Oh man, did I screw up again? Why did that monster have to show up when I needed to crash the meeting and present the evidence I had against those crucks like Count Fouintaux and Viscount Kelilery. I was so mad when I heard that father agreed to their request that I even took it out on him!

            Didn’t I already know that if something of the sort would happen, he would likely cave no matter his own opinion? Then again what he did is only rational, if a member of your house oversteps their bound and literally creates a rebellion in less than an hour of time, any territorial leader would likely sentence them to execution in hopes of appeasing the nobility, for once it is what a statesman would do.

            Funny, to think that the one time my father acts in a way befitting his position, I not only disgrace him but completely break his will.

            “Elly, what is the matter?”

            I am currently taking a bath with Nara. Did this good for nothing notice my mood?

            Ha, I think she’s starting to grow up. I don’t know how to feel about that, I would like her to remain my air-headed little sister that can never manage to read the situation.

            “Whatever do you mean?” I answered with a smile on my face.

            “Hmm? Sorry I must have been mistaken.”

            Anyway, this situation is only temporary, now that I took away father’s power and with Sir Mayron’s backing, I can proceed even faster than before. With the nights on my side, I could take a few of them for my eastern subjugation, or maybe I should send them as an advance force to weaken the south?

            No, in the case that a siege was to take place the castle may fall if it isn’t well defended. Maybe I should stay and send a certain number of them to help speed up the eastern subjugation? This is likely the best use I can make of them but there is one big problem in all of this, what if they are stuck sieging a castle or fortress? If I was with them, I could break the walls and force a confrontation but without me there the whole plan will be worthless. There cannot be a siege when using Blitzkrieg, that would invalidate the entire operation, so I have no choice but to take to the battlefield.

            Ahhhh... so good. I am so glad that I taught Nara about massage, even if we do not have a room dedicated to it, I still love it when she massages me when we bathe together.

            What is this feeling on my back? Heavy and yet not, pleasant when on contact and leaving behind a sense of longing when separated. No way…

            I turned around in a hurry only to see that what I had guessed was indeed correct. Nara is growing in more ways than one. Is she going threw puberty? Wait, I am older than her by almost half a year and I have yet to experience anything of the sort, but it is true, I can see it with my own eyes. I reached my hands forwards and started to touch, maybe I was hoping that my eyes were dysfunctional, yes maybe the monster’s blood did something to them, but my hopes were dashed. Nara now has what I can only describe as a more than average breast size. I mean I am definitely not jealous that I remain as flat as a bord but to think that my adopted little sister would start to mature even earlier than me, I honestly don’t know how to feel about that.

            “Umm my lady, it-it tickles.”   

            “Oh sorry, I was just surprised. The last time we bathed together you did not even show a sign that you were growing physically.”

            “Well, I can’t stay a child for ever, I am sure that you too will experience this… someday.”

            “Did you just insinuate that I will never be able to have a chess like yours.”

            “No, not at all, only… you already look like an adult and… maybe you have yet to hit puberty even if you are physically mature?”

            “You little brat, come here!”

            I caught Nara in my arms and started to tickle her the same way I did whenever she annoyed me when we were younger only this time, I have another area to tickle.

            Oh no, what if someone were to come and ask for Nara’s hand in marriage, what will I do? I don’t even need to ask, I would kill them or at least I will make it look like I accidentally did so when I agree on the condition that they defeat me in battle, Wahahaha I will never allow anyone to have her. After enough of them die by my hand they will stop even trying, I am truly a genius.

            Well, when things stabilize a little, I do plan to create a Harem for myself, maybe I should make her one of my concubines when I do. I can’t wait to see how people will react when I come out as bisexual in this day an age. I do plan on throwing away all the useless traditions and religious beliefs, from the clothes we ware to the architecture and the people’s daily lives I will change it all.

            Well, it is time to leave the bath, I must get ready and head out.

            At the same time as she patted me down Nara asked me a question, “My lady, what should we do in regard to his grace the duke?” a great question, usually when someone usurps power, they eliminate their rivals and imprison the original power holder but not in this case.

            “Nothing, do nothing, those who are unsatisfied with me will flock to him, by using him as bate I will be able to finish the intended clean-up of the duchy.” If only there was a way to catch those weasels all at once, I wouldn’t need to do this, but I have no choice. At the very least I hope that he will be happy when I present him with the lordship of Aren as recompense. It was his dream to regain control of it or more precisely the castle where he grew up. If nothing else I will at least do this and I hope he will forgive me, but I will not ask him to do so, never. My actions are my own and I will never regret them, nor will I ask others to forgive me; at least not unless it is absolutely necessary.

            On my way back towards the interior of the castle I ran into Sir Mayron and Tristian, for whatever reason I don’t think that this is a coincidence.

            “Gentlemen, what may I do for you.”

            “The captain and I were waiting for you to finish bathing since we have a few questions on how to proceed.”

            “If at all possible, I would like to be included in your plans.”

            I indicated for them to follow me and lead the two men to my room, inviting men to my room is usually seen as inappropriate but I need to change clothes and I have no office in the castle. Striping down my pyjamas, I had Nara select a dress I can wear whilst riding but from the corner of my eyes I saw the captain red eared and facing the other way.

            Chuckling I told them “You need not look the other way; I am pretty sure that most people have seen me naked even if it is only from the top of the walls.” It’s true, I did my best in trying to keep people from peeping, but I know that the guards do sometimes happen to look my way during their guard duty. I do not mind it as it is accidental, if anything I find it cute, seeing them trying so hard to look the other way. As long as there is no malicious intent I do not care if other see me bare, even if they lust over me, I will only find it flattering. I have yet to gain my first experience with another person but having tested this body myself I can say that it is only a matter of time until I invite someone to spend a night with me. The problem is who? I do not intend to prostitute myself as such I cannot simply invite anyone to be my first. Even if I do invite them, it is unlikely that they would even accept. People in this world are so uptight that frankly it’s frustrating, even Tristian, the first person to come to mind when thinking about a partner, refused me. I mean he always tries to peep on me and never shies away from seeing me naked but the one time I invite him he refuses. Although that might be because we were in the middle of the expedition. Could it be that he’s gay? I mean with a body like mine there is very little difference between me and a man. Maybe I should ask Paul, no scratch that, he would never willingly accept although if I commanded him, I am pretty sure that he would comply with my demands. The bigger issue is that I do not find him attractive, Paul is popular with the ladies but to me he reminds me of a well-dressed nerd.

            Well, if men won’t do it then I can look for a woman. Jean maybe? I mean she is beautiful and a close confidant of mine, she’s also unmarried and is unlikely to ever be in a relationship. We could fulfill each other’s carnal desires. Another option is Nara, but I will have to wait until she grows up and becomes able to make her own decisions, I do not intend to take advantage of a child. You might argue that she is like a little sister to me but think about it, would you say the same thing to two childhood friends ending up together, of course not. Then again in the case of women there is less of an impact on me so I could simply use a servant, no, absolutely not. If I were to do so they would certainly spread the word that I am not interested in men thus reducing my options for accumulating power. Marriage for nobles and royals is only logical but I do not intend to truly marry anyone, at best I would accept a betrothal then discard them if they become useless, on the other hand. If they prove useful, I would go as far as to marry them but, even if I develop feelings for them, they will never be anything more than a consort.

            I will think about this latter for now I should deal with Tristan and Sir Mayron.

            “Forgive me but I rather not.” The captain answered so whilst forcing Tristian to face the walls, the same way he did.

            “You may speak whilst I change clothes”

            “Very well, I am unfamiliar with your plans and as I have chosen to take your side, I am hoping that you would allow me to aid you if possible.

            “Of course, the knights are essential to anything I would do.” I took a moment to reaffirm my earlier decision then spoke “I will start with Tristian as he was not a part of the earlier meeting. You are to lead the regular mercenary core and take control of the territories, I won’t have the time to do so as I plan on only taking cavalry and taking down the eastern rebels as fast as humanly possible. You can take your time in establishing our rule over those territories. Speak to Paul before you depart, he will give you the necessary people. Now you Sir Mayron will stay and make sure that the south does not take too much ground before my return. The west is Lord Adam’s territory so we do not need to mind it as for the northern lords they do not have a leading figure and once they see that the east has fallen, they will ether ally themselves with the south or the most likely scenario, they will fall into our camp.”

            Yes, as long as I finish the eastern subjugation in less then five months the North will definitely fall under my banner, that is until they try to reinstate the duke.

            “Is there anything you would like to add to this?”

            “If I may, why send the knights to suppress the south when we could conquer it?”

            “Because you won’t be able to.”

            “I don’t understand, the duke’s retinue is more than enough to bring the south to their knees.”

            “Yes, the south but not if they get help from Aren” I could imagine the captain’s eyes widening to a comical degree with the gasp he just made. “Do you expect that they will not take part in an internal conflict that will weaken their long-time enemy? Of course, they will. The question is how involve will they be? Will they only send weaponry and supplies? If that’s the case, then the best the south could do is hold out against you, but Aren is not stupid enough to waist their money for so little return. That is why they will ether send their solders, disguised as mercenaries, and try to give the south a real chance at victory or worst they will decide to formally intervene at which point you will be unable to do anything more than buy me time. If I am present and if the worst happens, I could even wipe out their army, I do not wish to do so but if they push their luck against me, they will return empty handed, actually I take that back they won’t return at all. With all the spies they have in the castle they know for a fact that in terms of personal strength I am on another league, that is why they will try to defeat you before I arrive. Do not give them the chance, never engage them, instead you should focus on buying me time, time is all I need. Seven months from now I would have returned, as long as you have not fallen by that time victory will be guaranteed.” Not that I would allow any of Aren’s solders to return alive. This is also an opportunity for me to weaken Aren even if they only send the worst of their solders, which I doubt. I could gain a massive advantage by killing them. I might even buy myself enough time to develop my future territory to match the might of Rubens, the most powerful duchy in the former kingdom.

            Over and done with dressing up, I called out to the two stone statues in the corner of the room to look my way, I then asked them if they had any suggestions. Tristian like a trained dog who only does what his master ordered only nodded, I usually like his aloof attitude but when speaking about serious things he changes completely. Sometimes I wonder if he has a multiple personality disorder. The captain on the other hand did not react and instead continued to think with his hand covering his face.

            “My lady, are you certain that Aren will intervene?”

            “Absolutely, after all that is what I would do if I were in their place.”

            “What would you have done if I hadn’t joined you?”

            “Well, I had two options, the first is to force it upon you. I am confident that you wouldn’t lose in so little time so I would have gone to the east and by the time you figured out that the southern army is too strong to engage, you would retreat and prepare for a siege. The second option was actually my original plan of proving the southern nobles as accomplices to the eastern rebels even if the evidence of that is flimsy at best, then I would accuse my father of incompetence, I would then temporarily seize power and ask you to take down the neighbouring southern baronies then return with enough loot and conscripted manpower to hold the city whilst the knights use guerilla tactics to aggravate the southern rebels and lead them eastwards where, with enough luck, I would meet you half way, thus serving them in a silver platter for me to destroy.”

            Going back to his little imaginary world the captain continued to stand trying to find a way to improve upon my plan. I on the other hand checked the dress Nara chose for me, this dress was made by a local seamstress whom I provided with silks and other rare materials to make me a comfortable dress. Its design is also my idea and is completely foreign to this world. Unlike the tight and cumbersome dresses that barely allow you to walk straight, this dress is completely open and liberating, some might argue that it isn’t fit for riding, but the cloth underneath is perfect to protect me from the climate whilst still allowing for ease of movement. I sometimes wear pans with leather for my outerwear, but I am honestly mush too tired of it. We will need to travel for at least three weeks before reaching the first of the eastern domains and as such I intend to take advantage of that. Maybe I should bring Nara with me so that she could take care of my needs? No, that would slow us down too much and now that I think about it, I should tell Paul to use her as a way to connect to my grandfather, after all she too is his granddaughter.

            Seeing that he is taking too long to answer I added a little something that would improve his mood, “That mage girl we brought back with us is used to utilizing her magic in combat so you can also think of her as an asset you can use. Rare are the mages that would dare use their powers in human conflicts but as she too disregarded the teachings of the temples you can definitely buy time with her. Also I am absolutely certain that monster I just slayed has a mana core, when he used magic he did not absorb it from the atmosphere and it was too strong to be a part of its body, so as long as you find it before morning I can imbue it with the properties of fire thus making it into a trump card for you to use if things get desperate.”

            After a long wait he nodded and made to leave the room, but I stopped him “Captain, all you need do is hold the line, nothing more.” He looked back at me, a look of determination on his face and answered, “By your will.”

From the author:

Even though I hinted to Elizabeth making her father a temporary enemy I believe that I did not make a good enough job explaining the progression, as an apology I am releasing this chapter early in hopes of clearing up any misunderstanding.