I Married the Dragon I Killed [Novel] Chapter 253

Chapter 253: The Death of Family

“I already know that your information network is one of your greatest assets, and precisely because I understand that, I know this question is rather rude, but…”

Ferda was a mage.

And whenever he encountered something unknown, he had the sort of temperament that would not rest until he had analyzed it.

“Could you tell me how you resolved it?”

“It was simple.”

Garnet explained what she had done.

“You said the Bankruptcy Knight once declared she would never marry a man weaker than herself.”

“Yes.”

“Because of that, she has never had a serious romantic relationship in all thirty-two years of her life. She may look like an iron wall, but inside, just as someone said earlier, she is little different from a maiden.”

“Hmm…”

A Sword Master with the heart of a maiden.

A chill ran naturally down his spine.

“So I introduced her to a young nobleman I’ve been keeping an eye on lately.”

“What kind of nobleman?”

“A promising swordsman. He’s reached marriageable age but is still foolishly wandering around training as a knight instead of getting married. And…”

“And?”

“He’s handsome.”

She said it as though that were the most important qualification of all.

“Of course, he isn’t quite as pretty as that playboy over there, but he’s handsome enough. Young, innocent, and above all, I told her that he admires the Bankruptcy Knight.”

“…And then?”

“As you know, the Black Bandana’s business is based on information, so once you look into the details, we do all sorts of things. Matchmaking and arranging relationships happen to be among them.”

“Oh…”

“I told her we would help that idiot fall completely for her and propose marriage. She hugged me with tears in her eyes.”

Indeed, humanity’s greatest enemy was loneliness.

Even someone who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship could rot from the inside if left alone long enough.

Garnet had used that weakness to turn the Sword Master’s heart around.

“As expected of the head of the Merchant Guild…”

“Meeting a customer’s needs is a basic virtue of business.”

Ferda could only admire her calm negotiation skills.

“The situation has been resolved, so you may return inside. Once again, I apologize for the trouble caused by ‘that idiot.'”

“Good work.”

Ferda returned to the castle.

After finishing her formal bow, Garnet turned toward Zed.

Zed was leaning against the wall, quietly staring down at the place where the Bankruptcy Knight had disappeared.

“Hah.”

A hollow sigh escaped his lips.

Garnet stared at him in disbelief.

“What? Why do you look like someone dragged you out of a river only for you to complain that your bundle went missing?”

“No. I just feel a little offended.”

“What?”

“I worked so hard to give her the greatest night of her life, and now she’s going to fall for some younger guy and throw me away like an old shoe. I can’t exactly accept…”

“…”

“Actually, yes, I can. I must be insane. Who says something like that to the woman who just saved his life? Hahaha!”

“…”

“How could this humble one ever repay such a favor…?”

“Go die right now, you piece of trash.”

Garnet shoved him in the chest and walked away.

Her eyes were sharper than usual, and disgust twisted her face.

Zed freely admitted that his usual behavior was enough to make any woman lose affection for him, but Garnet’s reaction still seemed strange.

“Hm?”

Then Zed noticed something lying near his feet.

An earring.

He wondered where he had seen it before, then realized it was identical to the one Garnet had been wearing.

“Hmm…”

There was no way a securely fastened earring had simply fallen off by coincidence.

And Garnet was hardly the sort of person who carelessly dropped her belongings.

Zed immediately understood what it meant and gave a faint grin.

“Honestly, you’re never straightforward.”

He carefully tucked the earring into his pocket.

Tonight, he intended to visit Garnet’s bedchamber and return it personally.

* * *

The Grand Cathedral of the Alte Faith in the Arken Empire.

Late at night, Olivia sat before the dais where the body had been laid out.

Instead of the sensual dresses she usually wore, Olivia was dressed as a member of the Alte Faith.

“I greet Princess Olivia Arken, noble daughter of the great empire and follower of the Light.”

An elderly abbess approached and bowed.

“I came to inform you that the funeral schedule has been decided.”

“…”

“Once the Second Prince’s funeral is concluded at the Imperial Palace chapel, the ceremony here at the Grand Cathedral will begin immediately afterward.”

“…”

Olivia gave no reply.

The abbess, who had lowered her head, eventually had no choice but to look up.

The moment she saw Olivia’s face directly, her breath caught.

‘Beauty bestowed by God indeed…’

Olivia was dressed exactly as a proper nun should be.

Her hair was hidden beneath a veil, and a habit slightly too large for her body concealed her silhouette, cutting off everything that might provoke desire.

But whether her body or hair could be seen hardly mattered.

One look at those sharply defined features was enough to awaken instincts hidden deep within anyone.

If even an elderly abbess found herself thinking that way, how much worse would the other clergy be?

Especially now, Olivia was even more devastating than usual.

She never lost her smile in public, and no one had ever seen her ruled by emotion.

Tonight, Olivia was not smiling.

The clear tracks of tears on her face gave her the appearance of a pitiful maiden, the sort that would stir men’s protective instincts and enchant them completely.

The candlelight reflected softly from her, making it seem as though a halo surrounded her and lending her an even more sacred air.

The abbess felt it instinctively.

Olivia would undoubtedly become the Saintess.

“I know this must be very difficult for you.”

“…Pardon?”

“You looked so troubled that I overstepped my place.”

“Ah.”

“Even family members who growl at one another can lose their senses when death actually arrives. Isn’t that what the death of family is like?”

“…Thank you.”

Olivia answered briefly.

It was obvious she was in no state to keep company, so the abbess bowed carefully and withdrew.

Olivia thought about what she had said.

‘I thought there was some debate, but I suppose it was meaningless after all.’

Between Ureas and Count Rooster, the answer to who mattered more had ultimately favored Count Rooster.

Any struggle supposedly being fought for the Second Prince had probably been little more than a performance.

There had been two legitimate heirs.

Now one was dead.

Rumors also claimed that Ureas had looked like a demon at the moment of his death.

The person who started the baseless rumor had been punished immediately, but words had no feet and still traveled everywhere.

No one remained on the Second Prince’s side.

Those still alive had to choose either Alexander or Waldemar and attach themselves to one of them while they still could.

‘So I’m not even an option in the end.’

Olivia stared quietly into the coffin.

The face inside undeniably resembled Ureas.

But it was not Ureas.

Undertakers had taken an unclaimed corpse and cut it apart until they created a false body that looked like him.

The resemblance was so perfect that even knowing the corpse belonged to a stranger, Olivia could still pour emotion into the sight.

“Useless…”

That was when it happened.

The Grand Cathedral was so quiet that voices from outside carried easily to Olivia’s ears.

“Her Highness is inside at the moment.”

“What is the problem with me seeing my own sister?”

“A person lost in grief needs time alone. Please respect that, Your Highness.”

Hearing the voices, Olivia quietly rang the bell.

The maid waiting outside opened the door.

Olivia gave an order.

“Tell him to come in.”

Alexander entered.

Olivia’s eyes turned toward him.

Alexander flinched.

Her captivating face offered him a fresh stimulation.

“What brings you here?”

“Ahem. I came to speak about what will happen next.”

Trying to act unaffected, Alexander approached and sat beside Olivia.

Looking down at Ureas’s face, he continued.

“I plan to give a speech at Ureas’s funeral.”

“…”

“Grand Duke Golt’s faction seems to intend to use the public anger toward demons after this incident. The Arken bloodline itself could be swallowed by this crisis.”

“And?”

“I would like you to stand beside me there.”

“What exactly can I do?”

“There’s no need to hide it anymore. You were born with a gift, weren’t you? The ability to draw people toward you.”

“And what do I gain from using it?”

“You get to remain part of Father’s bloodline, don’t you?”

That was true.

Waldemar was desperate to obtain Olivia.

Alexander had said he would cooperate with him, but in truth, he could hardly be pleased about it.

Waldemar currently possessed more influence than Alexander.

If he also obtained Olivia, there would no longer be any compelling reason the Crown Prince had to inherit the throne.

Imperial politics discarded anyone who failed to calculate profit and loss precisely.

Even Waldemar’s oath on his own name could not be trusted.

“Olivia, I know you and I have never gotten along.”

Alexander sat beside her.

The sound of his breathing dirtied Olivia’s ears.

“But at a time of grief like this, shouldn’t family join forces? We need to put our heads together and find a way through this crisis.”

Olivia looked toward Alexander.

Then she suddenly smiled brightly.

Alexander instinctively sensed killing intent.

Olivia’s hand moved in a flash.

“Aagh!”

Pain burst from his ear.

When he reached up, hot liquid was already running down from it.

Olivia held a dagger in her hand.

She had hidden it beneath the chair.

“Oh my.”

Olivia laughed mockingly.

“I was aiming to gouge out your eye. What a shame.”

“Olivia!”

Adrenaline surged through Alexander as he shouted.

“Y-You dare…!”

“What? Cat got your tongue, you pig?”

Olivia’s expression was openly contemptuous.

Still smiling sweetly, she lazily swung the bloodstained dagger and took a step closer.

Alexander instinctively retreated.

Olivia genuinely intended to kill him.

“Put our heads together as a family?”

Olivia’s blue eyes flicked toward Ureas.

“Are you sure there isn’t something else you want to put together?”

Even now, with blood pouring from his ear, lust still lingered on Alexander’s face.

“Disgusting bastard.”

Her lips curved in a bitter smile as cutting words poured out.

Olivia aimed the dagger at him.

“Are you leaving, or do you want to be stabbed again?”

“Do you think you’ll walk away unharmed after this!?”

“Why? Who are you going to tell? Who? That old man?”

She had acted in anger, but she was not thoughtless.

“Go on. Tell everyone. Say your sister is possessed by an evil spirit, or that I’m a demon, or whatever you like. I’m sure that old man who’s desperate to get his hands on my body will be thrilled, don’t you think?”

“You fox…!”

“Get out while I’m still giving you the chance. If you’re that worked up, go find the Crown Princess and consummate your marriage already. It would be nice if this Crown Princess lived a little longer, wouldn’t it?”

Alexander could say nothing more.

Clutching his bleeding ear, he backed away.

The door slammed shut.

Outside immediately erupted into commotion as Alexander shouted for someone to bring a priest.

Amid the noise, the abbess approached carefully.

“Your Highness? Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

“Could you tell me what happened?”

“…”

Olivia did not answer.

A bloodstained dagger lay at her feet.

“I will clean this up.”

“No. Leave it.”

“Understood. Then…”

The abbess withdrew with a worried expression, leaving Olivia alone once again.

‘I actually did it.’

Yet Olivia felt almost nothing.

It was no different from swatting a mosquito that happened to fly too close.

People might make a fuss, but once she washed her hands, it would be over.

She had wanted to kill Alexander countless times, but this was only the second time she had directly harmed him.

The first had been when she was young and inexperienced, when he entered her bedchamber intending to assault her.

This was the second.

I should have killed him back then.

“I shouldn’t be like this…”

Her restraint was disappearing, and impulse kept sweeping her away.

It would only grow worse.

The more that happened, the larger the god she carried within her chest would become.

If she became the Saintess, she would hold the enormous power of the Alte Church in her hands.

Olivia thought.

Once everything ended, the empire would collapse, and the name Arken would remain engraved in history while losing all physical form.

When she stood at the end of it all, what would she do?

Would she acknowledge everything and accept destruction?

Or would she uglyly justify her own actions and beg for salvation?

It hurt.

Knowing she stood at the edge of a cliff, destined for ruin, cornered her completely.

Then, suddenly, a man’s voice returned to her memory.

“If, once everything is over, you are prepared to throw everything away, then I will gladly help you.”

Ferda’s words echoed in her ears.

Her unbearably heavy heart became astonishingly calm.

Olivia quietly clasped her hands in prayer.

“Lord Ferda.”

From lips that should have called the name of God, only one man’s name repeated again and again.