Chapter 624: Pure Love
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 624: Pure Love
"I actually... really... survived."
Muen stepped out of the Imperial Tribunal, raising a hand to shield his eyes. As he felt the warmth of the sun, he experienced a jarring sense of displacement, as if he had been gone for a lifetime.
It had been too hard.
Truly, far too difficult.
He had been a hair’s breadth away from being ground into meat paste by that perfect triangle—or perhaps being "justly" partitioned into three equal servings.
There was nothing more terrifying in this world than a shura field—a chaotic love battlefield—especially one where every participant was stronger than him. An Empress, a Master of Mechanism, a Saintess of the Church... as a mere Duke’s son, he didn't have the slightest power to resist.
He was like a chicken plucked bare on a cutting board, able only to wait silently for his fate to be decided.
And when he realized that this wasn't even the final, evolved form of the "battlefield" he would eventually face, Muen felt tears of despair welling up for his future.
Sigh, but what choice do I have?
Since he had chosen this path, no matter how rugged or treacherous it became, he had to keep walking.
But! One day, I believe I will find the perfect solution!
Muen clenched his fist, his resolve flickering back to life despite the grueling future ahead.
However...
For the time being, the idea of "rising up and coming out on top" was something he could only fantasize about while lying in bed.
"Speaking of which..."
Muen scratched his head, looking puzzled. "What exactly happened to interrupt Celicia’s spellcasting?"
It had to be something important.
Muen’s gaze shifted, and a peculiar smile suddenly played across his lips.
"Perfect. I’ll find someone to ask."
*
"Hah! I didn't expect you to actually make it out alive, kid."
In a high-end restaurant, Pink Bear leaned back in his chair, unceremoniously devouring the top-tier delicacies Muen had ordered. He mumbled through a mouthful of food:
"I was already planning to buy a coffin to collect your remains. Luckily, I only got as far as thinking about it, so I saved a lot of money. You’ve got some incredible luck!"
"It’s all thanks to your hard work, Imperial Uncle Ancestor," Muen said, interlacing his fingers and smiling thinly. "If you hadn't worked so hard to defend me, I might have been in real trouble."
"Haha! Well, of course. We’re all going to be family eventually. If I can help, I will."
Pink Bear laughed twice, then suddenly leaned in close, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, where’s the stuff you promised?"
"No rush..."
Muen shoved the greasy bear face away. "You know exactly what kind of situation I’m in right now. If I leak that kind of information and they find out it came from me, I’m finished."
"Ha! You’re just too timid, kid!"
Pink Bear uncorked a bottle of wine and took several large gulps. "Why can't you learn from me? Courage and wisdom are the hard standards for a man’s charm. Have you ever seen me act as gutless as you? And look at me—I’m still alive and kicking, aren't I?"
"..."
By 'courage and wisdom,' do you mean being the first one to bolt the moment things look sideways?
Muen’s eye twitched, but he maintained his smile. "So?"
"So what?"
"Has anything major happened in Belland recently?"
"Oh, that."
Pink Bear scratched his backside and turned his head toward the bustling street outside. "Nothing too big, really... Look out there. See anything different?"
"Outside?"
Muen turned to look, observing for a moment before offering a tentative guess. "It seems... livelier?"
The recent incident was still fresh, and Belland should have been in the stage of slowly licking its wounds. Yet, Muen noticed significantly more pedestrians on the street, and they were clearly buzzing with excitement.
"This is..."
"They’re looking for a show," Pink Bear said. "Foreign envoys are leading a procession into the city today to congratulate the new Empress on her ascension. Supposedly, it’s a massive entourage with plenty of tribute. They’ve even brought rare beasts that don't exist in the Empire. Naturally, everyone wants a look."
"Which country?"
"The Kingdom. The Kingdom of Saint Perod. They’re the first ones to send congratulations."
Pink Bear shrugged, clearly harboring no goodwill toward this "first" well-wisher.
"Saint Perod..."
A sharp glint flashed in Muen’s eyes. He lowered his voice. "I remember... that night, they sent people to meddle as well."
Among the three Crowned experts who had allied with the Inner Council to cause chaos in Belland, one had been Herman from the Kingdom of Saint Perod.
He had later met a gruesome end at the hands of the Indra King.
Muen hadn't expected that after their plot failed, they would be the first to send gifts and congratulations.
"The Kingdom’s shadow was definitely behind that night’s events, and they’ve been restless at the border too. But that old bastard is dead now. There’s no living witness, and they won't admit to anything, so what can you do? As for the border... haven't they always loved those sneaky little maneuvers? Over the last century, they’ve played around so much that our national border has been forced a hundred miles into their territory."
Pink Bear spoke with utter disdain.
"If they’re being this enthusiastic, what’s the scheme?" Muen asked.
"Who knows? In the hundreds of years they’ve been around, have those narrow-minded Kingdom fools ever run out of petty tricks? But between nations, how many schemes can actually work? It’s because they’re obsessed with that crap and lack a grander vision that we’ve been able to chase them down and beat them for so long."
"So they really are just here to celebrate?"
"Who knows? However..."
Pink Bear rubbed his chin, his beady black eyes darting as if he’d remembered something. He suddenly gave Muen a wicked grin.
"I’m not sure if the celebration is real, but in a certain sense, their arrival this time might actually be different."
"What do you mean?"
"Word is, this delegation is led by a certain reclusive genius of the Kingdom."
"Oh? A genius? Here for what? To pick a fight and reclaim some honor?"
Muen swirled his red wine listlessly, having zero interest in so-called "geniuses."
Just look at the people around him: a certain Child of Destiny whose level-ups were like riding a rocket; an Empress who was the youngest Crowned in history; a Sword Bearer of the Mechanism who housed a portion of Authority within her body as an Evil God’s vessel... even a certain soft and cute Saintess was a monster who could toss out arrays like scattering pebbles just by reading books.
A genius?
Could anyone be more of a genius than that lot?
Even if they came to pick a fight, it would just be—
"Reclaiming honor? Heh, in a sense, yes."
Pink Bear gave a couple of sleazy chuckles. "According to my inside sources, that genius’s most important mission... is to ask for Celicia’s hand in marriage."
Pfft!
Muen sprayed a mouthful of wine, looking at Pink Bear in shock. "A proposal? He wants to marry Celicia?"
"He wants to marry into the family!"
Pink Bear grumbled as he wiped the wine off himself, correcting Muen. "Celicia is the Empress of the Empire now. Who has the status to 'marry' her? He wants to marry in, to become the Imperial Prince Consort. Then the two nations would be on good terms, sharing resources. Truly a cause for celebration."
"...What a cliché plot. Is the guy a prince too?" Muen rolled his eyes. He hadn't expected to suddenly gain a rival. Was this some poorly written, old-school romance novel?
"Supposedly the Seventeenth Prince of the Kingdom."
"Never heard of him."
"That old bastard in the Kingdom sired a lot of kids, so it’s normal not to have heard of him. But this Seventeenth Prince is exceptionally mysterious. If it weren't for this diplomatic mission, even the Empire’s intelligence agencies wouldn't have noticed him. It seems he really does have some extraordinary talent and was hidden away by the Kingdom from a young age."
"Oh."
"Hmm? You don't seem worried at all, kid."
Pink Bear arched an eyebrow. "Someone’s trying to be a 'NTR' bull, put a green hat on you, and steal your spot. Aren't you going to fly into a rage for your lady? Slam the table! If I were you, I’d be out there right now smashing that bastard’s carriage axles!"
"Give me a break. It’s not like he’s actually here for a wedding yet. Why get worked up so early? If I go smash his axles now, I’ll just be causing trouble for Celicia. Besides, when it comes down to it, why should I be worried?"
Muen spread his hands, shrugging at Pink Bear with a relaxed air. "Given Celicia’s personality, do you think there’s even a one-in-ten-thousand chance she’d agree?"
"Hmm..." Pink Bear thought seriously for a moment. "No."
"Exactly," Muen sneered. "I don't care what kind of genius or 'bull' he is. In the face of true pure love, they’re all just insignificant clowns! If he actually dares to cause trouble, I’ll crush him with the power of my pure love!"
"You..."
Pink Bear stared at Muen, speechless. "Do you even have the right to say the words 'pure love'?"
"Believe me, my love for each and every one of them is pure!" Muen declared, clenching his fist with total sincerity.
"..."
"Alright, enough chatting. I’ve got things to do, so I’m heading out."
Muen patted Pink Bear on the shoulder. "By the way, dear Imperial Uncle Ancestor, before I go, I have a gift for you."
"A gift?" Pink Bear’s eyes lit up. "You’re actually being that kind?"
"Hey, it’s to thank you for your help just now. I can't give you that 'thing' you wanted yet, so I have to repay your kindness in another way." Muen looked the picture of sincerity.
"What is it? What is it?" Pink Bear asked impatiently. "Red wine? Cigars? Or maybe..."
"Haha, how could things like that express the depth of my gratitude? Look over there!"
Muen pointed a finger. The expectant Pink Bear turned his head to look.
And then...
He saw the Former Saintess, slowly pulling on her knuckledusters and flexing her fingers as she walked toward them.
"Oh my, Oranriel."
The Former Saintess seemed to have lost none of the gentle serenity she’d held during her reign. She smiled and said, "I heard that you displayed something quite... remarkable... in a place as public as the Tribunal. Would you care to explain?"
"No... that... it’s a misunderstanding... a misunderstanding..."
Sensing his death premonition drawing closer, Pink Bear turned back and roared in grief and indignation, "You bastard! You dared to sell me out!"
"Didn't you sell me out too?" Muen smiled. "Good friends should share their burdens, shouldn't they?"
"Who’s your good friend?! Watch your seniority, you brat! I—Agh! It’s a misunderstanding! Truly just a misunderstanding! Let me explain!!"
Muen watched as Pink Bear screamed and pleaded, his claws digging deep furrows into the floor, yet unable to change his fate of being dragged away.
Once everything settled, Muen swirled his wine glass, gazing out at the beautiful spring scenery.
"Now things are balanced. Much better~"