Chapter 46 – The Youngest Daughter of the Count’s Family (9)
This plan hinges on Baron Somaek being willing to marry a woman his age.
‘I need to talk to him.’
I have to find out why he doesn’t want an older or same-age wife to persuade him.
But first,
“Welcome, Baron Amolang! I’ve been eagerly waiting!”
“Hello, Knight Commander.”
A man a head taller than me looked down with an appraising gaze.
“I heard you’re decent with a spear.”
“Just the basics.”
“Hm. Whether that’s humility or not, we’ll find out. Use this spear.”
Whoosh!
The Knight Commander tossed me a spear.
“A spar?”
“But not with me. I’m bad at holding back. Deputy Commander, take him.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Unlike the gorilla-like, burly Commander, the Deputy Commander was lean like a cheetah.
“Let’s do this.”
“Come at me with all you’ve got.”
“Then I won’t hold back…”
Swish—
I thrust my spear from a distance to test him.
A basic jab.
But the Deputy Commander dodged with a slight twist of his waist, aiming his spear shaft at my side.
‘He’s underestimating me!’
His intent to use the spear like a club, not its sharp tip, was obvious.
In that case!
“Hup!”
I stepped forward, closing the distance with him.
To strike before his wide, arcing swing could hit my side.
“Oh?”
The Deputy Commander, letting out a light exclamation, stepped back.
“Not so fast…!”
The moment we locked eyes, I knew I couldn’t beat him.
The gap in time, effort, talent, and experience was too vast. He wasn’t like those crude bandits.
So,
‘Just one hit!’
I wouldn’t have dared such a bold charge without certainty he wouldn’t kill me.
“Too predictable.”
Whoosh—
Without losing his composure, the Deputy Commander, still giving pointers, twisted his wrist.
‘What—?!’
His spear tip traced a figure-eight, and before I knew it, the shaft struck my ankle.
Could I dodge?
I had to, even if I couldn’t.
“Ugh…!”
But it was too fast, and my right ankle took the hit.
‘Still fine!’
Balancing my disrupted center of gravity with the long spear, I leaped with my left leg, dodging the shaft and stepping forward!
“Oh?”
A second exclamation.
Fueled by sheer determination to land one hit on the smug Deputy Commander, I barely closed the gap.
‘At this range!’
I thrust my spear, confident even a skilled knight couldn’t dodge.
“Watch your tongue.”
“What— Urk?!”
The blunt end of his spear, smoothly spun 180 degrees, struck my jaw upward.
Thwack!
If he hadn’t warned me, I might’ve bitten my tongue.
But with my vision shaking from a mild concussion, I couldn’t continue the spar.
Thud.
“I yield.”
I sat on the training ground’s dirt, surrendering.
“Hm. I didn’t see everything, but you’re about the level of an elite soldier who’s survived two years on the battlefield.”
“I see.”
I wasn’t disappointed or discouraged by the Deputy Commander’s cold assessment.
I beat those bandits because my stamina was far superior.
An ordinary person with no fighting experience can’t become a master with just a few days of basic training.
“…You’re calm about it.”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Hm. The Commander earned his baron title through pure skill under Duke Somaek. But you, Baron Amolang, aren’t a warrior…”
The Deputy Commander trailed off with a wry smile and turned away.
“I’m frustrated. Can I learn?”
The Deputy Commander stopped at my question about getting stronger, turning his gaze not to me but to the observing Commander.
“Ask the Commander.”
“Oh!”
I should’ve asked the person in charge!
The Commander, with a slightly annoyed expression, said in a provocative tone,
“Baron Amolang, you seem more like a civil official than a martial one… But if you insist on playing warrior, run ten laps around this place right now.”
“…Understood.”
Wobbling, I slowly stood, my body still dizzy and struggling to balance.
‘It’s tough, but I have to!’
To avoid being killed by the protagonist’s men, I need to get stronger.
***
War! Murder! Politics! Training!
What am I doing in a romantic fantasy novel about thrilling love stories?
So far, I’ve strayed far from the genre, but now I’m finally on the right path.
“Young Lord.”
“I said no!”
Baron Somaek snapped irritably.
“Why don’t you want an older or same-age wife?”
“How many times have I said it’ll get me killed?!”
“I’ll keep it a secret.”
“How can I trust you, Baron Amolang?”
“Look into my eyes. Do I look like someone who’d deceive you?”
“Oh! I see it clearly! Eyes full of schemes!”
“Ugh.”
The reason I became convinced he has the qualities of a “king”?
The novel’s author gave the protagonist’s fiancé the ability to “read people.”
Why give him this great talent?
Not for good intentions, of course.
‘Utterly ridiculous.’
The fiancé has the right and justification to punch the faces of men hovering around his fiancée.
But that would prevent the protagonist from freely meeting and romancing other men, right?
So the author made the fiancé yield to her.
“Baron Amolang, who’re you planning to sell me to?”
“I’m not selling you! I just want to introduce you to a fine lady your age.”
“This time, I sense sincerity.”
“…”
The fiancé was set up to notice the extraordinary nature of the men eyeing his fiancée, making him hesitant about marriage.
All for this plot!
The author gave him a king’s essential talent just for this development.
“One question.”
“If I answer, will you tell me why you dislike older or same-age women?”
“I’ll decide after hearing.”
“Ugh. What is it?”
“If I marry this woman your age, how much will it benefit the Somaek family?”
Family over love.
Another “trash trait” the author gave the fiancé, deeming it an obstacle to romance.
‘Perfect.’
Prioritizing the whole over personal feelings!
Another essential quality for a great king.
“Insurance.”
“Insurance?”
“Your former fiancée, Lady Chimac, also knows the future like me. You need a countermeasure.”
“…I understand.”
“So?”
“Sigh… I’ll tell you. You probably already know, but I’m the eldest son yet the youngest in my family. I only have older sisters.”
“No way…?”
As a fellow man, I could guess.
“Baron Amolang, I want to hear someone call me ‘big brother.’”
“…”
His expression was so serious I couldn’t laugh.
“…But for my family, I can endure even if my wife doesn’t call me that.”
“That’s some resolve.”
Press.
I stomped on my foot with my heel to suppress a burst of laughter.
“So, who’s the lady?”
“Lady Anmilina.”
“The third daughter of the Chimac Count…”
“You know her?”
“Of course. Since I didn’t want a same-age wife, I begged my father on my knees. So, we delayed the betrothal with excuses…”
“And another daughter was born to the count.”
“Exactly. What a relief. If she hadn’t been born, I’d have been stuck marrying someone my age. Never imagined the engagement would get this messy…”
Baron Somaek, who kept making me laugh, ended with a bitter smile.
“Valentine.”
“Cough! W-Why her name all of a sudden?!”
“Lord Baron, you’ll hear ‘big brother’ plenty from her.”
“…Will she call me that? I don’t want someone who looks at me with disdain like my sisters…”
“Become a king. Then no one will dare disdain you.”
“A king… Right. If I’m king, I can order my wife to call me ‘big brother.’ Defy me, and it’s execution.”
“…”
I’m starting to worry if making this guy a king is a good idea.
***
Even if I know the future, building a kingdom takes a long time.
‘That’s a problem.’
My real-world body is a concern, and I don’t know the future beyond the novel’s conclusion in two years.
So, what to do?
The original novel has the answer.
“A banquet?”
“Yes.”
I replied firmly to Duke Somaek’s confirmation.
“Why?”
“Owning vast land doesn’t make you a king.”
“Using the banquet as an excuse to gather talent?”
“Correct.”
“Baron Amolang, you’re oversimplifying things.”
To the duke’s point, I recited names I memorized in reality.
“These people must be invited and befriended: Count Broccolin, the chancellor of the Military Kingdom; Marquis Tropican, the commander-in-chief of the Knight Kingdom; Cardinal Bulgaris of the Holy Kingdom; Count Pimaang, the governor of the empire; Baron Bitcoin, the empire’s magnate…”
“Not a single easy target.”
The duke, listening without breathing, let out a groan.
“I chose carefully.”
“Baron, I apologize for doubting you. But why invite them? Will they even come?”
“They will.”
I said confidently, meeting the duke’s eyes.
“Hm. Did your future book say they’d attend?”
“No.”
“…If not, why are you so sure?”
Great question!
I named the woman Duke Somaek hates most.
“Angelina Chimac.”
“Hm?”
“What do you think of her?”
“I’d love to strip the skin off that so-called kingdom’s jewel and hang it on the city gates.”
“…”
I need to ensure these two never meet.
‘Skinning…’
That’s a real medieval torture method, but such a horrific experience might make it impossible for the patient to live normally even if she wakes from the dream.
“Why ask?”
“Because they feel the same way you do.”
“…Really?”
“Absolutely. Count Broccolin’s prized son abandoned his family for love. Marquis Tropican, a doting father, had his daughter’s fiancé stolen. Cardinal Bulgaris was shunned by a disciple he raised like a child. Baron Bitcoin’s daughter was jilted, and Count Pimaang’s son betrayed him…”
Utter chaos!
On the surface, the protagonist did nothing wrong. Those men just followed her around, smitten.
There’s even occasional dialogue where she rejects them. But being too kind to be harsh…
She created ambiguous relationships.
And this is the result!
“Many nobles have seen their sons act strangely or their daughters cry because of Angelina Chimac.”
“Such great sorrow.”
“Exactly.”
“I should invite them to share their pain and console them.”
“Oh! A brilliant idea, Your Grace!”
“Good! Very good!”
The novel’s author deliberately dismissed or ignored these negative aspects.
But I’m not a reader, am I?
I plan to blatantly exploit the dark parts the author avoided.
“Your Grace.”
“More?”
“Please also care for the powerless commoners we can’t invite to the banquet.”
“Of course! I almost made a grave mistake. Is there a list?”
“Naturally.”
Let’s start a victims’ gathering across borders!