Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 43. Threatening the Elf Queen
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"Ruane Elisha!! Stop! Stop!"
Leila tried to restrain Ruane, who kept chattering away, then pressed her fingers firmly against her temple as if her head was throbbing, organizing her thoughts.
Ruane seemed to have come to her senses a bit, lowering her head slightly while clutching at my collar, giving me a what-do-we-do-now? look.
"Haa... This is giving me a headache all of a sudden. Um... Ruane, why don't you step outside for a moment and wait while I talk with Student Song In-hyeok?"
"But Mother, my husband..."
"Out! Now!!!"
At Leila's sharp, scolding tone, Ruane flinched in surprise, shot me an apologetic look, and hurried out the door.
"Whew... Sorry you had to see such an unseemly display."
"...I understand."
Even a queen would be flustered if a princess suddenly declared her love for a commoner boy and called him her husband out of nowhere.
"I'm glad you understand. So, what's going on here...?"
Leila smoothed out her furrowed brow, her face no longer smiling but somewhat expressionless as she asked me directly.
"Ruane and I are dating... I didn't expect this either, to be honest."
I explained that we were dating, wearing a flustered expression of my own. Leila didn't respond, just letting out a deep sigh.
"A commoner dating a princess...?"
Iris, sitting beside her, started scanning me up and down with eyes full of disbelief.
"That's not the point right now, Iris. Stop judging by status for the moment."
Leila cut Iris off preemptively, but Iris kept glaring at me with a dissatisfied frown.
Under the scrutiny from the Duchess of Venezia herself, with the Elf Queen sighing repeatedly in this awkward atmosphere, I was wondering how to escape when...
"Student Song In-hyeok, would you come with me for a moment? Hm... Iris, please wait here while I'm gone."
Leila suddenly stood up and addressed me.
"Alone with that commoner guy? He's dangerous, Leila!"
I had no idea what I'd done to be labeled dangerous already, but I wished she'd drop the commoner-hating attitude.
Being treated like a potential threat when I hadn't done anything... Ugh, headache.
"Why would the man Ruane chose as her partner be dangerous? And I'm not so weak that a student could do anything to me—you know that better than anyone, Iris."
"Well, that's true, but..."
"Then I'll be right back. Follow me, Student Song In-hyeok."
"Yes, sure..."
Snapping out of my stray thoughts, I followed Leila out the door.
-Creak... Thud!
"Ow!"
"...Ruane...?"
After being kicked out of the room, Ruane must have been eavesdropping with her ear to the door—when it opened, she was holding her face where it had bumped into it.
"M-Mother..."
"Ruane, really... Haa... Get ready for a proper scolding when I get back."
Not content with her earlier outburst, Ruane had disregarded all decorum to spy on us. Realizing this, Leila let out a massive sigh and spoke to her in an icy tone.
"Mooother..."
Ruane made a pouty face, but Leila ignored her and started heading downstairs.
Oh boy...
With no time to comfort Ruane, I shot her a wink signaling not to worry and followed behind Leila.
Leila exited the mansion, casually acknowledging the soldiers' salutes, then entered a separate building in the backyard.
As I followed her in, it was pitch black with no lights. Leila chanted a spell and gestured with her hand a few times, and the space suddenly lit up brightly.
Some kind of light magic...?
Unlike ordinary illumination spells, this one fascinated me—I found myself pondering how it worked. Leila turned back to me and began speaking.
"Sorry for dragging you here so suddenly."
"It's fine."
"Ruane isn't really like that... Did she change after dating you, Student Song In-hyeok...?"
"......"
She had changed dramatically because of me...
With nothing to say, I stayed silent, and Leila smiled faintly as she continued.
"I wasn't blaming you. I was just a bit disconcerted—something like shock—finding out Ruane has this side to her."
"No, it's fine."
"Good, then... Hm... Anyway, let's get to the main point."
Finally, the real talk...
I swallowed hard, waiting to hear what she'd say. When she finally spoke slowly, I couldn't help but be stunned.
"...That's how it is. I trust you'll understand, Student Song In-hyeok."
..Understand what, exactly...?
"So, because of this political marriage, you want me to break up with Ruane...?"
"Yes... I'm truly sorry."
Leila bowed her head slightly, looking apologetic.
An Elf Queen bowing to a commoner was utterly unthinkable, but In-hyeok wasn't in a position to care about that.
Give up Ruane because of a political marriage?
She was telling him to just let go of what was his—queen or not, sorry or not, it didn't matter one bit.
"..As expected, no...!"
I started to refuse, but a brilliant idea struck me, and I decided to accept her proposal.
"No... We'll break up."
"R-Really? Thank you, Student Song In-hyeok..."
"But I have a condition!"
As Leila kept bowing and thanking me profusely, I declared loudly. She stopped and looked at me.
"What condition...?"
"To be honest, Ruane and I have already been intimate."
Ignoring Leila's shocked and flustered expression at the sudden confession about sleeping with Ruane, I pressed on.
"But if we break up, I won't be able to be intimate with her anymore..."
"......"
Leila stared at In-hyeok as if wondering what insane nonsense he was spouting.
"It's not like I date her just for the sex, but I can't say sex isn't part of the reasons at all."
"......"
Leila's face gradually turned red.
"So, Your Majesty, please have sex with me in Ruane's place!"
At those words, Leila began trembling visibly.
Was she shaking from excitement at the thought of being intimate with a young guy like me...?
"Y-You mad human...!"
Nah, probably not.
Leila glared at me with utter contempt.
"Ruane with a man like this... Haa..."
"It doesn't seem like such a difficult request..."
"Are... Are you in your right mind...?"
As I spoke casually, Leila's expression twisted in disbelief that such a person existed.
"So, what will you do...? If you don't accept my condition, I have no intention of breaking up."
"If I tell Ruane you're making demands like this right now..."
"Didn't you hear her earlier, gushing about her 'husband' and singing my praises?"
"......"
"Do you think Ruane will believe her queen mother trying to force a political marriage... or the man she loves?"
"......"
Recalling Ruane's earlier behavior, Leila clearly realized she'd side with me. She began to agonize over it.
"Answer quickly."
"Just a moment... Give me time to think..."
Her internal struggle was plain as day.
".....!"
Leila tensed up warily as I suddenly cast a spell, mana gathering in her hands as if ready to fire at any moment.
"Don't be on guard—wouldn't want you screaming and calling the soldiers, right? Better be careful."
"You're truly trash..."
"And your daughter loves this trash."
Leila scowled fiercely at my words but shot back a light smile and brushed it off.
"I'll accept the condition."
Suddenly resolute, Leila swallowed hard and met my eyes.
Oh... I thought she'd deliberate longer. Is this a queen's decisiveness...?
"Hm... So when does Your Majesty return to the Elf Kingdom?"
"...In three weeks."
"Then, sex with me once a day for those three weeks."
"W-Wait, but I'll add a condition of my own."
Leila spoke urgently.
"What condition?"
"Sex only once a week..."
"...Think I'll accept that?"
"Five days..."
"......"
"Three days..."
"No. Once a day it is."
Leila wore a dissatisfied expression, but I didn't care.
"Fine... I accept. Then go break up with Ruane...?! Why are you undressing...?!"
Hearing her agreement, I immediately started stripping, and Leila exclaimed in shock.
"Once."
I held up my index finger.
"We'll do it once—right now."