I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“After His Highness woke up.”

Haltbin was relieved to hear that. No doubt his neck would be cut off after Karan woke up.

Afterwards, Haltbin left to attend to his duties, and Elise examined Karan before going to find Rosh.

“I heard you’re looking for me, Miss Elise.”

Rosh’s forehead was covered in sweat, as if she had hurried over.

“Thank you for making time, you must be busy.”

Gate subjugation is not just about conquest. The monsters, although weakened, were still a threat to ordinary people and had to be eliminated.

In the process, since anything could happen, safety measures had to be doubled or tripled, and even the slightest breath had to be recorded in the report to the king.

If any small information omission or error is discovered, the person responsible, Rosh, would have to bear a great responsibility, so she reduced her sleeping time to scrutinize the report.

The expression ‘even ten bodies wouldn’t be enough’ was just right.

Yet, Rosh should have been happy. She had managed to prevent the gate opening, which was referred to as a disaster.

But she couldn’t be happy. Rather, she was trembling in fear of the king’s disapproval.

Because after Elise, a problem arose with Karan.

Given the situation, Rosh had to show faster results related to the gate.

Elise fully understood her feelings and situation. For Rosh, time was of the essence.

Nevertheless, Rosh rushed over as soon as she heard that Elise was looking for her.

“No, I heard you have something to say.”

Karan didn’t say anything, but Rosh knew that Elise had played a big role in conquering the gate.

In a way, Elise was the hero of the Dex territory. That’s why Rosh ran over, putting everything else aside, even though she was busy.

“I have a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes. But in return, you must always be on His Highness’s side.”

“I am already a loyal servant of His Majesty.”

“Not His Majesty’s vassal?”

Rosh reflexively turned her head to look at the door. The door was tightly closed without a leak.

“What do you mean?”

Rosh lowered her voice.

According to what Elise found out, the king of Tetris had no intention of passing the throne to Karan.

Karan’s popularity had long surpassed the king’s, and his skills were also outstanding.

If a child can firmly establish their position, they should be happy, but the greedy king restrained Karan.

Thus, human lust for power was scary. And so, Karan was even pushed back in succession rights by his half-brother who had not yet taken the warrior test.

Every time Karan made a contribution, the king dangled the position of ‘crown prince’ like throwing a leftover bone to a starving beast, but even ten years later that Elise experienced, he did not become the crown prince.

[His Majesty contacted me separately to take a good look if Ragnaros is subjugated because he is worried about the safety of his second son.]

At the time, Elise had no interest in the internal affairs of Tetris, so it was a word she heard and forgot.

But now the situation has changed.

Elise intended to make Karan the crown prince, and even further, to put him on the throne of Tetris.

To do so, it was important to make contributions, but it was also important to create a force to overthrow the king.

Money was also needed to create that force.

‘The business in Bedrokka is going well, but it’s also needed in Tetris.’

She planned to proceed with the work step by step. She intended to do it at least after formalizing her engagement with Karan, but there was no time.

‘To take the lead in subjugating Ragnaros, His Highness must at least become the crown prince.’

“Countess, my words may be uncomfortable, but think carefully. What’s important to you is the Dex territory, isn’t it? Bread to feed the people of the territory, a warm house, and weapons to protect them. I can provide all of that.”

“Wait a minute. Stop talking. What you said, Miss Elise, is a very dangerous statement. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

Rosh stepped back a few steps and distanced herself from Elise.

The Dex territory is poor. Except for a few, the people of the Dex territory were always hungry, and their hands were cracked from early autumn. Because of the cold.

The village centered around Dex Castle was livable, but the situation in the Bronze District near the gate was serious.

Since the people of the territory were in such a situation, it was not easy to collect taxes.

The taxes paid to the center were always insufficient, so the countess’ personal property was also sold several times.

They were barely living year by year.

At this rate, the territory itself would be handed over to others, and it was true that Rosh’s worries were deepening day by day.

But Rosh didn’t want to betray the king of Tetris for money.

It was an act that would shatter Rosh’s pride, who had lived as a knight for a long time.

‘But what if His Majesty is wrong?’

Just listening to Elise’s words, it means that Karan is in conflict with Tyllo…

‘Will His Highness Karan make the wrong choice?’

Although they had only been together for about a month, Karan was a person who lacked nothing to lead a country.

And Elise.

Rosh calmed her flustered mind and stared at Elise. Elise was sitting quietly, waiting for Rosh’s answer.

Elise, who seemed quiet and weak at first glance, showed a spirit of challenge, confidence, and a spirit of love for the people that could only be seen in a leader hidden behind her.

It was not an energy that could be seen from a 20-year-old woman. It was extraordinary.

“Countess, if it’s hard to answer right away, you can listen to my proposal first. No one will overhear, so there’s no way our conversation will leak. All you need to do is give me your time.”

Elise’s proposal was tempting.

“As you know, I’m very busy. But the reason I’m having a conversation with Miss Elise is…”

“I understand. You’re being very considerate. I’ll remember that.”

Rosh pulled up a chair and sat down.

“I’ll keep it short since you’re short on time. I want to turn Bronze District into a resort.”

“A resort? A resort where the nobles come to rest?”

Rosh felt like she was wasting his time. Elise’s proposal was so absurd that it made the gratitude of the past fade.

****

“Countess! That’s impossible.”

Trish raised her voice in front of Rosh. Trish’s face was very flushed with agitation.

“Countess!”

Trish, who was just looking out the window and not saying anything, was so frustrated with Rosh that she was going crazy.

Rosh, who had always prioritized the safety of the Dex territory, was about to gamble.

The stakes were not small. It was a game that had to bet the fate of the Dex territory. And the odds were not high.

“In this wasteland! In winter, people freeze to death and there’s nothing to see in this Dex territory, and you’re going to develop it into a tourist spot? Even a three-year-old child wouldn’t believe it. I’m sorry for shouting, Countess.”

Trish took a deep breath to calm her agitation.

“Say something, Countess.”

Trish pleaded with Rosh, who was silent. Rosh asked Trish for her opinion, but from her attitude afterwards, she seemed to have already made up her mind.

‘What on earth did that woman Elise say!’

Trish hated Elise, who she thought was a good person just thirty minutes ago.

“Countess, I understand that you are worried because the tax revenue is decreasing every year and the situation in the territory is difficult. But this year, the situation will improve. Since we have conquered the gate, we can reduce the cost of going there…”

“Trish.”

“A considerable amount of money…Yes, Countess.”

Trish’s nagging went on endlessly. It wasn’t a wrong word, so she tried to listen to the end, but it was too much and she had to cut off.

“If you want great success, you have to take that much risk. And…”

Rosh closed her eyes for a moment. Trish said that the situation would improve as the gate of the Dex territory was closed, but Elise’s prediction was completely different.

“The reason why the tax rate of the Dex territory has been low until now is because there was a gate. Instead of supporting from the center, they lowered the tax. So what happens after conquering the gate today?”

Taxes will go up. The situation in the Dex territory will not change in the future. A life without hope will be repeated.

They had to try whatever they could before they failed. As of now, the only way out of this poverty was the proposal Elise had put forward.

“…Alright. I’ve decided to do business. And I appoint Lord Kram as the person in charge of this matter.”

“Countessss!”

Krish screamed. Rosh frowned as if her ears hurt.

“I know you don’t like Lord Kram. But there’s no other way.”

That was Elise’s condition.

[I will provide a perfect business plan and plan to invest a certain amount. It will be enough money to start digging. It’s money you don’t need to pay back. Instead, when you start making a profit, give me 5% of the profits. And please appoint Count Kram as the person in charge of the business.]

The investment amount Elise proposed was quite large. She said it was enough to start digging, but it was money that could build a building and still have some left over.

It was a lot of money that was hard to believe that a woman who had just become an adult had.

When Rosh hesitated, Elise made a statement that nailed her decision.

[It’ll all be my assets.]

On top of that, the business plan that Elise had written and given was too good.

‘Thinking of making a bathhouse with the boiling water of the Bronze District… And what else?’

[Take the water from the Bronze District and have an alchemist analyze the components. Good ingredients for the body will come out. It’ll be promoted as a healing hot spring.]

Elise was confident that it would be a reason to come to Dex territory.

Even when Rosh raised the problem that the convenience facilities were too lacking, Elise spoke like a person who had prepared an answer.

[It’s a natural forest blessed by nature. Make it an open-air bathhouse and let them taste the specialness. Like a place that only appears in myths.]

As she talked with Elise, an image naturally formed in Rosh’s mind.

Bronze District bustling with people, people who eat warm bread all year round with the income of the village, and the satisfied expression on their faces.

People say that in a lifetime, you meet three people who change your life.

Rosh had met two teachers in the past. The first teacher who told her to hold a sword, and the second teacher who took her to the battlefield.

‘If this adventure succeeds, Elise will be the third noble.’

If that happens, she would go with Elise even if she said to go to hell.

Rosh shut up Trish’s mouth, who was opposing the business with spitting saliva, with a single sentence.

“Are you the countess?”

And so, two days later, a large-scale hot spring development project began in Dex territory.

****

Elise, who had poured a lot of energy into persuading Rosh, fell asleep while watching over Karan.

At the beginning of spring, the night in Dex territory was still as cold as midwinter.

Elise instinctively moved to find a warm place.

There was something close by that was emitting a hot heat, it was Karan’s hand.

Elise unconsciously held his hand with both hands and rested her cheek on his arm.

His body heat relaxed Elise’s tense nerves. Elise gradually fell into a deep sleep.

Therefore she didn’t notice Karan’s hand twitching.