Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: A New Position - 2
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EP.69 A New Position - 2
Rakel chuckled softly in the kingdom mage's office as Claire and Leventia showed up out of the blue looking for him.
But that laugh wasn't from amusement—it was laced with self-deprecating bitterness he couldn't hide his surprise.
Black Rebels.
And the Kantread Territory.
He let out a hollow laugh, muttering under his breath, knowing full well how much the kingdom's intelligence department had struggled to uncover this.
"It might be better to just pay the Sage for info instead of running the intelligence department."
It was a spine-chilling story.
He might even know the kingdom's top-secret intelligence.
'That's why investigating the Sage is even more urgent...'
It didn't seem likely, but what if the Sage turned hostile against them?
The mere thought kept him up at night.
That's why he'd repeatedly suggested to the Queen.
They needed to bring the Sage into the kingdom's fold.
But the Sage had to cooperate for that to happen.
And they couldn't just kill him...
'Should we go with Plan B after all...'
"Anyway, if the Sage sent you two... it'd be best to play along. Take this. Normally, I'd hand it off to other intelligence agents, but..."
Rakel rummaged through his drawer and pulled out a few items: the royal seal, documents, and various warrants as proof.
"What's... what are we supposed to do with this?"
"Take it to the Kantread Territory. Meet up with the intelligence agents there and arrest the lord, Bronze Kantread."
He said it so casually—capturing the head of what could be called the Black Rebels' stronghold.
But there was no burden.
These women in front of him were among the world's top powerhouses, the ones who defeated the Demon King.
"No... support?"
Rakel tilted his head slightly.
The biggest support was heading their way—what was there to worry about?
"You've got the best supporter, the Sage, right there with you?"
"Ah, but Hyunwoo is heading to the church..."
Rakel shook his head as Claire muttered softly.
Of course, handling the church issue was important, but the Kantread Territory was the priority here.
Would that meticulous Sage entrust this solely to Claire and Leventia?
Rakel was certain he wouldn't.
"I doubt the Sage would send just you two."
The words carried multiple layers of meaning.
On one hand, it could mean the Sage might show up out of concern for Claire and Leventia.
On the other, it could mean he didn't fully trust them and would join personally.
Claire stared silently at Rakel.
"Why is that?"
"...It's nothing."
She swallowed the words she wanted to say and turned away. As the hero party moved to leave, Rakel called them back.
"Wait. This is the Queen's order. Take Princess Lucille with you."
Lucille.
The Sage's one and only disciple.
And...
Claire shuddered at the name Lucille, while Leventia bit her lip hard.
While Rakel was meeting with Claire's group,
Lucille, summoned to the Queen, stared calmly at her with a blank expression and sealed lips.
"You've changed."
"Pardon?"
"You used to not even be able to look at me before."
As Queen before mother, she wasn't pleased with her heir, Lucille.
It was only natural.
How could the one meant to lead the kingdom after her be so frail-hearted?
She'd once shown brilliant talent, with no worries for the future.
But suddenly, she'd turned into a shut-in, rotting away in her room.
Her return to her former self was undoubtedly thanks to the Sage.
As the Queen gazed intently, Lucille hesitated before nodding.
The one who brought her out into the world.
The one who taught her how to live.
And...
Lucille clutched the hem of her skirt in tension, and the Queen tapped her desk before speaking.
"By the way, did you enjoy your vacation?"
"Y-Yes..."
"Tell me what happened."
Relieved by the Queen's gentle tone, Lucille spilled every little detail from her time away.
Shopping with the Sage.
Drinking the cocktail he made.
The scarf he personally knit for her as a gift, and winning a card tournament after learning from him.
Even, a bit embarrassingly, going to the pool and showing him her swimsuit.
The Queen smiled faintly as she listened to Lucille chatter on.
Her daughter seemed to get along with the Sage better than expected.
"And then..."
"Do you like the Sage?"
"Eek!"
Lucille flinched like a startled cat, trembling. Staring wide-eyed at the Queen, she then bowed her head deeply.
"I-I'm sorry."
"Hm? No need to apologize."
"Royals are supposed to..."
"What, did you think I'd force a political marriage on you? I'm disappointed."
"B-But... in novels, they..."
"...You only read that stuff while holed up in your room, huh. Political marriages are only for when necessary. They mean little in the kingdom's current situation."
Lucille let out a sigh of relief, feeling the heavy darkness deep inside her lift away.
And a faint sense of anticipation began to bud.
So, could she marry the one she liked?
Lucille's mind raced.
A future holding his hand.
A future marrying him.
A future bearing a pretty child who looked like them both.
Even a future where that child grew up, married, and they picked a grandchild's name together.
The fantasies from her shut-in days flooded back in an instant, melting her expression into a dreamy one.
The Queen sighed, watching her daughter giggle to herself with pity.
She'd improved a lot, but still had far to go.
Of course, she wasn't worried. The Sage would be by Lucille's side.
"But you haven't answered my question."
"Eek? Ah! Ugh! W-Well, Master is Master, so that means..."
She fidgeted, twiddling her fingers, then nodded with a flushed face.
Predictable.
Seeing right through Lucille's thoughts, the Queen spoke in a flat tone.
"But it won't be easy."
From the kingdom's perspective, Lucille marrying the Sage would be nothing but beneficial.
His past was unknown, but he was part of the hero party that defeated the Demon King.
An unofficial member, sure.
But he more than made up for it with his exceptional abilities and public reputation.
He even maintained good relations with leaders of various races.
So there was no reason to oppose him joining the royal family if he wanted.
The problem was this.
What if he didn't want it?
The position of next Queen's husband would be glorious and joyful for some.
Lucille was objectively a beauty, a promising young woman—anyone would want her.
But would the Sage find it appealing?
That's where the Queen had to tilt her head.
Money, fame, beauties.
Even power.
He acted like none of it appealed to him.
From all their investigations and analysis so far, there was only one thing.
The one surefire way to move the Sage.
The Demon King.
"The Sage is obsessively fixated on the Demon King. Like he can't tolerate sharing the world under the heavens with him. And... only the hero can slay the Demon King."
"...Y-Yes..."
For Lucille, who once dreamed of being the hero but lost her confidence after failing, that was a deep wound.
But what could be done? It was in the past, and that role belonged to another woman.
The past didn't matter.
The present did.
"The hero is going after the Black Rebels to prevent the Demon King's resurrection."
"I-Is that so."
She'd heard on the way back from the raid. Lucille nodded slightly, and the Queen stood up.
"To get closer to the Sage, even a little, you need to do something that appeals to him. Lucille. If you really like the Sage..."
The Queen stared intently at Lucille.
"Can you do it?"
The gaze she once would have fled from in fear, Lucille now met head-on and nodded firmly.
Outside the castle, Claire and Leventia waited. They eyed Lucille intently as she emerged with the Lily Knight Order's elites.
"I didn't expect the Princess to join such a dangerous mission."
"I have to."
Claire's voice didn't waver at all. But that's exactly how they knew—she was on guard.
Then they couldn't push her away.
"Stopping the Demon King's resurrection is what Master wants, right?"
The Sage's sole disciple.
And the girl who clearly liked him was confident now, unlike before.
Unlike themselves, who had no choice but to bow their heads.
Claire bit her lip and turned away sharply.
"...I assume you won't get in the way."
"Why would I? They're... Master's enemies."
So that made them enemies of his disciple too?
What grudge did someone who holed up in the castle while they suffered alongside the Sage on the Demon King slaying journey have with the Demon King?
The retort rose in her throat again, but Claire barely swallowed it.
She knew she had no right to say it.
"...I'll open the portal."
"Yes. Please do."
Claire gripped the hero's sword. While she prepared the portal, Lucille gazed at the capital's scenery.
The summer festival would start soon.
A festival ground by the river to beat the heat.
Watching the preparations underway all over the city as proof, Lucille smiled.
"I hope we resolve this quickly. If the Demon King resurrects, the summer festival will be canceled."
"....."
"For this summer festival, I was thinking of wandering around with Master..."
Claire's hand trembled. She pretended not to hear, but Lucille knew she had.
"I've never gone out for a festival before. I don't know the good spots... but you do, right, Hero?"
As Lucille smiled and spoke, Claire opened the portal. With the blue dimensional gate formed, Claire exhaled deeply and forced a smile at Lucille.
"Yes. I do. I went with the Sage."
"...Ah. Yes. I heard."
The two beauties smiled amicably at each other. Yet the atmosphere was anything but friendly.
A Lily Knight Order escort knight, assigned to protect Lucille for this mission, watched their murderous glares and let out a heavy sigh.
"Let's go. Personal likes and dislikes aside."
Lucille gripped her staff tightly.
"This is very important to Master. We have to do it perfectly."
"Well... he asked us, but didn't ask you, Princess, so is it really necessary for you to—"
"Oh?"
Lucille smiled at Claire.
"When Master duels, he always sees several moves ahead. So why do you think he told the hero not to go straight to Kantread Territory, but to stop by the palace first?"
Could it be... Hyunwoo sent them here to include Lucille in this?
Did he think they weren't enough on their own?
But why her, of all people?
No way, he and Lucille...
No. Impossible.
"...Let's go."
She denied it, but her insides boiled. Claire hid her complicated feelings behind a blank expression and stepped into the portal.
At this moment,
She found the trailing Lucille more terrifying than the Sage's enemies, the Black Rebels.
Author's Note
Huge thanks to Bear Who Eats Words for the support! ㅎㅎ
Hello! It's Malmulmalmul!
Happy Friday!
Hope you enjoyed today's chapter! See you tomorrow! Bye~!