《If a Mad Dog Bites a Club》 CH 1 Prologue ¡®This dream again.¡¯ The boy looked around. Plop¡­ Plop¡­ The sound of water dripping. It was dark all around, but golden stars fell like golden sand in the air, making my surroundings appear dim. As always, I was in a cave. It was dark and difficult to see the way, so I had to constantly watch my step. Bam, Bam. I heard someone hitting something. The boy was very familiar with that sound. He lived this dream so many times that he memorized it beyond normal. The boy rolled up his long sleeves and walked slowly. He circled the black stalactite wall and moved toward the sound. At the sound of the boy¡¯s footsteps, the woman sitting on the other side of the wall turned her head. The woman was dressed in clothing peculiar to Yogyakarta. Slightly transparent and light clothes. The traditional patterns of Yogyakarta were intricately sewn into the fabric. The boy saw a design of five braided knots between the patterns and knew it was the mark of the Royal Family of Yogyakarta. However, the white skin beneath her clothes clearly revealed that the woman could not wear them. White skin was unique to the Acelains. I had never heard of an Acelain intermingling with the Royal Family of Yogyakarta. ¡®No, I have once.¡¯ But that was a man. The person sitting in front of the boy was a woman and could not be the same person. Moreover, for an Acelain to wear the marks of the Yogyakarta Royal Family meant she was determined to die here. Nevertheless, the boy said nothing and went to the woman¡¯s side. The woman was rubbing her face in haste. The boy knew she was clumsily wiping away her tears. Brushing away the woman¡¯s messy green hair, he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­Small one.¡± The woman smiled with puffy eyes. The boy thought of wiping under the woman¡¯s red eyes but then looked a little below her collarbone. The top of her chest was also red under the transparent fabric. Thump, that was the sound of her punching his chest. He thought of how she didn¡¯t cut him any slack, caring that he would get a bruise. The woman noticed where the boy¡¯s gaze was and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re looking?¡± Her voice was gruff, but the boy knew she was pretending to be calm. So the boy squatted in front of the woman. The boy spoke slowly, adjusting his gaze to the woman sitting there. ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up with it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that if you keep bottling up your rage, you will very likely be consumed by that rage?¡± Someone once said that to the boy. Don¡¯t bottle it up. Instead of his mother, who was no longer in this world, the boy whispered it softly to the woman who saved his life. The woman smiled and placed her hand on the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°Pretty good, kiddo.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to protest the word ¡°kiddo,¡± but the boy shut up as always. The woman opened her mouth. ¡°Tiny thing.¡± He really didn¡¯t like the name, but the boy listened instead of rolling his eyes. He was there to listen properly to her words. The woman smiled as she swept the boy¡¯s hair back. ¡°I always thought I was right, so I was confident no matter what I did. But you know what? I don¡¯t know how to handle this because, in fact, I just realized the extent of it.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± The boy looked straight at the woman¡¯s face. Her pale, gaunt cheeks and warm eyes stared back at him. There was clear affection in her eyes. The woman looked at him tenderly and kissed his forehead. ¡°You¡¯ll discover all about it later. Very later.¡± And the next second, he couldn¡¯t hear well. The boy narrowed his eyes and scratched his ears, but to no avail. ¡°¡­If, ¡­¡± The woman turned blurry. Her words were muffled. I could only sense the warmth of her hand touching my cheek. Her pink eyes lit up with a bright smile. Her hot, firm fingertips touched my soft skin before pinching and twisting. The moment I was about to shout. The man opened his eyes. It was the same ceiling as always. Painted white with vines intricately embossed on the ceiling. ¡°¡­Again.¡± He sighed and gently closed his eyes. The rough blanket touched his arm. Cold sweat ran down his back and forehead. It wasn¡¯t really a nightmare, but strangely, dreaming of that woman made him sweat like the rain. The man rose to his feet. Even at night, the windows were wide open, and a humid breeze rushed in. The man¡¯s black eyes stared into the darkness. There was nothing beyond the window. It will be clamorous tomorrow morning. So he had to go back to sleep. But the man already knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep again. He let out a sigh. Today¡¯s dawn would be long. The man curled up. Chapter 1 There is no cure for a mad dog. Then, how should you control one? The answer is a club. But if the mad dog bites the club, what should the owner do? * * * There are several ways to address Adrian Du, the second daughter of the Du family. First, Miss Du. Second, Adrian. The first nickname was normally used by those not very close to her, and the second was used by her family members. However, she had a third name that was more famous than the other two. The Mad Dog of the Second Prince. Someone lamented, ¡°What kind of bizarre title is this for the Du family, who is called an exceptionally old and noble family in the Kingdom of Acela?¡± However, everyone who knew Adrian Du would sigh over the disastrous title but implicitly admit that no other title suited her. Acela, a kingdom that enjoys wealth with ¡°Black Water That Summons Fire,¡± has been fighting for the throne between the two heirs for 5 years. Barbate Du, the head of the Du family, spoke when his children sided with opposite heirs to the throne. ¡°Do as you please. I do not know.¡± It was not an officially confirmed statement. However, without the acquiescence of Barbate Du, how could the two children of the Du family survive while bickering in such a way? If Barbate hadn¡¯t tolerated the confrontation of his children, perhaps because of their tempers, one of the two children of the Du family would have seized the other¡¯s neck and taken over the Du family. If so, who is siding with whom? Kayley Du, the eldest son, known for his quick wit and intelligence, sided with the first princess. The first princess, Della, was a cool-tempered tiger, and her bravery pierced the sky. Since the current royal dynasty, the Kingdom of Acela was aggressively expanding its territory and was surrounded by enemies in all directions, and the first princess defeated the northern enemies and solidified her position. In addition, Acela¡¯s temple also protected the first princess. The temple calls the princess the ¡°Saintess of Acela,¡± consolidating her practice of the will of the heavenly god, Apelard. Then, what about Ethan, the second prince, her opponent? The second prince was weak but had a brilliant head and good skills. He made the kingdom rich by mending the numerous tax laws of the Acela Kingdom. The ¡°Black Water That Summons Fire¡± was also devised by the second prince, who was fifteen, and was more suitable for war than the method he had used so far. However, the first princess mocked the second prince at his twentieth birthday banquet, saying, ¡°An engineer cannot be a king!¡± It was said that the first princess, who defeated the enemies of the kingdom and was protected by the temple, would be a strong candidate for the king instead of the second prince. However, the situation changed dramatically when Adrian Du, who had just been appointed as a knight and had no place to go to rebel against the first princess, took the side of the second prince. And Adrian Du, under the command of the second prince, went out and led the war against the Eastern Kingdom of Brisch to a great victory. It was when she was just twenty years old. Adrian Du raised the flag of the second prince and made improvements to King Acela, offering the stipend of King Brisch. Of course, King Acela was greatly pleased. Adrian Du¡¯s improvement didn¡¯t stop there. She won everywhere and attributed all her credit to the second prince, Ethan Acela. Adrian Du made a significant contribution to the second prince emerging as the first princess¡¯s most threatening rival. Some of the second prince¡¯s henchmen warned her to be on the lookout for her brother, Kayley Du, as the first princess¡¯ henchman. But no one could say that in the face of the victories she brought in for 5 years. Adrian Du was blind and valiant. She did everything Prince Ethan asked. After killing the first princess¡¯ henchman on the front lawn of the royal palace for insulting Prince Ethan, her nickname became the ¡°Mad Dog of the Second Prince.¡± It was natural for Adrian to be an offense in the eyes of the first princess and Kayley. She was thrown into a war against the barbarians of the White Rocky Plains, which the kingdom of Acela found most difficult to deal with. And she came back with a great victory, as always. But it was a rope, not a bouquet of triumph, that was thrown at her as she passed the gates of Acela¡¯s capital city. * * * Her head was itchy. Nevertheless, the fact that she hadn¡¯t washed her head in twelve days was largely due to burning her scalp during the battle of the White Rocky Plains. Adrian rubbed her head against the stone wall for a long time. But the itch didn¡¯t go away easily. Eventually, she shouted for the guard. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey! Guard!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to rip apart this bastard. Hey! Aren¡¯t you going to get over here?¡± Adrian finally cursed at him, and the guard, who had turned his back, looked over his shoulder like he¡¯d chewed on shit. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come here and scratch my head.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Adrian grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, and I won¡¯t bite your wrist, so come scratch my head. You punk. My teeth are human. They¡¯re not as sharp as the rumors say.¡± ¡°It is strictly forbidden to touch a prisoner. You should know better¡­¡± The guard looked disgusted at her. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you wash your hair? Were you looking forward to something nice here¡­¡± ¡°You punk. Do you know how terrible the sun is at the Rocky Plains?¡± ¡°What does the sun have to do with it?¡± ¡°Look, you bastard. Look at the top of my head. Do you see the white stuff?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re filthy¡­ Look at your dandruff and lice. No, this woman is really filthy!¡± Adrian scoffed at the detestable guard. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t talk to the capital¡¯s hillbillies. Hey, kid. Nihil. Why don¡¯t you come over here?¡± At her words, a man with long hair crept out of the corner of the prison cell. The guard had a strange expression. He had been monitoring these dirty prisoners for ten days but had never seen a man named Nihil move into the cell with her. He was so immobile that at first, the guard thought he was trash behind bars. Anyway, the man who he assumed was trash sat down in front of the prison bars next to Adrian. His hands and feet were nailed with long knives so he couldn¡¯t move. Crawling up here was a strange talent. Adrian¡¯s situation was a little better than the man¡¯s, for Adrian had her hands and feet tied. Adrian pointed a finger to the top of the man¡¯s head, still with her hands tied. ¡°His hair is dirty, too!¡± ¡°Oh, are you showing off? Seriously?! A dirty master and a dirty servant!**¡± The guard was so disgusted his face turned seven different colors. Adrian¡¯s face twisted up into a scowl. ¡°You idiot. Do you think I¡¯m bragging about being dirty? Look closer. It¡¯s not lice. It¡¯s my scalp peeling.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dandruff!¡± ¡°Blah, Blah, Blah. You punk. You¡¯ve never been to war, have you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an only son, so I wasn¡¯t drafted!¡± ¡°Good for you, fuck. Anyway, there are no trees in the village of the barbarians who live on the Eastern Rocky Plains. Do you know what that means?¡± The guard frowned, predicting that this prisoner would give him a rather long speech. Prisoners who could be imprisoned in the dungeons of the Great Kingdom were likely to talk a lot because they were good-for-nothings who came from outside. Oh, his boss said that if he screws this up, he¡¯ll be f*cked. The guard tried to shake off Adrian¡¯s words but to no avail. The guard also once had a dream of aspiring for greatness, and this prisoner in front of him was a war hero who lived the life he dreamed of. Besides, the Du family was respected by most of the subjects of the Acela Kingdom. Anyone would be curious about the words of the unusual woman who was born into that noble family. ¡°There is no shade. ¡° ¡°So what?¡± ¡°You punk, the sun burns your head. The top of your head!¡± Adrian chuckled. For a moment, the guard doubted whether this person was the twenty-five-year-old girl from the Du family. In any case, Adrian¡¯s appearance now resembled more of exemplary trash, and if anyone treated her as a noble lady, the guard would doubt their insanity. ¡°Among the Rocky Plains, the barbarians mostly hide in the White Rocky Plains. The rocks there are all blindingly white, and the sun¡¯s reflection will make your eyeballs fall out. When you close your eyes and say, ¡°It¡¯s hot, it¡¯s hot,¡± the sunlight burns your scalp. When you¡¯ve barely sliced off the heads of the barbarians and begun to retreat, your scalp is already burning red. And after about three days, your burnt scalp travels into your hair.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you shake it off, you can¡¯t get rid of it. It doesn¡¯t matter if you wash your hair. And when it¡¯s barely time for the skin to peel off, the barbarians will jump out again! It¡¯s hard to hold out and kill them all unless you¡¯re tough.¡± So the slaves¡­ the guard swallowed his saliva as he tried to say. He almost got caught up in the story and asked a question. Adrian tilted her head at the silent guard. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I boring you?¡± ¡°¡­I just decided to fulfill my duties later.¡° Seeing the guard with a hard expression, Adrian mumbled, ¡°Oh, okay,¡± and then crossed her legs, twisting on the floor. Then, she stuck her head back through the bars again. ¡°Then, scratch my head.¡± ¡°What kind of capital guard has the job of scratching a prisoner¡¯s head?!¡± ¡°Oh, you punk! I don¡¯t see you swinging a club at me, and you¡¯re listening to me, so clearly, you like me! Now, scratch it for me!¡± She was wrong. The guard sighed without saying, ¡°Where is the brave guard who will swing the club at you?¡± Adrian went wild. ¡°Ah! My head is itchy! Damn it! I want to take a shower!¡± ¡°¡­Can I scratch you with a pickaxe?¡± The guard asked because he couldn¡¯t possibly touch her head, and Adrian went twice as wild. ¡°You crazy bastard! Trying to steal the head of the Du family¡¯s second daughter, huh?! You gonna deliver it to the first princess?! How much is she paying you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t receive a penny! Oh, whatever. Forget about it!¡± As the guard turned around, Adrian urgently called to him. ¡°Hey! Hey! Wait a minute. Then can you at least scratch my head with a hoe? A pickaxe is really going to make me bleed!¡± ¡°Where would I find a hoe in this prison?!¡± ¡°Then why would you have a pickaxe?!¡± It was then. ¡°Adrian, you¡¯re still the same.¡± Adrian, who had been going crazy just a second ago, went silent with the sudden intervention. The guard straightened up in astonishment. Soon, in the darkness of the prison, the owner of the voice appeared. A man with gray hair and green eyes. The guard soon recognized who the man was when he saw the distinctive, dull gray hair color of the Du family, which did not glow. Kayley Du. The man slowly came to a stop in front of the prison cell. And then he smiled. ¡°Your head itches?¡± ¡°Kayley.¡± ¡°How can you use your older brother¡¯s name so recklessly? Adrian, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to scratch your head till you bleed.¡± With a smile, Kayley drew a sword from his waist. The famous sword of the Du family appeared with a rumbling, trembling sound. Adrian snorted. ¡°Quit it. Don¡¯t hurt yourself trying to hold that toothpick. You can¡¯t even handle it properly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll slice your head off with this toothpick?¡± ¡°Before you chop my head off, you should drop your sword and stab your foot first.¡± The siblings were really close. **T/N: Original Korean saying is very similar to: like father, like son. ? CH 2 Nihil crept toward them and blocked Kayley from Adrian. Kayley laughed out loud. ¡°Apparently, the slaves were the only ones who journeyed out to the far White Rocky Plains, and I see it¡¯s true. Who is this filthy bastard?¡± ¡°Why are you asking when you know he¡¯s a slave?¡± Adrian replied sternly. Kayley struck the prison bars with the tip of his sword. Clang! It was a loud sound, but Nihil didn¡¯t budge, so Kayley¡¯s judgment was further twisted. It was brave for a mere slave to defy such a high man, not even flinching as he wielded his sword. Kayley deliberately raised his sword. Adrian spoke again. ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ll break your other leg.¡± The first son of the Du family had not yet been able to marry even as he provided good conditions for his future wife. The reason is one of his legs was shorter than the other because he broke it when he was young. For a time, Kayley Du¡¯s gait was the laughingstock for young people his age. Kayley Du¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°You think somebody like you, stuck inside a prison, can put your hands on me?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t touch you. Think about that.¡± Adrian tapped her temple. ¡°Do you think Prince Ethan will leave you alone?¡± It was the name of the second prince. If Kayley was the henchman of the first princess, Adrian was like the second prince¡¯s right-hand man. Although she was currently locked up by some misunderstanding, she knew Prince Ethan would not leave her like this. Moreover, if Adrian suffered even the slightest harm in prison, he, too, would provoke the wrath of Prince Ethan. But Kayley snorted, humming. ¡°That¡¯s what you think, little girl. If Prince Ethan really had you in mind, would he leave you here?¡± Adrian immediately shot back. ¡°Why would my prince think of me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Prince Ethan should only think for himself. The reason why he left me here was that I¡¯d interfere with his plans. I was wrong this time.¡± Crazy bitch. Kayley clucked his tongue. Adrian Du¡¯s blind loyalty to Ethan Acela was well known, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be this extreme. Even with the most hated of his subjects, this was no way to treat a triumphant hero. Even though his triumphant hero was imprisoned, he did not bail her out. Either way, Adrian yawned, cross-legged, and set Nihil¡¯s head aside. Nihil flinched and stepped away. Unlike when he bared his teeth at Kayley, he looked like a pet dog who had turned docile. ¡°There are endless reasons as to why the prince left me here. But if someone harms his right-hand man, no reason will stop him from taking revenge. Kayley, I know you hate me, but think about it.¡± ¡°Well, is that so?¡± Kayley chuckled and put the sword back into its sheath. His face was disguised as a smile, but he clearly listened to Adrian¡¯s words. ¡°You`ve done something that will overturn the foundation of this country. No matter how much he desired to win the war, it is unavoidable for His Majesty to rule with an iron fist. Even Prince Ethan cannot cover up your wrongdoings.¡± It was a warning in Kayley¡¯s own way, but Adrian still scratched her ear with indifference. ¡°Damn. Well-spoken. Would you hurry up and ask? His Majesty should have acted sooner if he was going to be harsh. Why do this to me now that I¡¯ve won everything?¡± ¡°¡­News of the battlefield. Closely¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you retard. It¡¯s news of the battlefield. We have to deal with it closely.¡± Adrian looked down at her finger and blew on it. Nothing flew away. Adrian was staring at her clean little finger but looked up when Kayley didn¡¯t respond. Kayley was trembling with a flushed face. Only then did Adrian realize she touched something similar to Kayley¡¯s weakness, and she burst out laughing. Kayley walked with a limp because one of his legs was short, and he hated the word ¡°retard¡± the most. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say that on purpose right now. You understand, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s sorta like a chu-imsae** among us knights.¡± ¡°How dare this crazy bitch¡­¡± ¡°Oh, calm down. Calm down. Ah! Look at this.¡± Adrian uncrossed her legs and put her right leg in front of the cell. Kayley flinched. Adrian¡¯s right leg was bandaged and swollen from the tip of her toes. Adrian continued, swinging her leg from side to side. ¡°I hurt my foot this time, too. It might be hard to walk as I used to. So, you and me. Eh? You can call me a retard too.¡± Of course, her words had no effect. Kayley¡¯s face went red with anger, and he struck the bars with his sheath. The sounds of shouting and iron clanging echoed through the prison for a long time. The guard stood behind him and covered his ears. Nihil was covering Adrian¡¯s ears. Kayley took out his anger on the bars for a long time and then huffed, backing off. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll see if Ethan saves you, you crazy little bitch. Blow away one leg, and you think Ethan will save a little girl like you who¡¯s now useless as a knight?¡± Adrian shrugged her shoulders. ¡°If only I were truly useless.¡± ¡°Ever since you were young, you¡¯ve been so drunk on useless confidence that it causes you to spoil things.¡± Kayley took on a sneer. Adrian blinked. ¡°Try to believe in Ethan for once. See you in ten days.¡± Adrian¡¯s only brother retreated and disappeared, vowing to do so. Ten days later, Adrian guessed that would be the day she left prison. Of course, that may be the day of her death sentence or her release. But Adrian decided not to worry about such complications. Those sorts of worries always belonged to her prince, not Adrian. However, the only thing that made Adrian suffer was not being able to wash her hair until ten days later. * * * Prince Ethan frowned. Twenty-two days had already passed since his favorite knight returned to the capital in triumph. But today was the first time Ethan saw her. For the most part, Adrian¡¯s appearance was far from clean or dignified, but today was especially terrible. Ethan beckoned his henchman, Count Reise, with a displeased expression. ¡°I told you to ensure that Adrian¡¯s life in prison went fine, so why is she like this?¡± It was the day of Adrian¡¯s summary judgment. There was a huge hall in Acela¡¯s Castle called the Hall of Apelard. The strongest of Acela¡¯s high lords were gathered. Of course, the first princess and the second prince were in attendance. The hall was an elongated oval spanning 3 floors, and the throne was 2 stories high, sitting at the top of the oval. Above the throne was a relievo of the heavenly god, Apelard, his wings spread and his magnificence beyond words. There was no access to the throne except for the stairs going up from the hall on the 1st floor. The 2nd floor on both sides of the oval had a corridor that overlooked the bottom, like a long railing. Prince Ethan and Count Reise looked down from the center of the corridor on the left. Adrian stood in the middle of the hall on the first floor. Beside her was a slave with long black hair. Slaves had to crawl on their knees when facing the king, so the slave crawled all the way from the dungeon to here. The hall was long, streaked with the blood of the slave¡¯s knees, and the servants wiped it away with disgusted faces. Count Reise looked down, wrinkles on his forehead. Most nobles are guaranteed some convenience even when imprisoned for a crime. Adrian was also the daughter of the Du family, so he expected she¡¯d appear in a human state. But Prince Ethan did not know of Adrian¡¯s setting while continuously trying to save her from his father, the king, for ten days. Adrian¡¯s condition was severe. It didn¡¯t look like she won a great victory in the Rocky Plains. Her feet were bare, still clothed in her soiled knightly uniform. Even so, her jacket disappeared. ¡°¡­Perhaps it was the princess¡¯ doing.¡± Ethan frowned at Count Reise¡¯s words. His beautiful elder sister, Della, was born as if under the order that she should strangle her younger brother from the queen¡¯s womb. He wouldn¡¯t put it past her and her underlings. Della wouldn¡¯t mind giving a small sum of money to her minions, such as the guards if it were to disturb her. ¡°¡­Della has been very attentive.¡± ¡°It would possibly be more accurate to say Kayley Du did it rather than Princess Della, as he is beneath her. Isn¡¯t it famously known that those two siblings despise each other?¡± Prince Ethan looked down at Adrian with regret, pretending to listen to Count Reise as his words fell on deaf ears. Even as a criminal, she had to stand before the king today. Most criminals who come before the Great King are expected to wear clean clothes, but Adrian was not entitled to even that. Adrian¡¯s green hair was greasy, and her face looked like it had not been washed properly. A foul smell permeated the hall. The servants of the first princess retreated, blatantly covering their noses. They intended to humiliate her. But Ethan knew Adrian¡¯s personality. She didn¡¯t care. Adrian was indifferent to most of the gazes focused on her. Personally, of course, it was a little different¡­ At that moment, Adrian¡¯s eyes turned his way. Adrian faced the prince without even searching for him as if she knew Ethan would be standing there. Adrian¡¯s pink eyes were still distinct, and Ethan, who met her gaze, wanted to smile but couldn¡¯t. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Ethan finally clenched his teeth. He visited his father several times to rescue his favorite knight, but King Acela remained undecided. It was understandable. Adrian went overboard to win the White Rocky Plains War. It didn¡¯t matter if she won on the Rocky Plains. The king couldn¡¯t have liked what Adrian had done. ¡°Is the king still the same?¡± Count Reise asked. Ethan stared at Adrian and replied with a troubled heart. ¡°Yes. But sister Della didn¡¯t see His Majesty either.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance.¡° It was then. King Acela entered the hall. ¡°His Majesty, the King!¡± Everyone knelt on the 2nd floor. So did Adrian. She shifted her gaze away from Ethan, lowered her head, and knelt, taking the example of a knight. King Acela was an old man with gray hair and a long beard, and his spirit was so grand that even now, with his muscles torn up of old age, the intimidation he left on his audience was immense. The king slowly climbed the twenty-nine steps and sat on the throne. The king¡¯s eyes landed on Adrian. ¡°Everyone¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The nobles who stood up to kneel and honor the king hesitated. The king beckoned the nobles, ordering them to stand roughly, and then spoke. ¡°Adrian Du.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Second daughter of the Du family and proud knight of Acela.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is a pity that you can¡¯t be celebrating at a banquet hall, where you should be instead of standing here.¡± ¡°I am honored and very sorry.¡± Adrian kept her face down and remained on one knee. The king¡¯s attitude stirred the lords. Because King Acela called her a knight, not a criminal. **T/N: Exclamatory words uttered by the gosu, a drummer, during a performance of pansori, Korean storytelling song, to arouse excitement. ? CH 3 Not everyone knew that Adrian had been imprisoned since her triumph and was turned away by the king. It was a well-known fact that the mistress of the Du family tried so hard to meet her but failed. As such, King Acela did not grant Adrian Du all the rights she had as a criminal. Only Kayley Du could meet with Adrian Du, but everyone knew it wasn¡¯t for Adrian¡¯s benefit. Even the servants were so sick of the king¡¯s attitude, and even Prince Ethan whispered about whether he should abandon Adrian Du. But now, the king was treating Adrian as a knight. The king¡¯s old eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you know why you stand here as a criminal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± ¡°I carelessly pledged to use the Illakian slaves of Acela as soldiers, freeing them from slavery.¡± The crowd fell silent. Yes. Adrian Du lured the slaves into the Rocky Plains with promises that she would make them civilians. And she won. It was to overturn the proverb of the heavenly god Apelard and the status system of Acela from the very beginning. Illakians can never be of the same status as the Acelains. For the sake of fairness, Count Reise served as Adrian Du¡¯s defense, who was not a member of the Du family. Count Reise stood before the nobles and the king to defend Adrian Du¡¯s conduct. Adrian received only two-thousand soldiers to dispatch to the Rocky Plains. Among them, she could only handle five hundred soldiers on the battlefield. Because the original commander, who had taken camp on the White Rocky Plains before Adrian arrived, did not give her the remaining one thousand five hundred. ¡°You can¡¯t use ordinary methods to lead a war to victory when one-third of the soldiers are untrained!¡± Count Reise defended her with all his might. The king was always expressionless, but Count Reise hoped that the king would treat Adrian as a knight. Soon, the king spoke. ¡°Adrian Du has overthrown the order of Acela and the rules of the Temple of Apelard. If the slaves have contributed, it is in my authority to reward them.¡± Everyone held their breath. However, someone had vitality shining in their eyes. It was Kayley. In the meantime, Adrian barely suppressed her laughter at the sight of her puny brother giggling, his eyes twinkling. Her brother used to laugh like that when she was punished for causing trouble as a child. Humans truly didn¡¯t seem to change. Either way, the king continued. ¡°According to the words of Apelard, the Ilak people are inferior to the Acelains. Those who treat them as commoners and not slaves should also be put to death.¡± Kayley¡¯s smile grew even wider. But in the words that followed, the face of the Du family¡¯s eldest son crumpled. ¡°But we cannot ignore Adrian Du¡¯s influence. The Knight of the Du family achieved a victory worthy of her reputation. In addition, Adrian Du has won honorable victories as a loyal knight of Acela since the first battle of Yogyakarta up until now. The barbarians of the White Rocky Plains were parasites that corroded Acela, so we must take into account Adrian Du¡¯s merit.¡± ¡°We are extremely grateful.¡± Count Reise bowed his head. Adrian waited quietly for the disposal. King Acela turned to Barbate Du, who was standing on one side. He was also the Prime Minister of Acela, so he deserved to be present. Barbate Du¡¯s green eyes held no sympathy for his daughter. Her father was so cold, and her brother was so happy, so how can it be said that Adrian Du¡¯s situation was a pity? Some of the lords whispered. The king asked, ¡°What do you propose I do with Adrian Du, Prime Minister?¡± ¡°Pardon me, Your Majesty.¡± It was Princess Della who interjected. Princess Della, who had thick eyebrows and a perfect forehead, was greatly liked by the lords for her usual lavish appearance. Her glittering red hair and blue eyes were enough to call her a beauty, and she appeared harder and stronger than vulnerable. Her voice was also powerful and easily captivated the audience. It was not unreasonable to call her the Saintess of Acela in the Temple of Apelard. Once people saw her, they were immediately fascinated by her. ¡°The Prime Minister is the father of the culprit, in this case, at her disposal¡­¡± ¡°Della. I did not allow you to speak.¡± But the king was cold. The princess¡¯s face turned bright red. It was not common for the king to openly humiliate the princess like this. No matter if she were the ¡°Saintess of Acela,¡± the nobles were shaken by the fact that they could not say anything in front of the king. Princess Della clenched her teeth and stepped back. Barbate Du, who was waiting calmly, proceeded. ¡°Although Adrian Du is a member of my family, I have no intention of defending her felony in the war. However, my only concern is that the barbarians of the Rocky Plains have yet to be completely conquered.¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°At a time when there is a desperate need for a famous knight in the kingdom, I dare say that sentencing such a talented knight to execution would be unfortunate. So why not send that strength to a place where it can be fully utilized?¡± ¡°A place where we can use that strength.¡± Adrian stared at her father with unwavering eyes. Although the head of the Du family¡ªfamous for its lack of calmness¡ªBarbate has always been a fair and reasonable giver of love to Adrian. So even in this situation, Adrian awaited Barbate¡¯s answer. ¡°There are a few things we can do for Adrian Du in this situation. One, she may be stripped of her position and return as an ordinary soldier to perform her military duties from scratch. We would turn her reputation into nothing and boost the momentum of the soldiers she will serve with.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That didn¡¯t seem very satisfactory to King Asela. Barbate Du continued without raising his head. ¡°Second, the pursuit of Martha, a currently wanted criminal. However, pursuing Martha holds no promise, as she¡¯s been gone for a decade, along with the Holy Relic, so we will not achieve much-expected results.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± Barbate Du took a light breath and proceeded. ¡°Third, we send her as regent of Yogyakarta, the permanent terrain we conquered the previous year.¡± ¡°¡­Regent.¡± ¡°The climate in Yogyakarta is hot and humid. Hence no one desires to be regent. So she will act as deputy regent for the House of Teterborough.¡± King Acela propped his chin in his hands. ¡°There¡¯s not much to choose from anyway. Martha is out of the question.¡± The king beckoned for Sir Alffein, the commander of the Acela Knights. ¡°What are the advantages and disadvantages of having Adrian Du serve as an ordinary soldier?¡± Adrian wore a blatantly bored expression. Sir Alffein was probably one of Adrian Du¡¯s biggest haters in Acela. Sir Alffein glanced at Adrian and replied with force in his eyes. ¡°It is encouraging as we can expect to improve the strength of ordinary soldiers.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It is unacceptable as she is certain to bring lack of discipline upon the ordinary soldiers.¡± Light laughter broke out among the high lords but died down at Sir Alffein¡¯s menacing glare. That¡¯s because Sir Alffein being troubled over Adrian Du was such a famous story. At the end of every sentence, Adrian Du chants, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± like it¡¯s a song, but then chooses to act terribly. Rumors spread that more than half of the gray hairs on the Knight Commander¡¯s head were her doing. ¡°Expectations and certainty.¡± But the king¡¯s wrinkled face held no smile. The princess and the prince waited nervously for the king¡¯s decision. Kayley Du was also biting his lip. The high lords were also wary of the king. ¡°Adrian Du.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The king opened his mouth, and Adrian straightened her posture. ¡°I order you to be sent to the South.¡± ¡°The South is¡­¡± Count Reise anxiously began. Raising his eyebrows, the king affirmed, ¡°She is to be sent to Yogyakarta.¡± Adrian steeled her eyes. Acela was the largest kingdom on the continent, being passed down for hundreds of years. Now, King Acela has worked hard to expand his territory since ascending the throne. Thus, many diverse countries became vassal states of Acela. Following the doctrine of the heavenly god was only a pretense, and in fact, it was all for the sake of King Acela to declare himself king, but everyone remained clueless. And Yogyakarta. A newly conquered southern kingdom in Acela. A kingdom of thirteen clans, and like Acela, their black water can summon fire. The land of eternal summer. Above all, it was a country with black water, so Acela was also sought-after constantly. But it was far south, distant from the capital of Acela. As it took more than a full month to reach the region on horseback, Acela continued to fail in its complete conquest. If the white-skinned Acelains, represented by Acela, lived in the northern and central parts of the rich continent, then people completely different from Acelains lived in the south, including Yogyakarta. People had brown skin due to the hot weather that lasted all year. Among them, the royal family¡ªthe Viral Clan¡ªwas described to have wings. At first, they appeared similar to Acelains, but they were the most neglected race in Acela. Almost completely annihilated because it was believed that they harmed Apelard, their winged god. The present king was the first to present the Yogyakarta conquest after he ascended the throne, and after a long period, he succeeded. The king spoke again. ¡°Go to Yogyakarta as deputy regent and help Celeste Lou Yogyakarta, whom I have appointed as heir to the throne. After a regent is assigned, work as a lieutenant for 5 years to complete the conquest of Yogyakarta. After that, I will no longer charge the daughter of the Du family. ¡° Everyone quickly exchanged glances. Celeste Lou Yogyakarta. He was directly appointed heir to the throne by King Acela shortly after conquering Yogyakarta. Originally, Princess Elmira was considered the heir to the throne of Yogyakarta. However, King Acela demanded that Elmira be taken hostage immediately after the conquest of Yogyakarta. Then, he ordered Prince Celeste to be crowned king of Yogyakarta and appointed an Acelain as regent. ¡®Not a regent, but a deputy regent.¡¯ Adrian could barely hold in her laughter. Yogyakarta was a long way off, and the road to it could be considered asceticism. Dispatching troops to Yogyakarta was also possible by forcibly recruiting soldiers from neighboring countries. So no one wanted to be the regent of Yogyakarta. People were reluctant to the Viral Clan in the first place. Dark-skinned, red-winged species. The Southerners who had to rule with them were also bizarre. There were stories of cannibalism and using magic. The climate also played a part in deeply distressing the Acelains of the north. Teterborough Eloy, the regent of Teterborough who remained there after conquering Yogyakarta in Acela, claimed that he was seriously damaging his health even though he was in his mid-twenties. The hot and humid climate all year round was not suitable for him. It seemed good at first. Regent. A territory that King Acela cared about for a long time and in some ways had the power to rule over larger territories than the great lords, but Yogyakarta was not a peaceful place. This is because the rebellion of the Viral Clan continues. Even deputy regent. In fact, this means that they will not even grant her proper authority. Her exploits on the Rocky Plains remain to punish her even more. Furthermore, they cannot help but consider the influence of the Du family, the famous family of Acela. However, King Acela¡¯s slyness stood out, as he did not want to appoint her as regent. Then, Count Reise raised his hand. The king raised his white eyebrows to permit his statement. Count Reise asked cautiously, ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty. Then, when will a regent be assigned?¡± The crowd roared in unison. Adrian also blinked and almost uttered an exclamation. ¡®Oh, no. I see how it¡¯s going to be.¡¯ This shows how the famous playboy son of Count Reise succeeded the count by overtaking the righteous position of the firstborn. Count Reise found a loophole in the king¡¯s judgment. Adrian will return 5 years after a regent is appointed. However, no one has yet been assigned regent of Yogyakarta, even though a year has passed since its conquest. Who¡¯d want to travel to a remote mountainous area that¡¯s infested with different races? If a regent is not assigned to Yogyakarta as it is, Adrian Du¡¯s return may be forever impossible. CH 4 ¡°That is undecided.¡± At the king¡¯s words, Prince Ethan clenched his teeth. Prince Ethan has excellent worldly skills and strategies but is not as powerful as Princess Della. Therefore, if Adrian is banished, Prince Ethan must continue his fight for succession with Princess Della without his right arm. Naturally, Count Reise protested. ¡°Your Majesty, Adrian Du¡¯s promise to pardon the Illakain slave soldiers is a denial of our heavenly god, Apelard. But the culprit has also given us justice, so please, clarify the penalty of their sin.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The king stared at Count Reise indifferently. Although the two were at Prince Ethan¡¯s beck and call, the dissonance between Count Reise and Adrian Du was well-known in Acela Castle. So it was interesting to see Count Reise stand up for her like this. But there was a problem. Count Reise¡¯s point was not wise but more of a big mistake. Adrian scratched her chin. The king initially took pleasure in using vague language, but he did not appreciate people picking apart his sentences. For more than twenty years, Barbate Du served as the king¡¯s prime minister, and a big part of it was detecting the meaning behind his hazy words without questioning them. It was common sense for Adrian, the daughter of Barbate Du, who had lived for more than twenty years, but not for Count Reise. So to speak, she was thankful, but she was not thankful for these matters. ¡°All right. Given how far Count Reise has gone, I shall provide Adrian Du with a path to exoneration.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What would be good¡­ Yes.¡± Oh, that sounds ominous. Adrian squinted. As expected, the king, who looked uncomfortable, glanced at Adrian and said, ¡°In Yogyakarta, according to the people, there is something called the Golden City.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Track down the Golden City. If we find the city of gold, let alone the black water that can summon fire, it will be a great achievement that shall raise the glory of Acela and Apelard.¡± This time, even Barbate Du furrowed his brows. The nobles surrounding the hall howled even louder. ¡°A Golden City?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Isn¡¯t that a legend?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a treasure trove of fairy tales. There is no Golden City!¡± ¡°His Majesty seems very angry.¡± ¡°Oh my, she will end her life in Yogyakarta¡­¡± Trying not to change her expression, Adrian thought, ¡®Count Reise, I wouldn¡¯t have paid for your lunch if I¡¯d known you suck at your job.¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty, but¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s as Count Reise said. The sin of denying the heavenly god Apelard is immense. If so, we should take action to prove that God Apelard is at work in that barbaric land of Yogyakarta. And I don¡¯t doubt the discovery of the Golden City. ¡° ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is also clear that Adrian Du¡¯s strength will support that history. Therefore, let Adrian Du strive for the complete subjugation of Yogyakarta and follow Apelard¡¯s will to find the Golden City. If Adrian Du succeeds, ??I pledge the Du family the honor of succeeding as the Commander of Knights following exoneration. I give my word to uphold the royal honor.¡± He likes royal honor. No one believed that. Even the talking king couldn¡¯t think this was royal honor. What is this talk of a Golden City? If you do the impossible, I¡¯ll reward you with a military position. ¡®Are you joking me?¡¯ Adrian seemed to understand the feelings of the rebels, whom she¡¯d only read about in history books. But that doesn¡¯t simply mean she can revolt. ¡®This is just a permanent exile.¡¯ What could she do in a hot country? Now, all hope of being able to return has vanished. In her head, Adrian slowly tried to choose ¡°100 Things To Do in Yogyakarta.¡± It was close to her escape from reality, but her escape was a direct failure. Because not a single thing crossed her mind. Looking down at Adrian, the high lords pondered what soldiers the king would send her with. The 3rd Knights, whom Prince Ethan adored, were sent to the Battle of the White Rocky Plains alongside the slave soldiers. But he couldn¡¯t possibly send the knights who have barely just returned¡­ ¡°2 individuals will be dispatched.¡± And the moment the king¡¯s words fell, everyone doubted their ears. 2 people, not 200 or 2,000. That number could not completely subjugate a kingdom, let alone a region, at that. That scale of a number is not even remotely a dispatch. The first to shout was Prince Ethan. ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± The king treated him the same way he treated Princess Della. ¡°Ethan. I did not allow you to speak.¡± ¡°2 individuals?! This is basically exile¡­¡± Prince Ethan stopped talking. Because he realized this was a true exile. They¡¯d struggle and die without proper authority in Yogyakarta, and even so, it wouldn¡¯t matter much to the king if they did. So who the hell is being dispatched with Adrian Du? A famous knight? Or a subordinate who can properly assist the regent? As everyone¡¯s eyes wandered, the king went on to say, ¡°Adrian Du is permitted one soldier. Considering their contribution on the White Rocky Plains, I¡¯d like her to pick among the Illakian slave soldiers in particular.¡± This was nothing more but a mockery of her track record. In the White Rocky Plains, she was thriftily pestering the Illak people, so telling her to pick her favorite Illakian slave soldier was no different than throwing them aside. Yogyakarta was a tough place. The Yogyakartans harbored an intense hatred for the Acelains due to their prolonged war with Acela¡¯s people. Additionally, the religion of the celestial god Apelard said that the Yogyakartans deserved to be Acela¡¯s servants. Therefore, she questioned whether she could be escorted by a regular trained soldier. ¡°Your Majesty! This is ridiculous!¡± Prince Ethan shouted again, but Della, the first princess, stopped him with a smirk. ¡°Ethan, His Majesty has not allowed you to speak.¡± The king also warned Prince Ethan. ¡°Ethan. If you utter one more word, I will banish you from this place. ¡° Prince Ethan gritted his teeth and stepped back. Adrian glanced at Prince Ethan and nodded, thankful that he came forward. Prince Ethan has a relatively weak political position, so he rarely protested against the king to this extent. ¡®¡­Well, the prince would feel as if his right arm had been chopped off without me.¡¯ Adrian stared at the king in a relaxed manner. Everyone in this hall, except for her, looked grim, but she had a companion so she wouldn¡¯t be bored. She looked down to her side. Kneeling, Nihil peered up at her, then lowered his gaze again. His eyes told Adrian that he had no doubts about her choosing him. Adrian somehow felt moved. Nihil was initially the most disobedient slave soldier on the battlefield at first, but at the end of the Battle of the White Rock Plains, he became her most loyal hand. Plus, he was gifted in combat, so Adrian further trained him. So when in the discussion of deploying only 2 people, it was natural that she turned to Nihil first. But the king did not let the two of them have a heart-warming communion in a place where they were to confess their sins. With a cold expression, the king declared, ¡°And the one slave soldier who most actively participated in Adrian Du¡¯s treasonous acts deserves execution, but considering he was swept away, he will be branded.¡± Nihil¡¯s disposition was still pending. All the nobles were puzzled by the king¡¯s words. Slaves branded their bodies by nature. Adding a new brand wouldn¡¯t be a great punishment, would it? As if to answer the question, the king¡¯s next words clarified. ¡°Brand the tongue of this slave who brandished a sword and dared to seek a change so that he who speaks may be aware of his identity until his last dying breath.¡± Only then did all the nobles nod and admire the king¡¯s order. People whispered here and there, saying this was a very generous punishment for a slave. Adrian, of course, didn¡¯t think so, so she lifted her eyes furiously and glared at everyone who agreed. But it was of no use. The verdict was already over, and the king turned around and left. The nobles retreated in a rambling mess. Barbate Du went straight out after the king, and a giggling Kayley disappeared behind Princess Della¡¯s stride. Adrian and Nihil were the only ones left in the hall. The guard, who had been holding his breath nearby, came to release Adrian¡¯s constraints and wavered. Adrian smiled and held out a hand. As soon as the guard quickly released Nihil¡¯s restraints, she pulled him up. ¡°Nihil, I¡¯m sorry. ¡° I couldn¡¯t say it wouldn¡¯t hurt. To think they¡¯re going to brand his tongue. How could they do such a cruel thing? My heart ached as I patted Nihil¡¯s cheek. The blue scaly marks on his cheeks sparkled, but Nihil shook his head. As an Illakian, his expression always appeared indifferent, but Adrian¡¯s heart ached knowing how that face could smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± As soon as she said that, the guard stole Nihil away. Oh, that guard. I oughta smack his head. Adrian didn¡¯t understand why the guard took Nihil so fast as if he were fleeing until she recalled threatening to rip apart the guy who didn¡¯t scratch her head. I can¡¯t cut off a guard¡¯s neck while inside the hall. Does it appear that I would? Adrian sighed. Soon after, Sir Alffein and several soldiers approached. To take her back, remove her handcuffs and carry through with her procedures. But then Prince Ethan approached. ¡°Sir Alffein, excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give you a minute.¡± Sir Alffein backed away. Adrian smiled and looked at Prince Ethan. Count Reise followed behind him, pinching his nose. She was the first to scold Count Reise. ¡°You pretended to be fine while you were up there defending me.¡± ¡°Would you hold your nose in front of His Majesty, then?¡± ¡°Count Reise, stop it.¡± Prince Ethan stopped the two, as they usually bickered when bored. Count Riese, who was covering his nose, glanced at her, sighed, and removed his hand. He apologized in a low voice. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I accept all apologies from Count Reise. The sun may rise in the west.¡± ¡°¡­Sir Du!¡± Adrian smirked. Since Prince Ethan took her under his command, Count Reise has detested her. He always quarreled with her, even though they were the same age, but he was one of the few people in this castle to address her as ¡°Sir Du.¡± So, she knew he did it with good intentions. Adrian shook her head. ¡°No need to apologize.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, bring me a handsome man.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sorry!¡± Adrian smiled mischievously. Prince Ethan called her name anxiously. ¡°Adrian.¡± Adrian grinned before Prince Ethan could continue his words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my prince. Haven¡¯t I been to Yogyakarta before? I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± ¡°Adrian!¡± ¡°You need to maintain your health until then. Don¡¯t eat whatever you pick up off the ground.¡± Count Reise clicked his tongue. ¡°Is that any way to talk to the prince?¡± Adrian shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I still remember you picking up those poisoned snacks while I was away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you, again and again, I saw you eating them first.¡± Prince Ethan responded with a smirk. Adrian countered immediately. ¡°And as I¡¯ve told you, again and again, I have lived a life of wandering the streets, so it¡¯s acceptable for me to eat anything I find on the ground and mix it with a little poison.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I will be fine in Yogyakarta.¡± She tried to dispel the prince¡¯s worries but didn¡¯t know if it worked. The prince, whom she had served since she was knighted, was a delicate man, not like the intrusive, outspoken Princess Della. The prince focused on her, his thick eyebrows bunched together. ¡°¡­Just don¡¯t eat whatever you pick up off the ground.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to say to your subordinate who¡¯s traveling a long way?¡± She reached out and tried to grab the prince¡¯s hand but realized that her hands were dirty and wiped them against her clothes. But the prince shook his head and pulled on her hand. ¡°I¡¯m dirty, my prince.¡± ¡°If this were considered ¡®dirty,¡¯ I would have kicked you when you were nineteen and indulged in grilling meat behind my palace while poking your teeth with branches.¡± That was an old story. Adrian laughed, haha. CH 5 Chapter 5 After disobeying Princess Della, she joined a sorry lot of knights, and it was then that she met Prince Ethan. ¡°Had you kicked me out then, Your Highness would¡¯ve been at ease.¡± ¡°How could I have done that?¡± Prince Ethan laughed bitterly. Count Reise intervened. ¡°I tend to tell him he should have done it.¡± ¡°Count Reise, what does a nerd like you know?¡± ¡°This ¡®nerd¡¯ defended you!¡± ¡°Phew, Your Highness. Don¡¯t waste your time hanging around such a petty nerd.¡± Count Reise flared his nose in irritation. Prince Ethan shook his head. ¡°Sir Du, I¡¯m sorry to say this in a place like this, but¡­¡± Strangely stuttering and hesitating, it was time for an apology or something more uncomfortable than an apology. The prince still held her hand, but Adrian did not want to hear an apology or an expression of regret for what had already happened. So she grinned, showing her teeth. ¡°Was there ever a time when Your Highness and I exchanged words that might fit a decent occasion? Feel free to speak to me.¡± ¡°¡­The seat next to me has yet to be filled.¡± Count Reise¡¯s face crumpled, and Adrian frowned, rearing her head back. Her double chin turned into a triple chin, creating a blatantly disgusted expression. Prince Ethan slightly choked up. ¡°I wonder if there has ever been a lady who has reacted to a prince¡¯s proposal in this manner.¡± ¡°Oh, Your Highness. For Pete¡¯s sake.¡± Adrian squirmed with a grimace, pulling her chin back even more. ¡°If I marry Your Highness now, what will I become?¡± ¡°¡­A princess who was proposed to as a criminal in the Hall of Apelard?¡± Prince Ethan jutted his chin and replied with a noble gesture as if to shake off his embarrassment. As the most handsome man in Acela, his sharp jaw and nose stood out, but Adrian turned to Count Reise with a face that said, ¡°yikes.¡± ¡°Count Reise. What is my nickname?¡± ¡°¡­The Mad Dog of the Second Prince?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a more crude nickname I go by?¡± Count Reise immediately understood her and made a face, not wanting to say the words with his mouth. But he also had to say something to dissuade the proud prince. Count Reise rubbed his nose once and opened his mouth. ¡°A prostitute with a sword?¡± It was a rumor that had followed her tirelessly from the moment she chose Prince Ethan over Princess Della. A label that precedes the nickname ¡°Mad Dog.¡± The Acela women were knighted more than a decade ago, yet it seems like a stigma that always accompanies these knights. Pointing fingers at the female knight who clings to the unmarried prince. Adrian noticed that Prince Ethan¡¯s expression indicated that such matters didn¡¯t require an explanation. So instead, she jokingly told Count Reise, ¡°I think it sounded a little more vulgar than that.¡± ¡°You want me to use that word while in the presence of Apelard?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Anyway, Your Highness.¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°You will only lose by welcoming me as a princess. What¡¯s so charming about a princess who has a history of openly rebelling against the God Apelard?¡° ¡°Even if I lose, it doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m willing to step away from the throne if you are pardoned.¡± Prince Ethan said solemnly, holding her hand. Oh, gosh. I really adore this prince. Adrian thought inside her mind. If he shows this much concern for his subordinates, how could it not make us want to serve him? However, she cannot become a princess just by pleading for immunity. When she vowed to serve Prince Ethan as her master, her oath did not include serving her master in bed. She believed that exemplary servants should not hesitate to hit their master¡¯s nose when they make a wrong decision. But if she hits the prince¡¯s nose as a criminal her sentence will increase. So Adrian decided only to speak. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s very beneficial. But you know what, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Tell me, sir.¡± ¡°A king is more appealing than a prince, so if you¡¯re going to propose, please propose after you become king.¡± At the rude remark, Count Reise looked around in a panic, but Prince Ethan groaned and asked, ¡°If I propose, will you accept?¡± Adrian shrugged. ¡°No. But I will brag about my grandchildren. My dream is to become a cute grandmother with ten grandchildren. If I¡¯m going to brag to them, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be an old lady who almost became a queen rather than an old lady who almost became a princess?¡± ¡°Sir Du, please shut up¡­¡± Count Reise groaned, covering his face. Prince Ethan grinned in amazement. Naturally, his knight¡¯s glorious nickname of ¡°Mad Dog¡± was due to her exceptional military prowess but also because she spoke without hesitation. ¡°Apologies, but we must go now.¡° ¡°Ah.¡± Sir Alffein, the Knight Commander, approached as he waited nearby out of courtesy as a loyal servant and for the prince who would soon be leaving, but he did not hear the inappropriate jokes. Prince Ethan nodded, and the soldiers lined up nearby turned Adrian around. Thus, the last thing she said to Prince Ethan was, ¡°My future dream is to become a grandmother who almost became a queen.¡± Well, in a way, it was something only she¡¯d say, Prince Ethan thought and watched her green hair fade farther away. ¡­It was very, very like her that when he let go of the woman, she left behind a foul scent. Prince Ethan laughed bitterly, flexing open his sticky hands. * * * ¡°Did Ethan propose to Adrian Du?¡± Bright blue eyes sparkled with interest. The reason why Princess Della is called the ¡°Saintess of Acela¡± is because of her eyes. It¡¯s said that when Apelard, the heavenly god, descended to this earth, his eyes were filled with the light of the sky. It was such a common color for the Acelains, but Princess Della¡¯s eyes were especially clear and cold blue. The princess, who was just having a drink, pressed the soldier who delivered the news, and the soldier stammered and repeated exactly what Prince Ethan had said to Adrian Du in the Hall of Apelard. When Kayley Du turned around after handing the soldier a few gold coins, the princess was smiling at the window, emptying the entire glass. ¡°Not bad, Ethan.¡± ¡°¡­Couldn¡¯t this backfire?¡± Kayley said, looking at Princess Della with a frown. Princess Della¡¯s room had a very beautiful front window, where she could see the royal palace straight ahead. The princess was also currently staring at the prince¡¯s palace. Princess Della turned away and smiled cheerfully. ¡°Oh, dear. Kayley. Your beloved sister was proposed to by the prince, and that¡¯s all you have to say?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never thought of her as my sister. ¡° ¡°Well, being siblings from a prestigious family does make it hard to get along.¡± The princess set down her drink and smiled violently. ¡°Even more so as the prince gets closer to the throne.¡± ¡°It is natural that a child cannot even come near the throne as they are.¡± Kayley bowed his head. As a little boy, Barbate Du picked up a very different child on the street. Gray hair runs in the Du family, but Barbate surprisingly treated this girl with green hair and pink eyes just like Kayley. He even went on to register her as his daughter. Acela¡¯s law states that the head of the family must relinquish their inheritance and title to the person they have deemed their successor, man or woman, regardless of the order. So it¡¯s no wonder Kayley felt a sense of crisis. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so. She would¡¯ve caught someone¡¯s eye had she grown up on the street.¡° ¡°I consider it an honor for the Du family to see that girl be so highly regarded.¡± There was a thorn in Kayley¡¯s words. Princess Della was fully aware of how much he detested and despised his step-sister. But she had no reason to care for Kayley¡¯s feelings. Because Kayley was her subordinate. After a snort, Princess Della observed the window once more and crossed her arms. ¡°Ethan would not have proposed to her simply for immunity. He never willingly chooses to lose.¡± ¡°¡­I heard General Deflan is suffering from a major chronic illness on the Eastern Front.¡± ¡°Yes, General Deflan took charge of the White Rocky Plains, but he was too old to stay there for an extended time.¡± ¡°We have Sir Alffien and the Teterborough chivalry¡­¡± ¡°Sir Alffien was able to become the Knight Commander because he excelled as a captain rather than a knight. He doesn¡¯t fight for His Majesty; instead, he removes the idiots that approach His Majesty. He is hardly the best candidate for a prolonged local war. And those hideous fools of Teterborough are out of the question.¡± Kayley looked displeased. Princess Della was merely pointing out what Kayley already knew. He knows it, yet he turns a blind eye to it. Princess Della also had similar feelings for her younger brother, so she didn¡¯t want to blame him. ¡°But all we have to do is provide General Deflan with a good doctor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How much does it cost to employ a man to Yogyakarta?¡± Princess Della tilted her head. ¡°You once wanted her.¡± ¡°Oh, Kayley. That¡¯s when she was on my side.¡± The princess, who came dangerously close to owning Adrian Du, smiled. It was a malicious smile. Born to the best beauty of the Acela Kingdom, Princess Della inherited both her mother¡¯s beauty and King Acela¡¯s insidiousness, and she knew it herself. Kayley still couldn¡¯t understand why Adrian rebelled against Princess Della as her master. ¡°If she can¡¯t be mine, I¡¯ll just have to crush her thoroughly. Without a trace.¡± And the princess propped her elbow on her knee, her chin in her hand, and looked at Kayley. ¡°You must be the one who wishes for that the most. Sometimes, even a stuck-up master such as myself needs to consider her subordinate¡¯s welfare.¡± At that moment, what flashed through Kayley¡¯s mind were images of his father, who loved his younger sister dearly despite maintaining an indifferent expression, and his mother, who sang that she wished for nothing more than to go flower viewing with Adrian. What would his parents think if they heard how he replied to the princess? ¡­Kayley thought it was none of his business. But still, a little stirred, he carefully spoke. ¡°She¡¯s already broken one leg, so it¡¯s difficult for her to act the part of a knight.¡± ¡°Oh my, Kayley!¡± Princess Della let out a laugh as if she¡¯d heard a strange thing. ¡°You, too, broke a leg, but you¡¯re still working as hard as my right hand!¡± Her words could be considered insulting to some people. If Adrian had said that, Kayley would¡¯ve killed her. But Princess Della¡¯s words moved him dearly, and Kayley bowed. ¡°An undeserved compliment.¡± The princess¡¯ pink lips drew up into a long curve. ¡°In rough terrain like Yogyakarta, it is natural for Acelains to die no matter the cause. Even if they consume poison, are exposed to endemic diseases, or are killed by a sword¡­¡± ¡°¡­Simply crossing the road can get an Acelain slaughtered by a Yogyakartan.¡± ¡°That would be a reasonable excuse. If the regent sent from our home country dies unexpectedly, there will be a good reason to hold Yogyakarta liable.¡± With her slender fingers, the princess traced the crest of Apelard hanging on one side of her room. The Saintess of Acela. Her title ironically justified her desire for power and ambition. ¡°Shall I let you in on something?¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°My father is strangely concerned about that scorching hot land. That¡¯s why he had different plans for Adrian Du at first. Frankly speaking, being a deputy regent comes close to having the privilege of honor. Even if the inhabited territory is undeveloped.¡± ¡°If¡­¡± The woman¡¯s pale purple eyes thinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it typical for older men to utilize young, unmarried girls as pawns? The prince, who pushed out the royal daughter of Yogyakarta and became the heir to the throne, is also said to be unmarried.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She nearly had a royal marriage instead of becoming a regent. And you know what? To my surprise, Barbate Du implored my father to renounce the royal marriage.¡± Kayley kept his mouth shut. The princess continued. ¡°Prime Minister Du is such a good father. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°¡­It is an honor.¡± The man¡¯s words crumbled in his mouth and disappeared. He was grinding his teeth. The princess pushed, wondering when Kayley¡¯s molars would shatter. ¡°What a shame. If she married, she wouldn¡¯t have to die and become an unmarried corpse in a barbaric land.¡± There was not a trace of a joke in her cold words.