Chapter 73

I looked at Tessarion while speaking passionately.

He rubbed his temple and gave a low laugh. His lips curved in a sharp, refreshing arc.

“See? See that? That sly conman betrayed the North and became the Emperor’s lackey! He’s clinging to the Duke’s side, clouding his judgment!”

“Duke, that’s the son of Baron Rover—the man who ran off with 50 million gold of the duchy’s tax money claiming he would open a new trade route!”

One by one, people began standing and raising their voices. The chairperson banged the staff late to stop them, but it was useless.

“Roy…”

Berieta called me in a trembling voice.

At that moment, Tessarion stood up. The conference room, full of outrage, fell silent. He placed a hand on my shoulder and glared at the nobles seated in front.

“I’ve heard your opinions about Roy Dover’s words. Just as I thought.”

Even the nobles and elders who had shouted confidently at Tessarion now looked uneasy, sensing something strange. It was because Tessarion asked Berieta a meaningful question.

“Beriete. As you can see, not one person here is on your side. And yet you came all this way saying you want to marry me. You must have some plan?”

What did that mean?

What is Tessarion doing right now? It almost sounded like he was thinking positively about marriage… or was that just how it felt to me?

That should be a good thing… but my heart still sank. My attention sharpened toward Berieta. She replied immediately, with no hint of a smile in her voice.

“I plan to make them my allies.”

“How? Will you use Crown Prince Heliot and armed soldiers to intimidate them?”

“No. I will go to war with you.”

“…?!”

I was shocked.

The room stirred. The nobles looked around, doubting their own ears.

“It’s natural for the Duke and northern people to oppose me. I have my pride—I won’t become a Duchess without a support base and live here under their cold eyes. Crown Prince Heliot, I, and the First Imperial Knights will work to solidify the northern border, reclaimed for the first time in forty years, and strengthen its defenses.”

An elder from the council shouted loudly.

“Princess! Do you think we haven’t seen southerners pretend to understand us only to stab us in the back? We don’t need your pathetic southern aid! Leave at once!”

“Elder Zergas, do you know why His Majesty the Emperor tried to rush my marriage to the Duke? It’s because hardliners like you have gripped the North and demanded more military funds while threatening that the front will collapse, and so he wanted to secure the marriage first. Why should His Majesty send funds to a North he suspects might invade the South? If you want to give something to someone you dislike, you might as well make them in-laws, don’t you think?”

“You… you…!”

“I’m not offering a mere alliance in name through marriage—I’m offering to risk my life on the battlefield to help the North. It’s not a bad deal for you either. So think rationally, test me, and use me.”

Since I’d been at the monastery, I didn’t know much about worldly affairs. But was it like this in the 9th round too? Berieta’s words flowed so smoothly no one could refute her. Even Tessarion sighed, murmuring that he’d expected this.

…

The original story was completely twisted.

The vague plot I’d known was now nothing but scraps.

There would be no civil war.

That was a relief.

But now both the main and supporting characters would head to the northern front crawling with monsters. Was that really good? I didn’t know. I clasped my hands and inwardly demanded the Goddess tell me what to do.

But there was no answer from the Goddess.

Tessarion crossed his arms and sneered.

“Impressive.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me?”

“I hope you die on the battlefield.”

“Then all the more reason I can’t die.”

“You think it’s up to you? You can’t even ride a horse properly. Don’t you dare ask Roy to help you ride so you can die together.”

“What? Ha! Did you hear that, Roy? I just said I’d personally go to that dangerous battlefield for the duchy, and—!”

Berieta suddenly leaned forward to look at me. I flinched and rolled my eyes.

“Ah, um…”

Bang, bang.

The chairperson struck the staff to move to the next agenda. My body tilted into Tessarion’s arms. My knees lifted, and I found myself sitting on his lap again, nose pressed into his chest, blinking.

“What is this?”

Berieta let out an exasperated breath.

“What are you doing right now?”

…

Tessarion ignored her, staring straight ahead.

“Sit down. You’re delaying the meeting.”

“Me? It’s not me delaying it, it’s you…! Ha, never mind.”

Berieta turned away as if to sit properly, then suddenly leaned toward me again and placed a hand on my knee.

“Roy. I’ll bring you a training sword tomorrow afternoon. And a healing potion. Get better quickly so we can work together to knock that irritating Tessarion down a peg.”

…

Something inside me throbbed. The whisper that once made my heart flutter now stabbed like a thorn stuck in my throat.

I clenched my teeth and pressed my hand to my chest.

❖ ❖ ❖

In the world before I possessed this body, there were foods I could easily eat that also existed in this romance fantasy world—meat, fish, bread, potatoes, beans…

Among them, the one that tasted and looked exactly the same was fried potatoes. Maybe because oil was precious here, they felt even crispier and more savory.

“Roy, ah.”

The Duke held my favorite food—fried potatoes—up to my mouth.

But I didn’t see the fried potato. I bit into it as it came close and glared at Tessarion.

“What?” Tessarion asked.

He had done those things to me all night and then met his fiancée without a hint of guilt.

Your conscience must be as sturdy as steel.

I sighed with the fried potato still in my mouth.

“Haa, about… um… Princess Berieta.”

I brought up the subject that had kept my mind restless all day, but couldn’t think of the right words to follow. I finished chewing and swallowed before continuing.

“Princess Berieta doesn’t like you much either, right? And you said you disliked her.”

I used both index fingers to draw arrows as if directing traffic, when another fried potato popped into my mouth. Tessarion took a spoonful of the soup from my patient meal and fed me.

Worried I’d forget my words, I quickly said,

“When you mentioned before a ‘political relationship based on marriage,’ did you mean today’s kind of tactical battle between both sides? Why didn’t you give me a hint? When did you even talk to the Princess? I was so shocked I thought my heart would stop and my blood turn cold.”

Tessarion, half-listening, fed me more soup.

“I never coordinated with Beriete. I only guessed she came to the council with Heliot left behind and with the Imperial Knights for a reason.”

“Ah, I see.”

I admired Tessarion’s sharp observation and asked,

“Then, was carrying me into the council and holding me on your lap the whole time also a strategy to disrupt the flow and distract attention?”