Chapter 392: Court Intrigue
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 392: Court Intrigue
Sylvia landed a few punches on me for revealing my true intentions, but since my realm was now higher than hers, it didn't hurt much.
Sylvia, who had been throwing punches from a mount position, seemed to realize this too. She climbed off me with a shocked expression.
If we'd been alone, I would have flipped her over and pinned her down instead. It was a shame I couldn't.
“Iris.”
“Yes?”
I took a luxurious wooden box from my inventory and handed it to her.
Inside was a bracelet set with a large, beautifully crafted emerald.
I'd bought it at the Black Market along with the hairpin I gave to Cheon Yeo-hwa.
“It's a gift. The moment I saw it, I thought of your eyes.”
“...”
With trembling hands, Iris took the bracelet and carefully fastened it around her wrist.
Seeing her so happy as she examined it from every angle made me feel good too.
Soon after, Iris came over, gently kissed my cheek, and gave me a soft, smiling look.
“I'll treasure it.”
I smiled faintly.
Sex is great, but moments like this, where we could affirm our feelings for each other, were the ones that truly lasted in memory.
I took a second gift from my inventory.
Thud, thud, thud—
Dozens of books tumbled to the floor.
“Sir Hyun-woo, what are these...?”
“They're books on space magic. I told you I'd bring some back, remember?”
In this world, space magic was a form of 'Lost Magic' that had been forgotten long ago.
Even Iris, a high elf, knew nothing about it.
“Well... you can't use magic right now because of the restraints, but I thought it would be good to read them when you're bored, so I grabbed every one I could find—”
“Sir Hyun-woo!!”
In that moment, Iris threw her arms around me and showered me with kisses.
She looked even happier than when she'd received the bracelet, which made me think that a mage will always be a mage.
After that, I took out the other gifts I'd bought for Iris at the Black Market.
A 200-year-old Millennium Snow Ginseng, a 350-year-old Heroic Flow Herb said to restore vitality, and finally, a 200-year-old Hwashincho that was said to prevent minor illnesses.
You could say it was excessive, but these were all elixirs that would have little effect on me, and besides, Iris was an 8th Circle Archmage.
Just as a stagnant lake without proper circulation slowly rots, her immense magic was forcibly sealed by the restraints. At this rate, she didn't have much time left.
Of course, Iris was a high elf who lived for a near-eternity, so she could probably hold on for at least a few decades.
But for our journey ahead to go smoothly, it was crucial to boost her stamina as much as possible with these elixirs.
If it were anyone else, Holy Water might have worked instead of elixirs, but since Iris served a different god, the church's Holy Water would have little effect on her.
“Miss Amelia.”
“Y-Yes?”
I walked over to Amelia, who had been watching us with an envious look, and handed her a small case.
When she opened it, she found a pair of diamond earrings that perfectly matched her silver eyes.
“Sir Hyun-woo...?”
“A gift. I chose them because I thought they would look good on you. I hope you like them.”
“Ah...”
That was a lie.
They were earrings I'd bought at a jewelry shop in England for a magic experiment.
They were quite expensive, but I couldn't just stand by while Amelia looked like an abandoned puppy.
“Um... could you perhaps put them on for me...?”
“Of course.”
Amelia blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Her delicate ear was revealed, along with the pale line of her neck.
Fortunately, she'd worn earrings before, so there was no need to pierce them.
Amelia looked at the hand mirror I gave her and smiled brightly.
As I was watching her with a pleased expression, Sylvia came up and whispered in my ear.
“I believe you promised not to touch another woman. Why did you give a gift to her?”
“Jealous?”
“Don't say such disgusting things.”
Sylvia scowled, her brow furrowing deeply.
While Iris and Amelia were busy complimenting each other's new bracelet and earrings, I took the opportunity to reach out and grab Sylvia's ass.
“Eek?!”
Sylvia let out a tiny, sharp shriek and flinched.
But only for a moment. Her face twisted into a murderous expression, reminiscent of an evil demon.
Of course, she didn't draw her sword or push me away.
The contract wouldn't let her.
“I have a proper gift for you too, so don't be so angry. I'll give it to you later, in private.”
“...I don't need it.”
“Tsk, I let it slide when you were choking me earlier. Are you really going to keep playing hard to get?”
Squeeze!!
I squeezed her ass hard.
As expected of the former vice-captain of the First Royal Knights, her ass was incredibly firm.
“Khh...!”
Sylvia lowered her head in humiliation, but I paid it no mind, teasingly stroking her ass.
It was hard to enjoy the texture through her pants, but watching her expression change from moment to moment was more than enough to make up for it.
Just as my hand traced the line of her ass crack...
Grab—
Sylvia grabbed my wrist, her expression urgent.
But with the clear difference in our realms, it was impossible for her to stop me with her strength alone.
Eventually, my fingertips reached her perineum.
The summit was in sight.
“D-Don't...!!”
“I don't think you mean that. You haven't already forgotten what I said, have you?”
I made a show of groping her ass and rubbing her perineum, teasing her.
At this point, Sylvia must have realized she had no other choice. In a quiet voice that Iris would never hear, she whispered carefully.
“H-Husband...”
In that instant, Sylvia's face turned as red as an eighteen-year-old girl waiting for an answer to her confession.
If Iris had heard, her eyes would have gone wide, and she would have watched with a look of great interest.
But desperate not to be found out by Iris, no matter what, Sylvia pressed close to me and pleaded.
“P-Please remove your hand...”
“My hand? Why should I? Isn't it natural for a married couple to be affectionate?”
“...”
Grit—
As I played dumb, Sylvia gritted her teeth.
As a long-lived species, she really should take better care of her dental health. Whether she knew of my concern or not, Sylvia tried to pull away from me.
It seemed she'd decided persuasion wasn't working.
But I wasn't about to let her go so easily.
I pulled her in by the waist and grabbed her breast.
Normally, she would have unleashed her killing intent and drawn her sword, but perhaps because she was conscious of Iris, Sylvia remained docile.
“Good girl.”
I gave her ass a couple of pats.
Sylvia bit her lip as if nursing a grudge and glared at me, but I didn't care in the slightest.
“Well, I'm heading back to the royal castle. I won't be long. You all should get some rest at the inn. Once I get the letter of recommendation, it's back to a forced march.”
“...Will you be all right on your own?”
Iris asked, her eyes full of concern.
I gave her a relaxed smile and drew the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword.
Shiiiing—
““?!!””
The eyes of Sylvia and Amelia filled with astonishment as they saw the distinct Aura Blade that bloomed over my sword.
But I didn't stop there.
Fwoosh!!
A fierce black flame erupted in my palm.
The moment she saw the black flame—a concentration of immense heat and violent divine power—Iris showed a rare look of bewilderment.
“...Could that be the authority of an angel?”
I shrugged at Iris's disbelieving reaction.
Lucifer may be a fallen angel, but she was still an angel.
While Iris was distracted by the black flame, I took the chance to look at the shackles on her ankles.
Tiring—
[Collecting information on a new item.]
[Knot of Ash
Grade: Holy Relic
A knot imbued with the power of Asharion, the God of Ash.
Seals all of the target's power.]
Before, I couldn't read its information at all, but now was different.
I wasn't sure of the exact reason, but I guessed it was because I'd grown stronger. Of course, I had seen Holy Relics in the Tower, so that might have had an effect as well.
In any case, being able to read the item's information wasn't entirely a good thing. It was because, contrary to my expectations, I hadn't gained anything useful from it.
Asharion.
The name of the god worshipped by the beast-kin.
For reference, the Santala Kingdom is the nation of the beast-kin, and Asharion is their sole deity.
'Tsk, so in the end, I have no choice but to go to the Santala Kingdom?'
Actually, it wasn't that there were no other options.
It was an extreme method, but I could always just storm the Holy See and steal a Holy Relic.
Of course, that was impossible with my current abilities.
It was literally a last resort, so for now, I just formed a rough plan in my head.
“Well, I'm off then.”
I patted Iris's head, left the inn, and headed straight for the royal castle.
I needed to hurry if I wanted to cross the border even a day sooner.
*
Clink—
At the sound of the teacup being set down, the complexions of the surrounding servants instantly turned pale.
More than a few had lost their lives over a single mistake, so they could now gauge their master's mood just from the sound of a teacup.
Right now, even a single misplaced cough could get their heads chopped off.
“Is that truly so?”
A noblewoman with faint wrinkles around her mouth spoke.
Serphina Polonquerigal Nivia.
As the king's second wife, she was the one who wielded the most power in the Nivia Kingdom, acting in place of the king who was lost to women and wine.
“It is certain. There are already dozens of witnesses.”
At the man's report, the wrinkles on the Second Queen's face deepened.
She was in a very foul mood.
It was because testimonies were popping up everywhere that the mage brought by the stubbornly resilient First Princess had flown through the sky.
There were two ways for a mage to fly: the 5th Circle magic 'Levitation' and the 6th Circle magic 'Fly'.
A 5th Circle mage was a manageable opponent.
But if the First Princess had recruited a 6th Circle mage, it was obvious the situation would become complicated.
Tap, tap—
“...What about assassination?”
The Second Queen's eyes glinted with killing intent as she tapped the table with her fingertips.
It was no exaggeration to say that the entire royal castle, save for the Ruby Palace, was now in her grasp.
Furthermore, she had already won over the commanders of the Royal Knights.
She judged that even if the opponent was a 6th Circle mage, assassination was not impossible.
However, the man shook his head firmly.
“The probability of success is slim. Mages are pathologically obsessed with self-preservation, so a surprise attack won't work. Besides, a 6th Circle mage would have connections to the Magic Association, and a mistake could escalate into a diplomatic incident.”
“Tsk, then what about recruiting him instead?”
“It wouldn't be impossible, provided the price is right. The mage tribe is an insatiably greedy lot. However, the question is what the First Princess offered to attract such a powerful mage.”
“Isn't it obvious? What money could that bitch have with the palace budget so tight? She probably sold her body to the mage.”
A blatant sneer spread across the Second Queen's lips.
She ordered the man to bring the mage to her, then leisurely enjoyed her tea time as usual.
'It won't be long now.'
The intricate plan she had built over many years to place her son on the throne was finally nearing its destination.
Reflected in her teacup, a sordid desire flickered in the Second Queen's eyes.
But she did not know.
Just who she was making an enemy of.