Chapter 68: Chapter 1, Episode 68
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
「Can I ask you one question?」
「All right. I’ll answer anything.」
Countess Bauer bites her lip and nods. It’s not sothing I would answer with such determination, though.
「Why were you near the hearing room at that ti? You had a reason, didn’t you?」
I was taken to the hearing room after I was falsely accused. At first I thought it was just a wild guess, but then I thought maybe it was not. But then I thought,
「Ahh… That’s because when we went to the jewelry store, my sister brought out a broken piece of jewelry apart from Raul-sama’s necklace. She said it was because Priscilla-sama asked her to do so in secret. So I was wondering if the knight misunderstood that the jewelry was stolen from the Royal Princess’s palace…」
「Hmm.」
I struck up a phase and urged her to continue.
「Onee-sama told it was a secret, but I didn’t want to keep my mouth shut if I didn’t want to cause misunderstandings… Besides, I don’t feel sorry for you being falsely accused. I thought that the kind Priscilla-sama would surely understand. That’s why I had to tell Raul-sama about this… And then…」
「I must have been the one lying on the ground covered in blood.」
With a gulp, Countess Bauer nodded her head.
「I see, thank you.」
I was convinced by her answer. The Countess Bauer, whom I had thought was a sassy little girl, is a kind girl with a sense of justice.
「I–I’m not doing this for you!」
And I didn’t expect it to be a tsundere, which I like. What a happy miscalculation.
「It was for Raul-sama’s sake, because Raul-sama could have been punished for the misunderstanding, that’s why…!」
I was trying not to hide my smirk, “Yeah, yeah, I know,” I said, and then Countess Bauer’s face turned bright red and she exclaid,「No, I didn’t an it!」The more she denied it in such a hurry, the more her scowl would only increase.
「What the hell…! A mont ago you looked like you were about to collapse…!」
「Even though Miss Bauer like that was sobbing herself dry, right?」
When I say this back to her, she mumbles sothing in frustration, but I find myself completely back on track just as she said.
「Don’t change the subject! What I’m trying to say is that Raul-sama has never been unfaithful! You understood my explanation!」
That reminds . I totally forgot about it, carelessly, carelessly.
「Oh, yeah. I understand you very well, but you know what?」
I’m no Viscountess Bolellan, but『So What?』was there. When Countess Bauer told that the necklace was a gift from him to , all I could think was,『So Neil’s prediction was correct? I thought my interpretation was pretty moderate, too, huh?』 I was surprised.
「So, now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, you two will make up, right…?」
I never understood a bit why she wanted Raul and I to『make up』so badly. I do think she is a good girl. But she would have been Raul’s most ardent fan. Normally, I think she would have been happier not to『make up』with .
But to Countess Bower, who seed unconvinced unless we『made up,』I decided to tell her about the incident at the soiree ten years ago, without concealnt.
「Eh, no way…」
「Unfortunately, it’s true. So you understand that『making up』is not that simple, right?」
「Eh, uhh… Then why didn’t you break off the engagent? Isn’t it because you love Raul-sama?」
Like Viscountess Bolellan, Countess Bauer and the people who like to blow gossip must have thought that I was so attached to Raul that I would not agree to end the engagent.
I exhaled heavily and looked at Countess Bauer.
Unlike Viscountess Bolellan, I wondered if she would understand how I felt. I was beginning to get just a little curious.
「You know, the reason I didn’t break off the engagent was never because I had always had feelings for Raul.」
And Raul didn’t wish to continue the engagent because he has feelings for .
「At first, it was just a way of saying, “Don’t be stupid. I am not a convenient toy. Don’t think you can do whatever you want to .”」
When he decided that the condition of our continued engagent was『the ti of marriage is when I feel like it,』I was breathing hard and said I would never nod my head.
But sotis I wonder now if Raul was really waiting for to beg him. If Raul had made an explanation, apologized, or shown good faith at that ti, perhaps I would have forgiven him. Unfortunately, though, that never happened.
「One day, the Royal Princess ca to visit at the academy. What do you think she said to ?」
「……An apology…?」
「That’s usually how it works,」
“But it was not.” Thinking about it, if she wanted to apologize, she won’t choose to visit a school.
「Shs said,『I’m so glad you’ve beco a lady-in-waiting, Marsha-san.』I was so surprised.」
I could only laugh dryly now. When I asked her about it, she told that Raul had recomnded .
「I couldn’t help but say no, I can’t do it because I’m going to be Myra-sama’s lady-in-waiting.」
.
The truth is that I had my doubts about becoming Myra-sama’s lady-in-waiting, even though she had asked first. But for so reason, I rember thinking strongly at the ti,『I have to run away.』
「I’m sure the Princess wanted to make her lady-in-waiting so that she could pretend that the evening of that soiree never happened. She really made look like a fool. I can’t believe she would take advantage of soone so easily.」
「That…!」
“I don’t want to believe it.” Countess Bauer likes them, so it’s even harder to believe. But the fact is that what actually happened at the soirée is a fact that only those close to know.
「I was shocked. But then I thought. If they’re going to use , I’m going to use them.」
「…Eh?」
“What do you an?” Asked Countess Bauer.
「I started serving at the royal court when Myra-sama was only nine years old. There was no one who would take Myra-sama’s side. His Majesty, who was the Crown Prince at the ti, was at a loss as to how to treat his younger bride, and his subjects thought she was a child and underestimated her. The pressure of being the crown princess was the only thing weighing heavily on the nine-year-old Myra-sama. Living in a palace filled with malice and without allies is more difficult than one can imagine.」
Myra-sama was getting more and more exhausted by the day, and I was so frustrated that there was nothing I could do to help her. I was desperate to protect her and reduce her burden as much as possible.
「I wanted to divert as much malice as possible away from Myra-sama. So I used my engagent to Raul for that purpose.」
It was also convenient that they were popularly regarded as『tragic lovers.』
「I could gather ill will towards pretty easily.」
It was as if one could hear the licking of tongues of beasts that had found new prey.
「I used Raul for Myra-sama. And Raul used for Her Highness. We are very much alike.」
But there was one crucial difference. I sacrificed myself, but Raul sacrificed , not himself. Raul has no regrets for that.
「But that said, was it really necessary to spend ten long years?」
Countess Bauer’s line made smile to myself.
「Yes. You’re right about that…」
What I have in my heart is regret.
「I realized a long ti ago that there was no longer any need for such a thing. Even if he doesn’t want to turn against , Myra-sama is already able to stand firm as the Queen of the Gran Kingdom.」
I was thinking of Rio’s words,『It’s my fault.』If I had taken the decision to break off my engagent with Raul earlier, the maid lady I left in that half-basent might not have suffered so badly. Perhaps I have made more won unhappy than I know.
Just thinking about it makes feel like my heart is about to give out.
「I could have broken off the engagent earlier. But, yes. This ti I started using Raul not for Myra-sama, but for .」
I despise Raul as a cowardly and cunning man, but in retrospect, what a coward and petty I really am.
「…I got scared. If I broke off the engagent, wouldn’t I now have a new fiancée? If that man dumps again, if that man betrays as unnecessary…」
Not everyone is as unfaithful as Raul, though. In fact, so people, like His Majesty and Douglas-sama, are single-mindedly devoted to their wives.
「You must have been surprised to find that the most hated lady-in-waiting at the Queen’s palace is such a coward.」
Countess Bauer was listening to with a mysterious look on her face, and I dared to speak in a cheerful tone. I thought I might have spoken a little too much.
Countess Bauer shook her head, biting her lip.
「It was Raul-sama who made you think that, wasn’t it…」
「That’s a little different. He’s just a trigger. The point is, I am just not sure of myself.」
I heard a gagging, sniffling sound. I didn’t an to, but I made her cry.
「…But you’re right. I certainly can’t trust Raul once he’s betrayed . That’s why I can’t『make up』with him. I hope that makes a little more sense.」
Countess Bauer gave a small nod and said,「I’m sorry.」
I took the Countess Bauer’s hand, which remained prone, and urged her to stand up. I pulled her hand and led her to the balcony.
The sun was well into the evening when I realized how much ti we had spent talking.
「…I’m sorry I made you cry. And thanks for listening.」
When I told her this, Countess Bauer turned her head and shook her head silently, and then I heard a loud sniffing sound.
I held her hand as I took it and just quietly closed my eyes and felt the wind outside.
How long had I been doing that?
「Hey…?」
「Nhn? What?」
Countess Bauer asks unexpectedly, and I open my eyes to let her into my vision.
「……Couldn’t you have found soone else you liked?」
I answered her genuine question with a smile. How she took that, I do not know.
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