âStop right now.â
Her vibrant voice made Karyl look up. It was clear and pristine. Although it seemed untainted and upright, it could also be interpreted as someone who was still ignorant of the world.
âUsually, we get a heads-up from the Lawless Port... Given that the mansionâs guard reported directly to me, you must not have passed through quietly.â
Karyl looked at Dushala. âWhere is Suan Hazer?â
âHeâs away on guild business for a short while,â she answered with a light shrug.
Karyl nodded and then looked at Greys.
âYou should be thankful that he wasnât at the Lawless Port, Sir Greys. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here unscathed.â
Greysâ face hardened at his words.
âConsidering the friendly relationship with the Kingdom of Fenria, weâll let this matter go. Greetings to the princess.â
Karyl passed by him, bowing slightly to show respect, and greeted Viola. As he raised his head, his eyes met hers, hidden under the brim of her hat.
She looks like she wants to kill me.
Seeing her expression, Karyl felt like laughing but stifled it with a cough.
âYou recognize me, despite never attending any social events or banquets. Taturâs information network is not to be underestimated.â
Viola took off her hat, revealing a gaze filled with venomous resentment and tension.
âDidnât you mention the kingdomâs name yourself? You were more curious about your fame reaching Tatur than surprised that I knew about you.â
â...â
Karyl smiled lightly.
Sorry, but to survive in the palace, you need to attend the social events and banquets you despise. You wonât get anywhere just with strong pride.
Karyl felt like he was talking to a child. In his previous life, he had been just like her. He had only imposed himself by fighting on the battlefield. As an outsider, he had always been barred from aristocratic society, but he had also harbored a personal aversion to it. This had led to the so-called honor of being called a Sword Saint.
The people may praise you, but if you donât have the power to deal with the king and nobles above them, youâll never be at the top.
Karyl had been the same, fighting his enemies as a lone wolf, believing it was for the empire and humanity. That had only led to betrayal.
The people...
At that moment, Karyl realized that perhaps Viola could fulfill the most important part of his plan.
I was praised as a Sword Saint but lacked a foundation, which was why I lost to Olivurn and the nobles.
But Viola was different. She was a true princess of royal blood. If she could also win the peopleâs hearts...
Of course, whether she was as outstanding as her unwavering sense of justice remained to be seen.
âWhat do you want me to stop?â
âYou should know. Itâs your doing. Even a three-year-old could tell youâre pinning the Three Kingdoms against each other,â Viola said, raising her voice. âYour actions are weakening the nationâs power and jeopardizing its safety. Thatâs unbecoming of a merchant.â
Karyl chuckled.
âIndeed. How come grown adults don't understand what even a three-year-old knows?â
âWhat?â Viola looked at him, flustered by his unexpected response.
âYou must be quite desperate, seeing as you came to me personally, Princess. And judging by the fact that you brought only one subordinate, you must have snuck out without your fatherâs knowledge.â Karyl pointed at Greys as he spoke. âThough I understand that Sir Greys is a quite capable knight...â
â...!!â
Greys instinctively stood in front of Viola, reaching for the sword at his waist.
âYou should have known that entering a free city like this is not something that can be done with just determination.â
Boomâ!!
Karyl moved swiftly, getting in front of Greys in an instant.
âUgh!!â
Startled, Greys tried to draw his sword with all his might, but Karyl had already gripped his wrist.
Judging by his aura, heâs a high-level Sword Expert. Indeed, he could become a Sword Master in a few years.
His solid physique wasnât just muscle bulk; it was the physique of a swordsman.
I heard the Fanpinel family has a unique kind of swordsmanship...
It probably emphasized agility over sheer strength. However, Karyl had just humbled Greys in terms of speed.
âYou should have known there are stronger people here than Suan Hazer.â
Clickâ
Despite Greysâ struggle, he only managed to slightly wobble his swordâs handle under Karylâs grip, unable to draw it from its scabbard. He was in disbelief, unable to accept that he was being overpowered by someone smaller than him.
Iâm curious about his swordsmanship, but I donât want to wreck this place. Iâll save it for later.
Karyl pressed Greysâ blade into its scabbard.
âUgh!!â
Unable to withstand the pressure, Greys fell to his knees. ÆrÄenovelkiss.com
âGreys!!â Viola shouted in shock. As she tried to rush at Karyl, Dushala, who had been observing from behind, grabbed her shoulder.
âThis is not the palace where you can do as you please without anyone objecting. Havenât you realized that youâre in a delicate situation, Princess?â Dushala whispered.
âLet go of me!â Viola demanded as she shook off Dushalaâs hand.
Normally, no one would dare lay a hand on a princess, but Dushala, who had dealt with the great nobles of many powerful countries for years, saw the young princess as nothing more than a childish girl.
Karyl observed them quietly, thinking.
Someone as skilled as Greys would surely stand out in the kingdom. Heâd fit better as the guard knight of the first princess. Heâs probably been assigned as the third princessâ guard because of family issues, not his ability.
No matter how talented he was, Greys was still a royal servant. If he fell out of favor, he would be sidelined from politics.
That means this mischievous princess is in a similar position. I got the picture.
âWhen you step out into the world, youâll find that being a princess doesnât allow you to do as much as you thought,â Karyl said softly. âEspecially if youâre not the heir to the throne.â
âYou...â
Viola glared at him, but Karyl continued in a gentle tone, âTo change something, you need power. And you need to prove it. Dushala.â
At his words, Dushala handed him a ledger.
âYour father took fifteen hexagonal stones as collateral for next yearâs harvest. As you know, our Tatur and the Calton mines in the principality are the only places on the continent where high-grade elemental stones are mined.â
The principality, with its lesser magical power compared to the empire, strictly controlled the export of elemental stones from its mines, contributing to the rapid development of magical engineering.
Of course... Six-faced stones wonât suffice.
Karyl, knowing that octagonal stones would emerge from the Kadihum mines, thought it wouldnât be too late to develop magitech accordingly.
âWhat... next yearâs harvest?â
âThatâs not all. He also purchased several magical tools on collateral.â
At that, Violaâs face hardened.
All of this had been made possible by Dushalaâs skillful trading between the Three Kingdoms. As a girl who had not yet come of age, Viola couldnât possibly comprehend the seasoned methods of a veteran like Dushala.
âWhat on earth... What has my father done...?â
Viola stared at the thick ledger, her jaw to the floor.
âThese are all your fatherâs debts to me. At this rate, the kingdom might not be able to sustain itself without a war.â
Viola couldnât understand. Although incompetent, those people had managed to maintain the kingdom up to this point. She knew elemental stones were valuable, but not everyone could reach the pinnacle with them. Was this sheer greed?
âOf course, thatâs if they have to pay the full price.â
âWhat do you mean?â
Karyl released Greys and smiled. Greys stepped back as he rubbed his sore wrist, which had the mark of Karylâs fierce grip
âContrary to your concerns, I have no intention of collecting this debt.â
âWhat?â
âI intend to provide it free of charge, at least for now.â
âWhat...?â
Viola frowned, unable to follow. Nobles driven by elemental stones were unbelievable, but the notion of giving away stones for free seemed even crazier.
âThe Three Kingdoms are in the midst of a crisis. So far, the emperorâs absence has kept this secret, but soon the empire will learn of these mines. Do you think theyâll stay quiet?â
âSo...?â
âOf course, Iâm not offering charity. If they donât stand with me in the upcoming war against the empire, your family will have to pay for all the elemental stones theyâve received.â
Karyl glanced at the ledger.
âBy then, taking over the kingdom might suffice.â
âA war with the empire? Are you insane?â Viola scoffed. âDo you think the Three Kingdoms will fight the empire over some elemental stones?â
âWell, weâll see.â
Despite her mockery, Karyl remained calm.
âIâm not a merchant. I never claimed to be. Tatur is run by Dushala, Kamma, and Suan.â
âWhat?â
At that moment, even Viola, who didn't wield a sword, felt the sharp killing intent piercing her skin.
âI am the leader of the four tribes of the Great Plains and the five southern tribes. The northern Wolf-Fox tribe follows me, and in Azor, over seventy sorcerers are being trained using the highest quality elemental stones, which arenât provided to the Three Kingdoms.â
â...â
âIn terms of military strength, I have about three hundred thousand troops ready to invade the Three Kingdoms,â Karyl explained calmly.
In other words, he had more than double the military power of Fenria at his disposal.
âLet me tell you something as the lord of the south. When I say the Three Kingdoms will support me in the war against the empire, I mean theyâll be under my command.â
âHow dare you...!!â
Despite Violaâs shouting, Karyl maintained his composure.
âThis is a test. Within this strange deal, you reckon thereâs anyone who thinks of the people? Someone that even a third-year-old knows about?â He smiled lightly.
âI believe you are qualified to be a queen,â he continued in a kinder tone. âIf you want to save the people, ascend to the throne. If you do, Iâll attack the Kingdom of Fenria last among the three kingdoms.â
***
âPff... Bahaha!!â
Laughter erupted from the office after the two left. Dushala was holding her stomach as she looked at Karyl.
âHow can you reveal such secrets with a straight face? And who declares war to a princess instead of a king?â
âBecause it doesnât matter. No one will believe her. No one would think the southern barbarians would invade the Three Kingdoms.â
âRight. Everyone thinks the Digon tribe would never allow a war without their consent.â
âYes.â Karyl nodded. âShe has the makings of an excellent queen, but sheâs just the third princess. No matter how much she shouts, the incompetent king and nobles wonât listen to her.â
âAnd as a princess, itâs hard to believe she would strengthen her enemy with elemental stones and weapons.â Dushala pointed at the sealed oath behind the ledgers.
âShe wouldnât know that most nobles, except the royal family, are already on our side,â Karyl added in a low voice as he glanced at the oath. âBut theyâre just nobles swayed by money. I donât trust them. Iâd rather trust her.â
âThen...?â
âSimply taking the castle through war is no different from the empire. But the free city is not just a lawless land. Itâs a city where freedom is paramount. A place where outsiders, barbarians, slaves, and commoners can all live equally. We need to show that weâre fighting to protect their freedom, not lawlessness.â
âThatâs why you want the princess on your side. A new queen who values the peopleâs lives, unlike the nobles. And if she stands with us...â
Dushala grasped Karylâs plan immediately.
âWeâll see. Weâll have to see if sheâs capable of choosing the people over the throne.â
Karylâs eyes gleamed.
âBut I still donât understand. Why are you going about this in such a complicated manner? Throughout history, kings have conquered without considering such circumstances.â
âTo save them.â
âSorry?â
âTo save as many people as possible. Thatâs why I want to take the throne.â
Dushala cocked her head, not understanding. Of course, she couldnât understand because she didnât know that these wars among humans were merely a prelude to a greater war that was yet to come.
Karyl had chosen this tedious and complicated path precisely to prepare for that great warâhe would unify humanity as a whole, not just a nation, and ensure that this time, they would have more forces.
Karyl exhaled softly. âThis is the first step. If Viola truly ascends to the throne, we must have the legitimacy to rise above her.â
Dushala nodded at his words.
âMonster subjugation,â she remarked, her own words sending a chill down her spine. Everything fit together perfectly.
âMaster, as youâve said, Beikan reported signs of a monster dungeon forming between the Kingdom of Istan and the Kingdom of Fenria.â
Unlike the central people, the southerners were veterans in subjugating monster dungeons. Karyl had sent Beikan to investigate the borders of the Three Kingdoms.
âAnd there are dozens of villages between those borders. At least thousands of people live there.â
Karyl nodded.
âAnd the monster dungeon is bound to form in...â
âThree months, right before the harvest. When the dungeon appears, the monsters will ravage the fields. The Three Kingdoms, already bankrupt, wonât have the means to subjugate the monsters.â
âEven if they have good weapons, they canât afford to use them. Itâs ironic.â
At Dushalaâs words, Karyl looked out the window.
âSummon Beikan and Kinu Mukari.â
âYes, Master.â
âWe will handle the subjugation, and...â
His eyes gleamed yet again.
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The cunning emperor wonât keep his promise just because he thinks I saved his life. I wonder who heâll send to the south.
It didnât matter who the enemy was. They would merely serve to demonstrate the might of Karylâs army along with the monster dungeon subjugation.