Translator: Nox

I Married the Dragon I Killed

Chapter 118

Chapter 118

The theory Lucy had proposed was exactly that.

A Red Circle is created based on emotion.

Therefore, the core circuit is always singular and cannot be replaced by other methods, unlike Blue Circles.

However, Ferda was in a rare situation where two emotions were interfering with a single mana circuit.

‘I will divert that interference… to another circle.’

Confirming the image in his mind, Ferda immediately began.

He focused on the sensation of Shape of Shadow.

‘Focus everything on the shadow.’

Like the realization gained by a master of transformation who once dreamed of becoming a butterfly.

He deceived himself into believing that this physical body was not his true form, and that the thing clinging to the floor was his real body.

Finally, Ferda became the shadow.

‘I will create the circuit in this state.’

Circles do not rotate in his shadow body.

Therefore, he had to proceed with the cultivation process for creating a 1st Circle.

Ferda recalled a negative emotion.

The moment he regretted most.

It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint.

It was the moment Valdroba had torn out her own heart.

He embraced everything from that moment with all five senses.

Then, Ferda felt a sensation caressing his ear.

「Why are you doing something so foolish?」

The voice had already seen through his intentions.

「I am not trying to harm you. I want to help you.」

Ferda replied to that voice.

“No matter what you say, I cannot let you have your way.”

「Even if a moment comes when you cannot protect what you wished to protect?」

“Yes.”

「If you do that, only regret will remain again.」

“It doesn’t matter.”

Ferda had already made up his mind.

Even if he were to regret due to his lack of strength, he would not be held captive by his past self.

「I see.」

「But do not overexert yourself.」

「If you desire power, I will give it to you at any time.」

「Always remember.」

「—I am always inside you.」

It was at that moment, when he felt the voice separate itself, that something black and viscous began to surge within his shadow body.

The hand that had been rotating the circle was now stirring and causing it to flow within the shadow mass.

While it flowed, Ferda focused and shaped it as if molding pottery.

The series of processes was nothing short of a path of thorns.

Drawing out negative emotions without being overwhelmed by them.

At the same time, constantly brainwashing himself so that he wouldn’t perceive his physical body even once.

The moment he slipped up even once, Ferda would die.

Despite the sensation of his mind being gnawed away, he pushed himself to the limit.

‘I have someone who must be happy.’

That sense of mission was enough to keep Ferda holding on.

After a while, he felt the circle that had been flowing wildly within his body maintain a steady form.

Ferda opened his eyes.

What he saw was his shadow stretched long by the candlelight behind him.

And within it, a circle rotating in a color deeper and darker than the shadow itself.

‘So this is what she meant.’

It had been puzzling when he didn’t understand the meaning, but now that he knew, he realized the words were accurate.

Two emotions and two circuits that could interfere with each other.

Depending on the emotion, they would move independently without mixing.

If that circle moved, it was an emotion to be wary of; if the original circle moved, it was an emotion he could follow.

Ferda shrank the shadow body and pulled it up toward his physical body.

The settled circle was drawn up along with it.

Ferda settled it beneath the original mana circuit that resided in his dantian.

Then, he felt them moving in tandem like gears, supporting each other’s movements.

‘The amount of mana has increased as well.’

As an auxiliary circle was added to the existing 4th Circle, his mana capacity reached a level close to the 5th Circle.

It was a strange occurrence.

Unlike mathematics, adding a 1st Circle to a 4th Circle shouldn’t result in the mana capacity of a 5th Circle.

Usually, one would need at least three more circles to approach the 5th Circle.

To think a 1st Circle could rival a 3rd Circle.

‘It means this emotion is that intense.’

What was created from Ferda’s regret was an emotion that had once reached the 9th Circle, the realm of a demigod.

‘I must not grow this until I reach at least the 5th Circle.’

Nurture the affection, but suppress the regret.

At the same time, he would control them to achieve a balance so they could become his strength.

It would be a far from easy path.

However, Ferda felt a sense of relief inwardly.

Since it was visible and could be felt, it meant he could naturally control it.

The situation was much better than when everything had been vague.

This was a unique power that only Ferda could possess.

Ferda decided to call it this:

‘Shadow Circle.’

---

Amidst the harsh winter that felt like it would last forever, powerful sunlight beat down upon the ground.

In the heat warming the earth, green sprouts peeked their heads out, offering prayers to the grace of the morning sun.

The Alte believers also looked down at the green vegetation and offered a short prayer.

It was a greeting of gratitude that the period of hardship had passed and Alte’s blessing had arrived.

Spring had come.

The refugees, who hadn’t left the side of the stoves, enjoyed the sunlight for the first time in a long while, and a new vitality filled the streets.

Ferda conducted the quarterly settlement with Isabella, the administrator.

“The primary construction of the village itself has been completed.”

Primary completion meant that all the buildings immediately necessary to form a village had been built.

The secondary phase would involve building expansion and zoning, and the third phase would be full-scale construction, such as building castle walls.

“Were there any setbacks?”

“As there is a reason for proceeding in stages, naturally some setbacks occurred.”

It was expected, as they had prioritized the wall construction which had been pushed back in order.

“When we were planning how many people would actually come in and building the walls, didn’t we assume ten times the current sustainable population?”

“That’s right.”

“Based on the results of our current check, we are in a situation where we must put the brakes on population growth.”

Putting the brakes on population growth meant they could no longer accept refugees.

“Petitions from the nobles have started reaching the Empire. They claim we are siphoning off their refugees.”

“That is an undeniable fact.”

In fact, that was exactly what they were doing.

They had accepted almost all the refugees who came.

The reason for not accepting refugees wasn’t just because of the bitter cold of winter.

Spring, when labor was needed, was a time when every single hand was required.

“Some nobles are even demanding the return of the refugees.”

“What nonsense.”

“You are absolutely right.”

Ferda was not a philanthropist.

The reason he drew in those without a penny to grow the population was also to breathe life into the city.

With many people, merchants flocked in, and as they flocked, rumors spread.

“Should I write a letter saying it’s out of the question?”

“I dare say that would be the worst move.”

Isabella advised coldly.

“The fact that they’ve written a petition means they’ve already grown enough to be called a faction. What is needed now is to break the flow. Sending a letter would be like creating a hole that makes the flow even more violent.”

“Then assassination would be the answer.”

“…Are you serious?”

“It’s a joke.”

Isabella blinked at those words.

She hadn’t expected the word ‘joke’ to come out of Ferda’s mouth, and no matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like a joke.

Ferda could roughly see the ‘flow’ Isabella was talking about.

Since he was someone who had gone around incurring grudges, he knew where this kind of resentment would flow once it accumulated.

‘The Empire.’

The Empire wouldn’t be pleased to see the Archduchy growing by leaps and bounds.

The Empire wouldn’t just stand by and watch; they would check the Archduchy in some way.

Or they might foster a bad impression that Ferda was inciting war in various places to create refugees and absorb them.

“What do you think is needed right now?”

“Connections, after all. What is needed for political issues are connections.”

It was the thing Ferda was worst at, second only to physical activity.

“If it’s connections, isn’t there Count Concilus?”

“Count Concilus is indeed a great man, but he can only garner support within the Far East.”

Just as a village head only acts as a leader in his own neighborhood, he is just another outsider in other regions.

Concilus had always said so too.

That it would be good to become close with someone who wields great power within the Empire.

To the Ferda of that time, it sounded like a distant story.

He hadn’t known he would end up building a village in his own front yard like this.

“Upon checking, I understand that you, Regent-nim, have already attended the Grand Council once. Is there no one you became close with there?”

“Someone I became close with…”

He went back to that day and tried to recall the people he had befriended.

A smooth bald head seemed to shine brightly like the sun.

“There is the Chancellor of Escoleia.”

“The Chancellor of Escoleia has no influence to serve as a backer.”

If anything, it was a situation where Ferda had to lead him.

“What about the Iorga Magic Tower, which has been declared an ally?”

“They have influence, but their principle is basically not to interfere in human politics. If it’s a matter unrelated to Demons, they won’t move.”

It was a natural thing.

They only said that human affairs should be resolved by humans.

“Ideally, we need someone within the Empire. Someone who can at least suppress the Empire when they try to attack our flow.”

Such a person.

Where could such a person be?

Just as Ferda was thinking that.

Ruri, a maid who was in the middle of cleaning duties, arrived.

“A guest from the Empire has arrived.”

---

The person who had visited along the Imperial road was a knight.

He bore the mark of the Imperial direct line and was adorned in silver and gold, his entire being seemingly declaring that no one should dare touch him.

However, being a knight himself, Ferda knew what role he had come here to play.

He figured it out by looking at the owl feather on the knight’s helmet.

‘A messenger.’

A person who delivers letters written by those of Imperial blood.

He was a high-ranking official who could never be ignored.

“I greet the spouse of the Great Fire! Imperial Knight, Aren, pays his respects.”

“Welcome to Valdroba Castle. For what purpose have you come?”

“I have come to deliver an Imperial letter.”

The knight took out a box he had kept in his breast.

Inside, the letter lay exactly as its author had carefully packaged it.

If he had come to proclaim a royal decree, it would have been high-quality paper rolled on golden poles.

It meant it was sent for personal business from the Imperial family, not as an official view of the Arken Empire.

‘To send such a letter…’

Perhaps because he had been talking with Isabella, the thought that this might be a good connection occurred to Ferda first.

He broke the seal and read the contents of the letter.

“If it isn’t too private, may I ask what the contents are?”

Since Isabella was the one handling the troublesome tasks, he willingly informed her.

“Someone from the Imperial family is coming here suddenly.”

“Do you mean they are coming as soon as tomorrow?”

“In one week.”

Imperial time, where every minute and second was precious.

Furthermore, a person of the Imperial bloodline was a VVIP.

From their perspective, a one-week notice was indeed sudden.

Which of those Imperial bloodlines would be coming?

Ferda looked at the signature at the very bottom of the letter.

His slightly excited heart clicked its tongue as soon as he saw the first letters.

“It was a letter sent by the Imperial Princess.”

Olivia Arken.

Unlike the Princes who held succession rights, she could not directly manifest political views.

“A mere hollow shell, then.”

Isabella was right.

But even a hollow shell was better than nothing.

The hungry Ferda needed something to put in his mouth right now.