Volume 8, Chapter 18 – The Queen’s Proposal

“The Queen of Death wants Dofi to be her queen? What nonsense is this?!”

In the court, where over a dozen nobles and officials had gathered, Yelido’s startled and incredulous voice echoed repeatedly. The luxurious, spacious audience hall fell so silent one could hear a pin drop. Fia and Yelido’s expressions became rather interesting, while the nobles and officials who had heard the proclamation kept their heads bowed, unsure what expression to wear.

Just moments ago, during Yelido’s routine morning court, a messenger had informed him that the envoy from the Kingdom of Death—that undead archmage maid—had arrived for a second visit. Furthermore, the messenger brought news as explosive as a bomb: the reason the Queen of Death had previously surrounded the cities with undead, demanding Fia, was because the Queen of Death had taken a liking to the elf First Princess Dofilia’s talents, deeming her worthy of becoming her queen. Hence, she had come to ask for her hand.

A princess marrying into another country to forge good relations between two states was quite common on the World Tree Continent. Silvar, for instance, had seen princesses from Cold Night and the Alfrieg Kingdom marry into the royal family. Such arrangements usually involved the weaker party offering their princess to the stronger. In the past four hundred years, Silvar had never once had one of its own princesses married out.

Though visibly trembling under Yelido’s imposing aura, the messenger kneeling in the center of the hall dutifully answered in a loud, clear voice.

“That self-proclaimed envoy maid not only stated the Queen of Death wishes to wed Her Highness the First Princess, but the delegation she brought has also prepared many gifts. She also said that among the undead, there are no strict gender distinctions, so choosing a queen has nothing to do with gender. What the Queen of Death values is Her Highness’s character. If Her Highness is willing, she can guarantee that the undead will never again harass the southern border. It seems… it seems genuine.”

Towards the end, sensing Yelido’s anger, the messenger’s voice grew softer and softer, his head drooping as if about to touch the floor. On the throne, Yelido’s complexion shifted from pale to flushed, finally settling into an angry red as he forcefully waved his sleeve.

“Preposterous! Silvar has always accepted foreign princesses seeking peace, never sent its own princess away! Tell her to leave! Even if it’s not the Queen of Death, even if the Darkborn themselves came, I would never permit it! Silvar fears no one’s challenge!”

“His Majesty speaks truly! Her Highness the First Princess is the nation’s crown princess. How could she be married off to someone? Besides, who can even confirm the Queen of Death’s authenticity? Such legendary beings are utterly unreliable!”

Seeing Yelido’s stance, the Prime Minister, standing behind Fia, quickly stepped forward, not forgetting to cast a smiling glance at Fia ahead of him.

“Surely Your Highness thinks so too?”

“…Mm.”

Fia nodded her stiff neck.

Though her father and the Prime Minister had laid out the reasoning clearly, as for her own attitude… Well, it wasn’t entirely inflexible.

What intrigued her was how the Queen of Death had even come to know of her. Could it be based solely on rumors of the “First Princess’s exceptional wisdom and captivating beauty”? That seemed unlikely.

That queen was an ancient relic who had lived who knew how many years. Fia found it hard to believe that someone who had endured such long years could retain the same sensibilities as a normal person. Such beings were usually either worn down by time until emotionless, choosing self-annihilation, or driven by a single obsession, becoming warped, extremely paranoid beings.

The only thing she was certain of was that the Queen of Death was real and powerful—information provided by Anastasia.

Thinking about the inconsistencies in the undead’s two approaches: first, they had dispatched a massive army regardless of the cost, risking crossing the Sea of Trees, to find her without stating why. Now, they sent an envoy suddenly speaking of marriage. The shift in attitude was too drastic. If the Queen of Death was simply interested in her and wanted her as queen, she could have stated that from the beginning, not waited until now to reveal it.

Something was off.

Perhaps the matter was so significant that the Queen of Death couldn’t reveal the true reason for seeking her to others.

But convincing her father was another difficult problem. If only that maid could speak properly! If she had used sweet words, saying the Queen of Death was inviting her as a guest, was impressed by her strength, wished to sue for peace—Yelido would surely have gladly sent her as an envoy to the Kingdom of Death to accept the surrender.

“Come to think of it, why would the legendary Queen of Death fixate on Her Highness? Her Highness was touring various places recently. Could it be that during that time, she encountered the Queen and caught her eye?”

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“No, I don’t know the Queen of Death at all. Even if someone used magic to disguise themselves, they couldn’t escape my notice.”

“Tsk, tsk…”

The aged Prime Minister frowned deeply, stroking his graying beard.

“Strange. Though they’re filthy undead, she is, after all, the Queen ruling the entire Netherworld. Her power and status are undeniable. If she chose anyone else as queen, those seeking a powerful patron would be overjoyed. Why specifically Her Highness… If we set aside the undead aspect, I’d almost call it a match made in heaven.”

Since the Queen of Death was a legendary figure to everyone, lacking any sense of reality, and everyone knew Fia wouldn’t agree, the court atmosphere momentarily became lighthearted.

Imagining their esteemed First Princess being chosen as queen by another powerful ruler, and a fellow female queen at that, the contrast amused these nobles under Fia’s command. They marveled at their Highness’s charm, powerful enough to captivate even her own gender.

“Without undead harassing the southern border, we could divert more resources to developing the north. If we could incorporate the Frostlands into our territory, we could then cross directly via the Frostlands, heading south to the Milcandis Holy Kingdom and that human empire to the west, without needing to traverse the inland sea.”

“Perhaps that Queen was simply overwhelmed by Her Highness’s charm. If so, couldn’t we recreate the current relationship with Cold Night? Her Highness would be both Silvar’s crown princess, and the Queen of Cold Night and the Netherworld, ruling three realms simultaneously—an unprecedented achievement! Just having the undead obedient would make neighboring countries tremble at her feet.”

“Truly remarkable, our Highness, possessing charm even the undead cannot resist. And for the Queen of Death herself to initiate a marriage proposal…”

“Everyone, calm down. Since that Queen is infatuated with our Highness, why not turn the tables? Send a delegation in Her Highness’s name, inviting that Queen to become her princess consort. If that Queen genuinely cares for Her Highness, even if too shy to agree outright, she’ll understand that Her Highness is a crown princess who cannot be married off. Then we could establish a trans-regional marriage, maintaining contact from time to time. Wouldn’t that both solve the annual southern defense burden and fulfill that Queen’s wish? I may be worthless, but I’ve had thirty-two wives and lived seven hundred years as an elf. I have considerable experience in matters of the heart. In such cases, the one who falls first loses the upper hand. What do you all think?”

“Excellent idea! Even if rejected, we’d merely be giving them a taste of their own medicine, making them savor the humiliation of being refused. To pester a crown princess repeatedly without any response would shame the elves.”

These old fogies, just enjoying the spectacle…

Seeing a group of white-haired nobles and officials discussing her marital affairs, Fia couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat. She understood their playful psychology. For a being as powerful and legendary as the Queen of Death to suddenly seek a queen—such news, if spread, would have countless people clamoring for the position. People married or were married into families decades older for money; the Queen of Death, possessing ultimate power and status, was far more attractive. Compared to that, being undead wasn’t even a flaw.

If she weren’t royalty but just an ordinary noble’s daughter, these people would probably already be scheming to marry her off to the Queen of Death for Silvar’s benefit.

Yelido knew his subordinates were just joking. He waved his hand, signaling the topic was over.

“Send their delegation back. Lord Clementine is right. These undead pester Dofi repeatedly. If we respond with silence, they’ll only think of us as easy targets. But I, Yelido, will not use Dofi’s marriage as a bargaining chip. How to respond can be discussed further.”

Yelido sat back on his throne, his gaze falling on Fia.

“Dofi, have you truly never met this Queen of Death? The other day at Twilight Palace, you said they sought you without knowing you were the elf princess. Now they’ve brought betrothal gifts right to our doorstep. That doesn’t sound like strangers. Though the undead are detestable, we must prioritize. If you do know her, you should speak up. The south lands of the Land of Exile are uninhabitable. If we can use this connection to broker a truce, fixing the border at its current line, it would benefit everyone.”

“I truly haven’t…”

The most powerful undead she had met was Nola’s goddess, Ruth. Ruth was an Eighth-Rank undead, living alone in the Weeping Mountains, without any undead archmage maids serving her. She didn’t match the Queen of Death’s characteristics.

Besides, she had disciplined Ruth—tied her to a stone slab and spanked her. Fia couldn’t possibly imagine Ruth as the Queen of Death. Given Ruth’s personality, if she weren’t outmatched, she’d have retaliated long ago. She was the petty, prideful, tsundere type.

“However, I see this as an opportunity.”

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Fia shifted her tone.

“Using this chance, I could go as a representative to negotiate with the Queen of Death. We could definitely resolve the annual winter undead harassment of the southern border. Additionally, we could address the Chaos dilemma. Now that the Confessional Hall is complete, and Kelvin has reported signs of Chaos, resolving the undead threat early and cooperating with them would allow us to deploy the first troops into the Abyss sooner.”

The lighthearted atmosphere in the court vanished instantly. Everyone’s smiles froze. Yelido frowned deeply.

“I won’t let you risk it like this. The Queen of Death is precisely trying to get you. Walking right into her hands—what kind of plan is that? If you prove no match for her and she makes you her queen, who could rescue you?”

“His Majesty is right! Absolutely impossible, Your Highness! The undead are far more formidable than you imagine. Simply being near powerful undead can gradually transform the living into undead. And she’s the Queen of Death herself, who can supposedly take lives with a single thought!”

Fia sighed helplessly.

“Sigh. Father, Prime Minister, everyone has read the battle reports of me single-handedly eliminating the undead army. You should have a basic understanding of my strength. Casting forbidden spells without incantation is just the fundamentals for me. I don’t believe the undead queen can harm me.”

“This isn’t about harm or not. We cannot gamble with your life. If something were to happen to you, what would become of Silvar? The Second Prince’s fate is unknown. You are the only one who can support Silvar in the future.”

Though it was for her own good, being constrained by conventional thinking was just too tedious. They failed to realize that the Queen of Death’s talk of making her a bride was merely a pretext; the true purpose was something else entirely—perhaps the Queen of Death had also sensed the abnormality of the Chaos and wished to ally with her. Anastasia had described the Queen of Death as wise and decisive. Fia couldn’t imagine such a strong-willed woman joking around. Besides, if the other party was just a child in stature, she might be interested in her , but Fia certainly wasn’t interested in her .

“All I need is to prove my strength, right? Let that maid in. Let everyone witness it for a moment.”

At Fia’s command, the tall undead archmage maid entered the hall. Even seeing Yelido, she showed no intention of kneeling. On the contrary, the death energy radiating from her body, she lifted her chin slightly. Though her steps were elegant, they were filled with an arrogance that looked down on everything.

“Kneel before His Majesty!”

“You pointed-ear slugs aren’t worthy of my kneeling. In this world, only Her Majesty the Queen deserves my respect.”

“Insolent!”

Rebuffed by a mere maid, the speaking noble immediately flushed crimson. He tried to step forward and subdue her, but was immediately shot down by her retort.

“What’s this? Is this how Silvar treats its guests? Miss Dofilia, I suggest you leave this barbaric place with me soon. Misinterpreting Her Majesty’s intentions earlier was my fault. There will be no problem this time. Her Majesty values your wisdom and is interested in you. If you meet Her Majesty, you will surely be captivated by her presence.”

“And if I say no?”

Fia’s unexpected answer caught the maid off guard. Her eyes flew wide open, confusion gradually turning to displeasure.

“Dofilia, it is your honor that Her Majesty favors you. Do not let down Her Majesty’s grace.”

“Kneel.”

Fia’s stern command made the undead archmage maid glare back. Her cyan eyes were now filled with fury.

With the conflict having escalated to this point, the more powerful nobles nearby were already preparing to intervene. This was the audience hall, restricted by the [Citadel of Silence]; even an undead archmage could only rely on physical strength here.

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Until Fia used [Telekinesis] to separate the surrounding nobles and officials.

[Peerless Beauty]

[Art of the Sage]

An invisible vibration rippled outward. In an instant, the maid who had just been glaring angrily at Fia stood frozen as if turned to stone. Then, hearts appeared in her cyan eyes. The hem of her maid’s dress trembled slightly with her shaking legs, and her breathing became noticeably rapid.

The spell worked.

Even Claire couldn’t resist her [Peerless Beauty]; a mere Sixth-Rank undead archmage was child’s play.

This time, Fia’s voice was gentle.

“Kneel.”

“Yes, Master.”

The maid, previously so hostile, now obediently knelt on both knees like a pampered pet, even crawling toward Fia on her hands.

Though forcibly altering her will with magic, consider it a lesson for her arrogance. If it had been some less attractive undead archmage acting so haughty, she wouldn’t have been so easygoing. They’d definitely have taken a few [Fairy Fire] blasts.

“Your Highness, this is…”

The nobles’ eyes were full of surprise. The drastic shift in the maid’s attitude was clearly abnormal.

“Magic. If even an undead archmage is like this, you should believe in me now, right? If you’re still uneasy, let Claire and Mother Yulisha accompany me as supervisors. That should be no problem. The Queen’s interest is in me; she won’t be interested in Claire or Mother Yulisha.”

To convince the hesitant nobles, Fia tilted her chin towards the maid excitedly gazing up at her from her feet.

“Bark twice.”

“Woof woof.”

“Ahem, Dofi, that’s enough.”

Yelido coughed.

This was the audience hall, not a garden for special games. He knew this undead archmage was no pushover. Fia being able to subtly control her before everyone’s eyes was proof enough of her strength. However, as her father, he still couldn’t let her risk it.

A compromise was needed.

“If you want to meet the Queen of Death to address the Chaos issue, fine. I trust your judgment that Chaos brings disaster. But venturing deep into the Netherworld with Claire is too dangerous. Send this maid back. Change the meeting location from inside the Death Kingdom to the border between our two countries. Then I’ll permit you to meet this Queen. This is the bottom line; don’t ask for more. And remember, you are the future Elf Queen. Mind your image.”

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Mind my image? Not be married off? Or refer to the maid now crouched like a puppy at my feet?

Fia wasn’t sure which matter Yelido meant.

But agreeing to a border meeting was already a concession. Trying it out couldn’t hurt.

Fia gave a slight bow.

“Alright.”

Then her gaze flicked to the maid at her feet.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes, woof!”

Fia dispelled [Peerless Beauty]. The crouching undead archmage maid froze, then her features twisted, filled with humiliation and rage. If undead could blush and cry, she’d surely have tears at the corners of her eyes and a face bright red. Fia even heard her fists clench with a terrifying crack—clearly aiming to punch her.

But Fia was prepared.

[Peerless Beauty]

“Woof!”

The rage abruptly ended. Loyal hearts once again filled the maid’s eyes.

Much more obedient this way.

“Good girl~”

Fia rewarded the maid with a pat on the head. The maid squinted with satisfaction. Fia couldn’t help but think, if she had a tail and ears like Nola, they’d surely be perked up and wagging furiously.

Indeed, mental magic is the most useful kind.

Wondering whether she should get her a leash, Fia kept [Peerless Beauty] active until the morning court ended.

Translator Note

woof!