Episode 38
"Puhahahahat!!!"
What silenced the martial arts tournament that had turned into an Asura field was the explosive laughter of Sunrise Empire's Emperor, Raikan.
Since the Emperor usually went about with only gloomy and dour expressions, to the point that it had become his very identity, his laughter was more than enough to make everyone in the tournament hall shut their mouths.
"Hahaha... Now that's truly amusing!"
Having laughed alone in deep silence for quite a while, the Emperor wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes from laughing too hard and looked at me as he spoke.
"Can you take responsibility for those words just now?"
"...Well, I'm not sure."
To him, I answered calmly.
Of course, to a typical emperor, this would have been a reckless and discourteous remark enough to shock them, but to Emperor Raikan before my eyes, this was the correct answer.
"Puhup... Puhehe..."
As expected, upon hearing my words, the Emperor began laughing again, and once more, he started laughing alone in deep silence for a while.
"Lord Frey, I don't know what you're thinking, but..."
I was feeling relieved that things were going according to plan while watching the Emperor, when suddenly the Empress urgently approached me and began whispering.
"...Good! Then, let us discuss your proposal with the Empress!"
But when the Emperor rose from his seat with a hearty expression, the Empress frowned deeply and urgently approached him.
"You, right now this matter is..."
"Come now, something interesting has happened for the first time in ages, so what's the harm?"
However, the Emperor wore a pleasant expression and headed to the conference room that had already been prepared, and eventually the Empress chewed her lips, glared at me once, and began following him.
'...Success.'
Seeing that sight, it seems my plan has succeeded.
Of course, since I was almost certain of this operation's success, I didn't feel particularly surprised.
The reason the Crown Princess wields power in the Sunrise Empire where the Emperor holds absolute authority is due to the Emperor's lethargy.
Because of this condition, the Emperor came to be known as synonymous with incompetence, and that was why the Empress was able to wield power in his stead.
Being such an Emperor, he goes crazy for stimulating and thrilling matters like this.
Therefore, it was easy to predict that he would personally participate in this incident that occurred after such a long time, trying somehow to alleviate his lethargy.
Of course, not just anyone could do something like this.
After all, once this matter ends, the Emperor will become lethargic again.
After that, the Empress and the Princes and Princesses would personally step forward, and in the Empire, the only one who can stand against their prestige is none other than me, the First Son of the Starlight Duke House and the temporary head.
In other words, this operation was a strategy that only I could use.
Of course, anticipating the possibility that the Emperor might be displeased and the Empress might somehow interfere, I had invoked the 'Oath.'
Thanks to that, right now the Empress and her children must be suffering quite a headache.
"Let us depart."
"...Hm?"
I was thinking such thoughts with a smile of satisfaction, when a servant who had been waiting came to my side and began escorting me.
"There was an order to guide you to a room for the two of you to spend intimate time together once the 3rd Princess's fiancé is decided. Given the current situation, it seems appropriate for Lord Frey to go."
"...Indeed."
Nodding at his words, I left behind Klana who had been blankly staring at me until then, and began descending from the platform with the servant.
"........"
As I came down from the platform, countless gazes poured onto me.
Envious or jealous gazes, surprised or appalled gazes, greedy gazes or those seeking opportunity, or even gazes that simply viewed me as an immature brat.
Though numerous gazes began pouring onto me, I didn't feel particularly burdened or suffocated.
Because, for me, these were gazes I had always received.
"...You."
Just as I was making my way through the crowd toward the prepared room, someone blocked my way.
".....!"
And upon confirming the face of the person blocking me, I had no choice but to break the composure I had maintained until then and show a flustered expression.
"What... what is the meaning of this?"
It was because my fiancée Serena, who would be the biggest obstacle to my future plans, who until the very last moment in the previous round never gave up on me, someone I absolutely did not want to meet at such a timing, was blocking my way with a cold expression.
"Are you... are you playing another senseless prank again? I've already seen through that your flirting is not entirely sincere."
"...What?"
But something is strange.
I thought for sure words probing whether she remembers the previous round would come from her mouth, or perhaps a death threat, but... words I used to hear often in the past are coming out.
"Although... when I examined your expression and demeanor, it felt slightly sincere... no, quite sincere, but that too is an act, right? You've improved quite a bit from acting so much, haven't you? Hmm?"
"What do you mean..."
"So please stop. Stop this farce and... let's go to a famous spot I found out about..."
"Remove your hand."
As she extended her trembling hand toward me, the habit of dealing with her from the past unconsciously slipped out.
"Yes."
But suddenly her pupils faded, and she made an obedient expression and quickly removed her hand from me.
".....?"
Feeling something strange about her behavior, she whose pupils had returned to normal before I knew it began speaking again.
"...let's go to the famous spot and talk calmly. About what exactly you're dissatisfied with and why you're acting like this..."
"Be quiet."
Wondering if perhaps, I gave her another command, and she with faded pupils began tightly closing her mouth.
"...Stop closing your mouth and move aside from here."
Thinking surely not, I gave her a detailed command, and Serena slightly parted her lips and began walking somewhere.
Because there was a point that clicked with such behavior, I used the information gathering skill, and a quite shocking result came out.
[Name: Serena Luna Moonlight]
[Abilities: Strength 7.8 / Magic Power 7.8 / Intelligence 10 / Mental Strength 9]
[Special Notes: Family Subjugation, Absolute Obedience Magic]
[Disposition: Schemer]
[Goodness Value: 0]
'...Absolute Obedience Magic?'
The curse binding her called 'Family Subjugation' was something I had naturally expected. Because of that, she had suffered considerably while dealing with me in the previous round.
The word 'Schemer' that best represents her disposition was also expected. It would rather be strange if the title of Schemer wasn't attached to a genius of tactics who held back the Demon Lord's army for several years with ailing soldiers.
Her goodness value at exactly the middle stage between minus one hundred and plus one hundred was also expected. Because she had a neutral personality that could sometimes become angelically good depending on the situation, and sometimes become devilishly evil.
'But... why is Absolute Obedience Magic placed on her?'
Absolute Obedience Magic is a magic designed to make one nominally loyal to only one target... it's a highest-grade magic that makes one follow commands without any doubt when the person being loyal gives orders.
But why is such magic placed on her, and with the target of loyalty designated as me no less?
"...Lord Frey? You should go soon."
The servant who couldn't stand watching me lost in thought began urging me.
"Ah, sorry. Let's go."
Thanks to that, I came to my senses, quietly closed my mouth, and began heading to the room that was said to be prepared with the servant.
'Serena, surely not...'
Of course, even while going to the room, I kept thinking about Serena again and again.
.
"...What is this place?"
Upon arriving at the room, I couldn't help but be quite flustered.
"It is a space prepared exclusively for the fiancé and the 3rd Princess."
"This is crazy."
The room was entirely dyed pink, and the cute heart decorations hanging here and there created quite an affectionate atmosphere.
"Who in the world designed this with what kind of deranged mind?"
"It was Her Majesty the Empress."
"Now that I look again, it's quite cute and pretty. It has a newlywed atmosphere too, very nice."
Fearing I might be held accountable, I quickly changed my words, went to sit at a small round table piled high with various cookies and desserts, and began eating them.
"...Did Her Majesty the Empress personally prepare all of this too?"
"All the snacks here were personally prepared by Her Majesty the Empress."
Having become accustomed to sweet foods because Serena gave me so many sweets as a child that my teeth nearly rotted, I evaluated that the Crown Princess at least had some taste in desserts, and while eating cookies, I eventually asked the servant a question.
"So, when is Klana coming?"
"It's about time she should be coming..."
-Creeeak...
Just as I was slightly glaring at the servant trailing off and reaching for the cocktail beside me, the door quietly began to open.
"...Everyone else, please leave."
Soon after, Klana who had entered the room spoke in a cold voice, and the servant and maids beside me began looking at me.
"Leave."
And only after my command fell did they hurriedly exit the room.
"...Mm."
Klana who watched that scene resentfully eventually glared at me as if to kill me and opened her mouth.
"You, what exactly is your scheme..."
"Sit."
But I, who was swirling a cocktail in my hand, cut off her words with a frigid expression.
"What?"
"I said sit in the seat."
Soon after, when I pointed to the seat across from me with a look of pity, Klana who was trembling slightly for a moment slowly walked to her seat.
"...What exactly is your scheme."
Once she sat in her seat, she glared at me fiercely again and threw a question, and I ignored her and began drinking the cocktail I held.
"Answer me, Frey. What in the world is this..."
"First, fix that attitude."
"What did you say?"
"If you're going to be my bride and embrace me, I said fix that insolent attitude first."
Soon after, when I spoke coldly, she twisted the corner of her mouth and began speaking in a voice filled with anger.
"You think... I'll embrace you?"
"If you marry me, you'll have to embrace me whether you like it or not, you know?"
"Ha, something like that will absolutely never happen. So..."
-Bang!!
"...Hiek!"
When I slammed the table strongly, Klana flinched and stopped her words, and I sneered at her and opened my mouth.
"It seems you don't understand the situation well... You have no choice."
"........"
"If you don't accept my proposal, you'll be confined to some monastery or tower, you know? You know that too, right?"
When I spoke as if I knew everything, Klana quietly began clenching her mouth, and I drove a wedge into her.
"Well, if you don't like me, there are options like having your head shaved and being given to an old man with a protruding belly, or to ruffians who are ugly but disgustingly lustful for women, or even sex offenders... How about it?"
"Ugh... ugh..."
"Wouldn't I, who at least has acquaintance with you since childhood, be better than those kinds of guys?"
Saying that, I gently took Klana's hand which was trembling severely.
"Right? Klana?"
Soon after, I began putting strength into Klana's hand while saying that, and then she closed her eyes tightly and began coating her hand with solar mana.
"...Ugh."
Thanks to that, deep burns appeared on my hand along with smoke, and I who had been looking down at my hand that had become a mess for a moment stood up abruptly from my seat and began heading toward her, but...
"Are you well?"
At that moment, the 1st Prince and 1st Princess rushed into the room, so I stopped my action and sat back down.
"...What business brings you here."
"I came because there is something I wish to discuss urgently."
When I threw a question at them while wearing a slightly guarded expression, the 1st Princess stepped forward as representative and answered my words.
"Klana? You go out."
Soon after, the 1st Princess glared at Klana as if to kill her and made a hand signal, and Klana with her head deeply bowed rose from her seat and headed outside the room.
"I didn't think so, but Lord Frey has quite unusual tastes, it seems."
Soon after, they sat in the ornate chairs brought by the servants, and after a while, the 1st Princess crossed her legs slightly and asked me with an interested expression.
"I don't discriminate between this and that. You know that well, don't you?"
I, who had some acquaintance with her as the First Son of a Duke House, answered with a smile, and the 1st Princess also smiled with her eyes and continued speaking.
"You'll get indigestion doing that."
"I'll just chew thoroughly and eat."
"Hmm..."
The 1st Princess who had been sizing me up for a while tapped the table with her fingers and then propped her chin on her hand and began making a serious expression.
"So, what is your objective?"
"It's simple. I want to make Klana mine."
"Why is that?"
At those words, I closed my eyes for a moment and drank the cocktail, then answered with a cunning look.
"...Because I want to ruin her."
Saying that, I began drinking the cocktail again and quietly began examining the expressions of the Prince and Princess.
They were all smiling upon hearing my words.
"Hmm... In this case, I suppose a bribe isn't necessary?"
Soon after, when I finished the cocktail, the 1st Princess spoke in a slightly excited voice and signaled to the servant.
After waiting for a while, a servant brought a classically designed bottle.
"It's Western Continent wine. Aged for about 130 years."
When the 1st Princess spoke with a smile, the servant poured the wine and began pouring it into my empty glass.
"...Pour me a glass too."
Then the 1st Prince, who was also said to love alcohol as much as I did, asked the servant to pour wine into his glass, and the Prince and I began exchanging drinks.
"Yes, it was a thought I've had since childhood. That insolent personality of hers... I wanted to break it once."
"...It may be a twisted taste, but it's a twisted taste we desperately need right now."
After drinking for a while and when the 1st Prince became somewhat intoxicated, I began acting as if I was speaking truth in the heat of the moment.
"I plan to play with her to my heart's content, ruin her, and when her spirit is finally broken... I'll discard her. I can't keep such a defective product forever, after all."
"...No matter what, to say such things about a royal, there's nothing you won't say?"
"Why are you being like this between people who know each other?"
Soon after, when the Prince frowned slightly and reproached me, I leaned back in my chair and answered with a smile on my lips.
"Honestly, isn't it tiresome to keep calling someone who doesn't even deserve to be a royal the 3rd Princess?"
Upon hearing those words, the Prince raised his glass and subtly smiled.
"It seems we get along well."
"I think so too."
Saying that, we clinked glasses and emptied our drinks, and then the 1st Princess who had been sitting beside me joined the conversation.
"But... what will you do about your fiancée, Lady Serena?"
At those words, I maintained silence for a moment, then looked at the moon that had begun to appear in the sky and spoke calmly.
"I'll discard her and pick her up again later."
"Puhup!"
At that outrageous statement, the Prince burst into laughter, and the Princess made a satisfied expression and spoke to me.
"Are you confident?"
"Honestly, it might be a bit rude to Her Majesty the Empress, but... everyone they picked was nothing but riffraff. Rather than such good-for-nothings, I, the expert, would be better."
"Good, very good."
While I was pleasing the Prince and Princess for a while, a servant entered the room with a scroll.
"...The results of the discussion have arrived."
Upon hearing those words, the Prince and Princess began taking deep breaths, and I quietly drank my wine and began listening carefully.
"Lord Frey Raon Starlight's proposal is to be postponed for one year."
And the next moment, upon hearing the words from the servant who had begun reading the scroll, the Prince and Princess, and I all began frowning.
"This is because the 'Oath' requested by Serena Luna Moonlight just now to His Majesty and the 'Oath' requested by Frey Raon Starlight contradict each other, so this was the decision made as a compromise for those conflicting proposals."
And when 'Serena' was mentioned, I began letting out a deep sigh.
"Instead, all authorities that Klana's fiancé can possess will be granted to Frey Raon Starlight for one year. Of course, the official fiancée remains 'Serena Luna Moonlight'."
The servant who had been reading the scroll with a calm expression cleared his throat slightly and then began reading the final part.
"If Frey Raon Starlight's resolve has not changed even after one year, the marriage engagement with Klana Solara Sunrise will be recognized. However, if even a slight change of heart appears, the engagement will be treated as if it never existed."
The servant who had declared in a solemn voice folded the scroll and added.
"This content takes effect immediately by the august authority of His Majesty Raikan Solara Sunrise, Emperor of the Sunrise Empire."
And silence flowed for a while.
"Well, I've received the fiancé's authority, so... I can sufficiently do what you two and I want."
When I comforted the two who were making sour expressions, the Prince and Princess forced smiles and nodded, then rose from their seats.
"Then, we should be going now."
"Please take care of things ahead, Lord Frey. Compensation and support for your efforts will continue to be provided, whether financially or non-financially."
Leaving those words, they began heading toward the exit, and I watched them for a moment then opened my mouth.
"Just a moment! Having received such fine wine... I should give you a gift as well... since I don't have a gift to give right now, I'll give the Prince some advice!"
When the Prince stopped walking at those words, I smiled slightly and tapped my brooch.
- It's ugly, you know.
- What?
- Giving your first time to such an ugly man... how should I put it... isn't it too sad as a woman?
Then the voice of Isabel who had been proceeding with the engagement to the Prince began flowing out, and upon hearing that, the Prince's expression began to rot.
- What about the Prince?
- Hmm... he's stupid and fat, so if you just dance with him once, he'll be huffing and puffing and let me go? He did that last time too.
But from my brooch, Isabel's insults toward him continued to pour out, and eventually when the Prince began trembling in rage, I quietly spoke with a smile.
"...If you choose the wrong wife, you'll suffer for life."
Upon hearing those words, the Prince quietly ground his teeth then answered in a low voice.
"...Thank you for the advice."
Leaving those words, the Prince left the room with the Princess who had a frozen expression.
"...Is the remaining wine mine?"
Now left alone in the room, I quietly poured wine into my glass and began smiling.
"...Rather, it turned out well."
I hadn't expected Serena to intervene, but this way, I can protect Klana from the threat of engagement for one year.
Also, since I've been given the means to keep Klana in check... the Prince and Princess will have no choice but to try to get on my good side soon. After all, just moments ago, the hot-tempered Prince even tried to hold back his anger and thank me for the advice.
So... now if I just resolve Serena somehow...
"...You are the ugliest person I've ever known."
Just as I was bringing the wine glass to my lips, Klana with tears brimming in her eyes threw open the door and entered.
"You probably don't remember these words. Well, someone who can't even remember a childhood promise wouldn't remember this either."
Looking at Klana who spoke with hatred and contempt, I began letting out a sigh.
'...As expected, she was listening to everything.'
Since solar mana was faintly felt from beyond the room, I had roughly expected what Klana was doing.
The incompetent Prince and Princess didn't seem to notice even that.
"If by any chance... just by any chance, I briefly hoped today's events were something you did to keep a promise you made in the past... I really am a fool."
"...What are you talking about?"
-Crash!!!
At the moment I asked with an expression saying I didn't understand, Klana shot golden mana at my glass and shattered it.
Thanks to that, my clothes were soaked in wine, and Klana who was watching me spoke with a cold smile.
"Then, try to embrace me in one year."
Leaving those words and turning around, Klana briefly added.
"...Of course, that will be impossible."
Soon after, Klana left the room without looking back, and I watched her for a moment then began muttering with a hollow expression at the shattered wine glass.
"...This was expensive wine."
Looking regretfully at the red liquid worth thousands of gold per sip, I suddenly felt something strange on my arm and turned my gaze.
"Kuu!!"
Then the sight of a familiar-looking white owl pulling my arm entered my vision.
"...The sun has set and the moon rises."
It seems it's time to go meet my fiancée.