episode_0110

I believed.

I believed in Alicia.

My first vassal and the first person who took my dream seriously.

The person who wholeheartedly supported my dream of one day overthrowing my brother and father and ascending to the throne.

Alicia was the only one who sincerely showed loyalty to me without any hidden agenda, and she still is.

Of course, back then, we had nothing.

So even though we helped each other, there was little material support we could offer.

As outcasts who were ignored and looked down upon, we became close friends who supported each other.

That was enough.

I was truly fit to be a king.

Alicia, with her exceptional academic talent that the foolish Eugenians failed to recognize, was necessary for us.

What we needed was to trust each other and support each other as comrades.

Once that was in place, we began to rise.

While my brother indulged in pleasure, luxury, and debauchery, I trained in magic and swordsmanship, biting my tongue.

Alicia, on the other hand, diligently researched magic with stolen books and the allowance I provided.

As a result, I was able to outmaneuver my corrupt brother.

When my brother, consumed by inferiority, challenged me to a duel, I decisively defeated him, turning the public opinion in my favor.

Even the former king, my father, who stepped in to mediate the situation, could no longer resist after being defeated in a duel.

I was betrothed to the princess.

I gave up pretending to be insane.

Instead, I used the weaknesses I had collected since childhood to preemptively eliminate the rebellious families and recruited the unaffiliated families who were not yet under Pallana’s control.

One of them was Eugenia.

At that time, Alicia had secured a position in the Matop, giving her a voice within Eugenia.

When we met again as vassal and king, we were in an unignorable position of power.

I couldn’t help but think that I had a good eye for my vassal.

Since then, Alicia and I have grown closer.

It was not a simple relationship between king and vassal.

Some expressed concerns that I favored one vassal too much.

Each time, Alicia would retort, asking if they could compare to her.

She was a loyal subject who was more precious to me than my own life.

She had supported me since I was nothing.

I had never doubted Alicia’s moral qualities and character.

After gaining power within Eugenia, Alicia used her influence to help the expelled children rather than seeking revenge.

She secured funding to establish orphanages, providing basic necessities and job opportunities for the children.

As a result, the number of children freezing to death in winter decreased significantly.

They were no longer the troublemakers and thieves in the alleys, but valuable individuals filling the labor shortage in the north.

The orphanages operated at a deficit, but with the increase in productivity, they were essentially in the black.

That’s why.

I believed.

I believed in Alicia.

I wanted to believe in Alicia.

“What are you? Speak up. You never mentioned going to Elvengard. How did the elders recognize you here?”

Alicia remained silent, trembling visibly.

She offered no excuses.

I wanted to believe her.

I wanted to believe in Alicia.

All circumstances and evidence pointed to Alicia betraying me and hiding Eugene.

Who would have known.

To think that I would be stabbed in the back by the rabbit I trusted and cherished so much.

That a relationship that had lasted for nearly 10 years would come to such a ruin.

Come to think of it, after returning from the south, Alicia had been letting go of her libido suppressor.

Compared to the emotionless machine she used to be, she seemed much prettier and more natural now.

Alicia becoming prettier wasn’t because she stopped the suppressor.

It was because she fell in love.

She changed like that because she harbored feelings for a man.

And not just any man, but my man.

She had audaciously snatched the Queen’s man away.

In the end, Alicia was no different from any other rabbit servant.

Just like the rabbits driven by lust.

With that thought, tears flowed endlessly.

I never dreamed that I would lose the most cherished and beautiful servant in this way.

“Ha······.”

What should I do with Alicia?

While staying in the south, I was consumed by such thoughts.

I quickly came to a conclusion.

The course of action was clear.

“I have imprisoned Lady Alicia in the rear iron-barred carriage after filling her with a magic restraint.”

“Ha. Well done.”

“However, my lord. Do you really intend to torture Lady Alicia? No matter what······.”

“Betrayal is unforgivable. In times like this, an example is necessary. Will you be the example in place of Lady Alicia, escort?”

“No, my lord. I spoke out of turn.”

“Then, send them off.”

“Yes.”

Bowing to apologize, the escort took the reins and ran ahead at the head of the procession.

It was time to return to Pallana.

Just as I had said.

If this procession arrived safely in Pallana, I would have no choice but to torture Alicia to extract all the information.

And if Alicia had attempted to snatch my man, I would have to demote and punish all key figures in Eugene.

Of course, if they arrived ‘safely’.

“What, what?! The door of the iron-barred carriage is open!”

“She escaped? How?! She must have been filled with restraints!”

Chaos ensued.

Alicia had escaped and jumped out of the carriage.

It was quite entertaining to watch everyone panic and rush around in a frenzy.

“Hmm. Just as planned.”

Because this was all my doing.

This procession was designed to never arrive safely in Pallana.

Inside the iron bars.

In the corner, there would be a sharp nail protruding through the wall.

Alicia would have used that to destroy the magic restraints and then cut through the iron bars with wind magic to escape.

Since I had blocked everything with a barrier, it wasn’t strange that everyone noticed her escape late.

Everything was leading to Alicia’s escape.

‘Hehe. I can’t bear to hurt that cute child.’

I would take her to the torture chamber, make her confess everything, and then declare my intention to demote Eugene.

Innocent Alicia would have believed everything and been terrified.

So she couldn’t help but attempt to escape.

“My lord, my lord! Lady Alicia has escaped! The dignity······.”

“Hmm. Then we must track down the fugitive now.”

Pushing aside the panicking escorts, I got off the carriage.

The plan was to give Alicia a slight head start before pursuing her.

Alicia would try to cover her tracks by masking her scent and scattering her footprints······.

But that wouldn’t be enough to shake me off.

The escorts couldn’t detect subtle magical traces, but I could.

Alicia was in the palm of my hand.

She would most likely go to Eugene to seek help.

And when they reached their final destination, that’s when I would strike.

“Hmph. Huh. Is this the one······. Hm?!”

Pushing through the grass.

It was a moment when I pretended to chase Alicia’s magical traces and played around.

A sharp sensation stimulated my instincts.

Swoosh!

I quickly stepped back.

An invisible gust of wind swept through the spot where I had just been, knocking down several trees.

“Wind magic?”

I didn’t sense any magical fluctuations in the surroundings.

The force was too strong.

And the fact that my senses were activated meant it was not magic but a physical attack.

“Hahaha! I thought I might dodge it! Your reflexes are sharp indeed!”

“Assassin······.”

“Nice to meet you! Prince of Pallana!”

Revealed in the forest was none other than a pale-faced young man with a sword on his shoulder.

Well, in terms of age, he should be considered an old man······.

Transylvia.

Surely a vampire known by that name.

His bodyguards drew their swords and blocked his path.

“I’ve become interested in the Frost style that has recently been passed down only to the Pallana royal family! I’ve heard it’s a beastly swordsmanship that uses the entire body, right? At that point, it seems more like body art than swordsmanship! Anyway, I’ve come to request a swordsmanship duel!”

“We don’t have time for that. If you want, you can come back to Pallana later for a formal challenge.”

“No need for formality. I just want to exchange a few sword strikes here and be satisfied.”

“Move aside! We’re in a hurry to pursue a prisoner!”

“Then why not end the duel quickly?”

No communication was possible.

Facing the calm Transylvia, I gritted my teeth.

Thanks to the appearance of that guy who scattered magic, the magical traces in the area were messed up.

Chasing Alicia became even more difficult.

If time passed like this, I would really lose Alicia and wouldn’t be able to catch up.

Which is faster, killing that assassin with the bodyguards or giving him the duel he wants······.

“Darn it.”

No matter how much I thought about it, the latter was overwhelmingly faster.

What Transylvia demanded was a swordsmanship duel, not a matter of life and death.

If a battle broke out, I couldn’t guarantee the survival of the bodyguards, but in a swordsmanship duel where magic was sealed, I could defeat him quickly.

“Bodyguards. Step back.”

“My lord?! Do we really have to listen to that rude guy······!”

“This is the fastest way to end this. If you want, I can make him realize his place.”

“Hahaha! Bold and fearless! You’re like a crazy princess who crushes princes and kings with power and ascends to the throne!”

“······.”

I pushed aside the bodyguards and stepped forward.

Watching that laughter, it seemed like there would be some fun in observing how far it would go.

I drew my sword and silently locked eyes with the vampire.

“Show me what the Frost style, which has come so close to the unity of sword and spirit, is capable of.”

In my hands, the Frost style had undergone the most improvements.

Although it had not yet reached the unity of sword and spirit.

Now, it was more practical and sharp than ever.

A dead body like a vampire.

I was confident I could crush it with my sword.

“Oh. An unusual herbivore indeed. It feels like facing a beast.”

“······!”

Smirking and lowering his stance, Transylvia.

At that moment, a chill ran down my spine.

It felt eerie and thrilling.

Why?

Other than accumulating a reputation for tormenting the weak over many years, he was nothing but a talentless corpse.

How could he emit such a powerful aura······?

“Well. It’s not strange for a corpse to emit a chill after living for so long.”

Scattering away all distractions, I surged forward with determination.

I swiftly subdue this bloodsucker as quickly as possible.

And then, I pursue Alicia.

“Hahaha! You beastly wench! Come on, entertain me!”

With that resolve in mind,

I casually brandished my sword.

“Darkia’s Wrath.”

“······!”

In that moment,

The atmosphere of the bloodsucker drastically changed.

An intense aura, unfelt from a long-dead corpse, began to emanate.

“Crimson Storm Strike!”