CH 32

(Estiya’s pov)

“There!”

Kaylan exclaimed. I poked out the head I had been hiding behind Kaylan’s back. Rodrigo’s army was marching in line. Kaylan, Ether, and Eyla rushed down the hill. A white flag rose as if they had found them. The army stopped. Rodrigo was at the forefront of his army. I jumped off Kaylan’s horse before he could even stop.

“Estiya!”

Kaylan shouted urgently. The voice was full of fear that I might get hurt, but fortunately I wasn’t. I ran to Rodrigo.

Rodrigo also got off his horse and ran to me. I jumped at the same speed I was running and hugged him. Rodrigo hugged me, spun me around, and lowered me to the ground.

I heard a whistle from somewhere. It was then that I realized that Rodrigo and I were directing a scene like a desperate couple who died and couldn’t live. I was a little embarrassed to think that hundreds of people were watching.

“I couldn’t say goodbye to you.”

I said.

“It’s an honor to see you off.”

“Always write to me if you need help.”

Rodrigo nodded his head. But I thought he would never send a letter.

“Never forget that our contract is marriage.”

I put my hands on his cheeks. He seemed a little out of power, so I said, “Hap,” and gave him a friendly flick. He laughed

“I keep my promises pretty well. Don’t worry, Estiya.”

So we parted.

Exactly one month after his departure, war broke out. Rodrigo made a request to send troops from the Empire, but the emperor refused. That night, I packed.

“Miss, where are you going?”

“To support him with troops.”

“No, what nonsense are you talking about? Is this going to work out if you go alone, Miss?”

The battlefield situation was very bad. Perhaps the army given by the emperor was chaotic, and he was losing many times in local battles. Fortunately, since August is in charge of the rear support, the supply seems to be going well.

“Jane, you have a short thought. I thought you learned a lot while you were with me.”

“What?”

Jane rolled her eyes.

“I am going to be taken hostage.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m going to be the hostage of the Veloki Peninsula. Then who will move?”

“Cartina…”

“But, will Cartina move?”

Don’t underestimate our troops. Stefan also had an army of monsters. It’s tricky to deal with though. The tip of my nose wrinkled at the thought of the Veloki soldiers being slaughtered, but I couldn’t help it. Because Rodrigo is more important.

“I’ll be there, Jane.”

“I will go with you.”

“If the two of us go together, they’ll think we are running away.”

“Then you are going to claim that the Velokis came all the way here and kidnapped you? It’s not me who thinks short, it’s the Miss.”

“Then?”

Jane shoved some of my belongings into the bag.

“The lady who left after hearing that her lover was in danger, Velokie bandits appeared when she was reunited with her lover… Let’s go with this story.”

Jane is smart. I nodded. I took a piece of paper and quickly wrote a letter.

-Dear Mom, Dad, and Brothers and Sisters. I’m going to see Rodrigo. Don’t worry too much, I’ll be back in good health.

After writing the letter, I hesitated.

“What, Miss?”

“It’s impossible for us to outrun the Cartina chase. Right?”

Belatedly, the sense of reality returned. Cartina’s pursuit team was made up of the most elite. The skill of riding horses was truly the best. Of course, I was also good at riding horses, but I do not have the knack for dealing with dozens of people taking turns chasing after me.

“Let’s get on the portal.”

I looked at Jane.

“Then they will find out your destination right away.”

Because portals leave traces of where they went.

“It’s divided by five.”

“Five?”

I pulled the pillows and stacked them up.

“Let’s go to five destinations. Our final destination is…”

I whispered into Jane’s ear. Jane’s eyes twinkled.

“You are a genius.”

(3rd person pov)

Rodrigo met the king of the Veloki Peninsula.

Frans Royal Veloki.

“I didn’t expect to face such an enemy.”

Frans respected Rodrigo.

“It was something I could never have imagined even when I was helping the prince.”

Rodrigo and Frans knew each other well. Rodrigo helped him when Frans was ignored because he was the son of a concubine. It was Rodrigo who had a decisive influence on his position in Veloki and him becoming king. To Frans, Rodrigo was a good friend and benefactor.

“Are you really going to fight us?”

When he heard the news that the army had departed from the Empire, Frans was ready to fight. He organized an army and moved people from the borderlands. But the moment he realized that it was Rodrigo who was leading the army of the Empire, he hesitated. Frans sent envoys instead of troops. So the two met in the middle area.

“The Empire is.”

“My question is, is that what Sir Rodrigo wants? Veloki has been loyal to the Empire ever since. We have no reason to be attacked by the Empire. It is a war without a cause. No matter how imperial it may be.”

What Frans said was correct. But Rodrigo was unable to express his intentions frankly. It was not that he doesn’t trust Frans. This was because nothing will change if he reveals his own will.

“I am a servant of the Empire.”

“Come to my country.”

Frans’ proposal was groundbreaking. He’ll give him the duke’s seat, a job in the royal family, a manor, and if he wanted, even marry a princess. If it was Rodrigo in the past, he would have been willing to do it. But now he had Estiya. He decided to go back by the day of her birthday.

“I’m sorry.”

At Rodrigo’s polite refusal, Frans’ face darkened.

“If we have to, we will win.”

Frans shouted at Rodrigo who got up first.

“I will not lose, Sir Frans.”

Rodrigo said goodbye and went out of the tent. It will not be an easy war. And it wasn’t an easy war. Rodrigo couldn’t sleep well because he was strategizing every day.

Veloki’s soldiers were very inexperienced, but they had high morale. On the other hand, Rodrigo’s soldiers, with the exception of Erhardt’s enlisted men, were at the bottom of their morale. This was a gap that even tactics could not fill.

Several local battles ensued. As long as the army organized by Erhardt’s privates didn’t move, they lost every time. The soldiers fled one after another. Rodrigo beheaded them mercilessly.

Even when he heard that he was a general without blood or tears, Rodrigo did not stop wielding his sword at the fleeing soldiers. The number of prison breakers will increase uncontrollably.

Rodrigo, who was lying in the barracks with the necks of ten prisoners beheaded, got up and sat down at his desk. He would rather die, but he had to ask the emperor for help. If the emperor sends reinforcements, the morale of the soldiers will also increase. Then it was worth a try.

Frans did not appear to have any intention of launching an all-out war. Because he knew Rodrigo’s fear. But what if he realized that the soldiers were in a mess? It was only a matter of time before they attacked Rodrigo’s army. Rodrigo tied his letter to the paws of his fastest hawk and sent it away.

A week later, the hawk returned. Rodrigo opened the letter.

-Disallowance.

The one word pressed down on Rodrigo’s chest painfully. He had to think of the next trick.

“Gunther, Devlan.”

Even lying in bed was a luxury now.

Cartina was flipped over.

“The lady is gone!”

When the butler shouted, Stefan and Hela slowly came out of the room and asked.

“Who is the lady?”

Eyla and Ether are also called ‘lady’.

“Eh, eh, Miss Estiya…”

Stefan and Hela’s faces turned white. Stefan began to shake the bell. All the servants of the mansion gathered in the garden.

“Estiya is gone. What happened?”

Stefan looked at the scouts first.

“I couldn’t find any traces of her leaving. There were no intruders last night.”

“Then you mean Estiya soared to the sky?”

Stefan took out his sword and aimed it at the reconnaissance officer.

“That, that…”

“Father, I found it!”

Just as Stefan’s sword was about to pierce the reporter’s neck, Eyla rushed out. Everyone looked at Eyla.

“It’s the portal, she went through it!”

The people of Cartina headed to the basement where the portal was. A faint light leaked. Judging by the intensity of the light, it seemed that three hours had not passed since the portal was activated.

“Where did she go?”

Stefan asked the wizard who was managing the portal grimly. At the terrifying voice, the wizard trembled and said the names of the five places. All five were near the Veloki border. Hela stumbled.

“Estiya visited Rodrigo.”

There was no power in her voice. Stefan clenched his fists.

That damn child! Eventually he twisted his daughter! It was also a dangerous battlefield!

“Move now, find Estiya!”

Stefan’s roar echoed in the basement.

(Estiya’s pov)

“Are you okay, Miss?”

Jane asked me. I brushed off the grassy skirt and got up.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Awesome. I feel like throwing up.”

Eventually Jane grabbed the tree and started to vomit. I covered my nose and patted Jane on the back. Jane’s vomit ended quickly because she hadn’t eaten. They said you could get portal sickness, it’s true.

But I was someone who rode many rides in my old days. There was nothing wrong with going through the portal. There were many times when a past life is helpful in many ways.

“Quickly calm down. The sun is rising.”

When the sun comes up, they’ll soon notice that I’m gone, so there’ll be a chase. Before that, I had to meet Rodrigo to explain my plans and voluntarily become the hostage of the Veloki Peninsula. There was no time.

“Then we should have teleported closer.”

Jane moaned, wiping her lips.

“If I ride a horse in this state, I will die.”

“Then get on the carriage. I will drive the carriage.”

I put my voluminous hair together and put on something like a cone hat over it. Dressed like a man, I looked like a young boy. Jane was like a girl. Read only at pm tl.

“It’s a carriage driven by a lady, so I dare… It is an honour.”

Jane answered. That’s why Jane is good. Adapting to the situation like a cockroach.

“Let’s go down and borrow a carriage.”

Jane and I went down the forest path.

“Miss, I’m riding in a carriage to protect you. Do you know that rich, foolish aristocratic lady is the prey of many?”

Yes yes I know.

I nodded my head as I listened to Jane’s explanation. We were able to rent a carriage right away. Gold coins came out of Jane’s pocket. I plausibly opened the carriage door to Jane.

“By the way, do you know how to drive a carriage?”

Jane asked with anxious eyes just before she got on. Drive a carriage… Of course I don’t know.

“No, I don’t know.”

I smiled sweetly and shoved Jane into the carriage. I struggled that Jane wouldn’t go in, so I had to shove her butt at the end.

I didn’t wear a dress, so this was good. The dress reveals the identity too nakedly. As a result, the behavioral restrictions were too severe.

A noble girl in a fancy dress driving a carriage? It’s ridiculous. A noble girl talking nonsense with her maid? Too easily tracked.

All the actions I did today were actions I shouldn’t have done as an aristocrat. I just changed clothes, but it was interesting to see the different situations. And I liked this freedom.

When I first possessed, I thanked the world for letting me possess as a noble, but I felt like I had given up my freedom for a warm bed.

If other people heard it, they’ll surely point their fingers.

I jumped onto the driver’s seat and used the whip.

The horse left with a long weeping sound. There was a cracking sound from inside the carriage. I pushed harder, hoping it wasn’t Jane’s head that just broke.

(3rd person pov)

Two knights stood firmly in front of Rodrigo’s barracks. The momentum of the knights standing up as if they were forbidden to enter anything except those who had been told in advance was great.

Inside Rodrigo’s barracks were Gunther, Devlan, and Rodrigo. Heavy air pressed against the inside of the barracks. The three of them spread out the map and looked at each other with their arms folded, but nothing was said.

“I expect a week.”

Gunther opened his mouth. The week he said was the time from war to raising the white flag.

“Sir Gunter is looking at the long run, but not me. If there is a raid, I think we should pack right away, even tonight.”

Unlike usual, Devlan spoke in a tone that was not quite serious. Rodrigo didn’t respond. His mind was confused.

“There is a way.”

Gunther glanced at Devlan. Devlan shook his head not to speak, but Gunther’s eyes were determined. Then Rodrigo took his eyes off the map and saw Gunther.

“Say it.”

“We just have to surrender.”

Rodrigo let out a squeaking sound, and then lowered his head again.

“Sir, think about it. This is the war that Emperor Tereo abandoned. Isn’t it a problem to lose and return, or a problem to win and return?”

Gunter was right. It’s the battlefield where Emperor Tereo ordered him to die, or at least to come back with his nose missing after losing. He might be singing, thinking about how to hold him accountable for losing the war. But what if we win here?

Emperor Tereo will pressure Rodrigo, saying he has a hard heart. The most convenient way is not to go back, but he has already deleted that from the answer sheet.

“If I use magic?”

“No!”

“Absolutely not!”

Gunther and Devlan trembled. His magic was still unstable. Also, if he knew that he was using magic, Emperor Tereo would rush at him like crazy. Assuming that Emperor Tereo could be an enemy, and being sure of an enemy are two different things.

“There is no way, there is no way.”

For the first time, Rodrigo felt like he was facing a wall on the battlefield. There is no way to break through on his own. Does it end after just passing time like this?

“Your Excellency, Your Excellency!”

At that moment, an urgent cry from the knight was heard outside.

“What’s going on?”

When the three of them were meeting, it was ordered not to interfere unless it was a surprise attack. Gunther got up and opened the barracks door.

“Uh… Well…”

Gunther looked at the man standing at the door and bit his lip.

“What’s up?”

When Gunther went to check the situation and said nothing, Rodrigo came out, and he froze.

“E-Estiya?”

Estiya, who was scruffy, said with a dying face.

“I’m hungry.”

~End of Volume 1~