WMT | Chapter 6

After Wiss founded the kingdom, he only focused on external affairs. He wasn’t used to governing or managing the economy.

Instead, he maintained the kingdom in a unique way.

He gathered debts to operate the army and used the compensation from winning wars to pay off those debts.

Of course, the defeated nations didn’t just pay compensation to Wiss. They pledged allegiance and paid homage every three years.

This became the budget for running the kingdom.

The Kingdom of Summer was essentially running on war.

Wiss didn’t know how to rebuild a defeated kingdom.

What he knew was that in the end, the one who wins the war is the victor. And that internal enemies are the scariest.

In Palatine’s case, the internal enemy was, of course, Duke Akazel.

“That’s not it.”

The duke said.

“Is it that you don’t like me, not the conditions?”

“How could that be?”

‘Enough with the obvious answers.’

It was time to hear the real reason. To continue negotiations, you need to know what the other party wants, right?

But the duke said, “The reason I don’t want this marriage is because I can’t trust Your Highness or King Jeremiah. …I recently received an order from my brother. He wants me to marry Prince Wissmia and rule Summer.”

Wiss frowned.

‘What is he talking about?’

Unless the King of Palatine was incredibly stupid, he wouldn’t allow the union of the duke and Summer. But he actually ordered it?

“But my brother would be reluctant to give me even a barren land where not a single blade of grass grows. Let alone a kingdom. If I really became the owner of the kingdom, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.”

The duke leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. A faint smile appeared on his previously expressionless face.

“So I decided to ignore my brother’s order. But the next day, King Jeremiah came to me and recommended marriage. When I refused, Prince Wissmia himself came to propose.”

Wiss was at a loss for words.

‘This is suspicious.’

“Did you really come to me of your own will?” The smile disappeared from the duke’s face. With a stiff expression, he asked.

Wiss pondered.

Could King Jeremiah have joined hands with the King of Palatine?

‘No way.’

You need to use your head to devise a scheme.

“I don’t quite understand what Your Grace is saying……. I just came because I thought you could help us.”

Wiss spoke like a pitiful Omega.

‘But why is this guy kindly explaining the situation like this?’ he thought.

The duke had no obligation to explain his reasons for refusal.

“I really don’t know why King Riendell said such things. Could it be that he intends to hinder our union?”

“I don’t think so. My brother has a history.”

The duke gave a bitter smile.

“I hope Your Highness is truly unrelated to my brother’s orders.
…Please leave now. I’ll assign a servant to assist you. Even though you’ve received healing from the cleric, your body must still be unwell.”

It was an order to leave. But Wiss didn’t get up. If he got up now, it would be over.

“If I prove my innocence, will you accept the proposal?”

The duke’s eyebrows rose.

“Why are you trying so hard?”

He crossed his arms. He seemed even more suspicious.

“If the marriage is called off, it would be good for Prince Wissmia too. Don’t you have a lover?”

‘Damn Wissmia.’

“…I don’t have a lover. I will prove that I’m not related to King Riendell.”

“There’s no need for that. No matter what happens, I won’t marry Your Highness.”

The duke said coldly.

‘Damn it.’

Can’t marry because he doesn’t trust me?

Wiss gathered his patience.

“Why?”

“Shouldn’t marriage be with someone you love? We don’t love each other.”

Wiss was so taken aback that he almost forgot to manage his expression.

‘Is this guy serious?’

But what does it matter if he’s serious or not? What’s important is the content of the words. The duke made a slip of the tongue.

Wiss seized the opportunity.

‘Hoo.’

“But I love Your Grace.” Wiss claimed.

‘Got you, you bastard.’

Regardless of his nature, Wiss’s appearance was pure, making him seem quite sincere.

The duke’s startled gaze turned to Wiss.

── .✦

“How did it go?” The guard asked.

Wiss sat on the bed and massaged his legs.

‘Is this muscle pain from that catch?’

He wanted to believe it was a joke, but it wasn’t. This frail body was exhausted just from the journey from the central palace to the prince’s palace.

“Are you really going to get married?”

“Do you know how to save a bankrupt kingdom?”

“No, right?”

“Then stay quiet. Sit there and massage my legs.”

The guard sat on the bed with a sulky expression and began to massage Wiss’s legs.

Even while doing so, his mouth didn’t stop.

“Did you fall in love with the duke at first sight?”

Wiss almost spat out his water.

“Don’t you know how to stop talking nonsense?”

“Aren’t you the one saying strange things, Your Highness? You, who were so passionately in love, suddenly say you’ll marry another man, how can I not be worried? They say if a person changes suddenly, they die……”

‘Well, I did die.’

Old sayings were scary. They held truth.

“I can’t just let the duke go.”

“What? No, the duke was handsome, but……. Did you really fall for him?”

Wiss was getting annoyed.

‘This prince and that knight.’

“If you’ve trampled on another country’s royal castle with your boots, you should pay the price. Where do you think you’re going?”

“……What?”

Wiss drank cold water and leaned against the pillow. The throbbing headache eased a bit.

On the second day of waking up in Wissmia’s body, he tried to change the guard.

‘There was no answer.’

The guard was right. All the decent knights had either surrendered or fled during the war, leaving only a few in the castle.

Surprisingly, this guard was relatively loyal.

‘Or maybe he just lacks social skills.’

“Enough, tell me about the King of Palatine.”

“Are you talking about King Riendell?”

“Yes. He doesn’t get along with his brother.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“What, you don’t know?”

“King Riendell isn’t a famous figure.”

The guard said as he rotated Wiss’s ankle. A cracking sound came from the ankle.

“……”

Wiss couldn’t tell if it was normal for his body to make such sounds.

“As you know, Palatine’s succession method is the same as Summer’s, right? The previous king designates a successor before dying, and wasn’t there a famous prince in Palatine? I’m talking about Duke Akazel. Everyone thought the duke would become king, but there was an unexpected turn.”

“Ugh……”

The guard made Wiss lie face down and began massaging his back. Wiss was in agony.

‘Isn’t this guy taking out his anger on me?’

The massages Wiss remembered were heavenly experiences. He couldn’t tell if his adjutant was an excellent masseur or if this guard was just crushing him with all his might.

“Anyway, I can’t understand the thoughts of high-ranking people. Why was it King Riendell instead of the duke? There was a lot of talk since his coronation.”

“Do it gently.”

“What? Yes, yes.”

As the pain subsided, Wiss finally had room to think.

“And the new king started a war with the duke at the forefront after his coronation.”

“Yes, that’s it.”

“He must have been quite scared of his brother.”

Wiss snorted and sat up.

“Stop and bring a basin of water.”

“To wash your face?”

“Close the door and leave. Don’t come in until I call you.”

“……?”

“But I love Your Grace.”

Of course, the duke didn’t believe Wiss’s words.

But he seemed so dumbfounded that he lost his words, and that was enough for Wiss.

‘The point is to prove innocence and usefulness.’

Wiss didn’t think for a moment that there would be any other conditions for a royal marriage.

After chasing the guard out, he closed the window. It was to prevent anyone from noticing the manifestation of magic.

‘It’s hot.’

The Kingdom of Summer was a warm country all year round. The buildings were designed with large windows and good ventilation. Without the breeze coming in, it was inevitably hot.

Wiss undid a couple of buttons and focused.

His soft hair tickled his white forehead.

His eyes shone brightly as the water in the basin swirled.

The magic in the air entered his body and circulated through his veins.

The magic that flowed out again formed a delicate formation in the basin.

Now, a small whirlpool was forming in the basin.

With this magic, the spell he could cast was…

‘It’s just for self-defense.’

Wiss spat out the blood that had pooled inside him. The basin turned red.

This way, the side effects weren’t too severe.

At that moment, there was a cautious knock on the door.

“Your Highness, it’s me.”

Before Wiss could answer, the door opened on its own.