Chapter 11
The big ‘debt’ incurred by Duke Ludnine’s father, the previous Duke Iels.
That is to say, 18 years ago.
Kaiser Argenthose helped dispose of a powerful monster that suddenly appeared at the Northern Gate.
That monster was considerably formidable.
Although monsters appeared frequently from the peculiar gate in the iceberg of the Northern Empire, such a monster was the first.
As that monster appeared, the knights including the previous Duke Iels could not avoid a hard fight.
This monster could be killed only after its feet were bound by powerful magic restraints.
A vassal of the Duke Iels family remonstrated that they should request help from the Magic Tower in the capital since an outstanding mage was needed.
However, the previous Duke Iels, that is, Ludnine’s father, was a knight who moved trusting only the sword.
A person who considered fighting with the help of a mage a dishonor.
So the previous Duke Iels ignored the request of his vassals.
Eventually, the previous Duke Iels and knights, who went to subjugate the monster threatening near the ‘Northern Gate’ again without requesting help from the Magic Tower, faced a great crisis.
But it was then.
Kaiser Argenthose, a Grand Mage and Duke who was passing by this place to obtain medicine for his sick wife, appeared.
Kaiser Argenthose helped the knights in crisis and defeated the monster effortlessly.
The previous Duke Iels was grateful to Kaiser Argenthose, but requested him to please keep silent about receiving help from a mage.
He intended to pay a sufficient price to Duke Argenthose in exchange for keeping his mouth shut.
However, Duke Argenthose replied nonchalantly, ‘It is fine,’ and tried to leave quickly.
It was because obtaining medicine for his wife was urgent.
However, the previous Duke Iels quickly stopped him and even wrote a pledge and gave it to him.
He wrote the oath of the Duke Iels family and even included his autograph signature.
It was a pledge that he would grant any request in the future.
However, Duke Kaiser Argenthose had completely forgotten about the pledge.
He only barely remembered it after hearing the news that the previous Duke Iels had died of illness.
‘To Duke Argenthose, it might not have been a big deal, but not to Father. It was an extremely important pledge.’
Ludnine recalled his dead father who was inflexible in personality and blunt.
His father trembled with anxiety until his death for not being able to repay the debt owed to Duke Argenthose, and even left a will to Ludnine before dying.
A will to relieve his resentment(?) of dying without being able to repay the debt by doing his best to grant the request if he asks.
<Please meet my daughter, Princess Yvonne Argenthose, publicly.>
Ludnine, who read the letter from Duke Argenthose enclosed with the pledge left by his dead father carefully again, spoke.
“It says Princess Argenthose is deeply heartbroken because Crown Prince Adrian got an official lover.”
“Crown Prince Adrian has never given his heart to Princess Argenthose even once until now. They say it was the Princess’s one-sided unrequited love.”
Ludnine’s aide Ant muttered skeptically as he handed over the document finishing the investigation on Princess Argenthose.
Ludnine lightly jumped up and sat on the high windowsill, looking toward the distant south.
His horizontally long, almond-like eyes staring into the distance folded slightly.
The place where the heart of the Empire is, the capital.
“A villainess, huh.”
A villainess Princess, and the Crown Prince whom such a villainess loves unrequitedly. And the place where the illegitimate Princess of the Mare Kingdom, the Crown Prince’s lover, stays.
“I’m looking forward to how scary a person our villainess Princess might be.”
Ludnine laughed crossing his arms as if amused.
Ant shuddered recalling how that young Duke slaughtered all the monsters terrifyingly after laughing like that.
“…Even if you get too angry, you must not kill the Princess, Your Excellency.”
“Umm. The one dying might be me. I know Princess Argenthose is an outstanding mage.”
As he laughed cheerfully, neat and even white teeth were revealed.
“There is no way the Duke would be killed by a mage.”
Ant, who had watched from the closest distance how strong a person Duke Ludnine Iels was all this time, was dumbfounded.
Ludnine, who stared south for quite a while, finished his resolution.
“Good.”
He turned his head toward aide Ant and ordered firmly.
“Convey to the Iels Townhouse in the capital, that the family head is going.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Ant didn’t stop him anymore and bowed to accept the master’s order.
Capital Iels Townhouse.
That place was mostly locked because the family including the Duke, the family head of the Iels family, preferred to stay only in the territory.
However, a huge and beautiful mansion counted within five fingers in the capital.
The head butler of the townhouse, who had managed the mansion where the owner didn’t come for generations, widened his eyes at the letter that came from the Iels territory.
“The Duke is coming?!”
The head butler of the townhouse who received the news that the family head was coming eventually fainted in surprise.
“Oho. The Duke says he is coming to the capital.”
Duke Argenthose, who received the reply written by Ludnine himself, grinned and replied deciding the time and place where the matchmaking would be hosted.
And hearing the recent news of Yvonne that she is studying hard today as well through the butler, his heart ached.
‘Please, I wish Yvonne’s mood would get better. Will Duke Iels do well.’
Unlike Kaiser Argenthose’s worry, Ludnine was preparing for the meeting with Yvonne steadily.
Resembling his dead father’s inflexible personality, he had to do perfectly once he decided on something.
He would become a perfect matchmaking partner and become a joy to Princess Argenthose.
He scheduled an appointment with the most famous designer in the capital to fit the clothes he would wear to the matchmaking.
Pondering a special gift to give the Princess after the meeting, he chose a unique and rare ore found only in the Iels territory and sent it to an outstanding jeweler.
Duke Ludnine Iels, who finished even the gift preparation, departed for the capital to meet Princess Yvonne Argenthose like that.
Ah, the weather is nice.
It is really peaceful days where nothing happens.
It is exactly the beautiful world I wanted.
Lying horizontally on the bench in the garden, looking at the white clouds flowing leisurely, a black shadow suddenly cast over me.
What is it.
“Kuhum. Yvonne.”
“Brother? What is it all of a sudden?”
The identity of the black shadow was Varden.
Opening my eyes round, I stared at Varden blankly while lying down.
Varden clicked his tongue.
“…Hm. Hearing it, I’m getting used to it too. Even the ticklish tone that doesn’t suit you.”
‘Ha.’
I should hate Varden who speaks hatefully like that too, but strangely, I don’t hate the guy.
Honestly, Varden’s mouth is a mouth of destruction, but looking only at his face, he is a savior who came to save the destroyed world.
‘I shouldn’t forgive him with his looks.’
Seeing Varden, whom I always encountered indoors, outdoors like this, he was cooler and handsome.
Come to think of it, it’s strange.
Did Varden not become even a sub-male lead?
Clearly, Varden came back after being active on the battlefield with the male lead Adrian and the female lead Cordelia.
He is handsome like this, capable, and possesses excellent conditions with a solid future as the Young Duke Argenthose.
Moreover, since he survived in a harsh place together with the female lead, isn’t he perfectly suitable as a sub-male lead.
“Hmm~. Umm~?”
Slowly raising my body from the bench, I crossed my arms and stroked my chin pondering.
What is the lacking point of Varden who is tall and cool.
Although his personality is bad, well, with this much, it’s not a villain’s character.
As I examined him up and down here and there, Varden frowned roughly as if feeling offended.
“Why, why are you being like this? Did you return to being a mad dog? Why are you sniffing around and making a fuss.”
“…Look here, Brother. If you call me a mad dog one more time, I will call Brother ‘Oppang’.”
I threatened, raising my eyes fiercely.
Not understanding, Varden asked back with a dumbfounded face.
“What? What bread (ppang)?”
“Oh my god. Oppang, you don’t know Oppang?”
I grinned.
And spreading both hands to make a flower cup on my face, I approached Varden closely and thrust my face forward.
“Do you know what the coolest bread in this world is? It’s exactly our Oppang! Thanks for the allowance yesterday!”
“…You… That, d-don’t do it.”
Perhaps because it was too creepy and insulting, Varden’s face turned like a bright red tomato.
You rascal, I’m going crazy doing it too.
I also shuddered with second-hand embarrassment, but watching Varden’s horrified expression, it was somewhat bearable.
Huhu.
Because your reaction is honest, you are very cute, Brother.
The fact that Varden, such a cute man, couldn’t become a sub-male lead suddenly made me resentful.
Just for the one reason that he is the older brother of Yvonne, the villainess and mastermind, let alone a sub-male lead, he couldn’t even appear on the main stage.
Feeling too pity, I asked sneakily.
“Brother. Are you not interested in Princess Cordelia Mare?”
In the work, she is the female lead who is incredibly lovely.
Just looking at her makes one shine, makes the heart gentle, and she is a woman who calms down even rampant monsters.
‘Though I haven’t seen her.’
But Varden, who was staring at me piercingly to a strange degree, suddenly sighed deeply and put his hand on my shoulder.
“Yvonne. Is it still that difficult for you to sort out your feelings?”
“…Yes?”
“It seems you intend to put me between His Highness and the illegitimate Princess somehow to alienate them, but give up now.”
“Aah…?!”
Oh my god.
Varden also seems to think I still haven’t given up on Crown Prince Adrian.
Damn it.
Is Varden afraid that I might harm the Crown Prince and Cordelia by throwing a bomb like last time?
I tried to make an excuse hurriedly.
“That’s not it.”
“And I have no interest in such an illegitimate Princess. How should I say, she is too plain. Boring, and has no charm, should I say.”
Varden, cutting my words off, drew a line firmly.
I was dumbfounded by the guy’s evaluation.
“Pardon? Did you just say plain to the female lead?!”
“What? Female lead?”
“N-No.”
I pressed down firmly with my hand on my mouth chattering a slip of the tongue.
‘Watch your mouth, watch your mouth.’
