After I Regressed, I Proposed to My Childhood Friend
Chapter 14
What did he just say?
Beatrice raised her right hand, gave her ear a light flick, and tilted her head as if asking him to repeat himself.
"I’ll be heading to the western border with His Highness the Crown Prince soon."
"Why you?"
"Why, you ask?"
He raised an eyebrow as if he’d just heard something ridiculous, then pulled at the corners of his mouth to smile as he continued.
"Have you already forgotten the bet we made?"
"Ah."
"My, my. Judging by your reaction, you haven't been thinking about it at all, have you, Lady Beatrice Hartwell? Is earning a title that easy for you?"
Beatrice punched Clyde, who was making a fuss about how he had clearly won the bet, and began to piece together the fragmented information.
'So, Clyde is going to the western border to fulfill the bet—or rather, to build our "side"—and because he’s worried about what Valois and Grand Duke Alec might do while he’s away, he seduced the Crown Prince into taking them along?'
But why the western border, of all places?
Beatrice blinked rapidly, searching through her memories.
'What happened there again…?'
If only she had known she would regress, she would have written down a chronicle and memorized it by heart!
Unfortunately, Beatrice didn't remember much beyond the events that had happened directly to her. Only the major incidents that made it into the newsletters came to mind, and even those were vague.
'The west… monster attacks and famine… the Crown Prince… Oh!'
As she listed the words, something suddenly clicked.
'The cursed Marquisate of Downer.'
Located on the border, the Marquisate of Downer was like the gateway to the Empire. To its side lay a foreign nation with a harsh climate, and above it sat the Dark Mountains, teeming with monsters.
As it was a place directly linked to the Empire's safety, the Imperial family naturally paid close attention to the Marquisate. They granted the family more benefits, spared no support or supplies when needed, and periodically conducted joint training with the Imperial Knights.
Because the land wasn't inherently fertile and battles were frequent, it was a place with many nicknames that evoked a cold and barren feeling, but…
'The rumors about it being cursed only started after that incident.'
At some point, people who entered the Marquisate of Downer stopped coming back.
At first, there were reports that the situation in the Marquisate was a bit poor, but soon after, even means of communication like letters were cut off.
Even the couriers who delivered letters and telegrams disappeared after their last trip to the Marquisate. It was as if they had simply evaporated.
And not long after these bizarre events began, the Marquisate was sealed off.
'That’s right. I remember my mother sighing as she talked about it. She said the Imperial family kept trying to contact them to grasp the situation, but it was useless.'
While high society was in an uproar over the inexplicable situation, one person was finally found who had barely managed to escape the Marquisate.
The man, who was trembling with a pale face and a body covered in scratches, began to ramble frantically as soon as he met the investigation team and reporters.
'Th-the Marquisate of Downer is cursed! It’s already over there! There are dolls living all over the village, and the d-dolls just keep multiplying!'
'What are you talking about?'
'I’m telling you, it’s not a place for humans! I stayed at an inn, but I barely saw any residents… and later, I was the only one left! There was no one there, yet warm food was delivered to me! The notes were full of strange warnings about what to be careful of, and at night, there were strange screams… Aaaah!'
The man, who had been rambling while grabbing onto people, eventually lost consciousness and collapsed. The reporter didn't miss the scene, and just like that…
'The rumor spread that the Marquisate of Downer was a cursed place.'
After that, all she remembered was that Clyde and Caelen were incredibly busy.
If she recalled a little more, she heard that the Marquisate of Downer was no longer what it used to be, and another noble had been tasked with managing the borderlands.
She also remembered that the traditionalist nobles, who opposed magic, gained momentum as rumors circulated that it was due to black magic.
'Wait, a moment. That means…'
Beatrice, habitually ignoring Clyde as he whined about being in pain, kicked him in the shin and pulled her upper body closer.
After glancing around to make sure no one was listening, she steadied her voice, which was laced with shock, and asked quietly.
"Don't tell me that whole 'cursed Marquisate of Downer' incident was orchestrated by 'that person' we know? I mean, was the Marquis of Downer a person of the Crown Pri… er, your boss?"
"To be precise, he was a neutral party favorable to our side. And based on the evidence, it is indeed 'that person's' doing. Because after the Hartwell family—no, the Downer family—vanished, it was the nobles on 'that person's' side who took over the management of the border and the remaining territory."
Crazy… This goes deeper and deeper.
Feeling her skin crawl, Beatrice rubbed her arms and blurted out.
"I'm going too."
"What?"
"I said I'm going. To the western border."
At Beatrice’s firm declaration, Clyde’s brow furrowed in a rare display of concern.
"No. Do you even know where you're trying to go?"
"Why not! You dressed it up as the western border, but aren't you trying to go to the Marquisate of Downer?"
"……."
"Since the traditionalist nobles were talking about black magic, it’s clear that magic is involved. I’m not a mage, but I’ll be of some help, right?"
She was right.
In the investigations done before her regression, the biggest causes cited were the land being ruined by monster attacks and famine, yet they hadn't dispatched anyone related to magic.
On the other hand, Beatrice’s father, Jedaric Hartwell, was an outstanding alchemist in the country.
If Beatrice, whom he had raised, accompanied them, there was a high probability she would provide a new perspective.
However…
"…Shall I repeat what I said earlier, Lady Beatrice Hartwell? Is earning a title that easy for you? Or is this a provocation? To offer help to your rival in a bet!"
"Hey."
"Thanks for the information. I’ll speak to His Highness the Crown Prince and ensure that someone with a relevant major is included in the dispatched personnel."
"……."
"So you stay here. Don't go poking around in dangerous places for no reason."
Besides, the party included Grand Duke Alec, whose true colors were still unknown, and Valois Crawford, who must be at her breaking point.
Even if she couldn't act on her own, she shouldn't let her guard down.
"More importantly, don't you have any plans? If you stay this relaxed, you’re really going to lose to me."
"What are you talking about? I’m busy too, you know? I’ve already made an appointment with Her Majesty the Empress."
"You’re quick. Then you’ll really be busier than me soon. I guess we can just both do our best, huh?"
"……."
Clyde ended the conversation quickly, leaving no room for further discussion.
Beatrice’s insides simmered slightly at his attitude, which felt like he was drawing a line.
'What is this? Why does this feeling of déjà vu… it feels similar to the masquerade.'
Again, Beatrice knew Clyde well. She knew that whenever Clyde acted in such a strange way, there was a reason for it.
'But understanding it with my head and accepting it with my heart are two different things.'
Beatrice didn't hide her displeasure in front of Clyde. She even gave him a look that clearly said she was suspicious, and even raised an eyebrow at him.
Even under her gaze, which seemed to suspect everything from her head to her toes, Clyde let her look slide off him as if he knew nothing.
Instead, he poked a strawberry with a fork, held it to her lips, and said with a sly, playful smile.
"Trust your brother, okay?"
* * *
Like I would.
He’s only a year older than me, what kind of "brother" is he!
I let it slide for the day, but the more I thought about it after returning home, the more my blood boiled. And I thought to myself:
'If it’s come to this, I’m going to the Marquisate of Downer out of sheer spite.'
But the black-hearted Clyde Dalton and the Crown Prince, who was in cahoots with him, wouldn't give me an opening. In that case…
"Lady Beatrice! The gift you mentioned is ready. Shall I bring it now?"
"Yes, I’m about to head out."
"Yes!"
"Let’s go, to Her Majesty the Empress."
If that’s the case, I just need to seduce someone higher up than him.
'Just you wait, Clyde Dalton.'
I’ll show you just how incredibly well I can grovel and charm someone in power.
The youngest position isn't a place you can just sit in for free, you know!
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