CH 170

“I’ll ask just to confirm, but did His Highness Ferio say that?”

“No.”

“I knew it. There’s no way that person would say something that goes against the facts.”

“It’s not a fact?”

“There’s no way it’s a fact. His Highness has a wonderful fiancée after all. Keep your sleep-talk for when you sleep.”

“Fiancée?”

Even though there was no way Remiel did not know that since he was the second prince, Remiel repeated the word as if he never heard of that.

“It’s the person with beautiful, glittering, golden, curly hair, cool eyes that seem like the clear blue sky… It’s the daughter of the duke family, Christina Wellin-sama!”

When Sophie said with a raised tone, Remiel said, “Wait a moment. I’ll bring it,” and went silent.

What did he mean by “bring it?”

Perhaps this man has the same ability as Eric?

Eric also had the ability to store a large amount of information in his brain.

Moreover, Eric learned well due to his straightforward personality, and he made a great contribution to the business of the Linier family, saying he would bring the data as if he put it in and out of the drawer from his vast amount of information.

If one maintained the memory too much, it would cause considerable brain fatigue, so he would selectively forget most information, but it wasn’t completely erased and he could always bring it back from his brain.

In any case, be it how he plays his richu and his earlier remarks, it’s clear he’s not a common person.

“…Aah, you mean that woman.”

Shortly after blinking, Remiel murmured.

However, he couldn’t find anything of importance in his memory, so he said it poorly.

“Tha…that woman…?”

What a way to put it!

Couldn’t he speak more decently since he was part of the royal family? Or did he have such an irreverent attitude because he was part of the royal family?

Sophie was annoyed, but since Christina’s name was mentioned, Sophie wanted to avoid acting unladylike right after.

Sophie took a hundred steps back in her mind and chose to close her eyes on Remiel’s rude remarks.

“At least you still managed to remember. There is that beautiful Christina-sama at His Highness Ferio’s side. Please don’t speak nonsense of me and His Highness Ferio being in romantic relationships. That is rude.”

“Rude? Why is that?”

“I told you, His Highness has a proper fiancée――”

“Which part of that woman makes her a proper fiancée?”

“Haaahhhh?!”

Sophie’s sharp voice echoed as if to cover Remiel’s voice.

The voice was filled with more anger compared to when she called Remiel a fool earlier.

Everyone other than Remiel was astonished as they saw the purple star girl.

“Re…Remiel-sama! Please stop right there!”

Luca, who understood how dangerous Remiel’s remark was more than anyone else, tried to stop Remiel.

Even though Luca was well aware of how rude it was for him to try to do so considering his status, Luca couldn’t help but do so anyway.

Because of Luca’s concern, Sophie became a little calm.

No good, no good… I am a lady, a lady… I am a lady.

Sophie chanted that over and over like casting magic, then exhaled.

She almost snapped and destroyed her path as a lady at the same time.

Sophie then said with a well-organized voice on purpose.

“――――Remiel-sama, Christina-sama is my senior at ‘The Queen’s Rose’ where I was taught. She is a proud, dignified, and gentle person, so I find behavior that scorns such a person unacceptable.”

“Proud and dignified? You just happened to study at the same place with her for a few months, so what do you think you know about that woman? I think you have no idea how distorted her nature is.”

I don’t want to be told so by the person who forcefully claims to be my best friend after only meeting three times! Sophie wanted to point that out but she managed to refrain and prevent the reprimand coming out from her throat.

“……This is the second time I warned you to stop. Know that there will be no third time.”

Sophie spoke calmly yet coldly then turned around.

If she spoke more with Remiel, the end of her path as a lady would be imminent.

Therefore, Sophie decided to retreat before that happened.

But just as Sophie took a few steps, Remiel said, as if he didn’t understand what she meant,

“There’s no particular meaning for pedigree as long as they can bear a child. There are countless replacements for that woman out there――”

Sophie’s feet stopped.

One,

Two,

Three.

How many seconds actually passed?

The things that happened after a few seconds of silence were something the black stars present would later say as something they didn’t wish to recall and spoke about. That was how creepy it was.

The thing that cut the silence was the wind, not a voice.

Suddenly, a breeze passed.

“――gh?!”

Keith, who was the closest to Sophie at that moment, leaked a short groan. At that voice, the attention of all the black star students went to Keith.

However, Gerald alone turned in the opposite direction.

What he saw was akin to a beast that rushed straight to its prey.

The moment Gerald realized it was the purple star girl was when the short sword in her hand was thrust at Remiel’s throat.

It stopped a few millimeters away from the neck, but the short sword was clearly aimed at a vital spot with killing intent.

“Should I… make that mouth not open anymore?”

The voice was filled with malice and anger, which made it hard to think it was actually said by a girl who dispersed the silence and brought a painful atmosphere in its stead.

The people present couldn’t immediately understand what just occurred.

However, Keith’s pale expression and his figure of checking over and over for the short sword that was supposed to be at his waist was gone made people understand.

The fact that purple star girl stole Keith’s sword so swiftly that it was hard to believe actually came from a girl and that she pointed her blade at the second successor of the throne――

“Sophie-sama!”

Gerald immediately came in between Sophie and Remiel.

“Even if Remiel-sama was demoted to the duke family, it doesn’t mean his right to the throne has disappeared!”

“Shut up! Geragera should stay silent!”

“Gera, gera…?”

Hearing the name Sophie called him made Gerald’s mind blank for a moment as he thought, “Is that supposed to refer to me?”

“Eh, since when were you two close enough to be referred to by a nickname?!”

The one who made a remark unfitting of the situation was Evert.

Apparently, he was very surprised by the fact that the stiff Gerald was referred to with a nickname by the purple star girl.

“Nickname…? Doesn’t that sound like a derogatory name?”

Gerald muttered.

Sophie did refer to someone with a similar tone in the past. Was it Leoleo? The style was similar somehow. But the tone when she said that wasn’t a familiar atmosphere but somewhat hateful.

As Sophie was filled with rage, the name she usually spoke only within her mind actually spoke out loud, yet she didn’t notice that and kept pointing her anger at Remiel.

Gerald put aside the name he was called, seeing how angry Sophie was, and stopped Sophie.

“Sophie-sama, please think about who the other party is!”

Gerald extended his left arm and stood to protect Remiel. The reason his right arm wasn’t lifted was because he was prepared to draw a sword just in case he needed to, which was his habit as a knight.

Despite the youngest paladin being in front of her, Sophie didn’t flinch at all and pointed the side of the short sword at Gerald. Her stance clearly showed she wasn’t a beginner.

The purple star girl spoke solemnly.

“I have requested His Highness Ferio several things. One of which was that if I happened to hear someone scorn my respected Christina Wellin, I would hack at them mercilessly. I received such permission. I never thought the other party happened to be the younger brother of His Highness… it’s too bad.”

Even as her mouth said “Too bad” her eyes were filled with a thick color of “well then, let’s bury him” and no hesitation could be felt there at all.

She didn’t lose her reason from the rage, but she was mad with rage while keeping her reason, which made it scarier.

On the other hand, despite being pointed at with massive killing intent and having a short sword at his neck, Remiel didn’t show any surprise on his face at all. One could only describe that appearance as bizarre.

Even though he should have felt Sophie was really angry about it, Remiel didn’t seem to care at all and on the contrary, he was tilting his head to ask something he was curious about.

“I’ve been wondering since we first met, but――”

Remiel stepped forward and closed his distance from Sophie.

“Are you really a woman? Not a man cross-dressing as a woman?”

As he said that, Remiel put his hand on Sophie’s chest.

Without any hesitation at all.

“”””――――gh?!!!!””””

As everyone present leaked a soundless scream, Remiel moved his hand on top of Sophie’s dress as if trying to search for something. It was like he was examining a ceramic doll.

Then Remiel stared hard at his hand after confirming something then muttered,

“As expected, aren’t you a man, after all? No matter how I see it, I couldn’t feel any bulge.”

Silence… and the time seemed to stop again.

Author Note:

Below is the excuse I wrote ↓

A woman who isn’t a lady and a man who isn’t a gentleman meet together, of course it ends up like this, right? (=゜ω゜)ノ

……Right?

Ah, next one is tomorrow (=゜ω゜)ノ