Civil Servant Marigold

12.

Anyway, Marigold had a bizarre fate.

Something ominous clung to her life, even more than losing her family, name, and status all at the age of ten.

It started with her being chosen by the Fifth Prince at a time when she thought she was finally getting ahead.

Fifth Prince.

Erwin Cole Phrygia.

A man with a rare muscular build among the pretty-faced Princes, and a man who was obsessively a warmonger.

The Fifth Prince in the game was a man who best fit the phrase ‘all or nothing.’

Either a hero of war.

Or a usurper of the throne.

Literally a man of ‘all or nothing.’

Either way, the fact that conquering him would lead to the Empress Ending didn’t change, but once she realized that it wouldn’t be a ‘happy ending’ for Marigold, it wasn’t so appealing.

Yes.

Happy ending.

That was all Lancel wanted.

Surely not every ending would be a bad ending or a normal ending, right?

.

.

.

“Administrator Mary, don’t be too nervous just because it’s a battlefield. I didn’t bring you here to do anything dangerous.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to ride in the carriage together if you’re okay with it? It must be uncomfortable sitting on the saddle for a long time.”

“…That’s…”

“It’s alright, Your Highness.”

Fifth Prince Erwin Cole Phrygia suddenly hardened his expression.

“How could a commoner Administrator share a seat with royalty? The Administrator would be more uncomfortable with that.”

It was the voice of the man who was riding the horse with Marigold in front.

There was an unknown firmness within his gentle tone.

“…Lancel Dante, were you and Administrator Mary close even before?”

“Does it seem that way?”

A smile appeared on Lancel’s lips.

“I guess it shows a little.”

“…”

He raised his hand and stroked Marigold’s hair as if to show the Fifth Prince.

Marigold’s face flushed red with heat in a situation she hadn’t even imagined.

“Still, be careful. It’s easy to be misunderstood if a noble is too friendly with an Administrator.”

“It’s not like it’s a new thing, so you don’t have to worry, Your Highness. Isn’t that right, Administrator Mary?”

“Yes, yes? I don’t really understand what you’re talking about…”

Lancel patted Marigold’s shoulder hard, oblivious to the atmosphere.

“Cough, cough!”

“She says she likes it.”

“…”

13.

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—Favorability Event! Fifth Prince Erwin Cole Phrygia’s favorability increases. The current favorability stage is ‘Much Interest.’

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By the time Lancel hurriedly caught up with the imperial reinforcements, the Fifth Prince’s favorability towards Marigold was already rising uncontrollably.

It was more amazing how this was even possible.

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—Favorability Event! Fifth Prince Erwin Cole Phrygia’s favorability increases. The current favorability stage is ‘Deep Interest.’

==========

Lancel’s feelings as he looked at the system notification were beyond absurd, almost feeling empty. The contact with the Prince that he wanted so badly didn’t happen when he wanted it to, but in this playthrough, it just kept going up even if he just left it alone.

‘Isn’t the Fifth Prince’s type the burly Aspiring Swordmaster Merigold?’

The Fifth Prince, who was mostly attracted to women with strong martial prowess in the game, was somehow developing feelings for Marigold, who was on the Senior Administrator route.

Lancel was able to hear the reason for this belatedly.

“Still, I think our relationship is older. Administrator Mary and I have known each other since our academy days.”

It was the first time he’d heard this story.

“War history, tactics, geography, mock battle practice. I hung out with her in a total of four subjects. Isn’t that right?”

“Ah, yes…”

Marigold answered in a barely audible voice, glancing at Lancel.

“Indeed. It seems Your Highness attended the academy classes.”

“I was teaching, not learning. I was especially involved with Administrator Mary, who was the top student at the academy at the time, several times.”

“I was wondering where the connection came from, but now I’m a little curious.”

“It’s been so many years that I don’t even remember. That’s how long the connection between me and the Administrator is.”

“But it’s a very strange thing.”

“…?”

Lancel tilted his head and gave the Fifth Prince an innocent look.

“In the past few years, I’ve met Administrator Mary every day, but I’ve never heard her talk about Your Highness even once. Not even once.”

“Why is that… a strange thing?”

“Usually, if you’ve known each other for a long time, that name would come up in the conversation in some way.”

“…”

“But during the time I’ve known Administrator Mary, I didn’t even know that she had a connection with Your Highness, let alone that they were acquaintances.”

The Fifth Prince’s eyebrows twitched. A subtle smile deepened on Lancel’s lips.

“Even thinking about it again, it’s a really strange thing.”

The air between Lancel and the Fifth Prince compressed, and a current seemed to flow through it instantly. Marigold was restless in the face of the sudden situation.

“Lancel Dante.”

Just as the Fifth Prince’s eyes were becoming fierce.

“Enemy!”

The formation became chaotic in an instant.

“Reorganize the formation!”

“It’s an ambush!”

Armed soldiers began to rush around the imperial reinforcements passing through the valley.

It was a textbook ambush.

‘The rebellion is already quite serious?’

The rebels in the Runter region were no longer ordinary rebels.

Lancel recognized it at a glance.

The rebellion in this region was often dismissed as ‘bandits,’ but in reality, the revival movement, which was a hostile nation and an external force, was involved.

Trampled by the Empire.

At war with the Empire.

Border nations with grudges against the Empire.

The revival forces, united together, were a huge military organization that had joined hands with the rebel forces.

Naturally, the level of training was good, the morale was high, and the number of people was terrifyingly large.

“Form ranks! Don’t panic!”

The Fifth Prince’s cry.

He quickly turned his gaze to Marigold.

“Administrator Mary, take refuge in the carriage for now…”

“Let’s go, Mary!”

“Kyaaak!”

Lancel spurred his horse as it was. He held out only one shield in front of her and grabbed a long spear.

“What are you thinking, Lancel Dante?”

“I have to teach Mary about war. See you later.”

“What?”

Lancel quickly rode his horse and disappeared into the distance. Soon, he began to roam through the ambushing rebels.

“Let’s go!”

Wherever Lancel passed, the infantry kicked by the hooves of the horse helplessly fell.

The problem was that Marigold was riding in front of him.

“It’s a war exploit, Administrator Mary! Let’s get ahead together!”

“Hiyaaaaak!”

Marigold’s high-pitched screams were mixed in with the sounds of blood splattering and bones breaking.

“What is that guy?”

The Fifth Prince’s face hardened in absurdity.

Every time Lancel’s long spear was swung, infantry and cavalry fell one after another.

“The knight is using a woman as a shield!”

“Which one is the main body?”

Even during the battle, countless people were distracted by the sight.

“Hyah!”

“Kkyak!”

In the end, the two achieved the feat of defeating dozens of rebels.

Although Marigold did nothing but scream.

14.

From the moment the imperial reinforcements set out, everyone’s minds were filled with one question.

-Why on earth did the Fifth Prince mobilize Administrator Mary for the war?

Even if she was a capable Administrator, she was still just an Administrator. A commoner who was just a little smart. It didn’t seem like she had the ability to be brought to the special environment of the battlefield.

Nevertheless, the Fifth Prince picked her out first as if she were an indispensable presence here. Why?

“Here, this is a rough map of the mountains in this area. Administrator Mary, take a look too.”

The reason began to emerge not long after arriving at the garrison.

“The valley is deep and the road is narrow, so the side that takes the position first has an absolute advantage. There are many places for the enemy to ambush, so it’s very difficult to enter. That’s why Duke Meriril Dunn’s army, which came first, was helplessly defeated before they could even fight properly.”

“Yes, definitely…”

“Ambush. In the end, the problem is ambush. Where would Administrator Mary hide the troops?”

“Hmm.”

Marigold focused on the map spread out by the Fifth Prince and began to mark several places.

“Considering that it’s connected to the road coming along the river, this valley must be the entrance, so here at the intersection where it splits into two… It rained a lot recently, and considering that the upstream current becomes faster in the summer…”

She cited three places as candidates for various reasons such as weather, terrain, and season.

“…That’s all!”

Lancel’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the locations Marigold had marked.

‘That’s plausible.’

Marigold had accurately calculated and selected the area that Lancel, who had experienced war for a long time, was intuitively feeling.

She was said to have taken the top spot in mock battles, and she seemed to be more knowledgeable in wargame theory than he thought.

‘This level of insight without being the regressor Marigold.’

As expected, she had the talent of the game’s protagonist.

He felt like he knew why the Fifth Prince had chosen her. Because she was the top student at the academy? No. Because of their past connection? No.

It was because he had truly recognized that she had a talent for war. Yes. Marigold clearly had the qualities of a ‘strategist.’ It was truly amazing.

“I understand. Let’s trust Administrator Mary’s opinion. We’ll set out before sunrise today.”

It was rare for someone as high as the Fifth Prince to trust the insight of a mere Administrator.

Naturally, most of the knights were skeptical at first. No matter how much of a connection they had at the academy, entrusting the judgment of the battlefield situation was another story.

But the first battle.

“Enemy attack! It’s an enemy attack!”

“Retreat!”

A great victory by ambushing the ambushing enemy.

The second and third battles that followed.

“It’s, it’s the imperial army!”

“How did they get here…!”

Similarly, a great victory.

No damage occurred to the imperial reinforcements to the point where it was difficult to calculate the exchange ratio. With repeated victories, the morale of the allies soared to the sky.

That was good so far. After all, it was Marigold’s achievement. All of this would be reflected as her performance to become a Senior Administrator.

The problem was.

It wasn’t just morale that was soaring.

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—Favorability Event! Fifth Prince Erwin Cole Phrygia’s favorability increases. The current favorability stage is ‘Trust.’

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‘Huh?’

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—Favorability Event! Fifth Prince Erwin Cole Phrygia’s favorability increases. The current favorability stage is ‘Adoration.’

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‘This is bad.’

Lancel rubbed his forehead as he looked at the Fifth Prince’s favorability, which had risen by two stages again.

‘Why is it that the favorability events that didn’t happen when I wanted to make her the Empress are only happening at times like this!’

It was a good thing that Marigold was getting ahead, but this was a checkmate.

If he wasn’t careful, the Fifth Prince’s ‘favorability stage’ would develop into the ‘affection stage.’ He could already feel the signs of it everywhere.

‘I have no choice.’

In the end, Lancel decided to use an extreme method.

A very extreme and sure way to fundamentally block the event with the Prince.

“Administrator Mary.”

“Yes, Sir Lancel.”

About four months had passed on the battlefield.

Lancel quietly opened his mouth as he looked at the sunset over the ridge.

“When this war is over.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go down to my hometown together.”

“…Yes?”

Marigold turned around. Her clear eyes were reflecting the red sky.

‘I didn’t want to go this far.’

Lancel quietly opened his mouth in a voice that only she could hear.

“I want to introduce you to my parents.”

“That… means…”

“Figure it out.”

Marigold was silent for a moment. Soon, she just nodded slightly.

‘Will this be enough?’