Chapter 147 - I Need You

Olivia, who had looked slightly surprised, rested her chin on her hand and asked,

"What kind of thing would I regret?"

"Just because you're drunk doesn't mean every word you say is exempt from consequences."

Her dry eyes gazed deeply into Ferda's.

A gaze whose intentions were impossible to read.

Then she spoke.

"Then let's do this. Regent, be my first."

"...What did you just say?"

She set the bottle down and rose from her seat.

Gripping a dagger in her hand, she staggered toward Ferda.

"Men always say that sleeping with a prostitute isn't cheating. Since I'm going to become a prostitute with noble Golden Blood instead of an Imperial Princess anyway, it shouldn't matter, right?"

She spread both her arms wide.

"Come here."

He knew that look.

Those were the eyes of a thorn carrying poison.

Those were the eyes Olivia had possessed back when Ferda had been known as the mad mage.

Even if William had orchestrated this entire spectacle just to lure him onto this land, the emotions in those eyes were genuine.

The Crown Prince had been lured into a bedroom and killed, while the Second Prince had started a rebellion and was executed alongside his followers.

Half of the Empire had burned, yet it still stood.

Emperor Godfrey Arken's authority had only grown stronger.

Ferda carefully stepped closer.

Like a man captivated by a flower.

Like someone casting aside the mask he wore and surrendering to desire.

The moment the distance between them became close enough, Ferda moved in an instant.

His target was the dagger in Olivia's hand.

But Olivia's reaction speed was no less impressive.

She tightened her grip around the dagger, stopping Ferda's surprise attack.

"Let go!"

Olivia shouted.

There was no room to retreat.

Ferda pushed forward without hesitation, and it turned into a struggle.

"Let go! I said let go!"

Olivia screamed as she thrashed wildly.

Ferda struggled.

He cursed his own body for being unable to overpower a woman his own age.

Recalling the martial arts he had learned long ago, he desperately searched for a way to resolve the situation.

But Olivia had also learned self-defense, making her anything but an easy opponent.

Their frantic exchange grew increasingly chaotic.

Then the standoff, where either one of them could have ended up bleeding, finally came to an end.

Clatter.

Olivia's dagger rolled across the floor and came to rest far away.

Ferda threw Olivia onto the bed and pinned both of her hands down.

The two of them, drenched in sweat, stared into each other's faces. 1

"Heh... hahaha..."

Olivia sneered at Ferda's disheveled appearance.

"You're so damn weak. Aren't you embarrassed, being a man?"

"Close your mouth."

"Why? Do you like it rough? I'm all for it. That way I'll look even more miserable—"

"Shut your damn mouth."

Olivia was overwhelmed by Ferda's aura.

His eyes blazed with fury.

"Olivia Arken."

It wasn't lust.

It was pure anger.

"How long are you going to keep spouting such idiotic nonsense?"

"...What?"

Olivia frowned.

Ignoring her reaction, Ferda continued.

"I know what you've accomplished. If it hadn't been for you, no one else could ever have achieved what you did."

Olivia was intelligent.

To be honest, Ferda had always respected that side of her.

The way she could smile at people she despised, and sacrifice herself for a greater cause.

That was something Ferda could never do.

"If you're the woman I know, then you already understood."

Only now did he realize the meaning behind the smile she had worn when he handed her those documents.

"You knew that your achievements would never be recognized."

It had been the smile of absolute certainty.

The certainty that things would never end the way they were supposed to.

"And knowing all that, you still had the audacity to come onto another man's territory, seduce his knight, step into my domain, and now threaten me with mutual destruction?"

Olivia seemed as though she was about to be swallowed by Ferda's fury, but she wasn't one to yield so easily.

After hearing his words, she frowned deeply.

"You..."

She, too, was burning with pure rage.

"What the hell do you know about me that gives you the right to say all this?"

The anger she had bottled up inside burst toward Ferda.

"Even if I knew it would happen! Do you have any idea how furious it makes me to hear someone stand right in front of me and spout that kind of bullshit?!"

He knew.

"Do you know what it feels like to have my reason and everything I've worked for denied because of those bastards' obsession with power?!"

He knew.

"Of course it's easy for you to say. You don't care about me at all. Just like everyone else, you only see me as some ordinary woman. All you care about is living happily with your fiancée."

She was right.

Ferda hadn't cared about Olivia.

Whatever she did had been none of his concern.

Whether she became the next heir of the Arken Empire...

Or became a fallen woman...

All that had mattered to him was living peacefully with Valdrova.

That was what he had believed.

But thinking back on everything he had done, that wasn't true.

If he hadn't wanted her to succeed, there would have been no reason to lend her the Tactical Infantry.

There would have been no reason to organize her achievements into documents and hand them to her.

And instead of subduing her with his bare hands, he could have simply used Shadow Arts.

If he truly hadn't cared what became of her.

"You still have a path ahead of you."

Ferda spoke calmly.

Olivia's voice softened as well.

"What path...?"

"Don't you already have a plan you've been preparing?"

The Saint.

It was what Olivia had spoken about during the Grand Ducal Council.

"Instead of despairing over this impulsive failure, isn't it time to push forward with the plan you've spent years preparing?"

Olivia's expression darkened.

It wasn't as though she had never considered it.

She avoided Ferda's gaze.

"It's impossible."

Her voice trembled with bitterness.

"A Saint... Since the Dragon-Demon War, not a single one has appeared. Reaching the Fourth Enlightenment is already unimaginably difficult... How could I ever reach the Fifth Enlightenment?"

Olivia was still at the Third Enlightenment—the Third Circle.

In reality, the Third Circle was the limit for most nuns.

Even those who secluded themselves deep within monasteries, abandoning the worldly realm to devote themselves entirely to the gods, rarely surpassed the Fourth Circle.

For Olivia, it was even more difficult.

She spent every day hiding her true feelings in a world overflowing with ambition.

How could someone like that devote herself wholeheartedly to the gods?

"Then find a way."

"That's such an irresponsible thing to—"

"If you truly decide to become a Saint, then I'll do everything I can to help you."

To oppose the Empire, he needed allies.

There was no telling what would happen after the Monster Extermination Campaign, or what schemes the Empire would devise.

The one person who had watched the Empire's core from within for years...

Was Olivia.

"I need you."

Life returned to her once-empty eyes as she looked at Ferda.

She carried the blood of the Arken Empire.

She wished for the Empire's downfall just as he did.

That was why Ferda said to her,

"Follow your original plan. Become a Saint. If you choose to walk that path, then I'll stand by your side."

Olivia simply stared blankly at him.

Then...

"...Again."

Her voice was barely louder than the fluttering of a mosquito's wings.

"Say what you just said."

"If you become a Saint—"

"Not that. The part before."

"Follow your original plan—"

"Earlier."

"I need you."

The moment she heard those words, Olivia's body trembled once more.

"Again."

She repeated the unreasonable request.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"You said it yourself. That I have to become a Saint."

Her voice was astonishingly clear, no longer sounding like someone who had been drunk only moments ago.

"This is that moment."

Ferda was about to dismiss it as nonsense.

Then he felt it clearly.

A vibration traveling from the hands that pinned her down.

It was coming from her Dantian.

The Ring of Faith the clergy spoke of...

Her Red Circle had begun to move.

He didn't know what emotion he had awakened.

But there was no doubt that his words had stirred her Circle.

'To become a Saint, she needs the Fifth Circle.'

Ferda had to help her become one.

If they maintained this momentum, she would at least reach the Fourth Circle.

"You only have to keep whispering it. Just keep telling me... that you need me."

Ferda did as she asked.

He didn't force any sweetness into his voice.

He simply repeated the words, "I need you," over and over in a mechanical tone.

Yet the effect was more than enough.

Like a river swelling beneath relentless monsoon rains, the power surged until it became a torrent powerful enough to consume even Olivia herself.

Olivia focused on her Dantian.

But she struggled.

It was obvious she hadn't practiced it properly for a long time.

"Concentrate slowly."

Seeing that she was reaching her limit, Ferda decided to guide her.

"Imagine another space inside your Dantian. Imagine there's a hand there. Use that hand to shape it, as though you're molding something."

"Ugh... ngh..."

Ferda followed the flow of her Mana.

Olivia focused, guided entirely by the sound of his voice.

Just as she had once patiently taught him how to dance despite his clumsiness, Ferda refused to give up on her, quietly whispering instructions into her ear.

After an hour of effort, the unstable shape gradually stabilized and compressed.

"Ah."

Olivia let out a gasp.

The swollen Red Circle took on a perfect circular form.

The overwhelming catharsis that followed completely filled her once-empty eyes.

"Ah..."

The only thing reflected in those eyes...

Was a single man.

Gray hair.

Blue eyes.

Entranced, she gazed at Ferda with unmistakable affection.

"My..."

Olivia could say no more.

She closed her eyes.

For a moment, Ferda thought she had lost consciousness.

But she had simply fallen asleep.

Leaving Olivia there, Ferda headed downstairs.

William was waiting for him.

Having finished treating his wound, William had even cleaned Ferda's dagger until it gleamed.

Since this had all been William's doing, it was only right that he saw it through to the end.

"Carry the Imperial Princess back to the castle. You're still my man."

"Yes..."

William quietly obeyed the order.

***

The Next Morning.

"I'm sorry, Regent. I made a disgrace of myself."

She was no longer wearing the Imperial Princess's attire, but one of the spare sets of clothing from the castle.

The scent of alcohol had been concealed with perfume, and every trace of her hangover was hidden behind a perfectly trained mask.

In response to her apology, Ferda simply said,

"What happened?"

Olivia's eyes widened at those words.

Then she let out a small laugh.

"Yes. Nothing happened."

"Indeed."

There had been no story between a man and a woman that night.

That was what benefited them both.

"Did you report that I was here?"

"Yes."

They deliberately left out the fact that William had secretly brought her there.

Instead, they explained that no one had noticed her presence, and that they had only discovered it during the investigation after the incident.

Even if it was a grave mistake, negligence was far less severe than deliberate intent.

Naturally, Alexander had flown into a rage.

He demanded to know how they could possibly have failed to notice.

But when they countered that even the Imperial Palace's mages hadn't noticed, so how could they have, he fell silent like a mouse.

In the end, he only said that he would personally come to receive her the following morning.

"I explained that this wasn't a simple case of running away from home, but that you had come here for negotiations."

Olivia tilted her head.

Was there really any way to explain it like that?

"I told them that there was something Your Highness had been after, and that you had secretly come here to negotiate for it."

"Something I was after?"

Ferda crooked a finger.

The door opened, and Luri stepped aside as the man waiting outside entered the room.

"I am Hellus Fovidas, the Sage of Water."

Olivia smoothly slipped on her flawless social smile as she greeted him.

"It is an honor to meet the Sage. I am Olivia Arken, Imperial Princess of the Empire."

"The honor is mine. The rumors were true—you are truly beautiful."

Hellus looked as though he couldn't decide where to look.

His eyes trembled wildly, darting back and forth between her face and her chest.

For a moment, Ferda recalled the drunken outburst Olivia had made the previous night.

Yet she hid her disgust perfectly, smiling as though nothing was wrong.

Ferda shot Hellus a glance.

Stop wasting time and get to the point.

"Hm... Regent Ferda told me that if it hadn't been for Your Highness's strategy, I too would surely have fallen."

"Not at all. My objective was simply to rescue the civilians. I merely happened to visit your residence in the process."

"If one is human, then repaying kindness is only proper. Since you said the Empire seeks my wisdom, I shall lend it my strength."

Olivia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you saying you're withdrawing your refusal to join anyone... and will now become the Empire's wisdom?"

"Indeed. Judging from the current state of affairs, I foresee a great crisis approaching—not only for the Empire, but for the entire Cerdes Continent."

Hellus placed a hand over his chest as he spoke.

"In times like these, should we not work together for the peace of the Empire and the Continent?"

"Oh my..."

With an expression of genuine admiration, Olivia immediately clasped his hand.

"Thank you so much. On behalf of the Empire, I sincerely thank you for your decision."

"Hahaha! There's no need to thank me for doing what's only natural!"

He might have believed he was hiding his emotions well, but the excitement swelling inside him was impossible to conceal.

After securing his promise to accompany her back to the Empire, Hellus excused himself.

The warm smile vanished from Olivia's face as she quietly returned to her seat.

She sprayed perfume onto a handkerchief and carefully wiped the hand that had touched his.

It was the sort of thing one did after touching filth.

"That pig was a stand-in, wasn't he?" 1

As expected, she noticed immediately.

"If I bring someone like that back, people will start saying the Imperial Princess brought home a fat pig. You really do intend to support me, don't you?"

There was a faint trace of resentment in her voice toward Ferda.

Still, if he had truly wanted to make her suffer, he would have chosen another method.

"He is the real Hellus Fovidas that the world knows."

"You're saying that was actually him?"

"Yes. He is capable of producing wisdom worthy of the Sage's reputation."

Olivia compared the Hellus she had just met with the legendary reputation surrounding him.

No matter how she looked at him, he seemed like nothing more than a provincial noble driven entirely by his desires, with not a shred of wisdom to be found.

"If you don't wish to take him with you, I won't stop you."

"Hmm... I still don't know how that ability of his actually works... but I suppose he'll still be useful."

Running away from the palace on her own had been reckless.

But if she could provide a valid reason for doing so, then the situation changed entirely.

Recruiting the Sage of Water was not something that could easily be dismissed as an achievement worth only three percent.

"Thank you... for everything..."

Olivia expressed her sincere gratitude.

Soon afterward, the Imperial Court Mages arrived, having activated a Teleport Magic Circle.

Their faces were pale with anxiety as they respectfully escorted both the Imperial Princess and Hellus back to the Imperial Palace.

Until the very last moment, Olivia kept waving at Ferda.

And with that, the disturbance caused by the Imperial Princess finally came to an end.

***

Alexander Arken was holding a secret meeting with his closest confidants.

One of the officials responsible for intelligence cautiously delivered his report.

"It seems this incident will be treated as an extremely serious matter."

One of the aides spoke with a trembling voice.

Even though he was the Crown Prince, with the Emperor remaining in seclusion, Alexander wielded authority nearly equal to the Emperor's.

But nearly equal was not enough.

"Has it... been established?"

"Yes."

Because authority that was merely comparable would never be enough to stop them.

"The Arken Emergency Response Headquarters is about to move."

The Emergency Response Headquarters.

A group so powerful that it would not have been strange to say they stood directly beneath the Emperor himself.

Even the Crown Prince dared not interfere with them recklessly.

"All this... over the loss of a single legion..."

Alexander muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

His closest aides silently swallowed their disbelief.

The disappearance of an entire legion was more than enough reason for the Emergency Response Headquarters to intervene.

In truth, it would not have been surprising if heads had already started rolling.

Fortunately for Alexander, that would not be necessary.

Someone else had already been made to shoulder the blame.

"And the ones who spread that plague?"

The "plague" referred to the mysterious illness that had suddenly prevented several generals from taking the field.

"There's no need to worry. We eliminated their entire families along with their estates."

By piling every crime they had ever committed onto them all at once, they were sentenced to be burned alive.

It was the worst possible end.

Normally, that would have been enough to satisfy Alexander's anger.

But not this time.

Now that the Emergency Response Headquarters had been convened, an inquiry would inevitably be held.

And during that inquiry, Alexander's punishment would be decided.

To avoid it, he had to shift the blame onto someone else.

Someone close enough...

And someone who bore the greatest responsibility.

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