Chapter 37.1

“Yes, come in.”

Fabian opened the door, and the drawing room attached to the bedroom came into full view. Nadia was sitting on a sofa in the drawing room, while scribbling on a notepad.

“Ah, Madam wasn’t already asleep?” Fabian asked.

“I had wanted to, but I kept thinking of all the tasks that have to be carried out in the near-future. You know we have to put on our thinking caps if we are to fully and efficiently utilize the newly won territory.”

“Wow…”

Half of what she said was the truth, and the other half a lie. It was true that she hadn’t been able to fall asleep yet because she was making plans for the future. But it wasn’t for the same reason as the one Fabian had assumed and become impressed by.

She was worried about something else completely. What she was thinking so deeply about, with wrinkles forming between her eyebrows, was not so easy to talk about.

‘’The dragon lair’s location… how do I let them know where it is?’

Everyone knew that this region was full of iron mines, so they would be able to find and develop the mines even if she didn’t point them out. It was also a well-known fact that the land here was extremely fertile, so she didn’t have to say anything about that as well.

‘But this dragon lair… it’s supposed to be discovered a few years later.’

Before now, Nadia had never stepped foot in the region since the day she was born. So how could she know where the dragon lair was and that the owner of the lair was already dead so it was a complete windfall, just low hanging fruit ready for the picking?

Anyone in their right mind would question her.

‘But how did Madam know that there was such a place?’

‘……..’

There was no way she could answer that. She was still trying as much as she could to build trust between her and the people of Winterfell; she couldn’t do anything suspicious right now.

‘Should I just say that I coincidentally discovered it while out on a walk? No, it’s not something you can just discover while walking around!’

Like large monsters usually do, dragons made their nesting places in the mountain deeps. To add to that, the lair was located in a mountain that had no ore veins, so she couldn’t say that she stumbled upon it while doing inspections either.

What do I do? She became lost in thought, forgetting that Fabian was by her side.

“Cough, cough.”

An embarrassed dry cough interrupted her line of thought. Only then did Nadia recall Fabian’s presence.

“Oh, my apologies. I had a lot to think about… By the way, what brings you here?”

“The celebration banquet has started, so I came to find out if Madam would like to attend. Have you had your meal, Madam?”

“Banquet?”

She especially did not like noisy places. She waved her hand absentmindedly as she rejected.

“I took a few bites to fill my stomach, so that’s enough. I don’t really like loud places….”

No, wait. She did intend to decline the invitation, but she changed her mind the next moment, having had a good idea.

“Are there a lot of people there?”

“Yes, there are; so many that there is barely any space to move. Excluding those who have been severely injured, everyone else has gathered there.”

“Then, I should at least show my face for a bit.”

While discussing all the happenings with the retainers, she could also let them know the lair’s location.

Nadia rose up from the sofa and asked,

“Where is the banquet happening? Lead me there.”

____________________________

“It happened exactly as the Lord Marquis had promised! Count Altair really showed up on the southwest road! You have no idea how funny his scared face was!”

“Hahahaha!”

“He had dragged nearly one-third of his cavalry with him, just to save his neck. With that many troops, he should have at least stayed and tried to put up a fight! Now didn’t he get caught because he was trying so hard to run away?”

The banquet hall was filled with the excited voices of the knights. The space had originally been empty, but they had found a table and placed it in the hall temporarily. There were dish plates scattered all over the makeshift tablecloth they had also made from some piece of fabric. Nadia looked at the scene and thought to herself.

‘They are really bringing down the roof.’

The whole spectacle was difficult for her, who had grown up in a much calmer environment, to adapt to.

No one was louder than a drunk, hyped up man.

As she stared blankly at them, not knowing how or where to cut in, a loud voice came.

“Hold on, where is that cold wind coming from? I will go close the door and come… Heuk, Ma, Madam!”

“What did you say? Madam?”

“You mean the marchioness is here?”

At the words ‘Madam’, the wine-addled minds of the knights cleared instantly. Their heads turned directly towards the doors.

Between the opened doors stood a woman dressed in a dark robe. She had the small figure and young face that was usually for people from the South, as well as long, brown hair that flowed past her chest.

-It’s really Madam.

“Nadia? Didn’t you say you were going to rest in your room this evening?”

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Glenn stepped forward from among the knights, who had all frozen in their spots. He dashed from his high seat at the front of the banquet to the door, stopping in front of Nadia.

“I was going to, but Sir Fabian came to bring me here. I thought it would be good to come for a little while.”

“You’ve done well.”