kscans

Chapter 8 - Something... Like Peace

Meanwhile, at the ducal estate, preparations for Lupia's recuperation were steadily underway. It had been decided that she would go to one of the territories owned by the ducal family, but under the judgment that it would be better to wait until Lupia's health had recovered at least a little, the packing continued.

"...Is it really alright for me to be so idle?"

"Of course it is."

"But, Rupert... when I have nothing to do, I feel so... at a loss, I suppose..."

"Just relax! You need to take it easy, Sis!"

"...Fine..."

Overwhelmed by her twin brother's intensity, she sipped her tea with a sigh. Her personal maid, Richel, was giggling.

"You too, Richel..."

"My lady, Master Rupert is right. Please, rest more."

"Honestly..."

Seeing Lupia finally back to her usual self, the entire mansion was filled with relief. Rupert, who had returned home solely for his sister's sake, was relieved, but it was their mother, Millière, who was undoubtedly the most relieved of all. A daughter who only gave predetermined answers like a doll. She seemed to be going about her daily life, but Lupia's own consciousness was clearly absent; she was just a moving 'doll.' Who on earth could happily accept a daughter in such a state?

Now, she was smiling and even looking troubled. While she maintained the smile of a lady in public, at home it was natural for her to let her guard down. The Calmonds, despite being a ducal family, cherished their family above all else. They all wished for her to heal from the exhaustion of her Crown Princess education, to spend her days relaxing without a single worry.

"Sis, let's do something you want to do! Come on, what's it going to be?"

"Something..."

"Anything's fine. Horseback riding, for example... oh, or a game of chess with me!"

"...I suppose..."

He had casually suggested they enjoy some leisure time together, but his twin sister had unintentionally ignored him, leaving Rupert to hang his head in dejection. But whether she noticed him or not, Lupia was pondering what to do. She reflected on her Crown Princess education and her training as the next duchess, which she had undertaken in case of any eventuality. Learning had never been a burden, so she hadn't found it particularly difficult, but she closed her eyes and tried to think of what she had enjoyed doing up until now.

The etiquette and manners she had learned during her Crown Princess training would not be a waste from here on out. Even if her memories were erased, those things were surely ingrained in her very being. In that case, she suddenly realized there was one thing that should take priority over what she wanted to do.

"Ah..."

"Sis, did you think of something?"

"...It was a problem that came before what I wanted to do. I forgot one important thing."

"?"

Wondering what it could be, Rupert rushed to Lupia's side and stared intently at his twin sister.

"The knowledge about the royal family I gained from my Crown Princess education. Let's just get that erased quickly."

At the words spoken so casually with a smile, Rupert and Richel instinctively held their heads in their hands.

"That's not what we meant, Sis!"

"My lady, why would you jump to that conclusion?!"

They both closed in on her at once, but the person in question simply tilted her head with an innocent expression.

"Because if I don't hurry, the royal family might summon me to the palace, right? In that case, it would be troublesome if I don't have my memories erased first."

Her reasoning was so sound that both Richel and Rupert could only nod in agreement. They did so in perfect unison.

"I'll have to ask Father or Mother to arrange for a priest who can use Memory Erasing Magic."

"You're right. I'll go tell them."

"Thank you, Rupert."

"Don't mention it!" Rupert called back as he left the room. To think that she could finally remove one of her heavy shackles—the pain of the magic was nothing to be afraid of. On the contrary, if it meant she could cut ties with the royal family, that alone was a reward in itself, Lupia thought with relief.

Even as she sat there, the Crown Prince and the new Crown Princess might come here. She had to do something before then, Lupia's mind raced.

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"You can't be serious..."

To think that her daughter, whom she had assumed would be enjoying her leisure time, would say, 'I want my memories erased as soon as possible,' was something Millière had never expected. She was stunned, but she shook her head slightly and managed to regain her composure. Rupert's report had been a shock to Millière as well, but her daughter's action was the correct one. If they didn't erase her memories of the Crown Princess education quickly, that royal family would surely come to their house and cause some kind of trouble again. Of that, there was no doubt.

"...Make sure preparations are perfect, in case Lupia falls ill."

"I know, Mother."

"Rupert, by the way, what about your dream of becoming a knight?"

"I'm not going to."

"...What?"

"If Sis isn't going to be the Crown Princess, then there's no need for me to bother being a knight, is there?"

"That may be so, but you really are..."

At his mother's words, "so fond of Lupia," his face didn't just break into a smile—it twisted into a mischievous, wicked grin. Both then and now, his twin sister was the only person besides his father and mother whom he could truly respect. From her demeanor as a lady to her effortless handling of her education as the next duchess, her talent was immense. Rupert, on the other hand, was more skilled at physical activities, so he truly looked up to his sister. He could do nothing but respect her.

That was why, when his sister's engagement to the Crown Prince was decided, he had made a resolution.

I will become a knight to protect my sister.

When he told her, her response had been a blunt, "I don't need one, you idiot," but the smile on her face had been happy, and he could still recall it clearly even now. If he could be of use to Lupia, he had been determined to do whatever it took, even if it meant giving his all. But that Crown Prince had prioritized his so-called 'true love.' A completely one-sided dissolution of an engagement decided by the state. It seemed he hadn't understood that doing so meant making an enemy of the Calmonds.

And Lupia, for her part, was incredibly quick to steel her resolve. If she, who had received all sorts of education as the future Crown Princess, had that future stolen from her, then from now on, she should just live as she pleased. However...

"Of all the things, the very first thing she says is that she wants to have Memory Erasing Magic cast on her... Sis is so strong... really."

"That's why she was chosen as the next head of this house, and why she was treated as an exception."

"...Yeah, you're right, Mother."

The Duchess and her son shared a wicked, knowing grin.

"I'm glad Sis didn't marry a man who couldn't see her worth."

"Oh, of course. My dear girl has all sorts of futures waiting for her now."

Ufufufu, the two of them laughed. Their expressions were dark, yet they looked utterly delighted. The maid who entered the room couldn't help but pretend she had seen nothing and quietly slipped out, so strange was the atmosphere they created. But the two of them were, in their own minds, perfectly at peace.

And in no time at all, the ducal family had found a priest who was exceptionally skilled in magic.

By that priest, the Memory Erasing Magic was cast upon Lupia, just as she had wished. To be prepared for any eventuality, Rupert, who had also obtained a healer's license, was present. His father and mother had recommended it. Of course, the Duke and Duchess were there as well.

And finally, the magic was cast upon Lupia. A magic circle drawn with mana spread out softly from the center of the kneeling Lupia's feet. Chanting an incantation inaudible to ordinary people, the priest placed a hand on Lupia's head. A moment later, Lupia's body jolted and she fell backward. Within the magic circle, she began to convulse violently. When the convulsions stopped, she shot up as if sprung, only to immediately double over. The strange sensation of book pages being torn out and burned one by one, and a magical pressure so intense it felt as if her consciousness and body were being torn apart, made Lupia's physical body scream.

Finally unable to bear it, she coughed up a great deal of blood, but it didn't stop. Every time she coughed, a gurgling sound echoed from her throat, and dark blood was expelled as if she were vomiting. Even as she coughed up a seemingly fatal amount of dark blood, what Lupia felt was a sense of liberation. Ah, I can finally be 'free'. Because she knew this, the pain was nothing.

"Sis!!"

She could hear Rupert's anguished cry, but she clenched her teeth, and after spitting out a spray of blood, she shouted, having cleared her mouth.

"Don't move! If I cannot endure something of this level, what right do I have to be the next Duchess?!"

A dignified voice. Ah, Sister. That is why I respect you, Rupert thought quietly in his heart, though he knew his words would never reach her. He suppressed the urge to run to her side and simply watched.

"Guh... ugh...!"

Gurgle. She coughed up more blood, then, with a face turned pale and a weak expression, Lupia slammed her fist hard against the floor.

"I will not... lose to this...!"

The sensation of pages being torn and burned grew faster and faster, but then, in a fleeting moment, it was over.

"...Huh...?"

The nausea, the feeling welling up from the back of her throat—it was all gone. She blinked several times and then looked around. Her complexion was still poor, but Lupia was sitting there with a very clear expression on her face.

"...It is... a success... sir...!"

The sweat-drenched priest said that he 'never thought the day would come in my life when I would actually use this spell.' Even just watching, it was clear how powerful and dangerous a spell it was. To think that Lupia had challenged it and won—what strength she possessed. Aristerios smiled in satisfaction, and Millière, though teary-eyed, offered praise to her daughter.

"You endured it well, my dearest daughter...! Ah... with this, you can finally be free!"

"Yes, Mother... Father... I... did it..."

"This is bad, Lupia! You've lost too much blood!"

"Sis!"

Just before she collapsed to the floor, Rupert managed to catch her, supporting her body. Her breathing was calm and seemed fine, but as expected, her color was terrible.

Realizing she needed a change of clothes first, Richel rushed to prepare a wet towel to wipe away the blood, and the ducal household, as if snapping back to reality, began to bustle about in a flurry. If asked whether this was peace, Lupia would nod without hesitation.

After all, she was now free from those people in the royal family.