kscans

Chapter 2 - The Scheming Daily Lives of Nobility

"Pardon the intrusion."

As they stepped in from the antechamber, they were greeted by a room covered in all manner of crests. The crests of the Fulmia Royal Family and the ancient noble houses that had brought prosperity to the kingdom looked down upon Litt and his attendant in silence.

"So you've come."

A young man standing by the window turned around. His golden hair was translucent in the sunlight. His purple eyes were the mark of royalty.

"Sorry to call you when you're busy."

"Not at all."

Litt placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head.

"It is an honor to meet with you."

His jade eyes locked onto the young man.

"First Prince Raoul-sama."

A small "Oh?"

escaped Raoul as his purple eyes widened.

"For you to use a double honorific... You must be in a spectacularly foul mood."

"My apologies, Your Highness Raoul. I've been busy."

"Hmph. Busier than a royal?"

"They say when the sovereign faces south, the nation is not at peace, after all."

Despite his carefree tone, Litt delivered a cutting barb. It was a saying that meant a kingdom is stable when the king has nothing to do but sit on his throne. From a corner of the room, a small shriek escaped.

"Your master is as lively as ever, I see, Touli."

"Yes! Thank you for your kind words!"

"Please refrain from dragging my attendant into this."

Heh. Raoul chuckled. Touli just looked bewildered.

"So. What did you need?"

Raoul gave a wry smile at Litt's bluntness.

"I did choose the formal Hall of Crests for a reason, you know."

"It's just you and me here, isn't it? For the First Prince to dismiss even the guards..."

Touli noticed it then. The Hall of Crests was enveloped in silence. There was no sign of anyone else.

"If I were to accidentally cut you down now, I'd be sent straight to the dungeon, wouldn't I?"

At Litt's lighthearted remark, Raoul tapped the sword at his hip.

"You're not carrying a sword, are you? Court Secretary."

"They say the pen is mightier than the sword."

"There are others I'd rather you cut down with your rhetoric."

Litt's willow-like eyebrows shot up.

"Lady Valona Philbard."

Raoul stared at a point on the wall where the crest of a great noble house, loyal to the king for generations, was displayed.

"...What about the second prince's fiancée?"

"What do you think, Litt?"

"Ugh. So this is about intrigue, then."

Raoul looked exasperated at Litt's blatant grimace.

"You're lucky the guards aren't here. You'd be beheaded on the spot for treason."

"Ah, really?"

Litt glanced at Touli, who was frozen against the wall, and gave him a wink.

"What? Were you two plotting something?"

"No, sir!"

Touli cried out, his voice choked with tears.

"Well, let's set the jests aside."

Litt gracefully ignored his wailing attendant. How could you!

"The Philbard Family is the queen's family. That means they're a ducal house with deep ties to you as well, Lord Raoul. Is there some problem with their daughter? Wait, don't tell me—"

An expression of shock spread across Litt's face.

"You've fallen for her! Ugh, a sordid scandal!"

"Of course not."

Getting glared at by those purple eyes, Litt sighed.

"Thought so. Bummer."

"I don't have time to indulge your hobbies."

"Information gathering isn't a hobby."

Raoul snorted.

"It's good to be desperate to survive."

"The world of men is a difficult place to live."

"Litt."

Raoul closed the distance between them.

"It seems a certain type of 'villainous lady' is in vogue these days. I've heard that the foremost example is my own brother's fiancée."

The First Prince's finger pointed at Litt's chest. The three white eagle feathers, fastened with a golden brooch, shimmered in the sunlight pouring through the window.

"Write the truth. First-Class Court Secretary, Littrald Liton."

His full, unabbreviated name echoed through the Hall of Crests.

"Hm?"

Looking down at the garden from the corridor, Litt knitted his brows.

"Lord Litt. Please don't climb up there."

Litt was sitting with one knee up on the corridor's stone pedestal, which was carved with an arabesque relief.

"His companion is not Lady Valona."

In a corner of the garden, where flowers of every color bloomed, a young man and a young woman were smiling at each other on a bench.

"...That's definitely the second prince, Lord Tagi, isn't it?"

Touli placed his hands on the shoulder-high pedestal and peered over.

"Hmm. I don't recognize his companion. Common chestnut hair with a ribbon. Few jewels. Her light blue dress is not first-rate. The lace is... a double-layered knit. If she's a noble, she's of a lower rank."

"How can you tell all that?"

Touli breathed in admiration.

"She's also about the same age as the second prince. A curious choice for a conversation partner."

"Curious...?"

"As in strange."

"Why? They look good together, don't they?"

Tagi pointed to a book open on his lap. From this distance, they couldn't see what was written. Tagi would say a word or two, and the girl would cover her mouth with her hand and laugh elegantly.

"See?"

"No, I don't see."

Touli's brows drew down in dissatisfaction.

"Please don't skip the explanation."

"She's not carrying a Western Fan (Crim)."

"Now that you mention it..."

The girl in the light blue dress had nothing in her hands.

"An expensive Western Fan (Crim) is the mark of a highborn lady,"

Litt continued.

"Duchess's daughters, Marquess's daughters, at the very least a Countess's daughter—they always carry one. To them, it has the same meaning as carrying a sword. The privilege of the chosen. A display of wealth. A boast. Arrogance."

"What's arrogance?"

"Looking down on others with pride."

"Is there a hint of jealousy in that?"

Litt's eyes narrowed.

"I once had the flight feathers of a blue goose snatched away from me because they were going to be used for a Western Fan (Crim)!"

"Ah, for your quills,"

Touli said, understanding now.

"The grudge of a scribe is a scary thing."

"They're the tools of my trade!"

"You get paid a handsome salary. You can just find more blue goose feathers."

"They were a rare eight-year-old set!"

"A persistent man is disliked by the ladies."

"Hah! If there's a lady who can't be won over by my love letters, I'd very much like to meet her."

"—What are you doing?"

a grey-haired knight asked as he passed through the corridor.

"Oh, Jin. Perfect timing."

"Sitting up there like that. Stop troubling your attendant."

Touli nodded emphatically.

"If you get tired of Litt, you can always come to my unit, the Royal Knights."

"I'd be delighted!"

came the instant reply.

"Having such an honest attendant, I'm a lucky man indeed."

Litt beckoned Jin over with a flick of his fingers.

"What is it?"

"You're tall, so you stand out. Hide behind that pillar in the corridor."

Jin moved into the pillar's shadow and followed Litt's gaze. His grey-blue eyes caught sight of the young man and woman among the flowers.

"Peeping is a bad habit."

"Can't be helped. We can only see them from the second-floor corridor, and only from this angle."

Besides, Litt continued.

"When it's the second prince's companion, even you would want a look, wouldn't you? Lord Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights."

A wrinkle formed between Jin's eyebrows.

"...So it's Lady Sumika, not his fiancée, Lady Valona."

"You know her?"

Litt's eyes went wide.

"I heard the head of her family is a noble but has the disposition of a scholar. He had his only daughter, Lady Sumika, study abroad in the neighboring country of Cymbal, which values scholarship. Apparently, she returned recently."

"What's the family name?"

"The Scott Family."

"Ah..."

Litt's voice lost its energy at Jin's words.

"A family with history, but no power or money. The type to live modestly for a long, long time."

"If she's just a conversation partner, it's not so bad, is it? She's a talented woman who corresponds with learned people in a major country."

"Jin. You know the second prince's personality, don't you?"

The Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights gave a wry smile at Litt's upturned jade gaze.

"He is a bright, honest, and straightforward person."

"You're not going to call him a reckless dreamer?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. You're going to be charged with treason one day."

Eek, Touli looked like he was about to cry.

"A welcome warning from a friend."

"Litt."

Jin's voice dropped low, contrasting with Litt's persistently light tone.

"You're a First-Class Court Secretary, entrusted with writing for the Royal Family. There are fellows who don't take kindly to that. What will you do if you're framed?"

"If that happens, give me a quick chop of the head, Jin."

A corner of Litt's mouth lifted.

"If you've died once, the second time is no different."

"Don't joke—mmph!"

Litt clamped his left hand over Jin's mouth.

"Idiot. Don't shout. They'll notice us."

"...Shorry 'bout that,"

Jin mumbled an apology. Litt removed his hand and looked at the bench in the garden.

"Oh? A third party has arrived. The curtain rises on Act Two."

"His fiancée, Lady Valona,"

Jin muttered. "Wow,"

Touli said in amazement.

"A bright red dress and gold jewelry. It's dazzling."

"Well, she is a duchess's daughter... and a central figure in high society... so she needs to be somewhat glamorous..."

In contrast to Jin's faltering explanation, Litt's face lit up.

"Ah! An Ostrich Fan (Crim)! Dammit, so she was the one who stole them!"

"What's wrong?"

Touli shook his head at the questioning Jin.

"It's nothing, absolutely nothing to worry about."

"You sure?"

Below the three of them, a dramatic melodrama was unfolding.

'—Good day to you, Lord Tagi.' Fanning herself furiously with her blue goose fan, Valona approached the bench. Three lavishly dressed handmaidens followed her.

'What lovely weather. Are you reading?' The second prince's expression stiffened.

'Oh my? And who might this duchess's daughter be, sitting beside you, Lord Tagi?' Looking flustered, Lady Sumika stood up from the bench.

'—P-pardon my intrusion! I-I shall take my leave now.'

'Wait.' Valona stopped Lady Sumika as she tried to depart with a bow.

'You, are you well-versed in literature?' Lady Sumika's eyes widened at what must have been Valona's words.

'...Y-yes.' As she timidly nodded, Valona smiled.

'But you seem to be rather ignorant of fashion. A dull, light blue dress? What season's trend is that, I wonder?' Valona glanced at her handmaidens, and the three of them began to titter.

'Did you see that yellowed lace? How shabby.'

'She's not even wearing a single ruby.'

'Oh my. She isn't even carrying a Western Fan (Crim).'

Lady Sumika's face flushed red with shame. She clutched the fabric of her dress in both hands.

'Now, now. You three are going too far. The lower classes have their own circumstances, you know.' At their mistress's chiding, the three handmaidens fell silent. But they did not stop smirking.

'You, there. If you'd like, I can give this to you. It's made with precious blue goose feathers, you see.'

Valona offered the blue goose fan she was holding.

'...N-no. I couldn't possibly accept such an expensive item.'

'Oh, really? I have many more expensive and rare fans. One or two makes no difference to me.' Lady Sumika looked down and shook her head.

'...Such a beautiful Western Fan (Crim)... I-I am not... worthy of it...'

Ohohoho! Valona's boisterous laughter echoed through the garden.

'Well, at least you know your place.' Valona glared with cold eyes.

'If you understand, then be gone with you.' With her face still downcast, Lady Sumika gave a parting curtsy. Then, she quickly walked away from the bench.

"—And that's probably how it went."

"Seems about right."

As Litt and Touli finished their performance, Jin buried his head in his hands.

"...Don't just start dubbing things on your own."

"We can't hear what they're saying from this distance,"

Litt said without a hint of remorse, turning to Jin.

"My Lady Valona was pretty convincing, wasn't she?"

Touli gave a small round of applause.

"Lady Sumika is like a typical ill-fated young lady from a story."

"Your part as Lady Sumika was great too, Touli. You've gotten better."

"Thank you!"

Unable to bear the master-and-attendant exchange any longer, Jin leaned an arm against a corridor pillar.

"Hm? What's wrong, Jin? Your usual headache, or is it a stomachache?"

"...Is the word 'irreverence' not in your dictionary?"

"The word 'absurdity' is."

Annoyed, but still curious, Jin asked.

"And its meaning is?"

"Hm? Nonsense, comical, cock-a-doodle-doo."

Jin drew his sword slightly from its sheath.

"Wait, wait, wait! We can talk about this!"

His face paling, Litt leaped down from the corridor's pedestal.

"Talking doesn't seem to work with you."

"You're too serious!"

He looked to Touli for help, but his attendant averted his gaze.

"You were a good master. I'll be joining the Royal Knights tomorrow."

"So quick to switch sides! I truly am blessed with a great attendant!"

"You reap what you sow."

Touli sighed. Click. Jin sheathed his sword.

"Alright, Litt. Back to the topic at hand."

With a serious expression, Jin crossed his arms.

"What are you doing?"