Chapter 1

"Do you want to sleep with me?"

Karan's head tilted to the left. He gazed intently at Elise, who was sitting opposite him.

A noble of Bedroca asking for a night with a Titrisian, known as a barbarian.

"Why?"

"As I mentioned before, it will be helpful."

"To me or to you?"

"To both of us."

Karan let out a long, thin breath. His chest swelled and then subsided.

She was a woman so temptingly beautiful that merely looking at her could parch one's mouth.

Yet, Karan hesitated. Precisely because it was Elise.

"Are you serious? Purity is very important in Bedroca, unlike in Titris."

"Do you want to hear that you shouldn't take responsibility?"

Her challenging gaze lifted to meet his. Karan's throat went dry. He brushed back his disheveled hair, trying not to betray his tension.

"I am saying I will take responsibility. But before that."

Karan took Elise's hand that had reached across the table.

He forcibly opened her clenched fist. Karan interlaced his fingers between her slender ones.

He rubbed her hand, which was infinitely smaller and finer than his, without a single blemish.

Her small hand, revealing her life of ease, unlike Karan's, was trembling faintly.

'She's nervous.'

That trembling shook Karan. He slowly stroked her palm.

'If you are sincere, maybe I'll pretend not to know and hold on.'

Karan had no intention of telling her that he was standing in a pit of fire.

Pretending to be a ripe fruit, exuding a tempting scent, he lifted Elise's hand.

Her gaze followed him.

Karan, not losing her gaze, brought his lips to the pulsing inside of her wrist.

"Ah...."

Elise's lush, red lips parted like a budding flower.

"It won't be a comfortable night."

The spot where his lips touched felt as if it was burning.

He accepted Elise's proposition. Her heart pounded.

She undid Karan's shirt. A robust shoulder, unseen in a noble who only held a pen, was revealed.

His ebony-like black hair and obsidian-like black eyes were mystical, rarely seen in Veronica.

His eyes were sharp yet shone with intelligence, and the soft smile on his lips instilled trust.

He was indeed a fine man, even upon a second glance. Elise recalled their first meeting at the banquet.

The memory was remarkably vivid.

'I thought he was handsome even back then. Others said he looked rough.'

While Elise was reminiscing, she felt the soft bedding touch her back.

Before she knew it, she was on the bed.

"Don't regret it, it's too late now."

The decision was made the moment she resolved to meet Karan.

Now, she neither wanted to regret nor turn back.

Strangely calm, but her body heated up steadily.

Instead of responding, Elise pulled at the collar of Karan's undone shirt.

#1. The Woman Who Made the King

"Are you ready, Lord Warton?"

Elise Warton.

A stain on the noble family, a mystery in the magical world, a refuse in society, she was ready to ascend to the highest rank.

A woman with a delicate and flowing facial line, emerald-like green eyes, and captivating uplifted eyelids stood in the mirror.

"You look even more beautiful today."

Elise's maid Regina combed her golden hair and said.

Elise lifted the corners of her mouth.

She was quite pleased with her reflection.

"His Majesty might be proposing today! I wonder what he has prepared?"

Elise's eyelids fluttered with overwhelming emotion.

"Regina, compose yourself."

Elise was also excited. But instead of chattering in excitement, she calmed down Regina, who was bubbling with enthusiasm.

"Aren't you excited, my lady? Aren't you trembling? It's the proposal you've been waiting for, for 10 years!"

Elise lowered her head. Her cheeks blushed red. It was an overly innocent smile for a woman soon to turn thirty.

But it was a fitting expression for a woman about to get married.

How could Elise not be trembling?

As Regina said, it had been 10 years, no, 14 years since she first met Chase.

She just had been cautious because she had often been inflated with expectations only to be disappointed.

"If you're ready, let's go, my lady."

Chase's aide urged from outside.

Regina twisted and secured Elise's hair, revealing her neck.

Her straight and elegant neckline was impressive even to Elise.

Chase Royal Bedroca.

The king of this country, her lord, and her lover, he also liked it.

"I'm ready, let's go."

As Elise stood up, the maids lined up behind her bowed deeply.

Elise slowly crossed the royal palace corridor.

Administrative officers, gatekeepers, wandering knights in the palace, everyone greeted Elise and made way for her.

Despite being a mere Countess with no other titles, people didn't find it strange that she strolled through the palace as if it were her home.

There was a reason for that.

It was Elise who had placed Chase, the king's second son who lost his mother and support base at a young age, on the throne.

"Do you want to do this with me?"

Elise smiled faintly, recalling when the suppressed young man had visited the Count's house, nervously extending his hand.

The thin and gaunt Chase, unattractive and out of favor with the king, was not welcomed by the Warton family at the time.

But Elise's father, Fraser Warton, could not refuse a marriage proposal from the royal family.

However, he was not loyal enough to give the royal family what they wanted without question.

The royal family wanted Elise's sister, Iris.

But Fraser had no intention of risking the marriage of Iris, the pride of the Warton family.

So he presented Elise instead of Iris to Chase.

Elise, unlike her sister, was unremarkable and untalented, almost a burden to the family.

Fortunately, Elise liked Chase, who needed her.

She was 15, and he was 18 at the time.

Elise poured everything into Chase. With her sacrifice and devotion, Chase grew stronger day by day.

She even devoted her magical craftsmanship skills, which she had only kept hidden, to him.

Thanks to her, Chase became the best swordsman, in name and in reality.

"Elise, if people find out you're doing these trivial tasks usually done by half-elves, they will laugh at you."

Of course, all the accomplishments were credited to Chase, and Elise's existence was thoroughly hidden.

Elise understood it all. His words were true.

The ability she possessed was more of a curse than a talent for Elise.

Unlike casting magic directly, drawing simple magic circles was a menial task, usually done by half-elves born between humans and elves.

Elise, with a low amount of innate mana, unable to become a mage, was a blemish on the noble Warton family.

But she was helpful to Chase. Elise honed her skills.

"Elise! Father wants to see me! He asked me to go hunting with him! Just the two of us."

Three years after she joined hands with Chase, the king, who hadn't paid him any attention, started showing interest in Chase.

It was right after the business conducted in Chase's name had succeeded.

"You're my lucky goddess. Elise, when I meet father today, I'll say I want to marry you. There's no one but you for me. You're my luck and my goddess."

Chase composed love poems every day and dedicated them to her.

Then, one day, Chase declared with a grave face.

"I want to be ambitious for you. I want to be king."

"Your Highness, I have no desire for the queen's throne. I am happy just being with you."

"No, Elise. I will gift you the highest position."

From then on, Chase changed. Every action had an intention, and he didn't hesitate to make unreasonable requests of her.

"Elise, I need money. Can you pawn some promissory notes and borrow money?"

"Your Highness, do you mean to use loan sharks?"

"Loan sharks… When you say it like that, it makes me sound like a bad person. Money doesn't have a name tag, Elise. How much are the promissory notes worth?"

Chase's greed grew day by day. Elise had to do almost criminal acts to satisfy his greed.

Chase bought people's hearts with money. But he never managed to buy the king's heart.

In the end, he asked Elise for something irreversible.

"I think I need to get rid of my brother David. Elise, can you help?"

Elise hesitated to act on Chase's request to eliminate David, the first prince.

David was Chase's rival and enemy, but not a bad person.

However, her hesitation didn't last long. She wanted to leave the Warton family and marry Chase as soon as possible.

A blessed marriage, a warm home, and children resembling herself and Chase.

Elise closed her eyes tightly for her dream.

Elise falsely accused the crown prince of all sorts of corruption.

Illegal drug trafficking, leaking magic secrets, attempted assassination of Chase, and more.

She knew it was wrong, but she had no choice.

For Chase.

"How dare you harm my husband! Do you think I'll leave you alone?"

Iris, Elise's sister and David's wife at the time, furiously confronted her.

Elise's disregard and mistreatment by Iris diluted her guilt.

"You brought this upon yourself, sister."

David was stripped of his rank and imprisoned in a tower. Tormented by the false accusations, he ended his own life.

Chase became the crown prince. Then malicious rumors about Elise began to circulate.

"They say she's the one directly involved in the illegal drug trade."

"Have you seen the scratches on Prince Chase's neck? Even at her age, she's vicious. Poor Prince Chase."

Elise tried to defend herself, but Chase stopped her, saying that ignoring the rumors would make them die down. But the rumors only grew.

"They say she seized all her family's assets and kicked them out? Such extravagance."

But it was okay. She had Chase.

Elise firmly believed that marrying Chase would clear all misunderstandings.

"Elise, public opinion isn't good. I'll go to the banquet alone this time. My heart is always with you. You understand, right?"

Even when Chase, now the crown prince, started leaving her alone, she believed.

"Miss Elise! Do you know who attended the banquet? Lady Iris was there. Even the king escorted her! How can this be?"

When Elise questioned Chase about it, he said,

"I asked Iris to entertain the wives of the delegation. Some of them like Iris. And you know she's excellent at entertaining."

Gradually, Iris's name began to come up frequently in Chase's conversations.

When Elise showed discomfort, he reassured her with an embrace.

"Are you jealous? You're the only one for me, Elise. We're just using Iris for her skills."

She had to believe him.

"Your Highness, our marriage…"

"Elise, wait a bit longer for our marriage. I want to become a man worthy of you."

Chase remained consistent.

If becoming king was the only way.

Elise clenched her fist, resolving to seat him on that throne soon.

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This novel has been translated up to chapter 30.

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