The Tyrant Empress is Obsessed with Me - Chapter65

65 – Overturned

The news that the frost giant proposed to Ascal spread quickly throughout the north.

“Did you hear that? The empire’s top charmer finally got even a frost giant to fall for him.”

“Am I witnessing a page from history?”

This kind of gossip spread like an infectious disease in the normally silent cold days of the northern territory. In front of the fireplaces of home, near outdoor bonfires.

Everyone in the north finally knew about Ascal.

Even the bards of the North sensed auspicious signs and quickly began creating songs.

“Upon the frost-covered northern land stepped Ascal. Stealing the hearts of all women in the world, whispering love with flamboyant words. Oh, Ascal, how did you steal even the giant’s heart with your sweet tongue?”

Upon hearing the song in the streets, Ascal booed. As their eyes met, the bard squinted.

Burnstein remarked at the sight.

“Congratulations on escaping the empire, Ascal. I’m really envying you as a friend.”

Adding a comment.

“I’m looking forward to the first night.”

Ascal threw a punch. Burnstein dodged it gracefully.

The next day.

Ascal climbed up to the northern walls again.

There, from afar, the frost giant was standing steady as she ever was.

Except something had changed.

In the frost giant’s hands was a whole piece of big wood.

“What could that be…”

“I think it’s a bouquet for you.”

Ascal looked at the wood through the magnification tool given by Burnstein. Indeed, the tree was in full bloom with winter flowers.

“A rather romantic giant, isn’t she?”

Prince Felix crossed his arms and nodded.

“Your Highness.”

“That’s quite a formal title. Call me father.”

“How long do you think that giant will remain standing there?”

“Perhaps until you accept his proposition of marriage.”

“….”

The Frost Giant did nothing but stand and stare at the castle walls. Or, to be precise, at Ascal.

“According to scholars, Frost Giants have unbelievably sharp vision. From this distance, they might be able to see you.”

“What would happen if I reject the proposal… Wait, why does the Frost Giant even know about me in the first place?”

Ascal felt as if she was caught in a loop of unanswered questions.

It was understandable, as a marriage proposal from a Frost Giant was absolutely unprecedented. Even for Ascal, who’s had her fair share of unbelievable experiences, it was hard to keep her composure.

“Why don’t you ask him directly? Hmm, shall we try an experiment? Get the largest parchment you can find!”

Prince Felix gave the orders to his subordinate.

Soon, the subordinate returned with a huge roll of parchment. Unfurled, it was as tall as an adult person.

“Write it yourself. Your own direct question might prompt a better response.”

It felt as if she were writing a love letter.

With a sense of absurdity, Ascal swirled her pen across the parchment, writing in large letters.

＜You, how and where did you come to know me?＞

Two soldiers held up the completed parchment.

Then, the Frost Giant started to move. Indeed, as Prince Felix had said, its eyesight appeared to be very good.

And the words the Frost Giant wrote on the ground read:

＜A relative told me about Ascal. They said you’re kind, cool and non-discriminative.＞

Prince Felix read out the words aloud.

‘Who in the world told the Frost Giant about me?’ Ascal thought, her brain working overtime.

The only people who could be the giant’s relative, and would describe her as kind, cool, and non-discriminative, was…

A lightbulb moment. ‘Jerome.’

He was the person she met at the Zulat Prison, a huge friend who was now working as a security at the evaluation department.

“hehehe. Ascal, I went back home for the festival. I talked a lot about you to my relatives. Here’s a gift.”

“Thank you.”

Ascarl wrote on parchment to confirm.

＜Jerop, do you know?＞

＜I know. A relative told me about Ascarl’s story.＞

‘Impossible. This is karma for getting a job through corruption.’

Could it be that Jerop was a relative of the giant tribe? He felt formidable just by his size.

Upon hearing Jerop’s story, Duke Felix spoke.

“That’s fortunate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Imagine if this friend Jerop had spoken ill of you. Who knows, the North might’ve been destroyed.”

Upon hearing Duke Felix’s words, vague memories flickered across Ascarl’s mind.

In the original work, the North was destroyed without even getting involved in the rebellion against the empire. The reason was not explained in detail. It was simply mentioned in passing that the ruins seemed to have been trampled on by a giant.

‘Impossible.’

Ascarl swallowed dryly.

“So, what will you do?”

“…”

“Marry a Frost Giant? Or will you reject? Depending on your answer, our actions will change.”

The Duke’s eyes changed. These were the eyes of the keeper of the North.

“Of course, he should reject it.”

A woman’s voice.

Everyone looked where the voice came from.

Yulia Varba. The third princess of the empire was smiling coldly.

‘When did she arrive?’

As Ascarl stared at Yulia, she waved cheerfully. Then, Yulia looked at the Duke with a sharp gaze.

“Who would want to marry that big and stinky Frost Giant? Did you give Ascarl the choice because you just want to end this comfortably? Duke.”

“That’s a bit impolite, Princess.”

“Right, trying to sell off Ascarl, a very important person of the empire, through a political marriage is less rude?”

“I never thought such a thing. I was just asking his opinion.”

While talking, Duke Felix realized his own contradiction.

Deep in his heart, he was indeed hoping that Ascarl, unable to resist his subtle persuasion, would accept the Frost Giant’s proposal, putting a peaceful end to the matter.

The princess had poked at that point.

“Apologize, Ascal. You don’t have to marry that frost giant. My men, listen! We are going into battle preparations!”

At Duke Felix’s cry, the soldiers scattered uniformly. Normally lax, the troops snap to attention when needed. This was the style of the North.

And Duke Felix quickly scribbled on parchment.

＜We reject the proposal.＞

Duke Felix bit his lip. The frost giant might attack the fortress in rage the instant he saw these words.

Finally, the battle-ready Duke Felix held up the parchment.

And then.

The frost giant slumped into his spot.

After that, he didn’t move for some time.

“The giant isn’t moving, Commander!”

“No. The giant is now…”

The frost giant wiped his face with his huge hand.

As if trying to wipe away tears.

“He’s crying.”

The frost giant stood up after a while of wiping his tears. It seemed the rejection had hit hard. The distant trembling felt like a growl.

“The giant retreats. It seems to end well.”

“…Is it really?”

Duke Felix instinctively felt that the courtship of the frost giant wasn’t over yet.

Sure enough, the frost giant showed up at the gate the next day.

Thud!

The frost giant dropped a huge creature’s corpse on the ground.

“Isn’t that the Winter Wolf, the ruler of the northern mountain!”

“How many northern warriors were sacrificed to that Winter Wolf! We finally see the bastard’s corpse!”

“So why did the frost giant kill the Winter Wolf?”

“From my perspective, it seems like a gift.”

“….”

The next day again.

This time the frost giant came with his arms full of berries.

“Those are Frost berries! They sell at such a high price! There have been nobles who sold their homes just to eat them!”

“I want to eat too!”

“It seems that the Frost Giant, Askal, hasn’t given up on you yet. That’s a proactive approach.”

“…..”

The Frost Giant appeared in front of the city wall as though it was his duty.

Each time he appeared, he would leave herbs, monsters, and twinkling stones in front of the city wall, gaze at Askal for quite some time, and then disappear.

A month had passed since the Frost Giant first appeared in front of the city walls.

“He didn’t bring anything today.”

“Has he finally run out of gifts?”

“Stop it. He is serious.”

At first, the soldiers were on edge, not knowing when the Frost Giant would turn hostile. But now, there were even people who started to cheer for the Frost Giant.

That was how sincere the Frost Giant was.

“He wrote something.”

＜I won’t come anymore. I’m sorry.＞

“…..”

“…..”

The Frost Giant stood up. And then, he slowly began to walk away.

“It’s kind of sad. I got used to him.”

“But how could a giant marry a human….”

The soldiers watched his retreating back with mixed feelings.

“Askal! Where are you going? Wait!”

Then,

Askal began to descend the ladder against the wall.

Before anyone could even try to stop him,

“Frost Giant!”

Askal shouted as loudly as he could, but there was no way his tiny voice could be heard. Askal began walking on the snow-covered ground. His footsteps were swallowed up by the snow.

“cough cough!”

The strides of a giant and a human are vastly different.

Askal, who chased after the Frost Giant, stumbled and fell.

“Shouldn’t we help him?”

“Just wait a moment.”

Boom! Boom!

The frost giant was running toward Askel.

His body shook violently. The tremors were intense.

‘Ha… This…This is insane.’

From Noble mtl dot com

And for the first time, the frost giant and Askel met up close. The frost giant kneeled down, cautiously extending its palm.

Askel climbed onto the extended palm without any fear.

Askel said,

“By the way, I don’t know your name. I’m Askel Erindale. What’s your name?”

＜ My name is Isolda. ＞

His ears felt like they would burst.

Despite the giant trying to be considerate, it was still as loud as that. Askel put on the earplugs that Burnstein gave him. It made things a bit better.

“Isolda. I am inferior even in comparison. Smaller in size, and just a worthless man.”

＜ That’s not true. Askel. You actually looked better in person. That’s why I pursued. It was worth learning the imperial language. ＞

“Thank you for seeing me like that. But still, I can’t accept your feelings.”

＜ Why? Because Isolda is ugly? Because I’m a giant? ＞

” No. Because there’s someone to whom I should answer.”

＜ I see. Isolda. I’m late. I admit it. ＞

“I’m sorry.”

＜ No. I was happy. Because I loved Askel. ＞

Suddenly, Isolda raised its hand. Then, with a pained look, it pulled out one of its canine teeth.

＜ In our giant language, this is called a love tooth. I was rejected. So, Askel. You can have this. Use it however you’d like. ＞

“I only receive from you.”

Isolda smiled.

And then gently set Askel back down onto the ground.

Askel watched Isolda’s retreating form for a while.

“It’s a festival! A festival!”

“Now we can freely explore the Northern Mountains!”

“Now we can heal the sick with these herbs!”

“What about the minerals! The north will now be wealthy!”

The crowd cheered.

“Askal! Askal! The legendary bulldozer, slayer of the giant! All praise to you!”

Askal allowed the crowd to continue their cheers.

And then he looked at the frost giant’s tusk, which he had finally acquired after drafting multiple carts and manpower.

“What a predicament. Even the blacksmith says it’s difficult to handle.”

“No need to worry about that!”

Upon hearing about the frost giant, the Stonehead tribe from the north had flocked here.

“It’s been a while, Askal.”

“Dugrim?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

From a crowd of dwarves, one dwarf blacksmith stepped forward to greet Askal.

That reminded him, Dugrim had introduced himself as a member of the Stonehead tribe when they first met at the time.

“Tribe leader. You know him?”

“You must be a rookie, not knowing. This hoe here is one of his creations.”

Dugrim lifted the hoe tied around his waist.

The dwarves were in awe.

“Whoa! To meet the creator of the hoe here!”

Askal was astounded.

‘No. Is that crazy hoe still trending?’

Dugrim coveted the frost giant’s tusk.

“With this size, we can make some unbelievable items. Since those not of our Stonehead tribe wouldn’t be able to handle it, how about giving it to us for free?”

“What nonsense.”

The attempt to con by Dugrim was thwarted by Lord Felix.

“So, how much will it be worth? Make an offer.”

However, Lord Felix, not being a dwarf, had no clue about the market value of the tusk. Dugrim confidently crossed his arms.

“One hundred gold.”

“No, what nonsense is this? Who are you?”

Seeing the figure who appeared, Dugrim was shocked.

It was Yulia. Dugrim remembered the negotiation that occurred during the hoe matter. It was a nightmare.

“Negotiating with you is always fun. Shall we negotiate all night today?”

“…. Please, spare me.”

Following behind Yulia, Dugrim felt like a prisoner being led to the execution grounds.

Eventually, the Frost Giant’s fang was sold at a high price.

Ascal carefully stored the small fragment of fang that remained after the sale.

Additionally, the Stonehead Tribe decided to supply weapons and armor made from the fangs to the northern warriors.

In the end.

“Look at that. Ascal, you’re a statue. Named the ‘Northern Rabble’.”

“Could you change the name, please?”

“How about ‘The Northern Windbag’? Or ‘Romanticist’?”

Thus, another outrageous rumor started to swirl.

After a lengthy discussion, the statue’s name ended up being ‘The Northern Savior’.

Ascal closed his eyes.

Then, someone lightly touched Ascal’s shoulder.

It was Yulia.

“Ascal, look at me.”

“Your Highness?”

For some reason, ever since coming to the north, he hadn’t called Yulia ‘Lia’. The intimidating atmosphere surrounding her prevented casual address.

“Can I see you tomorrow at dawn?”

“Again, you’re running away.”

“…I’ll follow you.”

Yulia, seemingly amused, waved her hand lightly as she walked ahead.

“This isn’t the lodging.”

“Yes. It’s a cave. No one will know whatever happens here.”

When he discovered this place was a mystery.

The cave that Yulia led the way to had just enough space for two people.

Inside the dark cave, Yulia lit a magic lamp.

Her face appeared faintly illuminated.

Her hair bore a scent of vanilla.

Ascal stepped back.

Yulia moved two steps closer.

“That’s too close for comfort.”

“If I don’t do this, you’ll run away again. Ascalt, are you scared of me?”

“…..”

He could neither confirm nor deny.

He could not forget the sight of her as a future tyrant, swinging her sword and beheading enemies.

…Could he not forget?

Yulia slowly pushed Ascalt away with the palm of her hand.

Ascalt, with nowhere left to retreat, ended up in a lying position on the floor.

The face of Yulia came into Ascalt’s vision.

The beautiful face giving off a forceful aura looking down at him was taking on the countenance of a supreme ruler scrutinizing everything. It appeared as though a new personality had emerged.

Her warmth of breath touched his cheek.

“Ascalt Devere, or Ascalt Erendale. I told you.”

The world seemed upside down.

Everything was beginning to be overturned.

“Even in death, you are mine.”