Chapter 203: The Otome Game 3

Having finished her greetings to the Crown Prince, his fiancée, and the prince from the neighboring country, Emilia Navy let out a huge sigh. Her father, the baron, must have been nervous as well, for after a quick word to Margrave Beverly Calvert, he left Emilia and quickly went over to the group of lower-ranking nobles. It seemed he knew someone there.

Emilia would have been more at ease mingling with the lower-ranking nobles herself, but right now, she didn't even have the energy to complain about her father abandoning her. In any case, she knew she wouldn't be able to join in the conversation even if she followed him.

“That was so nerve-wracking…”

For Emilia, this tea party itself was like something from another world. A world she had only heard about in stories and the songs of bards, a distant world that had nothing to do with her. She could hardly believe that she was actually in it. And to top it off, the three people before her were of such high station that she would normally never even be able to approach them. On top of that, the royal guards standing behind the Crown Prince were all so handsome, she even thought they couldn't be human. They seemed that divine.

“You did well, Emilia. Still, you should work on your formal language a bit more. And if you show your thoughts on your face so much, you’ll be taken advantage of.”

At Emilia’s unconsciously uttered words, Margrave Beverly Calvert, with a gaze as if she were looking at something endearing, mercilessly pointed out her flaws. Emilia immediately straightened her posture and nodded with a serious expression.

“—It’s difficult. But I’ll do my best.”

“Very good.”

Originally, the Navy barony was barely even a noble house. Emilia herself felt closer to the common folk of her domain than to the "nobles of high society." She recognized that she herself had a sensibility close to that of a commoner.

But for all that, she couldn't completely become one. The people of her domain were fond of her, but they always called her “milady” and kept a certain distance. They called her father, the baron, “master” and treated him like one of their own, but to them, Emilia was apparently “a young lady from a good place.”

It was Margrave Calvert who had taught Emilia how to live as a noble. Beverly, who had apparently been acquainted with Emilia’s father, had persuaded the reluctant baron that what Emilia, who had lost her mother at a young age, needed was an education, and had regularly brought her to the margraviate to give her a lady’s education. However, as she was an amazon who ruled the margraviate as a woman and led the knights, her idea of a lady’s education was by no means conventional, but Emilia had no way of knowing that. And because her lady’s education was not conventional, Emilia didn’t get along well with the daughters of the lower-ranking nobles.

“Well, it seems those esteemed personages were quite taken with your rustic charm.”

“Huh, really?”

Emilia was quite surprised by Beverly’s words. Her eyes were wide open. In truth, Emilia had been so preoccupied with herself that she hadn't had the luxury of observing the reactions of the Crown Prince, his fiancée, or the prince from the neighboring country.

Beverly’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Oh my,” she said, and let out a little laugh.

“Oh dear, you must have been very nervous not to have noticed. Yes, they had the expressions of someone who had found a cute little bird or a baby rabbit. Especially the Duke of Clark’s daughter.”

“Huh? Uh? I don’t feel like I’m being complimented at all…”

As Beverly chuckled, Emilia couldn't hide her confusion. She stared at the amazon with a look that said, Am I really being complimented? I feel like I’m being teased.

Beverly looked back at Emilia with a hint of a smile still on her face.

“I am complimenting you, so you should just accept it.”

“—Yes. Lady Liliana, the Duke of Clark’s daughter, was so much like a princess, I thought it would be wonderful if I could be like her.”

I’ll do my best, Emilia renewed her resolve. Of course, Emilia didn't think she could completely imitate Liliana. But she felt that it would be nice if she could get even a little closer to the person she admired.

At that, a hint of exasperation appeared on Beverly’s face.

“Wouldn’t it be reckless to try and imitate her?”

“I know.”

Feeling her enthusiasm dashed, Emilia was a little dejected. She was a noble, but a low-ranking baron’s daughter, and although she was receiving a lady’s education from Margrave Calvert, her naturally active disposition meant she was far from words like "delicate" or "ephemeral." If she smiled and sat quietly, she could pass for a lady, but as soon as she opened her mouth or moved, the facade would crumble—or so said Angus, the heir to the Calvert margraviate.

Unlike Emilia, Liliana had the air of a sheltered young lady. She looked as if she would catch a cold easily and collapse, and if something sad happened, she would faint from anemia. Her appearance was fragile, but her features were gentle and her movements graceful. Her speech was beautiful, and her movements, which made one think that every nerve in her body was attuned, had caught Emilia’s eye. Just being smiled at by such a person had made Emilia’s heart skip a beat. Emilia was a girl, so she couldn't be a knight, but if she were invited to serve at her side, she would nod without a second thought.

And unlike the other high-ranking nobles, she had treated Emilia, a mere baron’s daughter, with the same attitude. It was impossible not to admire her.

But Beverly looked at Emilia with a slightly troubled expression.

“I don’t think what you’re thinking is what I intended.”

“Huh?”

Emilia tilted her head. Her face was a picture of confusion, wondering what in the world she could have meant. But Beverly didn't seem to be in the mood to explain specifically and just tilted her head a little.

“You should maintain your own personality. It’s no use for a sheep to wish it were a horse.”

“Well, it’s true that Lady Liliana is an exceptionally noble person.”

As Emilia nodded in partial agreement, Beverly muttered a few words.

“—And I doubt you could pull off the trick of hiding considerable claws or fangs under a smile.”

“Claws?”

Emilia’s eyes widened, feeling as if she had heard some strangely dangerous words. But Beverly didn’t answer and turned her gaze elsewhere. Her eyes glittered as if she had found something. Puzzled, Emilia turned her head in the direction Beverly was looking. There was a young man older than Emilia. The sunlight reflected off his platinum blond hair, making it sparkle.

“Wow… so beautiful.”

“—You were looking at their Highnesses with that same expression just now. Don’t tell me you were thinking the same thing then?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. I just never imagined there would be so many beautiful people.”

Emilia, her eyes captivated by the platinum blond, unconsciously answered Beverly’s question in a daze. Beverly gave her an exasperated look, but for Emilia, it couldn't be helped.

Prince Roland, Crown Prince Riley, and Lady Liliana were all very beautiful in their own ways. Lady Liliana in particular was like a fairy princess from a fairy tale brought to life. She was the very image of the fairy princesses and princesses Emilia had imagined since she was little. It was no wonder she doubted whether she was awake and not dreaming.

“Well, it can’t be helped. We’re going to go and say hello.”

“Yes—wait, what!?”

Though she was shocked, Emilia couldn't bear to be left behind in this place full of high-ranking nobles. She hurriedly chased after Beverly.

It seemed the platinum blond young man knew Beverly as well.

“Duke of Clark.”

“—Well, this is a rare sight. It has been a while, Margrave Calvert.”

Clyde, who had been addressed by Beverly, widened his eyes for a moment, but he smiled smoothly and offered a greeting. Beverly also replied with a smile.

“My apologies for the delay in greeting you directly. I was saddened to hear of the late Duke’s passing, but word of the young Duke’s achievements has reached even our remote corner of the world.”

“You are too kind. As I am still young, I have much to learn.”

“Oh, you are too modest.”

Emilia listened to their conversation in silence. She, who was not used to conversations between nobles, could not tell where the social pleasantries ended and where the genuine feelings began. Conversations with the common folk were much simpler. They didn't speak in roundabout ways, so there was no need to read between the lines.

On top of that, the stares from the surrounding crowd, which she hadn't noticed before due to her nervousness, were now painful. There was some awe and curiosity, but most of it was hostility and jealousy.

Of course, Beverly had told her it was better to get used to the way nobles talked to some extent. But even if she managed to get the hang of it, she sighed inwardly, thinking that the day would never come when she would actually enjoy it.

Beverly, who seemed to have noticed the stares from the crowd, let out a chuckle behind her fan.

“I wonder if I’ll be resented by the young ladies for speaking to you?”

“On the contrary, you have done me a great service.”

Clyde replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Now the Duke of Clark, Clyde was the center of attention for many nobles. His sister was the future Crown Princess, and he, who had inherited the dukedom at a young age, had no fiancée yet. There were not a few who dreamed of becoming the future mistress of one of the three great ducal houses.

For that reason, there were many young ladies and their parents who had tried to get close to Clyde at this tea party. But the one speaking to Clyde now was Margrave Calvert. No one of lesser status could interrupt.

Beverly, who smiled cheerfully at Clyde’s reply, gestured for Emilia to step forward.

“This is Lady Emilia of the Navy barony. By a twist of fate, I have taken her under my wing.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Your Grace, the Duke of Clark.”

Feeling her mouth go dry, Emilia performed a lady’s curtsy. Clyde received her greeting with an amused smile, and as she straightened up, he gently introduced himself.

“I am Clyde, the Duke of Clark. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Y-Yes. The honor is all mine.”

Emilia’s cheeks flushed involuntarily at the smile on his handsome face.

There were no handsome men in the barony, but there were some in Margrave Calvert’s territory. However, they wore knightly armor to protect the border and had an air that was more “brave” than “handsome.” For that reason, Emilia was not used to handsome men like Prince Roland, Crown Prince Riley, and Clyde. Screaming inwardly, Emilia managed to reply without losing her composure.

Meanwhile, the onlookers who had been watching the conversation between Margrave Calvert and the Duke of Clark from the sidelines could not hide their surprise and shock. Until now, no matter how beautiful the woman who greeted him, Clyde, the Duke of Clark, had never said, “It is a pleasure to meet you.” He would always just state his name and end with a perfunctory compliment on their attire. The fact that he had said those words was nothing less than an expression of his intention to continue their acquaintance.

But fortunately for Emilia, the majority of them believed that he had done so to save face for Margrave Calvert.

Clyde turned his gaze to Beverly. Then, he lowered his voice so that others could not hear and asked.

“If I recall correctly, it was in the Calvert margraviate, but was there not a village where the Black Death broke out some sixteen or seventeen years ago?”

Beverly maintained her unchanging smile. But her eyes were sharp, staring at Clyde. With her face half-hidden by her fan, she affirmed, “Yes.”

“It is true that about seventeen years ago, the Black Death broke out in a village at the edge of my domain. What of it?”

“Actually,” Clyde began, a faint wry smile on his face. He took a casual step closer to Beverly and lowered his voice further.

“The Black Death has broken out in my domain as well. It was quickly brought under control, but strangely, the rumors that the Black Death will return have not died down.”

And at the same time, people have been periodically coming to the village to try and burn it down. His steward, Philip, says it is due to the ignorance of the villagers, but he can't shake the feeling that something is off. When they question the captured villagers, they all say the same thing: if the Black Death spreads again, monsters will appear, and then their own villages will be devoured, so they must burn the source village first.

“I thought that if there was a common thread, we might find some clue.”

Beverly narrowed her eyes at Clyde's words. Her gaze, as if trying to discern his true intentions, met Clyde's. Clyde, too, waited for Beverly's reply, his composed smile unwavering. It was Beverly who finally broke the silence.

“—It is true that the Black Death broke out in my domain. Fortunately, it did not spread beyond the village where the first patient appeared, but there is nothing left that could serve as a reference. The village was burned to the ground.”

At her low voice, Emilia timidly glanced at Beverly. Clyde's smile, on the other hand, did not seem genuine at all, and Emilia's face nearly contorted. She caught herself just in time and managed to hold it back, but her smile might have become a little unnatural.

Clyde and Beverly, paying no mind to Emilia's state, continued their conversation with smiles on their faces.

“Is that so. I had hoped that you, of all people, might have grasped some small clue—what a pity.”

Beverly's lips curved under her fan. Clyde was implicitly mocking the Margrave's competence. He clearly did not believe for a second that she was telling the truth when she said there were no clues at all. And Beverly, in turn, had correctly received the unspoken meaning in Clyde's words. Beverly narrowed her eyes.

“Indeed. I am sorry to have disappointed you. —Oh, yes.”

A little too deliberately, Beverly raised her voice as if she had just had an idea. She then turned her smiling face to Emilia.

“Actually, there is a convent near this girl’s—the Navy barony. I have heard that they had some dealings with it before the Black Death broke out.”

“—A convent, you say?”

It seemed that those words were unexpected for Clyde, for he blinked for a moment as if caught off guard. As Clyde repeated Beverly's words, unable to hide his confusion, Beverly nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes, I think it would be a good idea for you to visit. I believe His Highness the Crown Prince, the Duke of Clark’s daughter, and His Highness the Prince also stopped by for an inspection, as they mentioned earlier.”

With those words, Clyde seemed to have figured out which convent she was talking about. His face tightened slightly, and then a satisfied smile appeared.

“That is valuable information. Thank you.”

“No, please don’t mention it. If you do decide to go, please let me know, and I will send someone with you. If someone from my margraviate is not available, would this girl be acceptable?”

Emilia looked up at Beverly, who was standing beside her, in shock. But the Margrave's expression was serious. And Clyde, too, replied with a smile.

“I would not want to trouble you, but if it is not an inconvenience, then of course.”

“Oh, my, my.”

Beverly, who let out a cheerful laugh, snapped her fan shut with a click.

“I shall await your reply.”

After that, they exchanged some light conversation, and Beverly took Emilia and departed from Clyde's presence. Emilia, feeling like she wanted to cry, trudged along behind Beverly.

—-

Toc

Chapter 204