19. The Reincarnated Noblewoman Prepares
“Ugh! What on earth is going on now!?”
I had finally thought that all my problems were solved and that I could return to my territory.
The first round of the Crown Prince’s selection for a bride…
…and I, somehow, passed it safely!?
No way! Why would something like that happen when I don’t even want it?
In my previous life, I had only barely managed to pass by bribing the examiners who conducted the selection with the Crown Prince. And yet, the moment I stopped wanting it, I was accepted unconditionally. The world really doesn’t work in a straightforward way.
That night, when the Crown Prince himself spoke to me directly, I thought it might have just been a bluff. But the very next morning, a formal messenger arrived at the castle…
“To the Lady Eltriede Eldenvark, daughter of the Eldenvark Duke, we respectfully report and congratulate you on having advanced to the next stage of the Crown Prince’s bride selection. You are hereby requested to remain in the capital until the next event. This is by royal command.”
The messenger emphasized the “royal command” so firmly at the end that I felt as if some invisible nail had been driven in. By that Crown Prince, no less.
So, my original plans have changed drastically. I am still staying at the Eldenvark family’s main mansion in the royal capital.
If everything had gone according to plan, I’d be on my way back to my territory by now, leisurely sightseeing along the way. I had a secret plan to savor the famous local dishes at each landmark on the route home, but that has been completely ruined.
“How much does that prince need to ruin my plans before he’s satisfied…!?”
“Truly. I wish the royal family would realize how much trouble their actions cause the common folk,”
Noa, my maid, complained alongside me.
Normally, in a situation like this, a noblewoman’s maid would obediently say something like, “It’s such an honor to have caught the Crown Prince’s eye,” completely ignoring the lady’s feelings.
I really am lucky to have such a loyal maid.
“I want to leave this stinking royal capital as soon as possible, yet thanks to you, milady, I’m stuck here too. Truly, it’s the height of inconvenience!”
…Is she really that loyal?
“I swear, milady, the royal capital feels far more rural than I imagined. Did you know? There are no street lamps outside!”
“The only place in this country with such modern conveniences is our territory,” I replied.
Gas lamps, said to have been developed overseas, had crossed the sea to reach the port town of my domain. My father, who loved anything new, had immediately installed them. For now, only the lord’s port town had them, but the lamps lit up several streets at night.
“Thanks to those, nighttime crime has decreased a lot,” my father bragged. “So Noa, don’t think about wandering out at night as if you were back in our territory. Not in the royal capital.”
“I understand. It’s far too dark to enjoy a walk anyway,” she replied.
There were no proper sewage systems to remove the stench, no street lamps to illuminate the night.
The royal capital wouldn’t get those improvements anytime soon. The nobility believes that magic can solve any problem.
In reality, it doesn’t.
“And yet, I can’t solve anything either…” I murmured to myself, reflecting inwardly.
Perhaps this situation arose because I was not cautious enough—and because I hadn’t properly prepared.
A powerless girl like me shouldn’t have even passed the first stage of the Crown Prince’s selection. Surely I would have failed immediately.
I had expected this, but my plan completely backfired, and here I remain, stuck in the capital.
From now on, I can’t just go with the flow.
The Crown Prince’s bride selection targets hundreds of noble daughters nationwide, but after last night’s ball, the candidates should be narrowed down to about twenty. How do I know? Because it happened the same way in my previous life.
Of course, even after narrowing the candidates, the selection continues until the final bride is formally chosen.
And I have to participate in at least the second round.
The second round will undoubtedly be even harsher than the first. That’s why, being powerless, I had assumed I would fail immediately—but if I underestimate things again, it could turn into another disaster like the first round.
So I must act proactively, not just go along with events.
“Don’t think, ‘I’ll fail anyway.’ Think, ‘I will act with everything I have to make sure I fail!’”
With that mindset, I can truly fail the Crown Prince’s selection.
“Noa, we’re going out! Help me change my clothes!”
“Certainly, milady. Where are we going?”
She asked because, naturally, as my personal maid, she follows me wherever I go and assists me. Normally, that is.
“Not this time. Stay at the mansion and watch the house,” I instructed.
“What!? But milady, having accepted your service, I intend to accompany you no matter where you go—even in this stinking royal capital!”
She really can’t stand the royal capital’s stench.
But I do want her to stay behind this time.
To survive the Crown Prince’s bride selection, I need stronger allies than a young, innocent maid like Noa. The place I’m heading is… aggressive, shall we say. Not suitable for someone like her.
And me? I’m fine. In my previous life, I drowned in the darkest, dirtiest parts of human nature as a villainous noblewoman!
◆
And so, we set off.
Noa protested until the very end, but I persuaded her to stay behind, promising that I’d bring back sweets as souvenirs.
Is this how a mistress negotiates with her servants?
Anyway, I ride alone in the carriage, watching the scenery pass by. The driver has faithfully served the Eldenvark family for twenty years, but even he is clearly apprehensive about our destination.
“Milady… that place is far too—”
“It’ll be fine,” I interrupted.
Just hearing the name of the area made him tremble.
I had no evidence to guarantee safety, so all I could say was, “It’ll be fine.” The driver followed orders with a pale face, but after a while, he suddenly stopped the carriage.
“What’s wrong? We haven’t reached our destination yet, have we?”
From the view outside, it didn’t seem like we had arrived.
Before I could check what happened, the carriage door opened—without knocking.
And who entered was…
“Your Highness? Why are you here?”
“That’s my line,” he replied.
The man who had barged in was unmistakably familiar. None other than Crown Prince Kistlhart.
“Where are you going, young lady?” he asked.
“I’m the one asking questions! Why are you here? Is the Crown Prince so common that one runs into him in town?”
“Ha ha, I’m a creature unique to the capital,” he joked.
I felt a thrill of panic despite his casual tone.
Even in a corner of the capital, the odds of running into the Crown Prince by chance must be one in hundreds of thousands.
Of course, this couldn’t be accidental. It had to be intentional.
Moreover, the Crown Prince wore plain citizen clothes, not the lavish outfit I had seen in the castle. Perfect disguise.
Given all this, the Crown Prince is here fully aware of everything.
“Could it be… you’ve been watching me?”
Yes. The only way to explain this “coincidental” encounter is if he had been monitoring my movements perfectly. Watching me every moment? What is this man thinking!?
“Considering your attitude when we parted… even if I restrained you by royal command, you might ignore it and head back to your territory. That thought kept me awake at night,” he said.
“You invaded my privacy?”
“I took precautions. I placed my people to monitor comings and goings at the Eldenvark main mansion. They were to alert me if a large carriage set off toward your territory…”
“The carriage I’m using now is a small one for city travel. I’m not carrying a large load. There’s no reason for suspicion.”
“Ah, about the carriage… I was informed that it is the destination of this carriage that is the concern.”
So that caught him off guard…
The Crown Prince came rushing here. The place I aim to reach is…
“The northeastern area of the royal capital, Southern Landa District. Commonly called the ‘Garbage Dump Slums.’”
