Chapter 56
Given her background, even Carl, who had left the Imperial Palace long ago, roughly knew the names of most nobles in the empire.
The western frontier count of the empire. The territory of Count Winston Chandler. Hendrick, who had stayed in the Imperial Palace and had long contact with the nobles, recalled his face first and frowned deeply.
“But the Count had no heir…”
“I was his only daughter. You’ll probably find that I died of an endemic disease at the age of seven.”
Hendrick looked at Carl. However, Carl was so wide-eyed staring only at Sian that he didn’t even notice Hendrick’s gaze. Hendrick realized that this was information completely unknown to him as well.
“Whether as punishment for casting out their child or something else, it seems they weren’t able to have any more heirs afterwards. Revenant knows nothing about my parents or background, so there’s no need to worry about her exposing my real identity.”
“Why would they cast out their only daughter?”
“There were circumstances. In fact, it’s because of that that I’m telling you two about my background, which I hadn’t intended to tell anyone…”
Sian bit her lip, looking troubled, after saying that much.
It wasn’t particularly difficult to reveal her true identity, which was supposed to have died long ago, with her own mouth. However, she didn’t have the courage to speak out about the ‘real secret’ that Revenant might use as a weapon of counterattack.
“…I’ll figure something out on my own.”
Sian said in an uncertain voice, fidgeting with her fingertips that were damp with cold sweat. At this voice so unlike the usually confident Sian, Carl frowned with a complex expression.
Hendrick also couldn’t shake off his disgruntled expression.
“You’ll figure something out…”
Just as Hendrick was about to continue with sharp words, wondering what kind of irresponsible statement that was, Carl caught him with a glance.
“If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
“How exactly?”
Hendrick made a sound full of dissatisfaction.
“It was purely my selfish desire that brought the Lady here after persuading her when she was hesitant. Of course, you bear some responsibility too, brother.”
It was Hendrick who had proposed to Sian at the Dragon’s Temple to come to the Imperial Palace with Carl. Faced with this undeniable fact, Hendrick closed his mouth with a solemn face, unable to retort to Carl.
“So whatever happens from now on, I’ll take responsibility. Brother, please don’t concern yourself.”
Carl cut him off with a firm tone and expression, making it impossible for Hendrick to press further.
If she had been a mercenary of humble origins from the start, it wouldn’t have been an issue. But if there were circumstances that made a margrave of the frontier cast out his only daughter, it clearly wouldn’t be a trivial matter.
Hendrick felt very uneasy about letting Carl and Sian confront the Dragon King’s assassin without knowing those weighty circumstances.
Of course, Carl was surely capable of making such judgments too. Yet, it seemed not just foolish but reckless to trust her without probing further or digging into anything.
In Hendrick’s view, Carl might not have been a perfectly flawless fellow, but he wasn’t an idiot who would knowingly rush into unknown dangers.
Not understanding, Hendrick stared at Carl with a furrowed brow for a long time before suddenly noticing Sian’s hand sitting next to him.
The woman who had decisively refused any information about Reva’s gathering, saying it wasn’t necessary, had her fist clenched tightly on her knee. The back of her hand, resting demurely, was trembling slightly.
Seeing this, Hendrick’s expression sank into even deeper confusion.
…The weight of the past must be very heavy.
Hendrick thought. If so, it seemed all the more unwise to take on responsibility blindly. Is it because she saved his life? Or have they built up enough affection to endure reckless dangers while overcoming unknown crisis situations together?
It was something Hendrick couldn’t understand.
“…Do as you like.”
After pondering for a long while, Hendrick spoke resignedly, unable to shake off the feeling of having salt water poured over him.
Carl’s rigid expression finally softened. However, Sian, with her hands clasped on her knees and trembling finely, did not raise her head.
“But let’s make one thing clear. If something happens where you have to take great responsibility because of the Lady’s past, I’ll help as much as I can, but only within possible limits.”
“…That’s only natural.”
It was Sian who answered. Hendrick, who had been averting his eyes thinking she had completely lost her spirit, faced her directly again at this unexpectedly courageous response.
“Reva would be in trouble too if her past as a dragon hunter was exposed. There’s a limit to how much she can attack me. So neither Carl nor Your Highness will have to take responsibility. I’ll handle it myself.”
Still trembling slightly at the fingertips, Sian clenched her fist tightly and stared straight at Hendrick.
Is it brave or cowardly?
Everyone has one or two circumstances in life that are difficult to reveal, but it was hard to judge how to evaluate this resolute determination to ‘handle it myself’ without ever opening up.
But either way, the will to face it head-on was commendable. Hendrick relaxed his expression and let out a light laugh.
“Keep your word, Lady.”
“Shall I write a pledge?”
Carl asked in response to Hendrick’s words. Hendrick looked at Carl, wondering if it was a joke, but Carl’s expression was serious. Hendrick couldn’t help but snort again, dumbfounded.
“Never mind. Not to that extent.”
As Hendrick was replying simply, he happened to see Carl tightly grasping Sian’s trembling wrist as if supporting her. Hendrick’s expression, which had been confused with questions, became enigmatic.
Is it just my imagination that a strange unpleasantness is welling up? He inwardly tilted his head.
“By the way, are there no other snacks? Something sweet. I’m tired of jam.”
He seemed to be lacking sugar. Hendrick looked over the table with a regretful face.
“…You’ll get fat, brother.”
Carl looked at him with disgusted eyes and chided. Hendrick merely shrugged.
* * *
A few days later, a messenger from Dragon Knight Antonio came to the Imperial Palace. What he came to deliver was none other than Revenant’s invitation.
[To the Lady of Third Prince Carlston Klaus.]
Since she already had the fake name Haley Dude anyway, Sian didn’t try to hide the fact that she was rumored to be Prince Carlston’s fiancée.
Whether Revenant lacked the will to use her information network to quickly find out Sian’s name, or just wanted to mock her, that’s how the front of the invitation she sent was addressed.
Sian couldn’t help but laugh at the elegant handwriting that was obviously ghostwritten by someone else. The invitation simply stated the place and time of the tea party Revenant had foretold.
She had half-expected Revenant might come to verify her identity directly at least once before then, but Revenant also didn’t take any unnecessary risks.
Time passed uneventfully, like the calm before a storm, and the appointed date soon arrived.
“Shall I go with you?”
“…To a ladies’ gathering?”
Sian’s eyes widened at Carl’s suggestion.
“Wouldn’t it be alright if I just escorted you?”
Carl, speaking without a hint of humor, was dead serious. Sian smiled, furrowing her brow as if troubled.
“Just get me a carriage. Just in case, I’ll have Max and Zivago accompany me pretending to be servants.”
Carl seemed very dissatisfied that he couldn’t go along. Though he reluctantly nodded, his expression was utterly sulky.
“What’s with that expression? What are you so worried about?”
Sian looked at Carl behind her through the mirror.
“I’m all fired up, wearing this battle gear you’ve provided, heading out to war. You could at least cheer me on instead of looking like that.”
Although the waist and shoulders needed some slight adjustments, the dress Carl had personally selected the fabric for and ordered for her fit almost perfectly. It was amazing that he had ordered it without taking direct measurements.
Just as Sian’s eyes were narrowing again at the thought of how many women he must have met to be able to do this, Carl sat in a chair with a serious frown, his expression and tone as if he bore all the world’s worries.
“Are you really alright going alone?”
Seeing that face, the jealous suspicion from just moments ago instantly melted away.
“I’ve been doing fine on my own all this time. It’s just a ladies’ tea party.”
“You do know it’s not a place where you can just start throwing punches and swinging swords, right?”
“…”
Sian’s hand, which had been adjusting her earrings, froze.
“Is that what you’re worried about? That I’ll go there and grab Reva by the collar and start a knife fight?”
“No, not exactly…”
Carl scratched his face with a stung expression. Generally, “not exactly” meant that it was exactly that. Sian turned to face Carl directly, baring her teeth.
“Didn’t you say you were supposed to have died at nine? Doesn’t that mean you didn’t receive noble etiquette education after nine years old?”
Carl continued with a worried face. Sian pouted. Hearing this, she could understand what he was more worried about. It seemed he was concerned that she might make mistakes due to being unfamiliar with noble etiquette.
“The record of my death was made then, but I didn’t actually leave my hometown until I was about twelve. And even at nine, I had already mastered most of the etiquette.”
Of course, I don’t remember. Sian deliberately omitted the latter part.
“Besides, it would be suspicious if my etiquette was too perfect. The Dude family is supposed to be a house in name only, having barely left their rural territory, so wouldn’t it be awkward if I had refined manners ingrained in me?”
“That’s true.”
“I’ll be criticized either way. Why avoid dung for fear when you avoid it because it’s dirty? Let them criticize if they want.”
DapperApple
I think there is a missing section between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the last one.