Translator: Nox

112 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper

Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Episode 112

==========

Sir Ayres, whom I hadn't seen in months, was still beautiful and dashing. The way he sat on the sofa, lost in thought, made me think he looked like a painting.

An ordinary woman would have swooned and fainted at his appearance, but I found it quite strange that I felt nothing at all when I looked at his face.

Today, very unusually, he was wearing a Redingote and trousers instead of his Order of Knights uniform. The outfit, made of reddish silk with amber buttons, suited his sculpted, cool face very well.

Sir Ayres was the epitome of a cold beauty until he made eye contact with me, as if that was his usual expression.

But when I called out, "Sir Ayres," he melted into a smile like snow in the spring sun and stood up. The contrast was so great that even I couldn't take my eyes off his face.

"It's been a while. Thank you for allowing me to visit."

I thought his words were absurd. Allowing him? Wasn't this a visit that he had forced upon me with his persistent demands? But Sir Ayres was acting as if I had invited him, pretending not to know.

I thought about sarcastically asking him when I had ever done that, but I stopped myself, remembering the old me who was elated or crestfallen by every word of the person she admired. Instead, I told Marie to bring tea and led him to a seat.

Funnily enough, Michael Ayres was acting like a boy entering puberty. He reacted greatly to my every little gesture, acting like a complete novice.

That's why it was hard to believe that he stood aloof like a flower on a cliff among the assertive women of society. Come to think of it, even when I kissed the back of his hand before, he groaned as if he was about to die.

Anyway, we had to have a conversation, but there was nothing in particular I could talk about. It wasn't that I was curious about him.

However, he seemed to feel differently. Michael Ayres diligently began to spill out things that had happened in the Order of Knights or while practicing swordsmanship, watching my reaction. He was blurting out stories that were poorly organized and almost incoherent.

Do people know that Michael Ayres, the Knight of Ice, is such a poor conversationalist?

But the very fact that he was trying so hard was so admirable that I couldn't help but listen to his story until the end. It was obvious that he was putting in a lot of effort. It seemed that Sir Ayres really didn't want to just be encouraged and then part ways, as he had written in his letter.

So, I nodded slightly and used other gestures to show that I was listening attentively. Even when a somewhat boring story—about the Order of Knights—came up, I added appropriate interjections as if I were interested.

But even that could only go so far, and our conversation was reaching an unbearable level.

It wasn't that his story was uninteresting, but rather that it kept reminding me of the old me who used to chatter away in front of Sir Halberd to get his attention. Sis, the foolish Sis who babbled on about things she didn't even understand in order to catch his eye and get his attention.

The way I hid my true nature and smiled brightly to please the other person was also like that. Michael Ayres was a more complete version of Sis, who was less pitiful and less pathetic.

If Sir Ayres hadn't brought up the story about what happened with the Crown Prince, I might have told him to stop already.

Michael Ayres smiled gently, calling his relationship with the Crown Prince an "unfortunate one." He said that he had met him when he was young, following his father, and it had continued until now.

He confessed that he still couldn't forget the words the young Crown Prince had said to him: "You, become my hand. Then I will bestow upon you the greatest pride a knight can experience."

"From then on, I decided to become his sword."

The combination of the rigid and cool-headed Michael Ayres and the lecherous and even cruel Iovalde Diboshe Echinacia had a contrasting atmosphere that was strangely fitting.

But according to Sir Ayres, the Crown Prince as a lord was not only bolder than anyone else, but also had innovative and progressive ideas, so he couldn't help but be captivated as one of his vassals.

Even though he acted like a playboy, he was more thorough than anyone else when it came to the things he had to do, so he just ended up trusting him. Even putting aside his personality.

Sir Ayres' face was shining with pride and trust in the Crown Prince.

Occasionally, he would frown—when he had been tormented by the Crown Prince—and make a troubled expression, but most of the time, his face was filled with pride in his lord.

I was surprised that their bond was stronger than I thought. I had been imagining the relationship of a knight nagging and chasing after a reckless Crown Prince, but their relationship, which maintained a horizontal line when it came to friendship, was very surprising.

"But he's a mischievous person."

I subtly revealed to him that I had met the Crown Prince before. Then, Michael Ayres looked at me with a serious expression and asked if I had met the Crown Prince. He was worried about me, as Iovalde Diboshe Echinacia was famous for flirting with many women.

"Pulcher invited me before. I met him while taking a walk in the garden."

"What do you mean by 'mischievous'?"

"Does there need to be a meaning? Since it was our first meeting, I was so flustered that I couldn't even dare to lift my head, but he grabbed my chin and made me look him in the eye."

"And how did that make you feel?"

He asked me with a noticeably anxious expression. He seemed worried that I might have fallen for him, as the Crown Prince was famous for attracting both men and women.

His hand, which was resting on his lap, was already curled into a fist. So, I told him honestly.

"I was scared."

"...You said you were scared?"

"Yes. I was scared. So, I'm worried about whether I'll be able to greet him face-to-face even if I meet him again."

"Forgive my rudeness, but did he do anything to threaten you?"

He was about to go and confront the Crown Prince right away if I said yes. It wasn't just that his brow was deeply furrowed and his upper body was leaning forward as if he was about to jump out.

Sir Ayres didn't seem to care that the person I was talking about was the "Crown Prince of the Empire." He was acting as casually as if he was going to scold a neighbor.

This was an attitude that only the Crown Prince's confidant could have, and it was a clear indication of how informal the two of them were.

I shook my head and said, "He didn't. I just thought he was a scary person from the moment I saw him. So, I'm a little worried. I'm also sad."

"What is it that pains you, my lady?"

"If you hear it, you'll definitely think I'm being frivolous. You might laugh at me for doing something useless."

"No, how could I dare to laugh at your actions?"

I feigned sadness and welled up with tears. At the same time, I made him anxious by hesitating, moving my lips, and bowing my head.

"You said before that you knew about my reputation. So, I won't bother telling you what position I'm in now. It will only make me feel ashamed."

"My lady, perhaps..."

I nodded weakly as if his guess was correct. And I continued to speak.

"Roena has been admiring the Crown Prince for a long time. So, she often told me about him. Like many noble ladies in the Empire. So, when I met the Crown Prince the other day, I made the mistake of blurting out Roena's name without realizing it. Not only that, but I even lied to Roena that I had a very intimate conversation with the Crown Prince."

In fact, what did I care whether Roena liked the Crown Prince or not? No, it wasn't my business who she admired. Even if that person was Michael Ayres. That's why I could make up stories so naturally.

In fact, the reason why Roena could have become the Crown Princess in the past was because the Crown Prince had feelings for her. Therefore, what I was saying now was a clever mix of the future that would one day come to pass, so it couldn't all be said to be a lie.

"I just wanted to become close to her. I had to. But things have turned out this way, and now I don't know what to do. My heart aches when I think of Roena being disappointed in me. So, I've been afraid every day. But today, you came to me like this."

"Me?"

"Yes. Sir Ayres. Maybe you can help me."

"How can I help you?"

This innocent knight asked back eagerly, as if he was happy that he could be of help to me.

Surprisingly, Sir Ayres didn't think it was strange at all that I had poured out my feelings in line with the story about the Crown Prince.

His senses, which were usually sharp when it came to other women, were unusually dulled today.

"I want to make Roena happy. To do that, I'll have to tell her a lot about the Crown Prince. But how would I know all that information?"

After finishing my words, I deliberately stared at his face. It was as if I was passing the choice on to him.

Michael Ayres was staring intently at me. Probably to see if I was interested in the Crown Prince or not.

"...If I help you, will you no longer be sad?"

After a while, Sir Ayres opened his mouth and asked. Just like the old me, he was probably just filled with the desire to help me unconditionally.

Because in front of the person you love, reason and everything else are paralyzed, and you can't even think properly.

So, he was daring to pass on the information about the Crown Prince to me. He was comforting himself that it was nothing, and that's how he was collapsing.

Therefore, it would be wrong to apologize in my heart and have a pre-emptive absolution.

Compassion or guilt towards Sir Ayres would be nothing more than self-defense to avoid this situation.

That's why it was better to consistently maintain the title of a bad woman for now, bearing the criticism that would come later.

"Yes. Please do that. Then I'll be much happier. Because of you."

Then, Michael Ayres smiled brightly, as if he couldn't be happier. It was another way of expressing the word "happiness."

After that, Michael Ayres politely requested that I come to watch the swordsmanship competition. He asked me to sit in the arena and cheer him on.

"Without cheering for your family's knight?"

I smiled gently and said jokingly. And I added, "People say that Sir Halberd and Sir Ayres will meet in the finals." It wasn't just that everyone in the Empire regarded the two of them as rivals.

"Yes, please cheer for me. Then I will put the most shining Floral Crown given to the winner on your head."

"Then what should I give you?"

"Kiss the back of my hand like before. If I receive the Blessing of the Goddess, I will have nothing to fear."

I stood up and approached Sir Ayres. I couldn't possibly refuse to do this much since he was going to tell me about the Crown Prince.

"Which hand do you hold the sword with?"

He held out his right hand. I took his hand and slowly lowered my face onto the back of his hand. The sensation of the rough skin touching my lips and the faint breath spreading between them created a strange feeling.

When I looked up after the kiss, Sir Ayres' face was flushed red.

"Win. And put the Floral Crown on my head."

I uttered words that might be empty. After all, Sir Halberd would be the winner, but I thought it wasn't bad to say it this way.