CH 157

After having received Flora’s message while she was having lunch at school, Helmut was heading to Marquis Reingen’s mansion. He’d also received some warnings from Flora, so he pays close attention so he doesn’t make any mistakes.

First of all, as a general rule, he needs to hide that he’s a messenger of House Carruthers, as much as he can possibly push it down. Christa and Floto are on good terms with each other personally, but the Bayen Duchy considers the Carruthers Margraviate as an enemy. Naturally, the Reingen Marquisate belongs to Bayen’s Faction and probably does not have a good opinion of Carruthers.

Even House Reingen had never had anything to do with House Carruthers, they don’t think the Faction Head, Duke Bayen, would let them speak to the enemy without his knowledge.

Flora had already judged that House Reingen was quite self-serving, not having lent a hand even as Christa was desperately running around.

For better or worse, Christa was “working ragged for Helene’s evening party without reading the atmosphere.” She can imagine the thoughts of everyone who didn’t help Christa then. Even if they all knew that the evening party would end in failure as it was, Christa hadn’t been asked to lend a hand to House Bayen, and wouldn’t know what would happen if they failed even with the outside help.

Even if you succeed, you may be scolded for doing something that was unwanted, and if you fail to get outside assistance, you may be held accountable for the failure. If that’s the case, it’s a loss just to move without permission even though it’s not under orders from House Bayen. Even if Christa had been ordered to help and had no choice in the matter, it would be foolish to help her and share the blame if it failed. So, there is no blaming anyone for refusing to help.

There is no way that House Reingen, who moves with such calculation and self-preservation, will accept a messenger of House Carruthers, who are considered enemies of House Bayen. Therefore, Flora was careful not to have Helmut reveal he was a messenger of House Carruthers.

“Excuse me,” Helmut said. “My name is Helmut von Royce, of the Royce Viscounty. Today, I have come to visit Lady Christiane. May I speak with her?”

“…… Please wait a moment,” a House Servant said.

They were suspicious of Helmut but went off to confirm if his presence was welcome.

“Come in… this way,” the House Servant said after they returned.

A man and woman dressed as high-ranking aristocrats were waiting for him in the reception room. It was Marquis Karl von Reingen and his wife Marianne von Reingen, who had been told of his visit beforehand.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Helmut said. “My name is Helmut von Royce, of the Royce Viscounty. It is my honor to be able to speak to your personally, Marquis Karl…”

Helmut deliberately uses aristocratic phrasing and talks like he knows Karl and Marianne personally. Saying the other person’s name before they do so shows everyone around you that you’re familiar with each other.

If they were acquaintances from the beginning, they would understand, but neither Karl nor Marianne knew anything about Helmut. No, on the contrary, they have never even heard of a House called the Royce Viscounty. Karl and Marianne looked at each other.

“Hmm…” Karl said, “so, Lord Royce, I heard that you came to visit my daughter today?”

There is no need to give your name because the other party has already said they know you. When it comes to high-ranking aristocrats, there are many names that are hard to remember because you don’t often meet aristocrats lower than you. From the point of view of the vassals, there is only one King, but from the point of view of the King, there are hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of vassals who serve him. Just like the King doesn’t know all of his vassals one by one, you can’t blame the high-ranking nobles who have relationships with thousands or tens of thousands of people for not remembering all of them.

That’s why Karl didn’t pursue Helmut too deeply. Even if he never talked to him directly, he may have met him when he was with someone somewhere.

The line that Helmut is a fraudster approaching nobles to con is unlikely. Aristocrats have something that can’t be easily imitated by fraudsters. From what they can see, Helmut is clearly educated as an aristocrat. He’s also trained extremely well. Such behavior is not acquired overnight.

In addition, he properly follows the rules and etiquette of aristocrats that ordinary swindlers do not know about. If he was just a fraudster, they can almost spot a real noble at a glance. At the very least, it is certain that Helmut was raised in a noble family somewhere.

Of course, there may be scammers in the world who were born into noble families and wear their titles for cover. That’s why they don’t suddenly trust him completely, but then they don’t understand his purpose. Why is he approaching House Reingen now? If you don’t know that, you should ask the other party directly. With that in mind, Karl ordered them to send Helmut through him, first.

Naturally, Helmut is not a fraudster. But he has already deceived someone like a fraudster. Helmut is not Viscount Royce, so he is not “Lord Royce.” Helmut himself didn’t call himself that, but Carl didn’t correct him even though he wrongfully spoke, it’s on the verge of illegal impersonation.

“Yes. I have been asked by the ‘Young Lady’ to check on Lady Christiane’s ‘injuries,’, Helmut said.

“-! Oh, is that so…? Then let me show you to my daughter’s room,” Karl said.

That changed his attitude. This is also due to Flora’s advice. Helmut intended to say Flora as ‘The Young Lady’ but Carl took it as Helene, instead. Hence, now he believes that Helene must have sent him.

If he says that he just came to visit her, it might just be because she was absent from school today. But Helmut said, “Check on her injuries.” Knowing that Christiane was injured meant that he was working for the people that injured her, in short, Helmut was working for Helene and her minions.

When it comes to a faction as big as Bayen’s, there are people in the same group who have never met face-to-face. There are also people who dare not appear in public in order to entrust behind-the-scenes work. If it is “a messenger of the Young Lady who knows the situation”, it is unavoidable for Karl to misunderstand that it is Helene’s messenger. And this is also what Flora told Helmut to do.

Even if you don’t know anything, you should act like you know everything. If Flora’s prediction was wrong, Helmut would have been turned away as a suspect individual at that point. But unfortunately, yes, Flora’s prediction was right and she wished she had been wrong. Christiane has been assaulted and injured. Helmut also clenched his fist so that Karl and the others could not see how angry he was that his Lady was right.

“This is my daughter’s room,” Karl said as he guided Helmut. “… Christiane, I’m coming in, okay?” he said, opening the door without waiting for a reply.

Helmut was somewhat surprised by this, but he didn’t show it on his face.

“As you can see, the situation hasn’t changed since the other day. If you tell the Young Lady that, she will understand,” Karl said.

So Helene was here yesterday with Sophie and the rest of her minions. In order to report to Helene, if this presumed messenger comes back and says that there is no change from the other day, everything will be conveyed in just that. Karl thought so and said as much to Helmut.

“… May I speak with Lady Christiane for a moment?” Helmut asked.

“My daughter doesn’t react to anything anyone says to her. However, if someone touches her, she goes into a panic and lashes out… I beg not to touch her,” Karl said.

And with that, Karl left with his wife, Marianne. Only Helmut and Christiane were left in her room.

Karl had no intention of letting Helmut come into contact with his daughter at first, either. He thought he should open the door, show him what was inside, and tell him that it was the same as the day before.

But… he changed his mind when he saw Helmut’s expression after he saw Christiane earlier. He does think it’s insane to leave someone he doesn’t know alone in the bedroom of his unmarried daughter. Especially so with Christiane in such a state. If she were normal, it would be even more unthinkable.

But… for some reason, Karl felt like leaving his daughter to Helmut for a little while. There is no rational reason or grounds for why. Just an intuition, or a faint hope… Karl is aware that he is not a very good parent, but Christiane is still a precious daughter to him. If Christiane’s condition were to improve even just a little, then he would do so… that’s what he thought, and he would cling to that hope and expect the best.

“Darling…” Marianne said, looking up with a worried expression.

“It’s alright,” Karl said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Rather, it would be more difficult to attack Christiane as she is now. Even she’d go crazy if we touched her,” he said as if to convince himself, as well.

For Christiane, her heart seemed to be alone, sunken at the bottom of the dark sea.

She didn’t want to be praised. She didn’t want to be complimented or acknowledged. She just wanted to do what she could to help her childhood friends when they were in trouble. However, what came back was malice.

She didn’t need any thanks. She just wanted to spend some quiet time with everyone again… and as the worst sort of malice came back to her, Cristiane’s heart closed in itself, rejecting everything outside. She sees nothing in her eyes and hears nothing in her ears. She was afraid to just be touched by people, and she rejected everything, fearing that she would be exposed to such malice again.

“Lady Christiane!”

“…………”

However…, there was a faint voice that reached the ears that shouldn’t have heard anything. There was something slightly reflected in her eyes that should not have been able to see.

“I beg your forgiveness, Lady Christiane… I said that it was my duty to protect you, but with how you are now… I beg your forgiveness!”

There were no serious life-threatening injuries. But… but even so, there were bruises all over her body, and you could see them on her arms, her feet, and even her face. A young girl of her age is visibly scarred, it shows at a glance.

Helmut has no responsibility. Helmut’s protection was only during the evening party itself. Helmut is not Christiane’s butler or directly related to her or her family. After the evening party is over, the work is over, and they part, there’s no way he’ll interfere in the rest of their affairs. In fact, Christiane was assaulted in Helene’s private room, and Helmut had no way of saving her then.

But… but that doesn’t mean that Helmut doesn’t feel anything. The girl who he had been with until a little while before the assault took place, whom he had sworn to protect, had suffered this horrible fate shortly after he parted ways with her. No wonder he was overwhelmed by his helplessness and inadequacy.

“And now I’m going to do put you something even worse after you went through this sort of tragedy, Lady Christiane… Lady Christiane… at this rate, Sir Floto will probably get into trouble, too… Sir Floto says she will be fine but there are no absolutes in this world. It would be wrong of me to ask this kind of thing of you, Lady Christiane, after you’ve already suffered and gone through all this. However, please help Sir Floto, I beg of you, lend us your strength!”

“… Mis… -ter… Hel… -mut…? Flo… -to…?” Christiane mumbles.

“–Lady Christiane…?!”

After being silent till then, now she was reacting. Helmut panicked and peered into Christiane’s face.

“Do you recognize me, Lady Christiane?”

“… Mister… Hel… -mut?”

Christiane’s focus gradually shifts to the nearby Helmut. And then…”

“Mr. Helmut…”

“Lady Christiane!”

Finally, those eyes clearly focus on Helmut.

“I’m… –?! Aah! Aaaah! I’m?!” Christiane panics, wrapping her arms around herself and hugging her tightly.

“It’s okay. You’re okay now!” Helmut cried, hugging her.

Christiane trembles, reliving the assault she had suffered.

“…………”

After Christiane stares at Helmut in shock, eventually she calmed down and surrendered herself to Helmut.

“…………”

“…”

The two of them just quietly feel the other’s warmth. After being hugged for a while, Christiane calmed down and gently unwrapped Helmut’s arms from her. She looks straight at Helmut, even though she seems to remember how alone she was.

“I’m fine now… Thank you, Mr. Helmut,” Christiane said.

“No, I’m sorry for letting this happen to you,” Helmut said.

They face each other a little awkwardly as they pull away. Christiane was the first to speak after:

“Because you lent me a hand at the evening party… so Floto will also be involved?” Christiane asked.

""

“Yes,” Helmut said. “It might be a mistake to ask your aid in this situation, Lady Christiane. But I am sure there will come a time when we will need your help. Would you please lend us your strength for when Sir Floto needs your help? Will you help me, help Sir Floto?” he said as he bowed his head.

Christiane lifts his head and answers,

“You’ve got it backward. I got Floto involved in all of this. So I have to take responsibility. If there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”

“Thank you, Lady Christiane.”

The two of them looked straight at each other and nodded. They both have the same thought. Both of them want to protect Floto, even if it means putting their lives on the line. For that reason, they will spare no effort or sacrifice. However…….

“I… I admire you, Mr. Helmut,” Christiane said. “Therefore, my cooperation is not just for Floto’s sake but also my selfish interest.”

“That’s…” Helmut started.

Helmut is not an insensitive idiot, either. From the first time Floto introduced Christa to him, he felt that she had an admiration for Helmut. And as they interacted more and cooperated for the soiree, he could vaguely feel that admiration turning into a faint love for an older man. However…….

“I’m glad that you think so highly of me, Lady Christiane. But I am…” Helmut started.

“Please don’t say any more than that… Floto… no, I know that it’s for Lady Flora’s sake. I don’t expect you to return my feelings, I just want to be of service to the people I care about. I just want to help my beloved,” Christiane said, tears in her eyes.

Helmut couldn’t say anything more. But they both feel the same. Certainly, Christiane is in love with Helmut. And she knows know that Helmut’s feelings are for Flora.

However, not only that, but both of them wish for Flora’s happiness and want to do something about it. That’s why Christiane really wants to help her comrade, Floto.

“I might get scolded later, but let’s be prepared to act for Floto’s sake without telling her,” Helmut said.

“Yes, I agree,” Christiane said.

The two nod to each other. Determination is in their eyes.

“When she gets angry, please be with me, okay?” Christiane asked.

“Haha, Miss Flora rarely gets angry, but once she gets angry, she is truly terrifying,” Helmut said.

“Well! I suppose I’ll have to pass it on to her that you said that, Mr. Helmut,” Christiane said.

“Ah! I beg you, please don’t do that,” Helmut said.

And with a final bit of laughter, the two had a serious discussion about their future.