I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

As if the enemies weren’t satisfied with our meeting, a torrential rain of arrows rained down from the sky.

Charter said while striking the arrows, “Let’s move to a safe place for now.”

I leaned against his wide arms and moved. He was like a knight in a fairy tale, protecting me with one arm and hitting off the arrows that flew continuously with the other.

This is not a bad feeling either. I, who always chose to get through it myself rather than rely on others, didn’t feel so bad about this unfamiliarity. Rather, my whole body was soaked with the warmth spreading from one side of my heart, and finally, my cheeks started to heat up. Charter was busy protecting me and was completely unaware of my condition.  

Outside the enemy’s range, Charter asked, looking at me. “Are you hurt?”

I was about to answer that I was fine, but when I saw one of his arms, I exclaimed in fright. “Charter! You hurt your arm!”

It was generally almost impossible to block flying arrows with only a sword. In the end, Charter suffered an arm injury from the several arrows. Still, seeing that he blocked all the arrows flying at Arianne, it was amazing.

“I’m okay, as long as you’re safe.”

At the thoughtful words from Charter, I felt as if my cheeks were burning again. For some reason, I didn’t want to show my blush. I had to change the subject quickly.

“But why are you trapped in the canyon? And why were the Harpion army just watching you?”

At Arianne’s question, Charter’s face hardened. It reminded him of what happened earlier.

Charter looked at the Harpion army and found the incompetent commander he had just encountered. He walked straight toward that commander and asked. “You, the commander. Under whose command do you take?”

The commander blinked his eyes as if he was embarrassed.

“You don’t answer. Don’t you know what will happen if you disobey your superior’s orders in wartime?”

The commander’s eyes widened. He was well aware that disobeying the orders of superiors in wartime would result in immediate execution.

“I! I’m the knight of the third order of the imperial family.”

The commander was overwhelmed by Charter’s piercing eyes.

Charter asked, staring at him with his dark eyes. “Tell me why you didn’t seek out your superior even after being isolated.”

The commander was groaning under the pressure of Charter. He was a relative of Viscount Girol and received the secret instruction from him while fighting in the war.

Viscount Girol told him that he planned to take out Duke Kaien into the canyon today and get rid of him. He was told that he only needed to keep that Harpion army tied, as others planned to do the job of removing him. You said it would never fail…

It was almost a success. However, the situation quickly turned around because of  a woman who appeared out of nowhere.

At Viscount’s Girol confident words, he didn’t think of failure. He was told not to worry because he had a strong back, and of course there was no countermeasure for failure. But things have changed. He was at a loss as what to do now.  

“You didn’t say a word. Three soldiers there. Arrest him immediately and return to camp.”

Noticing that the situation was going strangely, the soldiers who were conscious of it, moved as if they had waited for Charter’s instructions. The soldiers violently surrounded the commander and pushed him.

Because they were low-level soldiers, they couldn’t move without the command of their commander. But the Harpion army was bewildered by Chater’s isolation and wanted to save him.

There was probably not a single man in the Harpion Empire who didn’t admire the empire’s greatest swordsman, the righteous and honorable Duke Kaien. They wanted to go save Duke Kaien immediately, but they couldn’t.

“Anyone who moves even one step will be executed immediately! Never move!”

It was because the commander kept shouting at his soldiers. No matter how much they respected someone who was dying, it was a superficial feeling, and it wasn’t more precious than their own lives. The soldiers had no choice but to stomp, lamenting that they couldn’t move even in the face of the crisis of Duke Kaien. However, the moment they saw the silver haired woman appear like a wind and struck the enemies in one blow, they unknowingly let out exclamation.

“Where is the deputy commander?”

There was a person rushing to the horse from afar at Charter’s question.

“Yes. My name is Yake, an apprentice knight belonging to the imperial knights.”

He couldn’t bear to look at Charter, so he kept his head down. He probably feared that he would be punished the same way as he didn’t save him.

An apprentice knight? Why is an apprentice knight serving as deputy commander on the battlefield? The commander Charter had assigned had been changed. It was something that he didn’t hear about.  

“Until another commander arrives, I will appoint you as the battle commander for this canyon. Don’t let me down twice.”

“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind.” Feeling relieved that he had survived, Sir Yake answered in a loud voice.

“Let’s go back to the main camp for now. There seems to be one more thing to prepare for.”

“Yes, it seems so. Your wounds need to be treated.”

I frowned as I looked at Charter’s wound. Charter smiled at me. It made me moved again by his attitude.

“Are you smiling right now? If it wasn’t for me, you would have died!”

Despite Arianne’s rebuke, Charter didn’t stop smiling. Just before he died, he thought he wanted to see her, but she really showed up and saved him. It was unreal. It made him wonder if he was still dreaming.

“Yes. I’m so glad you’re here. Arianne, thank you.”

“Let’s talk after you finish the treatment.”

I saved him, but I wasn’t happy at the fact that he ended up injured. However, this man didn’t even know how I felt and he was just smiling around. I’ll have to scold him properly later!

It was Arianne, who was determined to do so.

* * *

“Isolated in the canyon? Falling into a trap?”

Luiden asked Charter again as if he couldn’t believe it.

“They even switched commanders. He said he’s a relative of Viscount Girol.”

After going through an interrogation, the commander eventually told him. He didn’t know much anyway.

At Charter’s words, Luiden frowned and got angry. “How did the commander change?”

The corners of Charter’s mouth rose sharply. “It’s Count Blanc.” He should have known from the moment Count Blanc said he would take the charge of the canyon.

Luiden gritted his teeth. “I knew it! It must have been the order from Duke Krow. Girol, that man, must have done what Duke Krow told him to do when his position was in jeopardy due to what happened at the noble meeting. But there’s no way Duke Krow can save him. How stupid.”

At Charter’s words, Luiden asked. “What do you mean?”

“We’re in the middle of a war right now. He’s not the one who will make the mistake of abandoning a competent commander who could lead the troops because of personal feelings. And this isn’t even at the end of war. I mean Duke Krow.”

I, who was listening to their conversation, said, “What would be the case of clearing a game piece that moves normally on a game board that hasn’t yet been won or lost? He’s trying to make a new board.”

“!”

“That means…”

I said that as I stared into space, thinking hard about something and soon realized it. “Probably, he made some kind of deal with Kelteman Empire. Easiest way… I guess political marriage.”

Luiden shook his head. Took a woman from the Kelteman Empire as the empress? It was ridiculous.

“I don’t think so. There’s no way that Duke Krow would give up his maternal relative’s place. The current duchess’s position was also seated from his relative.”

At his words, I replied as if I was dumbfounded. “Isn’t he going to give a higher position than that?”

Luiden looked at me with a surprised face. “No way!”

I nodded. He must be thinking the same as me now. “He must be trying to put the idiot crown prince on the throne and act as the emperor behind him. That’s what he’s ultimately aimed for. The empress from the Kelteman Empire would be put somewhere else. After all, there are not only one or two palaces in the imperial palace.”

Ludien said, still in denial, “But that’s impossible as long as the emperor is alive.”

“Yes. I suppose so. I think that’s why Duke Krow was aiming for Charter.”

Charter, who had been listening silently, continued as if agreeing. “If I disappear, there will be no one to command the battlefield. Eventually, the emperor will personally participate in the war…”

Luiden sat down with a shock on his face. “Did he even plan to murder the emperor?”

I was silent. I couldn’t understand his feelings, but I thought he must have been shocked.

“Looks like you need some time to think. Let’s talk about the rest tomorrow.” Judging that Luiden needed time, Charter decided to end this meeting for him.

I, who came out of the command tent, entered the tent of Charter’s, and was taken aback.

“My luggage… why are they here?”

My luggage was piled up openly at the entrance to his tent. Charter didn’t show it up, but he was taken aback by it too.

“I guess they thought we’d stay together because we’re a couple. It’s gonna be uncomfortable for you too… I will call Madrenne.”

Charter exclaimed urgently. “It’s not uncomfortable.”

As a result, I began to feel a little shy. What? Is he saying we should just stay together? But…

First of all, we are a couple, but we aren’t ordinary couple. It was a contract marriage. I didn’t think we were affectionate enough to share a room…

Charter turned his back to me and stepped deep into the tent. “I’m not uncomfortable. Unless you’re uncomfortable, how about staying overnight here as it’s already late at night?”

Charter held to his trembling heart and tried to act calmly. He showed his back to her to hide his red-hot face.

I pretended to be unable to win at Charter’s words. “Yes, well… It’s late at night. Even if it’s uncomfortable, let’s sleep together today.”

Thump. I felt like I could hear the sound of Charter’s heart thumping. Seeing him standing with his back turned, I began to feel upset again as I saw the bandage on his arm. I approached him, grabbed his arm, and swept the bandage.

I wonder if you got hurt more while trying to protect me… During the day, I really worried about losing you.”

My touch gave Charter’s arm a lot of strength. While I was surprised by the sudden feeling of tight muscles, he turned toward me. I, who made eye contact with him, realized that I had made a mistake.

“Hey… Charter…?”

The emotion contained in his hot, black eyes was conveyed to me. Charter’s eyes were speaking ‘I want you. A lot. Uncontrollably.’ He wanted me.

I asked with my eyes wide open. “Don’t tell me… in here?”

Charter’s eyes became more desperate.

“…Please allow me.”

That word burst out of his mouth. After the first night that he had been waiting for was canceled like that, Charter made an oath. If the opportunity came in the future, he would never put up with it. Today that opportunity came. Chater wasn’t going to put up with it. Of course, if Arianne allowed it.

I realized as I faced Charter’s desperate eyes. That I wanted him too. The moment of my first kiss with him, which I’ve been thinking about since the wedding day, let me know how I felt. But I didn’t expect to spend the first night in a tent like this…

I smiled and looked up at Charter, then brought out the words he wanted to hear. “I will allow it.”

As if he had been waiting, Charter swallowed Arianne’s lips. It was like a black beast attacking a silver fox.

Just in time, Luiden, who had finished organizing his thoughts too early, stopped by Charter’s tent then hurriedly stepped back. Luiden, who was flushed to the end of his ear in embarrassment, grabbed the passing soldier and said, “From now on. Stop anyone from coming near this place. This is… the imperial order.”

The soldier who had suddenly received the imperial order had a puzzled look on his face, but he couldn’t disobey Luiden’s order. Thanks to that, without being disturbed by anyone, Charter and Arianne’s first night was repeated several times… for a long time.