Chapter 9

The two men’s faces were filled with shock.

Someone had dared to turn down a dinner invitation from Regina von Eisenbach?

Their expressions seemed to scream, Has that man gone mad?

Regardless of how horrified they were, I simply climbed the stairs.

“I’m tired. I’m going to rest.”

I went to my room, washed up, and lay down on my bed.

But instead of feeling sleepy, my mind was wide awake.

I pulled a small leather notebook from the depths of my bedside table drawer.

Keeping a diary had been a habit of mine for a long time.

I’d written in it diligently while on the battlefield, but after coming to the capital, I’d been so busy—and had so little worth writing about—that I’d left it neglected.

But today, I wanted to write.

I wanted to record this strange, ticklish feeling in my heart and my conversation with Kai.

Scratch, scratch.

The sound of my pen nib scraping against the paper echoed through the room.

[Today…]

I jotted down a short entry, then checked the calendar.

Our next date was ten days away.

Kai had apologized, explaining that he had a great deal to prepare and a mountain of work to take care of, so it would take some time.

That’s still so far away.

It was a shame.

The days were going to feel like years.

In the corner of my diary, I drew a cute cat with upturned eyes that resembled Kai.

My drawing skills were terrible, but I carefully colored in its golden eyes.

I closed the notebook, lay back on my bed, and shut my eyes.

As I drifted off to sleep, I imagined what the important thing he intended to tell me in ten days might be.

I had a dream.

The setting was a military barracks on the northern front, but suddenly, a gigantic beast with golden fur and golden eyes appeared.

It looked at me, wagged its tail, and approached.

Then, it gradually shrank until it turned into an adorable little kitten.

“Meow.”

The kitten nestled in my arms and rubbed against me affectionately.

I happily stroked its soft fur.

But suddenly, with a loud BOOM!, the kitten transformed back into a gigantic beast.

“…?”

It knocked me over in one swift motion and climbed on top of me.

Its heavy forepaw pressed down on my shoulder, and its golden eyes stared down at me as though they were about to devour me whole.

The moment I felt its hot breath against my face…

“Gasp!”

I woke up with a gasp, breathing heavily. It was already bright outside.

“…What a weird dream.”

No, was it a cat dream?

Either way, it had been strangely vivid and left me with an indescribable feeling.

I stared blankly at the ceiling until the bell announcing breakfast rang, prompting me to get out of bed.

When I went downstairs to the dining room, my father and older brother were sitting there with unusually solemn expressions.

Something felt off.

“Regina, there you are.”

My father cleared his throat before speaking.

“Ahem. There’s something we need to tell you.”

He soon handed me an invitation written in elegant purple ink.

“There’s a social gathering tomorrow, and we’ve decided that our family will attend.”

“A social gathering?”

I tilted my head as I took my seat.

“I hadn’t heard anything about it beforehand.”

I’d been taught that invitations to social events usually arrived at least a week in advance.

But this one was for tomorrow.

It was far too sudden.

“Well… certain circumstances arose, so it had to be arranged in a hurry.”

My father avoided my eyes and gave a vague explanation.

Beside him, my older brother, Heinrich, also cleared his throat and began cutting his steak with unnecessary aggression.

“Yes, Regina. I hear Count Banner is throwing a magnificent party this time. He’s invited House Eisenbach as honored guests, so we absolutely must attend.”

“Honored guests…?”

“That’s right! I hear there’ll be plenty of meat, which you love, and more importantly…”

My father looked at me with a resolute expression.

His eyes were burning with determination.

“I’ve heard that Count Banner has invited plenty of very suitable bridegrooms—no, ahem! I mean, plenty of very suitable guests.”

“That’s right. All the distinguished young noblemen in the capital will be there. Some are skilled swordsmen, others are wealthy merchants, and, well, there’ll be all sorts of outstanding men…”

My older brother added, rambling incoherently.

I tilted my head.

Just who were these suitable guests my father was talking about?

Of course, every person I’ve met in high society so far has been unimpressive and rude.

I could see my father and older brother glancing nervously at me as they stumbled over their words.

They seemed terrified that I might refuse to go.

Perhaps it would be difficult to decline because Count Banner’s reputation was at stake.

“All right. If it’s already been decided, then I suppose I should go.”

The moment I agreed without protest, both men’s faces lit up.

“Oh! Really?!”

“You’ve made the right decision, Regina!”

“There’s just one condition.”

I added the words firmly, as though driving a final nail into the matter.

“I won’t wear a dress. They’re far too uncomfortable. I’d rather wear armor than squeeze myself into a corset.”

“Y-Yes! Whatever makes you comfortable is what matters most!”

“Of course! Our Regina shines no matter what she wears! As long as you’ll go, that’s all that matters!”

The two men were so moved by my acceptance alone that they enthusiastically high-fived each other.

I shook my head at the sight.

It wasn’t a bad idea for me, either.

It would help pass the time before I saw Kai again in ten days, and it might be interesting to see what a capital party was like.

Starting that afternoon, my father and older brother seemed strangely busy.

At the same time, they also seemed awfully secretive.

They shut themselves away in the study to discuss something at length, but whenever I approached, they would startle and hurriedly close the door.

Servants rushed around carrying all sorts of things, and messengers came and went from the mansion at frequent intervals.

They’re definitely plotting something…

I decided not to pry.

Instead, I resolved to resume the training I’d put aside for a while because I’d been so focused on my meetings with Kai.

I changed into comfortable training clothes and headed to the training grounds behind the mansion.

It had been the very first place my father renovated after receiving the capital residence.

When he’d torn up the beautiful garden and turned it into a military training ground, the capital’s nobles had clicked their tongues in disapproval. But to us, this place was the most comfortable refuge imaginable.

“Hah!”

I gripped a wooden training sword and swung it through the air.

Whoosh!

A heavy sound tore through the air.

It wasn’t merely a simple sword swing.

It was a killing strike aimed precisely at the vital point of an invisible enemy.

I continued moving without pause.

I awakened my battlefield instincts.

Imagining monsters swarming toward me from every direction, I deflected, thrust, slashed, and spun around again.

My movements were as graceful as a dance, but wherever the tip of my sword passed, a chilling killing intent lingered.

The Black Reaper.

That was the name the soldiers had given me on the battlefield.