Chapter 33

My whole body was on fire at the very unexpected answer.

Then the passionate waltz ended, and he let me go with a smile. In the end, I had to participate in the cake cutting ceremony in a dazed state.

I didn’t even know if it was a cake or someone’s skull I was splitting.

After that, the engagement dinner was over while I was eating in the same dazed state.

I hurriedly returned to my room and flopped on the bed.

“…Hardcore?!”

What kind of forewarning was that for the first night…?

Without realizing it, I held my body tightly with both arms.

‘What the hell are you expecting tonight, crazy man……’

I couldn’t even imagine how he would come out at night. I only had the feeling that a ‘healthy and productive discussion tonight’ was out of the question.

I felt thirsty for no reason, so I drank ice water –  made using my ability.

Still, it wasn’t easy to calm down.

“Your Majesty.”

My eyes turned towards the door.

“This is Lucia. I heard you called for me.”

“Come in.”

Lucia opened the door and walked towards me.

It was the first time I had seen her since the day of the high priest’s visit.

When I remembered that I had a story I wanted to share with her, my tumultuous heart slowly calmed and I regained my composure.

We sat facing each other, with teacups in front of us. When the tea was almost ready, Lucia pulled out an earring from her arms and held it to me.

It was the red magic stone earring.

“Thank you for coming to me.”

Lucia seemed to have picked out what to say while the tea leaves were boiling. She asked me quite directly.

“…Your Majesty, did you deliberately send me to the garden?”

She was also a clever woman. I looked at her with eyes that neither affirmed nor denied it.

“Well, why do you think so?”

Lucia blinked her bright, clear eyes like a verdant green forest, then unraveled her thoughts.

“I am the only maid selected by Your Majesty.”

“Even though I have a reputation that is not suitable for a maid… you have chosen me personally.”

“…….”

“You probably thought I could be useful.”

I asked quietly, “Therefore?”

An unwavering reply returned.

“The red magic stone earrings were just an excuse.”

“……”

“Your Majesty is in a sensitive position to go directly into the meeting with the High Priest, so you used me to deal with Duchess Deborah, didn’t you?”

Lucia continued after taking in a slow breath.

“You made a chessboard in advance, and you used me as your checkmate.”

To my satisfaction, she exceeded my expectations.

Lucia Hermes.

She was the daughter of Octavia Hermes, smart and quick-witted.

She never collapsed from any frustrating thing, and even gave up her dream of becoming a knight for the sake of her only brother.

I liked the tenacity to persevere that she showed in the original.

If planted in good soil and given sufficient water and nutrition, I thought she would grow into a very wonderful person.

‘Didn’t she dream of being a knight in the original story? In the end, becoming the youngest official Sword Master.’

In the original story, she learned how to use magic after entering the ‘Valderi Order’, a transnational knighthood called the holy land of knights.(TL/N: for clarity, it’s a knighthood that extends or operates across national boundaries.)

And she became the youngest official sword master certified by the Valderi Order.

Of course, the real youngest sword master was Rixus, but it was unofficial.

At the time he met me, I had already seen the buds of a sword master, and the moment he opened his eyes after defeating the curse, he reached the level of a sword master.

‘…I feel pity for myself for needing to deal with such a monster as a natural enemy.’

Hmm, it was pitiful.

But of course, I had almost beaten him several times.

The Spinel family lineage was only unpleasant to me, but ironically, it presented me with tremendous power.

‘Anyway, in the original story, there was only an indication that she would become a sword master later.’

It was presumed that she was late in fulfilling her dream of becoming a knight because she was making a living.

It was a waste of her talent, she was an unfortunate genius.

I looked at her hand. Calluses and fresh scars were visible.

It looked like she was practicing secretly.

“Lucia, are you offended that I used you?”

If she was left as an enemy, she was sure to become a big trouble threatening my survival.

I looked at her with cold eyes.

Hot emotions swirled in her eyes.

“…How dare I, how can I… Your Majesty the Queen… Your Majesty is my savior.”

Tears welled up Lucia’s eyes.

“I’ve been hoping to get revenge on Duchess Deborah at least once in my life.”

“I am grateful to Your Majesty.”

Lucia’s voice contained a desperate sincerity that was also seen in her eyes.

“There is nothing to be grateful for. We just served each other’s purposes.”

I replied indifferently, and pushed the red magic stone earring back towards her.

“This is yours.”

“!”

“Pay your brother’s tuition with this.”

Lucia’s eyes widened.

“Your Majesty… how can I take such a precious–!”

I then took a small box out of a drawer and held it out.

There was an abundance of gems such as sapphires, diamonds and rubies.

“With this, you and your brother can sustain yourselves. Use it for the necessary travel expenses and join the Valderi Order.”

“Your Majesty……”

“You will become a great knight in the future.”

“……”

“From now on, never stop dreaming. Make it come true.”

Lucia looked as if she was dreaming, and soon shed tears. Her trembling hands did not even dare to hold the box.

This was not the end of what I had to give her.

I pulled out a small document and handed it to her.

The seal of King Spinel was clearly engraved.

“This is Count Hermes’ amnesty.”

The monarchs of each country receive only one ‘special amnesty’ during their reign.

It was the authority to pardon a prisoner who was imprisoned after an international trial.

It was a pardon of great value when used for political purposes, but I wanted to use it for Lucia.

Lucia received the pardon with trembling hands, and tears were streaming down her face.

She fell to the floor as if she had collapsed and pressed her forehead towards me.

“Your Majesty! With my blood, my bones and my heart, I swear!”

“……”

“That Lucia Hermes will become a knight and will surely return to Your Majesty’s side.”

Lucia’s voice trembled with weeping, but it was full of zeal.

“At that time, please use me as your own sword.”

“…….”

“I will give my life.”

It was very reassuring. Because she was the second strongest knight after Rixus. I couldn’t tell if she would become a sword master first, or if I would die first……

“I’m willing to wait for that day.”

I sincerely cheered her on and smiled.

* * *

Before the night came–

While taking a break with the maids, I heard a man’s voice.

“Your Majesty the Queen, His Highness the Crown Prince has a message.”

…Rixus? There was still time left before I had to go to the bedroom.

‘What the hell is going on?’

As I blinked, Seryl solemnly shouted.

“Come in!”

Gray hair and emerald eyes. A young man with white skin and wearing a monocle came in.

His name was Ires Coltman. He was the lieutenant of Rixus.

“What’s going on?”

After he bowed his head to my question and gave his greetings, he spoke in a very formal tone.

“His Highness, Crown Prince Rixus, told me to tell you this. Excuse me for a moment.”

When I gave him a puzzled look, Ires brought his fist towards his face and cleared his throat loudly, and mimicked Rixus.

“Berylia, today is the first night of our engagement, so shall we shower together?”

Laura, who was drinking tea gracefully, went ‘Uckk!’, spewing it out.

Seryl dropped the blueberries she was eating.

Maribel quietly laughed like a sly chick.

I stared at him stiffly with my mouth open in surprise.

‘Crazy… Sending a lieutenant to say something like this, not a note?!’

As Ires imitated Rixus so well, the atmosphere was even more embarrassing and awkward.

Because it was like Rixus himself was speaking.

I said calmly, trying to erase my expression of embarrassment.

“…Go and tell the Crown Prince.”

“……”

“I will refuse.”

To announce the beginning of ‘hardcore’ in this way.

How could we get into the bath together while holding hands? The pace was too fast.

Ires, who had given everyone a shock, bowed in a businesslike manner.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will tell him.”

* * *

“Her Majesty the Queen has told me that she’ll reject it. And don’t ever make me do that again. I thought I was going to die from shame.”

Ires covered his face with both hands and trembled.

Rixus leaned back on the long sofa, slowly bringing the wine glass to his mouth, and answered dryly.

“I ordered knowing it would be embarrassing.”

“…You have bad taste.”

“I know.”

Ires, who was about to protest more, saw Rixus’s cold eyes for a moment and kept his mouth shut.

It was not easy to rebel against the owner who had such a ‘psychopathic gaze that could destroy the floor.’

In fact, it took Ires 10 years to even talk back to Rixus for the first time.

Ires, whose rebelliousness was healed by itself just by looking at him, politely asked.

“Now what are you going to do…? Are you going to go in person?”

“Well.”

Rixus thought deeply as he tapped the table with his long fingers. Then he said,

“Somehow, I think I know how to make the proud queen come to me.”

“…How??”

Rixus raised a corner of his mouth up arrogantly and gave an order.

“Ires, tell her this right now.”

“What?”

* * *

“Why are you back?”

I looked at Ires who had returned and asked curiously.

Ires looked at me with an indifferent expression and opened his mouth.

“I brought the Crown Prince’s answer.”

Well, thinking back, he even came to me personally when I rejected his proposal, so sending an answer back was quite minor.

Anyway, I thought that I couldn’t accept such a scary suggestion no matter what kind of response he gave.

“What the Crown Prince had to say is…”

The words Ires uttered afterward, completely stimulated me.(TL/N: Well, the hangul says ‘stimulated’, but it’s more in the ‘irritated’ sense. Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I thought I better say it before y’all get disappointed.)

Ame: Don’t worry y’all, there’s another mass update in a few days’ time! Enjoy this new short and hot arc!