Chapter 14 A Collar for the Saint
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I sat across from Eleanor Asgard, a heavy polished desk between us. She was the “Saint of Light,” the pride of the Asgard Kingdom.
Afternoon light streamed through the window, casting long shadows across the clean room. Only the spot where she stood was brightly lit.
Eleanor had an air of noble grace, fitting for the Student Council President. Her golden hair shimmered in the light, and her sky-blue eyes stared straight at me.
Deep in those eyes, a hidden look of caution flickered like a faint shadow toward the Grimlock family, who fought the royal family’s policies.
The militaristic Grimlocks wanted the war to go on.
But the royal family pushed for peace with the Empire, making them a big thorn in our side. Why had I, the next head of such a family, come here today?
Eleanor had likely agreed to this meeting just to check my plans.
She had some nerve.
”So, Grimlock-kun. What business do you have with me?”
Her voice was quiet, but noble, making the room even more tense. It felt like a blade of ice was touching my skin.
A silence lasted for several seconds—so heavy that even the dust on the desk couldn’t move.
I stayed deep in my chair, a bold smile on my lips. I raised one corner of my mouth.
”They say seeing is believing. First, please look at this.”
I placed a crystal from my breast pocket onto the desk.
It fit perfectly in my palm, giving off a dull shine. When I put Mana into it, the crystal glowed faintly, turning the white wall of the student council room into a screen. A clear image appeared on the rough plaster wall.
What was shown there—an empty classroom after school.
By the window, where the red glow of evening sun came in, Prince Liam—Eleanor’s younger brother—was whispering love to my fiancée, Cecilia, holding her in his arms.
The prince whispered something into Cecilia’s ear, and Cecilia looked down, her cheeks red. The footage was clear, catching every detail of their faces.
I wanted to see Eleanor’s reaction, so I looked from the screen to her.
Whoosh!
With a sharp sound, a silver flash flew across the edge of my sight. The next moment, cold metal pressed right against my throat.
A drawn sword.
The knight’s sword she kept at her waist.
The tip of the blade pressed into my skin, sending a chill up my neck. The faint smell of metal tickled my nose, making every hair on my body stand up.
I saw a fire of rage light up in her sky-blue eyes.
(Whoa! Hold on… I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die!!)
Inside, I was panicking like never before. Cold sweat ran down my back.
I had been careless.
Completely careless.
I never dreamed that a princess called the “Saint of Light” would draw a sword in the middle of a talk.
It was also bad that I was watching the footage.
My sword skills were good, but she was just as good. Caught off guard, I couldn’t react easily.
—But I was still alive. The sword at my throat hadn’t cut my skin.
That meant she knew she couldn’t kill me right there. Her last bit of reason held her back.
Though waves of killing intent came from the blade, she had stopped a hair away. At my throat, the silver tip shook a little.
(…Safe. Good thing the princess is smart. There’s room to talk.)
Hiding my panic behind a calm face, I didn’t move a single muscle.
As if the sword at my throat didn’t exist, I stared back at her calmly.
Eleanor glared at me with eyes full of hate, but slowly, she stepped back and put her sword away with a cold click.
In that move, I could still see a faint shake of anger.
”What, you aren’t going to kill me?”
Pretending to be completely calm, I asked like I was disappointed.
My voice came out smooth, even though the blade’s coldness still lingered on my throat.
”…Is that your plan, Grimlock? To have me kill you, just a disposable pawn, and make a clear break with the royal family… No, do you want us to owe you, so you can keep the war going?!”
It seemed the princess thought I was just a disposable pawn sent by my father. Thanks to that big mistake, my head was still on my shoulders.
Thank goodness, I said in my heart.
”—Well, something like that. If you had hurt me to shut me up, that would have been good for our side too.”
”Hmph. But I did not kill you. Your plan failed. …So, what is your next move?”
”Next is talking, Eleanor-senpai.”
I nodded toward the image on the wall.
The footage of the prince and my fiancée was still playing.
”As you can see, your cute little brother is fooling around with my fiancée. Prince Liam dating many women isn’t a big problem. His fiancée, Princess Elisabeth, won’t be happy, but it wouldn’t break the peace treaty.”
”However,” I went on.
”The story changes when the one the prince touched is the fiancée of the head of the Grimlock family—the leader of the pro-war side. We can use this to take a strong political stand against the royal family. If we give this footage to the nobles who fight the peace treaty, it will be a perfect weapon for them to attack the royal family.”
”…What do you want? Let me tell you now, if you ask for too much, I might choose to kill you next time.”
The light of killing intent was back in Eleanor’s eyes.
(Hey… Stop glaring at me, it’s scary.)
Her gaze, sharp as a blade, seemed to cut through me.
I saw her fist shaking a little.
—She was really angry.
But I must not let my feelings get disturbed. Let’s talk calmly.
”Our demand is very simple.”
I smiled deeper and said the main thing.
”I want to put you under my control. That is all.”
I took a choker from my pocket.
It was a deep black color, like polished obsidian, with a dull shine. In my palm, it had a slight weight. A very simple ring.
”I will have you wear this.”
”…What is this?”
Eleanor looked at the ring, full of doubt.
”It is a magic item I made. It can stop your Mana control. —For our side, we want to put a shackle on you, because you are too strong.”
Of course, that was not all.
This magic item had three functions.
First, a transmitter.
Second, a wiretap.
Third, the stop of Mana control.
It was linked to my own Mana, so I could use any ability at any time.
It was like an extension of myself. If she wore it, I could pour my Mana right into her.
Since it used teleportation magic to send the Mana, the “Magic Seal” would not block it. That was proven.
I kept quiet about the transmitter and wiretap, only explaining the part that would seal her fighting power.
”I think it’s a fair trade.”
”……”
Eleanor bit her lip, looking between my face and the black choker on the desk.
On her face, shame and the fight against a hard truth were clear. Her fingers almost reached for the ring, then stopped just before.
”You can choose to put it on or not.”
I stood up and stepped closer to her desk.
The black ring shone coldly, drawing Eleanor’s eyes to it.
”But if I cannot see it on you, this footage will be leaked to every student at the Academy by tomorrow morning. The deadline is tomorrow, until I come to school.”
Leaving it at that, I turned my back to Eleanor.
The ring on the desk lay quiet, like it was waiting for her choice. I left the student council room.
I thought I heard her heavy breathing behind me, but I did not look back.
The taste of victory felt great.
That night.
While reading my favorite book on my bed, the ring in my pocket suddenly felt warm. A nice warmth spread against my skin.
(…Heh.)
It looked like the clever princess had made the best choice after all.
Not hiding the smile on my lips, I quietly closed the book. The sound of paper rustling echoed in the quiet room.
The “Saint of Light,” or even the “Valkyrie”—this was the moment she came under my full control.
That collar would tie her pride, becoming the shackle that moves her just as I want.
Notes:
• Asgard – The family name carried by Elenor.
• Grimlock – The Grimlock family is a noble military house to which Xenos and his father, Gaius, belong. As members of this lineage, Xenos and Gaius carry the family name, upholding their noble status and military legacy through their shared identity and familial bond.
• Cecilia – The eldest daughter of the Vermillion Duchy, she is a noblewoman with striking crimson hair and translucent blue eyes. Cold and statue-like, she harbors deep disdain for her fiancé, Xenos, due to his lack of magic, and is actively seeking an annulment. Driven by status and an anxious, secret longing to become Prince Liam’s concubine, she views her current political engagement with icy contempt.
• Liam – As the kingdom’s First Prince and a game protagonist, he leads with a calm, amused, yet detached demeanor. While engaged to Princess Elisabeth, he harbors true feelings for Cecilia, marked by a secret romantic encounter. He actively opposes the Grimlock family’s war stance, rallying academy allies to his cause while skillfully balancing his complex political duties and personal desires.
• Elisabeth – A transfer student from the Adrastea Empire who is an imperial princess. She has deep blue hair that reflects the night sky and an icy, emotionless expression with a straight-backed, dignified posture.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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