Chapter 238

Chapter 239. I Will Kill You (6)

Lord Krona of the West, though introduced to Keter by Eslow, found herself drawn to Keter regardless. The more she saw of him, the more she wanted to see. How would he act in a difficult situation? What kind of face would he show?

He had already demonstrated that he showed no mercy to clear enemies. But what about ambiguous allies? If that ally were to act difficult, if they were an opponent he couldn’t defeat, would Keter submit? Or would he resort to violence?

Krona was curious.

“Keter. You’ve made me wait twice, and this time you even refused a private meeting. I’ve never been treated so poorly, not even by the Queen.”

As Krona spoke reproachfully, the nobles from the West glared at Keter as if they wanted to kill him.

Originally, the nobles of the West had no particular feelings toward Keter or Sephira. They were neutral.

If Keter had treated Krona with utmost respect, they might have developed goodwill toward Keter and Sephira. For some reason, just the fact that Krona attended Sephira’s party created a bond and justification.

But if Krona was treated poorly at the party, the Western nobles would have a reason to oppose Sephira. If Keter misspoke here, he could turn the entire West against him.

However, Keter responded as if he didn’t care about such things.

“It just happened that way.”

“Are you trying to brush it off with such shameless words? Sorry, but I’m the Lord of the West, so I have to maintain some dignity. I’ll have to punish you to preserve the West’s honor.”

“You’re not in a position to choose, but to decide. No matter what the Western nobles say, you can ignore them. So, please cut me some slack.”

“Ohohohohoho…”

Krona covered her mouth and laughed. Her laughter was genuine. After laughing for a while, she shook her head.

“That was quite amusing. Fine, I’ll overlook the insult to the Lord with my authority. But the personal insult I felt? No words can make me overlook that. As a woman, I’m disappointed in you. You didn’t choose me, nor the Princess… both? You’re too greedy.”

“I am a bit greedy.”

“That’s why you’re annoying. So, give me something precious of yours. That way, I can say I had fun at this party and that Sephira is a good place.”

If Lord Krona of the West praises Sephira, it won’t just have a positive impact on the West.

The entire Kingdom will take notice of Sephira again. If only Keter would give Krona something he holds dear.

Krona was too curious and excited.

‘What does Keter cherish? I can’t even imagine, so I’m really looking forward to it. Maybe he’ll refuse to give it? Then I’ll really have to teach him a lesson.’

Krona was excited, and the Princess, who was watching, also wondered what Keter would offer.

“…….”

Keter, who usually responded promptly, seemed to find this situation difficult and tricky, as he remained silent.

It wasn’t that he had nothing to give, but because he understood Krona’s intention.

‘She’s planning to reject whatever I give. She wants to make things harder for me.’

What Krona truly wanted was Keter’s submission. If he showed submission, she would step back and help him.

Having realized her intention, Keter could have just pretended to submit, even if it meant swallowing his pride.

But Keter didn’t want to. The answer was obvious. Instead of taking the easy path of bending his pride, Keter chose the harder path.

‘What can I give that she won’t refuse?’

As he pondered this seriously, someone stepped forward.

“I will give it.”

* * *

Who would dare to interrupt in the presence of the Lord and the Princess?

The nobles glared at the audacious figure. A boy of modest height and cute appearance, yet holding a cigarette, appeared.

Daat extinguished the cigarette with his foot and stood beside Keter. Krona looked at Daat with disbelief.

“You escaped from my Eternal…?”

“It was difficult, but I managed to do it again. Hahaha!”

Daat boasted.

The Princess frowned at the appearance of another troublemaker and asked irritably.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, my apologies for the late introduction, Princess. I am Daat, Sephira’s advisor and Keter’s strategist.”

“Strategist….”

“As the strategist, I would like to make a proposal to Lady Krona on behalf of Keter.”

If anyone else had said such a thing, Krona would have had them executed.

But Daat had escaped from the Eternal. Despite not being a mage, he had only attended a one-hour lecture on Space-Time Magic.

Having the qualifications to speak to her like that, Krona nodded.

“What is your proposal?”

“I cannot give you something precious to Keter, but I can give you something you truly need.”

“Do you think there’s something in this world that I, as a Lord, do not possess?”

“Yes, there is.”

Daat spoke with confidence, causing the watching nobles to murmur.

“What is this brat thinking, speaking so boldly?”

“He’s as confident as Prince Keter. Does he have the ability to back it up?”

“Fine, but you better be prepared. If this is just a test, I won’t forgive you.”

“What I believe Lady Krona truly needs is this.”

Daat, who had moved his hand behind his back, presented a single flower.

The nobles blinked, doubting if what they were seeing was really a flower.

Krona also gazed intently at the flower Daat offered.

She didn’t know much about plants, but she knew that the flower Daat offered wasn’t rare.

“It’s a carnation. Its meaning is ‘fate.’”

“Do you think I’ll be satisfied with just this one flower?”

“I’m not trying to brush it off with just one flower.”

At Daat’s words, the nobles reacted with ‘of course.’ No sane person would think a flower could sway a Lord’s heart.

“I will send you a flower every first of the month.”

“……?”

“Until you say you don’t want them anymore.”

“…….”

The nobles’ expressions hardened again.

Not just one flower, but a continuous supply.

‘What’s the point of that?!’

Whether it’s one flower or a hundred, it’s meaningless to a Lord. With a single word, a Lord could create a flower field spanning tens of thousands of square meters.

But for some reason, Krona bent down and accepted the carnation Daat offered.

“You’ll send me flowers?”

“Yes.”

“You personally?”

“If I’m busy, I might not be able to go, but I’ll try my best.”

“Do you think that will change my mind?”

“Perhaps?”

“This is ridiculous.”

*Crunch.*

With a squeeze of her hand, the carnation disappeared.

‘Sephira is finished!’

‘Not only did they provoke the Goshikyeonro Association, but now they’ve antagonized the Lord of the West. They’ve crossed the line.’

The nobles were certain that Sephira would fall within a year. But Krona’s reaction wasn’t over yet.

“That promise of the first of every month, if you’re even an hour late, I won’t forgive Sephira or you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’ve said my piece.”

*Swish.*

Krona took a step back.

The nobles couldn’t understand her reaction.

‘What’s so special about a flower that the Lord would just step back?’

‘Is it a code? Not a flower, but a promise to send a million gold every month, or something like that?’

Even Princess Iris couldn’t understand why Krona would let Keter off with just a flower.

Anyway, it was finally her turn, so Iris stepped closer to Keter and spoke.

“Keter. I will give you a command.”

Not a suggestion, nor a request.

A command from the Princess of this nation to her subject.

“Keter! It’s the Princess’s command. If you are a noble of this nation, kneel and await her words.”

Lexis, the Princess’s guard and vice-captain of the Dragon Knight Order, shouted.

Keter looked at him and said.

“I didn’t know. Thanks for telling me.”

*Swish.*

Keter knelt on his right knee. Lexis was about to tell him to kneel fully, but Iris stopped him.

“Keter of Sephira. I appoint you as my personal guard.”

“……!”

“……?!”

At the Princess’s thunderous words, the nobles, and even Lexis, the current guard, looked at the Princess in shock.

But that wasn’t the end.

“I refuse.”

“……?!”

Before the shock of the Princess’s declaration could fade, Keter’s outright refusal left the nobles breathless.

* * *

Nobles are those granted privileges by the royal family.

In return, nobles pledge absolute obedience and loyalty to the King.

Therefore, the words of the royal family are law. To refuse the royal family’s words is to break the law.

For Keter to refuse outright is to declare that he will not pledge loyalty to the royal family, which could be interpreted as ‘treason.’

One mountain after another.

Now, Keter and Sephira had overcome the mountain of the Lord, but they faced an even higher mountain in the Princess. And Keter had outright denied that mountain.

Then, Daat stepped forward again.

“Princess. Excuse me, but according to Article 4, Clause 52 of the Lilian Kingdom’s laws, direct descendants of noble families can only change their affiliation with the permission of the family head. Unfortunately, Acting Family Head Hisop has not been granted such authority, so we must wait until the Family Head emerges from seclusion.”

At Daat’s words, the Princess looked at Lexis, her guard, asking if it was true.

Lexis couldn’t nod. How could he agree when he didn’t know?

Then, someone well-versed in the law stepped forward to answer.

“Princess. Former Judge Panir El Sephira greets you. I apologize, but everything the boy said is true, on my honor as a former judge. Your words are sacred, but the laws of the Kingdom also carry the will of the Queen, so I beg you to consider this.”

With Panir, knowledgeable in the law, supporting Daat, Lexis exploded in anger.

“Elder Panir! How dare you be so rude to the Princess! You are an elder of Sephira, so of course you interpret the law in Sephira’s favor! Can you prove my words wrong?”

At Lexis’s outburst, Panir glared at him sharply and said.

“Brat. If you doubt it, go read the law yourself. If I’m wrong, I’ll hang myself. But if I’m right, you’ll have to hang yourself.”

“You’re threatening me—”

“Lexis, enough.”

At the Princess’s command, Lexis stepped back, but he continued to glare at Panir as if he wanted to kill him.

“If the Kingdom’s laws are as such, then so be it.”

*Click.*

The Princess placed her hand on her mask. The nobles were shocked at the action of her removing her mask.

It was said that anyone who saw Princess Iris’s face would be enchanted and swear blind loyalty. All the nobles present had heard such rumors.

But perhaps because they were drunk, they had gained a bit of confidence. They stepped back but didn’t leave the scene.

*Swoosh.*

As the mask was removed, a strange aura spread. A unique scent brushed past everyone’s noses. It was fresher than any fruit and sweeter than honey.

“Huuuuu…”

The male nobles’ expressions melted. Just from the scent, their eyes were already half-lost.

Her cherry-like, plump red lips, her soft and sharp nose, her skin, whiter and softer than a baby’s cheeks… Her beauty left the men unable to maintain their composure.

“Huuuuk!”

“My, my heart!”

Just as the male nobles were about to lose their sanity—

Krona flicked her finger.

The suffering male nobles all froze. She had momentarily trapped them in space-time.

Even the male nobles dozens of meters away were affected. But could Keter, right in front of her, withstand it?

“You are beautiful.”

He was holding on. Even complimenting her.

Princess Iris’s delicate forehead furrowed. Her skin was so taut, not a single wrinkle appeared.

She pointed at Keter’s mask with her finger.

“Remove your mask.”

Daat and Panir, who had provided legal advice, had already stepped far away. Legally, they couldn’t help this time.

There was no law against removing a mask at a party. And Keter had no intention of keeping Orpheus’s Mask on forever.

*Swish.*

As Keter finally removed his mask, revealing his face—

“Huh?!”

“Oh, my God!”

The ladies who had resisted the Princess’s charm, and some men, collapsed.

The clash of different types of charm amplified. The shockwave began to affect people hundreds of meters away from the party venue.

“Uuuuuk!”

*Thud!*

Overwhelmed by the intense charm, both men and women began to collapse.

Krona frowned at the sight.

“What kind of people are these?”

She couldn’t believe that Keter had tried to counter the Princess’s charm with his own.

But it was working. Both Iris and Keter were standing firm, facing each other.

“I’m the only one suffering.”

*Whoosh!*

Krona separated their spaces. If left unchecked, everyone at the party would die of heart attacks.

“The mask Keter was wearing is a high-level artifact… but it’s no match for the Princess’s charm.”

As she said, the atmosphere between Iris and Keter was changing. Keter was gradually being pushed back.

A little more, and the Princess’s charm would completely overwhelm Keter’s.

But at that moment—

*Rip!*

Keter suddenly began tearing off his shirt.