Chapter 60
‘Can’t I just give him a thorough massage with this sword?’
-Won’t that be painful? (´O｀)
‘Do I look like I’m in a position to care about that bastard being in pain?’
-Uh, won’t the extreme disconnect between body and mind caused by the pain put his soul at risk of escaping his physical form? (´O｀)
‘So you’re saying he won’t die, right?’
-(´O｀)…. If you’re really going to go through with this, wouldn’t it be better to bring a priest? If my contractor… goes to a human prison… for attempted murder… it would be a bit… awkward for me, too….
‘It’s fine, I’m an Imperial Princess.’
-…Of course, you were only able to contract with me because you are a direct member of the Imperial Family… (´O｀)….
“Young Count Flux.”
“Yes?”
After glaring at the air for a long time while gripping the sword, I threw it back onto the floor with a clatter, stomped on it, and threw a whole tantrum. I picked the sword up again, agonized over it, and then snapped my head up to look at Flux. Flux flinched as he met my fierce gaze.
“Being in enough pain to die is better than actually dying, right?”
“…Pardon?”
“If I hit you with the scabbard on, you won’t bleed.”
“Pardon?”
“Debbie.”
“Yes, Milady?”
“First, contact the Castline family and report the current state of the Southern Barrier. Ask if it’s okay to proceed with the Dedication Festival like this, and if they can somehow find a replacement for the fake relic—that thing with the special attribute or whatever they were talking about. Even if tomorrow is just for preparation and the main ceremony is after that, we’re running out of time.”
“Yes, that won’t be a problem… but…. What… are you planning to do?”
Debbie asked, looking back and forth between me as I loosened my wrists and Flux, who had sensed an ominous premonition and was slowly scooting his backside behind his chair.
“A holy clubbing to purify demonic energy.”
Crack, crackle. I finished loosening my wrists.
I lifted the Emoticon Sword, which I had set to its minimum weight.
“Don’t worry, this is all for the sake of survival. I mean…. Of course, the mastermind who buried that strange and dangerous object underground is the worst villain here. And while you’re creating all sorts of problems everywhere just to solve your own mess, failing to fix it yourself, kidnapping innocent me, and now acting with such audacity… even though you’ve set up this incredibly irresponsible scheme regardless of whether other people’s lives are ruined just because yours is…! I’m fine!”
Debbie spoke to me as I vented my indignation. Unlike her usual self, her eyes were shaking uncontrollably.
“Um, Imperial Princess-nim. You say you’re fine, but you don’t look fine at all!”
“So, even though I’m standing before a piece of trash who kidnapped a strange woman in the middle of the night while she was sleeping without even an explanation, I’m raising my two hands to save him!”
“Imperial Princess-nim, I would appreciate an explanation of the situation. What do you mean by… being in enough pain to die is better than actually dying…?”
A faint shadow of fear flickered in Flux’s eyes. Despite causing all this trouble, his intuition seemed sharp. Well, actually, it would be weirder if someone wasn’t bothered by a person approaching them with a smirk while holding a sword scabbard.
“I assume you’ve heard about the affairs of the Imperial Family. This is your chance to experience the rumors firsthand! I, personally, will heal you, Young Count Flux, with this holy sword…!”
Instinctively, Flux shook his head and spoke.
“I-I beg your pardon, but in what, exactly, manner do you mean?”
“In this manner!”
WHACK!
A dull thudding sound echoed through the room until the black night sky faded to white.
For someone, it was an endlessly grueling and sorrowful night.
Flux thought, exhausted to the point of collapse.
‘Just what kind of person is the Imperial Princess?’
In truth, asking to meet the Imperial Princess had been Flux’s own independent decision. The current Count Cortez was still scurrying about, trying to find a way somehow. On the contrary, he had told Flux not to move rashly and to stay quiet, as his condition might worsen.
However, the moment Flux saw the determined look in Count Cortez’s eyes, he knew.
‘Father intends to save me, no matter the sacrifice.’
Up until now, Count Cortez had maintained neutrality.
As long as he held a position like the representative of the merchants, it was ambiguous for him to lean toward either side.
Although the Imperial Consort had displayed friendship toward Count Cortez and dumped the responsibility of purchasing all sorts of luxury goods and rare items onto him, they had not fully joined forces.
Even if they weren’t completely allied, he had played a game of tug-of-war, leaving that level of possibility open for some point in the future.
The major incident that supposedly happened at the Imperial Palace not long ago. The unbelievable rumor that demonic beasts had invaded the palace, a Prince was pursued, and the Imperial Princess, who had been a nuisance, saved everyone.
Even as rumors circulated that the Imperial Consort was practically confined to her own palace and that laughter had bloomed in the Empress’s Palace for the first time in ages.
The high-ranking nobles focused on something else.
The Duchy of Castline had taken the side of the Empress and Princess Titania, and Imperial Consort Cleo and Prince Brian had been defeated.
The curses, demonic beasts, evidence, and the sword involved were all secondary issues.
Even when rumors spread that the Princess had obtained a strange sword and slaughtered the demonic beasts, everyone just accepted it.
Since the Princess had saved the youngest daughter of the Castline family, who was to say that the sword wasn’t also related to the Castlines?
However, even if the Imperial Consort was currently keeping her head down, it would only be for a moment.
Eventually, she would show herself again and clash.
The things used in the power struggles of the high-born sometimes exceed imagination. If he directly aligned himself with the Imperial Consort, perhaps a way to save Flux would emerge.
The reason they excluded the Duchy of Castline was that they were merciless when it came to demonic beasts.
Even if the opponent was a high-ranking noble, they cut them down without hesitation. Count Cortez worried that the Duke of Castline would try to kill his son rather than save him. Furthermore, he was guilty of turning a blind eye to the existence of the black market and the underground auction house.
But Flux hesitated.
In the end, wasn’t everything because of him?
Even if Count Cortez was already middle-aged, he wasn’t at an age where he could no longer have children.
If he gave up on Flux and had a new child, he would be able to protect and carry on this fief and this city.
And yet, because he couldn’t give up on him.
The relic of the Southern Barrier had shown only a tiny effect before shattering.
Then, what about the origin of the barriers? The relic of the Northern Barrier?
Flux felt a chilling shiver at that thought.
Perhaps, in his greed to save him, his father’s reach might even extend to the relic of the North.
The relic managed by the Castline family would not be as easy to take out as the one from the Southern Barrier.
So perhaps, Count Cortez might even try to completely ruin the Castline family by joining hands with Imperial Consort Cleo….
A sense of crisis tightened his throat.
Because of me?
Because of me, really, this Cortez family. My father. This beautiful city that my father and I built with our own hands. Is everything going to collapse into such a mess?
He wanted to stop him. But he couldn’t bring himself to stop his father, who said with a tearful face, ‘I will do anything for you.’
Ever since his body had become a wreck, he hadn’t even been able to go out properly. Even after hearing the news that the Imperial Princess, backed by the Castline family, was coming down to the temple for the Dedication Festival, he had agonized until the very end.
Secretly asking his personal knights to kidnap the Princess was half a gamble.
She might try to kill the impudent person who dared to kidnap her immediately.
If she was as stupid as the rumors said, she might demand expensive dresses or jewelry in exchange for letting him break the relic or whatever….
However.
“The black energy is all gone from your feet too.”
He felt a strange warmth in his toes, where it had been so painful that he could no longer even feel sensation. It was the touch of small, delicate fingers. Flux reflexively curled his toes. The tips of his ears felt hot.
“They move well.”
As if not caring, the other person stood up and now gently touched his knee.
The knee that had turned black with bruises, then yellow, and then white again.
When Titania had beaten him mercilessly with the scabbard, calling it a ‘holy clubbing,’ he had truly screamed.
Every time the sword touched him, it felt as painful as being seared. When the woman named Debbie beside her asked, ‘Um, what if he bites his tongue?’, Titania paused for a moment, then tore the bedsheet with her sword, bunched it up, and stuffed it into Flux’s mouth.
And then she hit him again…….
For a moment, Flux felt a genuine murderous intent toward her. Of course, it didn’t last long.
When did that nerve-searing pain begin to slowly subside? Titania struck him without rest.
Sometimes she examined him as if checking for something.
Amidst the endless pain, whenever a soft touch reached him, he had to grit his teeth in spite of himself.
If he hadn’t had the cloth in his mouth, his teeth wouldn’t have remained intact.
How much time had passed? Titania now looked at Flux with sharp eyes, as if gauging something.
Occasionally, she would murmur something under her breath. Like she was confirming something with someone, saying things like, ‘Is it all done now? Hmm, almost done?’
“Look at your eyes.”
Flux looked into the mirror held up before him.
A pale, hollow face drenched in sweat. However, the whites of his eyes were clear, and his pupils were brown….
The Flux in the mirror widened his eyes.