Chapter 571: The Hero Climaxes in Defeat Again Today[R-18] (58)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 571: The Hero Climaxes in Defeat Again Today[R-18] (58)
“My Queen! This is not what we discussed!”
Duke Arduan’s roar shook the room. Layers of fury and suspicion were etched onto his wrinkled face.
Bellatrix soothed him in a soft yet firm tone.
“I know your power better than anyone, Father. I also know that you command the greatest influence in the Kingdom of Sibern, second only to the royal family. However, Marquis Alcladion is also a great noble of the south and a Sword Master. We must not provoke him carelessly.”
In terms of sheer influence, Duke Arduan was an absolute powerhouse in the kingdom. The authority he wielded as a duke was no empty title. Military power, wealth, connections—who would dare challenge him?
However—
Jin Alcladion. I only caught a glimpse of him at the last banquet, but he’s dangerous. The moment we make an enemy of a monster like that, the entire political landscape of the kingdom will be overturned. It would be far wiser to bring him to our side.
She turned her head and stared directly at her father, Duke Arduan.
A greedy old fox. He was called a pillar of the kingdom, but deep down, he coveted the throne itself.
“…Bella. Surely you’re not entertaining other ideas, are you?”
Bellatrix shook her head with a subtle smile.
“Other ideas, Father? My reason for stopping you is simple. We cannot afford to make an enemy of Marquis Alcladion right now. We are in the middle of a state funeral. More importantly, if the Marquis sides with the Crown Prince, it will become a massive headache. With Duke Baran’s neutrality uncertain, there’s no need to create more enemies, is there?”
“Hmm… You have a point.”
Hearing the softened tone in his voice, Bellatrix sighed in relief internally.
The old fool is so blinded by his lust for power… Chasing short-term gains, he’s about to ruin everything.
In his youth, Arduan had been a keen and sharp man. But with the passage of time, he had transformed into a monster consumed by obsessive stubbornness and a thirst for power.
Bellatrix pressed her red lips into a thin line before whispering softly.
“Father, there will be plenty of opportunities. It won’t be too late even after my son ascends the throne and the kingdom’s foundation is stable.”
“But that bastard… Marquis Alcladion is too dangerous. If we don’t nip him in the bud now, he will stand in our way at every turn.”
Bellatrix closed her eyes for a moment at Arduan’s words.
She couldn’t disagree. But her judgment differed from her father’s. Alcladion was already a ‘great tree.’
“An opportunity will surely come. For the sake of my son—your grandson—please, be patient for now. I’m asking you.”
Arduan narrowed his eyes for a moment, then finally nodded.
“Hmph… If you insist, I will hold back this one time.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Though she bowed her head, Bellatrix let out a long, silent sigh. Her father acted as if he were helping her, but his true intentions were different. He was a man who, given the chance, would eliminate both her and her son to seize the throne. He saw the king’s sudden death as an opportunity and was now crudely revealing the desires he had hidden for so long.
I need to make the Marquis my man… and get rid of my father at the same time.
Bellatrix made a cold resolve.
From what she had heard, Alcladion was not yet married. And though he once paid no attention to women, rumors were rampant in the capital that he had recently begun to indulge in noble ladies and wives. The whispers from various noble houses were more than just baseless gossip; she had heard it from the involved parties themselves.
Controlling a naive man is difficult. But handling a man stained by lust… is even easier.
Bellatrix dismissed Arduan. Then, she immediately turned and made her way toward the residence where Marquis Alcladion was staying.
He’s handsome… and I hear he’s large down there, too. Hehe, I wonder just how magnificent he is.
Her heart pounded with an unfamiliar rhythm.
Her relationship with the King had ended long ago, after she gave birth to her son, Daniel. The King had ignored her, instead pouring his affection on Leonhardt, the son his concubine had borne first. The insult and humiliation were still etched into her bones.
Daniel… where is that foolish child wandering off to now?
At the thought of her good-for-nothing son, she ground her teeth. She couldn’t understand how such an idiot could have been born into her family.
*
Watching Queen Bellatrix barge into my room, I narrowed my eyes for a moment.
…What is her intention? Is she here to win me over?
“Marquis, may I sit?”
“Ah, my apologies. Your Majesty, please, have a seat here.”
I stood up and pulled out a chair for her myself. As she sat, a subtle fragrance tickled my nose. It was neither too strong nor too faint, a scent that strangely got on one’s nerves.
Bellatrix offered a coquettish smile as she settled into the chair.
“Thank you.”
As the queen expressed her gratitude, I cut straight to the point.
“I am curious as to why Your Majesty has come to visit me in person at this late hour.”
“Simply… because I’m curious about you, Marquis.”
Bellatrix licked her lips as she finished her sentence.
“I came to see for myself if the rampant rumors among the noble ladies and young mistresses are true.”
Did she come here to get fucked?
An opportunity had just rolled in. A woman at the pinnacle of power, the queen herself, had come offering up her pussy. Any man would be drooling at this situation.
But…
It’s nice, but… this isn’t the situation I want.
I remembered the scenes from the game where Bellatrix was trampled and gang-raped by monsters and demons. I had no intention of letting other men rape her like that, but I did want to stage the scenes of her violation myself.
It’s a shame, but I have to hold back for now.
I put on an emotionless face, acting nonchalantly as I spoke.
“Your Majesty must be exhausted from the funeral and state affairs. There is no reason for you to concern yourself with me so late at night. Please, return for now.”
At my words, the smile vanished from Bellatrix’s lips. Her blue eyes wavered for a second before quickly regaining their composure.
“I see… I must admit, I’m taken aback by your firmness, Marquis.”
She slowly rose to her feet, her face cold, her pride clearly wounded. Just before leaving the room, she turned her head slightly and shot me one last sharp glance.
“Marquis. Still, I’ve taken a liking to you, so allow me to offer a piece of advice. The idea of remaining neutral will not last long. The day will soon come when you must clearly choose whom you will serve.”
“I will take Your Majesty’s advice to heart.”
*
The funeral was held over a total of thirty days.
From the very first day, the entire capital was draped in black. Black flags hung from every city gate, and nobles, knights, and priests all wore black attire. Bells tolled every morning, and even the citizens of the capital were forced to participate in the procession of mourning.
I made an appearance at the royal palace every day. Queen Bellatrix was always dressed in a black gown with a pitiful expression, but her blue eyes showed no hint of sadness. On the contrary, they were clearer and colder than anyone’s as she surveyed her surroundings.
Crown Prince Lucian also approached me several times, but I maintained my neutrality.
On the surface, at least.
The funeral procession was circling the royal castle again today. I couldn’t help but wonder if repeating the same ritual for thirty days was right, but since it was tradition, there was no need to argue.
And today, as always, the funeral procession was taking place at the same time.
It’s about time.
I opened the window and spoke to Marienne, who had come up to the capital.
“Marienne.”
“Yes, Master.”
“It’s about to start. Stick to the plan.”
“Understood.”
At that moment, a shout erupted from the front of the procession.
“Enemies!”
“Royal Knights, form ranks! Protect His Majesty the King’s carriage! Defend it with your lives!”
As the front of the line halted, the carriages following behind also came to a stop one by one. The nobles cowered inside their carriages in terror, not even thinking of coming out.
Now, shall we see what kind of chaos my daughters can stir up?
In the distance, I could see a group appearing, their faces and bodies concealed by masks and robes. It was my daughters. Their identities were thoroughly hidden.
This was all part of my plan.
It was the groundwork for driving out the demons and taking their place. Before my own name became known, I needed to imprint a new presence onto the continent.
The beginning of that was my daughters’ grand debut.
And at the same time, it was an opportunity to make Marienne’s name as the Hero ring out even louder across the world. The Hero who protected the kingdom from the Demon King’s army. That alone would send her fame skyrocketing, and I planned to use her reputation to manipulate things from behind the scenes.
I just need to… play along with the kids and set the mood.
*
With Jin So-ra in the lead, the three sisters stood side-by-side on a rooftop, looking at each other. But before they could even begin, Lucy started to grumble.
“Hey, Jin Ha-young… do we really have to do this?”
So-ra sighed in agreement.
“She’s right… This cheesy pose, and lines like ‘The Tremor of the Black Ox’… isn’t it a bit much?”
At that, Jin Ha-young confidently placed her hands on her hips and raised her voice.
“Sisters! This is a scene Dad is looking forward to! So of course we have to do it!”
“Dad?!”
“Papa?!”
Ha-young nodded, full of confidence.
“That’s right, so we’re doing it, okay? Dad himself said that a debut pose for the Demon King’s Army executives is a must!”
Lucy blushed and covered a cheek with one hand.
“Well, if Papa wants it… I guess we have no choice♡.”
“If Dad wants it… I guess we have to do it, even if it’s embarrassing.”
My sisters are so easy~
Ha-young smirked to herself.
“Alright, then on the count of three, we land and shout our lines! Ready?”
The three sisters exchanged glances and nodded awkwardly.
“Okay, here we go!”
“O-One, two, three…!”
The three sisters leaped from the sky simultaneously, hurtling toward the ground.
-CRASH!!
The moment their feet hit the ground in unison, dust flew in all directions, and thick smoke billowed up, obscuring the view.
In an instant, a commotion spread as the nobles and soldiers began to murmur.
“A-An attack…?!”
“It’s the enemy!”
And amidst the chaos, the three sisters emerged, parting the smoke.
-WHAP!!
All three struck a pose with a synchronized shout.
“First of the Demon King’s Army! The Tremor of the Black Ox!”
“Second of the Demon King’s Army! The Nightmare of the Moon Blood!”
“Third of the Demon King’s Army! The Joy of the Soft!”
At that moment, fireworks exploded behind them—BOOM!—scattering colorful sparks across the sky.
It was a clumsy performance by any standard.
The three sisters exchanged awkward glances before forcing their chins up, as if they had been confident all along.
“Ahem! Humans, the time has come to tremble in fear!”
“Humans! Your nightmare has returned!”
“Nahahaha~!”
…However, the reaction from the nobles and knights who witnessed the scene was…
“……They’re crazy bitches!”
“All units, maintain formation!”
“Protect His Majesty the King’s carriage!”
Most of them paid no attention.