NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Formal Meeting
When the emperor of a nation makes an appearance, it sets off a chain of alerts for his protection.
Even more so when he was the emperor of the great empire of Einthafen, which unified the central, southern, eastern, and western parts of the continent.
Hundreds of imperial guards surrounded the area, and among them, the elite of the elite—the Royal Guard—formed multiple layers of defense. Above them, squadrons of Grand Sky Drakes flew, prepared to respond to any potential ambush.
Whether they were aware of the gravity of the situation outside or not, two middle-aged men and two young adults, who appeared to have just reached adulthood, sat face-to-face at a relatively modest table compared to the grandeur of the chandelier above them.
“It has been a long time, Your Majesty,” said one of the men.
Even while seated, his back was straight as a rod.
His broad shoulders and towering frame clearly revealed that he was no ordinary man.
The middle-aged man sitting across from him let out a hearty laugh.
He was equally imposing, with a massive physique.
His weathered face exuded authority, and his well-kept beard, though grand in appearance, had begun to show streaks of white.
“Speak freely, Duke Miterien. We are old comrades who fought on the battlefield together. Besides, this is not a meeting between an emperor and a vassal but a gathering of fathers with children to discuss.”
“In that case, I will take you at your word.”
Only then did the two men relax their postures, leaning forward with their elbows on the table.
“Look here, Kreutz. Don’t you think the security is a bit lacking?”
“Fifty Royal Guards and two squadrons of Grand Sky Drakes. If that’s not enough, then what in the world would be considered sufficient? Besides, you’re here, and so am I.”
Kreutz von Einthafen.
Wolfgang von Miterien.
Kreutz von Einthafen, the Lion King who, after a long and bloody war, finally unified the entire continent except for the northern territories.
And Wolfgang, who, upon Kreutz’s proclamation of the empire, declared his role complete and requested to govern a northern territory far from the imperial capital.
These two were not only close friends but also two of the most celebrated founding figures of Einthafen.
And now, the two were sitting together to arrange the marriage of their children.
“…Still as lacking in femininity as ever, I see.”
The young man spoke. His neatly combed golden hair shimmered like sunlight.
His blue eyes, clear like the sky and shining like starlight, paired with his exquisitely sculpted face, made it clear who he was. He was Leopold von Einthafen, crown prince of the empire.
“What a surprisingly gentle greeting for someone like you to give to his fiancée after such a long time,” replied the woman.
Her silver hair was braided into three strands and elegantly coiled into a bun.
Her rare, mint-green eyes shifted ever so slightly before glancing at her teacup.
Her long, pale fingers reached out to lift the cup, and her snow-white skin gleamed faintly in the light.
Astrid von Miterien did not like this situation.
She didn’t like her so-called fiancé, Leopold, who sat across from her.
She didn’t like the two middle-aged men who had shifted from small talk about their children to bragging about who had the stronger military unit during the war.
“This is truly an uncomfortable meeting,” she muttered.
“I agree. I’d rather sit across from the northern barbarians than sit here with you,” Leopold responded.
“Hah.”
Leopold let out a laugh tinged with mockery.
It was remarkable that Astrid could say something like that straight to the face of the crown prince of the grand empire that had conquered 80% of the continent.
“You’re unbelievably rude,” he remarked.
“Indeed. But it seems I’m not alone. After all, some people think it’s fine to spew verbal abuse at their fiancée. Perhaps you should do some self-reflection.”
Astrid took a sip of tea, grimacing internally at the taste.
It was awful.
In her previous world, coffee mixes had been so common that you could practically trip over them on the street. But here, she would have begged for just one.
Considering that the emperor, the crown prince, a grand duke, and the grand duke’s daughter were gathered here, it was beyond belief that this was the tea they were being served.
“To think you would dare to talk back to the crown prince of Einthafen. You must have a death wish.”
“Is that so? Well, if you wish, you could always have me executed.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Leopold said, grinning.
His natural good looks made even a simple smile look like a masterpiece of art.
“After all, the marriage must proceed as planned. The union of Einthafen’s bloodline with Miterien’s is an absolute necessity for the empire.”
“I refuse.”
“You would defy an imperial decree? I was joking, but it seems you truly are fearless.”
Astrid pressed her lips together tightly.
Her grayish lips grew pale as she bit them.
Absolutely not.
She would never marry a man.
Her resolve was firm.
Her mind raced for a way to turn the situation around.
“I can’t let them have their way anymore. I have to make him call off the marriage himself.”
Defying an imperial decree was not an option.
Although she was born and raised in a liberal democratic country, she now found herself in an unknown world. On top of that, she had fallen into it as a woman — a gender completely opposite to her original one.
Until she could find a way to return to her original world, survival was paramount.
In a nation ruled by an absolute monarchy, survival required absolute obedience to the emperor’s commands.
“I have to find a legitimate way to avoid marriage at all costs. If I can’t break it off entirely, I have to at least delay it…”
“Astrid von Miterien.”
Her train of thought was suddenly broken by the sound of someone calling her name.
Astrid snapped back to reality.
Leopold’s displeased gaze was fixed squarely on her.
He must have called her several times. For a moment, Astrid almost apologized out of habit, but she barely stopped herself in time.
—She was not the type to apologize for something like this.
“Yes,” she replied.
“What were you thinking about so deeply that you didn’t hear me calling you?”
It was clear he had called her multiple times.
Should she apologize?
No. The original Astrid would never do that.
‘If anything, it’s better to turn it around on him.’
“You’ve disturbed a lady’s contemplation, so wouldn’t it be proper for you to apologize first?”
“Contemplation? Contemplation in a place like this? You’re joking.”
“Contemplation is something you can do anywhere. The enlightenment gained at the end of that contemplation is what makes it meaningful. Surely, where it takes place shouldn’t matter.”
“You’re quite good at talking your way around things. Fine. Fine.”
She had no idea what he found so “fine,” but one thing was clear.
Leopold was not pleased with this situation.
Leaning back deeply into the antique chair, he crossed one leg over the other.
By now, their fathers were far too drunk to care about their children’s conversation.
The two men were immersed in a lively discussion, sharing old war stories and laughing heartily. They had clearly lost interest in their surroundings.
“And what exactly is ‘fine’?” Astrid asked.
“Oh, it’s simple. No matter how hard you try, Astrid, you will never surpass me, the Crown Prince.”
Leopold leaned forward suddenly, propping his elbow on the table.
Resting his chin on his interlaced fingers, he smiled casually. His gaze, however, was far from friendly as he fixed his eyes on the beautiful woman before him.
“It’s your fate to become the Crown Princess. And after that, the Empress. No matter how prideful or defiant you are right now, in the end, you’ll submit to me. How could I not be pleased, knowing that?”
‘Don’t be so sure of yourself!’
“And on top of that, you’re breathtakingly beautiful. Truly, a blessing for the empire.”
A slight scowl crossed Astrid’s face.
Leopold noticed it immediately and grinned triumphantly.
Meanwhile, Astrid silently downed the rest of the lukewarm tea.
“Father,” she called out.
Her father, the Grand Duke of Miterien, known as the “Frozen Shield of the Empire”, was none other than Wolfgang von Miterien.
At that moment, however, he was too deep in conversation with Kreutz to hear his daughter.
“Father,” she called again.
But the chat between the two men continued.
“Father, I will enter the Academy.”
As soon as those words were spoken, the lively conversation between Wolfgang and Kreutz came to an abrupt halt.
With a sharp movement that seemed as if it would make a creaking sound, Wolfgang turned his head toward Astrid.
“Astrid… What did you just say?”
“I said I will enroll in the Academy. As the daughter of the House of Miterien, a family known as the Frozen Shield of the Empire, I will become an honorable soldier who defends the empire.”
Astrid had made her decision.
A soldier.
To think there would come a day when she would willingly declare her desire to become a soldier.
Twice.
She had never imagined that she would have to enlist in the military twice in one lifetime.
The “Academy” referred to the Imperial Military Academy, a prestigious institution founded under the banner of systematic training for knights in Einthafen, a military superpower.
Once enrolled, cadets were strictly prohibited from engaging in personal affairs, including marriage, until graduation.
In other words, if she enrolled in the Academy, her marriage discussions with the Crown Prince would be automatically postponed until she graduated.
In the meantime, she could figure out a way to return to her original world.
This was Astrid’s conclusion.
Enlisting in the military for a second time was annoying, but it was far better than being forced to marry a man.
“Twice. I’m really doing this twice…”
Astrid screamed silently in her heart.