When monsters were rampant in the north, Tatiana and Gideon weren’t the only ones who guessed that magic stones would be buried in the vicinity. Most of the Magic Tower’s mages had already thought the same.

They could have been greedy earlier, but given the distant relationship between the royal family and the principality, they had been careful about how far to extend their reach.

But according to Tatiana, there was something else interesting besides the magic stone minerals.

The influence of magic on life activities was one of the Magic Tower’s major interests.

The head of the Magic Tower, whose passion for research had not yet waned, sent a curious gaze. It was as if he had found material to ignite the last flame of his life as a mage.

“Is it very big?”

Tatiana nodded up and down.

It’s extremely large. This might sound crude, but it’s absolutely incredible. Perhaps after seeing it once, even the head of the Magic Tower would want to dig up the tree by its roots or move the Magic Tower building to the north.

“So, how many people do you think we’ll need, Princess Consort?”

“The more, the better.”

“But not many can use sealing magic.”

“I know that, but wouldn’t it be nice if we all went to the capital together?”

Don’t forget to carry the Magic Tower flag behind His Highness when entering the city.

The head of the Magic Tower and Tatiana exchanged opinions back and forth. It was a kind of tug-of-war, but for such a thing, the atmosphere was extremely cordial.

Scarlet was listening to the conversation with great interest when she witnessed a very peculiar sight.

She glared at Gideon as if she had seen something unseemly. Her younger brother was looking at his wife with an extremely pleased expression.

‘Why is he making such an incongruously benevolent expression? It’s creepy.’

In reality, Gideon was quite satisfied right now. My wife is good at negotiating too. They’re getting along well. She’s so pretty and capable that he wanted to pat her on the back.

Just as everyone was deeply immersed in this pleasant atmosphere, the executives who had accompanied the head of the Magic Tower brought up practical issues.

“Um, we’d like to ask about the extent to which research will be permitted… There are many questions about authorization for the use of mineral resources.”

Gideon immediately nodded and beckoned them over with a flick of his hand.

“You can discuss that with me.”

Tatiana watched as Gideon, the Grand Duke, and the Magic Tower’s working-level officials got straight to the point and immediately entered into a meeting.

This monster incident would be a new starting point as soon as it was resolved. A connection of magic stone resources had been formed between the royal family, the north, and the Magic Tower.

They would sometimes collaborate and sometimes conflict. But Tatiana wasn’t worried at all.

She had no doubt that the royal family, led by Gideon, would excellently fulfill their role as the central pivot.

* * *

It was the day of the decisive battle.

The composition of the subjugation force was extremely diverse: royalty, the Grand Duke, the head of the Magic Tower, mages, assassins, and even ordinary soldiers.

Gideon and Tatiana, heading toward the monsters’ stronghold, had relatively calm faces. The assassins were the same.

However, the principality’s soldiers were all filled with determination. It was easy to imagine how long they had been suffering from the monsters.

Wives and children had come out to the streets to see off the soldiers.

Tatiana felt strange seeing a child crying while looking at their father.

People looked at Gideon and her with such desperate eyes. She knew all too well what they wished for and wanted to ask.

What a position is king, having to shoulder the hopes and expectations of so many people? Even she momentarily felt her sword growing heavy, so how much more would Gideon feel?

She could understand why his mind was so complicated about everything.

Tatiana was lost in solemn thoughts when she stared at Gideon’s back. And when they reached the foot of the mountain, she began to walk one step ahead of him.

She held back branches that blocked the way, just as he had done for her recently. Until he passed through this path.

Although Gideon looked at her as if wondering why she was suddenly doing this, he didn’t seem to mind and even smiled a little.

In fact, he seemed secretly pleased, so Tatiana smiled along with him.

Pretender.

The subjugation force climbed the steep mountain range, higher and higher.

When they finally reached the monsters’ stronghold, they saw the advance party that had arrived earlier.

Some mages who had come up relatively comfortably through teleportation magic didn’t have a single drop of sweat on their foreheads.

“Enjoying yourselves because you came up comfortably on your own?”

“Teleportation magic without gates always has a limit on the number of people……”

“I know.”

She was just expressing her annoyance once.

Although Tatiana had good stamina, this was not a place worth visiting twice.

She caught her rough breath and looked down into the distance. Today too, it was teeming, packed tight.

Gideon seemed to have no intention of dragging this out.

He gave Kay a signal with his eyes, and the assassins immediately jumped into the basin. They were trying to gather the monsters together.

It was a strategy that considered the range of Tatiana’s magic.

She admired the assassins’ acrobatic movements for a while. Then she confirmed the signal Kay sent by raising his hand.

Now it was her turn to strike the monsters with magic.

“Flowers that bloom and wither, the sun that rises and sets. Birth and death. Those who disrupt order, be annihilated. Now is the time to go. I shall purify this world of all filth.”

Tatiana pointed downward, swinging her sword that blazed bright blue. Then a flash appeared in the sky and struck down like lightning upon the mass of monsters.

However, the majesty of her magic fell short of what she had displayed in the principality until now. The terrain’s powerful flow of magic deflected a significant portion of her power.

This was a very natural result, but Tatiana got slightly, very slightly heated by this. She was the type of person who, especially when it came to swordsmanship and magic, had to keep trying until she succeeded.

She suddenly turned around and cautioned the mages,

“Don’t use magic for a moment. The spell reacts to magical power.”

Then, biting her lip tightly, she squeezed out all the magic she had and shouted in an even louder voice than before,

“You who wander at the threshold of twilight! You who have walked with a sick mule! There is no time to grieve. Life is inherently harsh. Stop your tears and move forward. Pour everything into your steps!”

The Magic Tower’s mages watching her secretly exchanged glances with each other. And they whispered quietly,

“She’s become a real mage.”

What’s with the sick mule? Life is harsh? Well, it is harsh, but where did that spell come from?

The spells flowing from the princess consort’s mouth were becoming increasingly heartfelt. She was as desperate and solemn as someone who had come through the flames of hell alone.

The true criterion for a real mage, as they knew it, was not the presence of magic but whether one had properly lost their mind or not. In that respect, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the princess consort had been reborn as a true mage. Her eyes were blazing with fire.

Of course, if you told her this, she would think she wasn’t, but that’s how everyone starts.

After a total of three attempts, Tatiana succeeded in burning more than half of the monsters.

The monsters that survived these persistent attacks scattered in all directions. The rest would have to be dealt with individually.

When Gideon signaled, the principality’s soldiers rushed forward as if they had been waiting.

Determined battle cries shook heaven and earth. It was time to release the resentment that had built up and avenge their grudges.

Tatiana and Gideon didn’t just stand by watching.

They mixed in with the soldiers and, at some point, naturally took the vanguard.

In a melee situation, one can get injured or lose their life without even realizing it. The prince and princess consort were exposed to that danger just the same.

However, the swordsmanship of the two was more daring and aggressive than ever before. This was because they had something to rely on.

They were confident that the other would fill in their gaps.

No matter what danger approached, there was someone who would definitely protect their back.

My husband. My wife.

Tatiana quickly intervened before a monster’s sharp claws could leave a deep scar on Gideon’s back.

‘No! That back is mine! Not just anyone can draw musical staff lines on it!’

She cut the monster’s massive body in two. Then she steadily advanced toward the ancient tree alongside Gideon.