CH 24

24. My graduation party ③

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

They think they are absolutely right.

Because the Crown Princess, the innocent queen-elect who has never told a lie, calls me evil.

The Crown Princess’s intentions may have been incorporated into the decision-making process with regard to this condemnation fiasco as well. It’s frightening that there are those who would normally charge a person with a crime but not through a trial or other means, and that there are those who would do something like this as a private offense.

「As I have repeatedly stated, I do not do such things. Testimony alone cannot be conclusive, as it may contain falsehoods. And I have no intention of approaching His Highness the Second Prince. And even if I am not exiled, I have already decided to go to a neighboring country.」

「Hah! You’re just running away to a neighboring country! You’re trying to deceive Ihmut into doing what you want into the neighboring country! I will not tolerate such a thing!! I will not allow you to go to the neighboring country for exile. You can go and atone for your sins in a place where no one will help you!」

「Despite what you said, I accepted his invitation and decided to move to a neighboring country. It is outrageous to deceive him. In the first place, he is not the kind of person who would be deceived by me. You people know that, don’t you?」

I was a little taken aback by the Second Prince’s words.

Ihmut is not such a simple man of habit. I am not confident that I could fool Ihmut even if I wanted to, and I think the Second Prince’s group would know more about it if they had known Ihmut for a long time.

「Are you saying that you do not admit your guilt?」

「…I swear to God, Your Royal Highness Crown Princess Louise, I have done no such thing.」

I looked straight into her eyes, but her eyes were not looking at me.

「If you watched Ollie properly, you’d at least know that she didn’t do that, but really, come on…

First of all, about what happened before me and Miss Weshia came to the academy, Ollie didn’t do that.」

「How do you know such a thing! Ihmut shouldn’t be at the academy at that time…」

「I’m hearing from the girl who said they actually harassed. She told me that she had a hard time because she was noticed by the ladies over there for being conspicuous even though she was a commoner. That’s where Ollie came by. Ollie said she helped her and told her to stop harassing her using Ollie’s name.」

「That’s why I told you, it was that woman’s trick——」

「That’s not true!!」

Someone interrupted the conversation between Ifmut and the Second Prince—— It was that girl who I helped when I was a freshman and interacted with me, teaching me how to study.

「I am afraid that I have something to say because so many people are here. I am sorry for interrupting. I hope you will allow me to speak.」

With trembling hands, she is there. And it was Ihmut who gave her permission to say,「Alright, say it.」

「I–I was harassed by the noble ladies. It was none other than the Ottilie Shefinko-sama who saved my life at that time! She sent away the people who was telling me off and gave me such kind words that I could use my name to bulwark it!」

「You, a commoner, are threatened by her to say it that way, aren’t you? Don’t worry. If you tell the truth, I will help you. So please tell the truth.」

——The Crown Princess says such things with a smile from goodwill, as if she had just summoned up the courage to say them. I feel something empty and fearful. How scary, I thought to myself, are the words of someone who believes she is absolutely right in this way.

「I… won’t yield to the words of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess!! Regardless of what you think of Ottilie-sama, she is the one who saved me!! I admire the kind, straightforward Ottilie-sama! At that time, no matter how much I was saved by Ottilie-sama, His Highness the Second Prince said that I was being deceived. I gave in to that. But—— Despite what you all may say, Ottilie-sama is not like that!」

I thought it was cool that she said that, even though it must have been terrifying. At the same time, I was glad that she spoke up for me.

「Wha—— You’re being disrespectful!」

「Alright–alright, Seanno, shut up for now. You said that it was unbecoming of royalty to be so upset about the truth that I had authorized her to tell that. Maybe you are angry because Louise-sama is shocked, but I’ll go next. You were harassing Miss Weshia, remember? Because the basic premise is wrong to begin with. Ollie doesn’t think anything of Seanno. I think she even finds it annoying. And I don’t see how she could abuse Miss Weshia. I can assure you that Ollie and Miss Weshia are friends.」

Ihmut tells him so and looks at Nathe.

He quickly changes the subject and diverts his attention away from her earlier, which I think is a good move. Because I could have wound up doing a lot of things to her if I hadn’t.

「——Ihmut-sama is right, Ollie-sama is not involved in harassing me.」

「Nathe… Have you been deceived by Ottilie to that extent? Even though she was my sister, it’s unforgivable that you would deceive Nathe and Ihmut-sama to this extent.」

「Nathe. I know you don’t want to believe it, but I believe that that evil woman is the one who is harassing you.」

Nathe’s words are interrupted by Brother and the Vizier’s son.

Nathe slumps down. The Crown Princess tried to reach out her hand to Nathe, who looked up… and froze her body in a state of anger.

「Why don’t you people listen to me? You say lines like you love me, you want me to be there for you all the time, and you don’t listen to me, and you saying that I was… being deceived by Ollie-sama! Why is that? I have told you over and over again, haven’t I? I said that I cared for Ollie-san and that she is my friend. And that she would refrain from speaking to His Highnesses the Second Prince and the others.」

——If it were in the academy, the Second Prince’s group would have said that Nathe’s words were deceptive to Ottilie Shefinko without believing the truth. And it would have spread like truth.

But there are many people outside the school at this graduation party. Above all, Nathe is determined to go to a neighboring country and is hungry.

「I was harassed because His Highnesses the Second Prince and others approached me. And yet, His Highnesses the Second Prince and the others don’t listen to a word I say, and talk about Ollie-sama as if she were a demon without blood or tears…!! Do you know how frustrated I was!? I can’t believe my favorite friend, the one I’m so proud of, would be called out like that because of me!!」

「Na–Nathe-sama? Please calm down. If you think she is your friend, you are playing right into her hands. That woman is deceiving you. And to speak of Seanno and the others in such a manner… Seanno and others are your “destiny.”」

The Crown Princess, though puzzled, speaks as if it were true and smiles at Nathe.

「Your Royal Highness Crown Princess Louise, you only speak of Ollie-sama in such a way.」

Nathe gave her a disdainful look. The Crown Princess was frightened by the quick turn of events.

「Your Royal Highness Crown Princess Louise would be talking about Ollie-sama without knowing about her. What do you know about Ollie-sama? Ollie-sama is kind, lovely, beautiful… She is a straightforward, even when you spread those untrue rumors. Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Louise says that Ollie is deceiving on me, but Ollie would never do such a thing, but I love Ollie so much that I don’t mind being deceived on by her!! Do not interfere with people’s friendships. I don’t believe that the Second Prince and other are for me destined to be together… I’ll decide for myself who I want to be with. I do not need Your Royal Highness Crown Princess Louise, whom I just met today, to decide my future!」

Ahhh, Nathe is really angry now.

Nathe is only angry that the Crown Princess doesn’t listen to her and says whatever she wants. She was calling me by my nickname, as if her emotions were running high in the middle of the day. Still, it was a little embarrassing to be called like that.

「N–Nathe?」

「The Second Prince and their Highnesses have also refrained from approaching me on many occasions, have they not? And yet you followed me all the way, even when I didn’t want to, even when I refused to. And you insulted my dearest friend.」

「Nathe, w–we are condemning that evil woman for your sake, Nathe. Without that evil woman, you’ll take our hand and Nathe will be happy.」

「…Is that what Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Louise told you? As I said before, for me, Ollie-sama is my friend. She is my precious best friend. Why should I take the hand of someone who calls her an evil woman? And I choose my own happiness, even if you don’t decide it for me. I am happy to talk with Ollie-sama. Calling Ollie-sama an evil woman and trying to decry Ollie-sama is an act that makes me unhappy. It is nothing but self-indulgent behavior!!」

Nathe says this all at once, and the hall falls into a scene. Narthe tells us with a gasp and a shortness of breath.

「And you said Ollie-sama dropped me down the stairs, but that’s not possible. In the first place, then, Ollie-sama would never have fallen in my defense, and I believe Ollie would never do such a thing, no matter what anyone else says. And so, since I, the victim, say differently, there is nothing to absolve Ollie-sama or anything else!!」

After Nathe said that much, there was a crack of applause.

The one doing the clapping was Ihmut, who was standing next to me. The audience was completely engrossed in Nathe’s words.

「Yes–yes. No absolution, even nothing. They say that the people who were victims in the first place are different, and they don’t approve of such things—— Can we stop this farce and get back to partying?」

Ihmut would have expected them to back down at this point.

It would have saved us a lot of hurt if they had backed down at this point. Of course, it would have been ugly.

「——Ihmut, where is your proof that this woman’s words are true? She said it herself. She said that testimony alone is not evidence. Then I’ll say the same thing. Is it really true? I know my Louise would never do something like this for no reason—— If there’s no evidence, I’m not going to stop condemning her either.」

I believe that the Crown Prince’s words are based on his trust and love for Louise, of all people.

The Crown Prince was shocked by Nathe’s words, but the Crown Prince defended Louise.

To which Ihmut laughed.

「Aloige-san, did you think I was making a definite assertion without proof? Let me tell you, Ollie really didn’t do anything. The Royal Shadow proves that.」

What Ihmut said surprised me as well.