It was decided that Blahar would visit the Targayel manor before the coronation.
Although she was busy with work before the coronation, the reason she called Blahar was simple. Queen Ryeo, Hyeon, had to return to the kingdom immediately after the coronation. Shan and Elze, who wanted to see her and Blahar meet, worked together to force themselves into their schedule.
And today, Blahar finally visited the Targayel mansion.
While Elze and Shan were waiting at the main gate of the mansion, Blahar's carriage came in with a clattering sound. In front and behind the carriage, the knights of Heglatan stood guard with stiff faces. The atmosphere was so fierce that they looked as if they were about to draw their swords. It was enough to make anyone think they were being dragged to a dead end.
But as always, Blahar was in a completely different world from the sharp-tongued knights.
“Hey, this is Targayel!”
Blahar, who had gotten out of the carriage, let out a reckless exclamation before even exchanging greetings. He glanced around Targayel's mansion.
The mansion, built with gray bricks, had a rough appearance without any special craftsmanship. It even had a somewhat bleak atmosphere. As it was a family that had been unmanned for generations, the emphasis was on practicality rather than the splendor of the mansion.
But Blahar seemed to like the Targayel mansion very much. He turned to Serjev Kamish behind him and said.
“I think it’s really cool. What do you think?”
“It’s a practical place. It’s truly a mansion befitting a family of unmanned people.”
"Yes?"
After they had a long chat about the mansion, Blahar walked briskly over to where Elze and Shan were. Blahar smiled brightly and waved to Elze.
“Hello.”
Elze unconsciously tried to shake his hand, but when she finally came to her senses, she greeted him politely along with Shan.
“Welcome to the mansion, Your Majesty.”
Blahar, who had exchanged greetings with Elze, quickly turned his head. Then, his eyes met with Shan's.
“...”
Blahar and Shan smiled at the same time. They both had swords in their eyes. Blahar smiled broadly and spoke first.
“You look very handsome, Duke Cirxus. It looks like you’ve been eating well and living well.”
Shan also smiled brightly and answered him.
“Your Majesty seems to have gained some weight. Your appearance has improved significantly.”
“...”
Blahar's eyes lit up at Shan's words. This kind of blow was very effective for Blahar, who took great pride in his looks.
Blahar was going to let it slide, even though he was upset. He changed the subject. Blahar looked at Elze and said,
“I didn’t know you would call me this early? Why did you set the date so early when you didn’t have to?”
Blahar was pretending not to know but was secretly poking me in the face of sharp criticism. Elze answered calmly.
“As I said, it is because the Queen wanted it.”
“Oh, that’s true.”
Blahar nodded. Elze had to try to hide the smile that was creeping up her face. She had already explained the whole story to the Queen Ryeo Hyeon. She was the type of person who couldn't pass up something fun.
"They say that Heglatan guys are extremely male-centered, but I wonder if they would treat me that way too."
The Queen was delighted and readily promised cooperation. It was even easier to seduce Blahar. The kingdom of Ryeo, an important trading partner, was a place that other countries were anxious to become close to. However, the opportunity to meet the queen, whose face was like picking stars from the sky, arose.
Blahar would not miss such an opportunity. He would attend even if there was poison in the teacup. Blahar chattered as he was led inside the mansion by Elze and Shan.
“But you haven’t forgotten our promise, have you? After tea time, you will show me around the mansion yourself, Elze.”
Elze nodded to Blahar, who repeatedly urged her.
“I haven’t forgotten. Don’t worry.”
Marle, who had been waiting at a distance, whispered with a slightly nervous expression that the Queen was waiting. Shan nodded once and headed to the garden with Elze and Blahar.
The weather was perfect for spring weather, even a little warm. A large shade was set up in the garden, and outdoor tables were set up under it.
Elze checked the tea table. The well-prepared tea set contained tea ware and green tea from the Kingdom of Ryeo. The tea table, which was a gift from Hyeon and carefully supervised by Marle, was perfectly arranged.
In that picturesque place, Ryeo Hyeon was the first to arrive. She was wearing a deep green silk outfit with gold thread embroidery, perfect for the spring weather, and she was elegantly waving her fan.
Blahar and Hyeon's eyes met. And the moment they looked at each other, they realized that they were the polar opposites. However, they were not young enough to reveal such feelings. Blahar and Hyeon skillfully hid their true feelings and laughed.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
“It’s me.”
The two exchanged brief greetings and sat down. Their faces were still brightly smiling. However, an invisible murderousness flowed through them. Surprisingly, it was Blahar who spoke first. He smiled and said.
“You are fluent in the common language.”
It seemed that Blahar had intended to look good to Hyeon. Hyeon accepted Blahar's compliment with a moderate amount of humility.
And then there were no more words. The two just laughed silently at each other. Blahar and Hyeon both knew that no matter what they said, they would be met with conflict. The stifling silence continued. Finally, Blahar could not control his temper and spoke honestly.
“As Your Majesty knows, our Heglatan culture is very different from Ryeo’s.”
It was a roundabout way of saying that you are a female superior and we are a male superior. The continent as a whole is a male superior, but the worst place is Heglatan. The status of women in Heglatan was lower than that of Baluar.
Hyeon waited leisurely for Blahar to continue. Blahar smiled cheerfully and said.
“So, if I am rude, please understand that it is a cultural difference and forgive me...”
Most people would melt when Blahar behaved like this. But sadly, his good looks did not work on Hyeon. Hyeon folded his fan, which had been fluttering leisurely, with a loud clank. She smiled coldly and asked back.
“Are you saying you’re going to be so blatantly rude right now?”
She looked at Blahar with eyes of infinite insignificance and said:
“If we were to go into detail one by one, it would be endless, but in Ryeo, it is unimaginable to even think of being treated like this by a man.”
“Is that so?”
Blahar looked at Hyeon with a truly surprised expression. It was the exact opposite in Heglatan. Elze and Shan had to muster up a great deal of patience not to laugh at his purely surprised expression.
And starting from that, various topics began to come up in the conversation. No matter what was being talked about, Blahar and Hyeon were on opposite sides. To the point where the conversation itself was not even possible. The conversation between the two was a battle between a spear that could pierce through everything and a shield that could block everything.
“...”
“...”
Without even talking for a while, Blahar got tired. Hyeon said, fanning herself with a hint of annoyance.
“I wonder how you managed to build such a close relationship with Erzenes.”
It was the sound of such a blatant male chauvinist talking to Elze. Elze, who had been enjoying watching the fire, suddenly opened her eyes wide when she was summoned to the topic of conversation. She wondered what Blahar would say. However, his answer was surprisingly simple. Blahar answered Hyeon as if he were asking something obvious.
“Isn’t she special?”
Then Hyeon nodded again.
“That’s true, but..."
It was the first time that Blahar and Hyeon had a connection.
It was a short but intense meeting. After finishing tea time with Hyeon, Blahar's face turned pale.
“Ugh...”
He staggered out of the garden, exhausted and looking like he had just been in a huge battle.
“She was an incredible woman in so many ways...”
Elze's face crumpled at Blahar's comment. It was because she was trying to hold back her laughter. Unlike Elze, Shan was openly snickering. He looked very happy. Blahar glared at Shan, then walked over to Elze and spoke childishly.
“Now show me around the mansion...”
Elze barely managed to suppress her laughter and answered him that she understood. Blahar walked away quickly as if he wanted to get as far away from the Queen as possible.
As I was walking down the halls of Targayel, Blahar said in a casual tone.
“Oh, I’m talking about war.”
The voice was so calm that for a moment, no one there understood what Blahar was talking about. Blahar asked as he trudged along.
“Elze, you don’t want to go to war either?”
“...”
It's so sad that they're talking about such an important matter on the street.
When Elze was too flustered to respond because it was so sudden, Blahar clapped his hands and said.
“Yes! I won’t go to war.”
Everyone was struggling to keep up with his train of thought, but Blahar suddenly stopped walking. He turned to look at Elze.
“If you will grant me one favor.”
And then he said with a faint smile.
“It is truly a small, insignificant request, compared to the thousands, tens of thousands of lives that will be lost in war.”
The introduction was long-winded. Elze frowned. She had no idea what that ticking time bomb would say.
Judging from the way Blahar's red eyes sparkled, it didn't seem like an ordinary sound. Blahar straightened his finger in front of the anxious Elze. His white finger pointed at Shan.
“Here, in front of Shan Cirxus...”
And then he turned around, drawing a gentle curve, and pointed at himself. Blahar smiled and said.
“Just kiss me once, Elze.”
The moment the words fell, a series of sharp sounds rang out. Clang, clang, when the sharp sounds ended, the situation was already a mess.
Shan's hand was gripping Blahar's neck. The knights of Heglatan drew their swords all at once and aimed them at Shan. Then the Kalias who had been secretly guarding Shan and Elze came out of hiding and all of them thrust their daggers at the knights' vital points.
The corridor that had been quiet just moments ago was suddenly transformed into a place full of life. Blahar chuckled amidst the flurry of icy blades.
“Things are getting interesting!”
Shan said expressionlessly.
“Don’t talk nonsense. If you don’t want to end your life here.”
“Wow, that’s scary.”
Blahar shrugged his shoulders and said calmly.
“Are you really going to kill me like this?”
Shan opened his mouth coldly at the tone of questioning like a brat.
“If necessary, I will do so without hesitation.”
Blahar's lips twisted at the calm voice. He realized that Shan was sincere. However, the provocation he had thrown was not directed at Shan. Blahar looked back at Elze while Shan held him by the neck.
“Take your pick.”
Elze felt goosebumps. The madness in the red eyes that met her eyes was real.
“One kiss, one war with Heglatan.”
Blahar asked with a grin.
“Which side are you on, Elze?”
Blahar was a Heglatan who was beyond reproach.
The Heglatan people, accustomed to the harsh cold, dry land, and harsh environment, could not help but have a warlike nature. In a world where everything was scarce, they were always fighting and stealing.
If you want something, be strong and go for it.
This was Heglatan's basic mindset. Of course, Blahar was also someone who did not deviate from that framework one bit.
So, Blahar was confident. Blahar was the man at the top of Heglatan. He thought he had enough strength and skill. Now, all that was left was to take it.
Erzenes Targayel.
Blahar wondered how he could get what he wanted. It wasn't a very fun way to just start a war and take it. That was a last resort. Blahar wanted to test Shan and Elze's hearts more than anything.
How much do they love each other? Is there room for me to delve into it? So he went to see Elze and asked her questions.
“A kiss, a war with Heglatan. Which side are you on, Elze?”
It was a question to Elze, but in fact, it would have been fine for either of them to answer. Just one, just one, had to accept it.
Could he sacrifice his love for a greater cause? Blahar had only to confirm that.
If the love between two people could be sacrificed for something else, it was truly a feeble and fragile thing. A heart like that could be torn to shreds and repainted as one's own.
Shan Cirxus's hand, which was clutching hia neck, shook slightly. He could sense his agitation. Blahar whispered to Elze, hiding his boiling joy and triumph.
“It was just one kiss, Elze.”
His heart pounded as he took the risky gamble. Blahar tried to keep his voice from shaking with excitement as he gently lured Elze away.
“What are you hesitating for? Is this something to worry about?”
Her blue eyes trembled slightly in embarrassment. It felt like a small bird was trembling. Barely resisting the urge to grab it and stuff it in his mouth, Blahar tried to persuade her in a gentlemanly manner.
“You could save countless lives by giving me just a little bit of your lips. Targayel is already burdened by war.”
How thrilling it would be to kiss in front of Shan Cirxus.
Blahar had already been picturing himself kissing Elze. If they were to kiss, Elze would definitely just touch lips and run away. But Blahar wouldn’t let her go that easily. He would leave behind a kiss that would leave a huge, irreparable scar on the relationship between Cirxus and Elze.
“...”
Elze was silent for a moment. Blahar smiled and waited for her to speak. This much he could tolerate.
She is rational and cool-headed, so she won't be able to refuse him. On top of that, she's kind, so she won't be able to act selfishly.
What on earth would Elze say? She might burst into tears, Blahar thought. That seemed fine in its own way. As Blahar waited with a pounding heart for Elze’s answer, a cold voice suddenly fell.
“Let’s do it.”
Blahar thought for a moment that he had misheard. But he had not.
Elze, who had been walking towards Blahar, grabbed Shan Cirxus' wrist. She exchanged a quick glance with Shan. Shan Cirxus slowly let go of her hand, though his eyes looked angry.
Blahar swept his loosened neck. Elslze crossed her arms and looked up at Blahar with confidence. Then she spoke again.
“Let’s kiss.”
"...Really?"
So easy? Without much thought? Blahar thought she would at least show some signs of distress. However, Elze looked slightly annoyed and pressed Blahar instead.
“What are you doing? Not kissing.”
It felt like there was some kind of trap. Maybe she had put poison on her lips. But it was okay. In any case, Blahar had achieved his goal.
He cupped Elze's face with his hand. He slowly stroked it, lifting her chin. He was about to bring his lips to hers.
The corners of Elze's mouth went up. It was a smile similar to the smile that Shan Cirxus often made. She tilted her head back slightly and said.
“But Your Majesty.”
Elze's eyes drew round arcs. Just like Blahar, a seductive voice flowed out.
“It is not enough to start a war.”
“...?”
Blahar stopped and looked at Elze. Elze brought her face closer to Blahar. From a distance of just a fingernail, she whispered dizzyingly.
“You should give me the Heglatan Empire in exchange for a kiss.”
"Ha?"
Blahar felt like he had been hit in the back of the head. Elze smiled and asked him a question, looking at him dumbfounded.
“Your Majesty the Emperor, you are not so small-minded as to be unable to even do that, are you?”
Blahar laughed in vain. The gamble he had started had led to a war between the two countries and now involved the entire country.
What kind of woman moves a country with a single kiss?
Blahar and Elze looked at each other. Blahar, looking into her blue eyes, realized something.
He thought that the eyes that had been trembling slightly a moment ago were because of his question, but that wasn't the case. Elze was worried about Shan. She was worried that Shan might lose his temper and do something.
From the beginning, Blahar's proposal was not even on her mind. The bond between the two was so strong and solid that there was no room for Blahar to dig into it.
A dry spit went down his throat. He felt sorry for her as she ran away with her witty puns. He wanted to chase after her and hug her. With the feeling of his eyes turning red, Blahar opened his mouth impulsively.
“I'll give it to you.”
Blahar whispered, pulling Elze's chin back as her eyes opened slightly.
“I’ll give it to you, so kiss me.”
Elze's brow furrowed as if she had not expected him to turn out like this. She covered Blahar's lips with her hand and spoke firmly.
“It’s prepaid.”
At Elze's words, Blahar burst into laughter. His body, which had been burning hot, cooled down slightly and he came to his senses.
It was a fleeting impulse, but Blahar had just now truly felt the urge to give her the Empire and kiss her. Reflecting on his bitter self for a moment, Blahar smiled and said.
“I thought you were only good at using swords, but you're a dangerous woman in many ways.”
Elze smiled and whispered at Blahar's words.
“I knew Your Majesty could be mean, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.”
“I wasn’t joking. I was serious.”
“Come back when you are ready to give up your empire.”
“Ugh...”
Blahar took a step back first. He then roughly ran his hand through his hair. He shook his head and muttered.
“I just can’t get over it.”
Blahar said with a deep sigh.
“The conversation is over. There’s nothing more to say. Everyone put your swords away.”
As they waved their hands, the knights of Heglatan slowly sheathed their swords. The Kalia of Targayel did the same.
The tense atmosphere eased a little as the frosty thugs disappeared. Blahar let out another sigh as if the ground was collapsing and greeted Elze.
“I’ll go. See you on the coronation day.”
When he waved his hand listlessly, Elze only nodded. Blahar suddenly felt angry. He had to turn back without any results, even though it was right in front of him. For a warrior like him, retreating was truly a blow to his pride.
“You know what?”
Maybe that's why he added his useless feelings.
“I like you better, Elze.”
Blahar looked straight at Elze and spoke in a passionate tone as if he were confessing his love.
“One day, I will truly give you the empire. So, come sit next to me and become my Empress.”
But Elze didn't react to Blahar's words. She just asked back expressionlessly.
“Do you know that?”
“What?”
Elze answered coldly to Blahar, who asked playfully on purpose.
“I just saved Your Majesty’s life.”
“...”
There was no need to ask what she was talking about. Blahar felt the sharp gaze poking at him.
Blahar turned his head and met eyes with purple ones. No matter how confident Blahar was, he trembled briefly at that moment.
It was strange. Shan Cirxus had no weapons. But Blahar felt sure that he could kill him with his bare hands. He didn't know exactly why, but it felt right.
The reason Shan Cirxus endured it even though he could have taken his life at any moment was simple. It was because Elze had not given permission. It was Elze who woke up Blahar, who was absorbed in Shan's gaze.
“So stop talking nonsense and please go.”
He spoke to Blahar, using somewhat harsh language.
“If you do more here... there won’t be a war.”
Although she was busy with work before the coronation, the reason she called Blahar was simple. Queen Ryeo, Hyeon, had to return to the kingdom immediately after the coronation. Shan and Elze, who wanted to see her and Blahar meet, worked together to force themselves into their schedule.
And today, Blahar finally visited the Targayel mansion.
While Elze and Shan were waiting at the main gate of the mansion, Blahar's carriage came in with a clattering sound. In front and behind the carriage, the knights of Heglatan stood guard with stiff faces. The atmosphere was so fierce that they looked as if they were about to draw their swords. It was enough to make anyone think they were being dragged to a dead end.
But as always, Blahar was in a completely different world from the sharp-tongued knights.
“Hey, this is Targayel!”
Blahar, who had gotten out of the carriage, let out a reckless exclamation before even exchanging greetings. He glanced around Targayel's mansion.
The mansion, built with gray bricks, had a rough appearance without any special craftsmanship. It even had a somewhat bleak atmosphere. As it was a family that had been unmanned for generations, the emphasis was on practicality rather than the splendor of the mansion.
But Blahar seemed to like the Targayel mansion very much. He turned to Serjev Kamish behind him and said.
“I think it’s really cool. What do you think?”
“It’s a practical place. It’s truly a mansion befitting a family of unmanned people.”
"Yes?"
After they had a long chat about the mansion, Blahar walked briskly over to where Elze and Shan were. Blahar smiled brightly and waved to Elze.
“Hello.”
Elze unconsciously tried to shake his hand, but when she finally came to her senses, she greeted him politely along with Shan.
“Welcome to the mansion, Your Majesty.”
Blahar, who had exchanged greetings with Elze, quickly turned his head. Then, his eyes met with Shan's.
“...”
Blahar and Shan smiled at the same time. They both had swords in their eyes. Blahar smiled broadly and spoke first.
“You look very handsome, Duke Cirxus. It looks like you’ve been eating well and living well.”
Shan also smiled brightly and answered him.
“Your Majesty seems to have gained some weight. Your appearance has improved significantly.”
“...”
Blahar's eyes lit up at Shan's words. This kind of blow was very effective for Blahar, who took great pride in his looks.
Blahar was going to let it slide, even though he was upset. He changed the subject. Blahar looked at Elze and said,
“I didn’t know you would call me this early? Why did you set the date so early when you didn’t have to?”
Blahar was pretending not to know but was secretly poking me in the face of sharp criticism. Elze answered calmly.
“As I said, it is because the Queen wanted it.”
“Oh, that’s true.”
Blahar nodded. Elze had to try to hide the smile that was creeping up her face. She had already explained the whole story to the Queen Ryeo Hyeon. She was the type of person who couldn't pass up something fun.
"They say that Heglatan guys are extremely male-centered, but I wonder if they would treat me that way too."
The Queen was delighted and readily promised cooperation. It was even easier to seduce Blahar. The kingdom of Ryeo, an important trading partner, was a place that other countries were anxious to become close to. However, the opportunity to meet the queen, whose face was like picking stars from the sky, arose.
Blahar would not miss such an opportunity. He would attend even if there was poison in the teacup. Blahar chattered as he was led inside the mansion by Elze and Shan.
“But you haven’t forgotten our promise, have you? After tea time, you will show me around the mansion yourself, Elze.”
Elze nodded to Blahar, who repeatedly urged her.
“I haven’t forgotten. Don’t worry.”
Marle, who had been waiting at a distance, whispered with a slightly nervous expression that the Queen was waiting. Shan nodded once and headed to the garden with Elze and Blahar.
The weather was perfect for spring weather, even a little warm. A large shade was set up in the garden, and outdoor tables were set up under it.
Elze checked the tea table. The well-prepared tea set contained tea ware and green tea from the Kingdom of Ryeo. The tea table, which was a gift from Hyeon and carefully supervised by Marle, was perfectly arranged.
In that picturesque place, Ryeo Hyeon was the first to arrive. She was wearing a deep green silk outfit with gold thread embroidery, perfect for the spring weather, and she was elegantly waving her fan.
Blahar and Hyeon's eyes met. And the moment they looked at each other, they realized that they were the polar opposites. However, they were not young enough to reveal such feelings. Blahar and Hyeon skillfully hid their true feelings and laughed.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
“It’s me.”
The two exchanged brief greetings and sat down. Their faces were still brightly smiling. However, an invisible murderousness flowed through them. Surprisingly, it was Blahar who spoke first. He smiled and said.
“You are fluent in the common language.”
It seemed that Blahar had intended to look good to Hyeon. Hyeon accepted Blahar's compliment with a moderate amount of humility.
And then there were no more words. The two just laughed silently at each other. Blahar and Hyeon both knew that no matter what they said, they would be met with conflict. The stifling silence continued. Finally, Blahar could not control his temper and spoke honestly.
“As Your Majesty knows, our Heglatan culture is very different from Ryeo’s.”
It was a roundabout way of saying that you are a female superior and we are a male superior. The continent as a whole is a male superior, but the worst place is Heglatan. The status of women in Heglatan was lower than that of Baluar.
Hyeon waited leisurely for Blahar to continue. Blahar smiled cheerfully and said.
“So, if I am rude, please understand that it is a cultural difference and forgive me...”
Most people would melt when Blahar behaved like this. But sadly, his good looks did not work on Hyeon. Hyeon folded his fan, which had been fluttering leisurely, with a loud clank. She smiled coldly and asked back.
“Are you saying you’re going to be so blatantly rude right now?”
She looked at Blahar with eyes of infinite insignificance and said:
“If we were to go into detail one by one, it would be endless, but in Ryeo, it is unimaginable to even think of being treated like this by a man.”
“Is that so?”
Blahar looked at Hyeon with a truly surprised expression. It was the exact opposite in Heglatan. Elze and Shan had to muster up a great deal of patience not to laugh at his purely surprised expression.
And starting from that, various topics began to come up in the conversation. No matter what was being talked about, Blahar and Hyeon were on opposite sides. To the point where the conversation itself was not even possible. The conversation between the two was a battle between a spear that could pierce through everything and a shield that could block everything.
“...”
“...”
Without even talking for a while, Blahar got tired. Hyeon said, fanning herself with a hint of annoyance.
“I wonder how you managed to build such a close relationship with Erzenes.”
It was the sound of such a blatant male chauvinist talking to Elze. Elze, who had been enjoying watching the fire, suddenly opened her eyes wide when she was summoned to the topic of conversation. She wondered what Blahar would say. However, his answer was surprisingly simple. Blahar answered Hyeon as if he were asking something obvious.
“Isn’t she special?”
Then Hyeon nodded again.
“That’s true, but..."
It was the first time that Blahar and Hyeon had a connection.
***
It was a short but intense meeting. After finishing tea time with Hyeon, Blahar's face turned pale.
“Ugh...”
He staggered out of the garden, exhausted and looking like he had just been in a huge battle.
“She was an incredible woman in so many ways...”
Elze's face crumpled at Blahar's comment. It was because she was trying to hold back her laughter. Unlike Elze, Shan was openly snickering. He looked very happy. Blahar glared at Shan, then walked over to Elze and spoke childishly.
“Now show me around the mansion...”
Elze barely managed to suppress her laughter and answered him that she understood. Blahar walked away quickly as if he wanted to get as far away from the Queen as possible.
As I was walking down the halls of Targayel, Blahar said in a casual tone.
“Oh, I’m talking about war.”
The voice was so calm that for a moment, no one there understood what Blahar was talking about. Blahar asked as he trudged along.
“Elze, you don’t want to go to war either?”
“...”
It's so sad that they're talking about such an important matter on the street.
When Elze was too flustered to respond because it was so sudden, Blahar clapped his hands and said.
“Yes! I won’t go to war.”
Everyone was struggling to keep up with his train of thought, but Blahar suddenly stopped walking. He turned to look at Elze.
“If you will grant me one favor.”
And then he said with a faint smile.
“It is truly a small, insignificant request, compared to the thousands, tens of thousands of lives that will be lost in war.”
The introduction was long-winded. Elze frowned. She had no idea what that ticking time bomb would say.
Judging from the way Blahar's red eyes sparkled, it didn't seem like an ordinary sound. Blahar straightened his finger in front of the anxious Elze. His white finger pointed at Shan.
“Here, in front of Shan Cirxus...”
And then he turned around, drawing a gentle curve, and pointed at himself. Blahar smiled and said.
“Just kiss me once, Elze.”
The moment the words fell, a series of sharp sounds rang out. Clang, clang, when the sharp sounds ended, the situation was already a mess.
Shan's hand was gripping Blahar's neck. The knights of Heglatan drew their swords all at once and aimed them at Shan. Then the Kalias who had been secretly guarding Shan and Elze came out of hiding and all of them thrust their daggers at the knights' vital points.
The corridor that had been quiet just moments ago was suddenly transformed into a place full of life. Blahar chuckled amidst the flurry of icy blades.
“Things are getting interesting!”
Shan said expressionlessly.
“Don’t talk nonsense. If you don’t want to end your life here.”
“Wow, that’s scary.”
Blahar shrugged his shoulders and said calmly.
“Are you really going to kill me like this?”
Shan opened his mouth coldly at the tone of questioning like a brat.
“If necessary, I will do so without hesitation.”
Blahar's lips twisted at the calm voice. He realized that Shan was sincere. However, the provocation he had thrown was not directed at Shan. Blahar looked back at Elze while Shan held him by the neck.
“Take your pick.”
Elze felt goosebumps. The madness in the red eyes that met her eyes was real.
“One kiss, one war with Heglatan.”
Blahar asked with a grin.
“Which side are you on, Elze?”
***
Blahar was a Heglatan who was beyond reproach.
The Heglatan people, accustomed to the harsh cold, dry land, and harsh environment, could not help but have a warlike nature. In a world where everything was scarce, they were always fighting and stealing.
If you want something, be strong and go for it.
This was Heglatan's basic mindset. Of course, Blahar was also someone who did not deviate from that framework one bit.
So, Blahar was confident. Blahar was the man at the top of Heglatan. He thought he had enough strength and skill. Now, all that was left was to take it.
Erzenes Targayel.
Blahar wondered how he could get what he wanted. It wasn't a very fun way to just start a war and take it. That was a last resort. Blahar wanted to test Shan and Elze's hearts more than anything.
How much do they love each other? Is there room for me to delve into it? So he went to see Elze and asked her questions.
“A kiss, a war with Heglatan. Which side are you on, Elze?”
It was a question to Elze, but in fact, it would have been fine for either of them to answer. Just one, just one, had to accept it.
Could he sacrifice his love for a greater cause? Blahar had only to confirm that.
If the love between two people could be sacrificed for something else, it was truly a feeble and fragile thing. A heart like that could be torn to shreds and repainted as one's own.
Shan Cirxus's hand, which was clutching hia neck, shook slightly. He could sense his agitation. Blahar whispered to Elze, hiding his boiling joy and triumph.
“It was just one kiss, Elze.”
His heart pounded as he took the risky gamble. Blahar tried to keep his voice from shaking with excitement as he gently lured Elze away.
“What are you hesitating for? Is this something to worry about?”
Her blue eyes trembled slightly in embarrassment. It felt like a small bird was trembling. Barely resisting the urge to grab it and stuff it in his mouth, Blahar tried to persuade her in a gentlemanly manner.
“You could save countless lives by giving me just a little bit of your lips. Targayel is already burdened by war.”
How thrilling it would be to kiss in front of Shan Cirxus.
Blahar had already been picturing himself kissing Elze. If they were to kiss, Elze would definitely just touch lips and run away. But Blahar wouldn’t let her go that easily. He would leave behind a kiss that would leave a huge, irreparable scar on the relationship between Cirxus and Elze.
“...”
Elze was silent for a moment. Blahar smiled and waited for her to speak. This much he could tolerate.
She is rational and cool-headed, so she won't be able to refuse him. On top of that, she's kind, so she won't be able to act selfishly.
What on earth would Elze say? She might burst into tears, Blahar thought. That seemed fine in its own way. As Blahar waited with a pounding heart for Elze’s answer, a cold voice suddenly fell.
“Let’s do it.”
Blahar thought for a moment that he had misheard. But he had not.
Elze, who had been walking towards Blahar, grabbed Shan Cirxus' wrist. She exchanged a quick glance with Shan. Shan Cirxus slowly let go of her hand, though his eyes looked angry.
Blahar swept his loosened neck. Elslze crossed her arms and looked up at Blahar with confidence. Then she spoke again.
“Let’s kiss.”
"...Really?"
So easy? Without much thought? Blahar thought she would at least show some signs of distress. However, Elze looked slightly annoyed and pressed Blahar instead.
“What are you doing? Not kissing.”
It felt like there was some kind of trap. Maybe she had put poison on her lips. But it was okay. In any case, Blahar had achieved his goal.
He cupped Elze's face with his hand. He slowly stroked it, lifting her chin. He was about to bring his lips to hers.
The corners of Elze's mouth went up. It was a smile similar to the smile that Shan Cirxus often made. She tilted her head back slightly and said.
“But Your Majesty.”
Elze's eyes drew round arcs. Just like Blahar, a seductive voice flowed out.
“It is not enough to start a war.”
“...?”
Blahar stopped and looked at Elze. Elze brought her face closer to Blahar. From a distance of just a fingernail, she whispered dizzyingly.
“You should give me the Heglatan Empire in exchange for a kiss.”
"Ha?"
Blahar felt like he had been hit in the back of the head. Elze smiled and asked him a question, looking at him dumbfounded.
“Your Majesty the Emperor, you are not so small-minded as to be unable to even do that, are you?”
Blahar laughed in vain. The gamble he had started had led to a war between the two countries and now involved the entire country.
What kind of woman moves a country with a single kiss?
Blahar and Elze looked at each other. Blahar, looking into her blue eyes, realized something.
He thought that the eyes that had been trembling slightly a moment ago were because of his question, but that wasn't the case. Elze was worried about Shan. She was worried that Shan might lose his temper and do something.
From the beginning, Blahar's proposal was not even on her mind. The bond between the two was so strong and solid that there was no room for Blahar to dig into it.
A dry spit went down his throat. He felt sorry for her as she ran away with her witty puns. He wanted to chase after her and hug her. With the feeling of his eyes turning red, Blahar opened his mouth impulsively.
“I'll give it to you.”
Blahar whispered, pulling Elze's chin back as her eyes opened slightly.
“I’ll give it to you, so kiss me.”
Elze's brow furrowed as if she had not expected him to turn out like this. She covered Blahar's lips with her hand and spoke firmly.
“It’s prepaid.”
At Elze's words, Blahar burst into laughter. His body, which had been burning hot, cooled down slightly and he came to his senses.
It was a fleeting impulse, but Blahar had just now truly felt the urge to give her the Empire and kiss her. Reflecting on his bitter self for a moment, Blahar smiled and said.
“I thought you were only good at using swords, but you're a dangerous woman in many ways.”
Elze smiled and whispered at Blahar's words.
“I knew Your Majesty could be mean, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.”
“I wasn’t joking. I was serious.”
“Come back when you are ready to give up your empire.”
“Ugh...”
Blahar took a step back first. He then roughly ran his hand through his hair. He shook his head and muttered.
“I just can’t get over it.”
Blahar said with a deep sigh.
“The conversation is over. There’s nothing more to say. Everyone put your swords away.”
As they waved their hands, the knights of Heglatan slowly sheathed their swords. The Kalia of Targayel did the same.
The tense atmosphere eased a little as the frosty thugs disappeared. Blahar let out another sigh as if the ground was collapsing and greeted Elze.
“I’ll go. See you on the coronation day.”
When he waved his hand listlessly, Elze only nodded. Blahar suddenly felt angry. He had to turn back without any results, even though it was right in front of him. For a warrior like him, retreating was truly a blow to his pride.
“You know what?”
Maybe that's why he added his useless feelings.
“I like you better, Elze.”
Blahar looked straight at Elze and spoke in a passionate tone as if he were confessing his love.
“One day, I will truly give you the empire. So, come sit next to me and become my Empress.”
But Elze didn't react to Blahar's words. She just asked back expressionlessly.
“Do you know that?”
“What?”
Elze answered coldly to Blahar, who asked playfully on purpose.
“I just saved Your Majesty’s life.”
“...”
There was no need to ask what she was talking about. Blahar felt the sharp gaze poking at him.
Blahar turned his head and met eyes with purple ones. No matter how confident Blahar was, he trembled briefly at that moment.
It was strange. Shan Cirxus had no weapons. But Blahar felt sure that he could kill him with his bare hands. He didn't know exactly why, but it felt right.
The reason Shan Cirxus endured it even though he could have taken his life at any moment was simple. It was because Elze had not given permission. It was Elze who woke up Blahar, who was absorbed in Shan's gaze.
“So stop talking nonsense and please go.”
He spoke to Blahar, using somewhat harsh language.
“If you do more here... there won’t be a war.”
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