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Chapter 360 - Engagement Announcement

“Oh.” Layla fell into thought for a moment with her hand on her chin, and then nodded as if she understood what Kang-Woo meant. “You must be thinking of solidifying Si-Hun’s foothold in the empire by announcing his engagement with Iris.”

She had been able to figure out Kang-Woo’s intentions with ease.

“Correct.” Kang-Woo nodded.

Marriage was an excellent political move; it had been used many more times in history for political purposes rather than for love, especially among those in power.

Kang-Woo said, “Si-Hun lacks legitimacy at the moment.”

“I get what you mean,” Layla agreed.

Kim Si-Hun was already considered a hero by the majority of the continent, but his announcement of engagement with the imperial princess would consolidate his position even more.

“But wouldn’t that make the other nations wary of him?” Layla asked.

Si-Hun needed to be the hero of Aernor, not the hero of the Arnan Empire. His engagement with Iris might be a bad move in that aspect, since the fact that he was not affiliated with any nation at the moment was a weapon in its own right.

“Mm,” Kang-Woo expressed. It was a valid argument, but... “Although there are other nations in Aernor, the Arnan Empire’s status is far larger than any of them.”

It was easy to see, considering the entire continent was using the currency known as the Arnan.

“Also, it isn’t just for Si-Hun to be acknowledged by the people of the empire,” Kang-Woo added.

“You’ve even thought about the high elves.”

“Yes.”

As long as Iris was blessed by the high elves, it was fair to assume that she had more of a connection with them than anyone else.

“From the perspective of the high elves, they would want nothing more than Si-Hun and Iris to get together,” Kang-Woo said.

High elves were beings of godhood that possessed Divinity, so they likely possessed intelligence just like Gaia. Kang-Woo did not know how much interest they had in the matters of Aernor, but they probably would not think negatively of the matrimony between the one that they had blessed and the savior of the continent.

“Have you told Si-Hun and Iris?” Gaia asked.

“No, not yet.”

“I’m fine with it as long as Si-Hun is okay with it as well. I would have qualms about it if it were an actual engagement, but... It’s fake anyway.” Layla smiled gently.

‘She sure gets it.’

No matter how Kang-Woo looked at it, Layla was far better than Gaia. Kang-Woo smiled and bowed to Layla.

“Thank you very much for understanding.”

As long as he acquired Layla’s approval, the rest was easy. Si-Hun would do anything that Kang-Woo asked of him, and Iris had feelings for Si-Hun.

‘They can take this chance to get closer to each other.’

Kang-Woo felt sorry for Layla, but the ultimate goal was for Iris and Si-Hun to get together for real. Iris’s current mental state was highly unstable, and there was nothing better to heal the mind than getting together with the one you love.

‘I feel bad for her too.’

Although it had ultimately been Iris’s choice, Kang-Woo felt guilty about pushing her to the point that her mind had completely broken. There was no better opportunity than this to get rid of the nuisance that had been bothering him lately as well as to atone for his actions.

‘Si-Hun, a protagonist has gotta have at least two heroines. She’s a bit loco, but I’m sure you can make it work.’

Kang-Woo headed to the imperial palace while smiling in satisfaction.

***

“An... engagement?”

Iris’s eyes shook. She was reacting more strongly than Layla.

‘No wonder.’

It was only obvious since she had feelings for Si-Hun. She was likely cheering inside her head.

“I say engagement, but it’s not a real one.”

Kang-Woo gave her a short explanation. He naturally could not tell her that it was to manifest a high elf, so he told her instead that it was necessary to revive the empire.

“Oh...” Iris expressed.

Kang-Woo smirked and put his hand over her shoulder. “You don’t have to be so disappointed.”

“Pardon?”

“Although it’s fake, you’ll be engaged to each other. You’ll have far more opportunities to be together, just the two of you.”

They needed to be together very often to fool everyone around them.

“Let’s try to make the fake engagement into a real one. I’ll help you the best I can,” Kang-Woo said with a smile.

Iris fell silent. She seemed to be confused by the sudden suggestion of an engagement, especially since it was a fake one.

“What did... Sir Si-Hun say?” she asked.

“He’s okay with it. He said that his heart was pounding from the fact that he would be engaged with you, even if it is fake.”

Kang-Woo did not forget to add some MSG. Iris’s gaze wavered even more.

“His heart... pounded?”

“It means that Si-Hun has at least some feelings for you.”

Si-Hun had actually said nothing of the sort, but it didn’t matter. Kang-Woo needed to do at least this much to act as the cupid that would progress their stagnant relationship.

“I see.” Iris lowered her head, conflicted.

Kang-Woo smiled brightly and cheered Iris on. “From what I see, you two suit each other very well. Don’t be too disappointed that it’s fake and do your best. Anyway, save it as a surprise announcement for the people around the end of your speech.”

Iris stared at Kang-Woo, who stood up to leave, with mixed feelings and then asked, “Umm... Sir Kang-Woo.”

“Hm?”

“I would like to ask you something.” She averted his gaze while twiddling her fingers. “If I become engaged to Sir Si-Hun... Will my time with you lessen?”

“I guess it would, yeah.”

Regardless of whether it was true or not, everyone in the empire, nobles and commoners alike, would think that Si-Hun and Iris truly were engaged. If Iris were to stick to Kang-Woo in that situation like she was as of late, bad rumors were bound to spread.

“Well, it’s nothing but good for you, since you’ll be able to spend that much more time with Si-Hun.”

Kang-Woo lightly patted Iris’s shoulder and turned around. Clack. He opened the door and left the room.

Iris, who was left in the room by herself, stared at the closed door in silence. Crunch, crunch. She temperamentally bit her fingernails while continuing to stare fixated at the door.

- Hohoho. I’m sorry, Kang-Woo. I ended up dropping the precious engagement ring that you gave me.

Han Seol-Ah’s laugh suddenly fluttered in her ears.

Crunch! Blood flowed down from the fingernail that she was biting.

“Engagement.”

Iris stood up as she swayed. She continued to say that word repeatedly in madness.

***

“Now, don’t be nervous. You memorized the speech, right?” Kang-Woo asked.

“Yes, in full,” Iris replied.

“Just be confident.”

The day that Iris would sentence the nobles that Si-Hun had captured arrived. The plaza was filled with people who had come to watch the ruling, and the broadcast that had been used during the Fidelio incident was also on. Iris looked down at the plaza anxiously, and then slowly walked forward.

“Look! It’s Princess Iris!” someone yelled.

However, the reception was not great.

“Tsk. What could a princess that was controlled by a demon possibly do?”

“Anything but an innocent ruling...”

Everyone gathered in the plaza was looking up at Iris with worry and uneasiness. Iris shut her eyes tight.

‘I’m not scared.’

She clenched her fists.

‘This is nothing compared to back then.’

Iris slowly opened her eyes and opened her mouth in front of the magic tool that amplified sound.

“Citizens of the empire.” Iris continued, “I am... an incompetent princess.”

Deathly silence fell. Everyone looked up at her in confusion, not having expected the princess herself to say such a thing.

“I was deceived by a demon in human clothing, and simply watched as the empire grew diseased.”

The mumbles among the people grew louder.

“I will not make excuses.” Iris raised her head high. “I was incompetent and powerless. I abandoned my duty as an imperial princess and averted my eyes from my suffering subjects. But no longer. No longer will I avert my eyes from my duty.”

Iris extended her arm toward the nobles tied up in the plaza and shouted firmly, “I will make the parasites that have plagued the empire until now pay for their crimes!” She yelled toward the imperial guards, “Death to these parasites!”

The plaza fell silent for a moment, and then...

“Waaaaaaaaaahhh!!!”

The people gathered at the plaza cheered at Iris’s completely unexpected decision.

***

“It’s going very well.”

Kang-Woo smiled as he looked down at the cheering citizens. They were all cheering for Iris, whom they all thought to be an incompetent princess, personally sentencing the corrupt nobles to death.

‘It’s usually unthinkable.’

No matter how grave a crime nobles committed, they were usually never executed unless they had instigated a rebellion. They were usually exiled or put under probation.

‘I’m sure there would be backlash from other nobles, but...’

It did not matter since they had Si-Hun. As long as he stood by Iris’s side, the nobles could not complain in any way. The execution progressed smoothly. The nobles who had not expected to be sentenced to death were noisy, but they were all soon beheaded.

“Waaaaaahhh!!”

“All hail Princess Iris!”

“All hail Sir Kim Si-Hun!!”

The people gathered at the plaza cheered while shouting Si-Hun and Iris’s names every time a noble was executed. Si-Hun, who was standing next to Iris, waved at the people while smiling awkwardly.

“And... I have something else to say to you all,” Iris mentioned.

Kang-Woo’s eyes shone.

‘Oh, she’s finally announcing it.’

The engagement between Si-Hun and Iris, the final step of the hero plan that he had come up with ever since hearing about the legend of the high elves, was about to be announced.

“I, Iris von Arnan, have promised to marry the hero that had saved the empire from crisis.”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!”

‘Jesus, look at that reaction. They’re going wild when the hero’s name hasn’t even been mentioned yet.’

“The name of the hero whom I will be spending the rest of my life with is...” Iris slowly turned her head. “... Oh Kang-Woo.”

‘Mhm. Yeah.’

“Huh?”

‘What? Oh Kang-Woo?’