CH 71

A little backtrack, Friday afternoon Student Council Room…

Giselle almost screamed in surprise after hearing Nadia’s account.

“Eeeeeeeh! Na-Nadia! Y-You! Is it true?”

“Yes, I’m definitely engaged to Lou-sensei, no, to Lou! I’m just so happy.”

Giselle was amazed to see her bestfriend Nadia blushing.

“I understand. Lou-sensei may be an attractive man, but is there any need to be so hasty?”

“Un! I rushed it because I had to.”

Nadia asserted categorically to answer Giselle’s doubts.

Nadia was not the type to just act on an idea.

She didn’t reveal the reason, but she must have some solid reason for going this far.

Giselle had to convince herself of that.

“Since you’ve considered it well before beforehand, there must be no mistake. But getting engaged with the Headmistress, you’ll definitely be a second wife, given her age and her family’s title.”

“Yeah, I don’t mind at all.”

Nadia responded immediately with a smile, then turned serious.

Then she looked closely at Giselle’s face.

Even though Nadia was Giselle’s best friend, it bothered her when she looked at her in such an unreserved way.

For a rare moment, Giselle couldn’t figure out Nadia’s real intentions.

“Wh-What?”

“I’m more concerned about you, you know?”

“Me? Why?”

Nadia sighed at Giselle’s dubious expression and said, “Hmph.”

“Are you aware… that when you get carried away, you become completely blind to everything around you?”

When Nadia pointed out her shortcomings, Giselle looked embarrassed.

“Aaah! I’m certainly aware of that flaw. But! Why are you bringing this up out of the blue?”

Nadia said nothing to the puzzled Giselle, but responded with a subtle smile.

It was as if she knew what was coming.

However, as usual, Giselle could not understand Nadia’s thoughts.

Nadia looked at Giselle, who tilted her head, and sighed again.

“Hmm…I hope my hunch is right.”

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

Saturday, 10 a.m., Count Dumer’s residence…

The servants were so busy preparing for their guests that they needed all the hands they could get.

Nonetheless…they hadn’t been this busy in a long time.

When Count Frederick Dumer, Adelaide’s husband and father of Fran and George, was still alive, he’d entertain two guests once a week.

They were, by no means, glamorous dinner parties, but they were frequent dinner engagements with well-known aristocrats, knights, and merchants.

However, after Frederick’s death due to illness…

Adelaide began to prioritize magical research in her life…

Their clienteles had naturally drifted away.

Today, however, was not a formal dinner party.

Strangely enough, a good number of visitors decided to come for the mock battle, a mere game between servants, which was to be held at 11 a.m.

First, Giselle Carpantier, the Girls Magical Academy Student Council President.

And whoa!

Her father, Duke Leonard Carpantier, had also decided to accompany her.

Nadia Charlois, another student, and her father, Viscount Ernest Charlois, were also coming.

In addition…

It was a wonder where several other students at the school heard it, but they, children of noble families were coming as well.

“Sorry, Zeimon-san.”

Lou apologized for the increase in the number of spectators at their supposedly private mock battle.

“Hahaha, I don’t care. I’ll spar with you with or without spectators. I’m going to give it my all.”

“Thank you,” Lou bowed.

“Wait a minute,” said Zeimon, looking serious.

“Lou, I know how good you are. So I’m going to go all out. I’m gonna kill you.”

“…”

“Otherwise, I can’t win.”

Zeimon informed Lou decisively.

He didn’t just acknowledge Lou’s ability, he was in awe of it.

――― 10:30 a.m.

Half an hour before the game was to begin, the carriages came into the yard one after another.

First came the Carpantier father and daughter, followed by the Charlois father and daughter, and then, of course, Josephine.

Michel and Olga were standing beside Josephine, looking very apologetic and small.

Josephine questioned Michel and Olga when she happened to overhear their conversation.

Then she earnestly asked Lou for a favor and forced her way in…

That was the truth of the matter.

Now then!

All the visitors were ushered into the courtyard where the battle was to be played.

Viscount Charlois spotted the Duke of Carpentier with his daughter and went to greet him.

“Well, Your Grace, what a coincidence.”

“Hahaha, so it’s you Viscount. Oh, Nadia-dono is with you. But what turn of events has brought you to this mansion so suddenly?”

Ernesto was unfazed by Leonard’s casual sarcasm.

In fact, Ernesto was a pragmatist who was wise among the nobility of the kingdom.

From Leonard’s point of view, there wasn’t any meaning or reason for him to visit the Count of Dumer’s mansion.

“No, my daughter invited me to an interesting match. It’s worth something you can’t even see in the arena in the capital! So, I was forcibly brought here.”

“I see, Viscount, I understand very well.”

“But, it’s Your Grace’s visit is a surprise.”

“No, actually, neither was I willing. My daughter Giselle insisted that I come. In case the match is boring, I’m thinking of making another pass at Dance Princess-dono, hahahaha!”

Leonard’s words were half in jest, half serious.

Dance Princess was Adelaide’s former nickname.

In fact, before Adelaide married Frederick…

Leonard had once courted Adelaide to be his second wife.

However, Adelaide was still a student at the time and politely refused, saying she wanted to concentrate on her magical studies.

Another important factor was that Adelaide’s uncle, Duke Edmond Dumer, was vehemently opposed to the idea.

He even visited Leonard with a furious look on his face and turned down his proposal of making his beloved niece his second wife.

Since then…

Leonard had somehow distanced himself from the Dumer family.

Then the owner of the mansion, Countess Adelaide Dumer, appeared.

“My, my! Duke Carpentier and Viscount Charlois, welcome to the mansion.”

“Oh, Adelaide! You look as beautiful as ever!”

Leonard gazed at Adelaide and expressed his heartfelt admiration.

She was still as beautiful as ever, bearing the prominent traces of the former Dance Princess.

“Countess Dumer, my daughter is always at your service.”

On the other hand, Ernesto greeted her politely.

He hid a desire to improve Adelaide’s impression on them even if just a little, and to have it reflected in his daughter’s school performance.

Adelaide’s intuition was exceptionally better than most people’s.

She knew exactly what they were thinking.

“The game is about to start. It might sully your eyes, but I hope you will enjoy it. We have nothing to offer, but we have prepared a meal for you today. Please make yourself at home.

Meanwhile…

In a corner of the courtyard, Michelle and Olga were being questioned by Josephine again.

“Michelle-san! Olga-san! Why are all those bigwigs here? It’s not just the Viscount Charlois, but even the Duke of Carpantier!”

Michelle and Olga were fed up with her never-ending sermon.

“You said it… We’re surprised, too.”

“Exactly, Josephine-san.”

No matter where these two went, someone would always pick on them, which was probably the fate that they both carried with them.

“Josie, you’re here?”

Lou’s voice suddenly sounded somewhere behind Josephine, who kept grumbling.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this match. It’s just a private match, and I thought you didn’t like savage things.”

“N-No, no! I’m very happy that you care.”

The two girls thought she was going to be mad at Lou for not telling her about the game.

Josephine turned her head a bit, quite shy and delirious! Was.