Translator: Nox

I Married the Dragon I Killed

Chapter 76

Upon arriving in Halim, Bernel paced the hallway, clutching the documents he had organized.

This was the path leading to the guest quarters.

He knew where his room was, and he wasn’t lost. Yet, he lingered in the hallway as if waiting for something, wandering aimlessly.

“Young Bernel.”

A heavy voice called out.

Then, a shimmering head of hair appeared from between the shrubbery. It was a head of hair that once brought smiles to many, earning him the moniker of the Solar Mage.

Bernel might have smiled back at the old memory, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

“Ah, hello! Chancellor, it’s been a while since the Academy.”

“Indeed, it has been some time.”

“I heard you granted me the main slot. I’m truly grateful for your kindness—”

“What is that?”

Chancellor Bernard cut Bernel off, looking at the documents in his hand.

“This is the material for the upcoming presentation. I’ve refined it as much as I could, but it hasn’t been easy, so I was hoping you could review it for me.”

“You want me to look at it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“……Give it here.”

Chancellor Bernard began to flip through the presentation materials rapidly.

Bernel’s mouth went dry under the man’s serious gaze.

Finally, Bernard laughed.

Was that laugh a good sign?

“Pathetic.”

It wasn’t.

The laugh that escaped his lips was closer to a sneer.

“Bernel Marquis, I cannot hide my disappointment in you.”

“Wh-what do you mean by that?”

Bernel asked, maintaining his politeness.

“An efficiency of a mere 12%? What do you intend to do with that?”

“The efficiency is being increased incrementally.”

“And you plan to show that at a presentation, claiming it has potential, only to be laughed at? Are you planning to bring shame to the Regent of Valdroba, the one person who actually trusted you?”

Bernel stared at his face blankly.

This wasn’t an application of something existing; it was a brand-new creation. Even 12% was a remarkable achievement.

Chancellor Bernard continued.

“Is there anyone who even understands the formulas you’ve derived? Looking at this now, it’s a disorganized mess. You’ve only managed to obtain the formulas, but your speed in improving efficiency is far too slow. Do you know why I have such confidence?”

“…….”

“Bernel, it’s because your vision is too narrow. When you obsess over one thing, you fail to see anything else. Because you’re focused on that 1%, you don’t know how to raise it by 10%.”

Bernard shoved the presentation papers back against Bernel’s chest.

“I’m disappointed. Utterly disappointed. You were better off when you were dreaming impossible dreams. Right now, you are nothing but ‘A Mess’ itself.”

Bernard turned his back and walked away.

Bernel couldn’t say a word, staring down at the floor. He stood frozen in that spot for a long time.

---

Ferda watched it all.

He stayed until Bernard had insulted Bernel, crushed his spirit, and left the scene.

Then he thought.

‘Did I have Chancellor Bernard all wrong?’

Bernard had made a spot for Bernel.

He had even given him the main slot, which was said to mean a great deal to scholars. Ferda had assumed this was an act of goodwill.

But it wasn’t.

Bernard was a petty man who refused to acknowledge Bernel.

The higher the position, the more it hurts when you fall. Did that mean Bernard intended to destroy Bernel?

‘If that’s the case…….’

What should I do here?

“Oh, Regent! Fancy meeting you here.”

That cheerful voice snapped Ferda back to reality.

The man who had worn the face of a third-rate villain while being watched in secret now wore a polite and genial expression.

“I was just about to find you. A merchant named Stefan Pascal came to me asking about how the main event will be conducted—”

“Do you truly think he is foolish?”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

When Ferda cut him off to ask, Bernard looked genuinely puzzled.

Ferda answered bluntly.

“I unintentionally overheard your conversation.”

At Ferda’s remark, Bernard finally understood and his face flushed red.

“My, my…… I’ve shown you a side of myself that is quite embarrassing to witness.”

Yes, it certainly was an embarrassing face to see.

Ferda intended to show him exactly what happens when a human’s duplicity is exposed.

“I don’t know how it looked to you, but I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious to Bernel.”

Ferda found himself momentarily speechless.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well…… Bernel Marquis was a gifted student that we elder scholars had high hopes for. Even during his Academy days, he held the top rank, and everyone agreed that his brilliant mind would one day overturn the century.”

Everyone knew that, contrary to such praise, the ending hadn’t been good.

Bernard let out a sigh.

“But the moment he brought his presentation materials for the conference, everyone was taken aback. They were filled with preposterous claims. We tried to dissuade him and steer him in a better direction, but he wouldn’t listen. Do you know what happens to nine out of ten people like that? They become consumed by their ideals and turn into madmen.”

“But he wasn’t a madman.”

“Yes. He succeeded.”

“And yet, you think you can convince me with that?”

If Bernel were merely chasing delusions, Ferda would have understood. In fact, he would have approached Bernel with that same cynical attitude.

But Bernel had succeeded.

Results that should have taken years to achieve came out in just a few months, and he was even improving the efficiency.

“That is exactly why I’m doing this.”

“Are you saying the duty of the Chancellor of knowledge is to refuse to acknowledge the truth even when you know he’s right?”

“For people like Bernel, it must be so.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“The kind of people who present innovations that we denied and couldn’t even imagine. People like that shouldn’t be kept within the limits of a mediocre man like myself. They shouldn’t conduct research to convince someone else; they must follow what they believe in.”

Ferda understood those words.

Bernard was a genius.

But Bernel was a genius among geniuses. Therefore, Bernard’s standards for Bernel were no different from the standards of an ordinary man.

“Bernel will try to spite me no matter what by proving himself through his skills. If he succeeded at something so preposterous, he must now advance further. He’ll prepare to land a blow against me.”

This was a whip for Bernel.

It was a process to draw out the competitive spirit hidden deep within his heart.

“And what if he takes the wrong path?”

Just as he himself had done.

Ferda swallowed those words.

“Bernel doesn’t choose the cowardly path. He always insists on a head-on confrontation. He, too, is a scholar moving toward the absolute truth.”

Bernard gave a polite bow.

“Even so, if you feel he is heading down the wrong path, please tell him that I am actually a narrow-minded, petty man who couldn’t even acknowledge him to his face. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go prepare.”

Bernard passed by Ferda, and Ferda let him go.

What would be gained by hounding or scolding him?

‘I’m curious.’

At the same time, he was curious about the man Bernard had perceived Bernel to be.

Would he collapse in despair over not being recognized, or would he be reborn anew as Bernard predicted?

Ferda went to find Bernel’s room, acting as if he knew nothing.

Perhaps because the shock hadn’t worn off, the door wasn’t even closed properly, allowing him to step inside.

Bernel was sitting at a table in the quarters.

His shoulders were heaving, and his breathing was ragged.

“Fine, goddammit…… that efficiency…… I’ll just have to pull it up myself, won’t I?”

Though tears were dripping down, his hands and mind did not stop.

He was currently correcting all the points Bernard had criticized.

“Realistic? Fine, I’ll get it up to 20% within the next month. Just you wait. Every single one of you who laughed at me…… I’ll make it so you have no choice but to acknowledge me. Dammit…….”

Revenge was clearly felt in his words.

He was using that as fuel to drive his intellect.

That is what revenge is.

It makes one forget fatigue,

And provides the focus to immerse oneself in a single goal.

‘If there’s one thing different from me…….’

It was that he had chosen the right path, just as Bernard had expected.

So, Ferda quietly closed the door and stepped out.

---

“Just take that thing off. It looks terrible compared to when we mapped it out. Handle that item carefully!”

Stefan directed the workers while looking at the interior blueprints.

“Boss, I’ve brought the items. Where should I display them?”

“Good job. Hang those on the wall over there! You have the brackets, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Check one more time to see if the brackets are secure. These are important! My head could roll for this!”

The items in question were the Mana Stone samples he had brought and the weapons utilizing them.

Just in case, he had also prepared future development blueprints to present a vision for the project.

The device, which featured a long pipe as its main body with complex wires and glass bottles hanging off it, was called a ‘Magical Engineering Rifle.’

‘That’s a weapon?’

He had heard from the researchers that it was a high-performance item, but he had never once seen a demonstration.

Would that thing even work?

“Oh my, oppa? Fancy seeing you here.”

A familiar voice pierced Stefan’s ears.

An unexpected person…… though it was actually quite predictable. Since this was an exhibition where all merchants participated, there was no way House Pascal wouldn’t show up.

Even knowing that, Tilda’s presence was always as problematic for Stefan as any surprise.

Stefan found her difficult to deal with.

“Did you come alone?”

“No. Of course I came with my fiancé. He’s right over there, isn’t he, Henri?”

A man walked toward them with a bright smile.

The man was a plump, middle-aged man in his mid-thirties.

It was Henri Dandolo.

He was the heir to the Dandolo Company, one of the largest merchant guilds in the Empire.

“Tilda, my love. I brought the cocktail you asked for.”

The plump man in his thirties grinned as he handed her the glass.

The relatively petite and slender black-haired beauty stared intently at the glass.

She pouted her lips, her eyes growing moist and shimmering.

“This is a Cherry Bomb, isn’t it?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“I wanted to drink a Blue Sapphire…….”

Tilda blinked her eyes, her shoulders swaying gently.

Seeing that, Henri Dandolo gave an awkward smile and nodded.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’ll get a new one!”

“Thank you. You really are the only one for me.”

“Brother-in-law! Let’s catch up later!”

“Uh, yeah. Sure…….”

Tilda smiled.

Thrilled by that smile, he went back to get another cocktail.

Stefan scowled as he watched the scene.

“Why are you making your fiancé run errands when you have servants?”

“Why do you think? Because I can’t stand the sight of him.”

Tilda gave a cold, mocking laugh.

She put on a front for others, but she didn’t bother with Stefan. It meant she looked down on him that much.

“Does he know about your foul inner nature?”

“No way. Where would a man who hasn’t even managed to take off my underwear get that kind of insight?”

“He’d certainly love to hear the conversation we just had.”

“Try it, if you have the guts.”

It was always like this.

She acted as if she were above men, trying to manipulate everyone.

She had been like that since they were young. If someone displeased her, she would set a trap to purge them or leave a deep wound.

At first, it was at a cute level, but as she grew older, she became increasingly calculating.

Stefan was afraid of Tilda.

Even though he had seen the monster inside that smiling face, he couldn’t grasp exactly what kind of monster it was.

“Is this the item from the Far East that you’re sponsoring, oppa?”

She looked up at the Magical Engineering Rifle, covering her mouth with a fan.

“Yeah.”

“How cute. To think you brought such a thing.”

Hmph.

She let out a breath, pretending to look closely before sharply turning her head away.

“To me, it looks more like a work of art.”

She was asking if it was even functional.

“Of course it’s functional.”

“How does it work?”

“That, well, you pull this here and do this and that…… and it works on its own.”

As his words trailed off, Tilda’s smile deepened.

“You’ve never even seen it work.”

“…….”

“Well, it is an exhibition. Even if an item isn’t finished, if you just hang it up, no one will know. No, wait.”

With an innocent face, she tapped her chin with her index finger.

“Now that I think about it, isn’t there a presentation as well?”

Her eyes said she knew everything.

Since she knew about the Mana Stones, she naturally knew there would be a presentation in the main event.

“Why did you bring something you’ve never even seen operate? Won’t you just be humiliated if it blows up in the middle of it?”

“I suppose.”

“It’s perfect for display, but hmmm…… I wonder if this will actually make money? Just as Father said, the East seems useless…….”

A crescent-moon smile hung on her lips.

That expression.

That was the face she wore when she had crushed him time and time again back when he was at House Pascal.

“Don’t worry, sister.”

But today was different.

Stefan felt a surge of confidence unlike his usual self.

“While you’re busy clinging to a man’s crotch, I’m standing on the shoulders of my patron.”

It was a provocation laced with quite vulgar language.

But the effect was excellent.

Tilda glared at him venomously. Her face seemed to say, ‘How dare someone like Stefan talk back to me?’ and her hands trembled.

Normally, Stefan would have been intimidated, but not now.

He was a sponsor who was backing someone more reliable than anyone else.

‘Gosh, she’s still scary, though.’

Recalling how she used to strike him without hesitation during their childhood, cold sweat trickled down his back.

“Would you mind moving?”

A voice came from behind her.

The face that had been twisted into a hideous scowl smoothed out instantly as she turned around.

A man with a tall stature, grey hair, and blue eyes.

He wore a uniform that was black with red accents.

Though young, he exuded an aura that didn’t match his age.

‘This is Ferda Valdroba.’

He had a cold expression and a complex-looking face that suited the nickname of the ruthless killer who had slain Thessalos Walcher.

It was enough to capture Tilda’s interest.

She smiled brightly and gave an elegant greeting.

“Hello, Regent Valdroba. I am Tilda Pascal—”

“I have no interest in who you are, so move.”

“P-pardon?”

He cut off Tilda’s greeting.

The rude behavior was incredibly grating, but Tilda couldn’t even bring herself to get angry internally.

Those blue eyes looking at her were so frigid and cold they felt like they could freeze the blood in her veins.

“You don’t listen well. I told you to get out of my sight.”