Chapter 35
“What?”
“The Empress made a condition.”
“Condition…?”
“Either the royal family or a Sword Master.”
“Ahahahaha!”
Upon hearing the news, Usman laughed out loud. After laughing for a while, he nearly fell over, though when he straightened his posture, Haliman, the aide who had been watching him right next to him, looked at him with pitiful eyes.
“Is this funny, Crown Prince?”
“Well, of course, it’s funny.”
“Yes?”
“In the end, the Empress is saying that she will not marry a native. To be precise, it means that she will not bind herself with the nobles of the Larchen Empire.”
“Why is that so?”
“If you think about it a little, you can see it.”
“That’s fortunate because the Crown Prince thought of it.”
“I also think when I need it, especially if it concerns the Empress of Larchen.”
“Would you get that long unrequited love?”
When he was young, Usman visited the Larchen Empire with his father.
At that time, the former Empress of the Larchen Empire and the current Empress were together. The former Empress’ consort and Usman’s father, who met at the hunting ground, competed for each other’s might and built a friendship, but he invited Usman’s father to an event in Larchen.
At that time, the current Empress he saw for the very first time was a pretty little child. It happened when Usman was seven years old…
“Here is my daughter.”
“This is my son.”
“Hoo. He looks cute.”
“So is your daughter.”
However, Usman was filled with heartache.
He was in a state of anger because he couldn’t find the arrow made from the tail feathers of the firebird he wanted. Seeing his father, the No. 1 in the Caliphate Empire, who revered power, showing half respect to the white and delicate people of the Larchen Empire made him even more upset.
“Then, it would be good for children to hang out with each other.”
“I think so, too.”
When the Empress of Larchen proposed, his father quickly agreed. He had never been more resentful of his father than then.
‘What should I do with the white and red kid?’
Usman was annoyed, but he put up with it. As the adults disappeared in the distance, the white and red child spoke to him.
“Name.”
“What?”
“I asked what your name was.”
“How dare you little thing talk down on me like this!”
“Little…thing?”
“Right! I am… Uwaaahh!”
It was lightning magic. Usman, who had experienced magic for the first time, trembled like an aspen tree.
Meanwhile, Isilis, who was watching Uthman sitting there with cold eyes, spoke to him.
“They said you were the Crown Prince of the Khalifa Empire, but you weren’t a big deal.”
“You! This…”
“Isilis!”
Empress of Larchen’s consort, who ran from afar, made a stern expression as he called the girl’s name.
“Why?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to use magic recklessly!”
“Father.”
“I’m your father, but you should be scolded!”
“The one who will become the Empress will not be scolded.”
“That’s when you became Empress! You must be scolded today! I always told you to protect the weak!”
“The weak…?”
“Yes! This child!”
It was the first time Usman was treated like an underdog.
“He’s an ordinary child who doesn’t know how to use magic? You have to have compassion.”
“Isn’t it okay to use magic on ordinary people?”
“You may use it if your life is threatened. He’s still a child, isn’t he?”
“This child told me I was a little thing.”
“What?”
It was Usman who flinched at the man’s gaze, who turned his head ‘swish’ at Isilis’ words. The man, who had been looking at him with cold eyes, nodded and spoke kindly to Isilis.
“That child said that without knowing it. Ignorance is not a sin.”
“It is a great sin to be ignorant in front of the Crown Princess.”
“He’s also the Crown Prince of another empire, so let’s give him a break.”
“If father says so… All right.”
“You are a good child.”
The child looked happy at the man’s hand stroking her hair. It was the first time he was treated as a weakling and the first time he was treated with magic.
It was also the moment he first fell in love.
“What is your name?”
The girl frowned after his words before opening her mouth slowly.
“Isilis Larchen. I am the one who will become the Empress of the Larchen Empire in the future.”
“I am Usman. Usman Khalifa. You will marry me!”
“What?”
He heard the man that was listening next to him screaming, but little Usman didn’t care.
For the first time in his life, he met a woman who defeated him. She, as Usman always said, was a woman who matched his ideal type. She was a woman stronger than him… He wanted to meet such a woman.
In the schedule after that, he chased after Isilis. His father, who could not bear to see it, hurriedly finished the schedule, although Usman did not give up until he headed to the Khalifa Empire. Even after arriving in the Khalifa Empire, he continued to write letters to Isilis.
She replied back, but he liked even that.
“Of course, my woman has to be sassy.”
Haliman was the aide who had seen this from the sidelines from the beginning.
“So, you really want to marry the Empress?”
“If not?”
“Crown Prince. Please, open your eyes. If His Majesty finds out, there will be an uproar.”
“What is the uproar? It is a fact that father already knows.”
“Did he give your permission?”
“If the previous Empress were still in Larchen, I would be the most likely candidate, not anyone else. father and the previous Empress of this Empire have already exchanged correspondence with each other.”
The marriage papers were on their way. Just as they were about to announce the engagement, something happened in the Larchen Empire. The Empress’ consort was killed on the battlefield.
As a result, the marriage talks with the Khalifa Empire came to a halt, and Isilis ascended the throne.
“I should have gotten her then.”
He regretted it forever. It was a mistake to be careless when the marriage conversation was still going on. The moment he let go because he thought it was all over, that moment separated Isilis and Usman’s fate.
“But, how dare… I will kill that punk.”
Usman spewed his anger without hiding his blazing golden eyes. Since he was little, the woman only looked at him. From time to time, he sent gifts and corresponded with him. Sometimes, when she accompanied her father to visit this Empire, she would spend as little time as having a cup of tea, yet he valued even that time.
She was a woman who was a waste to touch, but she disappeared somewhere, and a child was born. And now, she was struggling to make that child the heir to this Empire.
“As long as I find him, I won’t let him go.”
“A jealous man is an ugly one.”
He heard Haliman speak softly as if telling him to calm down, but Usman snorted and opened his mouth again.
“I will kill him. How dare he take her away from me.”
“Yes, yes. Do what you like.”
“Haliman!”
“I am listening. Crown Prince.”
“Whose side are you on!”
“What are you going to do? I’ve heard so much that I’m dying of boredom. You mumble to yourself every day. In the meantime, if I were you, I would go and meet the Empress of Larchen.”
“Really?”
Usman looked back at Haliman with admiration and smiled.
“Look, Crown Prince. Even if the Empress gave birth to a child, it wouldn’t change her mind, so you have to work hard. No one knows that you are doing this here and now. According to the Crown Prince, if that woman said that she would not marry a person from her empire, then the most likely candidate for her would be the Crown Prince, right?”
“Right.”
“So, please come back to your place and think about it calmly.”
“What?”
“Who is the most likely candidate besides you?”
“Berthas.”
“Bingo.”
Berthas’ name was spat out in a low voice, and Haliman responded.
“You’re right, Crown Prince. There was that guy.”
“Yes. Right. There was him.”
“He looked fine, too.”
“True. Objectively, he wasn’t bad.”
“In addition, isn’t he also from the royal family?”
“Half.”
“So, wouldn’t that be a better condition for the Empress?”
Haliman’s words woke his mind.
“…I see.”
That was true.
Berthas Hillenton…
The royal family who couldn’t inherit the throne of the Hillenton Empire. Therefore, the man had the best conditions for the Empress of Larchen to be her husband. In addition, Sword Master… It wasn’t revealed yet, but Haliman was certain that Berthas was clearly a sword master.
“Crown Prince. What if you want something?”
“I have to grab it with my hands.”
“Don’t forget. That is the first principle to survive in the desert empire.”
“Of course I do, Haliman. I have never forgotten one moment.”
“I am giving this to you because I know that you are only weak against the Empress of the Larchen Empire.”
“You misunderstood me.”
Haliman smiled at Usman, who smiled meaningfully.
“That’s it. Your Highness. That is a ruler.”
Office of the Larchen Empire.
Isilis was sitting in the chair, flipping through papers. Her face looked sullen as she flipped through the papers using rough mana.
Marquis Cyrka, who was assisting her by the side, spoke.
“Your Majesty.”
“Why, Marquis?”
“You look bored.”
“I am.”
“You’d better take a break for a while.”
“I guess so.”
As he said so, the Marquis got up and opened the window of the office. The chief attendant, who had been watching, called the attendants outside to prepare refreshments. Isilis, who was watching it, spoke to Marquis Cyrka.
“Marquis. Why did you talk about the royal marriage?”
“If I hadn’t done that, Your Majesty would have continued to face opposition.”
“That’s right.”
“And Your Majesty, a royal marriage is necessary.”
“Do you think I should get married, too?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
“Because Your Majesty needs a place to rest your heart.”
“Rest… my heart?”
“It is. Your Majesty.”
She couldn’t believe she got seen by the Marquis, her aide. Isilis blamed herself for not being able to take care of her loneliness. The supreme position was originally a lonely place. She had endured enough to know that.
However, things have changed since she met Berthas. She thought of him from time to time. His warmth made her weak.
“The highest position is inherently lonely. However, Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be okay for at least one person to share Your Majesty’s loneliness?”
“You say the same thing as Faylos.”
“Did the Grand Duke say that?”
“He did. He told me to bring in a consort.”
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