IWBQ 22

Chapter 22

. No One Could Do Better
2023.08.22.

Ellis thought and insisted that the Tetris people were no different from the Bedrocans, but Karan disagreed.

The other Bedrocans were right.

The Tetris were barbaric and violent.

They put fists before words, and if they wanted something, they would seize it by force.

If anyone coveted what was theirs, they would punish them without mercy.

Such was the norm in Tetris.

For Ellis, a Bedrocan and a noble, it was a custom and tradition she could never understand.

And especially for Karan, there was an unspeakable secret.

That was why, before her, he had to suppress his instincts.

He didn’t want to reveal his true nature and disappoint her.

“Ellis, Ellis, Ellis.”

Karan repeated her name countless times.

She was a sedative to him, and her name was a magical incantation that calmed him.

Sometimes, though, it had the opposite effect.

Barely regaining his composure, Karan sat down before Ellis.

She had been beautiful with her hair down, and even more so with it pinned up.

“Thank you, Karan. I’ll ask you again often.”

“Again?”

Ellis nodded with a smile. Karan’s heart gave a heavy thump.

Her radiant smile dazzled him, and the thought that there would be a “next time” thrilled him.

“Next time, I’ll do even better.”

“You couldn’t possibly do better than this.”

Ellis gave Karan a compliment he couldn’t accept.

But her words didn’t seem like a lie, so instead of questioning her, Karan lifted his teacup.

Ellis chuckled quietly, caressing her own teacup.

She recalled the sighs that used to escape her lips whenever Karan left her side.

She could imagine well enough what kind of fantasies women might have had while looking at Karan.

‘My plan’s a huge success.’

Ellis knew herself well.

The truth was, she had no real value as a model.

‘If it were Iris, maybe.’

Yet ironically, the only reason she could stand as a model was because of the scandal involving Karan.

‘I’ve become a celebrity. Everyone’s watching me now.’

Ellis was certain that tomorrow, women would swarm general stores and accessory shops looking for hair clips.

She also had confidence that Jasmine’s hair clip was pretty enough that her wearing it—even with the scandal—wouldn’t be a problem.

When the tea had been drunk and the dessert plate was half-empty, Ellis called to Karan.

“I have something to say. This time, when Your Highness returns to Tetris, I intend to follow.”

“That won’t do.”

Just as Ellis expected, Karan opposed immediately.

“It’s too dangerous, Ellis. The road itself is treacherous, but more than that, the area around the First Gate is especially perilous. I’ll go, settle things, and obtain His Majesty’s permission for our marriage, then come back to fetch you.”

Ellis shook her head.

“I’ll go myself and obtain permission for the marriage.”

“Ellis. Tetris is rough and barren beyond what you imagine. People’s hearts there are not easily opened. Let me persuade His Majesty.”

“Your Highness.”

Ellis reached out and clasped Karan’s hand on the table. His words stopped short.

“I’ve decided to follow you, just as I decided to marry you. Do you know what that means? It means I’ll see it through no matter what. So let’s not waste time in a battle of wills. Let me go with you. That’s what I want.”

Karan’s expression was disapproving.

Ellis squeezed his hand firmly, as if to say trust me.

“I’m not weak. I’ll prove it to you. Give me a chance.”

Ellis was desperate.

From the moment she sought him out, and now as she asked to follow him, she acted as though this was her last chance in life.

“Will you trust me?”

Deep wrinkles creased Karan’s brow.

That day, after parting ways with Karan, Ellis lingered in the plaza a while longer before returning home.

Several days passed.

And events unfolded exactly as Ellis had expected.

Word spread everywhere that Karan had arranged Ellis’s hair.

Everyone was clamoring to buy hair clips.

But they weren’t easily found. The harder they were to obtain, the more frantic people became.

Soon, one by one, people began sending Ellis letters, until the pile grew considerable.

A fallen young lady, embroiled in scandal, was receiving undue attention.

Ellis replied to each one.

Half her day had to be spent writing replies.

She explained that the hair clip had been a gift from Jasmine.

From then on, the attention would naturally shift toward the House of Orléans, not the House of Wharton.

“Phew, finally finished.”

Stretching her arms high, Ellis put down her pen. The tray before her was stacked with replies.

If each of these people purchased just one hair clip, Jasmine would be impossibly busy for some time.

“Better settle things with Jasmine before she gets overwhelmed.”

Massaging her aching fingers from all the writing, Ellis pulled out a fresh sheet of stationery.

Last time she had been able to go out because Fraser wasn’t home, but now that he was, going out had become difficult.

Whatever he’d been told, it had confined him in seclusion.

Sometimes only Iris would go out, but today even she remained home, which meant Ellis could hardly move about within the estate.

In the end, Ellis decided to invite Jasmine over.

She wrote the invitation with utmost courtesy, then called for Regina.

“Regina, please deliver this to Baroness Orléans. And send these letters as well.”

Regina tucked Jasmine’s invitation into her own pocket and accepted the basket of letters with both hands.

“I’ll be off.”

Once Regina had left, Ellis allowed herself a moment’s respite.

“I believe in you. More than you do.”

Suddenly remembering his voice, her ears burned hot.

When she had asked him to trust her, he had already replied that he did.

Chase had never once in his life given her such trust.

But Karan had still insisted he could not take her with him.

To him, Ellis being hurt, Ellis suffering, seemed an even greater disaster than the awakening of Ragnarok itself.

‘He never said it aloud, but that’s what it felt like to me.’

‘If he ever learns I once joined a Gate subjugation, he’ll faint.’

Ellis smirked. In the past, for Chase’s sake, she had joined the Second Gate subjugation of Bedroca.

Her mana reserves had been small, and though she could draw a magic circle or two, there had been little she could actually do. But Chase had wanted it.

“Ellis, I hate when people say it’s easy for you because you’re my fiancée.”

Chase had said he feared people mocking Ellis—but in truth, what he feared most was Ellis failing to gain renown.

Chase wanted her to increase her value as his trophy.

Naturally, Ellis had faced death many times in that battle.

At the time, Chase had left her in the rear, saying special treatment would look bad.

But the rear guard had few fighters. Whenever monsters slipped through or unforeseen crises arose, there was little defense.

Ellis’s situation was, in truth, even more dangerous.

Yet she survived, doing what she could.

Namely, she conducted a thorough study of the Gate.

She classified and analyzed the types of monsters.

Later, she used monster by-products to create various goods. But Chase opposed their commercialization, saying it would hurt her image.

‘There were so many good ones, too.’

Like a hair tonic from the essence of a furry beast, or pudding made from slime.

Only one of her inventions ever made it to market, and it had brought Chase enormous profit.

‘This time it’ll be difficult. The Second Gate won’t fall under my authority anymore.’

She felt a pang of regret but shook it off.

At any rate, if she managed to follow Karan to the Gate this time, she intended to collect samples and attempt new ventures.

‘You need money to establish yourself in Tetris.’

Money had long since been equivalent to power.

In harsh Tetris, that would be all the more true.

‘The reason Karan never built much of a base in Tetris is money.’

His exceptional combat skills were his strength—but also his weakness.

King Tylo sent him out whenever trouble arose.

Naturally, he had little understanding of the inner workings of the kingdom.

‘No influential relatives, unmarried still. It’s not as if he wasn’t popular, though.’

From what Ellis had seen at the café last time, she could guess at his popularity back in Tetris.

Though not a textbook Bedrocan noble’s beauty, Karan had a charisma that drew eyes.

A raw, untamed charm that tugged at women’s hearts.

Recalling his image that day, Ellis felt parched and rang for a servant.

But instead of a maid, Iris entered.

“You—you made quite the vulgar spectacle in the streets, didn’t you?”

Picking a fight out of nowhere, Iris made Ellis sigh.

“Why are you so interested in me? Mind your own business, sister. You should be busy preparing for your engagement.”

Ellis hadn’t meant the words as a jab.

She was only stating facts, but to Iris, already resentful of her marriage to Chase, it sounded like provocation.

Her face flushing, Iris strode quickly across the room.

“This is all because of you.”

The same refrain again.

“How long are you going to keep blaming me? Whether it’s my fault or not, if you don’t like the situation, change it. Don’t you have the ability?”

“How am I supposed to change a marriage that’s already decided?”

Why not?

It was just a verbal promise.

In our past life, you did it. You stole my place as the bride destined for a royal marriage.

Ellis bit back the words she couldn’t say aloud.

“If you really don’t want it, there are plenty of ways out. As long as you’re willing to ruin yourself. But you don’t want that, do you? You want everyone’s praise, honor, and power—all of it.”

“Of course I do. I deserve it. Unlike you.”

“Right. Which is why marrying Prince Chase isn’t my fault—it’s your choice. So stop picking fights with me over it.”

“And if I don’t?”

Iris shoved Ellis’s shoulder sharply.

Caught off guard, Ellis leapt to her feet.

When she lifted her gaze, the pressure radiating from her was something Iris could not possibly endure.

Ellis looked twenty on the outside, but within her was the mind of a twenty-nine-year-old.

She had set Chase upon the throne, orchestrated the final plans of Ragnarok’s subjugation, and come close to the seat of queen.

There was no way Iris—sheltered and twenty-two—could handle the weight of such experience.

“What, you think staring at me like that will scare me?”

Iris snapped, unwilling to show fear.

Ellis gripped her sister’s shoulder.

As her fingers dug in, lines of pain formed on Iris’s delicate brow.

“Do you want to know what I’m capable of? Then keep acting this way. You called me vulgar, didn’t you? I’ll show you what truly vulgar means. Ah—now that I say it, I’m curious myself. Just how far will I go with you?”