11. Gift.

Theodora was silent for a moment.

Because she had heard something so unexpected.

 

 

Marry Aran.

She had never even considered such a thing, and if circumstances allowed, she had even thought about living alone for the rest of her life.

 

 

“I guess it’s too sudden.”

“…Yes.”

 

 

She nodded slightly.

It’s not just sudden, but also confusing.

 

 

“I, too, find this proposal difficult. But I have no choice. This is the best way to protect my children.”

“…You are also thinking of Princess Huana, Your Highness.”

“Of course. That child is also my daughter. I cannot abandon either of them.”

 

 

Aran is unlikely to invade first.

He also has Iliana as a candidate for his wife. As long as she is there, Aran will not strike Persia first.

 

 

But Huana is not like that.

If Aran’s power seems even slightly weaker, she will draw her sword at any time.

 

 

What if Aran’s power is equal or stronger?

Huana will give up the invasion, and then they might both be able to live.

 

 

Cornelia was aiming for that.

 

 

“And one of the most necessary buttons for that is your family. I can’t exactly tell Terrin to marry him, can I?”

“Th-that’s a bit…”

 

If her mother marries Aran, Theodora will become her daughter.

 

 

“Recently, that guy has been getting a lot of women… but well, he’s a nice guy, so wouldn’t it be okay? I heard he has good stamina.”

“….”

 

 

Theodora blushed.

Good stamina, she says.

As someone with no experience, it was a statement that made her blush for no reason.

 

 

“I….”

 

 

Then she opened her mouth.

 

 

“I don’t deserve it… because I couldn’t protect Your Highness.”

 

It seems she took that incident to heart quite seriously.

 

She was a knight at the time, so she had the strength, but she couldn’t protect her, and her feelings must be beyond description.

 

 

Cornelia understood that too, so she couldn’t speak easily.

 

 

‘This kid must have had a hard time too.’

 

 

How else would her growth have stopped?

 

 

She, who had been praised as a talented martial artist following in her mother’s footsteps, had stagnated in skill since then.

It is certainly a considerable skill, but it is a meager skill compared to the talent she possesses.

 

 

“Besides, my growth has stopped since that incident. How can someone as inadequate as I am take responsibility for anyone? I will live alone and die alone.”

 

A very disheartened expression.

She outwardly takes on a dignified expression and demeanor, but inside, she seems to be very hurt and her self-esteem is hitting rock bottom.

 

‘Poor kid.’

 

 

In a way, she might be the biggest victim.

 

 

“Even if a flower gets wet, its fragrance doesn’t. I know the value you possess better than anyone else. There’s no need to be so discouraged.”

 

Cornelia averted her gaze slightly and continued.

 

 

“You may not have protected my son… but you brought my son back to me.”

“Your Majesty….”

 

 

A shy face I’ve never seen before.

 

She, who has the name of a tyrant while being a Overlord, blushed for the first time.

Like a girl.

 

 

“I am grateful to you.”

 

 

Sob!

 

 

Something suddenly surged up inside Theodora.

Whether it was sadness or something else.

 

“It must have been hard. You must have had as hard a time as I did. You must have felt a lot of guilt too.”

 

 

She spoke the words that had been difficult for her all along.

 

“…There’s no need to do that anymore. Because it’s not your fault.”

 

 

Theodora bit her lip.

 

 

Cornelia, who acknowledged the hard-to-admit fact and spat it out, also bit her lip softly.

 

They were silent like that,

 

 

“How, how unsightly… haha. How can I be a woman and be crying like this.”

 

Cornelia said teasingly, looking at Theodora.

 

“But… but Your Majesty is also… crying.”

 

The two women cried.

As if spewing out the sadness of the past.

As if unraveling the hidden things.

 

 

After crying like that, I felt much better.

Was it because they shared their emotions and cried together? The awkward atmosphere between them now felt intimate.

 

 

“Well, there’s no need to decide right away.”

 

 

Cornelia wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

 

“Terrin… after that guy comes… talk to him.”

“Yes… Your Majesty….”

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vast sea.

In a place where there is nothing but the horizon no matter where you look, a very small boat was floating.

 

On top of it were one person and several boxes, which looked quite precarious.

It looked like it would capsize if even a small wave rose.

 

 

“Ha~eum…. It’s boring. Should I have taken a regular ship after all? I came out alone for nothing.”

 

 

The woman on the boat had a languid expression.

 

The sound of lapping waves and the warm sunshine.

Dolphins occasionally popping their heads out and schools of flying fish running across the surface of the water.

 

 

That was all there was to this boring sea.

It would be fun if even a sea monster appeared. As if they were scared, they didn’t even show their faces.

 

 

“These days, sea monsters have no spirit, no spirit.”

 

The woman grumbled.

 

 

“Oh well, whatever. Let’s just sleep.”

 

 

How carefree.

To be taking a nap in this vast ocean, on a small boat with no particular power.

It is a situation that would shock any sailor in the world.

 

 

She arranged her seat appropriately.

Although it was a narrow boat, there was enough space to lie down.

 

 

“I wonder when I’ll arrive….”

 

 

She closed her eyes,

She felt the surrounding wind as if meditating.

 

 

It was a slightly cold sea breeze, but it was only warm to her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheolssok!

 

 

A strong wave rose and the boat shook for a while.

 

“Euh…eung?”

“Eung?”

 

 

When she opened her eyes, wasn’t there a woman’s face right in front of her!

 

“What. You’re awake? Keukeu. Well, it doesn’t matter.”

 

Kkwak.

 

 

The woman smiled eerily and continued what she was doing.

Looking at it now, she seemed to be a pirate.

 

“….”

 

 

Looking around, her whole body was tightly bound with ropes, and nearby, women who had come on a small boat were moving the boxes.

 

 

“If you’re talking about us, we’re the Daikon Radish Pirate Crew, the masters of this sea! Umhahahahat!”

 

 

Come to think of it, she is surrounded by huge ships.

About 10 ships, maybe.

 

There were mostly modified Panokseon ships that she had seen a lot in Goryeo, and there was even a three-deck Panokseon.

 

 

‘…How did I get here? Wasn’t it a coastal ship?’

 

 

There is no such thing as fear.

More than that, she was wondering.

 

 

How could a ship sailing along the coast have come all the way to this vast ocean?

 

 

“Hey! Look at this! These boxes are all Goryeo ginseng!!”

“What?! Goryeo ginseng??”

 

The pirates were greatly surprised.

Even one root boasts an enormous price, and it is packed in more than ten boxes.

This is a really huge harvest.

 

 

And at the same time, it was dangerous.

 

 

The pirates were buzzing.

 

 

“Hey… isn’t this dangerous? Even a noble wouldn’t be able to carry around Goryeo ginseng like that….”

“Is she a high-ranking noble?”

“Hey, you idiots. Would a high-ranking noble travel alone without attendants? In this harsh world?”

 

 

As they were whispering like that, a hand came up on the shoulder of one of the pirates.

 

 

“Well. Wouldn’t it be possible if she was a high-ranking noble and a tremendous powerhouse herself?”

“Hmm. A valid point… huh?”

 

Feeling strange even as he spoke, he turned around and saw the woman who should have been tied up smiling brightly.

 

 

“Uh-oh!”

“Since you coveted someone else’s things, you must be prepared for the opposite, right?”

 

Before they could react, the bodies of the pirates who were gathered nearby exploded horribly.

 

 

“Ah, my clothes got dirty.”

 

 

An expression as if nothing had happened even after committing a terrible act.

 

She patted her clothes for a moment and then put the boxes that had been moved to the pirate’s boat back on the boat.

 

 

“Ah, should I just take them with me? It’s boring to go alone.”

 

The ships that suddenly appeared.

 

The pirates were greatly surprised and were stringing their bows.

 

 

“You guys, do you know that?”

 

 

She opened her mouth to the pirates.

She was so composed in front of a force of at least hundreds of soldiers.

 

 

“Anything in this world will open if you knock on it.”

 

 

Tok tok.

 

 

She knocked on the air.

 

Then, a huge hole was drilled in the middle of the huge ship in a straight line.

It was a hole so large that people, as well as the ship’s bow, could pass through.

 

 

Thanks to this, the ship, which had a third of its hull blown away, collapsed and sank.

 

 

‘How is that opening in any way!!!’

 

 

The pirates shouted inwardly, but no words came out outwardly.

She just pretended to knock, but just that alone caused the ship to sink.

 

 

This is strength beyond the norm.

No matter how many arrows they fire, they won’t be able to make even a scratch.

 

 

“Tu, turn the ship around!!”

“Turn the ship around!!”

 

 

Eventually, the pirate boss decided to turn the ship around.

Dealing with such an absurdly strong person is a sin in itself.

The answer is to run away unconditionally.

 

 

But that’s only if she lets them go.

 

 

“Hey, where are you going? I need a ship.”

 

 

Tok tok.

 

 

When she knocked on the air again, two ships next to the flagship were bombed and sunk (轟沈).

 

 

“Ah, sorry. I was just trying to open the door, but it exploded.”

 

Now all the pirates were trembling.

 

 

Some of them were jumping into the sea.

They judged that being on the ship was dangerous.

 

 

She blew up a few more ships.

 

 

Fear intensified,

The surroundings were stained with blood.

 

 

Even so, she is cheerful.

 

“I have to go to Persia. Lend me a ship, guys.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Your archery skills are excellent.”

 

 

Since her meeting with Theodora had ended midway, she came outside.

 

Just in time, she received a report from a vassal who was exploring Srodia that he had discovered a martial artist with great talent and brought her back to the country, so she came here.

 

 

Indeed.

The woman was outstanding.

 

 

She used to be an archer, so she mainly handled bows, and she was close to hitting the bullseye every time.

 

 

“Thank you. Your Highness.”

 

 

There is no need to worry about spies either.

Because she had a tremendous hatred for Srodia at first glance.

 

 

The faces of people presumed to be Srodian were attached to the target she was shooting at, and they were pierced without exception.

 

 

 

Huana, who had left for a while, called a noble.

 

 

“How is she? I’m not a military official, so I don’t know very well.”

“She is an outstanding person. She is fully qualified to be a commander of archers, and she is someone who will grow greatly among them.”

“Hmm… a commander of archers… But isn’t that not enough?”

“If you are going to increase your military power, you must train a commander of archers.”

“Hmm…..okay. I’ll trust you.”

 

She nodded and went back to the woman.

She was slightly frozen.

 

 

“Won’t you become my person? I’ll grant you whatever you want.”

“I would be satisfied if I could just kill the Srodia bitches. And….”

“And?”

“I want to find my separated younger… brother.”

“Younger brother… is he in your home country?”

“Yes. I entrusted him to a knight… I don’t know if he’s doing well.”

“Is that so? I’ll use my power to help you.”

“Ah… thank you!”

 

She bowed in front of Huana.

 

 

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“I….”

 

She hesitated slightly and opened her mouth.

 

 

“I am called Supra, hasopnida.”