Chapter 47 – Episode 47. I’m Making an Offer You Can’t Refuse
【Do you think it would be okay to seriously think about going back after getting married?】
‘Stop it, really.’
Astrid was miserable because her heart was complicated even in the carriage back to her house.
She searched the bookshelves of summoning magic and space magic in the Imperial Library until now, but she couldn’t find a clue, let alone a trace.
‘Now is it time to look through the records… ‘
Are there any similar cases recorded? I didn’t know that I would have to look into it. That’s also the reason why the amount of records was staggering since they were things that had been piled up since the empire was founded.
Before looking into it, she thought she might be able to find a clue in summoning magic or space magic, but now that it failed, it was time for her to search the archives.
【But there is no guarantee that she will remain in the record.】
‘That’s right… ‘
If you haven’t even looked through it all, that’s a real bummer.
【I should have gone to the north instead. If you catch a few shamans and cut off their limbs, they’ll get drunk on their own.]
‘… Why is your tone like that?’
It was something I wanted to ask anyway. When the real Astrid spoke, she didn’t feel at all that each word was a daughter of a grand duke.
To put it in good terms, it’s a bad boy.
He only picks out words at that level, but when dealing with nobles, he seems to be paying attention to the words, but he doesn’t know how to say them in return.
Direct and reckless, those words that did not hide aggression at all were to the point of hurting the other person or instilling hostility towards Astrid.
【… I know my tone is weird.]
Rattle.
The wagon swayed slightly as if it had jumped over a boulder.
‘Okay? But why?’
【I’m not doing this because I want to be like this. I know very well that I have to use the tone of an old-fashioned, elegant, modest, and discreet young lady. But what if that doesn’t work? This is what I just learned.]
‘… Grunt.’
Astrid wasn’t the only one to blame.
If I had to pinpoint the cause, it was his father, Wolfgang, who was at fault. In childhood, when emotions were to be cultivated and correct values should be formed, Astrid cut people’s throats with weapons larger than her body, and her companions were soldiers who boasted of rough talk.
You don’t know how lucky I am to be able to do this much.
【It was fine though. It was a pleasure to read the letters sent from Her Highness day by day.]
‘Letter?’
【I guess you didn’t know. All the other nobles avoided me, but only Her Highness sent me letters from time to time. That letter gave me the strength to endure on the battlefield.]
What.
Astrid felt a strong sense of incongruity.
‘That… Where is the letter now?’
【It’s in my room in the northern mansion.】
There was no such thing.
It could be that Astrid couldn’t find it, but he found and read all the diaries, so there’s no way he couldn’t find such a letter.
Certainly, while Astrid was in the northern mansion, he hadn’t found such a letter.
【Anyway, the Highness is a kind person.】
I felt strange.
I didn’t know that the real Astrid would have such a strong love for Leopold. He had no idea it would be such a heavy affection. Then, shouldn’t this be said to be her driving force, her pillar that has really kept her on the battlefield, beyond the level of her affection or her love?
But if we leave the real Astrid alone for now…
Can you win Leopold’s heart?
I was skeptical. The odds of that were too low. Even if Astrid managed to win Leopold’s heart almost perfectly and then go back to the original world, wouldn’t the real Astrid not be able to do even that properly and break up the engagement if she were left alone?
It was more worrisome that this was not an improbable story.
I’d rather concede and have the wedding first, then return to the original world after making it a fait accompli so that nothing can be left out…
“Eww?!”
[Oh, what a surprise! What’s up, you!】
‘Oh no… No, nothing.’
Scary.
The stream of consciousness is scary.
He was astonished at what he had just thought.
I need to go back soon.
To put it bluntly, she doesn’t care what the real Astrid does.
*
“Sister, are you coming now?”
“Oh my, welcome. What is it?”
When I got off the carriage and returned to the mansion through the garden road, Ashley had come out to meet me. Now, after living in the capital for over two weeks, he looked like a human being because he had been stripped of the dirt and polished.
“We have guests coming.”
“Customer?”
There are no guests to come.
【Isn’t it Your Highness?!】
‘Could it be so?’
She thought maybe not.
And as if reading that thought, Ashley smiled smirkingly and scratched her head.
“Ah, not Her Highness Leopold.”
【Please hit that guy in the back of the head.】
“… Who said what?”
“I’m afraid you’ll expect it.”
Trying to ignore the incantation in her head, Astrid asked Ashley.
On the one hand, I was really curious. A guest, who would come to visit Astrid?
“Noisy. Who?”
“That, ah.”
This guy please
Astrid narrowed her eyes.
“You can’t, have you forgotten?”
“Oh, that. The name was a bit difficult, right? I remember her hair being the color of honey.”
“Eh.”
【Eh?】
No matter who came first, Astrid and the real Astrid both made dumb noises at the same time.
“What are you doing?”
“I waited a long time.”
“It’s Miss Akemilla’s fault for not telling you beforehand.”
“Oh, is that so?”
The air in the drawing room was chilly, not cold.
Astrid and Akemilla sat face to face across the table, and even empty words could not describe the atmosphere as pleasant.
“Anyway, I heard that you often visit the Imperial Library these days.”
“The background investigation of the Grand Duke’s daughter is not good, but you don’t have manners. Is it because you are a commoner?”
“Oh my goodness.”
Taking a sip of the light brown tea in front of her, Akemilla gave a relaxed smile.
“Commons, you say commoners. You probably don’t know that we’re also getting the title of count soon.”
‘It’s true?’
【Well, it seems that it was like that… I do not know… 】
It doesn’t help.
But it doesn’t make sense that he was a commoner until now and will continue to be a commoner when he spent so much military money on the founding of this empire.
Astrid doesn’t know that he’s about to become an earl, but he says he is.
It was not something that could be confirmed right away here, so I had no choice but to do it.
“Anyway, I didn’t do a background investigation or anything like that. Rumors have already spread about this Persant, but you don’t seem to know about it.”
“What rumors are you talking about?”
“Yes, there are rumors that Lady Mitterien visits the Imperial Library. In addition, there are even rumors that he goes after information about magic.”
It’s nonsense.
Going to the library, that’s about it, so someone might see it, so rumors could spread, but it was impossible for rumors to spread about finding information on magic.
【This arrogant commoner’s idiot… Change it for a second.]
‘No… If you step out, it will only get worse. Calm down. I have to respond calmly and like a young lady, so calm down.’
“I wonder if he was afraid of losing Her Highness Leopold’s affection, so he wanted to borrow the power of magic.”
‘I’ll change it. Can I just relax?’
【… It’s noisy. You solve it.]
“… Miss Akemilla, I’m sure you didn’t come here to pick a fight with me.”
“Of course not. Of course not.”
“But wouldn’t it be nice if you kept provoking me like this?”
Akemilla smiled softly.
But she has a plan somewhere, and that kind of smile that is not very pleasant to see.
Astrid started to get annoyed at Akhemilla.
“It’s a provocation. I just came to offer you a deal.”
“The attitude of the person who came to offer me a deal is not good. Is there anything good for the daughter of the grand corps to offend the other party like this?”
“Oh. But I’ve never disobeyed Lady Mitterien’s heart. I was just talking about a rumor I had heard.”
Everything Akhemilla said was wearing a mask called ‘rumor’.
Angry about that makes Astrid out of shape. She said that Akemilla only spoke of rumors she had heard, and she did not voice her opinion about them, but she was Astrid.
She said that, but she did not respond, so she became a paper tiger who did not respond even after hearing such ridiculous rumors.
“Actually, I came here to become Lady Mitterien’s strength.”
“Power. What does that mean?”
“I would like to make a suggestion. Instead of helping Lady Mitterien, Lady Mitterien is also helping me.”
What’s the plan again?
Astrid seemed to let out a sigh of her own.
“Tell me. Let’s just listen.”
Akemilla was still smiling brightly.
Clearly, Astrid had an unfounded conviction that she would not be able to refuse her offer. Astrid really hated that smile.
“Looking at Lady Mitterien’s expression, you probably couldn’t find the information you were looking for. Isn’t it?”
“… I can’t say no.”
Because that’s true.
“No matter what it is, I will solve it by mobilizing the information power of the upper Ureid.”
If you look at the novel, the information power of this target group is much better than the national information power. Of course, unlike the modern society where Astrid was, in this world, the collection, transmission, organization, and preservation of information were far inferior.
Against the backdrop of an era in which information needs to be refined by relying on people, it is not impossible that the information power of the upper class, which spreads throughout the country, is superior to the information power of the state.
Astrid stared at Akemilla.
“So, I don’t mean to just hand it over. What do you want?”
“It’s simple.”
“So tell me.”
“Dear Crown Prince Leopold, please don’t obstruct my approach too much. It means to make it a fair competition.”
【What are you talking about, you crazy bitch?】
It was the moment when the real Astrid and Astrid were in perfect agreement.
Long-awaited
No, maybe for the first time.
“Or, there is another condition. It doesn’t matter if you choose this.”
“… Please speak.”
“We will find all the information Lady Mitterien is looking for, so once you become the Crown Princess, please nationalize all the top companies of this empire.”
Akemilla raised her teacup and drank her tea.
With a small sound of hororok, it was soon followed by a sweet sound, and the teacup was placed on top of the saucer.
“Except for our Ureid Merchant.”
