BXBX NOVEL Chapter 294: On Top of the Runner (1)
Chapter 294: On Top of the Runner (1)
Even though her older brother, Kay, is confirmed to inherit the family head position, making the engagement somewhat understandable, it’s still curious why it had to be Isaac.
The Duke Requilis household, being a solid partner of the imperial family, held immense prestige if not direct power. Through strategic marriage, they could have secured significant benefits, so it’s perplexing from an outsider’s perspective why Marie would marry into a mere baron’s house.
However, this is only a surface-level observation. A deeper look reveals a more understandable motive: securing Isaac’s father, Hawk Ducker Michelle, known as the Red Lion. Despite the military’s assistance, he is a hero who subdued a rampaging dragon, making him a critical asset for the empire.
Notably, Hawk shows little interest in the ‘honor’ that soldiers usually hold dear and lacks political ambitions. Currently, due to personal reasons, he retired early and enjoys a peaceful, secluded life.
From the perspective of the high-ranking officials, while this seems ideal, it also indicates that Hawk holds no strong attachment to the empire.
If someone as formidable as Hawk were to align with another power, it would be a severe blow to the empire, potentially leading to severe consequences.
Considering his early retirement, it’s likely he still maintains his skills. Hence, it would make sense for the empire to enlist the help of the Duke Requilis household, a close business partner, to secure him. Sending a royal like Rina would be excessive, so they sent Marie instead.
Though this is just speculation, it’s a highly convincing hypothesis that everyone seems to accept.Of course, all these theories are wrong. In truth, Marie and Isaac are together simply because they love each other. In fact, it was Marie who confessed first, not Isaac.
Even before Isaac revealed his true identity, their relationship had already blossomed, making their deepening bond only natural. They were already famous within the academy as a perfect match.
There were even risqué rumors about them frequently holding hands and entering inns together, but the two main characters paid no mind to such gossip. In fact, they had no intention of denying the truth.
Their relationship was well-known, so what if someone decided to intrude? And not just any ordinary noble, but a foreign royal showing deep interest in one of them? It might seem like an entertaining drama from an outsider’s perspective, but for those involved, it was an intolerable nuisance.
Worse, it could escalate into a serious diplomatic incident since Marie and Isaac were officially engaged. If the goal was to steal Isaac rather than make her a concubine, it would be a very grave situation.
Fortunately, for now, it was just a rumor, with no one certain of its truth. It was too absurd and far-fetched to be easily believed.
“So, why did you call me here?”
Marie, feeling more than just annoyed, asked bluntly. She crossed her arms and glared at the person across from her, making no effort to hide her displeasure. Her piercing gaze and hostile demeanor made it obvious that she was in a foul mood, even to someone unfamiliar with the situation.
“I have something I want to ask you.”
Hiriya, receiving Marie’s intense glare, replied bluntly. She had not disguised herself as she did when stalking Isaac, her sky-blue hair and eyes were fully visible.
Marie narrowed her eyes at Hiriya. She was so irritated that she felt like slapping her.
As Isaac’s lover and fiancée, Marie was fully aware of the atrocities Hiriya had been committing. While Hiriya showed some restraint in her presence, the situation changed drastically when Isaac was alone.
She would openly attempt to touch Isaac or create an intimate atmosphere, making it clear she was serious about her intentions.
Even though Cecily acted like a sly fox, Adelia subtly expressed her feelings, and many other women clung to Isaac, Marie had always been tolerant. She understood that these women wouldn’t give up no matter what she said.
So, she had resigned herself to the situation, but the sky-blue-haired beauty in front of her, Hiriya, was another story entirely.
It didn’t matter that Hiriya was a royal from the rival Terse Kingdom, what mattered was that Hiriya was using Isaac for her personal revenge. Marie had long since closely monitored the relationship between Adelia and Hiriya, and the events that had transpired between them, through Isaac.
To Marie, Hiriya was nothing more than a despicable woman. Though she sometimes called Cecily a ‘foxy bitch’ in jest, she had never been as genuinely hostile as she was toward Hiriya. As a result, Marie’s feelings toward her were already at their worst, and now she had sought her out separately.
Marie decided to listen to what nonsense Hiriya had to say, but if it was as expected, she would leave without hesitation.
“You said you have something to ask?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s related to Isaac, I won’t answer.”
Although she was polite due to the royal connection, her words were laced with clear hostility. It was evident that no good words were forthcoming.
Hiriya, not being entirely foolish, showed no outward reaction. However, she was also not above ignoring Marie’s demands.
“Sorry, but I need to ask for my own personal curiosity.”
“Hah. So, the Ters royals ignore refusals, do they?”
Marie barely managed to restrain herself from cursing Hiriya’s upbringing, feeling it was an act that crossed a line.
If Marie retaliated in kind, it would only provide more justification for Hiriya’s actions. In politics, justification is crucial, but strength is equally important.
Despite Hiriya’s provocation, it was wise for Marie to watch her words, considering the clear disparity in power and rank.
“It’s a very important matter, so I hope you understand.”
“Fine. Let’s hear what you have to say.”
Marie sighed in frustration but reluctantly agreed. If it turned out to be a pointless discussion, she was ready to leave abruptly.
Before diving into her main topic, Hiriya decided to irritate Marie subtly, hoping to find a chink in her armor. Knowing that Marie, as Isaac’s fiancée, would have more insight into his preferences, Hiriya maintained a poker face and spoke calmly.
“As Isaac’s fiancée, you must know what he likes.”
“So?”
“I want to give him a gift. Do you know what he likes?”
At this question, Marie raised an eyebrow, thinking, ‘This bitch?’
In Marie’s mind, Hiriya had downgraded from being a mere nuisance to a full-blown adversary. She nearly lost her composure but managed to hold it together.
Hiriya had almost no interaction with Marie prior to this. This meeting was practically their first.
Yet, Hiriya’s approach felt like a direct missile attack, more a declaration of war than a conversation starter. Marie felt less anger and more disbelief at her brazenness.
At the same time, a sense of unease crept in. Hiriya’s motives were unclear, making it difficult to understand why she would make such provocative comments to Isaac’s fiancée. Nevertheless, Marie decided to respond.
“…Princess Hiriya, you know that I am Isaac’s lover and fiancée.”
“I do.”
“Then why are you so interested in my fiancé?”
Marie already knew the answer. Hiriya was seeking revenge against Adelia for some perceived slight.
However, this was a profound humiliation for Hiriya, so she would refrain from mentioning it explicitly unless directly provoked. She would be careful not to give Marie any leverage.
Meanwhile, Hiriya, observing Marie’s evident discomfort, responded in her usual monotone.
“Because he’s handsome.”
“…Excuse me?”
“He’s my type. That’s all I can say.”
Marie was taken aback by the seemingly straightforward answer. She was sincere. Marie possessed an instinctive ability, almost like mind-reading, that allowed her to sense others’ true intentions.
This was why she had confessed to Isaac—because of his genuine behavior. Despite any hidden motives, when it came to love, Hiriya was being honest.
This realization left Marie both surprised and irritated. At least the part about Isaac being her type was sincere.
‘Damn his good looks…’
The fact that it made sense only added to her annoyance. Marie tried hard to maintain her composure.
Even when Isaac was a young penguin with a height barely surpassing 170 cm, she thought he was handsome. However, his lack of a traditionally masculine physique meant he wasn’t particularly popular. Interest was primarily in his striking red hair and golden eyes.
As time passed and his body developed, his beauty truly blossomed. Especially after receiving holy power, he began to emit a lilac scent that acted as a pheromone, increasing his popularity even more.
Fortunately, by then, Isaac’s engagement to Marie had been officially announced, so it was manageable. Otherwise, there would have been many women like Hiriya pursuing him.
“…Your type?”
“Yes.”
“Is that all?”
“I also like his considerate nature.”
Marie felt like she was going to lose her mind. Hiriya’s answers, devoid of any deceit, left her feeling frustrated.
As expected of a princess, even one who is also a knight, Hiriya skillfully spoke only the truth. There was no slight reaction or tremor in her expression, and her tone remained completely calm. Marie knew that continuing like this wouldn’t yield any advantage, so she swiftly went on the offensive.
“No special purpose, then?”
“… …”
This seemed more difficult for Hiriya to answer, so she responded with silence instead. Silence meant affirmation. Marie clicked her tongue inwardly, thinking, ‘Of course.’
Hiriya may have liked Isaac’s face and personality, but it was clear she didn’t harbor romantic feelings for him. His looks were merely an added bonus.
“Princess Hiriya, as Isaac’s fiancée, I know well what kind of person his bodyguard is and what relationship you have with her.”
“··· ···”
“But meddling for the sake of petty revenge… don’t you think it’s quite narrow-minded for someone in your position?”
Marie decided to go for a blunt truth bomb, having nothing more to hide. Hiriya narrowed her eyes at Marie’s words, showing her discomfort. Adelia was like a trigger for her, but she needed to endure it to get what she wanted. This level of provocation was expected when she decided to meet with Marie.
Hiriya took a slow breath and finally spoke in her characteristically blunt manner.
“That’s none of your concern. It’s not what I want right now.”
“Then what do you want? I thought you came here to ask me to give up my engagement, but I’m surprised.”
Marie, despite her dislike for the masked politeness of social gatherings, was not weak in rhetoric. Her indirect jabs demonstrated her status as the daughter of a ducal house.
Hiriya almost lost her temper but managed to hold back. She couldn’t afford to get angry before achieving her goal. She continued to stare intently at Marie, who still had her arms crossed, and asked in a husky voice.
“How much do you really know about your fiancé?”
“We’ve already spent our first night together.”
Marie’s reply was blunt and contained a provocative undertone, visibly unsettling Hiriya, who was not used to such directness. However, that wasn’t the kind of information Hiriya was after. She suppressed the flush rising to her cheeks with a cough.
“…That’s not what I meant. I was asking how much you know about him, nothing more, nothing less.”
“Are you implying you know more about Isaac than I do? If so, that’s a bit disappointing.”
“Then…”
Hiriya seized the opportunity, her sky-blue eyes gleaming with intensity as she asked directly.
“Do you know that he’s deeply connected to Xenon?”
Hiriya boldly opened Pandora’s box, but…
“What?”
Marie’s pretty face contorted in confusion, as if she had just heard something bizarre.
“What are you talking about?”
Her reaction showed that she had never heard anything like this before.
“That’s just ridiculous.”
Marie’s counter was both sharp and dismissive.
Translators note: