CH 20

Sharply Contrasting

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「Elizabeth-sama. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.」

After thanking the knights for clearing away the monster’s pelt and separating from them, I worked on Cecille in one of the rooms of the royal palace that had been assigned to her as a waiting room. She sat down on the sofa across from me on the low-backed desk and bowed her head apologetically.

「Don’t worry about it. You are not to blame. More than that, I’m sorry you had to go through such a terrible thing, Cecille-san.」

It was to allow her to participate in the accusations against her own husband, no matter how much she wanted to protect her own home. But Cecille smiled and quietly shook her head.

「I was originally offered in exchange for assistance. I have no feelings for my husband, whom I have never laid eyes on.」

「What is the meaning of that…?」

Me and Emily were astonished to hear the reason for her marriage and the days that followed. Emily, who was standing behind me, was wiping her tears with a handkerchief. Cecille, who had finished speaking, thanked me.

「I cannot thank you enough Elizabeth-sama for freeing me from this kind of life. Truly, thank you very much.」

「Thank you too. As per our pledge, I will welcome Obert as a parishioner.」

「Please accept my best regards. But it is also true that I was temporarily involved in the rebellion. I would like to make atonement for my sins with the retirement of the current head of the family.」

「…Then I will talk to the Prime Minister to make your brother the head of the family.」

I knew it, Cecille was an excellent daughter. It seems that she intends to keep the current head of the family, who has a habit of extravagant spending, away from politics at this time to avoid any future disasters. While marveling at the clarity of the situation, I mentioned one thing that had been bothering me.

「By the way, what are you going to do now?」

「I think I will join a convent. Whatever the reason, I will not change the fact that I betrayed the house I married into.」

She was probably thinking of her parents’ home. It seemed that she had no intention of returning to Obert. In that case, I asked Cecille to join me.

「Why don’t you come to my place?」

「Elizabeth-sama’s place…?」

「The Eastern Knight Territory will be reorganized as a result of the recent turmoil. Perhaps I will own a house. I would like to welcome you there.」

「Because Lady Elisabeth is the greatest contributor. But to accept a traitor like me is going to ruin your reputation.」

Cecille nodded in agreement. But she seemed reserved, thinking that her own delicate position would have a negative impact on me. I started to kneel on the desk, wrapped my arms around her and appealed to her.

「I do not care about such things. You are worth more than that. Cecille!」

「Y–Yes!?」

「Come with me! I want you!」

Cecile’s brown skin turned the same shade of red as her eyes, which shook with surprise. When her eyes stop shaking, she stares at me and then nods her head.

「Please take care of me. Elizabeth-sama. From now on, please address me as Cecille.」

「Thank you. I’m looking forward to that, Cecille!」

I squeezed her wrapped hands tighter. Then her eyes began to shake again, and Cecile stood up as if she were popping.

「I–I must write a letter to my parents’ house telling them that I am in the care of Elizabeth-sama! I’ll excuse myself! Thank you very much!」

I saw Cecille leave in a hurry and sat down on the couch. I was so enthusiastic about scouting that I now felt thirsty.

「Sorry, Emily. The tea…」

With a clank, the cups and saucers clink a little roughly, and before I knew it, the tea that had been prepared is placed on the desk. I turned to see Emily holding a silver tray with a sweltering look on her face.

「Ahh…」

「…Stupid Princess. Stupid Princess. Stupid…」

「No, that’s not what that was about…」

I had to spend a quarter of an hour trying to quiet Emily, who was sulking. In the end, I managed to get away with more than what I did to Cecille, by hugging her with both hands and whispering my love to her.

◆

After leaving Eliza’s room, Cecille returned to the room assigned to her. She plopped down on the bed provided as if in a fever and recalled her earlier conversation with Eliza.

——Come with me! I want you!

Cecille understands that this is a recognition of her own talent. There was no other intention. Still, she felt a rush in her heart that she had never experienced before.

「If that man only had been a gentleman…」

Cecile muttered to herself, but then came to herself and writhed on the bed, her face flushed with vermilion.

◆

One week later at noon. After greeting the royal court, we left the capital and returned triumphantly to Amyn, where my family and vassals were waiting for us.

As we rode through the gates of the city in Emily’s uncovered four-wheeled carriage, we were greeted with cheers unparalleled to those that had greeted our previous homecoming.

People, people, so many people. People were overflowing onto the main street, except in the center where the carriage was proceeding. They had all gathered to celebrate the victory of the Inquisition. It was a cool, sunny autumn day, but the inside of Amyn was filled with summer-like heat.

「Elizabeth-sama. Hurray!」

「Glory to our Princess!」

With the blessing, people riding out of the building’s windows release petals. The people gathered there also waved their hands as they mouthed words of celebration.

「Thank you! Thank you, everyone!」

I waved back as fast as I could, thanking them through the colorful rain that fell with the cheers.

In front of the estate building, Knight Commander Marcel, Bernhardt, and the knights who had been guarding Amyn were waiting in an orderly line. Marcel steps out of the carriage and bows to me in a dignified manner.

「Princess. Welcome back. Congratulations on your recent victory!」

「I’m back. Thank you for my absence. You all made it possible for me to go to the hearing with no regrets.」

「Thank you for your kind words, we are honored. Bernhardt and his team did a great job.」

I turned to Bernhardt and the others and thanked them, and they, too, smiled and congratulated us on our victory. Bernhardt also congratulates me and then asks about the inquisition.

「Princess, I heard that you told them about the monster extermination. Did you also tell them about our success?」

「Of course. Word spread quickly. When we left there, there was a yellow cry from the ladies from Royal Capital to the knights.」

「That’s… I’m sorry we couldn’t make it over there.」

In a male-dominated knighthood, encounters are rare. Bernhardt and the others, who were constantly chagrined, laughed at me, and I entered the manor house, promising to take them with me the next time I headed to Royal Capital.

I catched Adolf and Mireille as they jump into my stomach, this time without staggering, and announced my return to the people gathered in the halls of the manor house. After receiving words of welcome from the family members in attendance, me and my siblings stepped into the center of the hall where my parents were waiting for us.

「Father, Mother…」

Mother whispered this gently to me, and I realized that my body was shaking unknowingly. Even though I had prepared well for the hearing, it was a situation that could have threatened the survival of the family if I had made a mistake. Perhaps the pressure of the experience was brought back to my mind when I saw Mother’s and Father’s faces. However, the trembling gradually subsided as I felt the warmth of Mother’s hand on my back and Father’s strong arms embracing me.

「I’ve finally returned home.」

I smiled at my parents as I chewed on the joy of having the warmth of my beloved family here and now.

◆

Six days back, Edmond was held captive in a prison in the basement of the royal palace. Separated from his faction, he sat alone in the cold stone prison. Yesterday when he was incarcerated, he was ranting and raving, but now he continues to mumble and raise his unspoken voice because no one will take him seriously.

「Count Jungk-sama.」

Edmond looks up at the familiar voice and is startled to see a brown-haired figure kneeling outside his cell.

「Osby!」

「Quiet down. The guards will be here.」

There he was, Osby, a secret agent of Carls. But despite being warned, Edmond continued to raise his voice.

「What are you doing here now! It is because of you, it’s your fault, that I am being held captive!」

「…I told you. Elizabeth didn’t let her guard down.」

Osby’s tone changes dramatically. The change in atmosphere makes his throat feel tight, and Edmond shuts his mouth.

Osby slowly raised his head. His face was calm, but there was a clear anger emanating from his body.

「You still don’t understand why I’m here?」

Osby’s right hand wavered. The large lock on his cell broke in two and fell to the floor with a thud. In his right hand was a blunt knife. He steps into Edmond’s prison with it in his grip.

「Impossible… A–Any… one……」

When Edmond understood Osby’s purpose, he tried to raise his voice to call for help, but Osby had already closed the gap between each other in an instant.

When the guards came to check on a suspicious noise, all they saw was a broken prison cell and an image of Edmond with his throat ripped out and his body cut off.

On the same day, a fire broke out in the manor house of Count Jungk, killing Edmond’s mother and several other servants. No one noticed that several letters had disappeared from the burning building.