The moment I heard the news of victory, my legs began to tremble. It was only thanks to the women, including Marian, who held me up that I kept from falling.
“Madam, are you okay?”
"Your Highness!"
Even the soldier who delivered the news of victory was at a loss. I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak to him. My lips trembled, but I tried to remain calm and ask a question that didn't reveal my true feelings.
“How many casualties were there on the enemy and friendly forces?”
To be honest, I wanted to ask if Julian was okay. But I held a higher position than the soldiers, and I had a duty to look after the entire army.
"Casualties are being confirmed, but they are not severe. It's a miraculous result. There were fewer than ten casualties, regardless of whether they were friendly or enemy."
The soldier spoke, still in disbelief. At those words, I breathed a sigh of relief. At that level, we had a good chance of winning. I wasn't talking about this battle. I was talking about the odds of victory for what lay ahead.
I'm talking about the final battle with Princess Abigail.
“I’ll go there.”
This time, no one stopped me. Marian immediately called a carriage, and I climbed into it with her support.
Marian spread three blankets on the carriage seat and sat next to me, holding me tightly. She refused to tolerate even the slightest rocking of the carriage.
I felt like a precious glass doll. Even transporting a rare magic stone wouldn't be this careful.
The carriage arrived at the battle's end. As I disembarked, Mila, the knight who had been standing nearby, ran over. She immediately saluted me and faced me.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess, His Excellency the Count is in a meeting in the barracks.”
“Can you guide me there?”
"Yes!"
Mila led the way, and I followed her. Mila seemed nervous. Her shoulders were stiff, and she clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly. Furthermore, the tips of her ears, when she turned away, were red. Only after reaching the front of the barracks did she seem to have made up her mind before speaking.
“Your Highness, thank you for proving my innocence!”
I was about to enter the barracks when I stopped myself, my eyes widening. Mila knelt before me and bowed deeply.
"Your Highness, you have restored the discipline of the Winsley Army, which was on the verge of collapse! I will never forget this kindness. This is not just my feeling. Every soldier present that day is deeply grateful to Your Highness. I wanted to convey this message."
I stared blankly at Mila, then extended my hand to her. Mila looked back and forth between her own and mine. My hands, having been at least comfortable in the inn, were clean, but hers were not. They were covered in blood, sweat, and dirt from the intense battle.
“My hands are dirty, so I dare not...”
“Don’t embarrass my hands.”
Mila finally took my hand. Her fingertips were as rough as I could see, but that made me feel even more joyful. I was glad I had helped this loyal person, and a sense of relief washed over me that I hadn't done anything.
“It is my pleasure to help you, so there is no need to say anything like ‘thank you.’”
"How could that be? I will surely repay you. All of Winsley County will remember Her Royal Highness, the Grand Duchess, for not shying away from this dangerous battle."
I helped Mila up, and she straightened up with a somewhat surprised expression on her face.
As I smiled at Mila, I heard a voice behind me that I had been longing to hear.
"Ma'am."
I turned around hastily. The man, large enough to cast a shadow over me, had removed his mask, revealing his face. His red eyes, now savage, seemed more ferocious than ever, possessing the ferocity of a battle. The moment his eyes met mine, that ferocity shifted. It was a more secretive and sultry kind.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into the barracks. Because of that, I was dragged away without even saying goodbye to Mila.
“Julian, I...”
Just as I was about to tell him to wait a moment, Julian whispered, his lips pressed against my ear.
“Now even women don’t know what to do because they like you.”
At those words, I became a startled rabbit.
“She said thank you for what happened last time.”
“Why does the face of someone who says thank you turn so red?”
"Well, Mila is a knight. She's not in a position to speak to me comfortably. Wouldn't that require courage?"
I spoke as if it were obvious, but Julian's suspicions remained. I burst out laughing and rebuked him.
“Milla is a girl! You said it yourself.”
"They say love knows no gender. And you're so charming that even an innocent woman would turn her back."
“It’s only in your eyes.”
In the end, I had no choice but to hit Julian on the shoulder. Not that Julian would have flinched even if I did.
I finished lifting the barracks' curtain and stepped fully inside. There must have been a meeting going on inside, but for some reason, it was incredibly quiet.
“Ahem, you’re here.”
The moment my father cleared his throat, I realized the reason for the silence. I glared at Julian, his face flushed with heat. But Julian's expression remained unchanged, and his demeanor remained the same as usual. He simply pulled out a chair and made room for me.
Julian sat to my right, and Adam sat to my left. Of all people, it was Adam. He rested his chin on the desk and looked at me with a sinister gaze.
“Hmm, I see.”
“Be quiet.”
"When I bring my future wife home, I shouldn't show her my older sister. What if she says she likes you better than me?"
"A little!"
I glared at Julian, the one responsible for this. Then Julian asked, as if to ask what the problem was.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
It was truly mind-boggling. I looked at my father desperately, and thankfully, he continued the meeting.
“Some soldiers have come out of their hallucinations, but they too seem to have no recollection of what happened.”
Even though I'd entered the middle of the meeting, I could understand what my father meant. Just as the soldier had told me, the imperial army and the Sasha army were clearly hallucinating.
"First, the soldiers still suffering from hallucinations are showing extremely aggressive tendencies, so they are being tied up and confined. If you believe there's a better solution, please let me know."
As soon as I finished speaking, I raised my hand. My father looked at me and nodded.
“Speak.”
“We need to get testimony from the soldiers who have come to their senses in advance.”
“What kind of testimony are you talking about?”
“Wouldn’t the wizards investigate this when they come to their senses?”
My father's words were sound. They were upright and unwavering. But they weren't enough to defeat Princess Abigail.
"Soon, the new imperial army will arrive here. They'll take the soldiers we've captured and bring them in for questioning. And they'll bring us charges of 'treason.'"
"What?"
Everyone in the room, including my father, stirred. One knight glared, saying, "This is nonsense."
"It was the Imperial Army and Sasha's army that attacked us. We were merely defending ourselves."
“How do you prove that?”
"Once the imperial army and Sasha army break free from their hallucinations, they'll probably notice something's amiss. They were indeed disappointing in this Demonic Beasts subjugation campaign, but I didn't expect them to be so blind to reason..."
"They don't remember anything. Even if the new imperial army comes and pressures them, they have no reason not to give false testimony."
"Why would they do that? We are the Winsleys, loyal to the royal family."
I looked around the barracks. Outside, Mila, the knight who had pledged her loyalty to me, stood, and inside, the barracks were filled with trustworthy men.
Even if there are more people like the Knight Garon hiding, Princess Abigail cannot appear before us right now. She cannot interfere with our efforts to gather evidence.
After I concluded, I spoke to the family and the knights present.
“The Winsley and Duvhzan families are faced with the task of choosing the next Emperor.”
The knights were in an uproar. The Winsleys and Duvhzans had always followed the Emperor alone. They had no interest in who would become the next Emperor. They simply followed the one who ascended the throne.
But now, the family could not hope to survive in that way.
One of the knights asked curiously.
"Shouldn't the next Emperor be the Crown Prince? Hasn't His Highness the Second Prince completely lost His Majesty the Emperor's trust?"
“No.”
I glanced at the knight, then back at my father. I placed my hand on the table before me and continued speaking.
"It's true that the Crown Prince currently controls the royal family's sunny side. However, the dark side is different. There, Princess Abigail is eyeing the throne. She will do anything to seize the throne."
“Do you think Princess Abigail and this hallucination incident are related?”
"Yes. By the way, I believe the reason for the sudden increase in demons is also related to the Princess."
“Are you talking about the demon?”
The barracks were in an uproar. If what I said were true, Princess Abigail had committed an irreparable sin. Not only was she unworthy of being an Emperor, she was also unworthy of being a human being.
That was when.
“Knight Hela would like to attend an urgent meeting.”
I nodded, facing my father, and he immediately gave permission. Hela bowed deeply as soon as she entered the barracks. She appeared unscathed. It was fortunate, but it was strange that she had returned from the demonic zone unscathed.
“Madam, are you okay?”
"Your Highness!"
Even the soldier who delivered the news of victory was at a loss. I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak to him. My lips trembled, but I tried to remain calm and ask a question that didn't reveal my true feelings.
“How many casualties were there on the enemy and friendly forces?”
To be honest, I wanted to ask if Julian was okay. But I held a higher position than the soldiers, and I had a duty to look after the entire army.
"Casualties are being confirmed, but they are not severe. It's a miraculous result. There were fewer than ten casualties, regardless of whether they were friendly or enemy."
The soldier spoke, still in disbelief. At those words, I breathed a sigh of relief. At that level, we had a good chance of winning. I wasn't talking about this battle. I was talking about the odds of victory for what lay ahead.
I'm talking about the final battle with Princess Abigail.
“I’ll go there.”
This time, no one stopped me. Marian immediately called a carriage, and I climbed into it with her support.
Marian spread three blankets on the carriage seat and sat next to me, holding me tightly. She refused to tolerate even the slightest rocking of the carriage.
I felt like a precious glass doll. Even transporting a rare magic stone wouldn't be this careful.
The carriage arrived at the battle's end. As I disembarked, Mila, the knight who had been standing nearby, ran over. She immediately saluted me and faced me.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess, His Excellency the Count is in a meeting in the barracks.”
“Can you guide me there?”
"Yes!"
Mila led the way, and I followed her. Mila seemed nervous. Her shoulders were stiff, and she clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly. Furthermore, the tips of her ears, when she turned away, were red. Only after reaching the front of the barracks did she seem to have made up her mind before speaking.
“Your Highness, thank you for proving my innocence!”
I was about to enter the barracks when I stopped myself, my eyes widening. Mila knelt before me and bowed deeply.
"Your Highness, you have restored the discipline of the Winsley Army, which was on the verge of collapse! I will never forget this kindness. This is not just my feeling. Every soldier present that day is deeply grateful to Your Highness. I wanted to convey this message."
I stared blankly at Mila, then extended my hand to her. Mila looked back and forth between her own and mine. My hands, having been at least comfortable in the inn, were clean, but hers were not. They were covered in blood, sweat, and dirt from the intense battle.
“My hands are dirty, so I dare not...”
“Don’t embarrass my hands.”
Mila finally took my hand. Her fingertips were as rough as I could see, but that made me feel even more joyful. I was glad I had helped this loyal person, and a sense of relief washed over me that I hadn't done anything.
“It is my pleasure to help you, so there is no need to say anything like ‘thank you.’”
"How could that be? I will surely repay you. All of Winsley County will remember Her Royal Highness, the Grand Duchess, for not shying away from this dangerous battle."
I helped Mila up, and she straightened up with a somewhat surprised expression on her face.
As I smiled at Mila, I heard a voice behind me that I had been longing to hear.
"Ma'am."
I turned around hastily. The man, large enough to cast a shadow over me, had removed his mask, revealing his face. His red eyes, now savage, seemed more ferocious than ever, possessing the ferocity of a battle. The moment his eyes met mine, that ferocity shifted. It was a more secretive and sultry kind.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into the barracks. Because of that, I was dragged away without even saying goodbye to Mila.
“Julian, I...”
Just as I was about to tell him to wait a moment, Julian whispered, his lips pressed against my ear.
“Now even women don’t know what to do because they like you.”
At those words, I became a startled rabbit.
“She said thank you for what happened last time.”
“Why does the face of someone who says thank you turn so red?”
"Well, Mila is a knight. She's not in a position to speak to me comfortably. Wouldn't that require courage?"
I spoke as if it were obvious, but Julian's suspicions remained. I burst out laughing and rebuked him.
“Milla is a girl! You said it yourself.”
"They say love knows no gender. And you're so charming that even an innocent woman would turn her back."
“It’s only in your eyes.”
In the end, I had no choice but to hit Julian on the shoulder. Not that Julian would have flinched even if I did.
I finished lifting the barracks' curtain and stepped fully inside. There must have been a meeting going on inside, but for some reason, it was incredibly quiet.
“Ahem, you’re here.”
The moment my father cleared his throat, I realized the reason for the silence. I glared at Julian, his face flushed with heat. But Julian's expression remained unchanged, and his demeanor remained the same as usual. He simply pulled out a chair and made room for me.
Julian sat to my right, and Adam sat to my left. Of all people, it was Adam. He rested his chin on the desk and looked at me with a sinister gaze.
“Hmm, I see.”
“Be quiet.”
"When I bring my future wife home, I shouldn't show her my older sister. What if she says she likes you better than me?"
"A little!"
I glared at Julian, the one responsible for this. Then Julian asked, as if to ask what the problem was.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
It was truly mind-boggling. I looked at my father desperately, and thankfully, he continued the meeting.
“Some soldiers have come out of their hallucinations, but they too seem to have no recollection of what happened.”
Even though I'd entered the middle of the meeting, I could understand what my father meant. Just as the soldier had told me, the imperial army and the Sasha army were clearly hallucinating.
"First, the soldiers still suffering from hallucinations are showing extremely aggressive tendencies, so they are being tied up and confined. If you believe there's a better solution, please let me know."
As soon as I finished speaking, I raised my hand. My father looked at me and nodded.
“Speak.”
“We need to get testimony from the soldiers who have come to their senses in advance.”
“What kind of testimony are you talking about?”
“The testimony that the events during combat are not precisely remembered, and yet the number of casualties is miraculously low.”
My father's words were sound. They were upright and unwavering. But they weren't enough to defeat Princess Abigail.
"Soon, the new imperial army will arrive here. They'll take the soldiers we've captured and bring them in for questioning. And they'll bring us charges of 'treason.'"
"What?"
Everyone in the room, including my father, stirred. One knight glared, saying, "This is nonsense."
"It was the Imperial Army and Sasha's army that attacked us. We were merely defending ourselves."
“How do you prove that?”
"Once the imperial army and Sasha army break free from their hallucinations, they'll probably notice something's amiss. They were indeed disappointing in this Demonic Beasts subjugation campaign, but I didn't expect them to be so blind to reason..."
"They don't remember anything. Even if the new imperial army comes and pressures them, they have no reason not to give false testimony."
"Why would they do that? We are the Winsleys, loyal to the royal family."
I looked around the barracks. Outside, Mila, the knight who had pledged her loyalty to me, stood, and inside, the barracks were filled with trustworthy men.
Even if there are more people like the Knight Garon hiding, Princess Abigail cannot appear before us right now. She cannot interfere with our efforts to gather evidence.
After I concluded, I spoke to the family and the knights present.
“The Winsley and Duvhzan families are faced with the task of choosing the next Emperor.”
The knights were in an uproar. The Winsleys and Duvhzans had always followed the Emperor alone. They had no interest in who would become the next Emperor. They simply followed the one who ascended the throne.
But now, the family could not hope to survive in that way.
One of the knights asked curiously.
"Shouldn't the next Emperor be the Crown Prince? Hasn't His Highness the Second Prince completely lost His Majesty the Emperor's trust?"
“No.”
I glanced at the knight, then back at my father. I placed my hand on the table before me and continued speaking.
"It's true that the Crown Prince currently controls the royal family's sunny side. However, the dark side is different. There, Princess Abigail is eyeing the throne. She will do anything to seize the throne."
“Do you think Princess Abigail and this hallucination incident are related?”
"Yes. By the way, I believe the reason for the sudden increase in demons is also related to the Princess."
“Are you talking about the demon?”
The barracks were in an uproar. If what I said were true, Princess Abigail had committed an irreparable sin. Not only was she unworthy of being an Emperor, she was also unworthy of being a human being.
That was when.
“Knight Hela would like to attend an urgent meeting.”
I nodded, facing my father, and he immediately gave permission. Hela bowed deeply as soon as she entered the barracks. She appeared unscathed. It was fortunate, but it was strange that she had returned from the demonic zone unscathed.
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