Ludmilla was currently in a predicament!
The heir of the Red Dragon… a member of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States… a great knight who has been guarding the Valtarian Empire!
Despite being an almost invincible existence, there were unavoidable challenges. What’s worse, the current situation was a headache that had her sighing heavily.
“I don’t wanna! It has to be Maximilian!!”
“But…”
The Valtarian Imperial Family ended the long-standing relationship with the Hohenberc Family by imposing a hefty compensation due to the annulment of engagement.
Then, Emperor Barbarossa summoned the ministers to find a new match.
Was it because of the backlash against Maximilian? Or perhaps it was a determination not to let the youngest daughter become a spinster like the second daughter?
Without asking the concerned youngest daughter, they hastily made a decision. In response to the internal strife within the Valtarian Imperial Family caused by this, Ludmilla decided to step in.
“Forget about Maximilian. He’s already moved on.”
“Are you telling me to just accept defeat?!”
Ludmilla spoke calmly as if admonishing her.
In return, a fierce retort flew back.
“The problem is that woman who stole my fiancé! So why should I give up?!”
Despite enduring the humiliation of being notified of the annulment, Elizaveta remained steadfast in her feelings for Maximilian. She even threatened not to give up the engagement.
My partner is only Maximilian!
Her determination was clear in her piercing blue eyes.
The stubborn conflict between her father and brother would soon lead to a clash. Worrying about that, Ludmilla tried to find a compromise. More precisely, she needed to persuade her sister who was denying the annulment. There was no going against the imperial decree that had already been set.
“First, let’s look at the documents. I’ve selected excellent and intelligent candidates from the Empire.”
“I don’t need them!”
“You’re twenty now. You need to hurry before you miss the marriageable age.”
“Hmph! You’re twenty-seven this year, so you shouldn’t be saying that! If you want such a handsome groom, why not marry him yourself?!”
She touched the dragon’s reverse scale.
A taboo that must never be mentioned.
Grind.
The sound of her teeth grinding echoed through the air.
“Ah, aaaaah! I’m sorry! I was wrong, sister—!!”
The impudent younger sister, who had disrespected her spinster sister, was immediately put in a headlock.
Buried in her ample bosom.
At the same time, the powerful grip began to compress her head.
If her head gets squashed like this, wouldn’t it turn from 0 to 8? It was such a cruel punishment that it suddenly made her think that way. Elizaveta screamed and shouted her surrender.
“But… I really love Maximilian. I know, I’m a fool.”
“……”
I know.
Better than anyone else, I know.
That he’s in love with that damned woman and ran off with the Saintess right after the annulment was declared.
But still, I couldn’t give up.
Even knowing that stubbornness would only lead to my own misery.
Seeing her younger sister’s resolute demeanor, Ludmilla felt perplexed. She couldn’t bring herself to press her royal duties and responsibilities upon her beloved sister to force a marriage against her will.
‘W-What should I do…?’
Ludmilla was a member of the continent’s Seven Heroes, yet ironically, she was nearly ignorant when it came to romantic affairs.
At 27 years old, she had never been in a relationship.
Her sole focus had been on growing stronger through martial arts.
Her purity would astonish even the most chaste of nuns. It was an impossible feat without having been exiled to a land inhabited solely by women. It was almost akin to the very being being forbidden from interacting with men.
‘It would be nice if someone could solve this conundrum…’
Someone skilled in romantic affairs…
Someone witty and eloquent.
And someone who could cut the obsession with Maximilian.
While pondering, Ludmilla cautiously recalled someone she had met in the east.
*
While the Valtarian Imperial Family was troubled over engagements, the Hohenberc Family was facing a different problem.
“Damn it…! It dropped again!”
Hoping for a second industrial revolution, they had invested in iron-related stocks, only to record a staggering 20% deficit.
Damn it all! A war broke out in the kingdom from which they imported iron ore.
Was it perhaps due to their scheming to take advantage of the times? A slew of misfortunes befell them as the stock price plummeted. It was a matter of either losing investment if they sold now, so they opted for long-term investments.
[Imperial Technology Department, Special Bolt Action Development.]
[The Knight Order of the Balua Kingdom utterly defeated by black powder.]
[“Chicken and pizza aren’t sex.” A Royal Academy professor scolded the classroom audience.]
All newspapers published in the Imperial City had a common feature.
Praising towards national pride.
Reports from war correspondents traversing the battlefields.
And trivial and cliché stories happening all over the Empire.
It felt like a waste of subscription fees.
They almost wanted to deliver a bomb to the newspaper office.
Of course, it was a relief that there were no articles related to the Saintess Party.
“This is like a staff that shoots lightning! It was so loud, my ears almost fell off.”
“Right.”
Luel, who was examining the newspaper on the desk, tilted his head in confusion.
A staff that shoots lightning.
To a child’s eyes, that seemed to be the form of firearms.
“There was something similar in Edan’s drawer! But it was much smaller…”
“I told you not to peek. There aren’t any jelly candies in the office drawer.”
At 3 PM, it was time for tea.
As they exited the office, a girl in a dress followed behind them.
The gazes of the servants who worked in house chores were concentrated.
It seemed they had completely welcomed the girl who came to visit with a heavy travel bag as one of their own, creating a warm atmosphere.
“I specially prepared chocolate cake, Fairy Lady!”
“Ooo! I can’t wait!”
The short girl with bright green hair became the mascot of the Saintess Party and representative of the Hohenberc Family. She captured the hearts of many servants just like a panda making its first appearance in a zoo.
It was truly immense popularity.
At this rate, she might just steal the family away from them. Though it seems they already lost the popularity contest.
“Make sure to eat a lot. We have to work until dawn.”
“Ugh…! Edan is such a wicked boss!”
They were currently in the process of securing measures to repay the immense compensation the Valtarian Empire had requested.
7.8 billion Rashel.
It was genuinely a terrifying amount.
It must be intended to continuously torment the Hohenberc Family.
But they didn’t complain toward the Imperial Family.
Having committed an offense worthy of a death penalty, they hadn’t just let things slide, but instead, had to comply with the compensation due to the Emperor’s grace.
‘There were a few incidents in the newspaper that caught my attention.’
Bombing in the Savoia Duchy.
A mysterious fire broke out in the Alonde Kingdom.
Whether it was a coincidence or not, both the Savoia Duchy and the Alonde Kingdom were the places of origin of the mercenary king and Sword Saint, both members of the Saintess Party. Moreover, the locations where the incidents occurred were close to their hometowns.
Was it an accident?
Or a deliberate attack?
Naturally, they had to be sensitive regarding the loss of life that occurred along with the disappearance of the Saintess Party.
If an unknown force had schemed to take revenge on the members of the Saintess Party, it would certainly target the Hohenberc County. That assumption left me feeling apprehensive.
“Eat slowly. Just don’t eat my cake too.”
“Do you think I would?!”
I wiped her chocolate-smudged mouth with a napkin.
It felt like taking care of my niece.
Since that damned brother left me with her, she was practically like my niece anyway.
While staring at the awkwardly smiling Rue, I lifted my fork.
*
Revenge isn’t just targeted at its object but also extends to their kin.
I saw this coming.
Hero Maximilian was like an eternal nemesis to the villains.
He mercilessly slaughtered the evildoers who opposed the Saintess. Since he had carried out the executions with no shred of compassion, it was only natural for the karma to grow against the Iron Blooded Hero.
Eventually, that karma would point toward the Hohenberc Family.
Perhaps today would be that day.
As I reflected on this, I waited for karma to strike the Hero’s family.
‘If they do attack… it would probably be in the early dawn when defenses are lax.’
The pitch-black night is darker than any veil.
It’s a barrier for both the ones hiding and the ones seeking to catch them.
If both parties were to face each other in a space indoctrinated with darkness, what would become of them? Surely, the one most accustomed to the pitch-black darkness would seize the initiative.
“Edanant von Hohenberc…! I hear you’re the blood of Hero Maximilian.”
“Are you here for revenge? How petty.”
When I stepped out of the office, having left the fairy dozing off like a chick, I was met with a dark shadow while holding documents in both hands.
A face obscured by a mask.
A sharp blade dangling below.
Black leather armor that housed numerous weapons.
Is that an assassin mentioned in the newspaper?
Or perhaps a new assassin deployed this time?
Regardless, what mattered now was that there was a suspicious person brandishing a sword right before me.
“Draw your sword. I won’t kill the blood of my enemy with empty hands…”
“So polite for an assassin, aren’t you?”
How interesting that an assassin values honor.
I graciously accepted his kindness.
And to reciprocate that kindness, I didn’t grab the hilt but the trigger instead and fired.
Bang-!!
The bullet hit the assassin squarely between the eyes.
With the sharp gunshot, the pile of documents that had been in the air now danced around the room.
Despite being an assassin planning to kill, the man who had benevolently offered a slight favor was instantly killed by the piercing gunshot.
He fell with his eyes wide open, as if unable to comprehend what had just happened.
“Why did it have to be today? Tomorrow is the weekend… I can’t believe that damned scoundrel made so many people lose sleep tonight.”
I muttered as I holstered my smoking gun.
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