40 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
The Grand Duke’s Bride is a Warrior from Hell 40
No noble would want to be on bad terms with Grand Duke Tessen.
The Grand Duke, who was said to be as stiff as wood, showered his betrothed with all sorts of betrothal gifts.
The Emperor and Empress also had great expectations for the future Grand Duchess.
Being the younger sister of the Imperial Concubine who bore the Emperor’s first child, the daughter of the Chief Minister, and from a prestigious family were all impressive, but not comparable to being the Grand Duchess.
After all, Viviana herself wouldn’t be bearing an imperial grandchild.
Among the nobles, engaging in petty squabbles and the relatively powerful looking down on or mocking others was shameful but commonplace.
“Let’s go.”
Pretending not to notice the chilly atmosphere, the maidservant naturally moved forward.
“……”
Alisha was dumbfounded by the low-grade slander, but she followed the maidservant’s lead for now.
This was the Imperial Concubine's residence, inside the Imperial Palace.
Making a fuss wouldn’t do any good.
Those who had already heard one side’s false incitement would have already divided into perpetrator and victim in their minds, making it difficult to determine right from wrong immediately.
Arguing over who was right and who was wrong without evidence would only make the person known as the perpetrator look foolish.
As Alisha moved, whispers arose from behind.
“Did you see that?”
“Oh, my……”
Words of sympathy rippled through the air in response to the sorrowful voice.
“I tried to be more friendly to hide my embarrassment, but because she found it annoying, well……”
Viviana diligently unleashed her pitiful act.
Her voice flowed smoothly, as if she were recounting a real event.
“She even slapped me for blocking the path a little, sob.”
Viviana planned to throw Alisha into the mud altogether at this opportunity.
“……”
Alisha turned back.
The initiation of a newcomer into noble society.
She had heard of cases where someone was isolated by finding fault without reason.
But she didn’t expect it to be so childish and low-level.
When rumors circulated, she felt frustrated because intangible words were floating around, but she hadn’t truly felt it.
She had even laughed at the absurd defamation.
She had thought that the whispering she could hear right next to her was just part of being famous.
But she never imagined that someone would spread lies as if they were true right in front of her face, turning her into a terrible person.
It was appalling that a grown adult was doing something that even seven or eight-year-olds knew was wrong.
The people around her who agreed with the blatant and vile nonsense without question seemed like the same kind of people.
That’s why noble society was never purified.
Alisha’s mind turned cold.
“I slapped you?”
A chilling voice rang out from behind Viviana.
“……”
Viviana, who had been pretending to cry sadly, stopped moving.
Her face, as she turned her gaze to the side, was full of bewilderment.
She seemed surprised that Alisha, whom she thought had already left, was right next to her, having been startled by the sudden slander.
Although rumors were circulating, Alisha Lane’s most famous title was that of the angelic future Grand Duchess.
The angelic figure who melted the heart of the fearsome and stern Grand Duke.
Those who had seen Alisha coming and going from the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Concubine's residence thought that, while she might not be an angel, her face, exchanging greetings and smiling, was warm.
“Oh……”
“Th-that……”
Those who saw Alisha could only utter fragmented sounds.
A ruthless north wind blew over the face with delicate features and a voice known to be warm and considerate.
The bleak face shot murderous intent in all directions.
Viviana was also taken aback by the face that was completely different from the one she had seen fleetingly.
But having prepared for various situations, she smoothly uttered words.
“Lady Alisha. Wh-what are you suddenly saying? I don’t know what you’re, ack!”
Before she could politely say that Alisha was mistaken, that her ears were playing tricks on her, or that she was slandering her, a swift hand struck Viviana’s face with a resounding smack!
“Gasp!”
“…What was that……”
“……!”
The eyes of those gathered in the garden grew as large as fists.
Although countless plots seethed within the Imperial Palace, it was extremely rare for things to escalate to violence.
Even noble ladies known to be great fighters wouldn’t dare to engage in physical fights in the Imperial Palace or the Imperial Concubine's residence.
“Do you think my ears are playing tricks on me, Lady Viviana?”
A calm voice, as if violence hadn’t been committed, spoke.
“Y-you……”
Viviana, who had been slapped by Alisha, collapsed to the ground.
It had happened in an unexpected moment.
Viviana was shedding tears without even realizing it.
The noble ladies and young ladies were thrown into confusion by the sudden and brutal violence.
It was too sudden.
The minor squabbles between nobles had turned into a violent incident without warning.
The Imperial Palace maids, who had barely regained their senses, backed away.
Some went to inform their masters and the head maid.
“You were talking so well earlier, why are you silent now, Lady Viviana? I slapped you?”
At Alisha’s words, the nobles’ gazes scattered in disarray.
It was only natural that she couldn’t speak, having been slapped off guard.
Whether she had been slapped as Viviana had claimed, everyone had just seen Alisha Lane slap Viviana Manners.
“……Y-you did……”
Viviana was just crying blankly.
Even while crying, Viviana desperately tried to respond.
But soon, tears burst out, and she couldn’t continue speaking properly.
“You’re making up nonsense very creatively. The slap I just gave you only used one-fifth of my strength. Get up. I’ll slap you with my full strength. If I had slapped you, you wouldn’t be able to walk.”
Alisha spoke with an unwavering attitude.
“……”
“……”
The nobles, who had gradually regained their senses, cautiously backed away.
When Viviana collapsed just now, there was a clear thud! The ground seemed to shake.
It might be a bluff, but since she could unleash such destructive power using only one-fifth of her original strength, it was best to avoid her for now.
And the fact that it didn’t seem like a bluff at all was even more frightening.
Viviana had been trying to get up ever since she was slapped and collapsed, but she couldn’t stand.
“I’ve heard all sorts of rumors, but I can’t tolerate everything. To hear people gossiping about things I didn’t even do right in front of me is absurd. Did you think it would be okay to spread nonsense in front of the person involved?”
Alisha’s warm voice rang out sharply.
“Who spread rumors! Are you slandering me now, Lady Alisha?”
Viviana raised her voice, struggling to lift her slumped body.
Those gathered around moved back a little more.
As they did, they reflected on what they had said about the future Grand Duchess.
They thought and thought again about whether they had shown light agreement or an excessive reaction earlier.
“I slapped you? It wouldn’t be so unfair if I actually slapped you and then rumors spread. Since everyone seems to have heard it, I’ve slapped you as the rumors say. Get up. I’ll slap you properly, with my full strength. Let’s see what happens.”
Alisha spoke in a low voice that sounded like a growl.
Those gathered around felt goosebumps at the ominous voice.
Viviana’s eyes wavered with terror.
Just then, a splendid entourage approached from afar.
“His Majesty the Emperor is here!”
At the chief steward’s cry, those standing in disarray all bowed in unison.
“Your Majesty, we greet the most noble one.”
As the nobles bowed in unison, Viviana’s tearful eyes gleamed.
As if her wish had been granted, the Emperor walked through the bowing nobles toward Viviana and Alisha.
“Your Majesty!”
At the tearful voice, the Emperor frowned.
He gestured for the nobles to rise and approached Viviana and Alisha.
“Count Echeveria. Lady Viviana. What is the meaning of this in my Imperial Concubine's residence?”
Alisha bowed once more.
“Your Majesty……”
Viviana, as if she had found someone on her side, wore a triumphant face with an overlay of sorrow.
The onlookers, who had been frozen by the sudden situation, sparkled with curiosity at the Emperor’s appearance.
No matter how powerful Alisha was, she wouldn’t be able to wield violence further in front of the Emperor.
The Emperor silenced Viviana, who was about to complain, with a single gesture.
At his gaze, a maid from the Empress Palace stepped forward.
Viviana, her eyes brimming with tears, recognized the Empress Palace maid and glared at her with wide eyes.
“Your Majesty. Lady Viviana said that she approached Lady Alisha to build a friendship at an unknown time and place, but Lady Alisha did not accept her. Lady Viviana said that despite being embarrassed, she showed friendliness again, but Lady Alisha slapped Lady Viviana for blocking the path.”
Viviana distorted her expression at the maid’s words but didn’t express her dissatisfaction.
“In response, Lady Alisha said that such a thing was nonsense and slapped Lady Viviana. She said that since rumors had spread, she would act according to the rumors. Furthermore, Lady Alisha said that the strength she used just now was only one-fifth of her power. Lady Alisha claimed that if she used her full strength as Lady Viviana claimed, Lady Viviana would not be able to walk.”
The Emperor’s expression grew bizarre as he listened.
The actions Viviana had taken were common bullying often experienced by newcomers to noble society.
But Alisha’s actions were unlike those of any newcomer.
“It’s too childish to listen to everything. Escort the ladies to the Audience Chamber. Since this happened in the Imperial Concubine's residence, I will entrust the Empress with the investigation. Have Marquis Manners and Marquis Reine come. Have the Imperial family members who have entered the palace attend. From now on, ensure that there are no outsiders in the Imperial Concubine's residence. Everyone, withdraw.”
The Emperor spoke to those around him.
“We withdraw.”
The nobles, who had been sparkling their eyes, quickly retreated, seeing the Emperor’s displeasure.
“Your Majesty, I am wronged……!”
Viviana tried to grab the Emperor, who was about to turn away.
Viviana’s face was desperate because it wouldn’t be good for her if the Empress presided over the investigation.
“Let the injustice be resolved soon.”
The Emperor turned away without giving her a chance.
The chief steward and the head maid stood appropriately to prevent the two ladies from fighting again.
The maids surrounded Alisha and Viviana.
Alisha cursed inwardly as she followed the Emperor’s entourage.
Damn it.
The Audience Chamber prepared by the Emperor was not the Grand Audience Chamber but a small Audience Chamber.
At the end of the long, rectangular Audience Chamber, the seats of honor for the Emperor and Empress were prepared.
Around the seats of honor were tables and chairs for the attendees.
Two short chairs were placed at a distance from the seats of honor.
These were chairs for Alisha and Viviana.
The low chairs gave a strange sense of humiliation, but Alisha didn’t care.
The Emperor and Empress entered the Audience Chamber side by side, holding hands.
Marquis Lennox and Count Istevna, who had received the imperial order, had also entered the Audience Chamber early.
Next to arrive was Marquis Manners.
“Viviana! What happened that you were hit?”
The Chief Minister seemed to cherish his youngest daughter very much.
Viviana, who had been overflowing with hypocrisy while pretending to be aggrieved, looked up at her father with a genuinely tearful face.
As Viviana was about to pour out her words, the Emperor cleared his throat from the seat of honor.
“Marquis, we have not yet determined right from wrong. Do not make a fuss and take your seat.”
“……Yes, Your Majesty.”
