CH 108

It’s the Second Act, Kyrie

“It is the key to the study that only the head of the house and successor can have. I’ll try to come in by myself later. Buchanan has a lot of records to read about.….The successor’s education will start soon.”

Cesar shook his hand with a satisfactory sigh. It meant to go out.

Kyrie stood up from her seat with her lips closed and turned around. She wasn’t able to walk ahead, and looked back. Cesar raised an eyebrow.

“Do you have something to do?”

Kyrie hesitated a little. However, it was something that had to be asked. She opened her mouth as if she were squeezing words.

“……By any chance, talk with the legendary lord….”

Cesar stared at Kyrie, and his eyes bent like a half-moon and laughed. At first glance, he looked friendly, but he had a strong face that felt strangely ridiculed.

“Is this like a play?”

Kyrie’s heart sank violently. Thousands of thoughts exploded like meteors in her head.  Joey, Josephina, Federica, the old vagrant, Lily Square, hundreds of eyes looking at her….

“Hik.”

Kyrie covered her mouth and bent down.

‘No, I can’t. It is not the time for that. No!’

The refutation of reason was too easily volatilized in the face of fear imprinted in the unconscious mind. Kyrie, who couldn’t control herself, crouched as if sobbing.

Looking down at Kyrie, Cesar kicked his tongue inside. His daughter seemed to have a trauma because of the puppet’s play. 

Pathetic.

The Legendary Lord only said that he would pay special attention to the trends and circumstances of the royal family, the anecdote of the first Buchanan, and Kyrie’s personal life.  That was all.

Rather, it was Cesar who thought that he (Nathaniel) might do something to trap Kyrie. If the Lord Legend had made such a plan, this time he (Cesar) was going to do his best to help. However, the atmosphere of the Legendary Lord who returned, strangely changed.

‘It looks like Kyrie really has reins.’

Since Gray became that shape, Kyrie had to get more alert. And it seemed that the only person who could educate her was this father himself.

Cesar smiled kindly towards Kyrie, hiding his curiosity about ‘what would happen if I pushed her further like this?’

“It’s the second act, Kyrie.”

***

Kyrie began to have nightmares again, and she talked to herself more. Other things went smoothly.

Marquis Vermont’s body returned to the Marquis’ estate. When the vassals saw the marquis’ body they immediately picked him up. However, when it was revealed that the marquis committed suicide, they immediately entered the internal strife. The marquis of Vermont, which has been flourishing around a century or two, is famous for their fierce battle for housekeeping. Hence they were not going to appear in politics for a while.

In addition, Kyrie asked the royal family to mediate the dispute, but the Emperor did not respond. It was not known whether it would be okay to say it was a substitute, but Rubinia Orewinbridge visited the Duchy of Buchanan.

“I’m going to stay here. For a while.”

Rubinia sat on the sofa in the drawing room with her back to the window and spoke desperately somewhere. Kyrie, who was about to refuse, stopped, and said to MarryAnne, who was coming in.

“MarryAnne. Get out for a second.”

“Yes!”

MarryAnne left the room after putting down tea. Kyrie quietly moved her eyes and looked next to her. Nathaniel was sitting on a one-man sofa, staring into the air with his chin on his cane. It was a relaxed posture.

Kyrie ignored him and asked Rubinia.

“Your Royal Highness. What’s going on?”

Rubinia’s face was quickly distorted. She seemed like a person trying to hold back tears that were about to burst out.

“Your Royal Highness.”

Kyrie spoke again. Rubinia, who managed to control her expression, shook her head.

“……Are you an idiot? Or are you still…, are you doing this because you really don’t know what you’ve been doing?”

Kyrie smiled helplessly.

“There are so many smart people in the world that it’s okay to have at least one fool.”

“…….”

Rubinia bit her lips and soon gave a bitter smile.

“……give me a room.”

Her expression was firm compared to his weak voice. Unripe fruit-colored eyes were showing her that she had other thoughts. Kyrie, staring at Rubinia, nodded.

“Understood. A good lady-in-waiting….”

“No. Because a servant of the royal family will assist/be included.”

“I see.”

“Please take care of me.”

Rubinia, who spoke coldly, soon made a bitter face. Then, she glanced at the Legend sitting next to her and asked Curie.

“What about you?”

“What?”

“…Why do you make that face again? It looked a bit worth living in Pronoia, though.”

At that moment, Kyrie’s face, which had a light smile, hardened. And she stared at Rubinia still like an orgel doll that stopped working. That was certainly rare considering that the opponent was Kyrie Buchanan. The flowing conversation played a big role in solidifying Kyrie’s position in society.

A cold sweat flowed down Rubinia’s spine. She opened her mouth carefully, terrified for no reason.

“Just in case…..”

Rubinia’s voice became smaller.

“What happened….”

“Your Royal Highness.”

Kyrie cut Rubinia’s words.

“I’ll show you around the room.”

The monotonous guide, as if the doll was talking, went very well with Kyrie’s face, which was shady and haggard. Rubinia’s lips were twisted.

“Did you hear the rumors?”

The social community began to buzz as soon as they heard that Kyrie Buchanan had returned. They didn’t know how to behave. They knew that the royal family was preparing something. The palace was dominated by wizards, and even the entry could not be made unless it was a licensed person. All the gardens of the royal palace dried up as to signal what was going on.

People trembled with anxiety as war clouds began to circulate in the capital, which had never been like that in their lives. And they needed an object to swear at, and of course, in this case, the best person to swear at was Kyrie Buchanan. According to them she was wrong with her conduct.

Surprisingly, they didn’t swear at the Legendary Lord. It’s easier to hit the head of the person sitting next to them than to throw a stone into the sky.

Rubinia glanced at Nataniel. Nataniel, who seemed to be lost in thought, quickly noticed it and asked lazily.

[Anything to say?]

“Oh, no….”

Rubinia narrowly avoided the gaze. She wanted to say something more, but Kyrie seemed gruesomely precarious. After Rubinia closed her mouth tightly, she got up from her seat.

“Please guide me.”

Kyrie got up from her seat to see off and went out to the hallway.

Rubinia, who tried to walk along the servant after drooping her shoulders, Rubinia stopped for a while and whispered quietly to Kyrie.

“Take care of yourself.”

Kyrie smiled faintly without an answer. It was a reflective smile that she couldn’t feel any emotions. Rubinia’s arm got goosebumps again. Feeling the coolness, Rubinia walked to the end of the hallway, and couldn’t help but go to the end and look back.

Kyrie was upright like a spruce tree growing in the middle of the hallway. And although she couldn’t see it well but saw Kyrie moving her lips, as if talking to someone.

‘With whom is she talking to?’

Rubinia turned her head, feeling cold.

Looking at Kyrie, who returned from meeting Rubinia, Nathaniel loosened his crossed legs.

[Kyrie.]

“Yes, Nataniel.”

Kyrie replied like flowing water. Kyrie’s cheeks, which had a light smile on them, and concave dimples, even though he knew it was not a smile with a very sincere smile, Nataniel felt his mind relaxed. Anyway, she was not crying anymore.

[You may not know it, but there was a spy transferred by Orewinbridge. What are you thinking?]

“It’s too dangerous to send them back.”

Kyrie sat on the sofa lightly like a spring flower. The hem of the sky coloured dress spread out like a swan’s wing and sank. At that appearance, Nathaniel felt a little softer. She also looked good in expensive products.

[Is that person important?]

“If you say something like that, I won’t answer because I’m scared.”

[You treat me like a terrible person.]

Kyrie picked up the tea cup. Nathaniel stared intently at the clean lines drawn by her fingertips.

Recently, Kiri has been strangely calm and gentle. The people talked about her, the Duke of Buchanan. She didn’t ask a single word about those things. Everything was a different reaction than before when she tried to find out what he had done and what he was up to.

When the teacup filled with tea water and white steam swelled up like cotton candy, Nathaniel opened his mouth.

[Body?]

“It’s okay.”

Kyrie replied as if she had been waiting. Nathaniel tapped the cane with the tip of his finger.

[Is there anything you want to ask?]

Despite the sudden words, Kyrie’s movement to put down the teapot was as constant as flowing water.

“I don’t have any.”

[So.]

“Yes.”

[Just in case…….]

“Nataniel. It’s okay, really.”

She calmly stared straight ahead, saying so.

Without a choice, Nathaniel pretended not to know the deepening darkness inside Kyrie. He was the first to put someone’s heart on his hands, so he couldn’t tell whether to wipe off the black stain on the corner or leave it alone. Therefore, what he could say was this.

[You can stab me.]

“Oh my.”

Kyrie opened his eyes in a circle as if she were surprised.

“Do you have a knife?”

[I’ll lend you my sword.]

“Will you die if I stab you?”

[Unfortunately, it’s not like that.]

“Is your blood red in colour?”

[Do you think I’ll spill mercury?]

“I thought gold would flow.”

Kyrie laughed. It looked good. It was soft and friendly. There must be anger that has not been resolved, but he was literally willing to be stabbed at any time.

“It’s okay. I’m good at holding out.”

At the words mixed with light resignation, Nathaniel felt a little upset. But soon he pretended not to know it. Now that he wanted to believe in Kyrie, he also believed in Kyrie’s words. Without realizing at all that Kyrie’s eyes with a faint smile are becoming empty.

***

After a few days, the royal family still sent no answer. Rubinia Orewinbridge did not leave the room except for meals. Kyrie knew that there were many words going on about herself and Nataniel in society, but ignored them.

Kyrie was not an idiot enough to believe immediately what Cesar said. However, bluffing does not mean that she is powerless, so she knew that Aaron’s watching her became clearer.

“I’m sorry, Aaron.”

Noona, Why didn’t you die?

“Because I can’t change anything when I die…….”

Do you think you can change something?

“Nataniel….he might have changed a little. That’s how I feel.”

Poor Noona. You’ve already experienced despair at the end of hope.

“……There’s no evidence that he will do it again. We just have to prepare for how the royal family will come out now.”

Noona Someone else is going to die because of you.

“I won’t let you die.”

Doesn’t this all seem like a play?

Kyrie’s breathing trembled. She replied with her eyes closed.

“Even so, I have no choice but to do my best.….”

The confrontation between the Emperor and the Legendary Lord was not something that Kyrie could do anything. The Emperor will always be at odds, and Nathaniel will not respond to it, but the moment things happen to Kyrie, he will reverse his current gentle attitude. Also, countless people may die for no reason.

Kyrie tried to relocate people to his territory in preparation for that time. The nobles laughed, but when they even added large migration subsidies, some citizens began to respond positively.

‘You can start from here. You can keep it.’

In order to be confident in front of Aaron and Melonie, she had no choice but to prepare for the predicted competition. Tears for yourself will be good with just one drop after everything is over.

Only MarryAnne, who watched Kyrie muttering toward the air, felt her heart ripping apart. Kyrie with such a face, looked back at MarryAnne and smiled helplessly. As if telling her not to worry. Then, she held Anne while spreading her arms

“Come here, Anne.”

“…Lady.”

When held in her arms, Kyrie’s heart was pounding with a dying heart. Whenever she heard the sound, MarryAnne now couldn’t know how to make her owner happy.

Something was broken without a sound of being broken.

***

A few days later, a newly invited tutor visited Kyrie’s room. It was for the education of successors.

“Hello, Kyrie Buchanan. I’m William Archibold, who will be teaching Miss Kyrie in the future.”

William glanced at Nataniel sitting in Kyrie’s room like his own house, and looked very moved. Kyrie was a little surprised to hear his family name, but she reached out her hand without showing any sign.

“I didn’t know you’d come from Count Archibold. My name is Kyrie Buchanan.

“I didn’t know either, hahaha.”

William kissed Kyrie’s hand and winked, but Kyrie didn’t show a single smile. Count Archibold is a representative of the Emperor’s faction.

‘Does he have any intentions?  How did father bring Count Archibold’s man?’

Then William greeted Nathaniel with a trembling voice.

“William Archibold sees the Lord Legend!”

William’s face was red with a boyish blush. Kyrie quickly accepted it.

‘He was a heretic in the family.’

If there is one greatest evil that the myth of the founding of the three heroes left in this society, it is that they made too many heroic patients.

William knelt down in front of the Lord Legend as if he had no idea what to do because his heart was overwhelmed.

“I know when I see you.  It’s as if I’ve lived up to this day to serve the Lord!”

However, Nathaniel’s expression looking down at William was gloomy.

[How old are you?]

“I’m twenty four years old!”

[Oh]

I…realize that there is a difference in age, Nathaniel mumbled to himself. 

How many years are there between us?  

Before Kyrie could think of it again, Nathaniel took out his cane as if annoyed.

[Kyrie, your father is truly a fox.]

“Why don’t we do the evaluation of my father after accepting Sir William’s greeting?”

[We’re not going to see each other anyway.]

Nathaniel spoke plainly.

[You can’t.]

“What?”

William raised his head, and probably blanked out again because of Nathaniel’s beauty. He managed to stutter and speak out.

“The… the reason?”

[You are not trustworthy.]

“Lord! It’s not like that at all! I can prove it!”