Chapter 72
Filsand was originally the capital city of a tribe that claims to draw blood from an ancient royal family, the Shulz. However, it was invaded by the country of Feldi, then placed under the rule of the Duke of Filsand.
This happened about 20 years ago.
A great number of the Shulz tribe fled southward. To this day, they still fiercely hold onto the wish of recapturing Filsand. To that end, they have launched numerous attacks on the city, but were repelled every single time.
Fifteen years ago, Elizabel Roni Filsand was born between the Duke of Filsand and the princess of the Shulz.
The princess of the Shulz, Sheira, was captured during the invasion of Filsand.
The Duke took her as his second wife in a move to sh.o.r.e up the legitimacy of his rule over Filsand.
For her mother, her father was someone to hate with her whole being, and it would still not be enough.
Fortunately, her mother did not actively plant that hatred within Elizabel. However, growing up while seeing the discord between her parents up close made it hard for her to see her father in a positive light.
Despite all that, it cannot be denied that her father was relatively loving towards Elizabel and her mother. Their living standards were not significantly inferior in comparison to that of his first wife and her children, and proper education was also provided. Her eldest stepbrother was also especially nice to her.
Due to this, she aspired to work as a diplomat on behalf of the Filsand that she had been brought up in, rather than the Shulz tribe that she had never even seen before. In actual fact, she gave her all towards realizing this aspiration of hers.
Originally, the purpose for which Elizabel came to Senpu Village for is a business deal — the purchase of siege weapons to use against the Shulz, who have barricaded themselves up in a castle.
The dwarves could not care less about the wars between humans. However, due to the Feldians’ long-seated contempt of the dwarves, the negotiations went very stormily. In spite of that, she managed to seal the deal.
Despite being only 15 years old, it has already been 3 years since she was entrusted with the full authority to represent the Duke. Having gone to other cities in her home countries, Ran Balt, and even Shulendal, she already has several business and treaty successes under her belt.
Of course, she was not granted the authority for conducting negotiations from the very beginning. At the start, she was no more than a proxy, a figurehead accompanying trade caravans and negotiation parties.
However, she knew how to use her attractive, harmless, innocent appearance to its full potential.
For example, the negotiations with the dwarves that took almost an entire week, mostly went like this.
“In the first place, you people from Feldi and Filsand are contemptuous of us dwarves, aren’t you.”
“That…… might be true. I’m really sorry…… someone like me being so self-important……”
“Oh, n-, no, we’re not really saying that you are the one at fault.”
“Thank you…… very much. Even though we say such terrible things, you all are still so gracious about it.”
“Well, we’re different from humans after all.”
Or perhaps like this.
“Three easy-to-a.s.semble siege towers? That’s going to place quite a heavy burden on our craftsmen. But
that the price you’re offering, it’s a bit……”
“I, I really don’t know anything, do I…… So it’s very hard to make siege towers, is it. Exactly how is it made?”
“You don’t even know that? Listen carefully, you first take the blueprints……”
Or this.
“Do all dwarves like alcohol very much? I myself don’t really drink much, but…… my father is often drinking a strange wine that he gets from taverns in the south.”
“Ho ho, what kind of wine is that?”
“Umm, I’m not really sure…… next time, I’ll make sure to ask him!”
Her numerous successes were by no means due to a cheat from the G.o.ds.
“Make the other party feel good.” “Listen well.” “Make the other party want to talk to you again.” All she did was persistently apply these principles to as many situations, as many people as she could.
Emotional gulfs could mostly be overcome somehow with this approach, after which talks would naturally proceed towards the discussion of reconciliation of interests.
Those who hate her label her methods as ‘seduction’ or ‘persuasion by tears,’ but the way she sees it, she was born with these tools, so there’s no reason to not take full advantage of them.
Though she worked so hard for the sake of Filsand, the feelings of contempt that those of the conquering side felt towards her due to her blood was deep-seated.
Day and night, the hara.s.sment against her never ceased, and she had even been called a savage to her face.
The first wife, her second son, and a few other family members all made no effort whatsoever to hide their hatred of her.
Then half a year ago.
Her position, which she had been able to somehow maintain despite being showered in her mother’s resentment and other people’s hatred, crumbled all of a sudden.
Her mother died of illness, and as if it was all timed, her eldest stepbrother died in battle during an a.s.sault by the Shulz tribe.
The only children left to the Duke were her and her second stepbrother.
If Elizabel had been powerless and also detested by her father, then perhaps this would not have happened. However, she had earned her father’s trust through her work as a diplomat, and her ability was such that no one could call it into question. Consequently, the first wife and her second son deemed Elizabel a threat.
It did not take many days for the pressure from her second stepbrother, which had previously been on the level of hara.s.sment, to escalate to attempted a.s.sa.s.sination.
After closing her negotiations with the dwarves, Elizabel headed towards a restaurant whose patron base was mostly human.
The two knights sitting together with her as escort are both enjoying a few drinks.
“Still, that Wizard guy, he’s quite something.”
“No way would I want to have that monster as an enemy.”
Despite being in front of Elizabel, the daughter of their master’s house, the knights are enthusiastically discussing about what, or rather who, they had seen in the afternoon. Though from far away, they had witnessed the Wizard giving commands to a gigantic worm.
Elizabel does not choose to rebuke them, but instead brings a piece of dwarven-made baked sweet to her tiny mouth and takes a bite, while keeping a cute smile on her face.
The reason is because she had already realized that these guards of her are only for the journey to and the duration of her stay at Senpu Village. They had been ordered by her second stepbrother to eliminate her on the way back to Filsand.
It is not rare for undead or Shadow Demons to show up on the unmaintained road between Filsand and Senpu Village, and the footing at several places is also quite bad. There is no limit to the variety of cover stories that could be cooked up to explain her ‘accidental’ death.
«To have me eliminated right after I complete the business deal with the dwarves…… how calculating of you, Nii…...»
(T/N: Nii means ‘brother.’ She’s referring to her second stepbrother in this case.)
“Did you also see it, Elizabel-sama? That repulsive monster……”
“Y-, yes I did. Though I didn’t really get it, but…… it was quite amazing, wasn’t it.”
«Regardless of whether he is a Great Wizard or whatever else, but after that, I think I’ve a general grasp on the kind of person he is.»
So she thinks to herself while recalling the figure of the middle-aged man that she had seen in the elevator just yesterday.
«…… But then again, he did lend a hand to help that lady regain her balance, and his att.i.tude seemed gentle. At the very least, he does not seem to be a high-handed person.»
This girl who had traveled far and away as a representative of the Duke of Filsand makes an amendment to a portion of her mental record of that person…… then sighs.
“Haa…… not that there’s any meaning in doing that by this point in time.”
“Nn? Elizabel-sama, did you say something?”
“No, it’s nothing. Rather than that, we will only be going back to our rooms after this, right? Feel free to order and drink as much as you like, alright?”
“Is that so? Then we’ll take you up on your offer.”
“......”
Several tens of minutes later.
Both knights are lying prostrate on the table, letting out hearty snores.
It seems that the medicine that she had always kept on her person just in case had come into use.
Elizabeth calls a dwarf waitress, courteously telling her that “I’m afraid they had a bit too much to drink, so please let them rest a little while longer” while handing over a gratuity tip.
«Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to prepare anything ahead of time, but…… there’s no helping it.»
It will take several weeks before the ordered siege towers will be completed.
It is a viable option to spend some more time to work out a more elaborate plan. However, she is afraid that as time pa.s.ses, her will to live would grow thin, and thus she makes this reckless decision.
Elizabel walks quickly, alone, to the barn where the customers’ horses and carriages are stored.
After having the person in charge hand over the reins of the swift horse that had carried her the entire way here from Filsand, she wastes no time in getting out.
Though her recognition plate was indeed checked at the main gate, there was no problem, as she is using her own recognition plate to leave the village on her own will. Without any issues whatsoever, she successfully escapes from Senpu Village…… no, from the Filsand Knight Order.
“Star Wind, I’m really sorry, but I need you to hurry…… {Fire Weapon}!”
She has no time to pay any regard to the fact that she is wearing a dress that exposes her thighs, an outfit extremely unsuitable for riding a horse. Fire envelopes the staff engraved with the stars-and-sword sigil, serving as an impromptu torch lighting the way for her late night full speed dash.
After all, she has no idea if the Filsand Knight Order — for her, they were already nothing more than her a.s.sa.s.sins — might start coming after her.
«‘If’? There’s no way they won’t come after me…… Doing this is only going to delay my death by an hour, or a day at the most…...»
“This world is truly filled with things that cannot be helped…… It really is as Mother had said……”
While gradually surrendering to despair, she continues her blind dash through the night.