Friends who played together, those who were kind to her, this land and the people that her father loved—she threw away the rest for these precious things.

  A little bit of Heroic Power came back and blew off all the soot on her body. Her golden hair and emerald eyes sprinkled, their brilliance undisturbed under the sun and clear sky.

  She really didn’t want to be queen. She didn’t like fighting. She had to give up the happiness she wanted. She kept moving away from her desired road. She didn’t have any natural talent and aptitude required for this……

  Still……

  There was nobody except for herself. She was the only one who could fight against the evil trampling on people. Therefore, she decided to hold on and cheer up.

  “I threw away the happiness I dreamed of in my younger days, but I don’t regret it.”


  Since that day where she swore by holding her father’s shield, she dedicated her life to the royal road without being shaken. That was why her resolution that was restated now, even though it was said calmly, had reverberated strongly once again.

  “That is so that other people can be happy instead.”


  This was worthwhile and meaningful, even though she was tired, sick and in pain. While watching other people’s happy smiles, she felt joy. Her smile, saying it was enough for her, was sorrowful but noble.

  She held out her spear to Sungjin and declared, “So I will fight to the end against the Blood Ruler who sacrifices the people as prey to the magic sword. I could also give myself to you for nothing, but I would still keep the people from becoming victims of your lust. That way, they can be bound up with each other’s loved ones. I am thanking you for today’s matter. But I can’t yield at all.”


  With the demidevil having such a fearful resource, it would only be right for him to give up a sexy woman to make the most out of his power in the political sense. But not even a single person could be sacrificed in the pursuit of the royal road; all she could give in return was herself.

  “If you want a price for saving a life, please end it with me.”


  “Ha…… is that so?”


  Sungjin sighed deeply as he realized that there was no lie in her defenses. It was the resolve that she had kept in the midst of a hard time.

  He could now understand what kind of mistake he made. If their first impression was not so bad and he was not so angry about the broken promise between his competitors, then he would have known earlier.

  I lost in this. Sungjin conceded the defeat.

  He dreamed of becoming a world champion. He dreamed of the glory of victory. Although the highest level in this world was called an Arc Master, this was only a dream of greater victory and glory. To keep going continuously without succumbing to the oppression of the Ministry of Gender and Equality meant that he would pursue his dream. That could be said to be a cool ambition.

  But…… the princess in front of him…… She had already been devoted to protecting as many people’s lives and dreams as possible a long time ago. She created a way to save a life while risking hers even though Sungjin’s calculation said to give up. The weight of the sacrifice she had made was much heavier.

  This girl fought to protect the lives of all people while he pursued his own honor and glory.

  “Love is for the people, not for me.”


  Her words, which were not of a heartless royal maid discarding love for ambition, were the dedication of a girl who gave up her own happiness for that of others.

  This was his defeat.

  “I see. I must have misunderstood you,” Sungjin replied calmly.

  “What kind of misunderstanding did you have?”


  “I’ll withdraw the old conditions for borrowing my strength in the fight against the Blood Ruler. I will show you another proposal.”


  “What if you say it’s a new offer?”


  Ereka tilted her head slightly.

  “After defeating the Blood Ruler, I have only the right to stake half of this country on my next victory, and all the rights for an actual ruler will remain with you.”


  “What? Why……?

  “If you don’t understand, you can play a final game between us after the battle with the Blood Ruler. But even if I win, you should keep on governing this land.”


  Ereka blinked a few times.

  “That is very hard to understand. Why are you suddenly switching?”


  Sungjin’s conditions made no sense at all when you considered his behavior thus far. Was he the demidevil who wanted to take half of the country to steal away all the women?

  “I told you, I misunderstood you. In fact, I was very angry at the fact that you kidnapped me and made me break my promise to some people without asking me. Afterwards, I heard that you would give me your body, and I had the impression that you were a woman who would do anything to take the throne.”


  “Such……”


  “But it wasn’t true. You’re a princess who seeks the royal road to protect people, and I’m a matchmaker who seeks a great victory.”


  He wanted a victory that he could be proud of.

  “It wouldn’t be nice if my victory took away the people’s guardian from them.”


  She was literally a hardened edelweiss flower on a cliff, saying that she would live to protect the people while giving up her love and happiness as a girl.

  He had already experienced how horrible it was to be trampled on by the powerful Ministry of Gender and Equality. He would rather die than to do the same thing to a girl like this.

  No matter what strong enemy he met with, he only burned for a fight even more. So he decided to step aside from this pitiful and beautiful flower.

  “So that’s……?”


  Ereka thought over Sungjin’s words slowly.

  She came to think again whether the impression she had of Sungjin was really right. Sungjin said he misunderstood her. But…… as for herself?

  Did she only consider the transmission process and summon without considering the other’s situation and seeking consent? When he pointed out that it was the same as a kidnapping, she was distracted for a moment. She thought of it as only an extension of the summoning magic, and it was done so naturally. But should she have thought about it more in the sense of summoning an actual body and not just its other self?

  “Let me ask you, what is the name of the game hindered by me summoning you?”


  “Well. Okay. I’ll tell you.”


  Sungjin decided to explain it all and take this opportunity to clear up their misunderstanding.

  “In the world where I was, there was a kind of sport we competed in.”


  There were kids who were purely fighting each other for their dreams and who were also trampled over. Even though their paths were cut off, they made a promise to fight with all their might without any prizes or honor, just for the sake of finishing the game.

  Ereka’s face was changed by Sungjin’s explanation.

  “I’m sorry. Now I know what I have done.”


  “It’s all right. The past is in the past.”


  Sungjin laughed everything away.

  “But, if I don’t make up for my mistakes……”


  “It is okay because you introduced me to a better battlefield than the one in my original game.”


  “Are you sure you’re okay?”


  “Well, those guys will be okay with me breaking my promise if I say that it was to save a kid like you,” Sungjin said mischievously.

  Ereka turned her head, blushing slightly.

  “Thank you.”


  “Then shall we sign on this condition?”


  “Yes……”


  Jenna, who was watching them, curled her knife tail up into the shape of a small heart at the two people who became friendly with one another.

  This is different from the original plan, but the results are good anyway. But this guy…… No, Brother.

  As he had saved the life of the princess, Jenna decided to raise his title to “Brother.”


  I can’t tell what a woman’s taste is.

  It was great that he understood the princess’s desire to protect her poor people, but her tastes remained unknown in the end.

  He is a man too? That is not a problem. I’ll be grateful If he is fighting together with her.

  Jenna decided not to argue about the minor weaknesses of her new companion.

  The fire of that day resulted in less damage than it would have given its original size. Ereka rushed to open the royal warehouse, and she handed out relief supplies and made temporary residences for those who lost their homes. The people praised Ereka, who opened up all of her private land in the royal castle for them, saying, “She is our princess.”


  And Sungjin, who watched it all, signed a contract gaining only what he needed to keep the game going. He would gain so little…… but this was the first time the two became a team.

  * * *