CH 52

It’s often said that in a fight, both sides will lose. I was exiled from the Margraviate of Carruthers even though I was the one that had juice dumped on my head by Lady Alco, of the Viscountcy of Alco. What do I do from now on…?

“Hey, Floto!” Alexandra said. “Are you listening?”

“Yes yes, I’m listening,” I replied.

As the tension from these important matters fills my mind, my friend talks to me so casually. Aah, what should I do from here…?

“So as I was saying about the activities of House Lingerburg then… Floto! Are you listening to me!?” Alexandra yelled.

“I’m listening,” I said.

I wonder how many times it’s been…? I’m tired of hearing about her boasting of House Lingerburg…

“If you don’t want to listen to me, I’m going home!” Alexandra said.

“Wait, wait! I’m sorry! I’ll listen to you!” I said.

Oh no, oh no. Alexandra realized that I was listening too carelessly and she got angry. Usually, when she brags about her house, she’s so absorbed in her boasting that she doesn’t even notice if I’m listening to her impassioned speech…

Huh? How am I, the one exiled from the Margraviate of Carruthers, and Alexandra hanging out together? It’s because we’re in the woods north of Carruzan.

You don’t know what that means? The area from the north to the northwest of Carruzan is the territory of the Knight of Caan, isn’t it~?! So it’s only natural that I’m here, yeah~? Because it’s my territory.

True, Floto von Caan was expelled from the Margraviate of Carruthers, but it was decided that the territory north of the stream was mine, so all we had to do was cross the stream and come over here. I haven’t broken any agreements.

In other words, it was Father’s getting me out of the line of fire, and I was not actually blamed for anything. Well, if I had to split hairs about punishment, I can no longer call myself Floto von Caan in Carruthers territory.

That’s why, since that day, Alexandra and I have been playing in the shack in the forest without any inconvenience.

“Hey, Floto? What’s wrong?” Alexandra said.

“Hmm~? Nothing… wait…” I said.

From being angry, she became quiet and hugged me tightly. This is sooo nice… from this feeling, maybe Alexandra is a Lily? Or maybe I’m the only one who’s thinking that? I feel like this is another misunderstanding.

Even though she looks a bit tough, Alexandra is actually kind and spoiled, and I can’t help but love her. ……Hmm? I almost remembered something now. What is it…….? She looks tough…

“Oh~! I completely forgot!” I said.

“Wh-What’s wrong?” Alexandra asked.

She was surprised by my raising my voice but that’s not important. I hurriedly took out that box and brought it before Alexandra.

“Alexandra…I actually have something I want you to wear…” I said.

“Wh-What in the hell is this…?” Alexandra chokes out. And when she opens the lid of the box…

“Th-These are…?!”

It’s not that overkill. Yes. It’s the blond drill curl wig I was thinking of getting her to wear that day. Since then, I was so busy with everything else that I had completely forgotten about it. In addition, I ask Isabella to prepare the red dress I wanted her to wear, too.

I think while I watch Alexandra being dressed by Isabella in that dress and the wig.

First of all, being on the cutting edge of fashion is meaningless unless someone with influence does it. Yes. Just like Marie Antoinette, who was on the cutting edge of fashion with her eccentric clothing choices and hairstyles!

Even if the ordinary lower-ranking nobles around here were to wear flashy clothes and hairstyles that went against social conventions, they would be frowned upon and ridiculed by those around them. But if a queen from a prestigious family like Marie Antoinette does something like that, even if people around her think it’s weird, they’ll say it’s amazing, wonderful, and cutting-edge.

In other words, it doesn’t mean that anyone can wear an odd outfit, but cutting-edge fashion can’t be satisfied unless there is someone or something that already has a corresponding influence on the surroundings. On the contrary, ignoring customs and dressing strangely can lead to even more notoriety.

At the party, I wore a tight-skirted dress that wasn’t yet in this world, and with my hair styled straight instead of wearing a bun head as was popular in this country.

You know the result. It was disastrous, and even Alexandra and House Lingerburg got into trouble by getting entangled with Lady Alco. If a knight like me dressed like that, people around me would frown.

That’s why if you ask someone influential, like a member of House Lingerburg, the most prestigious of the vassals of the Margraviate of Carruthers, to model some fashion like this, it will surely be a hot topic. So, Alexandra will wear the blond drill curl wig and the red dress I was wearing then. Since we are growing up during puberty, the dress is made so that the sizes can be adjusted somewhat. Even Alexandra as she is now should be able to wear it.

“Floto! What is with this lovely hairstyle?!” Alexandra cried, delighted.

I’m sure Alexandra must be instinctively attracted to this drill curl wig. It’s supposed to be the strangest hairstyle she’s ever seen, but she absolutely loves it.

“It looks great on you, Alexandra,” I said.

A blond drill curl with slanted eyes and a strong personality. And a dress with a bright red, tight skirt. Good! So very good!

“Alexandra! This is a present! So please, by all means, dress like this!” I said.

“Huh! You’re being serious… it’s expensive, isn’t it? I can’t accept something like this…” Alexandra said.

Maybe it’s because she’s drawn to it, but even though she was touched a bit by the dress and wig, she was worried about the price and didn’t seem to be able to convince herself she should have them. But I shouldn’t give up just because of that.

“No! Please take it, by all means! I made this new for you, Alexandra!” I said.

“You went out of your way for me, Floto?” Alexandra asked.

“That’s right! I even cooperated with Kruck to develop a new type of wig! That’s why we absolutely must ask you to take it!”

That’s right. I gave all the ideas and money until the wig was completed just to see this perfect arrogant young lady style of Alexandra. All to make Alexandra look like this!

“If you say this much… thank you very much, Floto. I’ll take care of it.”

Aah~ ooh, what a lady… there is a gap between this appearance and her personality…

“That’s right! When you go home today, please go home and show this figure to Lady Gabriella,” I said.

I’m sure Gabriella would be happy too. With that in mind, I let Alexandra go home with that look.

It’s been 3 days since I let Alexandra go home in the style of a stereotypical Japanese arrogant young lady. Alexandra never came back during that time. I’ve had no contact with her. It’s the first time she’s done this. I wonder if something happened to her… I don’t think she’s mad at me for letting her go out in that style. Alexandra liked it, too, and I’m sure she wouldn’t have been offended if she showed it to her family.

What should I do…? Do I head back to Manor Lingerburg…? I’m already expelled, so I can’t enter Carruzan, can’t I? I’m in there every day, but what’s wrong with that?

The one who was banished was Floto von Caan, and I’m Flora Charlotte von Carruthers, so I go back to Manor Carruthers every day, you know? I don’t live here just because I was doing pioneering work, right? Was that cheating? Ohoho…!

This is not the time to joke around… Alexandra… what’s really going on…? At that moment there was a knock on the shack’s door and someone entered. That’s the person I’ve been waiting for these 3 days… but her face was dark and sunken…

“Alexandra? ……Did something happen? Alexandra…!?” I yelled.

I rush over to her as her face is pale and downcast. But Alexandra’s reaction is weak.

“Floto… I’m here to say farewell…”

Farewell? What does she mean by that…?

“Father… Father has passed away… I will go to my maternal grandparents’ house in the royal capital with Mother… thank you for everything…” Alexandra said.

Huh? Nikolaus? Dead? How? And why do Alexandra and the others have to go to Gabriella’s original House just because Nikolaus is dead? The Kingdom of Ploiss should have allowed the inheritance of the female line. So even if Alexandra takes over…

“Father was… it seems that there is a high possibility that he was assassinated… that’s why we decided to temporarily escape to the royal capital with the help of Margrave Carruthers…” Alexandra said.

Assassinated? Assassinated…? No, that can’t be right. Viscount Alco came to mind for a moment, but I don’t think Viscount Alco would kill Nikolaus at this time.

Viscount Alco is a terrible person who extorts people, but he’s not stupid enough to kill people for short-sighted reasons. In the first place, he is a fox type who thinks of his interests, flirts with those above him, and oppresses those below him. He wouldn’t get his hands dirty and take steps to hurt people directly.

He’s not the type to get his hands dirty and try to take direct measures, no matter how much I or Nikolaus built a grudge with him from what happened. In the first place, if something happened to me or Nikolaus, Alco would be the first to be suspected. Even if he didn’t know that much, he shouldn’t do stupid things like suddenly have someone killed.

“Alexandra…!” I cried.

“Farewell, Floto…” Alexandra said.

And in the end… Alexandra put on the wig I gave her and left with a pathetic, weeping smile on her face. I could do nothing to stop her.

My heart aches. Ahh… I finally figured it out. This is the pain that Alexandra suffered. I feel like I’ve just been told to never see her ever again before she left.

No, the wound I gave Alexandra would have been more painful. I don’t know the exact circumstances right now, but I do understand that Alexandra didn’t want to leave and that there were unavoidable circumstances. Still, it hurts so much.

Compared to that, how much pain was the wound I gave Alexandra for my selfish reasons?

I was overjoyed with the feeling that I was forgiven without punishment. I was trying to forget about that because Alexandra didn’t say a single word of resentment to me that it was painful for her then. But I didn’t know anything about Alexandra’s pain, nor did I make amends.

I had no right to be happy. That’s why this farewell is inevitable and punishment for me. It must be the punishment for the betrayal I did.

If it’s Alexandra, it doesn’t matter how much she hurts me. At the very least, I want her to tell me about her pain then. And when we get over this pain and parting, let’s laugh together then. Now is just a temporary goodbye for now. It’s not goodbye forever. So, it’s not goodbye…

“Good day to you, Alexandra… until we meet again…” I said.

I’m unable to wipe the tears running down my cheeks, I could only stare at the door where Alexandra had left.

I visited Father’s office. I ask him about the Nikolaus case this time as well.

“Please tell me everything about House Lingerburg without hiding anything,” I said.

“…… Very well,” Father said.

Even if I asked the question rudely, Father answered immediately. According to what I heard from him, it is highly likely that Nikolaus was murdered by poison. The suspect is unknown. Father’s idea was that it could not have been Viscount Alco, either.

If Viscount Alco is going to take revenge, he will come in a way that he thinks he can absolutely win by taking more time to lay the groundwork and not getting his hands dirty. Both my father and I agreed that the man was that type of person.

Then who did it? We don’t know. And it is especially because he does not know that he lets Gabriella and Alexandra escape. If someone was not targeting them, Alexandra would take over and stay here in Carruzan. But maybe someone is after the entire Lingerburg family. As Alexandra has the right to inherit the county, she may be in danger as long as she doesn’t know her opponent or their targets.

Father told me that his acquaintances in the royal capital and the King are in charge of Alexandra and her family’s safety. He thought it would be safer than in Carruzan… and after that, Alexandra left Carruzan. It seems that she did not come for the last 3 days because of the confusion caused by Nikolaus’s death and because she wanted to hide.

I can’t do anything. I don’t have any soldiers, subordinates, or vassals to become my hands and feet. Whether it’s investigating or protecting someone, I know what I can do alone. Both Helmut and Isabella are certainly excellent and reliable. But there is a limit to what the two of them can do.

I felt like I had become strong enough to protect myself. But in the end, I can’t do anything… I want to protect Alexandra, but I can’t do anything to the point where I can’t even have her stay by my side!

More… I have to work harder… everything is lacking. Physical strength, magical power, political power, financial strength, everything is lacking!

“Flora…… rest for today,” Father said.

“…… Huh?” I went.

For a moment, I was dumbfounded.

“Nothing can be done alone. And you don’t have to do everything alone,” Father said. “Today, no, the next few days, any number of days is fine. Any number of days is fine, so take however long you need to rest.”

“That’s… I don’t have time to do that…!” I yelled. “Ah…?”

Father came before me and put his hand on my head again. That’s all. But that alone calmed down my impatience. It’s a strange hand. Could this be my father’s power?

“… Father, if that’s the case, there’s a place I want to go,” I whispered.

“Tell me,” he said.

“… To the north!” I shouted.