A King is Born on the Road

Only after Hayer left did Iris escape some temptation. Really, he was a man who was so sexually attractive.

Iris slapped herself on the cheek to get a grip.

“Let’s concentrate.”

After muttering like that, she began to wonder if there was any way to change the King of Siere’s mind again.

The best education Iris received in her life was a conversation she had with the Knights of Tejas before crossing the North Gate. Habitually, when she needed something, she slowly recalled the conversation she had with them.

Iris, who had shaken off the temptation and pondered for a long time, thought of a trivial story that might not be meaningful. It was about pomegranates.

When one of the knights said that the leader liked pomegranates, Hayer replied.

“I did. But I couldn’t get pomegranates after I turned twenty.”

And at that time, Iris also thought that the only time she had eaten expensive pomegranates in Luwan was the year she was nineteen.

Pomegranates did not grow at all in Luwan, so it had to be brought in from Siere, so of course it could not be eaten after the war began. However, not being able to eat it long before the war began may mean that pomegranates have not been grown since then.

Why couldn’t it be cultivated?

Iris left the room for a while after pondering.

* * *

Hayer was standing outside the east building when he noticed Iris coming out, looking troubled. She was lost in thought, and didn’t even feel him looking at her.

As Hayer was staring towards Iris as she walked to the library, Edwin, who was talking, called.

“Captain.”

“Oh. Sorry. What were you saying?”

Iris said she was distracted. Fortunately, she seemed to have regained her concentration after he left, but Hayer did not. Even without Iris in front of him, he was so distracted that he couldn’t come back.

It wasn’t that hot, but the heat didn’t cool down, so Hayer sighed deeply and received a letter handed over by Edwin again.

“The King of Siere said that this letter must be delivered separately when no one is around.”

“…To me? Why?”

“He didn’t add anything else.”

Hayer was suspicious and accepted Edwin’s letter.

The seal wax symbolizing the King of the Siere was stamped on the seal. Hayer brought the wax close to his nose, smelled it, and furrowed his brows.

“He used a good fragrance too.”

“It’s a big deal. Even though the princess wrote such a nice letter, he sent a random reply, and the letter for the leader…”

Edwin’s charming eyes widened as he said that.

“Yeah, that’s it!”

“Are they trying to steal me away?”

“Yes! Is there anything else?”

Hayer Asheri was the best commander in Luwan, with the exception of the Royal Knights. Among them, he defeated Meppo Behad, the vice-captain of the Royal Knights, and rose to become the best knight.

Carl Lassor, the King of Siere, has been a great military commander since ancient times. Unlike Luwan, where the great noble families each built their own powerful forces, Siere boasted a strong royal power with the centralized system. It was possible because the King of Siere had subjugated all the noble families of Siere.

Power was the only thing served by the King of Siere, who believed himself to be the reincarnation of Tilla.

Military force.

Strong enough to subdue everything in the world.

So it was not surprising to send a letter of courtship to Hayer Asheri.

Edwin grabbed Hayer by the arm.

“Are you going to go?”

“I haven’t even opened the letter yet, man.”

“If you’re going, you have to take me with you.”

“Yes.”

When Hayer answered half-heartedly, Edwin grabbed his arm again.

Hayer then replied with more weight.

“Then will I leave my subordinates alone?”

“I know it can’t be, but I still wanted to hear it for sure.”

Edwin said so and let go of his arm.

The loyalty that Luwan’s knights swore was a promise that they would give their lives to the king in the end. However, Hayer was fed up with the King of Luwan. He had no intention of sacrificing his life to such a king.

It was the same with other knights. Loyalty and vows have long since become ridiculous.

Nevertheless, Hayer remembered Iris’s eyes, which turned cold whenever she talked about the King of Siere.

The King of Siere made Iris, who was always calm, even in front of the King of Luwan or Sid Lepos—who she was forced to marry—express and show her anger.

If she was so reluctant, Hayer had no reason to be kind to the king either.

Hayer tore open the wax. Inside the envelope was a thick letter-paper folded in half, but there was nothing written in it. Instead, it contained minerals that produced the same colour as the sun.

“Isn’t it sunstone?”

It looked like a mineral called sunstone.

Hayer checked the first stone around and muttered.

“I think it’s going to be very valuable.”

“Isn’t sunstone a very expensive mineral?”

“Look at this.”

Edwin’s eyes widened as Hayer showed them up close.

The translucent mineral contained metallic impurities such as iron ore inside. The forms of the impurities vary widely, and if the shape looks like something, the price soars indefinitely, both in Luwan and Siere.

However, in the sunstone Hayer showed, a clear shape of the sun was formed. It was a priceless object, and it was a precious mineral that even a king could not easily obtain.

Edwin said as Hayer looked troubled.

“It’s for sure. He’s trying to tempt you, to come to Siere.”

“I’ll have to return it back.”

“…It’s not even what the captain asked for, so why don’t you just pack it in?”

“There’s nothing good about being in debt.”

Hayer said, putting the sunstone in his inner pocket.

It felt strange.

“Is it just me who thinks it’s hot?”

“You think so? That’s what it looks like, because it’s not a real heat-generating object.”

Hayer nodded. And said to Edwin.

“Well done. Now I’ll go ask Iris what she’s looking for.”

“Yes, please call me back when you need me.”

Edwin bid farewell and left.

* * *

Iris arrived at the royal palace library and headed to the bookshelf where books on crops were stored. However, there were no books about pomegranates in the royal library, which was said to have all kinds of books. It was because pomegranates were not grown in Luwan.

If so, it seemed like the only person she could seek help from was Sandra Hall, the head of the Hall family, who knew of crops the best in the world. Fortunately, there was Dane Hall in the royal palace right now; Sandra Hall’s right-hand man and representative.

She was about to go visit Dane Hall when someone popped into the library. It was Sid Lepos.

As Iris scowled at him with a book in her hand, Sid opened his mouth.

“You visit the royal palace library a lot.”

“Why do you care?”

“If you run around like that, can anyone make you king?”

Sid continued, taking Iris’s book with force and checking it.

“What is this… why did my father become king? It’s because the former king had no son.”

“I don’t know why you’re repeating what I already know.”

Sid narrowed his eyes in response to Iris’s answer.

“So, no matter how much you run around, there will be a strong opposition in the end.”

“Hmm.”

Iris tilted her head at an angle and looked over Sid and said.

“People’s thoughts can change.”

“Why would they change?”

“Well. Because they’re dissatisfied with the son?”

Sid clicked his tongue at Iris’s sarcastic remark. However, Sid, who approached closer to her, had a smirk on his face.

“Iris.”

“Huh.”

“I must marry you.”

“You lost the duel.”

“That’s why I’m backing off now.”

Sid continued.

“But if there’s a problem with Hayer Asheri, the person who participated in the duel, it could reverse the outcome.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Hayer.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and it’s weird.”

“What’s weird?”

“The sacred tree on the southern border where Hayer was also collapsed. The sacred tree of the desert where you were also died. Is it a coincidence?”

Cutting down the sacred tree was certainly a matter of concern for the royal family. It was clear that the Luwans would turn their backs.

Iris hid her palpitating heart and answered coolly.

“Of course it’s a coincidence.”

“Even now, I can hold Hayer accountable for failing to keep the sacred tree. My father hates Hayer.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Hayer and the Knights of Tejas defend the southern border and yet you say that?”

“It doesn’t matter, you’ll see. That jackass will be executed before your eyes someday.”

When he spoke and turned around, Iris couldn’t resist throwing the fan in her hand at him.

Sid picked up the fan that hit his back and fell on the floor.

“I’ll take this.”

afterword 

sid hurry up and die challenge go?!