Chapter 1
“Brienne… no, it’s Brian Bay,” the boy with soft brown hair hesitantly introduced himself. He looked too young to be a young man and too mature to be a mere boy.
The intermediary wrote the boy’s name on the paper and asked, “How old are you?”
“Y-18 years old.”
Just as expected.
The intermediary nodded. The estimated age matched.
“You can speak the Imperial Standard, Nordian, and Amharic? And you can do multiplication up to three digits? Hm. There are a few places looking for accountants, but they want experienced candidates.”
“I’m okay with a position as an office assistant…”
“That won’t match the salary at all. Are you unaware of the cost of living here?”
“…”
The intermediary slowly examined the anxious boy’s appearance. Although he was a commoner, his clothes weren’t shabby, and his fidgeting hands were delicate. Moreover, whether from some kind of training or not, the boy’s posture and mannerisms showed signs of refinement.
“Do you have a preferred location? There are many job opportunities in the capital.”
“The capital is a bit… since the cost of living is high there.”
“How about the Connett Estate? There’s a job that fits you perfectly. Ah, is it too far…”
“No! That’s exactly where I want to go!”
The boy’s sudden loud voice made the intermediary’s pen waver.
“Hmm. There’s actually a place with conditions far better than what you’re looking for.”
“I’ll take it!”
“Wait, listen until the end. There’s a small issue. It’s not a big deal, but…”
“I’m confident I can handle any problem!”
“Oh, the enthusiasm of the youth is indeed different. Now that I see, you’re actually the perfect fit for this job.”
“I’m prepared for the difficulties of earning money.”
“Right. Well, it’s not a big deal, but they’re looking for an apprentice steward at Connett Castle.”
The boy blinked his large eyes in surprise.
“…ConnettCastle? Are you referring to the Connett Duke…?”
“Yes, the Duke’s residence.”
“The undefeated Blue Wave… the Duke Connett?”
“You refer to him by a rather noble nickname. Usually, he’s called the Sea Goddess’s Bastard.”
“…”
A brief silence fell between the two, and Brian was the first to speak.
“You just mentioned a small issue, didn’t you? This doesn’t seem like a small issue…”
“Hmm. Where did the bold person from earlier go?”
“Who? Was there such a person?”
“You. I’m talking about you.”
“Huh? Me?”
Brian Bay stubbornly shook his head and said firmly, “You must have misheard.”
[Brian Bay. Actually, ‘La Brienne Auton de Lafayette,’ a 23-year-old woman. The only daughter of Baron Auton, but currently missing. Special Note: Cross-dressing.]
Brienne’s childhood as the only daughter of the Auton Baron family was unfortunately far from peaceful. Her mother passed away before she could even learn the word ‘mom,’ and her father died after a long illness. As the family’s fortunes declined, she was raised by her grandfather, a retired naval officer. However, her grandfather couldn’t afford to hire a tutor, so he entrusted her education to retired naval officers and senior sailors.
As a result, Brienne always dreamed of becoming a naval officer. She preferred stories about ducal lobbyists destroying the fractured kingdom with 16-pound cannons over fairy tales of princesses and princes living happily ever after. She might not have known the current trends in lace shapes, but she knew that the mermaid figure on the bow of ships was popular and could name the types of cannons used in the First Luy Mosella Naval Battle.
She could tell how many imperial ships had sunk in the Paphoh Naval Battle and was confident she could write a thesis on the legendary sword ‘Song of the Wind.’ Of course, that was before she lost her title to her cousin. When she was still trailing after retired naval officers grumbling about the pain in their ankles whenever it rained, Brienne never imagined she would end up in such a situation.
Inside the rental carriage heading to Connett Castle, Brienne reflected on how things had come to this point with a feeling of being enchanted by some unseen force.
When she decided to run away, there were several reasons she chose to cross-dress:
First, to avoid being caught.
Second, also to avoid being caught.
Third, to avoid being caught.
Fourth, and fifth, to avoid being caught.
And around the forty-sixth reason, it was to avoid the dangerous situation a lone woman might face while job hunting.
Yet, dressing as a man had led her into an even worse predicament. After slipping out of her cousin’s house in oversized, ill-fitting clothes meant for a nanny’s son, she managed to sell the last of her mother’s jewelry to raise some funds. However, the real trouble began when she started searching for a job.
“Accounting work? Do you have any qualifications?”
“You speak three languages? We’re looking for a day laborer.”
“Have you ever done plastering work? Ah, never mind. With your build, you look like you’d easily collapse under the work.”
Rejected everywhere she went, she was in a dejected state when she couldn’t refuse the intermediary’s risky offer as a last resort.
“If they find out you’re a woman while you’re there, it won’t just end with you being kicked out.”
Brienne clutched her head inside the rattling carriage.
The reason for her deep concern was the current Duke of Connett.
In fact, just a generation ago, the Duke of Connett was known as a legendary romantic among the people. The previous Duke had reportedly fallen head over heels for a princess eight years older than him when he was just seven years old. After that, the precocious boy pursued her persistently, for five whole years, without tiring.
What happened during those five years was unknown to commoners and to Brienne, who was a lower noble, but it was assumed the imperial family didn’t favor the match. If the emperor’s youngest sister married one of the only four dukes in the empire, the succession line would be complicated.
Nevertheless, the previous Duke of Connett emerged victorious, and the princess became the Duke’s wife. As for the son of that legendary romantic, the current Duke of Connett, he was no romantic himself and instead had a notorious reputation for misogyny.
Rumors swirled about his childhood abuse by a nurse, failed first love, and more. Yet, his excessively handsome face and enormous inherited fortune still attracted many women trying to seduce him.
To be precise, they used to, as his reputation began to spread. The most famous story was about how the Duke allegedly chased out a young lady who had sneaked into his bedroom, still dressed as a maid. Although this was not confirmed, it was widely believed to be true among commoners.
In addition, he was rumored to be cruel, rude, vicious, and even to have sent a pirate’s head as an engagement gift. If there were awards for infamy, the Duke of Connett would have had to bow under the weight of them, as they would be so heavy he couldn’t straighten his back.
However, despite his dreadful reputation, the Duke was not universally reviled. In fact, leaving aside unverifiable rumors, his reputation was actually quite high.
