
Thanks to Adelia, the first day passed safely.
But she was still recovering and needed rest soon.
Using her as a shield through day two would be too selfish.
So I found a new shield.
"Be my partner for today's banquet?"
Hestia Neumann Tudor, the Teuton princess, widened her eyes at my sudden proposal.
"Why? Don't want to?"
"Not that... why me?"
"With Teuton's influential princess from the west by my side, the envoys won't bother me."
"Fair point."
The Teuton princess narrowed her eyes at me.
"So what do I get?"
"Demanding, aren't you? You've already gained plenty."
"That's that, this is this."
Seizing the moment, I smirked at her smugness.
"If you don't want to, forget it."
As I rose, she grabbed me hastily.
"Who said I don't?"
The princess pouted and added,
"Loyalty isn't just for men."
She accepted only out of gratitude for past events.
**
At the sudden proclamation, envoys hurriedly summoned their princesses to the banquet hall.
But by the time the dressed-up princesses arrived, the crown prince's partner was already set.
"You called me to play second fiddle?"
Predictably, the proud princesses erupted in fury, forcing the envoys to sweat profusely soothing them.
It was unfair.
They had their own troubles, but pampered princesses ignored them.
Catching the crown prince's eye amid rivals required careful timing.
Too early lowered their status; too late, and someone else—like yesterday—would claim his side.
They needed a striking first impression at the right moment.
Day one failed, but they believed day two would bring chances.
But no opportunity came at all.
"The rightful heir of Leonberg Kingdom's proper ruler, the most noble Lionel Leonberger, His Majesty the King! Eldest son of the Leonberger royal family! Savior of the North! Lion of the North! Kingdom's strongest knight! Crown Prince Idrian Leonberger, entering with the Tudor royal family's proudest rose, the most beautiful! Princess Hestia Neumann!"
Teuton's princess, called the west's top beauty, had claimed the spot beside the crown prince from the start.
Indeed, the Tudor flower was stunning.
From her entrance, men in the hall could barely breathe.
If not for selecting a crown princess, they would have vied for her.
But none dared challenge the crown prince's pair here.
And no woman would flaunt her looks beside Teuton's princess.
Envoys had no choice but to wait for next time.
Introducing their princess now was asking for humiliation.
They watched the crown prince and Teuton princess converse intimately, leaving no room for others—like lovers exchanging sweet words.
In reality, she was badmouthing other ladies nonstop, and he responded indifferently.
Anyway, day two ended anticlimactically.
Envoys bribed palace servants for intel.
"His Highness has no specific partner planned today. Teuton's princess is skipping tonight and attending tomorrow."
They cheered inwardly.
No pre-set partner, no beauty overshadowing others.
Kingdom noble ladies might hover, but not major threats.
Northern women were white hydrangeas; western ones, red roses.
Envoys firmly believed roses reigned supreme.
Kingdom beauties couldn't compare.
And soon they realized how hollow that belief was.
**
"Tch."
Standing behind the envoys, I clicked my tongue at the provocative stares from the women.
Appearance is just skin-deep, yet they strut as if it's everything.
When their souls inside are pathetically dim.
Parading hollow beauty was utterly ridiculous to me.
Clueless to my thoughts, one envoy group moved.
Leading a woman with fiery red hair, as if doused with blood.
But before they reached the dais, commotion erupted in the hall.
"Gasp!"
"Heavens!"
Gasps echoed everywhere.
Dazed gazes, as if enchanted, converged on one spot in unison.
I followed their stares.
When my eyes reached the spot,
"Huh?"
I widened my eyes in shock.
Someone I never expected, in a form I never imagined, was there.