Chapter 1
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· · ୨୧ · ·
(3rd PERSON POV)
Eiselletania.
When people hear that name, there will be a common response.
“Who is that?”
People who never heard of Eisel would have asked if it was the name of a newly released cosmetic. Some might say that a little girl next door might have been named like that. But of course, they’re not right.
Whatever it was, the name Eisel was unknown and unfamous.
In conclusion though, Eisel was a supporting character in this novel.
“Are you the one who asked me to see you?”
The silver-haired woman who was holding a teacup raised her gaze at the cold voice ringing on her ears. She glanced at the handsome man who was looking down at her as he stood.
“I heard that even a month ago, they persistently sent someone to ask for a reception day after day. Just who are you? I’m not a person that anyone can just see.”
“I know. So, how about calming down first? Archduke Karl Byron.”
At the words that came out of the woman’s mouth, the man called Archduke Byron frowned. The woman smiled at the man who narrowed his eyes.
“By the way, will you continue to stand? I want to see people I meet properly. There is a chair placed on the other side as if it were for you to sit on the other side… How about that?”
Karl’s eyes fluttered for an instant at the blatant words that came out from the woman’s mouth. He stared at the silver-haired woman, as if trying to figure her out, then slowly sat down on the chair. The latter lowered the teacup and tilted her head as if she knew he would sit.
“My name is Eiselletania.”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever heard that name.”
“It’s okay. I figured you wouldn’t recognize it anyway.”
She reacted as if it was no big deal, and placed the cup on the table.
‘He doesn’t remember?’
His mouth opened to the sound of a rattle.
“Are you a noble?”
“The imperial nobles are mostly unknown families, but for now.”
“What is your last name?”
“Aspenser.”
‘Aspenser…’
Karl tried to recall her last name while muttering softly. His wrinkled forehead and nose were expressing his inner feelings.
Eisel looked at the man who couldn’t remember her. Well, it must be strange to remember if ever.
Karl, who had been trying to think for a while, finally had a relaxed expression and shook his head. Eisel smiled brightly at his reaction.
“Don’t worry too much. It doesn’t really matter what family I’m from or what my name is. The key is this.”
Eisel stretched out her long, slender index finger and tapped the table, clasping her chin.
“That I have come to see Archduke Byron and the Archduke finally came to see me. This is more important.”
“The cold weather and the great famine overlapped. I am busy with the maintenance of the military and knights. You are the person who wanted to meet me. I just wanted to see the face that kept bothering me.”
“The person who bothered the great duke is right in front of him now… How does it feel to see my face?”
“I don’t have any thoughts. However, I just hope it will be valuable enough to bother me all month long.”
Eisel smiled even at Karl’s cold words. He narrowed his eyes to her laughter.
Karl thought that none of the people who knew him could smile like that in front of him. He grew up to be blunt and he was not talkative. There was coolness even if he spoke normally.
As a result, Karl’s deputy knights, and even the imperial family had difficulty with him.
He was a man with a thick jawline, tall height, and straight shoulders. He had a beautiful appearance at first glance, but most women were afraid of him. As a result, it wasn’t easy to approach him even after seeing his background and appearance.
Karl leaned his upper body forward, still looking at the smiling Eisel.
“Get to the point first.”
“Do you mean you don’t have time to have a cup of tea?”
“As you can see.”
Despite Karl’s short response, Eisel didn’t look surprised. It was possible, so Eisel nodded with such a face and smiled again.
“What you said earlier. You hope it’s a valuable business.”
“Yes.”
When he raised his chin slightly, Eisel also pushed her chin up with her fingertips.
“That’s a relief, because my words will be very valuable to you.”
“I’m the one who decides that.”
Eisel smiled smoothly at Karl’s obvious line-drawing attitude. She pushed her upper body back, leaned against the chair, and opened her mouth leisurely.
“I need your help.”
“Didn’t you hear me earlier? I’m sure I said I was super busy.”
“I heard you. But I still need help. Oh, that doesn’t mean I’m just getting help. Of course, I will pay a reasonable price too.”
The man stared still at the red eyes as if they had rubies embedded in them. She was smiling, but her eyes weren’t.
Karl quietly glared at Eisel and moved his finger. His mouth opened when his hand stopped tapping his armrest regularly.
“What kind of help do you need? I’ll think about it after listening to it.”
“It’s nothing. I’m going to do something, but I think it’ll be quite a commotion. This can seem like a riot, a crime, or….. a rebellion.”
“What does that mean?”
“I want the Archduke to balance and soothe it. It’s simple, right?”
Eisel’s words were only absurd to Karl. Riot, crime, and rebellion.
A rebellion resulted to death penalty even by just planning it. She wanted him to understand something like that? She wanted him to go beyond understanding and become a contestant for treason?
“That doesn’t make sense. Are you telling me to become the center of a rebellion?
It was a colder voice than before. His golden eyes were filled with fury to the point where ice fell. The tone from his mouth was like a sharp spear.
Moreover, the men of the Archduke were notorious for being inflexible and rigid. Asking him to understand that he was going to rebel against such a man was the same as asking him to kill himself here.
“As expected, the reaction is just as I thought.”
Eisel was calm. The red eyes that looked at his eyes remained unshakable. She was not embarrassed by Karl’s reaction, which she had already envisioned several times in her head. Seeing through it, she just put a thin smile on her lips.
“Hah…”
“There seems to be some misunderstanding, I didn’t tell the Archduke to be the center of rebellion. I just said that I want him to protect the boundaries of law and power with the Byron family’s power.”
“Isn’t it that?”
“It’s completely different. Plus, I don’t intend to rebel. If you look at it, it’s similar to saving the empire and the world.”
Eisel gave him a strange look and bowed her upper body forward. It was very natural to twist your legs leisurely and put your elbow on your knees.
“The Archduke said earlier. Cold and great famine are coming at the same time. This is not a simple matter and you know that. The plague has arrived and the world is dyed with evil. The demons who have been deported to the end of the world are returning.”
“How do you know that…?”
“At this rate, the empire is in great danger. There is also a lack of tools to get out of the cold now, and there isn’t enough food to feed the soldiers due to the famine. In this situation where they have to deal with demons? I dare to say that 15 days is enough for the empire to collapse.”
Eisel tapped her neck with her finger and drew it sideways. Karl frowned at the appearance and bit his lips. Eisel continued right before he reacted.
“So please help me. In exchange, I’ll take care of the famine and severe cold.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will provide food for 500,000 soldiers for a year. Covers, dry firewood, oil and flints to set fire. I’ll provide you with everything you need.”
“What?”
The words from Eisel’s mouth came so much of a shock to Karl that he began distrusting her words. The reason why he had been busy so far was because he lacked food and clothing. He couldn’t buy food because of the famine.
He tried to buy it even if he put more money on the price, but no one sold their supply. No one opened their barn to fight the very long, harsh, cold and hunger.
‘We’ve been struggling with this for over two months and you’re saying you’re just going to take care of it? Furthermore, a year’s worth of food?’
“Oh, of course, if you help me, it’s free.”
Karl was sufficiently surprised, but the following words surprised him further.
“Did you say it was free of charge? You would really do it?”
Karl’s words, which were formal, had become gentle again. Traces of anger and annoyance from when he first saw her disappeared from his face. Instead, there was a mixture of surprise, vigilance, suspicion, and small politeness in him.
The man, who had been arrogant a while ago, bowed his head at every word she said. Eisel smiled satisfactorily at the change in Karl’s attitude.
“Yes, free of charge.”
“…Do you know what the price is on the food right now?”
“It’s about 10 times the price during summer.”
“You know that and still provide for us free of charge?”
“Shouldn’t I do that much?”
Eisel slowly raised the corners of her mouth.
“I have to pay this much to use a person who is not someone anyone can meet. Don’t you think so?”
“…”