Chapter 51

Iscalion and I left the House of Bethril.

…With Yusril tagging along behind us, grinning from ear to ear.

‘Why does he keep grinning like that?’

And with such a look of eager anticipation on his face, too. As I thought to myself, I glanced sideways at Iscalion.

“Why is Yusril smiling like that?”

Iscalion looked back at Yusril, then turned to face forward and answered as we walked.

“Now and then, he loses his mind.”

“I thought as much.”

He did seem rather odd from the very first time we met.

As I nodded to myself, Yusril cried out in protest, his voice full of indignation.

“Are you going to be like this too, my lady?”

“And sometimes, he just spouts nonsense.”

Iscalion spoke up on my behalf, so I simply nodded along and replied, “Ah, I see,” as if it were nothing. He then called out to Yusril, who was snickering to himself.

Ehehehe.

Startled, he quickly composed his expression.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Escort the lady safely to Delosif.”

“No need. Yusril, you should escort His Highness instead.”

“This isn’t about repaying a debt, it’s just common decency. Ensuring a lady’s safe return is only proper.”

“Exactly.”

“What?”

“That’s because, compared to men, women are generally more physically vulnerable. In other words, someone to be protected.”

“…And?”

“That’s why Yusril should be escorting the Grand Duke, not me!”

Iscalion was prone to curses and seemed to fall prey to paralysis quite easily. Despite his outstanding skill in swordsmanship and magic, his constitution appeared to be rather frail. By comparison, I was someone with an overabundance of mana, a (rather significant) problem in its own right.

“Uh, so, my lady, the person who’s, um, the vulnerable one…”

As Yusril stole a glance at the Grand Duke, I nodded along as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Please accept Yusril’s escort and return home safely!”

“…You’re looking at me as though I’m some delicate weakling.”

“Shh, someone might hear you.”

Then, I looked around and lowered my voice to a whisper.

“—That His Highness is the delicate one.”

“….”

“Do take care on your way back, and be sure to wash your hands first when you get home, and warm yourself thoroughly in hot water.”

“….”

“Well then, I’ll go see Lady Bethril. I hadn’t meant for this to happen, but since I ended up bringing Your Highness along, even though I was the one invited, I suppose I should apologize to the mistress of the garden.”

I smiled brightly and was about to take my leave when I heard the faint sound of someone grinding their teeth somewhere nearby. And for some reason, Yusril had turned away and was trembling, making strange, gasping sounds like he could hardly catch his breath.

“….?”

Iscalion, eyes squeezed tightly shut, finally spoke again.

“There are two misunderstandings.”

“Pardon?”

“First, I entered the garden with the marquis and marchioness of Bethril’s permission.”

“Ah, right. You’d just begun the Petra trade, hadn’t you? So that’s how you cemented the relationship.”

“And second, I’m not weak.”

Well, of course he was strong.

He could unravel Serkael’s spells without even chanting. Rumor has it he was a sword mage who wielded aura as naturally as his own hands and feet. And in the future, he would be famed for his exploits on the battlefield. Still, just because one had formidable offensive power didn’t mean their defenses were equally strong.

‘But does being called weak actually bother him? If so, as his ally, I should look out for his feelings.’

“Of course. Your Highness, you’re strong. Exceptionally strong. Absolutely unmatched!”

“….”

“Who could possibly compare to Your Highness? You’re the best. The Grand Duke hides his true strength! Only the Grand Duke levels up! The Empire’s Swordmaster!”

“…That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear.”

That wasn’t it either? Even though I was never particularly skilled at dealing with people, Iscalion seemed especially difficult.

I spoke with a look of displeasure.

“You really are a difficult man to please.”

“Not as much as you, my lady.”

He let out a sigh.

And since I was so adamant about refusing Yusril’s escort, we finally settled on him accompanying me only as far as the carriage.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ୨ৎ ໒꒱ ‧₊ ୧‿︵

Iscalion gazed quietly after the carriage carrying Lady Delosif as it rolled away into the distance.

“Lady Delosif is quite an unusual person. Though not in the way the rumors suggest.”

“…Yeah.”

“I wonder if she realizes. This is the first time in your entire life, Your Highness, that you’ve shown so many expressions in a single day.”

“….”

“If the old lady knew, she’d be delighted. She’d probably already be preparing the wedding gifts.”

Iscalion cast a sidelong glance at Yusril.

And in that moment—

“Aaagh!”

Yusril dove out of Iscalion’s line of sight with all the desperation of a man fleeing for his life.

Kwa-boom!!

The next moment, a blast of mana thundered past where he’d been with a tremendous crash, splitting the great fountain straight down the middle.

“You can’t just do that without warning! If it had so much as grazed me, I’d be dead by now!”

“Pity it missed.”

Yusril, cowed by Iscalion’s frosty gaze, snapped his mouth shut—Hup!

“There can never be that sort of relationship between the lady and me.”

“Well, I suppose the emperor wouldn’t be pleased to see a union between the grand ducal families.”

“I mean we’re simply allies, cooperating for our own purposes.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Your Highness, you were nothing like your usual self. I’ve known you all my life, ever since we were wet-nursed together, and I’ve never seen you make those kinds of faces at a wom—”

“….”

“Is this the moment I should dive for cover again?”

“I’m considering it.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

While Yusril gave an awkward laugh and tapped his own lips—thwack-thwack!—Iscalion turned his back without another word.

“Find out what the old men of the Privy Council are up to. The frequent meetings at the Marquis of Orsen’s estate concern me.”

“It’s not that rascal Cleas from House Orsen that you’re worried about—gyaah!”

This time, the fountain split cleanly in half horizontally.

Yusril kept his mouth firmly shut.

Iscalion strode away. After a while, he glanced back over his shoulder. Seeing the fountain now split in the shape of a cross, he frowned.

‘I’m weak? Nonsense.’

As Yusril had said, Nikaearsha was an unusual woman. It was because of such nonsense that she kept occupying his thoughts.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ୨ৎ ໒꒱ ‧₊ ୧‿︵

A few days later, at the Delosif estate.

I was enjoying a leisurely moment at a garden table beneath the shade of a canopy. Thanks to Alice, our indefatigable B-rank servant, the atmosphere was now perfectly comfortable.

I lazily turned the pages of the newspaper.

Every newspaper and magazine, without exception, was filled with stories about me and my ally.

It had only been a few days since Iscalion revealed his true identity, but the entire Empire had been thrown into an uproar. Commoners and nobles alike were abuzz with rumors, and even the Emperor himself is said to have met with Iscalion in private twice.

‘His influence truly is extraordinary.’

All the trouble I went through to forge an alliance with Iscalion was well worth it.

‘His influence will surely benefit me.’

I was smiling to myself, just turning the page, when—

“Out of the way. I said it’s urgent.”

From the direction of the guards stationed in the garden, I heard a familiar voice.

It was Selena.

‘What is she doing here?’

And without so much as requesting a visit, no less. She wasn’t the sort of person who wouldn’t know that this was a serious breach of etiquette, something must have happened.

I addressed the guards.

“Let her through.”

Only then did the knights step aside, and Selena came striding over, visibly agitated.

“Why is it so difficult to get into the Delosif estate? They say you have to send a formal request for approval at least a week in advance!”

“It’s mainly for security reasons. But for you to come without even requesting a visit, something urgent must have happened?”

“Something absolutely enormous—!”

Selena, who had been about to shout, flinched. Then, glancing around, she dropped heavily into the chair across from me.

“Send everyone away. I have something very important to discuss.”

It seemed she meant to speak of something truly confidential.

I signaled to Alice.

With that, the servants withdrew, and even the knights were ordered to patrol farther away.

“Is it really that serious?”

“Serious doesn’t even begin to cover it! It’s absolutely huge, truly enormous… If it ever gets out that I was the one who said anything, every influential house will set their sights on my family…”