episode_0140

Daniela saw a large doorway beneath a stylish sign.

I’ve been to the commercial district several times.

But this was my first time at a tavern called Green Arms.

It seemed as if the firmly closed door was asking why I had only come now.

But Daniela also has something to say.

Who would have thought that the ill-tempered Young-ae, who suddenly handed him a card while he was worrying, would turn out to be the center of controversy?

How could he have guessed that the woman who had been lining up with the princess and cajoling her to take a chance on him was actually the princess herself?

All of this happened so quickly that before Daniela could make a frantic choice, the situation changed drastically.

To be honest, Daniela, like the elders of her country, was also postponing her choice.

If you visit a suspicious place for no reason, something irreversible could happen, or if you get involved with the royal family, you could get punished.

Then the knife came.

As I was worrying, the seasons changed and the name Beatrice began to faintly come to mind.

A man with golden hair and golden eyes came and asked.

Daniela had no choice but to confess everything that had happened to that intense man.

Hearing the voice asking softly sent shivers down my spine.

When the man smiled, I got scared.

Since the first time I met him, I’ve discovered a side of him that I never knew before. There was madness in that man.

‘Beatrice said… that I could borrow it under her name?’

‘Yes! I did… and he gave me this card and said let’s have a drink.’

‘Alcohol? You two?’

‘yes……’

Carl asked without hesitation.

He asked about Beatrice as if he wanted to know the whole truth.

But Daniela was also the daughter of a politician.

He gave Carl almost all the answers he wanted, but left out the most important fact.

He told me about a place called Green Arms and even gave me a card, but he didn’t tell me what it meant.

Daniela didn’t even mention the murky idea of ‘treason’ that Beatrice had suggested.

There is nothing good to say.

Rather, it will only arouse suspicion from the Duke of Mainer, Karl’s father.

I was invited to a meeting place for the rebel group called Green Arms, and I was troubled.

Even if you don’t go, the mere fact that you thought about it is enough to make your political position unfavorable.

Daniela thought.

It’s been quite some time since Beatrice’s invitation, so the Green Arms tavern must have changed a lot.

So, the rebels’ meeting place may have changed to somewhere other than Green Arms.

‘Confirmation required.’

So I came late.

Carl would soon be coming back with the cards he had been given, but before that he had to make sure that this tavern was no longer affiliated with the rebels.

Daniela sighed and placed her hand on the door.

I prayed as I opened the thick door with force.

Please, it has to be a common tavern that you can see anywhere.

*

It was a dark autumn evening when Daniela entered the Green Arms.

As the door closed, soft lighting and the smell of cigarettes filled the air.

There were no windows, so it would be quite dark even during the day, but the tavern in the evening had just enough lighting to brighten up the dark interior.

There were all kinds of pictures hanging on the wall.

The lighting illuminating the paintings created an overall antique atmosphere inside the store.

Daniela’s eyes quickly adjusted to the light.

Along the wide floor, a counter was visible.

There were also people sitting at the counter enjoying drinks alone and a bartender.

Since Daniela was alone, she went up to the counter and sat down.

It wasn’t that I had any business, but I just stopped by for a drink.

From the wooden tiles on the floor to the chair Daniela was sitting on, not a single corner was left unattended.

It seemed like a place that was run neatly and with great care.

It’s probably a pretty expensive tavern.

The manager approached Daniela as she sat down.

“Would you like to order, lady? Anything from food to drinks is available.”

The manager, who rolled up his shirt to reveal his muscular arms, was polite.

Seeing Daniela’s uniform and shoulder epaulettes, he seemed even more polite than usual.

Daniela answered the manager who was waiting for an answer.

“Do many academy students come here by chance?”

“Not really. It’s rare to see Academy guests like Lady. We’re not a well-known place. The atmosphere itself might seem a bit old-fashioned to Academy members.”

I looked around while listening to the manager’s words.

True to his word, there seemed to be no other students at the Academy except Daniela.

The guests’ age range also seemed quite high.

Daniela said with a smile.

“It’s more classic than boring. It’s cool.”

She has a talent for choosing words that will please the other person.

The manager closed his eyes slightly to express his gratitude for the unexpected compliment.

“I hope Lady’s visit will be an opportunity for us to be known at the Academy.”

“Should I wait and see? I’ll have a beer and steak, please. I came here without eating dinner, so I’m hungry.”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

The manager bowed politely and stepped aside.

Daniela withdrew her smile at him and sat up straight again with a stern expression.

Until now, it looked like an ordinary tavern you could see anywhere.

But you never know. I told you not to be at ease like this.

Just then, the bartender at the counter brought out a cold beer.

Daniela sipped her beer and looked around the tavern through the mirror on the wall behind the counter.

A large mirror covered the entire counter wall, allowing me to easily look around without having to turn my head.

It wasn’t full, but there were quite a few people.

The age range was high, just as the manager said.

There were a variety of people, including people drinking and smoking, people slicing steak, and people talking.

It didn’t look particularly suspicious.

There were mostly men, but there were also a few ladies.

A middle-aged gentleman and a young woman were also seen sitting side by side and talking.

Maybe it’s the nobility and the government.

Because the soft and dark atmosphere was perfect for a secret meeting.

“… … ”

In a corner, there was a man and a woman who caught Daniela’s eye.

A well-dressed man and a woman in military uniform.

The man was someone Daniela knew.

The man was named Matias Lozano.

He’s a giant from the Lugo Union, so there’s no way he wouldn’t know.

It’s clear that when Daniela was young, she only managed to run a small-scale business, but now she has become a giant that even the Allied Forces cannot contain.

Now, the empire has several large merchant fleets as its main base.

Feeling his gaze, Matthias looked towards the counter.

Daniela quickly averted her gaze.

I looked away from the mirror, but I felt like Matthias was still staring at me from behind.

I waited a moment, then looked at the corner through the mirror again.

Matthias was still talking to the woman sitting across from him.

It was the imperial army.

Her hat was pulled down low, and the light couldn’t reach her, so I couldn’t see her face clearly, but she had the aura of a beautiful woman.

‘soldier?’

It was unexpected that a big shot like Matthias would have a secret meeting with an Imperial soldier.

If it’s that man’s influence, nobles will line up to offer up their daughters.

It’s a bit strange to meet a woman from the Imperial Army who isn’t a knight or an officer.

‘A secret lover?’

Well, it could be that you enjoy tea time with noble ladies during the day and meet that military woman in the evening.

If we’re going to be that picky, that would be Matthias’ true taste.

The woman seemed to be listening to Matthias’ story with her chin resting on her hand.

It was truly fascinating to see Matthias sitting with his legs crossed and his upper body leaning forward to face me.

If she was a soldier, she would at most be a low-ranking noble from a remote region or a commoner, but at first glance, the woman he saw was incredibly elegant.

It was to the extent of making the military uniform he was wearing look like an officer’s uniform.

I don’t know if he’s aiming for promotion or if he’s hoping to avoid war by being discharged safely thanks to Matthias’ influence.

I thought that the woman must have had something she wanted, and that was why she was listening so seriously to what the middle-aged Matthias had to say.

In an instant, the woman turned her head and looked at Daniela.

Even though our eyes couldn’t meet because of the hat he was wearing, it looked like he was smiling.

Daniela looked away in embarrassment.

It was when I was holding my beer glass tightly, my heart pounding.

“This is the steak you ordered.”

The manager himself brought us a plate of steak.

He carefully placed the plate in front of Daniela, then dropped a martini with olives next to it.

“Huh? I didn’t order that martini. Something went wrong—”

The manager smiled politely and pointed to a corner seat with his palm.

“Lady, the martini was bought by our owner. He asked me to tell the princess that it was an honor to see her again.”

When I looked at where the palm was pointing, I saw Matthias putting his hand on his chest and bowing his head respectfully.

Although he was from the same Allied nation, he didn’t seem to have any attachment to his homeland, but he felt good when he saw a merchant paying his respects.

“Please tell her I said thank you…”

“Yes, have a good time.”

The manager stepped aside, and Daniela lifted her martini glass with a look of relief on her face.

By the way, a princess…

The butler’s daughter is not a princess.

Because the United Nations is a republic, not a monarchy.

Yet Matthias had treated Daniela like a princess since long ago.

Well, it’s not entirely wrong, since Daniela’s father is practically a lifelong consul.

And above all…

For Daniela, being treated like a princess wasn’t all bad.

I felt more comfortable being a princess who could receive unconditional love and favor than being a politician’s daughter who had to survive in the icy world of politics.

Daniela, who had to grow up early, doesn’t mind hearing such empty words.

Yeah, Daniela still…

I still dream of another life.

The life of a woman who, rather than being the successor to the Allied Forces who must struggle to survive amidst the tangled web of vested interests, gains the strength to live with just the love of one man.

I long for that kind of life.