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The conflict between Rose and Jenis wasn’t the main subject of today’s story. It was an extremely important topic, of course, but the reason Jeongjae had come to Eramenia today was to seek the agreement of the Eramenia side regarding Jenis Harker’s most critical operation.

Jeongjae slowly and calmly explained Jenis’s plan for the eastern coastal landing operation of the Demon King’s Territory as he wandered around the royal capital with Margaret. He discussed the organization of a massive fleet of about 500 ships to transport troops and the necessity of preparing at least one more harbor to initiate the fleet’s departure, along with the powerful ironclad ships prepared for Kraken hunting.

He openly stated that Jenis Harker even demanded Eramenia’s territory and intended to clear the forests there almost completely to use the timber as building materials while also planning to construct a harbor to use for years to come.

Margaret, who had been calmly listening to Jeongjae’s story, spoke up.

“That guy is truly brazen. It’s not an idea a normal human would come up with. To confidently demand, ‘I want to log that forest without limit, so please give me the land’ from the elves of Eramenia… Well, for a typical human, wouldn’t that be a thought too fearful to even entertain?”

“Jenis can be a bit audacious.”

“However, what’s most intriguing is that this audacity only operates in areas where it might actually work. Park Jeongjae. Such important issues are not something I can decide alone without my father’s consent. But if you want my personal opinion, it’s not too difficult of a request to consider.”

“Uh… really?”

Jeongjae was surprisingly taken aback by her cheerful response. Margaret nodded.

“He’s hit the nail on the head. In fact, considering the current situation, protecting and restoring the Great Forest is not very important. The priority should actually be to log as much usable timber as possible to rebuild the cities of Eramenia. The dragon’s flames have fundamentally damaged Eramenia’s magic. Such issues won’t be resolved just by temporarily protecting the forests and planting trees. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Well, um, I’m not exactly sure what you mean…”

Margaret smiled brightly.

“The position of Eramenia is ambiguous. But we are an intelligent race, and we understand that to restore the forest, all external threats must first be eliminated. The time it takes to destroy is short, while the time it takes to restore is long. Therefore, we should focus on the easy parts first, that is, on the recovery of defense facilities and buildings, while striving to eliminate external threats.”

“So, we can postpone the restoration of the forest and the magic of the woods, focusing our efforts on rebuilding Eramenia’s civilization, right?”

Jeongjae understood Margaret’s words in his own way. Margaret nodded, seemingly satisfied with his understanding.

“I may have stepped back from military intervention, but I haven’t completely retreated from administrative issues. Support from Eramenia to the Imperial Army will be expanded. Military involvement is limited by excessive troop losses, so support will mainly come in the form of weapons and timber. Just yesterday, I signed documents increasing timber logging in the Great Forest and plans to replant trees in the burnt northern forest. Right now, recovering the north while logging the southern forests is Eramenia’s emergency measure.”

The elven race did not cling to the living trees themselves. They revered the magic of the Great Forest, which cloaked, protected, and provided energy to Eramenia.

The amberstones of Eramenia had begun to malfunction. To the extent that the forest had been deeply wounded, the leadership of Eramenia was transitioning into a national emergency, utilizing everything available to survive rather than simply kneeling in prayer before the trees.

“So, since Eramenia is already implementing a large-scale logging policy, it’s not impossible for us to be granted part of the forest, right?”

“Think about it. It will probably take over 100 years for the northern region of Eramenia to be fully healed and for the forest’s magic to be restored. Even if you were to log some of our territory and use the trees for about 30 years, when Eramenia’s magic is completely restored, it will return to its former appearance. Ultimately, even if it returns to our forest in 100 years, it wouldn’t make much difference to the elves. Lending it out itself isn’t an issue.”

“Do you think Great King Richard would feel the same?”

Jeongjae, knowing that there had been occasional conflicts between Margaret and her father regarding human support issues, asked with concern. Margaret shrugged.

“You saved me, didn’t you? And Jenis Harker once saved my life, too. My father is very sensitive to such matters. He might deliberate for a moment even if you made a request slightly more significant than that. Of course, I would need to obtain permission, but don’t worry.”

“It does seem like he’s very concerned about your life.”

Jeongjae murmured, recalling the figure of Great King Richard who appeared over the mountains during his encounter with Dracula. Margaret paused for a moment, looking back toward the royal palace.

“I haven’t won my father’s trust.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“My father respects me as a hero. A hero leading an era, standing before the people, wielding weapons, uniting everyone’s strength to face a great enemy. In the sentiment of Eramenia, a hero stands in a different position than a monarch. If you saw that battle, you’d understand. When Eramenia was in a dire moment, under siege by dragons, my father stayed in the back, wielding the magic of the forest instead of stepping to the forefront. In our country, that is precisely the position of a monarch.”

“That’s a tremendously important role, Margaret.”

“It’s a more vital position than someone like me who fights upfront. But it doesn’t gain attention. That’s the responsibility required of the Great King of Eramenia. Did you know? There’s a saying that in Eramenia, a hero is completed by dying as a hero.”

“Margaret…”

“That’s the biggest reason my father worries about me, Mage. The moment I couldn’t control my bloodlust and led a guerrilla unit to defeat the current Demon King over a century ago, that’s when my father could no longer trust me as a successor. Perhaps he predicted long ago that I would ultimately walk a path completely different from other fairies.”

Jeongjae found it hard to respond. Margaret’s words weighed heavily on him. The elven princess who had borne the burden of the royal duties for centuries. She couldn’t endure the crumbling world, took up arms, but that very action conflicted with her responsibilities, creating a subtle internal struggle.

“Park Jeongjae. If my sister can be born safely and grow up healthy, I—and this is a serious thought—am seriously considering giving up my position as the princess.”

“Margaret, what do you mean by that…”

“But I’m having such thoughts. If I am no longer the heir to Eramenia and I don’t have to be bound to this land, then even if you were to take my life, wouldn’t that mean I wouldn’t need to feel guilty about it?”

That wasn’t a simple matter. Jeongjae shook his head and replied.

“Come back to the battlefield as soon as possible, Margaret. If what you say is true, that’s where you’ll be able to prove you’re a hero.”

“That sounds like you’re telling me to go die on the battlefield.”

Margaret laughed helplessly. Jeongjae’s expression was serious.

“I’m still a bit confused. What is this issue of life and death? I’m still alive after being dead. I used to think I’d understand death a little better after dying, but now I’m even more confused about what dying truly means. Just… what significance does it hold? How should one respond in the face of death? Things I used to find obvious seem more perplexing nowadays.”

“Elves cannot answer that question, Mage. Those are things humans understand better.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Humans lead the shortest lives among the civilized races. They’ve clung to death for the longest time and face death more frequently. You can tell just by seeing how I’m frozen in fear, unable to wield my weapon. Our race is strong, yet that much vulnerable. Even knowing I must overcome my fear and move forward, my body just won’t listen. But humans, humans are a race that overcomes quickly. Many generals who suffered defeats, like me, soon pick up their weapons again and charge back into battle. We’ve seen the indomitable will to rise again swiftly after setbacks time and again in human history.”

“Well, that’s because human life is short. No matter how invincible a general is, there’s no one who has gone 400 years without losing. That means they bounce back quickly as well.”

“I believe this defeat and its wounds have left me with only one positive legacy. It’s a harsh and miserable truth, but the one thing I gained from that defeat is…”

“What is it, Margaret?”

“Jeongjae, it’s that you no longer see me as a being far above your reach. You’ve acknowledged that I can sometimes be weaker and merely a sickly child compared to you. You’ve been frightened in a fantasy, haven’t you? Tired of being overshadowed by mythic beings who are only greater and wiser than you. Isn’t that one of your biggest concerns?”

“That thought hasn’t changed. No matter how much I crumble, lose, and weaken, Margaret of Eramenia will always be Margaret of Eramenia.”

“Watching you makes me ponder many things. However, one of those thoughts is that if this world needed a hero… perhaps finding a human like you was more fitting than a being like Walter Hellhound. Think about why I’m saying this. The reason will always lie with you.”

Jeongjae couldn’t respond. The qualities of a hero? Right now, with all the responsibilities of a Grand Mage weighing on him, that was an overwhelming burden. He wasn’t as clever as Walter, as majestic as Rose, or as bold as Jenis. Even compared to Bernard, the only thing he had was his gifted combat ability. With so many great figures in the world, what could Margaret see in him to speak this way?

“Well, it probably wouldn’t matter to think about it now. Anyway, I believe the issue regarding territory will likely resolve well. I see Jenis Harker has come up with quite a clever solution. It’s an astonishingly brilliant idea. If he didn’t fully understand Eramenia’s current situation, it’s an idea that couldn’t simply be suggested. Stay close to that kid. I know by saying this, my position may seem a bit awkward, but, in critical moments, politically, it’ll be more beneficial for you to side with Harker rather than the royal family.”

“Do you really think that’s okay?”

“Because I will stand with Rose. What’s needed between those two right now is balance. Isn’t Jenis Harker worrying about my state?”

“He did mention something like that.”

“On the other hand, I’m worried about him. That half-vampire has gone through too much in such a short time. With just a slight trigger, he could collapse at any moment. To me, it seems the reason he so desperately wants to grow stronger is solely to protect you.”

“Yeah, that’s… probably true.”

“Take good care of him. And though someday you will have to make a choice, for now, postpone that decision.”

“What choice?”

At Jeongjae’s question, Margaret raised an eyebrow.

“You know. Right now, both of us need you as a pillar of support. Ultimately, we can’t coexist, but for now, the unspoken agreement remaining between me and that brat is that we can’t fight.”

 

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