The Abandoned Empress Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Chapter 28

“Please accept mine!”

“Mine, too!”

“Here you are!”

“Don’t you have anything to give us, lady?”

The knights, who lined up on the field, ca running and reached out to all at once.

I saw one of their sleeves loosened and fluttered in the wind. I was too embarrassed to respond.

What should I do? Then, my father ordered them sharply, “We’re leaving now!”

“Wait a mont, Captain!”

“Can I give it to her before I leave?”

“We, too, would like to hear the lady wish that we can return safely.”

I hesitated at their desperate requests. It was understandable that they felt sorry for my failure to wish them well. They had been training with my father in the training field everyday. Nonetheless, I only prayed for my father’s safe return.

“Please co back safely, everyone!”

“Yes, we’ll be back safely!”

“You have to keep well, young lady. Watch out for good-for-nothing guys! ”

“That’s right. Although Verita’s son is going to the border, you never know who else will hover around you. You should watch out, lady. ”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. I will be careful. ”

I nodded, overwheld by their excessive interest in . Watching the knights often looking back at after walking several steps, I smiled gently at them.

When they finally disappeared, silence fell on the noisy field. I looked at the platinum cufflin in my hand for a while and turned back slowly. It seed that I could feel my father’s warmth through the button.

After my father left, I could not get by as usual for the first few days. As I had no regular trainer, I got nowhere in my fencing practice. No matter how hard I tried, I didn’t see any progress.

I idled away 15 days, and in the end, I sent a letter to Duke Lars, asking if I could visit. The next day I received a reply, asking to attend a tea party at his mansion. I tried not to cause any trouble to him, but I couldn’t help it.

“I am honored to et you, Duchess. My na is Aristia La Monique, the eldest daughter of Marquis Monique.

“Nice to et you, Monique. I’m Ernia Shana de Lars. Have a seat.”

Duchess Lars wasn’t that different from how I rembered her. Unlike the duke or Sir Lars whose warm impressions stood out because of their red hair and eyes, she had dark blue hair and blue eyes and looked very chilly due to her expressionless face.

“I heard about it. Your father asked my husband or son to teach you fencing. ”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Oh, I see. I’ve sent soone to bring my son. He’ll be here soon. ”

“Ah, thank you, Duchess. ”

I flinched at her chilly tone, but I expressed gratitude with a smile. It wasn’t the first ti I saw her chilly attitude. Wasn’t she unusually chilly to in the past? I don’t know why, but unlike the duke, she hated very much even though the duke’s family shared the sa political faction with mine.

While I was drinking tea in the cold silence, I heard the door opening suddenly.

When I slowly turned my head, I noticed a boy looking like Allen walking in with a nervous expression.

“Why have you called here? It’s so annoying.”

“Sit down. You have a guest here. Why are you so rude?”

“I don’t care…”

The boy, who looked at with a scornful laugh, suddenly shut his mouth. I don’t know why, but I greeted him with a smile.

“Nice to see you, Lars. I am Aristia La Monique, the eldest daughter of Marquis Monique.”

“… My na is Carsein de Lars. ”

The boy had the duke’s hair and the duchess’ eyes. He looked cold as he took after her mother more. Was it because of his cold look? The boy’s blue eyes staring straight at seed to remind of soone else. I felt goosebumps at that mont.

“Wait, Monique? So, is this the sa girl you ntioned? Do you want to practice fencing with this girl? ”

“Watch your language, ‘Sein. Maybe you should learn manners again.”

“No, thanks, Mom. I don’t have enough ti to practice fencing for myself… ”

“‘Sein!”

“Oh, got it, Mom. I can be polite. ”

The boy, who reluctantly responded to the duchess’s calling, was very displeased. He stared at for a long ti and said in a crackling voice, “Well, shall we go, miss?”

“Where are we going?”

“You said you are here to practice fencing with , right? I have to check your skills first if I can spar with you. Don’t you think so?”

“‘Sein!”

“Oh, why are you calling again, Mom? I’m being respectful to her. ”

Pressing her temple, the duchess sighed deeply and told , “What would you do? I just thought of introducing you to my son today, but if you’re going to accept his offer, I will send soone to bring you so clothes to change. ”

“Ah, that would be kind of you. Can you do that? Thank you for your consideration. ”

“No problem. Let’s have tea until he brings the clothes. Sit down, ‘Sein. ”

The boy looked dissatisfied but quietly sat down. I swallowed a sigh while drinking the almost cold tea, seated between them as they showed hostility toward .

‘That’s why I was trying to do it myself.’

As soon as the maid who went to pick up my clothes returned, the duchess ended the tea ti.

I thanked her for inviting then changed into a training outfit. Guided by the servant, I headed to the training place. .

“It took you a long ti to change clothes.”

“… … Sorry for being late, Lars. ”

“My father told you to practice fencing with ?”

“That’s right.”

“Ha, it ‘s funny. Do you think you can learn fencing quickly? Don’t ever think anybody can learn it easily.”

Carsein de Lars was, perhaps, fourteen or fifteen. He was the youngest knight in history with an unprecedented record, and he was called a fencing genius who had no rival when it cos to swordsmanship.

As I have never t him before, I imagined what kind of person he was when I was on my way to his mansion. I thought vaguely that he would be a man of few words who only focused on fencing like my father.

But the boy before my eyes was completely different. He talked down to and showed no manners at all. He was a sharp contrast to Alledis, called a genius who could lead the empire, who was kind and gentle.

When I saw him looking down at arrogantly, I suddenly got enraged.

“I didn’t say I would learn fencing as a pasti, Lars!”

“Ha, I know you are pretending to learn fencing for a few years then quit to get married, right? What a joke!”

“I am not…!”

“Don’t try to make poor excuses. If it’s not a joke, show your skills and determination, won’t you?”

I shut my mouth slowly because he was right. No matter how much I talked, I couldn’t prove my will. It was , not him who was asking for help anyway.

“You are right. How can I prove it? ”

“… Let see if you can show the basic skills,” said the boy, staring at in dissatisfaction.

I picked out what seed to be a lighter practice sword in the corner of the empty training place. I demonstrated the basic skills that I learned so far before the boy with red hair looking silently with his arms folded. I even showed him whatever slumsy skill I learned by myself.

“It’s terrible. You want to learn fencing with your poor skills like that? ”

“…. ”

“I think your basic skills seem to be solid, but what’s that you showed at the end?”

I felt like crying at his scornful tone, but tried to look expressionless as best I could.

‘Be patient, Aristia. It’s you who needs help.’

After taking a deep breath, I said in a voice as calm as possible, “My skills are what you see. I tried practicing by myself, but there was no progress. ”

“Of course. You know why? Your basic fencing posture is wrong. How can you expect to improve?”

“Then, what can I do?”

As he pointed out my problems, I felt he might give so tips on training.

But he replied as if he was annoyed, when I asked how I could improve.

“I don’t care. Why should I help you practice? Take care of yourself, and don’t bother ! ”

“… Lars!”

“Why?”