Cooperating with my Retainers

“…I understand Father and Mother’s intentions behind this task, and I also realize how shallow our thinking was. However, this is quite troubling.”

“Lady Hannelore, this is not the time to be so carefree. You have to seriously consider your future.”

My retainers looked far more serious than I did. It was difficult to choose immediately, but I could not admit that I was unable to decide. I wished to delay the decision somehow, but needed a reason that would convince my retainers. While I pondered, a realization struck me.

“It is not that I am being carefree… It is true that I have not chosen yet, but at this moment in time, I am not in a position to make such a choice.”

“What do you mean? If you do not choose, Lady Hannelore, then who will?”

“Surely, you are not planning to leave it to the Aub and become a mere treasurer?”

My guard knight, Wurzdorf, and my apprentice scholar, Luitpold, leaned forward as they questioned me. It might have been inevitable that the men, who would continue serving me even after marriage, looked more desperate than the women, who would eventually leave their positions due to marriage or childbirth.

“No, that is not it… I was told by the Zent not to favor anyone.”

I had barely finished saying that I could not choose when Cordula furrowed her brows sharply.

“When did this happen? I have not been informed of this. Should this not be reported to the Aub immediately?”

…I had just then recalled it in an attempt to delay the decision somehow, but there was no way I could admit that.

No matter what I said, I felt as though I would be scolded, so I lowered my gaze. Cordula watched me for a while before sighing in exasperation.

“Milady, what exactly did the Zent say?”

”…Well, she said that since I have become the second Avatar of the Goddess, even my slightest words and actions could shake Yurgenschmidt. So, I must be especially careful not to show favor to anyone until Lady Rozemyne returns… That would mean that choosing either Kenntrips or Rasantark would be showing favoritism, would it not?”

As I recalled Zent’s words as accurately as possible and conveyed them, my retainers all made rather troubled expressions.

“A report needs to be made to the Aub or Lady Sieglinde to request for a delay in the decision, or negotiations should be held with the Zent. Some manner of action needs be taken.”

“Cordula is right. Do you even need to accept the Zent’s words as they are? Did you not try to negotiate for any conditions or compensation?”

…Ugh, my retainers are so assertive.

Even after I conveyed Zent’s words, they hardly seemed even a little shaken. Instead, they simply scolded me for not reporting it sooner.

“Um, but Zent Eglantine was considering the balance of power among the duchies of Yurgenschmidt, and there is a set time limit until Lady Rozemyne returns…”

“In other words, wasn’t the Zent only thinking about duchy matters? Did she say that she would take responsibility if accepting her words resulted in disadvantages for your future or our lives?”

Elucia tilted her head slightly, smiling as she blocked any escape route I might have had. I had no choice but to answer honestly.

“No, there was no such discussion, and I did not negotiate either.”

…Because I never expected to find myself in a situation where I would have to take sides or make a choice.

“And besides, isn’t such an uncertain deadline the same as having no deadline at all? If Lady Rozemyne returns only after the Royal Academy ends, everything will already be concluded. Do you even know the exact day Lady Rozemyne will return to this time, Lady Hannelore?”

“That is… I uh… I do not.”

…Please, Andrea, do not look at me so sternly.

Confronted with my naivety as an archduke candidate and the realization of how vaguely I had considered my future, I hung my head. I thought I had grown at least a little, but it was far from enough.

“Even so, how could I possibly argue against the Zent’s words? It would be a problem if my actions affected the balance of power among the duchies.”

My attendants gave a hesitant nod to my feeble excuse, saying, “That is true, but…” before calmly adding, “It is open to interpretation.”

…Ah, ahh, this is not going well.

At this rate, not only would I be scolded for invoking the Zent’s words, but I would also fail to delay my choice.

“As long as you do not insist on marrying into another duchy or choosing someone other than a fiancé candidate selected by the Aub, I do not believe the Zent would have any grounds for complaint.”

“Um, Wurzdorf…”

“As long as you choose a fiancé candidate from within Dunkelfelger, it will not affect inter duchy relations. I believe the Zent would turn a blind eye to that.”

“Idonaritte, I do not think it wouldn’t have any effect whatsoever…”

Even though these were the Zent’s words, my retainers now claimed that as long as it did not impact relations with other duchies, it would be acceptable.

“Having faith in one’s own duchy’s victory is only natural, and preparing for the future in advance is something even the Zent would not forbid. Lady Hannelore, you would not want to be just simply treasury keeper for ditter, would you?”

Among my retainers, Luitpold was likely the most adept at looking ahead, and he was determined to avoid me becoming the treasury keeper for ditter at all costs. His dark eyes bore into me as he pressed for a decision—more precisely, he pressured me to choose Kenntrips.

…So, I truly cannot delay this any further…?

It seemed my feeble resistance had been utterly meaningless. I had been scolded for nothing.

“Even so, it is a bit surprising to see Luitpold and the others so fervently voicing their opinions on a task meant for an archduke candidate. This is the first time you have all appeared so invested, and it leaves me feeling somewhat bewildered.”

“It is only natural, is it not? After all, our futures will be greatly affected by your decision, Lady Hannelore. Now, will you choose to act as the First Wife’s representative or become the treasury keeper for ditter? If the decision is too difficult for you, we, whose futures hinge on your choice, will make it for you…”

Luitpold pressed me for an answer with a frighteningly serious expression. However, I could not entrust such an important decision to my retainers.

“Luitpold, that is absolutely out of the question. This is not a matter for retainers to decide.”

“I understand. Neither I nor anyone else expects you to make an immediate decision, Lady Hannelore, especially since you have been unable to choose since the fiancé candidates were decided at the end of autumn. However, you do realize that we no longer have the luxury of waiting for your gentle contemplation?”

”…I understand.”

Due to the agreement reached through negotiations with the Zent, Rasantark had already been all but decided as my fiancé since he was eligible to participate in the bride-stealing ditter. If I wished to choose Kenntrips instead, I needed to act quickly.

“Lady Hannelore, there are times when an archduke candidate must make split-second decisions. Such as when we were attacked during the inter duchy tournament, or when you were suddenly called upon to cooperate in the true ditter—you have already experienced this, have you not?”

In Wurzdorf’s words, I recalled the situations where I had been required to make instantaneous decisions. Indeed, there had been no time to leisurely ponder what should be done. Hesitation could mean missing an opportunity for victory or even the loss of many lives.

“Decision-making is a necessary skill for an archduke candidate. And since you were highly praised for your performance on the battlefield, Lady Hannelore, I do not believe you lack the ability to make decisions. Right now, what you likely lack is a sense of urgency.”

“A sense of urgency and decisiveness…”

I was being tested—not only by my father and mother but also by the retainers standing before me—as an archduke candidate. In that case, I could not act on emotions. I had to envision the future that would unfold if I chose either Kenntrips or Rasantark and select the path that would best fulfill both my own wishes and the wishes of those around me.

Gazing down at my hands, I took a slow, deep breath. The position and abilities expected of me as the daughter of the first wife, the qualities I required in those who would support me, the futures of my retainers…

Lifting my head sharply, I looked around at my retainers.

”…I understand. Then, let us go to Kenntrips immediately and obtain the terms for the proposal.”

“Right now!?”

“Please, wait!”

“Lady Hannelore, groundwork and negotiations are essential!”

Despite pressing me to make a swift decision, my retainers—except for Cordula—looked startled when I finally made one, even asking me to wait. Their reactions surprised me. Perhaps I had not explained myself well enough.

“I must act quickly, both to make my decision known and to cut off any retreat.”

“One must always leave room for retreat!”

“Why are you so slow to decide yet so reckless once you do!?”

Although I had explained my reasons for acting immediately, my retainers responded with everything but a proper acknowledgment. Their unexpected reactions left me bewildered. Somehow, we were not communicating effectively.

“It was you who demanded that I, as an archduke candidate, make swift decisions. If that is the case, then I need no response other than your agreement. No matter how decisively I act, if you hesitate like this, we will never move swiftly. On the battlefield, such hesitation would be fatal.”

My words seemed to startle them, their eyes widening in surprise.

“When I participated in true ditter, not a single person questioned my commands. At that time, I had yet to restore my honor, and my brother had lent me several of his knights. Even so, every knight followed my orders without hesitation. There were suggestions to improve our strategy, but no one ever told me to wait or tried to stop my actions without reason.”

Since we were in the Royal Academy, my retainers were all still apprentices. Seeing their reactions made me painfully aware of how poorly I had built my relationship with them. Regardless of the outcome, my brother had once commanded his retainers to carry out the reckless act of disguising a bride-stealing ditter as a proper engagement duel. But with my current retainers, such a feat would be impossible.

“Things cannot continue as they have… Just as Luitpold said. If I am to remain in our duchy, I must strengthen my bond with all of you and reshape the way we think.” I met their gaze one by one. “I have made my decision. But what about all of you? Shall we wait? Or shall we—”

I cut off my words there and looked around at everyone. Their eyes, which had wavered with confusion just moments ago, now shone with determination as they lifted their heads.

“Shall we move immediately to capture Kenntrips?”

“Yes!”

Their unanimous response echoed in the room, and I gave a firm nod.

“Our target is a battle-oriented scholar, so we cannot afford to be careless. We must capture him in a single attempt. I will need all of your cooperation.”

“Understood!”

After responding crisply in agreement, Wurzdorf tilted his head slightly, “What kind of cooperation is required?” He asked

“In order to obtain the terms for a marriage proposal, a woman must personally subdue the man. It would be meaningless if we, your guard knights, simply restrained Lord Kenntrips and handed him over to you Lady Hannelore. What exactly do you need from us?”

“For me to subdue Kenntrips, I must first maneuver him into a one-on-one situation. He often moves with his fellow retainers, does he not? The key is to separate him from the others.”

I answered while recalling the assistance Kenntrips had provided when subduing Lord Wilfried. By sitting with me in the gazebo, Kenntrips had subtly distanced my retainers and arranged the seating in a way that favored me. It had been a masterful maneuver, one that ensured the situation appeared natural to those around us. Now, we needed to turn the tables and employ the same strategy against him.

“So, our task is to escort Lord Kenntrips directly to Lady Hannelore?”

“Wurzdorf, if we do that, it will be far too obvious. He would become wary, and if he called for help, it would cause an uproar. We must proceed as discreetly as an intelligence operation. The key is to separate him without him realizing it.

Wurzdorf nodded in understanding at my explanation.

“In that case, if Lord Rasantark learns of this, he will undoubtedly interfere. We need to ensure he is kept occupied elsewhere, don’t we?”

“That is true, but focusing only on Lord Kenntrips and Lord Rasantark would be dangerous. If our actions raise suspicion and Lord Lestilaut’s retainers decide to cooperate against us, our chances of success will decrease. Frustrating as it is, their level of coordination is higher than ours.”

At Heillese’s words, my retainers furrowed their brows in thought.

“If we are proceeding immediately instead of setting a later date, how about summoning Lord Kenntrips to this meeting room? We would need a valid reason to call only him, though…”

Idonaritte’s suggestion made Elucia ponder for a moment, “Shall I be the one to summon him?” she proffered.

“If I say it concerns the research presentation for the interduchy tournament and that it’s a discussion between scholars, the guard knights and attendants likely won’t accompany him.”

“That’s not a bad idea, but if Elucia, who is a woman, were to summon him, I think Lord Kenntrips would bring along another scholar to accompany him so that they wouldn’t be alone. Wouldn’t it be more natural for me to summon him and say that I was asked by Elucia to accompany him?”

At Luitpold’s proposal, voices of agreement rose up. It was decided that he would call out to Kenntrips and bring him to the meeting room with Elucia.

“But wouldn’t it seem strange if Lady Hannelore were present in the meeting room after claiming that it was a scholarly discussion about the interduchy tournament? Would Lord Kenntrips really enter without suspicion?”

The concern was a valid one. If Kenntrips sensed anything unusual, he might refuse to enter altogether.

Idonaritte’s words made me try to predict Kenntrips’ reaction. If he were to enter the room and notice my presence, he would be likely to furrow his brows suspiciously and stop in his tracks.

“Even if he finds my presence odd and voices his doubts, I don’t think he would raise his voice from the entrance way. We can station a guard inside the room near the entrance. The moment he steps in, they can push him towards the center of the room, and we lock the door behind him before anyone can intervene. After that, I’ll manage somehow before help arrives…”

“Um, Lady Hannelore. We’ve been carefully planning to keep this natural and inconspicuous—why does the final step suddenly turn into brute force?”

Idonaritte’s bewildered question hung in the air as the others exchanged glances.

Andrea gave me an exasperated look. It seemed I had failed. When I briefly glanced at Cordura, she let out a light sigh.

“Milady, it must not be known that we stand battle-ready before Kenntrips even enters the meeting room. You must smile more naturally. Your eyes are too serious. Kenntrips is already sensitive to any changes in your demeanor.”

“Oh…”

I lightly slapped my cheeks. Now that I thought about it, there had been instances before where I was told my eyes looked too stern or that the atmosphere around me felt too dignified.

“I’ll try, but it might be difficult not to be seen through by Kenntrips.”

…In the world from a year ago, he was able to see through me, after all.

“The biggest concern is the expression and atmosphere of Milady when she’s in battle-ready mode, but if we’re just bringing Kenntrips here, it should be possible.”

“Then, I’ll head there right away.”

“Rather, it should be done naturally, without him noticing.”

Nodding at Cordula’s words, Luitpold and Elucia left the meeting room. In the meantime, we discussed where to position Kenntrips and how best to restrain him.

“I think it would be prudent to sit here, as it will be harder for Lord Kenntrips to see us when he enters.”

“In that case, let’s move this ornament. It would be dangerous if it fell when Lady Hannelore tried to restrain him.”

Lady Hannelore, wouldn’t it be easier to stand up quickly if you change to this seat?”

Making small adjustments to ensure ease of movement, I continued to wait for Kenntrips. As I mentally rehearsed several scenarios for when he arrived—what to do here and how to handle that—the voices of Luitpold and Elucia reached me.

…They must be intending to notify us of their arrival, but their voices seem a bit louder than usual.

Perhaps in trying to be natural, they were subconsciously putting more effort into it. When I raised my hand slightly, the knights stationed by the door made sure to wait quietly, careful not to make any noise. They had an important task ahead of them—to close the door and lock it once Kenntrips entered.

Cordura lightly tapped her forehead with her fingertips, signaling me with an expression that my face had become tense. I gently pressed my own forehead, then took a slow, deep breath and forced a smile.

The sound of the door opening followed by a click reached me.

“Well… I see, so Lord Kenntrips, you have already finished your research?”

“Given the upcoming bride-taking ditter, I cannot afford to spend too much time on research. I wanted to prioritize gathering information from other duchies… Lady Hannelore?”

“Oh? Lady Hannerore.”

The three who entered the meeting room stopped in their tracks upon spotting me at the back of the room. Elucia and Luitpold let out surprised voices, likely noticing that my seating position and chair were different from before.

Kenntrips however, simply furrowed his brows suspiciously, wearing exactly the type of expression that I had anticipated. The sight of it made me chuckle quietly.

“Apologies, Elucia. There’s something I would like to discuss with Kenntrips. It won’t take much of his time. Would you mind if I spoke with him first?”

Since it was Elucia who had originally invited him, I framed my request in a way that sought her permission, subtly guiding Kenntrips into the conversation. Since we hadn’t coordinated this part in detail, Elucia hesitated slightly, glancing at Kenntrips to gauge his reaction.

“I don’t mind, but…”

“If Elucia has no objections, I will listen to Lady Hannelore first.”

It must have seemed like I was simply taking advantage of a meeting he had already agreed to. With that in mind, Kenntrips moved away from Elucia and approached me.

…Smile. Stay smiling.

To avoid radiating any tension, I deliberately slowed my breathing while carefully gauging the distance between myself and Kenntrips.

…Three more steps, two steps, one more.

“Kenntrips.”

As soon as he stopped at the exact spot I had anticipated, I called out to him, looking up in the same way I did whenever I had a request. Then, just as I would when sharing a secret, I gently tugged at his sleeve.

“What kind of request do you have for me today?”

When Kenntrips first entered the meeting room, his expression had been filled with suspicion. However, as soon as I tugged his sleeve, his gray eyes softened slightly, and he lowered his gaze as he bent his knees to kneel. His green hair, which had been at a higher level, moved closer to my eye level.

…Now!

By the third time, I had already grown accustomed to this. Using the chair as leverage, I kicked off and launched myself at Kenntrips with full force.

“Wha—!?”

I could tell that Kenntrips had gasped. Immediately afterward, with a heavy thud, his arm wrapped tightly around my head, pulling me close.

…Wait! This isn’t how it was supposed to go!

When I had done this to Wilfried, he had frozen in shock, allowing me to pin him down. But Kenntrips pulling me into an embrace completely prevented me from moving as I had planned.

…Your arm—please move your arm away!

“Lady Hannelore, are you hurt!?”

As he loosened his grip to check on me, I pushed against his chest and straightened myself. Without hesitation, I summoned my schtappe and bound his arms with bands of light, preventing him from moving.

It was a little unexpected, but it was still manageable. I couldn’t afford to fail. After tying his arms up and ensuring he could no longer resist, I looked down at him. His gray eyes, which had been wide with panic, slowly shifted to an expression of suspicion. I let out a small breath of relief at my partial success.

“Now then, Kenntrips. Give me the conditions for a marriage proposal.”

”…Lady Hannelore, is your head truly alright?”