Episode 596
Near Kalamath, the capital of Burgos.

A long line of massive wagons crept slowly up the hill. As the old wooden crates creaked and groaned, soldiers hanging onto the sides tightened the ropes to secure the cargo.

“How much farther?”

“There it is!”

“Hurry up a bit more! We’re already late.”

“If you jostle the load, it’ll only get worse. Hold steady!”

The drivers chuckled quietly but cracked their whips sharply, urging the horses to quicken their pace. Far ahead, the outer armory’s gates—serving as a mid-point supply station—stood wide open.

People waved the Royalist banners enthusiastically. As the wagons arrived, they welcomed them warmly and secured the supports beneath the wheels.

“Who’s in charge of this supply run?”

At that moment, a woman with long hair tied neatly in a single braid called out to the driver. It was Kayla Hollin, the daughter of the Hollin Duke family. Her immaculate, flawless attire stood out starkly against the bleak surroundings.

“…Who are you?”

The supply officer, chewing on a cheap cigarette, eyed her up and down suspiciously. He was puzzled by this young woman acting like his superior.

Yet, instinctively, he sensed an undeniable class difference. Despite his irritation, polite speech slipped out naturally. The drivers, sensing the tension, quietly slipped behind the wagons.

“I am Kayla Hollin. I’m responsible for inspecting and verifying the goods you brought from the Bariel border.”

“Ah, Kayla Hollin?”

So, the daughter of the Hollin family. The supply officer smirked and began untying the ropes. Lucky her—born with a silver spoon, strutting around like she’s the boss.

“Why the attitude, then?”

“We’re a day behind the expected delivery schedule.”

“And?”

He spat out his cigarette, continuing to untie the ropes with a careless air.

He knew full well that the Royalists were allied with Bariel and that the weapons they received from there were crucial to the war effort. If it weren’t for the Hollin family’s supplies, their military strength would have suffered significant losses.

But fundamentally, wasn’t this all Bariel’s fault?

‘Yet they act like they’re doing us a favor. And now they send some highborn girl who looks like she’s about to sip tea elegantly, calling her the person in charge? What a joke.’

After three days of hard travel to deliver these goods, having to report to someone he’d never heard of twisted his gut.

Kayla frowned and stepped closer, muttering under her breath.

“…Did you just say, ‘And?’”

“Are you Barielian? Is Burgos not your native tongue?”

It was a clear insult. He wanted nothing more than to cut her down on the spot, but this was Burgos, torn by civil war. He knew exactly why this woman was being so disrespectful.

Kayla took a deep breath to calm her rising anger and whispered to him in flawless Burgos dialect.

“There is no excuse or reason for the delay. You will pay the price for negligence. I will deduct half of your promised payment. Maybe you should pick up that fallen cigarette and smoke it—you’ll be needing it soon enough.”

“What did you just say—!”

Smack!

As the man tried to shove her away, Kayla readied herself to fight back.

But in an instant, a fan blocked the space between them. Black feathers fluttered gracefully. The woman brushed the fan aside with a firm gesture and smiled.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“…Mother.”

Her violet eyes, tinged with amusement, flicked between Kayla and the man. The disturbance was unwelcome.

“The reason you weren’t introduced to Kayla sooner is because you arrived late. The goods made by the Hollin family are precious weapons used to protect Burgos. It’s only proper to respect the agreed schedule for those waiting on them.”

This was Danit Hollin, the second wife of the Hollin Duke and the one overseeing their business in Burgos. Her bright smile, white teeth, and commanding gaze were anything but ordinary.

The man bowed his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. We were about to depart when a sudden heavy downpour delayed us.”

“Next time, inform your superiors earlier. Kayla.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Following her mother’s command, Kayla personally opened the crates. She inspected the refined metal parts, swords, and protective gear one by one, confirming there were no issues.

Danit nodded approvingly and patted the soldiers on the shoulders.

“Come now, let’s move quickly and rest from the journey.”

“Thank you.”

“Kayla, let’s go.”

The matriarch gestured for her daughter to follow. Inside the building, she studied Kayla’s face carefully.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t organize things well.”

“No, it’s fine. I was the same at first. We are ‘nobles’ and ‘women’ from Bariel, while they are just ‘customers’ buying goods.”

Though the business was officially sanctioned by Bariel, the real work of establishing a market in a war-torn country fell to the Hollin family. Danit smoothed her daughter’s disheveled hair.

“All weapon supplies within Burgos must rely on the Royalists. Why do you think that is?”

“…Because it’s cheaper and more advantageous to trade with them than to bring people from Bariel. And above all, given the civil war, if Barielians crossed the border with weapons, even the Royalists wouldn’t take kindly to it.”

“You’re smart, my daughter. Who do you take after?”

Danit kissed Kayla’s forehead with a smile.

“Especially that man—he’s the third most senior among the supply officers. He can be stubborn, but it’s hard to just cut him loose. Well, that won’t matter soon enough.”

They checked the hallway to make sure no one was around. Though they spoke in Barielian, they couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

“How were the weapons?”

“Perfectly subpar.”

By ‘perfectly,’ she meant that on the surface, there were no glaring defects.

This was exactly why Kayla had come to Burgos to meet her mother. At the emperor’s and Ian’s suggestion, they were supplying the Royalists with faulty weapons to weaken Burgos’s military strength and tip the war in Bariel’s favor.

Danit glanced back at her daughter with a nostalgic look as they ascended to where the Royalist commanders waited.

“I always thought this would end someday, but I never imagined it would unravel like this. Kayla, you being here too.”

“I’m sorry, Mother. It’s not good news.”

“No, any news you bring is good news. If this goes well, the imperial sanctions on the Hollin family will be lifted, and those left behind will manage things smoothly.”

Kayla smiled faintly, looking up at her mother with genuine happiness. While her success in foreign business was a source of pride, her true joy lay elsewhere.

“Above all, it’s unbelievable how well the emperor’s marriage timing worked out. And now this civil war! Kayla, I promise you—when I’m gone, I’ll give you the place beside His Majesty.”

“But Mother, he already knows my blood belongs to Burgos.”

“That’s even better!”

Snap!

Her mother snapped her fingers, eyes sparkling with calculation. It was clear she had already worked everything out in her mind.

“What do you think it means to supply faulty weapons not to the anti-Royalists, but to the Royalists? The imperial court is expecting this. They know the Royalists could become a problem in taking Burgos.”

“…You’re right. And I understand your intentions.”

If the Royalists were pushed out, the only ones who could fill that void were the two of them. They carried the bloodline of the Burgos royal family and held a title equivalent to a Bariel duke.

This was, in fact, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—to ascend the Burgos throne and become the Empress of Bariel.

“Let’s go up. I’ll introduce you to each Royalist commander. There are many you need to know for the future.”

They were people to be pushed aside, controlled, and sometimes relied upon to discuss state affairs.

Kayla took a steady breath and followed her mother.

Knock.
Creak.

“Excuse me. Thank you for waiting.”

“You’re here. How are the goods?”

“We just arrived. They said they encountered a sudden heavy rain. The initial inspection is complete, and we’ll carefully check everything again before moving it inside the Kalamath camp.”

The half-dozen people seated around the round table looked at Danit. They exchanged silent signals with their eyes, and the youngest among them pulled out a few papers and wooden boxes.

“The remaining payment.”

“Thank you.”

The boxes contained fist-sized jewels, Burgos gold coins, and bonds from the Burgos royal family. Though the royal court was currently powerless and the bonds unusable, if the Royalists restored order, these would be worth a fortune.

The payment balanced present value with future potential, making it a reasonable method for the Royalists. By issuing bonds, they could buy weapons cheaply right now.

Just as Danit was about to hand the money to Kayla—

“Will you be sending these back to Bariel immediately as well?”

“…Yes, Sir Allans. As you know, due to the civil war, we cannot maintain mercenaries here. We lack the funds to protect them. For now, it’s safer to operate from Bariel, so that’s what we’re doing.”

“I see.”

Something about the atmosphere felt different from usual.

The lady approached slowly, a gentle smile on her face, and took a seat. Kayla, on guard, pressed her ear to the door, listening intently for any sign of an unfamiliar presence outside.

But the startling news came from within.

“So, that means you’re still in contact with Bariel. I wonder if you’ve heard.”

“What do you mean?”

“They say Bariel has taken Agiar and captured Rutherford.”

“…!”

The lady’s eyes widened slightly. They had only supplied subpar weapons—wouldn’t it make more sense to wrap up the business and withdraw before this got out?

But if word had already reached them that Bariel’s forces had seized Agiar and captured the core of the royalist faction…

“I wasn’t aware. We’ve been sending funds to Holinga in Bariel, operating independently of the royal court.”

“That may be so. But there’s a problem. Will you hear me out?”

“If you wish, my lord.”

Shhhk.

The royalist officers pulled out thick cigars and tucked them between their lips—a subtle power play.

The lady kept smiling, but her eyes said, Look at these fools. She reached into her cloak, pulled out a gold case, and lit a cigar herself.

“Why the hesitation? Time is money, after all.”

They probably felt the same, but especially so for her.

The officers cleared their throats and continued.

“We requested permission from Bariel to execute Rutherford, but it was denied. It looks like they’ll be moving south to Kalamath. Could you lend us a hand?”

“We?”

“We planned to return to Bariel after this deal to resupply, but instead, stay behind in Kalamath. With the Duchess of Bariel here, it would certainly…”

“Ah, yes…”

The lady trailed off, smiling just like them.

They had intended only to supply weapons and then retreat, but now they were being asked to stay in Kalamath and face Bariel’s troops? Did they not realize what that implied from Bariel’s perspective? Holinga might be mistaken for siding with Burgos.

Could she refuse?

Not easily.

They might draw their swords and take her hostage on the spot.

Swearing under her breath, the lady answered without hesitation.

“If that is your wish, then yes. Of course. I will postpone my schedule immediately.”