CH 64

Conviction

The sound of a knife being dropped resounded in the silent courtyard.

Count Gilgner was pinned down by Clauschezade. His complexion had turned pale.

It was only natural since he pointed his blade against the son of a Duke.

Leidyrune looked down at the wound indifferently. He saw that his left arm was bleeding, and he fixed his gaze on Count Gilgner. The Count jumped like a frog being stared at by a snake.

“…. I wonder what this means?”

“Hiikkk!”

Leidyrune took a step forward as if to corner the Count, who backed away.

“I truly didn’t expect to be slashed by Count Gilgner. I thought we had a good relationship with your house, but apparently, I was mistaken.”

“No! That’s absurd!”

Count Gilgner looked around in frustration and caught sight of Sheila.

“This is a mistake! Yes, it’s all that boy’s trick!”

Sheila looked back blankly at the man.

By this time, everyone had guessed Sheila’s intentions and they all kept their mouths shut. Naturally, not a single person backed up the Count.

Leidyrune ruthlessly followed up.

“You seem to think you can get away with blaming others for everything, but it was you who inflicted the wound on me, without a doubt. Everyone here can attest to that. Also, I have the physical evidence you want, as you can see.”

Leidyrune held up the knife he had picked up and smiled thinly.

“――Count Gilgner, you will now be hunted down in every possible way.”

The Count sat down on the ground in a slump. He probably didn’t expect that his overwhelmingly favorable position would be overturned.

Even if they couldn’t file a case for human trafficking, they could use this as a stepping stone for an investigation inside the Count’s residence. Sooner or later, they would find evidence of his crime.

The crime of human trafficking would be proven later. It would be a separate arrest.

“――You, coward!”

The Count glared at her with a fiery gaze. Sheila took it all in stride.

“Coward? I was just returning the many injustices done by you. Don’t you think we, who were about to be sold out by you, deserve this much?”

Sheila’s way of doing things was wrong from a legal standpoint, but only Count Gilgner was here to question it.

One way or another, you would be punished for your evil deeds.

All of them were thinking the same thing deep down.

After a brief physical examination by the Patrol Corps, the Count with his head down was politely taken away.

Without even looking at him, Sheila turned to Leidyrune.

“Leidyrune-senpai, are you all right?!”

“That’s my line. You’re being reckless. It’s a good thing I realized the meaning of your glance.”

“That look was just to ask the son of a Duke for their opinion and guidance, and it was never my intention to inflict injury on anybody. I thought that if I, as an academy student, was injured, it would be a good start to corner the Count.”

Sheila’s influence was negligible. However, if Leidyrune pursued him, Count Gilgner wouldn’t be able to refute it.

It was a desperate strategy, but she decided that as long as Leidyrune was on her side, she could make it work.

No one else in the corps could play this role. It was a feat only Sheila, who had no official position or status, could pull off.

However, she neglected to share her strategy and wounded Leidyrune. Sheila’s face clouded as she saw the bleeding on his left arm.

“….. I’m sorry.”

Despite his injuries, Leidyrune didn’t blame Sheila.

“If that was the plan, it would be more convenient for me to be injured than you. The crime of wounding a member of the Duke’s family is a serious one. Besides, a wound of this level can be quickly healed with healing magic.”

Sheila’s heart lightened just a little at the carefree manner in which he spoke to her.

“Thank you, Leidyrune-senpai…..”

“I’ve got to get back. I have to stop by the headquarters and give a report.”

“Ah, but where is everyone…?”

The place where Cody and the others had been just a few minutes before was now empty.

“They’re here to volunteer to help, so they can’t leave their posts until their work is done. Dilliam has already left, and you should get some rest too. I’m wounded right now, so it won’t be any trouble if I take you back.”

Since Leidyrune also had to receive medical treatment, he didn’t have to stay to help. Convinced that he was right, she chased after him as he walked ahead, and suddenly turned around.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clauschezade giving some instructions to the Patrol Corps.

He didn’t stop Sheila, even though he sensed that she was about to do something reckless. Rather, he quickly sensed her intentions and restrained the Count from striking more than a single blow.

She was very happy to see that Clauschezade had placed his trust in her.He said he came to see the Patrol Corps’ training, so he won’t suddenly disappear tomorrow. She was sure they would have a chance to talk. He might give her a few words of complaint, but she was crazy because even that made her feel nostalgic.

After watching him work for a while, Sheila started walking again.

◇　◆　◇

The Duke’s carriage was waiting in front of the fountain.

The water droplets sparkling in the moonlight were fairytale-like, and Sheila was shaken by the splendor of the carriage that enhanced the scenery.

The black horse’s coat was lustrous, quietly awaiting its master’s arrival. The gracefully curved exterior of the carriage was also painted black. Still, it didn’t look gloomy, probably because of the extravagant carvings.

The beauty of the art-like appearance before her eyes made her wonder about things that she hadn’t thought about earlier.

Even though Sheila hadn’t worked up a sweat all day, she had taken a nap in this outfit, so her uniform was worn out and in tatters. Was such a shabby human suitable for this wonderful carriage?

“I-I think I’ll walk home after all.”

Sheila immediately turned away from him, but Leidyrune firmly gripped her shoulder.

“Just get in.”

“….. Yes.”

Sheila succumbed to the chilling voice.

The carriage carrying the two people started to drive slowly.

It was very uncomfortable. The comfortable seat that hardly transmitted vibration, the fluffy cushions, and the smooth feel of the leather were all of the highest quality.

‘This feels awkward….’

Come to think of it, she just thought it wasn’t a good idea to be too friendly with him, so why was this happening? There was also a limit to how easily one could be swept away.

Now, she decided to put all her energy into breaking the silence and managed to open her mouth.

“Do I really have to do nothing? I’ve been sleeping a little, so I can still move around.”

“They say you two can take a good rest tomorrow and the day after.”

Sheila tried to laugh while scratching her head, but Leidyrune only replied indifferently.

“Ehh~ I’m not tired, so I’m fine.”

“That’s because you’re in a state of excitement right now. After a while, when you calm down, you will feel tired.”

“Leidyrune-senpai, why can’t you take a day off?”

“I volunteered to come here, so I’ll be on patrol tomorrow.”

“I see….”

Silence fell again, and Sheila’s head searched for a topic of conversation right away again.

Surprisingly, it was Leidyrune who broke the silence next.

“….. I heard that you stalled the hired fighter.”

Sheila nodded back.

“Yes. There was so much difference in strength between the two of us that I doubt if I was able to stall him.”

“Was he that strong? What kind of opponent was he?”

With a topic like this, there was no shortage of material. They both like fighting so much that they both want to become knights.

Sheila leaned forward gleefully.

“He was agile and had excellent eyesight. He used a dagger, but he might’ve had other weapons hidden away. Despite being so strong, he had a very silly personality, and he was always smiling and laughing. His words and actions were irresponsible, or rather, he was extremely inappropriate――”

While recalling Crow, the nightmare that Sheila had sealed away in the depths of her memory came back.

Yes, that man was, above all――

“――Anyway! He’s the worst!”

As Sheila involuntarily got to her feet, the wheel unluckily ran over a pebble. The carriage swayed unsteadily, and her body tilted.

Sheila’s hand, which was in a hurry to find something to catch her, was suddenly pulled back. Leidyrune quickly pulled her to him and held her in place.

Unfortunately, his face was buried in Sheila’s torso who had stood up. Or, more accurately, in the modest chest bulge.

To make matters worse, Sheila hadn’t worn a binder to hold her chest again since that nightmarish event.

Silence.

“……”

“……”

Inside the carriage, an awkward silence continued for the third time――.