Previously
Duke Kalinin Marc Krakow hears rumors of the scandalous divorce and Henrietta's violent behavior, though he quickly loses interest in the gossip. After two months in prison, Henrietta is released and finds herself penniless and socially ostracized as the empire's most notorious villainess.
“Hello.”
Led into the office by the aide, the problematic applicant was a young woman in shabby clothes with a faintly weary look on her face.
The very first thought that came to mind upon seeing her was:
‘She’s a beauty.’
Neither her haggard complexion nor her worn attire could conceal her striking features.
Her wavy, reddish-gold hair had a healthy sheen, pinned up naturally in an elegant knot.
Her fine skin was one thing, but her blue eyes, holding the very color of the sky, were captivating.
Kalinin glared at his aide.
‘You should’ve told me before that the former Countess Salt was such a looker.’
If he had, hearing about that petty count getting beaten might have been far more amusing.
Feeling the sting of Kalinin’s stare, the aide slipped away with the excuse of bringing refreshments.
The Duke of Krakow gestured with one hand toward the chair opposite him.
The woman took the seat without a hint of hesitation.
Kalinin shot another glare at the aide, who returned with an abundant spread of tea and snacks, before speaking.
“Former Countess Salt.”
“…Thank you for using the past tense, Duke Krakow. But if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer you call me by the name on that application.”
Only then did Kalinin glance down at the papers and correct himself.
“Very well, Ms. Matyas. Why do you wish to enlist?”
“Because there is no law barring women from joining the military.”
“That is true.”
In fact, the Monster Subjugation Division of the Krakow Duchy already had barracks prepared for female soldiers.
The problem was that no women ever sought to enlist.
“What we beat down are not people, but monsters. It’s dangerous and grueling. Why bother?”
“I’m well aware it’s harder than beating down a husband.”
Grasping the duke’s underlying point entirely, Henrietta offered a bright smile.
For an instant, her blue eyes gleamed with fresh vigor.
Kalinin, however, answered dryly.
“Difficulty isn’t the issue. A husband—no, a human being—won’t tear you to shreds or swallow your head whole the moment they take a hit.”
“High risk, high return, as they say. I understand even regular soldiers are paid handsomely here.”
“Yes. Roughly twice the average of other regional forces.”
“If I serve, I can receive it too, right?”
“If you serve, and if you survive. Should you die in action, an annuity equal to one year’s salary is paid to your direct descendants.”
Kalinin laid out the tragic conclusion in an even, matter-of-fact tone.
From exchanging just a few words, he could tell Ms. Matyas was no fool.
She seemed quite sharp, in fact.
Which meant she had undoubtedly grasped his point.
Henrietta Matyas would die the moment she stepped foot into the Monster Forest.
Henrietta offered a slight bow of her head in response to Kalinin’s explanation.
“Thank you for the kind explanation. It’s unlikely I’ll have any direct descendants anytime soon, so I intend to do what I can while I’m still breathing. Otherwise, I’m liable to starve to death.”
“…”
She seemed to understand him perfectly, but now the duke was at a loss.
Starve to death? Who? Her?
“May I have a cookie?”
Matyas asked.
Kalinin gave a nod.
Henrietta ignored the tea entirely, reaching straight for the cookies.
Was she putting on a show?
It seemed like an appeal to emphasize her hunger.
“Did you not have breakfast?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t?”
“Yes. I have no money. I managed to secure an inn, but since I didn't know when I’d be able to meet you, Your Grace, I had to set aside enough for two nights’ stay. That left nothing for meals.”
“Even if you received no alimony from your divorce, surely you had some savings?”
“The jewels back at the manor are useless to me since I can’t set foot inside, and the bank froze my accounts. They require an identity guarantor, and as luck would have it, that guarantor is my ex-husband.”
With a shrug, Henrietta bit into a cookie.
Watching her eat, she looked like a squirrel clutching its prized acorn.
“…What of your maiden family…?”
“I am utterly alone in the world, an orphan. I grew up in my aunt’s house, walking on eggshells around my uncle. And following this recent incident, they’ve all but disowned me.”
In short, she had nowhere to go.
Kalinin decided that while she might not be the villainess the rumors painted, she was certainly far from normal.
Even in this situation, she showed no regret or shame for her bizarre conduct.
For a noblewoman to speak so lightly of her own destitution with a smile—especially when it was a circumstance entirely of her own making—bordered on an admirable kind of madness.
Whatever the case, she clearly possessed an extraordinary state of mind.
Kalinin quietly pushed the plate of cookies a little closer to Henrietta.
Henrietta munched contentedly on the treats.
Having polished off the entire plate, she spoke.
“If I cannot enlist as a soldier, I plan to join a mercenary band.”
“You have no need to report your whereabouts to me.”
“I simply wanted you to know that this is the only path I have left.”
“Unlike you, I have many paths available, and among them, I’ve chosen the one where I reject your enlistment.”
“Wouldn’t it be fair to at least let me take the enlistment test?”
“I am not such a fair person.”
“Ah. I see.”
Matyas accepted this readily.
“It is none of my concern, but if you truly are struggling to survive… I would suggest looking for ordinary work, such as embroidery.”
“I would love to see a household willing to covet embroidery made by a woman who beat her husband and demanded a divorce.”
“Ah.”
Kalinin conceded the point just as quickly.
“May I ask one last thing? Are you barring my enlistment because I’m a woman, or because I’m a villainess?”
Kalinin answered as naturally as breathing.
“Because you are a noble.”
At his crisp reply, Henrietta’s eyes went round.
“Oh! I hadn’t considered that.”
“Normally, children of nobility graduate from the military academy before taking a commission as an officer. That poses no issue, as officers and regular soldiers naturally receive different treatment. You, however, are a noblewoman. Yet as long as you serve as an enlisted soldier, you will receive no better treatment than any other private.”
“Didn’t you just say yourself that you aren’t a fair person?”
“Favoritism does nothing to boost military morale.”
“In that case, if I make a significant contribution to the military, a special commission would be possible, wouldn’t it?”
“I hardly see how you could make such a contribution, Ms. Matyas.”
“I think I can, actually.”
Henrietta gestured vaguely in the direction of the Monster Forest, then tapped herself firmly on the chest.
“Because I have a Monster Encyclopedia right here.”
The duke leaned forward.
Having finally succeeded in catching his interest, Henrietta let out a subtle sigh.
Though he kept it hidden beneath an easy demeanor, the duke seemed entirely bored with the world.
The kind of man who found living dull simply because everything came too easily.
Catching the interest of such a person was exceedingly difficult. That was precisely why she had taken her time pacing the conversation.
She had fought too hard to draw his gaze; she would not let it slip away now. Pay close attention—the real negotiation starts here.
“The monsters emerging from the forest are never the same, are they? You must be having quite a hard time with the subjugations.”
“The duchy’s current policy regarding the Monster Forest is defense, not subjugation. Through repeated experience, we have reached the conclusion that eradicating the monsters in that forest is impossible.”
“Have you even explored the entire forest?”
“…”
“How long do you intend to stay on the defensive? What about the resources and soldiers being bled dry in the process? On my way here, I heard you’re having trouble recruiting new troops.”
A flicker of hesitation crossed the Duke of Krakow’s eyes.