Encounters at the Palace Gates
The procedures that followed the encounter in front of the palace were purely formal. The emperor read out an official edict, granting Park Jeong-jae his peerage and extracting a pledge that he would not oppress the people as a lord. In the official ceremony, Jeong-jae received a star-shaped badge authenticating his title. The emperor seemed to have no intention of chatting further with the new baron, wrapping up the event curtly. Come to think of it, there was no reason for such an elaborate process just to appoint a baron to a territory of three thousand souls.
Thankfully, Jeong-jae was spared the hassle of attending some tedious social banquet and granted permission to leave the palace immediately.
Right in the heart of the capital, directly in front of the palace, stood Rose Caprice—the iron-wall crown princess in her heavy plate armor—as if waiting for him.
"How was the conferment ceremony?" Rose asked lightly.
Jeong-jae shrugged. "I wasn't too nervous, right?"
"You looked scared shitless. My dad's intimidating, sure, but he doesn't eat people. Just chill a bit. Moderately."
"Yeah. Guess I need to take a page from Walter's book. Can't keep going like this."
"No, don't emulate him. The guy's got zero respect for His Majesty." Rose suddenly turned serious.
Jeong-jae nodded with a vague expression of understanding and let out a smirk.
"So, heading straight to your territory?" Rose asked.
Jeong-jae paused in thought, then shook his head. "Nah. Got a dinner appointment tomorrow evening. With Hacker Count. Heard he's in the capital for the conscription bill."
It was common for major provincial nobles—especially those frequently summoned to the Imperial Assembly—to maintain a separate residence in Caprice. Hacker Count, guaranteed a seat in every election, naturally owned a proper mansion there, and Jeong-jae assumed the invitation meant dinner at that place.
"Hacker Count? For territory matters?" Rose inquired.
Jeong-jae shook his head. "No. It was set up ages ago, before I even knew I'd get booted. Things got weird suddenly, but hey, it worked out. Good chance to pick his brain about Harriet territory, all angles. Walter'd be faster, but..."
"Walter's busier than me these days. He wanted to come, but reorganizing the noble levies from the provinces has him swamped."
"Makes sense. Forming new legions from scratch with soldiers from all over, no ties—huge headache."
Of course, simply dividing legions by region was an option, and in terms of unit cohesion, the most efficient. Even on Jeong-jae's home planet Earth, history had examples. But it had a fatal flaw: with the war scraping up most young men from each area and shoving them to the front, if a region-based legion got wiped out, that territory's future could be crippled. One frontline defeat could erase all its able-bodied men. That was the main reason Walter was painstakingly reorganizing the forces he'd barely secured from the Imperial Assembly.
"So, no rush anywhere?" Rose said.
Jeong-jae agreed. "Only the Magic Tower, really. Not urgent at all."
"Hang tight then. I called Margaret. She'll be here soon. Gotta say goodbye, right?"
Jeong-jae startled at Rose's words but soon conceded they made sense. Their relationship with Margaret wasn't always smooth, but there were debts owed and favors received. Deep down, he respected her almost as much as Walter—especially after the recent chaos. Leaving without seeing her wouldn't sit right.
It wasn't long before the elf princess appeared, slowly approaching from the direction of the Imperial Assembly building. Even from afar, her presence was striking. Her attire was simple and restrained, but the long blonde hair cascading to her waist, the elegantly pointed ears, and the regal poise emanating from her slender frame—all unmistakable.
Viewing Margaret objectively from a distance, Jeong-jae once again couldn't help doubting the rumors that she liked him. Even if Rose threatened to punch his lights out with her iron fist, it was still hard to believe.
"Margaret! Over here!" Rose waved and shouted boisterously.
The imperial crown princess hollering for a neighboring kingdom's princess in front of the palace drew every eye, but Rose didn't care a whit.
"Uh, doesn't she already see us and coming?" Jeong-jae whispered, mindful of the stares.
Rose caught on, casually glanced around. The gawkers turned away like they'd seen a ghost and hurried off. Rose grinned triumphantly; Jeong-jae sighed and shook his head.
"Don't abuse the imperial prestige."
"Did I threaten to beat anyone? Can't I just look around?"
Thinking about it, the only one she'd threatened today was Jeong-jae—and fairly, at that. He couldn't argue and quietly waited for Margaret to approach.
"Mage." Margaret strode straight to Jeong-jae, ignoring Rose.
The fairy queen was tall for a woman, nearly eye-level with him. "Margaret. Uh, first off, sorry. About that time—I never thought you'd..."
"Enough. Don't worry about it." Margaret gently grasped his wrist.
Rose's eyes widened; she stuck out her tongue.
They'd synced breaths on the battlefield countless times. Physical contact wasn't new—she'd even piggybacked him once. But this felt more acute than when she'd wrapped around his thigh back then. Maybe from hearing repeatedly that she liked him, or because her expression now was unusually gentle.
Just as his heart threatened to race, Margaret's face hardened; she gripped tighter. "But only on the condition you never think like that again. Remember my words."
"Y-Yes, got it." Numbness shot through his hand; he grunted.
"Good." She released him, face softening instantly.
Jeong-jae shook out his aching hand and looked at her. "Anyway, Baron now, huh? Proper noble. Congrats. Though it's compensation for getting kicked out, so bittersweet. Your territory's off south, coastal too. Not easy for enemies to invade, so rest easy."
"Thanks, Margaret. But now's not the time to slack."
"The world won't end without you grinding. Better rest than obsessing and spiraling. No idea what Walter's thinking, but I trust he meant that."
Margaret was undeniably kinder, a clear shift, but her tone held only pity for the man broken enough to plan suicide—no hint of romance.
An awkward silence fell. Rose eyed them silently; Margaret's lips twitched, words stuck.
Margaret took a deep breath, steeling herself, and met Jeong-jae's eyes. "We're parting as party members, but I don't think our bond ends. Park Jeong-jae. In war, anytime, if I come to your land—will you welcome me as a guest?"
"Ah, was wondering when you'd say it. You declared you'd visit whenever—rude not to ask permission—"
"Shut it, Rose Caprice! When did I say 'whenever I miss you'?" Margaret flushed crimson, snapping.
Rose thumbed up, winking. "Honesty's the best policy. No idea what was trendy 400 years ago, but now it is."
"Then mind if I beat you honestly right here? I've always wondered how to crack that iron wall."
"Whoa, not that honest." Rose recoiled, tongue out.
Jeong-jae watched, then chuckled awkwardly. "Anyway, yes—of course. Friends, anyone I call friend, welcome anytime on my land. Honestly, thrown into lordship clueless in some backwater—knowing folks might drop by now and then? Reassuring."
"Friends... reassuring. Nice ring. So I'm a friend who reassures you? If that's how you see me... I'll gladly accept. I thought you'd... reject me. Anyway, hope not. For now, that's enough..." Margaret fumbled uncharacteristically.
Jeong-jae sensed an odd shyness. Not just from Rose's teasing? Did Margaret really harbor those feelings? But why?
"You've helped me a ton, knowingly or not. Grateful—and I respect you for it," Jeong-jae said.
Margaret's face pinked again as she nodded. "Thanks. In a way, I respect you deeply too. Yeah, that's what I wanted to say. You've got qualities to emulate, potential for more. I don't want this as our last tie, whatever form it takes."
She'd gathered herself, words crisp. As Jeong-jae opened his mouth to reply, a voice called from behind.
"Ah, there you are. Professor! Knew you'd be here!"
Hacker Count's only daughter, the top student at the Imperial Magic Academy, Jenis Hacker—scanning around, spotted him, and ran over.
Caught off-guard, Jeong-jae turned, facing her. "Jenis? What's up?"
"Dad asked me to pass a message. Heard about your conferment today—congrats on the barony. Even if you're not professor anymore, happy you're a proper lord."
Jenis beamed genuinely. Jeong-jae ignored the prickling killing intent from behind—glancing would reveal something he shouldn't see.
"Thanks. Uh, so? Doubt it's just congrats from the Count."
"Yeah. For tomorrow's dinner—he says do it at Hacker County instead. Faster to pass through our lands to Harriet anyway; no point lingering in Caprice. Head out tomorrow, stay overnight at ours. Sound good?"
It made sense; Jeong-jae was about to agree when Margaret shoved past him, facing Jenis.
Jeong-jae blinked at the outburst; Rose watched amused, eyes rolling like at a play.
"Hacker? Jenis Hacker?" The fairy queen asked the count's daughter.
Jenis looked up startled, then composed, meeting her gaze. "Jenis Hacker, lady of Hacker County, student at the Imperial Magic Academy. And you must be Princess Margaret of Eramenia."
Margaret eyed her intently, then scoffed. "Young."
"The princess exudes the dignity of ages, as rumored," Jenis countered politely.