I believed.
I believed in Alicia.
My first subordinate, the first person who took my dream seriously.
A person who fully supported my dream of someday overcoming my brother and father to ascend to the throne.
The only one who devotedly pledged loyalty to me without any ulterior motive was Alicia, and she still is.
Of course, back then, we had nothing.
So even if we helped each other, there was almost nothing material we could do.
We were just a bunch of ignored and scorned people who became incredibly close as friends, simply supporting each other.
That was enough.
I was truly worthy of being a king.
And Alicia, well, the foolish Yevgenia folks just couldn’t see her exceptional academic talent.
What we needed was comrades who believed in each other and had each other’s backs.
That was it, and as soon as we had that, we began to soar.
While my brother indulged in pleasures, luxury, and women celebrating his succession, I gritted my teeth and trained in magic and swordsmanship.
Alicia tirelessly researched magic with the stolen books and the pocket money I supported her with.
As a result, I was able to surpass my fallen brother.
When my brother, overwhelmed with inferiority, challenged me to a duel, I dealt him a crushing defeat and turned the public opinion around.
Even the former king, my father, who stepped in to pacify things, was defeated in the duel and couldn’t insist anymore.
I was crowned as the princess.
And with that, I stopped pretending to be crazy.
Instead, I used the weaknesses I had gradually gathered since childhood to preemptively exile the treasonous families and make those yet to be subjugated by Palana kneel down to become my subordinates.
One of them was Yevgenia.
At the time, Alicia was confirmed to be recruited to the Magic Tower, allowing her to gain a considerable voice even in Yevgenia.
When we met again as subordinate and royalty, we had risen to a position that no one could ignore.
I was beginning to think that I had an eye for subordinates.
After that, Alicia and I became even closer.
It was no longer just a relationship of king and subordinate.
Some expressed concern that I favored one subordinate too much.
Every time that happened, I couldn’t help but find it ridiculous.
How could Alicia even be compared to those guys?
She was a loyal retainer, perhaps even more precious than my life.
She had supported me since I was nothing.
Of course, I couldn’t help but favor her.
I had never doubted Alicia’s moral qualities and character.
After gaining power in Yevgenia, instead of using her strength for revenge, she used it to help the released children.
Alicia secured a budget and instructed to establish an orphanage.
The orphanage helped the released children in Yevgenia to at least solve their basic needs for food and clothing, and arranged for jobs.
As a result, the children dying of freezing in winter almost disappeared.
They became valuable figures, filling the lack of labor in the north.
Although the orphanage always operated at a deficit, considering the increased production and subsequent increase in tax revenue, it was essentially profitable.
For that reason.
I believed.
I believed in Alicia.
I wanted to believe in Alicia.
“What are you? Speak properly. You never mentioned you went to Elvenguard. But how do these elders recognize your face?”
“……”
At my interrogation, Alicia stood still, trembling.
She couldn’t make any excuses.
I wanted to believe it wasn’t true.
I wanted to believe in Alicia.
But all the circumstances and evidence were saying that Alicia betrayed me and hid Yoo Jin.
Who would have known?
That the rabbit I trusted and cherished would stab me in the foot.
That a bond of nearly ten years would shatter like this.
Now that I think about it, since returning from the south, Alicia had been going around without her libido suppressor.
I thought she seemed much prettier and more natural compared to how she used to act like an emotionless machine.
But Alicia’s beauty was not because she stopped the suppressor.
It was because she was in love.
She had a man in her heart, and that’s how she changed.
Even worse, it wasn’t just any man, it was MY man.
A retainer had unreasonably taken the queen’s man.
In the end, Alicia was no different from any other rabbit demihuman.
She was essentially the same as those rabbits driven mad by lust.
Thinking that, tears flowed endlessly.
I never dreamed I would lose my most cherished and beloved retainer like this.
“Ha……”
What should I do about Alicia?
During my time in the south, I was lost in contemplation.
But a conclusion soon came to me.
What I had to do was clear.
“I’ve placed Alicia under magical arrest and confined her in the rear cage carriage.”
“Ha. Good job.”
“But, my lord. Are you really going to torture Alicia? Still…”
“I won’t forgive anyone who betrays me. There must be an example in times like this. Bodyguard knight, are you willing to be the example instead of Alicia?”
“No, my lord! I misspoke.”
“Then let’s get moving.”
“Yes.”
After bowing and apologizing, the bodyguard knight grabbed the reins and charged to the front of the procession.
It was time to return to Palana.
Just as I mentioned earlier.
Once this procession safely arrives at Palana, I’ll have no choice but to torture Alicia to extract all the information.
And if Alicia confesses that she tried to take MY man, I will demote and purge all the key figures of Yevgenia.
Of course, provided we arrive as ‘safely’ as intended.
“What?! The cage carriage door is open!”
“She escaped? How?! I’m sure we put the magical bindings on her!”
All hell broke loose.
Alicia had escaped and jumped out of the carriage.
Watching everyone panic and scramble about was quite amusing.
“Well. Just as planned.”
Because this was all a scheme of mine.
This procession was designed to ensure it would NEVER arrive safely at Palana.
Inside the cage, there must have been a protruding nail that broke through the wall.
Alicia likely used that to destroy the magical bindings and then severed the cage with wind magic to jump out.
The sounds were all blocked by my barrier, so it’s no wonder they realized it so late.
Everything was leading up to Alicia’s escape.
‘Hehehe. There’s no way I’d harm that cute kid.’
I’d take her to the torture chamber and make her confess everything, then declare the purge of Yevgenia.
The naive Alicia would believe it all and would be scared out of her wits.
So she’d have no choice but to attempt an escape.
“My lord! Alicia has escaped! I’m so ashamed…”
“Hmmm. Then we must track down the runaway.”
Dismissing the panicking bodyguards, I stepped off the carriage.
I planned to pursue Alicia after a slight delay.
Alicia would try to hide her tracks by covering her scent and scattering her footprints…
But that wouldn’t be enough to shake me off.
I could sense the lingering traces of mana that the bodyguard knights couldn’t detect.
Alicia was in the palm of my hand.
She would likely go to Yoo Jin to ask for help.
I just needed to ambush them at her final destination.
“Heh. Hmm. This way…? Ugh?!”
As I pushed through the bushes.
While pretending to chase after Alicia’s mana traces, a chilling sensation jolted my instincts.
Swish!
I quickly stepped back.
The invisible force flew over the spot I had just occupied, knocking down a few trees.
Crash!
The trees fell beside me.
‘Wind magic?’
But it didn’t feel like I sensed any mana fluctuation in the area.
The power was too strong.
Besides, the fact that my instincts were triggered meant it was a physical attack, not magic.
“Hahaha! I thought you might dodge, but it seems your reflexes are sharp!”
“Murderer…”
“Pleasure to meet you! King Palana!”
Emerging from the bushes was none other than a pale-faced young man with a longsword on his shoulder.
Though by age, I should call him an old corpse…
It was Trancilvia.
He was definitely the blood ghoul known by that name.
The bodyguard knights immediately drew their swords, blocking his path.
“I recently became interested in the Frost-style that’s said to be passed down only in the royal family of Palana! From what I’ve heard, it’s a beast-like swordsmanship that requires the use of your whole body, right? I’d say it’s more like body technique than swordsmanship! Anyway, I’ve come to request a sparring session!”
“I don’t have time for that. If that’s the case, feel free to come back anytime for a proper match.”
“There’s no need for formalities. I’ll be satisfied if we can just clash swords here and I can go home!”
“Get out of the way! I’m in pursuit of a fugitive!”
“If that’s the case, then we should finish the spar quickly, shouldn’t we?”
He wasn’t listening.
Facing the ever-calm Trancilvia made my teeth grind.
Thanks to his appearance, the flow of mana around here was entirely messed up.
Tracking Alicia became even more difficult.
If time slips by, I might really lose Alicia and become unable to catch up.
Would it be faster to kill this murderer with my bodyguard knights’ cooperation, or to comply with his spar request?
‘Damn it.’
No matter how I think, the latter is definitely faster.
What Trancilvia requested was not a fight to the death but a spar.
If a battle ensues, I can’t guarantee the survival of my bodyguard knights, but in a swordsmanship match where our mana is sealed, I can quickly overwhelm him.
“Bodyguard knights, step back.”
“My lord?! There’s no need to listen to such an impudent person’s words…!”
“This is the fastest way to end this. If you wish, I’ll make him realize his place.”
“Hahaha! How magnificently bold! Just like a mad princess who overwhelmed the prince and king to ascend the throne!”
“……”
I pushed past the bodyguards and stepped forward.
There was a certain amusement in watching how long that laugh would last.
I drew my sword and silently exchanged glances with the blood ghoul.
‘Let me show you what the Frost-style that has come closest to the union of sword and spirit looks like.’
My Frost-style had undergone the most modifications in my hands.
Although the Frost-style hadn’t yet blossomed into the ultimate technique of union, right now, it was more practical and sharper than ever.
I was confident I could smash the corpses of ghouls like him.
“Hoh. Quite an unusual posture. It feels as if I’m facing a beast.”
“……!”
Trancilvia lowered his stance, smirking.
In that moment, a chill and shiver ran down my spine.
My spine went cold.
Why is this happening?
He was just an old corpse who had amassed notoriety for bullying the weak for so long.
How is he exuding such a menacing aura…?
‘Well. Having lived long, it’s not surprising for the corpse to become imbued with false energy.’
I shook off the distractions and sprang forward.
I’d subdue this blood ghoul as quickly as possible.
Then I would chase after Alicia.
“Khahaha! Beast-like girl! Let’s see if you can amuse me!”
With that determination, I carelessly raised my sword.
“Dakia-style secrets.”
“……!”
In that moment,
The blood ghoul’s atmosphere shifted dramatically.
From a long-dead corpse, a potent aura began to emanate.
“Iron Blood Storm Slash!”
