I Married the Dragon I Killed

Perda answered.

“She is a very beautiful woman.”

It was a fact he could state with complete ease.

“She is. They don’t call her the Flower of the Empire for nothing.”

Valdemar let out a displeased snort.

“But I wish she were only beautiful—that’s precisely the problem.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Someone like you, who isn’t swayed by appearances or driven by emotions, must have already seen who she truly is.”

“What exactly do you mean, Grand Duke Valdemar?”

“I mean that woman is destined to become my companion.”

Perda thought.

‘Has this old man finally lost his mind?’

“I suppose you’re thinking the same thing everyone else is. That this old man simply covets a young woman. That I should quietly die instead of doing something so ridiculous.”

At least he seemed aware of how others viewed him.

“But no matter what people say, I am completely convinced. Olivia is the companion that fate has reserved for me.”

Madness was mixed into that calm voice.

The promise the Emperor had made him was precisely to give Olivia to him as his partner.

“My companion is still wandering. And…”

His eyes fixed coldly on Perda.

“It seems that detour in her path intends to become you.”

“…”

Perda’s face filled with disgust.

Garnet had once told him about the person who died after becoming involved with Valdemar.

“As far as I know, Stella Arken was the woman destined for you.”

Stella.

The elder sister of Imperial Princess Olivia.

It was said that she had died in an accident when a balcony collapsed.

But the truth was different.

It had been suicide.

And Valdemar had been behind it all.

All because of his sick obsession with making her his.

“Ah… Stella… yes… Stella was there too.”

Tears began to fall from Valdemar’s eyes.

As he spoke her name, he mourned her loss.

“Poor girl. If only that poor child hadn’t tried to defy fate, none of this would have happened…”

That unnaturally intense reaction proved he was speaking from the bottom of his heart.

Even Perda felt a chill run down his spine.

“Since Stella ended up like that… this time, I’ll never let her slip away. I cannot lose the woman fate has chosen for me twice.”

After wiping away his tears, his eyes became dry once more.

He was a man who was completely broken.

Perda met his gaze and replied,

“I’ll repeat it one more time. I have no interest whatsoever in the Imperial Princess. Even if she felt affection for me, it would not be the affection between a man and a woman. And even if it were, it is still something I do not need.”

“Is that so?”

Seeing Perda’s resolve, the pressure radiating from Valdemar eased slightly.

However, the very next moment, Perda felt he might have just made a mistake.

Valdemar’s gaze grew even deeper.

“Then perhaps you can help me.”

“What do you mean?”

Valdemar made his proposal.

“Make Olivia acknowledge that I am the man fate has reserved for her.”

***

Perda climbed into the carriage and left the Imperial Palace.

From the moment he left the reception room, Valdemar’s words had continued echoing in his mind.

— As I told you before, this Empire is already full of people who lack patriotism. Even if you don’t love the Empire either, you’ll simply be one more anti-patriot.

Perda was nothing more than a single raindrop falling into an immense river.

Then Valdemar had spoken of the reward for accepting his proposal.

— If you cooperate with me, I can solidify the Far East’s position. I can even grant it a level of autonomy that, in practice, would be almost equivalent to independence.

Valdemar’s proposal was so extreme that it could easily be considered a conspiracy to commit treason.

Under the banner of a single Empire, such a proposal should never have been allowed.

‘Is Olivia really worth that much?’

That obsession was terrifying.

And how had Perda reacted?

He hadn’t answered immediately.

More precisely, while weighing what his answer should be, Valdemar had decided to postpone it.

That was why, instead of replying, the proposal continued to linger in his mind.

‘Olivia Arken.’

In the future he knew, she had never become a Saint.

She had tried to influence the nation’s destiny through her beauty.

And even that had ultimately failed.

‘Although things are different now.’

The Olivia who had once been stuck at the Third Circle had already reached the Fourth Circle.

She was taking her first steps toward becoming a Saint.

She now possessed potential.

And the ability to turn that potential into reality.

Olivia was a brilliant strategist.

And an extraordinary politician.

Even so, there were still far too many variables.

To the nobles around her, Olivia’s value as the Imperial Princess was immense.

To the young noblewomen, she was the perfect model upon which to build their future.

To the young noblemen, she was a dream worthy of fairy tales and a source of inspiration.

Even powerful old men like Valdemar coveted her beauty without end.

If Olivia spread her wings to soar even higher, everyone would try to seize them and tear them away.

Although she seemed to have everything under control, she was actually surrounded by far more dangers than anyone could imagine.

Valdemar, on the other hand, enjoyed an utterly solid position.

He had the support of both the people and the nobility.

In practice, he was the true man in power.

If he chose to support Perda, it would be almost the same as eliminating every future danger facing the Far East.

‘And all of that could be achieved by handing over a single woman.’

It was such a simple decision that it was chilling.

Exchanging a future filled with uncertainty for a reliable ally.

A situation that was as tempting as it was uncomfortable.

‘That’s probably why he let me leave without demanding an answer.’

He was a first-rate strategist.

The deeper a person sank into their thoughts, the more cautious they became.

But at the same time, they also began to feel fear.

And once fear took hold, people ultimately chose the safe option instead of taking risks.

“Lord Regent, we’ve arrived.”

The carriage stopped in front of the luxurious inn where Perda was staying.

The knights guarding the entrance recognized him immediately, saluted him, and opened the door for him.

However, instead of entering, Perda changed direction.

“I’m going for a short walk.”

“Then we’ll accompany you…”

“I’ll go alone.”

He replied briefly, as though his mind were filled with worries, and tried to brush off his escort.

But even if a noble said he didn’t need one, the knights couldn’t simply obey.

So they began following him discreetly.

However, when Perda turned into an alley, their entire mission fell apart.

He had vanished without a trace.

“Huh?”

“Did you see where he went?”

“No… I didn’t. He literally disappeared without leaving a single trace…”

Thinking he had sprinted away at full speed, the knights quickened their pace.

But no matter how thoroughly they searched, they couldn’t find the slightest sign of Perda.

“Split up and look for him! If we lose him, we’ll have our heads cut off!”

Contrary to what the knights imagined—that he had already gone far away—Perda hadn’t taken a single step since entering the alley.

The magic he was using came from the shadow techniques of the Great Demon Barbatos.

Shadow Inside.

It was a concealment spell that completely hid his body within the shadows, suppressing even his presence and every sound.

Not even detection spells could uncover him.

It was a stealth spell far superior to any other of the same level.

However, it had one fatal flaw.

‘If light reaches me, I’ll be exposed immediately.’

If any of those knights had been carrying even a simple lantern, Perda would have been discovered instantly.

But this was the imperial capital.

A place like a labyrinth where, aside from the main avenues, dark corners were everywhere.

Using that darkness to escape all surveillance, Perda set off.

His destination was an alley where the pleasant scent of food and flowers disappeared, replaced by the stench of the sewers.

As he ventured deeper, a slum appeared where sewage and all the city’s garbage collected.

Several beggars lay on the ground soaked in filth, using it as a bed while begging for alms.

Perda walked past them without stopping.

His steps were headed toward a very specific destination.

“Sir… please… spare even a single coin…”

An elderly beggar woman was waiting for him there, pleading in a hoarse voice.

Kneeling with her body completely bowed, she raised a wooden bowl.

At the same time, Perda noticed a tattoo on her wrist.

He took out a coin and dropped it into the bowl.

The old woman lowered her head again until it touched the ground.

“My respects, Lord Regent.”

The hoarse voice disappeared.

In its place came the voice of a young woman.

It was Garnet.

“Shall we move somewhere else?”

“There’s no need. This entire area is under my control. There’s no chance of any information leaking.”

Perda discreetly extended his shadow to inspect the surroundings.

Just as she had said, numerous people remained hidden, watching over the area.

Satisfied, he began speaking.

“What did you learn from observing the hearing?”

“To be honest… once again, something happened that was beyond our expectations.”

“Did I make a mistake?”

“No. On the contrary. Your performance was excellent.”

She had listened to Perda’s entire speech and had also carefully observed the audience’s reactions.

The results had far exceeded expectations.

“It was precisely because the effect was so successful that the chances of the enemy resorting to extreme measures increased significantly.”

So even success could create new variables.

Perda already knew what extreme measure she was referring to.

“To make matters worse, Grand Duke Golt has played the Yurei card.”

Garnet, who had been keeping her head lowered, looked up.

“He told you personally?”

“Yes.”

“If he was willing to mention it so openly, it means he’s already prepared to prevent any possibility of escape.”

Near the end of the Beginning of Spring Festival, Perda had kidnapped Duke Yurei’s son.

The reason was simple.

He had publicly insulted Valdrova during the banquet.

Perda had intended to torture him.

He wanted to make him suffer more than death itself.

But he never got the chance.

Because the young man took his own life first.

Perda knew exactly what had happened.

He was directly involved.

And also the prime suspect.

But.

What about those who didn’t know the truth?

Valdrova was the Grand Duchess.

And as Grand Duchess, she was obligated to uphold the Empire’s laws.

If they succeeded in manipulating public opinion in that direction, the discussion would inevitably shift to another matter.

‘Black magic.’

The fact that the one who had killed young Yurei had not been physical force, but black magic.

Then they would begin investigating where that magic had come from.

And how it had been used.

Perda already knew who would be handling that matter.

‘Erdes.’

She had been waiting precisely for that moment.

She was the greatest authority on magic across the entire continent of Serdes.

And, moreover, she despised black magic.

Even if she knew that Perda had not cast that spell, there was still a possibility that she would deliberately choose not to clarify it.

“What do you think will happen?”

“First, Duke Yurei will reveal everything in front of the inn where you’re staying. At the same time, the people they’ve stationed throughout the city will begin spreading the rumors. By the time you arrive at the Golden Council, practically every citizen will already know the story.”

“I see. Are there any other variables?”

“Yes. There’s one more.”

“What is it?”

“A close subordinate of Prince Alexander tried to contact someone in Hestia Village.”

“Who?”

“William, the captain of the guard.”

William.

The former knight cadet who had served under Duke Yurei.

“And what happened?”

“He temporarily stepped down from his duties as captain of the guard, and the two of them used a teleportation spell. It appears they intend to present him as a witness.”

‘“…”

William had taken up the sword to protect the people.

But.

What would happen if he discovered that Perda was actually a black mage and had killed Duke Yurei’s son?

Furthermore.

Perda had personally driven a dagger through his hand simply because he had been angry.

He had tried to take away what, to a knight, was his very life.

It wouldn’t be strange if William decided to reveal everything.

“We’ve already located where he’s staying.”

“I see.”

“If he poses a risk, perhaps we should consider eliminating him.”

Assassinate him…?

Erdes hated Perda.

And the Church of Alte maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward black magic.

Even if nothing happened today, tomorrow he would have two more enemies.

In a situation like that, avoiding making yet another enemy was already the best possible outcome.

And if he could also gain an ally.

That would practically be a miracle.

“It’s time to consider Valdemar’s proposal…”

“What did the Grand Duke ask for?”

“He wants me to help him win over Olivia Arken. In return, he promises to leave the Far East alone.”

“…The Imperial Princess.”

Garnet let out a quiet sigh.

She knew perfectly well that, within the Empire, Perda’s greatest ally was Olivia herself.

“What do you intend to do?”

“I don’t know. Even if he gets what he wants, he could change his mind afterward.”

“I don’t think he will.”

Garnet replied without hesitation.

“You think he’ll keep his word?”

“His obsession with Olivia Arken is enormous. In fact, just before he was about to obtain Stella Arken, he had already appointed his heir and planned to retire permanently. If he gets Olivia, it’s highly likely that everything related to the Empire will cease to matter to him.”

Human greed knew no end.

Under normal circumstances, Perda would never have believed such words.

But he had already seen a very similar case.

‘Henri Dandolo.’

He had driven his own father to his death.

And he had even handed the Pascal Company over to Perda.

Everything.

Just to obtain the Pascal Company’s eldest daughter.

“What do you think I should do?”

“The person you can truly trust is the Imperial Princess, but we can’t guarantee that the plan will unfold the way we hope. Valdemar, on the other hand, offers immediate results and far greater stability—as long as we can truly trust him.”

The advantages and disadvantages were perfectly clear.

And most people would ultimately lean toward Valdemar.

Even Perda was beginning to do so.

“For now…”

Perda gave Garnet an order.

“Continue with the plan.”

“…Do you really believe they’ll be involved?”

“Without a doubt.”

Perda spoke that name with utter contempt.

“Those damned bastards.”

Before dying, Duke Yurei’s son had said only one sentence to him.

Welcome to this damned world.

Perhaps it had merely been a phrase programmed to activate at that moment.

But Perda didn’t believe that.

‘It was a message.’

The demons had been waiting for the situation to reach precisely this point.

The reason they had chosen to attack the imperial capital instead of the Far East during that encirclement operation.

Was to slowly suffocate the Far East.

The interests of both sides fit together in a way that was as cruel as it was simple.

As though someone were standing at the edge of a cliff—a slight push from behind would be enough to send everything out of control.

“I’ll do everything I can to find out, but investigating an enemy whose identity we don’t know may accomplish nothing.”

“What do you mean, accomplish nothing?”

“I mean that by the time we find them, it may already be too late.”

The fate of the Far East was at stake in that post-war hearing.

With such a burden on his shoulders, Perda couldn’t find an answer.

What should I do…?

“Perhaps a good option would be to ask the person directly.”

“The person directly…?”

Garnet gestured toward the alley with her eyes.

Footsteps began to echo from that direction.

Garnet’s voice gradually grew rough, like fingernails scraping across a chalkboard, until it returned to the hoarse voice of the old beggar woman.

“Then this poor old woman will be on her way.”

She limped away and disappeared from sight.

The beggars who had been watching over her left together with her.

At the same time, a group of people appeared at the end of the alley.

All of them wore hooded robes.

Those dressed in dark gray robes had broad shoulders and sturdy builds.

In the middle of them was someone much shorter and more slender, whose white robe was decorated with golden embroidery.

Should he say it was to be expected?

Even though that figure was concealed beneath a thick robe, it was impossible to hide the beauty underneath.

A single glance was enough to realize that it was the Flower of the Empire.

“Oh?”

Olivia Arken.

With her sweet voice, she let out an exclamation filled with feigned surprise.

“Why, isn’t that Lord Regent?”