I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

Shortly after Charter left, the hall was in chaos.

“A war! What on earth is happening?”

“What kind of empire would dare to invade the Harpion Empire?”

The women fussed in disbelief as if it could never happen. Even though the signs of war have already been heard and seen everywhere, did they hope it wasn’t or deny it couldn’t be happening?

“Nonsense! A war! Is there even an empire that fearlessly invades this Harpion Empire?”

Considering that some male nobles were in a similar situation, it seemed that it was common for both men and women to become complacent as the period of peace grew longer.

I, who was standing alone on the podium, turned to look at Madam Kaien. Madam Kaien was also looking at me. She seemed to be saying this with her worried face, ‘Are you okay?’ I tried to smile as if I was okay.

It was then. Duke Krow got up and walked out the door. “We will hold an emergency noble meeting, so nobles with titles must assemble at the imperial palace immediately.”

As soon as he finished speaking, some nobles followed him with grim faces. Some were lost in thought.

“You, why don’t you go? Aren’t you a baron?”

Some stayed idly and were stabbed out by the person beside them.

Madrenne approached me and said, as she grabbed my dress, “Baroness, let’s go back to your room for now.”

“Yes.”

While everyone was solemn, the ceremony hall, which was so old-fashioned that it was filled with light and even felt scared, quickly turned into a mess. No way, I never expected this to happen on my wedding day… There was nothing to regret. After all, the wedding was over.

I also planned to prepare immediately and head to the imperial palace. Returning to my room, I threw off my wedding dress and quickly changed into an outing dress.

Knock, knock.

“May I come in?” It was the voice of Madam Kaien.

“Yes, come in.”

Madam Kaien and Violla came in together. Madam Kaien asked as if surprised to see my outfit. “Are you going to the imperial palace?”

“Yes. All nobles with titles said to be gathered there.”

At my answer, Madam Kaien said with a worried face, “Do you know what will happen if you go there?”

“I know.”

“Do you want to go together?”

I held Madam Kaien’s hand and faced her. “I have to go because I’m a Baroness of the Harpion Empire. I’m not going to betray my duty.”

Madam Kaien saw Arianne’s determined eyes and realized she could never stop her. If I can’t stop her, I have no choice but to push her way comfortably.  

“I see. I’m proud of you. Still, don’t ever think of taking the lead. Most of them are people who want to take advantage of others. Perhaps they will see you as a woman and try to wield you as they please.”

I smiled, understanding Madam Kaien’s concern, and said, “Don’t worry. You haven’t forgotten that I’m the daughter of the famous Count Bornes, right?”

Madam Kaien smiled at my bluff. “I had completely forgotten about that. Then, go ahead.”

“Then, I will be back.”

I bent my knees to Madam Kaien and turned to greet Violla as well.

“The Britana Kingdom will be after you, so don’t ever lose.”

I blinked at her unexpected remark. Violla then added. “We, the Kaien family, will never bend. Don’t forget that you’re also part of this family.”

I smiled brightly at Violla, then affirmed. “No one will be able to think they’re on top of me today.”

Violla thought as she looked at Arianne walking out the door. I think I know why Charter is attracted to this woman. When she looked at her, the feelings that she had forgotten were coming back.

Violla touched the corners of her mouth, which moved only after a few years, and soon hardened her face as if nothing had happened. Now she had to make preparations to return to her kingdom. The Britana Kingdom will also have to join this war.

* * *

As soon as I entered the palace, I sought out Prince Luiden.

“I stopped by to deliver you this.”

“What’s this?”

Luiden asked, seeing what Arianne was offering.

“The thing that Your Highness has longed for.”

Luiden’s eyes grew bigger. Having received the thing from Arianne, he quickly flipped through the document. This… is really great. He admired it. That’s because the document contained all the corruption of the crown prince’s faction, which had been connected with Count Bornes.

“It’s the ledger that I risked my life to take out. Originally, I was supposed to give it to Charter after the wedding today. Still, the situation has turned out this way. With this, you will be able to easily squeeze the nobles out of this war.”

“Thank you very much. I was actually struggling with getting the support of the nobles.,” said Luiden, looking at Arianne with infinite trust in his eyes.

Arianne seemed to be thinking for a moment and then opened her mouth. “Charter… will he be alright?”

At Arianne’s question, Luiden’s complexion suddenly darkened. It was because he was concerned for his friend who went to the battlefield. However, he soon looked at Arianne’s face and smiled as if nothing needed to be worried about.

“He will be fine. Even if he dies, he will come back alive.”

“Really?”

“There’s no such monstrous person like him. So don’t worry.”

Seeing Luiden saying it with a disgusted look made me smile automatically. Luiden’s joke reassured me a little bit.

It was a war that could only be heard in words. Only those who have experienced it will know what actually happened on the battlefield. People in the safe capital would never know the weight of the war. That’s why my heart felt heavy because I couldn’t dare to imagine how Charter’s situation was now.

“Are you really going to participate in the war?”

To Bein’s question, who was following me, I answered plainly. “I have to pay for my rice. I’m not going to be an irresponsible person.”

Pay for your rice… As her aide, he wanted to oppose her a hundred times, but as a commoner, it was a word that felt more reassuring and sweet than any other words, to the point that his heart ached.

Standing in front of the meeting room, I told Bein. “Stay alert. It’s time to go into the wolf’s den.”

“Yes, I know,” said Bein as if he was prepared.

I took a deep breath before I glanced at the servant.

“Baroness Devit is entering.”

When the door opened, the eyes of nobles in the meeting hall turned to one place.

“She’s here.” Someone spat out their words as if they didn’t like it.

As I didn’t care about that, I went to find an empty seat and sat down without crumpling my face. Bein stood behind me. Far from being intimidated by the gazes focused on me, I said as if I was annoyed. “What are you looking at? Don’t you need to continue what you say?”

“Hu.”

“Ahem!”

The nobles were taken aback by my bold words and looked away. Some glared at her as if they were offended, but when I glared at them, they turned their gaze away. It’s fun. As I looked around, it seemed everyone except the members of the imperial family was present.

“So, I will say it again. We don’t have that many troops and supplies.”

“Yes. Such excessive demands cannot be accepted!”

Some nobles were complaining to Duke Krow. Duke Krow frowned and rubbed his temple as if he was in trouble.

It’s obvious, even if I don’t look at it. Opinions on war supplies and troop transfer must be divided.

I, who was watching as if it was someone else’s business, saw the silver-haired man in the distance. Count Bornes. A human being who I no longer wanted to call father. He was at ease even in the tense situation when war broke out.

Rather, he’s going to take this opportunity to get something. War might be a terrible reality for some. Still, it was also an opportunity that would never come again for others. I could clearly see what Count Bornes thought as he smiled leisurely.

“Your Majesty is entering. Your Highness Crown Prince and Prince Luiden are entering.”

Outside the door, the servant announced the coming of the imperial family. All the nobles, who had been buzzing until a while ago, all closed their mouths and stood up to greet the emperor. The emperor’s gaze, which was looking through the meeting hall, stayed at me for a while.

“Everyone is here. Let’s start the meeting.”

After the emperor finished speaking, he sat in the order of the crown prince, the prince, and the nobles.

“We were discussing the troops and supplies to be sent to the front line,” said Duke Krow.

“Did you come to a conclusion?”

At the emperor’s question, he bowed as if he was sorry. “That’s… the disagreement hasn’t narrowed yet.”

“Is that so?”

The emperor stared at the nobles with a fishy smile. The nobles, who received the cold gaze of the emperor, flinched and bowed their heads. However, even if they were overwhelmed by the emperor’s gaze, they wouldn’t give up their supplies easily. Humans wouldn’t let go of what they held unless their lives were at stake.

One of the nobles who was looking around carefully spoke to the emperor. “Your Majesty, no matter how wartime it is, I can’t afford to immediately give out that many troops and supplies. If it’s that much, it would be difficult for my family to make a living immediately.”

“…”

When the emperor was silent, he continued in a higher voice as if he thought it was a sign of affirmation.

“Since nobles’ wealth is limited, it seems right to open the national treasury.”

The emperor was still silent even after his words. Instead, Luiden, who sat beside the emperor, opened his mouth. “So you won’t give it up, right? As far as I know, your wealth will never be shaken to that extent.”

The noble looked at Luiden disapprovingly and replied, “It’s not that I can’t give it. But it seems that His Highness doesn’t know how much money goes into managing the territory.”

At first glance, some nobles from the crown prince’s faction smiled cheerfully as if they were laughing at Luiden.

“I guess you don’t think I’ve turned a blind eye even though I knew it,” asked the noble. He didn’t dare to do anything to the prince but believed in the crown prince’s back.

“It’s literally what I said. Viscount Girol, does running the territory cost a lot of money? According to your last year’s performance in the operation of the territory, there is no record of spending any private money except state subsidies on the operation of the territory.”

“That… I just didn’t write it in the report. But in reality, a lot of money went into it.”

Luiden raised one corner of his mouth and laughed at Viscount Girol’s excuse. “You must really care about your territory to even spend your money, right?”

“Yes, of course. Isn’t that a natural duty as a noble?”

Luiden, who looked sideways at Viscount Girol, said while sweeping his chin with his index finger, “It’s your duty? Does it include kidnapping women and forcing them to serve as your concubines? Or does it include collecting more than the tax set by the state and running a private loan business?”

Viscount’s Girol eyes widened as if they were going to pop out. “That! What do you mean… There was absolutely no such thing. Your Highness, are you trying to frame me?”

When Viscount Girol shouted angrily, Luiden relaxed and said, “We will find out when the imperial tax inspector looks through it.”

“It can’t be! I’m being framed! Your Majesty! Your Highness is insulting me! It never happened!”

The emperor opened his tight-lipped mouth, “We will find out when we look into it.”

“Gasp.”

The face of Viscount Girol turned pale. Along with that, the complexion of other nobles also deteriorated. They had to do as the emperor ordered if they were being pushed like this. The nobles couldn’t rush forward, so they signaled each other with a wink as if to say something.

One of them jumped out of his seat and stood up and said, as if he had made up his Luiden then said, “Count Proud, you reported that the number of residents of your territory decreased, right? You knew what kind of punishment a person who stole the national tax would face, right?”

“How could! No, I have never done that! I always pay taxes faithfully!”

Luiden replied sourly to Count Proud’s excuse. “That will also be found out by the imperial tax inspector.”

The emperor’s sharp gaze turned to Count Proud.

“How… No…” Count Proud slumped helplessly.

The crown prince, who was watching Luiden’s behavior, criticized him. “Is it time to discuss such a trivial matter? Shouldn’t we stop the war right now?”

Luiden replied with a smile to him. “I know. Wouldn’t it be better if they given what we demand nicely?”

“What! You dare to tease me now?”

The emperor, who had been quietly watching the crown prince, opened his mouth. “Crown Prince, in a war situation, personal wealth is poison. Those who are greedy for their own shake will have no choice but to set an example.”

The face of the nobles hardened at the word set an example. Some turned pale from time to time.

Count Bornes, who was watching this situation, felt a strange feeling. Where on earth did the prince get that information? Isn’t that the way I secretly told them? A secret that only I know… He felt like he had been hit hard in the back of his head.

No way? Could it be you? Where his gaze directed, Ariana was there leaning back in her chair, looking at him and laughing cheekily…

“Arianne!”

I started straight at Count Bornes. Yes, that’s right. It was me, Father.