CHAPTER 64…………………………….
: Strange Dream?
When Mikrok arrived at Malau Castle with his queen, Lea, the people of Malau, who had secretly been looking forward to a sweet encounter between Mikrok and Shine, were disappointed.
Bringing along a consort on the way to acquire another consort was shocking, even by the standards of the sexually liberal Malau people.
Moreover, Mikrok’s suggestion to start negotiations between the two countries immediately upon arrival carried a mysterious, ominous undertone. While rushing the negotiations would certainly benefit Malau, why did it feel so unsettling?
The King of Malau convened a meeting with his minister Yamal, his daughter Shine, and Julmon, who had been the practical leader of the Pritan envoy, but no clear solution came to mind.
At that moment, Shine dropped a bombshell.
“Father, this really won’t work.”
“What won’t work?”
“Being the second choice of some famous man is way less pleasant than I expected. I don’t want to be the consort of the King of Pritan!”
The king was both angry and deeply disappointed at his reckless daughter.
“Are international negotiations a child’s game? I thought a few months buried in books might have matured you, and now you say such nonsense?”
“They haven’t specifically said what they’ll offer in exchange for the mastery of Majung Stone processing technology.”
“That, of course, assumes you go as a consort…”
“He already rejected the idea of me becoming his consort. So this time, we can take the initiative and ask Pritan for something else instead.”
Minister Yamal tried to calm Princess Shine.
“Majung Stone processing is Malau’s top secret art. Pritan would have to offer something of equal value, but in the frozen lands of Pritan, is there anything more valuable than King Mikrok?”
“Exactly! If Pritan offers anything other than King Mikrok, any negotiation would end up benefiting them, not us.”
The King of Malau agreed and tried to persuade Shine, but she stood her ground.
“There’s another treasure in the Pritan Kingdom as valuable as King Mikrok. We can ask for that instead.”
“What…?”
Yamal frowned, unable to understand her, but soon was filled with shock.
“Princess, surely you don’t mean…?”
Shine looked straight at her father, the King of Malau.
“Let’s demand the bow and spear made of gold pine.”
“They will never agree! It’s the only weapon capable of subduing the Dark Dragon in the northern continent. Pritan would never give it up.”
Yamal protested vehemently, but Shine did not back down.
“Consider this: he brought his consort all the way here. By seeing him reluctantly showing he’d take me as a consort for Majung Stone processing, there’s still room for negotiation.”
“Hmm…”
The King of Malau fell silent for a long moment. Shine anxiously watched him.
“Think only of the national interest. Which benefits Malau more: giving them Majung Stone processing and me becoming Pritan’s consort, or obtaining the gold pine bow and spear?”
“…”
Yamal grew uneasy at the long silence; the princess’s proposal sounded like the wild idea of a reckless child.
“Your Majesty, Pritan will not take the easy route. If we provoke King Mikrok and he tries to seize the processing technology by force, we would be helpless.”
The king listened to Yamal but then turned back to his daughter. He remembered Shine as a remarkably intelligent child.
Meeting her unwavering gaze, he nodded decisively.
“All right, let’s try it.”
“Your Majesty!”
Yamal turned in surprise, but the king appeared resolute. Shine smiled with satisfaction.
“There’s no time. Yamal, prepare the basic plan before negotiations begin. Find conditions most favorable to Malau. Shine, you help Yamal—you’re responsible for your words.”
“Yes, Father.”
The weight of “responsibility” pressed on Shine, but she did not back down.
Seeing the urgency, Yamal rose hastily, followed by Shine and Julmon.
“Julmon, stay behind for a moment.”
The king’s solemn expression made Shine and Julmon flinch, their faces paling.
“W-Why Julmon?”
“To confirm something.”
Shine and Julmon assumed the king had discovered their secret. Julmon knelt impulsively, bowing his head as if awaiting punishment.
“…Julmon did nothing wrong.”
Shine stood by him, defending him with a trembling voice.
The king and Yamal looked at Shine and Julmon in surprise.
“I-I called him to my room first. I couldn’t refuse because it was the princess’s command.”
The king looked at Shine, puzzled.
“Adults can spend a night together, what’s the big deal?”
Then Shine knelt beside Julmon.
“I want to marry Julmon. Please allow it, Father.”
“What???”
The King of Malau finally understood the situation. With a stern expression, he asked:
“Shine, are you refusing this state marriage because of Julmon?”
Shine’s eyes trembled with fear, but she didn’t look away. Slowly, she nodded.
“I’m sorry if you’re disappointed, but I’ve made my decision.”
The king pressed his hand to his forehead, sighing heavily, and sank into his chair.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
Yamal and Shine stepped forward, but the king raised his hand to stop them.
“It’s fine. Things are moving too quickly, so let’s handle them one at a time. First, Yamal and Shine, begin preparing for negotiations.”
Once they left, the king looked down at the still-kneeling Julmon.
“Stand up.”
Julmon slowly rose, head still bowed.
“We’ll discuss your matter after this is resolved. If King Mikrok insists on taking Shine as his consort, there’s nothing I can do.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The reason I wanted to see you was another matter.”
Julmon finally raised his eyes to the king.
“Speak.”
“Doesn’t the queen of Pritan look familiar to you?”
“Huh?”
Julmon stared at the king in surprise.
“Surely you felt it, didn’t you?”
On the day Julmon arrived at Pritan Castle with the Malau envoy, he remembered his conversation with Shine:
“Queen Lea… doesn’t she look familiar? That gaze, that atmosphere… she really resembles Lord Clemens.”
“Do you want to die? How dare you mention that name? Say it in front of your father—your head would fall right there!”
Julmon, tense, swallowed hard.
“What do you mean…?”
“I thought you, who grew up seeing that portrait, would notice…”
The king’s words left Julmon no choice.
“You mean… Lord Clemens?”
Meanwhile…
“You look quite different dressed like that.”
Mik examined my outfit with interest.
Ahead of important negotiations with Malau, I had chosen black trousers and a red cloak, a departure from my usual attire. My long platinum hair was tied neatly at shoulder height.
Although Princess Shine preferred flashy dresses, I wanted to appear as a skilled negotiator, not a princess, in the negotiation room—like Duke Zenon.
Luckily, I liked my appearance, and Mik seemed to approve.
“Mik, you look amazing too.”
He wore the same design in black, and his uniform accentuated his muscular frame beneath his handsome face.
“Shall we go?”
Mik gently took my hand and placed it on his arm.
“Thinking of facing this battlefield with you makes me calm.”
“Same here.”
“Do not hesitate. Whatever the outcome, I will support you.”
Looking at his trusting face, all my worries vanished. We could do this.
Mik and I, with William and Ralph, approached the negotiation table. The King of Malau, Minister Yamal, and Princess Shine awaited us.
Shine’s dress was calmer than at our first meeting, but still revealing. I tried to maintain composure despite her lingering feelings for my husband.
Julmon and other guards stood beside them. William and Ralph flanked us. Both sides were fully prepared.
“Our purpose here is to confirm what Princess Shine said at Pritan Castle.”
Mik spoke first. The king nodded attentively.
“I heard Malau has processing technology that can permanently extend the lifespan of thermal Majung Stone. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Can we see the processed Majung Stone?”
The king signaled Julmon, who brought a small box.
“Left is regular Majung Stone, right is processed.”
The processed stone glowed a sapphire blue and radiated intense heat when touched, unlike the dull regular stone.
“We’ve had this technology for just over ten years and it maintains more than triple the firepower of ordinary Majung Stone.”
I studied the gem-like stone, fascinated. Processed Majung Stone lasts over ten years, compared to a maximum of five years for ordinary stones.
“How does Malau plan to share this technology with Pritan?”
“We intend to provide two tons of processed Majung Stone annually for the next ten years, renewing the agreement every decade.”
It wasn’t a bad offer, but slightly below our expectations—it only supplied products, not the source technology.
I spoke.
“What do you want from Pritan in return?”
The king looked between Mik and me, slightly surprised.
Mik stared straight ahead, calm. I also maintained eye contact, determined not to lose.
Even if Princess Shine were offered as a consort, I must remain composed.
The king finally spoke:
“We want bows and spears made of Pritan gold pine.”
“What??”
I slowly looked at Mik. He looked back at me. We silently recalled our conversation in Northwest Village.
‘Processed Majung Stone is Malau’s greatest treasure. We must offer something of equal value.’
‘You mean… to get the stone, I have to be offered as a consort?’
I whispered to him:
“Let’s make them give our gold pine to Malau.”
Indeed, from the beginning, Mik and I had planned to offer gold pine in exchange for the Majung Stone processing technology.
