The King of Palma opened his eyes wide as if surprised.
His eyes were filled with curiosity. Sinha read that.
‘…That woman, I don’t know what her true intentions are, but…’
Sinha recalled what Sybil had said earlier.
─I heard a story. That Your Highness has lost interest in work and politics and is living a boring life.
─I want to be of help to you in any way I can, is that not possible?
As Sybil had said, the King of Palma’s lethargic life had already become a common perception among the citizens.
The King was neglecting his duties. It was a serious situation even if it was just a rumor, but this time it was real.
Only high-ranking officials knew that the reason was Aphrodite, but ordinary citizens could not know.
‘It’s a good offer at the right time.’
A woman who wanted to get close to the King had appeared.
And she was the most beautiful woman in the city, no, a woman who possessed beauty that far surpassed that of the existing beauties.
There was nothing to lose. As a retainer, he naturally welcomed Sybil’s proposal.
‘…But I wonder if His Highness will be interested…’
The King of Palma was head over heels for Aphrodite.
And the retainers could not distract him from that.
Aphrodite was not a human, but a God.
Aphrodite was a God, so there was no problem with him serving her as King.
That excuse had broken the King of Palma’s brakes.
The King had built a separate annex just for Aphrodite, and whenever he had time, or rather, he would make time to see Aphrodite. Perhaps if one were to look at the contents of the King’s occasional work, it would be easy to deduce that Aphrodite had a hand in it.
But what was wrong with serving a God? That’s why the retainers didn’t say anything.
Even though they knew that the King was not serving a God, but was wrapped around a woman’s skirt.
“Good.”
But the King of Palma readily agreed.
Sinha looked at the King with a slightly surprised look on his face.
“…You will meet her?"
“If that’s the prize, then it’s a small price to pay. What’s the problem?”
“Understood. I’ll bring her to you shortly.”
Sinha, though surprised, went out without asking any questions. Of course, that was what he had to do.
But the King of Palma didn’t think much of it.
He hadn’t seen Aphrodite’s face in a long time.
‘She’s a face to behold compared to her, so I might as well see her once.’
He just needed a new stimulus.
After a while.
“My name is Sybil Forte.”
Sybil bowed politely in front of the King of Palma.
“Yes, you wanted to see me?”
“Yes.”
Sybil’s tone was bland.
It was neither disrespectful nor overly respectful, but simply a tone that spoke to his position.
The retainers standing next to the King frowned slightly at that.
Sybil’s tone was not so much disrespectful as unsettling. It was polite, but light. As if she were about to crack a joke to the King.
The King spoke.
“You won the beauty contest and want to meet me as a prize. What was your intention?”
Although the content of his words was suspicious, his face was smiling.
He had forgotten for a moment because he had been neglecting his duties as King, but he was a being who was admired by people like this. Sybil had reminded him of that feeling.
“I came because I wanted to be of help to Your Highness.”
“…Come closer.”
The King of Palma beckoned her with his finger, as if he didn’t understand what she was saying. Sybil took a few steps closer in her lowered posture.
“How do you intend to help me?”
As he spoke, all sorts of imaginations ran through the King’s mind.
Sybil smiled and said.
“I heard that you have recently lost interest in the things around you and become lethargic.”
“So, you’re going to revitalize me.”
“That’s right. I know the reason why.”
At Sybil’s words, the retainers looked at her.
She knew the reason. Did she know that he was head over heels for Aphrodite?
No, that couldn’t be it. She was just saying that to get the King’s attention.
The King of Palma rested his chin on his hand.
He chuckled and asked.
“Yes, tell me why I am lethargic. I’m very curious.”
“The reason is,”
Sybil slowly raised her head.
“Because this country is too small to contain Your Highness’s grand ambitions.”
What an unexpected thing to say.
Both the King and the retainers paused for a moment at Sybil’s words.
Then Sybil called out to the King of Palma again.
“Your Majesty.”
“….!”
The King of Palma jumped to his feet in surprise.
He stumbled backward with trembling legs.
“Do, don’t call me that!”
“…My apologies. Please forgive me.”
Sybil bowed her head deeply once more.
The retainers stared at Sybil, frozen in place.
That remark just now.
Sybil, who had changed her form of address from “Your Highness” to “Your Majesty.”
Was it right to reprimand her for this?
For the “mistake” of addressing the King with a “higher” title?
“Your Majesty. There is only one country on this continent, Palma.”
“…Th, that’s right.”
The King of Palma was now barely able to answer.
What was this woman talking about? What was she trying to say?
“The reason you have become lethargic is because you have been holding back from fulfilling your grand ambitions. You have been patient for so long that you are exhausted.”
“Patience, you say I have been patient?”
“Of course. Your Majesty is a vessel worthy of ruling the seas. But you have not done so, so it is only natural that you are exhausted.”
At that moment, a retainer, unable to bear it any longer, shouted.
“You wench, how dare you try to deceive His Highness with your sweet talk-”
“Wait.”
But the King stopped him.
“I will listen and judge for myself. Be quiet.”
“…Yes.”
The retainer closed his mouth at that.
Sybil looked into the King of Palma’s eyes.
Most of the emotions reflected in his eyes were filled with bewilderment.
But hidden deep within them, she could see ambition and spirit.
‘Aphrodite’s method was ‘love,’ right? That’s certainly powerful. I would love to use it to my heart’s content if I had that kind of power. But men, they can never stop there.’
Sybil had charmed many men in her life. Even without that kind of power.
Sybil was the most popular and famous woman in Constel. The object of envy for men and jealousy for women.
That’s why Sybil knew something.
‘Men all have their own ambitions. Ambitions they want to achieve even if they have to risk everything. Something they can’t forget no matter how hard they try, something they see in front of them even when they try to look away. Something that only makes them hungrier when they try to make excuses for reality and their surroundings. Like their souls are crying out, like their fate is calling out to them.’
None of the men Sybil had talked to were any different.
Even as they all chose the safe path and compromised with reality, there was a flame burning deep inside them that would never go out.
‘Love is not powerful. That’s why men don’t want to be bound by love.’
If Aphrodite’s power was truly ‘love.’
If it was a power clearly distinct from ‘fascination’ or ‘lust.’
‘If the King of Palma had truly fallen in love with Aphrodite, then what he ultimately wants is not to be in her arms. It’s to have Aphrodite in his arms.’
This is what Sybil was trying to instill in the King of Palma’s heart.
Men believe that taking a step forward for their own ambition is the same as drawing love to them.
‘And well, it’s true.’
Sybil thought of Frondier.
When she thought of Frondier, she always pictured his back, not his front.
‘I like that flame.’
“Your Majesty.”
Sybil once again addressed the King of Palma with that title.
It wasn’t a mistake in the first place, but now she had no intention of taking it back.
“It is time for you to become Emperor.”
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