kscans

Chapter 44 - The Lion's Tail Was Stepped On, But…

"Ah, um, excuse me!"

After their tea party, Lupia and Rupert were walking with a maid, intending to return home, when someone called out to them. They had thought the only person who might stop them now would be one of their parents, but when they turned around, they saw the knight whose arm Lupia had dislocated.

"Oh, it's the guy my sister beat up."

"…Oh no, is this for revenge?"

Lupia couldn't help but say something alarming, but it couldn't be helped. While it might have sounded nice to say he was testing her, it had been a simple assault. Fortunately, her muttered comment didn't seem to reach him. The maid walking in front of the twins stopped as well. Tilmina had instructed her to 'guard the two of them until they leave the palace,' so she smoothly stood in front of them.

"Pardon me. What business do you have with Lady Lupia and Lord Rupert?"

"I apologize for stopping you so suddenly. I am Cypher-Rudger, a member of the Qua Kingdom's Knight Order. Earlier, I was incredibly rude to the young lady…"

Rude was an understatement; wasn't it at a level that could have been considered treason against the king? Forcing down a scowl with all her facial muscles, Lupia put on a superficial smile and gave a slow shake of her head.

"Not at all. I believe you'll have more serious matters to deal with after this than apologizing to me…"

"…You are correct… I am so ashamed… I, my father… and the other nobles, we all swallowed the rumors whole… I am overcome with shame."

"I'll say."

"Rupert."

Though quiet, Rupert's exasperated comeback was spot-on. To be gathered in that place, they must have all been from families of a certain status and achievement. Just because they heard something, why would they accept such shallow, superficial rumors?

"No, Lord Rupert's point is entirely valid… I am truly sorry."

"…If it's not too rude of me to ask, may I inquire as to the source of these rumors?"

Cypher hesitated for a moment, but then he took a deep breath and spoke with resolve.

"Your home country."

"………What?"

The information was revealed so casually that Lupia, Rupert, and even the maid guiding them couldn't help but grimace. So, that meant the stories had been intentionally spread to reach them here. They weren't swayed by mere gossip; the nobles of the Qua Kingdom had believed it so readily because the information came from a source they thought was credible.

"…I see… My…"

"Yes."

"Um, Viscount Rudger."

"Please, call me Cypher."

"Very well, Cypher-sama, I have a question for you. What sort of stories did you hear?"

Lupia's eyes, staring straight at Cypher, held a definite anger. The Calmond Ducal Family… no, from now on they would be nobles in the Qua Kingdom, so they would have a different title. According to rumor, they were to be granted the title of Count. And the eyes of this young lady, who carried the blood of that country's royal family, were filled with anger, but not a single cloud of doubt. Did Lupia, the person at the center of it all, not know the contents of the rumors? Perhaps she had heard some while living in the capital, but now that she was far away, they no longer reached her. If Cypher told her what he had heard, it might hurt her. However, she probably wouldn't want it hidden from her. She was, after all, seeking the truth.

"Well… it starts with something like, 'The pitiful young lady who had her fiancé stolen by a count's daughter'…"

"What the hell is that…"

"Well, that part is accurate."

"………Huh?"

"It is accurate. I won't deny that part. Now, please continue."

"And then, there's…"

Even though she told him to speak, Cypher seemed to be struggling with what to do. What was there to hesitate about? As Lupia and Rupert tilted their heads in unison, Cypher clenched his fists and continued.

"'The pathetic woman who left the country while pretending to be strong but is still pathetically attached to the Crown Prince'… and also, 'The thoughtless lady who involved her relatives in her selfish drama just to get attention'…"

"I see…"

"And you people believed that…"

"W-well! A normal young lady would want the position of Crown Princess!"

"If she were normal."

"Don't try to fit my sister into your idea of normal."

"Even so, we didn't know what kind of person she was…!"

"That's why His Majesty told you to investigate, didn't he?"

"……Ah."

"Even if the story comes from a credible source, at least verify it."

"You're… right…"

Cypher hung his head, crushed by the perfectly reasonable point. Rupert instructed the flustered maid to calm down. Lupia, who had probably deduced the source of the rumors from what she had just heard, let out a grand sigh and placed a hand on her chin.

"They want to keep believing I'm interested in something I have no interest in… What a pitiful way of thinking."

Her nonchalant tone convinced Cypher. This person truly had never wanted the future throne of the Queen. Even the position of the Crown Prince's fiancée, which she had once been given, was nothing more than an unnecessary burden to Lupia, a shackle.

"I suppose I'll have to buy the fight they're selling, at double the price, of course…"

"Wait, you're buying it?!"

"When someone goes out of their way to get on your nerves like this, despite you doing your best to push them away and keep your distance, it would be rude not to offer a suitable counterattack, wouldn't it?"

"………Oh man, those poor suckers."

Let them say what they want. Let them laugh their fill. Let them make her the butt of their jokes.

The shield that had protected that capital no longer existed.

Both Lupia and Rupert had held a certain amount of affection for Liam. But now, not a single shred of it remained.

"Come to think of it, I did receive an incomprehensible letter from His Highness. I should write a reply. And… Cypher-sama, I have a request."

"Huh? Ah, y-yes."

"Please don't be so tense. I just want you to teach me something."

"Teach you something?"

"Yes."

Lupia continued, her smile so cheerful it betrayed no hint of her earlier anger.

"The dates for this country's Knight Order entrance exam. And where I can go to apply."

"Is that all you need?"

"Yes."

Lupia nodded with a smile, while next to her, Rupert's face had gone pale. The contrast between the two was so stark that Cypher was getting confused. With Lupia's skills, she would undoubtedly pass the Knight Order's exam. The recruitment requirements for the Qua Kingdom's Knight Order did not state that 'women may not apply'. It was the Knight Commander's job to deploy and manage powerful individuals, regardless of gender. Those with skill were put to good use.

"Just to be sure… may I ask a question…"

"What is it?"

"Let's assume you pass the entrance exam. What will you do then…?"

"I thought I'd work as a member of the Knight Order."

"Huh?"

"Is there a problem?"

If you pass the Knight Order exam, you work as a knight, what's so strange about that? Cypher felt as if he could see the words written in giant letters behind her. Lupia herself was completely serious.

"U-um…"

"Yes?"

"You really… want to be a knight?"

"If that doesn't work out, I can just find another path. I can do that now… Yes, I can finally live as I please!"

Lupia's joyful, beaming smile was so beautiful that Cypher couldn't help but blush, but he was immediately frozen by an overwhelming wave of killing intent. There was only one person it could be coming from, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to look. The fear was too strong.

"As long as my eyes are sharp, I won't hand my sister over to some guy with impure thoughts."

Just a moment ago, he had been so nonchalant, but now he was being told off in a voice laced with menace. Even if he said he had just been captivated for a moment, Rupert wouldn't forgive him. The flustered maid had to be apologized to by Lupia, and the twins finally made their way home.

On the way home, in the carriage, Lupia suddenly murmured.

"…Still, I wonder who put that letter in my room."

"Sister?"

"…Oh, nothing, just talking to myself."