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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Young kings often sought to project their power in any way they could. The stronger their power, the more pronounced their tendency became.
And what if their dream was to become a great king, like those in the history books?
They became unpredictable, uncontrollable variables.
I had come to the capital to win over such a difficult opponent.
‘The end of spring is near.’
I had made a deal with Count Dressten. If he helped me conquer Count Bruah’s territory, I would join his expedition to the Northern Continent.
According to the terms of the agreement, I had to be ready to depart before the end of summer. The autumn sea was more unpredictable than a fickle woman’s heart.
The problem was the safety of my people while I was away in the Northern Continent.
‘There are too many hyenas waiting to take advantage of my absence.’
The territories I had conquered were technically the property of the Rasino family and the royal family.
If some upstart managed to get his hands on Usebia or Eleanor, all my achievements could be stolen away.
Even with the backing of Dressten and the royal family, I couldn’t be complacent.
This was a barbaric era.
It was filled with greedy fools who acted without thinking.
To them, Usebia and Eleanor were treasures to be claimed by whoever got to them first.
‘That’s why I need the King’s direct protection.’
That was why I had asked Eleanor to accompany me.
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“H-How…!?”
Bronce II stood up abruptly. He was a middle-aged man with a massive frame and a curly beard that covered his lower face.
He wore a crown of ivory, adorned with large jewels, and a sword hung from his belt, a testament to his vigor.
“Is there perhaps a place I might have inadvertently stumbled upon, brother?”
Eleanor didn’t hide her smug expression. The woman who had been so anxious about the side effects of her ability during our journey to the capital was gone.
“Everyone, leave! Now!”
“Your Highness?”
The ministers and guards surrounding the King looked at him in confusion, wondering about his sudden outburst. They exchanged glances and left the throne room.
‘So only the King knows about Eleanor’s ability.’
Of course, the King would have to keep the fact that his sister was a witch a secret.
It would be a weakness that his political enemies could exploit.
“Really… Anyone would think I have some kind of contagious disease.”
“Haa, a contagious disease would be a blessing. It can be cured. But your ability…”
That was likely why Bronce II had trailed off.
“You can speak freely. Sir Allen is fine.”
Instead of a lengthy explanation, Eleanor held up our intertwined hands. As expected, Bronce II stared at our hands in disbelief.
“How is this possible…?”
“The ability doesn’t activate when I’m in contact with Sir Allen.”
-Clap.
“So that’s it! That’s it! I was wondering how a knight from a minor family could achieve such heroic feats. It was all thanks to your ability!”
Bronce II had completely misunderstood. He thought that contact with me only negated the negative effects.
His gaze, as he looked at Eleanor, turned greedy. And why wouldn’t it? Her ability, without any side effects, was more valuable than any treasure.
Eleanor’s grip on my hand tightened. She seemed slightly surprised.
Her brother was different from the man she remembered.
‘Time changes everything.’
In the years Eleanor had been away, Bronce II had become more like a true king.
However, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing for Eleanor.
To a king, siblings were rivals.
I remembered the end. In my previous life, Bronce II, in an attempt to prove his own innocence, had led the attack against Eleanor.
Bronce II was a man who would abandon his own family for his own safety.
Eleanor wouldn’t know that.
Sometimes, things were clearer from a distance than up close.
In any case, I had intended to wait for the reunited siblings to catch up, but at this rate, I might end up being exiled along with Eleanor.
“It’s not just the side effects that don’t activate.”
I stepped forward, bowing respectfully, and spoke on Eleanor’s behalf.
“Is that true?”
Bronce II’s gaze was still fixed on Eleanor. Only after I gently squeezed her hand did she regain her composure and nod.
“That’s why we almost went to war with Dressten.”
“Hmm…”
Bronce II couldn’t help but sigh. He narrowed his eyes, trying to gauge the truth of Eleanor’s words.
He didn’t want to believe it. If he could control Eleanor’s ability, he could become a king who would be remembered in the history books.
Eleanor’s grip on my hand tightened further. She also seemed to have realized that her brother was a different person.
I gently stroked her palm with my thumb. She flinched and looked at me, her eyes widen.
‘Don’t worry.’
I said with my eyes. Their estrangement was a thing of the distant future. For now, his greed had temporarily blinded him.
His affection for Eleanor was still genuine. The fact that he had granted an audience to a knight who had impersonated a royal messenger was proof of that.
‘I don’t need your help.’
Eleanor seemed to be saying, as she turned her head away with a huff. And yet, her grip on my hand tightened.
Her contradictory reaction made me smile. I looked forward to the days I would spend with her in the capital.
Meanwhile, encouraged by my support, Eleanor regained her smug smile.
“And you didn’t offer any help, even when your sister was in danger.”
“Ahem… It was just a threat. Even Dressten wouldn’t dare to harm my sister. That would be a declaration of war.”
Bronce II chuckled awkwardly. The tables had turned.
“What about my city and my territory?”
“That… it’s just a small city, isn’t it?”
“It was a city with the potential to develop as much as Dressten’s capital. And I lost the fishing rights.”
“Hmm… I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware. I apologize.”
Eleanor, finally satisfied, smiled and said,
“Let’s call it even. My loyal knight did, after all, impersonate your messenger.”
“You…? Hahaha! You’ve become quite the vixen in my absence.”
Bronce II, finally realizing the reason for Eleanor’s persistent demands for an apology, slapped his massive belly and laughed heartily.
“It’s all thanks to you, brother. I’ve learned that I have to protect what’s mine.”
“Oh, so you hold a grudge now?”
Bronce II, who had been laughing until he was out of breath, wiped the smile from his face and continued,
“But sister, you’re still naive. Do you know that your loyal knight is trying to form a marriage alliance with the Dressten family?”
The lighthearted atmosphere instantly turned cold. Eleanor flinched again, her hand now slick with sweat. It was my turn.
“It’s simply the price for them overlooking our conquest of Count Bruah’s territory.”
“What a tear-jerking display of loyalty. To sacrifice yourself to grant your sister a county.”
The justification was that I’ve been reclaiming the King’s territory, and I had indeed conquered it under the King’s banner. In other words, it appeared as if I had sacrificed myself for Eleanor.
Moreover, she had been ecstatic when she heard the news of my marriage to Adelia. Was it because she thought Anya was now hers? That was why she had been so cooperative.
And yet, Bronce II didn’t seem to believe me.
“You might have fooled my naive sister, but I know Dressten. They’re the type to use their own family for their own gain. Do you really think they’d be satisfied with a marriage alliance with a mere knight in exchange for a county? No. That doesn’t make sense.”
Bronce II finally looked at me directly and continued,
“Sir Knight, be honest. Did Dressten ask you to join forces and attack me?”
He spoke with a certainty that suggested he already knew the answer. Anyone who was hiding something would have been fooled.
Of course, I knew he was just bluffing.
“On the contrary, Dressten was concerned about an attack from the royal family. That’s why they wanted Count Bruah’s territory to remain as a buffer zone.”
“Do you think that makes sense? If I moved my forces rashly, my political enemies would not stand idly by! Dressten knows that.”
“If you could conquer Dressten with a small force, you would, wouldn’t you?”
Bronce II’s eyes narrowed. He immediately understood the hidden meaning in my words.
“Something has happened in Dressten.”
He was indeed a capable king. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve so much, even with Eleanor’s ability.
“Dressten intends to claim the throne of the Northern Continent.”
“I heard that King Dane didn’t leave a suitable heir. Haa, so Dressten intends to claim the throne with their diluted bloodline. Is this what it means to be a Dressten?”
Bronce II muttered to himself, nodding.
“If that’s true, their forces on the mainland will be weakened due to the expedition. That’s why they’re willing to let you take Count Bruah’s territory to secure their rear.”
“There’s an eastern proverb that says, ‘Give flesh to take bone.’”
“It certainly makes sense. The problem is, this could all be a ploy by Dressten. What if the forces they send to the Northern Continent suddenly turn around and attack me? I’d be the foolish king who was caught off guard.”
“In that case, I would be at the forefront, defending Your Highness against Dressten.”
Bronce II chuckled. It was a mocking laugh.
“How can I trust you, when you’re defending Dressten in my presence?”
“I’ll guarantee it.”
Eleanor vouched for me. Bronce II looked back and forth between us, then smiled slyly.
“Sir Gale said this when he married off his daughter. Raising a daughter is a thankless task. I finally understand what he meant.”
“Brother, it’s not like that. I just have something on him.”
“How big is it?”
“Big enough that he can’t betray me.”
Eleanor looked at me smugly. The leverage she was referring to was Anya, who was currently building a rapport with the mother and daughter of the Rasino family in Roxwood.
She knew how I felt about Anya. And I knew how she felt. As long as Anya was there, we couldn’t be separated.
“I take back what I said about you being naive.”
Bronce II’s suspicions finally subsided after her confident declaration. He looked both relieved and disappointed, like a parent seeing their child grow up.
I seized the opportunity and said,
“This is a mutually beneficial deal. If Dressten focuses on the throne of the Northern Continent, Your Highness can turn your attention to other matters.”
The King was in his prime. He had a goal of becoming a legendary king, and he had the power to achieve it.
If Dressten, the thorn in his side, was gone, he could use his resources to get one step closer to his goal.
“Hmm. Let’s say I trust your loyalty. The problem is, how can a country knight, who grew up relying on a woman, possibly stand against the ancient and prestigious Dressten family?”
“That country knight secured Dressten’s cooperation and granted a county to a princess.”
“But you haven’t fought a real war, have you?” If by real war, he meant a war between great lords, he was right.
The strongest enemy I had faced so far was Count Bruah, and even he had been divided into three factions, unable to display the full strength of his territory.
Bronce II continued,
“I acknowledge your strength. If even half the rumors are true, you can be compared to the heroes of legend. However, individual strength only decides the outcome of small battles. In a real war, the quality and quantity of troops, and a skilled commander, are more important.”
“If you give me the opportunity, I’ll prove that I have more than just brute force.”
“What kind of opportunity?”
“I heard Your Highness is fond of mock battles.”
The great kings of myth and legend were often war lords. Bronce II, who sought to follow in their footsteps, was also interested in war.
He held a grand jousting tournament every quarter, and he was so fond of mock battles that he would jump out of bed at the mere mention of the word.
Indeed, Bronce II, who had been leaning back in his chair, sat up straight.
“A mock battle, a mock battle… It’s not a bad idea. The problem is, it’s very expensive. It’s too extravagant to hold just to see a knight’s skills.”
I bowed my head respectfully, indicating that I would accept whatever decision he made.
I wasn’t worried that he would refuse. A man with absolute power, who could do almost anything, was bound to be bored. Especially a powerful man in this medieval era of limited entertainment.
In other words, the moment the King showed interest, the mock battle was a done deal.
However, the King wasn’t a pushover.
“But it’s also a good day, to be reunited with the sister I thought I’d never see again. Alright. I’ll hold a mock battle. But there’s a condition.”
“I’m listening.”
“If you don’t win, you must break your marriage alliance with Dressten.”
He was telling me to tarnish the Dressten family’s reputation and make an enemy of them. For a mere knight to refuse a marriage proposal from a prestigious family of ancient lineage would be a great insult.
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