44. Soi

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Mei Empire Imperial Palace.

This place, where all the splendor of the Eastern Continent is gathered, is undoubtedly the heart of the empire.

The Emperor, who can be said to be the empire itself. Her very existence is enough to silence any dissenting opinions.

Most people in the empire admire this place and eagerly wish to work here.

However, the Emperor, the owner of this place, was showing signs of worry on her face due to an unexpected dilemma.

“Your Majesty.”

“I don’t know if I’m really doing the right thing.”

When someone spoke to her, her lips parted.

A statement akin to a complaint.

Perhaps it wasn’t a real worry, but rather a childish plea to ensure that her choice was the right one.

“It is certainly a dangerous matter. Those people are also suspicious as hell. But if Your Majesty thinks so… this humble one will simply follow without question.”

“Thank you.”

Soy quietly smiled.

The events of a few days ago were truly thrilling.

It was the excitement of a heart filled with anticipation and fear.

‘Aran! Our only goal is to eliminate him!!!’

The intense murderous intent in their eyes, as if piercing through her.

Its direction was Aran.

They were expressing their blatant anger in a way that anyone could clearly see.

Of course, at first, she tried to turn them away.

If there is one emotion that should be hidden above all others in the world, it is undoubtedly hatred.

Hatred begets more hatred, and the moment it is discovered, a threatening blade will come.

And the greatest of these was hatred towards Aran.

No matter what anyone says, Aran is currently the strongest person in the world, and his achievements are comparable to myths.

Some even seem to believe he is a god, so perhaps he is a myth in himself.

He possesses the power to destroy a nation single-handedly, making him a formidable opponent even for the empire.

Of course, she doesn’t know his true nature, so she thinks that if the empire’s power is used, he can be defeated, but he is still a difficult opponent.

They are burning with hatred towards him like that, and if she employs them and it reaches his ears, things will become very troublesome.

Above all, he already had several hostages, namely Seorae and Moae.

They are Soy’s only two blood relatives, so they are more precious than anything else.

They are with Aran as wives.

There’s no way she can do anything reckless in that situation.

But….

‘Doesn’t Your Majesty also hate him? The one who stole your sisters and mother!’

‘….’

The temptation they offered was too sweet.

The weapons they demonstrated during the firepower demonstration were very different from magic, yet powerful.

Weapons of a great kingdom?

Compared to their weapons, those are no different from those of the primitive era.

Such powerful weapons, and they say it’s just the basics to them, how could she not be tempted?

In the end, Soy took them in.

“I needed power. Not the power of the state, but a small, elite, and overwhelming force.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

Soy considered Moae and Seorae to have been taken away by Aran.

It goes without saying that Moae really went as a political marriage, and she thought Seorae had been brainwashed.

Logically speaking, it makes quite a bit of sense.

No matter how strange a woman Seorae is, she was once the emperor of a country and a pretty good ruler, but one day she suddenly had her heart stolen by a young punk, gave him everything, and eventually got married.

If that punk was at least capable, kind, and a sunflower who only looked at Seorae, she could understand it a little, but that’s not the case at all.

He is excellent in ability, but the rest is completely꽝 [kwang – trash].

When it comes to his personality, he’s a total piece of shit who doesn’t distinguish between this woman, that woman, my woman, your woman, and even forcibly rapes them if they refuse.

When it comes to his relationship with women, it’s obviously at the level of an octopus multiplied by an octopus.

In a word, 꽝 [kwang – trash].

No, it would be fortunate if it was just 꽝 [kwang – trash]. He is someone who should never be approached, no matter what.

So she can only think it’s brainwashing.

A human being with not a single attractive aspect and only knows how to fuck.

That was Aran as Soy saw him, and that’s why she can’t understand even one millionth of Seorae’s heart.

“But, Your Majesty.”

Another noble opened her mouth.

“If this humble one may cautiously offer an opinion, those people may have other intentions and try to assassinate Your Majesty. That would be too dangerous.”

She accurately pointed out a part of what Soy is currently worried about.

“If I may be so bold, even with the weapons they showed us before, we may not be able to stop them. Also, I secretly investigated them, and they are a group that has already fought Aran and been defeated.”

“They’ve already… fought him?”

“There are so many difficult and incomprehensible details that I can’t know the specifics, but circumstantially, it seems that Aran stole their lovers or wives. So they used weapons against him, but were greatly defeated and kicked out.”

“…As expected of that human….”

Soy gritted her teeth.

The thought that Moae or Seorae might still be in the arms of such a person made it impossible for her to stay still.

“That means… even with those weapons, they couldn’t beat him, Your Majesty.”

She was a woman who had opposed receiving them from the beginning.

And her opinion has not changed even now.

It’s dangerous if they change their minds, and it’s dangerous if they proceed as is and oppose Aran.

Moreover, if they are people who have already fought with Aran, Aran will also know about it, and since Seorae and Moae have become his wives, there is a high possibility that his eyes are also in the imperial palace.

So, what if all of this gets into his ears? So what if he harbors malice towards Soy and invades?

Just thinking about it is terrible.

‘Of course, he wouldn’t do such a thing considering Sangje-peha [Empress Mother] or Moae-jeonha [Princess Moae]….’

Anyway, whether she thinks this way or that way, it’s too dangerous.

“But they said that the weapon is the most basic one. They said that if they have time, space, and the right materials, they can develop even more. Didn’t you hear that too?”

“It’s a problem whether that’s true or not. If it’s true and they can defeat him, what will we do after that? We can’t guarantee that they won’t harbor malice towards Your Majesty at that time. Also, if it’s a lie, we could end up wasting the budget on something meaningless and incurring his wrath.”

“….”

It is a sound argument.

Soy is also agonizing over this because she has the same strong feeling in one corner of her heart.

She looked straight ahead again without saying a word.

Her face is very bitter.

“That’s right. I’m thinking the same way too.”

“Your Majesty….”

“Thenㅡ.”

“However, the emperor’s words cannot be taken back. Since it’s already happened, we have to go for it, even if it’s reckless. Of course, we must prepare for the danger… that isㅡ.”

Her words were cut off there.

It was because a noble was running from afar, calling her.

“Your Majestyyyy~~!!”

“?”

She quickly ran and bowed before Soy.

“What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Your Majesty! The Empress Mother… has entered the palace!”

“…Mother?”

“Yes… sh,she just came through the po,portal!”

“Portal?”

“Isn’t that magic that only appears in legends!”

“Y,yes, that’s right.”

“What is a portal?”

“Your Majesty, a portal is a magic that connects different regions and allows you to travel instantaneously. It’s similar to teleportation, but there is no limit to the number of people and no time limit.”

“Was there such magic?”

“…It’s magic that only exists in legends.”

“….”

Soy hardened her face at the noble’s words.

Magic that only exists in legends.

There is only one person in the world who can use it.

“Aran…! Did he come here too?”

“No, it’s not. The Empress Mother came alone.”

“….”

What on earth is going on?

Even using legendary magic like that, so urgently.

“I understand. Where is she now?”

“We have escorted her to the room she used to use.”

“I’ll go now.”

Soy walked away with an unknown uneasy feeling.

.

.

.

Around the time Soy moved to meet Seorae, Seorae was feeling stuffy and came out of her room to stroll around the palace.

“Hmm….”

A strange expression.

A slightly disappointed heart and a heart that it was natural were mixed.

When she was the emperor, all the vassals she had made with 뱀그닐 [baemgeunil – snake venom] and used as she pleased were either demoted or removed.

“Soy, you’re doing a surprisingly good job.”

She walked around with such a mixed feeling for a few minutes.

She was able to discover a completely unfamiliar building.

“…What is that.”

It’s hideous.

That was her first impression.

What the hell is that, that it was built in this splendid imperial palace?

“I can’t forgive this, even if you’re my daughter.”

She strode forward.

There was a guard blocking the entrance, but because he knew who Seorae was, he sweated profusely and eventually stepped aside.

It’s top secret or something.

“You say it’s top secret, but why did you build it in the middle of the imperial palace?”

As she grumbled and went inside, there were quite a few people.

“Huh?”

The number is hundreds.

The sound of hammering iron was heard from all directions, whether it was a workshop, and a strange sound of ‘jiiiiiiing’ was also heard.

“…What is this… no, more than that, those guys are….”

They are people she knows.

To be exact, they are faces she knows.

“…Why are these guys here?”

.

.

“C,Captain…!”

“Huh?”

“Th,there….”

The man called the captain turned his head in the direction his subordinate pointed.

There,

“Why are you guys here?”

A woman boasting an overwhelming beauty was frowning.

If she was born as a man, she would be beautiful and sensual enough to make him erect just by looking at her.

It was difficult to handle the sex appeal that emanated from her whole body even when she was still.

“Y,you are…!”

But the captain didn’t get an erection.

There was no time for that.

“You? How rude.”

“That damn wife!! What are you doing here?”

He asks harshly.

That woman is Aran’s wife.

He saw with his own two eyes that she was always stuck to him.

“I asked first. Don’t you have any manners?”

“How dare you bastards talk about manners!!”

He was furious at the absurd words and shouted, and everyone who was working came out.

“Captain! What’s wrong… huh! Th,that bitch is!”

She is so beautiful that he remembers her.

She is Aran’s wife.

Seorae looked over them, who were pouring out like ants, and tilted her head slightly and replied.

“I don’t have to keep manners. But you guys are different. Who are you in front of?”

“Shut up! What manners should I keep to that trash’s wife…… no, wait a minute.”

He was about to continue speaking in a rage, but suddenly changed his expression.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but that bastard’s wife came here on her own… this is an opportunity. Isn’t it?”

“Co,come to think of it, she’s alone!”

“Aang?”

The atmosphere changed.

Seorae clicked her tongue with a face that she didn’t like.

“I know you think I’m pretty. Wake up. I don’t have a body to give you.”

Deep lust.

It was in their eyes.

“That bastard raped our colleagues, lovers, and wives indiscriminately. And that bastard’s wife is right in front of us now. Don’t you think it’s a good time to take revenge?”

“Well, I don’t really recommend it. More than that, why are you looking at me straight in the eye? You plebeians.”

“Don’t blame us. It’s all because of that bastard!!”

The men started to surround Seorae with their eyes turned upside down.

“…I wouldn’t care if it was in the past. I’m not interested in things that are not worth seeing.”

Seorae, still full of composure even in a clear crisis situation.

“Hmph. You seem to be forcing yourself to control your emotions. But it’s useless. Your husband will regret it with tears of blood!”