Chapter 1: The Duke’s Daughter Reverses Fate

Chapter 1:
The Duke’s Daughter Reverses Fate

 

OW!

The first thing I felt was pain. I had been lightly resting, but the pain woke me, and I regained “myself.”

If only I had awoken earlier.

I think most women, not just me, would think such a thing if they were on the floor, being held down by one strong man and surrounded by more. If this were a kidnapping, perhaps I could have allowed myself the sweet delusion that a prince on a white horse might soon appear to save me. Unfortunately, I was not currently being kidnapped—I was being convicted. Since I was the perpetrator of the crime rather than the victim, there would be no salvation for me.

I needed a bit of time to process what was happening, so I quickly reviewed what I knew of myself.

My name was Iris. Iris Lana Armelia, first daughter of Duke Armelia, a leader of the kingdom of Tasmeria; a flower in her prime at sixteen years old, if I did say so myself. My father was the head of state, while my mother was the daughter of a general. Their place in the upper echelons of Tasmeria’s nobility meant our family was second only to the royal line.

But if I were to be more accurate, the current “me” was a mixture of Iris and another personality. My other half was from a country called Japan, and I had been an everyday working woman until I died in my thirties.

I had been a workaholic, and I was on my way home from a late night at the office when I died in an accident. The pain I felt just now in this world had suddenly awakened my past personality and memories. It was more or less exactly like that common trope wherein a character is overcome with fever and then awakens to their previous lives. That was how “I” and “I” combined.

Although now was probably not the time to come down with a fever.

To wit, after this fusion, I scanned my memories and had one thought: This place was exactly like the world of that game I was playing! I had no time for love in my previous life, yet I had still possessed the heart of a maiden that yearned for those sweet palpitations. Thus, I’d become hopelessly addicted to dating sims. I recalled spending all my breaks and evenings basking in their healing powers…

Ah, my bad. This wasn’t the time to reminisce.

My current world was exactly identical to the one in a game I’d recently played: You Are My Princess, or YAMP for short. The story took place in a pseudo-medieval European setting, and you took the role of a low-class baron’s daughter in a sort of Cinderella story where you met the top-ranking young nobles of an elite academy. It was a terribly common setup.

Your romance options were the haughty second prince, the athletic knight captain’s son, the aloof prime minister’s son, and the mysterious son of the Darryl pope. They were all pretty generic character types for the sort of story they were in.

Of course, there was also the cliché rival character as well: the person who interfered with the protagonist’s romances and bullied them. In this case, that was the duke’s daughter, fiancée to Second Prince Edward Tone Tasmeria. In other words, me—Iris.

If the protagonist, the lowly baron’s daughter, tried to romance Edward, Iris came crashing in and did her best to disrupt her dates, even bullying her. But even a duke’s daughter is just a girl unto herself. Without her father’s power, the most Iris could ever do was say nasty things.

When I played YAMP, I remembered hating Iris. She ended the story confined to her home, disowned, and ultimately banished to a Darryl nunnery. At present, I couldn’t help but pity her and think her punishment shouldn’t have gone so far. After all, if you think about it, the protagonist approached an engaged man and initiated an illicit love affair. Normally, you’d consider that sort of person a villain, right? Anyone would hate them.

That said, no one in my current situation was willing to listen to my side of the story. I was all alone without any allies.

We were currently in the academy dining hall. Since all the students lived in campus dormitories, they all ate here. Being a dining hall used by children of nobility, it was of course a grand building. The ceiling rose high above us, and large windows spaced at regular intervals captured the light above. Chandeliers dangled from multiple ceiling arches, illuminating perfectly aligned long tables. It was in this location, where every member of the academy congregated, that the game’s ending took place.

Before me stood the heroine and three of her romance targets. We were surrounded by a gaggle of fools—I mean, academy students—watching us. As for me, I was restrained by the fourth romance target, forced onto my knees.

The wood flooring felt strangely cold.

Seriously, shouldn’t my previous life’s memories have awakened when I was still a young child? Why had they waited so long to return? At this point, the deck was completely stacked against me.

“If you have an excuse for your repeated transgressions against Yuri, now is the time to explain, Iris.” Prince Edward’s stern tone echoed. He looked down his nose at me, his gaze the epitome of contempt. That was the prince of a nation and a romance target for you. If I weren’t on trial, I’d have loved to study his beautiful face for hours.

That flaming, crimson hair, those lambent black eyes… The features that normally made him so attractive only instilled fear in me now, amplifying his overpowering presence.

Yet I tore my eyes away.

“Would you kindly unhand me?” I asked the man restraining me.

The knight captain’s son, Dorssen Kataberia, was powerful, and my arm was in serious pain. He ignored me, tightening his grip instead. He was always the silent type, so I hadn’t exactly expected a response. It was just that it hurt quite badly, and I really wished he’d let go.

“You’re hurting me. Please, release me. Don’t you see the absurdity in you, the son of Knight Captain Doruna, a man sworn to protect the weak, forcefully restraining a frail girl like me?”

Finally, he twitched slightly. As I thought, knightly codes were the same in this world. The moment he loosened his grip, I wrenched myself from him and stood.

“You, a frail girl? Don’t even joke.” My younger brother, Berne Darshi Armelia, snorted. His chocolate-brown hair and sharp eyes always made him stand out in a crowd, and on the whole he resembled our father. Now, he looked at me with eyes of ice, a corner of his lips twisted in sarcasm.

He really ticked me off.

That said, no matter how screwed I was, I had zero intention of letting my irritation take control. I wouldn’t make things worse for myself. “I’ll admit, I was not exactly kind to Ms. Yuri Neuer, daughter of a baron,” I said.

“That was easy.”

“Quite. After all, you instigated this mock trial, taking up everyone’s precious time. Thus, I shall endeavor to show sincerity.”

“And why did you bully her?”

Alas, his question set me off. “Why? You’re asking me why?”

My tone was somewhat icier than usual. For a second, Prince Edward’s fury faltered. He knew the reason for my ire. Or perhaps, after being bewitched by the game’s protagonist, his brain had turned to mush—the lovestruck fool. At least, this was how Iris’s memories framed the situation. She had massaged the facts in her mind to give Prince Edward a little credit.

For my part, I had no patience for this farce. Ultimately, this entire showdown was simply a way for Prince Edward and his merry band to unleash their pent-up frustrations. It was also a way to legitimize Yuri’s victimhood. If I accepted this lying down, I was doomed.

There was nothing more I could do, though. All that was left was to see if I could avoid being effectively exiled. The details of my fate would depend on my negotiations with my father. In any case, I would never again set foot in high society, nor would I return to this academy.

“In any case, I doubt I shall ever see any of you again. Would the good prince allow me to say my goodbyes? Everyone, thank you for all you have done for me thus far. I cannot begin to express how grateful I was to attend this academy as a student and to be treated so well by so many of you. Take care.”

I finished my speech with as much grace as I could muster and made to leave, but Prince Edward stopped me.

“Iris, wait!”

Couldn’t he read the room? Honestly, what had I ever seen in him?

“Before you leave, apologize to Yuri.”

Seriously, why did I love him, even for a second? Ugh. I gave it a second to make sure I hadn’t misheard him, and an awkward silence filled the air. “You wish for me, the daughter of a duke, to apologize to the daughter of a baron in public?” I said primly, though I wanted to shout.

It wasn’t just pride fueling my anger. I might have been “just” a duke’s daughter, but every one of my actions impacted not only my father’s name but all of noble society. If I apologized, the House of Armelia would in effect be bowing its head to a baron’s house. It was absolutely unheard of for the leader of a country to stoop in such a way. It would destabilize the ranks of every noble from marquis to earl. It might even instigate a full-scale revolt from those newly minted “nobles” and threaten the balance of power throughout our nation.

He really was a lovestruck fool. And was this really any way to address one’s former fiancée? Put your hand to your heart and think carefully! I thought.

The crowd seemed to share my sentiment, and the bed of nails beneath me softened as a number of them murmured in sympathy with my argument.

I couldn’t let this chance escape.

“I shall not apologize. It was the preservation of my dignity that led me down this path, and even if it leads to my destruction, I shall not bend.” My implication: I was prepared for this outcome.

“Ms. Yuri. What more do you wish to steal from me? You’ve taken my fiancé, my position…” Here, I started to tear up, envisioning myself in the role of a tragic heroine. Oh! Alas!

As I did, the mood of the crowd swung ever further in my favor. The girl who had once been seen as an utter villain became, to them, the victim.

“No, all those things that make me who I am are mine alone—my dignity included. To apologize to you would be to crush myself under my own boot. So, no, I will not apologize, and I will not let you take anything more from me.”

Nailed it. Ah, that feels good.

Thus, riding on cloud nine, I left the dining hall for good. Prince Edward still appeared dissatisfied, while Yuri looked on in blank confusion. I exited the building and left campus, trusting in my father, who had a habit of being prepared for the oddest situations. As expected, he had already sent someone from home to retrieve me.

What a luxurious carriage… The Armelian coat of arms sat in gold upon a wine-red body, and I boarded it alone. More people would be sent later to gather my things and either bring them back to our estate or dispose of them.

This was my goodbye to the academy. I would never again return, no matter if my fate followed that of the story and I was stripped of my status and locked away, or even if I managed to wrangle some other option. My father would wish me to distance myself from this place.

I sighed. The act was over. Thus far, I had only followed the narrative as I knew it. There was no plot left for me to chase. Most pressingly, I was about to face the last boss, so to speak: my father. Honestly, I was even more nervous than before. As the carriage gently set off for the Armelia mansion in the capital, my feelings couldn’t help but grow heavier.

 

***

 

The Armelia mansion was our family home, situated in the capital. In it resided my father, who could never be away from the capital due to his position as Prime Minister, and my mother, who had followed him there. Constructed of reddish-brown bricks and adorned with white pillars, it was far more extravagant than one might expect of a second home. From knowledge of my past life, I was aware this was quite the mansion, but the main house in our territory exceeded this one in more than a few ways. I entered and walked through the entrance hall, treading upon red carpet as I made my way to my room.

I’d been thrown out of the academy. I was mortified. The shame naturally quickened my pace. Upon reaching my lovely white and pink room, I breathed a sigh of relief. I sank into the sofa and felt just a bit at ease. My battle with the last boss was imminent. I needed to destress.

My personal handmaid, Tanya, burst in with tears in her eyes. “My lady!”

“Oh, Tanya. I just got back.”

Tanya was born a commoner, but she had mastered etiquette and had refined features to match. Not a hair of her complicated braids was ever out of place, and I often thought her appearance could make any heart keen. The simple navy-blue uniform suited her to a T.

“How can you be so calm? I’ve been tearing my hair out in frustration!”

Seeing her tear up for my sake warmed my heart. At the same time, I felt quite guilty to have caused her such worry.

Tanya was born in the slums, like so many others. As a child, I’d often sneaked out into town, and in the course of my adventures, I had brought her into my household. Back then, the weight of the title of a duke’s daughter had weighed heavily upon me. It had been difficult to find anyone to simply chat with, given my family’s place in noble society. Not even those within my household could serve that role. So when I picked a commoner girl up off the streets that day, it had been for the awful, selfish reason of wanting someone to talk to. However, Tanya had been so grateful to me that she ended up becoming a perfect servant. It would not be an overstatement to call her my sister.

“Well, calm yourself, Tanya. It’s not yet time to drown ourselves in sorrow.”

“Of course. Forgive me. The master should be returning this evening.”

Tanya was a quick thinker and adaptable, to boot. Her tears vanished into thin air as she regained her composure and delivered the information I desired.

“I see. Then get me a drink to settle my nerves, would you?”

“Yes, my lady.”

She made to leave the room, but I opened my mouth to stop her. “Tanya?”

“Yes, my lady?”

“Thank you.”

Very wordy, I know. But it was all I could think of. Thank you for worrying about me. Thank you for crying for me. So many emotions crammed into those two short words.

“If I may be so bold, my lady: I serve you, not House Armelia. Thus, I shall never forgive Prince Edward for betraying you, even if he is of the royal line. And no matter what may happen between you and your father, I shall always be on your side.”

“I’m a lucky girl, aren’t I?”

“Not at all. I’m the lucky one here. And I think you would do well to remember that those within this household who share my position feel the same.”

I had, in my youth, actually elevated six commoners into our household. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d been considered quite the oddball. Instead of presents, I’d ask my parents to take in orphans such as Tanya. At first my parents resisted, but seeing as I never asked for anything else, they eventually gave in. Every year since, I’d invited another orphan around my age off the streets and into our home.

None of this information was provided in the game. Perhaps even though my previous life’s memories hadn’t yet awoken, they had still influenced my actions. In any case, my chats with my friends were precious because they allowed me to momentarily forget the burden of my title. As the years went by, outside pressure had forced us to draw a clear line between our roles as mistress and servants. Even so, they were each invaluable to me.

“I appreciate you saying so, Tanya, but please, I want you to think of your own happiness first and foremost. That goes for the others as well.”

Tanya looked at me, puzzled. Her expression would, to an outsider, appear utterly blank, but our years together had taught me how to read her.

“It was my selfishness that dragged you into this rigid world,” I said. “If you wish, you may take your leave whensoever you desire. In fact, it might be prudent to reconsider your futures now—”

Unbelievably, Tanya cut me off. “My lady, please don’t say such things anymore. I should have died that day, all those years ago. But it was you, and no one else, who saved me. Ever since, my life has been yours. The day I leave your side will be the day I die…or the day you deem me unnecessary.”

“Well, then I suppose it’s until death do us part.”

I tried to make a joke, but Tanya didn’t budge an inch. In fact, she smiled happily. “There would be no greater happiness for me.”

“All right… I understand your feelings. I really am a lucky soul. But there is more than one form of happiness, Tanya. So please don’t forget what I said earlier.”

“As you wish, my lady.” Tanya reluctantly nodded.

If I was to be stripped of my status and banished to a nunnery, I didn’t want her to share my fate. She was too important to me. But I got the sneaking feeling she’d come along anyway. I really had to win over my father, didn’t I? For Tanya’s sake, to say nothing of my own.

My determination renewed, I sipped the tea Tanya prepared for me. Divine, as usual.

As I started to relax, another servant knocked on my door. “My lady.”

“Come in.”

This time, the head maid, Elulu, entered. She managed all the female servants, and as expected, her maid uniform was impeccable. “Pardon me, my lady. The master is calling for you.”

“Oh, already? I was told he wouldn’t be back until evening.”

“He returned early upon hearing of your situation.”

“Well…” I sighed. Ugh, where had that resolve gone? My stomach was all in knots.

“If you don’t mind my saying, my lady, I believe any reprimand from your father on this count would be unnecessary, to say the least.”

It shocked me to hear this from Elulu, who was normally so strict.

“The household is on your side, my lady. So hold your head high when you go to meet the master.”

In the story I knew, Iris was described as a villain. But as I combed through my memories, I confronted a different truth: one where she—I—had built a deep relationship with her family’s servants, one founded outside the strictures of class. In other words, I had berated the protagonist for being “merely a baron’s daughter” not because her rank mattered to me but because my love for Prince Edward had driven me to terrible jealousy. I was slowly beginning to feel less dissonance with the “Iris” part of myself.

Right. After all, right now, I’m Iris. I had to make “Iris” happy for my own sake.

My determination restored, I followed Elulu to my father’s study, Tanya close on my heels.

“We’re here, my lady.”

“Thank you, Elulu. Tanya, would you wait here as well?”

“As you wish.”

I’d arrived at the battlefield. The thick, heavy door loomed before me. I swallowed and steadied my breathing. Then I knocked.

“Enter.”

“Pardon me, Father.”

A grave atmosphere surrounded us as I sat across from him. An intelligent-looking man, his eyes glinted sharply as befitted the sitting prime minister. He always gave off a stern aura, but in the moment, that effect seemed to double. It was nearly impossible to remain opposite him.

“My apologies for making you take time out of your busy day,” I said.

“Oh? You understand the gravity of your actions, then?”

“No.”

A vein twitched in my father’s temple, or so it seemed to me. Frightening, to say the least.

“I do not believe I have caused trouble for my father the prime minister or my father the duke,” I declared. “The one I believe I ought to apologize to is my father as my father.”

“And why is that?”

“First of all, the most anyone could say I did against the girl was make a handful of snide comments toward her. More importantly, the girl and the prince were the ones who disrespected House Armelia by one-sidedly breaking off our engagement. As I have extricated myself from the situation, they can’t do much more to besmirch our name. Furthermore, at the academy, I left my former peers with the impression that there were extenuating circumstances, so we should not expect any waves from that crowd. No matter how Prince Edward whines, the most anyone could in their rights deliver to our door would be a warning.”

“I’ve already been informed of the events at the academy.”

“Of course. Also, as to apologizing to my father the duke…weren’t you initially against my engagement to Prince Edward?”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because with the prominence of our bloodline, my marriage to the second prince could have destroyed the balance of power in the royal family. I needn’t remind you that you are the duke and prime minister, while Mother is the only daughter of a prominent general. Marrying the first prince would be one thing, but if I were to marry the second, the country might one day see a civil war.”

Here, for the first time, my father made an expression: a sadistic sneer, so comical you could almost hear the background sound effects. I’m sure that wasn’t his intention, which made it all the more frightening. “Assuming that’s all as you say, why do you think I approved your engagement to Prince Edward?”

I ran through a multitude of possibilities and settled on the answer that seemed to fit best. “Because either result was good for you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If I were engaged to the first prince, then my brother would serve him and solidify his foundation. If I were engaged to the second prince, then my brother would join the first prince’s camp. In that case, I would be in a position to observe the second prince’s movements while hoping to take the reins, were he to prove troublesome for the kingdom. The former option would require no work and be extremely simple, strategically speaking, so I suppose you did prefer that one.”

The trouble was, in YAMP’s story, the first prince was hardly in the spotlight. In fact, the game was written as if it assumed the second prince would succeed the throne. Reality was not so simple, however. The first prince was the child of the king’s wife, who had passed away, while the second prince was his illegitimate child by his current and only concubine. One might think that meant the first prince was still next in line for the throne, but things seldom go as one expects.

The king’s concubine was the daughter of a marquis currently amassing power, while the former queen had been the daughter of an earl. Thus, in terms of hierarchy, the concubine outranked her. However, the king had fallen passionately in love with her and ignored a multitude of objections in order to marry the late queen. This was the reason for the current strange balance of power. Noble society, built upon this strange balance, was clearly at a tipping point.

None of this balancing act, which was my reality, had made it into the game. The writers had instead opted to simply say the first prince was studying at a foreign academy, and that was it. I’d not thought much about it, but reality was far harsher. Also, since my father served the country, not the royal family, he maintained a neutral position in regard to their squabbles. His support of the first prince was a decision based on a law stating that the first prince inherited the right of succession. However, if the first prince turned out to be a fool, my father would abandon him for the country without a second thought. After all, a foolish king would throw Tasmeria into chaos.

“That said, my brother is utterly devoted to the second prince,” I continued. “In which case, you would have inevitably done your best to break up my engagement with him. So aren’t you happy, Father?”

Even after this incident, my father would have found a way to force our engagement, had he wanted it. Our ducal house certainly had the power to do so. If my engagement was well and truly broken, it only remained so because my father wished it.

“Bwa ha ha ha ha!” My father laughed elatedly, though he sounded rather like a villain to me. If a third party saw him, they would surely shrink back. “You’re right. I did hope you two would break it off. To that end, I repeatedly told your brother to distance himself from the second prince, but that numbskull completely forgot himself. He’s a tawdry sycophant now, alas. Are you truly all right with this, though, Iris? I was so sure you had feelings for the second prince.”

“Love is a fever. Once it cools, that’s it. I’m glad this happened early on.” What I endured would have caused even a love of a hundred years to frost over.

“Hm. But, Iris, to the masses, this appears to be your failure. Thus, I must have you take responsibility.”

“I see…” So I wouldn’t be able to avoid being stripped of my status and exiled to a nunnery, would I? Tanya would likely try to accompany me; I’d have to do my best to convince her to stay with the house.

“You will return to our domain and be placed under house arrest. It is far from the capital, though, so I’m afraid I’ll have no way of knowing whether you obey my orders.”

“Huh?”

Was he saying I could do whatever I wanted? Wait, so no nunnery?

“It would also be a waste to have you simply sit around all day, so I’ll be appointing you the acting lady of the land. Don’t disappoint me with your governance.”

Acting lady? In other words, he wanted me to govern our domain in his place? What would one even call this? A windfall? Pearls before swine? No, neither’s right!

I was so confused that nonsensical phrases kept popping into my head. But first, I asked the question weighing most heavily on my mind. “Isn’t this role reserved for the eldest son?”

“I could bestow it on him, but he wouldn’t go. He seems quite stricken by that ‘illness’ you spoke of.”

True. It was my brother’s infatuation with Yuri that had led him to become so close with the second prince, the man he had been instructed to hold at arm’s length. No doubt he would spend any future extended holidays here in the capital, seeking more flirtations. Concerningly, since Yuri was with the second prince now, that should have been all the more reason for him to distance himself from them. Perhaps my brother hoped to elevate himself by ensuring his beloved’s happiness with the prince. What nonsense.

“I understand,” I said at length. “I will make our domain into one that will not be shaken, no matter what happens in the capital.”

My father nodded, satisfied, and dismissed me from the room.

 

***

 

Once Iris exited the room, Louis de Armelia, her father, reflected on their conversation and chuckled. A great deal had happened, and all in a single day. First, Iris’s expulsion from the academy and the nullification of her engagement…all in step with established procedure. The truth was, he could have stopped her at any point once he learned of her actions during the term. He hadn’t, however, in order to have her engagement nullified.

That was for the best. Even if his daughter hadn’t acted like a lovelorn fool, he would have claimed she was sick and had the engagement nullified by his own power. Either way, once that was done, he had intended to make her step back from noble society by entering a nunnery. She had been so besotted with the second prince that he had been sure she wouldn’t listen, but such was the way of willful girls.

However, at this evening’s meeting, Iris had seemed calm, even relieved, despite the humiliating final encounter with the man she loved. Not only that, she managed to express her arguments with incisive clarity.

Interesting… he thought.

The demands of his position meant he wasn’t often able to interact with his children, leaving his wife to spoil them instead. It seemed his daughter had grown into a well-bred noble, with no faults to speak of. His son, on the other hand, had grown overconfident and seemed to lack any kind of follow-through. The duke’s plan had been to whip his son into shape once he started his governing duties.

Plans aside, his daughter had spoken with surprising insight into key elements, and even guessed his thoughts with pinpoint accuracy. How tragic, he thought at first, that my daughter should possess a keener eye for the flow of the world than my son. At least she knew her worth.

All in all, it was as if, in the blink of an eye, she had become a totally different person. However, during her speech, he’d reflected on prior cases of her odd behavior. The most prominent example of this was her disinterest in expensive presents; instead, she repeatedly negotiated for permission to take in common-born orphans.

The duke had initially assumed Iris desired a set of servants trained to attend her needs from an early age, and thus he had given his consent. Her repeated failure to treat the orphans as her staff had seemed quite strange, but he let it pass for a time, until the day he insisted on a shred of decorum. Her expression today had brought him straight back to that time.

She does nothing with these orphans. What a waste, he’d thought. And now here he was, appointing her acting governor. What a whimsical impulse. Fortunately, Sebastian was currently governing in the duke’s place; he would prevent Iris from making any truly irreversible mistakes.

All in all, it would prove interesting to see exactly what Iris could accomplish.

As the duke continued to mull over their exchange, his wife, Merellis Reiser Armelia, entered the study.

“Dear, must Iris really…?” She didn’t yet know what he’d told their daughter. Thus, concerned, Merellis had come to ask about her.

“No, I changed my mind. She is to return to our territory and assume duties as acting governor.”

“My! But isn’t that too much responsibility?” Her tone leapt for joy upon hearing Iris wouldn’t be confined to a nunnery, but her concern quickly found a new roost.

“She showed promise today. It could be fruitful to test her.”

“Really? I understand she was far too straightforward in today’s incident, so entrusting her with such a task… It worries me.”

Today’s incident… In other words, the nullification of her engagement due to her quarrels with a baron’s daughter. Iris had come straight out and admitted to her “snide comments.” The duke snorted. Iris could have used her position as a duke’s daughter to gain allies, solidify her foundation, and manipulate popular sentiment, if she’d so wished. And yet she had resorted to the most frivolous, straightforward tactics imaginable.

As a result, she’d been chased into a corner with no chance to defend herself against things she hadn’t even done. She had allowed herself to be used by the other children who disliked the baron’s daughter. They had masterfully manipulated the situation, incriminating Iris for events she had not in truth been involved with. Louis couldn’t help but wish Iris had picked up a bit of Merellis’s worldly wisdom. He disliked how his wife coddled their children, but she was strict with herself and her conduct was such that, as her husband, Louis never had reason to interfere with her affairs. At present, Merellis seemed to blame Louis for foreseeing the fallout and doing nothing to stop it.

“Iris must have learned something from this incident,” Louis mused. “She really has changed. She spoke as if she truly understood her position.”

“Well… Hee hee! You still seem so calm. I suppose she didn’t hit upon your true intentions yet, did she?”

Louis smiled wryly. There was one thing Iris had failed to pick up on: the reason he had permitted her engagement. As prime minister, he of course would have preferred she be betrothed to the first prince. However, he’d assented to her union with Prince Edward simply because his daughter wanted it. People called him the Icy Prime Minister, but in the end, he was just another father inclined to be sweet on his daughter.

Ultimately, as Iris had stated, he had resigned himself to thinking of the engagement as a means to control the second prince. Once it was approved, he had abandoned the notion of hands-off neutrality and taken to following the royal family’s every move, adjusting his long-term plans in accordance.

I was so convinced that with my power, I could shape the world how I wished… I hardly deserve to judge my son. The corner of the duke’s lips turned up in a sneer. In reality, the battle for the throne had grown privately vicious, despite his efforts. Eventually, Iris would be thrown into that whirlpool.

Thus, he had decided to have her step back from noble society before she fell too deep into the current. Of course, once the commotion died down, he’d planned to have her return home. But Iris’s performance today made him rethink this decision. She was no longer a little girl to be coddled and protected. In fact, the duke even dared hope she could overcome the rapids on her own. He was excited to see just how she would proceed.

 

***

 

Upon receiving my father’s orders I, Iris, moved to the duchy of Armelia. Today was my first day back.

The duchy of Armelia was situated southeast of the capital, about a week’s carriage ride away taking the straightest road. To the east was the sea, and to the west rose mountains. Its lands were vast, second only to the capital, and it overflowed with natural beauty. Its port and bountiful agriculture put it in a unique position to trade with other countries. Furthermore, the careful policies of generations of dukes had long maintained public order.

Before entering the academy, Berne, my mother, and I had spent our days here outside of the social season. Ever since I moved away, however, I had spent even my extended holidays at the country estate, so it did feel quite nostalgic to be back.

The bright rising sun illuminated the land as I did my early morning yoga. Morning exercise wakes up the body and is good for your health. And, well, I’d grown a little chubby. The grand position of duke’s daughter meant I could eat as much luxurious, high-calorie food as I wanted, so of course I’d put on weight. Thus, on top of exercise, I had also decided to diet.

“Good morning, my lady—eep!”

“Oh, Tanya. Morning.”

Obviously, she had come with me to the duchy. Since I wasn’t to be banished to a nunnery, I assumed this was fine. But what had her so riled up?

“‘Morning,’ nothing! My lady, what in the world are you doing dressed like that?”

“Dressed like what?”

I looked at my clothes: a hastily thrown-on servant’s hemp pants and top. Perfect for exercising, no? “I’m thinking of exercising every morning to keep up my health. I chose something easy to move in, but was that a mistake?”

“You’re…exercising?” Tanya looked at me, puzzled. I suppose it was odd, to say the least, to see a daughter of the peerage stretching and moving in such a way.

“Yes, I read in a book that if you don’t keep your body moving, it’s bad for your health. Thus, I’ll be doing this every morning. Try not to be surprised every time.”

“Understood… Forgive me.”

“It’s fine. Now that I’m sweaty, could you draw me a bath?”

“Of course.”

Once Tanya was done, I bathed and then had breakfast. Since I had just exercised, I had quite an appetite. I still remembered to maintain a healthy nutritional balance, though.

“I’d like to speak to Sebastian about the future. Could you set up an appointment for me?”

“Right away.”

Tanya quickly did as I asked, and just before noon I went to see Sebastian.

 

***

 

Sebastian was our family’s butler. He was the top servant of the household, and my father had entrusted him with governing the duchy. As he entered the room, his aura reminded me of Elulu’s. In other words, his tailcoat was in perfect order and he radiated strictness, yet his clean, efficient movements put one at ease. Truly a model butler, and a silver fox if I might add.

“Sorry to summon you like this. I know you must be busy.”

“Not at all. I am your hands and feet, my lady. Please feel free to summon me at any time.”

“Oh? Then let’s get down to it. Could you bring me all the finance reports from the last three years, as well as summarize the current governance structures in a report?”

“As you wish. But what will you be doing with all of that?”

“Reading, of course. Somehow, I’ve managed to be appointed acting governor by Father. But I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t the slightest idea of how well the duchy’s economy fares, to say nothing of the state of the city. So could you give me one month?”

“One month, my lady?”

“Yes. I believe that is how long I’ll need to read all the material and perform my own observational analysis.”

“Understood. However, a great deal will need to be prepared for your observation excursions. About a week, perhaps.”

“On the contrary, I intend to observe from an anonymous standpoint in order to gain a more accurate understanding of the situation. This will require as few assistants as possible, which I will appoint myself. This is to say, there’s no need for you to waste your time, Sebastian.”

“Forgive me for my presumption.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be leaning heavily on you in regard to finance in the future. Please feel free to speak your mind.”

After Sebastian left, I summoned Tanya.

“Tanya, call up Lyle, Dida, and Rehme, will you?”

“Yes, my lady.”

A few minutes later, three people followed Tanya into the room. I had known each since I was a child—more orphans I’d taken in. Lyle had beautiful blond hair and a noble face, but his muscled body was made for fighting, and he was the equal of even the royal knights. Thus, I employed him and Dida as my bodyguards. Dida’s brown hair extended to his shoulders, which he tied into a tail. Compared to Lyle, he was quite physically delicate, and a bit of an aloof weirdo, but he was just as reliable.

Rehme, the girl with glasses, loved books with a passion and was our family’s librarian. When I say librarian, I mean that she was in charge of the duke’s private collection, which rivaled that of a public facility. Because of this, her job was terribly important.

“Long time no see, everyone,” I said.

Their jobs meant they hadn’t been able to come with me to the academy, so they had remained here. When I left, I’d told them they were free to seek employment wherever they pleased, but as usual they remained. It made me happy, but at the same time, I felt guilty.

“It’s good to see you, Princess.” The first to answer was Dida. As usual, his tone was joking and the grin on his face undeniably cheeky.

“Dida, you still dare take that tone with Lady Iris?”

“It’s fine, Lyle,” I told him. “You’re all like family to me. It makes me happy when you all act like the old days—when we’re alone, at least.”

“But, Lady Iris…”

“Please, Lyle.”

Lyle sighed heavily and acquiesced. “Understood.”

“As you all know, Prince Edward broke off his engagement with me. Thus, I’ve returned home.”

“I don’t accept it! Why do you have to lose your engagement and be sentenced to house arrest?” Rehme was just as frustrated as Tanya, and tears welled in her eyes.

“I know, right?” Dida snorted. “Honestly, that kid has no taste.”

“Thank you. But what’s done is done. Besides, I really am overjoyed to be back here with you all again,” I insisted. “Now, to the main point. You’re all aware that I’ve been appointed acting governor, yes? So before I take up the role, I thought I’d go and take the measure of our lands. Will you all accompany me on my journey?”

“Of course.”

“Guarding the princess, huh? Sounds exciting.”

The two boys were ready to go, but Rehme’s expression was more difficult to read.

“I understand why you’d ask them, since they’re your guards, but why me?” she said.

“Because I desire to draw on your knowledge, of course,” I said.

“Eh?!”

“You’ve read every single book we own, haven’t you? There must have been some on this duchy’s history and geography. I must depend on the knowledge you gained from those books. There’s an incredible difference between going into a situation blind and having some idea of what you’re dealing with.”

Our family’s book collection really was quite impressive, due to the generations of prime ministers we’d brought up. The library was the largest room in the mansion and completely buried in books of all different genres. There were books of fiction, books devoted to the various past patriarchs’ hobbies, and nonfiction tomes on governance, geography, law, and more. It was my belief that Rehme, who had read every one of those books, was a treasure trove of insight.

“In that case, I understand.” Rehme nodded. “I’ll do my best to fulfill my duty.”

“My plan is to leave two days from now. Inform Tanya once you’ve packed everything you need. Tanya, I’m entrusting you with preparations.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and could someone contact Moneda for me?”

“Moneda, my lady?”

“Yes, that’s right. He works for the merchant guild, doesn’t he?”

The merchant guild, as its name implied, was an organization formed by various businesses. Moneda was one of the orphans I’d taken in, but he had quit as my servant and joined the guild once I entered the academy.

“Yes, I was told he’s an accountant for them. I’ll arrange for a message to be sent.”

“Thanks, Lyle. Try to book him toward the very end of our trip.”

“Understood.”

We went over our trip plans in more detail, and then I dismissed the trio. With perfect timing, the documents I had requested from Sebastian arrived so I could scan through them. Truth be told, when I lived in Japan, I had worked at a tax office. Thanks to that, I was pretty good at digesting income, expenditures, and other financial statements. I followed the numbers with little difficulty.

“My lady, it is time for lunch.”

“Oh, is it that time already?”

Time flies when you’re having fun, I suppose. It was already noon. Still, I was thankful my food has been prepared for me. In my previous life, I had been so busy that I had never paid much attention to my nutritional needs.

I wolfed lunch down and then got back to work. I remembered to properly chew, though. I couldn’t forget my diet. Even so, it was nice to have work to take my mind off my hunger.

 

***

 

As Tanya watched over Iris, her head buried in a pile of documents on her study desk, she reflected on the past.

It’s been one surprise after another.

First of all, it was a miracle that she was even here right now, serving the duke’s family. Tanya had no surname. No one had one in the slum where she was raised. There had been no time to care about names when things like food—or even seeing the next day—were never guaranteed.

How had she ended up as a servant to the leading noble family in the country, then? It had been purely Iris’s whim. She’d saved Tanya from dying on the side of the road, and that would have been more than anyone need do. Yet she also called Tanya “important” and treated her like a friend. For this reason, Tanya had resolved to serve Iris with all her heart. Iris had given someone so meaningless to the world a reason to live.

It had been almost ten years since Tanya had entered Iris’s service. Ten years of happiness, she was proud to say. But that happiness had almost been destroyed by Iris’s ex-fiancé, Edward. The second prince, despite being spoken for, had fallen head over heels for some baron’s daughter. Tanya had been forced to watch as, day by day, Iris’s expression darkened and her smile disappeared.

That said, it came as a shock when Iris gave in to the fires of jealousy and lambasted the baron’s daughter in public. It had been beyond frustrating to see her like that and be unable to intercede. At the same time, rage toward the second prince had filled Tanya’s body. How could such a scoundrel be a man of the royal family? How could he be so blind to Iris’s virtues? How dare he besmirch her honor by falling for some lesser noble’s daughter? He had even humiliated her by restraining her in public. It was unbelievable. There would be no forgiving him.

Yet Iris, upon returning to the duchy’s estate, looked refreshed.

What? But she was so in love before. What happened? Tanya had thought, but she decided against asking so as not to dredge up any old wounds. What was more important was Iris’s future. This was what Tanya wanted to focus on.

Of course, no matter where Iris was sent, Tanya would follow. And ultimately, though Iris’s sentence was an extremely light one, the condition that came with it had made it impossible for Tanya to relax.

My lady, the governor? What is the master thinking? She could still barely believe it.

Iris had received an education befitting her noble status, but if you had asked Tanya whether that education was practically useful, well, that was a different matter. While Iris’s brother had learned governance and finance, Iris’s studies had centered on etiquette until her time at the academy. There, she had studied arithmetic, poetry, and language, and had also been given a general education in history and geography. What exactly could she accomplish with that?

But right now, Iris’s eyes flowed over the cluttered documents of difficult numbers with such speed that she truly seemed to be reading them. Every now and again, she’d jot something down on a piece of paper, further evidence of her ability to digest them.

My lady truly is beyond my understanding, Tanya thought. At the same time, she couldn’t help but smile at the unending surprises. Forget ten years—a year ago, she couldn’t have imagined Iris serving in such a position.

Tanya glanced at the clock and noticed it had gotten quite late. Iris’s head was still buried in documents. Only the sound of papers flipping echoed in the room. Tanya resolved to come check on her from time to time, in order to ensure Iris didn’t fatigue herself with this intense study.

 

***

 

A day had passed since Sebastian delivered the documents I asked for. The mountain of papers still sat on my desk. I wanted to keep reading, but Tanya begged me to take a break, so I decided to go stretch my legs and explore the mansion. I hadn’t been back in ages, yet still I hadn’t taken the time to look around.

The mansion in the capital was of fine construction, don’t get me wrong, but it was nothing compared to this place. First, there was the space. Oh, the space! If you asked me how big it was, it would be difficult for me to say, as I’d never measured it. I mean, it took fifteen minutes to walk from the front gate to the mansion itself, which was quite a shock to my past self. The path was lined with fountains spewing water, and depending on the season, the gardens bloomed with flowers. It was quite a sight for any visitor. When I’d seen it from the carriage last evening, I had been overcome with nostalgia and comfort.

The mansion was enormous, but the area behind it was easily double the size. Vegetation sprawled about, and there was a body of water too large to be a pond, yet too small to be a lake. Near this body of water, although you couldn’t see it from the mansion, was a stable. Beyond that was a forest. The grounds were so vast, I didn’t think I had ever walked every corner of it.

In any case, today I chose the backyard to explore. The wind brushed my cheek, gently shaking the trees. What idyllic weather. Basking in the calming effects of the scenery, I headed for the stable. The last time I visited, I had been a child, so I took care not to get lost.

“Is the stable really this way?”

After a few minutes I was, ironically, lost. My memories were so hazy. Still, you really wouldn’t expect to get lost on your own property, would you? I could still see the mansion, though, so in the worst-case scenario, I could always head back that way. Actually, I was itching to get back to work, so I supposed I would have to give up on the stable. It was my home, so I could try to find it whenever the mood struck me next. That was what I told myself as I turned around.

“Huh?”

In the corner of my eye, I spotted familiar blond hair. Lyle?

I decided to take a detour and stepped off the path. Before I realized it, I was in the thick of the trees. Could I still make it back to the mansion from here? What if it wasn’t Lyle? Worry filled me, but to my relief, I did indeed come upon my faithful bodyguard, who seemed to be practicing with his sword. He swung a heavy blade in a clearing, dripping with sweat.

“Is that you, my lady?”

I was beyond surprised that he sensed me without looking. “How did you know it was me? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?”

“It’s the result of my training, I guess you could say. I train so I can fight in pitch darkness and sense presences. I can identify a person even with the slightest of footsteps or smells.”

“That’s still impressive. Sorry, I must be intruding.”

“No, I was just thinking of finishing.” He lowered his sword.

“Well, if you say so,” I said, stepping into the clearing to glance around.

“My lady, what brings you out here?”

“Huh? Oh, I was looking over the documents Sebastian gave me, but Tanya insisted I take a break. So I figured I’d stretch my legs and walk to the stable.”

“The stable?” Lyle frowned. “That’s more to the west, I’m afraid. You must have taken a wrong turn.”

“I see… No wonder I was getting nowhere.”

The forest, thick with trees, filled my vision. In other words, I’d come to the northern corner of the estate. If memory served, the stable should have been right in front of the woods.

“It’s not often I see you walking around outside,” said Lyle.

“Right. Well, I haven’t been home in years, I guess. Say, Lyle, where are you headed now?”

Lyle chuckled, picking up on the implication of my question. Embarrassed, I glared at him.

“Forgive me. My duty is to be your bodyguard, so please allow me to accompany you back to the mansion.”

As long as he was headed there, he could at least show me the way. Of course, I was grateful for his willingness to help. Lyle knelt at my feet, paying respect to his liege. The overdramatic gesture elicited a smile from me.

“Yes, I’ll be counting on you.” Giggling, I took his extended hand.

“It would be my honor,” Lyle replied with the utmost seriousness, smiling as well.

“So, do you train out here often?” I asked as we walked back to the mansion.

“If I ever have a block of free time, yes, I mostly train out here, and you are welcome to observe.”

“But you train with the other guards as well, don’t you? You sure are passionate.”

The Armelia family employed a number of private soldiers to protect the property and serve as guards to its household. Lyle and Dida were members of this company.

“Dida trains in secret, too.”

“He does? I can’t imagine it.”

“He hates letting other people see him work hard. But every day, he steadily gets stronger. Perhaps I do so as well simply because I don’t want to let him beat me.” Lyle grinned awkwardly.

“Hee hee. I think that’s fine. Dida would probably say the same thing.”

“If you say so.”

“You two have always squabbled over everything. Some would call you good rivals.”

Ever since we were children, Dida would swagger into a situation, make a mess, and Lyle would come sweeping up behind him. But whenever they ended up truly competing, it became an outright slugfest. If memory served, Dida would often dive in headfirst. Then the competition would fizzle out, with no clear winner in sight.

“I hope I can count on you two for my protection on this trip.”

Whatever their reasons for training, if it made them stronger, then there was nothing for me to say. As long as this trip went smoothly.

“Of course,” he said.

I could feel the pride in his smile.