I Don’t Want to Be a Lady - Chapter 83

“It feels real. To be at war,” said me, handing Charter the telescope.

 

I just couldn’t feel we were at war. However, I realized it only after seeing 100,000 enemy soldiers through the telescope.

 

“Can I ask you a favor?” Charter asked carefully.

 

“As long as it’s within my ability.”

 

Charter smiled at my answer.

 

I never did anything halfheartedly. There was no such thing as a promise or empty words that couldn’t be kept.

 

Shart smiled naturally at Ariane’s reply. Ariane didn’t do anything roughly. There was no such thing as a promise or empty words that could not be kept.

 

“I know you hate to hear this, but I want you to support the rear.”

 

Rear? I couldn’t readily answer. I knew very well that he was saying it out of concern for myself. But if I supported the rear, it meant someone else had to fight for their lives in the front.

 

Charter himself, who actually said this to me, is always stuck in the front. As commander-in-chief, I knew it was a way to boost soldiers’ morale. Still, it was usually customary for the commander-in-chief to command from the rear. This was because if they lost their lives on the battlefield, it could lower the morale of allies. Nonetheless, he still did it.

 

Should I call it confidence or arrogance? My head turned to meet Charter’s eyes. In his eyes, I could read his sincere concern. I didn’t want to make him uneasy by being stubborn, so I eventually decided to listen to him.

 

“Only in this battle. From the next battle, I will participate in the front.”

 

Charter was relieved. Even if it was just for once, as long as she could be safe, he couldn’t ask for more. “Thank you, Arianne.”

 

I raised the corner of my mouth and laughed. What on earth is this man always so thankful for and sorry for beyond politeness. Of course, he only did it during the day. At night, he…

 

I spoke, trying to get that thought out of my head. “Now, I have to have a countermeasure meeting with my aides. See you at the barracks in a while.”

 

Then Arianne found Bein and Alice.

 

“…So, I want Alice to support the rear with me, and Bein to support and command the supply unit.”

 

Bein was offended. Of course, he had been confident that he was an intellectual, not a really physical person. But, when he was openly excluded from the rear, his mouth naturally only opened. Moreover, his position wasn’t in the commander barracks but in the supply unit…

 

“Bein, do you have any complaints?”

 

Bein’s mouth moved right away at Arianne’s piercing voice. “How could that be? I will do my best to ensure that there is no disruption to supply.”

 

Arianne sighed and said, “I know very well why you do that. But you know who’s left in the commander’s barracks? It’s better for your mental health to help carry the cannonball rather than be with Viscount Blanc.”

 

Bein’s eyes sharpened at Arianne’s words. Count Blanc. A rude and arrogant person.

 

Count Blanc immediately noticed that Bein wasn’t a noble when he first met Bein. Then, Count Blanc made an uproar, saying that something lowly had dared to enter the command tent without knowing the subject. He even mocked him and Arianne by saying that the enemy officers must have mocked the Harpion Empire for bringing someone like them to the war. Arianne just ignored him, which made Bein’s inside burn even more.

 

Someone who just sits around but complains the most! Bein could endure if Count Blanc criticized himself, but he couldn’t endure it as Count Blanc criticized his master.

 

In Bein’s eyes, Arianne was a true noble who was smarter and bolder than anyone else and different from the feeble-minded nobles who demanded their rights but avoided their responsibility. Of course, her only flaw was she had no eyes for appearance.

 

However, when he saw a rat-like man sitting cross-legged, pointing his finger at his boss, criticizing her, and reciting the virtues of a woman, a burning fire flared up inside Bein. If Arianne hadn’t said a word, Bein himself might have done something.

 

“It’s not very pleasant to listen to such advice for someone who can’t even satisfy his wife as a couple.”

 

Count Blanc’s face hardened at Arianne’s words.

 

Count Blanc. He was a rising star of a promising empire, but his talents were limited during the day. His wife, the niece of Duke Krow, who he married, was famous for having a concubine just one month after their wedding due to her disappointment with his night-time skills. It was an open secret that no one didn’t know about.

 

Count Blanc, who couldn’t openly get angry on the spot, and his pride was hurt, ever since then started quarreling whenever he met with Arianne and her aide.

 

“I will work hard to carry the cannonball,” said Bein.

 

The day passed without even realizing how time passed as they prepared for the upcoming battle. As I passed by a campfire, I overheard the soldiers’ conversation.

 

“War… We won’t really fight, right?”

 

“Of course, we will fight. Is war a joke to you? Haa. It’s only been 3 months since my baby was born… I don’t know if I can go back.”

 

A slightly older soldier, who had been listening to the conversation between the two soldiers, responded. “It’s been so peaceful before. There has been no war for 50 years.”

 

The Harpion Empire hadn’t been at war since the invasion of the Chewin Kingdom 50 years ago. Due to the mighty power of the empire, the neighboring kingdoms had signed peace treaties that were almost like vassal states. Since then, the people of the Harpion Empire lived in such peaceful times. The worries and fears of the soldiers who had to personally go to the war were natural.

 

By the afternoon of the next day, the Kelteman army began to move, contrary to the expectation that they would take a breather after long-distance travel.

 

“All armies, hold your position!”

 

Standing in the vanguard, Charter shouted as he watched the Kelteman Empire army slowly approach. The army stopped marching and confronted the Kelteman Empire’s army, leaving only 1 km distance.

 

Sharp tension hung over the battlefield. The opponents were experienced people who had gone through several battles. Still, most of the Harpion Empire army were newbies, as this was their first battle. A taunt feeling of tension wrapped around the soldiers as if they would jump out at the slightest touch.

 

Gulp. They could even hear someone’s swallowing as it was so quiet.

 

Tung. Someone missed his weapon. The soldier, who missed his weapon, picked up his weapon with a pale face.

 

Charter was in a distraught state. He couldn’t understand why they had to fight. Obviously, the Harpion Empire had the upper hand. There was no reason for the Kelteman army, who were tired from the long journey, to fight in such a hurry.

 

Is there something I’m missing?

 

Apparently, the scouts reported that no large troop movement was seen. Now, the actions of the Kelteman army were nothing more than self-destruction.

 

At that time, the one who stood as the leader of the enemy army approached on horseback alone. He’s trying to have a conversation. Charter responded and moved forward.

 

I, who was watching them from a distance through a telescope, clenched my teeth at the nervousness. What on earth are they doing? The enemy seemed to be trying to talk, but judging from the attitude of the Kelteman Empire in the meantime, it made no sense.

 

As I watched this with a lot of tension, a creepy voice came into my ears.

 

“What on earth are they doing again?”

 

It was Count Blanc.

 

I responded nervously as I didn’t expect him to be here instead of locked up in the command barracks. “It seems like they’re trying to talk.”

 

Count Blanc snorted. “What kind of talk are they going to have on the subject of bringing only 100,000 soldiers? We can just wipe them out right now anyway. And why are we trying to have useless conversations? Tsk.”

 

Count Blanc would rather defeat them and bring news about Harpion’s victory in the war.

 

Charter felt a strong sense of deja vu as he got closer to the commander’s enemy. He’s someone I know. A man with dark gray hair. It was Prince Paku.

 

Only five steps were left. In the meantime, the two faced each other.

 

“May I ask what you’re thinking? Prince Paku.”

 

Even with Charter in front of him, Paku looked at the Harpion barracks in the distance as if looking for something. At Charter’s question, his gaze finally reached Charter.

 

“I heard that Lady Arianne participated in the war.”

 

Charter’s brow wrinkled. “May I ask why my wife’s name is being mentioned here?”

 

Paku laughed bitterly. “Wife… I see. I’ll ask you again. Is it true that Duchess Kaien participated in the war?” His intense eyes shot towards Charter.

 

“…”

 

Charter knew why he was talking about Arianne but couldn’t understand it.

 

Not long ago, when Prince Paku was attacked and recuperated in his mansion, he noticed Paku’s gaze toward Arianne. He was sure that Paku dared to hold Arianne in his heart. However, Charter thought it would be over when Paku returned to the Kelteman Empire. But was it a feeling so deep that he came to the battlefield like this?

 

“Is there any reason for me to give an answer?”

 

Paku replied with a sigh to the frosty words. “She shouldn’t be here.”

 

“She herself decides where she will be.”

 

“Are you sure it is right to bring her to such a dangerous battlefield like this? I’m not sure if you’re doing this for her sake.”

 

Paku was furious. He would never let his woman stay on such a dangerous front! But he never thought that Arianne herself had come because she wanted to. He just thought that she had been forcibly dragged out by the arrogant duke to fulfill his own needs. Paku’s misunderstanding deepened.

 

Charter, who was looking at Paku’s firm face, spoke in a calm voice. “If you have nothing more to say, I will return to the camp.”

 

Paku glared at him in silence and turned his horse’s head with a wild motion. After a while, Charter announced the start of the battle. “March!”

 

Paku shouted, “Advance! Never touch women!”

 

As the Harpion Empire moved, the Kelteman Empire also began to move. The battle soon turned into a melee. Charter was always in command of the man at the forefront.

 

I clenched my fists nervously, and the rat-like Count Blanc quickly left as the battle began. In other words, among the rear, he ran the furthest back.

 

“Blanc… that rat bastard! He only keeps making fun of his mouth.”

 

Whenever he shouted that they were only 100,000 like last time! I decided to shoot a bullet at that nasty human being one day.

 

Boom. Boom.

 

Bang. Bang. Bang.

 

The sound of cannons and gunfire filled the battlefield. Charter moved back and forth between the incoming enemy forces and rearranged the battle lines. He continued to awaken the soldiers so that soldiers who lost their reasoning in the war wouldn’t jump recklessly into the enemy camp.

 

“Don’t break the line! Don’t show your back to the enemy!”

 

Charter, who was keeping a low profile on the battlefield, looked precarious.

 

“Charter!” I was worried.

 

“He’ll die there.”

 

“What?”

 

I nervously turned around at Count Blanc’s words, who had approached me before I knew it.

 

“Who told the commander to go to the front line? If he dies like that, he will only lower the morale of the allies. I wonder if he thought about that or not. Tsk.”

 

Count Blanc clicked his tongue in frustration but was rather pleased because he wished Duke Kaien would die in this battle. If Duke Kaien died like this… he would get a good score from Duke Krow.

 

Count Blanc received two instructions from his meeting with Duke Krow before heading to the border. One was to cooperate with Duke Krow to make it easier for him to move. And another one was to eliminate Duke Kaien as soon as he got a chance. And that opportunity was now.

 

“Speaking disrespectfully can get you punished by the military law,” I warned him.

 

“I will get it if the commander-in-chief survives.”

 

Seeing how they run amok at the forefront, Duke Kaien would surely die today. Even if he survived, he couldn’t say anything to him, who was protected by Duke Krow. Because in the Empire, Duke Krow had a power like that. Count Blanc glanced at me with a smirk, then returned to the barracks.

 

For a moment, my eyes widened. While arguing with Count Blanc, the flow of the battlefield changes. In an instant, the tense frontline turned into a situation in which the Kelteman army was being pushed back. And I noticed a strange movement. The army that had escaped from the rear of the Kelteman was making a long detour right on the side of the Harpion Empire.

 

“I guess they’re trying to hit the side.”

 

Charter, who was in the lead, didn’t seem to have seen this.

 

I shouted to Alice. “Alice! It looks like the enemy is trying to hit the side. We have to go to support.”

 

“Yes, Baroness! The 5th Company supports the ride side right now! Move!” Alice’s shout rang loudly.

 

“Side attack! Be prepared!”

 

As soon as my troops reached the side, we clashed with the enemy. I steadily knocked them down one by one with my foot, even on the galloping horse. After consuming all of my bullets, I fought the enemy with a sword. Still, I was gradually pushed back to the outskirts since I didn’t properly learn swordsmanship.

 

“Damn it! No matter how many bullets I pack, it’s still not enough!”

 

At that moment, a shot from the Kelteman army was stuck in the side of my horse. Hiiing! The horse I rode started to rampage.

 

“This! Wait! Calm down!”

 

But the horse showed no sign of calming down. It jumped up and down in place, then it started running. I gritted my teeth and pulled the reins but couldn’t control the horse. The horse left the battlefield and ran to the plain.

 

“Stop! Stop it!”

 

I tried to redirect the horse somehow, but the horse lost its temper and only ran forward.

 

At that time, Paku, who had continuously searched for Arianne on the battlefield, found her like that and drove his horse toward the plain. And Charter, who was observing Paku’s movements, chased him at his sudden movement and found out late that Arianne’s horse was already out of the battlefield.

 

Arianne’s horse ran for a long time to reach the mouth of the river across the plain.

 

“No! Stop!”

 

The horse, who belatedly discovered the river, was surprised and tried to stop in a hurry but eventually dropped Arianne.

 

“Uup! Puha!”

 

Arianne fell into the rough river.