The next morning, Count Vicar visited Eluan Castle. He must have set out at dawn, as he arrived before the morning prayer bells had even rung. Only the servants doing odd jobs were awake at that hour.

To Dana, it felt like the middle of the night. She hurriedly got out of bed, barely able to open her eyes, and was dressed by Hilda. With Hilda quickly ensuring the princess was presentable, Dana made her way to the drawing room to meet the waiting Count Vicar.

Count Vicar sat in the drawing room with his back straight. Dana took a seat opposite him. The maids brought out honeyed wine, fruits, and cheeses to nibble on, then withdrew with Hilda, who took a moment to relax.

“I’ve kept you waiting too long because of my laziness.”

“Not at all.”

Dana’s comment about his early arrival was taken as an apology by Count Vicar. She then focused on the pile of documents on the table that he had brought.

“What is all this?”

Count Vicar, who had seemed intimidated at the banquet, now explained with a gleam in his eye.

“These are maps of the current deployment of the Divine Beast Legion around the outskirts of Khalid and documents regarding the deployment of knights in the northern territories. Reports have been continuously sent to His Majesty, but since you expressed interest, I’ve brought a year’s worth for you to review. If you wish, I can organize several years’ worth immediately.”

Dana remained silent, staring at the pile of documents. She wanted to convey an important fact to the eager Count.

“Count, I am not the Duke of Khalid. I haven’t been granted the authority by His Majesty to review these documents. Therefore, I cannot look at them. That’s why I asked you to ‘briefly tell me about the north.'”

Moreover, Dana was a novice in northern environments and military matters, unable to understand even if Count Vicar revealed dangerous facts. Whatever she heard and decided would likely be something the Count and knights had already considered or a method with little practical benefit.

Thus, her conversation with Count Vicar was merely a formality for the time being. As a princess newly arrived in a distant territory, all she could do was listen to the lords’ hardships and commend their efforts.

However, Count Vicar was not someone with whom she could exchange trivial personal stories, as might be done with noble ladies. Dana decided to be straightforward with him and give him orders.

“Even if you talk about difficult matters, precise deployments, and personnel, I won’t understand. Just tell me what you think are the three most important things to know about the north and the three biggest shortcomings.”

Knowing enough about the Count, Dana set the necessary parameters for him to speak easily. Her words had the desired effect, and Count Vicar, stroking his beard thoughtfully, quickly organized his report as instructed.

“Firstly, this season in the north is dangerous because monsters come down during their mating season. Secondly, the current Divine Beast Legion is too small, serving only as a primary line of defense against the monsters descending on the outskirts of Khalid, and lacks the strength to protect the entire north. Thirdly, the current northern army lacks the comprehensive command authority held by the Duke of Khalid, so each territory moves its troops individually, engaging in separate battles, which makes it difficult to hunt the monsters after the autumn hatching season.”

Dana nodded. Count Vicar continued.

“Though it may be presumptuous for a knight to express dissatisfaction, since you’ve commanded it, I’ll say that the areas needing reinforcement are: firstly, even though the Divine Beast Legion guards the outskirts of Khalid, without His Majesty’s direct management, controlling the Divine Beasts is challenging. Secondly, to prepare for the hordes of monsters that will swarm in autumn, we must find and deal with their eggs during the summer spawning season, but without the comprehensive command authority mentioned earlier, it’s difficult to gather the knights from each territory. Thirdly, to compensate for the absence of the Khalid army, the knights of Vicar are always burdened with excessive duties. It is necessary to balance this by conscripting knights from each territory appropriately under the comprehensive command authority of Lord Khalid.”

The vague stories she had heard about difficulties and challenges became clearer and more specific. Unlike other regions, where work is determined by the crops grown and the tasks required by the seasons, the north had its work dictated by the ecology of the monsters.

Dana looked at Count Vicar thoughtfully. As she stared at him, the old Count, who had been speaking with a serious demeanor, seemed to feel a bit embarrassed and averted his gaze. Dana then asked him, “Why, in such a difficult situation, didn’t you request the Duke of Khalid’s position from His Majesty?”

In the situation where the position of Duke of Khalid was vacant, it was not unreasonable for Countess Vicar to make such a request, given her status as the cousin of the late queen and the unique position Count Vicar held in the north. In fact, considering the circumstances of the north and the Vicar family, it might have been the better option.

Count Vicar shifted his gaze awkwardly in response to Dana’s question. His demeanor was uncharacteristic of a large, dignified knight, and he seemed somewhat embarrassed. As Dana continued to look at him with curiosity, Count Vicar finally replied.

“Because you are here, Princess.”

Dana simply regarded Count Vicar quietly. He continued speaking, still appearing uneasy.

“When you marry, won’t you and your husband become the rulers of Khalid?”

Once again, Dana realized that the solution she had thought of only after wasting precious time and lives was an obvious expectation for those who had been protecting the north. Her existence represented the future for them.

However, reality had been different. Taras had married off his sister to a prince from another kingdom, and the poison the prince drank on their wedding day had led to a war between kingdoms. Khalid remained without a ruler, and Count Vicar and the northern knights had sacrificed themselves fighting the monsters.

Even though she had turned back time and returned to the past, the price was that Dana could no longer form a contract with the Divine Beasts.

“I see…”

She had been unaware, and whether Taras knew and chose to ignore it remained uncertain.

Dana nodded slowly and said, “I need a husband who understands the military well and can lead them.”

As Dana spoke, Count Vicar’s expression noticeably brightened.

“Yes, yes, of course! Although I dare not speak on the princess’s marriage prospects…”

Startled by his own words, Count Vicar quickly added. Dana gave a slight smile as she watched him.

“Since I asked for your opinion, you have the right to answer. I understand.”

Having said that, Dana hesitated slightly. Did Count Vicar know about the knight named Kaiden Leonas?

‘Of course, he’s not yet Sir Leonas.’

At this time, he was probably just a knight without a surname or a squire. Dana debated whether to mention the name Kaiden to Count Vicar or to ask him to look into it.

‘It would sound strange to anyone, wouldn’t it?’

For a princess who hadn’t been to the north in seven years to inquire about the whereabouts of a commoner knight.

‘I’ll wait and see.’

That remarkable knight would make his presence known on his own. With that thought, Dana decided not to mention the knight’s name she needed to find to Count Vicar.

“Thank you for your efforts.”

Dana indicated to Count Vicar that he could leave. With a noticeably lighter expression, Count Vicar stood up, carrying the pile of documents he had brought. Watching the large, old knight walk out with a light step, Dana couldn’t help but smile.