After a passionate love affair, Elze fell into a deep sleep without knowing when. She fell into a deep sleep as if she had fainted, as the tension that had built up over time was released. It was a deep sleep without any worries or concerns. After waking up from a deep sleep, Elze opened her eyes feeling extremely refreshed.
“!!”
And then she met his eyes directly with those purple eyes staring at her. The eyes folded into a pretty crescent shape, and a low, soft, low-pitched voice flowed out.
“Are you awake?”
"...Ah."
Elze, who had been staring blankly, realized belatedly that she was lying on Shan’s arm. She quickly raised her head, but Shan’s hand laid Elze down again. Lying on his arm, they naturally ended up facing each other.
Elze blinked. She didn't know what to say. The events of yesterday rushed through her mind like a strong current. As she thought about it, she felt even more awkward and had nothing to say. Elze squirmed for no reason.
“Elze.”
The name that came out of Shan's mouth was still unfamiliar. Elze hesitated and called his name.
“Shan.”
And then he muttered, looking away for no reason.
“It feels awkward to call you Elze... You feel unfamiliar too, don’t you?”
Shan also thought it would feel strange for him to suddenly call her Elze. But Shan didn't seem to mind at all.
“No way.”
“Why?”
“Because I guessed you were Elze.”
As expected, Shan had guessed. Given Shan's personality, he might have been gathering evidence step by step and closing in on the encirclement. It was fortunate that she revealed her identity before he could press her with all the evidence.
Elze nodded slightly. And with that, the two fell into silence. For a moment, in the quiet silence, only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard.
He touched Elze's face without saying a word. He traced her straight eyebrows with his fingers and stroked her eyes. Elze squinted slightly at the tingling sensation. Then Shan slowly opened his mouth.
"I'm curious."
The fingers slid down and traced along the neckline. The thrilling yet tingly feeling gave her goosebumps.
“After the war...”
Shan whispered softly.
“Did you think of me and remember me too?”
The question was unexpected. He had not expected to ask such a question. Shan’s eyes showed faint impatience. His eyes were anxious about what Elze would say. However, Elze answered readily, unlike his anxiety.
"Of course."
At those words, Shan suddenly turned around and lay down on Elze. Elze, who was cutting his arm, suddenly slid her head down.
“Why?”
Was it really necessary to give a reason? But Shan’s face was too serious to say that here. Elze said whatever came to mind.
“You were a little... Special, I should say.”
She wanted to end it there, but Shan seemed to want a more specific answer. Elze sighed inwardly at the sight of him waiting for her to finish, while struggling to find the right expression.
“What should I say...”
And she tried to express her feelings as honestly as possible.
“I felt like something was connecting us. It was like our souls were connecting, a strange attraction...”
A strange attraction.
Elze thought that this one sentence best described her relationship with Shan.
Actually, it was awkward to say it, but she said it as it was without any exaggeration. Strangely enough, it really was. Shan and she had always had a strange connection, and whenever they were together, it felt like they were tied together by something and couldn't be separated.
Elze gently stroked his chest with her fingers. And then, lost in thought, she rubbed it for a long time without realizing it. Only after he took her hand did Elze realize that she was rubbing Shan's chest. Shan raised his eyebrows and asked.
“From the morning?”
Shan muttered in a slightly hushed voice to Elze, who was looking up at him with her eyes wide open.
“If you keep doing that, I can’t stand it... Don’t overwork the patient too much.”
At first, she was confused and didn't know what he meant. Then, she realized what he meant and hit him in the chest loudly.
Even though she hit him hard, Shan just looked happy. He chuckled and lightly brushed his lips over Elze's. He bit his lip and said.
“I have a question.”
Elze wondered what he was going to ask. But the question that followed was very familiar.
“Why did you save me this time?”
It was the third time she had heard the question. And Elze's answer had already been decided. Elze answered him for the third time in an indifferent tone, as she always did.
“Just like that.”
Shan took a deep breath in response. He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and muttered.
“I guess I’ll have to do it one more time.”
“What are you talking about!”
Elze immediately pinched his arm, which was talking nonsense, and punished him. Shan let out a low laugh. Elze left him laughing and got up.
“Get up. The sun is high in the sky...”
Since no one had woken up by this time, it seemed like everyone knew that Elze and Shan had slept together last night. A belated feeling of shame came over her.
They did such things as soon as they became conscious, so others must have thought they were a truly loving couple.
However, Elze still did not fully know her own feelings. There was no need to worry about what this uncertain feeling was. What was this desire to remain by his side? ... She would naturally come to know it as time passed.
At Shan's side, as Elze and Erzenes.
The Crown Princess of the Baluar Empire, Iarin, was beautiful but sickly.
Iarin had a beautiful appearance that was exactly like her brother, Duke Seraph. However, while Duke Seraph had a majesty that could not be treated lightly, Iarin was like a dewdrop that would fall apart at any moment.
It was natural that a woman from the Seraph family, the most powerful family in the Baluar Empire, would become the Crown Princess.
As if it had been decided from the beginning, she became the Crown Princess, and Iarin herself had no particular doubts about it. Her life was set up to be the Crown Princess from the beginning.
There was no love in the relationship formed out of necessity. The relationship between Crown Princess Iarin and Crown Prince Raymond was like a well-decorated and displayed exhibit. The two attended official functions together and had sex to obtain the succession.
But all of that seemed like a kind of business to show the Crown Prince that he was paying attention to the Crown Princess. The tea time that Raymond and Iarin were having right now was just one of the mandatory events. It was an event that showed that the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess was okay.
Raymond spoke to Iarin in a cliche, and Iarin answered quietly. The meaningless conversation went on and on.
This time was boring for both of them. However, they didn't show it on the outside. Raymond and Iarin were talking dryly as if they were doing what they had to do.
Just when it seemed more fun to watch the white clouds drifting across the blue sky, the attendant approached Raymond with somewhat hasty steps and whispered cautiously in his ear.
“Your Highness. This is urgent news.”
Raymond quickly put down the teacup he was holding. He was glad to receive the urgent news that had just arrived when he was bored. Iarin, who was watching, slowly got up from her seat. She bowed her head slightly and spoke to Raymond.
“I will get up first.”
Iarin was also glad to have an excuse to leave. Even though they knew each other's intentions, Raymond pretended to be sorry.
“It’s such a shame that our tea time has to be cut short because of work.”
“...I am the same.”
After hearing the polite answer, Raymond didn't stop her a second time. As soon as Iarin left after a brief greeting, the secretary hurried into the room.
It was impossible to interrupt the tea time of the Crown Prince and his wife for any reason. If it was something that had to be reported, even if it meant being rude, it was clearly something of considerable importance. The secretary briefly greeted Raymond, who was looking at him with a slight sense of tension, and then reported it straight away.
“Your Highness. The Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo has sent a personal letter requesting that a delegation be sent to the Empire. The Queen herself will accompany the delegation.”
“The Queen?”
At the secretary's words, Raymond jumped up from his seat and took the letter he had handed him. It was no wonder that Raymond was so surprised that he got up from his seat.
With her rich stock of spices and exotic luxuries, Ryeo was an important diplomatic partner. Many countries tried to establish a relationship with the Queen of Ryeo, but she refused all the invitations and never visited any country.
None of the heads of state had ever met her, so she was a mysterious being shrouded in mystery, the Queen of the kingdom of Ryeo.
But the Queen sent a personal letter requesting a visit to the Baluar Empire. It was an unprecedented event. Raymond exclaimed with a face that could not hide his joy.
“Following the victory in the Hundred Years’ War, our national fortunes have taken flight!”
"Congratulations, Your Highness.”
Raymond paced back and forth in front of the secretary who was giving his congratulatory remarks and asked.
“I need to send a reply right away. Did you say anything about when you would be back?”
“She met Ilwooz and said she would use Inesian’s teleportation to come.”
In the basement of the temple of the sacred city of Inesian, there was a mysterious thing called a teleport.
The teleport, which only Ilwooz and the heads of each country could use, was connected to the royal palaces of each country, allowing them to travel a distance that would take a whole month even if they ran without stopping, in the blink of an eye.
Even if he was the Emperor of the empire, he could not use teleportation carelessly. Since it only responded to Ilwooz's divine power, it could only be used if Ilwooz himself moved it.
Since she dared not borrow the divine power of Ilwooz for personal matters, teleportation was used only once a year, which was rare. The Queen said she would use teleportation just like that.
“The rumors about the close relationship between Ilwooz and the Queen are true.”
Raymond nodded slowly and muttered to himself.
“If she uses teleportation, it will only take the time it takes to get from the Kingdom of Ryeo to Inesian...”
As Raymond frowned, the secretary who had been watching him from the side quickly answered.
“It is expected to take a little over a month.”
“Is that so?”
It was a bit tight to prepare for the banquet. However, he couldn't miss this golden opportunity. He will definitely expand exchanges with the Kingdom of Ryeo through this visit by the Queen.
"... Good."
Raymond smiled brightly. Then he gave the administrator an order in a cool voice.
“Start preparing to welcome the Queen right now!”
Elze made up her mind to stay by Shan's side. And Elze's will soon became Elijah's will.
Ivanna felt sorry that she should have let Cirxus die if she had known this would happen, but she did not object. Rapine and Tarkun congratulated Elze on her decision. Rapine said with a smile.
“I am glad I never had to leave Targayel.”
“Me too! I like settling down.”
Rapine and Tarkun seemed to have grown attached to Targayel. Of course, the reason they became attached was Elze.
More than anything, Targayel was a place where he could be with Elze. No matter how free his mercenary life was, it meant nothing to Elijah without Elze.
“And Captain, you and Cirxus go together quite well...”
Tarkun said something without thinking and was poked in the side by Rapine. Tarkun quickly shut his mouth with a sigh. The two men looked back at Ivanna at the same time.
Ivanna had a very unpleasant expression on her face. However, even though she must have heard Tarkun, she didn’t say anything. Normally, she would have grabbed Tarkun or something. Tarkun and Rapine exchanged glances as they watched Ivanna, who was so calm that it was unsettling. Ivanna, who had been silent for a while, quietly said just one word.
“I will watch over him.”
“...”
It was a short conversation, but the three people except Ivanna had to shiver for a moment from the chills that came from somewhere. In any case, Elijah and his men unanimously decided to follow Elze's decision.
Shan regained consciousness and came back to life as if the collapse had been a lie. Ivanna's description of his inhuman resilience was absolutely right.
However, he had to move quickly without even being able to rest properly. This was to resolve the situation.
Heglatan's surprise attack was enough to cause a diplomatic dispute. It was unclear what on earth Heglatan was thinking when he did this.
Of course, if you formally protested to Heglatan, there was a high possibility that they would deny it, saying that they did not know about it. This was because they only had a suspicion that the Heglatan royal family was behind the surprise attack, but there was no evidence.
For various reasons, Shan sought a way to resolve the situation as quietly as possible. He wanted to be by Elze's side, not on the battlefield. He did not want to risk the embers of the Hundred Years’ War, which had barely ended, burning again.
And Shan's thoughts were the same as Britain's. The royal family of Britain also wanted to prevent themselves from being unjustly involved because of Heglatan.
Since they had the same intention, it was easy to solve the problem. Shan had a secret meeting with the royal family of Britain. It was a secret meeting held by only three people: the King, the Prince, and Shan.
At the meeting, the three men decided not to make this incident public. The main point of the meeting was that if Heglatan's surprise attack was made public, things would get worse, so they should ask about the incident from the perspective of the Britain royal family and Shan. They did not even inform the Baluar royal family.
It was Shan who first proposed this idea. From the royal standpoint, it was a proposal that was too much to ask of Shan.
Of course, the sweet offer was not free. Instead of burying the matter, Shan demanded a price of his own choosing. It was a price that the royal family would readily accept, and it was also satisfactory to Shan who demanded it.
“What on earth did you ask for?”
Elze was dying to know what he was asking for in return, but Shan wouldn't tell her the details.
“Justice.”
It was an answer that was incomprehensible even after hearing it. When Elze urged him to explain in detail, Shan spoke even more incomprehensibly.
“I’ll tell you when things are going well. Maybe Astin will tell you before I tell you.”
Shan said that and closed his mouth. Elze wanted to ask more questions but decided to hold back because she heard that he would tell her later. Judging from the story of Astin, she could guess the general details of the deal. It seemed like he was going to tell her when he was sure, so she was willing to wait for that much.
“But is it okay if I ask about this?”
“Anyway, it’s Baluar and Heglatan, and we can’t start another war right now. And we don’t want to.”
Elze nodded to Shan's words. Even if Baluar had known about this incident, they would have wanted to cover it up. No one wanted to end the peace that had lasted a hundred years and start another war.
“If there is no response from this side and I am alive and moving around normally, it is more unsettling for Heglatan.”
Elze nodded at Shan's words, then frowned and said.
“Hmm... Maybe Heglatan is sending assassins again...”
Also, meeting Heglatan's assassin was an absolute no-no. Shan chuckled at Elze's words, which seemed to make her cringe.
“This time, I’ll make sure to handle things on my own.”
“Are you sure? I wonder if I’ll end up in debt for the fourth life.”
Shan responded calmly to Elze's serious joke.
“That would be better. You would stay by my side until I pay off all my debts.”
He added leisurely to Elze, who was looking at him in disbelief.
“I think I’ll have to pay it back for the rest of my life, so stay by my side in the meantime.”
“...”
Elze was the one who made a joke and lost the principal.
And Elze stayed in Britain for a few more days. Shan secretly communicated with the Britain royal family to finish up some business, and Elze met with Astin a couple more times.
After his prominence in academic presentations, Astin received many calls from scholars who wanted to collaborate on research and even offers of lecturer positions at universities.
But since graduating from school was his top priority, Astin politely declined all offers. He then blurted out to Elze that the atmosphere at school was a bit strange these days.
If nothing had happened, Elze would have stayed a little longer and asked Astin again what he had said. But she couldn't do that. A letter had arrived from Crown Prince Raymond.
It was a letter from the Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, who was visiting the Baluar Empire, urging him to return home quickly.
Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, Ryeo Hyeon, was a woman with black hair and eyes, pale golden skin, and a voluptuous figure.
She wasn't what people would call a beauty, but she was more beautiful than anyone else and had a charismatic aura.
It was not something that could be imitated. It was an elegant grace and dignity that came from confidence in oneself.
Ryeo Hyeon was a woman truly worthy of the title of Queen.
Although many people were curious about her, Hyeon had never visited another country. The only foreign leader she interacted with was Ilwooz, who ruled the sacred city of Inesian.
The Kingdom of Ryeo maintained a closed policy to the point of not even sending a delegation to other countries for exchanges.
But now, for the first time, Ryeo was sending a delegation to a foreign country. And it was a delegation led by the Queen herself. The first nation to receive Ryeo’s delegation was the victor of the Hundred Years’ War and the only empire on the continent, Baluar.
“Your Majesty, a reply has arrived from Baluar.”
Hyeon, who received the letter his subject handed him, skimmed through its contents and threw the letter away carelessly. The subject standing in front of him, Lee Ra-seon, picked up the letter that Hyeon had thrown away as if he was familiar with it.
“If it weren’t for Ilwooz’s request, I wouldn’t have even moved an inch.”
Hyeon muttered and sighed deeply. The Kingdom of Ryeo was a place rife with female supremacy. Most women looked down on men, seeing them as immature and weak beings who needed to be protected.
But, at Ilwooz's request, she suddenly ended up going all the way to a foreign land. It was for nothing else, but because of a man!
From Ryeo's perspective, it was nonsense. It couldn't have been pleasant. When Hyeon showed his discomfort, Ra-seon nodded and said.
“However, Your Majesty, this is a matter that will determine the fate of the continent.”
“...Yes. I know that too. I need to confirm the truth of ‘that’. I need to confirm ‘that person’ as well.”
And Hyeon didn't argue any further. She knew that if she grumbled one more word, Ra-seon would politely scold her in a bright tone. Hyeon cleared her throat and said.
“Get ready to go to Inesian. Also, pick out some gifts to give to Baluar.”
“I will do so, Your Majesty.”
It's a path that must be taken anyway. Hyeon decided to think positively. Hyeon leaned back against the backrest and spoke leisurely.
“Yes, perhaps this could be an opportunity to bring in some new young talent to the Kingdom of Ryeo. I should go and see if there’s a woman I like.”
However, unlike Ryeo, on the continent, it was common to regard women as inferior to men. Since it was an environment where it was difficult for women to demonstrate their abilities, the possibility of finding talented people was very low.
But even though she knew that fact, Ra-seon didn't say anything. If Hyeon moved even with that excuse, that was enough.
It's unlikely, but...you might just find a woman with incredible talent.
“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”
The letter from Crown Prince Raymond was delivered through the upper part of the Machangs. Shan read the letter carefully and then burned it immediately. Then he muttered with an expression of incomprehension.
“Why did the Queen come to Baluar...”
Elze, who was sitting across from Shan, heard his muttering and tilted her head. Shan, seeing this, told him the contents of the letter.
“They say the Queen of Ryeo is visiting Baluar.”
“The Queen?”
The Queen of Ryeo had a very closed personality. Despite numerous requests from other countries, she had never once ventured outside the kingdom. It was unclear what her purpose was in coming to the empire. However, it was already clear that various forces were already engaged in a war of wits.
In any case, it was certain that they had to return to Baluar quickly. Elze said with a regretful face.
“I can’t stop by Himov.”
When she set out for Britain, he disguised Kalia as a robber in order to get Rosalie away from her. And Kalia has been keeping Rosalie captive ever since.
Now that it was time to return, Elze used the upper ranks of the Marchangs to contact Kalia. She was told to let Rosalie go and meet her at Himov, Elze's territory near the border.
But they have to return quickly...
She was also concerned about how the bandits she had met in the forest of Renando were doing, and since she had never been to the territory before, she wanted to go there on this occasion. Elze could not hide her regret.
But it couldn't be helped. She was thinking that she should send a new message to Kalia, but Shan said.
“There’s enough time to stop by the territory. It’s not that far from the road back home anyway.”
As soon as she heard that, Elze's face lit up. Shan and Elze were delighted and discussed the fastest way to move.
For the sake of mobility, the carriage was left to the upper part of the Machangs, and the entire party was told to ride horses. If they rode only on horses without the carriage, they would be able to move much faster.
The very day they received Raymond's call, Elze and Shan decided on their future plans and prepared to leave. The next day, they left Britain at dawn and headed to Himov.
Elze was happy to be able to visit Himov as she wanted. She was even happier because she didn't wear dresses or long skirts like the ladies usually do when riding. She was so comfortable in her riding jacket and trousers that she felt like she could fly.
Riding a horse was faster than expected, so the time was shortened a lot. The weather was good, and the road was smooth. The journey was so smooth that the knights were amazed by Elze's skillful horsemanship.
“!!”
And then she met his eyes directly with those purple eyes staring at her. The eyes folded into a pretty crescent shape, and a low, soft, low-pitched voice flowed out.
“Are you awake?”
"...Ah."
Elze, who had been staring blankly, realized belatedly that she was lying on Shan’s arm. She quickly raised her head, but Shan’s hand laid Elze down again. Lying on his arm, they naturally ended up facing each other.
Elze blinked. She didn't know what to say. The events of yesterday rushed through her mind like a strong current. As she thought about it, she felt even more awkward and had nothing to say. Elze squirmed for no reason.
“Elze.”
The name that came out of Shan's mouth was still unfamiliar. Elze hesitated and called his name.
“Shan.”
And then he muttered, looking away for no reason.
“It feels awkward to call you Elze... You feel unfamiliar too, don’t you?”
Shan also thought it would feel strange for him to suddenly call her Elze. But Shan didn't seem to mind at all.
“No way.”
“Why?”
“Because I guessed you were Elze.”
As expected, Shan had guessed. Given Shan's personality, he might have been gathering evidence step by step and closing in on the encirclement. It was fortunate that she revealed her identity before he could press her with all the evidence.
Elze nodded slightly. And with that, the two fell into silence. For a moment, in the quiet silence, only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard.
He touched Elze's face without saying a word. He traced her straight eyebrows with his fingers and stroked her eyes. Elze squinted slightly at the tingling sensation. Then Shan slowly opened his mouth.
"I'm curious."
The fingers slid down and traced along the neckline. The thrilling yet tingly feeling gave her goosebumps.
“After the war...”
Shan whispered softly.
“Did you think of me and remember me too?”
The question was unexpected. He had not expected to ask such a question. Shan’s eyes showed faint impatience. His eyes were anxious about what Elze would say. However, Elze answered readily, unlike his anxiety.
"Of course."
At those words, Shan suddenly turned around and lay down on Elze. Elze, who was cutting his arm, suddenly slid her head down.
“Why?”
Was it really necessary to give a reason? But Shan’s face was too serious to say that here. Elze said whatever came to mind.
“You were a little... Special, I should say.”
She wanted to end it there, but Shan seemed to want a more specific answer. Elze sighed inwardly at the sight of him waiting for her to finish, while struggling to find the right expression.
“What should I say...”
And she tried to express her feelings as honestly as possible.
“I felt like something was connecting us. It was like our souls were connecting, a strange attraction...”
A strange attraction.
Elze thought that this one sentence best described her relationship with Shan.
Actually, it was awkward to say it, but she said it as it was without any exaggeration. Strangely enough, it really was. Shan and she had always had a strange connection, and whenever they were together, it felt like they were tied together by something and couldn't be separated.
Elze gently stroked his chest with her fingers. And then, lost in thought, she rubbed it for a long time without realizing it. Only after he took her hand did Elze realize that she was rubbing Shan's chest. Shan raised his eyebrows and asked.
“From the morning?”
Shan muttered in a slightly hushed voice to Elze, who was looking up at him with her eyes wide open.
“If you keep doing that, I can’t stand it... Don’t overwork the patient too much.”
At first, she was confused and didn't know what he meant. Then, she realized what he meant and hit him in the chest loudly.
Even though she hit him hard, Shan just looked happy. He chuckled and lightly brushed his lips over Elze's. He bit his lip and said.
“I have a question.”
Elze wondered what he was going to ask. But the question that followed was very familiar.
“Why did you save me this time?”
It was the third time she had heard the question. And Elze's answer had already been decided. Elze answered him for the third time in an indifferent tone, as she always did.
“Just like that.”
Shan took a deep breath in response. He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and muttered.
“I guess I’ll have to do it one more time.”
“What are you talking about!”
Elze immediately pinched his arm, which was talking nonsense, and punished him. Shan let out a low laugh. Elze left him laughing and got up.
“Get up. The sun is high in the sky...”
Since no one had woken up by this time, it seemed like everyone knew that Elze and Shan had slept together last night. A belated feeling of shame came over her.
They did such things as soon as they became conscious, so others must have thought they were a truly loving couple.
However, Elze still did not fully know her own feelings. There was no need to worry about what this uncertain feeling was. What was this desire to remain by his side? ... She would naturally come to know it as time passed.
At Shan's side, as Elze and Erzenes.
***
The Crown Princess of the Baluar Empire, Iarin, was beautiful but sickly.
Iarin had a beautiful appearance that was exactly like her brother, Duke Seraph. However, while Duke Seraph had a majesty that could not be treated lightly, Iarin was like a dewdrop that would fall apart at any moment.
It was natural that a woman from the Seraph family, the most powerful family in the Baluar Empire, would become the Crown Princess.
As if it had been decided from the beginning, she became the Crown Princess, and Iarin herself had no particular doubts about it. Her life was set up to be the Crown Princess from the beginning.
There was no love in the relationship formed out of necessity. The relationship between Crown Princess Iarin and Crown Prince Raymond was like a well-decorated and displayed exhibit. The two attended official functions together and had sex to obtain the succession.
But all of that seemed like a kind of business to show the Crown Prince that he was paying attention to the Crown Princess. The tea time that Raymond and Iarin were having right now was just one of the mandatory events. It was an event that showed that the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess was okay.
Raymond spoke to Iarin in a cliche, and Iarin answered quietly. The meaningless conversation went on and on.
This time was boring for both of them. However, they didn't show it on the outside. Raymond and Iarin were talking dryly as if they were doing what they had to do.
Just when it seemed more fun to watch the white clouds drifting across the blue sky, the attendant approached Raymond with somewhat hasty steps and whispered cautiously in his ear.
“Your Highness. This is urgent news.”
Raymond quickly put down the teacup he was holding. He was glad to receive the urgent news that had just arrived when he was bored. Iarin, who was watching, slowly got up from her seat. She bowed her head slightly and spoke to Raymond.
“I will get up first.”
Iarin was also glad to have an excuse to leave. Even though they knew each other's intentions, Raymond pretended to be sorry.
“It’s such a shame that our tea time has to be cut short because of work.”
“...I am the same.”
After hearing the polite answer, Raymond didn't stop her a second time. As soon as Iarin left after a brief greeting, the secretary hurried into the room.
It was impossible to interrupt the tea time of the Crown Prince and his wife for any reason. If it was something that had to be reported, even if it meant being rude, it was clearly something of considerable importance. The secretary briefly greeted Raymond, who was looking at him with a slight sense of tension, and then reported it straight away.
“Your Highness. The Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo has sent a personal letter requesting that a delegation be sent to the Empire. The Queen herself will accompany the delegation.”
“The Queen?”
At the secretary's words, Raymond jumped up from his seat and took the letter he had handed him. It was no wonder that Raymond was so surprised that he got up from his seat.
With her rich stock of spices and exotic luxuries, Ryeo was an important diplomatic partner. Many countries tried to establish a relationship with the Queen of Ryeo, but she refused all the invitations and never visited any country.
None of the heads of state had ever met her, so she was a mysterious being shrouded in mystery, the Queen of the kingdom of Ryeo.
But the Queen sent a personal letter requesting a visit to the Baluar Empire. It was an unprecedented event. Raymond exclaimed with a face that could not hide his joy.
“Following the victory in the Hundred Years’ War, our national fortunes have taken flight!”
"Congratulations, Your Highness.”
Raymond paced back and forth in front of the secretary who was giving his congratulatory remarks and asked.
“I need to send a reply right away. Did you say anything about when you would be back?”
“She met Ilwooz and said she would use Inesian’s teleportation to come.”
In the basement of the temple of the sacred city of Inesian, there was a mysterious thing called a teleport.
The teleport, which only Ilwooz and the heads of each country could use, was connected to the royal palaces of each country, allowing them to travel a distance that would take a whole month even if they ran without stopping, in the blink of an eye.
Even if he was the Emperor of the empire, he could not use teleportation carelessly. Since it only responded to Ilwooz's divine power, it could only be used if Ilwooz himself moved it.
Since she dared not borrow the divine power of Ilwooz for personal matters, teleportation was used only once a year, which was rare. The Queen said she would use teleportation just like that.
“The rumors about the close relationship between Ilwooz and the Queen are true.”
Raymond nodded slowly and muttered to himself.
“If she uses teleportation, it will only take the time it takes to get from the Kingdom of Ryeo to Inesian...”
As Raymond frowned, the secretary who had been watching him from the side quickly answered.
“It is expected to take a little over a month.”
“Is that so?”
It was a bit tight to prepare for the banquet. However, he couldn't miss this golden opportunity. He will definitely expand exchanges with the Kingdom of Ryeo through this visit by the Queen.
"... Good."
Raymond smiled brightly. Then he gave the administrator an order in a cool voice.
“Start preparing to welcome the Queen right now!”
***
Elze made up her mind to stay by Shan's side. And Elze's will soon became Elijah's will.
Ivanna felt sorry that she should have let Cirxus die if she had known this would happen, but she did not object. Rapine and Tarkun congratulated Elze on her decision. Rapine said with a smile.
“I am glad I never had to leave Targayel.”
“Me too! I like settling down.”
Rapine and Tarkun seemed to have grown attached to Targayel. Of course, the reason they became attached was Elze.
More than anything, Targayel was a place where he could be with Elze. No matter how free his mercenary life was, it meant nothing to Elijah without Elze.
“And Captain, you and Cirxus go together quite well...”
Tarkun said something without thinking and was poked in the side by Rapine. Tarkun quickly shut his mouth with a sigh. The two men looked back at Ivanna at the same time.
Ivanna had a very unpleasant expression on her face. However, even though she must have heard Tarkun, she didn’t say anything. Normally, she would have grabbed Tarkun or something. Tarkun and Rapine exchanged glances as they watched Ivanna, who was so calm that it was unsettling. Ivanna, who had been silent for a while, quietly said just one word.
“I will watch over him.”
“...”
It was a short conversation, but the three people except Ivanna had to shiver for a moment from the chills that came from somewhere. In any case, Elijah and his men unanimously decided to follow Elze's decision.
Shan regained consciousness and came back to life as if the collapse had been a lie. Ivanna's description of his inhuman resilience was absolutely right.
However, he had to move quickly without even being able to rest properly. This was to resolve the situation.
Heglatan's surprise attack was enough to cause a diplomatic dispute. It was unclear what on earth Heglatan was thinking when he did this.
Of course, if you formally protested to Heglatan, there was a high possibility that they would deny it, saying that they did not know about it. This was because they only had a suspicion that the Heglatan royal family was behind the surprise attack, but there was no evidence.
For various reasons, Shan sought a way to resolve the situation as quietly as possible. He wanted to be by Elze's side, not on the battlefield. He did not want to risk the embers of the Hundred Years’ War, which had barely ended, burning again.
And Shan's thoughts were the same as Britain's. The royal family of Britain also wanted to prevent themselves from being unjustly involved because of Heglatan.
Since they had the same intention, it was easy to solve the problem. Shan had a secret meeting with the royal family of Britain. It was a secret meeting held by only three people: the King, the Prince, and Shan.
At the meeting, the three men decided not to make this incident public. The main point of the meeting was that if Heglatan's surprise attack was made public, things would get worse, so they should ask about the incident from the perspective of the Britain royal family and Shan. They did not even inform the Baluar royal family.
It was Shan who first proposed this idea. From the royal standpoint, it was a proposal that was too much to ask of Shan.
Of course, the sweet offer was not free. Instead of burying the matter, Shan demanded a price of his own choosing. It was a price that the royal family would readily accept, and it was also satisfactory to Shan who demanded it.
“What on earth did you ask for?”
Elze was dying to know what he was asking for in return, but Shan wouldn't tell her the details.
“Justice.”
It was an answer that was incomprehensible even after hearing it. When Elze urged him to explain in detail, Shan spoke even more incomprehensibly.
“I’ll tell you when things are going well. Maybe Astin will tell you before I tell you.”
Shan said that and closed his mouth. Elze wanted to ask more questions but decided to hold back because she heard that he would tell her later. Judging from the story of Astin, she could guess the general details of the deal. It seemed like he was going to tell her when he was sure, so she was willing to wait for that much.
“But is it okay if I ask about this?”
“Anyway, it’s Baluar and Heglatan, and we can’t start another war right now. And we don’t want to.”
Elze nodded to Shan's words. Even if Baluar had known about this incident, they would have wanted to cover it up. No one wanted to end the peace that had lasted a hundred years and start another war.
“If there is no response from this side and I am alive and moving around normally, it is more unsettling for Heglatan.”
Elze nodded at Shan's words, then frowned and said.
“Hmm... Maybe Heglatan is sending assassins again...”
Also, meeting Heglatan's assassin was an absolute no-no. Shan chuckled at Elze's words, which seemed to make her cringe.
“This time, I’ll make sure to handle things on my own.”
“Are you sure? I wonder if I’ll end up in debt for the fourth life.”
Shan responded calmly to Elze's serious joke.
“That would be better. You would stay by my side until I pay off all my debts.”
He added leisurely to Elze, who was looking at him in disbelief.
“I think I’ll have to pay it back for the rest of my life, so stay by my side in the meantime.”
“...”
Elze was the one who made a joke and lost the principal.
And Elze stayed in Britain for a few more days. Shan secretly communicated with the Britain royal family to finish up some business, and Elze met with Astin a couple more times.
After his prominence in academic presentations, Astin received many calls from scholars who wanted to collaborate on research and even offers of lecturer positions at universities.
But since graduating from school was his top priority, Astin politely declined all offers. He then blurted out to Elze that the atmosphere at school was a bit strange these days.
If nothing had happened, Elze would have stayed a little longer and asked Astin again what he had said. But she couldn't do that. A letter had arrived from Crown Prince Raymond.
It was a letter from the Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, who was visiting the Baluar Empire, urging him to return home quickly.
***
Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, Ryeo Hyeon, was a woman with black hair and eyes, pale golden skin, and a voluptuous figure.
She wasn't what people would call a beauty, but she was more beautiful than anyone else and had a charismatic aura.
It was not something that could be imitated. It was an elegant grace and dignity that came from confidence in oneself.
Ryeo Hyeon was a woman truly worthy of the title of Queen.
Although many people were curious about her, Hyeon had never visited another country. The only foreign leader she interacted with was Ilwooz, who ruled the sacred city of Inesian.
The Kingdom of Ryeo maintained a closed policy to the point of not even sending a delegation to other countries for exchanges.
But now, for the first time, Ryeo was sending a delegation to a foreign country. And it was a delegation led by the Queen herself. The first nation to receive Ryeo’s delegation was the victor of the Hundred Years’ War and the only empire on the continent, Baluar.
“Your Majesty, a reply has arrived from Baluar.”
Hyeon, who received the letter his subject handed him, skimmed through its contents and threw the letter away carelessly. The subject standing in front of him, Lee Ra-seon, picked up the letter that Hyeon had thrown away as if he was familiar with it.
“If it weren’t for Ilwooz’s request, I wouldn’t have even moved an inch.”
Hyeon muttered and sighed deeply. The Kingdom of Ryeo was a place rife with female supremacy. Most women looked down on men, seeing them as immature and weak beings who needed to be protected.
But, at Ilwooz's request, she suddenly ended up going all the way to a foreign land. It was for nothing else, but because of a man!
From Ryeo's perspective, it was nonsense. It couldn't have been pleasant. When Hyeon showed his discomfort, Ra-seon nodded and said.
“However, Your Majesty, this is a matter that will determine the fate of the continent.”
“...Yes. I know that too. I need to confirm the truth of ‘that’. I need to confirm ‘that person’ as well.”
And Hyeon didn't argue any further. She knew that if she grumbled one more word, Ra-seon would politely scold her in a bright tone. Hyeon cleared her throat and said.
“Get ready to go to Inesian. Also, pick out some gifts to give to Baluar.”
“I will do so, Your Majesty.”
It's a path that must be taken anyway. Hyeon decided to think positively. Hyeon leaned back against the backrest and spoke leisurely.
“Yes, perhaps this could be an opportunity to bring in some new young talent to the Kingdom of Ryeo. I should go and see if there’s a woman I like.”
However, unlike Ryeo, on the continent, it was common to regard women as inferior to men. Since it was an environment where it was difficult for women to demonstrate their abilities, the possibility of finding talented people was very low.
But even though she knew that fact, Ra-seon didn't say anything. If Hyeon moved even with that excuse, that was enough.
It's unlikely, but...you might just find a woman with incredible talent.
“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”
Ra-seon said quietly, bowing her head.
***
The letter from Crown Prince Raymond was delivered through the upper part of the Machangs. Shan read the letter carefully and then burned it immediately. Then he muttered with an expression of incomprehension.
“Why did the Queen come to Baluar...”
Elze, who was sitting across from Shan, heard his muttering and tilted her head. Shan, seeing this, told him the contents of the letter.
“They say the Queen of Ryeo is visiting Baluar.”
“The Queen?”
The Queen of Ryeo had a very closed personality. Despite numerous requests from other countries, she had never once ventured outside the kingdom. It was unclear what her purpose was in coming to the empire. However, it was already clear that various forces were already engaged in a war of wits.
In any case, it was certain that they had to return to Baluar quickly. Elze said with a regretful face.
“I can’t stop by Himov.”
When she set out for Britain, he disguised Kalia as a robber in order to get Rosalie away from her. And Kalia has been keeping Rosalie captive ever since.
Now that it was time to return, Elze used the upper ranks of the Marchangs to contact Kalia. She was told to let Rosalie go and meet her at Himov, Elze's territory near the border.
But they have to return quickly...
She was also concerned about how the bandits she had met in the forest of Renando were doing, and since she had never been to the territory before, she wanted to go there on this occasion. Elze could not hide her regret.
But it couldn't be helped. She was thinking that she should send a new message to Kalia, but Shan said.
“There’s enough time to stop by the territory. It’s not that far from the road back home anyway.”
As soon as she heard that, Elze's face lit up. Shan and Elze were delighted and discussed the fastest way to move.
For the sake of mobility, the carriage was left to the upper part of the Machangs, and the entire party was told to ride horses. If they rode only on horses without the carriage, they would be able to move much faster.
The very day they received Raymond's call, Elze and Shan decided on their future plans and prepared to leave. The next day, they left Britain at dawn and headed to Himov.
Elze was happy to be able to visit Himov as she wanted. She was even happier because she didn't wear dresses or long skirts like the ladies usually do when riding. She was so comfortable in her riding jacket and trousers that she felt like she could fly.
Riding a horse was faster than expected, so the time was shortened a lot. The weather was good, and the road was smooth. The journey was so smooth that the knights were amazed by Elze's skillful horsemanship.
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