The two men’s faces filled with shock.
How dare he turn down a dinner invitation from Regina von Eisenbach?
They looked as if they were thinking, ‘Is that guy out of his mind?’
I simply walked up the stairs, regardless of how shocked they were.
“I’m tired. I’m going to rest.”
I went to my room, washed up, and lay down on my bed.
But my mind was wide awake.
I took a small leather notebook from the back of my bedside table drawer.
I had kept a diary as a habit for a long time.
I had written in it regularly on the battlefield, but after coming to the capital, I had been so busy and had so little to write about that I had left it untouched.
But today, I wanted to write in my diary.
I wanted to record this strange, ticklish feeling and my conversation with Kai.
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of my pen scratching against the paper echoed through the room.
[Today…]
I wrote a short entry, then checked the calendar.
Our next date was in ten days.
Kai had apologized, saying he had a lot to prepare and a mountain of things to take care of, so it would take some time.
‘That’s still a long way off.’
It was disappointing.
Each day would probably feel like a whole year.
In the corner of my diary, I drew a cute cat with slanted eyes that looked like Kai.
My drawing skills were terrible, but I carefully colored in its golden eyes.
I closed the notebook, lay down, and shut my eyes.
I drifted off to sleep, imagining what the “important thing” he planned to tell me in ten days might be.
***
I had a dream.
The setting was a barracks on the northern front, but suddenly, a huge beast with golden fur and golden eyes appeared.
It looked at me, wagging its tail as it approached.
Then it gradually grew smaller and turned into an adorable kitten.
“Meow.”
The kitten cuddled up in my arms, acting all cute.
I happily stroked its soft fur.
But suddenly, with a loud “Poof!”, the kitten turned back into a huge beast.
“…?”
It knocked me over and climbed on top of me.
Its heavy front paws pressed down on my shoulders, and its golden eyes stared down at me as if they would swallow me whole.
The moment its hot breath touched my face…
“Gasp!”
I opened my eyes, gasping for breath. It was already bright outside.
“…What a weird dream.”
Or was it a cat dream?
Anyway, it had been strangely vivid and left me feeling odd.
I stared blankly at the ceiling until the bell announcing breakfast rang, then got up.
When I went down to the dining room, my father and older brother were sitting there with unusually serious expressions.
Something felt off.
“Regina, you’re here.”
My father cleared his throat before speaking.
“Ahem. There is something I need to tell you.”
Then he handed me an invitation written in elegant purple ink.
“There will be a social gathering tomorrow, and we’ve decided to attend.”
“A social gathering?”
I tilted my head as I took my seat.
“I hadn’t heard anything about it.”
I had learned that invitations to social gatherings usually arrived at least a week in advance.
But this one was for tomorrow.
It was far too sudden.
“Well… something came up, so it had to be arranged in a hurry.”
My father avoided my eyes and spoke vaguely.
My older brother Heinrich, sitting beside him, also cleared his throat and cut into his steak rather aggressively.
“Yes, Regina. I heard Count Benner is throwing a very grand party this time. He has invited our Eisenbach family as ‘special guests,’ so we absolutely have to go.”
“Special guests…?”
“That’s right! I heard there will be plenty of meat, which you love, and more importantly…”
My father looked at me with a determined expression.
His eyes were burning.
“I spoke to Count Benner and asked him to invite plenty of very suitable marriage prospects… I mean, ahem. Plenty of very suitable ‘guests.’”
“That’s right. All the finest young noblemen in the capital will be there. Some are skilled swordsmen, others are wealthy merchants, and anyway, there will be all kinds of excellent candidates…”
My older brother added, rambling nervously.
****
I tilted my head.
Who exactly did my father mean by “suitable guests”?
‘Of course, all the people I’ve met in high society so far have been disappointing and rude.’
I could see my father and older brother rambling and watching my expression.
They seemed worried that I might say I wasn’t going.
Was it difficult to refuse because Count Benner’s reputation was at stake?
“All right. If it’s already been decided, then I’ll go.”
When I agreed without protest, the two men’s faces lit up.
“Oh! Really?”
“Good thinking, Regina!”
“But I have one condition.”
I added firmly, as if driving home the point.
“I won’t wear a dress. They’re too uncomfortable. I’d rather wear armor than squeeze into a corset.”
“R-right! Your comfort comes first!”
“Of course! Our Regina shines no matter what she wears! As long as you agree to go!”
The two men were so moved that I had agreed that they even high-fived each other.
I shook my head as I watched them.
It wasn’t a bad idea for me, either.
It would give me something to do until I met Kai in ten days. It might be nice to see what a capital party was like.
From that afternoon on, my father and older brother seemed strangely busy.
And at the same time, they seemed secretive.
They locked themselves in the study to discuss something at length, but whenever I approached, they would jump in surprise and quickly shut the door.
Servants hurried back and forth carrying all sorts of things, and messengers came and went from the mansion.
‘They’re definitely planning something…’
I decided not to pry.
Instead, I decided to return to training, which I had put off for a while because I had been so focused on my dates with Kai.
I changed into comfortable training clothes and headed to the training ground behind the mansion.
It was the first place my father had renovated after receiving the mansion in the capital.
When he tore up the beautiful garden and turned it into a drill yard, the capital’s nobles had clicked their tongues in disapproval. But to us, this was the most comfortable place to relax.
“Hah!”
I gripped my wooden training sword and swung it through the air.
Whoosh—
A heavy sound tore through the air.
It wasn’t just a simple swing.
It was a deadly strike aimed precisely at the vital point of an unseen enemy.
I kept moving without stopping.
I awakened my battlefield instincts.
Imagining monsters rushing at me from every direction, I dodged, thrust, slashed, and spun around again.
My movements were as graceful as a dance, but a chilling killing intent lingered wherever the tip of my sword passed.
‘The Black Grim Reaper.’
That was the name the soldiers had called me on the battlefield.
The air in the training ground grew heavy.
Sweat trickled down my chin.
My heart pounded, and my muscles tensed pleasantly.
I really did feel more at ease this way.
Even if I got married and lived an ordinary life, I didn’t think I would ever give up my sword.
‘Would Kai… be a little scared if he saw me wielding a sword?’
Suddenly, the image of me standing in the training ground overlapped with the memory of Kai laughing with me atop the clock tower.
I also remembered the warm look in his eyes as he watched me shed tears during the puppet show.
‘No, I’m sure he’d understand.’
I lowered my wooden sword and chuckled.
After tomorrow’s party, I would just keep training while waiting for the day I could see him again.
The next day.
As promised, I wore a men’s formal suit instead of a dress.
It was a design based on the Imperial Army’s officer uniform, with a dark black jacket and silver buttons.
It was slightly fitted at the waist, so it still showed that I was a woman, but it was extremely comfortable to move around in.
“That’s my daughter! It looks absolutely perfect on you!”
“You look more impressive than any young nobleman in the capital, Regina!”
“More impressive than any young nobleman?”
“N-no, no! You look more dignified than any young lady!”
“…?”
if u find the novel or chapter error you can contact or tag me in our discord
Comments (0)