Chapter 7 – Episode 7. Astrid Decides to Make an Alliance
The surest way to ensure the safety of the prince was to use a carriage that clearly revealed that he belonged to the imperial family.
Who would dare to attack the splendid wagon carrying the flag of Eindhafen, which was not just an empire but conquered all but the north?
In addition, the silver guard, just below the royal guard, and the anti-aircraft dragon platoon escort this carriage, in fact, the most reliable way to protect the safety of the prince.
In addition, since Astrid von Mitterien, who will almost certainly become the Crown Princess, has to ride with her and return to the capital, she needs more thorough defense.
“Uncle, then let’s go.”
“Yes, Leopold. Take good care of Astrid.”
“… Yes.”
No cool answer came back.
Leopold gave a slightly lukewarm reply, bowed lightly, and climbed into the carriage.
Normally, they would burn Astrid first and then burn them, but since they are familiar with the current relationship between Leopold and Astrid, they sigh a little inwardly and do not say much.
Astrid had no idea.
Rather, even if Leopold offered to escort her, he would have refused.
Astrid, who had been watching her attendant carefully load her suitcase into the wagon, turned around.
‘I can’t turn back now. Can not help it. The dice… Thrown… !’
The morning of the day I went to the academy was bright.
It says that they will pick you up, but the real meaning is that they are going to kill you. Two days after the letter arrives, the prince arrives, and the next day, today.
A week after leaving today, I arrived at Mitterienga’s home in the capital city, undressed and rested a bit, and then the academy entrance ceremony the following week.
It was quite a forced march, so it was necessary to move quickly.
“Then, Father.”
While all the people in the mansion came out to see Astrid, the owner of the small house, and watched Astrid, Wolfgang, wearing a coat made of white bear skin, took a few steps forward.
“I will go. Please stay healthy, and I will come back when the vacation is over.”
“Asti.”
Without answering Astrid’s words, Wolfgang reached out and grabbed Astrid’s shoulders.
Even though she held on quite forcefully, Astrid showed no sign of pain at all.
Wolfgang’s tightly pursed lips blinked several times, then paused, then blinked again and stopped again, and finally—
“Asti.”
Just, quietly, Wolfgang calls his daughter’s name.
After sending it to the capital, it would only be a few months later.
Parents are forbidden to attend the entrance ceremony, and if they say goodbye at this place, the next reunion will have to pass at least three more months.
“Even if it’s hard, bear with it.”
Don’t they usually tell you to come back when it’s hard?
While Astrid questioned herself, Wolfgang lightly tapped Astrid on the shoulder.
“If you have friends, don’t bully them. And don’t hit If you hit, the problem grows. Got it? Don’t hit, just threaten.”
“Father, don’t you usually worry about being bullied?”
At those words, Wolfgang made a surprised expression.
To the point where Astrid wondered if she had said something she couldn’t.
“Are you being bullied? Who, you mean Asti? Are you being bullied?”
‘What the hell was this guy’s image like?’
Resentful of Astrid’s original personality, who can’t find a trace now, Astrid nodded her head politely.
“Then, I will go.”
“Yes, go.”
“Ashley, sister will go.”
“Yes! Sister, next year I will go too!”
Ashley stood behind Wolfgang, then took a step forward and waved his hand.
It really looked like a black bear, and Astrid smiled softly.
“Come on, get on. We must start.”
The farewell to the family, which was deeply regrettable, was shattered by Leopold’s one word, and the atmosphere was scattered.
“You really have a knack for breaking the atmosphere. It seems that it is difficult for you to wait for the separation between father and daughter, right?”
Escorted by Ashley, who hurriedly ran over, Astrid climbed into the carriage and sat down. The attendant closed the carriage door.
Through the car window, the figure of Wolfgang waving his hand and, even bigger, the figure of Ashley shaking his entire arm as if swinging it slowly pushed away—
The carriage started moving.
*
“Don’t get me wrong.”
It was true not too long ago.
At Leopold’s sudden words, who had been staring out the car window with a sullen face, Astrid, who was also looking out the window in the opposite direction from Leopold, looked at Leopold.
“What misunderstanding are you talking about, Your Highness?”
“I didn’t write a letter to you because I liked me and came to pick you up.”
“I know. His Majesty ordered it, so he must have done it reluctantly. Your Highness the Pampered Crown Prince.”
“You… !”
Leopold’s golden eyebrows frowned as hard as they could, then returned to their original state with a soft sigh. However, the wrinkles between his eyebrows still remained, clearly revealing that Leopold was not at all comfortable.
“Astrid.”
“Yes.”
“Astrid von Mitterien.”
“I am listening. Tell me, Your Highness.”
At the same time, even Astrid’s planting began to make her uncomfortable.
It’s a week ahead. For Astrid, the fact that she had to stay in such an uncomfortable position for a week was approaching with a terrible weight.
“You must think you have everything. Wealth, honor, family, and arms. But-“
“Wrong.”
Did you dare to cut off the prince’s backside and intervene?
Leopold struggled to hold back the irritability that was rising up. More than anger, I was more curious about what was wrong.
“What do you mean is wrong?”
“You should also include your beauty.”
It’s ridiculous.
Astrid with a calm face, as if telling the truth so calmly.
“You… ! Oh no. All right, all right. Ok correct me Wealth, honor, family, military power, even beauty. You must think you have it all.”
“So.”
The air inside the carriage was already chilly.
Unlike Leopold, who had blond hair and a smiley face even when he was still, Astrid had a cold and composed appearance, as if frost would fall on him if he stayed still.
“But there is one thing you will never have.”
“What is it?”
Leopold clenched his fist and pointed at his chest with only his thumb extended.
“Grow. I will never have it myself. Do you understand?”
‘Even if I give it to you, I won’t take it.’
I almost spit it out of his mouth.
Anyway, he’s a prince. Even if he tolerated all the rudeness and went over it, that word would cross the line.
Astrid swallowed the words and took a deep breath.
“Your Highness, I will return those words as they are. More than me, no. First of all, your military power will definitely be lower than mine. Then, His Highness, the crown prince who has wealth, honor, family, and good looks. Something that even Your Highness will never have.”
Yes, so do you
This bastard
“This is the heart of me, Astrid von Mitterien. Do you understand?”
“To say something you don’t mean to say… ! Anyway, it’s been fine. 4 years, 4 years. For four years, I will definitely find out what you lack and break off the marriage. If you follow me to the academy like this, I would like your obsession to be moderate, but I absolutely have no intention of forming a couple’s kite with you. Got it!”
Astrid’s eyes widened.
Seeing Astrid’s eyes mixed with bewilderment, bewilderment, and confusion, Leopold felt greater excitement than anything else that had ever happened.
Astrid’s lips moved for a while.
“… Can’t we do it now? The breakup.”
Those eyes that gleam with hot passion.
Right now, in Astrid’s mind, the fact that she might have to marry Ashley if she broke off her engagement with Leopold had already been blown away without a trace, and only the desire to break off her engagement with Leopold was swirling.
*
“I have no intention of marrying Your Highness. Do you understand?”
“Me too. Yeah, that’s rather good It’s really unexpected that we’re going to be together in a place like this.”
The chilly air that filled the carriage had disappeared somewhere, and Astrid and Leopold were creating a rather friendly atmosphere.
“But just saying that you don’t want to get married will not break the engagement.”
“Yes… At least, wouldn’t it be most certain to find a more suitable companion than each other?”
“I guess so.”
A firm promise made by fathers.
The promise that the fathers made with each other while ignoring the will of their children.
If you want to break that promise somehow, there is the surest way.
In the case of Leopold, she finds a more suitable young lady than Astrid, as future empress, consort of the emperor, and mother of the people.
In the case of Astrid, she is more than Crown Prince Leopold, she finds a spirit that can contribute to the development of Mitterien and the eternal glory of Eindhafen.
In this way, together with the breakup of the marriage, each of them would be able to welcome a different spouse——they concluded.
Whether it can be found once is the second question.
The two thought that since the academy was the place where all the daughters and daughters of the empire would gather, there would be no one.
And in order to increase the probability of finding it, we will actively cooperate in finding each other’s partner—a promise.
In this way, in the carriage heading to the academy, a secret treaty was concluded without the knowledge of the fathers of both families.
“… Don’t even think that my treatment of you will be any different, Astrid.”
“Your Highness, that’s what I want to tell you. Preferably half of the major… No, it must be different. I wonder if Her Highness becomes even a little more manly.”
“Are you ignoring the sword!”
“If it’s not unmanly to just dodge and win by one shot, then what does being unmanly mean?”
“Oh, are you done talking now!”
