I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 258

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 258
Fire
“I hear a cold is going around these days. Do take care of your health.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince, having offered those rather warm words, turned his gaze back to me.
“Are you enjoying your leave?”
“I’ve been recovering from fatigue and catching up on things I’ve been putting off.”
Somehow, it felt like Season 2 of the conversation I’d had with Aisa was beginning.
“I see. I heard the ambulance carriage has been performing remarkably well.”
“Yes, it’s been delivering the results we hoped for.”
There was no need for false modesty about such an achievement.
“Going forward, the….”
The Crown Prince paused mid-sentence and glanced around briefly.
“This isn’t the place for such a discussion. Come visit the Palace sometime.”
“As you wish.”
I really didn’t want to go, but what could I do when the Crown Prince commanded it?
All I could do was agree.
“My curiosity is satisfied, so I should be on my way.”
“You’re leaving already?”
It seemed the Crown Prince had only been in the Banquet Hall for about ten minutes.
If so, he’d spent more time traveling from the Imperial Palace to get here.
“If His Majesty hears that I’ve been lingering in the Banquet Hall at a time like this, I won’t survive it.”
“Ha…haha, from what I’ve seen in recent newspapers, His Majesty must have a terrible headache.”
“The Adits Empire has been acting in ways that defy all reason, so it’s unavoidable.”
The Crown Prince shook his head as if exhausted.
“You should go, Your Highness.”
“You’re right. Since this is such a fine banquet, I’ll enjoy it a bit more before I leave.”
The Crown Prince approached Baen, the host, one last time.
“Once the results of what I mentioned earlier come through, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, proceed with the existing plans.”
“Yes…! Safe travels, Your Highness!”
The Crown Prince departed from the Banquet Hall, receiving farewells from Baen and countless attendees.
‘Phew, the storm has passed. If he was only going to stay ten minutes, why come at all?’
I couldn’t make sense of it.
“Captain, are you feeling alright? Shouldn’t you rest?”
The Crown Prince had left.
I checked on Aisa, whose expression had grown dark.
“I’m fine. More importantly, you’re being introduced to a woman?”
“Huh? Oh, I had some business at the Imperial Palace last time, and he suddenly offered to arrange it.”
“But you said you wouldn’t marry until the war ends.”
“That’s true, but I have no grounds to refuse. She’s from an influential family of the Kingdom of Osiris, after all.”
“No…”
Aisa seemed quite flustered.
I wasn’t sure what had prompted such a reaction.
“But wouldn’t the distance be too far, and since the other party is the Kingdom of Osiris, wouldn’t it be practically difficult?”
If someone held Duke Baetra’s position, would they really want to marry off their daughter to such a distant land?
For my part, unless the two of them were madly in love, I would have opposed it.
“It won’t be easy. The Kingdom of Osiris is far—extremely far.”
Aisa spoke as though it were absolutely impossible.
I thought it might be that serious, but since she’d mentioned it, I nodded in agreement.
“I’ll meet her anyway. The marriage pressure lately has been relentless.”
“Is that so?”
Aisa stared at me intently, her expression seeming lost in thought.
“What?”
“Never mind… it’s nothing.”
“Hm?”
“Forget it. It’s just… I’m envious. Women keep getting introduced to you without you even lifting a finger.”
Aisa shook her head.
She clearly looked displeased.
“It’s something I have to do anyway, so I’m just trying to do it well. You understand what I mean.”
Unlike the Republic of Korea, nobility can’t simply remain single if they do nothing.
A ninety-nine percent marriage rate.
If you resist marriage, you’ll be forced into one.
“Yes, I understand. Let’s have a drink.”
Aisa handed me a glass filled with cocktail.
“Aren’t you drinking too much?”
“It’s fine.”
Her voice was slightly slurred.
Her face had taken on a faint rosy hue, which was rather endearing.
“All right, just one more glass.”
Clink.
I lightly clinked glasses with her and drank down the cocktail.
‘This is enjoyable.’
Coming to this banquet had truly been the best decision.
* * *
“How insensitive.”
Back at the manor, Aisa furrowed her brow with a pillow in front of her.
“How dare he accept an introduction to another woman?”
Of course, Aisa understood as well.
She was merely a successor, and it was natural for Paran to prepare for marriage at his age.
But still.
Still.
How could he even think of getting close to another woman when I’m right beside him?
‘Shouldn’t he be the one approaching me first?’
Just because Paran was participating, I contacted the Marquis’s banquet directly without even being invited.
I woke up early in the morning and dressed as if I were attending an Imperial Court banquet.
Shouldn’t he have noticed by now?
“Is he pretending not to know? No, that can’t be it.”
He wasn’t the type of person to ignore someone’s feelings even if he understood them.
Then… did I not appear as a woman to him?
Based on my past experiences, I wanted to be confident that wasn’t the case, but with Paran, I could never be sure.
“It’s really not that.”
For the first time, I had someone I wanted to be with.
The fact that he didn’t return my feelings was devastatingly painful.
“The Baetra Family, he said. Tsk.”
I knew them too—a great noble house of the Kingdom of Osiris.
If I just sat here doing nothing, some unknown woman would surely claim Paran.
“What should I do? Just go find him and tell him?”
It was the most certain method, but I couldn’t attempt it recklessly.
I didn’t have the confidence to accept the reality of being rejected.
And what I needed to consider in this situation was the time remaining.
‘The delegation won’t be able to arrive immediately.’
During negotiations, would the Kingdom of Osiris ignore its position as a neutral nation and send a delegation to the Raikhan Empire?
They would never do something so foolish.
‘They’ll depart at the earliest after the negotiations conclude.’
And by then, Paran would fortunately be at the Western Front, not in the Capital.
“I need to get my head straight.”
In the past, I could afford to think slowly.
After all, the families of women who approached me were far beneath the Linton Marquessate no matter how much they boasted.
But that’s not the case anymore.
Even the Baetra Ducal House alone was incomparable to the Linton Marquessate.
And according to rumors, many high-ranking nobles were also sending marriage proposals.
‘I thought he had completely abandoned the idea of marriage since all the proposals went unanswered.’
But it turned out he was actually rejecting them all once the Baetra Family’s promise was secured.
“Riel.”
Finally leaving my room, I called for my personal maid.
“I thought you were sleeping, but is there something you need?”
“Nothing special, but tomorrow morning, go to the bookstore and buy a novel called ‘The Domain Restoration Record.'”
“A novel? My lady, you don’t read novels.”
Riel had been serving as my personal maid for over ten years.
This was the first time she had ever been asked to bring me a novel.
“I just wanted to read it. Someone said it was interesting.”
“Just hearing the title, it’s not the sort of novel a young lady of your standing would typically read. Could it be…?”
Riel, quick to pick up on things, smiled knowingly and glanced at Aisa.
“Why… why what? It’s nothing like that. I overheard people talking about it at the banquet. Anyway, just buy it for me.”
“Of course! I’ll go out early tomorrow morning and purchase it for you.”
Having finished her explanation, Aisa fled upstairs to her room, desperate to hide her flustered expression.
“I wonder who it could be.”
I was quite curious, and had some suspicions as well.
But since I shouldn’t pry too deeply into my employee’s private affairs, I suppressed my curiosity and returned to my work.
* * *
“His Majesty the Emperor has heard the will of the Raikhan Empire and is considering it favorably.”
The third round of negotiations.
Seto Count delivered an unexpected statement to the delegation, who had thought today would be the end.
“Favorably, you say?”
“His Majesty is currently reviewing the peace terms from last time. However, is three days not too short a period to decide on such a momentous matter?”
“So you’re saying more time is needed.”
“Indeed. Since there is still considerable time remaining in the armistice period, we would be grateful if you could grant us additional time.”
A completely different attitude from the second round of negotiations.
Though they showed no outward sign, Ion Velburn and the delegation were bewildered.
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
There were certainly suspicious elements, but there was no reason not to welcome progress in the negotiations.
“How many more days would be needed to reach a decision?”
In the last negotiation, he had firmly insisted on three days.
Have you ever seen a politician honor every word they’ve spoken?
Flexibility according to circumstances is an essential virtue.
“Given the magnitude of the matter, I believe a week will be necessary.”
“A week, I see.”
It wasn’t a short time, but neither was it something we couldn’t wait for.
“Thank you for your consideration. And if I may mention it in advance, our side believes the joint establishment of the Circuit Patent Management Bureau is absolutely necessary.”
“Yes, His Majesty agrees on that point as well. If the fruits of research cannot be protected, progress itself cannot be achieved.”
The Adits Empire would certainly benefit from establishing the Circuit Patent Management Bureau.
After all, it’s the Abiel Ducal House that has been leading recent trends.
“With the establishment of the Bureau, regulation and control of circuits will also be necessary. The circuits used by the Adits Empire in the Gork Mountains present significant problems.”
“Haha, quite impressive technology. I was surprised by it myself.”
Seto Count smiled pleasantly and made eye contact with Ion Velburn.
“Regarding that matter, I am currently in discussion with Duke Abiel. Since nothing has been decided yet, I will inform you of that as well after a week.”
“It will need to be possible. For a peaceful conclusion to the war.”
“I will make an effort, though he is quite a difficult person.”
The atmosphere had changed so much that I wondered if someone else had put on Seto Count’s mask.
The conversation flowed remarkably well, and strangely so.
The third round of negotiations stretched on longer than the first and second combined.
“Today was a productive session. I will convey the intentions of the Adits Empire to His Majesty the Emperor with utmost care.”
“Indeed. I too shall communicate well with His Majesty and deliver favorable results within a week.”
For the first time since the opening of the first round of negotiations, Ion Velburn and Seto Count shook hands.
Thus concluded the third round of negotiations.
Seto Count exited the Negotiation Chamber and entered his private quarters, positioning himself before the communication device.
-Did the negotiations proceed as planned, sir?
A voice transmitted through the communication device.
It was Minister Vito, who currently oversees the Ministry of Finance of the Adits Empire.
“Pretending to cooperate made them absolutely delighted.”
-Of course it did. They may feign strength, but no one desires peace more than they do.
“Utterly despicable creatures.”
Seto Count shook his head with evident disgust.
-I concur. Since the enemies fell for our deception in the negotiations, shall we proceed with the plan as scheduled?
“Do so. What of the profits from last time?”
-We are still collecting, but preliminary estimates suggest approximately fifteen million Gold.
“This time, ensure it is far more substantial. We require enormous military expenditures to sustain this war.”
-Understood. Having gained experience from before, I shall aim for at least thirty million Gold this time.
An astronomical sum beyond imagination.
Seto Count nodded with evident satisfaction.
“Excellent.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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