11. Gift.

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Your Majesty! This is unacceptable! As if acknowledging mere barbarians wasn’t enough, you’re ceding half of the Srodia Peninsula!”

 

Seorae stared at them with an indifferent expression.

 

 

 

 

Roughly three hours after the negotiation, nobles had somehow gathered in the Grand Hall and prostrated themselves on the floor as soon as Seorae emerged.

What they all cried out in unison was, ‘It cannot be!’

 

It wasn’t just mindless chatter, which made it more persuasive, and therefore more annoying.

 

 

Fortunately, I had anticipated this reaction from the nobles, so I had prepared accordingly.

 

 

“Are you still on about that?”

 

As she showed a nonchalant reaction, one of the nobles came forward and passionately spoke.

 

 

“Your Majesty! In the history spanning thousands of years, such a thing has never happened! Just allowing barbarians and envoys is something to be grateful for, but to even permit a national title! If the barbarians privately declare themselves emperors and proclaim themselves an empire, our numerous vassal states will also harbor disloyal thoughts. Please reconsider, hasoseo!”

“Please reconsider, hasoseo!”

 

 

Easily over a hundred nobles slammed their foreheads against the ground.

 

Once,

Twice,

And three times.

 

 

The sound of thumping echoed loudly through the Grand Hall.

 

 

“Are you telling me to go back on my word? It’s already done.”

“Your Majesty!”

 

 

The nobles cried out as if exhaling all the air in their lungs.

 

 

“This diminishes the prestige of our Mei Empire! Although Your Majesty’s mouth may be temporarily dirtied, wouldn’t it ultimately be a good thing for Your Majesty if it benefits the nation! Think of the spirits of the numerous former emperors and patriotic martyrs!”

“Think of them!”

“Ah, I’m telling you it’s already decided. My word must have credibility, and you all know what that means, right? Who would trust and follow a lying emperor?”

 

Then another noble came forward this time.

 

 

“Your Majesty! Why do you only think that way? They are originally barbarians. They should be grateful just for being allowed to speak with us, and even if you retract it after they have momentarily received Your Majesty’s grace, it would not be a flaw. Wouldn’t it ultimately mean that Your Majesty has shown goodwill?”

“What? Hahaha.”

 

Seorae laughed as if dumbfounded, but the nobles agreed with those words.

 

 

That’s right.

Vasa is originally a barbarian nation.

Just acknowledging them for a moment and letting them suck on the sweet candy of hope is already an immeasurable imperial grace.

 

 

“That is correct, Your Majesty! It would not be a flaw at all!”

 

Seorae looked at the nobles and suddenly burst into laughter.

It was quite a hearty laugh.

 

 

After laughing for about ten seconds, she looked at the bewildered nobles and became serious.

 

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Yo, Your Majesty…!”

 

All the nobles were shocked by the words and actions that were unbecoming of an emperor.

 

But regardless of that, Seorae continued to speak.

 

 

“Are you guys brain-dead or something? Do you seriously think that way? If that’s the case, then you guys are hopeless.”

 

 

 

The nobles stirred.

She was originally a person without dignity in her words, but she had never used vulgar terms in public places.

 

 

“Well, it’s not like I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. I also think that giving away the entire lower peninsula is too much.”

“Then!”

“But as I said, it’s already happened, and it’s a matter that’s been stamped with a seal. We can’t take it back now. That’s what the attitude of a great power is all about. So, if you spout nonsense one more time, I’ll cut off your heads.”

 

Gulp.

 

 

Seorae had a smiling face, but the nobles felt their blood run cold.

 

 

It had been forgotten because she had been living lazily for a while (20 years), but Seorae had a precedent of purging as many as 200,000 nobles and government officials in the first year of her reign.

Among them was the Duke family, which had the greatest power at the time, but they were purged in a single day, their towering castle was burned down, and thousands of their family members were all executed or sold into slavery.

 

 

There’s no guarantee that it won’t happen again.

 

 

 

 

The hall became quiet.

There were over a hundred people, but all that could be heard were breaths and the sound of swallowing saliva.

 

 

“Still, we have to give rewards and punishments, right? No matter how I think about it, giving away the entire lower peninsula is too much. Don’t you think so?”

 

 

She pointed at the noble who had been the most active.

The noble trembled and answered.

 

 

“Y, yes, that is so.”

“The guy in charge of the negotiations should take responsibility, right?”

“Of course. Summon him and punish him severely, hasoseo!”

“Punish him, hasoseo!”

 

 

The nobles echoed in unison.

 

 

‘Foolish bitches.’

 

 

Seorae, who clicked her tongue inwardly, shouted loudly.

 

 

“Bring the sinner!”

 

 

The huge door opened, and a woman was dragged in by two guards.

She had her head bowed, but even from the aura and silhouette, it was clear that she was a great beauty.

 

 

The nobles who had been prostrating themselves stood up and made way to the left and right.

 

 

“….”

 

 

The woman was made to kneel before Emperor Seorae and over a hundred nobles.

She raised her head.

 

 

“!!”

“P, Princess Moe Eun…?!”

 

The nobles were greatly surprised, and the noble who had said that the person in charge should be punished was especially trembling.

 

 

“As you can see, the First Princess, Moe Eun, was in charge of this negotiation. But she was incompetent and brought things to this state.”

“….”

“What do you think should be done to this person?”

“Ye…yes?”

“You were the most active in rushing forward, saying it was an impossible thing. She did all of that, so how should she be punished? Should we kill her after all?”

“Hiccup.”

 

Should we kill her?

Moe hiccuped for a moment.

 

 

If I hadn’t heard about it in advance, I might have fainted.

 

 

“N, not that far….”

“Why? Isn’t that what we should do since she committed an impossible act?”

“N, no.”

“What do you guys think? Shouldn’t we kill her?”

“No, Your Majesty! We were wrong, hasoseo!”

 

The nobles all bowed at once.

 

 

“Why? I’m asking because I’m curious. Tell me. What should we do?”

“Please kill us, Your Majesty!”

“Kill us!”

 

How could they tell her to kill the princess?

If Seorae had no intention of doing so but said such a thing and they got wrongly involved, they could be accused of insulting the imperial family or treason and have their entire clan destroyed.

 

 

“I don’t know why these guys are acting like this.”

 

 

Seorae drew her sword.

Passing by Moe, who was surprised and hiccuping, she handed the sword to the noble.

 

 

“Here, do it.”

“Yo, Your Majesty….”

 

Tremble, tremble.

 

 

The sword that was forcibly held trembled wildly.

 

She looked around with pleading eyes, but the nobles quickly turned their heads away.

 

 

She soon shed thick tears and slammed her forehead against the floor.

It was on a different level than before, and blood burst out quickly.

 

 

“Please kill me instead!!”

“…Is that so?”

 

 

Seorae’s cold voice.

 

Soon, with a slicing sound, the noble who had been slamming her forehead collapsed.

 

 

“Kyaa…!”

“Hieeek…!”

 

 

Blood flowed down the sword and dripped in droplets.

Seorae was holding it.

 

 

The nobles were all in shock.

And silence.

 

 

The emperor had blood on her hands in the sacred Grand Hall.

 

 

“If a woman draws a sword, she should at least cut something.”

 

Seorae clicked her tongue a few times and went up to the Heavenly Throne.

The silence continued until she sat down.

 

 

 

“Do you think it’s too much to kill you all?”

“Y, yes, it is, Your Majesty.”

 

The nobles trembled greatly.

 

 

“Is that so?”

 

 

Seorae threw the sword carelessly.

The sword flew in front of the nobles and was impaled into the floor.

 

 

Shudder.

 

 

Seeing the trembling sword right in front of their eyes, the nobles were almost fainting.

 

 

“Then I will impose the punishment at my discretion. No objections, right?”

 

Who would dare to object in this situation?

 

“She’s my beloved daughter, so I don’t want the death penalty either. But giving away half of Srodia was too much no matter how you look at it. I can’t just let it go without punishing her, right? There would be no order. So, you will go and become the wife of Prince Aran.”

“!!!”

 

 

They’ve already been through thick and thin, but this is one way to quell the nobles’ opposition.

Perhaps because of what happened just now, the nobles couldn’t strongly object.

 

 

“Of course, your right to succession to the throne is also revoked. You will simply go as a princess of the Mei Empire to be Prince Aran’s wife and assist him.”

 

The nobles had a cry of ‘Your Majesty!!’ reach the roof of their mouths, but they struggled to suppress it.

 

She’s an emperor who personally executed a noble. Who knows what she’ll do next.

So, even if they object, it’s best to remain silent today.

 

 

 

Seorae raised the corners of her mouth in satisfaction when there were no objections from the nobles.

 

 

“That’s right. It’s so much better when you keep your mouths shut. I thought I was going to die from the noise.”

 

 

 

In the end, it was decided that Moe would go to Aran with many gifts and riches. The noble council also unanimously approved.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Bbeubam bbam bbeubam bbam~ Bbeubam bbam bbeubam bbam~”

 

 

Spinning around and around.

 

 

“Tta~rara~ rararara ra~ rara~ rara~.”

 

A woman gracefully revolved.

It was a smooth and elegant movement, as if a swan was walking on water.

 

 

“This is the Persian dance~!”

 

It was Hancock, dressed in a pure white dress.

 

 

“…You really do all sorts of things.”

“Hehe. Right? Amazing, isn’t it?”

“…That’s not exactly a compliment.”

 

 

Aran was quite flustered, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

 

 

That’s because Hancock ended up sulking that day, and it took some effort to appease her.

 

 

“By the way, you seem quite excited. You’ve been to many banquets, haven’t you?”

 

There’s fundamentally nothing different.

Any banquet is ultimately about meeting promising nobles and young ladies, building friendships, and forming connections, and a banquet hosted by the Emperor of the Mei Empire is no different.

 

 

Yet Hancock was very excited.

 

 

She answered while still making elegant movements.

 

 

“Your Highness’s joy is my joy.”

“Huh?”

“Shururuk~!”

“….”

 

 

Hancock soared high and performed a feat of rotating five times.

 

 

Bbiigeuk!

 

“Hweeik?!!!!”

 

 

Then she misplaced her foot and ended up twisting it.

 

 

An overwhelming pain.

A single tear welled up.

 

 

“…Are you okay?”

“Ugh….I, I’m okay. I’m perfectly fine. I’m a Tier 6, you know.”

 

 

She quickly recovered and turned her foot this way and that.

The urge to point out that a Tier 6 wouldn’t misstep was rising to my throat, but I didn’t voice it.

 

“Your silliness is still the same.”

“Hehe. That’s my charm.”

“So, what does it mean? My joy is the countess’s joy… what does that have to do with this dance?”

 

 

She put her hands on her waist.

 

 

“Well, it’s because Your Highness’s happy humiliation time has come!”

 

And as expected, she got flicked on the forehead.