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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Confrontation in the Grand Plaza
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As I let out a deep sigh, Piache stopped talking mid-sentence and glanced at me nervously.
“Um… should, should I stop talking?”
No, please continue.
Listening to your voice seems to make me feel better.
“Piache.”
“Yes?”
“As your sponsor, I have the right to be involved in all aspects of your life. Do you understand what that means?”
“Uh, no…”
“It means that from now on, you are to report to me what happens at the academy.”
“Re-report?”
“Keep talking.”
“Oh, okay!”
Piache chattered on excitedly until she ran out of things to say and fell silent.
The inside of the carriage grew quiet again. The gloom I had briefly forgotten returned.
Swallowing a sigh, I cast my gaze out the window.
We happened to be passing through the Grand Plaza. I saw a large crowd of men gathered there.
‘How unusual.’
Their builds were anything but ordinary.
Every one of them was brawny and muscular, their skin glistening with a sun-kissed bronze tan.
They had white cloths tied firmly around their foreheads and wore similar, uniform-like clothes.
‘They don’t look like protestors…’
Noticing my gaze, Luna looked outside and explained without my having to ask.
“Judging by their work clothes, they must be workers dispatched from the Construction Guild.”
“The Construction Guild…”
“They said they were redeveloping the Grand Plaza. Seeing it like this makes it feel real.”
Redevelopment? Only then did I take in the surrounding situation.
Building materials were piled up around the Grand Plaza, and white tents that looked like offices were set up here and there.
I quirked an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
“You’re aware that the Grand Plaza is undergoing a major redevelopment to commemorate His Majesty’s 56th anniversary, aren’t you?”
How could I not be?
I had risked my life to stop the insane plan to erect a golden statue of myself in the center of the plaza.
“It seems they’re about to begin the construction. I heard they plan to work on the other parts first, without waiting for the jewels to be ready.”
“Jewels?”
“Apparently, the Imperial Family bought up all the top-grade jewels on the market for the construction, but it still wasn’t nearly enough. These days, you can’t go to a dress shop without hearing everyone complain about how hard it is to find jewels.”
Why on earth would they need so many jewels for the plaza’s construction?
A sudden chill ran down my neck.
As if reading my mind, Luna continued.
“Ah, I heard the jewels are materials for the statue of the hero, Lady Adela Helsington. It was apparently passed with a unanimous vote at the Nobles’ Council.”
“...!”
My face instantly contorted into a frown.
They decided to build the statue?
I stared up at the clear sky visible outside the window.
‘That’s strange. I’m sure I attended the Nobles’ Council and cast a vote against it…’
Why is this different from the meeting’s outcome as I know it? Where did my opinion disappear to?
Thinking I was interested in the construction, Luna went on with her calm explanation.
“But the bigger problem, they say, is not sourcing the jewels but melting the gold. There’s a rumor going around that they’re recruiting fire-type mages because there’s a shortage of blacksmiths.”
“…”
“Just how much gold are they planning to melt that they need to resort to magic? Everyone is looking forward to it. They say the statue will be a truly magnificent sight once it’s erected.”
Not magnificent, but a monstrosity.
A ten-meter-tall gold statue has no artistic value beyond the price of its weight in gold.
If anything, it would be an eyesore, difficult to even look at because of the glare.
To put something like that in the Grand Plaza. Are the nobles of this country really that clueless?
‘Wait a minute. The timing is off.’
The Nobles’ Council was only a few days ago.
But they’re already gathering gold and preparing to melt it?
That’s absurd. It was clearly prepared in advance.
‘The Nobles’ Council was just for show. The statue’s construction was a done deal, regardless of the meeting’s outcome.’
“The construction hasn’t officially started yet, but with the workers showing up frequently and the building materials arriving one after another, it really feels like the redevelopment is underway.”
Indeed.
If it was a foregone conclusion, why did I have to cast my lonely vote against it and even get choked by Leonhart?
Just then, a group of men poured out of a tent set up in the plaza.
From their resplendent attire, they looked like nobles.
[Oh? Rian, do you see Leonhart in that group? What’s he doing there?]
I was already glaring at Leonhart before Undine sent her telepathic message.
How could my eyes not be drawn to him when he stood a full head taller than everyone else?
I wanted to avoid Leonhart if at all possible. I tried my best to stay out of his sight.
I understood the murderous intent he held for Adrianne, after all.
And frankly, I didn’t want to be murdered.
‘But if you’re going to act like this, there’s no way I can avoid you! Unanimous vote, my foot! Is the Nobles’ Council a joke?!’
I slapped the wall of the carriage. Luna’s eyes widened as she asked.
“Are you getting off here?”
“Yes.”
The carriage came to an abrupt halt.
“My lady, I shall accompany you…”
“Stay in the carriage with Piache.”
“…Yes.”
Leaving Piache and Luna to wait, I stepped out alone.
The gazes of the passersby focused on me.
They seemed surprised to see a flashy woman emerge from such an unusual carriage.
I could hear murmurs from all around.
I quickened my pace. Fortunately, we were right next to the Grand Plaza, so I quickly closed the distance to the group of nobles.
“Huh? Isn’t that Duke Ivrante over there?”
“First the First Prince, and now the Duke? The interruptions never cease.”
“Be quiet. You wouldn’t want His Highness to have to apologize again because of a slip of your tongue.”
As they were supporters of Leonhart, the atmosphere was hardly welcoming.
I walked through their piercing glares and approached Leonhart.
Only then did Leonhart turn his head to look at me. His brow creased at once.
“Duke Ivrante, I believe I made myself clear last time. You must not have been listening properly.”
The part about staying away from you? I wanted to listen.
If you hadn’t been trying to build a statue of me, I wouldn’t have had to face you like this.
[Step 2: (Lifting her chin with a haughty expression) I heard you perfectly, Your Highness. I simply chose not to obey.]
“I heard you perfectly, Your Highness. I was simply unable to obey because I have something to say. I hope you can spare me a moment.”
I worried I had altered the prompt too much, but thankfully, there was no penalty.
My physical condition was already at its worst from the penalty I’d received in Luspell’s lab. I was running on willpower alone.
So I had to be extremely careful. Unless I wanted to collapse in the middle of the street.
Contrary to my hopes, Leonhart was merciless.
“I don’t have time.”
“Don’t you have much to say to me as well, Your Highness?”
“I do not.”
“Your Highness.”
“I don’t have time. This is the third time I’ve said it.”
I was trying to suppress my anger and speak gently in a humble posture, but Leonhart was not cooperating at all.
His eyes, filled with distrust, told me enough.
‘I’m not trying to pull anything on you, you know? Just talk to me!’
I get that you don’t want to exchange words with the woman who stalked you for twelve years after earmarking you as her husband-to-be, but that’s not my fault, is it?
I forced the corners of my trembling lips into a smile.
“Very well, Your Highness. If you wish, I will say it here.”
“Go on.”
“I heard that the statue’s construction has been decided. I seem to recall I was firmly against it, so what happened?”
“Did you come here to threaten me?”
“I have no intention of obstructing a project you’re promoting, Your Highness. I’m only asking you to cancel the statue’s construction.”
“Stop wasting my time and go back.”
[Step 2: (Scoffing) Then may I return and file a formal complaint? That a member of the imperial family ignored a Duke’s officially cast vote of opposition in the Nobles’ Council.]
The prompt was tantamount to picking a fight.
But already feeling slighted, I followed the prompt exactly as it was.
“Then may I return and file a formal complaint? That a member of the imperial family ignored a Duke’s officially cast vote of opposition in the Nobles’ Council.”
“Be my guest. Just don’t do it to me.”
“Your Highness!”
It was then.
[Step 3: (Shaking her head as if looking at something pathetic) Do you really think you can resolve your guilt over failing to protect Adela Helsington this way? This isn’t the academy. You should know how to separate public and private matters.]
“...!”
The searing anger that had been boiling inside me instantly vanished.
‘So that was it?’
I had wondered why Leonhart was pushing this forward, knowing I would hate it…
‘You felt guilty about my death too? Just like Luspell?’
In the end, I was the cause of the change in Leonhart as well.
I couldn’t utter a word. That prompt was like poking Leonhart’s wound with an awl.
[Step 3: (Shaking her head as if looking at something pathetic) Do you really think you can resolve your guilt over failing to protect Adela Helsington this way? This isn’t the academy. You should know how to separate public and private matters.]
The prompt appeared again.
I shook my head and stepped back.
“Why did you stop talking? Continue.”
“Wa-wait… d-don’t come any closer!”
“Anyone watching would think I’m threatening the Duke right now.”
Leonhart approached with a smirk.
The nobles who had been watching us also laughed, as if in disbelief.
But I couldn’t hear a thing.
‘My heart… I-I can’t breathe.’
I gasped for air and stretched out an arm to stop him from coming closer.
“Th-that kind of thing… l-let’s talk about it again later…”
Before I could finish my sentence, a clot of blood surged up my throat.
“…Keuk!”
I hurriedly covered my mouth, but it was no use.
Blood sprayed from my lips.
“What is this… blood?”
Leonhart’s voice faded quickly.
I felt my body tipping forward.
“Duke!”
My consciousness was sucked into a deep darkness.
