Episode 74. New Cards
“Luna...?”
“It’s been a while, Kassius.”
Luna smiled and extended her hand.
“Be polite, Luna.”
Kien nudged Luna’s side with his elbow.
“Hmm. Should I call you Your Excellency, the Duke?”
“Of course.”
Kien sighed deeply.
“Then Your Excellency, the Duke. It’s been a while.”
Luna said, somewhat imitating Kien.
Kassius nodded briefly.
Whatever Luna’s attitude was, it didn’t matter now.
Kassius needed strength.
Strength he could wield alone.
And the Yi tribes were the answer to Kassius’s need.
The Yi tribes were naturally massive, large, and physically gifted.
A single Yi tribe warrior could take on ten knights.
That’s why the Yi tribes were especially sold as gladiators during the oppression.
"Luna, it's been a while, Luna. How have you been?"
"So-so. I heard about Your Excellency, the Duke. You've made great contributions on the battlefield, haven't you?"
Luna shrugged.
"It would have been great if you had used that power for the Yi tribes. If you hadn't fought on the Chorpa Plains, if you had killed the Emperor and reclaimed our lands..."
"Luna!"
This was why Kien had been so exhausted during this journey.
Luna was always open about her resentment toward the Hientri.
She refused to acknowledge that the Yi tribes had been at fault in past events.
Because the Yi tribes killed the royal family of another nation, the Hientri had to endure war, and countless knights had died in the process.
They had paid the price for the royal family's lives. While the Emperor's revenge wasn't right, the Yi tribes weren't exactly right either.
Luna shook Kien off.
"I'm not wrong, am I?"
"But that's not something you should be talking about here."
A faint voice came from behind.
Kassius, who was about to respond, closed his mouth, and Kien and Luna turned.
A pale woman was entering the parlor door.
Her blond hair flowed freely, and her eyes were pink. She looked like a doll.
Luna felt that way. She looked like she could shatter if touched.
“You are a noblewoman.”
“Luna.”
Kien called her with a warning, but her attitude didn’t improve.
“Huh. Your Excellency. Did you marry a woman like that? Why? I heard she’s a noblewoman of the capital. What could she possibly do for you? Resurrecting the Yi teibe...”
“Enough.”
Renisha cut her off sharply.
“Don’t you know that if you keep acting so recklessly, you could die a silent death?”
Renisha asked gently.
Her tone was gentle, but her meaning was anything but.
Luna blinked, unable to catch the gap.
“What did you just say...?”
Renisha sat down next to Kassius.
Kassius naturally made sure Renisha was comfortable.
Renisha looked up at Luna obliquely.
“I’m sorry if you didn’t understand.”
“Why should I die? It should be Hientri who dies! The Yi tribes are persecuted without sin...!”
“My great-grandfather died.”
“What?”
“In the war started by the Yi tribes.”
Kassius had never heard this story before.
Renisha took Kassius’s hand as if it were nothing special. She lightly scratched his palm with her finger, a gesture that seemed to soothe him.
“Not only my great-grandfather, but his son, and his son’s friend. And that friend’s cousin. They all died. Because of the royal family who died due to the Yi tribes’ stubbornness.”
“T-That... It was a mistake! If I had known, I would never have...”
“Does someone come back to life if they say it was a mistake after they die?”
Renisha said wearily.
“And... If I had known, would I have spared them? Or killed them?”
Renisha laughed sharply.
"What's so biased about that? You're strong against the weak, weak against the strong?"
Luna snapped.
"That's ridiculous! We're people who know spirit and pride! We'd never be that lethal!"
“I think I just made a fatal remark. You said you wouldn’t have killed me if I were royalty. If I weren’t royalty, do I have two or three lives?”
Luna, understanding what she meant, clenched her jaw.
Kien stared in awe at Renisha, who had silenced Luna.
Luna was stubborn and unwilling to listen.
But Renisha had overcome even Luna’s stubbornness.
“My family died because of you. By your logic, I should hate you and drive you out of here, right?”
Luna’s eyes trembled.
“Hiloshine is my land, too. After all, I am Lady Lottera. By your logic, I should hate the Yi tribes too, so I shouldn’t allow them into Hiloshine. Right?”
Luna bit her lip.
She knew how much the Yi tribes had hoped for Hiloshine.
The hope that they wouldn’t have to live in hiding anymore.
If they could settle down in one place and live there for a long time...
How much the Yi tribes had longed for this.
“Kassius, that’s right. Bringing the Yi tribes into Hiloshine...”
“No!”
Luna shook her head.
“I was mistaken. It wasn’t just the Yi tribes’ fault,”
Luna said cowardly.
Kien’s eyes widened when Luna, who seemed invincible, was defeated.
Renisha, who could defeat Luna?
Kien decided to respect Renisha for the rest of his life.
Renisha, who silenced Luna in an instant, leaned on Kassius’ shoulder.
“It seems you got what you wanted, Kassius. You found the Yi tribes.”
“Yes.”
Kassius hesitated and then kissed Renisha’s forehead.
Luna grumbled at his affectionate appearance.
“I have somewhere to go, Kassius. Spend some quality time with the guests.”
“...Where..."
“Ah. I think I need to go to the imperial palace.”
Kassius abruptly stood up.
He couldn't send Renisha alone to a place like that.
Putting Luna and Kien's business on hold for the moment...
"Kassius. I have to go alone."
"Why...?"
"I want to collect the remains of the dead Calliot descendants."
Renisha gave a sighing smile.
Renisha knew that Laxus had been using that as an excuse to pressure Count Calliot.
Now that there was no Count Calliot to do that, she was hoping Laxus would hand over the remains.
She wanted to do that much for the unjustly killed.
"I'll try to go without drawing attention. Nothing will happen."
"Take the knights with you."
"Yes."
Renisha answered meekly.
It might be a hassle, but taking them might be better than hearing their worries all the time.
Renisha glanced in Luna's direction and stood up.
After Count Calliot's death, their relationship had grown closer, sharing more emotions.
Renisha walked briskly.
“...You liked a woman like that?”
Luna said through gritted teeth.
It was embarrassing that her mouth was shut at that moment.
“Watch your words, Luna,”
Kassius said quietly.
No one could tolerate anyone talking carelessly about Renisha.
“Call her Duchess properly.”
“...Alright, Duchess. You liked a woman like that, a greenhouse plant?”
Kassius sighed.
He had a feeling that talking to Luna would not be easy.
“Let’s talk about the Yi tribe. So what did you come to? Did you decide to emigrate?”
“Well. I said that would be better.”
“I want the help of the Yi tribe warriors. What does your leader think about that?”
“Because they’ll be itching.”
Luna shrugged.
In truth, even she couldn’t accept that she had been scared by that small woman.
Renisha’s small, pale face lingered in her mind.
She's a hand shorter than Luna, but where does she get such an aura?
"So, what kind of person is the Duchess?"
Kassius frowned. Kien stuck out his tongue, his face weary.
After a long conversation, Kassius was able to hear the full story about the tribes.
That they were eager to migrate to Hiloshine. That they were willing to help Kassius, and that the tribe's leader was prepared.
“...I need trained warriors. I wonder if they can fight alongside me.”
“What are you planning?”
Luna belatedly pointed out the point.
Kassius smiled coldly.
“Usurpation of the throne.”
“What?”
Luna opened her mouth. It was a topic she had never even considered.
“Why? Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
“T-that..”
Luna swallowed and asked.
“Are you going to take that seat?”
“No. There’s someone else who will become the Emperor.”
A light seeped into Kassius’s eyes.
Just thinking about Renisha brought a smile to his face.
And imagining something with Renisha made him even happier.
“Renisha. Renisha Lottera will become Emperor. You asked me what kind of person she was, didn’t you? I think I just answered.”
Luna opened her mouth again.
That too was something she had never imagined. Renisha? Renisha.
She was a more remarkable woman than she had imagined.
She would kill her husband, the Emperor, and take her place.
The awe the woman had exuded earlier wasn't a lie.
Luna stared at Kassius with a strange gaze.
She had longed to see Kassius again.
What to say. What to do. Or... what to call him.
She had been curious, wondering if someone she had thought might be dead had come back to life and become a hero.
She listened intently whenever news arrived.
And when she learned that Kassius remembered Luna and was searching for her, she felt a strange thrill.
Her heart thumped.
Knowing that Kassius remembered Luna, too, seemed to bring back old feelings.
But by Kassius's side was a woman completely different from Luna.
A small, pretty woman, like a porcelain doll.
No matter how much Luna dressed up and decorated herself, she could never be like Renisha.
Out of spite, she had poked Renisha, only to be crushed.
Her heart ached for no reason.
"I'm annoyed."
"What?"
"There are women like that."
Luna suddenly turned her head.
Kien sighed as she opened the door and left without permission.
“Kien.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Move the tribesmen to Hiloshine. And Luna...”
Kassius’s expression clouded.
“Keep an eye on Luna. Make sure no trouble comes up.”
“Aren’t you protecting Lady Renisha?”
Kassius had come to know Renisha to some extent.
And he knew better than anyone that Renisha was not someone who would just take it easy.
If Luna continued to be so rude, Renisha would make Luna pay.
They had to avoid such a clash now that they were about to bring the tribesmen.
“Keep an eye on Luna. Make sure no one gets into trouble.”
A strange sense of unease filled him.
“Luna...?”
“It’s been a while, Kassius.”
Luna smiled and extended her hand.
“Be polite, Luna.”
Kien nudged Luna’s side with his elbow.
“Hmm. Should I call you Your Excellency, the Duke?”
“Of course.”
Kien sighed deeply.
“Then Your Excellency, the Duke. It’s been a while.”
Luna said, somewhat imitating Kien.
Kassius nodded briefly.
Whatever Luna’s attitude was, it didn’t matter now.
Kassius needed strength.
Strength he could wield alone.
And the Yi tribes were the answer to Kassius’s need.
The Yi tribes were naturally massive, large, and physically gifted.
A single Yi tribe warrior could take on ten knights.
That’s why the Yi tribes were especially sold as gladiators during the oppression.
"Luna, it's been a while, Luna. How have you been?"
"So-so. I heard about Your Excellency, the Duke. You've made great contributions on the battlefield, haven't you?"
Luna shrugged.
"It would have been great if you had used that power for the Yi tribes. If you hadn't fought on the Chorpa Plains, if you had killed the Emperor and reclaimed our lands..."
"Luna!"
This was why Kien had been so exhausted during this journey.
Luna was always open about her resentment toward the Hientri.
She refused to acknowledge that the Yi tribes had been at fault in past events.
Because the Yi tribes killed the royal family of another nation, the Hientri had to endure war, and countless knights had died in the process.
They had paid the price for the royal family's lives. While the Emperor's revenge wasn't right, the Yi tribes weren't exactly right either.
Luna shook Kien off.
"I'm not wrong, am I?"
"But that's not something you should be talking about here."
A faint voice came from behind.
Kassius, who was about to respond, closed his mouth, and Kien and Luna turned.
A pale woman was entering the parlor door.
Her blond hair flowed freely, and her eyes were pink. She looked like a doll.
Luna felt that way. She looked like she could shatter if touched.
“You are a noblewoman.”
“Luna.”
Kien called her with a warning, but her attitude didn’t improve.
“Huh. Your Excellency. Did you marry a woman like that? Why? I heard she’s a noblewoman of the capital. What could she possibly do for you? Resurrecting the Yi teibe...”
“Enough.”
Renisha cut her off sharply.
“Don’t you know that if you keep acting so recklessly, you could die a silent death?”
Renisha asked gently.
Her tone was gentle, but her meaning was anything but.
Luna blinked, unable to catch the gap.
“What did you just say...?”
Renisha sat down next to Kassius.
Kassius naturally made sure Renisha was comfortable.
Renisha looked up at Luna obliquely.
“I’m sorry if you didn’t understand.”
“Why should I die? It should be Hientri who dies! The Yi tribes are persecuted without sin...!”
“My great-grandfather died.”
“What?”
“In the war started by the Yi tribes.”
Kassius had never heard this story before.
Renisha took Kassius’s hand as if it were nothing special. She lightly scratched his palm with her finger, a gesture that seemed to soothe him.
“Not only my great-grandfather, but his son, and his son’s friend. And that friend’s cousin. They all died. Because of the royal family who died due to the Yi tribes’ stubbornness.”
“T-That... It was a mistake! If I had known, I would never have...”
“Does someone come back to life if they say it was a mistake after they die?”
Renisha said wearily.
“And... If I had known, would I have spared them? Or killed them?”
Renisha laughed sharply.
"What's so biased about that? You're strong against the weak, weak against the strong?"
Luna snapped.
"That's ridiculous! We're people who know spirit and pride! We'd never be that lethal!"
“I think I just made a fatal remark. You said you wouldn’t have killed me if I were royalty. If I weren’t royalty, do I have two or three lives?”
Luna, understanding what she meant, clenched her jaw.
Kien stared in awe at Renisha, who had silenced Luna.
Luna was stubborn and unwilling to listen.
But Renisha had overcome even Luna’s stubbornness.
“My family died because of you. By your logic, I should hate you and drive you out of here, right?”
Luna’s eyes trembled.
“Hiloshine is my land, too. After all, I am Lady Lottera. By your logic, I should hate the Yi tribes too, so I shouldn’t allow them into Hiloshine. Right?”
Luna bit her lip.
She knew how much the Yi tribes had hoped for Hiloshine.
The hope that they wouldn’t have to live in hiding anymore.
If they could settle down in one place and live there for a long time...
How much the Yi tribes had longed for this.
“Kassius, that’s right. Bringing the Yi tribes into Hiloshine...”
“No!”
Luna shook her head.
“I was mistaken. It wasn’t just the Yi tribes’ fault,”
Luna said cowardly.
Kien’s eyes widened when Luna, who seemed invincible, was defeated.
Renisha, who could defeat Luna?
Kien decided to respect Renisha for the rest of his life.
Renisha, who silenced Luna in an instant, leaned on Kassius’ shoulder.
“It seems you got what you wanted, Kassius. You found the Yi tribes.”
“Yes.”
Kassius hesitated and then kissed Renisha’s forehead.
Luna grumbled at his affectionate appearance.
“I have somewhere to go, Kassius. Spend some quality time with the guests.”
“...Where..."
“Ah. I think I need to go to the imperial palace.”
Kassius abruptly stood up.
He couldn't send Renisha alone to a place like that.
Putting Luna and Kien's business on hold for the moment...
"Kassius. I have to go alone."
"Why...?"
"I want to collect the remains of the dead Calliot descendants."
Renisha gave a sighing smile.
Renisha knew that Laxus had been using that as an excuse to pressure Count Calliot.
Now that there was no Count Calliot to do that, she was hoping Laxus would hand over the remains.
She wanted to do that much for the unjustly killed.
"I'll try to go without drawing attention. Nothing will happen."
"Take the knights with you."
"Yes."
Renisha answered meekly.
It might be a hassle, but taking them might be better than hearing their worries all the time.
Renisha glanced in Luna's direction and stood up.
After Count Calliot's death, their relationship had grown closer, sharing more emotions.
Renisha walked briskly.
***
“...You liked a woman like that?”
Luna said through gritted teeth.
It was embarrassing that her mouth was shut at that moment.
“Watch your words, Luna,”
Kassius said quietly.
No one could tolerate anyone talking carelessly about Renisha.
“Call her Duchess properly.”
“...Alright, Duchess. You liked a woman like that, a greenhouse plant?”
Kassius sighed.
He had a feeling that talking to Luna would not be easy.
“Let’s talk about the Yi tribe. So what did you come to? Did you decide to emigrate?”
“Well. I said that would be better.”
“I want the help of the Yi tribe warriors. What does your leader think about that?”
“Because they’ll be itching.”
Luna shrugged.
In truth, even she couldn’t accept that she had been scared by that small woman.
Renisha’s small, pale face lingered in her mind.
She's a hand shorter than Luna, but where does she get such an aura?
"So, what kind of person is the Duchess?"
Kassius frowned. Kien stuck out his tongue, his face weary.
After a long conversation, Kassius was able to hear the full story about the tribes.
That they were eager to migrate to Hiloshine. That they were willing to help Kassius, and that the tribe's leader was prepared.
“...I need trained warriors. I wonder if they can fight alongside me.”
“What are you planning?”
Luna belatedly pointed out the point.
Kassius smiled coldly.
“Usurpation of the throne.”
“What?”
Luna opened her mouth. It was a topic she had never even considered.
“Why? Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
“T-that..”
Luna swallowed and asked.
“Are you going to take that seat?”
“No. There’s someone else who will become the Emperor.”
A light seeped into Kassius’s eyes.
Just thinking about Renisha brought a smile to his face.
And imagining something with Renisha made him even happier.
“Renisha. Renisha Lottera will become Emperor. You asked me what kind of person she was, didn’t you? I think I just answered.”
Luna opened her mouth again.
That too was something she had never imagined. Renisha? Renisha.
She was a more remarkable woman than she had imagined.
She would kill her husband, the Emperor, and take her place.
The awe the woman had exuded earlier wasn't a lie.
Luna stared at Kassius with a strange gaze.
She had longed to see Kassius again.
What to say. What to do. Or... what to call him.
She had been curious, wondering if someone she had thought might be dead had come back to life and become a hero.
She listened intently whenever news arrived.
And when she learned that Kassius remembered Luna and was searching for her, she felt a strange thrill.
Her heart thumped.
Knowing that Kassius remembered Luna, too, seemed to bring back old feelings.
But by Kassius's side was a woman completely different from Luna.
A small, pretty woman, like a porcelain doll.
No matter how much Luna dressed up and decorated herself, she could never be like Renisha.
Out of spite, she had poked Renisha, only to be crushed.
Her heart ached for no reason.
"I'm annoyed."
"What?"
"There are women like that."
Luna suddenly turned her head.
Kien sighed as she opened the door and left without permission.
“Kien.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Move the tribesmen to Hiloshine. And Luna...”
Kassius’s expression clouded.
“Keep an eye on Luna. Make sure no trouble comes up.”
“Aren’t you protecting Lady Renisha?”
Kassius had come to know Renisha to some extent.
And he knew better than anyone that Renisha was not someone who would just take it easy.
If Luna continued to be so rude, Renisha would make Luna pay.
They had to avoid such a clash now that they were about to bring the tribesmen.
“Keep an eye on Luna. Make sure no one gets into trouble.”
A strange sense of unease filled him.
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