[Chapter 1: Tea is tasteless]
The Talamand estate, given to her as a hero, belonged to the imperial palace because it could not find the owner of the land since the Duke family had plotted rebellion a long time ago.
It is said that the previous Emperor left these words in his will.
"The territory of Talamand shall later be given to the true heroes of the Empire."
No one knows why he left such a will.
Because it was fertile and good, the nobles wanted the land regardless of their title, but no one could be called a hero. Above all, the current Emperor, Liam, who succeeded directly after the previous Emperor, had no intention of giving the land to anyone.
But in turbulent times, a hero came out and abandoned him.
According to the will of the previous Emperors, the land had to be given to Odelia, who received the title of hero.
Therefore, Article 145, Paragraph 3 of the ancient law was invoked. A deadly law that you can only receive compensation if you get married unconditionally.
In fact, to check public sentiment, it was also necessary to make the hero Odelia live as the wife of an ordinary aristocrat. If power is added to a hero who is called a miracle among the people, a force may be created around her.
Even so, he had no intention of giving up a savior who could stand on the side of the people while he was in trouble because of the riots in the lower part of the country.
Anyway, aside.
Thus, Odelia had to make her debut at the debutante ball to be held this spring and welcome her husband.
"They're very determined to bury you."
Cedric, a colleague and friend who had been with Odelia in battle-in fact, he had been saved many times by Odelia and had been sticking to her ever since, said.
"What should I do? If it's black, it's black."
"..."
"Why?"
"If you want to debut, you need to change your way of speaking. Why, all the ladies are shaking their fans and saying Oh, hoho, you know, you use such a noble tone. Don't go to your debut and introduce yourself loudly."
"Oh, hoho, like this?"
Odelia tried to speak as clearly as possible. However, it felt like she was strangling her throat, so she ended up coughing dry and grabbed her own neck.
It felt that the road ahead was already difficult and long, so she stared blankly out the window with a skeptical face.
Ladies in Empire silhouette dresses walk out the window with their maids or guardians, carrying parasols and fans, and the gentlemen approach them very politely and ask them to talk.
The sight of the ladies smiling shyly as they covered their faces with fans naturally shrank as if they had eaten a very astringent persimmon.
"Still, you've made a lot of progress. That's it, Odelia. Is this place more spacious and comfortable than your townhouse?"
"Yes, I was just asked to prepare for my debut."
This was the townhouse where Odelia was temporarily living.
"That's why you just have to choose a husband in your debut tunte."
"Does it get chosen just because I choose it?"
Cedric's eyes lit up, and he pointed to himself. I'm here, here.
Although he was a rural nobleman with a small territory in the south, Cedric was also a nobleman. But Odelia shook her head firmly as if it was absolutely not possible.
"Oh why!"
"No matter what, you can't do it."
"Why! Who marries only with love in Detante? Normally, it is signed between families. Will we still live happily? I'll do a really good job too. I don't covet your land. If you use me, you'll make your debut, so you don't have to go through a lot of trouble!"
Cedric wasn't wrong.
"I've been saying it for a long time. I will definitely repay you for saving me."
"Only give me that help when I need it."
"What about financial support?"
"...Eat the liver of fleas."
"Hey! Do you ignore my family?"
"It's a prank, and I've already been helped a few times. If you hadn't helped, everyone in my hometown would have died. Besides, you need money to get married, and I don't think it's just when you're worried about me right now, Cedric."
"...I'm looking forward to it."
"So you have to be really skinny for me to lean on you."
"Odelia!"
She has only three months. Even if she starts right now to prepare for her debut in early May, she is short on time, but Odelia has no intention of doing so.
"Oh, it's dirty and deadly, but why don't you just say it's territory?"
"Hey, what are you talking about, Odelia!"
"I know. I just did it. I'm very dirty and deadly, so I have to accept it."
Odelia ground her teeth. She wasn't the one who ran away from a challenge.
"That personality that can't live without losing doesn't go anywhere. So, do you have any plans?"
"I don't think it's difficult to go to a banquet all day and smile pretentiously. If you just smile softly and pretend to be nice like that, no one will get caught. It's love, it's a mess, and no matter who mocks or belittles my past life, all I have to do is harmlessly fan it and vent my anger."
"I know that very well. But why do you look so shit-chewed?"
"Because to do that, I have to deceive myself."
"Oh, even if you die soon, you can't abandon your faith in yourself?"
"Isn't it natural?"
Each person had their own line to defend. In Odelia's case, the direction of her life was the main line.
"...I have to do it. I have to do it."
She doesn't think she will avoid it because she doesn't want to do it. Even if she didn't want to die, she had to do whatever she had to do.
Cedric looked at Odelia with a subtle sadness.
So, if she only needs to catch someone. He wanted to ask why she couldn't, but he still didn't dare to do so.
***
After the Emperor ordered the hero to make a late debut, the social world became noisy. This is because this debutante was not just an ordinary debutante held every year.
"A bird will fall in the place of the lady of honor who will receive the Empress's ring."
At the end of the social season, the Empress gives the ring to the Lady of the Year. The protagonist was given a great honor. The lady who received the Empress's ring was like saying that she was 'the best bride in the empire'. You can choose your husband as you wish, and the Empress will even take care of your dowry.
It was not like that every year, but this year it was the first reward given by the Empress herself, so each family is preparing to groom their daughters to be selected as the best brides.
In other words, the Golden Lion Hero may have flown around on the battlefield, but she couldn't even guess the spirit pulse here in her debut.
"I can't tear my crotch when I try to follow the stork."
At that moment, someone suddenly intervened.
"I don't think you have to worry about your crotch tearing."
Everyone kept their mouths shut. It was Crown Prince Calix.
"Because you're so tall. You're probably not much older than me."
The nobles were taken aback by the words, which were not known to be joking or serious.
"Oh, ahaha, that's right. The last time I saw it, it was huge. I can't believe a woman is that tall... A woman must be small, and she has a protective instinct, isn't she?"
When Calix just stared at the Count without saying a word or showing any expression, everyone was busy noticing. Eh, you look like that ignorant human being.
Even so, no noble would feel good about hearing an insult directed at their subordinates, so the other nobles quickly try to smooth things over.
"Well, that, still... If you look closely, isn't there any advantage? If you marry her, you can get the territory of Talamand in your hands!"
"Ha, it's because she's in a bit of a bad state today, it's not that her face is ugly. Women are naturally dressed up! At least she's not fat because she runs around the battlefield hard!"
"..."
It wasn't that easy. When the nobles opened their mouths, they realized that they would not be able to say anything good, so they kept their mouths shut.
The Crown Prince just passed by without showing any reaction.
Looking at the back of the Crown Prince moving away, the men gathered again in groups and began to bow to each other.
"Even if it's the Crown Prince himself, he can't bring himself to refute that woman's claim she'll fail at her debut, right?"
"That's right. In fact, there's no reason for His Highness to take that woman's side. If you try it, you'll end up being a commoner."
"Yes, the Emperor told her to go to the debutante as if she were a boy. What does that mean? The Emperor doesn't recognize that woman. If you wield a sword on the battlefield, how dare you let yourself pretend to be an aristocrat on the subject of the common people?"
"Then what if she doesn't find a groom in her debutant..."
"It's not about looking for it, it's about not being chosen."
"...Whatever it is, if she doesn't get a marriage proposal, she won't get any compensation!"
"Isn't it natural? Even though there was a lot of hideous talk, Talamand was the land of the Rubis family. Will you give up such a precious land so easily?"
From now on, the nobles would only have to look at Odelia from across the river and laugh at Odelia, who would be ridiculed for imitating the lady but not daring to follow her.
"But she is the hero who led the empire to victory?"
An unaware young nobleman asked. The elderly, middle-aged men looked at him as if they were looking at him and replied.
"So, whether it's a hero or whatever, in the end, she's an old maid who can't get married. She was also arrogant in that she had made a contribution to the topic of the lower classes."
"Was she so cocky? I was there too, but I didn't know..."
It seems that even if you don't notice, it's too much.
"Well, she didn't get married, but the more you think about it, the more you think about it, the more amazing a woman is, isn't she? Even a very rough man can do difficult things with a woman's body. It's a merit that everyone has no choice but to recognize. Haha, maybe it's because I'm a bit timid. It's cool to see."
At the sound of the child's clothes bursting, they began to fight as one.
"Then why don't you just marry her? I think you can get the territory of Talamand, too."
Then, the noble young man who had been laughing blankly immediately shut up.
Count, yes, you don't like it because it's your job, right? Their snorting expressions clearly showed the inferiority complex they had for Odelia, who had established a major with her own body.
In fact, they are all aware of it, but they are just turning away
It is not that they use the people as a meat shield and enjoy a banquet behind them, and they make merit with the body of a woman and receive the praise of the people.
So if someone showed a favorable attitude towards Odelia, gossiping behind their back in this way was just an ostracism they could do.
But no matter how much they chew on it.
"My ears are tickling. Who curses me?"
Odelia just slapped her ears with a face that said she didn't have a lower blow.
"...Don't go to a banquet and act like that because your ears itch."
Odelia didn't care.
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