58
“What is the meaning of this, Pelles.”
In the dimly lit room.
The Emperor was glaring at the Archmage while tightly gripping his wine glass. The Archmage, standing in the middle of the Emperor’s office, merely looked at him with a polite expression.
“What do you mean, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor asked in a flat voice.
“Are you saying that this monster invasion of the capital was not your doing?”
“I was merely following Your Majesty’s order to protect and guide the imperial grandchildren well.”
“Even so, to release monsters into the capital…!”
Clang!
The glass in the Emperor’s hand shattered. The Emperor usually tried not to show anger in front of Pelles, but this time he could not hold it in.
He took a deep breath in and out. He had to think rationally. He did not want to upset the demon wearing a human mask in front of him.
Pelles was the only remaining link to a high-ranking demon.
“While the citizens of the Empire praise Marion as a hero, they point fingers at the imperial family, calling us incompetent.”
Pelles bowed his head and replied.
“Do not worry, Your Majesty. By tomorrow, Sir Marion’s reputation will be turned upside down as easily as turning over one’s palm.”
“…You have a way?”
“There are plenty of ways. More importantly….”
Pelles smiled.
“Have you found the holy relic?”
The Emperor tensed. Whenever Pelles mentioned the holy relic, his eyes would turn yellow. That gaze was so beast-like that it instinctively made the Emperor’s neck feel cold.
“…Yes. But you haven’t forgotten our deal, have you?”
“Of course. For the eternal glory of the Gratie imperial family, I will bring down Baltstein.”
“…I’m counting only on you.”
“Yes, then I shall take my leave….”
Pelles left the Emperor’s office.
He walked slowly down the corridor. Near the Emperor’s office, attendants, maids, and knights stood in rows guarding the area.
Only after walking for quite a while did the presence of humans completely disappear. Only then did Pelles open his mouth.
“Genba. The Emperor has found the last holy relic.”
At that, Genba, who had been casting invisibility magic in the darkness, revealed himself. Genba muttered with an ecstatic face.
“Finally…!”
“Yes. He must have hidden it somewhere in the imperial palace. Find it.”
Pelles had never intended to wait until the Emperor handed over the relic. Genba nodded and asked.
“Yes. Then what about bringing down Baltstein?”
Pelles looked at the moon floating outside the window. He smiled broadly at it.
“If everything collapses, the deal will happen in the end, won’t it?”
“Ah…!”
Genba looked at Pelles’ profile with a rapt expression. This was truly the appearance of a demon who loved destruction.
Pelles suddenly hardened his face and muttered.
“But the fact that two Sword Masters are attached is a bit annoying.”
Genba asked.
“Are you talking about the good-for-nothing who is getting married this time?”
“Yes.”
“But they’re just humans. Once That One descends, all humans will die without even being able to lift a finger anyway.”
Genba looked at Pelles with a puzzled face. Pelles agreed with Genba’s words. Yet somehow he felt uneasy.
Two humans who had surpassed human limits.
In the past several hundred years, there had never been two Sword Masters in the same era. Especially the Grand Duke of Baltstein, Kaiden—he was an opponent Pelles wasn’t even sure he could beat.
Pelles muttered.
“I don’t want any interference before executing the plan.”
Moreover, there was one more irritating redhead.
The good-for-nothing knight, Marion Krugman.
Marion was a pawn whose movements were unpredictable.
For years, he had been subtly planting suggestions in Marion to like the Crown Prince. It was to raise a counterweight capable of checking the Grand Duke of Baltstein.
Thanks to Marion still being young and unsuspecting, things had been progressing easily.
However, the Marion who appeared this year was somehow different. Even the subtle suggestions he had been injecting every year no longer worked.
Just in time, since the Crown Prince wanted it, he had sent a brainwashing magic stone to Marion, but even that had been destroyed.
Genba cautiously asked.
“Then are you planning to kill those two humans?”
Pelles sneered.
“Genba. Could you kill Marion? You, who ran away in fear of a duel with her?”
“Ugh, I didn’t run away.”
Genba turned his head as if embarrassed. Pelles stroked his chin and muttered.
“Sword Masters are strong.”
Genba watched Pelles’ expression. If even he said someone was strong, it meant they were truly strong humans.
Genba cautiously asked again.
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“Hmm. Kaiden seems like he’ll be troublesome.”
“Then you’ll only target the good-for-nothing…?”
“An interesting human.”
Pelles smiled slyly.
“To the point I want to have her.”
* * *
“…What was that?”
I somehow got goosebumps and shuddered.
“What’s wrong, Marion?”
Kaiden, who was lying beside me, immediately sat up.
“No. I just suddenly felt a chill. Is someone cursing me?”
“Do you have a cold coming on? I’ll have them bring hot soup right now…”
“Hey, the servants need rest too. I’m fine.”
I stopped the overreacting Kaiden. But Kaiden insisted it was the aftereffect of overexerting himself while killing monsters and refused to back down.
“The very fact that a Sword Master felt cold is proof that you pushed yourself too hard. You need to warm up.”
“It’s the middle of summer right now, Your Grace.”
“Who was the one who caught a cold in the middle of summer seven years ago and was bedridden for a week?”
It was me.
“Who was the one whining that they were dying because they were sick?”
…Me.
I was flustered for a moment but soon regained my composure.
“I was young back then. It’s late.”
“No. At least have them bring a winter blanket…”
“Hey! Then Your Grace can just hug me warmly!”
Kaiden answered quickly.
“Alright.”
Realizing what I had said, my face turned bright red and I pulled the blanket over my head.
“I-I’m good now?!”
Kaiden, who had been quietly watching me, chuckled.
“Why take it back?”
I mumbled from inside the blanket.
“…It was a mistake. Don’t laugh.”
“Why, it’s cute.”
“What are you saying!”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
I’m the type whose actions are faster than words. Meaning I punched him in the solar plexus.
…Because I was embarrassed. Kaiden hadn’t had time to dodge and was groaning. Feeling a little sorry, I lowered the blanket slightly, peeking only my eyes out and looking at him.
“I-It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Looked intentional to me.”
“Don’t exaggerate. You have a strong body, Your Grace.”
“Kaiden.”
Kaiden corrected the way I addressed him. I simply chose silence. A rebellious feeling rose that I didn’t want to do what he wanted.
Actually, the conversation we had during the day kept coming to mind, making me want to be extra grumpy with him for no reason.
Why did Kaiden ask about my parents?
“Are you going to stay silent?”
When I didn’t answer until the end, Kaiden made a “Hmm.” sound beside me. I ignored him and turned away with a sulky face.
Kaiden was annoying for making my heart noisy. Though I wasn’t really in a position to hate him…
As the wedding approached, various newspapers kept talking about me and Kaiden.
<The fallen prestige—the future Grand Duchess from commoner birth?!>
<The dream of rising in status—if you’re a Sword Master, it’s not hard.>
<A good-for-nothing from the common people has captured a man far above her station!>
Headlines like these continued.
Whether good articles or bad, they all had one thing in common. Everyone agreed that I was lacking.
It hurt my stomach that I was the one who put a blemish on someone who had no shortcomings. On the other hand, I wanted to argue whose fault it was that I was born this way. But I didn’t know who to argue with.
That’s why I didn’t want to call Kaiden by his name. To me, he was a “Your Grace” who was far too good for me.
“Marion.”
At that moment, Kaiden gently called me and hugged me. His long arms passed over the blanket and wrapped around me, and I felt warm warmth from behind my back.
I tensed up. Whenever I was suddenly held in his arms like this, it felt like all the fine hairs on my body stood on end.
“I heard many things from Grandfather today, so you must be upset.”
“…….”
More than that, what you said upset me more, but I didn’t say it out loud.
“I’m sorry for using the wedding like that. But I’ll make sure our wedding goes down in history.”
“…Even in history?”
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