I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

Elise put down her fork and knife, then wiped her mouth with a prepared handkerchief.

A subtle discomfort was revealed in her refined movements.

Attention was focused on Elise’s change, who had been trying to create a consistently soft atmosphere.

After drinking water, Elise lifted her eyes that had been cast down and stared at Rosh.

“Lord Dex, are you ashamed of this place? The land where Lord Dex was born and raised.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lord Dex’s eyes trembled slightly.

As if she had heard an unbearable insult, veins popped out on her fist-clenched hand.

“Is it my misunderstanding?”

Elise’s gaze was sharp.

“I live with pride as the Lord of Dex territory. The question you just asked me is very rude. Are all Bedrokkans like that?”

At the mention of her origin, Karan’s gaze, which had been lingering on Elises’s side face, slowly moved.

The beast, hunched over, was waiting for the other party to make a mistake.

As if he would tear Rosh’s throat at any time.

Despite that atmosphere, Rosh continued to speak.

“Our Dex territory, despite its scarce resources and harsh environment, serves as the kingdom’s shield at the forefront of blocking the evil dragon Ragnaros. We have produced many outstanding warriors, and the people of the territory are diligent. Even during the farming season, they take the lead in building fortifications to block Ragnaros.”

As Rosh continued, her voice rose, as if her affection for the people of the territory was growing.

“Dex is a place where the blood of pure warriors flows. It is absolutely not a place to be ignored by nobles who hold pens or those who have never fought monsters.”

Her breath shook as she finished her long speech. Rosh took a deep breath.

A passion that could not be seen when the banquet started flared up in her eyes and cheeks.

A brief silence fell. Kram’s eyes rolled constantly between Elise and Rosh.

Elise had been rude, but Rosh’s remarks also crossed the line.

Then it happened.

Clap, clap, clap.

Elise clapped. At the sudden applause, Karan looked at Elise in surprise.

“That’s it.”

Elise smiled broadly.

“Huh?”

Rosh’s cool atmosphere was momentarily disrupted.

“That’s what I wanted to hear, Lord Dex. I think this place is really beautiful and wonderful. But Lord Dex keeps saying no, so I’m upset.”

“No, what do you know about our territory…”

Rosh realized that there was a mistake in the conversation she had. And she had doubts about what Elise said.

“I have very good eyes. I know how to pick out gems. If it’s a person, I can find a talented one, if it’s a thing, I can find something that will sell, if it’s land, I can find a place that will succeed.”

Elise looked around at the attendants and warriors who filled the banquet hall.

“Everyone has a straight posture and doesn’t even roll their eyes in an interesting situation. When serving food, they are polite and confident. And I’ve seen a lot on my way here. There was not a single twisted door frame in the Count’s castle. I could tell that they did their best even in the smallest and most meticulous parts.”

Rosh, who didn’t expect to receive such high praise from Elise, had been listening to her words with her mouth tightly shut at some point.

“So don’t hide it. Your pride in the territory, your love for the people of the territory. Because people from other places will judge based on what Lord Dex says.”

Waves formed in Rosh’s eyes as she understood what Elise was implying with her soft words.

Rosh was ashamed of herself for ignoring Elise as a Bedrokkan and suspecting that she had other schemes.

“I was short-sighted. Thank you for the good advice.”

“Rather, I’m grateful that you listened to me pleasantly.”

Rosh ordered the attendant to fill Elise’s glass.

When the glass was filled, Rosh proposed a toast.

Rosh and Elise’s glasses clinked. As Rosh’s guard was let down, the banquet hall warmed up again.

“I’d like to take a look around the gate tomorrow.”

Karan, who wanted to get official recognition of his relationship with Elise as soon as possible, interrupted the conversation.

Rosh’s face stiffened slightly. Elise gave Karan a curious look, feeling his impatience.

“Is it difficult?”

“Don’t the warriors who just arrived need rest, Your Highness?”

“That’s not your concern.”

“…I will prepare.”

“Who’s the guide?”

“I will do it.”

Karan didn’t add anything else.

Rosh, who thought he would pick on her uncomfortable leg and prevent her from participating in the reconnaissance, visibly relaxed.

“Elise, it would be best for you to rest well in the Count’s castle.”

Her plan to follow him was disrupted.

“Your Highness, it’s boring to stay in the Count’s castle alone. I won’t be a bother, so will you let me accompany you?”

Elise asked politely, but Karan shook his head firmly like never before.

The reason why Tyllo told him to look around the gate of the Dex territory was clear without asking.

‘There’s a problem around the gate.’

Even when the evil dragon is asleep, it creates various kinds of problems.

The weather changes unpredictably, monsters pop out, and natural disasters occur.

He couldn’t take Elise to such a place.

“Elise, rest.”

Elise couldn’t hide her disappointed expression.

“Miss Ellis, if you’re worried about being bored, would you like to look around the Dex territory?”

The person who suddenly intervened was Kram, who was introduced as the person who would take care of Elise during her stay.

“You?”

Karan raised one eyebrow.

He had investigated Kram as soon as he received his role.

Kram Zillerster.

Zillerster was one of the main noble families of Dex.

However, after being involved in a major corruption scandal during his father’s generation and retiring from office, he had not been able to recover.

Kram wanted to work actively for the Dex family in hopes of reviving his family, but Rosh did not accept him.

The fact that he was in charge of assisting Elise this time was as much a warning to Karan from Rosh.

Don’t try to know about the Dex territory, don’t be interested.

Even if you want to know, I won’t tell you a single thing.

“Yes. I have a lot of time, so there’s no place in the Dex territory that I haven’t been to. If Miss Elise just tells me her preferences, I will guide you accordingly.”

A sparkle appeared in Elise’s eyes.

There was a place she wanted to go even if she didn’t.

She was wondering how she could sneak into a place where Karan would never let her go because it was dangerous.

“Okay. Come to my quarters early tomorrow morning.”

Before Karan could dissuade her, Elise readily accepted Kram’s proposal.

****

“Elise, are you really going out with him?”

The next morning, Karan came to see Elise before leaving with the warriors.

“No matter how I think about it, it would be better to rest. The hangover must not have been completely cured yet.”

“Your Highness, is my face bad?”

“What are you talking about?”

Karan raised his voice.

“You keep telling me to rest, so I thought my condition was so bad that it would be uncomfortable for you to see.”

“Not at all. Elise, you are glowing.”

Elise smiled faintly.

“Thank you for seeing me well.”

Elise thought Karan’s compliment was lip service.

Karan, who couldn’t find the right word to praise her beauty, was frustrated.

“Don’t worry and go. Will Lord Kram take me to a dangerous place? If there’s a problem, he’ll have to take all the blame. Besides, Your Highness, haven’t you investigated Lord Kram?”

“How did you know?”

Karan was greatly surprised.

“I thought you would have checked in advance because you are a thorough person. Not because you doubted, but because you wanted to trust more. Right?”

Karan avoided Elise’s gaze.

Elise was misunderstanding Karan.

Karan had initially classified everyone except a few of his close associates as villains.

Either a swindler hiding a secret, a greedy person seeking power, or a fool who mistakes lust for affection.

But Karan did not correct Elise’s deep-rooted misunderstanding.

“That’s right, Elise. You have to know your opponent well to trust them. That’s how you can entrust them with work.”

“I knew Your Highness would feel the same way as me. So, could you show me the investigation data on Lord Kram?”

“I’ll have Haltbin bring it to you.”

“Yes, Your Highness. When will you be back?”

The conversation naturally shifted to Karan’s reconnaissance.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Karan was thinking, a maximum of two days. But he couldn’t guarantee it.

“Be careful, and be safe. I’ll be waiting.”

Knowing how dangerous the gate is, Elise’s eyes darkened.

She bowed her head so that Karan wouldn’t notice her worry.

She didn’t want to create a situation where the person going on a long journey worries about those left behind.

“Well, I’ll be going.”

“I’ll see you off…”

“No, Elise. Let’s say our goodbyes here.”

It was cold. Even for Bedrokkan, which belongs to the warmer side of winter.

Karan couldn’t leave Elise standing in the bone-chilling wind. Especially since he couldn’t hold her.

“That’s right. We can’t waste time saying goodbye.”

Elise misunderstood Karan’s intention.

“That’s not…”

“Be careful on your way, Your Highness.”

Karan’s mouth closed. Because Elise quietly held his hand.

They had spent the night together and promised to marry, but they were not used to this kind of minor skinship.

“Well… I’ll be going.”

Karan awkwardly turned his steps.

Elise watched his back until he completely disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Not long after Karan left, Haltbin came with the documents Elise had requested.

He greeted Elise and left after handing over only the documents. He seemed very busy.

‘Even in the midst of chaos, Karan came to personally bid farewell.’

He was a very affectionate person.

Elise picked up the teacup prepared by Regina and headed for the window.

While he was risking his life cleaning up around the monster gate, she had a lot of work to do.