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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It wasn’t Rudrick, but Eileen’s adjutant, who broke the heavy silence.
“Grand Duchess.”
“Hmm?”
“A word in your ear…”
Normally, such impudence wouldn’t be tolerated.
It was unthinkable for a mere adjutant to ask the Grand Duchess for a private word, no matter how devotedly they served her. But this was a special circumstance.
Instead of frowning, Eileen, intrigued, inclined her head towards her adjutant. Seeing the situation, the adjutant whispered softly.
Eileen listened silently for a while, then nodded in agreement as soon as the adjutant stepped back.
“I see.”
Eileen murmured and began to weigh the adjutant’s words against the current situation.
It started with the nickname “Grand Duchess of Nord.”
Most nobles perceived Eileen as nothing more than the Empire’s watchdog, guarding the Wall.
Due to the North’s infrequent contact with the central government, exaggerated rumors about Eileen often circulated.
For these reasons, Eileen was well aware that she was perceived as intimidating by strangers.
This was the first time she had ever felt affection or interest in someone of the opposite sex.
Naturally, the adjutant’s advice was timely and appropriate for the inexperienced Eileen.
“I’ll hear your answer later.”
“Huh?”
“My approach was clumsy. You need more time to think as well.”
Eileen nodded to herself, having reached a conclusion, and changed the subject.
“But the offer I made before still stands.”
“The offer you made before…?”
“Setting aside any personal feelings, your talent is too precious to be wasted here.”
Eileen, her expression even more serious than usual, spoke with her fingers interlocked.
The mercenary captain, who was about to lose a highly skilled mage, closed her eyes tightly, but Eileen continued, unfazed.
“I believe it’s a disservice to your talent to continue focusing on mercenary work, which offers no future. I assure you, you are an uncut gem.”
“I appreciate the high praise, but…”
Rudrick wasn’t thick-skinned enough to remain composed after being so blatantly flattered, so he let out an awkward laugh, trying to defuse the situation.
However, remembering the adjutant’s advice, Eileen didn’t let him off the hook so easily.
‘…I shouldn’t be too forward, but if I miss this opportunity, it’s over,’ she recalled her adjutant’s words.
They were practically strangers.
Being too assertive could backfire, but if she let him go without leaving any room for further interaction, it would be truly over.
Remembering her adjutant’s advice, Eileen clenched her fists under the table.
She hadn’t been this nervous even when she first held a sword.
But thinking this was her first and last chance, her clenched fists began to sweat.
She wouldn’t be this nervous even in a life-or-death battle against a powerful enemy.
It was hard to believe that a single man could make the Grand Duchess of Nord, Eileen Nord, so nervous.
“If you wish, I can arrange for you to become an apprentice to the court mage. If you prefer the Mage Tower, I can secure a position for you there as well.”
In contrast to her inner turmoil, Eileen’s words flowed smoothly.
Having entered a state of hyperfocus, driven by the thought that this was her only chance, Eileen’s eloquence was impeccable.
“Don’t think of it as special treatment. If they recognize your talent, they’ll be eager to have you. Just think of it as a simple favor. It would be ridiculous to say you owe me a debt for this.”
Despite her inner determination, Eileen’s expression remained impassive.
She spoke calmly, as if it were nothing, but inside, she was tense, determined to make this happen.
The gist of the adjutant’s advice was to create opportunities for continued interaction.
Eileen, remembering her adjutant’s words about how you can’t expect everything at once, calmly waited for Rudrick’s answer.
‘Does she really like me? Me? Why?’
Meanwhile, Rudrick, having received Eileen’s offer, was also bewildered.
He hadn’t become a mercenary with any grand ambitions. He hadn’t aspired to become a mercenary king or to perfect his magic in real combat.
He was simply a young nobleman who had run away from home to avoid an arranged marriage, and his options were limited.
“Hmm…”
“…”
Rudrick hummed, and Eileen stared at him, waiting for his answer.
It had been over a year since Rudrick became a mercenary.
Living among the rough mercenaries, he had gained some understanding of the ways of the world. Especially when it came to matters between men and women.
In front of Rudrick, the rough mercenaries were cautious, as he was a nobleman and a man. But that didn’t mean he had never heard them engage in vulgar conversations.
Furthermore, Rudrick, whose mindset was still stuck in his past life, often came across as a naive young nobleman to others, and he had a few close calls.
Though, the people who had tried to take advantage of him had all ended up suffering the consequences of his magic.
But even for Rudrick, the Grand Duchess of Nord’s blunt approach, a woman who had never been in love, was something entirely new.
Perhaps it was even more disconcerting because it was a method he had never encountered before.
‘…It’s better than her asking me to date her right away, isn’t it?’
After much deliberation, Rudrick, having reached this conclusion, nodded readily.
“…Yes, I accept.”
Only after Rudrick’s acceptance did Eileen’s lips curve into a slight smile, a smile she had been anxiously waiting for.
It was just a faint smile, the corners of her lips barely lifting.
But her adjutant, who had served Eileen at close proximity for several years and had never seen her smile, wore a look of astonishment.
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“I see.”
Tap, tap.
It was a habit the owner of this office displayed whenever she was lost in thought.
The blonde woman, deep in thought, then twisted her lips into a wry smile.
“It seems the Counter-Intelligence Agency has too much time on their hands. Why should I care about my cousin’s trivial love life?”
“…”
Elena Esgelant.
Elena twirled a strand of her long, wavy hair around her finger and raised her head.
“What are your thoughts?”
“…I believe it’s not a matter that warrants Your Highness’s attention.”
“You know that as well. Then why did you bring this report to me? Are you protesting the Counter-Intelligence Agency’s lack of funding?”
“…As Grand Duchess Nord hasn’t expressed a clear stance yet. My apologies for my shortsightedness.”
The head of the Counter-Intelligence Agency bowed her head in apology.
Elena, as if she had never shown any displeasure, responded with a bright smile.
“I can overlook it once. But keep this in mind. Twice won’t be so easy.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Elena dismissed her, and the head of the Counter-Intelligence Agency, after apologizing once more, left the room and let out a sigh of relief.
Since she joined the Counter-Intelligence Agency, the head of the agency had been replaced six times.
The Second Princess she served had no qualms about dismissing those who didn’t meet her standards.
Relieved to have kept her position, the head of the agency hurriedly left the Second Princess’s office.
Elena, left alone, lightly scanned the report once more.
The contents of the report were simple.
Her cousin, Eileen Nord, also known as the Grand Duchess of Nord, the Empire’s shield, seemed to have taken a romantic interest in a mage from the mercenary company she had hired.
“In that case…”
Elena muttered after confirming the contents.
It wasn’t entirely without political leverage.
She could think of four or five schemes off the top of her head to exploit this situation, including some rather unsavory ones.
Eileen was her cousin personally, but politically, she was a powerful ally who could be of great help to Elena in her rivalry with the Crown Princess for the throne.
“If he’s caught my cousin’s eye… I’m intrigued as well.”
Elena murmured, tracing her lips with her finger.
They were currently engaged in a fierce power struggle, almost a civil war, with the Crown Princess for the throne, though without drawing their weapons.
It might be worth the effort to personally travel to the distant North to win Eileen over.
To satisfy her personal curiosity, and to firmly secure Eileen’s support, as she hadn’t yet declared her allegiance.
“Then shall we go to the North?”
Elena murmured in a bright voice.
“I’m curious to see what kind of man has captivated my rigid cousin.”
Elena added briefly, her expression suddenly turning chillingly impassive.
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[Well boys this is the end, it was nice while it lasted and thank fuck our boy got laid. catch you in the next one. Signing off
– Daddy Fusion]
