Chapter 3

1. Meeting

A huge wall can be seen at the end of the plain. Beyond those walls, there’s a sky-high palace. When she was young, she would look at the palace several times back at the mansion.

“I’m finally here.”

Elrose muttered and brushed off the dirty hood with her hands. During the night, she moved quickly to the village on the other side of the road and headed towards the capital. From there, she got on a carriage to the next village and bought a horse with the money she had. Afterward, she ran to the capital.

‘No one is catching up.’

It was a good thing she chose the right route, for she couldn’t see anyone pursuing her.

As Elrose walked along the side of the road, a large carriage in the distance could be seen moving towards her direction without slowing down, and as it passed by, it blew dirt in her face and hair. But, she can’t even stop by a nearby inn to wash up.

‘I have to be at the mansion by today.’

In addition to covering up her messed-up appearance, there was another reason why she wore a hood.

‘I don’t want anyone to recognize me.’

Even though she went to the monastery when she was very young, she didn’t want to take any chances. Plus, they might have freed the man who was going to kill her.

She had to walk because the horse became exhausted and couldn’t run anymore, so she sold it to a restaurant a while ago. It would’ve been difficult to go quicker anyways on a horse because there were more people on the road than before.

Elrose stepped in line with the people who are entering the capital. Fortunately, she was able to enter without any problems.

“Wow…”

After coming in while walking on the main road, the capital’s central square appeared. Elrose stood there and looked around.

“It’s changed a lot.”

It was the square that she had passed by whenever she went out of the mansion as a kid. Back then, there were many people, but the numbers can’t even compare to right now.

‘There’s so much more people.’

While Elrose looked around the square, people of various skin colors and body types wandered around. The northerners and southerners who were difficult for her to see when she was young caught her attention.

‘It’s because of the war.’

5 years ago, the Suin people crossed the Eternal Mountains at the northern tip of the country and invaded the empire. They were half human and half beasts. The empire was helpless at first, for they didn’t think it would be such a large-scale invasion. Besides the enemies, they also had to attack red beasts which had never been seen before.

As a result, less than a half year later, the empire lost most of its northern land to the Suin people. Refugees who lost their homes and land flocked to the capital. The empire quickly gathered troops, and many of them were from the north or the south.

‘Among them, the mercenary king Kharkan is the most famous.’

He was originally a mercenary who’s active in large and small wars in the northern regions. No one knew what he looked like or how old he was because he always covered his face with a bandage. He’s been doing it for over 30 years, so Elrose guessed he’s probably at least 50 years old.

He fought against the Suin people on the front lines with the other mercenaries under his command. As a result of that, many other mercenaries followed him, and before he knew it, he was nicknamed the King of Mercenaries.

Thanks to Kharkan, the imperial army drove out the Suin people and regained peace. The emperor then granted awards and titles to Kharkan and many others who helped the empire. That was already a year ago.

The war is over, but the wounds still remain in the north. The restoration work only began this year, so those who had not yet returned stayed in the capital. Elrose was lost in thought while looking at the people around her.

‘What do I do from now on?’

She couldn’t just go to the mansion like this. It was Camila who sent a man to prevent Elrose from recovering her property. The mansion is already full of people who serve Camila.

What if she went to a place like that and said that she was Elrose and she came to inherit her mother’s property and her father’s title? It would be clear that they would take her into custody while saying thank you for coming on your own.

‘And then they’ll kill me.’

Elrose then recalled the thickest book in the cabin, the Imperial Code. She remembered the inheritance part of the book because she read it over and over again. If she were to object to it right now, the process will be halted. But that didn’t mean the title and property will go straight to Elrose.

‘Because I’m not married.’

The imperial law will not recognize an unmarried person as an adult, and that law was made a thousand years ago. So a single person cannot inherit his or her parents’ property. Most nobles get married when they’re still young. Of course, it was just a wedding on paper.

‘I could, but…’

As the next Earl and successor to the Espensia property, she remembered the suitors that used to arrive every day. But that was a long time ago.

‘I need to get married right now.’

Elrose needed a man to register with her for marriage right away. The problem is that she can’t just ask anyone, because her father was a count. Under the imperial law, she had to marry a nobleman in order to inherit her title property in full value.

‘If my partner is a commoner, the inheritance process will become complicated. That’s why I need a nobleman…’

Elrose sighed.

She was well aware of the fact that the number of nobles in the empire has increased tremendously recently. After the war, there were many people who won titles. But finding such a person isn’t all.

‘I’m sure I’ll be treated like a crazy person if I ask someone I’ve never seen before if I can marry them for a while.’

Today’s the day that marked the one-week period from when her father died. According to the law, Elrose had until today to express her intentions to succeed the title. Otherwise, the title will be temporarily transferred to her step-mother, Camila, on paper.

It didn’t matter if they just passed the title, but it will be a problem if they also passed the property to her. Today, I have to find a nobleman who is unmarried, report to the government office and file for marriage, and then go to the mansion.

The office closes at 6 p.m. and right now it’s already 3 p.m.

I have to find a man to marry in three hours. In fact, she was trying to think of a way even during her journey when she left the monastery. Elrose asked the security forces who were standing by the road.

“Excuse me, which way are the guilds gathered here?”

“That way.”

The guard pointed to one of the numerous roads that diverged from the square. Elrose said thank you and then moved on.

There were many guilds in the capital. Originally, guilds were a group of people with professional knowledge such as herbalists or artists. However, it has now turned into a place where ordinary people are commissioned to do things that are difficult to do.

In particular, the number of mercenaries who had nothing to do after the war increased, and the mercenary guilds now just receive random work.

‘That’s why the merchants were complaining about this and that problem.’

She remembered a merchant who came to the village once and clicked his tongue saying that such guild people should only be paid for doing illegal things.

Elrose approached the largest guild on the road.

‘I only have 50 gold remaining.’

It was the sum of all the money she had for selling horses.

‘This should be enough to make a request.’

Elrose had asked a number of things to annoy the merchants who wandered around back when she snuck out to the village. They delivered knowledge that books could not acquire, such as continental conditions to guild commission fees.

‘They told me that any request can be made at the expense of money.’

What Elrose wanted was simple. A single man with a title who can marry her right now. (t/n note: yeah that’s so simple)

‘Even if I ask the guild, I’ll need to ask them to find someone who is not trouble.’

After marrying her, that person might become greedy for property and wealth. That kind of person is enough to fit her father’s description.

‘Even if they’re greedy, they won’t get anything.’

After thinking of what to do after inheriting the title and property, Elrose tried to enter the guild. There were a group of people coming out from the inside. Somehow feeling in a bad mood, Elrose quickly hid in an alley next to the building.

“Ugh, the smell.”

One of the things that were near her was a trash can. Elrose held her nose and looked outside. The men who came out stopped at the entrance of the alley she was in, but luckily, they didn’t go inside towards her. Elrose listened while trying to hold back from the smell.

“What do you mean, 10,000 gold? It’s the first time I was ever given such a large sum of money for a request to find someone.”

“I know, I was thinking of leaving because of the decrease in guild requests, but I can’t believe such a good deal came in.”

“But it’s kind of weird. The information I have is a 22-year-old woman without a name but has blond hair and green eyes. Besides, it hasn’t been long since she got out of the monastery. What am I supposed to do to find her?”

“…!”

Elrose stopped breathing at the request.

“But let’s go before the others find us anyways!”

Even after the mercenaries left, Elrose couldn’t move for a long time. Her name didn’t come out, but she could tell that the person they’re looking for is herself. It also wasn’t hard to guess who was trying to find her.

‘It’s got to be Camila.’

She then realized that there was a problem with what she was going to do earlier.

‘I’m in trouble.’

Now it was impossible to use the guild. As soon as she enters, she’ll be like gold rolling in. Elrose felt her pocket again. The amount that was put on her is 10,000 gold. She only had about 50 gold total.

‘Even if I inherit all of my property and then give them the money…’

It was clear that the people of the guild would choose the ten thousand gold they can get right away.

A bell then rang every 30 minutes could be heard from the distance. It is now 3:30. There are only two and a half hours left. It was not enough time for her to find someone who fits the conditions without going through the guild.

“What should I do.”

The task of trying to get married by asking a guild to find an unmarried noble all over the capital now was in vain. Elrose muttered to herself without realizing it.

“God, could you please send me a man to be my husband? If possible, please do it right now.”

It was then.

Bam!

The back door of a house opened with a loud noise.

Then a man in a robe rolled out and fell in front of Elrose as if it had been delivered to her.