Chapter 57
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57.
The moment we stepped out of the Lair, a violent reaction erupted.
"...What? What did you say? A human could become the master of a Lair?"
In an instant, the Snowland King's gaze turned predatory, as though he might devour me whole.
Of course, I hadn't come out unprepared without a contingency plan.
Wesley Morel, who had received my authority and obtained the Flare Dragon's reverse scale, stepped forward with a beaming smile to block the Snowland King's path.
"Of course, Your Majesty. The malevolent aura has completely dissipated now that it has touched someone I personally consecrated. What a most auspicious occasion this is."
He cradled the enormous reverse scale—even larger than his own broad back—as though it were a precious treasure.
"Y-Your Holiness!"
A flustered voice followed immediately, and Wesley, realizing he'd revealed too much emotion, composed himself by adjusting his jaw and smoothing his expression.
Then, with the benevolent smile befitting a Holy Maiden, he addressed the Snowland King and the others.
"I hereby declare in the name of Wesley Morel, Holy Maiden, that the rightful master of the Flare Dragon's Lair is Roselita Salice, the Imperial Advisor."
"W-Wait, wait just a moment, Your Holiness!"
Naturally, even the Temple clergy called out to Wesley with expressions as though they'd been struck from behind.
"You're saying you'll hand over all the spoils from within the Lair to the Empire?"
At the High Priest's words, Wesley tilted his head adorably to one side, his expression suggesting he didn't understand.
"High Priest, I never said Wesley would give them to the Empire, did I?"
That familiar third-person self-reference, that cute manner of speech, and the High Priest's wounded expression told me this was no novice performance.
"Wesley declared they belong to Roselita Salice, the Imperial Advisor. If the High Priest misinterprets my words, what am I to do?"
Wesley deliberately blinked his eyes as he gazed at the High Priest.
"Ahem, ah, no... Your Holiness, the efforts of the priests who suffered alongside us..."
"Efforts? It seems Wesley was the only one who suffered at the Temple. The Holy Knight Order was nothing but dead weight! How shameful—does the Temple truly wish to tarnish the Holy Maiden's reputation like this?!"
At Wesley's words, the High Priest's face flushed crimson in an instant.
"Your Holiness! If His Holiness the Pope learns of this, how will you answer for it...!"
"Oh, so the Pope finally agreed to meet with Wesley? During this expedition, I even stood outside his chambers for forty-eight hours, choreographing a dragon hymn with full dance moves, and he never appeared. But now he will?"
As Wesley casually recounted his own outrageous exploits, the High Priest hung his head and muttered in defeat.
"Y-Yes... Yes... Do as you wish, Your Holiness... The persuasion of His Holiness, the declaration..."
At the High Priest's response, Wesley cast a sidelong glance toward me and winked.
Truly, my childhood friend had grown into quite the formidable person.
For some reason, he concealed his nature as the Holy Maiden far more severely than in the original narrative...
Wesley Morel had become far too overwhelming an opponent for the Temple to handle.
'So that's why he said the Temple would take care of everything if I just gave him the reverse scale.'
I was genuinely grateful that such a genuinely kind dragon enthusiast stood on my side.
In return, I'd have to send him some processed dragon fangs later.
The First Empress surely never anticipated such a variable existed within the Temple, so she would be quite pleased.
Of course, the Temple wasn't the only problem in this situation.
"The Temple is the Temple and Snowland is Snowland, Your Majesty. The Temple may have seized the reverse scale, but in truth, the Holy Maiden accomplished nearly everything herself."
The Snowland King huffed and opened his mouth.
"But Snowland did its part! Snowland also handled the demonic beasts—"
However, this was a matter I didn't need to address myself.
"Indeed, you handled the demonic beasts. Nothing more, Snowland King."
Our Empire's Emperor would be doing the heavy lifting on my and Cassian Artez's behalf.
*
Of course, I'd prepared certain groundwork to facilitate his efforts.
I couldn't simply rely on the Emperor and risk some absurd outcome.
"Indeed, the reputation of Winter Palace is no mere fiction."
The Emperor, having received materials through Cassian Artez, let out a hollow laugh.
"With this level of preparation, failing to deliver results would be inexcusable...."
He waved the documents, then alternated his gaze between Cassian Artez and me, speaking in an icy tone.
"If you refuse to acknowledge my fiancée's rights, I shall immediately seal the Lair and confine you within it. Surely that's only natural for ones so audacious?"
Despite the rather threatening gaze, Cassian Artez and I simply regarded the Emperor with composed expressions.
In the brief silence, the current of their power struggle flowed taut.
The Emperor finally set the documents down on the desk with a sharp tap and exhaled deeply.
"Very well, I suppose I must concede this time. Not a single knight lost, and you've even secured the Lair's ownership for the Empire's people."
He gazed at Cassian Artez and me with eyes of piercing blue, as though etching us into memory, his teeth grinding softly.
"How could I possibly threaten you! I'm the one being threatened!"
You seem to be doing quite well at it, actually.
Being a timid person, I quietly voiced my complaint only in my thoughts.
Soon after, a knight informed the Emperor that the appointed time had arrived, and he rose from his seat.
"As the Empire's Emperor, I must bear this burden willingly."
With those words, he had the knight carry the documents and proceeded toward the conference hall with the Snowland King.
Once the surroundings grew quiet, Cassian Artez held my hand and spoke softly.
"He seems quite upset about not being able to line his own pockets."
I responded with a gentle smile in agreement.
*
The negotiations concluded smoothly, exactly as we'd hoped.
On the journey back to the Capital City, the Emperor subtly tried to curry my favor the entire way, which was both frightening and unpleasant.
Though it was amusing at times.
Cassian Artez, noticing my discomfort, dutifully intercepted the Emperor himself and created a comfortable return journey for me.
The Snowland King grumbled at the negotiation results, but soon found himself swept up in Wesley Morel's easygoing charm, shared an exercise routine with him, and resigned himself to returning to Snowland.
'Besides, the wager between the Empire and Snowland over subjugating the magical beasts essentially became our Emperor's victory anyway.'
The Snowland King certainly made a fuss about power differentials and such, but that was my superior's—
'If Your Majesty disliked that, you could have simply limited the number of troops deployed from the start.'
I silenced him with a casual retort.
Besides, he'd been planning to conveniently obtain adamantite using the Imperial Army anyway—so who was being underhanded?
His scheming to minimize his own casualties was plainly visible to everyone.
In any case, thanks to all this, our forces could return in triumph.
The moment we entered the Capital City, the people's cheers erupted.
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Empire! They've slain the dragon!"
"Prince Cassian Artez is the greatest!"
At this long-awaited victory parade, the Emperor barely maintained his dignified expression.
Cassian Artez was, well, Cassian Artez.
"The Winter Palace demon strikes again! Becoming master of the Dragon's Lair!"
"Please, no more tax audits!"
Though some strange cheers mixed in, I drew the carriage curtains shut and ignored them.
Cassian Artez, rarely admitting fatigue, rode in the carriage with me, and he looked somewhat hurt by my action.
"Why do you keep trying to make the nickname that belongs to both Roselita Salice and me exclusively yours?"
"Your Highness, please keep everything for yourself."
The original creator was you, after all.
Wouldn't you consider the wishes of the First Empress, who named me?
*
That night, the Imperial Palace held a grand ball celebrating the victory.
As someone exhausted from a long expedition,
"I would've preferred an early dismissal over something like this."
It was exactly what Cassian Artez had just said on my behalf.
The moment we entered the Grand Hall, he secured a lounge separate from the nobles' usual route, exchanged only the necessary pleasantries, and spirited me away.
Honestly, I was incredibly grateful.
Ever since I became the master of the Flare Dragon's Lair, the nobles who'd once ignored me were clinging to me so desperately.
Even the First Empress was trembling at the corners of her mouth, desperately trying to hold onto me longer—it was genuinely terrifying.
The moment I entered the lounge, I collapsed onto the sofa with my weary body.
I truly didn't want to lift a single finger, and Cassian Artez, sensing my exhaustion, personally brought me a drink.
"Is that alcohol?"
"No, if you drank now, you'd fall asleep immediately."
What he brought me was a pale iced americano.
"I had it fetched from the Winter Palace."
Cassian Artez truly knew me so well—he was the best.
As I sat up slightly and gulped down the americano, he lowered himself and removed my shoes.
"...I can take off my own shoes."
"I know."
Your Highness, please don't do such things apologetically.
But Cassian Artez's expression was so delighted that I couldn't bring myself to stop him.
He even placed a plush cushion beneath my feet, looking at me as if asking for praise.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
So instead of saying something disagreeable, I simply offered him my gratitude.
Cassian Artez took the empty glass from my hand, set it on the table, then sat beside me and gestured for me to lean against him.
There was a sofa back and armrests, yet why did this man always want me to lean on him?
But after spending well over a year and a half with him, I suppose I'd grown accustomed to it.
Judging by how reflexively I leaned against his body.
His firm chest and the familiar warmth of his embrace wrapped my body—which had grown somewhat chilled by the autumn breeze—in comfort.
"This is quite serious."
"What is?"
His tenderly affectionate question tickled my ear.
Thanks to Cassian Artez's iron defense, I hadn't drunk a single glass in the Grand Hall, and whether it was the relief of being in the Capital City or simply that this felt too comfortable to me...
I felt my body naturally relax despite this not being the time to let my guard down.
"Your Highness keeps conditioning me."
Making me believe this is a familiar and comfortable place, speaking playfully while his actions are never anything but tender.
So I find myself wanting more—even though the simple, contented life I've so longed for would surely be sweeter and happier, the thought that I must someday leave his side...
At my words, Cassian Artez placed his hand over mine, carefully intertwining his fingers with mine, and spoke as if sighing.
"Roselita, you don't understand yourself at all."
"...What?"
"Who conditioned whom?"
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