Chapter 50 – The Youngest Daughter of the Count’s Family (13)
[Chapter 3 – Verse 6] Let’s Do the Same!
Lady Valentine and I, having achieved our goal, returned to the Somaek Duchy.
“Oh! Seeing Baron Amolang safe puts my mind at ease!”
“You seem to have succeeded as well, Your Grace.”
The duke’s bright expression, arms wide in welcome, told me everything.
“Of course! It went splendidly!”
“How’s the atmosphere?”
“Even the mastermind doesn’t know everything, it seems?”
“I’m no god.”
“To me, it sounds like you know all but want confirmation.”
“Ha, ha…”
Not wrong.
“The prince declared he’ll force the marriage, plunging the kingdom into chaos. Pretending not to value Angelina Chimac. Tsk, tsk.”
Exactly.
Not a legal wife, but a concubine.
A hollow wife bearing children with no succession rights.
High-noble ladies with strong pride universally avoided such a position.
The prince pretended disinterest by offering a concubine role, but it was the opposite.
A bargaining chip.
“The Chimac Count, who’d been hesitating, agreed on the condition of elevating his daughter to princess consort.”
“Perfect.”
“I secretly hoped it’d deviate from your prediction… but it became reality without a single variable.”
The duke grumbled, lips twitching.
“How’s the friend I sent ahead?”
“If you mean the young Desert Kingdom royal, he’s behaving with his little siblings.”
“Take good care of him. You’ll get interest when I repay.”
“…Baron. Will he really become the next king of the Desert Kingdom?”
“Yes. As long as his existence isn’t discovered early, definitely within two years after the civil war ends.”
“Hm. I’ll keep mouths shut.”
Returning to the duchy, I was dragged to the office without rest to reassure him.
‘He’s anxious.’
Becoming a king means becoming a traitor.
Failure means family ruin!
Starting impulsively on my prophecy alone, he has no choice but to rely on me.
“Baron, when do you think the empire will declare war?”
“Before the wedding.”
“Hm. Besides war preparations, speak freely if there’s anything else.”
“Nothing. It’s the empire we face. No room for distractions.”
“A war that won’t end quickly…”
The duke’s face tensed, misinterpreting my words.
‘I really have nothing else?’
99% of <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family> is the protagonist’s romance.
Expecting too much… Oh!
“Your Grace.”
“What do you need?”
“Loan me Lady Valentine a few more days.”
“No need to ask. She’s now your personal knight. A baron without even one attendant knight loses face.”
“Thank you.”
“But where are you going again?”
“Not far. There’s a treasure I want to confirm.”
“Treasure…?”
The duke looked at me like I was mad.
“If Angelina Chimac hasn’t taken it, it should be there.”
“Important treasure?”
“A sword.”
“…Don’t tell me you mean the legendary sword only true love can find?”
“That very sword.”
“Impossible, even for you! Do you know how much my wife nagged me for failing to find it? Not just me—every man in Somaek territory has that tragic tale!”
“Oh no…”
Even I, unmarried, sympathized with the sad story.
“Or does that mean you’re that confident in your love?”
“Of course not. If you know the location, superstition doesn’t matter.”
“Haha! Superstition…”
“Why are you laughing?”
“Go find it. I’ll be here eagerly awaiting your failure.”
“Yes, sir.”
I vowed to show the landowner who’s boss.
***
In the novel, the protagonist often went on lively picnics surrounded by handsome men.
Flower fields, beaches, lakes, villas…
The author, hating repetition, changed locations each time—but ironically, they were the same picnic with different scenery.
Did she realize this?
The author devised a picnic with fresh material.
“Do you really think you can find that sword, Baron Amolang?”
“Lady Valentine asks the same as the duke. Do you think I can’t?”
“Yes. My father, who swore no other woman existed, failed and was nagged by my mother for three years.”
“Oh no…”
Too many sad stories in this town.
‘But I’m different.’
The novel described the protagonist’s picnic spots in detail.
Which cuisine, legends, scenery, rumors, and…
The legendary sword’s hiding place was no exception.
‘Southwest of Somaek’s port city, a river flows; follow it upstream to a wide plain with unclaimed land, old ruins, and a large hut.’
Predicting the hut’s rough location, I told Lady Valentine.
“Lady Valentine, let’s find the hut together. It’s big enough for ten adults, so it’ll be easy.”
“I don’t see it.”
The horizon was flat golden wheat fields, no obstacles.
“It must be there.”
“…I’ll search diligently as you’re certain.”
“Thank you. Regardless of results, meet here at sunset.”
“Yes, Lord Baron.”
So eight of us—me, Lady Valentine, her squire, and retinue—spread out to search…
‘Why isn’t it here?!’
Even if the patient took the treasure, the location should remain.
But no hut—big or small.
“Lord Baron, at dawn tomorrow, we’ll search a wider area.”
“…No. I was arrogant.”
“Giving up?”
“No. There’s a path to the treasure hut. Tomorrow, we’ll follow it faithfully.”
I decided to recreate the novel’s picnic exactly.
***
“Baron Amolang, looking for treasure?”
“Yes. Diligently.”
“While savoring city-bought chocolate cake and warm coffee?”
“…”
No rebuttal to Lady Valentine’s point.
“Nice weather.”
“Makes me sleepy.”
“Hmm~ Coffee smells…”
Squire and retinue spread mats beside us and joined.
‘Roughly similar?’
Only female Lady Valentine as Angelina; the rest as her men!
Looks and status worlds apart, but gender balance achieved—pass.
Next?
“From now, except Lady Valentine, strip. Ah! Underwear stays—censorship.”
“Censorship?”
“There’s such a thing.”
The all-ages novel couldn’t fully strip the men.
And the revealed muscular bodies!
‘Wow…’
I guarantee: faces favor the protagonist’s men, but below the neck—these guys are manlier.
Except me!
“Lord Baron, planning to find the hut in the water?”
Per my order, Lady Valentine sat regally on a flat rock by the river, watching the flow.
Unlike the protagonist ogling, she showed zero interest in the men’s bodies.
Pass for now.
“Now, men’s swimming race.”
“Unfair. Excluding me just for being female is unjust.”
“Uh…”
How to explain?!
“But since you decided, I won’t question.”
“Thank you…”
In the original novel, Baron Pimaang, raised by the empire’s sea, taunts everyone with his swimming prowess.
The men, eager to impress the protagonist, fall for the provocation and race…
“The winner gets to walk alone with Lady Valentine.”
“…”
“…”
The men glanced at their superior.
Catching on, she said,
“It’s Baron Amolang’s order. No questions. A knight must give their all, even if it dishonors their lord.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The race rules strictly followed the novel.
“Start.”
Splash! Splash! Splash…!
Starting from the riverbank, we swam upstream against the current.
‘I can’t lose!’
Last in physique, but swimming isn’t just muscle and build.
Splash splash!
Confident in technique and stamina, I ignored others and swam forward.
Finally,
Whoosh—!
“Phew!”
Reaching the shore where Lady Valentine waited, I looked around.
‘No one?’
I was first.
“…Baron Amolang, a magnificent contest—your manliness defies description.”
“Thanks, Lady Valentine.”
If my swordsmanship were half my swimming…
I dried off, waiting for the rest.
‘Taking longer than expected?’
If they lagged watching me, it’d hurt my pride.
How long did I wait?
One by one, they appeared.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
“Gasp!”
“Pant! Pant!”
Exhausted men collapsed on the bank.
“Hm. Looks tough.”
The protagonist’s men managed easily despite weaker bodies?
Definitely exaggerating.
“Of course it’s tough. Recent rain flooded the river. Lucky no one died.”
“Ah, then…”
I pretended nonchalance, but inwardly sighed in relief.
‘Should’ve said that sooner!’
I’m not a local, and this is my first time here. I thought the current was always this strong.
As she said, truly lucky no deaths.
“Any objections to Baron Amolang’s victory?”
“None.”
“None.”
Resting squire and knights unanimously conceded.
“Just victor, will you escort me?”
“Clumsy, but yes.”
Dressed, I extended my hand.
Swish.
She gently placed her calloused hand on mine.
“Shall we?”
“Anywhere…”
No plan after this.
If no hut on the walk—clean surrender!
Already searched once, so no expectations.
“…”
“…”
We walked silently along the river, hands linked.
Whisper~
A warm breeze seemed to comfort my disappointment.
“Lord Baron!”
“Yes?”
“In front…!”
“What’s— Ah!”
Like mist clearing in the wind, the scenery shifted—and the hut appeared.
“True love… The legend was real…”
“Indeed. Never thought the treasure was truly hidden here.”
“…”
“Let’s go.”
We headed to the hut in the ruins’ center.