WJTA 7

As Lucienne crossed the drawbridge and passed through the gates of the Grand Duke’s castle, she saw six saddled horses, Paolo, Hannah, and several other servants and attendants waiting outside.

“Grand Duchess! Welcome!”

Hannah greeted Lucienne as though she had been waiting for her.

“We just finished preparing for departure and were about to wait for Your Highness to arrive.”

After giving Paolo a small bow, Lucienne looked around and then asked Hannah,

“Didn’t you say you had finished preparing for the journey?”

“Yes.”

“Then where’s the carriage?”

Paolo led a handsome black horse decorated with elegant tack over to Lucienne and handed her the reins.

“We’ll be traveling on horseback this time.”

Lucienne’s eyes widened.

“What?”

“We don’t have much time for the journey.”

Paolo explained the travel arrangements to Lucienne.

Paolo and Jode, Marquis Dellas and his escort knight, Lucienne and Hannah.

Six people in total would be making the journey.

After understanding the situation, Lucienne shook her head. Actually, when Paolo had told her that she would have to come as well, she had reluctantly decided to go.

She was curious about what the Imperial Palace parties she’d only seen in novels were like, and she had planned to look around the capital while she was there.

It couldn’t hurt to scout out places where she might be able to live in the capital.

But now she had changed her mind.

Lucienne didn’t know how to ride a horse. Judging from how naturally the preparations had been made, the original Lucienne must have been an excellent rider.

Let’s just stay behind and cause trouble instead.

“I’m sorry, but I’d like to sit this journey out.”

“Wife?”

“I thought we’d be going by carriage. It’s been so long since I last rode a horse that I’ve forgotten how.”

She had forgotten how to ride a horse of all things.

To Paolo and everyone around him, it was an utterly ridiculous excuse. Paolo fell silent, while the others looked bewildered.

But Lucienne paid no attention to their reactions and waved as though she were simply seeing them off.

“So I’ll stay here. Have a safe trip.”

“If that’s the reason, there will be no problem with the journey. Just hold the reins tightly and sit still.”

“…What?”

Paolo firmly placed the reins in Lucienne’s hand and stroked the black horse’s head.

“Pedley will follow on his own.”

“Pedley?”

“Yes, your horse, Pedley. He’s a fine horse and very intelligent, so there’s no need to worry.”

Seeing Lucienne’s bewildered expression, Paolo pointed to his own black horse and continued.

“She’s the offspring of Alexander. If Alexander goes ahead, Pedley will follow behind.”

With the reason for refusing the journey gone, Lucienne had no choice but to climb onto the horse.

After confirming that Lucienne was seated properly, Paolo told Pedley to follow closely before effortlessly mounting Alexander.

“We’ll depart now.”

Paolo set his horse into motion first.

Pedley really was intelligent. Lucienne only had to sit there while he followed perfectly behind Alexander.

Paolo led the group east.

At first, Lucienne simply sat blankly on the horse, but she soon became curious. According to the maps she had looked at, the capital was located along the southeastern coast of the empire.

“Are we stopping somewhere along the way? What route are we taking?”

When they stopped briefly to give the horses water, Marquis Dellas kindly unfolded a map of the empire.

The route marked by a straight red line was shaped like an L. It continued eastward along the northern border before turning south.

“Wouldn’t it be faster to go straight southeast?”

“The roads there are winding, and there are many hills and mountains.”

Apparently, the current route was the fastest.

Lucienne tilted her head. According to the maps she had seen, the terrain between the Ronater territory and the capital wasn’t so difficult that they couldn’t build a straight road.

“Then why don’t you build a road? It would make travel much faster and make trade much easier. You wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble anymore.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Marquis Dellas agreed, though he gave a bitter smile.

“But if the roads were convenient, wouldn’t that also make it easier for invaders to attack?”

“…The demons are handled by Grand Duke Ronater anyway.”

Lucienne soon realized the answer herself.

“Ah. So some territories are worried about being invaded by other territories.”

Just then, there was a commotion around them. Paolo had mounted his horse.

“Let’s go.”

For three days, they spent the entire day riding, stopping at lodgings to rest, and then riding again for another full day.

“Ughhh.”

Lucienne eventually got used to riding a horse. But after traveling this far, some people were clutching their sore backsides and couldn’t even stand properly.

They were Marquis Dellas and Hannah.

They had ridden almost without rest, so their buttocks must have been covered in bruises from constantly hitting the saddle.

Marquis Dellas’s escort knight wasn’t groaning, but he looked just as exhausted.

The only ones who remained in good condition despite all that riding were Paolo and Jode, who were accustomed to fighting demons, and Lucienne, who was half demon.

“Wouldn’t it be better to stop and rest for a while, even if it means delaying the schedule?”

At Paolo’s suggestion, Marquis Dellas shook his head despite looking like he was about to die.

“No. We’ve already sent word of our expected arrival date by carrier pigeon. The Empress Dowager must be eagerly awaiting us.”

However, the next morning, Marquis Dellas and Hannah came down with severe fevers and body aches.

It seemed like they could recover after resting for a day or two, but Marquis Dellas gritted his teeth and tried to get out of bed despite his trembling body.

“We… We have to go.”

Lucienne couldn’t understand Marquis Dellas’s behavior.

Neither could Paolo.

“The Empress Dowager’s birthday ball will be held on the last of the three days, so even if we wait for you to recover before leaving, we won’t be late.”

“That’s right, Grand Duke. The first day is the boat trip, the second day is the hunting competition, and the birthday ball takes place on the final day.”

“Yes, so I think it would be fine if we only attended on the last day.”

“No! That only applies to me!”

Marquis Dellas looked startled and desperately shook his head from side to side.

“The Empress Dowager is very eager for both of you to attend. Since you’ve come all this way, she will be even more pleased if you can follow the entire schedule. I cannot allow my own weakness to diminish her happiness.”

In other words, Marquis Dellas wanted Paolo and Lucienne to attend all the events for all three days, even if he himself was sick enough to collapse.

Loyalty really is something I can’t understand sometimes.

Lucienne couldn’t help sighing. At the same time, she was secretly curious about the boat trip and hunting competition she’d only ever seen in novels.

There was only one way to get there on time despite everyone being sick.

But she hesitated to say it aloud.

If she told them, We’ll go on our own, so don’t worry and take your time recovering before following us, she would undoubtedly look like a kind person.

After thinking for a moment, Lucienne crossed her arms and raised her chin.

“Tsk. You’re groaning because you’re sick, yet you’re insisting that we have to arrive on schedule. You’re a pathetic human, and now you’ve lost your mind and conscience too?”

In the end, she chose to speak like a villainess.

It was an extremely rude remark, and shock appeared in Marquis Dellas’s eyes.

Yes, that’s exactly the kind of reaction I want.

Lucienne swept her long hair back and spoke to Paolo in the most arrogant tone she could manage.

“Let’s just leave him behind.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it enough if you and I arrive on time?”

Paolo fell silent.

Marquis Dellas stared blankly for a moment before hurriedly nodding.

“Th-That’s true.”

“Then that’s settled. Whether you call a doctor or not, survive on your own, okay?”

Lucienne turned coldly away and spoke to Paolo.

“What are you waiting for? Aren’t we leaving?”

As Paolo watched Lucienne’s back disappear through the door, he politely spoke to Marquis Dellas.

“I’m sorry. Please allow me to apologize on my wife’s behalf for her rudeness.”

“Not at all! Rudeness?”

Marquis Dellas quickly waved his hands.

“I was surprised by how cold she was, but now that I think about it, it was actually very wise of her. This way, I can rest without worrying, can’t I?”

He smiled even while groaning in pain.

“I apologize, but I will follow after I’ve recovered. Please leave the Grand Duke’s maids in our care.”

The marquis’s words made it sound as though Lucienne had deliberately considered his well-being.

But that couldn’t possibly be true.

“…”

Paolo turned his gaze toward the door Lucienne had left through.

His wife was acting rather strangel