Chapter 21: Vol.1 – Episode 21
“That’s not true. I was resting feeling the breeze next to you.”
“I’m glad to hear that…”
“Did you enjoy it?”
Asked Sungjin, Ereka tried to answer.
“I… yes… I…”
Ereka looked at Sungjin and then looked around.
Then she realized.
“Yes, I had a lot of fun. I was dreaming about this thing for a while.”
“What dream?”
“As a successor of the throne… I need to protect the kingdom and the people… and that keeps me busy… but one day… I wanted to go on a picnic… someone nice… and enjoy the nature… and…”
Ereka couldn’t say the words she had in mind; the lover and secret rendezvous in nature, and looked down.
“Sorry, Sungjin. I organized it for you, but it was my dream as well.”
She dreamed of going on a picnic with a guy she likes or with her friends.
She gave up the dream a long time ago, but now, her dream already came true.
A royal princess of a kingdom.
The princess knight who protected the people.
But underneath her gown and armor, she had a tiny hope of an ordinary girl.
“Great. Let’s do it again after this battle.”
“Huh? Re….really?”
“Why not? Let’s do this again.”
“I… really… wish… we could…do it again.”
Ereka prayed.
Walking next to Sungjin, sitting next to him to enjoy a little picnic lunch together in nature…
That would be real happiness for her.
Not a short break before a battle like today, but I would be amazing if she had no worries and simply enjoy the moment.
Also…
If she could finish the unfinished task of the day would make her the happiest person in the world.
“Let’s defeat the blood ruler to come back. I promise.”
“Yes…Sungjin… Let’s do that. I can’t wait.”
Ereka showed a bright smile.
That was not the face of a strong and graceful princess knight, but an ordinary girl who was dreaming of a picnic.
No, a girl who was less than ordinary who couldn’t even enjoy that kind of simple picnic.
“Well. Let’ go then. We will be back.”
“Yes. Sungjin.”
Ereka’s steps were light and delightful on her way back.
Wow… It was… my first time.
She tried to protect her kingdom by all means. She was pus.h.i.+ng herself because there was n.o.body else. It was the first time she felt protected by someone after her late king father.
I’ve been dreaming of… having someone… who would protect me and love me?
Love… was an unclear part, but at least she was protected.
Sungjin swallowed hard.
That was close.
It was very close. He couldn’t count how many times he was imagining having her.
That was not something crazy for guys in his age, but today, there were so many chances he almost lost his control.
When she was leaning on him, he almost took her and kissed her
If he did, I was not sure if he could have stopped with a kiss.
Huh. That was really close.
What if he didn’t control himself.
She is too nice to reject me.
She thought she had to pay back his help, and the other day, she told him she would serve him in bed if he wanted it. He rejected it though.
Because that is the worst of the worst, he thought. If he helped someone in danger and ask their body as a payment, that couldn’t be a help.
People think she is a strong princess knight, but she is just a fragile and young girl when I see her like this.
She was just a girl who wanted to go on a picnic with everyone. But in reality, she had to wear armor on that slender body and had to hold a weapon to protect everyone.
She was the s.h.i.+eld of the people, but who would protect the s.h.i.+eld.
Sungjin wanted to be the one who protected her.
Rest when you are in my arms.
She made him dream something different from the earth.
On earth, his dream was to become a world champion by defeating all his strong enemies fair and square. And let the audience cheer for the game. That was it.
On earth, the game was just sports. It was nothing more than sports with money, honor and pride at stake.
But here, there was a kingdom at stake.
And the happiness of poor and cherishable people.
How he acted and what kind of result he brought could really change things and made him a real great legend.
Or the opposite.
I will protect them.
So that I could be proud of myself.
If he couldn’t protect this lovely girl, there would be no glory in his victory. Saving this poor girl had to be another priority along with the glory of defeating the strong enemy.
So I wouldn’t take this beautiful and charming body just to satisfy myself. Because I want to protect her not just from the villains but from myself as well.
He told himself and didn’t even touch her when he let Ereka sleep in his arms.
He kept promising himself. To come back for a picnic.
Because he was determined that he would make it possible again.
* * *
The picnic ended peacefully and joyfully. But that night, maids surrounded Ereka to ask her what happened. Jenna set in a corner pretending she was not listening
“Did you make it happen?”
“I don’t know what was wrong but Sungjin didn’t take me.”
“Really?!”
“Yes.”
“Oh my G.o.d…”
Jenna’s tail sword sharpened.
What?! He didn’t take her while she did all that?
“Maybe he didn’t feel it because I was not charming enough.”
“We thought you made it because you looked so happy.”
“But…”
Ereka blushed with shyness.
Dig it up! Now!
Jenna signed to the maids with her eyes.
“Would you like to share with us? So that we can plan for the next time.”
“Ok.”
Ereka explained everything from the start.
“Humm. So that is what happened.”
“Yes. It was a bit far from our plan, but he said he enjoyed and wanted to do it again. I was just so happy. But maybe I am not a woman enough for him.”
“That is…”
The maids looked at each other. They didn’t know how to understand his actions.
Jenna strongly grabbed the empty bottle.
What is going on?
Sungin oppa didn’t like the princess… was not the case.
He refused his level and social status to protect her. It is impossible that he doesn’t like her.
And well, it was more than just clear that the princess was head over heels for Sungjin.
Then why nothing happened in their secret rendezvous.
When Sungjin didn’t call the princess to his bed at first, he had his philosophy that he wouldn’t do it without love. But this time, what was the matter?
A guy and a girl at their sudden age, if liked each other, wasn’t it end of the story?
Even without a picnic, wasn’t it normal to knock on the girl’s window at night?
But why. Why.
Unfortunately, Jenna didn’t grow up in an era of the culture of Romeo and Juliet.
Jenna was smart and wicked but was too young to understand the difference between dating and marriage.
“I was just happy to hear that he wanted to do it again. Was too naive?”
Ereka revisited her memories to cloud her face.
Jenna’s tail sword stiffed.
Sungjin oppa, what the…! You can’t make a girl hanging like this!
But she couldn’t let the princess worried and sad like this. She quickly whispered to the wind spirit stone on the other end of the hammer.
And the maids followed her order.
“No, your highness. In our opinion, it was not that Sungjin didn’t want you.”
“R…right?”
Ereka’s face became slightly brighter.
“He.. he didn’t… take you… because…”
“Because…?”
Jenna’s tail sword was spinning rapidly.
“Maybe there is a custom not to take a girl before a huge battle?”
“I heard there’s such a tradition in a faraway land.”
“Or since he is level 0 now, maybe he thought it was a little too early for that.”
“I think that makes sense. He needs a victory to take his power back, and then he could make a baby who is properly strong.”
“Ah… that makes sense.”
Ereka nodded saying that made sense.
“Either way, he said to go back after the battle against the blood ruler. We believe he meant to do it when it is time after the battle.”
“Ok!”
Ereka found her bright smile again.
There were so many reasons she had to defeat the blood ruler.
Now there was one more added.
She wanted to go back on a picnic with him to make real love.
That dream filled up her heart.
That’s what you meant.
She thought he just wanted to do another picnic and was already happy enough.
This time… after defeating the blood ruler…
Ereka touched her cheek, closing her eyes.
She thought of the moment when she fell asleep in Sungjin’s strong arms. She felt shy but also very very happy.
Just that much made her so happy.
What kind of happiness she would feel when she really becomes his lover and loved by him pa.s.sionately.
The maids showed teats looking at excited Ereka.
Jenna hid tears behind the pillar.
Oh my princess. I’m so happy that you are happy.
Her tail sword rolled into a fist shape.
Count on me. I will make you two work.
The princess needed happiness.
I have no idea why Sungjin oppa didn’t take the princess today though…
The story she told the princess was to make the princess feel better. But when the battle against the blood ruler is over, she would get rid of all obstacles and to find their happiness.
She could follow after that.
Chapter 14
The battle day has come.
Sungjin, Ereka, Rittier and Jenna departed to the battlefield. This time it was quite far, so they activated a portal stone. A portal stone, that helped them to move a long distance in a second, was expensive but was very useful in these cases.
The people cheered for them crossing the portal.
“Your highness…defeat the enemy.”
“Please defeat the blood ruler.”
“Don’t let me be a slave of the blood ruler again. I will pray for your victory.”
A woman shouted with tears, holding a child in her arms.
“My oldest daughter was sacrificed for the blood ruler’s bath. And the second daughter was abused and killed by the three knights. Help me… to … save … this youngest child….”
Among them, there was Nania, who was saved right after their battle against the three knights.
“Please win.”
She couldn’t even imagine becoming a prisoner again.
They were rather begging than cheering.
“Sungjin. Please let us win.”
Said Ereka, made Sungjin smile.
“I promise. Anyways winning is my thing, but this time, there are more reasons to win.”
“Yes. Sungjin.”
Ereka smote off her head as a gesture to give him her everything.
* * *
There were flocks of crows on the way to the temple.
The unpleasant smell of blood from 20 dead bodies dropping blood upside down into the mobile bathtub was filling up the air.
There was Raid and her sword in it, next to her, three knights were standing like servants.
Blood queen who was full of magical power and s.e.xual power.
At the same time, she was the disaster and despair of the people.
She was the strongest despair
No, since she was strong, it was such deep despair.
“Finally.”
“Ah. Yeah. Finally here to defeat you.”
Eyes of Riad and Sungjin sparked.
“Hahaha. A weak extra like you will defeat me?”
Riad stood up laughing. Blood drops rolled down following her curvy magical body to show the destructive and enchanting charm of darkness.
“You will be miserably failed by awakened king.”
“Sure. That confidence. That’s what my prey looks like.”
Sungjin grinned without stepping back.
Her arrogance was the weak point that Sungjing could attack with his intelligence.
“A prey? Hahaha. There are millions of dead bodies and losers I took as prey.”
Riad held her magical sword. Blood in the tub sucked into the magical sword at once.
“On the other hand, you didn’t even take the princess who volunteered to become a sacrifice.”
“Hut. Lions don’t take every meat. Only hyena eats everything even if it is rotten.”
Sungjin snapped his fingers.
“Lion? Power is power! Your weakness is those theories. I will eat you alive!”
“Dream on. Until I wake you up.”
Both a.s.sured their victory, walked into the waiting room
They were all in for today’s battle anyways.
The winner would take the kingdom, while the loser would become a prisoner to be on the winner’s mercy.
And this battle would decide if the future would be a heaven or h.e.l.l for the extras.
This was the final battle. There was going back.
But they were only equal in their confidence. The princess team couldn’t hide their anxiety. While the three knights on the blood ruler side showed confidence.
Moreover, the people who came out to cheer for the princess predicted the result which was far from their wishes.
“But… do you think she could win?”
“Ha… probably not.”
“But still… she is fighting for us.”
“She is our only hope”
They wanted to clutch anything even if it was a straw. So people at the extra level wished the victory of the princess.
But a straw was just a straw. That wouldn’t let you float. That was reality.
And all the related people who were able to a.n.a.lyze the forces and abilities of each side shared that cold reality.
Not only hero levels were certain for the victory of the blood ruler.
“Haha, your kingdom sent you as well?”
“Well, this is the best chance to build up a relations.h.i.+p.”
There were amba.s.sadors sent from other countries.
Other countries looked into this internal war and they were sure that the blood ruler would unify the kingdom with her awakened power, so they sent out amba.s.sadors to celebrate the blood ruler’s victory in advance.
“Haha. That is true. We brought a set of huge diamond necklace and earrings..”
“We prepared more. We prepared a golden status of the blood ruler in her real size.”
“Ugh…”
“Hahaha. You both are not really prepared. We brought both the golden status and diamond accessories!”
They competed to see who could suck up to the blood ruler better with money and presents.
It was not their money but was squeezed out tax.
It was a pathetic compet.i.tion.
Although they thought it was a patriotic strategy.
Anyways, it was certain that the blood ruler will rule the world.
The princess had the princess of level 6, Rittier and Jenna of level 5Jenna and Sungjin of level 0.
On the other hand, the blood ruler had three level 6 knights. That already showed the advantage of the blood ruler. But the blood ruler had defeated the three knights with one blow. The military power was absolutely imbalanced disadvantaging the princess team.
Last time, ‘the princess used a gimmick and defeated the three knights…
But that was against the three knights, their tricks have no chance against the blood ruler
There were big differences between dominating with level and winning with tactic once.
Level was an absolute power whenever and wherever, while tactic didn’t work twice to the same opponent. There was no way the three knights would make the same mistake again, while there was no hope on the princess’s side.
* * *
[3… 2… 1… 0.]
With the declaration of Valkyrie, the battle started.
Southern territory map was 4:4. There were paths on the upper and lower side of the map where puppet soldiers were marching. And there was a huge forest between two paths where there were many neutral monsters. The big frame of the geography was not too far from the battle for the capital.
But the forest was wider, the neutral monsters were stronger, there was a crystal generator where they could just pick up crystals. Which meant The forest was important for the team who took the forest could have the upper hand with items using a large amount of crystals.
Sungjin ordered in the base of Team blue.
“Ereka. Head to the upper path. The blood ruler will go where there are more puppet soldiers with a shorter path.
“Yes. Sungjin.”
“Jenna. You take the lower path. Hold out as much as you can around the turret.”
“Yes. Sungjin oppa.”
“Rittier와 나는 the forest. 최대한 crystal을 모은다. 전체적으로 이미 어제 설명한 작전대로.”
“Yes, sir.”
Everyone answered while they couldn’t hide their anxiety in their eyes.
“Sungjin… But can we really make it? They are much stronger… can we win?”
Ereka asked again to make Sungjin smile.
“Well, they are absolutely stronger. I get it.”
He was facing reality.
“But there was an expression called throw that we used to use in games on earth.”
“Throw means throw the spear?”
“No, Throw the victory in a game. It’s slang when an advantageous team off their guard with arrogance or become greedy to show their weakness to be defeated by the disadvantaged team.”
“Ok. I’ve got one expression from your world.”
“Yes. And our enemy will throw the victory. Trust me.”
Sungjin a.s.sured her. And Ereka slowly nodded.
Yes. Sungjin. I give everything to you.