Episode 41.15

Once Findin had vacated the room, Norma recalled the event at <Snow Flower Arbor>.

Norma and Heles went back to the earlier gazebo and had another chat for a while. As they talked about their lives, the topic moved to the courtship duel.

"Norma. I am still a member of Rainzats, I have resolved myself into being married off to another house if must be, just like my elder sisters did. But I wanted to fulfill my dream of becoming a knight first."

"Is that right."

That is understandable.

Truthfully speaking, Norma herself never had any intention to marry into a pirate noble house. No, to any house.

However, after meeting Manfrey again and the hustle bustle that followed, she came to feel stronger in her heritage as a daughter of Sasfrey. During that time, she came to believe that it would be inevitable if she got married off to another noble house depending on the situation.

Moreso for Heles who was born and raised as a daughter of a high ranking noble, that realization would come naturally.

"As such, I actually would not mind to follow through with the marriage talk if the other party was willing to wait for a while. My father has told me to do as I wish as there are plus and minus of being married to either Gido or Smarc for Rainzats."

"And yet your rejection was pretty intense."

"Yes that's right. I found it shocking myself. However, my entire being was awash with repulsive thoughts the moment that man touched my hand."

Norma was rattled. It's as if she's read Norma's mind.

Heles spoke in whisper.

"Just between you and me, a certain gentleman came up in my mind in that moment."

Norma was hit by a shock.

(She's talking about Lecan.)

Norma wondered how she came to that conclusion. However, she's sure it must be Lecan. And that belief was firm.

(This cousin of mine and myself.)

(Have truly similar souls.)

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(Falling for the same man.)

(Might be inevitable.)

Afterward, the two chatted for a while before going their own way.

Family head of Rainzats has five other consorts besides lady Lilia whom birthed an eldest son and Heles. So Heles and Norma are the only ladies of this generation who descend from <White Snow Flower Princess>.

Heles said this as they parted ways.

"Norma. I'm very glad to have met you. Allow me to call you my elder sister from now on. Please refer to me as your little sister."

"Me too, Heles, I'm so glad we could meet. No matter where fates carry us both, we will forever be sisters."

The two hugged each other.

Norma held Heles dear from the bottom of her heart.

After losing his father and mother, she thought she was left all alone in this world, yet here stood her little sister. In this embrace, she truly feels like she's her biological little sister, transcending logic.

The two parted.

Lonesome. Reluctance.

However, an even stronger emotion than those welled up from within Norma.

(My dear little sister.)

(I won't let you get Lecan.)

(No matter what.)

If she were to marry Lecan for real, her position as a lady of Wazrof would only get in the way.

Heiress to Goncourt would be more preferable instead.

Thus, Norma reasoned Manfrey away from trying to urge the PM Office to revise their Family Tree.

Then once she was back at Goncourt, she deliberately made Prado and Kanner anxious about the possibility of Wazrof taking her away, and got them to agree with having Lecan as her proxy.

To Prado and Kanner, Lecan is their sole shining beacon of hope.

But the problem now is Lecan's own feelings.

Schemes won't work on Lecan. And she's no intention to employ one to begin with. She must not.

She could only give her everything in hope for salvation.

This situation didn't come to be naturally, it was brought by Norma's interventions.

Norma bet her everything in it. And even with Norma's interventions, the impetus for the whole situation is a past event involving four marquis houses and the royal family, Norma merely took part in it.

Norma would throw herself and beg Lecan.

Please fight for my sake.

Please save me.

Only such pleas devoid of lies could work on Lecan.

What if he refuses to go in the duel.

What if he shows any sign of revolt to the idea of getting engaged.

What if he's unwilling to save me.

Norma couldn't keep calm as those thoughts haunted her.

And Lecan came back just in time.

Just the other day, she got a message from Wazrof's spy how Lecan conquered Dungeon Tsubolt and immediately left the town on the 34th of month six, so she knew he would get back to Vouka in upcoming days, but the wait was awfully agonizing.

However her impatience was rewarded with the best possible result.

He agreed to the duel and engagement.

He's going to fight for her.

Lecan is going to fight to her aid.

Norma's heart trembled and turned hotter.

Her delight almost ruptured into a shout.

Of course, there's no guarantee Lecan is going to win.

The possibility of losing exists even for Lecan. All the more when the other party is a son of marquis dead set in winning the duel. You can never be too careful about the chance of them bringing out some truly powerful and rare Grace Gear.

Were Lecan lose, she would be the wife of a heir to pirate noble.

But Lecan is willing to duel for her. And he would be her fiance if he won. No, he's already one. Risking that much is only right.

It even feels like she's the happiest woman in the world right at this instance.

Changing the duel location is nothing.

What better time than now to utilize her honed intellect.

Norma intends to put her all into changing the duel location.

The smile on her face looks exactly like the smile Heles showed when she parted ways with Lecan, but none is the wiser.