I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

Charter could guess Moyak’s thoughts from her words. She was sure that Kelteman Empire would win. And,

3 million. Currently, the number of people that can be recruited in the Harpion Empire is 1 million. Even if they recruited as many men as possible from age 15 to 50, there were fewer than 2 million. If what Prince Paku said was true, the defeat of the Harpion Empire was already decided.

A bitter taste lingered in his mouth. Charter quietly looked at Arianne. Arianne… If what Moyak said were true…

Charter moved his gaze to Paky. Paku’s eyes were still down, his face unsure of his thoughts.

“Don’t tell me, was that the reason why they brought envoys to Harpion?”

Paku raised his head at Arianne’s words. His eyes shook slightly. He wanted to deny it, but he seemed worried that she might hate him for the undeniable fact.

He certainly has Arianne in his mind. Charter was convinced. He was hoping it wasn’t like that… But it might be fortunate. If he had Arianne in mind, at least Arianne could survive the aftermath of this war.

Charter had to make a decision. He hadn’t even decided to go to sleep, but he had already decided what to do for her safety.

Charter closed his eyes softly. He remembered the past when he was with her. A smile broke out. And while she was asleep, he looked down at her asleep and remembered the future he dreamed of. To be with her for countless days and nights and a `future with their children who resembled her. Now, it would remain just a dream…

“What if the war ends like this?”

At that time, Arianne’s loud voice awakened Charter’s thoughts.

“I think you have a misunderstanding about my relationship with Prince Paku… There’s no point in that choice in the first place, but shouldn’t we make it so there is no need to make such a choice?”

Moyak thought I was talking nonsense without being able to understand the situation. As if it weren’t just Moyak’s thoughts, Charter and Paku also didn’t respond in any way. An awkward silence fell.

It was after the moment of silence.

“Huh, did you just say your wishful thinking?” Moyak’s stunned voice broke the silence.

“I want to end this war. Please release us.”

Moyak’s expression became strange. It was neither laughing nor crying.

“Ub. Pfft! Ahahaha!”

Moyak held her stomach for a long time and began to smile and tilt back. Seeing her like that, my expression became grim.

“Ah, really! If I get wrinkles, it’s all your fault!” Moyak said while biting her lips and sweeping the end of her eyes.

I already saw her forehead get wrinkles, but what? You’re blaming a tough person. I struggled to swallow the words that lingered in my mouth. She might get my head cut off if I said something wrong.

“Ha. You’re going to end this war? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a ridiculously naive brain. Not being realistic is really characteristic of women in the Harpion Empire.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying about Harpion women as if you know them.”

As I revealed my displeasure without hiding it, Moyak sat cross-legged and said, “I think I know it well though? Isn’t it the Harpion woman who gives up trying to do something herself, obeys the men, and keeps her mouth shut?”

My angry purple eyes turned to Moyak. “Not everyone is like that. Since the opportunity is not given in the first place, that doesn’t mean it will continue to be like that forever.”

I took a short breath and continued. “Isn’t that why you left Harpion too?”

“…”

Moyak’s eyes began to shake violently. Her lips twisted. Veins swelled on the back of her hand as she gripped the sofa. At least she was ready to jump out of her seat and bite my neck alive.

I tried to counter her with my head. But before I knew it, my fingertips trembled, and my neck stiffened. Really… This is the first time I’ve seen someone so scary other than my father.

The fear I felt in my first meeting with Charter was just a vague fear because we couldn’t communicate. Charter had no intention of killing me, so I was able to face him proudly. However, the woman in front of me showed her intention to kill me. Goosebumps ran down my spine and passed the nape of my neck, giving a thrill to the back of my head.

Look at this? Moyak was surprised to see Arianne stiffening her body in fear but didn’t avert her gaze. It meant Arianne didn’t want to let Moyak continue to insult her. Moyak wanted to drag her out immediately and punish her properly, but she became curious again.

I might die because of my curiosity. Moyak had a tendency to solve the questions she was curious about. She couldn’t kill that impudent woman immediately, even out of curiosity. Too bad. It would be worth seeing if I put a snare around that fair and neck and hung her on the pole.

Moyak’s eyes glistened with cruelty and greed. As if to clear her mind, she closed and opened her eyes. Then she asked with a languid face as if something had never happened before. “How did you know I was from Harpion?”

Arianne was surprised at the unexpected answer. She thought Moyak was just a foreigner who had been to Harpion while hiding her identity… But was she really the people of Harpion?

“How on earth did you become the chief of the Surg tribe?”

The woman of Harpion became the chief of this notorious tribe? Although outsiders value bloodline less important than people of Harpion, they would accept foreigners as tribe members at best. But to become a chief?

“I told you. I’m versatile.”

Moyak had no intention of saying more. When she thought back on the past, the events in Harpion were bound to come to her mind. It’s better for Harpion to perish. She didn’t like Kelteman, but she hated Harpion to the point of making her tremble.

“&!@#$**%^”

A Surg tribe man came into the tent and said something to Moyak.

“I’ll return after work for a while, so let’s talk later. Think of it as your last chance before you die.” Moyak smiled bitterly and left the tent.

It was only after the crowd had completely disappeared that I spoke. “Really? 3 million troops will move from Kelteman?”

Paku nodded to my question.

“Then how much is Harpion’s troops…”

I asked Charter and hurriedly closed my mouth. The enemy was right before us, and I almost exposed the secret by myself! I almost made a mistake. Was it because he didn’t feel like an enemy? I thought I should be more alert to Paku.

“What’s the point of knowing? If we can’t get out of here, we can’t prepare…” I uttered a complaining remark.

Charter looked at me like that and carefully talked. “Arianne, I want you to be safe.”

Charter’s heart ached as he spoke. He didn’t want to give up on her. But he wanted to prevent her from losing her life. He hoped that she would survive even if it meant she would be by the side of a man other than himself. That was how much he loved her.

I felt like I had been hit in the head. Even when I fell off the horse or was pinned to the ground by Moyak, I was less shocked than right now. I couldn’t help but know what Charter was trying to say. He was about to give up on me now.

“You, what does that mean…”

I was stunned. I couldn’t accept the fact that he was about to let me go. I knew. Every night, every morning, he looked at me with eyes full of affection. And you’re letting me go? You idiot!

I knew we would part away one day, but it wasn’t like this. Our contract wasn’t over yet. I had no intention of going to someone else; I didn’t want just because to save my life. If I die, then let it be.

Betraying his trust just because he is thinking of gains and losses and relying on Paku. It will make me no different from my father!

I was fed up with Count Bornes’s behavior of judging and using people only according to their needs and values. I swore I would never live like that, but is he trying to make me into that kind of person now?

“I will pretend I didn’t hear it,” I said without even glancing at Charter. I didn’t even want to look him in the eye for now.

What the hell are you looking at me for! For a moment, I thought Charter might think of me as a person like my father. In fact, it was true that I offered him a contract marriage according to my own interests. But I’m different from him!

If I had been like Count Bornes, I would have been more than capable of stealing the property of the duke’s family in one way or another while delaying handing over the ledger. I clearly turned over the ledger I promised! But it must be my fault for not gaining his trust.

Huu. After letting out a sigh, I crept over to Charter. Then I put my boots in front of his lips and said, “Take off my boots.”

Charter tilted his head for a moment but soon took off my boots. Tuk. A pocket knife came out at the same time my foot showed.

“?”

Charter couldn’t help but think seriously. Where on earth did this come from? Obviously, I didn’t see this when I was drying her body?

I looked at Paku and said, “First of all, we need to meet the Kelteman Emperor.”

Who?

Paku’s deep yellow eyes shook violently at her completely unexpected remark.