While Shan and Count Marel were talking, the ladies also took their seats separately. Elze and Cecila sat side by side in a room where light refreshments were served.
As soon as they faced each other, sparks flew from the eyes of the two elegantly dressed women. Elze was the first to speak. With a meaningful smile, Elxe made a suggestion to Cecila.
“How about we get rid of the subordinates and have a quiet conversation, Ma’am?”
Then she continued, slightly raising her chin.
“Don’t we have something important to discuss?”
Cecilia also smiled at Elze's words.
“Yes.”
She grinned and sneered.
“There are so many unsolved mysteries...”
Cecilia looked back at the maids waiting in a corner of the room.
“You guys stay back.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Stay far away. Don’t come in until I call you.”
The maids retreated like the tide receding as they waved their hands. Elze could roughly imagine what they were talking about as they stood far away.
They must be busy talking about the incident that happened at the party earlier and predicting how much the two Countesses will fight.
Elze briefly imagines the maids working hard at their grinding stones and only opens her mouth after confirming that the noise has faded away.
"Hey."
At Elze's sudden call of "Hey," Cecilia opened her mouth. Elze sighed and shook her head. Then she looked at Cecilia with a crooked look and said.
“Anyway, once you look at it, it keeps crawling endlessly.”
“No, what is this...”
Cecilia's face contorted. She shivered and screamed.
“You think you’re the only one who knows how to speak informally? I can do it too!”
But Cecilla didn't know that this was only the beginning.
“Yes. Of course, you can speak informally too.”
Elze answered her and stood up. Cecilia looked up at Elze. Elze put a hand on her shoulder. Then she smiled and said,
“But this can’t be done?”
“What the... GASP!!”
Cecilia opened her eyes wide, unable to scream. Elze’s fist slammed directly into Cecilia’s stomach.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh...”
With a thud, she fell to the floor, the sound of a chair tipping over. Cecilia clutched her stomach and didn't know what to do because of the pain.
Tears flowed from Cecilia’s well-made eyes. A shocked expression was clearly written on her face. Cecilia knew how to argue at best, but she didn’t know Elze would act like this. But Elze didn’t stop there.
“Ahh!”
Elze's foot kicked Cecilia's stomach without mercy. Since it was a casual luncheon and she wasn't wearing a crinoline under her dress, Elze was free to use her feet. As a result, Cecilia had to roll around on the floor. Cecilia glared at Elze, panting.
“This, this crazy bitch...!”
Elze looked down at her as if she found it ridiculous.
“Why? Does it hurt?”
“Erzenes...!”
Elze spoke coldly to Cecilia, who was gritting her teeth even while in pain.
“Wasn’t it nice when you stabbed someone else’s husband in the shoulder?”
Elze's high-heeled foot rested on Cecilia's hand and pressed down firmly.
“Anyway, since this is just sitting there, who do you think is taking advantage of me...”
“Augh...!!”
Cecilia gritted her teeth and held back a scream as if she had any pride left in her. Elze rubbed the back of her hand a few times with the heel of her shoe, then pulled her foot away before the back of her hand was pierced.
Cecilia let out a silent gasp of shock, clutching her hand that was beginning to swell red. She trembled for a moment, but as the pain subsided a little, she quickly regained her venom. She staggered to her feet and ran toward Elze, screaming.
“Aaah!!”
But there was no way she could be Elze's opponent. Cecilia was easily knocked to the floor with one punch. This time, it seemed she had been hit properly. Cecilia let out a groan, and her face turned pale. Then she spat out a spurt on the floor.
“Sigh... Sob...”
Even after she had vomited, Cecilia began to cry in shock. Elze looked down at her and called her name.
“Cecilia Epernon.”
Cecilia vomited again. Elze continued her story slowly, as she was still not in her right mind.
“Here, you are not the only daughter of the Count of Epernon. You are just the wife of an old Count from the frontier. You know the difference, don’t you?”
"...No."
“There is no more power in your hands.”
“No, no! No!!”
Cecilia refuted to the end, croaking. She looked like a mess, but she still hadn't realized the reality. Elze sighed and spoke to Cecilia.
“If you had done it in moderation, I would have sympathized with you. I might have even protected you.”
“Sympathy? Don’t make me laugh! Who the hell are you to pity me!!”
Cecilia screamed loudly, but Elze ignored her and continued talking.
“But you’ve crossed the line. From now on, I won’t show you any sympathy.”
Elze's hand dug under Cecilia's chin. Then she lifted her chin and looked her in the eye. She felt Cecilia tremble. The vibrations transmitted through her hand were truly delicate.
A fragile creature that would break its neck and die if you just twisted her hand. For a brief moment, Elze felt the urge to kill her here and now.
Cecilia's pupils dilated. Her eyes filled with fear. Cecilia could sense it, too. Elze was truly intent on killing her. She began to tremble, fearing that Elze might snap her neck.
Elze snickered at Cecilia's fear. Elze wasn't stupid, and killing Cecilla in a place like this would only brand her a murderer. There were plenty of ways to kill her other than strangling her right now.
As Elze's life force began to fade, Cecilia, who had not been able to breathe until now, belatedly took a deep breath. Tears fell from Cecilia's eyes.
“Sigh... Ugh...”
Elze whispered in front of the terrified and sobbing Cecilla.
“I have no intention of looking at you anymore...”
And with a twisted smile, he declared:
“With that pretty face, try your best to struggle.”
Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, Ryeo Hyeon, returned to the kingdom and devoted herself to state affairs.
The days she stayed in Baluar were quite long, so there was a lot to do. Time flew by as she took care of and organized the piling up work.
After taking care of urgent matters, she began to wonder about Targayel. That was understandable since Ilwooz had pretended to be a priest of Ines and had followed Targayel. Hyeon had been receiving periodic reports on Targayel.
After Hyeon left Baluar, Targayel's actions were truly unconventional. The fact that Erzenes Targayel was Elijah's Elze was revealed, and Targayel's departure for the border was a hot topic throughout the continent. Not only Hyeon but other countries were watching Targayel's movements.
Recently, there was news of a conflict on the border with Heglatan, but the details were still being investigated. Hyeon dipped her brush in ink and wrote smoothly, but then she stopped and smiled.
“A couple whose fate depends on the continent...”
Suddenly, she felt a strong desire to smoke. Hyeon placed her brush on the inkstone and picked up her pipe. If Rasun saw her, she would surely nag at her, but she felt like she would die if she didn't smoke right now.
As she put the tobacco in and took a deep inhale, the mirror on Hyeon's desk sparkled. Hyeon smiled at the white light rising from the palm-sized mirror. Then he picked up the mirror and spoke.
“No, who is this?”
Hyeon's image was not reflected in the mirror. White light gathered and formed a man's figure. Hyeon smiled and said his name.
“It’s been a while, Ilwooz.”
Beyond the mirror, Ilwooz answered with a faint smile.
"It's been a while, Hyeon..."
The Ryeo royal family has been able to embody and use divine power for generations. This was because the founding King came from another world through the divine power of Ilwooz.
Thanks to this, whenever Ilwooz needed to contact Hyeon urgently, he would use the mirror like this.
If Ilwooz breathes divine power into any mirror, Hyeon can accept that divine power and talk to it.
It was an emergency contact that Ilwooz couldn't use privately, so he didn't use it often. Hyeon smiled and said to Ilwooz.
“I was about to send you a letter as I couldn’t get in touch with you, my dear friend.”
Ilwooz apologized with a slightly embarrassed expression at the slightly harsh words.
"I'm sorry... There's been a lot going on..."
"What?"
In response to Hyeon's question, Ilwooz slowly explained the events that had occurred. Hyeon's mouth was wide open after hearing Ilwooz's story. He couldn't talk at length, so he must have summarized it briefly, but each incident was enormous. Hyeon couldn't even smoke a cigarette until Ilwooz finished talking about Chimera and Heglatan.
"...Ha."
Only after Ilwooz had finished speaking did Hyeon put the pipe in her mouth. She took a deep drag and then asked Ilwooz a question.
“So Targayel will rebel, and Heglatan will go to war with Baluar?”
Ilwooz nodded silently. Hyeon frowned and asked him a question.
“Has the Savior ever personally revealed his intention to rebel?”
"Elze never spoke to me directly, but... After living for a thousand years, you should be able to get a sense of things to some extent...'
There was no need to go as far as a thousand years of observation.
After hearing the story up to this point, it was not difficult to guess that Targayel was thinking of rebellion.
If it were anyone else, she would have thought they would have fled to the border because they would have died. But it was Targayel. Shan Cirxus and Elze of Elijah. It was absurd for them to have fled from the Baluar royal family. They were clearly crouching down to leap into a counterattack.
"Hyeon..."
Ilwooz looked at Hyeon quietly. He spoke softly.
"We must not let Elze be put in a dangerous situation... Shan Cirxus’s wrath is intertwined with the Savior’s..."
“And Targayel’s treason could spark a war on the continent.”
"..."
Ilwooz said nothing in response to Hyeon's words.
Continental War.
The entire continent being engulfed in the flames of war was like the prophecy coming true. Hyeon said, chewing on the pipe of his pipe.
“Then, shouldn’t we prevent treason?”
"There is another way..."
Hyeon took a deep drag on her pipe, exhaled, and then asked a direct question.
“Helping Targayel?”
Ilwooz nodded slowly. Hyeon frowned.
"Well."
She spoke in a curt tone.
“I don’t want to put that guy Cirxus on the throne.”
Tak, Hyeon, who had just shaken off the cigarette ash, smiled as if something had suddenly occurred to her. Ilwooz looked slightly uneasy at her smile. And just as Ilwooz had expected, Hyeon made a bold statement.
“That is, if our savior becomes Queen.”
"Hyeon..."
“Why? What on earth is the problem?”
Hyeon looked very satisfied because she was satisfied with the idea that came to her mind. Ilwooz nodded his head slightly and said to Hyeon.
"Sudden changes are bound to provoke a backlash..."
Ilwooz continued speaking in a faint voice that seemed on the verge of breaking.
"Even if the dynasty has already changed... This time, we must focus all our attention on stabilizing the new nation..."
“Hmm.”
Hyeon did not like it. However, it was the words of Ilwooz, who had witnessed the rise and fall of many nations over the millennium. It was right to listen to the advice of a living history book. Ilwooz, who guessed Hyeon's uncomfortable feelings, comforted her.
"Even if it cannot be achieved at the time... In the future, it will definitely be achieved..."
“Yes, I understand.”
One day in the future, an Empress will be born, and a new Ilwooz will watch over her.
The Ilwooz of that day might have smiled as they recall this conversation today. Hyeon decided to be satisfied with that.
"So what should we do...?"
In response to Ilwooz's question, Hyeon let out a loud laugh and asked back in a reproachful tone.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
She declared with an arrogant look.
“The Kingdom of Ryeo will aid Targayel.”
At that sight, Ilwooz couldn't help but smile faintly. That confident look really suited her. She was truly a monarch who was born to rule, a Queen.
Ilwooz felt very secure because she was there. Ilwooz expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Hyeon.
"Thank you..."
Hyeon smiled faintly at Ilwooz's gratitude.
“Thank you, what? I’m not helping you because of you. I’m doing it because I like the Savior.”
Hyeon and Ilwoos looked at each other and smiled. Then, suddenly, Ilwooz looked back. He frowned slightly and said.
"It's noisy outside... I think I should go out..."
Ilwooz's image in the mirror became blurred.
"I'll contact you again..."
Finally, a white light flashed, and Ilwooz disappeared. The mirror again reflected Hyeon's face cleanly.
Hyeon put the mirror down on the desk and took a deep drag on his pipe. Then, haa, she exhaled.
“It’s already the year 998...”
She muttered listlessly as the smoke dispersed in a hazy manner.
“This year and next year are going to be so much fun.”
As if they were going to fight each other one by one, Shan and Elze took on the Count and Countess of Mapel one by one.
Shan imagined Elze dealing with Cecilia. Of course, she would make Cecilla cry. The only thing he was worried about was what scheme Count Mapel was up to…
Shan's worries were unfounded. This level of scheme was too much to call a trick. Shan looked straight at Count Mapel and took a sip of wine. Every time Shan swallowed the wine, Count Mapel's eyes grew wide.
And when he had finally emptied his wineglass and placed it on the table, Count Mapel burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! You finally got caught, you cheeky brat!”
He was so excited that he held up a bottle of wine to Shan and shouted:
“That wine is poisonous! I’m finally killing you! I’ve completed the mission given to me by Lord Seraph!!”
Count Mapel was so happy he didn't know what to do. He laughed and kept talking.
“I’ll tear you to pieces and feed you to crows, and as for your pretty wife... I...”
But the voice of Count Mapel, who had been shouting excitedly, gradually died down.
“Uh, why?”
It felt strange. It was a poisonous poison that burned his internal organs. Shan should have been in agony and spitting out blood long ago. But instead of dying, Shan only furrowed his brow for a moment. He was perfectly fine.
“It was definitely poisoned...?”
Shan said expressionlessly in front of Count Mapel, who was in disbelief.
“Due to some personal reasons, my body has been moving away from the human category for some time now.”
“Wh, what are you talking about!”
But there was no reason for Shan to elaborate on Count Mapel's curiosity. Shan just said what he had to say.
“By the way, Seraph, is it true?”
Shan looked at Count Mapel with a face that said, “Don’t lie.” There was no way that Enoch Seraph would use such a shallow trick.
Surely, Duke Seraph had given very specific and detailed instructions. A very mysterious scheme that would get Targayel into trouble.
But Count Mapel was a man desperate for recognition, full of pride, and, most crucially... foolish.
Count Mapel wanted to show that he could eliminate Targayel on his own without following Duke Seraph's orders. Thanks to him, Shan and Elze gained a fortune.
Shan shook his head and spoke to Count Mapel.
“It’s a good thing you’re so stupid, Count Mapel.”
Count Mapel was furious at Shan's words.
“Such an impertinent...!”
Count Mapel seemed to have decided that it was simply his own fault that Shan had not succumbed to the poison.
And even if it wasn't poison, Count Mapel had prepared a last resort. He clenched his fists and shouted.
“You won’t be able to laugh forever!”
Count Mapel spoke, breathing hard like a madman.
“The advance party of Targayel that came to the border is only a few dozen strong. But Mapel, who was officially authorized to increase the number of private soldiers to protect the border, is different!”
His eyes sparkled. Count Mapel opened his eyes wide enough to reveal the whites of his eyes as he spoke.
“The private army of House Mapel numbered a whopping five hundred men. Aside from some of them being kept in the mansion, the rest were sent to the quarters where the knights of Targayel reside.”
He shouted at Shan, swinging his sword loudly.
“This is what is called a surprise attack!”
The proud Count Mapel's shout resonated through the drawing room. And Shan clicked his tongue. He seemed suspicious of him, telling him to stay in the mansion and fidgeting with a glass of wine.
It must have been a plan that Count Mapel came up with by racking his brain, even though it didn't work out that way. But even though he chose the wrong opponent, he made a lot of mistakes.
“Count Mapel.”
Shan spoke to him with sincere regret.
“The Count has made a big mistake. It’s like throwing five hundred private soldiers into the mud.”
“That, that’s...! Stop talking nonsense!”
Count Mapel was furious. However, unlike his shouting, his eyes were shaking with an inexplicable sense of anxiety. Shan taunted him in exactly the same tone as Count Mapel.
“That’s what is called annihilation.”
Hayden wasn't the only one in the Mahel household who harbored resentment toward Cecilia. There had been many people who had been dissatisfied with Countess Mapel since long ago.
This was especially true for those who had loved and followed the former Countess of Mapel. They hoped that the Count of Mapel would step down from the title as soon as possible and that his son, Hayden, would inherit the title.
However, the forces that followed Count Mapel were much stronger. First of all, Count Mapel did not spare material support for his men. Because of the high wages paid by Count Mapel, his private soldiers swore loyalty to him.
So, Hayden waited carefully for his opportunity. Then Targayel came to see Count Mafell, and Hayden thought that now was the time to strike.
But Count Mapel was one step ahead of Hayden. He used lunch as an excuse to separate the knights of Targayel from Shan and Elze. Meanwhile, Count Mapel’s private army moved to ambush the knights of Targayel. Shan and Eljze were to be captured alive in their mansion.
Hayden, who found out about the Count's scheme too late, immediately ran to the banquet hall. However, the luncheon was already over, and the wives and husbands were each talking to each other.
“Where is Countess Targayel!!”
Hayden had to nag the maids to find out where Elze and Cecilia were. He had no idea what was going on. As he ran to where Elze was, Hayden thought, “Please, let’s hope nothing happens. Let’s hope Cecilia hasn’t touched a single hair on her...”
As soon as he reached the room they were in, Hayden kicked the door open and burst in, yelling loudly.
“Elze!!”
And then he met Elze's eyes.
"...Ah."
Elze looked flustered and called his name with rabbit eyes.
“Hayden?”
Hayden was more embarrassed than Elze. The scene in the room was a sight to behold. Cecilia was covered in tears and snot and had even vomited on the floor. She was trembling with fear, and anyone who saw her could tell that Elze had been severely scolded. Elze let go of Cecila’s collar and spoke to Hayden.
“Excuse me. I made you look so ugly.”
“No, that...”
Hayden realized that he had been worrying for nothing. He was flustered, but he answered calmly.
“So, there’s no need to feel sorry.”
And after hesitating, he cautiously added one more word.
“I feel a little bit better...”
Hayden had been bullied by Cecilia without knowing it. He couldn't help but hate the sight of Cecilia lying there. The two were awkwardly smiling at each other. Hayden came to his senses belatedly and shouted.
“Oh, Elze! Now is not the time. We’re in trouble.”
“Is it a big deal?”
“Count Mapel has released his private army. We are going to raid the quarters where the knights of Targayel are staying.”
“!!”
“I have only just come to realize that my power is extremely weak. What should I do about it?”
Hayden's voice was grave. He looked at Elze anxiously. Elze's face was expressionless.
It seemed that Count Mapel was preparing for his final struggle. She knew he was a dirty guy from the beginning, but she didn't expect him to act like this. Elze thought he was really trying to finish him off. However, there was someone happy about the bad news.
“Ugh... Ugh, ugh...”
An indistinct sound came from Cecilia, who was lying on the floor. She spoke with a tearful voice, her shoulders shaking.
“You’re going to die... All of you, you’re going to die..."
Elze looked at Cecilia with a tired expression on her face and said.
“Your mouth is still alive.”
Anyway, persistence was also a skill. If she was great, she was a great woman. Elze was secretly impressed, but Hayden's face was pale. He spoke in despair, as if it was all over.
“The number of privates is close to five hundred. It is not enough for Targayel to hold back...”
But Elze cut Hayden off mid-sentence.
“It’s not enough.”
Hayden asked back, as if he had misheard Elze's firm words.
"...Yes?"
“That’s more than enough to deal with.”
Elze added, “I’m more worried about getting rid of the body.” In front of Hayden, who still had no idea what was going on, Elze neatly summarized the situation and gave instructions.
“I will join Shan and go to the Targayel quarters. Hayden, take care of the rest of the mansion.”
Elze blinked for a moment after saying that. Then she added, mumbling.
“...Well, I think the situation has already been sorted out.”
As soon as they faced each other, sparks flew from the eyes of the two elegantly dressed women. Elze was the first to speak. With a meaningful smile, Elxe made a suggestion to Cecila.
“How about we get rid of the subordinates and have a quiet conversation, Ma’am?”
Then she continued, slightly raising her chin.
“Don’t we have something important to discuss?”
Cecilia also smiled at Elze's words.
“Yes.”
She grinned and sneered.
“There are so many unsolved mysteries...”
Cecilia looked back at the maids waiting in a corner of the room.
“You guys stay back.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Stay far away. Don’t come in until I call you.”
The maids retreated like the tide receding as they waved their hands. Elze could roughly imagine what they were talking about as they stood far away.
They must be busy talking about the incident that happened at the party earlier and predicting how much the two Countesses will fight.
Elze briefly imagines the maids working hard at their grinding stones and only opens her mouth after confirming that the noise has faded away.
"Hey."
At Elze's sudden call of "Hey," Cecilia opened her mouth. Elze sighed and shook her head. Then she looked at Cecilia with a crooked look and said.
“Anyway, once you look at it, it keeps crawling endlessly.”
“No, what is this...”
Cecilia's face contorted. She shivered and screamed.
“You think you’re the only one who knows how to speak informally? I can do it too!”
But Cecilla didn't know that this was only the beginning.
“Yes. Of course, you can speak informally too.”
Elze answered her and stood up. Cecilia looked up at Elze. Elze put a hand on her shoulder. Then she smiled and said,
“But this can’t be done?”
“What the... GASP!!”
Cecilia opened her eyes wide, unable to scream. Elze’s fist slammed directly into Cecilia’s stomach.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh...”
With a thud, she fell to the floor, the sound of a chair tipping over. Cecilia clutched her stomach and didn't know what to do because of the pain.
Tears flowed from Cecilia’s well-made eyes. A shocked expression was clearly written on her face. Cecilia knew how to argue at best, but she didn’t know Elze would act like this. But Elze didn’t stop there.
“Ahh!”
Elze's foot kicked Cecilia's stomach without mercy. Since it was a casual luncheon and she wasn't wearing a crinoline under her dress, Elze was free to use her feet. As a result, Cecilia had to roll around on the floor. Cecilia glared at Elze, panting.
“This, this crazy bitch...!”
Elze looked down at her as if she found it ridiculous.
“Why? Does it hurt?”
“Erzenes...!”
Elze spoke coldly to Cecilia, who was gritting her teeth even while in pain.
“Wasn’t it nice when you stabbed someone else’s husband in the shoulder?”
Elze's high-heeled foot rested on Cecilia's hand and pressed down firmly.
“Anyway, since this is just sitting there, who do you think is taking advantage of me...”
“Augh...!!”
Cecilia gritted her teeth and held back a scream as if she had any pride left in her. Elze rubbed the back of her hand a few times with the heel of her shoe, then pulled her foot away before the back of her hand was pierced.
Cecilia let out a silent gasp of shock, clutching her hand that was beginning to swell red. She trembled for a moment, but as the pain subsided a little, she quickly regained her venom. She staggered to her feet and ran toward Elze, screaming.
“Aaah!!”
But there was no way she could be Elze's opponent. Cecilia was easily knocked to the floor with one punch. This time, it seemed she had been hit properly. Cecilia let out a groan, and her face turned pale. Then she spat out a spurt on the floor.
“Sigh... Sob...”
Even after she had vomited, Cecilia began to cry in shock. Elze looked down at her and called her name.
“Cecilia Epernon.”
Cecilia vomited again. Elze continued her story slowly, as she was still not in her right mind.
“Here, you are not the only daughter of the Count of Epernon. You are just the wife of an old Count from the frontier. You know the difference, don’t you?”
"...No."
“There is no more power in your hands.”
“No, no! No!!”
Cecilia refuted to the end, croaking. She looked like a mess, but she still hadn't realized the reality. Elze sighed and spoke to Cecilia.
“If you had done it in moderation, I would have sympathized with you. I might have even protected you.”
“Sympathy? Don’t make me laugh! Who the hell are you to pity me!!”
Cecilia screamed loudly, but Elze ignored her and continued talking.
“But you’ve crossed the line. From now on, I won’t show you any sympathy.”
Elze's hand dug under Cecilia's chin. Then she lifted her chin and looked her in the eye. She felt Cecilia tremble. The vibrations transmitted through her hand were truly delicate.
A fragile creature that would break its neck and die if you just twisted her hand. For a brief moment, Elze felt the urge to kill her here and now.
Cecilia's pupils dilated. Her eyes filled with fear. Cecilia could sense it, too. Elze was truly intent on killing her. She began to tremble, fearing that Elze might snap her neck.
Elze snickered at Cecilia's fear. Elze wasn't stupid, and killing Cecilla in a place like this would only brand her a murderer. There were plenty of ways to kill her other than strangling her right now.
As Elze's life force began to fade, Cecilia, who had not been able to breathe until now, belatedly took a deep breath. Tears fell from Cecilia's eyes.
“Sigh... Ugh...”
Elze whispered in front of the terrified and sobbing Cecilla.
“I have no intention of looking at you anymore...”
And with a twisted smile, he declared:
“With that pretty face, try your best to struggle.”
***
Queen of the Kingdom of Ryeo, Ryeo Hyeon, returned to the kingdom and devoted herself to state affairs.
The days she stayed in Baluar were quite long, so there was a lot to do. Time flew by as she took care of and organized the piling up work.
After taking care of urgent matters, she began to wonder about Targayel. That was understandable since Ilwooz had pretended to be a priest of Ines and had followed Targayel. Hyeon had been receiving periodic reports on Targayel.
After Hyeon left Baluar, Targayel's actions were truly unconventional. The fact that Erzenes Targayel was Elijah's Elze was revealed, and Targayel's departure for the border was a hot topic throughout the continent. Not only Hyeon but other countries were watching Targayel's movements.
Recently, there was news of a conflict on the border with Heglatan, but the details were still being investigated. Hyeon dipped her brush in ink and wrote smoothly, but then she stopped and smiled.
“A couple whose fate depends on the continent...”
Suddenly, she felt a strong desire to smoke. Hyeon placed her brush on the inkstone and picked up her pipe. If Rasun saw her, she would surely nag at her, but she felt like she would die if she didn't smoke right now.
As she put the tobacco in and took a deep inhale, the mirror on Hyeon's desk sparkled. Hyeon smiled at the white light rising from the palm-sized mirror. Then he picked up the mirror and spoke.
“No, who is this?”
Hyeon's image was not reflected in the mirror. White light gathered and formed a man's figure. Hyeon smiled and said his name.
“It’s been a while, Ilwooz.”
Beyond the mirror, Ilwooz answered with a faint smile.
"It's been a while, Hyeon..."
The Ryeo royal family has been able to embody and use divine power for generations. This was because the founding King came from another world through the divine power of Ilwooz.
Thanks to this, whenever Ilwooz needed to contact Hyeon urgently, he would use the mirror like this.
If Ilwooz breathes divine power into any mirror, Hyeon can accept that divine power and talk to it.
It was an emergency contact that Ilwooz couldn't use privately, so he didn't use it often. Hyeon smiled and said to Ilwooz.
“I was about to send you a letter as I couldn’t get in touch with you, my dear friend.”
Ilwooz apologized with a slightly embarrassed expression at the slightly harsh words.
"I'm sorry... There's been a lot going on..."
"What?"
In response to Hyeon's question, Ilwooz slowly explained the events that had occurred. Hyeon's mouth was wide open after hearing Ilwooz's story. He couldn't talk at length, so he must have summarized it briefly, but each incident was enormous. Hyeon couldn't even smoke a cigarette until Ilwooz finished talking about Chimera and Heglatan.
"...Ha."
Only after Ilwooz had finished speaking did Hyeon put the pipe in her mouth. She took a deep drag and then asked Ilwooz a question.
“So Targayel will rebel, and Heglatan will go to war with Baluar?”
Ilwooz nodded silently. Hyeon frowned and asked him a question.
“Has the Savior ever personally revealed his intention to rebel?”
"Elze never spoke to me directly, but... After living for a thousand years, you should be able to get a sense of things to some extent...'
There was no need to go as far as a thousand years of observation.
After hearing the story up to this point, it was not difficult to guess that Targayel was thinking of rebellion.
If it were anyone else, she would have thought they would have fled to the border because they would have died. But it was Targayel. Shan Cirxus and Elze of Elijah. It was absurd for them to have fled from the Baluar royal family. They were clearly crouching down to leap into a counterattack.
"Hyeon..."
Ilwooz looked at Hyeon quietly. He spoke softly.
"We must not let Elze be put in a dangerous situation... Shan Cirxus’s wrath is intertwined with the Savior’s..."
“And Targayel’s treason could spark a war on the continent.”
"..."
Ilwooz said nothing in response to Hyeon's words.
Continental War.
The entire continent being engulfed in the flames of war was like the prophecy coming true. Hyeon said, chewing on the pipe of his pipe.
“Then, shouldn’t we prevent treason?”
"There is another way..."
Hyeon took a deep drag on her pipe, exhaled, and then asked a direct question.
“Helping Targayel?”
Ilwooz nodded slowly. Hyeon frowned.
"Well."
She spoke in a curt tone.
“I don’t want to put that guy Cirxus on the throne.”
Tak, Hyeon, who had just shaken off the cigarette ash, smiled as if something had suddenly occurred to her. Ilwooz looked slightly uneasy at her smile. And just as Ilwooz had expected, Hyeon made a bold statement.
“That is, if our savior becomes Queen.”
"Hyeon..."
“Why? What on earth is the problem?”
Hyeon looked very satisfied because she was satisfied with the idea that came to her mind. Ilwooz nodded his head slightly and said to Hyeon.
"Sudden changes are bound to provoke a backlash..."
Ilwooz continued speaking in a faint voice that seemed on the verge of breaking.
"Even if the dynasty has already changed... This time, we must focus all our attention on stabilizing the new nation..."
“Hmm.”
Hyeon did not like it. However, it was the words of Ilwooz, who had witnessed the rise and fall of many nations over the millennium. It was right to listen to the advice of a living history book. Ilwooz, who guessed Hyeon's uncomfortable feelings, comforted her.
"Even if it cannot be achieved at the time... In the future, it will definitely be achieved..."
“Yes, I understand.”
One day in the future, an Empress will be born, and a new Ilwooz will watch over her.
The Ilwooz of that day might have smiled as they recall this conversation today. Hyeon decided to be satisfied with that.
"So what should we do...?"
In response to Ilwooz's question, Hyeon let out a loud laugh and asked back in a reproachful tone.
“Isn’t that obvious?”
She declared with an arrogant look.
“The Kingdom of Ryeo will aid Targayel.”
At that sight, Ilwooz couldn't help but smile faintly. That confident look really suited her. She was truly a monarch who was born to rule, a Queen.
Ilwooz felt very secure because she was there. Ilwooz expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Hyeon.
"Thank you..."
Hyeon smiled faintly at Ilwooz's gratitude.
“Thank you, what? I’m not helping you because of you. I’m doing it because I like the Savior.”
Hyeon and Ilwoos looked at each other and smiled. Then, suddenly, Ilwooz looked back. He frowned slightly and said.
"It's noisy outside... I think I should go out..."
Ilwooz's image in the mirror became blurred.
"I'll contact you again..."
Finally, a white light flashed, and Ilwooz disappeared. The mirror again reflected Hyeon's face cleanly.
Hyeon put the mirror down on the desk and took a deep drag on his pipe. Then, haa, she exhaled.
“It’s already the year 998...”
She muttered listlessly as the smoke dispersed in a hazy manner.
“This year and next year are going to be so much fun.”
***
As if they were going to fight each other one by one, Shan and Elze took on the Count and Countess of Mapel one by one.
Shan imagined Elze dealing with Cecilia. Of course, she would make Cecilla cry. The only thing he was worried about was what scheme Count Mapel was up to…
Shan's worries were unfounded. This level of scheme was too much to call a trick. Shan looked straight at Count Mapel and took a sip of wine. Every time Shan swallowed the wine, Count Mapel's eyes grew wide.
And when he had finally emptied his wineglass and placed it on the table, Count Mapel burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! You finally got caught, you cheeky brat!”
He was so excited that he held up a bottle of wine to Shan and shouted:
“That wine is poisonous! I’m finally killing you! I’ve completed the mission given to me by Lord Seraph!!”
Count Mapel was so happy he didn't know what to do. He laughed and kept talking.
“I’ll tear you to pieces and feed you to crows, and as for your pretty wife... I...”
But the voice of Count Mapel, who had been shouting excitedly, gradually died down.
“Uh, why?”
It felt strange. It was a poisonous poison that burned his internal organs. Shan should have been in agony and spitting out blood long ago. But instead of dying, Shan only furrowed his brow for a moment. He was perfectly fine.
“It was definitely poisoned...?”
Shan said expressionlessly in front of Count Mapel, who was in disbelief.
“Due to some personal reasons, my body has been moving away from the human category for some time now.”
“Wh, what are you talking about!”
But there was no reason for Shan to elaborate on Count Mapel's curiosity. Shan just said what he had to say.
“By the way, Seraph, is it true?”
Shan looked at Count Mapel with a face that said, “Don’t lie.” There was no way that Enoch Seraph would use such a shallow trick.
Surely, Duke Seraph had given very specific and detailed instructions. A very mysterious scheme that would get Targayel into trouble.
But Count Mapel was a man desperate for recognition, full of pride, and, most crucially... foolish.
Count Mapel wanted to show that he could eliminate Targayel on his own without following Duke Seraph's orders. Thanks to him, Shan and Elze gained a fortune.
Shan shook his head and spoke to Count Mapel.
“It’s a good thing you’re so stupid, Count Mapel.”
Count Mapel was furious at Shan's words.
“Such an impertinent...!”
Count Mapel seemed to have decided that it was simply his own fault that Shan had not succumbed to the poison.
And even if it wasn't poison, Count Mapel had prepared a last resort. He clenched his fists and shouted.
“You won’t be able to laugh forever!”
Count Mapel spoke, breathing hard like a madman.
“The advance party of Targayel that came to the border is only a few dozen strong. But Mapel, who was officially authorized to increase the number of private soldiers to protect the border, is different!”
His eyes sparkled. Count Mapel opened his eyes wide enough to reveal the whites of his eyes as he spoke.
“The private army of House Mapel numbered a whopping five hundred men. Aside from some of them being kept in the mansion, the rest were sent to the quarters where the knights of Targayel reside.”
He shouted at Shan, swinging his sword loudly.
“This is what is called a surprise attack!”
The proud Count Mapel's shout resonated through the drawing room. And Shan clicked his tongue. He seemed suspicious of him, telling him to stay in the mansion and fidgeting with a glass of wine.
It must have been a plan that Count Mapel came up with by racking his brain, even though it didn't work out that way. But even though he chose the wrong opponent, he made a lot of mistakes.
“Count Mapel.”
Shan spoke to him with sincere regret.
“The Count has made a big mistake. It’s like throwing five hundred private soldiers into the mud.”
“That, that’s...! Stop talking nonsense!”
Count Mapel was furious. However, unlike his shouting, his eyes were shaking with an inexplicable sense of anxiety. Shan taunted him in exactly the same tone as Count Mapel.
“That’s what is called annihilation.”
***
Hayden wasn't the only one in the Mahel household who harbored resentment toward Cecilia. There had been many people who had been dissatisfied with Countess Mapel since long ago.
This was especially true for those who had loved and followed the former Countess of Mapel. They hoped that the Count of Mapel would step down from the title as soon as possible and that his son, Hayden, would inherit the title.
However, the forces that followed Count Mapel were much stronger. First of all, Count Mapel did not spare material support for his men. Because of the high wages paid by Count Mapel, his private soldiers swore loyalty to him.
So, Hayden waited carefully for his opportunity. Then Targayel came to see Count Mafell, and Hayden thought that now was the time to strike.
But Count Mapel was one step ahead of Hayden. He used lunch as an excuse to separate the knights of Targayel from Shan and Elze. Meanwhile, Count Mapel’s private army moved to ambush the knights of Targayel. Shan and Eljze were to be captured alive in their mansion.
Hayden, who found out about the Count's scheme too late, immediately ran to the banquet hall. However, the luncheon was already over, and the wives and husbands were each talking to each other.
“Where is Countess Targayel!!”
Hayden had to nag the maids to find out where Elze and Cecilia were. He had no idea what was going on. As he ran to where Elze was, Hayden thought, “Please, let’s hope nothing happens. Let’s hope Cecilia hasn’t touched a single hair on her...”
As soon as he reached the room they were in, Hayden kicked the door open and burst in, yelling loudly.
“Elze!!”
And then he met Elze's eyes.
"...Ah."
Elze looked flustered and called his name with rabbit eyes.
“Hayden?”
Hayden was more embarrassed than Elze. The scene in the room was a sight to behold. Cecilia was covered in tears and snot and had even vomited on the floor. She was trembling with fear, and anyone who saw her could tell that Elze had been severely scolded. Elze let go of Cecila’s collar and spoke to Hayden.
“Excuse me. I made you look so ugly.”
“No, that...”
Hayden realized that he had been worrying for nothing. He was flustered, but he answered calmly.
“So, there’s no need to feel sorry.”
And after hesitating, he cautiously added one more word.
“I feel a little bit better...”
Hayden had been bullied by Cecilia without knowing it. He couldn't help but hate the sight of Cecilia lying there. The two were awkwardly smiling at each other. Hayden came to his senses belatedly and shouted.
“Oh, Elze! Now is not the time. We’re in trouble.”
“Is it a big deal?”
“Count Mapel has released his private army. We are going to raid the quarters where the knights of Targayel are staying.”
“!!”
“I have only just come to realize that my power is extremely weak. What should I do about it?”
Hayden's voice was grave. He looked at Elze anxiously. Elze's face was expressionless.
It seemed that Count Mapel was preparing for his final struggle. She knew he was a dirty guy from the beginning, but she didn't expect him to act like this. Elze thought he was really trying to finish him off. However, there was someone happy about the bad news.
“Ugh... Ugh, ugh...”
An indistinct sound came from Cecilia, who was lying on the floor. She spoke with a tearful voice, her shoulders shaking.
“You’re going to die... All of you, you’re going to die..."
Elze looked at Cecilia with a tired expression on her face and said.
“Your mouth is still alive.”
Anyway, persistence was also a skill. If she was great, she was a great woman. Elze was secretly impressed, but Hayden's face was pale. He spoke in despair, as if it was all over.
“The number of privates is close to five hundred. It is not enough for Targayel to hold back...”
But Elze cut Hayden off mid-sentence.
“It’s not enough.”
Hayden asked back, as if he had misheard Elze's firm words.
"...Yes?"
“That’s more than enough to deal with.”
Elze added, “I’m more worried about getting rid of the body.” In front of Hayden, who still had no idea what was going on, Elze neatly summarized the situation and gave instructions.
“I will join Shan and go to the Targayel quarters. Hayden, take care of the rest of the mansion.”
Elze blinked for a moment after saying that. Then she added, mumbling.
“...Well, I think the situation has already been sorted out.”
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