Chapter 99: Things You Want to Say but Can’t (4)
【Honestly, I don’t know why Father has to make such a big fuss.】
‘Isn’t it natural? It’s been a while since he’s seen his daughter. You’re the odd one here. Aren’t you happy to see him after all this time?’
【We’ve been together my whole life; a few months apart isn’t something to get excited about.】
Plop. Drip. Plop.
Droplets from the ceiling of the bath fell into the tub with a gentle sound.
Surrounded by lavish gold-plated decorations, Astrid soaked herself in a tub the size of a standard Academy dormitory room. She let out a deep sigh.
The feeling of submerging her body in warm water—it was always delightful.
It had been nearly ten days since her last bath.
Ever since leaving the Academy, aside from meal breaks, they’d been confined to the carriage. With the urgency of their journey, they hadn’t stopped to rest in villages, so bathing hadn’t been an option.
‘Still, taking a bath after so long feels amazing…’
【Of course. Regular baths are essential for proper skincare.】
‘You’re really particular about skincare, huh?’
【Naturally. It’s a fundamental part of being a proper lady.】
‘Ah, I see.’
The real Astrid shouted something in indignation, but Astrid ignored her and stepped out of the tub.
She picked up the damp towel she’d been using to cover her head, now free of any cold moisture.
After wringing it out, she wrapped it around her head again and sank back into the warm water.
Tomorrow was the day.
The plan was to head to the tower.
With Baizik’s arrival, they had decided there was no need to delay.
Any formalities like welcoming ceremonies or banquets were skipped, as neither Wolfgang nor Baizik cared for such things.
Instead, they simply gathered for a casual dinner.
Neither Wolfgang, Astrid, nor Ashray were particularly affectionate or expressive people.
After all, it had only been a few months since they’d last seen each other, so it wasn’t exactly a tearful reunion.
【If you’re done soaking, we should get going. You have things to check, remember?】
‘Hold on. The oil I applied to my hair hasn’t fully absorbed yet. Just ten more minutes.’
Astrid received no reply, which prompted her to ask:
‘What’s wrong?’
【…Nothing. It’s nice you’re taking care of my body, but it’s kind of… unexpected.】
What was so unexpected?
Astrid grabbed the comb next to her and began running it through her hair.
Hair needs regular brushing.
After putting so much effort into maintaining its smoothness, she couldn’t let it go to waste by neglecting it.
As she brushed her hair, she also massaged her scalp and ensured the oil she’d applied earlier would be fully absorbed.
Astrid diligently continued her routine.
【Is that it?】
“Yes.”
Since no one else was around, Astrid naturally spoke out loud.
It was easier to examine things in person, and since it was late, she had temporarily switched to the real Astrid’s body.
“Let’s see… Vaicantera… Vaicantera Gorge. Ah, here it is.”
Astrid pulled a notebook from the bookshelf.
As she flipped through it, pages filled with records of past battles were revealed. Each entry detailed troop compositions, battlefield locations, and the flow of combat, alongside a list of her achievements. There were more than ten notebooks in total.
Each notebook was as thick as an adult’s finger joint. The sheer amount of content left the fake Astrid speechless—she couldn’t fathom how much battle the real Astrid had experienced at such a young age.
【I’m curious about something.】
“Go ahead.”
While flipping through the notebook for the Vaicantera Gorge entry, Astrid absentmindedly responded to the voice in her head.
【All of these are battle records, right?】
“Yes. Only the ones I participated in.”
【Did you ever lose a battle?】
“What kind of question is that? If I had lost, I wouldn’t be here right now. If I’d been defeated, I’d have died on the battlefield.”
That’s fair enough.
The fake Astrid reminded herself that wars in this era were different.
In these times, a defeated commander was expected to die. Survival after a loss would bring disgrace, and a general returning alive without their troops was seen as dishonorable.
“Here it is… Vaicantera Gorge. Let’s see…”
The name meant nothing to the fake Astrid, but she listened as the real Astrid began to read the notes aloud.
“For five days, we were trapped in the gorge… The Galategia tribe’s shaman had cast a wide-ranging curse. The curse spread from an altar, and it wasn’t lifted until the altar was destroyed. The curse prevented specific actions or words designated by the shaman…”
【The curse was lifted after destroying the altar?】
Destroying the altar broke the curse.
Even so, the current Astrid was still affected by a similar spell.
While it might not be the same curse, given the changes in its effects, it seemed to belong to the same category of magic.
【So in the end, we need to destroy that tower.】
‘Breaking the tower shouldn’t be too hard. Ashray and Father may struggle with such things, but with Baizik here, it won’t be difficult.’
【What makes you so confident?】
‘Do you know how many battlefields I’ve survived? I’ve been fighting since I was old enough to walk. I’ve fought countless battles without a single loss. Do you think a tower could stand in my way?’
Her words were compelling in their confidence.
The fake Astrid was momentarily at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, the real Astrid walked over to the weapon rack and picked up the Snow Flower.
It wasn’t designed for slashing or stabbing—it was a massive hunk of steel, ideal for smashing and crushing. Astrid handled it with ease.
“No matter how intricate a curse or spell may be, it’s nothing but a petty trick. Against overwhelming physical strength, such things will always crumble. I’ll destroy that tower and lift the curse. So…”
With Snow Flower in hand, Astrid began practicing a series of fluid, deliberate strikes.
Her movements were precise and powerful. The sound of the blade slicing through the air resonated as she swung it in arcs, stopping just shy of the floor before transitioning into another move.
“I’ll break the curse and stand beside His Highness. And you’ll return to your world.”
The fake Astrid had one lingering question.
【Can I ask you something?】
Despite her vigorous movements, the real Astrid’s breathing remained steady, her freshly bathed hair and skin untouched by sweat.
“What is it?”
【Do you want to be Leopold’s wife, or do you want to be Empress?】
Did she love Leopold as a man?
Or was she aiming to become Empress by winning his favor?
The question was simple, but its implications were significant.
【I’m not asking because I care or anything. I’m just… curious about why you’re so intent on marrying Leopold, that’s all.】
“What’s with the panic? It’s a fair question.”
Astrid placed Snow Flower back on the weapon rack, removed the towel from her head, tossed it into the laundry basket, and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Leopold… His Highness, yes. But since he’s not here, let’s just use his name.
If he were a fisherman, I’d have wanted to be a fisherman’s wife.
If he were a farmer, I’d have been the farmer’s wife.
If he owned a bakery, I’d have been happy baking bread with him.
And if he ran an inn, I’d have enjoyed changing bed sheets with him every day.
Empress? That means nothing to me. What matters is the person.”
The fake Astrid was stunned into silence.
“What’s wrong? You asked the question, but you’re not answering. Was my response strange?”
【N-No, it’s just… I wasn’t expecting such a reasonable answer…】
“I’m a reasonable person. What are you talking about?”
【Well… yeah, I guess. What matters is the person… Yeah, that’s true.】
The fake Astrid found herself agreeing.
What mattered most wasn’t appearances but the inner qualities of a person.
It made sense, really.
Leopold, that fool—he probably pushed Astrid away because of the emotional scars she’d left him.
If people carry wounds, Leopold surely had his share, thanks to Astrid.
Maybe…
Maybe showing him kindness wasn’t such a strange thing after all.
It felt natural. Yes, natural.
The fake Astrid convinced herself of that.