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“No, it’s somewhat shameful for a man to rely on a woman…”

“Why? What’s so strange about a master making a slave work to earn money?”

“Who’s calling whom a slave?”

Yubel frowned at this, and Finia’s eyes moistened with tears. She nestled into Yubel’s arms, resting her head against his chest, and whispered.

“It’s inevitable. In this world, I’m nothing but a slave, whether you are a king or not…”

“Finia…”

Yubel held her close and sighed deeply.

He knew that even if he won this war and became king, he would not be able to have what he truly wanted.

“There will be no place that sees us as lovers…”

The two lovers looked into each other’s sad eyes, whispering softly, their breaths mingling.

“I love you, Yubel.”

“I love you, Finia.”

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed from the inner room.

“…Having a nice chat~.”

In an instant, sparks flew in Finia’s eyes.

“Who is it!”

With a shout, she sprang up from Yubel’s embrace and kicked the floor. A large axe spear, lying on the ground, spun up into the air. With practiced motion, Finia grabbed the axe spear and aimed it towards the living room.

Her eyes gleamed ominously. The woman who was whispering of love was gone, replaced by a warrior brimming with fighting spirit.

“Reveal your identity!”

From a dark corner of the living room, a man slowly emerged, draped in a red robe, looking like a magician. His face was hidden deeply under a hood as he approached Yubel.

“Are you Prince Yubel of Crovence?”

Finia, tense like a threatened cat, eyed the man warily. Yubel narrowed his eyes, positioning himself behind her protectively.

“I don’t know how you found this place, but first, state your identity and business.”

The man in the red robe replied with a laugh.

“My name is Repenhardt. I am a magician. I’ve come to offer my modest powers to the rightful king of Crovence.”

“You came to join my cause?”

Yubel looked at Finia skeptically. She shook her head slightly, her expression saying she didn’t understand.

“For now… it seems he is not lying, Lord Yubel.”

* * *

Yubel breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Finia’s words. At least it meant that the man in the red robe was not an assassin.

Relaxing, Yubel scrutinized the man before him, Repenhardt.

‘At first glance, he looks like a wizard, but…’

Something felt odd. As if the sense of perspective was slightly skewed? And as Repenhardt slowly approached him, Yubel finally realized why.

‘What? How is he so huge?’

Yubel prided himself on being of average height for a young man of his era.

However, this wizard named Repenhardt was a full head taller than him.

If it was just a matter of being lanky, he could understand, but even the breadth of his shoulders would make any knight weep in envy.

Even Sir Tawein, the largest of his knights, seemed small compared to this wizard.

From afar, Yubel hadn’t noticed, but up close, it felt as if the red robe filled his entire field of vision.

“You are, quite imposing, sir.”

Yubel muttered, intimidated. Repenhardt gave a wry smile.

“Do I not look like a wizard?”

‘I even chose a generously sized robe to cover my muscles, but alas.’

Repenhardt inwardly clicked his tongue. No matter what, his large volume could hardly be concealed.

Yet, Yubel wasn’t too bothered. After all, it wasn’t unheard of for wizards to be well-built.

“A battle mage, I presume?”

“Yes, well…”

A battle mage defined as a warlock skilled in both physical combat and magic. It wasn’t incorrect, so Repenhardt simply nodded. Yubel straightened up and looked at Repenhardt with a newfound solemnity. A serious voice flowed from the lips of this notoriously wayward prince.

“Have you truly come to aid me?”

“Certainly.”

“That sounds like something one would say after eavesdropping on a private conversation…”

“Must be your imagination.”

Repenhardt began to sweat profusely. Just moments ago, he had inadvertently commented as he witnessed Yubel and Finia in an affectionate display. It was hard not to be irritated by someone flaunting their relationship right in front of him, who hadn’t made any progress in his own romantic endeavors. His muttered remark had been overheard.

Yubel looked suspicious and glanced at Finia. She rolled her eyes and retorted.

“That’s a lie.”

“Really?”

As if he expected it, Yubel Ren Crovence also rolled his eyes. Repenhardt inwardly sighed in frustration.

‘Ah, this is why dwarves are such a headache.’

The racial trait of dwarves, having ears that hear the truth, indeed made them challenging to deal with in various ways. Of course, there are various ways to speak only the truth while hiding parts of it, thus crafting lies, so it’s not impossible to deceive them. However, that would require the skills of a professional con artist, and Repenhardt lacked such eloquence.

Yubel shook his head, seeing Repenhardt’s discomfort.

“Of course, it’s natural for you to look at it that way.”

Surprisingly, Yubel didn’t seem angry at all.

“Don’t worry. I’m not bothered.”

After all, Yubel had experienced all kinds of scrutiny due to his relationship with Finia. He wasn’t unaware of the rumors circulating behind closed doors. Actually, a comment like ‘He’s quite good.’ was quite friendly from Yubel’s perspective.

Repenhardt, feeling awkward, lifted his hood. His face was unexpectedly young, causing Yubel and Finia to wear slightly surprised expressions. Repenhardt scratched his head.

“I didn’t mean to criticize. After all, my lover is an elf.”

“Huh?”

The word ‘lover’ was not to be used carelessly. Finia whispered to Yubel, visibly more shocked.

“It, it seems real?”

Her tone dropped its pretense and reverted to casual as she was genuinely surprised. The two started to scrutinize Repenhardt as if looking at an exotic animal. Repenhardt, feeling embarrassed, asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just… I didn’t know there was another pervert like me in the world…”

“…”

Indeed, the world was full of men who sexually desired women of other races, but few truly loved them. Yubel’s amazement was understandable.

This oddly eased the atmosphere. Repenhardt sighed internally.

‘Gosh… How did the mood turn out like this?’

His original plan was to appear mysteriously and play the role of a wise man assisting the prince, but instead, the conversation had turned into something akin to club activities for people with unusual tastes.

‘Mystery is truly not for everyone…’

Nevertheless, this had significantly lowered Yubel and Finia’s guard. Yubel looked at Repenhardt with a princely expression again and suddenly spoke.

“You said you came to help me?”

“That’s right, Your Highness Yubel.”

“So, what kind of help can you offer?”

Yubel asked with dignity.

Repenhardt straightened his posture and replied in a serious voice, “What about military provisions worth a hundred thousand gold coins?”

Instantly, the expressions of Yubel and Finia hardened.

“A hundred thousand gold coins?”

That amount would be equivalent to half a year’s budget for the Crovence royal family—an enormous sum.

Such a quantity of grain could feed the entire Kingdom of Crovence for three months with some to spare.

Of course, these were prices before the onset of the famine; the cost of grain had increased twenty to thirty times by now, making it no longer such an immense sum.

However, it was certainly enough to cover all of Yubel’s troops’ provisions.

“…Rich, aren’t you? Do wizards earn that well?”

Yubel tried to mix jest to hide his dismay, but his voice was trembling. If Repenhardt’s support were to arrive for Yubel’s beleaguered forces, it would be enough to shift the balance of power!

“It’s almost suspicious how timely this is… could it be a nasty lie?”

Yubel slumped into his chair, drained, muttering weakly. The proposal was indeed genuine, as Finia had confirmed its authenticity from beside him.

Then, Repenhardt delivered the final blow as if to clinch the deal.

“And depending on the situation, we may also aid with troops. Few in number, but high in quality.”

“…May I ask what you mean by high quality?”

At this point, Yubel could no longer maintain his informal speech. His tone shifted slightly towards formality. Repenhardt smiled triumphantly and retorted.

“How many aura wielders are there under Your Highness Yubel?”

“…Not even one…”

Yubel grimaced and answered softly. In the entire Kingdom of Crovence, there were only five aura users. Two supported Prince Carsus, while the remaining three remained neutral, observing the situation.

This was why Yubel’s forces, despite overwhelming financial power initially, had not secured victory. An aura user was in itself a tactical weapon, and Yubel’s side had none.

Repenhardt spoke calmly to the embarrassed Yubel.

“Then, six aura users would be a significant force, wouldn’t they?”

“Six?”

Yubel stood up abruptly in shock. In the entire Kingdom of Crovence, there were only five aura users. Was this wizard claiming to have the power to summon more aura users than his own country possessed?

Repenhardt nodded calmly. Yubel began to suspect he was dreaming. Simultaneously, a sense of alarm arose within him. What exactly did this man want in return for offering such an incredible deal?

“What would be the price for such assistance?”

Repenhardt bowed politely.

“Should Your Majesty become king, I would request that you grant me a fiefdom.”

Yubel looked puzzled. The request seemed too common given the conditions.

“Is that all?”

That alone did not justify why Repenhardt had sought out Yubel. Currently, Yubel was nearly cornered in his struggle for power. It made little sense to bet on someone likely to lose. Moreover, with the terms Repenhardt was proposing, he could have easily approached Carsus and received a warm welcome, especially since they were more desperate for military provisions.

“I understand your doubts. But once you hear my reasons, you will understand why I have sought you out,” Repenhardt continued.

“The fiefdom I desire must be an autonomous region, independent from the laws of the Kingdom of Crovence.”

Yubel’s expression showed a hint of understanding. Repenhardt was seeking a dukedom or a march, a territory within the nation that had its own legal and administrative system. Indeed, such a grant would be difficult to bestow without considerable merit, as it would recognize an authority independent from the royal throne.

“…That would indeed be a condition that Prince Carsus of Carsus would not accept. But why?”

Repenhardt smiled knowingly and answered. And with that response, Yubel understood all too clearly why Repenhardt had chosen him.

“What I desire is a place where elves, dwarves, and orcs can live freely, Your Majesty Yubel.”