Chapter 22.
A Prodigy Among the Face-Lovers
“Your Majesty the Queen, I’ve brought everything you ordered.”
“Thank you, Millie. You’ve done well.”
Inside the thick envelope that Millie handed over were portraits of all children under ten years old from noble families across the Kingdom of Pritan.
I carefully examined each one.
“Oh my, they really are all boys.”
Some still had their baby fat and looked cherubic, while others already had a composed and sturdy appearance uncharacteristic of their age.
“This little guy—look at those eyes! He’s going to break a lot of young ladies’ hearts someday. You pass!”
“Your Majesty!”
Millie scolded from beside me.
“They’re not even ten yet! Isn’t it a bit much to judge their looks already? Why are you even looking for handsome boys?”
“I want to introduce Violet to jewel-like friends her own age. So that she won’t even glance at any old kings later on.”
Millie looked absolutely dumbfounded.
“Are you doing this in case Lady Violet falls for His Highness Miklok when she comes of age?”
“Better safe than sorry. No harm in preparing early.”
Pretending not to notice Millie’s incredulous expression, I put my face-connoisseur’s instincts to work and picked out five portraits of boys who seemed least likely to grow up weird-looking.
“Soon, I’ll be holding a party at the Queen’s palace for boys and girls under ten. Everyone will get an invitation, but Violet’s seat will be rotated among these five boys. Surely she’ll take a liking to at least one of them.”
Smiling wickedly, I waved the selected portraits in satisfaction.
“Your Majesty, the Duchess of Zenon and Lady Violet Zenon request an audience.”
Sophie announced their visit.
I quickly headed to the drawing room where they waited, and Violet ran straight into my skirts.
“Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen~”
“Oh dear, Violet! Have you forgotten your manners?”
The Duchess of Zenon scolded her in dismay, but Violet clung tightly to my hand and hid behind me. I chuckled and gently stopped the Duchess from launching into a lecture.
“It’s quite alright, Duchess.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty. I’ll make sure she’s better instructed.”
When the Duchess sighed and gave up, I sat Violet on my lap and showed her the selected portraits one by one.
“Look at these, Violet. Aren’t these boys just dashing?”
Violet’s eyes sparkled as she looked carefully at each picture.
“Wow~ This oppa is pretty. Oh? This oppa is super handsome!”
My goodness—she could already distinguish between “pretty” and “handsome”! This child was a prodigy in the realm of face appreciation!
“Do you like pretty oppas more, or handsome oppas?”
“Handsome oppas!”
Ah~ She even had a clear preference!
“Then, who’s the most handsome person in the world?”
“His Highness Miklok.”
Gasp! I only asked out of idle curiosity, impressed by her developing taste, but this tiny girl shyly blushed and gave that answer.
I was so flustered, I dropped the portraits on the floor.
“When did our Violet ever meet Prince Miklok?”
I smiled awkwardly and glanced at the Duchess.
“She met him once during the New Year’s festival. Since then, she’s been singing praises of his handsomeness. My husband Mark and even my brother-in-law got so jealous.”
Ah, this little one’s taste was too sharp…
“Then, do you want to marry Prince Miklok someday?”
“Nope!”
“Why not? Isn’t he the most handsome?”
“Because I’m marrying my dad!”
She answered with absolute conviction, and she was so unbearably adorable that I scooped her up in a hug.
Sorry, my bad~~
“Um, Your Majesty~”
“Yes, Violet?”
“Who’s that boy at the end?”
“Why? Do you like him?”
“Just a little…”
Yes, Violet! The world is big, and there are so many handsome men.
I gathered the portraits I’d dropped and laid them out before Violet again.
She hugged them close like they were precious treasures.
✳✳✳
The Pritan Subjugation Force, led by Miklok, had completed more than two-thirds of its campaign when it reached the vast Geupa Forest, the largest in the continent.
As Miklok and William, at the vanguard, raised their right hands high, the entire army came to a halt.
“Will, who are those people standing at the forest entrance?”
“Hard to say. They’re unarmed and waving white flags, so they don’t seem hostile.”
“Could be a trap.”
Ralph added while observing quietly ahead.
“Judging by their appearance, they might be the Malau.”
“Really?”
“White-gold hair, pale skin, pointed ears—all trademarks of the demon-kin Malau. Rumor has it both their men and women are quite striking. What are your orders, Your Highness?”
“Let’s observe a little longer.”
As expected, once the army stopped, one person among those guarding the forest entrance slowly walked forward, holding a white flag high in both hands.
As he entered range, Miklok’s archers simultaneously aimed their bows at him.
“Stop there!”
William shouted, and the flag bearer obediently halted.
“Who are you, and why do you block the path of the Pritan army?”
“I am Yamal, envoy of the Malau King. I come bearing a treaty of peace, and beg your pardon for this discourtesy.”
His hair, face, and even his eyebrows were white. With his pale lashes lowered, Yamal bowed politely.
Miklok turned to Ralph and asked, “The Malau King… Did they form a kingdom?”
“Yes. The Malau consolidated nearby tribes and declared a kingdom last year.”
William kept his eyes fixed on Yamal as he scoffed, “So the demons wanted to play human.”
Yamal slowly pulled a thick envelope from his robes and held it out respectfully.
“This is not only from the Malau Kingdom, but also from the five northeastern demon-tribe alliance. We earnestly request your acceptance of this peace treaty.”
William accepted the treaty and handed it to Miklok.
As Miklok reviewed its contents, he raised an eyebrow at the immense quantity of tribute pledged—magic stones, rare minerals, and more. It exceeded what they usually took by force.
“The promised tribute will be delivered at any time the Pritan Kingdom wishes.”
“Your conditions?”
“Non-aggression from Pritan towards the Malau Kingdom and the alliance of five tribes, and food supplies for winter.”
Miklok studied the document again. The conditions were advantageous.
If the treaty was accepted, the current campaign could be halted, and the region beyond the Geupa Forest would offer steady tribute with minimal effort each year.
But… Could demons be trusted to honor a treaty? How effective would such an agreement be?
“There must be a reason you’re proposing a treaty that disadvantages your side.”
“Truthfully, unlike humans, demons don’t care much for magic stones or minerals. Food for surviving the winter is more important. If we have that, we have no reason to attack Pritan’s border villages.”
Suddenly, Miklok unsheathed his cold blade and pressed it against Yamal’s throat. Yamal flinched, and a line of blood appeared on his pale neck.
“Enough wordplay. What’s the real reason your kingdom seeks peace?”
Hands still raised, Yamal slowly spoke.
“We heard the Maon tribe was annihilated. As a fledgling kingdom, Malau seeks strong cooperation with Pritan to ensure our safety.”
“And what of the demon alliance? Can they be trusted? What if they break the treaty?”
“Then we’ll strike the betrayers ourselves. We won’t tolerate anything that endangers our kingdom.”
It meant Malau was guaranteeing the behavior of all five tribes.
For Miklok, that was ideal. If problems arose, only Malau would be held accountable.
Miklok slowly withdrew his blade.
“What’s the process?”
“If His Majesty the King of Pritan signs the treaty, the tribute-laden wagons from the five tribes will immediately head for the Pritan capital.”
At this, William scoffed.
“Where’s Malau’s tribute? Your Highness, I smell something fishy. It’d be simpler to wipe them out like usual.”
“Let’s hear them out first.”
Miklok restrained impatient William, and Yamal knelt.
“The King of Malau wishes to host His Highness Miklok and his knights at Malau Castle. Please spend the night there. We’ll deliver the tribute by morning.”
“Why?”
Miklok asked coldly. Yamal bowed even deeper.
“My apologies… but that is something our king wishes to explain personally.”
“This reeks of suspicion,” William muttered. Ralph and Joseph also voiced their disapproval. But Miklok, as if piecing something together, asked Yamal:
“Does the Malau King have a daughter of marrying age?”
“P-pardon? Yes, Princess Shine, his eldest, is nineteen this year.”
Yamal blinked in surprise at the unexpected question, then quickly bowed his head again.
The Pritan knights were equally shocked. Miklok, interested in someone other than Queen Lea?
Yamal seemed increasingly uncomfortable, avoiding Miklok’s gaze.
“So that’s the real plan. Incredible confidence, courting trouble like this.”
The knights exchanged glances, trying to make sense of it, but they couldn’t quite grasp what was happening.
Miklok signed both copies of the treaty and handed one to Yamal.
Yamal stood, clearly pleased, and blew a small horn from his cloak.
The Malau tribe at the forest entrance erupted in cheers. Their hope for peace was clearly genuine.
“Let us proceed to Malau Castle. We’ll do our best to ensure your stay is comfortable.”
“No need.”
“Pardon?”
Yamal looked surprised, but Miklok ignored him and turned to Joseph.
“I’ll go to Malau Castle with only the Special Knights—just a hundred men. Joseph, take the rest and return to the capital with the tribute.”
“It could be a trap!”
Joseph protested, but Miklok cut him off coldly.
“Even if it is, I’ve brought enough men to wipe out Malau.”
Yamal’s expression paled. Though he had maintained composure until now, Miklok’s calm but ruthless words filled him with dread.
Only now did Yamal realize the kind of terrifying man he was dealing with.
✳✳✳
“Your Majesty~~ A letter from the Haren Empire just arrived!”
Millie came running into the training yard, waving a letter, clearly having escaped on some flimsy excuse.
“From Haren? I don’t know anyone who’d send me a letter from there…”
“Pant… It’s from Young Master Robby!”
“Robby?”
I opened the letter in surprise—and the contents shocked me even more.
“Millie, Robby says he’s coming here to see me.”
“Young Master Robby himself?!”
Millie’s eyes grew wide with astonishment, just like mine.
