Today I will go to the palace, personally the less I went to the palace the better my day will be but thanks to General Brise, I have an informal audience with the third princess after going to see the Viceroy's face and hear what the hell he wants.
-- Viscount Edward D. Zenit, kneel before the viceroy.
The Prime Minister was glaring at me, as I stood in front of the Viceroy, I could see old Patrick hold in his laughter as he watched the Minister turn red and the Viceroy turn blue.
-- I will kneel when I am convinced that he really is a viceroy, as far as I see him he is just an old fool with an even more foolish son... Ah! I want to go to the demon army~
Throwing in my usual joke, I pointed a finger at the viceroy who was going from blue to red and back to blue.
-- Viscount, let's forget about the formalities, and get to the point.
--That would be the best~
I scoffed again, and winked at the vice queen, let me say without fear of reprisal, "IS THE ULTIMATE MILF!" I've only heard the rumors about this mature woman but, hell... the word beautiful falls short, what is she in her forties and already has three children, for all I care, sapphire blue eyes, auburn hair, a figure of perfect hourglass, besides being a Spear Master and former adventurer known as Assassin of Giants, a perfect Noble Amazon, how the hell did the viceroy do to catch such a woman?... if there is a revolt I will save /kidnap the vice queen.
-- Sir. Edward D. Zenit, for your achievements we grant you the title of Earl, along with a part of the mountainous region of "Rondo" to the southeast of the Duchy, in addition you will be given a decoration and a marriage proposal with the third princess, in accordance with the traditions of the Free Duchy of Milis, that is all, he will be summoned by the army when his services are required.
The Viceroy gave his speech in one fell swoop and stormed out of the audience room as if his ass was on fire, followed by the Prime Minister, old Patrick and the Viceroy only shared a forced smile before leaving the room but not before giving me a thumbs up. small greeting.
The vice-queen approached and gave me a little bow, I didn't miss an opportunity and I knelt down and kissed her hand…and again this woman is perfect, her perfume is delicious.
At my sudden action the vice-queen just smiled happily, and walked out escorted by old Patrick who gave me a thumbs up in support of my antics.
-- Ah, ah... [Alright let's go see the third princess~]
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Thanks to the kind guide of one of the palace servants, I quickly reached the third princess's chambers, honestly they are quite far from everything, rather than being in the castle they are a separate building, to the northeast of the palace a small fortress, a prison Under the name of "Tierra Calma" for me it is more of a nuclear bunker.
-- Count Zenit, Her Highness the Third Princess is waiting for you, please come in.
Instructed by the maid, I can only shrug my shoulders and enter the lion's den.
-- Welcome to my humble home Count Edward D. Zenit, or should I call you my handsome and brave fiancé~
A young lady greeted me with a big smile while saying those words, the young lady was none other than the third princess Teresa Amatas Bloom, a young lady around twenty years old or less, with golden blonde hair and emerald eyes, whitish skin with a body modest, neither too much nor too little, just fair, she is not an extreme beauty like her mother, the viceroy, but she can take anyone's breath away.
-- Your highness, I think it was just a proposal that I haven't fully accepted yet, so please put the jokes aside, Brise has already told me about you, I think it's better if we go straight to business...
-- I didn't think you would already know me to such an extent, my handsome hero~
-- Blame your subordinate, Brise is a good subject but loses persuasion if you accuse him with his wife, he is a good husband, a bit submissive but a good man in the end.
-- I can't tell if you're his friend or his enemy~?
-- A little of both your highness...
-- Well, I think that bothering you will not bring me anything good, now Sir. Edward or do you prefer Sir Zenit?
-- Since you are quite interested in our possible marriage, leave it to Ed...
We both sat around a small coffee table and looked at each other.
-- Perfect, then Ed, why do you want to go to the demon army?
-- Huh?
The third princess asked a strange question, I expected her to ask me to join her faction, to kill the viceroy or cripple the crown prince, but I never thought she would start her attack with that question, "Why do you want to go to the demon army?"... I have to admit I got caught.
-- Princess, it's just a joke that I tend to do nothing outstanding...
-- Really? There is no one who makes a recurring joke without actually thinking about it seriously at least once, Ed tell me, do you want to go to the demon army?
The princess's emerald orbs were staring at me to the point where I could see my reflection in them, damn I'm making a pretty pathetic face right now.
I combed my face with my hand as I closed my eyes and calmed my mind.
--...To be honest, I've been wanting to escape from this stupid war and join the winning side, I have nothing to firmly bind me to this nation, the Emboar Sisters are just adventurers and good drinking partners but only up to that point, currently I only care about the twins I have at home, I have quite a lot of cash and my weapon will be ready in a few months, I could take advantage of that moment and escape with the twins to the north, go all the way to the empire in a straight line and reach the moutains…
-- I see that you have a well-structured plan but Ed, don't you feel some guilt for accepting that you have a relationship with your maids in front of your fiancée~?
-- I haven't accepted the proposal yet... besides it's just another plan of your father or old high priest Patrick to tie me to this dukedom, that dirty old man thinks I don't know what is spying on me , I have intentionally avoided attending as many of possible parties to save myself a barrage of marriage proposals from that old pimp.
closed my eyes before continuing.
-- Princess, the empire has its White Hero and the bastard has a holy sword, a hippogriff and an army with high morale, for its part the kingdom has its Heroine the Maiden of the March that woman has ancient healing magic and a small army of two hundred elite guards who will not die easily and those two hundred is not counting the ten high-ranking adventurers who accompany her as private bodyguards, in short the Kingdom has a brigade of semi-immortal elite soldiers for healing the Maiden, I don't have much information about the demon army but anything is better than having to endure the triple siege in this decaying dukedom, with a short-sighted viceroy, a crown prince who would be better off dead or locked in some dungeon, a first princess for adornment political, with royal bastards filling fiscal posts across the nation, and an army with nonexistent morale, tell me wise princess, why wouldn't you want to run away? oh! And that's not counting the fact that I was stranded in the abyss for god knows how long because of his ineptitude when it came to performing the fucking ritual...
I let out a heavy sigh when I finished speaking, reached out and took a cup of tea that was offered to me who knows when and emptied it into my parched throat.
-- I see that you have more than enough reasons to think seriously about desertion; I was informed that your citation was not entirely successful and you ended up paying for our mistakes and I seriously apologize for the people of this land and for the ineptitude of my father and brother but I don't think all is lost.
The princess bowed deeply in front of me to the point where her forehead touched the table between us, I didn't feel moved but if I acknowledge her will for people, she is a true noble or at least she gives me that impression.
-- You don't have to do that, the royals just have to lower their heads for the guillotine, they haven't lost the war yet so don't bow down. Now you know what I think… Does Teresa have a reason to postpone my departure? No, better let me tell you a little about myself, I am a violent man, I am a schemer, an analyst, cynical but not cruel or ruthless, I do not have what is called a family, nor a lover in my old world at most only a few acquaintances and one that another friend with benefits but nothing more, since I was called here I decided that I would die in this world, but not that I would be a puppet, I am a very practical and simple person, I just need a roof over my head, food in my stomach and I will be Well, old Patrick played his cards right and quickly gave me a mansion and food to keep me entertained, but now I have about a small fortune in cash and am by far the strongest man in the entire dukedom. Threatening me will not work, I like the twins but they are not an infallible shackle, I can destroy everything in my path save them and escape, I can take the head of your father, your brothers, the old priest and the ministers, to deliver them to the Empire or to the demon army as a tribute and join their ranks, tell me Third Crown Princess Teresa Amatas Bloom, do you have anything that can tie me down?
The princess paled before my spontaneous outburst against the royal family, although I was only venting a little of my frustration against everything in this world so unmagical, I can not leave my mansion freely since there are about five checkpoints on all the roads that lead to my house, there are patrols in the woods and it is a nuisance to have to sneak in or out, I am a prisoner, not only do they treat me as a political weapon and tool.