Chapter 149: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (13)
Chapter 149: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (13)
The Golden Lion of the North, Delphine Yurdina.
She was the illustrious heir apparent to the Marquisate of Yurdina, one of the Empire’s Five Great Noble Families and the dominant power of the North.
Since the Empire’s founding, her house had amassed a brilliant record of military achievements, serving as the bulwark against the various demi-human tribes of the northern regions.
They did not merely manage the borderlands, where friction with foreign tribes was constant; they had also demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Imperial Fold for generations.
In recognition of this, the Imperial House had abolished the limit on private soldiers for the Yurdina family alone. Consequently, the Yurdina private army numbered a staggering ten thousand men.
Furthermore, as a family of military tradition, members of the Yurdina bloodline occupied many key positions within the Imperial Central Army.
If the Alphenhauser family symbolized the Empire’s financial might, the Yurdina family undeniably symbolized its military authority.
The Yurdina family’s domestic education, which involved commanding armies ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, was notoriously rigorous.
Theirs was a life destined to carry the weight of countless souls. From childhood, they were forced to devote themselves to harsh training and become masters of both tactics and strategy.
Naturally, Delphine had been educated as the sole legitimate heir of the Yurdina family since her youth.
Thanks to that, she was deeply versed not only in swordsmanship but also in various academic fields, including Imperial history and military science. Moreover, her haughty and confident demeanor was perfectly suited to captivate the elite talents of the Academy.
The honorable title of "Golden Lion" was bestowed upon her for these reasons.
The symbol of the Yurdina family, the guardians of the North, was the lion. Combined with her brilliant golden hair, beautiful features, and innate charisma, Delphine had finally earned the name of the apex predator.
It was also a sign that the world recognized her as the successor to the Yurdina name.
She was an iron woman who had proven her worth to ascend to the position of a great warlord, commanding a military force of tens of thousands, from her family’s private soldiers to several legions of the Central Army.
And that very Delphine Yurdina was currently bowing her head submissively before me.
What’s more, she looked incredibly delighted to be doing so.
My head spun. I couldn't even begin to fathom where things had gone wrong.
What would happen if a vassal of the Yurdina family witnessed this scene?
Seria might lose consciousness and collapse on the spot. If it ended there, it would be a mercy; the Marquis of Yurdina, who was reportedly in failing health, might actually die of a stroke then and there.
This was why I had to redefine my relationship with Senior Delphine as soon as possible.
Flustered, I tried my best to get her to stand up.
"No, Senior Delphine… I told you there’s no need for this. Please, get up quickly."
"But how could I…?"
No matter how much I pleaded, Senior Delphine showed no sign of raising her head. Only then did I realize what she wanted.
A sigh escaped my lips.
Indeed, there was no time to waste. Every minute and second was precious in our current situation.
"…Delphine Yurdina, stand up."
It was a cold, commanding tone. Only then did Senior Delphine stand up with a polite attitude, looking satisfied.
"Yes, Master."
She looked ready to follow any order I gave. I pressed my hand to my forehead to soothe the throbbing ache, but the headache wouldn't subside.
Improving our relationship seemed nearly impossible for the time being.
If so, there was only one answer. At the very least, I had to prevent this dynamic from being exposed to the public.
"Senior Delphine, please don't act like that from now on. What will people think if they see us?"
"They would see the relationship exactly as it is: Master and slave."
Senior Delphine’s answer was refreshingly brazen. It only made my chest feel tighter.
Do slaves choose their masters these days?
Every time I saw Senior Delphine claiming to be a slave regardless of my will, my heart grew heavy with gloom. I decided to employ a somewhat harsher method.
"Don't do that."
"But—"
"It’s an order."
At the word "order," Senior Delphine’s mouth snapped shut. She shot me a slightly dissatisfied look, but my expression remained resolutely firm.
Eventually, Senior Delphine unclasped her politely folded hands and let out a deep sigh.
"…Well, if it’s an order."
She then plopped back down into the chair she had been sitting in. Her posture quickly regained its usual relaxed air.
It was the Senior Delphine I was used to seeing.
She asked me in a languid voice.
"So, Master, what are you thinking?"
I considered reprimanding her for the title "Master," but I held back.
I was worried that if I demanded too much, she would become stubborn. High-ranking nobles generally had strong pride, which often manifested as strange streaks of obstinacy.
Though, the fact that her stubbornness manifested as insisting on being a slave was quite shocking.
With a bitter smile, I leaned my back against the laboratory wall.
Even if she asked what I was thinking, I had no answer to give. After all, it wasn't me who had provoked the Princess, but the "me" from the future.
"You didn't even come to see me for a week. I was nervous for a while, thinking, 'Is he testing my loyalty?'"
"No, why would I do such a thing?"
"To handle people, one must sometimes intentionally leave them alone so their loyalty wavers. You can do that to me, Master. My loyalty won't waver because of something like that."
I shook my head at Senior Delphine’s smooth explanation. Seeing her beaming smile, it seemed she was genuinely serious.
She was a woman whose mental world remained an enigma.
In a way, I felt lucky that I hadn't met the "me" from the future. Looking at the current Senior Delphine, it was hard to imagine how he would have reacted.
As I let out another sigh, Senior Delphine continued in her nonchalant voice.
"Even so, messing with the Imperial House was a bit much, Master. Even the Yurdina family can't move if the Imperial House steps in."
"Have the Five Great Noble Families already started moving?"
"From what I’ve heard, it seems Alphenhauser is going to step up."
It was a casual response. Senior Delphine appeared relaxed throughout, as if she had cast aside all her worries.
However, the content of her words was anything but ordinary, making my head even more complicated.
Alphenhauser, the Empire’s coffer-keeper.
They were the family that controlled the Empire’s finances by operating a massive merchant guild. Their involvement meant they would likely scrutinize every financial detail of the Percus territory, including its revenue and expenditures.
Coincidentally, the Percus family had a merchant guild operated by my younger sister.
If Alphenhauser moved, the Percus territory would be driven into economic ruin in less than a month. By then, it would be too late.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Senior Delphine continued nonchalantly.
"Of course, the word reached Yurdina as well. But there’s no way I could attack my Master’s family, right?"
That was a commendable sentiment.
The problem was that even without the Yurdina family, there were plenty of other houses that would move to bleed the Percus family dry.
Not to mention Alphenhauser, even the Lupemion family would be gnashing their teeth, considering one of their daughters was among the Princess’s escort knights.
There was no way out at this rate.
If we were high-ranking nobles, it might be different, but the Percus family was merely a minor house. We couldn't hold out for long if the Five Great Noble Families moved against us.
Even if we did hold out, many things would be ruined in that short time.
There was only one solution.
I sighed and made a request to Senior Delphine.
"…For now, please have the Yurdina family take charge of the matter."
Senior Delphine’s blood-red eyes stared at me intently. "Hmm," she hummed, making a curious sound as if she were contemplating.
Then she asked me back.
"Are you sure? If the Yurdina family steps in, it means the army moves. They’ll provoke you constantly and push you until you can't take it anymore. And nothing remains in the wake of a Yurdina sweep."
"But you can control the pace, can't you?"
At my words, Senior Delphine’s eyes narrowed. As if finding it amusing, she soon let out a soft laugh.
It wasn't such a simple problem. If it were that easy, Senior Delphine would have suggested it first.
She was one of the women who understood how politics and power worked better than anyone.
"At best, it would only be a slight delay. The Imperial House is backing this, and I’m not the head of Yurdina yet. At most… a month or two?"
"That’s enough."
At my immediate response, Senior Delphine fell silent for a moment.
She carefully examined my eyes. No matter how much she looked, my decision wasn't going to change.
In any case, the future "me" had reduced the three-month grace period given by the Princess to a third of its length.
That meant an event capable of turning the tide would occur within a month.
If so, I had to use Senior Delphine’s influence to minimize the damage to my family as much as possible.
At the very least, the Percus territory would remain unharmed until the Yurdina army actually swept through it.
To Senior Delphine, this must have sounded like a crazy proposal.
No matter how far the Princess was from the line of succession, royalty was royalty. Once the Imperial House moved, it was impossible to flip the board in such a short time.
Yet here I was, saying a month or two would be enough.
It was a situation where I wouldn't be able to complain if I were called insane or arrogant to the extreme.
Silence fell as Senior Delphine and I locked eyes in the air. After a long while, Senior Delphine showed an unexpected reaction.
"…Yes, that’s my Master."
She seemed satisfied. A faint sense of ecstasy spread through her eyes. It appeared my proposal was to her liking.
Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief. I had been desperate for the Yurdina family’s power in many ways.
If Senior Delphine moved, the safety of the Percus territory was practically guaranteed for a while.
Considering my relationship with her, the expectation that she would help me was highly realistic. Nevertheless, I thought it best to get a firm confirmation, so I asked tentatively.
"…So, will you do it?"
It was then that a playful smile appeared on Senior Delphine’s face.
She looked at me with a mysterious gaze, then stood up, feigning ignorance. She whispered to me.
"I wonder? I’m not so sure."
Even as I looked at her, wondering what she was up to now, Senior Delphine remained unmoved. She wore a provocative smile.
"Even so, there’s no benefit for the Yurdina family, is there? As the heir of Yurdina, I don't see any reason why I should grant that request."
There was no room for rebuttal.
When I looked at her with a disgruntled expression, Senior Delphine burst into a giggle and turned her back on me.
She even waved her hand as if she were about to leave right then and there.
Now I knew why she was acting like this.
Sighing for what felt like the hundredth time today, I had no choice but to straighten my back from the wall.
I walked over and grabbed the shoulder of Senior Delphine, who was just about to leave the lab.
As her shoulder was pulled back without hesitation, our eyes met.
Her blood-red eyes looked up at me with a somewhat dazed expression. However, an unmistakable sense of anticipation was hidden within that gaze.
Senior Delphine’s breath grew ragged at the strong grip on her shoulder.
"…Delphine Yurdina."
The moment she heard my overbearing voice, her eyes turned hazy. Her panting breath carried a sweet scent.
Pressing her thighs together, Senior Delphine grew restless. Her blood-red eyes were pleading.
I said in a firm tone.
"It’s an order."
Senior Delphine’s reaction was instantaneous.
She dropped to her knees on the spot and pressed her lips to my shoe. Her twitching lower body was obscene. She looked incredibly happy.
Senior Delphine then spoke in a polite tone, like a loyal slave serving her master.
"Yes, Master… I will gladly follow whatever order you give."
In the end, I was left with a bitter expression.
Did I really have to go this far?
But there was no other way. I had to consider it a profitable trade if I could secure the Yurdina family’s support with just this much.
Just as I was swallowing my bitterness.
A feverish panting escaped Senior Delphine’s lips. Her ragged breath, haaa, haaa, heated the top of my foot.
"Ma-Master…."
My questioning gaze turned downward. Still in her prostrate position, Senior Delphine pleaded with me.
"To this lowly slave who dared to resist without knowing her place… p-please… give me a punishment…."
In that voice, as she subtly rubbed her thighs together, there was a joy she couldn't hide.
I had to bury my face in both hands.
I felt incredibly sorry for the Yurdina family.
*
It was that afternoon when I ran into Emma, who was being bullied.