“We must discuss the escort schedule and route. Could you please step aside, Your Grace?”

“...”

Aslan signaled with his gaze, and the Duke of the North nodded, understanding. Without saying much, he rose from his seat. It was obvious that as long as he remained, convincing Merilda would be much harder. In fact, his tendency to shield Merilda excessively would likely hinder rather than help.

The Duke reluctantly stood up, teary-eyed.

‘This is so uncomfortable.’

He only moved to a nearby table, staring sharply over at them. Aslan let out a deep sigh, then turned to Merilda, who sat across from him, silently focusing on her meal.

“My Lady, would you consider cooperating?”

“Hmph.”

Merilda merely scoffed and popped another piece of meat into her mouth, deliberately ignoring Aslan.

Watching this, Charlotte and Yulia trembled, their lips itching to comment.

This noble lady is so spoiled…!

“My Lady, I respect your right to refuse, but at least listen before…”

“Fine. I’ll listen.”

“...”

The moment Yuri interjected, Merilda abruptly lifted her head, staring at Yuri with intense focus. The sudden shift in demeanor left Charlotte and Yulia dumbfounded.

“You’ve got to be kidding. She’s a wo…”

“Charlotte! Shh! Quiet...!”

Yulia hastily clamped a hand over Charlotte’s mouth, stopping her from blurting out the truth.

We can’t reveal that yet! We have to use Yuri’s looks to get the lady’s cooperation!

‘Isn’t that kind of deceptive?’

Yulia hesitated, recalling Aslan’s promise to the Duke not to deceive Merilda. But then she reasoned…

‘Oh! We didn’t say Yuri was a man; Merilda assumed it herself!’

They hadn’t explicitly said Yuri was a man, so technically, there was no deception involved. Adopting Aslan’s line of reasoning, Yulia quickly justified it.

“Please don’t misunderstand, Count. I’m only here because I was hungry, not to hear about any escort plans. I have no intention of fleeing Esther just because of some monster wave.”

“Flee? Are you singing?”

“No, Charlotte…”

Merilda made it clear she wouldn’t be persuaded. Even if Yuri spoke to her, she seemed firm in her decision not to leave Esther.

“By staying here, My Lady, you’ll make it difficult for the soldiers to concentrate. As long as there’s any risk to you, no one will be free from worry.”

“Hmph. So what? They’ll just have to overcome it. Their families are staying here too, after all. If I worry, do they not worry for their families? It’s all just excuses.”

“...”

Aslan swallowed his frustration and took a calming breath. Merilda wasn’t just a stubborn child throwing a fit—her reasoning was sound. Persuading her with shallow arguments wouldn’t be enough.

‘What she really despises is being treated as an idol.’

While the entire fortress viewed Merilda as a sort of symbol, her aspirations were quite different.

“I can’t abandon my people to flee. And for a threat as trivial as this one, even more so!”

“...”

What Merilda longed to be wasn’t an idol but a ruler—someone who could face dangers head-on alongside her people.

How can I resolve this disparity? Aslan pondered for a moment and then thought of a strategy.

“Sigh. So, you’ve thought of this only as an evacuation.”

“...What?”

“I assumed someone as discerning as you would have realized it already. It seems you haven’t yet grasped the true purpose of the capital visit.”

“A deeper purpose? There’s no such thing! Other than cowardly fleeing…!”

Shaking his head, Aslan provoked an intense reaction from Merilda. That’s right. This reaction was what he was after. At first, she’d barely deigned to respond, showing her indifference, but with her pride now engaged, Merilda wouldn’t simply walk away.

“Are you sure you don’t understand?”

“Ha! Go ahead, say whatever you think it is! It’s probably nonsense!”

“Each year, the fortress city of Esther faces a monster wave. During that time, everyone lives in constant fear of monsters scaling the walls or breaching our defenses.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Quelling the people’s fears is the duty of a true ruler, isn’t it? His Grace the Duke sends his heirs to the capital during the monster waves not only to ensure their safety. It’s also for the sake of study.”

“...?”

Study? As in education?

Merilda tilted her head, puzzled.

“The Duke wished for you to focus on your studies in the capital, where educational resources abound. Isn’t that right, Your Grace?”

“Oh, oh yes! That’s correct!”

Surprised, the Duke nodded. Aslan smirked slightly. Though he’d vowed not to deceive Merilda, getting the Duke’s consent had made this situation more palatable.

Of course, the Duke had originally intended the relocation solely as a contingency plan to protect his heirs. But now, a new meaning had been added to the evacuation.

“What!? Father! You never told me that!”

“He probably hoped you’d realize it on your own.”

“But I can study in Esther too! Do you think Esther is some backwater? I can get specialized magic training right here; there’s no need to go to the capital!”

“I have never once looked down on Esther. But look around you. These children here possess unique talents in necromancy and dark knighthood. Are there educational programs in Esther tailored to such rare talents?”

“That, that’s…”

“If you possess any unique talent, My Lady, there’s a chance it could go undiscovered here. But in the capital, where all talents are nurtured, such abilities have room to blossom. If safety were the sole concern, the southern region near Esther would suffice. His Grace specifically chose the capital, hoping you might have a hidden talent.”

Merilda’s eyes widened as she looked at her father. Did he really send her to the capital with that in mind? The Duke, also visibly emotional, nodded with a faint look of pride.

‘Father had such a noble intention…!’

Merilda’s mouth dropped open.

If she turned out to have, say, the gift of barrier magic, she could greatly contribute to the city’s defense. Right now, countless soldiers had to take turns staying up to monitor for breaches, but a barrier mage on standby could relieve them of that burden.

Father had planned for this possibility all along! I went to the capital all this time and just played around without realizing it!

Overcome with guilt, Merilda’s face crumpled.

“Sniff, sniff…”

“Merilda! What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Father! I thought you were just overprotective, sending me away during every monster wave! I thought you were overreacting and acting like a fool… I’m sorry! I didn’t realize your true intentions!”

“Ah, yes, well…”

Bursting into tears, Merilda rushed over and hugged her father. The Duke kept his composure, gently patting her back. Though it was true he became a fool when it came to his daughter, that was in the past.

He had always sent her to the capital, hoping she might develop any talent that could aid in defending against the monster waves. From this day forward, that was the official reason.

“I’ll go to the capital… and study hard… Right now, I’m useless. So, I’ll grow strong and become a ruler who can protect Esther…”

“Ha, ha ha ha! That’s the spirit! You’ve finally grasped my true intent, Merilda!”

The Duke forced a hearty laugh, but his eyes turned sharply toward Aslan.

What if Merilda eventually learned the truth? He’d taken a gamble, entrusting this task to Aslan, and now he’d been handed quite the dilemma.

‘Making me deceive my own daughter, you scoundrel… but as long as she goes to the capital, mission accomplished.’

Just then, as the Duke clenched his jaw, a soldier burst into the room, panic-stricken.

“Your Grace! A large number of monsters have appeared near the walls!”

“What!? They shouldn’t be arriving for some time yet!”

“They’re flying monsters, Your Grace! They’re flying toward us!”

“That’s impossible! Flying monsters should be extinct…!”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed as the banquet hall erupted into chaos.