I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

Piere’s eyes shook mercilessly. I continued my words as there was no need for me to be considerate of his shock.

“You abandoned your wife and your children. I heard you were going to run away by yourself at night. You even packed all the useful things in the house.”

“H-how do you…”

I raised one eyebrow and said, “I heard you didn’t go home often. You don’t even pay for living expenses? On the day you get something worthwhile, you go out drinking instead of bringing it back home?”

“That’s! That could be the case if a man is busy with their outside work!”

Then I continued with a smirk. “Outside work refers to work to provide financial support for the family to run well. How can you call it outside work when you just drink and play around?”

“What’s wrong with that! If things don’t work out, a man might as well do that!”

“Why? Did you feel so unfair to live like a commoner even though you are noble and that you couldn’t even receive a title because you’re a third son?”

“Shut up! Don’t insult me anymore!”

Piere’s face hardened as if I had hit the nail on the head.

“What do you mean it’s an insult when what I tell is the truth? If you don’t like your reality, you should make an effort to escape from it. You pretended to be a victim when you’ve never done anything.”

“Don’t say anything when you don’t know about it!” Piere shouted in anger.

“I don’t even want to know,” I said.  Then I continued. “And if you have a family, you have to take responsibility for it, whether you provide porridge or rice. Even worms work harder than you.”

“Uargh!” Piere got up as if he was going to rush at me at any moment.

“Bein, put the gag back.”

Bein gagged Piere’s mouth and brought him back to his knees.

“You must still be out of your mind. I will give you a little more time to reflect on yourself.”

As I was done with him, I turned around and went down the stairs. Madrenne, who had been watching the whole time, asked me.

“Who on earth is that person?”

I replied grumpily, “My cannon fodder.”

* * *

That night, a shadow lurked behind the Duchy.

“You’re here.”

“Forgive me for being late, Your Highness,” said the shadow. The shadow was a man from the Kelteman Empire and also the emperor’s messenger.

“What about Tarik?”

“He has been dealt with.”

“Dealt with… Did you see it with your own eyes?”

“No, His Majesty has sent someone else.”

Paku’s face hardened. It would take a long time for his news of being attacked to reach the ears of the Kelteman Emperor. And yet the emperor’s messenger has already arrived? It meant that the emperor already knew about it and made a movement.

Am I sure he’s doing the right thing? Paku, who sighed inwardly, said after clearing up his confused mind, “Look like there’s an order from the emperor.”

“Yes, His Majesty is ordering His Highness to come back now.”

“I get it. I will be back soon.”

“Aren’t you going to leave right now?”

At the shadow’s question, Paku closed his eyes, leaned in a wheelchair, and said, “If he cares about this brat, tell him to wait.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

The shadow was nothing more than a messenger. He didn’t dare to answer back to the royalty. However, if he returned with this news, he felt goosebumps, fearing that his head might be torn off by the angry emperor.

“Haa, is this the end of this peace?” said Paku as he sighed. Dark shadows cast over his bright yellow eyes.

The night in the Harpion Empire was bright. Street lamps radiated yellow lights everywhere, lit up the darkness. The night he spent in the desert was desolate and lonely. It felt like he was standing alone in the endless darkness. Paku wished he didn’t know, but it was terribly sweet once he tasted life in this empire.

He fought and stole whatever the emperor told him. The empty emptiness of not knowing what he was living for slowly ate him from inside. Before he knew it, he was becoming a monster, just like the emperor.

He thought he could do nothing but kill or steal someone else’s belongings. But when he came to her, he became different. He even watched and saved a woman who had nothing to do with him. That woman even saved him from being attacked. Although the reason was to prevent the war, he somehow felt better when he thought of her face, which was pale when she had to save him. Paku smiled as he recalled Arianne with a coy face.

“I heard a mouse sneaking in. It must be coming for you.”

In the darkness, a man appeared from there.

“Tsk.”

Paku felt that the woman was too bright for such a dull and emotionless man. He got a little mad for no reason. “It’s probably because there’s an open hole for a mouse to come in and out.”

Charter stared at him with deep sunken eyes. “Are you going back?”

“Why? If I don’t go back, will you let me live here?”

“…”

Paku talked while looking at the greenhouse through the window. “I will leave the day after tomorrow. I haven’t recovered enough to ride a horse yet.”

“Then, It’s good to know that.”

Charter disappeared into the darkness without sound, just like when he appeared.

Paku still couldn’t take his eyes off the greenhouse. He was just thinking of someone he ran into there.

* * *

The weather was good today, and I felt good as I saw Charter’s face yesterday after a long time. I received the report from Bein today at my resting place, the greenhouse. Fortunately, no one disturbed me today.

“All 1,000 pieces of gun purchased have been delivered and are being stored in the warehouse of the Duchy. And we served Lord Piere two meals a day. As directed by Baroness, 100 gold was paid to his family as consolation money.”

“Reduce his meal to one a day.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Even he didn’t worth one meal a day with that rotten state of mind. I had no intention of releasing Piere nicely. How dare he blaspheme Charter. I already intended to punish him appropriately. Well, if he’s lucky, he will survive.

“You’re still practicing shooting, aren’t you? It should be enough not to hold me back.”

“That’s… I keep getting annoyed every time I go to the shooting range… I can’t concentrate because there is someone who bothered me.”

Huh? Is there anyone interested in shooting in Duchy? I asked as I didn’t understand, “Who?”

Bein replied. “Lady Layla and her maid.”

“What? Why are they coming there?”

As if aiming at me as usual, she said she had no low-level hobby like shooting, but did she go to the shooting range personally after pretending to be noble? And to do that every day? Looking at Bein’s face, I could tell he was annoyed with his furrowed brows.

“Hmm…”

I thought, tapping my index finger on the table. What had gotten into her? No way. Did she pretend to be the noblest in the world but had an eye for men?

It was already annoying that she wandered around my sight, but to even interfere with my aide’s training? I concluded that I should kick her out as soon as possible. Hmm, wouldn’t it be okay to tease her a little before kicking her out?  

“Now go tell Layla to come to the greenhouse. I have something to talk about with her.”

“If that’s the case, you can order Miss Madrenne over there…”

“I ordered you. Take off your glasses too,” said me with a smile.

Bein had to do her order as she couldn’t tolerate any more rebellion. His complexion naturally turned pale. Why did she send him to a woman who looked at him with a sticky and creepy look?

Then, the moment he saw Arianne’s face again, his nausea almost popped out. She had the face of a naughty girl who was expecting something very interesting.

She must be ordering me with a purpose. Nevertheless, Bein decided to do as he was told. He knew very well what her order was to the one who dared go against her.

At that time, Layla was in the parlor, drinking tea that Leni was pouring.

“Isn’t he going to practice shooting today?”

“I know, right? It’s past the time he usually comes.”

“I will find out his name today!”

As she ignited her will, she heard a sound from outside the parlor announcing someone’s visit.

“Lady Layla, Lord Bein is here.”

“Who is Lord Bein? Tell him to come in.” Layla behaved like a hostess of this Duchy.

It was the handsome man at the shooting range who opened the door and entered. Surprised, Layla forgot her dignity, jumped up, and approached him.

“Did you come here to see me?”

“…” Bein paused with his eyes lowered.

After seeing him being like that, Layla fell into her delusion again. No way, is he going to confess? What should I do… I’m not ready yet. Shall I just pretend that I’m falling for it? Which family is he from? It should be at least a count… Layla looked at the man with anticipation.

Damn it. He felt his whole body hair stand on at that creepy gaze. It felt like he went back to the time when he was dragged into an alley when he was young. But if he back down from this, that woman won’t leave him alone. He then thought of his younger siblings, who recently gained weight because they could eat proper bread and meat.

“Lady Layla.”

“Oh my…”

Layla’s cheeks turned red. She had the face of a woman who seemed to be in love. Bein stared at Layla with mysterious eyes as if she was being sucked in.

“Ah.” An exclamation came out of Layla’s mouth. As soon as she saw the look in his eyes, she felt a shudder all over her body.

“Baroness Devit requested a conversation with Lady in the greenhouse.” Bein waited for her answer. After all, it was Baroness Devit who ordered him.

Huh? Why is he bringing Devit here? Layla looked up at Bein with a puzzled face.

“Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?”

“My name is Bein.”

“Yes, Lord Bein. Can you tell me your last name?”

“I don’t have a last name.”

Layla was absent-minded for a moment, and then her eyes widened as if she had come to her senses. She said, “Eh? Then… are you not a noble?”

“Yes. I am a commoner.”

Layla couldn’t believe it. How could such a handsome man not be a noble? How could a commoner have such fatal beauty?

In the meantime, she dreamed of marrying this man and being envied by people around her. But he wasn’t even a second of a baron, but a commoner? Layla felt her dream had been cruelly trampled. It was a delusion she made herself, but she felt miserable as if Bein had tricked her.

“Get out right now.”

“…”

Bein’s fatal gaze was staring at her. She felt her heart trembling even now. It felt like she couldn’t escape from those mysterious eyes. In the end, she exclaimed as she closed her eyes.

“Get out now!”

Bein bowed slightly to Layla’s scream and left the parlor. After that, Layla slumped to the floor.

“I can’t… with commoner…”

She couldn’t forgive him for daring to seduce her with the subject of a commoner. However, despite that.

“He’s so handsome…”

She didn’t have the confidence to forget him completely. His face came out in her dream, so there was no way she could forget him easily. His humble status was too cruel for her.

Leni always said what she wanted to hear and came to Layla’s side. “Lady, what are you worried about? You can take him as your concubine if he’s a commoner.”

“Concubine?”

Layla’s eyes shone eerily.