Prologue
Jeong-jae couldn't hide his genuine bewilderment. This wasn't the reaction he'd anticipated. Far from it, in fact. Sure, it was a proposal that might sound downright stupid. But he hadn't expected Margaret to react with this level of fury.
The elf princess—the legitimate heir of the arrogant, fastidious forest folk—was trembling before this otherworldly mage, her eyes brimming with tears as she glared at him.
"Margaret. Calm down. All I meant was that it's worth considering. I'm not saying we've locked in a final decision or anything."
His attempt fell flat. The elf gripped her bow as if ready to club the mage with it, staring down at the scroll on the desk as she spoke.
"So, you're saying we should have you unleash a spell powerful enough to shatter your soul, striking directly at the Demon King's executives' gathering spot with a massive explosion to turn the tide of war?"
Margaret confirmed what she'd already verified multiple times. Jeong-jae scratched his head with an awkward grin.
"The situation's dire. I've tried contributing to the war without going to extremes, but there aren't better options. If this op succeeds, everything changes. Think about it rationally."
"Rationally? Rationally?Rationally?"
The fairy lord shrieked. Jeong-jae flinched back, covering his face with both hands. Unable to contain her rage, Margaret slammed her fist on the table and spoke in a startlingly cold voice.
"Fine. Let's evaluate it rationally. Your life would indeed be more useful executing this plan than dragging out this stalemate. The Demon King's army loses four generals—or at least they're crippled beyond recovery. If that power's guaranteed, the military value is undeniable."
"Right? One life for thousands—no, tens of thousands saved. It's not about playing hero; it's reality."
"But even rationally, there's one thing I can't forgive."
"What's... that?"
Jeong-jae asked cautiously. Several hypotheses raced through his mind. Was she worried about the coordinate magic? If errors crept into the tracking and positioning, the explosion might detonate far from the generals' meeting, turning his sacrifice into a pointless dog's death.
Or maybe she resented his lack of consideration for innocent bystanders if the spell malfunctioned. That could be it. Noble Margaret might disdain humans like a haughty elf, but she raged at the thought of blameless civilians dying.
Or perhaps the spell's environmental impact—especially on forests—hadn't been factored in. There was room for counterargument, of course. The magic targeted only the Demon King's assembly point with precisely designed mana circuits, minimizing collateral damage to near zero...
"Why... me of all people?"
This unexpected jab left Jeong-jae speechless. Undeterred, Margaret growled on.
"Why did you—the first person you showed this spell to—have to be me?"
"Why you? Well... you get it, right? I figured you'd understand. As a noble elf princess, you're versed in mana theory, and you'd grasp what support you'd need to provide..."
"So you're saying you trusted my abilities. I want to believe that—that you trusted my skills and character, confiding this secret plan in me first. I want to believe it, but..."
A pause. Jeong-jae sensed an ominous chill creeping in. Then—plink, plink, plink—the sound of thick teardrops from the elf lord hitting the floor.
"I... I thought maybe because of how I usually act, you figured I despised you. That you saw me as some arrogant immortal who doesn't care what happens to the likes of you... and that I'd gladly accept a plan premised on your death. That's the only thought I can muster."
She'd subtly hit the nail on the head. Of course, Jeong-jae didn't view Margaret as some human scum—or fairy scum—who treated lives like bugs. He simply trusted her nobility and rationality to weigh his sacrifice against the countless lives it could save, ultimately agreeing.
"No, that's not it. I knew you'd have reservations—sorry about that. But I also know you're wise enough to make the right call in the end, so..."
"So you expected me to weigh it wisely. That's it, then. But you don't know. Even a lord like me can't always make rational decisions. Know what that moment is?"
"Uh..."
Overwhelmed by her intensity, Jeong-jae couldn't voice even his guesses. The elf strode up and lightly tapped his cheek with her fingertips.
"You have no idea how I feel about you. Anyone else, maybe—but you never should have shown this half-baked plan to me."
Margaret snatched the scroll Jeong-jae had labored over and tore it to shreds before his eyes. Seeing he wasn't fazed, her eyes flashed.
"This is just a copy, and you have the original. Doesn't matter. In the name of Eramenia's legitimate heir, Princess Margaret, I swear: I will stop you from ever casting this spell."
And so, Jeong-jae's plan went awry from the very start—in ways he never could have foreseen.