The Protagonists Of The Novel Escaped – Chapter 5

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Ludmilla was currently in a predicament.

The successor of the Red Dragon.

One of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States.

The greatest female knight who had protected the Valtarian Empire.

Even though she was close to being invincible, there were situations equivalent to force majeure.

Moreover, her current situation was a complex problem, making her sigh heavily and rack her brains.

“No! I won’t accept anyone but Maximilian!!”

“But….”

The Valtarian Imperial Family ended their long-standing relationship with the Hohenberc family by ordering them to pay massive compensation for annulling the engagement.

Emperor Barbarossa summoned the ministers and ordered them to find a new spouse.

Was it because of the backlash towards Maximilian?

Or was it the Emperor’s determination not to let his youngest daughter become an old bachelorette like his second daughter?

He hastily made the decision without even asking the party involved, his youngest daughter.

Ludmilla stepped in to deal with the discord that arose in the Valtarian Imperial Family as a result.

“Forget about Maximilian. He’s already someone whose heart has left.”

Ludmilla spoke in a calm voice as if admonishing her. In response, a brazen reaction flew back.

“That woman who stole my fiancé is the problem! So why do I have to give up!”

Even though she had suffered the humiliation of being informed of the annulment, Elizaveta still persisted in her single-minded affection for Maximilian.

She even threatened that she would never give up the engagement.

My only partner is Maximilian!

It could be inferred through her blue eyes that she showed determination.

The confrontation between the stubborn father and the younger sister would soon lead to a clash.

Concerned about that, Ludmilla tried to find a compromise somehow. To be precise, it was to persuade her sister, who denied the annulment.

She couldn’t go against the imperial order that had already decided on the annulment.

“For now, take a look at the documents first. They were selected from the empire’s outstanding and brilliant sons.”

“No need! I don’t want to!”

“You’re twenty now too. You need to hurry before you miss the marriageable age.”

“Ha! You’re not one to talk, being twenty-seven years old this year! If they’re such great prospective grooms, why don’t you marry them instead, sister!”

Oh, snap. She had touched the dragon’s reverse scale. She had violated the absolute taboo that should never be spoken.

Crack-.

As if to prove it, the sound of grinding molars was heard.

“Ah, aaaah! I’m sorry, it’s my fault, sister-!!”

The foul-mouthed younger sister, who had been rude to her older sister, was immediately put in a headlock.

Buried in that voluptuous chest.

At the same time, a fierce grip pressed down on her head.

If her head got crushed like this, would 0 become 8? Such a thought suddenly came to mind, as the punishment got crueler. At that, Elizaveta screamed and shouted for surrender.

“But… I really love Maximilian. I know, I’m being foolish.”

“……”

I know.

I know better than anyone.

That he loves that damn woman, not me.

And that he ran away with the saintess as soon as he declared the annulment.

But,

Even so, I couldn’t give up.

Even though I knew that being stubborn until the end would only make me miserable.

Seeing the resolute younger sister, Ludmilla felt perplexed.

She couldn’t bring herself to force marriage on her beloved younger sister, citing the duties and responsibilities of an imperial family member.

‘Oh, what should I do…?’

Although Ludmilla was one of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States representing the continent, unfortunately, she was almost a complete outsider regarding men’s and women’s affairs.

Twenty-seven years old this year.

She had never been in a relationship even once.

Because she had walked the path of martial arts with the sole goal of becoming stronger.

A purity that could shock even the nuns who had vowed celibacy.

It was a feat that was impossible unless one had been exiled to a country where only women existed. She could be said to be a man-prohibitor.

‘It would be nice if there was someone who could solve this problem refreshingly….’

Someone skilled in affairs.

Someone with wit and eloquence.

And someone who could cut off the obsession with Maximilian.

As Ludmilla pondered, tapping her cheek, she cautiously recalled the person she had met in the land of the East.

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While the Valtarian Imperial Family was racking their brains over the marriage proposal,

The Hohenberc family, which had pulled the trigger of chaos, was facing a different problem.

“Damn it…! It fell again!”

Expecting the Second Industrial Revolution, I had devoted myself to steel-related stocks, but they recorded a loss of 20%.

Damn it.

The kingdom that had been importing iron ore was engulfed in war.

Was it because of the petty trick of trying to reap unearned income by riding the tide of the times?

Numerous misfortunes piled up, causing the stock price to fall. If I pulled out now, I would only lose my investment, so I chose to go long.

[The Empire’s Technology Department develops a special bolt-action.]

[The Knights of the Valore Kingdom were defeated by black gunpowder.]

[“Chicken and pizza are not sex.” A professor at the Royal Academy reprimands the audience in the lecture hall.]

The newspapers issued in the capital always had something in common.

Praise to promote patriotism.

Telegrams posted by war correspondents roaming the battlefields of each country.

And the trivial and cliché stories happening all over the empire.

The subscription fee was a waste.

I wanted to deliver a bomb to the newspaper company.

Of course, it was a relief that no news stories related to the Hero’s Party existed.

“This is a staff that shoots lightning. It was so loud that my ears almost fell off.”

“Right.”

Rue, examining the newspaper on the desk, spoke with a tilted head.

A staff that shoots lightning. In the eyes of a child, a firearm seems to take that form.

“There was something similar in Edan’s drawer! But it was a lot smaller….”

“I told you not to open it secretly. There are no jelly candies you’re looking for in the office drawer.”

3 o’clock in the afternoon.

It was tea time.

As I left the office, the girl in uniform followed.

The gazes of the servants engaged in housework and chores were focused on her.

A warm atmosphere flowed as if they had wholly welcomed the girl who had visited the county with a heavy travel bag as a member.

“I specially prepared a chocolate cake for you, little fairy!”

“Ooh! I’m really looking forward to it!”

The cheeky girl with bright green hair flowing down had become the Hero’s Party’s mascot and the Hohenberc family’s representative mascot.

Like a panda making its first appearance at the zoo, she gained immense popularity among the numerous servants.

It was indeed an incredible popularity.

At this rate, wouldn’t this little one take over the family? It seemed like she had already stolen the popularity.

“Eat a lot. You have to work until dawn.”

“Eek…! Edan is a complete sweatshop owner!”

We were preparing countermeasures to repay the enormous compensation the Valtarian Imperial Family presented.

7.8 billion Rachels.

It was indeed a staggering amount.

It must be to torment the Hohenberc family for a long time.

Still, I didn’t complain about the imperial family.

Even though we had committed a grave crime that deserved the destruction of the family, didn’t it end up being resolved by simply paying compensation?

We could only be grateful for the Emperor’s magnanimity.

‘There were some worrisome incidents in the newspaper I just read.’

A bomb terror in the Savoia Duchy.

A mysterious fire broke out in the Alonde Kingdom.

It was unclear whether it was a coincidence. Still, the Savoia Duchy and the Alonde Kingdom were the hometowns of the Mercenary King and the Sword Saint, members of the Hero’s Party.

Moreover, the places where the terror and fire occurred were close to their hometowns.

Was it an accident?

Or was it a deliberate attack?

I couldn’t help but be sensitive to the loss of life that occurred along with the disappearance of the Hero’s Party.

If an unknown force plotted to take revenge on the members of the Hero’s Party, they would undoubtedly target the Hohenberc County. Sensing that, I became worried.

“Eat slowly. Don’t naturally eat my cake too.”

“W-Would I do that?!”

I took a napkin and wiped her chocolate-smeared mouth.

It felt like taking care of a niece.

Since my damn brother had dumped her on me, she was no different from a cute niece.

I stared at Rue, who was smiling awkwardly and lifted a fork.

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Originally, the desire for revenge extends not only to the target but also to their blood relatives.

I had anticipated it.

The hero, Maximilian, would be no different from a mortal enemy to the villains.

He mercilessly slaughtered the evils that opposed the saintess. He repeated the executions without a shred of sympathy, so naturally, the karmic retribution towards the iron-blooded hero could only grow.

Someday, that retribution would be directed at the Hohenberc family.

Perhaps that day could be today.

With that thought, I waited for the retribution that would attack the hero’s family.

‘If they do attack… it would be around dawn when the vigilance loosens.’

The pitch-black night is darker than any curtain.

It would be an obstacle for both those who hide and those who try to catch them.

Then, what would happen if the two sides were to face each other in a space filled with pitch-black darkness?

Undoubtedly, the side accustomed to the dark pitch-black would gain the upper hand.

“Edanant von Hohenberc…! I heard you are the blood relative of the hero Maximilian.”

“Did you come to vent your anger? How petty.”

When I left the fairy, who was dozing off like a baby chick, in the office,

I found myself facing a dark shadow while holding documents in both hands.

A mask covering the face.

Sharp blades hanging down.

A black leather armor that stored numerous blades.

Was it an assassin who had appeared in the newspaper?

Or perhaps it was a new assassin deployed this time.

Anyway, what mattered now was that a suspicious person was wielding a longsword in front of me.

“Draw your sword. I don’t kill empty-handed… even if you’re the blood relative of the enemy I want to tear apart.”

“You’re quite considerate for an assassin.”

Does he value honor despite being an assassin? How peculiar. I would gladly accept his courtesy.

To reciprocate the aforementioned courtesy, I drew a gun instead of a sword hilt and fired.

‘Bang!’

The bullet accurately struck the assassin’s forehead.

Along with the sharp gunshot, the pile of documents I had been holding in both hands fluttered and scattered.

The man who had shown petty courtesy despite planning an assassination was shot in the head and died instantly with the fierce gunshot.

He fell forward with wide-open eyes as if he hadn’t expected it.

“Why today of all days? Tomorrow is the weekend…. Several people are going to lose sleep today because of that damn runaway brother.”

I muttered as I withdrew the smoking gun.

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