CMFAR 14

Chapter 14

Contract Marriage for Atilenta’s Revenge

Lord Kraków brushed his brow as if trying to ease his stiff expression. It seemed that his master had originally planned to assign an exclusive lady-in-waiting to the Princess-Consort from the start.

After all, he had answered without any sign of hesitation to the suggestion of his younger sister, who had never worked in the palace before, becoming a lady-in-waiting.

Protection and surveillance of the woman who came from a foreign land were being thoroughly carried out.

Then why was he only now assigning an exclusive lady-in-waiting? If she had been assigned before this important banquet, such a small commotion would not have occurred.

“Your Highness, may I dare ask… Were you indeed referring to a small puppy?”

Lord Kraków asked again, just in case, though he had already understood his master’s words.

“I wonder. My sister Warsha’s cat? Yes, doesn’t she resemble that one too?”

Henryk did not even look at his knight, leisurely enjoying the music that enlivened the banquet hall.

To Henryk, his knight’s reaction did not matter. Because he did not think his judgment was wrong. She was bold, daring, and often said interesting things.

All the cats Henryk knew were the ones his sister raised. Small, sharp, and elegant creatures.

According to Warsha, cats were simply enjoyable just to watch.

If so, she really did resemble a cat. Who would dare make an enemy of a woman from the Białowieża House at such a banquet?

Come to think of it, she was a woman who had shown such a strong will from the very first time she faced him. He could not imagine her cowering quietly after just a few words of jealousy and provocation.

Even if she had been warned in advance that the Białowieża House held great power, that woman would have flung a remark back regardless.

What she had demanded on their wedding night was also of that sort. Even if there was no clause regarding rivals in his transaction with her, it was sufficiently interesting to Henryk, and that was enough for him.

“…Yes. The head of the Białowieża House will not make a big issue out of this incident.”

Lord Kraków did not hide his somewhat reluctant expression. In any case, the head of the Białowieża House would not openly antagonize the royal family over such a matter.

That gentleman would likely joke that his young and pretty daughter had merely acted sincerely. Though behind the scenes, there might be separate maneuvers to keep the Princess-Consort in check.

“He is that kind of person. His daughter and the Princess-Consort were both quite honest. It was a perfectly plausible occurrence.”

Henryk let out a small, snickering laugh. If she were called a cat, she would probably jump up and demand not to be dismissed as such.

Looking down at his master, who did not lose his smile, Lord Kraków tilted his head slightly. Now the knight’s expression had completely eased, fitting seamlessly into the atmosphere of the banquet hall.

The knight knew that the prince he served was weak in certain aspects. After all, he was a prince who never forgot to send gifts to Princess Warsha even on the battlefield. But in any case, that woman was under the prince, so it did not seem like a matter of particular concern.

It was only after this incident that the knight fully understood his master’s intention to assign an exclusive lady-in-waiting.

He had simply left her alone today as well, to test her. And once again, she had succeeded in capturing the prince’s interest. Truly, she was a fascinating woman.

—

* * *

The view outside the terrace of the Bwendowska royal banquet hall was, to put it bluntly, spectacular.

“Ah… That’s refreshing.”

The thick doors and curtains of the terrace blocked the noise from the banquet hall, and the scenery unfolding before my eyes—a mix of autumn leaves and greenery—made it feel as though I were in the middle of a forest.

Leaning limply against the railing, I savored the cool breeze and the tranquil atmosphere, closing my eyes tightly. It was the perfect place to soothe the simmering frustration that Tatra had stirred up within me.

I knew I had taken out my anger on an innocent person again, yet I still did it. A voice inside me whispered—*would I really be so confident if such a woman actually came as a rival?*

Of course not. My words were merely a bluff. After all, the transaction with Henryk was a simple one that never even mentioned rivals.

Besides, I had no real reason to care about rivals or mistresses…

“Ah, I’m tired.”

I gently pressed my throbbing temple. I needed to further develop my ability to handle unexpected situations appropriately.

If only I could have read what would happen today with magic in advance.

But because I had recently coughed up blood, I could not easily attempt such reckless acts.

After all, the most important thing was to catch the spy I had promised Henryk. I had been so focused on that task that I had failed to even consider other possibilities.

“Hoo…”

I wanted to blow away my sigh with the cool autumn breeze.

To begin with, I had never even met a spirit, and I had little faith in them. The luck of being able to use magic was entirely thanks to my mother’s abilities, yet I felt I had not even properly utilized that.

“If I had used it properly, I could have handled this situation more skillfully. For the sake of my reputation and honor…”

I bit my lip hard. That was enough regret. To elevate my standing here, I needed to think even more about the future.

First, I considered the option of using magic to read the future before every important event like this.

I glanced down at the ring adorning my hand, which seemed to carry a long history. It emitted a color so subtle that it could not simply be called a black gemstone.

“…What kind of magical abilities did the dragon have?”

I thought of the legendary being passed down in this kingdom’s history—the Black Dragon Bwendia.

After all, the Kingdom of Francia where I had lived was a place that worshipped the goddess Fria, so I had heard very little about dragons.

“Black Dragon, Bwendia…”

I murmured the name softly. That dragon would have a pitch-black appearance, true to its epithet. Other than that, I knew almost nothing.

It must have wielded magic that humans could not even dare to approach, right? My imagination hit a wall there and stopped.

In this world, there were many transcendent beings besides gods. Dragons and spirits were prime examples.

Humans worshipped such transcendent beings, borrowed their power, and could wield special magic.

“Ah, perhaps…”

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

Just as I inherited my mother’s abilities and borrowed the power of some spirit I had only heard of in stories to use magic, if I did it well, couldn’t I also borrow that dragon’s power?

“I need to look into it.”

I straightened my limp body and made a firm resolution. Rather than wallowing in pointless regret and self-reproach, immersing myself in that would be far more efficient and ideal.

“Princess-Consort. I greet you. My name is Poznań of the Kraków House. As your exclusive lady-in-waiting from now on, I will do my utmost to fulfill my duties.”

The next day. I gazed silently at the woman who had come to greet me. She had striking gray eyes and reddish-black hair.

If she was of the Kraków House, that meant she belonged to the family of the knight who served Henryk closely. Poznań, who closely resembled the knight in black armor, was likely sent by Henryk.

I had not requested it myself, nor did I have any connection to the Kraków House.

It was good that Henryk had placed the family of his trusted adjutant close to me, but I felt the need to verify what kind of person she was.

She too might be a woman who harbored feelings for Henryk and display unnecessary jealousy toward me. I wanted no more of that kind of trouble.

“It’s nice to meet you, Poznań. Would you tell me your first impression of me?”

Poznań presented me with several newspapers in a respectful posture, as if she had prepared them in advance. Seated on a soft sofa, I skimmed through the newspapers. The front pages were filled with news about yesterday’s marriage celebration banquet.

“Word has spread that the Princess-Consort, despite coming from a foreign land, has perfectly performed Bwendowska’s etiquette, so please do not worry.”