Chapter 83

The wind tousled Shuan’s light brown hair. His beautiful features, reminiscent of the empire’s most incredible beauty, had a melancholic air, making his silver armor look like a prince from a fairy tale.

As I stood still, facing him, Shuan approached me first.

“Greetings, Your Grace.”

At Shuan’s polite bow, I nodded once.

“I didn’t think you would come.”

“I didn’t think you would come.”

We spoke simultaneously. Before he could express any doubt, I frowned and asked first, 

“Why?”

Though I wasn’t distraught, I didn’t want to let him take the lead in the conversation.

“You recently married His Grace the Grand Duke, and I assumed you’d be busy managing your estate.”

It could have been interpreted in a twisted way, but Shuan was likely just stating the truth.

“I’m quite capable, as is His Grace.”

At my words, Shuan gave a bitter smile. 

“I see.”

I didn’t like Shuan’s bitter smile. I also didn’t like that he was caught between me and his sister, unsure of what to do.

If he had completely betrayed me and chosen his sister, I might have understood it as his decision. After all, to me, my people are what matters most.

After a brief silence, Shuan asked, 

“Why did you think I wouldn’t come?“

“You must be busy with your sister, who has just returned to the family.”

Shuan was left speechless again. This conversation had gone on long enough. Tormenting him wouldn’t make me feel any better.

Moreover, Julian didn’t like it when I spent time with him, so I didn’t want to waste more time here.

“The southern building is quite large. Who’s staying there?“

“The Marquis of Eriant and the Count of Sasha.“

“Count Sasha is participating in the subjugation?”

Shuan nodded as if he understood my surprise.

“The Count himself didn’t come. I heard he’s fallen ill.“

“Ah.”

It was indeed a feigned illness. Shuan seemed to think so too.

“Alright, then,“ I said, turning away as if there was nothing more to confirm. The Marquis of Eriant had Ari, and the Count of Sasha was aligned with the second prince, so naturally, they would follow the orders of Princess Abigail.

Given this situation, it was safe to assume that the Melin family was also on Princess Abigail’s side.

As Hella and I headed back north, Shuan called out to me.

“Your Grace.”

I ignored his call and kept walking but turned halfway.

“I know you don’t think much of me. But I will repay my debt, no matter what.“

“If that’s the case, take your sister and leave far away. That way, one less assassin will try to kill me.”

Without looking at Shuan, I turned and walked away. I only felt that I’d wasted my time hearing something unnecessary.

* * *

Shuan could only watch as Laila walked away coldly. She was right. If he could, he would take Ari and leave.

He had spent days trying to convince Ari, telling her that Princess Abigail could never claim the throne and that she should give up. But the more he talked, the more resolute Ari became.

“She is the only one who can be the emperor of this country!”

“Why do you think that? The princess has no real foundation and is far too ruthless.”

“Ruthless? She’s my savior!”

Ari had shouted, placing a hand on her chest. Shuan, trying to calm his confused heart, asked again.

“Savior? What do you mean?”

When Shuan asked, genuinely not understanding, Ari scoffed. It was an attitude he had never seen in his once gentle and beautiful sister.

When did it start? Shuan could no longer understand what was in Ari’s heart.

“You have no idea how much of a hell it was to survive in society with the title of the empire’s greatest beauty. I was only fourteen when I debuted.”

Ari didn’t say anything more. She looked at Shuan as if he were an idiot for not understanding even this much.

Ari took a deep breath, seeming to regain her composure, and tucked her hair behind her ear. Then, in a graceful voice, she spoke.

“Let go of that woman’s hand immediately.”

“What woman?”

“Laila Winsley. The woman who dared to steal her man.”

“…Her Grace the Grand Duchess was married through a legitimate process.”

Ari covered her mouth and laughed. Her bright smile was eerily reminiscent of her childhood, yet somehow chilling. It was as if all the smiles Shuan had seen from her before had been an act.

“Do you think I don’t know that you have feelings for her?”

Shuan hesitated before responding.

“That’s nonsense. This isn’t the time to be discussing such things.”

“It’s exactly the right time. I need you to help me trap that woman. Wouldn’t personal feelings make that difficult?”

“Don’t think for a moment that I’ll help with such a thing!”

He had shouted, but Ari just laughed louder. Shuan, no longer wanting to hear more, stormed out of her room.

Ari’s laughter, which had slipped through the door crack, still echoed in Shuan’s ears.

Now, Shuan found himself watching Laila’s retreating figure. The wind ruffled her tightly bound blonde hair as she spoke to the knight beside her.

It was truly strange. Not long after that conversation with Ari, a sudden surge of monsters terrorized the western plains of Riar. As if she had expected it, Ari calmly suggested that Shuan participate in the subjugation.

“Everything will go according to Her will.”

Could Princess Abigail be behind this? Shuan shook his head at the horrifying thought.

If Princess Abigail possessed such powerful magical abilities, it would have been revealed in her childhood.

But if that’s not the case, then how…? Either way, it was clear that Princess Abigail was not fit to be emperor.

Shuan’s gaze drifted back to Laila as she grew more distant. Ari’s voice echoed in his mind again.

“Do you think I don’t know that you have feelings for her?”

He had thought no one would know. It was a feeling he wasn’t entitled to, so he hid it from everyone. The mere thought that someone had discovered his feelings filled him with shame.

How did it come to this? At first, he merely found her intriguing. Her path wasn’t always one of pure light.

She sought information, engaged in conflicts, and even resorted to threats. Yet, despite everything, Shuan was drawn to her boldness, and his feelings deepened—feelings he had no right to have.

* * *

Once the imperial and noble forces had completed their preparations, the date for the first subjugation was set.

The target was Lake Iris, located in the Riar Plains. The goal of the subjugation was to reclaim the lake from the beasts.

Before the battle began, I went to the wizards’ camp to ensure that the mana stone necklace Julian had gifted me was still providing protection. Fortunately, I was told everything was working perfectly.

After the camp was set up, soldiers armed with banners, spears, shields, and swords began their advance toward the monsters. I rode ahead alongside my father, Louis, and Adam.

The wizards sensed the beasts’ mana from a distance and estimated their numbers. They predicted around two hundred small, fifty medium and thirty large beasts would be encountered before reaching the lake.

Thirty large beasts were a significant threat, and the soldiers were nervous.

However, the soldiers of the Winsley family did not falter. They were seasoned fighters accustomed to battling monsters in the borderlands.

The tension that flowed among them was a sign of their experience. They would neither underestimate the enemy nor be paralyzed by fear.

I looked out over the plains from my horse. The land was flat and wide, so even without a wizard’s senses, many beasts were in the area.

Among them, the giant beast lurking in the middle of the lake was particularly intimidating.

How massive could its body be beneath the water? I had never seen a monster that large before.

My father raised his voice to rally the soldiers.

“This is just another mountain we’ve climbed before! Let’s show them who’s been protecting the empire!”

The soldiers erupted in a deafening roar of cheers. Soon, similar cheers could be heard from the other armies.

Finally, after the imperial army expressed its thanks and urged everyone to fight bravely, all the forces began to advance.

As human and horse footsteps rumbled across the ground, the monsters prowling above raised their heads.

Their sharp pupils, like those of lizards, focused on the approaching humans. It wasn’t long before the monsters’ thundering footsteps joined the cacophony.

As humans, horses, and monsters clashed in a chaotic frenzy, the sharp sounds of metal clashing with claws filled the air.

I stayed on my horse, primarily dealing with the medium-sized monsters. My ankle had mostly healed, but I worried that the intense battle might cause the injury to flare up again.

I secured myself firmly on my horse and thrust my sword into the mouth of a medium-sized monster before pulling it out in a long, smooth motion.

*King—*

Suddenly, the roar of another beast sounded right behind me. I quickly reversed my grip on my sword and prepared to strike back.

“Watch out!”

Someone stepped between me and the monster. The creature, caught off guard by the sudden intervention, took several steps back. My sword ended up cutting through empty air.

“Lord Eriant.“

“Is your leg injury not fully healed?”

Shuan must have known about my injury from the hunting competition. I didn’t like his worrying about me or trying to protect me.

I knocked Shuan’s blade aside and charged toward the medium-sized beast, driving my sword through its neck. Thick blood spurted out, causing my horse to twist its body. I patted the horse’s mane and glared at Shuan.

“Don’t interfere in my battles.”

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.