"My lady, my lady..."
"Your father won't be staying for breakfast today."
Half-asleep, I couldn't quite grasp the words. "Hm-hm."
The sound of the door closing. Ah, now I was wide awake, though I rolled around in bed for a while longer.
Then the words came back to me: "Your father won't be staying for breakfast."
I shot out of bed. No way—what time is it? Today was the military assembly.
I pulled out the clothes I had worn yesterday from under my bed. I called out to Anna from the door: "Anna, I want to go outside for a walk. Could you prepare my outfit?"
Since I wouldn't be around for long, I needed an excuse.
"I'll have a picnic in the garden. I don't want the knights with me. Do not disturb me" I told the butler.
Being a noble is nice, but sometimes I feel so restricted. I can't just leave the house whenever I want—I always need to inform the Count first.
Outside. No one seemed to be around. Taking big steps, I scanned the area before slipping into the passageway.
I put on the ring.
Poof.
Since it was daytime, I had to be extra careful. Using the same path as yesterday, I reached the inn.
When I pushed the door open, empty tables and silence greeted me. Where are those fools?
On the big red board, a note pinned with a dagger caught my eye:
"You're late, rookie. We're gathering on the lands of the Cullen Duchy. If you come, you'll pay for being late. If you don't, we'll hunt you down and kill you. Your choice."
What nonsense is this?
Starts running.
Alright, maybe I panicked a little.
The Cullen Duchy is 10 km away. No matter how much I run, I won't make it without a ride.
Sound of horse hooves
Tak, tak, tak.
From the carriage window, behind the curtain, I glimpsed golden hair. It could be a lady's carriage.
Common folk always gather around such carriages, trying to guess who might be inside. Many stared at it as though enchanted.
Because of the crowd in front of me, my view was blocked. The carriage stopped at the inn.
When I got closer to see who it was, I froze.
Lylia?!
She looked worried. A man stepped out beside her and called out loudly: "The ladies must reach the military assembly grounds. Our carriage is damaged. Is there a mechanic or anyone who knows about these matters? You'll be compensated!"
The crowd grew louder, but no one answered. The man shouted again, trying to drown out the noise: "Is there truly no one who can help?!"
I glanced at the carriage. One of the wooden wheels looked cracked. Should I help Lylia?
In my past life, my grandfather could fix anything. He taught me so much. A simple wheel replacement… and no one here can do it?
I didn't want to reveal my identity, but in exchange, I could ask them to take me along. This might be my only chance.
I cleared my throat and spoke firmly: "I can do it. I just need a spare wheel and tools."
Everyone turned to me—all eyes on me now. The man approved and fetched the materials.
Lylia stepped down from the carriage and came closer.
"Thank you so much for agreeing to help" she said, trying to meet my eyes.
I pulled my hood lower. "It's nothing. But I won't do it for free."
As I replaced the wheel, I could feel the weight of the crowd's gaze. Lylia watched me like she was witnessing some curious stage play.
"All done. Stronger than before. You're ready to go."
The crowd slowly dispersed. The man—her guard, I assumed—said: "We'll pay you five gold coins."
"That's good money, but what I want is different. Let me come with you to the duchy."
The guard frowned. "What—impossible! Your identity is unknown, and there are temple ladies in this carriage. I cannot risk their safety."
Lylia interjected: "It's fine. He helped us so much, we should grant his request."
"But, my lady—" the guard began, but one of the other two girls inside added: "We don't mind either."
And so, I ended up in the same carriage with temple priestesses, disguised as a man.
Ugh~
If they'd just stop staring at me, I'd be much more comfortable.
One priestess was a slender, hazel-eyed brunette. She was the one closest to me, and the one making me the most uneasy. The other looked far more serious, with gray hair and black eyes, scrutinizing me as if making sure I wasn't some assassin.
And then there was Lylia, smiling sweetly with that gentle voice of hers: "Are you part of the military? Which unit? You looked so cool fixing that wheel. May I know your name?"
The girl beside me, with puppy-like innocent eyes, nodded as if urging me to answer. The serious one kept glaring.
I just had to endure until the battlefield. I couldn't reveal anything.
"I'm a mercenary. Thank you for letting me ride along."
Please, no more questions. I never know what to say. I'm terrible at keeping secrets—I always feel like I'll blurt everything out.
After a while, the great white palace came into view. It was twice the size of ours.
Soldiers gathered at the gates, checking documents for entry. When it was our turn, the guard presented papers.
Some soldiers insisted on checking inside and spotted me. Their leader asked: "Who's this? Why is he with you?"
The guard faltered, but Lylia answered: "My guest. I invited him to accompany me."
The man looked unconvinced, but let us pass.
The grounds were massive—calling it a garden would be an understatement, more like an estate.
Finally, we reached the assembly area. Thousands of warriors struggled to line up. The noise was overwhelming.
"This is where we part ways. Thank you all again" I said, slipping away.
How am I supposed to find my unit in this chaos? It was so packed, you couldn't drop a needle.
The atmosphere was suffocating. I circled the grounds, searching.
The soldiers seemed divided into four groups, their uniforms all different.
Among them, I spotted a disciplined-looking unit. On their armor, the emblem of the Cullen Duchy—a blue wolf. In front stood larger shield-and-sword soldiers, while archers gathered behind.
As I watched, I realized one of them was watching me back. Red wavy hair, blue eyes, a long sword at his waist.
If I wasn't mistaken, this was the Duke's right hand, Seth. Even while part of Lylia's harem, he silently carried his unrequited love for her. To be in love with the same woman as your lord was a disgrace. He endured painful times.
His armor's top was off, his tight black undershirt outlining every muscle. His fiery hair blazed, and I couldn't understand why such a handsome man was suddenly walking straight toward me.
"You've been staring for a while. Lost your unit? You must be a mercenary" he said.
My heart refused to listen. I had such a weakness for red-haired men in tight undershirts. I had to stop myself from drooling.
"Eh-em, yes. Do you know where they're gathered?" I asked.
I must have sounded nervous, because he smiled with his eyes. When I saw that, my heart almost gave out a second time.
"You're a rookie, huh? Want me to take you there?"
Why so kind? I could barely breathe next to him.
"We're Cullen soldiers. We'll be at the front lines in battle. Yours should be at the very rear. It'll be a bit of a walk."
What luck today! "That would be great," I said, following him.
After passing the Blue Wolves, we reached a smaller unit with uniforms marked by a sun emblem. From their noble bearing, I guessed they were Royal Knights.
"As you see, these are the Royal Knights, chosen personally by the King. They'll fight alongside us. Though few in number, each one is worth ten soldiers. Since they only take orders from the King, Duke Heilon may have trouble controlling them" he explained.
We moved on. Then, a familiar voice rang out. I turned my head—and immediately regretted it.
The Count!!
He was shouting orders, surrounded by soldiers. Our family's knights were here too.
I almost forgot I looked like a man now, meaning they wouldn't recognize me. Still, better not to risk being seen.
"That's the noble battalion, led by Count Richard," Seth said.
We moved farther away. Soon I heard curses—that meant I was close to my unit. The moment I saw the rough, bickering soldiers, I knew. Compared to the trained groups, the difference was obvious.
We stopped.
"Thanks for bringing me here. I feel like I've calmed my nerves a little" I said.
He placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling cheerfully.
"No problem. If you have trouble, come find me. I like you, little brother."
Little brother?
I nearly burst out. Of course he saw me that way. But what if he learned I was actually a girl? How would he react?
"Alright" I said, seeing him off.
I tried to stifle my laughter, when suddenly a hand tapped me from behind.
"So you made it, rookie!"
Troops assembled for battle:
Duchy soldiers
Royal Knights
Nobles
Mercenaries
Temple priestesses
Other staff