CHAPTER 60…………………………
The Second of a Distinguished Man vs. The First of a Commoner
News that the King of Pritan would personally lead his delegation to visit Malau Castle left the King of Malau too excited to calm down.
“Shine, that girl has finally pulled it off!!”
Well, she was a child who had never once failed to get what she wanted.
From a young age, she was so bright that teaching her one thing meant she’d know ten. Her half-brothers were always intimidated by her sharpness, to the point of being cowed. Even he, her father, once worried about how to deal with such an intelligent daughter.
But by the age of eight, Shine had realized her natural charm. She had also figured out that she could gain far more by using her charms than her brains.
So the King of Malau contented himself with having not a clever daughter, but a beautiful one.
Of course, his faith in Shine’s charms had wavered once. He had personally seen how coldly the King of Pritan looked at his daughter, with not a trace of affection in his eyes.
And yet Shine had succeeded in moving even that man’s heart. Though she was his daughter, her unyielding persistence was something to be respected.
He immediately headed to the palace library to find her.
“Shine, look at this! The King of Pritan will soon arrive at Malau Castle!”
“I told you he would. He’s just a little later than I expected.”
Instead of bursting with joy, Shine replied indifferently and returned her gaze to her book.
Slightly awkward at her unexpected reaction, the King of Malau peeked at the book she was buried in.
“Marriage, Humanity’s Most Noble Invention?”
Who would have thought she’d be reading such a thing! He glanced at the other books piled on her desk.
Titles like “The Meaning of the Marriage Oath,” “The Evolution of the Marriage System,” “Polygamy vs. Monogamy,” along with histories such as “The Great Conqueror, King Superman,” “The Unification of the Southern Continent,” and “The Warring States of the Northern Continent.”
“My, my… Are you studying human history already, just because you’ll be part of the Pritan royal family?”
The King of Malau could not help smiling, watching his daughter lost in her studies. When had the princess, once a child in his arms, grown so mature?
“Not exactly because of that. But knowing more doesn’t hurt.”
“Of course, of course! Learn well, and put those humans who despise demons in their place.”
“Father, what do you think are the duties and roles of royalty?”
“What?”
The unexpected question left the King flustered.
In his youth, he had been too busy building power within the tribe. After founding the kingdom, he had focused on strengthening its foundation so it wouldn’t be ignored by other nations. He had never once had the leisure to ponder the duty and role of royalty.
“Where does the king’s responsibility end? Can a king really make all his people happy? Is it true that a king must never trust anyone?”
“Enough, enough, Shine!!”
As when she was a child, every time she opened her mouth, the King of Malau’s head throbbed.
Guessing her worries stemmed from the thought of marrying into Pritan, he tried to soothe her.
“Don’t push yourself. From the way he cherishes his queen, the King of Pritan is no libertine. Most likely, the only women in his life will be his queen and you.”
“You mean I should consider myself lucky?”
“Of course! For just two women to share a king—why, even human women rarely get such fortune.”
Then Shine turned to her father and asked:
“Father, why don’t you have a queen?”
“What? Demons don’t marry! You may choose otherwise, but our kind was never meant for that institution.”
To demons, being bound to one partner—whether one or many—for life was unnatural to their temperament.
“You followed humans in building a kingdom. Shouldn’t you follow their institutions as well?”
“That can come in time. But not in my reign.”
As he tried to slip away, the King stopped when he saw Shine return to her books.
“If that child were to become king, human institutions might settle here much faster…”
But there was no point dreaming such dreams when she was soon to enter the Pritan royal family. As much as he regretted sending her off, he could not give up a son-in-law like Mikroc.
“Perhaps I should have had another daughter…”
Sighing over the daughter he didn’t have, the King left in haste, worried Shine might spring another difficult question on him.
***
“Prince Mikroc, we will never forget your grace in visiting our humble village.”
As Mik and I prepared to leave the northwestern village, the chief and elders bowed deeply before us.
Behind them, all the villagers had come out to see us off. Among them were children whose illnesses I had healed. Their rosy cheeks showed they were healthy again.
“May the goddess’s blessing be upon Your Highness the Queen. This old man doesn’t know if I’ll live to see you again, but I pray for your long life and happiness.”
“Thank you.”
His tearful gratitude moved me deeply.
Our detour to Malau had not been planned, and our stay in the northwest village lasted longer than expected.
While Mik inspected the borderlands and the winter situation in nearby villages, I spent my spare time healing the sick. From severe frostbite to mild cases, I cured them all.
Of course, using my powers still wasn’t natural; every healing left me exhausted. Mik would frown each time but never stopped me.
And my desire grew—to master my powers more skillfully. Surely, there had to be a way to learn them systematically.
“Farewell, Prince Mikroc! Thank you, Your Highness the Queen!!!”
As our carriage began to roll, the villagers waved, sending us off.
The horses sped up toward Malau. Mik, who had politely sat opposite me at first, immediately slid to my side once the village was out of sight.
“Mik, is your seat uncomfortable?”
“No. I just worry you are. Lean on me.”
“I’m fine…”
“Fine? You think I didn’t notice you drained yourself this morning treating patients?”
“Ah… you noticed?”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
He pulled a blanket over my lap and tugged me into his arms, forcing my head onto his chest.
Well then—thanks to my husband, I might as well enjoy a comfortable carriage ride. With that thought, I relaxed into his embrace. Somehow, his arms had become the safest, most peaceful place in the world.
***
Once the King of Malau left, Julmon came to find Shine in the library.
“Princess, Prince Mikroc is on his way to Malau Castle.”
“I know.”
“I expected as much, but to see it become reality… I must say, Princess, you truly are remarkable.”
Her face, still expressionless despite the praise, made Julmon realize something was off.
“Aren’t you happy? That proud man has essentially surrendered.”
“He’s not coming for me. He’s coming for the magic stone processing technique. That’s hardly surrender.”
“Ah~ So your pride is wounded, that’s why?”
Julmon chuckled, nodding as though he finally understood.
“Whatever the reason, you achieved your goal. Where’s that confident princess who vowed to enter the harem, drive out the queen, and take her place?”
Even at his joking, Shine’s face remained cold.
“Father said this: the King of Pritan will never take another woman besides the queen and me. That this is a rare fortune even among human women.”
“Indeed. The King of Pritan is the greatest among men. To be his second wife is a place even human women would kill for.”
“But the King of Pritan told me this: that even to love just Bi takes all his time, and that I should seek a man like that. Not to settle for being second or third.”
“Hm…”
At last, Julmon understood how deeply Shine was weighing her future.
“So you would rather be the first of a common man than the second of a great one?”
Shine suddenly turned her sharp gaze on him. Julmon was the first to look away.
“I’ve grown curious about that feeling—when two people see only each other. And I thought about it. About who would make me their first, who would never want to share me with another.”
Her unwavering gaze told Julmon exactly who she meant.
“Surely you don’t mean me? I’m only your guard…”
“When I was ten and attacked by a monster, you saved me at the risk of your life. You weren’t even my guard then.”
“You were too beautiful to be torn apart by a monster.”
His casual answer made Shine sigh lightly.
“Do you still sleep with a different woman every night?”
“Well, yes… With my charm, plenty of women come to me.”
“Then why have you never once taken me?”
“…What?”
“Because once you did, you wouldn’t be able to bear me with another man, right?”
Julmon froze, stricken.
“I want to compare. To know whether being a great man’s second is better, or being a common man’s first.”
“What are you planning?”
“Tonight, I’ll take you. Then later, when I’m with Prince Mikroc, I’ll know which is better.”
Julmon’s face twisted in anguish. For an instant, his eyes flashed like a wounded beast.
“And why do you assume I’d give you my first?”
“Why do you think I don’t know your heart?”
Her words, spoken with quiet certainty, unraveled the mask Julmon had worn for years.
“I knew the look on your face the first time you saw me at nine. I knew your gaze followed me everywhere. I knew the fury in your eyes whenever I lay with another man. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“You… knew all this?”
“Even if you denied it, no one knows better than I how fiercely possessive you are. So unlike a demon.”
Her words pierced him like sharp pincers, stripping bare the feelings he thought he had buried for over a decade.
Julmon felt anger well up from the depths of his heart.
“And knowing this, you still command me so?”
“I told you—I want to know that feeling of exclusive possession. Until I say otherwise, you will not touch another woman. I won’t either.”
He bit down hard on his lips.
“Am I allowed to refuse?”
“No.”
“…You are cruel.”
His distorted face slowly smoothed, until it was once again his usual mask of indifference—though now laced with chilling cold.
“As you command. Tonight, I will come to your chamber.”
He bowed lightly, his voice icy, and left. Shine gazed long at the spot where he had stood.
