~Chapter 6~

Far to the south of the capital lay a quiet territory called Fostin.

Time passed, people forgot—but the Lady of Fostin, Aurelian, was no ordinary woman.

Across the border, she had once been the Emperor’s wife.

She was born the eldest daughter of a general’s family—bold, direct, and sharp as a blade. If the kingdom hadn’t gotten scared and sent her as a tribute bride to the Empire, she would have become a powerful leader at home.

Naturally, she didn’t get along with her timid, insecure husband.

The Emperor cheated often; lovers lined the palace corridors.

Aurelian made a move no one expected.

“I want a divorce.”

“The—there is no such law, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Great. Then I’ll be the first. I want innocent, heartbroken women to see our divorce and become free.”

“Th-that…”

“Or I could be ‘first’ in a different way—like the first wife to strangle her husband because the lawsuit was boring. How about that?”

“……!!”

The cowardly Emperor couldn’t even meet her eyes until the day he stamped the divorce. If she really tried strangling him, that would be the gentle option. She might also “accidentally” crush something dear to him.

She returned to her homeland in a shocking way—but the kingdom didn’t know what to do with her either.

They couldn’t send a former Empress back to her family like nothing happened, but they also couldn’t treat her casually.

In the end, they agreed to grant her a small territory and let her spend the rest of her life alone.

That land was Fostin, a border region next to the Empire.

Once the noblest woman in the country, she slowly faded from memory.

‘I never thought I’d draw attention again like this.’

Aurelian rubbed her wrinkled brow and sighed.

Before her stood a man like a glittering statue—handsome, wrapped in a red cloak.

It was the current Emperor, Carmine Mareschal.

The previous Emperor had been Aurelian’s son; Carmine was her grandson.

Even so, aside from the day he was born, this was basically their first real meeting.

“I’m glad to find you in good health, Grandmother.”

“I should say the same, Your Majesty.”

“Please lower your speech. You are my grandmother.”

Only he could make warm words sound so emotionless.

Aurelian wasn’t the type to accept empty niceties. Calmly, she drew a line.

“I discarded all such ties on the day the Cathedral declared our divorce. Please treat me as an ordinary Lady Aurelian, Your Majesty.”

Her words flattened the air; even Carmine’s stiff face loosened a little. Still, his voice stayed hard.

“……The fruit you sent was excellent. I did not realize it came by Boneracol’s blessing.”

At that, Aurelian’s face twisted with pain. The fruit grown by Riena—such perfect produce—she had sent to her children in the Empire. And that caused trouble.

“That part is a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

A cold smile spread across the Emperor’s face.

“Are you saying your divorce and the disappearance of the imperial sword at the same time—and Fostin’s unbelievable abundance—are all unrelated?”

So he thought that. Aurelian had feared exactly this when she wrote letters. She shut her eyes, pained, and answered.

“I can swear to the heavens I have no shame. The day I cast off the name Mareschal, I left everything behind in the palace. Many can testify to this.”

“……”

Carmine knew nothing of his grandmother personally, but it felt ungentlemanly to push a dignified lady too hard. He moved, coolly, to the point.

“So where is the sword?”

Aurelian let out an even deeper sigh.

“It is not with me.”

“What do you mean?”

“One of my people—a resident of Fostin—formed a contract with it.”

Now the Emperor’s face truly crumpled.

“……You expect me to believe that? It would be more likely that you divorced while pregnant, hid yourself in Fostin, and raised imperial blood in secret.”

Even to Aurelian, that accusation sounded more believable. But the truth would not change.

“No matter how much Your Majesty questions this old body, my answer is the same.”

She bowed her head.

“The child’s name is Riena… a simple farmer.”

Aurelian paused, wondering,

‘Should I mention she used to be the Duke Pond’s daughter? But she was cast out… Can I still call her a simple farmer?’

Carmine, shocked, missed that odd hesitation.

The Ego Sword, the Emperor’s token sent by the God of Abundance, Boneracol—

To think it had chosen someone outside the imperial bloodline.

Carmine fell silent, his expression grave.

✦ ✦ ✦

I, Riena Pond, made a few bucket-list items after I remembered my past life.

Like “harvest the world’s biggest radish,” or “shout ‘Everything to the horizon is my land!’”

I also had this one:

‘Be called my little kitten by a handsome man who looks like Apollo in the flesh.’

Well. Close—but not quite. The man was incredibly handsome, but the “little kitten” part failed.

‘Life rarely fits perfectly. Half-right is still lucky, I guess.’

I must’ve said this ten times already, but the man was very handsome. And since I hadn’t started farm work yet, I had plenty of energy and a generous mood.

Hugging Louis tightly, I asked,

“Um, did you come to see me? I’m Riena.”

“That’s right, Miss Riena.”

He nodded. Even using polite speech, he somehow felt arrogant.

‘He’s not a commoner, but he’s being polite to me?’

Hiding his identity, maybe? Who was he?

People who are overly polite are either scammers or gentlemen. I lifted an eyebrow.

“Whatever this is, say it at the door. I’d like to believe you’re not the kind of brute who walks into a woman’s house when she lives alone.”

I thought that was a very reasonable request—yet a squid-faced man behind him got angry.

“How rude…!!”

“Eh?”

Startled, I fired back even faster, like I was dropping bars in a rap battle.

“You knock on someone’s door at dawn and expect manners from them? You’ve got some nerve!”

“What did you say?!”

“Enough.”

Squid-man looked ready to smack me, but the handsome man lifted a hand and he stopped. I rolled my eyes.

‘So he’s definitely high-rank.’

But why did someone like that call me a thieving cat?

‘Do they want my fields? Or to steal my farming methods? Whatever they demand, I won’t give in!’

…Says the person already wavering because of a pretty face.

‘Not my fault. My people have loved beauty since ancient times.’

Heart pounding with curiosity, I waited. The man pointed at Louis in my arms.

“I am the master of the sword you’re holding. I came to take it back.”

“…Huh?”

So that’s what he wanted?

‘Wow, I didn’t expect that. I thought the only valuable things I owned were my fingers.’

Louis’s only “value” was glowing all night—and running his mouth while he did—so “valuable” was debatable.

But more importantly!

“Louis, you already have a master?”

—What nonsense! You are my only master!

I shook Louis in betrayal; Louis squawked back in outrage. Tilting my head, I looked at the handsome man.

“He says no.”

“……”

He stared at me with eyes as clear as the Caribbean Sea.

Oh? Are we communicating by eye language now?

I shook Louis again.

“You little hypocrite. You lecture me for touching other blades, but you were two-timing me?”

Serving two masters? Shame, Louis!

Louis screeched.

—Hey! Master! He didn’t even say anything! Why are you assuming I’m cheating?!

Isn’t it obvious?

“That face is trustworthy.”

—Since when did you care so much about looks?!

Since forever.

But who could I blame? I was the fool who picked him up because he looked like a hoe.

While I sighed hard, the man frowned.

“Are you actually talking with the sword right now?”

“Uh, yes? You call yourself its master and didn’t know?”

He coughed and flicked his gaze aside.

“Ahem. I know it’s a sword with will.”

“Right. A very quiet, reserved sword.”

“Of course.”

Wow. Handsome and a gentleman. Not cut out for scamming, that one.

“…So your ‘master’ claim is completely false. This sword is a silly braggart and a self-love king. Quiet? Not even close.”

—Hey! Is that what you think of me?! Hey!!

Louis hummed angrily. I whipped him behind my back, lifted my chin, and met the man’s eyes.

“So what’s your real business?”