"So you were tricking me?"
"Precisely, Duke Noctierre."
Anastasia answered, and a second later, she grabbed my hand and shook it with both of hers. And even more surprising? She was smiling genuinely.
It was like she was actually entertained by all of this. From cold to a lovesick puppy, and now an eager woman—what the hell was the real her?
I could cross out the second, but between the first and third, I wasn't sure which one best represented her actual personality. But what made it even worse was that she was the second heroine.
She'd definitely be a problem to seduce later on.
"Then let's not waste any more time. I'm sure you know what I want you to do."
"Of course. To protect your capital, yes? It shouldn't be hard, as long as I have enough resources. Preferably a huge amount of gunpowder and manpower..."
"Discuss it with my general back in the car. If we're done here, I'll escort you to your transport."
"Wait, one more thing."
Anastasia caught my hand before I could turn and head for the exit.
"Speak."
"Would it be appropriate for me to call you Master?"
"Call me whatever you like. Your talent is what matters most to me."
"Very well. I'll remember that... Cian."
"That'll do."
***
The rain hadn't let up by the time we stepped back outside.
It came down in a steady curtain, tapping softly against the umbrella as Edward rushed forward to open the car door. His eyes flicked toward Anastasia—sharp, assessing, wary.
Good. At least I wasn't the only one who found her unsettling.
"This is the general?" Edward asked quietly.
"The one worth two," I replied.
Anastasia smiled at that, clearly pleased.
"I'll try not to disappoint."
Edward didn't return the smile. He simply stepped aside and gestured toward the car.
"Then we have much to discuss."
On the ride back, I took the wheel while Edward and Anastasia sat in the rear discussing tactics and strategy, with Edward bringing her up to speed on the current situation.
So now I had three great generals under my belt, though calling them great might be an overstatement. At the moment, Edward was the only one I knew for certain was competent; the other two still had to prove themselves in the battle ahead.
"I'm quite surprised you're the one driving, Cian."
"Cian...?" Edward stiffened at Anastasia's pet name. "Show some respect—"
"It's fine, Edward. And as for you, I'm not so stuck-up that I'd refuse to drive. Only the incompetent would turn their nose up at something so basic."
"I see~."
"My lord, you shouldn't entertain her too much, what about Lady Faye—"
"I know, Edward, I've got things under control."
Anastasia's eyes widened slightly at Edward's mention of another woman in connection to the legendary duke. Normally, that wouldn't have meant much, my name had already been linked to multiple women. What made this different was that the comment had come from my own general.
And it seemed she caught onto that quite well.
"Lady Faye—?"
"Focus on your tasks."
I cut the conversation off before it could go anywhere risky. For now, I needed to keep Faye's relationship with me ambiguous in Anastasia's eyes. If she found out I already had a fiancée, whatever the system came up with next would only become harder to deal with.
I'll orient Edward about it later.
For now, I should let them focus on protecting my capital while steering the conversation away whenever it drifted into something annoying.
***
The rain blurred the streets ahead, turning the city lights into smeared streaks of gold and white across the windshield. For a while, the only sound inside the car was the steady rhythm of the wipers cutting through the downpour.
Behind me, the conversation shifted.
"So your outer defenses rely on static formations?" Anastasia asked, her voice calm again—collected, precise, like the earlier… instability had never existed.
"Primarily," Edward replied. "Lord Noctierre's strategy has always favored decisive engagements over prolonged sieges."
"Mm."
The two continued their discussion, its momentum seemingly undiminished even after we arrived back at my estate. I slowed the car as we approached the gates, the massive iron bars already beginning to part at our arrival.
The rain poured harder now, drumming against the roof like distant artillery.
As we passed through, Anastasia's voice came again, quieter this time.
"Cian."
I focused on steering the car into place, not responding right away.
"…You weren't lying earlier, were you?"
"About what?"
"That you value talent above everything else."
I glanced at her through the mirror.
"Did it sound like a lie?"
"…No," she said softly.
Another pause.
Then, almost to herself—
"That makes things easier."
Well... that sounded unsatisfyingly cryptic...