WCFTV 04

Chapter 4

I was released on the twenty-fifth day of being locked in the attic.

After returning to my room, I took a bath and changed into fresh clothes. At last, I could say goodbye to the clothes I had sweated in every day, washed, and worn again.

For the past twenty-five days, I had focused entirely on exercising.

My muscles were still far from what they used to be, but they had become noticeably firmer. As I rubbed them with satisfaction, I strangely felt like I might miss this place a little.

“At least I can run properly now, right?”

Using the sword or guns I had used in my previous life would probably be impossible with this body.

Besides, this world only had swords and bows.

Tsk.

If I had come here in my old body, I might have been able to beat up all the monsters myself.

What a shame.

I would have to continue training and build up my strength.

Still, I thought I should at least carry a dagger.

“My lady, His Grace the Duke is looking for you.”

I nodded.

The long, flowing dress I was wearing for the first time in a while felt incredibly awkward.

It was obviously chosen according to the Duke’s taste.

From Rosana’s memories that had settled inside me, the Duke was an extreme control freak.

He forced his preferences onto his daughters and tried to control them however he wanted.

Rosana’s obsession with wearing dresses throughout the long expedition—and the trouble she caused because of it—was probably the result of that kind of conditioning.

The moment I leave, I’m throwing all these dresses away.

“Can I go in now?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Let’s see what nonsense he has to say this time.

I entered the office where the Duke was waiting.

Nothing had changed from the last time I had seen this room before being locked in the attic.

“You seem to have been doing well, Rosana. It looks like you’ve gained weight.”

The Duke pointed it out sharply.

It’s muscle, not fat.

But there was no reason to upset him right now.

“I’ll work harder to manage my weight from now on, Father.”

I casually gave him the answer he wanted, and the Duke nodded.

“Yes. Considering what’s ahead, that’s only natural. Tomorrow, you will attend the founding ceremony of the Golden Lily Expedition. Do whatever it takes to secure a place beside the Crown Prince. Who knows? Perhaps that bastard will actually succeed and return.”

The Duke smiled unpleasantly.

“Stay by his side throughout the expedition. Do whatever you must to attract his attention. Well, getting pregnant wouldn’t be a bad idea either.”

What a disgusting bastard.

No, seriously. How could someone like that be a father?

I really felt sorry for Rosana.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, Father. Just as you instructed, I’ll dress beautifully and never leave the Crown Prince’s side.”

I answered without emotion.

The Duke nodded with satisfaction.

“Good, Rosana. I’ll trust you.”

After that, the Duke continued lecturing me, but there wasn’t a single useful thing among his words.

How to seduce the Crown Prince.

What kind of clothes men liked.

How I shouldn’t neglect my figure even during the expedition.

Warnings not to associate with “low-class people.”

I mentally sang the national anthem to myself and endured the torture-like conversation.

Listen, old man. You’re the lowest and most vulgar person here.

The Imperial Palace’s Grand Plaza was packed with people.

Apparently, people had come from all over the Empire to watch the founding ceremony of the Golden Lily Expedition.

It made sense.

The fate of the Empire rested on the Golden Lily Expedition.

If the expedition succeeded and safely recovered the sacred relic, they would be able to defeat the monsters.

But if they failed, the chances of everyone becoming food for the giant wyverns would become much higher.

Even now, the southern regions were suffering because monsters were attacking civilian towns.

The Emperor stood on a huge platform, with nobles lined up beneath him.

In front of them, the expedition members who would depart today stood in a long line.

There seemed to be around a hundred people at a glance.

There were knights and mercenaries, but there were also quite a few nobles like me who had been pushed forward as representatives of their families.

The sky was gray, and cold winds blew fiercely.

Well, it was perfect weather for a ruined world.

I stood in one corner of the plaza wearing a dress embroidered with both the Ardena family crest and the Imperial crest.

Among all the people wearing armor, I stood out terribly.

That crazy Duke.

He had insisted that I wear a dress that the Crown Prince would definitely like, and this was the result.

Well, at least the dress was large enough to hide the leather pouches I had prepared.

The pouches were filled with jewels I had secretly taken from the mansion.

I only regretted that I hadn’t been able to take more.

I had already raided my dressing room and even the Duke’s dressing room.

It was truly unfortunate that I hadn’t managed to raid the wardrobes of my other two siblings.

I wasn’t afraid of getting caught.

I was leaving anyway.

“Ah, this is so heavy. How am I supposed to fight wearing something like this? I’d be perfect for getting ripped apart by monster teeth.”

I muttered as I touched the dress.

It was covered in lace and frills and looked almost like a wedding cake.

I couldn’t believe people actually wore things like this every day.

I want to make that Duke wear one.

The noble lady standing beside me looked at me with a pale face.

“M-M-Monster teeth?”

She was trembling violently.

But she wasn’t the only one.

Some people were wearing armor and holding swords, but it was obvious that most of them had probably never properly held a sword in their lives.

There were even young noble ladies who looked like children.

There was no need to say more.

Most of the people the nobles had sent as representatives were sacrifices.

They were people considered expendable compared to the family’s heirs.

The trembling young lady beside me was probably one of those sacrifices too.

At least some families had formally adopted mercenaries or people who knew how to fight and sent them instead.

Those families were practically generous by comparison.

“Ah, don’t worry. You won’t die. Our expedition will succeed.”

I meant it sincerely.

According to the novel, we would definitely succeed.

I clenched my fist and spoke encouragingly.

“So be brave. Fighting!”

“H-How can you be so s-s-sure? Lady Rosana, did you… d-d-did you hear something?”

I hadn’t heard anything.

I had read it myself.

But I couldn’t exactly explain that to her.

I quietly shook my head.

“It’s not like that… But we have to believe we’ll succeed, right? We’re not going there to die. Anyway, when we pass through the northern region, I should check the price of iron ore.”

Our first destination was the North.

If my memory was correct, the northern region was rich in iron ore.

If I could get my hands on a few mines, I could make a fortune.

But I didn’t have nearly enough money to buy everything I wanted.

Fortunately, around this time, mines and land would probably be put up for sale cheaply.

Actually, buying gemstone mines would be even better than buying iron mines.

The farther south you went, the more gemstone mines there were.

“Perfect.”

I nodded happily, pleased with my flawless plan.

The young noble lady beside me stared at me blankly.

“…What? What did you just say?”

Pwoooooo—!

At that moment, the sound of a trumpet echoed through the plaza.

It was the signal announcing the Emperor’s arrival.

Then Kael, the Crown Prince and commander of the expedition, walked onto the platform wearing black armor.

Sunlight broke through the clouds and reflected brightly off his armor.

Wow. He really does look like a proper male lead.

The entire plaza became silent in an instant.

Everyone stared at him without even daring to breathe loudly.

Kael looked around the plaza from the platform.

Then I felt his gaze stop on me.

What? Why is he looking at me?

No, actually…

If I were him, I’d look too.

Considering what I was wearing right now.

For some reason, it felt like Kael was looking at me as if I were pathetic.

“People of the Empire!”

The Emperor’s loud voice echoed across the plaza.

His voice was impressive, at least.

Too bad he was a corrupt Emperor.

“Today, we depart carrying the fate of the Empire upon our shoulders! To protect this land from the threat of monsters! To protect the dignity of humanity! To protect our families!”

Crying began to break out among the crowd.

They were probably people sending their family members off to war.

Seeing them made my heart feel heavier.

Let’s survive somehow and come back alive!

My heart pounded.

I had participated in countless operations in my previous life, but I had never felt tension like this before.

Back then, I had fought humans and disasters.

This time, I would be fighting monsters.

One wrong move, and my entire body could be torn apart.

Sweat gathered in my palms.

Have I prepared enough?

What else do I need to do?