Chapter 189: Snow Falling in Summer (5)
Morning’s lips curl into a smile.
“Oh my, the Administrative Duke herself is offering to grant a noble title of the Empire, and yet the little islander dares to set conditions.”
He knows she has no mystical power like mana or anything of the sort. But the aura emanating from her as she begins a full-fledged conversation with Cain is chilling and beautiful enough to crush such mysteries.
It feels like encountering a true master who has met their specialty.
Not to mention Lourens, who already knew her well, but even Elena and Anje couldn’t take their eyes off her.
And Cain.
“The Administrative Duke, who oversees the administration of this vast empire, wouldn’t promise a title and territory to a mere islander without conditions.”
He responded to her words with an even more relaxed attitude.
The three of them looked at Cain this time.
Who would see him as a boy?
Who would see him as a hero representing ‘light’?
Behind Cain, who is facing Administrative Duke Morning with the image of a snake flicking its tongue, a ferocious beast with gleaming teeth appears.
Gender, age, background.
None of that mattered; their battle had begun.
Whooooosh—
A hot summer breeze blew through the window, but it was nothing compared to the sparks flying between Morning and Cain.
“You are correct. Bearer of the Holy Sword.”
Morning starts.
A hero is someone who has drawn the holy sword, ‘Summer.’
The Holy See treats such heroes as decisive weapons to defeat the Demon King and idolizes them as agents of ‘light.’
On the other hand, the Empire is completely different.
They only treat heroes with respect because the Holy See lurks behind them, but the heroes themselves are just convenient means of transporting ‘Summer.’
[‘Winter’ prepares some cookies.]
[‘Summer’ says it doesn’t understand what these humans are saying about it.]
[‘Winter’ suggests a bet, saying humans are always like this. The bet is about who will gain the upper hand between Duke Morning and Cain.]
[‘Summer’ steals ‘Winter’s snacks, asking what’s the point when they’ll both choose the same winner.]
Cain smiled faintly.
‘I’ve already won this fight from the start.’
He doesn’t know about the previous heroes.
But Cain, the current hero, has directly received ‘Summer’s recognition, so he is confident that the Empire won’t be able to take it away from him no matter what they do.
“I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“Isn’t your goal to persuade me and become an Imperial citizen smoothly?”
“…….”
“Then why are you being so aggressive?”
Duke Morning smiled, just like Cain. She leaned back and sank into the sofa, slowly opening her mouth.
“Because the Empire does not compromise.”
“Seeing as you just offered conditions after saying that, it seems the Empire may not compromise, but it does go back on its word.”
“You’re mistaken, little one.”
Wooong—
Although Morning was smaller than anyone else, she felt like a giant.
If the magic of wielding a sword, breathing fire, and charging forward is a sword that attacks head-on, then what Morning wields is a sword that attacks from behind.
It was the sharpness of power created by human law and society.
“It’s not a condition for compromise. It’s a notification.”
Cain’s eyebrows twitch.
━The Empire will invest additional budget in addition to the existing support.
He superimposes the image of Morning he encountered in the previous world.
She looked exactly like the current Morning, but with no hint of laughter, as if a doll was walking.
The strange charisma he couldn’t feel from her back then was interesting.
━Also, we inform you that Administrative Duke Nelis has passed away.
However, the attitude of Administrative Duke Nelis, who pressured him back then, and the current Administrative Duke Morning seems no different.
Cain lightly scratched his chin and shook his head.
“Empty threats are useless.”
“I don’t make empty threats.”
“Then?”
Wooong—
The holy sword began to float beside Cain.
Seeing ‘Summer,’ the foundation of the Empire, move according to Cain’s will, she clicked her tongue inwardly. However, she managed to compose her expression so as not to show it outwardly and continued speaking.
“Since I came to this position, I’ve investigated every single human related to you.”
Cain, who thought she would call in masters from the Sword Tower or Magic Tower, blinked.
‘She’s different from Nelis.’
Unlike him, who brought in a Knight Marquis and threatened him right off the bat.
Cain didn’t take his eyes off her, and Morning slowly began to smile.
“Of course you’re not scared when there’s a holy sword in front of you, but you don’t know when it’s behind you. If swords and magic, represented by Piamon and Nibleheim, are the sword and magic that symbolize the Empire, then I am the darkness of the Empire.”
“You’re making it sound so grand, but you’re just saying you’ll threaten me by digging up dirt on me.”
Morning immediately shook her head at Cain’s words.
“That’s what amateurs do.”
At the unexpected answer, Cain’s eyes widened in surprise.
Only now did Morning see Cain as a boy of his age.
That’s how different she was from the Empire’s way.
“I’ll treat them well.”
Cain reflexively frowned.
“What a load of━”
“Anyone who’s even remotely related to you, I’ll make sure they all, every single one of them, prosper.”
Morning cut Cain off and continued her words.
“You just have to live. I’ll follow your life and make everyone you know prosper.”
“What, are you trying to make me indebted to you by being nice?”
Morning slowly shook her head, as if the second hand was moving like the minute hand.
Looking into her eyes, Cain felt his negative heart being pierced.
“Not bad, but going one step further is my style.”
After staring into Morning’s blue eyes for a moment, Cain finally realized her true intentions.
“……It’s a threat.”
“Is it being nice a threat?”
Morning asked back like an academy teacher teaching students, just for the sake of it. Cain played along with her annoying habit.
“Someone who can make everyone prosper can also make everyone fall.”
“Haha.”
She chuckled lowly, as if pleased with Cain’s words.
“And it will hurt more to be dragged down from a high place than to be dragged down to the floor when you’re already down.”
“Right.”
“Are you going to drag down the people around me one by one every time you’re unhappy with me?”
Unlike her, Cain clicked his tongue.
A threat is a threat, but Morning’s threat wasn’t a bloody one, but a sweet trap.
“Do you know when humans are at their strongest?”
Morning asked Cain instead of answering.
Cain nodded deeply. He probably knows better than anyone here.
“When they sacrifice themselves for someone else.”
“That’s right. When they fight for themselves, they can give up if it’s too hard. But humans who choose to sacrifice themselves for someone else are unstoppable.”
“Do you want me to sacrifice myself?”
“I’ll make sure it doesn’t harm you.”
How arrogant.
But Administrative Duke Morning Inphedral was a woman who deserved to be arrogant.
“You can’t use this method on everyone. But it’s the sweetest threat our Empire can offer to the one and only hero.”
She was one of the three pillars that support this vast Kreuz Empire, one of the three dukes.
She gently clasped her hands together.
She pulled out the best card she could show to Cain, who was more mature and colder than expected.
“Become a citizen of the Empire. I’ll make the world sweeter than anything else for you.”
At that moment, Lourens and Anje held their breath for a moment.
Morning’s persuasion, disguised as a threat, was even more effective with her soft voice.
On the other hand, Elena, who was listening, smiled bitterly.
Cain turned his eyes to look at her.
“Unfortunately, it seems you haven’t persuaded her, let alone me.”
“……Are you not satisfied, 13th Princess Elena?”
“I like it. It’s all good, but……”
Clench—
Elena raised her hand.
And slowly, her hand formed into a fist.
“It lacks impact.”
“……Impact?”
Morning blinked.
Having dedicated her entire life to the Imperial Administration, she had no idea what that meant.
Cain added before Elena could finish.
“Do whatever you want. I’m only living for today anyway.”
And he got up from his seat.
Unable to accept that her persuasion had no effect on him, Morning blinked again.
“Yesterday, which you aim for, is precious to me, but not as much as today. If you want to be my today, try a little harder.”
“What nonsense……”
Morning muttered.
Cain heard her, but ignored it and left the room.
Elena shuddered and excused herself with a nod to Morning before following him out.
[‘Winter’ and ‘Summer’ are curious about Cain’s today.]
Cain looked up.
The summer sun, shining brightly enough to be stinging, was setting through the colorful glass.
‘It’s certainly a tempting offer and a chilling threat the more I think about it.’
Cain looked back at the closed door.
It was unlike him, but the bait the Administrative Duke had offered was quite something.
‘But I live for today. And……’
The situation has changed.
He became the hero of ‘light.’
Even though a new enemy has appeared.
The ‘vow’ he made as he plunged the sword into Abel’s chest is etched into his soul like a burn.
‘My today is too short to worry about such things.’
The messages from the sacred treasures stopped.
‘Winter,’ who thought it had changed because Cain’s answer was shocking, slowly sent a message.
[‘Winter’ prays for you with both hands.]
At least, to ‘Winter,’ Cain is a person who responds better to sincere prayer than to a clumsy persuasion or threat.
At ‘Winter’s accurate assessment, Cain greeted ‘Winter’ who would be somewhere far away in the sky and began to descend from the building.
“The Magic Department combat training will begin soon.”
Cain was not invited as a swordsman or a wizard.
Since he came as an expert in combat itself, he had to deal with the Magic Department as well as the Knight Department from earlier.
“It’s annoying, but fun.”
Recalling the previous class, he hoped the wizard class students would come up with a more entertaining plan for him.
It was a peaceful summer day at Märchen Academy.
🔹🔹🔹
Wiseman, the original owner of the headmaster’s office and the headmaster of Märchen Academy, froze as she opened the door.
“Lord Duke?”
It was because Morning’s expression, unusually pale and frowning, was chilling.
“Shh—”
Lourens put his index finger to his lips and pulled Wiseman out.
After gently closing the door and walking down the hallway a bit, he spoke.
“She’s like that because of the hero.”
Wiseman looked at Lourens, who was being polite to her, with a pout and opened her mouth.
“We’re not really in a position to be formal with each other.”
“Still, you are a Lord Marquis.”
Lourens chuckled.
“Whether it’s Magic Marquis or Special Intelligence Division Chief.”
Wiseman drew a clear line.
“Well, in that case.”
He shrugged and started walking.
As far as Lourens knew, it was time for Cain’s combat class with the magic students.
“Shall we go see how the hero teaches?”
Wiseman shook her head.
And then, she approached Lourens, whom she would normally hate to be near, lowered her head, and whispered.
“I’ve found the ones who sold Procell’s heart to me.”
“……We haven’t even found them yet?!”
Wiseman smiled faintly.
“Looks like the Special Intelligence Division is no match for the Magic Tower yet.”
“Tsk. I’ll have to re-educate the ones in charge. So, where are they?”
“Mytilene Auction House.”
At that moment, Lourens’ eyes widened. Wiseman, who knew he would react that way, smirked.
“See, this is what happens when you leave a long trail. Those bastards.”
“If it’s Mytilene, then the Seven Wise Men are definitely involved……”
The Magic Marquis and the Special Intelligence Division Chief both sensed that the case the hero was caught in from the beginning was quite huge.
The seven greatest trading companies in the world, the Seven Wise Men. And 〈Delft〉 the merchant city they created.
The City Alliance where 〈Delft〉 is located is under the influence of ‘Commons.’
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