The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 24: Akemilla Provokes

While resting at the checkpoint, Leopold sat on the ground, lost in thought.

It was something he didn’t need to think about.

Whether Squad Leader Astrid handled the dirty work or not had nothing to do with him. No one had asked Leopold to handle the meat, and he had no reason to do so. He could’ve just stayed still.

So why had it bothered him so much? Why did it feel unpleasant? Why had it left him with a sense of dissatisfaction?

He didn’t know. Whether Astrid’s hands got dirty or not, what did that have to do with him? Why did it matter?

It didn’t.

Even when they’d been close enough that their faces could have touched, even then, Astrid’s mint-green eyes had simply gazed at him.

There was no embarrassment, no expectation, no flutter of emotion—just calm, steady eyes watching him.

And yet…

— I don’t know how to do it either. And why would I laugh at you? Taking on hard, dirty work isn’t something to be mocked.

‘That’s all it was. That’s all it could be. There’s no other reason.’

He felt like an idiot.

To think that maybe, just maybe, Astrid still had even the smallest feelings for him. To think that way had been stupid.

And what’s worse, for just a moment, he’d felt a flicker of excitement.

‘Idiot. What am I expecting from a woman who’s already walked away?’

Foolish.

Their engagement was nothing more than an empty shell now.

A shackle that bound them against their will—there was no need to keep it any longer.

Leopold had already decided. When he returned to the imperial palace during the summer break, he’d formally announce the dissolution of their engagement.

It was the cleanest path forward for both of them, he thought.

‘Astrid might not agree, but… no, she’ll welcome it.’

She certainly would.

“Oh my, what a coincidence. Fancy meeting you all here.”

In the sunlight, hair the color of honeyed gold shimmered softly.

With a bright smile on her face, Akemilla waved her hand as she approached.

“Cadet Akemilla, what a coincidence.”

“Indeed, Cadet Astrid. I never imagined I’d run into you here. I didn’t think there’d be any guests waiting, either. My, my.”

Akemilla’s gaze shifted to Leopold.

For a brief moment, an odd glint of amusement flickered in her eyes, but it quickly vanished behind her usual kind smile.

“Cadet Leopold, have you had lunch yet?”

“We’ve already eaten down below.”

His tone wasn’t exactly polite. In fact, it bordered on curt, but Akemilla didn’t seem to mind.

Akemilla had seen it all from behind.

She’d seen, and she’d heard.

What she’d thought was just another petty romance turned out to be something quite different.

A rumor had started to spread quietly among the cadets—the rumor of discord between Crown Prince Leopold von Einthafen and Archduke’s daughter Astrid von Miterien.

Of course, the one who’d started that rumor was none other than Akemilla herself.

Even so, witnessing it unfold before her own eyes filled her with delight.

“Have you scored any points so far?” she asked.

“Points?”

They hadn’t been counting.

Since Astrid was the vanguard, she’d been focused on clearing monsters, not tallying scores.

“We’ve probably earned a fair amount. Judging by your expression, Cadet Akemilla, you’ve done well for yourself.”

“Oh, absolutely. We’ve been… oops, I wasn’t supposed to say that, was I?”

Akemilla feigned surprise, covering her mouth with her hand and laughing softly.

Her squad’s vanguard role had been assigned to a different Heavy Cavalry Knight in her squad, allowing her to play a more flexible role in combat.

Her speed-based twin-sword style had been effective, and she’d led her squad with skill. Their pace had been fast, and she was confident they were in the running for first place.

“Of course. You’re a talented cadet, Akemilla, so I figured you’d be doing well.”

Astrid’s tone was indifferent, as if she didn’t care.

Winning would be nice, but she didn’t see the point in pushing herself to compete too hard during a mere training exercise. The rewards wouldn’t be anything particularly valuable.

“Cadet Astrid, you’re always so composed.”

Her smile was irritating.

Astrid didn’t like Akemilla at that moment.

That ever-present, gentle smile.

People who constantly wore that kind of mask were the ones who stabbed you in the back when you least expected it.

Behind Akemilla, her squad members looked visibly exhausted, as if they’d been working hard all morning. They looked just as worn out as Astrid’s squad had earlier that day when they’d first entered the forest.

“Of course, I’m feeling relaxed. I’ve already fed my squad well, and we’ve racked up plenty of points.”

The deer had been plump, and they’d eaten their fill.

Once cooked, the meat had been much tastier than expected, with no trace of the gamey smell they’d feared. It’d been delicious, regardless of how crude the preparation had been.

“Oh, I see. Well, we haven’t eaten yet. We were planning to hunt after a bit of rest.”

Akemilla’s expression faltered ever so slightly.

Just a tiny change in her face, but Astrid caught it.

“We’ve got some leftover meat. Want some? Eranya, get out the leftover meat.”

Astrid had seen Eranya pack away the remaining venison.

“I was saving it to eat later…”

Even as she grumbled, Eranya pulled out chunks of venison from her pack. The sizeable pieces of meat made Akemilla’s squad’s eyes glisten with desire, their gazes glued to the sight of the meat.

“Squad Leader Akemilla, if you’d like, we’d be happy to share our rations with you.”

Akemiila’s expression stiffened.

On the surface, it sounded generous, but it could also be heard as, “What, too focused on points to feed your squad? Want us to help?”—a provocation that poked at her pride.

“…Sure, as expected of Squad Leader Astrid. You’re as broad-minded as ever.”

“Well, I grew up in a harsh, cold place. You learn pretty quickly that survival depends on helping each other.”

A lie.

She just wanted to get under Akemilla’s skin a little.

“Alright then. Since you’re being so generous, how about we have a little chat, Squad Leader Astrid?”

While the members of Akemilla’s squad eagerly reached for the meat that Eranya begrudgingly handed over, Astrid’s attention shifted to Akemilla’s words.

“A chat? About what?”

“It won’t take long.”

Following Akemilla’s lead, Astrid walked to the edge of the checkpoint, a spot no one would pay attention to.

Akemiila’s smile was composed and gentle, but she didn’t speak immediately. Instead, she watched Astrid quietly.

“If you’ve got something to say, say it. I’d like to rest a little before we head out again.”

Sensing Astrid’s impatience, Akemilla’s eyes narrowed with amusement before she finally spoke.

“You’re going to break off your engagement with Prince Leopold, aren’t you?”

“…What?”

Her words were so blunt that Astrid was momentarily stunned.

If you’re going to bring up a topic like that, shouldn’t you start with some preamble like, “I’ve heard rumors” or “I’ve been wondering”?

‘What… huh? Sure, I’d love to, but still. Who just says it outright like that?’

Caught off guard, Astrid’s mind blanked, and in that moment of silence, Akemilla’s eyes gleamed with certainty as she continued talking, as if convinced she’d struck gold.

“I’m serious. I saw it myself. You and Prince Leopold, a few days ago… maybe it was the day after enrollment or the day after that? You two were talking on the bench behind the dorms after dinner.”

‘Ah.’

So that’s what this is about. She’d thought no one had been around at the time, but of course, she’d underestimated the eyes and ears of the academy.

Regret filled her, but regret always came too late.

“Anyway, that’s when I realized something was up.”

“W-what do you mean?”

Akemiila’s excitement grew. It was clear she was having fun watching Astrid’s usually stoic face show cracks.

All that fame, wealth, beauty, and even the Crown Prince of Einthafen at her side. A woman who had it all, tucked away in the north and ignoring every socialite’s invitation.

And now, seeing Astrid’s calm expression crack—just a little—gave Akemilla a thrill.

‘Why am I letting her get to me?’ Astrid’s temper flared.

‘Is it because she mentioned breaking the engagement? No, that’s not it…’

Whatever it was, she couldn’t show weakness here.

“This isn’t the place for personal conversations like this,” Astrid said, her voice sharp.

“Then, can I put myself forward as a candidate to be Prince Leopold’s partner?”

“…What?”

Astrid’s voice cracked, her surprise evident.

“You’re still engaged to him, technically. If I approach him without permission, it’ll damage my reputation. So I’m asking for permission properly.”

“Permission? What good is that even supposed to do?”

‘Even if you have permission, rumors will still spread if you approach him. This girl is definitely out of her mind.’

“Unless… you’re against it?” Akemilla’s voice carried a playful edge.

“I—”

‘Why would I care?’

— Cadet Astrid, I’ll make it clear. I do not see you as a woman, nor can I see you that way.

‘…Why should I care? He’s made it clear he has no interest in me. It’s none of my business.’

“Do as you please. You don’t need to look for my approval.”

“Really?!”

Akemiila’s excitement was clear, and for some reason, that made Astrid’s irritation spike.