## Chapter 669 – The Plum Blossom Swordsman Reincarnated Into The Baek Family
669. The Plum Blossom Swordsman Reincarnated into the Baek Family
Princess Eileen and the other nobles had almost definitively concluded that the attackers who ambushed their convoy were from the Bitrase Kingdom. Although there was no clear evidence, the circumstances pointed to no other possibility.
However, knowing this didn’t offer many options for response. At best, they could send diplomats to lodge a complaint. With the king dead, the throne vacant, and the state funeral underway, the situation in Rapelli was far from ideal. If they pressed too hard, the Bitrase Kingdom might use it as an excuse to launch a full-scale invasion.
Therefore, Princess Eileen decided to shelve the matter for now and wait for a better opportunity. Duke Sunheights, though hot-blooded, was not oblivious to reality and agreed.
Prince Aiden didn’t seem to care much.
And I was facing a middle-aged man. A man with dark brown hair and an ordinary height, despite his nickname.
The Giant of the North. Marquis Lukeman Petras.
If Count Prucus was in the East, then Marquis Petras was in the North. He was one of the most prominent Aura Masters in the Rapelli Kingdom.
However, I greeted him with a sullen expression. If it weren’t for him, my plan would have been perfectly executed. Duke Sunheights would be dead, Princess Eileen kidnapped, and Prince Aiden would have gained significant influence.
“Why did you come to my carriage?”
Marquis Petras was an unwelcome presence. Unlike Count Prucus, he was also interested in politics. His presence at the funeral was proof of that. And he genuinely desired the prosperity of the Rapelli Kingdom.
“I came to see your face, the princess’s guardian knight.”
“Please don’t call me that. It’s embarrassing.”
“Very well.”
Marquis Petras glanced at Yuria, who was sitting beside me. He was inwardly surprised but didn’t show it. He wasn’t yet certain of Yuria’s identity. It seemed he had received some kind of hint from Princess Eileen.
“What’s the real reason you came to find me?”
“I heard you’re following Prince Aiden.”
This was going to be a tedious conversation.
“Yes. I follow Prince Aiden. Prince Aiden is the rightful heir to Rapelli. With His Majesty the King’s passing, I believe Prince Aiden is the only successor to the throne.”
“Is it because Prince Aiden is a man?”
“Yes.”
I nodded without hesitation. It was absurd to me as a modern person, but it was the norm here. No, it was the correct common sense.
“All the past kings of the Rapelli Kingdom, though not always the eldest, were all men. There was no mention of a successor in His Majesty the King’s will. It’s only natural for Prince Aiden to inherit the throne.”
“…What you say is not wrong. In fact, most nobles would agree.”
“It seems your Excellency has a different opinion than mine.”
“The continent is in turmoil right now. It will only get worse with time, and a chaotic era will unfold. To survive in such times, we need an exceptional leader. Prince Aiden is not suitable. He is weak-willed and lacks ability. On the other hand, Princess Eileen has the ability. She has the ability to protect the Rapelli Kingdom.”
Marquis Petras had decided to support Princess Eileen. This was troublesome. He was the representative of the North. His support meant the support of the entire North.
“Are you telling me to abandon Prince Aiden and follow Princess Eileen?”
“Yes. That is what’s best for the Rapelli Kingdom. The longer the throne remains vacant, the harder it will be for the people.”
I knew that.
The king this country needed was Princess Eileen. But if she became queen, she wouldn’t be mine. I didn’t care if the Rapelli Kingdom fell apart. I wanted Princess Eileen.
“Did Princess Eileen ask you to do this?”
“No. This is my own decision. If you help, the princess will ascend to the throne without any conflict.”
“I’m sorry. I cannot agree with your Excellency’s opinion. No matter what you say, Prince Aiden must inherit the throne. I believe that is the right thing to do.”
“…….”
Marquis Petras stared at me intently. I didn’t avert my gaze. If I did, it would be an admission of defeat.
“I understand. I don’t like it, but I can’t force you to change your mind. However, no matter what you think, Princess Eileen will eventually inherit the throne.”
“That remains to be seen.”
Marquis Petras nodded silently.
“Yesterday. I fought a powerful enemy.”
“Yes. I heard you fought for almost an hour. Although the nobles are keeping it quiet, there are rumors that it was a master from the Bitrase Kingdom. If it weren’t for your Excellency, the convoy might have been annihilated.”
“It wasn’t a master from the Bitrase Kingdom.”
“Pardon?”
“There are three masters in the Bitrase Kingdom, and I have fought them before. The way he fought yesterday was completely different from them. He was sharper, and faster. I tried to kill him, but he didn’t try to kill me. At most, he just kept following me. He was beyond my capabilities.”
“…That’s surprising. What did he look like?”
“He was shrouded in darkness. I don’t know if it was magic or an artifact, but I couldn’t figure out his identity.”
“If he wasn’t a master from Bitrase, then who could he be?”
“He wasn’t after the princess, but Duke Sunheights. If I hadn’t been near Duke Sunheights, he would have died by that man’s sword.”
“…Is that why you haven’t returned to the North, your Excellency?”
“The North is fine without me. The northern countries are too busy fighting each other to come down south. I plan to stay here until the funeral is over.”
“I see.”
It seemed there wouldn’t be another chance to assassinate Duke Sunheights during the funeral.
“I heard you and Duke Sunheights don’t get along.”
“We had some friction. Are you perhaps suspecting me?”
“I don’t mean to. I’ve just heard various things.”
He shifted his gaze to Yuria beside me.
“You’re the maid who’s always with the Baron. Where were you yesterday?”
“I was inside the carriage.”
Yuria answered calmly.
“…I heard that even the servants gathered to defend themselves with swords and shields. You were alone in the carriage?”
“Yes. I had my master’s orders, and I thought the carriage was safe.”
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
He looked at the hand resting on Yuria’s lap. You could roughly guess a person’s occupation and life by looking at their hands. Usually, that is.
Yuria’s hands were clean. There wasn’t a single scar, and they were slender. The phrase “delicate hands” seemed to exist for her hands. They weren’t the hands of a warrior, nor were they the hands of a maid.
“Your hands are beautiful.”
“Thank you. As my master’s maid, I take care of them every day.”
“…I would believe it if you said you were a noble lady, not a maid.”
I also held out my hand to him.
“Your Excellency, what about my hands?”
“…Your hands are not those of a warrior. I don’t understand. How can your hands be so clean when you have such skill?”
It was thanks to Complete Recovery. Scars and wounds all disappeared when I used Complete Recovery. Although I didn’t have calluses, my hands were not weak at all. The stats from my game app applied to me.
“I take care of them. It’s clean and nice when you use magic or potions.”
“I don’t understand. Is this a generational difference…?”
Marquis Petras talked a bit more and then left.
“He’s suspicious.”
“Yes. He’s being openly suspicious.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to kill Marquis Petras? He seems like he’ll be a constant hindrance.”
“The Hojit Kingdom and the Bishul Kingdom in the North will eventually move south. The North will become a battlefield, so we need Marquis Petras’s strength.”
“How do you think Duke Sunheights will react?”
“With Princess Eileen here, he won’t be able to do anything.”
“Then what do you think I’m going to do now?”
“Master will… probably thrust his meat stick into my pussy.”
“As expected of Yuria! You’re right!”
I immediately pounced on Yuria.
“Kyaaa!”
Yuria let out a small scream as she accommodated me. Soon, our carriage was filled with hot breaths and sounds.
•••
About 80 days had passed.
It had been boring because nothing special had happened. Well, for me, it was easy to pass the time with Auto-Progress and the Mirror Tunnel. I would secretly return to the mansion through the Mirror Tunnel and play with the maids.
The convoy was gradually slowing down. We were entering a fortified fortress.
Uhtren Castle.
The place where Count Ention Prucus stayed, defending against the invaders from the Valt Kingdom and the monsters emerging from the Sea of Calamity.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ention. Thinking of Ention reminds me of Elain. Elain had stiff pubic hair and her labia was indecently spread open.’
I opened the carriage window.
A cold wind blew in. Perhaps it was because of the gloomy gray castle walls. The air felt heavy. And there was the smell of iron and blood.
The soldiers and knights of Uhtren lined up along the main road to greet us. The funeral procession would stay here for a day and depart again tomorrow afternoon. It was necessary to rest the tired horses and repair the carriages.
I got out of the carriage. I was a direct descendant of Prucus, but this was my first time visiting Uhtren Castle. As expected, the atmosphere was heavy. The soldiers exuded the discipline of the front lines.
In the distance, I could see Ention Prucus and Zent Prucus. They were greeting Princess Eileen and Prince Aiden.
As I walked towards them, I spotted Marquis Petras leaning against a carriage. He was looking around.
“Aren’t you going?”
“I plan to greet Ention later. Go ahead.”
“Yes.”
I didn’t care what kind of relationship he had with Ention.
“Father.”
“You’ve arrived. I heard about what happened a month ago.”
“Yes. Many have died.”
“Hmm.”
Ention nodded. There were no words of praise or comfort. Ention was always like that.
I didn’t feel any disappointment. I didn’t recognize him as my father. And I should actually feel sorry for him. Because his wife, Elain, had already become my fuck toy.
‘Ah, I want to fuck Elain!’
I quietly smacked my lips.
“Haha. It’s been a while, brother.”
Zent said with a cheerful laugh.
“Yes. It’s been a while, brother.”
The reason he greeted me with such a carefree face was because he was the frontrunner in the Prucus family’s succession race. He was always with Ention, participating in the battles that took place on the border.
I glanced at the princess and the prince. Princess Eileen was the first to approach Ention and speak to him. Ention was nodding or shaking his head as he dealt with the princess. But that was it. He had no interest in politics, so he was indifferent to Princess Eileen’s words. There was no need to worry.
The prince was only looking around, nervous in front of the Marcher Lord. This guy was arrogant in front of ordinary nobles, but he couldn’t even breathe in front of the great nobles. A typical example of being strong against the weak and weak against the strong.
Zent approached me. It seemed he wanted to talk to me. His smiling face, thinking he was superior, was quite annoying.
“I’ve heard rumors about you all the way here.”
“Your ears must be sharp.”
“I heard you sided with the prince. I didn’t know you were so interested in politics.”
“It’s a matter of the country. As a noble, it’s only natural to be interested.”
“Father said it didn’t matter, but I don’t think so. If you want to become a vassal of the king, give up your claim to the succession and go to the capital. What are brothers for? I’ll support you.”
“Brother. Why are you doing this? The succession race has only just begun.”
“It’s practically over. While you were sucking up to the prince, I fought in over thirty battles. The number of enemies I’ve killed is well over a hundred. You made a mistake from the start. With this much of a difference, you’ll never catch up to me.”
“Haha. Is that so? Then let’s ask Father.”
