Chapter 19: Brewing Tension

Chapter 19: Brewing Tension In the sacred cathedral of the Holy Empire, golden rays filtered through stained glass, painting the white marble in hues of crimson and sapphire. Ha-Joon meditated before the altar, a bright golden light enveloping his entire being. Knock. The door to his chamber creaked open as a beautiful young woman entered. She had pink hair and green eyes, with a cross-shaped sigil at the center. The robe of a nun draped over her slender, slightly busty figure. Her skin was smooth and pale like moonlight. "You’ve been quiet since yesterday, Chosen One," the Saintess said softly, her white robes flowing like water as she approached him. Ha-Joon didn’t look up. She stopped beside him, folding her hands. "You felt it too, didn’t you?" "...Yes," he replied, as if indifferent. "However, such inferior creatures are nothing to me." The Saintess looked out the grand window behind the altar. "I thought you’d be more shaken. That energy means you have a rival now, Ha-Joon." The young man turned to her with cold eyes. Sweat trickled down his face as he rose to his feet, his jet-black hair falling partly over his bright violet eyes "Don’t bring up such unnecessary things in front of me again." He paused, glaring at her. "And watch your tongue, Cecilia Von Bernadette, or I will cut it off." Cecilia forced a smile, bowing her head. "Yes, Chosen One." Ha-Joon ran a hand through his hair. ’Why are beings of this timeline so irritating?’ "Chosen One, it seems the Duke of the North wants to marry his daughter off to you. The Duchess sent the letter personally." Ha-Joon grinned widely. "Obviously. Considering my status and how much power I hold over the two continents, it’s hardly surprising." He licked his lips. ’At least she’s a beauty. And strong, too. My dual cultivation technique will definitely thrive on her.’ Cecilia frowned. ’He’s at it again.’ This wasn’t the first time she had met Ha-Joon. In fact, they had first encountered each other when she was still a child. And ever since then, she could tell the type of person Ha-Joon truly was, not just him, but anyone, thanks to her eyes. A scumbag. A womanizer. A perverted creep. A child with a god complex. Her list could go on. But she couldn’t say it to anyone. Because at the end of the day, she would be the one who fell. Cecilia had been trapped in a twisted relationship with him. As the Saintess, she was destined from birth to marry the Chosen One. ’All men are like that. At least he takes care of his girls a little,’ she thought. But recently, after being officially proclaimed as the Chosen One and awakening an SSS-rank talent with Divine Authority, he had become more arrogant. The church might not call it heresy, but to her, it was no different. Calling himself the hand of God, making the people treat him as one, it was no different from heresy. At first, she believed he would become better after becoming the Chosen One. That he would become her Ha-Joon. But things only got worse. "Chosen One, I—" Cecilia’s words were cut off by his raised hand. "Can you shut up, Cecilia? As my future wife, you should only speak when I ask you to." He grinned as a system notification rang in his head. <Mission: Kiss Sister Lily> <+10 stat points> <+12 mana points> "Cecilia, bring Lily to my chambers." Cecilia stared at him for a moment. Just like the rest of his family... He had insatiable lust. At such a young age, he had already begun indulging in unforgivable things. Her only saving grace was her role as the Saintess. He couldn’t touch her, yet. Otherwise, she didn’t know what he would have turned her into. Ha-Joon’s eyes were fixed on his mission. ’Three years... In just three years.’ "Yes, Chosen One." Cecilia finally answered. She reached for the door knob, then stopped. "What do you plan to do with Arthur Arcain?" She continued. "The higher-ups think he could be a threat to you, so—" Ha-Joon cut her off. "So what? Why would a dragon lower himself to a mere dog? I told you before... watch your words, Cecilia." Cecilia remained silent. Even she couldn’t argue with him. No one was as talented as Ha-Joon. He was the Chosen One. Soon, she exited the room, leaving Ha-Joon alone. "Central Academy, right?" He collapsed onto his bed. "In three years, no one will be a match for me. The academy will be the stepping stone to my rise." He grinned. "This life is truly beautiful." --- The Northern Dukedom The howling wind outside Frostfang Keep was unusually loud. Reynold Valtor stood near the window of his study, eyes trained on the snowstorm raging over the northern mountains. Behind him, his wife, Janet Roderick Agres Valtor, sat on one of the cushions. "You seem troubled, darling." Janet held as much command in the Dukedom, if not more. She was the emperor’s second sister, after all. Reynold didn’t turn to her. "I take it you’re here about Amelia." "Yes," she said curtly. "The Holy Empire has officially recognized Ha-Joon as the Chosen One. So I think it’s about time we finalize the engagement." Reynold frowned, his gaze settled on the road leading to the Arcain territory. "You felt it too yesterday, didn’t you? That energy came from the Arcain territory. That only means Arthur Arcain holds more potential than the Chosen One." He turned to her. "Isn’t it obvious who we should choose? Plus, Amelia has feelings for him." Janet took a sip of tea. "Do you think those feelings are real? When she meets a real man like Ha-Joon, she’ll naturally change her mind." "Janet... Don’t you care about our daughter’s happiness?" Janet held his gaze. "You know very well, don’t you? That boy isn’t human. Demons, dragons—whatever he is—they can never live peacefully with humans." She continued, "Reynold, not only is Ha-Joon human, but he’s also an SSS-rank. And you know that having a single affinity is much better than having more." Reynold couldn’t argue with her. The reason one or two affinities were preferred was because they were easier to control. And only through control could one rise through the ranks. Reynold finally turned, eyes sharp. "Why does it seem like you just don’t like him?" "It’s not that I don’t like him. I just don’t like what he is," Janet replied. "You saw it too. That was not human energy. Even if he awakened as an SSS-rank, we can’t ignore the truth—he’s of demonic dragon descent." Reynold clenched his jaw. "He’s a boy who broke through Amelia’s walls when no one else could. He’s also a prodigy, far more talented than most humans I’ve seen." "But Ha-Joon is the Chosen One. A human blessed by the Goddess herself. And most importantly, he is safe, politically and socially. The demonic dragon is not." "You’re suggesting we force Amelia into an engagement she didn’t agree to." "I’m suggesting we save our family from criticism, mockery, and potential exile if she ends up marrying into the Arcain clan." Reynold exhaled through his nose. "But you felt that energy. Even without his bloodline, that energy wasn’t normal. It was the aura of a Natural Supreme." She locked eyes with him. "So what? Multiple routes and titles are a weakness, not a strength. Too many paths lead nowhere. Ha-Joon’s divine power is focused and absolute." Reynold regarded her, silent. Then he spoke. "We’ll go to the Arcain Clan." Janet’s eyes narrowed. "What?" "We’ll visit them personally. If Arthur proves himself to you, and if you still think he’s unworthy, then we’ll reconsider. But if he wins you over..." He paused. "Then he is free to declare Amelia as his—publicly." Janet didn’t answer right away. She studied her husband for a long moment, then gave a slow nod. "Very well. But I won’t be swayed by charm or clever words. If he wants her, he must fight for her with everything he’s got." Reynold smiled slightly. "I can say with full certainty, he’ll win you over." ─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───