“Hmm, fascinating.”
Inside a moving carriage.
And the same landscape visible outside the window.
In that dull space, the only sight worth seeing.
Luciana, dressed in a violet dress, murmured so.
“What is fascinating?”
Being trapped in here, coming out only to sleep or repeat the mundane routine of training, what’s there to be amazed by?
“At the duke’s residence, I couldn’t mask the bitter taste. Surprisingly, inside this carriage, I seem to have brewed it quite well. Have my skills improved already?”
– That’s unlikely.
But then, can you even tell the difference?
It tasted the same to me.
“Well, maybe…?”
“That’s unlike you to sound so uncertain. Suspicious.”
She pondered with her eyes closed for a moment.
“Right. For a demon, your tea-brewing skills are quite useful.”
When she reopened her eyes, a different coldness was present than before.
It wasn’t directed at me.
Beside me.
Towards the blonde maid, feigning ignorance and looking outside.
“Why, why are you picking on me?”
“Hans couldn’t possibly brew tea so skillfully, could he?”
Luciana gulped down the tea in her cup at once.
-From freshness to sweetness, and then bitterness. To fully enjoy all the flavors of tea, one should savor it slowly.
She abandoned her own theory about tea that she used to repeat to me.
-Clink!
Cup and saucer.
The sound of glass clinking tore through the carriage.
“Hans, by delegating your work to the maid, how can you expect to improve your skills? Moreover, how would you know if the demon decides to poison me?”
“…My apologies.”
I immediately bowed my head.
Who would have thought?
That she would guess so accurately.
“If you understand, that’s good. Be more careful in the future. I’m not particularly keen on consuming anything touched by that demon.”
“For someone descended from a great warrior, you’re quite stingy. You should focus on being a bit more generous.”
“Hmph, a maid lecturing me. Show some manners first, then we’ll see.”
-Zap!
An invisible current seemed to flow between their gazes.
‘They really are completely incompatible.’
If left alone, this could escalate into an endless argument.
I quickly intervened.
“Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since we’ve been to the capital! I only have vague memories from when I was very young, following my father. How about you, Lady Luciana?”
She erased the furrow between her brows at my attempt to change the subject.
“I feel the same. Being busy with swordsmanship training in the north, haha, our situations are quite alike.”
Just then, the carriage’s rattling gradually subsided.
Meaning.
We had left the mountainous paths and entered onto proper roads.
“I wonder how skilled the nobles of the central region are. Truly curious.”
“…I can assure you, they won’t meet Lady Luciana’s expectations.”
Luciana’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, but…
The city of politics, the central region.
A place fundamentally different from the north, where the presence of a clear enemy, demons, made swordsmanship and archery basic nobility skills.
Swordsmanship is a tool for showing off in duels.
Archery, a hobby used for hunting.
Merely recreational activities.
It might be wise to warn her in advance.
“Well, high expectations often lead to great disappointments. Moderate them, please.”
Then, the view outside the window, previously only dense trees, began to change.
A giant castle.
The white marble walls encircling it.
Unlike the north, which prioritizes durability, this place boasted a radiant whiteness.
“Oho. This is human architectural style…I thought they had completely abandoned cultural life. It does have a certain charm, doesn’t it?”
Bathory seemed to quite like its appearance, offering such a critique.
“…I can see very well what you think of our family.”
“Then what kind of resonance do you expect me to feel from those dark walls?”
“Both of you, please calm down. It seems we’ll be arriving soon.”
Handcuffs, bluefish, and gold coins…
“Huh. All four duke families are gathered. It will be nice to see those faces after a long time.”
Besides the familiar polar bear emblem, there were several other symbols.
These emblems on the carriages parked here belonged to noble families renowned even within the Manhett Empire.
“It’s going to be a tiring day.”
Luciana, who usually avoids such noble gatherings, was not surprisingly displeased.
“You seem rather cheerful for that.”
But, the characteristic sign of her genuinely being annoyed,
There was no particular change in her brows.
“Haha. Did you notice? Indeed, Hans, that’s some sharp observation.”
Luciana tossed her hair back over her ear.
‘…Wow.’
Her ear, perfectly curved as if delicately carved, and the elegant neck below it.
Her skin, appearing even whiter against the violet, made me involuntarily swallow.
Despite the cold weather of the north, she, who usually prefers a modest attire for the sake of nobility etiquette, seems to have put extra effort into her dress for the central social gathering today.
“Today’s dress is quite… er, um.”
I silently made excuses, grateful for my unchanging expressionless face.
It was a decent reaction on my part.
The shy gesture of the princess had its own destructive power.
If Elizabeth had been here, she too couldn’t have hidden her excitement.
‘What’s different today?’
“It’s because today is worth that exception.”
The social gathering?
Surely she isn’t suddenly looking forward to interacting with other nobles.
But she truly seemed to be enjoying herself.
Even within her usual expressionless state, I could sense a slight air of excitement.
‘The duke didn’t mention anything…’
-Did you call for me?
-Yes. It’s nothing else. Luciana will soon depart for the central region. She’s not well-versed in politics, so I want you to assist and look after her by her side.
Her debut in the social circles of another region.
That was all I was briefed on.
“Are you talking about its value?”
“Yes. Today is the first time I will meet him.”
Hearing Luciana’s response, I finally understood what she was anticipating.
The crown prince.
The relationship formed through their engagement.
-How could His Highness be so heartless?!
-Move aside. You do not make my heart beat.
And being enchanted by the original protagonist.
The very person who led her to ruin by only having eyes for him for a lifetime.
“Though I’ve only seen him in portraits, meeting him in person is indeed nerve-wracking.”
“…Is that so.”
I gritted my teeth secretly.
So as not to be caught by her, who was distracted dreaming of a sweet future.
[Luciana’s ruin progress has been updated.]
[40%]
Her impending downfall, now quantified, made the anger boiling up from my chest cool down abruptly.
‘Right. Instead of just being angry, I need to plan what to do.’
Considering the previous incident with Freedman, there was only one reason for Luciana’s ruin progress to be increasing now.
It’s because she’s getting closer to the crown prince, the cause of it all.
‘Now I understand. It’s possible that since our first meeting, the ruin progress hasn’t dropped from 30% because…’
Before I arrived, she was already engaged to the crown prince.
Unless this is broken, Her ruin was as good as a foretold destiny.
At least to me.
“Hans? You look pale.”
Oh no.
It seems I had frozen my expression for too long for her to notice.
“It’s nothing. Maybe it’s because we’re about to arrive. Suddenly, I feel nauseous.”
“Take some rest for a bit. It would be troublesome if you’re still feeling sick upon reaching the Imperial Palace.”
I nodded in gratitude for her consideration.
***
“We’ll take a short break.”
We took a brief rest before reaching the Imperial Palace.
I also stepped outside to settle my uneasy stomach.
“Such an overprotective one.”
Bathory clicked her tongue upon hearing my soft mutter.
Soon, she placed her hand near my ear.
“Anyone would think you’re the mother here. Just don’t get too attached to your prey.”
“How can I not be concerned? Affection greatly influences human emotions, and she’s doing well enough as it is.”
“Of course, you would think that way.”
Deceiving her has become as easy as eating cold porridge.
Bathory looked incredulous.
Ignoring her advice, I was lost in thought.
‘The best course of action would be a mutual agreement to break off the engagement.’
But, would that be easy?
A political marriage, especially one forged to strengthen the alliance between the royal family and a ducal house.
Not to mention Luciana’s loyalty to her family.
And the crown prince, representing the royal pride, would likely refuse to break off the engagement.
‘Either way, the one who proposes to end the engagement will bear the disgrace.’
Abandoning a long-standing promise between families.
It could even be seen as discord between the north and the royal family.
Heading towards disaster, it was clear no good would come of it.
In the original story, it all ended with Luciana’s death,
‘But I have no intention of just watching.’
In the game, Luciana paid the price.
This time, it was his turn.
Back in the carriage, setting off again,
I looked at Luciana, radiant as ever today, and inwardly scoffed.
‘No matter how I think about it, that prince really lacks discernment.’
Whether in viewing the world or people.
To be enchanted by one woman and discard the daughter of a ducal house controlling a fifth of the empire’s land?
Without even showing proper manners or paying a rightful price.
Unilaterally?
Kicking away his own support base in the royal family, no less.
Proof of his lack of worldly wisdom.
And above all,
‘Where would you find a bride like Luciana? He’s blind to his luck.’
Just then,
The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated Luciana.
Her hair, shining brighter than silk, white and lustrous.
Her eyes, rivaling the finest sapphires in brilliance.
A warm heart hidden beneath a cold, noble exterior.
Truly, my favorite character lacked nothing.
My hatred for the crown prince, whom I hadn’t even met yet, grew by leaps and bounds.
Screech.
Passing the imperial palace’s main gate at a slow pace, the carriage seemed to have found a spot to park and came to a stop.
“Still made it on time, though. Hans, please show the way.”
Fingers as white as jade stretched out towards me.
I really didn’t want to arrange a meeting with the crown prince at all, if I could help it.
But how could I refuse?
Slowly, and gradually.
Putting distance between the two seemed like the best course of action.
“Yes, my lady, as you command.”
“And let the maid take care of cleaning up around here, as maids do.”
“Descendant of warrior, isn’t this treatment too much?”
Leaving the grumbling Bathory behind, we headed towards the palace’s banquet hall.
—
Last night.
After sending off the vampire, the duke immersed in thought headed towards the window.
Far away.
The Evildon Empire, swarming like insects in a place too far to be seen.
“They are in the midst of a civil war.”
– Tap, tap.
The duke’s fingers tapped the window sill at this unexpected piece of information, a habit when he was deep in thought.
Vampires.
According to her, Evildon is currently split into two factions fighting each other.
The Levine faction, which advocates for the unity of demonkind with the Demon King at the forefront.
And the resistance faction, represented by gargoyles.
“Hmm. Now would be the perfect time to invade.”
Of course, the warriors of the north are braver than those from other regions.
But it’s a total war between nations.
Relying solely on the north’s forces would be difficult.
If reinforcements from other regions don’t come, the operation is bound to fail.
“I should send a letter to the royal family.”
It was an opportune moment.
Noble youths about to come of age were gathering in the capital to get acquainted.
“I’ll entrust the letter to Lucy. …The problem is the other side, though.”
The duke, thinking of Lucy who would head to the central region in a few days, had a slight worry on his face.
Even to her father, she seemed closer to a knight than a noble.
He thought she would gradually improve over time, but instead, she’s becoming ‘the perfect knight’.
Even searching through historical records, it would be hard to find a true knight like Luciana.
He was more than pleased to see her grow up so righteous and upright, but…
‘This cannot continue.’
Can Lucy, who can be seen as naive in politics, withstand the local influences of other regions, especially the entrenched nobles of the central region?
It’s essential for her to not only penetrate the tightly-knit circles and establish the prestige befitting her status but also to go further and enjoy a happy life as the mother of the empire.
“Do you not even know the basic courtesy expected of nobility? Get lost. There’s nothing more to say.”
However, in the duke’s imagination, the image of his daughter coldly cutting off their approaches with a single stroke was vividly drawn.
Politics.
She must quickly realize it’s all about pushing and pulling, the underlying rules of the game.
“I’ll warn Lucy, but I should also speak to Hans.”
The duke recalled a boy who stood confidently before him, not cowed, expressing his opinions.
That reminds me.
“Luciana Speda, the duchess, was mentioned.”
Even in front of Count Frontal.
Whether the intention was actually to overthrow the duke or to evade the crisis at the moment was unclear.
But if that page, with judgment rivaling that of the shrewdest nobles, is by Luciana’s side, “At least she won’t be disregarded among her peers of noble children.”
Hans will block any major crisis.
As smart as the child is, this experience will rather serve as a medicine.
Feeling his shoulders lighten slightly, the duke stretched amidst the mountain of work piled up: arranging carriages, selecting accompanying nobles, writing letters…
“Looks like today’s sword practice is canceled.”
For his daughter’s successful debut in the central society.
And for the boundless peace of the North.
Duke Speda, still somewhat awkward with a pen in his hand, got to work.
Cliche Novel 