kscans

Chapter 11 - A Bad Move

"A sleepover at my dear sister-in-law's house... hehehe..."

"You're drooling, Vernella. Why do you always get like this when it comes to my sister?"

"Because she is the person I admire and respect most in this world."

Rupert shot back a retort at Vernella, whose expression had crumpled to an extent that made him question if she was really a noble lady. This kind of exchange was well known not only in the ducal household but in the count's as well, so the servants paid it no mind. Even Lupia was used to Vernella's goofy grin by now and didn't bother to scold her. At first, she had tried, but Vernella's sharp, dignified expression would only last for five minutes. However, in public, she would don a flawless ladylike mask, so Lupia eventually gave up. And after hearing the reason for that expression, her resignation vanished into thin air, replaced by a feeling of 'cuteness.' Human emotions truly are a mysterious thing.

"...By the way, Vernella."

"What is it?"

"It's about what you said earlier."

"That His Majesty the King and His Highness the Crown Prince are trying to contact my sister-in-law?"

"How are we going to stop them?"

"Stop them? There's no need for that."

A bewitching smile played on Vernella's lips.

"Before they can come here, my sister-in-law, Rupert, and I will simply have to disappear to my territory."

If it were that easy, we wouldn't be in this mess... Rupert thought, holding his head in his hands. It had only been a couple of days since Lupia was able to sit in a chair for extended periods. He knew Lupia would likely endure any discomfort, but that wasn't the point. The strain from the spell to erase her memories had been considerable. On top of everything that had been crammed into the time since that wedding reception, he wanted her to rest a little longer... As he agonized over it, he noticed Vernella staring intently at him.

"...What?"

"Rupert, I understand your desire to let your sister rest as much as possible. But if we don't put some physical distance between us soon, they will come, you know?"

"I know, but..."

"Sister-in-law, what do you think? There is the matter of packing... although..."

Lupia, who had been gracefully sipping her tea while watching the two talk, smiled at Vernella's question and nodded.

"Let's have the staff start packing now. If you're managing things, Vernella, you won't need to pack yourself. We just need the bare essentials for Rupert and me, correct?"

"That's right, but... Sister-in-law... you seem a bit out of it, you know?"

"It seems the strain from the memory erasure is... still lingering a little."

Her smile turned into a wry one. As Lupia apologized with a 'I'm sorry,' Vernella rushed to her side in a panic.

"There's no need to apologize! We should hurry, but... your health comes first, sister-in-law... How thoughtless of me..."

As Vernella began to fret, the head butler, Jif, rushed in. It was rare for him to run like this; he was slightly out of breath. To top it off, he had also committed the outrageously rude act of opening the door without knocking—something he would never normally do. The three people in the room exchanged confused glances and began questioning him one after another.

"My... what is it, Jif? Without even knocking..."

"Milady, Young Master, we have a serious problem!"

"What is it?"

"A request has just arrived from His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Crown Princess! They wish to visit you, milady!"

"...Even though there's no reason for them to visit?"

Tension shot through Lupia and Rupert. Vernella's expression tightened, and she stared at Jif, who had brought the news.

"...Jif, contact Father. ...Rupert, I will send a magical message to Mother."

"Got it. Vernella, you arrange for our departure to your territory. As fast as you can."

"Understood."

Lupia focused her consciousness, and a small bird woven from mana materialized in her palm. With the bird familiar on her left hand, she used the fingertips of her right to swiftly write in the air. 'Possibility of Prince and Princess making contact without Father's permission,' she wrote concisely. Her mother would surely understand with just this. Today, her mother, Millière, had been invited to a tea party by a marchioness friend. She sent the message with the hope and prediction that this would undoubtedly bring her home at top speed. As she moved her hand to gather the letters, she absorbed them into the bird. The bird transformed from a small songbird into the shape of an eagle. The letters written in the air were also woven from mana. The bird, changed by that mana, spread its wings wide with a fwap.

"I'm counting on you. This is Mother's mana signature."

It was her mother's mana signature, which she had been taught just in case. After she taught it to the familiar, it flapped its wings once, powerfully, then rose into the air and flew straight through the window with great force.

"The window, sis."

"...Ah."

"Lady Lupia, you still need to rest."

"...You're right."

Normally, she would have opened the window before sending the familiar. Even Vernella, who revered Lupia to the point of worship, couldn't help but stare. A pleasant breeze blew in from outside, making the curtains sway gently. With a deep sigh, Lupia held her head in her hands as Vernella came to her side.

"...Sister-in-law, I will... um, make the arrangements as quickly as possible, so please bear with it a little longer."

"Thank you, Vernella..."

Seeing Lupia thank her with an apologetic look in response to Vernella's genuinely worried tone made Rupert realize that the side effects of the magic were more serious than he had thought. As he considered various things simultaneously, he wondered what to do. If his sister were in perfect condition, he wouldn't have to worry about her meeting Liam or Falty, but in her current state, he couldn't help but feel anxious about letting them meet. Lupia seemed to feel the same way, looking away awkwardly, not meeting Jif's, Rupert's, or Vernella's eyes. She was able to move around, but the fact that she was unexpectedly failing at things she used to do effortlessly suggested the side effects were still present. He could handle them himself, but he probably wouldn't be able to stop himself from throwing a punch, and Vernella was the type to join in rather than stop him. Please, let Father and Mother get the message soon, Rupert prayed. Meanwhile, Lupia approached the window and began to magically repair the very pane of glass she had just shattered.

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"My..."

Upon receiving the message from Lupia, Millière's anger began to swell quietly. Her hostess, Marchioness Cassandra-Niholm, the very same person who had once tutored Lupia for the role of Crown Princess, showed no surprise and simply asked Millière.

"What is it? Trouble at the ducal estate?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince and his consort wish to visit my precious Lupia."

"Oh my, how dreadful."

Cassandra laughed elegantly, but her words were laced with poison. Her gaze turned icy as she took a sip of the fragrant tea and placed the cup back on its saucer.

"Whatever business could those people possibly have with her now?"

"They probably want our backing. I wonder if they're even aware that this is the result of their own choices."

"It's because they aren't that she said such a thing to me."

"Ah, what you mentioned earlier."

"Yes."

All trace of mercy vanished from Cassandra's eyes. She recalled the words Falty had spoken with a smile when she came to greet her.

'I'm confident I can become a Crown Princess every bit as good as Lupia!'

In the moment she heard those words, something inside her froze and shattered. Cassandra had immensely enjoyed teaching Lupia, the Crown Princess candidate. Memories of her time with Lupia swirled in her mind. This girl, Falty-Ardia, whom the royal family had newly chosen as the Crown Princess candidate. She knew, of course, that her grades at the academy were excellent. From her monstrously high scores and the praise from the practical exam instructors, she understood that it was the fruit of her own efforts. But it was no good. For Cassandra, who had watched over Lupia's years of blood-sweat-and-tears effort, who had seen her struggles and accomplishments, it was something she could not condone. She knew she had to, but she couldn't. Even if it meant being called unfit for her position as a tutor, this was one thing she could not accept. She didn't want to teach this little girl who knew nothing of Lupia's efforts. The thought consumed her, and when the royal family requested her services as Falty's tutor, she refused without a second thought.

"I know it's childish of me, but I simply couldn't bring myself to teach the very person who destroyed Lady Lupia's years of hard work. ...Besides, I'm not the only tutor available, so it shouldn't be much of a problem."

Besides Cassandra, who had raised Lupia as a Crown Princess candidate, there were, of course, other tutors for the role.

"I can't say I don't understand their feelings... but it's impossible for me."

"Cassandra, thank you for thinking so highly of my daughter..."

"It's only the truth. But now, Lady Lupia is free to do as she pleases, isn't she?"

"Yes. When she was little, she declared, 'I'm going to be a duchess!' Even while undergoing the Crown Princess training, she didn't want to give up on that dream... It would be unforgivable for a child who worked so hard every day to not be rewarded."

"That is why," Millière said, her gaze sharpening.

"They should pay the price for their own actions."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stood up and told her lady-in-waiting to prepare for her departure.

"Cassandra, you must visit us sometime soon."

"Of course. Would you be so kind as to give my regards to Lady Lupia?"

"Of course! She'll be thrilled. I've heard her say many times, 'Lady Cassandra is strict, but I love her!'"

"Oh... I'm so happy to hear that."

At last, both Cassandra and Millière's demeanors softened. The actions taken by the Crown Prince and Princess were an undeniably bad move, and as events unfolded, they alone remained oblivious.