SWNOVELXO Chapter 109
“Did the recording go well?”
Leon Clendor glanced at his subordinate as he asked.
The subordinate turned his head back to glance at the ‘recording officer,’ and soon the officer hurried over to Leon to start reporting the recording situation.
“Yes! Your Highness the Prince. The Empire’s inability to handle Your Highness has all been recorded!”
The recording officer said while casually showing the captured footage.
On the screen, Elena and Irelya were bowing their heads, seeking understanding.
Leon smiled with satisfaction and said.
“The framing is quite good. Continue with the recording.”
“Yes!”
With a smile at Leon’s command, the recording officer stepped back.
In this way, the Clendor Kingdom was recording everything happening in the Empire.
They recorded the Empire struggling before Leon Clendor to use it as political propaganda material.
“This will make for a decent shot.”
Leon, the first prince of the Clendor Kingdom.
Currently, he was fearful of his brothers’ growth.
With the Clendor king not yet having appointed a crown prince.
He feared that his brothers, who possessed abilities exceeding his own, might be chosen as the crown prince.
“I need to make a strong impression.”
Thus, Leon planned to utilize this diplomatic mission as a political propaganda tool.
By leveraging the diplomatic advantages of this mission, he aimed to showcase his strong image as much as possible for propaganda.
To instill the perception of a ‘strong heir’ among the nobles and the public.
“Cruel bastards have bowed their heads. This will definitely be a big blow.”
Above all, the most significant achievement was that the long-time enemy, now the Ducal House of Cruel, had submitted.
This could be considered a highly encouraging victory.
“Why is the Empire going to such lengths? What is it about the Sea Wall?”
However, Leon felt a bit puzzled.
If the Grand Duke of Cruel was bowing his head, it meant the royal family had a strong will regarding this exploration of the Sea Wall.
What exactly were they so eager to find beyond the Sea Wall?
For this prideful Empire itself to bow its head.
“·····I must extract as much as possible.”
Whatever it takes, he needed to gain as much as he could from this negotiation.
If they failed to provide their ships, the Empire wouldn’t even be able to start the expedition.
In other words, it meant they were indeed the clear ‘dominant party.’
He would extract as much as possible and make the results widely known.
***
Late afternoon.
As Leon was resting in his luxurious quarters, his subordinate arrived.
It was time to head to the banquet organized by the princess.
“Let’s go.”
Having finished getting ready, Leon donned his coat and stepped outside.
Before him stood the lavish carriage prepared by Elena, waiting.
“I like it. Let’s go.”
Leon grinned with the feeling of being treated like a lord as he climbed into the carriage.
Meanwhile, he checked if the Empire’s preparations for the recording were going well by glancing back.
When the recording officer nodded slightly, Leon chuckled and pushed himself into the carriage.
“Hmm·····.”
As the carriage departed for the Imperial Palace, Leon gazed at the bustling city beyond the window.
He was taken aback by the immense scale that couldn’t even be compared to the capital of Clendor, but he attempted to maintain a nonchalant expression while observing the scenery.
However, when he arrived at the Imperial Palace, he couldn’t help but drop his jaw.
‘This is·····.’
It was truly another world.
The palace where the Emperor of the Empire resided was like a city unto itself.
The grandeur and scale overwhelmed him.
‘Is this what it means to be an Empire…?’
Indeed, it was the mightiest nation in this world.
But Leon clenched his fists and steeled his determination.
On the surface, it might seem grand, but the Empire ultimately couldn’t rival the Clendor Kingdom.
They may be the strongest on land, but the seas told a different story.
“We have arrived.”
As he gathered his thoughts, Elena announced their arrival.
The place they arrived at was the princess’s palace, not even the Emperor’s residence, yet it was far larger and more magnificent than the royal palace of the Clendor Kingdom.
“Well. Let’s go.”
However, Leon exited the carriage, putting on a façade of calmness.
Following Elena’s lead, he entered the princess’s palace with his attendants and subordinate.
Soon, Leon arrived at the guest room.
“The first prince of Clendor has arrived. Inform the princess.”
“Yes.”
Elena notified the guard at the door about Leon’s arrival.
In no time, the guard reported Leon’s presence, and the door began to open.
Beyond the opened door was a lavish table and sofa. And there sat the princess on a throne-like chair.
Leon’s brow twitched.
‘She doesn’t come to greet me, sitting at the honored seat?’
This was unacceptable.
Surely, the one who invited him was the princess, yet here she was, sitting above him.
Such a position was more fitting for a lord-servant relationship.
‘···Ah, could it be because of rank?’
However, Leon lifted the corners of his mouth in a sardonic smile, as if he understood the princess.
Her arrogant attitude arose from her authority, no doubt.
She must have her political position to uphold.
‘Since she can’t show a bowing head in her own domain.’
Within the princess’s palace, filled with dozens and hundreds of ladies-in-waiting and guards.
What the princess must protect here was none other than her authority.
She could compromise on other matters, but must never undermine the dignity and authority that came with the title of princess.
The Empire, unified from various kingdoms, maintained itself through the royal family’s authority.
Leon Clendor fully understood the princess’s position.
‘Fine. I’ll let this slide. But I will grab more shares.’
Thus, Leon restrained his discontented subordinates and began to walk towards the princess.
Using her rudeness as an excuse, he would ensure he took a bigger share of this expedition.
After all, Clendor was the clear ‘superior’ and the Empire was the subordinate.
As he finally stood before the princess, she opened her mouth.
“Thank you for your hard work in traveling such a long distance. Prince Leon of Clendor.”
“······.”
Yet, the title ‘Prince’ grated on him.
Clearly, Clendor had recently declared itself an Empire.
They had also achieved a decisive victory in the war against the Empire.
“·····I fully understand your position, Princess.”
Thus, Leon decided to stand firm.
He couldn’t tolerate any more disrespect.
“I understand your authority and status. And the responsibilities that come with it.”
“······.”
“But it is unacceptable to commit such an affront to a guest who has come to discuss critical matters between nations, especially a guest you personally invited. I am the first prince of the great Clendor Empire and deserve the appropriate courtesy.”
Leon glared at the princess with a serious expression he had meticulously crafted.
He thought this was a fitting act, aware of the recording officer capturing it.
If the princess admitted her mistake and bowed her head, yet another stunning piece of political propaganda would be born.
“Pfft.”
“·····?”
But the princess’s reaction was unexpected.
Pfft? What?
Such a reaction was completely out of place.
“Ha! Hahaha! Kkkuh···! Kkkkkuh···!”
Is she insane?
This was beyond diplomatic disrespect.
This was outright disdain.
“Hah····.”
At that moment, the Grand Mage Elena beside her let out a heavy sigh.
She looked up at the princess and said,
“Sephilia. We agreed to keep it civil, right? Are you trying to cause trouble again!”
“Kkkkuh··· Puhuhh··· No, but… it’s funny, right? That idiot… Kkkkuh··· acting all high and mighty.”
The princess said that as she fixed her gaze on Leon.
Leon grit his teeth, yelling at the princess.
“What are you doing right now! We are here to help you──!”
“Hey.”
At that, the princess’s cold voice echoed.
Simultaneously, her pupils began to glow red.
She had activated the royal family’s magical eyes.
“Shut up.”
With those words bidding him into silence, Leon froze.
He had opened his mouth wide to retort vehemently, but no sound emerged.
Thus, Leon stood there like a statue.
Not just Leon, but his attending subordinate and attendants. All the ladies-in-waiting and guards in the guest room also became rigid.
As if time had stopped.
“Hmm·····.”
In the stalled world, the princess gazed intently at Leon.
To her, his shape merely appeared as a collection of countless 0s and 1s.
In reality, it wasn’t just Leon. The throne she sat on, the table before her, the food on the table, the guest room itself, and the dozens of waiting ladies.
All of them appeared as collections of 0s and 1s.
Only Elena appeared just as she was.
“Hey. You’re really done for.”
And only she remained free in the frozen world.
This was why Sephilia couldn’t help but love Elena.
She was genuine.
“I told you not to use that!”
Elena exclaimed, sprinting towards Sephilia.
In the meantime, Sephilia chuckled and hurriedly dodged, spending some time evading Elena.
But it was impossible to shake off her, a genius of magic.
“Ahhh!”
In the end, Sephilia got caught by Elena.
Elena slapped Sephilia’s back while saying.
“I’ve told you! How many times have I said! Not to! Cause trouble! Huh!”
With a rhythm, she slapped the princess’s back and rear.
As Sephilia feigned a trembling whimper, Elena dismissed it easily as she slapped the princess’s back again.
Eventually, Elena pointed at Leon and said.
“What are you going to do about him? How will you deal with this once time returns to normal!”
“·····.”
However, the princess looked at Elena with a slightly annoyed expression.
Then she took her hand and said.
“I’m upset.”
“·····Huh?”
“I’m upset. Seeing my sister bowing her head to such a fool.”
“······.”
Elena wore a complex expression at the princess’s words.
Then she gently stroked Sephilia’s head and said.
“Sephilia. Did you look into his memories?”
“···Yes.”
“·····Was it necessary? I don’t mind, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“But it makes me mad! He’s a fake, yet he insults my real sister.”
“······.”
Elena gazed sadly at Sephilia.
Sephilia was always an unhappy child because she was born with such overwhelming power.
She believed that this world was fake.
“Sephilia, there’s no such thing as fake in this world.”
So Elena embraced Sephilia, just as she always did.
She tried to comfort her, saying that there’s no fake in this world, that everything is real.
Of course, that also included Sephilia herself.
“Sephilia, you are not fake. I promise, you are real. And so is this world, that person, and everything around you. Everything is real.”
Elena said this as she hugged Sephilia tightly.
Sephilia felt Elena’s warmth and clutched her clothes tightly.
As if desperately trying to feel her mother’s presence, she pulled Elena close.
“Real··· a real person····.”
Sephilia suddenly recalled her childhood.
It was when she first awakened this cursed ability.
Specifically, when she turned eight and her pet dog ‘Toby’ died.
Her overwhelming desire to bring Toby back to life awakened her ability.
-Is this…?
And that ability was the power to see through the essence of the world.
A world of 0s and 1s.
The whole world started to appear as a 3D projection made up of 0s and 1s.
This was the power of the royal family’s magical eyes.
“Sephilia. Look at me. Look me in the eye.”
At that moment, Elena shook Sephilia, breaking her daze.
As Sephilia looked up at Elena, she locked eyes with her.
“There’s no such thing as fake in this world. Trust me because I’m always right.”
“······.”
Amidst her magical eyes being active, Elena maintained her true form vividly.
Finally, a smile appeared on Sephilia’s face.
As she gazed at Elena, she said.
“Always right, huh? While you always get tricked by me.”
“······.”
“Anyway, I didn’t use my ability thoughtlessly. Look, my eyes are fine.”
The princess pointed to her eyes.
They were utterly clear, without a single blood vessel.
“Moreover, he also needs this expedition. It’s the only opportunity for him to establish his position. In other words, we don’t have to bow our heads to enter.”
She had gleaned this information from inspecting Leon’s data.
The princess appealed to Elena that they could gain an upper hand based on that information.
Then she glanced at her throne and added.
“So it’s fine to act like this. We need to keep him from getting too cocky.”
After stating this, the princess climbed back onto her throne.
Elena looked at Sephilia with a complex expression, then returned to her original place.
-Fwaaat!
As they all resumed their positions, the princess’s eyes returned to normal.
Her magical eyes had deactivated.
And at that moment, time began to flow again.
Leon, who had been choked up, burst out.
“─This is unacceptable! We cannot let such insolence go unchallenged from our side!”
***
Leon stepped out of the palace, his expression stiff.
He had been publicly humiliated by the princess but could do nothing.
‘How did she see right through everything?’
In truth, she had seen through all his political schemes.
She had realized he needed to achieve remarkable results in this delegation for his claim to the throne.
The princess had used that as leverage to threaten him.
She claimed that if things went wrong, she would invite his brothers to push for the expedition.
‘That absolutely cannot happen. I must achieve results.’
And that was the very thing he feared the most.
His brothers, who possessed superior abilities, might achieve great success in this expedition.
Showing off before the Empire as well.
Exploring the ‘Sea Wall,’ one of the three great magical territories in the world.
All of it was accomplishments he had to monopolize.
He could never afford to let his brothers take any of it.
“Discard all recordings made in the palace.”
“Yes.”
Thus, Leon Clendor decided to accept the princess’s proposal.
If the exploration of the Sea Wall succeeded, they’d split the resources 4:6.
Originally, with his kingdom providing navigation skills and ships, they should be entitled to 6. No, they deserved 8 by all rights, but to monopolize all achievements, he had no choice but to concede.
“I’m heading to the Academy.”
“Yes! My lord.”
But there was still one plan remaining.
That was to make the students of the Empire Academy taste humiliation.
If he could suppress the strongest elite known as the Academy students, it would be a surefire means to solidify his position.
Leon smiled, recalling the elite troops he had brought with him.