CHAPTER 59……………………….
. You’re not saying you’ll sell me off, right?
The Northwestern village was in the middle of a grand celebration. Not only had the king and queen visited in person, but a patient who had been on the verge of death from frostbite had miraculously recovered. Too many miracles had occurred in such a short span of time.
But I noticed something suspicious in the village chief. I had realized that the emergency heating magic stones sent from the royal family hadn’t been distributed properly.
“Chief, the royal family sent the heating stones to be evenly shared among those in need. If they were just going to be piled up in a warehouse, they wouldn’t have sent them here at all.”
The chief studied my stern face, his own expression twisting in distress.
“Winters in Freetan are long, and each year the harsh cold returns. If we save and save them, can’t we use them only when absolutely necessary?”
“What did you say?”
“If we share the stones evenly now, perhaps we could live warmly for a few years. But what happens after that? If the royal support ends when another sudden cold wave comes, all we can do is wait for death.”
“……”
“Can’t we hold onto them and use them sparingly, only when it’s truly urgent?”
He looked terrified that I might demand the stones be removed from the warehouse immediately. That wasn’t my intention at all!
“I understand. Let the village elders decide on their usage carefully. But if there’s a real need, they must be used.”
“Yes, we’ll do so without fail.”
I reassured the chief and sent him back to his seat. Mick silently took my hand and kissed the back of it. I spoke in a deflated tone.
“Mick, maybe I didn’t think this through properly this time.”
“You’re also rationing the heating stones in the palace, aren’t you? The queen and her people are alike.”
Mick playfully tugged at my nose.
“…I feel so foolish. Like an empty-headed queen, feasting in luxury without knowing the true hardships of the people.”
“Nonsense!”
He kissed me on the cheek with a loud smack and gently stroked my hair.
“You’re the one who arranged the emergency heating stones for this village, and the one who treated patients until your body was exhausted. My people know well the debt they owe you.”
I looked at the villagers of the Northwest, eating, drinking, and laughing loudly.
Children were running around, giggling and playing pranks. Their clothes looked far too thin, and the spaces untouched by the heating stones seemed terribly cold. Even so, the smiles never left their faces.
“There must be many other places besides this village where people are shivering in the cold, right?”
“Of course. Winters in Freetan are long and brutal.”
“…I want to make them happier!”
“Hm?”
“Mick. Let’s negotiate with the Kingdom of Malau.”
Mick’s eyes widened in surprise.
“What do you mean by that?”
He opened his mouth, then quickly spoke again with a wounded look in his eyes.
“Leah, don’t tell me… you’re planning to sell me off to the Malau princess in exchange for heating stones?”
His eyes shook violently with shock. I leaned close to his ear and whispered the thought that had just come to me.
When I finished, he turned to me in a different kind of astonishment.
The humble but joyous village festival came to an end.
Normally, Mick and I would have returned to Freetan Castle the next day. But instead, we changed plans and stayed another day in the Northwestern village.
In exchange, I summoned Duke Zenon from Freetan Castle. I needed to turn the idea I’d shared with Mick into something more concrete.
As soon as he received word, Duke Zenon hurried to the village with several nobles. The duke, the nobles, William, Ralph, and Joseph all gathered in a temporary meeting hall arranged by the chief.
I repeated the proposal I had made to Mick for everyone to hear. Their reactions were no different from his. None seemed willing to speak first, clearly too shocked.
“This is a matter that must be weighed carefully. If we proceed as Her Majesty suggests, Freetan must risk its very fate in this bargain.”
Duke Zenon spoke while glancing between Mick and me. I nodded.
“The key to this deal is mutual trust. How much can we trust the demons of Malau?”
“To be honest, I’m against it,” William said bluntly, breaking the silence as everyone hesitated.
“Think about what that princess has done. When we first visited Malau Castle, she even barged into Prince Micklok’s bedchamber disguised as the queen.”
“That’s true, that did happen,” Mick muttered, frowning at the memory.
“And that’s not all! At Freetan Castle, she appeared half-naked in Prince Micklok’s office—”
“Ahem…”
William’s voice trailed off when Mick cleared his throat sharply, clearly a warning. He glanced nervously at me.
“In any case, she’s a scheming woman. It’s far too dangerous for Prince Micklok to get involved with her.”
“Will, do you have to phrase it like that?”
Mick frowned at him, then sighed lightly and offered an alternative.
“Instead of trusting a reckless princess, we can demand a formal pledge from the King of Malau. She seemed wary of her father, after all.”
Ralph spoke next.
“I oppose it for another reason. It was only recently that Prince Micklok and our knights were attacked by that demon, Maon. Even if we lose potential benefits, I don’t want us tied to demons again.”
“That’s exactly my point!”
“I agree as well.”
William, Joseph, and even several nobles chimed in, supporting Ralph’s words.
As opposition gained ground, I turned to the silent Duke Zenon.
“Your Excellency, what do you think? Do you also believe it’s impossible?”
“To be frank, I still believe the safest solution is for Prince Micklok to loosen his collar, so to speak.”
Mick’s face contorted in irritation. I too shot the chancellor an annoyed glance.
“But if we put that aside, then yes… Her Majesty’s proposal is the most realistic alternative.”
“I appreciate your opinion, Chancellor. And I’ve heard all your concerns,” Mick said, looking at each person in turn.
“As King of Freetan, I will accept the queen’s proposal. The queen and I will form a delegation and depart for Malau Kingdom tomorrow.”
“Your Majesty!”
William sprang to his feet in protest, but Mick paid him no mind.
“Chancellor, send the fastest courier bird. Inform them we will arrive at Malau Castle in ten days. Draft a list of what we can offer and what we must demand in return. You have three days.”
“…Understood.”
“Joseph and Millie will return to Freetan Castle with the chancellor. Prepare what we’ll need for our stay in Malau, and bring it when we arrive.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Though reluctant, the nobles, Joseph, and Duke Zenon all rose to depart at Mick’s command.
Mick then turned to William, who still sat scowling.
“Too bad, Will. You and Ralph will be coming with us to Malau Castle.”
When Mick left to give instructions to the chancellor and Joseph, only William and I remained in the hall.
Since I hadn’t had a chance to speak with him since arriving in the village, I stopped him as he was about to leave to see Millie off.
“Sir William, may I speak with you for a moment?”
“Right now??”
“Yes, right now.”
He looked torn, clearly wanting to go after Millie, but eventually sat back down with a resigned expression.
I got straight to the point.
“I know why Millie rejected your proposal.”
“…It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“What?”
I had half-feared he’d grab me by the collar demanding the truth, but his quick acceptance instead left me surprised.
“I’ve confirmed here that Millie’s feelings are the same as mine. That’s enough. She asked me to wait, so I’ll just wait.”
“Ah…”
But it’s not that simple. I debated how much to reveal, then decided to hint at it indirectly.
“I’ve heard that in Freetan, marriages between nobles and commoners are relatively free. But don’t your parents think differently?”
“What?”
“Other nobles might not care who marries a commoner, but your own parents may never have even considered the possibility.”
William frowned, flustered as though the thought had never crossed his mind.
“Y-yes… I suppose they might.”
Of course. He never imagined he’d fall in love with a commoner himself, so naturally his parents hadn’t either.
“Since you already share the same feelings, I’m saying this: don’t just wait. Do what you can ahead of time.”
“…What should I do?”
“Convince your parents. Persuade them, bribe them, threaten them—whatever it takes to make them accept Millie sooner!”
I spoke more sharply than I meant to, frustrated by his passivity. He looked deep in thought before answering.
“I’ll start by telling Father that my resolve is unshakable. If I can persuade him, Mother won’t be a problem.”
Oh dear. The real obstacle was his mother, but I couldn’t say more, so I just looked at him with pity. At that moment, Mick returned to the hall.
“What’s going on? Why the mood?”
“It’s nothing. Did Duke Zenon and the others depart safely?”
“Yes.”
“And Sir Joseph and Millie?”
“They’ll leave soon.”
Mick still looked curious, but when I walked up to him, he simply pulled me into his arms without asking further.
Hearing Millie hadn’t yet left, William quickly stood.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
“You really have no tact, Will. You’re still here?” Mick teased, hugging me tightly.
But in William’s eyes, watching Mick hold me tenderly, there was only envy.
After receiving the letter from Freetan Castle by courier bird, Malau Castle became a hive of excitement.
“Yamal, is it really true that the King of Freetan himself is coming here?”
“You’ve confirmed it several times already. Why keep asking?”
“Because it’s hard to believe.”
The King of Malau smiled broadly, turning to Yamal.
Thanks to his successful role in establishing the peace treaty with Freetan, Yamal now served as Malau’s chancellor.
If he could oversee this visit from the King of Freetan successfully as well, his influence would grow even stronger. A smile tugged at Yamal’s lips, too.
“And where is Shine? Where’s that girl?”
“I heard she was in the library this morning.”
“I must tell her the good news. She may well scream with joy the moment she hears.”
The King of Malau, eager to congratulate his daughter for achieving her long-cherished wish, hurried toward the library.
