Chapter 133

Chapter 133

Before arriving at Waven Castle...

Siren sat inside the carriage, speaking quietly with the knight seated across from her.

"...Your Highness."

"To be honest, I'm not sure visiting Grand Duke Waven is the right decision."

"You know it too, don't you?"

"Grand Duke Waven is no different."

Waven Castle could be seen through the carriage window.

From the outside, it looked like an enormous fortress no one could ever hope to conquer.

But the reality was completely different.

Hail Waven had been placed on the Grand Duke's seat like a puppet, controlled by the retainers surrounding him.

He was like a bird trapped inside a cage.

And that was why Siren had thought...

Hail, trapped in his cage and simply waiting for the day someone killed him...

Wasn't very different from herself.

"...Even so, I don't have another choice."

"I need the power of House Waven."

"This is the only option I have left."

She was on her way to ask him for marriage.

At present, it wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say that the Empire had already been swallowed by House Tyber, which supported the First Prince.

The ministers and vice ministers of every major department were under their influence.

Even the Chancellor, who should've belonged to the Imperial Faction, was Duke Tyber himself, leader of the Noble Faction.

All of this had happened because the Emperor had remained unconscious for the past eight years.

For now, Siren still retained her position as Crown Princess.

But to her, the Emperor was no different from a ticking time bomb.

The instant he died...

The First Prince and Duke Tyber would openly reveal their ugly ambitions.

She would lose her title as Crown Princess.

Then she...

And everyone who had supported her...

Would die.

That was why she needed House Waven.

They were a powerful force ruling the north.

And currently...

The only family capable of standing against House Tyber.

"Even if you bind yourself to House Waven through marriage..."

"You'll only be creating another Duke Tyber."

"I believe you should reconsider-"

"No."

Siren shook her head.

"I can't retreat anymore."

"If not now, there won't be another opportunity."

"They've only just survived a Wave."

"Waven Castle must've suffered serious losses."

"They'll need support."

A marriage between the Crown Princess and the Grand Duke would provide justification for supplying the north with resources.

Even House Tyber couldn't openly ignore proper justification.

"Your Highness."

"Look."

"The gate is ahead."

Siren clenched the fist resting on her lap, suppressing her nervousness.

Once they passed through those gates...

She expected to see hell.

The damage left by a monster wave wasn't limited to dead soldiers.

There would be parents wailing over children who had died before them.

Families torn apart.

Survivors drowning in grief.

But the moment the carriage passed through the gate...

That expectation shattered.

The scene before Siren was completely different.

"Move faster!"

"His Grace ordered us to finish by tomorrow!"

"Yes!"

Soldiers moved busily through the streets.

Loud voices rang out everywhere.

Hammers struck metal.

And among it all...

She could hear people laughing.

"W-What is this...?"

Siren couldn't believe what she was seeing.

This was supposedly a place that had endured a monster wave only three days ago.

Yet it looked far too normal.

No.

More than that...

Everyone looked energetic.

The people were even willingly helping repair the castle.

The moment she arrived at the Waven Grand Duchy estate, Siren asked the butler,

"I heard you suffered a Wave three days ago."

"How is everything this peaceful?"

"Were there no casualties...?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"That's correct."

The butler smiled faintly.

"Everyone may pretend otherwise and avoid saying it directly..."

"But none of this would've been possible without His Grace."

"In a single day, he eliminated the retainers who had been eating away at House Waven for years..."

And after finally meeting Hail...

Siren became certain.

"Marry me, Grand Duke Waven."

She absolutely could not let this marriage slip away.

Back in the present.

Suhyeok was momentarily surprised by the marriage proposal.

But he didn't show it.

He remained silent for a moment.

Then calmly faced her.

"Why are you making such an offer to me, Your Highness?"

He could already guess the reason.

She probably wanted to borrow the power of House Waven to stabilize her precarious position.

But transactions only worked when both parties wanted something from each other.

Their conditions had to match.

At present...

House Waven didn't need the Crown Princess's help.

More accurately...

There was nothing Suhyeok could immediately gain from marrying her.

Even if she managed to send support from the capital, it might bring more trouble than benefit.

The moment he married her...

House Waven would become the target of countless political schemes and attacks.

The losses could be enormous.

She must've seen it on the way here.

Waven Castle wasn't in the condition she'd expected.

Siren herself already knew.

The bargaining chip she'd intended to offer in exchange for marriage was no longer particularly valuable.

She might even have to return empty-handed.

Yet she had still confidently proposed marriage.

Why?

Was it simply because she had nowhere else to go?

Or because she was desperate to survive?

Siren thought for a moment.

Then slowly spoke.

"...To be honest..."

"I thought you and I were very similar."

"But after coming here, I realized I was wrong."

She looked directly at him.

"You and I are different."

"And that's why I need you."

"So I can change the way you did."

"It sounds like you intend to use me as a stepping stone."

Even when Suhyeok openly showed hostility, her gaze didn't waver.

Instead, she answered boldly.

"Yes."

"I'll use you as a stepping stone."

"And then I'll climb higher and become Empress."

She took a breath.

"But..."

"Why can't we simply become stepping stones for each other?"

She tried to hide her nervousness while waiting for his answer.

But her violently trembling eyes...

And both of her hands...

Betrayed her.

Suhyeok thought for a moment.

Then glanced toward the reception room door.

"Very well."

"I'll gladly become your stepping stone."

Siren's expression brightened.

"Then...!"

"But I refuse the marriage."

Her face immediately fell.

A clear question appeared in her expression.

Why?

"Instead of marriage..."

"I want to use the escort you brought with you."

Siren froze.

"K-Kasim?"

The instant Suhyeok heard the name...

He became certain.

As expected.

It really is the person I thought.

Kasim.

Eighteen years from now...

He would silently stop the monsters overrunning the fallen Empire.

The man eventually became known as the Hero.

Only his name and achievements had been recorded.

No one in the Empire knew his face.

Or even his voice.

Suhyeok had been no different before the regression.

All he'd known was the name Kasim...

And the fact that the Hero used an unusual dagger.

Suhyeok focused Mana into his eyes and looked through the door toward Kasim.

At first glance...

His Mana reserves were unimpressive.

At best, slightly greater than Seong Hosu's.

And his weapon wasn't even a dagger.

It was a longsword.

Anyone else might dismiss him as someone with the same name.

But my eyes won't be fooled.

[Anubis Mask sees through the target's essence.]

[Hidden Mana reserves detected.]

At that moment...

Kasim's gaze met Suhyeok's through the door.

More precisely...

He had noticed Suhyeok's probing presence.

Kasim stared at the door for a long moment, clearly startled.

Yes.

For some reason...

He was hiding his strength.

And his true ability was at least comparable to Wayne.

Possibly even Bong Taesu.

One Kasim was more valuable than any ordinary support Siren could provide.

More importantly...

Suhyeok would need him when the Monster Faction's Players joined the upcoming Waves.

Suhyeok pulled out a badge representing a distinguished guest of House Waven and placed it on the table.

"The choice is yours, Your Highness."

"If you allow me to use Kasim until the Waves are over..."

"House Waven will become a reliable ally to you."

For a Crown Princess...

It was an offer almost impossible to refuse.

But...

"No."

"I refuse."

Suhyeok paused.

Siren pinned the badge onto her clothes and continued.

"I can't leave Kasim here alone."

"I'll stay too."

Her gaze made it clear that she would never compromise on this point.

"...Staying here may be dangerous."

"You might die before ever returning to the capital and defending your position as Crown Princess."

"I don't care."

"If I wasn't prepared for that much, I wouldn't have come here in the first place."

Then she smiled faintly.

"And..."

"You won't let me die, will you?"

The baseless certainty was so absurd that Suhyeok gave a quiet smile.

"Fine."

"But while you're here, you will follow my orders unconditionally."

"If you can't do that..."

"You may leave now."

"I'll follow them."

Siren extended her hand.

"Then I look forward to working with you, Grand Duke Waven."

That night.

A shadow secretly slipped into Suhyeok's office.

Moonlight spilled through the window.

The chair behind the desk had been turned toward it.

A curved dagger shaped like a bolt of lightning reflected the pale light.

A man's face appeared in its surface.

"...How did you notice?"

It was Kasim.

He checked the empty chair.

Then looked toward the shadows.

Suhyeok slowly stepped out.

"Are you asking how I knew you'd come here?"

"Or..."

"How I knew you were hiding your strength while serving the Crown Princess?"

"..."

"You looked far too surprised when you noticed me earlier."

"Anyone would realize you'd come looking for me."

"And as for how I knew you were hiding your power-"

A blue flash erupted.

Kasim vanished from Suhyeok's sight.

Crackle.

Small arcs of blue lightning crawled across the blade.

The dagger stopped directly beside Suhyeok's neck.

Kasim sharpened the angle of his blade and stared into Suhyeok's unwavering eyes.

Then he thought,

He didn't dodge on purpose.

He saw my entire movement just now.

It didn't make sense.

From the outside...

Suhyeok didn't feel strong at all.

No.

Strangely enough...

Kasim couldn't sense even the slightest amount of Mana inside him.

Someone capable of following his movements with his eyes...

And seeing through the strength he'd hidden...

Couldn't possibly be this weak.

Kasim became certain.

Grand Duke Waven was weak.

If he could still accomplish all this...

Then he had to be relying on some kind of magic item.

But that wasn't important right now.

"...I don't care how you discovered me."

"Prove that I can trust you."

Kasim's eyes hardened.

"Prove that Waven Castle can survive the Waves ahead."

"And prove that you can protect Her Highness."

Suhyeok looked at Kasim, who still clearly doubted him.

Then he gave a faint, almost amused smile.

"If I don't..."

"It looks like you're planning to kill me with that dagger right now."

"Fine."

"I'll prove it."

Shing.

"...!!"

The instant Suhyeok placed his hand on the hilt at his waist...

Kasim's face changed dramatically.

He immediately jumped backward and began breathing hard.

It wasn't because Suhyeok had moved without warning.

It was the overwhelming amount of Mana that appeared the moment his hand touched the sword.

I-Impossible....

Until a moment ago...

There hadn't been so much as a trace of Mana in the entire room.

Yet now...

The pressure filled the space in an instant.

It was massive enough to overwhelm Kasim himself with ease.

Even the dagger in his hand felt heavy beneath that presence.

Every instinct in his body screamed the same warning.

If you want to live...

Leave this place now.

A thought flashed through Kasim's mind.

He swallowed hard as though staring at something he could never overcome.

...It wasn't a magic item.

Was he simply so far above me that I couldn't even sense him?

Clench.

Cold silence filled the room.

Then Suhyeok spoke first and headed toward the door.

"Come outside."

"We can't fight in here."