Chapter 19
Episode 19
Maria felt a chill down her spine at Stone's shocking words. Goosebumps even rose on her cheeks, and for a while, she blankly stared at Stone's face. Then, taking a breath, she asked Stone,
"Is that true? Are my parents alive?"
"Yes, the Magic Stone shows the future and fulfills the owner's dreams."
As Maria was surprised, Stone shrugged, wearing an expression that it was nothing special.
"You're just realizing this now? I'm a Spirit."
"Then, am I the owner of the Magic Stone?"
"Yes, I think Maria is the owner."
Maria, who had been looking at Stone, suddenly began to sob, her shoulders shaking violently. Her sky-blue eyes filled with clear tears, which then poured out uncontrollably. Stone awkwardly laughed.
"Oops, this has become a big deal."
This feather-light mouth was always the problem. It seemed certain that Maria was the owner of the Magic Stone, but honestly, he couldn't be sure if her parents were alive. It could just be an illusion stemming from Maria's strong desire. Just because he was a Spirit didn't mean he understood all the principles of the world and knew the complex world of magic. He just wanted to give Maria hope.
"Should I tell her now that it might not be true?"
If he did, Maria, who was now crying with emotion, would fall into despair again. But he had to correct it. He was worried that he might be giving Maria false hope and that she would be greatly hurt later.
"Okay, let's be honest that it's not accurate yet."
Stone moved his lips to confess his exaggeration now. At that moment, Maria hugged Stone and smiled brightly.
"Stone, I'm going to live hard now. I won't avoid the misfortune that has befallen me. I have to endure it so I can see my parents again."
"Yes, that's right."
Stone was startled to see Maria's face. It wasn't the face he had known until now. Her face, which had been dying from despair, was full of life, her eyes, which had been shadowed by darkness, sparkled with intelligence, and her appearance, swept up in joy, seemed stronger than Stone himself, who was a Spirit. Soon, Stone laughed in vain. If his uncertain judgment gave Maria, who was dying, the will to live and made her stronger, she would endure any hardship in the future.
"Maria, try to get along with Gunther for the sake of your dream."
"?"
Maria became serious about Gunther Paisley at Stone's words. The meaning of getting along with Gunther for the sake of her dream was very important. If she wanted to overcome despair, return to Lastonia, take revenge on Henry, and regain what she had lost, she needed Gunther's power. Her parents, who she thought were dead, were alive, so what couldn't she do?
"I have to put it back to how it was."
She wanted to rebuild the prestigious Stuart family of Lastonia. And… the most important thing remained.
"I'll pay it back. As much as I've suffered, no, I'll return it with interest."
"You need Gunther's help for that."
Stone said in a serious tone, as if he had read Maria's mind. Also, since his uncertain prophecy had revived a person who was dying in despair, he decided to forget about the slight awkwardness. A carelessly thrown apricot seed could sprout.
Gunther returned after seeing Solskjaer. It was fortunate that Maria's friend, whom he had saved, was now well. She was the only person Maria relied on here. Gunther stood in front of the door of the lodgings, lost in thought.
'If I open this door, Maria will be there.'
He had always longed for it. To come back after a tiring day and have someone greet him. No, to be precise, he wanted it to be Maria Stuart. An existence that was as distant as the stars in the sky. An existence that he could only look up to like a vague dream. But she was by his side. He soon stared blankly at his palm.
'Damn it, the wound has completely healed.'
He wanted to enjoy it a little more, but it was shattered by the tactless kid. Then, he smiled self-deprecatingly, feeling absurd himself.
'When will your head get better? Will the day come when you remember me?'
He wished Stone could heal Maria's pain as well. Maria probably still thought she was a hostage dragged here because of debt, right? Having completely forgotten her connection with him. Not knowing how much he had done for her and given her a reason to live.
He shook off the small smile on his lips and opened the door to the lodgings. But he didn't know why his heart was beating. He had seen her just an hour ago. Soon, he saw Maria curled up under the bed, asleep.
"Hoo!"
Gunther let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. He slowly approached Maria and, as always, laid her down next to him on his bed.
"It was a tiring day, wasn't it?"
He said in a low voice to Maria, who was asleep and couldn't hear him. Gunther also lay down next to her. It was then. Maria, who had been sleeping facing the wall, turned towards Gunther. Not only that, but she naturally wrapped her arm around his waist. As if hugging a doll.
He was startled and looked at Maria. For a moment, he wondered if she was 'seducing' him. Of course, it was just his imagination, and Maria was still fast asleep with a tired face. He guessed this was what they called being happy for nothing. He felt a little disappointed…
'He probably didn't notice?'
Maria didn't know how hard she tried to make it seem like a natural action in her sleep. Now that she had a goal in life, there was no need to worry anymore. As Stone said, getting close to Gunther was the first thing to do to achieve her dream. She had to face the fact that she desperately needed the power of Gunther Paisley, the Great King of the Red Dragon of the North. Without his power, she wouldn't be able to return to Lastonia to take revenge or regain what she had lost.
'I'm going to use you.'
Although she had been taken hostage because of Henry's debt, she had to gain Gunther's favor and seize power in her hands. If she could see her parents and take revenge on Henry, she would give Gunther her body as much as he wanted. No, she could even pretend to like it with a smile. After all, she wasn't giving him her soul. But could she even give that? Her trust in men, no, in people, had been shattered, so she would never be able to truly love anyone again.
'I even tried to die, so what can't I do?'
She decided to think about only one thing now. To see her parents' survival with her own eyes. That was the first task. Maria moved her body closer to Gunther, as if she were asleep.
"!"
She could feel his trembling body. And the sound of his heart, which sounded like a war drum. Maria's heart also pounded. Not because she was touching a man's body and was nervous, but because she felt guilty.
'I'm sorry. I'll repay you in the future.'
So she hoped he would be deceived by her and become her strength. But one thing her pride wouldn't allow. To remain just a woman who pleases men with smiles and her body like Laurent. She absolutely hated that. She had to become someone who could help Gunther. There must be something she could do in Helland.
Laurent met with her brother, who had come to the Imperial Palace of Lastonia after receiving her letter. The two used a language of Landes that only a few nobles used, so that no one could understand.
"Laurent, why couldn't you become the Empress?"
She had even given birth to a prince and done the great deed of driving out that Empress Maria Stuart.
"A variable has occurred."
"A variable?"
"Money."
In the end, it was a matter where there would be no problems if there was money. Henry was hesitant to appoint her as Empress solely because of money. Laurent told her brother in detail about the circumstances of the Imperial Family here.
"Kill the former Empress?"
At her brother's words, Laurent nodded with a satisfied smile.
"Wouldn't Henry be more shocked if Nancy killed her?"
"That's true, but what about the money?"
If Maria was killed, Gunther wouldn't stand still. Henry would have to cough up 10 million Gold. Lastonia currently didn't have the capacity to do that.
"Don't underestimate Lastonia. We can collect more taxes. If that doesn't work, we can get rid of a few nobles or wealthy merchants."
"Well, if you look for it, there are many ways to get money."
"Of course. If you shake them thoroughly, it will all come out. If a knife is put to their throat, they'll find money they didn't even know they had."
"That's true, but…"
Going all the way to Helland to kill the former Empress Maria was by no means an easy task. But the mercenaries hired by the Seradu family were quite skilled, as much as the Heland Warriors. They had a lot of war experience and had done a lot of contract work. So they easily dealt with the paladins of the Stuart Dukedom before the Heland Warriors even arrived.
"Laurent, can we extort some money using the former Empress?"
If we're going to kill her anyway, it's too futile to just kill her. It would be good to check how much the former Empress is worth at this opportunity. And we have to quickly seize the former Empress's hidden assets.
"Do as you please. Just bring me solid proof that the former Empress is dead."
That way, Henry won't do the nasty thing of weighing me and Nancy. The weighing should be done with some dignity.
"I will. Ha! If you had become the Empress of Landes earlier, I wouldn't have had to come to this country."
"Brother, I will definitely become the Empress of Lastonia, and my son will become the Emperor of this country in the future. So you can't fail."
"Trust this brother of yours."