An awkward silence flowed between Dusk Bringar and me.
Unable to bear it, I asked again.
"What are you doing here? It’s already late. Why haven’t you gone to your lodging?"
Just then, a stereotypical sound of hunger, a rumble, emanated from Dusk Bringar’s stomach.
"..."
"..."
...What the hell! Why are you making such a pitiful face! You’re not some Little Match Girl! You’re a freaking Duchess!
"If you go into town, there are restaurants open late and decent inns. Go, have a look."
"...I have none."
"What?"
"I have no money..."
Dusk Bringar’s petite shoulders slumped.
I clenched the back of my neck as my blood pressure shot up. What a dramatic Duchess you are!
"Come on, even if you’re in retreat, you’re still a Duchess of a Duchy. How can you not have money?"
"I used all my assets and even looted items to fund the military! Of course, I have no personal wealth left!"
Ah, well, considering they were pretty much decimated in the war, it makes sense that the national treasury would be empty.
"What about that shiny crown you’re wearing? Selling that could buy you at least one mansion."
"This symbolizes the rule of the Duchy! Obviously, I can’t sell it!"
I laughed dismally. What a farce. Talk about a fool’s paradise...
"I did manage to escape the siege and left the Duchy, but all my subordinates were injured. So, I gave them all the money I had and told them to heal and follow later. I came ahead to scout if the southern front was actually safe..."
"So you arrived and found you had no money left?"
"Exactly! That’s why I participated in the tournament! I thought I’d get some prize money if I won first place! Never thought I’d get... this..."
Dusk Bringar took out the first-place trophy and squawked.
"How could I possibly imagine that they’d give me something I couldn’t even exchange for a meal, like a knightly honor-!"
"It’s an honorable position, you brat-!"
As we yelled at each other, I felt eyes on my back. Turning around, my party members were watching us, sweating bullets.
"Ah..."
I let out a long sigh and gestured towards the interior of the mansion.
"Come in. I’ll give you something to eat and drink."
"Really?!"
"It’s a festival, and we’re not so stingy as to starve a guest. Hurry in."
With a brightened face, Dusk Bringar bounded into the mansion like a hamster.
I called Aider and instructed him to serve a meal to Dusk Bringar. I also made a guest room available.
’It’s as good as me inviting her anyway...’
But it was a mistake.
Dusk Bringar began devouring my kitchen’s supplies as if she was a dragon. What the heck is going on?
The chef, summoned in the middle of the night, cooked non-stop, sweating blood and tears. But Dusk Bringar continued to eat voraciously.
Sharp teeth, like a shark’s, tore through the dishes like a saw blade.
"I usually don’t get this hungry."
Dusk Bringar mumbled an excuse, puffing out her small cheeks as she continued to munch away.
"But I exerted myself too much during the martial arts tournament... I was starving to death, you know. Ah, pass me some of that piled-up meat. And take out the bell peppers; I can’t eat those."
"...How about carrots?"
"Oh, how did you know? I hate carrots too! Take them out!"
’Are you a child or what? What are you doing with your age?’
I sighed and shook my head. The high-output, low-efficiency traits of a dragon were manifesting in full force.
An adult human was devouring an amount of food enough for dozens. Was this much necessary to maintain that level of output?
’I knew dragons ate a lot, but this is crossing a line...’
If I were to take in Dusk Bringar as my vassal, the first thing to reconsider would be the food budget.
Evangeline and Lucas, who were watching this spectacle, slightly opened their mouths.
"I thought I was the strongest among female food fighters, but... turns out I was only thinking in human terms, huh?"
"I lost in the martial arts tournament, and now I’m losing in the amount of food I can eat... What can I possibly win at? Waaah..."
"...Don’t feel defeated. It’s just a different race."
By the way, Damien and Junior were diligently picking out the bell peppers and carrots beside Dusk Bringar.
’Don’t pick them out! Let her eat everything!’
While observing this miserable scene, Aider sneakily approached and whispered in my ear.
"Uh, My Lord, the food storage is empty... What shall we do?"
"...Refill it as soon as the morning market opens. Feed her until she’s satisfied."
Looking at Dusk Bringar, who was annihilating the dining table with a happy face, I clicked my tongue.
"It’s like a festival, a festival."
If there’s someone who can’t enjoy it, so be it, but no one should be going hungry.
Then Dusk Bringar cheerfully exclaimed, "The food here is great!"
Ah, yes. Thank you for the compliment...
***
The last day of the autumn festival dawned.
From midday, the entire city was filled with lively music.
Citizens took out instruments from their homes, which were usually gathering dust, and played joyful music.
I initially thought the dance festival would be something significant, but it wasn’t.
People simply gathered in the central square, dancing in the most arbitrary music.
"I told you. It’s just a countryside festival," said Evangeline, who was observing the spectacle with me at the central square. I chuckled.
"It’s not so bad, is it?"
Citizens had gathered and were singing traditional folk songs, playing various drums, string instruments, and wind instruments.
Someone danced with a shoulder dance, and someone else sang out of tune with a red, drunken face.
Elderly folks that you normally don’t see came out and performed a slow traditional circle dance.
So this is a national dance showcase, huh? It feels quite endearing.
"Let’s go for a round! Let’s go!"
Before I knew it, my main party members were all swept into the huge circle dance in the central square.
Evangeline took the lead, followed by Lucas, Damien, and Junior. They all held hands, awkwardly smiling while circling in the flow of the traditional dance.
I stood a bit apart, watching the scene with a chuckle. There’s something cute about watching kids play.
"Hmm. Quite a festive atmosphere, isn’t it? It’s like a rural festival."
Just then, someone came and stood beside me. I turned to find it was Dusk Bringar.
I’d given her some pocket money, and she had spent it at the stalls, bringing back handfuls of snacks. She seemed to be enjoying herself more than anyone else.
For some reason, her face looked slightly chubbier than yesterday as she looked up at me and blinked.
"Aren’t you going to dance?"
"I have a solo performance scheduled for later. I’m saving my entrance."
I wasn’t particularly thrilled about it, but it’s a festival. If everyone can have fun, I’m more than willing to contribute.
My eyes scanned the square, landing on various members of my party. Everyone seemed to be having fun.
"Ash."
Then, with a voice muffled by munching on snacks, Dusk Bringar abruptly spoke.
"Rebels are your country’s enemies." (TL Note: She refers to her group as ’과인’, which literally means ’someone who has made a mistake’. I had two options to go with, either Traitors or Rebels. Neither of them are fully correct, but Rebels sounded better, so I’m going with that.)
"..."
"Your father betrayed my country, which had been loyal to him for hundreds of years, and your brother led an army that trampled over my land."
In the midst of a festival that was peaceful beyond words, the Dragon Lady abruptly jabbed me with this heavy conversation.
"But you invited those Rebels here. You even said you would provide a chance for them to recover at this front."
"..."
"You knew that the moment you let the Rebels into your front, you would be in conflict with your own country."
And if that happens, in the worst-case scenario, I might never see this peaceful landscape again.
The fight at the Empire’s western front—the Dragon-Blood Front, would not end until Dusk Bringar was captured and killed.
Specifically, until her Dragon Blood was taken away.
The moment she’s discovered on my front, the flames of the western front will spread southward.
- Will you truly accept me despite all that?
Dusk Bringar’s words were laden with such implications. I listened in silence as she looked up at me intently.
"What exactly are your intentions? And if you do accept me, do you have a plan for what comes after?"
"..."
I looked at her with a faint smile.
"I will answer those questions when you fully join our southern front."
"Haha, so you won’t show your hand till the very end?"
"One should always make their move at the decisive moment."
I shrugged nonchalantly.
"But let me assure you of one thing. The Imperial Family, and the Empire, cannot touch this Monster Front."
It’s not just blind trust in a single declaration of independence from the past.
I know what will happen in this world in the future. I am confident based on the memory of my strategies.
A storm of events will descend upon the Empire in the future.
I plan to sidestep that storm, unconnected to the Empire, and walk my own path.
The war with the monsters.
Towards the Clear, the True Ending.
"As long as you cooperate with me, you’ll have ample opportunity to rebuild here," I assured her.
"...So this cooperation involves fighting monsters, is that it?"
"Yes."
"I truly can’t understand why..."
Dusk Bringar sighed. She gazed down at the square below where people danced in rhythm with the music and murmured softly to herself.
"To think that it’s worth bringing someone in, even if it means destroying such a beautiful landscape... I wonder if there’s any value in such Rebels."
"It is."
To be honest, you and your knights were something like a bonus in the unfolding circumstances.
"They’re worth it."
It was true that Dusk Bringar and her knights held tremendous power.
If I could recruit them under my banner, they would play a major role in the upcoming wars against monsters.
"..."
Dusk Bringar toyed with the snack in her hand, lost in deep thought. Just as I was about to say a few more words to her, I was interrupted.
"Stop spacing out, senior!"
My main party members rushed toward me and grabbed my arms and legs. What the heck?!
"Stop just watching with that paternal smile, dance with us, senior!"
"This opportunity comes but once a year, my Lord!"
"It’s way more fun than you think! Dance, Your Highness!"
"Come on, no escaping! Your Highness, come this way!"
"Argh! Wait a sec! I was about to have a serious conversation for once—!"
But there was no stopping the relentless push from my party members. Before I knew it, I was swept into the whirlpool of dance.
As I joined in, the crowd somehow noticed me and cheered loudly.
A sudden open space appeared in the crowded square, and there I was, thrust into the center. What’s going on?!
"My Lord! My Lord! Our Lord!"
"We’ve been waiting just for today! We’ve been really looking forward to this!"
The citizens surrounding me shouted in cheers. Wait, what were they looking forward to?!
"Dance! Dance! Dance!"
"Prince Dance! Prince Dance!"
"Show us the legendary dance that turned the Imperial Capital upside down—!"
Within moments, the atmosphere became such that I had to dance. I covered my face and yelled.
"Damn it, if this was Imperial Capital New Terra, you’d all be executed for blasphemy!"
"But this isn’t New Terra, is it?! Where are we?"
"Crossroad—!"
Sigh. What can I do? I saw this coming when I signed up for this.
After glancing at my party members and the crowd, all smiling at me, I raised my hands and snapped my fingers.
"Then let’s get the music started, you rascals!"
Watch closely; I used to show off this expensive dance only when I got donations in the hundreds during my streaming days...!
As I started my improvised dance, my party members doubled over in laughter, and the crowd screamed in both cheer and astonishment.
I willingly made a fool of myself.
Because, after all, it’s a festival.
***
"...Ha. I may not know much, but I do know one thing."
Watching Ash’s antics wide-eyed, Dusk Bringar finally revealed a sharp-toothed smile.
"You are a prince adored by your subjects, Ash."
A piercing light tinged the smile that spread across the Dragon Lady’s lips.
"The love of the subjects the Rebels will never be able to regain..."
Closing her large, pumpkin-colored eyes briefly, she pulled her hood low over her face and slowly turned away from the square.
"...I think that’s enough scouting for now."
She began to walk slowly towards the west gate.
"It was a joyful festival, Crossroad."
And then she disappeared into the dimming twilight.
--TL Notes--
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