Chapter 39: Summary of positions

“Now, I suppose it’s time for me to step back. Prince Glenn, please be careful. This isn’t Lepent.”

It felt as if she were leaving a newborn by the water’s edge—muttering this, Monica slipped away.

A slight awkwardness settled in the room.

The guards outside the door were probably still tense as well.

The situation had already escalated.

Putting emotions aside for a moment, it was time to focus on what needed to be done.

With that thought, Glenn spoke up again.

“Did you learn Blood Magic?”

“…I never thought I’d meet someone else who mastered Blood Magic. Where on earth did you learn it?”

“I received help from a potion.”

“A potion… I’ve only heard of those in stories. So they actually exist?”

Glenn, with a mix of curiosity and disbelief, explained the method of creating the potion he made himself.

It wasn’t much of a secret anyway, and even if someone knew, how many would actually try it?

As the explanation went on, her expression shifted to one of utter shock.

“Good heavens, you drink that? Every day?”

“At least for now, yes. More than I expected—”

“If you drink that, your entire bloodstream would be trembling madly. Could it be that in that state, you forcibly carve mana into your blood to create control power?”

She knew better than most.

Is there even a ritual for alchemy?

Glenn nodded with a shudder.

Then Isabelle parted her lips slightly, shooting him a displeased look.

“Are you an idiot?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Honestly, I’ve never heard such an ignorant method before. This so-called potion is just deadly poison, isn’t it?”

There was nothing to argue.

It truly was a deadly poison.

“Setting aside how painful it must be, if you lose focus even slightly, it would be instant death. Are you still taking it now?”

“Ahem.”

“Good heavens, a goddess…”

A vampire acting like a goddess… no, that wasn’t right.

Glenn felt an inexplicable sense of injustice.

Who would willingly drink that?

“It’s not like I want to drink it. Anyway, Princess, where did you learn it?”

“…Hmm.”

Isabelle’s fingers tapped lightly on the table as if she was pondering.

“I learned it as a child to survive an incurable disease. More accurately, I suppose I ‘accidentally learned’ it.”

She learned Blood Magic without even realizing it?

Only one group on the continent could pull off such a bizarre method.

“Are you talking about the Winter Order?”

Glenn had only heard about it in his past life; he had never seen it firsthand.

The Winter Order itself was so closed off and secretive.

“You know it well? I’m from the south, so I spent my childhood there.”

“…But, is it really okay for you to tell me such things?”

“If I don’t speak properly, people will keep treating me like a vampire. Isn’t that right?”

I probably shouldn’t have asked.

Glenn sheepishly avoided her gaze.

“But—earlier, I noticed you manipulate your blood energy in a very unique way.”

There was curiosity in Isabelle’s tone.

“There’s nothing particularly special about it. But how did you do that earlier? You canceled my spell in an instant.”

“That’s actually not special at all. You just have to slightly twist the flow of blood energy that forms the spell.”

“…Excuse me?”

It sounded complicated even just hearing it.

To arbitrarily cut the flow of someone else’s blood energy while they’re casting a spell?

Glenn gave a crooked smile, and Isabelle smiled softly beside him.

“Shall I demonstrate? Not here… The training grounds would be more appropriate.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

He never expected to be able to talk Blood Magic with someone else in the north.

The two Blood Mages were unknowingly excited.

***

At the training grounds, the two Blood Mages exchanged opinions with great interest.

It was almost absurd from the perspective of Nedian and Sasha.

Watching their interaction, Sasha soon turned her back and disappeared.

She was focused on treatment.

Meanwhile, Isabelle felt both interest and alarm.

“Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone handle blood energy so recklessly. How did you come up with such an idea?”

Glenn was reacting to the principle of the Blood Pact he hadn’t tried yet.

The longer the continuous casting time, the worse the aftereffects, so it’s indeed a dangerous spell.

In fact, even Glenn, who used it briefly earlier, was feeling fatigued now.

“I thought of it by chance while researching the principles of magic. Besides, honestly, your method seems even more surprising than mine.”

Glenn inwardly felt alarmed as well.

Isabelle’s way of manipulating blood energy was insanely delicate.

As someone who had reached a high Blood Magic level like Rik Lang, he could attest to that.

She was a genius at Blood Magic.

“Is that so? I’ve never really thought about it like that.”

“Manipulating blood energy as delicately as you do, Princess, is no easy feat. I can guarantee you have an incredible talent.”

“Hm, sounds nice.”

Isabelle smiled pleasantly and sat down on a bench in the training grounds.

Watching her for a moment, Glenn hesitated before speaking.

“But—why did you use blood energy on me earlier?”

“…That topic again?”

Her eyes narrowed.

It was a statement that ruined the good atmosphere.

“I think it’s better to be clear. What was your purpose?”

His voice and gaze carried determination.

A kind of protest demanding a proper answer.

Isabelle sighed and pondered for a moment.

Then she hesitated before answering.

“If you handle blood energy delicately, many things become possible with even a brief touch. For example, you can control heartbeats.”

– Like falling in love.

She couldn’t bring herself to say that.

Like a child caught doing something wrong, Isabelle faltered as she spoke.

“So, what you’re saying is…?”

“…Please don’t make things difficult for me.”

The fan she was holding folded and unfolded slightly.

“You’re too much.”

Glenn frowned.

“Are you saying you did it on purpose to make me fall for you?”

“…I don’t want to say things like that, but you’re a man too. Isn’t that right?”

What a shameless woman.

They called her the “Flower of the Kingdom”—it seems she was a poisonous flower after all.

“Still, isn’t it strange to just swing a sword without warning?”

Isabelle also expressed dissatisfaction.

Sure, she had made the first mistake, but wasn’t Glenn’s reaction a bit excessive?

Besides, he had nearly shut one ear during the fight.

“That’s… true. I overreacted because of bad past experiences.”

More precisely, memories from his past life.

He had seen countless vampires try to deceive him by abusing Blood Magic.

After black mages, vampires were what he hated most.

But that aside, there was something he had to clarify now.

“Anyway, let’s be clear about this.”

Her stern gaze met his.

“I am the kingdom’s princess, and you are the Grand Prince of Lepent. Our relationship is established on that basis. Do not try to exploit me beyond that—in any way.”

Their relationship existed because it benefited both parties.

And nothing more than that was allowed.

Glenn was giving this warning now.

“Let’s just look out for what we need to, okay?”

“Wouldn’t that be easier for both of us?”

“Hmm… alright. Let’s keep it clean between us.”

Isabelle covered her mouth with the fan.

Because of that, Glenn couldn’t see the slightly mischievous curl at the corner of her lips.

***

“Sasha, is that man… disabled?”

Isabelle returned to the room and nervously muttered.

Sasha quietly rebuked her.

“…Princess, please be careful with your words.”

“It’s just you and me here anyway. Answer me—could that man be impotent?”

“I don’t think so…”

What kind of spite was this?

From Sasha’s perspective, her mistress seemed rather childish.

Though from outside appearances, it certainly didn’t seem so.

“Or maybe she likes men? Yeah, that makes more sense.”

Sasha chose to just listen quietly.

Isabelle perched on the edge of the bed, whining softly.

“Choo, how are you? Is your body okay?”

“I can move around.”

Having vented her frustration, Isabelle finally glanced at Sasha with concern.

Although she had treated her with Blood Magic, she would still have to be careful for a while.

“Hmph, such a foolish man.”

“Princess, that man is dangerous. Didn’t I tell you from the beginning?”

“…I know. That’s why I need him even more.”

Ron Glenn Lepent.

Isabelle planned to use him as her long-term asset.

But because the opposing guard was so meticulous and thorough, she acted more cautiously than usual.

However, the result was failure—or rather, not just failure but practically the worst possible outcome.

To make matters worse, her intentions were exposed, and the other party drew a clear line.

The reaction was distinctly different from the men who had fallen for a mere smile.

“Why are you so fixated on that man?”

“The conditions are perfect… and when have I ever been obsessed? How much have I really seen?”

“…That’s exactly my point. How much have you actually seen—”

Sasha muttered irritably but was ignored.

Glenn’s contact was arranged by none other than her father.

Her father was likely keeping a close eye on the man as well.

Having met him personally, he was indeed an extraordinary figure.

It was the first time she realized how different rumors and reality could be.

…Could her father have predicted even this without meeting him?

No, that was too far-fetched.

Regardless of who he was, just the fact that the Grand Prince of Lepent had visited Nilan at this time was significant.

That alone made his position in Nilan quite delicate.

“To turn my father’s thoughts around, I need a solid foothold.”

“…What about Contrat?”

“I know, which is why I need an even more solid foothold. Something so certain that no one can doubt it.”

Isabelle’s father cared deeply for her.

He was known for being the only one who truly communicated with her among the children.

But he was a serious misogynist.

He believed that leadership and the throne could never be held by a woman.

“That’s the only way to become the next ruler of the throne.”

From Isabelle’s perspective, wishing to become the first female queen of Ariane, it was a tough condition.

Especially since her political standing, aside from her abilities, was weak.

Her mother had left the world when she was young.

Because of that, jealousy and rivalry among her half-siblings were even harsher.

On top of that, her father Contrat was a brutal meritocrat.

Although she gained some interest after proving her abilities, as a child she was completely isolated.

Thus, the environment surrounding her demanded constant calculation, shamelessness, and coldness.

For her, the throne was more like a fence for survival than a trophy.

“That’s why I need that man.”

“Princess, that’s…”

If the rumors were true and Lepent was a dying nation, there would be no need to worry.

They would only be figureheads with no real followers.

But unlike the rumors, the problem was different.

So different, in fact.

Isabelle was almost half certain.

The moment Glenn sat on the throne, the entire Republic of Lepent would enter a new golden age.

Leadership, knightly skill, political acumen, dignity, insight—

He had everything a leader must possess.

Having observed countless human nobles, she trusted her instincts.

Therefore, keeping such a man as a long-term asset would naturally elevate her position.

That would bring her closer to the throne.

– Truly, it was an ambitious expectation.

“Phew.”

…Was this really the right way?

A pang of regret—or rather, doubt—escaped with her sigh.

Was it wrong to try to raise her status through others in the first place?

After all, she was the main subject, yet this felt like relying too much on someone else.

Her brief thought ended there.

Knock knock knock—!

“P-Princess! It’s urgent!”

A knight burst in, breathless.

Sasha, lying down, tried to get up but was stopped.

Isabelle opened the door herself.

Of course, her expression returned to normal before she spoke.

“What’s the matter?”

“There was a disturbance in the square. The protestors clashed with the riot squad.”

They fought again?

Those troublesome people.

But why such a commotion over this?

It wasn’t a minor incident, but nothing to be so shocked about now.

Large and small violent incidents had been happening for days.

“Hm, it was bound to happen. Was it the protestors causing trouble again?”

“But there’s… a more important fact.”

“Yes?”

The knight swallowed once before continuing.

“Prince Glenn and the Lion Knights were caught up in it.”

“…What?”

Isabelle’s eyes widened.