Chapter 239: I Am Going to Kill You (6)

Though Krona, the Lord of the West, had met Keter through Eslow’s introduction, that wasn’t the only reason she was interested in him. She simply liked him, and that made her all the more curious to see how Keter would act when cornered.

He had already shown once that he had no mercy for clear enemies. So, she wondered how he would respond to a vague ally. If that ally became troublesome, or if they were someone he couldn’t win against, would Keter yield? Or would he resort to force?

“Keter, you’ve made me wait twice now, and this time you refused a private meeting altogether. That’s a level of disrespect even Her Majesty the Queen has never shown me.”

Her tone was sharp, almost scolding. The nobles from the west glared at Keter, ready to leap to Krona’s defense. Originally, the western nobles had no ill will toward Keter or Sefira—in fact, they were neutral. Had Keter treated Krona with courtesy, they would have leaned favorably toward him and his family. After all, Krona’s very presence at Sefira’s party gave them a reason for alliance and goodwill.

But now that Krona had been publicly slighted, the western nobles had a reason to oppose Sefira instead. A single careless word from Keter, and the entire western region of the kingdom could become his enemy. Yet Keter was as calm as ever.

“It just turned out that way.”

“You think you can brush it off that easily? I may look tolerant, but I am the Lord of the West. I have my pride. To uphold it, I’ll have to punish you; otherwise, the west loses face.”

“Big Sis, you’re not someone who chooses—you decide. No matter what the western nobles say, you can ignore them if you wish. So please, overlook this one.”

Krona’s lips curled into a smile. She covered her mouth, laughing softly. That laugh was genuine. After a while, she shook her head.

“I’ll admit that was amusing. Fine, I’ll overlook your insult to the lord since that’s within my authority, but the personal offense I’ve felt as a woman... that’s not something I can just let go. You disappointed me, Keter. You didn’t choose me, nor the princess? That’s greedy.”

“I’ll admit, I’m a bit greedy,” Keter said.

“That’s exactly why you’re irritating. So, give me something precious of yours—something that will make me say I had a delightful evening and that Sefira is a fine place.”

For Krona, praising Sefira publicly wouldn’t just help the west—it would shift the entire kingdom’s perception of the family. If Keter simply offered her something meaningful, she would reward him with her influence and favor.

Krona’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

What does Keter treasure most? I can’t even imagine. Maybe he’ll refuse—then I’ll really have to teach him a lesson.

She was almost excited. Iris, too, watched closely, curious to see what Keter would do.

“...”

For once, Keter didn’t respond immediately. It wasn’t that he had nothing to offer. He understood perfectly what Krona was trying to do.

So that’s her plan. No matter what I give, she’ll reject it, just to push me further.

What Krona truly wanted was submission. If he yielded, she’d relent and maybe even help him. Knowing that, Keter could have easily played along—pretended to bow, just this once, and it would be over.

But he didn’t like that. The easy path was clear before him, but Keter deliberately looked toward the harder one.

What could I give her that she wouldn’t be able to refuse?

Just as he was lost in thought...

“I will give you that.”

Someone else stepped forward in his stead.

* * *

Everyone wondered who would dare to interfere in a situation including the Lord of the West and the princess, but it was a little boy. He was short and had a cute face, but he had a cigarette in his mouth.

The boy put the cigarette out with his foot and stood in front of Keter.

Krona stared at Daat in surprise.

“You... got out of my Eternity?”

“It was difficult, but I managed to do it! Ahahahah!” Daat said jokingly.

Seeing another bothersome person, Iris frowned.

“Who are you?” Iris asked in irritation.

“Oh, my apologies, Your Royal Highness. I am Daat, Sefira’s advisor and Keter’s right-hand man.”

“Right-hand man...”

“And as such, I wish to make a request to Lord Krona in Keter’s place.”

If anyone else had said that, Krona would have obliterated them into pieces, but Daat had gotten out of her Eternity. Daat wasn’t a mage, and all he had listened to was an hour of lecture about space-time magic. She judged that he had the right to talk to her like that, so she nodded.

“What’s the offer?”

“I cannot give you something precious of Keter, but something you absolutely need.”

“You think I have something I cannot acquire on my own?”

“Yes.”

Daat seemed so confident, which made the nobles murmur amongst themselves.

“What does that kid have for him to be so confident?”

“He’s as confident as Lord Keter. Is he that skilled?”

Krona continued, “Fine, but be prepared. I won’t forgive you if you’re just trying to feel me out.”

“This is what I think you need, Lord Krona.”

Daat reached behind his back and handed her a flower.

The nobles rubbed their eyes in disbelief, wondering if that was really a flower in his hand. Krona, too, stared at Daat. She didn’t know much about plants, but she knew that it wasn’t a rare flower.

“This is a Red Flower of One Hundred Days. It represents the blossoming of relationships.”

“You think I’m going to be satisfied with just this?”

“Well, this isn’t all I am offering.”

That was what the nobles were expecting. How could anyone try to change the mind of a lord with just a flower?

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

“...?!”

“One every month until you don’t want them, Big Sister.”

“...”

The nobles froze again. It wasn’t just one flower, but many flowers?

But what does that matter?!

One flower or a hundred flowers—it meant nothing to a lord. If a lord wanted, they could fill hundreds of fields with flowers.

But for some reason, Krona bowed and took the flower from Daat.

“You’ll send me flowers?”

“Yes.”

“And you will deliver them to me yourself?”

“Maybe not if I’m busy, but I will try my best to.”

“You think that’s going to change my mind?”

“Maybe?”

“I’m baffled.”

Crunch.

Krona put slight pressure on her hand, and the flower disappeared into thin air.

Sefira is done for.

They not only messed with the Old Nobles’ Circle; they have turned the Lord of the West against them as well.

The nobles were sure that Sefira was going to die in a year, but Krona wasn’t done.

“That promise... If you’re even an hour late, I will never forgive Sefira.”

“I understand.”

“Then my business is done here.”

Krona then stepped back, and the nobles could not understand.

What kind of flower is that for the lord to just take it like that?

Is it a code? Maybe it’s not actually a flower, but hundreds of thousands of gold?

Even Iris couldn’t understand why Krona forgave Keter for just one flower. But since it was her turn now, she stepped close to Keter.

“Keter, I am ordering you.”

It wasn’t an offer or request—it was an order as the princess of this kingdom.

“Keter! This is Her Royal Highness’ order. If you are a noble of this kingdom, kneel and wait for Her Royal Highness to speak,” shouted Lexus, the lieutenant-captain of the Dragon Knights and Iris’ personal guard.

“I didn’t know that. Thanks for letting me know.”

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

“Keter of Sefira, I order you to be my personal knight.”

“...?!”

“...!”

Both the nobles and Lexus stared at Iris in disbelief. But that wasn’t all.

“I decline.”

“...?!”

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Before the nobles could even recover from the shock of the princess’ words, Keter’s blunt refusal left them too stunned to breathe.

* * *

A noble was granted privileges from the crown, and in return, they promised absolute submission and loyalty. As such, the crown’s word was the law, and refusing it was like refusing to follow the law.

But Keter’s quick refusal meant that he would not pledge his loyalty to the crown. This could even be interpreted as treason to some.

It was one hardship after another for Keter. He had just overcome the hardship of Krona, but there was another, larger hardship waiting for him: Iris. However, he wasn’t doing anything to fix it.

That was when Daat interrupted again.

“My apologies, Your Royal Highness, but according to Article Four Paragraph Fifty-Two, direct descendants of a master family can only change their organization with the patriarch’s approval. Unfortunately, Lord Hissop has not absorbed that authority yet, so you must wait until Lord Besil finishes his solitary training.”

Iris glanced at Lexus, asking if it was true, but he couldn’t nod. He didn’t know if it was true. That was when someone knowledgeable in the law stepped forward.

“Your Royal Highness, I am Panir El Sefira, a former judge of the Lillian Kingdom. I’m sorry, but I swear on my honor that everything that boy just said is correct. While we do not take your words lightly by any means, the law holds the desires of Her Majesty the Queen herself. Please, we ask for your understanding in this matter.”

As Panir defended Daat, Lexus angrily snapped back.

“Elder Panir, what is this insolence against Her Royal Highness? You are a Sefira, so you must be interpreting it in a way that is advantageous to you! Can you say I’m wrong?!”

Panir glared at Lexus and replied, “If you’re that suspicious, go read it. If I’m wrong, I will hang myself. But if you’re wrong, you’ll have to hang yourself.”

“Are you threatening m...”

“Lexus, stop.”

Lexus immediately stalled back, but he still glared at Panir with a deadly gaze.

“If that is the law, I guess there’s nothing I can do about that.”

Click.

Iris reached for her mask. The nobles were shocked by this. Anyone who saw her true face was said to become Charmed and pledge their blind and unwavering loyalty to her.

However, the nobles felt slightly emboldened by the alcohol. Some stepped back, but no one left the scene.

As Iris took off her mask, a strange energy surrounded her, and a unique scent filled the room. It was fresher than any fruit, and sweeter than any honey.

“Ha....”

The male nobles almost melted in pleasure, and all it took was a whiff of her scent. Iris’ cherry-red lips, slender and elegant nose, skin that looked softer and fairer than a baby’s cheek... Faced with such beauty, the men could no longer keep their composure.

“Ahh...!”

“M–my heart!”

Just as the nobles were about to lose the last thread of reason... Krona snapped, and the men who were suffering from Iris’ Charm froze instantly; she had trapped them in her space-time magic for a moment.

This was the effect Iris had on nobles who were dozens of meters away, so there was no way Keter, who was standing right in front of her, could withstand her Charm, but...

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

He was still resisting, even complimenting her.

Iris’s delicate brow furrowed, though her smooth, flawless skin didn’t crease in the slightest. She pointed at Keter’s mask.

“Take off your mask.”

Daat and Panir, who had provided him with legal counsel earlier, had long since retreated to a safe distance. Legally, there was nothing they could do this time; there was no law forbidding someone from removing their mask at a party.

And Keter himself had no real intention of keeping Orphe’s Mask on forever.

As Keter finally removed his mask and revealed his bare face...

“Ah?!”

“G–good heavens!”

The ladies and some of the men who had resisted the princess’ Charm gasped and faltered. Two distinct types of Charm clashed and amplified each other. The resulting force radiated outward, shaking not only the ballroom but reaching hundreds of meters beyond.

“Ugh...!”

Thud!

The overwhelming charm overwhelmed everyone, sending both men and women to the floor.

Krona grimaced.

“What is wrong with those two?”

She couldn’t believe Keter was actually countering Iris’ Charm with his own. And yet, it was working. Both Iris and Keter stood unfazed, staring directly into each other’s eyes.

“I’m the only one suffering here,” Krona muttered.

Whoosh, whoosh!

She immediately isolated the two within their own separate space. If she didn’t, everyone in the hall would likely die of heart failure.

“Keter’s mask was quite an impressive artifact, but... even it can’t match the princess’ Charm.”

Like she said, the balance between Keter and Iris began to shift. Keter was slowly being pushed back. At this rate, the princess’ Charm would soon completely overpower his.

And at that moment...

Rrrrip!

Keter suddenly began tearing his own shirt apart.