Chapter 329
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 329
Chapter Title: A Good Opportunity, But...
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"Puhahaha!"
"...You're laughing?"
"Of course I am. Calling you a lawless tyrant? Where else am I gonna hear something this hilarious?"
"......"
"And on top of that, me as your concubine? The kingdom's... what was it? Military genius? If Na-kyung heard that, she'd die laughing."
As if he couldn't hold it in from how funny it was.
Rose could only sigh as she watched the golden-tanned blond boy rolling around clutching his stomach.
She could barely even look Rimon in the face bare-faced because of these embarrassing rumors.
Yet the very subject of those rumors was cracking up like this, leaving her not just exasperated but downright resentful.
"How on earth did this happen..."
That was why.
Rose muttered in lament.
All she'd wanted was to help people while she stayed here.
But instead, successive wars had broken out, and she'd ended up branded a ruthless tyrant with a boy as her concubine.
For someone like her, who had only ever been praised as the merciful Blue Dragon Princess and rarely sullied by infamy, it was utterly disorienting.
Rimon giggled at her and said,
"Why? 'Cause you did too good a job."
"What do you mean?"
"The nail that sticks out gets hammered down hardest."
If Rose had been just competently capable.
She could have stayed under the radar as planned, searching for the seven-colored bird while reducing the number of people enslaved.
But Rose was too outstanding.
Her radical reforms had nearby tribes voluntarily submitting, even unintentionally forging an entire nation in the process.
And because of that rapid growth.
Rumors spread that the Lukuma tribe was overflowing with wealth, prompting three military regimes to band together out of jealousy and invade.
Rose, unable to stand by while innocents suffered because of her, stepped up herself to repel, subdue, and assimilate them.
That marked the beginning of the vicious cycle.
Ambitious sorts eyed her power and riches.
Meanwhile, those seeking stability amid the chaos wanted shelter under her wing.
Individuals, tribes, even entire military regimes came charging in or surrendering to her.
The result? In just a few weeks, she was ruling six military regimes and dozens of minor tribes.
"Be proud, sis. Even in this Africa, building a force this size in so little time is unprecedented."
"That's not what I wanted."
"Then you should've bailed on this place ages ago."
"Wouldn't that be too irresponsible?"
Rose countered.
This military regime, centered on the Lukuma and Maasai tribes, existed only because of her.
If she left, it would collapse into infighting before any other regime could conquer it, likely worsening things beyond before.
A dutiful woman like Rose couldn't just stand by and watch.
"And this is the result of shouldering that responsibility?"
"......"
Of course, if she'd known it would make her the head of such a massive warlord faction, even she might have thought twice.
She didn't regret her choices, but the outcomes? Those she did.
Rimon smirked at Rose, who couldn't hide her conflicted expression.
"Eh, don't sweat it too much. At least no one will link 'Eastern Lawless Tyrant' to you."
Who could imagine Rose being called a lawless tyrant in Africa?
Rose sighed as Rimon snickered.
"I still don't get why rumors like that spread about me."
"I told you, you're too capable."
"So in this Africa, being capable just gets you labeled a tyrant or outlaw?"
"That's different from this."
Rimon shrugged.
Sure, she'd used force coercively at times, but Rose had never exploited or tyrannized her people.
No, by results alone, she deserved to be called a sage ruler.
The problem was that this was Africa.
"Point is, you're too alien here, sis."
"Because I'm a foreigner?"
"That's part of it, sure, but the bigger issue is your mindset."
"My mindset?"
"Yeah."
Rimon nodded and explained.
"People don't easily accept the different. They prefer simple over complex, familiar over new."
Thoughts like "my knowledge alone is truth."
"Potatoes are only for beasts."
"The world is flat," and so on.
When confronted with logic or reason clashing with lifelong "common sense."
Most folks feel not curiosity, but intense rejection or disgust.
"...So I'm rejected for trying to do the right thing?"
"Nah."
He shook his head lightly.
Then Rimon gazed at Rose with eyes as deep and distant as the years he'd lived.
"They fear anything that denies their way of life."
Right or wrong doesn't matter.
Acknowledging Rose's policies as better means admitting their old ways were wrong.
Your life or someone else's claim.
If you have to deny one? Nine out of ten pick the latter.
That's why people often deem differing views wrong—it's a defense mechanism.
So Rose being rejected was par for the course.
On another continent, maybe not.
But here in Africa, forcing actions against local "common sense" would feel nothing but unreasonable.
"That's probably why the concubine rumor about me spread too."
They wanted to keep enjoying the benefits of her enforced policies.
But without denying their own lives.
The unconscious conflict's answer? Shoehorning her into their norms.
Rose is just a willful woman.
Our lives improved thanks to others.
Especially since systematic reforms in taxation, welfare, and more made exploitation harder—the entrenched powers likely fanned these complaints aggressively.
No confidence to challenge her head-on, so they spread rumors instead.
"They don't want to admit owing you, so they praise me instead?"
"I'm the only one who can talk to you as an equal."
"...And because I'm a white woman while you pose as Egyptian, that factors in too."
"Well, yeah, to some extent."
Rimon shrugged.
He'd only helped subdue the Lukuma.
After that, he'd focused solely on the seven-colored bird search, so few even among the Lukuma and Maasai knew his true strength.
Yet Rose, who single-handedly repelled a regime, chatted openly with him.
By African logic, pegging him as her concubine wasn't a stretch.
Of course, the biggest reason was praising an Egyptian boy over a white woman suited their tastes better.
"......"
"Still can't buy it?"
"...No, it's not that."
Rose sighed.
She was merciful, but not naive.
She'd long known helping people didn't guarantee gratitude.
So what she felt wasn't disappointment in others, but a bitter taste toward herself.
"It just makes me think I've lived too comfortably until now."
"If your life had been rough, that'd be on your clan to feel guilty about."
"That's exactly my point."
Never short on money.
Always had her clan to help.
Rarely faced real trouble, no matter what.
Only now, alone on a distant continent without funds or allies, did it hit her.
How hard it is to help others—and to stick to your convictions.
So Rose bowed her head slightly.
"Sorry for the trouble I've caused."
"Trouble? What trouble?"
"The search for the seven-colored bird has gotten harder because of me."
"That's not on you to apologize for. If anything, it's helped narrow the search area a ton."
Rimon shrugged.
Sure, they'd drawn more attention than planned, but the gains matched.
Larger regime meant easier intel gathering on the seven-colored bird.
They'd learned two things.
One: No sign of the bird or its feathers anywhere in eastern Africa, not just around Kilimanjaro.
And the other...
"Even narrowed, the only clue is that someone saw it years ago somewhere in central Africa."
"At least we know where to search next."
"Even if we do, how? Just show up?"
His cover as Rimor was already infamous across Africa.
Sneaking around for searches would draw eyes immediately.
Changing appearance wouldn't help; wandering without clear status in wartime screams spy.
"Don't worry about that. A perfect opportunity just came up."
"What opportunity?"
"This. The Lukuma chief said to pass it to you."
She blinked curiously at the envelope Rimon handed her.
Opening it, her expression turned peculiar at the card inside.
"No way... the infamous 'that' invitation?"
"Yep. The handwritten invite the King of Paradise sends only to promising regime leaders."
"...Do you know what this means?"
"Of course."
Rimon smirked.
No one ruling a regime in Africa was ignorant of this invite's significance.
Rumors had swirled forever that the King of Paradise was preparing something against Hasneti.
Recently, those rumors had sharpened into focus.
"You think that insane plan could actually work?"
"Not my problem. Key point is, with this, we can roam central Africa openly."
"Well..."
Rose looked troubled.
Few would block someone invited by the King of Paradise.
Plus, considering others would get invites too, it was prime for gathering intel from other regions.
Play it safe?
Or seize the chance?
After agonizing, Rose sighed and spoke.
"No helping it. I'll accept the invitation."
"I can go alone."
"Don't be ridiculous. You going solo to a place like that? Trouble waiting to happen."
The goal was the seven-colored bird search.
To join quietly, investigate, and leave, better together.
Rimon gave her an odd look at her firm tone.
"To me, you coming along seems more likely to blow things up."
"What do you mean?"
"You've heard the rumors about the King of Paradise, right? Think he'll leave you alone?"
"...You're saying he'd try something after inviting a guest?"
"If half the rumors I've heard are true, probably."
Rimon scratched his cheek.
Recalling what he'd heard about the King of Paradise, he added,
"Least among the lords I've met, not a single decent one."