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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Limon had lived a long life. And with it came a wealth of experience. He had encountered countless assassination attempts disguised as seduction, enough to lose count. But even he was momentarily stunned by Ainsha’s actions.
He had never encountered such a brazen, almost innovative, attempt at poisoning someone on a date.
“It’s best to drink it quickly. The tea will get cold, and the poison will lose its effectiveness.”
Ainsha urged him impassively. Instead of getting angry or flipping the table, Limon pressed his fingers to his temples.
“…Just to confirm, you said you wanted to marry me, right?”
“That is correct.”
“And that’s why we’re on this date?”
“Of course.”
“Then why are you giving me poison?”
“To kill you.”
Ainsha answered flatly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Limon suppressed his rising headache and asked calmly,
“I’m asking why you want to kill me. What’s the reason?”
He could understand if she had seen through his disguise and wanted him dead. He was the sworn enemy of the Seven Dragons Association. Even the White Dragon Clan, who usually avoided conflict, held a grudge against him. But that couldn’t be it.
If she knew he was Limon, she wouldn’t try to poison him. Of course, even if he weren’t Limon, poisoning someone on a date was a strange way to go about things.
If she truly wanted him dead, she wouldn’t resort to such foolish…
‘Wait, foolish?’
Limon’s eyes widened.
There was only one reason why Ainsha would do something so absurd. And her next words confirmed his suspicion.
“I have to kill you. So, I’m killing you. There is no other reason.”
It sounded like the words of a psychopath, but Limon wasn’t fazed.
He narrowed his eyes and asked,
“What did you see?”
“…It’s a secret.”
“Is that so? Then let me ask a different question.”
Limon’s voice turned cold.
“What future are you trying to change by killing me?”
Ainsha’s body trembled. Her pupils dilated. Her gaze shifted. Her usually perfect poker face crumbled, her reaction betraying her.
Limon clicked his tongue.
He had been right, but that only made it more absurd.
“Not just a White Dragon, but the White Dragon Princess trying to change the future… unbelievable.”
“I didn’t say I was trying to change the future. You’re mistaken.”
“Then what about seeing the future where we went to the movie theater? If I drink this poison and die, that future disappears.”
“…”
“Or at least tell me why you have to kill me.”
“…”
Ainsha remained silent.
Li Chingwei would have come up with a dozen excuses on the spot. Ainsha, true to her White Dragon nature, was terrible at lying.
Limon scoffed.
“Well, I can guess. You probably saw a future where I do something.”
Flinch-
“Since you even prepared for the date, it seems you were serious about the proposal. So, something must happen after this.”
Tremble
“I doubt there are many people a princess would kill her chosen consort to protect.”
“Reading minds is cheating. Cowardly. Just like the Black Dragon Clan.”
“Hmm, that sounds like I’m right on the mark.”
“…”
“Are you still not going to tell me? Whether you do or not, I’m going to find out anyway.”
Ainsha, sweating like a suspect interrogated by a detective with the [Lie Detection] skill, finally slumped her shoulders. She spoke in her usual flat tone, but with a hint of resignation.
“It’s Tata.”
“Who?”
“My nanny. And my bodyguard. And my attendant. And an elder.”
Her only family, the brazen yet intelligent woman who was unlike any other White Dragon.
Ainsha confessed the reason she had to kill him.
“I saw a future where Lee kills Tata.”
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It was a common trope.
Learning about a loved one’s death and trying to change the future. If the murderer was the person you fell in love with at first sight, and you had to kill him, it would be a rare and tragic romance, or a thriller with a twist. But with the White Dragon Princess as the protagonist?
Limon could confidently say it would be a comedy. Because he was currently chuckling in disbelief.
“You tried to poison me to save your nanny?”
“That’s right. Clean and efficient. A small courtesy.”
“Courtesy aside, didn’t you think I wouldn’t drink it if you poisoned it right in front of me?”
“I didn’t.”
“Why?”
“I saw a future where Lee drinks the tea. So, you will drink it.”
“Do you realize how contradictory that is?”
“…?”
“…Right, you don’t.”
Ainsha tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand the problem.
Limon sighed.
He felt like he was dealing with a three-year-old. A three-year-old would have been better. The White Dragon Princess, who knew the future and was determined to change it, was a walking time bomb.
Limon frowned.
‘A prophecy… this is troublesome.’
Those who know the future are ruled by the future. Knowing this, Limon avoided prophets whenever possible. Especially the White Dragon Princess. But now that he had heard the prophecy, he couldn’t ignore it.
Even if he hadn’t heard it, he doubted the proactive princess would have left him alone.
After a moment of thought, he asked,
“Are you going to do whatever it takes to prevent Tata’s death?”
“Of course. Tata is precious.”
“Even if it costs you your life?”
“No.”
“…That’s a surprisingly straightforward answer.”
Limon looked at Ainsha, who had immediately shaken her head after nodding moments ago.
She said flatly,
“I am the White Dragon Princess. I have to continue the lineage. I can’t die before then.”
“Well, that’s true.”
For a princess of the Seven Dragons Association, continuing the lineage was the highest priority, an instinct. No matter how much Ainsha cherished Tata, she couldn’t risk the extinction of the dragon bloodline.
Limon nodded at her predictable answer, then asked,
“What if, instead of changing the future, you had to sacrifice the entire White Dragon Clan?”
“That’s unacceptable. I would die. Tata would kill me.”
“So you’re not that foolish… then how about fully cooperating with the Black Dragon Clan in capturing the Liberation Brigade?”
“That’s the price for helping me with my proposal.”
“If I die, the proposal and the price disappear. Why are you still holding onto it?”
“…Come to think of it, you’re right.”
Ainsha nodded, as if struck by a sudden realization.
After a moment of thought, she said impassively,
“That’s acceptable. I’ll make it happen.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Limon tapped the table with his finger, staring at Ainsha. He picked up his hot green tea and downed it in one gulp.
He slammed the empty cup on the table.
“Don’t forget what you just said.”
Ainsha blinked.
Once, twice, and then again. She stared at the empty teacup and Limon, as if she had seen something strange.
After a long pause, she asked flatly,
“…This is strange. You drank the poison. But you’re not dead.”
“Nothing to be surprised about. I’ve ingested so many poisons over the years that I’ve developed immunity.”
Limon chuckled, remembering the times he had been forced to consume, drink, and be injected with all sorts of deadly poisons the Green Dragon Clan had boasted about.
He stood up.
“Now, let’s do this properly.”
“I’d like to know what ‘this’ is.”
“What do you mean? We’re on a date, so let’s go on a date.”
“…?!”
“But the date course will be a little different from the future you saw.”
Limon chuckled at Ainsha, who looked even more bewildered after receiving an answer. He pulled out his smartphone and smirked.
“Speaking of which, do you like puzzles?”
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“You’re curious why I call the White Dragon Clan fools?”
[Yes. I understand why you would, Team Leader, but I’m curious why even Princess Li Chingwei accepts it as a matter of course.]
Na-kyung asked curiously.
It wasn’t just because she was bored while Limon was on his date. She couldn’t understand why the White Dragon Clan, a powerful faction of the Seven Dragons Association, was treated like fools.
Li Chingwei, seeming to understand her question, replied calmly,
“There are many reasons, but… the main reason is their innate precognitive abilities.”
[Why? Precognition is a good thing, isn’t it?]
Na-kyung looked even more puzzled.
Precognition, the ability to see the future, was a powerful ability. Players with prophecy-related skills were highly valued everywhere. Li Chingwei smiled at her.
“Would you be happy if someone threw you a surprise party for your birthday?”
[Of course.]
“Would you still be happy if you knew exactly when and how the surprise party would happen?”
[Hmm… well, a party is a party. I think I would still be happy.]
“What if you had the exact same party yesterday? With the same food, at the same place, hearing the same jokes from the same people?”
[…That would be tiring, not happy.]
“Exactly. If someone knowingly repeats the same actions from a failed party yesterday, trying to make it a success even though it’s not fun at all, what would you call them?”
[A fool?]
“Then what would you call someone who, knowing the party is going to fail, tries to liven up the mood by smashing their face into the cake?”
[…Foolish?]
“That’s why the White Dragon Clan are fools.”
[What?]
Li Chingwei didn’t bother explaining further to the confused Na-kyung. She simply said with a wry smile,
“It’s also the reason why the White Dragon Princess is the most unfortunate among the seven princesses.”
[…?]
Li Chingwei’s communicator rang as Na-kyung was struggling to understand her cryptic words.
“Sword Saint? What is it? You’re on a date.”
“Of course, just tell me.”
Li Chingwei answered calmly, despite the unexpected call. Then, her expression changed subtly.
“Yes, yes.”
“Yes…?”
“…What are you going to do?”
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