“Stop!” As they pointed their spear towards Hilda, the armed guards shouted out. Hilda removed the wolf pelf from her head and revealed her face.

“You?” While one soldier pondered where he had last seen her, the other exclaimed, "Who are you?" 

"Hilda Sunborne." The two soldiers exchanged a glance after she spoke her name before collapsing to their knees.

“Open the gate.” Hilda was unconcerned by their politeness gesture and proceeded to the small gate on the side of the massive gate carved into the city wall.

However, as soon as she arrived at the capital, another band of soldiers awaited her. With a single glance, Hilda understood they weren't just a capital garrison, rather the imperial guards.

"Your highness," Hilda couldn't see the man's face because he was wearing a black helmet that matched his all-black equipment. "Please place your palm on it," he said as he extended an orb.

Hilda wasn't sure what kind of orb it was, but she accepted the request. Hilda touched the orb, and it shone in violet. Hidden beneath the black helmet, a set of eyes looked at Hilda, puzzled.

“Please pour your aura into it. Do not resist.” His impatience was becoming apparent in his tone.

“I didn't,” Hilda intended to say, but the words didn't come out of her mouth as soon as she grasped the source of the problem.

It was an aura referencing ord. The empire used this type of orb for identification because the synergy of different knights was different.

'Could it be that the white tiger's ability to conceal my presence also applies to my knightly aura?' Hilda realized there was only one way to find out for sure.

When she checked her aura, she noticed that the flow was still smooth, and the hue was still yellow. However, she sensed a sensation of restraint surrounding her aura channel.

“Your highness,” the knight urged while holding the orb.

Hilda nodded and placed her hand on the orb. The aura was blue this time. The knight's look made Hilda frown.

"Please hurry, Your Highness. The imperial court awaits your arrival."

‘Oh! What is this, the imperial court? Isn't it too soon for them to locate me?’ Hilda's frown deepened as she said irritably, "Is the orb broken?"

In response to her inquiry, the knight placed his palm on the orb as it shone brightly yellow. He stretched his hand once more for Hilda to touch.

Hilda had a vague understanding of how to regulate her knightly aura after accomplishing it once. She wasn't sure, but when she touched the ball again, it lit green.

After a few moments of staring at the glowing orb, the Knight concluded that Hilda's identity was not a problem.

“Please follow us, Your Highness.” The knight escorted Hilda to the carriage.

The knight followed her into the carriage after she had entered it. As soon as the carriage moved, the rest of his knight squad followed on horseback. Despite the fact that the road inside the capital was very smooth, the carriage's high speed turned it into a bumpy ride.

"Are we going to the imperial court?"

“Hmm.” The knight nodded as he examined the wolf pelt on her body once more. "Would you like to change your clothes?"

Hilda frowned when she realized the knight had no intention of showing her any respect while they were inside the carriage. That, however, was not an issue for her.

"I shouldn't keep the imperial court waiting for something so insignificant."

The knight looked at her as if she were a moron. Hilda simply ignored him and gazed at the capital's fast-moving houses. After all, she was going to play the role of a defeated leader. And the dress would undoubtedly aid in projecting a pitiful image.

More than her dress, she was concerned about the old jackals and vultures waiting at the imperial court to tear her apart.

'I believe they have come prepared.' Hilda sighed inwardly. 

Escorted by the imperial guard, they arrived at the imperial court quickly. Although she had passed by this location numerous times, she had never entered it.

Outside the court, there was a stair with 108 steps. When one ascended the stairs, they would find themselves in an enormous hall. The court's ceiling was elaborately decorated with gold and pearls.

The heavy roof of the court is said to have been supported by 108 pillars. After all, there were no walls on either side.

"We should rule the empire in full view of all. If one has to decide the fate of people behind closed doors, he is doing something wrong."

That's what the third emperor said after razing the old imperial city and rebuilding a new one from the ashes.

Hilda had no intention of thinking about anything futile while tens of pairs of eyes watched her every move. The most intense pressure, however, came from in front of her.

In front of her, there was a staircase covered in red and gold. And the imperial thorn was located in a more prominent position. That was the emperor's resting place.

"General Hilda, could you tell us about your encounter with the mountain bandits?"

Even if she had never visited the imperial court before, Wolfy had forced her to memorize the faces of all important figures. Naturally, she knew that this man wasn’t someone important.

So Hilda just gave him one look but remained silent. There was an awkward silence as a result of this.

“Did it turn dumb after its shocking defeat?” A whisper rose in the crowd on both sides of her. Although it was not loud, Hilda's enhanced hearing allowed her to hear the disrespectful murmuring.

"Would you be able to answer the question, Your Highness?"

It was Count Cristo. He belonged to the neutral fraction and had no ties to any of the princes. So the report said. What mattered was that this person was a count, as compared to the unknown guy from before.

“Oh!” Hilda appeared surprised. "Is the count saying that man was asking that question to me?" she asked, pointing to the unidentified man.

"I mistook him for a court jester," Hilda smirked as she noticed the man staring at her. "I can't think of anyone who would be foolish enough to disrespect an imperial heir in the imperial court," she continued.

And deafening silence followed. The man of unknown origin was visibly angry. But he was quick to refute, “All the convicts are…”

"Are you trying to convict me? Are you certain you have the authority to do so?" Hilda's words only add to the silence.

Trying to convict an imperial prince? That is simply not possible. Only the emperor has the authority to make such a decision. Hilda, understandably, was unconcerned at first.

However, she had never thought anyone would frame her in broad daylight. At this point, she had only one thought: 'Could it be that someone had sold her?' 

She dismissed the idea as soon as it entered her mind. All of the human soldiers who were aware of her plan had agreed to sign a contract with her. They wouldn't, of course, leak anything.

Hilda had left her pack on the lookout for the bandit. Whatever the case, the information should not have been leaked so quickly. She, on the other hand, didn't dare to dither any longer.

"If you're going to frame me, you should tell me where you're going to frame me."

"Your highness, no one is framing you."

"So are you saying that he was disrespecting an imperial heir in front of the imperial court, and the vessels of the empire just stood there as if nothing happened?" Hilda asked, perplexed.

"No, you're under suspicion of treason." A man with a white beard spoke up. Hilda sighed as she saw him.

The man with the beard was Duke Gerald. One of the empire's four dukes. By looking at the man, Hilda could tell where all the stories were going.

“Facing the mountain bandit with only 100 soldiers is akin to suicide. Count Eigen had trusted you 200 of his soldiers. However, neither the soldier nor his third son had returned, whereas your highness had returned unscathed.”

“Oh! Are you asking me to die?” Hilda asked with all her innocence.

"A knight must never desert his soldier."

“Even if I had trained under a knight, I wouldn't know what a knight's ethics are because I didn't go to a knight school. Naturally, I'm not familiar with a knight's code.”

Then there was silence once more. The count Eigen was the third to speak. "What happened to my son?" he inquired.

Hilda's expression shifted in the blink of an eye. "Sir Joefred Eigen was a great knight," she said, appearing to be in anguish.

"We fought together to allow our remaining soldiers to escape," Hilda continued, seeing Count Eigen's face darken. “However, the number of the bandit was too great. They kept pouring out of the forest.”

“In the end, we broke through with force. Unexpectedly, the leader of the bandit barred the path. We fought with valor…” Hilda gave a deep sigh, adding, “Sir Joefred Eigen used all his force and cut down the leader of the bandit.”

"Did the bandit known as the 'Red Bear' die?" Most of the people in the imperial court couldn’t believe her. And those who did were visibly shocked.

“Unfortunately, Sir Eigen had also passed away from the last attack of the leader.” Hilda didn’t forget to mention, “Sir Joefred Eigen had sacrificed to save this imperial heir.”

It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that Duke Gerald's face was completely black. But it was the young man standing next to Count Eigen who spoke first.

"My brother was an outstanding knight. However, I believe your highness could have avoided it if the highness had wisely used of his soldier.”

“Wisely? How should I do that?”

"Had your highness checked the records of previous expeditions, he would have known that the bandit was very familiar with the mountain forest. To exterminate them, even the imperial guard would require more than 500 soldiers."

“So?”

"I'm not implying that the Emerald army's soldiers aren't capable. They are, however, weaker than the imperial guards, so it would have been preferable if your highness had brought more soldiers with him."

“Wow! You are a genius.” The young man had not anticipated such an outpouring of praise.  

He was about to reject her praise, Hilda added, “However, I had read the report of the previous expedition against the barbarian.”

The young man had no idea what Hilda was talking about, but those who did had a bad feeling about it.

“Have you read about the imperial guard's previous expedition against mountain bandits? So, do you recall how many people died the last time?”

“165.” With a pause, the young man said.

"I accept that the emerald army's soldiers aren't as good as the imperial guard's, so the casualties would be higher. Let's say 200."

"Every year, the imperial court used to send at least 5000 soldiers to fight the barbarians," Hilda said to the young man. "Do you recall how many were killed last year?"

“3467,” Hilda spoke up for the young man before he could respond. "However, the imperial court decided to assign me to the task of defending the north against the barbarians, handing me 2000 soldiers."

"Now, if I lost more than 200 soldiers here, I'd have to go to the north with a number that'd be nearly half of the army's casualties from last year."

The courtroom was deafeningly silent. Nobody dared to talk about it.

"Yet, the moment I return to the capital, they dragged me to the court," Hilda said as she put the final nail in the coffin.

“What was the court's request? Would you like me to perish?” Hilda was well aware that she needed to stop talking, but her heart wasn’t listening to her brain. And her emotion ran amok.

"I'll die as soon as I join the barbarian expedition with the army you've given me. If you're still antsy, I'll accept the charges. Then you'll have no problem executing me."

At the last poll the Female MC with fantasy setting had an overwhelming victory, while the morden day setting got the second position. So, I produced a mix of it and started my next novel, "Mercenary of Lust". It already has 3 chapters. So, give it a try if you want.