I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Of course. I did it all knowingly.”

Deboa’s gaze at Elise was full of interest.

‘She approached Cien knowing her personality. She predicted everything, including the appearance of Iris.’

If Elise decides to stir up the social world, everyone will play into her hands.

‘Even Iris. She’s an amazing person.’

Deboa upgraded her evaluation of Elise.

“Deboa, don’t you have something to say to me?”

Elise shook her champagne glass in front of her eyes.

“There was a reason to pop the champagne, Deboa.”

The faint smile on Deboa’s face disappeared.

She raised her eyebrows. A gaze full of doubt fixed on Elise’s face.

Elise waited for Deboa to speak without losing her smile.

The standoff that lasted for a while ended with Deboa taking a breath and dropping her shoulders.

“Hey! Yes, there. Can you bring the champagne?”

Deboa called a passing waiter to order.

The waiter with a bow tie quickly brought the champagne.

Deboa handed a cool champagne glass into Elise’s hand.

“How on earth did you know?”

Deboa asked.

“What are you talking about? Are you talking about the Phon Newspaper being up for sale? Or are you talking about you becoming the new owner of the Phon Newspaper?”

“Both. Did you have someone follow me? I didn’t feel that way.”

Elise found Deboa’s solo detective novel writing cute. Her thoughts were wrong in many ways.

‘Even if I had someone follow her, she wouldn’t have noticed. Because I wouldn’t have someone sloppy do it.’

Keeping such words to herself, Elise answered Deboa’s question.

“Because it’s you.”

“You know me?”

“Yes. Your past of not resting for a moment for your dreams for three years allowed me to predict your actions. It told me that you’re not a person to miss an opportunity.”

“It’s a strange logic, but okay. But that doesn’t answer the first question.”

“It’s the same. The past of the president of the Phon Newspaper showed me his future. His private life is very dirty. His relationships have been ruined because of money.”

“There are more than one or two people like that. But not everyone easily falls.”

“That’s right. So you can’t just move based on predictions. You can’t bet just on the past either. Deboa, it’s a difficult question to answer. Why? Because you asked the wrong question. I didn’t notice, I made it.”

“What?”

“The situation. One of the common mistakes people make is waiting for the situation to come. Why wait? You can create it.”

She added a few words to Deboa, who was dumbfounded with her mouth open.

“I’ll just say this much. There’s no more time to talk. Because I see the person I need to meet.”

Elise clinked her glass against Deboa’s champagne glass.

Deboa, who came to her senses at the clear sound, caught Elise who was already far away.

“Wait a minute, Elise! Whatever happens, I’ll know one thing for sure.”

This time, Elise tilted her head.

“That I have to be close friends with you. Let’s be friends.”

Elise put her empty glass on the table. Deboa was nervous.

There was no expression on Elise’s face, making it hard to guess what she was thinking.

“Friends…”

Elise seemed to be considering. The situation was completely reversed from when Elise asked her if she was the owner of the Alleycat Times.

Deboa was anxious.

Elise was different from others. Deboa realized that in her conversation with Elise.

A person who can teach her and grow together.

Deboa had been waiting for such a person until now.

‘She even has abilities.’

Creating the desired situation was a much higher ability than predicting the situation and preparing in advance.

It required a surprisingly wide view, the ability to analyze information comprehensively, and execution power.

You should never be at odds with such a person.

Once she sorted out her hectic daily life due to the acquisition of the Phon Newspaper, she intended to properly thank her for the help she received.

And she intended to draw a line with her appropriately.

Because there’s nothing good about a press company and a noble being close.

But Deboa completely changed her mind. Deboa decided to become her confidant.

If possible, the closest confidant.

“I will become a friend whom you’ll not be ashamed of.”

Deboa, who was anxious, added a word. Elise turned her body and walked away.

‘Is it a rejection.’

A cloud formed on Deboa’s face. Deboa bowed her head deeply.

‘Did I act too arrogantly? I should have trusted without doubt.’

That’s when she thought. Click-clack, she heard the sound of footsteps coming towards her.

And suddenly, a champagne glass was held out in front of her.

Deboa raised her head.

“We’ve been friends since tea time, haven’t we? Let’s be friends and do one more thing. Business partners, how about it?”

Deboa took the champagne glass and drained it in one gulp.

“Let’s do it, all of it. Let’s do everything with me.”

Deboa was burning with determination.

****

Elise, who had made an appointment to meet Deboa next, hurriedly moved.

There was someone she had to meet today. Her steps headed towards where the VIPs were gathered.

She caught the eye of Karan, who somehow noticed her approaching. He raised his hand and called Elise.

Elise naturally approached the group of VIPs.

“This is the person I’m going to marry.”

Karan naturally introduced Elise.

Thanks to that, Elise was able to fit into the group of VIPs who didn’t have very good feelings towards Bedrokka.

A princess of a country that had no choice but to retreat to the frontier because Bedrokka had taken over the high-quality land, a merchant who was paying an unreasonably large tariff to Bedrokka, and the head of a mercenary organization greeted her in turn.

In the past, they would never have been invited as VIPs by Bedrokka.

‘They must have been brought in to prepare for the Ragnaros subjugation. It’s too much for Bedrokka to handle alone.’

They needed someone to share the damage. Or should it be said that they needed someone to take the damage instead?

If they were called, they should at least treat them well, but Lange turned his body around after just greeting them, and Chase and David were busy chasing immediate benefits.

Since the treatment of guests was so poor, their feelings couldn’t be comfortable.

The reaction to Elise, who was inviting them in a broad sense, was not warm either.

“Marrying a Bedrokkan…Was your taste a teacher? It would be better to go to the academy.”

There was one person who was the most hostile among them.

Ilaria Magnus.

She was the first princess of the maritime nation Magnus.

She was the person Elise had to meet today.

The Magnus Kingdom, which borders Bedrokka to the east, had to step on the land of another country to interact with the continent. Above was Tetris, below was Bedrokka.

Half of the territory was adjacent to the sea, but it was difficult to go out to the open sea.

Just as there is Ragnaros on land, there is the evil dragon Actouber in the sea.

Actouber was far from waking up, but they couldn’t pass near the sea where he was sleeping, just like the land where Ragnaros was sleeping.

Because of the tremendous whirlpools, the wind direction that changes from time to time, and the cry of the sirens.

So Magnus had to secure a market through land routes.

The best partner for Magnus was Bedrokka.

Bedrokka had a market that could consume enough of Magnus’s products and the trade routes were well established.

But Bedrokka was not very keen on interacting with Magnus.

The products that Magnus produces and sells were abundant in Bedrokka, and there was no need for Bedrokka to open a trade route to Magnus, increasing competition.

So Bedrokka repeatedly rejected Magnus’s fervent request to open a trade route.

Then, about 50 years ago, Magnus made a breakthrough in ship technology and established diplomatic relations with Bedrokka.

Finally, Magnus was able to go far around and trade by sea without stepping into Actouber’s territory.

But was it a mutually beneficial diplomatic agreement? No.

At the time, the king of Magnus, who was foolish and only focused on immediate results, received a trade route usage permit from Bedrokka in return for handing over ship technology, which had a very high usage fee.

At first, the people of Magnus, who were skeptical about being able to use the trade route, realized as they competed with various countries.

To sell goods, you have to raise the quality and lower the price, but if you subtract the cost and the trade route usage fee, there is nothing left.

Afterwards, the number of Magnus people doing business using Bedrokka’s trade route drastically decreased.

Since ship technology and navigation skills have developed, it is better to use the sea route even if you have to go far around.

But the problem is that whether you use this trade route or not, you have to pay money to Bedrokka every year.

‘Gradually, they stopped using it, and from 30 years ago, they stopped using it at all. Despite this, they have been paying the toll for 30 years, filling the belly of the Bedrokka royal family.’

Although they knew it was unfair, Magnus could not let go of Bedrokka’s hand.

Because they were importing a large amount of food from Bedrokka, which owns a heavenly granary.

‘Magnus lacks land to farm.’

They were on good terms with Tetris nearby, but the weather there was not good and the harvest rate was low.

‘The people of Tetris are also short of food, so they can’t sell food to Magnus.’

Bedrokka, the perfect gap, ignored and tormented Magnus, the thorough nation.

(TL: Meant that Bedrokka that has the advantage and the power, tormenting Magnus, a nation that can thoroughly held a grudge)

In this situation, if the royal family of Magnus does not hate Bedrokka, that person is either a fool or a traitor.

Hating Bedrokka was patriotism in Magnus.

And Ilaria was a patriot among patriots who would spare no effort to protect when the country was in crisis.

“The taste of alcohol has dropped a lot. I’ll go now.”

Ilaria put down her glass of alcohol as if throwing it.

Despite Ilaria’s rudeness, Elise began to speak.

“Do you know what the easiest way to tame a beast is, Your Highness Karan?”

Elise stared at Ilaria and asked Karan.