Chapter 98
Meanwhile, Altair, for some reason, tapped Winter on the shoulder with a cheerful expression.
“Hey, this is the place you mentioned before, right? Egot Village.”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, so this is it?”
Altair and Yuri seemed to know something about Egot Village. Wondering if there was something special about the village, I turned my head to look around.
Aquila had said that distinguished families had gathered in this city, and indeed, it was grand but somewhat old-fashioned.
There were the small yet historically significant castles in the distance, statues and sculptures scattered throughout the village, and libraries, among other things.
But I couldn’t spot anything particularly unusual. Just as my interest started to wane again, Winter spoke.
“That place is my home.”
“Excuse me?”
My expression turned confused, but Winter looked serious. He didn’t seem to be joking. So, I could only stare blankly at the place he was pointing to.
“Is that really your house, Winter?”
“Yes. It’s where I’ll return after my service.”
The place Winter pointed to was the castle I had just seen earlier.
Putting aside the question of how someone who is neither a noble nor an imperial citizen could live there, what mattered even more was…
Wow, the male lead power is exploding.
Winter’s “ducal aura” suddenly surged.
I had known that words like “duke” or “ducal” suited his face perfectly, but now seeing that he actually owned such a castle made him even more duke-like.
Moreover, the castle was undeniably luxurious and antique, yet its outer walls were entirely black, giving it a somewhat ominous appearance. It fulfilled the dual criteria often seen in romance fantasy—“a magnificent castle” and “a terrifying castle”—simultaneously.
And on top of that, this was in the north. His northern ducal aura seemed to shoot endlessly toward the sky.
As I gaped in admiration, a hint of pride seemed to flash across Winter’s face.
“You’ve lived there all along?”
This was something I couldn’t help being curious about. When I asked, Winter explained with a slightly proud expression.
“Previously, when the emperor passed through this area on his way to a vacation, my ancestors saved him from suddenly appearing monsters and were rewarded. Since then, our family has lived here for generations.”
I assumed the reward included the castle, land, and perhaps treasure. I briefly wondered whether the original story had mentioned this, but it only focused on the military, so nothing was said about their lives outside the army.
Winter… to think he possessed such wealth…
I couldn’t understand why the original story hadn’t highlighted these male-lead qualities…
Winter, male lead power +100.
While I was still looking at the castle with fascination, Winter suddenly spoke in an unusually kind voice.
“Are you interested in that castle?”
“Eh? Ah, I was just admiring it because it looked amazing.”
“If you want, there’s a way for you to have that castle.”
“…Excuse me?”
What? Even if I completed my service and received 3,000 marks, I still couldn’t buy that castle. So what exactly did he mean by a “way”?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Altair suddenly wore a face of curiosity, and Winter’s expression turned serious. Actually, his face was always serious, so “turned serious” didn’t really fit, but that was how it felt.
“What way?”
“With me—”
“Winter.”
At that moment, Ishina abruptly intervened. She looked troubled, grabbed me sharply, and stood between Winter and me.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Well, what were you trying to say?”
“Why are you acting like this when you’re normally so principled? You need to restrain yourself.”
“If you want me to follow principles, do you also want me to point out your arrogance?”
“Then do as you please. But these days, people keep crossing the line, you see.”
I was more confused than ever…
What’s happening?
I had only been admiring Winter’s castle, yet suddenly Winter and Ishina were acting like male leads fighting over the female lead.
Something felt off. Yeah, this was like…
It’s been a while! Romance fantasy circuits!
Turns out, without me realizing it, the male leads were already interested in me. And now, with a chance, maybe they’d suddenly become possessive?
I looked at them hopefully. Perhaps a romance-filled story was about to unfold in my life.
While I imagined a romantic future, Altair’s intervention made Winter and Ishina stop their standoff. Winter started a separate conversation with Altair and Yuri, while Ishina continued holding onto my sleeve and dragged me a little further away.
Then Ishina looked me straight in the eyes and sighed…?
“Salubia?”
“Yes?”
“You almost got tricked, didn’t you?”
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“Listen carefully.”
Ishina spoke in a gentle, coaxing tone as if addressing a child.
“What do you need to buy a castle?”
“…Money?”
“Exactly… But even if you completed your service, the money you’d save wouldn’t be enough to buy that castle, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. Ah, then… earn money through a business?”
In other reincarnation stories, female leads often used their Earthly knowledge to start a business. But unfortunately, I didn’t have any specialized knowledge that could be applied in this world.
Then how would I earn that money…?
Suddenly, an idea came to mind.
Winter had tried to tell me the way to acquire the castle—how to earn the money. And Winter was a crazy, principled senior officer.
“With me….”
Winter had intended to suggest doing something with him.
“But if I complete my service, I’ll lose something, so it’s not entirely joyful.”
Not long ago, Winter had hesitated about completing his service, pondering it like someone thinking about driving a stake into the ground.
So…
“Could it be that Winter was suggesting I join the Border Defense Force to ‘drive a stake’ too?!”
He was considering staking himself, and I was thinking of earning money. He wanted me to do it alongside him!
Wow. How could Winter, as a senior, suggest that to a junior? That’s just too much.
“Uh… well… think of it that way…”
Ishina, like me, looked shocked. She must have been really startled by Winter’s audacity.
“…Right. Winter was suggesting the stake to you… and you almost fell for it.”
“That can’t be! Wow, I didn’t expect Winter to be so harsh.”
Ugh. Romance fantasy circuits, I swear, you better sell this somewhere. A male lead encouraging military staking? Where else would that happen?
“Puhaha!”
As soon as Altair saw Winter’s face, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. Winter’s face was completely grim.
“Wow, you still haven’t improved~? You’re good at everything, so how can you be terrible at romance, puhuh!”
Altair laughed until he could barely breathe. Meanwhile, Yuri snorted in disbelief.
“See? I told you he had no chance.”
“……”
“You were such a strict senior. How can she suddenly feel fluttering for you?”
Winter’s expression darkened, so Altair defended him.
“Hey, but Winter has money, intelligence, and above all, a handsome face.”
“Is that all his merits?”
“…And chest and shoulders?”
“That’s it?”
“Isn’t that everything?”
Altair asked doubtfully, but Yuri was firm.
“No, he lacks the most important thing a man can have.”
“What is that?”
“Something he doesn’t have.”
She cut him off abruptly, unwilling to explain, and looked at Winter with disdain.
“Think about it. To Salubia, you’re like Louise or Plato. That’s your presence.”
“……”
“You have no chance. No chance.”
Winter finally spoke after listening silently to Yuri.
“Then what should I do?”
“Hmm.”
The mood suddenly grew heavy. Altair tilted his head at Winter solemnly.
“At the very least, you need to occupy a position distinct from other seniors.”
“You mean…”
“You have to make her see you as someone special, not just another senior.”
But Winter still didn’t get it, so Altair and Yuri shook their heads. At this rate, Winter would remain just a senior to Salubia until he completed his service.
While I was aghast at Winter’s behavior, Yuri, apparently finished talking with him, strode over to me.
“Salubia, let’s talk.”
“Yes?”
Yuri grabbed my wrist with more force than anyone else could, pulling me away from Ishina. Wow, Yuri male lead power +60.
“Salubia, I’m going to remind you of something you seem to have forgotten.”
“Yes?”
“As I said before, the most important thing to a man is social skills.”
“But Yuri, honestly, your social skills are…”
“I know! I know! That’s why I’m saying this!”
Always cool and composed, Yuri—slightly better socially than Winter—shouted in frustration.
“Aquila and that Winter guy have completely ruined their social skills!”
“Why are you bringing up Winter and Aquila all of a sudden…?”
I asked in confusion. Yuri paused, then cleared her throat.
“Just an example of people without social skills. Anyway…”
“Ah, yes…”
“Rather, choose someone who didn’t leave the Border Defense Force. Those who leave are all a little… eccentric.”
“Yes? But…”
This time, my expression turned serious.
Aside from the Border Defense Force, the only options were imperial citizens, and I had no intention of associating with them because…
“Imperial citizens are a problem.”
“…Huh?”
“I think imperial citizens are all annoying. I disliked how they saw us as different. The problems must be resolved.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. That’s why Arcon is better.”
Yuri nodded reluctantly, then emphasized again.
“Anyway, those without social skills are out. Absolutely out!”
I wanted to ask if I had social skills, but I stayed quiet.
But considering this world was based on romance fantasy…
Yuri keeps trying to plant a flag with Altair, doesn’t she?
Of the people I know, Altair has the best social skills. By Yuri’s standards, he’s the most suitable as a husband.
Seems like everyone except me is already getting romance flags.
Still, I stayed silent, thinking if I said anything, Yuri would scold me. I’ll just wait for the pink news from her someday.
After a short wait, we received our mission.
Strange incidents had been occurring in the village, apparently traces of black magic.
Given the duration, the black magician was likely hiding in the village for a long time, so we had to find him.
“This is really tiresome.”
I gnawed my teeth, muttering.
“Ugh, damn it, how many times have we been sent on outside missions because of that black magician? So frustrating.”
“He’s frustrated. Watch yourselves.”
“Follow the vibe.”
“They can hear you, idiots.”
I glared at the whispering juniors behind me, then sighed deeply and faced forward.
“So, the black magician we’re supposed to find is the last remaining one of the empire’s three great black magicians in the north, right?”
