Captain! Where is the Battlefield?

  Derivis looked troubled once more. 

 

  Rosalie was starting to get a little annoyed with Derivis’s ⁽¹⁾stonewalling demeanor, and Aaron, who was standing nearby, started to notice Rosalie’s frustration.

 

  If Derivis had been a knight of the Dukedom, Aaron thought, he would have already received a good thrashing and been beaten to a pulp.

 

  “Then I’ll go back for now.”

 

  “Yes. See you in the evening.”

 

  The knights who had finished their run started gathering in front of Rosalie. As Derivis lowered his head to meet her eye level, Rosalie was met with his vivid blue eyes.

 

  “I don’t usually listen to requests, Duchess.”

 

  Derivis smiled and left the training ground.

 

  “That crazy guy.”

 

  Rosalie muttered under her breath, pulling her hat down lower. 

 

  Aaron, who heard her muttering, paled and pretended not to hear her. That day, Rosalie’s training intensity was stronger than ever before.

 

  When Rosalie finished training, she took a bath, then dragged her slightly tired body down to the dining hall. 

 

  As she entered the dining hall, she saw Sonia and Derivis already sitting at the table.

 

  “Sorry for being late.”

 

  “No worries, we just got here too!”

 

  Sonia said cheerfully and motioned for Rosalie to sit down. As Rosalie settled into her chair, a delicious feast began to be set on the table.

 

  Soon, Dolan filled three wine glasses with the most expensive red wine in the duchy.

 

  “This wine is good.” 

 

  Derivis said with satisfaction after taking a sip. Sonia also smiled as she sipped the wine.

 

  “Indeed! It’s really good.”

 

  “I’m glad.” 

 

  Rosalie said, taking a sip of her wine as well. Sonia set her glass down and spoke softly, glancing around.

 

  “I don’t see Mrs. Bella today.”

 

  Rosalie looked at Sonia’s worried expression and suddenly remembered Chaerin’s face. Chaerin was a friend who always worried about her and wished her luck whenever Yoon-ah was deployed for special missions or secret operations.

 

  ‘If I really died, my written will would have been sent.’

 

  Before going on a mission, soldiers write their last wills. Rosalie felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she thought of the family and friends who would be crying over the note.

 

  “Rosalie?”

 

  Rosalie regained her senses at the sound of Sonia calling her name once more. 

 

  Bella suddenly packed up and went on a trip because she was stressed.

 

  “If you’re looking for Bella, she just went on a brief trip to the villa. She’ll probably be back soon.”

 

  Rosalie decided to be a little more gentle with Sonia, who had been best friends with the original Rosalie. Rosalie responded with a faint smile, and Sonia smiled back.

 

  “You must tell me if anything happens.”

 

  “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

 

  Sonia started poking her fork again, and Rosalie began eating little by little.

 

  “The flowers in the garden were so beautiful. How about having some tea in the garden tomorrow afternoon?”

 

  Rosalie gestured to Dolan at Sonia’s suggestion. Dolan approached Sonia and said:

 

  “I will prepare for it. Shall I also prepare some finger foods and sandwiches?”

 

  “That sounds great!”

 

  Sonia clapped her hands lightly as she spoke and caught Derivis’s eye.

 

  “Devi’s probably not interested, right?”

 

  Derivis stared at Rosalie. When she met his gaze without flinching, he spun his wine glass in his hand as if he found it interesting.

 

  “I’ll go too. I’m very interested now.”

 

  “Really? That would be so much fun.”

 

  Until Sonia spoke to Rosalie with excitement, the two of them stared at each other as if they were about to have a staring contest.

 

  After dinner, Sonia suggested having another glass of wine, but Rosalie declined and went straight to her room, as she had morning training the next day.

 

  “Are you suggesting we have a staring contest or something?”

 

  Rosalie rubbed her sore eyes with a weak hand. 

 

  Thanks to Derivis, who stared at her without blinking his eyes, Rosalie’s eyes also became stiff from staring at him.

 

 

  ⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰

 

 
  Early in the morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise, Rosalie went to the third training ground to do her personal training as usual.

 

  Although her weak body complained of severe fatigue from the packed schedule, she proceeded with training as she felt that her physical strength was improving.

 

  “Are you training even on a morning like this?”

 

  While jogging lightly to warm up her body at the training ground, Rosalie looked towards the unexpected voice and saw Derivis standing there.

 

  “What are you doing here?”

 

  “I’m here to train, too. I didn’t expect the Duchess to be here.”

 

  His outfit looked comfortable and casual as if to prove that he was not lying. Rosalie turned her gaze away from him without hesitation.

 

  “Then I hope you work hard.”

 

  As Rosalie stretched to warm up, Derivis looked at her once and then sat down on the ground, closing his eyes and taking slow breaths.

 

  Rosalie’s gaze turned back to him. She tilted her head as she felt the air around her changing with every breath he took.

 

  ‘Is that Auror training? So that’s the power Sword Masters use?’

 

  Rosalie remembered that he had been practicing meditation every morning. She was fascinated to see the image that was only read in writing, and her curiosity made her move.

 

  “Your Highness.”

 

  “Why?”

 

  Derivis spoke without opening his eyes. Rosalie thought about his appearance and opened her mouth.

 

  “Can you show me your Auror?”

 

  “Are you curious?”

 

  Rosalie nodded as Derivis opened his eyes. He gestured for her to come to his side, and she obeyed, squatting down beside him.

 

  “Usually, the Auror follows the user’s eye color.”

 

  When he raised his right hand and opened his palm, a vivid blue flame similar to Derivis’s eye color erupted. Rosalie stared at the blue flame, wide-eyed.

 

  “Can I touch it?”

 

  “You won’t feel anything.”

 

  Rosalie’s fingertips gently touched the blue flames that bloomed in the palm of his hand. From the shape of the flame, she expected it to be hot, but as Derivis said, she didn’t feel anything.

 

  At the unexpected sight of Rosalie, who made a childlike expression as if seeing a sparkling jewel for the first time, Derivis stared at her and murmured. 

 

  “It’s the first time I’ve seen you make such an expression.”

 

  A low chuckle in her ear caused Rosalie to turn her head, and their faces were quite close together.

 

  “You’re always looking down, so I haven’t been able to properly look into your eyes.”

 

  “…Is that so?”

 

  At Derivis’s words, Rosalie slightly averted her eyes and stood up straight. He seemed to feel a vague sense of regret as Rosalie’s gaze that had been meeting his straight-on fell.

 

  “I see, thank you.”

 

  “They say you’re a Devil Duchess.”

 

  “How did you know that?”

 

  “By chance.”

 

  Derivis gave a short shrug. 

 

  Apparently, the knights had been talking loudly throughout the duchy. Rosalie decided to increase the intensity of the training that would be held shortly for the sake of the light knights’ mouths.

 

  “It doesn’t matter if I’m called that. Sometimes, looking like a devil can be helpful. It’s the devil, not an angel, who whips people.”

 

  Derivis also stood up as Rosalie spoke, his every move seeming both relaxed and nonchalant.

 

  “Your eyes are too righteous to be a devil’s. Real devils don’t have eyes like that.”

 

  It was a striking remark as if he had seen a devil himself. 

 

  If it were an ordinary woman, she would blush or feel embarrassed at Derivis’s words. However, Rosalie just replied expressionlessly.

 

  “Is that so?”

 

  Derivis turned his body, feeling as if he would interfere with her training if he stayed with her. He knew it was never a pleasant feeling to have someone interrupt one’s training.

 

  “Well then, continue with your training.”

 

  “Yes.”

 

  “If you want to see the Auror again, just let me know.”

 

  Although she appreciated his consideration, Rosalie was no longer interested in the Auror she had seen.

 

  “It’s fine. Once was enough.”

 

  Derivis let out a small chuckle at Rosalie’s still noncommittal response, then waved and left the training grounds. Rosalie watched him go, then resumed her training.

 

  After Rosalie’s personal training was over, the knights in the first training center were breathing heavily.

 

  “Hah…Hah… Who dared to upset the Duchess’ mood?”

 

  “Whoever it was, catch them, hah.”

 

  “The Knights’ relaxed appearance looks good. Let’s move on to the next combat training.”

 

  The knights’ complexions began to pale. Rosalie, who knew nothing of the swordsmanship of this side of the world, was mainly in charge of physical training and martial arts.

 

  Aaron still found it fascinating that Rosalie taught combat despite not knowing swordsmanship in this world. He pretended to believe her words that she secretly studied to make a change, but in fact, he couldn’t ask deeply as her mood became difficult.

 

  “I heard you called the blacksmith of the village.”

 

  “Come to my office at the time when the village blacksmith arrives. We’re going to have a meeting.”

 

  After the scene with Neon, Rosalie spoke comfortably with Aaron at his request. Aaron, satisfied that she had disposed of Neon herself, followed her more closely afterward.

 

  “Yes, I understand.”

 

  When Rosalie was finished, she changed into a blue dress and headed out to the garden. The garden was dotted with beautiful yellow flowers in full bloom, making the garden even more colorful.

 

  In the center of the garden, Dolan had set up a white round table and chairs with a colorful flowered teapot and teacups, finger foods, and sandwiches.

 

  Rosalie arrived first and sat on the chair. She said, scanning the table.

 

  “You prepared well.”

 

  “Thank you.”

 

  Dolan beamed with pride. Soon after, Sonia and Derivis arrived in the garden, and the tea and conversation began in earnest. The conversation was mostly led by Sonia.

 

  Feeling hungry, Rosalie picked up a sandwich with cheese and strawberry jam.

 

  “Are you not going to participate in the social party season this time again?” 

 

  Rosalie, who was chewing a mouthful of her sandwich, shook her head. 

 

  Sonia’s expression brightened at Rosalie’s gesture.

 

  “Are you going to participate? Are you coming to the capital?”

 

 

  [Collection of Footnotes]

  1) “Stonewalling demeanor” 

  – Stonewalling is a kind of behavior where the person refuses to communicate or is being uncooperative.