CH 2.11

Are You Strong?

No way!

I gaped and looked at Miss Michelle with a blank stare.

No, this isn’t the kind of attack you’d expect from a beautiful, powerless young lady, is it? Was I hearing things, or did I just hear something terrific?

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is an iron fan that weighs about two kilos. It hurts if you get hit, you know?”

I would rather ask you who you are, playing with it gracefully with one hand.

Miss Michelle’s sudden attack rendered the other two stupefied.

In fact, Lord Illegal’s face turned blue.

However, as expected of a knight.

The other one immediately became wary of Miss Michelle.

“You! What the hell are you ――!!”

“You’re so weak, yet you call yourself a knight. I think I could easily identify myself as one.”

She instructed me while aiming with her iron fan.

“Miss Risha, please stay where you are, okay?”

Definitely, I won’t interfere.

I had no more words to say to the spirited Miss Michelle. I felt it would be better to let her do as she pleased.

Was I really involved or not? ――… I’m absolutely sure it’s the latter.

Ugh, Husband.

What on earth do you want me to do?!

Thinking that it was definitely my husband’s work, I yelled at him inwardly. 

But, for the time being ――… Miss Michelle, you’re so cool! 

“Isn’t it a badge of honor for a frail young lady to outmatch a knight?”

I think she’s not weak when she’s wielding a two-kilogram iron fan.

But it certainly doesn’t look like it, so the gap is huge.

Appearances really can be deceiving.

“Take her down, now!”

Lord Illegal commanded in the background.

If he were a man, he should have joined in, but he seems to be afraid of Miss Michelle.　

You’re quite a pussy, Lord Illegal.

“I’d be more than happy to subdue her, but … what can I do?”

“Oh, do you mind?”

For some reason, Miss Michelle asked me for my opinion.

I don’t mind at all, so by all means, go ahead and do it!

Un, she pondered, and as if saying Oh well, she swung her iron fan again.

Of course, the knight who kept in mind the attack on the knight earlier was on guard, so he avoided it.

Well, that blow was just decided easily because the opponent was off guard, s0 it’s like telling him to avoid such a direct attack.

Miss Michelle seemed to have expected this, but knew what she was doing.

It’s as if she was toying with him.

“Tsk, tsk, are you just going to run…are you that scared? By all means, you can draw that one out if you like.”

Her gaze fell on the weapon that the knight held.

The knight is still rational, or perhaps he understands what it means to draw a sword unnecessarily in the Royal Palace, so has not drawn his weapon.

“T-That’s right! Hurry up!”

Miss Michelle waits with a toothy grin, perhaps confident that she can overpower even a knight with a weapon in his hand.

But, just then ――

The door was suddenly kicked open.

At the same time as my shoulders jumped at the crash, Miss Michelle deftly punched the knight away.

Or I should say, she blew him away.

My jaw dropped, and all I can do is gape the back of Miss Michelle’s head.

This is exactly what it means by jaw-dropping.

This is what happens when you watch a powerless-looking young lady blow away a man despite their overwhelming physical disparity.

Yeah, I want to be like this.

Un, I can’t be the only one!

“Geez, I’ve heard that the hero appears later. Is the hero supposed to appear earlier?”

Beyond Miss Michelle’s gaze…

I also looked in that direction in a daze.

Ummm…

“Michelle…what the hell is going on here?”

My husband and all the knights came in.

My husband’s voice dropped lower, and he glared coldly at Miss Michelle.

“‘I thought this would be the quickest way.”

What?

The way my husband spoke, it seemed that he was totally in the dark.

I thought for sure that he was involved in this…

Wait, why is he calling Miss Michelle by her name?

Why?

Is he that close to her?

While they were conversing on the side, the knights captured the three men and dragged them away.

Er, wasn’t the timing of my husband’s arrival too timely?

Maybe he knew about it to some extent… 

Hmmm, I’m starting to get dizzy.

Can someone please explain everything to me in detail?

“Are you okay?”

My husband got down on one knee and peered at me.

He looked grim, but I could tell he wasn’t angry with me.

“I’m fine, but…um, aren’t you the mastermind?”

Oh, shit!

I couldn’t help but speak my thoughts.

My husband gave Miss Michelle a sideway glare.

Ah, is my husband also dragged into this?

That thought dawned on me somehow.

Or rather, Miss Michelle.

Isn’t it amazing how she got my husband involved, or vice versa?

Please let me know how you did it! I want to get back at my husband too!

“Let’s go if you can stand up.”

I took my husband’s hand and stood up, but I staggered for a moment.

My husband immediately supported me.

“Miss Risha.”

I looked at Miss Michelle when she called out to me. She smiled and told me with a grin…

“Miss Risha, His Excellency, the Duke of Lindbeld, is not a nice man, but he keeps his promises.”

So you’re saying he’s not a nice guy, but he can be trusted?

Sigh, I don’t understand it at all.

By the way, how did she come up with such words?

Could it be that she thought this would worsen our marriage and she could follow up on it?

Miss Michelle evaluated my husband with the ease of a light-hearted conversation.

My husband still glared at Miss Michelle, took my hand and walked quickly away.

My husband seemed to have said something to Miss Michelle when we passed by her, but I didn’t hear a word of it.

On the contrary, Miss Michelle told him that he was overprotective. He scowled at her again, though.

What did she mean by overprotective…?

“Um…Where are we going?”

I initially was on my way to my husband’s office at his summons. 

I had forgotten about it.

“The nap room.”

Yeah? The nap room?

The nap room is that nap room, right?

Huh? What are you planning to do? Huh?

When he opened the door, I found myself in a spacious office that was exclusively for my husband.

Inside was Diego, working with an intent look in his eyes.

He’s still the same guy.

My husband silently stormed across the room and opened the door at the back.

“I’ve been expecting you, Miss Risha.”

“Eh, Lil?”

For some reason, my maid, Lil, who was supposed to be at the mansion, was waiting for me in the room, which was connected to the office, a luxurious room that didn’t look like a nap room.

A large bed was sprawled in the center of the room.

I looked up at my husband, not understanding what he meant, and he looked down at me, somewhat dumbfounded.

“I told you that too, didn’t I? I’m not a nice guy ・・・ but I keep my promises.”

And by that, he meant Miss Michelle.

“I promised you in the beginning that you would get three meals and a nap. As far as I know, you haven’t missed a nap since we got married, have you?”

“Ah, take a nap…”

“Sleep.”

After saying that briefly, he quickly left the room and closed the door.

Uh? No, wait a minute!

It’s true that I’ve been taking naps without fail, but I’m really wide awake right now!

Can I still sleep peacefully after all that’s happened?!

“Why don’t you change your clothes and lie down on the bed for now, Miss Risha?　You might be able to get some rest.”

Following Lil’s advice, I removed my makeup and took off my dress.

Lil had brought me a dress that wasn’t much of a nightgown, but it was pretty simple and not too tight, so I changed into it and went to bed.

The light from outside was still bright, so Lil pulled down the curtains for me.

I thought I couldn’t sleep, but after I closed my eyes for a moment, I fell fast asleep before I knew it.