Political Marriage With a Friendly Enemy

Chapter 66

***

Jaxor hesitated and said he would try to return to the Imperial Palace to think about it with the excuse that he was retiring.

As it turned out, an unexpected person who played a role in Jaxor turning his back completely was Roman.

Usphere Catatelradon.

Jaxor felt anxious as he watched Kwanach fall in love with Usphere and didn’t know what to do.

This was not the best friend who knew only war and conquest. Kwanach had changed. Kwanach’s nerves were solely focused on a

the woman named Usphere.

At first, Jaxor had just been unhappy with the marriage alliance with Usphere.

Roman spurred him to nostalgia.

“You see? Kwanach is a stranger after all. When the moment comes when he has to choose between you and Usphere, of course he will choose his wife. I won’t do that. I’m your brother. You are the only family I have. Forever.”

In the end, Jaxor grabbed his brother’s outstretched hand.

Since then, Jaxor had been acting as a spy to actively help Roman to start a war that would destroy the empire. Although he had already planted a few sources in the Imperial Palace, none of them were as valuable and useful spies as Jaxor.

But while Jaxor passed on information along the way, he still couldn’t help but feel guilty for betraying Kwanach. Roman didn’t know that either.

“Your heart is uselessly soft.”

Roman clicked his tongue small and looked at Jaxor, who was next to Kwanach.

“I’ll have to remove Jaxor later when the time is right.”

He succeeded in convincing Jaxor to join his side. So he had already achieved his goal.

Roman had quickly lost his curiosity about what he had in his hands. If war breaks out, Jaxor wouldn’t need to be a spy anymore. So Jaxor’s usefulness was done.

There was no sorrow or sadness in killing his one and only brother. It was because he wanted to know how his brother lived, not because he loved him.

When Roman was checking each of his grand plans in his mind.

‘….. What is it?’

There was a subtle, distant surge of magical power.

No. The earth seemed to vibrate.

‘Magic?’

Roman was better than any other human at sensing magic.

‘Did Kwanach bring a wizard here?’

This was information that he had never heard from Jaxor. How could someone use magic that was invisible to the eye, yet emitted such powerful force?

‘Is there be such a powerful wizard left among the humans?’

It was the energy that occurred when plants resonated with Usphere while searching around this area, but there was no way Roman could have known that fact.

The unattainable energy made him feel anxious. So far, it was okay if the plan deviated slightly. It was just a matter of replanning and recovering.

But the escape plan must not be broken.

‘If they find out, it’s over.’

Diaquit was trying to convince people from the north to come together and start a war, but no one could strike the empire without reason first.

Therefore, Roman planned to use his status to rally the North as the next best option.

Roman was going to use his transformation magic and appear before everyone with silver hair and purple eyes. He would advertise that it would have a different appearance when the old monarchy was restored.

Of course, he thought that the North would be more supportive of his legitimacy than the slave born Kwanach.

Besides, there were some conservatives in the empire who were slightly dissatisfied with the abolition of slavery, but could not come forward. He just had to rally them.

In order to make this plan a reality, Roman needed to escape the empire safely and get to the north.

At this time, when he had reached the border and was on the verge of a successful escape, the wave of magical power that could be felt from afar was truly ominous.

‘I’ll have to check it out.’

It was better to cut out the seeds of danger beforehand.

Just in time, Kwanach had entered the guard captain’s office. It looked like he was about to review documents related to the operation of the guard post.

At this time, Roman pretended to have a stomach ache and slipped out of the pack for a while. Then he ran fast towards the direction where he could feel the energy of magic.

Roman was a genius at curses and transformation magic, but not so adept at combat-type magic. But there was no need to worry. He gave the funds he had diverted beforehand to Jaxor to get him some scrolls that contained powerful magic.

At this level, he was confident that he could beat them, no matter who the enemy was.

* * *

I paused for a moment after I ran without rest with Marianne.

“Your Majesty?”

Marianne called me in a strange voice. I fidgeted and tensed, and clenched my fist while catching my breath.

A seed sprouted from the palm of my hand. The pale green stalk tickled me.

The plant I made bloom with my magic had no spirit, unlike natural plants. It was like a puppet that moved at my command.

I couldn’t talk to this plant, but I could feel its energy permeating me in an agile way.

Never before had my powers been so acute, even in my homeland. Even just interacting with the plants made me feel like I was a part of nature. In the midst of these keen senses, I sensed an instinctive danger.

There was something up ahead.

Something very sinister and tainted.

I wondered if the plant’s wise eye had been transferred to me. I vividly felt the energy emanating from afar.

I got goosebumps and instinctively blocked Marianne’s front as if protecting her. Marianne was bigger than I was, so it would have been a funny look if anyone saw it.

“There’s something ahead. Be careful.”

“What?”

Just as I was about to explain to Marianne what it was, I felt a horrible feeling and hit my head.

Then someone popped out of the alleyway I had turned into.

“Roman…..”

I muttered quietly.

He looked like an ordinary guard, but I could tell he was Roman.

‘What is this? The energy is disgusting. I feel sick.’

It was a feeling I didn’t feel when I faced Roman the other day. As my power grew stronger, it was as if I could see how monstrous Roman was.

I stared at Roman while trying to control the disgust. Roman said with a good-natured smile.

“Who’s here?”

He didn’t seem to recognize me.

There was a good distance between Roman and me, probably because my mustache and hat almost covered my face.

Marianne, who was next to me, opened her mouth to explain instead. Her deliberately low voice sounded a little awkward.

“We’re on our way to see His Majesty on an errand for Lord Beinard.”

“Oh, you’re from the capital.”

Roman gave us a cursory glance, as if testing us. My inclination was to attack immediately and tie him up. But I didn’t want to move carelessly.

There was only one Roman now, but he could have brought more people with him. Maybe it was a trap.

I didn’t know why Roman had suddenly appeared in front of me in the first place, so I tried to figure out the situation before I acted.

Romain put on a human face and smiled. Even though we had said we were going to see His Majesty, Roman didn’t seem to want to let us pass.

”What are you up to?”

I stared at Roman with nervousness.

Roman’s eyes, which had said nothing but a bright smile, suddenly began to turn red. His lips moved up and down in a very fine motion.

‘Magic.’

An ordinary person who couldn’t sense magic wouldn’t have seen rRoman’s eyes change color.

But I could see everything clearly. Roman was smiling amiably and was secretly trying to use magic. I did not know what kind of magic it was. I didn’t learn any formulated magic, because I was an Awakener who used special powers.

I only knew that it was unpleasant.

Roman’s magical energy was very disgusting.

At that moment, I quickly remembered that Roman had cast a spell in the Fahar River. His eyes turned red at that time as well.

When he used powerful magic or magic that defied nature… his eyes would change colors?

Because the color of my eyes changed while I awoke too.

I didn’t know what it was, but it was clear to me that Roman was going to attack me without showing any signs of it.

‘I have to break it down before he finishes the spell.’

I pulled up the strength in my body.

Ping!

A thick trunk emerged vigorously from the seed I was holding and wrapped around me, waving as if it were alive. Then, like a whip, it shot out fiercely toward Roman.

Kah!

It was a method of use that I practiced a few times alone after my strength returned.

The plant I have created was as hard as steel. If you move it fast enough to swing it around?

It would definitely be a stronger weapon than retreat.

It was an attempt that was only possible because my strength had returned and I could maneuver and handle the plant with more finesse than before. However, even in a dangerous and tension-filled actual battle, I doubted that I would be able to hold out my own.

Contrary to my fears, an iron-like plant swam through the air and flew towards Roman.

“What is it……?”

Roman’s enraptured voice sounded tiny. He immediately stopped casting his spell and rummaged through his chest.

I was a little out of breath, but not unbearably so. From behind me, I could hear Marianne’s bewildered lament.

“Your Majesty…..”

“Stay back.”

A moment before I hit Roman with the stem and tried to tie him up, Roman tore the magic scroll out of his pocket.

Poof! At the same time, a cloud of green smoke rose up around him.