I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

“Your Grace, Sir Dale has arrived.”

Charter’s knights entered the tent and delivered the good news. It was the return of the forgotten Sir Dale. Charter and I hurried to find him.

Dale, looking haggard and exhausted, stood with the help of his fellow knights. And he sighed with relief only after seeing me, “I’m glad you arrived safely.”

I wondered if he didn’t eat properly. He had a pale face and a long beard.

Dale didn’t seem to care for his body at all while carrying out the mission. Indeed, for a long time, he escaped the knights of Duke Krow and moved without eating or resting properly. He ran away all over the place so as not to be caught as long as possible, and those who pursued him searched over him crazily. Then, three days ago, he hurried to the border with an uneasy hunch about why they stopped pursuing him. 

I almost laughed when I saw his extravagant attire— the crown prince’s attire— which didn’t match his haggard appearance, but when I saw his serious face, I couldn’t laugh. I could tell without asking how hard he worked on his mission.

“Thanks to Sir Dale, I was able to get here safely. Thank you. You worked hard.”

Dale smiled at my sincere words. I thought he was blunt, but his smile was more wonderful than I thought.

After a while, Charter and I brought Dale and other Charter’s knights and even Madrenne into the command tent. Charter explained the secret operation to the knights.

“…Therefore, some of you must infiltrate the residence of Count Bornes in the capital, secure Viscount Girol, and transport him to the hiding place.”

As soon as Charter finished speaking, Dale said, “I will go.”

I widened my eyes in surprise at the unexpected situation. “What do you mean by that? It’s unreasonable for someone who just arrived to go a long way again.” I rebuked him with a worried face.

“I’m the right person for such an important mission. I’m good at stealth, and I’ve mastered various martial arts. None of them are more specialized in this mission than I am,” said Dale with great confidence.

Surprisingly, there was no word on whether other knights agreed with him.

“Then I’ll let Dale go.”

Charter gave permission to carry out his mission. I looked at Charter in surprise.

“But!”

I tried to stop Charter, but I gave up when I saw his expression. He showed strong belief in Dale. From there, I could see how much he believed in Sir Dale and his knights for this mission. Dale also knew how Charter felt, so he was trying to carry out this mission despite fatigue.

But he looks like he’s about to collapse… I couldn’t understand his faith in his men. It was only natural that I didn’t understand since Madrenne was the closest person to me. Still, she had only doubts and envy, let alone loyalty.

More than that, I couldn’t let Dale take that risk alone. Those who didn’t know the residence of Count Bornes were in danger of getting lost quickly. Count Bornes made various secret places in the mansion, and the important places were always guarded. A map and words alone couldn’t explain the location, and a guide capable of bypassing the guards was needed. Fortunately, there was a suitable person.

I said to Madrenne, “Madrenne, come along with him.”

“Yes???” Madrenne jumped up.

This lady is like this again! Why would I do such a dangerous thing just because you’re crazy? Madrenne couldn’t bring that thought out of her mouth but spoke with her eyes instead. I’m not going! I won’t go!

But who was her opponent? I raised one of my eyebrows. If you don’t go, you will die in my hands. So just shut up and go.

Madrenne felt like her stomach was turned inside out because of her frustration. From the moment she left the mansion following Arianne, she was someone who couldn’t be noticed by Count Bornes. But her master wants her to go back to the mansion? Isn’t it like a mouse crawling into a snake’s den? Of course, the battlefield was safer than that.

Madrenne once again made a look of never to do that. She tried to say she couldn’t go but stopped immediately. Because Arianne’s purple eyes widened eerily, like saying, ‘Just say you can’t go. I’ll really make it impossible for you to go from here.’

“Yes. I’ll go.”

With that, Madrenne’s accompaniment was decided.

“I’m sorry for not giving you a break. Please take care, Dale.”

At Charter’s words, Sir Dale bowed moderately like a loyal knight and climbed on top of the horse. 

I conveyed my words to Madrenne. “You have to get Viscount Girol without being caught. Keep in mind to never get caught. Understand?”

Madrenne replied with a pout look on her face. “Take care of yourself. I beg you. Don’t you think it’s better to say something like that? I’m sad right now.”

I then whispered in Madrenne’s ear. “If you do well, I’ll give you a one-carat diamond ring. The ring is decorated with cubes around it.”

 I mentioned my ring, which Madrenne used to admire as if she was possessed. Then Madrenne’s eyes sparkled.

“Never! I’ll make sure to get the damn thing out without getting caught.”

The trust between Madrenne and me was established through the material. Could there be any greater trust than this?

“I will wait for the good news. Take care of yourself. “

A smile caught Madrenne’s lips as she turned her back from me and climbed into the carriage.

“Let’s go now.”

At the signal of Madrenne, the carriage moved.

There was an eye to watch the situation of those people. The man was watching it, hiding in the gap of the knights without any sense of strangeness, even though he was just near. And he disappeared shortly after Madrenne and Dale left.

* * *

It was after four full days.

“Sir Dale, you must listen to me and follow me. Got it?”

Dale nodded bluntly at Madrenne’s request and said, “Alright. Let’s go in now.”

“Here in the mansion of Count Bornes, there are many guards, and dangerous people are stationed everywhere. We will avoid them as much as possible, so you must do as I say.”

Madrenne repeatedly asked Dale because he wasn’t trustworthy. Dale only nodded like a robot.

Because people like him definitely cause accidents. Madrenne looked suspiciously at him, but once she looked at him like a stone, she soon turned to the mansion.

The time when the mansion guards were the most relaxed was at lunchtime. Intruders usually appeared during the dark hours of the night, so they were relaxed during the day.

When Madrenne saw the last guard disappear from sight, she said to Dale, “It’s now. Stay close and follow me.”

Madrenne trotted along the road leading to the west side of the mansion. The narrow roads were like a labyrinth, with crossroads everywhere.

As he followed Madrenne, who walked without hesitation as if familiar, there was a rather grand building to call it a separate building. The area around the building was surrounded by a high wall, and the top of the wall was lined with sharp blades, so it was completely blocked from external threats.

“It’s going to be somewhere in this building, whether it’s that damn thing or not. This is a secret place to hide the fugitives.”

Madrenne said, looking around more carefully than in the mansion. “And the most dangerous place to stay—”

Dale entered the building before Madrenne had finished speaking.

“Damn it! I knew he would be like that!” Madrenne rushed after him, uttering a low curse.

Even though it was daytime, there were gloomy corners inside the building. At first glance, Dale looked like he was just walking, but he was on his way in, watching the surroundings closely. You couldn’t even hear his footsteps. Rather, the sound of Madrenne’s cautious steps echoed louder. You had to admit his confident demeanor was due to his skills.

“There are people there,” Dale whispered to Madrenne, pointing the finger at a room.

“I’ll check it out.”

Madrenne opened the door and peeped in. It was because she wanted to be better off with a familiar face if they ever ran into someone.

In the room, a man was lying down with his stomach open, snoring and sleeping. He was not a nobleman at all.

“Not this room. But since that person is noble, wouldn’t he be on the second or third floor?”

Ordinary nobles usually used the second floor.  Dale nodded in agreement. They were at risk of being caught using the central stairs, so they had to climb the stairs in the corner of the first floor.

Madrenne led the way, carefully climbing the stairs, and Dale followed. However, Dale felt the presence that even Madrenne stood before him couldn’t feel. As soon as they reached the second floor, he hurriedly dragged her to an empty room nearby.

“Why? What happened… Um!”

Dale covered Madrenne’s mouth with his big hand. A moment later, a voice came from outside the door.

“How long do I have to be stuck here? I’m dying of frustration.”

“Do you know how I feel? I’ve been shaking like a crazy person for days.”

Two men were heard going down the stairs.

Madrenne, who was pushed against the wall and stared at Dale with her eyes widened. Dale was paying all his attention to the presence of the men outside the door, so he didn’t pay any attention to Madrenne.

Thump. Madrenne’s heart began to flutter. W-what is this? This man. Was he always this big and reliable? Why are his hands so big…

Her first physical contact with a man at the age of 23 years. It seemed that Madrenne’s first love had finally begun. Ordinary women would have blushed and not known what to do, but it was Madrenne. Before she knew it, Madrenne, with sparkling eyes, scanned Dale’s face.

Dark brown hair, straight eyebrows and deep eyes, a stiff-looking nose, tightly closed lips, and a beautiful shaven jawline. When did he shave? Did he have time for that?

He was a man with skills and perfectly managed himself. Maybe this guy… is pretty good?  Madrenne’s lips curled up.

Dale felt a strange sensation in his hand and hurriedly let go of his hand and said, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me because of the urgent situation.”

He seemed to have held her for too long. Dale apologized because he thought Madrenne must have been deeply offended. However,

“You can be ruder than now.”

Dale was taken aback by Madrenne’s unexpected words.