***
“I don’t want blood on my hands. If you give up now, it’ll be easier.”
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”
Somehow it was quite easy to avoid, so I thought it would be okay.
From the beginning, the man did not consider me as his worthy opponent anyway.
“I won’t go easy on you any longer.”
As soon as the words were spoken, the man changed his position. He had a much more belligerent look in his eyes than before. But that meant nothing to me. I mumbled a short spell, avoiding the rushing man.
And at the same time, a thick tree trunk came flying out from the floor. The man reflexively tried to run away, but the unexpected attack caught his feet.
“What the…!”
The startled man tried to roughly rip the tree trunk, but to no avail. The engulfed tree trunk wrapped itself around him faster than he could tear it apart.
“You can’t fight this, no matter how hard you try.”
I smiled at the man, who was held tightly by the tree trunk, unable to move. After I came back to life, I also regained the powers that I had lost in Charlotte’s schemes.
“You’re a wizard?”
The man asked through clenched teeth. It would have been difficult to win if I had to fight him head-on, but fortunately this time he was off guard.
I could at least take advantage of a moment of inattention and disable him.
“I’m sorry. I must see His Highness.”
“Don’t apologize. No victor apologizes to a loser.”
“I was able to do that because you were careless. I’m not predisposed to fighting at all.”
I had basically mastered swordsmanship and physical arts in order to inherit the succession. It was just a basic level. I knew better than most that I had no talent in fighting.
“It doesn’t matter if I let my guard down or not. All that matters is that you won and I lost.”
The man relaxed his expression and let out a long sigh. I was finally relieved and removed the tree trunk that was holding him. The trunk gradually decreased in size until it seemed to disappear into the ground without a trace.
“Does that mean that I can see His Highness?”
“Yes. A promise is a promise, and I will help you to see him.”
Even though the tree trunk had disappeared, the man kept looking at the ground and furrowing his brows, seemingly unwilling to acknowledge the fact that he was defeated by a mere tree.
“Can I see His Highness right now?”
“Yes, I will report to him right away and let you meet him.”
“Good,” I sighed in relief, but I couldn’t completely relax my nerves. I had passed a mountain. Nevertheless, I still had a long way to go.
* * *
“I came to see how great the person who won the fight is, but you don’t look very strong. Hey, if you don’t mind, could you take off that hat? I would like to see who was capable of defeating the gatekeeper of Mona Chareuteu.”
“Watch your mouth. This person is a guest of His Highness.”
“You’re such a good talker, even for a subordinate who lost like an idiot and added more work to His Highness who is already tired.”
“Malaz, you have been a knight for a long time, but still haven’t given up your vulgar way of speaking?”
I looked at the two men who were arguing as if they were about to fight, and I kept my mouth shut. It was fortunate that I had an appointment with Archduke Mona Chareuteu shortly after the duel. However, I felt like I had fallen alone in an unfamiliar space, and I could not release my tension. I gulped as I looked at the tightly closed door. Not much had changed because of my nervousness. Whoever Archduke Mona was, I had to get on the same boat as him anyway. I knew it in my head, but I couldn’t help but think about it. It would be better to see him sooner rather than later anyway.
Knock, knock. That was it.
“Come in.”
It was then I heard a low voice coming from behind the tightly closed door.
“She’s here, Your Highness.”
As soon as the door opened, the man in the room with the Archduke rose from his seat and bowed to me.
I also bowed my head to honor the Archduke. I couldn’t see his face but I could feel that his eyes on me.
“Is this her? The one who beat Pezzanne.”
I swallowed hard as I heard the low voice over my head.
The somewhat tired voice was not as bad as I thought it would be.
“She said she’s a wizard.” said Pezzanne.
“….”
“Are you a fool?”
“No, sir.”
“A woman?”
The Archduke only raised his voice softly, but goosebumps broke out all over my body. It hadn’t been long since I met him, but I could tell for sure that he was a born ruler. He had the power to overwhelm the people.
“It was a woman who defeated you, Pezzanne? It can’t be. No matter how thin the person looks, women are still…,” said the other man.
“Both of you go out and stand by.”
The Archduke interrupted his men with a tone of annoyance. After the two men left the room, he spoke again. But I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
“You came to see me because you had something to say?”
“Yes….”
“If you don’t have anything to say, then leave.”
“No, please don’t,” I said, raising my head hastily and gasping for air.
At that moment, my heart almost stopped, the first time I encountered the Archduke’s face. It was so different from what I expected. Every time he shook his head, the hair that was particularly silky brushed his forehead, and beneath it, I could see a sharp jawline. The red eyes that widened beneath the dark brows reminded me of a beast with drooping pupils, as rumored, but I didn’t get the common expression “savage”. It was just that the cold stare seemed to resemble a predator on the verge of hunting.
‘I don’t see a single thing as the rumors said.’ I laughed in vain.
The Archduke did not resemble any of the rumors that surrounded him, so much so that I was puzzled by the lack of resemblance, even though I knew it was exaggerated rumors. At most, the only thing that resembled the rumors was the color of his hair and eyes.
“Then why don’t you tell me? What brought you here to see me that you had to knock down my gatekeeper?”
“Why have you come to see me, and overthrow my gatekeeper? Alright then, take off your dull-looking hat.” The Archduke Monarch added, nodding his head.
I languidly took off my hat with a clumsy hand, while he continued speaking.
“You really are a woman.”
“You have a problem with me being a woman, Your Highness?”
The Archduke sat down with an indifferent look on his face.
He was beautifully dressed, without a trace of inferiority, but no mere words could make him a gentleman. If he was a gentleman, he would not have such a beastly look in his eyes. I reflexively swallowed my saliva.
“What business did you want to see me for?”
“I have something to sell, Your Highness.”
“Something to sell? And what can that be?”
The man’s sharp gaze was about to tear me apart, and my mouth was parched. Still, I stood up straight. I labored to face him straight on without avoiding his gaze.
“This is an advancement of Your Highness’s plan.”
“My plan…?”
“If you do this, in three years at the very least, your plan will be fulfilled.”
“What do you think I want?”
The Archduke mumbled slowly, resting his chin.
At a quick glance, he didn’t seem to expect anything different from me. I took a quick deep breath and continued straight to the point.
Now I had to stimulate the Archduke’s interest to the utmost.
“I’m risking my life talking to you.”
“Your life?”
“Your Highness’s plans must never be divulged.”
From the moment I proposed the deal, my fate was decided.
What the Archduke of Mona Chareuteu was preparing was no make-believe.
There was no way they were going to let me go when I mentioned my plan. In the end, I was given one of two choices. Either live or die.
“You know this, but you still want to make a deal with me?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Is there a reason for that?”
Fortunately, The Archduke was interested in my deal.
But I couldn’t relax because I didn’t think it would last long.
“It’s for me to live.”
“To live? That’s a strange thing to say.”
“Charlotte Blanc Tiodurop.”
It was just a name, but I spit it out. I held my head up straight, suppressing my emotions.
“Is that the name of the Duke of Tiodurop’s daughter?”
“It was once mine.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you remember the disappearance of the Duke of Tiodurop’s daughter?”
“It was a pretty famous case, of course I remember.”
It wasn’t very pleasant to expose my own shame. But I had already decided to put everything on the line for Archduke Mona Chareuteu. I knew that the trust I saw in myself would be seen by him.
“As a matter of fact, the Duke of Tiodurop found his daughter.”
“You are saying that you’re his daughter?”
The Archduke was skeptical.
I shook my head quickly. “No.”
“Then what?”
“I am the Duke’s fake daughter.”
It would be foolish to tell a half-hearted lie out of a moment’s pride. From the way he looked at me, he was a persistent man. I was sure that if I lied, he would somehow find out what was behind me and reveal the truth. Instead, I’d rather not hide it and gain his trust.
“You know you’re telling a crazy story, don’t you?”
“Yet it actually happened. The Duke created a fake daughter for his then-sick wife and raised her as if she were his real daughter.”
“Is that you?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand it then. If you are only his crafted daughter, aren’t you full of fake makeup powder? As far as I know, I’ve heard that the Duke is quite protective of his daughter.”
“Recently, the real daughter of the Duke returned.”
She might not be a real one either. But I was deliberately silent about Charlotte’s identity, as it would not do any harm at the moment if it was revealed that she was an imposter.
I hated that.
I wanted her to fall into the abyss at that moment when she thought she was happy. Just like I did. My fists tightened without me even knowing it. I tried to kill my emotions, but it was still difficult to erase them completely. I tried to act nonchalantly, but I couldn’t help but resent the people who left me in despair.