NOVEL NEXT Chapter 267
Receiving the demands of the Dragon Lord from Bernard, Jenis tightly shut her eyes and bowed her head. It was unexpected that Rose’s family conditions were on the line. While they weren’t unreasonable, Jenis wasn’t confident she could fulfill them given her already tense relationship with the Emperor.
“They say the Emperor also refused the Hero’s request,” Jenis mentioned.
“I’m not sure he’ll even see me if I ask for an audience,” she added.
“Shouldn’t we try something?” Bernard grimaced. Seeing his expression made Jenis chuckle lightly.
“You must have had a tough time, huh? I’m sorry about that.”
“Tough? I’ve been battling for ten years, and I’ve seen enough of the Demon King’s army’s fortress! I’ve never dared step foot on a plain so nerve-wracking. I met face to face with the Dragon Lord to negotiate—more than once! I’m going to demand a high price for that, seriously.”
“How about I give you a territory?”
“No, thanks. That’s a bother to manage.”
What was scarier than Jenis’s words was the fact that they weren’t just jokes. She held real power within the Empire, capable of dividing a barony as she pleased. Bernard grimaced at her offer. He was reluctantly involved with the underworld for unavoidable reasons, but even without that, Bernard Silverpoint fundamentally identified as an adventurer.
Being stuck managing a territory didn’t suit him, despite his considerable knowledge and eloquence.
“I’m Harker. Plus, I’m the Great Sage of the Magic Tower. It’s absurd to think I’d be worried about money.”
“If I were in need of cash or status, wouldn’t I just go to His Majesty instead of dawdling with a baron?”
Bernard hit the nail on the head. Jenis conceded that he was right. Before being in Jenis’s employment, Bernard was on good terms with Rose. If Rose were to recognize Bernard’s contributions and hand him a Count title along with a pile of gold, who would dare dispute that? Only a fool who didn’t want to live would do so.
“I know what you want.”
“Victory. Please reward my efforts with the defeat of the Demon King and the end of this war, Great Sage. I took on this madness because I believed you could achieve it.”
“I will make it happen. I absolutely will.”
“Then show that resolve. Convince the Emperor. If the path of victory lies with you, then that obstacle is trivial, right?”
At Bernard’s words, Jenis took a deep breath. He was right. Planning a battle that could turn the world upside down, and she hesitated to face the Emperor due to a messy entanglement. That was unacceptable. Jenis bowed her head deeply in thanks to Bernard, who had awakened this realization in her.
After Bernard left with an awkward expression, Jenis immediately sat down to write a letter to Rose. Although she was well aware that entering the Imperial Palace was prohibited, she expressed her deep desire to meet the Emperor directly in a place where people wouldn’t see.
After sending that letter via courier, she spent days anxiously awaiting Rose’s response.
About a week later, a reply from Rose Caprice arrived. The Emperor stated simply:
“It’s not difficult.”
It was a concise and short message that clearly showed the difficulty it took to write. She now had enough of a reason to meet Rose. However, Jenis found it hard to decide to see the Emperor and continued to pace around the camp.
Winter in the mountain fortress was cold. She hoped the chilly wind would cool her chaotic mind, but instead, the swirling snow felt like it would plunge her deeper into confusion akin to a long winter slumber.
And then, approaching her was none other than the Elf Lord of Eramenia.
“Harker.”
“Oh, it’s you, Princess.”
Hearing Margaret’s voice, Jenis turned around with an awkward smile. The relationship between Jenis and Margaret was not as prickly as that of Rose and Jenis, but there was a different kind of ominous shadow looming between the Emperor and the Baroness.
Margaret had the upper hand. Although it was questionable whether they had ever truly fought properly, that was the reality at the moment. This was a subtle pain that prodded at Jenis’s heart, and Margaret was aware of it, causing her to hesitate in approaching Jenis.
However, seeing Jenis in her current state, Margaret couldn’t just stand by. The Fairy Lord asked,
“What are you doing, dear?”
“I’m just getting some fresh air. Although, it doesn’t seem like the kind of wind to clear my mind,” Jenis replied.
“What are you doing, dear?”
Margaret asked with an expectant tone. Realizing she couldn’t come up with any excuses, Jenis tightly shut her eyes. After all, this was something the elves needed to know about. It’s only logical since Phineas commanded the 3,000 special troops, which were crucial to this operation. No, before that, Eramenia was their most important ally.
Without a word, Jenis handed Margaret the operation plan containing the details of the Overlord Beheading operation. This was her masterpiece, hidden even from Jeongjae out of fear of it reaching Margaret’s ears. In silence, Margaret read the document Jenis handed over, her face contorting with concern. She returned the document to Jenis and asked,
“Were you scared?”
“There’s a lot to be scared of—”
“Were you scared I would get angry?”
Jenis clammed up. Margaret’s expression turned sad.
“You seem to mourn that people around you don’t trust you, yet it feels like you’re the one who can’t trust me first. You should have consulted me. At the very least, you should have asked me.”
“Yes, I didn’t trust you. I couldn’t believe the Elf Lord, who lost half of their homeland to dragons, would agree to my plan. I admit I acted shamefully, trying to negotiate first and inform later. But how could I trust Your Highness? The resentment you hold is unmistakable—”
“That is not the kind of trust I’m talking about. I believe you don’t think I would empathize with the anger you harbor or the madness you’re falling into, and that’s what’s sad.”
Margaret dusted the snow off her face. Jenis stared up at her with wide eyes.
“If you empathized, would you have agreed?”
“Fighting the dragons isn’t wise. I too have been pondering ways to avoid fighting the dragons forever. To directly engage in negotiations like this… Yeah. It’s an idea elves would never consider. The dragons have become our enemy now. But, if you had simply told me your truth, I wouldn’t have opposed your idea. In fact, I would have cooperated in controlling the domestic opinion to support you. Just as this war means so much to you, I too carry desires for victory and revenge. Why can’t you believe we are fighting for the same ideal?”
“My desires are trivial. They’re not as grand as what you seek, Princess. I can’t forgive the beast that killed my father; I can’t forget that face that treated me with contempt and disdain! World peace, fulfilling a great cause—those ideals are now secondary to me. For someone as amazing as you, to have my anger understood…”
“If it weren’t for that maddening rage and fury, I wouldn’t have even come this far!”
Margaret shouted.
“Is it because I’m a High Elf? Or is it that I unconsciously look down on others? Sometimes humans, no, even fairy kin assume I can’t grasp their trivial emotions. They speculate I would despise desires that stray from the greater good. But you see, I’m just a coward who fears defeat, who only dared step out when hearing of my mother’s struggles, still trembling when holding a sword or bow because I can’t shake off that fear. I wouldn’t even set out on this expedition without thoughts of revenge. How do they see me?”
Jenis fell silent. It seemed Margaret’s words unintentionally wounded her. Margaret bit her lip and gently spoke.
“If what you need is Rose’s help, then confront her directly, little one.”
“But, Your Highness…”
“She is the Celestial Lord. Yet deep within her, the heart of a mortal lies dormant. Rose Caprice is weak toward those who reveal their true feelings. If you only show her what kind of resolve you’re fighting with, she will support you, even if she has to face you in the future.”
“It hurts my heart.”
Jenis said, a tear welling up. Margaret, looking perplexed as to what she said to make Jenis cry, rolled her eyes.
“Did I say something wrong again?”
“No, you haven’t said anything wrong at all, which hurts my heart. Seeing Your Highness casually express insights and advice I could never muster makes me feel sad. Why, because, because…”
Jenis turned to the tent, pulling her robe tightly around her face. Her hand gripping the staff trembled weakly, like that of Margaret holding a weapon.
“I feel like I might understand why she was drawn to you and not me. It makes sense.”
Even the renowned adviser Margaret had no words to respond to that. She was the last person in the world who should comfort Jenis on this matter.