The Territorial War Begins (1)
The soldier’s shout made me stop laughing instantly and spin around. Princess Irene? For a second I thought I’d misheard. But there she was—Princess Irene, standing just outside with her maids, Lishtain, and the squires in attendance. Mateus followed behind them, scratching his head with an awkward expression.
“Huh? What’s this? Has she recovered already?” Olmati blinked, tilting his head in confusion.
Princess Irene walked straight toward me with deliberate steps and offered a small, respectful bow. “I apologize for being late.”
I sat atop my horse, staring down at her with a hardened face. She wasn’t dressed for travel; she wore the deep violet dress I had given her.
“I clearly gave you a chance to refuse. I don’t understand what you hope to achieve by appearing here.”
“You invited me to join the hunt and even gifted me this dress. I came to keep my promise.”
Her calm smile carried no trace of the trembling that used to fill her voice. Something had changed. I was certain of it. But what could have transformed her so completely?
“Terrible things may happen tonight. You’ll have to endure all of them.”
It was a deliberate reminder that I would be taking her virginity by force. I watched her eyes closely, expecting fear, but her gaze remained perfectly steady. She even gave a small nod and offered a relaxed smile.
“I will serve you with all my heart and devotion.”
To change this much in just a few hours… Her sudden boldness made it feel as though our positions had completely reversed. I was the one forced onto the defensive.
With Dana weighing on my mind, touching Princess Irene right now felt like more than I could handle. Damn it.
“For now, mount your horse. The hunt must begin before sunset, so we’ll deal with complicated matters later.”
“Thank you, my lord. But… um…” She hesitated. “I cannot ride a horse by myself.”
“Ah.”
I’d overlooked that. The realization hit me like a slap. Today’s hunt had been arranged especially for her. Putting a woman who had dressed beautifully for her lord onto one of my subordinates’ horses would be an unforgivable breach of etiquette. The lord himself was expected to escort her. The problem was that Dana was already seated behind me.
This was going to be a headache.
“Hmm… No, it’s actually simple.” I could seat Princess Irene in front and Dana behind. Three on one horse should be possible.
“My lord! My lord!”
The man responsible for the messenger pigeons suddenly came running, face urgent.
“A letter has arrived from Lord Cain of Cluiston!”
“Why would he send one?” I was baffled. “Did something happen to Unia?”
It was a message delivered by pigeon. I took the sealed letter from him and broke the Cluiston family crest. Dana leaned forward from behind me, peering over my shoulder. Together we quickly scanned the contents. By the time I finished reading, my expression had grown thunderous.
The special envoy Unia has murdered my wife, the lady of the house. Her crime is most grave. If you wish to avoid war, come at once to Harmel Castle in Cluiston together with Dana. There you shall recognize me as Grand Lord and swear your loyalty.
The message was so arrogant and rude I almost doubted it had truly come from Cain. “How dare they…!”
In my fury I crushed the paper in my fist. Olmati, reading the grim atmosphere, asked cautiously.
“Hehe, what did it say?”
“This is an emergency.”
“Pardon?”
“There will be no hunt today.”
I leapt down from the horse and shouted so everyone could hear.
“The hunt is canceled! Everyone return to your posts! Kelly and Olmati, come to the meeting room immediately. This is a crisis!”
The floor of the underground prison was uneven rock, and foul-smelling water pooled in the hollows—whether rat piss or seepage, it was impossible to tell. The only light came from a torch hanging in the corridor. The moment the jailer’s long shadow vanished and his footsteps faded, Unia slipped her hand down the front of her trousers and touched her most intimate place.
“Hngh…!”
With cold fingers she probed her inner walls, slowly working out the object buried deep inside. Every movement of her fingers made the round, firm shape rub against her, sending jolts of pleasure that electrified her whole body.
Hyunwoo’s words came back to her. “Even if someone else carries it, I’m not sure it’ll work. I’ve never lent it out before. Still, take it as insurance.”
Unfortunately, his precious treasure had failed to activate. Unia had received no warning of danger, and now she sat locked in a cell.
“Haa…”
At last she pulled Sohee free. The sphere glistened, coated in her own slick fluids. The sight made her chuckle despite herself.
“If Hyunwoo ever finds out, he might actually kill me. Heh heh.”
Her two accompanying squires had been killed. All weapons and belongings had been confiscated. If she hadn’t hidden it this way, they would have taken Sohee too.
“He’d be furious if I lost this, wouldn’t he?”
She had to protect Hyunwoo’s treasured artifact at all costs. Unia turned the golden ball over in her palm, examining it closely.
“Is it really broken…?”
It looked like nothing more than a golden sphere. Could it truly possess mysterious power? She stared at it for a long time. The longer she looked, the more it felt like a sacred relic. For fun she even offered it a prayer.
Let me become Hyunwoo’s bride too. Preferably I’d like to spend my later years with a rich, handsome young man.
With a heavy creak, the iron door at the end of the corridor opened, letting bright light spill inside. Heavy footsteps echoed through the prison. Unia quickly shoved Sohee back between her legs and into her slit.
“Ugh…!”
The thick, rounded head stretched her deeply. She would have liked to savor the sensation, but there was no time. She pushed it all the way in, yanked up her underclothes, and buttoned her trousers. By the time she leaned casually against the wall, two figures stood before the iron bars.
One was the jailer. When he raised his torch to illuminate the cell, the sudden brightness made Unia squint.
“It must have been difficult for you.” The voice did not belong to the jailer. It came from the man beside him.
Shielding her eyes with one hand, Unia narrowed her gaze and recognized the visitor. Noble clothing. It was Eidan. He carried a leather waterskin in one hand.
Unia smiled at him. “Here to break me out?”
“I am here to take you out, but not in the way you imagine.” Eidan’s expression was grave.
The jailer unlocked the cell door. Eidan stepped inside and offered her the waterskin.
“I thought you might be thirsty. You’ll need to speak a great deal once you’re outside, so drink plenty.”
“What, you want to watch me piss myself? I gotta hit the toilet first.”
“Pardon? Then I shall escort you to the—”
“I’m joking.”
Unia laughed as she opened the waterskin and gulped the water down. Eidan waved the jailer away, ordering him to stand at a distance.
“Listen while you drink. Once you leave this cell you will face trial. The Triwood family—Lady Ronda’s kin—has gathered in the courtroom. Her older brother and current family head, Bark, is among them. He wants to know exactly how his sister died.”
“He must be quite angry with me.”
“Simply tell the truth exactly as you saw it, Lady Unia. I will handle the defense.”
Unia shook the last drops from the waterskin, draining it completely. She wiped her wet lips with the back of her hand and looked at Eidan.
“Why are you being so good to me? Have you fallen for me?”
Eidan let out a sigh. “You are very different from when we first met. Back then you seemed refined and elegant.”
“If you’re asking which is the real me, this is it. I’ve lived my whole life as a mercenary. I was married for a short time, but the crude speech I learned in those days doesn’t wash off easily.”
Eidan nodded. “I had heard rumors about Lord Richard’s past. It allowed me to guess what sort of people would gather around him.”
“What rumors have you heard about our lord?”
“That he led a mercenary company before becoming a noble. Therefore, most of the important positions in the current Richard family must be held by former mercenaries like yourself. He would only place people he has trusted for a long time in critical roles.”
“He doesn’t just seat anyone. They all have real ability.”
“I am not disparaging Lord Richard or his vassals. On the contrary, I respect and admire him. A commoner who rose to nobility and then claimed a lordship is an extremely rare case in our kingdom’s history. He has accomplished a truly remarkable feat.”
Unia fell silent, studying Eidan carefully.
“Are you always this polite and honest?”
“Pardon?”
“You help me without hesitation and speak of your respect for our lord so openly. It’s strange. Everyone else in this castle seems different. What do you want from me?”
“I want nothing.” Eidan shook his head slowly. “I only act for the good of our territory. Helping you, showing goodwill toward Lord Richard—everything I do comes from the desire to prevent war.”
“Ah, for the territory’s sake. That I can understand.”
Suddenly Unia felt the urgent need to urinate.
“Mind giving me a moment alone?”