Chapter 74: 74

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*Here we go, guys. The earlier part that led to the prologue and the prologue is here*

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“We only need to wait three or five more days.”

The commander in chief of the 13 Kingdoms’s Allied Forces murmured.

The land with artificial rainwater would completely collapse by then. It was their strategy to launch an all-out assault at that time.

The only survivors would be the emperor who was protected by the eyes of the heir. In addition, a few guinea pigs. After all, the Princess was the emperor’s twin. At least if they had been ordinary siblings, the eyes of succession would not have exhibited their special powers.

In any case, after the emperor, who was completely defeated, signed the document of surrender, the imperial Princess with the eye of succession would also be stuck in place.

After that, the imperial Princess may marry a certain Prince from the 13 Kingdoms. From there, there would be another friction that would be intense, but it was a matter that had nothing to do with the commander in chief.

“Commander!”

“What’s going on?”

“The support forces have arrived to help Delo!”

“What?!”

The 13 Kingdoms’s Union had meticulously planned to ensure that even if a support army was sent from the Delo Empire, it could not easily reach this hilly area. Even if there was one, it would take two weeks to arrive. A magical relic with extraneous power made that absurd strategy easier.

Besides, it was clear which countries the Delo Empire bordered. No kingdom located on the side of the 13 Kingdoms’s Union would help Delo….

“It’s Hildes!”

“Hildes?!”

The commander in chief of the 13 Kingdoms’s Union let out a breaking voice. Suddenly that western kingdom. Why? What difference does it make from the word that knights sprang up from the sea and soldiers and horses appeared from the sky?

“Protect the holy relics! It must be protected!”

The Commander in chief  hurriedly regrouped his troops toward the castle. It was a life-or-death battle for the 13 Kingdoms’s Union. The holy relics were located so high in the hills that it was called a “mountain,” and not only knights but also wizards protected the relics.

“……?”

The Commander-in-Chief, who was running right toward the holy relics, turned back as he felt a chill.

“……!”

Then his eyes widened, as if they were slit open. In front of him stood a man with armor. The pattern of the kingdom was inscribed in the center of it. The Commander-in-Chief murmured.

“Hildes….”

The Commander-in-Chief coughed up blood without finishing his sentence.

“Commander-in-Chief!”

“It’s a raid! We’ve been raided by Hildes!”

Red blood fell sickeningly from the sword that had decapitated the allied troops who jumped at him as they were. The Lord of the Hildes kingdom walked great strides toward the raining mountain.

“Die!”

Sword-wielding knights of the 13 Kingdoms’s Union tumbled down the slope, dead or wounded. Below, the Delo’s Royal Army were capturing them.

On sensing that it was an emergency situation, they had already released the maximum capacity value of their holy relics. Here, where there had been little rain, it suddenly rained heavily now. 

The silver hair of the Lord glowed pale and wet with rainwater and blood. His bright blue eyes were as horrifying as a ravenous beast biting its prey. (*I use ‘Lord’ for Shed because if I use ‘King’ it’ll be easy to misunderstand his brother who is actually the King of Hildes.)

“Why on earth would Hildes help that insane tyrant! You are  a murderer just like him!”

“Are you a wizard?” (Shed)

“……!”

The low voice drifting to his ears caught a ray of hope from the wizard who had been shouting so loudly. He could keep this madman (Shed) off guard and attack him from behind.

“Yes…….! I am a wizard, not a knight. So only death …… ah!”

Blood gushed from the wizard’s chest. The dagger the wizard had been secretly preparing in the shadow fell vainly to the floor. There was no way this wizard, now out of breath, could have known that this Lord was solely hostile to the wizards.

“Ha.”

The royal brother of the King of Hildes. He let out a low breath and looked up into the high void. The rain that poured down without rest gave the illusion of loneliness on all sides. 

But this was a feeling that would not last long. Shed, who was facing the last rain that would fall on this site, moved his steps.

The holy relics, which had poured down a frightening amount of torrential rain, buried seven villages and their inhabitants, and turned the vast land into a huge lake, were shattered under Shed’s sword.

* * *

The Delo’s imperial troops finally managed to get out of the hillsides, which were a living hell of mud and rainwater. The rain had stopped, but the wet soil was still there and it took an enormous amount of time to get out. Karzen took his seat in the center. 

“In the name of the Emperor of Delo, we will forever remember the help of Hildes and treat it as a true friend.”

“Glory be to Hildes. Your Majesty.”

They barely escaped and were in danger. Not a few soldiers had already died, and even the epidemic caused by the rain had spread, and the damage was enormous. Therefore, this savior, the King’s brother of Hildes, had to be treated with all respect.

“Is there any other reward that you personally want? Royal Lord.”

The Hildes’s royal Lord answered without changing a single expression.

“I want the royal Princess as my reward.”

“……?”

“……!”

The faces of the nobles, wet with relief that they had survived, hardened for a moment like stone statues. Karzen’s gray eyes were not much different. He looked slowly at the face of the King’s brother. His hair was light in color. His eyes were blue-gray and his face was handsome.

It was definitely a face Karzen was not familiar with. Not only Karzen, but for everyone it was the first time they had seen the royal Lord.

It was thanks to the powerful divine power stored in the body of Hildes’ royal brother, Shed Hildes. While taking this measure, High Priest Amarr was ill for several days, but very few people knew about it.

“If the Princess, is it Raha del Harsa?”

“Yes.”

“Are you acquainted with my twin?”

A gaze as sharp as a blade observed Shed carefully. The King’s brother, with a beautiful but cold face, answered in a blunt voice.

“I fell in love with the portrait.”

“….. ha ha.”

Karzen’s low laughter erupted.

“Yes. She’s very beautiful. My twin sister is. So, did the King of Hildes also give his permission for the Lord to naturalize in Delo?”

“I did not ask for permission for naturalization.”  (Shed)

(*Naturalization: the admittance of a foreigner to the citizenship of a country.)

“You didn’t get his permission.” (Karzen)

“I want to take the Princess to my estate in Hildes.” (Shed)

“….”

Karzen’s breathing, which had stopped for a moment, resumed sluggishly. It was a reaction that none of the Delo nobles who were present with him noticed.

Except for Shed Hildes, who was the only one who had caught the emperor’s gaze on the other side.

“That ……”

It was Duke Winston who finally spoke up.

“The royal brother of the King who saved the dying soldiers was in love with the Princess…….. It’s a really good story.”

The Duke froze at the unexpected proposal, but it was the perfect opportunity and good fortune. It had always been Duke Winston’s dream to have the Princess marry a royal from another faraway land.

“Don’t you all think so?”

Of course, there was no immediate response. Everyone was looking at Karzen’s face. Just before the silence became uncomfortably long.

“I think so, too.”

Duke Esther opened his mouth. In the indifferent tone that only he could have, he continued his words.

“The Princess is of marriageable age anyway, so isn’t the royal Lord a good marriage partner? Besides, if she’s going far away, there will be no chaos in the Empire.”

“…….”

There will be no chaos. The implication that Duke Esther was trying to make was clearly understood by all the Delo nobles present, not to mention Karzen.

Meaning that the eyes of the heir to the throne held by the Princess would not threaten the emperor’s position any further. But it had always been the same. Everyone had clearly seen with their own eyes the way the Princess had obeyed and adapted to the words of the emperor until now.

Despite the confusion of the others, Duke Esther added his words while placing his arms on the table.

“So, Your Majesty. Esther is pleased to congratulate the two of them on their successful marriage.”

“……!”

The nobles’ spines became inevitably cold for a moment. Marriage? Was that the word for the Princess? What is this all about …….

Everyone was speechless in their seats. Duke Winston cleared his throat, then slowly opened his mouth.

“Winston means the same thing as Esther.”

“…….”

“Also, the Imperial Princess is very friendly with my daughter. In Winston we show our respect for the Imperial Family and will do our best and loyalty to help the Imperial Princess prepare for her wedding.”

“…….”

The other nobles could not for the life of them open their mouths. But no one raised any objections. Because, in fact, it was Karzen they feared. Because they feared that Karzen might name them rebels who spoke strongly for the Princess’s marriage.

Moreover, the boundaries of Karzen were reasonable. They were an imperial family with eyes on the heir besides the emperor. It was just the right background for a dissident to form.

Therefore, the proposal of the royal Lord of Hildes was not bad.

Rather, it was surprisingly good.

It was the nobles’ military forces that were severely damaged by the 13 Kingdoms’ allied forces. And this royal Lord who saved them wanted the Princess.

And they wouldn’t stay in the Imperial Palace in Delo, but they would leave for Hildes in the far west…

Rather, there will be a long peace in the Del Harsa imperial family.

Among the nobles, there were those who were concerned about the way the Princess was living like a canary in a cage. At least once she gets away from here, such a lethargic appearance will surely get better…. ….

Karzen slowly leaned back in his chair.

“It seems that the public opinion is the same.”

“…….”

Normally, this would not be worth listening to, or even come up 

such a public table, regarding Raha’s marriage.

But the situation was not good.

The conquest of the 13 Kingdoms’s Union was not over, and their gates were barely broken down. This was not in the nobles’ council chamber, but in the tabernacle of the battlefield. How could they not give the reward for Hildes’s request, which Karzen himself referred to as an ally, and that too, all the nobles had agreed to?

So he (Shed) was going to take Raha away.

Karzen did not laugh.

This Hildes’s royal was smart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so good. Was it because the royal family has such a clever head that Hildes was able to keep such a long peace with its wealth?

“Royal Lord. I can’t just give you my precious twin. If you still wish.”

Karzen laughed briefly.

“You have to show some sincerity to suit my twin’s tastes.”

“Her taste?”

“Slave.”

Shed’s forehead twitched faintly. Any aristocrat who had carefully watched the face of the royal Lord would have known.

Karzen was no different.

“My twin has a taste for slaves. We’ll have to see if you’re to her liking.”

At first glance, Karzen’s voice was spare, like that of a generous emperor, but his gray eyes shone like sharply polished metal.

“What do you think, my Lord?” (Karzen)

Karzen thought that Shed might refuse. The feeling that Shed would express confusion and difficulty, contempt and faint anger that could not be concealed….

“Good.” (Shed)

Karzen’s expectation collapsed without a trace at that cool word.

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“Your Majesty…….”

Blake hurriedly bowed his head when he saw Karzen walking toward him. Even glancing at him, he could tell. Karzen was in a bad mood. It was good to say that he had hit bottom. The emperor walking in with the blood of the 13 Kingdoms’s Alliance Army buried all over his body was truly a nightmare.

Karzen sat down on the already vacant throne of the kingdom. It all happened in an instant. The streaks of blood slowly began to bulge from his gray eyes. The expressionless mask he wore tumbled to the floor, and the backs of his hands tightened with each breath he exhaled. The Kingsguard, who had stood on either side of Karzen, now paused, careful even to breathe.

“Ha.”

Karzen raised one hand and wiped his face. His shoulders began to shake lightly. Every time he laughed, a trickle of blood fell from the sword he was holding.

“Why on earth does my twin always annoy me so much?”

Even the condition of having to engrave a slave’s branding was accepted by the royal Lord without even a little thought.

Was Raha in the portrait the royal Lord saw so beautiful? Karzen felt compelled to kill the painter that Duke Winston had hired.

“Send a message to Lesis, Blake.” (*Lesis is the wizard who does the art branding.)

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Words were slaves. And branding was done on slaves.

They could not really engrave the branding of slave on the royal Lord of Hildes. Because that man saved the imperial army.

It was a large army of soldiers that was very much deployed by the leading families of the Delo Empire and their knights who shared history with the Delo Empire.

All of them saw the success of the royal Lord before their very eyes.

Lesis would have to prepare new magic branding now. It will not pose any threat to life, nor will it pose any disadvantage to the royal Lord of the “friend nation” as proclaimed by the mouth of the emperor himself, literally just for show.

Since Karzen could not kill that royal Lord (Shed) here and now. But…

“Bring in all the royalty.”

In this place that was the cause of everything, his eyes were blinded enough to kill all the royals below the kings who had lost their countries. (Karzen killed all the royals of the 13 kingdoms.)

* * *

“My King. The Lord has just returned.”

The King lowered the glasses he was wearing and shook his chin. The chief chamberlain immediately bowed. Soon the door was opened again and Shed entered, looking as if he had changed his armor.

The King, who had brushed his hair to one side as usual today, sighed. He moved his pen over the paper.

[Are you hurt?]

“What is there to hurt?”

[Usually, if you make that level of achievement, half of them come back dead, Shed. I didn’t think you would really clean up the barbarians there.]

The King’s brow wrinkled. Hildes was a country slowly healing from the wounds of a fierce civil war between the royal families. So it needed a visible name to transfer the defense treaty to a “monarchy” that was nobody else’s. 

The King, on the other hand, did not ask any questions. He heard from the Commander of the Kingsguard who followed Shed about the unimaginable result that the Emperor of Delo called Hildes a “friend”…. but nothing else.

[Shed. I have one question.]

The King wrote the letters down quickly.

[You had never showed any interest in women.]

“…….”

[As your brother, I find it very strange that you, who had been like that your whole life, now have a woman  you’re interested in.]

Actually, it was strange that Shed would go this far. The King had heard many stories about that Princess of the Del Harsa imperial family being an amazingly beautiful woman. But beautiful women were everywhere, and also, the Imperial Princess was too far away, locked up in the overgrown imperial palace of the empire.

So the King was very curious about one thing.

[Does that woman like you too?]

Like him (Shed) enough for him to go this far? Enough for him to try so hard to reach her?

Shed laughed bitterly.

“No.”

* * *

Three hours had passed since Raha began grooming.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was the most valuable bloodline in the empire, and the dress she wore, as befitted her status, was dazzlingly beautiful.

“You have to leave now, Princess Raha.”

Raha followed the urging of the maids and left the palace. After a long corridor, a luxurious main palace, a huge courtyard and stairs, she arrived at the central gate of the Imperial Palace.

“You’re here, Princess.”

A large number of nobles were already waiting in line. The great nobles standing in the front row pretended to know what was going on. Raha’s seat was even further forward than theirs.

The season was winter. Every time Raha took a breath, her breath shattered white. Her cheeks were slowly freezing, but she didn’t move. She was just watching this beautiful triumphant ceremony.

A long carpet leading from the main gate of the Imperial Palace. If it were not for the intricate gold thread patterns embroidered on the edges, it would have been very similar in size and shape to the romantic red silk fabric used in wedding halls. Raha thought to herself. Oh, there was one more difference.

This silk fabric was full of bloody smells.

It was so thick that even a sudden heavy snowfall wouldn’t be able to hide half of it.

Raha smiled, and a nearby Duke laughed with her.

“You must be very happy to see His Majesty after a long time. Princess.”

At the same time, the knights lined up on either side of the platform lifted their ceremonial swords. The crossed swords shone sharply in the sunlight.

A number of knights walked in between them. The gaze of the man in the front row was fixed to Raha.

“I congratulate you on your victory, Your Majesty.”

Even with her frozen cheeks, Raha thought she should have an amazing radiant smile. To the ‘half-Emperor’ who stood before her.

“You should call my name. You’re stiff.”

“Karzen.”

Raha added in a lovely voice.

“I missed you, Karzen.”

“Yes. Raha.”

Karzen Del Harsa. He was Raha’s twin brother, the only complex son of the noble previous Empress. He was also the temporary emperor of this massive Delo Empire.

As twins go, Karzen’s hair color was the same blue as Raha’s. It was one of the long-lasting features of the direct royal family that inherited the family name of Del Harsa.

However, while Raha’s eyes were the same deep blue color as her hair, Karzen’s eyes were just dark gray.

The color of her eyes was the reason why Raha had to smile like a fairy, wearing a thin dress that showed off her shoulders even in this harsh midwinter.

“I’m glad Karzen wasn’t injured. I went to the temple every day to pray.”

Karzen, who was looking down at Raha, reached out to her neck. A hand that stopped just above her chest. For a moment, inconspicuously, Raha’s breathing stopped.

“You wore the necklace I gave you.”

The hand touched the large diamond, with a pure gold finish. It was a position where his hand could press her breasts if he went down a little further. Karzen eventually withdrew his hand.

“I have brought my lovely twin some new trophies.”

It was the loot that was being dragged in messily, stepping on the carpet at the same time.

One beat later, Raha knew it was “men”. Their mouths were gagged, and their bodies were a mess. The only thing they had in common was the color of their hair, which was completely white.

“These are cheeky test subjects that were secretly created in the Western Kingdom, who didn’t know their position.”

Cheeky test subjects….

It was an apt description. Some of the kingdoms that hated Karzen had secretly built laboratories to create weapons that would kill the royal families of the Delo Empire.

That unfinished weapon, failed test subjects, were the spoils of war that Karzen was towing today.

“Do you remember, Raha? Last year, I brought these test subjects from the Holy Kingdom and gave them all to you.”

Karzen’s voice became calm.

“There are none left now, though.”

Raha’s breathing stopped lightly. Karzen casually grabbed her hand. The emperor’s hard fingers digging between Raha’s soft and thin fingers were like hooks with chains. It cut sharply deep into her skin, immobilizing her completely.

“In return for sparing the lives of these trophies, the old kings knelt down. The Del Harsa royal family should also get what they deserve.”

“Reward…”

“Yes, Raha. I’ll give them all to be your bedroom slaves, as always.”

Bedroom Slaves …….

There was no one here who didn’t know the meaning of those words at least. Even in this passionate and free-spirited Delo Empire, only Princess Raha could use the word. It was a symbol of power, a symbol of obedience. Sometimes it was a symbol of a strange emotional flame……..

“Karzen is the only one who thinks about me.”

Karzen, who was observing Raha with strange eyes, finally jawed. The knights carried the newly brought slaves into Raha’s palace.

The gazes of the nobles, who had even been careful to breathe, focused on the two men standing in the middle row.

It was understandable. 

Those two beautiful men were also the slaves of Princess Raha. It was easy to understand how slaves could be in such a position.

Karzen, the young emperor of the Delo Empire, was a blood-crazed man. He had usurped, killed, and trampled and destroyed countless kingdoms. Among the royalty and nobility brought from there, the most beautiful looking men were cast as slaves for Princess Raha.

As a result, Princess Raha’s beautiful palace became an object of envy for anyone, and a symbol of corruption for far too many nobles.

The conservative old nobles would sometimes talked behind her back that Raha should hang herself after giving birth to a child with blue eyes.

Even though she knew and heard all these words, she did not know.

She had a smile that was all too suited for that amazing beauty and noble status.

“Raha.”

Karzen opened his mouth as he escorted Raha to the grand banquet hall where the victory banquet was prepared.

“Your night will be fun for the time being.”

The nobles who followed were scared to death and pretended not to hear. A well-intentioned conversation that could only be spoken in a late night soirée garden….

It was some time later that the unchanging smile of Raha cracked.

“Speaking of which, there is someone who helped me greatly in this battle to defeat the 13 kingdoms.”

There was a rustling sound that could be heard at the same time as Karzen’s words.

As if he had been waiting in advance, the man who followed the chamberlain and separated the nobles. The red carpet that started at the palace gate continued for a long time until it reached this grand banquet hall, and the man walked out stepping on the bloody carpet without a care in the world.

His terrifyingly cold and burning bright blue eyes were so beautiful that the nobles were buzzing. Karzen looked down at the man and opened his mouth.

“Lord Shed Hildes.”

For a moment, Raha’s fingers stiffened. The faded, pure white hair, not unlike that of the test subjects who were dragged in earlier, disturbed her vision. Even though it was not a close distance, the man’s eyes were fixed as if they could penetrate Raha’s gaze.

At the same time, the murmurs filled the grand banquet hall.

“If it’s Hildes, is he the king of the Kingdom of Hildes?”

“His name is Shed. He is the King’s brother.”

“I heard he didn’t show his face for long because he wasn’t well….”

“What’s going on here?”

Karzen said, looking  at Shed Hildes.

“You said there was something you wanted in return for your exploits for the Delo Empire. It was also very interesting.”

Karzen looked back at Raha as he said this. He continued to speak with an odd smile on his face.

“The Lord should tell the Princess directly.”

An expressionless face with a faint chill turned towards Raha.

“Raha Del Harsa.” (Shed)

A raw voice, unfathomable in its depths, rang in Raha’s ears.

“I want her, Your Majesty.” (Shed)

Shed stared at Raha, who was sitting next to the emperor, looking down at him with a pale, cold face. A face as white and innocent as a sweltering pile of snow in winter. The eyes of the heir – blue sky eyes hardened like well-polished window glass.

It was not a short time. Shed’s gaze, nailed to Raha’s, moved quickly. Following the courteous guidance of the chief chamberlain, Shed moved away.

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