My lady wants to toss it away
A dry, echoing thud cut through the cold air.
"What...?" Albert stared in astonishment at his rejected hand, pushed away.
Clearly, he hadn't expected to be turned down, and his expression showed his shock.
"...You'll regret this," Albert said, finally recovering from his surprise. His pride had been wounded by the rejection, and he abandoned his earlier friendly smile to give me a menacing glare.
His true, ugly nature had been revealed at last. However, I had no intention of giving in to such weak threats.
"I'd rather die than betray Milady," I said firmly. Moreover, it was his earlier insult to my lady that had truly angered me.
I met Albert's menacing stare with one full of hostility, and he eventually looked away. Even though Milady wouldn't have been affected by his attempts to intimidate, I wanted nothing to do with a man like him, who had dared to insult her.
"What a pity. You could have been happy if you'd only chosen a different master."
"Don't you dare speak of my happiness, you arrogant fool"
Recognizing that trying to convince him further was futile, I abruptly dismissed Albert's resentful words. He scowled in vexation and promptly departed from the garden. I kept a stern gaze fixed on his back until he vanished from sight.
"I have done it now..."
After the princes had left, I found myself alone in the garden, overwhelmed by my thoughts. I had let my anger get the best of me during our heated argument, and I couldn't help but berate myself for squandering the precious opportunity to gain valuable information.
The situation remained as dire as ever. The elusive enemy conspiring against the Duke's family continued to evade our grasp. Losing the Prince as a potential lead was a painful setback. I realized that, in that particular moment, it wasn't the right time for emotional outbursts. I understood this, but I felt powerless to act otherwise.
No matter the circumstances, I couldn't bring myself to betray Milady. Even if it meant making a choice that seemed foolish, I couldn't betray her trust. However, I couldn't help but question if, in that moment, betraying her trust might have been the right path for a loyal servant, given the circumstances.
"I... I..."
With my thoughts in disarray, I stumbled out of the garden, my future uncertain, and my mind filled with doubt.
◇◆◇◆
"Seriously, why does it feel like he's taking forever to come back? Where on earth is Crow, leaving me behind like this?" Isabella grumbled as she walked back to the school building with her friends after finishing lunch.
During the walk, Isabella continued to vent her frustration about her absent servant. Her friends exchanged uncertain glances as they listened to her complaints. However, one girl, attempting to gain Isabella's favor, approached with a flattering smile.
"Indeed, Lady Isabella deserves a much better servant. We could take care of him for you," she suggested.
"Do you wish to be crushed?"
The girl's attempt to win Isabella's favor was met with a chilling tone. Simultaneously, an overwhelming surge of magic emanated from Isabella's body, causing her entourage to tremble and collapse to the ground, overpowered by her presence.
"Ah! N-No, I would never suggest such a thing!"
"Could you please avoid such unpleasant remarks? I might lose control."
"My sincerest apologies, Lady Isabella!"
Isabella, with eyes as sharp as knives, pointed the ring on her finger at the girl. The large emerald emitted magic, indicating its potential for powerful spells.
Isabella, who had previously looked displeased, gazed down at the girl for a while. Suddenly, as if she had noticed something, she raised her head.
"Oh, you've finally returned."
Isabella, now wearing an elegant smile, saw the butler slowly walking towards them from the garden. She disregarded the girls who had collapsed around her and approached Crow without further ado.
"You're late, Crow. Honestly, your lack the self-awareness of a proper servant who can't even manage their own health."
"Milady..."
"──Eewp!?"
Before Isabella could continue lecturing Crow about his tardiness, he suddenly embraced her, and she let out a surprised scream.
"W-What are you doing, Crow!? Why here!?"
Isabella was used to Crow's embraces, but the issue was the public setting they were in. Both her entourage and other students nearby were astonished by the unexpected display.
"Idiot... where are you touching...! Mmm..."
Unfazed by the surrounding gazes, Crow tightened his embrace, and Isabella, despite her initial resistance, gradually succumbed to his strong arms. Even if Isabella didn't consciously realize it, the sense of happiness engraved in her body resurfaced, causing her to accept Crow's embrace involuntarily.
As she lost the ability to resist completely, Isabella found herself returning Crow's embrace, her hands wrapped around his waist...
"La, Lady Isabella?"
"Hah!?"
The perplexed voice of one of Isabella's worried entourage girls snapped her back to reality.
"Hey, how long are you going to hang on to me, you fool!"
Suddenly remembering the people around them, Isabella's face turned beet red with embarrassment. In the heat of the moment, she instinctively locked her arms around Crow's waist and threw him behind her.
"Gwaaah!?"
"Oh..."
As a result, Crow couldn't react or defend himself and ended up crashing headfirst into the ground, with a pained scream coming from the impact.
It was definitely an overkill move against a commoner. Isabella, who realized the severity of her actions once the throw was complete, turned pale with regret.
"Uhm, Crow! Are you alive?"
"Mi...lady..."
"Well, it seems you're alive... But honestly, that was quite a shock."
Although she quickly checked on Crow's condition, Isabella was relieved that he was conscious, despite the blood dripping from his head. However, he was clearly seriously injured. To avoid the curious onlookers and the awkwardness of the situation, Isabella decided to leave the scene as soon as possible.
"You all should head back first. I need to give this ruffian a proper scolding."
"Y-Yes."
Isabella glanced at her entourage girls, still on the ground, and, with an irresistible force in her words, they nodded vigorously.
"Let's go, Crow!"
"Aaaaahh~"
Satisfied with their response, Isabella grabbed Crow's collar while he was sprawled on the ground and dragged his body away unceremoniously.
"W-What just happened?"
After watching Isabella and her entourage's departure, one of the remaining girls muttered softly, voicing what everyone present was thinking.
◇◆◇◆
"Ouch! It hurts, milady!"
"Quiet down; be a little more patient. Err, It should be like this... Oh, come on! Don't move!"
I was forcefully brought into the familiar conversation room, where I found myself sitting on a couch while Milady, looking somewhat nervous, clumsily wrapped a bandage around my head.
Milady had never tended to injuries before, so her handling of the situation was uncertain. My face was now covered in bandages, making me look like a mummy.
Honestly, a minor injury like this would easily heal with a healing potion and some rest, but Milady didn't seem ready to let me off so easily.
"Please, Milady, remain calm. Let's start from the beginning."
"Mmm..."
Since things weren't going well, I gave a pleading look for help. Eins, who was standing nearby, began to instruct Milady on how to properly wrap the bandage. At first, Milady was quite reluctant, but thanks to Eins' patient guidance, she was able to rewrap the bandage neatly. Finally, I was freed from my mummy-like state.
"So, what's been happening? You've been acting strangely lately, especially after the incident earlier," Milady inquired, a hint of concern in her voice.
"I apologize," I replied.
With the treatment completed, Milady took a seat beside me, her eyes reflecting worry.
The earlier incident had been a complete disaster. My reaction had been reckless, driven by my discomfort with Prince Albert's advances. I lost control of myself, and it led to a severe breach of decorum.
While Milady was forgiving, embracing her in public had been a grievous mistake. Her quick thinking had prevented a potential catastrophe, but it was still a significant lapse in etiquette that could tarnish her family's reputation.
Milady's following question was sincere, devoid of anger or frustration.
Yet, I found myself unable to answer.
What had happened? The most pressing concern was undoubtedly the impending downfall of the Duke's family.
I couldn't bring myself to tell her that she was about to be disengaged from the prince, leading to the ruin of her entire family. Such news was too harsh for Milady.
Should I consult with her and attempt to prevent the downfall together?
It seemed impossible. Even her father couldn't stop it, so there was little a young lady like her could do to change the situation.
Furthermore, if she took any unnecessary actions and attracted the attention of their enemies, it might lead to a situation far worse than the game itself.
"...No, it's nothing," I replied.
"I see..."
In the end, all I could do was deny any involvement.
Upon hearing my words, Milady's expression changed. She narrowed her emerald eyes and focused her gaze on me. I felt like she could see right through me, and her penetrating gaze made me want to escape. However, her sincere look didn't allow for that.
She sighed deeply and reached out her hand. Her expression seemed a bit exasperated. I took a step back instinctively, but she pulled me closer. She enveloped me with the warmth of her ample bosom. The softness pressed against my face, and the sweet scent, like flowers, made me lose my thoughts.
"Come on, here where no one can see us. You're free to hold me as much as you'd like," she said with a gentle smile.
"Milady..."
Her soft voice came from above as she slowly ran her fingers through my hair. As she did, I felt the tension in my body slowly melt away. Milady probably saw through my feeble lies, yet she chose not to pry, embracing me with kindness. Her trust alone was enough to confirm that my choices were not in vain.
"You're my cherished servant, so please let me pamper you like this," she said.
"I'm sorry, Milady... Please, just for now," I replied.
"No need to apologize. Here, take a little rest," she said with a smile as she embraced me with overflowing emotions in her heart.
As her gentle hand caressed my head, my consciousness slowly drifted away.
◇◆◇◆
It had been a few days since the day I faced Albert and his group. Despite our ongoing efforts to gather information through Eins and others to avoid our downfall, the enemy organizations, as expected, had been one step ahead, actively obstructing our efforts in various locations. Despite our best efforts to counteract their interference, the enemy organization was more powerful and organized.
I sat in my room, flipping through the report Eins had delivered.
No matter how formidable the opponent, there were things you could learn, precisely because of their power. A group of this size and audacity was bound to reveal some weaknesses.
"Are you sure this information is accurate?"
"Yes, it's the result of our comprehensive investigation, with over a 90% certainty."
"I see... this does seem to fit together in many ways."
The noble family that had come to the forefront was somewhat unexpected. But upon closer examination, they appeared to have the highest probability of orchestrating the downfall of the Valiaz family. If we could make them act to bring about our downfall, it would also lead us to the identity of the enemy wishing for our downfall.
"Should we apprehend them immediately?"
"It's pointless. If they're who I suspect, they are likely aware of our movement."
If our adversary is who we think they are, they'd undoubtedly be privy to our actions. Even if we tried to capture them, they would likely elude us quite easily.
"Moreover....... I'm afraid we've run out of time."
Looking out the window, the sun had already started rising, marking the beginning of the day. It was the Kingdom's Founding Day, the very day my lady would face her downfall.
──We didn't make it in time.
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