Beguiling the Enemy’s Patriarch - Chapter 185

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Special Side Story Episode 2
Special Side Story 2. Behind The Scenes
1. First Impressions
The Belgot Guerrilla Force.
An elite unit of Belgot, hand-picked by the Emperor himself for the surprise operation against Lebovni—truly the finest soldiers the realm had to offer.
Their successful completion of the surprise operation was, in a sense, inevitable.
However, the moment the force crossed the border through the magical gate after leaving the Lebovni Royal Palace, they encountered an entirely unforeseen crisis.
The Princess of Lebovni, whom they had just kidnapped from the royal palace, lay unconscious without the slightest movement!
Every single Knight present was left utterly stunned at the sight.
‘L-Lord… she’s not dead, is she?’
The Princess hung limply in the Emperor’s arms like a puppet with its strings cut.
The Emperor and all the Knights feared she had been so gripped by terror that she had crossed into the afterlife.
She had been weeping profusely when the Emperor lifted her onto the horse, her body unharmed, yet after passing through the magical gate, her eyes were closed as though in death.
While acute heart failure from extreme shock was uncommon, it was not unheard of.
Moreover, the Princess’s delicate frame and gentle appearance—as though she had never weathered a single hardship in her life—only fueled those dark imaginings.
Of course, that dreadful possibility was dispelled the moment the Emperor hastily brought his hand to her neck to check for a pulse.
“…She’s not dead, at least.”
Her pulse beat with remarkable vigor.
Though slightly faster than a normal heartbeat, her expression remained peaceful, as though merely sleeping.
“She’s merely frightened. We should halt our advance and wait until she awakens.”
At their lord’s words, the Knights finally allowed themselves to breathe easier.
The Emperor confirmed that the Princess’s limp body bore not a single wound, then issued his orders.
“While we’re stopped, tend to the wounded and treat their injuries. Rosel, you are to verify that the magical gate connecting to the Imperial Palace functions without fault.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At the Emperor’s command, the force moved with perfect coordination.
Until that moment, all had assumed the Princess of Lebovni would awaken without incident.
Yet such reassurance proved premature.
The Emperor descended from his horse, cradling the Princess, and examined her condition further, but as time passed, she showed no sign of opening her eyes.
Far from regaining consciousness, her complexion grew steadily worse even as Rosel, the Magic Tower Master, inspected the gate and checked on the wounded.
It began precisely after the Emperor withdrew his hands from her and stepped back.
Though he had positioned her against a tree trunk, she could not remain upright and continued to slump sideways. Eventually, the Emperor had to spread his robe on the ground and lay her upon it.
Radin, the Emperor’s direct subordinate among the Holy Knights assigned to this guerrilla force, began to speak anxiously.
“Um… Your Majesty. What are we to do about this…?”
Naturally, the small guerrilla force included no maidservants or attendants beyond the servants.
The operation was not lengthy, and they were to return directly to the Imperial Palace through the magical gate upon achieving their objective, so there was no need to burden themselves with additional personnel.
Yet this unforeseen circumstance made it infinitely difficult to respond.
The Emperor released a short sigh.
“…I should have brought Lady Belis along.”
Unintentionally, the guerrilla force contained not a single woman.
Lady Belis, whose comprehensive abilities ranked among the highest of the Imperial Army’s commanders, had been left behind to oversee the Imperial Palace in the Emperor’s absence.
Any woman would have been helpful in this predicament, but alas, none was present.
Regardless of how she’d been brought here, one couldn’t simply lay hands on foreign royalty—especially not a princess—without consequence.
A Knight, lacking even Imperial status, was utterly out of the question. The hierarchy of rank was absolute.
Which meant, ultimately, only the Emperor could touch her.
‘He’ll be fine… won’t he?’
Radin studied his liege’s expression with mounting unease.
The Emperor, Auredhian Belgot, wielded absolute influence not only throughout the Empire but across the Eastern Region of the Laigar Continent, yet he was neither belligerent nor arrogant by nature.
He rarely lost his composure over trivial matters and was generally magnanimous.
Moreover, he possessed an ingrained courtesy that transcended gender and age.
It stemmed from his inherent disposition rather than any acquired education.
Yet this was both virtue and vice.
His manners were impeccable, but they remained confined to basic propriety—toward everyone alike.
In particular, he was notorious for offering no quarter to women who approached him.
Not even the daughters of the highest noble houses, worthy of Empress status, nor foreign princesses and royalty bearing marriage proposals, received exception.
The Emperor’s surroundings were kept clear of noble maidens largely because Soleia Elad, the enemy’s daughter who had positioned herself as his prospective betrothed, ruthlessly eliminated them—though his attitude would scarcely differ without her presence.
In truth, had Soleia Elad not semi-forcibly secured her place at the Emperor’s side, whispered rumors about his preferences might have circulated more freely in secret.
In any case, the Emperor was a man of towering, impenetrable walls, and the Princess of Lebovni would find no exception in him.
That her hair appeared so soft and fluffy one longed to touch it, or that she was undeniably beautiful, held little significance for him.
Thus, the situation was extraordinarily troublesome.
Only the Emperor could touch the Princess, yet he was not the type to show excessive consideration or attentiveness toward others.
“Mmm…”
To make matters worse, as the surrounding activity gradually subsided and Rosel neared completion of the magical circle inspection, the Princess continued to furrow her brow.
Radin and the Knights around him grew increasingly anxious.
‘This isn’t turning into something serious, is it…?’
Perhaps they shouldn’t wait for her to wake naturally; they needed to move quickly and get her medical treatment.
The Emperor seemed to share this thought, his expression visibly hardening.
“…Could it be mere shock-induced unconsciousness?”
Nothing had occurred during the journey from Lebovni to Belgot except passage through the magical circle.
Selbier ventured his thoughts cautiously.
“Perhaps she is somewhat sensitive to magical energy, Your Majesty.”
“Ah… that’s possible. It was a long-distance magical circle, after all.”
He narrowed his eyes with an air of irritation.
Yet his gaze never wavered from the Princess for a moment.
After several minutes, they noticed the corners of her eyes glistening with moisture.
Radin and Selbier were startled, their hearts leaping in silent alarm.
‘She’s crying!’
‘What do we do!’
Her trembling shoulders looked so pitiful that one could scarcely refrain from embracing her.
Radin and Selbier found themselves casting pleading glances toward the Emperor.
‘She’s in distress—please be gentler with her!’
The moment that thought crossed my mind, the Emperor suddenly reached toward the Princess.
His black-gloved fingers brushed away the tears that had traced down her temples.
Without hesitation, he wiped away her tears, then moved his hand to press his index finger against the furrow of her deeply furrowed brow.
And gently rubbed it.
Radin and Selbier, witnessing this sight, could only gape in astonishment.
“What… am I seeing this correctly?”
“No, I don’t think so. I saw it too.”
Of course, moments ago they had inwardly grumbled that a little consolation wouldn’t hurt, but neither of them had anticipated the Emperor would actually move his hand.
It was something he would never have done in his usual manner.
When a woman cried, he would offer a handkerchief, provide comfort with superficial words, offer a perfunctory smile, and then turn away cleanly.
That was Auredhian Belgot’s way.
That he would reach out his own hand to wipe away her tears or smooth her furrowed brow—they had never imagined such a possibility, not even in their wildest dreams.
Yet the very person who had astonished them seemed unaware that his actions differed from his usual behavior. It appeared his hand had moved unconsciously.
And something even stranger happened in the very next moment.
The Princess’s breathing, which had been shallow and labored as if in pain, suddenly became even and steady.
‘Huh?’
While Radin and Selbier exchanged bewildered glances, the furrow on her face gradually smoothed away, and her expression returned to serenity.
“Ah.”
Even the Emperor seemed somewhat startled by this change.
Clear bewilderment flashed across his face, which typically bore only the weary expression of someone lost in thought.
Only then did he realize that his fingertips were still resting on her forehead.
He withdrew his hand with a soft sound. Or rather, he tried to.
“Mm…”
It would have been so, if the Princess hadn’t furrowed her brow again the moment he tried to pull away.
His fingertips barely grazed her cheek.
The Emperor gazed down at her for a long moment before finally raising his head.
“Rosel, stop.”
Rosel, who had been about to activate a large-scale healing spell to treat the wounded, hesitated.
“Yes? Your Majesty, why would you…?”
“Stop channeling your mana for now. The Princess seems sensitive to it. And it appears you should examine her more carefully. Keep your distance—don’t come too close.”
As if his prediction was correct, the Princess let out a soft whimper as Rosel approached.
As she tilted her head ever so slightly, the Emperor’s fingertips brushed her cheek—a movement as if she were rubbing her face against his hand.
The Emperor, who had been blinking slowly, finally withdrew his hand completely.
Rosel muttered in confusion.
“I never imagined that even this level of mana would be too much for you. This could lead to the worst possible outcome. I never expected you to have such poor immunity to mana from mana stones…”
“So she won’t wake up?”
“I’m not entirely certain either. Let me get a bit closer to check, ah—!”
As Rosel suddenly cried out, everyone’s gaze, including the Emperor’s, fixed on what he was pointing at—the Princess of Lebovni.
Her delicate eyelashes trembled faintly.
She was opening her eyes very slowly. So gradually that it made observers anxious.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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