Chapter 199: The Royal Castle (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 199: The Royal Castle (3)
“More than anything, I am not in a position to stay in one place for long, so marriage would be difficult. I hope you understand.”
Setting aside my displeasure with the king's attitude, if I'd had a bit more leeway, I would have seriously considered it.
This was a chance to marry an incredible beauty like Elisabeth, after all.
It was a tempting offer, one that any man with a healthy sex drive would find difficult to refuse.
“What a shame, Elisabeth. I had hoped to pair you with such a promising mage.”
“...I am overwhelmed by your grace.”
But that was just my own take on it.
Ever since entering the royal castle, I had kept my hearing enhanced to its maximum.
I had no desire to remain a blind man in the dark.
Thanks to that, I’d learned a few things.
Like why Elisabeth was addressed as ‘Your Highness’ when the First Prince was alive and well.
It was because the heir to the throne had not yet been decided.
Elisabeth, the First Princess, was contending with the First Prince for the throne, but it seemed the situation was actually tipping in the prince's favor.
In such a situation, marrying Elisabeth off to a mere mage who wasn't even a noble was tantamount to an order to withdraw from the succession race.
The very person who should have been the most impartial was implicitly supporting the First Prince.
“Then what reward do you desire? Speak what you wish.”
To ask such a question of a non-noble… he must have been displeased that a mere mage had refused his offer.
Petty bastard.
If I asked for monetary compensation, he might fly into a rage, accusing me of putting a price on a royal’s life.
You might think I’m overthinking it, but I doubt it.
“I did not act with the expectation of a reward. The honor and glory of saving the beautiful princess are satisfaction enough for me.”
If anything, he’d be worse than that, not better.
“How unlike a mage. The mages I know are a scheming bunch, always trying to squeeze out something extra.”
Just as I thought.
Insulting mages right in front of one.
He was trying his best to act the part of a benevolent ruler, but his innate character simply wasn't suited for it.
“If you insist, I will send something suitable to the Ruby Palace. Surely you won’t refuse that as well?”
“I am overwhelmed by Your Majesty’s generosity.”
The king waved a hand at us. At his gesture of dismissal, we promptly left the garden.
As I walked down the corridor, I recalled the look in the king’s eyes as he watched Elisabeth.
It was far too cold a gaze to direct at his own daughter, who had just survived an assassination attempt.
It wasn't that I expected a single word of warm comfort.
But I didn't like his indifferent attitude, as if it were nothing at all.
“Hyun-woo.”
Elisabeth stopped and turned to look at me.
“...Why did you refuse?”
“Pardon?”
After hesitating for a moment, her lips parting and closing, she closed the distance between us in a single step. A faint floral scent brushed past my nose.
“Do you hate me, too...?”
Her eyes, looking up at me, trembled pitifully.
Why is she suddenly saying this?
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
Could it be that she really likes me…
“Pfft.”
“?”
Just as I was unconsciously swallowing dryly and breaking into a cold sweat, I heard a familiar laugh.
Elisabeth was covering her mouth, smiling.
“Just kidding, just kidding. Aren't you taking this a little too seriously?”
“...”
“You’re not mad, are you?”
“...Of course not.”
“I think you are. If you’re that disappointed, should I go talk to my father again? Tell him you want to marry me.”
“That’s not it…”
Clang.
At that moment, something fell to the floor.
Elisabeth’s and my gazes turned toward the sound.
“M-marriage...?”
Tina was standing there.
From her sleeves, hidden weapons were clattering to the floor. She looked uncharacteristically flustered.
“Tina?”
“Her Highness Princess Elisabeth is getting married... married... married...?”
Tina was overly agitated.
She remained that way until Elisabeth ran over and started stroking her hair.
Is it really that shocking?
I felt a bitter taste in my mouth for some reason.
Just then, someone approached from down the hall.
It was a middle-aged woman who looked to be quite old. Unlike the other servants, however, she wasn't wearing a maid's uniform.
A lady-in-waiting?
Ladies-in-waiting were those who attended to the royal family. In other words, she was a noble.
“Greetings, Your Highness, Princess Elisabeth.”
The woman’s appearance instantly chilled the atmosphere.
Elisabeth’s eyes, which had been holding Tina as if she were a younger sister, turned cold. It was a look I had never seen from her before.
“How unusual for you to seek me out. Did the Queen send you to confirm that my head is still attached to my shoulders?”
Her words were laced with blatant hostility and sarcasm.
I could feel a killing intent so thick that if Elisabeth had a sword in her hand, she wouldn't have hesitated for a second to cut the lady-in-waiting's throat.
“Of course not.”
The lady-in-waiting handled it calmly, as if this were a common occurrence.
“Her Majesty the Queen has invited you and the mage to tea. I have come only to convey her wishes.”
“An invitation? I suppose she's acquired some new poison?”
The lady-in-waiting said nothing.
She simply bowed her head quietly and awaited the princess’s answer, as if this happened all the time.
“I refuse.”
Elisabeth walked right past the lady-in-waiting.
As if she had expected it, the woman said nothing.
I followed Elisabeth out of the Main Palace.
Her back looked particularly small as she walked toward the carriage.
Of course, she was already small, but it was something more fundamental…
“Hyun-woo.”
“Yes?”
A familiar voice broke my train of thought.
When I came to my senses, my eyes met Elisabeth’s.
“...Aren't you going to escort me?”
Standing before the carriage, she kept glancing at me. A faint blush colored her cheeks.
When I smiled faintly and offered my hand, she glared at me as if something displeased her.
“...You look like you're forcing yourself.”
“Never. How could I be?”
Elisabeth took my hand and boarded the carriage.
Just in case, I tried offering my hand to Tina as well, but she flatly ignored me.
Honestly, I didn't expect to be rejected.
Should I say she's been strangely on edge since a moment ago?
Is it because of the marriage talk?
If that was the case, I was being wronged.
The king was the one who brought up marriage; I was just a victim here.
As I stood there dumbfounded, the back of my head prickled.
“Did you just do something to Tina…”
“I didn't do anything.”
I’m getting it from both sides.
*
Not long after we returned to the Ruby Palace, someone arrived from the Main Palace.
“A gift from His Majesty the King.”
The old man, who appeared to be the royal chamberlain, handed over a small jewelry box and left without another word.
The sight left not only me but Elisabeth as well, completely speechless.
The king’s reward was a single jewelry box?
No matter how much he disliked me, this was a matter of the royal family’s dignity.
Moreover, this was an act of mockery toward Elisabeth. It was no different from putting the price of her life at a single jewelry box.
For a moment, a murderous impulse toward the king surged within me.
Click.
Inside the box were several rather expensive-looking jewels. But even so, it probably wasn't even worth a few billion won.
What a truly petty bastard.
I tossed the jewelry box into my inventory. I had no intention of selling it at a jeweler’s.
I'd be better off using them to cast barriers.
“...Wait here a moment.”
With those words, Elisabeth quickly left the room.
When she returned a moment later, she was holding a small pouch.
“Here.”
“Aren't you going to tell me what it is?”
“Just open it and see.”
The pouch was heavier than I expected, and inside were gold coins.
Even at a glance, it was a considerable amount. It might not be as much as the jewelry box I received, but it wasn't a sum to be ignored.
“Um... it’s been hard to secure a budget recently, so it’s not much. But it’s better than nothing.”
She looked down, fidgeting with her fingers.
“Sorry…”
Elisabeth felt guilty toward me.
I may have grown up without parents, but I knew this one thing for sure.
It's a parent's duty to thank the person who saved their child's life.
“Is it... too little?”
When I remained silent for a while, Elisabeth’s voice trembled with anxiety.
“...That’s not it, so please don’t worry about it.”
I smiled and expressed my gratitude to her.
To be honest, I never planned to stay here for long.
I naturally assumed I would only see the two of them again after everything was over.
But now, I couldn't possibly leave things as they were.
The Second Queen, was it...
After returning to the Ruby Palace, I’d had a chance to speak with Tina alone for a moment.
And from her, I learned a shocking truth.
A total of 29 poisoning attempts.
A total of 11 assassination attempts.
These were the things that woman, the Second Queen, had done to Elisabeth so far.
The reason that woman could be so blatant was that Elisabeth had no backing whatsoever.
While Elisabeth’s mother, the First Queen, had been a princess from a small, now-fallen kingdom, the Second Queen was the daughter of a marquis from a family that boasted immense power.
Even if she was contending with the First Prince for the throne, it wasn't even a fair fight to begin with.
If I leave now, Elisabeth will most likely die.
Of course, I had no intention of standing by and watching that happen.
But that didn't mean there was anything I could do right this second.
Assassinating the queen within the royal castle like I did with Wavel was impossible.
Besides, just getting rid of the Second Queen wouldn't solve the problem. If I didn't do something about the nobles who followed the First Prince, Elisabeth would just be a puppet on the throne, even if she did ascend.
What a headache...
No matter how I looked at it, this wasn't a problem that could be solved in a short amount of time.
“Hyun-woo.”
A familiar voice broke through my thoughts. A small piece of paper entered my field of vision.
It was written in the language of this world, but I had no trouble reading it.
As I read the words on the paper, I blankly raised my head to look at Elisabeth.
She was smiling, trying her best to hide the trembling in her eyes.
“It’s a letter of recommendation. You should take this and go back quickly. You said you have companions waiting for you.”
I numbly accepted the letter.
But I didn't put it in my pocket.
Riiip—
I tore it right in half.
“...Huh?”
Seeing the letter of recommendation torn in two, Elisabeth looked utterly bewildered.
It seemed she never imagined I would do such a thing.
Of course, considering Iris and Amelia's situations, it was true that I couldn't drag my feet here for too long.
But I couldn't just turn a blind eye to her predicament now that I knew the truth.
That left only one option.
“Please wait just a moment.”
Tiring—
A familiar screen appeared before my eyes.
[End the match?]
[※Time remains in the match. Are you sure you want to end it?]
[Y/N]
“I’ll be right back.”
[Y]
My vision inverted.
*
[The match has ended.]
[Favorability Change
Iris Remeria Baiart Peledeia 99♡]
[Bond Level Change
Iris Remeria Baiart Peledeia Lv.5]
[Favorability Change
Melissa Malefis 60♡]
[Bond Level Change
Melissa Malefis Lv.1]
[Calculating…]
[3,000 Love Coins have been awarded.]
[Remaining Coins: 8,680]
Returning home, I looked around.
It was still dark outside. I sank onto the sofa and habitually raised my phone.
Click.
The bathroom door opened, and Noel emerged, her body covered by a single towel. Her hair was damp, as if she had just showered.
Only then did I remember what I had been doing before I went to meet Iris.
I’d dealt with the governor and was on my way back when I kissed Noel in the forest.
Noel’s request to kiss like lovers had been a bit surprising, but it hadn't been bad.
If anything, it was interesting to see a new side of her.
“Master…”
Thump. The towel wrapped around Noel fell to the floor.
I gazed at Noel’s naked body, illuminated only by the light spilling from the bathroom.
Her face was flushed bright red, her nipples were hard, and her breaths came in heated pants.
She looked as if she were in heat, and my groin throbbed in response.
I patted the spot next to me on the sofa, and Noel approached with a happy smile.
It was the beginning of a pleasant night.