Chapter 112
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 112
―Miel Barony.
The Coachman whom Ian had smuggled out fortunately arrived at Miel Barony safely, and thanks to that, the Miel Baron was able to communicate with Blaire Grand Duke's direct Aide through a communication channel.
As a result, April and her entourage, escorted by the 3rd Knight Order, were able to borrow the Miel Baron's villa.
However, there were dark shadows gathering downstairs in secret while April, who had fallen asleep first due to the grueling schedule, and that problematic "one person" slumbered....
"Commander, why are you summoning us at this late hour?!"
"Indeed. If we're to attend to such an esteemed person, we need to wake up early!"
"Ugh! I'm exhausted from departing at dawn yesterday, so what's all this commotion in the middle of the night, really!"
"Can't we hold our gatherings during the day, during the day!"
They were none other than the 3rd Knight Order.
They hurled complaints at Randolph, who had awakened them in the dead of night and summoned them.
However.
"Everyone, stop what you're doing!"
Randolph's commanding voice rang out, steadied by deep breathing.
"This is not the time for this. An emergency has arisen!"
"What emergency now, Commander? Because of that blasted emergency, we couldn't sleep at dawn and came to escort the future Grand Duchess."
Colbert, the vice-commander, grumbled while picking at his nose irritably.
The knights here had volunteered out of loyalty to Blaire Grand Duke, but they had come directly from dealing with monsters in the Borderlands, so fatigue had accumulated.
Therefore, if Colbert thought the commander had called them out for something trivial, he was ready to just storm off.
That was simply the rule among the men of the 3rd Knight Order.
Of course, Randolph, who led such a 3rd Knight Order, was well aware of their tendencies, especially those of Colbert directly beneath him.
But.
'Our liege, the esteemed Grand Duke who deserves all respect... is being called a villain who separates lovers?'
Randolph himself was troubled enough that he needed their cooperation.
The Grand Duke becoming an obstacle in a romantic relationship? That absolutely could not happen.
What was their liege lacking? What was he missing?
'Of course, our Grand Duke with his discerning eye is certainly someone worthy of his affection.'
He had heard tales of April, the future Grand Duchess, doing many good deeds for the Grand Duchy, and seeing her in person today, despite her disheveled appearance from hardship, he felt she was a striking beauty.
In his view, April was a perfect 100 points as a Grand Duchess.
So she and his liege were truly made for each other!
'If only that bastard didn't exist!'
The one thing that bothered him was the existence of that wretched fellow.
It was all the more irritating because he happened to resemble his liege.
Much like Kaian Blaire, whom they had brought from Tess Kingdom.
...In any case.
"I have something important to tell only you all."
Randolph had gathered the 3rd Knight Order for one reason alone.
To reveal that Kaian, who was respected by all, was actually an interfering obstacle in a tender relationship?
No. That couldn't be it.
He was a man who would do anything for his lord, anything to help his lord's love come true.
"Gentlemen, the moment has come for us to show true loyalty to our lord."
"But what exactly are you talking about!"
"Let's get some sleep, some sleep!"
Though discipline was utterly lacking, Randolph refused to be discouraged.
Once they heard what he had to say next, these reckless fools wouldn't be able to resist joining in.
"Haven't I told you a problem has arisen!"
"But what is this problem you keep talking about!"
"Speak up!"
"The future Grand Duchess... does not love the Grand Duke!"
His declaration brought silence to the surroundings.
Then.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
The knights all turned to stare at Randolph with bewildered expressions.
"Why, why would that be?"
"What could possibly be the reason?"
"What is our lord lacking?"
"The Grand Duke is handsome and wealthy, is he not?"
"He fights well. He's the strongest fighter in Blaire, isn't he?"
Everyone was in an uproar over something so unthinkable.
'The fact that our lord has failed to win the future Grand Duchess's affection must be shocking indeed. How tragic!'
Randolph clutched his aching chest.
The reason his lord found himself in such a dire situation was because of that one person clinging to the future Grand Duchess's side, that insufferable wretch!
But if he spoke of that here... it would wound his lord's pride far too deeply.
Therefore, Randolph could not bring himself to reveal that reason.
"After all, beautiful women are difficult to win, are they not!"
So he offered a suitable excuse instead.
However.
"But Commander, how did you come to know this?"
"That's right? Is this information actually reliable? Something seems off?"
"W-well, how I learned of this was..."
Grey, forgive me.
Sacrificing your name seems preferable to wounding our lord's pride.
Unaware that everything had begun with Liam's lie, meant to make Randolph move quickly, Randolph silently apologized to Liam before continuing.
"The Grand Duke's direct aide, Sir Liam Grey, happened to mention it to me."
Only then did the knights fall silent.
If it came from Liam's mouth, it was more trustworthy than anything else in the Grand Duchy.
Just as the knights' expressions began to turn serious, Vice-Commander Colbert spoke up with a question.
"But Captain, what exactly did you call us there to do?"
"Tch, you fool! Do you call that a question?!"
Randolph let out a thunderous rebuke before beginning a morale lecture for the knights.
"We are the swords of the Northern Region, sworn in loyalty to the Grand Duke! So whether our lord is present or absent, we must act for our lord's interests."
"So...?"
"Starting tomorrow, let's make sure the future Grand Duchess can see our lord again! When we return to the Grand Duchy, let's move in a way that makes our lord develop a favorable impression of her!"
"Oh, that's a good idea."
"Ooh! Captain, that's a truly wise judgment!"
As the knights voiced their approval, Randolph began his persuasion with spittle flying.
And so, amid the scheming of the 3rd Knight Order, the night grew deeper.
* * *
Just how many hours has this been going on?
Ever since we departed from Miel Barony this morning, this endless procession of knights coming to greet me under the guise of courtesy, only to chatter away...?
"So I thought the monster that vanished in the blink of an eye had escaped. But what do you know! There it was, lying on the ground split cleanly in half! And who do you suppose was the one to cleave that monster in two?"
Ha ha ha. Indeed, who could it be?
W-who could it be? No, truthfully, I'm not curious at all.
Yet lacking the courage to say so, I forced a smile and listened intently to Randolph's tale.
"Boom boom boom! None other than our lord, Kaian Blaire! The handsome and radiant Grand Duke Kaian Blaire himself!"
"Wow, he sounds amazing...!"
Clap clap clap.
As I began applauding, Randolph's voice grew even more animated.
"Amazing, you say! At merely eighteen years old, this prodigy of our age has already reached the threshold of a Sword Master. Blaire's greatest warrior, who fought and won against eighteen opponents armed with nothing but an orc and a club. Ranked zero in the world. And to top it all off, he carries the bloodline of the Imperial family?"
My goodness! This stock is worth buying!
His passionate speech continued with such fervor.
"Looks? He has them! Money? He has it! Power? He has it! And on top of that, martial prowess as well—the perfect man lacking nothing, our Grand Duke Kaian Blaire, and this was the tale from his first monster wave. Ha ha ha ha ha!"
...Ah.
My ears felt as though they might bleed.
From all this forced laughter, my facial muscles had begun to spasm uncontrollably.
How could every topic of conversation revolve entirely around the Grand Duke's magnificent exploits?
'Their loyalty is no joke.'
And they're terribly chatty on top of that.
Watching the knights absorbed entirely in their own stories, with no need for my input whatsoever, I found myself thinking they must have been quite lonely, guarding their domain in the Borderlands.
If I sent them a stack of comic books, could that cure their incessant chatter?
While I was enduring Randolph's never-ending tales with such idle thoughts.
"Tsk, you—are you uncomfortable hearing about our Grand Duke's glorious deeds? Why do you wear such an insolent expression? Huh?!"
Suddenly, Randolph began picking a fight with Ian.
He seemed to have taken a strong dislike to Ian since yesterday. Though I couldn't say I didn't understand Randolph's perspective.
Why? Because Ian's expression was twisted so severely that "rotten" would be an understatement.
"I-Ian...."
Ian, who usually maintained such an indifferent face, why was he so poor at controlling his expression today?
Could he really think that the Blaire Grand Duke and I are... something, and that he's been made a fool of?
Ah, it's all a misunderstanding....
"No matter what, the achievements of our great Blaire Grand Duke are beyond the reach of small fry like you. Do you understand!"
Randolph pounded his broad chest with his fist, then let out a derisive snort.
Then, as if possessed by a split personality, he turned to me and bowed with exaggerated courtesy.
"That concludes my business, Young Lady."
"Th-thank you."
As I watched Randolph disappear after changing the subject so abruptly, the moment I was certain he had gone far enough, I turned to Ian.
"Um, Ian."
Helplessly, all that escaped my lips were pathetic excuses.
"I really have nothing going on with the Blaire Grand Duke. I mean it...."
"I... already know that...."
Crunch, crunch.
The grinding sound of Ian's teeth grew louder.
...Truly, this journey to the Grand Duchy felt like sitting on a bed of nails.
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------