When the Nemesis Eats the Wicked Woman

Episode 70: Damn Rascal

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‘Is this the life of a celebrity? How can people praise and like me so readily?’

From the next day, gifts and letters poured in from all over the country.

“…Is this all for today?”

I frowned when I looked around the office – full of packed boxes and a huge amount of letters.

Seryl was enjoying it like a child who received a gift from Santa Claus; buried among the boxes, she said,

“No! It’s for this morning.”

“…There is a separate room for the afternoon?!”

“Yes!”

No, I was having a headache just thinking about it, yet she answered so brightly……

“I dare say, Your Majesty, that all the nobles of Aktoum have finally come to know.”

Laura, who was usually rational and calm, said while holding a box made of ivory high.

“Now, whose hand has the real power of this Aktoum!”

……It was not like her usual character, she was exaggerating.

“…Don’t talk like a villain, Laura.”

“Oh!”

Laura blushed cutely.

Maribel was working hard to organize the letters by herself.

I thought there would be a lot of nobles who would line up behind me, but there were a lot more than I expected.

‘Spinel’s nobles value face, so they don’t express it openly.’

However, the nobles of Aktoum were not afraid to express themselves.

‘……It’s a little burdensome.’

As a person of Spinel with a scholarly disposition, I was a little burdened by this interest.

“Maribel, please tell them that I will not be accepting audiences for the time being.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

If the audience was allowed now, they would have lined up around 10 laps of the Imperial Palace.

I had the maids sort the letters and gifts according to ‘priority’.

First of all, the letters and gifts from nobles in a neutral position were the top priority.

The second were those of the nobility who have recently changed their vote (be it for or against).

Etcetera……

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While the maids were organizing the rankings together, Seryl exclaimed, “Ah!” blinking her big pink eyes.

“Your Majesty, there’s a letter from Lucia!”

“……Yes?”

“How do I rank this?”

Lucia, she was a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time, so it was kind of nice.

“Of course, it’s rank 0.”

“There is no need to rank my people’s letters.”

I smiled and gestured, saying, “Pass it to me,” and received the letter.

‘I’m sure you’re doing well in the Knights Templar.’

‘How has the original sword master grown?’

By now, Octavia must have adjusted to some extent of being out of prison.
Her brother must also be studying well.

Lucia… She was supposed to be a squire of the Knights of the Valderi Order, right?

However, the progress was much faster than I expected.

〈Dear Your Majesty, I write this letter from a distant place, longing for Your Majesty.

Today, there was a ceremony for the knights of the Valderi Order.

I learned how to use magic and officially became a knight of the Valderi Order.〉

“…That’s pretty good, isn’t it?”

The corners of my lips went up.

‘Is this the true taste of money?’

When I put money into game characters with excellent basic skills, it felt like their talent exploded.

Lucia, who had been busy earning money and concentrating on her livelihood, and whose talents bloomed later, was doing quite well.

〈So, I made the oath of a knight.

The knights of Valderi serve only one lord during their lifetime.

……Your Majesty, will you be my lord?〉

She was careful, as if she was making a confession of love.

I could feel how nervous she was from her handwriting, the way she wrote each word, stroke by stroke.

‘It’s amazing.
I didn’t even reply to her last time because I was afraid it would be a burden.’

‘Looks like she’ll keep her oath after all.’

The future sword master would be loyal to me, and there was absolutely no reason to refuse.

It felt as if I had gained a thousand troops.

“Lucia has become an official knight in the Valderi Order.”

When I told the maids, all three were surprised.

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“Ah! She’s so cool!”

“…She said she would become a knight someday, and her dream has come true.”

“Even in the beginning, I thought that her quick hands would be able to use the sword well.”

All three made a fuss about writing congratulatory messages.

What should I give?

“A good knight will need a suitable sword.”

I told Laura to ask the chief craftsman of Breathbridge to make a sword and send it to me.
The best one with a decorative function that could amplify magical power.

Making such a sword had a price, but I wanted to give Lucia a generous gift.
I wondered what would change if there were no obstacles on the path of this genius.

I must repay her for her loyalty.

‘I am going to give her full support until she becomes a sword master.’

‘Will she become a sword master in two years…?’

I habitually set a time frame of two years, and I became a little bit bitter.

‘No, you can take longer, Lucia.’

‘Whether it’s 10 years or 20 years, I’ll be sure to watch it while I’m alive.’

‘Certainly.’

It was during the time when I was making a firm resolve in my heart.

“Your Majesty! I think you should read this letter right away…”

Maribel held out a letter and gift with her two hands.

A very familiar emblem was on the letter.

It was a crow with three heads; its black eyes looking down and judging humans.

“It’s a letter from Archduke Marquis.”

Of course I should read it.
It was from wish item number 1.

The present he sent was a paper knife adorned with charred onyx, obsidian and diamonds.

‘A man who gives a knife as a gift, how unique.’

I immediately opened the letter with the paper knife I just received.

The content of the letter was very simple yet refreshing.

It was a pretty nice compliment.

〈Whatever you are trying to achieve, you are sure to achieve it.〉

As I recalled his peculiar good-natured expression and strict eyes, I smirked.

I hated him a little bit when he did the survey without stamping the marriage permit.

But wasn’t it over now with my victory?

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All that shallow hatred had long since disappeared.

Because Johann was only carefully doing what he had to do.

‘What should my reply be?’

After thinking about it, I lightly declared war on my wish item.

〈I’ll take whoever I want, Archduke.〉

To interpret, it was ‘I will definitely have you.’

‘So, tie up your leash in advance and just wait.
Okay?’

‘Is this enough to be a provocation?’

Turning on his beliefs and persuading him, who had walked the path of a scholar throughout his life, to stand by me.

It was difficult, but somehow it seemed like fun.

I confidently folded the scribbled letter… melted the red sealing wax, and applied a seal.

“Seryl.
Deliver this reply to the Archduke immediately.”

“…Yes! Your Majesty!”

I could guess what Johann’s reaction would be after receiving the letter.

It was painted very plainly in front of my eyes.

“Oh, I’m in trouble.” 

“…….” 

“Very much.”

I was sure he would say that with a look that doesn’t seem to be bothered at all.

“…Since it’s ridiculous.”

I narrowed my eyes and tapped my chin.

It was then.
There was a knock from outside the door.
Twice.

“Enter.”

The servant came and bowed towards me.

“Your Majesty, there is someone requesting an audience.”

I wiped my hands.

“I said I’m not accepting any visitors, didn’t you hear me?”

“I’m sorry! He said he’s been waiting to meet you, and that he can wait outside for 2 nights and 3 days.
So he asked me to do it just once…”

“What?”

As I listened, I got annoyed.

‘What kind of human are you?’

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I was already busy, but the tenacity and pushiness that I heard through the servant’s words made me very annoyed.

Banging on the armrest, I said,

“He’s a very stubborn one, behaving like such a jerk!”

“…….”

“A man who has no manners like a damn rascal.”

I deliberately shouted out loud.

“There are absolutely no exceptions, so tell them to turn it off!”

“…Yes… Your Majesty.”

While the attendant nodded in embarrassment, I snorted and turned the paper knife.
Then I suddenly became curious.
Who the hell was that?

“So who is that rude man?”

“It’s the Crown Prince.”

“…Tell him to come in.”

“Yes.”

……Right, there could be no other person like that.

I gave instructions awkwardly and blushed.

‘He requested an audience.’

He normally just barges in, so I didn’t think it would be him.
Of course, it was the same for me.
I didn’t ask him for an audience either.

Besides, wasn’t the ‘request for an audience’ usually done by a subordinate to a superior? Why was he doing that between us?

While I had those thoughts in mind, the door opened and Rixus walked in.

As if he hadn’t heard the swearing, his handsome face had a very refreshing expression.

“Berylia.”

“……You’re here?”

He walked in without hesitation and stopped in front of me.

His long eyes looked at me and smiled mischievously.

“Yes, my Queen.
‘The damn rascal’ has appeared.”

“……”

My face turned red again.
I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment.

I could feel the maids next to me holding back their laughter.
In the meantime, Seryl burst into laughter, making strange noises of ‘ppu ppu!’ over and over again…

I gestured, signaling the maids to stop.

“…There’s no need to ask for an audience.
Since we’re a married couple, you can just come into my space.”

“Say it again.”

He said, raising the corners of his lips.