Chapter 37

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 37

Chapter Title: Refusal

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The sunlight pouring through the window of the Roselia Palace office was sharp and merciless.

The light streaming in past the ornate gold-leafed window frame illuminated the stack of documents on the desk, but even that couldn't dispel the shadow hanging over Queen Helena's face.

She was sunk deep into a high-backed chair wrapped in velvet.

Her grip tightened on the parchment scroll that her retainer had just presented and left behind. She could feel sweat soaking into her palm inside the leather glove, making it damp.

"A meeting?"

A deflating sound leaked from between her lips. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It was closer to a twisted groan than a laugh.

The words dancing on the paper stabbed at her retinas. It was an official document written in the name of Lilia von Argent, proxy lord of the Argent Grand Territory.

The handwriting was neat, the phrasing polite and verbose, explaining the circumstances in exhaustive detail—but the core message felt like nothing but provocation.

[Requesting a meeting with Batanias von Atria to confirm his well-being and the handover procedures for the Black Forest Territory.]

"Ha."

Helena tossed the document onto the desk with force. The parchment slid and bumped the inkwell, but mercifully, it didn't spill.

'This bitch isn't messing with me, is she?'

She ground her teeth. The memory of that humiliating negotiation just a few days ago still hadn't faded from her mind.

The triumphant momentum when she'd crossed the empire's border at the head of the Red Thorn Knights was gone, replaced by the recollection of being violated by that man on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the other side of the crystal orb screen, clad only in a thin silk dress.

The invisible touches kneading her breasts and stroking her lower abdomen—the lingering chill of that pleasure and humiliation she couldn't refuse still writhed beneath her skin.

It prickled.

Unconsciously, she clutched at her chest. The irregular beat of her heart transmitted through the silk blouse she'd worn instead of armor.

Was it anger? Shame? Or the backlash of those vivid sensations from that day?

After the negotiation ended and the screen went dark, it took Helena a long while to regain her senses. She wanted to immediately order her army to smash the walls of Argent.

It was an absurd deal. Accepting the worthless dump called the Black Forest in exchange for imprisoning the emperor.

There was no real gain, and politically it was a hollow victory—but personally, for the queen, it was a stinging defeat. Yet she couldn't move.

The cathedral explosion in the church headquarters back home in Roselia and the total desecration of the capital's cemetery. Those urgent reports had shackled her ankles.

With the country in chaos, she had no spare capacity to wage war abroad.

So she'd gritted her teeth and retreated. Pulled back her army and returned home seething.

Vowing to sort out the incidents, calm the internal turmoil, and then seek him out for revenge.

And now, a meeting?

'That Argent wench wants to meet him? After dumping him on me?'

Helena slammed her fist on the desk.

"Arrogant Argent bastards."

Her rage extended not just to Batanias but to Argent(?), who had forced her into that humiliating negotiation.

She shot up from her seat. The chair scraped harshly against the floor as it slid back. Her strides to the window were rough.

Her face reflected in the glass was pale. Faint shadows under her eyes, lips drained of color.

The queen's dignity was gone, leaving only the weary face of a woman tormented by nightmares every night.

And in those nightmares, he was always there.

Batanias.

The man brazenly dropping his pants while bound in iron chains. The voice threatening her as he shook that grotesque erection.

The terror and thrill of the moment he whispered, "I'll put it in." In her dreams, he actually entered her bedroom.

Stripping off her armor, tearing her dress to shreds, ravaging her body. And she would wake screaming, kicking off sweat-soaked sheets.

"Meeting denied."

Helena spat coldly.

She returned to the desk and picked up a quill. She pressed the nib hard against the paper, nearly snapping it.

[Refused. The Black Forest is now Roselia territory, and no foreign interference with the prisoner confined there will be permitted.]

Her handwriting slashed sharply across the page. Ink splattered, leaving black dots. She scrawled her signature and slammed down her seal.

"Send this letter to Argent immediately."

She summoned her head maid and handed over the missive. The maid recoiled at the queen's murderous expression, stumbling back.

As the door closed and she was alone again, Helena glared out the window. Somewhere beyond, in the distance, lay the Black Forest. That damp, gloomy woods somewhere held that man captive.

It infuriated her.

While she was racking her brains sorting out crises back home, he was probably breathing easy there. The thought twisted her guts.

'Just wait.'

She gripped the windowsill tightly. Her nails dug into the wood.

'Once I wrap up these incidents, I'll go there right away. I won't kill you. You're imprisoned, after all.'

A smile spread across her lips.

'But I'll give you a thorough thrashing. Worse and more horrific than what you did to my body. I'll make sure you never dare lift your head before me again.'

Her eyes blazed. It didn't seem like mere vengeance.

She felt a heavy tightness in her chest.

Patrol Captain Adella's leather armor straps were a bit looser than a few days ago.

This subtle change wasn't from the leather stretching—it was because she'd tied the knots looser to accept my touch.

Of course, thanks to my Persuasion.

I familiarly undid the buttons of her shirt. Pop, pop. With each small button releasing, her breath leaked through the gap.

I slipped my hand inside.

"Haa..."

Adella tilted her head back, letting out a low moan.

Even without the Delicate Touch (Lv.1) skill, the warmth of her skin at my fingertips was hot. Her sweat-slicked flesh was slippery, and beneath it, her pounding heartbeat struck my palm intensely.

I curled my fingers to gently grasp her breast. The sensation of the soft, waterlogged flesh yielding like a sponge stimulated my fingerprints.

The tip of her breast was already hardened, pushing up against the shirt fabric. I rubbed the protrusion gently with my thumb.

"Eek!"

Adella's body jolted upward. She gripped the chair's armrests tightly with both hands.

Her knuckles whitened from the force.

"You okay? Was that too hard?"

I feigned concern and eased the pressure, but didn't pull away. Instead, I spread my hand wider to envelop her entire breast.

"N-No... It's fine."

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Sweat beaded on her flushed face.

She didn't reject my touch. No, she couldn't.

From the moment I'd foisted that nonsense "excessive desire disorder" on her, she'd already been fully persuaded.

Her duty as a guard knight, gratitude toward me, and pity for my condition had tangled together, disarming her.

But...

'Infertile, huh...'

I gave a wry smile and moved my hand. So the lecherous emperor was shooting blanks.

It finally made sense why he'd bedded countless women but had no heirs.

But what did it matter? Right now, survival mattered more than breeding.

The biggest issue was the dimension stone.

I glanced out the window. The Black Forest's trees densely blocked the view.

Somewhere in that forest, the dimension stone was hidden. From game memories, it was likely in ancient ruins near the abyss entrance at the forest's deepest point.

But getting there was the problem.

'With just Adella?'

Impossible. Even as an elite imperial knight, charging alone through a forest swarming with magical beasts was suicide.

I had no combat skills or traits.

It pissed me off.

'I invested skill points just to find out the trait is infertility?'

Plus, I couldn't tell her I was looking for the dimension stone.

What would I say if she asked, "What's that?" or "Why are you looking for it?"

"Oh, I'm gonna find this and bail. Don't care if this world ends or not."?

She probably didn't even know about the world's potential end, but she'd definitely stop me from even trying. Hell, she might keep me chained up forever.

After all, she was a watcher sent by Duke Karls.

'No way out.'

I sighed deeply. My hand was still kneading Adella's breast, but my mind was a tangled mess.

"Something bothering you?"

Adella opened her eyes and asked. Her brown eyes stared straight at my face.

She must have noticed my touch pause.

"Nah, just... the forest is too quiet."

I made an excuse.

"Isn't quiet good? No magical beasts."

She seemed relieved but still showed a hint of unease.

"Yeah. It's good."

I resumed moving my hand. This time, bolder—I slipped my fingers further inside her shirt. The feel of her bare skin was electric.

"Hng..."

To make this work, I'd have to go on foot myself, but in my current situation, no chance.

'There has to be some way. Something.'

I pinched Adella's nipple while lost in thought. Her moans played like background music.