TVWRL Chapter 34
Ilias fell into thought, and I watched him intently.
“A contractual marriage?”
“Yes. It’s not an ordinary marriage but a contractual one where we gain what we need. For mutual benefit. You would be a great shield for me against the Myaria church, and I would be a supporter to help you ascend to the throne.”
There was a subtle crack in Ilias’s previously indifferent expression.
With the temple’s test approaching, I felt anxious.
“I will soon go to the temple for the divine power test. I hope the marriage announcement, or rather, the romance rumor, comes out before then. It would be a bigger event than the divine power test.”
The goal was also to cover up the event with a bigger one.
If the focus of the empire’s attention is solely on divine power, the church might try to undermine me if they cannot have me.
But if there is a bigger event?
With minor divine power and temporary goddess’s strength, I could smooth things over while promoting the greatness of the goddess by claiming her power is always with me.
“My relationship with you will become the biggest event in the empire. That’s why I intend to handle the romance announcement in a way unprecedented in the empire.”
Ilias gave me a puzzled look.
“It’s the paparazzi method. We would secretly take photos of our dates and publish them in the newspapers. This will instantly maximize public curiosity. With you as the center of attention, Empress Sierra will be unable to act immediately.”
In the empire, the royal family and nobles typically engaged in arranged marriages, so actual romance had never been a subject of interest.
Thus, our romance could become an even bigger topic.
A romance between a prince and a commoner.
No one would be uninterested in a scandal that transcends social status.
Moreover, it was a provocative topic of romance.
It would not only shake the empire but also impact neighboring countries.
Of course, I planned to widely spread the news even to foreign countries through word of mouth. If the foreign media also took an interest in the prince and his wife, it would be even harder for anyone to intervene.
Ilias stood up with a complex expression.
He gazed at me with an inscrutable look before turning and walking away. I felt I couldn’t let him leave like this. I was the one who was desperate.
I approached him and, without thinking, reached out and grabbed the hem of his garment. Ilias stopped and looked back at me.
“Please don’t say no without considering. If there’s even a small chance, wouldn’t it be right to take it? If it’s a method you haven’t considered, Empress Sierra might not anticipate such a scheme and could struggle to counter it. The war is already disadvantageous. In that case, wouldn’t surprising them increase the chance of victory?”
Ilias’s gaze shifted to the part of his clothing I was holding.
“Please, think positively.”
“Will you let go?”
“Ah…!”
Only then did I release the hem of Ilias’s garment. I hadn’t realized it, but it seems I had grabbed it quite firmly, causing wrinkles in the fabric.
“I’m sorry.”
Ilias shook his head to indicate it was okay.
His face looked so troubled that I couldn’t hold on any longer.
After Ilias left, I collapsed onto the bed. I was nearly exhausted.
I had put my whole heart into conveying my sincerity to him.
Since Ilias was fundamentally distrustful of others, it was necessary to be even more straightforward with him.
I had shown all the cards I had.
The dice of fate for both of us had been cast. So, I needed to stop looking back and focus on what I had to do.
I would overcome this no matter what it took!
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Upon returning to the palace, Ilias washed his face roughly. He had hoped to clear his mind by hearing the reasons, but he had returned with even more complicated and heavy thoughts than he had imagined.
‘A sudden marriage… and a contract marriage at that…’
Marriage was a choice he had never considered. His life had always been dedicated to the Myaria Church, warfare, and strengthening the imperial authority. It was a life of endless struggle.
Could marriage really be a means to an end?
He was certain he would never have thought of such a method if Adeline hadn’t suggested it.
To be honest, he had the skill to protect his own life. He just kept it hidden. Handling assassins sent by the empress was not difficult.
What was truly hard was gathering his own people.
He had tried several times to move neutral nobles, but each time he failed. Even when he offered what they wanted, the neutral nobles, aware of the Church’s power, were not easily persuaded.
The only response he had received was from Grinia Weizen, but Grinia was not the head of the house.
“Adeline Senner…”
He had known her name for some time and had even met her by chance.
“Could it really be possible?”
He needed to contemplate this carefully.
Ilias had lived a precarious life, as if walking on thin ice every day.
One mistake could shake the fragile foundation he had painstakingly built.
Hope and despair crossed his mind simultaneously.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Having done all I could, I went to the magic tower every day, punching in my attendance record like a diligent employee.
The fact that Paulian was the youngest next head of the Magic Tower became clearer as we worked together.
His classes were almost like private tutoring, on the level of a top instructor.
If Adeline had originally known how to use divine power, she would have acquired her memories and knowledge. But Adeline always thought her divine power was weak, so she hadn’t studied it at all.
It was unfortunate for me.
Through books, I could grasp the theory, but the practice was different. Fortunately, I had found a good teacher and was able to learn quickly and easily.
“I’ll place my hands for a moment.”
Paulian’s hands covered mine. I could feel the flow of magical energy.
“Do you feel a difference?”
“Yes. The two energies are distinctly different. Divine power and magic are similar yet different.”
“Divine power is, as the name suggests, something you are born with, while magic, although somewhat innate, can be supplemented with acquired skills.”
I listened attentively to him.
Though I appeared calm on the outside, I felt anxious thinking about the approaching test, which led to repeated mistakes.
Improperly handling the divine power circulating inside me had repercussions on my body.
“Ouch!”
I felt a sharp pain in my chest and placed my hand over it.
“Adeline, there’s no need to rush. Think of this as learning for your convenience. I’m making a good necklace to control divine power.”
I nodded and took out a small box from my bag.
“I brought what Paulian mentioned.”
I had brought a pendant shaped like a capital letter A.
“I think we can just put the gem Paulian made in the center.”
“It’s unique and pretty. I’ve felt this for a while, but Adeline, you seem to know a lot about of strange characters or models.”
He seemed to be referring to the character for “correct” (正). The Empire’s characters were different from Hangul, so they probably looked strange to him.
“I designed the pendant to be used as a necklace, pin, or brooch. I’ve also informed the jeweler. It will soon become the most common design in the capital.”
“Adeline, that’s a very good idea. Being common makes it less noticeable and less suspicious. People won’t even realize it.”
No one would suspect that an accessory anyone can wear is actually a divine power control device.
My determination to survive was stronger than anything else.
“I’m thinking of using it as a hair accessory on the day of the test. They might ask me to remove my jewelry or change my clothes.”
“That’s possible. I’m a bit disappointed that you’ve prepared so thoroughly that there’s not much for me to help with. You could rely on me a bit more. Haha.”
“Not much? I can only prepare so comfortably thanks to Paulian’s help. There’s no need for modesty when it’s needed, and it appears when it’s not. Let’s call it an unnecessary modesty.”
“Hahaha.”
Paulian laughed heartily, then went into the magic laboratory and came out with a small box.
“This is the gem to control divine power.”
What Paulian brought out was a gem smaller than a thumbnail, very tiny.
“It’s that small?”
“Of course. The previous gem was both less beautiful and practical. If you’re going to make one, spend some money on it. It was probably made by someone more stingy than salt itself.”
“Haha. Then I’ll have to narrow down the candidates to miserly ones.”
With Paulian’s help, it seemed that I would manage to get through the test reasonably well.
But this was just a temporary solution. The temple wouldn’t leave me alone even if I didn’t have divine power.
If I didn’t enter the temple, the Myaria Church would surely brand me as a heretic.
‘Please, let Ilias’s heart be swayed.’
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Your Highness!”
Ilias collapsed during a meal, clutching his chest. Zion helped him to the bed and gave him an antidote.
After taking the medicine and resting for half a day, his condition improved.
Ilias had trained extensively from a young age to build up resistance to various poisons.
The poison he ingested today was fortunately one of those he had encountered before. Seeing how quickly the antidote worked, it was possible to deduce that.
‘I guess my luck is better than Empress Sierra’s.’
Living under constant assassination threats might not seem ideal, but at least today, I survived.
So it seemed I was luckier than those who wanted to kill me. At least for today.
‘You’ve thought of the methods that Empress Sierra might have thought of, and you know all the methods she has considered.’
Adeline’s words were true. He was always prepared for the assassinations attempted by Empress Sierra.
‘Maybe what she said is right.’
Being weaker than the church, he couldn’t afford to be picky. It was right to do whatever could help, no matter what.
Since Ilias was not the type to hesitate once he made a decision, he immediately got up and went to find Adeline.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Ah!”
When I returned home from the magic tower, Ilias was sitting on the living room sofa.
“Were you waiting for me?”
Ilias nodded.
“In my house without my permission?”
Ilias nodded again.
“From now on, at least let me know in advance, Your Highness. Entering someone’s house without notifying the owner is considered trespassing. No, beyond trespassing, the owner should not be surprised when they come home.”
Ilias nodded obediently again.
