Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Ambush
"Now, make sure you keep this in mind, what I say, I always do," she said, clutching Sam’s head as he knelt on the floor, holding his stomach.
"I told you before, you wouldn’t get another chance... and you won’t." She watched as his eyes fluttered shut, unconscious.
"Tch..." She let go of his hair, letting his head drop. "Useless."
She walked back to the stage, sat down with her legs crossed, and looked at the four nobles, now trembling with sweat-covered bodies.
"Now, do you remember what mistakes you four made?"
The leading man nodded and quickly knelt on the floor, shouting, "My lord, our mistake was not respecting you as our lord and trying to harm you. Please forgive us!"
The other three’s eyes lit up as they quickly followed his lead.
Bennett gritted her teeth in anger. "Are you testing my patience now? Your mistake is that you embezzled the money and food meant for the commoners."
"Huh?" The nobles blinked in surprise, then began whispering among themselves. A fat man stepped forward and said cautiously,
"M-My lord, are you doing this for filthy commoners? What will we gain even if we help them?"
"Eh..." The fat man yelped, feeling Bennett’s killing intent directed at him.
"Which rank are you, mister?"
Elion walked down from the stage, glaring slightly at the man before turning to Bennett with a smile.
"My lord, his rank is Baron."
Bennett nodded. "Now, as the lord of this land and with full authority, I declare this man a commoner. His responsibilities are no longer on his shoulders."
"No, my lord, please! It’s my mistake, please don’t..." the fat man shouted, his face pale.
Elion raised his hand, and two knights dragged the man away as he continued shouting and pleading for mercy.
"Now, as the new lord of this land, don’t expect me to be lenient toward nobles. I’m forgiving past misdeeds, but if I find any noble committing them again, don’t expect mercy from me."
The nobles looked at each other, and those who had plans decided to hold them for now.
’Hah, I can’t punish all these people even if I want to. I don’t want a civil war to break out. They’ll probably stay in control after seeing my actions today.’
Then she looked at the four nobles again and said, "Now, all the money meant for the commoners must be sent within this week, or be ready to face my wrath."
She stood up and walked out of the hall, ignoring the nobles’ whispers.
The knight standing near the carriage opened the door for her respectfully.
She nodded at him and sat inside. Her gaze fell on Lily’s pouting face across from her. With a light smirk, she tapped Lily’s forehead.
"Why is your mood so bad? Did something happen?"
"Young master," Lily whined, her big eyes glistening.
"Young master, did you lose control of your calm inside? You know how hard it was to make you feel emotions. Sob..." Tears fell from her eyelids. "What if you become emotionless again? I want you to be happy, not like this."
"Sigh... Lily, I’ve told you before, right? I don’t need emotions if I want to survive. They’ll only make me weak, and the Darknight family has already fallen into Drohan’s hands..."
She stopped speaking when she saw Lily looking down sadly. With a light cough, Bennett added,
"Don’t worry, I won’t be emotionless toward my loved ones. After all, I’m doing this to protect them."
---
[Three years later — One week before the true story begins.]
"Ahhh, what should I do? I don’t want to die!"
A girl with silver hair shouted while staring at herself in the mirror—golden eyes, silver hair, and an oval face.
’Wasn’t I just eating breakfast? Why did my face change?’
She looked around, her eyes widening at the luxurious room.
"Where am I? Just one look and I can tell that a single item here is worth more than my entire apartment."
A sudden screen appeared near her face. She blinked in shock as her gaze fell on the letters displayed on it.
[As promised, the immense potential has been granted, along with the secret of this world.]
"Wha..." She blinked in confusion as the screen vanished immediately. No matter how much she tried, it didn’t appear again.
"Was that some kind of system? Did I transmigrate? And when did someone promise me immense potential?"
"Agh..." Her head started to hurt as memories flooded in.
"Wait a minute..." Her face went pale as she sat on the bed.
"I’m in a novel... b-but not as the main character. Why make me a villainess?" she yelled, then sighed as more memories surfaced.
Despite being a princess, she was an introvert, never talking to anyone, with no interest in politics.
She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, her fists clenching.
"In the novel, I’m written to die at the hands of the second male lead, my husband by then. What should I do? Only one week remains before the second male lead returns."
"Her Majesty, Empress Evelyn is entering."
"Huh, Empress?" She sat up as the door opened and a woman with blonde hair entered, wearing a luxurious gown.
"Ah, you’re awake! How are you feeling?" Evelyn quickly walked over, sat beside her, and began checking her body.
’W-What should I do? What if she finds out I’m not her daughter?’
"I was so worried, Lilian. How did you fall into the pond?" Evelyn held her chin and began scolding her.
Lilian blinked, a wry smile tugging at her lips.
---
"My lord, haha! We captured him!" Marcus shouted loudly, and the knights around him began celebrating.
Bennett, now eighteen, sat atop her horse, her gray eyes scanning the battlefield.
"Good. Return to the territory."
As her horse entered Maine land, the commoners began throwing flowers at her, children watching with stars in their eyes.
Bennett smiled lightly and waved at them. The once-malnourished people were now healthy under her rule and had jobs to earn a living.
Entering the castle, Bennett handed the reins to a knight and walked inside.
’Now that the barbarian tribe that was attacking is captured, I can finally go back. This achievement is bigger than anything I could have imagined.’
"Young master, I’ve sent the letter to the palace as you instructed," Lily, now twenty, said with a bow and a light smile on her lips.
Bennett nodded. "Good. We’ll start our journey back tomorrow morning."
She walked to her work table and took a potion bottle from the drawer, the green liquid shimmering inside.
"Now, it’s perfect and ready to give to Alia."
---
"We’ve arrived, my lord," a knight on horseback announced.
Bennett nodded, her gray eyes fixed on the towering gates of the imperial city ahead.
"Follow me," she commanded, urging her horse forward as they galloped toward the entrance.
Once inside, her brows furrowed. Dozens of people stood along the left side of the road, their gazes locked on her.
"Is that the hero blessed by Goddess Solara?" someone whispered.
"Yeah... and they say he brought the Maine Territory back under control," another replied in awe.
Bennett caught the murmurs and shook her head lightly.
’What nonsense... When did I become a hero? And this so-called blessing from the Goddess, I still don’t even know what it does.’
---
"Greetings, the Sun of the Empire."
Bennett knelt on one knee, her hand resting over her chest in respect.
"You may rise," the Emperor’s deep voice echoed.
Bennett stood gracefully, lifting her gaze toward the dais. At the center sat Emperor William in his golden robes, radiating authority.
Beside him was Empress Evelyn, poised and elegant. Just behind her, in the second seat, sat the Crown Prince.
Her eyes flickered briefly toward David, catching him waving cheerfully in her direction, only for her to ignore him completely, her expression calm and unreadable.
"You have achieved far more than we expected," the Emperor declared, his voice resonating through the grand hall. "As per tradition, I, as Emperor, grant the Blacknight family permission to contend for the Head Seat."
"Many thanks, Your Majesty," Bennett replied, bowing slightly. A ruthless glint flickered in her gray eyes. This was the moment she had been waiting for.
"Oh, and Bennett," the Emperor added, a sly smile curving his lips, "after you secure the Head Seat, return to the palace. There is... important news I must discuss with you."
---
Seated atop her horse as they left the palace gates, Bennett’s sharp eyes caught several figures in black slipping into the crowd behind them.
Her lips curved into a cold, mocking smirk.
"Hoh... looks like Drohan couldn’t wait, huh?" she murmured under her breath, fingers brushing the hilt of her sword.
Bennett deliberately guided her horse toward the barren road, her senses sharp and alert. The moment the wind shifted, her hand moved.
Shing! Her blade flashed as she unsheathed her sword and met the incoming strike head-on, steel clashing with a loud clang!
A black-robed man stood before her, eyes narrowing with cold intent."Hmph... did you think killing me would be that easy?" Bennett’s voice dripped with disdain.
"Tch!" The man gritted his teeth and swung his sword again, faster and harder. Sparks flew as their blades collided a second time.
"Ambush! Protect the Lord!" her knights roared, steel ringing as they unsheathed their swords and rushed into battle.