novelraw Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131. Heart-Piercing Eyes (2)
"You must've taken plenty of time. Now, give me your answer."
Yohan pressed for a response.
He had been pressuring Horentz—to give him his daughter.
For Horentz, it was a rather uncomfortable situation.
The Miyatro Family was certainly a good match for marriage, but there was an unsettling sense he couldn’t ignore.
The man who would become his daughter's husband, Yohan Miyatro, was no ordinary human.
Despite his age, he was deeply calculating, and sly like an old noble trickster.
For a boy who looked thirteen or fourteen at most, the atmosphere he gave off was far too strange.
Anyone who faced him was inevitably engulfed in a sense of dissonance.
Yohan's recent behavior in politics was far from that of a young boy.
His skill in pressuring the royal family was on par with Count of Staviana.
—The Watcher of the Abyss clearly harbors a great serpent within. Or perhaps, a demon lives inside him.
Such talk was spreading openly.
Of course, it was half-joking, but Horentz couldn’t completely dismiss those assessments.
He certainly felt a chill around Yohan.
Even now, as he met Yohan’s gaze, he was overwhelmed by that sense of otherness.
Horentz was a good judge of character.
As a seasoned merchant, he had encountered many kinds of people.
But someone like Yohan was rare.
He was unreadable, and most of what surrounded him was shrouded in mystery.
People like that were always at the top of his watchlist.
Horentz didn’t feel secure leaving his daughter in Yohan’s hands.
More than a calculating merchant, he was a father who loved his daughter.
Putting on a friendly smile, Horentz spoke.
“You seem a bit young to be discussing engagement. How about we revisit this a year or two from now?”
“It’s too late. I need Lady Serena right now.”
In short, he was saying he wanted the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
The Watcher of the Abyss was blatantly revealing his black desire.
He had deliberately chosen a direct tone.
It was an unspoken proposal—to speak openly about everything.
Horentz understood Yohan’s intent.
Wiping the smile from his face, he firmly spoke his true thoughts.
“Serena is not an object.”
Yohan nodded.
“Of course. Regardless of the Heart-Piercing Eyes, I will respect her, and cherish her above all else. As a proper husband should.”
He had no intention of making Serena miserable.
Rather, Serena’s life would become happier than it had been in the original story.
Yohan was confident he could make that happen.
Horentz said,
“Ha… a proper husband, you say. To be honest, that’s hard to believe. Do you not plan on taking wives besides my daughter?”
The girl named Ilea, who had accompanied Yohan to the capital, had become the adopted daughter of the Count of Staviana.
In other words, Yohan was planning to become the Count’s son-in-law through Ilea.
Horentz already knew this.
Yohan replied calmly.
“That’s correct. Depending on what’s needed, I will proceed with multiple marriages.”
It was a brazen declaration.
According to the Great Saint Church’s doctrine, all humans—except kings—could only have one wife.
No one dared break that law.
The Order’s laws stood above every national law on the continent.
In that sense, Yohan’s statement bordered on blasphemy.
Horentz narrowed his eyes.
"…Are you serious?"
Yohan's face remained expressionless.
“There’s no reason for me to lie.”
Horentz exhaled in disbelief.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
“Let’s pretend we never had this conversation. Would you like to stay for a meal?”
Yohan responded calmly.
“I understand how you feel. With how absolute the Order's doctrines are, I must look like a madman to you.”
Horentz swallowed hard.
“Ahem… Rather than that—”
Yohan cut him off.
“It may be surprising, but I have no intention of defying the will of the Great Saint.”
Horentz’s brow furrowed.
“To be honest, I’m having trouble understanding what you’re saying.”
Yohan spoke in a quiet voice.
“I intend to become a king.”
Silence fell instantly.
No one spoke.
The silence stretched on for a long while.
Horentz’s narrowed eyes gradually opened.
A flicker of shock trembled in his gaze.
He couldn’t believe his ears.
The Watcher of the Abyss wanted the throne? Was he planning treason? But then why reveal that to the Marcano family? Was he asking them to join in the rebellion?
All sorts of thoughts and emotions churned in his mind.
Horentz asked in a trembling voice,
“What did you just say…?”
“The Grand Duchy of Miyatro. I will reclaim the lost glory of my house.”
In the past, the Baron family of Miyatro had been a Grand Duchy.
Now they were merely nobles under the kingdom, but once, they had ruled the southern continent in truth.
Yohan would reclaim that authority.
Only by gaining independence from the kingdom and the empire could he exert greater influence across the continent.
Horentz’s eyes shook violently.
It was hard to dismiss Yohan’s words as nonsense.
If it was him—if it was the Watcher of the Abyss—he was someone who could truly aim to become a Public King.
Yohan’s actions thus far supported that idea.
Despite his young age, he had rebuilt a fallen house, and within mere weeks of arriving in the royal capital, he had seized control of the political sphere.
Now, his ambitions were reaching for something even higher.
The founding of the Grand Duchy of Miyatro had a high chance of becoming real.
Horentz’s mind raced at full speed.
He had to decide his position and response as quickly as possible.
Only after a long pause did Horentz speak again.
“...Sir Yohan, why are you telling me this?”
Unlike Horentz, who had spent so much time deliberating, Yohan replied instantly.
“Well, just a stream of consciousness.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean by that—?”
“We were talking about the Order’s laws, weren’t we? I merely wanted to say that even if I take multiple wives, it won’t be in violation of the Great Saint’s laws.”
The Public King was still a king.
Kings and emperors were allowed to have multiple wives.
Even the Great Saint recognized that exception.
The moment Yohan became a Public King, the Order’s laws would no longer bind him.
Horentz let out a faint laugh.
“So you didn’t bring this up to ask for the Marcano family’s cooperation?”
Horentz had assumed Yohan needed the strength of the Marcano family.
But he was wrong.
Yohan replied with a disinterested expression.
“Whether the Marcanos support me or not, the Miyatro territory will become a Grand Duchy.”
The kingdom’s nobles and royal family couldn’t stop the founding of a Grand Duchy.
The real issue was the Empire.
To become a Public King, Yohan needed the emperor’s approval.
Horentz had no connection to the imperial family.
Whether the Marcano family sided with Yohan or not, it wouldn’t significantly affect him.
Horentz murmured in a low voice.
“…You’re already looking beyond the target.”
To Yohan, the engagement with Serena or matters within the kingdom's political circles were just steps toward a greater outcome.
He was already moving far beyond.
Horentz felt a strange sense of emptiness.
Yohan asked with a curious expression,
“What did you just say?”
Horentz slowly shook his head.
“Nothing. More importantly, do the Count and His Majesty know of your intentions?”
Yohan nodded.
“His Excellency is already helping me. His Majesty will accept whatever demands I make.”
Yohan had a firm grip on King Roderick’s leash.
As long as Archmage Lumina existed, the king was his absolute ally.
Horentz stared blankly at Yohan before asking,
“…Then back to the matter at hand. Do I even have a choice in breaking off this engagement?”
Within the kingdom, Yohan wielded absolute power.
If he so wished, the Marcano family could truly be destroyed.
Through this conversation, Horentz had fully realized that.
Yohan spoke in a composed voice.
“As I said before, I have no intention of forcing anything on you. The decision lies entirely with you and Lady Serena. If you reject my proposal, I will simply look for another method.”
To look for another method—it was a terrifying statement.
To Horentz, those last words felt like a threat.
A chill ran down his spine.
Meanwhile, Yohan’s expression remained calm and steady.
Horentz slowly opened his mouth.
“Please give me a little more time. I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow morning.”
He had to discuss it with Serena as well.
Yohan shrugged.
“Well, that’s fine. Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it, so take your time and let me know.”
He gave a gentle smile.
Horentz couldn’t bring himself to smile back.
He felt an inexplicable pressure weighing down on him.
Forcing his face to relax, he spoke.
“Then let’s stop here for today. How about breakfast together?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline. I have a breakfast appointment with His Majesty.”
Yohan was planning to meet with King Roderick right away.
They needed to talk about the matter of the Public King.
Yohan rose from his seat.
Horentz inwardly sighed in relief.
If he ate a meal with Yohan now, he truly might have lost his appetite.
Forcing a smile, Horentz said,
“That’s a shame. Let’s try to arrange another time.”
Yohan gave a slight bow and exited the reception room.
Horentz remained seated for a long time.
***
A day passed quickly.
Morning arrived—the time Horentz had promised to give his answer.
Instead of sending a message, he sent someone to the Miyatro estate.
A woman in an elegant dress stepped inside.
Serena Marcano. The woman known as the Kingdom’s Golden Jewel had come to see Yohan.
The estate staff couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Even Butler Haman couldn’t hide his unease.
As the rumors said, Serena boasted overwhelming beauty.
If Haman wasn’t already immune to beauty, he might have frozen on the spot.
Fortunately, he had already encountered someone—‘Ilea’—several times.
In fact, the day he first saw Ilea, he had frozen stiff.
He had never seen a human so beautiful before.
And now, that very Ilea was standing at the estate’s entrance, facing Serena.
The two stared at each other intently.
They looked like statues.
All the staff watched them in breathless silence.
Ilea spoke first.
“You really are as beautiful as the rumors say. I’m Ilea.”
Serena gave a soft smile.
“Serena Marcano. It’s an honor to meet you, Lady of Staviana.”
Ilea didn’t respond. She simply stared at Serena.
There was an intentional killing intent hidden behind her smiling eyes.
Serena asked in a calm voice,
“Do you have something to say to me?”
No reply came.
A strange tension filled the air.
Out of habit, Serena activated her Heart-Piercing Eyes.
In that moment, she was swept up in a sensation she had never experienced before.
The space around her stretched tight like a rubber band.
It felt as if her soul was leaving her body.
In that dazed state, a sweet voice rang out.
“If you use that on me one more time, I’ll kill you.”
Suddenly, time snapped back into motion.
The bizarre sensation vanished completely.
Ilea was already walking past her, heading outside the estate.
Serena turned around and stared after her.
“W-What was that just now…?”
Ilea smiled with her eyes as she replied.
“It was nice meeting you, Lady Serena. Let’s have tea sometime.”
And with that, she left.
Yohan, who had been watching the two, swallowed hard.