Chapter 59

***

There were not many good swords in Amari. That was because buying good steel cost as much as a few bags of flour. No matter how expensive the sword, it just as easily got swallowed by a monster or broken.

So, naturally, she grew up fighting without any good weapons. A sharp and easy-to-clean knife was given to those who lacked skills, so that they could better protect themselves. She had fought like that all along.

Compared to the sword she was using at that time, the swords in the Grand Duke’s warehouse were really good. However, since the iron had completely worn out, there was no way to forge it again.

She drove her sword into the dirt and thanked it inwardly. She didn’t believe in God; the sword was her only true friend and companion. It gave her comfort to leave her broken sword where she fought with it last.

“You have saved many people and saved my life.”

Mary’s eyes widened as she muttered.

“Are you going to leave your sword behind? What if a monster appears!”

“It’s okay. I have this.”

She pulled out an old Chimera tooth from her bag and showed it to Mary. It was roughly the size of a dagger.

Sir Raoul looked at Amarion strangely. She became embarrassed and started to make excuses.

“Chimerian teeth never break, and they absorb fire. It’s better than any sword, so I used it often…”

“We usually mount them on sticks and use them as spears… You swing it like a dagger?”

“Sometimes, when I don’t have a sword.”

Raoul gave her a puzzled look and shook his head.

“We have to stop by the village today. I don’t want to lose my confidence due to Madame’s extraordinary swordsmanship.”

“It’s not like that…”

Once you got used to it, you could use it as a really effective dagger. She mumbled inwardly and put the Chimera tooth away.

Her small dream of teaching the knights how to use Chimera tooth daggers was shattered.

＊ ＊ ＊

That afternoon, they arrived at a proper village after much effort.

Until now, they had eaten rations supplied by Norvant and food they had bought from nearby villages, so they were thinking of recharging supplies here.

The lord of the land was an old man named Baron Yulwald. According to Sir Leonard, he was a solitary general who lived alone.

The Baron greeted them in front of his mansion with a sour expression.

“Did you fight? You look terrible.”

“This is what happens during subjugation.”

Leonard answered in a polite tone. The Baron asked Leonard distastefully.

“Aren’t you the youngest Odo? You’re still wandering around without getting married?”

“…That’s the way it worked out. Anyway, I’d appreciate it if you could let us stay just one night.”

The Baron then glanced at Amarion. His expression as he looked her up and down grew even more displeased.

Her face flushed red as she remembered how she was caked in mud and sweat. How ugly did she look?

He bowed his head crookedly.

“I greet you, Grand Duchess.”

Then he spoke to himself loud enough that everyone could hear.

“They said she was like a wild dog, and she really is…”

Leonard frowned. But before he could even open his mouth, the Baron beckoned.

“Come in and wash yourselves.”

Amarion bowed her head and quickly dismounted her horse. Mary mumbled something inaudible next to her. Paying her no mind, she hurriedly passed through the gate and headed for their room.

The room the Baron gave her was very ordinary. It was a dormitory with two bunk beds and a blanket, which knights on expeditions would normally use. Still, since she was sharing a room with Mary, it was good that it was spacious.

But Mary seemed dissatisfied.

“What kind of rudeness is it that he didn’t give Madame a guest room?”

“It’s okay, Mary. I am here as a knight.”

“Anyway! In any castle, a couple of single rooms are prepared for knights of high ranks. How dare he give you a room for several people…”

Mary frowned, remembering the Baron’s attitude. Amarion smiled awkwardly and scratched her cheek.

She thought this was comfortable enough.

But if she said that, Mary would be upset, so she took off her bloody cloak and leather gloves instead.

Then, from the doorway, a maid stuck her head in.

“Your highness, are you okay?”

As Amarion nodded her head, the maid looked her up and down just like her master had.

“What about clothes… Would you like a dress?”

“Give me a shirt and pants. Bring my maid a skirt.”

The maid glanced at Mary as she slipped away. Amarion shook her head.

It was unfamiliar hospitality. Servants cared about their master’s mood more than anything else. She may have thought that it was okay to treat them kindly because her master was ignoring them.

Amarion turned away shyly and was startled to see Mary, completely red in the face.

The girl rolled up her sleeves and shouted.

“I’m going to pull out all of her hair!”

“Hey, you can’t do that! Mary!”

Amarion hurriedly grabbed Mary’s wrist.

She had been learning quite a lot these days, but she was really unfamiliar with Mary’s appearance. No matter how difficult the situation, Mary always maintained a calm attitude that was no less than that of a Lady.

But now she looked extremely angry.

“In my life, there has never been a person who was so disrespectful to me. How could you say something like that to the Grand Duchess?!”

‘Oh, I see.’

Perhaps this young maid had never received such treatment in her own home. Since she came in as a servant to the Grand Duke, she was likely a precious daughter. Unlike the maids in the Capital, who were professional employees, the maids in Morte often came from high-status families that didn’t need a salary. That likely made it even more upsetting.

She gently patted Mary on the shoulder.

“They don’t know me. Of course, it is difficult to earn respect.”

“Madame, you are the Grand Duchess, and the Lady of this land!”

“Yes. But what’s the use of claiming respect from a status? This identity is not something I obtained by my own strength.”

Mary stared at her with wide eyes. Amarion quickly averted her gaze.

Most nobles would not understand, but it was what she had always thought.

She was the daughter of a lord, but in Amari, that meant nothing. The northern cold was harsh and the monsters were ferocious, causing everyone to suffer equally. They used to spend winter nights crying, laughing, and hugging each other.

Everyone respected her because she could save them. No one ever said that her mother, who was aristocratic but incompetent, was more valuable than a commoner. Nobility wasn’t a different species or special from birth. They were all the same.

However, difference in status existed, and it was not something she could change easily.

So she thought she should at least treat everyone equally. When she first came to the Empire, where the distinction of status was stricter than that of her hometown, she did not adjust well. Being kind to everyone around her made her feel less uncomfortable.

It was the same outside the castle. She didn’t have the form to be respected by the people here, so it was only natural that she was not. She didn’t want to force it by using her title.

She said brightly.

“Of course I’m a little upset, but… Is that important now? We should thank them for letting us stay.”

But Mary still looked incredibly serious.

‘Is she still angry?’

Fortunately, it wasn’t like that. She was just deep in thought.

Mary grunted.

“…Still, if the Grand Duke had known, he would not have stayed still.”

Amarion burst into laughter when she saw Mary’s cheeks inflate.

This girl used to hate Victor.

But Mary’s face was cute, so Amarion didn’t want to make fun of her. She smiled and headed to the bathroom.

＊ ＊ ＊

The Baron’s maid almost threw their clothes away. Mary still looked very angry, but to her surprise, said nothing.

Amarion picked up the pants and shirt and gestured to Mary to put on the skirt.

“Get some rest, I’m going out for a while.”

Amarion left the room with her hair untied.

She immediately went to find the guard post. Usually, small lords didn’t have a separate knight force, and the guard captain was in charge of policing the entire estate. If you found the post, you would probably be able to meet the person in charge of estate security.

Fortunately, a post was nearby. She strode towards it.

Soldiers were practicing at the training ground nearby. Their form was somewhat sloppy, but sweat was forming on their cheeks.

‘They’re working hard.’

She found the man who was leading their training with a happy expression, presumably the captain of the guard.

“Are you in charge of security in this castle?”

A middle-aged man with a thick beard raised his head. When he saw her, he answered with a questionable look.

“I am. Who are you?”

“Ah, I…”

She closed her eyes in embarrassment.

When would she ever get used to this burdensome title?

“I am Amarion Morte, Grand Duchess and leader of the subjugation army.”

“Morte?”

The man’s eyes widened enormously. It was amazing how big a person’s eyes could get.

He hurriedly threw away his spear and fell to his knees. Before she could say anything, the captain shouted.

“I greet the s-supreme Lady of the Black Lion!”

“No, no…! Get up!”

‘Why are the people in this castle so extreme?!’

***

Kofi shop updated till chapter 66.