Chapter 43 – The Youngest Daughter of the Count’s Family (6)
In medieval noble societies unaware of genetic diseases, intermarriage was common to maintain pure bloodlines.
The Somaek Duke and Chimac Count, sharing the same grandfather, had arranged a betrothal for this purpose…
The novel’s author, who ignored climate and history to feed the protagonist chocolate and coffee, wouldn’t care about such detailed historical accuracy, but regardless, the protagonist and her fiancé were kin.
“It’s far!”
I turned my back to the girl, acting cool as if I’d walk, but trudging from one metropolitan city to another was utterly reckless.
I could encounter vicious bandits, it’d take too long, and securing food and lodging would be tough.
So I decided to spend money.
‘Should be around here… There!’
I diligently dug under the roots of a lone tree in the middle of the plain.
What was hidden there?
A coin pouch I’d buried for the future before being dragged to the battlefield!
I’d worried someone might’ve stolen it, but the first step of my plan clicked into place.
Jingle♪
“Ha! Never gets old!”
The refreshing sound of coins clinking in the pouch.
Tucking it carefully inside my tattered combat uniform, I headed to the Chimac Count’s castle.
‘Clothes first.’
Looking like a beggar would draw attention, so I bought new clothes and changed quickly…
Then, I went to an inn doubling as a restaurant, eavesdropping on customers to gather the information I needed.
“It’s a relief it ended peacefully.”
“They say the prince himself came to mediate the war.”
“But that completely broke the alliance between the two families, right?”
“Yep. The prince, eyeing the lady, pulled off a big one!”
“Cheers to the Chimac Count and his beautiful daughter!”
“Cheers~!”
As Dr. Seo predicted, the war between the two families ended in a stalemate.
But due to the prince’s interference, it concluded with the two families completely split, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
‘That’s unexpected.’
Who’d have thought the prince would personally intervene to eliminate the protagonist’s fiancé!
But it wasn’t just for a woman. It was likely to check the growing power of the Somaek Duke, which threatened royal authority.
“I’m impressed.”
In the original novel, the prince was a fool who thought only of the protagonist.
But in this world, he acted calculatedly for national interests?
It was too precise to be my imagination.
Why?
“It’s too much. Demanding a concubine as the price for mediation!”
Concubine.
For a protagonist who craved the love of countless men, being neither a monogamous wife nor a primary spouse was a completely contrary demand.
And that’s not all.
It wasn’t just the prince’s audacity; the situation was dire.
“She had no choice. After that incident with the guard knight…”
“You believe that? That the lady spent the night with him…”
“Rumors don’t spread for nothing.”
The original novel grew stranger as more men surrounded the protagonist.
Every man turned into a fanatic, blindly loving her with empty heads.
But the fake protagonist, possessed by the patient, lacked the original’s charm.
‘Does this mean it ends at volume 2?’
A novel where the beautiful protagonist is dumped by her fiancé and ensnared by the prince’s cunning plot to become a concubine!
No one would read it.
“I didn’t expect the prince to become a variable…”
The disconnect from the original novel made it impossible to predict.
‘Or maybe not?’
There was a single line describing the prince as so handsome and clever that countless noble ladies pined for him.
Just one line, but it meant this wasn’t a setting violation.
Didn’t matter.
“Excuse me.”
Whatever choice the patient made, I’d stick to my plan.
“Did you call me?”
A man drinking beer with friends looked at me.
“Yes. I heard you’re going to the Somaek Duke’s territory.”
“Correct. Why? Got goods to send there?”
“I’d like to join you.”
This world lacks public transport like taxis or buses.
So people either group up informally with others heading the same way or hire mercenaries for protection…
“Other companions?”
“Just me.”
“Hm. Can you fight?”
In this rough world with imperfect law enforcement, strength is valued.
“I’ve learned a bit. I also experienced the recent war.”
“Oh! A comrade who fought alongside us! Reliable, huh?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Surviving alone is impressive. So many outsiders like us, dragged into it, died.”
“…Yeah.”
‘That happened?’
I hadn’t noticed at all. To think there was such discrimination among commoners, not just nobles!
To minimize losses to the territory, they must’ve recklessly sacrificed outsiders.
Is that okay?
It was practically an atrocity, using foreigners for their war.
“I lost my precious son in that war.”
“Oh…”
“I wanted to show my boy, who just came of age, the wide world, but he didn’t like it. He left before his parents.”
“…”
I didn’t know what to say to a man who’d lost his child.
He seemed to have somewhat recovered with time, but I couldn’t help feeling solemn, having witnessed countless deaths in that war.
“What about you?”
“I wanted to see the ocean one more time before dying.”
“I see… The port city in the Somaek Duke’s territory is world-famous. Your name?”
“Kang Moon-soo.”
“Gangmunssu? Unusual name. We’re actually recruiting people to travel to the Somaek Duke’s territory. But with the tense relationship between the two families, it’s been tough. Glad to have you.”
“I’ll try not to be a burden. Thank you.”
We agreed on a departure date and parted. They’d recruit more for safety, and we’d each prepare necessities.
Clothes, food, sleeping bag, weapon…
I headed to a blacksmith first.
“What do you need?”
“A spear for me. Slightly shorter than my height…”
“For what?”
“Self-defense.”
“Then light is better. But the price…”
“That’s fine.”
I’d show off my spear skills, honed in life-or-death combat.
***
The group heading to the Somaek Duke’s territory consisted of 11 men, 2 women, and 1 child.
…Or so I thought, until I learned the “child” was a husband and father responsible for his wife and baby.
‘At 16? Wow…’
I was shocked that someone four years younger than me was already an adult.
Clatter, clatter.
Two women drove the two carriages carrying luggage and people.
Meanwhile, the men conserved energy in the cargo area, preparing for bandits or wolf attacks…
Without orders, everyone naturally took on roles.
“Let’s get along for now.”
“Pray we arrive safely.”
“Let’s grab a drink when we get there.”
The group’s mood was generally cheerful.
Especially,
“If you’re newlyweds, you wouldn’t know yet.”
“What do you like about your wife?”
“Still in the honeymoon phase, huh?”
“How’d you two meet?”
The 16-year-old groom, the youngest, became the target of the older men’s teasing to pass the boring carriage ride.
“Ugh…”
Blushing at the embarrassing questions, the boy’s reactions made everyone laugh heartily.
Then,
“Gangmunssu, what’ve you been doing till 20?”
“Just… living hard.”
The baton passed to me, the second youngest.
‘What’ve I done…’
I never imagined I’d get teased like this right after high school.
“With skin like that, you look like a pampered rich kid.”
“A decent-looking guy holding out like that.”
“But you’ve dated, right?”
“I’ve dated.”
Song Sun-young’s face flashed in my mind.
“Is she pretty?”
“Yeah, really pretty.”
“Oh? How much?”
“Hm… Prettier than the Chimac Count’s Angelina.”
“Hah! This guy’s a big talker.”
“No kidding. More beautiful than the kingdom’s jewel?”
“Don’t believe me, that’s fine.”
“Have you seen the lady?”
“Yeah. I had the chance to travel with her by coincidence. I saw her up close when she stepped off the carriage.”
“Was she as beautiful as the rumors?”
“She was pretty.”
But not the kind of beauty that, as described in the novel, would make anyone fall in love.
Since people’s tastes vary, it’s unrealistic to expect that.
Still, anyone would agree she looked like a novel’s protagonist.
By the way…
‘They’re all so relaxed.’
Was it because I’d been living in a hectic modern city?
Sitting in a carriage all day, doing nothing, felt like torturous boredom.
Then,
“What?!”
One of the women driving the carriage gasped and yanked the reins.
“Neigh~?!”
“What’s wrong?!”
The startled horse and the men in the cargo area, jolted by inertia, were equally shocked.
Rustle.
A group of men arrogantly emerged from the bushes on both sides of the road.
Their expressions, gripping menacing weapons, were far from friendly.
“You can’t pass for free.”
“You’re surrounded.”
“Drop your weapons and surrender.”
“Pay the toll, and we’ll let you go.”
It’d be nice to ignore them and break through, but they’d stretched ropes at ankle height across the road, making it impossible.
“Bandits.”
“One, two, three…”
“There’s probably more hiding.”
“What do we do?”
“Let’s try negotiating first.”
“Don’t drop your weapons.”
We quickly decided, but frowned at the toll amount they demanded.
Even I, unfamiliar with this world’s economy, thought,
‘That’s absurd.’
It was an outrageous sum.
“If you don’t have it, you don’t pass.”
“Oh, we’ll take a small toll even if you give up.”
“That’s for making us wait!”
“You’ll regret not paying.”
The bandits, unwilling to leave empty-handed, started pressuring us to decide.
“…”
“…”
We exchanged serious glances, steeling ourselves.
Then,
“I’ll pay the toll.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Everyone was stunned by the statement from the woman driving the second carriage.
She was so unassuming and plain that no one thought of her as more than a companion…
But her calm demeanor, unfazed even when surrounded by bandits, made us see her differently.
“Don’t worry. I won’t burden you all.”
She meant she’d cover the toll alone, not splitting it.
All I knew about her was her name.
“What?”
“You have that kind of money?”
“By yourself?”
The bandits, caught off guard by this twist, smirked.
And they made a new offer:
“Hand over that woman, and we’ll let the rest go!”
But we weren’t fools to trust guys who’d break their word.
Did we need to exchange glances to confirm?
The answer was clear.
“Attack…!”
“Waaah!”
Armed with our weapons, we charged at the bandits.
But…
‘Something’s off.’
Thud!
The bandits fell easily to my spear thrusts and swings.