Chapter 144: Coming in Too Hot (4)
Chapter 144: Coming in Too Hot (4)
The Royal Hall.
There, the King dismissed all the other knights to hold a private audience with Marquis Nicola.
The first thing he asked was...
"What do you think?"
At the King’s grave question, Marquis Nicola let out a soft sigh.
"Your Majesty, I do not have much confidence in my ability to judge people."
"Come now, man. Surely you have a gut feeling?"
"……."
"Then, at least tell me about his realm."
To this, Marquis Nicola answered readily, as if that was something he could speak on.
"He is a monster."
"A monster, you say? That is a generous evaluation."
"In truth, even that word is insufficient."
"What if you were to duel him?"
"I would lose."
"…?"
"Without question."
The King was taken aback by Marquis Nicola’s blunt, decisive tone.
Marquis Nicola was the strongest knight in the kingdom. He was a 7-Star swordsman who had reached the Supreme Realm, and even among 7-Stars, he was of a significant caliber.
Yet, such a man had stated flatly that he could not win.
"Is the gap truly that definitive? Could he already be at the 8-Star Realm?"
Seeing the King fidgeting in excitement, Marquis Nicola crossed his arms and sank into deep thought.
After a moment, he spoke.
"To be honest... I do not know."
"My friend, what is that supposed to mean? If you’re saying all this, wouldn't it be normal to assume he’s surpassed the 7-Star and reached the 8-Star Realm?"
Marquis Nicola replied with a look that suggested he didn't quite understand it himself.
"It is certain that he has reached a realm I cannot even fathom. But if you ask me if it is the 8-Star Realm..."
Anguish clouded Marquis Nicola’s face. After agonizing over it for a long while, he finally spoke with difficulty.
"I apologize, but I truly do not know. There is something strange about that boy."
"Strange?"
"Yes. He is fundamentally different from us."
"Us?"
"I mean everyone who trains in the way of the sword normally, myself included."
The King looked perplexed, but Marquis Nicola had explained it to the best of his ability. In truth, his own thoughts weren't fully organized yet. The more he thought about Patrick, the more questions arose.
One refines the Aura Blessing to increase their Aura, tempers the body, and hones techniques to overcome the wall of the 7-Star Realm. That is the common goal and the righteous path for all knights in this world. Because they walk the same path, they can roughly gauge each other's level.
If you are behind, you can see how far the person ahead has gone. Even the person in front can feel the faint footsteps of those following.
However...
‘I couldn't see anything.’
From Marquis Nicola’s perspective, Patrick was in a completely different place. The path itself was different. He wasn't ahead, and he wasn't behind. He simply felt as though he existed somewhere far off in the mist—atop some high, rugged mountain peak.
That sensation was impossible to put into words. The only reason he could even gauge the difference in power was because he was Marquis Nicola.
"The only thing I am certain of is that he is far stronger than I am."
Common sense dictated that this was impossible. He was only sixteen. A green boy with peach fuzz on his face had surpassed the kingdom's strongest knight? It defied logic.
If anyone else had said it, the King would never have believed them. But...
"If you say so, then it must be true."
The King’s trust in Marquis Nicola was firm enough to override common sense.
‘At least 8-Star, perhaps even higher...’
Having estimated Patrick’s realm, the King moved on to the next topic.
"Setting aside his mastery of the sword, how would you evaluate his character?"
"My eye for people is—"
"Just give me your honest gut feeling."
When the King pressed him, Marquis Nicola spoke his mind as honestly as possible.
"He was a lunatic."
"I vehemently agree."
As expected of the kingdom's ruler, he did have an eye for people. Marquis Nicola shook his head in disbelief.
"I never imagined he would dare to lie down in the middle of the Royal Hall, right in front of Your Majesty, and throw a tantrum."
The King agreed. "I’ve seen all sorts of people in my life as King, but I swear, that was a first."
"And in the end, he actually managed to get you to agree to most of his demands."
"That persistent little bastard!"
The King gnashed his teeth. Out of the seventy-five conditions Patrick had prepared, he had secured approval for fifty-five. Patrick had played his hand aggressively, claiming it was all for the sake of pioneering the Great Forest in the East—a region that posed a significant threat to the nation—leaving the King with little choice.
The authority Patrick had walked away with was truly staggering.
Independent tax collection rights.
Independent diplomacy and trade permits.
Exemption from transit fees for domestic merchant groups.
Development subsidies for the pioneered territories.
No limits on raising private armies.
He had secured numerous other highly useful privileges as well. At this point, the House of Baron Schneider was practically an independent state.
‘No, in a way, it’s worse than an independent state.’
He had taken as much independent authority as possible while also securing a promise of massive support from the central government. Thinking back on it, the King fumed with indignation.
"That damn brat! Do I look like 'The Giving Tree' to him?"
"……."
"Since it’s come to this, I’ll make him my son-in-law by any means necessary. Otherwise, the math just doesn't add up."
"Your Majesty..."
‘You still want him as a son-in-law after seeing that display?’ Marquis Nicola thought.
Truly, being a King was not a job for just anyone.
* * *
Patrick headed off to change his clothes. He was supposed to announce his engagement to Princess Isabella in the hall soon, and he couldn't do it in clothes that were filthy from rolling around on the floor.
As he was about to change, Patrick looked at Isabella.
"Aren't you going out?"
"……."
"Eek! A pervert!"
At Patrick’s joke, Isabella gave a faint smile.
"I will assist you."
"...You, Senior?"
"Yes."
"Assisting me?"
"Yes."
As Patrick looked on in disbelief, Isabella politely lifted the hem of her skirt slightly.
"I am merely doing what is natural for a woman who is to become your wife."
"……."
"Though I am lacking, I will do my best to be a wife you can be proud of. Please look upon me kindly."
"……."
Patrick reached out toward Isabella’s face. And then...
S-t-r-e-t-c-h.
"…Whah are yoo dooing?"
"I was wondering if human-skin masks existed in this world too."
Even as he pulled on her cheek, he felt nothing but her soft, supple skin. Letting go, Patrick spoke in a blunt tone.
"Don't worry about it. The engagement was just something I did because it was necessary. I'll cancel it for you later."
"You don't have to do that."
"What? Don't tell me you actually want to marry me, Senior?"
"Yes. I do."
"...Really?"
At Patrick’s words, Isabella smiled brightly.
"I love you."
"Oho? Is that so?"
"Of course."
"Since when?"
"Since our first meeting."
"Do you even remember what our first meeting was like?"
[Is that booze?]
[Hahaha. This is not booze; it is grain tea.]
Isabella subtly turned her head away.
"I mean, there has to be at least one charming quality for me to believe you fell for me."
"……."
Patrick continued indifferently.
"You don't have to force yourself. I can cover for whatever the King says."
"……."
"We’ll go through with the engagement for now, but it’s just a formality. You’re free to date any good man you meet, Senior. Once I’ve settled in a bit more, I’ll break off the engagement."
"……."
"That won't hurt your marriage prospects, right? I mean, it’s not even a divorce; breaking an engagement is pretty common, isn't it?"
"Breaking a royal engagement is not that common... sir."
"Huh? In the novels my mom reads, princes break up with their fiancées and meet new women all the time."
"……."
What on earth is your mother reading? Isabella wondered, but she soon let out a heavy sigh. She couldn't back down here.
‘It’s all for Mother.’
Hardening her resolve, she pleaded with Patrick in a desperate voice.
"I’m begging you. Please, marry me."
"Ugh, why? It’s such a hassle..."
"If you reject me here, my mother will..."
"What about your mother?"
"……."
"I can't help you if you don't explain the situation."
At Patrick’s words, Isabella bit her lower lip and finally explained her circumstances.
* * *
Isabella Black Atronia.
She was a princess of the Atronia Kingdom and a brilliant talent who had achieved excellent grades at the Academy on her own merit. Her beauty was such that she was considered the greatest beauty in the kingdom, and young men longing to exchange even a single word with her were a dime a dozen in White Town.
On the surface, she seemed like a glamorous princess, but her reality was quite different.
Her mother, Rose Zenova, was originally a palace maid, not a noble. However, she caught the King’s eye, became pregnant, was given the surname Zenova, and became the King’s 7th Queen.
A woman of the King with no background or power. It was an incredibly precarious position. Her life might have been luxurious, but if she ever offended the other queens or royals, her life was as fragile as a fly's.
Thus, the 7th Queen had lived her life desperately keeping a low profile to protect herself and her daughter. She bowed her head in polite obedience not only to the higher-ranking queens but even to other royals who were young enough to be her children.
Isabella had grown up watching her mother live like that. She had even witnessed her mother bowing and begging for forgiveness after a temper tantrum from an older half-sister who wasn't much older than Isabella herself.
Back then, the young Isabella had clenched her fists and vowed that she would grow up and protect her mother. To avoid giving the other queens or half-siblings any leverage, she developed the habit of hiding her emotions as much as possible.
When she turned sixteen, she picked up a sword and entered the Academy. She thought that if she achieved great results in the Knight Department, it might give her mother some breathing room.
She worked desperately. As a result, she took the top spot in her year despite being a woman, and many young noblemen within the Academy came to admire her.
But that was far from enough. To protect her mother, she needed greater power and achievements.
And then came this Arcana. Isabella had represented the royal family and secured a victory. Considering the humiliation they had endured, the fact that she, a member of the royal family, had won the Arcana was highly encouraging.
She thought her mother’s situation would finally improve.
However, upon her return, she found that her mother’s position hadn't changed at all. She was still summoned by the other queens and princesses to pour tea, forced to be submissive and bow her head. The other royals thoroughly ignored and isolated her. Her mother didn't even know her daughter had won the Arcana until Isabella came and told her herself.
‘What on earth am I supposed to do?’
Isabella felt all the strength leave her body. When would she finally be able to be a source of strength for her mother? If she worked and worked and eventually reached the 7-Star Realm, would she finally be able to help then? How many years would that take?
She was despairing at the bleak, indefinite future. But then, the King had spoken to her.
[What is the relationship between you and Patrick Schneider?]
[I am not sure I understand what you mean.]
[I intend to marry you to him. Does he seem to dislike you?]
In that moment, she realized. What if it was Patrick? If Patrick—who had reached the 7-Star Realm at sixteen and was the winner of the Arcana—became her husband?
"I might be able to make Mother a little more free."
* * *
Isabella bowed her head deeply toward Patrick and spoke.
"I’m begging you. I’ll do anything. I’ll do whatever I can, so please..."
Tears began to drip onto the floor beneath her bowed head. She, who rarely showed emotion, had cast aside her pride and was pleading desperately.
Patrick watched her quietly for a moment before speaking.
"Your mother, huh..."
If he were still Jincheon, the Radiant Dragon Hero of his past life, he would have listened with indifference. He hadn't known what a mother was. He understood the concept intellectually, but he couldn't feel it in his heart.
But Patrick Schneider was different. Reborn, he knew maternal love. He understood how great the love of a mother who gives unconditional trust and affection truly was. This was something even his Master in his past life hadn't been able to teach him.
"Lift your head."
"……."
"Let me ask you one thing. You’re not asking me to make your mother a power player or a ruler in the palace, are you?"
"No. Just... just enough so she can live comfortably and freely is plenty."
"Then fine."
"Patrick..."
"I’ll protect her."
It was a short sentence, but to Isabella, it felt as if the whole world had brightened. The mother and daughter had struggled alone to protect themselves in a cold world. Her father was cold, and her siblings were practically enemies. In such a world, a reliable person had appeared for the first time, promising to protect her mother.
Isabella felt an indescribable emotion toward Patrick. It felt as if she had endured all those years just to meet this person in this moment.
Wiping away her tears, Isabella stepped toward Patrick. She leaned her forehead against his chest and spoke.
"Thank you. I’ll really do my best for you."
"Well, don't worry too much about it."
"No, I really—"
"I’m not saying you have to marry me. I’m just purely granting your request, Senior."
"...Huh?"
"Geez, Senior, why are you only telling me this now? Did you think I wouldn't help if you’d told me sooner?"
"……."
"We’ve built up some loyalty between us over time, haven't we?"
"...Loyalty?"
"Yeah. So don't worry. I’ll... What? Why?"
Isabella’s forehead pulled away from Patrick’s chest. Standing about three steps away, her expression was once again veiled in its usual layer of ice.
She stared at Patrick for a moment before saying one thing.
"You bastard."
"Huh?"
Patrick felt wronged. He was trying to do a good deed for once, so why was he being cursed at?