Listen to My Lady’s Story Chapter 53

 My lady is chatting

In a corner of the vast Royal Academy of Magic grounds, there was a training area where the kingdom's future protectors honed their skills.

"『Tidal Wave』!"

Today, just like any other day, practical training was underway, with two students facing each other.

One male student, holding his staff, cast a powerful spell that summoned a torrent of water from nowhere, rushing relentlessly toward his opponent.

Among the students watching, there were astonished murmurs at this high-level water magic.

"It's useless, do you think an attack like that can break through my defense?"

Facing this challenge was My lady Isabella.

Despite the rushing torrent that seemed ready to engulf her, she maintained a fearless smile and held her staff firmly.

A magical gem embedded at the tip of her staff began to shimmer, creating a protective barrier of wind right in front of her.

Although the delicate-looking barrier appeared as though it might crumble under the pressure of the oncoming water, it held its ground.

The male student continued to channel more magical energy in an attempt to push through the barrier, but it remained steadfast, and not a single drop of water touched Lady Isabella behind it.

"Well, is it already over?"

"Ugh..."

Eventually, it seemed the student couldn't sustain the magic any longer, and the relentless torrent of water suddenly disappeared.

Afterward, only a male student, out of breath, and a composed young lady with a serene smile remained, clearly showing a vast difference in their abilities.

Of course, it was expected. A regular student wouldn't stand a chance against Milady, the daughter of a duke.

"Now, it's my turn. 『Wind Lancer』."

"What? Wait..."

As Milady raised her staff high, a massive spear made of wind formed in the sky above.

Seeing the spear, the male student's face turned pale. Lancer-type magic, typically of intermediate rank, was supposed to create a spear of magical energy, but it was never meant to produce a siege weapon of this size. Naturally, one could easily imagine the corresponding increase in its destructive power.

"Now, strike!"

"There's no way to dodge this! Aaaahhh!"

The magical spear, scattering a tempest around it, followed Milady's intent and charged straight ahead, engulfing the surrounding air. The opponent tried to create a barrier for defense, but such a flimsy obstruction shattered like thin glass with ease.

With a direct hit, the wind lance sent the male student flying, along with the surrounding ground.

"Medics! Quick, we need medics!"

"Wow, did he just die...?"

"Don't say such ominous things! Anyway, we need to get help quickly!"

Amidst the swirling dust kicked up by the previous strike, staff and students who had been on standby rushed to provide assistance.

Since this was a training exercise, Milady must have held back. Perhaps the male student was still alive, but after witnessing the spectacle just now, it was hard to trust such reassurances.

Without any concern for the grim scene she had created, Milady turned away from the training ground. She made her way back to us, who had been watching her battle.

"Great job, Lady Isabella!"

"H-hey, Elina! That's quite impolite! I apologize, Lady Isabella."

"Oh, it's fine. You can celebrate my victory to your heart's content."

Elina and Nora, holding drinks and towels, rushed over to Milady, who had returned. It seemed that both of them had come to appreciate Milady's excellence after the recent kidnapping incident, and their loyalty was far more profound compared to before.

Milady didn't seem to mind their genuine admiration, unlike the other hangers-on who were merely attracted by her noble lineage. In fact, she often displayed a calm smile when interacting with the two of them.

"By the way, that was an incredible battle! Lady Isabella, are you planning to participate in the upcoming Magic Tournament?"

"Of course. And when I do, I'll definitely win!"

Milady proudly puffed her chest in response to Elina's praise, her eyes sparkling with determination.

The Magic Tournament was the academy's largest event, held once a year, where students competed to showcase their magical abilities. Milady's high spirits in training were undoubtedly in preparation for this event, which would take place next week.

"But, Lady Isabella, you're going to marry His Highness and become the queen, right? I don't think you need to participate in the tournament..."

Nora's question was quite reasonable. While the Magic Tournament served as a stress reliever for students, it was primarily a platform for them to demonstrate their abilities. It played a crucial role in determining their paths after graduation, attracting the attention of the king and influential nobles who attended.

If Milady could prove her prowess in this tournament, she might catch the eye of the royal family or influential nobility, which could lead to a prestigious position after graduation.

However, this only applied to students who couldn't inherit their family's estates or female students who hadn't yet chosen their fiancés.

Since participation in the tournament was optional, there was no need for Milady, who was already destined to marry His Highness and become the queen, to join in.

"That's true, but I am the daughter of the renowned Valiaz's family. It would be unforgivable to ignore me and decide the academy's strongest without my presence!"

Winning this tournament would grant her the title of the academy's strongest, both in name and reality.

Milady, proud of her noble lineage as a member of the kingdom's most prestigious family, wouldn't miss this opportunity. It was indeed a fitting reason for a someone like Milady.

"Besides..."

"Hmm?"

"I heard that His Majesty and Father will be attending this time. I can't afford to show any embarrassing moments in front of Father..."

Milady, her earlier confidence now replaced by a bashful blush, muttered while looking away. It was a typical girl's desire to have her father witness her achievements.

"...That's true, in that case, you certainly can't afford any embarrassing moments."

"Hehe, it seems Lady Isabella loves her father very much!"

"Well, um... yes, you could say that..."

Turning even redder, Milady suddenly averted her gaze. Elina and the others watched her with affectionate smiles, as if witnessing something heartwarming.

"Are you sure you don't want to go over there?"

"I wouldn't want to disturb Milady's conversation," Dee, standing beside me, asked as I observed the conversation from a distance.

It's not uncommon for this guy to stick close to me, but lately, it feels like he's doing it more often. Sometimes, his gaze when he looks at me resembles that of a predator stalking its prey... Did I do something to earn his resentment?

"...Well, what about you? Is it okay for you to be here, leaving your master behind?"

To avoid Dee's occasional piercing gaze, I changed the topic.

As fellow servants, Dee should also be by their master's side, but when I looked around, I couldn't see his master anywhere nearby.

"Oh, it's fine. Our master is quite resilient, even without me around."

"What's that supposed to mean..."

I couldn't help but feel exasperated by his answer, which showed a lack of responsibility as an attendant.

From what I recall, Dee's master always appeared tired, and I couldn't help but suspect that it was due to the unruly behavior of this attendant.

However, the relationships between masters and their attendants can vary greatly.

If his master doesn't express any concerns, then maybe that's how they prefer it.

I might not fully grasp or agree with it, but I'll choose to accept it for now.

"More importantly, Crow, you should..."

"Hey, could you please stop bothering someone else's servant?"

Just as Dee was about to speak, Milady, who had been chatting with Elina and the others earlier, stepped in.

Milady stood protectively in front of me, cutting off Dee.

"Well, well, if it isn't Lady Isabella. There seems to be a misunderstanding; I was simply deepening my friendship. ...Or does the Duke's household forbid servants from talking to friends? That would be quite unfortunate for Crow, don't you think?"

"W-what did you say!?"

Milady, infuriated by Dee's provocation, raised her eyebrows.

While I understood that they had met during the previous expedition training, I couldn't comprehend how Isabella had become so casually acquainted with this man.

...A sharp pain pierced my chest.

"Release-me-at-once! I can't stand this rude man's smug face!"

"Please, calm down, Milady. And you, try not to provoke Milady with that smirk of yours."

"Hahaha! My apologies. Well then, I'll take my leave and not bother you any longer."

As I was thinking about these things, I quickly reached out and grabbed Milady from behind, just as she seemed ready to confront Dee.

I struggled to keep Milady in check while shooting a disapproving look at the man who was laughing heartily in front of me.

In response to my gaze, Dee shrugged his shoulders as if acknowledging his behavior and turned away, leaving us without any more disturbance.

"Ugh, perhaps I should bring my master into this. But considering the other party is from the Duke's household..."

Dee seemed to mutter something at the end, but I couldn't quite catch what he said as I was occupied with calming down the upset Milady.

"Alright, that's enough! Let go of me! That guy, he's still always making fun of me!"

Once Dee disappeared from my view, I released Milady as she had requested.

Freed from the hold, Milady seemed greatly displeased by Dee's comments, kicking the ground repeatedly in frustration and displaying her anger.

"Still always," huh? It made me wonder if Milady had indeed had some sort of encounter with that man during my absence.

"We're going, Crow!"

"O-Of course, Milady. Where to?"

Suddenly, Milady turned towards me, her hand grabbing mine with an unexpected gentleness. My heart skipped a beat, but there was no time to dwell on it. Radiating with magical energy, she lifted me into the air.

"I want to take a shower; my hair feels sticky from the sweat. Come on, hurry up!"

"M-Milady! Understood, please calm down!"

Despite my pleas, Milady's grip was unwavering as she pulled me away, and we left the training grounds behind.

◇◆◇◆

While Isabella walked away from the training grounds with Crow, Maria couldn't help but shoot a sharp glance at her. Frustration gnawed at her as she clenched her teeth.

Those girls who were with Isabella were supposed to be Maria's in-game friends, providing her with information about the capture targets. Even though Maria had temporarily put that aside to focus on capturing the targets, she hadn't expected Isabella to recruit them in the meantime. The information they offered wasn't critical since Maria already knew most of it. However, it irked her that Isabella had taken over the place where Maria usually belonged.

(But more importantly, hey!)

But what irritated her even more was what happened next. It seemed that Isabella had no intention of concealing her identity as a reincarnator anymore. She was openly chatting with Crow and Dee, their camaraderie obvious, and it nearly drove Maria to madness. Isabella even held Crow's hand now. It was a clear provocation, aimed directly at Maria.

And now, she was pulling Crow along by the hand. Maria couldn't contain her frustration.

(He's mine!)

"Are you okay, Maria? If you're not feeling well, maybe you should take a break."

"It's better not to overexert yourself; just relax."

"No, it's nothing."

Alberto and Leon noticed something was amiss with Maria's demeanor. They displayed worried expressions, and Maria quickly forced a smile and brushed it off. Relieved that they backed off, she took a deep breath and resumed glaring at Isabella's retreating figure.

(All right, I'll make her realize at the next magic tournament who the true heroine of this world is!)

Unlike before, the next event would be a straightforward one-on-one battle. In that context, it would be possible to defeat Isabella thoroughly.

(Yes, indeed. In that place, even if an 'accident' were to happen, it couldn't be helped, right...)

In fact, with a bit of luck, it might even be possible to eliminate that irritating Isabella. As Maria imagined that scenario, a wicked grin formed on her face.

Alberto and the others watched Maria's behavior with concern.

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