I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

“Are yu crazy? Why do we give gold? Why did yu stop her when she said she’d give it to me! Why!” Dondon shouted, reddening her face.

Paku glanced at Dondon and dismissed it.  “Didn’t you say you would hand over the throne to me? I decided that way.”

“What… what? Do yu think I handed over the thrune just for that? Yu just keep quiet and do whatever I tell yu to do!”

“Didn’t you say you were going to hand over the throne to me? I have decided so.”

Dondon was about to threaten him right away by telling him to give up the throne if he was going to do this. Still, she had to reluctantly swallow her words due to a series of thoughts.

But she couldn’t quietly give up the gold that was like her life.

I said words to Dondon, who couldn’t do this or that. “Well, don’t whine like a puppy, and leave if you’re in a hurry. Negotiations will be handled between us adults.”

Dondon then shouted at me, who treated her like a child. “I’m an adut too! I’m 20 years uld!”

What makes me think that still cute face is an adult in her 20s?

Dondon, who was glaring at me as I was taken aback, asked. “So, how uld are yu?”

‘Just try to be younger than me. I won’t let you go,’ were written in Dondon’s eyes.

I spoke confidently without a second of hesitation. “21 years old. I’m a year older than you, so please be respectful from now on.”

What are you going to do? It’s not like we need to verify it with a birth certificate, so it’s best to insist.

I glanced at Dondon, who looked upset at losing, then turned my gaze to Paku again. “So how much compensation will you give? And if possible, it would be good to write it in a document.”

Charter looked at Arianne confidently, asking for it to be written with a complex face. He couldn’t help but be embarrassed while admiring her brazenness of deceiving her age without changing her expression and her persistence in demanding physical evidence.

“No way!”

When Dondon intervened again, Paku spoke with a stern look on his face. “Dondon, are you going to disobey me?”

Even though I become emperor as you wish? But you’re not going to stand this? If you don’t like it, do you want to be emperor? Huh?

She knew it without having to say it. Under pressure from Paku, Dondon eventually had no choice but to give in.

“What should I do… How can yu do this to me…”

While Dondon lay sick with a sense of betrayal, Paku, Charter, and I began to draw up an agreement.

  “We will send you the promised compensation as soon as the war is over.”

Paku spoke to me as I finished getting ready.

“Yes. Then, please finish the work of the Kelteman Empire well. We will now deliver the agreement to the emperor and clear the borders as soon as we return to the Harpion Empire.”

After finishing what I had to say, I climbed onto the cart. Dondon’s cart would be my means of transport to the border at my request.

Charter seemed to stare at Paku without saying a word, but he reached out his hand. Although they met as enemies, as they were united by a woman and shared life and death, it felt like something special was created between them. So he decided not to be wary of him anymore. Of course, he gave him the most generous points for hiding his feelings for Arianne until the end.

Paku chuckled and held his hand. “You can always come on a trip to Kelteman. Keleman will no longer treat the Harpion Empire with disdain.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He planned to go on a honeymoon with Arianne as soon as the war was over. Of course, he didn’t put Kelteman on the list, but he thought it would be okay to come back here one day. Although it wasn’t as fresh and rich as Harpion, the open plains, and canyons with strangely shaped cliffs were all amazing. Charter thought it was a sight that he wanted to show to his child when he had a child someday.

After greeting, Charter climbed onto the cart, and Paku told Dondon’s aide in charge of the return procession.

“Take them safely to the border.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After a while, the cart carrying Arrianne moved, and Paku followed along without realizing it and then stopped. “Please be happy, Arianne.”

Although he couldn’t tell her directly, Paku sent Arianne away in the hope that his heart, which was completely devoted to her, would reach her.

(They’re sitting there as if they’ve just filmed a drama.) Dondon, who was standing next to him, said with a frown on her face.

Paku just watched the cart carrying Arianne drive away. It got smaller and smaller until he couldn’t see it anymore.

It was when the camp of the Kelteman Empire army was in darkness. Dondon came to see and shouted Paku, who was still standing there as if nailed to the spot. (Hey, if it’s so heartbreaking, catch her! Why let her go and regret it later!)

What on earth is good about such a tall and thin woman? Since birth, a woman should be small and cute like me and have the pleasure of being held in your arms. Isn’t it right?

He couldn’t find his own bowl to eat. That’s why she brought the throne to him. But he didn’t even have an eye for things. Besides, Dondon was wondering where on earth she should start teaching this idiot who didn’t even know how to look at women.

Whether Dondon was frustrated or not, Paku just stared at the horizon. As he recalled the past times he had spent with her in the desolate field, under a cluster of shining stars that seemed to pour down, he stored those memories in his heart. Whenever he sees those shining stars, he would think of her.

* * *

(Untie this! If you don’t untie this, I’ll kill you!)

Are was in a fit of rage with foam in his mouth. He shouted and used all the curse words he knew, but his opponent was Moya.

Where is the dog barking? She had a grumpy look on her face.

(Ralpu, the bastard I brought this time is very noisy. Give it a beating. If you beat it until it’s soft, it’ll be a little quiet.)

(Yes, Chief. I’ve been waiting for your command.)

(Untie this! Let’s untie it and fight it out! You bastard!)

Ralpu snorted. (I don’t know what kind of bastard is whining non-stop. Let’s beat it first.)

(Stop hitting the dummy~ He can’t walk if his bones break~ Our mascot shouldn’t limp like a fool, right?)

Upon Moyak’s remark, Ralpu paused for a moment, then muttered softly, (That’s even harder. Damn it.)

After a while, Are was lying on the ground, whether dead or fainted. Ralpu frowned at what he didn’t like and hurried to Moyak upon hearing the scout team’s report.

(Chief. The army is approaching.)

(How much?)

(It’s about 100,000?)

(

Avoid it first.)

Ralpu ordered the tribesmen to move, and Moyak frowned.

Moyak wondered if she should go back.

* * *

“Haa. Can we really find them this way?”

“For now, we have no choice but to search downstream along the river. We have to follow this river to go back anyway.”

Duke Krow’s hound, Jon, responded to Alice’s concern. Surprised, Alice was startled.

She didn’t want to sound weak to others, so she took a break and complained in secret.

“Even the cat will show more presence than you.”

Jon smiled at Alice’s scolding.

“We can find them, right?”

There was no way he would know, but somehow Alice thought it would be okay to reveal her true feelings to him. Actually, she felt like she was talking to a wall. Because people don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed when they talk to a wall. She was surprisingly quick to adapt.

“We must find them.”

Alice turned her head and looked at Jon. “You’re saying something completely correct. That’s right. We have to find them. Certainly.”

She decided to stop worrying. To believe that they’re alive and to find them, that’s what she has to do now.

Jon left after seeing Alice’s face look much more relaxed. Sir Silver, who was watching this from afar, muttered. “What on earth is your intention…?”

He’s Duke Krow’s man anyway. Sir Silver couldn’t just believe what he said to trust him. However, since he read the sincerity in his eyes, he could only wait and see. He planned to deal with him right away if the moment came when he thought Jon had changed his mind.

Sir Silver decided to wait a little longer for now. Because Jon’s abilities were better than expected, such as understanding surrounding trends and geographical features, the movement of the search party became easier.  It was then.

“It looks like an army is approaching from afar.”  Jon, who noticed a slight rumbling in the ground, approached Sir Silver and said it.

“Army?”

Sir Silver placed his hand on the ground and concentrated on Jon’s words. Just as he said, he felt a very slight vibration. The space between his eyebrows narrowed. Even though he had a good feeling about it, he didn’t like it either. How on earth?

“For now, we must find a place to hide.”

“I think so.”

The source of the vibration was unknown, but it was highly probable that it would come from the Kelteman Empire. If they were to be discovered first before they could find Duke Kaien and Baroness Devit… The problem was that since it was an open plain, there was no terrain to hide in.

Jon struggled. If he was alone, no one would notice him and just pass him by, but he wasn’t alone. Approaching someone and dealing with them without them noticing was as easy as breathing, but protecting someone was more difficult and cumbersome than expected. He always wanted to join others, but not as much as now.

Life was an irony.