Frezia had always been somewhat lacking in common sense.
Of course, as the only child of a Grand Duke, she had received an exceptional education and was even currently attending an academy, so it felt a bit odd to say she was lacking in education.
What she lacked was social awareness. Specifically, in human relationships.
When it came to communication between people whether conversations or question-and-answer exchanges, Frezia was rather clumsy and awkward, and due to her upbringing and inherent personality, those shortcomings stood out even more.
She found long conversations tedious, often spaced out, and struggled with effective communication. These traits showed clearly even when she wrote letters to her father.
[Dad. I found a guy I’m interested in.]
[I’m not going back.]
[I’ll be staying here for a while.]
[I owe him a debt and have things to learn from him.]
[See you later.]
There wasn’t even a hint of explanation about her transferring to another academy or more accurately, participating as an exchange student. That letter was full of sentences only she could understand.
If she had parents who didn’t care about her, it might’ve gone unnoticed. But in the eyes of Duke Auros, a man who was not just an ordinary doting father but an excessively doting one, the letter’s content looked vastly different.
[Dad, I’ve got a man.]
[He’s taken both my body and heart.]
[I don’t even think about the North anymore.]
[I’m planning to learn all sorts of bad things from him.]
[Take care.]
…It might’ve been a wildly exaggerated interpretation, but roughly speaking, this was how Frezia’s handwritten letter came across to the Duke.
His one and only precious daughter was supposedly infatuated with some random scoundrel from another country.
She even said she loved (in her words) her father, yet she left him behind and was so head-over-heels that she switched academies. Such a declaration made it impossible for the Grand Duke to hide his fury.
It was fortunate that his retainers had thrown themselves in his path to stop him from rushing off to the Empire on the spot. Otherwise, it could have easily been mistaken as an invasion and escalated into an international conflict.
In the end, the Duke issued a command for Frezia to return home.
He made sure to include another order that was clear as day that the “mongrel” who had seduced his daughter was to be brought along with her.
Then, he unsheathed his beloved sword, which hadn’t tasted blood in a long time, and sharpened it to a deadly edge—
He began sharpening the blade so finely that it could slice through stone in a single stroke.
Swish, swish.
The Duke’s retainers, anticipating the fate of the young man the princess would bring with her, began offering their condolences in advance, praying for his soul.
***
“…That’s what I sent.”
Smack!
I slapped my forehead without even thinking, overcome by speechless amazement.
I wanted to smack her on the head, but if I did, there was a chance that Lady Frezia might tattle to her father again, so I had to be careful.
From what I’d heard, the Grand Duke of House Auros hadn’t yet reached the level of an Aura Lord, but he was a formidable warrior nearing the late stages of Aura Master.
They said that those who had experienced his ice swordsmanship felt pain that chilled them to the bone. And I might just be the next to experience that firsthand.
“Is there something wrong with it?”
“Everything. Absolutely everything…”
While I writhed in mental torment, Luna tilted her head with a puzzled expression and asked,
“But can’t you just not go? Just because a noble from another country calls you doesn’t mean you have to go, right? You’re already respected around here. You’re not exactly someone who has to come and go at others’ beck and call.”
“It’s because it’s another country that it becomes a problem. If that man were to send an official protest to our Empire over the matter with Lady Auros, it could become a serious diplomatic issue.”
Sending valuable talent to another nation raised concerns about losing them. But refusing to send anyone could anger the other side and damage diplomatic relations.
My master Count Helios was officially retired, so he couldn’t easily involve himself in such matters. That meant the situation could easily create tension between the two nations.
Only then did Frezia begin to grasp the gravity of the situation and glance around nervously.
“Um… sorry…”
“…Forget it.”
What was the point of getting angry at someone who didn’t even understand?
At this point, I had already concluded that this noble lady was a bit slow, and I didn’t have the energy to get mad anymore.
“Going is one thing, but the real problem is what we’re supposed to tell the academy. The semester’s still ongoing, and if I have to travel all the way to another country, won’t the process become incredibly complicated?”
Although it felt like we had a bit of leeway since the festival tournament had just ended a few days ago, the academy was still in full swing with the semester well underway.
Skipping class to travel all the way to the distant North at a time like this wasn’t just improper….it was physically demanding as well.
“Ah, there might be a way around that…”
“Huh? Your Highness, what do you mean?”
“There was talk during the faculty meeting about conducting off-campus practical training soon. Each class is supposed to be sent to a separate location… This time, perhaps we could explain the situation and propose the North as our destination. It doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
And so, we went to the Headmaster, explained our circumstances, and requested a change in the training location. After the faculty meeting, it was decided that our class would conduct its practical training at the Auros Grand Duchy in the North.
The Auros side quickly accepted our request and gave their full approval….on the condition that I, specifically, was a mandatory participant. They even promised to provide every possible convenience if that one requirement was met.
“…I’m screwed.”
And just like that, we boarded a train bound for the North, something none of us had expected.
The entire ride, I kept having dreams where a macho man who looked like Santa Claus sliced me up with an ice sword.
***
“Mars, when am I going to see that guy again?!”
Lilia, who was continuing her role as a spy within the Heavenly God Church, stomped around the organization’s inner halls, pouting over the fact that she hadn’t seen Mars in what (by her standards) was a very long time.
The secret contract she had entered into, where she would trade information from the Heavenly God Church for the imperial family’s death row criminals, was being enforced strictly. In that time, she had transported several more humans to her cult to be used as ingredients for chimeras.
Come to think of it, didn’t Mars land a hit on that bastard Gula? Hehe! That bloated pig was always acting superior while calling everyone weak. Serves him right~
When Lilia heard that Gula, the one who had always insulted her during executive meetings, had failed his mission and thrown a fit in a rage, she was so delighted that she laughed in her room for a long while.
Knowing full well the bizarre nature of Gula’s abilities and his absurd level of defense, she couldn’t help but be shocked to hear that someone had actually managed to injure him in just a few brief exchanges.
That guy… is he really going to bring this whole cult down at this rate? Not that I care, but if this place goes under, where am I even supposed to live~?
Even though the cult she’d been with for a long time might be on the verge of collapse, Lilia wasn’t particularly concerned. Satisfying her own desires was far more important.
“Ehehe~ Hmm?”
Just then, Lilia witnessed members of the cult hurrying about, gathering all sorts of supplies in a rush.
It might’ve been a simple preparation for a mission, but anyone could see that this wasn’t normal. People were loading up weapons in bulk and stuffing supply crates full of military logistics.
“Hey, you there.”
“What—? Why are you calling me when I’m so bus… L-Lady Lilia!”
Lilia had approached one of the subordinates who was carrying a supply box. The subordinate initially glared at her in annoyance, clearly irritated at being interrupted while exhausted. But the moment he realized it was Lilia who had called him, he immediately snapped to attention.
“Wh-What can I do for you?!”
“Oh, nothing much~ Just wondering, what’s all this for? Heading somewhere far?”
“W-Well… that is…”
Whether the operation was top secret or he was just nervous, the subordinate hesitated with his eyes darting around as he struggled to answer.
Normally, Lilia would’ve found that boring and simply moved on, but something about this whole situation reeked of suspicion. So, she decided to press further this time.
But as the subordinate kept hesitating and dodging her questions, Lilia’s patience finally reached its limit. Deciding it was faster to just use her powers, she went ahead and cast her spell to extract the information directly.
As she blew her breath over him, the subordinate’s mind was quickly consumed by sweet, intoxicating lust. His eyes glazed over and his mouth slackened….anyone could see he was no longer in a normal state.
Confirming that his consciousness had slipped, Lilia continued her questioning.
“…These supplies are military goods for personnel being deployed to the North…”
“The North? Why that freezing wasteland all of a sudden?”
“…After Sir Gula failed to secure the Half-Dragon Princess, the Vice Leader judged that obtaining her sample directly would be too difficult… so he decided to capture the Auros family in the North and use them as substitutes.”
The North? That place where those monstrous barbarians live?
The warriors of the North, forged by the brutal cold, were known for their ferocity and sheer physical might. Even ordinary people from that region were said to be capable of combat, and Lilia turned pale at the thought of launching an invasion there.
It would be a difficult operation, no doubt. But if they actually succeeded in capturing the Auros family, who carried the bloodline of the dragon, and turned them into chimeras…
I-I need to warn the imperial family… fast!
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lilia ran off to send an urgent message, completely unaware that someone had been secretly watching her the entire time.
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