Chapter 78: The Kingdom’s Opportunity

A tremor ran through the marble pillars of the royal castle.

Fine cracks spread across the castle walls, and the antique windows trembled in response to her voice.

It was as if the castle itself was reacting to the girl’s presence.

Sweat beaded on my palms.

My mouth was dry.

It was the first time since ascending the throne that I had felt such powerlessness.

My heart pounded heavily.

Time was passing, but no one could move.

Only the sound of the knights’ trembling spear tips echoed within the castle.

“Revenge?”

I tried my best to maintain my dignity.

“Didn’t you kill all of my knights? What greater revenge could you possibly want while destroying my castle like this?”

The girl looked at me and gave a contemptuous smile.

“Such words are completely devoid of reason. If a rebellion were to break out, would you simply execute a few discovered rebels and return in joy? No, you would judge every being touched by the tendrils of the rebellion. It is only natural that those who sought to kill my ‘bugz’ must become a sacrifice of blood.”

A shiver went down my spine at her words.

Her tone was as if she could see right through my thoughts.

And what was more surprising was that her words were not entirely wrong.

If a rebellion had occurred, it was indeed natural to execute all those involved.

But this situation was different.

It was not a rebellion.

It was a legitimate expedition by the kingdom.

“Tell me exactly what you mean by revenge. Our kingdom explored Sia Kalt to study the singularity existing in that isolated space. We never intended to harm you.”

“It is a useless extravagance to try and cover the truth with false words.”

the girl said sharply.

“The fact that the one called Seraphina Bloom came to capture me is already a well-known secret throughout the land.”

I was at a loss for words.

‘She knew.’

‘It was true that the secret order given to the 2nd Knight Order was indeed to ‘capture the flower.’’

‘How did an order I gave directly to the Knight Commander reach this girl’s ears?’

‘I thought she was just a flower, unaware of the rumors circulating among humans…’

The stories circulating in the town, the soldiers’ conversations over drinks, the whispers among the nobles.

All of it had eventually reached her.

It was a grave miscalculation.

Lies would no longer work.

“You… there seems to have been a misunderstanding about that matter. But right now, there is something more important…”

I couldn’t hide the tremor in my voice.

Making excuses seemed pointless now.

“Please tell me what you truly desire by coming here. What must I do for the safety of the kingdom?”

I gathered the last of my dignity and asked.

But my heart was still racing.

“You ask what I desire?”

The girl’s eyes glowed a brighter red.

“It is a fate as certain as heavenly punishment to deliver retribution to those who sought to capture me. Shall I take your descendants? Or would it be right to reduce the entire kingdom to ashes?”

The girl’s words sent a chill down my spine.

The insects around her took on a more menacing posture, as if responding to her words.

The blue butterfly suddenly flew over and landed on my head.

It began to ruffle my hair with its tiny feet.

I could neither move nor stop it.

I was afraid of the girl’s power.

Sparks flew from the red butterfly’s wings, and the giant hornet, leaning against the wall, revealed its stinger.

Valerius took a step forward, as if to protect me.

“You insolent wench! How dare you threaten His Majesty! Your Majesty, such tyranny must not be tolerated!”

“Silence, old man. It is regrettable to see your recklessness in meddling where you do not belong.”

The girl said with an annoyed expression, slightly raising her hand.

A sharp black root shot up from under the Chancellor’s feet, stopping right in front of his neck.

“Gasp!”

“Stop, Lady Licorice!”

Count Hind quickly intervened.

“Chancellor Valerius is His Majesty’s longest-serving advisor!”

Licorice glanced at the Count for a moment, then, as if changing her mind, lowered her hand.

The root slowly released Valerius.

He gasped for breath and collapsed to the floor.

“Since the Count has asked, I shall forgive you this time. But if you show such disrespect again, you will pay the price.”

She turned her gaze back to me.

This whole situation was my fault.

In trying to capture a single flower, I had endangered the entire kingdom.

How could I have known that the flower was not a simple plant, but a being beyond imagination?

But there was no time for regrets now.

I had to fulfill my duty as king.

Feigning as much composure as possible, I opened my mouth.

“Don’t do it! If the kingdom’s safety is guaranteed, I will grant you whatever you desire!”

My words came out broken, contrary to my will.

I had never felt such fear in my entire life.

I tried to maintain my dignity as king, but it seemed meaningless before this girl.

“What do you want? Gold? Treasure? We can discuss anything!”

At this point, I was prepared to give up almost anything.

The kingdom’s very existence seemed to be at stake.

“Do you think I need gold and treasure? Such things already exist in overflowing abundance. What I desire is something of far greater value.”

Licorice said leisurely.

She sounded like someone who already had everything.

“I command you to build a lair for my master.”

I gasped at the words ‘master’ and ‘lair.’

The ‘master’ of the being from the Sia Kalt Grand Labyrinth.

And ‘lair,’ which meant a home for dragons.

“Don’t tell me… when you say ‘master’…”

As my voice trailed off, everyone around me tensed.

“Could it be… the Frostia who is said to have caused the Black Winter…”

one of the honor guards muttered in a trembling voice.

“Who else could it be? Of course, my master is the absolute ruler of the Sia Kalt Labyrinth, Lady Frostia.”

At Licorice’s words, everyone froze as if struck by an intense cold wave.

An absolute silence enveloped the entire hall.

My mind raced, calculating.

If the stories I heard as a child, the secrets whispered by historians, were all true…

Then Frostia was not just a legend, but a real being.

And that being possessed the power to cover an entire kingdom in ice.

If this girl was truly Frostia’s subordinate, and that legendary being was behind her…

This was not just a threat, but a matter concerning the very survival of the nation.

I nodded my head.

“Tell me your demands. I will do everything I can.”

My voice sounded surprisingly steady.

But inside, I felt as if I were already frozen solid.

“The lair for my master must be twice the size of this royal castle, and made of the finest crystal and silver.”

Licorice began to speak.

“The castle shall be surrounded by 100 ice pillars studded with jewels, and the ceiling must shine like a starry sky. The floor must be made transparent, as if covered in a thin layer of ice, but not actually slippery.

The walls must be covered with the purest ice crystals, and enchanted with special magic to prevent them from melting.”

She continued to list detailed demands.

All of it sounded like an almost impossible task.

But I nodded silently.

Even if it bankrupted the kingdom’s treasury, it was better than incurring Frostia’s wrath.

“And there must always be servants on standby.

When my master descends, everyone must prostrate themselves, their foreheads touching the floor, and shout,

‘We welcome the radiant descent of the great Lady Frostia.’ Also, every morning and evening, you must offer clear crystal water in the ice garden, and grow pure white flowers, scattering petals to create a path wherever my master’s feet may tread.

Do you understand?”

Licorice added.

Joy flickered in her eyes.

For the first time, her face matched her appearance.

She looked like a child preparing a gift for her parents.

“Draft a document immediately and stamp it with the royal seal. You humans break your promises easily, so it must be left in writing.”

I summoned a scribe and had all the demands documented.

Then, without hesitation, I signed it and stamped the royal seal.

It was a humiliating act, but I was prepared to endure any humiliation for the survival of the kingdom.

“It must be completed within a month. Otherwise…”

Licorice looked at the garden.

As she pointed her finger, the fountain in the palace garden was pierced by numerous roots and shattered into pieces.

“The castle will become dust of ruin, just like that fountain.”

In a despair that felt like all my strength was draining away, I barely managed to nod.

The chill running down my spine pierced me to the bone.

Licorice’s power was beyond imagination.

And she said there was an even more powerful being behind her.

“I, I understand! I will definitely complete it within a month! I will mobilize all the artisans and mages in the kingdom!”

I answered hastily.

My pride had long since hit rock bottom.

The promise to build a lair for Frostia to ensure the kingdom’s survival was the only option we had left.

Just as everyone was about to catch their breath, urgent footsteps echoed on the floor as a young messenger ran into the hall.

He was so out of breath he could barely speak.

“Your Majesty! Important news!”

the messenger gasped.

“What now?”

‘Don’t tell me another disaster has struck in this situation.’

“At the meeting point between the Heshet Empire and the Diance Empire… the rulers of the great labyrinths from the legends have appeared!”

The messenger’s voice trembled.

His face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Nis has appeared and completely devastated the southern region of the meeting point. Everything it touches is rotting away… and what’s more terrifying is that the dead are rising and moving!

The undead are rampant, and all surviving residents are fleeing.”

Licorice’s expression began to brighten.

The blue butterfly left my head and flew quickly around Licorice.

“And…”

The messenger cleared his throat.

“Frostia has appeared as well. It is said she has completely frozen the northern part of the meeting point! The empire’s army has been turned into ice sculptures, and there is nothing living left…”

“What joy! My master has finally awakened and descended upon the world!”

Licorice said with a satisfied smile as she listened to the messenger.

Her face was filled with elation, as if she had just heard the news she had been waiting for.

Her red eyes shone with an unwavering, beautiful light.

My body froze.

My mind raced to respond to this sudden turn of events.

On one hand, fear crept in, but on the other, I saw a political opportunity.

We must find our own path amidst this disaster.

If we build a lair for Frostia and Licorice, they will stay in our kingdom.

Perhaps even Nis, who appeared with them.

At this very moment, the whole world is experiencing firsthand how dangerous Frostia and Nis are.

An entire nation’s army turned into ice sculptures in an instant, and another region transformed into a land of death teeming with undead.

Their very existence is a seed of terror sown across the continent.

Having such beings stay in our kingdom is indeed a terrifying prospect.

We never know when their whims might turn our entire kingdom into an icy tomb or a land of death.

But…

That fear could, in turn, become our shield.

And if these legendary beings are in our land, no country will dare to treat us lightly in the future.

Neither the Apron Kingdom, which coveted our kingdom, nor the Heshet Empire would dare to start a war.

Instead, they will strive to curry our favor.

Our kingdom can rise from a small nation to a central power on the continent.

We will be the only kingdom closest to these beings of terror, yet under their protection.

“Valerius,”

I said to the Chancellor in a low voice.

“I believe an opportunity has come to us. The whole world has witnessed the fearsome power of Frostia and Nis. If they stay in our kingdom, no country will dare to treat us lightly in the future. We will find safety in fear. This is a crucial strategic advantage.”

Valerius gave a subtle nod.

He was thinking the same thing.

But Licorice seemed to be already lost in her own world.

Her face was filled with joy and excitement.

“My master… must be calling for me…”

The butterflies circled her rapidly, as if dancing with joy.

Even the giant hornet, which had been in a lazy posture, shot up and circled around.

“Ryandel, Leivi! We will immediately move to the center of the continent! The time has come to return to our master’s gracious embrace!”

She shouted to the two people behind her.

Fear and confusion were mixed on their faces.

“Count, Edgar, I express my gratitude for your consideration. I shall depart now. The time has come to offer eternal loyalty by my master’s side.”

She said to the Count and Edgar.

They bowed their heads respectfully.

“Lady Licorice, may you have a safe journey.”

the Count said in a sincere voice.

Watching this whole scene unfold, I thought to myself.

This was not a simple invasion, but the beginning of something much bigger, and my kingdom was about to be swept up in a tremendous whirlwind.

But for now, survival was the top priority.

And to survive, we had to adapt.

Building Frostia’s lair was the best we could do right now.

“King, remember this. If the lair is not completed within a month, your kingdom will become a new sea, and its color will be that of blood.”

Licorice warned one last time before leaving the castle with her insects.

After they left, the castle was as quiet and desolate as a sea after a storm.

Small pieces of stone were still falling from the ceiling, and traces of pollen and the remnants of black roots remained on the floor.

The knights were beginning to recover from their paralysis one by one, but fear still lingered in their eyes.

“Your Majesty… if they return…”

The Knight Commander, who had gotten up creakily, trailed off, his face pale.

“Calm yourself, Knight Commander. We will meet their demands. Even steel melts before a great volcano.”

I surveyed the damaged parts of the castle.

To think that a building with two hundred years of history could be so easily destroyed by a single girl.

“Valerius.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Immediately summon all architects, mages, and stonemasons in the kingdom. Form a special committee with only the best technicians. Frostia’s lair will be the most magnificent structure in history.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

“And send envoys to Apron and Heshet at once to deliver this news. Let them know that Frostia and Nis have begun their activities, and that our kingdom is building their lair.”

The ministers who had gathered exchanged surprised glances.

“You would inform our enemies of this?”

“They will find out soon enough once we start building the lair. It’s better to inform them first.”

I paused in thought for a moment, then smiled.

“And tell them this. If our kingdom fails to complete Frostia and Nis’s lair within a month, their wrath will befall the entire continent.

The lands of ice and death could spread further. Therefore, neighboring countries must support the construction of the lair with resources and technicians for their own safety.”

I saw Valerius’s eyes widen.

He understood my strategy and nodded.

“An excellent idea, Your Majesty. They will have no choice but to support us for their own safety.”

“Exactly. We will be the shield of the continent. A shield that protects them from the wrath of Frostia and Nis.

Of course, we must receive appropriate compensation for that, right?”

The ministers began to move busily before my eyes, but my thoughts were already far in the future.

Just a few hours ago, my throne was on the verge of collapse.

I had felt the fear of death, and my pride as king had hit rock bottom.

But wasn’t it the role of a true ruler to find light even in the darkness?

Now, the scattered fragments on the floor, the tilted pillars, looked different.

These were not signs of destruction, but omens heralding the beginning of a new era.

I had seen a wider world through the cracks in the walls.

Frostia and Nis.

They are both a disaster and a blessing.

Their power is frightening, but what if that power is on our side?

Of course, the risk that they could change their minds at any moment will always be there.

But that could also be the most powerful weapon.

Kingdoms will offer us resources as if surrendering in fear, and empires will seek our alliance.

Some may wish for our downfall, but they will not dare to act on that thought.

I had faced the biggest crisis since ascending the throne, and at the same time, I had gained the biggest opportunity.

Now, I am not just a king.

I am a king who has made a deal with monsters.

And thanks to those monsters, this kingdom will face its most powerful era in history.

To find opportunity in crisis.

To find power in fear.

This is what a king must do.

Paradoxically, this disaster will usher in the golden age of our kingdom.