TROWFT 10

Chapter 10

Pushed back by the momentum of the Duke of Berwen, the Bahat soldiers and knights had huddled together at the rear of the battlefield.

At the sudden words, they looked at the madman standing before them, barely dressed in a red shirt.

Looking closely, it was the Crown Prince, Kellian.

*’I will reward whoever removes that man’s helmet.’*

They didn’t know why the Crown Prince was here, but they clearly heard what he said.

“Waaah!”

“The Crown Prince is offering a reward!”

His reward was a chance to change their entire lives.

Hundreds of frightened soldiers and knights were consumed by madness and charged toward the Duke of Berwen.

*Neigh—!*

The Duke, holding the reins, tried to retreat in surprise, but seeing the many soldiers behind him, he raised his sword again.

“You help too.”

Kellian’s veteran knights also spurred across the battlefield.

They took on the Berwen knights one by one, holding them back.

Watching the Duke face hundreds alone, Kellian clicked his tongue.

*’He could just cut them all down with his aura. How foolish.’*

Meanwhile.

*Clang—.*

In the end, the Duke’s helmet was knocked off by the tip of a soldier’s spear.

At the same time, Kellian’s eyes widened.

‘Ah…’

What was revealed as the helmet came off—

Ash-gray hair that fluttered brilliantly alongside a beautiful silver aura.

A vivid drop of blood that had scattered into the air flowed down the Duke’s white cheek and pooled at his curved lips.

*Drip.*

The blood pooled on his reddened lips fell, tracing down the Duke’s white neckline.

A beautiful knight with sacred features stained with red blood.

And the aura that bloomed elegantly and moved with his sword.

Everything was maddeningly beautiful.

“Your Highness.”

Kellian’s eyes turned red.

It wasn’t just bloodshot. His black pupils were literally staining crimson.

Kellian slowly blinked his eyes, now turned red.

“I’ve never wanted anything this badly before…”

His crimson eyes held only the Duke upon the battlefield.

“I must have that one.”

—

***—

Returning from the battlefield, I had to stretch my neck muscles several times.

‘Why did they keep hitting my head, of all places?’

Usually they’re too scared to even come close.

I was a bit flustered after my helmet came off. Since I’m originally a woman and disguised with dark magic, my features are on the delicate side, so I always wore a helmet.

“Report.”

“Most of the enemy’s Second Prince knights are incapacitated by injuries. With the squad commander knights gone, it’s safe to say they’ve lost their fighting strength.”

Feeling that we’d secured the advantage, my mind relaxed a little. Now then.

“Where is Count Hessen?”

“He’s inside the castle.”

Time to get angry.

On the castle tower, the Hessen Count’s family flag fluttered annoyingly.

Not only did they use my knights, but they sent territory residents who had never even held a sword to their deaths?

Are they trash?

“I’m going to the Count’s castle. Everyone follow me.”

Taking a deep breath, I hardened my expression.

I, Lewin de Berwen.

For five years, I received all sorts of special training from Rosalyn under the guise of obsessive lessons.

When it comes to intimidation, threats, coercion—

‘I’m not lacking either.’

While learning, I thought I’d never actually use it, but here I am. Great.

“Let’s go.”

I tucked the helmet I’d retrieved from the zombie-like mob under my arm.

Hardening my expression to a terrifying degree, I headed toward the castle.

‘Ha. Are you messing with me?’

Arriving at the castle, all the Count’s knights who hadn’t shown so much as a nose on the battlefield were gathered.

Most of the Hessen knights were guarding the Count’s castle.

“Please enter!”

One look at my face. One look at the Berwen knights behind me.

Intimidated by the murderous atmosphere, the Count’s knights hurriedly opened the door.

*Clank, clank, clank—.*

Across the marble of the lobby, the procession of plate armor made noise.

“Hic!”

The Count’s household all held their breath and discreetly hid themselves.

A duke soaked in blood, followed by dozens of knights.

Of course it was frightening. And—

*Bang!*

The helmet I was holding struck the second-floor railing.

The orange head that had been visible above the railing hastily disappeared.

*’I heard the Hessen Count’s direct line is characterized by orange hair.’*

That must be the Count himself.

“Did you know, Count?”

I walked toward the upper floor.

Inside the grand castle, imbued with the past glory of the Count’s family, only the sound of my footsteps climbing the stairs echoed.

There, sitting on the railing, was the Count—fleshy and shaped like a stubby sausage.

The oil in his hair was dripping down, moistening a large pimple on his forehead.

“There are too many thieves in the empire.”

Standing before the Count, I lowered my voice even more darkly.

Rosalyn had said that was scarier.

“Don’t you…”

agree?

I was about to approach and give him a frightening look when—

“I greet the shield of the empire, the Duke of Berwen!”

A woman appeared and knelt beside the Count.

Her clothes were the kind servants wore, so I thought she was a maid, but when the owner of the shabby clothes lifted her face, I realized it.

Who she was.

‘Ah. So this is Demia.’

With long orange hair and a haughty face, she was clearly a great beauty by anyone’s standards.

The reason I knew the Hessen Count’s direct line had orange hair was thanks to Demia de Hessen.

‘This person is the villainess?’

Like Rosalyn, she was a villainess in the original story.

If Rosalyn was a sub-villainess, Demia was the main villainess, I was told.

But for someone like that, she looks harmless?

“Duke. I am Demia de Hessen, daughter of the former Count Hessen.”

“……”

“It hasn’t even been a year since my father passed away. It’s true that the current lord still has many shortcomings, but—!”

Demia gripped her skirt tightly.

“He never intended any of this.”

I glared at the irritating Lord Deto, who was peeking his head out from behind her.

Using his family like that!

“Please, I beg you to take this into consideration.”

Seeing Demia bow her head deeply, I eased up on the intimidating aura I’d built up.

‘…I’ll deal with it later.’

Knights are supposed to be weak before women.

Isn’t that part of chivalry?

—

***—

I felt unsettled, sleepy, and wanted to lie down, but there was no time.

Of course, I didn’t have time to say anything to the Count either.

I’d barely wiped off the blood and was reviewing the treaty proposal my staff had presented.

‘Just because the battle is over doesn’t mean the war is over.’

Not long after returning from the battlefield, Bahat sent word of their defeat.

I heard that Kellian had caught the fleeing Second Prince and become the person in charge of the treaty.

‘I’m tired. So tired.’

I glanced briefly at the guest room the Count’s family had provided and relaxed my brow.

Even though they’d given me the best room, it was terribly bare.

The only furnishings were a bed and a desk.

‘I heard he gambled away the family’s fortune.’

And in just one year, at that.

Later, Demia was supposed to become a socialite who rivaled Rosalyn as one of the two pillars of high society.

I wondered how that was even possible.

‘Without money, how did she buy dresses and jewelry?’

Is she just that resourceful?

Anyway, objectively speaking, she was an impressive woman. Incomparable to someone like the current Count Deto.

‘What a waste. What a waste.’

Not as a woman, but as a Duke who needed to employ capable people, it was truly regrettable.

I shook my head once and was about to strike through the parts of the treaty that needed revision when—

“Sister. What are you wearing? If you go around in rags like that, no wonder the Duke is so cold toward you!”

Through the thin wall, Deto’s voice came through.

This room was right next to the Count’s room. Oh, this is unpleasant.

“I sold my jewelry and dresses to buy weapons.”

“Why would you do such a useless thing?”

“So I could send the territory’s residents to the battlefield empty-handed?”

My hand stopped revising the treaty.

“Haven’t I told you repeatedly, sister? I will not extend any wealth or mercy unless you devote yourself to the family!”

Devotion, he says.

That meant Demia should use any means necessary to marry a high-ranking noble.

‘That bastard. I should have scared him more earlier.’

After a long silence, Demia let out a deep sigh.

“…I’ll try.”

She had no choice.

If she said even one thing he didn’t like, she could be thrown out penniless—that was Demia’s situation now.

Annoyed for no reason, I scribbled revisions over the treaty.

“If not His Majesty the Emperor, then the Duke is the best marriage prospect. Though there is Her Highness the Princess…”

Ah. I can’t listen to this anymore.

I stood up abruptly.

“Ha.”

I had no justification to meddle in another family’s affairs, so I held back, but anger was a separate issue.

I needed to wash up anyway. Might as well shower to cool off.

And a moment later.

“Why is the young lady here?”

Shaking my wet hair, I blinked stupidly.

Because Demia was standing in my room.

“To attend to your bath…”

She was even holding a towel. She bowed her head with a humiliated expression.

The clothes she wore were so thin they revealed her skin.

Anyone with eyes knew what that meant.

“Did the lord send you?”

“…No.”

Demia gripped her thin slip tightly. That’s a lie.

“You must be cold. Take this.”

I was also in just a shirt, so I handed Demia the blanket from the bed.

“Duke!”

Instead of taking the blanket, she knelt.

Unlike before, her expression wasn’t pitiful or despairing.

Her face blazed like a roaring fire.

“Please help me. Just this once.”

“Pardon?”

“You have power, Duke. Please, I beg you, help the Hessen Count’s family.”

Demia gripped the towel in her hand tightly.

“Innocent territory residents are dying. To stop Deto, I need the help of powerful people like you, Duke.”

She even abandoned her last shred of pride.

“Whether as a mistress or anything else, I’ll do whatever you want, Duke, so please—!”

So this was why Demia became a villainess.

Though she was the flower of the empire, she was the hidden mistress of high-ranking nobles.

A role that met a miserable end after coveting the position of Empress beside Lesius.

“Give me that towel.”

I pointed to the towel she had brought in her arms and now lay on the floor.

Taking my words as rejection, Demia handed over the towel in despair.

“You don’t understand, Duke! Someone born with everything like you could never understand me!”

Demia’s shrill cry caught my foot as I was about to leave the room.

Even so, I turned my hand on the doorknob.

‘Yes. You’re right.’

As Demia said, I could never truly understand Demia. I hadn’t lived her life.

Just as she didn’t know mine.

‘Rather than some shallow comfort.’

Wouldn’t revenge be better?

I opened the door to the Hessen Count Deto’s room.