CH 173

Seemingly understanding Gerald’s intention, Evert also didn’t pursue the topic further and returned the discussion to be about the other two people.

“Is Remiel-sama serious about what he said earlier? I thought only Miss Sophie was a blown-out person for an aristocratic young lady, but that person is also quite…”

As expected, he couldn’t speak lightly regarding the former royal family, so Evert used indirect remarks.

“He must be serious. In the first place, Remiel-sama isn’t a person who would make jokes. He meant everything he said.”

“That is quite… a suitable friend.”

Gerald ignored Evert’s sarcastic nonsense and uttered an order.

“I think the matter would be dismissed as nothing. Put a gag order on the black star so nobody blabs.”

“Hah, dismissed as nothing? Even though you didn’t report it yet, is it okay for you to make such a conclusion?”

Even though Gerald made a threatening-sounding warning to Remiel earlier, Gerald made the order as if the conclusion was already determined, which made Evert ask with a tone of surprise and confusion.

“In the first place, there’s nothing that can be debated to begin with. Think of the meaning of Sophie-sama having this place as the base.”

Everyone around Gerald was a student. Even if they were sons of aristocrats, it didn’t mean they had the status and authority that allowed them to act freely.

“This place was decided to be the base so troubles to some extent could be dismissed as nothing.”

“So from the beginning, there was no big deal at all… But the other party is still Remiel-sama, you know?”

“That’s exactly why. Is there any benefit from making things public? If Sophie-sama really is stripped of her purple star, His Highness Ferio’s position would be jeopardized. Once that happened, Remiel-sama would definitely do what he said he would earlier.”

“…That’s quite a hellish picture right there.”

“Of course, I will still make the report. If it is His Highness Ferio, he should accept that kind of problem to some extent.”

Even that unreasonable behavior, if it didn’t end up being dismissed as nothing, the one who would be troubled from the result would be the First Prince Ferio himself.

After all, the other party was the girl he granted the purple star, while the other person was his half-brother.

“I think both of them knew that as well, so they could act that way…”

Especially the purple star girl.

Even if she was mad with rage, there was no way she turned her blade toward the second successor of the throne without any calculation. Looking at her behavior until now, it was hard to think she was a girl who would act without considering the consequences.

She had mentioned she got permission from His Highness Ferio as well.

It was most likely made before they were aware Remiel would be enrolling in the academy. It was also under the consideration that there was no way a normal student would dare to disdain the fiancée of the first prince.

“Hey, how much will you tell His Highness Ferio?”

“Of course, I will tell him everything.”

“You will mention that Remiel-sama touched Miss Sophie’s chest?”

“…………Well, that’s how it is.”

“Uwah, I wouldn’t want to do that.”

At Evert’s muttering, the common room turned silent.

The half-brother arbitrarily intercepted his letter, uttered abusive words, and touched the purple star’s chest in public.

The purple star girl snapped and pointed a blade at the second successor to the throne.

Even while putting it briefly, it was still incomprehensible by Gerald’s values.

Even Ferio himself would have never expected things to end up like that. It was depressing to imagine how he would react upon hearing the report.

“The greatest problem is whether Sophie-sama will agree with the decision.”

“Even though it lacks a bulge even compared to the trunk of a tree, I guess it was still uncomfortable to get her chest touched.”

“――――Evert. Why do you keep saying such degrading remarks? I’ll hit you if you continue, okay?”

Before Gerald rebuked Evert, Keith said so with a low tone. It might be in a questioning tone, but the voice seemed dark.

“I won’t warn you anymore, okay?”

“…That’s scary.”

Looking at Keith’s unprecedentedly quiet anger, Evert’s cheek twitches.

As their usual exchange took place, it was Gerald’s exasperated voice that interrupted them.

“I hope you still have enough leisure to say such statements lightly tomorrow.”

“Eh, what? What do you mean?”

“I told you. We don’t know if Sophie-sama will accept all the decisions… No, she most likely wouldn’t accept everything.”

Recalling the anger that girl unleashed earlier, Gerald sighed unknowingly.

“But it’s Remiel-sama, you know? Even Miss Sophie will be in a bad spot if things become even a bigger deal, right?”

“I’m not talking about Remiel-sama here. It’s about our behavior there.”

“Our behavior?”

“I meant our responsibility.”

“Gh… That’s! Of course, I’m entirely responsible for the blunder of my short sword being taken away from me!”

Keith said that with a determined expression, but Gerald slowly shook his head.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Eh?”

“What do you mean?”

Since the two were not there because they were taking Remiel away, they had no idea that Sophie’s anger wasn’t only directed at Remiel, but at the whole black star students as well. After explaining the circumstances, the two went stiff with their mouths hanging open.

“Why is Miss Sophie so furious? She really pointed the sword because of the insult toward Miss Christina? I thought…”

Evert thought it was just women being hysteric or mad, so he muttered so with an expression that said he couldn’t believe it.

“I heard that the reason Sophie-sama managed to be granted purple star this time is largely because of the involvement of Christina-sama, but are those two really that close?”

“Hah? Isn’t that just a rumor?”

Having a daughter of a baron family being granted the purple star by the first prince could only be seen as romantic involvement no matter how one tried to beautify it.

In order to conceal that, the story was that it was the fiancée of the first prince, Christina Wellin, who recommended Sophie Linier instead―such was the rumor that spread among the black stars.

“Remiel-sama also mentioned that His Highness Ferio warned him three times to not talk about Miss Christina in front of Miss Sophie. If they really get along well, I don’t think His Highness Ferio needed to make such a warning to Remiel-sama.”

At Evert’s words, Gerald put his hand over his mouth and thought it over.

I see. So it held that meaning…

At that time, there were two reasons why Gerald was late to deal with Remiel’s abusive words. First one was because he was already too used to Remiel’s bizarre behavior. Another one was because of his misunderstanding about the relationship between the two girls.

Gerald also received a similar warning from Ferio.

[“Never mention or speak Christina’s name!”]

It was treated as taboo of all things.

As Ferio had a bitter expression and looked away when he said that, Gerald thought the two girls didn’t get along well.

There was one prince and two girls.

Moreover, one of them was the first woman granted the purple star.

It was harder to imagine the two girls actually getting along well.

Under normal circumstances, that was――

However, the girl who received the purple star wasn’t a normal girl.

At that time, Ferio’s awkward expression wasn’t out of bitterness of complicated romantic relationships, but because of emotional anguish due to the difficulty of explaining properly.

What Ferio was worried about wasn’t the feud between his fiancée and the purple star girl, but Sophie’s excessive longing for Christina, and the possible contingencies that would follow. It was the warning because Ferio knew well Sophie would be furious like a raging flame when Christina was scorned.

Because I arbitrarily decided what it meant without asking for confirmation back then, this is the result…

Gerald sighed and regretted he didn’t ask in detail back then.

“Hey, I’m still not quite sure, but what will happen to us? Is there something we can do for a peaceful resolution?”

“None.”

“Don’t affirm it immediately…”

“Looking at her state, I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Oi oi, aren’t you too quick to give up?”

“It can’t be helped.”

At present, there was nothing he could do.

Looking at how angry Sophie was, it was doubtful she would ask Gerald to mediate like last time.

After escorting Sophie for a few days, Gerald learned that while the girl would tolerate insults toward herself, the same couldn’t be said if it was toward her important people. She would feel really indignant and angry about it.

Gerald could now understand why Sophie suddenly felt offended on her first day at “The King’s Sword.”

It was because his remark about a foolish woman would include her friends at the academy that were close to her.

“In the first place, why are you only apologizing today? It’s way too late.”

Although there was no use in mentioning it after all this time, Gerald was still dissatisfied about that.

If the apology concluded yesterday, or at least before Remiel came, things wouldn’t have gotten out of proportion.

When Gerald pointed that out, Evert raised his voice as if he heard something unthinkable.

“No no no! I worked quite hard here, you know? Do you know how hard I tried to convince them?!”

“And it was today? Couldn’t you have at least done it by yesterday instead?”

“The influence of your words and mine are different, you know!”

“What’s the difference?”

“What’s the difference, you say… ah, geez, this is why I hate airheads! You should have used that needlessly handsome face to seduce Miss Sophie as well!”

Rather than seducing her, Gerald was hated to the point he was called a derogatory name. Gerald could already feel her hostility from the first day, but today it became a decisive factor.

“Um… Would Sophie-sama command all the black star students to be stripped of their stars?”

Keith had no idea where Sophie was in that angry state and how she would vent it, so he asked Gerald about it.

“…It’s unlikely for that person to make such a command.”

If that’s what she would do, she could have declared it at that place.

If she hated Gerald that much, she could always dismiss him.

The reason she didn’t do so was because she had little thought of “eliminating people just because they are annoying.” That said, she wasn’t a weak girl who would just silently accept everything.

“In that case, how do we make amends…”

Judgment would likely fall.

Perhaps he found it scarier because he had no idea what it would be, Keith’s voice was filled with anxiety.

“We’ll check it tomorrow. If Sophie-sama asks for anything, obey it as much as possible.”

“Even though we have no idea what the order will be, obeying is an established fact, huh…”

Evert said so without hiding his disgusted expression, but Gerald only briefly declared “obey” once again.