The Trash Lady Who Stole the Duke's First Night
Chapter 34
Carlos stuck a cigar between his lips, utterly ignoring Leon, and said only what he intended to say.
Leon ruffled his long hair, muttering about how ridiculous this was, before letting out a deep sigh and answering his question.
“…Still nothing. The other territories are in an uproar preparing for the epidemic as well, so gathering them won't be easy.”
It had already been seventeen years since the Magic Tower bolted its doors and went into seclusion. It was practically a famine of high-ranking wizards. It was difficult to recruit even healers, who were a rank below wizards.
Seeing that they remained closed off without making any approach toward Aquitaine, it was questionable whether the old Master of the Magic Tower was even alive.
Or perhaps he simply had no interest in his granddaughter…
“Double the salary and post the notice again. Run an additional investigation on how much more rainy season aid the merchants need.”
After giving the curt reply, Carlos looked at Toby.
“Assemble everyone this afternoon so I can explain the regular subjugation plan.”
“Tsk, it's already time for a subjugation. Commander, why not call Aquitaine, too? Aquitaine handles a sword reasonably well. If she gets some real combat experience to back it up, the kid will improve much faster—”
When Carlos narrowed his eyes sharply, Toby scratched the back of his neck vigorously and spoke again.
“She needs to get stronger so she takes less of our attention! How long are you going to keep assigning an escort to Aquitaine? Salah is high-level personnel! I'm asking, what kind of waste of troops is that?”
Raising his voice at Carlos, who wasn't even pretending to listen, Toby swung the training ground door wide open.
“Think about it, Commander. If you give Aquitaine a chance at real combat… What the fuck?”
Toby jumped backward. He was startled by the tiny thing he had almost stepped on. His jaw dropped so wide it looked as though his entire brain might fall out.
The knights in the training ground held their breath in absolute stillness—so quiet that the sound of falling dew would have rung loud.
Carlos, halting abruptly in the middle of the silent air, looked down at the dainty woman kneeling at his feet, even more speechless than Toby.
Sweating profusely across her forehead, the woman knelt on one knee, her right hand over her heart and her left hand holding a sword resting atop her knee.
……The posture of fealty.
Carlos closed his eyes at the sudden yet overwhelmingly familiar stance.
Soon after came the sound of a dagger tapping the floor, followed by a voice like a young goat that dug dreadfully into his ears.
“I, Elio Aquitaine, on the boundary between life and death—”
“…Stop.”
“—will stand against all who seek to harm my lord, and swear loyalty to the Young Duke of Schuppenhar—”
“I told you to stop.”
“—dt, pledging to become your—”
“Stop.”
“—loyal vassal!”
Having steadfastly finished the knight's oath despite Carlos's growling replies, Elio wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up at him. The once-silent knights whistled, and rowdy shouts urging him to accept her erupted all around.
Carlos stood with hands on his hips, clenching and unclenching his fists as he swallowed a low groan. The back of his neck tightened as if it might burst.
……This rabbit…
……Why is she losing her mind again at dawn?
“……You seem to have forgotten that you are engaged to me.”
His throat bobbed as Carlos reached out, wrapping an arm around the small woman's waist to lift her to her feet.
Babbling nonsense about a 'lord,' he exhaled a rough sigh through his teeth.
Glaring coldly at the excited knights across the training ground to see who had put such bizarre ideas into her head, he whispered into her ear like spitting out words.
“You asked me to treasure you.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Elio whispered back quickly at the sight of the man's contorted expression.
“A romance between a commander and a knight is a classic love story throughout the ages, so of course you can love a subordinate knight. It's not as though I can't wield a sword, so isn't joining the order entirely feasible?”
She tried to straighten her posture where she leaned against him, but he did not remove his hand from where he had drawn her in by the waist.
“I can also perform purification. Recruiting me—someone who knows both swordsmanship and magic—into the Robitan Knights would be a rational choice considering the current situation. Please cast aside your prejudice against me and think reasonably.”
“……Who put these ideas in your head? I have no idea what you're trying to pull.”
“…If you dislike it so much, then refuse me. I'm a rare talent who even knows basic magic, so is there really no place willing to take me as a squire? The Holy Knights, the Imperial Knights, commanders of other orders would all want me—”
The moment Elio, flushing bright red, pushed against his thick chest, Carlos drew his greatsword. Elio's eyes rounded, and she froze. His terrifying blade passed over her head, resting lightly first on her left shoulder, then on her right.
“Elio Aquitaine. Follow me.”
A beast-like, low voice resonated as if ready to sink teeth into the nape of her neck, and the tension drained from Elio's shoulders, which had gone rigid at the sudden touch of his blade.
“D-did you accept me? That was an acceptance ceremony just now, wasn't it?”
Elio beamed and looked up at him, but he took long strides away. Elio called out after him in surprise.
“Sir? Sir!”
The man walked without hesitation toward the main building. Elio dashed after him as he left her behind.
“Sir! Where are you going!”
The Duke's Castle's main building, a place she never wished to enter, drew closer. Built according to Gothic architecture a thousand years ago, its high ceilings, vertical spires, and immense, towering windows possessed a grandeur capable of intimidating a human—no, even a dragon—into feeling like an insect.
He stepped into the frigid lobby of the main building. Elio lingered by the entrance between the fierce Black Dragon statues.
“Come in.”
“Why? First of all, are you accepting me as a knight or not?”
If you don't want to, just say so…!
Since she couldn't use mana on humans yet, she couldn't act as a wizard or healer, but surely she could manage being a squire.
Elio moistened her trembling lips and stared at the tip of his chin.
“I won't know that until I test you. If you won't do it, go back.”
Carlos spoke coldly and turned his back.
At a loss, Elio watched the retreating man with mounting anxiety before finally stepping into the lobby.
“Y-you've already seen my swordsmanship skills. Everyone said I'm more than qualified to be a squire. And I can wield something like a boy's rapier.”
“…….”
“…Do you hate the idea of me becoming a knight? Weren't you the one who wanted me to become strong, Sir? I heard that if I roll under your command for half a year, I'd be able to beat down an ogre with ease.”
Following silently behind the man up the spiral staircase, her heart felt as if it would burst as they passed through the second-floor gallery corridor lined with dozens of framed portraits of former dukes and duchesses.
It felt as though they were barking at her, asking how a mere thing like her dared set foot in the great Duke's Castle, vowing to strike her dead on the honor of Schuppenhardt.
“Aren't you coming in?”
Elio looked hesitatingly at the man who had climbed all the way to a large bedroom on the third floor.
“You're going to test me in a bedroom? Just what are you…”
“Then go back.”
The moment he coldly moved to close the door, she grabbed the doorknob and took just half a step inside. Immediately, her widened eyes darted around the room.
The lobby and corridors had all been completely monochromatic and utterly dry. How was only this room… so pretty?
Yellow curtains and lavender silk bedding that did not match the bleak ducal residence in the slightest. Furniture adorned with intricate carvings that looked expensive at a single glance. An angel vase boasting graceful curves, and a teddy bear…
It was a charming and luxurious room that could easily pass for a princess's chamber.
Is it a guest bedroom…?
Feeling slightly relieved, she walked forward slowly and sat opposite Carlos.
In the middle of the room was another door, appearing to connect to an adjoining chamber. Glancing through the door, the connected room was also a bedroom. Monochromatic and monotonous…
“Drink.”
At the thick scent of rosemary, Elio tensed again and turned her head. The one placing the teacup before her was completely composed. She couldn't even begin to guess why he had come straight to this room from the training ground.
“If you had followed me into the Duke's Castle, this… is the room you would have used.”
He calmly sipped his tea while Elio blinked blankly. So it really is a guest bedroom.
“Why do you want to join Lobitan?”
Suddenly, he cut to the main point. She couldn't keep up with the thought process of a man who dragged her to this pretty room out of nowhere just to talk.
Out of all the reasons for choosing to become a squire, Elio offered the single most plausible one.
“…I… I heard the base pay is high. It's not that the money you gave me is insufficient, Sir, but… I have to save up diligently for my dowry and to buy a house.”
Among the many explanations Salah had given about Lobitan, Elio distinctly remembered the salary. To her, that sum was like a lifeline.
“And even if I only participate in monster subjugations from the rear, I can receive a special allowance…”
Reading his expression, Elio paused, straightened her back, and smiled softly.
“Of course, it's not solely because of money. Primarily, it's out of respect for Sir and the Robitan Knights, the dragon slayers—”
“Ah. You respect me?”
“Yes!”
Elio stared straight at him, her eyes speaking the exact opposite.
“Naturally, I respect you. You protected the safety of the Empire's people by subjugating the monsters and the corrupted Evil Dragon that plagued the South. Whether as a knight commander or as my precious fake lover, I always hold a heart full of respect.”
A soft scoff slipped past his lips.
Tapping the armrest with a long finger, he quietly watched the woman whose flushed skin had spread all the way down to her fair chest.
Under the silent man's gaze, Elio's throat tightened, and she forced herself to swallow dryly. The curtains billowed softly as a gentle breeze drifted into the room.
“…My mana manipulation has improved a lot, too. I'm practicing healing magic as well.”
Elio politely clasped her hands together.
“And wouldn't serving an outstanding person like you as my lord lead to true growth? Rather than bringing someone of untrustworthy identity into Lobitan, I think accepting a fiancée with a verified background would give you peace of mind, Sir.”
“Peace of mind? You think having you as my knight would give me peace of mind?”
Carlos twisted the corner of his mouth as if hearing something utterly absurd.
“Yes. Because I am definitely on your side, Sir.”
The cool breeze brushed against her warm cheeks. Feeling awkward with her neatly clasped hands, she touched the teacup once more.