CH 77

Elusiana smirked. Did anyone see that? A murderous intent flashed across Camilla’s sorrowful face, then disappeared.

Camilla gritted her teeth lightly as if to hold back the pain and said, “I know you didn’t mean it.”

At first glance, she seemed to say it for her, but affirming this question is like confessing that Elusiana was the culprit. At the same time, it meant that she had evidence, and even if Elusiana didn’t admit it, her sins wouldn’t disappear. In the end, no matter how Elusiana answered, she would be a sinner. And now Camilla was implicitly pointing to her as the sinner.

But Elusiana wasn’t someone who would take it for granted.

“That’s right. I don’t mean this. The same goes for being here right now. I’m here not because I want to.”

With a slight frown, Camilla stared at her. She couldn’t have imagined that Elusiana would openly reveal the fact that she was forcibly dragged. Nevertheless, Camilla’s expression quickly calmed down. She rather pities her.

“You must be very angry because things didn’t go your way. I’m sorry I couldn’t understand your feelings. Forgive me if you’re upset.”

“Lady Eragost, what do you mean to forgive you!”

“Your forgiveness is what she must beg for!”

“How can you be so fragile!”

The nobles, who were a little shaken by Elusiana’s words, began defending Camilla again before they knew it. Elusiana passed their words over her ears and demanded Camilla.

“Since Lady said so, can I get up now?”

“Hey, hey! That’s rude!”

“No, Lady! We haven’t even judged if she is guilty or not.”

Camilla, who was staring at Elusiana, nodded. “Nothing has been proven yet. Everyone, please calm down.”

Elusiana stood up from her seat, ignoring the finger-pointing nobles. Her knees that hit the marble floor tingled, but she was fine. From now on, she intends to thoroughly make them realize what they had ignored.

Elusiana raised the corners of her mouth slightly. “Thank you for the fair consideration, Lady Eragost. So, I think there was a little misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Lady got wounded after touching the flower you decorated. What kind of misunderstanding is that?” Anna, who had been waiting for it, sneered at Camilla’s side.

“Then, I’ll prove it from now on. Instead, if I prove that I’m innocent, please apologize to me.”

“What?”

“In particular, the Lady who slapped me in the face. I would like to ask you to sincerely apologize to me.”

“Hiik!”

Unable to hold back her anger, Anna growled as if to rush at Elusiana. But when Camilla grabbed her arm, she couldn’t go any further. She, too, was suspicious of something. What did Elusiana’s baseless confidence come from?

Without further delay, Elusiana took a certificate out of her arms. At that moment, Camilla’s eyes changed. That…? A magic certificate…?

But why did Elusiana bring it up all of a sudden?

Ah! I see. These flowers— Camilla’s face was strangely distorted after thinking that far. However, it was so sudden that no one noticed it.

“I think you all know better than I do what this is. Please check for yourself.”

The hesitant nobles scrambled to the front of the certificate.

Five eclipses intersect the central and four large circles tightly surrounding it. The seal of the gold foil stamped on the lower right must have been that of Grand Duke Sestein.

“All the flowers decorated today used the preservation magic potion guaranteed by this certificate.”

“What?”

Anna, in disbelief, snatched the magic certificate from Elusiana’s hand.

[This potion is classified as 1st grade, and it’s proved that the medium treated with the potion can be preserved for 1 year without deformation.]

Anan’s hand, holding the certificate, trembled.

According to the certificate, it meant that the flowers currently decorated in Louver Hall would remain in that state for the next year. Above all, the first-class potion marked on the certificate was the best among the potions certified by the Sestein family.

“W-why do you have this? I’m asking you how you got this!”

“That is not a matter of importance, Lady.”

Elusiana picked up the flower, which now left only a few petals, and said quietly. “The important thing is that this flower is not from Fragrant Garden. As you can see, it’s a flower that hasn’t been magically processed.”

Anna’s face turned sour at Elusiana’s words. However, her pride didn’t allow her to admit her mistake. What’s more, she had to bow down to the commoner? It was something that should never have happened.

“W-who can prove that? You could mix anything else out of all these flowers.”

Anna shook the magic certificate she held violently and pressed Elusiana as if to blame her.

“Are you mistaken that we could cover our eyes with something like this? If you say yes, we will obediently believe in everything—”

Then, the magic certificate in Anna’s hand suddenly floated into the air. All the nobles who saw it widened their eyes in amazement.

“No, why did that suddenly fly up?”

“…Magic?!”

“It’s magic. Is there a wizard in this banquet hall?”

A man in a dark blue robe appeared among the looking nobles.

“That pattern, isn’t that the pattern of Grand Duke Sestein?” The young master, who shouted at the pattern engraved on the back of the robe, made a surprised expression.

Due to the nature of a closed family, they thought there was no way they could find that family in the banquet hall.

At that time, a young lady answered. “That’s right. They said they had been frequenting social activities lately, so they must have received an invitation to this banquet. By the way, if it’s a vassal from the Grand Duke’s family, which family is he from?”

It took a while for the surprised nobles to regain their senses. And someone was screaming. “T-t-that person is Grand Duke Sestein…!”

As if seeing something unbelievable, the noble’s eyes were stained with astonishment.

Aster, who took off his robe’s hat, walked leisurely. A cold, sunken red pupil passed through the crowd.

“So. Lady, are you saying you won’t accept the Sestein’s certificate?”

Aster, holding the magic certificate in his hand, stared at Anna. Faced with those eyes, Anna shuddered at the goosebumps running through her body.

Astor, holding the magic certificate in his hand, stared at Anna.

“There will be no need to send things from the Sestein family to your family from now on.”

“…!”

Anna’s face turned pale in an instant. If nobles couldn’t use items belonging to Grand Duke Sestein, they weren’t any different from commoners. From protective accessories to magic remedies, there was not a single item they didn’t produce.

Anna couldn’t question it even though she knew it. Because it was Grand Duke Sestein who said that.

The nobles who were watching also remained still, holding their breath. They were afraid that unnecessary sparks would bounce and harm them.

Unlike them, Elusiana couldn’t hide her complicated feelings. Aster hadn’t yet participated in an official event. The biggest reason was because of his sickly body. If he suddenly collapses again… Huh?

Elusiana tilted her head involuntarily at the sight of Aster, who looked quite plump. His face wasn’t as distant as usual but rather lively, and he looked healthier than anyone else here.

Where did he get a precious elixir?

It was when Elusiana looked at Aster with doubt.

“Keep this with you, Elusiana.” Aster smiled softly, handing the rolled certificate in his hand.

Elusiana accepted it and suddenly came to her senses. She then grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back toward her.

“…!”

Elusiana, who brought her lips close to his ear, whispered softly. “How did you get here? Are you feeling well? I heard you can’t use magic yet. Did you feel any other pain?”

The butler of the Grand Duchy Sestein definitely said that. In the succession battle, he was injured, and it became difficult to use magic due to his physical injury. The butler said he was out of breath, so he kept collapsing. However—

He looks perfectly fine, right? Is he really sick?

Aster shook his shoulders and replied, “The floating magic… is relatively simple. And if it’s just for a little while like this, it’s okay.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Elusiana understand and quickly bit herself, thinking she was too close.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I thought I’d have to speak quietly.”

“No, it was good.”

“Pardon?”

“Hmm. Is there more to see than that?”

“That’s.”

Elusiana’s eyes naturally turned to Camilla. She hadn’t received a penalty, no, payback from her yet. However, Camilla came to Aster as if she had been waiting for this time. 

“Greetings, Your Excellency. My name is Camilla Lu Eragost, the daughter of Count Eragost.”