《The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Married Life in a Former Enemy Country in Her Seventh Loop》 CH 1 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. ¡¸Rishe Ilmgard Wertsner! You¡¯re a vile and vicious woman, unbecoming of this Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e. I hereby break my engagement with you!!¡¹ ¡¸Very well, I understand.¡¹ ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Despite the confusion of her former fianc¨¦, the Crown Prince, Lady Rishe bowed. It was a dignified and graceful salutation that garnered admiration from the guests around them. With soft coral-colored hair and pale emerald eyes, the beautiful Rishe drew all the attention of the place. The stares of those around her weren¡¯t the kind directed at a poor Duke¡¯s daughter whose engagement had been broken off. The Crown Prince was dumbfounded, but still shouted in haste. ¡¸W-Wait! I¡¯m breaking off our engagement, you know?! You must be wondering what will happen to you after this, and how you will be treated!¡¹ ¡¸No, not really.¡¹ She knew what¡¯s going to happen next. Rishe would be falsely accused of numerous crimes and sentenced to exile. Her family would sever ties with her, and she¡¯d have to live on her own. (Because this is the seventh loop already.) This wasn¡¯t the first time Rishe faced this exact same scene. (I¡¯m going to be busy from now on. I have to retrieve my stuff before Father and Mother hear about it. Otherwise, they won¡¯t let me in the house. On the first and third loop, I didn¡¯t make it, so I had nothing to start a new life with.) ¡¸Whoa, hey! Hold on, listen to me! I¡¯ve spent a whole week thinking up lines to read out the charges against you!¡¹ (Ah, right! I have to pack some dresses as well. I also want to take along some things related to the occupation I¡¯m going to have in this life, but I doubt I¡¯ll be able to decide by the time I get home from here. Ugh! If I was going to be sent back in time anyway, why couldn¡¯t it be to a point where I¡¯d have plenty of time left to prepare!) ¡¸W-Wait a minute, Rishe!!¡¹ The audience around the Crown Prince, who was almost driven to tears, couldn¡¯t take it anymore and started snickering. Rishe suddenly had a second thought and turned around. She looked back at her ¡®former¡¯ fianc¨¦, whose large eyes, framed by long lashes, were staring straight at her. ¡¸I forgot to tell you something important, Your Highness.¡¹ ¡¸Oooh, I knew it! You have words left unspoken to me¡­¡¹ ¡¸Wrong, that¡¯s not it.¡¹ It was but a slip of the tongue, but whatever. If you¡¯ve had seven broken engagements, you¡¯d surely not feel any differently about it now. On the contrary, you¡¯ll most likely be grateful for the freedom. So I smiled at him. ¡¸I wish you happiness with Marie-sama. May the two of you have a wonderful life together.¡¹ ¡¸Wha¡­?!¡¹ Rishe flipped off her evening gown and walked out. ¡¸H-H-How do you know that Marie is the lady I love?! I never said a word about her to you¡­¡¹ He¡¯s still ranting about something behind my back, but this lady is really busy. I was reasonably upset the first time, and I tried to argue to defend myself, but I know all too well I¡¯d only receive ridiculous answers. (That aside, what preoccupies me now is the future. I¡¯m excited to see what life I¡¯ll lead this time around.) Reflecting on the past six lives, Rishe laughed. This is the seventh time I am ¡®starting over¡¯ in life. Every life has been fulfilling and a lot of fun, but¡­ But, this time, this time I¡¯m gonna live long and enjoy a freewheeling life!) To that end ¨D¨D This life is the one time I have to make sure I don¡¯t get killed. CH 2 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. In her first life, after her engagement was broken off, Rishe wandered around aimlessly with nothing but her clothes on. Fortunately, Rishe came across a peddler¡¯s wagon. They bought a piece of the jewelry she was wearing, and then she headed off to a neighboring kingdom with a bunch of good-natured merchants. As an apprentice, she learned the tricks of the trade. Once she was capable of handling her own business and bookkeeping, she set out on her own and traveled the world. A Duke¡¯s daughter until the age of fifteen, Rishe certainly had a keen aesthetic sense. She collected exciting wares and sold them to eager customers. In the course of time, repeated exchanges like these eventually evolved into a huge enterprise, bringing into the line countless people. She did business with the king of a desert country and the prince of a land of snow. Five years passed, and just when she was one country away from fulfilling her life dream of ¡ºtraveling around every country in the world¡»while trading, Rishe wound up dead in a war. The next thing she knew, she found herself back in that moment when the Crown Prince was telling her that he was breaking off their engagement, that evening party when she was fifteen years old. ¡¸Rishe Ilmgard Wertsner! You¡¯re a vile and vicious woman, unbecoming of this Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e. I hereby break my engagement with you!!¡¹ Of course, Rishe was stunned at first. The Crown Prince was so ecstatic upon seeing her blankly staring at him and said,¡¸Are you that distraught over our broken engagement?¡¹ Rishe scanned the surroundings and discovered that everything was just as it had been five years ago. She stood there in the dress and accessories that the peddlers bought from her. She thought she might be dreaming. Or perhaps everything that happened in the past was a dream. Rishe stood confused like that, but she couldn¡¯t remain in a daze. She snapped back to her senses and began to take action to ¡ºstart over¡». In her first life, Rishe lived as a female merchant and steadily expanded her business, but she had always regretted this night. Hence, the moment she was sentenced to exile, she rushed home. £¨¡­Thank God! Thanks to you, I can redo this night all over!) Rishe was truly relieved. (Now¡­ I should be able to make it this time. I have to get home and retrieve the capital for my business in my room!!) This was her only regret in her first life. ¡ºIf only I had had more assets back then, I could have expanded my business earlier and realized my dreams sooner!¡» She complained so many times to the king of the desert, who was her best business partner, and then he retorted,¡¸Don¡¯t tell me that that is the only aspect you want to redo?¡¹ Yup. When Rishe arrived home, she took her jewelry box and a handful of books she had inherited from her late grandmother. She then went to the forest where she had met the peddlers, but because of her detour home, she was unable to meet them. She then headed for the forest where she met the peddler crew, but was unable to meet them because of the detour to her house. A little thought went into this matter. Unfortunately, she missed them. I¡¯ve been given the opportunity to ¡ºredo my first life, but at the same time¡», then the next time, chances are ¡ºthings may go wrong in a way that it didn¡¯t the last time.¡» This was the lesson I learned. Thus, in that life, her path to becoming a merchant was shut. I could have tried my best to start a business, but connections are crucial to doing business. Without acquaintances in business, it was infeasible. As she was sorting through her belongings, she found an illustrated guide to medicinal herbs mixed in with his books. It was an illustrated book of medicinal herbs from a foreign country far from the kingdom. After selling her jewelry, Rishe used the money to travel across the sea and began studying pharmacy. Fortunately, the knowledge Rishe gained from her merchant days in her first life came in handy. Information such as expensive ¡ºmedicinal herbs are available cheaply in this kingdom¡» or ¡ºdiseases are prevalent at this time of the year in this kingdom¡» was quite useful. Thanks to these, Rishe lived a reasonably fulfilling life as a herbalist. Her days were rewarding, as she saved a sickly prince and succeeded in mass-producing rare medicines with the knowledge she gained from her merchant life. However, this time, she died yet again on a visit to an epidemic-stricken area. And so, for the third time, her engagement was called off, and her third life started anew. From that point on, her fourth and subsequent lives played out in similar fashion. She became an excellent handmaiden and witnessed her lady happily get married off. She disguised herself as a man and became a knight. Each life was rewarding and a whole lot of fun. ¨D¨D I had a very good time in each of my lives. ¨D¨D Life itself was. (But I will inevitably die at the age of 20¡­) That was the problem. Although Rishe had enjoyed her life to the fullest in all six of her lives in her own way, she had never lived long. Besides, she had been too busy in each loop. (Although all of them were fun, I want to enjoy a laid-back lifestyle for once. And it goes without saying, I don¡¯t want to die! This time, to live long and live comfortably, first I¡¯m going to make money in five years. Then, I must take precautions against getting killed at the age of 20 and live a carefree life from here onwards!) Determined to do so, Rishe ran around the castle. She had to get to her house as quickly as possible, jump into the grounds before the rider messenger from the castle, and pack up her various belongings. (Would it be quicker if I go from the castle balcony down through the trees, and into the garden?) Inspired by this brilliant idea, she hurriedly changed direction. Rishe was on the battlefield as a knight in her sixth life, just before this seventh life. Having experienced the rigors of the knightly profession, she wasn¡¯t at all undaunted about jumping from a balcony to a tree. (I can do it. I¡¯ll be fine.) While running, she took off the jeweled hair accessory she was wearing for the soiree. With that action, her coral, which was pinned up, fluttered and spread out. Rishe¡¯s hair, with loose waves only at the tips, was long enough to reach her waist and a bit obtrusive. However, it was unsafe to move around with a hair accessory on, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. (This hair accessory alone would bring in a good deal of money if sold. I¡¯d better collect some more from home, though.) She must somehow reach the mansion before her parents get wind of the commotion. But just as she turned the corner toward the balcony, she bumped into something. ¡¸Waaah¡¹ Squealing in a manner unbecoming of a young lady and stumbling back a few steps, Rishe looked up at what was in front of her. CH 3 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. ¡¸Whoooa¡­¡¹ An outrageously gorgeous figure stood there. He has got a straight nose and thin, ruthless-looking lips. His physique was slender but toned, and even through his clothes, you could tell that his muscles were well-proportioned. His almost jet-black hair was long enough to touch his ears and nape, and the tips were seemingly bouncy and soft. He boasted a well-defined outline everywhere, but what was most striking were those blue eyes he had. His eyes were elongated and glacial, with the sharp streak of a blade. They were notably beautiful, yet icy-cold. The long eyelashes that cast shadows on his eyes accentuated the perfection of his appearance. He was the living image of a work of art. He was so beautiful that I almost felt giddy just looking at him. (¡­Ah) But then, he suddenly reminded Rishe of someone. The dark-haired manm, on the other hand, looked down at Rishe with cold eyes and snorted. ¡¸You¡¯re charging forward at such speed. I thought you were a boar.¡¹ It was a rude thing to say to someone you¡¯ve never met before, but not so for Rishe. This wasn¡¯t their first meeting to begin with. ¡¸What are you doing here? The soiree in the banquet hall¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ahaahhhh ©`©`©`©`©`©` !!!¡¹ ¡¸?!¡¹ The man backed away from Rishe, who screamed out of the blue. His body responded with such alacrity, and he also grasped the hilt of his sword with his right hand. ¡¸¡­ What are you up to? For someone who looks like a mere young lady, you¡¯re strangely bloodthirsty¡­¡¹ ¡¸Emperor Arnold Hein!¡¹ Rishe exclaimed. In response, the dark-haired man, Arnold, looked at her with astonishment. Rishe was strangely murderous, because she had recently crossed swords with this man. It was none other than him who killed her and ended her sixth life. (So this guy was invited to tonight¡¯s soiree as well¡­) It made sense when she thought about it. Arnold was a member of the royal family of a military state not far from the kingdom. Both countries were embroiled in war before. But now, they maintained peace on the surface and would occasionally establish contact. The Crown Prince, Rishe¡¯s former fianc¨¦, would soon announce Marie, whom he fell in love with, as his new fianc¨¦e. As Marie was the daughter of a commoner, the Crown Prince probably made arrangements in advance in order to present her to the neighboring kingdoms. Arnold examined Rishe with interest. ¡¸Do you know me? This is my first time in this kingdom, though.¡¹ (Oh, no¡­) Rishe was inwardly flustered, but she masked it with a smile. Arnold¡¯s homeland, the imperial state of Garkhain, iwas ruled by an imperial dynasty that abided by the code ¡ºIf you don¡¯t have power, you are not royalty¡», and if a royalty was weak, he¡¯d be weeded out even if he had the right to succeed to the throne. In such a military powerhouse, Arnold here would invade other kingdoms in five years time. It was the same in my first and second lives, as well as my third and fourth. That was the case for the fifth and sixth loop, where Rishe herself stood on the battlefield. (I¡¯d rather not make an enemy of him if possible.) Arnold might be the Emperor, but he was also the most skilled swordsman in the land. What made him so formidable was that he exceled not only in swordsmanship but also in military strategy. Now that I confronted him in this manner, I feel as if he could see through me in many ways. (I must contrive some sort of an excuse.) Rishe quickly drew her right leg back, pinched her gown and gracefully curtsied. ¡¸I¡¯m Rishe Ilmgard Wertsner. This may be our first meeting, but I¡¯ve heard quite a lot about you.¡¹ The corners of Arnold¡¯s lips curled up as if pleasurably entertained. ¡¸You have the footwork of a first-class swordsman. Your stance isn¡¯t shaky at all.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m flattered. I just greeted Your Highness, a state guest, as best as I could for fear of coming off as rude.¡¹ ¡¸You called me, ¡ºEmperor¡»¡¹ His reminder made Rishe realize her blunder. ¡¸My father is still alive, and I am the Crown Prince at present. ¨D¨D Why did you make such a mistake?¡¹ ¡¸W-Well¡­¡¹ Crap. What a terrible mistake. Could it be that he suspects that I know the future? No, I must be overthinking it. While wrestling with such thoughts, Rishe realized the gravity of her slip-up. (¡­ There¡¯s no need to fudge it with him, is there?) I mean, it doesn¡¯t matter what Arnold thinks of me. I¡¯ll never see him again anyway. I have some reservations about getting killed, but there is no point in complaining to Arnold, who is here now. Despite branding him the Emperor impudently, Rishe would be banished tonight. This gaffe would not affect diplomatic relations. In that case, she had one resort left. After taking a deep breath, Rishe curtsied to Arnold once again; not with the curtsy of a noblewoman, but with the bow of a maid, apologizing to her master. ¡¸My apologies, Your Highness. I may have been in a rush, but that doesn¡¯t excuse my tactless blunder.¡¹ Then she raised her head. ¡¸Nevertheless, I really am awfully busy, what with my ex-fiance calling off our engagement and all. I¡¯m terribly sorry, but I have to leave now!¡¹ ¡¸¡­You¡¯re engagement was called off?¡¹ Rishe flipped up the hem of her dress and started sprinting again. A lot of time was unexpectedly wasted, and she must beat the clock. She pushed the balcony door open and dragged the hem of her dress up. She took off her shoes and tried to move to a nearby tree, but the ground was unexpectedly closer to the balcony than she thought. (Oh?! This could work, right? I was going to jump to the tree, but¡­ at this second story height, I can just jump down into the garden from here!!!) She decided and moved almost simultaneously. The moment she crossed the railing, Arnold¡¯s eyes, which had been following her in silence, widened. ¡¸H-Hey¡­¡¹ Rishe jumped off the balcony, leaving behind a trail of her fluttering moonlit dress. CH 4 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. When jumping off, the body should not land perpendicular to the ground. Even if the landing point was soft grass, the strain on the legs would be too great. After landing first on her soles, Rishe rolled on the ground, bracing herself from her shins to her thighs. She rolled in order from her waist to her back and up again in her dress. Then she got up spryly. (Now then, we gotta hurry!) With leaves dangling everywhere on her coral hair, Rishe glanced down at her shoes. An idea occurred to her, and when she found a large rock nearby, she broke the heels with all her might, employing the lever principle. This would make running easier. Satisfied, Rishe put on her shoes and started running again. £ª£ª£ª Arnold, the Garkhain Crown Prince, watched the unfolding of the entire episode on the balcony. His eyes were fixed on the back of a girl with coral hair. At first glance, she was a mere noblewoman, but the way she carried herself as she called him the¡ºEmperor¡» characterized a highly skilled swordsman. After jumping off the balcony, she landed with a perfect passive stance. Also, she performed a perfect passive landing after jumping off the balcony. ¡¸Heh¡­¡¹ Arnold smirked out of character when he recalled that. ¡¸He, hahaha¡­¡¹ A squire approached from behind while his shoulders were rocking from his snicker alone. ¡¸Your Highness, why have you come to such a place? Please return to the hall as soon as possible. I understand that you have no intention of getting married for the time being, but it¡¯s still better if you start looking for a match¡­. ¨D¨D Your Highness?¡¹ The squire¡¯s eyes rounded in astonishment. His lord, who usually wore a frown on his face and a bored look in his eyes, was now laughing jovially. ¡¸W-What happened?¡¹ ¡¸Oliver, ready the carriage¡­ No, that¡¯s bothersome. Take one of the horses off the carriage and saddle it.¡¹ ¡¸What exactly are you up to¡­¡¹ Arnold smiled wickedly belligerent, like a wolf that had found its prey. £ª£ª£ª Rishe rushed to the carriage that was waiting for her in front of the royal castle. She sped home, and then stopped the carriage when she could see the mansion just a few hundred meters away. ¡¸Miss? I can give you a ride to the mansion¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s fine right here! Thank you for everything, Daniel!¡¹ She said goodbye to the coachman, whom she had known since childhood, and waved her hands while sprinting away. The area in front of the house was muddy from this morning¡¯s rain, and the carriage would most likely get stuck if it continued on its way. It did on her second loop, and she lost a lot of time because of it. Since then, she just run from this area. ¡¸Ha-ha-ha¡­¡¹ Unlike her life as a trained knight, her current body lacked stamina. Determined to get into shape to some extent in this loop, Rishe arrived at the mansion. However, she was disappointed. ¡¸Aaghhh¡­¡¹ She could see a crowd gathered in front of the main gate. It was a full moon tonight, so she could clearly see what was happening even from her standpoint, which was just a distance away. People with lanterns curiously turned to look at a carriage. Visible in the center of the crowd was a carriage bearing the royal banner. (Is it too late for me to turn back¡­) The moment Rishe stopped, the knight who was controlling the crowd raised his voice ¡¸Your Highness! Lady Rishe is here!¡¹ ¡¸Stay out of the way! Hey, let me through!!¡¹ A man¡¯s yell emanated from beyond the crowd. She needn¡¯t confirm who he was. ¡¸You sure took your time, Rishe!¡¹ With the knights paving the way, her former fianc¨¦, Crown Prince Dietrich, appeared. ¡¸I understand that you don¡¯t wish to hear words of condemnation from your belove¡¯s lips anymore, but I¡¯m afraid things can¡¯t go your way! It is my role as the next ruler to bring down the hammer of justice against a wicked woman like you! !¡¹ ¡¸Looks like I didn¡¯t make it in time¡­ This has got to be the worst timing yet. If only I had gotten here as late as I did the first loop, I wouldn¡¯t have to see His Highness¡¯ face¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­? What are you mumbling about?¡¹ Dietrich looked into Rishe¡¯s face and chuckled. ¡¸I knew it. You were all smiles with that innocent look on your face earlier, but I bet you¡¯re torn up inside.¡¹ ¡¸¨D¨D Pardon?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s too obvious that you¡¯re grieving over our broken engagement.¡¹ Rishe wondered what had brought him to that conclusion. She had her doubts, but Dietrich, the man in question, looked overly confident. ¡¸You¡¯ve been wandering about broken-hearted, I can tell at a glance! Look at your muddy dress, your broken shoes, and those scratches all over you. You must be in such a state due to your grief over our broken engagement¡­¡¹ ¡¸Are you stupid?¡¹ ¡¸Wha-?¡¹ Disgusted by his distorted interpretation, Rishe stared at him in wonder. ¡¸Grief neither stained my dress nor broke my shoes. Also, it may come as a surprise to you, but I¡¯m not the least bit saddened because you called our engagement off.¡¹ ¡¸W-W-What?!¡¹ Rishe¡¯s retort garnered snickers all around. ¡¸Hey, that¡¯s the Crown Prince, right? Has Lady Rishe dump him?¡¹ ¡¸Er, I don¡¯t know, but did Lady Rishe say that their engagement has been called off?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s a good question. That aside, the lady seems totally fine with it, though, but the prince looks more hurt than her.¡¹ ¡¸Y-You there!! Don¡¯t you dare disrespect me, lowly commoners!!¡¹ Dietrich was a rather handsome man, despite his screaming. He had a youthful appearance with picture-perfect blond hair and blue eyes, and perhaps because of his position as Crown Prince, women constantly flocked to him. Pampered since childhood, he brimmed with confidence and always treated those around him with arrogance. For example, it was a common occurrence for him to scold a butler when he was in a foul mood and seriously say,¡ºAren¡¯t I awesome for giving my subjects proper reprimands?¡» No matter how many times Rishe tried to correct him, his attitude never changed. (Seriously, I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve never had to spend my life married to this man.) In the first loop, my broken engagement came as a shock to me. Nevertheless, I told myself, ¡¸It is in the best interest of this country to reform him. That is my role and my mission.¡¹ But after going out into the outside world and discovering that in fact that was not the case, I have never been more grateful or saddened by the breakup of our engagement. ¡¸Your Highness, the people are yours to protect and care for. That was uncalled for.¡¹ They are no longer important to me, but let me point that out in passing. Not so much for Dietrich¡¯s sake, but for the sake of the people and knights present. ¡¸If we¡¯re speaking about attitude, then it¡¯s yours that needs changing. Aren¡¯t you going to hound me to apologize and ask for forgiveness?¡¹ ¡¸No, not at all. If anything, I¡¯m more grateful to you for breaking off our engagement¡­¡¹ ¡¸What?!¡¹ The bystanders as well as the knights around them burst out laughing. In the knights¡¯ case, they could not laugh openly, so they tightly covered their mouths while their shoulders quivered. Seeing this, Dietrich¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡¸D-Don¡¯t laugh at me!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. You¡¯re terrible of you, Lady Rishe¡­¡¹ The sweet voice that joined the party made Rishe sigh. A delicate, petite and lovely girl stepped out of the crowd. With teary large eyes, she stepped forward as if to protect Dietrich. ¡¸No matter how hurt you are, you shouldn¡¯t say such words to His Highness Dietrich! Please don¡¯t hurt my beloved any more!¡¹ ¡¸Lady Marie, so you¡¯re here as well.¡¹ Dietrich¡¯s sweetheart, Marie, stared at Rishe with tearful eyes. Why would he bring his current girlfriend when he was chasing after the woman he was previously engaged with? I can¡¯t believe his nerve, but Dietrich continues to rant and rave behind Marie¡¯s back. ¡¸Rishe, you¡¯ve made my precious Marie cry again! I¡¯ve heard everything from Marie.; hat you bullied her at school, poked fun at her, laughed at her, and sometimes locked her in the classroom at night! Do you think a twisted woman like you is fit to be Queen?!¡¹ (Come now, I¡¯ve never done anything of the like¡­) I glanced at Marie and she averted her gaze somewhat awkwardly. ¡¸Forget about that, Your Highness. Have you already told my parents about our broken engagement?¡¹ ¡¸Forget about that?! ¨D¨D Of course, I told them! The Duke and Duchess are furious and have sworn to disown you!¡¹ ¡¸Uh-oh¡­ Sure enough, I¡¯m too late¡­¡¹ My parents valued appearances above anything else. I guess taking my belongings out of my room is no longer an option. ¡¸What¡¯s with your reaction?! Your mood has changed drastically from earlier, you know?! You must still be in shock over our broken engagement¡­ ¡¹ ¡¸If I may, Mister Dietrich¡­¡¹ Rishe was tired of calling him, Your Highness, and so she addressed him with his name directly. ¡¸I accept your decree to break off our engagement. Please rest assured that I¡¯ll never appear before you ever again.¡¹ ¡¸Huh?! W-What¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Since I was a child, I have always thought that my position as the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡¯ was the only value and meaning of my life. But I was wrong. I can find my own worth. I understand that now, so I¡¯ll be fine.¡¹ Rishe looked Dietrich in the eye and declared loud and clear. ¡¸I don¡¯t need you in my life.¡¹ ¡¸Wh¨D¨D¡­¡¹ Dietrich staggered a few steps backward and fell to the ground with a thud. The comical impact of this picture was too unbearable that the knights and the spectators chortled, no longer able to stifle their laughter. CH 5 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. ¡¸Don¡¯t you dare laugh at me, you insolent bunch!!!¡¹ ¡¸Dietrich-sama, are you all right? You¡¯re so heartless, Lady Rishe! ¡¹ ¡¸You came just in time, Lady Marie. I was hoping to speak with you at some point.¡¹ When Rishe turned her attention to Marie, her thin shoulders jerked. She needn¡¯t respond like that. She wasn¡¯t going to grab and eat her. ¡¸You¡¯re not only pretty, but also outstanding. I have always had the utmost respect for you.¡¹ ¡¸W-What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re such a wonderful person who grew up in a testing environment, yet you never cease to smile warmly. You never put up walls against others, and instead always give consideration to the comfort of those around you. ¨D¨D Even now, you¡¯re fending me off to protect His Highness behind you.¡¹ Marie¡¯s eyes flickered with confusion. Rishe chose her words to curb her guilt a bit. ¡¸It¡¯s all for your family¡¯s sake, right? ¨D¨D You have to marry His Highness Dietrich, even it it means getting rid of me.¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹ How many times had he heard of this fact through the years? Born and raised in a poor family, Marie had precious younger brothers to protect. To ensure they had enough to eat, Marie, who had studied hard and entered the academy, was in desperate need to find someone to marry there. ¡¸However, please keep in mind, it¡¯s you, not others, who should be in control of your life. Do you believe that a man who abandoned his childhood fianc¨¦e like this would protect you for the rest of your life?¡¹ Marie was taken aback and turned her gaze back to Dietrich. The man protected behind the girl remained slumped on the ground. ¡¸If you must seize the future, it¡¯s significant that it¡¯s what you sincerely desire, not anyone else¡¯s.¡¹ ¡¸My desire?¡¹ ¡¸Exactly. I hope you¡¯ll walk through life where you and your family are equally happy.¡¹ After speaking, Rishe took a bow. For a spell, Marie stared at Rishe unblinkingly, as if struck by words she had never heard before. (It¡¯s your call what to do now.) Truth be told, Dietrich would lose his position as Crown Prince a year later and be ousted. His gullible character caught the attention of his vassals, and they instigated him to plot a reckless coup d¡¯etat against the monarch. It ended miserably, however, as it was easily exposed in the early stages of planning, making him the butt of jokes in the entire kingdom. It was with such gossip that Rishe heard about Marie¡¯s circumstances. ¡¸Lady Rishe, I¡­¡¹ Marie, who knew nothing of her fate, seemed forewarned by Rishe¡¯s words. ¡¸All my life, I¡¯ve been told ¡ºYou¡¯re the older sister, so you should put up with your younger brothers.¡»Even though it¡¯s been hard and painful, I can only bear it for their sake. So, this is the first time someone has said something like that to me¡­¡¹ ¡¸Making your brothers and yourself happy at the same time is entirely possible.¡¹ ¡¸¡­.¡¹ Marie¡¯s throat trembled and a whimper escaped, as if she were about to cry. Her moist eyes sparkled as beautiful as jewels. She sure is lovely, Rishe thought. It was no lie that she wished her happiness. However, it was time for her to start walking for her own life, too. ¡¸¨D¨D Thwack!¡¹ Dietrich braced himself vigilantly at Rishe¡¯s sudden grin. ¡¸Well then, this intruder shall take her leave.¡¹ Although Rishe had unfinished business in her room, she knew that her parents would never let her in the house. She turned her back to them, wondering what to do now. ¡¸Please w-wait, Lady Rishe¡­!¡¹ ¡¸R-Right, stop right there Rishe! I won¡¯t let you go. You¡¯re still hung up on me, but look at your attitude!¡¹ ¡¸Oh, God, you¡¯re such a pain in the ass! Have you got nothing else to tell me? We¡¯re over! The end!¡¹ ¡¸Knights, seize Rishe!¡¹ The knights reluctantly chased after Rishe as she tried to leave. Although it was their job, they were tangled too. Rishe tried to turn the corner while sympathizing with them, but the next moment she sensed a threat. ¡¸My apologies, Lady Rishe, but I¡¯ll need you to come with me. Just a few more minutes of your time¡­ Uwaaa!¡¹ Rishe extended her hand toward the knight who was chasing after her and grabbed the sword he carried. She drew it from its scabbard, turned and held it above her head. In an instant, a sharp metallic clang resounded. Rishe deflected a sword blow that someone swung. (Arnold Hein!) ¡¸Heh¡¹¡¡Smirking behind the crossed swords was the man who once killed Rishe. CH 6 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. What Did He Just Say? ¡¸As expected, you¡¯re skilled with the sword indeed.¡¹ The sound of the blades scraping against each other echoed. As Arnold sheathed his sword, Rishe also slowly lowered hers. However, they did not take their eyes off each other. ¡¸Who the hell are you?!¡¹ ¡¸Please stand down, Sir Knights. Things will only get even more complicated if you get involved.¡¹ Rishe¡¯s warning puzzled the knights. However, she couldn¡¯t have the knights of the kingdom confront the Crown Prince of a kingdom they were at peace with. (And I¡¯m sure that even if everyone present work together, they wouldn¡¯t be able to beat this man.) What terrifyingly precise swordsmanship. Rishe¡¯s hand, which received that sword, was completely numb from that blow. Five years later, he would be even stronger than now, so he was a terrifying man. ¡¸By the way, Rishe, where on earth did you learn that swordplay?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a secret. Besides, it¡¯s not worth your compliment. You obviously cut me some slack with that blow you just gave me.¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha, was it that obvious?¡¹ (He¡¯s laughing¡­Errr, Arnold Hein¡­) Rishe was perplexed, looking at Arnold, who was seemingly enjoying himself. The man she had seen in her other lives had always sported terrifying devil-like expression, or a ruthless look on his face. Yet, his aura now was somewhat gentler. (Since the Arnold I knew was 24 years old, he should be 19 now, right?¡­ How strange. No wonder he still has a juvenile look, and the way he laughs is more like a mischievous boy.) His earlier strike was more of an invitation to play rather than an attack. The dab of killing intent mixed into it was probably not serious, but was intended to get Rishe to respond. Emitting bloodthirstiness for sun was just ridiculous, though. While Rishe was observing Arnold, Marie and Dietrich, who had been stunned in the background, snapped back to their senses. ¡¸Excuse me! I don¡¯t know who you are, but please but please stay away from Lady Rishe!¡¹ ¡¸Yes, yes, yes! Who the hell are you anyway?!¡¹ £¨You stupid Crown Prince, you don¡¯t even know the face of the distinguished guest you¡¯ve invited!) Was there no time for them to meet in person before the soiree? I wondered, but then again, Dietrich had no interest in diplomacy at all, so maybe there was none. Marie, on the other hand, seemed to have perceived Arnold¡¯s unusual air. Her voice trembled with fear, but she seemed to have mustered her courage for Rishe¡¯s sake. If it weren¡¯t for their relationship as ¡ºthe Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡» and ¡ºthe girl who had to marry the Crown Prince by any means necessary,¡»Rishe might have avoided a confrontation with her. Arnold unconcernedly raised his chin toward Dietrich. ¡¸Is that guy over there your ex-fianc¨¦? He looks even dumber than I thought.¡¹ ¡¸Say w-what?! Do you want to be executed too?!¡¹ ¡¸Dietrich-sama, I beg you, please shut up. And Your Highness Arnold, you know that he¡¯s the Crown Prince of this kingdom, yet you¡¯re still provoking him.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about. But if he¡¯s indeed the Crown Prince, of course I¡¯ll watch my mouth.¡¹ It was whitewashed denial. Dietrich and his company, on the other hand, turned pale when they found out who the black-haired man was. ¡¸A-Arnold?! Is he perhaps the Crown Prince of the Garkhain Kingdom?!¡¹ ¡¸Gasp¡­!!!¡¹ The knights almost fell back, and then stopped, as if ashamed of themselves. Even the townspeople who had gathered to watch the commotion looked at Arnold tremblingly. ¡¸Is he the monster Crown Prince who single-handedly wiped out enemy knights?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t be stupid! You¡¯ll get yourself killed talking like that!¡±¡¹ Although they had made peace now, they awere still dealing with the dreaded Prince of a former enemy state. Arnold was still feared in the kingdom, though not as much as in the world five years later, along with bloody rumors about him. The spectators seemed too afraid to show their backs to Arnold and run away, so they stood petrified behind the knights. (Things just got troublesome¡­) Rishe took a deep breath, almost a sigh, and looked up at Arnold. ¡¸Your Highness Arnold, may I ask what business you have here? I doubt that Your Highness drew your your sword just for the heck of it.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Ahh¡¹ Arnold seemed to agree. ¡¸You¡¯re right, I should cut to the chase. No, let me apologize for my rudeness first.¡¹ (Huh? So this guy can properly apologize to others at nineteen.) What a surprise. I had heard that after he became Emperor, he beheaded every one of his vassals who attempted to remonstrate against his reckless invasion. But what astounded Rishe even more was the actions he took next. ¡¸Eh¡­¡¹ Arnold knelt down in front of Rishe. (No freaking way?!) Five years later, the Emperor would lead an elite army to invade foreign countries. Arnold, who gave everyone else the cold-shoulder, was noble and arrogant. So for Rishe, who once stood on the battlefield as his enemy, this was an incredible sight. Moreover, he bowed and assumed the posture of a knight, swearing allegiance to his lord. If it had not been Arnold doing so, Rishe would have found it a terribly picturesque sight. In fact, even those scurried away in terror of Arnold earlier were sighing in admiration. But Rishe was feeling the complete opposite. ¡¸What are you doing?! Your Highness, the Crown Prince, shouldn¡¯t be kneeling in a place like this!¡¹ ¡¸I apologize for my sudden impudence, and I humbly ask ¨D¨D¡¹ Arnold looked up and took Rishe¡¯s hand. He pulled Rishe a tad too hard, making her stumble forward. He then regarded Rishe from up close. (Uh¡­.) No matter how many times I see him, his beauty is so breathtaking that I¡¯m almost dazzled. Shaped eyebrows, a straight nose, and long eyelashes. His sharply lit blue eyes remind me of an ice adrift in a distant northern kingdom that I saw from a boat in my past life. Is it a kind of escapism that made me think of something so irrelevant? Arnold pulled Rishe¡¯s attention back. ¡¸Please, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­. Huh?¡¹ What did you just say? Rishe looked around and found that everyone was looking at her in shock. She looked forward again and down at Arnold on his knees. ¡¸¡­ Your wife?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸Me, yours?¡¹ ¡¸Uh-huh.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­..¡¹ This series of affirmation told her that the current situation was no dream. The moment Rishe registered this completely unexpected development, even she couldn¡¯t¡¯ string a word of response. (Wait, what¡¯s this all about?) She was so agitated that her eyes flickered. He was asking her to marry him, her, Rishe, to Arnold. To the man who killed her in another life. (This situation is making me totally dizzy. I have no idea what he means or what his purpose is, but¡­ I¡¯d better answer quickly¡­) As the people around them watched with bated breath, Rishe replied resolutely. ¡¸I refuse.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­..¡¹ It was obvious. Of course she would refuse such a proposal. She vowed to survive this time and lead a peaceful and carefree life. ¨D¨D And yet, why? ¡¸Pfft, hahaha!¡¹ (¡­ Why are you laughing so happily!!) Arnold¡¯s hearty laughter aroused nothing but foreboding in Rishe. CH 7 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. Her sixth life, the one prior to this loop. It was in an island kingdom that Rishe, disguised as a man, became a knight. It was a place she reached while traveling. It was a lovely and historic kingdom built on red bricks. Some knights picked her up and took care of her for a while. They had never noticed that Rishe, who disguised herself as a man for the trip, was a woman, so they recommended her to join the Order. The training was literally blood-curdling. I had learned swordsmanship as part of self-defense while I was still the daughter of a duke. Although this had given me a solid foundation, the training that the knights imposed on me as a man was completely different from what a young lady would learn just for the sake of etiquette. I trained myself tirelessly and honed my swordsmanship day and night. Just when I finally felt like a full-fledged swordsman¡­ The Garkhain imperial army, led by Emperor Arnold, invaded the castle. (How exactly did I end up here¡­) Rishe was sitting limp and quiet in her chair. Arnold was seated in the chair across from her. He crossed his legs and propped his cheek on the armrest, looking arrogant as he appeared to be. ¡¸What¡¯s wrong? You seem to be in a foul mood.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Shouldn¡¯t I be?¡¹ When he pointed out the obvious, she replied sullenly. However, there¡¯s no way I can simply proceed and say,¡ºYou killed me in another life, so it¡¯s quite complicated to face you head on¡», right? Since experiencing the first loop, I decided to keep this fact secret from anyone. ¡¸I¡¯ve made a lot of plans after I get banished, you know? Thanks to you, my parents came out of the house, and even His Majesty caught wind of it¡­¡¹ I massaged my temples, recalling the uproar that ensued. After Arnold¡¯s marriage proposal and Rishe¡¯s rejection of it, a hushed silence reigned in front of the ducal mansion. Dietrich was the first to speak up. ¡ºThe Crown Prince of G-Garkhain propoooosed to Rishe?!¡» His near-exclamatory cry reached her parents¡¯ ears, who were listening inside the mansion. They rushed out and stopped her. Rishe told them,¡¸I have no intention of marrying him. I¡¯ll leave the kingdom as Dietrich had decreed¡¹However, neither of them would listen. They were pale and just flustered. Meanwhile, a gleaming carriage rushed in from across the street. Then the ruler of the kingdom rolled out of the muddy carriage. The muddy king grabbed his son by the collar and forcibly made him lower his head, knocking him to the ground. Then he immediately shouted at Arnold. ¡ºPrince Arnold! Please forgive my idiotic son¡¯s deplorable behavior!! You came all the way from Garkhain to attend the soiree of my son¡¯s fianc¨¦e introduction, and yet we didn¡¯t even properly greet you, let alone express our heartfelt gratitude!!¡» ¡ºF-Father, it hurts! The rocks, the rocks are digging into my forehead!!!¡» ¡ºAnd Lady Rishe! I apologize for my foolish son!! I understand that this is a selfish request, but as both the King and his father, I sincerely apologize! Furthermore, please reconsider Prince Arnold¡¯s proposal in a positive light, for the sake of our country!¡» Her parents hurriedly followed suit, rubbing their heads to the ground along with the King. They prostrated themselves in front of the townspeople without care, making Rishe dizzy. Arnold, who had been watching the play with amusement, suddenly erased his wicked smile and stepped in front of the King. ¡ºPlease lift your head up, Your Majesty.¡» When devoid of any emotion, Arnold¡¯s face instantly looked cold<. Perhaps because of his low voice, the King stubbornly kept his head down. ¡ºThis sort of trivial matter won¡¯t cause a rift in the friendship between our two kingdoms. However, I¡¯d like to speak with the lady in private if possible.¡» Rishe later found out from his squire that his comforting words were actually a threat to the King. ¡¸The Crown Prince has invited him to a soiree, and despite the fact that our Crown Prince went to the trouble of attending the banquet, this kingdom hasn¡¯t bothered to express its welcome. If he were to bring this matter back to the empire, how would the empire react, knowing that he had been slighted?¡¹ ¨D¨D His squire told the King¡¯s attendants these exact words. ¡ºP-Please, Lady Rishe!¡» The fat king, who was on the verge of tears, raised his head to Rishe with bleak eyes, rendering her speechless. Honestly, I had absolutely no obligation to do them a favor. I was bent on leaving this kingdom with no regrets, but I was at a loss. As I was mulling over, Arnold whispered softly beside me. ¡º¨D¨DShould you turn me down, I¡¯ll just keep trying.¡» ¡º¡­¡­¡­¡­¡» £ª£ª£ª Thus, unwillingly, I was given the opportunity to ¡®just talk¡¯ with this man. After all the guests of the banquiet had left, Rishe and Arnold faced each other alone in the drawing room of the royal castle. ¡¸What on earth are you plotting?¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean by plotting?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m referring to your proposal. You must have an ulterior motive, popping the question out of the blue like that on such an occasion.¡¹ After all, this was the man who, in five years¡¯ time, would launch a war of aggression against the whole world. I asked him with caution, but Arnold¡¯s lips turned up in a sly grin. ¡¸There¡¯s nothing of the sort. I just fell for you, nothing more. ¡¹ ¡¸Fell for¡­¡¹ This came as a surprise, because this didn¡¯t fit him at all. I can no longer be bothered to dig deeper into it. Still, no matter how you look at it, it must be a lie. logic What kind of man, who would eventually be dubbed¡¸cold-blooded¡¹and even¡¸inhuman¡¹, would spout such words? ¡¸That aside, why would you refuse me? Your engagement has been called off; you¡¯ve been banished; and you have no backing. You¡¯ll soon end up dead in the streets, so this should be a godsend for you.¡¹ ¡¸Certainly, I would have jumped at your proposal if it were in the past.¡¹ No doubt about it. If I had not experienced six lifetimes and this occurred on the first loop, I would have clung to Arnold¡¯s hand without hesitation. I would have believed that I had no other means to survive. But I know. The future is full of infinite opportunities, and that we can choose our future as much as we want. (I can survive without marrying him¡­but) Rishe pondered face down with her hand holding her forehead. The course of your life can drastically change with the slightest divergence. I don¡¯t know how many more loops I will live through from hereafter, but I¡¯m sure that marrying Arnold is the only path available to me in this one. The man who fired the arrows of war. The treacherous emperor. The invader. I have heard countless rumors and speculations about Arnold Hein, the man who waged war on the world, but his true intentions remained unknown. Why did Arnold do what he did? This question has been lingering on my mind since my first life, when I never even spoke to him. As a merchant, I heard that¡ºwar has broken out in a distant kingdom¡». As a herbalist, I heard that ¡ºthe death toll was high¡» All the while, as a handmaiden, I comforted my trembling charge, saying, ¡ºIt going to be alright¡» Naturally, when I faced him as a knight, he pierced my heart with his sword. (If I were by his side, would I know the root of it all?) I was itching to know. At the same time, I find it unimportant. (But come to think of it¡­) I was reminded of the¡ºdream¡»I used to have. Or you can call it a¡ºlonging¡» Rishe released a pent up breath and looked up. ¡¸¡­You said you fell for me, didn¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s why I proposed.¡¹ How could you tell such a lie with a straight face? ¡¸Then will you listen to any of my selfish desires?¡¹ ¡¸I swear I will grant you everything under the sun, so long as it¡¯s within in my power .¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I¡¯ve got conditions.¡¹ Arnold silently urged her to continue. ¡¸You are to procure the necessary items for the wedding from the company of my choice.¡¹ ¡¸Okay, up to you.¡¹ ¡¸Then, when the wedding ceremony is over, please set up a venue where we may meet and mingle with the foreign distinguished guests.¡¹ ¡¸That one is more like the first task required of you as Crown Princess. Anything else?¡¹ ¡¸I would prefer if we live separately from your parents.¡¹ Arnold laughed in amusement when I said that quite earnestly. ¡¸You don¡¯t seem like the type to care about in-laws issues.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not true. My mother told me that dealing with in-laws is the hardest part of marriage. Can you arrange a separate home for us, even if it¡¯s dilapidated and dirty?¡¹ Of course, I am not saying this because I don¡¯t want to live together with them. Arnold would kill his father first before waging the war. He would stage a coup d¡¯etat, not a half-hearted one like Dietrich¡¯s, but a real coup d¡¯etat by committing patricide. Thus, he became emperor, seized real power in the kingdom, and began to direct the military at will. (The farther he¡¯s separated from his father, even just a little bit, the less chance he¡¯ll have of killing him. This may be pointless though.) ¡¸Is there anything else? I¡¯ll do anything, if it means you¡¯ll marry me.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯d say tell me what you are up to now¡­ but there¡¯s just one final thing.¡¹ Despite knowing that it was impolite, Rishe pointed a sharp finger at Arnold. ¡¸¨D¨D I¡¯ll definitely laze around the castle! I will not do any work, just slack off, and chill out!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­..¡¹ I wonder if this will make him withdraw his proposal and say, ¡ºI don¡¯t want such a Crown Princess¡» Unfortunately, Arnold ended up dissolving into laughter without a word about calling off his proposal. ¡ª¨C CH 8 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. ¡º¨D¨D I, you know, since becoming a merchant, I have a dream for my future for the first time in my life.¡» The former Rishe told a friend she made in a certain kingdom. ¡ºAll this time, I have only existed as either¡¸the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡¹ or ¡¸the Duke¡¯s daughter,¡¹ My future goal is to be worthy of those titles. After traveling with other merchants and seeing the landscapes of foreign lands, for the first time, I thought to myself, ¡¸I want to make it happen.¡¹¡» ¡ºOh? And what that might be?¡» The king of a desert kingdom asked Rishe with an amicable smile, so she answered with a smile. ¡ºI want to visit every country in the world. I want wander the streets on my own two feet, explore the markets, and see the smiling faces of people who live there!¡» This scenario seemed like a long time ago now. £ª£ª£ª ¡¸¨D¨D£¡¡¹ With a snap, Rishe opened her eyes and almost drew her sword, which she had been carrying, and readied herself. Sitting across from her in the carriage was her former enemy in another life, Arnold. His hand that was about to reach out froze because of the sword that Rishe nearly drew. ¡¸¡­What are you doing?¡¹ Rishe backed away from him as much as possible and looked at his hand, which was extended toward her. Today was the fifth day of their journey to the Garkhain Kingdom. There were five carriages in all, with the knights in the front and rear, and Arnold¡¯s squire in the second from the front. The servants and their luggage, on the other hand, were loaded in the second carriage from the back, while in the middle was the large carriage for the royal family. Rishe, who was to become the Crown Princess, must ride in the same carriage as Arnold, even if she was very much unwilling. So she warned him, ¡¸Never, ever, lay a finger on me. ¡¹ It was a serious predicament that the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t touch his consort, but Arnold, who had promised to ¡ºcarry out whatever Rishe wishes¡» agreed. ¨D¨D Nonetheless, he wasn¡¯t so easily deterred. While Rishe was staring at him warily, Arnold remained calm and composed. ¡¸Don¡¯t look at me with such disdain. I was just trying to get back what you took from me.¡¹ ¡¸¡­?¡¹ Once he pointed it out, Rishe looked at her sword and realized that it wasn¡¯t hers. Or rather, there was no way that Rishe, a duke¡¯s daughter, would have a sword of her own. It had a black lacquered scabbard with a simple gold embellishment. This sword, with the Garkhain crest engraved on the handle, was ¨D¨D. ¡¸Kyaaah!¡¹ She unintentionally screamed and thrust it back at Arnold. ¡¸I-I-I¡¯m terribly sorry!!¡¹ ¡¸Pfft, hahahah¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I wondered what was going on. I surmised you were rowing your boat in your sleep, then all of a sudden you grabbed my sword. How can you sleep so well just curled up with it as support?¡¹ Arnold laughed, took the sword, and placed it against his side, while Rishe patted her racing heart over her dress and took deep breaths. (I¡¯m done for¡­ To think that I used the sword that stabbed me in the heart as a pillow¡­) I guess it is because of a habit I picked up during my knight life. When I am nervous or on guard, I feel a little safer with a sword in my hand. Nevertheless, it was bad enough that the sword I¡¯ve unconsciously drawn belonged to Arnold. ¡¸You were sound asleep, so I thought about taking the sword away and making you lie down. I didn¡¯t expect you to sense me when I barely even touched you.¡¹ Arnold chuckled with interest and rested his right arm on the window frame of the carriage with his cheek on it. ¡¸You must have gone through a great deal of combat training to reach this level. I suppose you were so busy that you couldn¡¯t lead the charmed life of a noble lady, no?¡¹ ¡¸I-Indeed.¡¹ Honestly, it¡¯s impossible for me to say that I lived the life of a man, let alone a young lady. ¡¸¨D¨D However, not only did you devote yourself to swordsmanship, you also seem to be fond of flowers.¡¹ I followed Arnold¡¯s gaze and saw my luggage by the seat. My handkerchiefs were lined with a small bunch of lovely flowers. I picked these up from blooms by the water, such as when the horses were resting at the lake along the way. The flowers I collected today are still fresh, but the ones I started drying five days ago are ready to go. ¡¸Oh, I didn¡¯t pluck these just to appreciate their beauty.¡¹ ¡¸?¡¹ Rishe smiled and looked at the flower in her hand. The mild sweet fragrance filled her heart with contentment. It was the soft and gentle smell of spring wildflowers. She looked out the window with nothing to do and found that there were abundant flowers, which were rare in her kingdom, in the forests leading to Garkhain. She would have loved to get out of the carriage and pick them, but she couldn¡¯t selfishly delay their itinerary. However, she still couldn¡¯t help but feel regretful and look outside longingly. Arnold looked at her in silence and suddenly remembered something. ¡¸By the way, I¡¯ve got my squire to arrange a horseback messenger for you. I sent word to the merchant group you chose to come down for business negotiations for the wedding ceremony.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve agreed to my request.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve been hearing a lot about them recently. They seem like an upstart firm. Were you originally a regular patron?¡¹ ¡¸No. But I heard from a friend that they stock the highest quality products.¡¹ Rishe was relieved that Arnold was making good of his promise. Most royal families typically had their own merchants. It was an unexpectedly a tricky request to get them to use another merchant group. (I¡¯d like to establish contact with ¡ºthose people¡»as early as possible in this life as well, though.) Rishe chose the merchant group that picked her up in her first loop and raised her into a full-fledged merchant. Two years ago, Tully, the president of the company, created a new enterprise, which was still in the growth stage. However, they would morph into the largest merchant group in the world in just a few years. I managed to get in touch with them, and they took care of me when I was distributing the new medicine I had invented in my life as a herbalist. Back then, Rishe struggled to win their trust as a herbalist, but it would be much easier this time around. (I think this marriage won¡¯t work, so I must ensure that I¡¯m all set to flee at a moment¡¯s notice when accidents happen. To that end, let me use all the information I know and my position as Crown Princess.) I don¡¯t know what Arnoldt has in mind, but I don¡¯t intend to end up just being used. Whether we end up getting divorced or me fleeing, I¡¯ve got to spend my days meaningfully. All in order to survive and live a leisurely, carefree life five years forward. With such resolve, I stared at him. ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ ¡¸Uh¡­.¡¹ When he stared right back at her with that perfectly sculpted face, Rishe couldn¡¯t help but frown. For some reason, she even felt as if her eyes would burn when she looked directly at them. His outrageous beauty was not merely figurative, but rather highly destructive. More so because this was the face of the man who killed her in a former life ¡¸N-Nothing¨D¨D¡¹ Just as her response fell, the resounding neigh of a horse echoed through the air. ¡¸Stop! Hey, stop the carriage!¡¹ A scream erupted from the carriage in front. The knights who flanked the carriage on foot rushed forward. ¡¸Who the hell are you people?¡¹ It was an emergency. Arnold, sword in hand, disembarked from the carriage before Rishe, who had sensed the situation and was about to jump out of the carriage. ¡¸Ah!¡¹ ¡¸Stay put, and be quiet.¡¹ Arnold locked the door from the outside and headed towards the commotion. (The Crown Prince goes out of his way to get himself close to danger when his knights are there!) Rishe was astonished when he shelved her attempt to jump out as well. Perhaps bandits had launched an attack outside. The carriage had separate locks for the inside and outside of the door, but Arnold locked the outside. The purpose, in short, was to keep Rishe inside. (To prevent me from running away?¡­ He even ordered me to be quiet.) The carriage should be the most likely target. Even if she was locked inside, it would be her end if they managed to break the window glass and dragged her out. However, now that the carriage was locked outside, she had no way to get out. As Rishe looked around for something she could use, she noticed an accessory pin she was wearing in her hair. (¡­I¡¯ve missed this one.) Rishe took off her hairpin, twisted the pin in the doorway, and took a trip down memory lane. (When I was a handmaiden, I used to forcibly unlock a door because my young lady refused to study and would immediately lock herself in her room¡­) With the pin ready, the simple carriage lock was immediately unlocked. CH 9 This is a retranslation since copies of the early chapters have been lost. I''ll translate as fast as possible, but please enjoy the updates for now. When Rishe opened the door of the carriage, there was no sign of the bandits around. She was presently unarmed, so she headed toward the center of the commotion, paying attention to her surroundings. The screams and angry roars echoing from the front soon died down. The cause became immediately apparent. (What the¡­) A dozen or so men, who appeared to be bandits, were rolling on the ground. Arnold, who was standing in the center of the bunch, looked down at one of the bandits and rolled him onto his back. He thrusted his drawn sword to his throat and frowned in displeasure. ¡¸Is that all you¡¯ve got? I had the knights back off and went out of my way to greet you alone. How dreadfully mundane.¡¹ ¡¸Gah!¡¹ Arnold stomped firmly on the bandit¡¯s belly and turned a murderous gaze on him. The look on his face was terribly cold. It was not anger at the entity that attacked them, but disappointment that they did not live up to his expectations. The air Arnold radiated made the knights, who were supposedly his subordinates, frightened. With his bloody sword in his hand, he gently shook it to shed the blood. Is he going to kill the bandit? Despite Rishe¡¯s misgivings, Arnold wiped the sword with the bandit¡¯s clothes and sheathed it. On a closer look, it seemed that all the bandits lying around were just unconscious. (He didn¡¯t kill any of them! Is it because we¡¯re still in another kingdom¡¯s territory?) Regardless, does this mean that he¡¯s rational enough not to step on such a terrible move? Or, is Arnold still not at the point where he kills people indiscriminately? As I was observing, Arnold glanced at me, apparently noticing my gaze. He was quite astonished. It was an honest expression, a far cry from the bloodthirsty one I have seen in the past. ¡¸How did you get out of the carriage?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s a secret. If I tell you, you¡¯ll surely take countermeasures.¡¹ ¡¸Hah, you really never cease to surprise me.¡¹ You had such a cold expression on your face just seconds ago, you know? Don¡¯t present such a mischievous front that befits your age out of the blue. As I was feeling disconcerted, a lone man got out of the carriage. ¡¸Your Highness! You¡¯re being reckless again!¡¹ The disgruntled man who disembarked was as tall as Arnold. With short silver hair and arched eyebrows, he must be Arnold¡¯s squire, named Oliver. ¡¸What do you think the knights are here for? Engaging the bandits out of necessity is one thing, but ordering the knights to back off so you can fight alone is just pushing it!¡¹ (F-Fair point¡­) This Oliver was totally undaunted by Arnold. Arnold introduced him to Rishe five days ago before they left her homeland, and he greeted her as if she were one of his own people, saying, ¡ºPlease take care of Our Highness from now on.¡» Rather than the fearsome Crown Prince, Arnold, too, had a somewhat helpless look on his face toward Oliver. ¡¸I sensed the impending blood thirst from these thieves. These kind of people are tricky. It¡¯s better for me to step out alone to protect the national interest than to let the knights fight and cause damage in a place that isn¡¯t a battlefield¡­ In fact, those who engaged in the initial response have sustained injuries.¡¹ He was right. Several knights were leaning against a tree, limp. Arnold gave instructions to the knights who retreated. ¡¸First unit, tend to the wounded. Second unit, arrest these bandits.¡¹ ¡¸Ha!¡¹ ¡¸Good grief¡­ that¡¯s just a consequential theory, Your Highness. I¡¯m glad that nothing happened, but you even took Rishe-sama out.¡¹ ¡¸I didn¡¯t take her out of the carriage.¡¹ Rishe quickly averted her gaze when he said this. That aside, what was more concerning was the condition of the knights. Judging from their bleeding, their injuries weren¡¯t that deep, but they all appeared drained of their strength. ¡¸Ahem, can I be of help?¡¹ When Rishe spoke to the knight who was attending to the wounded, he raised his head to Rishe in surprise. ¡¸Nonsense! You¡¯re the Crown Princess-to-be¡­ Please return to the carriage and take a rest.¡¹ (¡­?) There was nothing particularly strange about the knight¡¯s words if that was all the focus. But the way he looked at Rishe was as if he didn¡¯t want her to get too close to his precious friends. (He¡¯s more wary than unwelcoming¡­) ¡¸Ugh¡­¡¹ One of the knights groaned as his companions held him up. ¡¸¡±Hey, what¡¯s wrong? You okay?¡±¡¹ ¡¸My body¡¯s growing numb¡­¡¹ ¡¸What?¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¹ The knight hurriedly picked up the sword that had fallen at his feet, and turned pallid as he examined the blade. ¡¸Your Highness! Please look. It seems that the bandits had coated their weapons with some kind of poison.¡¹ ¡¸Crap¡­¡¹ Arnold frowned and added instructions to the knights. ¡¸Immediately find where their injuries are. Bind the wounds near the heart and suck the poison out from the wound.¡¹ His instructions were quite precise. Rishe glanced around and approached the bandits, who were already tied up. When she drew a dagger out of its sheath, the blade was coated with a glistening liquid, just as the knight had said. (Quite generously applied. It¡¯s an inexpensive and amply available poison.) She faned it with her hand to check the smell and found no pungent odor. This time, she directly placed it near her nose to analyze it more closely. (It smells sweet, like an overripe apple¡­ It is definitely a mixture of shear grass and bluestone mushrooms. It¡¯s generally consistent with the symptoms of the knights.) Rishe stood up and headed toward the carriage she was riding in. ¡¸Your Highness, Her Highness, Lady Rishe, is going back to the carriage.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s fine with me. Let her do what she wants.¡¹ ¡¸Well, you mentioned that she¡¯s trained in swords, but I don¡¯t think she has any battlefield experience. Such a horrific sight would be cruel to the such a pampered young lady!¡¹ (There it is. This, and this, and then¡­) While listening to the conversation of Arnold and the others, Rishe searched for the items she was looking for. ¡¸The poison is probably an anesthetic of some kind. I¡¯ve heard that some hunters around here use it to weaken large prey. The amount of poison on the blade should be less than lethal.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re still in trouble, though. The shortest estimate for us to reach Garkhain is two more days. Along with tending to the paralyzed knights, the journey will take longer than that.¡¹ ¡¸Then we¡¯ll have to find the hunters¡¯ settlement. If we can get the antidote¨D¨D¡­¡¹ ¡¸Pardon me.¡¹ Rishe returned to them and quickly raised her hand. ¡¸I have it, the antidote.¡¹ ¡¸Huh?¨D¨D¡¹ All eyes simultaneously gathered on Rishe at once. £ª£ª£ª Arnold¡¯s conjecture was consistent with Rishe¡¯s speculations. This sweet-smelling poison was used for hunting all over the continent. It was made from materials that could be harvested in the springtime and was valued because the toxin would disappear when heated by flame. Rishe herself had several opportunities to see this poison in the past. In her herbalist life, she had treated patients who had ingested this poison. ¡¸The lethal dose for an adult male is one glass of wine, barely a hundredth of what penetrated the knights¡¯ bodies.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ While having the wounded knights lie on their sides, Rishe explained to Arnold, all the while working on a certain task. ¡¸However, they¡¯d better not lie on their backs, as this can also cause tongue and other movements to deteriorate. The root of the tongue can fall down toward the throat and block the airway.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ I understand what you¡¯re saying, but so what?¡¹ Arnold asked, peering into Rishe¡¯s hand. ¡¸What exactly are you doing?¡¹ ¡¸Huh? As you can see, I¡¯m making the antidote.¡¹ Rishe replied seriously as she kneaded the herbs in a bowl. The white soup bowl was filled with flowers just picked this morning. She was crushing the flowers with the back of a spoon, and when the time was right, she¡¯d add another flower, and then ground the mixture again. ¡¸This poison is invaluable to hunters because it¡¯s cheap, readily available, and the antidote is easy to secure.¡¹ The poisons produced by these spring wildflowers came from the same forests where the antidote also grew. It was said that hunters discovered a deer, which remained normal after eating poisonous blue stone mushrooms, also ate some wild plants along with them, so they developed it as an experimental subject. ¡¸The truth is, it works better if we boil it, but let¡¯s make do with this one for the time being. There¡¯s no time to lose.¡¹ After adding a small amount of water to the crushed herbs and using a cloth to strain it, Rishe stood up with a bowl of green medicine in her hand. Only then did she discover that everyone around her was looking at her in a daze. ¡¸¡­?¡¹ She glanced at Arnold, troubled and unable to figure out why they were staring at her. Beside Oliver¡¯s, who was staring at her blankly, Arnold also remained silent as if thinking about something. If she was going to treat them, she better get started the soonest possible. After mulling over it, it dawned on Rishe. (Oh, are they suspecting me by any chance?) But on second thought, it was only natural. (I wouldn¡¯t want to use a medicine that a stranger concocted, either. But the longer it takes for them to ingest the antidote, the harder it is to get rid of their numbness¡­) At the very least, Rishe wanted to ease their fears. With this in mind, she walked toward Arnold. She rolled up the sleeves of her dress, and then half-drew the sword he was carrying from its scabbard. ¡¸Let me borrow this, Your Highness.¡¹ ¡¸Wh¨D¨D¡­¡¹ After telling him this, she pressed the soft skin of the inside of her arm against the sword. Although it caused a faint pain, it was nothing compared to the knights¡¯ injuries and lives. ¡¸What are you doing?!¡¹ Arnold blinked at the red streak that formed on Rishe¡¯s arm. He almost grabbed her arm, but Rishe immediately backed away. Rishe didn¡¯t expect him to be so disconcerted. But this was not the time to deal with him. While holding the bowl that was about to spill its contents, she glanced back at the knights. ¡¸Rest assured, this liquid isn¡¯t poison.¡¹ With that said, she scooped a spoonful of the medicine and dabbed it on the wound she had slashed. It stung a bit, a sign that the herbal ingredients had been extracted. ¡¸It is a mixture of lycoris herb, lucua flowers, and carrillier berries ground together. If you¡¯re still skeptical, I¡¯ll gladly take a sip.¡¹ In truth, it was bitter and Rishe wished to avoid it as much as possible. She hid her true sentiments, though, and looked down at the knight closest to her. ¡¸The poison you have received is such that its numbness will last for several days. So, it¡¯s your call.¡¹ ¡¸Uh, wh¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Would you like to take a chance on this medicine, or suffer with that uncomfortable numbness and wait patiently till we reach Garkhain? Or we could also ask His Highness to find a hunters¡¯ settlement to get the antidote they use ¨D¨D¡¹ Rishe smilingly listed their choices. ¡¸You can take your pick, Your Highness.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ Arnold regarded Rishe with a look of complexity never seen on his face before.