I JUST WANT A PEACEFUL LIFE

"They will probably arrive in another few more days." said Angus while reading the paper.

"It seems they managed to test my calculation and formula successfully. Now, I just need to wait for the material to come before making it myself. Hm.. Jayna, there is some news about the war. Did you want to hear it?" said Angus.

"Just tell me briefly about it." replied Jayna, hugging a pillow.

"We actually got attacked by three different kingdoms in three different locations. It seems our prediction is correct. When the war starts, every hostile kingdom will take this opportunity to attack us." said Angus.

"Fortunately, with the major upgrade in our communication technology, the capital reacted properly and sent immediate reinforcement to mitigate some loss." added Angus.

"Urgh… The war really began. But, to think three kingdoms attack us at the same time when we are still at war with Nergal. It's quite unbelievable." said Jayna.

"Well, war is always unpredictable. It comes and goes like a wind, leaving only destruction behind. Still, I'm surprised your father didn't ask us to go back this time. If I am not wrong, most of our force should be at the border of the Nergal kingdom." replied Angus.

"It's not like we will answer his call anyway. So, I guess this is a good thing and less hassle to us." added Angus.

"Right. So, who is the reinforcement Father sent this time?" asked Jayna.

"It's Duke Blue, my father, and… Duchess Amberblaze." replied Angus.

"D-Duchess Amberblaze?!" exclaimed Jayna.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with her? I only know she is your aunt and kind of a hidden duchess." said Angus.

Normally, a kingdom with an aristocratic system only has four dukes/duchesses. However, some big kingdoms like the Heart kingdom abolish this tradition and culture. They could have more than four dukes/duchesses.

Still, only four dukes/duchesses appear in public most of the time. While the others only appear in important matters. They are also often regarded as hidden dukes/duchesses.

All of them have the authority and influence like the other four duke/duchess. But, the hidden one is usually less involved in the kingdom's public matters. The hidden dukes/duchesses will often appear when the kingdom is involved in a war or emergency.

"Hmm… I actually never met her myself. She is kind of a taboo topic inside the Royal Palace. Wait for a second.. I think I understand why she has become a taboo topic." said Jayna.

"Huh??" asked Angus curiously.

"Well, Duchess Amberblaze is actually a powerful sixth-grade combatant. However, she withdrew herself from the public more than decades ago, even before we were born." explained Jayna.

"Not many younger generations know about her since most of the old aristocrats also don't want to talk about her." added Jayna.

"Ehh.. Weird. Did she make a huge mistake or something?" asked Angus.

As the duke's third son, Angus knows the power and influence the dukes/duchesses have. They basically have a sort of law immunity in their kingdom. Unless they commit a massive crime, dukes/duchesses can practically do whatever they want.

They could even kill and steal in the middle of the road, witnessed by everyone, without getting punished. This shows the power and influence they held over their kingdom. Therefore, it is very rare for dukes/duchesses to withdraw from the public entirely, even for the hidden ones.

"No. On the contrary, she is practically our kingdom hero. I found some of her achievements and records before she withdrew from the public. To put it simply, the Heart kingdom will never become this prosperous and gain title number one human kingdom without her." said Jayna.

"Hee.. Then, why does nobody talk about her? Some of our historical teachers also didn't explain much about her." said Angus.

"It's because of my mother." replied Jayna.

"The Empress?" asked Angus confusedly.

"Yeah, it is an unwritten law to never talk about Duchess Amberblaze inside the Royal Palace. Any people who talk about her will get a heavy punishment or even be killed on the spot. I guess she also managed to influence the public." explained Jayna.

"Did you know the reason?" asked Angus.

"I am not sure either, but I think I could guess it now." said Jayna.

"Hm??" asked Angus.

"I think my mother bore some sort of jealousy towards her own sister." said Jayna.

"Jealousy?" as Angus becomes more confused.

"When I was around seven years old, I became irritated more easily. At that time, I still didn't learn about Heart of Perseverance to control my impulse and mind."

"That year was really quite hard for me since I often couldn't fall asleep at night because of my mental state." said Jayna.

"When I can't sleep at night, I often do night training or read books to tire myself out. One day, I was too bored doing training and decided to read some books."

"Usually, I read books in my room. But, at that time, I decided to go to Father's office to borrow some interesting books and read there. Since it is late at night, I couldn't bother anyone but Father to calm my mind."

"Because of his job nature, Father often works late at night. Sometimes he even didn't fall asleep for a few days. But, I guess it is normal since he has the power of a seventh-grade combatant."

"At that time, I was quite afraid of my father because of his cold, stoic face. Although Father was quite scary at that time, at least it was better than getting bored alone in my room. Most of the time, I just read the books in silence. However, that day is quite different."

"During the day, one of my private teachers mentioned the dukes/duchess family. As part of royalty, I need to know anything about them. Yet, my teacher refused to tell me more about Duchess Amberblaze, which makes me irritated and beats the shit of that old hag."

"Hmm… Come to think of it, I should probably make her experience some of my fire skills. That old hag… Anyway, let's get back to the topic." said Jayna while calming herself.

However, Angus could feel deep resentment from Jayna toward her private teacher through their bond. But, he puts this at the back of his mind as Jayna continues her story.

"Later, I decided to ask the others, but everyone also refused to talk about her. Even uncle Darius also refused to talk about her. This made me more furious and I couldn't sleep that night. Then, I thought I could find some books about her in my father's office."

"But, after searching for a while, I still didn't find any. Since there are no royal guards in the room, I thought it would not be disgraceful if I somehow got reprimanded by him."

"So, I decided to gather my courage and ask my father about her. Then, I really saw a different side of my father." said Jayna while recounting that particular night.

During Jayna's seven years old

"Father, did you know Duchess Amberblaze?" asked Jayna timidly.

King Leon looks toward the seventh-year old Jayna with his stoic face.

"Why did you ask about her?" asked King Leon back.

"Today, my teacher taught me about the duke/duchess in our kingdom. But, she refuses to say anything about Duchess Amberblaze. When I ask the others, everyone also refuses to talk about her." explained Jayna.

"That's normal since your mother didn't like people discussing her." replied King Leon casually.

"Did she do something wrong?" asked Jayna.

King Leon grimaced for a moment before replying, "No, It is I that made a mistake." said King Leon.

"Umm.. I don't understand." said Jayna.

"You are still too young to understand this matter." replied King Leon.

"Then, can you tell me what kind of person is Duchess Amberblaze?" asked Jayna timidly.

King Leon didn't immediately reply and put his pen down. Just as Jayna feels like being reprimanded, King Leon leans back in his seat while looking at the ceiling.

"She is this kingdom's hero. A bright star that is moving faster than anyone. Never hesitate to jump on the battlefield. A very fighting maniac woman who is also smart. I bet my personal sword she is one of the human race's geniuses ever had."

"Despite that, she is a person who never hesitates to help her friend. Though I personally think it is stupid, especially since she often risks her life or gets injured while helping her friend."

"No matter how dangerous the situation is, she is always the first to move with the lame excuse of her body moving on her own. Yet, deep down in her stubbornness, she carries a caring and warm nature. She is… " said King Leon in a melancholy tone as he recalled his memory.

For the first time, Jayna saw the soft side of her father while he described Duchess Amberblaze.

After a moment of silence, "Alright, that's enough. You should go back to your room." said King Leon while back to his stoic face.

"Ahh.. Yes. Then, I will excuse myself." said Jayna.

Before Jayna reaches the door, "Jayna, I trust you will never tell anyone about this and stop looking out for her." said King Leon coldly.

"Yes, Father." said Jayna before going out of the room and returning to her room.