◈ Chapter 41 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go
Jin was horrified, as if he had discovered a child playing with a dangerous object.
He must have been so angry that he just stared at my danjeon without saying a word for a while.
As I looked at Jin, who was emitting low flames as if he was gulping or growling, my mouth watered.
[... Do you know that you just almost got crippled? If the dantian had broken and the mana had flowed backwards, he would have died.]
"B-but everything went well, right? The power supply also increased..."
[Don't play with your life. Fortunately, my Danjeon increased as I got used to Hwajeong's mana. It's pure luck that you can brag about it now.]
I can't say that I've been with Jin for a long time, but I've never heard such a cold tone of voice.
But I also have an excuse.
"I wasn't kidding. You know that. I may have to fight the Sword Master soon, but like you said, I'm weak. There's no difference between dying from my dantian being broken or having my head cut off by my father."
As a result, you found a way to shorten the time.
Jin let out a sigh of relief as if she realized that although she was angry at my words, she couldn't refute them.
[So, you are going to increase your Danjeon to advanced level with Hwajeong? Not only would that not be a reward, but it could also be selling your future.]
"If this continues, there is no future for it to be sold. And is it also your fault for getting lucky with useless words?"
So why are you so weak and provoking me?
Is inducing assault also a crime?
[Ha, you mean you're going to try it in the end, right?]
Jin also fell for what I said, as if he had no choice.
She will know too.
She saw the potential and she knew she couldn't back down from this.
Jin pondered for a while, and then she finally seemed to have made up her mind and spoke firmly.
[In that case, leave it to me. Because I don't want to see you die from a broken dantian.]
"That sounds more dangerous. Can you do it?"
[If you can bring out Hwajeong's mana, it is possible because I can manipulate it. In fact, it would be better for me to act with my eyes rather than for you to act with intuition.]
Surely.
Jin can clearly see her Danjeon, so it would be better to leave it to her.
[This is probably a shortcut that can only be used once. If you do something like this more than once, the power supply won't be able to withstand it. Still, I will put safety first and do it slowly over a few days.]
"So you're saying we can stop midway if we decide it's dangerous?"
[I'm thinking of doing that, but I've never done it before, so I don't know if I can really stop it. What do you want to do?]
According to Jin's words, I just need to draw out Hwajeong's mana.
It doesn't matter if you continue your daily life as is.
Jin will take care of the rest.
So, is there anything to worry about?
"Why don't you start quickly?"
I trust my body.
It doesn't make sense for a genius of the century to get left behind while performing danjeon expansion surgery.
That would be funny as is, though.
But I didn't know it at the time.
The Danjeon expansion surgery that Jin performs destroys her personality so horribly.
*
Early in the morning, the nobles who had each occupied a position in the north gathered one by one in the main hall of the De Jeviet family headquarters.
Since there was still time until the opening ceremony, those who came early chatted.
Even if you count all the nobles with fiefdoms in the North, including the barons, the number is slightly over 100.
They may have known each other across the street.
However, there was one strange presence in the great hall.
Aidan de Jeviets.
My half-brother was catching the attention of the nobles.
"Oh, is this kid Aidan? He's not only achieved the 5th circle at a young age, but he's also mastered the glass technique."
A viscount with deep ties to the Haenrel family raised his voice, telling everyone to listen.
"You're so young, but you're already interested in learning about the northern part of the country. Madam, the future of our country is truly bright!"
"Well, no..."
Eileen cut off Aidan's muttering as he tried to say something.
"Aidan, watch and listen carefully next to me. You have to work harder to lead these people, right?"
At that moment, Aidan and I made eye contact.
Aidan opened his mouth as if he were going to spit something out at me.
It's probably an apple.
Although it wasn't his will, he was probably trying to say he was sorry for taking away the credit for developing the glass technology.
With Aidan's personality, that would definitely be the case.
But that's something Aidan should never do now.
Don't
I desperately turned my head to look away from Aidan.
"Aidan, what is your answer?"
"...Yes. I will work hard."
What I was worried about did not happen.
I sat down with a sigh of relief.
Since the meeting had not yet started, I had time to chat with Amber.
She said with an expression of surprise.
"Your wife also has a hot personality."
"I guess that means I'm going to drive a wedge... Haha."
Until now, Khan Niel had opposed Aidan's participation in her political affairs.
On the surface, she gave the excuse that she was still young, but the reason behind it was to avoid revealing her successor conflict.
By allowing only me to appear in government affairs, I deceive the eyes of the imperial family, and I also create grounds for disqualification by making mistakes in government affairs that I have seen.
This was also the reason why I handled political affairs so intensely.
Because if you make a mistake, it gives you a reason to take my head off.
However, Eileen made an arbitrary decision and dragged Aidan out to a gathering of northern nobles.
This meant bringing the succession conflict to the surface, and at the same time, it was an expression of the Haenrel family's intention to no longer participate in wasting time while worrying about what the imperial family thought.
"Master Bjorn. I've heard the rumors, but did you really survive facing the Great Demon of Plague?"
As I sat down, an unknown knight approached me.
I don't know who the knight was, but looking at the pattern engraved on the clock, I saw that he belonged to a knight group belonging to a Viscount who was close to Count Yakhok.
The Viscount must have sent the knight because he wanted to build a relationship.
Starting with that article, nobles came to me from many places.
Those who are dissatisfied with this meeting, those who want to connect with the imperial family, those who dislike the Haenrel family, and those who are simply curious about the rumors surrounding me...
No matter what each individual's circumstances were, they quickly formed one lump.
It is a gathering of people who do not like this current meeting.
Before I knew it, a yakhog approached me and started talking to me.
"It's so popular. I was worried that I would have to get a numbered ticket to say a word."
"This is all... Hmm, Count Yakhok... Isn't it thanks to you?"
Because of what happened yesterday, there must have been a rumor going around that Count Yakhok might have caught up with me.
Even though they are weaker than the Haenrel family, the Yakhok family is third in the northern order.
If a man like that moves, the things below should at least be put on hold.
"Whatever you are thinking, it would be best to find the Haenrel family's schemer quickly. Since you agreed, I plan to pursue you mercilessly without feeling any remorse."
Seeing that the wife also dragged the master with her, she seems to have made up her mind.
She must have been drinking tea all morning, and every time the yak hump opened its mouth, it smelled like mossy rocks.
Like Eileen, he probably came with the intention of making a single today.
I, too, have already made up my mind.
"Don't worry...Don't worry, just do your best...Huh?! Please."
"Well, that's right. But are you in pain?"
Yakhok looked at me with a worried expression.
I must have shouted at him with a red face.
"No?! I'm fine! Please don't worry about it!"
"Tsk, tsk... I can't believe you got hurt at such an important time. Take care of yourself."
"Huh?!"
The hand of the yak's hump on his shoulder made his body tremble.
When Yakhok gave me a sympathetic look and left for his seat, I couldn't bear it anymore and shouted at Jin.
'Can't you please help me?! If I keep this up, I'm going to leave in front of everyone!'
[Before you throw away the power supply like this, don't talk like a bitch! How much trouble am I going through right now!]
There is something I learned while performing Danjeon expansion surgery.
The point is that the Danjeon is a more sensitive organ than expected, so when it is touched from the outside, it stimulates the entire body to the point of tingling.
Every time Jin used Hwajeong's mana to touch the Danjeon, I couldn't help but bite my tongue and moan.
'I didn't mean to play this perverted way! 'This is character murder!'
It's not even outdoor vibrator play; what kind of ugly thing is this in front of everyone?
No, since Jin is caressing me, is it goddaughter play?
... Should I like this?
[You just had a dirty thought, you pervert.]
"Puhuuuuunn!!"
Power outage! The power outage is going out!!
He said he didn't want to see me die from a broken dantian!
But are you playing with your power supply?!
Barton spoke to Amber in a worried voice as she laid her head on the table and started crying.
"It looks like Bjorn isn't feeling well. Should I help you?"
"Leave it alone. Search for it there."
It's clear that he's doing something perverted again.
There was no trace of loyalty to her master in Amber's voice.
I felt like I was going crazy with injustice.
Only Mion, who can hear Jin's words and knows a little bit of the whole story, just looks at me with her pitiful eyes.
Meanwhile, Canniel and Count Sorang entered the great hall together.
It was the beginning of the meeting.
"Then, let me tell you about today's important agenda. First..."
"For a moment."
It was Yakhok who came in after interrupting the administrator who was trying to proceed with the meeting.
As if to prove his intention to push back mercilessly, he shot the Haenrel family with a grim face.
Now, let's enjoy the spectacular tongue-in-cheek battle of the current nobles.
◈ Chapter 42 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go
"I don't think it would be a waste of time, since Mrs. De Jevec has a lot to consider about any agenda. She is caught between the de Jevec family and the Haenrell family and is suffering back and forth."
Yakhok's eyes staring at Eileen were as cold as frost.
"So, to ensure smooth proceedings, shouldn't Count Haenrel come in person now?"
"Oh my, what do you mean?"
Eileen wrinkled her face and protested to the yak hog.
"I am sitting here after receiving full authority over this meeting from Count Haenrel. I think such comments are excessive criticism. A lot of my concern is about how much the Haenrel family will have to sacrifice to stop the devil. And even if the Count comes, it will be no different from now."
North, you bastards.
Isn't it taking so long because you guys just think about sticking a straw in it and sucking it up?
Do you think it will change if the Count comes?
Eileen was saying that.
In fact, because of the financial problem, the northern nobles did not say anything even though the Haenrel family openly dragged their time.
It's just that Yakhok, who was in a hurry, took up arms.
"So, if you don't have enough time, Count Yakhok, could you please ease my worries? It would be good for both of us if you could do that."
Yakhok burst out in anger at Eileen's ridicule.
"So what did you do during the last meeting? You must ask the Count, the Count objected, the Count said it was better to do it this way, Count, Count, Count! Didn't you look for Count Haenrel all day like a child who lost his parents? "
Yakhok taunted Eileen at the borderline of what a nobleman could say.
They say that they are still children who are holding on to their parents' legs.
And that screaming style was Eileen's natural enemy.
"By covering up the words..."
Yakhok slammed the table as if he had no intention of listening to Eileen.
His voice rang through the great hall.
"You are the one who must speak carefully! What on earth did the Haenrel family do while our family was devoting itself to the north? Even now, there is not a day when blood has dried on the walls of Keldarin Fortress, and Haenrel has not been leisurely sightseeing in the background! "
"The Haenrel family also sacrificed a lot. This place is also a place for that sacrifice. If you consider that the Yakhok family's dedication to their country is only that of the Yakhok family, there is nothing more to say."
Eileen and Yakhok were in sharp conflict.
However, the confrontation is a stepping stone for both to get what they want.
Only Count Soran opened his mouth to block the attack.
"Count Yakhok, don't your words and actions contradict each other? If you want to end the meeting quickly, how about you stop getting angry?"
"Count Sorang is truly a man without knowledge."
"Count Yakhok, speak up!"
Despite Sorang's restraint, Yakhok pushed Eileen as if he could not stand it anymore.
"Is there anyone here who doesn't know that your wife is wasting her time?! Do you think the people here are so stupid that they tolerate your lies?! How long are you going to drag on the meeting like this for no good reason?"
Of course Yakhok knows why Eileen is procrastinating at the meeting.
He just didn't say it out loud.
She was expressing that she had no intention of actively intervening in the successor issue.
So, Eileen, bring up the reasons you deserve.
If necessary, act out your anger and hide your intentions within it.
Nobles are such creatures.
Yakhok gained momentum and took control of the great hall.
"Everyone is very dissatisfied! Some nobles say they don't know what this meeting is for. Is the devil really coming down, or is it just a ploy to secure tax revenue?"
"Count Yakhok! Please keep your mouth shut! Are you doubting the courageous actions your Excellency made for the sake of your country?!"
Count Sorang pointed out Yakhok's words and actions as if he could not listen any further.
Yakhok glared at Count Sorang.
"It means that while your wife is taking her time for unknown reasons, some disloyal people have begun to misunderstand His Excellency's intentions. Actually, I don't think that statement is wrong either."
"Count Yakhok!"
Soran acted as if he were a member of the De Jeevitz family.
That was also the secret to the family's survival until now.
This is because the support of the De Jeevitz family was absolutely necessary in order to run the small fiefdom in the northern part of the kingdom where the lighthouse village was located.
It was safe to say that everything he said and did represented the De Jeevitz family.
"Then please answer my question. Wouldn't that be okay?"
Yakhok calmed the noise down by telling him to sit down and listen.
"There are two rumors circulating in the northern part of the fortress. One is that the Great Demon of Plague appeared during the entrance exam and that the eldest son of the De Jeevitz family defeated it. The other is that the person involved in the rumor is a human being despite his achievements. "I failed the entrance exam."
When my name came out, Sorang had no choice but to sit down and listen to Yakhok.
"When I heard the rumor, I thought this way. Bjorn was deceiving the North with false rumors. That's why I guessed that he failed the entrance exam. Anyone would have done that. The rumors surrounding that child are not credible in the first place. Because it wasn't."
Yakhok did not mention what the rumor was, but the nobles knew what the rumor was about.
"So, we tested Björn yesterday. Everyone will know the results."
I showed my true value on the stage prepared by Yakhok yesterday.
The guard knight he brought with him, a low-ranking Sword Expert, was crushed overwhelmingly.
Now that I had seen it with my own eyes, I couldn't deny that the rumors about my skills were true.
Even if one tried to raise questions, it was impossible as long as there was Yakhok's notarization.
Of course, Yakhok continued as if he would not leave any doubt about that part.
"Yes, it is clear that he has skills, but you may ask, isn't fighting against the Great Demon of Plague a different story? So, after doing some research, I believe that he killed four Sword Experts of the Lighthouse of Humanity for the sake of lies. "I realized it was even more stupid."
Testimony can be deceiving.
But you can't fake a person's death.
The four instructors who went to Homeland together at the end of the entrance exam died, and it was clear that they had turned into drowned bodies.
And such a thing was impossible unless you were an archdemon.
"That made me even more curious. Why did such a great knight fail the entrance exam for the Human Lighthouse Corps, even though he had accomplished so much during this time when the devil is said to be descending?"
Yakhok's eyes turned to Kanniel.
To say something that no one has dared to say to his face.
Yakhok's lips slowly fell.
"Does that have anything to do with why this meeting is taking so long?"
Yakhok showed the magic of bringing up the issue of successor without using the word 'successor' even once.
In the meantime, he subtly gave me strength and did not forget to threaten me by saying, 'If you make a mistake, I will really intervene.'
As Yakhok finished speaking, Eileen's face turned pale, and Kanniel's forehead wrinkled, which was rare.
It was Count Sorang who hung on to Yakhok's words.
"No one denies that Björn's contributions are great. However, Björn abused the power of the De Jevitz family during the entrance exam. It is said that the instructors were unable to touch Björn in the first exam. Of course, the knights were excessively loyal. "I think so, but I don't think there could be backbiting."
Sorang spoke in a tone as if he had been there.
"I think I handled it well. I just have to take the test again. As everyone has seen, Bjern's skills are clear, so he will definitely become a knight next time. Isn't this proof that the entrance exam for the Lighthouse of Humanity is sound? De Jeevitz "You've shown that even the eldest son of a family will be kicked out if he breaks the rules."
Sorang continued speaking quickly, as if he wanted to stop Yakhok before he could say anything.
"Rather, I would like to ask. Why are you bringing this up when you are preparing for a devil's invasion? The reason we are gathered is to stop the devil who will come down with the cold, and shouldn't we focus on that purpose first?"
It was a sound that came from Count Soran's mouth, but that mouth only represented Canniel.
I will not select a successor here.
So stop it.
Kanniel was saying that.
Sorang motioned to the administrator to proceed quickly.
However, there is someone here who simply cannot ignore those words.
It was Eileen who worked tirelessly to make Aidan her successor.
Before the air sucked into the administrator's lungs could hit his vocal cords, Eileen stopped him.
"I understand why Count Yakhok is angry, but I want to clear up the misunderstanding that the meeting is being delayed on purpose."
Eileen poured out words as if her turn had finally come.
"I sympathize with the demon problem that His Excellency Haenrel is struggling with, and I would like to support him as much as possible. I know that securing this tax revenue is burdensome. Of course, you will be dissatisfied. I understand."
In a calm voice, Eileen pointed out the emotions that must have built up during this meeting.
"But no one here would deny that it is our family that carries the greatest burden. The Haenrel family has lived in the North longer than any other family. No one can dare to discuss devotion to our family."
Eileen shot the yakhog.
Yakkk just glared at her but did not add to her words.
"That's why the Count is curious."
Continuing her words, she stood up and walked slowly.
Her steps stopped where Aidan was sitting.
"Whether the other northerners can follow the will of the Haenrell family, who pledged allegiance to the De Jevitz family? Will they be able to shoulder the solemn task of this era?"
Eileen stroked Aidan's head.
Her hands were gentle as she caressed Aidan, her words were calm, but she was explicit in what she meant.
It was the moment when the issue of successor, which had been secretly hidden in the meeting gathered to prepare for the devil's invasion, came to the surface.
Thus, Yakhok's remarks became a catalyst and the conference room was divided into two factions.
Those who want to postpone the successor issue and those who want to finish it.
The former was the De Jeevitz family, and the latter was the Haenrell family.
Of course, the moment Yak Hok brought this issue to the surface, her answer was no different from what was established.
His remarks were a criticism of the Haenrel family for dragging their feet, but in conclusion, it was the same as supporting the Haenrel family to prevent Kanniel from delaying this issue any longer.
Last night, Amber asked me as if she couldn't contain her curiosity.
"What we need to hunt down the demon cultists is time. But why are you using Count Yakhok to bring the issue of successor to the surface and push His Excellency to the curb?"
"We are short on manpower as well as time. Helga is the only one who can keep up."
"The more it happens, the more..."
"That's why."
If the issue of succession surfaces and a conflict arises between the De Jevitz family and the Haenrell family, the hidden devils will become active to resolve the problem.
Helga will show herself in front of the leader without having to search for him.
It reduces the burden on Helga, who already has to go into enemy territory alone to collect information, and saves time, so it kills two birds with one stone.
Is there a boss who cares about his subordinates like this?
This is why I didn't make a clown even though I could use Yakhok's support.
If I had acted like a fool according to Yakhok's wishes, Kanniel could have used me to postpone the issue of selecting a successor.
Although the probability is close to unreasonable, it is best to lower the possibility as much as possible.
"I know your concerns. I also understand Count Yakhok's urgent feelings. However, I will always make decisions for the good of my country."
Khan Niel, who had been silent for a long time, finally opened her mouth for the first time.
"Just as the Haenrel family worries, we have a mountain of problems ahead of us. It is truly a difficult problem. It is like a knot that we do not know where to begin to untangle."
Canniel filled the great hall with his unique, pitchless voice.
"But you can't drag it on forever."
Kanniel's gaze moved from the Yakhok family to the Haenrel family.
It was a calm look in his eyes that could not be easily read.
But I know.
The determination hidden in those eyes.
A heart so callous that he would even purge his children for the sake of the North.
"When the meeting resumes in five days, everyone in the North will be able to get a satisfactory answer. Until then, we will adjourn."
Five days.
The nobles were not dissatisfied with the sudden adjournment.
Rather, their faces were filled with dark worry.
They must be afraid of the chaos that will overtake the North after the recess.
Kanniel will try to persuade the Haenrel family somehow for five days.
Since I don't want things to go wrong with the imperial family, I ask for time to come up with reasons for Bjern's disqualification.
They will use all the goods and rights that the De Jeevitz family has.
However, since Yakhok had already joined in, the game was tilted towards Haenrel.
Five days later, at the banquet hall, Canniel will make a declaration.
Aidan is said to be the successor to the kingdom after him.
After the meeting is over, there will be a conflict with the imperial family, and the Haenrel family will control the north as they please.
So that the devil can come down comfortably in the cold.
The Haenrel family had smiles on their faces, as if they had already won.
Eileen looked at me and sneered proudly.
See, there is no one on your side here.
After Aidan becomes the successor, there will not be four positions in the North.
That is your destiny.
Try struggling once.
Her smile contained that inner meaning.
Yes, that's how it was supposed to be.
Aidan became the successor, and three years later, I would have been accused of being a public enemy of the North and sentenced to Homeland imprisonment.
But that future does not come.
Because I will make it like that.
In five days, you will clearly know who your enemy is.
◈ Chapter 43 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go
After Canniel declared a recess, Stemwind returned to the meeting more urgently than when it was in progress.
The nobles were worried that there might be bloodshed between the Haenrell family and the De Jeviets family.
They are probably wandering around trying to get information about the successor.
I couldn't avoid the hustle and bustle.
Northern nobles were concerned that the imperial family might actively intervene in this matter.
For a while, several nobles visited me.
At times like that, I assured him that I had no intention of siding with the imperial family.
But the doubts did not go away easily.
It was because of Marjorie who came to visit me right after the recess.
"Master. Aren't you uncomfortable with an old man visiting you?"
Margaery was an 8th circle wizard.
All citizens of Esteria, including magicians, had to belong to the magic brigade from the 6th circle or higher.
In other words, although he was a northern court wizard, he was the eyes and ears of the imperial family and a trumpeter.
It was easy to predict the news he would come to me and deliver.
"It's inconvenient. The news you brought will be even more inconvenient."
They say that the biggest drawback of vibrator play is that you eventually get used to the sensation and can no longer reach climax, and this is true from what I have experienced.
For a moment, he pressed her lips together like a virgin having her first orgasm in her life, grabbed her collar tightly, and bent her waist like a bow.
After being tormented by Jin all day, at some point the tingling sensation that had been felt all over my body whenever I touched the Danjeon became dull.
So there was no problem dealing with Margery.
"This is a message from His Majesty the Emperor."
"I hear you."
As expected, Marjorie brought news from the imperial family.
Marjorie took out his paper from the inside pocket of the robe that wizards wear instead of cloaks.
He spoke with his head, hollow in the middle, shining like a monk.
"Hear, the cry of the great black cow. And worship. The rightful heir and reclaimer of Homeland, the rightful owner of the Oxburg Empire, the one served by the Six Great Families. A knight of the Lighthouse Order of Humanity and the Knights of the Holy Cross, the truth. The one who illuminates the magic tower of Octantium..."
"Are you going to read all those investigations?"
I'm still stubborn because I don't think anyone is a scholar.
It was understandable that Aidan hated Marjorie.
"Still, His Majesty personally gave it..."
"Just the main point."
"Hmm! I understand."
Marjorie cleared his throat once and opened his mouth.
A few popping sounds came from his phlegm-covered vocal cords.
"Your Majesty is sad. He cannot sleep a single day comfortably knowing that you, a young man with holy blood, is treated with contempt in the North."
"So you said you would at least hire me as my mayor? Should I get rid of this quickly?"
"..."
Marjorie did not seem surprised or offended by my provocation.
Instead, he looked at me with a face that seemed lost in some kind of memory.
"You are starting to resemble the princess more and more."
"Did you also have the courage to tear your mother apart?"
"..."
For a moment, Margery's face fell as if she were lost in memories.
Clearing his throat once again, Marge Lee spoke.
"The princess also used that kind of communication style. She embarrassed the other person and got what she wanted. Although she was not as sexual as the master."
Marjorie seemed to see someone else in my face.
The old man's dim eyes were not an easy burden.
"The princess was a fascinating person. She could steal someone's heart with just a few words... Wow, it's so easy to get lost in memories when you get older."
Lee rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, wondering if he had strayed from her.
"Back to the point, His Majesty wants you to regain your rightful rights and become the successor to the North."
"Even a beggar on the roadside is the rightful owner of a kingdom in a dream. Do you think that position can only be obtained through blood?"
"His Majesty is also aware of this. That is why he said he would lend his power to you."
Margery showed me a secret letter with the imperial seal on it.
In it, it was written that they would support a number of troops that would be less than those of the De Jeevitz family and the Haenrell family, but would be enough to push out Yakhok and occupy the third rank in the north.
And this number was only possible if the emperor, who was at war with the Kingdom of Junta, supported all of them, leaving a minimum of capital defense troops.
It was a glimpse into how much the emperor cared about the North.
I sarcastically looked at the number.
"This is a poison that will kill you if you eat it."
"If you control the amount of Dokdo properly, it can be used as medicine. With this, you can save your life."
However, we cannot split the northern part and turn it into chaff.
Marjorie tried to convince me, but I had already made up my mind.
"I feel sorry for your Majesty, but tell him that the North cannot break the Golden Edict."
"...The princess will be sad."
"You are persistent."
"As people get older, they become more emotional. I was there with you the moment the Master took his first breath and the moment the Princess passed away."
Marjorie spoke in a worried voice, as if she were meeting her grandchild.
"The princess left a message for you to live freely. You have no reason to be tied to the North."
"There is no reason to be tied to the imperial family."
"Your Majesty, at least, is not trying to kill you. Unlike the North."
Margery seemed to think there was still room for persuasion.
He held my hand and continued talking.
"You are a great man. You have proven your excellence so far. But what is left? He goes around saying that he is the eldest son of the Djewicz family, but has anyone even acknowledged it?"
It was a tone that was close to an earnest request.
He seemed to be saying please stay alive.
In his eyes, I look like a sad child facing death.
"Master, if things continue like this, don't you know how it will end?"
"Conversation is about back and forth, but since only one side is speaking, it seems like it's over. Please go back."
Marjorie withdrew her hand.
Realizing that he couldn't change his decision, Margery's face was saddened by what was bothering him.
"The old man's stay has been long. Still, it was good to see you here. Today will be the last time I see you, master."
"It's still too early for my head to run away. Are you cursing me?"
"No. I'm leaving the North."
I thought for a long time to understand the meaning of Margery's words.
Why would he, a court wizard and imperial spy, leave Stemwind?
When I tilted my head, Margery explained her reason for leaving.
"Since Bjorn has refused Your Majesty's mercy, Aidan will become the successor to the North. Your Majesty will restore all the wizards in the North to the Magic Tower and establish his authority."
This world revolves around wizards.
Whether in the economy, administration, or military, there is no place that operates without wizards.
Removing such wizards from the North is the strongest sanction the imperial family can impose.
No matter how extensive the purge was, I thought it was strange that the northern part of the country was strangely destroyed during the demon invasion, and this was the cause.
This is troubling news.
But I'm glad I knew about it before it happened.
I bowed my head to Marjorie and expressed my gratitude.
"Thanks for letting me know. Aidan will miss you."
"You will be relieved that your strict master is gone. Please accept this as the old man's treason. Then, young master, please take care of yourself."
Marjorie stood up, pushing the floor with her cane.
Even as he opened the door to go out, his robe fluttered inwards as if he had some lingering regret.
After that, nobles came to me to inquire about the imperial family's intentions, as if they had heard about my contact with Margery, and I had to excuse myself saying that it was inconvenient, but that it was nothing.
There was already a lot of political affairs to consider as the de Jeevitz family had all sorts of things going on at the meeting, and I felt like I was going to lose my mind trying to deal with the nobles.
I asked Mion, who was waiting next to me.
"Mion, how many demon cultists have you found since the Great Hall until now?"
Mion seemed to have gotten used to dressing as a woman before she knew it, and spoke as she adjusted the appearance of her maid's uniform.
"Except for the nobles standing on the side of the Haenrel family, there was no one."
So far, Mion has met many different people with me.
Of course, he might not be discovered by Mion if he didn't go through with the contract, but so far, Haenrel seemed to be the only demon among the northern nobles.
No, since the Haenrel family was taken over, there would be no need to secure more believers in the north.
"Then what if we include House Haenrel?"
"All six knights who were with Madame de Jeviets were satanists."
Looking at their confident tone, it seemed like the energy radiating from the knights' bodies was quite terrible.
But the six knights sent by the Haenrel family for the meeting are all devils.
No matter how difficult it is to be detected, isn't it too defenseless?
Or is there another reason why six demon cultists are needed?
There is no point in making excuses.
We will know for sure when Helga comes.
After finishing our government duties, Mion and I weeded out demons not only from the Haenrel family but also from the people who helped with chores in this house until nightfall.
However, Mion didn't know the people's names, so he had to guess them one by one.
Amber and Barton also had no time to spare as they took turns as the doorkeepers of the room to escort the saint.
The number of knights was so low that even Helga was missing, so I had to stay on guard.
It was only after the sun had completely set that I finally had time.
"Whew, it looks like I'm finally going to live."
It was only after I went out to the private garden and poured myself a drink that I was able to take a breather.
Since I could only move to exterminate the demon cultists if Helga asked for information, I planned to enjoy a moment of leisure before the coming storm.
"Nanny, it's late. Come on in."
I said to the nanny standing next to me.
Just like me, she too had a hard time working all day.
You deserve a good rest.
But the nanny shook her head.
"No, you can't."
"Why do you think I drink and make mistakes? You're overprotective."
"That's not it. The alcohol you drink is so expensive that I have to take responsibility for managing it. If it's even a little empty, my salary can't afford it."
"..."
It's a practical reason, so I have nothing to refute.
"I can't help it. Then, just be my companion."
"I'm not confident in my speaking skills."
"I don't mean to make a joke. I have a question."
Vita Riet, a liquor that is a specialty of the North.
I asked her over a sip of her whiskey, distilled from her barley and aged in her oak casks, when struck by her earth.
"What kind of person was my mother?"
I don't know about her mother.
When she was young, she was afraid of Encanniel and did not dare to ask him, and as her hair grew, she was so anxious to survive that she could not afford to find out.
Even in her biography of Esteria, there was no story about her.
But I became curious after hearing about her mother the past few days.
How did the daughter of a central duke's family come to the north, marry Kanniel, and give birth to me?
"They said my mother was a witch who sold one of her eyes to the devil. Is that true?"
"...It's a long story."
"I want to listen for a long time."
The first time the nanny opened her mouth again was after all the alcohol in the glass had entered her mouth.
◈ Chapter 44 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go
*
In this world, people who have developed a sense of magical power are said to be 'blessed with mana'.
They choose one of two paths: use their senses to store mana in the Danjeon and become a knight, or create a circle in their heart and become a wizard.
It was possible to rise in status if one had the conditions to receive proper training, so it made sense to call the ability to feel mana a blessing.
However, if the talent for sensing mana is extremely developed, a problem arises.
This is because mana is first instinctively accumulated anywhere in the body during infancy, before the dantian or heart is fully developed.
In this way, when a person is born with an excessive amount of mana in a specific part of the body and becomes disabled, it is called the 'curse of mana'.
Della von Loren was a princess cursed by Mana.
A monster whose mana was excessively concentrated in her left eye and turned into a sapphire.
At least she was lucky.
She was not of such low class that her parents threw her child out on the street because they said she was cursed.
Even though she couldn't work, her family was wealthy enough to not starve.
Above all, because the cursed area was one eye, there was no major disruption in daily life.
However, a child with a disability usually occupies a quiet corner of the house so that it is not easily seen.
Because he was a child of a high-ranking family, he was wealthy and the space was large.
The princess was confined to a villa owned by the duke and grew up without the love of her parents.
The day she was beaten and kicked out of her villa for accidentally breaking an expensive bowl, the nurse first learned that the duke had a daughter.
Oh my face is so damaged.
These were the words she said to her nanny on her first day face to face with her princess.
At that time, the nanny was so scared of her princess that she could not even meet her eyes.
This was because the pale skin like a corpse, jet-black hair, black pupils that seemed to swallow the world, and the blue blood vessels sprouting from the center of the left eye, which was covered with an eyepatch, were eerie.
The nurse thought as she saw the princess applying her ointment.
She's like a witch from a fairy tale.
A being that dries out crops, kills them, and curses people to make them very ill.
Even as she caressed her wounds with that expensive ointment, the nanny worried that she might be selling her soul to the devil.
That's how the nanny's life at the villa began.
The villa was smaller than the duke's residence, and there was only one person to attend.
The people I worked with were friendly, and the surrounding scenery was beautiful, so it was better than working at the Duke's mansion.
Everything was perfect except for the princess who was scared to even make eye contact with her.
The princess truly looked like a witch.
She noticed that the nanny was afraid of her eyes, so she took off her eye patch every time she encountered the nanny and enjoyed the reaction.
Are you scared of my eyes? If I avoid eye contact, will I get hurt?
It was difficult to say that the princess's left eye was beautiful, even in empty words.
This was because there was a blue lump sitting where her eyeball should be, as if someone had stuck it in.
The blue blood vessels that stood out around it pulsated in time with the heartbeat.
Every time the princess did something like that, the nanny didn't know what to do and she couldn't help but cry.
By the time her princess's eyes got used to it, in the nanny's perception, her princess had changed from a witch to a mischievous person.
Contrary to her first impression, the princess was a flawless and bright girl.
She was just a tomboy who liked to tease the servants.
She would go up to the roof and look down at the servants stamping their feet, or she would hide in her closet and play hide and seek when no one wanted her to.
Listening to that giggling laugh, you could tell that one of the servants was having trouble again.
Ever since her nurse stopped being afraid of her, the princess always had her nurse by her side.
This is because the nanny was the only person of his age in the villa.
The nanny was not very gifted with words, so most of the talking she did was the princess.
Since the princess spent most of her days in the garden at her villa, her nanny also stayed in the garden for a long time.
In a place with a roof made of glass, where ash never fell, the princess looked up at the sky, which was cloudy rather than the flowers in the garden that were taking her gaze.
Doesn't this villa look like a birdcage?
I might have had that thought while looking at the grid-patterned sky through the ceiling bars.
However, the nanny thought that I would like to be locked in a cage like this.
A stunning old house overlooking the sea located in Octantium, a garden full of flowers without having to clean up her ashes, delicacies from the mountains and seas pouring in every day, and even her servants who take care of her.
To her nurse's ears, the princess's words sounded like the complaints of a well-fed noblewoman.
Everyone in the world lives with pain.
In the nanny's opinion, the princess was enjoying too much for a sick person.
That's what she thought.
Until she heard that the Duke and Duchess had already dug a grave for her on the hill behind her villa, and that she had never once visited her villa.
On the day the curse fell on my left eye, they imprisoned me here and never said a word. Oh, was there nothing more to say?
Because a grave is enough.
The princess smiled and spoke to the nanny as if she were talking about someone else's business.
I'll give you everything you need.
A luxury that others cannot afford.
But you can't get out of here.
Live happily, chirping like a bird for the rest of your life, and then die here.
It wasn't that difficult to understand the Duke's intentions.
Satisfied with the sun shining through the window, withering away day by day.
That was the life the princess was allowed to live.
The nurse realized how brightly her princess had grown up in this environment.
She did not want to live according to the Duke's wishes.
At that moment, in the eyes of her nurse, the princess was no longer a witch or a prankster.
Just a little girl abandoned by her parents.
But I really don't like that. Since you treated me like a bird, I plan to peck you somehow with my beak.
Still, the princess smiled brightly.
Like a bad boy who thought of a funny prank.
The nurse felt sorry for her princess, but she thought there was nothing she could do.
If the duke said so, she would do as he said.
It only took her a year to realize that she was mistaken.
From then on, whenever the day was clear, the princess would sit in her garden, pull back her blindfold, lift her left eye, and look up at the sky.
The princess looked up at the sky with her eyes sparkling in the sunlight for a while, and like an astrologer, she predicted the future for her servants.
My left eye. You can see the stars even during the day.
The servants quickly realized that it was her princess's new prank.
But when she was told to be careful because something bad would happen in the future, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
It would not have been easy for her to listen to her words in vain if she was under the gaze of that blue gem.
Since the nurse no longer thought her princess was a witch, she thought she was lying.
However, contrary to her nurse's expectations, a few days later, a servant found the princess on her knees crying, saying that the prophecy had come true.
True to the prophecy of her princess to be careful of her wheels, her mother was hit by her carriage and was seriously injured, and when she listened to her advice to stay close to water, she miraculously recovered.
Starting with that servant, people began to believe in the princess's astrology one by one.
Then the nanny thought.
Even though the princess's left eye may not be able to see anything, her words have the power to attract and seduce people.
She said it was a princess's unique talent that no one could dare imitate.
As the nanny had guessed, people came to the quiet villa one by one, drawn by her talent.
The fisherman who was catching fish in the sea right in front of her, the gardener in the mansion next door, and the general storemen and pharmacists who were doing business nearby heard the rumor spread by the servant and first visited the princess.
The princess accepted anyone who came to see her fortune telling.
Her princess's astrology was becoming more accurate with each passing day, and she was surprisingly good at it.
No, it's not astrology or anything like that.
People acted as if they were mad at her princess's left eye and her speaking skills.
They freely interpreted her princess's words to fit her own situation, and when anything good happened, they attributed it to her princess.
It is said that one of the people around the villa who came to see her fortune heard her prophecy and saved her life.
Another person boasted that he had won a thousand gold.
The rumor was several times more exaggerated than the truth and spread throughout Octantium.
I heard that the daughter of the Von Loren family reads fortunes at the villa?
Did the duke have a daughter?
I guess they hid it because they were cursed by Mana. The princess said that during the day when her sun was up, she read her stars with her special eyes and saw her fate to come.
No, I heard she sold one of her eyes to the devil and got future vision in return.
About a year after the princess started reading her fortune, people called her a daytime astrologer or a witch who had sold her eyes to the devil.
The princess said it didn't matter what she was called, as long as she was called.
If she can't get out of the cage, all she has to do is call the world into it.
It was then that the nurse realized her princess's plan.
The fact that the princess pretends to be an astrologer with her special eyes is to reveal to the world her true self, who had to remain hidden as a member of the von Loren family.
The woman who was imprisoned because of her eyes was taking revenge on her ducal family with her eyes.
The more successful she is, the more she suffers from problems that cannot be solved, and the more she wants to rely on superstitions.
As the rumor spread widely in the capital, merchants and influential people from the capital soon came bringing gold to get a glimpse of her face.
The princess did not pay a single glance at the wealth that was accumulating in her mansion, but she also did not discriminate against people like before.
Among those who came to visit was Duke von Lorraine.
Her father, the duke, came forward at the request of a merchant who did not want to wait to meet the princess.
Although she seemed likely to refuse, the princess sincerely looked into the fortune of the merchant who had followed the duke.
I'm sorry, I was wrong.
Did she want to say that?
Or was she happy that she succeeded in getting revenge?
The princess cried loudly as she watched the Duke leave in silence with the merchant who had seen her fortune.
That was the first time the nanny saw tears in her blue eyes.
From that day on, the princess did not receive anyone at her villa.
The garden, once bustling with dignitaries who came to catch a glimpse of their fate, was unusually quiet.
The princess withered day by day like a flower in a flower bed.
She no longer smiled or looked up at the sky, and she grew thin from not eating properly.
Then one late night, an uninvited guest came to the garden, breaking the ceiling.
Although he is not fully grown yet, he has a sturdy physique and an inverted triangle-shaped body that cannot be covered by clothes.
Golden hair like a lion, prominent cheekbones and well-developed jaw muscles, a harmonious hooked nose on an angular face, and three-white eyes raised within slitted eyes.
The smell of her alcohol wafted through her mana, which was as strong as her impression.
An uninvited guest spoke as he fell into the garden with a shower of glass shards.
Are you that famous astrologer?
This was the first meeting between the heir of the royal kingdom who wanted to become a knight and the princess who had to become a witch.