The Prelude to the Game 2

The day after Ajulite’s visit, Liliana went to the Navy barony alone. Of course, she used teleportation magic and took every precaution to ensure that her maid, Marianne, and her two guards would not notice.

The Navy barony was a very small domain. It would be more accurate to say it was a collection of adjacent villages rather than a domain. One could probably see everything in a day or two on horseback.

The land seemed to be on fertile soil, with a river flowing through a meadow with enough grass for cattle to eat. Unlike many lands, the soil either had enough nitrogen, or the three-field system had taken root well. This was also evident from the fact that they were keeping pigs and cattle in barns and feeding them.

A church stood a short distance from the mansion where the baron’s family lived, and around it were scattered the houses of the farmers. And the fertile land that surrounded these houses swayed with the wind, carrying a unique smell and dust.

(What a beautiful rural landscape.)

Liliana, who had made herself invisible with illusion magic, muttered to herself. From all around, she could hear the sounds of livestock, the crying of children, shouting, and the sound of a cart with a broken wheel being pushed. It was not a relaxing place, but in a way, it was a rustic scene.

However, Liliana was not interested in the rural scenery. Thinking that it would be faster and cleaner to teleport to the baron’s mansion than to cut through the village, she disappeared from the spot. And she teleported to the immediate vicinity of the mansion located in the center of the village.

Next to the mansion was a watermill for grinding flour. The wheat harvested by the farmers was probably ground and stored here. But the watermill was not moving now. Liliana, with the stopped watermill in her side view, entered the mansion without permission.

(Is Emilia Navy here?)

The heroine of the otome game, Emilia Navy, was set to have a lively personality. If her personality was as described, she wouldn’t be cooped up at home. While high-ranking noble ladies might be, it was often the case that barons and viscounts lived a life more befitting a “farmer who manages money and vast lands.” Liliana didn’t know the details of the Navy family’s lifestyle, but recalling the Emilia from the game, it was commoner-like than aristocratic.

Fortunately, the baron’s mansion was not very large. Of course, it was large compared to the farmers’ houses, but for Liliana, the daughter of one of the three great ducal families, it felt a little cramped.

“Ah, I messed up!”

At the booming voice, Liliana instinctively looked up. As she stood frozen in the entrance hall, the same voice wailed, “Emilia’s gonna kill me.” Someone seemed to be trying to soothe him, but she couldn't hear the other person’s voice clearly. Making a rough guess, Liliana headed in the direction of the voice.

It seemed the owner of the voice was in the study. The study, located in a secluded part of the second floor, had its door open, and Liliana peeked inside through the gap.

Her fiancée Riley’s study, as well as the Clark ducal family’s study, were always locked because they handled confidential matters. Even if someone was inside, that didn't change. But in the Navy family, locking doors didn't seem to be a big deal. Either they didn't handle information that shouldn't be leaked, or there were no thieves who would break into the mansion—thinking it was probably the former, Liliana slipped through the gap into the room.

Inside the room were two men. The owner of the booming voice was a portly, sunburnt man with a strong build. He looked more like a sturdy man who worked hard in the fields than a knight.

On the other hand, the man trying to soothe him was a young man dressed in fine clothes. The well-tailored clothes were undoubtedly those of a high-ranking noble. Liliana hid herself in the shadows and watched the two.

“But it’s a good thing I was able to visit you today and let you know.”

The young man was speaking politely. His rank was probably higher, but he was showing respect to the baron sitting before him. And the baron didn't seem to mind being spoken to with polite language.

“That’s true, but… I don’t know anything about what young women wear.”

The baron grumbled with a look of utter despair. The young man had a calm expression, but a hint of exasperation could be seen. Perhaps the baron had repeated the same thing many times.

Still, the young man continued to speak sincerely.

“That is why I said we will arrange it.”

But the baron would not nod. He hesitated with a bitter expression. He hunched his large body and sat on the creaking chair, his surprisingly nimble fingers fiddling with the pen on the desk. And he grumbled with a sigh.

“I promised her mother that I would get the dress for Emilia’s first time in high society.”

“In that case, you should come to my domain as well. You will be away from here for a while, but I will leave someone in your place, so you can dote on your daughter to your heart’s content.”

“But then, she’ll find out that I completely forgot about the ‘investiture ceremony,’ won’t she? Then, how mad will she be—”

Come to think of it, Emilia had lost her mother when she was young, Liliana remembered. In the small barony, father and daughter had lived together, helping each other. Since their land was adjacent to the Calvert border margrave’s domain, the young Emilia and the margrave’s family had been close. In that case, the young man in this room must be related to the Calvert border margrave.

Having deduced that much, Liliana strained her ears, wanting to at least know the young man’s name.

Looking at the baron who was shivering exaggeratedly and saying, “She’s scary when she’s angry,” the young man let out a small smile.

“Just give up on that and let her be angry, Baron. We can just have your clothes tailored along with Lady Emilia’s.”

“Angus, you’re trying to sell me out to Emilia, aren’t you?”

Liliana’s eyes widened slightly. Angus Calvert—the eldest son of the Calvert border margrave. He was being educated as the next head of the family, but he was also a master swordsman who served as the captain of the Calvert Knight Order.

Perhaps because he was standing next to the baron’s large frame, Angus’s body was slender for a knight. But his swordsmanship was said to be on par with the knights of the Royal Knights, and his valor was known even in the capital.

The large man glared resentfully at the young man who was a head smaller than him. But the young man was not fazed at all. He met the baron’s glare with a smile.

Eventually, the baron sighed in defeat. His large body seemed to shrink. Angus watched him gently and asked, “Well then,”

“I have already brought the substitute, so let us depart immediately.”

“What!?”

The baron’s eyes popped out. He turned his large, bulging eyes on Angus and shouted, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Perhaps because he worked in the fields, his voice was naturally loud. When he shouted like that, it felt like her eardrums would burst, and Liliana instinctively covered her ears with her hands.

The baron’s voice was noise. It would surely be just right to listen to it from behind one or two walls, Liliana thought disrespectfully as she continued to listen to their conversation. Angus, who was used to the baron’s voice, was calm. Liliana was impressed, in a misplaced way, that he was so composed even though he was closer to the baron than she was, when Angus smiled enchantingly.

“I am completely serious. On the contrary, even if we order it now, it will be completed just before. If you consider risk management in case something happens, you have already failed.”

But the baron’s face just kept getting worse.

It seemed he understood that he had to have clothes made for the ‘investiture ceremony,’ but it was a domain he wanted to be involved in as little as possible. For him, it was probably more blissful to spend time with the farmers in his domain than to get dressed up and go to the palace.

As if to show this, the baron began to struggle to postpone the time of his departure for the border margrave’s domain.

“No, but tomorrow I have a meeting with the villagers about the sowing season—”

“You can leave it to the substitute. He said he had just looked over all the reports from the Navy barony.”

“Uh, no, but, Pit’s cow has been feeling unwell lately, so,”

“Oh, he happens to be able to manage the health of livestock as well. What a coincidence.”

But Angus, with a smile, neatly blocked all resistance. The baron’s eyes darted around, and he opened and closed his mouth, but eventually, his shoulders slumped. It was the moment the baron was defeated by the young next border margrave.

“—Alright. I’ll get ready.”

His hoarse voice was pathetic, and his downcast eyes in his large body were mournful. But Angus smiled brightly and gave a graceful bow.

“I am glad you understand. Lady Emilia is also waiting for you with bated breath at my mansion.”

“Ugh.”

The baron shrugged. He loved his daughter, but the thought of seeing her and being scolded made him unenthusiastic. Angus looked at him with amusement and a mischievous smile.

“I will tell Lady Emilia, word for word, that you said ‘Ugh.’”

“Are you trying to kill me!”

The baron trembled exaggeratedly.

Liliana tilted her head. The Emilia from the game was indeed a hard worker, and in the Royal Knight Austin’s route, she was so skilled in martial arts that she made a name for herself as one of the few female knights. But that was at the end of the game, and the initial Emilia was just a cheerful young lady with good reflexes. In that case, there was no reason for her father, the baron, to be so terrified of her.

(I’ve heard that fathers are weak to their daughters, but is that what this is?)

It was a relationship she couldn't imagine from the father-son relationship in the Clark ducal family, but perhaps it was possible in the Navy family.

As Liliana was convincing herself of this, the baron and Angus Calvert stood up from their chairs and began to prepare for their departure. Watching them, Liliana hesitated.

If she went to the Calvert border margrave’s domain, she would probably be able to see Emilia. But even if she went to the trouble of confirming her presence, there was nothing she could do.

At the very least, it was certain that Emilia and her father would participate in the ‘investiture ceremony.’ It was not unthinkable that, as the villainess, she could devise some scheme to prevent Emilia from participating. But Liliana shook her head and dismissed the thought.

(Even if Emilia doesn’t participate in the ‘investiture ceremony,’ she will meet the capture targets sooner or later.)

After the ‘investiture ceremony,’ there would be her debut in high society at fifteen or sixteen. That would give Emilia more opportunities to meet Riley and Austin. Just postponing their meeting was not guaranteed to change her own destiny.

In the first place, Emilia didn't do anything special when she first met the capture targets. It was quite possible that the same situation would occur if they met somewhere else, not at the ‘investiture ceremony.’ In that case, it would be easier to control the later developments if things proceeded according to the game’s plot, which she was familiar with, up to a certain point.

(—I should go back.)

At the very least, just knowing that Emilia would participate in the ‘investiture ceremony’ was a gain. Feeling strangely tired, Liliana let out a small sigh.

—-

Toc

Chapter 195