The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 55

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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55.

The reason the King of Seolkuk drew the Empire in?

It was to obtain the adamant ore, said to be the hardest in the world, that would emerge from subjugating the Flare Dragon.

The calculation was to drain the Imperial Army’s strength in subjugating magical beasts, while they themselves would only actively participate in the Flare Dragon subjugation battle.

‘They were probably planning to claim that they contributed the most to the subjugation, something like that?’

As if my prediction was correct, the King of Seolkuk’s cheek twitched slightly.

As if things weren’t going according to his wishes at all.

“Wasn’t this originally a region that Seolkuk promised to manage in the first place! We’re already embarrassed that the Empire has helped this much with our affairs, and now you want them to sacrifice even more.”

Casian smiled brightly at the King of Seolkuk’s words.

Though it was actually His Majesty the Emperor who flinched at that gaze.

Perhaps from countless experiences of often getting caught up in things after his son showed such a smile.

However, the Emperor soon realized that the target of attack wasn’t himself but the King of Seolkuk, and cast a slightly pleased glance.

He sent Casian a warm smile mixed with some expectation.

Of course, my superior’s preparation was perfect – he would never lose to anyone when it came to being underhanded.

“Please don’t say such hurtful things, aren’t the Seolkuk forces already comrades who fought alongside us?”

Casian looked at the Seolkuk forces with a light emotional appeal.

“Since the Empire’s advance team climbed ahead and both our magical beast combat capabilities and morale have risen together, I think it’s naturally a good choice for us to step forward to reduce casualties.”

He began his presentation, distributing the subjugation plan that he and I had completed excellently through our bickering and arguing.

From then, it took less than 20 minutes for the King of Seolkuk’s eyebrows, which had never seemed to droop, to sag down.

After all the presentations were finished, His Majesty the Emperor said:

“Haha, King of Seolkuk! Since the Second Prince’s preparations are so thorough, it seems we could just have a drink with the flame lizard as our side dish. What do you think?”

He didn’t forget to vent his accumulated frustrations either.

*

‘The Fourth Prince seems to be working hard in the capital to perfectly execute the supply plan you established.’

Before the expedition, the Emperor said such words to us.

It meant he wouldn’t forget the Second Consort’s contribution in providing information about the adamant ore.

‘This should make the Second Consort a bit safer from the Empress’s threats.’

Since the content about the ore didn’t appear even in the original work and I didn’t know about it, it was truly entirely thanks to the Second Consort.

However, when I heard that story, I asked the Second Consort once with some concern.

‘But this way Seolkuk will suffer losses, is that alright with you?’

‘Seolkuk and Brother were the ones who sold me out first.’

She answered in an emotionless tone.

‘Besides, the history of when Seolkuk obtained adamant ore is absolutely terrible. Conquering, expanding… Brother and my late father call it the age of glory, but.’

The Second Consort clicked her tongue with a bitter expression.

It’s not like they could keep the adamant ore entirely within Seolkuk, and someone would steal it while someone else would try to hide it, so perfect military power would inevitably disappear.

‘And when the balance of power returns like that? Cruel conquest inevitably calls for revenge, and those sacrificed in that process were princesses like me and ordinary citizens.’

‘Your Highness the Second Consort…’

‘So I don’t regret it. Do you think I don’t know Brother’s personality? Above all, Brother will make the subjugation drag on and try to lead it toward sealing the Flare Dragon rather than subjugating it.’

Listening to her words, I recalled a brief conversation from the original work’s side story, after the dragon subjugation ended.

‘I heard the King of Seolkuk abdicated and went into seclusion.’

‘Because of the Flare Dragon subjugation?’

‘He said it was shameful as a monarch to entrust their responsibility to another country.’

At the time, I just thought it was a side story, a device to lower neighboring countries’ momentum and create a peaceful empire.

But the Second Consort revealed the hidden answer about the King of Seolkuk’s true intentions.

‘Adamant ore is an ore that can only be created when touched by a Flare Dragon’s breath. That’s why Seolkuk, even when other countries subjugated dragons, made excuses about lacking capacity and only sealed them.’

The King of Seolkuk’s behavior in the side story seemed to be the end of someone whose dreams of conquest were forever crushed.

In the original work, after the subjugation ended, Casian even destroyed and sealed the entire lair, making it a place no one could enter.

I had been curious about how only the Flare Dragon could exist in an era when both mages and priests were losing their power, and learning the reason helped ease some of my frustration.

‘Why, unlike other dragons in history, only the Flare Dragon lost its intelligence and became like a lower-class magical beast.’

Anyway, combining the information the Second Consort provided with the fragmentary content from the original work, I gladly decided to swallow up this adamant ore.

Not for the Empire, but as Casian’s share.

As I headed to the battlefield with Casian, I said to him:

“Please win overwhelmingly, Your Highness.”

“Hmm, are you putting pressure on me?”

While he said this, not a trace of pressure appeared on his face.

Instead, he kissed the back of my hand and whispered affectionately:

“Of course I should, when the Winter Palace’s goddess of victory is by my side.”

*

Flames blazed bright red filling the entire field of vision.

‘Even in the original work, the descriptions were brutal…’

It was a color that made all those words about lungs burning, shields melting down, and such heat understandable.

Of course, right now we were only overwhelmed by the visual stimulation while everything else was fine.

“His Highness will maintain personal barriers from the rear. Holy Knight Order and 8th Squad, please defend to prevent magical beasts from approaching His Highness.”

It was all thanks to Wesley reliably guarding our backs.

Wesley winked at my guidance.

Of course, that was only for a moment, and soon he was scanning the roaring Flare Dragon with sparkling eyes.

‘After the subjugation ends, you absolutely, absolutely!! have to let me extract the reverse scale, okay? I’ve been training hard all this time hoping a day like this would come.’

Just before entering the subjugation, he had said he could maintain the barrier as much as needed, so please subjugate it so the dragon’s scales wouldn’t be too damaged.

Well, we had no reason not to grant Wesley’s request either.

Each dragon scale was sturdier than most ores, making them excellent for crafting defensive equipment.

So in this subjugation battle, we’ll finish it quickly before Seolkuk comes in to support, making all the core resources Casian’s share.

I too, dreaming of personal gain no less than Wesley, proceeded to the next guidance.

“Prince Casian takes the lead, just focus on attacking. I believe Your Highness can handle all the defense by yourself too!”

At my words, Casian smiled slightly and mouthed ‘you’re being too harsh on me alone.’

“Everyone else, please alternate between defense and attack in pairs as previously instructed, maintaining formation.”

With the instruction, the knights began moving in unison.

The experience of being drilled by Casian and fighting together while climbing the snowy mountains shone through.

Kwaaaaang-!

The Flare Dragon’s golden eyes mixed with red light flashed as it raised its claws and struck down.

Casian moved his body and leaped to the front, first wrapping his sword in aura to deflect the dragon’s downward striking force.

The knights who were in the trajectory of the claws easily defended against the dragon’s reduced power by joining forces in pairs.

Casian didn’t miss the opening created in the meantime.

While the knights were defending, he climbed up the dragon’s leg and swung his sword wrapped in an even thicker layer of aura.

With one strike, only the dragon’s scales were cleanly cut and flew up.

“Waaah…! The perfect brilliance of those scales changing with each angle! Indeed, someone who stands beside Rozelita through merit alone!”

Wesley’s admiration followed.

The battle wasn’t fast, but it continued steadily without major incidents as planned.

“2nd Squad, injured members retreat and receive treatment first. This isn’t the time to endure.”

Minor injuries were quickly treated by Wesley as soon as they retreated to the rear, and when unexpected attacks came flying-

“After this, there’s a high possibility of a ground-shaking attack using its hind legs.”

As a dragon enthusiast, I could recite those patterns, allowing immediate preparation.

“The second breath is coming soon, group together for defense! Your Highness, dodge as you see fit!”

And I too faithfully performed my role based on the Flare Dragon information I had studied in advance and confirmed once more with Wesley.

Thanks to the knights’ faithful movements, the dragon subjugation battle entered the latter half within the expected timeframe.

Krrrrrrrrung-!

The Flare Dragon made a high sound as it raised its body.

“Be careful not to get blown away by the strong wind!”

The moment I shouted guidance at the dragon’s gesture indicating its energy was nearly depleted, Casian used the incoming strong wind to leap into the air.

Though it shouldn’t have been visible, Casian found the intersecting points of wind with incredible precision, as if there were footholds.

Leaping up and leaping again, Casian wrapped his sword with aura at maximum output.

The moment the violet light that perfectly resembled his eyes shone more intensely than ever, he used his entire body with elasticity to swing his sword greatly toward the dragon.

The moment he thought it was the decisive finishing blow.

“Rose!!”

“Rozelita?!”

As Casian’s shout followed by Wesley’s cry suddenly grew distant in my ears.

-I have been waiting, you who hold the key.

My vision was completely filled with golden-red.

This dragon has lost its mind!

…This kind of pattern wasn’t in the original work or the history books?

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