《In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty!》 Chapter 1 - Return of the Villain Return of the Villain Spring at the age of 19. Archmage William¡¯s favorite disciple, Elisha Obern, met and fell in love with a man at a banquet, where she was forcibly dragged away by her teacher. The young lion with black hair and blue eyes was Emperor Kaiden of the Atien Empire. He was an arrogant and beautiful man, who caught the eyes of everyone in the banquet hall. The moment Elisha met his eyes, she realized that there was more truth to life than just mana and magic. Summer at the age of 22. Her body, which had learned magic all her life, changed with pregnancy. Her mana became entangled. It is usually difficult to keep the child in the womb safe, but thankfully, Elisha¡¯s child was well. Giving birth was more difficult than that. Normal birth pains are great enough, but Elisha broke her tangled mana the moment the child left the womb. It is a sentence that states that she will no longer be able to use magic in this life. While continuing to spit out the blood that rushed from within her, Elisha gave birth to her child. It was the product of a ceremonial relationship that was established only once with the marriage. She would wither in the inner palace as the 2nd Empress, the mother of the 3rd Prince who was not a successor. The emperor, who had never wanted this child, did not give the child a name. Elisha called her child Leon, born with her own silver hair and the emperor¡¯s blue eyes. She called him the joys of her world. Leon smiled brightly at his mother¡¯s call. Her baby was so adorable that it filled Elisha¡¯s heart. The truth of the world could not have been brighter than this. Autumn at the age of 26. Her beating heart slowed down little by little. After two accidents that nearly killed young Leon, Elisha felt suffocated. She could not tolerate even the slightest mistake, and she became so sensitive that small cracks were considered as a harbinger of a great threat. As she became impatient, she could no longer wait for her child¡¯s slow steps. Elisha pushed the child. He fell as he tried to move forward, his eyes were brimming with tears, and he looked at her sadly, but she bit her lip and endured it. All of this is for the child. Nothing could take precedence over the safety of the child. Even the child¡¯s heart. She said, ¡°Someday you will know that there¡¯s no choice but to do this now.¡± However, patience does not result from compromise. Even the light, which is as bright as ever, can repel the darkness. At that time, Elisha did not know that tears change color. Winter at the age of 32. The battle for the throne between Crown Prince Asensio, who lost his mother long ago with 1st Empress Isabelle, and her son, 2nd Prince Stonham, began in earnest. Elisha stood by and took advantage of their fight. And the results were revealed before her eyes. The body was so clean that it looked like it was merely sleeping. ¡®Can I call you Mother just once?¡¯ The prince who had asked Elisha with his eyes that were like an abandoned puppy¡¯s was dead. With the face of a sixteen-year-old boy still remaining, the Crown Prince¡¯s time stopped forever. In the hands of 1st Empress Isabelle, who killed his mother, who was the empress, in the thorough ignorance of his father, who merely watched as his mother died. Elisha stared down at the prince who had given her his heart, for the humble reason that she was not his enemy. A prince who was so lonely because he couldn¡¯t even find a resting place in this spacious Imperial palace. At that time, Leon ran past the knights who were blocking the way and fell on his face in front of Asensio. ¡°Brother! Brother Asensio!¡± Holding him tightly in his arms, who does not wake up no matter how much he shakes, he glances up at Elisha. ¡°You could have saved him!¡± ¡°Had I saved him, where do you think the remaining arrows of the 1st Empress¡¯ palace will go?¡± ¡°Still, you were able to save him! What did he ever do to us!¡± ¡°Stop! There is no longer the crown prince of this country. He¡¯s just a traitor. But Leon, you too, are a prince, so make sure to protect your body!¡± ¡°Mother! Mother!¡± When her son passed out because of her wickedness, Elisha had the knights drag Leon away. Elisha followed her son and stopped for a moment to turn her around. The soil on which Asensio was lying looked so cold. Elisha removed the fingertips that were holding the robe that was on her shoulder. There must have been eyes staring at this place, but there must be no flaws. Elisha raised her chin with a cold face and turned around. Deep inside, something creaked and cracked. Now, Elisha thought that even if her son didn¡¯t smile at her, even if he complained as she took away his precious things. It didn¡¯t matter. As long as Leon could do well, Elisha¡¯s own sacrifice was not a big deal. The moment regret turns into obsession, becoming important is not important, but an excuse for yourself to keep moving forward. A small vortex of flames swirled from the tip of Elisha¡¯s clenched fist, and the disappeared as if it had never happened. She had lost her magic, but she finally found a replacement. With this power, Elisha will give her son the best gift anyone in the world could ever want. *** Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter¡­ The four seasons that rotated around each other, bit the other¡¯s tails and rolled in a circle. The fast-sliding circle becomes two wheels, and a human body forms the bottom of the carriage. Even without a horse, the blood flowing on the floor made the wheels slide more easily, and the fate pushing the back was fierce, making the carriage move faster and faster. Elisha rode the carriage and carefully wrapped the gift she was holding in her arms. Eventually, Elisha¡¯s carriage reached where Leon was. Elisha, a rare spirit and evil woman who, even in her middle age, has the beauty of her youth, offered her son a gift. For this moment, she had endured and struggled for a long time. The results were finally seen. Leon¡¯s eyes, which she had not seen for so long, met Elisha¡¯s. They were the same colors as the emperor¡¯s, whom she had killed, but Elisha passed the gift without avoiding the other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is this the emperor¡¯s crown?¡± Leon smirked, picking up what his mother had given him and twirling it around his fingertips. The noble decorations for the emperor¡¯s head roamed around Leon¡¯s fingertips¡­ Chaenggang! And fell to the floor. ¡°You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve waited for today. I¡¯ve been dreaming about this moment at that time when I lost Janice, when I lost Asensio, and even when I lost Chad. The moment I¡¯m most excited about.¡± Cough! When Elisa saw Leon coughing, Leon refused her approach unconsciously. Blood flows from Leon¡¯s lips. Leon wiped the blood with the back of his hand and twisted the corners of his mouth. ¡°Have you ever loved me?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes shook greatly. None other for the reason that the truth was as true as much as this question shouldn¡¯t have to be asked. But Leon acted as if he already had the correct answer, which was the complete opposite of Elisha¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve been your every finger, haven¡¯t I? As a puppet to project your ambitions, to replace Father, who doesn¡¯t love you.¡± Elisha shook her head, saying no thoroughly, but Leon didn¡¯t seem to be impressed. Leon vomited blood and collapsed. The moment he heard that she was coming, he had been poisoned with deadly poison. Leon fell to the floor as he continued to vomit blood. Even then, he still rejected his mother. Leon¡¯s face overlaps with Ascencio¡¯s on that day. ¡°Mother, why did you give birth to me? I¡¯ve never been happy in my life¡­¡± Leon, who had been blinking his eyes in difficulty, looked up at his mother and licked his lips, then slowly stopped moving. The empty carriage that Elisha was riding on, without an owner, is blown away by the wind and falls forward. Elisha, with her back on the empty carriage, fell down. In front of Elisha, who knelt down on her knees, was lying her son, who was getting cold. Why did it become like this? I did everything I could. Elisha reached out her hands and pulled her son¡¯s body. The bitterness becomes a sharp spear that penetrates the whole body. A fire erupted from Elisha¡¯s body. She and her pact with the Fire Spirit King, Ignis, entangled in the black darkness, and she let out a scream. Fwoosh! With a loud explosion, fire engulfed the world. Elisha was drifting. Like she was about to exist or disappeared without any weight or warmth. But someone kept calling her. No matter how hard she tried to remember who it was, she couldn¡¯t remember. If it¡¯s really something she can¡¯t forget, she wouldn¡¯t have forgotten. Elisha wanted to be completely destroyed. However. ¡°Mother.¡± Tok. A raindrop fell. ¡°Mother.¡± Tok. Another raindrop fell. ¡°Mother?¡± Tok-tok. Sweet rainwater filled her ear and flowed into the earhole. It filled her whole body and overflowed, eventually squeezing out Elisha¡¯s closed eyes. Then, a small, soft touch presses the corners of Elisha¡¯s wet eyes. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Eventually, Elisha remembered who was calling her. It¡¯s not that she forgot about him. It was buried deep inside her. She just couldn¡¯t dare to take it out. Elisha opened her eyes. The two blue eyes that had approached her nose widened. ¡°Leon.¡± ¡°I was wondering if you were sick. I never meant to be late for class, Mother.¡± Leon licked his lips and lowered his gaze. He¡¯s around six years old? Where did the young man who ate poison with his own hand and died in front of his mother went? And in place of him, a young child as small and immaculate as a chick was standing in front of Elisha. Elisha hurriedly lifted her upper body from the table where she was lying down. Leon thought he would be scolded, but there was no particular agitation. Elisha pulled Leon with both hands and held him in her arms. Alive! How lovely is this warmth compared to the body temperature that was getting colder? My jewel that shines brighter than the truth of the world, my child. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go to class?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, you said that to be a good person, I have to study a lot. To show the qualifications of a prince, I cannot show any gaps.¡± Leon felt awkward because his mother¡¯s arms were unfamiliar to him after a long time, but he gave a flawless answer as if he memorized them. That little boy was already preparing to become an adult. To that child, Elisha touched his cheek and told him the secrets of the world. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a great person.¡± For the first time, Leon was flustered and asked. He thought he heard her wrong. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to study a lot, and you don¡¯t have to work hard to show the qualification as a prince.¡± ¡°Mother¡­?¡± ¡°Just be happy. Believe that tomorrow will be brighter than today, and be a person who can move forward. No, no. I don¡¯t want anything. Just you, Leon. Be the person you want to be. This mother means that she will love you whoever you become.¡± ¡°Mother, you are really weird today. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I was wrong. But Elisha will never tell the child about it for the rest of his life. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight. And let¡¯s go for a walk. We¡¯ll play until the middle of the night, and then we¡¯ll oversleep tomorrow. Okay?¡± Leon, who had been hesitating over and over again, finally wiped his mother¡¯s cheek with his hand. ¡°Okay. I understand, Mother. I¡¯ll do that¡­ Please don¡¯t cry.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t know that she was still crying. She was surprised, but quietly took the child¡¯s hand. If this is not a dream, then it¡¯s a miracle that¡¯s given a new opportunity to meet her child again. She stole a lot in the name of doing it for him, so she wanted to do whatever he wanted. Elisha swore that she would be a good mother this time. Chapter 2 ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll come again after class.¡± Leon bowed his head and moved away from her embrace. Even though she had said he could keep playing, Leon only took three days off before going back to his regular routine. Elisha felt sorry for him, but she also respected Leon¡¯s decision. However, her eyes were slightly drooping, which was a rare expression coming from her, making it difficult for others to recognize her. ¡°Was I not fun to be with?¡± Abused by Baron Obern before she was noticed by Archmage William, Elisha, who had spent her entire childhood in the tower, had no idea what games she could play with her child. Someone appeared before Elisha, who just remembered the need to learn to play. It was Jane-Marie, the maid of the 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace. ¡°Your Majesty the 2nd Empress, it is already too late to start preparing for Prince Leon¡¯s birthday banquet. What should we do?¡± Elisha paused. ¡°Should we just proceed as you instructed us to do the other day?¡± The rough plan had already been made, so Marie confirmed it again. The 6th birthday of a prince is significant. Having survived without being poisoned, ill, or killed by any accident means that you have the minimum strength to continue to survive in the Imperial palace in the future. This is because the matter of one who sits on the emperor¡¯s throne is recognized as a matter of public recognition. ¡°Hmm.¡± Elisha lightly tapped the table with her fingertips. The atmosphere felt turned somewhat dry and heavy. It was definitely a different feeling from before. A cold wind would blow if anything was bothering her, which drew attention from the people around her. When one of the people gathered looked over as if trying to check her expression, the unpleasant atmosphere disappeared at once. The master of the 2nd Palace, who had been acting like a changed person since a week ago, had caused quite a stir in the palace. But Marie thought that as long as she did her job properly as a maid, it would be enough. However, she, too, could not help but be surprised by the words of her master that followed. ¡°Ask Leon first.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± Whatever Marie¡¯s reaction, Elisha thought this choice was natural. In the past, a party that was held luxuriously as a means to show off the 2nd Palace¡¯s might and supposedly attended by many people was messed up by the 1st Empress Isabelle¡¯s trickery, making the child have to spend his worst birthday in an empty party hall. Hence, for Elisha, there was no need or reason to repeat the same thing. ¡°I¡¯m celebrating Leon¡¯s birthday, so I¡¯ll have to ask Leon what he wants to do first.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡± Marie came to her senses and replied. In any case, Elisha drank the tea in front of her, and turned the page of her book to the next. *** That night. ¡°The birthday banquet will be held soon. What do you want to do?¡± Elisha pulled out Leon¡¯s quilt from the bed and covered him tightly up to his neck, then she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll do what Mother likes.¡± ¡°Is there no one you would like to invite?¡± Leon blinked as if asking why. His eyes were so big that it took up half of his round and small face. How pretty he is. ¡°Leon, it¡¯s your birthday.¡± Elisha combed the child¡¯s hair with her fingertips and waited for an answer. Her answer came after quite some time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. The banquet hall will be full even with only those invited by Mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Leon, who had been hesitant about how to accept his mother¡¯s silence, raised his blue eyes and met his mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯m glad that you asked me like this first.¡± Whether those words are true or not, a blush spreads across Leon¡¯s cheeks, as light as a peach. Ah. It was like that. Elisha found another small piece of the past that she had missed. ¡°Then let¡¯s try to decorate this birthday with this mother¡¯s greed. Once you see it and don¡¯t like it, please tell me later. After that, on next year¡¯s birthday, Leon, we will do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Alright, Mother.¡± He didn¡¯t expect that something would change next year, but Leon still answered so. Then, his mother¡¯s eyes bent a little and softened. Feeling embarrassed for some reason, Leon pretended to be tossing and turning and pulling up the blanket more to cover his face. ¡°You must be tired. Go to sleep.¡± Elisha patted Leon on the shoulder. She wanted to sing a lullaby, but she couldn¡¯t do it because she had never heard it in her life. The world was unfair. What you have never received, you cannot give to your children. But, it¡¯s okay. You can fill in what you don¡¯t have. In fact, learning and mastering was one of the things Elisha did best. As long as the direction is not wrong, Elisha would always get the desired result. The next day, when Leon went to class in the morning, Elisha moved to do her own work. This is the first time she went out of the 2nd Palace since returning to the past. When she was first greeted by the still intact Imperial Palace, which had become a mess in the past as the battle with Emperor Kaiden began in earnest, she felt strange. As Elisha recalled the past, she headed to where the Ministry of Magic was at this time. The guards at the entrance of the Ministry of Magic looked bored. Then, their faces flashed at the presence of someone approaching. ¡°Oh? Look there. Who is that beauty?¡± ¡°You bastard, is it common to have silver hair and blue eyes? There must be only one person like this in the whole empire.¡± ¡°Do you mean, it¡¯s the forgotten empress who is coming?¡± ¡°What empress. You never know when she¡¯ll be thrown out.¡± The eldest of the three flirts tilted his head. ¡°By the way, she¡¯s been out of touch for so long, so why is she here now?¡± To his murmur, another knight answered. ¡°You can find out about that soon enough.¡± There was a hint of fun on the faces of the knights. The Ministry of Magic itself is a place where wizards who deviate from the mainstream of the palace¡¯s tower stay, and for strictly confidential matters, they use their personal wizards and communication tools. Such a high-ranking person who was worthy of attention would not be able to leave the Ministry of Magic without leaving any traces and attracting attention. As a knight in the palace who had the responsibility to check and guard the entire palace, he set the order and stood alert. When Elisha approached right in front of them, he said with a strong force on purpose. ¡°Stop. Please state your identity and why you came to the Ministry of Magic.¡± However, the opponent was the problem. Elisha scanned the three knights from left to right. Sky blue is not light blue. The bright and clear sky blue didn¡¯t shine on the opponent, but was reflected and bounced off. [T/N: I think this is talking about how the knights¡¯ bravado doesn¡¯t work and is countered by Elisha instead. Sky blue is Elisha¡¯s eye color, ¡®Sky blue is not light blue¡¯ perhaps is saying that she¡¯s not a lightweight.] The knights were taken aback by the reaction different from what they had expected, but then raised their momentum and suppressed Elisha. ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± ¡°I heard you. But, I¡¯m too surprised to think that there are people, standing on guard as knights, who don¡¯t even know the face of the empress within the Imperial palace.¡± The knights turned to each other because of Elisha who responded with an indifferent expression that was not at all surprised. The oldest among them spoke, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t recognize the 2nd Empress, but there are several procedures within the Imperial Palace. This was just one of them.¡± ¡°I came to the Ministry of Magic to use the magic communication device, should there be other reasons? Is there a procedure that the empress must inform one of the knights of the contents of the communication? I did not know this until now. I¡¯ll talk to the wizard in charge.¡± ¡°Y, Your Majesty, that¡¯s¡­!¡± The knights called her urgently. Not only was such a procedure impossible, but the wizard and the knight were in a bad relationship to the point resembling dogs biting each other. The 2nd Empress herself is nothing to be afraid of, but if she goes inside and talks to the wizard and they get caught, once they return to the Knights Order, they will not be able to raise their face at all. The moment when the knights who hesitated opened their mouths again. ¡°What is it? You¡¯re not even the wizard in charge, and I don¡¯t think they instructed those guarding the entrance that one has to get permission first before entering, right?¡± A thin silver wick sprang up in Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes. ¡°¡­ Euph!¡± Beyond emotional embarrassment, the knights opened their eyes as goosebumps rose on their skin with a real sense of intimidation. ¡°Are you still trying to stand in front of me?¡± Then, they unconsciously bit their tongues at the cold tone. Who is the dark, inflexible, stupid woman from the rumors outside? It should never be the woman before them right now. Elisha passed through the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, not paying attention to how they looked at her. ¡°T-There is no need for Your Majesty to tell the wizard in charge. It¡¯s just a common matter where we overlook some noble people, there is no need to pay this matter too much attention¡­!¡± Behind her, one of the knights spoke quickly, but as if she did not hear, Elisha moved away from them. *** The wizard, who breathed in mana to activate the magic communicator, glanced at Elisha again and again. Then when their eyes met, he gave out one big, hoarse cough before turning her face away. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± At his words, Elisha nodded and stared at him quietly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go out then. You¡¯ll be connected soon.¡± With an awkward expression as if he had forgotten, the wizard went out. As soon as the door was closed, blue and purple light intertwined and spread from the mana-infused communication port, and a human face appeared immediately. ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Elisha.¡¹ ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The face reflected in the large telecommunication sphere placed on the central table was the Archmage William. ¡¸Did you call me when it was time to die? You want to count on the old relationship?¡¹ The owner of one of the three towers in the Atien Empire and a 7th class wizard, who was closely related to the western nobles, Marquis Rwanda and Duke Verdin. There was no way he could¡¯ve liked it when Elisha, his disciple, married the emperor. But what William felt most fortunate was when Elisha, as a sorceress who can rarely gets pregnant, had Leon, and surprisingly, succeeded in giving birth. Because he couldn¡¯t lose such a talented person who would become an archmage to the Imperial faction. There was no way Elisha would be unaware of William¡¯s judgment. Above all, it was true that Elisha betrayed William first by going to Emperor Kaiden. ¡°Is there even a stain between Master and me? In the beginning, due to our contractual relationship, Master taught me magic, while I informed you of the magic formula I made and made it Master¡¯s achievements.¡± ¡¸You¡¯ve never been cute since you were a kid.¡¹ ¡°I just wanted to make you feel comfortable. It¡¯s nice not to have to watch a little girl walking around the tower with shaky legs.¡± ¡¸So, why did you call me? I¡¯m aware the coordinates are of the Imperial palace¡¯s Ministry of Magic, but if this call is only to listen to you nonsense¡­¡¹ ¡°There seems to be a lot of talk inside the tower about how Master hasn¡¯t announced new magic formulas for some time, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡¸And what can you do about it? Do you want to say that you, a fool who can¡¯t even lead the way of mana, have invented a new magic formula? That¡¯s unreasonable no matter how genius you are at magic formulas.¡¹ ¡°I do. But why do you think I gave you all the formulas I made at the tower even though our relationship wasn¡¯t that ¡®good¡¯? Don¡¯t tell me you think I felt the slightest affection for my teacher who brought me out of Obern Barony, or thought that everything you¡¯ve done was out of sincerity?¡± ¡¸Of course that couldn¡¯t be the case. I was surprised that you did something cute even though you put all kinds of restrictions on it. Quite so.¡¹ William¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Should I give it to you right now so you may solidify your position a little bit more? What I want is nothing special, just please attend my cute son¡¯s birthday party and brighten it up.¡± ¡¸I just need to come and sit?¡¹ Elisha curled up the corners of her mouth and snorted. ¡°How could that be possible? We¡¯ll talk about the rest after you come to the Imperial palace.¡± ¡¸Elisha!¡¹ ¡°Then, let¡¯s stop here.¡± ¡¸Ellie!¡¹ Before he could even finish speaking, Elisha opened the door to the communication room and went outside. A roar was heard over the communication port and then cut off. Chapter 3 ¡°I¡¯m done with my business.¡± Elisha notified and passed the wizard, who was blinking his eyes, and went outside. The knights at the entrance wanted to ask her something, but in the end, they couldn¡¯t speak to her cold face and bit their mouths. The news that she had stopped by the Ministry of Magic and who she was calling had already been rumored, making the eyes looking at her increased dramatically. This is why the Imperial palace is so scary. But Elisha didn¡¯t care. Elisha looked down at her hands. White and slender wrists, and long fingers that looked weak. She did not return with the fame or power she had accumulated in the past. However, the experiences and memories that made her victory possible were all in Elisha¡¯s head. Just like the formula that made it possible to negotiate with William. The magic formula wasn¡¯t actually made by Elisha. It was by exploiting the talent William had found after Elisha. A few years later, though not now, William would take in another student and make him his prey. Moreover¡­ Crack! The red light on Elisha¡¯s fingertip faded. Ignis had not responded yet, but the contract with the Spirit King was imprinted in her soul. Her return did not mean that her relationship with Ignis had been eliminated. Not just because of their status as a spirit king and a summoner¡­ The relationship between Ignis and Elisha was special. A wizard who forcibly fixes the form of mana is absolutely incompatible with a spirit person who feels and summons the spirits living in mana itself. Their difference is beyond the ideological rejection that is common between wizards and knights. The origins of the two are simply different. Even if Elisha¡¯s path as a wizard had already ended, her broken body, the traces that used to lead the mana had not disappeared. She was also a great knight who became the first person in the Empire to successfully summon the Fire Spirit King. ¡°Answer me, just like back then. Ignis.¡± Elisha clenched her hand tightly. Ignis had been her most powerful hand in the past and this lifetime. *** ¡°Shit.¡± Marquis Blemir took a deep breath as he went to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. This is because he remembered the private meeting with the emperor in the reception room just before. The black-haired, blue-eyed emperor was as inhuman as his sculpturally beautiful face. A monarch who was expected to become one of the most capable emperors in the history of the Empire, who was also his brother-in-law, but Blemir did not like him. Blemir¡¯s sister, whom he had been following like a mother because of the large age gap, to the Imperial palace, withered and died in the Imperial Palace. Blemir bit his teeth and endured to protect his lone nephew. As the leader of the neutral faction, he took the place of his father, Duke Fontana, who couldn¡¯t move easily, showing off his swordsmanship skills that he had been hiding for fear of becoming a nuisance. He moved exclusively for his nephew, Crown Prince Asensio. The emperor tried to exploit such Blemir by using Asensio. ¡°So, where are you going again this time?¡± Blemir, who was gritting his teeth and swiping back the red hair that covered his eyebrows, drew a deep wrinkle on his forehead. The Crown Prince¡¯s Palace was more noisy than usual. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As he entered the palace , he realized that the one he was looking for was not around. ¡°He is at the drill hall.¡± As he hurriedly walked, his face grew even more distorted at the sight at the entrance of the drill hall. ¡°The one over there, how much more does she want to bewitch His Highness?¡± In addition to the energy of a familiar boy, he felt a subtle annoyance. Blemir stared at the woman sitting in a chair on the edge of the arena, staring at the sword-wielding boy in the center. She has long, fine silver hair and blue eyes. Even with colors that can only be called a light color, that woman¡¯s presence is strong. Blemir thought so every time he saw her. It is said that the essence of the emperor, who engulfs all things in the deep darkness, and the woman with light color, who changes the whole thing by mixing the colors of the moment, are terribly similar to each other. Of course, that woman, unlike the emperor, still has nothing and is not polished, so she will not be able to compete on an equal footing. But then again, there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll ever have the power. ¡°We¡¯ll see if you can hold on until then. Hmph.¡± Blemir snorted at her, and the woman¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. There was blue flame within her eyes. *** Elisa, who just left the Ministry of Magic, was told that Asensio was practicing swordsmanship at the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, so she headed there and wanted to stop by for a while. However, Asensio, who had already heard of Elisha¡¯s visit, ran towards her right away, so she promised to wait until his training was over, and took a seat at the edge of the drill hall. Swish! Whisk! Although it is a wooden sword, the power it contains is unusual. As explained in the Three Basics, Five Layers of the Paracion Continent¡­ There are only three Sword Masters in the Atien Empire. Asensio also had considerable talent in swordsmanship, which resembled the ability of his maternal uncle Blemir, who was also the youngest between the three. The 12-year-old boy, who was immersed in training, occasionally looked back at Elisha and smiled. Four years were left until the light went out in those clear blue eyes and his black hair covered the ground. Elisha unknowingly pressed her lower lip down with her upper teeth. Soon, she sensed a sign of someone approaching and turned her head. The cool-looking young man with red hair and brown eyes was Marquis Blemir. She didn¡¯t get along very well with him because he was usually very displeased with Elisha for taking advantage of Asensio¡¯s starvation of a mother¡¯s favor. However, if that person didn¡¯t die by mistake¡­ Asensio¡¯s death would not have come so soon. After all, Marquis Blemir is the heir to the Duke Fontana, one of the most prestigious sword geniuses, one of the pride of the Empire. After that, once he inherited the title of duke, he would become one of the four major dukes and become a strong supporter for the Crown Prince. How long has he been making eye contact? ¡°I¡¯ve seen the 2nd Empress.¡± ¡°Long time no see, Marquis Blemir.¡± ¡°Considering that the 1st Empress was not even aware of your visitation, and that you¡¯ve personally come all the way here. I assume you must have a very big request for the Crown Prince today.¡± ¡°Well, it is a big request.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Blemir burst into laughter at Elisha¡¯s blunt response. Elisha didn¡¯t even frown at his cheeky act. There¡¯s no way she could frown at him now when she came back to do something she didn¡¯t do in the past. ¡°It¡¯s the 3rd Prince¡¯s birthday soon. If His Highness the Crown Prince can attend, the child will be very happy.¡± ¡°¡­ If the Crown Prince attends , the 1st Empress will quarrel all along and the banquet will be a mess, do you not mind?¡± Blemir asked. He thought if it were the 2nd Empress, even if the Crown Prince wanted to come, she would nail him not to come. Elisha in the past had certainly done so, but not this time. ¡°I will only send invitations to the 1st Empress.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Blemir¡¯s, who had no talent of hiding his own expression, eyes widened. Sending only an invitation to the 1st Empress, who would be uncomfortable even with a direct visit to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, is something that can make that fox pass out in anger. While Blemir was calm on the outside, he was still worried. Of course, it wasn¡¯t for the 2nd Empress, but for Crown Prince Asensio. If there is trouble for no reason. Only the heart of the Crown Prince¡¯s heart will be weakened. ¡°If the 2nd Empress goes out to support the Crown Prince, we can¡¯t promise anything.¡± The one who needs nominal support is the 2nd Prince Stoneham, who lacks legitimacy and justification, not the Crown Prince. Elisha nodded her head despite the obvious line that was drawn. For Leon, Elisha could build a tower with thousands or tens of thousands of corpses, and she had actually done so in the past. One cannot survive in the Imperial Palace if they¡¯re weak enough to complain about the cruelty of what they¡¯ve done. However. ¡°It seems that Marquis has not yet set up his hands in the Imperial Palace, since you don¡¯t even know what I was talking about at the Ministry of Magic. Please don¡¯t forget that no matter who the opponent is, at any time, it is impossible to predict how the situation will change in the future. So, you should always leave room for anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if it is not comparable to the 3rd Prince, I also cherish the Crown Prince. Blemir swept through her side profile. Elisha¡¯s indifferent expression remained the same. However, the slightly bent corners of her eyes softened her cold face. At that moment, Elisha also turned her head to face Blemir. ¡°So, Marquis, don¡¯t let the Emperor use you as his sword any longer. If Marquis is broken, who do you think will be the veil on that day? Marquis can¡¯t bear a moment of pain, so is he going to harm His Highness the Crown Prince with his own hands?¡± Blemir was always worried. His weakness was the Crown Prince himself, and that was the reason the Crown Prince was able to stay safe until now. If he ignores and acts ignoring the Crown Prince, harm will be done to the Crown Prince, and who will be able to stop that? If his father, Duke Fontana, was going to come out, he would¡¯ve done so in the first place. Ellisa said as if she had read Blemir¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll protect him. I¡¯ve let you lose in the past, but I won¡¯t this time.¡± In the past? There were so many puzzles, yet so many crises. Blemir simply shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Everyone has a heart to protect. However, the right to protect is only given to them who have the power. Did you say that you would help me and the Crown Prince? Would the 2nd Empress, who lost her magic, be able to do that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? Please leave room for anything. Why do you decide I can¡¯t? Above all, I haven¡¯t fully decided yet. I will definitely protect the Crown Prince, but when did I say that I will protect the Marquis? Did I say I would?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Looking back, that was correct. Marquis Blemir had asked that unconsciously, and now his face became as hot as the color of his hair. Even a six-year-old child hides his true feelings and pretends to be an adult in this Imperial Palace. Being able to make such a face at the age of mid-twenties also requires talent. Elisa burst into a small smile as she suddenly thought that it would be good if her own child could make such a face at that age. The smile disappeared as soon as it was drawn, but Blemir, who was facing her, did not miss it. At that time, Asensio walked over to their side from the center of the drill hall as the training was over. ¡°You two, what are you talking about? It makes me happy to see you two get along well.¡± Asensio¡¯s bright voice echoes brightly. Elisha took a step towards Asensio and whispered to Blemir, ¡°I have something left to check, as well. So, the Marquis should attend the 3rd Prince¡¯s birthday banquet next week with the Crown Prince and check yourself what hand I have, and how far will I draw the line between the Crown Prince and the Marquis?¡± Elisha disappeared, leaving Blemir behind. Blemir couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her slender back as she moved away. It wasn¡¯t the hostility he had often seen, but Blemir, who had a somewhat blank expression on his face, bit his mouth as if he was angry. Chapter 4 - What Happened in the Banquet Hall What Happened in the Banquet Hall On the day of Leon¡¯s birthday banquet, Elisha woke up earlier than usual. Even though the 2nd Palace was located in a remote area within the Imperial Palace, and was quite small in scale, it was still superior to an ordinary mansion. Elisha left the central building, which had several rooms, including a parlor and a dining room, and headed to the right annex on a separate building. It was used by Leon, who was not given a palace because he was still young and Elisha was in a weak position. As Elisha approached, the two knights guarding the annex looked surprised. She seldom came to visit the 3rd Prince, but Elisha wondered if they did not know that she puts the child to sleep before going back to bed these days. Until she entered the annex. The moment the face of the maid turned blue when she entered, Elisa felt that there was something wrong. The energy inside the annex was also unusually low. Elisha raised one of her hands to prevent the handmaiden from turning away. ¡°Sshh.¡± And spread her other index finger and placed it in front of her lips. Elisha didn¡¯t know what kind of gaze she had, but as the handmaiden stood still, her body shook like she¡¯s about to faint. Elisha ignored the maid and moved closer to the door. As she was holding her breath, the voice of Mrs. Suar¨¦, the child¡¯s nanny, came through the crack in the door. ¡°Your Highness, can¡¯t you hold yourself from wetting the bed? How disappointed the 2nd Empress would be when she knew? Rumors will spread throughout the Imperial Palace during the day that the 2nd Empress¡¯ son is not good enough to do anything aside from wetting his bed like an idiot even though he has reached this age. The 2nd Empress will not be able to carry her face¡­¡± Elisha did not ask the maid next to her what was going on. She didn¡¯t even check if this was a common occurrence. Gwang! Elisha smashed her door open and strode into the room. What caught her eye was the scene of a middle-aged woman standing in the corner while holding a wet bed sheet in her hand, and a child sitting at the edge of the bed opposite her, cowering even more in his little body. The sight of him shivering with his face lowered made the child, who had always acted like an adult, look his age, or even younger than that at the moment. ¡°Y- Your Majesty. What brings you here at this hour¡­¡± Mrs. Suar¨¦ realized too late and tried to rectify the situation. She didn¡¯t know how far Elisha had heard, so she kept blinking to ask the maid who was looking at them through the open door, but the maid still had not come to her senses. Elisha approached her child and hid him behind her back before facing Mrs. Suar¨¦. Silver wick bloomed in Elisha¡¯s sky blue eyes, thorns sprouted and formed a vine. It was alive. ¡°Hiiiiy!¡± Mrs. Suar¨¦ stepped back and fell on her buttocks. The bed sheet that was soaked in urine was draped over the hem of her skirt. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cared so much about my face. Enough to persecute my child like this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Your Majesty, I have raised the children of many noble families. In the field of succession wars where all kinds of conspiracies are waged, I have never agreed to a back deal. I speak on my honor, I am innocent. All this is for the 3rd Prince and the 2nd Empress¡­!¡± Elisha cut off Madame Suar¨¦¡¯s words coldly. ¡°I believe in the innocence of your hands. But is your tongue as innocent as your hands?¡± After saying these words, Elisha ground her teeth. She had especially asked Asensio to choose a nanny who was well-known in this field. It is said that there have been occasional problems with her rather strict discipline, but Elisha appreciated this character. There were others who wanted her aside from the 3rd Prince, but Mrs. Suar¨¦ wanted to have career experience in caring for the Imperial family, so she and Elisha respected each other¡¯s territories in the unity of their interests. By chance, when Elisha found out that Leon was unable to hold his urine in the past when he was 8 years old, Mrs. Suar¨¦ said that it was the first time. At that time, Leon, who was very reluctant to eat with Elisha, pretended to eat together, but later could not stand the pressure. Mrs. Suar¨¦ advised her to keep a little distance from the child to put his mind at ease, and Elisha agreed. Later, when Elisha checked Leon¡¯s condition, she heard that he was already better. Mrs. Suar¨¦ left the Imperial Palace when Leon started formal education at the age of 9. It was said that she had gone somewhere with better treatment with career experience as a nanny to the Imperial family. But that wasn¡¯t the case. The child had had this problem for a long time, and had to hide it without even telling his mother, Ellisa. No, he had to follow Mrs. Suar¨¦¡¯s words while receiving threats that she would tell Elisa if he behaved badly. ¡°If I had known that your strict discipline is the kind that corroded my docile, lovable child, I would never have allowed you to come.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Get out this instant! Go out and wait! I will deal with this later! Disappear before my child!¡± Elisha might have torn and killed Mrs. Suar¨¦ right away, had it not been for the little child trembling behind her. In the end, Mrs. Suar¨¦ got her body up and staggered out. As soon as Mrs. Suar¨¦ left the annex along with the dazed maid, the surroundings soon became silent. Elisha looked at the bed sheet that Mrs. Suar¨¦ had thrown aside and turned around. Her child still had not lifted his head. Elisha leaned over her body and placed one of her knees on the floor. She was now at the height at which the child¡¯s top of the head is directly visible. Elisha¡¯s finger rested on the child¡¯s head. Tok, tok. Her fingertips moved gently to tap his head. Elisha waited until the child calmed down. Some time passed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°I made a mistake, and made Mother ashamed.¡± ¡°But, this mother doesn¡¯t feel ashamed at all though?¡± At those words, the child raised his face slightly. Elisha looked into the boy¡¯s blue eyes and spoke once more. ¡°What is there to be ashamed of?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s dirty.¡± ¡°Is your urine that dirty? In her childhood, this mother was so thirsty at one time that she thought she would drink even drink urine.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± This time, Leon completely raised his face and met Elisha¡¯s gaze. Elisha bent her eyes a little, thinking that she¡¯s finally taking care of him like a mother should. Leon then said that his mother must be joking. But of course, Elisha did not know how to joke. *** It was early and the child had been startled, so Elisha insisted on putting the child on the bed and letting him rest a little more. How can he not feel humiliated just because he¡¯s young? In most cases, the adults are the reason why young children, who can¡¯t even do much, are put in such situations. Usually, it is not the child¡¯s fault. Children have not yet learned why they have to put up with today to continue tomorrow. The current wound, which will leave marks as soon as they are pressed, will be too great for the child. As the body and mind grow, the wounds will become smaller, but will the pain that shook the source be lessened as well? The deep-rooted pain must have penetrated to the very end and had already affected the child. So, although it may not be possible to get rid of the wounds that have already occurred entirely, Elisha whispered several times so that he could heal well and as quickly as possible. ¡°Anyone can make mistakes. It¡¯s bad for someone like Mrs. Suar¨¦ to threaten people with their mistakes as an excuse. It¡¯s Mother¡¯s fault for not recognizing such a person sooner. Do you understand? Mother is sorry, Leon.¡± ¡°I understand. Please stop it, Mother,¡± said Leon, who was lying down between a new bed sheet and a blanket. Rather than saying embarrassing things over and over again, Elisha brought up a topic she thought she would have to ask sooner or later. ¡°Leon, what do you want to be?¡± At the sudden question, Leon pulled his head out of the blanket and stared at Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s what you want to become in the future. For example¡­ an emperor.¡± ¡°Who will sit on the next great throne has already been decided, Mother.¡± ¡°Any prince can become an emperor, Leon.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want it. Brother Asensio is more worthy of the throne than anyone else. I don¡¯t want to fight him, Mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I should have asked you earlier. What you want. What I think is the biggest and best thing you want may be different, but I didn¡¯t know that. The tragedy had been decided from then on. But that¡¯s fine. The time to come will be different from before. After confirming Leon¡¯s answer, Elisha planned to reestablish her relationship between Crown Prince Asensio and Marquis Blemir. Meanwhile, when Elisha was silent, Leon tossed and turned. ¡°Would you like to sleep some more, Leon?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­ Actually, there was something I wanted to be.¡± Hmm? ¡°There was something I wanted to be, and I did try to be, but I couldn¡¯t. They said I¡¯m a child because I believe in that. How could they say that?¡± The child had just been scolded for wetting the bed a while ago, but Elisha found his dissatisfaction right now funny. Her eyes were twinkling, which is unlike her usual self. So, Elisha agreed with him because she was feeling good. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our Leon is not a child, so they shouldn¡¯t say that. So, what did you want to be? Tell me.¡± Elisha was determined to make it happen, so she focused her attention. ¡°Dragon.¡± ¡°¡­Dragon?¡± You want to become a dragon from legend? No matter how Elisha was, this was too much. Elisha remained silent, as if she had never been so embarrassed even if she had added all of her past and present life, and remained silent. ¡°Well, you could be that I guess. But, why a dragon?¡± Elisha tried to sympathize with him as much as possible without being awkward. However, Leon looked at his mother as if he found her absurd. ¡°How can a person become a dragon, Mother?¡± ¡°But, you¡­¡± As Elisha tried to implore with her mouth slightly open, Leon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. But still, Mother, I won¡¯t be a dragon, but I will definitely be a dragon¡¯s friend.¡± This time, he was so serious that anyone could immediately tell that it wasn¡¯t a joke. In gratitude for the innocence remaining within these blue eyes, Elisha curled up her lips. ¡°Is that so? A dragon¡¯s friend, that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? To be a dragon¡¯s friend, you have to study really hard and become a good person. Dragons aren¡¯t going to be friends with anyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°So when we become friends, there is something I want to ask the dragon.¡± ¡°Ask the dragon? What do you want to ask? Will you tell me?¡± As Elisha¡¯s eyes lit up, Leon said, putting his hand on the back of her hand, which was patting his chest. ¡°To give me half of his heart. If I can be a dragon, I can just take mine off, but since I can¡¯t, I¡¯ll have to ask my dragon friend.¡± ¡°Half of his heart? Will the dragon give it to you?¡± A dragon¡¯s heart is the treasure of heaven and the core of a dragon¡¯s power. ¡°We¡¯re friends. Why won¡¯t he give it to me? I think if my friend¡¯s mom is sick and needs half of my heart, I¡¯ll take it off.¡± In an instant, Elisha lost her words. He thought that if it was a dragon¡¯s heart, a crystallization of the power of a dragon, it would be able to fix his mother¡¯s body that was broken while giving birth to him. When did he know about this? Who told the child about what his mother had to lose because of him? Would his mother have been hurt if it weren¡¯t for him? Elisha, who had been smiling at the young child ever since the first time she saw him, was crying. ¡°Mother, are you crying again? Why did you become a crybaby? Mother told me a secret, so I told you one too. Did you not like it?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m crying because I¡¯m happy. I should give happiness to you, Leon, but I keep getting it instead. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leon tilted his head as if he didn¡¯t understand Elisha¡¯s words, but eventually got up and hugged his mother. Elisha spoke into her son¡¯s ear. ¡°Happy birthday, Leon. Thank you for being born. I never once resented you. Thank you for coming to me. I¡¯ve always, always thought so. I just couldn¡¯t say it.¡± Little Leon listened to his mother¡¯s words over and over again and patted her on the back as she had done to him. The mother and child shared each other¡¯s warmth like that. Until the morning of the banquet dawned. Chapter 5 Tak. The door closed quietly behind Elisha¡¯s back. She confirmed that the child had fallen asleep, and would wake him up in about two hours. After passing through the empty corridor, Elisha came out of the annex, ignoring the knights watching her. She walked past the central building to another separated building on the other side. It was where the maids in charge of the 2nd Palace, and Mrs. Suar¨¦, the nanny of the prince, stayed. This was her first time entering this building, but Elisha was not lost. It was because she could hear the squeaking sound from the slightly open door. ¡°I will never forget this disgrace! There are so many people in the social world who want to entrust their children to me, and if I say even just one word, the 2nd Empress Palace will be a mess!¡± ¡°Madam, you should save that for later. The 2nd Empress¡¯ anger right now¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, what anger? What can she do? Spitting out cold wind blowing harsh words while holding that pretty face?¡± Hearing this, Elisha opened the door wide and went inside. ¡°Hiiiiy!¡± Mrs. Suar¨¦ and the maid from the annex before opened their mouths wide in surprise. In particular, Mrs. Suare¡¯s, who had just pretended to be proud in front of her maid, hands were shaking at this moment. This is because she realized that Elisha¡¯s warning, which she had received before, was real, not an illusion. ¡°L, Look¡­¡± The moment when Mrs. Suar¨¦ opens her mouth. Slap! Mrs. Suar¨¦¡¯s face fell to the side. Mrs. Suar¨¦, who did not realize what had happened, raised her face again to face the person who was approaching her. Slap! Slap! Slap! Mrs. Suar¨¦¡¯s face was veered to the left, to the right, and to the left again. Plop! Red drops of blood formed on the tip of her nose, and then scattered all over the place. ¡°N, Nosebleed!¡± The maid, who had been watching with a pale face, cried without realizing it. But upon receiving Elisha¡¯s indifferent eyes, she closed her mouth. She seemed to be able to understand the stories of her fellow maids, who said that serving this empress was simply difficult in the past, but now it is difficult and terrifying. She didn¡¯t know what to do. The maid Jean-Marie and the other maids ran to see the commotion, but they froze at the sight in front of them. Mrs. Suar¨¦, who was stunned by the violence she had experienced for the first time, came to her senses and shouted the words she had been wanting to say. ¡°Your¡­ Majesty. What is this, what a futile thing to do.¡± Her maid, Jean-Marie, sensed the unusual atmosphere, quickly tried to cover the madam¡¯s mouth, but Elisha raised one of her hands to stop her. ¡°Hiiy!¡± The response came not from Marie, but from Mrs. Suar¨¦. Mrs. Suar¨¦ was startled by Elisha¡¯s movement and trembled with her arms covering her face. But Elisha did not feel pity or compassion. Rather, she looked straight at Mrs. Suar¨¦, who lowered her arms and raised her eyes fiercely, thinking that Elisha was making fun of her. Elisha raised her hand again. ¡°Hiiiiiy!¡± Thud! Disregarding her own commitment to not react even if the same thing happened again, Mrs. Suar¨¦ hurriedly pulled her upper body back and landed on her buttocks. Elisa looked down at her arrogantly and parted her pale pink lips, ¡°Mrs. Suar¨¦ has a bad habit. When she sees her superior, instead of bowing her head, she starts lying down.¡± With those words, Elisha turned her outstretched hand slightly, and Marie came up to her and wiped the blood off Elisha¡¯s fingertips with her handkerchief. The face of Mrs. Suar¨¦, who was looking up at Elisha, whose hand was being carefully rubbed by Marie, was horrifying. ¡°That¡¯s an ugly face I never wanted my child to learn from. Never come close to my jewel again. If you want to get a letter of recommendation, move on to another noble family.¡± ¡°Y- Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What is it? Are you trying to threaten me that you can ruin the 2nd Empress Palace, which is already a good gossip topic, with a few tongue teasing? What can a powerless subject like you do? Fine, if you want to do it, do whatever you want. Just remember this.¡± Elisha pulled Marie¡¯s handkerchief, which was still at her fingertips, and threw it toward Mrs. Suar¨¦. The handkerchief flew away and covered the face of Mrs. Suar¨¦, which is located below. ¡°If we ever face each other like this again, then, instead of covering your face with a handkerchief, I will let your face be the cover of the official gazette. You should be thankful that today is my child¡¯s birthday, and be grateful that my child has such a kind personality.¡± You have to be very, very grateful. With these words, Elisha left Mrs. Suar¨¦ and the maid she had attached to help her and went out. Marie quickly caught up behind Elisha, and the maids went back and forth without a sound, and as the morning dawned they scattered to do what they had to do. ¡°M- Madam. What now?¡± When the maid touched Mrs. Suar¨¦, who seemed to have gone mad, Mrs. Suar¨¦ stood up in shock. The handkerchief that covered her face, smeared with her blood, fell to the floor. Mrs. Suar¨¦ didn¡¯t even look at it, and she frantically packed her belongings at once. The maid, who was still looking at her, recalled the eyes of the 2nd Empress, and without even realizing it, began to help her with packing. ¡°Marie.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Attach some people. To avoid troublesome things.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± In the Palace of the 2nd Empress, where there is no separate taxation, money was needed to hire people. Marie replied a little late as she remembered the poor financial situation of the 2nd Palace. Elisha, who was ahead, stopped walking. Marie bowed her head, wondering if her answer had offended the empress. ¡°I know you are suffering. I will increase the finances of the palace soon,¡± said Elisha. In the past, Elisha thought that Marie was a mere maid, and had never cared much about her. But looking back, it was Marie who knew the overall flow of the 2nd Empress¡¯s Palace. If Elisha had given Mrs. Suar¨¦ full authority over Leon and had not drawn a line with Marie, she wouldn¡¯t have known what had happened in the 2nd Palace. Never once did Elisha think in her mind that Marie would have ignored Leon¡¯s abuse had she known about it. Aside from the fact that she thought she had no special abilities, Marie¡¯s credibility was already proven by the trajectory she drew in her past life. And Elisha now is different from back then. She gave a very high score to Marie¡¯s sincerity and stubbornness as a maidservant who was willing to do whatever it takes to do her job even if she did not give her allegiance. ¡°If we can afford it, you can do whatever you want in this palace, and decorate it to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Since there is no Mrs. Suar¨¦ in the future, Marie, you have to take care of the prince. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Me? Since there were problems with Mrs. Suar¨¦, a new nanny should be called as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, you. What is the role of a maidservant? Isn¡¯t it to take care of the owner so that they can stay in the palace in peace? Rather than offering any compensation, it would be best to raise Marie¡¯s position as the chief of the maidservants. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Only after hearing Marie¡¯s confirmation did Elisha proceed and head back to the central building. *** Before the banquet started, there were many things to prepare. ¡°Hahaha, congratulations.¡± ¡°Thank you for inviting me!¡± As the name suggests, the Silver Hall, the third largest hall in the Imperial Palace Barossa, glistened everywhere as if it had been melted and painted with silver. It is quite inferior to the Platinum Hall, which is considered the first in Barossa, and the Golden Hall, which is second. But it is comparable to the banquet halls of any large aristocratic family. Elisha, who had almost no personal taste, was actually reluctant to use the Silver Hall. It was because the light that filled the hall was the same color as Elisha¡¯s hair, so just standing there made it feel like she was a part of the decoration. She felt funny. Therefore, Elisha had wanted to borrow the Platinum Hall or at least the Golden Hall, even though it is no exaggeration to say that those are exclusively used for the Emperor and the Crown Prince only. In the past, the banquet itself did not go well as there were no guests. Hence, this time, Elisha accepted the Silver Hall with ease, and instead focused on the parts that could be easily changed. ¡°Thank you for coming, Earl Morell, Baron Hauser.¡± At Elisha¡¯s greeting, the two men who were facing her nodded their heads. Elisha lightly touched Leon¡¯s shoulder, who was wearing a dark blue kite robe next to her, and Leon opened her mouth, ¡°Thank you for coming. I hope you both have a good time.¡± When Leon spoke confidently, the count and baron also said a few words of kindness and then went inside. The mother and son greeted more and more guests at the entrance. The guests who just arrived and the guests who had gone in were all thinking about the same thing. ¡®Isn¡¯t this Elisha, who was judged not to be a good fit for this gorgeous Barossa, because she has nothing but her beauty? Elisha, who acts frivolously and cannot read situations?¡¯ However, the Elisha they saw today was novel enough to silence all those stories. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Leon?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s looking at you.¡± ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± As she tilted her head, Leon looked up at her with eyes wide open. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s because Mother is so beautiful.¡± Her hair, which had always been left as it is, was braided with a blue silk fabric similar to Leon¡¯s eyes, revealing an elegant, slender, white neckline. The rich silver eyelashes that hung over the sky blue eyes fluttered like a butterfly flapping its wings, curling up instead of stretching out to cast the shadows. Her pale lips were as red as if she was biting a pale pink petal, and her dress, although was not the most luxurious, suited her just fine. Nothing was overdone and it was perfect. If only the appearance had changed, people¡¯s surprise would have ended in surprise. However, Elisha, who had been sitting in the top seat fighting the Emperor Kaiden in the past, also exuded pressure. ¡°Leon is right. You look beautiful today.¡± Chapter 6 Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes flashed toward the young man with red hair and brown eyes. ¡°Marquis Blemir, are you feeling sick somewhere?¡± The wrinkle on Blemir¡¯s forehead grew even deeper at the question that came straight through. Instead of answering, Blemir glanced over Elisha¡¯s shoulder and inside the Silver Hall. He confirmed that the 1st Empress did not attend. The proud fox and no one from her faction was inside. Furthermore, the appearance of the Archmage William with whom the 2nd Empress had been in contact was not noticeable. So, like this, the banquet of the 3rd Prince, which was not much to look at to begin with, looked almost empty and shabby¡­ Blemir expected that the inside would be filled with small people who were not even aware of what kind of situation they were in. It wasn¡¯t. He wondered if the energy he felt before he arrived at the Silver Hall was all but an illusion, but inside, there were quite a number of clever talents and owners of considerable influential families. Although it was unexpected that Blemir¡¯s prediction was wrong, this was not the biggest surprise. What surprised him most was that he was familiar with most faces of the guests who were the close aides of Crown Prince Asensio! The power of the Crown Prince, whose foundation had not yet been laid, should not be exposed like this, nor should it be used in vain. Isn¡¯t this the same as letting the whole world know that the 2nd Empress is completely in control of the Crown Prince? Even though Asensio couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of it, the only weakness that might make the wise Crown Prince lose his balance and get swayed is here again. ¡°Somehow, the Crown Prince was busy doing something secretly for the past week. This must have been plotted by her.¡± Blemir, who had been muttering while looking into the distance, focused and faced Elisha with clear eyes. ¡°Did you seriously ask if I¡¯m feeling sick?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is this what you were aiming for, Your Majesty? Did you want to sit in the position of the Crown Prince¡¯s guardianship? So you did the dirty work you normally wouldn¡¯t do, serving formal banquet, and greeting guests with a dignified look? Judging from your current appearance, it would not be an exaggeration to say that you¡¯re a noblewoman who has been adored by the Imperial Palace all her life. Ha ha!¡± ¡°Last time, Your Majesty the 2nd Empress said that you have nothing to offer even if you take the side of the Crown Prince, but this time, you even dared to use this marquis and the Crown Prince as bait,¡± he added, ¡°This is all your doing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Blemir¡¯s brown eyes were like dried firewood. It had a strange heat that seemed to burn in an instant even if a very small flame fell. At that moment, blue eyes cold enough to put out the unlit fire blocked the gap between Blemir and Elisha. ¡°Marquis, stop it. This is not the intention of the 2nd Empress. Can¡¯t I do this to celebrate my only brother¡¯s birthday? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s harsh if I don¡¯t deserve even the luxury of living with everything else?¡± The coldness within the blue eyes subsided gently and the eyebrows curved pitifully. Just as the Crown Prince was weak against the pair of mother and son of the 2nd Palace, so was Blemir against the prince. Although he looked exactly like the blue-eyed and black-haired emperor, Blemir was oftentimes dazzled by Asensio¡¯s expression that resembled that of his sister. Eventually, as Blemir took a step back with his lips clenched, Elisha let out a sigh as the tense atmosphere loosened. There were three children in front of her. And the eldest of them was the strongest, but also the most disobedient troublemaker. If it was like before, she wouldn¡¯t have been interested in maintaining this relationship, and would have cut it off as soon as she thought it was out of sync. Elisha stared at the pair of blue eyes that were looking up at her worriedly, perhaps because they heard her sigh. She didn¡¯t want to disappoint these kids. ¡°Marquis Blemir, don¡¯t get angry easily. Even if you¡¯re angry, you have to keep it inside, else people will think they can do things that angers you, as you will let it go once they calm you down somehow. In the end, it won¡¯t be Marquis who gets hurt by maintaining this attitude.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand gently stroked the Crown Prince¡¯s head before she stopped speaking. Blemir was biting his lower lip when he noticed the blue bruise on the upper wrist of her see-through white lace glove. ¡°Are you treating me like an idiot because I quickly let go of my anger?¡± ¡°Not the latter, but the former, yes. Remember what I said before? Always leave room for anything. This time, it¡¯s this banquet. This banquet has just begun, so why does Marquis already assume the end? It would not be too late to criticize the case after the banquet ends.¡± Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes were always still. Even most prosecutors bow their heads in front of him, looking like they would break upon being touched. How can a delicate woman be so calm? Blemir thought that the best armor the 2nd Empress had was not her beautiful appearance or dress, but her blue eyes. Perhaps Blemir was wrong. The 2nd Empress didn¡¯t need any more time to endure. Elisha leaned her upper body slightly and naturally approached Blemir. ¡°Please enjoy the banquet celebrating Leon for now. The long-awaited guests will arrive soon, and then Marquis, too, will have to choose. As for me, I have already made my decision.¡± The faint whisper faded away again. *** The guests who had come first glanced at Marquis Blemir over and over again. One cannot help but notice that almost all of them followed the Crown Prince¡¯s advice without Marquis Blemir¡¯s knowledge. There are those who are commanded to pay allegiance to the Crown Prince, but about half of them protested against Marquis Blemir¡¯s influence on the Crown Prince so much that they would have joined forces to spread the rift between the two. Knowing that Marquis Blemir was the source of the power that brought them together, it was the nobles¡¯ habit to sharpen their blades in order to somehow gain an edge. It was the Crown Prince who melted the atmosphere of the banquet hall that was likely to freeze. When the Crown Prince came forward, consciously or not, a smile appeared on everyone¡¯s face. In addition, despite the low amount of the dishes being served, and even with the fact that they were not of the highest quality, food made with fresh ingredients and exquisite recipes tailored to the noble taste was always good¡­ The alcohol prepared was also moderate in quality, but it was the best and most suitable for them, thus, many people were impressed. All of this was Elisha¡¯s work. The heightened sight and diverse knowledge accumulated from her experiences when sitting in high position for a long time in the past have been effective. However, since there were more people invited by the Crown Prince than expected, it seemed that preparations might not be enough. ¡°Will we be short on food?¡± Elisha took a rough guess and then shook her head. Probably not. ¡°Your Highness, please come this way!¡± Marquis Blemir hurriedly called the Crown Prince, who had been wrapped around the nobles while holding one hand with Leon, to somewhere. Seeing this, Elisha straightened her back and headed towards the entrance. Shortly thereafter, a black shadow appeared at the entrance, marking the appearance of a new guest. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Elisha bowed her head slightly to William, who had turned the hood he had been wearing to cover his face. William, aged with the handsome face of his youth, glanced up and down his pupil. An indifferent look, an expression that makes one not know what he is thinking. ¡°Even though you became an empress, nothing has changed. Oh, that¡¯s not true, right? You¡¯ve learned to decorate quite a bit. In fact, that way, you, who lost your magic, will be able to receive the emperor¡¯s gaze once more. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± William scolded Elisha, even though he had lowered his voice, it was still enough to be heard. How useless. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you really think that way, you wouldn¡¯t have come all the way here, Master.¡± Doing it in this way too, showing up late just to annoy people. With a wrinkle around his eyes, William glared at Elisha. Even without him saying a word, her stomach was turned upside down. ¡°Give me the proof first. Let¡¯s hear what you want to exchange it for.¡± ¡°No matter how busy you are, when you come to a banquet, you have to say hello to the others. The Crown Prince is there too.¡± Elisha pointed inward, and another group appeared behind the elders and disciples of the tower who had accompanied William. The entrance quickly got crowded. Judging from the fact that the elders and disciples in the tower were obediently stepping out of the way and giving way to them, their status is not unusual. ¡°The 1st Empress and the 2nd Prince are here.¡± Elisha greeted those who appeared. A typical beautiful woman with bright blonde hair and green eyes and an arrogant-looking boy approached her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the 3rd Prince¡¯s 6th birthday? Naturally I have to take part in it, right?¡± Elisha nodded as Isabelle said, twisting her red-painted lips. ¡°Of course.¡± At the cryptic reply, Isabelle¡¯s eyes widened and then sunk. Elisha didn¡¯t really care. A large number of the Crown Prince faction and key figures from the Western Tower rushed through the portal to attend this banquet. No matter what she does, she¡¯ll be as vicious as she can. But for now, there was nothing wrong with her line that did not give any criticism. Because now was not the right time for them. Of course, even more so for Elisha. Elisha led the two groups of approaching guests to the center of the hall. She didn¡¯t forget to pass what she had prepared to William. The musical instruments that were played deep in the Silver Hall died down, and all those who had come first were watching the new people. Elisha looked around. This place, which had been empty when she had tried so hard to fill it in the past, was rather full now that she was trying to empty it. It¡¯s a pity that not everyone came to celebrate Leon¡¯s birthday. But one day, only those people will fill the Golden Hall. And maybe they could go to the Platinum Hall to celebrate the coronation of her second child. [By second child here she meant the Crown Prince, ya.] So, let¡¯s get started now. Everyone will lose their appetite, so there will never be a shortage of food. ¡°Thank you to everyone who came here today. I am especially grateful to Master who made it to the portal and arrived before the banquet was over despite the fact that there was a big problem.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on William, who couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the paper in his hand. William was stunned, and his response was slow. By the time he started to gasp, Elisha had already captured the public¡¯s attention. ¡°My master is still a little nervous because he has left his work in order to come here. Please understand. Still, he is the kind of person who loves my child so much that he insists that he cannot miss out on becoming a ¡®godfather¡¯ for the first time. I¡¯m truly happy.¡± Those who filled the Silver Hall did not immediately understand the meaning of what they were hearing. Elisha added it so casually, so they thought it was just a greeting that didn¡¯t matter. Those who were simply nodding, saying yes, stopped their movements abruptly and opened their mouths. Godfather! It was also declared on the day of the prince¡¯s 6th birthday! The meaning was even clearer since this is the 3rd Prince who has no maternal family. The elders of the Western Tower hurriedly confirm to their Tower Lord. ¡°Is this true?¡± As they approached, William, who was putting what he had been looking at in his arms to his pocket, heard their question and widened his eyes. William¡¯s eyes were trembling, while Elisha smirked at him. She knew William certainly had seen it. ¡®8th-Class Master.¡¯ The magic formula he just read was great, but did she even find a clue that might lead William to the 8th-Class, his lifelong dream? The immediate desire was so great that any doubts were ignored. After checking the content of the paper, William did not deny Elisha¡¯s remarks, thinking that even if it was false, she would eventually pay the price. This was the moment when the 3rd Prince, Leon, who had been pushed out of power, became closely related to the head of the Western aristocratic faction and was given the background of one of the most influential figures, Archmage William of the Western Tower. Chapter 7 Even in the midst of silence, Elisha was unperturbed. Elisha was also like that when both enemies and allies looked at her with tired eyes on the battlefield strewn with blood and corpses. However, even such indifference quickly collapses under the small shadow that rushes in front of her. ¡°Mother!¡± When Leon, whose face was hardened, approached, Elisha leaned over and kissed the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°Are you okay, Mother?¡± The child asked. To him, the atmosphere the moment before was putting pressure on his mother, He didn¡¯t know that it was actually the opposite. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m okay.¡± Elisha answered and called her handmaiden, Marie, who was waiting for her, and handed over Leon¡¯s hand. She whispered something in Leon¡¯s ear before letting Marie take the child out of the banquet hall. After seeing that the child had left, Elisha turned and walked towards Marquis Blemir in the corner. On the way, Elisha gently stretched out her hand to pick up a glass filled with red wine from the silver platter supported by a servant. During the course of the series, none of the multitudes gathered in the banquet hall disturbed Elisha. As if they had to, they just stared blankly and waited for Elisha¡¯s next action. Marquis Blemir and Asensio¡¯s seats were quite far from the crowd. Asensio¡¯s complexion was pale, while on the other hand, Marquis Blemir¡¯s expression was distorted. This was all natural. The present-day Atien Empire was divided equally between the powerful master, the Emperor, and the three pillars supporting him, the Eastern and Western aristocrats, and the Centrist aristocrats belonging to the middle class who held equal shares of power. The Crown Prince faction was the youngest and weakest of them all. It was a mixed force of newly appointed lower and middle class nobles, a part of the Centrist, and a part of the Imperial faction. They weren¡¯t small enough to the point one could ignore them, but they weren¡¯t enough to support the Crown Prince. It was small, but infinite in that it could make one look forward to the future. The Crown Prince¡¯s position itself was the power to promise the next generation, not the present. This is the reason why the emperor and other aristocratic factions merely watched and neglected the Crown Prince faction. However, in the current situation where no one is unaware of the Crown Prince¡¯s deep affection for the 2nd Empress¡¯s Palace, the 2nd Empress has put forward the Western Tower, which is associated with the Western aristocratic faction, behind him. If the 2nd Empress had only gotten a little help from her old relationship with her teacher, William, or needed to pay a price to borrow his name, that is, a mutually beneficial relationship, there would have been no problem, as the 2nd Empress Palace would at most be recognized as a fairly usable hand, and most people would not try to use such a 2nd Empress. However, the solidarity with the firm justification of ¡®godfather¡¯ was too solid and strong. Moreover, a large number of the Crown Prince¡¯s supporters had witnessed such an important event. Western nobility, led by the Western Tower, reached out to the Crown Prince faction using the 2nd Empress as a medium, and the Crown Prince is bound to be suspected of being willing to take it. It meant the destruction of a stable distribution of forces, and at the same time is a threat to all other forces. And it will eventually be seen as a threat from the Crown Prince and the 2nd Empress Palace. Unlike the 2nd Empress Palace, where they could take risks because they have nothing to lose, the Crown Prince faction may need to take this matter seriously. No, in the first place, isn¡¯t this a situation that the Crown Prince never wanted? It is not strange to show hostility towards the one who is trying to sway and initiate the first strike. In particular, the person in front of her right now was the Sword Master, who was famous for his hasty personality. But even though his brown eyes were shaking greatly, he was still waiting. Elisha¡¯s eyes narrowed. He had been wrong once, but she thought he would do well this time around. She didn¡¯t hate smart kids. ¡°Now is the time to choose, Marquis.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to summon something so dangerous only to drive the fox out, isn¡¯t it, Your Majesty the 2nd Empress?¡± There will be attacks from the 1st Empress and the Eastern nobles who support the 1st Empress, but if they endure it, the Crown Prince will one day become the emperor. There is no immediate danger, but there is no guarantee that the existing Crown Prince¡¯s supporters will accept the stronger Western force, as it will waste their efforts up to this point only to lose their prey. If the Crown Prince is also caught in the footsteps of the Western nobles, the road to becoming the emperor may be smooth, but in the end, he will be shackled and it will be difficult to properly manage state affairs, as he vomits more than he received. ¡°What makes you so sure? Our enemy is the fox.¡± Elisha gently shook the red wine in her glass and lifted it up slowly. Blemir¡¯s eyes followed the trajectory of Elisha¡¯s movement. The place where the glass stopped was in front of Blemir. So now the glass is placed in between Elisha and Blemir. ¡°Who says that? Our enemy is a lion,¡± said Blemir, as he put his hand to the glass that was held out in front of him. ¡°That is, if the Centrist doesn¡¯t move first.¡± ¡°You can work with your enemy, but you can never be friends with a bystander.¡± ¡°Marquis, our enemy is not so bad that we can contend with them by hiding behind gentle masks like cowards.¡± ¡°If the 2nd Empress is talking about the real enemy, then yes, it must be true.¡± ¡°Yes. The demigod of Atien who sits on that high and radiant throne looking down on the world. The owner and the glory of Atien. He will not allow the Crown Prince¡¯s era.¡± Clang! Blemir put strength into his hand, and the glass between them broke. Red wine splashed all over the place. ¡°Hiiiyy!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are they fighting?¡± The people who were watching were surprised and the sound of them holding their breath could be heard. Thanks to the Sword Master Blemir blocking the surrounding air, making a sound-proof space around just the 3 of them, the sound did not leak out, so the people outside the space were speculating about what was happening. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Blemir, who was about to take a hasty step closer to Elisha, stopped. The sound in his ears rang slowly. ¡°Choose, Marquis. Not the Western Tower or the Western aristocrats, but ¡®me¡¯. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of this matter so that no rumors arise.¡± ¡°If we all leave, how will Your Majesty deal with them?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I will never try to use the Crown Prince to deal with them. The bait that you throw at them will come right away.¡± Blemir reached out and grabbed Elisha¡¯s wrist. ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°More than Marquis Blemir knows. So, if you choose me, leave the Crown Prince behind. The nobles of the Crown Prince faction would become more wary of the Western Tower and nobility than feeling jealousy towards Marquis Blemir. So, please calm them down and take them away for now.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not dogs. Would they move just because I soothe and drag them out? At least half of the Crown Prince faction are those who sincerely follow His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± At his sharp tone, Elisha responded bluntly. ¡°Pacify them. The Crown Prince, who is hungry for a mother figure, has made a wrong decision for a while and is playing with the 2nd Empress, but he will come to his senses soon. Be prepared so that he will not be disappointed when he returns. Drag them out. Say that if they don¡¯t correct this now, the Crown Prince may continue to be shaken by the 2nd Empress.¡± ¡°¡­Why would you go so far?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t this create internal strife in the Crown Prince faction, and can arouse the judgement that the Prince¡¯s safety is no longer a weakness for Marquis? First, we have to convince them of your position. Build your power in the meantime until it is strong enough that no one can tamper with it!¡± As soon as those words were finished, Elisha placed Blemir¡¯s hand on top of her wrist, then slowly pushed it away. No one other than the emperor was allowed to touch the empress¡¯ body. From the outside it looked as if there was no contact between the two. As Blemir¡¯s hand slid, the glove that Elisha was wearing also came off backwards. ¡°In the meantime, I will protect His Highness the Crown Prince wearing the brilliance of the Western Tower. So, if you choose me, you can turn around in peace.¡± The glove, which had left Elisha¡¯s fingertips, was handed over to Blemir as he crumpled it in his hand. As for how to believe this collaboration, it¡¯s as the 2nd Empress herself had said, his and the Crown Prince¡¯s circumstances were unfavorable. It¡¯s hard to doubt that the emperor was really trying to abandon the Crown Prince. As he already had a history on this subject. So even if the 2nd Empress did not mention it, this was also something that Blemir always had in mind. When Blemir asked why she had to do this, it wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t understand what the 2nd Empress was saying. ¡®2nd Empress, why do you have to do this?¡¯ In fact, Blemir already knew the answer. Whether to believe it or not is up to him. No. Even that is not fully up to Blemir. He can make a choice. But it is the cause, not the sword, that ultimately decides. ¡°Your Highness, what do you want to do?¡± Blemir asked Crown Prince Asensio, who had seen the beginning and the end of all this. Both the Crown Prince and Blemir had an intuition that there was nothing good about continuing to be swayed by the emperor. A breakthrough was needed, and now is the chance! ¡°I believe in the 2nd Empress.¡± Crown Prince Asensio chose for them. He was very quick and concise, one might say it was unexpected or as expected. He knew what the consequences would be. Blemir glanced at the people filling the banquet hall. People of the Crown Prince faction, a major figure of the Western Tower, several Eastern nobles and ladies belonging to the 1st Empress faction. There had never been a banquet where everyone from every faction gathered like this in recent years. It was absurd to think that it was a concoction of the 2nd Empress, who until just recently had been considered nothing. The Sword Master, Blemir himself, was pushed into a corner and forced to make a choice. What more needs to be said? All of this was because of this woman standing in front, speaking of her resourcefulness. She seemed to be well qualified. Too much so. Whatever the ending, it is enough to make one look forward to it! As Blemir tightened his hand, red blood seeped out of Elisha¡¯s white glove. Plop. Plop. And wet the floor. Then there was a footprint over the red liquid drops. As Blemir passed by Elisha. A red shadow was torn and embedded in the direction he was walking. Paang! The air that had been blocked was broken at once, and the halted wind blew once again. Only Archmage William, who was sensitive to the movement of mana, tilted his head. Others simply felt that the frustrating atmosphere was getting worse. Between those sighs, Blemir crossed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Blemir stared at Earl Morell and Baron Hauser. ¡°The Crown Prince¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t you usually have a lot of stories to share? The Crown Prince wants to be with the 2nd Empress, so let¡¯s do what¡¯s comfortable for everyone.¡± As Marquis Blemir spoke with a blue face, the nobles of the Crown Prince faction turned to Asensio in bewilderment. Instead of replying to their gazes, Asensio clung to Elisha and greeted William of the Western Tower. ¡®Even if my choice and the Crown Prince¡¯s decision were proven wrong later, I, as a sword master, should have the ability to undo it somehow.¡¯ As the crowd disappeared and the people from the Western Tower moved to the center of the hall, the 1st Empress Isabelle raised one eyebrow. Naturally, when she came, everyone paid attention to her, so she thought if she paid attention to those who approached her, she would be able to find what was strange about this banquet. However, as of this moment, Isabelle, who should always be the center of everyone, was standing on the periphery, and that silver-haired, rustic girl was receiving all the attention instead! Feeling unbearable, Isabelle bit her thick, red lower lip with her upper teeth. Something ominous seemed to be happening somewhere she couldn¡¯t see. Chapter 8 - After the Banquet After the Banquet The end of the heated banquet was boring. Elisha had accomplished most of what she wanted, so it didn¡¯t matter to her, but the expressions of those people who were leaving the banquet hall were mostly not good. Among them, there were some who acted particularly harshly and stared at Elisha as if they were going to eat her, but she didn¡¯t care. Only the Archmage William, who still had something to discuss with her, informed that he would see her again tomorrow, so Elisha took the prince and left the banquet hall. Hearing that Leon would be waiting for him, Asensio did not return to his palace, but headed to the 2nd Empress Palace with Elisha. There would be a second banquet in the small drawing room of the annex for Leon, who had just woken up from his nap to the sound of Elisha and Asensio. According to Elisha¡¯s opinion, the second banquet would only have hosts and no outer guests. Even Marie had a seat, so there were four people in total. However, as soon as something that Elisha had prepared appeared, the shabby banquet turned into a huge one. The two brothers, who are precocious for their age, widened their eyes, and the maidservant, who was faithful to her duty and rarely showed emotions, avoided her gaze. As much as she was a wizard, Elisha, whose life had always been close to books, was quite obsessed with child education and parenting books to become a good mother after her return. It was common among commoners to have a handmade cake for a child¡¯s birthday, but this idea fascinated Elisha. As the banquet for the 3rd Prince was already held, she still wanted to create the ordinary happiness of a six-year-old child¡¯s birthday that most children in the world would have enjoyed. However, what Elisha overlooked was that cooking was not simply about learning, but related to the dimension of sense. Just like rearranging mana to form magic, cooking was a creative realm that re-established the unit of ingredients that had been divided into several flavors to create a whole new one. It wasn¡¯t that Elisha thought she didn¡¯t do it right. Elisha just came up with a completely different result even with the same learning material as others. This is the variable that the Archmage William gave praise to Elisha because it was the power that allowed her to go beyond ordinary wizards and challenge herself to a new level. Sadly, it didn¡¯t seem to work in cooking. Nevertheless, the reason that this cake appeared in the world was due to the self-evaluation of whether it could earn a high score from the peculiarity of the shape and scent, not the taste that could not be eaten at least in Elisha¡¯s mouth. In fact, following the possibility of something uncertain was a bit far from what Elisha would usually do, but it would be right to say that her desire to see the children eating and liking what she made has overtaken other things. It was only after the two young brothers, who looked moved with emotion, and Marie, who had a dull expression on her face, transformed their expression into a strange face that was neither crying nor smiling, that Elisha had to admit that she was being too greedy. Elisha, who was trying to rebuke herself and swearing that she would not be arrogant, held out the fork in her hand. The cake on the fork was topped with bright and pretty blue cream made by mixing blueberry juice that reminded Elisha of the children¡¯s eyes. Elisha opened her mouth. The three people¡¯s eyes lit up as Elisha munched the cake that had slipped into her mouth. They were taken aback when Elisha casually ate the cake. They took another bite of the cake with their forks, saved for Marie, and wrinkled their noses. The two brothers looked at each other and tilted their heads, then suddenly, Crown Prince Asensio burst into laughter. Asensio picked up the silver platter in front of him, faced it towards Leon, and pointed to his tongue. Leon¡¯s eyes widened, then smiled wildly, and this time he pointed the silver platter in front of him to Asensio. Maybe it¡¯s the blue cream or the dark, muddy cake buried in the cream. Their tongues were all bluish. Asensio looked at his reflection again and laughed, then looked at Elisha. Leon also looked at Elisha. Elisha was perplexed by the dazzling look in their eyes that looked like they were expecting something, but she stayed still because she didn¡¯t know what to do. Then soon¡­ Ah! She opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out. The children laughed. ¡®I made them laugh!¡¯ For a moment, Elisha felt something warm from the depths of her chest which swelled up and filled her whole body. ¡®Something tickles¡­ It¡¯s exciting.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know how to express this, but she wanted to keep making the children laugh like that. Elisha, who was good at putting things into practice, immediately turned to Marie. Marie, who was quick-witted but didn¡¯t know how to start, tried to pretend she didn¡¯t know what to do, but could not ignore the Crown Prince and the 3rd Prince, who were staring at her after they finished staring at Elisha. So, Marie joined their antics with a sigh¡­ The children burst into laughter again, and Elisha narrowed her eyes, feeling completely relieved, ¡®So, can you have more fun with bad results?¡¯ It was truly a miracle for Elisha. *** ¡°Hooam¡­¡± Leon shook his head and said that he would walk on his own feet, but fell asleep quickly after being lifted up. He must be tired. Because it was a very busy birthday. ¡°Even on his birthday, he takes care of me until the end. He¡¯s a good kid. I¡¯m always grateful for it.¡± Asensio, who was walking next to Elisha, said. Leon, who was worried about his brother having to return to the lonely palace alone, visited him and insisted on coming back only after the lights in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace were turned on and the warmth was gone¡­ Asensio had allowed it, so Elisha had followed him. ¡°The Crown Prince is also a good child.¡± ¡°Well, thank you just for the words. But, how old am I to still be called a child.¡± He replied with a smile that was as bright as the day, and Elisha looked back at him, stopping her steps. This boy, who was tall enough to reach her shoulder, was born to become an adult. He couldn¡¯t be a child, and he shouldn¡¯t be a child. But then, what happened? In the end died without ever being a child. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± As his pale blue eyes turned to me, Elisha¡¯s breath was caught. ¡°The aftermath of what happened in the Silver Hall today will begin tomorrow. Your Highness the Crown Prince will be placed in the midst of a great turbulence. You must be prepared, but I will ask you again. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s alright. However, I¡¯m more worried that Marquis Blemir will make a fuss about how we were still in the mood to hold a small banquet at the 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace a little while ago. Haha!¡± Asensio, who answered, glanced at Leon on Elisha¡¯s back and stepped forward first. Elisha followed Asensio. As they stood in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, Asensio greeted her, saying that this was as far as he could go to send them off. When Elisha did not leave after being greeted, Asensio asked. ¡°Does the 2nd Empress have anything more to say?¡± Elisha nodded her head. ¡°In order to prepare for the various situations to come, I have an earnest request to the Crown Prince.¡± A request. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Asensio lightly bit the inside of his mouth. And forced himself to smile. ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°From now on, the Crown Prince will have to do something really difficult, something that has never been done before. If successful, it will lower the vigilance of those who are watching us and give Marquis Blemir enough time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready. The 2nd Empress takes great care of me, so of course I have to do it well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad. Then do as I say, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Asensio, who was puzzled not knowing what she meant, clenched his lips at Elisha¡¯s subsequent words. ¡°When you¡¯re not okay, and when it¡¯s hard, please try.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Try to ask me to stroke your head, or ask me to lift you up if your legs hurt.¡± ¡°2nd Empress, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°What the Crown Prince will do in the future is to play with Leon and lean on me like a child. I will listen to your childishness to the fullest extent and spoil you. Only then will I hand you to Marquis Blemir.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness isn¡¯t young, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve come of age, right? You haven¡¯t put in a lot of effort in the past, and you won¡¯t get lost even if you follow your heart for a while.¡± Elisha sent a calm gaze to Asensio. Asensio had a very strange experience today. The 2nd Empress, whom everyone met in the Silver Hall, presided over the situation like the strongest and most arrogant queen in the world¡­ ¡­was like a sweet but clumsy mother, bringing homemade cake from her 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace and clasping her hands while awaiting their evaluation. And now. The 2nd Empress in front of him was as wise as a sage who knew all the secrets of the world, and she seemed like a strong adult who wanted to hide him behind her back from all the dangers of the world. For the first time, Asensio saw the image of an adult trying to protect him, a child, rather than a knight trying to protect him, a prince. How dazzling is this version of the 2nd Empress, to whom Asensio also clung to, who is said to be no different from flowers without fragrance because they¡¯re nothing except for being beautiful, and is like a doll without emotion. In the Silver Hall, Blemir said that if Elisha was hiding something, she would definitely show it around this time after the party. The turning point has arrived. ¡°Then¡­¡± Asensio hesitated. Elisha waited patiently for what this sweet and upright prince would say for the first time in her life. Then the words flowed out. ¡°Bake me a cake for my next birthday, and let¡¯s all sit around and eat like today.¡± ¡®Ah¡­ He is also a lonely child.¡¯ Elisha opened her mouth, while the corners of her trembling eyes were slightly bent. ¡°This is only natural. Think about it a little more, Your Highness. Something that you really want to do. This is a ¡®promise¡¯.¡± As Elisha did to Leon, she gently stroked Asensio¡¯s hair. Elisha¡¯s fingertips were damp, as if it was too much to carry even a small six-year-old child on her back. Asensio seemed to have something more to say, but when he saw Elisha¡¯s condition, he pushed her back, telling her to go and rest. Elisha turned around and went back to the 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace. When she returned to her palace, Elisa laid Leon on his bed in the annex, and then she entered the central building where her residence was. Inside, Marie was waiting for Elisha. When Elisha was taking off her dress in front of the bathroom, she said that after Marie had finished removing her makeup and helping her bathe, she wanted to be left alone. Elisha opened the bedroom door and entered. She sat straight down on the edge of the bed. It was a really long and tiring day. ¡®But, wasn¡¯t that a lot of fun?¡¯ Elisha, who was leaning her back in a sitting position, felt a throb in her wrist and lifted it up in front of her. Marquis Blemir¡¯s handprints were clearly seen on the spot where she was bruised from his violent behavior in the morning. In the past, opinions were divided about the death of Marquis Blemir. The sword master was chasing down the rebels who escaped to an empty mana stone mine when the mine collapsed and killed him¡­ But there weren¡¯t only one or two strange things. Elisha¡¯s, who was thinking about the past, eyelids slowly closed. In the darkness inside her eyelids, the evil spirits of the past were going crazy again, but Elisha gladly intervened among them and danced the blood dance with them. She herself was fine. Because when she opened her eyes, there would be Leon and Asensio. Therefore¡­ Elisha¡¯s consciousness sunk deep, with one of her hands resting around her heart. She sat a little longer. ¡®This nightmare is for you.¡¯ Chapter 9 - After the Banquet (1) After the Banquet (1) In the morning, Elisha was greeted by Leon and went straight to Famian¡¯s Garden, a first-class accommodation where guests of the palace stayed. If one really came here purely as Elisha¡¯s guest, they¡¯d probably only barely get permission to use the third-class accommodation, Ladolin¡¯s Lake. However, William, the owner of the Western Tower, was itself a major figure with authority within Atien. Thus, he had good reason to deserve the respect of the Imperial Palace Barossa. Elisha entered the garden, which was so luxurious that it could not be compared to the 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace, and headed toward the long, single-story building in a semicircle shape that encircled the garden from the outside. Wizards were waiting at the entrance. Elisha was guided by them and went to William¡¯s place. She stepped through the door opened by one of the guiding wizards. Famian¡¯s Garden accommodation was built with a living room and two bedrooms¡­ William was staring intently at the piece of paper in his hand in the middle of the living room, which was directly connected to the door to the hallway. The men who guided Elisha closed the door without any notice and disappeared, leaving only William and Elisha in the room. William did not give Elisha a single glance and continued to do whatever he was doing. But silence was not a means of pressuring Elisha. Being left unattended is something Elisha is used to, and Elisha is very good at waiting. There were times when she was locked in a box and spent her time staring blankly at the darkness until someone took her out as they wanted. How hard is it to show patience to get what you want? It¡¯s bittersweet. It doesn¡¯t mean that Elisha liked it or hated it. For Elisha, who was always hungry, even bitter taste was good. Elisha sat still and stood up when it was time. It was William whose expression became gloomier in the silence. William looked away from the first sheet of paper he was holding and looked at Elisha, but Elisha merely stared in the direction she had come in as if she had no interest in him. It was only when Elisha placed her hand on the doorknob that William¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Can you go just like that? Surely there must be something you want?¡± ¡°Am I the only one with wants?¡± ¡°I have, too, of course. But I need to add, you¡¯re the one who can¡¯t lose. So, who¡¯s the one in a hurry here?¡± Elisha turned her back to the door. ¡°Is that important?¡± At Elisha¡¯s question, William wrinkled his forehead. So what is more important in negotiating? Elisha asked again as if she didn¡¯t really know, ¡°So, Master, are you that relaxed? Are you not so earnest about your desire after all?¡± Could it be so? But if that had been the case, he wouldn¡¯t have called out to Elisha when she was about to leave the room. ¡°¡­¡± The piece of paper William was holding crumpled up. In the end, no negative words came out of his mouth. Elisha wedged in there. ¡°And the premise was wrong from the start. Why does Master think you have an advantage? There are three towers in the Atien Empire.¡± ¡°¡­ Will they accept you?¡± ¡°Why do you think they won¡¯t accept me? Master also accepted me, whom you hate like an enemy, and I accepted you, because Master is the only one whom I can contact quickly and there is a cause to promote people around you. I didn¡¯t do this solely because it¡¯s Master, but also because of the Western Tower behind you.¡± In fact, if you look at it, that¡¯s just the way it is. The Imperial Palace and Eastern Tower, which are related to the Emperor and the 1st Empress were difficult places to make relations with. However, in the case something unpredictable such as magic related to the 8th-Class appeared as bait¡­ It was not unusual for any variable to occur. As long as the magic is true. That¡¯s why Elisha only brought out the magic formula of the 8th-Class magic, without the magic theory, from the beginning. Showing a prey something too big will only increase suspicion, so one must take it step by step. Let them chew and smell it first to know if it¡¯s real. ¡°You don¡¯t have to doubt me. Why would I use a magic trick that will be revealed right away? Even though I didn¡¯t have time to study at all because I was making magic formulas according to Master¡¯s orders, I still listened to the voice of the Tower¡¯s heir. What would I have done when I lost my magic and mana and was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace? Theory and understanding must be tested in practice, but mana is free. There is still that blue brilliance that shines like a star in my head.¡± Imagination has no limits. Elisha said that and by doing so, she was able to draw a structure and form that was completely different from the previous one. Of course, what she said wasn¡¯t a lie. The results were just different. ¡°Only time will tell. So, what do you want me to do?¡± Jealousy for the genius he couldn¡¯t keep up with, and the naive relief that she was no longer a wizard, scratched William¡¯s ugly heart and his voice cracked. ¡°You were disgusted with the disciple who left the tower. But a lot of time has passed, and when you think about it, you feel pity that the said disciple had to suffer alone in the vast Imperial Palace without a place to lean on, so please be a kind teacher who reached out to me.¡± ¡°Ha! Do you think others will believe it?¡± ¡°As long as Master says it, so what if they don¡¯t believe it? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s written that one¡¯s chest will be cut open and their heart will be taken out upon being found out lying.¡± Elisha, who had said the horrifying story casually, approached her teacher. Then, she took the piece of paper that was in her master¡¯s hand, turned it over, put it down on the table in front of her, and looked for something to use. There was a scribbling sound as the quill moved. As the letters were completely covered by Elisha¡¯s shadow, William, who was looking down at it, frowned, and pressed the edge of the paper with his index finger as soon as Elisha¡¯s hand stopped moving¡­ Ssseuk! And tried to pull the paper towards him. However, it didn¡¯t move in the slightest, because the nib held by Elisha was pressing on the paper on the other side. When William raised his eyes to look at Elisha, Elisha, whose upper body was leaning towards the table, faced him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. This includes the safety of the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°After dividing the Crown Prince faction and His Highness the Crown Prince, you want the Western nobles to intervene?¡± ¡°No. There is a ¡®misunderstanding¡¯ regarding the special relationship between the Western nobility and His Highness the Crown Prince, but there should never be any real relationship with them. Do you get me?¡± No matter how much you wrap it up, there will be muddy situations that cannot be covered¡­ Even so, Elisha did not want to tarnish the noble character of the Crown Prince and Leon as an Imperial family. As long as you don¡¯t really relate to the Western nobility, there will come a day when doubts and misunderstandings will be washed away, no matter what those around you say. ¡°And in exchange, Elisha?¡± ¡°From now on, Master will have all the glory. I am satisfied with being able to protect my children. However, if you don¡¯t reveal your contract with me, there will be a lot of opposition, can you handle it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to me to figure out. I have the power of Marquis Rwanda and Duke Verdin, so I should be able to do it.¡± Elisha nodded her head. William is greedy. It¡¯s a good thing for Elisha. If what Elisha has now is revealed, too many enemies will be created and needed to be kept in check. Hence, it was better to let people guess and judge for themselves. Especially the Emperor, Kaiden. It would be difficult once she gets too much attention from him. Elisha, who had faintly frowned at the thought of his name, withdrew the strength from her hand. When the nib was lifted, the taut sheet of paper slid towards William. Shrek! With a twinkle in his eyes, William raised the paper and read it down roughly and greedily. On that paper was written a new interpretation of the magic theory he had been thinking about. William¡¯s heart was surrounded by seven rings of mana. One mana ring proved one level of magic, and that was the proof that William was a 7th-Class Archmage, equivalent to a Sword Master, the title given to the strongest in swordsmanship. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Something that was either a moan or a groan flowed from William¡¯s teeth. It means that he had caught on some clues. She thought it might be a bit overwhelming for the current William, but still. Elisha nodded inwardly. The reason William took away the achievements of the highly qualified pupils that he accepted was because he himself had no particular interest in magic formulas that are closely related to the use of magic¡­ As his understanding of it was low compared to magic theories. As a matter of fact, as an archmage, outstanding achievements should continue to be announced. However, William, who had no interest in magic theory, had not achieved anything visible regarding the magic that will play a major role to reach the 8th circle. Therefore, what Elisha had written on this paper was a shortcut for William, who did not want to waste time elsewhere over his life¡¯s long-cherised desire. The understanding of the nature and flow of mana, the talent that made William an Archmage, was one of the best on the continent. Elisha, who watched William¡¯s face fill with joy, silently counted backwards. Ten. Nine. Eight. Tuk, Trutukk! As the number was silently recounted, the rain of mana fell on William¡¯s head. The liquid was overflowing as it tried to push him over the wall that was blocking him. The world beyond the wall that he so desperately wanted. Is he finally reaching a different dimension? A handful of enlightenment, a new path of mana! It was a small clue, but the fate that comes out of it will never be the same! Because this is the only obstruction, making many genius swordsmen and wizards on the continent wither into losers. The ones who have achieved it in time will shine and sit on a glorious throne regardless of the nobility of blood! Three. A little bit more! Two. Just a little bit more! William¡¯s, who was constantly scanning the letters from left to right, lips twitched, and suddenly! ¡°Cough!¡± He vomited blood and his torso leaned forward¡­ He looked at the paper on the table and turned his head, startled. ¡°Woogh!¡± Blood spilled onto the floor next to the table. William wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and shot his gaze at Elisha as if to kill her. Elisha was not surprised at all as if she had known the outcome from the beginning. ¡°Why¡­ are you doing this! How dare you, dare to deceive me¡­!¡± ¡°When did I deceive Master?¡± ¡°If you did not, then what is this?¡± William lifted the paper from the table and showed it to Elisha. ¡°Does my theory seem fake or ineffective?¡± ¡°Does it not?! Why are there only half theories! I lost my pulse at the most important moment! The most important moment of my life!¡± Elisha interrupted William¡¯s excited words. ¡°Master, who in the world is going to make a contract and pay the balance all at once?¡± ¡°¡­ What are you saying?¡± ¡°Am I not right? I have clearly shown my hand: a magic formula that can make the wizards of the tower praise you, and a magic theory, which is a clue that will help you get to the 8th-Class. But, what has Master given me? Are you not going to show me that I can trust you first?¡± ¡°¡­ And what if you don¡¯t give it to me in the end?¡± ¡°If that happens, Master will surely rush to death with me, but I won¡¯t put my children in such a risk. As long as there is a guarantee that my two children will be safe even without the protection of the Western Tower, then I will definitely fulfill the contract.¡± ¡°Will that day ever come?¡± Elisha, who had given her teacher a glance of what she had, raised the corners of her lips vaguely for the first time. ¡°So, there. Please pay the price. Actually, isn¡¯t your bargain cheaper compared to the 8th circle magic theory? At least that¡¯s what I¡¯m guessing.¡± Not saying it was wrong, William held his breath without bursting into tantrums. Elisha opened the door right away without waiting for her teacher¡¯s answer. And ran out the hallway. It was true that she had sold the clues of reaching the 8th-Class at a low price, but it could not be said to be a loss to Elisha either. It¡¯s an investment for the future when there isn¡¯t much that can be used right now. Moreover, the mana theory was invented by William himself in the past when he was driven to the extreme. It was strange that at least half of it went back to the original owner. ¡°It was a very good thing to take down the tower at that time.¡± ¡®Thanks to it, I¡¯ve gained so much, and it¡¯s been so useful up until now, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ In gratitude to her master in the past, who had raised the tower to the fullest, Elisha diligently moved forward. *** ¡°Your Majesty the 1st Empress! The 2nd Empress came out of the Famian¡¯s Garden after meeting the Archmage of the West¡­¡± The maid, who was rushing to report, stopped. It is because the eyes of the 1st Empress who looked back at her were extremely cold. ¡®I just did what I was told, why are you glaring at me?¡¯ Beyond the 1st Empress, a man who was sitting at the table in the garden, caught her eye. ¡°Akh! Y- Your Majesty the Emperor!¡± Then the maid knelt down on her knees and put her forehead on the floor, trembling. ¡°The 2nd Empress. I¡¯ve lived without knowing whether she was alive or dead, but lately I¡¯ve been hearing about her in many places.¡± The mouth of the man sitting at the table opened. A low and clear voice resounded. Even in the calm wind, his fine black hair fluttered lightly on his forehead. Both eyes, as if they were studded with the finest blue gems, narrowed. The maid, whose intrusion was allowed with one gesture, was pardoned with another stroke of his hand. In the garden, which was quiet again, Emperor Kaiden drank tea, while the 1st Empress Isabelle trembled, tightly clasping her hands that were hidden under the table. The sudden visit of the emperor was delightful, but because of that, she hated it so much that the story of the 2nd Empress entered the man¡¯s ears once more. Chapter 10 - Emperor Kaiden (1) Emperor Kaiden (1) It¡¯s been three months since Leon¡¯s birthday. The sun above the Imperial Palace Barossa was as splendid and beautiful as always. However, the shady place under the bright light seems to have never changed. At the very bottom, small changes were starting. The world outside the high wall was still unknown, but the Imperial Palace Barossa was always watching¡­ ¡­the silver-haired woman with history wrapped around her shoulders like a red veil, who was trying to climb up the high wall. ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on you today as well.¡± ¡°Oh, please. This old man is glad he could be of help.¡± Wizard Georg chuckled and answered Elisha. Elisha contacted her master who had returned to the Western Tower and asked him to send someone to help fulfill the contract. In addition to the protection of the 2nd Empress, she needed someone to help her when there was a problem. The reason she didn¡¯t tell him when he was still in Barossa was because she thought that if she did, he would attach some of the people he brought with him and use them as watchdogs. Elisha already had someone in her heart, and that was Georg. Georg was a 5th-Class wizard, and he belonged to the upper ranks who were recognized for their excellent abilities in the Western Magic Tower, but he was nothing more than that. When Elisha, whom William thought would ask for a mix of 6th-Class wizards, gave him only one name, Georg, William had a puzzled expression on his face. Then, as soon as William remembered what kind of person Georg was instead of what class of wizard he was, he immediately understood. Georg was an ordinary good man. There were other people like Georg outside, surely, although not many. 4th-Class wizards were usually treated differently outside, and they spent most of their time alone. Their personality might also turn sensitive due to a series of dangerous research. This combination made someone like Georg¡­ ¡­become even rarer. Elisha added reality to William¡¯s guess by saying that she needs someone to watch over Leon like a grandfather, and also because Georg¡¯s pupil is not too old to be able to live comfortably with children. ¡°¡­Your Majesty the 2nd Empress¡­¡± A skinny little girl was hiding behind her teacher, Georg, with only her face sticking out. Perhaps she was around the same age as Crown Prince Asensio? The cheeks of the girl with pale gray eyes and short, faded blonde hair were full of freckles. The girl pulled something out of her arms and held it out, letting Elisha check it. ¡°This should be fine.¡± At Elisha¡¯s answer, the girl¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she nodded her head vigorously. Elisha went to the table near her and scribbled something down on a new piece of paper. ¡°This one is going to be a little difficult, so I will check it out in three days.¡± Elisha approached the girl and handed her the paper. The girl took the paper carefully, folded it neatly, and tucked it into her arms. Georg watched the sequence with pleasure. He had been reluctant for some time when he heard the orders from the Tower Master to go to the 2nd Empress¡¯ Palace. However, the discussion about magic and mana with the 2nd Empress, which started by chance, made Georg more satisfied with this order than ever before¡­ His disciple, whom he now treated as a granddaughter, who followed him to the palace, blushed as soon as she saw the2nd Empress and followed her around like a chick. Most of the people in the tower were older, and even the rare female wizards were not those who could get along with their disciples. It was perhaps natural for the disciple to be curious about this 2nd Empress and became attracted to her. The disciple was intelligent, and the 2nd Empress was the most talented person in the tower before Georg¡¯s disciple came in. The two surprisingly had a lot in common. And the biggest of them is this. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m here to bid you good morning. Huh? Jillian is here too?¡± The child¡¯s, who normally behave confidently and maturely, eyes twinkled whenever he saw Jillian. Jillian was shy, but didn¡¯t hesitate to hold the child¡¯s hand. ¡°You two look like a real brother and sister.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the corners of Jillian¡¯s lips twitched. ¡®My little brother!¡¯ Jillian grabbed Leon¡¯s little hand with more force, but then slowly withdrew her strength, fearing that he might get hurt. That little girl was another reason why Elisha chose Georg. Jillian would be later spotted by William and would be exploited to create magic formulas in Elisha¡¯s place. This girl was the rightful owner of the magic formula that Elisha had offered William as bait. She is not an enemy, and she has nothing to give Elisha, but Elisha was going to pay the girl a fair price. This is also good for Elisha herself. Isn¡¯t it great luck to be able to have someone who is loved by mana by her side, who is not in full bloom yet, but will bloom dazzlingly soon? Elisha didn¡¯t know what happened to Georg after losing disciple to the Tower Master in the past, but seeing that he cared for her like his own granddaughter, it didn¡¯t seem like he could have been able to lead a comfortable life. Elisha will at least give both of them a better life than being in the West Tower. To do that, one cannot just give or receive. One should work together. And as a part of this collaboration, Elisha shared the memories she knew to both of them. ¡°Mother, Brother said we should have lunch together later.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, does Jillian want to go with us?¡± Since they have seen each other a few times, they¡¯re probably not unfamiliar, but Jillian hesitated before nodding head. *** The Great Throne, which casts the greatest shadow in Barossa, where the sunlight falls. In front of the black shield, two swords with rose vines full of thorns are crossed diagonally. The two gates of the entrance with a large engraved mark unique to the Imperial family are always wide open. It is easy to step into them, but it is hard to get permission. Only the qualified ones could enter the entrance, decorated with 3-meter-wide red carpet that stretched out inward, and the milky white marble staircases that started at the opposite end. Step up the stairs and one will find the only existence of this empire at the top of the stairs. Kaiden de Rappelcia Atien, who had been called the best seed to become an emperor and one who had become the owner of this empire with the blood of his relatives! A throne was laid for him. No one can help but feel the pressure in front of him! On the inside of the roof were golden pillars which are like the spears of gods that fell from the sky, the works of old artists who were one of the first in Atien, worthy of praise and songs. But that alone is not enough. One should shrink even more and throw oneself on the red carpet. And that¡­ ¡­is to worship the only person who can look down on everyone at the end of the gaze they all have to look up to. The sunlight pouring in from the window met his dark hair and shattered into pieces. More light fell along his elegant neckline into the dimpled collarbone, which was barely visible in the collar of the navy blue attire. He was completely beautiful and completely silent. A moment later, the statue-like being from which human energy could not be felt just a moment before, reclaimed his vitality. Although the difference was not noticeable. His lips opened and a low, pleasant voice came out. ¡°Marquis Blemir, how have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯m well, Your Majesty. As ordered, I have returned after eliminating all the monsters in New Halle.¡± ¡°It took longer than expected. It seems like you really liked it, despite the many times you¡¯ve voted against it?¡± At Kaiden¡¯s words, Blemir¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled, but he quickly straightened them out. With his head bowed down and one knee on the red carpet, the emperor might not have been able to see it, but he was also adept at reading people¡¯s thoughts. It would be difficult once he started to nitpick. ¡°It was because of some reasons, but once it has been entrusted, is it not the duty of a knight to deal with it completely?¡± The New Halle Forest Purification was ordered by the emperor before Blemir joined hands with the 2nd Empress. It was difficult to refuse the order, so he met several people in a region where the eyes of the Imperial Palace Barossa and the great aristocrats could not reach. The nobles of the Crown Prince faction were more active than expected and helped him out. They were frantic and surprised at the Silver Hall, but with the addition of Blemir¡¯s threatening tone, later on the opinions were divided and they became noisy for a while. He had been pressing the issue lightly, but believed that there would be another commotion soon. Regarding what the Crown Prince had been doing in the Imperial Palace Barossa, the nobles of the Crown Prince faction all complained to Blemir by using telecommunication magic, saying that the Crown Prince had changed his mind. Fortunately, for now, everyone agreed to do Blemir¡¯s will of not causing a commotion. Blemir had heard the gist of it, but he didn¡¯t know what the real situation was, so he thought of seeing it for himself. No matter how much their relationship had widened on the surface, if he abruptly turned a blind eye, it might seem too deliberate. ¡®Is everything okay?¡¯ Blemir recalled the object in his arms. His brown eyes twinkled. Even in this overbearing space, the brilliance did not die and spread vitality. It was not simply because he is a Sword Master, but because of the unique temperament that Blemir has. ¡°Duke Fontana is disappointing.¡± As Kaiden murmured, Blemir lifted his head. ¡°Yes? What did Your Majesty say?¡± Kaiden looked down at Blemir. He asked as if he really did not hear him. ¡°You must be tired, are you going to leave right away?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to stop by the Imperial Palace for a while.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the prince. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Even though Kaiden had gotten up from the throne, Blemir couldn¡¯t stand up as easily. Because the emperor said that ¡°it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the Crown Prince,¡± when he had never been to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace before. And the emperor also said that he would accompany Blemir. Blemir still couldn¡¯t figure out why, but as the emperor had already stepped down the marble stairs and his foot appeared before him, Blemir had to move. As the emperor left his throne, a man stood behind, as if he had come out of the shadows. It was Rohan, the commander of the 1st Knights Order of the Imperial Palace, with brown hair hanging down from his hard shoulders and eyes of the same color. Blemir hated everything the Emperor had, but Rohan was different. When Blemir bowed his head slightly, Rohan greeted him with his eyes, and then walked while checking at the emperor¡¯s surroundings. *** Around that time, Elisha was in trouble. She went to the Crown Prince Palace and met the prince, then, following Asensio¡¯s suggestion to make their meal feel like a picnic on a fine day, she spread a wide cloth on the lawn near the training grounds and ate lunch on it. It was surprising that Jillian and Asensio, who were supposed to get along well because they were the same age, didn¡¯t get along very well. Anyway, except for that one thing, it was a pretty enjoyable meal time. Until a group of knights came in from the entrance of the training grounds. ¡°What the hell are you thinking, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Dominique! Be quiet! It¡¯s swordsmanship class time. We will meet soon, no need to speak of it at this moment!¡± ¡°Just hear me out! We¡¯ve worked so hard to make it to the 2nd Knights Order of the Imperial Palace! How high are the expectations of the families behind us!¡± There was anger in his growling voice. If he wasn¡¯t so excited, and if the knights around him weren¡¯t so agitated, they would have noticed the presence of the children right away. But they didn¡¯t. On the outside of the 30-meter-wide training grounds, a 5-meter-wide dirt road has been compacted, which can be used for various purposes. Elisha and the children were on the lawn that stretched out beyond the tree. Crown Prince Asensio¡¯s face turned white and he looked back at Elisha. Elisha caught him about to stand up. At that time. ¡°How could you be so obsessed with such a woman that wants to devour not only your life, but ours as well!¡± The knight who complained the most, a man called Dominique, eventually blew up. And with that sentence, Elisha¡¯s expression hardened. Chapter 11 ¡°I¡¯m sorry for letting you hear something like that, Your Majesty.¡± Asensio¡¯s shoulders trembled, looking pathetic. Even though he pretended to be an adult, Leon, who was still young, could not immediately process what he had heard and only blinked his eyes. Or perhaps it was because Jillian blocked Leon¡¯s ears on both sides in the middle of the feud, and that Asensio was getting up. He wasn¡¯t alone. When Elisha stood next to Asensio, the remaining children clasped together and moved. ¡°Huh?¡± As the distance between the two parties narrowed, their presence was at the point where even the most distracted knights couldn¡¯t ignore it. The knights widened their eyes when they saw the Crown Prince and Elisha appeared from the trees planted at the outermost part of the training ground. It didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t hear it, but it didn¡¯t mean it was okay. Dominique¡¯s face, which had been fluctuating for a while, turned to earthy color in an instant. Thud! Dominique hit the floor with his knees, exclaimed desperately. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince! Please consider my earnest loyalty! It is a felony to say anything about Your Highness, however, not only me but all the 2nd Knights think so! How are you forsaking us?¡± ¡°When did I forsake you?¡± ¡°Otherwise, why did you keep us isolated in the Imperial Palace? The support from the nobility of the Crown Prince faction has been cut off, there is a lot of talk regarding this within each family¡­!¡± ¡°What a spectacle.¡± Dominique, who had been raising his voice more and more, seemed to have been befuddled by his own words, and stopped at the clear voice that was poured over him. When he lifted her eyes, he saw a woman with her thin, rich silver hair hanging casually around her sky-blue eyes. ¡°Pardon me¡­ Your Majesty the 2nd Empress, are you talking to me now?¡± ¡°Otherwise, is there anyone else here? Even if I don¡¯t know much about knights, I believe this should not be the case. It is usually said that knights are those who are willing to lay down their lives in order to fulfill their master¡¯s will. However, you are now acting in your interest. Trampling on your master and trying to break his heart for the sake of it, while others are watching.¡± Elisha was more upset that the children had heard of it rather than that she was insulted. ¡°That!¡± Elisha looked down at Dominique who was trying to strike back, then lowered her torso to close the distance between their eyes. ¡°Hiiyy!¡± As the rare beauty with a doll-like indifferent face rather than a glamorous one, approached, the surprised Dominique swallowed his saliva. ¡°What ¡®that¡¯? It¡¯s true that a knight has to defend his master unless he wants to defy the code of chivalry.¡± The sky blue eyes surged. The anger and contempt within those, and a sense of intimidation engulfed Dominique at once, stabbing at him. Dominique clenched his teeth, trying to pull his upper body back. At the moment he was someone who was swayed by a mere slender woman who had hurt his self-esteem. Then, suddenly. ¡°I thought at first that since the 2nd Empress is a wizard, she may have bad feelings toward knights, but it seems like this is not the case. Even if you are the empress, you are deserving of condemnation for slandering the loyalty of the knights! Not asking for a duel right now is because you have lost your magic. So please consider yourself lucky!¡± As he thought he had caught a good point, Dominique was pleased. The corners of Elisha¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°This is true.¡± What a novel rat! ¡®In the beginning he said that it is the other person¡¯s fault. This time, he said the same while implying that there is a possibility of misunderstanding, however, it¡¯s not an immediate fault, but rather a bigger, more fundamental thing and put it on my head so he can hide his tail.¡¯ ¡®Such a rat cub must lie flat on its back by pressing the back of its neck with my foot at once.¡¯ ¡®The more we talked, the more it hurt.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll invite you to a duel.¡± ¡°Do we have too? If the 2nd Empress does get hurt¡­¡± Elisha leaned her body a little more, as if trying to whisper to him. Dominique was not surprised, but his neck still stiffened at the approach¡­ Elisha¡¯s hand suddenly reached out and pulled at Dominique while holding the handle of the sword that was on his side! Sreung! Elisha said. ¡°¡­What did you just say¡­? You insulted my child, and I condemned your chivalry. What should we do if you¡¯re this evasive even as you¡¯re being disparaged? If the duel you¡¯re talking about is the way to make it alright, let us have it.¡± As Elisha made the situation clearer, Dominique opened his eyes wide before narrowing it and shot her a knife-like gaze. ¡°¡­I never insulted the 3rd Prince, did I?¡± ¡°The women who were not Atien but were crowned by the Imperial family are all Emperor¡¯s women and as such, the mothers of all Imperial families.¡± Dominique, who had been babbling, dared not to speak a word and remained silent at the Imperial law. Instead, he reversed the story. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that it was just a rather violent expression of my loyalty? Also, dueling with knights is not something that can be done in vain. Both parties have to be responsible for all the results. So we can say that you have no choice but to comply with this rule. What do you say? Besides, why are you making a hole for me to escape? Are you trying to get favor from the 2nd Knights of the Imperial Palace through me?¡± Dominique, who wanted to know why the Empress was doing that, couldn¡¯t help but ask even though he was about to die from his heated head. Really, he was very curious. However, Elisha¡¯s thought was actually really simple. Elisha turned her upper body to avoid Dominique¡¯s stretched hand, as she pulled out his sword and the sound of the blade coming out of its sheath rang. Shraang! Standing still in that position, she stood with her back straight, stretched out the sword she had taken, and put it on Dominique¡¯s neck. There was no force at all, but the mouths of those who were watching how smooth the sequence of movements were opened wide. Receiving everyone¡¯s attention, Elisha spoke arrogantly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯ll take responsibility for it. What you can do is either whistle and run away while whining that the loyalty you spoke of has been corrupted, or accept my duel. It¡¯s up to you to decide whether or not to save your face.¡± ¡°How can that be called saving face?¡± On the contrary, it¡¯s stepping on a bigger piece of shit! Elisha shook her head as Dominique spoke with his teeth clenched. ¡°If you use swordsmanship instead of mana in a duel, you must have something hidden in your sleeves.¡± ¡°There¡¯s none. This is not food. It¡¯s bait. I know what you can pick up and eat, so I¡¯m going to make you follow me.¡± Ping! Elisha turned the blade that was holding Dominique¡¯s neck to the side. The blade that turned from horizontal to vertical scratched his neck. A long red line is drawn on the side of Dominique¡¯s neck. After finishing the threat, Elisha pulled the sword towards her, turned it half a turn to the side, pointed the sword toward the floor, and held it out to the owner. ¡°How is it? Have you decided now?¡± Dominique felt it then. The woman in front of him has many talents, but the best of them is provocation. She excelled at making people crazy. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I will accept the duel.¡± Dominique, whose eyes were flushed with anger, took the sword and answered. The Crown Prince, who had been dazed, insisted that he would rather take charge of the duel, but kept his mouth shut at Elisha¡¯s whisper. Asensio clasped his brother¡¯s hand and walked closer to the training ground, Jillian came over and grabbed Leon¡¯s opposite hand. In the middle of the training ground, two people stood facing each other. One is a knight, and the other is the 2nd Empress. It¡¯s a good thing that Elisha usually prefers practical things and her clothes are simple because she doesn¡¯t have luxury. If she had been wearing a dress with an inflated skirt, she would have looked even more ridiculous. Elisha gently swung the sword in her hand, which the Crown Prince had lent her. Shoo! Shh! It was fortunate that the sword was not heavy because he was still a boy. In fact, Dominique¡¯s sword was quite heavy for Elisha. It didn¡¯t show, but Elisha had used a lot of force to keep her grip on that sword just so it wouldn¡¯t slip off. Cold sweat flowed down Dominique¡¯s back, knowing that the occasional trembling of the sword held at his neck was not a threat, but literally because her hands had lost strength. Elisha took her position and took a long breath. When a wizard is put into battle, all they can do is perform ranged attacks. This is because their brain activity is great, but physical ability is low, and it requires several processes to implement magic by moving mana. So, when Elisha was still a proper wizard, she never had a sword in her hand. At one point, Elisha began to put mana in her broken body and experimented with it. Miraculously, Ignis, the Spirit of Fire, responded to her. A spirit can leave the spirit world and exists in reality as long as there is supply of mana. There is no special process required, and it is easy to maintain the connection regardless of distance. It¡¯s like getting a helper who moves as one body when fighting. Moreover, spirits are compatible with swordsmanship. This is why Elisa made a contract with the fire spirit that has the strongest destructive power among her spirits, and among them, the only being worthy of being called the king, and did not stop holding a sword in her hand. Her enemies were not alone, and only then was she strong enough to defeat them. ¡°Please advance, Your Majesty¡± Dominique showed splendid manners. Elisha shook her head. ¡°You come. I¡¯m going to have to save my strength to run around with my sword.¡± It seems that the other person didn¡¯t hear it like that, even though it was sincere. To Dominique, who thought that Elisha had a trump card for bringing the situation to this point, those words seemed to mock him. ¡°I¡¯m just curious as to what the heck you have. I¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Tak-tatatak! Dominique, running on the marble floor, leaped into the air three meters in front of Elisha. Instead of collecting mana through Mana Road in his body, which any intermediate knight possesses, Dominique put only his physical strength in his sword. Shh! With that alone, Dominique¡¯s sword made a ferocious enough noise and slashed at Elisha. Of course, he wasn¡¯t aiming for Elisha. He¡¯s trying to hit the sword that Elisha is holding, but¡­ If the 2nd Empress didn¡¯t even have the proper moves, that means she merely treated him as a fool who ate provocations! The recoil of the sword strike is to the extent that either three fingers may be broken if one does not let go, or that the sword will be thrown on the floor! However. Chaeeng! Chaeng! Although the swords as they collided, Elisha persevered. No matter how lacking the 2nd Knights Order was compared to the 1st Knights, the elite of the elites directly under His Majesty the Emperor, the pride of Barossa, or the 3rd Knights Order loyal to the 2nd Prince Stoneham, the only son of the 1st Empress¡­ In any case, the Knights Order is a place that has enough power and pride. Even if he didn¡¯t use his mana, how could he be swayed by that slender woman! How pathetic would His Highness the Crown Prince and his colleagues look at him! If this is the only move that the 2nd Empress has¡­! ¡®You won¡¯t be in a good shape either after that strike!¡¯ Dominique gave strength to his hand holding the sword. Dominique¡¯s sword movements, which had been only a continuous sequence of simple attacks, began to change. Chapter 12 Chaeeeng! Chaeng! Elisha did not dodge the sword that was slashing at her. However, she didn¡¯t strike back. The moment the blade touched, she let the sword skid so the power flowed away. This move is not advanced, but it¡¯s not easy to do either. Her current body had not been trained at all. No, it was broken and in a state like glass with a lot of flaws inside, so she had to be more careful. She was forced to act out of necessity given the circumstances, but she had no intention of letting her children see her own blood. If that happens, the children will most likely cry. ¡®So I guess I¡¯ll have to finish it now¡­¡¯ Elisha swallowed her dry saliva at the tingling of her wrist. ¡®It¡¯s hard to endure three or four more times of this.¡¯ When Dominique¡¯s sword¡¯s movement changed¡­! ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes sparkled as if they had been sprinkled with silver dust. For this moment, Elisha had been inciting Dominique. It didn¡¯t end when Dominique climbed up the training ground, but the result Elisha wanted would be achieved only when he used that move here. Elisha did not take her eyes off the fancy sword pouring towards me. It was a trajectory that was all too familiar to Elisha. In the past, Elisha¡¯s greatest enemy was the Emperor. If Emperor Kaiden was holding the Imperial Palace Tower in his left hand, the one in his right hand was the Imperial Knights Order. It means that one of the opponents that Elisha fought very fiercely and a lot was the knights of the Imperial Palace Knights. There were not many people who had a Mana Road, a swordsmanship technique which allowed one to manage mana independently due to the superior ability of the family or the person themselves, however, Dominique belongs to the 2nd Knights. Perhaps he had learned his best at the Imperial Palace. What would a person gifted enough to belong to the Imperial Knights Order do with such a good thing in this situation? He would¡¯ve tried his best. He must be so proud of himself! Swaeeeng! Dominique¡¯s sword split the wind. Elisha did not avoid it. Because that¡¯s just a sham, the real thing will pop out later. ¡®Right, like this.¡¯ Kaaang! The sword, which was rushing straight in, was twisted once again before drawn diagonally towards Elisha. Elisha stopped it. ¡®First.¡¯ When the attack was blocked, Dominique circled around in a large circle, and then lowered his sword again. Swaeng! Once more. ¡®Second.¡¯ Dominique decided not to give her any more shelter when the attack was blocked this time, so he took a straight step forward and pushed his sword forward. There was a clear crackling sound. For a moment, it sounded like a bell to Dominique¡¯s ears. The sense of reality became dull and everything became so slow that it felt like a dream. Nevertheless, Elisha¡¯s sword steadily passed Dominique¡¯s sword and stopped in front of his throat. Dominique only lowered his eyes to confirm it. Her sword stopped with only one finger¡¯s distance left. Elisha had no intention of escaping this time either. Instead, she came to him. She stretched out her sword and approached him with its sharp, sharp edge. ¡°Hmm!¡± Dominique swallowed the wind in surprise. He withdrew his body back and tried to get away from the sword, but to no avail. Elisha¡¯s swordsmanship was like a small whirlpool that only rose higher whenever it collided. As such, Elisha was now right in front of Dominique. There was silence around the stadium. No, it had been silent since before. It just got worse now. A suffocating silence descended. The knights, of course, raised their hands and clapped it together! Dominique had a gut feeling that once this atmosphere was broken, it would be confirmed as a result of the duel. Slowly blinking, Dominique gathered mana into his arm, which was loose in the air, still holding his sword. And he rose it high and then slashed it hard at Elisha¡¯s sword which was pointed towards him! ¡°Tsk.¡± Elisha lightly clicked her tongue. It was already too late by the time she thought something big was going to happen. The distance between the two of them was so close that it seemed like she would get hurt worse if she tried to run away. Elisha bit her lip and held the sword in one hand with the other hand and lifted it up over her head! The two swords collided! Chaeng-kang! As soon as Elisha¡¯s sword was broken, Dominique¡¯s sword, which couldn¡¯t release all its strength, was about to be lowered towards Elisha! Pyung! The energy that flew in from behind hit Dominique hard and exploded. Dominique¡¯s body flew away. At the same time, someone held Elisha in their arms so as not to get hurt by the shock, and turned her around. Elisha stared intently at the other person¡¯s hair that was hanging over her face in the wind. Elisha reached out and grabbed a handful of hair that covered her face. It was soft. Elisha¡¯s gaze turned from the hair to the owner of the hair. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± Elisha licked her lips and stopped. The person before her was not someone she could casually ask questions. One of Elisha¡¯s enemies, the Emperor¡¯s first sword. The knight among knights. He was a strong man worthy of his name with a noble heart. In the Battle of Tadania, which divided the fate of the Atien Empire, he was killed by Elisha, who was called the Silver Flame Witch. That was the thing in the past. ¡°Rohan.¡± A strange light gleamed in the other person¡¯s auburn eyes as the alien feeling of being addressed by her passed through. They both stood still. Thud! Dominique¡¯s body fell to the floor. The sound broke the atmosphere, and so, Rohan released his arms that were wrapped around Elisha¡¯s waist. Naturally, the hair that had been held in Elisha¡¯s hand slipped out. ¡°My apologies.¡± Rohan bowed his head, and Elisha bowed her head slightly in reply, thanking him for saving her, and then turned her face away. ¡°Mother!¡± The surprised Leon, Asensio, and Jillian run to her and hug her. Elisha comforted the children, but then her body stiffened. The Crown Prince also looked over to the entrance of the training ground and spoke in a bewildered tone. ¡°Why are the Marquis and His Majesty¡­¡± Although it is true that Elisha should not be able to feel anything without mana, she has been able to read a little bit of the flow of mana after returning. She was not sure of the reason, but she thought she might be able to figure things out later. Using inaccurate information must result in several times the loss. When Elisha came to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace earlier, she heard that Marquis Blemir had entered the place and thought he would come soon. However, while listening to Dominique and the other knights, she felt a very strong energy approaching this way. There was a sense of something strangely offensive, but it was not something that could be confirmed right away, so she skipped it. Before the duel started, she reassured Asensio, who kept trying to stop her. Marquis Blemir will be here soon, so he should avoid being involved in this kind of problem. Even if they are not on good terms externally, not helping the Atien Imperial family is dangerous. It is an act of disregarding the nobility¡¯s obligation. But then. Someone literally stepped up. Not Marquis Blemir, but Rohan Scherzer, the commander of the 1st Knights. And one more person. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Your Majesty.¡± Elisha, who had her back on the entrance, turned her body, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and gently bent her waist. She didn¡¯t raise her head. She found the current situation very funny. In front of her was the only man she had ever loved. While behind her was someone who had the answers she wished to hear. It was like that back then, and it will always be. Nothing changes. Then the Emperor said to her. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± With a voice younger and clearer than she remembered. Elisha lifted her hand from the hem of her skirt she was holding and lifted her head. In front of her stood a beautiful man with blue eyes and black hair. Nineteen. He looked exactly like when she first saw him and fell in love with him. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Elisha answered. The two¡¯s eyes meet. But of course, Elisha didn¡¯t care too much. *** The reason the Emperor decided to go to the Imperial Palace was because he had an interest as small as a fingernail. Then, seeing what was happening in the Imperial Palace¡¯s training ground, a similar sized interest was added to it. Yes, the size of two fingernails was nothing of particular concern to the Emperor. Instead¡­ Instead, it was worth observing the reaction of Marquis Blemir next to him. And that¡¯s why the Emperor stopped Marquis Blemir, whose face had stiffened, from trying to intervene. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a while. The 2nd Empress is not the kind of person who would go out with such a thing without reason.¡± Marquis Blemir must have only pretended not to know what was going on in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, so the Emperor stopped him. However, when Marquis Blemir truly just stopped, Kaiden couldn¡¯t help but think of a stupid girl with silver hair and sky-blue eyes. Just by looking at the fact that William of the Western Tower had brought and showed her off to the Imperial Palace, she seemed to have a very good head. All the choices she made after that were like beggars, so Kaiden had already erased all his memories of that girl. It suddenly occurred to him that there was something that Kaiden himself did not know. Marquis Blemir was not a bad character, but he was quite feisty and very picky. He made neither friends nor enemies easily. No, it may be more difficult for Marquis Blemir to have enemies than friends. A friend can match with you no matter what you have, but an enemy cannot exist at all unless the level is acceptable. Marquis Blemir¡¯s reaction was quite intense, but for the same reason it made sense. Then, when the 2nd Empress tried to counterattack by breaking the sword technique of the Imperial Palace Knights. Not only Blemir, but even Rohan, who was one step behind, let out a small sigh as if admiring it. And then. The knight of the 2nd Knights, moved his mana. His sword was raised high, rushing towards the 2nd Empress. ¡°That crazy¡­!¡± Vitality burst out from Marquis Blemir. It seemed urgent enough to forget that it was a matter of getting caught in the presence of the Emperor. But by the time he started running, it was already too late. Taaang! One step ahead of him, Rohan unknowingly flung the trash on the ground and rescued the 2nd Empress. The skirt of the 2nd Empress, which rotated once, spread like a flower in full bloom before closing like a shy bud. Their appearance was a bit strange. From this side, Rohan¡¯s back was hidden from view, but they stood still for a moment. Before one could think about what was going on, the children cut in between them. Kaiden noticed there was no movement next to him. When he turned his head, Marquis Blemir stood stiffly, biting his lip. Kaiden, who was squinting one eye, tilted his head slightly to the side and stared at him before taking the first step alone. Kaiden entered the entrance to the training ground, looked at Elisha, who was bowing her head among those who were surprised. ¡®What has changed?¡¯ ¡®Everything still looks the same.¡¯ But after a while, when Elisha raised her face and turned to him¡­! The Emperor realized. ¡®Aah!¡¯ Those blue eyes. From those sky-blue eyes, the wretched love towards him was completely erased. ¡®It¡¯s definitely different.¡¯ Kaiden pulled the corners of his lips slightly and smiled. ¡®This seems kind of fun.¡¯ Chapter 13 Elisha indifferently ignored the blue gaze that penetrated her, but the others in the training ground did not. Asensio tried to give a late greeting among the confused people, but the emperor raised a hand and blocked it. He opened his mouth without giving a glance to the others. ¡°2nd Empress, you are very good at swordsmanship. I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just some pretty tricks.¡± In response to Elisha¡¯s reply, the tip of the Emperor¡¯s chin fell to the floor and he turned to Dominique, who was still stunned. ¡°Those who have been defeated by the sickly 2nd Empress who can¡¯t even deal with mana are ignorant garbage.¡± The ¡®garbage¡¯ he was talking about included not only Dominique, but the entire 2nd Knights Order. What had happened a while ago was definitely an event that took people¡¯s hearts out of it. In the beginning, they could¡¯ve asked for the 2nd Empress and the Crown Prince¡¯s forgiveness by stopping Dominique. However, the 2nd Knights missed their chance. They only realized the seriousness of the matter. It would be his great luck if Dominique could be relieved of this sin, unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t. The 2nd Knights were worried that the range of sins that should¡¯ve been limited to only Dominique would widen and they would be imprisoned as well. Because with their acquiescence, the situation had eventually gone beyond the worst and came to an end that couldn¡¯t have been imagined by all. In front of the emperor who was entitled to judge, the 2nd Knights could neither obey their master¡¯s will nor become a loser together with their colleagues. How can a knight still be a knight if he has nothing in his heart? Thud! Thud! The knights of the 2nd Knights clasped their knees to the floor and bowed their foreheads toward the emperor. ¡°We¡¯ve done wrong, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Please forgive us!¡± But again, they were wrong. Elisha¡¯s voice pierced the back of the head of the 2nd Order members whose heads were about to hit the floor. ¡°You guys are really strange. Why do you beg to His Majesty when you have done wrong to your master?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no one here who could dismiss her words as those of the sickly 2nd Empress. The 2nd Knights, who were stunned, didn¡¯t know what to do, so they looked at each other, then, the Emperor said above their heads. ¡°Everything that is attached to Atien is mine, even a single stalk of grass. Everything the Crown Prince gets, am I not allowed to get?¡± Elisha knew the Emperor was trying to test her. She should take a step back and hide it, as the time had not yet come. However¡­ Change had already begun, and Elisha was attracting attention. It would be better for her to reveal herself a little bit when there was still the Western Tower to distract their opponents¡¯ eyes, rather than arouse curiosity by tying it up too tightly. Besides, Elisha had to see the end when it started. She never gave up when things didn¡¯t go as expected and she couldn¡¯t get what she wanted. It was such a temperament that made Elisha strong, but it was also the main culprit that deepened her hateful temperament. Her fingertips tingled, and Elisha clenched her fist tightly and extended it. ¡®It¡¯s alright.¡¯ ¡®Now that I know what¡¯s really important, I won¡¯t lose my way.¡¯ Elisha raised her face straight and spoke to the Emperor. ¡°Who would deny that fact? It¡¯s because they¡¯re bad. If I had made a mistake as a knight of the Crown Prince, I would have been punished only as much as the Crown Prince could inflict, but now, isn¡¯t that not the case?¡± ¡°The 2nd Empress means that they will receive a greater punishment than I, the Emperor, can inflict?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Your Majesty?¡± Elisha asked. It¡¯s a clear intention that you might have to give out what you have in order to see what¡¯s inside. The Emperor closed his eyes slightly, and slowly nodded his head. ¡°Actually. That¡¯s true. Then I¡¯ll have to show the emperor¡¯s dignity. What should I do? Shall I kill them all as an example? Or should I make that asshole so that he can¡¯t hold a sword again?¡± He muttered it out to himself, but Elisha naturally accepted the Emperor¡¯s words as if he had spoken to her. ¡°That¡¯s a good way, but since they betrayed the knight¡¯s code of chivalry, I want them to get more shame than simply leaving scars on the skin.¡± The Emperor blinked as if implying her to continue, and Elisha continued in a calm tone. ¡°Please disband the current 2nd Knights as punishment for their wrongdoing. And this time, with the mercy of a parent and not the master of the Empire, please watch over the Crown Prince so that he can use his powers and create his own knights. It will make them realize how they have betrayed a wonderful master.¡± Elisha¡¯s continuous provocation towards Dominique was to let him bring out his best move and countered it. This was the reason why Elisha had decided to face Dominique with her sword. Of course, she had never thought of ending it like this¡­ The process of spreading the word about today¡¯s affairs, conflicting the interests of various noble forces, and bringing it to the desired location must be long and difficult. ¡°Hmm.¡± Suddenly, a wrinkle formed on the forehead of the Emperor. He thought the conversation was interesting, but it seemed that the excitement had gone down. ¡°Does the 2nd Empress think it is possible for the Crown Prince to create a new 2nd Knights Order on his own?¡± The 2nd Knights were formed before the Crown Prince faction was united. At that time, those who were already outstanding belonged to the 1st Knights with Rohan, and those who were being held tightly in the hand of the 1st Empress Isabelle were about to be established as the 3rd Knights¡­ Among the remaining ones, the most useful ones were selected and became the current 2nd Knights. It is impossible for new talents to fall from the sky among such numbers, if that is the case, then why should they become the empty shells of the Crown Prince¡¯s limbs? Therefore. ¡°Possible.¡± Elisha answered without hesitation. There¡¯s only one possible outcome from this. Elisha shook her head as the Emperor tried to look back at the one he had left behind beyond the entrance to the training ground. The number of knights raised by the Emperor and Marquis Blemir would be quite large, but if she relied on them, then all of this would have been in vain at best. What Elisha was looking at was a bigger, bigger tidal wave. ¡°There is the Capital Guard.¡± ¡°The Capital Guard?¡± At some point, the blue pupil of the Emperor, which had been recurrent, expanded greatly. Elisha filled in the picture for the Emperor quickly. ¡°Yes. The bastards and knights from each aristocratic family were gathered together to form a guard unit belonging to the Capital Guard.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with the herd of wild dogs that have been told not to bark anywhere?¡± ¡°They became wild dogs because they don¡¯t have an owner. And what¡¯s wrong with a wild dog? A wild dog is willing to lick the feet of the one who promised to become its owner, even if they don¡¯t give him greasy food and a good bed.¡± ¡°Do you think their tongues are clean because no one¡¯s gone out so far? Instead, they would have dyed their fangs with blood. What¡¯s the point of using wild dogs who¡¯d even accept unqualified people without honor who won¡¯t even give them greasy food and a place to sleep?¡± The Crown Prince, who is not a great aristocrat or the Emperor, who does not need wild dogs, would rather be the perfect owner for them. More than Elisha herself in the past, even. Because Asensio is a noble and lovely boy worthy of sacrifice that must be protected. And one more thing. ¡°If Your Majesty trusts and watches over the process, they will be the new 2nd Knights, who will be good for what you are about to do.¡± ¡°Does the 2nd Empress know what that means?¡± ¡°Have I ever spoken out of words without meaning?¡± Elisha did not avoid the Emperor¡¯s gaze. Kaiden was an emperor wielding a powerful Imperial power. However, it was not absolute. This is because the power of the nobility, which had been strong since the time of the previous emperors several generations ago, was currently at its peak despite the current emperor being called the best timber. In general, when the power of the emperor was strong, the rights of the nobility were weak, and in the opposite case, history flowed according to the result. What would happen if the two powers that should naturally harmonize, have a strong enough presence to face each other without losing? The Emperor did not like the great aristocrats who eroded his power. In such a relationship, he was able to be relatively generous with the nobility of the Imperial family, the nobles of small and medium-sized families, and the emerging powers that could oppose the existing great aristocrats. As Elisha mentioned, if wild dogs become loyal dogs and guard the Imperial Palace, they will not only be able to rip off the wealth of the great aristocrats¡­ It will create hope and create more people who want to be like them. Elisha was not wrong. Because the Emperor did not deny her. Kaiden ran a hand through his dark hair. Those indifferent sky-blue eyes were frankly a bit funny, but they were in contrast compared to the conversation they just had. There was no need to explain or confirm anything. When one said one, the other said two, and when one pointed to four, the other answered six. Most of the conversations the two of them exchanged could not be guessed by those around them, and even half could not be understood, but the two of them were accepting more than a dozen. It was the first time the Emperor had met such a communicative person. As the Emperor stared at her, Elisha wondered if he was offended by the fact that she seemed to be reading his insides. However, if she is recognized as a useful tool rather than a potential enemy to be a threat, the range in which Elisha can move increases. ¡®Come on, you emperor.¡¯ ¡®Make a judgment.¡¯ The Emperor opened his mouth towards Elisha, who had hidden the three children behind her back. ¡°There were a lot of things I didn¡¯t know about the 2nd Empress.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to find out from now on?¡± ¡°Can you tell me?¡± ¡°If Your Majesty orders it.¡± Elisha answered by placing her right palm over her left heart. It was not as a woman of the emperor belonging to the inner palace, but as a servant of the emperor, but none of the two people who could be called the parties involved expressed strangeness, so how dare the others intervene. ¡°Alright then. Let me remember.¡± What¡¯s more, the Emperor accepted the greetings of the 2nd Empress with a strangely satisfied expression on his face. After that, the Emperor pointed his chin at the 2nd Knights, who were exhausted from hearing about their brutal treatment on their heads. ¡°About them¡­ Yes, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to do what you said. There¡¯s no reason to let garbage roll around in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Elisha sighed inwardly. But it didn¡¯t end there. ¡°You told me something good, so I should reward you.¡± The Emperor stretched out his hand toward his man, who was quietly waiting on the other side of the training ground. ¡°Did you call me, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for someone like the empress to go out alone outside the palace. However, I can¡¯t put a wizard of the Western Tower as her escort and let them go to the Capital Guard in the capital. So, I ask you to accompany the 2nd Empress.¡± It was a sudden event that had nothing to do with Elisha¡¯s will. Elisa¡¯s eyebrows faintly frown upon seeing the approaching person. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Eyes with the same color as his hair, as soft and polite as his voice, glanced at Elisha and then fell away. Translator¡¯s note ¡°Do you think their tongues are clean because no one¡¯s gone out so far?¡± Before this paragraph, Elisha said something about a wild dog that is willing to lick the feet of those who promised to be its master. So the emperor¡¯s reply implied whether Elisha is sure that they don¡¯t have a master yet just because those people are still in the Capital Guard. Elisha ¡°tricked¡± the Emperor into believing that she and the Crown Prince will move as his people. I put ¡°¡± because it is not clear whether Kaiden realizes this and just plays along or not. The Emperor fears the power of the old, great aristocrats and accepts Elisha¡¯s plan because of it. At the end of the chapter, the Emperor basically puts an eye on Elisha to observe her movements, which implies that Kaiden doesn¡¯t trust her 100%. Although, this Rohan seems to have a past with Elisha? Chapter 14 The Emperor cleared the 2nd Knights, who had been as clingy as dirt sticking to the floor, at once, saying, ¡°How long are you going to get on my nerves by staying in front of me?¡± He was only going to look around for a while, so he left the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace saying it was too late. Before he left, Elisha made room for her children to pay their respects, but the Emperor was consistently indifferent. It was a familiar experience to Asensio due to his position as the Crown Prince, but for Leon, who had never faced the emperor himself like this, it seemed like an embarrassing and terrifying experience. Her proud child is bowing his head with his thin shoulders drooping. As Elisha put her hand on the child¡¯s head, the child lifted his round eyes and looked up at his mother. Elisha waited for the child to have the courage to open his mouth without urging him. After a while, Leon licked his lips. ¡°Does His Majesty not like me? So he treated me like a child who doesn¡¯t exist at all.¡± ¡°Haa.¡± Elisha sighed and Leon flinched. These days, he blamed himself for being pathetic because he was too loose just because his mother had become sweet. Elisha had no idea what her child was thinking with that little head, but she knew it didn¡¯t seem good to sigh again. Elisha reached out a hand and ruffled the child¡¯s hair, then lowered her posture and faced the child. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°¡­ Because I don¡¯t have enough¡­ Because I don¡¯t have enough¡­¡± Elisha heard her child¡¯s murmur, and then she turned her gaze to Asensio. ¡°Do you think so too?¡± Asensio didn¡¯t answer, but it all showed on his face. Despite hating his Imperial father, he wanted to be recognized by him, and there is a mixed feeling that if he had been a better heir, he would not have been ignored like this¡­ It was sad. What is a father to children? Elisha kissed the cheek of the child in front of her. And so that Asensio wouldn¡¯t feel left out, she placed her hand on top of his head. Elisha herself had no feelings for the man they called father, but the children wouldn¡¯t feel the same. Even though one day their father will be their worst enemy. They will still remember this one thing. ¡°Your Highness, and Leon. Your Majesty is not like that because you haven¡¯t done enough.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± Leon raised his face. His eyes and the tip of his nose were red and hot. Asensio was also curious, so his blue eyes widened and looked at Elisha. Elisha said. ¡°It¡¯s because His Majesty¡¯s personality is so bad.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Asensio, who didn¡¯t know how to say such a thing, panicked, and Elisha made a rather puzzled look. ¡°It¡¯s true. Did Your Highness not know this?¡± Asensio, who became a senseless person in an instant, shook his head. ¡°How could I not know? Of course I know¡­¡± Asensio swallowed the later words silently. Elisha hugged Asensio and Leon tightly. ¡®My cute and lovely children.¡¯ ¡°So, it¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s fault. What child in the world doesn¡¯t deserve to be loved by their parents?¡± Parents all have different reasons to conceive a child. Either because they want it, because they need it, or even by mistake. Sometimes even under coercive oppression. But the children born in this world burst into tears for only one thing. I want you to love me. Here I am, I pinch my fingers. I¡¯m not asking you to grab it. I want to tell you. From now on, one point you make will be like a rock that stands tall on top of the world I live in. The line you draw in front of me may become the boundary that separates my life. So I¡¯m not asking you to hold me alone. I will also try to hold you. Don¡¯t be afraid. As long as I¡¯m born, I¡¯ll try my best to live, so you can love me to your heart¡¯s content. The first greeting of a new life to be courageous together. So, if there is a parent who voluntarily ignores it, he or she is guilty of failing to fulfill their responsibility. Parents had one chance to choose to have children, but the children were not given the same chance. A child was not born because they wanted to be born. Since they¡¯ve been deprived of the right to choose, then they should not be deprived of the right to enjoy. Of course, Elisha didn¡¯t know this before either. Even if one keeps everything perfectly, there are times when they will still end up on the verge of bankruptcy. However, the Emperor, who ignored even such basic things, should not have left Elisha¡¯s precious children scarred. ¡°You, two people who were born in the Imperial family, what did you do wrong while trying to live up to it? You didn¡¯t do anything ugly or bad that made you deserve to be ignored even by your parents.¡± Elisha stroked Asensio¡¯s straight forehead once with her forehead. After lightly bumping into Leon¡¯s tiny head once. She whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t be hurt by someone who doesn¡¯t love you two.¡± No matter who it is. ¡°No matter how much you two love someone, if they try to oppress and force you in a way you don¡¯t want, don¡¯t put up with it. Get angry, fight, and if that doesn¡¯t work, stick the sword into the other¡¯s chest.¡± Even if that would be Elisha herself. As long as it wasn¡¯t their own heart where the tip of the sword was headed, it would be okay. ¡°Love yourself more than anyone else. Only when you are yourself can you see the world around you and share your love. Do you understand?¡± The two children hesitated for a moment, probably because it was a little difficult, but then they nodded their heads. It felt like it had to be that way. Elisha, who patted the children once more, got up. She looked back slowly, as if she knew someone was already behind her. ¡°Are you going to tell His Majesty the story of this playful conversation with the children, Sir Rohan, the Knight among knights?¡± Rohan, who stood a few steps apart from Elisa, nodded. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t ask, I won¡¯t tell him.¡± It¡¯s better not to take lightly those words that sound good to hear. Elisha changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir? I thought you were leaving with His Majesty.¡± ¡°I wanted to know the date of your visit to the Capital Guard, so I can inform His Majesty upon my return.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha pondered. There must be several reasons why the Emperor gave her his first knight. Elisha¡¯s plan must be observed by prying eyes, so save time by letting them know that the Emperor is behind her, clearing out those who interfere. In order to shake the relationship between the Western Tower and Elisha, that is the second reason. It may have been for the purpose of doing a favor for Elisha, but she was not sure. It was not known whether Elisha would accept the offer of something she had never asked for. But Rohan. There must be only one reason why Rohan went beyond obeying orders. They don¡¯t have a point of contact. The 2nd Empress, who has no knights, must have thought that it might be difficult to send someone to him first. ¡°How about noon in three days?¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you then, Your Majesty.¡± Rohan answered, but did not leave immediately. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your Majesty. Your hand.¡± At Rohan¡¯s words, Elisha looked down. When Dominique broke her sword, her hand, which was originally in bad condition, got wounded and blood was oozing out. If one looked closely, they could see that there was blood all over her clothes. The Emperor who had been silent even though he must have seen it, and Elisha, who did not even realize it until now, were amazing in a sense. After seeing her wounds, Elisha quickly looked at the children. Fortunately she had been using the other hand, so there was no blood on her children. Elisha tried to comfort the children, saying she was fine, but Rohan pulled a handkerchief out of his arm. When Elisha, who was about to decline, saw the handkerchief, she felt a sense of disorientation. While she paused, Rohan folded the handkerchief a few times and wrapped it around Elisha¡¯s wounds. The hand holding her was cautious. A pale yellow flower was embroidered on the edge of the handkerchief tied in a loop. She suddenly remembered a woman who looked as fragile as a baby bird, with the same hair color as this man, but with purple eyes. ¡°How¡¯s Countess Jaylinne doing?¡± Rohan made a puzzled face, but answered quickly. ¡°She¡¯s fine. Are you close to her by any chance?¡± ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve heard that the Countess is good at embroidering, so when I saw this handkerchief, it suddenly came to mind.¡± Jaylinne Jean Rappelcia, Princess Jaylinne Scherzer, was one of the few bloodlines that survived Kaiden¡¯s purge. Only in order to obtain this knight in front of her, that woman betrayed her blood brother and sided with her half-brother, Kaiden. The tragic love of Jaylinne, who was sickly from birth and of pure beauty, was a favorite topic of discussion among many poets. Of course, on the note that could truly be called love. ¡°It¡¯s bloody. The handkerchief¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to give it back.¡± ¡°Since the 2nd Knights have been disbanded, we need personnel to protect the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace for a while. Can you help?¡± ¡°It is natural to protect the Crown Prince. Until the 2nd Knights are filled, the 1st Knights will take responsibility.¡± When Elisha shook her head when she was asked if she had anything more to say, Rohan left a light greeting and turned around. Elisha stared at his back for a moment, then lowered her eyes. A dark shade draped under the dense silver eyelashes. Although she had given the prince some words before, Elisha, wondering if she had taken too much action regarding his knights, explained the situation to the prince once more. Asensio eased Elisha¡¯s concerns by saying that by choosing Elisha, it means that he supports everything Elisha does on his behalf, who is not yet able to move. Elisha, whose expression had turned for the better, hurriedly cleaned up the surroundings and left the training ground. Elisha, who was going out through the entrance, suddenly stopped. ¡°What is it, Your Majesty?¡± As Jillian asks, Elisha looks down at her feet. To confirm something where a crashing sound originated. It was unfortunate that the thing was thrown hard on the floor and was already broken, but it would have been quite expensive in its original form. It was large enough to fit on the palm of the hand and had a lid that opened and closed. The inside must have contained a milky white sticky substance. She could see it dripping on the floor. Even after standing for a while, the refreshing scent rushing into the tip of her nose seemed to be incomparably more valuable than the exterior decoration. ¡°I think it¡¯s a medicine for bruises or injuries. Why is this¡­¡± She was curious, but that was it. Someone must have accidentally dropped it, but then Elisha realized that Marquis Blemir never came. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Those who were expected to come did not come, leaving only those whom she did not expect to encounter. There are not a lot of opportunities to talk to each other naturally in their current situation and possibly for some time in the future. So what should be done? Elisha frowned lightly, then straightened her face before the children saw it. Chapter 15 Dududukk! Dududukk! The wheel of the carriage scraped the ground and moved forward. It is not the huge black carriage with the Imperial seal, but the white one with the lilies used by Count Scherzer. ¡°Mother, look over there.¡± Rohan sat across from the 3rd Prince, looking softly at him. The 3rd Prince was trying to look calm, but he always tried to call the 2nd Empress to show her whenever he saw something out of the carriage window. ¡°Is there anything interesting?¡± When she was still, she looked supremely cold. However, whenever her gaze touched the 3rd Prince, her sky-blue eyes softened and the warmth spread. He had only heard it from here and there before, and he had never been able to properly witness the truth of these words¡­ He didn¡¯t know how much the woman in front of him now has changed from that time. No matter how much someone changes, their roots will stay the same. As much as the heart of a mother who loves her child. At that time, the 2nd Empress, who had been resting her forehead against the window with her child, tilted her head. Rohan wondered what was going on, so he looked out the window as well. They ran quite a bit out of the Imperial Palace Barossa. It was expected that they would have entered Midlin, where the commoners lived, passing through the large mansions used by the nobles who left their estates to stay in the capital. ¡°Hmm.¡± Rohan let out a small sigh. One can see the children playing games and the beggars wandering here and there in shabby clothes, even from the central street. ¡°Isn¡¯t the capital the most prosperous place in Atien? So why is it like this?¡± At Elisha¡¯s question, Rohan opened his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why. The past few years have been exceptionally dry. Among those who found that life has become too difficult where they came from, there are quite a few who moved to the capital thinking it would be a little better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Still, there are many signs of rain this year, so everyone quickly warmed up and waited for the rainy season.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t listen to the end, she seemed to know what Rohan was saying. She forgot about it because there was no reason to worry about it, but the rainy season usually started shortly after Leon¡¯s birthday. But this time after Leon¡¯s birthday, it hasn¡¯t rained even until now. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°There are many stories, but none of them are particularly worth listening to.¡± Rohan drew a line in advance in case the 2nd Empress might be interested in the superstitions floating around in the capital, but¡­ What popped into Elisha¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t anything like that. In the past, before Elisha returned, it rained heavily on Leon¡¯s birthday, marking the beginning of the rainy season. It completely ruined Leon¡¯s 6th birthday as rain continued to pour in a depressing mood, making the 2nd Empress Palace even more gloomy. She did not need to make any effort to remember it. But not this time. The day was as good as the pleasant memory of the day. Under the twinkling sun, Elisa was spending precious time with her children. Since Elisha had returned to the past, it is an unavoidable reality that the history and cause and effect that should have flowed are twisted. But even the weather has changed? It might be due to Elisha¡¯s return, but it would be right to also look for a completely different cause. ¡®Why is it?¡¯ A sudden voice came to Elisha¡¯s, who was frowning as she was drowned in her thoughts, ear. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be upset.¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Elisha, not understanding, looked down at her child. ¡°Are you going to cry again?¡± The child made close eye contact with Elisha and checked her face. As Elisha rolled her sky-blue eyes, Rohan, who was coughing lightly, tapped on the window with his fingertips. Elisha realized that he misunderstood her child only then. She shook her head as she contemplated whether she should correct Rohan or not. As she thought she didn¡¯t have to, Elisha immediately asked. ¡°Leon, do you feel sorry for them?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Do you want to help them?¡± Leon knew how impoverished the 2nd Empress Palace was. If there was anything in Barossa that needed help from other places, it was the 2nd Empress Palace. Contrary to one¡¯s mind, it was not easy to affirm. He didn¡¯t have anything, but he wanted to help others. The child had thought a lot. How many things has he given up on? Did he even live? The left side of her chest throbbed. ¡°When we get back, let¡¯s see if we can do it.¡± ¡°After that we can do something?¡± ¡°If we can do it, we will do it, but it¡¯s okay if we can¡¯t. We will bring someone else and ask them if they have any good ideas. Still, if they don¡¯t have any, it doesn¡¯t matter. The time we spent thinking about it together remains. Don¡¯t forget to keep it, so later when you spread your wings, when you can do whatever you want, don¡¯t forget to give it to them. There is nothing in the world that is meaningless.¡± Especially my children. Leon, even more so for you. The two hugged each other, faced each other, and smiled. Rohan rested his chin on the back of his hand, his arm supporting him by the window. It was a beautiful sight to be seen for a long time. In the capital, with the exception of those directly under the emperor, no more than a certain number of armed groups for each aristocratic family can stay. He was trying to protect the emperor¡¯s safety, and at the same time to prevent strife between the various nobles who always resided to participate in political affairs. Therefore, the major armed forces in the capital could be divided into three groups: the Imperial Knights Order to protect the Imperial family and the Imperial Guard to protect the Imperial Palace. Finally, the Capital Guard, which was in charge of the interior of the capital. The scale of what needs to be protected by the latter was larger than the former two, but the position was the opposite. The brightest and highest ranking knights is the Imperial Knights Order, and the next one is the Imperial Guard. The Capital Guard was a place where soldiers managed by the emperor¡¯s direct officials did everything they could to keep the capital safe. Due to the nature of the Capital Guard, which is in charge of various responsibilities, including the wall surrounding the capital, there were knights and military officers in the ranks in charge, but there were also a few people belonging to civil servants. It means that there are many factions, and it is not a very good place to live. In such a dirty place, a luxurious aristocratic carriage rushed by, making the eyes of those who were around the security building wary. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The command post of the Capital Guard was located on the inside facing the wall that surrounded the capital. Two training grounds are attached to the three floor building. Although it was unprecedented in the history of the Empire, the wall has to be closed in preparation to deal with the enemies at all times. When the carriage stopped and Rohan opened the door, Elisha and Leon got out. The three people who were not suited to be in this place at all caused gossip. ¡°Mother.¡± Leon was a little surprised, so when he grabbed the edge of Elisha¡¯s dress, Elisha held the child in her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother is here. And Count Rohan here is the best knight in the country. He will protect you no matter what.¡± Elisha looked at Rohan as if urging him. A bit late, but a clear answer came back. ¡°I will do the best I can. Don¡¯t worry, you two.¡± Elisha patted Leon to reassure him, and then went past Rohan. This is the capital city wall, and although it must have been an unfamiliar place to the 2nd Empress, who had only been to the Western Tower and the Imperial Palace, she did not hesitate even in the slightest. As if she had been here before and knew this place well. Miraculous. Rohan silently followed her. Baron Thomas, head of the Capital Guard, was a middle-aged man with long, wavy brown hair and a thick, bulging belly. Elisha told him that she was going to take some guards, with the approval of Emperor Kaiden, and Thomas smiled broadly, as if he had turned ten years younger. He seemed like a pain in the neck. He wanted to stick with Rohan, saying that he was also a known knight in his old days, but left on his own to join the Capital Guard. Elisha and Rohan headed to the guard station. The guards used the entire third floor, the top of the building. On the third floor, the entire interior was immediately visible as soon as they went up, as the rest of the third floor was completely open except for the two spaces that were roughly closed with partitions in the corner. As much as that, one would be able to immediately hear the squeaks of the guards belonging to the Capital Guard. Alcohol bottles scattered all over the place. Half of the guards were dazed and it was not clear whether they were awake or drunk. ¡°I want you to win this time too, Lety! You¡¯ve got all of my paycheck this month!¡± In the center, two people face each other with their elbows on a shabby table and hold hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! Tito is going to win this time. Lety has already played three matches, his legs are supposed to be shakin¡¯!¡± The other half of the guards made a ruckus. As Elisha climbed the stairs and stopped at the entrance, Rohan looked over his shoulder with a stiff face. ¡°Are they really useful?¡± ¡°If not those people, then who else still remains for the Crown Prince¡¯s share?¡± Elisha was rather calm. ¡®And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡¯ ¡®Even five years later, they¡¯re all still here and they¡¯re still guards.¡¯ By that time, she had to go through the cumbersome process of bringing branches, throwing them in the ground, and reminding these people over and over that they are not worth living if they couldn¡¯t even be wild dogs. So what¡¯s wrong with being able to attract them without doing that? Elisha was not at all swept away by the atmosphere around her, and she moved her gaze to and fro as if she was looking for something. In her calm flow, only the place where she stood felt like a deserted lake shore. But the moment she took her first step with her eyes twinkling and shining. Pong-dang! The ripples centered on her push the surrounding air and spread in all directions. All of the guards near her stopped moving, and all at once their attention shifted to her. ¡°Hwii!¡± ¡°Who are you?!¡± There were those who are belatedly surprised, those who are distant, and those who are wary. Among those people, one of the partitions in the inner corner pushed aside, and a middle-aged man appeared. ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°Sir Dell.¡± Elisha called him and confirmed his identity. ¡°Did I ever know such a beautiful woman?¡± Dell Pyrion¡¯s murmur accompanied the whistling sounds and the vulgar words coming out of the guards towards Elisha. ¡°If anyone defiles the 3rd Prince¡¯s ears, regardless of the fact that you are needed¡­¡± Elisha, who was speechless, pressed her cheek to the left ear of the child she was holding in her arms, and covered his right ear with the hand that was supporting his back before opening her mouth again. ¡°¡­if you want that head to stay attached to your body, you¡¯d better behave.¡± Even the roughest guards couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the cruel words that the slender beauty with an indifferent expression spit out in front of dozens of men. Besides. That is the 3rd Prince? When the middle-aged guard gaptain Dell blinked, Elisha observed him. Slowly, from top to bottom. Dell, without realizing it, moved his head following her gaze. When he came to his senses, he was bowing his head in front of the silver-haired woman. ¡°Now the atmosphere is set for a talk. I¡¯m Elisha de Rappelcia. Do you guys want to do business with me?¡± Elisha¡¯s voice echoed through the third floor. Chapter 16 In the past, Elisha met Dell Pyrion the year after Asensio¡¯s death. When the battle with the 1st Empress started in earnest, Elisha needed a Knights Order for herself, and the guards, which had been left unattended until they went beyond wild dogs and turned into wolves, met Elisha¡¯s needs. The harsher and rougher they barked, the more she liked it, so Elisha let them know the reality over and over again. Well-trained guard dogs who faithfully carry out their duties will be rewarded. At that time, Dell said. In the ten years after he became a guard, for the first time, he asked if anyone would reach out to him with his abilities. He said he was determined to give power to the one who paid the highest price. Ten years passed in vain, and Dell had to stay with the guard. So Dell said that as the decade went on, his thinking continued to change. He swore that he would risk his life for anyone who offered him a hand, and he promised to make those who did not choose him deeply regret it. After spending his time like dead dust inside, he felt that his life had become futile and painful, so the time had come to let go of everything. Regardless of whether he had an owner or not, he barked like a mad dog in all directions, wandered around like a wolf, and suddenly became a domestic dog. But after being beaten to death and his fire being put out several times, he laughed saying that there was nothing that could not be done. The man who nearly died over and over again, crossing the threshold of life and death because of his lack of learning ability, smirked. Dell only giggled when he almost died the day he got his own surname, free from his lifelong status of being an illegitimate child of Count Pyrion. But when Dell died, he was not called Marquis Joachim, the name he loved so much. But the dog of Elisha, the Silver Flame Witch. The funny thing is that Dell didn¡¯t hate it. Even at the moment of his death, he was content with being the Witch¡¯s dog. So this time, let him live like a human and let him die as a human. Elisha was willing to watch him live as Marquis Joachim, the Crown Prince¡¯s favorite, not the Witch¡¯s puppet. A mutt is not called a mutt because it eats dung. It¡¯s a mutt because it can¡¯t stop eating dung. [T/N: There is a wordplay here. The word ?? (mutt) here (can also be translated as mongrel), which is the harsher word for dog, is the combination of the word ? (dung) and ? (dog). So, the ?? (mutt) is not called ?? (mutt) because the ? (dog) eats ? (dung). Get it?] ¡°A deal? I¡¯ll accept it with an open mind. You¡¯re going to ask me to lie flat and lick your toes, but you say it as if you¡¯re going to give me something in return. You make my heart flutter.¡± Dell, who spoke while sweeping his chest with his hand, smirked with wrinkles around his eyes, like a middle-aged man. At first glance, it looked like a smirk of an old playboy, but Elisha knew how twisted he was inside. Elisha took into account that Dell, who had lamented in the past that he would have crawled to her on his own if Elisha had come five years earlier, was still Dell anyway. Elisha held her child in one hand, and then, with her free hand, grabbed the hem of her skirt and stepped forward with one foot. The nose of the shoe, too crude to be attributed to the Imperial woman, was exposed under the hem of the dress. Soon, the hem of the dress flew off as Elisha approached Dell. Dell only thought that she would slap him in the face in return for blatantly wagging his tongue. Well, would she? But she stopped. While everyone there was waiting for her next move, she spoke to Dell instead. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Dell swallowed with his dry throat as her flawless sky-blue eyes, which were opaque and would not forgive any intrusion of other colors, were piercing his eyes. ¡°What should I do?¡± It was fortunate that the tongue still moved well regardless of what he was feeling at the moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Didn¡¯t you just say it with your mouth? The value of you and your men.¡± Then, Elisha lowered her gaze and pointed to the exposed nose of her shoe. It didn¡¯t seem easy, but Dell, who didn¡¯t know why she was going out like that, was astonished. Elisha¡¯s mood improved as she changed her expression with a sly face. But it wasn¡¯t enough to soften her behavior. ¡°Are you going to keep doing this? Is this a place where not only the guards don¡¯t have pride in themselves, but also a place where the commander can¡¯t even keep his own word?¡± ¡°I heard that the 2nd Knights of the Imperial Palace had been disbanded. If the reason for the Empress visiting all the way here has something to do with it¡­. We are the ones who have been pushed aside, can¡¯t the Crown Prince return to Marquis Blemir at any time? If that happens, it would be the 2nd Empress or us, who¡¯d be like a dog chasing chickens.¡± ¡°Why do you say so many words?¡± ¡°So many¡­¡± Elisha asked Dell, who swallowed the harsh swear words. ¡°So the guards won¡¯t accept my offer with the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°That!¡± That is not the case. The guards will accept it. These guards are the ones who have not been able to show themselves because they haven¡¯t had a chance until now, and who think they won¡¯t lose no matter who they fight against. Even if Marquis Blemir or the Crown Prince faction come to oppose them to elect a new 2nd Knights Order after they have taken their place, they have no intention of backing down easily. Who is more desperate among those who want power and honor, and those who will block them from executing the values of life and revenge? It¡¯s true that a desperate heart can¡¯t steal victory, but it gives you the persistence to give up more and endure. Elisha looked at them, not just Dell, but all the other guards. ¡°I don¡¯t blame the guards for their lack of pride. Because you don¡¯t have too much, you didn¡¯t get results for your efforts, and no one recognized your achievements. Pride has to be built up, but since you only lost what you have, isn¡¯t it natural?¡± It was a declaration that it would be different in the future, and it was the final sentence for Dell. Dell soon realized that it was unlikely for the woman in front of him to persecute others recklessly. She was trying to tame the whole guards by defeating the guard leader, Dell. Thud! The moment he realized, Dell was already on his knees. A large, well-toned man with short gray hair, about two meters in length, crouched down like a beast. He was too big to be a dog and more resembled a wolf, but unlike his sullen eyes, he crawled on all fours to reach in front of Elisha, breathing out submissive energy all over his body. It was a sight to behold. Elisha would stop him if she had to, but she would not stand up and reach out to him. Since his strength was unlike in the past, now is the perfect opportunity. Even if it wasn¡¯t this time, Dell would have revealed his strength at least once in the future. Then, Dell¡¯s shadow was cast in front of her tiny foot. A shadow cast from him flows over Elisha. At that moment, Dell¡¯s backbone grew cold. Swish! At the sound of something hitting the wind, Dell hurriedly leans back. Thud! At the same time, in the space between Dell and Elisha, a sword was pierced as if dividing the boundary. Dell leaned back and lifted his face, auburn eyes were staring down at him, watching. ¡°Sir Rohan?¡± His presence was strong just by being there, but he was on the sidelines the whole time, so Dell didn¡¯t really care. He stepped up. Elisha wasn¡¯t surprised either, but when she looked at Rohan with a somewhat confused expression, Rohan said. ¡°Anyone who covets His Majesty¡¯s wife will be punished for treason.¡± The tone was calm, but the meaning was strong. ¡°C-Covet? What nonsense! Why would I¡ª To someone who looks beautiful on the outside, but is like a witch on the inside!¡± Dell exclaimed with so much sincerity. Rohan frowned slightly at the word ¡®witch¡¯, but did not respond further. Rohan, who retrieved his sword and returned it to its original position, looked back at Elisha. ¡°He speaks too much. Is this still not enough?¡± Even though he didn¡¯t have to step forward, he thought about Elisha¡¯s position and waited. He knew that he had cut her off at the end, but Elisha shook her head. ¡°What I started, I will finish. And if I thought it had to be done, I would have done it already.¡± Elisha turned her gaze not to Rohan, but to Dell, who was sitting at an angle on the floor, with his arms behind his back to support his upper body. Her expression was like asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± So Dell raised a hand and scratched his head. ¡°Why do two people with different positions come together and make such a headache?¡± The apex of the Imperial faction and the emerging power of the Crown Prince faction. In the midst of a disadvantage, who will give more importance to the instructions even in a situation where there is some justification? Dell thought that the Silver Witch might be trying to test him again. ¡°Heuu¡­¡± With a frown on his lips, Dell leaned forward again. What a woman. If there is a master who drives people like that, it seems like he can run without end. Since the distance was already quite close, he was now right up to Elisha¡¯s feet. Why does he have to do that? Because it should be done. After that, Dell opened his mouth as he received all the gazes from the guards. At that time, he felt someone¡¯s presence above his head again. Dell, who grumbled that it was already difficult to lick her shoe once, hesitated as he was preparing himself for another attack like before. However, the presence was not dangerously fierce, it was a soft presence, like a cat jumping down and standing next to him. And when he turned his head slightly to check. ¡°Your Highness the 3rd Prince?¡± It was the young prince who had been held in the witch¡¯s arms all the time. Elisha wondered if the current scene was not good for the child¡¯s education as Leon, who was in her arms, shuddered. But no matter how much she looked at it, she couldn¡¯t find anything bad about it. If there was something that seemed to be bad for the child¡¯s emotions, she covered his ears, so there was no way to guess. Oh, could it be? ¡°Are you scared? Shall we go out?¡± When Elisha asked, Leon shook his head. It means he doesn¡¯t want to interfere with his mother¡¯s work. ¡°Then what do you want to do? What would you like me to do?¡± When Elisha made eye contact with the child and asked, Leon seemed to be a little troubled, and whispered in Elisha¡¯s ear. Elisha nodded her head, released her hand from his neck, and put him back to the floor. Leon believed that everyone had their own position and circumstances. Mother is Mother, Sir Rohan is Sir Rohan. The same goes for this old wolf, who spit out the words that caused all the trouble. He¡¯s only doing what he should be doing. He was wondering if there was anything he could do in a situation where everyone could not back down, but he suddenly remembered what happened at the training ground not long ago. He tried to stay still as usual, while wondering if he could come forward, but the words his mother had said kept ringing in his ears. Do whatever you want to do. I want to hear anything you¡¯d like to say. You¡¯re Mother¡¯s joy. So Leon mustered up his courage. ¡°Ehm¡­¡± Leon coughed softly and cleared his throat, squatting down to face Dell. ¡°Mother said that her everything belongs to Leon.¡± Dell wondered what this young prince was trying to say, but Leon¡¯s voice continued. ¡°So give Sir Dell¡¯s loyalty to me. And I¡¯ll give mine to you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Dell stepped back and looked back at Elisha¡¯s feet, which were hidden under the hem of the dress, then at Leon¡¯s feet. It is a good move to escape from the label Rohan had given him, and show his intelligence and mindfulness. In any case, Dell was supposed to be a bastard, but he tilted his face towards Leon¡¯s, the prince whom he thought had a good head in contrast to his weak-looking figure, feet¡­ Two small palms were held out in front of his face. It means to get it on his hands, not his feet. Dell looked at Leon, and Leon looked embarrassed, but he didn¡¯t avoid Dell¡¯s gaze and smiled softly. Whoa, how could an angelic prince be born under such a scary witch? In surprise, Dell buried his face in Leon¡¯s palm for a moment and then removed it. Even if Leon put his hands together, he couldn¡¯t even cover half of Dell¡¯s face, but strangely, it felt very large and spacious. One is terribly spicy and the other is dazzlingly lovely. Oh, these two heads. Dell had an ominous feeling that they had something that attracted people. Translator¡¯s note: This whole chapter is about Elisha getting Dell¡¯s loyalty. Elisha knows Dell will come with her because in the past, Dell said that if she came to him 5 years earlier, he would¡¯ve crawled on all fours to her. Dell is the illegitimate son of Count Pyrion, which he hates, and in the past, Elisha made Dell Marquis Joachim after joining her for some time. In this chapter, Dell wants to show his loyalty by kissing Elisha¡¯s feet, which Rohan stops under the pretense that he looks like he is ¡®coveting the Emperor¡¯s wife¡¯ (I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just jealous, but, carry on.) In the end, Dell kisses Leon¡¯s hands to show his loyalty (because he¡¯s such a dazzling, lovely angel) That aside I believe I¡¯ve translated Elisha as something like Silver Flame Witch in past chapters but I couldn¡¯t find it and I¡¯m not sure whether I translated it exactly that way, so if you can help me find it I¡¯ll be really grateful @@ Chapter 17 - Sneak Attack (1) Sneak Attack (1) Elisha took turns looking at Dell and her son, who was smiling at her in return, with curious eyes. In fact, in the past, Dell didn¡¯t like Leon very much. No, to be exact, should one say that they didn¡¯t want to meet face-to-face because they neither liked or hated each other? The more Leon¡¯s condition deteriorated and the more he pretended to be Elisha, the stronger the feelings became. It reached its peak and exploded when Dell found out that Elisha¡¯s dream was not just the throne, but the whole empire, which she would hand over to her son. On their second meeting, a riot broke out. All of the guards participated. It was so chaotic that it looked as if there was a big fight with the enemy instead of an internal conflict. A dog that is well-fed doesn¡¯t bite its owner. Dogs do not disappoint their owners. It barks to let the owner know of its sorrow, then digs for a while with its front paws and snaps its snout, before eventually coming back to its owner and wags its tail softly. So did the guards, so fortunately, they didn¡¯t have to suffer being annihilated at the hands of their master. It was like that back then. It certainly was, but¡­ If it¡¯s now, she thinks she can even ask Dell to be a nanny. ¡°Brother Ascencio is a very kind and nice person. It¡¯s wonderful to be able to be his knight.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With Leon answering without hesitation, Dell envisions the person who will become their new owner. The Emperor, who wanted to establish a strong Imperial power, did not wish to have his power dispersed by putting forward a successor early on, so he did not expose the Crown Prince. As such, there was no way to know about the Crown Prince unless he was a high-ranking nobleman who frequently visited the palace, so Leon¡¯s information was quite advanced. The only problem was that it was too partial because it contained a lot of goodwill and love. In the Imperial family, where the blood of one noble clan is the greatest cause to continue the history of the Empire, and at the same time becomes a deadly poison that threatens¡­ It was perhaps natural that the pure affection for the Crown Prince was instilled in the image of a young child pouring out his heart on his half-brother, which is difficult for even brothers of the same blood to share. Not only Dell, but some of the guards were sneaking up around the young prince and pricking their ears. They couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the two people in front of them rather than the people far away. Since she had done her job, Elisha reached out to her child. Leon said goodbye to Dell and took Elisha¡¯s hand. When Dell, who was crouching at Leon¡¯s eye level, stood up, his shadow was large enough to swallow Elisha and Leon at once. But the two people were not in the least surprised, as the darkness felt like a wall to protect them, not a net that threatened them. Elisha spoke to Dell in a rather relaxed tone. ¡°Sir Dell, based on what you said a while ago, it doesn¡¯t seem that you¡¯re completely in the dark regarding the news of Barossa. So I¡¯ll tell you in advance so you don¡¯t have to worry. His Highness the Crown Prince and I do not intend to use you only for a while before throwing you away.¡± The words were spat out so easily, but the one who received it couldn¡¯t feel at ease. After all, since the choices and decisions were already made, he could only hope for better results. But. ¡°Did you know? One more Knights Order needs to be created in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°The 3rd Prince¡¯s?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now that the 3rd Prince¡¯s sixth birthday has passed, it¡¯s time to prepare.¡± That is, if there is a problem in becoming the knights of the Crown Prince, rest assured that there is a next-best solution¡­ ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it alright to support the 3rd Prince as his knight from the beginning rather than the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Why did you say that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the 2nd Empress said? You said that there¡¯s another way. Am I wrong?¡± The playful glare of the turbid green eyes made her understand why this mutt is getting beaten outside. ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, but it¡¯s not something to be talked about right now. I came to ask you instead of the one who will become your owner, but if I stole you in the middle, how can I raise my face in front of His Highness the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Well, if it is, you would¡¯ve asked me later, not now. Hahaha!¡± As much as Dell smiled, Elisha narrowed the corners of her eyes. Rather than laughing, it was cool, as if she wanted to see how far he ran. Perhaps he felt the tingling sensation. Dell turned his gaze away. ¡°I will pass on your answers to the Crown Prince. I will send someone formally, so please be respectful and wait. And whether they will be fit for the Imperial Palace Knights or not, there will be a test, so you should be prepared.¡± ¡°Do I have to go through that too?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be strange if the Capital Guard is immediately approved as the Imperial Knights Order without a test? Or are you not confident, Sir Dell?¡± ¡°How can that be possible?¡± ¡°Then there will be no problem. I look forward to it.¡± Elisha cut off her words coldly and left the chaotic space, replacing her greeting with it. When she got off the third floor, she, Leon, and Rohan were seen off by Dell, Lety, and Tito. It was quiet inside the returning carriage. The adults were so, so Leon didn¡¯t want to disturb them. He sat still and looked outside. At that moment, Elisha¡¯s hand landed on Leon¡¯s head. ¡°You did really well. It was nice to come with you. Leon, it would have been really bad without you.¡± Leon¡¯s cheeks flushed brightly as if he was happy with Elisha¡¯s praise. Then, rattle! The carriage shook with a loud noise. Rohan quickly stretched out his arms to protect the two people sitting opposite of him. The moment Elisha felt danger, she hugged Leon tightly in her arms, so she was the only one who leaned on Rohan¡¯s arm. ¡°Are you alright?¡± When Rohan asked worriedly, Elisha nodded and looked at Leon. Leon said that he was alright too, and rather, he checked his mother over and over again. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rohan, who was sitting in the opposite seat, pushed the small window on the side and said to the coachman outside. ¡°I think there must have been a dent in the ground, but the wheel fell out¡­¡± ¡°Are you not hurt?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes. I¡¯m fine, but with all of you here¡­¡± The coachman was stumped. It was only natural that the fact that he almost injured the Empress and the Prince meant he had committed a crime so great that even a few lives were not enough to atone. He wondered why the owner, who always rode his horse to enter the palace, had to find the carriage today, and why did such an accident happen on such a day¡­ The coachman wanted to cry. Rohan looked back at Elisha because it wasn¡¯t a problem that he could just answer. ¡°Do you think the repair will take a long time?¡± When Rohan delivered her words to the coachman, the coachman said it could take an hour or so. Leon wasn¡¯t hurt, and she wouldn¡¯t know whether the coachman had hesitated and gave a vague answer. It was just bad luck, but it seemed that the coachman was doing his best, so Elisha had no intention of punishing the coachman separately. ¡°Mother, can I go out?¡± It was frustrating to be locked up in the carriage for an hour like this, and it would be better to remove the carriage wheel and reduce the weight inside to repair the loose part, so Elisha and Leon got out of the carriage. Of course, after getting permission from Rohan, who was currently in charge of safety. Rohan who went out first and checked the movement outside. The carriage with a prominent white lily stopped in an accident in the middle of the road when it was crossing through Midlin¡­ From time to time, people came out from the shops lined up on both sides of the road and looked at the carriage. Elisha, who doesn¡¯t like the crowd, was looking for a quiet place to be, when she realized that Leon was staring blankly somewhere. When she checked where he was looking, in the corner over there, she saw that they were selling grilled meat skewers made on a simple brazier from a shabby cart that wasn¡¯t a proper shop. ¡°Do you want to eat that?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Leon asked, even more surprised. ¡°You¡¯re not going to die from eating that, so what¡¯s wrong with it? Shall we eat together?¡± Leon¡¯s head nodded up and down. He was normally a small child with a small appetite, but he must have wanted to eat quite a bit. Elisha handed Leon the silver coin that Marie gave her when she came out of the 2nd Empress Palace. ¡°Buy as much as you want to eat.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to do?¡± ¡°Can I use all of this?¡± ¡°Of course. Do as you please.¡± Leon, who smiled broadly at Elisha¡¯s answer, approached the cart and held out a silver coin. A middle-aged woman who was grilling skewers inside the cart blinked. Leon pointed to Elisha behind him once, and then to Rohan, who was approaching Elisha¡¯s side, once more. The middle-aged woman nodded her head as if she understood, and soon picked up some skewers. ¡°Hmm? Rohan asked Elisha as he saw the bewildered look on her face, which was unusual. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It seems that one silver coin was more money than I thought. Over there, my child wants to bring all that house food.¡± Indeed. As Elisha had said, in front of Leon, a huge pile of grilled skewers was piling up. ¡°If he eats it all, he would have a stomach ache.¡± At Elisha¡¯s murmuring, Rohan glanced at the children snooping around with their heads sticking out in the alley next to the place where the skewers were being sold. The smell of grilled meat with sauce is irritating, but if a lot was cooked at once, the smoky smell seems to attract people. ¡°The 3rd Prince is not going to eat alone, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± But. Leon is a smart kid. He would be much quicker than Elisha, in that respect. One silver coin worth. He would know what he could do with it. Elisha, who had only lived an out-of-normal life, did not know what an ordinary life is. In fact, she never actually felt the need for her to know that. Because she had always lived a life that was out of touch with those things. Therefore, Elisha¡¯s standards for the world had to be extreme. It was either too high or too low. ¡°Mother!¡± Leon, who was waiting for the skewers to finish, held two in each hand and held them out to Elisha and Rohan, who were standing a few steps away. ¡°It tastes better when it¡¯s hot.¡± Elisha looked down at the skewer she had taken for a moment, then brought it to her mouth. A piece of meat melts in her mouth. ¡°Do you like it, Mother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very delicious.¡± Elisha sincerely praised it. The whole thing was spicy, salty, and the meat had a slightly burnt taste, but she didn¡¯t hate it, knowing that was the beauty of the skewers sold on the street. ¡°Does Sir Rohan like it?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Your Highness.¡± Rohan, who seemed to never eat anything on the street, took a skewer and answered Leon. Satisfied with the reaction of the two, Leon turned around at the woman¡¯s call that the skewers were finished and went back to the cart. It was really strange to see Elisha and Rohan standing side by side and holding meat skewers¡­ The thought did not last long. Tuk. Elisha¡¯s skewer fell to the floor, and Rohan drew his sword. Leon disappeared from their sight and was sucked into the black alley. Everything happened in an instant. Chapter 18 - Sneak Attack (2) Sneak Attack (2) It smelled good. At first, he just wanted to try it once, but when he was eating his meat skewer, he saw the children swallow their saliva. Then the thought that he should share appeared. At first, he thought he could just leave his money at the skewer shop. However, the gazes of the children while skewers were being grilled somehow reminded him of Mrs. Suare. So Leon asked the seller to wrap the skewers one by one, and while holding the wrapped ones in one adorable hand, he went to the children who were sticking together inside the corner wall leading to the alley and stretching their necks. Leon, who is a thoughtful child, is sorry if he misunderstood the meaning of their gaze, but he wanted the children to be able to take as much as they wanted with ease. ¡°Here.¡± Leon didn¡¯t get too close to the children. Not because he felt uncomfortable, but because the children might feel uncomfortable. No matter how neglected he was in Barossa, he was of the Imperial family. For some, simply standing there could cause harm or even threaten their life. Leon took out his handkerchief and laid it on the clean floor, leaving the skewers on it and backing away. The children looked at each other, then came out and picked up the handful of skewers. There were quite a few children, but the skewers were ample. He prepared just enough numbers. He was sure there would be children who wouldn¡¯t eat it and want to take it home and give it to their mother or brother, so he was concerned. However, there was a struggle to be the first one to get it, and there was a limit to what a child could pick up with their small hands, so there was a bit of a commotion. Leon was about to go back to the place where his mother was with the four skewers he had set aside, but he saw a girl who looked like his age, unable to intervene from the other side. Then the girl picked up one of the skewers that another kid accidentally dropped. The girl did not care if it was dirty. She grabbed it and went somewhere. Leon, whose eyes were round, walked a few steps closer to her without realizing it. The children who shared the skewers were scattered all over the place, and there was no one between the girl and Leon, so he thought that it would be okay if he went and gave her his share. When he almost reached the corner of the alley where the girl was, a hand suddenly popped out, but it wasn¡¯t the girl¡¯s hand. Tu-dukk! The skewer in Leon¡¯s hand fell to the floor and Leon was sucked into the darkness. The girl thought she heard something behind her back, so she turned around, but there was nothing. Then, a gust of wind blew past without a drop of a shadow, followed by a beautiful woman with silver hair running in front of her, and then disappeared into the alley. ¡°What was that?¡± The girl tilted her head, saw the four skewers that had fallen on the floor, widened her eyes, looked around, and quickly picked it up. ¡°Hup!¡± The girl smiled brightly and went back to her house. Tadadadakk! The sound of footsteps echoed in the alley less than three meters wide. As soon as Rohan entered the alley, he stopped, cut the people with his sword, then stepped on the bodies of those who fell and leaped high. Rohan¡¯s sword cuts through the air. Swaekh! Swaeeekh! The blow emitted from Rohan¡¯s sword struck the rear of the group that had kidnapped the 3rd Prince and were fleeing. Paaang! ¡°Co-ugh!¡± As if their backs had been ripped apart in one bite, three or four people at once fell with their faces to the floor and their backs cut open. Because the attack was limited in scope, it had no effect on those who had the 3rd Prince in the lead. Among the only three swordmasters in the Empire, his ability that occupies the top position could not tolerate such a mistake. Even after being caught by such a powerful enemy, the kidnappers did not panic. As if it was the expected situation, the man who was running while holding the 3rd Prince in the lead blinked left and right. The five who followed him slowed down, then turned around and faced Rohan. One of the five faced Rohan in the center, while the other four split in two and ran towards Rohan. The four kicked off both walls and floated in the air. The guys crossed and jumped over Rohan¡¯s head and got down behind Rohan¡¯s back. With a slight time difference and distance, two of the guys landed behind Rohan and stood in place, while the other two, leaving their comrades behind, began to trace the path Rohan had run. It happened in just a few breaths. Rohan¡¯s eyebrows twitch. Because he knew their intentions. At the midpoint between the increasingly distant 3rd Prince and the gradually approaching 2nd Empress, Rohan had to choose between the two. In fact, it was an easy choice. Aside from the fact that the first thing to be protected in the Imperial family is the prince who will carry on the bloodline. ¡°Go!¡± The 2nd Empress, the party involved, shouted without hesitation even though unidentified men were blocking her. He turned his head to confirm, and that stern look in her eyes spoke like the ruling monarch, ordering him to carry out her orders¡­ She had the appearance of a relentless master who warned him of failure. The nape of the swordmaster Rohan¡¯s neck became cold. There was no time to think about how it could be so. Rohan had not caught the kidnapper, not because he did not have the ability. Rohan was only looking for a time when there wouldn¡¯t be the slightest risk for the 3rd Prince. But now that the situation is like this. Following Elisha¡¯s line of sight, Rohan turned his body and stabbed his sword into the ground. Then, as if scooping the soil outward, it bounced. Pababakk! The soil sprayed with strong momentum was not at the level of getting into the eyes and blurring vision. ¡°Ugh!¡± The two of them, who were trying to stick behind Rohan, swallowed the wind in an unexpectedly strong shock. But the real surprise for them only started after they came to their senses. ¡°U-Uwaaakh!¡± They didn¡¯t know whether it would be better if the attack just penetrated them at once. Tiny grains of earth and small stones crumbled as they moved, causing great pain. With his left foot as the central axis, Rohan rotated his body strongly and extended his right foot. Puuuck! Puk! Those who were bending their upper body in agony were hit by Rohan¡¯s kick, and their bodies bounced back. Then they bumped into the two who were about to approach Elisha. Gwaaang! Rohan turned around without even giving a glance to the four who were entangled, and immediately slammed the ground toward the front and jumped. In the middle of the alley, the man who had to stand alone to block Rohan clenched his teeth and raised his sword high. Rohan had to catch up with the fleeing masked man who was carrying the 3rd Prince over his shoulder before he became a complete dot, so he didn¡¯t want to delay even for a second. Kwaduk! Rohan¡¯s mana-infused sword fell diagonally and collided with the opponent. Along with the sword he was holding, the enemy fell to the floor in a split second. Rohan stepped over the man, not minding getting his feet dirty. He had to return with the 3rd Prince. Elisha looked down at those who had fallen on the floor. It looked funny, but one shouldn¡¯t think of it as funny. They became like that because their opponent was the swordmaster Rohan. Elisha quickly scanned the floor and reached out for a sword dropped by one of the bastards. The two kidnappers that Rohan threw in place of weapons didn¡¯t seem to be able to move¡­ The other two looking at her were the problem. Although Rohan delayed the time as much as possible, they would surely attack Elisha when they came to their senses. As Elisha was about to grab the handle of the sword, which she found quickly, she heard a sound on the floor. Seeukk. Sseuukk! One of the people from the tangled mass swept his hand through the floor. The bastard stretched out his arms in a prone position, trying to take the sword that Elisha was holding. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Elisha mumbled coldly and pressed the man¡¯s wrist with the tip of her toe. As his hand stopped just before he touched the sword, the masked man slowly lifted his gaze from the woman¡¯s feet to the hem of the dress and over it as she stepped on his wrist. A woman with silver hair stood with her back to the setting sun. The woman slowly bent her back. Her shiny silver hair was pouring out and waving right in front of his eyes. Her slender wrists and white fingers that seemed unable to kill even a small beast grabbed the handle of the sword and lifted it up¡­ Swaeegh! It fell straight down towards the masked man. Thud! The masked man¡¯s body, which he had been lifting slightly, dropped to the floor and stopped moving. Elisha bit her molars tightly as she pulled the sword she was holding from the back of the masked man. Shuah! When she pulled out the sword with great force, hot blood spurted out and splashed on Elisha as well. Elisha rubbed the blood with her shoulders quickly, lest the blood from her forehead dripped into her eyes and obscured her vision. She took a deep breath and then¡­ She clenched her sword¡¯s handle with both hands and turned her body. Swaaeegh! The masked men, who had been quietly approaching her back, quickly pulled his body back and escaped Elisha¡¯s attack. Elisha swung her blade sideways and pushed forward, hurriedly following the escape of the enemy. It would have been better for Elisha¡¯s safety if she escaped, but Elisha was worried that the masked man might follow his colleague and help him kidnap Leon. Of course, there is also a high possibility that the one who was currently dealing with Swordmaster Rohan is incomparably better than these people who had been left here. It is the parents¡¯ mind not wanting to underestimate anything that is related to their child. The approaching sword from behind went between the masked man¡¯s open armpit and side before digging into the flesh. ¡°Khohk!¡± The masked man, who did not expect that Elisha would do this, fell sideways as his blood was spilled. Elisha quickly released the handle of her sword. The sword was not in a situation where it could be pulled out as it was stuck quite deep, and it fell along with the masked man who had collapsed. ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­¡± Elisha groaned, approached the masked man who had fallen, slammed his chest with her foot, pressed it down, bent over and took off the mask. It was not a familiar face. The wound was large, but the man seemed to be still breathing. Elisha¡¯s mind was complicated, but as soon as she saw the opposite direction, her thoughts became completely blank. ¡°Leon!¡± Elisha stepped towards Rohan, who was running towards her as quickly as possible¡­ Rohan¡¯s dark auburn eyes fluttered wildly, and she heard his cry. ¡°Get away!¡± Elisha turned her face to where Rohan was looking. The man, who was lying on the ground, seemingly dead, was throwing something he had pulled out of his bosom at Elisha. Chareukk! The content of the fist-sized bottle was scattered in the air. Chapter 19 - Sneak Attack (3) Sneak Attack (3) As soon as the smell of the poison stung her nose, Elisha instinctively grabbed the hem of her dress and wrapped it around the wet space with the fluttering ends. Psssss! The hem of the dress that was in contact with the content of the bottle melted, and a strong smoke rose. Bbakak! Rohan, who came closer, kicked the head of the man who had attacked Elisha. Then, just before the fluttering ends covered her leg again, he grabbed it and pulled it tight. He was not sure that the poison in the melted part had completely disappeared, so he was worried that it might come in contact with the skin and injure the 2nd Empress. Besides, since they didn¡¯t know what other events would happen after this, they had to return to Barossa as soon as possible. Rohan was feeling a really rare, troubled feeling in his life. Holding the 3rd Prince in one hand and holding the hem of the 2nd Empress¡¯s dress in the other hand, he could not let go of any of it, so he could not take any other action. Noticing Rohan¡¯s dilemma, Elisha reached out to Rohan¡¯s waist. His knight¡¯s instinct tried to strike her down, but Rohan silently suppressed it. With Rohan¡¯s permission, Elisha drew his sword. Jiiiiikk! Jiiik! Elisha cut the melted part of the hem with Rohan¡¯s blood-stained sword. When finished, the skirt of the dress is hollowed out, revealing Elisha¡¯s legs, as if it had been bitten by a large beast. When the danger was gone, Elisha immediately returned his sword and hugged Leon. Rohan, who no longer had to hold the skirt, pondered for a moment, then lowered his body with one knee on the ground. He began to make a knot by grabbing both ends of the fluttering, triangular hem of the skirt. If he covered the open area, the length of the skirt would shorten and the ankle would be exposed, but he thought that the situation in which the legs were exposed could at least be stopped. However, things didn¡¯t go well. If he tied it too tight, the gap would be closed, but the delicate lines of the body would be fully exposed¡­ At first glance, the pure white legs could be seen from the part that was not covered by the knot. It was a hot day and he was only wearing thin clothes, so there was no way Rohan could take his clothes off. In the end, he made a ribbon knot to fix the first mess he made in his life. Rohan had no other intentions. He calmly finished his work, and immediately released his hand. ¡°Hfft.¡± As Rohan stood up, dusting off the dust on his knees, he heard laughter above his head. When he lifted her head, the corners of Elisha¡¯s eyes, which were like ice cubes, softened a little. Elisha looked down at Rohan for a moment, then leaned her cheek against Leon in her arms. ¡°Are you having fun too? There are things that even Rohan can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Leon, whose face had paled in shock, was now flushed. Rohan¡¯s actions seemed to have reassured the two people. ¡°Thank you. You saved Leon.¡± It was a little late, but Rohan shook his head as Elisha thanked him. As a knight, it was the right thing to do. However, the enemy that had been hiding suddenly popped up and it took more time than expected to deal with them. If the 2nd Empress did not endure well¡­ ¡°However, this thing. It¡¯s venomous, but with this amount, even if it¡¯s poured overhead, it¡¯s not going to cause fatal wounds.¡± Rohan pointed to the bottle lying on the floor and the skirt of the dress that had melted and had been cut off. There are many more effective ones, so why did they choose this one and use it as a last resort? There might be a real ¡°purpose¡± behind the stealth and kidnapping. ¡°Hmm.¡± Elisha groaned softly. They didn¡¯t want to increase their job by killing Elisha right away, but it was really obvious that the culprit hated her enough to want to ruin her face or body to make her look ugly. The fact that the 1st Empress was a woman who would be able to commit such a thing casually, and whether she could really put her heart into practice was a completely different story. After observing the safety of Elisha and Leon, Rohan confirmed the fallen enemies. Everyone seemed to have stopped breathing as if they had committed suicide at the time the poison was sprayed. ¡°We better hurry. We don¡¯t know what else will happen.¡± Rohan checked his surroundings once. There seemed to be something touching his senses, but he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°If we leave now, what if people come across this path?¡± ¡°I could drive the carriage to the guard station and let them send some people over, but it will take time.¡± In the meantime, there is a high possibility that the clues to be found through the corpses of the enemies or the traces they leave behind will disappear. Elisha looked around, feeling regretful, but then shook her head. Those who had a purpose and even committed suicide would not have acted laxly. ¡°It seems to be of no use unless they¡¯re alive.¡± Rohan agreed with the words of the 2nd Empress, but it was a big incident where the Imperial family was attacked. Naturally, he had to follow the procedure and check the mistakes of the enemies. After returning to the carriage and putting the two people on the carriage, Rohan sent the coachman to the guard not far away, and then he drove the carriage himself to the Imperial Palace. Sitting on the carriage and leaning on the backrest, the touch of Leon¡¯s hand was gentle. However, Elisha¡¯s eyes facing out the window were blooming like thorns sticking out of flesh, eating the sky blue. *** Barossa was buzzing with the story of the white lily carriage which returned late last night. ¡°Your Majesty the 1st Empress, did you hear? She came back in a very funny way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know what she was thinking, suddenly making such an uproar.¡± None of those who attended the tea time hosted by the 1st Empress did not know the subject even without a word of mention. Then, Baroness Lottery, who did not want to miss the opportunity to stand out in front of the 1st Empress, came forward. ¡°Isn¡¯t this all because Her Majesty the 1st Empress treats her so well that she keeps climbing?¡± She meant to start the feast with a laugh by ridiculing the 2nd Empress. Baroness Lottery, who set the atmosphere well and considered herself good at dealing with people, gently brushed the fan she was holding from the tip of her nose to hide her smile when everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her. However, it didn¡¯t take long for that smile to fade. ¡°Did I treat the 2nd Empress so well? Baroness Lottery seems to know me better than I do. I don¡¯t remember doing anything like that.¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± Baroness Lottery lowered her fan down her face, swallowing with a dry throat in the sudden chilly air. As silence descended, Marchioness Bahrain, a close aide to the 1st Empress, raised a teapot and filled the 1st Empress¡¯s teacup. ¡°Baroness Lottery seems to have made a mistake because she had just arrived in the capital and didn¡¯t know when to do something and when not to.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± 1st Empress Isabelle snorted. She didn¡¯t hate a flatterer because she wanted to be loved. But that¡¯s only when Isabelle felt like that herself. She didn¡¯t think it¡¯s cute for someone to shake their tail and make a fuss just to attract attention. Isabelle murmured, completely ignoring Baroness Lottery, who bowed her head in contemplation. ¡°Why did His Majesty give her Sir Rohan? What a busy man Sir Rohan is. He¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯s going to clean up after the 2nd Empress, is he?¡± Thanks to Baroness Lottery, the women who were invited to tea time realized once again. At a time like this, there was only one person who was allowed to open their mouth. ¡°But, at the time, His Majesty went to the Crown Prince Palace, so it was difficult to pretend to be completely ignorant. If he had attached the 1st Knights Order, everyone would have thought that it was His Majesty¡¯s official order, but wouldn¡¯t it be less unreasonable if Sir Rohan alone moved?¡± Rumors that His Majesty suddenly started paying attention to the 2nd Empress, this very thing. Isabelle frowned at the words of Marchioness Bahrain, but did not show a sharp reaction. It means that she agreed to some extent. Isabelle picked up the freshly filled teacup with her slender fingers, took a sip of the hot tea, and put it down quietly. At that time, the entrance of where tea time was in progress, became a little noisy. After a while, a familiar boy from the backyard revealed his face. ¡°What are you doing here, Your Highness the Crown Prince?¡± These two people hated each other so much that they even avoided face-to-face contact as much as possible. It means that today was the first time Ascencio walked into the 1st Empress Palace. ¡°Was it the 1st Empress¡¯s doing?¡± Ascencio choked his voice to calm his shaky breath. ¡°What do you mean?¡± 1st Empress Isabelle stood up from her seat. She was not asking because she didn¡¯t know. It was to make Ascencio reveal his purpose with his mouth. If he overturns the 1st Empress Palace without evidence, it would be the perfect reason to shake the Crown Prince Palace. Of course, Ascencio was not an easy opponent, who¡¯d do things as he pleased. Nevertheless, the reason he came here even after considering the crowd was because he couldn¡¯t stand it otherwise. ¡°I won¡¯t let it break this time, but I¡¯ll never forgive anyone who touches it.¡± Although the referenced object is missing, Isabelle and Ascencio knew who it was referring to. 1st Empress Isabelle looked down at the boy with black hair and blue eyes, like the man she loved the most in the world. ¡°Your Highness, when did you grow up like this?¡± She felt fresh. Unbeknownst to Isabelle, the boy had leapt through time and had the eyes of a man like his father. The green eyes wrinkled. Isabelle clasped her fingers. Should she have used her hand sooner? ¡°Not yet. You will find out more and more. About how I grew up.¡± After Ascencio spoke to Isabelle, he glanced at the women of the aristocracy who sat around the edge of the long tea table. Most of them were women from Eastern aristocratic families, but there were also a couple of small and medium-sized aristocrats. He also remembered how ridiculously they looked at, ridiculed, and ignored the 2nd Empress. At that time, he didn¡¯t have the qualifications, so he couldn¡¯t step up. But now, he believes he has. Therefore, as the eldest son who wants to protect his mother and younger brother, he gave himself permission to do everything he can. ¡°I will remember your faces. Later, if you hold up your face like this in front of the 2nd Empress, I don¡¯t know what I will do then. Do you know?¡± At Ascencio¡¯s words, the women stood up and greeted him frantically, even under the eyes of the 1st Empress. Ascencio stood expressionless, as if having a sudden thought, he turned to Isabelle. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Stoneham¡¯s birthday soon? I heard you¡¯re trying to open the Platinum Hall. Are you trying to announce that Stoneham is aiming for the crown prince seat?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, Your Highness? Is that possible? It¡¯s just a mother¡¯s desire to give her child something better.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it also the duty of the caregiver to let the child¡¯s face the limits he has been given? Draw a line, so that Little Brother will not keep snooping over it.¡± Ascencio was more annoyed that Isabelle had ruined the banquet Elisha had planned to decorate for Leon¡¯s birthday the other day, than Isabelle was trying to borrow the Platinum Hall for Stoneham, so he wanted to return it. He had never been interested in it before, but when the position of the 1st Empress was vacant, it had to be replaced in the order given by the Emperor. In any case, the gloomy banquet was over, and the time he had spent at the 2nd Empress Palace was so much fun, he even thought it was the best birthday ever. Isabelle slender shoulders trembled at Ascencio¡¯s provocation, expressing her anger. She muttered to his back as if to herself. ¡°You would be happy if I truly did it. But what if it was someone else, Your Highness?¡± Ascencio¡¯s pace slowed for a moment at the voice that was only loud enough for him to hear, but he soon found his pace and moved away. Chapter 20 - The 2nd Knights (1) The 2nd Knights (1) Elisha¡¯s face hardened when she heard that Ascencio had gone to the 1st Empress Palace from Marie. The bright and thoughtful Ascencio sometimes rushed into recklessness, mostly in matters related to the 2nd Empress. Even at Leon¡¯s birthday banquet, didn¡¯t he invite a large number of his supporters to fill the Silver Hall in secret from Marquis Blemir? Still, it¡¯s better than being forced to endure it. Above all, Ascencio was intelligent. He only took risks he didn¡¯t consider dangerous. ¡°He¡¯s coming.¡± Elisha saw Ascencio coming out of the 1st Empress Palace and approached the child. Ascencio saw Elisha, stopped, and avoided her gaze. He didn¡¯t regret it, but he seemed to think it was wrong to make her worry. When Elisha reached out her hand in hesitation, Ascencio charmingly put his hand on Elisha¡¯s hand. ¡°Have you had lunch?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how about staying together at the 2nd Empress Palace? Leon and Jillian are there too.¡± Ascencio thought a little, then nodded. Elisha grabbed Ascencio¡¯s hand and dragged him to the palace. ¡°I must thank Sir Rohan. I think I have to save him no matter what he commits in the future.¡± At the words that came from behind her, Elisha squeezed Ascencio¡¯s hand one more time and held it tight. What it meant for the child that he nearly lost this hand, was clearly conveyed to Elisha. ¡°Still, treason must not be forgiven. Anything that harms the emperor¡¯s authority must be cut down in order to keep things in check.¡± What? The emperor¡¯s authority? Elisha continued to speak despite whether she felt Ascencio¡¯s curiosity. ¡°It is the heart of the emperor. In order not to be consumed by the regrets caused by the things that had to be thrown away to become the emperor.¡± ¡°What if I have something I don¡¯t want to throw away?¡± ¡°If you do, you will have to give up after suffering more. If you want to become an emperor, you can¡¯t live with everything you want, can you? In particular, if it is to rise to a supreme position like an emperor, the price to be paid is inevitably high. All of the previous emperors were able to ascend to that one-of-a-kind throne in the same way.¡± ¡°What if I still don¡¯t want to give up?¡± This time Ascencio stopped walking while holding Elisha¡¯s hand tightly. Elisha turned and made eye contact with Ascencio, who was smaller than her. ¡°Be strong. So that no one can persuade the Crown Prince to pay the price. Even if other people shake it and fate tries to wield it, it might be possible as long as you don¡¯t forget where you stand on your feet and what is truly precious.¡± ¡°I will be strong enough to do that, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll look forward to it, Your Highness.¡± Expectations that excite each other are proof that people are moving forward positively. One-sided expectations are like a knife thrown to the floor, but promises exchanged between two are precious. Nobody will get angry or disappointed even if it¡¯s not kept. In the end, if one manages to do it, they will be praised and overjoyed. Ascencio smiled with his gentle blue eyes bent. Ascencio, one of the two people who were going back to the 2nd Empress Palace, said while contemplating what he had just heard. ¡°Who is it if it¡¯s not the 1st Empress?¡± Elisha¡¯s gaze naturally turned to the place where the Imperial Palace was located. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s little evidence or solid evidence. Just that, if it was not the 1st Empress, then it must be the Emperor. Those who wanted to touch the 2nd Empress, who had just started moving, were scattered all over Barossa and the Capital, but for good reasons, the one who could spend that much power and was capable of taking the damage¡­ Ascencio kept paying attention to it because he knew it. ¡°How much did that person throw away?¡± Elisha shook her head at Ascencio¡¯s words. ¡°His Majesty has not abandoned anything.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it because His Majesty is a strong person?¡± That¡¯s true. But it¡¯s not because of that. ¡°Because he never had anything in the first place.¡± Perhaps this is the truth. ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­¡± Ascencio asked in surprise. This was Kaiden, who had made a name for himself on the continent beyond Atien since the days he was still a prince. If he had nothing, who in the world would be able to show off their firefly-like light in front of him? Understanding Ascencio¡¯s skepticism, Elisha didn¡¯t talk about someone for whom nothing in life would have been easy. When Elisha rushed to say that the children were waiting, Ascencio did not delay any longer and hastened his steps. Glancing around the Emperor Palace, Ascencio pretended not to know. The Emperor¡¯s office was located near the entrance to the Emperor Palace. For safety measures, those who come and go to report will be prevented from entering deep inside, and it also made it easy for the emperor to move outside. Among the previous emperors, there were cases where the location of the office was changed or newly decorated according to their taste, but it was not so for Kaiden. He stood with his hands on the window frame, like a picture of time when everything was piled up for a long time, as if it had been there since the beginning. The wind blowing through the open window gently ruffled the dark hair that lightly covered his eyebrows, then back to where it was. The wind that disappeared after swiping and kissing his neatly cut short hair over and over again continued to turn around in regret. Neither the light pouring in front of his eyes, nor the refreshing wind, nor the glorious scenery of Barossa, which begins in the full spread of the Imperial Palace, meant anything to Kaiden. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Kaiden turned his head at the sound behind him. A man was standing over the large desk in front of the office window. ¡°Did you confirm?¡± ¡°Yes. After we removed the dead ones yesterday, we looked again and watched until a while ago, but there was no movement.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kaiden raised one eyebrow and tapped the window frame with his fingertips. The raid on the 2nd Empress yesterday was the doing of Zelot, the secret knights of Kaiden who abide by Kaiden¡¯s orders. Kaiden wanted to know what the 2nd Empress was holding. What the hell was that, moving the Western Tower and making the 2nd Empress a different person? It wasn¡¯t just out of curiosity. In this Empire, all the flows that escape the eyes of Emperor Kaiden are dark currents. In the basement of the world he had built, he stretches the water path and breaks the soil to overthrow that very world. In order to find the source of the dark current, it is necessary to point out the starting point. Some people might say that they are willing to sacrifice a lot of manpower because of the seemingly insignificant doubts that are just beginning, but that¡¯s about it now. The incident that caught his attention as the emperor and aroused his interest could never lead to a trivial end. If he finds it later, he might have to pay tens or hundreds of times the price he has now. But then, what to do? In the end, he returned empty-handed. ¡°You can neither cast magic again nor do you have artifacts that allow you to use magic without mana, right?¡± While muttering, Kaiden imagined Elisha¡¯s swordsmanship in his mind. Although she was trembling without strength, the target pointed to by the tip of the sword was clear and relentless. If one can use that level of swordsmanship without experience, they¡¯re a genius. A woman who could reach both sword and magic, to a point where so many people can only wish for the rest of their lives, but only a select few can reach, gave up everything for just one child. Since most marriages in the Imperial family are political marriages, it is made sure that the couple had a proper marital relationship for the first night in order to make the relationship last even if only for appearances. It would have been difficult to avoid because there were even separate people watching and confirming it. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t have any room for other options. He was very saddened by the consequences of his judgment, which he thought was unnecessary. It was Kaiden himself who was a living witness to the fact that the extremely rare doesn¡¯t mean that there is no chance of it happening. ¡°I should¡¯ve cared. It would have been useful.¡± Of course, it was still useful to some extent. However, it felt as if he had missed a decisive step to beat all the high-nosed aristocrats. But Kaiden is not the type of person who regrets the past. ¡°What do you think, Zile? Shall we push a little more?¡± Shall we take out the jewel hidden by the 2nd Empress? Then I think we can continue the fun conversation for a long time. Kaiden said to the man who was still standing quietly like a shadow. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get hurt next time. The 3rd Prince who followed Sir Rohan was fine, the 2nd Empress was really in danger this time.¡± Zelot¡¯s deputy leader, Zile, who specializes in stealth, barely tricked Rohan¡¯s attention and watched yesterday¡¯s situation. They had to check the 2nd Empress¡¯s response, so it was a necessary process. ¡°Danger? I gave you the poison, so of course it was intended to be dangerous.¡± Would you show your truest only in the worst situation? ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ruin her face? The part of the 2nd Empress that deserves to be looked at is not her face.¡± The sincerity contained in the clear blue eyes penetrates people. There was a depth of darkness and integrity in him that did not match the age of early thirties, or, to be precise, were not suited to be in a human being. ¡°If you order us, we will make a new plan.¡± ¡°No need. It would be difficult right now. We shouldn¡¯t show our hand by giving off a smell to another place. I heard that the 2nd Empress¡¯s ability to formulate magic formulas was considerable. Let¡¯s put it that way for now, until a new opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Zile bowed his head more politely. Kaiden lightly waved his hand out, then walked over to his desk and sat down in his chair. As soon as he took the feather pen in his hand, Zile disappeared silently, and after a while, the pre-scheduled Minister of Foreign Affairs came in and reported on the situation in the neighboring countries. The ongoing drought is sweeping not only the Atien Empire, but the entire Paracion continent, and the Crown Prince, who is famous for the spirits of the neighboring Santiano Empire, has not attended all external events, so there must be something wrong. The Emperor nodded his head, concentrating. The stories he had just shared had been completely erased from his mind. *** ¡°Won¡¯t that kid come?¡± ¡°He looked really, really pretty.¡± ¡°Was it a boy or a girl?¡± The children whispered and circled around the skewer shop. Then someone said. ¡°But I heard there was a lot of noise and a riot in this alley yesterday. Do you know about it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. My mom didn¡¯t let me go.¡± In the alley that falls into a corner from the main road, no matter what happens, the smell of blood makes people stop. The commoners, especially in a particularly hungry and difficult time like these days, will not be able to pick up their bones if they get caught up in a trivial matter. ¡°I know! After the aristocrats returned to their carriage, my brother was curious and looked around the alley, but there was nothing.¡± The words quickly covered the children¡¯s curiosity. Then one guy played a prank on the other guy, patted his back and ran away, and the other guy jumped up and chased him over and over again. The shy girl, who was alone in the depths of her alley, was caught up in the children¡¯s play and tossed to and fro, and she fell. ¡°Hik.¡± She was about to cry and wanted to see where she got hurt, but it was strange. It didn¡¯t hurt at all, like falling on a soft spot. The child swept the ground with her hands. When she stepped on it, she didn¡¯t notice it, but she quickly dug with her delicate fingertips, revealing the soft insides. When she squeezed it a little, it crumbled into dry dust as if it had evaporated without a single drop of moisture. ¡°What is this?¡± She tilted her head, but for a moment. What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a hole in the ground. The girl couldn¡¯t stand being repeatedly hit by other children, so she backed away and ran home. It seemed that a lucky day like yesterday would never come again, when she was full and happy by picking up the skewers that fell on the floor. Translator¡¯s note: Okay, what the fuck is happening. I feel like there¡¯s some important info contained in these paragraphs: Since most marriages in the Imperial family are political marriages, it is made sure that the couple had a proper marital relationship for the first night in order to make the relationship last even if only for appearances. It would have been difficult to avoid because there were even separate people watching and confirming it. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t have any room for other options. He was very saddened by the consequences of his judgment, which he thought was unnecessary. It was Kaiden himself who was a living witness to the fact that the extremely rare doesn¡¯t mean that there is no chance of it happening. But I can¡¯t be sure. Since the paragraph before it is talking about Elisha, does it imply that¡­ Elisha did not have a ¡°proper marital relationship¡± with Kaiden on the first night? So, Leon is not the Emperor¡¯s son? Is that why he did not name him? But then, whose child is Leon? And the author keeps emphasizing that Leon¡¯s eyes are the same as Kaiden, but these paragraphs¡­? Someone help me, this is my 4th chapter of the day and my brain cells are depleting. . . Give me your analysis! Chapter 21 Swaeeegh! There was not a single flutter in Rohan¡¯s eyes as he stared at the slashing sword. He naturally swung his sword forward, deflecting his opponent¡¯s attacks. Kaang! The opponent was shocked enough that the hand holding the sword was pushed back, but they clenched their teeth and held it in, thrusting their shoulders towards Rohan and leaning their upper body forward. Then they raised their forearm and tried to press Rohan¡¯s back. Swish! Rohan lowered his body to get out of the opponent¡¯s attack trajectory, and at the same time, he lowered the sword handle and aimed it towards the opponent¡¯s lower body, where the loophole was exposed. Pok! ¡°Kukk!¡± This time, the body of the opponent who could not stand it fell to the floor. ¡°I told you to change the habit of merely attacking blindy.¡± When Rohan reached out his hand to the person and said that, the person moaned, barely leaning on him to get up. ¡°S-Sir¡­ Let me do it myself.¡± Nodding his head, Rohan looked over his opponent¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Next.¡± ¡°I will start the battle with Hein Remote, the Commander-in-Chief of the 1st Knights.¡± Hein, who had been muttering to the point where it was hard to hear if anyone didn¡¯t deliberately try to listen, put his still mumbling mouth aside and faced Rohan. The defeated one went to the corner of the training ground where six or seven of his colleagues were already crumpled on the floor. They were all miserable, but Rohan, the person who made them all in that shape, was clean and didn¡¯t shed a single sweat. ¡°How long is Hein going to last?¡± ¡°He should be able to hold up for a while, right? The mana rod of the Remote family and the fast-moving swordsmanship are techniques that even the Empire acknowledges.¡± ¡°So the opponent is our commander now.¡± ¡°¡­ He should last more than five, right? Even this crazy ogre bastard lasted five minutes.¡± Most of the group nodded at the words of the knight who finally joined the group of losers. However. Kakakaang! Kang! Swiiish! The sound of the clash of swords resounded in the middle of the training ground made one think that the space would be divided into several parts¡­ Hein soared into the air and dropped over Rohan¡¯s head with his sword stretched out horizontally. ¡°Whoa! Hein, that bastard must be going crazy again!¡± Miller, who is called ogre by his comrades, mumbled with his mouth wide open. Hein¡¯s sword seemed to have exhausted his powers as mana flew out of his sword. Hein is usually quiet, but when he raises her sword, his personality changes. Rohan sighed and raised the sword over her head. Kwaaang! The two swords crossed and the vibrations spread out in all directions. Instead of deflecting Hein for fear of being seriously injured by his repulsion, Rohan scraped off the crossed blades to relieve Hein¡¯s pressing force. Kakakakk! The blades rub against each other, and yellow sparks bounce off. Hein¡¯s sword trembles. Rohan slammed his sword hard and kicked the ground as soon as Hein¡¯s grip on the sword reached its limit. Hein¡¯s body that was thrown into the air and Rohan¡¯s soaring bodies collide. Rohan grabbed Hein to support his body and put him on the floor. Koong! As Hein looked up at the sky, his limbs drooped. Rohan looked down at him. ¡°Hein, if you want to become a commander at the forefront of the battlefield rather than the Imperial Knights Order, it doesn¡¯t matter if you fight bravely like a lion but lose your mind. It would be troublesome if the knight serving the master only counts on instinct alone to swing his sword when he is chased by the enemies. If you continue like this, you should consider leaving the Knights Order.¡± ¡°¡­ My apologies.¡± ¡°This is the second time. There is no next time. Remember it.¡± The training and battles of the 1st Knights Order are renowned for being harsh. In Atien, where there are not a lot of knights who look down on physical fights, it was actually a huge thing for the knights, who could be called the best and most acknowledged of the Imperial Palace, to roll on the ground and get thrown away with a sword. As training and mock battles continue, it is inevitable that the inside of the hand becomes rougher, and the wound on the body increases. But running wild after instinct is a completely different story, indeed. Hein bit his lower lip and stood up. Miller approached to help him, but was pushed off hard. Rohan took his eyes off Hein who was moving away, and walked out of the training ground himself. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap up today¡¯s mock battle here. A guest has arrived.¡± The eyes of the 1st Knights chased after Rohan, only to find a small doll-like figure, making them all surprised. ¡°Why is it the 3rd Prince?¡± They looked around trying to find an answer, but didn¡¯t find any. ¡°There will be a test today, so I thought it would be nice to watch it together with Sir Rohan. Sir Rohan, do you remember?¡± Rohan nodded as he looked at his blue eyes that were sparkling. ¡°Hihi!¡± He was worried that it might cause trouble, so he was very happy when the other party accepted it willingly, and thanked him for agreeing with him. Leon smiled brightly, his fair cheeks blushed. Because he¡¯s such a cute prince, there was a soft smile on Rohan¡¯s lips. Do you have the courage now? ¡°That¡­ Sir Rohan, are you friends with Mother?¡± Leon asked what he had been curious about. The question was more random than the sudden visit of the 3rd Prince itself, so Rohan stopped walking. However, he didn¡¯t want to just say no to the 3rd Prince whose face was looking at him with open friendliness. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± So, Rohan also checked the reason. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so comfortable with Mother.¡± ¡°Do I seem comfortable?¡± Rohan looked back on his meetings with the 2nd Empress. He couldn¡¯t find anything from the things that came to his mind, so much that she wondered where the 3rd Prince could have misunderstood. However, the 3rd Prince came closer to him as he accepted Rohan¡¯s silence as a positive answer. ¡°Yes. I know when I see it. Ah! That¡¯s right, Mother even joked with Sir Rohan!¡± ¡­ Not knowing which part was a joke, Rohan bit his entire mouth. Leon wiggled his short, round fingertips, then stretched out and tried to grab Rohan¡¯s cuff, but he failed. Rohan is not the type of person with a lot of muscle, but he was one of the tallest among knights with a good physique, and Leon was a small child even though he was six years old. Rohan stretched out his palms to Leon, who was trying not to get caught feeling sad for not succeeding, Leon hesitated for a moment, then placed his small hand on top of the large one. Rohan held Leon¡¯s hand and lowered his body so that Leon did not have a hard time walking. When Rohan, who was already eye-catching and attracted people¡¯s attention, acted like that, it drew more attention, but Rohan didn¡¯t care. Leon¡¯s cheeks became even redder, but Leon didn¡¯t take his hand away from Rohan. Are His Majesty¡¯s hands also as big and warm? He suddenly had a question like that. Elisha was worried because Leon, who was going to come to the 2nd Knights¡¯ training center, which would become the testing ground, had not arrived. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only reason her face was colder. Still, a smile sprung up on her face when she saw Leon approaching from afar. She was surprised by the unexpected party¡¯s arrival with her child, but that¡¯s all. Someone who will surely be beyond the line someday in the future, but¡­ As long as there was no crack in the empire and the emperor¡¯s orders had not been issued, Rohan was a person who could be trusted by Elisha. Even when he was actually an enemy, Rohan was a great person. The battlefield where he was located was more violent than any other place, but it was a place where the most innocent death coexisted. This is because the cause suppressed the madness and revealed the reason for death. People who were not soldiers were not looted or killed, and those who were wounded were taken prisoners and their lives were saved. So, the only ones who died before him were the only ones who had to die for his cause. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Sir Rohan was coming.¡± Elisha wiped the smiling face she had towards Leon and said to Rohan. Leon whispered to Rohan. ¡°Look, Mother is very pleased with you.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± After Rohan answered, he turned his attention to the 2nd Knights¡¯ training center. He was worried about the new selection of the Crown Prince¡¯s knights. However. ¡°Do they want to become the 2nd Knights with this level of swordsmanship?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because the mana isn¡¯t so pure. There¡¯s no way that a knight belonging to the Capital Guard would have mastered the proper mana rod.¡± ¡°Last time, the 2nd Knights were full of low-quality bastards, but this place is worse than that. It stinks.¡± The training ground should have been the place to verify that they were able to join the 2nd Knights, but there was a lot of one-sided scolding and criticism. ¡°Will you let this be?¡± When Rohan asked, Elisha answered. ¡°It¡¯s gotten a little less. I¡¯ve stepped in before, so the insults they¡¯re getting right now is already less than before.¡± It was only natural that the procedure was strict as it was to bring people into the Imperial Palace. It is also ambiguous if someone from the fellow Knights Order comes forward and evaluates, so there is nothing unusual about the fact that, given the circumstances, the captain of the Guard who is in charge of the Imperial Palace Guard and has a high rank comes out. But what happened right now wasn¡¯t anything like that. Elisha caught Rohan moving forward. ¡°It may make you feel uncomfortable.¡± Nobles are intertwined with complex interests. To the extent that it is not easy to predict what kind of bad relationship one action will lead and what the cost will be. ¡°I knew there was a problem with the previous 2nd Knights, but I couldn¡¯t intervene without reason at that time. However, isn¡¯t this something I can step up to? If I can go on the right path, I can bear the losses.¡± Rohan approached the training ground. Count Johansel, the commander of the Guard, and the knights of the Imperial Guard leading the soldiers of the Capital Guard were seated above the training ground. ¡°Oh, Sir Rohan. Nice to see you again.¡± The sweaty Dell greeted him. As soon as a whistle blew, the bright voice and eyes glistened with resentment. If it wasn¡¯t for the 2nd Empress, it looked like he would have already bit off and killed everyone here. Rohan said to Count Johansel, who greeted him with a wink. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Johansel, whose hair was already gray with a stubborn mouth twisted, licked his lips. He didn¡¯t know Rohan was coming. Even if he knew it, there were actions he had already done, so it wouldn¡¯t have changed much. ¡°I noticed that the duration and intensity of mana wasn¡¯t bad. You don¡¯t like them because of their background, not their skills.¡± This is the decisive reason for Rohan to come. Johansel was a pure, rigid person. He had considerable dissatisfaction with this event, as he regarded the guards of the Capital Guard as defective products and despised those who inherited only half of the noble blood. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°They are people who might become knights of the Crown Prince, so it is worth worrying. So I¡¯m here to help. Or are you doubting my ability?¡± Sreung! When Johansel could not refuse, Rohan drew his sword. As he went to the center of the training ground, the guards, who had been thrown into the mud with their swords in their hands, went back and emptied the space. Dell¡¯s heart raced as the Sword Master, one of the best in the Empire, looked at him. He wanted to rush ahead and compete with the sword at any moment. He saw Elisha outside the arena. Hey! Hey! His face was asking permission, like a dog rubbing its nose against its master¡¯s shoes. ¡°He really likes fighting.¡± Mumbling as she thought about the past, Elisha nodded her head. Since your opponent is Rohan, even if you get hit, you won¡¯t die or become severely wounded. After the fight, Rohan will also deal with the other guards, so Count Johansel couldn¡¯t mess things up anymore. Elisha grabbed Leon¡¯s hand and looked down at him, who was looking at the training ground. It was not intended, but thanks to Leon bringing Rohan, the situation was resolved as smoothly as possible. If only that¡¯s the only reason the child brought him¡­ ¡°Leon seems to like Sir Rohan.¡± ¡°I want to be like Sir Rohan in the future, Mother.¡± Elisha paused for a moment at Leon¡¯s words, then gently curved her eyes. ¡°Yeah, that would be great.¡± He was a boy who looked like the adult he wanted to be like. Chapter 22 Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng! The moment they collided was fleeting. However, the continuity that was created by successive moments made a dazzling history. The Scherzer family¡¯s swordsmanship technique was the best. It goes without saying that the movement of the man who makes the best the best is dazzling. So it was unavoidable for the opponent to have a hard time blocking Rohan¡¯s single sword. It was like that for everyone. However, this time, the opponent continued that struggle for quite a long time. ¡°Hey! Look at Sir Rohan! That¡¯s amazing!¡± It wasn¡¯t normal for anyone to see him raising his thumb while bleeding from the corners of his mouth. ¡°Whoa! I heard earlier that no one in the 1st Knights could last 5 minutes. Sir Dell fought Sir Rohan for ten minutes!¡± As Leon, whose big blue eyes grew even wider, applauded and spoke, the surroundings became quiet. In particular, the faces of the commander of the Guard, Count Johansel, and the high-ranking knights who are included in the Imperial Guard were very wrinkled. The young 3rd Prince spoke with an innocent face regarding the fact that the opponent who they had criticized had the ability to produce a better result than even the members of the 1st Knights Order, whom the guards could not even win against. One of the knights of the Guard tried to shout something outrageous, but was stopped by his superior, Count Johansel. Count Johansel frowned at Suha who was fuming and asked. ¡°What? Do you mean to let Sir Rohan know that I deliberately make things harder for those people who want to become the 2nd Knights?¡± The knight soon came to a realization about the aftermath of his action, and quickly retreated with his face bowed. Rohan didn¡¯t care about the atmosphere and looked at Lety, who had been waiting for his turn after Dell. Lety swallowed with his dry throat and ran to him, passing Dell and standing in the middle. Tito tried to grab Lety¡¯s hair, but his turn was delayed for the second time because he was one step late. As if they had completely forgotten that they had been insulted by the knights, the guards ran wildly with their tails fluttering, and unlike when they met on the 3rd floor of the Guard Station, they were full of life. Kwaaang! Kwang! Lety¡¯s technique was more on the delicate side, while Tito counted on his thick muscles and pushed hard with brunt force. The two of them lasted about five minutes, and the rest of the guards lasted about two or three minutes, but that was not enough to get their qualifications verified. After making the last guard kneel, Rohan¡¯s breathing was also quite rough. However, he showed no sign of hiding anything and asked Johansel. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­ That is enough.¡± Johansel answered and said he would report to His Majesty, and went away with the Imperial Guards. Rohan, who had his sword hanging in an oblique line, inserted the sword into the scabbard. Elisha said to Rohan who came out of the training ground. ¡°I will never forget today.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you did what you had to do? I just do what I have to do.¡± When Elisha came out, Rohan greeted Leon without any further conversation and was about to return to the 1st training center¡­ Just then, the drinks and light refreshments that Elisha had told Marie to prepare in advance arrived. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± When Elisha asked the question out of courtesy, Rohan shook his head and looked at Leon. Leon moved his gaze and looked up at him, making Rohan nod. ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as the words were over, Leon tiptoed and grabbed the hem of Rohan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s great, Sir Rohan, Big Brother also said that he will come after class to see the new 2nd Knights, so we can meet him together! ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stay that long.¡± ¡°Oh, then, take a little rest and go. Cool off your sweat and drink something cool.¡± When Leon grabbed Rohan and dragged him, Rohan went along with the child as he did when he came here. Rohan is weak against the ones who are weaker than him, but it seems especially worse for the child. Elisha handed out what she had brought to the guards, took their share, and went to the edge of the training ground. Elisha spread a large piece of cloth on the grass, set down the basket, as she often did in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, and gestured to the two men who were standing still, beckoning them to sit. She encouraged the two of them to take cookies, fresh juice and a glass bottle of milk from the basket and place them in the middle to eat. Rohan chose juice, and Leon chose cookies and milk. It was a nice day, but the sun was scorching. Fortunately, the place where the three of them sat was covered by the eaves of the training ground, and the leaves hung densely from the branches extending from the planted trees, providing shade. It was the best place to cool off, with occasional wind and bright light. The guards on the other side were making quite a lot of noise, but that didn¡¯t bother them either. Should she say that it felt rather peaceful as it added a uniqueness to the somewhat drowsy atmosphere? Leon, who was talking to Rohan while eating cookies, ate all the cookies, felt sleepy, and leaned on Elisha¡¯s side. Elisha held her nodding child beside her and patted him. Then Elisha and Rohan¡¯s eyes met. Elisha just brushed off Rohan without much reaction and continued to pat the child, but for some reason, Rohan seemed to understand what the 3rd Prince was saying. Her action made the 3rd Prince misunderstood. It¡¯s not that the 2nd Empress felt comfortable with Rohan. It¡¯s just that she doesn¡¯t block the 3rd Prince from doing what he wants in front of Rohan. While he thought for a moment, Elisha also closed her eyes like Leon. Are you sleeping? Rohan, who was about to stand up, was hesitant for fear that the two of them would wake up, so he decided to stay like this for a little while. He was unfamiliar with being still and doing nothing. A gust of wind blew past his face and ruffled his hair over his shoulders. Rohan closed his eyes like the other two. After a while, Elisha felt Rohan cautiously getting up and moving away, and she opened her eyes. Rohan greeted the guards slowly, and as he walked away, Elisha could see that the guards, who had been sitting in order, started jumping around and shouting. The child was still sleeping. Elisha felt the air getting a little warmer, and only after Ascencio came, she gently shook Leon to wake him up. Ascencio was very fond of the guards and accepted them all as the 2nd Knights. He decided to postpone the oath of allegiance because there will be a reorganization of the Knights Order later. After the introduction, Ascencio asked Elisha if she had an invitation to the 2nd Prince Stoneham¡¯s birthday banquet. After hearing something from Marie, Elisha nodded, while Ascencio looked worried. Elisha said he didn¡¯t have to worry. It was actually an opening that Elisha thought she needed. Wouldn¡¯t it be too obvious to call those people using the name of the 2nd Empress¡¯s Palace? ¡°Since the 1st Empress is trying to introduce good friends with her own hands, isn¡¯t it just polite to accept it willingly?¡± Elisha looked towards the 1st Empress¡¯s Palace. It was around evening when Elisha, who had taken her children to their respective places, returned to her room. Marie was waiting for her. Marie served Elisha, prepared her to sleep, before she went into her own room. Elisha sat on her cold floor instead of sitting on her bed. She closed her eyes and felt the mana floating around her. The flow of the world seemed to be caught in her grasp. However, all the passages that should be connected to it were broken, so she could not resonate with the mana herself. In the past, she was experimenting with her own body, going through all the hurdles of death, and was connected to Ignis, the King of the fire spirits, by luck. It is doubtful whether the same method will work this time, and even the condition has changed so much that Elisha had to try something new. It was possible because Elisha had a lot of knowledge, thanks to her constant efforts to become stronger even when she was already strong, until she was called the Silver Flame Witch. Elisha, feeling the mana around her, spread her hands wide open. A gem the size of a little fingernail was held on the palm of her hand, which had been rubbed and held for months until her palm was frayed. She took it out of a pair of earrings. Even if it was a ruby, from the dull color, it should only be an intermediate quality, but it was the only real thing Elisha had, so there was nothing she could do. Elisha focused her mind on the jewelry. A gem is the flower of a stone that blooms with the vitality of nature. For a long time, she naturally nourished the mana that matched herself. Its sole purpose was to accumulate mana, so it was completely different from the mana stones used for various purposes in magic. Or so Elisha thought. In comparison, if you use a gem with natural mana that has the same characteristics as a fixed mana rod, which is different from a mana stone, it might be possible to summon spirits by using it as a medium instead of your own body. But of course the process was difficult as always. ¡°Cough!¡± The cost was horrendous. Elisha was trying to draw the mana from the gem, and she coughed and vomited blood. It is only natural that trying to move the mana outside when one cannot even move the mana in their own body will be too much. It was also the reason why Elisha sat on the cold floor rather than the soft bed. If she vomits blood every night on the bed like this, even Marie who is indifferent to many things aside from her responsibility will not be able to sit still. Elisha wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, thinking she would be bothered to clean her floor later, and calmly focused her attention on the gem again. She felt like something was going to happen today. No, it must happen today. Information about what will happen in the future will give one a lot of money and power. The will to protect one¡¯s children is a fundamental power that no one can take away. No matter how the world changes, it will remain a complete value, an absolute thing! The one who will sway towards the world in Elisha¡¯s own perfect will. You. Mana! Spirit! Ignis, comrade and soul mate of my oath! Answer me! Kwa-dukk! The gem on Elisha¡¯s palm vibrated as if it had heard Elisha¡¯s unspoken words. Burr! It trembled slightly, and soon it lit up red smoke and resonated with the surrounding mana. Is it a success? The moment when Elisha¡¯s sky blue eyes flashed! Pa-shuk! There was a sound of something fine and hard being put together and crumbling at once. On Elisha¡¯s palm, the crumbled gems piled up into transparent ashes. Elisha¡¯s upper body collapsed as she vomited blood again. The ashes in her hands flew and fell on the blood that had been sprinkled on the floor as she touched the floor so as not to fall. Should I buy another gem? Will the bigger ones last longer than the smaller ones? ¡°It¡¯s way too expensive.¡± She promised she¡¯d make Marie feel free soon, and she just used up what Marie had been saving for months. She is a careless master. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to make a lot of money at this banquet.¡± As she muttered, the hand that was on the floor lost its strength, and Elisha¡¯s body slowly tilted. As she was lying on the floor, Elisha muttered that she had to wipe off the blood before closing her eyes. Tu-du-duk! Droplets of water fell over Elisha¡¯s face, who fell asleep as if fainted, and washed the blood away. Chapter 23 - The Golden Hall (1) The Golden Hall (1) ¡°More gorgeous! Don¡¯t let anyone take their eyes off! I want only this banquet to be mentioned until the end of this year!¡± For that, it doesn¡¯t matter how much money you use, said 1st Empress Isabelle. It had been a long time since the Imperial Palace was as noisy as it has been in recent times. Isabelle was about to use this banquet as an opportunity to show off her wealth and draw attention from her surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m fully prepared. Let¡¯s go.¡± Marchioness Bahrain put a white parasol on the 1st Empress, making her look like a bright rose blooming under the bright sunlight. Isabelle, who felt better when the scorching sun was obscured, suddenly opened her mouth as something came to her mind. ¡°Ah, have you heard the story of the 2nd Empress?¡± ¡°You mean that she was found vomiting blood while trying to restore a broken mana rod? Barossa is already bustling, no one in the capital is not aware of it.¡± ¡°I heard she was on the verge of life and death. I don¡¯t know why anyone would do such nonsense.¡± She was told that once a mana rod is broken, it is impossible to get it back. It¡¯s so ugly to hold onto something that can¡¯t be done and still struggle. It¡¯s disgusting to pretend with that indifferent face and stubbornly act as if she had never been greedy for anything while having such an eerie tenacity. ¡°There seems to be a sense of crisis. I heard they¡¯re looking for gems to decorate their outfits for this banquet as well.¡± ¡°Gems?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s also pretty high-end. The maidservant of the 2nd Empress Palace is looking everywhere, but because of the condition of the 2nd Empress Palace, it¡¯s obvious it will be difficult.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Isabelle snorted and narrowed her eyes. The green eyes that were like the leaves of a rose in the sunlight turned dark green shade. She put her lips to the ear of Marchioness Bahrain, and began to whisper. Marchioness Bahrain¡¯s eyebrows shot upwards, but soon returned to normal. Isabelle said while leaning on her shoulder as the Marchioness nodded that she understood. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll have to see that stone-like woman suffering in front of me.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Satisfied with Marchioness Bahrain¡¯s answer, Isabelle raised the corners of her red-painted lips. *** ¡°¡­¡± Elisha tried to say something but stopped. Even in the face of dozens or hundreds of enemy knights, she had never been so frustrated. As Elisha put down the fork she was holding in her hand, piercing gazes came from all over the place. ¡°Eat one more apple, Mother.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I purposely told the chef at the Imperial Palace to bring it freshly made. Please eat a little bit.¡± ¡°Jillian will eat a little bit more, so Your Majesty should eat some more as well. Eat as much meat as the blood was spilled!¡± Children are still children after all. Marie¡¯s eyes were unusual, and even Georg had a stern expression on his face. How many times has Elisha turned back on something she has decided to do? Something that rarely happens, enough to be called almost impossible, was happening right now as Elisha dipped her fork into the meat-filled pie. When Elisha forced herself to take a few more bites and set the fork for the second time, there was no objection. Thank God. At the very least, if she vomits blood next time, she should never faint before cleaning everything up. She almost vowed she would do it only where she didn¡¯t have to clean up. The morning after Elisha broke the gem on the pair of earrings. Marie, who came in to wake Elisha up, found her lying on the water redder than ruby, and protected her master by exerting composure as much as she could. However, the other maids could not do so. The maids talked about how pitiful the fallen 2nd Empress was, and how her silver hair was as beautiful as water lilies blooming in the blood. It had been three months since this incident. The maids were severely scolded by Marie and said they would be more careful in the future, but how long will that last? ¡°Shall I prepare the dessert?¡± As one of the maids approached her and asked, Elisha looked up at her. Chaaenggrang! The maid who was cleaning up Elisha¡¯s bowl suddenly missed what was in her hand and fell on her butt. When Elisha looked at her coldly, she quickly raised her body and bent her upper body. ¡°M-My deepest apologies! S-S-Suddenly, a person¡¯s face popped out of the bowl¡­¡± Not knowing what she was talking about, the maid, who had been gibbling ever since, hurriedly disappeared when Marie motioned for her. How chaotic. I should tell Marie to choose only the maids who she can communicate with. It would be better to feel uncomfortable due to the lack of hands. After eating, Marie came to Elisha, who was freed only after reading to the children one more time and listening to Georg¡¯s nagging. Marie opened her mouth after she let all the maids out. ¡°Your Majesty, I have found what you said.¡± ¡°Aah.¡± Elisha was surprised. She had talked about it, but she didn¡¯t think it was going to happen this soon. She had told Marie to look at the things in advance to make it easier for her to buy once she could afford it. As Elisha seemed to have misunderstood, Marie quickly added. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem normal.¡± It implies that it is a transaction that cannot be made without someone¡¯s plan in mind, beyond the limit of what can be obtained with Marie¡¯s ability added to a small amount of money. ¡°What should I do?¡± Marie made the report, and it¡¯s not up to her to make the decision. Elisha nodded as she stared at Marie waiting for her answer. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the things first.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Marie withdrew. Picking up and eating just about anything will make you sick, and that¡¯s not to Elisha¡¯s taste. Elisha tapped the teacup in front of her with her fingertips. The water in the teacup is smooth, and a small girl stuck out her head from the inside. ¡°Undine, was it you who was joking earlier?¡± What surprised the maid. Undine¡¯s mouth opened, and Elisha could hear laughter, but¡­ Soon Undine went out like a bubble and the cup went back to its original state. Elisha wiped her forehead with her hand. Where the hell am I supposed to start? Elisha¡¯s spirit attribute is perfect fire. If she can¡¯t connect with Ignis due to lack of power, it¡¯s only right that a lesser fire spirit is called. But, all of a sudden, Undine, a lesser water spirit? Moreover. ¡°Unlike Ignis, I don¡¯t remember signing a contract because I collapsed right away. Did the contract automatically complete when I called the lesser spirit?¡± Elisha tapped the tea with her index finger and asked. The tip of her finger was wet with the tea water that stuck and dropped with a sound. Undine reached out and hung on to Elisha¡¯s finger¡­ Cwasuk! This time it really faded away. There was no change in the mana around her, so this time it seemed to have completely returned to the spirit world. Elisha had a lot to figure out as quickly as possible. ¡°There are times when you need to eat even if you have an upset stomach.¡± Above all else, the other party also has a purpose, so this is also a transaction in the end. It is more comfortable to have an upright transaction than owing a favor. And if you check the bait, wouldn¡¯t you be able to guess a little bit what your opponent¡¯s purpose is? It wasn¡¯t a bad decision in many ways in the current situation. However, she didn¡¯t expect that Marie would return with such a heavy hand. Click! Elisha opened the lids of the three boxes that Marie had given her and laid them out. The boxes, quite large for a gem, barely fit in the palm of the hand and were wrapped in expensive velvet, making people guess the contents¡­ What was in it was enough to revive expectations. No, it was overdone. ¡°Diamond, sapphire, and pearl.¡± A sizable diamond necklace and sapphire ring shone in front of Elisha¡¯s eyes. Elisha scanned them with her fingertips. ¡°Who the hell sent this?¡± She was puzzled, but the most surprising was the third and final box. What was contained in a modest but neat wooden box, small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, was an earring in the form of a small pearl in the middle of gold petals. When put on the ear, a gold string as thin as two fingers hangs down, and the flower dangles and shines from the tip. Seeing this shape, something seemed to come to mind. After contemplating for a while, Elisha checked the box from left to right again to determine what she had to do first. ¡°Anyway, the experiment would be worth it.¡± Elisha muttered, stepped down on the floor, and stopped. Elisha, who had been agonizing for a while, gave up looking for something to lay on the floor, opened the door, and headed for the bathroom. She told Marie that she wanted to be alone, so no one would disturb Elisha for a while. Even if it is a poor place, it is still a part of Imperial Palace Barossa. The bathtub was big enough for two people to fit in, so Elisha took off her clothes and went into the bathtub and sat down in the center. The gem boxes brought in front of the white and thin naked body were placed one after the other. The first thing she saw was the sapphire. But Elisha chose the diamond. She placed the diamond in one hand, and Elisha, who covered it with the other hand, drew the mana around her. If you already did it once, the second time is easier. Siiiiiik! The mana that swirled around Elisha resonated with what rose from the diamond. Again, something hot rose from inside, but Elisha forcibly swallowed it. Her hands, facing up and down, trembled and turned white, then waves spread throughout her body. But this is a bitter taste. She didn¡¯t hate it. It¡¯s just a little less good for Elisha. Elisha¡¯s mouth opened, and just before she could not stand it anymore, she vomited completely. Crack! The diamond cracked. Something landed on Elisha¡¯s shoulder. It was not heavy, but there was a sign and proof of existence. When she glanced down and looked at it, it was Undine. Oh, that kid. It was clearer and more lively, and playing with water droplets floating around had made it stronger. The color, quality, and size of the gem do not change the attribute or grade of the spirit, but¡­ It seemed right to say that it strengthens the power and helps it to remain in reality for a longer period of time. It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet, so she will be more certain once she checks everything else. As Undine became clearer, the cracks on the diamond spread finely inside and soon became transparent ash. Charyuk! As Elisha tilted her hand, the diamond disappeared, and what remains of the necklace flowed down the bathtub floor along with the transparent ashes. Elisha, having cleared her hand, reached out to the sapphire this time. It was a gem that reminded her of someone¡¯s eyes. *** ¡°Mother, are you ready?¡± Leon¡¯s voice was heard outside the dressing room, and Elisha turned to her Marie. ¡°It¡¯s done, Your Majesty.¡± As Marie and the maids retreated, Elisha stood up from the chair. Elisha made them go out first, and as if she had been worrying about it the whole time, she hid the box she was holding in her hand in an inconspicuous corner of the dressing room and went outside. Her hair was neat, braided into one with a vine-like headdress made of finely plucked gold with light makeup. Elisha went outside, glancing at the hem of the cream-colored dress that fell off her body. ¡°Mother!¡± A little gentleman in a cute suit and Ascencio, who looks like a boy, but is an adult and can¡¯t be taken lightly, stood side by side and greeted her. ¡°Today, the 2nd Empress will be the most beautiful in the Golden Hall, where the 2nd Prince¡¯s birthday is celebrated.¡± Ascencio politely reached out his hand and began to escort her, and Elisha put her hand on it. ¡°Please take good care of me today, Your Majesty. And Leon.¡± Elisha left her other hand to Leon and smiled. There were only one pearl earring the size of a fingernail at the tip of each of her ears, visible through her hair, which she had gathered behind her back to be braided into one. Chapter 24 ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s great!¡± ¡°This is the best banquet!¡± The banquet¡¯s host, 1st Empress Isabelle, curled up her lips at the compliments from all around her. ¡°Of course it is, because every single one of them was taken care of with the best.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re very generous, like your father who is one of the first rich sons in the East.¡± In particular, the Eastern nobles gave their thumbs up and did not forget to mention not only her, but also Duke Cherkah, the head of the Eastern nobles. When the story about his maternal grandfather came out, the lips of the boy who was standing next to Isabelle twitched. Everyone who noticed the boy added some words for him. ¡°Your Highness the 2nd Prince, you have become dignified.¡± ¡°You are already ten years old, time flies so fast. The time has finally come to make his name known to the Empire!¡± The 2nd Prince Stoneham accepted everyone¡¯s interest in him calmly and for granted. However. ¡°It is already dazzling with a single person alone, but when two people who look alike are together like this, everything around them seems to lose their light.¡± His lips twitched when they mentioned his mother and himself at the same time. Stoneham glanced up at his mother, and his eyes lit up proudly¡­ ¡°Now, everyone should enjoy the banquet, not standing around here. We¡¯re going to have a lot to talk about today. It¡¯ll be fun, I promise.¡± Isabelle was busy dealing with the people, keeping her son¡¯s gaze lightly. Everyone dogged around her. The main character of today¡¯s banquet is the 2nd Prince, but no one realized who the real owner of this place is. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that the protagonist was left alone. Stoneham was the 2nd Prince and the grandson of Duke Cherkah, the head of the Eastern nobility. People around also greeted him, covering him in their shadows, but Stoneham¡¯s sharp expression did not subside. Stoneham was about to tear apart the people around him when Marchioness Bahrain approached his mother and whispered in her ear. Stoneham, puzzled as to what was going on, suddenly felt the air around him change, and his eyes widened. Then he turned his face to follow where his mother was looking. There were dolls just entering the entrance to the Golden Hall. ¡°Huh?¡± Stoneham, who checked the opponents, let out a puzzled groan without realizing it. Why are you so upset when there are only things that are not worth seeing? But even as he thought so, Stoneham was unaware that he was keeping his eyes on the new arrivals. Elisha entered the Golden Hall and told me and let everyone¡¯s eyes focus on her. Their eyes that were like swords didn¡¯t come to pierce her in the stomach, so there¡¯s no need to panic. But for the two young knights protecting her left and right, it was not like that. Elisha lowered her gaze to look at the two children, and then smiled involuntarily. Far from being discouraged, the children were vigilant with their eyes wide open for fear that someone might harm Elisha. Fortunately, Ascencio was like a naked leopard, and his dignified appearance was acceptable, but Leon only looked cute, like a pecking kitten with its tail shot upright. As Elisha, who couldn¡¯t stand it anymore because the children were so bold and lovely, was about to embrace the children, a sweet scent hit her. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, thank you for coming.¡± It was 1st Empress Isabelle. After greeting Ascencio in a formal way, she moved her eyes to Elisha. The green eyes scanned the tip of Elisha¡¯s head to her toes, before rose again and stopped moving at the empty white nape of her neck. ¡°Ha.¡± Isabelle made a sound of surprise or ridicule and pulled the corner of her lips, before turning to Marchioness Bahrain, who was next to her. ¡°Come to think of it, didn¡¯t you say there is something that needs to be checked urgently?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, would you like to go?¡± As if she had been waiting all along, Marchioness Bahrain led the 1st Empress and headed somewhere else. Before turning around, Marchioness Bahrain made a small gesture towards Elisha, but that was all too rude to say that it was a greeting to the 2nd Empress. Of course, it was nothing compared to the 1st Empress who completely ignored Elisha. Ascencio¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled, as Elisha put her hand on his shoulder. The attendees of the banquet were disappointed as they expected that the 2nd Empress, whom everyone said had changed, would show something interesting with the newly held Crown Prince. But the banquet had just begun. It was too early to be disappointed, as there was a notice from the 1st Empress. As the attendees¡¯s eyes shone again, Elisha lowered her head between the children standing on her left and right. ¡°Why are you exuding so much strength?¡± ¡°They are looking at us as if we are delicious prey, how could I not?¡± In response to Ascencio¡¯s answer, Elisha tilted her head slightly and spoke to his ear. ¡°Why do you think they are not, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Ascencio asked the question without understanding the meaning of the words at once, Elisha spoke again with the kindness that is usually limited to children. ¡°They are delicious prey for us too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Do you remember, Your Highness? I said that I needed something at this banquet. They¡¯re just something I could pick up, but since the 1st Empress dared to raise a plate and make it a hunting ground, wouldn¡¯t it be polite to enjoy it enough?¡± Therefore, relax your shoulders and straighten your back. Raise your chin and laugh at those who run rampant without knowing who will soon regret it, Elisha said. There was no bluff in the surprising content. The calm tone that seemed to list only the facts to the last made Ascencio calm down. Ascencio took a deep breath once, and immediately smiled brightly, revealing his white teeth. ¡°According to the words of the 2nd Empress, it will be a rare and enjoyable banquet.¡± ¡°Of course it should be. Now, shall we start looking at other things before the real drama begins?¡± Elisha raised her gaze and turned back to the people who were watching them. Those people who couldn¡¯t see her inner self, those who met her eyes that reflected their emotions back were surprised and turned their faces away without realizing it. Elisha blended into the center of the banquet, lightly placing her hand on the children¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I guess what you said the other day was true.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I saw it clearly with my own eyes at the banquet I attended with the 1st Empress. I couldn¡¯t find the old-fashioned look, and everything seemed to fit just right, looking so natural.¡± That was the case even now. ¡°Ashirang¡¯s wine is truly excellent. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Yes. Because the weather in Ashirang is nice, it¡¯s fantastic. Ah, the fortress also values Royden¡¯s wine as high as Ashirang. Have you tried it?¡± ¡°Obviously. Because it is a high-end product, the quantity that comes out is small, so I only bought a bottle because it is very expensive. It¡¯s definitely been great.¡± Aristocratic women from the East, who were talking about giving or receiving, secretly turned to Elisha and asked. ¡°Of course the 2nd Empress has tasted it too, right? There is not a single aristocrat who does not enjoy wine these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Elisha gave her children some food but didn¡¯t answer, the one who spoke to her first opened her fan and gave a pint glass to the woman who had just asked her a question. ¡°How frivolous. Do you ask such a question, knowing the difficult circumstances of the 2nd Empress?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I made a mistake. My apologies, Your Majesty.¡± The woman apologized to Elisha. Anyone could tell it was said without the slightest bit of sincerity. Elisha put her fork in Leon¡¯s hand and straightened her back. She then looked at the arguing women. They were touching Elisha while discussing rituals and formalities, and replied to each other with great answers beyond expectations. The topics were not related to Elisha¡¯s brilliant brain, who was a promising mage, or the knowledge she could have accumulated because of her love of books, but the kind of things that could only be acquired with money and spare time. However, that was entirely their mistake. Elisha opened her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. However, I was just confused because it seemed that the wines of Ashirang were mistaken for the Ashirang region.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± The woman who had mentioned the weather in Ashirang asked with a frown. ¡°Actually, the wine from Ashirang that you like doesn¡¯t refer to the wine from the vineyards of the Ashirang region. To be precise, it refers to what a merchant named Ashirang Ferbora put his name on.¡± The dream of a merchant who wanted to make his name widely known in the empire, made with red wine, has finally come true. The fact that there were many people who misunderstood like these women for quite some time until then became an interesting story and added to the fame. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of it!¡± ¡°Just because you heard it for the first time doesn¡¯t mean that what happened is going to go away, so if you want to refute me, it would be better to check the facts first before coming back, lest you suffer from further embarrassment.¡± Elisha came out so proudly that the woman did not react immediately and only chewed her lower lip with her upper teeth. The finely painted pink color was peeled off, revealing the original dull lip color. When she was forced to take a step back, Elisha added one more thing, as if she had just suddenly thought of it. ¡°And the reason Royden¡¯s wine is so low is not because it¡¯s a high-quality product, but because of its lesser harvest. The price of Royden¡¯s wine is actually not as expensive as you know. Their goal is to make cheap and delicious wine so that more people can drink it, and they achieved it with good technology. However, it is still difficult to produce on a large scale, so that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you know how expensive Royden¡¯s wine is? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve never bought one and just said that carelessly after hearing¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s because if it¡¯s not expensive, you won¡¯t buy it.¡± Elisha cut off the woman¡¯s words. The woman¡¯s eyes widened, but Elisha ignored it and said only what she had to say. ¡°The maker set a reasonable price according to their beliefs, but the top that sells them must have been nervous because the products they put out with confidence didn¡¯t go well. So, what would happen if we raised the price by the same as other wines, just in case? It¡¯s what you see. Royden¡¯s wine became as famous as Ashirang¡¯s wine at once. You guys did a good job. You can brag about the new wine, the top makes a lot of money, and the Royden¡¯s wine can carry on its name.¡± In the end, there is sincerity. They didn¡¯t really mean it, but they did a good job. Thanks to them, Royden¡¯s wine did not fail and was able to carry on the faith, and later impress several other wineries. Therefore, as time passed, it could be said that wine, which was the exclusive property of the aristocracy, was able to establish itself as a culture that the middle class and commoners could enjoy. The surroundings were so quiet that when Elisha looked around, everyone kept their mouths shut and only Elisha was staring at them. Since you guys did well, are you asking me to give you a round of applause? She thought about it for a while, but no matter how much Elisha was, she stopped the thought because it didn¡¯t seem like that. However. Clap! Clap! Clap! A fairly loud applause echoed through the banquet hall even though Elisha did not play. Chapter 25 ¡°So the 2nd Empress is this knowledgeable. I¡¯m really surprised.¡± The one who appeared with a smile was an ordinary-looking young woman who had just passed her twenties. But the background of someone who has the guts to act in such a conspicuous way at this point of time must be anything but ordinary. Besides, that face. She was wondering if they could meet here, but it really happened. ¡°Rozenin.¡± ¡°Do you know me, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn¡¯t know Count Gotham?¡± ¡°People must have heard about the eldest son of Count Gotham, who is good at his hands, and the second son, who is quick at calculation, as for the youngest daughter, who is neither here nor there, most people may not know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. You are so smart that there are rumors in the Empire that you know everything. When you show up, everyone¡¯s eyes are shining to ask you if what I¡¯m talking about is true. Besides.¡± Elisha approached her face and slipped a strand of Rozenin¡¯s flowing brown hair to her ear. ¡°You, who are secretly aiming for the position of the owner of the top run by Count Gotham, can only be the youngest daughter of such a noble family.¡± Rozenin answered Elisha without losing her smile, even though she was startled. ¡°How did you, the one who is imprisoned in Barossa, where the sky is blocked on all sides, do not have large ears to hear the whispers of heaven and earth, nor do you have wings to jump over the wall, know that?¡± Instead of making clumsy excuses or turning away in front of a certain opponent, Rozenin, whose eyes twinkled with curiosity, felt a fresh vitality. The Rozenin whom Elisha knew, was so shy that she blushed and couldn¡¯t speak properly, but when she was young, she wasn¡¯t anything like that. ¡°Are you curious? If so, in the test to select the top owner, get the Ballon area where the gem mine is located.¡± Rozenin was astonished by the 2nd Empress, who calmly talked about top secret matters belonging only to insiders. Seeing that her question of how Elisha knew was ignored once, Rozenin did not repeat the same question stupidly. Instead. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left in that mine!¡± She chose a reality that she could face right away. Elisha immediately accepted the answer as expected. ¡°Of course, you probably think that the leather deal with the Santiano Empire, which your older brother is aiming for, or the wine supply right with the Kingdom of Phenomin, which your second brother is viciously defending while claiming to be his own, is good.¡± Elisha patted Rozenin¡¯s cheek lightly with the outside of her index and middle fingers. ¡°No. They¡¯re both wrong. So, Rozenin, if you want to find the answer you want, do as I tell you.¡± Rozenin¡¯s brown eyes fluttered wildly. Elisha made eye contact with her before stepping back a little. The conversation was spoken in a volume that could only be heard by the two of them, but it was difficult for them to keep sticking together because there were other heads all over the place. Above all, the Count Gotham family, where Rozenin is located, is a family under Duke Cherkah, the head of the Eastern nobility and the father of the 1st Empress. She couldn¡¯t help thinking about Rozenin¡¯s position. For the same reason. ¡°Rozenin, don¡¯t you have work to do? How long are you going to be like that?¡± She had to get Rozenin to come to her senses quickly. Rozenin, who had blinked at Elisha¡¯s cool call, swallowed with her dry throat. It was then that Rozenin realized why Elisha, who had always been indifferent, had reacted differently to the noble women who tried to mock her. The 2nd Empress called Rozenin. The subject who happily sold Royden¡¯s wine at a high price. And the fact that she even made a booklet in case of a headwind when this fact became known in the future. Goosebumps rose from Rozenin¡¯s back. She tried to say something to her several times, knowing it would be of no use, but no sound came out in the end. With a small sigh, Rozenin rolled her lips up to make a smile, then she cut into the aristocratic women she had been talking to a while ago. Then, she glanced at Elisha¡¯s fingertips, which suddenly caught her eye, and put the back of her hand on the cheek where the fingertips touched. It¡¯s cold, but hot at the same time. What a weird feeling. When Rozenin¡¯s face suddenly flushed, Elisha frowned as she wondered if she had become shy again. Rozenin quickly went into the ranks of the Eastern noble women and confirmed that all the stories about wine the 2nd Empress had just talked about were true. She began to lead the atmosphere, saying that according to her ¡®knowledge¡¯, the top, which had nothing to do with her, did not increase the value by simply selling Royden¡¯s wine at a high price. The climax is that Rozenin said a portion of the sales profit was donated. When she asked if the women had never heard about it, someone said that they had heard it, too. Someone even said that they intentionally added more money to the report of the butler who bought the wine to increase the donation. With friendly laughter and compliments towards each other, one incident that would have been quite annoying to Count Gotham¡¯s secret was resolved without much noise. Elisha had wondered if it would be alright because she was still lacking in age and experience, but again, Rozenin was still the same Rozenin. In her previous life, the three treasures that the Silver Flame Witch had. A dog that protects the witch, the golden key that opens the door to wherever the witch wants, and the high iron wall surrounding the witch¡¯s castle. For the second time, Rozenin put a red carpet under Elisha¡¯s feet so that she could move forward without stopping. There was a little problem though. The thing that popped out of the edge of the rug that was vigorously unraveling the rolled up part¡­ Of course, the ending wasn¡¯t good either. In the past lifetime, Elisha did not forgive the mistake made by Count Gotham, who survived the fall of the 1st Empress and the Eastern nobility¡­ And in this lifetime, she wasn¡¯t going to do anything to annihilate the whole clan with her own hands, rejecting Rozenin¡¯s plea that it¡¯s a misunderstanding, asking her to look at her one more time, so the same result won¡¯t happen again. At first she thought it might be better for her not to get involved with Rozenin at all. But a period of confusion will begin. There is no one who can be comfortable alone with the enemies in the Imperial Palace. So what should be done? The answers are mostly concise and intuitive. Because there is only one way to survive the chaos in the first place. The ones who can put others under their feet and climb to the top, or the ones who kneel and swear allegiance before the victor who stands at the top! Among the two options, the former is something Elisha is very good at and has already succeeded once. Even though the method was wrong and she tore everything down and built it up again, it worked out in the end. But this time, not using the wrong method, but the right one¡­ Elisha will be the winner again! Only then can we protect our children, right? Not to mention, after all, the safest place for Rozenin is under Elisha¡¯s shadow. However, unlike before, Elisha will not show her ideals and force loyalty in return for sharing profits and wielding Rozenin. What they¡¯re going to do is a deal. Let¡¯s share something delicious. As much as possible, if it¡¯s something we both like, let¡¯s have a mouthful each. Like today, how would it have been if Rozenin wished someone had told her that in the past? The things that were talked about¡­ A few pieces of information about what¡¯s going to happen with Rozenin are well remembered in Elisha¡¯s mind. Elisha lightly lifted the glass of wine in her hand to Rosenin, who was glancing at her in the crowd. Rozenin turned her face away in a hurry. For some reason, Rozenin¡¯s actions like that caused a tumult around her. The air that had been entrenched loosened a bit, and more and more people followed Rozenin and turned to Elisha. The enmity in their eyes was still vivid, but the colors that shone in them were somehow diversified. Whatever. Elisha, who didn¡¯t care how they looked at her, focused on the rest of the chores as the scolding people disappeared. It wasn¡¯t long before she was able to find the hostess of Viscount Cain. The Viscountess¡¯s complexion, who had lost her husband, Viscount Cain, a few months earlier, was still haggard. If she hadn¡¯t had a reason to attend, she wouldn¡¯t have come, even if it¡¯s the 2nd Prince birthday party. Elisha did not have even a speck of social skill, so she was thinking about how to say it, but surprisingly, the problem was solved at once. Also thanks to the unexpected. ¡°2nd Empress, this is Timothy Cain. We met a few times at the banquets held in the past, and I liked it so much that I wanted to introduce him to you someday, but I just got the opportunity today, so I brought him here.¡± Ascencio, who had been away for a while, did not return alone. How can you create a situation like this naturally after reading the signs that Elisha showed just for a moment? ¡°Well done, Your Highness.¡± It was an ambiguous compliment, but how could Ascencio not understand. After exchanging glances with the brightly smiling boy, Elisha turned her face to the short boy who was standing next to Ascencio. ¡°I see the 2nd Empress.¡± Timothy greeted her quickly. He was a boy with curly hair and drooping eyes. Even though there can¡¯t be no one around you if you¡¯re a successor to a wealthy manor, seeing that he was picked up by Ascencio and came here after being alone, means that there is a big problem with the position of the Viscountess and her only son Timothy. ¡°It is because of the lost will.¡± Timothy was startled by Elisha¡¯s murmuring and lowered his eyes. It was not uncommon for a woman who had been married to an older viscount and a father who was particularly fond of the youngest whom she gave birth to, to abandon his ex-wife¡¯s child and adopt the child as his successor. Viscount Cain didn¡¯t suddenly become ill, but he had prepared all the preparations for the post-mortem conflict. After Viscount Cain¡¯s death, the release of the will was delayed. After the ex-wife¡¯s child, the eldest son became suspicious and overturned the testator, it was revealed that the will had disappeared. After that, in a muddy fight, the eldest son said that his stepmother hid the will to conceal his father¡¯s last minute change of mind and nomination of his successor as himself¡­ The Viscountess, on the other hand, argued that her stepson, the eldest son, was trying his best not to lose the successor position to Timothy. In the beginning, the power was put on the side of the Viscountess, who had been in power. However, the Viscount¡¯s eldest son attacked the Viscountess with all his might, as if he could never miss the last chance he had, and in the end he found himself in an advantageous position. The Viscountess, who thought that she could win by simply finding a will that was sealed with a magical treatment and could not be forged or manipulated, regretted it later. She could have easily won if she had the will. However, if she had persevered and supported her vassals even without it, at least she wouldn¡¯t have been defeated, but she had not. Elisha looked around to see if she was looking for her son, checking the Viscountess, then bent over to Timothy and whispered in his ear. Timothy¡¯s gentle, round eyes widened. Timothy, who heard Elisha, alternately looked at her and his mother¡­ He nodded at Elisha and bowed his head. Even when young, he is the son of an aristocrat, and even if he has a weak personality, the education he received from the aristocratic family does not go away in vain. Timothy did not forget how to act in this situation. ¡°If I have something to repay, I will go to greet Your Majesty with my mother.¡± ¡°Yes, the 2nd Empress Palace is always open.¡± Compared to the eldest son, who is an Eastern noble to the bone, Timothy would be better off taking over the title in many ways, and a gift from a wealthy Viscount would surely please Marie. Timothy greeted the Crown Prince and the 3rd Prince Leon with his eyes, and then disappeared towards his mother with a quick step. The Viscountess, who found Timothy, greeted her son with her heart pounding. Timothy licked his lips and tiptoed to the Viscountess. After a while, the Viscountess straight up raised her face to look at Elisha. Elisha also felt her gaze, looked at her, and waved her hand outward. The Viscountess, who hesitated if she correctly interpreted her meaning as ¡°hurry up and go¡±, quickly grabbed the hem of her dress and disappeared with Timothy. ¡°There is a lot of talk about Viscount Cain¡¯s will. From speculation that the Viscountess and one of the sons had the hand, to the fact that the Viscount changed his mind and got rid of the will. Does the 2nd Empress know where the will is?¡± Ascencio, who had a puzzled expression on his face the whole time, asked. ¡°Have you heard of Viscount Cain, Your Highness?¡± Regarding the will, Ascencio answered without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he was an exciting and nice guy. And¡­ They said he was incredibly playful.¡± To purify it, he was a jokester. Even if there is no bad intention, he was very mischievous and not many people took his jokes pleasantly. As a result, it has been a while since he received a harsh return, but the Viscount couldn¡¯t change his habits until the end. Until the moment of his death. ¡°It was the Viscount himself who touched the will.¡± At the revealed truth, Ascencio¡¯s eyes widened. Translator¡¯s note: Hello, hello, it¡¯s me again and a short explanation. Basically, Elisha baits Rozenin to show up by talking about Royden¡¯s wine. Elisha points out that Royden¡¯s wine isn¡¯t actually expensive, but the price is increased just to make it more popular because nobles like expensive stuff, Rozenin, as the one who ¡®increased the price¡¯ has to show up to clarify the matter. No one knows yet that Rozenin is the one responsible, but just in case it comes to light in the future, she clarifies it by saying ¡°a part of the sales profit is donated¡±. It is not said whether this is a lie or not, although I assume it is a lie. In the past, Rozenin was the ¡®the golden key that opens the door to wherever the witch wants¡¯, which means she is the biggest fund provider to Elisha¡¯s faction. Although, once the 1st Empress and her Eastern faction fell, Elisha showed no mercy and slaughtered Count Gotham and his whole clan, including Rozenin. And, I think, Rozenin was and is now gay for Elisha. It is said that Elisha knew her as ¡°a woman who was so shy that she blushed and couldn¡¯t speak properly,¡± but when they just meet in this chapter, Rozenin isn¡¯t anything like that, and she only starts to blush after Elisha brushes her cheek. Moving on to Viscountess Cain although I think it¡¯s pretty self-explanatory, the late Viscount Cain had an ex-wife, this ex-wife gave birth to a son (the eldest son in the chapter). Viscount Cain loved the youngest son born by his new, young wife, the current Viscountess Cain. And as he died, so began the competition for the viscount position between the eldest son and Timothy because the will is missing. The eldest son said the Viscountess is hiding it because before his death, the late Viscount changed his will to make the eldest son his successor, while the Viscountess said the eldest son is hiding it because Timothy is supposed to be the successor. In the end, it is mentioned that the late Viscount made it ¡®missing¡¯ himself. I have a guess that the Viscount made it something like ¡°Whoever finds it first will be the successor¡± or something like that, but we will see in the future, yeah? And as always, the extremely political chapter always took me 4 hours+¡­ God bless my eyes. Chapter 26 ¡°The reason must have been because he wanted to prevent the will from being stolen or destroyed by the eldest son, who could not give up his ambition in the first place. But the more he planned it, the more playful it must have been in his head.¡± Ascencio wanted to refute, but Viscount Cain¡¯s record was not very good¡­ As someone who almost ran away after trying to play a joke in front of the emperor. ¡°I said nothing to Timothy. Just, if he couldn¡¯t find it no matter how much he looked for it, I wondered if it wasn¡¯t there from the beginning. So, I asked if the Viscount had gone out for a while before he died. I asked if he had left a message to his wife to come to him later when she misses him, and told Timothy to check it out.¡± ¡°Seeing that the Viscountess went straight out of the venue after hearing those words¡­¡± ¡°It must have happened.¡± His own plan would not have been so grandiose. When his eldest son showed his ambition while the will disappeared, the wife who found the will he hid completely would beat him and Timothy would safely succeed the title. If it was the wife who was quiet, but always accepted his pranks and sometimes came to play with him first, the Viscount must have believed that it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to find an answer even if he didn¡¯t say anything. But, look. As a result, the Viscountess, who sincerely loved her husband who was older than her, couldn¡¯t find her usual reasoning, and her embarrassment gave birth to anger and anger to resentment. Leaving neither time to miss her husband nor time to reflect on what he had said. It¡¯s still fine though. It¡¯s before everything is lost, and if the will is found according to the clues Elisha gave, then there will be hope. But what was the end of the Viscountess in her previous life as Elisha knew? The Viscountess and Timothy, who were defeated in a battle because they couldn¡¯t find the Viscount will, wandered the Empire naked and starving. It was at her last stop as the Viscountess, who had lost even Timothy and was looking for a place for her to die, found her husband¡¯s little prank. Not because she missed the Viscount, but to get her last revenge by resenting her husband, whom she could only see as betraying her no matter how much she looked at it. There she found a faded will. The Viscount must have laughed as if it was going to be fun, imagining the scene in which the defenseless wife misses and resents him, and finally finds his will and bursts into tears¡­ She found it five years later than the scheduled time, and the Viscountess did not cry. She put the will at her feet and hanged herself on a stone statue with memories of her husband. The next day, when Viscount Cain¡¯s tragedy became known, the people of the Empire all pointed their fingers in the direction of Viscount Cain¡¯s grave. Elisha had thought that what the Viscount had done was not just a prank, but a wish he had, hoping that his young wife would remember him for a little longer. She didn¡¯t, but that wasn¡¯t a reason why the tragedy happened. ¡°How does the 2nd Empress know everything like that?¡± Ascencio asked with a look beyond surprise on his face. It didn¡¯t seem like he was referring only to the incident of Viscount Cain that just happened. Elisha didn¡¯t know if it is something that crumbles over time. The masterpiece that is referred to as noble and enough to be shown off as a taste of the nobility¡­ As time goes by, the elegant scent becomes a masterpiece. So, as more people love it, detailed information can be gathered and spread more easily, and later, the aristocrats gathered here will admire it. Even if the Crown Prince before her doesn¡¯t study hard enough to speak his own voice, he¡¯ll be able to know without much difficulty¡­ [T/N: The last 4 paragraphs, Elisha is talking about the Royden¡¯s wine incident] There¡¯s no way to explain it. ¡°I am not the only one who knows everything. I can only see some things better than others. Sometimes just living can make you wise.¡± ¡°That is difficult.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out later when you rise to the throne and your hair turns white, and wrinkles form on the back of your smooth hands.¡± He didn¡¯t even think that Elisha wasn¡¯t that old. Ascencio was just bewildered because he had never imagined that he could live that long. He hadn¡¯t even had a picture drawn in his mind. Then Ascencio, who came to his senses quickly, was the first to ask a question in the conversation. ¡°Then, where will the two of you, 2nd Empress and Leon, be?¡± Somehow, the voice was urgent. ¡°Of course, wouldn¡¯t we be standing under the steps of Your Majesty¡¯s throne?¡± It was then that Ascencio was able to put his mind to rest. Elisha and Ascencio faced each other and laughed, and Leon quickly intervened. ¡°Hey!¡± Elisha and Ascencio embraced the child with his white teeth exposed and rubbed his head. They were a warm and beautiful family. ¡°She¡¯s running wild.¡± Isabelle, who had been ignoring Elisha and disappeared, saying that she had something to deal with, stood from a distance and looked at them and muttered in shock. She tried to enjoy the show as an appetizer before the banquet began, but it seemed to have only disturbed the atmosphere by falling for the opponent¡¯s tricks. But Isabelle¡¯s nervousness didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor!¡± The atmosphere inside the banquet hall changed rapidly with the appearance of Emperor Kaiden. The gazes that were spinning around Elisha were immediately shot at the Emperor, and landed at his feet. The Emperor stepped on them and took one step at a time. ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for coming.¡± Isabelle fluttered the hem of her dress and approached the Emperor. The 2nd Prince Stoneham also looked up at his father, the Emperor, with his cheeks flushed red. Instead of answering, the Emperor just nodded his head once, but that was enough. After becoming emperor, Kaiden did not attend except for banquets necessary for Imperial ceremonies. There was only one exception, and that was the banquet held by the 1st Empress Isabelle. Upon the appearance of the emperor, the banquet attendees realize who the owner of the banquet is. No matter how different Elisha was from before, there are some women who are located at the top of Barossa¡¯s ranks. Because Isabelle is the daughter of Duke Cherkah, the head of the Eastern nobility? It¡¯s not without it, but what¡¯s really important is something else. The reason why the women of Barossa exist and their goal. The emperor¡¯s women were only valued when they received the emperor¡¯s love. No matter how strong the power of the nobility, in the end the cause belongs to the emperor, and power begins with the emperor. When such an emperor is chosen, the possibility of creating the next great emperor also increases. The greater the emperor¡¯s favor for Isabelle, the more natural it was for her to receive special treatment from those around her. ¡°Your Majesty has come.¡± ¡°The future will be the era of the Eastern aristocrats.¡± Looking at the trend, Elisha, who had been receiving attention until recently, was relatively compared. Among the various feelings towards Elisha, those with greater jealousy and hatred began to tease her again. ¡°Will the 2nd Empress not be able to dance today?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s never stepped out of front of the wall at a banquet, has she? No matter how unattractive a woman is, that is truly pathetic.¡± [T/B: this is from the saying ¡°wallflower¡±, which means ¡°a person who has no one to dance with or who feels shy, awkward, or excluded at a party] If you touch the emperor¡¯s woman, you will receive a punishment equivalent to treason, but this was not always the case. Because there was definitely a line that was ceremonially allowed. Even though all the noble men did not approach Elisha¡­ Because the situation was complicated to reach out with a light favor or sympathy, and they were afraid of retaliation from the 1st Empress, who was very pleased with the current situation. This is the reality that Elisha cannot change with her own abilities. Finally, the nobles have achieved their desired purpose and can laugh at her with full laughter. Elisha ignored their gaze and proceeded to the Emperor. ¡°I see Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± The two who followed her, Ascencio and Leon, bowed their heads at the same time as Elisha did her duty as a concubine. The Emperor, who would normally pass by without even paying attention to such Elisha, stopped for some reason and looked at her. No, not just the Emperor. Elisha looked at Blemir, who was to the left of the Emperor, and Rohan, who was on the right, to see if they had met outside and had come in together. Naturally, Elisha wasn¡¯t the type of person who turned her face first. The other three didn¡¯t dodge their opponents for their own reasons, so the four¡¯s entangled eyes continued to be entangled without being resolved. ¡°Your Majesty, many are waiting. You should announce the start of the banquet.¡± It was Isabelle who arranged the situation. She fluttered her pink cheeks as she hated seeing the Emperor and Elisha facing each other. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Emperor nodded and extended his hand to Isabelle. Isabelle slightly bent her knees and spread her hand out, placing it on above his. Usually, dancing and alcohol are not the mainstays of the birthday banquet of a prince who has not reached the age of majority¡­ The banquet of the 2nd Prince hosted by Isabelle was different. From the time when the 2nd Prince was just born until now, her banquets always started with the first dance with the Emperor. As Isabelle entered the middle of the banquet hall with the Emperor, the entire Golden Hall was enveloped in a soft melody. If Isabelle who was dancing with the Emperor so beautifully and gracefully amid everyone¡¯s admiration was the sun, Elisha with silver hair was as silent as the darkness of the night. That silence creates a boundary that separates each other, making it seem like only Elisha is standing in another world. As the ridicule towards Elisha was about to continue, the Crown Prince tried to step forward. It was clear that it would seem ridiculous as someone so young applied for a dance, but Ascencio did not mind. He thought he could endure it if it was a complaint against him, not Elisha. ¡°2nd Empress, I¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness! You are here! Can we talk for a minute?¡± ¡°Bianca, I¡¯m occupied.¡± Tears filled Bianca¡¯s big eyes when the Crown Prince refused. As soon as her tears were about to fall, Elisha pushed the Crown Prince¡¯s back. ¡°You should go. If it is Count Chenwood¡¯s daughter, isn¡¯t she constantly trying to get married to His Highness the Crown Prince? If we make a loud noise here, Your Highness¡¯s face will be hurt.¡± [T/N: The face will hurt here means ¡°be ashamed/embarrassed¡±] These were words to Ascencio, but also a warning to Bianca. Bianca is the daughter of Count Chenwood, a member of the Eastern nobility faction, and the 1st Empress¡¯s candidate for the Crown Prince to prevent the Crown Prince¡¯s faction from gaining power through political marriage. There must be a reason why she appeared so perfectly. Ascencio was reluctant, but Elisha was right, so he had no choice but to follow Bianca with the condition that it was a short time. Elisha, who was standing alone with the 3rd Prince after the protection of the Crown Prince was lifted, looked like an even better prey. Leon, who had turned white as if all sides were blocked by a wall, looked around. Elisha held her child¡¯s arm like she was not bothered and tried to convince him, but her child was one step ahead. The child, who ran with his arms wide open, hugged the leg of the man who was standing not too far away. Then he grabbed the hem of the man¡¯s pants hard with his hands and pulled. The man who had stood still even when the child whined, then bent his upper body to support the child¡¯s buttocks and lifted him up to a embracing position. The child naturally wrapped his arms around the man¡¯s neck. The man walked up to Elisha while holding the child. The auburn hair, and the eyes of the same color as the deep, dark hair, contained Elisha. ¡°Mother, Sir Rohan will dance with you. Then they won¡¯t be able to speak badly of Mother, right?¡± Leon¡¯s faint, trembling voice was not because he was afraid, but because he was sad. My bright but still young child. My little and lovely angel. With that small hand, she brought the most reliable person in this place to his mother with all his might. But he¡­ Shaking her head, Elisha reached out her hand to get her child back, but before that, a large hand clasped in front of her. ¡°Do you want to dance?¡± Rohan Scherzer, the commander of the 1st Knights, said. Chapter 27 Is this a new way to apply for a duel? Elisha stared at the hand extended in front of her. Short-cut nails that were neat on long, hard-looking fingers. The skin on the inside of the hand was full of calluses, which repeatedly crushed and regenerated, skidding the light. It¡¯s not because it was soft. It¡¯s because it was so tough that there were no wrinkles that would hold the light. As Elisha was counting her chances of winning against the hand that was big and strong enough to cover her face in one shot, the voice came again. ¡°Do you want to dance?¡± Elisha took her eyes off the hand and raised her face to the owner of the hand. ¡°There is no reason not to do it, so have you decided to do what you can?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no answer, but the outstretched hand remained the same. The two of them seemed to have forgotten where they were, but only Leon was in a hurry. ¡°Mother? Sir Rohan, what are you doing? Hurry up, hurry up.¡± At Leon¡¯s urging, Elisha placed her hand on Rohan¡¯s. Leon jumped off Rohan and fell a little. And as his eyes twinkled, Elisha paused as if she had suddenly remembered something. The 2nd Empress, who usually acted casually at anything, suddenly reacted strangely, and Rohan turned to look at her in confusion. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Dance¡­¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I forgot how to dance.¡± It was only after she became the 2nd Empress that Elisha was able to receive the little basic education she would have had to learn from an ordinary aristocratic family. Among them, dance was particularly useless, so it was a subject that she quickly put aside. If she had known this would happen, she would have learned a little more when she got to a higher position. At that time, there were quite a few people who tried to approach her, but Elisha¡¯s coldness and intimidation often made them give up¡­ Dancing was useless to Elisha until the very end. So that¡¯s it. It¡¯s not because Elisha herself can¡¯t do it. While Elisha hesitated, the song that rang out in the banquet hall ended and the first dance of the Emperor and the 1st Empress also stopped. Rohan whispered softly as he led Elisha. ¡°You can just follow me. From the point of view of swordsmanship, you seem to have a knack for using your body, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true.¡± Because it was a natural fact, Elisha did not deny it either. But¡­ ¡°Is Sir Rohan really capable of teaching? In terms of the training method of the 1st Knights¡­ Hmm¡­¡± If you can¡¯t match the movement, grab the other¡¯s arm and twist it, press your heel on the back of your foot to fix it, and then turn your body around once, isn¡¯t it enough? Rohan, who could conclude the story in her head even if she didn¡¯t say it aloud, smiled without realizing it. ¡°I know the time and place for everything, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°I am not worried. I was afraid that Sir Rohan, the knight among knights, may show something that should not be shown in front of people.¡± Because it was unexpected, Rohan¡¯s steps slowed down a bit. ¡°¡­ I will be careful not to do that.¡± Elisha nodded and entered the dance space without further conversation, but a shadow fell in front of the two. It was because they ran into people who were just about to get out. ¡°It is really good to see.¡± Emperor Kaiden¡¯s indifferent blue eyes appeared before them. ¡°The 2nd Empress and the 1st Knights Commander. It looks like you¡¯ve become quite friendly with each other.¡± ¡°Sir Rohan helped me in many ways.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Kaiden reached out and tapped the pearl earring hanging from Elisha¡¯s earlobe. The pearl earring was lightly dangling and made a clear sound. Elisha frowned slightly, but Kaiden raised his hand again to see if the shaking was good. Before Kaiden could reach the earring again, Elisha grabbed the earring and took it off. ¡°It¡¯s an item that needs to be returned, so it will be difficult if it¡¯s damaged, Your Majesty.¡± Kaiden asked as if surprised. ¡°Do you know who sent it?¡± ¡°How could I not know? They sent it with their seal so that I can see it clearly.¡± Elisha opened her fist, revealing the earring. A golden flower fluttered over the milky pearl in the center of it, leaving a pale yellow afterimage. Elisha, who knew why this was so familiar, found out the reason when she looked at the pearl, which did not communicate with the spirit, unlike other gems for some reason. It was the embroidery that lay on Rohan¡¯s handkerchief, which she had once borrowed. But the thing is. The shape of the flower itself is very common, and without any clues, it was great to infer all the circumstances with just one object in hand. Kaiden, who was staring intently at Elisha, said. ¡°Well, earrings that aren¡¯t anything else must be Jaylene¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s beautiful, but it¡¯s sharp and valuable only when you dig into the wound. It really is a fitting decoration to symbolize the Countess.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± The explanation added to the reply returned without delay seemed to fit too well, so Kaiden laughed. It was a vague kind of laughter, really, but the repercussions were huge. ¡°Whoaaa¡­!¡± The aristocratic crowds around the outside of the empty circle space in the center, burst into shouts of exclamation. But they weren¡¯t even worth a single glance from Kaiden. ¡°As expected, conversations with the 2nd Empress are fun.¡± Kaiden, who had muttered, asked Rohan, who had a hardened expression this time. ¡°Rohan, you look like you had no idea.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°So when you saw the earrings of the 2nd Empress, you asked her for a dance to confirm, did you not?¡± ¡°It was a request.¡± ¡°A request? Is there still a great person left to request something from you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. But it¡¯s not good if I let Jaylene make another accident. There¡¯s a limit to covering it up.¡± It refers to the range of values, not abilities. The moment the latter surpasses the former, Kaiden will abandon Jaylene without hesitation. Whether it is aimed at the wife who breaks his justice as a knight, or it is blaming himself for not being able to keep even such a wife in line. The noble knight¡¯s eyes were dyed with shame. To Elisha, it looked like he had been hurt. It was the Emperor who forcibly pushed ahead with the political marriage and gave Rohan to Jaylene. It was always his master who made that unshakable and steadfast knight unhappy. Despite this, his master arrogantly judges the misfortunes of his knight. How can you treat a knight like that so rudely? Of course, Elisha was not a good owner for her subordinates either. She had been a mess, to say the least. So, more and more, she is trying to be different in this life. Among the memories of the past that made her so, the death of Rohan, who died loyal to the Emperor until the end, was particularly clear. It was heartbreaking to see Rohan being treated so unreasonably by his master right in front of her. Even more so because she was the one who started it. For Elisha, Jaylene was just trying to show that she¡¯s watching her, and that she will bite at any time if she shows a weak side. Why did the Emperor suddenly intervene? She didn¡¯t expect him to recognize these earrings, but even if she did¡­ She didn¡¯t know it would go out like this. In the past, Elisha was not interested in anything. But. If the Emperor responds differently because Elisha acts differently, it is not totally incomprehensible. As long as the event is related to the Emperor, there¡¯s no way it¡¯s just a whim. There¡¯s definitely a reason. Currently, Elisha just didn¡¯t notice. At that moment, a very beautiful hand was held out in front of Elisha. At the same time, the Emperor¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Since it is like that, there¡¯s no need to provoke Jaylene for nothing.¡± Even though flagships exploded from all directions when they saw the scene, Elisha, the party involved, was still in the middle of nowhere. When she didn¡¯t want to move, Rohan pushed her hand, which he had been supporting, towards the Emperor. Naturally, next to the Emperor¡¯s hand, the two people¡¯s hands clasped together. Dancing with the Emperor. It was terrifying, but she couldn¡¯t refuse. It was time for Elisha to hold the Emperor¡¯s hand. *** There was a great commotion at the entrance to the Golden Hall. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it is almost done?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost done.¡± ¡°Is it not here yet?¡± ¡°Almost, Your Majesty.¡± Green eyes contorted at the words of Marchioness Bahrain. Just as her shriek was about to explode, the signal that the 1st Empress Isabelle had been waiting for had arrived. ¡°I have to see the 1st Empress! I have something to show you!¡± Isabelle¡¯s eyes flashed and she made her way towards the entrance, while Marchioness Bahrain gave a wink to her entourage, who was waiting behind her. When the entourage, an aristocratic wife, was instructed and disappeared, Marchioness Bahrain followed behind Isabelle. Holding a small box in her hand at the entrance, the face of the maid, who was caught by the great knights of the Imperial Palace who were guarding the Golden Hall, looked familiar. As soon as the maid saw Isabelle, her momentum grew as if she had met her ally. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± While the knights stopped and relaxed in the ambiguous atmosphere, the maid slipped through them. Swaeeeg! Before the handmaiden could reach in front of Isabelle, she knelt down in front of her, startled at the sight of the flashing blade approaching her chest. As she was approaching, the 1st Empress¡¯s escort knight drew his sword. ¡°Do not come without permission, you are lowly.¡± The knight¡¯s eyes were ugly. As the knight given by Duke Cherkah to his beloved daughter, he didn¡¯t put down his guard. ¡°Hiiiy!¡± The maid turned blue and started to hiccup. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± When the Emperor appeared, the commotion outside disappeared at once. The 1st Empress¡¯s knight quickly returned his sword to its sheath and retreated. Because they were together, Elisha, who naturally accompanied him, found someone kneeling at the entrance while licking her lips. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± ¡°Someone you know?¡± When the Emperor turned around, Elisha nodded her head. ¡°I am the maid of the 2nd Empress Palace.¡± The banquet was finally entering a new phase. A stranger who did not fit in the space where the Emperor and the 1st Empress had danced a while ago took a seat. The handmaiden trembled less compared to when she first called the 1st Empress. She hiccuped and glanced at Elisha, then stopped completely when their eyes met. The maid couldn¡¯t speak properly, so Isabelle stepped up. ¡°I heard that Stoneham recently wanted to make a present for his mother who gave birth to him on his tenth birthday, so he had to go to the East Coast to find some good gems. I was so proud of him that I was going to pretend I didn¡¯t know until the day he came, but when the prince, who should have been excited, suddenly looked unhappy, I became worried. Then this maid brought over something just now.¡± As Isabelle motioned for her, Marchioness Bahrain, who was waiting for her, supported a fairly large box, about the length of an adult man¡¯s fingers, with one hand and opened the lid with the other. With a click, a set of diamond jewelries could be seen inside. Earrings, rings, bracelets, and¡­ ¡°The missing necklace that the 2nd Prince had left on the desk after he checked whether the crafting was good.¡± Like what was said, the place for the necklace that should have been placed around the edge of the box was empty. ¡°That maid works at the 2nd Empress Palace, but she and the 1st Empress¡¯s maid, Jang, have known each other for a long time. It seems that she accidentally heard the story of the necklace from the maid. She came to the 1st Empress Palace a few days ago and told a startling story.¡± Isabelle turned her gaze to Elisha. Isabelle could finally see her sky-blue eyes wrinkled, and she continued as she raised the corners of her lips. ¡°She saw a diamond necklace exactly like the one she was talking about in the 2nd Empress Palace.¡± What matters in Barossa is not the truth. The power to get people to admit is what makes the real thing. Isabelle believed she had that ¡®power¡¯ in her, and that belief never betrayed her. At least, not yet. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it was possible, but that maid seems to be trying to prove what I said after all.¡± The green eyes staring at Elisha burned fiercely. Chapter 28 Translated by Wook by Wook This was the trap set by Isabelle. As soon as the maid¡¯s proof becomes a reality, Elisha will have to face tremendous condemnation. People wouldn¡¯t think that Stoneham was directly involved, but the fact that the 2nd Empress brought in items from the outside and that the record couldn¡¯t be checked properly or the accusation that the fact might be stolen items were not a problem that could be easily overcome. Now, even if someone tried to retrace the path that Marie, the maidservant of the 2nd Empress Palace, obtained, it would be of no use since the 1st Empress must have already wiped it out. It was really childish. But clever. There¡¯s no better way to incite people to the naked eye than this. Besides, in the previous life, Elisha was not used to this kind of small trick. It was also a method that would definitely work well for Elisha when she was around that age. In other words, not now. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been beaten so much in the past.¡± Elisha, who muttered, looked at the maid and Isabelle, who were holding a box in her arms, alternately. Then Elisha opened her mouth. ¡°Do you think the 2nd Empress Palace is related to this matter?¡± ¡°How great would it have been if you didn¡¯t do that? Besides, I also didn¡¯t want to make the matter this big. However, it was a pity that there was a problem with the gift that the Prince had prepared to save his mother¡¯s face in front of everyone at this banquet. Surely we can¡¯t just ignore the words of your maid, right? 2nd Empress?¡± Isabelle¡¯s voice, which flowed uninterrupted as if the speech was already prepared, was powerful and clear. She thinks now that all that¡¯s left is Elisha¡¯s turn to be humiliated, she¡¯s in such a good mood that it¡¯s hard to put down her smirk. ¡°Do you trust that maid so much? Is the 1st Empress sure that the diamond necklace is with me?¡± Isabelle thought she was going to have Elisha making her last stride. As Isabelle glanced at the maid, who was kneeling on the floor, the maid nodded her head up and down, convincing herself of what was inside. Isabelle will save her life no matter what the outcome. Unlike with the 2nd Empress, if the maid goes wrong, she will die right away, so how can she lie? ¡°Since it is like this, wouldn¡¯t it be worth checking it out?¡± As Isabelle reached out her hand to the maid, the maid approached on her knees and placed the box on top of her hand. Isabelle, who lifted the box, looked towards the Emperor. The inside of the banquet hall was filled with Isabelle¡¯s supporters from the beginning, so it was exciting for them. They must be clapping their hands inwardly saying that this is the highlight that the 1st Empress mentioned¡­ But no one knew how the Emperor felt. Isabelle, who was afraid that he might be offended by the sudden event that took place regardless of his will, looked at him, but he didn¡¯t look any different. The beautiful man, who was still silent and whose expression could not be read, only watched with the face of an onlooker, as if implying it to continue. With all the eyes on Isabelle¡¯s fingertips, she opened the lid of the box and flipped it open. Click! The moment the inside of the box was exposed under the light, it sparkled dazzlingly. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It really is!¡± ¡°Is it really the 2nd Empress?¡± In the midst of the pouring exclamation and astonishment, Elisha stood still. Isabelle¡¯s eyes twinkled, thinking to see how far she could go¡­ Hmm? It was strange. She paused and widened her eyes as Isabelle reached for the necklace in the box. Ripples in her green eyes grew in disbelief. Isabelle tried to shove the box quickly behind her back, but she couldn¡¯t. Elisha was one step faster and stronger. Elisha put her hand inside the box and pulled out the necklace. Tsaruk. The golden cords are stretched downwards. The heaviest diamond decoration wobbled at the bottom. Whenever the large diamond moves left or right, the light is reflected and shards are scattered around it. It was said that the 2nd Prince was very concerned about such a large jewel, but everyone felt the strange atmosphere between Elisha and Isabelle, so they kept their mouths shut. As Elisha held out the necklace to Isabelle, Isabelle bit her lip and reached out her hand to grab it. At that moment, Elisha loosened the strength of the hand holding her necklace. Sreuk. The necklace, which had escaped from Elisha, fell to the floor as Isabelle¡¯s outstretched hand passed. Chaeng-kang! And the sound of something breaking resounded in the banquet hall. A real diamond will not shatter and lay on the floor in pieces with a sound that should never be heard like that. As if expensive champagne had been spilled, Elisha¡¯s feet stepped out onto the powder of light that flowed under her feet. The powder was crumbling and smashed under the feet. Elisha walked closer to Isabelle, leaving footprints like stepping on the snow, and looked down at her, who was shorter than her. ¡°If that¡¯s really the diamond necklace that the 2nd Prince prepared, does that mean that the 2nd Prince prepared a fake? You should also check out the other gems in the gift box. Maybe what the 2nd Prince prepared was not a gift, but a joke, but the 1st Empress misunderstood and made the situation like this.¡± It was as if they were just exchanging a story that didn¡¯t really matter when she handed over the obvious ridicule so casually. It felt more insulting to Isabelle, who was listening to her. ¡°No. Everything prepared by the 2nd Prince is real.¡± ¡°If it is so, it looks like it doesn¡¯t belong to the 2nd Prince. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Elisha ran her from top to bottom, just like Isabelle did to her. Then, in the middle, she stopped her gaze at Isabelle¡¯s slender neck. Isabelle wanted to overthrow her immediately, but she was in a bad mood. If she asks to search the 2nd Empress Palace, the real thing will come out. There¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t use to force that woman to agree, but¡­ Those indifferent blue eyes. Those eyes that are staring at her are ominous. Again, Isabelle hesitated because she thought there would be a result that would upset her mind. Above all else, the eyes of the banquet attendees looking at her are not unusual, and if she persists, not only herself, but also Stoneham will be ridiculed. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ That¡­ That maid seems to have misunderstood¡­¡± She blamed the maid, and Elisha did not dig into it further. Because she doesn¡¯t know what Isabelle will do if she gets too cornered. Still¡­ ¡°The maid of the 2nd Empress Palace was worried about their master going to the banquet hall without any decorations. I got it from somewhere, but left it in the end. If I knew it would cause such a misunderstanding, I would¡¯ve thrown it away. It¡¯s a pity that the 2nd Prince¡¯s banquet, which the 1st Empress had prepared with all her heart and soul, had cooled down due to such a fuss.¡± She should say something like this. Isabelle¡¯s complexion across her face grew worse as Elisha wagged her tongue, but that¡¯s it. However, her anger, which was barely fluttering, was so full that even a little more would overflow and spill everywhere. If Isabelle stops, Elisha has no intention of touching her anymore. This was also the last part of the plan that Elisha, who received jewelry from unknown sources for the first time, used as a trick to clean up afterwards. It would have been rather confusing if only one diamond necklace had come, but as the other items came together into the Imperial Palace, Elisha was able to think of the banquet that was going to be held soon, and thanks to that, the rest was easy to guess. At first, Elisha thought she would wear a fake necklace and attend the banquet, but Isabelle is a noble woman whose father is the richest man in the family. There¡¯s no way she doesn¡¯t recognize a fake made of glass. Since the real diamond has just disappeared, she thought that if she pretended that there was no necklace at all, she would get caught in trouble¡­ In that case, Elisha hid a fake necklace in the 2nd Empress Palace and left it deliberately undisclosed, so when Isabelle found it there, she could use her tricks. Isabelle saw the empty neck of Elisha as she looked at her and sneered at her for not having her necklace on, noticing the situation. However, she didn¡¯t care because she had heard from the maid in advance that the necklace was in the 2nd Empress Palace, so she just had to bring it out at the right time. No, she must have laughed louder inwardly. She only escaped danger once, now she¡¯s raising her head firmly thinking it¡¯s okay. Elisha honestly thought it was fortunate to stop here. Isabelle couldn¡¯t really throw away a real diamond in an impoverished place like Elisha¡¯s 2nd Empress Palace, and there was no circumstance that it was thrown out. Since the diamond had already turned to dust and can never be found, Isabelle, angry while looking for it, will pour her anger on Elisha at once. Elisha did not yet have the strength to wage an all-out war with the Eastern nobles, including the 1st Empress. While it is unclear whether Isabelle¡¯s sense of humor or Elisa¡¯s luck is unknown, the situation suddenly takes a turn that nobody expects. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± It was the maid of the 2nd Empress Palace, who had uttered her screams, kneeling on her knees and shoving her head to the floor. The fact that Elisha did not manage her subordinates properly and contributed to the rise of a conflict could have greatly reduced Elisha¡¯s face. Elisha looked down at the handmaiden with her cool eyes, without emotion. She has been picking them out, but the rotten roots in the 2nd Empress Palace have not yet been thinned out. The handmaiden looks up at Elisha resentfully. No one knew why her gaze towards Elisha was more fierce than the 1st Empress who abandoned her. The maid shouted as she swung her index finger up and pointed to Elisha. ¡°The 2nd Empress is summoning demons!¡± At that moment, most of those gathered in the banquet hall remembered the same thing. Today¡¯s banquet will be talked about for a really long time. Even if one looks back quite a bit in the past, not just recently, there has never been such a worst banquet. ¡°It is true! Your Majesty the 1st Empress, you¡¯ve heard about it too, right? Something strange is suddenly happening in the 2nd Empress Palace. In the middle of the night there is a sound of splashing water, the garden is wet, and suddenly a child¡¯s face pops out of a cup suddenly¡­¡± The explanation was specific. Moreover, the maid was not the only one who witnessed various incidents in the 2nd Empress Palace. ¡°It really is. Has the 1st Empress heard of it?¡± The maid looked up eagerly to the 1st Empress, asking her to sympathize with her. Isabelle immediately recalled the report she had received a while ago without thinking. It was nonsense, so she snorted over it, but hearing it like this felt weird. The fear that appears on the maid¡¯s face at first glance is too clear to be seen as just a way to avoid a crisis that is imminent. So, is it true? Once she began to have doubts, she thought about the sudden change of the 2nd Empress. At about the same time, the eyes of those who were in the banquet hall are focused on Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a needlessly long banquet.¡± Elisha stroked her silver hair back lightly and clicked her tongue. Translator¡¯s note: I changed a few sentences because it¡¯s hard to understand when translated into English. Believe me it¡¯s way worse before. Okay, so, as usual, my short take on this chapter. Remember the three gems of sapphire, diamond, and pearl that Marie got for Elisha in Chapter 23? It was mentioned that ¡°it is a transaction that cannot be made without someone¡¯s plan in mind¡­¡± So, the pearl was given by Countess Jaylene to intimidate Elisha. And the diamond was given by our prissy Isabelle here to trap Elisha. This chapter is basically explaining that since the diamond is destroyed in Elisha¡¯s experiment, Elisha had to use a fake diamond and put it back into the box, because, if the diamond just disappeared completely, it will invite more trouble from Isabelle, because Isabelle won¡¯t want to leave something as precious as a diamond to the ¡°impoverished 2nd Palace¡±. As mentioned, Elisha is not strong enough to beat the Eastern and Isabelle¡¯s power. Like this, Elisha is just borrowing Isabelle¡¯s trick to trick her back, by stating non-explicitely that the fake diamond is Elisha¡¯s and that she did not know a shit about Isabelle¡¯s diamond. Isabelle herself won¡¯t claim the (fake) diamond in 2nd Empress Palace as hers, because that means acknowledging that the 2nd Prince has prepared a fake diamonds for his mother, which will make Isabelle loses face. Yup, I explained 10+ fancy looking paragraphs into 2 simple ones. You¡¯re welcome. Chapter 29 Translated by Wook by Wook ¡°Demon summoning.¡± No matter what jewelry in the world is placed, the light contained in it won¡¯t be that bright. After the maid shouted those words, the banquet hall was filled with air of a different weight than before. In a space where there was no division according to faction or disposition, only animosity towards one existence was left. Summoning a demon meant becoming an achievement of the continent, so it was natural. ¡°Surely not¡­?¡± ¡°In case you don¡¯t know, demon summoning can only be done by black mages, which means those who either have inherited the blood of ancient summoners or are fallen mages.¡± The 2nd Empress, who had lost her mana, might have become a black mage and summoned demons in some unholy way. Unlike those who had nothing to do with magic, Elisha had a connection with it, so the agitation did not disappear and continued to grow stronger. Elisha let them gossip. It was reflected as if she had admitted her sin and kept her mouth shut as she had nothing to say. Why are you so quiet? You¡¯re not turning meek, aren¡¯t you? Just before the doubt contained in the blue eyes turned into boredom. Elisha stretched her left hand to the side. ¡°Does everyone want to see the demon?¡± The tense atmosphere burst in an instant. ¡°Hiiiyy!¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± The sound of gushing in the wind exploded from all directions, and there were even people who fell back and fell on their behind. Elisha didn¡¯t laugh. She was just glad that Rohan was holding Leon, who was about to run to Elisha, and that Marquis Blemir grabbed Ascencio and immobilized him. She just remembered the faces of those who stare at her in the same place without moving. And when she stretched out her arm to the other side¡­! A blue light began to flutter from her palm. White foam, blue and azure afterimages covered her hand and flowed down her arm. Her body floated into the air as the water that had been stagnant under her feet spun around her like a whirlwind. A beautiful woman with fluttering silver hair and expressionless face, coldly stood stepping on the water and looked down at people, looking like a goddess. ¡°Aaah!¡± How can you call that a demon? Ridiculous. As the people opened their mouths, Elisha stroked Undine¡¯s, who was holding her cheek next to her face, little head with her fingertips. Undine, who was smiling silently with her mouth open, turned around Elisha one big turn, stretched out and moved towards Leon. The nobles, who were bewildered by the bizarre and unfamiliar appearance of being beautiful like a glass doll imitating a human shape, but able to change its shape at will, reluctantly retreated. Rohan didn¡¯t forget the boundaries when facing the spirit, but Leon did not. ¡°Who are you?¡± When Leon was still wondering if he liked this cute and mysterious spirit, Undine looked at Leon and put her forehead to his forehead. ¡°What¡¯s this?! Disgusting!¡± Then a hand popped out from below and tried to grab Undine. Undine was the first to react to the behavior that no one could stop. Paang! Undine exploded. ¡°Uwaaa!¡± With a scream, the skinny boy bounced off Leon¡¯s feet and rolled over the hall. Chwaruk! The remains of Undine exploded and spilled onto the floor. But the floor did not get wet. The water, which disappeared without a spot, bewitched people, making it look as if nothing had happened. ¡°You! Leon, youuu!¡± If it weren¡¯t for Stoneham¡¯s scream. Stoneham could tolerate that he wasn¡¯t the brightest person at the banquet. With an exception of his mother, and especially more so if the other party was the 2nd Empress and her son, whom he had always looked down on and ignored. Moreover, that special looking thing showed its friendliness not even to the Crown Prince, but only to Leon. This was impossible, so he thought that that thing would know who really shines and really suited it if only it looked at him! Stoneham, who was shaking and trembling, thought that his mother and the Eastern nobles would run to him, embrace him, comfort him, and scare Leon. By persecuting and punishing, he will confirm his position in Barossa once again! But Stoneham felt odd. The silence falling over his head is understandable, but why is he still left alone? Stoneham raised his head to find his mother. His mother was staring intently at something from the other side. It wasn¡¯t where Stoneham was. But behind Stoneham. Stoneham¡¯s green eyes as he slowly turned his head were as bright as his mother¡¯s. The moment Undine exploded and disappeared, the erased stream was not only around it. The stream of water surrounding Elisha also poured down at once. Elisha¡¯s body staggered as the power that had pushed her up disappeared. Just before Elisha was thrown to the floor, strong arms supported her so she wouldn¡¯t fall. Elisha¡¯s untrained body didn¡¯t move according to her will, and because her heart did not feel anything, Elisha looked at the person holding her without agitation¡­ ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Who else could it be if not Kaiden, who supported Elisha¡¯s knees and waist, and let her head rested against his chest. Of course, that does not mean that Elisha had any great reaction. Elisha wiggled her eyebrows once, and just stared at the Emperor¡¯s blue eyes in the hopes of putting her down. Instead of granting her request, the Emperor posed her question. ¡°Is it a spirit?¡± ¡°Yes. This is Undine, a lesser spirit.¡± Elisha explained in more detail, noticing that it was not because he was ignorant of it, but because he was trying to convince others. ¡°Hahaha, hahahaha!¡± The sound of refreshing laughter spreads through the Golden Hall. The splendid appearance of the beautiful man who changes the air around him even with a thin smile was overwhelming. Rather than being embarrassed by the Emperor who acted like this for the first time, Elisha was only surprised. She soon frowned. If Elisha has one more thing, those who want to use it and those who oppose it by oppressing it will react even stronger. In the past, it was possible to change the board at once and fight to the top because she was the contractor of the Spirit King, and also the Spirit King of Fire, but since it wasn¡¯t like that this time, Elisha, who was going to hold herself from using her power until she became more certain¡­ Became displeased with the situation that went against her intentions, because it seemed like she was ridiculed by the Emperor. However, Elisha¡¯s conjecture was far from the truth. It is true that Elisha summoned a low-level spirit, the weakest of the spirits, but who can laugh at Elisha for nothing? Even after losing her magic, she did not give up and challenged and eventually succeeded. Mages are quite rare beings created with talent and effort, but spirits are extremely rare objects that can only be summoned with talents engraved in the summoner¡¯s essence. Even if they were on the same level or rather inferior in ability, it was natural for the latter to be treated more. Nevertheless, the arrogance of Elisha, who made an uncomfortable expression because she had forced herself to show something that was not supposed to be shown yet, was surprising to the Emperor. ¡°What are you looking at? Please drop me off, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor nodded and tilted his upper body to help Elisha get down to the floor. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± As Elisha thanked him, the pearl ornament hanging from her earlobe dangled. The Emperor reached out her hand and pulled out the earrings. Left first, then right. Then he gathered the earrings in one hand and held it, and opened his mouth. ¡°2nd Empress, pearls don¡¯t seem to suit you. You showed me something good, so I¡¯ll give you earrings next time.¡± ¡°You mean the sapphire earrings to match the ring?¡± It was not difficult to distinguish between the two because Isabelle couldn¡¯t have sent Elisha an accessory with a special meaning, such as a ring, that would remind her of the Emperor¡¯s eyes even as a joke. ¡°If I had known that you had sent it, I would have come out with it. It must have been a good fit.¡± The Emperor did not deny it once, and immediately accepted her words. It seems obvious that he sent it to Elisha after hearing that she was looking for gems as bait, to check where she was going to use it. Today, the Emperor was different from usual. Very much so. Elisha thought there must be a reason before, and she still is. Then she discovered something she hadn¡¯t looked at before. Her eyes met with the bright woman from the other side, who was staring at her as if she was about to kill her. Originally, Isabelle hated her and didn¡¯t recognize her much because Elisha was a lowly person who couldn¡¯t stand on the same height as her¡­ As the Emperor¡¯s actions increased, Isabelle¡¯s jealousy grew fierce. Elisha blinked her eyes and asked the Emperor. ¡°Am I an antagonist or a bait?¡± The former is to empower Elisha to keep the 1st Empress in check, and the latter is to incite jealousy by showing his affection for Elisha, so that the 1st Empress does not act against the Emperor¡¯s will and concentrates only on catching Elisha. ¡°2nd Empress, which one do you like better? Tell me. I¡¯m curious.¡± Elisha in the Emperor¡¯s blue eyes shook her head with an indifferent expression. Which one do I like? You¡¯re going to do whatever you want anyway. Elisha said, putting her right palm over her left heart, just as she had done in the training ground the other day. ¡°Everything, according to Your Majesty¡¯s will.¡± However, Elisha hoped that there would be no situation contrary to what Elisha herself spit out. Not Elisha, but the 1st Empress emerging as both a bait and an antagonist. But Elisha knew. The Emperor both in the past and in the present, would not miss any chances. The more serious the 1st Empress goes on Elisha, the more Elisha¡¯s secrets will be eroded and worn out, and sooner it will come off. The Emperor¡¯s blue eyes and Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes looked at each other. Someone in the past said that the two were very similar, and another said that they were very different. It is not known which is the truth, but at least the people gathered in the banquet hall at this moment thought. The two of them, who stand unobtrusively without any emotion, and look down at people as if they are in a different world, are so alike. However, when Ascencio, who was blocked by Blemir, and Leon in Rohan¡¯s arms, runs and stands in front of Elisha, it changes once again. The 2nd Empress, who stood side by side with the Emperor and exuded a sense of disparity, suddenly stepped on the dirt and became a good mother, holding her two children in her arms and smiling softly. The Emperor, who was left alone, glanced at the empty seat next to him. The blue eyes sank in silence. Translator¡¯s note: The pearl earrings were given by Countess Jayline. The diamond necklace was given by Isabelle. And the sapphire ring was given by the Emperor to incite discord between Elisha and Isabelle. And I¡¯ve been wondering about Stoneham¡¯s character¡­ Apparently he¡¯s just a momma¡¯s boy. Tsk. Chapter 30 Translated by Wook by Wook The 2nd Prince¡¯s birthday banquet brought a huge aftermath. Everyone started by saying that it was the 2nd Prince¡¯s birthday banquet, but as the story continued, it was all about Elisha. Occasionally, the 1st Empress Isabelle and the 2nd Prince Stoneham appeared, but it was only a role that made Elisha stand out, and when thinking of their names, people would only take it as a joke. It was a natural procedure for the 1st Empress Palace, which was always bustling, to be quiet, and the 2nd Empress palace, which had been quiet, to come alive after the event. ¡°2nd Empress, you¡¯ve been exalted. I¡¯ll see you often in the future.¡± ¡°The 3rd Prince has grown up very dignified. He must be very reliable now, right?¡± ¡°If there is anything I can do to help, do tell. As much as I can, I¡¯ll add my hand.¡± There was a steady stream of guests at the 2nd Empress Palace. However, Elisha did a good job by not acting lofty. Those who have a lot of things, even though they are being defensive, they will not be shaken. They just missed one of the many possibilities in their hands. The 1st Empress will take a moment to catch her breath, before standing up to return to her place. The 2nd Empress Palace is different. They have to be careful as they have just gained the possibility of following the 1st Empress Palace¡¯s footsteps. Unlike those who have a lot, those who have little or have nothing at all will fall apart with a single failure. So there are some people who¡¯d want to stay in place without moving at all, but Elisha is not like that. As long as one lives, one has to live to get better and move forward. Running out of breath is not a good thing, but it¡¯s a given. Elisha stared intently at the guests in front of her. The people who had been talking freely shut their mouths one by one, and soon silence fell in the drawing room. Only after the air that had been heated by their turbid breath cooled down did Elisha open her mouth. ¡°Are you done talking now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to make friends. If you come often, I will serve you tea.¡± In Elisha¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t mean to do that ¡®good thing¡¯ with them, but she didn¡¯t stop them from ¡®coming often¡¯. The guests frowned, but they only stood up from their seats and gave Elisha congratulatory orders. What could be done with those people who watched the incident at the banquet hall, or those uninvited guests who snoop around the 2nd Empress Palace to find something to eat later? Proper people don¡¯t move easily in search of a place to put their buttocks. Elisha was not trying to summon a group of people who had used her hands in the banquet hall, but to shake the power that was already in place. And that class is more cautious than Elisha. Because they had more to lose than her. ¡°2nd Empress, it¡¯s time for the magic theory lesson.¡± At the signal of Jillian, who had come to call her as she had promised in advance, Elisha sent the stiffened guests back. Marie then came to Elisha, who had spent time with the two mages Georg and Jillian, because it wasn¡¯t just empty words. Behind Marie, two maids came with boxes in their hands. On the day of the incident at the banquet hall, Marie sent away all the maids of the 2nd Empress Palace, except for the few ones she acknowledged. There were some maids who did not want to leave, but she was more skeptical about those people and threw them out more firmly. The remaining maids had their work multiplied several times, but their expressions were not bad. After checking the contents of the box, Elisha had them take it back, leaving only the gems and jewelries. The money will be used for the finances of the 2nd Empress Palace, and light decorations and fabrics will be shared by the maids. As Marie withdrew with the maids, Elisha read the cards that came with the boxes. There were some that were simply passing words, but there were some who expressed their gratitude, saying that the advice they received at the banquet was a great help to the other party¡­ Some people lightly let her know, saying, ¡°Since I found a good item, I¡¯m sending it to you.¡± They are cautious. Elisha picked some familiar names from them, wrote a reply, and put them on the table. If Marie finds it, she will send it on her own. And she waited. For someone who is prudent but knows when to move. ¡°Your Majesty the 2nd Empress, thank you at that time.¡± Said Viscountess Cain, with a better complexion than at the banquet. ¡°Well, all credits goes to the Viscountess, who believed in my abrupt words. If it had been a little later, there would have been no turning back. It¡¯s good for Timothy too.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the Viscountess nodded her head as she saw her son smiling with the 3rd Prince. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what Timothy would have been like had he not regained his rights. As a result, she immediately remembered that it was thanks to Marquis Bahrain that her stepson, the eldest son, was able to escape so freely. She clenched her fists. Since Marquis Bahrain used his hands, wouldn¡¯t it mean that the 1st Empress was behind him? They would have decided that it would be better for a loyal stepson to succeed the Viscount than an inexperienced Viscountess or a young successor. ¡°I will never forget this grace.¡± Said the Viscountess, as a mother who has to protect her cub. As it is now, there will be many difficulties to protect the young Viscount in the future. Not just to repay the favor, the Viscountess needed someone to reach out for herself and the young Viscount in a moment of crisis. She wasn¡¯t trying to bet the fate of the Cain family by confirming that person would be the 2nd Empress right away. However, the Viscountess really hoped that it would be the 2nd Empress. That¡¯s how strong the impression Elisha had made on the Viscountess. She held out what she brought. At first glance, they were all valuable. ¡°There is nothing I can do other than this right now, so please take it comfortably until I get something greater.¡± ¡°If you do, can you stop by empty-handed next time and have a cup of tea?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Timothy also follows His Highness the Crown Prince and the 3rd Prince well, they can become good friends.¡± When the Viscountess smiled brightly after a long time, Elisha also raised the corners of her lips a little. At that time, Leon and Timothy, who were playing from afar, suddenly ran and stood in front of the 2nd Empress. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Elisha asked Leon as she smoothed up his messy hair, while Leon swallowed with a dry throat. Although he had become very active these days, the cautious look of the past had not completely disappeared, and there were times when she still noticed it. When those times came, Elisha never urged him and kept waiting. After Leon gathered some courage, he took a deep breath. ¡°Mother, can I see the spirit again?¡± ¡°Of course. Looking back, it seems that Undine likes Leon.¡± Originally, she hid it because she couldn¡¯t reveal it in front of people, and her control over it was not perfect, so she didn¡¯t let Undine come out even in front of Leon. There was no need to hide anymore, so Elisha immediately summoned Undine. It was not unreasonable because the price of summoning the spirit into the real world did not use a lot of power. Siiiikh! Undine jumped up from Elisha¡¯s palm and sat on Leon¡¯s shoulder. Timothy stared at it with his eyes wide open. ¡°Timothy hasn¡¯t seen it because he left early. Hehe!¡± Leon smiled bashfully and brought Undine, who was sitting on his shoulder, close to Timothy. Timothy, who is usually quiet, was so excited that even the cheeks were flushed with excitement. The Viscountess¡¯ eyes became more tender at the innocent look of her son, which she had not seen in a long time. ¡°It¡¯s a water spirit. Amazing. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it.¡± ¡°The number of spirits is small.¡± In addition, the spirits of water and fire were also filtered out again. Compared to the spirits of the earth and wind, they were less than half. ¡°What can you do with the water spirit?¡± When the Viscountess asked with pure curiosity, Elisha waved lightly. Undine turned to look at Elisha, smiled silently, and turned to the floor. Swhaaaa! Water gushed from the floor like a fountain and lifted the two children into the air. ¡°W-Whoaaa!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Surprise and cheers erupted from the children at the same time. The Viscountess was frankly surprised. Mages, eccentric people with strong self-esteem, also knights or other beings with special power, do not put out their possessions as pranks. It is natural to want to be treated with dignity and to be recognized as much as it was a hard-earned achievement. But currently before her, a mage and a spirit summoner, a greater person among the great ones¡­ ¡°Can the power be used like this?¡± Elisha shrugged her shoulders at the Viscountess¡¯s question. ¡°You think I¡¯m using it carelessly, but this is one of the things I like doing the most. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this happy.¡± Elisha moved her hand one more time, and this time the fountain split into two streams and lifted the children apart in the air, crossing both sides and starting to rise and fall. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Whoaa!¡± The children¡¯s laughter grew louder. Elisha¡¯s cold eyes were softening as if she was really happy. The Viscountess couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her for quite some time. After the Viscountess had left, Elisha went to her room with Leon, whose eyes were full of sleepiness. She laid her child on the bed, patted his chest, pulled the blanket over him and covered it all the way to his neck. The child whined and complained that it felt stuffy. He still wets his bed at dawn sometimes, but the child doesn¡¯t cry anymore. It would be nice if he¡¯d call Elisha, but he always asks Marie for help. The child stretched out his arms toward Elisha, whose face showed no expression, but was feeling somewhat depressed. As Elisha approached the child, he grabbed her by the neck and rubbed his face against her cheek. ¡°Mother, I really enjoyed today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The fact that the cheeks that were in contact with each other were sticking up made her guess the smile of the child. The warm body temperature spread and her heart melted. Elisha sang a lullaby to the child. In fact, singing is as unfamiliar to Elisha as dancing. Elisha, who believes that there is nothing she can¡¯t do if she tries to learn it, worked hard this time as well. However, on rare occasions, no matter how many times one reads a book and tries on their own, they will not be able to achieve anything, so she had to ask Marie to take a look. Marie¡¯s expression while listening to Elisha¡¯s song was bizarre. When Elisha tried to double her study time, wondering if her training was lacking, Marie said quickly. Unlike other songs, a lullaby doesn¡¯t have to be sung well to be worthwhile, so keep it small so as not to disturb one¡¯s sleep. Focus on singing so low that anyone can¡¯t hear it. Sing a song that tells one to sleep well, with a very low volume that it¡¯s hard to hear so as not to disturb them? It seemed contradictory, but since Marie had heard her lullabies, she must know more than herself, so Elisha nodded her head. Elisha sang a lullaby for a long time, and when the child seemed to be asleep, she kissed his forehead lightly and then left the room. Leon, who was left alone, opened his eyes to the sound of the door closing and wrinkled his forehead. ¡°What kind of magic spell for good sleep was that?¡± The voice that hummed in his ear was quite eerie, without even the slightest bit of ups and downs, he didn¡¯t know what it meant. Leon closed his eyes again, thinking that he should prepare a book that he would like her to just read next time. There were no more nights when he was afraid to sleep because he was afraid of peeing, but today he was a little worried in a different way. Elisha, who came out of the Prince¡¯s room, did not go straight to her place, but enjoyed the night wind while being immersed in her thoughts. The conversation she had with the Viscountess during the day kept running through her mind. She said what could she do with the water spirit? The very basic question while thinking Undine was an uncooperative spirit and of low level of use made her reflect on the present at least once. Then Elisha¡¯s face lit up. Thanks to this, she came up with a pretty useful idea. Chapter 31 Translated by Wook by Wook At first, Elisha thought that what she had in mind was quite useful, but apparently it wasn¡¯t. It seemed to have a ¡®great ripple effect¡¯, but far beyond ¡®good enough¡¯. Elisha looked at the Great Throne Hall before her. A high and glorified space. The hall, in which even aristocrats suffocated the moment they entered, and their heads bowed under the pressure, was rather the most familiar to Elisha in this Barossa. Not the shabby 2nd Empress Palace or the fancy banquet hall with the smell of perfume and flowers¡­ Who would know now that this battle of flesh and blood, where people scratch each other with their tongues and drop them into pieces, is the perfect place for Elisha? ¡°The 2nd Empress has arrived!¡± When the servant chief, who had come to call for Elisha, reached the front of the Great Throne Hall, he shouted loudly. At the resounding voice, everyone inside looked at Elisha at once. Elisha looked up at the man standing at the top of the milky-white marble staircase that was newly ascended from the other side of the carpet, not the nobles who were divided on the left and right of the red carpet that cuts through the middle. The distance between the Emperor and Elisha was still so far away. As Elisha took her first steps on her red carpet, muffled, hoarse, and dissatisfied glances poured from all around. There were also whispers about what a mere woman knew and what she could do to bring her all the way to the Great Throne Hall. However, they are not doing this simply because Elisha is young and a woman. If it had been the 1st Empress standing here, even if they had thoughts like that, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to say it. They just don¡¯t like Elisha to have influence. It did not matter if Elisha was younger or older, even if she was a young man, they would have devalued her as a child and pointed out Elisha¡¯s background. Depending on each person¡¯s inclination, some parts may be a little less or more, no matter what. And Elisha knows how to break their insistence and make everyone equal. Most people find parts of themselves that they didn¡¯t know when they were roasted in a fireball with a sword stuck in their flesh. Of course, as long as they don¡¯t upset Elisha by blocking Elisha¡¯s path, threatening her, or touching things they should never touch¡­ She¡¯s not going to put it into practice. However, Elisha was more concerned about something else than something she didn¡¯t have to do right away. She climbed up the red river, which one could not go without making achievements with blood squeezed from corpses, so easily. The emperor, Kaiden de Rappelcia Atien, was watching with interest, not just staring at her indifferently and trying to crush her! He opened his mouth. ¡°2nd Empress, I read the letter you sent yesterday. Your loyalty for worrying about the Empire and finding what you can do for the Empire is unparalleled. So, I told the nobles of my empire about what you¡¯ve suggested, and they don¡¯t believe it. What should be done? How do you prove what you said with your mouth?¡± If the fire spirit is the embodiment of maximized destructive power, the water spirit has the same basic usage, but is a little more gentle. Even in places where there is no water, it draws moisture from the surrounding area so that the summoner can use it, or smells the water from a distance and informs the summoner. Although the limit is set according to the spirit¡¯s grade, it is true that it is of little use. Elisha, who remembered that far, suddenly thought. Then what about the waterways under this land? The Tanya River, which enriches the east side of the Atien Empire, with its tributaries that extends deep into the depths of Pavezzo Mountains and stands tall in the central part and stretches out to the west, flows throughout the empire. It was like the root of the great tree of the empire. And what Elisha wants to do is draw a map of it. Not all of them, but if one can figure out the flow and create a new waterway¡­ What will happen? In a situation where the ground is drying up and splitting in an unprecedented drought¡­! ¡°How peculiar. I looked it up and it is not unheard of for a spirit to help the people by navigating through the water veins, so what is the thing that you can¡¯t believe?¡± Elisha asked the Emperor back, but no one didn¡¯t know who it was really for. ¡°Even if it remains on the record, when is that from? At that time, most people didn¡¯t even know how to use the spirits. Besides, aren¡¯t the spirits that weren¡¯t many at time now even fewer? Are you going to let those precious existences do the same thing, digging through the dirt?¡± So it was no surprise that the answer came from the other side. When Elisha turned around, there was a man standing with bitter eyes, but an ordinary looking face. He is the son of Duke Cherkah and the brother of the 1st Empress, Raymond. Elisha, who tilted her face crookedly, opened her mouth. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, what would you do?¡± ¡°What? Why should I do anything?¡± For a moment, Elisha almost couldn¡¯t think of what to say, which is very rare. What is that idiot¡­? ¡°Are you being serious, Archduke Raymond?¡± ¡°You are asking the obvious. Precious beings are already valuable in themselves, and isn¡¯t it worthwhile not to be taken away and become an enemy¡¯s strength? There are already a small number of summoners hiding one after another, and if the Empire tries to use them in a trivial way, it will hurt their pride.¡± From what Elisha heard, that seemed like a really trivial reason. Moreover, Archduke Raymond did not fully grasp the gist of Elisha¡¯s question. What Elisha put in her mouth was not limited to just the spirits. But also the nobles who had to persuade the summoners even if they refused, along with the pointers of why it had to be that way. It was about the minimum responsibilities and obligations the nobles had to fulfill, living in this empire and living in luxury with their land and their people. However, considering that the answer was biased to one side without any thought, it means that he had never thought of it that way. Elisha didn¡¯t attack him back saying how could he say such a thing for the people of the Empire as a nobleman of the Empire, because she also went out with a purpose. Instead. ¡°Thanks to the blessings of the Tanya River, the eastern region is still alive. If so, how about other places? Does the central region still have the water Pavezzo gave it to? Then what about the west region? If you didn¡¯t need me, how would you have called me here? Why do you need confirmation?¡± She didn¡¯t want to talk to that idiot anymore. Elisha scoured the place where the nobles of other factions were located, not the eastern nobles. The Imperial faction, the Western nobles, and some of the Crown Prince faction looked at each other. The most urgent of them stepped up first. ¡°The words of Archduke Raymond are not entirely wrong, but isn¡¯t it the stability of the Empire that takes precedence over all of them? The people of the Empire of the west region are suffering tremendously from the drought. We would like to know if the 2nd Empress has any insight.¡± He was Marquis Rwanda who led the West with Duke Verdin. Marquis Rwanda showed less hostility, perhaps because he believed in Elisha as they had the same ties with the Western Tower backed by the Western nobles. Elisha looked up at the Emperor at the top of the marble staircase as if asking for permission. The first thing that came to mind was the one that she sent to the Emperor, because she still had no power to move the nobles, but¡­ In order to move directly, the Emperor¡¯s permission is necessary. Whatever it is, now Elisha is the woman of Barossa and has the name of Rappelcia. Elisha expected the Emperor to nod his head or gesture to get out, but the Emperor stood up from the throne and went down the marble steps one by one. Then, suddenly, like Elisha, he put his feet on the red carpet and held out a hand. ¡°Where should we go?¡± The Emperor said as if he had come to meet her at the banquet hall. Even to those words that sounded quite affectionate, Elisha responded without much emotion. ¡°Mana will guide us.¡± Elisha¡¯s hand rested on his palm. ¡°It¡¯s good to deal with the nobles.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, if you were my servant, you would have definitely become the head of the Imperial faction. It would¡¯ve been easy for you to rise to the rank of marquis.¡± It was as if he was talking about a fun, short workshop he had just visited. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So keep being smart. Do you think the previous emperors really just watched the drought without having a thought like yours?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Correct. No. Mages and summoners are treated on the same level as nobles, and the nobles don¡¯t like to behave humbly. They think that it will lower their level. Previous emperors did not feel the need to change such a thought. For what reason would you do a job that will only make those arrogant nobles more hungry? Isn¡¯t it right?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the people of the Empire suffering?¡± ¡°Nobles have the same thing in their hands even if the people suffer or not. They squeeze it somehow and exploit it as much as they want. They don¡¯t want to worry about anything any more. On the contrary, many people think that listening to all the whining sounds will worsen their habits.¡± ¡°Not the nobles, but Your Majesty. The people of the Empire are your people before they are the realm of the nobles.¡± The Emperor stopped walking at Elisha¡¯s unexpected words. ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re my people. They¡¯re mine.¡± Elisha kept her mouth shut without answering, as she thought she was saying something meaningless because of the discomfort caused by Archduke Raymond. The Emperor lifted the tip of his other hand that was not holding Elisha¡¯s hand, and pressed the faint frown on Elisha¡¯s forehead. ¡°That¡¯s why, 2nd Empress, I think I¡¯m going to use you. It¡¯s a drought like never before, so let¡¯s make a history that no emperor has ever done before. There must be a lot of praise for you in the Empire.¡± Even though she was not a person who knows feelings, she didn¡¯t think the person who said it lightly made it up, so Elisha smiled inwardly. As of now, the only summoner that would definitely move was Elisha, with a lesser spirit. It would not be enough to help the western nobles as a whole, but even a tributary would be helpful. Even though it is not enough to change the situation, it will be a breath of fresh air for the west region, which is said to be in the most dire¡­ The eastern aristocrats, who are maintaining their wealth alone in the blessings of Tanya River, have come up with the best hand to keep them in check, so how can she not use them? As the spirits disappeared, instead of a small stone, the stone thrown by Elisha became a large stone due to overlapping situations such as the power struggle between the Emperor and the nobles. Therefore, now¡­ Feeling that she was thinking about something different for a moment, the Emperor lowered his fingertip, which was holding her forehead, and wiped the corner of Elisha¡¯s eye. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not for those who are moved, but for those who want to move. There are times when a smart servant can be used somehow, but there is no owner in the world who can tolerate a servant who tries to get ahead of him.¡± Those who discovered the appearance of the Emperor and the 2nd Empress walking inside Barossa holding hands, shoulder to shoulder, were astonished. Then, seeing the nobles following the Emperor and the 2nd Empress, they opened their mouths in surprise again and again. Then, when the two people who were leading the way stopped and did not move, the whole atmosphere became vague and the tension gradually increased. Then, Undine, which Elisha had released, returned and pulled Elisha¡¯s silver hair. ¡°I think it has found it. The scale of Barossa is so large that there are places where the water veins are buried and flowing, but it will not be a usable amount. So, please keep in mind that we are only checking things here.¡± As Elisha went in the direction Undine led her, everyone chased to follow. Then, Elisha stopped in one place and did not enter. Eastern nobles, who were looking for something to nitpick from behind, flocked to the front and were startled as they recognized the place before them. ¡°What should be done? This is the garden that the 1st Empress cherishes very much.¡± Elisha¡¯s murmuring thundered in the ears of the people. Translator¡¯s note: Here comes the thought¨C It¡¯s pretty straightforward, honestly. Elisha wants to use Undine to make new waterways to help the regions that are suffering from drought. Archduke Raymond is against it, so Elisha asks him if they don¡¯t do this, what else can be done? ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, what would you do?¡± ¡°What? Why should I do anything?¡± Basically the eastern is against this idea because they don¡¯t want Elisha to have influence, while the western is now more or less willing to hear her because their region is where the drought hit the hardest. It is implied that Elisha is taking advantage of the eastern rejection to keep the western and eastern in balance as well with this passage. The eastern aristocrats, who are maintaining their wealth alone in the blessings of Tanya River, have come up with the best hand to keep them in check, so how can she not use them? The story continues with Kaiden taking the whole court out with Elisha in his hand. Elisha summons Undine to prove the water spirits¡¯ ability to sense water veins and finds one in the Imperial Palace, which leads them to¡­ Isabelle¡¯s garden¡­ I hope they destroy it in the next chapter. The way the story is being told in a roundabout way is a bit confusing at times, but I hope you¡¯re as intrigued as I am~~ Chapter 32 Translated by Wook by Wook The Emperor and the 2nd Empress held hands and walked through Barossa, followed by many nobles. It was not something that could happen often. It was like a ceremony for the Empress. She had already received a report from when the 2nd Empress was called to the Great Throne Hall, and when she heard that she was going out with the Emperor and walking inside Barossa, she had half-run out of the 1st Empress Palace. How could Isabelle, who did that, do not know about the crowd in front of her cherished garden near her palace? ¡°Your Majesty, have you come? My apologies for the lateness, as it is not sponsored by the 1st Empress Palace, which you used to visit often.¡± Isabelle said, looking at the hands the Emperor and Elisha were holding. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Today I¡¯m here not because of the 1st Empress, but the 2nd Empress.¡± Isabelle, who was biting her lower lip with her upper teeth, glanced at her brother. The sequence of events was so sudden that she didn¡¯t even know the details. Archduke Raymond glanced at one of the nobles on his side, and he went quickly and briefly explained to Isabelle. Isabelle¡¯s pretty face turned white. ¡°Are you planning on digging into my garden now to see if the 2nd Empress¡¯s spirit can find water veins?¡± ¡°It is not a fact check, but rather a verification that the usability may have been misused. It was a long time ago, and even small things can become greatly inflated over time¡­¡± Isn¡¯t the spirit of the 2nd Empress a lower rank? Isabelle blinked her eyes, only to hear that they were going to ruin the 1st Empress¡¯s work for the 2nd Empress, despite the clear cause. ¡°Is that so? Alright then.¡± The muttering tone began to gain strength. Because that day was so shocking. In conclusion, the 2nd Empress¡¯s spirit is a lesser one. What can she do with that? Isabelle, who turned to the Emperor, forced her hardened face to straighten and raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°If it is necessary for the Empire and His Majesty, would this garden be a problem? Come in.¡± Isabelle opened the entrance to the garden with her own hands. Well, of course it doesn¡¯t mean that she actually did something with those fine hands. The maids of the 1st Empress Palace cleaned the surroundings so that everyone could enter the entrance comfortably before they retreated. ¡°As expected of the 1st Empress.¡± The Emperor lightly placed his hand on Isabelle¡¯s shoulder and passed by her. From the last banquet, she felt that the Emperor had a clear intention to wrap around the 2nd Empress. As the group poured in, her brother, Raymond, approached Isabelle. ¡°Get it together, Isabelle. He is trying to cut your face, kill the spirit of the eastern nobles, provoke you, and make us kneel before him. You do understand, right? You know how cruel the Emperor could be to those who could no longer pay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Isabelle bit her molars tightly. *** The garden was amazing. Even the flowers that could not bloom at this time were in full bloom, exuding their scent, as if saying what does the season have to do with it. Even Elisha, who was not interested in such things, could feel how much effort and money had been poured into it. It was fortunate that there was no more impression than that. ¡°Otherwise, I would¡¯ve felt bad for ruining such a well-maintained garden.¡± Elisha, who muttered in a casual tone, walked over to the flower where Undine was sitting. Elisha rubbed Undine¡¯s head with her fingertips. ¡°Is it here?¡± Undine nodded, its eyes were shining like a glass-like snowball that had no pupils, and was revealed only by the curves of the surface. Elisha turned to face the men who had followed her. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Elisha said. After that. A confrontation followed between Elisha and the Emperor, and the opposing aristocratic group. It came from the nobles who could not stand the continued silence. In particular, the voices of the eastern nobles were loud. ¡°How long do we have to be like this? Everyone has a lot of work to do!¡± They did not like this series of flows, so they had no choice but to think that Elisha had chosen this place to make a joke by destroying the garden that the 1st Empress loved on purpose. Elisha was really puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that it¡¯s ¡®here¡¯? What¡¯s amazing about summoners is that they do what others can¡¯t do. Since my spirit has pointed out where the water vein is, shouldn¡¯t you do what you can?¡± In a word, the nobles were stunned by Elisha¡¯s answer that it was up to them about what to do. However, it could not be said that what the 2nd Empress said was wrong. Even if they dig all over the land, they may or may not be able to find a single water vein. But if they dig a designated place that has been pointed out, water will come out. It is no exaggeration to say that the difficulty of the process is nothing. ¡°You¡¯re telling us to dig the ground¡­?¡± At someone¡¯s stupid remarks, Elisha made a face saying that she was hearing all kinds of nonsense. ¡°If you¡¯re going to have a meaningful time doing it yourself, I won¡¯t stop you. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re all busy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since this is the garden owned by the 1st Empress, would it be better to call in the 3rd Knights, which belonged to Prince Stoneham, or or the neutral Imperial Guard as there are several nobles and His Majesty?¡± Isabelle was the first to respond to Elisha¡¯s words. ¡°Call the Imperial guards.¡± She couldn¡¯t see Stoneham¡¯s knights digging through her garden and getting muddy. Elisha knew Isabelle was going to say that, so she looked at the Emperor this time. She needed the Emperor¡¯s permission to move the Imperial Guard. As the Emperor nodded, one of the Emperor¡¯s guards went out of the garden to the place where Captain Johansel of the Guard was. ¡°Aren¡¯t the soldiers enough?¡± Elisha shrugged at what Johansel said right away. ¡°I don¡¯t know how deep it will take for the water veins to come out, and I don¡¯t know how effective it will be by using soldiers who can¡¯t handle mana. Even more so while the prominent nobles are standing there with their arms crossed and merely watching.¡± Johansel stared at the nobles who surrounded him with his face contorted. There¡¯s no other way. His Majesty had nothing to say, so they had no choice but to follow the will of the 2nd Empress. Soon, the knights of the Imperial Guard gathered and began to scour the left side of the garden of the 1st Empress. ¡°Huft. Huft!¡± ¡°How deep do we have to dig?¡± As a group of prideful knights, they were displeased with doing such a difficult thing themselves. ¡°If you don¡¯t do it right, it will take a long time. If you do it right, it will be over quickly.¡± There, Elisha brought out a very principled answer. As long as they were knights, they were definitely strong enough to know how to use mana, but labor required skill. It was never easy for the knights who had never done anything other than holding a sword to dig the land. How much time has passed? It wasn¡¯t just the knights who were having a hard time. The nobles were exhausted just standing there, sweating profusely and convulsing. They said they should check the abilities of the 2nd Empress, but they didn¡¯t know it would happen so quickly¡­ They couldn¡¯t say they wanted to quit or go back. Only Elisha and the Emperor had a calm face. Maybe it was just their normal facial expressions, but it made it seem like the two of them only went out for a walk. This resulted in upsetting the people around them more, but they were not the kind of people who could talk carelessly before the Emperor or Elisha. The two continued to wait patiently. One hour, two hours¡­ ¡°Are we really digging in the right place?¡± ¡°Did the 2nd Empress¡¯s spirit make a mistake? This is one of the largest gardens in Barossa, and there is a pond on the other side, so it may have been mistaken.¡± The rumbling that had been suppressed swayed again, drawing ripples. However, no one had come forward openly about whether or not they are aware that the situation has gone uncontrollably, and it only became more difficult every time they speak. Instead, their gazes on Elisha became sharper and sharper. Then Rohan, who was quietly standing behind the Emperor, took a step forward. No matter how agitated the nobles were, that was not a behavior that would be seen in the presence of the Emperor. Most of those who met Rohan¡¯s straight and well-groomed gaze turned their faces while frowned, but Raymond and others intensified their hostility. ¡°Sir Rohan must be tired.¡± Dealing with such people one by one, Elisha said inwardly. Especially for those like Archduke Raymond, whose age was similar. Most of those who were born as nobles during this period and showed their faces in Barossa met the same walls. Emperor Kaiden, who is so beautiful that it is said to be the highest value of the Empire in its existence, catches everyone¡¯s attention at once¡­ Ian, or Marquis Blemir, who is a genius of swordsmanship, said to be the greatest talent in the Empire, who also had Duke Fontana as his background. And Rohan Scherzer, who proves everything with one single word: ¡°Knight of the Empire.¡± If the former two made others humble and embarrassed with their radiant beauty and talent, Rohan was different. He gave an even greater shock to some with his upright and noble character by nature. Because the pure white wall illuminating every single detail of him became a contrasting point for others and emphasized their dust. Although there is a way to compromise and surround the previous two walls. What about the people who can¡¯t even do that? Unanswered questions drive people crazy. Why do people run away knowing that there will be no answer? Of course, Elisha herself would push her head without hesitation if there was a problem she had to solve. Those who blame their fate and vent their anger even though the problems are not given to them are uglier. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Judging by the fact that Sir Rohan even sighed, it seemed that he cared more about it, as he didn¡¯t act like nothing was wrong. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sir Rohan will outlive them.¡± ¡°¡­Are you comforting me?¡± ¡°In my own way.¡± Elisha nodded her head slightly. She wished she could say something else, but she didn¡¯t know how to coax a grown man who isn¡¯t Leon or Ascencio¡­ But she couldn¡¯t say that the first forces that will fall out in the event of internal chaos are the 1st Empress and the eastern nobles. ¡°I think the 2nd Empress is the one who should be worried about, not me. I didn¡¯t know you like to hold grudges.¡± ¡°Grudges?¡± Elisha looked back at Rohan as if it was the first time she had ever heard of it. Not a single lie can be felt on Rohan¡¯s face, which is always serious and still serious. So she looked in the direction Rohan was looking at¡­ The Knights of the Imperial Guard, who unreasonably tormented Sir Dell, who became the 2nd Knights Order during the fitness test of the former Capital Guard, are currently in the pit. The face of the others could not be seen, but Count Johansel was standing outside with a frown on his face. Although they had a bad relationship as usual, the garden of the 1st Empress, who tried to trap Elisha at the banquet, was already messed up and it seemed like it would take a long time to recover. As an added bonus, the state of the nobles who made Elisha annoyed, especially the Eastern nobles, was quite bad. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Does this count as holding grudges? But Elisha thought she was just making the best choice for what she needed? ¡°To check Undine¡¯s abilities, they asked me to tell them a few of the water veins flowing in Barossa, so I picked one up, then¡­?¡± Elisha, who was muttering, tilted her head. Perhaps, a little. There seems to be no possibility that the situation was induced at all. Even if it had its own reasons. Was Elisha herself such a person? At least she wasn¡¯t a person who used to be like that¡­ right? Elisha opened her mouth as if to say something in defense. Puuuung! Water gushed up like a fountain with a loud sound from the space where the knights of the Guard had descended. Swhaaaaa! The rain poured down on everyone in the garden. Rohan covered the Emperor¡¯s head with the cloak he had spread out, and the Emperor pulled Elisha¡¯s arm. Everything happened in an instant. Chapter 33 Swiii! The flow of water gradually weakened before stopping. The surroundings were silent. The 1st Empress¡¯s garden became muddy, the once beautiful landscape was ruined. Even Rohan was drenched, and the only people who were in good shape here were the Emperor, whose head was covered by Rohan, and Elisha, who had been pulled and embraced by the Emperor. The knights who had been digging the pit with their mana had also ran out in surprise, and those who did not were caught up in the bouncing current and were spat out in an unsightly manner. As the column of water disappeared, a single flower bloomed over a large, deep pit full of water. To be precise, it was Undine, who was standing on the water and playing with her feet. At the last minute of contact with the water vein, Undine seemed to have played some pranks. ¡°That was not my doing.¡± Elisha, who had separated herself from the Emperor, muttered quietly without specifying to whom her words were addressed to. Rohan lowered his gaze. His tightly clenched lips loosened slightly, but only slightly. Then there was the sound of the Emperor waking up the nobles. ¡°How is it? Do you have anything else to check from the 2nd Empress? Speak if you have. The 2nd Empress is not an evasive person, so she will definitely enlighten you.¡± The faces of the nobles were dyed in various colors depending on which faction they belonged to. If a water vein like this can be found even in Barossa, wouldn¡¯t it be more successful in a wider land? However, even though the 2nd Empress¡¯s ability was worth being coveted, it made things difficult for them when the Emperor was this active. Nevertheless, the Western nobles, especially those who had a land bordering the border with Myon, a desert included in the Kran Kingdom, had to step forward. ¡°Show the mercy of Barossa for the welfare of the Empire, Your Majesty. Everything the 2nd Empress does for the Empire will be recorded as Your Majesty¡¯s reign.¡± Marquis Rwanda spoke as the representative, and his followers went along with him. ¡°Certainly, the situation in the West is the worst. How about it, 2nd Empress? Would you like to do it?¡± Asking for the Imperial faction¡¯s opinion was likely to delay time without doing anything due to further opposition from the Eastern nobles. Therefore, the Emperor, having predicted the Eastern nobles¡¯ tantrum, nodded straight away and pretended to hand over the decision to Elisha. Sufficient communication took place amidst the meeting gaze. It was a promise that as much as the Emperor gets, it will also be shared with Elisha. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. If you leave it to me, I will do my best.¡± Elisha answered. ¡°Sure enough, the 2nd Empress is that kind of person. That aside, you don¡¯t intend to let the precious Barossa woman¡¯s feet be stained by the dirt outside the Imperial Palace, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Obviously. I will lay the floor with the best, and I will pay attention to the 2nd Empress Palace so that there will be no problem while the 2nd Empress is away.¡± ¡°Great. Alright then.¡± Said the Emperor. His blue eyes were not on Marquis Rwanda, but on the 2nd Empress, who was standing with a doll-like indifferent face. *** Jaylene Jean Rappelcia was a princess loved by the people of the Empire. There are dozens of stories about her; the pureblood of Atien, one of the few remaining purebloods of the Empire, who married Rohan Scherzer and became the lady of Count Scherzer, many of which were made into songs or plays and became popular. If one looked closely, there were few people who viewed it negatively, as she had betrayed her biological brother for love. Princess Jaylene was renowned, and it was certain that her shy appearance that was like delicate flowers and lovely appearance like a young bird played a part. Of course, the biggest reason was probably that most people could not have imagined that the ¡®love¡¯ that the princess who had everything devoted her life to was one-sided. ¡°It¡¯s a nice day.¡± The woman, who stood under the pouring sunlight through a large window, muttered as she put her hand on the window sill. ¡°Should I bring you tea?¡± The woman shook her head at the maid¡¯s question. ¡°No need.¡± As she moved, her pale yellow hair that was like a canary¡¯s feathers gently swayed. Even that insignificant movement was so lovely and dignified. The heart of the maid, who had been responsible for the maintenance of Scherzer County long after the death of the former Countess, was filled with satisfaction. The maid wondered if there was another perfect match for the young master whom she had raised like a child. The maid, knowing that the hostess prefers to spend time waiting for the master to arrive by standing by the window of the study with the best view of the entrance to the Count¡¯s house, backed away so as not to disturb her. ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± After the old maid had disappeared, Jaylene was still staring out of the window. She was still as slender as a maiden, and the contours of her small body were studded in darkness when viewed from behind. Jaylene reached out and picked up a box with the imperial seal on the outside from the long desk by the window. Judging by the fact that there was something that wasn¡¯t there until last night, it seemed that someone had come and had gone quietly from the Imperial Palace at dawn. Click! When she opened the box and looked inside, she found a pair of earrings with pearls wrapped in golden flowers hanging from them. She found it familiar. It was natural. Because Jaylene herself sent it to the 2nd Empress. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s too bad. They¡¯re so pretty, but useless.¡± Jaylene bit her pale pink lips as if upset. ¡°This is so unlike Kaiden. I only wanted to say hello, what¡¯s wrong with it?¡± No, even if she did more than say hello, the Kaiden she knew wouldn¡¯t have wrinkled his eyes, right? However. If it¡¯s the recent 2nd Empress, it might be worth Kaiden¡¯s hand. But Jaylene didn¡¯t expect it to be worth this much. Didn¡¯t this mean that he is completely observing, so she shouldn¡¯t touch her?! Jaylene took out the earrings from the box and held them in her soft palm. Then clenched them in her hand. The sharp points pricked her palm. ¡°If this one is a warning, what about the other?¡± Jaylene tilted her head. Everything Kaiden does has meaning. Because whoever does something already has at least one purpose. But Kaiden had at least two, or more. One may not notice it right away, but they will realize it over time. If they don¡¯t have enough ability to withstand it to a certain extent, they¡¯ll be devastated, not even knowing how much they¡¯ve lost¡­ Jaylene, whose eyes were drooping, suddenly brought her forehead to the window. A black shadow was passing through the entrance of the road to the mansion. It was still pretty far away, so it was hard to see, but there¡¯s no way she failed to recognize that figure. ¡°Rohan.¡± It is a name that tastes sweet like honey. Jaylene immediately turned her around and went out of the study. From the study on this floor, she went through the hallway and down the central staircase. As soon as her toes touched the first floor, she moved a little faster. The hem of the dress glistened, and the purple eyes shone brightly. Just as always, she opened the door to the mansion and got out of the house. To greet Rohan. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to come out like this every time. You have a weak constitution.¡± Rohan said in such a calm tone that it was hard to say that he just ran. He then lightly kissed the back of the extended hand. ¡°It¡¯s the biggest pleasure of my day. You¡¯re not trying to take it away, are you?¡± With a bright smile, Jaylene stood next to Rohan. As Rohan took a step aside and avoided it, Jaylene¡¯s purple eyes flash bright blue. Rohan shook his head. ¡°Your clothes will get dirty. As you can see, I¡¯m not in a good shape right now.¡± At Rohan¡¯s words, Jaylene¡¯s gaze turned to his clothes. It was soaked with a mess of dirt and dust, and the bottoms were covered in mud. ¡°What happened? What if you catch a cold? Someone, get me a towel¡­¡± Rohan, who was about to tell the rushing Jaylene that it was okay, shut his mouth. Jaylene wiped off Rohan¡¯s hair and any stains on his clothes with the towel the maid had brought. It took a while, and it would have been much better to wash and then change into new clothes, but Rohan quietly let Jaylene do what she wanted to do. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Soon after, Jaylene took the towel and handed it to the maid, who was waiting by her side. ¡°Hurry up and wash up. I¡¯ll prepare dinner with something warm.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rohan thanked her and stepped onto the stairs leading up to the upper floor. *** Chaenggang! Jaylene dropped the fork in her hand onto the plate. It¡¯s a mistake she wouldn¡¯t normally make, but Jaylene didn¡¯t even care what she just did. The story she just heard was shocking. Jaylene sat across from the far end of the long table and checked again with Rohan, who continued his meal. ¡°¡­ Are you saying that you¡¯re going west to escort the 2nd Empress?¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty has ordered.¡± By the time everyone left the garden of the 1st Empress that had turned into a mess, everything had already been completed. ¡°Is that so? I heard that not too long ago, you also went to the Capital Guard with the 2nd Empress, showing that His Majesty seems to care very much for the 2nd Empress. The 1st Knights, who are directly under His Majesty, and you, who is also the leader¡­¡± Rohan raised his auburn-colored eyes and looked directly at Jaylene, making clear boundaries. ¡°The 3rd Prince¡¯s knights have not been formed yet, and the Crown Prince¡¯s knights have not been formed for a while, so it is natural for me to move.¡± It was polite, but it was clear that he would not accept any further objections. At this time, there was no use persuading Rohan. However. If one had to ask, Jaylene liked Rohan because he was such a person. Jaylene¡¯s pale yellow eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly with its wings outstretched. Jaylene, who was biting her molars, forced a smile. ¡°If you say so, so be it. Now, you have to eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished.¡± Still, Rohan never left his seat first. He always waited for Jaylene to finish eating, and then he got up with her. The meal time, which was usually quite long, was exceptionally delayed today. Jaylene, who picked up the tableware that had been dropped, slowly put down the fork and lightly nipped through the food. She pursed her lips together as if hesitating over and over again, and only when she had a full blush on her cheeks did she spoke. ¡°You are going far away, my heart is empty. Would you like to spend time together tonight? I was given good wine, and I want to taste it together.¡± The temptation of a bashful, girl-like woman was sweeter and darker. However. ¡°My apologies. This mission is quite large, so there is a lot to prepare for.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Rohan, who mostly listened to Jaylene, had never responded to this kind of offer. Before getting married, Rohan, who said that he did not love Jaylene, said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make her happy either. As such, Jaylene, who replied that it doesn¡¯t matter as long as he cannot be taken away by others, had to be responsible for what she had said herself. ¡°I¡¯m done eating. Let us rise.¡± As Jaylene got up from the table, Rohan followed her. Upon reaching the upper floor, in the middle of the hallway, Rohan splitted to the left and Jaylene to the right. Never once had the two of them slept in the same room and woke up together. Instead of the bedroom, Jaylene went into the study next to the bedroom and took out the earrings she had kept in her arms for a while. ¡°The rest was a warning.¡± He¡¯s telling me not to think about interfering with the 2nd Empress and Rohan¡¯s mission this time. Reminding me who the real owner of Rohan is. ¡°Kaiden, you know that stealing is the worst thing, right?¡± No. The worst thing in the world isn¡¯t stealing, but teasing to give before taking back something. Because it doesn¡¯t end at once, but gnaws at the involved party the whole time. Moreover, he didn¡¯t even give it to me, only pretended to give it to me to scratch my stomach before taking it away again. ¡°Couldn¡¯t Kaiden learn properly about how delicate a person is?¡± Jaylene¡¯s eyes twitched. Strength entered her fingertips that were curled around the earrings. It stung like before and didn¡¯t end. Two viper¡¯s fangs penetrated sharply and extracted red blood. Anger is a poison that slowly spreads throughout one¡¯s body. Chapter 34 The 2nd Empress was very busy. There have been no quiet days in recent years, but these few days were especially severe. Elisha also checked her surroundings several times and worked hard to prepare. ¡°If anything happens to the 2nd Empress Palace while I am away, go to the Imperial Palace and follow the instruction of His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What about Leon?¡± It was decided that Leon would be joining on this external schedule. This was specifically requested by Elisha from the Emperor, and the Emperor granted it without any objection. ¡°Mr. Georg told him a lot of things to be careful about outside Barossa. He has packed his luggage just as the 2nd Empress asked.¡± The maid Marie knew how dangerous it would be for the young prince to go out of Barossa, so she was worried, but she did not express it. ¡°Alright.¡± Elisha nodded her head and turned her gaze in the direction of The Great Hall. Leon was Leon. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince would be attending his first political meeting today. She wondered if he was doing well. ¡°2nd Empress!¡± The person Elisha was thinking of came to the entrance of the 2nd Empress Palace. Elisha was about to welcome the black-haired and blue-eyed boy, but the boy was no longer stepping inside the entrance. ¡°Your Highness, is there anything wrong?¡± When Elisha asked the question as if puzzled, Ascencio looked at Elisha. ¡°Today, I was recognized as the Crown Prince.¡± He was the Crown Prince only in title, and had never played a role worthy of until today. ¡°How did you feel?¡± ¡°My heart raced. Even the nobles who usually said bad things about me all looked at me.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I was focused. It seemed that what I said was worthwhile. It was as if I had the power to change something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will happen.¡± ¡°It feels good.¡± ¡°It will get better.¡± ¡°2nd Empress means to continue using your sacrifices as a stepping stone? ¡°It is natural for the young child to rise above their parents. Why is that bad?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°All future reports from the West will pass through Crown Prince¡¯s mouth and be announced at the political affairs meeting. The success is due to His Majesty¡¯s reign, and I will do my best to accumulate the achievements of Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡± As much as Elisha did her part, the Emperor also paid for it. This is a down payment and a hostage. How much and how the prince¡¯s position would change depended on Elisha¡¯s actions. ¡°Therefore, Your Highness the Crown Prince, run around to your heart¡¯s content. I am strong. I will support you.¡± And when you come here. Why are you studying my face? This is a place where you can come without permission. As Elisha said, she stretched out her hand. Ascencio entered the 2nd Empress Palace and stood in front of Elisha, and said. ¡°I want to be a good emperor. But more than that, I want to be a son you will be proud of.¡± Elisha wrapped her hands around Ascencio¡¯s cheeks and kissed the top of his head. ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re not at this moment? I don¡¯t know the former, but you¡¯ve already achieved the latter.¡± Aah. Ascencio closed his eyes at the warmth that spread throughout his body. So beautiful and strong. My mother. Taking Ascencio¡¯s hand, Elisha went to the annex. As soon as he heard from Marie that Ascencio had arrived, Leon ran up to and hugged Ascencio. ¡°Prepare a simple dinner and let us dine here.¡± ¡°It will be done.¡± After Marie left, the three members of the family, who would not see each other for a long time after tomorrow, sat in a circle and talked about various things. Leon spoke the words while Ascencio answered most of the time, and one could tell just how hard Elisha was listening just from her pricked auricles. Ascencio poked Leon and blinked his eyes. Leon smiled bashfully and nodded his head. The two of them already knew the habit of their mother, whose expression didn¡¯t change much when she was absorbed in something. A smile came to Elisha¡¯s lips as she liked seeing the brothers who put their foreheads together like children of their age. It was full of love all around. *** The next morning, Elisha was found frowning in front of the gift box the Emperor had sent her. ¡°What else is this?¡± It wasn¡¯t long since she got into trouble with the jewel boxes, though they had, of course, been very well put to use. Once she thought that this one might cause another kind of storm¡­ Well¡­ It was a gift and she didn¡¯t want to receive it, but what should she do? One cannot refuse what the emperor has sent. Elisha opened the lid of the box that was too big to hold. ¡°Is it clothes?¡± She took it out and checked it out because she thought it was unique. It wasn¡¯t a dress, but pants that had a shape similar to a riding suit. Her decision was fast compared to the thought that it was bothersome. That¡¯s because Elisha knew how comfortable this outfit was compared to her dress. Flirting with the hem of her skirt in battle was very stupid. However, Elisha had realized this only after quite some time had passed since the war for the throne began in earnest. This time, she was glad that she was able to change clothes much faster than that and in the name of the Emperor¡¯s gift without much fuss. For this one thing, Elisha thought, she was very grateful to Kaiden no matter what his plans were. Elisha began to change her clothes. Tight trousers highlight Elisha¡¯s slender and long legs. Coupled with a jacket with a length that slightly covers her thighs and buttoned them up. The buttons were densely stretched all the way to the end of her neck. When all the buttons were closed, the collar, two fingers high, stood stiffly and wrapped around Elisha¡¯s thin neck. It looked like she had worn enough, but there were still quite a few things left in the box. Wriggling through the box, she pulled out a belt about half a span and put it on her waist. She fastened the belt and put on leather shoes that covered her calves. There was only one thing left in the box. Elisha picked it up and opened it wide. A black cloak. ¡°What an awful taste.¡± Elisha was wearing a blue jacket and white pants. On top of that, the Imperial seal stamped on the cloak opening was added¡­ It was so much that anyone could see that Elisha belonged to the Emperor. ¡°Ever since the last jewel, I¡¯ve been wondering if he is that kind of person in the first place.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue. But she didn¡¯t want to wear her dress again, so she put the cloak over her shoulders. This was Elisha¡¯s most comfortable and familiar appearance. As she walked out of her room, everyone¡¯s eyes were widened as if surprised. She had said that she would check the emperor¡¯s gift, and she came out wearing clothes no one had ever seen before. She even wore the clothes she had never worn before by herself. ¡°Mo¡­ther?¡± Leon, who found Elisha coming out of the central building, had been running to and fro as usual before his body froze. ¡°What is it? Does it look strange?¡± When Elisha looked down at him and asked, Leon shook his head violently. ¡°N-No, Mother! It¡¯s really¡­ cool! It¡¯s like the prettiest crow in the world!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! Even if you brush your wings just once, everything around you will freeze and break into pieces!¡± ¡°Hmm. It won¡¯t be easy, but I can try.¡± ¡°Are you really able to do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to freeze things, but if the scope is narrow enough, I can break something.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Leon clasped his hands together and let out a clap. The tip of Elisha¡¯s chin lifted up slightly without realizing it. Marie and the maids, who were watching the two people, thought something was strange, but it was difficult to pick and choose what it was. Because everything was weird from one to ten. Ascencio felt the same way, but instead of pointing out the odds, he decided to tell the obvious truth. ¡°You get along really well.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Elisha answered. ¡°It is said that the Western nobles who will accompany the 2nd Empress have arrived in front of Barossa. 2nd Empress should not be late because His Majesty also said that he would see you off for your trip to the west.¡± However, he did not hasten his steps even as he spoke these words. The regret was so obvious that Elisha tapped Ascencio on the shoulder. Then they left the 2nd Empress Palace. As Elisha took the lead, Leon and Ascencio approached her left and right. Behind the two children were Georg and Jillian, as well as the members of the 2nd Empress Palace. The following shadow was long. Elisha dragged the head of the black snake from the 2nd Empress Palace to the main gate of Barossa, Elisha felt the weight of her people. [T/N: I¡¯m sure at this point we all know that author-nim loves to use this kind of pretty illustrations, yeah? The head of the black snake is not a literal black snake, but the ¡®illusion¡¯ of the long train of people following her out of the palace. I may not point out more pretty words like this in the future and let you figure it out yourself :lmaocry:] At the front door, an incomparable number of people were already seated and waiting for Elisha¡¯s crowd. As Elisha approached, those who had opened their mouths to rebuke her for not being punctual opened their mouths wider. This was because the black and blue color that covered the sky blue eyes with silver hair cut out the surroundings in an eerie manner and boasted her presence. Still, the nobles did not forget what they had to do. ¡°This¡­ This¡­!¡± ¡°As an empress, what do you think of your body to wear such clothes¡­!¡± The quality and shape that Barossa¡¯s noblewomen would wear may be different from lowly mercenary women, who were not treated so well. But at the moment, Elisha seemed to be wearing their clothes. Is there any way they can just let this pass? But the Western aristocrats, who would be receiving her aid in the future, were conscious and did not participate in this farce. The critique towards Elisha ended only after the Emperor came. The Emperor was a little surprised because he did not expect that Elisha would choose that unconventional outfit and wear it here. But he still maintained his calm as he looked at and headed towards Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s better than I thought.¡± ¡°My thanks.¡± Elisha sincerely answers. She even smiled a little. It took a while for the Emperor to respond this time. The Emperor once again scanned Elisha from top to bottom. Then he said to not Elisha, but other nobles, especially Isabelle, who had come to the Imperial Palace saying that she would walk with him. ¡°The clothes of the 2nd Empress are modeled after Duke Katrina of the Zeon Empire, the only female swordmaster on the continent, so I hope there will be no disturbance for any reason. It is another story if the 2nd Empress¡¯ future job is to attend banquets and show compassion to the people of the Empire as a Barossa woman.¡± The Emperor turned his head and reached out to the deputy commander of the 1st Knights, who had been waiting, instead of Rohan. The quick-witted second-in-command, Zeke, untied the entire leather belt that fastened the scabbard on his waist and offered it to the Emperor. The Emperor picked it up and wrapped it around Elisha¡¯s waist. The emperor, who straightened up, spoke indifferently. ¡°The 2nd Empress is a person who fights against strong winds by stepping on dry land facing the desert, and she is also very good at swordsmanship. Isn¡¯t it right?¡± ¡°That is right, Your Majesty.¡± Since the Emperor himself had nailed it that far, there would be no one to argue with Elisha regarding this matter in the future. This was the reason why Elisha came out wearing those clothes. When everyone who came to greet them was finished, the Emperor moved. Everyone rushed at his step as a signal. Elisha also walked along with Leon, through the main gate of Barossa and toward the carriages lined up outside. Since there were many difficulties in using a portal, the procession that would follow as they traveled entirely by land was endlessly long. Even without the guidance of Marquis Rwanda, who was in charge of the 2nd Empress¡¯s journey to the west, it was obvious where Elisha should get on. Because the carriage surrounded by Rohan and the twenty knights, which is the 3rd division of the 1st Knights, must be Elisha¡¯s. ¡°We will pass by the Verdin Duchy on our way to Eyim, Syuphl, and Rwanda, where the drought is most severe, so let¡¯s organize our plans and move on there.¡± What Marquis Rwanda was saying was reconfirming the previously announced plan, so Elisha nodded her head without thinking. By the time Elisha was about to get into the carriage, the Emperor had finished seeing her off without going through the main gate and had disappeared, leaving only the 1st Empress and her kin, Ascencio and the 2nd Empress Palace staff, watching those who were about to leave. Elisha stared at Ascencio. With the Western Tower and Georg, and Marquis Blemir, he will be safe. Elisha smiled at Ascencio and got into the carriage. Leon also waved vigorously to his big brother and before getting into the same carriage as his mother. As soon as Rohan closed the carriage door, the group left. Elisha remembered the insidious gaze that followed every move she made. ¡°The 1st Empress will pay for anything.¡± She had never seen such a face of the 1st Empress in her previous life. The stench of rotting flowers wafted all around her. Chapter 35 Khiiikk! Kyaaakh! The knights watched as the green-skinned monsters approached with their mouths wide open. ¡°Huft. Huft.¡± The sound of exhausted breathing fell to the floor. The fingertips holding the sword were trembling. Despite the fact that the knights had been fighting for a long time, and a considerable number of monsters had been laid under their feet, they continued to flood in endlessly. It was because of the repeated vicious cycle that the sound of fighting and the smell of blood entangled even the monsters that had been imprisoned in the depths of the depths. ¡°Damn it, they said we just need to step up and pretend to wipe out these monsters and then we can retreat!¡± The knights¡¯ expressions darkened even more as one of their colleagues shouted with a grimace. After being surrounded and pushed around, they eventually merged into one group forming a circle with their backs facing each other, vigilant in all directions, and there was no hole in sight for them to escape. They understood the anger of their colleague, thinking that this would not have happened if there was at least one correct piece of information. No, they wanted to be even angrier than that. It was an honor to die while fulfilling a duty as a knight, but this was no different than the death of a dog. ¡°Let¡¯s hold on a little longer. It¡¯s been a while, so someone might come and find us.¡± Vincent tried to comfort his colleagues. ¡°In this place? How?¡± The knight next to them pointed at the monsters surrounding them with the tip of his chin. Being chased by monsters, they had come to a much deeper place than they had planned¡­ If anyone wants to come all the way here to find them, they will have to get rid of them all¡­ right? Besides, the purpose of today¡¯s event was not to wipe out the monsters. It was in order to create an external justification for the movement to attend a secret meeting of Marquis Blemir, who fell out with the Crown Prince, but was still collectively referred to as a member of the Crown Prince faction. That is why the secret meeting place was chosen near Mt. Kaoka. Mt. Kaoka is located a little far to the north of the capital city, and it is the last shield to protect Barossa from the militant northern countries due to its rugged shape with its arms wide open that encircle the capital city naturally, causing enough headache for invaders. According to Count Morell, who was well acquainted with Mt. Kaoka, it is a very suitable place to use as an excuse, because there had been no quarrel for a long time in the vicinity of the center of the mountain, and the domains of the various monsters are divided to keep each other in check¡­ Even when the swordmaster, the Marquis, was away, he said that it would be possible to pretend to wipe out the monsters without taking much damage from the knights. However, it was already too late to realize that in other words, if something went wrong, this place could become a chaos. No matter how much the monsters fight with each other, one must not forget that their greatest enemy and prey are humans. ¡°So we¡¯re just going to die?¡± The rotten smell of the monsters pierced the tip of the nose. As Vincent spoke, the knights¡¯ expression became distorted, and each and every one of them straightened their swords. ¡°Since it is so, if the lord Marquis¡¯ knights die in a place like this, wouldn¡¯t our faces be crushed?¡± [T/N: Not literally ¡®face crushed¡¯, but more like ¡®feeling ashamed¡¯. Korea and Chinese love to use this idiom.] They were the Knights Order created by the Crown Prince faction, and someday they would have to be moved by the use of the Crown Prince faction, but it was true that they were known externally as the bodyguard of Marquis Blemir. The knights also include many children of the Crown Prince faction¡¯s nobles, and they were now participating in the meeting of their fathers. They were put in charge of the boundary around the meeting hall. All those who were present here were handpicked and trained by Marquis Blemir. And they were very proud of that fact. ¡°Of course. So, even if I have to die¡­!¡± Vincent clenched his teeth and swung his sword. Crung! The horde of monsters that were rushing towards Vincent split horizontally. Blood and guts were pouring out of the slaughterhouse. The other knights swung their swords like crazy. The knights were standing in a circle with their backs to each other, continuing their attack and defense at the same time. This was because the moment someone collapses, the ranks would be destroyed and everyone would be in danger. Pababakk! Kwang! Kwaaang! The knights¡¯ sword spread out like thorns in all directions, and the monsters clashed violently to break them. Jeukh! Jeukh! Jeukh! Break them! Everyone, step on it! Thud! Thud! The cries of the monsters who lost their intelligence penetrated into the ears as if they were human. ¡°Kughh!¡± The knights tried to endure it somehow, but there was clearly a limit to what was possible with only effort. Prokh! A colleague with a hollow chest collapsed, his waist bent. Vincent bit his lip and moved to fill the void of his comrade. There was no time to check the condition of the fallen comrade. It was only one person, but if Vincent didn¡¯t act quickly, the rest of his comrades would all die! Even so, he didn¡¯t know how much longer this time could go on. And the end came so suddenly that they couldn¡¯t help but be surprised, even though they were already prepared. Kyarugh! The monsters rushed at the knights, but because there were so many of them, one of the largest monsters they had been fighting got impatient and jumped up. After sticking out its head a few times, it stepped on its own kin and soared up before rushing into the knights¡¯ rank. ¡°Huh!¡± When Vincent noticed, he was frightened and swung his sword with his might. Poong! The monster retreated faster than Vincent¡¯s move and crushed its kins during its fall, but¡­ ¡°Kuh-heok!¡± The knights were not in a good shape either. While Vincent defended his stomach, his comrades rapidly withered and the circle collapsed. Kiii! As if instinctively feeling something, the monster rolled its fist-sized eyes. Then, it folded its hind legs like a frog and then straightened them, jumping up just like it did before, and falling over the heads of the knights. Pang! Paang! The knights who had to pay attention to both the front and the overhead felt their end was near. They didn¡¯t even have the strength to swing the sword, so the knights stood still holding them like horns that sprouted. Shadow casted over their heads. Now that huge, stinky rock-hard body would crush them. It was their pride as a knight that they didn¡¯t close their eyes tightly in the face of deepening death. And knights who have not lost their dignity are entitled to share the wine of victory. Kwaaang! With a loud sound, the darkness disappeared and light came in. Chwaruk! The knights¡¯ faces were wet and sullen. Not from blood and flesh. It is something that only a master with ability can grant to their people! There were still monsters all over the place, but the knights were making a different expression from before. The knights stared at the huge vortex that was created in one place behind the monsters. The densely packed monsters trembled in fear and fluttered. Wine that would dampen the dry throat would soon be sprayed everywhere. Kwaaang! Kwang! Whenever Blemir swung his sword, the monsters that stood in his way disappeared and the path was cleared. The grooves in the deep dirt floor, like being scratched by sharp nails, were filled with the blood and flesh of monsters. It wasn¡¯t the kind of surface that a human could walk on but it didn¡¯t matter. Poong! Pong! Even though the sword did not reach it, the corpse of the monster that burst was cut over and over again, creating a mound, and Blemir climbed up on it. Hiiik! Hiiik! The few remaining monsters looked up at him and stepped back. It was extremely rare for monsters with a killing instinct to show such an appearance¡­ However, the man with clear dry wood-colored eyes still didn¡¯t look that much different from usual. Even Rohan Scherzer, the head of the 1st Knights of the Imperial Palace, who is said to be a great swordsman, cannot beat him. Marquis Blemir glanced at the remaining monsters. Hudadakk! The monsters began to run away all at once, anxious so as to not reach his gaze. Blemir lightly jumped from the top of the mound and hit the dirt floor. He walked to the knights who were struggling, leaning on their swords that were stuck upside down on the ground. ¡°I was a little late.¡± He omitted the middle of the story, but Vincent replied casually without caring. ¡°It seems that the meeting has been getting longer.¡± ¡°Because everyone likes to talk nonsense.¡± The owner of the meeting, who had to put up with those useless words, muttered in annoyance. There was definitely a line between his forehead as he swept his messy red hair back. It was clear that he was in a bad mood, but Vincent closed his mouth because there were so many things to guess. The silence didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Take care of the dead. Even if we couldn¡¯t save them, we should go back together.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± It was then that the bitterness as a survivor and the regret for the lost comrade hit his heart. Blemir, who waited for Vincent and his knights to recover the corpse, went down Mt. Kaoka with them. When they went to the meeting place, those with urgent schedules had already returned, and the rest of the people were still waiting for him, who had gone to Mt. Kaoka after saying that there was a problem. As the Marquis returned without a single wound, they wondered what had gone wrong¡­ Until they saw the condition of the knights who followed him was very bad. There weren¡¯t many dead, but the air was bloody and dull. Seeing them, Count Morell, in particular, was at a loss. Baron Hauser stepped up quickly. ¡°I was hesitant to send my children to the Marquis because I was afraid that it would be a burden to the Marquis, the swordmaster. As expected, my lord took care of it quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what I¡¯m saying. This is¡­ Recently, the drought has been severe, so it seems that the habitat of the monsters in Mt. Kaoka has changed.¡± Count Morell thanked Baron Hauser for his excuses and efforts to calm the mood. Marquis Blemir shot them a look, as if he had no intention of relieving his frown. Everyone tried to take their own interests, but no one caused problems intentionally. One problem arose, and in the end Blemir had to step in and fix it. He was angry inside, but he didn¡¯t vent it out. ¡®Marquis Blemir, don¡¯t get angry easily. Once you get angry, you have to take it with you until the end.¡¯ It was because of the cool yet clear voice that came to mind. Right. Now isn¡¯t the time to get really angry. ¡°In any case, I won¡¯t say much about this, but a small mistake can create a big gap. Be more careful going forward.¡± As the nobles nodded, implying that they understood, Blemir decided not to mention the matter on Mt. Kaoka any more. ¡°The meeting is over, everyone may return.¡± When the nobles greeted each other at Blemir¡¯s declaration and were about to disperse¡­ ¡°My daughter is visiting my mother-in-law around here for a while. The time is right too, how about having dinner together¡­¡° Said Count Morell, who hesitated while looking at the atmosphere. His daughter was rumored to be quite a beauty. ¡°There is no time. Well then, see you later.¡± Blemir refused without hesitation. Count Morell¡¯s face turned red, but he couldn¡¯t do anything because of the situation, so he merely sighed and turned around. ¡°Is that why that Count asked us to come here?¡± Vincent didn¡¯t respond to his colleague¡¯s murmurs, but he sympathized. As Blemir approached, Vincent handed him the reins he was holding. The swordmaster, Blemir, listened to the knights¡¯ conversations, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention. However. ¡°If even Mt. Kaoka is like this, would it be any different in other places? The 2nd Empress is heading to the west, and it must be much messier because it is closer to the Miyon Desert.¡± ¡°Even if anything happens, it won¡¯t be too bad for us. These days, she¡¯s getting too strong.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, the Crown Prince is the son of the 2nd Empress, so she is useful to oppose the 1st Empress. The one who lasts longer¡­¡± The coming and going words of the nobles as they moved farther away stopped him. He was getting hot inside, but Blemir was frustrated because he didn¡¯t know the reason. A pair of white gloves with dried red wine in a box in his drawer came to mind. ¡°You won¡¯t get hurt again, will you?¡± From that moment on, the woman he thought about kept getting hurt and sick. Neiiiigh! The horse stopped and called out to its good master and rubbed its face as if trying to act cute. Blemir, who came to his senses, caught his breath, and rode on his horse. The 2nd Empress is faithfully fulfilling her role, so he must do the same. As long as they keep their promise, their bond will continue. A contract that no one knows, and only one witness, the Crown Prince, proves it. Blemir tapped the horse¡¯s side with his heel and slammed the rein down. Tadadak! The horse shot forward. His red hair fluttered in the wind. And his bodyguards hurriedly mounted their horses and ran after him. Chapter 36 The long procession of carriages continued. Passing through a small ridge, through a wide field, and into the mountain. Originally, the road to the Verdin Duchy in the west was well paved, so it was not difficult to travel there. However, as is the case with nobles¡¯ outings and trips, environmental factors cannot be ignored, but it has not become the most important consideration in the itinerary. Most aristocrats had little immunity to things that they couldn¡¯t do, so they couldn¡¯t tolerate the limited convenience from the outside¡­ This is because situations would change significantly depending on the inclinations of the nobles who were in charge of the group. In particular, when there are children or aristocratic women with a lot to prepare and weak physical strength, such sensitive issues multiplied several times, making the schedule increased and the trip itself will become more uncomfortable in an instant. Therefore, the knights of Marquis Rwanda, who had the experience of escorting the Marquis, the Marquis¡¯s wife, or other noblewomen were firmly prepared for hardship as they were now in charge of escorting the 2nd Empress, who was more honorable than any of them. ¡­ They didn¡¯t know it would be like this. The 2nd Empress was very different from ordinary women of noble families. ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± One of the Marquis¡¯s knights opened his mouth as a white and black silhouette of a horse passed by him. Tadak! Tadak! Tadak! With each step on the dirt floor, the horse sprinted forward, widening the distance between them. A wing-like black cloak covered the afterimage of the horse, and silver hair poured down like moonlight. Although it should have been a lively scene, the Marquis¡¯s knights were dazed without any sense of reality. Soon, they abruptly came to their senses and shouted. ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°Please return!¡± Their shouts faded in vain. ¡°The 2nd Empress is as good as any other knight, so why are you making such a fuss?¡± Sparks flew from the eyes of the Marquis as his hoarse voice rang in their ears. This is all because of someone! When the 3rd Prince showed interest in horses, some of the knights of the 1st Knights secretly showed off. His Highness the 3rd Prince was a cute person with a lovely personality, so the actions of the 1st Knights who wanted his attention were not incomprehensible. But what if their actions offended the 2nd Empress, who had been quietly sitting in the carriage? Contrary to what they expected, the 2nd Empress gave her consent, told them to bring a horse over right away, and her clumsy and dangerous posture in the beginning made everyone worry. However, she soon showed off her outstanding skills, turning everyone¡¯s worry into nothing. Her horsemanship was not like those noblewomen who made horse riding a hobby, simply avoiding or jumping over artificial obstacles. Her style was wild and rough. It was horsemanship that could be used only on the battlefield, to the extent that they wondered where the noble 2nd Empress, who was a former mage, learned such a thing. Everyone was dazed, unable to take their eyes off the 2nd Empress. And that¡¯s exactly when. The 2nd Empress stopped travelling inside the carriage and started to roam the four directions on horseback. The scariest thing was that the 2nd Empress was running with the 3rd Prince sitting in front of her. The 3rd Prince¡¯s voice was faintly heard in the distance. ¡°Whoa! Faster, Mother!¡± It was obvious that he was very happy. The Marquis¡¯s knights sighed. It wasn¡¯t like they could stop them, and the great 1st Knights were following them, so it should be alright. Druck! The window of the moving carriage opened and Marquis Rwanda appeared. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss? Is the 2nd Empress being stubborn again?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± The Marquis clicked his tongue. The shallow favor he had for one reason or another quickly ran out. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like it, but she¡¯s quite a troublemaker. Don¡¯t take your eyes off. We don¡¯t know what she¡¯s going to do.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± After hearing their answer, the Marquis slammed the window shut. The atmosphere of the Marquis¡¯ knights darkened a little. It was because they felt that their master found those two special and strange people, which made them anxious but also happy just looking at them, not very pleasing. Elisha moved forward, ignoring the uncomfortable gaze that followed behind her back. A small chuckle was heard from the chest. As Elisha looked down puzzled, the child leaning on his back to her spoke with his soft lips wide open. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Mother could ride so well, and I never knew that she likes riding horses so much.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Elisha tilted her head. Isn¡¯t it Leon who likes riding horses, not me? Elisha herself liked the clear laughter that burst out when she ran fast, the adorable squeal that exclaimed that she is the best, and the warmth she felt in her arms. ¡°Mother, you have a very happy face when you ride the horse.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Your eyes are getting thinner just like this, and the corners of your mouth are raised¡­ Also¡­¡± Seeing Leon squirming hard in her arms, Elisha wondered what she was like. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! Really!¡± Leon, who answered, somehow seemed more excited. Elisha rested her chin lightly on Leon¡¯s head and rubbed it. His soft silver hair was messed up. Elisha held the reins with one hand and ruffled Leon¡¯s hair with the other. Leon stretched his arms upwards and placed his palms on the backs of Elisha¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s okay if Mother doesn¡¯t know. I¡¯ll find the things you like for you.¡± When he looked up, the blue eyes seemed to be teasing her. Although he was small and weak, he tried to save Elisha with all his strength. It felt like a candle had been lit inside the body. That little candle illuminated the whole body. ¡°Alright, I will look forward to it. What kind of person I am, I¡¯m curious too.¡± She loves to hold grudges, likes to ride horses, and what else is there? What will she find out about herself? What does she like? While thinking, Elisha¡¯s shoulder suddenly stiffened. ¡°But I already know the most important thing. I will never forget it.¡± ¡°What is it, Mother?¡± ¡°That I am a mother. And that I love you the most in the world, Leon.¡± Elisha lowered the hand that had previously touched Leon¡¯s hair and covered the child¡¯s eyes. ¡°I forgot it¡¯s nap time, baby. Let¡¯s do this for a second.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Elisha struck the horse hard on the side with her ankle. Neiiigh! The horse cried loudly, and shot forward with a lot of force on its legs. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far!¡± As Miller and Perriganora, who followed them leisurely, shouted, Elisha glanced at them. Elisha¡¯s mouth twitched. What is she saying? Perry blinked his eyes and made a sound along the shape of Elisha¡¯s mouth. ¡°What, an, idiot?¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with us?!¡± When the impatient Miller raised his voice with his eyes wide open¡­ They felt someone leaping out of the group they had left behind and approaching them like a shot. There was no need to check who it was. ¡°Captain!¡± Who else but Rohan Scherzer possessed such a strong and upright energy! Rohan answered Perry¡¯s call. ¡°There¡¯s a monster! Protect the Empress!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Miller put on a puzzled expression. However, as soon as he met Rohan¡¯s bitter eyes that passed by him, he regained his senses. And he cried out to the 2nd Empress inwardly. Who the hell is the idiot now! If you feel danger, you should come back and hide in a safe place. What if you jump into the fire by yourself? No matter how surprised one was¡­ No, the person who jumped out in surprise in the first place still had the time to look back and even swore? Rather, how did she notice the presence of the monster before Miller himself or Perry, a regular member of the 1st Imperial Knights and one of the top knights? Miller¡¯s head was spinning, but he didn¡¯t stop moving. As Miller urged him, Perry joined in and caught up with Rohan. Koowang! A cry filled with the life of a monster could be heard from the front. There was no time to delay¡­ ¡°Umm.¡± Miller, who arrived at the scene, groaned. As soon as Elisha felt the presence of a monster hiding in front of her, she drew a picture of where she was and the surrounding situation in her head. The simplest thing was to turn the horse¡¯s head and join the party she had left behind. However, not only was the distance from the party quite far away to securely show her back prematurely, there were also quite a few monsters hiding between the tall grasses on the left and right of the forest road in front. Besides, if one looked at the thick logs piled up to block the road in the distance, the monsters seemed to possess intelligence to a certain extent. If only the 1st Knights were at the forefront of the party, Elisha would have retreated even if she used the two knights attached to protect her as a shield. Unfortunately, the leading and most trailing members of the party were the knights of Marquis Rwanda and the knights of other Western noble families accompanying them. Elisha doubted whether they would be able to properly respond to the monsters who were provoked. She also didn¡¯t want to do anything too unreasonable as long as Leon was with her. So Elisha made a decision and immediately put it into action. She couldn¡¯t wield a sword with one hand holding the reins and the other covering Leon¡¯s eyes. Sweeaaaa! She had Undine. Although she was not a fire spirit and not a spirit king, Undine was a being that could be realized in the world and exerted her own strength with a will on her own! [T/N: It¡¯s pretty obvious but yes, Undine¡¯s pronoun from hereon is ¡®she¡¯. Author just stated it here.] As Elisha increased her speed to quickly pass through the path between the monsters hidden on the left and right, the waiting monsters poured out from both sides. There were more prey behind her, so she expected that the monsters would leave her alone and wait a little longer, but this seemed to be the limit of the patience of the monsters. Kuhakk! The monsters that rushed towards Elisha¡¯s horse were blocked by walls of water and could not come closer, so they opened their mouths and cried noisily. Like a swarm of ants gathering on a sweet cookie that just fell off, monsters surrounded her everywhere, but Elisha didn¡¯t even blink. She had faith. That someone would notice her actions and rush from behind, or perhaps even before she acted, someone had already noticed this situation before herself and had already moved. Therefore, she did not worry about her back, but only focused on moving forward. Chwaaak! The walls of water collapsed, pushing away the gathered monsters. The ground under the monsters¡¯ soles was clammy. The muddy water created mud, eventually becoming slippery, and some monsters even slipped. In the meantime, other monsters stepped on their own kin and reached out for the thin skinned prey that smelled good. Swiii! Swiiuk! Water spouted like fountains from all over the land on which Elisha was riding, creating a new wall. Elisha kept running. Elisha pushed the monsters away and as if she had greased them, slipped through them, and eventually came to a pile of fallen logs. Elisha jerked the reins and urged the horse. To be honest, it was the first time she knew that she liked to ride horses, but in her past life, she had traveled many battlefields and subjugated monsters¡­ She had never met a problem because of lack of riding skills or anything like that. It was hard to adapt at the beginning, but she thought it would be a good idea to start because the horse follows instructions well. Fortunately, the horse jumped and climbed safely to the top of the pile of logs. It should be difficult for a four-legged beast with a long waist to stand on a round log, but this horse did it well. When Elisha lowered the hand pulling the reins and wiped the mane of the horse, the horse shuddered and trembled. When she looked down from the high place, she saw the path she had been running. Due to the muddy path and the monsters lying around it, the road the horse ran was wide and exposed. Keuak! Keuaaakh! From the bottom of the stacked logs, a bunch of demonic monsters rose up and looked up at Elisha, revealing their fangs. Elisha looked down at them as if it were a pity, then looked at Rohan and the knights who arrived at the tail end of the monsters on the other side. Chapter 37 It was a rare sight of a beautiful woman standing on a precarious pile of logs, holding a doll-like little boy in her arms. Underneath them, hideous monsters filled the floor and stared at the two people, with a pitiful expression on each of their faces that could pierce even the sky. ¡°I didn¡¯t know which side was being bullied until now.¡± Perry mumbled involuntarily. The moment he saw that scene, he felt like he knew why Miller was speechless. This was probably because the sky-blue eyes looking down at the monsters in a proudly riding posture on the pile of logs were terribly indifferent. There was not even a single tremor, nor the instinctive hatred or contempt of a human being toward monsters. As a being in the world who is still breathing and alive, one could not help but feel shocked because of those eyes. It was as if they were saying, ¡°You are worse than dust. You can¡¯t do anything to me. You are not a threat.¡± Kyaaak! Kuaaang! The more vicious ones moved their gaze, stretched out their arms, jumped up the ground and soared. Even if the stacked logs were quite high, it was only about 6 or 7 meters. It didn¡¯t seem like it would be able to withstand the power of the monsters that were about to crash on it, or to be occupied by the monsters who climbed on it with nails. With a single, careless gesture of Elisha¡¯s chin, water overflowed from the horse¡¯s hoof and flowed down the log and poured down on the monsters. It was a fairly strong stream of water that caused the monsters to slip and fall down. ¡°This is the power of the water spirit.¡± Compared to fire spirit, a water spirit would be one level lower than a fire spirit in terms of their destructive power, so Elisha thought it would certainly have little use on the battlefield, regardless of other things. But this. This is pretty good, isn¡¯t it? Better, even. ¡°In the current situation, it would be better to use it naturally than amplify the power.¡± Currently, Elisha did not have a contract with the mana spirit, but used the energy in the jewel to control the spirit, so mana usage was important. With her lips curled up as if she was satisfied, Elisha raised her head. At that time. Kwaaang! A handful of monsters at the farthest distance from the log, that is, at the very rear, were crushed. Unlike the knights who were still observing what was going on, Rohan did not delay. Thud! As his foot took a step into the empty space, the ground shook. The monsters who were within the range of vibration looked at Rohan at once. Those who were stimulated by Elisha immediately attacked Rohan. Rohan rushed into the closest one and inserted his sword. Puk! The sword pierced the monster¡¯s stomach and came out behind its back. The monster that had been sewn into a skewer gripped the sword with both hands. As a result, Rohan¡¯s sword was blocked. Meanwhile another monster squealed and opened its mouth from the side. Rohan lifted his arms as the monster tried to bite him. The monster that was pierced by Rohan¡¯s sword was lifted up as well, looking too easy considering its size. Rohan shook his sword before the monster slid into the inner side of the sword due to its weight. Kwadang! The body of the monster that was released from the sword fell on top of the other monster and got tangled all at once. Most of the attention of the monsters that had been directed at Elisha shifted to Rohan. Rohan flew through the monsters with his sword. Miller and Perry finally reached Rohan. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°How can there be so many monsters?!¡± The carriage and the knights guarding the carriage, which were behind, were approaching. ¡°There are no other monsters or disturbing groups in the vicinity, Commander!¡± Following Rohan¡¯s instructions, the rest of the 1st Knights, who had searched the area, quickly joined and wielded their swords. Miller and Perry, who had done nothing even though they had come earlier, sipped their lips with their tongues. And carefully, check out the 2nd Empress on the stack of logs in the distance. ¡®Idiots.¡¯ The way she looked at the monsters seemed to be drawn to the two, making their backs cold. The two of them swallowed with their dry throat and looked at each other. ¡°A-As a knight we have to earn our pay the proper way, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right. I don¡¯t want to be treated the same way as the monsters by the 2nd Empress.¡± After reasoning with themselves, the two of them clapped their swords tightly and began to cut through the monsters. ¡°Tsk.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue as the warm little thing moved in her arms. ¡°Mother, should I keep sleeping?¡± Elisha quickly pulled the reins to one side, and went down on the opposite side of the way she had come up on. As she crossed the log pile, the view before her was wide open. ¡°You can get up now, Leon.¡± At Elisha¡¯s permission, Leon slowly opened his eyes. While rubbing the area around Leon¡¯s eyes, Elisha continued to be wary of her surroundings. She was careful because there might be monsters hiding here, or she might run into things that were running around the pile of logs behind her back. The situation continued for a while, and then she could feel the commotion behind the pile of logs that they had passed over gradually subsided. ¡°It will be cleared up soon.¡± It wasn¡¯t a big threat in the first place. However, on a well-maintained road like this, where it is frequented by people, this scale could be considered abnormally large¡­ It bothered her that monsters with a certain level of intelligence did such a daring thing such as blocking the road with logs while forming a group like that while hunting people. After a while, as she thought¡­ Geudeuk! Deuk! Thud! Thud!! After the fight, the logs were dragged to the ground, and as the bottom of the pile was pulled out, the logs above were tilted and collapsed, and the sound of the logs hitting the ground resounded. It was only natural that they had to clear the road so the carriages would be able to move. The hazy dust soon disappeared and the knights filled the quiet space. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rohan was the first to find Elisha. Elisha nodded and Rohan stared at her. As the knight leader responsible for the safety of the 2nd Empress, he should have pointed out that her actions were dangerous, but he decided to keep his mouth shut because he also knew how quickly Elisha judged and how appropriate her response was. In the end¡­ ¡°I was late. I¡¯ll pay more attention from now on, Your Majesty.¡± He blamed the problem on himself. He was such a person, Elisha thought. Someone who¡¯d rather bring out one small, wrong thing instead of stating the great things he did. ¡°I was too far away from the main camp. I will be careful in the future.¡± She didn¡¯t say she wouldn¡¯t ride a horse anymore. Because horse riding was something that ¡®she¡¯ liked. It¡¯s the owner¡¯s duty to care about the people below her, however, if one does not do what they want just because of their subordinates, then it is such a huge loss. The man in front of her understood it. ¡°Alright.¡± Rohan, who answered, finished cleaning up the surroundings, and their party quickly left the place. The party, which had been running non-stop, was able to find a place to spend the night before the sky turned dark without difficulty. The carriage stopped, and the knights and maids concentrated on their work. Elisha herself was not very picky, but because of the Marquis and some nobles, their dinner was more luxurious than what she ate at the 2nd Empress Palace. She was tired from dealing with monsters, so she could¡¯ve skipped it for a day or so, but Elisha still stood up in front of Rohan with a sword in an empty lot a little far from the party. Despite the opposition of the Marquis, it has continued throughout the journey from the beginning. This was because of Elisha¡¯s argument that it would be better to learn more swordsmanship for self-defense as much as going to a dangerous place was valid to some extent. As soon as the formal greeting was finished, Elisha swung her sword. Chang, Chaeeng! Rohan lightly deflected her sword. Elisha, who had taken a few steps back, scraped off Rohan¡¯s blade and dug into his reach without hesitation. Rohan knew how dangerous the 2nd Empress could be when she didn¡¯t have the 3rd Prince by her side. Both for herself and for those who fight her. As Rohan was about to escape, her sword stretched out and chased after him. It¡¯s terrible. Like the fangs of a beast chasing its prey, but without the ingenuity or cunningness of a snake. Kaaang! Rohan deflected Elisha¡¯s sword and started going on the offensive. Elisha could not dodge all of his moves. No, she simply did not avoid it. She focused on identifying only one decisive move among the attacks pouring towards her. It was not done out of courage because she knew that Rohan had proper control of his sword. But because she was such a person who could casually give away her flesh in order to cut someone¡¯s bones. Therefore, just a little more! More! Although her skin was not ruined and no blood was shed, Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes flashed as she received the harsh energy that squeezed her heart and weighed on her body. Now! Elisha pierced using her sword, which she had been holding until now, with all her might, toward one point. ¡°Hah.¡± Rohan sighed. The 2nd Empress¡¯s swordsmanship was too biased to be useful. He was trying to teach her how to defend herself naturally, but the 2nd Empress pierced through Rohan¡¯s last moves and counterattacked. Chaeng! Rohan, who defeated Elisha¡¯s counterattack and turned it into nothing, usually ended the battle at this point, but not today. Rohan did not retrieve the sword. Seeing the sword that was coming her way, Elisha lifted the corners of her mouth. She pretended to bump her sword hard against him¡­ But pushed her sword to the side, and at the same time, she kicked the ground and jumped high. As Elisha¡¯s arms swung the sword all the way from behind her head to the front, her body descended rapidly. Rohan tilted his head and looked up at the blade that was slashing down parallel to the ground. The silver hair fluttered in the wind, spread wide, becoming an arrow and dazzling his eyes. Rohan¡¯s sword went up to the sky. Kwaaang! With a loud sound, Elisha¡¯s body floated backwards and was thrown away. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The knights who were watching shouted in surprise, but the commotion did not last long. Swaaaa! It was because Elisha¡¯s back was surrounded by blue transparent waves that sprouted like wings behind her. There were a few people who had seen the water spirit used by Elisha from afar before. However, it was a disastrous sight, unlike the current unrealistically beautiful one. A commotion of a different reason and of a different kind arose among the party and then disappeared. Elisha looked down at Rohan without paying any attention to it. This was the first time she had summoned the water spirit during a battle. This was because she had to accurately check her skills with the sword. But now, with little time left to reach the Verdin Duchy, it was time to check everything she has. If one can¡¯t use the best card in optimal condition at the moment when they need it, then what¡¯s the point of having it? It won¡¯t be easy to get used to using the water spirit and swordsmanship at the same time, but¡­ As one of the leading swordsmen in the Empire as well as the Continent, Rohan was a great teacher, and she benefited from him in re-learning swordsmanship. Along with that, there were some realizations she gained from summoning the water spirit when dealing with monsters. ¡°Next time, can we go one step further?¡± Elisha said, but Rohan remained silent. But he didn¡¯t say no either. Chapter 38 The East was blessed with the vast plains and the Tanya River, while the Central region received the gift of ore under the protection of the Pavezzo Mountains. However, the West received nothing. The ground where they took root was barren and surrounded by monsters and militant enemies. The people there had to clench their teeth in order not to lose what they had. For the Western nobles, who were not allowed to live a luxurious life or honored loyalty, all that remained was their bond. The Western nobility united themselves to resist the outside world and took care of themselves. The center of it was Duke Verdin, the current owner of the Western region. An old man with an ordinary look opened his mouth, sitting at the innermost corner of a long table in the middle of a large conference room. ¡°Are there any other communications from William?¡± There weren¡¯t many people in the Empire who could call William, the Western mage, so comfortably. However, as long as the surname of that person, who seemed ordinary at first glance, was Verdin, everything was just natural. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± At the reply of Count Guillaume, his vassal and closest confidant, Duke Verdin wrinkled his forehead. ¡°Does he want me to pay attention to the safety of the 2nd Empress this time around as well?¡± ¡°He added a request to arrange an itinerary so that they could stop by the Western Tower.¡± ¡°He asked me to do a lot of things as if I owe him something. Not to mention¡­¡± ¡°He became so proud since he became the guardian of the 3rd Prince. There are already rumors within the Empire that William knew in advance that the 2nd Empress is a summoner and he wanted to use her.¡± ¡°It is a great thing that the 2nd Empress became a spirit summoner, and it is true that her worth has increased several times in the current situation. However, would the old fox from the Tower be able to get her feet up and running?¡± ¡°Is it possible that he¡¯s trying to approach the 2nd Empress who is in the center of power?¡± At the words of Count Guillaume, the Duke, who had been stroking his wrinkled lips with his hand, shook his head lightly. ¡°If that was the case, he would have asked us to cooperate properly in the first place. No matter how powerful the Empire is, it is one of the few forces in the end. It¡¯s impossible to move alone.¡± Moreover, unlike the aristocratic powers, the Magic Tower did not consider it to be their mission and highest value to stand at the center of power. The battles of the nobles were not familiar to them, and they were fully aware what was the source of their strength¡­ This was because without an instinctive longing for mana, it was impossible to become a member of the Tower. William, who was particularly greedy for mana, would not get involved in a full-fledged power struggle even in the Tower. So, William¡¯s choice could only be a deal between himself and the 2nd Empress, this was the truth¡­ But what did the 2nd Empress give out that even the old fox of the Tower was moved? If one looks at it that way, did they not say that the Emperor also treats the 2nd Empress with a completely different attitude from before? ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have gone to the capital. If I had, I would have been able to actually witness one of the stories of the 2nd Empress that have been making my ears ache lately.¡± The heads of each faction do not move easily in their own territories. The ones who stay in the capital, attend Barossa¡¯s meetings, and bow their heads in front of the emperor all the time are the second-in-command of each faction. It wasn¡¯t like that from the beginning. As the aristocratic faction grew stronger, the masters of each faction began to fight the flag and often procrastinated in order to undermine the authority of the emperor. Since then, it has become customary for the highest aristocrats or the heads of each faction to attend only essential meetings and ceremonies. It is not necessary to keep this ¡®unwritten rule¡¯, but it would be right to say that if you go alone to a place where the masters of other powers are not, the value of your name will be reduced. ¡°Instead, why not check if the recent rumors so far are true?¡± The one who tried to change the atmosphere was the person sitting in the first row on the right of the table centered on the Duke. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Duke consented obediently, and the short man who looked like he was in his mid-thirties had a bright expression on his face. He is the eldest son of the Duke who closely resembles the Duke, and a calm woman was with him. When the man turned to look at his wife, she nodded. The man gained some confidence and opened his mouth. ¡°According to the interim report, the 2nd Empress will soon arrive in the Duchy. Aren¡¯t the movements of the monsters unusual due to the recent extreme drought and anomalies? It is said that the 2nd Empress and the party had already been attacked several times. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s from outside, but wouldn¡¯t it be a shame if something like that happened within the Duchy?¡± ¡°That too, yes.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± As the man tried to continue the words with a glance, the Duke slipped his gaze away from the man and his wife. And moved towards the second son¡¯s couple who were sitting next to the first son¡¯s couple. Unlike the ordinary-looking first son Patrick, who resembles the Duke at the first glance, the youngest son with a slightly different age was a rare, handsome man. He was also accompanied by a woman, just like his older brother. The woman appeared to be in her late twenties and had a small child in her arms. The Duke¡¯s gaze stopped on the face of the now four-year-old child. ¡°Jonathan.¡± The Duke called the second son¡¯s name. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°You go out to welcome the group. Let¡¯s do our best to serve the 2nd Empress so that she can come to the castle without any inconvenience.¡± Surprised by the unexpected order, Jonathan took turns looking at his father and older brother. Soon after, a roar erupted. ¡°Father, why not me¡­?!¡± ¡°Patrick, are you going to challenge my decision now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Father. I think that it would be more appropriate if the eldest son welcomes the 2nd Empress¡­¡± Patrick couldn¡¯t speak to the end because his father¡¯s eyes that were staring at him were so cold that his body trembled. Patrick¡¯s head dropped down. Anne, the first daughter-in-law, who saw her husband like that, bit her molars tightly. However, she tried not to show it. She lifted her face, pulled her chin, and straightened her shoulders. ¡°Then, who will be in charge of serving her in the Duke¡¯s Castle?¡± ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡± ¡°Mother, who is recuperating outside, can¡¯t welcome guests, right?¡± After hearing her answer, the Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed, and Anne spoke more calmly. ¡°Then of course I have to go. Or do you want to entrust the guests who have come a long way for the West to a lowly ignorant thing?¡± As she took the role of the hostess, it was obvious who was the ¡®lowly ignorant thing¡¯ she mentioned. The second son, Jonathan¡¯s wife, Vera, is known to have come from a fallen barony, but in fact, even that was rumored to be a false title that was bought in haste. But either way did not matter to Anne. For a young girl whose parents were both high-ranking nobles, it was nothing more than trash. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to fight for the position. I¡¯m just worried that the Duchy¡¯s prestige will drop and the East and Central will laugh at us.¡± ¡°It makes sense. I will leave that matter for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Anne answered as if she had received her natural share and role without showing signs of liking. As soon as the meeting was over, the eldest son, Patrick, jumped to his feet and went outside with a huff. Anne sighed and followed him. ¡°Foolish fellow.¡± The Duke clicked his tongue. Jonathan wanted to pass his duties on to his brother, but he shut his mouth as he realized that it would only cause a futile headwind. The Duke said to Jonathan. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything weird, just do what you have to do. I don¡¯t want to admit such a foolish son, who is willing to die for one woman.¡± The Duke looked once more at the child in the arms of the second daughter-in-law, whose head was lowered. The first son¡¯s couple did not have an heir. ¡°This is your last chance. Do it right for you and for Benjamin. If the 2nd Empress finds the water veins and stabilizes the public mind, the person who was with her at that time will be the representative of the Duke family. And keep an eye on the 2nd Empress until we find out what she has.¡± The Duke did not say a word to Vera until the end, and walked away with the vassals to the left. The three remaining members of the family face each other in a spacious meeting room. Jonathan took Vera and the small child in Vera¡¯s arms in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Vera shook her head as if it was okay and put her forehead on her husband¡¯s shoulder. *** Tadakk! Tadakk! The bark of the tree heated by the fire cracked and roared. The darkness disappeared as small, yellow sparks rose. Elisha looked at the bonfire while Leon wriggled in her arms. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it because you took a nap earlier?¡± After the first monster attack, something similar happened a couple more times. It wasn¡¯t big, but it wasn¡¯t for a child to see. They were supposed to arrive at the Duchy today, but unfortunately, they ran into strong monsters. However, their group was far superior. It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if everyone had followed the instructions, however, the nobles who had never been involved in such a big deal were surprised and told their coaches and moved their knights to make holes for themselves, making the carriages collide with each other. The space was full of things that children shouldn¡¯t see. Elisha had no choice but to cover her child¡¯s eyes with her hand and told him that it was nap time again. ¡°Were you afraid?¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t see it, he must have heard the sound. That alone and the smell of blood should¡¯ve shaken the child. ¡°Was Mother afraid?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I was not afraid.¡± ¡°Me too, Mother. When I¡¯m with you, I¡¯m not afraid of any nightmares.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The child laughed, saying it wasn¡¯t scary. And Elisha didn¡¯t say that reality was different from a nightmare. Nevertheless¡­ ¡°So I won¡¯t take a nap next time. I want to see what Mother sees together. Then if Mother sees something scary, I will hold your hand at that time. Then when I¡¯m bigger than I¡¯m now, when I grow up to the size of Sir Rohan, I will protect you. I made a promise with my brother to protect Mother together.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His blue eyes shone brightly. The bonfire was warm, but the small body of the child in her arms was warmer, and the kindness of the child was so sweet that it felt like it would melt her heart. ¡°I think¡­ I like bonfires.¡± Elisha said abruptly. Leon, who was looking at the bonfire and Elisha alternatively, revealed his white teeth and smiled lovingly. Leon didn¡¯t ask if she had liked it from the beginning or if she had fallen in love with it just now. That would be too difficult for his mother at the moment. Instead, he told his mother that he had come to love bonfires too. His mother gently bent her sky-blue eyes. Then the sound of horseshoes was heard in the distance. When Leon realized that, Elisha, who had already stood up, was holding him with one hand and a sword in the other. The 1st Knights surrounded her, and Rohan¡¯s back appeared right in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think they mean harm, but let¡¯s wait until it¡¯s confirmed.¡± A large crowd approached from the other side and stopped a short distance away. The man in the lead got off his horse and approached. ¡°I¡¯m Jonathan Verdin. I thought your party should¡¯ve arrived at the last village before the Duchy by now, so I came to meet you. I was worried because you were late.¡± The Western nobles accompanying Marquis Rwanda were surprised to find him. The relationship between him and the Duke was very bad, and it has been a while since he had been exposed to outside affairs. Jonathan greeted them with his gaze and approached the 2nd Empress. When Rohan moved aside, he bowed. ¡°I see the 3rd Prince and the 2nd Empress.¡± Elisha stared at him silently and opened her mouth. ¡°Nice to meet you, Jonathan.¡± Jonathan straightened his back and met Elisha¡¯s eyes. ¡°Welcome.¡± The soft smile seemed to tell how he truly felt. In the past, Rozenin once said that she wondered how the parents who gave birth to the Western demon bastard came to be. Elisha nodded her head without much excitement. With his sudden appearance, the full-fledged schedule began a little bit earlier. Chapter 39 The Verdin Duchy was spacious and well-organized. Most people say that Duke Verdin is an easygoing and ordinary person, but how could he have been able to keep his position as the head of the great aristocratic faction if that was all he really was. For the word ¡°ordinary¡± to be attached to such a person¡­ It means either that he hides the extraordinary, or that the smile on his face looks normal even when he squeezes people out. Duke Verdin should be included in both. Ever since Jonathan joined the carriage, Elisha rested her chin on her arm resting on the window sill. It might look a bit undignified, but Elisha didn¡¯t really care because the person closest to the window was Rohan, who was driving the horse. The glass in the window that was touching her forehead was cool. It is very rare for Elisha to continue doing nothing like this. If they had used the portal, this would not have happened, however, not only is it difficult for this many people to move, the emperor would not have wanted it. The emperor wanted to wrap this event up nicely and for it to be known, so he needed time to spread the word¡­ In order to quickly persuade the public and not allow the nobles to arbitrarily control the story and change the story. Moreover, in Elisha¡¯s opinion, the emperor who received something from the Western nobles in exchange for sending her to the West was unlikely to be satisfied there. ¡°Since many key figures including the second-in-command Marquis Rwanda, are staying in the West, the Western faction in the capital is almost empty. If I had to work closely with other noble factions, there would be no better time than now.¡± Elisha¡¯s fingertips touched the window and she wrote down the numbers. Time passed by as she looked at the emperor¡¯s intentions one by one. The emperor¡¯s way of creating and solving problems was somewhat similar to Elisha¡¯s, so this process was quite helpful for Elisha as well. It broadens her thinking and allows her to reflect on herself. In the past he was an enemy, but he also made Elisha the greatest. Although he was a ruthless teacher, in the way that if his teaching was followed but could not be overcome, the result would be death. Yes, if one looks at it that way, sending Sir Rohan would have many meanings. Aside from showing off to the nobles, it will also be an opportunity to get more attention by sending out the knights that the people love the most, and to make it clear for whom Elisha is moving, and¡­ Elisha found that Rohan¡¯s eyes were quite fierce as he looked at the surroundings. The emperor was to take measures in advance before regretting late preparation. The road from the capital to the west is well paved and there is a lot of information, but it will have a new meaning for someone who is good at manipulating troops like Rohan. They will be visiting several noble estates in the west, so he will be able to check various information about them. Everything that came to her mind was intriguing, so the bottom of the window was filled with numbers. Something soft touched her cheek as she was going back to see if she had missed anything. She was wondering what he was trying to do when he covered the book he was reading, then guessed that he was trying to come next to her. Elisha likes the texture of the child¡¯s cheek, so she rubbed his little face and lifted the corners of her mouth. The child smiled bashfully, wrinkled his nose, and asked as if he had suddenly remembered. ¡°Mother, is this the place where you will help those in need?¡± Well, it wasn¡¯t wrong, so Elisha nodded her head. ¡°Hihi.¡± The child let out a slightly excited breath, and his blue eyes twinkled. The warmth breath that the child exhaled clearly reveals the numbers that were slowly fading away, but it didn¡¯t feel so important to Elisha anymore. Elisha pulled her sleeve and wiped off the window with her hand, so that the child could see better. She guessed that there were a lot of things the child wanted to see out of the clear window. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s Sir Rohan.¡± Leon recognized Rohan happily. Hearing the small sound, Rohan leaned his head closer to the window and leaned his face towards the window. The low voice was covered by the sound of the carriage, so it was hard to hear. Leon opened the window without hesitation, and the smell of earth mixed with the sounds of the surroundings. It was noisy, but it was vivid and refreshing. He heard the voice he had been waiting for.. ¡°3rd Prince, what are you doing?¡± When Rohan asked, Leon, who had blinked his eyes because he didn¡¯t really have a business, said abruptly. ¡°How is the weather over there?¡± Rohan, who tilted his face slightly to the side, glanced at the floating sky, the surrounding scenery, and the area around the carriage, then looked at Leon again. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rohan, who had been silent for a while because of Leon, who kept staring at him as if expecting something, asked. ¡°How about in the carriage?¡± ¡°Here is¡­¡± It was a conversation that Elisha couldn¡¯t even guess what it really meant. She wondered if the two of them are going to keep doing things like that. They don¡¯t look like they will ever fit together, therefore, it was strange to see them come together so naturally. The wind coming in through the open window was cool, and the swaying of the moving carriage was no longer bothersome. The sound of the horses running alongside the carriages, hitting the ground, repeatedly hit their ears. The voices of the two people connected within it. Feeling somewhat at ease, Elisha closed her eyes without realizing it. The sound of even breathing lingered in the carriage. Rohan and Leon looked at her at the same time. Elisha, who always seemed to be on the edge of something, was sleeping so deeply. Rohan and Leon looked at each other. And they nodded and shut their mouths as if they had made an agreement. Rohan turned his gaze to the front, and Leon hung from the open window sill and looked outside. They stayed like that for quite some time. For some reason, they were so sorry that the journey felt shortened. *** ¡°Your Majesty the 2nd Empress, was the journey difficult?¡± As soon as they got off the carriage, a calm looking woman greeted Elisha. Elisha looked left and right and replied. ¡°It was difficult.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The woman¡¯s face hardened as the usual answer to the out-of-formality question she had expected did not come. Unfortunately, Elisha had no intention of stopping there. ¡°Nevertheless, the Duke did not even come out to meet his guests. Is he hurting? Perhaps he broke his legs? Otherwise, surely the Duchy would not treat the 3rd Prince who came all the way from the capital this way.¡± Her voice was low and her tone was indifferent. It must have been somehow eerie, but Anne raised her chin up and confronted her sky-blue eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not that he has any medical conditions, but because he¡¯s old, he doesn¡¯t feel comfortable moving around. I believe that the 2nd Empress and the 3rd Prince will be generous and understanding, so please do not be offended.¡± ¡°Are you Anne, the first daughter-in-law of the Duke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, the one over there must be the eldest young master.¡± [T/N: The literal translation for it should be ¡°the Grand or Eldest Prince¡±. A duke is similar to a king in ancient Korean/Chinese culture, that is why their children are usually also called a prince/princess. To avoid misunderstanding, I will just translate it as young master/lord] When Elisha stared at him, Patrick gulped. When he heard the rumors about the 2nd Empress, it is said that she had a great personality, so he thought of an arrogant beauty with a cold temperament. Although he was timid in the Duchy, he was a playboy who knew how to deal with women. Patrick, who was proud of himself, was unfairly pushed aside by his younger brother to meet the 2nd Empress, but he still intended to earn the favor of the 2nd Empress while she was in the Duchy. In any case, his wife, Anne, who was in charge of the hospitality, was a noble lady. Thinking that no matter how high the Barossa woman¡¯s eyes are, his wife should be enough to match her. But, what is this? An arrogant beauty with a cold temperament? She is not at a level that can be explained in that way. He had never seen a person with such an arrogant look with such an arrogant presence in his life. Even his father, whom he is afraid of, was not like that. The owner of Barossa, the emperor who sat in the highest place and embraced all people. He should have felt this way only with Kaiden de Rappelcia! Patrick crouched behind his wife, but he was so short that his height barely reached Anne, who was not that tall in the first place. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should feel good or bad.¡± Elisha clicked her tongue. You¡¯re acting like a frog in front of a snake. It doesn¡¯t matter to me, but if you do that now, what would the Duke think, as well as the Western nobles and the knights of the 1st Knights who came with me? Elisha didn¡¯t feel it was worth caring anymore and turned her gaze to the side. Jonathan¡¯s wife and the second daughter-in-law, Vera, stood a short distance away. Perhaps if it wasn¡¯t Jonathan who met Elisha as the Duchy representative, Anne wouldn¡¯t have placed her here. When Elisha saw her, Vera hesitated, then bowed her head slightly. Elisha accepted her greeting without much emotion, and then she turned her head¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a little kid!¡± Leon, who was holding Elisha¡¯s hand, wasn¡¯t like that. To Leon, who rarely saw children younger than himself in the Imperial Palace, the little child Vera was holding was a very strange existence. He is smaller than him, and cute. Leon ran and stood in front of Vera, who, in bewilderment, looked at him first before looking at her husband. The 3rd Prince, whom Jonathan saw during the journey back, was polite and intelligent. Besides, he was so lovely that he wondered how such a child could be born from that emperor. ¡­Therefore, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do anything strange. Even if he would, there is no way to stop the actions of the 3rd Prince. When there was no other reaction from Jonathan, Vera leaned over and put the child she was holding down in front of the 3rd Prince. The child, now four years old, was not much different from Leon. Actually, it was because Leon was smaller than his peers, so their size was kind of similar. But it didn¡¯t seem to feel that way to Leon. ¡°Hello?¡± Leon made eye contact with the child and smiled broadly. Even though he acted like an older brother with a big age gap, there was no response from the child. At this point, Vera was very nervous because the other nobles might try to draw a reaction by getting angry or shouting that the child dares to ignore the prince. Duke Verdin said that his grandson was much better than other children, as he had a different mind and had high mana affinity, so there was no problem with anything else, but many people were talking behind the scenes. It is said that the Duke¡¯s only grandson is somehow strange and creepy. However, Leon still looked at him innocently, because such a gaze was not unfamiliar to Leon. Leon turned to Elisha, then spread out his hands. Elisha tilted her head for a moment, then summoned her spirit and placed it on Leon¡¯s hand. Undine likes Leon very much, so she was quiet. When Leon showed Undine to the child in front of him, Undine played with water drops in front of the child. The child reacted to this, perhaps because it looks interesting. When the child raised his fingertip to touch Undine, Leon stopped him. ¡°You should ask her (Undine) first.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°If you touch her suddenly, she¡¯ll be surprised.¡± The child tilted his head as if he did not understand Leon¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t understand what¡¯s a big deal to be surprised by toys. No, he didn¡¯t even think it should be done just because it¡¯s alive in the first place. The child stared intently into Leon¡¯s blue eyes and asked. ¡°If I do that, it won¡¯t hate me?¡± Leon opened his eyes wide. He didn¡¯t quite understand. Meanwhile, Elisha, who had sent Undine back, stretched an arm between the two children. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t make other people wait too long.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, Mother.¡± Elisha embraced Leon, who answered. Elisha looked at the child opposite her with sky-blue eyes. Still an animal that has not yet had teeth. In the future, fangs will grow that will rip the nobility of the West to pieces. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t pick up anything, but what can we do? Our Leon is too kind.¡± And he is very affectionate, so once he holds something in his arms, he won¡¯t put it down. I think he already likes it, so what do I do? Elisha, who muttered to herself, said to the woman who was close to the child. ¡°The 3rd Prince seems to like the boy, so let him be his friend, and you will be with me.¡± Vera took turns looking at Elisha and Anne with wide-open eyes. Her thoughts were cluttered and her toes trembled, but Vera did not dare to refuse the Empress¡¯s request. She had to take courage, considering the position of his child. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Majesty.¡± Vera walked over to Elisha¡¯s side. Chapter 40 ¡°You¡¯re here to find this old man.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve come to the Duke¡¯s Castle, isn¡¯t it natural to greet the owner first?¡± The topic ended there, as any addition would be nothing more than nitpicking without any benefit. However, that did not mean that the ensuing conversation was particularly useful or beneficial. Following Vera¡¯s instructions, after she had finished unpacking, she sighed and left Leon behind. Duke Verdin was not a difficult opponent, but there was something about him that made people tired. A child who is kind like Leon and cares about the atmosphere around him will surely be restless. The Duke said to Elisha who was holding the teacup. ¡°I heard that the future schedule is more demanding. You must have worked hard on your way from the capital to the Duchy, so rest in peace until you depart.¡± ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± After Elisha said her gratitude, she took a sip of the tea and set the mug down. She wanted to get out of this distasteful Duke¡¯s Castle quickly, but there was a minimum formality that she had to have as long as she was moving in the name of Barossa. As if reading Elisha¡¯s thoughts, the Duke added. ¡°If a precious guest goes too quickly, the people will whine that the Duke has neglected the guest. Still, we won¡¯t hold on long as the situation is in place. Don¡¯t worry.¡± After that, more polite conversation took place before Elisha took her leave. Elisha went to her assigned quarters. When she opened the door from the hallway and entered, it was a luxurious place with three separate rooms along with a drawing room. Upon entering, Leon was playing with Benjamin. The second daughter-in-law of the Duke, who introduced herself as Vera Lager, was watching her children with supreme joy. ¡°Hmm.¡± When Elisha made a move, Vera got up from the sofa in shock. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Your Majesty.¡± Vera had not received any instructions prior, but belatedly, she was worried about whether she and her child had been staying for too long. Benjamin, who doesn¡¯t communicate with children his age or even with his mother, shows interest in someone for the first time, so she forgot for a moment that the other person has a noble status. However, Elisha just passed by Elisha as if she had no idea about it, and leaned on the sofa for a long time. If it had been a dress, her outfit would have been messed up, but at the moment, Elisha was wearing the outfit the Emperor gave her. On her way back to the room, no one took a strange look at Elisha¡¯s outfit, perhaps Marquis Rwanda had given them a warning in advance. Although he did not seem to be very pleased with the freedom of the 2nd Empress. ¡°Do you know where to fit clothes?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Clothes. Where to find clothes similar to this one.¡± Elisha pointed her index finger at her chest. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vera hesitated. Not only did she not know where to get such a special thing, she didn¡¯t even know a high-end store where the 2nd Empress could fit her clothes. Elisha waved her hand as if she knew her concern. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be exactly like this. I just need a place that can make something similar. It doesn¡¯t have to be of good quality.¡± Elisha had never bought anything like clothes, and she didn¡¯t have time to match them, so she bought a few sets of anything in the city she stopped by during the itinerary, but everything was unsatisfactory. First of all, there weren¡¯t many places to make and sell pants. Not to mention most of the ready products being sold were either too short or too wide for Elisha, who is taller than average. ¡°What if¡­¡± As Vera spoke, Elisha looked up at her. Vera licked her lips a few times, then slowly averted her gaze to see whether Elisha found her bothersome before she continued to speak. ¡°If it¡¯s just one suit, for now¡­¡± Elisha raised her arm and placed it in front of her nose. Sniff! Sniff! ¡°I don¡¯t think it smells. Does it smell?¡± As Elisha tilted her head and reached out her hand, Leon leaned over and buried the tip of his nose. Sniff! Sniff! Leon, who had his nose twitched like a small beast, shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell?¡± When Elisha wrapped Leon¡¯s body with her outstretched arm, put it on top, and patted him on the back, Vera seemed to have a hard time figuring out where to start. For some reason, it reminded her of Marie, the maidservant of the 2nd Empress Palace, so Elisha added a little more explanation. ¡°When I rode the carriage or practiced swordsmanship, I changed into the clothes I bought along the way. If I cover it with a cloak, nobody can tell the difference.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, but I have no spare cloak, so I wore the same thing over and over again.¡± Elisha wiggled the hem of the cloak on her back and pulled it to the tip of her nose. Leon followed. Before Vera could say anything, once again, the both of them¡­ Sniff! Seeing the two people of noble status squatting and doing this, Vera could not bear it any longer and approached them, and said. ¡°I-If you hand it to me, I will clean it up.¡± ¡°You¡¯d do it?¡± Elisha asked because she thought she was merely doing her a favor by taking and entrusting it to the maids. ¡°Ah? Yes. I know how to do it because I¡¯ve done it often in the past. How to handle the fabric, and how to care for it and wash it¡­¡± Apparently, it seems that Vera was trying to do it herself. Even Elisha, who lacks common sense in the human world, knows that it makes no sense for the second daughter-in-law of the Duke to be accustomed to such a thing. When Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes darkened, Vera was startled as she realized that she had misspoke in bewilderment. ¡°What I mean is that, I¡­¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re good at handling fabrics, that means you can make clothes too, right?¡± She wondered why these words came out all of a sudden, but Vera answered once. ¡°I-If it¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°How lucky I am.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°Have you ever met someone who can give you what you need in a situation that can be said as hopeless? Here, before me now, is a daughter-in-law from the commoners who has the skill to make clothes.¡± [T/N: These are not her exact words, just close enough to convey what she means. The literal translation is a bit confusing] While speaking, Elisha grabbed Leon and put him aside, then loosened the ornament on her shoulder that was holding the cloak. Vera looked down blankly at Elisha who grabbed the flowing cloak with her hand and pulled it out in front of her. She thought that contempt, rebuke, and suspicion would pour on her for speaking like a maid, but there was only a dark cloth in front of her eyes. Vera accepted Elisha¡¯s cloak without realizing it. ¡°Whether you repair it with the clothes I bought from the other places or make it with a new cloth, just do what you like.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thank God. To do anything here, I would have had to go through a very attention-grabbing and cumbersome process, but thanks to you, the troublesome work was relieved.¡± ¡°Ah! I-I¡­¡± Vera hesitated, crumpling the cloak with her fingertips. Elisha thought Vera had said those things because she wanted to do it. Isn¡¯t it like this? Wasn¡¯t she bragging about how good she was? ¡°Did I make a difficult request?¡± Elisha raised her upper body a little to get back the cloak she had handed to her. Elisha is relentless in whatever she has to do, but there¡¯s no need to make others do something they don¡¯t like. Unlike Elisha, who had a natural shift in thinking and judgment, Vera was not able to follow this series of events. For Vera, accepting the offer to guide her in the castle instead of Anne was already the best thing she could do with all her energy. So, let¡¯s just stop here, to stimulate Anne further is not helpful, but dangerous. Vera, who held out the black cloak to Elisha, thought that it would only make matters worse by stepping up like this, since the rumors related to her origin are not disappearing. ¡®How lucky I am.¡¯ The words of the 2nd Empress just before came to mind, and she stopped her hand. She said she was lucky to have met Vera herself, not as the daughter-in-law or Benjamin¡¯s mother to the Duke. Vera took back the half-pushed cloak back to her side and hugged it tightly. ¡°Not just the cloak. Please take off the clothes you are wearing now. I will take a look at the form, clean it up, and return it to you.¡± ¡°Will it really be okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I will not disappoint you.¡± When Vera answered, Elisha got up from the sofa. As she stood up, a maid waiting in one corner came and served her. Marie is responsible for the 2nd Empress Palace, so she could not follow Elisha. Therefore, this maid was sent in her stead. Originally, it was right for a few maids to accompany the Empress on a journey, as an addition, Marie said it was absolutely forbidden for Elisha to go alone, so Elisha had to bring at least one of them. Elisha took off her uniform and changed into a light dress with little embellishment with a faint frown on her brow. She did not reveal much, but it was clear that she was having a heartache because she just lost her favorite clothes. ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t that the gift that His Majesty gave to you? Will it be okay to make and wear other clothes?¡± As Marie said, the maid who seemed to be sitting in another carriage the entire way was quiet and calm, and her voice was cautious. ¡°What now? I¡¯ve already bought and worn different clothes several times.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± If she had known in the middle, she would have stopped her. Unfortunately, when the maid saw the 2nd Empress, she was already walking around wearing that strange outfit. ¡°If someone asks you if His Majesty gave it to me, you can just say yes. They will not point out every single one of my clothes, and I wouldn¡¯t be wearing a cloak without any spare.¡± So, it¡¯s not totally a lie. Besides. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they want to point out my clothes. If we say that I¡¯m simply making and wearing something similar to what His Majesty gave me, who can say anything?¡± Elisha spoke confidently with that tone, as if she was merely stating the facts. And even though it sounded different to the listeners¡­ ¡­they couldn¡¯t really find anything wrong with her words! But that doesn¡¯t mean she can go out recklessly! Unlike the maid and Vera, who had a stern expression on their face, Elisha knew that the Emperor would be behind her no matter what she was doing in the West, so she didn¡¯t feel the need to talk more about it. When things came to an end, Elisha looked down at the children. Benjamin, who was approaching her, grabbed Leon¡¯s hem and sniffed around. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s trying to imitate what the two people did a while ago. Leon was also doing it again, raising his arms, sniffing at his scent. Embarrassed, Vera tried to stop the child, but Leon shook her head as if it was okay. Then he stroked Benjamin¡¯s hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think I smell, what do you think?¡± Benjamin, who had buried his face in the smell, lifted his head. The child¡¯s strangely blurred eyes began to focus. ¡°You smell good. Would you hate me if I come closer to you?¡± When the child asked, Leon puffed up his cheeks and lightly flicked the child¡¯s forehead with his index finger. Ttak! There was little power, but a faint red mark was left on Benjamin¡¯s forehead. Leon thought it was hurting more than he expected, so he covered Benjamin¡¯s forehead with his palm and rubbed it in a circular motion. ¡°Why do you keep asking if I hate you? I don¡¯t hate you. I won¡¯t hate you even if you make a mistake, because you don¡¯t do it on purpose. If I hate something, I¡¯ll tell you. Because I¡¯m the big brother.¡± ¡°Big brother?¡± ¡°Yes, big brother. A big brother is like that. My big brother is also like that. He¡¯s never been angry and treats me kindly. My big brother is the best!¡± When Ascencio was mentioned, Benjamin tilted his head. Something is bothering him, but he is frustrated because he doesn¡¯t know what it is. ¡°Our Leon not only has a big brother, but also a big sister. Jillian will be very angry if she finds out that you have adopted a younger brother without her knowing.¡± ¡°Ahhh, there¡¯s no way that¡¯d happen, Mother. Would Jillian do that? Jillian will love him too. Benjamin is so cute!¡± When Leon smiled cutely, revealing his white teeth, Elisha shrugged her shoulders. As someone with a good sense, Jillian will probably try to get rid of that child before Leon as soon as she sees it. Look now. Elisha thought of touching him a little, not knowing what would be the result. Will he sharpen his eyes and stare back? Elisha looked down at the child and gave a warning with her eyes. As the coldness in her sky-blue eyes grew on the child she was facing, he finally winced and stood behind Leon. Leon thought she was joking, so he hugged Benjamin tightly, while Vera was moved by the appearance of the 2nd Empress, who surprisingly got along well with her child, and her eyes shone brighter. Only the maid, Dorian, sighed and organized the room that had turned messy because of a change of clothes. Thus, the first day at the Duke¡¯s Castle was concluded. Chapter 41 Anne was sitting in front of a large mirror. The maids comb her hair finely, then pull it up and braid it up. Anne¡¯s complexion became even paler as her skinny neck was exposed. The maids brought trinkets that are not flashy to her taste, helped her to try them on, and waited for the master to choose. As Anne pointed to a few things with the tip of her chin, the maids began to dress her in turn. Then the door opened and another maid, who was Anne¡¯s closest confidant, approached. ¡°What were you doing? We can¡¯t be late for dinner, when are you going to pick me up?¡± ¡°¡­ T-That¡­¡± Anne¡¯s eyes trembled as the maid kept her mouth shut in hesitation. ¡°Are they still on it?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems like she will accompany the guests to the dinner table.¡± Anne was biting her lips, but the maid who was aiding her in wearing the earrings made a mistake, probably nervous about the cold that radiated from her. ¡°Ugh!¡± Anne frowned and touched her ear. It was hot and wet. Anne immediately stood up and slapped the maid on the cheek. Slap! ¡°My apologies. My apologies, Madam!¡± The maid straightened her staggering body and bowed her head. Anne looked at the maid¡¯s head and sat down again. In the eyes of the other maids, the maid who had made the mistake stepped back as another maid took her place. The hand movements of the maids became more careful, and they moved without making a sound. The more she looked at herself in the mirror, the more Anne couldn¡¯t understand why the 2nd Empress neglected such a perfect hostess of the Duchy. Anne was the first to go to the dining hall, and after she had checked everything, she opened the door and greeted the guests. It was not an easy task to prepare enough that the prestige of the Duchy would not be undermined without making it seem too fancy. Still, Anne persevered. A father-in-law who only weighs her, and a sick mother-in-law who is not interested in family affairs. And her incompetent but greedy husband who is no help at all. But Anne is still able to accept it to that extent. Because they are married after all. However, she finds it unacceptable that the brother-in-law who had lived his life as he wanted without fulfilling his obligations, but later brought in a lowly girl and messed up the atmosphere of the Duke¡¯s Castle and eventually gave birth to a child, twisted the succession structure. Those people are hindrances. Those people are parasitic insects who have nothing to depend on that eat away at the effort she made. ¡°Madam Anne.¡± ¡°Nothing is out of the place this time as well.¡± Before the start of the dinner, the women who approached Anne gave compliments. They are aristocratic ladies belonging to the Western aristocracy, and they are close because they often met in the Duke¡¯s Castle, the center of the Western aristocrats. It is only natural for them to attend the dinner held by Duke Verdin, the representative family of the West, to welcome the guests from Barossa. ¡°But, I heard that the 2nd Empress is hanging out with her. Is it true?¡± ¡°There is Madam Anne, who should be the successor of the Duchy, how could she do that¡­¡± The women were as angry as she was. Then. someone breathed out and whispered. ¡°It is inevitable since they are in the same situation.¡± ¡°In the same situation? Are you talking about her and the 2nd Empress?¡± Another woman had her eyes widened, then nodded her head in comprehension with an ¡°ahhh¡±. ¡°That¡¯s right. The two of them¡­¡± Since the end of the sentence was obvious, Anne, who would normally have cut it off by properly adjusting the conversation as a mediator, chose silence. The woman, who glanced at Anne, gave more strength to her voice. ¡°Making relations with a freak of a fallen baron¡¯s family. And even that news¡¯ credibility is unknown, so it is still unclear where she came from.¡± While talking, the women around her raised their hands and laughed, shaking their heads as if they were sad. But perhaps that was just an act out of formality, as the smirking sound leaked out and their wide-bent eyes showed what they actually thought. The noblemen who came with their wives and younger sisters toasted their glasses filled with wine and talked about their interests. That¡¯s why. The somewhat noisy air buried the presence of anyone approaching. With Leon in her arms, Elisha stood in front of the dining table. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that the Duke¡¯s second daughter-in-law and I have such a thing in common. But now that I know, we will have to get along better.¡± Elisha looked at the women who had been talking. Anne was among the women who grumbled and turned their eyes away. She faced Elisha with her back straight. Like a proud lady. With a straight gaze, Elisha lightly rubbed her chin on Leon¡¯s, whom she was holding, head. Elisha was accustomed to the multitude of jealousy, hatred, contempt and disgust that was poured out on her. Those were just one of those eyes. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to say to me?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Really? Alright then. I thought you¡¯re going to make an excuse for those people. Aren¡¯t they all your relatives?¡± At Elisha¡¯s response, Anne twisted her lips. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I praise what is good and punish what is wrong even though we are relatives? I have no intention of covering up anything that is wrong.¡± It¡¯s not wrong. But if it¡¯s just to show off one¡¯s pride and expose the faults of others, well¡­ That¡¯s hypocrisy. Anne bowed her head slightly, noticing how Elisha had been staring at her. ¡°I apologize if what they said offended Your Majesty.¡± It seems like Elisha was intentionally igniting the fire. But, to put it bluntly, what Elisha said was just a little bit of an addition¡­ In the end, the true meaning of what Anne said was nothing less than reprimanding the noble ladies who are her so-called relatives for talking about the second daughter-in-law of the Duke, to please Elisha. Looking at the betrayed gazes of the Western ladies towards Anne, it seemed that the price she had to pay for even trying to touch Elisha once was very high. And above all. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I was just curious.¡± Elisha reluctantly accepted it, but the listeners did not. Elisha glanced over the ladies, as well as the nobles who were already seated at the dinner table over their shoulders, and then opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what kind of stern judgment the first daughter-in-law of the Duke will make, who doesn¡¯t seem fair enough to those who mocked me and made fun of me, the 2nd Empress.¡± Elisha is now in a position to grow the game. Those ladies aren¡¯t the only ones who got hurt because of Anne¡¯s mistake. Elisha deserves a price as well. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Anne¡¯s face hardened. There are many things that are intertwined with this event of the 2nd Empress. As there are many things to be done in cooperation with each other, she thought that the 2nd Empress, who first stimulated herself using Vera, would retreat once. She didn¡¯t know that the 2nd Empress, who is cold as ice and rational, would come out so emotionally! ¡°Why no answer? Did what I said hurt your feelings?¡± Anne couldn¡¯t say anything to Elisha. Anne had gone through many hardships before reaching the pinnacle of the Western society, eventually overcame them all and got what she wanted. Unfortunately, her opponent is far better. Elisha, who had confronted the most glamorous and beautiful women in the central capital, the flower and core of the social circle, deprived her of her victory. Even if it wasn¡¯t socially appropriate, that doesn¡¯t change the outcome. Compared to Isabelle, Anne is rather pitiful like a flower that blooms along the way. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean Elisha won¡¯t step on it. Even if others don¡¯t know that Anne looks small to Elisha, but to others she¡¯s no different than Isabelle of the West. Elisha glanced at Vera and Jonathan, and their child, who are at her right. Rozenin spoke of the parents who gave birth to Benjamin, but that was only half true. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that the child was born to be a demon, but it¡¯s that woman, Anne, that eventually made him a demon. If one is curious about the faces of the parents who gave birth to the real demons, Elisha would point not to her right, but to the woman opposite her and the stupid man beyond her. In the midst of the confrontation, it was felt that the last participant had finally arrived. It was Duke Verdin, the owner of this place. Elisha turned her head, thinking that he was really a man with a very heavy butt. ¡°Why are you standing at the entrance and didn¡¯t go in? This old man thought I was already very late, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± Seeing that the servant who was guarding him had disappeared, Duke Verdin must have already received the report, but he talked as if nothing had happened. ¡°I wish you had come a little sooner, Duke.¡± If so, who would dare to make a fuss in front of the Duke? At least the Western nobles in this banquet couldn¡¯t have done that. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and talk for a while?¡± The Duke pointed to the inside of the banquet hall. Elisha agreed by opening a space in the middle for the Duke, the master, to let him in first. The atmosphere of the dining hall was cold because it happened before the dinner started. The honor of welcoming Barossa¡¯s guests is something only the representative family of the West can have. The innermost part of the long tables was placed horizontally inside the dining hall. Everyone was seated either with their backs to the entrance to the dining hall, or facing the others with their backs to the innermost wall. Duke Verdin, who is the head of the table, sat in the center of the table, and made eye contact with the Western nobles. As soon as he sat down, he lifted the glass of wine in front of him high. ¡°Glory be to the place of the light! Allegiance to the sun of Barossa! Bless the hands of Barossa!¡± ¡°Loyalty! Blessings!¡± Other nobles follow the Duke¡¯s words and raise the wine glass at the same time. And as they finished speaking, everyone took a sip of the wine. The Duke said to Elisha, who followed them with a glass of wine and lowered it. ¡°Does Your Majesty have anything to say?¡± ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone waited for Elisha¡¯s greetings to continue, but is there any possibility? Those who realized that it was really the end of it were confused. Maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re uncomfortable with what happened just before. When the atmosphere did not subside easily, Elisha added something. ¡°I heard that everyone here gave up this opportunity to the three regions that are in the most urgent situation even in the most difficult times. His Majesty can feel the ties of the West once again, and gave great praise to everyone. He also wish everyone the best of luck.¡± ¡°Whoaaa!¡± The tension was released, and cheers erupted even louder than there had been originally. Rohan, who did not have to lightly lead people or press them to cheer for the 2nd Empress, was amazed at how the 2nd Empress controlled the atmosphere of the dining hall, which is filled with the sly people of the Duchy. However. Looking back, what makes him think that she will not be able to do something she had already done before His Majesty the Emperor? And he was very curious about what would happen next. Rohan looked at the 2nd Empress from the side. Her thin sky-blue eyes were twinkling. It looked like something was about to start. Chapter 42 Elisha listened to those who raised their voices about the situation of the continent, the future of the empire, and the usefulness of the West to play its part in it. Is this the beginning of a change in the long confrontation between the most capable emperor of all time and the most powerful noble faction in history? Although the situation was not very good, the nobles showed a strangely excited look. Elisha¡¯s sky blue eyes narrowed. Not knowing whether the change will be beneficial to her or not. While Elisha remained silent, the voices were cut off for a moment. ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t there a place where the Duke needs help? For example, in the Vecchia Plain within the Duchy.¡± She led the offense. In fact, Vecchia was a small land that could not be compared with the vast plains of the East. However, it was rare in the barren West. ¡°I understand that the Duke was reluctant to ask for help to set an example for other nobles, but the Vecchia Plain is not a place that affects not only the Verdin Duchy, but the whole of the Western Empire.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there some time before departure? In the meantime, I thought it might be okay to fulfill my duty as a guest of Barossa.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad offer. However. The Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed in embarrassment, and Elisha continued. ¡°Since the Vecchia Plain is close to the Duke¡¯s Castle, I want to get some fresh air, and the 3rd Prince is very fond of Young Master Benjamin, so can he accompany him?¡± The Duke judged Elisha¡¯s will. When a four-year-old goes out, it is natural for the mother to follow. ¡°The second daughter-in-law may be lacking in etiquette and rude, would you mind?¡± ¡°Yeah, it didn¡¯t bother me when she first showed me around the castle, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the Duke thought that his first daughter-in-law, Anne, had been firmly stamped on what had just happened. But he refused to help at all, even if it was only to ask if the 2nd Empress would like to be accompanied by the first daughter-in-law. Even with his dignity as a duke, such words did not fall out of his mouth, as the 2nd Empress would try to bring up the dispute that he had put aside. Until Benjamin grew up, he would leave the external affairs to Jonathan to increase the power to support Benjamin, and left the internal work to Anne, the first and slowest, to balance. ¡°If so, then let¡¯s do it this way. I¡¯m just grateful that Your Majesty took the first step to look at the situation in the West.¡± The Duke¡¯s consent fell, and Elisha nodded her head slightly. When the series of flow became too unfavorable to her, Anne closed her eyes tightly and opened them. Then her husband, Patrick, who was sitting next to her, looked at her father, the Duke, and said. ¡°How about I go with you? Since it is a matter related to the Duchy, it doesn¡¯t seem like it would be polite to leave it only to Sir Rohan and the 1st Knights.¡± ¡°Since his wife is going, will Jonathan just stay around? You don¡¯t have to step up!¡± When the Duke responded with a disgruntled look, Patrick immediately panicked. This is a banquet hall where most of the powerful families of the Western nobility gather. It was not a situation in which she was in a position to step forward, but as Anne was already on the defensive, and even her husband suffered humiliation on the spot, she couldn¡¯t lower her reputation further. ¡°Father, what he means is not that he will go alone.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t most of the aristocrats who came with the 2nd Empress from the capital to return to their respective estates after the dinner is over?¡± The reason why the Western nobles gathered was due to the 2nd Prince¡¯s birthday, and the reason they followed the 2nd Empress was because of Barossa¡¯s eyes. Except for the Rwanda March, the other two regions are in extremely poor condition, so it would be a big inconvenience if they visit. ¡°Since all the family members will return¡­ Before that, we must watch the grace given by Barossa to increase our loyalty and evoke the stagnant atmosphere of the West, Father. Those who were at Barossa had already seen it, but we, who stayed in the West, would like to see it in person as well.¡± Either way, it wasn¡¯t something that could come out of Patrick¡¯s head. The Duke was about to snort, but Elisha was one step ahead. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± The Duke frowned and looked at the nobles opposite him. Those who had witnessed the power of the 2nd Empress were in awe while frowning at the same time¡­ Those who have only heard about it, brighten their eyes and show great curiosity. In fact, the Duke himself had not even seen it, so he was curious to see how effective it would actually be. Depending on the 2nd Empress¡¯s abilities, the number of things to be considered in the future will increase tremendously. While the Duke was briefly looking through everyone, Anne rolled her eyes with her eyes down and sneaked a glance at Elisha. That cool, arrogant face was unbearably disgusting that her stomach was boiling. ¡­ Then, something suddenly came to mind. ¡°Since the 2nd Empress also said it doesn¡¯t matter, if I may be so bold, can I say another word?¡± This time, instead of the Duke, she asked Elisha directly. Elisha waited as if giving her the permission to speak. ¡°Come to think of it, how could we share such a good thing only among us? Wouldn¡¯t it be great if all the people of the Empire in the Duchy could see the miracle that together would overcome this ordeal? It will be the glory and joy of their lives.¡± Kung! The reaction came first from the Duke, not from Elisha. The Duke, who smashed the table with one hand, forcibly resisted the wrath he was about to unleash, wanting to say that how dare anyone make the 2nd Empress a spectacle of lowly things. It was disrespectful to say such a thing, and it was no different from giving the others something to nitpick about. The Duke is already worried about how the 2nd Empress, who is more difficult to deal with than expected, will show her displeasure and make him pay the price. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The 2nd Empress¡¯s voice pierced their ears. ¡°Your Majesty, what do you¡­¡± The Duke¡¯s words were cut in the middle. ¡°It may be a good opportunity to remind the people of His Majesty¡¯s grace.¡± The sky-blue eyes that didn¡¯t waver, so vivid that everyone felt a sense of alienation, even eerie for a moment. Because of the positions of the two people who can be said to be the parties to the conversation, it was difficult to return the conversation from the already finalized state. However, unlike the quiet Duke, the air in the dining hall heated up due to the sudden development. ¡°Can we see the process of searching for the water veins? What about that spirit?¡± ¡°With the people of the Empire? Why did Anne make such a proposal? I hate having to be in one place with those lowly things. What if it smells dirty?¡± ¡°It seems that the Duke¡¯s heart is focused on Master Jonathan, even the 2nd Empress approves this.¡± The disturbance went round and round with its tail connected. The banquet ended with only a few thoughtful people joining the Duke in keeping their mouths shut. Elisha stood up straight as if she had done her job, and followed Rohan who escorted her out. As Vera tried to chase her, Jonathan stopped her by squeezing her hand slightly tighter before letting go. ¡°We have to wait until Father gets up.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± When Vera apologized, Jonathan said it was okay and wiped the back of her hand before he continued to talk to her so that her nerves were directed elsewhere. He was afraid that the other people¡¯s gaze would be so tenacious that they would scare his wife. ¡°What on earth were you thinking by doing that!¡± The Duke was furious, but Anne did not withdraw. It was enough for her husband to have 10.000 tails in front of that old man. ¡°I was just proposing. Wasn¡¯t it the 2nd Empress who accepted it? The Duke will not be blamed.¡± Somehow, she could create a cause. ¡°Moreover, is there any need to make the name of Barossa and the 2nd Empress resound from the Duchy?¡± Let¡¯s say that even if the nobles agree. Until then, it was something one could say in their own way. What if they open the scene to the commoners, who are also the citizens of the Empire? One wouldn¡¯t know how fierce and fast their mouths are! ¡°Father, don¡¯t you remember the report of Marquis Rwanda?¡± Anne spoke without erasing her calm look until the very end. ¡°It said that the 2nd Empress found a water vein, but it ruined the 1st Empress¡¯s garden and caused a flood. Which part do you mean?¡± ¡°So, it is true that the 2nd Empress can find the water veins, but we shouldn¡¯t just wait and see ¡®who¡¯ digs it up.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The Duke let out a laugh. So, what the first daughter-in-law was saying right now¡­ ¡°It is certain that the 2nd Empress could find a water vein, but isn¡¯t that in Barossa? No matter how small the Vecchia Plain is, it is still a plain. It is not easy to find water veins in a land full of dust that has been cracked open in the scorching sun, and it will be even more difficult to dig it out.¡± It is incomparable to Barossa Palace, where dozens of Imperial Knights will rush into the garden and dig the land to find the water veins for her. Therefore, what could be done to the 2nd Empress who couldn¡¯t dig up her veins even in Barossa? In any case, all she has is her low-ranked water spirit. While the nobility and territorial residents are watching, it is highly likely that nothing would come of it. Even if she finds the right water vein. Besides. ¡°The 2nd Empress doesn¡¯t want to spend a long time here, and she has to leave on time for some reason, so she won¡¯t be able to keep an eye on the situation in the Vecchia Plain.¡± Since she can¡¯t mobilize all the knights to dig the ground, she will have to find suitable workers, but what if one loosen them up and make them lazy? What if one twists the place they¡¯re digging a little bit? Those who may have been interested at first will eventually get bored and later try to undermine the name of the 2nd Empress. Even if they succeeded in other territories, their failures in the Duchy, the largest and most important place in the West, will always hold the ankles of the 2nd Empress. ¡°I never knew you had such a toxic side.¡± The Duke stared at his first daughter-in-law with a new look. Wasn¡¯t she a child who thought it was her mission to protect her dignity as a noblewoman and fulfill her role as a dignified and calm hostess of the Duke¡¯s family, and refrained from escaping from boundaries? However, Anne personally thought that it wasn¡¯t that the Duke didn¡¯t know, but that he just didn¡¯t want to see it. What could be achieved without poison in each and every action she took to protect her place in this Duke¡¯s Castle? What kind of woman can do such a perfect job for her husband, who is useless and only makes accidents? But Anne chose silence instead of answering. The Duke didn¡¯t say anything more and let her go. There was a lot to prepare. Chapter 43 Except for meal or tea time with the Duke, Elisha spent most of her time in her quarters. There were times when she practiced swordsmanship with Rohan, but it wasn¡¯t as comfortable as it was before getting to the Duchy. Meanwhile, Vera was stuck with Elisha. She brought fabric and sewed it in Elisha¡¯s room. When Elisha was practicing, she heard the sound of the blades hitting each other and stood in the corner, not taking her eyes off her even though she was startled. Her lips curled up as she found her admirable, and when night fell, she went to her husband and got excited about what the 2nd Empress had done on that day. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a cool person in the world.¡± Vera praised the 2nd Empress, so much so that Jonathan joked that he should be jealous. However, contrary to his words, Jonathan knew that she had suffered from depression all the time since Vera married him and came to the castle, and was happy inside when his wife, who had no power, finally became brighter. Her wife was making Her Majesty¡¯s clothes and he couldn¡¯t stop her even though he was worried that it would catch his sister-in-law, brother, or father and cause trouble. Jonathan was just an ordinary father who wanted his wife and child to be happy. However, he was also a man who was realizing that what everyone else easily puts in their mouth is not because they can have it, but because it is what they want, even though it will be difficult to achieve it. Jonathan stepped forward and stood in front of the 2nd Empress¡¯s quarters. Today was the day the 2nd Empress was going to the Vecchia Plain. He heard that the road to the Vecchia Plain was full of people since yesterday, as the Duke¡¯s people spread the word. Normally, if only high-ranking aristocrats were gathered, the people of the Duchy would have avoided it because they were scared. However, how could they not be moved by the arrival of the sky-like Empress of Barossa and the first knight Rohan? In addition to that, their curiosity was only natural as it was said that Her Majesty was going to find a water supply to solve the drought by summoning a spirit. This story seemed to come out of an old story book. Even the nobles were rushing from the morning, saying they had to find a good seat. Jonathan didn¡¯t know what his father and sister-in-law were thinking about doing this, but he felt uncomfortable because it didn¡¯t seem like it would ever bring good results to anyone. Jonathan sighed deeply, and as he was about to knock on the door, he was startled by the heavy energy he felt from behind and stopped. When he turned around, a man with an impeccable appearance and a moderation in every movement was approaching behind him. ¡°Sir Rohan.¡± Rohan nodded his head slightly to greet Jonathan. He was debating whether to get away from the door and give his space to Rohan, or if he should let the 2nd Empress know that they¡¯re both here and open the door for Rohan. ¡°Come in.¡± The voice of the 2nd Empress was heard from within. When the door was opened, in the midst of the light pouring from the wide open window, the 2nd Empress, Elisha, was standing. Her silver hair fluttering in her backlight was as mysterious as a river flowing through the darkness. The dark green uniform, with its slender, white collar down the neck, blended so well with her that she looked like a forest spirit. ¡°How is it? Is it beautiful?¡± She said as Vera finished dressing her up by draping the black cloak over her shoulders from behind and securing it to keep it from falling. Jonathan nodded his head, but Rohan just stood there quietly. ¡°Vera, you¡¯ve been through a lot. I thought it would be as good as it looks, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this good.¡± She had been making completely new clothes. In that short time, without being properly prepared. When Elisha praised Vera, Vera¡¯s cheeks reddened as she rejoiced like a young girl. ¡°The carriage is waiting.¡± As Jonathan regained his senses and remembered his reason for coming here and quickly informed her, Elisha took Leon in her arms and left the room. As they descended through the spiral central staircase, they saw the central hall leading to the vestibule. In the empty space between the end of the stairs and the front door, there was a large sculpture in the shape of a lion with a large sphere in its mouth. Over the open doorway in front of them, one could see people waiting for Elisha to come out with the carriage. But Elisha moved slowly. She spread her fingers as she passed the lion statue, which is also the coat of arms of the Duke. The purple sphere between the lion¡¯s gaping jaws was larger than the head of a child. The backside of the sphere was connected to the uvula of the lion, and the frontside of it had four strong fangs biting at the tip of the lion¡¯s mouth, so she couldn¡¯t figure out how they put the sphere in that position. Perhaps Jonathan had read Elisha¡¯s unspeakable question. Or perhaps it was because most people who saw the lion thought something similar. ¡°The previous Duke discovered a huge stone with amethyst embedded in it, so he called in famous craftsmen to carve the whole thing.¡± It means that the lion statue was created by making use of the shape that was there in the first place. ¡°It must be very meaningful.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Jonathan answered, but he didn¡¯t seem to be very happy with it. It¡¯s because he knew how daunting the majestic lion statue facing the front door can make people feel. Those who come in are despised, and those who leave are pushed back. Facing it makes it difficult to breathe, even more so the heavier the burden one carries. All his immediate family knew that the previous duke had usurped the property of a low-ranking baron. Elisha¡¯s outstretched fingertips gently brushed the surface of the amethyst sphere. ¡°Amethyst like this is rare. Does Your Majesty like amethyst?¡± Vera, who knew that Elisha had been paying attention to that lion statue since she first came to the castle, asked. ¡°Probably better than pearls.¡± Elisha said. Feeling something strange, Vera tilted her head. However, she quickly forgot what she was thinking because she was chasing after Elisha who had gone past the lion statue and was leaving the front door. *** ¡°Whoa!¡± Leon, who put his forehead on the carriage window, was startled and let out a number of exclamations. Benjamin was following Leon¡¯s action in the same way, but unlike Leon, there was no change in his expression, as if he didn¡¯t feel any excitement. ¡°Look at that. I have never seen so many people.¡± The main road is full of carriages, and on the edge of the road, people are heading in the same direction, like a river that continues uninterrupted. When the Duke¡¯s carriage and the 2nd Empress appeared, everyone tried to clear the road, but it was not easy. No matter how they made space and dispersed, the speed didn¡¯t improve much. It was only after more than twice as long as usual that they arrived. The doors of the Duke¡¯s carriage and Elisha¡¯s carriage opened at the same time. Elisha, holding Leon in one arm, placed her other hand on Rohan¡¯s, who reached out to her, and got out of the carriage. When she stepped on the floor, the dust swells. Elisha frowned and looked around. The Duke¡¯s carriage stood in the center near the entrance to the Vecchia Plain, and the carriages of the nobles surrounded it. As if they had followed the edge of the main road, the commoners were standing in long groups on either side of the entrance to the plain. Such a huge crowd made it look as if a magnificent black forest had risen from the barren land. As soon as they saw Elisha, they let out a shout. ¡°Whoaaa!¡± ¡°Blessings to His Majesty the Emperor and the 2nd Empress!¡± The Duke approached Elisha when the surroundings were blaring and deafening. ¡°What would you like to do? Would you like to say something?¡± Elisha shook her head. After all, they already knew what she was coming for, and what can they hear in this noisy place? She didn¡¯t know if there is a magic orb that amplifies the sound available around, but she personally didn¡¯t seem to have prepared such a thing. Elisha did not intend to waste her strength over useless things. However. ¡°Your Majesty the 2nd Empress, show us the spirit!¡± ¡°Bless this land!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The excitement of the people of the Duchy was not normal. As Rohan clung to Elisha¡¯s side and took over Leon, the 1st Knights encircled her. The knights and soldiers who came to escort the Duke and other nobles also guarded their masters centered on the carriage and linked each other to guard against possible accidents. Kung! Kung! The floor vibrated as the gathered people stomped their feet. The energy pouring down from the left and right was so strong that the dust that rose from their feet wrapped around each other, swirled, and soared into the sky. Elisha separated herself from the people who were trying to protect her and walked forward indifferently. Behind her back, the nobles continued to step forward, receiving the gaze of the crowd on the left and the right in the direction they were walking. Being engulfed in the heat of a crowd like this isn¡¯t something one can endure just because they¡¯re brave enough. Elisha had encountered even worse enemies, and eventually killed them all. So, what is so scary about those cheering her on? It wasn¡¯t her job to motivate her allies in war, but at least she instinctively knew how to get them to move on without running away from death. ¡°Undine.¡± At Elisha¡¯s call, water droplets bounced off the dry, cracked soil. They band together and play around and fly around Elisha. ¡°T-That?¡± ¡°It is a spirit. It¡¯s a real spirit!¡± The people were mesmerized. It was difficult for the people behind to see, so some of the nobles came forward and approached. When the people wanted to see closer and tried to narrow the distance, the knights spurted out a sharp energy and made them stand back. Then Elisha made the water droplets a little higher and floated in the sky. Shuah! The water droplets became a single bird with a clear sound. Before splitting into numerous smaller birds, leaving water marks in the blowing wind. The way to move on without running away from death was actually quite simple. ¡°I can show you something more than reality.¡± It was ¡®hell¡¯ back then, but now it¡¯s ¡®hope¡¯. Elisha muttered and spread her arms wide. Dozenz, hundreds of birds followed Elisha¡¯s gestures and began to fly across the Vecchia Plain. For a moment, the space became quiet. As unrealistic scenes were added to the beautiful but sculpturally cold face, some of the people bowed down and prayed, while others burst into tears. Elisha opened her mouth. People were paying close attention to even the sound of her breathing. ¡°I have come here at His Majesty¡¯s command. His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness, the Crown Prince, are paying attention to you, and you will all be at peace. What is this if not a blessing?¡± There will be many people who have not heard it, but it will spread in all directions through those who recite what they have heard. Elisha turned and went back to those who were waiting for her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± When Rohan asked, Elisha nodded her head. The people were still very excited, and they were watching only Elisha. ¡°It seems that some of them are agitators.¡± It was not natural for the people to heat up so quickly. As Elisha spoke, Rohan¡¯s eyes sank deeply. ¡°How long will it take to dig out the water veins?¡± The agitators had only a little gap, so they put their affection in and spread the gap. It would only take an instant to make a small problem grew out of control. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Elisha, who stepped back, looked at the direction in which the drops of water that became birds flew, and then looked back at Rohan. ¡°But it¡¯s clear that I¡¯m not the one tormented by today¡¯s event.¡± Elisha added in a small voice, as if she would only let him know. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I am a person who holds grudges?¡± The 2nd Empress smiled as she said so. Looked innocent, like a child playing pranks. Rohan thought unconsciously. Translator¡¯s note: I finally, finally, braved myself to read the manhwa until the most recent update and I¡¯m very surprised that¡­ Apparently I¡¯ve been doing a pretty good job if we ignore my grammars? My calculation was I¡¯d probably done the novel 60-70% justice, since I translated a lot of things by mere guess, because *coughs* as you know, Korean language rarely use subject and object, so if in one sentence there are multiple participants¡­ and when you¡¯re not a master of the language¡­ good luck have fun. Nevertheless, I can say up until the most recent manhwa update, the accuracy should still be up there around 80-90%, which is, enough to make me hop around my room in joy. I should¡¯ve read the manhwa sooner, because¡­ Oh my god. I¡¯m sorry non-Rohan shippers. I¡¯m also surprised that the manhwa makes it clear that Blemir is jealous back in chapter¡­ 10ish (?) the one titled ¡°Emperor Kaiden¡± where Elisha had a duel with the knight Dominique, and that he really has an interest in our empress from the way he still has her gloves from Leon¡¯s birthday party. The novel does not describe what exactly he has in his pocket at that scene. The manhwa¡¯s art is actually not that bad? I wonder why the hell the cover is so bad though. I did not read it before because the cover is horrible. Anyway, that¡¯s my take about the novel. Thank you for following the series! Chapter 44 The sun, which had taken the middle sky, slowly lowered its head toward the ground. In the meantime, the crowds filling the entrance to the Vecchia Plain did not decrease but increased. Vera got worried and stomped her feet. No matter how incomparable to the eastern plains, plains are plains. A dry land with open wounds stretching out endlessly as if the roots of the huge world tree that supports the world had been torn away. The water-colored birds that flew over the distant horizon showed no sign of returning. ¡°What should be done after the water veins are found?¡± ¡°We have to put up a big flag that can be a landmark, and then dig the ground with workers.¡± Jonathan replied. He was worried that one of the processes that should have been preceded for that purpose is not being implemented properly. ¡°Someone should let the people disperse and organize the situation already, but why is everyone still standing still?¡± There was no way of knowing exactly where in the plain the water veins would be found, or how many hours it would take to dig up. However, once the 2nd Empress showed up, she inspired everyone to the fullest, making them feel like they were dreaming. Then, she let them go back just like that. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all since they could visit and see the marks of the water veins later, or hold a festival to celebrate the day when the water rushes up. The Duke¡¯s family, which can be said to be the organizer of today¡¯s event, was watching the expectations of the people and arousing their excitement. Just like putting air into a leather bag and inflating it. Eventually, the bag will not be able to bear it and explode. No matter how hard it is, it will happen. Jonathan tried to evoke his mind by slapping his cheeks with both hands. Inside the Duke¡¯s carriage, completely separated from the atmosphere outside. At first, the intense and shocking sight that the 2nd Empress had shown made his heart tremble for a moment. ¡°Tsk.¡± Duke Verdin, who quickly regained his senses, clicked his tongue because of the appearance of his second son, who was seen out of the window. He said to the first daughter-in-law sitting quietly across from him. ¡°You did a pretty good job this time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father. However¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I did it.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It is best to make the situation favorable to us, it is best to coordinate the timing. Since we have something that we can use, there is no reason not to use it.¡± Anne was not mistaken about the familiar faces that she saw between the common people. Duke Verdin looked up at the other side of the sky through the window. ¡°It¡¯s time to stop going back.¡± The Duke¡¯s carriage moved as the signal. As soon as the Duke¡¯s carriage turned, all the other nobles followed him¡­ The people had to accept that today¡¯s event ended in vain. For those who were accustomed to being deceived, it may not be difficult. It¡¯s just that the Duke didn¡¯t want to leave it just like that. This was because he hoped today¡¯s event will become a stain that will dirty the name of the 2nd Empress. Then, wouldn¡¯t he be able to ask for the price to erase it? The Duke was particularly curious as to how she had seduced William of the Western Tower, and what else she had. As the Duke opened the window slightly and pushed his hand out and flicked his fingertips, the waiting knight of the Duke family approached the driver and gave instructions. Soon, the carriage jerked lightly and began to move slowly. Elisha stood alone in the depths of the plain. She heard the carriage wheels scraping the floor behind her, but didn¡¯t turn around. Only after the carriage approached her side, the window opened, and the Duke showed his face, did she turn her gaze. ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t we end this here and leave? Even if the Duke¡¯s Castle is not far away, as the sun goes down, it will be too dangerous to scramble through the darkness with a party of this size mixed with local residents.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is no way that it will be easy here even if you have done it in Barossa. Don¡¯t be too heartbroken, Your Majesty.¡± Elisha opened her mouth, fearing that the Duke would continue to annoy her if she left it like that. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go back first.¡± ¡°But-¡± Elisha shook her head and cut off the Duke¡¯s words. If she hadn¡¯t allowed it, he would have said he had no choice but to go because he wasn¡¯t feeling well. ¡°Without Sir Rohan, I would never have left the 2nd Empress alone, but now that he is there, what do I have to worry about? I will go first, trusting that Your Majesty will follow me soon.¡± The Duke said, while stroking his wrinkled lips with his hand to hide his laughter. The Duke, who had left the responsibility coolly, thought that it was not bad to leave a direct lineage to add to the cause, and left Jonathan to entrust the subsequent work. As the Duke¡¯s carriage left the entrance to the Vecchia Plain, the other nobles also gave Elisha their own excuses and followed the Duke. In an instant, at the beginning of the plain, only a huge number of local residents and Elisha and her party were left alone. ¡°What¡¯s going on? The aristocrats are all pulling their butt out?¡± ¡°It will get dark in a little while if they don¡¯t go. Do you think they¡¯d like to spend the night here? Look around. If a crowd of this size were to leave at once, the carriages would be immobile because of the madness.¡± How can those noble people be waiting for that? They¡¯d rather smash the head of one or two commoners with their carriage wheels. If they split up, it won¡¯t be called a party. If even one wheel is broken because of a riot, it¡¯s going to be difficult to fix it in a remote place like this. Therefore, it looked like the nobles pulled out the carriage first before things got complicated. ¡°Will the 2nd Empress leave now?¡± Since the people had been standing under the scorching sun for a long time, complaints started to pop out of their tired minds. ¡°Even though there hasn¡¯t been any result of the water veins?¡± ¡°What does it matter? If the nobles want to do something, they just do it.¡± A man who seemed inconspicuous, shrugged and responded. Then he exhaled exaggeratedly. ¡°Whew. We¡¯ve waited this long and it¡¯s futile. We¡¯ve been struggling a lot because of the lack of water¡­ On a day like today, I thought it would make me feel better just looking at the cool water spurting out of the ground.¡± At that moment, the man next to the man groaned, his face twisted badly. ¡°Ayy, what an idiot! You still think about feeling better? Is now the time to talk nonsense like that? If there is no water, we will all die. We will all wither to death like this!¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it coming out soon? If you dig in the ground after finding the water veins¡­¡± ¡°And what if it¡¯s not coming any time soon? How can you believe in an invisible walk? What if it turns out to be a mistake?¡± ¡°But is there anything we can do?¡± Suddenly, everyone around them was listening to their conversation. If the content was one-sided, someone who opposed it might have broken the mood, but the person attracted attention by controlling the dynamics so well. They scratched the tickled parts, complained of injustice, and sometimes defended the 2nd Empress, so their conversation seemed fairly fair to the listeners. As a result, many things that had been suppressed in the past sprung up at the same time. At that time, the 2nd Empress, who had been staring at the other side of the plain without disruption, turned her body for the first time. Elisha moved when the procession of the carriage of the nobles disappeared from view. With every step she took, the disappointment of the people seems to have dug a black hole. ¡°Would you like to get into the carriage?¡± Rohan asked while approaching her. As instructed by Elisha, riding in the carriage were Leon, Vera, and Benjamin. Besides the 1st Knights and Jonathan, ten knights of the Duke¡¯s family were waiting around the carriage. Elisha, who shook her head at Rohan, swerved away from him, with thousands of eyes still looking only at her. The workers Anne had prepared in advance were gathered at the point past Rohan and deviated to the right of the carriage. It doesn¡¯t make sense to have knights dig the ground like in the Imperial Palace, so they brought in experts who do their job well. ¡°Hiiiy!¡± When the 2nd Empress approached them, the workers inhaled the wind and said they did not know what to do. The people who were gathering around the workers were still complaining, barely closing their mouths and swallowing with their dry throat. Elisha stopped in front of them, bent her upper body, and held what was placed on the floor in her hand. Bung! After one light turn, a two-metre-long rod, well beyond her height, was erected vertically by Elisha¡¯s hand, a two-metre-long rod. The lower part is sharply trimmed, so it¡¯s good to fix the rod in place, and there is a big triangular piece of cloth on the upper part of the head. As the triangular cloth unfolded in the wind, an image of a lion with a purple sphere appeared. Turning around and looking back at the plain, Elisha turned the direction of her hand holding the rod. The rod went from vertical to horizontal. Elisha leaned her upper body back as far as she could. Elisha then let go of what she was holding in her right arm in a throwing motion. Swaeeeeegh! The flag in her hand flew like an arrow. It soared steeply and gradually lost its strength and began to draw a gentle curve. Left like that, it would soon land to the ground. It¡¯s like she was standing in a completely different world from those who were complaining and trying to embarrass her because they didn¡¯t know what the hell was going on. Elisha casually threw the second and third flags. Swaegh! Swaeeeegh! The flags flew through the sky sequentially. And just before the first flag hits the ground! Hororong! The sound of water birds was heard. ¡°It¡¯s coming! It¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°There!¡± The water birds that disappeared over the horizon were back. The water birds covering the cracked ground fluttered in the silvery waves in the falling light. It was a strange yet beautiful sight. And one of them caught the first flag just before it hit the floor. As the bird was too small to bear the weight alone, the water birds flocked to it, and they changed into a new shape. Hwiik! Hwik! Becoming a hawk that soars by the flap of its large wings. A triangular piece of cloth fluttered from the edge of the flag held by its sharp claws. The image of a lion with a purple sphere twisted and unfolded, as if submerged in the current and sinking. The remaining water birds also turned into a few hawks and flew into the sky holding flags that were about to hit the ground in their claws. ¡°Go and leave a mark.¡± As Elisha spoke, leaving only the first one, the rest of the birds flew over the horizon again reflecting the sunlight. Elisha looked at the knights of the Duke. They were dazed, and only came to their senses when Rohan reminded them. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± After they bowed their heads, Elisha said. ¡°Follow those birds and see where the signs are. And it would be better to leave a new mark. The flag is more likely to be swept away by the wind or damaged by monsters.¡± The knights of the Duke family were in chaos, perhaps because she was not their master. They did not leave the site immediately, so Elisha narrowed her eyes. ¡°What is it? You don¡¯t want to go with the horses? Should I ask those birds to bite you by the neck and drop you at the marked sites?¡± The knights looked back at Jonathan in a cold mess. Jonathan nodded and quickly got on his horse and accelerated. A cloud of dust rose and subsided, and all the knights of the Duke family disappeared. Elisha wiped the dirt off her hands and patted her clothes, and as she walked towards the carriage, she heard a voice from where the commoners were. ¡°Is this the end? After all, nothing has been confirmed yet.¡± ¡°I heard that in Barossa you made water gushing out of the ground!¡± ¡°Did you not want to show it all in front of us because we¡¯re commoners? Then let us beg more earnestly so you may change your mind!¡± Elisha leaned her head slowly to the side and made eye contact with the person who made the sound. Chapter 45 It only took a moment for the situation to get worse out of control. For example. ¡°Your Majesty, please!¡± ¡°Please, have pity on us!¡± ¡°Have mercy on us!¡± It took very little time for those eager cries to turn into ghastly screams. Elisha turned her face away from the man who had been inciting the crowd until just now. There were several people like that among the masses on the left and right at the beginning of the plain. When the water birds had not returned, they incited the people to urge Elisha to leave the marks. Now, after the water birds left the marks like this, they made the people beg for the water to come out. The bad thing was that the instigators clearly knew what they were doing, but the perpetrators didn¡¯t. The commoners had no idea what they were doing wrong or how things were going wrong. It was only natural that the people of the Duchy would think that they were merely appealing to the superior of Barossa, who was in the heavenly position, to explain their situation. Would it be possible for them to accept things the way they are right now? Would the immense heat radiated by thousands of people staring at Elisha be pure, or would it be seen as a sign of a riot accompanied by madness? As time passed, the steps taken by those who wanted to see the miracle that might be performed soon became a tsunami. Black waves rippled and rushed towards Elisha from the left and right. When the people came to their senses, they were so surprised because they were already so close to the 2nd Empress. ¡°Ugh!¡± The panicked people tried to stop their movements, but the force behind them was too strong. The more they endured, the more they got entangled and the confusion only increased. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Thompson was one of those in the front row of the crowd. With his upper body leaning back, he pushed to the ground with the soles of his feet, trying hard not to move forward. This was clearly intentional! Had he been pushed naturally, he would have rolled straight to the ground. Thompson¡¯s body floated so high that the soles of his feet couldn¡¯t touch the ground! Thud! As he fell with his face on the floor, he felt no pain. He only thought that he was already dead, because he knew where he must have flown. There was no way the knights would¡¯ve left him alone! But after a while, nothing happened. As Thompson lifted his face from the ground, a small foot approached in front of him. Elisha looked down at the man, who was lying flat on the floor while holding his breath, pretending to be dead. ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°Should I kill him?¡± As soon as the words were finished, the man stood up tremblingly and said. ¡°P-Please save me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I¡¯ve paid so much attention to save you.¡± She didn¡¯t mean to pick up the man, but it was not wrong to help a victim who would have been used as bait and thrown away like him. The man was surprised by Elisha¡¯s answer and opened his eyes wide. It was difficult for him to understand. But Elisha didn¡¯t feel the need to explain, so she simply waved her hand. The man, who dared not ask more, saluted her on the floor again and again before he withdrew. Elisha looked around. The moment the man jumped out in front of Elisha, the hearts of the people, who realized that their actions were too excessive, turned cold. At this rate, they did not know what punishment they would receive from the 2nd Empress, and their body trembled in fear. Silence follows. Contrary to her cool expression, Elisha was very satisfied with the current situation. If her blood were oil, she would have burned more vigorously at this moment instead of sinking! Duke Verdin thought that if he and the other nobles remained, the locals would not move easily as they were accustomed to being frightened, and when there was a riot, the Duke and nobles could also suffer damage, so they escaped first leaving only Elisha¡­ He must¡¯ve thought that he had made a choice which put him in a completely advantageous position, but well¡­ Was it really like this? At least, if Elisha hadn¡¯t wished for it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do his own thing so easily. ¡°They were the variables in my plan, and I¡¯m so grateful that they disappeared.¡± Just like how Duke Verdin was unsure how the thousands of people would behave in front of her, Elisha doubted whether Duke Verdin and other nobles would show up before the thousands of people. She was also wary of the knights accompanying the nobles distorting the flow by acting excessively towards the local residents. Similarly, the knights of the Duke family who remained with Jonathan were more likely to collide with her plans if they exert pressure on the people and restrain their actions. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Rohan approached her and called her quietly. As she looked back, Rohan pointed to somewhere with his eyes. Those who were inciting the people fainted in the hands of the knights. ¡°Will this prevent blood from being sprayed on Barossa¡¯s first move?¡± Elisha murmured. ¡°Do you want to go back now?¡± Rohan asked. Elisha shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t we still have some time to wrap this up?¡± The people were lying flat, unaware that the people who were encouraging them had disappeared. ¡°Besides, it is better to have a happy ending than to be scared like this, right?¡± Elisha stepped forwards in the direction of the plain. Horororong! The one remaining hawk with its wings spread wide circled over Elisha¡¯s head. Hwiiik! Elisha whistled, and the hawk soared out of its circle. ¡°Oh? Ohh?¡± The people looked toward the direction where the bird went. They opened my eyes wide, wondering what was going on, but they didn¡¯t know what to say, so they just moved their eyes around. Suddenly, the bird stopped flying when it was about to touch the sun in the sky. It then began to descend with its beak facing the ground. Swaeeegh! Even though everyone knew that the bird that was falling with great speed wasn¡¯t alive, there were astonished sounds coming from here and there. Cwhaaak! The bird crashed into the ground and made a loud noise. Instead of being crushed, the water that had been firmly fixed was released and spilled onto the floor. A flag stood in the middle of the damp, muddy ground. The other flags were far away, somewhere on the plain, but this one was still a distance that the local residents could see with their own eyes. Elisha moved her mana while looking at the flag standing alone in the plain, several tens of meters away from her. Not her own mana. She was using the power she put into Undine, through Undine. Even if she didn¡¯t know much about the sequel and had never summoned a lower spirit, she knew that this was not the power that an ordinary lower spirit could produce. It was incomparable to the time when Ignis, the Fire Spirit King, belonged to her, but a presence that could not be said to be inferior to that enveloped Elisha. It¡¯s not like a small pocket that only accepts a certain amount and lets one take it out and use it¡­ Would it be more correct to say that one can put as much as they can in a very large pocket and take it out when they want to use it? Undine should not be able to do that if she is only ¡®ordinary¡¯. Then, what kind of existence is Undine? Even in the midst of being puzzled, the mana that had soaked into the dry ground dug down and down. As she did her best, a feeling of exaltation spread throughout her body. Tuduk! Tuduk! The sound of something being torn off echoed from the ground. It was too clear to say that one had heard it wrong. With the flag as the center, the ground slowly splitted apart. In the open ground, as if an invisible giant hand held it from side to side¡­ Clear water drops splashed. One drop, two drops, three drops. Then soon¡­ Swhaaaaaaa! A stream of water pouring down like a fountain wetted the dry land. There was only a 20-meter-long crack in the center of the flag, so it was not enough to wet all the sides¡­ ¡°It¡¯s water!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really water!¡± But it was enough to show the people of the Duchy. They had been terrified, not knowing what kind of punishment they would receive, but to receive a gift like this¡­ The people with brightened faces bowed to Elisha over and over and wept. ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± Sincere greetings from all directions tickled Elisha. Elisha frowned. This was because she didn¡¯t know where to scratch this unknown itch and how to get rid of it. Elisha, who had given up on saying anything, turned to the carriage and looked at Rohan. Strange. Rohan, who was always standing in a proper posture without any flaws, shook. No, that¡¯s not right. Cough! Elisha coughed. Her body swayed. Rohan¡¯s brown eyes widened instantly. In it, Elisha¡¯s falling body was reflected. Elisha¡¯s body was grabbed by Rohan¡¯s outstretched hand. Red blood was sprinkled on the green robe that Vera had made for her. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± The astonished people shouted. The Knights of the 1st Order drew their swords and blocked them from approaching. Chaeng! Those who stopped in front of the blue blade of the swords wept and fell to the ground again. Cries were pouring down like rain on Elisha. ¡°It¡¯s so noisy. Why do they¡­ get scared so easily, smile to show their gratitude for not killing them, and weep even though it is the first time they saw me today? Such trivial things. Why are they so¡­ foolish and frustrating?¡± They became like that because of someone. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re pathetic?¡± Elisha closed her eyes instead of answering Rohan¡¯s question. She soon lost consciousness. *** Elisha rubbed her face without realizing it when she felt something warm and soft in her arms. ¡°Mother! Are you alright?¡± Elisha opened her eyes at the worried voice. When she regained her consciousness, she was lying on the bed of the quarters assigned to her by the Duke. Leon¡¯s face was in her arms, his eyes swollen. ¡°I¡¯m alright. You must have been very surprised.¡± Elisha stroked Leon¡¯s head as she spoke, and Leon grabbed her neck with both arms tightly. As if trying to get her up. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Vera called Elisha. She also had red eyes. But, more than that¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± It was clear that something was going on as her eyes were trembling and she was biting her lips. Without waiting for an answer, Elisha got off the bed and stretched out her hand. Knowing that she wouldn¡¯t listen to what she said, Dorian, the maid, brought Elisha clothes that could be worn quickly. As Elisha, dressed in clothes, opened the door and walked out, Vera led her out. She went down to the central hall, passed the lion statue, and opened the main door, only to see the Duke and Rohan facing each other in the space. Chapter 46 Instead of asking what was going on, Elisha checked the situation with her own eyes. Behind the Duke and Rohan, who were facing each other, each with knights following them, was a group of servants kneeling¡­ Elisha was also familiar with those who were treated as criminals by Rohan¡¯s 1st Knights, whose hands were tied behind their back. They were the people who were inciting the crowd earlier. ¡­ Well, what is going on here? Then Elisha turned her gaze to the men who were treated harshly by the knights of Duke Verdin. Ah! It was the man who was thrown before Elisha back at the plains and almost died! Along with ordinary commoners who were covered in tears and a runny nose. ¡°Haa.¡± It was then that Elisha realized what had happened. A knight he had left with Jonathan came running with his tongue out, and Duke Verdin, who was returning to the Duke¡¯s Castle, almost lost his mind when he saw a report. He hurriedly turned the carriage back to Vecchia Plain. When he arrived, the carriage of the 2nd Empress still stood on the spot before, with thousands of commoners surrounding it and wept bitterly. And those commoners were praising the 2nd Empress. None of them died, water veins were stamped all over the plains, and water spewed out from the new cracks inside. The 2nd Empress, who had done all of this even by vomiting blood, was lying in that wagon, so this situation was natural. The Duke was also amazed. He knew that the 2nd Empress would be all right, but he didn¡¯t know the situation would grow to be like this. It cannot be left unattended. Even if it would seem too much, he had to make a stain in this warm atmosphere. He played with the 2nd Empress without getting any results, therefore he could not tolerate the 2nd Empress receiving all the good stuff alone. The Duke ordered his knights to capture those who dared to threaten and oppress the Imperial family. Thousands of people were ripped apart, and those close to the carriage were captured. If it hadn¡¯t been for Rohan to run up to the panicking crowd, the situation would¡¯ve grown even worse. The confrontation between the two began in this way. As darkness fell and danger was everywhere, they disbanded the crowd except for those captured, and returned to the Duke¡¯s Castle before they continued again. ¡°They deserve punishment because they threatened the safety of the Imperial family and committed disloyalty!¡± ¡°Do not mislead the truth. They are just ordinary people who want to be favored and the people whom the Duke should protect. The real sinner is the group of people who have done something disrespectful with a clear purpose.¡± Rohan wasn¡¯t rude, he was just right up to that point. His soft, auburn eyes were strict, and his stubborn lips were tightly shut. As his well-groomed face hardened, there was a sense of indescribable intimidation. The Duke¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°Count Scherzer! Do you intend to surpass my authority now? This is the Duchy and they are my subjects. Whether you disagree with my judgment, ask His Majesty the Emperor for the injustice you think you suffer from later!¡± Of course, at that time, everything will be finished and there will be nothing to dig up properly, and even if there is, it will be finished in an arbitration line in consideration of His Majesty¡¯s face. While talking, the Duke swept down his wrinkled mouth with his hand. His eyes are dull. But he is still the Duke. His presence as one of the three major dukes of the Empire was not far behind Rohan, the knight of the Empire. Before the tension between the two of them could be ripped apart, Elisha stepped up. ¡°I heard that those captured by the Duke threatened the Imperial family and committed disloyalty. Isn¡¯t this treason? Treason is a serious crime in which three direct generations will be punished. Wouldn¡¯t it be overkill if the Duke of the territory himself takes care of it?¡± Elisha shuffled between the two of them and stood with Rohan behind her as if protecting him and faced Duke Verdin. Rohan was at a loss for words as her slender shoulders and skinny back stood in front of him. But he had no intention of stopping. The 2nd Empress was someone who had proven her self-worth and abilities. If she wanted to be protected, he would treat her as Barossa¡¯s lady, but if she didn¡¯t, he would go with her choice. But apart from that, it was still night and the 2nd Empress had fainted with blood and had just woken up. Rohan took off his robe and put it on Elisha¡¯s shoulder. The clothes that Elisha put on in a hurry were too thin and light. Elisha was not surprised by the sudden warmth. With Rohan behind her back, she was safe. Elisha grabbed the front hem of the robe that was draped over her shoulders, squeezing it with her hands to keep it from falling, and asked the Duke, who was staring at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Duke spared no answer. Elisha didn¡¯t get it wrong. Treason is an indispensable word that can somehow be intertwined with anything. Speaking of, his underlings who were tasked to interfere with the 2nd Empress¡¯s event who had been caught¡­ Rohan¡¯s hands had caught his messy deeds, and the 2nd Empress was speaking of treason. If he took even just one wrong step, he didn¡¯t know what kind of cliff he was going to fall down from! For some reason, the more he made a choice to improve something, the more he seemed to fall into the abyss. Therefore, the Duke gritted his teeth. Then Elisha suggested. ¡°How about this? The Duke¡¯s arrests were unlucky and not your fault, so let us release them, and take away those captured by Sir Rohan and the 1st Knights, who committed treason the Duke has suspected.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Will that be alright?¡± ¡°Why not? The event at the Vecchia Plain was a success without any problems thanks to Sir Rohan. At the end of the day, the people may have been a little too excited, and the Duke was overly concerned, but I believe he will read the situation well in the end without misunderstanding.¡± If he answered, it would be like acknowledging today¡¯s event and paving the way for the 2nd Empress¡¯s first steps, however, not doing it made less sense¡­ ¡°¡­ As you said, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Those ungrateful people do not belong to the Duchy, so a fair judgment is possible, right? Please let us know of the results afterwards. Since Sir Rohan was the one who captured them, Sir Rohan has the rights.¡± ¡°It will be done.¡± Elisha walked past the Duke, nodding lightly as if she had thought well of the Duke, who was trembling with his fists trembling. As the knights of the Duke family reluctantly retreated, she took a look at the commoners, who looked more like beggars. Elisha frowned at them, who were still weeping. ¡°Too noisy. Stop crying.¡± ¡°Hiiyyy!¡± Some of those startled by her voice hiccuped. Then, Elisha, who was about to leave, turned to the Duke. ¡°It¡¯s late.¡± ¡°Are you going to even prepare a place for them to sleep?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there people waiting for them at home? Why don¡¯t you have mercy on them so they can go with something in their hand?¡± When the Duke¡¯s butler, who had white hair and a mustache, saw the situation, he handed Elisha a bag full of money out of nowhere. Elisha then threw it at the man who had fallen in front of her in Vecchia. ¡°Share it among you and you better not be greedy.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes! Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The man, Thompson, bowed his head and shouted loudly. ¡°If there is a problem with today¡¯s work, even in the future, send a call to Sir Rohan in the capital. Then it will be resolved.¡± This is a warning to the people of the Duke, not to the commoners whom she was talking to. It may not be easy for commoners to communicate with the capital, but there is nothing impossible as long as they have the will. Thompson and the others were about to make noise again, so Elisha waved her hand. Elisha, who was guided by the butler, straightened out the people¡¯s crumpled bodies and watched them leave the Duke¡¯s Castle, before motioning with her chin to the 1st Knights. The group that Perry had captured was handed over to the knights of the Dukes. ¡°Ah, seriously!¡± Miller, who had a quick temper, felt regret. ¡°Are we finished here now?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s more to do, you can take care of it, Duke.¡± Hearing Elisha¡¯s reply, the Duke took a long breath to maintain his composure. He was usually calm, and it was unfamiliar for him to be cornered like this. The Duke disappeared with his subordinates with a brief greeting, saying that he must pay back the 2nd Empress who made him realize the things he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Even if we take those people in, we can¡¯t take them to another territory for questioning, and even if we send them to the capital, there¡¯s a lot of procedure, so we¡¯d have to leave it to the Duchy anyway.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like this!¡± Miller realized it too late and opened his eyes wide. ¡°And one more thing, since the Duke was persuaded to make a just judgment and he gave off a feeling that he would check the matter thoroughly, no matter how those people belong to him, the Duke will not be able to overlook it. He will surely punish and kill them, but what will the other subordinates who see it think?¡± They¡¯d think that the master does nothing for their colleagues. Even if it doesn¡¯t have a big impact right away, nobody knows how it will change in the future. Rohan stared silently as Elisha explained to Miller. His Majesty the Emperor considers a lot of things when making decisions, but he never tells others why he did it. On the other hand, the 2nd Empress is secretive, but if you ask, she will explain. Besides, doesn¡¯t that look like comforting Miller. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s like His Majesty, or if they¡¯re very different.¡± Anyway, the clothes were too big. Rohan smiled unconsciously as he saw the silver-haired woman walking around buried deep in his coat. When Elisha realized that she was not feeling well and that the 3rd Prince was still waiting, she hurried to clean up. *** Late night. The first couple, Patrick and his wife, were called to the Duke¡¯s office. There wasn¡¯t a loud noise, but when they both came out, their complexions were so pale that they looked like they were going to faint at any moment. ¡°So, why did you do that?¡± Although the aristocrat usually values his face and he usually acts obediently to his wife, at the moment, Patrick was looking at his wife, who is usually more capable than him. Anne bit her lower lip tight when he gave her a scolding in a shameful tone. ¡°How could you¡­¡± ¡°Father finds us even more unsightly while Jonathan did all the good things because of you. He already ignored me so much back then, and even after you stepped in, it didn¡¯t turn out for the better, did it?¡± Patrick, who seemed to have accumulated a lot of stuff, said he had to drink alcohol, and disappeared with his short body that even the wind could blow over. Anne stood there as if stuck in the place left alone, unable to move for a long time. ¡°Cih! Fine then. Fine!¡± *** After pouring a bottle of alcohol into his mouth and flirting with the maids, who were not known for their arrogance, and lifted their skirts, Patrick went around in search of the escapees until he reached the concourse. ¡°What¡¯s this? Where are you guys?¡± Blinking his eyes and scanning the dimly lit central hall, Patrick only realized when he saw a familiar lion statue. ¡°Aaah! That¡¯s the thing Father considers more dignified than his son! That¡¯s it. Haha!¡± Patrick, who was laughing, suddenly became quiet. Belatedly, he saw a black shadow standing next to the lion statue. W-What? Surprised Patrick tried to calm himself and looked closely¡­ It was a woman who looked beautiful even when he looked at her through his blurry eyes. Her hair, shining silver in the moonlight¡­ reminds him of someone. Who was it again? As Patrick moved closer, he stiffened. ¡°Hiiiyyy!¡± He had noticed that something was strange, but then¡­ Her feet! The figure has no feet! The woman was looking down at himself with her body floating in the air. ¡°A- A ghost!¡± Patrick swung his arm around and dropped the bottle, then his foot slipped on the spill. Kwadang! His body was thrown to the floor with a loud sound. Then it was dark. ¡°Tsk.¡± He couldn¡¯t hear the disgusting click of the tongue that fell over him. Chapter 47 An invisible hand pressed down on her shoulder. Her body slowly sunk below the surface of the water. Silence filled the ear holes and wrapped around her whole body. She was free from the world and she was alone. Yet it made her feel at peace, not loneliness. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t think that anything could hurt her. But because her ferocious self didn¡¯t seem to hurt anyone. It was because she had been the monster who wore iron-like thorns all over her body, and eventually pierced even the youngest to death. The cold water covered the eyes after the mouth and nose. She was out of breath, but she didn¡¯t want to break this tranquility. She didn¡¯t think it would be bad to fall asleep like this forever. ¡ªMother! Someone was calling her. ¡ªMother! It was a sound that must never be ignored or forgotten. And from the beginning, Elisha had no intention of doing that. How can the wind cover a hope? It could not extinguish even a single ember from the burning flames. But. Elisha, who had stretched out her right hand in the direction from which the sound was heard, stopped. Didn¡¯t want to approach it recklessly. Didn¡¯t want to hurt it again. If she made him cry again¡­. She might make him die again. There were sharp thorns all over her body, so just being next to someone would hurt him or her. Every time she recalled a memory, a blue blade cut across her heart. Despite the eerie sensation of the fluttering mass of flesh splaying from side to side, Elisha could not take her hand from the child beyond the surface of the water calling for her. So, she put her free left hand to her right hand and broke the thorn that sprouted from her hand. Dak! Daddak! Pain rose from the broken thorn and her blood flowed, but Elisha did not stop. But, it was strange. No matter how much she stretched out her arms, no matter how much she struggled through the air out of the water, she did not reach the child. She wanted to hold the little hand of the child. She wanted to rub his fingertips and kiss him on his tender skin. All the thorns had been broken. It wouldn¡¯t hurt anymore, it wouldn¡¯t hurt, so it would be okay, wouldn¡¯t it? Elisha¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the blood on her hand held up high, and the disgusting skin with the cross-section of broken thorns. Ah¡­! Did I scare him? Did I frighten him? Elisha¡¯s fingertips trembled incessantly. No. It¡¯s alright. I can wipe off the blood quickly. She grabbed the root of the thorns with the disgusting scar, and pulled it out¡­ As Elisha wiggled her hand, the water that had supported her until now suddenly became a net and wrapped around her. The more she panicked, the stronger she would be dragged into the water, and she would eventually fall into the depths of the water. Rather than holding it in, she forced herself to turn around, and the blocked breathing made her vision dark. Just before Elisha was completely submerged in the water. A touch of warmth touched the tip of her finger, which was sticking out of the water surface. Tudukk! Tuk! It was a water drop. The blood was washed away. At the same time, a small, delicate force began to pull her above the surface of the water. Elisha shook her head. She was afraid that even someone who was trying to save her would fall into the water. If there is such a person, it must be Leon. However, the more Elisha pushed, the more the opponent pulled her hand. ¡°No.¡± At this time, Elisha opened her eyes. Her vision brightened, and she could see the child¡¯s face right away. Leon, who was looking down at Elisha, hugged his mother tightly with tears along his face. Elisha was startled and tried to back off, but she was unable to do anything because she was lying down and the bed was firmly behind her back. ¡°The thorns¡­ ¡± She just broke the one on her right hand. As Elisha¡¯s face stiffened completely from still reminiscing of the steel thorns that would still sprout elsewhere, the soft, soft hair of the child touched her cheek. The wheezing sound of breathing was somewhat tight, but it did not seem like it was caused by enduring pain. Right. She was finally able to breath as she was relieved, cool air permeated deep into her lungs. That was when she realized it was a dream. Elisha¡¯s nights usually came with nightmares, but she was never afraid of them. It was because in the past, reality was nothing worse than a nightmare, and she had a child she could only meet there, so she even looked forward to it. However. The past left only traces, and everything changed when she thought that the present may not lead to the future if she keeps thinking only about the past. The real thing started when she was afraid. ¡°Did you have a terrifying dream, Mother?¡± When there was no answer, the child clasped Elisha¡¯s neck with his thin arms. ¡°Are you in a lot of pain, Mother?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elisha turned her body while embracing Leon, who asked the question, and made eye contact with the child. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in pain?¡± ¡°Why would I be in pain? Mother, are you sick?¡± With that said, Leon¡¯s complexion turned pale as if he was very surprised. In addition to that, it reminded him of the event when Elisha collapsed in blood yesterday, and tears flowed down again. Still, he wondered if it would make his mother feel worse, so he somehow managed to catch his breath and tried to pretend it was nothing. ¡°Why did you ask me that?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha frowned slightly, then opened her mouth. ¡°I was a hedgehog in my dream.¡± ¡°A hedgehog?¡± Leon¡¯s eyes widened at the somewhat absurd content. ¡°I want to hug you, but I was worried that if I did, my thorns would pierce you.¡± ¡°Mother, seriously.¡± Leon rolled his eyes and smirked. ¡°If Mother is a hedgehog, then I am a young hedgehog. Since we are both the same, your thorns won¡¯t hurt me!¡± Elisha was surprised after hearing the words that were casually said. She had never thought of it like that. ¡°However.¡± When his mother rolled her lower lip inward and her eyes blurred, the clever Leon noticed right away. This wasn¡¯t just a dream story. It was a very important part to his mother. Having tough skin so that it doesn¡¯t hurt even if they are stabbed¡­ He wouldn¡¯t be able to relieve his mother¡¯s anxiety just by saying that they will not feel pain from each other¡¯s thorns. Leon¡¯s blue eyes, which had been moving around with his head, became clearer at some point. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°What is it, Leon?¡± ¡°If you dream of becoming a hedgehog again. Then please hug me the hedgehog¡¯s way, not the human way.¡± Elisha blinked as if asking what he meant, and Leon added. ¡°Because we are humans, we hug each other tightly with our arms like this to comfort and express our feelings, but hedgehogs have short limbs.¡± ¡°That is¡­ correct.¡± ¡°Each tribe has different appearances and different ways of living, wouldn¡¯t it be the same with hedgehogs? For hedgehogs, making eye contact, waving their tails, or resting side by side in a distance where no thorns can reach has the same meaning as hugging a person. If Mother still doesn¡¯t know what to do¡­ At that time, when you see Leon the hedgehog, don¡¯t be scared or back down. If you do, Leon the hedgehog will surely hug Mother in the hedgehog¡¯s way. No one will get sick, and no one will get hurt.¡± Leon patted Elisha. The way when she told him it was okay when he peed and ruined the duvet and cried. ¡°If that hedgehog was me, it would love Mother the same as I do. So¡­ don¡¯t cry, Mother.¡± Leon covered his mother¡¯s cheek with his little hand. Her expression was indifferent, but tears were flowing nonstop from her sky blue eyes. Leaning to her side, a handful of tears filled Leon¡¯s small palm, overflowing, and wet the pillowcase. Whether this feeling was joy, remorse, or a growing pain, Elisha didn¡¯t know what to do. Meanwhile, the child fell asleep. The morning was slowly coming out of the window, but Elisha didn¡¯t care and pulled out the blanket to cover the child¡¯s neck well. It wasn¡¯t easy to raise her arm. It seems that many things that happened yesterday were difficult. But more than anything. Cha-rank! Elisha just remembered it in her head before she looked up at the creature that had already appeared on the bed, who was just blinking her eyes. Then Elisha¡¯s forehead knitted, as if she was suffering a headache. There was nothing surprising. Because Elisha had already thought that it seemed like an out-of-standard existence. But, still. ¡°It¡¯s changed.¡± Undine, who now had the form of a grown-up girl rather than a little girl, nodded her head as if she had heard Elisha¡¯s small murmur. However, as if her characteristic disposition had not changed, she immediately floated a drop of water in the air as if bored, and used it as a stepping stone, jumping around and playing pranks. Every time Undine moves, the long skirt slowly unfolds and sinks like a wave blown by the wind. ¡°Are you growing up, or are you returning to your original form?¡± The two may have the same result, but the essence is different. Well, that was the only question that ran in her heart regarding the current situation. Elisha licked her lips in fear of waking up the child. When the child tossed and turned a little, her shoulders were stiff and only her fingertips moved slightly, concentrating on patting the child. Undine was still smiling and playing jokes around. As if they both knew that it wasn¡¯t time to hear the answer yet. After a while, Elisha¡¯s eyes closed. Undine looked down at the two people hugging and comforting each other. The water-blue transparent eyeballs, which were smoothly cut into one without distinction between the pupil and the white part, fluttered with the incoming light. ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± A scream echoed through the space. ¡°What the hell? What happened?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± From early in the morning, the maids, who had been busy doing their respective tasks, gathered in the central hall where the sound was heard. They found Patrick sprawling near the central hall lion statue and screamed. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Someone whispered to Annie, the first maid who shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what happened last night? He was probably so drunk and flirted with those good kids.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Annie glanced at the faces of some of her colleagues, who were supposed to be the target, and then stopped. Then she purposely grumbled loudly to change the mood. ¡°Didn¡¯t the knights go this way a while ago? They must have seen it, but why didn¡¯t they wake anyone up?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, would you want to get involved in this matter? It¡¯s better to pretend you don¡¯t know and pretend you don¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Regardless of the answer, Annie nodded her head. It would be nice if they could do that too, but unlike the knights of the Duke family, the servants do what the master tells them to do. Even if you don¡¯t have to do it, you have to find the dirty and troublesome work on your own. Being the first to find it was a sin. Annie, who had been pushed by the other colleagues, sighed and approached Patrick. Chapter 48 ¡°Ugh.¡± Patrick groaned at the hand that was shaking him strongly and lifted his heavy eyelids. ¡°Mm?¡± A maid was looking down at him. Startled, he looked around. He even found a group of maids watching him. ¡°W-What are you doing?!¡± As Patrick raised his torso, a maid with a bitter face squeezed out an answer. ¡°When I came here to do my morning routine, my lord was lying on the ground, so I woke you up¡­¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes fluttered from side to side. He seemed to remember why he was here. And then. ¡°Hiiyyy!¡± Patrick stood up and shouted. ¡°I-I saw a ghost! I saw it clearly, a female ghost with her hair loose was here! Right here¡­!¡± Pointing to the towering lion on the side where he had fallen, Patrick seemed half-insane. Nobody believed him, the people present even showed a little bit of contempt. He grinded his teeth. Then he approached one of the women standing far away from him, not the maid in front of him, and grabbed her arm and dragged her away. ¡°Right, let¡¯s talk about it. You were the one who was with me until the end yesterday, right?¡± ¡°W-When did I do that?¡± ¡°You disappeared in the middle, but since I was found around here, you may have passed by here. Did you not see something? Anything?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Oho! Think carefully!¡± As it was such an eerie thing that he couldn¡¯t understand, the desire to seek other people¡¯s consent became urgent. From the standpoint of the woman who was being questioned, resentment was inevitably added to her shame. It is said that he was normally timid and couldn¡¯t speak loudly, but those were just excuses. He often targeted and harassed many knights and servants. Those people usually acted like they understood him, but in reality they looked down on him and talked behind his back or made fun of him depending on how they felt. ¡°L-Look! Didn¡¯t that ghost stand here like this? Just like this!¡± Feeling that the eyes of those who looked at him were getting thinner and thinner, Patrick approached the lion statue and tried to imitate what he had seen, urging the maid once more. The amethyst, which would normally sparkle and illuminate the central hall, is also less lit and casts a gloomy shadow today. Because he had been drunk, there was an increasingly unpleasant smell every time Patrick moved. ¡°Why are you being like this? Please let me go!¡± The woman slapped his hand that was holding her harder. Patrick, who was short and was in bad shape, stumbled straight ahead and stretched his arms out to grab anything. Tak! Fortunately, something hard caught his hand. Patrick leaned on it to get his body back up and started yelling at the girl who dared to throw him away. Chaenggrang! Suddenly there was the sound of something breaking. ¡°Hiiiiyyyyy!¡± The terrified cry did not come from Patrick. Patrick saw the pale faces of the two maids in front of him, the maid who woke him up and the maid whom he had pulled, and then turned his gaze down to the direction they were looking at. ¡°H-Hooh¡­?¡± Patrick pursed his lips and let out a strange moan. Then he raised his head and looked between the gaping jaws of the lion statue on which he was leaning. To be exact at the large amethyst sphere that the dignified lion should hold between its jaws. It¡¯s gone. Patrick¡¯s gaze dropped down. Right. He didn¡¯t see it wrong. The sphere that should be held in between, the sphere that had never fallen out of those hard jaws¡­ Had fallen to the floor and shattered. The maids sneaked away, distancing themselves from him and backing away. In any case, it was clear that Patrick had touched it when he had just reached out his hand to keep himself from falling. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Patrick said in denial first. He tried to catch the two maids closest to him, but as if they had already known he would do that, they had already escaped out of reach. ¡°It wasn¡¯t meee!¡± Patrick cried and screamed. No one gave him an answer. *** Shortly after falling asleep, Elisha opened her eyes. She vomited blood the day before and collapsed, and after being ill all night, she barely slept at dawn¡­ She couldn¡¯t help thinking that the air in the castle was all turbulent. ¡°2nd Empress, shall I prepare water for washing?¡± Dorian, who was waiting, quickly approached. Elisha nodded. Dorian finished the preparations quickly, but not in a rush. Leon moved slightly without waking up, and Elisha got out of bed and washed and changed clothes. Then she went to bed and looked closely at Leon. Vera took the clothes that Elisha was comfortable with and said that she would keep them tidy and organized. Therefore, Elisha was left with only some dresses. She surrendered herself to Dorian¡¯s hand and went outside when she had finished dressing. The meeting hall of the castle, which is used to receive noble guests who come from outside and is unfamiliar with the Duke, was empty at the moment. Instead, a little further apart, Perry and Miller of the 1st Knights stood vigilantly. When they found Elisha, they bowed their heads. Elisha, who nodded in return, did not think their appearance was strange, and stepped forward naturally. As if she already knew where she was going. In fact, Elisha did not know where to go. And that¡¯s when the commotion begins. After passing through the hallway, Elisha, standing on the spiral staircase, moved slowly down. As she moved, the murmur from beneath her became clear. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! I was just, just¡­!¡± ¡°Stop! That¡¯s enough!¡± ¡°Father, I-!¡± ¡°My lord, it would be best for you to remain quiet for now.¡± When Count Guillaume stopped him instead of taking his side, Patrick looked at him with a grudge. But Guillaume didn¡¯t even blink. It didn¡¯t matter what Patrick¡¯s judgement was like right now, or whether he really made a mistake or not. The sphere, which symbolizes the Duke¡¯s work, was broken. It has already happened. And, in fact, by itself, it did not do much damage to the Duke. However¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t this really ominous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The successive dukes loved that lion statue, and as long as the light of the amethyst does not go out, the Duchy¡¯s prosperity will continue indefinitely.¡± ¡°Just like yesterday, I guess¡­¡± ¡­The problem is after that. The dark fortune created by an invisible image, rather than a clearly visible calculation, increased in size with every word people added. Guillaume frowned at this. The accident happened early in the morning and the only witnesses were the maids of the castle! At that time, it should have been right to inform the Duke or Guillaume himself and ask for a follow-up. Not whining around and waiting for someone as stupid as Patrick to accept the claim that it is not his fault! In the meantime, the Western aristocrats who had left their territory for a long time planned to return last night, but the situation suddenly changed. It was around that time that the report came to Guillaume. The maids, who quietly stepped down after seeing the nobles take their positions, announced this matter here and there. And by the time Guillaume hurriedly came out, the situation had already grown to this point. There was no way that the report that had come to him did not go to the Duke, so he was not embarrassed by the sight of the Duke arriving one step ahead of him with trembling shoulders. However, no matter how strong the bond, Patrick¡¯s behavior of trying to keep his Father Duke from speaking harshly to give him face and finally tolerate and forgive him by holding other Western nobles, who are allies he has formed according to his interests, is terrifying! It is unfortunate as a subordinate that the person who inherited the Duke¡¯s lineage is immature even at this age and lacks the ability to read the flow¡­ There is no way they can give up and accept it easily. The most Guillaume could do at the moment was to avoid the imminent crisis, rolled his hair thin, and read the situation like a wary rat. For the first time, Guillaume had to feel humiliated under the Duke¡¯s name. He even thought that at this point, the Duke was shaken not because the sphere was broken, but because the vulgar person before him, who couldn¡¯t even think of the Duke¡¯s blood, was born. All of this was already destined to happen someday. That is, now, in front of all the Western nobles, the worst of the worst scene unfolded. Shrak! Shrak! One could hear the hem of the dress rubbing against the floor. Everyone gathered in the central hall tilted their heads back and looked up. The silver doll that had been seen at first glance through the elegantly curved stairs slowly revealed itself. ¡°2nd Empress.¡± The sound of someone murmuring inflated like a bubble, then popped and disappeared. As a signal, complete silence fell on the central hall. It is true that the 2nd Empress was a precious guest from Barossa, but there was no reason for the Western nobles to withdraw. Yet, as they should have been, the Western nobles watched the 2nd Empress and awaited her next move. The 2nd Empress looked down at them. She didn¡¯t even nod out of formality to greet them. Without leaning against the handrail of the stair railing, with her back straight in the center. Slowly, just as she looked down at the swings. She went down the stairs one by one. Shrak! Shrak! The hem of the dress swept down the floor, repeating the sound that had already irritated people¡¯s ears. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A small sigh flowed from among the Western nobles. They realized why that trivial sound that they must have heard somewhere was so unfamiliar. Ordinary ladies hold the skirt so that it doesn¡¯t drag when they move, and they usually move more carefully in front of those who are unfamiliar. But the 2nd Empress did none of this, as if the sound of the dress sweeping the floor was the sound of her footsteps. Naturally, the arms hanging down to the side of the waist and what should be held in the empty hands are not the skirt but something else. The Western nobles, who looked up at the 2nd Empress, took their breaths involuntarily. Guillaume was one of them. They waited for the 2nd Empress to descend completely on the wide floor of the concourse. This is because the height of the gaze on the same floor is lowered, and when they stand facing each other, the tension should be broken and everything will return to its original state. However, only when they stand on the same line with the 2nd Empress do they confirm their judgment is wrong. The gaze from above was unpleasant, but the sky-blue eyes met from the front only made them uneasy. The end of the thought that Guillaume was following was wide in front of him. Chapter 49 Elisha was honestly a little surprised, as she had grasped the sequence of situations just by looking down the stairs for a while. While she was absorbing the amethyst energy last night, Elisha thought she truly had rotten luck because an unexpected person appeared. Although she had checked the central hall for several days and confirmed the time when people were gone, her plan went awry, and the power of amethyst exceeded her expectations, making it difficult to stop halfway and take other actions. In addition, Elisha had given herself a difficult task the moment she made the Duke¡¯s amethyst as her prey in the first place. Since she had become accustomed to digging through gems in the past, she could control herself well enough to preserve the amethyst¡¯s original form instead of completely destroying it. Elisha did not know how long it would retain its shape, so there was still a problem. She did not know what kind of conspiracy Duke Verdin would use for his explanation to the western nobles. However, the other party from last night blew her worries at once. And now. Contrary to plan, the amethyst was broken while Elisha was present, but it was not the Duke who was in trouble. ¡°There really is such a coincidence.¡± For Elisha, this whole farce was just that. ¡°Thank you, idiot.¡± Even though she didn¡¯t really want to say thank you. ¡°I can hear everything, Your Majesty.¡± Rohan, who suddenly approached her, spoke to her, but Elisha was not at all surprised. She was already feeling his presence, and one of the two knights accompanying her rushed out the moment she reached the main hall. It was obvious whom he was calling. ¡°Well, so what? Only Sir Rohan would have heard of it.¡± Rohan paused at Elisha¡¯s unimpressed words. It was as if she didn¡¯t care what he said because it was Rohan. He was called the Knight of the Empire and was accustomed to receiving one-sided expectations and beliefs, but this kind of trust the 2nd Empress sometimes gave him was something different. It was because he felt it was an understanding towards a single person, Rohan Scherzer, rather than his status as the Knight of the Empire or the obligations it entailed. Like someone who¡¯s known him for a long time. Even though that couldn¡¯t be the case. While Rohan paused for a while, Elisha, who was ahead, glanced back. The cold gaze was focused on Rohan, as if asking him what was wrong. Rohan wiped his face with his big hand a few times, then strode forward and followed Elisha¡¯s back. When Rohan arrived, Elisha turned her back to those waiting for her and straightened her back. Over her slender shoulders, one could see the western nobles, Duke Verdin, and Young Master Patrick. Even with Emperor Kaiden, people¡¯s gazes were often divided, however at this moment, Rohan noticed that all the eyes of the crowd consciously or unconsciously fall to the woman standing in front of him. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Elisha said in a low voice. The sound wasn¡¯t so low like before, that only Rohan could hear it. This time, it rang in the central hall, making everyone hold their breath. ¡°It seems I have come somewhere I shouldn¡¯t have come.¡± After finishing her words, Elisha asked the one who had the highest rank among those in the main hall. To be precise, the owner of this castle. ¡°Am I right, Duke Verdin?¡± ¡°¡­ How is that possible?¡± In fact, if one looked closely, the only thing the 2nd Empress did was to go down the stairs, which was also the central hall, which could be said to be the most open place in the castle. There were no wrongs, and not to mention¡­ As long as they were the ones who were overwhelmed and withdrawn by such a 2nd Empress, it was not good to let this tension continue. Besides, it could not be said that the appearance of the 2nd Empress was necessarily bad. It was an opportunity to sort out this sluggish situation, akin to saying, ¡°Let us just disperse because we can¡¯t show ourselves badly in front of a difficult opponent.¡± Duke Verdin, who thought so, tried to soften his stiff expression and opened his mouth, but Elisha, who looked through him, could not have left him like that. Elisha raised her index finger and pointed to one place. ¡°But what happened to that? If I¡¯m not mistaken, isn¡¯t that the treasure of this duchy?¡± ¡°Not to that extent¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m right. I¡¯ve heard a lot about it.¡± As Elisha beat back casually and cut off his words, a squeaking sound from holding back could be heard from Duke Verdin. Ah. Now Duke Verdin seemed to be a man worthy of my evaluation. Not an ordinary duke who usually plots conspiracies and kills people, but an ordinary old man who can¡¯t contain his anger. His momentum was extraordinary, but even as a duke, he didn¡¯t feel like a very difficult opponent. Now, what is there to fear? ¡°I don¡¯t know how the hell he made such a mistake, but I¡¯m glad Young Master Patrick wasn¡¯t hurt.¡± Elisha could not bring the situation back to the beginning, so she poured new firewood into the embers that were almost extinguished. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do it. This is all¡­. Hiiyy!¡± Upon hearing his name, Patrick reacted immediately, flicking his lips and looking at Elisha up and down as if he had suddenly remembered something. Then, Elisha¡¯s silver hair stopped his gaze. It was an act too inappropriate and rude to do to the 2nd Empress, a guest of Barossa and the emperor¡¯s wife, but even so, Patrick was pierced as if possessed. He didn¡¯t stop staring. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Before Rohan, whose eyes had hardened, came forward, Duke Verdin quickly rebuked him. ¡°T-That¡­¡± ¡°What filth in front of a precious person! Even I do not want to see you anymore! Get out of my sight!¡± ¡°Father! I just thought that the 2nd Empress looked very similar to the ghost I saw in front of the lion statue last night¡­!¡± Surprised that Duke Verdin was throwing him out as he saw it as his last chance to sort things out, Patrick hurriedly excused himself. The small fire that seemed to have already died down and went out, but¡­ The wind ignited Elisha again, and the silver flames were scattered in all directions. ¡°I think the words you just said are very misleading. Can you take responsibility, Young Master Patrick?¡± Elisha asked, tilting her head. ¡°T-That¡­¡± ¡°Leaving aside the smell of alcohol that still lingered as you thought so, if you really thought it was me, then why didn¡¯t you reveal it and find me in the first place? But, you only put my name in your mouth the moment I came to the central hall as if it had just come to mind. Who wouldn¡¯t be suspicious of it looking at it?¡± The flames that swallowed up a twig that someone had dropped on the floor began to inflate in size again. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t like that, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What was not like that? That ghost that looked like me, or that Young Master saw a ghost last night? Oh, are you sure you¡¯re not just trying to trap me?¡± The 2nd Empress, who pointed out her point one by one with an indifferent tone, was very, very scary for Patrick. The reason why he thought the ghost he saw last night resembled the 2nd Empress was not because of the color of her hair that reflected the moonlight, but because of the bad feeling he got since their first meeting. Those around him frowned as Patrick couldn¡¯t answer. As his position grew more difficult, his lord father, as well as the western nobles, who brought in this saddle, wanted to act like mice in front of a cat that was Elisha. His relatives and the western nobles had at least as much room as a rat hole, and they tried to stretch it out to escape. Since their plots wouldn¡¯t work at all for Elisha, they couldn¡¯t do anything. Elisha turned her attention to Duke Verdin, as if feeling that Patrick was not worth speaking to anymore. They couldn¡¯t pick up their portion on time and eat it, so this time it¡¯s Elisha¡¯s turn. It was quite obvious as the Duke and the western nobles didn¡¯t really deserve to act as if they had the leadership over the schedule to the west. ¡°Now that all the work I have to do here is over, I was going to talk about when it would be better to leave for another estate. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± ¡°That! That will put us in trouble, Your Majesty!¡± The reaction came from Count Guillaume, not from Duke Verdin. If the 2nd Empress got away like this, there would be no way to change the atmosphere, and the remaining people would have to settle the beggar-like situation that has been going on since yesterday. ¡°We cannot let you, the precious one go, creating a misunderstanding between the Western Nobility and the guests of Barossa.¡± Duke Verdin also added a little late, but Elisha remained silent and waited for the answer she wanted. ¡°¡­¡± Thousands of eyes flashed to press Elisha, and suppress her they tried, but so what? They would soon come to realize that if one wants to break her will, they have to come up with a more clear cause, not just such a blatant sham. As the weight of time hung on the scales of silence, the air in the central hall grew heavier. If Duke Verdin had not stood still, some of the pale-faced Western nobles would have already withdrawn with white flags. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter for Elisha if she had to spend the day and night like this, and even until the next night and morning comes again. Although she was worried that Leon would wake up alone in a strange place and be surprised that his mother was gone. As unreasonable as Patrick was, he would not do anything stupid again, unless his father stopped pretending to be polite and wanted to cut his neck with the blade on his hand. To put it simply, Patrick didn¡¯t expect much from him. ¡°Hmm.¡± When the time was up, Elisha opened her mouth. The Duke¡¯s knights, who had been standing on the outer border of the commotion, quickly passed through the door. They were bewildered by the silence inside, but quickly came to their senses and approached their master on the left of the two groups, separated by an invisible line. Western nobles who were nearby gathered around the Duke. Elisha tried to listen to them whispering, but she didn¡¯t have to. This was because, following the Duke¡¯s knights, one knight of the 1st Knights, which Rohan had left outside, came in. ¡°It is said that the people of the Duchy are coming to the Castle.¡± ¡°The commoners? Why?¡± When Elisha did not understand, the knight of the 1st Knights blushed. The knight answered with eyes of clear pride, with a little excitement. ¡°They want to see the 2nd Empress. They would like to thank the 2nd Empress for the miracle you showed them. They want to make sure that nothing has happened to the Exalted One who shed blood for them!¡± Those who were in the Vecchia Plain and those whom Elisha released last night. And even those who heard everything that happened. At the unexpected words, Elisha¡¯s sky-blue eyes widened. Chapter 50 The commoners of the Duchy were flocking to see her. ¡°¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s silence was usually a well-founded void or different kind of answer. Not being able to say anything like this was very rare of her. A large hand reached out in front of Elisha, carelessly brushed her silver hair. ¡°Go out and show them a decent face.¡± As Elisha frowned, Rohan continued. ¡°Weren¡¯t they miserable? Therefore cherish and comfort them. These are the people who laugh and cry at your words, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like it.¡± As Elisha shook her head, Rohan looked at her softly, then slightly bent his dark brown eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t like it. You just find it uncomfortable, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elisha looked like she thought it was uncomfortable, but then hesitated. ¡°You can ignore the things you don¡¯t like and ignore them, but even if you turn your eyes away from the uncomfortable things, they remain in your heart and weigh on you the whole time. Please think about it, 2nd Empress.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you really hate them? Or is it just that difficult and bothersome thing?¡± They had not spent a lot of time together, but the Elisha that Rohan had been watching all this time should be thinking of the latter. Nevertheless, the moment when the fair hand, which had been hesitating, was finally lifted up¡­ Duke Verdin crossed the invisible line drawn on the floor of the concourse. The 2nd Empress, who had an unexpectedly great success in the Vecchia Plain, made a new story in this duchy. He did not want it to become so widespread that it became another achievement of Barossa. If it hadn¡¯t been for Patrick¡¯s report at the gathering place where everyone was gathered, he would have been able to move and reduce the situation by mobilizing force to disperse the residents! Without knowing how many times it was, the Duke tried to suppress the rising anger as he caught up to the 2nd Empress. ¡°If Your Majesty doesn¡¯t like it, don¡¯t go out. No, actually, it would be better for you to stay like this. From the point of view of a duke who must consider the safety of the 2nd Empress, I cannot help but doubt the intentions of those who flock without a clear purpose and ask for your presence.¡± The commoners shouted out loud, and the knights who heard it fully conveyed their intentions, but it seems that it was not enough reason for Duke Verdin. Or perhaps he simply could not admit that his people in his territory made their own decisions without the support of their superiors and flocked to this place to spit out praises for the 2nd Empress. Elisha looked at the Duke and asked. ¡°Why are you worrying in vain?¡± Then, before the Duke could say anything, she naturally lifted her stopped fingertips and laid them down on Rohan¡¯s palm, which had reached out to her. ¡°Trust me like it was yesterday. Don¡¯t I have Sir Rohan, the Knight of the Empire by my side?¡± If the Duke says he doesn¡¯t trust her, it was tantamount to admitting that there was something wrong with his and the western nobles¡¯, who left the 2nd Empress in the Vecchia Plain behind, behavior. The Duke kept his mouth shut, and Elisha looked at Rohan. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you.¡± Rohan¡¯s low voice resounded widely in the central hall. Elisha, who had her body upright, took one step, and Rohan moved accordingly. The Knight of the Empire used his cold hands, which should not be suitable for pulling up the hem of her fluttering skirt to do exactly that¡­ His presence alone was more daunting than any other weapon and shone brilliantly. Ordinary nobles were eaten by the strict energy, and even prominent figures shrank their shoulders in front of the Imperial knighthood. However, the 2nd Empress easily dealt with it and moved in harmony with him. As the masters of the empire usually did. The backs of the two people were clearly locked in the eyes of those in the central hall. The gloomy flames that soared behind the backs of the remaining people spread like a band around the walls of the concourse. The 1st Knights, who were waiting outside, followed behind Elisha who had left the main hall. Perry, who had gone to call Rohan, was with them, and Miller and one of the knights who had provided information came a step behind and took their position at the back of the group. On the way to the main gate of the Duke¡¯s Castle, Elisha asked. ¡°By the way, what did Sir Rohan do with all his knights from that early hour? I thought you guys had morning training.¡± The condition of the knights was too good to say that they had received Rohan¡¯s heinous training. ¡°The atmosphere in the Duchy was strange, so we were checking the condition of the horses and fixing our weapons so that we could depart at any time.¡± Still the same old Rohan. Elisha shook her head as if satisfied. Meanwhile, they arrived at the gate that was firmly shut. Due to the nature of the Duke¡¯s Castle, many people come and go for various business, most of them after sunrise. It was rare for the open place to be closed so tightly. As Elisha continued walking near the gate without stopping, the soldiers guarding the gate and the knights who commanded them jumped right and left. Elisha and her party were the first to arrive here, straight out of the main hall, so there¡¯s no way to know what kind of conversation was going on inside. Elisha did not blame them. ¡°I have to meet the people who came to me. Open the door.¡± However, despite the fact that she had revealed her purpose, they stood still and dragged on time. Even now, Elisha could feel the crowd continuously rushing over the gate in front of her. The more people there are, the easier it is to get hurt. There¡¯s a unique sense of vitality when it comes to following the flow of nature. If one induces it, they can look through the gap of the situation and grab the leash to pull it towards themselves, however, that is usually difficult. Currently, it should be difficult for the Duke to do anything again, but still¡­ As Elisha lifted her finger while facing the castle gate, Rohan smirked. ¡°You can¡¯t break it.¡± At that, Elisha clicked her tongue and looked up. The height of the gate is about 15 meters. Tak! As she lightly jumped and her body was lifted into the air, a stream of water soared from the ground and wrapped around her. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Is that for real?¡± The soldiers and knights of the Duke¡¯s Castle, who did not see what happened in the Vecchia Plain, opened their mouths wide in surprise and tilted their heads back. Paang! At that moment, the floor vibrated loudly, and a lump of earthy dust rose. It was because of Rohan who drew the floor horizontally with the tip of his foot loaded with mana. Because of Rohan, the figure of Elisha who was about to fly over the top of the gate was blurred. After all, the inside of the skirt wouldn¡¯t be exposed because of the water stream that was wrapped around her toes to her waist like a long vine that swayed in all directions, so there wouldn¡¯t be any weird rumors. ¡°Ahh¡­!¡± Whether it was because the mysterious power was invisible or because of the shattering of uneasy expectations, a voice mixed with regret erupted from somewhere. As Rohan gave a cold gaze to the side from which the sound was heard, the surroundings immediately became silent. Then soon¡­ ¡°Whoaaa!¡± Hearing the tremendous cheers coming from beyond the gate, Rohan did not delay any longer and jumped up the gate. The dust on his toes was like a fluffy cloud. Elisha looked down at the outside, still floating in the air above the gates. At a place about 20 steps away behind the closed castle gate, the knights and soldiers of the Duke¡¯s Castle stood in a long line to the side, blocking the road, preventing the people from coming any closer. The feet of the people were black, stained with dirt from walking across the street. Despite the fact that they seemed to have been frightened in front of the grim-looking knights, they did not stop appealing. The voices looking for her, worrying about her, and talking for her tickled Elisha. Then one of the commoners looked up and accidentally found a doll floating above the closed gate and shouted. ¡°There! The 2nd Empress is there¡­!¡± This commoner had never actually seen her before this, but he had heard many stories all night long. It didn¡¯t seem like there were two mysterious people like that in the world. The people saw where the man¡¯s gaze was directed. Indeed. ¡°It¡¯s the 2nd Empress!¡± ¡°Whoaaa!¡± With thunderous shouts pouring in, Elisha, who was about to jump down, hesitated a little. She didn¡¯t want Rohan to worry about her again. Elisha gently pushed Undine, who was sitting on her shoulder, with her chin. Undine grinned as she held her silver hair, which was gently flowing in the wind, in her hand. While playing around with Elisha¡¯s hair, Undine must have forgotten what she had to do. As she blinked, the stream of water that used to wrap around Elisha changed its trajectory. The rushing stream stopped moving for a moment and then began to flow out like an ebb. The commoners were greatly surprised by the stream of water dripping down under their small feet. ¡°Won¡¯t she fall?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s dangerous!¡± At the same time as the shouts erupted, the knights and soldiers looked up at Elisha and also opened their mouths in astonishment. However, Elisha was not at all anxious even though the strength that supported her was fading and falling. Rather, she even took a step forward in the air. ¡°Hooh!¡± Those who were imagining the scene of her beautiful face getting smashed to the ground and soaked in blood from falling from a height of 15 meters closed their eyes tightly. But nothing of concern happened. On the contrary, a sight that was more than a miracle unfolded in front of their eyes! A stream of water dripped down vertically from where Elisha was the moment she stepped into the air. Seururuugh! It shifted horizontally and firmly supported her feet. Then, without stopping there, it gently flowed in an oblique line, creating a curve in the air layer by layer. Elisha stepped down one by one the steps of water, which were about 3 meters long from side to side. She stepped off the last step, but where she landed was not directly on the dirt floor. The stairs made of water behind her crumbled and seeped under her feet, covering her shadow. The surface of the water reflecting the sunlight scattered a splendid swarm of lights on Elisha, who stood above it. ¡°Ooh¡­!¡± It was a mysterious appearance that had never been seen once in a lifetime for ordinary people living in the provinces, farming or wandering the mountains. There were not many people who witnessed the event in Vecchia Plain yesterday, but everyone was now completely mesmerized by the majestic and dignified beauty. Then, nobody knew who started first, but thousands of people began to fall on the floor. Elisha looked down at the people who were bowing their heads at her. ¡°It really is bothersome.¡± Elisha¡¯s muttering wasn¡¯t loud, but enough to be heard by those in front. As they flinched, their foreheads pounded deeper on the dirt floor, making Elisha click her tongue. That one thing at the Vecchia Plain could be said as enough in fulfilling her responsibilities. And it is not only because it can be used to her advantage politically. She found a man familiar to her eyes among those who were kneeling, and approached him. The light of the water followed her feet and glistened. ¡°Hiiyy!¡± The soldiers and knights of the Duke¡¯s Castle, who stood like a wall to stop those commoners, gulped in surprise. They dared not block Elisha¡¯s steps. But considering the safety of the 2nd Empress, they could not retreat carelessly, so they went back and forth like that. At that time, they found Rohan, who was behind the 2nd Empress. When he nodded, the relieved knights and soldiers faltered down the wall. Meanwhile, Elisha approached the man in front of her and asked him a question. ¡°What did you buy yesterday?¡± The man in the front, Thompson, raised his face slowly and carefully. Chapter 51 Where Water Flows II (3) Translated by WookEdited by Wook Thompson knew that the 2nd Empress in front of him wasn¡¯t as cold-hearted as she seemed. He stuttered but tried his best to talk. ¡°I-It was too late to buy anything! B-But the money was shared equally¡­¡± ¡°So what about today? What are you going to buy today?¡± He wondered if she was really curious about that, but Thompson didn¡¯t delay. ¡°S-Some bread. Not hard multi-grain bread, but white, soft wheat bread¡­ My wife and m-my child love it so much.¡± ¡°It must be a light step on the way back to buying bread. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have fun.¡± Thompson thought that the 2nd Empress who said that was smiling for a brief moment. As he wondered, her expression went back to normal. So, even though he was shaking, he was able to have courage. ¡°That was the way I came here! I-I didn¡¯t get to greet Your Majesty even though you saved me twice yesterday, so I wanted to thank you! It¡¯s really, really nice to be able to say this.¡± Everyone gathered here must have the same mindset. After being silent for a moment, Elisha opened her mouth. ¡°As you can see, I am fine, so you can go away. If you feel comfortable going home and you are not afraid to wake up tomorrow morning, that means you are less likely to live. In addition to that, if there is hope that tomorrow will be better than today, wouldn¡¯t it make you happier? You can dream. His Highness the Crown Prince is kind and even clever. Everyone can look forward to tomorrow. I will too.¡± [T/N: I guess Elisha is trying to convey that when you lose vigilance towards life, you will be more likely to die.] Elisha¡¯s voice echoed far away. It was thanks to Rohan who loaded the mana just in time. The words of the 2nd Empress did not contain a friendly sign or a firm promise¡­ Oddly enough, the people enjoyed the rather indifferent tone of voice and the story of everyday life that unraveled so calmly. They became willing and trusted. But¡­ ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s all over, why don¡¯t you get up.¡± What you are afraid of is what you are afraid of. Thompson felt goosebumps all over his body as her sky-blue eyes fell down. It wasn¡¯t only Thompson. Everyone who heard her voice lifted their buttocks. ¡°But if you guys don¡¯t go, I can¡¯t go either.¡± Until they heard the late words of the 2nd Empress. ¡°Go? Does Your Majesty want to go somewhere?¡± ¡°Should I live here if I don¡¯t? This is the Verdin Duchy. If I, the 2nd Empress, want to live here, don¡¯t I have to change its name?¡± Second Barossa, the second capital of the Empire. It was such a big deal and those who heard it were terrified, but Elisha, who uttered those words, said nothing further. Then a woman, who was with Thompson last night, said cautiously. ¡°But there is no need to go in such a hurry¡­ Perhaps¡­ A-Are we bothering Your Majesty too much?¡± The woman was already half crying. She remembered the first words Elisha had said when she first got down in front of the city gate. ¡°Haa.¡± When Elisha sighed, the woman gasped and shut her mouth. She realized that her behavior was too frivolous. ¡°Y-Your Majesty, I have sinned to death!¡± Elisha frowned as the woman, who started rubbing her face on the dirt floor, shouted. Elisha approached the woman and grabbed her by the shoulder. She supported the woman¡¯s upper body and wiped the woman¡¯s face that was a mess with tears and dirt with the back of her hand. Elisha eventually decided to admit it. ¡°Look. Don¡¯t bother with this.¡± ¡°M-My apologies.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. If I didn¡¯t like it, I wouldn¡¯t have done it in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­ Eh?¡± ¡°I meant it when I said it¡¯s difficult and bothersome, but it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it. What¡¯s annoying is that you keep worrying about me. You¡¯re so weak that I¡¯m afraid if you go somewhere you will get hurt easily, and you will cry in fright because you don¡¯t have anything.¡± Although she was an older woman than her, Elisha treated her like a child. The woman also took it for granted. The owner of Barossa is the parent of all peoples. And it is the proper principle of the world for the sun to form a pair with the moon. Everyone here knew that the 2nd Empress with silver hair was the moon. No, they hoped. May the one who looks down upon them arrogantly like a goddess and embraces them mercifully like a goddess be their moon. The one and only Empress! ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Elisha lightly patted the cleaned woman¡¯s cheek with her index finger and the outside of her middle finger before letting go. ¡°I¡¯m really going now, so you guys should go back too. Go with the other people who keep gathering, and don¡¯t forget that the Verdin Duchy is not the only one suffering from drought.¡± In fact, the event in the Verdin Duchy was not originally planned. ¡°Bless the other places too! As much as we saw, so they could also know.¡± Realizing that they could no longer keep her here, the people shouted. Thousands of voices were united in one voice and the words poured down like rain and wet Elisha¡¯s heart. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Elisha turned her back from them and faced the gates of the city. She had to hurry. She wanted to be with Leon before he woke up. Guuung! Guuung! With the sound of metal, the floor was scratched deeply, and the two gates that had been closed open wide. Inside, Duke Verdin and the Western nobles were lined up rigidly. ¡°The greetings are over, and everyone has decided to go home, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Elisha spoke up first. The Duke raised his eyebrows and looked over Elisha¡¯s shoulder. Those who had been kneeling behind her back stood up eagerly and passed on the words they had heard from the front to the back, and they were moving quietly. How could such a large number of people voluntarily gather and disband in such a short time without causing any problems? Ironically, the 2nd Empress who greeted them outside the city seemed more like the owner of the land. Elisha passed by as if there was no more conversation with Duke Verdin. But as Marquis Rwanda got close, she slowed down for a moment. ¡°Is Marquis ready? Or should we leave first? When I see the people of the Duchy, I want to move as quickly as possible because I¡¯m concerned about the people who will be waiting.¡± When she said that, what else could he say? ¡°I will hurry as much as possible, Your Majesty.¡± Marquis Rwanda frowned, but tried hard to answer. *** Elisha didn¡¯t really need to say goodbye to anyone. When the arrangement was finished, only a little formal talk came and went, and then unlike those who decided to accompany only from the capital to the duchy, Elisha, the 1st Knights, and Marquis Rwanda, who was in charge of guiding the entire western tour, set out from the duchy. What was surprising was the unexpected increase in the number of people. Even if Jonathan, a member of the duke family, joined them for the same reason as meeting the group before their arrival at the duchy, it was not difficult to think of the reason why his wife, Vera, and Benjamin came along. Because everything would not have been possible without the Duke¡¯s instructions. Apparently, Duke Verdin was so angry with his eldest son that he could no longer consider the face of his first daughter-in-law, who came from a powerful count family, who had a strong relationship with the duke. He sped up the succession structure so that the second daughter-in-law, who was not even treated as a person, could firmly support his grandson Benjamin. Of course, the second daughter-in-law, who had no greed in the eyes of the Duke, and was so skittish and could only tremble, was attached to the 2nd Empress in hope to make her aware that striving to have influence was one of her duties as the Duke¡¯s daughter-in law. ¡°Look, Your Majesty. This color suits you really well.¡± Vera said while looking at the cloth she had been holding in her hand all the time even in the carriage and had not put it down. Then, without giving Elisha a chance to reply, she was busy working on the fabric again. Benjamin was listening to Leon with his expressionless, child-like face, clinging to Leon. He was so unresponsive that nobody knew if he was hearing it or not. But Leon continued the story without hesitation, making eye contact with Benjamin once in the middle and brushing his hair. Whenever that happened, Benjamin¡¯s small hands holding Leon¡¯s clothes became sweaty. Duke Verdin naturally thought that when he ordered, the mother and son would turn their backs on the 2nd Empress at any time for the benefit of the Duchy, but nobody knew if it would really happen. *** ¡°¡­. After that, it is said that the 2nd Empress and the party from the Verdin Duchy arrived at the Rwanda March.¡± The conference hall had a concave structure. The seat of the emperor was located in the deepest part, encircled by the nobles in a semicircle. It is said that the closer one¡¯s table is to the emperor, the higher their status, and the farther away it is, the lower the status is. Ascencio occupied a seat in the center of the first floor, facing the emperor. Ascencio¡¯s voice resounded clearly in the conference hall, the Eastern and Central nobles were listening to him and applauding him. ¡°So it is like that!¡± ¡°Great!¡± There were praises, but none of it was sincere. However, as much as they wear a mask, Ascencio looks around with a well-maintained expression. As if asking, ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡± Don¡¯t act like you have nothing to add to the performance of the 2nd Empress that exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations¡­ ¡°But, didn¡¯t Her Majesty lose her strength before the full-scale plan even started?¡± ¡°That is true. The results were good, but we need to see the big picture. What should be done if the future schedule is changed because Her Majesty became overwhelmed in the Vecchia Plain?¡± ¡°Her Majesty grew up in the Western Tower and came to Barossa right away, so perhaps she doesn¡¯t know the world very well yet. The Western nobles should have been a good assistant, but they couldn¡¯t. Therefore, how about sending new personnel to help?¡± Since the emperor fully supported the 2nd Empress¡¯s Western journey, the majority of the Central nobles, who belonged to the Imperial faction, and the Central nobles who did not belong to any of them refrained from speaking. Most of the people who were pretending, trembling and trying to catch the fault of the 2nd Empress at the moment were the Eastern nobles. They saw this as an opportunity to intervene in the steps of the 2nd Empress. Of course, Ascencio had no intention of letting them do so. ¡°It is said that Her Majesty was more concerned as it was the first event to show the grace of His Majesty, the sun of Barossa. She couldn¡¯t control it well this time, but she firmly promised that there would be no such mistake in the future. So everyone does not have to worry.¡± The boy, who arranged the situation in a soft but determined tone, showed a gentle smile at the gaze of the nobles toward him. It was indeed the appearance of a perfect prince. In the minds of those who saw such Ascencio, calculations according to their respective positions were constantly made. ¡°That is all about the report, so let¡¯s talk about the next agenda.¡± Until the voice of Emperor Kaiden was heard. After the Crown Prince has finished speaking, the Emperor presides over a political meeting, and the atmosphere in the conference hall is stretched differently than before. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Rather than giving and receiving one by one, it is the beginning of plundering by taking away what others have. The fact that the emperor with the best qualities of all time and the aristocratic forcers with the greatest power in history live in the same era. Was it really a blessing? Or was it a curse? It was still too early to know the answer. Chapter 52 Where Water Flows II (4) Translated by WookEdited by Wook For the rest of the meeting, several laws were revised to adjust tax rates on grain and ore management. Both were advantageous to the Eastern and Central nobles, so as long as the major Western nobles were not excluded, they would proceed. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that the major Western nobles were completely unaware of this issue. Even though they were aware, they pretended not to know to borrow the power of the 2nd Empress. Their move was actually pretty coordinated. If not, how could all the major figures of the faction escape over the political affairs meeting? However, if they found out that the damage was greater than they think, they would be quite angry. Yes, right now, the 2nd Empress was doing her job so well that they had lost their mind. After that time has passed, the timing would not be right to bring this up again. When the political meeting was over, the nobles bowed their heads to the emperor. As the emperor waved his hand, the nobles left the conference hall first. After a while, only the emperor and the crown prince remained in the hall. Emperor Kaiden stared at the boy with the same blue eyes as him, which was said to be the most expensive jewel in the world. ¡°Do you have anything to say, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t resemble me in the slightest, it seems that I was wrong.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± From the rich, rare black hair and the appearance that made it impossible to take one¡¯s eyes off of their blue eyes, everything tied them together. Whatever it was, Ascencio thought it wouldn¡¯t be a good thing to hear. But there was no way not to listen to it. ¡°So, what does the seat bought with the blood of the 2nd Empress feel like? I think it suits you very well.¡± There was no way not to answer. ¡°Thank you.¡± The boy made eye contact with the beautiful man who was even said to be a gift from God, his father who shared his blood and flesh. ¡°From now on, your seat will only get more expensive, and the price will not go down. I can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯ll take from her next time and give it to me.¡± The Emperor, who muttered in an unexpected voice, stood up from his seat. He passed by the Crown Prince and lightly tapped his fingertips on the table he was sitting on. ¡°Be careful not to be abandoned. No shiny fake in the world can beat the real thing.¡± Ascencio clenched his teeth and glared at the back of the disappearing emperor. Ascencio raised his hand, which he had been hiding under the table. His curled fingertips were digging into the flesh of his palms and bleeding. Not just because of this. From the moment he first entered the venue, no, from the moment he heard what Elisha was going through outside, Ascencio clenched his hands tight. To attend the political affairs meeting with a smile, trying not to change anything and not even the slightest tremor in his tone. Knowing the price assigned to this position, he wanted to give a deliberate result. ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t back down.¡± Ascencio murmured, stretching his palms out wide and then curling them up again. Enduring the sacrifices of loved ones and enjoying the benefits that come from them are part of the responsibility he chose. It cannot be avoided. Don¡¯t miss this opportunity. So they will return it tens or hundreds of times. Whatever it was! While repressing his intense emotions, Ascencio suddenly lifted his head and looked in the direction the emperor had escaped. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ Why did he¡­?¡± He was puzzled by the change of the Emperor, who had never spoken a word and never gave him a single glance before. It made Ascencio forget. When someone does something they don¡¯t normally do, it¡¯s only when there¡¯s enough emotional turmoil. ¡°Is it really because of the 2nd Empress¡­?¡± Since there were many unfamiliar happenings recently, Ascencio also put the Emperor¡¯s actions into that category. Even though he felt deeply in the midst of countless frustrations that the Emperor wasn¡¯t the kind of person who does something for no reason. ¡°I won¡¯t let you ruin it this time. Never.¡± Ascencio could not lose his mother to that man again. *** Marquis was a high rank, and compared to a duke, there was one difference in rank, but the difference was large enough to be called heaven and earth. A marquis also had a territory, and although it was large enough, there was no particular place in sight compared to the duchy they had stayed in for a while. However, Elisha was satisfied enough. In the first place, there was no interest at all, and Marquis Rwanda didn¡¯t bother Elisha at all regarding what kind of things were evoked after the events at the Duke¡¯s Castle, with the exception for the set schedule while on the move or after arriving at the Marquis Castle. Unlike their master, the knights of the Marquis who were favorable to Elisha from the beginning were rather concerned about such an atmosphere, but Elisha just shook her head. Marquis Rwanda immediately asked to find the water veins from the land directly managed by the Marchy. There were no spectators as before. No, on the contrary, the Marquis knew how the 2nd Empress¡¯ abilities work and wanted to confirm it, so he chased away all the people who approached the area. The reason was that there was no need to disturb the concentration of the 2nd Empress and delay the time for any disturbance, but everyone knew. The Western nobles realized that the ripple effect of the power of the 2nd Empress was enormous. And maybe that was not simply because of the water spirit she has, but because of the temperament she exuded as well. Was the 2nd Empress that kind of person from the beginning? Everyone would shake their heads saying no. Since that was the case, she couldn¡¯t help but stand out. Did she hide herself in the past, or did she change in response to a new opportunity? It was impossible to solve it out of curiosity, and Marquis Rwanda really did not want to deal with the 2nd Empress who was lacking in expression. Even in front of Duke Verdin, she didn¡¯t lose a word and said everything she wanted to say. Didn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s Castle, and even the entire Duchy, become a waste in just a few days? Marquis Rwanda hoped that this schedule could be completed as soon as possible without any further problems. Swaeeegh! Swaegh! The large birds that Elisha had sent out dropped the flagpoles on the designated locations and came back. The commander of the knights of the Marquis family asked a question after checking the birds that have disappeared while spreading their wings as if to praise them in front of Elisha. ¡°Can we move to the next location?¡± Elisha nodded her head. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Those who had gathered moved in unison. They¡¯ve done it several times over two days, so everyone got used to it. Although it was embarrassing to call the Vecchia Plain a ¡®plain¡¯, it was still one of the best places in the West. Elisha had no choice but to divide the work. Not ¡®a lot at once¡¯, but ¡®a few small times¡¯. The mana consumption during this time was rather small, but it took quite a while to move here and there. But it was something she had to do anyway, and it was a lot of fun for Elisha to see the tiny head moving around in the carriage. Benjamin¡¯s eyes are fixed on Leon¡¯s face as if observing Leon was more interesting than the book Leon read to him. ¡°Haa.¡± Vera sighed. ¡°Are you going back to the Duchy after finishing work at the March?¡± This much was enough to show the new stand of the Duke towards the 2nd Empress to the outside. The additional reason was that the two territories they have to walk past from the March would be overwhelmed just to welcome the guests of Barossa. ¡°That¡¯s what I heard.¡± Vera was worried that her son, who was indifferent even to his own mother, would be separated from the 3rd Prince, the first person he was obsessed with. ¡°Now is probably not the time to worry about him.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You better take care of yourself and your husband first. If you go back like this, that bastard¡­ Emm, do you think Patrick and his wife will stay still?¡± There was a strange word in the middle, but Vera shook her head. Because such a word didn¡¯t go well with this precious person. With such a serious face. During the times when she was at Duchy, she had tried to be as courageous as she could, but that was not enough. Vera looked at the 2nd Empress. She had heard many stories from her husband, Jonathan, about the 2nd Empress. Even in a situation where she needed to face something that was greater than she was, the 2nd Empress protected the 3rd Prince and made her stand, standing tall. Vera was not confident enough. Still, she somehow wanted to keep her child safe, and she had to. ¡°There is nothing I can do to help right now. If I tried to use my hand, it is highly likely to backfire.¡± Vera nodded her head up and down broadly, as if she was well aware of it too. The gaze she had just sent wasn¡¯t to ask for help, but just to think about what she would have done if she were the 2nd Empress. ¡°Nevertheless, I will add a few words.¡± As the unexpected voice continued, Vera raised her face. ¡°Never give the other person what they want. However, if you have to give it, don¡¯t give it easily. And when it¡¯s time to give, don¡¯t give what your opponent wants.¡± ¡°That is difficult.¡± ¡°There are other things that are more difficult.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No matter how urgent the situation, we must not forget what is real and why we are standing there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you take something important from a child in the name of for the sake of the child, you will end up regretting it. Perhaps not all of them will, but at least I did regret it.¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s important to Benjamin.¡± Vera muttered with a tone implying that she couldn¡¯t get a sense of Elisha¡¯s words. Elisha tilted her face to the side and spitted out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think that it is you or your husband? Your absence. Your sacrifice. A father¡¯s embrace to hold and a mother¡¯s lips to rub against his cheek.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand either. In fact, even I, don¡¯t know everything. I¡¯m not good at it either. But just because he didn¡¯t express it, don¡¯t think that it wasn¡¯t there from the beginning. Maybe it¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t know how, or maybe it¡¯s because you loved him so much that he didn¡¯t feel the need to express himself.¡± Benjamin¡¯s tearing the West apart in the past may be largely due to continued abuse. Elisha thought that it must be revenge for the unexpected death of his parents. Because, there is no way a person without emotions can go crazy. His madness burnt everything and ate his enemies so violently that it even ruined himself! ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something I can tell you. I was just talking about the possibility. You must have your answer.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡± Vera nodded her head in understanding. ¡°You have to be strong. And when your effort doesn¡¯t work, and when danger comes, so dangerous that you think it might be your last, go to the Heron and find Rozie. The Heron¡¯s branches are all over the Empire, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult. After calling out Rozie to talk about the jewel mine, give her my name. Ask her to help you and say that I will pay the price later. I will give you my hand one time.¡± Elisha mentioned Rozenin¡¯s pseudonym there, along with the top secret of Count Gotham. It was nice enough to put their situation simply as ¡°unfortunate¡±¡­ Both Jonathan, who did not create his own force in order not to cause a riot with his brother, who was always suspicious of taking his place, and Vera, who had no place to rely on, had no place to ask for help after Elisha left the duchy. Rozenin was resourceful, so she would get the job done. Even if there was a problem, many forces would want them to the extent that Vera and her family can become a weakness of the Western noble family. Rozenin was harmless, and at least Vera and her family¡¯s lives could be saved, so this was the safest suggestion. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Your Majesty.¡± Vera bowed her head saying thank you over and over again. Elisha, waving her hand as if telling her to stop, turned her gaze out of the carriage window. After a while, the carriage stopped and Elisha¡¯s next schedule began. Elisha called the water birds and sent it away to find the veins. The day after tomorrow, she will leave the March. There are now two territories left, the Eyim County and the Syuphl Barony. Elisha¡¯s aim was to escape the high-ranking noble families, because once they touch her, they can get four more months out of the harshness for nothing. Will she be able to return to Barossa after she fulfills her responsibilities safely? Several faces naturally popped up in Elisha¡¯s head. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Their poisonous eyes as well. ¡°Hmm.¡± It didn¡¯t look like it would be easy. Chapter 53 Where Water Flows II (5) Translated by WookEdited by Wook When the work at the March was over, Jonathan returned to the Duke¡¯s Castle with Vera and his child. Elisha and the 1st Knights also set off for Count Eyim. Having received a great help, Marquis Rwanda¡¯s complexion turned for the better, but at the same time, he took the lead when the 2nd Empress, who was a great source of trouble, left his estate. In Eyim County, everything was done faster than in the March. Compared to the first two places they stopped by, the county territory was small, and the party had become more proficient. Marquis Rwanda pushed forward with all his might. This territory was not the Duchy, where he couldn¡¯t act on his own, or the March that he owned, so he could move more roughly. Count Eyim¡¯s expression was slightly wrinkled, but that was just his situation. *** Elisha¡¯s party was able to leave Eyim County not too long ago. ¡°This is the last one.¡± Marquis Rwanda, who had a completely refreshed face, said to Elisha. Syuphl Barony was a small aristocratic family that was not particularly mentioned among the Western nobility. Whenever it was being talked about, it was never a good case. Most of the time, it was due to the Miyon Desert, the land of the Kran Kingdom, which borders them. In addition, due to the influence of the Miyon Desert, the geology was one of the worst in the already barren West. Who would put such a Syuphl Barony, which couldn¡¯t do anything, as a comparative opponent even as a joke? It was because of its insignificance that Syuphl Barony was put on the important schedule of receiving the help of the guests from Barossa. Unlike the March, which could fully utilize the water veins and provide various assistance to the western region with it, or Eyim County, which had an advantage in terms of location¡­ Syuphl Barony would have almost died if it was left like this. No matter how strong the solidarity of the Western aristocracy, they were a group that united for their own benefit. It didn¡¯t matter what happened to Baron Syuphl, who was more of a burden than help. Although the territory was vast, it was full of sand and it was difficult for life to take root in the Moyon Desert, which was useless land in itself. The rough and ferocious desert people who live in various tribes have long been subordinated to the Kran Kingdom, but some of them were still not completely absorbed. Normally, it wasn¡¯t something the Western nobles would care about unless there was something that concerns their own territory¡­ But the situation changed after the terrible drought began and monsters began to run rampant. The monsters that did not leave the desert widened their radius of activity, and the tribes of the desert people that refused to join the Kran Kingdom started plundering. At first, those tribes reached out to the territory near the desert within the Kran Kingdom, but the counterattack was formidable, so they turned toward other places, which was Syuphl Barony. The barony was narrow and long, and even though a large part of it was bordered¡­ Due to the existence of a huge buffer zone called Miyon Desert, it was not classified as a military strategic point. So it became a territory that was neglected inside the Western nobility, because everyone was wary that the emperor might plant his own power and use it to oppress the West. Therefore, Syuphl Barony was an easy prey for the desert tribes. When the Syuphl territory was helplessly torn down by the disaster that was caused by the drought and monsters, it was the aristocrats who had their lands nearby who were panicked. They had been using the Syuphl Estate like an umbrella to escape the heat of the sandstorm of the Miyon Desert. They thought that if the current owner of the estate went extinct, one of them might be put in charge of the troublesome land. [T/N: Not literally heat and sandstorm, but problems that are caused by Miyon Desert.] However, if they just escape and leave it alone, how could the current emperor, the owner of Barossa, who was completely different from the previous emperors, stand still? At this time, it was clear that the western outskirts would be filled with power. Only at this time, those who have been reluctant to report the exact situation until now, did the minimum effort to save Syuphl Barony because it was getting harder to just rely on prayers. It was only a breath, but Baron Syuphl had no choice but to feel it. But that¡¯s why. ¡°What madness. Her Majesty the 2nd Empress herself! Even if just one thing goes wrong, it will be all over for us!¡± He had to get what he was given, even though his head was wrapped and tormented because of it. Although it was evident that what the 2nd Empress would give was the most valuable thing considering the things he had received from the Western aristocracy so far, he still couldn¡¯t help putting his thumb between his teeth and wheezed out his concerns. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, my lord. There¡¯s no need for Her Majesty to go to a place where the monsters run rampant anyway. Besides, no matter how ignorant the desert bastards are, they won¡¯t be able to touch Barossa¡¯s guests.¡± Adam, the commander of the Baron¡¯s knights, exhorted his master. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but¡­ The communication keeps coming from Lord William of the Western Tower himself! Why does he keep wanting to come here? Even though I know that he has a good relationship with the 2nd Empress, he¡¯s going to go to a barony under a duchy, so why won¡¯t he get permission from the Duke first?¡± It took a long time for the communication device to be connected to the Duke, and even if it did, the Duke would only give a cold response of why he couldn¡¯t properly refuse William away. ¡°It will be over soon.¡± ¡°How can you say that?! Adam, why do you keep saying one thing over and over again¡­!¡± ¡°Did you forget who is coming with the 2nd Empress?¡± ¡°Ah! Marquis Rwanda! When he comes, he will take care of everything, so I just need to eat what he gives from behind the curtain. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam only nodded his head at his master who asked the question as if he had just come up with it. ¡°Yes, Baron. That¡¯s why, let¡¯s just watch in peace.¡± ¡°W-Will it be okay? Hahaha!¡± The Baron, who stretched out with his back on his comfy chair, called his maid to bring him liquor and made him greasy food. ¡°I have work to do.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ve been holding on to our busy knight commander for too long. You may leave and see to your business.¡± At the Baron¡¯s words, Adam got up from his seat, opened the door, and went outside. The door closed behind Adam¡¯s back. Tak! Adam¡¯s eyes narrowed as the doorknob and the doorframe¡¯s mouths met correctly. ¡°That piglet is talking too much.¡± In the grumbling voice, there was not a single trace of the loyal knight commander that had been seen before. However, as soon as the sound of footsteps running from the opposite hallway was heard, the disturbing energy disappeared as if washed away. ¡°Adam! Adam! Is Father in the office right now?¡± ¡°Miss Tricia, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing?! My dress hasn¡¯t arrived yet! Sir Rohan is coming to our estate, and if I appear like a beggar, what will our estate be?¡± Tricia, who had a pretty face, spoke proudly while raising her chin. ¡°The Baron is busy with work.¡± ¡°Hah, what work? He¡¯s probably drinking again. Move!¡± Even though she was the only daughter of the baron, it was unreasonable for her to be so reckless towards him, the knight commander. But Adam accepted it casually and was always loyal, therefore, she became more and more arrogant. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Tricia pushed Adam away and opened the office door wide. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Huh, Tricia? Isn¡¯t it time for lessons with your mother? How are you here¡­¡± The baroness¡¯ personality was pretty good, but she wasn¡¯t ready to take care of a daughter who was taller than her. Adam, who didn¡¯t want to hear Tricia running around and pouring her words out to her father, quickly shut the door from outside. An expression of utmost regret was pasted on his face, as if pretending he didn¡¯t know about the shameful things of the Baron. The knight commander contorted his face as the door closed, and this time he exhaled harshly for a long time. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve endured for so long in this pigpen.¡± Praising himself, Adam quickly moved away from the office. *** The carriage stopped in front of the Baron¡¯s mansion. This is the final stage of the itinerary. Elisha, who looked back on the route she had traveled, found the cause of the grit she had been feeling since they entered the Barony. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± According to the basic information that Rohan said it would be good to know, and from the bits she heard on their way here, the Barony was troubled and in need of help. But Elisha did not see anything that stood out until she arrived in the Barony. It couldn¡¯t have happened without someone¡¯s intention. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± The carriage made a complete stop, and Rohan¡¯s hand was held out after the door of the carriage was opened. Elisha, with a slight frown on her forehead, grabbed Leon and pressed her hand to Rohan¡¯s, and stood down from the carriage. ¡°Welcome, Your Majesty.¡± Baron Syuphl greeted her with his head bowed. To his left stood a woman who appeared to be his wife, and to his right stood a woman who appeared to be his daughter, but the woman could not take her eyes off Rohan. The appearance of the three people dressed up in a ridiculously colorful way in front of the mansion where the old plaque still remains even after repainting and covering it up, doubled the grimness she felt earlier. Elisha nodded lightly and went inside with Marquis Rwanda. The size of the mansion was even incomparable to the capital mansions owned by prominent local nobles near Barossa, not to mention the castles of the various estates she had passed through. Therefore, there was no need to guide her inside. The top of the three floors was used by Elisha¡¯s party, and this floor was given to the Marquis and his followers. The Baron¡¯s family decided to leave their place of residence for a while and stay on the first floor, but unlike the Baron¡¯s couple, the daughter¡¯s face became blotchy as if she was very dissatisfied. It wasn¡¯t because she had to give up her place, but because Rohan was staying on the third floor, so she wanted to be in one of the rooms on the third floor, as she muttered to herself. She thought that if she said it, someone would give her consideration to do so, as such, the woman who introduced herself as Tricia, did not stop. ¡°Humph!¡± When Marquis Rwanda harrumphed and shot a look at the Baron, the Baron winked his eyes at his daughter. Then Tricia¡¯s mouth closed. One stern gaze continued to follow. Elisha was puzzled. From a while ago, that woman looked at herself with resentment¡­ It was definitely their first meeting, so why is that? ¡°It seems that the rumors went wrong. They must have said I was a little generous in the Duchy.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°They must know me as an incredibly merciful person. Otherwise, there is no way anyone would be ignorant of the loss of their life.¡± Elisha fixed her blue eyes in one place. ¡°Hiccup!¡± Tricia was startled and swallowed with her throat. ¡°It¡¯s not a false rumor! You are very merciful!¡± As Leon spoke with his arms wide open, Elisha placed her forehead on the forehead of the child in his arms. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then I guess so.¡± As Elisha¡¯s chill subsided, the air around her softened. ¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡± When Elisha spoke, Dorian tried to climb the stairs with their luggage. The Baron¡¯s servants tried to help, but she shook her head. She was firmly educated by her senior, Marie. Nobody knows what¡¯s going to happen outside, so don¡¯t let anyone touch their luggage. Elisha stopped Dorian as she grunted and was about to lift the load. ¡°Wait for a moment.¡± It would be difficult to lift that heavy load with Dorian¡¯s slender arms. However, it would be funny if Elisha and the 1st Knights come forward to help while refusing the help of the Baron¡¯s servants. Elisha thought there must be a reason, and flicked her fingertips lightly. Syiiiik! A stream of water gushed out and lifted the load lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Elisha spoke, Dorian followed her politely. This was a waste of energy and lowering Elisha¡¯s level. No wonder the Marquis¡¯ stinging gaze was aimed towards her. And harrumphed one more time. ¡°As expected, the rumor outside was so off the mark.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Elisha murmured. A chance to rectify it will come soon. If it doesn¡¯t come, she can make it. Every time she steps on the stairs, there is a creaking sound and the smell of old musty wood. Chapter 54 Where Water Flows II (6) Translated by WookEdited by Wook It was dinner time, but there was not a single sound of tableware hitting each other. It was because everyone was distracted by something else. It was expected that the shortest place in terms of the time it would take to complete the work on this trip to the West would be the barony, but the reality was not so easy. Adam, the commander of the Baron¡¯s family knights, informed that there was a report of sudden monsters appearing near the area where it was originally planned to search for water veins. The Baron¡¯s mansion, where Elisha and her party were currently staying, was located in the center of the long and narrow barony. In order to provide appropriate support to the barony, it was necessary to find the water veins by balancing the left and right sides of the territory. This means that once they find a water vein by moving to one place, whether it is to the left or the right of where they are, they have to bear the trouble of returning and moving in the opposite direction through the center again. Since that was the case, Elisha wondered if it would have been better to hold the destination biased to one side from the beginning and just proceed horizontally. In the end, there was almost no difference in the total distance traveled or the time required to finish the work with Eyim County. The Marquis, who said that it is polite to meet the owner first when going to someone else¡¯s estate, naturally chose the central route unless there was a special reason. Because if Elisha started doing her work without greeting the baron first, it would be considered demeaning. In any case¡­ ¡°I-If Your Highness moves from the Polek area to another place, resentment will erupt from the nobles in the vicinity.¡± ¡°Why would they make a fuss when we¡¯re looking for water veins in the barony?¡± ¡°Y-You see¡­ It¡¯s been a while since any of us got any help¡­ So, if some water veins are found, isn¡¯t it only good for us? Especially because our land is a land that looks very good to share with other estates. Hahaha!¡± Everyone was wondering if the Baron was joking, but seeing that he really was being so self-righteous, it seemed that he really thought it was the truth. He truly believed that others could not easily take out what¡¯s in his pocket. Elisha couldn¡¯t quite understand, while Marquis Rwanda looked astonished in a different sense. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we have to look out for them too?¡± ¡°L-Lord Marquis, how could it be possible? I was just¡­ Well, the decision is yours anyway, so I was just¡­¡± ¡°You were just trying to tell us the truth without missing a single thing, weren¡¯t you, Baron?¡± When the knight commander Adam stepped forward to fix it, the Baron nodded his head broadly. ¡°Y-Yes. That is right!¡± ¡°Enough. Those of you who have been arguing over such useless things, bring me a map. Either we find a new suitable area, or monsters¡­¡± The discussion got long. The food laid out on the big long table got cold. As the 3rd Prince, Leon struggled to straighten his posture while listening to the discussion so as not to be found faulty. He tried his best to listen, his appearance was both proud and pitiful. ¡°Keep talking. Since it¡¯s going to take a while, we¡¯ll go in first and wait.¡± As Elisha put down her fork and knife and spoke, the Marquis frowned. But he just nodded without much opposition. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When Elisha got up with Leon, Rohan also put down his glass after taking a sip. When Elisha disappeared with the group, the Marquis wagged his tongue more blatantly, and the Baron only paid attention. ¡°I¡¯ll go out too!¡± Tricia didn¡¯t listen to her father¡¯s answer and left the dining room behind while clutching the hem of her skirt. ¡°Excuse me¡­!¡± Elisha and her party, who were ahead of Tricia, stopped walking. Tricia bowed her head and clasped her fingers and spoke. ¡°Since you are going to wait anyway, how about going out for a while? It¡¯s not as flashy as the capital city, but there are quite a few strange things from the desert, so it¡¯s worth seeing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I want to see you too. I used to visit often, but lately, the knights of the family have been busy dealing with monsters, so it was difficult to ask for them. But my father would be worried if I tried to go alone, so he never gave me permission.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then guide us. Can you?¡± Tricia, who slowly raised her head, saw a completely different person before her, not the one she had in mind the whole time. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve been looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Tricia thought she was calling Rohan, who had been behind before. However, when the party heard Tricia¡¯s call, the position changed and Rohan¡¯s position was occupied by Elisha, who was now before Tricia. Rohan was escorting Elisha, therefore, he had taken a step back. ¡°Since you want to be the guide, then do so.¡± When Elisha spoke, Tricia frowned, but did not dare undo what she had said. Her goal was only asking Rohan, so she had to confirm that he was going to accompany Elisha out of courtesy. However, Tricia had expected that Elisha would say no because how could a woman who enjoyed seeing only the splendor of the capital be interested in the trivialities of such a barren land. Actually, Tricia herself hated the hot sun, the unpleasant smell mixed with the common people, and the noisy street rather than liking it. ¡°Yes¡­ ¡± But Tricia decided to accept it for once. Having succeeded in making time to be with Rohan, thinking that there will be next time somehow. The atmosphere outside was good. The procession was long, but the group¡¯s steps felt light because they were moving with a simple group of people. Although it was a short distance, it was also enjoyable to see Leon bursting in admiration for the exotic scenery influenced by the desert while riding a horse-drawn carriage. Knowing her child was grieving over the separation with his beloved brother Benjamin, Elisha hoped this brief outing could soothe the child¡¯s mood. In that respect, this frivolous woman of the barony, did something surprisingly useful. Apparently, Elisha seemed to have a little bit of mercy, just like how some of the rumors described her. They finally got off the carriage for a full-fledged tour. The street wide enough for two carriages to run side by side was quiet, but the shops lined up on the left and right of the road were filled with people, so it didn¡¯t look flat. The atmosphere was perfect for sight-seeing. In recent years, the logistics flow has improved due to confusion or aid from various incidents, this quietness should have seemed strange indeed. But Elisha did not view the pretense as disturbing. She only wondered if Tricia had made preparation for the outing beforehand. And whether that was true, she kept showing objects and foods that outsiders might be interested in. As Leon¡¯s eyes widened, the fountain of mercy in Elisha¡¯s heart also deepened. That¡¯s why. Every time they went to a store, Elisha bought a bunch of stuff, making the steps of the knights who accompanied her heavy. But she didn¡¯t expect it would turn like this. All of a sudden, a carriage came from the opposite side. ¡°Ah!¡± Tricia suddenly groaned as if she had injured her foot before she stumbled. She reached out to Rohan, who was the nearest person around her. No, it would be more accurate to say that she tried to throw her own body towards him. Unfortunately, Rohan¡¯s senses were not focused on that side. Kukkung! Kukkung! It wasn¡¯t a dangerously fast speed, but the body bounced off the floor and made some noise. And then again. Dukyung! This time, the sound was exceptionally loud. The body of the carriage leaned heavily to the side. ¡°Huh?¡± As everyone continued to watch, the atmosphere that had loosened up became tight once more. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Elisha threw herself into Leon, who was walking in the lead without paying attention to his surroundings with a lot of toys in his arms, and hugged him. And the carriage only stopped only after crossing the street and reaching the entrance of the store on the other side. The coachman skillfully stabilized the body of the carriage. Was this a common occurrence here? The tilted balance was corrected, and the lifted carriage wheel hit the dirt floor. Thud! It was as if nothing had happened before. Elisha¡¯s fingertips trembled. While she was confirming Leon¡¯s safety, a shadow covered her head. Elisha spoke without checking who it was. ¡°I almost broke it.¡± ¡°Were you startled?¡± ¡°Leon is fine.¡± In response, Elisha found the rest of the party. She found Tricia leaning on Perry in an oblique position across the street, vaguely supported as she almost fell to the ground. If it wasn¡¯t for the mercy Elisha had filled beforehand, she would have corrected Tricia¡¯s antic right away without promising later. ¡°Mother, it is said that there are deserts in the Empire land near the border with the Miyon Desert. That¡¯s why they sell a lot of desert goods!¡± Even if everyone was dressed in plain clothes, it would not be easy to deal with the current situation just because they were with Tricia¡­ When Leon, as cute as a doll, stared at anyone with twinkling eyes or wiggled his fingers, most people would be anxious to lower their defense and do anything he wanted right away. This was also what happened to the owner of one of the shops they stopped by earlier, even though the owner was already busy trying to please Tricia. Elisha couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go and see.¡± Elisha took Leon¡¯s hand and walked. Elisha looked at those who were about to follow from the other side and shook her head lightly. There weren¡¯t many knights who accompanied her in the first place, and some of them were already sent to their carriage to leave the luggage, and the rest had loads of things in their hands. But at the moment, she couldn¡¯t deal with Tricia directly, so she needed someone to look after her. The knights, who hesitated even at Elisha¡¯s instructions, turned around only after Rohan gave a signal that it was okay to follow her arrangement. ¡°N-No!¡± Elisha could hear Tricia¡¯s shouting for some reason when she had already walked farther away. The atmosphere here was quite different because it was off the main road. Narrow alleys stretched out in the direction she was going, and in between, there were no proper shops, but there were stalls selling items randomly on the dirt floor. Leon¡¯s steps were brisk as if he had seen a treasure chest. Elisha let his hand go so the child could run around freely, and watched from behind. ¡°Waa!¡± Leon, walking around excitedly, bumped into a child his age who was crouching in front of one of the stalls. As the child turned over, Leon hit the child¡¯s buttocks. The toy Leon was holding fell to the floor. A child in shabby clothes looked at the toy with his eyes wide open. Leon felt the child¡¯s gaze, and held out one of his toys. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll give this to you as an apology.¡± At Leon¡¯s words, the child swallowed with his dry throat and looked back. When a man from a distance approached them wondering what was going on, the child involuntarily curled up his half-stretched hand and clenched it, then struck Leon¡¯s hand with his fist. Takk! With a fairly loud noise, the toy in Leon¡¯s hand was thrown away. Leon¡¯s hand turned red. ¡°Whatever! Do you think I¡¯m a beggar?!¡± The child jumped up and she turned around and ran to the man. ¡°Dad!¡± The man looked down at the child and glanced at Leon. Even though it was his first time seeing Leon, and even though Leon was dressed plainly, Leon had an unusual aura, so this situation was somehow unsettling. After the man spoke to the child, the child burst into tears. ¡°I hate you, Dad! I did it because I thought you would be upset!¡± When the child burst out like that, the man sighed and glanced at Elisha, who was behind Leon. When the man bowed his head slightly towards Elisha, Elisha frowned as she turned her head to he side. Her contorted gaze met Rohan who was at the side. Since when has he been looking at her like that? ¡°I won¡¯t kill them.¡± As Elisha spoke strongly, a faint smile crept into Rohan¡¯s reddish brown eyes. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°So don¡¯t keep looking at me like that!¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it. Even if it was just a child, the prince almost got hurt. No matter what punishment you give, it won¡¯t be excessive.¡± At Rohan¡¯s words, Elisha whispered in a low voice. ¡°Like hell I would.¡± ¡°Yes? What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing. Keep talking, Sir Rohan.¡± Even though he was puzzled by her pretending tone, Rohan replied. ¡°But when it comes to faults, my fault for not properly escorting is the biggest. I was just trying to tell you that if you¡¯re going to punish anyone, you have to start with me.¡± Look, here it comes. Even though there wasn¡¯t any malicious intent, it didn¡¯t mean that Rohan himself was silently stepping down just because Elisha¡¯s permission came first. ¡°Yes, yes. Let¡¯s settle at that.¡± Elisha nodded bitterly. She wondered if it felt like a certain indulgence that they were completely distracted from the main topic because they were talking to each other? The man quickly put his hand on the child¡¯s back and pushed it. As the child continued to cry, the man who had walked a little further squatted in front of the child. The child snorted in dislike, but eventually sat down on his father¡¯s shoulder. The man got up with the child on his back, and the child clasped the man¡¯s head with his arms and rubbed his face. One could even hear laughter. Leon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. Leon took turns looking at the two and the toy the boy had dropped. For some reason, Leon¡¯s disappointed eyes drooped. Translator¡¯s Note: Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I-If Your Highness moves from the Polek area to another place, resentment will erupt from the nobles in the vicinity.¡± In this case, I assume this Polek area is a part of the Baron¡¯s fief, and that the ¡°nobles in the vicinity¡± are other nobles of the Western region that are not getting help from Elisha. A reminder that Elisha¡¯s tour only has 3 places in agenda; Rwanda Marchy, Eyim County, and Syuphl Barony, as these places have the worst condition. Chapter 55 Where Water Flows II (7) Translated by WookEdited by Wook ¡°Hah.¡± Elisha sighed softly. Elisha wanted to do anything for him and was usually confident that she could do it, but there were still some things she couldn¡¯t help with. Among them, this was the hardest and worst. An incredibly beautiful man with black hair and blue eyes appeared in Elisha¡¯s mind and then disappeared. All the brilliant words in the world seemed to be for him, but under the light, all those amiable words were buried in the darkness. Nothing could remain by his side to keep him as one person. Someone¡¯s son, someone¡¯s husband, and someone¡¯s father. Kaiden denied and rejected all of them himself. He wanted to exist only as himself. Therefore, Elisha would not be able to give her child a father. In the future, forever. Elisha curled up her lips and lowered her head¡­ ¡°Eeek! Baby, are you crying? Why is this pretty child crying on the street?¡± An old woman walking out of the alley was surprised to see Leon and asked. Then, looking around, she found Elisha. It¡¯s the same hair color as the crying child. It was a perfect silver hair that was rare in the Empire, especially difficult to see, but in the hazy eyes of the woman with age, it only came out as a mysteriously shiny color. ¡°Hey, the child¡¯s mother over there!¡± ¡°¡­¡± At first, Elisha didn¡¯t know she was calling her. ¡°The child¡¯s mother, what are you doing standing there? He¡¯s crying.¡± Only after the second call came, Elisha pointed at her own nose with her index finger. Even as she thought, there¡¯s no way. But the older woman frowned and clicked her tongue. ¡°Then, when a child¡¯s crying, if they don¡¯t call their mother, who should they call? Why are young people nowadays so crazy?¡± Elisha, who had never seen anyone treat her so recklessly, was bewildered. Even if it was not because of her status or abilities, Elisha¡¯s temperament and coldness were unusual. Just because she was dressed to look ordinary didn¡¯t mean she was someone one could easily talk to. Rohan said that the old woman might be the empress dowager who hid her status or a transformed dragon, to Elisha, who muttered. ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± As Elisha responded coldly, Rohan nodded his head as he held the corner of his mouth, which was trying to keep raising for some reason. ¡°Hey, the child¡¯s father over there. What are you doing? Hurry up, come with your wife and hug the baby! If one is slow, the other should be quick. How can you both be so slow, huh?¡± Just like the 2nd Empress did before, Rohan pondered over and over whether the old woman was saying that to himself. In a way, what he did just now was useless. Knowing but still doing it, he felt himself embarrassed. ¡°She will get her tongue cut off like that.¡± Elisha¡¯s voice was heard. There was a sense of coldness, but it didn¡¯t seem to be unpleasant. She did not show anger in her haste steps. When Elisha approached and stood behind Leon, the old woman closed her lips and smiled softly. ¡°Baby, your mother is here now. It¡¯s time to stop crying.¡± She bent her already slumped back and fumbled over the toy, picked it up, and handed it to Leon. When Leon accepted it, she wiped the corners of Leon¡¯s eyes, which were still brimming with tears, with her wrinkled hands. Elisha then tried to advise that her hands could be cut off. It might sound like a threat. I was telling the truth, though. ¡°Huh? Your father is here too, baby.¡± At that time, the tongue, not the hands of the old woman, became dangerous again. She never thought of what evil thoughts the other party had about her. However, since the mother and father were here, she felt like she had done everything she had to do, so she slowly left. ¡°The roads are complicated here, so be careful not to get lost. Hold your mother and father¡¯s hands tightly. I wondered how a child can be so pretty, it looks like it¡¯s because he resembles his parents. You will make a lot of the children in the neighborhood cry later!¡± Until the end, she threw a few shocking remarks that one could not refute. *** ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± As Tricia murmured, Perry let out a sigh. How long have you been doing that already? ¡°Just wait in the carriage. We¡¯ll be right back soon.¡± He tried to recommend it again gently, but Tricia pretended she didn¡¯t hear it. Even Perry, whose temper was usually good, couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and his face stiffened. Perry¡¯s treatment was not because she was the baron¡¯s daughter. Since Rohan became the leader of the team, there was at least a minimum qualification requirements for the 1st Knights, whose skills take precedence over the background or political purposes. Of course, Perry was also a noble. He was the second son of a quite famous viscount. At least, even if he acted a bit more roughly, people would still say he was a knight, not a bandit from who knows where. It would not be easy to say a word even if one only considered his rank and title, but considering that he was also a member of the 1st Knights, the closest to the emperor, it should not be easy to just make eye contact with him. Therefore, what kind of guts did this daughter of a baron from the border area have? Perry even wanted to ask how she could do that and still live with her head, which was not used for thinking, intact. But, well. If Perry thought about how she approached the leader so frivolously enough to even make the viewers feel more embarrassed¡­ He thought the leader was having a hard time, too. Not to mention before marriage. There were many women who approached the leader even after marrying one of the most beautiful princesses in the empire. They were all talented women with outstanding beauty and talents from a good family, but¡­ The leader drew the line thoroughly, and no one crossed that line. Most of the women stopped in front of the line and only looked. This was because it was too much of a burden to step on that line unless the head of the leader reached out first. Nevertheless, there was no one who was too greedy, and they disappeared so quickly that they were forgotten. Perhaps their respective families had cracked down on them, or that they quietly gave up and settled down because they knew it was impossible. There had never been a big commotion in the past, but it was true that it was complicated. But to have to go through something like this even when performing an important mission¡­ This was the truth that Perry, the closest aide to the leader, had witnessed himself. As a result, he looked at Miller, who was far away, who had said that he might go crazy first if he heard the girl crackling a little more. ¡°So peaceful. I wish I could be as peaceful. That¡¯s a face that doesn¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± Perry thought it was enviable, and vowed to live like his leader. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks There may be adversity, but that was because the other party was the leader, and if Perry himself became the person involved, the scale would be smaller. ¡°Look at that. How could I not think it¡¯s weird?¡± There¡¯s no way I¡¯d get tangled up with a woman like this who keeps muttering to herself. Perry, who was shaking his head, turned his face in the direction she was looking, puzzled by how strange Tricia¡¯s condition had become. ¡°Hmm?¡± Perry blinked. His eyes were looking properly, right? ¡°Tell me. Am I really the only one who thinks that¡¯s weird?¡± Hearing what she said, Perry rolled his eyes a wide circle and answered. ¡°Our leader really cares about the 3rd Prince. That¡¯s why, there¡¯s nothing particularly weird about it. No, what¡¯s wrong with that in the first place? Isn¡¯t it just giving a ride on his shoulders? The 3rd Prince must¡¯ve asked him. Isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s still young?¡± He shrugged his shoulders and said nothing was wrong. Since Tricia had been abnormally obsessed with the leader all the time, she would surely take anything with prejudice. As he cautioned himself that he did not need to be swept away for nothing, Perry looked at his leader, who was getting closer and closer with the 3rd Prince on his shoulders. ¡°Hehehe!¡± Leon smiled brightly. As his view rose, he felt like he became a giant. He could see the tops of the heads of passers-by. Some children looked up with envy as the dignified and handsome Rohan gave Leon a ride on his shoulders and walked affectionately. Surely, Leon himself must have looked at the child who was riding away on his father¡¯s shoulders with those eyes, right? Leon, whose chin was rising as if he were showing off, quickly blushed and rubbed his forehead against Rohan¡¯s hair. Rohan¡¯s auburn hair was like the color of an old tree growing in the forest, and the soft earth color that supported his feet. Rohan had the warmth and scent that calmed the heart. As he put his cheeks on Rohan¡¯s head and closed his eyes, a small vibration came up every time Rohan spoke. ¡°Did you really try to cut her tongue?¡± When Rohan asked, Elisha, who was walking side by side with Leon¡¯s toy in her arms, tilted her head. ¡°Why would I cut someone¡¯s tongue?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that earlier?¡± ¡°I was talking about Sir Rohan, not me. If it¡¯s Sir Rohan, if you believe that disturbing remarks are unfaithful to His Majesty, then whoever you are dealing with will have their tongues and hands cut off.¡± ¡°I take the situation into account. And in that case earlier, there is no reason to go there.¡± ¡°But would you have cut it if it had gone far?¡± Elisha turned her head to Rohan. In front of the clear sky-blue eyes, Rohan couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment. See. ¡°Look at that. Am I right?¡± Elisha bent her eyes. Then, she turned around as if easing the cold air and walked forward. Rohan himself didn¡¯t seem to realize that either. A small voice came from above Rohan¡¯s, who was standing quietly, head. ¡°That¡¯s why you said no, Sir Rohan?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°About earlier.¡± Rohan couldn¡¯t even see Leon with his chin resting on top of Rohan¡¯s head, but Leon shut his eyes tightly as if he was ashamed. Leon recalled the following when he encountered a kind grandmother in the alley. As the three of them were contemplating for different reasons, an old woman who was selling things in a stall nearby asked. She asked if they were a family. She asked if he was not the father and looked at the three with strange eyes. The appearance and atmosphere were unusual, but even if the dirty old woman bothered him a while ago, he thought it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to just let go. Leon bit his lip tightly. He couldn¡¯t say anything himself. So Leon looked up at Rohan. He stared intently and hoped. He didn¡¯t mean to be greedy, but just for a moment¡­ Even for a very short time¡­ However, Rohan looked directly at the person who asked the question and answered. He said they were not family. He said he wasn¡¯t the father of this child. Leon shed tears again. However, as he tried not to cry, Rohan turned around in front of Leon and lowered his body. Showing a wide and reliable back. At first he didn¡¯t know what it meant, but he realized when he saw his mother pushing his back slightly. Leon sat down on Rohan¡¯s neck, just like the child did earlier. The fact that someone completely entrusted the back of the neck, which could be called a weakness. The knight commander put someone who was not his master on his shoulder, and made his clothes dirty from their feet stepping on the soil. Leon didn¡¯t know how much it all meant yet, but he was certain. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re afraid that old lady will get her tongue cut?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rohan replied, but Leon did not believe it. No, actually it didn¡¯t matter either way. Sir Rohan was a good person. Leon, who leaned on his neck and curled up in a circle, hugged Rohan¡¯s neck tightly. ¡°I wish Sir Rohan was my father.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that, Your Highness.¡± Rohan spoke with concern, but his tone was quite rigid. ¡°¡­. Then keep it a secret.¡± As Leon rubbed his face against his auburn hair again, Rohan sighed and answered. ¡°Alright.¡± Elisha, who was ahead, looked back and confirmed why the two were so late. As Rohan accelerated, Elisha moved again. However, her pace was a little slower than before. Soon the three of them were walking side by side again. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Not long after that, they ran into the group of people they had separated from, who were still standing there. The expressions of the subordinates were strange, but Rohan did not notice it as usual. Chapter 56 Where Water Flows II (8) Translated by WookEdited by Wook There was silence in the carriage going back to the baron¡¯s mansion. Leon was very tired from today¡¯s outing, so he fell asleep in Elisha¡¯s arms, while Tricia looked out the window and bit her lips. When they arrived, the meeting that had been running had ended a while ago. Elisha nodded when the Marquis said that the location had been changed to a nearby area that did not deviate much, as the Polek area seemed dangerous. When facing the Miyon Desert with the baron¡¯s mansion as the center, the west part could be treated that way, and since there was no problem in the east part, they could depart for Barossa after they found the water veins. Elisha entered her accommodation on the third floor and laid Leon on a large, fluffy bed on the left wall. She pulled the blanket to cover up to the bottom of his neck, patted his chest a few times, and then went to the window. When Elisha sat on the window frame without dignity, Dorian was surprised and tried to stop her, but soon gave up. ¡°Dinner is over, so you should go back and rest.¡± As Elisha waved her hand, Dorian looked down and quietly went out. She seemed to be waiting in front of the door without going far, but Elisha did not intend to stop her. She could see the view of the Barony from the window. The outside was surrounded by a wall made of low-stacked stones and black gratings mounted on it, and short-cut lawns were laid on the inside, occupying half of the space in front of the mansion. The other half was decorated with a garden planted with trees and flowers, as is usually the case with aristocratic mansions, and a wide road was laid between the mansion and the garden so that a carriage could reach the front door of the mansion. As she rested her back, she touched the vertical side of the window frame. Elisha leaned still there and raised her left hand high. Clear water accumulated one the concave palm. As she tilted her hand to the side, clear water poured down. Elisha received it with her right hand, raised it, and tilted it back to the side. For a while, there was the sound of Elisha playing with the stream of water in her hands inside the room. For some unknown reasons, she felt strangely excited. ¡°Umm¡­ Mother! Mother!¡± Leon woke up to find Elisha. Clap, Elisha clasped her palms. Both the flowing and the stagnant water disappeared as if they had never existed. Elisha got off the window sill and walked over to the bed. Sitting by the bedside, she swept Leon¡¯s hair. Leon, who had been whining, fell asleep again at his mother¡¯s touch. Elisha bent over and placed her forehead on the child¡¯s forehead. The warmth of the child was transmitted. The murmur subsided. Elisha leaned her body down next to her child. *** Tricia had made a lot of preparations after she learned that the 2nd Empress was coming to this outskirts backcountry accompanied by Rohan. Even if Tricia¡¯s brain wasn¡¯t outstanding, she wasn¡¯t stupid. As much as she admired Rohan, she knew the rumors about him as well. However, Tricia still looked forward to it. No matter how beautiful the empress was, he could get tired of it. Since time had passed for a while, love that was as hard as iron could be dulled. Not all men in the world would only like noble women, right? Someone might like a more candid and raw feeling! Tricia wondered if one of the many story books she had ever read could be hers. In particular, if it was a person like Rohan, who was excellent, had everything on his own, and did not lack anything, he might also expect less from the other person. If the heart was the most important thing, he wouldn¡¯t look at the many things that Tricia didn¡¯t have as a flaw. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible for such a man to think of someone as cute as she was as a girl who only wanted to be loved even if she was not particularly pretty or a mere nice daughter of a poor barony? ¡°But it¡¯s no different. Even the knights of the noble Empire are the same in the end.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tricia, startled by the sudden voice, almost screamed. ¡°It¡¯s just me, Miss!¡± ¡°Adam!¡± As Trisha called nervously, Adam forced his shaky lips up. ¡°Did I scare you? Isn¡¯t this near the stairs where sound travels easily? The 2nd Empress is resting after eating dinner, so everyone is being careful.¡± ¡°So? Are you saying I should shut up and be quiet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°So what are you saying?¡± Adam¡¯s smiling face did not break and he still spoke as if trying to soothe, even though the other¡¯s red-painted lips were pouting and sarcastic remarks came out of it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter that you took a few knights to deal with the merchants, but it was too much to sabotage a carriage. Do you think the 2nd Empress doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°So what if she knows?¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°Why? If so, are you going to think that this barony that is already like a beggar will look even more like a beggar?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that face? You thought I wouldn¡¯t know? We¡¯ve been getting help here and there recently, but how long can this place endure my mother¡¯s wastefulness and my father¡¯s alcoholism and gambling addiction?¡± What surprised Adam was not that Tricia was actually surprisingly well aware of the reality she was facing. ¡­ How could she know that? Since it was going to be the worst, was she saying that she was going to push ahead with it? It was because it was so incredible. ¡°I thought this was my last chance! That¡¯s why I tried to die despite the embarrassment. I just¡ª!¡± Tricia let out a shaky breath. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks She didn¡¯t say the following words, but Adam could easily guess what she meant. If it were Rohan Scherzer¡¯s concubine or mistress, she would be able to live a splendid life that attracts much more attention than it is now. ¡°Are you very upset?¡± ¡°Then won¡¯t you be upset? I prepared it, but that woman¡¯s the one who ate it up!¡± Adam rolled his eyes once and gently advised her. ¡°The 2nd Empress would not have felt that way.¡± He actually thought so too. It was impossible to weave that indifferent and icy 2nd Empress together with Rohan, who had his feet on the road of a model of chivalry. As for the relationship between the two people, it could never be confirmed, but should it be called that they were compatible with each other? Or that they complemented each other? Even Adam could not have imagined a scene in which a sweet romance blossomed between the 2nd Empress and Rohan. Tricia immediately responded. ¡°It¡¯s because Adam didn¡¯t see it in person! And that¡¯s what makes people annoyed! That woman enjoys being beside Sir Rohan for granted, as if it¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re that angry, would you try to vent your anger?¡± ¡°Vent my anger?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it was because no one was hurt or because she was afraid that Marquis Rwanda would step in and complicate things, but didn¡¯t the 2nd Empress overlook this carriage incident? But it¡¯s too risky to do something big again, so how about doing something small to make yourself feel a little better?¡± Adam, who had long been the faithful commander of the baron¡¯s knight, had said just what was good to hear. ¡°Shall I?¡± Tricia¡¯s worries didn¡¯t last long. It did not come to her mind if she was right or that she should not do it twice if she made a mistake once, only that she needed to be careful the second time so that she didn¡¯t get hurt this time. *** The next day Elisha headed west. The preparation was light and the greeting was brief, as she had to go back through the central area where the baron¡¯s mansion was located in order to finish the next schedule after work on the west side anyway. Marquis Rwanda was busy looking around to see if the barony¡¯s condition was worse than expected. As in the Eyim County, the Marquis did not accompany her every time she moved within the territory. No matter how much the area belonged to the western region, the Marquis¡¯ knights naturally stood by their master. She didn¡¯t know if she should call it a surprise or if she should say that it seemed like it would be the case when she saw her sticking to Rohan. The Baron¡¯s daughter, Tricia, followed along with the Baron¡¯s knights. It was said that no matter how great the ability of the 1st Knights was, they would not know much about the desert monsters, so the Baron¡¯s knights followed as a guide. ¡°Haa.¡± Perry shook his head. I can¡¯t believe I have to go with things like this. Despite his title as a knight, his murmurs were not cool, and from his eyes he seemed fed up. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything right in this neighborhood.¡± As Perry complained, Miller looked at him again. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I feel like your personality has deteriorated these days.¡± ¡°Miller, isn¡¯t it better to have a bad personality than a bad face like yours?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got more nonsense in mind. You should hit me in the head, perhaps I¡¯ll be back in my right mind.¡± Miller frowned at Perry¡¯s words. He seemed worried that his friend had really gone crazy. At that time, the window of the carriage opened and a fair hand came out. Leaving behind Miller, Perry agonized as he quickly drove his horse to the side. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± When asked, Elisha answered from the window. ¡°Prepare my horse.¡± ¡­ Where was the horse of the 2nd Empress, you asked? Perry went back to the back and brought the black and white horse that the 2nd Empress rode whenever she had time in this western schedule. When the door of the stopped carriage opened and the 2nd Empress got off, the horse got excited and neighed. Neeeigh! The 2nd Empress stared still and patted the back of its nose with the back of her hand. The horse was excited and fluttered its tail from side to side. Obviously, at first, it was very calm and gentle, so he recommended it because it was not dangerous for the 2nd Empress to ride. Whether it was hiding its true nature, or whether it was in perfect harmony with the 2nd Empress¡­ Now, when the horses rested or gathered, it pretended to be the leader of the herd. Sometimes it even laughed at other horses¡­ Just thinking about it made his head hurt again. Perry stopped frowning and helped the 3rd Prince and the 2nd Empress go up the horse. As the 3rd Prince thanked him, the horse bounced forward. The carriage door wasn¡¯t even closed yet, so a lot of hazy dust got inside. Soon, a coughing noise was heard. ¡°What is this?!¡± At first, Perry couldn¡¯t understand why the 2nd Empress, who was not the type of person who looked out for others, did not move separately and let the jerk ride the carriage together with her. The 2nd Empress was a woman who would have hated being in the same space as this kind of person. Perry quickly closed the door of the carriage and lightly slapped it with the palm of his hand, fearing that there was going to be an afterthought. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Depart!¡± The wheel of the carriage rolled according to the signal sent by Perry. The start of the last itinerary for the West was waiting for them. Chapter 57 Desert Flower (1) Translated by WookEdited by Wook A land of hills that have been cut at an angle are scattered here and there. With every step, the dry soil fluttered and spat out dust. Elisha did not delay. Swaaa! The bird created by the spirit of water splits through the wind and flaps its wings. Elisha made them move slowly by slowing them down as much as possible. Otherwise, she thought the baron¡¯s knights would not dare to follow. If she could, she wanted to make the 1st Knights move directly, but Rohan shook his head. Even if it wasn¡¯t the Polek area where the movement of monsters was confirmed, he said that it¡¯s not good for the 1st Knights in charge of the escort to move away from her since it¡¯s still an area nearby. It was a valid opinion, so Elisha immediately agreed. Above all, she didn¡¯t use the portal for various reasons when she left Barossa, but she won¡¯t have to upon the return trip. As soon as the baron¡¯s knights left, she decided to move to the old site where the portal is located and return to Barossa Palace immediately, and she had even received the emperor¡¯s permission through the crown prince. However, the best situation and the last opportunity for the forces targeting her was here in Syuphl Barony. There was nothing bad about being overly cautious especially when it concerned Leon. ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t like? Oh, except for the fact that the baron¡¯s knights are a little less.¡± Even though they saw with their own eyes that the horsemanship of the second emperor was better than theirs, they say it was dangerous for a noble woman like the 2nd Empress to ride a horse. Since desert monsters are different from common monsters on the continent, they insisted that she must follow their instructions, and the way she sneered was a spectacle. It was harder not to notice Perry, who was sneaking up and approaching. He was carrying Leon on his back. Yesterday and today they pretended to be close, but today they seemed to have truly gotten close. Elisha said as she stroked Leon¡¯s hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know if finding the water veins will really help them.¡± It was obvious that the baron would get help from people around him because he did not think he would be able to dig and manage the water vein on his own. Didn¡¯t the baron already mention it once? She didn¡¯t think that man, who didn¡¯t seem to have any backbone, would protect his territory or its people well, and if that happens, wouldn¡¯t this barony be reduced to a target of looting as in the past, causing only greater suffering to those living in this land? ¡°Ah.¡± Perry was a little surprised because he did not know that the 2nd Empress would be thinking that far. Looking back on it, the 2nd Empress did it all the time she came here. ¡°¡­Still, wouldn¡¯t it be better than nothing? It was something that we needed from each other. We can¡¯t take responsibility until then, can we?¡± That was correct. She couldn¡¯t take responsibility, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered. There is only one person in the Empire, the Emperor, who can grieve for the entire nation, regardless of the political color or the location of the territory. Before leaving, what Kaiden said comes to mind. He told Elisha to be the one who moves, not the one who tries to move. It was definitely a warning. But Elisha was also a mover. The greatest predator who stole the throne by stepping over the opponent who warned her too! Although the direction was twisted according to the purpose, it was impossible not to have eyes looking down on the whole from above. Even if she could see it then, but she doesn¡¯t see it now. Likewise, the emperor was the only one in this empire who deserved to paint what he saw as he wanted. So Elisha¡¯s current role is to see and convey. Not to the current emperor, Kaiden, but to Ascensio, who will be the next great emperor. And she¡¯s going to ask. What will happen to the people of the small villages in the territory on the outskirts of the great aristocratic faction belonging to the anti-emperor faction in the empire you are drawing? What kind of emperor do you want to be? My dark-haired child. Elisha lifted her hand from Leon¡¯s silver hair that was gently wrapped around her, and looked back to the front. The Baron¡¯s territory is more of a family home than other territories in the west, so it will take quite a while for the scattered spirits to return. It was only then that Perry, who finally remembered why he came to her, opened his mouth. ¡°The sun will set when we finish. It is said that the baron¡¯s people have set up lodging in a nearby village. I think we can rest there and leave tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like the village, we can camp like last night¡±, he also said, but Elisha asked them to go to the accommodation. It¡¯s not because of Tricia, who will pretend to be uncomfortable all night and toss and turn. ¡°It¡¯s not polite to refuse the baron¡¯s sincerity. We¡¯ll have to run a full day tomorrow to be able to return to the barony, and I think it¡¯ll be less stressful for Leon if he sleeps properly.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I guess so.¡± The cool sky-blue eyes were set on Perry, who nodded his head. Hick! Perry swallowed with his dry throat and felt the weight of Leon on his back, feeling relieved. What should the Empress do to him, who was terribly close with the 3rd Prince? ¡°It¡¯s enough for Dell alone to tease his tongue as he pleases.¡± She was muttering to herself, but it was loud enough for Perry¡¯s ears to hear clearly. ¡°Does Your Majesty mean the new commander of the 2nd Knights?¡± Elisha nodded, and Perry¡¯s pupils shook as he said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to have two than one? It¡¯s like I¡¯m taking good care of the 2nd Empress so that while Sir Dell is not here, the 2nd Empress won¡¯t be lonely. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Not necessarily. Common things have to be doubled to have power, but the less valuable things are, the more valuable they are. So let¡¯s see if you can match Sir Dell.¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°How come you get to decide that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. Why would I decide that? Hahaha!¡± He was smiling all the time, but his face was half-withering. Elisha waved her hand as if she found him noisy. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The intimidated Perry shut his mouth quickly. Time passed slowly and the birds made of water returned. Some of them could not come because the smell of water was too far and weak. Perhaps there was nothing to do within the range of movement. Even so, the baron¡¯s knights appeared one by one on their exhausted horses. Elisha looked closely at them and turned around. She didn¡¯t think anything was going to happen right away. *** The village where Elisha and the party arrived after work was shabby. An old man who appeared to be the village chief was bowing in front of the entrance to the village, as if he was going to have his head pounded into the ground. With his guidance, they headed towards the center of town. There was an inn for tourists and the village chief¡¯s house a little farther away, and those two places were where the party would stay today. It might be the best place in this town, but it wasn¡¯t the perfect place for the party¡¯s castle. Still, some people realized they only have to endure it roughly for a day, while others were annoyed and frowned. Elisha, the highest ranking member of the group, was calm without a word of dissatisfaction, so they didn¡¯t dare to express their dissatisfaction. It was the same at the late dinner meal that started in the inn¡¯s dining room, as Elisha quietly emptied her share of food. The taste of beef grilled with only salt without marinade was rough, and the bread mixed with rye was rough, but so what? To Elisha, it was not much different from the food provided by the barons or other noble families. The table wasn¡¯t long enough for everyone to sit, so some of them were squeezed together and sat down at the top of the table covered with white cloth. When Elisha put down her fork and knife, everyone flinched and stopped their movement. The candlesticks placed in the middle of the table have been carefully cleaned, but they still stood out. Shadows flowed down the candlesticks that were placed under the candles that were illuminating the surroundings. The lower the candle, the greater the black shadow spreading on the table, and it touched Elisha¡¯s fingertips. Elisha, who was holding the tip of the shadow with her index finger, put her middle finger and moved the two fingers together, pretending they were human legs, ran them across the table, and leaned on the bowl before Leon. Leon¡¯s eyes widened and he looked only at Elisha¡¯s fingertips, and when her finger suddenly poked his cheek, he burst into a bright smile. Elisha looked at her child gently, then tore the bread into small pieces and dipped it in the soup, took it out and put it in his mouth. The child took what she gave and ate it like a baby bird. ¡°You¡¯re a good child for eating when I give it like this.¡± Elisha praised. Some of those who were astonished by the undignified behavior of the 2nd Empress found out that the food in front of the 3rd Prince had not decreased at all. Like Elisha, Rohan, who was pushing soft or sweet food in front of Leon because he was watching from the beginning, wanted to ask if he needed anything, but Perry was faster. ¡°Are you okay? Do you have an upset stomach? Should I prepare some medicine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. The climate here doesn¡¯t seem right. It is his first trip and it is too long, so it is normal to get tired.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that the water is warmed up. If you take a bath, your exhaustion will be relieved.¡± ¡°That would be nice too.¡± Elisha, who answered, stood up at the table first after confirming that the child was chewing and eating everything she had offered. ¡°You ate well. Everyone, don¡¯t worry about us. Let¡¯s finish eating.¡± As Elisha went out with Leon, she made eye contact with the boy who was standing in the back to serve them. She had been feeling someone¡¯s gaze for a while, so she was wondering who it was. Elisha stared at the boy holding a tray supporting the water bottle for a while, then went outside and headed for the chief¡¯s house. It didn¡¯t look like a space for a bathtub, but there was a large hollow wooden barrel in the empty room that had been cleaned beforehand. The width was wide but the height was low, making it easy to serve the people who went inside. Dorian dressed Leon in a small robe. ¡°You look like a water fairy.¡± Elisha, who approached with her blue cape, looked at Leon entering the wooden barrel and sat slightly on the rim of the wooden barrel to check the water temperature with her hands. When Leon sat in the barrel, Elisha scooped water with her hands and sprinkled it over Leon¡¯s shoulders. Splash! Dorian wetted Leon¡¯s hair from the back, and the silver hair did not sink gray even when wet, and it glistened more like a jewel. The boy who came in to help with the bath supplies was the face she saw at the inn earlier. A child the size of Leon was standing next to the boy, probably because the sons of noble families used to have their peers as servants. Leon didn¡¯t find him because the boy was behind Elisha, and Elisha or Dorian didn¡¯t care whether the boy was there or not. But they would soon be unable to do so. It was because the little child, who saw the drops of water dripping with each movement of Elisha¡¯s hand, swallowed as if he were thirsty. At first, she thought she heard it wrong, but Elisha stopped her hand at the continuing sound, and the soft towel Dorian was moving stopped as well. In the midst of silence. Gulp, gulp! The sound of swallowing floated into the air like a round bubble and then disappeared. It was clear now that they didn¡¯t hear it wrong, so everyone shut their mouths and looked only at the side from which the sound was heard. Translator¡¯s note: Hello, everyone, it¡¯s been a while (for advanced readers). It¡¯s been a while, and maybe that¡¯s why I had more problems when translating this chapter *cries* Out of all the novels I¡¯m working on, this one has the most awkward wordings and writing, (Try the first sentence of this chapter: A land of hills that have been cut at an angle are scattered here and there. What the hell is ¡°a land of hills that have been cut at an angle?) which I¡¯m sure you can already tell from the first few chapters. I have to alter some sentences here and there to make it more understandable and I¡¯m so busy trying to make sense of the sentences that I sometimes forget to pay attention to the grammars, which I¡¯m sure you must have also noticed *cries again* On this occasion I¡¯d like to apologize for that and thank you for your supports despite the crappy work *bows* The best option for us is obviously to get the help of an editor, however, I¡¯m really against working with anyone. One of the reasons is that it is hard finding someone who can meet my expectations as well as having all the free time in the world to fit my schedule. Trust me, I¡¯ve tried. === Now that I¡¯ve said all that, let us get into the story. There¡¯s not much in this chapter. Just Elisha searching for water veins in the last barony of the agenda, the Syuphl Barony. She thinks that this is the last place and opportunity for the parties who want to harm her. Here it is also stated that the real purpose of her trip is not for the emperor¡¯s good name, but Ascencio, and she is acting as Ascencio¡¯s eyes, not Kaiden. And that she¡¯d leave all the decisions to Ascencio from the sentence: Likewise, the emperor was the only one in this empire who deserved to paint what he saw as he wanted. So Elisha¡¯s current role is to see and convey. Not to the current emperor, Kaiden, but to Ascensio, who will be the next great emperor. Then there¡¯s Perry suggesting things to Elisha, which he normally wouldn¡¯t have done, and which Elisha describes as ¡°noisy¡±. He¡¯s just trying to be friendly without any malicious intention, and kind of implying (?) he doesn¡¯t mind being her aide or something like that. From this paragraph I¡¯d assume that there are not many water veins that can be found in Syuphl Barony and the bold part just makes my assumption stronger. Time passed slowly and the birds made of water returned. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Some of them could not come because the smell of water was too far and weak. Perhaps there was nothing to do within the range of movement. Even so, the baron¡¯s knights appeared one by one on their exhausted horses. I got a feeling the new boy is gonna be Leon¡¯s servant starting the next chapter, but we¡¯ll see? I first thought he¡¯s a pervert not gonna lie *rofl* Chapter 58 Desert Flower (2) Translated by WookEdited by Wook Tommy was shivering. Everyone said that one can get their neck cut off even if they only make eye contact with ¡®important people¡¯. To see such important people looking at him right now was very¡­ very¡­ scary. Tommy, whose brain had gone blank, immediately fell on his face and begged. ¡°P-Please forgive me. I have made a grave sin! I-I am so thirsty. I must have lost my mind because I haven¡¯t drank water for so long¡­¡± It was Leon who was rather embarrassed. He actually found it difficult to comprehend straightaway what he had heard. What does it mean to be thirsty enough to lose your mind? It must be difficult, right? Leon quickly found water. But the water was too close. Here, isn¡¯t this large container full enough for me to splash in the water? For a moment, Leon, who bit his lip as if to cry without realizing it, put his hand into the water, shook his head, and looked for something else nearby. ¡°The water is¡­¡± There it is! When Leon jumped up and tried to get out of the wooden barrel, Elisha quickly put her hand under his armpits and lifted him. As she carefully lowered him to the floor outside the barrel, Leon ran to the side, took the glass of water that Dorian had brought for him and held it to the child. The child¡¯s eyes widened, then he took it and poured it into his mouth. Even though his body is small, he licked his lips with his tongue as if it was not enough even after emptying a glass of water at once. Leon, who was looking for more water, felt the child looking at the water bottles placed in a row on the wall and quickly approached it. There was no shortage of water in the wooden barrel, and the bottles prepared to set the temperature were quite large, so there was no way Leon could hold them. Dorian quickly noticed and helped Leon. When Leon brought the water in front of the child, the child quickly drank with his face half-submerged in the water. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Leon was worried. Drinking that much water. What if his stomach explodes? And¡­ Leon looked up not only at the child, but at the boy standing next to him. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you not thirsty? Would you like some water too?¡± It didn¡¯t seem like the boy would be all right, still, the boy said it was okay and looked down. ¡°Haah¡­ haah.¡± The child, whose face brightened as he had drunk a lot of water, raised his face and said thank you to Leon. Then he hesitated again and said to Leon. ¡°B-By the way¡­ Your Highness.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This¡­ C-Can I take the rest of it?¡± Leon nodded his head at the child, who was still holding the bottle of water he was drinking with both arms. ¡°If you don¡¯t have enough, take the one over there, too.¡± When Leon pointed to the remaining water bottles, the child smiled broadly. Then he closed his eyes again. ¡°What else?¡± When Leon spoke to him this time, it took the boy a little more time to answer. ¡°Can I take that too? The child pointed to the wooden barrel Leon was bathing in. ¡°W-What are you going to use that for? You can¡¯t drink that. It¡¯s dirty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dirty! It can be drunk! The prince is clean and noble. That water smells good, too. It¡¯s not stained at all, it¡¯s very¡­¡± The boy next to the talking child grabbed his shoulders hard. The child, who groaned in pain, finally realized what he had done and bowed his head again. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I-I deserve to die¡­¡± Leon¡¯s face turned red at the sniffling sound. The child cried even more sadly because he thought Leon was angry, but Leon had other thoughts. It was seen by Elisha. Leon was ashamed. The fact that someone didn¡¯t even have water to drink, but he took a bath and played with the water. But from the beginning, life was unfair. As Elisha reached out her hand, Dorian placed the thick, linen cloth she had been holding. Elisha put the cloth around Leon¡¯s body so that it did not cool down. ¡°You can think of them. It¡¯s not a bad thing. They¡¯re the ones you need to take care of. But don¡¯t unfairly compare them with what you enjoy. It¡¯s the result of my hard work for you, and it is something you have to protect yourself.¡± It means that a person in such a high position is ignored if they are deemed unworthy of it. It is not mere contempt. It is both a direct threat and an attack. So, even if one does not enjoy their rights, they need strength. No matter when or for what reason, even if it¡¯s the kind of thing that breaks them down even more¡­ Freedom comes with a price. ¡°Mother¡­¡± ¡°Is it still difficult for Leon?¡± Elisha bent her torso and placed her cheek against Leon¡¯s top, as if to tell him that it was okay if he didn¡¯t understand. She stares at the boy and child in front of her in that posture. And she opened her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Leon, you should do what you can in your place. Let¡¯s show them that you deserve to eat something delicious and take a warm bath in front of them.¡± ¡°How, Mother?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something that only Leon can do.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Leon¡¯s blue eyes widened. What could it be? What is Mother talking about? Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks As he was curious, the upset expression he had just before faded a little. Leon slightly pulled his mother¡¯s sleeve. Hurry up and tell me. Facing that rare petulance, Elisha smiled softly, breathing warm air into Leon¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re already good at it. You¡¯re doing very well. You just have to stay like this.¡± Elisha murmured, holding Leon¡¯s cheeks with her hands and directed them toward the children opposite her. ¡°Ask them: What should I do for you?¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°If you want to do it after hearing it, you can just ask this mother. Only Leon can do this in the empire. Oh, we left out your older brother. It¡¯s only possible for you and your older brother.¡± Leon, who had only licked his lips like a crucian carp, bent his eyes at the mention of Ascencio. But he didn¡¯t do anything that Elisha mentioned just now. Elisha could guess what Leon was thinking with that tiny head. ¡°Just hear them out for now. If you think it¡¯s going to be hard after hearing it, why don¡¯t you reject it? Even this mother won¡¯t accept anything that could endanger you.¡± It¡¯s not easy for a kind-hearted Leon to listen to other people¡¯s difficult circumstances and reject them, but it¡¯s something that needs to be continued in the future. Although he is still a child, he is the younger brother of the Crown Prince and the biological son of the 2nd Empress who has begun to gain power. People will constantly flock around Leon. It would be better for him to set his own standards early. When his center of gravity goes awry, he will not let himself be swayed by others, and he will not allow others to act recklessly. That doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be any problems, but he can exert some deterrence. He is the best thing to protect himself and others. If it¡¯s going to have a bad influence on Leon or Ascensio, there¡¯s no way Elisha can just leave it alone. It will be better if they can grow up and live in peace. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°Do you think being rejected would hurt them? But Leon, if you don¡¯t listen, they won¡¯t even get a chance to say what they want. Which would hurt them more?¡± As soon as she finished saying those words, the older boy on the other side fell to his knees and shouted. ¡°Please, just listen! If it doesn¡¯t work, I won¡¯t be greedy. I won¡¯t force it! Other important people have never even listened to me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Leon. What would you do?¡± If Leon said he couldn¡¯t do it, Elisha would accept it as it is. She gave Leon a choice, so it¡¯s okay if the outcome isn¡¯t what she wants. If necessary, Elisha can talk to the boy separately. But Leon was brave. ¡°I want to hear it, Mother.¡± Then he got away from Elisha and went to the boy who was lying on the floor. Leon, who had lifted the boy up, looked at the boy and asked. ¡°What do you want?¡± The boy who had been biting his molars slowly opened his mouth. *** When the bath was over and time passed and the surrounding area became quiet, the back door of the village chief¡¯s house was gently opened. A few people came out the back door and headed somewhere. Two black shadows hiding around them pursue them. ¡°Whoa, where are they going? It doesn¡¯t look like a simple night walk.¡± Despite Perry¡¯s grumbling, Hein just moved silently. He wished it had been his best friend, Miller, but that ogre-like guy had a different mission. But, seriously. Why did Leader put me together with this gloomy guy? I¡¯d rather be comfortable alone. While Perry grumbled, the 2nd Empress¡¯ party, which had been moving continuously, stopped at the outskirts behind the village where the village chief¡¯s house was located. [T/N: If it is not clear enough, the ¡°few people came out the back door and headed somewhere¡± are Elisha and some other people. I put this here because it took me a while to realize.] ¡°Hoo.¡± Perry sighed in shock. ¡°It¡¯s dirty.¡± The sight was so terrifying that even Hein, who is normally quiet when not holding a sword, could spit out some words. Half-collapsed houses and trash were dumped here and there. The rotten smell from all sides poked the nose. If they are like this, what about the 2nd Empress? No matter how insensitive she is to anything, she will have a hard time enduring it. Besides, what are they trying to see, or are they waiting for someone? People appeared one by one from the nearby crumbling houses. As they approached the place where the 2nd Empress was, they couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. Perry reached out for his sword and was trying to run right away to where the 2nd Empress was. ¡°Stop.¡± Hein stopped him. Perry frowned and tried to turn to Hein, but his eyes were caught by what was in front of him, making him unable to move. The 2nd Empress stood alone with no sign of reluctance or withdrawal from them. ¡°Is she going to kill them all?¡± Perry spoke his thoughts without even realizing that he was talking like Rohan. In the meantime, as she stood still, those people, who were crawling like bugs, suddenly noticed her, and started bowing their heads while hugging their bodies. The 2nd Empress looked around her and knelt on one knee regardless of the filth. She then slowly lowered her open hands. The transparent water glistened between her hands and the dirt floor. The light was slowly absorbed into the ground and disappeared. However, the movement of energy did not disappear. It took root deeper and farther to find something. The 2nd Empress was emitting light alone in the dark night, where even the moonlight could not reach. That¡¯s what happened. Wetting the ground and touching people¡¯s hearts. It¡¯s not warm, but it washes down coolly. Only then did Perry realize what the 2nd Empress was trying to do. Aah. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I really want her to be our empress.¡± Despite the fact that he is not usually close to Hein and that it is a sensitive story to talk about as a member of the 1st Knights under the direct control of the emperor, Perry seemed to be unable to bear it without saying it at this moment. Hein was as quiet as ever, but somehow it felt as if he had heard an answer. Chapter 59 Elisha noticed the boy¡¯s gaze, which had been watching her and Leon since the mealtime at the inn. From the moment he came in to serve the bath, she knew he had something to look forward to, and sure enough. The boy named Joseph didn¡¯t miss an opportunity when it came. ¡°Please find a water vein in our village!¡± Elisha frowned. Because Elisha didn¡¯t know that the boy would do something beyond his means because he looks so quick-witted and smart. Elisha thought that the boy, Joseph, would beg her to assist with something more realistic. This is somewhat over-the-top, albeit as Leon¡¯s first benchmark, it is enough to listen and watch the outcome of his choices. Elisha recalled the fact that she had been overlooking for a while. That the boy named Joseph must have lived in this small town since he was born. There is a limit to what he hears from travelers and villagers. No matter how intelligent a person is, they have to learn one to know two and three. It is impossible for even a genius to sprout and come out of nowhere. It would be right to call such a thing as a miracle and luck. Perhaps the boy is not greedy, he just doesn¡¯t know what ¡®too much¡¯ means, Elisha thought. So she tried to give him one more chance. As for how he had accepted Elisha¡¯s silence, the boy took a step forward. ¡°I wish the water from the water veins would fill the well. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a single well or a stream that can barely cover the instep of the feet. It can be full of dirt, and it¡¯s okay to be farther away, not behind the village. It¡¯s enough for people to cool down and wash their children. I heard that the ground has to be dug in order to find a water vein. I¡¯m confident I can do it because I¡¯ve done a lot of things when I was young.¡± What did you mean when you were young? She wanted to say that you are still young. No matter how hard you try, as a boy, even if you break your nails and fingertips, you will not reach the vein that flows deep into the ground. But Elisha only half covered her face with her hand. Do you think you will be able to continue living in this village if you find the water veins? Or will you be exterminated to cover up the flaws? When she remembered what she had done in her past, Elisha¡¯s face was heated up. Elisha stayed like that until Leon asked how she was. Then Elisha, who remembered that she had to leave tomorrow, quickly came to her senses and moved to the outskirts of the village mentioned by Joseph. They walked on a dark and wet road that was the opposite of the way to the village chief¡¯s house in the middle of the village. Elisha expected that it would be similar to other undeveloped areas of the barony, but this is disastrous enough to surpass it. According to the boy, many people who lost their homes gathered here because of its small size but good location, unlike other villages. People who originally lived in the village and who could afford to live gathered from the entrance to the front of the village, and the rest of the people came to live in the back of the village. It¡¯s obvious after that. Any little bit of aid or a little secured water doesn¡¯t make it to the back of the village. You can tell just by looking at the chief, who did not give out a glass of water even after washing the child to show it to the important people. The helpless old man who was trembling with his head on the ground in front of Elisha must have been more frightening to the children than anyone else. Elisha caressed the energy of the groaning earth under her palm. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± The boy, who had been away for a while, said with a determined look as soon as he arrived. In his hand was a farming tool that looked like a concave bent palm. Seeing this, the others scattered all over the place, trying to find something that can be used. Elisha shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just stay still. If you come with sharp weapons, no matter how insignificant you seem, the guards can¡¯t help but move.¡± When the knights who were watching from afar approached, they were startled and trembled. Those who stopped moving at Elisha¡¯s words gathered again and bowed their heads. ¡°Is it stuck?¡± It never happened before, but it could be. Elisha, who tapped her chest with her hand, accelerated. The energy that Undine conveys breaks through the dry ground. The Verdin Duchy had many things to be grateful for. Especially amethyst. Even though it is not like a spring that doesn¡¯t dry up, Elisha still felt that the result of this last schedule is satisfactory. Seeing that Undine is still relaxed, it seems that there are still quite a few left. Elisha fumbled and fumbled far and farther into the ground to find the stream she wanted. And brought it up. If she simply brought it up, it might collapse quickly, so she made a path by strengthening the surroundings. It would not collapse easily if it flows wide and strong, rather, it is more dangerous if it is thin and narrow. Elisha trimmed the interior well and brought several stems instead of one. Even if one collapses, the other will survive. Later, even if the muddy water turns black like sludge, even if it can¡¯t be used to wash the children. The dry throat can still be relieved. The place where Elisha¡¯s feet touched was getting wet. The water is spreading. Elisha looked around and found an abandoned well in an empty lot in the corner. When Elisha, who raised her body, went to the well, those who were filling the area stepped back and made a way. The ground she walked on is wet and the well is filled with water. Not a lot. It wasn¡¯t shiny enough that anyone wanted to steal it. ¡°Since you are intelligent, I will tell the chief that I will take you as a servant of the 3rd Prince. So even if they find out about this well later, they won¡¯t be able to deal with you. I can protect you to this point.¡± When Elisha spoke to Joseph, Joseph knelt down. Elisha looked down at him for a moment, then reached out and placed her hand on Joseph¡¯s head. ¡°You were brave. Well done.¡± Elisha, who had left her praises, turned around with Dorian holding Leon. Joseph, who had been dazed, quickly stood up and took the lead. They didn¡¯t need any guidance because they only had to follow back the road where they came, but Elisha did not refuse because of Joseph, who was serious as if this were his mission. *** ¡°Ummm.¡± There was a person looking around the village chief¡¯s house, biting their thumb anxiously. The figure checked that the inside of the window was dark and approached the window. ¡°How annoying!¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks After spitting the words out, they quickly shut up because they were surprised by their own voice. The figure, which was reaching out to the window frame, stopped because of a shadow over their head that completely covered them. They looked up in surprise and saw a familiar face. ¡°S-Sir Miller.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The village chief¡¯s house is on the good side of this village, but there are not many rooms. Moreover, one of them must be changed into a bathroom. Tricia showed her dissatisfaction, but she had no choice but to stay at the inn. ¡°I went out for a walk for a while.¡± Tricia answered and turned her back to the window. As if she had nothing to do here. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the type of person to go into a place that¡¯s not even a road and get your shoes dirty. Are you really out for a walk?¡± ¡°Otherwise, why would I be here?¡± ¡°Why would you ask me that? I¡¯m asking you because it seems strange to me, too.¡± In response to Miller¡¯s reply, Tricia chewed her lower lip with her upper teeth and then turned around. ¡°I seem to have taken the wrong path, but I¡¯m treated like this. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed as a knight?¡± Tricia, who was angry, walked away. Miller, who was left alone, put his hand on the window frame. Crack! The wooden window frame he was holding in his hand broke and tattered. If Perry had been by his side, he would¡¯ve teased him that the ogre was unable to control his strength. ¡°Ah, come on.¡± Miller shook off the pieces of wood from his palm. He had wondered why Leader divided the knights and let them guard different locations. ¡°It was not a dog, but a rat came and went.¡± [Miller] ¡°You sluggish ogre, when a rat comes, you have to keep the rat hole wide open and check what it¡¯s biting or what it¡¯s bringing out. You shouldn¡¯t scare it away!¡± [Perry] When Perry gave him a hard time, Miller clicked his tongue. ¡°Is that so?¡± [Miller] ¡°Yes. Man, this is why you¡¯re being called an idiot.¡± [Perry] ¡°Who said that?¡± [Miller] Instead of answering, Perry blinked at the people walking towards the village chief¡¯s house. ¡°Where have you been? Did you go for a walk in the middle of the night?¡± [Miller] As soon as Miller saw the 2nd Empress in the distance, he immediately lowered his tail. ¡°It was a great walk.¡± [Perry] It¡¯s hard to say it like it¡¯s a lie¡­ ¡°You¡­¡± [Miller] ¡°Yes?¡± [Perry] ¡°You must be tired.¡± [Miller] ¡°What?¡± [Perry] ¡°Still, don¡¯t even dream about it. That wouldn¡¯t do. For some reason, these days, you only follow the 3rd Prince and the lights in your eyes turn bright on anything related to the 2nd Empress.¡± [Miller] Miller laughed at those who said he is usually slow to catch on. Not understanding what he meant, Perry grumbled with his mouth wide open. ¡°If you¡¯re having a hard time, just tell me. Don¡¯t talk to others. If you get caught, just run right away.¡± [Miller] Miller held a blade in his hand and scribbled it against the barrel¡¯s thick neck. ¡°¡­ I have nothing to say. It wasn¡¯t just because of your imposing ogre-like appearance that your life was peaceful. Yeah, you can¡¯t have such a thing so easily.¡± [Perry] If Miller knew how hard Perry was devoting himself to the well-being of this empire, he wouldn¡¯t be able to talk such nonsense. Perry, who sighed, shook his hand as if he was too lazy to deal with it. This is because the 2nd Empress arrived in front of the house, opened the door, and went inside. Perry, who signaled Hein, who was escorting from the back while hiding, jumped lightly onto the ground. Perry, who had landed on the roof of the village chief¡¯s house, was vigilant, while Hein moved to the back of the house. Their movements were done in an instant, but Miller, who was tilting his head because he seemed to be the only one who didn¡¯t know anything, scratched his head and went back to his original position. The people taking shifts came, and after taking a short nap, the morning soon dawned. It didn¡¯t take long to leave. Elisha gave the village chief a word about Joseph, and then got on the horse Perry had brought. ¡°Goodbye!¡± Leon, who was sitting in front of Elisha, waved his hand to Joseph and Tommy, who could not take their eyes off them. Then he looked up at Elisha and asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to see each other later, right, Mother?¡± ¡°Whenever you want and if the children agree, Leon.¡± Elisha answered, stroking Leon¡¯s hair. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only However. ¡°A-Ah¡­¡± ¡°H-How come?¡± Shortly after leaving the village, the trouble began. What was needed for the reunion is not time. It was an incident. Chapter 60 Desert Flower (4) Translated by WookEdited by Wook The road where the party entered was wide enough for one carriage to run. It wasn¡¯t polished, but it was big enough that the wheels of the carriage wouldn¡¯t break. At first glance, the road that may seem stuffy felt endlessly desolate because of the surrounding scenery. On the left and right sides of the road, the ground that should have been filled with something growing was bare. The boundary between the road and the ground was vague except for the fact that the ground was a little darker in color, mixed with stones, and the height was different because piles of dirt swept by the wind were gathered here and there. The group stopped before long. Some of the baron¡¯s knights drooped over on their horses. People with pale complexions jumped off their horses in a hurry and started vomiting. In the meantime, even though it¡¯s been quite a while, Elisha didn¡¯t ask what happened. Not because she wasn¡¯t confident, but watching the people in the scene having such a situation, wouldn¡¯t anyone find out that something huge is happening right away? Instead, Elisha pulled Leon, who sat in front of her, deep into her arms. And caught her breath. Instead of making the surroundings even more tense, Elisha stood up and waited patiently. In the meantime, Perry quickly approached and reported. ¡°It seems that there was a problem with the food we ate in the village.¡± ¡°The food?¡± It¡¯s not just a simple rebuttal. If it really was because of the food, she wondered why they¡¯re fine. Perry was quick-witted. ¡°The Knights of the Imperial Palace have many rules to follow when they are outside. Among them, eating and sleeping are included, so we pay a lot of attention. Not to mention what the 2nd Empress and the 3rd Prince will eat.¡± As for why the baron¡¯s knights suffer from this, even though they¡¯re on the same side, it is very rude to tell other people¡¯s knights what to do. ¡°There was no way that beggar village could have done anything right. Uweeekh!¡± ¡°Damn, wait and see. I won¡¯t let you go¡­!¡± There was no reason to interfere, so they left the baron¡¯s knights alone, lest they make a mistake that even rookies wouldn¡¯t do. Perhaps not all of them were sick, as Adam, the leader, and his aides, who were fine, were taking care of their less inferior colleagues. ¡°I wondered if it was poison, but the symptoms weren¡¯t too severe¡­¡± Perry deliberately clouded the end of his sentence. It must have meant that he had doubts because he thought there was no need to poison them. There was nothing strange about those idiots who had been drinking last night and got sick from the hangover. But Elisha kept feeling uncomfortable. Even though it has been concluded that now is not the best opportunity for those who want to harm her to move. Eventually, Elisha stopped and spoke to Rohan, who had his horse next to her. Sreung! Elisha, who drew out a sword, stretched the other hand outward and pulled the hem of the flapping cape. Elisha covered Leon¡¯s body tightly and fixed the cape. There is no need to provide a clear basis, it is clear enough that something unpleasant is happening. Burr! The ground on which the horse was standing shuddered thinly. It¡¯s like telling that there was something crawling above it. Fweet! Rohan blew a long whistle. The divided movement stopped and all the 1st Knights stared at Rohan at once. ¡°There are monsters. Be prepared.¡± Rohan didn¡¯t shout loudly, but that was enough. Of course, there were those who didn¡¯t listen. ¡°M-Monsters? Hiik!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run¡­! G-Get on the horse!¡± The baron¡¯s knights, who were not in good condition, struggled frantically. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t move!¡± As Adam instructed his subordinates, the baron¡¯s knights, who did not get sick, helped their colleagues. The carriage window opened roughly, perhaps because of the noise outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on?!¡± Tricia poked her face out the window. Elisha said as she made eye contact. Not with her, but with Dorian, who was sitting opposite her. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. Be still.¡± Dorian nodded. Not because it¡¯s not scary. The calmness contained in the sky-blue eyes looking at her calms even her heart. And¡­ Dorian smiled faintly. Shortly after leaving the village, there was a problem with the baron¡¯s knights, and they were scattered here and there. Above all else, the 3rd Prince and the 2nd Empress, who are the subjects to be escorted first, are riding separately on horseback. Ssssssh! Sssssshhk! If it was just a signal from the ground just now, now it is a threat from an invading existence. As the depths of the earth rumbled, the surface of the ground cracked and spewed dirt instead of blood. The towering soil creates long mounds, leaving traces of things that are moving inside. The line approaching from the front was not a single line. Two, three, four¡­ spreading like a fan and gathering towards a point where the party is! The closer the line drawn above the ground, the more the baron¡¯s knights faltered. All talks about how they¡¯ve dealt with the desert monsters must have been bluffs. Rohan turned to Elisha. ¡°You must never overdo it.¡± ¡°I have the 3rd Prince with me, do you think I will do anything unreasonable?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°What¡¯s funny, Sir Perry?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t recall ever seeing the 2nd Empress riding a horse on top of a pile of logs and cussing me and Miller for being stupid. I don¡¯t remember if she was holding the 3rd Prince back then?¡± [T/N: He is being sarcastic] ¡°If you can¡¯t remember that, I think you¡¯ll have to stop being a knight. What do you think? I think quitting quickly would be good for a long life.¡± Elisha calmly recited, but the content was very frightening. Perry, who was shaking, cried and begged. ¡°I am a knight, so please watch me. But Your Majesty, please stay here. Leader and I will take care of everything!¡± Elisha had a smiling face, but the moment she turned her head to face the front, her expression changed as if she had become a different person. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Neeigh! As Rohan ran toward the front, Perry chased after him, and half of the 1st Knights squad followed behind them as they quickly moved away. ¡°D-Don¡¯t be reckless like that. There¡¯s a different way to catch desert monsters.¡± They seem to still have the strength to wag their tongue even with their dying face. ¡°If you have time to chat, it would be better to hold a sword.¡± As Elisha spoke, the baron¡¯s knights showed dissatisfaction. There has been a lot of accumulation so far because they think they are being severely discriminated against in comparison to the 1st Knights. For Elisha, the difference between the 1st Knights as the people she can use and those hateful people lies in their worth. How could she care about something else? Elisha gave strength to the hand holding the sword. Then, before moving, she checked for Rohan who had run to the front. Rohan jumped from the running horse¡¯s back when there was only a few meters left to the line that seemed to be drawn by inserting a huge nail. Then, with the tip of his sword pointing toward the ground, he changed his grip and sprinted up the dirt floor. Rohan took a big leap and stretched his arms out in front of him. He placed his other hand on the handle of the sword he was holding upside down, added the force of falling from above, and slammed the ground down as it is. Koong! The line in the middle of the road, which left the thickest trace among the lines that had been drawn, stopped moving for an instant. Rohan¡¯s sword was stuck one meter in front of it. The one-meter-long space with nothing connected was slowly getting wet. Eventually, the line and the sword were connected as one. At the same time, guaaah! The traces marked with lines spread from side to side, and a giant snake-like head was raised from within. Rohan¡¯s sword was stuck in the middle of its forehead. Naturally, Rohan¡¯s body also flashed up into the sky. Rohan climbed completely on its forehead without panicking. Instead of pulling out the sword that was stuck on its head, Rohan lowered his posture and began to slide down the back of the monster, which seemed to exceed 10 meters. Cwarukh! As Rohan moves, the tough leather pulled taut is torn apart. Guaaaah! The gigantic snake shook its long, cylindrical body, but Rohan did not fall off and quickly descended to its tail. The snake with a split back is suffering from blood spraying. Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! As it banged its body on the floor and made a riot, dust was scattered all over the place. As the snake¡¯s tail wobbled, Rohan pulled out his sword and jumped to the ground. Blood was sprayed as he passed by, but Rohan¡¯s outfit was very clean except for a bit of dust. No one could¡¯ve imagined what he just did. However, what he did after swinging the bloody sword once on the ground was to run straight to the glowing snake. Crack! Crack! Rohan lowered his sword several times and smashed the snake¡¯s bones. The snake¡¯s body was dented here and there as if it was about to be cut into pieces. Seeing Rohan with a neat face and a serious dignity, there are many who think his sword technique will also be as dignified and elegant, but in fact, it was not like that at all. Elisha knows. How fierce the sword that that man wields is. Kiiiik! As the blood of the monster spurted in all directions, the lines drawn became thicker and the width of the vibrations increased, perhaps to stimulate its own kind. [T/N: The so-called ¡°lines¡± are dirt mounds made by the giant snakes from underground. It seems like there are 4 (or more) ¡°lines¡± at the moment. Putting this here because it took me a while to imagine the whole scenario] One down. Elisha removed her gaze and then lowered her eyes to scan the ground. The ground was shaking. Not because of the front fight, but because of the waves flowing deeper. There¡¯s a smarter guy who approaches secretly unlike the others! Where is it? Elisha was vigilant with her eyes open, and found that the side where the carriage was was a little shaken. The surprised horses stomped their feet and panicked. Perhaps that stimulated the monster hiding beneath, so the monster immediately raised its head with its mouth wide open. Crack! Crack! The wheel of the carriage broke between the monster¡¯s jaws, and the horses tied to the carriage and the frame connected to it were dragged up, flailing. Neeeeiigh! A mournful cry rang out. ¡°Save me! Hurry up and save me!¡± The astonished Tricia opened the carriage door. The carriage was tilted and the inside was shaken, so they couldn¡¯t escape easily. Tricia, who was stuck inside the square carriage, seemed crazy, while Dorian closed her eyes with the window frame tightly in her hand. Tricia tried to get out again, but she was afraid that she might break all the bones in her body if she was thrown out of the carriage because of the distance. ¡°Y-You have to close the door!¡± As she struggled to close the door she had opened, she kicked at Dorian. ¡°Hey! Come and grab that one! Hurry up!¡± Dorian, who opened her eyes, looked at her like she was about to kill her, and held out her upper body to grab the door of the rattling carriage while trying to balance herself in the shaking carriage due the flailing Tricia. At that time, the monster¡¯s movement intensified as if it was angry at the carriage that did not break as expected. Swik! Swiiik! The monster shook its head from side to side while biting the carriage, and at some point it spit it out. A broken and ruined carriage flies through the air. Dorian thought she would die like this. She had expected it. Since she learned that a person can die easily even with a very trivial thing in Barossa, she was also aware that herself or the baron¡¯s daughter in the carriage could be used as bait or thrown away at any time. So it¡¯s okay. Besides, the 2nd Empress was a little different from the rest of Barossa. She wanted to follow her all the time if she could, but¡­ While waiting for the shock that¡¯s supposed to come soon¡­ Nothing happened. The carriage was sunk to the ground, unbroken, and there was no pain. Dorian, who was puzzled, got up and looked around, and met the eyes of the 2nd Empress over there. ¡°You¡¯re a good listener. That¡¯s nice.¡± She could see her muttering mouth. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Stay there. It¡¯s dangerous elsewhere.¡± And the following orders. After a while, the stream of water that had received them from the air and dropped them on the ground was seen returning to the 2nd Empress. Chapter 61 Desert Flower (5) Translated by WookEdited by Wook Bang! Baang! The giant snake repeatedly knocked its body to the ground. Even though its skin was torn and the flesh was exposed, the snake did not stop. To avoid getting hurt, it is better to quickly get on the snake¡¯s body, stick a sharp thing in it, and drag the sharp thing to tear the snake apart. However, no matter how many times it got hit, the snake held out strong. The snake-shaped monster opened its mouth wide and rushed towards its own body. ¡°Uchwaa!¡± As a shadow fell over his head, Perry hurriedly pulled out the sword he was holding in the snake monster, and at the same time gave strength to both feet. The snake¡¯s teeth were stuck in the empty spot where Perry jumped off using the recoil while bending and straightening his legs. Kwajik! The snake shook its tail on its stuck teeth without any result. The snake¡¯s, who had pulled out its stucked teeth, saliva that had accumulated, dripped, and it roared aggressively. Whoosh! A long whip-like tongue protruded from the snake¡¯s jaws and wrapped around Perry¡¯s ankles. Perry could not go further in the direction he wanted to go in the air and was dragged away. Perry quickly bent his body to close the distance between his ankles and swung the sword in his hand. Ssak! Perry¡¯s body was thrown to the ground with the sound of the sword cutting through the air. Fortunately, there was no significant impact because Perry had been prepared for it, but it was a different story for the snake-shaped monster whose tongue was cut and the remaining part was curled up in the throat due to the recoil caused by the cut. Daddadang! Dang! The snake rolled around on the floor with a winding body and swept all over the place. The fight, which had already been messy, was even more chaotic. ¡°Get away!¡± ¡°What else did that bastard Perry do? Seriously, that bastard!¡± The 1st Knights, who were fighting the snake monster at the front, avoided the glowing snake in annoyance. Even in the midst of this, they did not take their eyes off the monsters they were dealing with. Garyosa, one of the representative monsters of the desert, is not an easy enemy to fight as the baron¡¯s knights had guaranteed. A tough skin that doesn¡¯t hurt easily, the ability to burrow and hide underground, strong strength and a huge body. However, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s unmatched. For those who can express their swordsmanship or have the speed to dodge a huge body that is like a wielded weapon, it¡¯s a target worth fighting for, even if it¡¯s difficult. And the 1st Knights are filled with only those who are capable to do just that. It wasn¡¯t that there had been no mistakes or dangerous moments, but with Rohan¡¯s help every time, the mangled corpses of Garyosa kept piling up on the dirt floor. Occasionally, there would be Garyosas that dug deep into the ground and jumped up in the middle to avoid the 1st Knights defending from the front, but they were dealt with by Elisha and the remaining 1st Knights who were behind to protect her. ¡°How could this be¡­¡± The baron¡¯s knights widened their eyes with their mouths closed, whether they were sick or not. One might think that nobody could feel more at a loss than them. It¡¯s just that they didn¡¯t expect anyone to casually do something they couldn¡¯t do even if with their best effort. Even if it¡¯s understandable because they¡¯re the 1st Knights, how can the 2nd Empress be like that as well? Those who were struggling with pain were all intimidated and couldn¡¯t raise their eyes. Still, what¡¯s comforting is the fact that the crisis of death has been overcome. So they were going to let go of this¡­ ¡°Haa.¡± A sigh came out of the 2nd Empress. The people around flinched. ¡°What is it? There¡¯s more?¡± A frightened voice came from the side of the baron¡¯s knights. Because he knew there was nothing meaningless in every word or action Elisha did. Above all, she seemed to have a habit of abbreviating very big things too lightly. She pointed over the defensive human wall made of the 1st Knights with the tip of her chin. ¡°Hiik!¡± A startled cry was heard. Then small groans followed by sighs erupted even among the 1st Knights. Rohan looked back. Over his shoulder, the waves came wild. And not just a few lines this time. The whole land in front of him was wriggling. There seemed to be at least dozens of Garyosas wriggling underneath the land. As Elisha¡¯s face hardened, Rohan tightened his grip on his sword. He couldn¡¯t even think of blocking it like before. ¡°Will we be able to get through that mess?¡± Even with the 1st Knights, he could not be sure of their success. Even without taking into account the fact that half of the baron¡¯s knights had problems and could not move on their own. Besides, regardless of what they do, the path through which the Garyosas move was also a big problem. If the Garyosas keep going straight like that, there is a high possibility that they will eventually attack the entire village the party has left behind. The place where there are people in the back of the village who depend on a poor well that Elisha had made, and live by that well. ¡°Anyway, we have to get out of this place first.¡± Elisha, having made up her mind, turned her horse¡¯s head and went to the carriage, which had been left shattered on one side. The tethered horses were strewn on the ground with their bones grotesquely twisted, and the carriage had only four corners left with half the roof disappeared. When Elisha approached and blinked, Dorian, who had been waiting patiently, hesitated and held out her hand. Elisha pulled and placed her in front of her. Spot was a horse that the knights used to ride, therefore, it was big, so even if the three of them sat together, the seats were not narrow. [T/N: in the previous chapters, I translated it as ¡°a black-and-white horse¡±, but it is not necessarily so. The word author-nim used is ¡°??¡± which means ¡°spot/ stain¡± and if added the word ¡°horse¡± it changes meaning to ¡°zebra/ black-and-white-colored horse¡±. In this sentence, author-nim only called it ¡°spot¡±, so I figured it was Elisha¡¯s way of calling the steed] ¡°W-What about me?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Tricia got out of the carriage and asked Elisha. Elisha pointed to the side where the knight commander of her family was. ¡°I won¡¯t even ask you to take care of me as an empress, so if you want help, call a knight from your family.¡± Adam, who was watching the scene, came quickly, apologized for being late, took Tricia out and put her on the horse. Elisha looked behind her shoulder and nodded at Rohan. If one can¡¯t go forward, they have no choice but to step back. Rohan looked away for a moment at the group of Garyosas attacking him, then nodded his head. As he turned around and ran toward Elisha, his horse, who was waiting from afar, came. Rohan grabbed the reins of the approaching horse. Pulling the reins hard, he lifted his body into the air, then gently settled on the horse¡¯s body. The other knights¡¯ horses were not as smart as Rohan¡¯s horse, so they were crushed to death by the Garyosas, or because the horses did not approach from afar, some knights had to move on their own or get help from their colleagues. Dudududu! The horses¡¯ hooves knocked loudly on the soil floor. The tsunami of the land continued to follow it. They ran fast. And soon arrived at the village they had said goodbye to. ¡°Are you going to use this place as bait?¡± ¡°Then what else is there besides that? A Garyosa tracks the position of its prey with the presence of pressure on the ground, so if we put a bait before the Garyosas, it will raise its head to attack. Aside from the fact that there will only be a few in the front, their speed will be much reduced. And at that, they will become tangled among themselves, preventing the bastards in the back from moving forward!¡± The people only blinked at Elisha, who immediately took action after saying all that. ¡°Avoid this area. Monsters are coming in.¡± Elisha said to the villagers who were surprised at the sudden return of the 2nd Empress and to the old village chief who ran out frantically. And at the news that the Garyosas are coming. The people of this village have lived close to the desert and have been invaded by monsters recently, so they must know better how to escape and how to survive than Elisha herself. Whether Elisha¡¯s words were true or not, the villagers moved frantically because no one was brave enough to refuse the 2nd Empress¡¯ orders. None of them paid any attention to the people in the shadows [T/N: The people who are living in the slums] that stretched out to the back of the village. When Elisha looked beyond the center of the village, Perry quickly drove his horse over. ¡°I¡¯ll go and inform him of the news, so don¡¯t go near the leader, Your Majesty.¡± Perry was really afraid that Elisha would reject him and really disappeared in a flash. ¡°We have to get out of here, now!¡± Adam, the commander of the baron¡¯s knights, urged. The person who had a strangely calm and friendly face throughout the whole time had wiped away his smile. Instead of stopping by this village, they should¡¯ve gone straight along the road in the direction they had run to get away from the Garyosas. Elisha tilted her head. ¡°And go where?¡± ¡°Of course, toward a safe road¡­¡± ¡°A safe road we have never encountered on the way, that appeared while half of the baron¡¯s knights whose limbs are fine, became unusable burdens in the midst of a flock of desert monsters.¡± The longer Elisha was silent, the more Adam¡¯s eyes trembled. Elisha observed him. All the urgent situations that have continued so far have crossed ambiguous boundaries. Of the doubts and coincidences, the latter should be given more weight¡­ Considering the political situation, the appearance of the incompetent knights were to be expected, and Elisha agreed that even though monsters appeared, it was not very surprising, seeing that the change of the mission site is not far from the original location. Above all, there is even a question as to whether the head of the knight [Adam], who has been loyal to the baron for a long time, will do anything to his master. The lack of clear evidence to refute is also a problem. If it was the superior who twisted the situation just because they were feeling insecure, the subordinate would not be able to do their jobs properly. But Elisha concluded that it would be weirder if the subordinate did not point it out since the situation had grown to be so annoying. In fact, not only Elisha, but Rohan and many of the members of the 1st Knights must have been thinking of the same thing. However, the matter is too heavy to come forward on its own, and if, in the end, everything is found to be a mean misunderstanding, it will put the subject of escort at a risk. Elisha did not mean that there is no reward for making a wrong choice. Rather, sometimes the status and position gained will be greater in return, but in such a case, it is better if the person who made the choice is someone who could take responsibility for it. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯ll be too late for us any later.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. What does Sir Rohan think? Sir Rohan will surely give the same answer as me.¡± Adam tried to ask Rohan for help, but his complexion grew pale when Rohan showed no impatience in his silent gaze as he watched from the side. The villagers, unable to properly pack their belongings and running away, thought it was strange to see the 2nd Empress confronting her own party in the midst of this, but that¡¯s all. Not only was it none of their business, but now the danger was clearly detected in the eyes of the villagers. A cloud of dust covered all directions and was approaching quickly. ¡°Come on!¡± The village chief took care of the people around him, and a young man carried him on his back and left the entrance of the village. In the meantime, time steadily passed. So who¡¯s out of breath now? [T/N: As in who¡¯s running out of time now] Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Elisha asked Adam with an indifferent gaze. However, Elisha¡¯s back was also moist. [T/N: As in she¡¯s also tense despite her bluff] Chapter 62 12-15 minutes 18.05.2022 Translated by WookEdited by Wook A predictable risk is better than an unexpected accident. But Elisha isn¡¯t adventurous. She¡¯s rationally doing what¡¯s best for her to take now. The warmth in her arms was the source of Elisha¡¯s anxiety, and at the same time, it was the pillar that made Elisha endure. ¡°Why the hell are you doing this? Everyone fears death¡­!¡± Adam¡¯s words did not continue to the end. The dirt floor was swaying. Not to mention the baron¡¯s knights, the 1st Knights were also shaken. But perhaps the reason is not the same. Elisha called attention. ¡°It¡¯s totally different from before, so it¡¯ll be worth a try. This is not a field with nothing, and there¡¯s quite a few things to use.¡± Elisha pointed her chin at the surrounding buildings that had suddenly lost their owners. Since it is not a dirt floor, it¡¯ll be good for killing enemies and moving agilely, and as for the Garyosas, they will hurt more upon falling. Besides, there¡¯s another reason. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to deal with all of them since the village is located next to the edge of the road. As for the ones that follow along the road to the middle or the ones that move beyond the edge of the opposite side of the road, there¡¯s a high possibility that they¡¯ll just pass us, then, we can take out maybe 1/3 of them, or even the few that get attracted from the ruckus. Anyhow, it won¡¯t even be half of them so it should be doable, right?¡± The 1st Knights¡¯ reply was delayed as they pondered whether the 2nd Empress was just joking for a while. ¡°Hmm, perhaps it is not the truth that you need, but comfort?¡± Elisha, who spoke to herself as if curious, put her chin on Leon¡¯s head and continued. ¡°Why do you seek comfort when you are not going to die? Or do you really want comfort?¡± When she asked if they wanted to die openly, this time, without delay, they were of one mind. ¡°No! Our will is burning strong!¡± ¡°This is nothing, just like me! They¡¯re just some big snakes after all. Hahaha!¡± They responded enthusiastically, but the other party [Elisha] is not a person to accept such a thing. Elisha, who clicked her tongue as if she found them playing well, looked at Leon and Dorian. There was no safe place to hide, the Garyosa fought with flashes of light, so if she wanted to put them on the roof, it could be dangerous since they didn¡¯t have the talent to dodge it quickly. ¡°Spot should be able to take care of this.¡± Elisha lowered her hand and lightly patted the horse on the back, its tail fluttered happily as if it could understand the compliment. Looking at the scene bizarrely, Adam realized that he had misunderstood something. The minds of these people are broken. He took the best gamble of his life because he thought it was an opportunity to escape the pigpen of a barony that is about to collapse, but now he realized what he held was not a winning card! ¡°W-We must avoid those things!¡± Elisha looked at him, who stuttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? Or is it because you¡¯re not confident that you¡¯ll survive even after hearing it? If that¡¯s the case, either quit or give me a good reason.¡± Elisha¡¯s cold appearance of not letting him go seems like pushing him to the cliff. Even though he was not on her side in the first place and she was the opponent he was trying to push into the trap, that was not important to Adam at the moment. And the more Adam acted out like that, the more Elisha had no choice but to erase the thought of abandoning this village and escaping. ¡°Incoming!¡± The entrance to the village is open facing the road, so the direction in which the Garyosas came was the side of the village surrounded by vacant lots outside the road. Neigh! Neigh! Even though they are well-trained, the horses stomped their feet in anxiety. First of all, they had expected that the right flank of the village would be devoured by a swarm of Garyosas, but¡­ The results were different. Kwajik! Kwajik! The sound armor clashing was heard as the objects on the left side of the village moved. Thud! Thud! Red claws hit the ground. When the hole appeared, the claws that follow after opened and closed with a clicking sound. A Garyosa immediately screamed and jumped up from the ground. Guaaa! As if a boundary was drawn across the road from the entrance of the village, the two monsters that met competed for each other¡¯s strength and crushed everything in all directions. After a while, the right flank of the village also began to break down by a group of Garyosas as expected. Therefore, to say that the expected result is wrong, is both true and untrue. The bad thing that had to happen just happened¡­ And the amazing thing was that they (Elisha¡¯s party) didn¡¯t happen to fuel the bad thing into a worse thing. ¡°Are those the things that will greet me on the safe road you have prepared?¡± When Elisha asked the question while pointing to the things that appeared on the left side of the village that Adam was trying to lead them to, Adam turned his head to avoid answering. ¡°Garyosa is not enough, so now there¡¯s Celtrop too. What the hell have you done. Ha.¡± However, it seemed that this was not all. Kung! Kung! As the Garyosas dug underneath, the buildings built on top swayed and collapsed. The Garyosas reacted more aggressively as they read the sign that their kind was in the midst of a sensitive battle with the Celtrops at a very close distance. Shhh! Shhh! Some of the Garyosas raised its heads and looked around. A Garyosa¡¯s eyes and nose are not good, but they are sensitive to changes in the surroundings. Elisha lifted three water spears in the air. Then, she bent her arms back and stretched them out as if tossing them forward. Swaeegh! Puk! Pukk! One missed, but the other pierced the neck of the one in front, and the other got stuck in the eyeball of the one next to it. Blood spurted out as they began to writhe in pain. Kwang! Kwaang! The heads flailed in shock not only on the ground, but also on top of their comrades. Behind them, the ground seemed to be full, but it seemed to be less than half the original number that was expected. It was only a little less than that, but nevertheless, a good result. ¡°Is it because of the Celtrops?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Because the Celtrops appeared and drew their attention first, the ones (Garyosa) that could have come this way seemed to have been focused on the center. The Celtrops also veered off the road instead of destroying the left side of the village. Those (Celtrop) who crossed the road stepped on the hard armor of their own kind and bravely raised their red claws. One more on the back. And another one above that. Although they are not as large as Garyosa, the Celtrops who gathered together became a huge red mass and fought against the Garyosas with a vicious force. They were not pushed back at all. Rather, the monsters seemed to be focused at the center of the village. There must be a limit to the number of monsters that come running. Then the number will gradually decrease starting from the edge, and there may be room for Adam himself to remove himself from this situation! Adam¡¯s, who had been thinking of death, eyes glistened as if he had found a chance to live, but it was only for a moment. It¡¯s because his thoughts turned gloomy after that. Adam turned his head toward the back of the village. He was wondering what it would be like in the back. He thought of an escape route beyond the outskirts of the village. However, the area itself was not very safe. Originally, the soil quality was not good, but the drought worsened it several times. Hills of different heights were scattered here and there, slowing movement, and among them, piles of dry sand existed like traps, grabbing the ankles of those trying to climb and making them sink into place like swamps. Another layer of sand, swept away by the wind over the head of the buried person, will make the person disappear without a trace. Similarly, there are many places where the flat land looks as if it¡¯s empty from water and dried up or crushed due to rotting inside, but if you step on it incorrectly, you will fall into the water underneath. People who have lived for a long time also have to be careful. In fact, this area was only particularly harsh. It has been a while since there have been jokes that the roads one knows are dangerous in many areas within Shuffle Barony, and that only the places others have stepped on are safe. In the end, Adam was upset because he could only think of a place to die no matter what. Had I not entered this village and had just outrun the Celtrops in time, I wouldn¡¯t have been so cornered! He didn¡¯t even imagine it. A high-ranking aristocrat the size of a 2nd Empress would have thought that the 1st Knights would take care of these lowly things. Above all, when danger is rampantly rampaging behind one¡¯s back, what kind of person would leave the easy road in front, stop, and turn around to face the truth? It¡¯s surprising that such a person exists, but he still couldn¡¯t believe that all his plans were ruined because his opponent was the 2nd Empress. Then he suddenly recalled something he had forgotten. ¡°Where are you? Where the hell are you all?!¡± Adam looked around and found his men. Half of them are those who have worked hard and been used by him for a long time, and the other half are the wastes that the baron picked up so the number of heads would match. He had wondered where would be the right place to use these wastes, but now he found it interesting because they could¡¯ve been very useful this time. ¡°Waste is waste until the end!¡± Adam gritted his teeth and pointed to the ¡°wastes¡± that his subordinates were supporting one by one. ¡°Hurry up and throw them out!¡± As Adam was about to approach his men, Rohan¡¯s sword touched his neck. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Those¡­ We need to get rid of them as soon as possible.¡± Rohan stared at the fallen baron¡¯s knights. He had been thinking since earlier that there was something wrong with them. He had wondered if it was necessary to support the sick people as it delays time and restricts the movement of the party. Looks like that wasn¡¯t all. A solid line was drawn around Adam¡¯s neck as Rohan lightly pulled his wrist, and red blood gushed out. Pain was more effective than any urge. ¡°I fed them with medicinal herbs. It is said to be used when hunting Celtrop in the desert because the blood of those who ate it can excite Celtrops.¡± But Adam didn¡¯t use it in moderation like the desert tribes did. Rohan understood the meaning of those words at once. It was possible to infer what the side effects were from their actions. The first thing Rohan did was check the location of Elisha. Boom! Boom! The 1st Knights and 2nd Empress were blocking the riotous Garyosas swarm together. As the battle intensified, the Garyosas who had been hitting the right flank, immediately flocked to the party¡¯s place and gradually suffered difficulties. It was surprising. Although the swordsmanship of the 2nd Empress was exceptional with a high score in wits, in depth and strength, it was still not comparable to that of the 1st Knights. Nevertheless, the existence of the 2nd Empress encompassed the entire war. The water spirit summoned by the 2nd Empress had great offensive power, but it was the best in maximizing the utilization of the knights or creating a safe escape route for them. It was enough to give Rohan a chance to rethink the existence of the spirit company. But Rohan only wished. He only wished that she and the 3rd Prince could get out of there safely with that power! ¡°You can¡¯t stay there!¡± At Rohan¡¯s cry, Elisha turned to look at him. The moment he felt that her sky-blue eyes widened, there was a bloody smell around him. ¡°Cough!¡° ¡°Ugh!¡± Those who coughed with blood poured out of holes in their bodies, were the baron¡¯s knights who were supported because they were sick. ¡°Damn it! Get it off! Get it off!¡± Those who were close to each other, covered in blood, were terrified and pushed their companions away. Those on horseback slumped to the floor, and those who stood collapsed and rolled on the bare floor. More blood gushed out from the body that exploded after the shock from falling, soaking the ground even more deeply. Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaang! Although there were still fights around, it wasn¡¯t difficult to feel that something was starting to change. The Garyosas were still running rampant, but the ears of those in the village could clearly hear it. Clink! Clank! Clack! As the claws spread from side to side became excited, the eerie sound grew louder and louder. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Beyond the entrance to the village, the chaotically mixed colors separated, and a red stem flowed in the direction they were in. ¡°Mm.¡± Elisha groaned slightly. She didn¡¯t spit any more words out of fear that Leon or Dorian would be surprised, but inside, she repeated, ¡°Damn it.¡± She never wanted it to be easy, but there was really no need to go this far. Chapter 63 Who is behind it? Elisha had thought of the 1st Empress Isabelle. However, despite the fact that she is the favored daughter of Duke Cherkah, the head of the eastern noibility, it will be difficult to mobilize this much power. Elisha had also thought of the emperor for a moment before erasing it from her mind. It¡¯s not because he was not capable of doing this, but because doing this wouldn¡¯t help him. It would be better for him if Elisha¡¯s alive. There are many people who want to kill Elisha, but when all of the possibilities are put into consideration, no one fits perfectly. Paaang! Elisha struck the Garyosa who was heading toward her with a long stream of whip-like water before slowly retreating back. The 1st Knights also surrounded Elisha as if to protect her and moved together. The position occupied by the party gradually narrowed. Now, there was a sense of trepidation as if the end was really approaching. Elisha had been in such a situation often, but in the end, she eventually overcame them all and repaid the enemies dozens of times more. The 1st Knights¡¯ wits were hardened and they did not waver easily. However, it was difficult for people with a normal or weaker mental state to endure this. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± In particular, Tricia couldn¡¯t understand why her life was threatened here. It was also the first time that Tricia had seen monsters properly. Tricia had gotten off the horse and was now staring at Adam, who had walked away earlier, as if to kill him. When everyone was looking like they were dying, Tricia herself had been stuck hiding. ¡­But for some reason, Tricia felt relieved about it. She wanted to rant and make a fuss, but apart from that, she thought that she¡¯d be in trouble if that person really dies. Because Adam was the only person she knew who was still willing to communicate with her. No, it¡¯s not like that. Tricia looked back on what just happened. She felt like her eyes were spinning. Adam had done something worthy of having his neck cut by Sir Rohan¡¯s sword. Rohan, who had just caught Adam, who was just about to run away, was pressing his back with his feet. So Adam had something to do with the monsters attacking them. Even Tricia, who was not on the smart side, realized how big this problem was. Unless all the people here die and the secret is buried, the baron will not only be ruined soon, but will be torn apart without even leaving a trace of it. However, there is no time to worry about her father or mother. Tricia herself is about to die right away. That can¡¯t happen. What should she do? Not to mention Sir Rohan, the 1st Knights would not pay attention to Tricia. The baron¡¯s knights seem to have other intentions, but even if they don¡¯t, will they be able to save themselves? Perhaps over and over again since yesterday, she had been unconsciously touching the inside of her dress with a narrower sleeve than usual. Something was caught in her fingertips. ¡®If you¡¯re that angry, would you try to vent your anger?¡¯ [T/N: Chapter 56] Adam gave Tricia a narrow and long glass bottle when they left the barony for this schedule. He told her to pour it into something like the accessories worn by the 2nd Empress every day or a cloak that she would wear over and over again. When asked what would happen then, he said it was an essence made by cracking an insect¡¯s eggs. He said that when the insects that laid the eggs run into someone with the smell, they will know that it is an enemy that broke their hidden eggs. In some circumstances, they¡¯d even imprinted the smell and followed the person to the end to take revenge. Tricia snorted, saying isn¡¯t it just some insects, but Adam smiled, saying, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be funny?¡± Wouldn¡¯t you like to see that noble 2nd Empress with her face distorted, surrounded by insects? She was so excited that the 2nd Empress would be humiliated in front of many people and chased by insects alone, and that Sir Rohan would watch over the wretch. Tricia held what she had in her sleeve into her hand without hesitation. However, there was something Tricia had never thought of. That the seemingly indifferent 2nd Empress showed her feelings enough, to hate even riding in the same carriage with Tricia! How could she use her card when she couldn¡¯t even approach her, let alone a chance to sit next to her? She rode on a horse all the time, so Tricia thought she would pour it into the saddle or mane of the horse, but even the horse had a bad temper because it resembled its master. She was never alone, and whenever Tricia approached, she¡¯d threaten her. She couldn¡¯t do anything besides gritting her teeth. Last night was really bad in particular. She wanted to pretend to borrow something or to pretend to apologize for not being able to serve, while looking for an opportunity. But the light was turned off. She had tried to check if the 2nd Empress was already sleeping or if she went for a night walk, but she got caught by a man who looked just like an ogre, in front of the window. In the end, she returned without any result, went to sleep, and after waking up, she got caught up in all sorts of things, so now is the time. She had been so excited to hear that Sir Rohan was coming to the barony, it was like the best opportunity and gift of her life, but when she opened the gift, everything inside was melted and the piece of candy that was supposed to be inside couldn¡¯t be found. Tricia pulled out the glass bottle that had been hidden inside her sleeve and secured with an elastic strap around her forearm. She opened the lid of the bottle the size of her two fingers glued together. There was a stale smell. ¡°I-I thought you took care of it last night!¡± Adam, who was struggling with his limbs on the floor, cried out in fright. ¡°I answered like that because I thought you would bother me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll matter because I¡¯m going to do it today anyway.¡± Adam certainly knew that Tricia would do anything without any regards to life or death, because she didn¡¯t forget easily what she had suffered, ever since childhood. But even such a shallow thought required some kind of trust. Seeing the wastes dying, Adam desperately wanted to run away from this place even though he despaired that the place he would be heading to would be another place to die, because it was obvious that this place would be the most miserable and difficult of all the places to die. Because the smell in the glass bottle by itself doesn¡¯t spread far, but its nature will change when it comes into contact with specially treated blood. ¡°You crazy bitch!¡± ¡°Adam, who speaks of Celtrops as mere insects, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy.¡± Smiling, Tricia tilted one arm back. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Of course, her destination was the woman on a horse that was getting closer and closer. I will defile her silver hair and the black cloak that the emperor has given her! The terrified Adam couldn¡¯t stop it, and when Tricia stretched her arm out in front of her and tried to throw what¡¯s in her hands! Something flew strong. Chaeng-grang! With her hand still raised above her head, Tricia hardened. This is because a dagger suddenly flew in and hit the hand holding the glass bottle. Luckily, it was only the handle of the dagger, else, all of the fingers would have been cut off. Normally, she would have already made a great fuss from the pain, but not now. Because¡­ Ttuk! Ttuk! The essence from the broken glass bottle got on the palm of her hand and flowed down her wrist. And when it broke, about half of it wetted Tricia¡¯s hair. ¡°Uwaaa¡­!¡± Trisha only mouthed and couldn¡¯t bring up anything. She just turned her head to the side where the dagger was thrown. Rohan was standing there, pressing on Adam¡¯s neck now, not Adam¡¯s back. Rohan, who only did what he had to do, couldn¡¯t understand why Tricia was looking at him with resentment, but he didn¡¯t despise her. He just looked at her calmly. Just as he did to those women who always see him with the same eyes. Adam trashed at his feet. ¡°Get out of here right now. Fortunately, the 2nd Empress is safe¡­ As for now¡­¡± Rohan lifted his toes. Adam gasped and opened his mouth to breath. ¡°T-Thank you for saving me.¡± Rohan glanced at him for a moment, then climbed onto his horse. Not only Adam, but also the baron¡¯s knights, who were mesmerized with the blood in the vicinity, or those whose hands were shaking because they didn¡¯t know what to do. Rohan just stopped looking at them. He drove the horse without giving them a single glance. That included Tricia, who was still standing in disbelief. The red masses from the entrance of the village accelerated towards the party. Click! Clack! Everything submerged in the lava crumbled and became ashes. The 1st Knights drew a circle around Elisha. Miller took Dorian. It wasn¡¯t that Dorian was heavy, but it did make her movements easier. Elisha glanced over those waiting for her command. Even though the empress is a noble position and the face representing the current group, each person has a different role. This was the result of many things they had done together. They were good men. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the back.¡± *** Perhaps because they smelled blood and the strange essence from the glass bottle, the Celtrops from the right side and the front side, as well as the left side, rushed into the entrance of the village without changing direction. When Elisha and the 1st Knights gathered and turned their heads, screams erupted from behind. ¡°N-Nooo!!¡± ¡°Us too! Please take us too!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about who¡¯s behind this? I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± At Adam¡¯s last cry, the tip of her ears pricked for a moment, but Elisha did not look back. If there was really any information to use, he would have already mentioned it before being completely abandoned like that, when Rohan waited with the sword on his head. Elisha had seen such people in her past life. After showing their amazing power, if anyone finds out about their true nature, they¡¯ll be the only one in trouble, so they easily agree to instructions, and receive the price they¡¯re given and take care of themselves. Will those with that power break their promises? They must have thought it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for their superiors. It¡¯s really funny. Those people hide their own strength, so they are snooping to the bottom while doing those things in the dark. They pushed Elisha¡¯s back to put her in the mire, but in the meantime, they didn¡¯t realize that they were also slowly pushing their feet into the mire. Clack! Clack! Kwang! ¡°Uwaahhh¡­!¡± The screams didn¡¯t last to the end. The viciousness of the monsters that burst out at the back of the ears reached its climax. It was noticeable that the inside of the village entrance turned like hell due to the intertwining of the monsters from three directions. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Contrary to Adam¡¯s expectation that it would be difficult to escape from the battlefield, the party covered in a water curtain made by Elisha passed through the village chief¡¯s house and inn in the center of the village without any damage. Chaeeng! There was a sound coming from quite a distance from where Elisha stood. ¡°I was just wondering why you weren¡¯t coming back.¡± Elisha thought as she increased her speed, while observing the surroundings for strange things that might bother her. Chapter 64 Desert Flower (8) Translated by WookEdited by Wook They passed through the ruined houses and the well filled by Elisha. Seeing that the well was thoroughly cleaned up now shows how much care was put into it for that short amount of time, and chipped bowls and water bottles were neatly laid out. The morning of those in search of simple hope was greeted by an attack by giant monsters. Elisha, with a frown on her eyes, ran after the sound, completely crossing the outskirts of the village and stepping on dangerous land where she didn¡¯t know the way. Soon after, she found Perry confronting a group of people with a sword. Behind Perry were the boys Joseph and Tommy, and some of the dirty people she might have seen last night. They all had something in their hands, a cutlery similar to the thing that Joseph had held when he offered to dig the well. It is unknown whether those old things could even work properly. They were not some military weapons, but more like farming equipment. ¡°Your Majesty! I¡¯m right over here! If you were a little late, I almost wouldn¡¯t have seen you again!¡± As soon as Perry found her, he rejoiced and waved his hand recklessly. His superior, Rohan, was right next to her, but it didn¡¯t seem like he even saw him. Elisha turned her gaze away from him and looked at the opponents on the other side. Although there were not many numbers, the momentum was quite fierce. Seeing Perry held out alone, it seemed that they hadn¡¯t been here for long. If Elisha and party had been a little late, Perry and the people behind him might have died. By the way¡­ Elisha tilted her head to the side. A black uniform with no pattern and a mask covering the eyes that also covered the nose bridge in the same color, making it impossible to confirm the face. There were no seals on the sword or on the saddle of the horse to identify their identity, but just seeing their outfit and the horses they were riding was not in vain. She had seen such people in her previous life. No, it had been something beyond just seeing each other. How many times did they compete and try to take each other¡¯s lives? ¡°Do you know who they are?¡± When Rohan asked, Elisha thought for a moment. Then she nodded her head. ¡°They¡¯re the Shadow Knights of Duke Cherkah. I thought it was impossible for the 1st Empress to be the one behind this situation, but it seems that she got some assistance.¡± ¡°You mean Duke Cherkah?¡± It was rumored that as he loved his daughter and the 2nd Prince so much, he wanted to make him the next emperor. Elisha shook her head. Duke Cherkah is a bright man. Now is a good opportunity, but it¡¯s not a phase to reverse the situation. Then, unless the 1st Prince Ascencio himself was here, Duke Cherkah would not use his hands. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there one more person who can move the Shadow Knights? A successor with both cause and power.¡± Raymond Cherkah. Grand Prince Raymond of the Cherkah Duchy, and elder brother of Isabelle. It¡¯s known that the relationship between the two siblings isn¡¯t very good, but is it truly so? Rohan looked puzzled for a moment. Elisha wanted to tell him that it was him with that expression that made Raymond move. Somehow, the incident was bigger than expected, so it was confusing for a while, but now it¡¯s being solved one by one. This was not a trap for Elisha alone. Along with Elisha, Rohan Scherzer, the greatest knight of the empire who was loved and hated by many nobles! Prince Raymond helped his sibling to trap him. Ha. Elisha smirked inwardly. It was strange that Adam was making a fuss saying that they had to go quickly when they entered the village after escaping from the group of Garyosas. Later, when she saw the Celtrops that had come all the way to the village, she thought he was trying to get them to stop at the right time so that they were sandwiched between the Garyosas and the Celtrops. But from the looks of it, that wasn¡¯t all. It was natural for the village to collapse when a group of Garyosas filled the ground and flooded in, but if anyone twisted the direction a little, it could be said that the 2nd Empress and the knights ran away from the monsters, used the village as bait, and fled to survive alone. Then, Elisha¡¯s efforts so far to increase the glory of Barossa from the deal she made with the emperor will be in vain, and the honor of the knight Rohan will fall to the ground. Even so, the last thing the archduke would have wanted was for Elisha and Rohan to get caught up in the fight and die horribly. The absurd thing is that while he hated and wanted to crush Rohan so much, Prince Raymond classified Rohan¡¯s skills as the highest level, and moved the monsters to the maximum level. Meanwhile, it seems to be Isabelle¡¯s taste to give the Celtops to Elisha and let them bother her as much as possible. The brother and sister are a real pair, they like flashy things, they are rotten, and they are insidious. ¡°Are you going to let me die? Seriously?¡± While Elisha thought for a moment, Perry, who was completely on the defensive, whined. Until Elisha or Rohan came, he stood firmly without any sign of defeat with a solemn face. When Elisha, who shook her head, summoned the water spirit, the 1st Knights rushed forward. Rohan didn¡¯t move. He guards Elisha¡¯s back. As nobody knew when the monsters that had escaped from the tangled fight would pop out again. Chaeng! Chaeng! The swords collided and the horses missed each other. ¡°Kuhg!¡± The chest of the knight in black uniform opened wide and blood poured out. Thud! Even after dropping its owner on the floor, the horse did not stop running. On the other hand, Hein, unharmed, searched for the next opponent and turned his head around. No matter how good the knights in black were, they could not be compared to the 1st Knights. However, the 1st Knights were too tired. Although they were not close, Elisha knew some of the faces of those who are here. We¡¯ll probably never see each other again. Whoosh! Whoosh! Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The water spears thrown by Elisha met horses of the black knights. Neigh! The horses fell down or shook loudly with their front feet up. In the meantime, the 1st Knights overpowered the Shadow Knights. Unlike the leader of the baron¡¯s knight Adam, who¡¯s dead with not even a remain left, the Shadow Knights can be caught as suspects. The party tried to capture them, but as soon as the Shadow Knights felt that the they were about to be caught, they immediately bit the poison hidden in their mouth and committed suicide. Even if they testify alive, Duke Cherkah will deny it, and there is a high possibility that they will be killed somehow while in custody¡­ It was regrettable because they (Elisha and party) could¡¯ve received a good price from the emperor just by dragging those people alive. After a while, when all the Shadows Knights died, Joseph and Tommy ran to Elisha. ¡°I came here to tell them that it¡¯s dangerous, but a Garyosa that got lost opened its mouth wide and wanted to eat the children! So I got off my horse and brought them out, but at this time, a Celtrop came up and grabbed the horse, then everyone living here came out and looked at me.¡± [T/N: It should be Perry who said this] When asked to run away, he had no idea where to direct them¡­ Surprisingly, the people who lived in the back of the village know a lot of that abandoned land. Joseph said that he found a way that was not dangerous because he wandered around when he was bullied by the village chief. Even the monsters don¡¯t go to the abandoned land, so as long as they don¡¯t run into wandering animals within the abandoned land, they can be safe. And Perry encountered the Shadow Knights when he was keeping an eye on the direction for later. ¡°Did they come from over there?¡± As Elisha pointed in the direction where the Celtrops ran. ¡°Yes. I think it was a waiting group to take care of the runaways and organize the situation.¡± Also, it must have been the lifeline that Adam believed in, but she wasn¡¯t sure. Nobody knew if Adam could have survived if things had gone his way. By the way, how much did Raymond think of Rohan? I think it would be good to call it faith. Anyway, hearing Perry¡¯s answer, Elisha immediately spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s move. The plan went awry, so it seems that they came to the advance squad to check the situation, but if they don¡¯t return, the rest will come to find them.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, will you be joining us?¡± ¡°Yes. Joseph, I need you to guide me well. I¡¯ll pay you back later for your help.¡± Will she make another well? Or perhaps this time she will build a new village altogether. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡± When Elisha jutted in the people¡¯s direction, Joseph grabbed Tommy¡¯s hand and rushed away. Elisha also got off the horse. It didn¡¯t seem like a good idea to ride her horse, so she had to walk with the reins in her hand. As Elisha and the 1st Knights approached the abandoned land, a shadow fell over her head. As the Garyosas lifted their heads like reeds, the village became dense. Then red lava erupted. The Celtrops who had formed a tower looked down on the Garyosas with a sense of intimidation. [T/N: Remember that they¡¯re climbing each other¡¯s body] Then, Paang! Pang! The Garyosas smashed the tower with their own body. A red piece of water fell from the shaking tower. It landed on top of the Garyosas and thrust its claws down. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for those people who became baits, we would have been lying at the bottom.¡± The result of Tricia and Adam¡¯s actions were the fact that the Celtrops that were enchanted by the essence clumped together and became frenzied. The party could also breathe easier by the fact that the Garyosas were tied up because they were swept away by such Celtrops. When Miller spoke plainly, Perry kicked him in the buttocks. The place looked cluttered at first glance, but they were not slowing down. Those familiar with the abandoned land had to look around first, so Joseph and everyone in the rear went in, and then the 1st Knights and Elisha stopped while trying to step inside. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Is it those people Her Majesty mentioned earlier?¡± So far, Elisha¡¯s predictions had almost always come true, and she had never been wrong, so everyone must be thinking the same thing. The knights in black uniforms who were secretly raised by Duke Cherkah. ¡­ However. This time, Elisha was wrong. Elisha didn¡¯t know either. No, in the first place, who can predict things right every single time unless it¡¯s the messenger of the gods who can foresee the future? ¡°Everything I¡¯ve been through doesn¡¯t seem like much compared to what I¡¯ve experienced today. Will this day ever end?¡± Perry groaned and looked around. He had nothing to ride because his horse was eaten. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t end, you have to be the one who ends it.¡± Elisha gave him Leon wrapped in her cloak. ¡°Mother?¡± As Leon wriggled and tried to stick his face out, Elisha tightened the cloak and rubbed his cheek. ¡°Stay with Sir Perry for a moment. It will be fine soon.¡± As Elisha stared at Perry, Perry nodded. It means that he will sacrifice his life to protect him. Perry wanted to protect the 2nd Empress and go to the battlefield himself. Taking the lead in killing enemies and risking life to protect the master, isn¡¯t it the duty of a knight? If the master is someone one really wants to serve, it¡¯s a dream come true. However, even in a situation where he could accomplish all of that at once, Perry could not be greedy. The 2nd Empress must want to hold and protect this small body more than anyone else. However, she had to come forward like that because they [the knights] are not enough. While Perry gritted his teeth, he took steps to keep the 3rd Prince safe as the 2nd Empress wanted. Miller and Hein protect their backs and prevent anyone from approaching in the direction they went. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Tadadak! The back view of Elisha riding Spot faded away. Across from where she was running, stout, tan-skinned men in desert tribal attire were fast approaching. Chapter 65 Desert Flower (9) Translated by WookEdited by Wook Elisha had never been associated with the desert tribe in her previous life. Currently, the desert tribe was only immigrants within the Kingdom of Kran, and in the future, the borders will become even more ambiguous, so it was natural that they would not be called separately. However, it was basic common sense that the desert people were very warlike and that they fought for a long time divided into pro-Kran Kingdom faction and the indigenous tribe faction who insisted on protecting the pure blood of the desert. And to mention one more thing, it was said that they hated leaving the desert. But recently, it was said that the desert environment had become more barren due to the terrible drought, so they often plundered the surrounding land. This barony was especially easy prey for them. Elisha wanted to think that it would be the same case again, but the situation at the moment made it seem unlikely. Everything that was happening in the village was enormous and the aftermath would be endless. There is no way that those who appeared in such a broken and collapsing place filled with nothing to loot had any good intention. In addition, the number that appeared was enough to be a hundred. There must be a reason for that. And everyone, not just Elisha, knew immediately what it was. When they found Elisha, their eyes lit up. The warriors of the desert tribe, holding up their crescent-shaped swords curved outward, rushed forward, looking at only one point. A lot of blood was sprayed to the floor from the crescent-shaped swords. It seemed that they had come here after killing the Shadow Knights, whom Elisha had expected to attack soon. Tadadakk! Takk! In front of Elisha, the horses of the 1st Knights quickly lined up. ¡°Leave this to us and follow those who left first.¡± Rohan said with a stiff face. His tone and the atmosphere around him was different from before. He had never had a face like that even in the midst of a possible death together before. ¡°You must listen to me on this. 2nd Empress.¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯re wrong. Sir Rohan, you¡¯re the one who should listen to me.¡± When Elisha said so, Rohan must have already felt something. His brown eyes fluttered slightly. Elisha wanted to touch his eyes at that moment. She thought something warm would come out when her fingertips touched it. But Elisha reached out her hand towards the sky, not towards Rohan¡¯s face that blocked her. Chwaruk! A water barrier was created in front of those running to face each other. The warriors who were running with the crescent-shape swords flinched and slowed down. ¡°T-this is that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s water, it¡¯s truly water. Is she really the embodiment of Sionil?¡± Men who would not even blink when they see a corpse or a monster, salivated while looking at the ground and expressed their deep regret at the disappearing water and their taste buds that could have been refreshed. ¡°Then we can just take her and check. She¡¯s ours anyway.¡± The man at the forefront said with eyes bent thin. Under the sun, the man with sandy golden hair, golden eyes, and dark brown skin looked like a beautiful but arid desert itself. ¡°Ha!¡± The man urged the horse. The horse, which had slowed down for a moment, sped up again. The crescent-shaped sword in the man¡¯s hand was lowered diagonally before reaching the water curtain. Cwharuk! The water was being cut off. The space where the sword moved was empty, and the man quickly crossed the gap. ¡°Shamir! Let¡¯s go together!¡± A comrade from behind the man ran and giggled. However, he did not have the same skills as the previous man, Shamir, so he collided with the water barrier. Phang! Phaang! A stream of water repelled them, but the barrier didn¡¯t seem to last very long. Shamir faced the knights on the other side alone, with the water barrier and his companions behind him. Even Rohan Scherzer, a knight of the Empire, could not attract Shamir¡¯s attention. Shamir looked only at Elisha with a piercing gaze. Then. Hmm. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to be as fun as I thought. You¡¯re just a pretty doll.¡± It seemed a bit fun because she exuded a soft energy that was different from what she appeared like at first. Shamir grumbled as his interest quickly cooled down. Just that. But he had to do what he had to do so the chieftain wouldn¡¯t go crazy once he returned. Shamir jumped between the 1st Knights without waiting for his comrades. Sweat formed on Elisha¡¯s forehead. She had spent too much energy on this day. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she collapsed at any time. However, Elisha wasn¡¯t the only one who had a bad condition. Most of the 1st Knights were not in good conditions as well. Elisha saw Shamir running wild like a wolf who jumped into a flock. Beyond that, she saw the water barrier that gradually faded and became thinner. Undine puffed out her cheeks with an angry expression and kicked the air. If that barrier disappears and they face the enemy head-on, the damage to the 1st Knights will be great. It didn¡¯t matter to lose something as long as they could protect the important things, but the current situations made it seem difficult. Even now, Rohan beckoned Perry to rush into the abandoned land, but¡­ Will the enemies be just watching Elisha escape? Elisha was worried that the enemies would let them run deeper into the abandoned lands before overturning them. Such a situation would be dangerous for Leon. Chwaaa! Eventually, the current weakened and the water barrier disappeared. Elisha thought there should be no more delay. This was the right time. Elisha, who was in the innermost part, pulled the reins of Spot, turning the horse¡¯s head, and lightly slammed the horse¡¯s side with her heel. As smart as Spot was, it ran straight to avoid the 1st Knights as Elisha wanted. Suddenly, the distance between Rohan and Elisha widened. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Rarely surprised, Rohan tried to follow Elisha, but Elisha shook her head as she slowed down for a while and looked back. Still, as Rohan slowed down, Elisha made a stern expression as if she was going to go away if he didn¡¯t listen to her. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Rohan couldn¡¯t move. ¡°As you can see, they don¡¯t want to kill me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll become a valuable hostage. Besides, I have a spirit, so I can protect myself even in the worst case. You can go to Leon, Sir. At any time, the top priority for the knight to choose is the blood of Barossa, who has the right to succeed to the throne, right?¡± ¡°Is this the time for you to say that?¡± ¡°Yes. Save your strength. And protect him with that power. He is my treasure, and you must not lose it to anyone.¡± Elisha wanted to say that in their current state, she might still be dragged away by them (the desert tribe) even if the 1st Knights exhausted the last of their power. But wouldn¡¯t that be tragic? She paused. And brought up another sentence instead. ¡°When I return, I will give you something worth it, alright?¡± ¡°There it is!¡± ¡°There¡¯s the 2nd Empress over there!¡± Elisha¡¯s voice mingled with the shouts of the enemies who had crossed the traces of the vanished barrier. The 1st Knights blocked them and got hurt. Come to think of it, it was unlikely that Rohan had anything other than a sword. ¡°When the enemies turn to me, recover the 1st Knights and find those who entered the abandoned land as soon as possible. Once the enemies have caught me, they may try to destroy the evidence.¡° As Elisha was asking him to walk away, Rohan pulled out a pendant that was obscured by his clothes and nobody ever knew was hanging around his neck. He pulled it out as if tearing it apart and threw it at Elisha. Elisha reached out as she noticed the sight of something flying. The thing had a caved area in the middle, and pearls decorated in the shape of lilies were embedded on the lid. There was a reason why Jaylene liked pearls. However, it was unfortunate that Elisha hated pearls. She hoped there was another gem embedded inside, so she could use it in case of emergency. As Elisha put the pendant in her sleeve, Rohan said. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back in time, I¡¯ll go find you.¡± It would be absolutely impossible without the emperor¡¯s permission. So, would he allow it? Still, Elisha didn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s amazing that he stopped what Elisha was going to do twice. Rohan said he would save her, and in this situation, she was content enough that he was not the kind of person who was satisfied with saving his own hide. She thought she knew why the emperor was bothering Rohan¡­ As a master, it would be difficult to leave such a knight alone. The way he suppressed everything about himself and tolerated his master was even sublime. If there was one thing that the emperor coveted, it would be him. Elisha smiled faintly and left. ¡°W-where are you going, Your Majesty!¡± The 1st Knights shouted in surprise, but did not look back. ¡°Follow me! Catch her!¡± As Elisha expected, the enemies pursued her, leaving the 1st Knights behind. When the 1st Knights tried to catch the enemies behind her, Rohan stopped them. ¡°But, leader! I can¡¯t accept it!¡± Such a disobedient remark was a sight that had never been seen before in the 1st Knights who usually followed their leader. ¡°I have been commanded, and you carry it out with me. That¡¯s all.¡± Rohan answered. His fingertips holding the sword were so strong that the pattern on his handle was crushed, but no one saw it. ¡°Huh?¡± The 2nd Empress who became the bait herself and the leader of the knight who tolerated it? Where did that much trust and belief come from? Moreover, in this brief moment, the path chosen by the 2nd Empress as an escape route made Shamir shudder. Shamir, who raised the corners of his mouth, started running in the direction the 2nd Empress disappeared. The 2nd Empress was heading into the village. The village was a mess. No, there were hardly any traces of this being a village. When they crossed the outskirts, they couldn¡¯t even see the well that Elisha had made anymore. Celtrops corpses, broken claws, and shredded flesh of Garyosas covered everything like snow. Everything was crushed into thick, bizarre, and frightening colors, but it was the same in that it hid what was inside. Unlike snow, no one would want to step on it, though. ¡°Those who came this way must have died fighting.¡± There was a reason why the monsters had not followed them into the abandoned land beyond the outskirts. Spot was doing well, jumping here and there to avoid being dirty. Thud! Thud! The further into the village, the more monsters there were, and the fight was still fierce. There were so many corpses piled up that one couldn¡¯t move without stepping on them, so Spot had to jump up and down the mountain of corpses. Elisha identified those who followed her. She passed by just in time when a Garyosa, who was biting a Celtrop through its mouth, swallowed it. And when the men who followed her tried to approach the path she came to, a stream of water poured out in front of them. Surprised by the sudden event, the Garyosa blinked and noticed the things approaching it. Kiiiik! The Garyosa stretched its head out. The leading men, who had relaxed, thinking everything would be fine when they watched Elisha go, were shocked. Seukugh! Seukugh! Still, like warriors, they got up straight away and valiantly attacked the Garyosa with their crescent swords. However, they couldn¡¯t let down their guard here. This was because the monsters that had eaten their opponents turned their heads in search of the next prey, and then flew to the first place they saw. The warriors were quite heterogeneous, and they stood out that much. ¡°Aih, it¡¯s the Garyosas and Celtrops.¡± They became careless because they were familiar with desert monsters, and the result was disastrous. The monsters who survived this warfront were not normal. After that, Elisha continued to pass through the fighting monsters or lead the enemies to dangerous places, steadily reducing their numbers. It would be best if she could run away without being caught like this. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Your Majesty, where are you going?¡± It must have been too much to hope for. Elisha stepped on the head of a Garyosa, which was closest to her, and jumped down, quietly looking down at the blonde, golden-eyed man standing in front of her. Chapter 66 Desert Flower (10) Translated by WookEdited by Wook The mansion of Baron Syuphl was overturned. Those who left on the mission came back later than expected. Furthermore, why were there so many faces that could not be seen? The baron and the marquis only blinked. Rohan¡¯s, who was holding the 3rd Prince, face was heavily sunken, so no one dared to talk to him. Not just the knight commander, but his daughter and the knights were not present as well, so the baron could not find anyone to talk to. And that¡¯s when he found a long line of beggars that were lined up behind the 1st Knights, then rushed to them. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± ¡°W-we¡­ were¡­¡± They didn¡¯t know the baron¡¯s face, but it was obvious that the man before them was a nobleman, so the villagers lowered their heads and did not know what to do. ¡°Come on, tell me! What happened!¡± Sreung! The baron, who was raising his voice, heard the sound of sword scraping against its scabbard. He believed that those lowly things who were ignoring him would soon answer under his coercion, but soon he became timid again at the cool touch on his neck. ¡°Why? What¡¯s¡­ wrong?¡± He asked Perry, who was staring at him. ¡°This is generous enough for a treason.¡± The baron as well as the marquis opened their eyes in surprise at the murmurs. Rohan, leaving them behind, went into the mansion while patting Leon¡¯s, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion from crying, back all the way in. He was trying to put him on the bed so he could get some rest. ¡°Mother¡­ Mother¡­¡± The little child rubbed his face on Rohan¡¯s shoulder with a whining sleep talk. Rohan brought his face to the 3rd Prince. ¡°Nothing will happen.¡± Was he saying it for the child or for himself? Or was it a whisper towards someone who wasn¡¯t there. *** Upon receiving Rohan¡¯s communication, the emperor stopped government affairs. And soon after, the disaster at the Syuphl Barony became known. A huge amount of demonic monsters attacked the 2nd Empress and the party, and it was not a natural phenomenon, but someone¡¯s conspiracy, and it was said that the people who did it were Tricia, the barony¡¯s young lady, and Adam, the barony¡¯s knights commander. The two died during the riot, so it was impossible to dig up any more information, but the traces of the great power that instigated them remain, so a strict investigation is necessary. Since nothing has been clearly revealed about that giant force yet, Barossa¡¯s advice was added to everyone to refrain from hasty judgment and not to cause confusion. Because it is a crime of treason, the repercussions are inevitably large. Each one surprised people so much that they couldn¡¯t close their mouths¡­ But the best of them was about the 2nd Empress. For the sake of the villagers in the village where they stayed for only one day, she risked her life to inform them about the attack of the monsters and to save the villagers. And for the 1st Knights and her son, the 3rd Prince, who were exhausted from repeated battles, she herself became a bait to lure the enemies. The ending couldn¡¯t be more dramatic¡­ The ¡®disappearance¡¯ of the 2nd Empress. No one knew what happened to her, who disappeared with the enemy. Her deeds in the Verdin Duchy, along with the comfort she had given in these troubled times, aroused the love of countless people across the country. There was already a lot of talk about the 2nd Empress, but this one exploded and overflowed. It was as if the whole empire was talking about her and wishing her a safe return. As the atmosphere outside flowed like that, there was a place where one had to hold their breath quietly. The Syuphl Barony, Rohan and the 1st Knights still remained in the barony. Treason is a system of association. All blood relatives related to Tricia were to receive the same punishment. When the baroness and everyone associated with them were thrown into prison, the barony¡¯s work became paralyzed, and public security, which was originally bad, deteriorated horribly. The Western aristocrats, who did not know what kind of spark this unfortunate incident that had occurred in their territory would turn into, unconditionally cooperated and tried to help, but Rohan refused them all. It was also the Emperor¡¯s will to use this opportunity to give the Western aristocrats a leash, and Rohan was also reluctant to let them participate in this. So, Rohan and his 1st Knights had to look over the barony until new people to manage from the capital arrived. Actually, Rohan and the 1st Knights didn¡¯t want to bother with that¡­ They wanted to run to the desert right away. When they returned to the barony and reported this to His Majesty the Emperor, everyone thought that a rescue team would be formed immediately to find the 2nd Empress. However, the emperor hid the identity of the enemy after confirming that the 1st Knights were the only ones who had seen the desert tribe appear and pursued the 2nd Empress. As the scope of the investigation increased, only time was wasted. They couldn¡¯t expose the Shadow Knights of Duke Cherkah because they had no evidence, but the desert tribe was different! The kidnapped hostage should be saved as soon as possible. The more time passes, the less likely the hostage is to come back, and the less likely the situation is to return to a normal state. Of course, His Majesty must have other thoughts, and he must also be looking for a gap, but¡­ Suddenly, Rohan realized that he was only looking at lines like paper in his hand over and over again, and put them down on the desk. As he was about to catch his breath, Perry swung the door open with the sound of thumping footsteps outside. ¡°Leader!¡± Perry bit his lip as Rohan looked at him with a questioning look. ¡°I think you should go see the 3rd Prince.¡± Rohan got up from his seat. He immediately left the baron¡¯s office and went to the third floor where the 3rd Prince was. Rohan, who opened the door, found the 3rd Prince and William, the western mage, standing in front of him. The 3rd Prince patted his reddish eyes with the back of his hand, and as soon as he saw Rohan, he ran and hugged him. Rohan hugged the 3rd Prince and greeted the western mage. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform me of your arrival?¡± Judging from the fact that there was a presence of hidden mana, it was clear that they did it on purpose. ¡°Isn¡¯t the child in a rough situation? I was in a hurry to see him.¡± William¡¯s friendly tone gave strength to Rohan¡¯s arm, which was holding Leon. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I have heard that Lord Mage is the guardian of the 3rd Prince.¡± ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s a relief you¡¯ve heard of this. Since that¡¯s the case, now that my student is gone, would it be right for me to take that child with me?¡± William was satisfied with the situation that could be solved more easily than expected. There¡¯s no way knights who pretend to be noble would like to take care of a difficult child. It would have been a burden. Rohan refused William¡¯s hand, which he held out with a benevolent expression on his face. ¡°The Prince will go to Barossa. Even if you¡¯re the guardian, the prince has nothing to do with the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°But am I not present now? I will keep him and send him back to the palace when the time comes.¡± ¡°The 2nd Empress asked me to take charge of the 3rd Prince until she comes back. I promised as a knight, so I¡¯ll take good care of him. You don¡¯t need to worry?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense, Count Scherzer!¡± Soon, William wiped his smile away. A nervous look hung in his wrinkled eyes. But from his gaze, William read that no matter what reasons he gave, Rohan would never give up the 3rd Prince. Unless the emperor orders it, there will be no chance. William didn¡¯t think the tough girl would have died. He thought that if he had her precious son, he would be able to receive the other half of the scroll to break down the 8th-circle wall that he hadn¡¯t been able to last time. Then, if the girl really died, he was supposed to find the place where she had hidden secrets or important things by coaxing the child. However, the person in charge of the child at the moment was just bad news for William. William could keep all nobles under his eyes, but there were a few people he couldn¡¯t touch, and one of them was that man. It hurt his pride to step back like this, but it wasn¡¯t a situation where he would continue to be stubborn. The Western Magic Tower was also part of the West. If there was a problem in the West, it could not help but be affected, if not as much as the noble families. In fact, if William had not been the guardian of the 3rd Prince, the tower might have been in quite a difficult situation by now. William, who was touching his wrinkled eyes, turned around and went outside. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll see you at Barossa.¡± William glanced at Rohan, who politely refused, and disappeared toward the side of the altar. While holding Leon, Rohan walked towards the window. Opening the closed window, the two stood there for quite some time and faced the wind coming inside. *** ¡°Nonsense.¡± Ascensio didn¡¯t believe what he had heard at first. Didn¡¯t Sir Rohan go with them? But how did this happen?! It was only a few days later that Ascensio, who had been stuck in the palace without taking a single step outside the Crown Prince Palace, regained his senses. He believed Elisha would return. So he must do well in what he has to do until her return, then she will definitely compliment him. Ascensio, who had been feeling down as usual, ran one step after hearing the news that the Imperial Palace portal had opened. His younger brother, whom he had been waiting for so long, was in trouble. From beyond the portal, Rohan, who was holding his brother, the maid, and a few knights from the 1st Knights appeared. The rest said that they would come overland by driving the horses of the knights who had gone before after finishing the cleanup in the barony. As they crossed the portal, the blue light that flickered around the portal disappeared for a moment. ¡°I see His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± When Rohan greeted him first, Ascensio nodded. Then he looked up at him and asked. ¡°You couldn¡¯t save her?¡± One couldn¡¯t help but know who it was about. ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°You really couldn¡¯t stop them?¡± ¡°My apologies. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Rohan bowed his head. Ascensio bit his lip, and then his eyes met Leon, who raised his head from Rohan¡¯s arms. Ascensio refined his cracked voice and spoke softly. ¡°How long has it been since we saw each other, my brother?¡± When Ascencio opened his arms, Rohan lowered Leon. Leon ran to his brother and hugged him. One might have thought it was noisy outside managing the portal, but people that Leon knew showed their faces one by one. As Georg, Jillian, and the maid Marie approached, Leon burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t protect Mother.¡± Jillian comforted Leon, saying ¡°What are you saying?¡± Ascensio whispered in Leon¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Big Brother will do everything for you. I swear as the crown prince. I will never forgive anyone who harmed my younger brother or the 2nd Empress. I will pay back tens of thousands of times what they have done.¡± The deep implication attached to that voice scared Leon, but instead of running away, Leon grabbed Ascensio¡¯s hand. He nodded his head up and down several times. Rather than saying no, doing so seemed to ease his older brother¡¯s mind. Older brother must be upset that he couldn¡¯t be with Mother and Leon when they were in trouble and that he couldn¡¯t help. After greeting each other, they slowly made their way towards the 2nd Empress Palace, but Rohan stopped and did not move. Bewildered, Leon looked back. ¡°Sir Rohan, won¡¯t you come with me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Sir Rohan has been away for a long time, so he must have a lot of work to do in the Knights Order or the county. So let him go, and stay with this brother. Or do you hate it?¡± ¡°N-no, Brother! I¡¯d like it if you stay with me.¡± At Leon¡¯s words, Ascensio smiled after a very long time. ¡°Then see you soon, Sir Rohan!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only When Leon greeted Rohan, Ascensio bowed slightly to him and then walked away. Knowing that Rohan would not have been able to help in that situation, he didn¡¯t want to resent him, but it didn¡¯t work out. Above all else, as long as he was a person of the emperor, he would be at odds with them someday anyway. Leon followed Rohan so well that Ascensio felt the need to draw a line. He didn¡¯t want to see Leon get hurt. Chapter 67 Desert Flower (11) Translated by WookEdited by Wook ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Majestyyy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Majestyyyyy, are you really not going to look at me?¡± Shamir poked his face through the wooden grates that were pierced on all sides of the large cart. The gap between each grate was about the size of an adult¡¯s fist, so only Shamir¡¯s high nose could fit in between, and both of his cheeks were pressed by the grates, resulting in a ridiculous face. ¡°So why did Your Majesty break his arm? If I hadn¡¯t stopped him, that punk would¡¯ve been beaten by you again, and this time, even his legs would¡¯ve been ruined. I did really well, didn¡¯t I? Aren¡¯t you going to praise me, Your Majesty? I became a bad person for your sake.¡± Shamir pouted because of Elisha who never gave him a single glance. ¡°I put a cloth over this cart for fear of burning all the white flesh of Your Majesty, I even chased after and saved your horse that almost died from running elsewhere and dragged it with me like this. Are you really going to keep doing this?¡± While walking next to the cart, Shamir shook the horse¡¯s reins. Trotting next to each other, connected with a rope, were Shamir¡¯s horse, which was connected to Spot, who suddenly neighed. Perhaps that caught Elisha¡¯s attention, so Elisha turned her head. When Spot made eye contact with Elisha, it showed its joy and grunted. ¡°Your Majesty, do you like horses more than me? You seem to like it so much.¡± As Shamir grumbled, this time Elisha met his eyes. The sand-like eyes turned to Elisha. Why was Elisha looking at him? She thought that no matter how lightly Shamir behaved, no one treated him casually. Everyone chuckled and accepted his pranks, but tacitly admitted that this man had the upper hand in their hierarchy. He was definitely not an ordinary friend or colleague. He seemed careless, but when he saw something strange, he turned around with his gaze sharpened, and checked it himself. ¡°Spot listens to me well. Who knows? If you listen to me well, maybe I will adore you too.¡± In response to Elisha¡¯s reply, Shamir¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you asking for help in escaping? If I let you go, I may get beaten to death by the chieftain of the tribe. How can you be so cruel, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Is the chieftain that strong?¡± Shamir¡¯s skills were confirmed by Elisha¡¯s own eyes. The power to handle mana could not be compared to the excellent knights of the Empire, but there was something unique about the desert sword. And it was covert. The movements left no traces. ¡°He¡¯s strong. He¡¯s a person who gives a child a bowl of water and then abuses them for ten years. Unless he has a very strong heart, he wouldn¡¯t be so shameless.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re a pushover.¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m no pushover.¡± Shamir denied playfully while pointing his index finger at his nose, but Elisha responded indifferently. ¡°Then did you get two bowls and drink it? A bowl of water for a child who can¡¯t do anything with their own hands can be worth a decade, and I think your age should be well over twenty.¡± If a boy who is over 10 years old is offered a bowl of water in exchange for 10 years of service, even if he doesn¡¯t accept it, he will grow up on his own thinking about the past. ¡°You think I¡¯m a pushover?¡± Elisha asked again and gave him an answer instead. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Hahahaha!¡± Shamir burst out laughing. Then he pounded his chest and shouted. ¡°I¡¯m a pushover, right! A pushover!¡± Even though this place was in the middle of the desert, with the 2nd Empress being kidnapped and taken to the home of the tribe, no one frowned or paid attention to this commotion. Everyone pretended not to know, turned their faces, or acted as if they didn¡¯t hear. Elisha looked at them and the surroundings. It would be nice to know the way, but the endless desert made her lose her sense of direction. When they caught her, they persuaded that if she obeyed, they would not touch the 1st Knights. As time passed, the monsters seemed to be annihilated on their own, so she followed the desert people as they cleaned up the monsters, and after, she had tried to escape from the time the distance (between the 1st Knights and the desert party) began to widen, but Shamir caught her repeatedly. Elisha was not in a good condition, so it would be too much to deal with Shamir, and so she entered the desert with the crescent-shaped sword stuck in her neck. Later, the sword did nothing to her, but she didn¡¯t try to run away again. At that time, she thought they would break the tendons of her ankles if they caught her, so she didn¡¯t even think about trying. Not to mention the desert tribe was surprisingly good at treating their hostage. If she just ran away, she would only die, and the best people to find other people in this desert would be the desert tribe, so she left the thought alone. It would be ridiculous to even try. Leon would be worried, so she would have to go back soon. Shamir¡¯s shoulder trembled as he chuckled while watching Elisha slightly frown. ¡°By the way, Your Majesty. Isn¡¯t it good for you too that I¡¯m a pushover? Since I¡¯m such a pushover, I¡¯m helping you like this just because it¡¯s a bit fun. Well, it¡¯s not just a bit, really.¡± Without Shamir, she would have been uncomfortable. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks In fact, the wooden bars surrounding the cart were not made to prevent Elisha from escaping. It was because those who wanted revenge continued to approach Elisha, because half of the nearly 100 warriors who died while chasing Elisha when she fled into the village. So the wooden grates were to protect Elisha, who was almost harmed. These wooden grates were meant to give the men of the desert tribe outside a chance to reminisce about their former torn mates, and to change their minds before that happens to them. Looking at Shamir who was so excited while making it, it seemed unfair to say that it was only for Elisha¡¯s sake. ¡°There can only be one. Either you¡¯re not a pushover, or wish you weren¡¯t a pushover.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Shamir stopped and stiffened. Then he smirked and said that who knows if he was greedy and that he couldn¡¯t help himself, arguing that the only place he had to go was to be like the trash on the ground. But the air around him sank as cold as midnight in the desert. Elisha tilted her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good not being a pushover? Everyone lives like the trash on the ground anyway. They work hard until they are old and worn out, and when they are thrown away, they try to live as they are.¡± Then they would either get a chance to be happy, to ruin their life, or¡­ They might even be revived. ¡°Oh! Are you joking to make me happy now? I like Your Majesty so much, so I can let this go, but don¡¯t do that with the chieftain when you arrive.¡± He pretended to be thinking about whether or not to tell her about this, then stuck his nose through the wooden grates and revealed his teeth. ¡°There¡¯s something worse than what I said about our chieftain before, it¡¯s that he never listens to other people. And your status is noble. Noble people usually pretend to know everything even though they don¡¯t understand other people¡¯s difficulties. Most nobles are like this, and that¡¯s why he hates nobles the most. No, that¡¯s not right. I think he¡¯s hated nobles since a long time ago?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Although she was not good at it, Elisha realized again that conversation is always necessary in any case. In the conversation just now, she learned that this tribe was not a pro-Kran group and that it was extremely unlikely that he was taking her hostage to negotiate with the Empire. Of course, neither bode well for Elisha. Elisha estimated how much power Undine had left. She tried to save it as much as possible, but she couldn¡¯t help but use it because she would be bitten if she showed weakness. Elisha scanned the pendant hanging from her neck with her fingertips. Small pearls embedded in the lid were touched, and when the lock was unlocked with the fingertips, there was a picture of a child with auburn hair and auburn eyes held in the arms of a woman. And a fairly large emerald was embedded in the lid of the pendant. It was a great emergency fund. And the eyes of the woman holding Rohan were the same color. It was not a bright color like Isabelle¡¯s, but a very warm and soft color. Originally, emergency funds are used at the last minute, so she wanted to save it as long as she could. Elisha closed the lid of the pendant. When she turned her head to look outside through the wooden grates, the sand shimmered under the scorching sun. The beautiful scenery was as if gold powder was sprinkled, but the endless desolation makes one¡¯s heart flutter. When Elisha was quiet, Shamir, who had been talking non-stop, shut his mouth as well. The cart passing on the rustling sand left no trace. This was the reason why the desert became lonely even when numerous people were present. *** ¡°You didn¡¯t bring hostages, you brought a distinguished guest!¡± Elisha learned that the place where she arrived was a circular valley surrounded by rocks everywhere. The scale of the valley was quite large, and in one corner there was a dry oasis. From the area around it, there were tents that the desert tribe used instead of houses¡­ Due to the concave nature of the valley, when viewed from above, the white tents fluttering in the wind looked like waves. The oasis, the desert flower, was just like an empty bowl without any traces of water. As she slowly went down without taking her eyes off there, a middle-aged man was waiting. It was the first thing he said when he opened the crude door attached to Elisha¡¯s cart. When Elisha looked up at him, a large man nearly two meters tall raised his hand and slapped Elisha¡¯s cheek. Slap! With a loud sound, Elisha¡¯s face turned to the side. It had been so long since she¡¯d been beaten purely rather than injured in a fight, so Elisha turned her face to her man and stared at him again. One side of her face was swollen and bruised, but there was something to check now. Did they need her to live properly? Or did they kidnap her so she could die properly? ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to be intimidated by things like this because you know how to handle power, right?¡± The man shrugged and raised his hand again. The man¡¯s eyes sizzled with hatred. What Shamir said seemed to be wrong. The chieftain did not seem to need a reason, perhaps he just needed someone to vent his anger. ¡°Chieftain, isn¡¯t that enough? We¡¯ve all seen her use the power of water. How can you treat her like this when she might be the incarnation of Sionil?¡± ¡°Look at how many warriors have been reduced. Our family, the great assets for our tribe! If that woman hadn¡¯t dragged them among the monsters and played tricks, half of them would have been able to come back alive!¡± ¡°Then, are you implying we should be taking care of the kidnapped person? ¡°Shamir, you care more about the empress of that empire than your family! Were you seduced?¡± ¡°What seduction? Even if she doesn¡¯t look like it, the empress already has a husband and a child. I¡¯m doing this only because Chieftain asked me to, so stop making fun of me. It was so exciting in the past, when I was just tasked to pick up people and wander all over the place trying to save our tribesman, I even questioned at one point why it was so hard to live. But these days, all I do is nonsensical things. Isn¡¯t this really bad?¡± Aran, the chieftain, looked coldly at Shamir, who waved his hand towards Elisha, saying it wasn¡¯t that he did not like Her Majesty, before turning around. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The empress of the Empire will be taken to the prison. Shamir, you will come with me.¡± Shamir went behind Aran and told Elisha that he would see her later. Elisha did not answer. She wiped her wet lips with her hands to see if the flesh was torn. It seemed that the time she spent in this valley would not be as pleasant as she thought. Chapter 68 The Moon on Water (1) Translated by WookEdited by Wook ¡°Chieftain, why did you call me? Won¡¯t the empress be bored if she was left alone? What if someone go and tear her limbs one at a time? It hasn¡¯t been long since we arrived. If she dies so soon, I¡¯ll be hated.¡± ¡°Shamir.¡± ¡°Are we going to give her a proper meal? Or are we going to make her work without even feeding her? I heard she can find the water veins, that ability will make this desert full of flowers.¡± ¡°Shamir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I went and brought her here. The people of the tribe are so lifeless because there is no hope. You pushed me so hard telling me I had to do something, but now that I did, why aren¡¯t you smiling? Why are your eyes still full of resentment? Chieftain, this is called cheating, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always thankful to you. But if you keep acting like that, the people of the tribe will say something. There are already a lot of people who look down on you¡­¡± ¡°Who looks down on me? Is it you, Chieftain?¡± Shamir, who blinked a few times, bent his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s alright, Chieftain. I only like things that are fun and interesting. All of our tribesmen are so familiar and serious that it¡¯s not good. Right now, the empress over there is the most interesting thing. I have to hurry up and go, so tell me if you have anything to say.¡± ¡°Soon, we will form an alliance with other tribes that support our tribe. Since we have the so-called incarnation of Sionil in our hands, everyone will grab it.¡± ¡°Then, our tribe chieftain will finally become the grand chieftain he¡¯s been longing for. There will be more than one or two problems. For example, if the Chieftain Laoman attends, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a mess.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t attend the conference.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a person who will never leave the position of grand chieftain alone.¡± Aran murmured as he stared at Shamir, who was wondering. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s also thanks to you, Shamir.¡± Aran first came up with this plan when Shamir, whose hobby is poking around the desert, found something strange. It was said that the traitors who abandoned the pride of the desert tribe and were attached to the Kran Kingdom kept sneaking around the borders of the Atien Empire. The Syuphl Barony is a place where not only their own tribe but also other native tribes have looted several times. Although they didn¡¯t have many good things, the risk was low as they had no troops guarding the territory. So what was wrong with that place? Those traitors received sufficient assistance from the nobles of the Kran Kingdom, and they were not living affluently unlike themselves (Aran¡¯s tribesmen). Aran was puzzled and asked Shamir to find out more, but Shamir did not return for a while. Things like this often happened, so Aran left him as it was. Once Shamir appeared again, he said that they were trying to assassinate the 2nd Empress of the Atien Empire. Aran once heard that the 2nd Empress of the Empire could find water veins and freely control water. It was the same power as the water goddess Sionil among the gods worshiped by the desert tribes. So he said if they had one central figure like that, they could unite the native tribes. When he heard Shamir¡¯s story, Aran thought. Why not? What couldn¡¯t they do what these traitors were trying to do? They (the traitors) were trying to get what they wanted by killing, and they (Aran¡¯s tribesmen) had nothing other than to steal and use them alive. At that time, Shamir said that he had another interesting news, saying that some dark-looking black guys were preparing to drive the monsters out of the largest of the Garyosa habitats near the Syuphl Barony. At the same time, strange things were happening in the Celtrop habitat. If he wants it, the road is open. Aran realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given to him. Even if it is possible to accuse the pro-Kran Kingdom factions for the sin, taking the 2nd Empress from the famous 1st Knights and Rohan would be a daunting task even with Shamir. However, if the 2nd Empress and the party had a fierce battle with the monsters prepared by an unknown group, the odds of their own increased. After making that decision, it was rather easy. On the contrary, the desert tribes belonging to the pro-Kran Kingdom faction noticed that another faction was moving just before the execution and seemed to hesitate, but it didn¡¯t matter. Aran sent Shamir to the battlefield where he fought a fierce battle with an unidentified group, revealing a number of warriors that were difficult to mobilize except for a tribe belonging to the pro-Kran Kingdom¡­ After kidnapping the 2nd Empress, they made a path in that direction, left a trace, and turned far away before coming here. Everything was on Aran¡¯s palm. Except for one thing¡­ That the emperor of the Atien Empire was not looking for his empress! No matter how vast the Miyon desert is, and even if they say that dealing with desert tribes in the desert is foolish, the pride of the Empire has been damaged, and it makes no sense to be so quiet. Something was not right. ¡°Huft.¡± Shamir frowned as Aran sighed and muttered ¡°Thanks to you¡± in a tone that didn¡¯t seem to praise him. ¡°Why does Chieftain keep sighing? It¡¯s getting harder to match your rhythm. Are you senile now?¡± ¡°That mouth can get anyone angry, so just speak in moderation! Anyway, Shamir, I called you in to tell you to take on the task of monitoring the 2nd Empress from now on.¡± ¡°Huh? Why do you have to tell me to do that? I¡¯m going to do it even if you don¡¯t ask me to. The empress is a really interesting person.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a request, it¡¯s an order.¡± As Aran¡¯s expression grew stern, Shamir grumbled but did not make fun of it. ¡°I¡¯m going to present her at this conference. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°But are they really fine with the empress? Regardless of whether she¡¯s the incarnation of Sionil or not, she¡¯s still the empress of the Empire. Is there anyone in the tribe with a gut like that other than you, Chieftain?¡± ¡°So what if they¡¯re not fine with it? Should I just pretend it didn¡¯t happen? No. We risked the future of the tribe here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I told the tribal chiefs that the person who will be our focal point is the incarnation of Sionil, but I haven¡¯t told them yet about her being the empress of the Empire.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if they haven¡¯t been scared yet, and after checking it, it doesn¡¯t matter, even if they¡¯re scared, they won¡¯t be able to run away. At that time, we will already look like a group, so they won¡¯t be able to take their feet out. The mouth will feel heavy on its own.¡± ¡°Chieftain, isn¡¯t this a scam?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for our own tribes. Like the pro-Kran Kingdom factions, we must unite. If we are scattered like this, nothing will work. In the end, we will perish.¡± Aran¡¯s eyes gleam with madness. He said in a stronger tone. ¡°We will gather our strength. So, if there are any pro-Kran Kingdom factions that have survived until then, we will subjugate them under us and rule the desert! If that happens, no matter if it is the Kran Kingdom or the Atien Empire, they will not be able to do anything to us. In the desert, we are superior. We can build an empire too. Shamir, help me. As always, I need you. You will play the biggest role and stand closest behind me!¡± ¡°¡­Now you¡¯re trying to coddle me without even giving me a bowl of water?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shamir, who shook his head as if to say it was nothing, stood up. Although it was larger than other tents, it was equally old and empty without any household items. ¡°Why did you take the wrong path, Chieftain? Why do you confuse people?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again. Just talking to you gives me a headache. Tsk, get out.¡± Aran waved his big hand outward. Shamir shrugged and pulled up a piece of the tent and slipped out of the gap between them. ¡°I miss our empress. Even though I¡¯ve been away only for a while, it was really boring without her. Where is she now? Ah, probably the prison dedicated to VIPs, right?¡± Shamir headed for the prison with a cheerful step. *** Elisha was a little curious about where she was. A flat, wide rock was covering the cave-like hollow space. And at the entrance, there was a thick iron grate made so well that it could not be compared to the wooden grate that Shamir had wrapped around the cart. They said it was a stone prison, and it lived up to the name. ¡°Your Majesty, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, have you eaten? Huh? They didn¡¯t give you anything? These people, really! Shall I go and get it for you?¡± It seemed like he didn¡¯t really intend to sit on the ground talking to her while facing the iron bars. ¡°Bring me some water too.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t want to eat, but she also didn¡¯t know what was going to happen, so she had to stock up on her stamina. Eating food is one of the most important activities, and the taste also helps relieve tension. ¡°Have I told Your Majesty that you really need a lot of care?¡± Shamir, who had disappeared while complaining openly about what he was so dissatisfied with even after he had spoken first, came back with a lot of food. But wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for a plate of a bowl to go through a gap that was less than a fist wide? Shamir scratched the back of his head. ¡°They didn¡¯t give me the key. Should I tell them to open the door?¡± Elisha approached the person who was agonizing before her and reached through the bars, picked up the food, and put it in her mouth. Since she didn¡¯t think of bringing the bowl over to her side, it was possible to eat. ¡°Oooh!¡± Maybe it was because he was relieved of the hassle, or because Elisha, who didn¡¯t play well with him, came closer, Shamir, who was smiling quickly, pushed the food around into her reach. Shamir asked while he watched Elisha chew. ¡°That, Your Majesty, does your husband hate you? Why isn¡¯t he coming to find you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Did I stab you in the sorest part? I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter because there were so many rumors that the empress and the emperor had a bad relationship.¡± ¡°Our relationship is neither good nor bad.¡± Yet. ¡°Really? Then is he going to find you or not? He shouldn¡¯t. I just don¡¯t want him to find you.¡± Shamir, who raised his knees and sat in a position where his knees were holding his jaw, muttered. Then he continued to talk to himself even without Elisha¡¯s answer. ¡°What if the emperor suddenly turns the desert upside down to find you. Then the chieftain will stir-fry me and ask me to do something else. Without me, nobody will protect you.¡± ¡°Why? Because then you¡¯d have to throw a corpse that looks like me towards the tribes of the pro-Kran Kingdom faction?¡± ¡°Ho.¡± Shamir was at a loss for words and mouthed. ¡°If you bring the plan in advance, the pro-Kran Kingdom faction may notice and go back into hiding, so you have no choice but to pay attention to the movement of the empire in order to get it right.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, are you a ghost?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you told me.¡± ¡°Me? When did I? I swear at and fight with my chieftain, but I¡¯m not a person who betrays him.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t need to tell him that she interpreted their plan based on his reaction, so Elisha quietly continued to eat. ¡°Anyway, Your Majesty, you seem so smart, can I ask you one thing?¡± She had to pay for the meal, so Elisha made eye contact as if urging him to ask, and Shamir opened his mouth. ¡°From my point of view, the chieftain is not a good person, but it seems like our empress is worse than that? When Your Majesty was slapped on the cheek earlier, contrary to what I thought, it seems like you must not be a person who grew up just accepting such an act. Uwaa, I was a little scared when the venom poured out of your eyes.¡± ¡°Main point.¡± ¡°Mm, mm! So, I think the chieftain is trying to keep you here. And if you don¡¯t like it, he may try to coerce.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°So, anyway, if you resist for no reason, the tendons in your ankle will break, that pretty face will be ruined, and you will be treated harshly. Then this fun personality will wear out and you will be just like a doll. This shouldn¡¯t be the case, right? I think I¡¯d be very upset then. I¡¯m not kidding when I say that I will protect Your Majesty as long as you promise you won¡¯t do anything. I will really do as I say.¡± For some reason, the man was serious. It was more like stating that he would not betray his chieftain rather than for Elisha¡¯s sake, but who knows? ¡°I¡¯m not the type of person who doesn¡¯t even try.¡± If she was such a person, she would have already died and would have already lost everything. Not this life, but everything from the last life. ¡°Your Majesty, you keep forgetting your situation because I¡¯ve been so nice to you? It¡¯s my fault, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with that? Now that the answer is out, you¡¯re satisfied with the fact that it is the answer and accept it the way it is. Don¡¯t you think your life is boring the way it is?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°¡­¡± Shamir¡¯s eyebrows rose, but he didn¡¯t say anything more. Elisha also had to check her remaining strength, so she went deeper inside the prison and sat quietly. Perhaps it was out of habit, but a pendant was already in her hand. Chapter 69 The Moon on Water (2) Translated by WookEdited by Wook [T/N: Excuse my incompetence, in Chapter 68 it is stated that Chieftain Laoman will not miss the conference. As per Feb 19th, I¡¯ve changed it into that he will not attend the conference] The place where the emperor spent the longest time in recent years was the office. He sat down at his desk and read the thickly stacked papers one by one. And among the documents that had been read, those that passed were on the left, and those that did not were sorted on the right. He straightened his back only after he had completely finished sorting them out. ¡°Zile.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Zile stood silently. ¡°Did Prince Raymond admit it?¡± ¡°He insisted that it was absolutely not him.¡± ¡°If the word no comes out of his mouth one more time, tell him that the next person I will talk to will not be him, but Duke Cherkah.¡± Prince Raymond was very afraid of his father. And he was very dissatisfied with him because he thought his father discriminated against him and his sister Isabelle. ¡°If that happens, I might side with my wife Isabelle rather than Prince Raymond. Even if I don¡¯t, Duke Cherkah will probably punish him severely, seeing he is still the grand prince of the duchy and the elder brother of an empress.¡± ¡°Prince Raymond will understand enough, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be possible to move the Eastern nobles so easily. The usefulness of what the 2nd Empress had told me exceeded my expectations. Zile, do you still not know how the 2nd Empress knows about the Shadow Knights of Duke Cherkah?¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± He had already been asked the same question before, so he apologized for giving a fruitless answer once more. Did she really have a force behind to help her? No matter how much Zile searched, the dark current was nowhere to be seen, and the more he looked around the 2nd Empress, the more he was amazed. Especially the fact that everything she had now was built from the ground up. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± The emperor lightly tapped the table with his fingertips. It made a steady knocking sound before suddenly stopping. ¡°She¡¯s useful. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve used even half of her yet, but now she¡¯s already missing. Is that why I¡¯m feeling sad?¡± Knowing that the muttering was talking to himself, Zile was silent instead of answering. ¡°What about the desert tribe?¡± ¡°The traces have continued to the place where the tribes belonging to the pro-Kran Kingdom factions are gathered. However, it cannot be concluded that they were the ones who did it, so it is necessary to check the other side as well.¡± Kaiden¡¯s blue eyes stared at him indifferently. Zile was confused about what he did wrong, but he did not mean to ask. Zile hurriedly corrected it. ¡°Recently, there is a rumor about a nobleman who has moved towards the desert. I¡¯m not sure yet, so I¡¯ll have to find out more, but I think he¡¯s one of the Western nobles.¡± ¡°Which one of the Western nobles wants to harm the 2nd Empress at such a great price and risk?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Zile paused for a moment. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°There are too many. Starting with Duke Verdin and his first son, then Count Guillaume, who is faithful to the duke¡¯s family, who must be heartbroken over the fact that the duke¡¯s prestige had been greatly diminished by the 2nd Empress. It is said that he hasn¡¯t come out of his castle yet. Then there¡¯s Marquis Rwanda who hated the 2nd Empress from the beginning¡­¡± As a few more names appeared after that, the emperor rested his elbows on his desk and rested his chin on his palms. ¡°She made a lot of enemies in that short time. That is also an unexpected ability.¡± One of them moved the desert tribe. As long as Kaiden found out who it was, the Western nobles would be unable to spread their flags in front of him more than now, as they could be suppressed with the word ¡®treason¡¯. Kaidle would tear them apart piece by piece. One piece already tasted very good in his mouth. ¡°No matter how unattractive the Syuphl Barony is, it is mine now. It is very meaningful to make the land of the Western nobles under the direct control of the emperor.¡± So even though Kaiden found out that the 2nd Empress had been kidnapped, he didn¡¯t immediately organize a party to pursue her. There was no evidence that the Shadow Knights were related to Duke Cherkah, and the fact that they existed was already one piece of important information, so it was better to make a deal with the parties in the dark rather than reveal it to the outside. The siblings of the duchy seemed to have worked without their father¡¯s knowledge, so they would have to pay more. By comparison, the desert tribes were too clear in existence. As immigrants who were not aristocrats of the same empire, they were targets that were easy for anyone to attack. If all the nobles became the targets of surveillance under the bridle of treason without the enemy being identified as it was, everyone would be nervous and would try to save themselves, however¡­ If he revealed that the culprit was the desert tribes, everyone would unite and complain about the enemy and try to reverse the atmosphere so far. The emperor¡¯s justification for suppressing them was bound to fade. Even those who were truly guilty would mix in the confusion and try to hide their mistake. That was not what the emperor wanted. Even if there were many problems, the price of giving up one of the two empresses was a full advantage for him. Moreover, if this changes the game of the empire, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to see what was not seen now? ¡°Thanks to the 2nd Empress, prayers for Barossa are pouring out throughout the empire. There are many people begging me to search for her, so that even if her body is all that is left, it can be laid in the empress¡¯ coffin. I¡¯ve never received this many gifts before and probably will never again.¡± ¡°¡­Will she be able to return?¡± Such a possibility must be taken into account, in order to gauge what His Majesty¡¯s intentions were. ¡°Didn¡¯t Rohan say she was almost out of power? Mana is not consumed, but keeps circulating. But I don¡¯t think her enemies would have waited for her to replenish mana.¡± However. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s been through, but she could still be alive. If they took her to the desert without killing her, they must be planning to make an oasis.¡± The Western nobles might not think so, but to Kaiden, the entire empire was his land. The desert, which bordered the western part of the empire, was something he should know about. So, if what Kaiden had seen before was correct, it would never be easy to get out of there. It was a desert, and for desert tribes, the desert was not just a familiar land. Zile woke up Kaiden, who had been silent for a while. ¡°Your Majesty, someone is coming.¡± ¡°Who is it? Ah, since they come without a guide, it is obvious who it is.¡± ¡°Shall I stay by your side? ¡°No need.¡± As soon as Kaiden finished speaking, Zile disappeared. A knock was heard on the office door. ¡°May I come in, Your Majesty? ¡°Marquis Blemir, in the past, you never came to the Emperor Palace unless I looked for you. Now you visit too often.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened and Marquis Blemir with his red hair stepped inside. As he approached the desk and bowed, Kaiden beckoned for him to straighten his back. Blemir, who raised his body, looked at the emperor. ¡°What? Are you going to ask me the whereabouts of the 2nd Empress again? You want me to make a big deal out of it?¡± It had already been a few visits, so Kaiden indifferently recited what he was trying to say instead. Blemir¡¯s fingertips trembled. Obviously, the emperor, and Rohan, seemed to know the whereabouts of the 2nd Empress, but they did not share the information. ¡°Since they disappeared from the West and there was no trace inside the border, isn¡¯t it highly likely that they crossed the Miyon Desert or went to the Santiano Empire? If you leave it to me, I will move with my knights without any other help.¡± ¡°Thank you for being so devoted to the 2nd Empress. Does the Crown Prince harass you so much? As far as I know, the relationship between you and the 2nd Empress was not very good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Since the woman of Barossa had disappeared, it should be said that it is the duty of the subjects to give up their private feelings and step up, but no such words have been said. Blemir¡¯s chin tightened. The emperor, who was staring at him silently, said. ¡°Leave. Expect my reply soon.¡± Blemir raised his face at a different answer than he had returned a few times before. ¡°Please, as soon as possible, Your Majesty.¡± Blemir bowed his head and left the office. Last time he ran into Rohan in front of the Emperor Palace, the atmosphere between the two was no joke. Blemir unilaterally despised Rohan and spat out rude words, but Rohan merely listened to them silently. The deputy commander of the 1st Knights had stopped him from dueling on the spot, and Blemir didn¡¯t seem to know that Rohan sought answers from the emperor as often as he did. ¡°By the way, did you say that Viscount Cain and Rozenin of Gotham County are also looking for the whereabouts of the 2nd Empress?¡± Kaiden got up from his chair. Each and every one of his movements was smooth, and the light pouring from the window seemed to flow down from his head and drenched his entire body. ¡°It seems that my empress not only has many enemies, but also many friends.¡± ¡®The more I know, the more interesting she is.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps it¡¯s fine to send someone when things are already running as I want them to.¡¯ ¡®We can¡¯t help it if she¡¯s dead, but if she¡¯s alive, I hope there will be a lot of flaws.¡¯ Kaiden reached out to a box containing cigarettes, which he rarely burnt. *** ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Ma¡ª¡± At the sound of him shoveling his nose through the bars and calling, Elisha approached and slapped him on the forehead. Astonished Shamir blinked his golden eyes, then gently bent them. Yesterday, Elisha thought he might not come anymore because of the bad atmosphere, but Shamir was Shamir. He was a weird guy. The next day, he came casually and brought her food. This time he even brought his own meal and they ate together with the grate in between. Even after a few days had passed, there was no end to Shamir¡¯s chatter. He asked Elisha something from time to time, and Elisha usually gave him simple answers. Before long, the conference of the desert tribes was about to begin. Shamir also had a lot to do, so the time he visited was drastically reduced. ¡°There was talk about changing the hair color and hacking the face.¡± ¡°No, if there are no votes for the 2nd Empress, other tribal chiefs may decide to do something else. If we say she¡¯s the incarnation of Sionil and treat her carelessly, we may face opposition from the tribesmen, so we can¡¯t use such a method.¡± Instead of Shamir, the men who brought Elisha food talked. They seemed to want Elisha to be frightened, but Elisha would not let herself suffer by imagining it. Elisha was now thinking about what should be done, instead of what was happening. In that case, how to get out? A few more days passed and they said that tomorrow was the day of the convention. Shamir never came until late at night today. One should not care about anything that had never happened before. Rather, it was more important to think about what to do tomorrow. Elisha would be leaving this prison tomorrow. Blood-drenched pants and cloak. They couldn¡¯t present the incarnation of Sionil in this outfit, so they were going to adorn her. ¡®How many accessories will they give me? They¡¯re saying I¡¯m the incarnation of a god.¡¯ ¡®Or should I take the clothes of the women who will serve me later? I think it¡¯s better to disguise or take hostages in the midst of a lot of people¡­¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Shamir¡¯s voice was heard. He seemed to be very angry about something, and as Elisha approached, puzzled, there were two hideous golden eyes flashing out of the window. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Elisha blinked at the sudden words, and Shamir bit his molars tightly and bent his eyes. ¡°All the water bowls are broken. I will just be a trash on the ground now. I¡¯ve worked hard until I¡¯m worn out, so even if I¡¯m abandoned, I will try to live as I am now.¡± Elisha stared at him. Maybe the empress was suspicious of him, Shamir thought. Perhaps she did not believe in men¡¯s hearts and hated them. ¡°If you don¡¯t go out now, you will regret it to death tomorrow, Your Majesty. Let¡¯s not do that.¡± Then, instead of the key, he lifted the crescent-shaped sword and lowered it diagonally. Chae-gang! With a clear sound, some of the bars in the prison were cut. Shamir said to Elisha, who was a little surprised that he had such an operational ability. ¡°I¡¯ve replaced some of these with poor quality iron because I needed them for something back then. It¡¯s perfect, right?¡± Elisha escaped through the created space and looked at Shamir. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Your Majesty, you didn¡¯t even answer me. I¡¯m getting sulky now, but let¡¯s do that later. If we¡¯re caught here, your Majesty will be sacrificed and I¡¯ll be cut off and become a real trash.¡± Shamir revealed his white teeth and led Elisha to hide under the shadow of the rock wall. An unexpected escape began. Chapter 70 ¡°Wait!¡± Shamir, who was ahead, stretched his arm back and showed his palm open. Elisha stopped her movement and waited quietly. Although he only felt a presence from a distance, Shamir moved again only after it had completely disappeared. Surrounded by rocks on all sides, this place looked like a small hill viewed from the outside, and looked like a basin with a round center when viewed from above. In order to escape from the inside of this basin, they must climb up the slope that was slanted outward. Even if it was a road that is easy to be discovered if they were unlucky, if one of the tribesmen downstairs raised their head. Fortunately, the slope was made of layered rocks, so one could hide for a while in the irregular shades, but it wouldn¡¯t be of much help because they still had to keep moving to escape. As such, the two should not stimulate the surroundings while they had yet to start running properly. Fortunately, Shamir was adept at hiding, and Elisha¡¯s movements were as good as those of other knights despite the lack of water energy thanks to the battle before. With extreme prudence added to that, the two were able to reach the bare oasis without any problems. The oasis was located on the outer rim of the basin floor. A short walk to the back of the oasis ended at the bottom of the basin, and a slope of layered rocks emerged. The two people who faced each other nodded and jumped from the ground mixed with soil and stones to climb onto the rocks. When Shamir took the lead again, Elisha followed him, paying close attention to where she was stepping, trying not to deviate from the trail. Halfway up the slope, Shamir stopped his movement and straightened his back. He glanced back and put his thumb up towards Elisha. ¡°My empress, you really have a good eye.¡± One didn¡¯t know if it was a compliment for following him out of prison or a compliment for following him instinctively knowing that the place he stepped on was the safest place, but it was not important. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m so smart, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Since you said the water bowl is broken, it means there are people who have broken it. If the person who broke it is your opponent, he would have stared at you for a long time. Wouldn¡¯t they know that you would run like this?¡± ¡°I know what you mean, but¡­¡± Elisha seemed to have heard the unspoken words, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t even think I¡¯d do this much.¡± It was weird. If one ended the relationship in the worst condition, why wouldn¡¯t they expect the worst situation? Was it because they know the opponent so well and will respond by assuming the last card they will use? What did they want from someone who had been a pushover for more than 20 years to make him so disappointed enough to quit being one and give up on them? ¡°Look, look. My empress¡¯ eyes are so indifferent.¡± ¡°Then you saw it right.¡± ¡°Ho.¡± ¡°You said I had a good eye before. So have you changed your mind?¡± ¡°Not yet, but that¡¯s exactly the problem. It means I might be really stupid.¡± ¡°Why is that a problem? Better to know than to not know. Especially when it comes to yourself.¡± ¡°Ah, really, my empress. How can you curse in front of me like that?¡± ¡°Seeing that you call it cursing, does it mean you admit that it is true?¡± ¡°My empress is really tough. Even that bloody chieftain couldn¡¯t cover my mouth, but it¡¯s very easy for you to do. Why did you follow me when you didn¡¯t trust me? Did I show something more than trust to you, Your Majesty? My charms as a man, or¡­¡± Shamir licked his lips and brought his face toward Elisha, and bent his golden eyes. Under the moonlight, the dark brown skin and handsome, exotic face typical of the desert peoples were revealed. But Elisha didn¡¯t want to touch him to push him away, so she only raised her finger outstretched in front of his nose. Shamir shrugged his shoulders and straightened his body. They had caught their breath and checked the surroundings, so it was time to move again. Tung! Shamir¡¯s body soared up with a small sound that could only be heard if one paid attention. Elisha also accelerated by stepping on the shadow falling before her as a stepping stone. *** Shamir and Elisha climbed the slope without stopping for a moment, except for one break in the middle. After some time passed, the top of the slope appeared within reach with just one leap. Elisha didn¡¯t feel relieved that she was finally overcoming a crisis, but kept the tension close. Didn¡¯t they say ¡°The more serious the problem, the moment when you think it¡¯s over, the bigger the explosion afterward¡±? And why did the ominous hunch fit so well with the current situation? As Shamir lifted his body into the air to climb to the top, the terrifying sound of something cutting the air approached. [T/N: I have no idea how to properly translate ¡®cutting the air¡¯, but I¡¯m sure you understand, right?] Ping! Ping! As soon as she felt it was clearly threatening, Elisha reached out her hand. Far from shouting and warning, there was no time to grab Shamir and pull him back. The stream of water quickly rushed from Elisha¡¯s hand and hit Shamir on the back. Shamir¡¯s body, which was about to reach the top of the slope, bounced forward. Just like the way they climbed, the descent beyond the summit will have a steep slope with jagged rocks, so if one rolled down like that, they might become so brittle that their shape became unrecognizable¡­ But wouldn¡¯t it be better than having a hole in your head? Elisha moved without even having time to check what was passing through the place where Shamir¡¯s head was. Elisha, who hastily reached the summit with her toes, looked down at the outside of the basin. Shamir tilted his head back over the edge of the protruding rock. He raised the corners of his lips as he met Elisha¡¯s eyes. He was a man with a long neckline. Not to mention, he must have survived if he could still chatter like that. ¡°My empress, you have saved my life. This is incomparable to a few water bowls.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°What? Now you want to be a pushover towards me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I? I¡¯ll go easier on Your Majesty, too. Since it¡¯s something I¡¯m already used to.¡± ¡°If there is something one wants to throw away, just throw it in the trash can. Don¡¯t try to pass it on to others. It¡¯s a nuisance.¡± If it was only Perry wanting to chime in as usual, she would¡¯ve tried to freeze him, but¡­ This was a wolf pretending to be an individual, even though he lied flat on his stomach to be tamed by humans with his own will. She was always worried and warned Leon to not pick up anything, so as a mother, she herself should not pick up anything. And more than anything¡­! Pababakk! Pak! Pakk! Sharp arrows flew towards Elisha¡¯s heel and pierced it. Now was not the time to worry about that. Apart from Elisha, whose strength had weakened, there was Shamir. And since they had climbed all the way up from the bottom, he couldn¡¯t have not noticed this much. However, the enemies should not know which slope they would climb, so it should be said that they were waiting in advance with several bases at the top. This might be the final confirmation Shamir had hoped for, but it wasn¡¯t a very good ending. Elisha went straight past Shamir and glided down the steep incline, ¡°Huh? Your Majesty? Are you leaving me alone? So cold-heartedly?¡± Shamir wanted to follow. Shwa! Shwa! Shwa! The arrows that were slightly missing Elisha had no mercy on Shamir. ¡°Oh dear!¡± Chae-chae-chaeng! Chaeng! Shamir, who had already pulled out his crescent sword, deflected the arrows and stuck close to Elisha. The intention of the enemies was evident, seeing that the offensive was loosened a little. ¡°That one is more heartless than Your Majesty. Still, we were colleagues until recently. Compared to the ashes, our empress is the night breeze of an early spring in the Santiano Empire. It¡¯s cold, but I know that flowers will bloom tomorrow.¡± While muttering, he caught Elisha, who nearly stumbled on the edge of the rock. Elisha, who had fierce eyes, reached out instead of replying and grabbed Shamir¡¯s gold hair strongly and pulled it towards her. ¡°Don¡¯t think whatever you want. Wasn¡¯t the first bowl of water that that person offered you like a cool oasis to quench your thirst in this desert? I don¡¯t want to keep up with your play anymore, so if you don¡¯t want to end here, wake up and work with your leg when you join the army. I have a place to go back to, and I hate being caught in the middle of nowhere.¡± Although the tone was low, Shamir¡¯s golden eyes widened because of Elisha, who radiated the momentum that would have been enough to split people with her eyes. Elisha let go of his hair, which she was grabbing somewhat roughly, and accelerated. Shamir, who had paused for a moment, shut his mouth this time and followed her, wielding his crescent sword. Kang! Kaang! Arrows bounce off in all directions. Perhaps because they knew Shamir¡¯s skills, the enemies focused on ranged attacks rather than risking to approach. To Elisha, it seemed like they were just pretending to shoot, because it was not threatening as they did not really target herself. Pang! Paang! Elisha created a stream of water that deflects or strikes the arrow. Occasionally, she helped Shamir. As the two tried to disappear over the slope faster than expected, the enemies above were perplexed. They intensified the offensive as soon as their companions waiting at other points on the summit joined in. It was difficult enough to get out of the basin topography, but the process of moving away from there was just as difficult. It was true that they had to run away with their back exposed to enemies looking down from above, and they couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that the enemy¡¯s long-range attack weapons were added with gravitation force, making it more powerful. As a result, Elisha and Shamir, who had come down more than half of the slope, persevering in the midst of multiple misfortunes, were in a mess. The two eventually managed to escape to a distance that arrows could not reach, but the enemy continued to attack while chasing down the steep slope, cutting off the flow. Elisha looked down. How much time did they have left? ¡°Huft. Huft.¡± Rarely, there was a sound of breathing in the field. ¡°Hold on a little bit, Your Majesty. I took a quick look, and all the useful guys in the tribe were back there. So, as long as we go down the slope, we¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± Before Shamir could finish speaking, a cloud of dust rose between the two of them. Their gazes naturally turned to the place where the sand and the night meet. The boundaries were blurred like a halo. And what one could see in between was the numerous carriages and horses running towards the basin! The native tribes who were supposed to attend the conference flocked together at once, as if they had planned it, faster than Shamir knew. So, Shamir realized. That he had only made his choice today, but his chieftain had already made the decision long ago. ¡°Haha! Ha!¡± Shamir showed his teeth and laughed as if it were fun. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s not going to be so easy.¡± Likewise, Elisha mumbled out of place. Contrary to the saying that it was easy, she looked devastated enough. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only But Elisha knew from numerous experiences. That this would be the best situation for her to go through. ¡°Shamir, you really betrayed us.¡± Then a man of great stature who appeared from the top of the slope said. Thud! Thud! The chieftain Aran approached the two of them with a loud voice and a strong footprint. Chapter 71 The Moon on Water (3) Translated by WookEdited by Wook Aran at the top, and warriors of other native tribes at the bottom. Their situation in the middle was dire. ¡°Well, uh.¡± Shamir smacked his lips and looked back at Elisha. Elisha was standing indifferently, but there was still no sign of giving up. For that person¡­ not this time. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± At Shamir¡¯s call, Elisha turned to look at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Majesty say that you have a place to return to?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You want to go back somehow, right? Then just wait. I¡¯ll get you back, so hold on, okay?¡± With a sudden remark, he pushed Elisha¡¯s body out of the slope. Elisha¡¯s body slid off the rock she was standing on and floated into the air. ¡°Uh!¡± ¡°O-over there! Get her! Get her!¡± Screams poured from above and below. The moment everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Elisha, Shamir started running toward the side of the slope, not up and down the slope. They took their eyes only for a brief moment, but he was already disappearing into the distance. ¡°Get her! Right now!¡± After Aran shouted out loud, he stomped on the rock and stepped down, and took a big leap from one point. Despite his huge body, he was agile, and his every move was intimidating. He grabbed Elisha¡¯s arm and pulled her back towards him just before she plummeted to the ground. Aran¡¯s body rotated in the air and changed its position with Elisha. But just before they fell to the ground, Elisha turned her body, grabbed Aran¡¯s arms, and went inside. Naturally, it became Elisha who headed to the ground. ¡°Do you want to die?!¡± Aran shouted, but the sound was quickly overshadowed by something else. Paaang! Before Elisha hit the floor, she was buried in a wide stream of water that caused her to soar. Next to her, Aran checked the stream surrounding him with wide eyes. He must have seen it before when she shot the arrow, but seeing it at first glance and checking it so closely seems to have a different feeling. As Elisha stirred her fingertips, the stream of water subsided once, and their bodies fell to the ground. Of course, it was not dangerous at all because the height was low. Elisha stood on the ground on her own and looked at the tribesmen of the native tribes surrounding her. Those who trembled every time her gaze touched excitedly repeated the words ¡°incarnation of Sionil¡± over and over again. They were ready to kneel down immediately, but the mood did not last. Aran came up behind Elisha and grabbed her slender neck with one hand. ¡°Chieftain Aran, what the¡­!¡± The people of the other tribes, who were staring at her, shouted in surprise, but Elisha, the real party involved, was indifferent without a single expression on her face. Aran muttered like a self-talk. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you greet them so intensely. The cowards will either kneel down or run with their tails tucked between their legs, while the puppets will be screaming with their spirits high. Did you do that on purpose? Showing off your energy just in time? Shamir said your mana gets a little tangled when you fight against the monsters and you shouldn¡¯t overdo it for a while. Was this all planned?¡± Ah, was that what he said? If someone doubted that the opponent was not using their strength properly even though they didn¡¯t give up their escape, they would surely wonder if they were giving an excuse by revealing their weakness. It was a very good excuse. However. ¡°I don¡¯t know how reliable the words of that traitor are now.¡± As he sneered, Aran gently pressed his thumb against Elisha¡¯s prominent neck bone. The rest of his fingers also gained strength in turn. One could see her slender neck turning red and blue in real time. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a problem?¡± The chieftains and warriors of other tribes frowned, but did not rush to meddle. It was natural for each tribe¡¯s possessions to belong to the chieftain. If Aran became the grand chief through the conference, and took the incarnation of Sionil as the centerpiece of the desert tribes, she would be the mother of all tribes, so there would be some room for involvement. Aran was satisfied with the atmosphere formed as he led. Until the warriors who pursued Shamir returned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chieftain.¡± ¡°He was so fast that we couldn¡¯t keep up.¡± Aran¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but he didn¡¯t press the clan warriors anymore while everyone was watching. Aran threw Elisha towards them. In the haste, the warriors tried to pick her up, but Elisha stood in balance on her own. That upright will was very offensive to Aran. ¡°I have a lot to teach you.¡± Aran muttered and waved his hand. ¡°Take her. Shamir may come again, so don¡¯t relax.¡± ¡°Yes, chieftain!¡± After the warriors answered loudly, they surrounded Elisha and moved around the basin, moving up the ramp that was made gently by cutting rocks and covering them with soil. Elisha¡¯s hair, which was swaying, glistened in the moonlight. ¡°Come to think of it, that hair color¡­¡± At that time, one of the native chiefs murmured. From the sudden betrayal and escape of Shamir, who was famous for being the closest aide to Chieftain Aran and driven all kinds of waves even within the desert tribes, to the woman who appeared with tremendous intensity. They didn¡¯t think of it when they just arrived, but the silver hair and sky blue eyes were very rare. And the woman had both of them. Immediately, the person who was currently the most-talked on the continent came to everyone¡¯s mind. When the ability to use water was added to that, the reality that could not be subtracted emerged. ¡°¡­Could it be¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°No way.¡± Still, Aran put a wedge on those who tried to deny it somehow. ¡°Thank you all for coming with so much in the words of one important thing. Thanks to you, we were able to protect the incarnation of Sionil. Doesn¡¯t heaven seem to help our native tribes to become one?¡± No one answered. None of them denied it. Everyone was already an accomplice. *** Elisha was not confined to the former prison, but in a fairly large tent surrounded by warriors. After a while, it was quite noisy as people who were outside the basin also came inside. Darkness subsided under the light. The quiet time when the noise subsided stayed for a while and then disappeared. As the air gradually warmed from the scorching sun, the entrance to the tent opened and tall women with dark brown skin typical of a desert tribe rushed in with a bunch of things in their hands. A quick glance showed that the women were not wearing any jewelry or anything like that. It seemed that it was Elisha who should be tense, but the women approached Elisha with a lot of caution. When a woman touched the clothes she was wearing, Elisha frowned and stayed still. Tattered dirty clothes came off. The women who wiped the exposed white skin with a cloth moistened with water, dressed Elisha in white clothes. Then a woman tried to remove the pendant from Elisha¡¯s neck. Slap! The first time Elisha reacted greatly, the women stiffened in amazement. However, Elisha did not do more than that. They hesitated to approach her, but she stayed still. The women were not warriors, and they did not want to offend the opponent, so they just let go of the pendant. The women were rather clumsy, so it took a long time compared to Elisha¡¯s usual attendants back in the palace. A woman glanced at Elisha in particular, but she did not speak to her. When it was all over, the women took everything they had brought in, including the clothes that Elisha had taken off, and disappeared. As she was left alone, Elisha looked down at the ornaments they filled her with. They were quite heavy, but there were no gems embedded in them. Jewelry made of only gold and silver was of no use to Elisha. Trying to take advantage of the chaos of the conference seemed to have become useless at this time. ¡°Hmm.¡± It is actually rare for things to work out the way one wants. Usually, when they don¡¯t, there must be a series of processes to find a better way. So the real problem isn¡¯t how things work out. In some cases, one cannot even untie the knot because it is tied too tightly. Elisha walked over to the table and chair in the corner of the open tent and sat down. There were food and drinks on the table, but all the glasses and plates were made of wood just in case. At any other time, she would not neglect to eat or drink because it would help her body, but not today. Since there was a change in the event and she was included in them, it was right to be careful. As Elisha took her eyes off them, the entrance to the tent opened. She wondered if light would leak in, but a darker darkness casted over her. A man of great stature in the shadow staggered in and approached Elisha. He glanced at Elisha, who had finished dressing up, from top to bottom, then checked the table top. ¡°What? You can¡¯t eat them because you¡¯re such a precious person?¡± While in prison, Elisha ate whatever was given to her, but it didn¡¯t seem like that person would be interested in that. When there was no answer from Elisha, Aran¡¯s black eyes shone. ¡°I should teach you one thing first.¡± Aran lifted the wooden goblet on the table with one hand and reached out his other hand to her. He gripped Elisha¡¯s chin with his right hand and, using his thumb and third fingers, squeezed both of her jaws inward, forcing her to open her mouth. Then he poured the water from the goblet into her gaping mouth. Elisha shut her throat without averting her eyes from Aran¡¯s, letting all the water spill out of her mouth. Her clothes were wet, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°Ha!¡± Aran snorted and gave his hands even more strength. Elisha forcibly bit the inside of her cheek with her molars and bled. ¡°Cough!¡± Blood was vomited, and the water pouring out was mixed with red. Pagakk! The empty wooden goblet split in Aran¡¯s left hand. His other hand was still holding Elisha¡¯s face. ¡°Desert women are obedient and quick to give up. This is a place where you can¡¯t survive without that. You will soon be the same. From now on, you will have to live as a desert woman.¡± As he was about to shout out of the tent to bring water and a change of clothes for the incarnation of Sionil, he heard the voice of a tribal warrior. ¡°Chieftain, Chieftain Bahum is looking for you.¡± Aran looked down at Elisha and slapped her chin hard. Elisha almost fell off from the chair, but she quickly grabbed the edge of the table and pulled herself up. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can do that.¡± As he left, Elisha wiped her bloody lips with the back of her hand. ¡°See what?¡± Afterward, Elisha checked if her head was still well attached to the neck. Elisha muttered and spread her palms. Undine, with her ponytail bouncing, sat in the concave part of her palm and looked up at her. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Presuming the worst situation, the strength that she had saved was about to run out due to this escape. The fact that she told Rohan not to worry because she was a precious hostage was also insignificant because she was still exposed to danger. Elisha had only one chance left to change the plate that was pushed in front of her. If the former aim was simply to survive, the difference was that there was no going back now. One of the ways was to cause Undine to run wild. She didn¡¯t know how far the range would be, but it would be enough to completely turn the table and start anew. However, Elisha would not be on the starting line. ¡°Because once the runaway starts, it can¡¯t be stopped on its own.¡± Either she couldn¡¯t handle the aftermath of the runaway, or she would have no choice but to get caught up in the runaway she had caused. Dying was always an option at any given time, but Elisha always chose to survive even if it was more difficult, painful, and disastrous. So this time too. She didn¡¯t stand up to die. She was just waiting to increase her chances of surviving even a little. Shamir was one of them. The most useful card at the moment. She treated him as a non-essential variable as it was not held in her own hand, but that was okay. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Regardless of Shamir¡¯s complete escape or return, the desert tribes prepared and cared for him, and that alone created a room for Elisha. Also, when she wiped the wound on the inside of her cheek with her tongue, the women from earlier came back and changed Elisha¡¯s clothes. And in the evening, the conference began. Chapter 72 The Moon on Water (4) Translated by WookEdited by Wook ¡°Hey, Aran. What do you think will happen if this gets known?¡± At those words, Aran shot a look at Vedal, who was the oldest among the tribe chiefs. ¡°Is Chieftain Vedal going to let this get known?¡± ¡°What are you¡ª!¡± ¡°So why do you have to worry about that? Above all, if this fact becomes known, it is not just my tribe that has to give up their lives. Are you saying someone here would do something crazy like that?¡± ¡°But you never know. Shamir, who has been involved in it, has fled. And we don¡¯t know how Chieftain Laoman, who couldn¡¯t attend today, will react when he finds out about it later.¡± ¡°There is a way, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the incarnation of Sionil comes.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Vedal was dissatisfied, but could no longer continue the subject. Aran held the trend. Even if he went back to him, he would only end up like Chieftain Laoman, who was abandoned at this important time. ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, may I talk about the most important thing to cover at this conference?¡± The words of the Chieftain Baheum, who were close to Chieftain Aran and hated the desert tribe belonging to the pro-Kran Kingdom faction, continued for a while. The venue for the conference was large enough to be ten times larger than a normal-sized tent. Wherever the conference was held, it must be set in the center of the tribe¡¯s dwelling place, and today was no exception. Among the inner edges of the basin, at the deepest point opposite the entrance to the basin, all nearby tents were erected. By the time Elisha was brought to the entrance, it was already filled with people inside, perhaps the chieftain of each tribe or the people in a position that could be involved in the big events of the tribe. ¡°Does anyone object to the Aran chieftain becoming the grand chieftain of all of our native tribes so that we can carry on the pride and traditions of the desert tribe?¡± No voice came out. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the silence, there seemed to be no opposition. ¡°So, from now on, Chieftain Aran will become the new Grand Chieftain of the Desert! The desert legend from a long time ago begins again in our generation!¡± The words were accompanied by cheers and loud applause. ¡°Bring her in.¡± When Aran spoke from the inside, and the entrance to the tent that had been blocking Elisha¡¯s front was opened. The floor was covered with dozens of animal skins that had been joined together, and there were people encircling the wide empty space in the middle, like square shaped walls. They were sitting with their buttocks on the ground, with a low table in front of each of them, which was quite unfamiliar to Elisha. Among them, Aran was not sitting in the long seat on the left and right from the entrance, but on the innermost seat facing the entrance. Elisha made her way to the empty space in the center, pushed by the warriors holding crescent-shaped swords behind her. Following the title of ¡®incarnation of Sionil¡¯, the weight of the name of the 2nd Empress of the Empire weighed on the inside of the tent. Furthermore, the people were curious about what kind of story Aran would tell when she came. At that time, Aran, who thoroughly enjoyed the tension, opened his mouth. ¡°There is no root in the desert. We are all scattered, so now we must become one. And that one must be strong enough to encompass everything. The bond of the desert tribes is stronger than any other people on the continent, but if we are to move forward, we need something stronger than that. A promise that we will continue, so that we can keep and take pride in ourselves. For example, royal blood!¡± The king of the desert! The words that fell like lightning reverberated in the heads of the tribe leaders. But after a while, they were puzzled again. Aside from how tremendous this story was, what did it have to do with the current situation? Aran spoke before their embarrassment turned into anger at his rashness. ¡°There is an incarnation of Sionil. A descendant of a goddess who can make flowers bloom in the desert. And here I am, who has just sat in the position of the grand chieftain. When I see a son from her, I will establish him as king, not the next grand chieftain. He will become a king with more legitimacy than anyone else and with the heat of the desert.¡± The child of the incarnation of Sionil and the grand chieftain. The cause of the desert was enough. And in other words, it was also clear that it would be a terrible scandal that would shake up the empire. The possibility of this news leaking out of the desert was low, but even if it was known to the upper ranks of the Empire, they would not think of using their hands prematurely. It was not easy to deal with the desert tribes in the desert, and it was almost impossible to keep rumors from leaking out while you (the Empire people if they do try to cover up the scandal) killed them all. Aran was sincerely disappointed. This was because, if the original plan had gone as planned, all the problems should have been cleared up already. If only the emperor of the Atien Empire had quickly searched for the 2nd Empress and found the body presumed to be the 2nd Empress they had prepared in the realm of the pro-Kran Kingdom faction! Those who attacked the 2nd Empress using monsters in the West would be those with considerable power within the Atien Empire. Since what they had done has failed, they would want to cover it up as soon as possible, and there was no better excuse than a corpse. It didn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s fake. So was the emperor. It was natural that rumors of his injustice would follow at the same time as the disappearance of the 2nd Empress. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have a clean corpse that died with everything, rather than the return of the 2nd Empress, who might constantly leave a stain on Barossa¡¯s name, despite the emperor¡¯s face? Even if she was his favorite woman, the relationship between the 2nd Empress and the emperor was not very good, and it seemed that it was true for now. Aran wondered if that might be the reason why the emperor didn¡¯t find the 2nd Empress. He was probably waiting for her to die. So maybe they didn¡¯t have to do anything. Because the emperor of Atien or the forces that tried to use the monsters could come up with a plan to sort things out on their own. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks In the same way as them. In Aran¡¯s mind, the brilliant future of the royal road and desert he would walk in was already depicted in vivid colors. ¡°But Aran, ah, no, Grand Chief. Will the incarnation of Sionil allow that?¡± Vedal looked alternately at Aran, and Elisha, who was standing indifferently as if the matter they were talking about was not related to her. ¡°Is Chieftain Vedal asking me if I have to ask for permission from my property?¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± Chieftain Vedal¡¯s concern was, what would they do if the woman, who was not used to the desert, ran away. Those who were not born and raised in the desert could not easily accept the desolate, heat, and familiar resignation of the desert and wither. She was of noble status and possessed power, so it was natural to be worried as they did not know what would happen after she recovered. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to die because she wants to return to her child, so she will live because of the child she gave birth to and because of the child she will give birth to. I think everyone is like that here. So call me when you¡¯re ready to give birth to the child of the incarnation of Sionil. The desert will become richer if the veins share the ability of the incarnation of Sionil. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Aran said, looking straight into the sky blue eyes of Elisha who was standing opposite him, not at Vedal. As if to declare that her future would be determined like this in the future. Elisha¡¯s lips opened slightly. A sound that was unknown whether it was a pure or false laughter rose like a drop of water and then disappeared. Elisha¡¯s head tilted to the side. She said in a voice that was cool enough to freeze a person to death, ¡°I¡¯ve listened to the novel nonsense of a mutt. I wondered why the stinky mutt kept imitating a wolf, but that must¡¯ve been because the mutt was picked up from who knows where. No wonder it stinks so badly.¡± Aran jumped up from his seat and¡ª Kwang! He kicked the low table in front of him and stepped forward. Then he lifted Elisha with one hand. The other hand, which was tilted back to its fullest, was as big as Elisha¡¯s face. The sound of flesh scraping resonated for a while. ¡°What are you thinking? Do you want me to kill you?¡± Elisha replied to Aran¡¯s hilarious remarks. ¡°12.¡± Elisha explained to Aran, who stopped for a moment, not knowing what to say. ¡°I have to return it to you.¡± The number of times he had touched Elisha so far. There was the sound of molars rubbing from Aran¡¯s teeth. Amidst the growing violence, Elisha thought. ¡®What if he breaks my limbs? ¡®Rather than being treated here, it would be better to endure and deal with it roughly, go back, and break them clean before attaching them again. But such a plan was a bit vague because it might cause problems for escaping. Come to think of it, among the magic formulas, healing magic is tricky and less effective, but there are still people who dwell in it. When I get back, I think it would be okay to talk to the mages Georg and Jillian and try making one. ¡®It would be useful if Leon or Asensio got hurt. But of course, I shouldn¡¯t let the children even need it in the first place.¡¯ ¡°Grand Chief! After the conference, we decided to hold a party to celebrate the unity of the tribe and to introduce the incarnation of Sionil in front of all members of the tribe!¡± Bahum stopped Aran. However, Aran was definitely realizing by now that Elisha would not move as they told her to do. How could that be? She was dragged to an unfamiliar place by herself, and even if she ran away, she was in the middle of an endless sandy desert. He thought it was a mistake. He thought it was a simple power struggle, but it wasn¡¯t. That woman was already at war. That was why she didn¡¯t want to lose! ¡°You better stop. It¡¯s going to be a big problem!¡± ¡°Why are you doing this? Isn¡¯t it a good day, Grand Chieftain?¡± Only then did Aran stop his hand. Elisha¡¯s body fell and she sat on the ground. At the time when everyone thought that the incarnation of Sionil would have fully understood her role by this time, Elisha¡¯s lips opened and a clear voice came out. ¡°20 now.¡± And her sky-blue eyes flashed as if she was looking forward to the day she would return it. The sound of swallowing was heard among the chieftains. Now, that slender figure that was trampled on aroused fear rather than pity. Sionil, who moistens and revitalizes dry places, was not a merciful goddess. The goddess had a ferocious side, sweeping away and destroying what she did not allow. Was it because of that? In the eyes of the audience, that person over there looked like the goddess Sionil herself, not the incarnation of Sionil. People before her seemed to stiffened, even though she did not show any strength and showed only a miserable appearance. ¡°Is she really the 2nd Empress of the Atien Empire?¡± Was that all? For the desert tribes who couldn¡¯t even withstand the Kran Kingdom, the empire was an existence with a great difference in power. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Nevertheless, the murmur replaced the feelings of many in the tent. Wondering if that was all Elisha was. Chapter 73 The Moon on Water (5) Translated by WookEdited by Wook ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Of course. I heard it was so.¡± ¡°Crazy.¡± ¡°Ah, and did you guys know? The atmosphere was chaotic and since we¡¯re all gathered, the incarnation of Sionil and Grand Chieftain Aran¡­¡± Strong internal bond was a great help when building a wall with the outsiders, but it could result in too much loss between themselves. Unless it was a secret mission between each tribe or something that had been discussed separately, stories spread too easily. ¡°Oh, wait a minute. I¡¯m going first.¡± It was mainly the warriors of the Aran tribe who stood on the border, but there were a lot of people who entered the basin and Shamir¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, so other tribe warriors were also helping them in pairs. ¡°What is it? I heard Aran¡¯s tribe¡¯s women are pretty. Did one of them walk by?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, would I still be here? I would¡¯ve already followed that woman.¡± ¡°Okay, hurry up and come back soon. Don¡¯t make trouble when the atmosphere is bad.¡± The one who exchanged jokes and chuckled took the lead leaving his colleagues behind. The man looked around and headed to a corner, pulled his pants down, and tried to do business in earnest, but suddenly he felt his spine cooled down. He was wondering what it was, so he tried to look back, but then stopped. He felt like he shouldn¡¯t do that. The man shrugged, then picked up his pants and stepped out of the corner. He felt bad for being a coward who squealed over nothing. The man, who was stomping away, suddenly turned his head and checked the back. ¡°Phew, look. There is nothing.¡± He nodded and moved away as if the farce had ended. Shortly after the man left¡­ ¡°Nothing? If you had just come one more step inside, you¡¯d have a hole in the back of your head. You don¡¯t know how lucky you are.¡± There was a grumble in the dark. The person looked away from the man and looked around the center of the basin. The giant tent was removed and the floor was cleaned up, as if to inform the warriors of the results of the conference and use the area as a place for a feast. What the person was looking for was, was a lone tent near the edge unlike the tents located from beyond the perimeter of the vacant lot. Just by looking at the warriors who surrounded it, one could see who was staying there. ¡°At first, he put her in prison and didn¡¯t even look at her, I even wondered if he was getting senile. So what¡¯s with the obsession all of a sudden?¡± This meant that Aran was increasingly appreciating the value of the 2nd Empress, but there was nothing good about it. Not only because of the increased boundaries. The more useful she was to Aran, the more he would try to suppress her and hold her in his hand. When someone with ability bowed their head to him, Aran thought that his authority was being established. Shamir heard about what had happened in the big tent while he couldn¡¯t see it, and his head seemed to explode. In fact, Shamir was very fond of the 2nd Empress, but he originally did not intend to run away with her. However, Aran crossed the last line he shouldn¡¯t have crossed. The moment the absolute principles that could have given Aran any validity to whatever he did were broken, all the work and value Shamir had been doing so far lost light. ¡®Chieftain, what happened? I got it wrong, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s a lie that you pretended to be Chieftain Laoman and communicated with the pro-Kran Kingdom faction, right? No matter how bad the relationship with Chieftain Laoman is, he is also a member of the native tribes!¡¯ But Aran did not deny it. He didn¡¯t even try to convince Shamir as plausible as before. He felt uncomfortable with Shamir, who opposed his orders, and took it as a challenge to his authority. With an unpleasant frown on his face, he realized that his relationship with Shamir would never go back to the way it was before. And it wasn¡¯t because Shamir had even erased the smile he always hung around and his eyes that were always bent. Shamir himself has accepted it for a long time, but it wasn¡¯t until at the top of the slope where he was feeling with the 2nd Empress that he confirmed that it was more devastating than expected. ¡°Aran, actually, I didn¡¯t care about the desert. I was annoyed by all that stuff about the pro-Kran Kingdom and the native tribes, but I was curious about the future you were trying to get together.¡± ¡®And as time went by, I became more and more worried about the future that you drew. ¡®As much as I wanted to see it before, I don¡¯t want to see it anymore. All the fun is already gone. But now I have a new question. What kind of place does that indifferent and scary empress want to go so much?¡¯ ¡°I made a promise, so I have to keep it. So Your Majesty, let me go with you. I will walk on my own feet.¡± Shamir talked to himself and smiled, revealing his white teeth even though no one was looking at him. And the next moment, he lightly kicked the ground and soared up. *** How many days has it been? Has it been three or four days since the conference was held? It seemed the time had come when she had to choose between waiting for Shamir or finding a way out on her own. If she thought about it, wasn¡¯t waiting for Shamir the same as finding a way out herself? Elisha erased the option of waiting for Shamir from her mind. Now she just had to pick the best time. However, Elisha did not have to worry for long. Early in the morning. ¡°Marriage ceremony? Whose?¡± Elisha confirmed for the first time today that the desert was not a place for her. The women didn¡¯t answer, but they kept bringing the clothes in their hands to Elisha, ¡°Haaa.¡± Elisha twisted the corners of her lips. There were too many things to point out, but putting them all aside¡­ Her arms and legs weren¡¯t broken, but her condition was terrible. Even though Undine swept her cheek all night long to relieve the swelling, it was of no use. And they wanted her to wear a wedding dress like this? When that usually cold complexion was filled with ridicule, the women were startled and stiffened. ¡°It wasn¡¯t directed to you.¡± When Elisha spoke, the women regained their senses and finally took out what they brought. After what happened at the conference, the women treated Elisha strangely. Especially. ¡°H-Here, this¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The youngest woman was particularly strange. She looked around and whispered to Elisha. ¡°Just eat dried fruits today. You¡¯d better do that so you don¡¯t get a stomachache.¡± Elisha nodded her head. Last night, the woman was also thinking whether to put one of the foods she had brought in her hand to the table, and in the end, Elisha saw her deliberately flip one of them over. It was the same even now in the morning. [T/N: I have no idea what is happening here, perhaps Aran did something to the food, I don¡¯t know] In the end, rather than confronting her, Aran seemed to have decided to use a funny expedient to quietly wrap up all these events. Well. Even on the day of the conference, he tried to force her to swallow the water in the goblet out of nowhere. He was just that kind of guy. While Elisha was eating, the women went out for a while. While alone, Elisha took out the pendant and opened it to look inside. After Leon and Ascensio, whom she couldn¡¯t forget every day, sometimes she thought of this person. It was obvious that everyone was suffering because of his savvy personality. ¡®When I get back, I¡¯ll tell him that I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m okay, and give this pendant back.¡¯ Elisha lightly swept the emerald inside the lid with her thumb and hung it around her neck again. She ate some dried fruit and drank some water from a small leather bag that the young woman had set aside earlier. ¡°Marriage.¡± That was the line that must not be crossed for Elisha. Not because of the marriage itself, but because of the stain it would prove. The assumption that something happened could be left unknown, but the fact that the 2nd Empress of the Empire and desert grand chieftain was married would make her unable to return to Barossa. He must have thought he would be able to wield Elisha as he wanted, and as soon as he realized that wasn¡¯t the case, he wanted to hold a wedding ceremony as soon as possible. ¡°If it¡¯s too late, I have no choice but to leave it behind.¡± Elisha had decided. Based on her standards, now was the time to risk her life to move. Crash! When they heard the sound of breaking coming from inside the tent, the warriors from outside came in and stopped. The wedding dress was torn and the food was scattered on the floor. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± A stream of water gushed out of Elisha¡¯s palm as a warrior drew near. ¡°Hoh!¡± One could hear the sound of gasping, but it soon turned into a sigh of relief. This was because the water slowly subsided, accumulated in Elisha¡¯s palm, and then flowed down to the ground. Elisha staggered a little while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and the young woman from earlier came and supported her. Even if it was dangerous, the woman did not listen and only looked at Elisha. She hesitated at Elisha¡¯s words, who were telling them all to leave, but decided to stay. As Elisha stared quietly, the woman blushed. Then Elisha asked, while tucking the woman¡¯s hair, which had been disturbed by running in surprise, behind her ears. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s Dahil.¡± ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± She asked if that was what her actions and gaze meant. And Dahil, who was shy with her head down, raised her face. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Can you take me back with you?¡± ¡°If you help me. But even if you go out with me, it will be tough. Do you know how to get out of the desert?¡± ¡°I know someone who can help.¡± When Dahil straightened her back, her eyes were at a higher level than Elisha. Elisha looked up at her and said. ¡°He¡¯s not that outstanding, but he¡¯s a warrior. He will be helpful as a guide.¡± ¡°You¡¯re answering as if you¡¯ve been waiting.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re not trying to say something silly about why you¡¯re so willing to accept my proposal, I just want to know why I need to know that.¡± ¡°I heard that a favorite warrior of Chieftain Bahum wants to take me away after the conference. Chieftain Aran agreed as long as he paid by giving his games to him when hunting.¡± ¡°What would you do if I didn¡¯t ask you to go?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I wanted to do something, but I don¡¯t know if I could do anything in the end. There¡¯s not much I can do, unlike an esteemed person like you.¡± ¡°This is a life-threatening task. To me it sounds like it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t do this at all. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because it¡¯s not that important. But¡­¡± If giving up was learning, resignation was a habit. The woman learned that if someone said no, it was not up to her to wish. Dahil only needed a small trigger. That was why she plucked up the courage of her entire life and showed favor. She thought that if she could take the responsibility of serving as a servant in the eyes of an esteemed person, she wouldn¡¯t have to go to another tribe. ¡°Did I make you cry? I heard a lot of noise.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As if tears had already begun to flow, Elisha lightly tapped Dahil¡¯s eye area with her index finger. ¡°I¡¯ve been helped by you so many times. I can¡¯t make you cry without even saying thank you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Dahil exclaimed because Elisha seemed to have recognized her. When she seemed to calm down a little, Elisha brought up the subject. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time, so let¡¯s talk about what to do next.¡± Dahil quickly wiped her wet face with her eyes lit up. Chapter 74 ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The person inside wants to take a bath.¡± ¡°A bath? In this desert where there is not even enough water to drink?¡± The warrior looked at the large wooden barrel and observed it. It was narrow but deep, so it seemed like it should be enough for one person to sit and be submerged in the water. In addition, there was even a round and wide lid so one could prevent the steam formed by the warmed water from escaping. The warrior honestly didn¡¯t even know that such a thing existed in their tribe. ¡°It¡¯s usually used to collect water.¡± ¡°Non¡ª¡± ¡°Please understand. Everything changed when it concerns the incarnation of Sionil. Besides¡­¡± When Dahil blurred the end of her speech, the warrior who seemed to have guessed the latter end of her words, hardened his face. ¡°Let¡¯s stop arguing. How could we dare make fun of what the Grand Chieftain has in mind?¡± Dahil shook her head, and quickly pushed the cart containing the water barrel together with another woman into the tent. After a brief disturbance, the sound of water splashing was heard. Had it been about 30 minutes? The entrance to the tent opened again and those who had gone inside came out again. Dahil greeted the warriors quietly and was about to walk away, but the person with whom she had been talking for a while approached her. The moment she put more strength into her hand, Rattle! The cart stopped because the wheel was caught on something on the ground. Dahil and the woman were glancing at each other and trying to move the cart, but the warrior was already close. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Dahil asked cautiously, but the warrior didn¡¯t find it particularly strange. Ordinary tribesmen usually found the warriors difficult to deal with. The warrior pushed the back of the cart to remove the missing wheel and looked at the barrel. Light steam was still gushing out of the wooden barrel, where the lid was obliquely opened due to shaking. As the warrior stretched out his hand towards it, Dahil gulped. The side of the flat, round lid made of similar wood to the barrel was held in the warrior¡¯s thick palm. With his power, the gap between the barrel¡¯s mouth and the lid widened. The warrior thrust his face into the exposed gap. There was a lot of something floating on it, so he couldn¡¯t see inside. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± The warrior swept the surface of the water with his hand. Then he lifted his palm up to his eyes to see what came with it. Red and yellow dried flowers with a cool scent¡­? ¡°In the empire, they use high-end spices or foam soap, but we don¡¯t have anything like that, so we replaced them with this.¡± As Dahil spoke, the warrior snorted. Rumors about the incarnation of Sionil had spread so widely that there were quite a few people in awe, but there were also rumors that the identity of the woman he had been guarding was unusual. It must be true. The warrior, whose eyes had widened, abruptly thrust his hand into the wooden barrel. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re not trying to hide anything, are you?¡± Dahil blinked as she looked at him doing what he was doing. The man quickly backed away as if he was embarrassed by his own joke. Wet to his elbow, he waved his hand a few times to dry it off, then jutted his chin as if to let them go. What they had been doing so far was somewhat formal. Rather than standing on guard bored, it was pretty good to kill time by joking around like this. He glanced at those who were leaving, then turned his body. ¡°Hoaaam!¡± He yawned. Everyone was busy preparing for the wedding, but only the tent he was guarding and the people in it were sunk in silence. Dahil pulled the cart and went to the tent where the women lived together. Everyone was busy preparing for the wedding right now, so it was crowded. Still, after being careful one more time, Dahil opened the lid fully and dunked her hands in it. Nobody knew how many times she had freaked out because of the warrior earlier. She had thought they might¡¯ve really gotten caught in the end, so she had felt suffocated. She was so lucky that the warrior had not noticed her agitation and her surprised expression later on. ¡°Huh?¡± But why couldn¡¯t she touch the goddess now? Dahil was startled and just before she dunked her head into the water. ¡°Puahhh!¡± Shwaaa! A woman with a beautiful and cold face rose her head from the barrel full of water. Her silver hair, her sky blue eyes, and her white skin seen in the flowing stream made it impossible to take her eyes off even though they were both women. ¡°I thought something was going to happen.¡± When Dahil made a tearful face, Elisha patted her on the shoulder. Elisha, too, had been a little surprised when a hand had suddenly popped in. As much as possible, she had put strength on her stomach with her back attached to the bottom of the barrel. She hadn¡¯t forgotten to grab her hair with her hand, lest it got caught in the man¡¯s fingertips. It was highly likely that she would have been discovered if the opponent had not quickly pulled out his hand. She had sunk her consciousness, trying to kill her presence as much as possible, so it had taken her time to wake up. Elisha came out of the barrel and stood on the floor. Dahil took several white fabrics from a small basket inside the cart and wiped Elisha¡¯s drenched body, then she led her toward the tent where she had been staying. There was no one outside, but this tent was shared by several people. There Elisha changed her clothes and checked the plan once again. Nobody was inside the tent because everyone had set out since the early morning, so there was only Dahil and another woman whom Dahil had introduced as a trustworthy woman. But it would soon be noon. People would soon flock to Elisha because they had to assist her in wearing wedding clothes and get her ready in earnest. At that time, they would know that Elisha was gone, and there would be an uproar. Elisha intended to aim for that time. ¡°Is the preparation well?¡± ¡°Yes, please feel free to call him Taro. Even though he¡¯s a bit clumsy, he¡¯s good at doing what he¡¯s told, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Dahil replied with a bashful smile when talking about her lover. Perhaps because they were friends who had grown up together before they were lovers, she didn¡¯t have any hesitation in her words. ¡°Alright, then we will start the moment Taro ignites the fire. But are you really not going? If it is revealed later that you¡¯ve been on the sidelines, you could be punished.¡± The woman, to whom Elisha asked this question, who had said before that she would not leave the tribe, bowed her head. ¡°It is already too late for me. But I hope these children can live the life they want.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Elisha did not recommend it again. Aran was not in a very good mood from the morning. Something seemed to have annoyed him since the night of the conference. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Any noise made him unhappy, and even those who had been sent to look at the situation of the Laoman tribe had given no news. ¡°It¡¯s a pity at times like this.¡± A guy perfect for this kind of mission immediately came to mind. But Shamir was too big. There were many who hated him, but there were also many who admired and followed him. The problem was that the number of the former was shallow, while the latter was deep and profound. If left alone, Shamir¡¯s power would¡¯ve surely grown and form a new faction within the tribe. Moreover, Aran was displeased with those who accepted Shamir as the tribe¡¯s successor and spread that news everywhere. There were various factors, so he had let that guy go at that time before the tribe, even though this wrong judgment had cost him. As the guy¡¯s character had become apparent in front of the native tribe, everyone no longer liked or disliked him. They only called him a traitor. ¡°I did a good job. I would¡¯ve suffered more damage if I did not do that.¡± Come to think of it, the problem now was not about finding out about the Laoman tribe, but not knowing the whereabouts of that guy. ¡°Will he come back?¡± He stopped the search in nearby areas last night. After today¡¯s wedding ceremony, all the tribes gathered for the conference would return to their headquarters. Aran tribe warriors alone could not bear to spare more manpower for the task, so that agenda had to be stopped. ¡°He¡¯s a guy who gets bored easily, so he might have gone somewhere else by now because he¡¯s annoyed with everything.¡± He seemed to be paying special attention to the 2nd Consort, but it seemed that he was using her as a means to rebel against him. If not, how could he push her off a rocky slope without hesitation? But still, if he ever comes back. ¡°He¡¯s something to be dealt with.¡± Just in case, Aran let Baheum take care of it. He was definitely one who hated Shamir the most within the tribe. ¡°Grand Chieftain!¡± Aran wrinkled his forehead at the sound of someone calling him from outside the tent. Was it time already? He also had to prepare himself for the wedding. ¡°If she ate even a little, she should be quiet during the ceremony.¡± The tribe called the cactus the desert stones. Some types of desert stones released a white, sticky liquid when the thorns were pulled out and the body was squeezed. If it was dried and made into powder, it became a good medicine for desert warriors to forget the pain when they got a big wound or when they couldn¡¯t sleep. It was not widely used because it was highly addictive and had a severe side effect of weakening people. ¡°Grand Chieftain, may I come in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the preparation myself, so you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that! The incarnation of Sionil has disappeared!¡± ¡°What?¡± Aran frowned and walked out of the tent in stride. There was already a commotion outside. The warriors with bewildered expressions were checking the surroundings, asking the people around, dividing themselves into groups to check each tent, and soon dispersing. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°That person was exceptionally sensitive today, so when the time came, the people assigned to assist asked if they could go in, but there was no answer. After waiting for some time, they had no choice but to go in, but it was empty inside.¡± ¡°Does anything feel strange? Who entered the tent before?¡± ¡°They said she wanted to take a bath, so two women came to serve her with water¡ª¡± ¡°Find them! Don¡¯t let anyone get out of here!¡± When Aran raised his voice. Fwoosh! Flames soared. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that where the horses and carriages are gathered?¡± As soon as that sentence ended. Neeeeiiigh!! The sound of horses crying rang loud and long from that side. And all of a sudden, Duddeukk! Duddeuk! There was the sound of a carriage wheel being dragged. Once entering the basin, there was no need to use a carriage, so naturally, the horses and the carriages must be separated. But hearing this sound¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t this a big problem?¡± This meant that unless the carriages were moving by themselves, the horses that had been released were tied back to the carriages by someone. And these horses were now running wild with the carriages behind them because they were startled by the fire. The basin was wide and safe enough for one large tribe to stay. It covered the surrounding area to block the wind so that tents did not have to be opened in the scattered sand of the desert. Unlike the outside, the floor mixed with soil and stones supported the feet more firmly. This grace-like place, which played a major role in stabilizing the Aran tribe, now looked like a trap from which it was difficult to escape because it was blocked on all sides. ¡°U-uwaakh!¡± The warrior¡¯s, who was stepped on by a horseshoe, scream did not last very long. Puck! It was because his head was trampled and smashed by another horse that followed. Tududdeuk! Tududdeuk! Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Tents hit by horses and trampled on by carriages trembled and fell flat on the floor. Unbelievably, in this brief moment, Aran¡¯s dream turned into a nightmare. Because of who? A face immediately popped into Aran¡¯s mind. ¡°That bitch will not have an easy death!¡± Aran¡¯s face was contorted like a monster. Chapter 75 Wildly running horses and swaying carriages crashed in all directions. Neither the contributors nor the recipients were left intact, messy wreckage was scattered everywhere. Elisha had a white fabric covering her head from the beginning. It was originally meant to block the sun and was not used often in residential areas, but it would be better than showing her silver hair. Elisha moved to the promised place while paying attention to her surroundings so that Dahil, who was guiding her, did not get caught up in danger. ¡°Over there!¡± Dahil pointed her index finger in the direction in which the flames still rose. It was a place near empty vacant lots that were not normally used, where horses could be left and carriages could be stored. The place that had originally been filled with horses and carriages was chaotic and empty, and one could barely see two horses and a carriage standing in a secluded corner. And a man. ¡°Taro!¡± Even though it was only a blurred silhouette, Dahil recognized her lover at once and raised her hand. Dahil was about to close the distance with Taro with a measured step, but Elisha suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her behind her. Dahil¡¯s eyes widened, but the most surprising thing happened next. Hwing! A crescent-shaped sword spun around and passed through the place where Dahil had been. The sword that had cut through the air collided with the ground and bounced back due to the recoil. ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± Dahil was terrified because the sword came flying toward them, but Elisha merely considered herself lucky. Elisha waited for the handle to come towards her, and then snatched it up at once. Then, with Dahil behind her, she rushed towards the direction the crescent-shaped sword had first come. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Oi, I told you to come here! That guy might¡¯ve already done something and left earlier, or perhaps he went somewhere to cry because he ran into them¡­¡± The warrior, who had been babbling towards the approaching figures, with whom he seemed to have good relationships with, stopped talking. And then his comrades, who were rushing towards where he was, also opened their eyes wide. It was a very brief moment. However, the person who had caught the crescent-shaped sword which had bounced for a while, was running toward their place like a lightning bolt! The white clothes were pushed back by the wind, and the fabric covering the hair was blown away. Silver hair was scattered in the air. As the slender wrist twisted to the side, the long crescent-shaped weapon flashed under the sun. The raised sword flew towards the warriors in a wide diagonal arc. The chest of the one on the far left opened and spurted blood, and as for the one on the other side, there was a long wound that continued from his stomach to his thigh. Thud! The one who suffered the most wounds fell backward. Elisha attacked again before the remaining two came to their senses. Starting from the right this time. ¡°Keogh!¡± And at the end, she stabbed the warrior standing alone in the middle with the sword. Perhaps it was because his abdomen had already been cut twice, so it was not hard to penetrate through the open flesh. Blood was dripping down the blade that was pushed deep into it. Elisha pulled her arm back. Naturally, the crescent-shaped sword came along. It must have been too much for her, who usually only depended on mana, to push her muscle strength so hard. Her fingertips trembled. Elisha shook her head at Dahil, who was about to come to her, and pointed her chin in the direction of Taro. If Taro started to falter, it might affect their plan. Dahil quickly went to the place where Taro was. Elisha also turned towards the two. Kwang! Kwaaang! Somewhere in the back, one could hear the sound of something bumping and crashing. Fortunately, the commotion continued. Before all of this subsided, they had to run to the only exit where they could rush out in the carriage they had prepared. Because the purpose of this uproar was to distract their gaze so that their carriage did not look strange. Of course, that also included reducing the number of those who were currently scouring the basin in search of them, and the warriors who would pursue them after a successful escape. ¡°Goddess, come on!¡± Dahil opened the carriage door and called for Elisha. Taro was about to sit in the coach seat. The warriors couldn¡¯t have thought immediately that she¡¯d escape in this way. So when they stopped the carriage earlier because the path it was running was a little strange, it was more likely to prevent the horses from running away. All of that coincidence and hesitation added one stone and another to Elisha¡¯s plan, which eventually became a tower where she could see where she wanted to go and create a bridge to reach there. However, even if only one stone was placed incorrectly, the whole thing would shake. Then again. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Elisha got into the carriage. As the door closed behind her back, her figure was completely hidden. It was significantly different from the carriage the imperial family used. This carriage was light and had minimal functionality, instead, the wheels were specially created to run on the sand, with stability being the main purpose. So it was more expensive than it looked. And seeing that there weren¡¯t many in the desert, it could be said that it wasn¡¯t a small amount of money for the desert tribe. It would not have been possible to use this method if it hadn¡¯t been for a large number of non-warriors and elders who attended the conference. Toddonk! Tong! The carriage wheels were lifted several times due to the wreckage caused by the horses and carriages running wild, so the bodies inside the carriage were thrown to and fro. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Elisha put the crescent-shaped sword in her hand to the side and supported Dahil¡¯s shoulder. Dahil grabbed the edge of the chair with her hand and nodded her head violently. Perhaps it was hard for her because it was her first time riding a carriage. Instead of comforting her to endure a little, Elisha stayed close to the window where she couldn¡¯t be seen from the outside, and looked at the surroundings. In some places, the fire attached to a moving horse¡¯s tail burned some tents, and in some cases, a carriage with only the frame left was dragged by some horses. ¡°Kill it!¡± When someone shouted, the warrior who was close to the running horse lowered his upper body and drew his sword horizontally. The running horse¡¯s leg was dented, and it fell forward, pouring out blood. Kwadang! Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The horse¡¯s body hit the ground hard and was pushed forward. The long shadows converge in blood. A carriage was a necessary tool, but a horse was a precious companion that could be said to be essential in the desert. The horses of warriors with enough ability to come to the conference must have been the most pedigree horses in the tribe. Since the horses were being killed in droves, the damage not only to the Aran tribe but also to the entire native tribes would be too great to be counted in simple numbers. Elisha looked at the scene indifferently¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± She found a man standing tall across the window. She could definitely feel that he was watching the carriage they were riding even though he wasn¡¯t looking their way. She was kept in prison and in tents, making it difficult for her to check the scenery she had only learned while going back and forth a few times. Instead, judging from the carriage¡¯s speed and distance traveled, it would take a little longer to reach the exit. Yes, just a little bit more! *** Aran¡¯s eyes caught on to the carriage that was moving so fast like a shot arrow. Was it because it seemed like the only thing going on its own path out of all the crazy things running amok? He was curious about the direction it was going. ¡°There¡¯s someone sitting on the coach seat.¡± Most of the carriages were broken or the horses were running so wild that others had to give up on the coach seats, but this one seemed lucky enough to succeed. Anyway, Aran, who didn¡¯t have time to worry about such a trivial thing, turned around from the carriage to check another place, but then he returned to his original position. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ that?¡± It was definitely weird. If the person was trying to detour and stop the carriage to keep the horses from running rampant or to hurt others, shouldn¡¯t they look around a bit? But the warrior sitting on that coach seat was only staring at the exit! And he kept urging the horses to run. Faster and faster! In the moment of doubt, Aran did not hesitate. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Stop that carriage. See who¡¯s in it!¡± At Aran¡¯s cry, not only the warriors around him, but also those who were cleaning up the situation from a distance, all focused on one point. ¡°Block the exit!¡± In response to the shouts that resounded with energy, the warriors who had been waiting moved in unison, thinking that there was no way to climb the slope at such a bright hour. Unless that woman was hiding inside a tent somewhere, she had no choice but to use the exit. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble.¡± Knowing that he had been discovered, Taro, who was anxious, swung the whip at the horses. Neiiigh! The horses neighed for a long time and increased their speed, but they were already close to the limit, so there was not much difference. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°How dare you, a warrior, disobey the words of the Grand Chieftain!¡± The warriors who were blocking the exit from the front threatened, but Taro turned a blind eye. The Goddess had said that the reason they should use a carriage was that it was most advantageous to break through the last line of defense that might have been there¡­ So this should work somehow, right? Deudeudeudukk! Deudeudeudukk! The wheels of the carriage that had been rolling violently as if they were falling off the carriage, soon brought them to reach the point where they would encounter the warriors. ¡°Get away!¡± Suddenly, a woman¡¯s voice was heard. Taro blinked his eyes, not sure if he had heard properly. Where and how should he get away right now? The moment he wondered¡­ Kwaaaaang!!! With a loud noise, a great shock was given to the carriage that Taro was driving. Taro tightened his hand holding the reins to prevent his body from being completely thrown off the coach seat. Then he turned his head to confirm the identity of the one that collided with the side of the carriage. It was an empty carriage, and although it was clearly tattered compared to the one they were riding in, a carriage was still a carriage. The carriage that Taro was driving leaned to the side and eventually fell over and pounded the ground. The horses pulling the carriage suddenly twisted their body direction, and when their legs were bent, they went crazy. Neeeigh! Neeeigh!! It was a sad cry as they couldn¡¯t get out of the frame that tied them up. The condition of their side that had hit the ground was much worse. The horses and the carriage were crushed together, making the shape unrecognizable in the pool of blood. However, it wasn¡¯t like they were in a position to ask for something better. That carriage had done its job well enough, and they were the prey caught there. Taro, who had not been flung too far because of the reins he had held in his hand, but had been hit hard on the ground, got up and approached the body of the carriage. ¡°Dahil! Dahil, are you okay?¡± As if bitten by a large beast, the side with the window was hollowed out. With this depth, at least half of the inside of the carriage must have been destroyed. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only As Taro removed the debris around the carriage with his face dripping tears, a huge shadow appeared from the side of the bloodied wreckage of the carriage. As if a small mountain was moving, thick shadows flowed towards Taro. ¡°How dare a warrior of the desert betray me?¡± ¡°G-Grand Chieftain!¡± Taro trembled in fear. Chapter 76 Aran had always been paying attention to Shamir¡¯s movements, therefore, he knew that the insignificant common warrior in front of him had nothing to do with Shamir. If he had known there were pests that would corrode him and his tribe in the first place, he would have cleaned it up with Shamir. He wouldn¡¯t have left it behind. Aran looked around and blinked his eyes when he found something that could be used as a substitute for bait. Then he directly climbed on the back of the horse, not the coach seat, that was still connected to a carriage, grabbed its mane hard with power enough to rip it off to make the horse turn, and slammed the weapon in his hand to the horse¡¯s hind. Surprised by the burning pain, the speed of the horse increased even more. It recklessly hit whatever was in front of it without knowing what it was. Aran, who descended heavily to the floor, approached slowly after watching the two carriages collide. The warriors who were thickly blocking the front exit in front also dispersed and surrounded the half-destroyed carriage in a circle. ¡°This is the end, incarnation of Sionil. Are you going to accept that there are things you can¡¯t do?¡± Aran said to Elisha, who was in the carriage, ignoring the young warrior, who had become frothy and frozen in a few words. She was hurt, but he didn¡¯t care, because he didn¡¯t think the damn woman would ever die like this. ¡°The last lesson wasn¡¯t enough, it seems. I admit that. So, I will teach you more in detail and desperately from now on. After today¡¯s wedding is over.¡± Aran¡¯s eyes twinkled. There was not an ounce of lust within those eyes though. They were only filled with only savage hatred to destroy their opponent. Chaeng-grang! When they heard the sound of the carriage¡¯s windows breaking, the warriors flinched and raised their vigilance. Yes, so much bravery for warriors of the desert. A woman with silver hair appeared through the broken window. She reached out her hand as she passed through a space where a normal, thin woman couldn¡¯t have escaped from. Then, after delaying for some time, another woman came out. It was a common desert woman. Although just being there made her no longer a ¡®common¡¯ woman. ¡°Ha!¡± He didn¡¯t understand how a stain could move around so quickly. Shamir was removed, but the 2nd Consort immediately found these people to be on her side. It went beyond right and wrong, and it involved the foundation of the long-term survival of the desert tribe. It was not light enough for an outsider to step up and destroy easily! ¡°Bring her. The other two¡­ you¡¯re free to kill them!¡± Being free to kill meant doing whatever they wanted. It would be a tragic end for the two who ruined Aran¡¯s face, who became the grand chieftain in the presence of other tribes and caused great damage to the entire native tribe. They would be an example of not making rash choices. The warriors narrowed the siege around the carriage. Meanwhile, the riots in the basin also entered a quiet state, and the other vice-leaders and warriors who were watching the situation at the exit approached. Elisha handed Dahil, whom she was supporting with one hand, to Taro, and raised the crescent-shaped sword she was holding with the other hand. Elisha thought. Is it now? No. Not yet. Didn¡¯t she still have a weapon in her hand? Furthermore, there was still the green jewel around her neck that could be used as a last resort. Elisha looked up at the sky. The scorching sun illuminated her silver hair. Like a dazzling moonlight flickering in a crumbling ruin. Elisha lowered her gaze and looked at the warriors who came within 10 meters of her. It was clear which way to go. ¡°Taro, I will clear the road, so take Dahil and follow me. If you lose me, I won¡¯t look back, so be prepared to die.¡± When Elisha spoke without looking back, Taro, who had been hugging Dahil, quickly wiped away his tears and answered. ¡°Yes!¡± As soon as he approached, Elisha kicked the floor and shot out. ¡°Huh?¡± The surrounding net, which had formed a circle, was squashed into an elongated shape in an instant. Chaeng! Chaeng! Elisha held the crescent sword at an angle and cut off those who rushed toward her. Shwaa! She got help from Undine. As she squeezed out the mana that was running out, the vitality of her body that was the source trembled. It¡¯s dangerous as it is. Elisha bit her lower lip, and a scream came from behind. ¡°Kyaaakh!¡± It was Dahil. Even Elisha could barely hold out, so it was natural that it was too much for one warrior and an ordinary woman who were not outstanding. But Elisha had obviously notified them of what she could and couldn¡¯t do, and they were the ones who made the choice, so she didn¡¯t have to care anymore. She didn¡¯t¡­ She wasn¡¯t going to turn around¡­ But unknowingly, she still turned around and reached out to Dahil who was being targeted by weapons. Kakakang! Weapons were blocked by water and bounced off. Elisha almost spat blood. In the meantime, the warriors came closer and rushed towards the gap. ¡°I¡¯m doing such a stupid thing.¡± Not for Leon or Ascensio. It wasn¡¯t like she had no choice but to take risks. They weren¡¯t even important people who would be of great help to her in the future. If it had been in the past, it would have been so natural that she would have gone her own way without having to worry about it. Elisha saved Dahil and Taro and ran again. It was only one step late, but it was enough time for the scattered warriors to close the gap and unite. She could feel the pounding heartbeat. Was it okay to delay and be interrupted like this in order to save those who have low prospects on the way to Leon? Destroy them all, kill them all, approach the child at the shortest distance and the fastest, and run to him! Show him my bloody self again? Like in the past, when I ran for him while abandoning everything? Her head was pounding. The pendant fluttered according to Elisha¡¯s movement. Cool metal cooled the heat. Yes, Rohan said he would protect me. The empire praised the 2nd Consort, so there was no reason for the emperor to antagonize the 2nd Consort¡¯ child now. The child is safe. Elisha covered the pendant with her palm. She wished she could save those two and take them out. She didn¡¯t want to let them die when she couldn¡¯t return anything after receiving their help. They were not knights who swore allegiance to her, nor were they the people of the empire who grieved for her. All the two people who were unrelated to her wanted was to get out of here and live together without the pursuit of the desert tribes. ¡°Murgun.¡± Was it Tarisha? Or was it Torisha? Anyway, the rumors that the baroness heard may be true. Elisha looked back at the warriors who were pursuing them endlessly and clicked her tongue. Then she opened the lid of the pendant with her fingertips and touched the green jewel. She hoped that one step would be two steps, two steps would be three steps, and as she tried to feel the aura of the jewel, the airflow suddenly changed. The ranks had turned into a semicircle with the exit blocked, and Elisha stared over the shoulders of the warriors trying to attack them. A considerable number of signs were felt outside the exit. The echo on the ground also grew stronger. Elisha was not the only one who noticed the strange feeling. ¡°Look behind! It¡¯s an assault!¡± As soon as Aran¡¯s cry was over, the people that appeared from the exit started to wield their weapons and cut down the warriors of the Aran tribe who had their backs on the exit. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°The enemy! It¡¯s the enemy!¡± As the warriors of the Aran tribe shouted, other native warriors who were approaching tried to help them stop the invaders from entering. However, the intruders were on horseback, making it difficult for them to deal with. Those who were inside beginning to be pushed. As the fight intensified, Elisha, Dahil, and Taro saw the people¡¯s attention shift away from them. Elisha¡¯s instinct became sensitive. She whispered that this was a golden opportunity to escape Aran¡¯s grasp. But also, she warned. That it would be the beginning of a new danger. Elisha didn¡¯t know how their situation would change depending on the identity of those who attacked. But either way, it worked. Elisha took Dahil and Taro, who were absent-minded, and moved away from the exit of the basin. A new enemy had appeared and the battle had begun, so the depths of the basin opposite the exit were empty. Now, it seemed that they could escape to the outside over the rocky slope that surrounded the basin. ¡°If you can¡¯t even do that, there¡¯s nothing I can do for you.¡± Elisha said, swerving from the direction the native tribe warriors were running, leading Dahil and Taro to the corner. Dahil and Taro nodded their heads. After confirming, Elisha gently pushed the two of them and tried to follow them while checking their surroundings, but a shadow quickly approached behind their back. Elisha twisted her upper body and lifted her sword, but it was difficult to overcome the power of the opponent who had slammed their weapon down after jumping into the air in addition to their running force. Kaaang!! Elisha¡¯s body staggered, her back was bent back. Elisha¡¯s crescent-shaped sword, which was blocking the opponent¡¯s weapon, was pushed and pushed, until the back of her sword came close to her face. ¡°Where are you going, running away like a rat?¡± When Aran spoke, straightening his neck toward her, Elisha answered. ¡°What should I do if the rat nest doesn¡¯t suit me? Why didn¡¯t you make it a bit more suitable for a human being? Ah, right, you¡¯re not a human. I was being rude.¡± She spoke the words in an indifferent tone, but it was Aran¡¯s first time having his head almost blown off because of someone¡¯s words. Aran, whose eyes were trembling, slightly pushed back the blade that was crossing with Elisha¡¯s crescent-shaped sword. It didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d give up anytime soon. After being pushed to the limit, when there was a gap, Elisha¡¯s hand sprang up arbitrarily. Aran slammed his crescent-shaped sword toward Elisha with the same motion as before. This time, Elisha couldn¡¯t react immediately. ¡°Goddess!¡± Whiing! If the two people, who were a little far away, had not run back, grabbed Elisha¡¯s arm and pulled her towards them, Elisha would have suffered serious injuries. Perhaps she¡¯d be dead. Chaeng-grang! The crescent sword fell from Elisha¡¯s hand, which was losing strength, and dropped to the ground. ¡°Your gut is too big.¡± Aran said in an unpleasant tone. Taro and Dahil, who sat down on either side of Elisha, were like little animals. Elisha, who was much smaller than the two, leaned forward as if protecting them. Aran reached out his hand to Elisha. At that time, Elisha was looking down at the crescent sword that was between her and Aran. She thought she could throw herself forward, grab that sword, stab him, and take at least two steps backward before his hand got closer. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to escape in the meantime? As Elisha was about to put it into action, someone gently pressed her shoulder. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Our consort really doesn¡¯t give up.¡± ¡°How can I give up?¡± If I give up it will be all over. That will be the worst of the worst. She had a genuinely confused expression. And looking down at her, Shamir¡¯s golden eyes bent slightly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our consort is such a person.¡± Then, he made eye contact with Aran, who was staring at him as if to kill him. ¡°Should you be staying here? Can¡¯t you see all the native tribes falling over there?¡± ¡°Did you bring our enemies over? As if betrayal is not enough, are you going to kill your own tribesmen?¡± Shamir shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re your karma, not mine. You really don¡¯t know? They¡¯re the ones you¡¯ve offended the most recently, and a huge offense at that.¡± Aran¡¯s movements stopped right away. He turned his face towards the enemy he had crushed. Before Aran could open his mouth, he heard a cry from the other side. ¡°Aran! Here I am!¡± ¡°Laoman¡­! Shamir¡¯s white teeth were exposed when Aran groaned. Chapter 77 The chieftain of the Laoman tribe was quick-tempered. So, he waited for the day of the conference to laugh at Aran, who had sent a lot of nonsense while saying he had the incarnation of Sionil in his hand. On the continent, as the fame of the 2nd Consort of the Atien Empire increased, several water-talented people emerged. Of course, most of them had been scammers, but who would¡¯ve known at that time? They could¡¯ve brought in a truly skilled person. Native tribesmen said that Aran was somewhat radical but serious and reliable, but well. Laoman, who had always opened his eyes to find fault with his opponent, knew. Aran¡¯s true goal was to instigate people to cover up his self-righteousness and put a burden on them under the guise of trust. Therefore, for the same reason, Laoman suddenly thought of Aran when he found a warrior under his own command brought traces of ties with one of the main factions within the hostile pro-Kran Kingdom faction. Because of that, the moment Aran tried to realize his dream, Laoman¡¯s feet, which would be Aran¡¯s biggest obstacle, were tied up. If he just covered it up, that in itself was giving the conspirators his weakness, and even if he ran to the conference to report that he had been framed, it would not be of any help. It was obvious that his voice would be lost before Aran, and Aran would wield Laoman¡¯s tribe as much as he wanted. Still, he checked it over and over again, because the pro-Kran faction, or the Kran Kingdom itself might have planned and engaged in the internal division of his own tribe, but he hadn¡¯t found any abnormalities. There was someone out there, out of his tribe, who dared to do such a foolish thing! Laoman¡¯s reasoning, which had been boiling in his head because of his anger, was completely blown away. A spy from the Aran tribe who had been monitoring him was caught. Aran usually used Shamir, that crazy dog, for things that had to be dealt with quietly, but this time, he had sent other men. Laoman was not sure whether to think he was lucky, or mad that Aran didn¡¯t feel his tribe was worth that much handling. Even after being caught, the warrior didn¡¯t tell him anything. But just because the spy didn¡¯t talk didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t find anything. As they had been members of the same tribe for a long time, Laoman was able to read as much as possible about their origins and records of spying. Laoman immediately bought mercenaries. Thanks to the growing power of the Laoman tribe, decent mercenaries were available in sufficient numbers. Laoman thought. In a situation where one could neither subtract nor beat, his position would only get worse over time. In that case, it was best to hit when his opponent had not yet firmly established his prestige, when he (Laoman) was still at his best! Laoman immediately took his tribe¡¯s warriors and mercenaries to the Aran tribe. Mercenaries were added to the warriors of the Laoman tribe. Even so, there was no plan to jump in immediately because it was not enough to fight in a place where many tribal chieftains and warriors of native tribes were gathered. Above all, there was something unique, so it was necessary to check. For some reason, the warriors of the Aran tribe were scrambling to search the vicinity of the basin. It was the appearance of looking for someone. He thought they might have been discovered, but if they had, they would have dragged all the warriors out and attacked right away. They wouldn¡¯t have dug through the crevices of the barren stony mountains scattered across the desert, where one or two could barely hide, or the floors of abandoned ruins. So Laoman sat at a distance and waited for the time when everyone dispersed after the conference. When the chieftains of each tribe and the warriors leave Aran¡¯s basin and head to their own base. At that time! He¡¯d raid the basin where only the Aran tribe remained, cut off Aran¡¯s head, and take everything away! Laoman was confident that he¡¯d be able to hold the other tribes in his hand without Aran. However, the follow-up to the conference was much longer than expected. Laoman was heartbroken because it was proof that the conference was held very successfully. Using mercenaries meant money, and it meant more money as the contract extended. He was worried that the contract period could be a problem. After the set date had passed, the mercenaries might go back without a fight after receiving only the advance payment. When Laoman called the mercenary commander to discuss, it was fortunate that he promised to take responsibility for the fight until the end by paying a little extra money. However, that did not mean the situation could be like this forever. Food and water ran out, and there was a problem with morale. He even tried to sneak into Aran¡¯s basin, but since Aran was so vigilant, there was a high chance of being detected. Then their hiding place would be known, causing danger to themselves. Probably, there was only one person in the desert who could go into a place with that level of security and get out without being noticed by anyone! However, that person had proudly invaded and revealed the conspiracy of the chieftain of Aran tribe, and if anyone sympathized with him, they would be defined as an enemy, and everything on their side would be classified as traitor and killed! The bonds of the desert tribes were strong, but when they turned, they became as cruel as a sword. It was a dry land where everyone had to share what was limited. If one didn¡¯t have that much heart, one would not give what they had, and if the other party couldn¡¯t return that much, one didn¡¯t have to give theirs out. When Laoman, who was already in a hurry, couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and tried to run to Aran¡¯s basin. The one and only madman he had just thought of appeared! ¡°Shamir!¡± The blades were unsheathed with Laoman¡¯s shout, but Shamir didn¡¯t even raise his eyebrows and waved his hands in a cheerful greeting. Well, it¡¯s nice to see you. Shamir had not even thought of saying hello. It had been purely coincidental that Shamir found them quite far from the basin where the Aran tribe resided, after he noticed Spot, who was tied to one of the carriages that had run recklessly because of the consort¡¯s plan. He couldn¡¯t just pass the mountain because warriors of unusual scale filled the mountain. [T/N: It is the mountain that forms the basin] Shamir, who erased the trajectory and approached the gathered people, was very glad to find Laoman. No matter how he looked at it, it was surprising that their numbers exceeded the number of warriors that only Laoman could mobilize. Shamir gave a warning to Spot, who was whining because it would not let anyone pick it up beside the consort, not to get out of the vicinity, and then released it. Then he alternated looking between the basin and the stone mountain. Shamir, who had sneaked into the basin and heard the news of the consort¡¯s wedding, thought that the best time for the Laoman tribe to launch a raid was after the wedding ceremony was over and the chieftains and warriors of each tribe left. There was only a little time left, but the chieftain of the Laoman tribe seemed unable to wait. Even if the chieftain of the Laoman tribe moved now, Shamir thought he should be able to take the consort and run away, but if he did, Aran would definitely give chase. If they were unlucky, Aran might even split up his warriors and use them against them while dealing with Laoman. So, rather than making useless variables, Shamir appeared in front of Laoman instead of the plan he was trying to use secretly. Of course, Laoman did not believe Shamir, but he did not deny the fact that it made sense to some extent, as he saw with his own eyes that warriors from the Aran¡¯s basin came out periodically to search the area and find people. Above all, if Aran knew where they were, he would have gone hunting to show his strength and set an example as a commemoration of becoming the grand chieftain, instead of using the trick of inducement. Even though Shamir was Aran¡¯s closest confidant, the chieftains also knew the fact that Aran also considered Shamir a headache. In the end, it was no different than saying that Shamir had been kicked out after taking Laoman¡¯s side, so Laoman thought it would be good to convince Shamir, who would be very useful if he was his. After deciding to take care of things according to Shamir¡¯s information, Laoman finally asked jokingly. ¡°By the way, what of that incarnation of Sionil? Is this one a useful figurehead? Enough for that Aran to even arrange a wedding ceremony and emphasize it is the real deal?¡± ¡°Aaah.¡± When Aran sent his tribe¡¯s warriors to the western part of the Empire, the other native tribes were not allowed to move, so it was only when they ran into each other outside the basin while fleeing that it was revealed who was the incarnation of Sionil. Laoman knew that Aran could fool people as much as he wanted, but he didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d do something worse than that. ¡°Well, you should see for yourself. You¡¯ll know if you see her.¡± Shamir answered as he thought of the consort, whom he wanted to see quickly. Not long now. So¡­ please don¡¯t make trouble until I arrive, our consort. He was sure that she would not be waiting for someone else¡¯s promise, but¡­in the desert, inside the basin where the Aran tribe stayed, what could she do as a complete outsider? He was worried, but he was rather relieved. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that his idea was wrong. Shamir, who had taken off a layer of outerwear he was wearing and covered over Elisha¡¯s head, shook his head excitedly when he saw the two other people looking up at him while holding the consort like a lifeline. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you seduced such children and made them do bad things. Our consort is so evil.¡± ¡°W-we¡­¡± Dahil, who was not a child, and was about to say that the goddess even saved their lives, shut her mouth as soon as she met Shamir¡¯s golden eyes. Contrary to his tone of voice, his wrinkled, indifferent eyes were so heavy, as if scolding them for being the goddess¡¯s shackles. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for them, I would have taken a more risky approach.¡± ¡°More than this?¡± Shamir asked, as if wondering what more could be done. Shamir, who had wiped the smile from his face as if he was tired, looked at the surroundings. What a mess. He could not find the former appearance of the basin where he had lived before. The consort, who couldn¡¯t even use her power properly, and that young girl, had made this together. In the place where not only the Aran tribe, but all the native tribes were gathered. However, Elisha was only telling the truth. If it wasn¡¯t for those two, there was a high possibility that in the end, she would¡¯ve used her mana. The impact would be dangerous to herself, but it would be even more dangerous to others. Anyway, there was no time for this. Elisha pushed away those who were clinging to the left and right of her and got up. They both quickly straightened their posture and stood close to her. How long has it been since they met? Now they are following her like ducklings following their mother duck? It was interesting yet absurd. Of course, there might be someone else who felt that emotion the most here. ¡°Aran! Aran!¡± The presence of the Chieftain Laoman, who suddenly popped out from among the invaders, completely froze the native tribes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Chieftain Laoman?¡± He could hear them gossiping, but Laoman didn¡¯t give them a single glance. Laoman¡¯s eyes were fixed on the other side. ¡°There you are, you traitor!¡± Laoman shouted as the sound of metal screeching rang. He ran without hesitation, lifting the crescent-shaped sword in his hand. Of course he was heading towards the place where Elisha and her party, who had been fighting Aran, were standing. Chapter 78 When Laoman rode his horse, the native tribes split left and right to pave the way. Baheum, who was the strongest assistant to Aran, was absent, so the chieftains of the native tribes and the warriors were confused by the sudden appearance of Laoman, and of the word ¡®traitor¡¯ that he had shouted. They knew that there would be something, but it was actually much more insidious than they thought. ¡°All we want is Chieftain Aran and those who sympathize with him, who conspired to trick me and my clan! Back down if you don¡¯t want to fight!¡± When the mercenary commander learned of the nature of Aran¡¯s basin, he recommended going in after the disturbance subsided, but Laoman didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. There were many reasons, but the biggest of them was Aran. ¡°Only you, I will kill you with my own hands!¡± Laoman lowered his sword. With the weight of his horse added to its running power, it was thought that Aran¡¯s head would be cut off at once and rolled to the floor, but. Kkaaang! Aran raised his weapon over his head and deflected Laoman¡¯s sword. Laoman, who had almost dropped his sword due to the opposition power, clenched his teeth. Tadadakk! Laoman, who had completely passed Aran, turned the horse¡¯s head to change direction, making it face Aran again. Layman hurried the horse¡¯s side by hitting it with his ankle bone hard enough to make a sound. Neeigh! The horse ran. This time, instead of welcoming him in place as before, Aran rushed toward the horse. Kung! Kung! Kung! Kwaang! The massive figure accelerated and hit the floor, and at the end, he jumped off at once. The shadow was so huge that it covered Laoman on horseback. Laoman, with his eyes narrowed in the backlight that obscured the sun, swung his weapon like an instinct. Chaeng! Chaeeng! Every time he blocked an attack, his body trembled, and the vibration was transmitted to the horse. Still, Laoman managed to persevere. As the battle between the leaders continues, the warriors of the two tribes also clash and wield their weapons. As the movement intensified, only the warriors of the Baheum tribe helped the Aran tribe, and the other tribe chieftains and warriors retreated back and forth, still at a loss. It was not intended as such, but soon only those who were fighting were left behind. Chieftain Vedal wanted to stop the fight, so he opened his mouth¡­ but suddenly, like those who were stepping away from the fight, something caught his eyes. Unlike them, who faced the exit from the innermost side, those who rushed in with the Laoman tribe actually left the scene where the fight took place and back to the exit. They must¡¯ve been mercenaries, so he wondered why they were doing this without helping their employer, but if they intervened, the situation would become more complicated, so he stopped the thought. Biiiik! If not for the change that happened with the loud cry of a hawk across the blue sky above the basin. Biiik! Biiik! The number of hawks increased to two and three, and the mercenaries formed their ranks. Vedal, whose tension was raised, soon realized that they might want to interfere in the fight soon as they raised their arms. The mercenaries did not approach, but rather retreated further. It was just like when the warriors of the Aran tribe tried to stop the incarnation of Sionil from running through the exit in a carriage. ¡°They¡¯re blocking the exit? Why?¡± He was puzzled, but the soles of his feet trembled. He couldn¡¯t see the outside because of the rock wall, but he could feel it. ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s never easy where our consort is. This time, the desert is about to collapse.¡± They both said at the same time. And clicked their tongue the same. While Laoman ran to face Aran, they had gradually widened their distance from them and moved deeper into the basin before stopping. Ppasseuk! When the energy of the emerald inside the pendant was raised, the jewel became powder and disappeared. She wanted to preserve the original shape, but it was too small and it was difficult to concentrate her power in detail right now. A handful of power spread into her body. It seemed that the lack of breath was somewhat filled. On the contrary, the sharp waves that stabbed the skin grew stronger and stronger. It must¡¯ve meant that there were many of them, and the danger was great. Just as expected. As they continued to walk again, the air grew heavier and heavier. Those who had climbed the slope from beyond the basin stopped at the top and looked down at the tribesmen below. There were so many of them, the slope was shaded as if it had risen by a span. Elisha looked around and searched for the prison where she was confined when she first came here. But the prison was nowhere to be seen, instead, a place with a similar structure caught her eye. It seemed like that would be fine, but Elisha didn¡¯t move right away. Even Aran and Laoman, who had been fighting with their eyes narrowed, seemed to have stopped their swords, and the inside of the basin was quiet. This was because the person who moved first could be the first target to be attacked by the gaze of the enemies surrounding the basin from above. Shamir felt that the unnaturally stiffened and squeaking Dahil and Taro were funny for a while, and fished for information about why this was happening. That said, whether the pro-Kran Kingdom faction really gave up trying to attack Elisha and what false accusation Laoman wrote, and the fact that the level of the mercenaries Laoman brought seemed too much for him to obtain. Everything was strange. ¡°It seems that the chieftain of Laoman tribe was probing all over the place and hit the main players in the pro-Kran Kingdom faction, where there really was something to be probed about, by accident. The mercenaries must have been attached by the faction in advance for internal control under the concept of an advance team.¡± Elisha quickly found the answer. Laoman did not know the secrets of the pro-Kran Kingdom faction, the pro-Kran Kingdom faction misunderstood the reason for Laoman¡¯s movements, and Aran did not predict what would happen when the two of them were sparsely tangled. ¡°As always, our consort, you¡¯re so smart!¡± Shamir praised her, but Dahil and Taro did not understand what they were talking about, so they nodded their heads only at the result. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s the tribe of the pro-Kran Kingdom. I thought there would be trouble someday, but not this soon¡­¡± Taro murmured. He meant that he never knew it would be the day when he decided to take a lifelong adventure with his woman. Elisha was not impressed with the information that she had gotten. She was just busy looking up and at the party. On the slopes surrounding the basin, the bows raised by the enemies reflected the sunlight. As the fluctuating light enveloped the slope, it was as beautiful as if a golden waterfall was about to pour down. But instead of a waterfall, silver rain poured down. Hard enough to soak up the inside of the basin. Swa-swa-swa-swa! ¡°Avoid it!¡± Someone¡¯s cry resounded, but where the hell should they go to avoid it? The exit was blocked, and the only way to avoid the attack was destroyed when horses and carriages ran rampant earlier. Standing on a dirt floor with no trees and no buildings, the desert tribes had to be shot with their bare bodies. Poe-boek! Poek! Poek! All of the warriors¡¯ heads and bodies were hit by arrows.. Blood pooled on the floor like rain. Elisha moved to the place she had been watching while protecting her party with the energy of water. As soon as they arrived, she pushed the party into a place that could only be seen as a protruding part from the bottom of the slope from above. Above the head, a flat stone protruded like a tongue sticking out, and the arrow was not able to fly in because the structure below was dug pretty deep in. ¡°I think they want to kill everyone.¡± Taro hugged Dahil, who couldn¡¯t even dare to look outside, as she muttered helplessly. ¡°No matter the reason this time around, the relationship between the native tribes and the pro-Kran Kingdom faction is never good anyway.¡± Their history went far back. It was nothing special. Shamir, who shrugged, continued. ¡°In order to cover up the dreary things, they should have taken this opportunity to wipe out all the native tribes and end everything. Come to think of it, how could they let it be when Aran gathered all of the native tribes in one place?¡± In the midst of this, when Shamir acted like he was having fun, Dahil and Taro looked tired. Then Shamir took another step. ¡°At a time like this, if our consort goes out and shows them that you¡¯re here, won¡¯t they all fall down with froths in their mouths out of shock?¡± Come to think of it, he thought it would be fun, so Shamir yelled at Elisha, who kept going inside. ¡°Our consort, did you hear me?¡± ¡°We should have done that before they shot the arrows. Now that they¡¯ve done it, we won¡¯t be able to handle the aftermath. In the current situation, it would be better if no one knows who I am.¡± ¡°What do you mean? The chieftain of the Laoman tribe asked me if you were just a scammer pretending to be the incarnation of Sionil, so I joked that he should go and check it out himself. The mercenary commander was also nearby at that time, so he might have heard of it. He might think it was a low-quality joke because they¡¯d never imagine us kidnapping the 2nd Consort.¡± It was ridiculous that the person who actually kidnapped the 2nd Consort said that with his own mouth. ¡°Anyway, our consort, what are you doing? Can I help you?¡± Perhaps it was boring to stay still, Shamir walked slowly to Elisha¡¯s side. Elisha was looking through the rocks inside the prison with her fingertips. [T/N: It was mentioned before that she couldn¡¯t find the prison where she was kept before and headed for the place with similar structure, I guess the author decided to call it ¡®prison¡¯ as well] ¡°What is it? Do you want me to dig here and go through the other side?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s possible.¡± Shamir was joking, but Elisha was very serious. ¡°Hmm.¡± Shamir also wanted to get serious, but it didn¡¯t work out. Elisha glanced down at him, who was crouching low and laughed,, and then concentrated on her work again. The rock in this area felt different from where she was. It was also different from the rocks she felt with her hands when attempting to escape through the slope. ¡°Goddess! The attack outside seems to be getting weaker. What will happen now?¡± ¡°The mercenaries guarding the exit will search inside and see if there are any living ones. Meanwhile, archers from the top of the slope will also come down.¡± They were rats in the trap. Dahil and Taro¡¯s emotions were far from stable, while one of the remaining two was too indifferent to this scary situation while the other one was having a lot of fun. At that time. Poeddoek! Poek! The sound of the stone crumbling with a great impact was heard. Elisha was putting all her strength into it. And then, Kukukung!! The moment when some of the piled rocks collapsed and the cave deepened. ¡°Wow!¡± Dahil exclaimed involuntarily. A scene that allowed anyone to balance their minds and immerse themselves in one emotion unfolded. There was an empty space beyond the collapsed rock inside the cave, and it was all green. Like a forest within the stone. It emitted light like emerald, and it was not so shiny, but the surface that glided over the lumpy gloss was elegant¡­ ¡°Jade.¡± Elisha said. That was what she called the thing from the moment she touched the cave wall. [T/N: From what I understand, basically the one attacking them is the mercenaries hired by Laoman, who are actually hired by the pro-Kran Kingdom faction as an ¡®advance team¡¯. It is mentioned that they actually do not know that Elisha is in this place. The reason for their attack is because they found out that Laoman has been probing their side, perhaps when he was looking for the spy that caused him to be shunned by the native tribes (actually Aran¡¯s doing), and thought that Laoman had found out their secrets. Well, Laoman did not find their secrets, so this attack is actually a misunderstanding, but despite the reason, their relationship had never been good, so¡­] Chapter 79 Elisha entered the green room. Except for the entrance she had passed through, the three sides were filled with jade embracing the stones. In the empty space in the middle where a couple of people could stand, Elisha looked around and reached out her hand. It felt cool to the touch. Is it only as far as my eyes can see? Or are there more inside? Elisha thought it should be the latter. It was a mess outside, perhaps even similar to hell. But here inside, it was silent all around. An indifferent beauty with silver hair standing alone in the green space would¡¯ve made a great picture. ¡°Ah, I wouldn¡¯t say things like this to our consort if I could, but I don¡¯t think anyone will believe me even if I go to them and say that you are the 2nd Consort. By now, your hair has bleached to gray, some people may even say that they¡¯ve misunderstood when they saw and claimed you are the 2nd Consort.¡± First of all, her hair was so tangled and dirty in the soil dust that the original color could not be seen, and the bruises on her face had not yet disappeared. If she had claimed to be the 2nd Consort earlier outside, those people would have continued to shoot arrows without paying attention to it, let alone accepting it as a bad joke. ¡°What I have to prove is not the fact that I¡¯m the 2nd Consort.¡± Elisha placed her palm on the jade, which she had only traced with her fingertips. ¡°Look outside. Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Shamir¡¯s eyes narrowed. It was obvious that he was thinking about what else the consort was trying to do. Elisha paid no more attention to him and focused on the jade. Syuaak! The energy from the jade resonated with Elisha. What was here was nature itself. The energy that had not yet been touched by humans. Pure, yet so free. How much of it could be extracted, and how much her body could withstand. She would only know if she tried. A flash of green light poured down on Elisha. The arrow rain had completely stopped. The only place in the basin untouched by arrows was around the exit where the mercenaries had formed ranks before. Half of the mercenaries were left at the exit, the other half were on horseback and spread out through the basin, and if there was any sign of life, they pressed it down with their horse¡¯s hoof without hesitation and swung their crescent-shaped sword. ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Their position was hard to notice if seen from above, however, would it be possible to just pass through this hole if the enemies came from forward? Shamir wanted to stick his head out to check, but there was no place to hide his body because there was no curvature inside. [T/N: I seriously have no idea what the place they¡¯re at right now looks like. I thought it was a deep cave before.] ¡°I can¡¯t believe our consort is still looking at jewelry at times like this. I guess you like jewels so much. If I make money later, I¡¯ll buy you a lot of jewelry.¡± Humming to himself, Shamir gripped his weapon tightly in his hand. If only one or two came, he thought he could finish them silently. After that, someone pulled the hem of Shamir¡¯s robe from behind. Shamir looked back with a smile. ¡°What is it? Is there anything more fun than seeing enemies with swords in front of you? If there isn¡¯t, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, that¡¯s¡­¡± Taro hesitated, and Shamir soon understood why he was doing this. Paaah! The green light that was leaking from inside came down to the place where Shamir was, which was the entrance. ¡°This is fun. This won¡¯t put you in big trouble, but we¡¯ll be in trouble with other things.¡± Shamir said as he watched the green light spread out to the outside of the entrance. It was as a green carpet was laid on the bottom of the basin. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Neiiigh! The mercenaries walking around on horseback shout in surprise. As the color in front of them changed, the horses were also confused and lost their way. ¡°It spread from the other side!¡± Someone pointed to the side of Elisha¡¯s party and said. ¡°This is the first time I can do something properly for our consort except to bring rice. If I can¡¯t do this, my abilities should be completely questioned.¡± The entrance was narrow, so no matter how many mercenaries were there, the number of people who could enter was limited. Since they can¡¯t ride their horses in, I should be able to hold them off for a bit, right? Shamir was thinking. Jjeojeok! Jjeok! There was a terrifying sound behind his back, coming from the inside. ¡°Our consort, no matter how brave I think I was, I think I¡¯m a bit scared now.¡± Not a single thing went as expected, and when one hurdle was overcome, something bigger and more amazing came. It was completely scary and enough to give one goosebump. Rocks split and the floor shook. ¡°G-Goddess, we have to go out!¡± Dahil shouted and reached out her hand, but a stone fell in front of her and she couldn¡¯t reach Elisha. Taro felt it was a pity, but if they delayed, they would all be crushed to death by rocks here. Thud! Thud! The cave collapsed from the inside. Following the two of them, Shamir also flew outside without any choice. Kwaang! As soon as Shamir exited, the entrance closed. It was completely covered with large and small pieces of rock that had fallen, so full that no one could enter. A thick layer of raging dust filled the surroundings and then disappeared. As the cause of the green light disappeared, the surrounding area became an ordinary battlefield again. Dirty, full of blood and flesh, and enemies ahead. All of this was incomprehensible, but one thing was certain: Enemies surrounded the three and drew their swords. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± One of them asked. Unfortunately, their opponent was just like that. Not the type to answer anything smoothly. ¡°Yeah. I wish I knew what was going on.¡± Shamir shrugged his shoulders, but the mercenary leader who remained at the exit approached this way. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re seeing each other again, let me ask. Are you really of the pro-Kran Kingdom faction? The Heb tribe or the Daren tribe?¡± Both are the main tribes on their side. The mercenary commander looked down at him without answering. ¡°Par!¡± No one knew if they came down from the rocky slope or if they had been waiting to enter separately, but a new group appeared from the exit. A middle-aged man at the forefront of them shouted, and the mercenary commander turned around. The middle-aged man waved his hand and told him to stop, and took action himself. Shamir¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Oh, Par. That¡¯s the name of the leader of the Heb tribe.¡± ¡°So?¡± Par, who responded without even looking at him, then stared at Shamir and opened his mouth. ¡°What was the green light a while ago?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you wondering if Aran was using only Laoman to pressure you after learning about what you were about to do but gave up? Or did you just go out of your way and do this only because of Laoman?¡± It couldn¡¯t have been a proper conversation because all the questions were answered with questions. Par realized that it was very inviting, but he wouldn¡¯t bite the offer. One should not forget the history of many tribes trying to convince each other of their cause, but rather suffering a lot. Besides, an enemy¡¯s mouth was really dangerous. The Heb tribe said that it would be the former, and the Daren tribe prepared this plan, saying that it would be the latter, but the result was the same anyway, so there was no difficulty in proceeding. The ending was also what everyone wanted. But, as if reading his thoughts, Shamir looked up at him, who was on horseback. As if it were really like that. Par raised his weapon, but there was a loud noise in the direction where the middle-aged man was heading. ¡°Hyeokh!¡± Ppeok! When he turned around, he saw two men, bloody and so messed up, holding the middle-aged man¡¯s arms one by one, spreading them apart. Familiar faces with huge bodies. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead?¡± Shamir was amazed. No matter how much Aran and Laoman were, how did they survive the rain of arrows? The answer was probably because they gave the flesh of their horse as a meat shield instead and covered themselves with the corpses of their own people in several layers. Their swiftness that had performed it, and their patience to wait for someone who could be used as a hostage to appear while holding their breath even after all of their tribe died, was not something that anyone could imitate. In addition, they were in a situation where the enemy had been taking control of the surroundings and stabbing the dead bodies once more. Aran and Laoman held the blades left and right around the middle-aged man¡¯s neck and pulled him hard as if he were their own, so screams came out of the middle-aged man¡¯s mouth continuously. Aran and Laoman had no intention of cooperating with each other. They hated each other like enemies, so how could they do that? But their tribesmen were slaughtered in front of their eyes. They couldn¡¯t be caught showing their ugly sides before their enemies, so they just pressed their egos down for a while. Aran grabbed the middle-aged man, who was a clear key figure, and was about to move toward the exit when he found Shamir looking at him from the other side. ¡°What about you?¡± Laoman was also looking at Shamir. ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± When Laoman called, Aran¡¯s face distorted. Then, as if thinking about something, he softened his complexion and opened his mouth. ¡°We will clear up any misunderstanding later. Shamir, come.¡± At Aran¡¯s words, this time, Laoman¡¯s forehead was the one with wrinkles. Well, whether they had wrinkles or not, Shamir didn¡¯t care. Par¡¯s eyes hardened when it seemed like things were going in the wrong direction. If he didn¡¯t step up and offer Aran¡¯s head to the chieftain of the Daren tribe himself, it would¡¯ve been over already! From the exit, opposite Par¡¯s, who was trying to calm down, view, Suha hung a bow on the bowstring. He was one of the most talented guys. Even though Par saw it clearly, he raised his hand without intending to stop him, and Suha pulled the bow hard at his gesture. Tung! When the bowstring was released, an arrow was fired and flew to Aran. On the side where Laoman was, a warrior who lowered his body and rushed jumped from the bottom and stretched out his sword. As a result, Aran turned around and avoided the arrow, but Laoman was unlucky. ¡°Hyeokh!¡± Dark red liquid poured down from the side cut from the bottom to the top. Not a second too late, Aran pulled the middle-aged man towards him and hugged him from behind. Laoman, who was injured and became a burden, was thrown away. Now that only Aran was left, Par, who was thinking about how to deal with him, remembered what he had forgotten for a moment. Par pointed his finger at Shamir and the unknown couple. ¡°Kill them.¡± However, the subordinates did not listen to him and only stared at him. Par frowned, not knowing why¡­ Peurung! Peururrung! His subordinates were shaking and crying, perhaps because they noticed it first. Only then did Par realize that the land he was standing on was rising. When he froze, not knowing what had happened, the ground he was standing on was torn left and right. ¡°Ah, aaaaagh!¡± Par didn¡¯t even know he was screaming. And the ground only split for a brief moment before stopping. That caused more fear. ¡°What? What was that?¡± The intruders stood at the edge of the deep pit that was still open and looked down. ¡°How deep is it?¡± No one knew. One of the chieftains was gone, and the other was a hostage. When Aran felt this was an opportunity and was about to move, the warrior who had just fired his bow from the exit shouted. ¡°Calm down! Lord Matari will be here soon!¡± Then, he aimed an arrow at Aran. But once again, the ground shook like a wave, and the hole widened from side to side, and this time as a group of warriors plummeted down, their complexions turned white. ¡°What is this? A monster!? Come out! Come out and fight proudly!¡± The collapsed cave behind Shamir began to roar as if in response to the voice resounding in the quiet space. The stones rattled, and the dust scattered as if the cave was breathing. Dgruuu. Tuk! Small stones rolled in all directions, bumped into someone, and bounced off. Then, after a moment. Kwaaang! Stream of water rushed up with a roar. A woman was standing on it. Her hair was still dirty and lost its color, and her face swelled up, preventing anyone from reminiscing about her beautiful original appearance. Regardless, she was the 2nd Consort. No one could deny that fact. Elisha looked down. She was indifferent and arrogant as a goddess. Chapter 80 Shwaaaa! Standing on a towering pillar of water, Elisha felt the infinite freedom that she had been longing for a long time. Since she lost Ignis, she had been wondering when she would ever feel it again. As she stretched out her hand, the wind scraped the air like a wave. As long as Elisha had the will, it would be embodied in reality and the world would be torn apart. This was not a runaway anymore. It was pure delight! Elisha, whose palm was stretched, felt so sorry for the sky above and the earth below. Because she knew that this power that allowed her to cut the boundaries of the world with her own hands could not continue to stay with her. Elisha realized she was mistaken when she tried to extract the jade energy. As she had done so far, she wanted to draw out the energy of the jade-infused rock and resonated it with her will to convey it to Undine. One by one, in turn. There was no problem at first. Rather, it was better than she had expected, so she was relieved and sped up the process. So, when all the jade energy of the first rock was delivered to Undine, Elisha tried to lift her palm, but she couldn¡¯t. The first rock maintained its original shape even after losing all of its energy, and it handed her over the power of the second rock. It was then that Elisha realized that each of them was a rock and at the same time a mass. Even while thinking, the jade energy resonated with Elisha and continued to give strength to Undine. After the fourth, fifth, and about the tenth time, Elisha became serious. Elisha had no way to control or stop this resonance, which was flowing so wildly. Elisha must endure the opposition force that collided with the jade energy, which was forcibly cut off, and Undine¡¯s power, but it was too much for a body that couldn¡¯t even hold mana. However, if she continued to overdo it and connected the two forces, she would be ruined. Elisha ground her teeth. She raised her other hand. Then, with her chest tightly attached as if hugging the rocky bumpy wall, she put her other palm on the wall. Elisha commanded her senses. This is not working from one to a hundred, but working at a hundred like one. Instead of weaving a piece of fabric by pulling a bunch of yarn and unwinding it from a bundle of yarn¡­it is making a piece of cloth by pressing the whole bundle of yarn. In fact, in terms of risk, this might be riskier, but Elisha decided to trust Undine. What would happen if Undine, who was obviously not an ordinary water spirit, was given enough mana to use all her powers? Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to draw the mana of the gem and connect it with Undine, and conversely, Undine could affect the mana of the gem and lead to a stable situation? Shwaaaa! Elisha moved the mana of the gem connected to her body more strongly. The string of mana that Undine was connected to by the gem that became the magic body was categorized. That¡¯s¡­ the spirit¡¯s mana road. The purity that no one had ever seen had emerged in the world. A beautiful road made of melting green gems. Elisha stared at the magical truth with a more bewitched face than when she first encountered it. She didn¡¯t even know that the green light was flashing and spreading out in all directions. Her body trembled as if it was about to collapse, and her mind wandered. She repeatedly cleared her mind, but that didn¡¯t matter either. The painting in her eyes flowed from her head to her toes and flowed into one. Her heart warmed. The heat that started was going wild as if it would burn the whole body! Her mouth opened, but she didn¡¯t groan. Disordered breathing sounds were all over the place. Undine, who was looking down at Elisha, slowly moved downward. The closer she got to the floor, the more her body grew. Undine, who had been a little girl, had become a woman, and stood behind Elisha. Undine spread her arms and hugged Elisha from behind. Undine buried her face in her shoulder and covered her hand over Elisha¡¯s heart. The energy of the water that spread from Undine¡¯s hand suppressed the heat. The heat cooled down. The red light that was young in the sky blue eyes slowly faded away. Tuddung! Tung! The pieces of rock that fell over her head were interrupted by Undine¡¯s force and bounced off in all directions. Tutugung! Tung! As the insides of the rocks that supported the stomach became powder, they fell down, unable to endure the force that was pressing down. Displaced stones creaked and cracked in all directions, and collapsed rapidly. But Elisha survived under Undine¡¯s protection. And as soon as the work was done, Undine, who suddenly returned back to the shape of a little girl, flew to Elisha¡¯s face and sat down. Elisha once again felt the spirit¡¯s mana road radiating within her. She thought Undine stopped her from almost exploding when she saw the spirit¡¯s mana road for the first time earlier. The power absorbed at that time still remained within Elisha. Her own body was not better. A new force, which was still broken and twisted, was overlying it. It was a considerable burden, and if one looked closely, one could see that Elisha¡¯s skin had blue tendons bulging and redness everywhere because her body could not stand it just by holding it in for a while. If she left it like this, her body that couldn¡¯t stand the energy would be torn to pieces. So, that¡¯s why she had to pour it out, and she was trying to use it ¡®moderately¡¯. Elisha was happy to go back and have more things to say to Leon. She had to tell him she had found another thing she liked. Elisha stopped the explosion of the energy once more. Syuaah! A stream of water slid down and pulled up the three figures from the bottom of the basin. ¡°G-Goddess!¡± Dahil and Taro were soaked in tears and had runny noses. ¡°This looked really fun, but it¡¯s high and it¡¯s not good. Does Your Majesty like things like this? Is it good to be tall? Is it good to look down?¡± Even in the midst of this, Shamir was quietly babbling nonsense. Elisha looked down without answering. ¡°There you are.¡± Elisha¡¯s sky blue eyes flashed as she spoke to herself. Aran was in a dazed state because he could not understand what was going on. The enemy, the eldest son of the chieftain of the Heb tribe, who could have killed him with just one teasing of his tongue, fell to the earth in an instant¡­ The 2nd Consort, who had a problem with the mana road and could not use her power properly, was standing above his head in the form of an absolute being that he had never seen before. ¡°Le-let go¡­¡± The middle-aged man, whom he was holding hostage, was trembling as if he was about to wet himself. Aran almost relaxed his hand for a moment, but he endured it. Seeing that the 2nd Consort had taken her people, she might head back in that way, and then he would be left alone among these many enemies. ¡°W-what is that¡­¡± It seemed that Laoman still hadn¡¯t died. Aran spat at Laoman, who was shocked, while still holding his side with both hands. ¡°It is Elisha de Rappelcia, the 2nd Consort of the Atien Empire.¡± ¡°W-why is the 2nd Consort here?¡± ¡°I brought her here. To use her as the incarnation of Sionil.¡± ¡°You did what? Are you crazy¡­!?¡± Laoman was not the only one who answered. The middle-aged man, the hostage Aran was holding, freaked out and shouted. He knew that he would die if Aran twisted his neck, but he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. Because that really didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Why? It¡¯s okay to kill her, but no kidnapping?¡± The open mouth of the middle-aged man was tightly shut. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Laoman lay on his back and looked up at the sky. He only knew that the roots of the conspiracy he suffered were much deeper and tougher than he expected. His blood drained and his eyes became blurry. He was certain of one thing. As of today, the desert is over. Aran, who was running wild thinking he was smart, eventually devoured the desert, both the native tribes and the pro-Kran Kingdom tribes. The last thing that Laoman, who was losing his mind while thinking that this was how Aran made this kind of unified desert that he loved so much, saw was flying snakes. ¡°D-doesn¡¯t that look like Garyosa?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, avoid it!¡± Chwaruk! A dozen snakes made of water, which could be about 2 meters thick and 10 meters long, began swirling around in the basin. Poeboekk! Peak! There were some warriors who thought that they would pass through without damage even if they collided with those things as they were made of water. However, as soon as they saw a horse that collided with one of them thrown backwards to the ground and vomited blood, and after seeing a person squashed and disappearing upon contact, they ran away unconditionally. However, even if this was a large basin, there was no way to avoid the swarm of snakes of that size roaming around. The Heb tribe warriors guarding the exit turned their heads. If it was just the native tribes there, they would have bravely attacked them regardless of death. But when the power of the water, which was considered sacred but sanctified, punished them, they could not think of anything else. Tadakk! Taddak! At the owners¡¯ urging, the horses rushed, busying their feet. The Heb warriors made their way into the desert through the only exit of the basin, which had a gentle slope. No, they meant to do that. A water snake flew behind them, slid to the front, and rushed them head-on. Poeboboekk! The horses and warriors that collided with the snake flew to and fro. The damage caused by the fallen comrades and horses, not the snake, was greater. But the snake did not end there, but twisted its body from side to side, which had been stretched out in a straight line among them. ¡°Aaagh! Aaaaaagh!¡± The sand was stained with blood. Amidst the turbulence inside and outside, only the place where Aran was located was quiet. Aran stood firm and couldn¡¯t stand it any longer as the whole basin, not just his surroundings, began to calm down. To a person with that kind of power, they would be like garbage, but did she have to do it like this? This was not a form of fear he had ever felt so far. Aran grabbed the hostage he was holding. not for use. He just didn¡¯t want to be here alone. But when they had finished their work, one or two snakes gathered around Aran. ¡°Do you remember?¡± A voice came from overhead. When he looked up, the 2nd Consort was looking down at him with indifferent eyes that did not contain any emotions. He said he was the one who messed up that noble face, and it might make him feel better if he humiliates her¡­ His hands trembled. His tongue hardened. Aran couldn¡¯t even ask what she was talking about. Shruruk! A snake rushed over and opened its mouth wide. The snake bit Aran and the middle-aged man Aran was holding hostage at once and stood upright. Their feet floated and their bodies were dangling in the air. The snake bowed its head down, then flipped them up and opened its mouth. Aran rose into the sky¡­and then fell. Surprised, Aran shoved the middle-aged man he was holding so hard that the man¡¯s body could not go up and quickly fell down. Poegoekk! It sounded creepy. Aran turned his eyes away from what would soon be the case for him as well and clenched his teeth. Crack! Just before he was thrown to the floor, another snake, who was turning its heads down below, opened its mouth and bit Aran. Then it did the same thing the first snake did. Tossed Aran upwards. The third snake, and the fourth snake, as well. ¡°It was 20 times.¡± Elisha¡¯s voice, which was not as loud as it seemed, resounded like thunder in Aran¡¯s ears. Chapter 81 ¡°Aran should have been a prophet, not a warchief. He¡¯s really made such a big flower in the desert. Although it¡¯s red.¡± [T/N: Refers to Aran and Shamir conversation about revitalizing the oasis, the flower of desert] While squeezing out his own blood and flesh. When Elisha spread her palms out, the water snakes were cut and fell apart. Water seeped into the earth, going back to where it came from. Like herself. Elisha and her party got down outside the basin. Including Dahil and Taro, whom she had promised to take out. As her gaze turned to him, Shamir opened his golden eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave me just because you¡¯re done with your business, are you? Think carefully, our consort. It¡¯s still the desert. Don¡¯t tell me you trust him?¡± Shamir was joking, but his fingertips were pointing too accurately to Taro. Taro couldn¡¯t even get angry and shrank his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t bully him.¡± ¡°Your Ladyship, are you discriminating against me? Discrimination is for others because of me, not against me. How strange.¡± Elisha immediately realized that the best way to deal with Shamir was to ignore him, and that was something she was very good at. So she talked to Dahil and Taro without sparing Shamir a single glance. ¡°We need horses, don¡¯t we?¡¯ ¡°Yes. Besides horses, we need food, drinks, and other things. What I¡¯ve prepared in the carriage should¡¯ve been enough for us, but I don¡¯t think there will be anything useful left because the carriage is somewhere in the basin¡­¡± That was right. In fact, there was no need to mention anything in the basin, because the basin itself was all ruined. All those who were inside and outside the basin died¡­ They said they would hold a wedding ceremony early in the morning, and the basin, which had been bustling with people, turned into ruins within a day. It all started with the abduction of the 2nd Consort and ended at the 2nd Consort¡¯s hands. ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Elisha, who had been muttering in a tone that implied the situation wasn¡¯t that grave, turned her gaze to somewhere. Towards a low stone mountain a little far from the basin. ¡°I heard that desert warrior prepare for camping no matter how close their destination is when they go outside. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, Goddess.¡± ¡°2nd Consort.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes! 2nd Consort!¡± Taro replied loudly. ¡°Alright, then. Wait a minute.¡± Taro, who almost asked back ¡°what?¡± again, quickly shut up. Elisha blinked at Shamir. ¡°There must be something.¡± Shamir clung to Elisha¡¯s side. ¡°Right, I don¡¯t know why the rats came out of the rat hole and were stuck there, but that¡¯s good for us.¡± Elisha, who answered, speeded up. She thought she could take the horses and food that should be there. She couldn¡¯t wait to go back. Where her children were. Where there were people waiting for her. To Barossa! To the battlefield of the emperor. Elisha¡¯s hair fluttered in the dry wind. *** After the disappearance of the 2nd Consort, many people were worried about the 3rd Prince. Right now, the fame that the 2nd Consort has built up was so great that he could survive, but how long would it last? Without a party to show practical power, even if the people of the empire would honor and sing her songs for a long time, it was not the 3rd Prince who would be decorated with flowers. Because there was no need to count the number of people who would use a member of Barossa to fill up their own belly. Moreover, even without the 2nd Consort, the 3rd Prince himself was quite a mouthwatering prey. Wasn¡¯t the noble lineage of Barossa the best ornament to carry anywhere? ¡°It¡¯s Baron Dionyl. I came running to see the 3rd Prince.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come from afar. What can¡¯t be done to comfort the 3rd Prince?¡± There were already quick-moving people who wanted to occupy a good spot. ¡°Those who haven¡¯t made an appointment in advance shall not enter.¡± Baron Dionyl¡¯s eyes twitched when the maid, Jean-Marie, refused. However, a handmaiden of the imperial palace was not an opponent that he could not handle. In addition, the maid would surely regret it if not more. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Look at this.¡± Baron Dionyl took a pouch of gold coins from his bosom and tried to hand them over. As Marie stepped back, the pouch fell to the floor. Marie didn¡¯t even pick it up and kept the distance even further. That was a quiet way of refusing to accept a bribe instead of giving him a dismissal. However, in Baron Dionyl¡¯s opinion, it was considered too inappropriate. Wasn¡¯t it too unpleasant to have to bow down in front of a mere head maid to pick up that? However, it was a pity that the pouch was quite heavy to throw away. While he was doing it, the man next to him made so much noise that the sound entered the palace directly, not through Marie. ¡°How can you be so cruel? Even though I¡¯m like this, when the 2nd Consort was there¡­¡± ¡°When she was there.¡± The man was startled by the sudden words from behind and shut his mouth. ¡°When she was there, what¡¯s next?¡± A polite voice was heard. The coming person was so tall that when the man turned around, all he saw was auburn hair hanging down the man¡¯s shoulders. Just looking at that, he knew at once who the opponent was. ¡°S-Sir Rohan.¡± The manly, well-groomed side face was slanted and looked down at the man. As the serious brown eyes turned towards him, the man held his breath, unable to exhale. ¡°When you entered Barossa, what did you get permission for?¡± ¡°Pardon? W-what do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that the 3rd Prince invited anyone. I¡¯m asking because there are people who come to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace to find the 3rd Prince.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going first. I was originally going to meet someone else in Barossa, but I stopped by for a while, so, farewell.¡± When Baron Dionyl left with his tail tucked between his legs, the man left alone swallowed with his dry throat and blinked his eyes. Rohan was displeased with those men who did not follow both courtesy and law, but in fact, there were so many people coming and going to Barossa for different reasons, so it was rare to properly write down the purpose of visit as long as their identity was confirmed. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t make the same mistake in the future.¡± Still, he left a warning because of the fact that the child inside would be scared for quite a long time if he hadn¡¯t come on time. After the man apologized and disappeared, Rohan entered the palace of the 2nd Consort. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°The 3rd Prince has been waiting for a long time.¡± The maids of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace welcomed Rohan. As if familiar, Rohan greeted the maids with a wink and headed towards the backyard. Leon was lying on his cheek against a table in the backyard. ¡°Why are you upset?¡± Leon lifted his head as he heard Rohan¡¯s voice. Then he ran straight to him and hugged him. Rohan held Leon in his arms as if he was familiar with the motion, and walked not to the table, but to the promenade of the backyard, because Leon liked to walk together like this. Rohan continued walking. Rohan¡¯s legs were long and his stride was wide, so even though he didn¡¯t move quickly, one step was fast enough. Leon felt like Rohan was holding him and dancing round and round. Leon grabbed Rohan¡¯s neck with both arms and rubbed his head. At that lovely cuteness, Rohan stroked his back with his large arm. What other sad words have you heard, little prince? ¡°If you hear something you don¡¯t like, cover your ears with both hands and run to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just run and hide behind my back.¡± ¡°Sir Rohan, do you remember the secret I told you back then?¡± Rohan¡¯s breath was caught for a while. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hihi.¡± Leon laughed. When Leon wanted to call him ¡°dad¡±, he said it was a secret. Continuing to rub his head, Leon swallowed his tears. Rohan calmed down Leon, who had not been sleeping well these days, and stayed by his side until he nodded off. Although Rohan was extremely busy as the 1st Knights corps commander and count, he never forgot to come to see Leon, and when he came, he never left his seat in a hurry. Rohan, who grabbed Leon and laid him on the bed, pulled the duvet up to cover his neck, and asked Marie while crossing the room. ¡°Who has been here lately?¡± ¡°The 2nd Prince Stoneham came and went with Her Ladyship Isabelle.¡± Rohan¡¯s eyes hardened and then loosened. He asked something else. ¡°Did the Western Tower send another person?¡± ¡°Yes. He said he would come in person soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll send them a message and talk to Lord William again.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Marie was grateful that Rohan paid this much attention to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, but she was also worried. Fortunately, she knew Rohan¡¯s character, and the fact that he was asked for the safety of her 3rd Prince by the 2nd Consort, who sacrificed herself for others, was known to everyone. Rohan, who didn¡¯t like to go out, directly asked His Ladyship the Emperor and even got permission. However, even if there were no scandals related to the 2nd Consort, Princess Jaylene, the lady of Count Scherzer, must be very annoyed that her husband cared so much about the 3rd Prince. The last time the sound of a child could be heard in House Scherzer was the sound of Rohan, the current Count Scherzer. This raised wild speculation that the beautiful couple whom everyone would envy, couldn¡¯t have children. Rohan was seen off by Marie and left the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. However, he did not go directly, but checked the surroundings once more. Currently, the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace was guarded by most of the Crown Prince¡¯s 2nd Knights Order, which he himself tested. But more numbers were added to the people who originally existed. This was because the concerns of the Crown Prince and the interests of Marquis Blemir coincided. Therefore, the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace was currently laying its foundation by bringing in its own guards that Marquis Blemir raised himself, taking advantage of the fact that there were many empty seats. People were talking about the fact that Marquis Blemir¡¯s Guards would occupy the 2nd Knights, and the members of the 2nd Knights would be changed and assigned to the 3rd Prince¡¯s 4th Knights, but it would be safe for Rohan to say that it was already confirmed, and not just the possibility. The knights in the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace might be offended by the thought that they had been pushed out of their seats, but no such mark was issued. There must have been other stories that the 2nd Consort gave in advance at the Capital Guard, and it must also be due to the fact that they were good knights. Rohan met with Dell Pyrion, the commander of the 2nd Knights, and told him that there were many rude people who visited, so it would be better to place the knights in a conspicuous place, and then ask for the purpose of the visit and filter them in advance. After organizing everything that bothered him, Rohan headed to the office of the 1st Order¡¯s Commander in the imperial palace. *** The next day, Rohan, who started the day busy with work, averted his eyes from the documents he was reading at his subordinate¡¯s sudden words. ¡°A competition?¡± ¡°Yes. Young members of the imperial family show off their talents and prizes are given accordingly. If the achievement is outstanding, the parents or the people around them give a gift separately prepared by them to show more dedication¡­ The competition is often overheated because this is a stark comparison with each other.¡± It would be natural because the talents displayed or the prizes offered by the people around them measure the prestige of the imperial successors. So, there must be problems. It was not a rare case for young members of the imperial family to harm their health by forcibly preparing for the competition. To show off their power, they forced those around them to donate precious gifts. It was an event that almost disappeared, but it was suddenly brought to the surface. There was no reason to think deeply about it, though. ¡°The 1st Consort said that recently the empire is full of sorrow, so she hopes that the princes who will become the light of the empire will come out and give the people a smile. Unlike the competitions in the past, she said that she would like to have a light banquet and decorate it with an atmosphere of enjoying entertainment.¡± The 2nd Consort was still missing, so if the size grew beyond that, there would be opposition, so this was already a moderate compromise. The 1st Consort, who had been cautious for a while, was stretching again. She seemed to want to express that the door to Barossa society is open again. Rohan didn¡¯t ask if His Ladyship allowed it. It was obvious that all of this happened under his eyes. ¡°When will it open?¡± ¡°Leader can¡¯t go anyway. A request from Viscount Palmer to help subdue monsters has come and you have to go there. You¡¯ll have to leave tomorrow, and it will be difficult to finish in 3 days, even for you.¡± It was said that it wasn¡¯t just a single Troll, but a group of Trolls that appeared. A Troll was not a monster that the local noble knights could deal with, so it made sense for the imperial knights to move when they were asked for help. However, it was unusual for them to personally appoint Rohan, the commander of the 1st Knights. Originally, it would have been a job that the Marquis of Blemir would take over. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡± When Rohan stopped talking, Perry scratched his head and quietly backed away. ¡°There¡¯s a competition.¡± Rohan muttered as he put down the documents he was holding in his hand. Chapter 82 The conversation about the competition quickly spread across Barossa. Recently, the atmosphere was so solemn that the New Year¡¯s party could not even be held, so there were many who agreed that it was necessary to soften it to some extent. Without any disagreement about the talents of the princes to be displayed in the competition, Crown Prince Ascensio thought about displaying his swordsmanship skill, while the 2nd Prince Stoneham would play an instrument. However, the 3rd Prince Leon, who was still young and without a single nanny to take care of his overall discipline, had difficulty finding something to put forward as his talent. If there were adults who could represent him, he could be excused from directly competing, however, at the moment, there was no one who could do that in the 2nd Consort¡¯s stead. This meant that he could not refuse to participate by implicit rules. ¡°Can I ask Sir Rohan for a favor?¡± Marie shook her head as Dorian bit her lip. ¡°That means Sir Rohan will become the ¡®adult¡¯ of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. What does becoming an adult of the imperial palace mean? ¡°Ah¡­¡± It means the man of the consort. ¡°Unless there is an age difference enough not to be misunderstood, or unless there is a blood relationship that is understandable, then the adult of the 2nd Consort must be a woman.¡± ¡°What if the western mage keeps coming?¡± Sir Rohan and Mage Georg kept blocking him, but he did not give up. No one knew what his purpose was, but for the members of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, the fact that the 3rd Prince was afraid was enough reason to dislike him. ¡°The 2nd Consort should come back soon.¡± Marie didn¡¯t really have a good way. Everyone was just hanging in there now. Dorian¡¯s face darkened. The 3rd Prince was young and precious, so of course it was great that he was fine, but she felt different. She felt deeply guilty about the fact that she had left the 2nd Consort and returned alone. Marie knew it too and warned her a few times, but it didn¡¯t get better. ¡°Bring some snacks to the 3rd Prince. He especially likes it when you bring it to him.¡± She knew these words should make her feel better, but it didn¡¯t work that well. ¡°Yes.¡± Dorian smiled faintly and looked down, and then she went to get some freshly baked cookies and milk. ¡°Huungh¡­¡± Leon was worried because he wasn¡¯t good at anything. ¡°Isn¡¯t our prince smart? Swords and musical instruments are mostly played when one gets older, it would be weird if the youngest 3rd Prince does it like them.¡± Feeling upset, Jillian stomped her feet. ¡°But if I can¡¯t do it, people will point fingers at Mother. And they will say that I have no one who can properly discipline me¡­ They said they would find someone to entrust me with without Mother¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Who said that? Ah, 2nd Prince Stoneham when he last came?¡± So that was the reason Stoneham, who came with Isabelle to console him, seemed concerned about Leon and dragged him to the corner saying he would play with him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, 3rd Prince. Sir Rohan may not be your guardian, but you have the power not to make anyone your guardian.¡± Perhaps thinking that he was being a burden again, the little prince¡¯s small head was bent down. Jillian thought it would have been nice to have that mean crown prince at a time like this. She personally didn¡¯t get along well with him, but he loved his younger brother so much. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t even step out of the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace these days. This was because the bad guy with red hair was constantly pushing him. It might¡¯ve been because of the competition, but there were signs of the crown prince taking part in the affairs of the 2nd Consort and cracking down on it in advance for fear of causing another problem. Why did that red hair hate everything related to the 2nd Consort so much? That man dislikes this lovely 3rd Prince as well as Sir Rohan so much that even my dull teacher could see it. ¡°You two, have a conversation while eating this.¡± Whether Dorian intentionally gave a lift so as not to make them surprised, she approached with a silver tray. On top of it were butter cookies and strawberry jam, white milk and juice. Each one was made with high-quality ingredients and tasted good. Since the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace was far from being luxurious, Jillian was worried about whether she and her master should go out and earn money, wondering if it would become even more impoverished if the 2nd Consort was not coming back. But according to the maid Jean-Marie, there were many people who helped, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about that. ¡°Dorian, sit down, too.¡± ¡°Pardon? Me, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yes, what do you think I¡¯m good at, Dorian?¡± ¡°Well, everything about you is good.¡± ¡°No, no. I mean something that can be shown to people. Something that I¡¯m good at so they can see.¡± Like Marie, Leon also paid a lot of attention to Dorian. Leon was worried that Dorian would cry alone. He was fine because he had Rohan, but who would comfort Dorian? So he talked and laughed more. Would Dorian be less sad now? ¡°I know. It¡¯s not fair. What our prince does best is to be loved. It¡¯s such a pity we cannot brag about that.¡± Dorian said. Her lips were raised softly. At least, it seemed that Dorian could smile more, so Leon liked it too. At that time. ¡°Right!¡± With that exclamation, Jillian clapped her hands together. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± When Leon with round blue eyes asked, Jillian shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. I¡¯ll have to check it out first.¡± Thinking nothing bad could happen, he said he understood in reply. He then thought about it for another couple of hours, but he couldn¡¯t find anything that could be called a talent. *** Two swords were clashing in the training hall. Chaeeng! ¡°Again!¡± Chaeeng! ¡°Again!¡± The blade stood at Blemir¡¯s voice. Ascensio, who nearly missed the protruding sword, lowered his arm with a tight grip on his hand. From the tip of his fingertips to his entire arm, he was trembling. Even after being given a handicap of not using mana, his opponent was still the swordmaster and the best sword in the empire. ¡°Marquis, do we really have to do this?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that there would be a day when I cannot understand the Crown Prince¡¯s words.¡± ¡°I was only going to visit for a while. Marquis is also worried about the 2nd Consort and pays a lot of attention to the 2nd Consort. Was it all purely because of my request?¡± Blemir flinched. Although the public only knew that it was due to the crown prince¡¯s influence that more power than necessary was exerted to find the whereabouts of the 2nd Consort, he himself, and no one else, knew that this was not the case. Also, where did that feeling come from? The emperor might have noticed it, but even though his nephew, the crown prince, asked it without knowing anything, Blemir felt unpleasant as if he had been stabbed in the right place. ¡°Marquis, you¡¯re my only family left. Can¡¯t I know about this?¡± At Ascensio¡¯s expression, Blemir shuddered. Most of the time, he¡¯d step down and relent. But. ¡°Your Highness, didn¡¯t you say that until you succeed in attacking or defending once, you will not stop anything? Blemir hated everything about the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. Even the owner of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. Blemir wanted to erase that title from her. He wanted to remove all the obstacles that held her and brought only her to him. He wanted to run to the Santiano Empire and the desert at any moment and find her with his own hands. So, if he found her. If he found her¡­! Perhaps seeing an opportunity from the brief distraction, Ascensio launched a sneak attack he wouldn¡¯t have normally done. Swaeegh! The tip of the sword narrowed the space and pierced it. Ascensio, who didn¡¯t know if it was going to work, was even more bewildered. The moment he was about to shout to avoid it. Blemir, who slipped the attack just by twisting his body a little just before it reached him, started a counterattack unlike before. Kung! He took a big step and turned half a turn. Standing next to Ascensio, whose arm was still stretched, not yet having retrieved his sword. Blemir slammed Ascensio¡¯s sword down with the lower part of the handle of his sword. Kaaang! Ascensio tried not to let go of his sword, but it went all the way down. Chaeng-grang! In the end, he collapsed on the black floor of the training hall and almost bumped his chin on the floor, but Blemir grabbed his back and he barely escaped it. When Blemir let go of what he was holding, Ascensio stood upright on his feet. ¡°You have to win the competition. There are many people who will try to lead the situation to their advantage by finding it a flaw that the crown prince is on the side of the 2nd Consort. Do not show any weakness.¡± Moving away from the other side, Blemir faced the crown prince. ¡°Come.¡± Said Blemir. Ascensio just stared at him and asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to make you emperor?¡± He had. On that young day when he lost his mother, he had asked for help to become an emperor by holding the hand of the young maternal uncle. Picking up the sword Ascensio had dropped, he kicked the floor and ran. Ascensio¡¯s sword was drawn diagonally down. Blemir knocked it out and said. ¡°Again!¡± The battle did not end until nightfall. *** The morning of the competition day was bright. The competition was held in the garden, which the 1st Consort was proud of. The other day, the 2nd Consort had turned this place into a muddy swamp to test the power of the water spirit. ¡°Wow, how can it be so beautiful?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a flower that only grows in the Phenomin Kingdom?¡± ¡°That tree is also a rare species that is cherished even in the distant Zeon Empire. It must be difficult to grow because it is sensitive. I guess it¡¯s true that one can adjust the temperature by putting mana stones in the garden.¡± The garden had changed so much that it was impossible to recall the horrors of the past. With the power of money, it had become more beautiful and splendid than the original. When referring to the garden of the 1st Consort, the 2nd Consort was no longer mentioned, and all the guests were talking about was today¡¯s competition. In the center of the garden was an oval podium with a marble floor. It was made to be used as a concert hall for concerts or plays, or to enjoy entertainment like today. There was a fountain on the other side of the podium, and it was unique in that the fountain, which was usually round, was drawn narrowly and long as if it were wrapping the outer rim of the podium. The invitees arrived one by one. They were escorted to other places where the podium was well visible. There were quite a number of tables covered with white cloth here and there, indicating that the scale of today¡¯s event was bigger than rumors. ¡°Welcome.¡± When the 1st Consort, who was greeting the guest, found someone approaching from the other side, her green eyes were filled with light. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Isabelle scrambled to her feet and stood in front of Kaiden. Then, when she saw those coming from behind Kaiden, she lowered her gaze for a moment before lifting it up. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, you worked so hard on your swordsmanship that even rumors are spreading in Barossa. The younger brothers should imitate the sincerity of Your Highness.¡± ¡°They¡¯re young, so just let them do as much as they can. If we push it too much, they may get tired quickly.¡± Ascensio responded to the greeting with a greeting. Blemir didn¡¯t pay any attention to them. He stared intently at only the handsome man with black hair standing in front of him. This amount of time had passed even after he promised to give him an answer. He went to see him once more in the middle, but he didn¡¯t even meet him at all. When he was checking separately, he received a message telling the Marquis to focus on his own work. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Marquis.¡± Kaiden treated Blemir as if nothing had ever happened. Blemir thought he was also good at pretending. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Blemir, who answered, moved with him and settled in the seat assigned to him. As time passed, no one came from the 2nd Consort Palace, and by the time the banquet was about to begin, Georg, known as a mage, and his disciple, arrived with the 3rd Prince. The surrounding noise grew. Even if he was a mage, he was not the owner of the Magic Tower, so the fact that he brought the two children by himself was too eye-catching. Rohan¡¯s name was mentioned several times and then disappeared. Everyone who knew him knew that he went on a monster hunt. And everyone was happy and grateful that there was Georg in the 2nd Consort Palace. Georg just smiled and moved on. ¡°Now that everyone is here, shall we start the competition?¡± Isabelle said with red lips full of satisfaction. Just by the disappearance of the 2nd Consort, who was like a thorn in the eye, it felt as if the damage suffered by moving the Shadow Knights recklessly was not a loss. Actually, her brother, Raymond, had lost a lot more compared to her. She was even happy because it seemed like the emperor took her side more. So, she hoped today¡¯s banquet went well according to her wishes. At Isabelle¡¯s call, the three princes marched in front of everyone. Chapter 83 Crown Prince Ascensio¡¯s swordsmanship was excellent. In addition to demonstrating swordsmanship, a mock battle was added for fairness, and he endured more than a dozen hits in one battle with the 1st Order¡¯s Deputy Commander Zeke. Even if his opponent did not use mana, it was surprising that the crown prince, who had just turned thirteen after the New Year, could compete with the deputy commander of the 1st Order, the highest rank in the empire. Everyone praised Ascensio for becoming a great knight like his uncle. Isabelle took the teacup in front of her and covered the corners of her lips. Everyone knew that Blemir and His Majesty have a bad relationship, wasn¡¯t it stupid to give such compliments? Moreover, the position of the emperor was one to order the knights, not to compete with the knights. What was so great about that sword skill? As Isabelle put down her teacup, she saw the podium that had just been cleaned up. New instruments were placed on top. A beautiful boy resembling Isabelle sat down in front of a huge white piano. Unlike other instruments, the piano was placed on one side of the podium from the beginning. White fingertips tapped the keys. As he breathed the notes on the keyboard, music fell in the garden. When the performance ended, everyone applauded. He didn¡¯t get a single note wrong, and Stoneham smiled broadly as if he was in a good mood. However, in the violin that followed, a note that bounced off the wrong bow once or twice tore the movement, and as he grimaced in frustration, the following instruments were even more messed up. However, when it was all over, everyone praised him for his hard work. His mother stared at him like she was reprimanding him, but he thought it was fine because His Majesty said he would give him a prize today. He said that he had prepared the most expensive and precious gift among these people, so no one could stand out more than him. Stoneham straightened his back and saluted, then stepped down from the podium. The third child was standing crumpled next to the podium alone without his mother. For some reason, Stoneham¡¯s mood became much better as he passed by. His shoulders that had been shrunk were straightening out. ¡°Don¡¯t go up and pee in fear.¡± ¡°Hik!¡± Stoneham might have just said it, but it was hurtful to Leon. His terrifying memories were forcibly brought out. ¡°It¡¯s the 3rd Prince¡¯s turn.¡± Leon went up to the podium at the address. Leon tried not to bow his head in front of the numerous nobles who were looking at him. When Leon did nothing, interest and irritation mixed in the faces of those who had been waiting. ¡°Oh my, what is he doing? He must be scared because there are a lot of people. Still, it¡¯s not a place where one can just pretend to be pitiful. Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s no one teaching him, so he doesn¡¯t understand.¡± The atmosphere became even more chaotic because of Isabelle, who mumbled as if she was talking to herself, but with a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone. Isabelle knew it was going to be like this, but she was more overjoyed after seeing it herself. Leon gulped and looked toward Georg and Jillian. No matter how much he had thought about it with the people of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, he couldn¡¯t have learned anything that could be claimed as a talent in just a few days. So he picked this one. ¡°May the beautiful Empire, with fresh green leaves in the morning, that follows the spirit of the Pavezzo Mountains and shares the abundance of the Tanya River, shine forever. The land where children grow up, where my mother gave birth to me and my father raised me. The Empire¡­¡± A childish, thin voice resonated on the podium. It wasn¡¯t loud, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to hear thanks to the quiet crowd. When the song ended, Leon looked at the people. He was glad that he felt a better atmosphere than before. If he tried to do something he normally wouldn¡¯t do, especially in such a difficult position, he would be more likely to fail. So Marie, who had said that he should think about it in an easier way, suggested singing. For some reason, Marie¡¯s complexion had suddenly turned pale a second after she suggested that, but as Leon tried singing a song, her eyes grew bigger and bigger, and her complexion quickly turned for the better. Eventually, Marie agreed, and everyone thought about what song to sing next. [T/N: I was a bit confused at first, why Marie paled? Then I realized she must have remembered that one time when Elisha sang a lullaby for Leon, and she noticed that Elisha is tone-deaf. Perhaps Marie thought tone-deaf is heritable PFFT] Others had suggested making Leon stand out more than that, perhaps singing something that made everyone want to embrace Leon by thinking of the 2nd Consort, so Dorian mentioned the hymn of the Empire¡­ Jillian strongly supported Dorian¡¯s proposal. The third prince of the Empire sang the hymn of the Empire in the competition, and as a noble and imperial citizen of the empire, no one would be able to criticize his choice or find fault with his singing skills. Come to think of it, it was very likely to happen, so for the rest of the time, everyone in the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace took turns practicing with Leon and watching Leon sing, enough to wake them up from their sleep the moment they heard the hymn of the Empire. And it was as expected. ¡°I-it¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°The 3rd Prince is very good at singing.¡± However, despite not being a bad method, it was not a method to win, so if Leon was greedy, he shouldn¡¯t have used it. But of course it didn¡¯t matter at all to him, because this was exactly what Leon had hoped for. He hoped his older brother would win anyway. ¡°But it¡¯s a little disappointing.¡± Then Marchioness Bahrain, who was sitting next to the 1st Consort, said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just my opinion. I was impressed enough by the good selection of songs and the beautiful voice, but compared to the previous two princes who put a lot of effort to stand in front of you all¡­ Isn¡¯t it a little different?¡± ¡°Surely it is. But what can be done? Given the situation of the 2nd Consort, he must have been very concerned about that.¡± ¡°Yes. I know that.¡± As if she wasn¡¯t trying to find fault, Marchioness Bahrain retreated neatly. It was just that more and more people agreed with what she said. ¡°Even if I go down like this, I won¡¯t lose.¡± Leon muttered. But it was weird. Why wouldn¡¯t he step down? There was nothing more he could do. Nothing I can do. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Highness?¡± The nobleman of a barony, who acted as the host, was about to approach, but someone stood up from where the tables were placed and shouted. ¡°There¡¯s more!¡± Because it was Jillian¡¯s voice, Leon thought his ears were getting weird. She usually pretended to be a strong older sister in front of him, but he knew that she was a shy person. But I guess she wasn¡¯t like that. The little girl ran across between the tables and approached the podium. The knights had to stop the girl, but while waiting for the master¡¯s order, the emperor asked Leon. ¡°Is that your talent too?¡± Leon answered, looking straight at Jillian who was approaching him, not the emperor. ¡°Yes.¡± If he said no here, Jillian might be punished for acting rashly in front of His Majesty and for shaming the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace in front of so many nobles. Besides, even if it wasn¡¯t necessarily for that reason, everything that Jillian said was for Leon. ¡°What kind of talent is that? Is it breaking the mood, or is it bringing all the strangest kids around?¡± Stoneham snorted sarcastically. The reaction around him was not so different, some complained that the sacred competition had become a place for children to play. But Leon tried to focus on Jillian more than that. Leon stood at the end of the podium about one meter high. Jillian also went right in front of him and stopped. With the height of the podium added, Jillian looked up and reached out her palm to Leon. Leon stared intently at the empty palm¡­ ¡°I, the mage, Jillian Hegalt, swear. To make an unbreakable oath as long as mana exists, you shall be my lord.¡± Shwaaaa! Mana fluctuated. Leon instinctively knew this was a big deal. Even though Leon didn¡¯t answer, Jillian just stared at his blue eyes without urging. When Jillian¡¯s lips turned purple. Leon answered quickly. ¡°Leon de Rappelcia.¡± ¡°Leon de Rappelcia, the heart of my mana belongs to you.¡± Paah! A swarm of lights spewed out in all directions and then disappeared. At the same time, a small star was imprinted on the back of Leon¡¯s hand. Leon placed his hand on Jillian¡¯s, which was still outstretched. Jillian looked at the star and wept. The purple lips returned to their original pink color when the contract was over, but she looked exhausted due to overwork. However, Jillian only spoke of other things. ¡°Am I going to be scolded by the 2nd Consort? There¡¯s a scribble on the back of the 3rd Prince¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I think you¡¯ll get in trouble for something else.¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°You made a mistake.¡± Leon spoke and glanced over Jillian¡¯s shoulder. The expressions on the faces of the people sitting at the table lined up behind Jillian were astonishing. The mages were extremely reluctant to swear allegiance to the emperor, so very few did. They had to work hard on their research, and the conflict within the mages was so severe that they couldn¡¯t focus their attention on anything else. Many wondered if they would ever see any one of them make an oath to dedicate their heart of mana for the rest of their life. Those here had witnessed the process right before their eyes. It was surprising, amazing, and embarrassing. ¡°Hey, what kind of talent is this!?¡± Stormham, who felt the last emotion the most, exclaimed. ¡°Can we just bring any mage and ask them to do that? What does that mean?¡± Jillian looked towards Stoneham and opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it to anyone.¡± ¡°Then what about you?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not anyone. I happen to¡­¡± How to explain it? Jillian was about to continue again, but someone had already snatched her words. ¡°A mage¡¯s oath itself is something that can be made from the lowest 5th-circle mages. To mages, the oath is sacred and as noble as the truth of mana, so what you just said, Stoneham, is nothing but tarnishing the honor or mages.¡± At Ascensio¡¯s words, Stoneham turned to his mother. As if asking how to do it? But how could Isabelle know? Even though they knew that a mage¡¯s oath was great, there were probably many people who didn¡¯t even know the details, so the nobles widened their eyes and pondered what they had heard. ¡°A 5th-circle mage is the beginning stage of a high-ranking mage. It¡¯s hard to even have one person like them in one province, but that little girl is a 5th-circle?¡± They couldn¡¯t believe it because the two had successfully signed an oath that only a 5th-circle could make before them. ¡°Yes, mage, is this why you are my younger brother¡¯s talent?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince. The 3rd Prince¡¯s talent is not that he is good at wielding swords and playing musical instruments. The 3rd Prince¡¯s talent is that he can handle people well. Although he is still young, everyone in the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace cares for him. So am I, the youngest 5th-circle mage in the empire. I dedicate all the glory of my mana, from which the ring is formed, to the 3rd Prince and the 2nd Consort.¡± Who wouldn¡¯t listen to the youngest 5th-circle mage of the empire? Could it be said that the talent of the 3rd Prince is inferior to those of the other two princes? On the contrary, it was so shiny and wonderful that nobody dared to say anything. Jillian was confident. her younger brother¡¯s talent was the best. Chapter 84 ¡°But your master belongs to the Western Magic Tower, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Isabelle, who had been squeezing her mind, finally caught a flaw. ¡°After all, it is because he is the official guardian of the 3rd Prince that he permitted the talents of the Magic Tower to belong to the prince.¡± Instead of a pact between the 3rd Prince and a genius mage, it induced the appearance of a political relationship between the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace and the Western Magic Tower. But nothing was on Isabelle¡¯s side today. ¡°About that¡­ My master belongs to the Western Magic Tower, but I have not been officially listed. After spending time at the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, I have been taught by the 2nd Consort. She and the 3rd Prince helped me a lot in reaching the 5th-circle. It is obvious to whom I should repay the favor; my choice is mine alone. I only need to ask permission from my master to do the oath.¡± Jillian didn¡¯t need to say a lot. As long as many people were listening, misunderstandings should not have occurred. And she had been discussing with her master about a way to clean up their unnecessary entanglement with the Western Tower that had been causing them a headache. She didn¡¯t know it would be with such a radical method today. Jillian turned to the side where her master was, and their eyes met with authenticity. Although the disciple had not changed her shy smile, she showed the characteristics of a high-ranking mage that arose from awakening into the 5th-circle. Those who had broken the wall and felt the expansion of the world could not go back to the past. As they realized the weight of existence, a day would only mean adding more weight to it. So, there was no reason to be discouraged unless the opponent ranked higher than her. This was why Jillian was still Jillian, and she could be so confident. Georg only thought that it was already like this and smiled. He had received a lot of help from the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, and thought he would end the rest of his life there. He didn¡¯t have a seat in the Western Tower and didn¡¯t want to go there even if they called him. Why would an old man go, leaving his grandchildren behind? While the gaze of the two mages was exchanged, the situation was roughly settled. ¡°Now what remains is to announce who has made the greatest achievements with the greatest talent.¡± The nobleman of the barony, who acted as the host, said while sweating profusely. He even had to look at the paper he had taken out of his sleeve and swallowed and gulped repeatedly. When the crown prince¡¯s sword was pulled out, he was amazed and anxious, and when the 2nd Prince made a mistake, he lamented and thought it would work out somehow. However, when the 3rd Prince and the mage girl made an oath, he wanted to check over and over again with the person who brought him the paper to see if it was really okay to announce it as it was written here. The nobleman went up to the stage. He trembled, looking at the 1st Consort once, the paper once, then again at the 1st Consort. As the strange sight continued for anyone to see, the corners of the eyes of the 1st Consort trembled. The 1st Consort¡¯s green eyes pointed to the left. The nobleman glanced at the crown prince standing to his right and nodded. The crown prince had a reason to win here rather than the 2nd Prince, and although it was surprising that the 3rd Prince presented something a little more than the original purpose of the contest¡­ The moment he opened his mouth in relief. The crown prince¡¯s words came out. ¡°I give up in honor of what I saw today.¡± Whoever beat Leon here would be talked about that they have someone behind the scene, for a long time. Even if that was not the case, the people would believe it to some extent. Ascencio¡¯s younger brother¡¯s singing skills, which he had been worried about all along, was very good, and he was happy that a trusted friend swore that she would continue to protect his younger brother. The nobleman¡¯s expression turned as if he had lost his soul. It was disappointing that only unexpected events occurred at the first event after a long absence, where His Majesty the Emperor and the nobles gathered. In the meantime, the 2nd Prince kept an eye out for why he wasn¡¯t making an announcement. He believed that he should receive it because he decided to receive it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± When the 2nd Prince finally shot the nobleman openly, the nobleman closed his eyes tightly and opened his mouth. ¡°One has given up and the other has prepared a little contrary to the purpose of the contest, so it is difficult to rank today¡¯s competition, isn¡¯t it?¡± Said Marchioness Bahrain. Because there was a reason, no one objected to her words. ¡°All three princes were brilliant and wonderful. They deserve applause.¡± Marchioness Bahrain applauded first. The 1st Consort clapped her palms accordingly, and the Eastern nobles followed her. Loud applause filled the garden. ¡°Well done.¡± Isabelle tilted her face to Marchioness Bahrain and whispered. ¡°You did a great job, Crown Prince.¡± ¡°It is a talent worthy of praise from the swordmaster, Marquis Blemir, Your Highness the Crown Prince! Haha!¡± When praises flowed from one side, the other side did not lose and was busy praising the prince they served. ¡°It was as if an angel was playing the instruments. Such a lovely person who resembles the 1st Consort.¡± The emperor was sitting at the same table as the 1st Consort, so naturally, the Eastern nobles raised their noses in pride. Wasn¡¯t there one more anticipated event for the Eastern nobles? That, too, was something flashy enough to wash away the disgrace that just happened. Everyone wondered what kind of prize could make the 1st Consort, who had the richest man in the empire as her father, say that no one could offer anything better than this with her mouth. But Isabelle kept dragging the time. The Eastern nobles, who had been wondering the reason, soon found out why. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, I¡¯ve prepared it.¡± Ascensio organized the presents he had opened and accepted what Blemir offered. It was a flat, long wooden box. It seemed old and vague in size, so it didn¡¯t seem like a very good thing, but what about the person who gave it? It was dedicated to the crown prince, the nephew of the swordmaster, who was called the most talented in the empire and would serve as his lord. It couldn¡¯t be sloppy. Creak! Ascensio unlocked the front lock and opened the lid¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a sword, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was a sword for boys that was perfect for Ascensio. The blade was a bit blunt because it wasn¡¯t sharpened on purpose. ¡°Is it a magic sword?¡± Murmured someone. But who would make an expensive magic sword for a boy, who would only use it once, and not for a lifetime? In addition, Marquis Blemir was a man who valued basic skills. There was no way he could give Ascensio, who he had evaluated as a talent, a magic sword. [T/N: Ascensio is talented in swordsmanship, but perhaps not so much in magic/mana. So perhaps this implies it is impossible for Blemir, who finds Ascensio very talented in vanilla swordsmanship, to give him a magic sword and have him counting on magic] ¡°It is a sword made by Basma.¡± When Blemir answered, those who did not know who it was, wondered who it was, and those who knew widened their eyes. ¡°Are you talking about Basma, the master craftsman of the Zeon Empire?¡± ¡°They say that reservations have been booked for ten years, and no matter how much money they give and threaten him with, he will never make it.¡± When those who had an eye for swords asked in wonder with admiration, Blemir replied as if it were nothing. ¡°I gave him a little help in the past. It wasn¡¯t specially made for today¡¯s event. It was originally ordered for the crown prince, so I received it a little earlier.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Basma¡¯s sword, why don¡¯t you get it for an adult? Isn¡¯t it wasteful to use it only for a few years?¡± An Eastern noble approached without realizing it after hearing Basma¡¯s name. ¡°Of course I¡¯ve ordered a separate sword for the crown prince for later use. Basma said he would create a masterpiece of his life, so His Highness doesn¡¯t need to worry about wasting a sword for practice.¡± When Blemir answered as if it was nothing special, the man returned to his seat. As a swordmaster, Blemir, one of the most prominent not only in the Empire but also on the continent, would not be treated rudely, even if the other party was Basma. Giving the best sword to the strongest knight was a dream of every craftsman. ¡°Catch it.¡± As Blemir said that, Ascensio was honestly surprised when he caught the sword. It was a sword with a perfect balance that he had never used before, with a different feel to his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ascensio thanked him, and Blemir nodded. The owner opened the remaining gifts, and everyone enjoyed them together while the attendants organized the other items to be brought to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace later. Isabelle got up when the crown prince¡¯s side became quiet, had her maids bring what she had prepared, and then put it on an empty table. It was huge enough to fill half the table. ¡°Open it. Yours is the best.¡± Stoneham¡¯s face, worried that he would lose again because of Basma¡¯s name, brightened. Stoneham wanted to open the box himself, but it was impossible. It was one meter long and half high, making it difficult for adults to lift it alone, not to mention Stoneham. When the maids lifted the lid together, there was a replica modeled after the topography of the empire. Detailed maps were a top secret used only by the military, so the maker based it on the popular maps in public on purpose, and some areas were a little out of place, but other than that, they were perfect. The land was made of sprinkling gold powder, the forest was marked with emeralds, and the places where there were many monsters were marked with black obsidian. What about the last name of each noble family? They were made like a small doll¡¯s house using gems. Then there was Barossa. This beautiful place was made entirely of diamonds; inside, a black-haired male doll and a blonde and green-eyed doll were drinking tea. Everyone thought they could buy a whole castle with the jewelry in that replica, but it would be difficult to price if the work fee was added. ¡°As expected of the 1st Consort.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think there would be anything more surprising than a mage¡¯s oath, but now I can only see this in front of my eyes.¡± Not only the Eastern nobility, the nobles of the Crown Prince¡¯s faction, and the Imperial faction could not stop their tongues, saying it was something they couldn¡¯t get tired of. Even amid the hustle and bustle of Basma¡¯s sword and imperial jewels, there was a quiet place alone. It was the 3rd Prince Leon¡¯s table, but there were many more presents than expected. But. ¡°Huh? This is the cookie I said was delicious. Dorian must have baked it.¡± Most of the items were made or bought by the family members of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. Magic items that Georg loved, the luxurious fountain pen Viscountess Cain sent through Timothy, or the ornaments Ascensio painstakingly selected¡­ These were the items that a normal imperial child would have received on their birthday, so many people around laughed at him. After the magic pact, they didn¡¯t openly quarrel, but it was certain that they looked down on him. Leon tried to think of something else rather than to care about them. ¡°I wish I had Sir Rohan today.¡± And¡­ ¡°He¡¯s coming.¡± ¡°Huh? How can he get here? Sir Rohan went out to hunt monsters, bad trolls harassing people in the forest at Viscount Palmer¡¯s place.¡± While Leon was talking, the loud noises that echoed around him disappeared, and soon it became quiet. And everyone in the garden was focused on the place Jillian pointed to. Leon looked back, tilting his head, and a rather tired-looking Rohan walked up. ¡°Whoa!¡± As Leon ran, Rohan stopped walking and bowed down. Rohan, kneeling on the floor on one of his knees, was at eye level with Leon standing in front of him. ¡°How was the song? It looks like you sang well because of the good expression on your face.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ll sing it to Sir Rohan later.¡± Leon paused while he was about to hug Rohan. ¡°I was in a hurry and couldn¡¯t wipe the blood. Are you surprised?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that; I¡¯m afraid you may have an injury. What if I touch it and it hurts more?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Rohan, who answered, moved forward, went to the emperor, covered his left chest with his right hand, and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ve returned, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You came earlier than expected.¡± ¡°I was fortunate.¡± ¡°Was the Sir Rohan I knew a man of fortune?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would not be surprising to hear that Count Scherzer is pushing the 3rd Prince to be the next emperor.¡± ¡°That is absurd, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing that absurd thing, Sir Rohan, not anyone else.¡± There was no emotion in his voice. The emperor simply looked at Rohan for a long time with his face tilted to the side. Then he waved his hand. ¡°The 3rd Prince is waiting.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Rohan stepped back and walked over to Leon. ¡°Have you been scolded? Is it because of me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Rohan said, but Leon could not easily raise his face. Then Rohan changed the subject. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the gift I brought?¡± ¡°Your arrival is a gift already.¡± ¡°But I have prepared it. Was it not your first competition? It seems like you¡¯ve already received a lot of good things, but I think you will like this too.¡± It took him a while to reach in with his arm and get a good grip. At that moment, something soft with black hair poked through Rohan¡¯s collar. Two silver eyes were looking at Leon. ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± As Leon grinned, Rohan put the small creature he took out on the table. Leon wanted to put his face close to it, wondering if it was a puppy, but Rohan was quicker. Rohan, who blocked the two with his palm, warned him. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close. It¡¯s dangerous because it¡¯s not tamed yet.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s such a small baby.¡± ¡°Even if it is small, this is a cub of Barcado.¡± As soon as Rohan finished speaking, a shriek was heard. ¡°Barcado? Barcado, he says?¡± ¡°Those creatures still exist?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Leon¡¯s table. To obtain Basma¡¯s sword, you need honor, and to make a model of the Empire from jewels, you must have money. But Barcado could not be obtained from either or both. ¡°Give it a name, 3rd Prince.¡± The black Barcado cub fell forward while scratching its ear with its hind paw. Leon didn¡¯t know why that was dangerous, but he held back from touching it since Rohan said so. ¡°Well then¡­ Remy. The pronunciation is cute. Remy.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take it with me and stop by whenever I have time to teach you how to tame Remy.¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± No one knew if his excitement was because he would be taught how to tame Remy or if he would be able to see Rohan more often. Leon¡¯s face was full of laughter as he nodded his head. The moment it was decided which of the day¡¯s gifts would be the best. ¡°It¡¯s a cub of Barcado. How could anyone beat that?¡± Many people sympathized with the voice of someone muttering in despair. Isabelle¡¯s hands trembled with her eyes closed. The banquet was over. Chapter 85 ¡°Shall we take a rest there?¡± Shamir said that he had found an oasis that had been exposed to the bottom. As soon as Elisha nodded, Taro got off his horse, picked a place for them to sit, and cleaned up the surroundings while Dahil took out something to eat. Elisha thought she should tell them they didn¡¯t have to work so hard because of her. Shamir was having fun harassing the two and kept arguing with them. But even someone like Shamir had a natural enemy. As Shamir walked by, Spot¡¯s head moved after him bef0re snapping its teeth. Shamir¡¯s golden hair curled up in Spot¡¯s mouth that was munching. ¡°Whoa, seriously? Your Ladyship, please tell Spot that I didn¡¯t leave him behind. I told him to play by himself and that I¡¯d find him after finishing my business. He was so upset because I told him that our consort rode another horse on the way to his place. If he had been in the basin, he might have already died. If you think about it, am I not his benefactor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re saying this because you dislike Spot.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I guess you pay more attention to him because you like him. Just like you do to those two.¡± At Elisha¡¯s careless words, Shamir opened his mouth blankly. The more he looked at the consort, the more he thought she was well-spoken. She was the type who could overturn people drastically without even meaning to. That¡¯s why he wondered whether Aran had gone more mad than usual when dealing with her. ¡°What is it?¡± Shamir replied as he looked at Elisha, who had asked the question. ¡°You said you¡¯d let me go home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the reason you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go back. Can I stay with you?¡± ¡°Sir Rohan and the 1st Knights will try to kill you.¡± ¡°Is there no such thing as extenuating circumstances in the empire? I truly didn¡¯t want to do those things, but Aran forced me to, so I had to do it. I only found out that being with our consort was much more fun after we met. I even aided your escape, didn¡¯t I? Hmm?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just do what you tell me to do.¡± As Elisha frowned, Shamir added. ¡°If you won¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll just stick with these two until you summon me. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for them?¡± ¡°Hiiiy!¡± Taro gasped, and when everyone glanced at him, he lowered his head and pretended to be absorbed in tearing the jerky. ¡°Consort, I will play well with the prince.¡± ¡°I need to find a wider place in the West if it is not only Dahil and Taro.¡± ¡°Ah, seriously! Your Ladyship, you¡¯re so cruel! You won¡¯t let me go near the prince, is that it?¡± Elisha stared at Shamir, who mumbled. Shamir¡¯s performance was so obvious that there was no space for confusion. The land of sand was reflected in the golden eyes facing Elisha. ¡°Don¡¯t go near me, either.¡± ¡°I got it! Huh? Are you serious? I can stay with you if I don¡¯t go near you?¡± ¡°Change your way of speaking. You won¡¯t be able to say a thing if you are punished for blasphemy of the imperial family if you keep behaving like yourself in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°It is said that the punishment for blasphemy of the imperial family would be getting one¡¯s head cut off, so of course I won¡¯t be able to say a thing. I¡¯ll do my best when I get there. I¡¯m very good at everything, especially shutting up.¡± Shamir replied excitedly. Apart from trying to escape, Dahil and Taro seemed to feel burdened by the fact that all the tribes of their hometown were dead and the blood veins of the desert might be cut off. However, unlike the ordinary warrior and desert woman, Shamir, who had planned a big project with the chief of the tribe at the top position, seemed to have given no thought to that. He didn¡¯t look back; he only went forward. Well, there must be people like that. ¡°Have a meal, 2nd Consort!¡± When Dahil called, Elisha approached them and sat down. ¡°Is the food not enough?¡± ¡°We still have another week to go, so it¡¯s a little lacking, but I can just eat sparingly!¡± That generosity meant that Taro himself would starve. ¡°We can just look for more, so eat as you like.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? I mean, yes!¡± Taro answered. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be more foolish people hiding around like last time, but we might run into guilds or organizations as we get closer.¡± When they had just come out of the basin and gone to the stone mountain that Elisha had pointed out, Shamir realized what the saying ¡®people will show their true self when they are cornered¡¯ meant. The person they had been facing was just the kind of person who¡¯d saved himself in the face of danger and became cowardly in the face of death. Upon their meeting, the chief of the Baheum tribe said that he had been in charge of stalking and chasing to eliminate Shamir. He said that after Laoman, accompanied by his tribe warriors and mercenaries, had attacked the basin, and Hib and Daren tribes of the pro-Kran Kingdom faction had surrounded the basin and carried out merciless killings¡­ Also, when the desert people had been discussing the plan of making the 2nd Consort the incarnation of Sionil, he was the one who had opposed the words of the other chieftains who had tried to stop the plan based on the crime of impersonating the goddess. He hadn¡¯t moved a single step from this stone mountain, even though Aran, the person he had sworn allegiance to, was still alive at that time. He said he had been waiting to catch Shamir, but it didn¡¯t make sense that he hadn¡¯t reacted when there had been so many disturbances around. Baheum, the most radical among the anti-Kran Kingdom faction and one that matched Aran well, was merely a mouse, as the consort said it. Shamir then seized the horses and food from Baheum¡¯s party and killed them all. ¡°Guilds travel all the way here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long way off, but some desert people also deal with outsiders, and there are some people who want to cross over from Kran Kingdom to Atien Empire, although not many. If there is no problem with your status and we have enough time to spare, it is much better to go through Santiano Empire.¡± ¡°Santiano Empire?¡± ¡°Have you ever been to the Santiano Empire? The weather in the Santiano Empire changes depending on the date. The desert has always been hot, so when I first went to the Santiano Empire, I didn¡¯t want to go back to the desert. Doing nothing there was so much fun.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s not much of a difference in the Atien Empire from season to season, is there?¡± ¡°I never paid attention.¡± ¡°You mean you never paid attention to the change of season?¡± Elisha nodded. There were dry and rainy seasons in Atien. It rained a lot during the rainy season, but that¡¯s all. ¡°But the empire is wide, so there are regions with clear changes like Santiano Empire.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go play with the 3rd Prince later.¡± ¡°If my child likes you.¡± ¡°All children love me. I¡¯ve never seen a child who hates me.¡± ¡°You can say that again after you see the other two.¡± ¡°The other two?¡± ¡°The crown prince and a genius mage.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my child¡¯s older brother and older sister.¡± ¡°Ah, our prince has a scary older brother and older sister.¡± ¡°There is another thing that scares you the most, isn¡¯t it?¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Shamir burst into laughter. The consort is really entertaining. ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s another thing that scares me the most. I¡¯ll never forget it.¡± After that, the conversation was cut off, and the party finished eating, so they crossed the desert again. The desert was barren and endlessly silent. ¡°Just a little further, and we¡¯ll reach Syuphl territory.¡± As Elisha spoke, Dahil licked her lips. She looked excited but also afraid. It was only natural as her place of life would change. Elisha was indifferent to Taro and Shamir, but she was still a little tolerant of Dahil. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare everything you need. I¡¯ll put you where you want, so just look around. If you miss the desert, I¡¯ll give you a position at Syuphl territory. Otherwise, you can come with me to Barossa.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Ladyship.¡± Elisha, who had been slowing down to keep Dahil¡¯s horse¡¯s and her horse¡¯s head side by side, suddenly wanted to rush forward. ¡°What is going on?¡± When Taro, who was sitting in front of Dahil, asked, Elisha pointed to the front with her chin. ¡°Someone¡¯s waiting for us.¡± Shamir, who was running in the lead, also turned his horse¡¯s head and came to the back. ¡°What shall we do?¡± On their way here, they met some group of people and ran into some bandits. A party of two young women and two young warriors might have seemed ridiculous to outsiders, but the results of those meetings were all bad. Of course not bad for the party, but the opponents. Thanks to this, it was very convenient to change their supplies as they saw fit (except for Spot) without having to go out of their way to find something to eat or give the tired horses a break. Shamir had always welcomed those unwanted guests as good samaritans, but he seemed to have noticed that the one before them now differed from past encounters. It was impossible for monsters to be this close to the Syuphl territory, and there was no reason for some groups or organizations to wait for them. What seemed to bother him was that the number of opponents was quite low. ¡°We will run into them anyway. If there¡¯s business, they will surely talk to us.¡± Their disposition will depend on what they are. Elisha took the lead with Spot. The horse became excited, perhaps because he liked going first. Elisha patted Spot. The horse used to be a quiet guy, but now he was getting more interesting and cuter. As Elisha brushed Spot¡¯s mane, he got even more excited and bounced in his steps. It wasn¡¯t long before they met those waiting for them¡ªor to be precise¡ªElisha. Vincent looked at the woman approaching on horseback and became stiff. ¡°Are you the 2nd Consort?¡± The main character who had overturned not just the empire, but the entire continent, upside down, was before him. When the marquis had first asked him to find her whereabouts secretly, he followed because it was an order. But truthfully, he was at a loss. His feelings turned into confusion when he came to the Western region and this Syuphl territory. This person had come to the West and asked if she was the 2nd Consort. That meant he had been looking for her, so Elisha asked, ¡°Did you come from the imperial palace?¡± Some people had stopped Vincent near the border of Syuphl territory. When they saw that he looked like a knight and had been asking about the 2nd Consort, those people asked him to save the 2nd Consort. They had recently received information that the situation in the desert had gotten strange. Not too long ago, someone had picked up a man who was dying. That man had been a member of a notorious band of bandits that operated in the desert. It was said that that man had stopped breathing after repeating that a woman with sky blue eyes had appeared and killed most of their members before taking their belongings. Vincent had gone to the informant to get detailed information: where he met the bandit, where the bandits met the woman, and whether that woman was heading to the border between Miyon Desert and the western region of the empire. It was valuable information that could¡¯ve only been given by those who had lived here for a long time or knew the area very well. And as the informant spoke, Vincent felt strange because everything was working out so well. He had even wondered if it was a trap. How could people born and raised in the West not thank him for looking for the consort? The 2nd Consort had watered and reached out her hand when the landlords hadn¡¯t spared them even a glance. She had protected those in the lowest places and saved them. Those who survived in the village were currently living in the mansion of Baron Syuphl and were waiting for the consort. It was said that Sir Rohan had made this arrangement, before the Barossa party left, for those with nowhere to go. The informant had spoken sincerely the whole time, and Vincent was finally able to accept the favor. However, although it didn¡¯t seem like a lie that the woman the bandit had met had sky blue eyes, the possibility of the woman being the noble consort was slim, so the informant had regrettably advised Vincent not to expect too much. When Vincent asked why he thought so, the informant said, ¡°You know how cruel the bandits are. A member of such cruel bandits only talked about that woman incoherently and even shat himself.¡± Instead of begging for his life, the bandit only muttered hoping the woman wouldn¡¯t come after him anymore. So the informant laughed, ¡°How could such a frightening woman be our 2nd Consort?¡± Vincent had responded roughly before leaving. He had known that the 2nd Consort was not an ordinary lady, but the woman he had just heard about was simply a demon. But Vincent wouldn¡¯t blame the bandit for his action because there weren¡¯t many entities who could instill so much fear. Vincent had felt the information was vague, but in the end, he¡¯d moved in the direction that had been told by the informant because he hadn¡¯t had any other option and had been waiting for information from his people who¡¯d gone to the Santiano Empire. ¡°Who are you?¡± At that cool voice, Vincent quickly made a gesture to show his respect. Chapter 86 ¡°I am Marquis Blemir¡¯s bodyguard!¡± ¡°The marquis¡¯¡­?¡± Elisha asked in curiosity. Why were the marquis¡¯ bodyguards here in the western part of the country, which separated Syuphl from Miyon Desert? ¡°I came to the West for an internal affair of the marquis. I was gathering information because we were worried that something strange was happening in the desert and would harm the empire¡­¡± After hearing Vincent¡¯s explanation, Elisha turned to Shamir, ¡°The guy whose life you spared must have run so well and repaid you like this.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I should¡¯ve killed him then. But didn¡¯t you do more harm than me?¡± Chaeeng! Before Shamir could finish speaking, Vincent had drawn his sword. He was ready to rush to Shamir at any moment. ¡°This is the border area; it means we¡¯re now at the empire¡¯s land. Shamir, don¡¯t you remember what I said before?¡± Shamir looked at Elisha and bowed his head. ¡°Yes, Your Ladyship.¡± Shamir jumped off the horse and walked up to Vincent. ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t like me, but can you put your sword back to its sheath? Do you realize before whom do you raise your sword?¡± Shamir pressed Vincent¡¯s sword blade with his index finger and set it aside. Vincent, whose eyes followed the moving blade, turned his gaze to the front and glared at Shamir¡¯s golden eyes. The people of the empire looked down on the desert tribes, and the desert tribes hated the arrogance of those people. Could it be that those inexplicable feelings were transmitted through the veins? Elisha lightly waved her hand. Pung! There was a slight shock between the two. ¡°Your Ladyship! It hurts! It hurts!¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°How do you know? I hurt. It¡¯s painful when you get hurt. You¡¯re no fun at all.¡± Shamir groaned and backed away. Elisha lightly jumped off her horse and approached Vincent. Vincent stiffened, not knowing what to do. ¡°Will you keep raising that sword in front of me?¡± Startled by these words, Vincent returned the sword to its sheath. ¡°Seeing you knights makes me feel like I¡¯ve truly returned to the empire.¡± Vincent realized how long the woman before him had been in the desert as she spoke. He didn¡¯t dare to ask or even think about what had happened to her. ¡°Thank you for coming back.¡± Vincent placed his right hand over his left chest and bowed his head. He didn¡¯t know how his master felt and why he desperately searched for her. Vincent was just satisfied that he could avoid telling the worst news. Elisha was relieved to hear the news about Barossa from Vincent. She¡¯d like to send a message to Leon immediately, but for it to be possible from the Syuphl Barony, she would have to go to the baron¡¯s mansion first. ¡°Let¡¯s be careful, Your Ladyship. It is unknown who has attacked you, but many rumors will spread when your safety is reported.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Elisha graciously accepted Vincent¡¯s concerns. Moving on in a hastily prepared carriage, Elisha leaned against the carriage window. She was quite tired. When they arrived at the barony, there were Joseph and Tommy, just as Vincent had told her. The two were bewildered when the carriage entered the barony, and when they saw Elisha getting off the carriage, they rushed in, grabbed the hem of her clothes, and cried. Although Joseph was quite mature, he didn¡¯t look all that different from the sniffling Tommy. Other survivors gathered around and shared their joy with greetings. After that, she went straight to the communication room and contacted Barossa. It was natural for Barossa to be toppled. *** A person was heading toward the emperor¡¯s office at a fast pace. ¡°Your Majesty, this is the Minister of Internal Affairs, Marquis Croix.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± With the emperor¡¯s permission, Marquis Croix entered the door opened by the attendant. ¡°Your Majesty, have you heard? The 2nd Empress¡­¡± Marquis Croix, who was talking, shut up when he realized another visitor was before him. A young man with red hair stood on the other side of the emperor¡¯s table. Which of the people in this empire did not know him? ¡°Marquis Blemir is here. My apologies for not seeing you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± After giving a rough answer, Blemir turned his gaze toward the emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, the marquis¡¯ knights have found the consort by chance. But there might be another attack, and those knights alone are not enough, so please allow me to pick Her Ladyship in person.¡± ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been busy these days. The 3rd Prince has been waiting for so long for his mother, so I thought it would be better for Sir Rohan, who is on good terms with the child, to take the child to meet her.¡± When Rohan¡¯s name came out, the air surrounding Blemir compressed. The emperor took his time to watch him and opened his mouth, ¡°But Marquis, if you really want it, then I suppose I will let you do it. Bring the 2nd Consort safely to Barossa.¡± Blemir clenched his fists tightly, but there was no other answer except, ¡°Thank you.¡± Watching Blemir leave the office, Marquis Croix changed what he had been trying to say. Everyone knew that the relationship between His Majesty and Marquis Blemir was not good, but today it was exceptionally subtle. ¡°There are various reports for the improvement of the Mirlin area.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± When the emperor granted permission, Marquis Croix unfolded the roll of paper he had brought and read the important part. He took them out, placed them on the table, and emphasized the points he had found and marked. The emperor nodded and listened and wrote down things he needed to remember on paper. Because there was a lot of content, the report continued for a long time. After the Marquis Croix left, the emperor got up and went to the window. ¡°I didn¡¯t save her, but she returned on her own. I knew she wasn¡¯t some sickly lady. She is still very strong.¡± The mumbling emperor opened the window wide. In his hand, he held a cigarette. He took a sip of the smoke and spat it out. ¡°Now that everyone knows that she¡¯s back alive, I can¡¯t kill them.¡± Zile¡¯s investigation of the Western nobility was behind schedule. No evidence has been found yet. However, with the return of the 2nd Consort, their sins had become a little lighter. They had a reason to loosen up. It was too bad to leave it like this, but what should be done? Yes. Since the 2nd Consort was involved, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check if she had found something. The emperor, who had thrown away the smoked tobacco, returned to his seat and sat down. He tapped the table with his fingertips before he looked at the bundle of paper again. As he continued thinking about the 2nd Consort, he remembered the two people he had met most often recently. Didn¡¯t one of them just stop by the office? Rohan and Blemir were polar opposites, but one person had made them do things they normally wouldn¡¯t have done. ¡°Are they treating the 2nd Consort as a woman, or do they see her as a master they wish to serve?¡± Even in the eyes of the emperor, Elisha was a master with no knight shortage. Of course, Blemir might think of her as a woman. But what about Rohan? What about that noble knight? ¡°2nd Consort was the one who said that I was flawed, so why does she make flaws everywhere now?¡± I¡¯ll look closer when I get you in my hands again this time. What is it that I haven¡¯t seen about you? *** ¡°Can¡¯t you stay a little longer?¡± When Joseph asked, Elisha answered. ¡°Do you remember the kid you saw last time?¡± ¡°Yes, the 3rd Prince.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other since we separated. He¡¯s been waiting for me for some time now.¡± After she said that, Joseph couldn¡¯t hold her any longer. He had never thought that it¡¯d work; it¡¯s just that he believed once they separated this time, he might never see her again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to guard the well anymore. If you study hard, I will summon you to the capital.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Joseph looked surprised. ¡°Since you follow him like an older brother, if Joseph comes, you can come too.¡± Tommy gulped. Elisha said goodbye to the children and approached Dahil and Taro, who had decided not to go to the capital and remained in the baron¡¯s mansion. The capital would be more discriminating against desert tribes. The place closest to their hometown, the desert, might have been the best choice. After ordering the housekeepers to report their status often, Elisha left the barony with Vincent. This was because the barony did not have a portal, so they had to move to another nearby estate. As she moved to a neighboring estate and headed for the portal, Elisha felt a huge wave of energy. ¡°Stop.¡± The carriage that had been running stopped at Elisha¡¯s words. Elisha got out of the carriage and rubbed Spot¡¯s, who had been running next to the carriage, face as she got on the horse. Elisha didn¡¯t want to fall off easily, so she held the reins firmly in her hand and moved forward to avoid danger. She didn¡¯t think it was a dangerous opponent because she couldn¡¯t feel any murderous intent, but there was a wave of anxiety. She wondered why. As Elisha advanced, overtaking the knights guarding the front of the carriage, the shadow on the other side quickly drew near. Chaeeng! Vincent drew his sword and paused. The energy of the approaching person was too familiar. ¡°Marquis Blemir?¡± Elisha called out his name in wonder but didn¡¯t think she was in danger. This was because there was no way that Blemir, who was basically an ally and had great pride as a swordmaster, would do such a thing as a surprise attack. Even if he had, Elisha would¡¯ve been able to block it. But there was a stranger here who did not know Blemir at all. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shamir, who was getting off the carriage, ran in astonishment. He blocked in front of Elisha and wielded the crescent-shaped sword he had brought with him. Kaaang! Although Shamir was strong, the swordmaster was beyond the rules. Elisha barely caught Shamir¡¯s body, which was almost thrown away. Elisha used the energy of water to prevent Blemir from attacking Shamir again. Blemir radiated his energy even more strongly, perhaps because he was angrier. ¡°Marquis, this is my servant!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him in Barossa.¡± ¡°I brought him from the desert.¡± Flames flared in Blemir¡¯s brown eyes when he heard the word ¡°desert¡±. That word had confirmed the place she had been kidnapped to. ¡°Why did you defend him?¡± Elisha, who was not in a good mood because he was constantly questioning her, looked into Marquis Blemir¡¯s eyes and answered. ¡°He saved me.¡± ¡°Saved you? They tried to throw you in the mud. Even now, all kinds of dirty words are floating around in the capital. Do you know what will happen if you bring someone from the desert to the capital?!¡± ¡°Calm down, Marquis. What on earth is wrong with you?¡± Elisha put a hand on his forehead. If Leon had a fever and mumbled nonsense, Marie would do this. The startled Blemir almost took a step back but then stopped. He let Elisha take his temperature and looked at the person staring into his eyes. She didn¡¯t seem to have suffered from injuries, but- Recalling the rumors circulating in the capital, he couldn¡¯t just ignore it. ¡°2nd Consort, why don¡¯t you just leave him here?¡± Elisha knitted her eyebrows while Shamir poked his face between them. Elisha wondered what else he would do, so she tried to kick Shamir away. But Shamir was a little quicker. ¡°What? Would you like to cut my dick if you¡¯re so worried?¡± Chapter 87 The swordmaster¡¯s anger was immense. The mana surrounding the sword stretched out and ate up the surrounding space. A beautiful yet ferocious power. The culmination and apex of a play drawn by all swordsmen. Gwaaang! The pillar of water that Elisha had called out struck Blemir¡¯s slashing sword. If it wasn¡¯t for the jade energy, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand a single move. Elisha looked at the deflected sword again and pondered for a moment. Shouldn¡¯t Shamir realize by now that I would die as well if he wags his tongue in front of the nobles of the empire? Then do I really need to save him? ¡°Consort, I feel so sad because of the way you look at me right now. I might be just a servant right now, but if you ditch me, I will feel betrayed.¡± Even in the midst of this, it was clear that he would cause trouble again soon. Should I save my own life and tell Marquis Blemir that he can cut off his tongue? No matter how much she thought about it, there was no reason to continue this unnecessary fight. Elisha did not stop the rushing sword this time. With Shamir behind her, she just looked up at the sword falling towards her and at the red-haired man holding the sword. Before Blemir reached Elisha, he turned the sword¡¯s orbit sideways to avoid her. Gwaaang! The ground was dug deep and cracked all the way to the path behind Elisha. Fortunately it was over before it reached the carriage. ¡°If you continue to use your strength, it may break your body. Please take care of yourself, Marquis.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Blemir stiffened while lifting the sword that had been lodged in the ground. She lowered her voice as if coaxing him, to see if that could weaken him somehow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± But why are you staring at Shamir again as if you¡¯re going to kill him? Blemir, who had retrieved his sword, looked at Elisha as if pressuring her. ¡°I¡¯ve been broken from the start.¡± Now Elisha found it was novel. The Marquis was being like this when he shouldn¡¯t be. Elisha couldn¡¯t understand why Blemir made such an expression. Ascensio was also like this at times. As expected, blood relatives did resemble each other. As she recalled that fact, her feelings softened. ¡°Why are you like this, Marquis? I don¡¯t know much about you, but I don¡¯t think the Marquis I saw was this kind of person.¡± ¡°If I say I¡¯m sick, will you touch my forehead again?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have any effect. Didn¡¯t you just get more feverish and angry?¡± As Elisha shook her head, Blemir raised his face and pointed to Shamir. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°How is it that the person who leads the Crown Prince¡¯s faction is so light-mouthed?¡± As Elisha frowned, Blemir bit his lips. In fact, he couldn¡¯t even argue that he was not this kind of person. He was just acting by instinct. It wasn¡¯t like he decided what kind of person he was before moving accordingly. Sometimes he felt a sense of incongruity because there was a big difference between what he thought and the way he acted. From the moment he heard the news that the 2nd Consort was missing, his heart couldn¡¯t stop pounding, even when he was sleeping, eating, or doing anything. He was nervous and out of breath. Still, he forced himself to do what he had to do. He did not drop what she had trusted him with. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint her and came back only to see the mess. That¡¯s why, 2nd Consort. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me for someone like that.¡± Blemir looked straight into Elisa¡¯s sky blue eyes. ¡°Can you give me a compliment instead?¡± Blemir bent his pride before the emperor to come here. He did not hesitate to do it, even though his title as a swordmaster and as the only bloodline to succeed Duke Fontana was never cheap. You¡¯d still come if I wait, but I want to see you with my own eyes as soon as possible. Yes, because of something like this, Blemir thought that his heart would stop pounding when he saw the 2nd Consort again, but what the hell, it only pounded faster. ¡°You¡¯re really strange today, Marquis Blemir.¡± Elisha placed her hand on Marquis Blemir¡¯s forehead once more. This time, she surrounded it with the power of water and breathed in a cool energy. ¡°This works quite well. It seems to have the effect of clearing one¡¯s mind. The swelling, from when I got hit so hard to the point where I couldn¡¯t even recognize my own face last time, subsided quickly.¡± ¡°Really? Who dared to hit you, the 2nd Consort of the Empire?¡± Astonished, Blemir grabbed Elisha¡¯s wrist and said. He was sure that she wasn¡¯t hurt earlier, but now he looked at her again. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to hit me again in the future. Not just me, but also anyone else.¡± When Elisha answered indifferently, Shamir, who had been watching what the two were doing, agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. How can one do harm to others when they¡¯ve become bloody?¡± However, Blemir didn¡¯t seem to hear Shamir¡¯s words at all. ¡°What¡¯s the point of that? You¡¯ve already been hurt, so what if they won¡¯t do it again?!¡± Blemir acted as if he would crush the group, the party, or the country to which that person belonged at any moment. But that was already done by Elisha. Perhaps she could be confident enough that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it better than her! However, Blemir could not easily quench his anger. Elisha placed the back of her other hand on Blemir¡¯s cheek, besides her hand on his forehead. ¡°Do you feel cool?¡± Blemir lowered his eyes that were glistening with bloodthirst. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The Marquis must have quite a fever. It is necessary to always cool down your temperature.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°We have to go now. The children must be waiting in Barossa.¡± Blemir¡¯s eyes froze at the word ¡°children¡±. Elisha had passed by, but Shamir noticed it. For a moment, he questioned what was wrong with the person in front of him. Shamir had only heard brief explanations of the main characters in Barossa, and the only thing in common about this person from what the 2nd Consort had said and from what he was seeing himself was: a strong person, and a man. But Shamir couldn¡¯t guess what that person was thinking at all. Shamir licked his lips again and came closer to Elisha when he heard the sound of a sword being pulled out halfway. Blemir showed him the sword and pointed back with his chin. It was gesturing to him to step away. Does he find my aggressive tone towards the 2nd Consort undesirable? But that seems to be the case for everyone except the 2nd Consort herself. Shamir spread his palms out as if he was harmless, but he slipped ahead in an instant and went next to Elisha. ¡°Consort, hurry up. I also want to see the 3rd Prince as soon as possible.¡± Then he winked at Blemir, who was in front of the carriage, as if making fun of him for having to ride a horse while he traveled together with the consort. ¡°That vulgar barbarian, how dare you!¡± ¡°Marquis, what did you just say?¡± Having sharp senses also meant having good hearing. Blemir was not the only strong person here, so what he had said must have been heard by Elisha. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and wait for you.¡± Blemir avoided Elisha¡¯s gaze, then went to his horse, climbed up, and accelerated. ¡°It feels like having three children.¡± As Elisha muttered, Shamir said. ¡°I thought the Marquis was so obsessed with the Consort, so I wondered if you were some sort of fairy who dominated the social world despite your cold appearance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of people calling me a witch or a villain, but this is my first time hearing someone calling me a fairy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, I think you¡¯ll be able to hear it more often in the future.¡± ¡°Another nonsense.¡± Elisha closed her eyes. Shamir shrugged his shoulders, as if telling her to wait and see, but didn¡¯t interfere with his master¡¯s meditation. As soon as the group crossed the portal, they encountered numerous people. The 2nd Consort, who raised the honor of the empire by displaying a noble spirit of sacrifice, has returned! It is the fortune of the empire! ¡°Whoaaa!¡± Shouts poured out. Elisha handed over Spot, which had been treated with respect by letting it use a portal, into the hands of others, and first confirmed the face she had to find. ¡°Mother!¡± And, of course, there was the face. Elisha opened her arms and hugged Leon, who ran to her. Warm body temperature and soft hair with the comfortable smell of a child rubbed against her. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± ¡°Me too, Mother. Me too.¡± Leon answered with tears in his eyes. Elisha held Leon with one hand and offered the other hand out. She wanted to hold the hand of the other remaining child. ¡°Crown Prince, how have you been?¡± Ascensio stared down at her hand, grabbed that hand tightly, and shook his head. He didn¡¯t cry. But Elisha felt the joy and relief that filled his blue eyes. Elisha leaned her upper body and pressed her forehead to Ascensio¡¯s forehead gently. ¡°I have a lot to talk about. There¡¯s a lot for you to hear. Did you keep your promises? Did you do your homework well?¡± Ascensio nodded his head up and down broadly. Elisha lifted her forehead and rubbed her lips lightly on the place where the red mark was faintly left. A black shadow fell behind them, coming from he who was watching the reunion of the mother and two children. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The person at the back bent his head in surprise and moved to the side. Sassassak! As the people split left and right, a road was made between Emperor Kaiden and Elisha. One step behind the emperor was Rohan. One step behind Elisha, the red-haired swordmaster stood in the same place as when he came out of the portal. As the emperor walked along the path, Elisha looked down and bowed her head. She had no intention of letting Leon down or letting Ascensio¡¯s hand go. And others didn¡¯t find fault with it either. Who could separate children from their mother at this moment? ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you, Your Majesty,¡± ¡°I was secretly searching for your whereabouts because I couldn¡¯t figure out the exact situation. I didn¡¯t know that the knights of the Marquis would find you first. Marquis Blemir cared a lot about you and I will have to thank him later. After all, didn¡¯t he save my rain?¡± There was nothing strange about the emperor not finding her. However, Marquis Blemir¡¯s behavior seemed strange not to her alone. The emperor seemed to want to point that out. ¡°Yes, thank you very much. I met his people when I was having a hard time leaving the desert and received a lot of help from them. May you give him a big reward, Your Majesty.¡± Elisha took it lightly. The emperor did not mention it any more and invited her to go and rest. The emperor and Elisha exchanged what had happened on the way to the West. With the settlement, it was time for a new calculation. The emperor left first so that Elisha could go back comfortably after finishing the remaining greetings. Rohan turned away to pursue the emperor, and his eyes met Elisha. His cold, auburn eyes glowed softly when they met hers. He bowed his head slightly towards her and followed the emperor. Elisha looked at him a little longer than she did to others. *** ¡°A desert warrior?¡± ¡°So, how many times has this person helped the consort?¡± Many people asked about Shamir. The emperor didn¡¯t say much when he saw him, so nobody put a chain around his wrists right away, but they weren¡¯t very friendly. Of course, it was the opposite at the 2nd Consort Palace. Just by knowing that Shamir had helped Elisha, he was treated as a distinguished guest. There was talk of sharing the accommodation with the 2nd Knights, which were currently guarding the 2nd Consort Palace. Since it was a sensitive subject, the members of the 2nd Consort Palace did not ask about the kidnapping and started talking about what had happened to them instead. The biggest event in particular was the competition that took place recently. Elisha sighed as she looked at the star on the back of Leon¡¯s hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t 13 years old too early to make decisions about life?¡± ¡°I think it would be a good idea to set a big stem of life in advance before running all the way towards the goal.¡± Even after such a big accident, Jillian remained calm. She thought it was her choice and it was within her control range. ¡°Yes, that wouldn¡¯t be bad either.¡± Elisha let it go with those words. Unless Leon, the party involved, refused, the choice of the 5th-circle mage who knew the weight of existence should be respected. It was just a shame to think that there might have been a better path and many more choices for Jillian. For 13-year-old Jillian, that one star could have shone more brightly. It wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t take it back, she just didn¡¯t want to get it back. So Leon would try and Elisha would help as much as she could to make Jillian happy. When their conversation was over, Leon pointed to a cage large enough for even a large dog to fit in. It contained a ball of black cotton the size of a fist. ¡°Mother, that¡¯s Remy. Sir Rohan brought it to me earlier in the day when they said Mother was coming.¡± Kiiing! Kiiing! ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute?¡± The creature looked like a doll, licking its hind paw with its tongue and wagging it around. But what was Rohan really thinking? ¡°To present a cub of Barcado. Legend says its blood is a mixture of a divine beast and a demon beast.¡± She could only imagine how noisy Leon must have been when he received it. Somehow, she only thought that she wanted to scold him as an adult and a swordmaster. Chapter 88 The fact that the 2nd Consort had returned quickly spread beyond Barossa to the capital, the entire empire, and the continent. And the next day. Elisha had been standing at the entrance of the magnificent throne room since the early hours. She walked inside, treading on the red carpet. Elisha walked pridefully among the nobles staring at her from the left and right sides of the red carpet. Finally, she stopped at the end of the carpet and the beginning of the marble staircase leading up to the emperor¡¯s throne and lifted her head. ¡°You summoned me, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, I wanted you to rest a little more, but the nobles are anxious.¡± ¡°Anxious about what?¡± ¡°They are worried that you might have lost your qualifications as the emperor¡¯s woman.¡± ¡°Your Majesty decides the emperor¡¯s woman. Who dares to discuss her qualifications?¡± Elisha glanced at Prince Raymond on the left before turning to the right. Marquis Rwanda of the West quickly avoided eye contact. They tried to find fault with Elisha to prevent the expansion of Elisha¡¯s position and to disrupt the influence of the emperor, who was using Elisha to oppress them. There wasn¡¯t any justification. They only thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. ¡°Your Majesty, send your people to the desert. Let the East and West knights see with their own eyes.¡± ¡°What are you implying?¡± ¡°Let them see with their own eyes that I have the power to protect myself. And I want them to know how I repay those who threaten me. I hope this will never happen again, Your Majesty.¡± The figures she spoke of became clear not long after. ¡°2nd Consort speaks as if she was hiding in the desert for revenge, not because she was kidnapped.¡± ¡°No wonder His Majesty¡¯s people found no trace of her.¡± When Elisha asked if it was as they had said, the emperor answered with his chin resting on his right hand. ¡°Yes.¡± Elisha thought that one should pay the price for every pawn they use. She nodded her head as her gaze met with the emperor. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly revenge. I wasn¡¯t able to move because of my physical condition. If I didn¡¯t accidentally arrive at a place full of the energy of nature, the situation might¡¯ve ended as the nobles had expected.¡± ¡°Sounds like a fairy tale.¡± The emperor omitted the later sentence in response to the explanation as to why he had not been able to find her trace. But. ¡°Fortunately, that fairy tale became a reality. My spirit has grown, and I have returned home to take revenge,¡± Elisha said. Elisha wanted to make it impossible for the nobles to claim that she must have been humiliated after being captured by the desert tribe. Of course, to do that, she had to lie, which was one of the few things Elisha couldn¡¯t do very well. But that didn¡¯t mean she could be beaten when her eyes were open. So Elisha spoke of the situation as it was while leaving out a few of the most important things. The nobles would have to figure out the rest and put them together. Those who could deny her were already dead, leaving only Shamir, Dahil, and Taro; Elisha trusted they would not betray her. If the nobles still insisted that she had been humiliated even after seeing the aftermath in the desert, she might have to admit that these people were truly courageous. ¡°I know what everyone is curious about. Rather than deeming the result impossible, why not let me tell you how it was possible?¡± That was the surest way to give credibility to everything. Show them the powerful force that seems to be able to achieve anything! ¡°With Your Majesty¡¯s permission, can we all go out of the throne room together?¡± ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t destroy the 1st Consort¡¯s garden again.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be destroyed?¡± When Elisha asked with a slight tilt of her head, the emperor stood up from his throne, descended the marble steps, and stood next to Elisha. ¡°Nevermind that. You said you¡¯d show me something I¡¯d want to see.¡± ¡°Then please hold on to me a little longer next time. Wouldn¡¯t it be a pity if you let me go so soon?¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the emperor went out the throne room entrance, put his lips to her ear, and whispered. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to stand on the calculating side. I save you for fear of disappointment. Because it will be my loss if others take you away.¡± Inside the throne room, the high-ranking officials of the empire were all looking at the two¡¯s backs. The two seemed quite affectionate as they chatted. ¡°Does His Majesty truly think nothing has happened to the 2nd Consort?¡± ¡°Or is she dear enough to make him think that it doesn¡¯t matter even if something did happen?¡± The nobles followed the two outside with uncomfortable faces. As high-ranking aristocrats gathered from the throne room, attention was drawn to them. Rumor spread quickly, and the number of eyes watching from afar increased. Elisha walked twenty steps from the entrance of the throne room before stopping. Then she turned around and faced the way she had come from. The emperor walked further to her back and widened the distance. The nobles also followed the emperor and drew a semicircle behind Elisha¡¯s back with her as the center. Elisha raised a hand. Pong! Undine appeared from the air. ¡°It will be difficult. Can you do it?¡± When Elisha asked, Undine raised her chin as if telling Elisha to believe in her. Her wide, mischievous smile was refreshing. Undine tumbled across Elisha¡¯s silver hair as she played around and climbed her shoulder. She was not facing the throne room, but the nobles lined up in a semicircle behind Elisha. So Elisha did not notice when the smile directed at Elisha was erased, leaving a chilling expression in its stead. Undine, kissing Elisha¡¯s silver hair in her tiny hands, was giving a warning to the humans. ¡°Undine, let¡¯s go.¡± When Elisha called, Undine turned around and smiled brightly again. She rubbed her face against Elisha¡¯s cheek like a lively girl and flew into the air. Shwaaa! Water gushed out from all directions with the throne room in the center. The streams of water gushing up from the ground were high enough to cover the high throne room, and they twisted one by one to form snakes. The snakes also twisted their bodies then and soon grew to the size of the snakes Elisha had set free in Aran¡¯s basin. Dozens of such snakes wrapped around the throne room and climbed to the top of the roof without stopping. As they straightened their bodies, it was as if pillars of water had connected the throne room¡¯s roof and the sky. As if¡­ rain that hadn¡¯t fallen in a very long time was only allowed there. It was a marvelous and terrifying sight made clear by the dazzling light. It was hard to believe that a woman with such a slender body had made this possible. And when it ended, only memories remained. But Elisha wanted something bigger. She wanted to make sure no one would ever ask such a ridiculous question again! Elisha held out her other hand. The pillars of water rising from the roof of the throne room were split into twelve long pieces. The moment Elisha clasped her hands tightly and spread them out-! They scattered one by one and flew in all directions. As if the goddess of water was throwing spears from the roof of the throne room. Swaaeegh! Even though those pillars were quite high in the air and not in a position to reach them, the old people screamed in surprise. ¡°Uwaakh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, Your Majesty!¡± The knights who circled around Emperor Kaiden shouted, raised their swords, and covered them over his head. Chaeng-chaeng-chaeng-chaeng! When the tips of the ten swords inclined toward the emperor gathered at one point in the air, it was as if a silver bud had formed. Along with that, a black shadow fell behind Elisha. An outstretched blade touched Elisha¡¯s slender neck. Elisha did not panic. After she made sure there was nothing left to do, she looked down at the blade resting on her neck. She raised her index finger and gently pushed the blade, but it did not move. Seeukh! As her index finger slipped, a cut was formed, and her finger bled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elisha didn¡¯t know what to say, so she shut her mouth. Blemir approached, took out his handkerchief, and wrapped it around her injured finger. Then, when Rohan tried to put the blade away- The emperor¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Is it over now?¡± It¡¯s a tone expressing, ¡°What¡¯s with the fuss when there¡¯s nothing special?¡± ¡°Not quite, Your Majesty.¡± As soon as Elisha finished speaking, far away, beyond Barossa, in the capital and its vicinity-! An explosion was heard. If the 2nd Consort had not been standing indifferently in the middle of Barossa, and if the one holding the sword at her neck wasn¡¯t Rohan, the people might have already been seething. Even now, if the emperor ordered it, this would turn into an act of rebellion and strangle the 2nd Consort alive. ¡°I heard that the capital city is also in trouble due to lack of water these days. Some say that Mirlin area needs to be reorganized, so I sent this gift because I heard that the common people living beyond the capital wall are also struggling.¡± The emperor beckoned Rohan to withdraw his sword. ¡°Did you mark the water veins?¡± Elisha shook her head at the emperor¡¯s question. ¡°No, I let the water come out. The water will rise if you go to the side where the sound came from.¡± ¡°Is this the method you used in Vecchia Plain? Didn¡¯t you say it was difficult because you had to use excessive power?¡± Back then¡ªthe only time she had personally opened the water vein before many people¡ªElisha had vomited blood and collapsed. ¡°I have to show this much, or they won¡¯t shut up. I¡¯m using my power to save Barossa because I can¡¯t damage it. So as I said before, send your men to the desert. I don¡¯t want anyone to say such unpleasant things in front of me again.¡± Instead of answering, the emperor pointed to the road¡¯s entrance leading to the throne room. ¡°Well, here comes the last piece. After checking this out, it will happen as you said.¡± Elisha frowned faintly as Shamir came with the knights. What else is it this time? ¡°I see Your Majesty.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re the desert warrior who came with my consort.¡± The emperor had already seen him yesterday and just left without cutting his head. It had seemed as if he had allowed him to be, but now he treated Shamir as if he was seeing him for the first time. Since he ignored me yesterday, this must be our first official greeting. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When Shamir answered, the emperor said, ¡°You helped my consort. I wonder why you risked your life for the 2nd Consort whom you are unfamiliar with.¡± Too many things had happened for quite a long time for their relationship to be called unfamiliar, but this was one of the many things he had discussed with the 2nd Consort on the way back to the empire. So Shamir said confidently, ¡°The first time I saw the 2nd Consort, as you may know, was when the monsters attacked the village. Sir Rohan was there as well. I led the attacking party without wanting to. Because a couple of desert people whose children were like my brothers and sisters were caught by the chief of the tribe, so I had no choice but to do it¡­ At that time, Her Ladyship sacrificed herself¡­ ordered Sir Rohan to protect the safety of the prince and the villagers, then rushed toward the monsters and reduced the number of desert tribe warriors-¡± Even in Barossa, Shamir was being Shamir. A madman is a madman wherever he is. Shamir, thinking that someone might cut his words off with a straight face or because ¡°they already knew¡±, continued for a while. By the time he was finished, everyone seemed to know about one hundred and thirty-two reasons why Shamir had to obey the 2nd Consort. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Elisha was looking forward to the emperor¡¯s irritated face for a moment. It did not come true. The blue eyes sank and just shone like jewels. And it should have ended there. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Is it strange for a dog to like his master? The dog only likes his master because they¡¯re the master and never covets them. So please believe me on this: I am the 2nd Consort¡¯s faithful dog.¡± The surroundings became quiet because of Shamir, who smiled with wide open golden eyes, making eyes that looked like he would bark if told to bark. It seemed as if Shamir would even give his tongue willingly if the emperor ordered the mad dog¡¯s tongue to be cut off. However, it didn¡¯t happen in the end. The case of the disappearance of the 2nd Consort ended like this. The western nobles tried to approach Elisha several times but were blocked by Blemir and kicked out every time¡­ ¡°If you point that sword at the 2nd Consort again, it won¡¯t end like this.¡± And it seemed that this incident had made Blemir even more hostile to Rohan. Chapter 89 ¡°You¡¯ve taken great care of the 3rd Prince. I can¡¯t express enough how grateful I am.¡± Elisha said to Viscountess Cain. Elisha expressed her sincerity because she knew how self-conscious she must have been to lead the family alone without a husband and still care about the fallen 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. And she would repay her with something real ten and twenty times greater than that. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you returned safely.¡± Viscountess Cain drank the tea, and they had a short talk before she went home. She kept their meeting short because she thought she should not take too much time from the busy 2nd Consort. And because it was true, Elisha didn¡¯t try to stop her. She had to meet the various nobles who came, check the conditions of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace with her maid Jean-Marie, and confirm the source of a large amount of money she continued to receive. Still, in Elisha¡¯s personal opinion, it must¡¯ve been from Rosenin. The money always came in a pocket with a mana stone logo drawn, as if the sender was trying to use it as their mark. She¡¯s probably got the Ballong area I mentioned last time. And. ¡°Since the mark is a mana stone, not a gem, she must have found it, right?¡± The gem mine was located in a mountain in the Ballong area, and it would soon be closed as the reserves had been nearly exhausted. In the past, one of Rosenin¡¯s brothers was forced to take it over, but one day, a weak earthquake hit the mountain, making the inside shake, and the dug area collapsed. Then, a miner found a peculiar thing among the crumbling stones near the innermost block and gave it to his superior. Only after the ¡®peculiar thing¡¯ arrived at Heron group did they discover it was a mana stone. The brother quickly soared to the position of president. Gem mines were uncommon in the first place, and the number of mana stone mines was one-tenth of that. But who would have imagined that there was a mana stone mine buried beneath the gem mine? If she had told her straight away, Rosenin wouldn¡¯t have believed her and misunderstood, so Elisha had only told her what she needed to know. She had asked her to take the entire Ballong area, not just the mountain where the abandoned mine was, because if Rosenin¡¯s smart brain were filled with questions, she would¡¯ve wondered if there was something more to be dug around. This would¡¯ve given Elisha a peek about Rosenin¡¯s character, and now Rosenin had sent her an answer. Elisha thought it mustn¡¯t have been easy, but Rosenin had realized it at once and put it into practice to produce results. ¡°As expected, Rosenin is a great person.¡± Elisha smiled faintly as she remembered Rosenin. In the middle of her free time, Elisha visited Dell. She asked if Dell was dissatisfied with taking charge of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, and Dell said he liked this place much more. The crown prince was a good man and a master he wanted to serve, but he said he wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure it for long because the nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction were rude. Of course Elisha knew he would¡¯ve endured it had he persisted. When he had been called the Witch¡¯s dog in her previous life, he had somehow dealt with even nobbles of much lower quality than the current nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction. Those who didn¡¯t even possess the dignity of a noble. ¡°By the way, 2nd Consort, where did you pick him up?¡± As he mentioned this, Elisha let out a sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t pick him up. He just followed me on his own. Has Shamir caused any trouble again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no trouble. Seeing how well he gets along with the boys, I¡¯d like to have him join the 2nd Order.¡± Elisha had thought she¡¯d be lucky if they didn¡¯t fight. But since even the twisted Sir Dell asked for him, it seemed that they were getting along really well. Elisha wondered how Shamir had dealt with the people of the desert if he could even deal with Sir Dell and the 2nd Order. Elisha separated from Dell, thinking that she should check that out later. *** The emperor looked at the things that Marquis Croix had brought with him. ¡°This time, the 2nd Consort solved the water shortage, which was the biggest problem in and around the capital. These are some gifts people have given to show their gratitude.¡± The emperor asked Marquis Croix, who had added that he could not bring some of the gifts in and left them outside. ¡°Why did you bring it to me then, not to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace?¡± ¡°Most of them are addressed to you and the 2nd Consort, so I brought them to you first.¡± ¡°Bring them to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When Marquis Croix put the pile aside, a servant handed the marquis a large silver tray. The emperor noticed the silver tray was full of wax-sealed envelopes with luxurious materials. ¡°This is an invitation from each country.¡± ¡°Is that also the 2nd Consort¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yes. But they were sent to His Majesty. Inviting a consort of a foreign country is a matter of caution. It would not be possible without Your Majesty¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°It seems that the 2nd Consort¡¯s abilities are very coveted.¡± ¡°How can it not? When she first left for the West, nobody expected much. However, it is no exaggeration to say that she had performed tremendously in the West, and her actions after returning this time are truly a miracle.¡± ¡°Tell me. Since she¡¯s done a miracle, should I reward her? I need to pay a fair price for the miracle, but I can¡¯t think of anything. What if I give her the authority of the emperor? Will it be enough?¡± It sounded like a question as he asked without stressing the tones. His voice was as calm as water from beginning to end. However, the words contained a lot of poison. ¡°I made a mistake, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.¡± Marquis Croix, astonished, hurriedly said. He bowed his head deeply so he couldn¡¯t see the emperor¡¯s face. He only got another chance because he was Marquis Croix, the most useful among the Imperialists. ¡°So how should we deal with the invitation? Many countries will offer land, goods, or the title of honorary aristocrats.¡± ¡°Well, having such a treasure at a time like this alone is a great strength of the empire.¡± ¡°But, Your Majesty, the crown prince of the Santiano Empire sent another letter.¡± ¡°Is he going to pay a visit this time? Or does he want her to come like everyone else? Come to think of it. He was the first to send an invitation to the 2nd Consort.¡± ¡°Yes. I heard he¡¯s not attending any official events and only stays at the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. It¡¯s very suspicious that he suddenly shows interest in the 2nd Consort.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say he was also a spirit summoner?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that he wields a high-ranking wind spirit.¡± The number of spirits was very small, and the number of spirit summoners who owned high-ranking spirits, second only to spirit kings, at most were only two or three individuals on the continent. Wasn¡¯t it funny for the haughty crown prince to beg the 2nd Consort of another empire so humbly? ¡°Are you sure that Undine, the 2nd Consort¡¯s spirit, is not a normal spirit?¡± ¡°The civil servants have searched all the ancient books, but there are not many written on them, so it is difficult to say. However, one thing is certain: Spirits do not grow. Spirits are divided into classes like humans. They are born and die the same.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And there isn¡¯t anything concrete of this, but after putting together all sorts of stories, the civil servants said that they don¡¯t know if Elestra, the high-ranking water spirit, has that much power. Not to mention a low-level Undine.¡± This meant that the 2nd Consort¡¯s spirit was unique regarding power and usage. ¡°Is the crown prince of Santiano interested in the 2nd Consort¡¯s strange spirit, or is it because his own spirit is strange?¡± The appearance of one variable meant that more variables had occurred¡­ It should be kept in mind that just because one was better did not mean the other would be the same. And. ¡°It could be both.¡± Keep all possibilities open. Kaiden put his chin on the back of his left hand. ¡°Find out more. The 2nd Consort is a double-edged sword. You could be seriously injured depending on how you hold her.¡± ¡°We are constantly collecting data. We are checking things in the empire and other countries, so something useful will come out soon.¡± ¡°Strengthen our eyes in Santiano, too. I wonder what the crown prince is up to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to find out.¡± Marquis Croix covered his left chest with his right hand. After Marquis Croix left, Kaiden remained alone to check the paperwork due today. He ate on time and met those who asked for an audience. Most of them said nonsense, and some just came to see Kaiden¡¯s face. Kaiden was not angry. He was equally indifferent to all of them and received the same price. It was a familiar thing. It had been the same with the former empress. But didn¡¯t the 1st and 2nd Consorts still accept him who was like that? ¡°Hmm.¡± On his way for a simple swordsmanship training after digesting all the audience schedules, Kaiden changed directions. *** Kiing! Kiing! Inside the cage, Remy continued to cry. Elisha didn¡¯t even glance at it, but Leon was nervous and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mother, can I take it out for a moment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Then, wait a minute.¡± Leon went to the iron cage he had put down next to the table and opened the locked door. A wad of black cotton popped out and ran straight to Elisha. The little guy who climbed to the top of the table with that small body at once bit Elisha¡¯s arm. Then it started chewing with its teeth. ¡°D-Don¡¯t do that! Mother, are you hurt?!¡± Leon grabbed the chunky butt of the cotton ball and tried to pull it off, but no matter how young it was, it was still a Barcado. There was no way it could lose to Leon. The one who didn¡¯t want to fall off and the one trying to get rid of it whined together, so the wound on Elisha¡¯s arm only widened more. ¡°Blood, blood!¡± Leon was so surprised and let go of the cotton ball. Cotton Ball licked Elisha¡¯s blood. Leon was afraid, so Elisha pinched her thumb and forefinger together to form a circle and flicked it quite hard on the forehead. Ttak! Cotton Ball fell back with its stomach exposed. ¡°M-Mother. Is it dead? Is our cotton ball dead?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t die just from that. Barcado is strong. It¡¯s not in vain that they say it¡¯s a legendary animal that simultaneously inherits the blood of a divine beast and a demonic beast. There¡¯s no need to worry about it, Leon.¡± Maybe. Elisha¡¯s words were rarely long and spoken fast, but Leon didn¡¯t even notice. When Elisha shot Cotton Ball with the energy of water, it quickly sprang to its feet. It cutely shook its small head once, straightened its back, shook its hip, then its tail. In Elisha¡¯s eyes, it was not a Barcado, but a fox. A damn fox cub. [T/N: Fox as in expressing something/someone is ¡®sly¡¯ not sure if a Barcado resembles a fox as well] The thing understood that Leon had fallen in love with itself and made requests every once in a while. It had been a while since the little thing had noticed that Elisha listened to Leon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother. I keep asking to take it out. When I told it not to bite you again, it put its face on the floor and raised its buttocks. I thought it understood. But in the end, it bit you again¡­¡± Elisha didn¡¯t mind being bitten a little. Leon, who had been depressed all the time when she hadn¡¯t been there, was now as lively as he¡¯d been in the past. However, Leon was a thoughtful child and cherished Elisha very much, so he felt bad as he watched her getting bitten again because of his repeated mistake. It was okay if he felt sorry because the little thing was being trapped or if he wanted to play with the cute animal. But Elisha thought he was more restless than necessary. Elisha, who was looking at Leon quietly, asked. ¡°Leon, do you feel sorry for Cotton Ball?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ Yes. I have a mother, but Cotton Ball doesn¡¯t have one. It must be upsetting to cry and fall sick without a mother. It has no brother, Grandpa Georg or Jillian either.¡± ¡°Do you want to tell Sir Rohan to take Cotton Ball back to its habitat?¡± ¡°I was pleased with Sir Rohan¡¯s gift. I also like Cotton Ball very much. But if it makes Cotton Ball happier to be in its habitat, then I¡¯d like to do so.¡± Leon¡¯s big blue eyes were filled with determination. White, soft cheeks with a rosy blush and pale pink lips. He clenched his fists and mourned the breakup with a friend that had not yet happened. So lovely. Elisha thought, holding her child tightly. ¡°The fact that a Barcado cub is alone means that both of its parents are dead. A Barcado baby has nutrition, taste, and cuteness that monsters love so much that they never leave them alone. Is Sir Rohan someone who¡¯d take such a small beast just to give it to you?¡± ¡°No! Sir Rohan is not like that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so he gave it to you so that the black wad of a cotton ball can make a new family. And have a mother too.¡± Elisha pointed at herself with her index finger and turned it toward Leon. ¡°And a friend, grandpa, older sister, and older brother all at once.¡± ¡°As expected, Sir Rohan is great,¡± Leon said dreamily. Elisha looked down at her finger for a moment, then nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a great man. He can be trusted unless His Majesty commands him.¡± Elisha muttered to Leon and herself, like a promise. Chapter 90 Barcado was a strong and beautiful beast. When it became an adult, its size was comparable to a lion¡¯s, and its glossy fur was black, making it difficult to find if it hides in the dark. The tough, thick leather, which couldn¡¯t be torn even with a knife, perfected the beast¡¯s body which was said to be a blessing from its demonic beast part. In addition, it was healthy, intelligent, and lived a long time due to its pure mana, the blessing from its divine beast part. However, despite having everything like that, its population was small, and it was often attacked by violent monsters that were instinctively attracted to mana. Barcado was on the verge of extinction. Once upon a time, it was the greatest pride of the aristocrats to domesticate and raise Barcado. It had become a trend that eventually disappeared some time ago. ¡°It is ferocious at first, but I heard their nature will improve as time is spent together. And now it bites only me.¡± When Elisha spoke seriously, Leon concentrated heavily. Then Elisha gave the verdict. ¡°Perhaps my blood tastes good.¡± I¡¯ll just give it some, then. The body will continue to replenish the spilled blood anyway. That little cotton ball makes Leon laugh, so feeding it is not a problem. ¡°That¡¯s not okay. It hurts you, Mother. Cotton Ball will continue to live with us, so it has to learn how to live in the world. I will not fall for it even if it acts like a baby!¡± Leon, who suddenly acted like a strict older brother, looked cute, so Elisha went along with him. Barcado would become a lifelong, reliable friend and escort who would always be with Leon as long as it was well raised. ¡°Alright.¡± After Elisha stopped speaking, Cotton Ball wanted to rush in again. Leon quickly grabbed its back and put it in the cage. He thought he¡¯d release it later when he returned to his room. After Leon told it to wait a little while, he sat next to his favorite person, his mother, and was about to eat cookies when- ¡°2nd Consort! Please come out!¡± Dorian rushed over. Elisha looked at her puzzledly, and Marie spoke from behind Dorian. ¡°His Majesty is coming.¡± Elisha tilted her head. ¡°His Majesty?¡± She hadn¡¯t heard it wrong. She was just hoping she¡¯d heard it wrong. But how could anything in the world be so easy? So Elisha went out with Leon. The emperor appeared shortly as they stood at the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace entrance. The emperor stood in front of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace and looked around. Then his gaze stopped at the woman with silver hair and sky blue eyes. Isn¡¯t this place too shabby for her to live in? ¡°What brings you here, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you summon me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already here. That¡¯s enough.¡± Elisha withdrew at the emperor¡¯s answer. What could she do if he said so? However, it was very uncomfortable for Elisha to have someone who shouldn¡¯t have been there in her space. Especially since Leon was shaking so much. Elisha led the emperor to her parlor. ¡°Have you said your greeting?¡± When Elisha put a hand on Leon¡¯s back, Leon lowered his head. ¡°I see Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Silence followed. After a long while, Elisha said to Leon. ¡°Come to think of it. You left Cotton Ball in the backyard. It must be scared since you left it alone. Why don¡¯t you take it to your room and play with it?¡± When the child showed concern for his mother, Elisha kissed the top of his head and assured him several times that it was okay. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Elisha, who had given her permission, looked back at the emperor. ¡°Would it be alright, Your Majesty? Or do you have something to talk about with the 3rd Prince?¡± ¡°No. He may leave.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Leon went out quickly. The emperor had had many brothers. Therefore, among the previous emperors, he was the one who had shed the most blood to sit on the emperor¡¯s throne. He had seen the empress and the consorts raise his brothers. He had grown with his brothers, but none had expressed their affection so openly. It was unusual to treat each other normally in a place like the imperial palace. How could one survive long growing up like that? No matter how fond Ascensio might be of that child, would his relationship remain the same for years to come? In particular, Ascensio was obsessed with the consort in front of him. He knew she was a fake, but was there any moment when he wanted the fake to be real? What would that woman do then? There were so many possibilities; it was impossible to see in which direction they would all extend. ¡°You are someone of no account.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And you have too many secrets.¡± The more the emperor talked, the more his blue eyes sank. The emperor really hated the lack of answers. Elisha wondered if the emperor wanted her to make it rain again. But his proposal was milder than expected¡ªor at least the packaging was. ¡°I think our relationship could be much better than it is now if you give me a few fixed numbers to control the variables. What do you think?¡± The emperor¡¯s blue eyes looked straight at Elisha. Giving him control over the variables meant that he wanted to know more about Elisha herself. It was obvious what the emperor wanted to know: the backstory that made Elisha suddenly moved William, the Western archmage. The reason she was able to recognize the Shadow Knights of Eastern Duke Cherkah. And how she continued to grow stronger. These were the variables he wanted to check. And he could¡¯ve made a new plan with the slightest clue. But since nothing showed, the emperor¡¯s suspicions only grew. There was only one answer to all his questions: because Elisha had returned to the past. It was something she couldn¡¯t explain. ¡°What? Do you dislike it?¡± Elisha felt she had to give him an answer this time. ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike it. It¡¯s just difficult.¡± ¡°Yes, you must have a lot to consider.¡± It was even more surprising that the emperor immediately agreed to her excuse. ¡°So I¡¯m going to put restrictions on you.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°Come to think of it; I don¡¯t think you have to set a fixed price for yourself.¡± It sounded ominous. The emperor was still looking at Elisha with unshakeable blue eyes. Suddenly, the most powerful cage which the emperor could use to control her came to Elisha¡¯s mind. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s-!¡± ¡°Yes, I nominate you as an empress candidate, the noblest of the emperor¡¯s women.¡± Previously, the emperor had tried using Elisha as a foe and bait for the 1st Consort. And he had been able to get pretty much anything he wanted. However, this one was different in scale. Isabelle had long been prevented from becoming an empress. She had been included in the decree as an empress candidate but had repeatedly failed the health examinations. What if Elisha succeeded? It wouldn¡¯t be just the 1st Consort¡­ The Eastern nobles would be toppled, and the 3rd Prince would take one step closer to the position of an orthodox successor, leaving nothing more to be desired with the crown prince¡¯s faction. Barossa¡¯s power structure would be reorganized! ¡°Your Majesty, I am not worthy.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say with your mouth that the emperor gives the qualifications of the emperor¡¯s woman? And why do you think you¡¯re not worthy? The West honors you. You sacrificed yourself, overcame all difficulties, and returned to Barossa. People say that the ability you showed in front of the throne room this time is a miracle. Your abilities will continue to do great things for the empire. You will continue to do great things for the empire as long as you have power. So which part of you is not worthy? You¡¯re wonderful enough, enough to overflow.¡± There was no justification for Elisha to refuse. ¡°An empress who has no foreign relatives. An empress who is hostile to all the other powers and has the ability to help the empire. You¡¯re ideal. And what¡¯s even better is that such an empress has two hostages.¡± Ascensio and Leon. Just as she was the emperor¡¯s woman, those two were the emperor¡¯s children. ¡°Many people want the position. The price has risen daily, so I¡¯ve purposely kept it within reach and made them fight. If you sit there, you will be a part of them from now on. I think it will be fun to watch.¡± Empress was a different position from 2nd Consort. Everyone in the empire looked up to the empress, so if there were anything she hid, it would be revealed somehow. ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t like uncertainty, but why do you always try something uncertain?¡± Elisha was genuinely curious. The emperor stood up from where he was sitting. He walked over to Elisha, who was sitting opposite him, and sat down on the armrest of the soft sofa. A long, well-shaped finger touched Elisha¡¯s earlobe. The beautiful man, said to be a blessing and a gift from God, exhaled sweetly and spoke pleasantly. ¡°I roll the dice until I get the answer I want.¡± ¡°What if the answer doesn¡¯t come out?¡± ¡°Then I roll until it comes out.¡± How can I stop it? This conversation overlapped with how he had responded to Shamir the other day. It seemed that this topic related to empress position would not be easily sorted out. ¡°Speak if you want to tell me a fixed number, or if you want to be my fixed number. I¡¯ll take out what you hate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Some people are desperate for it, but some are forced to sell it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware, Your Majesty. Please reconsider.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who should reconsider.¡± Ssureuk. The fingertip, which had gone down from her auricle to her jawline, was gently bent and supported Elisha¡¯s chin. When the emperor exerted force, Elisha¡¯s face was tilted back, facing up at the emperor sitting on the armrest. The upper body of the emperor, who was looking down at her, leaned downward. The emperor¡¯s lips met hers. When Elisha had completely stiffened, the emperor raised the thumb of his hand that supported her chin and lightly gripped Elisha¡¯s lower lip. His tongue went inside the gaping lips. The emperor grabbed Elisha¡¯s shoulder and pressed her with his other hand. His tongue went deeper and rubbed against hers. After a while, he straightened his upper body, released the hand holding her chin, and wiped the corners of his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll have to learn how to breathe when kissing. Otherwise, you¡¯ll faint.¡± Elisha seemed stiffened and had no answer, so the emperor stood up. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± When he left, Elisha, who was left alone, bent over and buried her face in her lap. That had been her first kiss, and she couldn¡¯t resist. Not because she still had a little love for him. But because she was the emperor¡¯s woman. *** ¡°Did you hear? It is said that His Majesty went directly to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace today.¡± ¡°The two had tea alone together¡­¡± ¡°What kind of conversation did they have with the 3rd Prince?¡± Rumors circulated in Barossa. Marie was surprised that the story from 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace had spread outside and wondered if there was a spy. ¡°That¡¯s something anyone can tell outside the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. They were chosen by you, Marie. Don¡¯t doubt them. No one was eavesdropping in the vicinity, so don¡¯t worry.¡± When Elisha spoke, Marie felt relieved. ¡°By the way, is there anything the palace needs or lacks?¡± Elisha had said that she would let Marie do whatever she wanted. Elisha would only watch. There were so many gifts coming to 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. Even if they had returned some, there was still a lot left. ¡°There is always abundance these days, but Your Ladyship-¡° ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Dorian had some necessities, so she went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and heard a strange rumor. It says soon we will be moving palace¡­¡± ¡°Our 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace? To where?¡± ¡°I heard to the White Rose Palace.¡± After the decree to choose an empress was issued, the two candidates for the empress were assigned to the White Rose Palace and the Red Rose Palace. This was the tradition. And nowadays, it is common for a palace to greet an owner before it gets emptied again, regardless of time and trend. Elisha knew a woman very susceptible to such traditions and bait. ¡°He sends me to White Rose Palace just like this. Meanwhile, there¡¯s another woman who will throw everything away to enter Red Rose Palace.¡± The 1st Consort, Isabelle Cherkah. And what was the difference between Elisha¡¯s entrance to White Rose Palace and Isabelle¡¯s to Red Rose Palace? There were only two candidates¡ªthe 1st Consort and the 2nd Consort¡ªfor empress, but Isabelle paid a huge participation fee. Willingly too. ¡°Because behind me will be the man of the highest blood in the empire, the blessing and a gift from God.¡± Elisha remembered the words Isabelle had cried out as she struggled with resentment, love, and obsession as she was dying. Chapter 91 Elisha fiddled with the pendant like a habit. She was supposed to give it back but couldn¡¯t find the right time. Not surprisingly, the person she was thinking of at the moment was Rohan, who had visited almost every day while Elisha was away. It was polite to reciprocate by giving it back to herself, not to mention that the pendant was in a state where the jewelry had been damaged. Elisha, who had been thinking about it, couldn¡¯t put it off any longer, so she asked Marie to prepare snacks for her. It was a comrade with whom she had spent quite a long time and fought alongside the 1st Order when heading for the West. She hadn¡¯t even seen his face at a separate time since her return, so it wouldn¡¯t be bad to go and greet him. It would be nice to take Leon with me, but today¡¯s class is indispensable, so she moved alone with her maids. Clang! Rohan swung his sword, and the power within it was enormous. ¡°Hiiy!¡± Miller was startled and pulled back in surprise. If he had done it wrong, his pitiful belly, which was tight with muscles but could still be hurt by the blade, would¡¯ve been ripped in half. However, the attack did not end there. Clang! Clang! Clang! He couldn¡¯t make sense of the attack that went from a vertical line to a horizontal one and then was drawn with an oblique line. ¡°C-Captain! Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, get out. Next person!¡± As Rohan spoke without holding his breath, Miller said timidly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying I can¡¯t. I¡¯m just saying let¡¯s do it in moderation.¡± ¡°Raise your sword. I realized how lax you have become while hunting trolls this time. You¡¯ve been out of your mind ever since you came back from the West. Perry! If Hein hadn¡¯t helped this time, you might not be able to raise your sword again. Do you know?¡± ¡°Yes! I know!¡± He didn¡¯t know why Rohan suddenly changed his target, but it was true anyway, so Perry answered loudly. ¡°Then stand by.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes!¡± I¡¯m dead, thought Perry while raising his sword. After Miller had been beaten hard, it was his turn to go up to the training ground. He sighed and warmed up lightly, and as he looked towards the entrance to the training ground, a familiar delicate figure was approaching. ¡°Huh?¡± Perry¡¯s eyes widened. As much as he noticed, those who were competing in the center of the training ground had also stopped their movements. ¡°2nd Consort! What brings you here?¡± Perry ran quickly to meet Elisha. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your faces properly since my return.¡± ¡°Your presence is a pleasure. Why can¡¯t I see the 3rd Prince?¡± ¡°The 3rd Prince is in class.¡± ¡°But you should have come together. That way, it is good to¡ª But anyway, it¡¯s fine. Next time, hopefully, the 3rd Prince¡ª¡± Perry babbled again, but Elisha said nothing. She could see how gentle and upright Perry was by looking at Shamir. He didn¡¯t even hit a guy like Shamir and actually listened to him. That proved something. ¡°2nd Consort, I was hurt!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad you came back safely!¡± Among the members of the 1st Knights, those who had gone to the West together surrounded Elisha and talked to her, so it was chaotic. Thud! There was a sound of the scabbard of the sword hitting the training ground¡¯s floor lightly. Surprised, the knights withdrew from Elisha and stood in line. Rohan approached Elisha. ¡°My apologies. I will warn them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Weren¡¯t they fellow soldiers who shared their lives with me? It¡¯s nice of them to welcome me without reserve.¡± Then, after asking Rohan for permission, she unpacked what she brought. During an untimely break, people gathered in the open space outside the training ground and talked while eating snacks. Elisha and Rohan sat a little further away from them. The fabric on the floor makes a rustling sound with every movement. Neither of them ate or drank anything first. The two stayed still. Rohan opened and closed his mouth several times. ¡°Cotton Ball is doing well.¡± ¡°What do you mean by cotton ball?¡± ¡°Oh, I think it had a name, something like Remy. It¡¯s just like a ball of cotton, so I called it that, I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fitting name, too.¡± It was like that for Rohan too. ¡°I think it¡¯s too late to say gratitude, but thank you very much. I¡¯ve heard that there have been a number of situations that would have been very difficult without Sir Rohan.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡± ¡°I think you did more than that. Sir Rohan really dotes on the 3rd Prince.¡± Because it was true, Rohan was no longer modest. After those words, the two of them became quiet again. This time again, Elisha spoke first. ¡°Did the cotton ball¡¯s parents die by the trolls?¡± ¡°Yes. If it was a little late, the cotton ball would have died as well.¡± It was funny to hear cotton ball coming out of the mouth with a stern face and clear pronunciation. ¡°Huh.¡± Rohan looked back at Elisha at that small, sigh-like, soft breath. And just in time, she was looking at Rohan, too. The coldness within the thin, curved, sky blue eyes softened. The tips of her rather pale lips slightly curled up. He wondered if he could also smile like that, but then he realized that he was smiling too. The wind blew between the two. Rohan had already put the words he had wanted to ask in his mouth from the beginning. ¡°Are your fingers okay?¡± At first glance, there were no wounds, but it was not clear because they were covered by her sleeve. ¡°Ah.¡± Elisha opened her mouth slightly and then closed it. It was a sigh that was somewhat empty, different from the smoothness before. ¡°Are you sick?¡± When Rohan asked with solemn reddish brown eyes, Elisha shook her head. ¡°No. Everything is fine.¡± Then she remember why she came here. ¡°I have something to apologize for.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Elisha took the pendant out of her sleeve. Rohan¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t fall from Elisha¡¯s every move. Elisha placed the pendant in the palm of her hand and held it in front of Rohan. ¡°I should have returned it as is, but I broke it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. You¡¯ve returned to give it back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given, but I lost the green gem in it.¡± She was thinking about what to say if asked how she lost what was stuck inside. ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± Rohan looked as if it really was all right. ¡°That gem was the color of Sir Rohan¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I put what my mother left me in the pendant.¡± It was a more meaningful gem than she had expected. As Elisha seemed to be sorry again, Rohan added. ¡°Even if it was ordered by the 2nd Consort, I blamed myself the whole time for sending you away like that. Still, I believed that you would come back and so I waited. If you had to sell it and use it when you needed it, I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Ah, Elisha wondered if that man knew that she had been treating this pendant as an emergency fund. And contrary to what he said, it looked like it was something he really cherished. Of course. Since it was a guy like him who wore it around his neck all the time. ¡°That gem saved my life once. So if you allow me, I¡¯ll give you something really good later.¡± Rohan looked a little surprised at Elisha¡¯s words and held the pendant together with both hands. ¡°No need. I think we can leave it like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to leave it empty?¡± ¡°I think it will also have a new meaning.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as that. Hahaha! Sir Rohan also speaks strange things.¡± ¡°What is it? What is it? Please tell me too, you two. Let¡¯s laugh together. Hahaha!¡± Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Perry thrust his face between the two. He didn¡¯t seem to care about the identity of Elisha and Rohan, he had only thought there was something and throw himself between them. ¡°What rudeness is this?¡± As Rohan¡¯s face hardened, the air seemed to sink heavily. Perry put his chin on the snack basket between Rohan and Elisha with a pitiful expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m just so curious.¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°The two of you look so happy, so I think it¡¯s a big deal¡­ I want to meet the 3rd Prince¡­ I want to ask how Remy is doing¡­¡± As the nonsense increased, Rohan¡¯s eyebrows rose more and more. He was usually reticent and kind to his subordinates, but he was very scary when he got angry. Perry was so frustrated that he wanted to bang his own chest. How can you not understand my loyalty?! He had dedicated himself to protecting the peace of the empire! Then Perry¡¯s body was lifted up. Miller had come over and grabbed Perry¡¯s back and lifted him up. ¡°Huu.¡± *** Miller sighed deeply and told Elisha and Rohan to keep talking, and said that he¡¯d take the poor fellow away. When Rohan and Elisha were completely unaware, Miller told Perry. ¡°No matter how blind you are in romantic affairs, didn¡¯t I tell you not to bother them? You¡¯re going to die if you keep living like this. I understand you don¡¯t have anyone to share you feelings with, but the 2nd Consort¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°Are you sure? Because the moment the 2nd Consort gave the captain a bit of a smile, you turned around and ran and threw your body in the middle of the two of them.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, you ogre bastard!¡± As Perry hopped about crazily because only he knew what was important¡ª Mm? Perry found someone over there looking at them with the same kind of gaze. It was Hein Remote. He didn¡¯t know about that guy, but the Remote family had a bad relationship with the captain. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that at all!¡± When Perry shouted, Hein, who was usually timid whenever he was not holding his sword, unknowingly took a step back. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. You¡¯re wrong!¡± Yes, even if it rots, I¡¯d rather rot alone. Don¡¯t add more team members! Our captain and the 2nd Consort are in danger! When Perry shouted, Hein said, blushing. ¡°N-No. I just¡­ just¡­¡± ¡°Why? Do you also like the 2nd Consort?¡± Then a crazy ogre came and said bullshit. I¡¯ve said a few times that it¡¯s not like that¡­ ¡°Also? Then who else is there?¡± Hein glanced at the ogre and Perry alternately with a timid face full of curiosity. It¡¯s you, right? It¡¯s one of you two, right? You guys are the same as me, right? The voice of Hein¡¯s heart, which was usually not profound, was heard clearly. ¡°Ah, damn it! I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s nothing like that!¡± Perry was in agony as he grabbed his head. ¡°Sir Perry is in a bad mood.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± *** Rohan wondered if the training was too much today. The two sat a little longer. It seemed as though the seat would be sold out immediately if one of them had to get up first, but the words did not come out easily. However, no matter how good a place was, there was always an end. Elisha said to Rohan. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way. I think I¡¯ve been bothering you for too long.¡± Even Rohan knew he couldn¡¯t keep her longer. ¡°Yes. Thank you for today.¡± ¡°I was more grateful.¡± As they exchanged greetings with each other, they saw a new group of knights coming from the entrance of the training ground. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± It was a familiar voice. It was Marquis Blemir who had become very strange these days. ¡°What are you doing here, Marquis?¡± When Elisha asked, Blemir answered, not looking at her but at Rohan, who was standing next to her. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a place I¡¯m not supposed to visit. Don¡¯t you think so, Sir Rohan?¡± Originally, the leader of the 1st Knights was the first sword of the Empire. However, Blemir was the only successor to the Duke Fontana, so it was difficult to appoint him the role of the knights commander who had to focus on external affairs. Considering that the 1st Knights commander had to be the emperor¡¯s closest ally and even had to take charge of the escort, Blemir¡¯s personality and aptitude also did not fit with the emperor. Of course, at that time, Rohan had already been the commander of the 1st Knights, but if Blemir had offered to take over, Rohan would have to give up his position without hesitation and became the vice-commander. It¡¯s not that Blemir had nothing to do with the 1st Knights. It¡¯s just that he was better off without. ¡°What did you come here for, Marquis?¡± As Blemir seemed to pick a fight, Elisha stood in front of Rohan and asked again. Blemir¡¯s eyes trembled, barely holding back his anger. He didn¡¯t understand why she was asking him such a question on behalf of the man, and he didn¡¯t want to understand. ¡°Marquis, if you¡¯re not going to tell me¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of talk about this and that in Barossa lately. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll see each other for a while, so I plan to tell you some of the news, thinking if there¡¯d be problems in the time when I¡¯m not present.¡± ¡°Oh, did they let you know that I was here?¡± ¡°The handmaiden told me.¡± ¡°Then wait there, what are you doing all the way here?¡± Elisha asked as though she was truly puzzled, but then convinced herself. Asking him to wait there when she herself didn¡¯t even know when she¡¯d return? ¡°I was just about to leave. Let¡¯s go back together.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Blemir¡¯s expression softened a little. Then Elisha said, taking a step forward beside Rohan. ¡°By the way, where are you going? You don¡¯t have to answer if you find it difficult to answer.¡± As Blemir had said, Barossa had been busy with various rumors these days. In particular, the crown prince¡¯s faction was also in an uproar because of the story of Elisha becoming the empress candidate. They even said Elisha betrayed them, deceived them, and fooled the prince. After all, except for Ascensio as their common interest, the nobles had never taken Elisha as their side. Anyway, she was a little concerned about that, so she asked¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve got a request to subdue monsters from the Mergin territory.¡± Elisa¡¯s body staggered at Blemir¡¯s answer. Blemir was surprised and tried to reach out his hand, but Rohan, standing right behind her, was a little quicker. Rohan, holding her from behind, was about to ask Elisha if she was okay when he saw the other young man staring at him as if he were going to kill him right in front of her. The brown eyes burned red. Whoever looked at it, those were the eyes of a man in love. And the person in question was undoubtedly the woman in his arms right now. ¡°Let go.¡± Said Blemir. Rohan just stared at him silently. As if it was going to be a big problem, Blemir¡¯s bodyguards and Rohan¡¯s 1st Knights approached. Elisha lightly tapped Rohan¡¯s hand to indicate that she was okay, and straightened her posture. Rohan hesitated in worry for a moment before letting go. Elisha faced Blemir with Rohan behind her. She knew it was not like her to trip on her foot, but she was just flustered. It was because the Mergin territory was the place where Marquis Blemir had died before. Chapter 92 11-14 minutes 24.09.2022 What happened? A lot had changed since Elisha had returned from the past, where she had failed and led a new life. It could be said that she had violated the laws of nature by deviating from the cause and effect back then. In the midst of that, she was agitated because the words Mergin territory had popped out prematurely. Elisha closed her eyelids tightly. She knew why she was shaken. It was probably because she had been the one who had watched closely what had become of the crown prince who had lost his only and strongest sword after the death of Marquis Blemir in Mergin territory. Nevertheless, it must be more because she had also been the one who had completely ignored the child and left him to his death. However, none of that had happened now. And the mission this time was to suppress monsters, unlike the rebel conquest that had previously led to the death of Marquis Blemir in the past. And it was not just Mergin territory; several places had already failed to work independently and turned to Barossa for help. Elisha opened her eyes. The sky blue eyes that were revealed again were as indifferent as always. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Blemir asked anxiously, but Elisha reached out to the two opposing energies before her instead of answering. A clear stream of water gushed out from the open palms, and then, Pang! The battle between the 1st Order and Marquis Blemir¡¯s guards ceased instantly. ¡°Hwoh!¡± Gasps of surprise erupted from the side of the guards. The power of the 2nd Consort was still unfamiliar to them. ¡°What are you surprised about? This isn¡¯t a big deal for our consort.¡± In the background, Miller bragged as if he had done it himself. ¡°If only the 3rd Prince were here¡­¡± Elisha couldn¡¯t understand why every word that Perry started always ended with the 3rd Prince. Elisha was tongue-tied because of the 1st Knights barking in front of Blemir¡¯s guards. This situation was very much like when the cotton ball bit her arm. However, even if there were some signs of dissatisfaction, the characteristic coldness of the 2nd Consort was nowhere to be felt. That alone seemed to show a certain bond between them. It wasn¡¯t very deep or sticky, but it seemed familiar enough for that 2nd Consort, and it greatly offended Blemir. ¡°I guess you guys resemble your leader, speaking nonsensical things offensively.¡± The loyal bodyguard sensitively felt his owner¡¯s feelings and burned with even more hostility. In particular, Vincent was annoyed by the 2nd Consort. Sure, she was taking care of the people who had accompanied her to the West, but his owner had also done much for the 2nd Consort. Even if she hadn¡¯t known it at first, by now, she should¡¯ve known, right? Even though there were rumours that he was forced to comply with the crown prince¡¯s unreasonable request, the trust was that he had done it in the end. Vincent took a step forward. In the 1st Knights, Rohan stopped Miller from trying to move. Elisha had wondered if the relationship between the two knights was not good, but this was worse than she had expected. It was more so than when there was no particular contact between them. In any case, Elisha, who had no idea that she was the reason for the sour relationship, did not want the commotion to continue. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you radiate your energy in front of the imperial family without permission. Was it not enough for me to have let it slide the first time?¡± Words were energy, and if Elisha decided to nitpick and make a problem out of it, it could lead to treason. Of course, not that Elisha would go that far, and it wouldn¡¯t be worth it¡­ No one here wanted to test her warnings. As the surroundings became silent, Elisha looked back. And greeted him. Instead of words, the sky-blue eyes fell and stayed on Rohan, and Rohan, who had read her intentions, looked down and bowed his head slightly. Later, as Elisha headed for the exit, Blemir shot Rohan a look and disappeared after her. The guards were angry because it seemed like their owner had given up to the 1st Knights¡¯ commander, but it was not like there was anything they could do. Gradually, as the guards followed their owner, the marquis, the 1st Knights corps¡¯ exercise field returned to normal. Perry, with a determined expression, approached Rohan, who could not take his eyes off the direction in which the 2nd Consort had disappeared. ¡°Captain! Would you like a match?¡± And so, his efforts for imperial peace continued without end. Elisha, who had come out of the 1st Order¡¯s training ground, took Blemir to her 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± She was greeted by the maid Jean-Marie, who said that refreshment would be served soon as she had prepared them. As they sat down at the patron¡¯s table, a bowl, tea, and snacks to match were served, looking more attentive than usual. Just as Elisha occupied an ambiguous position in the crown prince¡¯s faction, so did Blemir. I¡¯ll have to reward Marie later for doing a great job. When the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace¡¯s financial condition improved, Marie started showing off her abilities in earnest. With these small details gathered together, the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace no longer looked like an abandoned palace. Unlike Elisha, who was satisfied, Blemir stared down at the teacup before him in a bad mood. ¡°Marquis, didn¡¯t you have something to say?¡± As Elisha spoke, Marie disappeared with the maids. The silent Blemir opened his mouth. ¡°What brought you to the 1st Knights¡¯ exercise field?¡± ¡°Does that have anything to do with what you wanted to say earlier?¡± ¡°¡­ a close friendship with Sir Rohan, a loyal knight of the imperial family, will make the nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction who have already distrusted you more uneasy.¡± ¡°Did you forget, Marquis? You¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve ever held hands with, and the nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction have to thank me for giving them the scraps I¡¯ve spilled. Otherwise, does Marquis want me to put up with those nobles claiming my contribution as if it were their own and put up with their scorn?¡± She had made it so she would not be used as the emperor¡¯s sword, but now they wondered if the opponent was swaying her. Although¡ª ¡°No. Don¡¯t let them off!¡± Blemir answered, further hardening his already bad expression. Elisha frowned. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what were you talking about just now?¡± ¡°¡­ that is because I¡¯m afraid that they will develop distrust and jump into something that¡¯s beyond my power and do things that will harm the 2nd Consort and His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Elisha lightly stroked the rim of the teacup with her thumb. Then, she picked up the teacup, took a sip of the tea, and asked Blemir, who was seen through the teacup¡¯s rim. ¡°So you mean you want to eliminate that anxiety, Marquis?¡± For a moment, Blemir felt the air around him grow heavier. The 2nd Consort was pressing him. Blemir should be able to push it away. He could have fought back and blamed her for her rudeness. But he didn¡¯t. As a swordmaster, Blemir, who had even naturally let down his guard, accepted her energy defensively. Even if he hadn¡¯t immediately counterattacked, Elisha expected he would do at least enough to show his strength. ¡°Are you so relaxed because you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll hurt you, Marquis?¡± Blemir shook his head when Elisha asked, resting his chin on his left hand. ¡°There¡¯s no swordmaster anywhere in the world who will let go of an opponent who exposes their teeth before them.¡± ¡°Is that so? How strange. But that kind of person is sitting right in front of me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ it¡¯s you.¡± There would have been no exceptions if it were anyone else, Blemir¡¯s eyes said. Meanwhile, the pressure on Blemir grew stronger and stronger. Just because the swordmaster¡¯s body was steel-like solid, and tough didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t break if this kept going. The graceful muscles that covered the toned and slender body wavered against the force applied. Elisha quietly drank the tea as if it had nothing to do with her. After a while, the slender torso turned toward Elisha, and a long arm stretched out. What is he going to do? When Blemir¡¯s hand grabbed the teapot in the middle and filled Elisha¡¯s empty teacup with tea. Croorosh. The flowing, thin stream of water did not tremble at all. The movement of straightening the body and sitting back in place was also neat. If it weren¡¯t for Blemir¡¯s gaze, which was obsessively following Elisha, it would have looked like they were just having tea. He¡¯s strong. Elisha flicked the teacup that Blemir had just poured out with her index finger. There was a clear sound. Elisha flicked the teacup with her fingertips a few more times as if playing an instrument before opening her mouth. ¡°Do you want anything from me, Marquis? I don¡¯t know what makes you endure this much.¡± There had been too many emotional and unruly acts if she were to say that his personality had simply changed, that he was not confident in the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, so he just came straight to the 1st Knights¡¯ headquarters and deliberately made the atmosphere ugly. The only person he¡¯d take a step back for was Ascensio, the crown prince. And even if Ascencio went far from his own intention, he¡¯d solved the problem by eventually sorting out the problem himself. He was a man who had little to endure in his life. Even the emperor, who would have angered him most, could wield this strongest swordsman of the empire only because he had used the crown prince, Blemir¡¯s weak point. ¡°Will you listen to me if I tell you?¡± ¡°As long as it does not violate our common interests and there is no damage to this side, I will do my best.¡± The marquis was a strong background with a bloodline connection with the crown prince. If it helped Ascensio by giving Blemir what he wanted, that¡¯d be a good thing, and if Elisha could find out what he wanted and use it, that wouldn¡¯t be bad either. Elisha built up speculations as to what the Marquis might be interested in. ¡°What made you go to the 1st Knights¡¯ exercise field?¡± With the Marquis¡¯ response, the speculations collapsed at once, but Elisha was genuinely curious. ¡°Is that really what you want to know? My favor is rare, and the chances of asking the right thing are less than that.¡± And what¡¯s far less likely than the possibility of those two things happening allowed him to reconsider the opportunity she had given. Although those three things were possible if it was for Ascencio or Leon¡­ Nevertheless, Blemir, who was determined, had no hesitation. ¡°Yes, I would like to know. Does that mean I can talk to you without using other people as an excuse from now on?¡± Elisha¡¯s eyes widened. Just what sort of situation is this? And that Marquis Blemir had such a card up his sleeve? Since when? ¡°Well.¡± Elisha waved her hand lightly. The power that had suppressed Blemir¡¯s whole body disappeared as if it had been washed away, and only refreshing energy remained. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Marquis.¡± Elisha said, tilting her face sideways. She wondered about the young man sitting before her for the first time. Chapter 93 There were currently two forces supporting the crown prince. Small and medium-sized nobles led by Marquis Blemir, and the 2nd Consort Elisha. It was a well-known fact that the relationship between the two forces was terrible. At first, because of the circumstances, Blemir and Elisha had meant it to be so. But the relationship between Elisha and the nobles had only soured further because of the feelings they had accumulated during this time. To be precise, Elisha had been ignoring them without much thought. Still, the nobles who supported the crown prince felt that Elisha, who had built a reputation for herself that was incomparable to their own, was unworthy. Blemir¡¯s position, which encompassed the crown prince¡¯s faction on the outside while holding hands with Elisha behind them, was naturally sensitive. If the situation worsened like this, in the future, the two forces would be walking on different paths, and at the end of the day, they would be covered in each other¡¯s blood without even being able to say they were united. In particular, internal crackdowns were expected because the empress¡¯s candidacy was a huge event that increased all of their problems tens or hundreds of times. Even in the face of the emperor¡¯s check and balance, it was possible to argue that the power to support the crown prince should be unified. No, it was the right thing to do based on the current situation. Elisha thought that Blemir¡¯s remarks about the dissatisfaction of the crown prince¡¯s nobles were correct. That¡¯s why when he had pointed out with somewhat radical words that he wanted to eliminate the element of anxiety, it could be seen as though he wanted to remove Elisha herself. That¡¯s why Elisha reacted excessively to Blemir¡¯s unexpected answer. So that¡¯s how it is, Blemir. ¡°If the 2nd Consort also wants to know anything about me, just ask. You don¡¯t need any pretext since I have already decided that I will answer you.¡± He responded directly to her murmurs as though he didn¡¯t expect any reply and gave an edge to his statement. ¡°It seems that Marquis has decided to get along with me.¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t look like that, I¡¯ll try harder in the future.¡± Elisha shook her head as she recalled the strange deeds of Marquis Blemir. ¡°Nevermind. This is enough.¡± It would be a big problem if he got any weirder than this. ¡°Then, should I take it that 2nd Consort has accepted it?¡± Blemir asked, suppressing his impatience. Elisha nodded her head without much thought. ¡°Now is the right time to change the landscape of politics. Joining forces doesn¡¯t mean we need to put the weight on the crown prince¡¯s nobles. If Marquis moves even a little toward me, they will panic, thinking they will lose you. And not just their control; my friendship with you can also calm the anxiety about the 3rd Prince, so it¡¯s killing two birds with one stone. That¡¯s not all. Thanks to the crown prince¡¯s nobles who will continue to hate me, I can¡¯t seem to see that they are completely united. We can slow down the checks of other powers, one stone for three birds. This is an excellent number.¡± In response to Elisha¡¯s answer, the marquis put his hand on his forehead. He burst out laughing inside. While making a statement that could be misunderstood for love, he had wondered how much that cold woman would understand. He had expected a little, just a little, when she had rolled her indifferent sky blue eyes, absorbed in her thoughts. Even though he had never gotten what he wanted from her, he was agitated again, mainly due to what he had heard. And he wanted to know what his feelings meant. The woman had only said that she didn¡¯t know Blemir. She hadn¡¯t asked questions and information. It was as if he was insignificant and nothing. A sentence that could be thrown at anyone, nothing at all. Sure enough. She inferred the situation as rationally as possible and made the most appropriate judgment. Quite the opposite of Blemir, who was all emotionally swept away. Of course, Blemir hadn¡¯t acted without any countermeasures. He was the heir to the duchy from birth. He knew the responsibility and duty that followed every step and every word he took. In particular, he was determined to protect his only nephew Ascencio. So, no matter how much he cared about the woman in front of him to the extent that it was difficult for him to understand himself, he would not choose to exclude the child. But there was nothing harsh about believing that one could solve almost everything alone. Blemir didn¡¯t want to have the same experience again. The most challenging thing when the 2nd Consort had gone missing was that he couldn¡¯t move without getting the emperor¡¯s permission, and what had angered him the most was the questions everyone had asked. Why are you trying to save her? The crown prince¡¯s influence has grown; isn¡¯t it better not to have her? Or, when he had found out that they seemed to be curiously questioning him, ¡°Do you have any plans about her?¡± He had become so upset with disgust. He knew he had no qualifications for her. But wasn¡¯t it too much for others to be worried about that?! So Blemir had decided to change the situation first so that his attention would be acceptable. He would protect the crown prince, his weakness, so he could even face the emperor. Moreover, within the nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction and those who sincerely cared for the crown prince, the power of close aides Blemir had raised began to exert considerable influence. That should be enough to buy time. Blemir wanted to do it as long as that woman allowed him to. However, the process was as far apart as the distance between reason and emotion, but at least the result was as good as satisfying both of them. Still, Blemir was frustrated. Then Elisha¡¯s voice was heard from the other side. ¡°Thanks for your suggestion in advance.¡± Not knowing how to receive that expression of gratitude, Blemir looked a little surprised. ¡°The reason Marquis looked at me like before is gone, but we didn¡¯t really have a good relationship before, did we?¡± ¡°Gone¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t fussy, but it was true. Even in Blemir¡¯s memory, it was vivid that he had treated the 2nd Consort and the 3rd Prince worse than a snake spitting venom. Regardless of his reaction, Elisha continued. ¡°We¡¯ve indeed joined hands, but we haven¡¯t built solid trust, so I didn¡¯t think this trick would cheer those nobles up readily. If it had been the other way around, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do like it like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that we couldn¡¯t do it before; it¡¯s just that we shouldn¡¯t. If the 2nd Consort had extended her hand to the crown prince, half of them would be too proud to see ahead. They would think you¡¯re bowing your head.¡± ¡°But there should be greetings, at least. Even if you think so, many people do things beyond expectation, especially those who are used to keeping things to themselves. And I apologize for the previous rudeness.¡± Blemir didn¡¯t nod his head quickly and remained still because he liked her, who was looking at him with a gentle gaze. Until recently, he had felt a sense of disappointment, but when he looked into those eyes, he knew immediately that there was no need to feel disappointed. Until now, her gaze was just looking at what was there, but now it recognized and confirmed that the other party was Blemir himself. I¡¯m curious and won¡¯t ask you to tell me, but I¡¯ll find out as much as I want on my own. Because she had often gotten hurt, Blemir kept forgetting that she was a woman who never wanted to show loopholes in front of others. Blemir nodded after enjoying a full gaze he did not face anywhere else. He was still quite satisfied with this. And he was Blemir, someone who had never given up what he wanted in his life. *** After the critical conversation, the two discussed a little more about Blemir¡¯s mission this time and Barossa¡¯s trends while he was away. When the discussion ended, they walked through the curtain that blocked the sound (just in case) from leaking around. At the same time, they heard the sound of something jumping from afar. It came from a small, four-legged beast that was light. Blemir frowned. He hated the beast and didn¡¯t like it because he knew who had given it as a gift. However, no matter what, the beast belonged to this palace with the 2nd Consort¡¯s permission so that nothing could be done carelessly¡­ Kang! The bundle of black cotton was jumping as if it wanted to be held in the arms of the 2nd Consort, but then the black cotton ball hung itself with its little snout biting the 2nd Consort¡¯s hand. This only made it worse for Blemir. Usually, Leon or Dorian removed it, but the problem was that there was no one else nearby today. As Elisha moved her hand as if to shake it off, the cotton ball groaned in dissatisfaction. Wouldn¡¯t that be better than falling from getting hit? Elisha shook her hand hard once more, and the cotton ball couldn¡¯t hold it any longer and flew backward. Even young, Barcado was Barcado. Instead of being thrown to the ground, the cotton ball rolled around in the air, spun around, and landed stably. It stepped on the floor with its soft paws. Kang! Kang! With its teeth exposed fiercely, it stared at the marquis and Elisha. Still, the loud barking toward the marquis was worth mentioning. Blemir, who stared at the Barcado trembling with its tail up, hurriedly checked the back of Elisha¡¯s hand. There was no blood, but the round teeth marks were visible. ¡°Are you spoiling it because it looks cute? You almost got hurt again.¡± He was talking about the Barcardo, but there seemed to be a strange underlying meaning beneath it. Blemir then ruffled his hair slightly and stood up, saying he would leave now. Then Elisha caught him. ¡°Don¡¯t go into mana stone mines or caves while subjugating monsters. Don¡¯t move alone to chase away the scattered monsters. The empire¡¯s state seems to have calmed down on the surface, but the inside is burning hot. The safety of Marquis is a matter of grave consequences.¡± It would have been unpleasant if someone else had said that, but when it came out of Elisha¡¯s mouth, Blemir felt like he had received a gift. So Blemir answered gently. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± It was unlikely, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice if Blemir, who relentlessly rushed to anything, had an opportunity to look back even once? Elisha went out to see him off outside the 2nd Consort¡¯s palace. After leaving the 2nd Consort Palace, Blemir headed to the mansion in the capital. When he arrived, the butler, who had followed him from the duke¡¯s house, was waiting for him. ¡°Shall we prepare a meal?¡± ¡°No need.¡± As Blemir answered and was about to enter his room, the butler carefully opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve been contacted by the duke several times. The duchess is looking for you.¡± Blemir¡¯s face stiffened. This time, too. Blemir was about to move on, but the other person, who had walked out of the hallway to the left of the mansion¡¯s main hall, gulped. Then he opened his mouth and said again. ¡°The duke has contacted me.¡± Blemir, who had pretended not to hear and was heading to the stairs, paused. Then after agonizing for a while, he turned around. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hear what he says this time.¡± He walked to the left of the hallway where the communication room was. (Ian, my son. Don¡¯t you miss your mother?) Blemir¡¯s brown eyes shook as the old woman¡¯s cries resounded endlessly. However, it was only for a moment. He soon calmed down when he thought of his pitiful dead sister. After calling his son¡¯s name for a long time, she eventually withdrew. (You naughty one. You don¡¯t have to do this to your mother even if you don¡¯t like me!) And on the other side of the communication area was a middle-aged man with a heavy face. ¡°The day I left the duchy, I asked my mother to go with me. My mother refused.¡± (There you go again. What¡¯s the point of talking about the past?) Blemir gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s what made us like this! Father! Mother! Because you both valued loyalty to the empire and the emperor more than the death of your daughter and put the belief that we should establish and protect the banner of the centrist over the safety of your one and only grandson! We can¡¯t be a family anymore! We can never be a family again!¡± Since the empire¡¯s founding, when the power of the nobility was strong or when the emperor tried to oppress them, the centrist was the force that took the center so that the situation would not be extreme. In all cases, the centrists were neutral and did not take sides with anyone, only to protect the empire¡¯s interests and carry on the tradition. Therefore, it was also scarce for an empress to come out of the centrist faction, and the current emperor, Kaiden, said that he needed the name of Duke Fontana to avoid being swept away by the East and West, and he also ordered them to keep the country¡¯s neutrality¡­ The duke had accepted it. Since then, Fontana had been respected by many people for maintaining their lofty status without interfering in the death of their daughter, who had become empress, or their grandson¡¯s struggle for the throne. That¡¯s why they could never get back the one and only heir they were so proud of. Chapter 94 Blemir looked at the switched-off communication channel and left the communication room. He smirked as he walked toward the main hall. How weird. When he had been disappointed in his expectation of the 2nd Consort, he had thought that it had felt much worse than this, but what happened just now made him change his mind. Even if he hadn¡¯t listened to his request to protect the 2nd Consort and the crown prince while he was away, he had thought he¡¯d hear his request to slow down the transfer of the 2nd Consort to the White Rose Palace. Blemir had offered several things that would greatly help the neutral faction, but his father refused to accept them. No matter how neutral one was, one wouldn¡¯t be able to stand alone as a maverick. Sometimes, one had to give their flesh to the darkness that fell under the shadows to protect their greater beliefs. Nevertheless, after the death of his sister, his father refused to care at all about the affairs of Barossa. As if it was an excellent blemish for him and his family. Wasn¡¯t it you, Father, who sent that quiet and kind woman to that troubled Barossa?! With a smile on his face, Blemir went up the stairs. To relieve his burden, it was best for him to leave for Mergin territory as soon as possible. *** ¡°Cotton Ball.¡± After seeing off Marquis Blemir, Elisha sat again at the patron¡¯s table, where the sumptuous snacks remained. Even when Elisha called it, it yawned, lying face down on the space above the table. Its tiny snout opened, revealing a pink tongue. ¡°You really need some education.¡± As if it had heard Elisha¡¯s words, Cotton Ball closed its snout and turned its head to the side. Its grape-like nose twitches as if it had found Elisha¡¯s words odd. ¡°Or you¡¯ll get scolded.¡± Whether it liked it or not, it turned its head up. Shak! Shak! and comb its fur with the hook-shaped scales that protrude inversely on the pink tongue. When it became an adult, a Barcado was capable of crushing a human¡¯s head in its mouth like a walnut. Its biting power alone was great, but what was equally dangerous was the scales, which were densely raised once something was put in the mouth, firmly edged like iron so its prey could never escape. Perhaps education is essential. ¡°Paws up.¡± It pretended not to hear. When Elisha tapped its forehead with her fingertips, Cotton Ball exposed its teeth, not having the self-awareness that it was a small thing. Kak! She was bitten again. Previously, it was on the side of the back of her hand, but this time it put Elisha¡¯s index finger into its mouth and closed it. As Elisha lifted her finger as it was, the small Cotton Ball was lifted and swayed in the air. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out.¡± It would take a lot of strength to support a whole body with that small snout. How long could it last? ¡°Mother? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Class is over?¡± ¡°Yes! But why are you doing that, Mother?¡± When Leon asked with eyes widened, Elisha answered. ¡°It¡¯s being educated.¡± ¡°In what?¡± ¡°What kind of punishment does it get if it does something wrong?¡± ¡°Is that a punishment?¡± Leon again checked the Cotton Ball hanging with its belly sticking out, biting his mother¡¯s finger. Why does it look like it¡¯s having fun with its tail fluttering? ¡°Then did Mother do something to Cotton Ball?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I think Mother is the one being punished.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Upon hearing the answer, Leon quickly grabbed his Mother¡¯s hand and lowered it. Then he removed Cotton Ball. It was so evident that it was probably Cotton Ball who had done wrong, so Leon nagged it for a long time without asking correctly. The Cotton Ball, who had been diligently pricking his ears at first, soon put them lower and lower until its body lay down with an exposed belly. Elisha also vowed to keep Leon out of sight if she had done something wrong. ¡°Still, I¡¯m glad it got along with Mother.¡± What do you mean? ¡°You exchanged punishment and became friends.¡± She was going to say that punishment was not a give-and-take, but Elisha stopped herself. As Leon was eating the snacks on the table, Elisha watched him while thinking about how to educate Cotton Ball. A small, daily life story came and went, and Leon took out the petals from between the book he had brought. He said that he had picked up the flowers on the way to class because it was not a flower that normally bloomed in this area. Perhaps it had been blown away by the wind, and the pretty colored petals had fallen off. She could tell from the pale sky-blue petals what they reminded him of. Elisha said she liked this flower and they would find the flower¡¯s name together next time. ¡°Mother likes one more thing today.¡± ¡°Is it that good?¡± When Elisha had just returned, she made Leon, who had been sad from thinking Elisha must have gone through a difficult time by herself, laugh again, telling him what she liked in Miyon Desert. The feeling of freeing the whole body, putting strong power into the world, and enjoying it¡­ Then there were the things that didn¡¯t entirely leave a big impression, but they were unique, memorable scenes. The sand in the desert sprinkled like golden powder, the milky moonlight flowing over it, and the tail of the stars embedded in the black sky that had given her directions to Leon. Then Leon informed her one by one of what he had found while waiting for her. The new tea in the 2nd Consort¡¯s palace, the yellow, juicy fruit with the seeds popping, the fragrant flowers, and prayers that he had made. ¡°Mother, I pray that your world is full of the things you like.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! If I were the only one in your world, you would cry too when I cry. If I get angry, the whole world will be sad, and if I¡¯m wrong, the whole world will be colored with self-blame like the sunset. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± This was¡­ This was¡­ the story of Elisha¡¯s past. How monstrous she had been when she saw that child that she even erased everything else from her world! She remembered that child. She knew that a single wound could rot around the whole body as an adult. That was why she hadn¡¯t been merciful toward the nanny who had troubled the child. The child wasn¡¯t that old yet, and she thought everything might be okay this time. She thought it would be okay if she comforted and hugged the child and started anew. The child was choosing flowers in an empty world in fear, holding his breath, thinking: Once the vase is filled with flowers, if I can¡¯t lift it up, will I have to throw it all away? Elisha felt guilty because the child was pitiful. The fire had burned as if it would leave nothing but ashes back then, but now, tears slowly filled the sky blue eyes, adding weight as if they were about to fall. ¡°Mother, I hope you laugh even if I cry. I hope there¡¯s something to cheer you up even if you¡¯re sad because I¡¯m mad. If I do something wrong, I don¡¯t want Mother to be alone until I realize my mistake and return. I want you to have something to comfort you.¡± Ahh. Tears eventually fell from Elisha¡¯s eyes. This child had forgiven and saved her a few times. Elisha spread her arms, and the child quickly got up and fell into her arms. He then wiped the tears flowing from her cheeks with both hands. ¡°No one will ever know that Mother is such a crybaby, right?¡± ¡°Leon must also keep the secret. Okay?¡± Leon nodded his tiny head up and down. A good day was added to the small daily life. *** A few days later, Marquis Blemir headed to the Mergin territory. Elisha turned down invitations from several nobles in the capital and spent most of her time in the palace. Those who wanted to build power usually valued the connections between the nobles and tried to form bonds, but it was no use to Elisha now. Most of the nobles already had a faction to which they belonged, and Elisha herself was enough to be the center of the faction. ¡°Please grant me a meeting just once!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re moving to the White Rose Palace, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you. Please take a look!¡± It wasn¡¯t that much different from those who had visited to get something to eat from the 3rd Prince when Elisha had gone missing. Most of the guests were those who had something or failed to belong to a big faction for some reason. Sometimes there weren¡¯t any guests, but in either case, it didn¡¯t matter. After all, Elisha did not allow anyone to enter the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, except for those she had originally interacted with. But there was an exception. It was truly an unexpected visitor. ¡°Countess. Or should I call you Princess Jaylene?¡± ¡°Countess is fine. To be his wife is my greatest pride.¡± Elisha could not refuse the soft-smiling woman. She should have given notice in advance, but even if she hadn¡¯t, Elisha couldn¡¯t neglect the princess who had stopped by Barossa for the first time in a long time. With every step she took, the smooth, thread-like yellow hair fluttered, and her large, jewel-like purple eyes contained a vague melancholy. She and Rohan¡¯s story was endlessly talked about because of their identity and love that transcends hardships, but the other reason must be because their excellent appearances were suitable to be on other people¡¯s lips. Elisha led her to the drawing room. She didn¡¯t want to leave a memory of this woman behind the parlor where she often spent time with Leon. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Why do you talk like I¡¯m in a place I shouldn¡¯t come to? You¡¯re married to my brother, so you¡¯re like my sister.¡± When the woman spoke amiably, Elisha felt goosebumps in her arms. ¡°We haven¡¯t had any interactions so far. Don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s awkward?¡± ¡°It was because the 1st Consort was so jealous, so I didn¡¯t want to be close with the 2nd Consort. At that time, I was worried that 2nd Consort was not strong enough, so I was worried that you might get into a rough situation because of me, but now I don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore.¡± It sounded as though she was being considerate of others. From the recipient¡¯s standpoint, she was emotionally compelled to say I did this for you. Elisha had always thought she¡¯d never want to be friends with Jaylene, though she had never said it. ¡°I see.¡± So she just answered casually and moved on. Anyway, someone who came to see you must have something to say. They usually did. Jaylene glanced at Elisha carefully. Her silver hair and white face were beautiful, but she had no expression on her face, just like a doll. What would have captured the man who hadn¡¯t given a single heart to her even though she had been by his side for so long? Because she didn¡¯t want to know that, Jaylened wanted to tear the 2nd Consort to pieces so she¡¯d disappear without a trace. She wanted to take her parts from head to toe and observe them individually. Jaylene lowered her richly shaded lashes to hide her eerie deep purple eyes. ¡°I heard that you are moving to the White Rose Palace. You might become an empress in the future, so you should be treated differently. I¡¯d like to greet you regularly.¡± ¡°It would be faster for the 1st Consort to enter the Red Rose Palace than me. The 1st Consort should receive the greetings first.¡± It was difficult to get the support of the princess in an already complicated situation. But of course whatever Elisha had to say was useless, and sure enough. ¡°What does the order matter? His Majesty¡¯s intention is the will of Barossa.¡± So the problem was His Majesty¡¯s intention. She didn¡¯t want to deal with it, but she had to because this woman was buzzing around in front of her. ¡°His Majesty has revealed his intention to choose the empress, but the exact story has not yet been revealed. Has Princess confirmed His Majesty¡¯s intention?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jaylene was silent. Of course she hadn¡¯t. Chapter 95 The emperor led the situation vaguely, put everyone in the mud, and stood alone on the sunny ground to look down. Besides, even if he had decided, he wouldn¡¯t have let Jaylene know. ¡°You¡¯d better not come to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace next time. It is no good to cause unnecessary disturbances when His Majesty¡¯s intentions are not determined.¡± As Elisha spoke coldly, Jaylene raised her eyelashes that had been lowered. The exposed purple eyes were darkened. ¡°Why are you so proud in front of me?¡± Elisha was rather surprised by Jaylene¡¯s question. What¡¯s the reason for not being proud? Even if Elisha had done something wrong, Jaylene was the one who had sent the pearl earrings to threaten her first! Seeing the 2nd Consort with a look as if accusing her of something, Jaylene nodded. ¡°I knew 2nd Consort would respond like that.¡± Elisha¡¯s brows furrowed as she made up a backstory to explain this situation inside her mind. Then, soon after, she recalled that there was only one thing that could make Jaylene want to kill her openly. Following the trip to the West, she had received a lot of help from Rohan even after she had gone missing, no wonder Jaylene¡¯s eyes almost turned upside down. ¡°You know that Sir Rohan is a good man. There was no misunderstanding, Countess.¡± Elisha had never thought that anyone could like her as a woman. She had never been a child, never been a woman, never been a human being, before becoming a mother. The only love she had ever received was from the child she had given birth to. It was the first time she had ever had one, so she didn¡¯t know how to let go. She hadn¡¯t known she had to teach them to walk alone. She had failed once and returned, but there were still a lot of things she didn¡¯t understand. She was still learning to act as a mother. How could she understand the love between a man and a woman? She regarded magic and mana that had saved her from hell as something truer than love, and the only person she had ever loved as a woman had thrown her away. Her cool but innocent eyes turned to Jaylene, but Jaylene did not believe her. They were both very careful people, how would Jaylene know if she was the only one who didn¡¯t know? What if they had already exchanged their feelings without her knowing? It was true that Rohan was a good person. But he was a strict adherent of the good he had set. Look at what Rohan had been doing lately. Everyone was slowly stepping onto the line. He might¡¯ve done it because he was selfless, but it would never have happened if it wasn¡¯t for the 2nd Consort and her child! Jaylene, who had shot Elisha a look, stood up from the sofa as if she had no more to share. ¡°Today I dropped by because I wanted to see the 2nd Consort. I¡¯ll prepare properly next time, so see you then.¡± Jaylene bowed her head slightly, tugged gracefully at the hem of her skirt, and stepped out. As she was trying to get out of the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, she found a maid holding a black cat on the other side and stopped her. Upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t a black cat. It was the one that had made the capital noisy for a while. Jaylene, who approached with trembling fingers, stood in front of the maid. ¡°I see Princess!¡± Excusing Dorian from the courtesy, Jaylened reached out. Cotton Ball, who had been still as it had gotten used to being loved, suddenly raised its fur and snarled after being touched at the nape of its neck. ¡°It¡¯s shy of strangers.¡± Dorian wanted to refute Jaylene¡¯s words, but quickly shut up. Cotton Ball was not shy of strangers. At first, it had a hard time adapting, but it quickly started running around the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace as if it were its home. It hated the 2nd Consort because¡­ she was a very difficult person to deal with, and Dorian had never seen it act like this except when it was facing the 2nd Consort. Jaylene stared down at the Cotton Ball and turned back and left the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. That night, Cotton Ball had a fever. After a few days of severe illness, it barely survived. Even if it was a baby, it was a Barcado. It should be able to detoxify any poison on its own, but the fever had been caused by severe poisoning, to the extent that the person treating it had wondered what was wrong with it. Someone¡¯s face immediately flashed into Elisha¡¯s mind, but there was no evidence. ¡°I told you to go quietly.¡± She would definitely pay it back, but unfortunately, the time was not now. *** Rumble! Rumble! The running carriage shook violently. The road itself wasn¡¯t too rough, but broken branches and muddy soil caused by the rain and wind last night were scattered here and there like natural traps. The body of the woman riding in the carriage was bruised blue as it crashed into various parts of the interior. It must have hurt to the point where one would make a loud noise, but the woman rolled her lips inward and held it in with a bite. After meeting her husband, she should¡¯ve begun to live the life of a lady, but in reality, it was not a very comfortable life. She had learned to work at a shabby clothing store that even people of the middle class or merchant class, who called themselves gentry, would not look at. She had been overworked under a cranky and greedy hostess. She had often felt like she was going to die this way. If it weren¡¯t because of her love of making clothes, she would never have endured it. But it didn¡¯t seem like anything compared to what it was now. She had thought she was going to die then, but now she really was going to die if she went a little further. The woman, Vera, held Benjamin in her arms even tighter. There was a willingness to protect the child even if her body was broken. How long has it been? Rumble! The carriage leaned to one side with the sound of something breaking. ¡°Are you all right?¡± The door of the carriage opened after the urgent question. Vera, who had lost her balance and was stuck on the tilted side, managed to get out of the carriage by holding the outstretched hand. When she came out, she saw that the left wheel of the carriage had fallen into a pit and was broken. ¡°We have to leave this carriage and get a new one after we cross the mountain.¡± While one of the knights was talking, the other one brought over a horse that could still move and kill the other one who had its leg broken when it had fallen together with the tilted carriage. ¡°If you find it hard to ride a horse, how about sharing a ride with me?¡± When the knight asked, Vera shook her head. She was worried whether the knight¡¯s horse would be able to run properly if the weight of herself and her child were added to the horse, which had already run for a long time, on this mountain road. ¡°I¡¯ve learned to ride from my husband even though I wasn¡¯t good at it.¡± Actually, she had asked him to teach her because of the 2nd Consort. She wanted to copy that person. ¡°No one in the duke¡¯s family doesn¡¯t know that young master¡¯s riding skills are excellent.¡± The knight had a look as though he was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to do even the basics. But Vera only nodded because it was difficult to confess to the knights who were suffering because of her. We¡¯ll make it, somehow. The knight handed his horse to Vera and rode the other horse that had been pulling the carriage. It was easier to ride a properly trained horse. Vera made her son hug her neck tightly, then climbed onto the horse. Then her son Benjamin squeezed her neck. Surprised by what had happened, Vera moved. Pain turned into sorrow, and sorrow into coldness. She hated her young son, who still did not understand a thing, and her husband, who was not by her side at such a time. She hated them all, and tears seemed to well up in her eyes. However. Shhh! The sound of something cutting through the wind was heard. The problem was that it was too close. Vera was able to clearly see a dagger passing through the place where her head had been before it hit the ground after missing its target. ¡°Hiiiy!¡± Tears welled up, and Vera¡¯s body stiffened while holding her breath. ¡°They¡¯re after us. We need to get out of here!¡± ¡°We must protect the little master. Come on, move!¡± The knights shouted. Now, two of the five or six remaining knights blocked the back, and the rest went forward with Vera. Meanwhile, the enemies that came closer launched an attack. Shwa-shwa-shwak! Arrows were pouring down, Chaeng! Chaeng! The two knights who were left behind could not stop the attacking enemies, but they did their best to hold them back even for a second or two. But will alone did not stop the sword. The two knights were soon cut down, spilling everything they had on the ground. The horses the enemy rode trampled over them. Mud and tangled blood clung to the horses¡¯ hooves, making dots everywhere. ¡°We have split up!¡± It was fortunate that there was a crossroads in front to deceive the enemies¡¯ eyes, but it was sad that the remaining knights had to be sacrificed as bait again. ¡°We¡¯re going to lure the enemies here, so you two get off your horse and go off the road with Ash.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± The older knight shook his head as the young knight named Ash tried to refute. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Aren¡¯t you the most skilled in swordsmanship among us? Duke Jonathan was the only one who took care of us who were bullied among the duke¡¯s knights. Do what you¡¯re supposed to do for him.¡± Ash gritted his teeth and looked down. Then he led Vera and Benjamin. After confirming that the two were moving away from the road and hiding in themselves in the topographical features, the knight erased the traces of their movements and looked back at his colleagues. Now there were only three of them, including himself. He heard the sound of horseshoes hitting the ground from behind. He slapped Vera and Ash¡¯s horses in the rump, causing them to run to one of two forks in the road, and prepared themselves. When they were narrowly captured in the sight of the pursuers. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The man who had designated Ash as the escort of the little master and the madam sent a signal. The remaining three exchanged glances and then split again into two and one and ran at the two crossroads. No one knew how effective this would be, but the knights speeded up their horses in the hopes that the little master and the second daughter-in-law of the duke¡¯s family would reach their destination safely. ¡°Huh, huh!¡± Vera felt like she was out of breath, but she didn¡¯t stop walking. If she walked one step further, she would be one step further from death. She didn¡¯t mind Ash carrying Benjamin on his back. If it wasn¡¯t for him, she would have already fallen for sure. ¡°Can we get a little rest? I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s following us.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that they¡¯re not following, they¡¯re just a little late.¡± Ash must be right. ¡°Did you say that the place you want to go is the Heron group in Bauer territory?¡± Ash checked to see if the destination had changed. Vera actually had ties with the most famous group in the empire, where all sorts of rumors came from. And it didn¡¯t stop there, their relationship was deep enough to get them involved in the internal affairs of Duke Verdin, the head of the West. She said she was going to ask for help, and it was like the last straw, but what made him puzzled was that there was no doubt on Vera¡¯s face. Unlike Ash¡¯s complicated mind, Vera replied simply. ¡°Yes.¡± It was said that the status of the Heron group was almost at the same height as a duchy. ¡°I see. I will do my best to take you to the Bauer territory.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t know if it sounded too small, but she didn¡¯t repeat it. Instead, Vera thought of the person she should find where she was headed. The favor that the 2nd Consort bestowed upon her, Rosie at Heron group. At the moment, when she did not know where the enemy might come from, that person was Vera¡¯s only answer. ¡­ and who knows? I don¡¯t know if this will help. Vera touched the white envelope in her arms with her fingertips. Chapter 96 Marquis Croix, who had come for a report, found that the emperor was about to leave the office. He bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll come back later, Your Majesty.¡± Kaiden, who glanced at him, answered clearly. ¡°I¡¯ll listen as we walk.¡± As he moved, Marquis Croix quickly followed him and opened his mouth. ¡°The grain sent from the Eastern Plains has arrived in the central.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Yes. It is said that they spent enough money considering the amount of rot and loss along the way.¡± ¡°Since the will of Duke Cherkah and Prince Raymond coincide, there should be no problem in the East.¡± The 1st Consort Isabelle, who was associated with both, played a big role. ¡°That is correct. Lately, there have been no quarrels, and it is very quiet.¡± ¡°The East is good on its own, but the West is problematic. I knew everyone would try to get out of the way now that the 2nd Consort is back, but I didn¡¯t expect them to be so shameless.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Marquis Croix looked into his master¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°It¡¯s not for you to apologize for.¡± After hearing a few more reports, Kaiden sent Marquis Croix back. Then he walked slowly under the sun. Those passing by could not take their eyes off while glancing at each other, even while urgently taking precautions. Something about the black-haired and blue-eyed man made the viewer wonder even though he was simply moving. After a while, he arrived in front of the White Rose Palace. The White Rose Palace was in the midst of preparation to welcome its new occupants, but it was empty inside today. Kaiden, who doesn¡¯t like the hustle and bustle, told everyone to go away. Standing for a moment, he saw someone approaching from the other side of the road that Kaiden had walked. The other party stopped right before Kaiden and greeted him lightly. ¡°I see Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Raise your head.¡± Elisha looked up at Kaiden with sky blue eyes. ¡°What do you think? I ordered the decoration of the palace for you. It will be difficult to change later, so look at it now and tell me if you want to change anything.¡± The emperor¡¯s hand reached out in front of Elisha¡¯s eyes. Elisha put her hand on his, and together they passed through the entrance to the White Rose Palace. How soon will this rumour spread throughout Barossa? Elisha was able to affirm that it would not take half a day. By the time she returned to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, some of the maids would look at her with blushing cheeks, rejoicing that their empress consort would soon become Her Majesty the empress before they got scolded by Marie. ¡°What about the exterior wall decoration? The flowers in the garden don¡¯t have to be white rose. You can plant something else.¡± After that, the emperor stopped talking. As soon as he stopped walking, Elisha looked back at him. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re looking? It seems like you¡¯re just thinking about something else.¡± No one knew if he was referring to the White Rose Palace or himself, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I don¡¯t need the White Rose Palace, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you because you need it. You must move because you¡¯re useful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m going to reject the candidacy. I will yield the White Rose Palace to other young girls who will be chosen as candidates for the empress, and I will stay at the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°I think you want to throw another prey to the 1st Consort and me and step back. But it won¡¯t go your way, so please stop trying.¡± They were a picturesque couple walking through the garden, but in reality, they were just having a dry conversation that was going back and forth. The emperor found a place to rest not far away and led Elisha there. The garden, the pride of the White Rose Palace, could be seen at a distance. Neither of the two paid a single glance despite the landscape that even those who do not like flowers could admire. ¡°Who do you think moved the desert dwellers among the Western nobles? So many people hate you that I can¡¯t reduce the number.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve asked that question before. When asked the same question repeatedly, some people might let their guard down, but I¡¯m not one of them, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, 2nd Consort. You¡¯re not that kind of person.¡± ¡°And does Your Majesty have any idea? I guess this is proof that you don¡¯t.¡± Maybe it was because both had a habit of grasping the other¡¯s habits and inferring the following words. The conversation continued as long as it was not intentionally interrupted. They couldn¡¯t be called good friends. Rather, they turned their backs on each other at any time according to their interests, and if it was more than that, there was a high possibility that they would become enemies with weapons. However, Kaiden also liked this conversation with the 2nd Consort. Looking back, it seemed to have always been the case after the reunion at the crown prince¡¯s training ground. Even when they stood up in a heavy atmosphere, Kaiden¡¯s mood didn¡¯t change as much. ¡°By the way, Marquis Blemir has been away for his duties. The crown prince must be very disappointed. I heard he came to you. Did you greet each other well?¡± The emperor asked as if he had suddenly remembered, but how could that be? ¡°Yes. We had a brief moment to clear up our misunderstandings. Anyway, we share the same feelings for His Highness the crown prince. Having a good relationship with each other is not without results, so we decided to try to get along well from now on.¡± She also answered as if it were nothing, but the content was anything but nothing. The emperor¡¯s woman was a bondage that could not be escaped, but the title of being the emperor¡¯s child was not like that. It was a bell that marked the beginning of a ferocious fate, and at the same time, it was a red carpet that had been rolled down so that one could walk as a noble prince. The sound of the bell and the carpet¡¯s quality would differ depending on each situation, but the intention that encompassed them never changed. A good cause. One of the emperor¡¯s children. The only chosen one would be able to escape the shackles of being the emperor¡¯s child and become the emperor himself! If the people behind Ascensio, who would compete in the contest, were the strongest summoner across the empire, and one of the only three swordmasters in the empire, wouldn¡¯t his odds be unparalleled? Even when the two moved separately, they had built up their forces at an unpredictable speed. It remained to be seen how far the momentum of the two of them would grow together, but there would never be a time it got ridiculed. So, how much power would Ascensio, who was adorned with the insignia of a powerful heir to the throne, have? At that time, he would shine on his own and drive people around without anyone¡¯s help. Would it still be possible to treat the child as a mere hostage? Marquis Blemir reached out his hand when they really needed it. Thanks to this, Blemir, and not Elisha, who the emperor bound, was able to bring Ascensio to the fore. If Elisha herself could only protect the safety of the crown prince, Marquis Blemir would become a sharp sword above all else, slashing anything that stood in the way and moving forward. It was such a strange feeling to feel secure in anticipation of other people¡¯s abilities, so Elisha laughed unconsciously. She didn¡¯t know what it looked like to the emperor. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is that all Marquis Blemir wanted from you?¡± Not knowing the emperor¡¯s intentions, Elisha could not easily open her mouth. It was better not to spit out hasty words. But the emperor suddenly spoke out of nowhere. ¡°Do you know how the woman of Barossa can be free?¡± It was the first time she had heard of such a thing. Elisha¡¯s heart pounded. She wanted to leave if she could. Because what Elisha wanted wasn¡¯t wealth and glory. But if a woman of Barossa suddenly disappeared, nothing could be done to regain her tarnished honour. And her children would be covered by the filth. But what if you could legally leave Barossa without causing any problems? Instead of asking, Elisha waited. That man would do whatever he wanted regardless of herself, so she didn¡¯t have to be swayed. ¡°You¡¯re very clever. You¡¯d be dozens of times better than Marquis Croix if I let you manage the court affairs right now.¡± The emperor reached out and tucked Elisha¡¯s hair, which was flowing down to the side, behind her ear. ¡°Once the emperor hands over the throne to the heir, all the members of the imperial family of the previous generation will retreat into the shadow of Barossa. At that time, if the husband who became the situational situation dies and disappears, the empress and the consorts will be given a chance to make a choice.¡± When it came to the empress or the consorts, they were usually daughters of powerful noble families. Most of them devoted themselves despite their safety for the glory of family, even though they couldn¡¯t have intervened in the battle for succession. And the moment when the successor was decided, they were unlikely to survive except for one who became the winner. Even if they were alive, they would die soon. The remaining winners were either the emperor¡¯s biological mother or the noble women of equal status. Even if the empress retreated into the shadows, her authority would not be easily broken, and she would share favour with the families who had helped the chosen successor. There was no way she was going to leave Barossa. On the other hand, some women who came from mediocre families whose existence was buried together would become too old and weak to go out into the world outside Barossa¡¯s walls. In the end, the choice that the emperor had mentioned existed in name only, and even a few people knew that there was such a thing. But having that basis was enough for Elisha. ¡°Are you sure you heard me right? And yet you look so happy?¡± Elisha looked at the emperor, not knowing what kind of expression she had on her face. The emperor was smiling at her. Emotions dwelled on the face of the suffocatingly beautiful man even when he was quiet, and everything around him lost its colour and bowed before him. It was not even in full bloom. It was only a slight fold in his eyes and a loosely pulled corner of the mouth, but it looked clear. A soft voice flowed through the open lips. ¡°You want me to die.¡± It wasn¡¯t hot or cold; it was calm as ever. Elisha blinked once and then shook her head slowly. ¡°No way, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Marquis Blemir probably knows that story just now. One of the people who created and revised the laws to be used in Barossa with the emperor, including the empire in the early days of its foundation, was the centrist lord, Duke Fontana.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere turned dangerous. Elisha was indifferent on the outside, but on the inside, she forged a blade and awakened her mind. ¡°Jaylene also came a while ago? After stopping by your place, she only saw her husband and went straight back. She didn¡¯t even show her face at the Imperial Palace.¡± He definitely didn¡¯t say it because he felt sad about that¡­ Elisha thought as she looked at the emperor, wondering what nonsense he was speaking of. ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What do you mean no?¡± Instead of answering, Elisha looked directly into the emperor¡¯s blue eyes. She could say anything, but she chose not to say anything. ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to see what was in your hands that moved the mind of the unruly Marquis Blemir and the Knight Commander, who was as hard as a stone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think I know one at first glance, but I don¡¯t know the other.¡± The emperor tilted his torso toward Elisha and raised her chin with his index finger. Elisha¡¯s body stiffened. He had kissed her in a similar position the other day. ¡°Should I teach you how to breathe this time?¡± As if it were a joke, the muttering emperor took his hand off Elisha and leaned his back on the chair again. Elisha thought it was finally over, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Come to my bedroom in the Imperial Palace at night. A kiss isn¡¯t bad, but that¡¯s not enough. I¡¯ll have to find out more. What you, a woman, have. What I didn¡¯t recognize before.¡± The figure of a completely stiffened woman was contained within the top-class jewel-like blue eyes. It was a clear, flat refusal, but the emperor didn¡¯t care. The price she had to pay for the deal in the name of love was still valid. Chapter 97 Elisha left the White Rose Palace as if nothing had happened and returned to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. In the past, she had thought that the emperor felt no emotion for people¡¯s love for him, but now looking at it, she wondered if he might perceive people¡¯s love for him as violence. Elisha had heard that the emperor had been painting-like and beautiful since he was a child. If such a child had been living surrounded by people, neglected by his half-insane mother after the fall of her maternal family¡­ Elisha thought it was possible. In addition, many people said that one-sided feelings were dangerous, and usually, for people who were said to be not good at excessive things, when the thing in question became love, their hearts expanded rapidly. Leaving you with a choice to embrace it or become a bad person. But should a child who had been showered in the love of countless people be alone? Was there no price for the things given to the prince who could not protect himself? Amid the complexity, Elisha herself remembered what she had done. She had forced her feelings on him too. Saying it was her choice, she had made an acceptable offer and made a deal with him. She had never thought about what her feelings would mean to him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª Is he getting revenge?¡± It might not be so, but there was a factor of revenge in his action. No matter how small it was, Elisha hoped it would not be like this, but in a different way. Most of all, even if it was her fault up to the marriage, it wasn¡¯t her fault for the whole process after that. She was not trying to shirk responsibility, but it was true. Just as she was not a proper human being, so was the emperor. They tore an empire and twisted the world. And, perhaps, in this lifetime, the same result would be repeated. Despite many things changing, it didn¡¯t seem like that much would change because things had already been moving in that direction. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± As she approached the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, the maid Marie appeared. Elisha sighed silently. It seemed that the story had been conveyed. When summoned by the emperor, she had to dress up accordingly, so the handmaiden was the first to know the news. ¡°News travels fast.¡± As Elisha spoke with an expression of disapproval, Marie quickly bowed her head. Elisha wondered what was wrong with Marie, so she said it was all right and told her to raise her head. Then Marie said something unexpected. ¡°I apologize. I took guests in without permission. That person¡¯s always been a great help to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, and I didn¡¯t think much about it because you seem to know each other well.¡± Elisha patted Marie on the shoulder, knowing she had misunderstood. ¡°I know how capable you are. You won¡¯t let in just anybody from out there.¡± Marie bowed her head to hide her shy face and went inside with Elisha. The man in the parlor jumped to his feet when he saw Elisha and bowed deeply. Then he held the rolled white paper in his arm with his hands. ¡°This is top secret, so I brought it personally via the portal.¡± When Elisha picked up the paper, the man took a step back and backed away in case the paper¡¯s contents caught his eye. He is a well-trained man. From that action, you can see that the ranking of the sender of this paper is high. Elisha grabbed the ring-shaped metal inserted to keep the curled paper from unfolding. The rolled paper unfolded when she pulled the thing that was as wide as a fingernail and had a seal with a mana stone picture on the outside. The movement of the sky blue eyes, which had been slowly scanning the letters, grew faster and faster. Elisha sent a maid to the Imperial Palace, but Dorian couldn¡¯t even get in and had to return immediately. In the end, Elisha stepped up herself. When she arrived at the Imperial Palace, the eyes of the guards who had been on standby were wide open. ¡°Is something wrong, 2nd Consort?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s because we sent the maid back earlier, please understand. His Majesty refuses visitors as he has to take care of urgent matters.¡± Hein quickly stopped her. Despite his first step, the timid man seemed to have a lot of worries. She knew he cared, but this was an urgent matter as well. ¡°Sir Hein, go in and tell His Majesty that the 2nd Consort wants to see him. Add that it¡¯s urgent.¡± Hesitatingly, Hein bowed his head. The knight beside him looked alternately at Hein and Elisha, sighed deeply, and went inside. The name of the 2nd Consort had resonated throughout the empire. Unlike the previous years, no one could look down on the 2nd Consort, and he didn¡¯t want to do so. The decision was for His Majesty to make, after all. Not long after the knight went inside, he came out. Of course everyone thought she¡¯d be rejected. ¡°You may go in.¡± As the knight stepped aside, everyone was ten times more surprised than when they had just seen the 2nd Consort. If the emperor said that no one should be allowed in, then no one could pass through the entrance, no matter what business they brought. Very rarely, some people forced themselves, thinking that they were essential, but it never ended well. Even though it was a great event, Elisha strode inside as if it was natural. Elisha, who refused the guide, went to the office alone and spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, I have something to tell you.¡± For a while, he didn¡¯t answer. Elisha had to stand and wait like she was being punished, and she was not impressed. Elisha knocked lightly on the door this time. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Elisha entered the room after hearing the answer and glanced at the emperor sitting behind the table and Marquis Croix standing in front of the table. The cluttered papers on the table were smeared with text, and a faint smell of dye remained as if they had been written down after hearing information from the communication room. When the emperor swept the part where Elisha¡¯s eyes were staring with his arm, the paper was pushed and crumpled to one side. ¡°Did you hear me wrong when I told you to come at night?¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± ¡°You must have made a hasty excuse for not having to come at night.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If your excuse is not satisfactory to me, you will be punished for interrupting my business, even though I have given you time to reconsider.¡± Elisha didn¡¯t care. ¡°Your Majesty will have to reward me after you¡¯re done listening. What I¡¯m saying is also related to what you¡¯ve been worried about the most lately.¡± With a more dignified attitude than expected, the emperor turned his gaze to Elisha from the table. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The West is being noisy, isn¡¯t it? The knights of Duke Verdin are secretly overturning the area around the Bauer territory. What do you think of it, Your Majesty?¡± Tak! The emperor slammed the desk loudly. Elisha waited after the emperor¡¯s interruption. The emperor gave Marquis Croix a meaningful look. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside. You two talk.¡± When Marquis Croix disappeared, Elisa filled his vacancy. Now the emperor said to Elisha, who was standing opposite the table. ¡°Your source is truly amazing.¡± The transmission speed was the same as that of the secret knights directly under the emperor. The Zelot Knights couldn¡¯t keep wasting time without results while searching the West, and on their way back to Barossa to report the result to the emperor¡­ an incident happened. When the atmosphere was suited for the conversation, Elisha said. ¡°Your Majesty, do you want to deal with the Western nobles, especially the great families like Verdin Duchy, with the tribes of the Miyon desert who tried to kidnap me?¡± ¡°Does it look like that?¡± It was natural for an emperor to strike down the nobles trying to weaken the imperial power. But on the other side, it was not something that could be shown outside, as an emperor was someone who had to include all nobles as the master of the entire empire. But what if there was a justification? ¡°More than that, if something like that happened in the West, shouldn¡¯t they be punished?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how I felt. It is an incident of harming the woman of Barossa in coalition with outside forces. If we deal with this, they can¡¯t commit a rebellion in the future.¡± Elisha gave the cause, and only then the emperor responded. Elisha learned that the emperor had tried to grow the case up to the rebellion of the Western nobles but was stopped because evidence could not be obtained. The nobles of the West had said they had no affiliation with the desert tribe due to their relationship with the Kran Kingdom. And Miyon Desert was so vast that they hadn¡¯t even known such a terrible thing had happened. They had even taken this opportunity to express their position to prevent a recurrence of the separation of the empire. And so, a rebellion¡­ Wouldn¡¯t work. There was no way it would end all the way. The West would only be turned upside down and become a wasteland as the emperor wished. ¡°So, 2nd Consort, what is the card you brought? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to show me?¡± ¡°If I show you the card, you must do as I say. Will you promise me?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s worth it, I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Elisha spoke, facing the emperor. After she finished talking, she returned to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. That night, Elisha did not enter the emperor¡¯s bedroom. The next day, Elisha called Dell, who was guarding the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. ¡°Why are you calling only Sir Dell?! Am I just a dog you¡¯ve completely tamed now? Even if we run into each other, you pretend you don¡¯t know me. And since 2nd Consort keeps saying it, the cute 3rd Prince won¡¯t play with me either!¡± Dell shook his head when Elisha, whose ears were ringing, gave Dell a look asking Why did you bring that? ¡°I didn¡¯t bring him. He followed me.¡± ¡°Should you tie a leash or something?¡± ¡°Is that your taste, master?¡± He looked surprised when he asked the question, but he was clearly enjoying it as his golden eyes twinkled. He was the kind of guy who would stick his head out right away if Elisha really wanted to put him on a leash and, if possible, measure it to the correct size and buy something that suited himself. She had heard that he was popular with noble girls and young people who go to Barossa. It was said that the face of the youngsters who had tried to look elegant turned red like an apple because they tried to hold back their laughter from his jokes. Elisha thought that half of them were because they were angry, and the other half was because they didn¡¯t understand the meaning of his words, but what about it? Elisa looked into Shamir¡¯s golden eyes. He was like a grain of sand swept by the wind. Everything changed so quickly. Why wasn¡¯t it the same with wounds? Slow, slow, really slow, it just didn¡¯t get better. Elisha looked away from the golden eyes. ¡°I have to go somewhere in secret.¡± ¡°Take me with you! Depending on usage, my abilities can be several times more effective than normal combat abilities. You¡¯ll see!¡± Elisha pushed his smooth forehead with her index finger as he rushed like a dog begging her to go for a walk. ¡°There is neither Marquis Blemir nor me, so I need someone to protect the children. Shamir, you and Sir Dell must not take your eyes off the children even for a moment.¡± Shamir, who pretended to be gloomy at Elisha¡¯s request, and Dell, whose eyes shine brightly, nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll keep that in mind!¡± When Dell tapped him on the side, Shamir nodded as if he couldn¡¯t help it. Dell dragged Shamir, who insisted on playing more with 2nd Consort, by holding onto the back of his neck. They looked like a gray-haired dog biting a disobedient yellow-haired puppy, which made her laugh. In the eyes of the famous witch in the past, from the desert dog to the legendary beast Barcado. It was a complete mess. But she didn¡¯t hate it. Elisha took a deep breath and then exhaled as the surrounding became quiet. She had to hurry because she had to leave tonight. Chapter 98 Late at night. When Elisha went to the portal, the people who had been waiting bowed their heads. The Zelot Knights! To be able to stand face to face with the members of the emperor¡¯s secret knights with their weapons still sheathed. Once again, she felt she was living a different life than before. ¡°We¡¯re moving.¡± Elisha nodded at the courteous knights. The knights were not dressed in uniforms but in plain, thick fabrics like travelers do, and she wore women¡¯s trousers that had become popular across the continent beyond the empire because of herself. The top was a shirt for warmth, a jacket of the same color as the pants, and on top of it was a black cape sent by the emperor. Rohan and the 1st Order were colleagues with whom she had shared risks, so they might work better together if they moved together compared to the Zelot Knights. However, they had been too famous as of late. Even if only a few seats were vacant, there was a high probability that someone would notice that there was a problem within Barossa. At present, the West seemed to be passing through seemingly chaos, but a fierce battle under the water was in full swing. The more people knew about it; the more dangerous the situation would become because there was such coveted prey that anyone would want to intervene somehow once they found out. Elisha watched the portal open with the Zelot Knights. *** On the outskirts of Bauer territory, near the neighboring Cherin¡¯s lord¡¯s residence, a man was looking around and trying to enter a dark alley when someone snatched his back. ¡°Hiiy!¡± When the man freaked out, the knight widened his eyes. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°W-Well, why did you surprise me?¡± ¡°Is it my fault now? You were roaming the alleys like a rat.¡± ¡°I live here, so of course¡­¡± ¡°Why are you talking back?¡± The knight of Cherin territory was very annoyed as he was suddenly ordered to search the slums to find a strange group of a woman and child. Just as the knight pointed at the man and tried to wave his hand, his colleague Paul approached and stopped him. ¡°Stop it. It¡¯s someone I know.¡± Then Paul greeted the man. ¡°Look. Isn¡¯t it Charles?¡± ¡°Huh? Knight Paul!¡± Charles responded to the knight Paul with a smile. Once, when he had had an argument with some scoundrels and had been taken to the guards, he was released with Paul¡¯s help. Paul sided with Charles as he recalled the memory. ¡°He¡¯s a native here. He¡¯s got nothing to do with outsiders.¡± As his colleague, Paul, said so, the knight holding Charles¡¯ neck relaxed his hand. He felt terrible about being stopped, so he spat, and his face wrinkled even more. Paul waved his hand to Charles, meaning Don¡¯t get into trouble and disappear quickly. Charles hesitated, then took a pocket out of his sleeve and offered it politely. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we thank the knights working hard for the territory?¡± The sullen Charles spared no money, knowing he would have suffered if he had been unlucky. ¡°Hmm, something like this.¡± Paul took it in stealthily and shook it from side to side in front of his colleague. Then, he made a circle with his hand and bent his wrist upward. The other person¡¯s face straightened as he pretended to buy a drink. Paul, who was more generous in his pocket, warned Charles. ¡°Don¡¯t just wander around. Everyone¡¯s in a bad mood these days.¡± ¡°I came out for a while because I had something to do. I should¡¯ve stayed, now that I think about it. I¡¯ll be careful now.¡± Charles hurriedly disappeared into the dark alley. The remaining knights opened the pocket, and their eyes widened bigger than expected. Charles made his way through the twisted road without getting lost and stood in front of a shabby building. This building was old enough that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if it collapsed, but all the surrounding buildings were in this condition, so it didn¡¯t look perilous. Charles knocked on the door three times and went inside. He passed by the first floor, but when he was about to head to the next floor, something flew before him, forcing him to stop. Shh! Goosebumps rose, caused by the back of the sword placed around his neck. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Why are you so late?¡± Ash asked, and Charles answered. ¡°There are a lot of people scouring the slums. The inspection has been strengthened, and it took several times to get confirmation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Baron Cherin has anything to do with the duke.¡± ¡°No, but he¡¯s close to Count Dout.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ash retrieved his sword and clicked his tongue. Dout County was the home of Anne, the duke¡¯s first daughter-in-law. Although Dout County was a famous family in the West, they couldn¡¯t have known everything within their reach. The duke seemed to have gathered strength from all sides because he couldn¡¯t do it himself. This was why the hunt began not secretly but openly. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have come this way.¡± As Ash regretted, an answer came from the next floor. ¡°You¡¯ve got a chance to escape only because you came this way, haven¡¯t you?¡± As Ash and Charles finished climbing the stairs, they saw Vera and Benjamin leaning against the wall opposite the floor and a masked woman who had come to join them. The woman who introduced herself as ¡®Rosie¡¯ continued. ¡°If you had taken the escape route from the Bauer territory in a different direction, you would have met the duke knights.¡± If so, the escape would¡¯ve failed, and the two of them, except for Benjamin, would¡¯ve already become cold bodies on the floor. No matter how sloppy those people were, they were knights of noble families, and there was a huge difference in the number, so the people above still entrusted this matter to them even as they wondered if they could do things properly. If the owner were incompetent at a low position, no matter how tight they tried to establish boundaries, there would be a hole somehow. It sounded right, but Ash disagreed. Ash only found out that the woman who had joined them was the woman Madam Vera had been looking for, but he still couldn¡¯t believe her. It had been unpleasant to be beaten up when he had visited the headquarters of Heron group¡¯s branch at Bauer territory. And the person who had come to meet him later, who had called themself the henchman of Head Rosie and asked Ash to go with them, had also been suspicious. Still, he had followed because there had been no other way. But after a night¡¯s sleep in the bizarre, contrary to the seemingly ordinary mansion, Ash was shocked to find they were in the Silver group, which had nothing to do with the Heron group. Of course, with their help, they had been able to get out of Bauer¡¯s territory and come to this house, but this didn¡¯t solve anything. Rosie, no, Rosenin sympathized with the young knight¡¯s frustration, but the duke¡¯s knights would have already ambushed the road to the portal in this area, and no matter how they tried, they wouldn¡¯t have given them the portal. Moreover, avoiding those people and moving by land was proven difficult. ¡°Someone will come to help you soon. Just hang in there a little bit more.¡± She comforted him but to no avail. Well, Rosenin wasn¡¯t expecting much, either. She turned her attention away from the knight and turned to the woman beside her. She was the main character in this case. A gift that needed to be wrapped well and delivered to the 2nd Consort. When a woman she hadn¡¯t known about had first contacted her in a hurry, saying that she had come to visit her, Rosenin had thought that one of her older brothers was playing tricks again after she had eaten up the leather business and the wine business, so she had ignored it. But something felt strange. She¡¯d said they had been introduced, but she hadn¡¯t mentioned the other person¡¯s name, only saying she came from the West. After being told by her correspondence, she had sent a newly-hired henchman of the group to bring the party that she had chased away so as not to cause any misunderstandings, to forge their identity. She wondered what would have happened if she had missed them then. They were lucky because there were only a few branches where direct contact with Rosenin was possible. After having a mana stone mine thanks to the 2nd Consort, this had become an up-to-date branch equipped with a communication room. Thanks to this, Rosenin could talk to Vera separately and hear about the current situation. Rosenin had immediately sent someone to Barossa and came here using the portal. The portal from the West was on high alert, but who would be wary of a young woman moving alone? It was practical to have the people in the Silver group in Bauer¡¯s territory prepare for a move. Now, they couldn¡¯t get out, but once the 2nd Consort was here, she would find a way somehow. Seeing that beautiful face once more, holding her hand, asking her to show her the spirit, receiving plenty of compliments from her, and then handing the woman over to her when she needed to return to the county. Bang! Bang! Someone knocked on the wooden door of the porch on the first floor. Rosenin glanced at Charles, who then carefully descended. ¡°W-Who is it?¡± Charles, who¡¯d changed his blank face to a frightened look, asked with a trembling voice. As if the other party couldn¡¯t wait, the wooden door rattled this time, and the lock was pulled out. At the same time, the wooden door bounced outward and hit the outer wall. Crack! The old wall was crushed and grooved in the shape of a door. Several knights poked their faces through the space just before the door closed again from the rebound. Charles swallowed. He¡¯d acted as naturally as possible, and there had been no problems. So why? ¡°What kind of money do you have to live in a place like this but still own so much money that you have given my co-workers a pocket? It seems like there are a lot of conspiracies, don¡¯t you think? We¡¯re all the same group of knights having a hard time, so why don¡¯t you express your sincerity?¡± A middle-aged man with a sloppy look was laughing. It was only then that Charles learned that the money he had given to please the other knights had touched the greed of the other knights. It wasn¡¯t because he had made a mistake but because of their greed. It was unfair that the efforts they had spent waiting here for a long time would be in vain. Dang, dang, dang! The knights rummaged through the first floor. Charles wanted to give them the money if he could. He was about to find another pocket and hand it to them, but one of them was walking down the stairs leading up to the second floor. ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s there? Seeing your eyes turned, did you hide something good in there? Money? Alcohol? Woman?¡± Those who were twisting their mouths seemed to want to do everything they could to fill their boredom after they came all the way here. ¡°It¡¯s a woman, a woman. I smell it!¡± The knights went up, giggling. ¡°Wow, what did I say!? Over there!¡± The middle-aged man leading the way up the stairs stopped while talking. Then, as he stood still, his colleagues following him from the back roared. ¡°What is it? What is it?¡± ¡°Get out of my way. I¡¯ll go up first and see!¡± While arguing, the head of the middle-aged man in the lead fell. Tung, tu-dung, tung! The head bounced like a ball and rolled down an oblique slope. Shwaaa! Blood poured like a fountain from the cross-section where the head was cut off, and those who followed were sprayed by it. Even then, they still hadn¡¯t regained their senses. They were just going to eat something within a stupid slum, so what was happening? Looking down at them from the second floor, Ash did not miss the opportunity. Pokk! He slammed his foot down the chest of the headless body, which was about to fall slowly. ¡°Hiiy!¡± Kwa-dang, tang, tang! The knights gathered in the middle of the stairs were entangled with the headless body falling from above and rolled down the stairs in a mess. The knights were already drenched in blood, and the stairs were covered in blood, so it was extremely slippery. Soon, the lumps of people were stuck at the entrance of the stairs on the first floor. Charles, quick-witted, pulled the shaky door with both hands and closed it tightly. ¡°People will soon find out. There will likely be eyewitnesses who showed interest in the pockets of money coming this way¡­¡± Ash, who slammed his sword down at those who crawled to the front door to survive, even with broken limbs, blurred out the end of his words. ¡°Even if it¡¯s dangerous, we have to move.¡± Rosenin said, looking down at the mess. Charles opened the door, stuck his head out, and looked left and right in the alley. He made sure no one was there and signaled the people behind him. Not long after, the group of people ran out of the alley. Three hours later, the bodies of the messed-up knights were found in a two-story house in a slum. [T/N: I knew it! Rosenin you gay¨C HAHAHA. I have a bit of a problem understanding this chapter as well, so Ash Vera Benjamin came to Bauer to visit ¡°Heron group branch¡± which is actually ¡°Silver group branch¡± that is supposedly Rosenin¡¯s as well, but Ash only realized this in the morning. Rosenin was not in Bauer at first, she came through the portal to help (and meet Elisha btw) I think that sums it up, yup] Chapter 99 The place where Elisha and her party arrived beyond the portal of Barossa was not in the western territory. The party had searched for two adjacent territories, each with a portal, in the central region closest to the western territory. After crossing the portal to one of them, the party went to the next territory and took the portal there to the west. The portal revealed the path as the coordinates of the starting point and the arrival point was connected to mana. In order to erase the traces, the party disguised the place of departure because it was obvious that someone would be wary if someone crossed over from the capital due to the current turbulent circumstances of the west. It was a shallow trick, but it would not be bad in the situation of the western territory, which were busy focusing on internal search. Of course, it was possible because they had forged identities prepared in advance so that there would be no problems when using the portal. Perhaps because it was the Zelot Knights, who were dedicated to secret missions, they were good at moving secretly and had no hesitation. Elisha¡¯s party entered Cherin territory faster than expected without anyone blocking, and was currently heading into the center where the baron¡¯s mansion was located. ¡°I see the 2nd Consort.¡± Elisha stared at him and nodded. It was an acquaintance. In the previous life, Elisha herself was the one who had thrown that pretty face into a pit of fire and made it ugly, so how could she forget it? It was the commander of the Zelot Knights, Zile. ¡°The people who have been waiting where you are going are now being tracked down after their tracks have been discovered. The size of the pursuit team has grown tremendously because the knights of the duke family and their entourage sensed that there¡¯s something going on and started to rush in.¡± After completing the report, Zile waited for Elisha¡¯s instructions. Zile, who had received the emperor¡¯s communication from the safe house set up in the western territory, was obeying the emperor¡¯s orders to fully cooperate with the 2nd Consort. If it were anyone else, they might not help the 2nd Consort properly after suffering from her merits, but it was not so for Zile. In any case, the more outstanding the Zelot Knights were, the deeper they should hide. ¡°Which way?¡± ¡°Rotinan.¡± Elisha frowned upon hearing Zile¡¯s answer. It wasn¡¯t the direction itself, Rotinan territory of the central region, was bad. But because the stem extending from the central Pavezzo Mountains, which could be said as the largest mountain range in the entire continent, crossed the territory widely. Most of the territory was influenced by the reach of the Pavezzo Mountains. No matter how gentle the slope was, it was still connected to the main mountain. Since it was a place that connected the essence of the Pavezzo Mountains, even a single stem would not be comparable to a ridge of any height. There were many places to hide if you run to such a place, but although it had the advantage of the leaves and grass naturally covering up the traces of even animals¡­ It would be as hard to try to leave. If they were mistakenly trapped inside and isolated, they could have been harmed by nature, not by humans. But, as to why they went there, how many options did the chased group, with a young woman and child who had never trained properly, have? It was a good thing that they had managed to escape with their lives up to that point. Rosenin seemed to be of great help. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Elisha said to the group. The horses ran at the same time, speeding up. They ran non-stop. The horses tired before the people, so they had to find new ones nearby. The number of people who had crossed over to the West with Elisha was less than ten, but when they joined Zile and the others who had come first, the number increased to nearly thirty. Normally, if a large number of armed soldiers move quickly on horseback, even if they did not enter the main city of the territory, a report would be sent to the soldiers or knights standing on the border and they would be checked. But now there was no one to stop them. Even if Zile was choosing a path that did not collide with other territories as much as possible, this level of ignorance meant that most of the people who were managing each territory were currently distracted by different things, and it was highly likely that they would be heading towards Rotinan. ¡°Duke Verdin wouldn¡¯t have been able to reveal the real reason Vera and the child had to be chased, so how the heck did the worms get so entangled in such nonsense?¡± During a short break, Zile answered her questions. ¡°When rumors circulated among the Western nobles that Duke Verdin has sent out people to find his second daughter-in-law, news was released from the duchy. It was said that the duke¡¯s second daughter-in-law had an affair with a young layman. When the duke found out, the two people who chose to run away kidnapped the little master as a hostage in case the duke chased them and harmed them.¡± ¡°And whoever kills the two people in the scandal and brings the little master to the duchy will receive a great reward?¡± ¡°Yes. And from some point, the word ¡®the most precious thing in the duchy¡¯ which was used to describe the little master, was changed to ¡®treasure¡¯.¡± ¡°There must be some who think that the ¡®treasure¡¯ is literally a real treasure and seek an opportunity to take it away.¡± This might be why the West¡¯s unrest had expanded faster and stronger than expected. ¡°The Western aristocracy is closed to the outside world, so only those who are still deeply involved in the West know it, but soon it will spread throughout the empire.¡± ¡°We have to clean this up before then.¡± Elisha answered. Vera had done as much as she could. It was her turn to finish the rest. *** ¡°There they are!¡± Rosenin bit her lip at the shouts coming from behind her. She glanced left and right on the road she was running. On the right side, dry trees stand on the slope that went up along the road, and on the left side was a downhill road leading into a shallowly dug valley. At the beginning of the downhill road was a large rock with its head stretched out like a turtle. ¡°This way!¡± Rosenin rushed to the left with Vera and the child. Controlling her speed by placing a blade on the soles of her feet so she didn¡¯t slip, she moved and crouched in a shady space under a rock. ¡°Huh? Where did they go? Are they already far away?¡± Shortly thereafter, those following them arrived. They seemed to stop and look around. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have gone too far, so let¡¯s hurry up! This is not the only road, and if other people drag them first, wouldn¡¯t we be wasting our time?¡± When someone took the lead and led the mood, people joined in. Again, the sound of footsteps echoed across the mountain road. Rosenin, who had been holding her breath for a while even after the movement disappeared, vomited out what she had been holding back, wondering if it was over. ¡°Haa.¡± It was really close this time. Rosenin, who had been resting her forehead on her knees, raised her head. ¡°Are you okay, ma¡¯am?¡± Rosenin looked at Vera. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡­ What about Ash? Will we ever see each other again?¡± Vera¡¯s voice trembled, worried about the knight who was separated from them to hold off the enemies. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine with the brothers Py and Thon. I bought them for a really high price.¡± The first to die had been Charles. He hadn¡¯t even been able to get out of the Cherin territory. The second had been Morden, her secret escort. He had died as soon as they had left Cherin territory. After that, one after another, they died in the order of the lowest price. Money, apparently, did not betray value. ¡°I¡¯m buying a lot of more expensive mercenaries.¡± Rosenin was truly sorry. She had decided to do that next time and tried to raise her body up. At that moment, Benjamin, who was in Vera¡¯s arms, pulled her arm. ¡°Huh!¡± Surprised, Rosenin¡¯s body stiffened. She frowned as she couldn¡¯t figure out why the little master, who had not been acting like a child so far, suddenly played a prank this late. But soon she realized with an Oh! Weren¡¯t they hiding in the triangular gap between the head-shaped rock and the downhill road? Had she jumped up, she would have banged her head hard against the bottom of the rock. ¡°Thank you, little master.¡± Rosenin thanked him with slight indifference. This was because Rosenin was more reluctant the more she looked at that little master who had a strange atmosphere. Benjamin blocked her again as she tried to escape the shade with her upper body bent. Rosenin, who glanced down at the hem of the caught clothes, frowned and shook his hand off lightly. When she was just about to get out of the shade, all of a sudden! This time, a thick hand came out from the light, not from inside the shade. Rosenin dangled in the air with the hand holding her chin. ¡°Heehee, here you are! I thought you¡¯d be hiding nearby!¡± The man¡¯s eyes gleamed with a grin, as he revealed this. It was like the voice she had just heard. He must have incited the people to send them off, while he stalled and guarded this place! Was this why the little master kept holding on to her? A cold sweat ran down Rosenin¡¯s back. She hid her arm behind her back without the man¡¯s knowledge and waved it vigorously from side to side. It was just a signal to Vera and the little master under the rock not to come out. But there was no way the man would not look again at the place where Rosenin just came out from. The man threw Rosenin up the road and put his upper body through the gap between the rock and the slope. ¡°Hiiy!¡± The frightened Vera leaned back to widen the distance. At the same time, she tried to turn Benjamin in her arms behind her, but the man was one step faster. The man, at eye level with the child, grabbed the child by the shoulder and tried to pull the child out of her arms! ¡°U-Uwaaaagh!¡± The man suddenly let out a scream. He took his hand off the child¡¯s shoulder and his body trembled. Blood streamed down the pointed branch that protruded between the fingers that covered the man¡¯s right eye. Vera couldn¡¯t stay in fear. Vera, who was stepping back, twisted her body and turned upside down. In a crawling position, Vera began to escape to the opposite direction from the side blocked by the man. Below was a dry valley with a stream with nothing to cover the slope. Not a place to avoid with a child. Vera¡¯s eyes widened as she crawled with one hand holding her son, who was hugging her neck, in her chest, and thrusting her other hand into the dirt floor. She hadn¡¯t moved far, but no matter how much she moved, her body didn¡¯t move any further. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She looked down at her child, her mouth shut at the ominous premonition. She held the child up. And tried to put the child out of her arms. ¡°Stay here, okay? Benjamin, it¡¯s okay, everything¡¯s gonna be okay.¡± The child stared intently at his mother, who struggled to contain her tears, with an innocent face. As if she was the person who needed to be told that Everything¡¯s gonna be okay. Realizing the meaning of his gaze, she smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m glad my baby is not scared.¡± For the first time, she gratefully accepted the strange side of her child. Then her body was pulled all the way towards the man. Kuuuk! The sloping soil was crushed and crumbled downwards. A cloud of strong dust rose, and her body was also ruined with wounds from being dragged to the ground. But it wasn¡¯t her discomfort that worried her. ¡°Benjamin!¡± The child clasped his mother¡¯s neck with his arms until the end and did not let go. The man who had grabbed the slender woman¡¯s ankle and pulled her toward himself lifted her up as soon as her body escaped from the shade of the rock. As she hung in the air with her ankle caught, the hem of her skirt flipped over. It¡¯s been a while since I looked at fair legs. The man stared as if wanting to kill the child who was glued to his mother. ¡°This bastard of the devil!¡± The place where the right eyeball of the man should have been was empty. He still couldn¡¯t believe it. The moment he had put his face near the child a while ago, his right eye had suddenly stung. He had thought the dust had entered. He couldn¡¯t have imagined that that little master would pierce his eye with a tree branch! The most frightening thing was the actions of the little master after stabbing his eyes. The little master had twisted the pierced branch sideways. It was a secondary attack that made wounds open and made healing difficult. He had done it instinctively. So the man had no choice but to pluck out his eyeball. The pain would only be worse had he left it be! The man had wanted to throw the woman and the child down the valley like this, but he couldn¡¯t. If he didn¡¯t take the little master to the duke, how could he recover what he lost? Especially the cost of losing his right eye! The man gleefully climbed over the incline and jumped onto the road. ¡°Damn it.¡± The man cursed. He thought he¡¯d find the strange masked woman crumpled alone, but before he knew it, there were quite a few new guests. Chapter 100 ¡°Which territory are you from, sir knight? Seeing that none of us recognize you, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve seen each other at a political meeting.¡± The tactic of skillfully putting pressure by stating their identity was pretty effective. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to steal your merits? You look like you¡¯re having a hard time, so we¡¯re trying to help here. Surely you know the solidarity of the western aristocrats, right?¡± All the other person¡¯s words sounded like threats to the man¡¯s ears, which was probably true. The man glanced around. Six people were too much to deal with alone. If he had known this would happen, he would have left some of the people he had let go first. As the man with a hardened face loosened his hand holding Vera¡¯s ankle, Vera and Benjamin slumped to the floor. Thinking about that, the man¡¯s opponent chuckled and made his subordinates put down their weapons. He seemed to be determined to appease the man in earnest now. But as soon as their tension eased a little, the man tried to take Benjamin away from Vera, who was still on the floor. As soon as he reached out to him, Benjamin moved his gaze and looked up at the man, making the man¡¯s breath catch. He immediately changed his goal to Vera, not Benjamin. The man wrapped his arm around Vera¡¯s waist from behind and aimed a dagger at her neck. Benjamin came along with her when he caught her, so he thought this would be better. Even considering his safety while going to the duchy. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± The opponent, who seemed proud at the thought that everything was going the way he wanted until recently, shouted at the man¡¯s behavior. ¡°If you wait a moment, I will return with the master¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°Trust in the solidarity of the West. Will my master forget the precious people trying to help him?¡± The opponent kept his mouth shut and fumed when he replied using his own words. The knights around him also tried to approach the man with the sword¡¯s handle in their hands. ¡°I have lost my colleagues and my eye. I don¡¯t mind at all if everyone dies here¡­ If you cause problems for the heir of the duke family, I don¡¯t know if the duke will stand still.¡± When the man threatened him, his opponent flinched. The man crept down the hill with his sword on Vera. Once he went down the mountain, there would be as many horses as the people, so he could get them anywhere and head straight to the duchy. While the man¡¯s one eye glistened with greed, the opponent¡¯s leader gave a meaningful glance at one of his knights. While the man moved with his one eye observing the man who appeared to be the leader of the other side, the knight, who had been ordered, climbed up the mountain in the opposite direction. As the distance from the group persecuting him gradually increased, the man¡¯s heart was relieved little by little. They might e after him soon, but he was pretty quick on his feet. If they caught up to him, he could use the hostage. The man who was thinking lowered his head to the prickly gaze that looked up at him. ¡°Uu¡­¡± The devil was watching him with open eyes. He feared what would happen to the Western territory if someone like that became the duke. The man remembered how he had cursed and been harsh on his mother earlier. He thought that he needed to leave the West to survive after this. He was about to twist the corners of his mouth when¡­ Shh! An ominous sound came from behind. ¡°Ugh!¡± The man dodged in surprise, but his shoulder was cut. Blood splattered. The knight who had separated himself from the rest of his group and climbed up the mountain had e round to the man on a slope down the valley on his left. Swaeegh! The man deflected the second attack with his dagger and had no way of avoiding the next one, so he quickly pushed the child in. To be precise, it was Vera who was holding the child. Vera somehow tried to sacrifice her body instead of the child, but it was too late. ¡°Iihk!¡± The knight made a mistake in the sword¡¯s trajectory, but it was difficult to retrieve it because he had already put his strength into it. Then. Chaeng! The knights, who had run from above while the two were fighting, threw their weapons to block their colleague¡¯s sword. His hand was almost torn, but it was better than sticking a sword into the heir of the duke family. The knight, who would have been worse off than dying, rushed to the man, ignoring his safety. However, the man was capable enough to claim the treasure by himself, even if he had been distracted by Benjamin. Pakk! The man kicked the knight¡¯s abdomen with his foot. As the knight¡¯s upper body bowed in shock and pain, the man skillfully thrust the dagger between his shoulder blades. Puck! The dagger that pierced through the flesh collided with the bone and rattled. Blood gushed out as the man drew the dagger. The man tossed the body of such a knight at his rades, who had e close and started running down the mountain. ¡°We can¡¯t lose them! Get him!¡± The nobleman and the knights shouted with their eyes lit. There were big and small quarrels during the treasure hunt, but it didn¡¯t take much time for them to get to know each other just by crossing one bridge from the West. The only treasure had an owner. Now they must kill and steal from the owner to get the treasure! Moreover, the war had begun since they had already seen blood. *** Elisha ran into difficulties from the beginning of the mountain range. Due to the considerable number of people climbing the mountain in pursuit, there were too many traces left on all sides. In addition, some of the nobles sent their knight manders and knights up, waiting near the entrance, so Elisha had to wear a hat and cover her silver hair deeper inside her cloak. It was fortunate that she could pass by the other nobles pretending not to know each other as no one had any time for pleasantries. When it was too hard for horses to travel, Elisha¡¯s party got off the horses and started running directly with their feet. The Zelot Knights were as sensitive to others¡¯ presence as they were in hiding their presence. They could easily find a group of people, but no one would be able to find them. As the place was buzzing and the smell of blood could be felt everywhere, Elisha, who thought things couldn¡¯t stay this way, stopped. She summoned Undine. Undine sat on a seashell and rubbed her cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible, but¡­¡± Elisha muttered, closed her eyes, and focused. Water was everywhere in the world. Even in a handful of dirt, even in a breath of wind. ¡°It¡¯s possible, right?¡± Elisha asked, and Undine nodded. Refreshing energy emanated from Elisha¡¯s whole body. The wind made the grain, and the soil shook. The world seemed to revolve around her. The Zelot Knights opened their eyes wide to the mysterious sight they were seeing for the first time. Elisha connected water with water and wandered among those who touched the water. Then she found the energy she recognized. The West was the land most affected by drought in the empire. However, this mountain range had inherited the spirit of the Pavezzo Mountains to the very end. The tree was barren, and the leaves of grass withered to yellow, but the fact that it was still standing with its roots in place was proof of that. Therefore, deep inside the earth, there were quite a few drops of water biting soil grains. Otherwise, even Elisha might have stopped in the middle because power could be used indefinitely. Then, at some point, Elisha opened her eyes. A silver light flashed and disappeared in the middle of the sky blue eyes. *** Vera was so shaken and dragged around that she couldn¡¯t get her act together. Despite that, she didn¡¯t forget one thing, though. Just one thing. That she had to hold her child with her arms tight. ¡°Give me the little master! How dare you kidnap the heir of the duke family!¡± Every man she encountered down the mountain told her that. The one-eyed man dragging Vera and the child had already died, and the people around her had changed several times since then. Some tried to kill Vera, and some tried to separate her from her child, but, like the first man, they all gave up eventually. Had it not been for the condition that the little master had to be brought back alive, he would have already died. Chae-chaeng! Chaeeng! Blood was splattered everywhere with the sound of weapons clashing. It wasn¡¯t like this was not normal. It happened all the time, and Benjamin hadn¡¯t responded much so far, but this time he looked different. His eyes were busy looking here and there, and sharp energy emanated from the child¡¯s body. So Vera knew. This fight was going to be different than before. ¡°Gwaaagh!¡± ¡°Kill him, kill him!¡± ¡°The one you killed a while ago is the viscount¡¯s heir! Do you think we¡¯ll forget this grudge?¡± Both groups were excited because they had e here spilling blood. The little master was no longer a problem. No one could even remember how much blood of the knights of the Western nobles had been sown on this mountain. Vera got goosebumps at the blade that stretched little by little towards them. People had used or threatened her and her child as hostages but had never left them in the middle of a fight like this. Now they were so out of their minds that they couldn¡¯t care less about themselves. Vera pulled the child closer. The child looked at his mother for a brief second. The knight who stumbled while fighting against a stronger opponent than him discovered Vera, who was moving carefully. The knight, who had bumped into her, made eye contact with Vera, who fell. ¡°W-Where do you want to run!?¡± As the knight shouted, Vera pushed Benjamin¡¯s back hard to the opposite side of the crowd, telling him to go first, and tried to get up too. She was just pretending, to be exact. She tried to trick Benjamin into going first because she had a cramp in her leg. ¡°Mom will follow you soon. Run first, quick!¡± Vera said in a voice mixed with laughter. Like it was real. It was clear that the knight was lowering his sword after noticing Vera¡¯s movement, but she tried not to care as much as possible. Even if she couldn¡¯t escape, she didn¡¯t want him to remember her death. She shouldn¡¯t have let her blood splash over him. ¡°Come on, go ahead, Benjamin.¡± Vera said, turning her eyes from the sword and engraving her child¡¯s back in her mind¡­ Chwaruk! She heard the sound of rushing water. The pain that she thought would e in couldn¡¯t be felt. When Vera raised her head, a water barrier was blocking her and the knight. ¡°Is that you?¡± The strong and beautiful person who used the spirit of water. Vera cried out in surprise and looked to the front, and her child was held in the person¡¯s slender, white hands. But Vera was not afraid. Because the hands were heading toward Vera and trying to put the child in her arms. Vera held the child in her arms and leaned her head against the leg of the person who approached her. ¡°I¡¯m late. You must have seen a lot of things you shouldn¡¯t have seen.¡± Elisha lowered her hand and brushed Vera¡¯s tangled and blood-soaked hair. Just like she¡¯d do to Leon. Everything she was able to do little by little to the people around her was learned from Leon. ¡°No, no, you¡¯re not. Thank you for ing.¡± As Vera spoke, Elisha gave her another pat, then looked down at Benjamin. ¡°You protected your mother. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Elisha seemed to know how Vera, who was not worth a hostage, had survived this chaotic situation. ¡°Ah, we broke up with Miss Rosie in the middle¡­ and Ash couldn¡¯t be found as well¡­¡± Vera pulled out what had been piled up and wept again. ¡°We found Ro¡­ sie on our way, but I don¡¯t know about the knight Ash. I guess we¡¯ll look more carefully later.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Vera turned her head to where her gaze was directed and turned blue. The fight was in a lull, and all those fighting with their swords were looking this way. The fight, which had been especially fierce, seemed to have attracted other groups around it because of the loud noise. The approaching shadows overlaid the mountain with darkness even though it was not night. ¡°Now that this has happened, please wait a little longer.¡± Elisha spoke to Vera and stepped forward. Chapter 101 ¡°You¡¯re here¡­¡± Rosenin, who had e to her senses, said with her cheeks dyed red. The mask she had been wearing had been broken and disappeared in the middle, and her face, tainted with grime and blood, would probably be difficult to recognize even by a family member. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to e in person. Thank you for letting me know and for helping Vera and the child. Naturally, I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Rosenin pouted her lips like sulking, but that¡¯s all. She glanced at Elisha up and down before lowering her eyes, then repeated the motion several more times. The Rosenin Elisha had known in the past was shy¡­ However, the Rosenin she had encountered at the birthday banquet of the 2nd Prince held at the Golden Hall was a lively and bold girl. She wanted to protect her at all times because it looked cute. Elisha herself had taken the initiative in reducing the hardships and failures that the sister would¡¯ve suffered because of her brothers, so she thought she would be able to see her bright side from now on. It seemed that this incident was so shocking that she became so flustered that she couldn¡¯t even make eye contact. When Elisha patted her shoulder, she quickly put her pouting lips in and leaned her head against the back of her hand, perhaps for another reason. She seemed to want to know something. This is hard. As expected, Elisha was more malicious than good. While the depth of good intentions was challenging to guess because of the feelings for the other person, evil intentions were so clear that no clearer light could be found. Even if malice was disguised as a box painted with jewels and melted gold, it somehow crept through the cracks and gave off a stench. That¡¯s why you could crush it and blow it up at once without even thinking about it. Elisha firmly held Rosenin and Vera, who each occupied her arm. ¡°If you¡¯ve taken a breather, leave. This is no place to stay forever.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, Rosenin turned around and nodded in agreement, and Vera replied that she understood. Behind the three women were layers of bodies, and the barren land was filled with so much blood that it could not be pletely absorbed. So Zile and the Zelot Knights, who were watching them, looked a little fed up. Was it not the 2nd Consort who made the place like that in the first place, and didn¡¯t she even calmly fort the other two people by having them sit in such a place? They thought it was too late to say that, so no one spoke out. They were the Zelot Knights who took on secret missions and saw a lot of dirty and rough things, but today¡¯s sight was disastrous enough to make them sick. When the fight had escalated, the motion had grown more extensive, and as the people from other places gathered and joined, the fight got even bigger again¡­ It was a terrible repetition. The 2nd Consort showed her abilities without raising an eyebrow at the center of it. People had been curious the other day when she told them that she had made those who had dared to touch her in the desert pay, whether the curiosity was about her power or the results of the ¡®payment¡¯. Zile had been one of those people, but not anymore. As the water spirit splashed in the blood and blood surged like a barrier and attacked others, Zile repeated to himself. One doesn¡¯t have to experience hell once they¡¯ve seen it. He already knew what would have happened there. Elisha and the group hurried out of the West. It was an incident that stirred the West from the bottom up, where Elisha and the others came in, and Vera and the others tried to get out. Elisha knew there would be a plex process this time again. ¡°No one is chasing us.¡± Vera said, fortunately. ¡°Because all those who could immediately follow us are dead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rosenin responded kindly in her way, but Vera hesitated before closing her mouth. She was at a loss as to what to say. Instead of going down the mountain range, the party went up the mountain in the opposite direction to the heart of the Pavezzo Mountains and decided to swerve sideways before the majestic central vein began. The higher they climbed, the more difficult it was to climb the mountain without much preparation. However, there was no denying that it was the best situation at that moment. Clearly, if they had gone down the mountain as it was, they would have been caught up in a bigger problem in the West. ¡°If we continue to walk sideways before the main vein, we will get to the entrance of the central region. From there, we can go to Barossa using the portal of the nearby estate.¡± Everyone agreed. Only Rosenin had an ambiguous destination. Elisha herself would¡¯ve sent her somewhere else, but she was unsure. The Zelot Knights had confirmed Rosenin¡¯s face. There was no way this would not reach the emperor¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m going east.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. A war is about to begin. At times like this, the upper states have a lot of work.¡± That was right. When Rosenin made a decision, Elisha accepted it without question. As for Rosenin¡¯s share, she¡¯d have to take care of it later. It was annoying for the emperor to learn about Rosenin, but it didn¡¯t make any difference immediately. He was not a person to divulge information without any profit, and he must have recognized that there was a high possibility that Count Gotham¡¯s daughter would bee the seed of the Eastern conflict following the 2nd Consort. The seed would grow if he watered it. There would be no reason to trample it with his feet. At night, while setting up a place to rest, Elisha found a stream nearby. Compared to its original size, the flowing water was so thin that it looked like a thread, but it was there. The knights had gotten as much water as they needed early, leaving only the three women. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous? There may be monsters¡­¡± One of the knights who remained until the end stopped talking when he saw Elisha staring at him. If a monster appeared, the life of the monster would be pitiful, not those women¡¯s. Realizing that, the knight bowed his head and quickly followed his colleagues. Vera and Rosenin usually went through that knight, who was unlike the other knights who exuded a gloomy aura in his occasional clumsy appearance, if they had something to say. The three women and Benjamin sat down in two groups with running water between them and washed their hands. Washing their face with the back of the hand moistened with water, wiping their eyes, and drenching their dry throat. ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t given you this.¡± As if she had just remembered, Vera took a white envelope from her sleeve and handed it to Elisha. The envelope, which should have been clean and stiff at first, was severely wrinkled, like a reminder of the hardships of the past. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t give me this in such a hurry. We don¡¯t know how much it will shake the West.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving it to you. It¡¯s like a knight¡¯s sword. It has to be wielded by someone who knows how to use it. If someone like me is holding it, I will only get myself and my people hurt. Therefore, Your Majesty, please protect me, my husband, and our Benjamin with that.¡± She thought so from the beginning, so there was no need to worry or delay. Elisha was eventually handed the envelope. The stamp on the wax that sealed the envelope was the winged carriage pattern of Count Dout. Since the wax had already been torn off, Elisha opened the envelope without hesitation. There were several folded sheets of paper inside. Elisha opened one of them. ¡°Ha.¡± A laugh broke out. It was a contract that Anne, the first daughter-in-law of the duke, received from a desert tribe belonging to the pro-Kran Kingdom faction. For desert tribes, contracts were critical. For those wandering without roots, a contract was essential to establishing a relationship between themselves and others. That¡¯s because it was a matter directly related to survival. The pro-Kran Kingdom faction, represented by the Hib and Darren tribes, failed to continue the sacred contract. From the following paper she pulled out, Elisha learned why, unlike the indigenous desert tribe, the pro-Kran Kingdom tribe, who had lived a relatively prosperous life, had no choice but to engage in such a dangerous task. Of course, she had guessed it earlier, but she had no evidence. ¡°You threatened me, Anne.¡± Even to the Kran Kingdom, they looked like a terrible military force. Since she, the daughter of the count and daughter-in-law of the duke, had e out like that, even though they were of different countries, the pro-Kran kingdom faction could not help it as long as it affected their lives which were just beyond the border. She had tried to overdo it, saying that since it was happening in the West, even if an unknown force suddenly came out, she¡¯d be able to erase their traces no matter what happened. It was a letter of protest in its own right to proceed with the work. It also mentioned the termination of the contract. It was funny to think that she had done anything that could¡¯ve been done, from the contract to the protest letter. As such, the pro-Kran Kingdom faction believed that Anne would never disclose this contract. When this became known, it was not them but Anne¡¯s side who¡¯d be the most upset. So, this was a natural question one didn¡¯t need to consider. Since it¡¯s like this, then why? ¡°Did Anne just leave this letter alone?¡± In the end, it ended up in Elisha¡¯s hands just like this? ¡°No way. Is it fake?¡± Rosenin asked with a flash in her eyes. Even Vera was surprised and didn¡¯t know what to do. Elisha shook her head. No matter how bold that side was, they were still servants under the emperor. Treason was the best to blame on others, but it was too dangerous to pretend to be outplayed. In particular, nobles knew well that giving even a tiny weakness was fatal to a person who never let go of anything, like the current emperor, who cut down on everything around him. Besides, if this was fake, the duke family was trying to trap Vera and herself¡­ But look at the situation now. Who was actually harmed? The West was ups and downs, and the pride of the Western nobles was cracked. The dead were considerable, although it was more of a dog¡¯s death. This would¡¯ve been a terrible mistake, no matter how big a profit Duke Verdin planned to gain later. ¡°In this situation, Duke Verdin should insist that it¡¯s real even if it¡¯s fake.¡± Vera tilted her head as Elisha lightly shook the paper. ¡°Isn¡¯t treason more frightening than losing the trust of the Western nobles?¡± ¡°2nd Consort is saying that the situation of the duke is as bad as treason if it is a false conspiracy.¡± When Rosenin intervened, Vera finally understood. The two look at Elisha again. A calm, low voice described the situation one by one. ¡°At first, he must have tried to cover it up quietly. And even if the contract was known, it was Anne, not Duke Verdin, whose name was written here. ¡®The family didn¡¯t know about it. Anne tried to hurt the consort because of a personal grudge.¡¯ If Duke Verdin offered sacrifice in hopes of leniency, the emperor would have promised with him to some extent.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re saying that Duke Verdin won¡¯t be judged for the crime of treason?¡± Perhaps because it was still her husband¡¯s family, Vera asked back in a slightly brighter voice. Elisha, who lifted her brows, replied a moment later. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯m just talking about the case when things didn¡¯t go this far. For that, there had to be no slaughter in Rotinan. It was not the unidentified knights and desert tribes who attacked me at the end of the Pavezzo mountain range, but the Western nobles.¡± It did not matter that they had done it not knowing it was Elisha, but the fact that they died there in the end, a proof of their loss. As if it was their fate to drive the West into the disaster of war. Chapter 102 ¡°So this is Barossa. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Vera said, looking around. She smiled af if telling herself not to worry, but her face was haggard. The knight Ash, who had separated himself at the foot of the mountain and protected her until the end, couldn¡¯t be found, and she didn¡¯t know what had happened to her husband, Jonathan. ¡°Let¡¯s greet His Majesty first before going to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace together.¡± Except for Rozenin, who had gone straight east from the central estate where the portal was, Elisha and Vera went to the Imperial Palace together. As always, the emperor was checking the piles of paper piled up like a mountain in the office. ¡°I¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°All hell broke loose even when you said you¡¯d go quietly.¡± Emperor Kaiden answered. ¡°I apologize. The situation was bad, so the response became too much.¡± ¡°Even though the exact facts of what happened in the West have not yet been revealed, everyone is talking about the same thing. The 2nd Consort kills more people than the tree standing in Rotinan. Is this true?¡± ¡°She came forward to save us, mother and son. If it wasn¡¯t for the 2nd Consort¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I asked you. Did the duke teach you to talk to the emperor without permission?¡± ¡°Th-that¡­¡± Vera, who had gathered up her courage thinking the emperor was rebuking Elisha, quickly shut up. Before the silence fell, Elisha said. ¡°I haven¡¯t counted, so I don¡¯t know. If you need the data, I¡¯ll make sure to count next time.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s what makes you my consort.¡± His voice had no highs or lows, so it wasn¡¯t clear whether it was a compliment or a sneer, but it didn¡¯t matter. Elisha put the envelope she had received from Vera on the table. The emperor stretched out his long, white fingers and picked up the envelope. Instead of opening one of the letters right away, he poked the edge of the table with the corner of the envelope. Elisha asked. ¡°Is there no contact from the West?¡± ¡°What do you mean by no contact? Every day, they send me correspondence and protest against influential families. Telling me that the evidence you bring is all lies, an attempt to persecute them.¡± ¡°Then tell them to come up to Barossa. Since they¡¯re saying it¡¯s unfair, we must check who¡¯s right.¡± ¡°They know they can¡¯t win. They won¡¯t come. They are likely to launch a rebellion this time.¡± ¡°Why would they do such a pointless thing if they can¡¯t even win?¡± As if Elisha¡¯s words were surprising, the emperor lifted the envelope and pointed the edge of it at her. ¡°Did you not make it like that? There¡¯s no point in clumsy negotiations. If you stay still, I¡¯ll cut your throat and let the Western nobles have their revenge.¡± ¡°Did they not bring it upon themselves? Why was it because of me?¡± ¡°Madam Anne, who is acting as the duchy¡¯s hostess, is a pushover. Not long after you went to the duke¡¯s estate, she commissioned a desert tribe for a sneak attack and led the West to catastrophe. It¡¯d be fine if that¡¯s all it was. But now Sir Jonathan¡¯s wife, who is said to be quiet, gathered the maids and the knights who had been favored by Sir Jonathan separately, worked the duke¡¯s and his people from the bottom up step by step, and knowing that Anne was trying to harm you, voluntarily brought evidence to you, who then helped her escaped. What do you say, 2nd Consort? Am I still wrong?¡± Elisha looked at Vera next to her. Vera nodded up and down as if there were no mistakes. ¡°Since Your Majesty has spoken, then it must be true. Your Majesty, you seem to have gotten a lot of information about the duke¡¯s estate. Do you have any information about Master Jonathan? The mother and son are worried.¡± ¡°There was no mention of him dead. There wasn¡¯t even mention of him coming back from the outside, so maybe he ran away as his wife did.¡± Elisha thought the latter would¡¯ve been better, but Vera cried because she was satisfied with no bad news. The emperor took turns looking at the two women and opened his mouth. ¡°2nd Consort, what you wished for when you came to tell me about that woman has not changed yet, to make the nobleman Jonathan Verdin and his wife the masters of the duchy and to recognize the young child as the successor?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Anyone on the other side, anyone aside from the new duke and his wife, who have made great contributions to me and you, will be in the same league with the treasonous duke and his first son and his wife.¡± ¡°The number of gracious lands in the West that Your Majesty will rule directly will increase. I believe you will be very pleased with the young duke couple.¡± ¡°If you do something nice to me, I will too. So if you want to do something bad, think about it first. Your boy, your little child, and that duke couple. Oh, there you go. Zile said that a young woman, an owner of a group, looked at you as if she were looking at her first love. Is that true?¡± His words near the end were a bit strange¡­ but the rest were good enough. Be careful not to forget. It was a pretty expensive warning. Failure to do so would result in significant repercussions. In addition, the word ¡°owner of a group¡± was deliberately attached. Did he dig in the back of the man who had come to the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace the other day, or did he get the information of Rozenin and Count Gotham from a report made by Zile halfway through? ¡°Rosenin is of the Eastern faction. She¡¯s making pocket money using the group secretly from her father. She¡¯s still young.¡± ¡°She¡¯s got a lot of credit for this. Should I give it to Count Gotham?¡± ¡°If you give it to me, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± All of this would remain in her debt, but Rozenin still needed time to grow appropriately and strong, not to be restrained. Elisha could¡¯ve hidden more from the emperor if her face hadn¡¯t been unexpectedly revealed to the Zelot Knights in the West. However, Rozenin was not the only one who was unexpectedly revealed. Elisha had also confirmed the face of the Zelot Knights. This would be a card that could be used later. They followed the emperor¡¯s most secret orders. Where they were, there was the emperor¡¯s will. The black, deep malice. And information was the best thing merchant could make money from. ¡°But, there¡¯s a thing Duke Verdin said. If his daughter-in-law had really done such a horrendous thing, why would she have left evidence of her weakness? What do you think?¡± Elisha felt the same way. She was a bit skeptical about it, but¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she didn¡¯t want to be abandoned alone?¡± The emperor gestured as if to let her continue. ¡°Madam Anne must have said that she had handled the dealings with the desert tribes well, but who knows what will happen and how the trail will remain, especially the West being incredibly unstable at the time.¡± The miracle that Elisha had shown, the support of the common people of the western territories, and the attack and disappearance of the consort who had shaken the continent beyond the empire that followed¡­ Imagine that she had a foot in the door despite failing. Even if she was the daughter-in-law of a duke, wouldn¡¯t she feel chilled? ¡°I heard that Your Majesty put much pressure on the West then.¡± ¡°Pretty much, I did.¡± After hearing the emperor¡¯s answer, Vera, who had a look of bewilderment next to her because she did not understand, asked Elisha. ¡°If she were that nervous, shouldn¡¯t she have gotten rid of the evidence more? If something goes wrong, not only Anne herself but the duke and the entire West will be shaken up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I think the madam didn¡¯t get rid of the evidence. She knew that when the traces of her actions were revealed, Duke Verdin would sacrifice herself, Count Dout and the influential Western families with close ties to Count Dout, just so he could escape alone. So, in case of an emergency, she was trying to bring the duke and the Western nobles into the mud by using the solid evidence she was holding. If the duke¡¯s daughter-in-law, Anne, testifies with her mouth in addition to evidence, people can¡¯t help but believe it.¡± At Elisha¡¯s explanation, Vera¡¯s face turned blue, asking How could that be? but the emperor nodded. ¡°She¡¯s a woman who wants to kill people out of jealousy. How can she give up her life easily? She¡¯s doing this to survive. They don¡¯t have a cause to put forward, and they aren¡¯t well prepared, so they won¡¯t win but will do their best to hold on. That¡¯s not impossible when the West is united. We cannot continue to withdraw our troops from the border with other countries, so if time is delayed, there will be a moment when we have to compromise. That¡¯s what they¡¯re aiming for.¡± ¡°Leaving the situation be would make things difficult.¡± This would leave a bump in the empire Ascencio would inherit. The more you left it, the more it grew in volume and the deeper the roots were. ¡°That¡¯s right, so we must be thoroughly prepared and not let the other nobles dream of doing the same thing. There will be a meeting soon. It¡¯s your business, so be sure to attend.¡± It was unusual for a woman of no public standing to attend a meeting for war, but no one in the Empire would find it strange anymore. Just like the Queen of Sword Katrina of the Zeon Empire. ¡°Am I going to the battlefield too?¡± ¡°Is there any reason not to use what you have? Besides, aren¡¯t you particularly good at killing people? Since you are still worshiped in the West, you will surely cause more bloodshed to be stopped. If you claim to be my loyal subject, shouldn¡¯t you go take the ball and bring it back to me?¡± Instead of answering, Elisha bent her right arm and placed her palm over her heart. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The emperor stared at her for a moment and beckoned her to leave. He hadn¡¯t spared even a single glance at Benjamin since the beginning. When the three came out, the knights of the Imperial Palace who stood guard outside greeted them politely. It was like dealing with a superior who had returned from an outside mission. Unlike the Zelot Knights, who disappeared like a shadow as soon as they entered the Imperial Palace, the three slowly walked towards the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. ¡°If we go west, we¡¯ll make it our top priority to find Jonathan. I¡¯ll look into the information separately, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Thank you, 2nd Consort.¡± ¡°Were you surprised earlier?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m going to set up you couple as the new duke. Without asking you first, I proceeded with the idea on my terms. It must have been difficult.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Vera didn¡¯t hate it, but it was difficult because she didn¡¯t know how to accept the news that she couldn¡¯t follow. ¡°If the duke is punished as the leader of the rebel group, all of the duke¡¯s bloodline except you, Master Jonathan, and the little master Benjamin, will die. The whole West will be overturned, and there will be people with a grudge against you. Without strength, you cannot protect yourself or your child.¡± Elisha turned her gaze to Benjamin, who was in Vera¡¯s arms. Elisha had heard from Vera that the little boy had saved his mother repeatedly. It was hard to say if something had changed because they had gone through hard times together and overcame them, but the awkward air current between the mother and son had softened quite a bit. Elisha was even more fond of Vera, who had thanked Benjamin for saving her rather than calling him a monster, after watching the boy sticking a branch into the enemy¡¯s eyeball. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about it yet. Let¡¯s talk about it together when we meet Jonathan.¡± ¡°I will make you many clothes while I¡¯m at the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace.¡± Unlike in the past, women¡¯s trousers were widespread across the continent, and gifts were still coming in, but Elisha talked about her new favorite color she had found with Leon without saying much. When they arrived at the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace, the family members came out as if they had been contacted in advance. ¡°Mother!¡± Leon was the first to run and hug Elisha. Elisha took the child in her arms and kissed him once on the top of his head, once on his forehead, and once on his two cheeks. With a broad smile, Leon responded to his mother similarly. Then he reached out to Benjamin, whom he had not seen in a long time. Benjamin didn¡¯t take his eyes off Leon¡¯s clear blue eyes for even a moment and grabbed his outstretched hand. ¡°I missed you, my little brother!¡± ¡°¡­ Me, too.¡± They held each other tightly and did not separate, so Vera and Elisha lowered the children from their arms. The sight of two small children standing side by side, holding hands tightly, was like dolls. ¡°Is this our 3rd Prince¡¯s little brother? Won¡¯t you introduce him to us?¡± When Shamir appeared with a smirk and twinkle in his eyes, cold energy erupted from Benjamin in an instant. ¡°Whoa, you told me there will be only two children who hate me in this palace! 2nd Consort is a liar!¡± ¡°It was because only two children besides Leon would be close to you in this imperial palace. Now that there are three, it is natural to increase the number by one.¡± When Elisha answered calmly, Shamir hummed. ¡°The older brother, the older sister, and the little brother all hate me! But it¡¯s okay. The 3rd Prince likes me!¡± Ignoring Shamir¡¯s song, which had a strange tone, Elisha went inside, greeted by the family members. A ball of black cotton rolled over from the other side. She wondered when her family had grown so much, but she didn¡¯t hate it. She was home. It meant that her shoulders, which had been loaded with strength, could be loosened and relaxed. Chapter 103 1st Consort Isabelle blinked in shock. Then she cried out in a fit. ¡°Why on earth would Duke Verdin do such a thing?!¡± She had heard that there was a riot in the West. Once again, she had thought because it had always been like that. However. ¡°It is said that all the roads from the central to the west are cut off now, and the portal does not work due to the rejection from that side.¡± When Marchioness Bahrain spoke of the news so matter-of-factly that she could no longer deny it, Isabelle lay down on the purple velvet sofa next to her. It was a comfortable image only shown in front of Marchioness Bahrain. ¡°Are you angry?¡± Marchioness Bahrain went to the side of the sofa where Isabelle was lying diagonally and sat down. She then put Isabelle¡¯s small, white hand on her own palm, and gently pressed between her fingers. Isabelle opened her red-painted lips, leaving herself entirely in her charge. ¡°You know I¡¯ve often talked to him about choosing an empress, but he¡¯s never responded to it. So what do you think I felt when he told me he¡¯d give that¡­ that¡­ bitch the White Rose Palace?¡± Her mind was dizzy as her eyes clouded with anger. Frankly, she was happy. Since one of the two palaces was open, did it not mean the other would also open? She had thought she would have a chance, too, thanks to that bitch. But the moment she had realized such a self, the pride that she was so proud of was mercilessly torn apart. Nevertheless, Isabelle had gone to His Majesty to ask for the Red Rose Palace, and sent a correspondence to the Eastern duke. She had boasted to her father that she would become the empress and raise the 2nd Prince to the throne this time. It was just what she wanted. His Majesty was also satisfied with the recent move in the East, and the atmosphere was good, so it seemed that she would soon be able to achieve what she wanted. But rebellion! ¡°The schedule for the choosing of the empress will be delayed. If things go wrong, we¡¯ll have to start over from the beginning after subjugating the rebels!¡± The resources and efforts poured out in the past would come to nothing. But there was something more terrifying than that: the beggar-like 2nd Consort who had regained her power in that short period from nothing and built up her reputation to surpass the empress position. Even if she, who was the 1st Consort right now, was one step closer to the position of an empress, how long would she be able to do that? Then what if that bitch became the empress? Isabelle shoved her fingernails into the palm of the Marchioness Bahrain, who was doing acupuncture on her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s going right. Since that bitch started messing around, nothing¡¯s been going right!¡± To be precise, it must have been from last year, around the 3rd Prince¡¯s birthday. Abandoned empress in an abandoned palace. The wildflower no one looked after bloomed on her own and exuded her scent. But at least she was alone. She would wither if you bent it. Isabelle had failed once but didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever fail again. Isabelle, who was gritting her teeth, frowned when she saw blood oozing out from Marchioness Bahrain¡¯s palm, which she had pressed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak?¡± ¡°This is nothing. It¡¯s alright.¡± As Marchioness Bahrain smiled, Isabelle laid her forehead on her shoulder. Marchioness Bahrain treated Isabelle like a sweet little sister. Isabelle was arrogant and immature lady who grew up beautifully doing everything she wanted to. But she didn¡¯t hate her. What could be said if there were some people like this in the world? Marchioness Bahrain looked at Isabelle, who turned her cute face away, pretending not to care even though she was concerned. *** As an important meeting was held in the throne room due to the rebellion, nobles entered the palace one after another and stood in front of the emperor. The emperor, sitting on the throne at the highest point inside the throne room, looked at the scene unfolding beneath him. Everyone who entered the throne room entrance was surprised to find the emperor and bowed their head first. They wondered if they were late or if they misunderstood the start time, but they were relieved to see the same situation occur one after another. And then they had to be surprised again. It was because they found two people standing on the left and right sides of the milky-white marble staircase leading to the platform with the throne as if to guard the emperor. Unlike the nobles who entered the throne room, the two stood in the glory of looking at the same place (as the emperor) with their backs in front of the emperor, not facing the emperor. Everyone could accept one without disagreement, but it was not so with the other. ¡°Why is it the 2nd Consort?¡± Someone muttered. To put it bluntly, it was a place where the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs must guard, or Sir Rohan and Marquis Blemir must stand to balance the weight. However, it was as if the emperor was pointing out to the nobles that It is not your place. In the absence of Marquis Blemir, many people in this war wanted to stand under the emperor in a position on equal footing with Sir Rohan. Of course, Elisha ignored them. What would you do with people who can¡¯t even ask openly and pretend to be talking to themselves to induce a response from those around you? Above all else, this was the throne room. Was there anything that could be done without the emperor¡¯s permission in the presence of the emperor? Anyone could figure it out just by thinking a little bit. That was why they didn¡¯t dare to do anything or make a fool out of themselves with their mouth. Speaking of which, unlike Elisha herself, they didn¡¯t know that someone was right above their head who counted all these things. ¡°Have you done talking?¡± When the emperor spoke, the whispering war quickly became quiet. ¡°One of the three pillars supporting the emperor was plotting a rebellion to get me off my head, but you guys are fighting for your place here.¡± Kaiden was always annoyed by the ¡®pillars¡¯ he had just spoken about. They pretended to support him, but in the end, they seemed to remind him that even the emperor was just a human being tossed to the floor without them. ¡°Your Majesty, that¡¯s not what Baron Fallon said¡­¡± ¡°Prince Raymond, are you in a position to make excuses for others? You must have forgotten that you¡¯re in a situation where you have to give me an excuse.¡± Prince Raymond¡¯s face flushed with shame. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with what I did when I came in. Shooting the empress like an enemy before the emperor, is enough medicine. But even with that thought, when Rohan looked at him, he quickly straightened his body and pulled his chin¡­ as if trying to be determined. Elisha looked up at the emperor. The emperor must have known the heart of Prince Raymond. He was peering into it from the other side of the cage indifferently. Elisha said before his eyes passed Prince Raymond and reached Rohan. ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that everyone is here. It¡¯s time to start the meeting.¡± The blue eyes that changed direction because they fell short of Rohan contained Elisha. The eyes that looked as if the owner saw a dead bird immediately changed. Did they contain faint vitality, or should it be called low interest? ¡°Tell them. You know the situation in the West the best. The fact that we knew of the rebellion in advance, that we stirred up their inner circle and weakened their strength, and that we had a justification for defeating them all had something to do with you, the 2nd Consort. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Roughly speaking, it was something everyone knew. If you didn¡¯t have that much ability, you wouldn¡¯t be in a position to be called into this war. However, Elisha¡¯s, who had experienced everything in person, story was definitely different from the information that they had learned from known rumors and people. Western tension, the atmosphere, the nobles and knights flocking to Rotinan¡­ ¡°But, about that. It is said that the first and second madam of the duke of the West had a huge misunderstanding, so they gathered to the mountain range of Pavezzo to solve it. They said you blocked them and killed them all. How about it? Is it true?¡± ¡°I did kill the most.¡± The Western rebellion group¡¯s power must have been significantly reduced. The throne room, which had been flustered by such a nonchalant answer, became quiet again. Elisha turned to them all and continued. ¡°Does that mean you killed them all? Do you not have the ability to go all over the Pavezzo Mountains in that short period and kill them all?¡± Since they had pursued and fought all the way, how many places could the fight have taken place? There would be traces everywhere. ¡°Besides, there have been no survivors, right?¡± When Elisha had spread the energy of water, there had been quite a few signs. The wounded, the hidden, those who had given up the fight and retreated. ¡°Regardless of Duke Verdin¡¯s claim, the horrors of that day will be known through those who have returned from the Pavezzo Mountains. Western nobles who claim strong solidarity have sharpened their swords at each other. Their hatred toward each other may be big, but they have to endure it to face something bigger before them right now. But it won¡¯t be long before this hatred explodes.¡± And the day it exploded, the rebels of the West would suffer great damage again. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say.¡± After Elisha finished it neatly, opinions about the West¡¯s power, attack method, and who should be in charge were exchanged. In particular, there was a strong argument that Marquis Blemir should be summoned immediately. Still, the emperor refused to allow it, arguing about who would protect the people of the empire from monsters if everyone rushed to the west. The nobles of the crown prince¡¯s faction had no choice but to follow. Other nobles began to be greedy as the strongest man, who would be the first considered by anyone, was missing enough to erase his presence. This was because there were not too many opportunities for the nobles to expand their territories or raise their titles by making great contributions. Rohan was not someone who fought for the ball with others, and the remaining swordmaster would never have appeared here. ¡°Even if we are one of only three empires on the Paracion Continent, we can¡¯t afford to prepare for another country¡¯s invasion and spend a lot of money on war at a time when the drought is already going on, so we have to get rid of the rebels as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Everyone answered at the same time. ¡°Therefore, the person who will be the general in subjugating the rebels must be smart.¡± The blue eyes of the emperor captured the count, known for his intelligence among the imperial faction, standing on the left side of the throne room. When the count¡¯s face was coloured with joy, the following words came out. ¡°Bold.¡± The resounding voice was low and beautiful. And his gaze was so fascinating that it warmed people up. This time, the gaze that had stopped on Count Morell of the crown prince¡¯s faction flowed again and went to Prince Raymond. ¡°Brave.¡± Prince Raymond revealed his teeth and smiled brightly. He was excited and puffed up his chest as if he had already become the general in charge. He seemed to be determined that the latest remark was to compliment him. But could the emperor do that? As expected, the emperor¡¯s gaze passed by Prince Raymond. The last thing his blue eyes captured was his best card and the most valuable thing to adorn him. ¡°The person in charge should have the nobility that suits the cause. With the strength to punish the enemy.¡± All of them point to Rohan. Those who felt insulted by the joy in the blue eyes and the misery of being abandoned thought it was fair if their opponent was Rohan. They had no choice but to admit him and eventually obey the emperor¡¯s will. Then Rohan, as always, would carry out the emperor¡¯s orders perfectly. Everyone waited for the finishing words to follow. But the emperor was silent. In the long silence, his mouth finally opened. ¡°Everyone has their strengths, but I know someone who has them all. However, I wonder if I should pick the one who is lacking. So Elisha, my second empress, you are my general. Go, subdue the rebellion and bring me the West.¡± The throne room rocked with suffocating energy. It was not stillness or silence. It was hostility, resentment, stubbornness to protect the existing¡­ and fear for their beautiful and capable emperor who was not afraid of new things. Elisha glanced at them, then turned to the side. Rohan greeted her with congratulations, concerns, and faith. Elisha, who turned her body completely to face the emperor, covered her heart with her right hand. ¡°Elisha de Rappelcia, obey your orders.¡± She would be his loyal subject until he tried to kill herself and her children. She could do that. Chapter 104 There was strong opposition from the nobles. But they also knew. The emperor¡¯s words were true, and no one would be better suited than her. But if they accepted the unconventionality, they feared that there would not know what more things they would have to oppose in the future. Instead, they tried to find their share there because they thought she would be unfamiliar with operating troops or leading the war. That must have resulted in this. ¡°Your Majesty, is that really my deputy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to pay anything to make him work. It will be a loss not to use him.¡± ¡°If I order him something he can¡¯t do and it goes wrong, we will suffer more damage, and you¡¯re not one who doesn¡¯t know this. You think I¡¯ll take care of it even if there¡¯s a problem, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart. So you¡¯ll get through that kind of difficulty.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t kill Prince Raymond, will you consider it a success?¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the emperor lightly swept the knot on the side of her cloak with his fingertips. ¡°Anyway, with him, you can configure the power the way you want. Whether to add or subtract.¡± Elisha formed the rebel subjugation force this time and excluded all ordinary soldiers. The nobles said in anger that the 2nd Consort who didn¡¯t know about the war, was using a reckless strategy and oblivious to reality, but well¡­ How many of them have experienced a real war? Which one has experienced the loss of most of the troops they had led in the morning and come back and fell asleep alone in the barracks? Have they ever felt like a monster, standing alone atop a swamp of corpses they killed and killed themselves, that even their allies keep away from them, and even real monsters spit at them with viciousness? Elisha had learned in her previous life as she fought the emperor and the empire that she had to be good at subtracting, not adding, to win the war. If you added, you wouldn¡¯t lose, but if you subtracted well, you could win. Moreover, the latter reduced the aftereffects of victory, so it was right to carry out the process even if it was difficult. ¡°In a territorial war with other countries, it is essential to have the personnel to inspect and manage the territory after conquest until it is absorbed into our own country, but that isn¡¯t the case with civil war. Everyone is a citizen of the empire, after all. Is it really necessary to take the soldiers who move slowly and are inconvenient to manage?¡± ¡°And yet you say again with all your hateful remarks that you treat the empire¡¯s soldiers so lightly.¡± Of course, Elisha didn¡¯t care to listen to such words. If they love their soldiers so much, then at least have the decency to pretend to obey His Majesty¡¯s orders, forcefully put out a few knights, and fill in enough numbers without condescending. Besides¡­ ¡°If you say that putting out a lot of knights will reduce unnecessary sacrifices, wouldn¡¯t they be more likely to protest?¡± ¡°You know what your position will be if there is a delay or a problem in suppressing the rebellion after all that talk?¡± ¡°Have I ever let you down, Your Majesty?¡± She had come back alive from the desert and ruined the work of the West, and if she also recovered this incident¡­ ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then please watch me.¡± The method that Elisha was going to use now had been proven in her previous life. Should she say that she basically changed some of the methods used by the emperor when he had attacked Elisha and her allies in the past to suit the present? ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed again this time.¡± The knights lined up in front of the two people who had passed through the wide-open entrance of the majestic capital city gate. All three hundred knights had their horses beside them, as was Elisha, who had just come out of the entrance and stood facing them. Neigh! After staying in the Barossa stable for a long time, it seemed excited to go out with its owner again, as it hit the floor with its front foot and flicked its tail. Before the 300 horses, Spot sniffed and rubbed its snout against its owner¡¯s cheek. Its owner was the captain, and it seemed proud that it was also the captain. ¡°That¡¯s a strange horse.¡± ¡°I guess so. It¡¯s the first animal that follows me.¡± The direction of what the two were talking about seemed very different, but it was not that important. ¡°Are you leaving soon?¡± Raymond, standing alone in front of the knights, greeted the emperor. Unlike ordinary knights who wore battle armour, he seemed to be having a hard time as he was wearing a colourful formal armour that would only be used in ceremonies. Perhaps it was unreasonable to want to show off his majestic appearance in front of the nobles and the imperial people as he went out to the rebellion with 300 knights from each family to suppress the rebels. ¡°Hmm.¡± There was definitely such an event. Until Elisha herself cancelled it. There must be some imperial citizens who would die and get hurt even if it was not their fault, only because they were caught up in their own country, not in other countries. That was why Elisha did not want to hold an event to pray for victory. She didn¡¯t want to be cheered for by putting Ascensio and Leon in place like that to tell her to kill well and come back. Marquis Croix, the Minister of Internal Affairs, had persuaded her to the end, saying that it was a necessary formality part to publicize the cause and make the enemy nervous, but she refused to do so. Instead, Elisha asked for food to be distributed throughout the capital for the day and to pray for the common people who would be anxious in the West. Raymond might be annoyed but didn¡¯t mean to mess with it. However, he came out like that even though he had been clearly informed, so it was not Elisha¡¯s fault¡­ Why are you staring at me like you¡¯re going to kill me? With Raymond¡¯s level of thinking, he thought that Elisha was trying to deceive him by saying that there was no such thing as a see-off event, so he couldn¡¯t have a chance to make his name known to the empire. ¡°Come to think of it. It looks like Sir Raymond.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just saying whatever you want. They¡¯re nothing alike.¡± As Elisha frowned, the emperor took turns looking at the horse and Raymond. Not knowing what else he was going to say, Elisha hurried. ¡°Would you like to say a word?¡± The emperor looked back at the knights lined up and said. ¡°Come back victorious. You will get what you want. The justice of the empire is with you!¡± His voice reverberated widely. Something Rohan had done too, some time ago. Elisha stared at the inside of the entrance to the gate where Elisha had walked with the emperor. A shady place to avoid sunlight. That person was standing in a place that didn¡¯t suit him. Elisha looked at him for a moment more and then turned her head. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Phaeton, so it will be ready when you arrive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve priced the mana stone for the portal.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll get enough. It¡¯s a business she¡¯s doing to earn pocket money without her father¡¯s knowledge, but it¡¯ll be a problem if she goes bankrupt.¡± Mana stones sold well everywhere but were so expensive that it was rare to pay for bulk purchases in cash. It was a one-time thing, so it would be easy to manipulate the ledger as Rozenin liked. It was convenient for the emperor as well as he would be to obtain the required number without effort. ¡°Thank you.¡± The emperor blinked once at Elisha, who thanked him. It seemed to mean that he understood. Elisha got on top of Spot. After accelerating, Elisha circled the knights lined up in the square, slipped out behind them, accelerated more and ran straight. The knights, who saw the back of the fading Spot, saluted the emperor and followed in a hurry. Du, du, du, du, du, du! Three hundred horses ran at once, and a cool beating sounded. A cloud of dust rose, and Rohan, who had suddenly approached, shook his hand to push it away. Not a speck of dust touched the emperor. ¡°My loyal knight is very attentive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You act these days unfamiliarly. But, is your promise still valid?¡± Rohan bent down with one knee on the floor at the emperor¡¯s words. ¡°It will not change until the moment I die.¡± On that young day, he had sworn like this and kept it until now and in the future. ¡°Go in.¡± The emperor turned back. Rohan followed quietly. *** No more than a certain number of noble soldiers are allowed in the capital and Barossa. In the difficult situation, exceptions were not to be made, and of course, the portal there was also not available. Phaeton, which replaced it, was the city closest to the capital with an available portal. The city became noisy as the three hundred knights rode into the city. That alone would have been surprising, but it was natural that the fact that such a large number of people and horses were riding through the portal would draw even more attention. Elisha and the knights were able to shorten the time as much as possible thanks to the mages supported by the mana stones and the Imperial Palace Tower. The portal from Phaeton brought them to the central estate where Elisha had gone with the Zelot Knights the other day. It was the first of two places she had used before heading to the next estate to reach the west. In any case, the distance to the west was similar to that from the second estate, and the first estate was larger, so she chose this place because it seemed like a good place for preparation. Elisha, who had arrived first, was double-checking information on the west while waiting for the knights to come over with Spot. ¡°What? You brought something like this to drink!?¡± Chaeng-grang! It was Prince Raymond. ¡°I-I¡¯ll bring it back.¡± ¡°Then, are you bringing me something else that can¡¯t be eaten?¡± Prince Raymond tried to beat the maid on standby in the estate. They were doing the same thing they had been doing every day, and they hadn¡¯t known that the knights of the noble family would come out of the portal. Perhaps they didn¡¯t even know that they had been doing things ill-favourably because it was such a natural routine for them. Shh! Undine¡¯s stream of water grabbed the foot that Prince Raymond was about to bring down. The water wrapped around his feet like a vine and lifted them straight up. Kwadang! The body, clad in heavy armour, slid down and was lifted upside down. Raymond¡¯s body moved like a pendulum as the stream of water around his ankle swayed from side to side. ¡°T-This¡­!¡± ¡°Undine, I told you not to mess around!¡± When Elisha reached out her hand, Undine bit her tongue and smiled cutely, and Pong! disappeared before sitting on Elisha¡¯s palm. Thud! The thing that was holding his ankle disappeared. Raymond fell on his head and crashed to the floor with a loud sound. It was a ridiculous scene, but none of the knights laughed. Rather, they had goosebumps on their backs because they knew Prince Raymond well. ¡°2nd Consort! What is this?¡± Prince Raymond almost collapsed again because of his armour as he tried to get up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me; it was this kid. I guess she didn¡¯t want Prince Raymond to bother her friend.¡± ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just spill the water glass? It must have been clear water for drinking. But you threw it away before it finished its job. Undine is sad.¡± ¡°Just because of such a thing?! And because of that, I¡ª! I¡ª!¡± As Prince Raymond shouted, Elisha stared at him. ¡°Why does the prince get to decide that?¡± Raymond flinched at the cold question. He felt queasy. ¡°Why does the prince get to decide whether the situation¡¯s weight is light? My Undine says so, and those who have an important mission ahead of them are now perturbed because of this.¡± When the sky blue eyes captured Raymond, only then did Raymond remember where he felt this. That¡¯s exactly what was said to me in His Majesty¡¯s throne room. How could that lowly girl and His Majesty be considered the same? Prince Raymond, who shook his head, raised his head and met her sky blue eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything, Prince. Anything that could be a problem. If you have a glass of water, drink water. Don¡¯t spill the water or break the glass. All other things are done in the same way. Then you can make as much credit as you want.¡± Elisha said. Prince Raymond had no objection. Intangible energy that weighed on his whole body informed him. To obey the opponent in front of him. That was the only thing he could do now! However, Raymond persevered. Although he could not speak, he did not bow down. But Elisha didn¡¯t even need his submission. His protesting pride was all the more useless. Just. ¡°Remember, Prince.¡± May you have the least intelligence to understand. She went a little further away and finished her job. Elisha stopped reading just in time for the last knight to escape from the portal. After a while, the knights came out of the city castle. They rushed west without delay. Chapter 105 Tara Viscounty was located closer to the west in the line dividing the central and western parts of the country and thus belonged to the western aristocracy. It had been like this since his father¡¯s father¡¯s era, and like his father, Viscount Tara had been living as a member of the West. The relationship between the central and western regions was not good. Still, it was not enough to cause internal strife between the small territories and engage in a battle for the territory because the battles were fought with words by the high-ranking people in Barossa, the palace above the clouds. There was no problem with the fact that the place where his estate was located was close to the central region. It was just a fact, and he thought it would continue to be the case in the future. The only difference from other western territories was that his people were living in a slightly better environment since they were located nearer the central part, due to the geological characteristics where the land became more barren the further west. And that wasn¡¯t an exclusive advantage of Tara Viscounty. There were several other lands with the same properties in the west and some in the central. So Viscount Tara felt it was unjust. Why did his territory become the main defense point and the first stronghold of the West? In other words, if anyone were trying to subdue the rebellion of the West, the first place to be attacked would be Tara Viscounty! ¡°Look at this. Doesn¡¯t it look like the viscounty is blocking the border between the central and western regions of the country? Once the viscounty is breached, only Guillaume County is behind it. And just beyond Guillaume County is Verdin Duchy! Never let the emperor go that far!¡± ¡°We¡¯re sending reinforcements from all over the West, so we should be able to defend it like crazy.¡± ¡°With us here, Viscount doesn¡¯t need to worry. Even if Marquis Blemir or Sir Rohan arrives, we will never give up this estate.¡± At the risk of our lives! Flame blazed in the eyes of those who shouted resolutely. Viscount Tara found it very inconvenient and difficult for the owners of famous families in the West to do this on his own estate. He was more afraid than grateful for their willingness to block the enemy even if the land became devastated. ¡°Who will harm the viscounty when us brave people are so concerned about it? Would the imperial army come to this territory where an ironclad defense would be made? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s only one way to the west. Ah! Is there any other route for the enemies to sneak around? I¡¯m afraid our hard work will come to nothing.¡± So, Tara¡¯s wish for them to go somewhere else instead of paying attention to this place and letting the enemy know that there was another way was quickly crushed. ¡°We were deceived by the cunning emperor and the 2nd Consort, but they are defining us as rebels and justifying their cause. And where are they? They are hiding together. Are the imperial army not ashamed of themselves with such weakness from the first fight?¡± ¡°The longer they turn around and delay, the more our power will be concentrated and the stronger our defense against the central region. Besides, it would be difficult for them to move to Verdin Duchy without ever being detected. If they go deep into the west without cleaning up their surroundings first, once they¡¯re found, they will have to deal with the western¡¯s attack in a place that is cut off from the outside. If they want to take all those risks, go ahead! We will appreciate it. What¡¯s to worry about? Hahaha!¡± The loud laughter somehow felt more cracker than cool. Come to think of it, it was said that his beloved knight commander and knights had been exterminated in Rotinan. Viscount Tara shifted his gaze to the person next to him, who had been exuding an unusual aura for a long time. It was a face he recognized, Count Bauer. Did his youngest son get his right arm cut off from there? He was told that his life as a knight was over because he would never be able to raise a sword again. Rumors were rife about the scourge in Rotinan¡¯s Pavezzo mountain range, and there was certainly a hushed side to everyone. As long as one was dead and wounded, they needed a place to vent their anger. It was only natural to pour it out on the 2nd Consort, who had become a good opponent that could not be solved by the rebel group nor Duke Verdin, who was the head of the group. It wasn¡¯t that he thought he was cowardly, but what could he do with that when he couldn¡¯t even say a thing to those running rampant in his territory? Viscount Tara kept his mouth shut and hoped this time of hardship would pass quickly. *** Murray City was a fortified city belonging to Viscount Tara, built on the border between the central and western regions and the beginning of the full-fledged West. It was not comparable to the central city where Viscount Tara¡¯s original castle was located. Still, it was quite large as it was where people who came to and from the central and western regions often stayed. And since the first Duke Verdin, who was militant, supported it with his military purpose, a wall of thick stone tightly surrounded the city. Murray Castle, which would have always been noisy in the past, was still. The gate, which was usually wide open until nightfall to welcome guests and send off those who left, was firmly closed for some time and did not open. The faces of those looking out from the wall were full of tension and fear. ¡°¡¯We were suddenly framed and became rebels, so don¡¯t let anyone get past this way and defend the castle.¡¯ What¡¯s with that crap?¡± The castle¡¯s soldiers were full of dissatisfaction, but they did not dare to speak out loudly and only talked among themselves. It was because the knights seemed more uneasy than them. In particular, Sir Daryl, who was in charge of Murray Castle, seemed to have aged twenty years older. Although everyone hated him because of his eccentric and ostentatious personality, sympathy rose in unison when his only pride, his blond hair, which was actually more of a mottled pale brown, had turned white. And more than that, they were worried about themselves. What the hell is going on? They say they¡¯ll send reinforcements, but when is it coming? ¡°Huh?¡± Then one of the soldiers pointed beyond. ¡°Something is coming! Maybe it¡¯s the reinforcement¡­?¡± Everyone looked at his fingertip. Indeed, a certain group was rapidly closing the distance. The number was considerable, and as the horses they rode sprinted off the ground, a cloud of dust covered the ground like fog. And the moment he recognized it, he immediately straightened out and rushed to the wall. He was mistaken. It looked like a tsunami, not fog! The knights who were just watching what the soldiers were doing exclaimed. ¡°Hurry up and call Sir Daryl!¡± They had never imagined what would happen to them until then. *** Daryl rushed up the wall after the soldiers who came to call him. The rushing brown tsunami stopped at a certain distance from the fortress wall. The opponent¡¯s figure was gradually revealed as if the dust faded like foam. ¡°How did they get here already? No matter how hard they run, they wouldn¡¯t have reached the area near the viscounty so soon.¡± He looked at it and wondered, but it was strange. ¡°Is that all?¡± Since it was a strategic point, the number of troops sent was too small for what they (the rebels) had planned. But the opponent¡¯s energy was unusual, and they were all riding horses. ¡°Are those all knights?¡± It would be a different story if there were no ordinary soldiers in that number. But the surprise wasn¡¯t over yet. The leader of the unfamiliar group got off the horse. Beneath the cleared landscape, where nothing obscured the view, was a slender woman who appeared. It should¡¯ve been a problem. But from there, everything¡ª! Everything¡ª! Became a problem! A gentle breeze blew through her silver hair. Her eyes contained the sky as it was, and her expressionless, indifferent face remained as it was known. ¡°Send a message to the viscounty! The 2nd Consort is in front of Murray Castle!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A nearby knight ran towards the stairs from the top of the wall. ¡°The reinforcement hasn¡¯t arrived. What should we do?¡± When asked by the deputy closest to him, Daryl answered nervously. ¡°We have to take care of it! Even if they are made up of only knights, what¡¯s the use if they can¡¯t get past this wall? We¡¯ve got plenty of supplies, and reinforcements will come someday, so if we hold out, we¡¯ll win!¡± As soon as the words were finished, a roar rang out. Kwaaang! Kwaang! The castle walls shook. When they looked down again, wondering what this was, they saw huge water columns gushing to the left and right of the 2nd Consort. Two pillars of water were tilted and level with the ground with the gesture of the 2nd Consort, then when she clenched her fists tightly, the pillars were shot forward. If the previous shots caused the walls to vibrate, these second ones went over the walls and penetrated deep inside. Kwaaaang! ¡°Uwaagh!: ¡°What is that? Avoid it!¡± There was a commotion with screams from inside the castle walls. Daryl was astonished and stood firm there, clenching his teeth at the sight of the woman who had put her hands up again. Fighting with the wall as your own fence meant you had an advantage hundreds of times more in air defense than your opponent. So the opponent would try to destroy the castle when they attacked it. If that didn¡¯t work, they could either cross the wall or infiltrate to find a way to open the gate and get inside. But the 2nd Consort did not prepare for a siege and was attacking the wall alone. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Daryl, who was muttering, gulped down the air. Perhaps the delicate figure he was looking at felt his gaze, because she turned her head and made eye contact with him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not. No way. He was in denial for a while. Her fingertips are slightly twisted to the side. Daryl, who had been checking for minor changes with both eyes, was unsure. But when a water column was stretched out towards him as the woman¡¯s hand moved forward and turned towards him, he could not deny it any longer. To be exact, he didn¡¯t have a head to deny it any longer. Pop! With the sound of a hard object being crushed at once, everything in the path of the water column disappeared and the body left with only the neck below collapsed to the floor. The head was too weak to block the water column, and it sank into the inner wall behind where Daryl had stood. Kwa-dang! At the bottom of the wall, a water column was stuck inside a warehouse containing various weapons used to attack from the wall to the outside. Due to the nature of water, those weapons would not explode, but many became unusable. That alone reduced the spirit of the knights and soldiers of Murray Castle, which had already gone by half, with the other half about to go out as well. They thought it was over, but it wasn¡¯t. Elisha was just starting. At Elisha¡¯s request, Undine made a path on the wall from the ground where the party was. Elisha jumped up the slanted slope of a series of water streams rising from below. There was no restriction on movement as sufficient force supported the bottom. Elisha looked back. Not only were the enemies within the fortress wall surprised, but the knights recruited from the nobles were also gulping with their eyes wide open. When Elisha spread out her left hand, a couple more similar paths were made. Both the enemy and the allies stared at it as if possessed. As Elisha narrowed her brows, Spot, whom she had left behind, snorted and turned its head to the horses behind it, then it kicked one of them with its front hoof. Neiiigh! The startled horse shot forward. ¡°What¡¯s with you?!¡± Perhaps Elisha¡¯s narrowed brows, or perhaps because of the cheekiness of the black horse similar to its master, had offended Spot¡­ The horse that Prince Raymond was riding started running towards the wall along the waterway that Elisha had made. Chapter 106 The fall of the fortified city of Murray! Viscount Tara¡¯s castle was turned upside down. The viscount, in particular, stood blankly with his mouth wide open. Murray wasn¡¯t a particularly good place. In particular, Daryl, who had been in charge, was not good at almost everything, but he was good at managing one thing: manning, repairing, and protecting the fortress. It was honestly hard to believe that a castle with such an exterior collapsed in just a few hours in a place like that. When the knight, who had been urgently sending correspondence every hour, couldn¡¯t finish saying that the enemies had come all the way there at the end before the light of the communication port went out, the viscount felt like he was having a nightmare while still standing. That was one serious nightmare. On the other hand, the other nobles did not show much surprise. Even if the reinforcements had arrived in Murray on time, the results would still be unknown. The place itself was a remnant of the whims of the first Duke Verdin and a fortress guarded by knights of a mediocre marquis. What caught the attention of the nobles was something else. ¡°How did they get to Murray so quickly?¡± ¡°They came across the portal from the central region and must have crossed the border on horseback. How could they get that much mana stone apart from the cost?¡± ¡°Their mobility would be great if everyone were a knight, but how long will it take to get here?¡± Nobody answered, but each said what they wanted to say. However, it was clear that they were not afraid of the imperial army of the 2nd Consort, who had just appeared. ¡°Is this not bait? Using a bucket strategy to grab the opponent¡¯s attention and hit the other side.¡± ¡°The knights are zealous, and the 2nd Empress Consort, whom the emperor is most fond of lately and wants to make an empress, is in charge of the troops.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t look like bait. Or¡­ Could it be that¡ª since those knights are not from the emperor but chosen from the noble families, the emperor wants us to fight and kill each other because, in truth, he doesn¡¯t favor the 2nd Consort? What do you guys think?¡± The person who spewed whatever came to mind had no idea that what he had said was so close to the truth. The listeners also waved their hands and scolded him. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How much impact of our rebellion on the empire? Can the emperor afford to take advantage of this situation?¡± ¡°Besides, fight and kill each other? Bucket strategy? With those knights and the 2nd Consort against all Western nobles?¡± Everyone was smirking, but Viscount Tara was wondering. He tried to hold it in like he¡¯s been doing, but he couldn¡¯t help frowning. ¡°Some of you saw the 2nd Empress slaying monsters while traveling to the west, many more witnessed the miracle of the Vecchia Plain, and all of you heard how she managed to escape the desert amid all the difficulties and back to Barossa Palace. But, how¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t deny she¡¯s amazing. She¡¯s amazing from what happened in Rotinan.¡± It was Count Bauer who spoke the words like he was spitting. Viscount Tara slyly avoided his gaze, but Count Bauer continued to stare at him. ¡°Facing the 2nd Empress won¡¯t be easy, but there is a limit to what an individual can do. Unlike other countries, the Zeon Empire often experiences civil war. However, even Duke Katrina, the Queen of Swords of the Zeon Empire, has a wall that blocks her. Even with the help of the knights she had raised with great care, she couldn¡¯t move forward, so she had to retreat, and the untimely civil war caused great damage to the Zeon Empire. She later said that even if there were some more of the best knights in the empire, it would have been impossible to break it down.¡± [T/N: Changed Empress of Swords in Chapter 102 to Queen of Swords] ¡°What? Oh! Is¡­ that true?¡± ¡°Yes. Or do you believe what your knight from Murray sent?¡± No answer came from Viscount Tara. ¡°Hahaha! I hope that is the case.¡± ¡°I suspect that Murray¡¯s knights may have been drinking in a group. Otherwise, no matter how hard they tried to make up for their failures, how could they say that?¡± And that was how it ended. Viscount Tara couldn¡¯t refute it because it was too absurd. He crumpled back into his seat and decided to sit still. ¡°It would be nice if the support troops arrived in time, but it would be impossible.¡± ¡°Yes, Count Bauer. Don¡¯t you think we can do well even without a backup?¡± They wanted to do well in other people¡¯s territory. Some were cubs who wanted to contribute to the cause, while the others were middle-class nobles who had their eyes on revenge. Both were burning too hot. The problem was that the fire was not a threat to the opponent but was likely to burn their people here. *** ¡°Aah.¡± Kwaaang! ¡°We¡¯re going to get burned.¡± The Viscount murmured. ¡°We¡¯re really, really going to get burned.¡± The murmur continued. The viscount saw the nobles around him looking down at the city¡¯s walls with wide-open eyes as if their eyelids were tearing apart. When his knight said that the 2nd Consort made pillars of water with her hands, landed them on the wall and the inside of the wall, and made a road from the ground to the city wall and ran over to the top with horses¡­ What had they done? Instead of listening to it, it had been treated as drunken nonsense. But his knight had been undoubtedly reporting only the facts. It was just a scene out of reality, hard to imagine. Neeeigh! Viscount Tara came to his senses only when he heard the cries of the imperial knights running up the uphill path made by millions or tens of millions of thin streams of water. ¡°Are they here already?¡± When the imperial knights exceeded half of the uphill path, Viscount Tara thought it was okay to be surprised with his tongue stuck out blankly like this. This was because several people, including the superior Count Bauer, had controlled him with their titles and influences. Then of course, they had to do better than himself! Count Bauer couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the woman below the walls, and the others were still out of their minds as the creepy howl drew nearer. ¡°Shit.¡± Viscount Tara, who cursed, was about to shout at his soldiers to shoot arrows¡ª! But his whole body stiffened. Cool energy ran through his body. He was startled by something that stretched out in front of him and fell back on his behind. Shh! A pillar of water pushed straight back where his head was. Kwaaang! A water column pierced the castle¡¯s inside and created a hole. Viscount Tara crouched against the outer rim of the three-meter-wide passage that made it possible to go up and down the fortress wall and leaned against the inside of a wall the height of a mansion built to protect those moving in the passage from attacks from outside the castle. He was honestly feeling a little relieved that he wasn¡¯t the commander. *** Horses were seen running uphill. Elisha moved faster than when she attacked the fortified city of Murray. As soon as they arrived, she moved the energy of the water and laid out five roads on which the knights could ride their horses over the wall. This was because she thought the enemy¡¯s attack would be systematic and the backlash would be fierce compared to the fortress city. But¡ª ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The enemies were too slow, and there was no proper counterattack either. There had been someone, so Elisha shot a pillar of water, but after that, it had become so quiet as if everyone was dead. She thought they were waiting for the time to attack, but no. That person just faded away as if he were a ghost. Elisha tilted her head. She didn¡¯t know that her aggression was so off the rails that the witnesses felt sick. At that time, something occurred in one of the five uphill paths about 2 meters wide. One of the imperial army knights, who had run first, fell to the side with a sword stuck in his chest. As he fell from several tens of meters in the air, he was crushed to the bone with a thud. Someone from under him did not fill his seat, but someone who jumped off the wall. Count Bauer stretched his sword obliquely toward the knight on the horse below him. Neeigh! The horse¡¯s neck cracked, and blood splattered. The horse ran wild in pain. Two meters wide was not a difficult level of movement for experienced knights. However, it was a fact that it was an uphill path and made with the power of unfamiliar water, and it was a fact that it was oblique where if one went a little wrong to the left or right, they would plunge to the bottom. Of all things, if the injured horse just fell to its side like before, it would¡¯ve died alone, however, it slipped all the way back and attacked the imperial knights behind it. ¡°Uwaagh!¡± ¡°Wh-What on earth¡ª! Go away!¡± Ku-ku-kung! To be pushed down one after the other was not an ordinary mess. Horses and people were tangled, crushed, and as the weight increased, the speed increased. In the end, the knights at the bottom either jumped off the path made of water with their horses or abandoned their horses and flew away to live alone. ¡°This is how you do it! Don¡¯t let that witch take away your skills! Drive out the imperial army!¡± It was a little late, but Count Bauer encouraged those around him by exuding his aspect as a leader. However, by that time, the other paths other than the third path he had been on had already reached the state where the imperial knights had almost reached the top of the wall. Besides, outside the castle, the 2nd Empress continuously shot water pillars, and since nobody knew where it would fly, their fear was multiplied several times. ¡°Don¡¯t let the enemies climb up! Attack!¡± Count Bauer, who had thrown his body back and got down on the top of the wall again, shouted again, but no one moved properly except for the knights who had come with Count Bauer. This was why the start was so important. The narrow gap that the 2nd Empress had created due to the use of a cunning technique has now been widened as wide as life and death. The soldiers who were frozen under the command of a stranger who was not their master, and the young nobles who had never fought a proper fight, let alone war, drifted up and down on the wall, and they were nothing but obstacles. The knights brought in by the young nobles could not afford to obey Count Bauer¡¯s orders to protect their masters. Count Bauer, who tried to raise their spirits, thinking they would have at least some courage, was so angry that his teeth might crack from gritting it too much. Meanwhile, one of the knights of the imperial army appeared for the first time with his horse at the outer foot of the fortress wall. The knight jumped off the top of the fortress wall with his horse. He raised his sword at an angle and started running without hesitation over the fortress wall. Even though it was three meters wide, when the sturdy horse started running, there was nowhere to escape. Soldiers and knights panic and look for a place to escape. Some moved towards the towers that protruded from the walls to shoot arrows or to facilitate attacks, or the towers that were built high to make it easier to spot enemies, but most were not so lucky. Pok! Pokk! More and more people were trampled on by horses¡¯ hooves, pushed against each other, stumbled while running, and fell outside or inside the city walls. Even so, it was not that no one was late in doing their job and protecting their lives. The road above the fortress wall was uncomfortable enough for horses to turn, so it was difficult for the imperial knights running on the left to protect their backs even if they removed everything blocking their front. When the rebel knights try to follow the imperial knights, at least¡ª! Neeeigh! Following the knights who descended first, the knights of the imperial army appeared along with their horses from other ascents. [T/N: I hope I did this war scene justice¡­] Chapter 107 ¡°The front and back are blocked!¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± The rebel knights and soldiers bumped into each other. The uphill road straddled the wall at a sparse distance¡­ As the imperial knights got off at each spot, the rebel knights and soldiers on the top of the wall were trapped in the space between where each group of the imperial knights got off from the uphill road. The only less noisy space was the area surrounding the third uphill road because Count Bauer blocked it. But that didn¡¯t mean it was quiet. Instead, the heightened tension roared as the nobles and knights around gathered with their breath held to fill the narrow space. ¡°Telling us to come out to the wall to join this farce when we can¡¯t even lift a sword.¡± Count Bauer¡¯s knight murmured nervously when the piles of luggage made it difficult even to wield a sword. The nobles¡¯ eyes narrowed, but they did feel like apologizing. They thought they wouldn¡¯t be able to accept it if they died like this, and it was already too late to bow their heads now. They should¡¯ve run down the stairs to the inside of the wall like Viscount Tara to hide. Why were they holding up?! In addition, more problems arose. The imperial soldiers began to go crazy as they climbed up. ¡°Help me!¡± Puck! Puck! Puck! Perhaps it had been planned in advance: the rebel knights and soldiers trapped between the imperial knights were unable to move as the imperial knights advance in one direction. But there was no time to pay attention to them. Because-! ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± On their side, there was only a wide section between the second and the fourth, and the imperial knights who descended from the fourth ascent would soon arrive with their horses facing this way! Count Bauer raised his sword and tried to face the imperial army, but there were too many hurdles. Everyone was getting in his way. He kicked the soldier in the back. As the fallen soldier curled up in pain, Count Bauer, who had a good idea, grabbed him by the back of his head and threw him in the direction the horse was about to run. When the knights saw what their master was doing, their eyes widened. ¡°Ah! If we block the road, they won¡¯t be able to come closer!¡± ¡°As expected!¡± They flattered their master as if it were a good idea. Since they could not touch the nobles, they dragged and threw the self-conscripted soldiers randomly. People pile up like sacks. One side of the road above the fortress wall was blocked off. Then, the bodies stacked incorrectly at an angle deviated from the three-meter-wide road and fell into the inner side of the fortress wall, which was not blocked, unlike the outer rim. Shoong! Following that sound, Puck! It was as if people were no longer human. It was a terrifying sight, but wasn¡¯t that what war is usually like? Count Bauer seemed very pleased with this method. Now, those knights of the imperial army rode horses on the top of the fortress wall and ran wild like it was their world alone, but if more of them came up from below, they will be overwhelmed. The floor was a mess with blood and corpses, enough to trip over and slip, so riding horses wouldn¡¯t be advantageous to them as time passed. Until then, the nobles had to hold on. If you see their numbers, you will see an opportunity to eliminate them one by one. Even a coward¡¯s last name is still a last name. Why didn¡¯t Viscount Tara do anything? Other remaining knights and soldiers in the castle would also come to help. However, the imperial knights, just getting off the second ascent, looked around and met Count Bauer¡¯s eyes. When the imperial knights found what had been piled up to block the road beyond Count Bauer, the imperial knights moved their horses¡¯ heads in the opposite direction to that of their comrades. ¡°Stop them!¡± When Count Bauer shouted to his knights, the knights threw the remaining soldiers as soon as they got their hands on them. The imperial knights frowned at the things that stood in their way. Count Bauer unknowingly stepped on the body of his soldiers and climbed to the top. The count looked down at a knight on horseback. The count, who was about to launch an attack, stopped. In his eyes, he could see figures running up the wall. The imperial knights, who rushed on their feet without horses, seemed to have known in advance what the situation was like on the wall! Of course it was the same with the third uphill they were on. ¡°Don¡¯t let the imperial knights come up!¡± After the count ordered, he jumped at the imperial knight on horse before him. While the count¡¯s knights face the other imperial knights, one of the young nobles grabbed a soldier and threw him from the wall. Puck! One of the imperial knight, who was going uphill by foot, was unexpectedly hit by something and he fell off. The two bodies were thrown to the ground almost at the same time. When it worked, the young nobles and knights exchanged glances with each other. The faces of the few remaining self-conscripted soldiers paled as if they were already dead. *** ¡°There¡¯s a big difference in how they¡¯re used because their attributes differ.¡± In the past, when she traveled around the battlefield with Ignis, the king of the spirit of fire, rain of fire rained down and wrapped around the battlefield like a storm, burning everything all at once with explosions. Even if the walls did not fall, as long as the inside of the castle was messed up, the gates would open naturally because those who were inside had to crawl out, declaring their surrender. Everyone had been afraid of Elisha, and hadn¡¯t dared raise their faces. Compared to that, was it as harmful now? Or maybe it¡¯s not the difference between fire and water, but Elisha herself. ¡°The preparations are complete, 2nd Consort.¡± Elisha turned her head toward the voice. It was Count Dyke of the East. Duke Cherkah had attached this person to help that useless Prince Raymond, so his abilities were of course not to be questioned. Beyond Count Dyke, there was the prince on a huge black horse, staring only at the tightly closed gates in the front. He seemed to like it so much that he had never looked away. Behind the prince was lined up with the rest of the knights except for the thirty-five knights who had been sent up on horseback and the hundred who had just run on their own feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go into that castle and open the gate. Does Count Dyke think that the prince can do as much as to bring Viscount Tara, the lord of the viscounty, without any failure after the gate¡¯s been opened?¡± Count Dyke¡¯s eyes widened as if it sounded like he was ignoring his young master. Elisha certainly meant that, so she waited for his answer without much emotion. ¡°Yes, 2nd Consort.¡± After checking, Elisha turned away from him. She looked at the place where there was a disturbing aura from before. It was on the side of the wall with the third uphill. It was also the place where the fiercest fighting was taking place, so there was a particularly thick layer of blood and flesh under the walls. Shreung! Elisha pulled out the sword she had received for this expedition and ran toward the third uphill without delay. Even as Elisha approaches, Puck! Puck! Puck! the bodies of the rebel soldiers that were rolled like snow from above and thrown away continued to injure the imperial knights. As a result, fewer and fewer people go up the third path. ¡°Go elsewhere!¡± When Elisha shouted, the knights of the imperial army, who had just stepped on the uphill slope, or were wary of the walls and were wondering what to do, were divided in half and went to the second and fourth ascent. The atmosphere above the walls became strange as Elisha tried to climb exactly the third uphill. One by one, the bodies of the rebel soldiers were thrown over the walls of the fortress. It seemed like they planned to drop them all at once. So, instead of climbing the third ascent, Elisha sprinted off the ground and soared upward. Wherever she moved, large leaves made of water bloomed to support her feet. Elisha used it as a support and launched her body over her again. She did that five or six times. The path above the fortress wall was clearly visible under her, who took the last leap and leapt, eyes. Her silver hair, spread wide in the air, her fair face, and her eyes that contained the sky, were dazzling. The black cloak fluttering behind her back was like wings. That was the problem. She was not an angel just because she was pale and standing in the sun. She was the devil! Shgock! The blade that slid down from the air cut through the flesh of Count Bauer¡¯s knight. Blood splattered between the long cut. ¡°Gyaaagh!¡± Elisha, who pushed the screaming rebel knight hard toward those approaching her, widened the distance, and straightened her sword. Count Bauer, who barely knocked down the imperial knight on horseback, felt as if his blood was boiling at the appearance of the silver-haired woman. The biggest reason he came here was right in front of him! ¡°You cut off my son¡¯s right arm in the foothills of Pavezzo. My son lost his dream of becoming a knight and committed suicide!¡± Elisha tilted her head at the sudden cry of Count Bauer. ¡°What? Can¡¯t you remember because you¡¯ve dealt with so many western nobles? He was just a kid who just had his coming-of-age ceremony! You could¡¯ve let him go once!¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re mistaken about something.¡± To Elisha¡¯s answer, the opponent showed a more intense reaction. ¡°Mistaken? Are you trying to excuse yourself? I didn¡¯t know anything else, but I thought you were proud enough not to avoid your mistakes!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. If your son had really fought me, it would have been the neck, not the arm, that was cut off. So it¡¯s probably not me that your son met. And even if I did, what did I do wrong? Why is it wrong to give the same back to the man who points his sword at me? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a mistake, and I won¡¯t shy away if you want to hold me accountable.¡± Before Elisha could finish speaking, Count Bauer rushed in. Kwang! Kwaaang! Count Bauer swung his sword loaded with mana repeatedly. Whenever Elisha dodgeg, his sword struck the bare floor or the side of the wall. It vibrated on all sides, bouncing off pieces of stone, cracking. Elisha dodged so well that it felt like she was teasing him. Count Bauer rushed in with his eyes lit with bloodthirst and pressed her down¡­! Elisha moved one step to the side, and Count Bauer followed suit. However, while Elisha was standing still, Count Bauer¡¯s body staggered. It was quite natural for him to lose his balance. For while Count Bauer was swinging his sword around, Elisha had slowly moved out of the way above the wall and into th air. At Elisha¡¯s feet were large leaves of water, but Count Bauer didn¡¯t have that ability. Swiiigh! ¡°Uwaaagh!¡± Count Bauer fell down the wall with a scream. Elisha looked down at him indifferently and raised her gaze. Everyone was looking at her in disbelief. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have taken a step unless there was a road.¡± Elisha¡¯s casual muttering echoed in their ears like thunder. Chapter 108 ¡°How could you do such a cowardly move in a swordfight-!¡± At the words of Count Bauer¡¯s knight, who could not contain his anger, Elisha asked in wonder. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand the words of those who throw their soldiers out of the castle only to survive for a while.¡± As Elisha¡¯s words hit the nail, the knight¡¯s mouth opened as he couldn¡¯t refute. One of the young noblemen standing next to him shouted with his blood vessels bulging on his neck. ¡°Soldiers are meant to be used in war, so what¡¯s your point?! 2nd Consort, do you know how many Western nobles and knights you killed at Pavezzo? Those were soldiers as well! Your hands have broken countless pillars and companions of the empire!¡± ¡°It seems that I have a new ability. How can the barking of an animal sound like a human voice?¡± Contempt flashed in Elisha¡¯s sky blue eyes. Even though they were of lower rank, how could anyone throw their fellow soldiers as bait? Elisha in the past had done worse things than that, and even now, she could not be confident that she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing for Ascensio¡¯s and Leon¡¯s sake. But Elisha had a standard. When she did it, she made no excuses and ensured it was worth the most. But those people didn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t do it to make the situation better. They did it not because they want to catch a speck of hope but to escape fear for a very short time. If there were stones around, they would have used stones, and if there were bags of grain around, they would have used them. And they would have met the same ending as now. But it wouldn¡¯t have made much difference if they hadn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t have to go that far. ¡°2nd Consort, you hypocrite! You¡¯d have killed them with your own hands even if you¡¯d let them go anyway, but now you¡¯re pretending to be sympathetic!¡± It¡¯d be stupid to talk to them since there was no way they¡¯d survive. So Elisha did not have to do that, but she answered. ¡°You say the same thing over and over again. You¡¯re set to die on my hands from the moment you¡¯re on the other side. Am I sympathizing with the soldiers by saying this? No, I¡¯m saying this purely because of people like you. Anyone who smells something foul will naturally frown.¡± ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re dirty?¡± ¡°Do you still have to ask? In any case, shut that mouth. The smell is getting worse.¡± Elisha¡¯s gaze reached the mouth that opened again despite her warning. Elisha¡¯s eyes squinted at him and turned towards the wall built on the edge of the road above the city wall. Drops of water exploded with a bang. ¡°Ugh!¡± The young nobleman who had just been facing Elisha was startled and opened his mouth wide in surprise before closing it quickly. Then, before Elisha looked at him again, he put his palms together and pressed his mouth. But Elisha¡¯s warning ended earlier. So this one was a punishment, not a warning. Crack-crack-crack! The crack that started where Elisha had impacted spread like a branch in all directions. When it met the position Count Bauer had struck with his mana clad-sword before, the crack was split instantly, expanding its range. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°W-What is this?! What if it collapses?¡± The instinct to move away from a dangerous place caused a clamor, further widening the rift. Thuud! Thud! A groove about 4 or 5 meters in length was dug on the upper road of the fortress wall, and broken stone pieces poured down like rainwater. A few people could not avoid it and were swept away together, and those who did not were getting pale and fell on their behind. Some were crawling and trying to get away from the place where they had fallen. This was a lot of noise, but when Elisha came from outside the castle, both the imperial knights and the rebels that spread out to the left and right, except near the third ascent, slowed their movements. All eyes were on her. From left to right, she glanced over the people on the top of the wall. ¡°Surrender. Withholding whether to accept your surrender is the greatest mercy I can give right now.¡± Elisha turned his gaze away from those who avoided her eyes and went down under the wall. As she stretched her feet down the empty air as if she were descending a staircase, Undine created water-colored leaves just in time. As she stepped down one at a time, a groan of astonishment and amazement erupted from below. These were the viscounty¡¯s knights and soldiers guarding the locked gates at the bottom of the fortress walls. They staggered back as Elisha got closer to the floor. As Elisha descended on the floor, a large circle was drawn around her, and she stood alone in the center. Despite layers of people forming the circle around Elisha, each holding onto weapons in their hands, the knights and soldiers hurriedly lowered their eyes when Elisha looked at them. They felt like they had to do so in front of a goddess standing alone before her enemy. The deputy leader of the team, who was in charge of guarding the gates, thought they shouldn¡¯t have done this. But as he glanced at the corpse of Count Bauer, which had been so disfigured that it was hard to recognize, he bit his mouth. It¡¯s not because he was afraid of what was going to happen. The other knights and soldiers guarding the gate only knew that something unusual was happening above the wall. Even though it was hard to see, it was enough to guess just by seeing the horses running on the top of the wall and the bodies of their colleagues, who were constantly falling, amplified the ominousness. The deputy commander learned the truth from a report that his subordinate, who had been sent to understand the situation above, returned with contemplation. Thinking of the soldiers on the fortress wall who died in vain, he wondered if he should make any more unnecessary sacrifices. Attacking that woman who had walked down from the sky seemed akin to jumping into the fire with a straw. Then there was someone who alleviated his worries. It was not anyone else. It was her, the culprit of all this. A stream of water gushed up in the direction Elisha was looking, and a path was created linking the top and bottom of the wall. Those who guarded the inside of the gates had not seen it, but for the rebels on the walls, it was a terrifying ability. ¡°This is a cheat-like ability.¡± ¡°How could anyone do this?¡± Regardless of their reaction, the imperial knights running on the top of the wall moved towards the new water path Elisha had laid out. The horses were a little intimidated, but as the most important thing in this operation was speed, they soon glided down the waterway according to the wishes of their master. Elisha, who had made another road made of water, glanced at the man who seemed to be in charge at first glance. As she took one step, the circle collapsed and turned into an elongated oval. Where Elisha walked, a path was made. The knights and soldiers of the viscounty stepped down on their own. Tadadak! Around that time, the knights of the imperial army, who descended from the wall, start running along the edge of the wall on horseback. It was an obvious threat. ¡°The fight is over. Open the door.¡± Elisha spoke briefly to the viscount¡¯s deputy commander, and the deputy commander bit his lip. He reached out to a device that opened the gate himself without making anyone else do it. ¡°You are quick to judge, just like your master. How useful.¡± Although Elisha¡¯s murmuring was small, he could hear it clearly in his ear. It was vague to even call it a compliment, and it could be seen as a mockery of surrender, but the deputy commander seemed to have no regrets about his choice for some reason. After a while. Kung! Ku-kung! The sound of the gate opening was heard. The imperial knights ran as if they had waited beyond the wide open gate. When the people gathered inside the castle gate split left and right to make a path, Prince Raymond, who was at the forefront, passed through the gate first and ran inside the viscounty. ¡°Hmm.¡± Elisha rode Spot, who had been brought by one of the 100 knights who had climbed the wall on foot and left their horses behind, passing through the central city and arriving at the inner city where the viscount¡¯s castle was. Prince Raymond hesitated and avoided her gaze. In the end, he couldn¡¯t follow the orders that Elisha had given him. Elisha didn¡¯t glance at him and headed to the communication room. The mage of the viscounty connected the communication to Barossa. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± A beautiful face appeared from beyond the communication port where the light came in at Elisha¡¯s call. (That was fast.) The emperor said. The rebels would¡¯ve been stunned if they had heard it. ¡°Is Viscount Tara there by any chance?¡± A faint smile appeared on the emperor¡¯s lips at Elisha¡¯s question. It didn¡¯t take long for her to get an answer, as he was an emperor who didn¡¯t like to waste time. (Yes, he¡¯s here. After asking for permission in advance by communication, he came and surrendered to me.) As the emperor finished his speech, Viscount Tara appeared next to him. (I see the 2nd Consort.) ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have gone so far.¡± It must have taken some time to talk to Barossa before activating the portal to move. Seeing he had succeeded, he must have left with his tail between his legs since the start. Viscount Tara couldn¡¯t find a word to answer and his eyes flickered. He had been so scared of the 2nd Consort that he had abandoned his estate and moved directly to the portal to hide behind the emperor. Elisha had nothing to say to that poor mouse, who didn¡¯t know where he was standing now was in the lion¡¯s mouth. Still, it was true that he had saved his estate from falling into the worst situation with his quick judgment and actions. ¡°As Your Majesty said, Viscount Tara knows how to read the situation. There will not be a few like him in the West, so if anyone pleads guilty, please accept them like the generous man you are, Your Majesty.¡± This was what the emperor and Elisha had planned in advance. There was no change in his intention to devour the entire West. However, if it were too damaged, it would be too difficult to eat, and the post-processing would be too labor intensive. So who were those people that Elisha had mentioned? Those who belonged to the Western nobility because their territory leaned toward the west at the border between the central and the west, like the Syuphl at the end of the Western territory, but were rejected from the West for other reasons. Whether because they were too comfortable with each other or their land was too barren, foreign things were out of sight. So unlike the Syuphl territory, which wanted to be incorporated into the center of the Western region, Tara and similar estates, who were also close to the central region, did not cling to the western because there was nothing to be desired, and their sense of belonging was light. So it would be good to open up new opportunities for places that did not actively participate in the rebellion, like Viscount Tara. Showed them the power gap and gave them a hole to survive. ¡°We¡¯ve captured the viscounty as soon as possible, but there will be many spots to search for as it was a battlefield. Since we have to leave immediately, please send someone to look after it. At that, the viscount over there should come back. Since the officials of Barossa cannot stir up the land without its owner, the land will also find stability and cooperate faster if the owner of the land is present.¡± It was also why there was no need for soldiers. The emperor answered Elisha¡¯s words. (You are free to leave as soon as you are ready. I¡¯ll give you separate instructions for the rest. And the viscount, of course, as someone who wants to dispel the stigma of rebellion, will do his best to help. Am I right?) The crystal ball reflected the emperor looking back at Viscount Tara. Viscount Tara nodded his head up and down quickly. Chapter 109 After hitting the heart of the territory with a quick raid, she put a sword to the neck of the mage in charge of the portal to accept the opposite signal to open it. This was the way Emperor Kaiden had used to disintegrate Elisha¡¯s followers in the previous life. Only a few had been able to cross the portal, and the results had changed significantly depending on their identity. It was then that Elisha knew how vital a cause was. She had cleverly experienced how quickly people compromise and adapt to what they believe is universally correct. She had to be more brutal and decisive to win and get the upper hand. However, it hadn¡¯t been so reliable when justification had been put in her hands. Elisha thought the whole time as she departed from Tara Viscounty. Later on, in the fight with the emperor, she needed to give Ascensio a cause to build an empire! *** (Those bastards. We embraced them because they were still members of the West, and this is how they betrayed us.) The report from the spies planted in Tara Viscounty turned the duchy upside down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marquis.¡± It was Guillaume¡¯s job to protect the history of the West. He couldn¡¯t stand in the lead with his sword, but he had the confidence to overcome difficulties with his brilliant mind. (Yes, you¡¯re the only one I trust. If the county is breached, the duchy will be in danger, and the whole West will be shaken. We need to catch the 2nd Consort as soon as possible and stop those bastards who had switched sides from infiltrating the West with more knights and soldiers. We have to put them back in their place. The larger the West, the better the negotiations with the emperor. I do not intend to take those bastards back, but I¡¯ll do as much as possible for the West.) ¡°Yes, Marquis. All the troops supporting Viscount Tara have turned this way, and we¡¯ve got our hands on the surrounding territories. It won¡¯t be long before everything goes back to normal.¡± (As it should be. I think so, and so does the duke.) Marquis Rwanda¡¯s eyes flickered. Count Guillaume finished the communication and went out. Nickel, the commander of the knights, was waiting for him. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done as you ordered.¡± ¡°I want the walls to be as high and solid as possible for the 2nd Consort.¡± ¡°Of course, and the part you asked me to find out.¡± Perhaps he had been waiting. Count Guillaume¡¯s eyes grew even more fierce. ¡°Did you confirm where the young master is?¡± The whereabouts of Jonathan, who had left the duchy on an external schedule, were unknown. At first, when the situation was still quiet, they didn¡¯t know anything and thought it was because the duke had blocked all external information. However, the things that happened one after another were not something that could be hidden. The 2nd Young Master Jonathan, who loved his wife and son so much, always contacted his wife and son when he found a place where he could communicate wherever he went. If he had not heard from the two of them, he would have thought it was strange and would have taken action, but there was no trace of that. And neither the duke nor Barossa talked about him. In the duchy, he was the most reliable person to refute Vera¡¯s charge. It was the opposite of Barossa¡­ his name could attract attention and bring the atmosphere towards Barossa if they had him, but since there wasn¡¯t any news like that, it meant something was wrong. ¡°Not yet. But, it seems that the duchy is also secretly releasing people to track the whereabouts of the second young master. I almost ran into the duke¡¯s Silent Knights a few times.¡± ¡°The duke¡¯s-?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you should back down. It seems that the duke is also suspicious of the eldest young master.¡± Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have mobilized the Silent Knights in this situation. Count Guillaume went past him when the knight commander bowed his head as if dismissing him. Guillaume, who spent most of his time in the duchy, actually found his castle unfamiliar. But he¡¯d never forgotten that the county was his native place. Only by protecting this place could he and the duke, his master and heaven, survive. Guillaume, who had made up his mind once again, repeated. ¡°If we succeed in just two things, we will win.¡± He looked in the direction the emperor was coming. *** Elisha and the imperial knights, who had left Tara Viscounty, continued to run. They stopped once to replenish what they needed, but how much would they have loaded on their horse for personal needs? Since there had been no preparation, eating and sleeping had become a mess. Their situation had become so hard that they forgot about their pursuers, who shouted they would contribute to the duke, and their resentment against the 2nd Consort, who had caused this situation, reached its peak. They gritted their teeth, wanting to see how long that 2nd Consort, a mage in a woman¡¯s body who was used to the life in Barossa, could hold out. It was a mistake because most of the knights of the imperial army were knights of the Eastern nobles or Imperial nobles. If they were those who had accompanied her on the trip to the West in search of the water veins, they would¡¯ve thought that the 2nd Consort would last better than anyone else because she was unique and special in this way. And Elisha really did. They said that Elisha would not be comfortable because she was a woman. But Elisha¡¯s woman physique had never been a problem on the battlefield. What would their opponent think if everyone started to care about her identity as a woman? But in any case, Elisha was the emperor¡¯s woman, and she had the basic treatment she deserved. They only realized that Elisha was special when she pulled the hem of her cloak and tried to close her eyes, leaning against a wooden pillar. ¡°I don¡¯t know how she could cover herself with that bloodied thing and sleep.¡± ¡°Right? Shouldn¡¯t you at least change?¡± ¡°Perhaps she didn¡¯t bring clothes to change into. She has less luggage than we do. It¡¯s like she travels only with a sword in addition to the clothes she¡¯s wearing.¡± It was a quiet conversation, but everyone around could hear it because the surrounding was quiet all around without even a bonfire for fear of exposing their location. It was not much, but there were a few sarcastic remarks. A fly that snorts around your ear is not dangerous, but surely it is annoying, is it not? That¡¯s what Elisha was feeling right now. After thinking for a moment, Elisha rustled and stood up. Then she fiddled with the hem of her cloak and removed the decorations holding her cloak. As it flapped, the cloak fell to the floor, revealing a slender body clad in a jacket and trousers. It was dark under the night, but it was not a problem for those trained in mana as their vision was heightened to an extent in the darkness with the help of the faint moonlight. The knights were staring at her, wondering what she was doing. Elisha nonchalantly touched the button on her jacket and opened her mouth. ¡°If I change my blood-stained clothes here, of course you should close your eyes. But it will be a problem if the enemy or the monsters come in at a time like this, right?¡± When Elisha truly unbuttoned one button, some people turned their heads or put their faces on the ground with a loud noise. ¡°I can¡¯t remember what punishment will be given if one dares to touch the emperor¡¯s woman privately or look at her exposed flesh. Prince Raymond, do you know?¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± ¡°There are times when this kind of situation can¡¯t be helped, but I don¡¯t know if His Majesty will think the same.¡± Elisha only meant that the emperor might not care for their excuses. Still, those who heard it felt she was seriously threatening them, considering the affection His Majesty has been giving to the 2nd Consort as of late. Above all, they were appalled that the rumors they had heard were not false, as the cold woman had said these things herself. ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden, Your Ladyship? You haven¡¯t said much until now.¡± ¡°Do you mean that I should have let it slide because I¡¯ve let it slide once, Count Dyke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°People are strange. You should be grateful if you were lucky once. Why blame others, saying you¡¯re unlucky when you¡¯re punished after repeating the same mistake twice or three times? Why is this, Prince Raymond?¡± As the question was directed to him, Raymond opened his eyes wide. It felt like an attack aimed at him. Count Dyke stopped Raymond from protesting. As his father had attached Count Dyke to him, he could not be rude to Count Dyke. Raymond already felt guilty because he had a secret he wanted to hide in front of his father. It was then that Raymond realized that the 2nd Consort had also known that the Shadow Knights of Duke Cherkah were among the forces that had attacked her in the West, so he thought that maybe she was taking revenge on him. The 2nd Consort, who had no power, would not have been able to figure it out alone. Was she informed by His Majesty the Emperor? he wondered, but there was no way of knowing. While Prince Raymond was silent for a moment, Elisha looked around, lifted her fallen cloak, and returned to the tree where she had been leaning. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be distracted by useless things and stay alert. This is the middle of the battlefield with the rebels. There is no guarantee that two victories will save your life in the third war.¡± Elisha warned. As she closed her eyes, the imperial knights¡¯ shoulders shook as they exhaled long breaths silently. Count Dyke said when Prince Raymond glared at her. ¡°She¡¯s training us. Calm down and listen to her.¡± Raymond got goosebumps because that woman was similar to the emperor, who used everything without missing a small opportunity. ¡°Don¡¯t respond to everything the consort said. The 2nd Consort has to do the work of the 2nd Consort, and we have to do our work. Don¡¯t you want to contribute?¡± Raymond had applied to this expedition despite the opposition of Duke Cherkah. Nevertheless, he still gave Count Dyke to him because he was his son, but that did not mean Raymond could return empty-handed. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make a contribution in Guillaume County.¡± Seeing Raymond burning with determination, County Dyke tried to straighten his frowning brows. The cold sky blue eyes that had said that doing nothing would help immediately came to mind. *** The rebels never attacked until the party reached the Korobo Forest, which surrounded the entrance to Guillaume County. Count Guillaume must be a worthy opponent because there was not a single territory around the route. People who pride themselves on being smart tend to wait quietly rather than create a situation that deviates from the planned plan by touching the enemy. Of course, he would not neglect his vigilance by relying on the information. Although, information was important for the emperor and the rebel side in such a situation. Nobody would have covered up or faked the information. Above all¡­ the vivid stories that Rohan had personally confirmed while traveling by land during the previous trip to the West, things she had heard from the members of the 1st Order, like Perry, from the other western knights who had never dreamed of the rebellion, along with her memories from her previous life, would be very useful. ¡°Perhaps our enemies will be waiting for us in Korobo Forest.¡± At Elisha¡¯s words, the knights murmured. ¡°You mean the defenders, that smart Count Guillaume, give up the advantage of the walls?¡± ¡°Then, do you think Tara fell so quickly because it didn¡¯t have walls?¡± ¡°T-That-¡± ¡°If Count Guillaume is as smart as the prince said, wouldn¡¯t he try something different from the average person?¡± Elisha shifted her gaze to the other knights as if she had nothing more to say with Prince Raymond. ¡°There are three things that must never happen when we get in there. First, I, the general, must not die. Second, the figure of the East, Prince Raymond, must not be taken hostage. And the last one, the third one¡­¡± Elisha¡¯s voice rang clearly even to the knights far away. Chapter 110 Korobo Forest was vast and dark even in broad daylight. Thick branches hung overhead, covering the sun despite the few dried leaves. The freshness had disappeared, and the Korobo forest, where humans had only touched its wide roads, remained unchanged, like the belly of an insidious beast. Some hid, watching the road like the beast¡¯s backbone from afar. It was a group of soldiers and knights. Their number reached thousands, widely surrounding from the middle of the road through the forest to the exit of the forest, which was the beginning of the county. In their minds, waiting for their prey while holding their breath, the bright future that would unfold if they contributed this time was pictured. There was no lack of anxiety, but it disappeared as they looked back at each other. The preparations were thorough. Even if the Imperial Knights tried to speed away and run forward upon noticing their presence, several trees and traps were already blocking the way in the direction they were going. Not to mention it would be of little use to try to avoid the obstacles because the trees standing on the left and right of the wide road would make it impossible to get out of this place on horseback, and even if you got off the horse, would the count¡¯s forces sitting among the trees remain still? And when they tried to return to the way they came to retreat, the forces already waiting would block the rear, so there would be nothing they could do. In the most unexpected case where they managed to, the count had ensured that the knights would be in position. So except for a few designated by the count, the Imperial Knights and the 2nd Consort would be buried here. ¡°Did you hear anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°There must be something.¡± Raymond, who became more sensitive after hearing the warning that there would be an ambush, stopped the party several times. Everyone was annoyed, but they held it in. Korobo Forest was a well-known place. At the moment, the party was about to pass through the middle of the forest. As Raymond, who was running in the lead, slowed down again, the others, who were now accustomed to it, pulled the horse¡¯s reins. Slowly, the group¡¯s movements ceased. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you hear anything?¡± When Count Dyke asked, Prince Raymond shook his head. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, the 2nd Consort is suspicious.¡± ¡°Is it because the three things she said shouldn¡¯t happen?¡± ¡°The first two are obvious. But isn¡¯t the third one a bit daunting?¡± Count Dyke also agreed to some extent on that. Maintain a moderate speed. Never stray from the road, and never scatter. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s using us as bait.¡± But he shook his head unconsciously at the prince¡¯s following words. Apart from his dislike of the 2nd Consort, he was sure she wouldn¡¯t do that. But it would be useless to say this to the prince. ¡°What can she do alone without us?¡± ¡°She might¡¯ve gone over the wall alone to cut off Count Guillaume¡¯s head, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The 2nd Consort did have the potential and ability to do it, but the moment he tried to persuade Prince Raymond that there wouldn¡¯t be such a thing- ¡°How ridiculous! Will the subjugation even end after killing Count Guillaume? Isn¡¯t the real enemy Duke Verdin? The battle in the Verdin Duchy will be difficult to win even if we preserve our power as much as possible with the 2nd Consort intact. She wouldn¡¯t do such a thing!¡± As a rebuke came from behind, Prince Raymond turned his head to check his opponent. ¡°Are you affiliated with Viscount Cain?¡± When the opponent didn¡¯t answer, Prince Raymond¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°Right. I heard that Viscountess Cain frequented the 2nd Consort¡¯s Palace. Hmm.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with that. I was just stating the truth-¡° ¡°Shut up. Even a count¡¯s knight dares to make unreasonable excuses!¡± Count Dyke rebuked him in a heavy tone. The atmosphere of the subjugation team, which had been bad, turned worse. They were initially improvised personnel made of people from different groups. And now cracks appeared, weakening the already weak solidarity. ¡°How long since the 2nd Consort left her seat?¡± Someone¡¯s murmur reached the ears of many, but none of them could deny it. ¡°In any case, since we decided to do it, shouldn¡¯t we follow the instructions? The general of this subjugation group is the 2nd Consort. We can¡¯t change our plans at will.¡± They thought it was a Centrist knight from the Imperial faction speaking this time, but it wasn¡¯t. Count Dyke was honestly a bit surprised because it was an Eastern knight. Prince Raymond was reluctant, too, but that didn¡¯t mean he had a different mind. He was just trying to lead the mood in his direction, so he felt terrible when an Eastern knight¡ªnot a Centrist knight¡ªpointed out these things. As he was about to retort that the knight talked without knowing the subject, his spine suddenly became cold. There was no way that the other knights, especially Count Dyke, didn¡¯t feel what he felt. On the left and right sides, one could see black figures covering one¡¯s head among the trees standing far away. They resembled a long wall built on both sides of the road. ¡°There really is an ambush.¡± The 2nd Consort¡¯s prediction was correct. Everyone had said that a woman who¡¯d never commanded an army would soon reveal her limits. However, the 2nd Consort naturally controlled the 300 knights of different origins and affiliations as she wanted and saw through the enemy¡¯s strategy. Despite confirming her ability once again, Prince Raymond turned back his head. ¡°Prince!¡± When Count Dyke called him, Raymond swallowed and looked straight ahead. And the subjugation team started moving again. *** Elisha, who¡¯d separated from the subjugation squad alone, was running on a tree. She checked that there were a lot of forces below, waiting for the day to turn blue. Count Guillaume was so thoroughly prepared. Everyone wanted to fight while looking down at the opponent from a position that was advantageous to them. Count Guillaume didn¡¯t surprise the subjugation squad until they entered Korobo Forest because he thought it was more profitable. In the same way, Elisha also entered the Korobo Forest, knowing that Count Guillaume was waiting for her, because she thought it was advantageous to her and the subjugation squad. Regardless of whether Count Guillaume accepted it as the arrogance of the 2nd Consort or considered it the subjugation squad¡¯s qualification, the two forces would eventually meet in Korobo Forest. Only then would they know whose gamble was right. Elisha continued to the left side of Korobo Forest. Moving at high speed, a hollow canyon was revealed at the end of the forest, and a sheer cliff stood beyond it. Behind the cliff was a reasonably high mountain, but it didn¡¯t lead to Guillaume County. Elisha looked down the canyon from the edge of the forest. The place where the water would have been swirling in the past has dried up, and the bottom has been exposed. But this was better than the area near Polek in the Syuphl Barony during the westbound trip. At that time, the village where Elisha stayed was a place where it was dangerous to step out of the path people used. Elisha raised her gaze from the canyon and looked around. She¡¯d heard in her previous life that it was somewhere around here. The type of monster that lived in the vicinity where there were few people and water. At first glance, it looked like a tree, but when touched, its skin was smooth and bobbed like human skin. The inside wasn¡¯t a hard wick but filled with toxic purple liquid, which would be troublesome when it exploded. However, it didn¡¯t attack first unless someone invaded its territory. So most people would rather avoid Forge rather than fight. Dell¡¯s discovery of Forge in her previous life had nothing to do with Count Guillaume. It was said that Dell had been fighting a battle in the baron¡¯s territory across the canyon in front of her, and someone had stopped him from escaping and mentioned Forge. It was difficult enough to cross the canyon, and once you enter the realm of the Forge, it would be difficult to overcome them. But Dell had never been a good listener. He could even rebel against Elisha, barking loudly. Although he would eventually follow Elisha¡¯s will, at that time, Elisha hadn¡¯t been there, and Dell had almost died. There were so many things to do, and he¡¯d almost killed himself. What would he have done if her future schedule went wrong? Elisha had feared that she wouldn¡¯t see Dell again. She¡¯d feared that he would die with only the shabby shell he had right now, without ever having the splendid name he wanted. As she bit her tongue, Elisha¡¯s eyes, recalling that time, contained what she was looking for. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a prize when I return,¡± she muttered. Whatever the reason is, I was wrong, so I¡¯ll pay a fine. I couldn¡¯t give it to Dell in my previous life, so I¡¯ll pay him several times more in this life. Elisha approached the Forge colony. Forge that would shake branches and threaten only when someone entered its territory tried to make threats by hissing even though Elisha had only appeared nearby. She¡¯d expected this to happen. Even all the other monsters were running wild, not to mention Forge, who was more sensitive to water than other monsters. Elisha waved her hand toward a group of Forge. Pang! As the stream hit them, the upper part of their skin was torn lengthwise, revealing the green pupils inside. Pang! Paang! Elisha struck hard enough to shake their entire colony. They lifted up their roots that had been stuck on the ground. Pssh! Psssh! The first one pulled out a root from the ground. It stepped on the ground as the other roots were pulled out. Soon, the Forge, fully raised, looked at Elisha. It was unknown whether it was because Elisha had attacked them or because they smelled water properly after a long time, but one thing was sure. When Elisha retreated, they began to chase her out of their territory. Forge didn¡¯t need a separate area to stay in. When hundreds of Forges took root, it became their colony. Shh! Shhh! Mouthless things staggered toward Elisha. One could feel the desperation that they wanted to put her in the middle of their colony. Elisha moved quickly to lure them in. The monsters she encountered along the way were a bonus. Thuuuuud! One side of Korobo Forest began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred. Chapter 111 The front and back were blocked. The Imperial Knights were busy blocking the pouring attack. Swching! Chaeeng! Chaeng! Everyone clenched their teeth, striking the pouring arrows with their swords and deflecting them with a shield on the side of the horses. How¡­ would they be able to counterattack? They were increasingly injured and weak, but the enemy continued to carry out long-range attacks without any damage. Their momentum was bound to be dampened. Neeeigh! Fortunately, the owner avoided the arrow, but the horse with the arrow in its hip raised its front hooves high and cried. When one horse ran wild, the other horses were also agitated, looking ready to jump out in all directions and run wild. Puck! Puck! Then Spot appeared, fired up. The horses calmed their excitement as they looked at the black and white horse. The horse stung by the arrow was surprised and jumped out of the road. ¡°Ugh!¡± Colleagues tried to catch it from the inside but missed by a hair¡¯s breadth. Swaegh! Pu-pu-puck! Puck! Along with the sound of the wind cutting, the horse and the knight on the horse were pierced by arrows, turning into a hedgehog. Blood oozes from the bodies that have fallen to the ground. The dry forest was wet with red, and the marks left by human palms looked like early autumn leaves. ¡°Damn. Are we not bait after seeing all this?¡± When is the 2nd Consort coming? When Prince Raymond clenched his teeth and murmured, the knights around him were startled because they couldn¡¯t answer. Some were displeased with the people who kept saying they would die since the 2nd Consort left. ¡°Otherwise, how could you overthrow the rebels with this number? Their side is almost a quarter of the empire, covering the entire west!¡± Raymond vented his anger. ¡°Try to hold on as well as you talk! You know we won¡¯t be able to stand it if they attack us all at once. Why do you think they¡¯re only shooting arrows from afar?¡± It was to take Raymond hostage. The Imperial Knights had a large number. If the rebels didn¡¯t reduce the number first, they wouldn¡¯t know what would happen. Kaang! Kang! ¡°Why are you looking away while being attacked by enemies?¡± Count Dyke struck out an arrow and signaled the horse-bearers at each end of the road. Neeeigh! The knights leading the horses that had lost their owners released the reins they were holding and, at the same time, kicked them hard at the behind and scratched those that didn¡¯t respond lightly with a sword. Neeeigh! Many horses bounced off the road. They slammed and kicked the enemies standing among the trees. ¡°What is this!?¡± The enemies were startled. They let go of their arrows and drew their swords. It was a cramped and rough place to ride horses, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent that the horses alone couldn¡¯t protect themselves. A few couldn¡¯t get out of the trees and crevices or fell with their heads hit hard, but most died at humans¡¯s hands. It would be good if things died down since the surrounding enemies were peeled off from the inside, but the situation wasn¡¯t good. Puack! Ossel, the deputy commander of Count Guillaume¡¯s knights, who pulled a sword from the neck of a dead horse, stopped on the road through Korobo Forest and looked at the trapped Imperial Knights. ¡°What about the 2nd Consort?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her since.¡± ¡°Why are you reporting this now!?¡± ¡°We thought she was hiding among the knights. But we couldn¡¯t find anyone except Prince Raymond after more attacks.¡± ¡°Damn it, you fool!¡± Ossel was concerned. Seeing that the Imperial Knights were moving in perfect order as if they had been expecting their attack, it seemed difficult to get as many results as they wanted, even if they spent time like this. In addition, he was sick of glancing around as if he were waiting for something. Let¡¯s secure Prince Raymond¡¯s whereabouts as soon as possible. The other one will work after that. ¡°Close the siege to the third row!¡± Ossel shouted, his voice echoing in all directions. The three inner lines separated and shrunk in the thick circle surrounding the Imperial Knights. Gradually losing the shape of a circle, it blended with the Imperial Knights on the road to form a new circle within the circle. When Ossel went inside and jumped to get only Prince Raymond out- Thuuuud! He felt a strong vibration shaking the floor. Is this the sound of footsteps? Ossel and the rebel knights and soldiers turned their heads towards the vibration. Withered trees abound. Isn¡¯t that place completely off the road? It wasn¡¯t a place to come by horse. Besides, where did such a large cavalry causing such a tremor come from? While Ossel and the rebels paused, the Imperial Knights united themselves. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Raymond was so curious that he stretched out his neck. Khuuuuang! The cry of monsters was heard. At the same time, he saw a black soaring into the air from far left in the direction they were running and falling to the ground. Not a few. There were dozens, hundreds of whatever it was running. The size of the black grew as the monster approached the road where the Imperial Knights were located. Count Dyke said when the black looked the size of a walnut, ¡°It¡¯s a person.¡± That¡¯s right. It was a person. Khuuuuuang! And there were monsters. Even though it was still quite a distance, through the trees and the rebels, one could see the grayish-green and blue skins of trolls and ogres. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Is that the 2nd Consort coming at us?¡± The Imperial Knights looked back at each other. Regardless of who came first, their body trembled with goosebumps. Elisha pushed forward by creating a wide boundary from side to side instead of digging straight like an awl. If the scope of defense were narrow, the rebels would build a thick wall to deal with the monsters while at the same time attacking the Imperial Knights from behind. But in this situation, the rebels could only make the most of their power by building a thin and wide wall. It wasn¡¯t difficult. But just because it wasn¡¯t difficult didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t dangerous. Elisha became bait and shook the monsters to disperse them. In this way, the rebels were faced with the sudden appearance of the monsters. ¡°Stop them!¡± Scghok! Schok! The troll was cut with a sword, but its regenerative power was so great that the cracked green skin was reattached, and the blood stopped immediately. Trolls and ogres were powerful monsters that were difficult to deal with. However, the bigger problem was that the types of monsters Elisha drove were different, and each had distinct characteristics, so the way to deal with them was different. Some must be aimed at the eye; some must be burned simultaneously as it was wounded. Another must be decapitated, lest it kept coming alive. If you had to change the way you fight during the melee constantly, the fight would be many times harder. ¡°2nd Consort! Did you cause this!?¡± A knight who appeared to be in charge of the rebels ran and shouted. Elisha clicked her tongue, thinking the real thing hadn¡¯t even shown up. Behind her, a little far away, Forges pounded the ground with their roots. They were the disaster Elisha was trying to bring. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Sa-save me!¡± Since there were so many rebels, they were often caught up in the attacks of huge monsters and were often injured or pushed out. The weakness that prevented the Imperial Knights from escaping was also applied to them. ¡°These are the ones we originally caught! Calm down!¡± Ossel shouted as he struck a sword in an ogre¡¯s head. He then jumped and went down over the shoulder to the other side. Blood spewed from the sword pulled out at the end, and the ogre¡¯s head fell to the floor. The count¡¯s knights, awakened by the deputy commander¡¯s rebuke and encouragement, stepped back and started in earnest. Four or six people started working together as a team. In a place where talented people gathered, a monster already had its limbs cut, and only its body was flapping on the floor. ¡°Huu¡­ Huu¡­¡± The knight who went to the outermost circle and attacked the back of the monster wiped his sweat and caught his breath. He saw his colleague, thinking his skills had improved quite a bit. The colleague shook his hand wildly and kept pointing over his shoulder. The knight turned his head back. He could see a branch stretching out like a whip. As soon as he noticed it, it straightened the tip and penetrated his neck. ¡°Khruuuh¡­!¡± The knight gasped and fell to the side. ¡°F-Forge!¡± The other knight was also strangled with the last cry, wrapped around the branches of Forge. Ossel¡¯s eyes soared as he saw the troops he¡¯d brought from nearby territories caught by the Forge and dying. ¡°2nd Consort! I will kill you! I will never forgive you!¡± he wielded his sword and screamed. *** While the rebels on the left focused on the monsters, Elisha passed them and headed for the inner path. On the road, the Imperial Knights only stared at her. They didn¡¯t look very good, but it was fortunate that their numbers didn¡¯t decrease that much. Beyond the knights of the Imperial Army, on the right side of the road, the rebels besieging the party from afar were approaching. The rushed appearance seemed like they didn¡¯t want to attack the Imperial Knights but to cross the street to help their colleagues on the left, who were being attacked by the monsters. Of course, some didn¡¯t forget their mission, and some believed they should not lose sight of the 2nd Consort Elisha, the culprit behind all of this. Swaeegh! While crossing the street, some rebel knights suddenly jumped into the party and wielded their swords. The rebel knights, who were cleaning up the Imperial Knights under the command of the deputy commander, also started to move again. The bigger problem was that while crossing the road from right to left¡­ Some rebels circled where the fight took place to reach the other side, but quite a few tried to push and cross the road blindly. Elisha snapped her fingertips. Swhaaaa! A rising stream of water created a wall and surrounded the place where Elisha and the Imperial Knights were located. It was like a small wall, or a peaceful and beautiful landscape. The outside reflected in the clear water was distorted. Elisha cut the knight about to hit her, and red blood was splashed over the clear water. While fighting, she said to the Imperial Knights, who merely stared at her. ¡°What are you guys doing? Kill them so we can move one.¡± The cold words made the knights gulp. ¡°Move your hands.¡± Elisha spoke again in a cool tone and demonstrated first. Like this! ¡°Uaaagh!¡± That death cry became a signal. Blood was collected in the walls of water cut off from the outside world.