Ezekiel was not completely drunk.
His agreement wasn’t a drunken blur. He simply realized there was no other way to obtain the Sun Elixir.
As someone with a limited lifespan, he needed to consume the Sun Elixir to survive, and the only way was through intimacy. And since the First Princess agreed, what was the problem?
“I thought of you as just a teacher, but it seems I was wrong.”
The First Princess, Ether, smiled enigmatically.
“However, I feel a bit hurt that you’re only embracing me to obtain the Sun Elixir. It would be more touching if you were yearning for me, desperate to hold me.”
“It’s not just about the Sun Elixir.”
Ezekiel shook his head.
Perhaps due to the alcohol, his feelings and words were quite sincere.
“Haha, I never thought I’d hear such words from you, Teacher.”
Ether laughed heartily, interrupting Ezekiel’s words.
In truth, she found it difficult to hear him out because she was not used to receiving such praise from him.
After sitting down together, she refilled their glasses.
“Isn’t it true that a warrior should also put their all into their emotions? What do you say? Shall we finish this glass together and then head to our chambers?”
“…………”
Ezekiel didn’t respond.
Instead, he gazed at Ether, his eyes fixed on hers.
He noticed that her voice was slightly trembling, and her face was faintly flushed, which didn’t seem entirely due to the effects of the alcohol; her expression was vastly different from the stern demeanor she usually displayed on the battlefield — it was a look that no one had ever seen before. R̃ÀŊÒＢЁș
Just as they clinked their glasses together, a faint vibration began.
*Ku-gu-gu-gu—*
It started as a minor tremor, but soon grew in intensity, causing the table and wine bottles to shake; the epicenter of the disturbance seemed to be quite deep; the ground began to rumble as the vibrations grew stronger.
“Hmm?”
Ether furrowed her brow.
Ezekiel also sensed that something was off.
Just then, a loud noise echoed from the distance.
*Kwang! Kwang!*
The sound of clashing steel and shouting was unlike anything they had ever heard before.
“Undead! The undead are moving!”
“Necromancy…! These guys aren’t just Brogar’s minions. They’ve all sold their souls for power!”
“Don’t back down! Crush them all!”
The urgent cries of the Northern warriors filled the air.
Ether was still drinking from the wine bottle.
“…Death itself is trivial and noisy. How annoying.”
Ezekiel’s muttering was the beginning. A messenger quickly approached her and Ezekiel.
First, he bowed respectfully and began to speak.
“Brogar and his followers have sold their souls, so they’re being controlled by dark magic, and the Undead are going berserk. The warriors are doing their best to hold their ground, but…”
*Kwang!*
A loud explosion cut off the messenger’s words.
“…As you just heard, the Undead are exploding, and it’s quite troublesome. The scale of the explosions suggests that the power of the Goddess is not ordinary.”
The situation was chaotic.
The entire domain of the First Princess had become a battlefield, with the sound of explosions and shouting filling the air.
*Kwang! Kwang!*
As the Undead continued to explode, a single voice echoed, eerie and distinct.
— Bring the First Princess!
— The First Princess is weak, you’re all being deceived!
The messenger muttered in disbelief.
“…The Undead can talk?”
“It’s not the Undead speaking, it’s the Goddess of the Demon Realm using their bodies to communicate.”
Ezekiel took the news in stride.
“Once the First Princess makes an appearance, it should be over. Ether’s aura is capable of repelling demonic mana.”
“Ah, about that…”
The messenger trailed off.
Ezekiel couldn’t understand why the messenger seemed hesitant. This was the easiest solution, wasn’t it? There was no reason to hesitate.
But why did it seem like…
The First Princess’s condition was off.
It wasn’t just the effects of the alcohol. Her body seemed dull and sluggish, as if she was in pain. Considering Ether’s strength, it was hard to believe that she was not in top condition.
Ezekiel could sense it with his body.
Ether’s energy flow was abnormal. Normally, her energy would be refined and neat, but now it was like a tangled thread, scattered and disorganized.
“Cough!”
The First Princess spat up a mouthful of blood, and Ezekiel and the messenger’s eyes widened in shock.
“…Ether?”
“Your, Your Highness!”
Ether waved a hand dismissively, but her appearance told a different story.
“Cough, cough!”
Her forehead was hot to the touch, like a burning flame. The messenger and Ezekiel quickly moved her to the inner chambers of the mansion.
And what they saw was shocking.
“………………!”
They had only removed her outer robes to help reduce her fever, but her body was wrapped in bandages. And even through the bandages, strange wounds were visible.
*Chiiiiiik!*
Ether’s skin was burning, like it was being flayed alive, and new skin was growing back immediately; this process repeated several times in a short span.
‘This is a pain that no human can endure.’
The sensation of new skin growing, only to be burned again, was unimaginable. It was a pain that no one could bear with a clear mind.
“What…”
Ezekiel’s words trailed off, and the messenger spoke up.
“To be honest, this happens every time she receives the Sun Elixir. Her body can’t handle it, but she never shows any signs of weakness.”
It was something even Ezekiel didn’t know.
He thought back to the imperial family’s history.
Hadn’t the Emperor thrown the First Princess into the Sun Elixir while she was still alive?
How many deaths had she overcome since then?
How much pain had she endured with each consumption of the Sun Elixir?
All for the sake of her title as First Princess.
He felt the weight of her title, the First Princess, anew.
Goddess of War, Sovereign, the Strongest…
She could never show weakness.
If she were to show any signs of pain, others would doubt her, and challenges would arise.
“Your Highness, we’re deeply concerned. Are you alright?”
The messenger asked, his voice filled with worry.
Ezekiel too felt a heavy sense of responsibility. It was the Sun Elixir he had received from the Emperor that was causing Ether’s suffering.
“Ether, you shouldn’t have consumed the Sun Elixir.”
“…How could I not? It was for my teacher’s sake.”
Ether smiled weakly, her eyes filled with pain.
It was a smile that said she knew the risks, but she had done it anyway, for Ezekiel’s sake. Ezekiel felt both grateful and guilty.
Meanwhile, the Undead continued their taunts.
— Witness the weakness of the First Princess!
— Face the truth!
— Khakhakh… you’re all being deceived!
— Return my man to me!
Even the ‘Goddess’ who had taken Brogar’s soul seemed to have noticed the First Princess’s condition, and the Undead began to spew out words that doubted her strength.
Naturally, the faces of the warriors began to show signs of unease; they would occasionally glance towards the mansion where the First Princess was, a sign that they were beginning to doubt her.
Suspicion had begun to creep in.
“…I suppose I have to take matters into my own hands.”
Ether muttered, struggling to get up.
“I’ll take care of it quickly and come back. Wait here.”
However, as soon as she stood up, she stumbled weakly; her spirit was willing, but her body was not cooperating. It was only now that the First Princess’s actions made sense. Perhaps she had been drinking the wine to numb the pain, which was too great to bear.
“The First Princess’s body is not suited for the Sun Elixir. She’s been forcing herself to overcome it every time, but why is her condition so severe today…?”
The messenger’s expression was more serious than ever.
“…If only someone could calm her down…”
The messenger said, biting his lip.
He knew that it was impossible, but he couldn’t help but say it.
Ether chuckled wryly.
“Calm down the Sun Elixir? You know it’s impossible, too.”
There was a hint of sadness in the First Princess’s voice.
“When I was young, the doctors who tried to treat me all ended up burning to a crisp. It’s a pain that only I can understand and bear. There’s nothing that can be done.”
But then, a low whisper was heard.
“I’ll do it.”
Both the First Princess and the messenger turned towards the source of the voice. It was Ezekiel, his aura radiating a chilling cold.
“No, it’s not safe for you. Your body will burn.”
Ether immediately refused, but Ezekiel was calm.
“I spoke of my safety.”
And before she could reply, he placed his hand on Ether’s back.
“Ether, is your safety is not more important than mine?”
*Chi-chi-chi-chi-chiik!*
A thick fog filled the chamber as an intense clash of heat and cold erupted.
END σϝ CHAPTER
⚘ ⚘ ⚘