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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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After the Liberation Brigade was dealt with, Li Chingwei, though busy with the aftermath, made sure to eat her meals regularly. This wasn’t solely for health reasons. Mealtimes were one of the few opportunities she had to meet with Limon and converse amidst the chaos.
In that sense, Li Chingwei initiating a conversation during their meal wasn’t unusual.
“Sword Saint, do you remember what I told you before?”
“Which part?”
“About there being a princess I might be able to persuade.”
“Ah, that?”
Limon, munching on fries, nodded.
It wasn’t a trivial matter, both in its importance and its unusual nature. It wasn’t something he would easily forget. However, his casual nod turned into a puzzled frown at her next words.
“I actually sent an invitation to that princess.”
“Hmm? Why did you do something so pointless?”
“If I want to persuade her, I need to meet her first.”
“That’s certainly logical, but if she doesn’t come, the invitation is useless.”
Limon’s expression was skeptical. He couldn’t imagine any princess accepting an invitation from Li Chingwei, his fiancée, in his own country, a place the Seven Dragons Association had avoided for centuries.
“That’s why I’m telling you this now.”
At Li Chingwei’s reply, Limon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“She accepted?”
“Yes, she already confirmed, and I’m preparing her accommodations.”
“I can’t believe there’s another princess as brave as you.”
He chuckled, recalling their first meeting, when Li Chingwei had boldly approached him with a marriage proposal. He picked up his cola and asked casually,
“So, which one is it? If she willingly accepted your invitation, she’s either the Moneybags of the United States or the Tyrant of Africa…”
“The Holy Alliance.”
“…What?”
“The White Dragon Princess.”
Limon was thankful he wasn’t drinking his cola. He might have sprayed it out in surprise. Li Chingwei’s answer was that unexpected.
“You’re saying the White Dragon Princess is coming here?”
“Yes.”
“The princess who’s been avoiding me for centuries, the ultimate fool of all the princesses?”
“That’s right.”
“…Princess, what did you do?”
Threats, coercion, blackmail… what magic had she used to make the White Dragon Princess, of all people, willingly accept her invitation?
Li Chingwei smiled sweetly at his suspicious gaze.
“I sent her a small gift.”
“A gift? You think that’s enough to make the White Dragon Princess come here?”
“Times have changed, and this country is no longer forbidden territory for us.”
“…Well, I’ll be damned.”
Limon shook his head in disbelief.
While the Seven Dragons Association wasn’t officially hostile towards him anymore, having two princesses gather in this country, once known as the Seven Dragons Association’s execution grounds, was unthinkable. Especially with one of them being the White Dragon Princess.
“Well, I guess accepting the invitation is one thing. But are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“Are you sure about involving those fools?”
He wasn’t questioning the possibility of persuasion, but the wisdom of it. For them, who needed to gather the full strength of the Seven Dragons Association, it was a delicate question.
But Li Chingwei wasn’t fazed. She took a bite of her hamburger, chewed thoughtfully, and replied calmly,
“There will be problems.”
“You think so too?”
“Yes, but even considering that, the White Dragon Clan is worth involving.”
She spoke firmly. With a serious expression, she continued,
“Their precognitive abilities will be a great help in finding the Liberation Brigade and the Seven Arks.”
Precognition, the ability to see the future.
The most mysterious of the seven psionic abilities passed down within the Seven Dragons Association. And the White Dragon Clan, who inherited this power, was invaluable. Limon nodded.
“Yes, precognition can be quite useful, depending on how it’s used.”
Whether it was the Liberation Brigade or the Seven Arks, they had too little information to track them effectively. But with the White Dragon Princess’s power, things would be different.
She was the greatest prophet, a being who could bypass all the investigative work and provide the answers directly. With her precognition, they might be able to find the Liberation Brigade and the elusive Seven Arks.
Despite this, Limon wasn’t pleased. He offered a serious warning.
“But Princess, be careful.”
“[Those who know the future are ruled by the future], is that what you mean?”
“Hmm? Where did you hear that?”
“From someone I used to know.”
“Whoever it was, they spoke wisely.”
Limon, having lived a long life, had met many prophets. He knew that few who relied on prophecies met a good end. Most either brought misfortune upon themselves trying to change the future or were led to ruin by their blind faith.
It was only natural. If prophecies were truly that powerful, the Seven Dragons Association wouldn’t have suffered repeated defeats against him for centuries.
“Don’t worry about that. I know how dangerous it is to carelessly peek into the future.”
Li Chingwei replied with a smile.
Despite her light tone, her eyes held a deep, serious glint. Limon, after observing her for a moment, shrugged. If anyone could handle it, it was Li Chingwei.
“Well, if you know, that’s good enough.”
Li Chingwei smiled sweetly. Limon, observing her, suddenly changed the subject.
“And eat properly. What’s the princess of the Seven Dragons Association doing eating hamburgers for every meal?”
“Time is money.”
“Isn’t that the Silver Dragon Clan’s motto?”
“It’s still true.”
“There’s a limit to everything. Look at you, with sauce all over your face.”
He clicked his tongue at the sight of the sauce on her face, perhaps because seeing her eat a hamburger was so unusual. He wiped it off with his finger.
“Well, it’s homemade, so it tastes good. Did Yo Ouin make this too?”
“…”
“Princess? What’s wrong?”
“Ah… I have something to ask you, Sword Saint.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Li Chingwei blinked, as if suddenly realizing something. She cleared her throat and turned her head slightly, hiding her reddening ears.
“About that broadcast program you mentioned before. How are the preparations going?”
“Why?”
“I think it might be easier to persuade the White Dragon Princess if I show her that program.”
“…I know the current White Dragon Princess has a… hobby in that area, but will that really help?”
“It’s a tradition for the White Dragon Clan to be obsessed with their hobbies.”
“That’s true, but…”
Limon scratched his cheek. The program was intended for her in the first place. Adding one more princess shouldn’t be a problem.
Li Chingwei looked at him, puzzled by his hesitation.
“Is there a problem?”
“The PD told me the game company that was sponsoring the program withdrew their investment.”
“…So, the program is cancelled?”
“No, he said he’ll gather the remaining budget and make it work. The WIM Guild is helping out too.”
For Kim Seung-jun, it was a program on which KTB’s survival depended. For Yeonhwa, it was a chance to consolidate her power within WIM.
They wouldn’t cancel the program now just because of a little funding issue. Kim Seung-jun was practically selling the KTB president’s golf clubs to raise funds, and Yeonhwa was embezzling WIM’s slush funds.
“But I heard they’re running things on a shoestring budget. Are you sure about showing her that?”
Limon’s concern was valid. The princesses of the Seven Dragons Association were among the wealthiest people in the world. They wouldn’t be impressed by a low-budget program. But Li Chingwei wasn’t discouraged.
She tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand the problem.
“So, you’re saying all it needs is money?”
“…”
That was the moment a program struggling with budget constraints was suddenly strapped to a rocket booster.
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“This is unexpected.”
“What is?”
“I didn’t know this country belonged to the Sword Saint.”
“Please, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Tata is also looking around. Not convincing.”
“Tata is your nanny, bodyguard, and attendant. It’s natural for her to be vigilant.”
“Cowardly excuse.”
“Tata will be cowardly as many times as necessary to protect you!”
The girl paid no mind to Tata’s words. She continued to scan her surroundings, muttering impassively,
“Tata, this is strange. I don’t see anyone carrying a sword.”
“Don’t let your guard down, Princess. There used to be Sword Masters who didn’t use swords. They could be hidden masters.”
“I don’t understand how one can be a Sword Master without a sword.”
“If the Sword Saint acknowledges them as Sword Masters, then they are Sword Masters.”
In this era, where even Limon was considered a has-been, few remembered his terror.
Ainsha and Tata were relatively rare exceptions. They were among the few who knew about the World Peace Plan, the cause of Limon’s downfall. Of course, being from a different generation, and the White Dragon Clan having had no direct conflict with Limon for centuries, their knowledge was mostly hearsay.
But that was enough to make them wary. If even half of what they heard was true, Limon was a monster who enjoyed fighting the Seven Dragons Association.
That was why they had secretly arrived in this country several days ahead of schedule. They wanted to scout the area in case the Black Dragon Clan and Limon had set a trap.
“Tata, it’s strange. People are staring at Tata.”
“They’re staring at you, Princess, not Tata.”
“I’ve concealed my face, my presence, my identity. It doesn’t make sense.”
“They must have recognized your undeniable princessly aura. So, act with dignity.”
“Understood. As expected, Tata is wise.”
Of course, her attempts at concealment, with a jacket, hat, and coat layered on top of each other, were far from “secret.” But Ainsha, oblivious to this, strutted down the street with utmost dignity.
Then, she asked impassively,
“Tata, confirmation.”
“What is it?”
“I believe this country’s name wasn’t KTB.”
“Of course not.”
“I don’t believe there were any rulers or religions with those initials in this country.”
“K is a common surname in this country, so I can’t be certain, but as far as I know, no.”
Tata answered promptly. Ainsha, admiring her wise nanny, attendant, and bodyguard, asked the most pressing question.
“Then I would like to know why this country is covered in KTB.”
From the sides of passing cars to billboards on tall buildings, even on people’s t-shirts and TV screens, the three letters were everywhere.
Tata, faced with this question, offered an equally confident answer.
“Tata doesn’t know!”
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