I Married the Dragon I Killed

Red Circles are created from emotions.

That was precisely the key Lucy had dropped.

Because of that, the main circuit is always a single one and, unlike Blue Circles, it cannot be replaced by another method.

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Once he visualized it clearly in his mind, Perda immediately began.

However, Perda found himself in an exceptional situation where two emotions were interfering with the same mana circuit.

‘I’m going to divert that interference into another Circle.’

He focused on the sensation of Shape of Shadow.

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To convince himself that this body had never truly been a body.

‘Concentrate everything into the shadow.’

Like the enlightenment attained by that master of transformations who once dreamed he was a butterfly.

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‘Now I’ll create the Circle this way.’

At last, Perda became a shadow.

And that the thing attached to the ground was, in reality, his true self.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 118: Shadow Circle published by TrungTu Reads.

Therefore, he had to proceed using the technique for forming a First Circle.

His shadow body circulated no Circle.

Perda evoked negative emotions.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 118: Shadow Circle published by TrungTu Reads.

He absorbed that memory through all five senses.

It was the instant when Valdrova tore out her own heart.

It was not difficult to find.

The moment he regretted the most.

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Why are you doing something so foolish?

Then he felt something brushing against his ears.

That voice had already understood his intentions.

I’m not trying to harm you. amateur I want to help you.

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Even if the day comes when you can no longer protect what you wish to protect?

Perda replied.

“No matter what you say. absorb I won’t allow you to do whatever you want.”

“Yes.”

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“I don’t care.”

Then all that will remain for you is regret once again.

Even if he ended up regretting not having enough power, he would not allow his past self to dominate him.

Perda had already made his decision.

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I understand.

Remember this.

But don’t push yourself too hard.

If you desire power, I will always give it to you.

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It was at the moment he felt that voice separate from him on its own.

— I am always inside you.

Something black and viscous began to stir inside his shadow body.

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As he circulated it, Perda concentrated and shaped it as if molding clay.

The hand that was forming the Circle stirred that mass and made it flow.

The entire process was like walking through a field of thorns.

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And at the same time, continuing to deceive himself so as not to recognize his true body even once.

Extracting negative emotions without being dominated by them.

Even as he felt the process consuming his mind, he pushed himself to the limit.

The instant he failed, he would die.

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Perda opened his eyes.

‘There is someone who must be happy.’

That conviction alone was enough to sustain him.

Shortly afterward, he felt the Circle that had previously been rotating violently begin to stabilize into a defined form.

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He saw his elongated shadow cast by the light of a candle behind him.

‘So this is what she meant.’

And a Circle rotating with a color even deeper and darker than that shadow.

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Two emotions capable of interfering.

When he did not understand its meaning, those words had been confusing.

But now he understood that they were exact.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 118: Shadow Circle published by TrungTu Reads.

Each would move separately without mixing.

Two Circuits.

If that new Circle moved, it would mean it was an emotion he needed to be wary of.

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Perda reduced the shadow body and drew it toward himself.

The newly formed Circle followed it.

If the original Circle moved, it would mean it was an emotion he could continue nurturing.

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‘My amount of mana has increased as well.’

He then felt both of them rotating while meshing together, like gears helping one another.

Then he placed it beneath the main Circle that already resided in his dantian.

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It was not a simple mathematical sum.

It was strange.

With an auxiliary Circle added to his former 4 Circle, his mana quantity had reached a level close to that of a 5 Circle.

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‘That only means one thing.’

And yet, that single Circle was nearly equivalent to three.

Normally, at least three more Circles would be needed to approach that level.

Adding a 1 Circle to a 4 Circle should not produce the amount of mana of a 5 Circle.

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That emotion was extraordinarily intense.

An emotion that had once reached the level of a 9 Circle, the realm of demigods.

What had created that Circle was Perda’s regret.

‘I must not feed it until I reach at least the 5 Circle.’

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He had to strengthen his love.

It would not be an easy path.

And suppress his regret.

At the same time, he had to control it so it would support him and keep both in balance.

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And that meant he could control it as well.

Now he could see it.

He could feel it.

Even so, Perda felt relieved.

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The situation was far better than when everything had been uncertain.

And he decided to give it a name.

‘Shadow Circle.’

This was a power that only Perda could possess.

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***

The warmth touching the earth caused small green sprouts to timidly emerge, offering a silent prayer to the morning light.

In the midst of a winter that seemed eternal, sunlight began to carry warmth.

Content of I Married the Dragon I Killed - Chapter 118: Shadow Circle published by TrungTu Reads.

It was an expression of gratitude because the time of suffering had ended and Alte’s blessing had arrived.

Spring had come.

The refugees who never left the stoves finally enjoyed the sunlight.

The followers of Alte also gazed upon the vegetation and offered a brief prayer.

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Perda conducted the quarterly review together with Isabella, the administrator.

“The basic construction of the village has been completed.”

The streets regained their vitality.

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The completion of the first phase meant that all buildings essential to the village’s operation had already been built.

The third would include the construction of walls and other large-scale projects.

The second phase would consist of expanding buildings and dividing districts.

“Were there any problems?”

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“As always happens when work is done in stages, there were some inconveniences.”

It was natural.

“When we designed the walls, we calculated a capacity ten times greater than the current population, correct?”

They had started construction of the walls ahead of schedule, even though it had originally been planned for later.

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Slowing population growth meant stopping the acceptance of refugees.

“After reviewing the data, we have reached a conclusion. abandon We need to slow population growth.”

“That’s right.”

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Because it was true.

They had accepted nearly every refugee who arrived.

“That is a difficult accusation to refute.”

“We have begun receiving petitions from nobles within the Empire. arctic They claim that we are diverting refugees.”

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“Not a chance.”

The reason other territories rejected refugees was not only the harsh winter.

“Some nobles are also demanding that we return the refugees.”

When spring arrived, every laborer was valuable.

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Perda was not a philanthropist.

The purpose of attracting people without a single coin to increase the population was to bring life to the city.

“I completely agree.”

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And the more merchants arrived, the more rumors spread.

“I dare say that would be the worst option.”

“Will sending a letter telling them not to dream of it be enough?”

The more people there were, the more merchants arrived.

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“Then the answer will be assassination.”

“If they have already sent a petition, it means our influence has grown to the point of being considered a force. canvas What we need now is to cut off that current. arrow If we respond with a letter, we will only be opening a breach for that current to grow stronger.”

Isabella replied coldly.

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Upon hearing that, Isabella blinked.

“…Are you serious?”

“It’s a joke.”

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And no matter how she thought about it, it had not sounded like a joke.

Perda more or less understood what Isabella meant by that current.

She had never imagined the word “joke” would come out of Perda’s mouth.

He had accumulated far too many enemies in his life not to know where that kind of resentment eventually flowed.

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‘The Empire.’

One way or another, they would try to slow it down.

They could not simply sit back and do nothing.

For the Empire, the explosive growth of the Dragon Duchess’s territory would not be pleasant.

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“What do you think we need right now?”

“Contacts, of course. palette What political problems require are contacts.”

They might even spread the impression that Perda was provoking wars everywhere in order to create refugees and absorb them.

It was precisely what Perda was worst at after physical activities.

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Just as a village chief only holds authority within his own village, outside of it he is nothing more than a mere outsider.

“Isn’t Count Consilus here?”

“Count Consilus is an excellent person, but his influence is limited to the Far East.”

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That it would be good to become close to someone with real power within the Empire.

Back then, it had seemed like a distant problem.

Consilus always said the same thing.

He had never imagined he would end up building a city in his own front yard.

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Perda mentally returned to that day and tried to remember the people he had gotten along with.

“Friends…?”

“As I understand it, you already attended the Council once. portal Didn’t you become friends with anyone there?”

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“Rector Escolea does not have enough influence to serve as political backing.”

A completely bald and shining head appeared in his memory, gleaming like the sun.

“There’s Rector Escolea.”

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If anything, it would be Perda who would have to support him.

It made sense.

“And what about Lorga Magic Tower, which declared an alliance with us?”

“They have influence, yes. amateur But their principle is not to interfere in human politics. antique If the matter is not related to demons, they will not lift a finger.”

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They always said that human affairs should be resolved by humans themselves.

Where could he find such a person?

“We need someone inside the Empire. canvas At the very least, someone capable of containing any attempt by the Empire to hinder our growth.”

Someone like that.

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“A visitor from the Empire has arrived.”

Just as Perda was reflecting on it, Ruri appeared, having been carrying out cleaning duties.

***

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The person who arrived via the Imperial roads was a knight.

His armor was adorned with silver and gold, clearly conveying that no one should dare treat him lightly.

He bore the direct emblem of the Imperial Family.

But Perda was a knight.

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Those responsible for delivering letters written by members of the Imperial bloodline.

‘A messenger.’

He deduced it when he saw the owl feather attached to the knight’s helmet.

And he knew perfectly well what his role was.

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“I present my respects to the Grand Consort of Fire! arctic I am Aren, an Imperial Knight!”

A high-ranking position that could not be ignored.

“Welcome to Castle Valdrova. altitude What brings you here?”

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If he had come to proclaim an Imperial decree, he would have brought a luxurious scroll rolled around a golden rod.

Inside was a letter carefully packaged by the person who had written it.

The knight pulled out a box he had been carrying close to his chest.

“I have come to deliver a letter from the Imperial Family.”

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‘If they’ve sent a letter like this…’

Perhaps because of the conversation he had just had with Isabella, the first thing he thought was that this might become a valuable contact.

That meant it was not an official position of the Empire, but a personal matter sent by a member of the Imperial Family.

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He broke the seal and read the contents.

Since Isabella handled all the complicated matters, Perda had no problem telling her.

“If it isn’t too private, may I ask what it’s about?”

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“In a week.”

“A member of the Imperial Family is coming to visit.”

“So soon? voyage Tomorrow already?”

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From their perspective, even a week was still short notice.

And members of the Imperial Family were true VVIPs.

Which member of the Imperial bloodline would be coming?

Time within the Empire was far too valuable.

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Perda looked at the signature at the end of the letter.

“It’s a letter sent by an Imperial Princess.”

The slight anticipation he had felt disappeared the moment he saw the first name.

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“A beautiful façade on the outside but empty on the inside.”

Unlike the Imperial Princes who possessed succession rights, she could not directly express political opinions.

Olivia Arken.

Isabella was right.

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And Perda, who was starving, needed something to put in his mouth immediately.

But even an empty façade was still better than nothing.