Translator: Nox

I Married the Dragon I Killed

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ferda was in the guest room, focused on his studies.

He looked up, wondering if he had misheard.

“Meet the lords?”

“Yes.”

Ruri nodded firmly.

“Do you know why my master is called the ‘Prince-Duke’ of Valdrova?”

“I do. She killed the Black Dragon, Godwin, and the Arken Empire granted her the title.”

The Black Dragon, Godwin.

The aspect of darkness and the source of all evil.

He had been a creature of pure malice, one who craved chaos on the continent so much that he had played a part in the birth of the Demon King.

It was the Red Dragon, Valdrova, who had dealt the decisive blow to end his life.

“I heard that’s how she earned the title of Prince-Duke and came to hold territory on the Far East Front.”

“Indeed. You are more knowledgeable than you look. Do you know exactly how many fiefs are under Lady Valdrova’s command?”

“Is it not fifteen? Including the outlying villages, there are one hundred and eight.”

“……And the total population?”

“It was said to be 5,256,532 in total, but I wouldn’t know the recent birth or death rates.”

Upon hearing that answer, Ruri openly grimaced.

“For someone who claims to have no interest in power, you certainly know a lot.”

Her disgust was laced with a faint trace of Dragon Fear.

Ferda simply shrugged.

“If a man is to become a spouse, what greater shame is there than not knowing what his partner does?”

“You certainly have a way with words.”

Of course, Ruri didn’t believe him.

Her suspicion that he was a suspicious character was only leaning further toward conviction.

In truth, Ferda hadn’t studied for that reason either.

‘It’s because I’m bored.’

After forming his circle, there was simply nothing to do.

Back when he was struggling to form a circle, a whole day wasn’t enough, but now he was far too idle.

There was no need to waste time studying things he already knew.

So, with the thought of learning a bit more about Valdrova, he had delved into her history.

“In any case, how about meeting them?”

“I’m not interested. I have no desire to go unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Even if you aren’t interested, once you marry my master, you will officially become her consort. If my master handles the outside, the consort must handle the inside.”

“So I am to be the master of the inner palace.”

“Yes.”

A man as the master of the inner palace.

That essentially implied the man was more incompetent than the woman.

In the world of nobility, it was a disgrace so great it could be called humiliating.

‘It’s not… something to be humiliated by.’

He was the spouse of Valdrova, who was called a tyrant, of all people.

In a situation where her race itself was in another class, the current Ferda lacked the power to stand as her equal.

Even so, simply becoming her spouse and leading the internal affairs was an impressive feat.

‘Managing the lords myself, huh…….’

Ferda contemplated for a moment before answering her proposal.

“Fine. I shall meet them.”

“Then I will summon them.”

Ruri bowed politely and left.

Ferda, being a keen observer until the end, could tell that the look in Ruri’s eyes was unusual.

He had known her intentions from the start.

‘She still doesn’t trust me.’

Seeing is wanting.

Even a naturally good person wants to grasp power once it’s laid before them.

And once a person holds power, they never want to let go.

That was human nature.

‘But I am curious as well.’

Just as Ferda didn’t know Ruri, he didn’t quite know himself either.

What kind of choice would he make in a situation like this when he wasn’t burning with a desire for revenge?

So, he decided to test it.

He would see what choice he would make in the testing ground she had laid out.

“Fine. I shall meet them.”

---

There was a joke among the nobles of the Serdes Continent.

The further nobles went into the provinces, the more they gave up their “fat.”

While central nobles were generally plump, nobles on the front lines usually remained lean.

Between the constant anxiety of not knowing when monsters might attack and the need to be in a state of combat readiness, they couldn’t get fat even if they wanted to.

However, the lords of the Far East were a complete departure from that joke.

“Sir Bosch! Your belly has grown quite a bit!”

“Hahaha! Perhaps it’s because I’ve had so many worries lately, my mouth keeps going dry. So I find myself eating all the time, you see?”

The Far East Front Alliance Hall.

Fifteen lords were gathered there, their jowls wobbling.

It had been a very long time since they had all gathered in one place like this.

“But why this sudden summons? Things have been quiet for the past few days, so there shouldn’t be anything for her to interfere with….”

“One shouldn’t be so ignorant of the world’s affairs. Didn’t you hear that the Prince-Duke recently took a fiancé? We were told to meet with that fiancé.”

“A fiancé?”

A lord who was hearing the news for the first time was shocked.

“What kind of madman in this world would get engaged to the Prince-Duke?”

“Indeed. Unless he’s a fool, he wouldn’t realize that ‘engagement’ doesn’t mean what it usually does….”

“They must have dug up the ultimate fool among fools.”

At the same time, they began to wonder who could have accepted such a thing.

“I heard that ‘ultimate fool’ is the third son of the Rosnova family.”

“Rosnova? That’s the family of the guardian knights of the Arken Empire! I heard everyone from that bloodline is outstanding….”

“It seems the third son is not. From what I’ve heard, he’s weak compared to other families, let alone ordinary soldiers. That’s probably why even his own father cast him out.”

“If he’s weaker than an ordinary soldier, isn’t he a total defect?”

“Hmph! To think I have to waste my time meeting a mere defect….”

“And for a defect, he’s certainly taking his time getting here….”

The elderly lords wore disgruntled expressions.

The thought of someone so young and green trying to act important made their blood boil.

“So, what are you all going to do?”

“About what?”

“He may be the Prince-Duke’s consort… and he’ll have a certain status, so how do you all plan to respond….”

Then, the oldest lord replied.

“He is destined to be torn apart by Prince-Duke Valdrova anyway. Why should we bow our heads to such a man?”

“Agreed.”

“Why on earth should we bow?”

The atmosphere was one of unanimous agreement.

“Lord Ferda Rosnova is entering!”

Everyone adjusted their clothing and put on serious, solemn faces.

They were lords who commanded citizens on the front lines in their own right.

Thus, they intended to crush the newcomer’s spirit from the very beginning.

With the gatekeeper’s shout, the doors to the council chamber opened.

Gray hair and blue eyes.

Fitting for the consort of Prince-Duke Valdrova, he wore a red formal uniform embroidered with the Valdrova crest in gold.

They had heard that much, and it was within the realm of expectation.

What exceeded their expectations was the aura of Ferda himself.

‘And they called him a defect…….’

‘He’s a defect who looks quite tall and intelligent.’

While he might be physically frail compared to a family of warriors, etiquette was ingrained in his stride.

But what they all found most striking was the look in his eyes.

It wasn’t merely the arrogant gaze of a rebellious youth.

It felt as if a calm lake resided within those eyes.

They found themselves instinctively tensing at his appearance and aura, which didn’t match his age.

Ferda’s lips moved.

“Tell me.”

It was the voice of a young man who had just left adolescence.

Yet, it carried a resonance with the weight of a middle-aged man who had weathered harsh years.

“I am the man who will soon become the consort of Prince-Duke Valdrova.”

Ferda tucked his hands behind his back.

His blue eyes swept over each of them.

It was an act of utter rudeness, yet no one opened their mouth.

No.

They couldn’t.

‘How can a young brat have eyes like that……?’

‘What on earth is this fellow!?’

It felt as if they were facing a beast of prey.

Without exception, they were overwhelmed by his gaze, unable to resist.

They only realized the situation after they were confronted by it.

“In that case, should I speak to you formally, or should I speak to you as my subordinates?”

The ultimate fool who was proceeding with the engagement to Valdrova was no defect.

---

About 30 minutes ago.

Ferda arrived at the Far East Front Alliance Hall.

Since he was traveling for official business, Ferda arrived by carriage.

Ferda checked his watch.

“I’m quite late.”

Ferda tended to be strict about appointments.

Even a single minute was annoying; ten minutes was practically a capital offense.

However, Ruri, the culprit behind this lateness, replied professionally.

“You really don’t know anything. When it comes to asserting dominance, being ten minutes late is the standard.”

“Is there a need for that?”

“It is a basic skill for dragons and the most important moment for establishing the hierarchy.”

“Even if I’m not particularly interested?”

“Please always keep in mind whose consort you are becoming.”

Valdrova’s consort.

Once she said it, he found himself repeating it in his mind reflexively.

Ruri walked a step behind him, following his lead.

As they walked along the red carpet, Ferda suddenly grew curious.

‘If I become Prince-Duke Valdrova’s consort, where do I fall in the hierarchy?’

The world of nobility was quite complex.

For central nobles, the hierarchy followed their official positions.

However, in the outer regions, where the sword was closer than the law, those who had served for a long time were given respect.

‘As the consort, I am officially no different from a king, but that alone won’t suffice…….’

Ferda was currently eighteen.

In other words, outwardly, he was young and inexperienced.

If a fiancé who had appeared out of nowhere suddenly started acting like a king, it was a given that the lords would rebel.

As he walked, Ferda reached the entrance of the conference hall.

He saw fifteen seats arranged in a circle.

The seat directly across from the door was empty; that was Valdrova’s seat.

In other words, it was where Ferda’s seat would be.

Instead of going there, Ferda stood in the center and looked up at them one by one.

“Tell me. I am the man who will soon become the consort of Prince-Duke Valdrova.”

It was a truly genuine question.

“In that case, should I speak to you formally, or should I speak to you as my subordinates?”

Ferda met their eyes one by one, gauging where his position should be.

All the lords looked down at him with tense faces.

They glanced at each other, hesitating to answer.

Ferda scratched his head.

“Hmm, was my question a difficult one?”

“A-Ah, no…….”

“It’s just that…….”

The reason they couldn’t answer was simple.

Answering whether he should speak formally or informally would determine the line of command right then and there.

Who would have guessed that the kid who came as a fiancé would try to make them line up first?

The oldest lord was the first to speak.

“We are lords who reside under the light of Prince-Duke Valdrova. It is only right to speak formally to the one who will become her consort.”

“Is that so?”

“However, the lords here are all those who have given their full loyalty to the country and are dedicated to their people. It is only right that the consort treats them with appropriate respect as well.”

It sounded like an answer, but in the end, it was no different from passing the question back by saying it depended on how he acted.

Hearing that, Ferda asked him.

“What is your name?”

“I am Ulvera Consilus.”

“I see. Count Consilus? Is that what I should call you?”

“That is correct.”

The old lord gave a slight smile and nodded his head.

“So.”

“Pardon?”

“So, should I speak formally, or should I speak to you as my subordinates? You haven’t answered my question at all.”

Ferda narrowed his eyes and stared at him.

The old lord replied again with a troubled expression.

“It is correct to speak to us as subordinates.”

“I see. That answers it. Count Consilus. If I had spoken formally first, I would have made you all quite uncomfortable, wouldn’t I?”

“Y-You speaking like this now is more than enough.”

Politics was new to him, but he could tell exactly what this situation was.

Ferda had successfully asserted dominance over the lords.

‘I didn’t intend to subjugate them.’

Feeling the need to clarify, Ferda spoke to them.

“Do not worry. Just because I have become the Prince-Duke’s consort, it doesn’t mean much will change. I have no great interest in what you do. So, you all go about your business as you see fit. Whether you exploit them or show mercy.”

“Exploit? What kind of talk is that?!”

One man stood up, as if he couldn’t let Ferda’s words slide.

He looked to be in his mid-twenties and had a fierce expression.

He was relatively young and wore a mage’s seal on his chest.

Hearing that, Ferda thought to himself.

I misspoke.

“No offense intended. It just came out that way as I was speaking.”

“It seems you’re acting high and mighty just because you’re engaged to the Prince-Duke, but you’d better show some respect, young fiancé! If we stood as mage to mage, you should have been prostrating yourself before me!”

“What?!”

“H-How can you say such a thing?!”

The old, fat lords broke into a cold sweat as they tried to stop him.

Everyone held their breath, as if watching a candle placed in front of a fuse.

“Hmm…….”

Ferda wasn’t particularly angry at the rudeness.

Instead, he just had a question about the man’s words.

‘Can I beat this person?’

Since he had awakened as a mage, Ferda was now able to see mana with his own eyes.

The amount of mana the man named Thessalos possessed was extraordinary.

Ferda, tapping his temple with his index finger as he thought, asked him.

“What is your name?”

“I am Thessalos of the Walcher family!”

Ferda mulled over the name.

Thessalos Walcher…… it was a name he had heard somewhere.

It wasn’t important right now, so he set it aside for a moment.

“What circle have you reached?”

“The 4th Circle. I am a mage who can use 4th-tier magic.”

“Hmm, decent.”

“……Decent?”

To the 4th-circle mage, Thessalos, it was absurd.

A 4th-circle mage was someone who would be treated with great respect anywhere.

‘Consort or not, should I just kill him?’

Thessalos felt his blood boil.

If he weren’t the Prince-Duke’s consort, he would have already hurled insults and unleashed magic.

“I find myself interested in you. So, may I ask a favor?”

“You have the nerve to ask something of me after showing such an impudent attitude?!”

His face turned red, and seeing that, Ferda nodded.

“You’ll probably like it too. Duel with me.”

He had trained enough; it was time for a real battle.