The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 5: Astrid Despairs

Even after achieving the monumental feat of consuming most of the continent, Kreutz von Einthafen did not indulge in meaningless acts like rebuilding the imperial palace. 

He simply renamed the royal palace to the imperial palace and continued using it as it was.

Behind that imperial palace lay a small garden accessible only to the emperor and those granted permission by him.

It was in this garden that Kreutz and Leopold sat across from each other with a small table between them.

“Leopold.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“It’s just the two of us here, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Father.”

Formalities didn’t matter much to Kreutz. He had never been one to obsess over such things.

From the start, he’d been a simple, bold, and headstrong man. Even after becoming emperor, his personality had remained unchanged.

“So, are you satisfied now?”

“What do you mean?”

Leopold’s face showed confusion.

He had no idea what his father was getting at. He hadn’t been particularly dissatisfied with anything, nor had he given any such impression.

So this sudden question from Kreutz left him baffled.

“I’m asking if you’re satisfied with getting Astrid to attend the academy.”

Kreutz grinned slyly, fingers interlocked as he gazed at his son.

“They say that since ancient times, no man can resist a beautiful woman. I’m not saying this just because she’s the daughter of my friend, but Astrid is undeniably a beauty beyond comparison. And as my daughter-in-law, she’s not only beautiful but also possesses overwhelming martial prowess.”

‘So that’s what this is about,’ Leopold thought.

He forcibly arranged his expression to hide his irritation, forcing a smile to his lips.

“Father, I believe there’s been a misunderstanding. I have no particular affection for Astrid. From the start, a woman’s looks aren’t everything.”

“If looks aren’t everything, then what more do you need?”

“For example…”

Leopold trailed off, his words catching in his throat.

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t find any real flaws in Astrid as a potential crown princess.

If he argued about her family background, she was the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke of Miterien, a founding contributor to the empire—a noble house that had distanced itself from power by taking on the northern frontier rather than remaining in the capital.

If he mentioned her appearance, it was as Kreutz had said—Astrid’s beauty was so extraordinary that she was hailed as one of the greatest beauties of her era.

If he criticized her martial skills, it was even more ridiculous. Blessed with two of the stars’ graces, her combat prowess was so overwhelming that it was hard to believe.

“…Her personality is problematic, isn’t it?”

“Her personality?”

Kreutz stroked his beard, thinking deeply.

As a king, now an emperor, he had attended countless social gatherings.

Thanks to that, Kreutz was well aware of Astrid’s reputation in high society.

Her straightforward nature, her blunt, cynical way of speaking, and her tendency to prioritize practicality over formalities made her seem even more aggressive than she was.

“But isn’t that very personality more suited to a crown princess?”

“Pardon?”

“She’s stubborn and doesn’t listen to others easily. She doesn’t believe anything until she sees it with her own eyes. Such traits mean she’s less likely to fall for the lies of flatterers. Her forthrightness in calling out right and wrong will serve as a guiding light for you as you rule as emperor. She’s the perfect partner for you.”

Kreutz’s firm words left Leopold speechless.

“…You’ve fallen for her completely, Father.”

“I’ll take my leave, Your Majesty.”

“Alright. Go safely.”

As he left the garden and walked away from the imperial chambers, Leopold sighed heavily, trying to suppress the irritation boiling inside him.

They say that when you’re infatuated with someone, everything they do seems wonderful.

And right now, his father—the emperor, Kreutz—was exactly in that state.

A woman as sly as a snake, wearing the noble face of a leopard, yet as cunning as a serpent on the inside… What did he see in her?

He couldn’t understand why Astrid, who had been so adamant about not attending the academy, suddenly decided to join him there. But even that he found frustrating.

Four years.

He’d thought that if they were separated for four years, he could find a way to break off the engagement.

Maybe, at the academy, he’d meet a noble lady far more suited to be the crown princess than Astrid.

If that happened, he’d be able to convince his father to call off the engagement.

Even if that didn’t happen, he’d find a way—some way—to annul the engagement.

Yes, somehow, he’d manage it.

But all those plans had crumbled because of Astrid’s sudden change of heart.

How she had caught wind of his intentions was beyond him, but in the presence of both their fathers, she had declared her intention to enroll in the academy.

As a result, Kreutz was even more delighted, further cementing her position as the crown princess.

‘You snake of a woman…!’

Just thinking about it made his teeth clench in frustration.

With one bold move, she had secured her position as the crown princess—solidifying it with a single declaration.

‘I’ve been played…’

On his way back to the Crown Prince’s palace, Leopold’s anger only grew stronger.

He felt furious and resentful.

‘A woman who has nothing to show for herself other than looks, lineage, martial prowess, wealth, and honor…’

With the entrance ceremony for the academy just a week away, he found himself gritting his teeth.

His heart screamed to run back to Kreutz and beg him to revoke Astrid’s admission to the academy, but he knew that was impossible.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it!’

***

“Oh, my dear lady… How do you plan to handle all this on your own?”

It was only natural that the academy was located in the capital, Persant. The journey to the academy was a full week’s travel by carriage.

Since it was a long-distance trip and she wouldn’t be able to return home until the break, the nanny busily packed Astrid’s belongings while wiping away tears.

Although meals would be provided at the academy, cleaning her room, washing clothes, and other small chores were all part of the academy’s rules—and all had to be done by the students themselves.

Of course, Astrid had never done such tasks before. Born into nobility, she had never lifted a finger for such work. But the “current” Astrid was different.

‘I’ve lived alone for over 10 years… What’s so hard about doing it myself?’

She’d done laundry, cleaning, and even cooking on her own before.

Of course, she couldn’t openly declare this, so Astrid crossed her legs and flipped through the academy’s admissions guide.

Three days had passed since Wolfgang and Ashray departed to intercept the invading tribes in the northern territories.

At this point, she had scoured every book in the grand duchy’s estate but found no more records related to Astrid. With no leads left, she was simply wasting time every day.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“At the very least, can’t I accompany you, just me alone?”

The nanny, who was nearing seventy, had cherished Astrid like her own daughter.

Of course, the girl in front of her now was entirely different inside, but the nanny had no way of knowing that. 

She only saw a girl who had lost her mother at birth and, after turning ten, had lived a rough life on the battlefield—a life far from the ordinary upbringing of a noblewoman.

“Nanny.”

There was no need to explain all that, so Astrid closed the guidebook and embraced the nanny tightly.

“I’m not going to war. I’m just going to school. I’ll be back during the break, so you really don’t have to worry. Plus, His Highness Leopold will be there too.”

“That’s precisely why I’m even more worried, my lady…”

“Huh?”

She’d thought the nanny would be reassured if she mentioned that the crown prince would be present.

But instead, the nanny’s worry only deepened, much to Astrid’s confusion.

“Why? His Highness the Crown Prince will be with me, so why are you worried?”

“How many wicked foxes do you think will covet the position of crown princess, my lady? I’m worried that those wicked foxes will bare their fangs at you. Your tender heart won’t be able to fend them off, and this old woman’s heart won’t be able to rest easy…”

The nanny finally pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.

Astrid roughly understood.

When the first emperor of the grand empire Einthafen established his rule, the successor—the next emperor—would bask in that glory.

The woman standing beside that emperor, the empress, would hold power as great as the emperor’s. It was only natural that many would covet that position.

‘Ha… Should I pretend to be sick?’

Astrid—a woman so strong she’d never even caught a cold—had only ever collapsed once, and that was when she awoke after “the change.”

If she suddenly claimed to be sick now and collapsed, it would cause a massive uproar. 

It might even result in her academy admission being canceled, but it’d definitely stir up a storm.

“Nanny, don’t worry. I’m not that weak. Come on, stop crying. We can pack the rest tomorrow, so let’s call it a day for now, okay?”

“Oh, my lady… Yes, yes, I’ve made a fool of myself. I just couldn’t help it—thinking of you traveling so far, I got carried away…”

“No, no, it’s fine. I understand, Nanny. I appreciate your concern, I really do. But that’s enough for today. Let’s continue tomorrow, alright?”

“Oh, my lady…”

Pushing the hesitant nanny out of the room, Astrid closed the door and finally exhaled in relief.

Once she’d collected herself, she put away the admissions guidebook and pulled out the curriculum guide beneath it.

“…Combined battalion tactical training, emergency deployment readiness training, squad-level combat power assessment, summer endurance training, winter endurance training, trench warfare simulation drills…”

Every term was all too familiar.

It was like she’d signed up for military service again.

On top of that, they expected her to do it for four years?

Four whole years of this nonsense?

“I should just stay a housewife. That’s probably the better option.”

Despair spread across Astrid’s face.