Episode 13 I’m not asking you to borrow it. (1)
On the way to Leipold, Belinda asked.
“But you’re really not going to buy me a gift? Are you just going to leave like this?”
“… … Well, let me buy you a flower or something.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, do you think that’s okay? I don’t think you’ll like it very much.”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to look good.”
“Hmm… … .”
Jiselle was sincere.
In my previous life, when I knew nothing, I was always anxious to look good for the pretty Amelia.
But right now, I had no desire to look good to a woman who was clearly my future enemy, nor did I want to maintain an engagement with her.
‘This time I won’t let you do that nonsense.’
No matter how strong your military power is, it’s all for naught if you’re not economically independent.
War costs a lot of money and supplies. If you don’t have the money to maintain an army, it’s as good as not having an army.
Didn’t you feel it deeply in your bones while dealing with the kingdom’s constant barrage of material in your previous life?
There was no money to properly feed and arm the soldiers, so there was nothing they could do.
‘We have to move faster.’
It was nice to go back to the past, but the current situation wasn’t so good.
By this time, the Delphine Dukes had already established their hold on most of the territories and were beginning to expand their reach into the North in earnest.
Killing Elena was also part of the plan.
Jiselle suppressed her increasingly impatient feelings.
‘Amelia, you’ll have to pay a lot if you don’t want to be embarrassed.’
The horse carrying him ran without stopping towards the Leipold estate.
Just imagining how much he could get from Amelia made his anxious heart feel a little lighter.
* * *
The party arrived safely at Castle Leipold.
There were no major problems other than the fact that he got covered in dirt from riding for several days.
Belinda caught Giselle as she headed straight for the castle’s main gate.
“No, you’re going without washing? You’re so dirty and dusty right now. Miss Amelia would hate it.”
“I told you, you don’t have to look good.”
“Huh, why did you suddenly change like this?”
Belinda looked at the back of Giselle walking ahead in confusion.
Just a few months ago, it was hard to imagine that this was the same person as Giselle, who would blush whenever Amelia was mentioned.
“Are you trying to come across as a bad guy? This guy is just a dirty guy… … .”
“I told you, it’s okay. Well, since it’s been a while since you came here, I guess I’ll buy you a gift.”
Giselle headed to Leipold Castle with only a bouquet of flowers she bought at the store.
“Stop. What’s going on?”
The guards stopped Giselle with a relaxed expression.
Because there were few attendants and they were dirty with dust, it was difficult to immediately recognize that they were nobles.
It was Belinda who stepped forward.
Unlike his usual playful appearance, his attitude was serious and restrained.
“I am Grand Duke Giselle of the Ferdium Territory. Please tell her that I have come to see my fiancée, Princess Amelia.”
It is customary for nobles not to come forward in person when there is an attendant.
For the time being, Giselle just watched what Belinda did.
“Are you, Prince Jisel?”
The guards looked daunted.
They also knew from rumors what a worthless bastard Amelia’s fiancé was.
Belinda frowned at his hesitation.
“What are you doing? Why don’t you hurry inside and tell me?”
“Oh, I understand.”
One of the guards turned and walked back into the castle, muttering a silent curse.
After a while, the guard came out again with a troubled expression.
“Excuse me… … The young lady is not feeling well right now, so I’m sorry, but I would like you to go back now… … .”
Before he could finish speaking, Belinda approached the guard with twinkles in her eyes.
“The Grand Duke came in person, but you’re telling me to go back without even meeting me or giving me a place to stay? Do you think our Ferdium territory is that ridiculous?”
The guard mumbled and answered. To be honest, he found it funny, but he couldn’t say it out loud.
“That’s not it… … Miss… … .”
“Hey!”
As Belinda radiated a fearsome aura, the guard stepped back with a pale face.
‘What, what is it? She’s just a maid, but the vibe is… Is she some kind of secret escort?’
The guard trembled under the pressure pouring down on him. Only then did Giselle step forward.
“Stop it, Belinda.”
“But, Your Majesty… … .”
“It’s okay. I’ll talk now.”
After biting Belinda, Giselle approached the guard and whispered quietly to him.
“Tell him that I have something to discuss with him. If I go back like this, you never know what I’ll say. I’m a more open-mouthed person than you might think.”
“Yes, yes. I understand.”
The guards ran back into the castle as if they were fleeing.
A moment later, a guard came running out, panting, and bowed his head to Giselle.
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“The young lady told me to bring you inside.”
Belinda opened her eyes wide and looked at Giselle at the sudden change in response.
I wondered what he said to make him change his mind so easily.
Giselle chuckled and whispered to Belinda.
“I guess I’m good. Oh man, this popularity thing.”
“Oh my, why are you so confident all of a sudden?”
Belinda chided Giselle for becoming more and more sly. Still, it was much nicer to see her than before, when she used to be so sullen all day long.
The party was led to a splendid reception room. Giselle looked around in admiration the whole way to the reception room.
‘Wow, you’re really rich. It was good that you came. I think you’ll be able to get a lot of development funds.’
Unlike the crude Ferdium Castle, Leipold Castle was beautifully decorated on all sides with very expensive materials. It was definitely a wealthy estate.
Belinda and the knights waited in the next room, while Giselle waited alone for Amelia.
‘You’re late. Well, I guess my words are making your thoughts very complicated.’
Amelia hasn’t been seen for quite some time.
After Giselle emptied her teacup and waited for a long time, she started to feel bored. Then, the door to the reception room opened and a woman came in.
Her light brown hair flowed voluptuously over her shoulders. Her slightly downcast eyes and upturned chin gave her an arrogant yet cold impression.
It was Amelia Leipold, Giselle’s fiancée.
Meow.
A cat followed her in, its tail held high.
This cat, called ‘Bastet’, has a flexible body and short gray fur with a blue tint.
Just like her owner, Amelia, she exuded an elegant and dignified aura from her expression to her every gait.
“Long time no see, Amelia. Did you miss me? Long time no see, that cat too. What was its name?”
Amelia raised her eyebrows without responding to the cheeky greeting.
‘Why are you calling my name like that? Did you miss me? You’re just a pathetic guy guarding the border… Are you crazy?’
When Amelia first heard that Giselle had come to visit, she laughed and told him to send her away.
There was no need to meet with someone who came to me on their own and asked to meet me, and I didn’t want to meet someone as worthless as Jiselle.
I had no intention of ever meeting her, but after hearing a word from Giselle, I had no choice but to let her into the castle.
‘What on earth do you know?’
The fact that Amelia was growing a top was a top secret. She wasn’t just making one.
Whether or not she knew that Amelia was feeling uneasy inside, Giselle continued speaking with a big smile.
“It’s your birthday soon, right? This is a gift.”
When Giselle handed Amelia a bouquet of flowers, a look of contempt crossed her face.
‘You brought me that as a gift? How dare you, to me, Amelia Leipold?’
This is the first time in my life that I have received such a gift. No one has ever given me such a cheap gift.
I’m not the type of person to value gifts in the first place, but I just hated the sight of the giver being Jiselle.
Meow!
Even Bastet let out a cry as if she was very displeased.
Amelia walked elegantly and accepted the bouquet of flowers Giselle handed her.
“Thank you. It’s a beautiful flower. But it’ll wither away quickly. I guess there’s no need to keep it.”
Amelia tossed the bouquet into the corner of the reception room.
It was an act that would be humiliating to the person who gave the gift. It was even more so if the person was a noble who risked his life for honor.
It was an action that should not have been done, and a response that should not have been made.
But Amelia threw the bouquet of flowers as if on purpose.
It was intended to excite Giselle and cause her to make a mistake, but instead of blushing, he simply shrugged and leaned back on the sofa he was sitting on.
“Our land doesn’t have money, so we can’t give expensive gifts. What’s important about gifts is the heart! The heart!”
Amelia said with a sneer on her lips at his nonchalant attitude without changing his expression at all.
“Even if Yeongji is poor, it’s not something to be proud of. Isn’t it shameful? And when expressing feelings, the value of the gift is also important. Sincerity cannot be expressed with trash.”
Amelia tried to agitate Giselle by saying harsh words.
Considering her personality, which rarely expresses her emotions, it was unimaginable, but Amelia had no other choice at the moment.
I had to emotionally shake him to see how much he knew.
But Jiselle responded with an indifferent expression even though she was openly insulted.
“There’s nothing shameful about being poor. It’s okay if you do something dishonest. I once thought about forming a bandit group, but I decided not to do something shameful.”
It was a meaningful statement. Amelia’s expression hardened.
His speech and actions seemed to scream that he knew something.
‘Your attitude is different than before. You’ve never shown such strange confidence before. What happened?’
Apparently, until recently, Giselle couldn’t hide her feelings for him.
I was always embarrassed when standing in front of him and didn’t dare to speak first.
But now, I didn’t feel any of that emotion from him. Far from trying to look good, it seemed like he didn’t even care about himself.
Jiselle’s attitude suddenly changed, which made me feel more alert.
“Well, okay. Why did you want to meet? I’d like to get to the point quickly.”
“I’m glad you’re talking so quickly. I need some money. I’m in a bit of a difficult situation right now.”
Jiselle winked and curled her fingers into a circle.
Amelia looked dumbfounded for a moment at the unexpected remark.
Who in the world would have thought there would be someone so brazen and arrogant as to ask for a loan of money!
“Ha, is that the only reason you came to see me? To ask your fiancée for money? You must have no pride.”
Then, Jiselle smiled and waved her hand as if she was embarrassed.
“No, no. You misunderstood what I said. I’m not asking you to lend me money.”
“Then what?”
Giselle bent down slightly, brought her head closer to Amelia, and whispered.
“I just asked for it. I think we can do that much between us, right?”
“… … .”
“You’ll do it, right?”
Amelia seriously decided as she listened to Giselle’s words.
I think I should break off the engagement with this guy today.
