EUILV 22

Chapter 22

“Metatron, it’s not like this is your first time having a body—stop behaving like an unbroken colt. You’re drawing way too much attention.”

“……”

“It’s not the kind of world anymore where you can do as you please. You understand that, right?”

But there was no answer. With a wary expression, Seraphine asked, hoping it wasn’t true:

“Don’t tell me you’re completely unaware of the current state of the world. When was the last time you were active—before you got swept up by someone?”

Come to think of it, Metatron was the first weapon to disappear after the fall of the kingdom.

Seraphine stared at him intently, as if to say evasion would not be tolerated.

Metatron finally spoke, albeit reluctantly.

“I know this is an empire now.”

“Metatron.”

Seraphine called him in a low voice.

“The empire was founded five hundred years ago. Don’t tell me you’ve been living in seclusion all this time?”

“They’re all humans now, and none of them are on my level anyway. There’s no need to borrow someone’s body just to live.”

In other words, Metatron was saying that ever since the empire was established, he had rejected humans and had not functioned as a weapon.

That damned pride of his.

“You weren’t just abandoned in some forest, were you?”

“Do I look like I’d be in a forest?”

It wasn’t a forest, but he was abandoned.

Metatron’s words were automatically translated in Seraphine’s mind:

“So that talk about seeing Icarus recently really was a joke… There’s no way he’d still be alive. I shouldn’t cling to such false hopes.”

“Alright, this isn’t important right now, so let’s move on. But are you saying you took control of Erez’s body without his permission?”

“Permission? Why would I need that?”

An insufferably arrogant response.

Now that Metatron had taken over Erez’s body, it was like a delinquent wearing a model student’s face.

“From now on, consult with Erez before you use his body.”

The weapons Seraphine had created lent power in various ways depending on the situation and conditions.

Sometimes they simply lent strength while being held, or temporarily took over someone’s body.

Or, like Metatron, they could be absorbed into the body, allowing two souls to coexist in one form.

‘Or even completely override the original self to control the body unilaterally.’

In Metatron’s case, it was an unusual situation.

It was a choice only possible when the weapon found both the body and soul of the host to its liking.

That was supposed to show respect for the host, but based on the current situation, it didn’t seem like Metatron was maintaining this state because he liked Erez.

“If you’re so desperate to use your strength, then don’t make trouble for others. Just stay within this space. You’re not some rebellious teenager.”

It was a relief if Metatron only wrecked the training grounds.

Seraphine settled into a seat at an appropriate distance, resting her chin in her hand as she kept an eye on him.

Watching Metatron go berserk inside the training hall, a memory from the past came back to her.

✦✦✦

“What is this pathetic thing?”

That was the first thing Metatron said upon meeting Seraphine for the first time.

It came right after Seraphine had politely greeted him with, “Thank you for coming all this way.”

“Gasp…”

The attendants nearby couldn’t hide their shock at his unbelievably rude comment.

But Metatron seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere around him.

“I’ve heard so many praises about the beauty of the royal princesses that my ears hurt, but you’re nothing to look at.”

Seraphine quickly realized that his dissatisfaction wasn’t about her appearance per se.

‘A royal without wings.’

It was clear that Metatron was deeply displeased about being engaged to a “half-blood” royal.

‘Still, the reason he couldn’t reject it and ended up here in front of me is probably because he knows he has little chance of marrying one of my sisters.’

The eldest princess was set to become queen, and the third princess’s beauty had spread to neighboring countries, with countless suitors already vying for her hand.

Compared to them, Seraphine inevitably seemed lacking.

At the time, Icarus had become a free citizen and was focused on his training. He wasn’t an official knight yet and couldn’t be by Seraphine’s side.

The first impression of her fiancé—whom she faced alone in a palace where she had no allies—was…

The worst.

Sensing Metatron’s constant comparisons to her sisters, Seraphine calmly said,

“So we’ve found our match.”

“What?”

“Your inner self is warped. It makes sense we’d meet.”

For a moment, Metatron looked dumbfounded, unsure if he’d heard her right.

But Seraphine continued without blinking.

“Pardon the late introduction. I’m Seraphine van Tilmune, princess of Tilmune.”

A simple, confident introduction, as if no further explanation was needed.

Though she lacked wings, Seraphine’s tone and manner were the very image of royalty.

Metatron, who was now facing the gaze of someone clearly looking down on him, paused before bursting into laughter.

“I heard the king requested that a slave be made a free citizen and thought, What kind of princess would do that? Well, I see you’ve got guts.”

Though Metatron had divine blood and was a noble, his speech was coarse and vulgar.

But Seraphine didn’t frown. No matter her reaction, the engagement would go ahead.

‘He’s the one Father chose.’

She couldn’t refuse the engagement just because she didn’t like her fiancé.

She was the unwanted princess, after all.

Metatron would try to use this engagement to rise in status.

The king was pleased to have sold off his troublesome daughter at a good price.

‘This is an engagement where everyone but me profits.’

It was hardly surprising. So she overlooked Metatron’s rude behavior.

But then Metatron asked bluntly:

“Princess, weren’t you just speaking formally to me a moment ago?”

“That’s unfortunate for you. I don’t see why I should speak respectfully to a fiancé who doesn’t show me the same courtesy.”

Meaning: if he continued to use such crude speech, she had no intention of being polite.

Hearing that, Metatron burst into laughter again and purposefully started calling her “you” in the most informal way.

Thus, their first meeting was a disaster.

Yet people kept saying Metatron was too good for Seraphine.

He was good-looking, unmatched in spear technique, and admired by many women.

But Seraphine didn’t care what others said. She kept a distant relationship with Metatron.

Time passed, and her coming-of-age ceremony drew near.

“You’re here again.”

Metatron approached Seraphine, who was circling the training grounds.

Lately, he had been visiting the palace more frequently. Once Seraphine came of age, their wedding was set to follow.

However, Metatron usually spent his visits secretly meeting her younger sister, Ophania.

Seraphine was well aware of this and turned to face him with an expressionless face.

“What is it?”

“Do I need a reason to visit my fiancée?”

“Maybe not for other engagements. But between us? You absolutely do.”

With that, she turned her gaze. Her eyes naturally landed on a single knight.

Icarus.

The blond young man was training alone, unlike the other knights. It was obvious at a glance that he was being ostracized.

Seeing the princess watching him with a look of quiet pity made Metatron scowl.

A royal princess in a sweaty training ground? Clearly, she was there just to watch that knight.

Not that it was the first time—Seraphine had always watched Icarus that way.

But remembering the faint smile she had just a moment ago filled Metatron with irritation.

Probably because she never smiled like that when looking at him.

“You realize your presence here damages both your reputation and that of that ex-slave, right?”

Icarus was still a knight of the royal family, and ever since gaining his freedom, he no longer had official ties to Seraphine.

If she loitered around him for no reason, vicious rumors would inevitably spread.

It would be disgraceful for both of them—Seraphine, who was engaged, and Icarus, who was just beginning to gain recognition.

‘I know I should stay away until he officially becomes my knight…’

She understood that in her head, but her body didn’t follow.

“Let’s talk outside.”

After a moment of hesitation, Seraphine nodded at Metatron’s suggestion.

Even that hesitation annoyed him, and he picked a fight for no reason.

“Do you really think that slave can form a knight’s pact with you?”

“Choose your words carefully. He’s not a slave anymore—he’s a free citizen. And with the Icarus of today, I don’t see why not.”

“He can’t.”

Metatron replied like a sulky child.

Seraphine narrowed her eyes at him, baffled by his behavior.

Why was this man acting like this?

“If that guy becomes your knight, you’ll end up dying early.”