Chapter 21

"Is it yes, or is it no?"

Wishing it would just pass, the princess asked him seriously.

"Huh? Which one?"

Mukali's face only grew redder.

"Khum, khum."

Just as he was unable to bear the embarrassment and was only making false coughs, fortunately, the door opened and the maids came in.

They had only gone to fetch some snacks, but it took them a long time, as if they had started cultivating tea leaves.

Mukali knew the reason well.

The maids were frowning and looking as if they were about to vomit when they saw him.

He quickly averted his gaze to avoid meeting their eyes.

When they placed the tea in front of him, their hands were trembling so much that the tea spilled out of the cup.

They quickly placed it down as if throwing it and hurriedly left as if they had been next to a monster.

In fact, the cup was placed so far away from Mukali that it could hardly be considered in front of him.

His lost left eye throbbed.

Mukali suppressed the urge to cover and press his left face with his hand.

He didn't want to reveal that he was bothered by such things.

〈Ugh! Look at that face!〉

〈Indeed, he looks like a monster, fitting for a barbarian.〉

〈I can't tell if he's human or a beast! Disgusting.〉

During the war with Silvanus, he always heard such taunts.

The Silvanus knights, with their smug faces, would retch in front of him.

'These scars are proof of a proud warrior.'

He felt neither shame nor embarrassment.

They meant that he had fought fiercely and won.

However, the small and insignificant... no, the insignificant Thumb Princess was afraid of him.

‘I knew the small and insignificant Thumb Princess would naturally be like that.’

Aristine was telling the maids to leave.

‘...Is it okay to be alone with me?’

Mukali looked at Aristine with a strange expression.

‘I mustn’t let my guard down.’

He muttered to himself as if making a vow.

‘She’s the sinister princess of Silvanus, so who knows what evil plans she’s concocting in her heart.’

All for the sake of his lord.

Mukali puffed out his nostrils, strengthening his resolve.

* * *

‘Good.’

Aristine, now alone with Mukali again, looked at him with a serious expression.

Fortunately, the maids, who had been told to leave, disappeared quickly as if they had been waiting for it.

Usually, she would have fiercely objected, thinking they were trying to plot something with the Irlugon and leave us out.

‘I can’t miss this opportunity.’

Aristine was in a situation where she needed external help.

Honestly, she didn’t want to share anything related to the Mace business with anyone else yet.

Just like she hadn’t explained the blacksmith to Tarkan, she wanted to reveal it only after some progress had been made.

‘But I’ve hit a wall, so there’s no choice.’

Being confined in the palace with the maids always on high alert, there was no progress.

She needed someone’s help.

Aristine, forgetting to eat the tea and scones, looked at Mukali.

“So, about what you said earlier, are you really here to help me?”

“Huh, are you still asking that?”

Mukali snorted.

Is she really asking this because she doesn’t know?

There’s no way he would help the princess of Silvanus, not in the past, present, or future.

‘The palace people and warriors all think that since everyone is terrified of me, I can make our Irlugon do whatever I want. But they’re wrong.’

He needed to make the newly born Thumb Princess understand the reality.

“Put this firmly in your tiny head. I came to see the princess today—”

Mukali paused in his speech.

Something was blocking him.

He didn’t know what it was.

For some reason, it didn’t feel wise to get angry at Aristine here.

For a man with a fiery temper, this was a very rare feeling.

“Why did you come to see me?”

Encouraged by Aristine, he opened his mouth again.

This time, he intended to firmly enlighten her about the reality, but the feeling he had just experienced became even stronger.

As someone who always relied on his instincts in life-or-death battles, this was a sensation he couldn’t ignore.

Frustrated by not knowing why he felt this way, Mukali frowned.

After pondering for a while, he suddenly had an idea and exclaimed, “Ah!” with a clear expression.

‘Right, instead of getting angry here, it’s better to pretend to help and catch her in the act!’

This was a perfect plan.

This must be why he felt that way.

Indeed, his intuition was always reliable.

“I came to help you investigate that man, as the princess said.”

Sure enough, Aristine nodded.

The fact that she was investigating someone wasn’t a secret.

Even if she wanted to keep it secret, she couldn’t.

Tarkan, for some reason, didn’t cooperate, so she had to find out through the palace people.

Asking about someone seen at a banquet was a common occurrence, so the palace people didn’t pay much attention.

Moreover, since Aristine had asked in front of Tarkan, it was practically tacitly approved by Tarkan.

No one would object to something Tarkan had allowed.

In this situation, the fact that Mukali knew about the investigation didn’t bother her.

‘But no one knows why I’m interested or why I’m investigating him!’

She wanted to keep that as secret as possible.

Actually, there was a clear reason why Mukali, Tarkan’s subordinate, had suddenly come to help her, a stranger he had never met.

‘Tarkan is really... He must have felt guilty after being so harsh and told me to help her.’

It couldn’t be anything else.

‘He’s just shy, that’s all.’

Of course, while receiving help, she might have to share some information with Mukali.

Since he was sent by Tarkan, that information would eventually reach Tarkan’s ears.

‘I have to accept that. Tarkan and I are partners, after all. At least I’m lucky to get help.’

With this thought, Aristine thanked Mukali.

Even though he was sent, she wanted to express her gratitude for the timely help.

“Thank you. I was thinking about what to do because my options are still limited.”

“That’s right.”

“I can’t go out of the palace alone and meet him without the maids. I’m relieved you’re helping.”

At this, Mukali’s expression stiffened.

‘Is she really asking me to help her secretly meet that man?’

He had planned to catch her in the act, but for some reason, Mukali was greatly shocked.

It should have been a triumph to catch her in a secret meeting.

Mukali bowed his head.

‘Indeed, Diona was right.’

He felt an endless sinking feeling.

His already fierce face became even more twisted.

“The palace people have already told me all the details.”

Aristine lowered her voice and leaned closer to him.

She showed no signs of caution.

She didn’t guard against his hideous face or the possibility that he might betray her.

For a sinister Silvanus person to fall for a covert investigation so easily.

Would a complete stranger, and especially Tarkan’s subordinate, fall for such a simple trick?

Or...

‘Does she not care if her lord finds out about such a secret meeting?’

A Silvanus person might think that way.

“But I don’t know what he likes or what he’s interested in.”

“Why are you curious about that?”

Mukali couldn’t hold back and blurted out.

“Well...”

Aristine rolled her eyes. She wanted to give only the minimum information.

“To seduce him?”

“Seduce...”

Mukali grabbed his neck.

“What do you mean by that!”

His face turned bright red as he shouted.

“How can you... with our lord!”

“No, he has different abilities...”

“What?! Are you saying that this guy is more capable than our lord!”

“Not better, just different. I think Tarkan is an excellent partner.”

“Partner...! You can’t be serious!”

Mukali’s remaining eye widened as if it would tear.

“Such...!”

So, they had progressed so quickly!

‘They’re getting married in a few days, so it shouldn’t be a problem, but...!’

Mukali’s face started to turn even redder.

‘How can Lord Tarkan with the Thumb Princess!’

His belief was that the Thumb Princess, being so small and insignificant, should just be fed three meals a day.

‘Hmm?’

Aristine tilted her head.

For some reason, Mukali was very shaken.

It seemed that her lord must be the type who believes he should be the best in the world.

Aristine opened her mouth to calm him down.

“He’s a blacksmith, not a warrior like Tarkan. I’m not saying he’s better than Tarkan.”

“...A blacksmith?”

“Yes, Irlugon has many excellent blacksmiths. I need such a blacksmith.”

Aristine rubbed her forehead.

‘I didn’t plan to say I need a blacksmith.’

But once said, it couldn’t be taken back.

Aristine sighed and continued.

“Irlugon has always faced beasts, so our steel industry has developed.”

To deal with the constantly evolving beasts, they needed even better swords.

“No country can match Irlugon’s smelting and metallurgy skills.”

Mukali, who had been agitated, listened to Aristine with a somewhat confused look.

‘Why is she suddenly talking about this?’

“This great skill is the history and proof of Irlugon’s battles with the beasts of the Great Plains.”

“...I thought the princess of Silvanus wouldn’t know about this, but you do.”

Although she didn’t particularly agree with the princess, it was too accurate to ignore.

“How could I not know? The difference is so great.”

“You’re right. Even if you had eyes on your feet, you’d have to admit these are great swords.”

“I heard they can cut through a beast’s skin in one go.”

“Ha! Not just the skin. With auras, they can cut through bones! Only our Irlugon swords can withstand that.”

“Indeed, they are impressive.”

“That’s right! But the Silvanus people keep whining that our swords are barbaric. They carry fancy, useless swords.”

“The Silvanus people know that Irlugon’s swords are good. They just don’t want to admit it. They’re just too proud.”

“That’s exactly what I mean! If they keep being so proud—”

Mukali stopped speaking.

‘What am I doing?!’

Talking excitedly about swords with a princess who was trying to seduce another man!

‘No, no, that’s not it.’

He wasn’t excited at all.

How could he be happy talking to a sinister Silvanus person?

‘Well, the princess is surprisingly reasonable... No, not at all!’

Mukali grunted to regain his composure.

‘Right, I have to pretend to be friendly to catch her in a secret meeting.’

It’s all part of the plan and strategy.

‘Phew, I’m really a scary person.’

Mukali marveled at himself.

Everyone thought he was simple and short-sighted, but today proved that was wrong.

‘To come up with such a terrifying scheme.’

This incredible strategy was so powerful that even a sinister Silvanus person couldn’t resist it. The princess was completely fooled.

She was looking at the sword on Mukali’s waist with shining eyes.

Unlike Silvanus, in Irlugon, warriors could carry swords anywhere without special permission.

‘Right, she has a good eye! My sword is indeed impressive!’

Mukali unnecessarily leaned forward.

He wasn’t excited at all.

“Sir Mukali’s sword must be one of those great swords, right?”

Not excited at all, Mukali got up as if he had been waiting for this and swiftly drew his sword.

With a smooth, ringing sound, a shining silver blade was revealed.

It was as tall as Aristine.

A sword that suited the giant Mukali among the Irlugon.

“How is it, isn’t it amazing?”

He asked, lightly swinging the sword.

Whoosh, a sound that didn’t seem like a sword swing filled the air.

The air pressure made Aristine’s hair flutter.

Mukali realized his mistake.

‘This is not something to do, even to a princess...’

In Silvanus, showing a blade to a lady was considered barbaric and rude.

Especially in a country where only specially permitted knights could carry swords in the palace.

If she was afraid of a sword like a lover, he would have laughed at her cowardice.

But now, he didn’t feel like laughing.

He didn’t want to mock her if she was scared.

The reason was... to win her favor and deceive her.

Mukali hurriedly hid the sword behind his back.

“This is, I...”

He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. Mukali trailed off.

He didn’t mean to scare or threaten her.

He had come to scold her, but it wasn’t real.

He just wanted to show off his beautiful sword...

Now, the conversation about swords with the princess would end.

But at that moment.

Forget being a husband, I just want to make money.