In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty!

Elisha sat at the same table as Jaylene. Everyone’s eyes were focused on her every move because she was the pride of the empire, who had built up the most outstanding reputation in recent years, and was a character more difficult to meet than Count Rohan and his wife.

“She’s different from rumors, isn’t she?”

“That’s right. She’s completely different from what people who frequent Barossa say…”

They said she was so cold that it was hard to make eye contact, but seeing the woman with the 3rd Prince on her lap, handing him snacks, and rubbing her chin on his tiny head was a good sight for everyone. Half of the nasty rumors circulating the 2nd Consort disappeared instantly.

In addition, although there was a mention of Princess Jaylene, the duel itself began externally to protect the honor of the 2nd Consort. Since the real main character appeared, it was inevitable for the opposite person to be buried.

Jaylene seemed to have always lived in the center of people; it was natural. Her brother was Kaiden, who had stirred up the empire with just his perfect beautiful appearance since he was a child, and with his brilliant mind and the heir to Scherzer County in his hands, he became the emperor after overthrowing other powerful brothers.

However, it wasn’t this atmosphere that offended Jaylene. She simply couldn’t bear to be the second person of this person who had a relationship with her man.

Crack!

Jaylene, who was unconsciously scratching her fingernails under the table, lowered her gaze when she felt a sting. Her nails were broken, and blood was seeping out.

“Huh?”

The others didn’t seem to have seen it, but Leon, who had eaten snacks and turned his face to the table to try one more, was surprised to find it. The purple eyes moved and stared at Leon.

“Hick!”

When Leon was surprised, Elisha raised her hand and covered the child’s eyes. It was Rohan that the child liked enough for him to pester her to bring him along. She wouldn’t have brought him to such a defenseless place if it weren’t for that.

Elisha moved her hands, covering his eyes to his cute little ears. She turned to Jaylene, holding both of his ears in her palms.

“I’m telling you in advance. You’d better think about what I’ll do first if my child gets sick after today, just like our black dog in the palace was.”

[T/N: Remember when Cotton Ball suddenly got sick after Jaylene visited the 2nd Consort’s Palace?]

“Why do you say that to me?”

“No reason. I thought you should know.”

“Is there anything else I should know? Please tell me. I will remember it clearly.”

“If you want to move Sie Rohan, why don’t you try to change yourself, not the board? Or at least you shouldn’t involve me.”

“… What else?”

“I hate pearls. We don’t seem to have the same taste, so don’t send gifts from now on.”

[T/N: The early chapters when Elisha received three anonymous boxes filled with different gems from three senders. One of them was a pearl from Jaylene.]

As Elisha finished speaking, the two men facing each other in the arena drew their swords. The two women turn their faces toward the arena at the same time.

Elisha told the princess, who dared to threaten the consort, “Perhaps the wise countess made such a mistake because her body was too weak. Very well, I’ll catch a big snake and send it to you so you can care for your body. Of course, it’s not easy to catch those snakes that kill people so well, but fortunately, I have that ability. Don’t you think so?”

Elisha’s eyes were so cold that even Jaylene was at a loss for words. It was evident because she knew the 2nd Consort was not simply threatening or bluffing.

And that’s the difference between that 2nd Consort and other noble ladies. No, to be precise, it was the power that made the 2nd Consort special to most other influential people. The 2nd Consort did not need to borrow someone’s hand in planning her affairs. What she wanted to do, she could directly embody her will with herself.

Thinking that this light had captivated his man, even if Rohan didn’t see the 2nd Consort as a woman, made Jaylene unbearably jealous. But that was not the point now.

“A snake? What do you mean? Do you think that a snake would suit me as a countess and princess? There will probably be a lot of people who will be angry because it’s ridiculous.”

“But Sir Rohan will not be angry with me. I suffered a bit from some snakes when I collapsed at the Verdin Duchy, and Sir Rohan cared enough to catch and take the snakes he hated so much. Would you like to check how Sir Rohan will react when he finds out, Countess?”

No more answer came from Jaylene. After Elisha removed her hands from Leon’s ears, everyone silently focused on the duel. Who knows what she felt in her heart, but as Jaylene’s eyes were fixed on the trajectory of Rohan’s sword, her split fingertips clenched again and grabbed the hem of her dress.

***

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Novanstein bit his lip as he blocked the lightning-like attacks. He didn’t like that he and the marchy had to clean up the recklessness of Prince Cherkah, who had no intention of growing up.

Novanstein, proud to be on the verge of entering the beginning of swordmaster, thought that this duel might give him a new realization, so he became a substitute under his hostess’ permission.

As he waited for the duel with Rohan with a pounding heart, he thought of making a name for himself in the empire, and if he were lucky enough to win, he would rise as the continent’s divinity!

It is said that the difference between a swordmaster and a person close to a swordmaster is one piece of paper, but that one piece of paper is as large as the sky and the earth. So, in other words, doesn’t that mean that piece of paper can be overcome with a tiny realization at any time?

Rohan’s opening came into the eyes of Novanstein, who was preparing to launch a fatal attack while constantly on the defensive. He had strangely controlled himself from a while ago and thought the sword strikes he blocked were strange.

Novanstein sneered inwardly, thinking Rohan attempted to show off his power by immobilizing him. He thought that even Sir Rohan, the knight among knights, couldn’t help but want to show off in the duel between the two knights.

Thanks to you, I got this opportunity, so whatever. It’s a good thing. Novanstein moved the mana in his body more vigorously with the mana road he received after joining the marquis’ knights.

Shaaaaa!

He sent the intense power that swung all over his body to his fingertips and put it on his sword. An intangible haze rose from the sword, releasing mana.

Novanstein put his sword behind his head and rushed at Rohan, who had an opening in his chest. At the same time, the elbow of the hand holding the sword was pulled back as much as possible before thrusting forward powerfully.

Swaeeeegh!

The sword tore the wind. The mana rushing from within the sword struck the triangular tip of the sword stick repeatedly. It seemed that a specific type of mana could be pumped out of the sword with just a little more. If only he could pierce a hole as small as a speck of dust within the limit that covered his sword, he would become a swordmaster!

With his molars biting hard enough for blood to ooze from his gums, Novanstein pushed the mana, raging like a wave, into his sword again.

The moment his sword quickly touched Rohan’s chest, Novanstein felt joy. He was not successful in categorizing mana and drawing it out of the sword, but he won the duel!

His concentration was broken for a moment, and his mana shook, but it didn’t matter because the sharpness of his sword should’ve cut through. Novanstein listened to the sound that was about to be heard. This song of my sword will split the flesh and break the bones of that Rohan! 

However…

Claaank!!

It was strange. Contrary to what he expected… There was a loud thud, and his arms slumped and bent.

Clank-kang!

As the sword he held fell off and landed on the floor, Novanstein’s eyes widened. Only then did he realize that what had been revealed was not a loophole, but his greed, and that what Rohan had thrown at him was a bait.

Novanstein was in a situation where he should be grateful that Rohan attacked the sword he was holding and not himself. So did both his arms break just by being exposed to the force of the blow, not direct confrontation?

Only then did the pain surge and spread all over his body. Because the shock shook the mana rod, the arrogant traces of mana also disappeared without a trace.

“Kuh…!”

Novanstein’s body leaned forward. With a thump, he knelt with his knees on the arena floor.

The clumsy sword before him looked just like him, and a hot feeling surged up in Novanstein. He raised his head to admit his defeat. But why…?

His opponent wasn’t looking at him. Novanstein followed with his eyes where Rohan’s gaze was heading.

It wasn’t difficult because it was right behind his back, the space where Rohan had cornered him with sword strikes and kept me from moving. Beyond the prison, less than two meters from side to side, stood Prince Raymond.

As if the borders drawn to separate the arena and the outside was his lifeline, he tried not to step on them and held his feet. The sense of difference Novanstein felt throughout the competition was because Rohan drove him in this direction and stopped him from moving.

Rohan was not Novanstein, but he used him as a doll to fight the Prince Raymond behind him without taking his eyes off Prince Raymond even for a moment!

“How can you ignore me like this!?”

The misery overcame the pain and carried hot flames all over his body. A piece of paper between the swordmaster and the non-swordmaster pressed him as heavy as a mountain.

Novanstein, who seemed like he would choke to death if he stayed like this, tried to hold the sword before him but couldn’t. He couldn’t do anything because of his clumsy arms. Novanstein’s eyes reddened, and his mana road shook.

Kwaaang!

Explosive energy radiated from his body. As Rohan tried to block and stun him, a dot of energy stretched out from outside his frame and grazed Novanstein’s neck.

“Agh!”

Blood gushed out of his neck, and as Novanstein collapsed, the mana about to grow wild also faded accordingly. All that was left was a few stinging strands of aura that remained in the air and the thick smell of blood. And Prince Raymond had to cover up because he was standing on the trail of the gushing blood.

“Wh-what is this?”

“Did Sir Rohan do this?”

“I don’t think so. B-but…”

Those talking in surprise thought they were constantly witnessing bizarre scenes today.

“To run wild in the presence of the 2nd Consort. Is it safe to say that this is an intention to harm the imperial family?”

Marquis Blemir was walking over with his red hair, not anywhere else, but in the capital’s residence of his close friend Cahill, whom he had never visited since he cut off the relationship because the county was related to his family, the Fontana Duchy.

While most of the nobles looked at him curiously, some looked at him slightly differently, like Jaylene and Elisha, Rohan, and also Count Cahill, who had lent his place.

“You’re really here,” Count Cahill muttered when he saw a friend he hadn’t seen in a long time. Sweat dripped from the tension in his clenched fists.