Translator: Nox

Chapter 23

23. About Arthur2021.11.18.

The Marquis and Marchioness, who had been frantically powering through their schedule thanks to the ‘Arthur Special,’ were suddenly granted an unexpected break. It was something they hadn’t anticipated at all.

‘To think we’d get stood up……?’

Marquis Julius sat lost in thought, utterly dumbfounded. What on earth was going on? The Marchioness also seemed to find it strange, but the moment she had a spare minute, she dashed off to Christina, saying they needed to talk about Arthur. And so the Marquis was left alone in the reception room for the first time in ages, enjoying the rare quiet. The person they were scheduled to meet this time—during what was dubbed ‘Julius’s third banquet night’—was Harmen Count, one of the empire’s top high-ranking nobles. He was a fairly renowned figure with considerable prestige, had sent an impressively lavish and memorable congratulatory gift, and was the operator of a secret club that only the empire’s most honorable knights and heads of prestigious families could join. For Julius, it had seemed like the count might be proposing membership, so they had carved out this precious time slot.

……So why hadn’t he shown up?

Antonio Julius pondered deeply. Had he been offended because they’d expected him for the ‘second Julius’ invitation, only to schedule him for the ‘third’? Or had he lost interest upon learning in the reply that he wouldn’t get to see ‘Arthur and Christina’? But in the end, a connection with him would extend to Arthur as well, so building that tie alone held value. Plus, being invited to ‘Julius’s third’ was quite a boast-worthy title in itself. If his health truly wasn’t up to it, it would have been to his advantage to send a family member or proxy and ensure the meeting went ahead, framing it as having taken place. No matter how the Marquis turned it over in his mind, it made no sense. There was a line of people desperate to snag a spot before ‘Julius’s ninth.’ To give away a ‘third’ banquet slot, only for him to suddenly fall ill…… It was bizarre. He had sent a messenger with apologies, but still. Everyone knew full well how hard it was to get a meeting with me these days. Wasn’t it rude? He’d been showering them with gifts, desperate to meet……

“Milord.”

Just then, Head Butler Jim entered the reception room where the Marquis was seated, clutching a thick stack of today’s gazettes. Without a word, Jim handed the gazettes to Julius. Antonio Julius took them absentmindedly, without even glancing at the butler’s expression, and skimmed through them—only to suddenly widen his eyes in shock. 【Marquis Julius, Shoddy Supply Suspicions Confirmed?!】 【‘No Proper Supplies Provided’ – Veteran Soldier’s Exposé!】 【Testimonies Pour In on Shoddy Supply Suspicions!】 【Veteran J’s Anonymous Tip Reveals Shocking Supply Reality!】

“……!”

The hairs sticking out from the furious Marquis’s pomade quivered with rage. What infuriated him most was the final gazette. 【Julius, Qualified to Be Elector?】 Below it was a cartoonish caricature of an ugly Marquis depicted as a ridiculous pig. The Marquis’s eyes rolled back as he crumpled the gazettes as if to tear them to shreds and shot to his feet.

“You…… I’ll destroy those newspaper bastards myself!”

So that’s what this was! It was all because of this trashy newspaper!

“Contact the newspapers! Find out who this veteran witness is right now!”

The Marquis bellowed, kicking off from his seat to storm out—then halted abruptly.

“!”

No, wait.

“……No! Hold on, Jim.”

The Marquis waved a hand to stop the head butler who had hurriedly followed, then racked his brains as he came to a stop. ……It would look like I’m shooting myself in the foot. Rushing out the moment a negative article drops. If it looks like I’m ransacking the newspapers to shut them up, or silencing witnesses…… 【Julius, Qualified to Be Elector?】 The Marquis quickly straightened his neck with a resolute expression.

“An honorable Elector doesn’t stoop to such things.”

“……Pardon?”

Jim uttered a dazed response. The Marquis’s face was still flushed with anger, but he calmly lifted his chin, straightened his collar, and rephrased his order with dignified authority.

“Don’t do it. I’ll…… go see Supreme Commander Arthur.”

He mulled over his own words once more, then nodded crisply. He was now an ‘honorable Elector.’ With his newfound perspective on honor and power befitting an Elector, the Marquis had thought of a way to resolve this issue. He strode off with majestic steps. * * *

“He greeted you?”

The Marchioness shot up from the sofa in surprise, staring at Christina. Christina, who had entrusted her makeup to Marina and had her eyes closed as the brush worked its way across her face, opened them and smiled faintly at her reflection in the vanity mirror.

“Yes, Mother. But he didn’t really acknowledge me. He treated me like a total stranger right in front of everyone, standing me up like that.”

“He pretended not to know you?”

The Marchioness huffed hysterically, breathing heavily.

“And? You just let it slide?”

Christina hummed a little tune.

“I told him we weren’t strangers—we’d met just a few days ago, after all.”

“And?”

“He said it wasn’t quite enough to call us acquaintances. Ha ha.”

The Marchioness reacted sharply.

“Did that humiliate you again?”

Christina let out a small chuckle.

“No, not at all. If anything, he treated me with utmost respect.”

Fluttering her long lashes, Christina continued.

“It was late in the evening, so he said he couldn’t rudely entertain an unannounced visit from a lady he barely knew. He was quite the gentleman. I liked it.”

“…….”

The Marchioness rolled her eyes, gauging the meaning behind Arthur’s words. Christina went on with a smile.

“Honestly, I went in prepared for the humiliation from a few days ago in front of everyone. But he didn’t seem intent on completely shutting me out. He’s got quite the skill at push and pull. Well, my impression of him has shifted quite favorably now.”

The Marchioness leaned back on the sofa with a dissatisfied sigh.

“……At least you like him. That’s something.”

Christina fell silent as Marina applied lipstick, then continued.

“I told him I’d visit again properly at a more appropriate hour and withdrew.”

The Marchioness eyed Christina with displeasure and muttered.

“……When did she handle that so neatly? I thought she’d hole up in her room the moment she got back upstairs.”

Christina grinned brightly.

“Mommy. I’m not seventeen anymore. I know my duties as a noble lady.”

The Marchioness inwardly took her grown daughter’s drawn-out “Mommy~” as subtle charm, feeling a bit pleased, but she snorted anyway.

“Hmph. Other people’s daughters know their duties even at seventeen. What’s so great about you, only cleaning up your mess now at twenty-two?”

Christina burst into soft laughter.

“I’m sorry about that. But who could’ve predicted this? Honestly, even if I could turn back time, I doubt I’d think accepting that humiliating marriage back then was my duty. Not even for the family.”

“…….”

It hadn’t been appropriate for her station before. Truth be told, the Marchioness had opposed the marriage vehemently back then too. Christina continued.

“But now I like him. His background, his attitude, his looks. Even the way he haughtily brushes me off. It suits me.”

Christina tilted her face this way and that, admiring herself in the mirror.

“Isn’t it charming how he won’t just gloss over the past insult and neatly gets revenge for it?”

Christina lifted the corners of her mouth.

“I like that he seems a better match than some fool. Better than playing the sucker with someone whose personality clashes. We have to spend our lives together, after all—better if he’s likable. I found his attitude amusing.”

Ha. The Marchioness couldn’t help laughing in exasperation at her daughter’s words. But on the other hand, seeing her daughter so calm and bold, unlike her own anxious, burning impatience, made her feel newly reassured, easing her unease and tension. Christina’s voice went on.

“As for how he was before, I’ll have to humor him and gently coax him out of it for a while…….”

Christina smiled brightly, confirming her perfect reflection in the mirror.

“But eventually, it’ll all just be fond memories, won’t it?”

* * * While Arthur had crossed to his private reception room, saying he’d have a quick word with his subordinates. Left alone on the bed, Reina stealthily unfolded the note from within the covers. Doctor Lorenson had slipped it under the blanket while tending to the wound on her forehead, avoiding the knight’s eyes. 【Taylor has arrived home safely. Don’t worry.】 【If you have something to say about Sir Arthur, leave a note. I’ll help.】

“…….”

A note worded so it could be brushed off without issue even if discovered. Reina easily inferred the meaning between the lines. <Taylor has started taking care of your grandmother. Now it’s your turn to keep your promise.> <Find Sir Arthur’s weakness, leave it in a note, and pass it to me. I’ll relay it to the Marchioness.>

“…….”

So that’s it. With Sir Arthur right there guarding her, there’d be no excuse to meet the Marchioness often—so she’d wondered what to do. A deep sigh escaped her. She’d thought if she couldn’t meet frequently, she could put it off somehow……. But with this arrangement to pass notes via Doctor Lorenson…… there was no excuse to delay. She saw Doctor Lorenson every day. If he was waiting like this, then at minimum, within a few days……. Something, anything, even if it wasn’t much…….

“…….”

Overwhelmed by the hopelessness, Reina sighed repeatedly. A weakness……. Sir Arthur’s weakness.

“…….”

Reina hugged her knees and buried her face in them. ……I don’t want to do it.

“…….”

She’d thought the offer was generous enough to make her willing to bury her bones in the Marquis’s household……. She’d thought she’d gladly do it if they took care of Grandmother. No matter how hard she tried to think only of Grandmother, it didn’t make her happy. And besides, Reina hadn’t learned anything about him in the first place. Other than that he was incredibly handsome, kind, cared for his comrades, and was a good person…….

“…….”

Wait……. He cares for his comrades? Could that maybe be a weakness……? Reina hesitated.

“…….”

But she soon concluded that she couldn’t write something like that. That would be…… too awful. It would sound like holding his comrades hostage to blackmail and force Sir Arthur into anything. That’s too much. She couldn’t bring herself to write it.

“…….”

The Marchioness probably doesn’t expect me to magically uncover Sir Arthur’s weakness in just a few days anyway, right? So even if it’s not exactly a weakness……. At least something to show I’m gathering information for her…… Reina hesitated, then forced herself to come up with one line. 「He changes his clothes very quickly.」

“…….”

That sounds stupid. Reina sighed deeply again, her knees buckling. ……Sir Arthur doesn’t have any weaknesses. But with the Marchioness having sent a doctor and Taylor for Grandmother, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut forever, claiming she’d learned nothing.

“…….”

The Marchioness had said she’d let Reina meet Taylor often to talk. And Reina had many questions about Grandmother’s condition she wanted to ask and discuss. To do that, she had to tell the Marchioness something about Arthur. Anything…… something only someone close by could know…… something that offered hope she might learn something better later…….

“…….”

He seems to trust people like Sir Tristan and Sir Kay? No. That’s bad for the same reason as before. Not something that awful. After agonizing for a long time, Reina tentatively came up with another uncertain line. 「……He doesn’t seem to be swayed by a woman’s appearance.」 Knock knock. Reina quickly hid the note under the sheets.

“Yes.”

Arthur entered shortly after.