“By the way, have you heard that there will be a hunting competition soon?”
Libencia, who had been maintaining an awkward smile like a mask, changed the subject. Judith nodded silently.
“Of course, Your Highness the Crown Princess will also attend, right?”
“I’ve never hunted before. I’ll probably just be a spectator, but I can’t help but attend.”
“Yes, of course you should. Not only the Crown Prince but also His Majesty would like it. Of course, the other nobles too! Everyone is anxious to see the Crown Princess, so of course you should show your face.”
The tone was ambiguous, making it hard to tell whether she was being sarcastic or just saying something. While Judith was thinking about what to say in response, Libencia continued to speak on her own.
“If Your Highness the Crown Princess is attending, I would appreciate it if you could tell me in advance what kind of dress you will wear. If there is any overlap, I will be the butt of the joke.”
“Well, is that really so? I hear that Miss Montfort has a taste for fashion among young ladies.”
Libencia lifted her chin slightly as if she was boasting. Judith couldn't help but smile bitterly at the sight.
It was true that the clothes and accessories worn by Libencia were often the talk of the town among the nobility of society. However, it was not because she had a refined eye, but rather because all her items were of the highest quality, sold at high prices, and were hard to find.
The Count de Montfort couldn't afford such a mountain of expensive items. Most of them were gifts from Krald, and Libencia liked to flaunt them like a peacock. The nobles looked down on Libencia, adding to their antipathy toward Krald, and pointed their fingers at her for hoarding a mountain of items that were beyond her means.
Did Libencia not know about such things? Or did she pretend not to know? Either way, it was something Judith did not want to get involved in. If Libencia Montfort did not harm her, she did not want to come forward and criticize her either.
Of course, Judith could not forgive Krald, so she thought that she would have to become an enemy of Libencia Montfort someday. Unless Krald grew tired of Libencia and abandoned her before that, it was inevitable.
But there was no need to build up unnecessary hostility from the beginning. Perhaps because of what happened with Flavia, Judith didn’t show any particular reaction to Libencia’s attitude. She thought that if emotions were going to be unnecessary anyway, it would be better not to waste them.
“And before I decide on my dress, I think I should send someone to the Queen’s Palace first.”
The tea, which had already cooled down, quickly became bitter and she had no desire to drink anymore. Libencia, who was staring blankly at Judith’s fingertips as she poured the glass, asked, “Huh?” Her expression seemed to show no intention of hiding her bewilderment.
“The Queen’s Palace?”
“Yes. I need to know first what color the Queen will choose...”
“Why does Your Highness the Crown Princess care about the Queen? Why is there any need for that?”
Libencia's bold words were bold enough to surprise not only the others standing nearby, but also Judith.
“I don’t know what to make of what Miss Montfort said.”
“What I’m saying is, just accept it as it is, Your Highness the Crown Princess. I’m not as twisted-hearted as the previous second Princess. Shouldn’t you just say what you want to say and live your life? That way, you won’t get any wrinkles.”
“...Do you hate the Queen, Lady Montfort?"
“Who likes that woman?”
Suddenly, a strange feeling came to her. With Flavia and Margit gone, she was the one who needed Queen Gilsis more than anyone else. If she wanted to become the second Princess as she wished, she should at least pretend to lick the Queen's shoes, but Judith couldn't understand what on earth she believed to be so impudent.
“Your Highness, there is no need to be careful with your words in front of me. Why are you being so polite?”
“I don’t do it because I’m conscious of what other people think.”
“Is that really so? Well, no matter what Your Highness the Crown Princess calls her, I have no desire to call her Her Majesty. I have no desire to call her Mother either.”
Perhaps that is not what Queen Gilsis would want either. Judith smiled bitterly, feeling ambiguous. Libencia continued.
“Now that we’re on the subject, I can’t understand why Your Highness would let that woman be. I heard that she’s tried to harm you countless times since you were little. If I were you, I would never let her off. If I tried to harm her son.”
Libencia's eyes flashed with an unseen light. Judith felt a strange sensation when she saw that. What should she say? It was as if an indescribable chill was running down the back of her neck.
“...I cannot carelessly comment on your intentions.”
“Oh, of course. I’m not trying to do that either. I just don’t understand it. I’m really sick of that woman’s tyranny. I’d feel better if she just got rid of it.”
Judith felt something was not true about what Libencia said. She could guess that Libencia didn't like Queen Gilsis, but she never imagined that she would harbor such hostility. Was she so attached to Krald that she thought his mother, the Queen, was a thorn in her side?
The complicated thoughts gradually wiped away the polite expression on Judith’s face. Libencia, who had been staring at her, twisted the corners of her mouth as if she was thinking about something and began to speak.
“I will be going now, Your Highness the Crown Princess. It will be a nuisance to sit here for too long. If you have decided on a dress, please send someone to the Serene Palace and let me know. Do you understand?”
“Let’s do that.”
Libencia snorted and turned around towards Cheraan, who was looking at her with a discontented expression. After her careless movements, a thick scent wafted out again, and Judith placed her hand on her forehead.
“Oh, Your Highness the Crown Princess. Have you heard that rumor?”
“A rumor?”
“Your Highness, you haven’t heard it yet? It was quite interesting. That is...”
***
The long wooden swords clashed roughly with a “clang!” It was a cheerful sound, but the expressions of the two people holding the swords were serious as if they were not playing.
After learning of Rogero's true identity, Franz would call him whenever he had time and ask him to spar. Rogero sometimes showed his annoyance because the sparring was not a chance to show his true abilities, but he couldn't ignore Franz's earnest request.
“Rogero, you! Are you moving slowly on purpose?”
Franz, who had been flexibly blocking the relatively fast attacks, suddenly got angry and shouted. He countered the wooden sword that struck from the right with a sound that cut through the air, and the sound was loud enough to ring in his ears.
“I’m doing my best, so why is that?”
“You’re just joking around right now!”
Bam!
This time, there was a heavier sound. Rogero, who had been blocking Franz’s attack from the front while holding his wooden sword with both hands, raised one eyebrow.
The attack began immediately. The movement from a moment ago was so fast that it was impossible to find it. It was best to check which way his arm was leaning and rely on intuition to block the attack. In just a few moves, Franz was cornered in an instant. At that moment, he noticed that Rogero's shoulder was empty.
“Ugh!”
Just before Franz's wooden sword could strike the weak point, Rogero dodged with a look of helplessness. Because of this, he was unable to complete his last attack, and Franz was able to cut through him and seize the opportunity to win.
“I let my guard down. You have a good eye for detail, don’t you?”
Rogero, who had stopped standing still, laughed and lowered his arms. Franz, who had been holding his sword and panting, rubbed his knees, which were boiling hot from his constant movement, and then collapsed on the grass.
“If it weren’t for the sparring, you wouldn’t have stopped, right?”
At Franz's words, Rogero, who had been sitting with his legs stretched out in a similar position, tilted his head back and made an "Ah" sound.
“Of course. Even if I lose an arm, it’s still a good deal if I can take the head of the guy in front of me.”
“Yeah, in the end, it wasn’t a real match, so I won. But somehow, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Are you saying that because you think it’ll feel less uncomfortable after getting beaten up?”
Rogero said with a chuckle. He now knew that he had never been sincere in his fights with Franz. Not only Franz, but he did the same with anyone. The same was true when he was fighting Bartholomew or Neos. But even if he wasn't sincere, no one could easily defeat Rogero.
“I’m actually surprised that things about you have been kept so tightly hidden.”
“Oh, that’s it. Even if I earn merit, it’s not a merit with my name on it, so that’s natural.”
"Why?"
“Think about it. All the imperial officers who fought alongside me were from families with solid backbones. They were experienced and prestigious. What would happen if I revealed that in a war where so many of them fought, the one who made the greatest contribution was a mere fourteen-year-old Prince?”
“Are you saying that you hid yourself because you were worried about the harm that would be done to those people?”
“It may be a bit misleading to say that I hid... Well, in the end, isn’t that wrong? But it wasn’t just because I was worried that they would feel embarrassed. It was more for the peace of the royal family.”
It was a vague statement that was both understandable and ambiguous. Rogero wiped his face with the dry cloth the servant had brought and sighed.
“You know that the powers of the Empire are very subtle and intricately intertwined. If I were to emerge at such a young age, my father would have thought that the balance he had been trying to maintain would be easily upset. My eldest brother is not very good at fighting, although he is very intelligent.”
“Are you preparing for the possibility that someone will emerge who will use you as an excuse to threaten His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“I think that’s the main reason. Besides that, father didn’t want the royal family to create unnecessary fear among the nobles.”
The attack began immediately. The movement from a moment ago was so fast that it was impossible to find it. It was best to check which way his arm was leaning and rely on intuition to block the attack. In just a few moves, Franz was cornered in an instant. At that moment, he noticed that Rogero's shoulder was empty.
“Ugh!”
Just before Franz's wooden sword could strike the weak point, Rogero dodged with a look of helplessness. Because of this, he was unable to complete his last attack, and Franz was able to cut through him and seize the opportunity to win.
“I let my guard down. You have a good eye for detail, don’t you?”
Rogero, who had stopped standing still, laughed and lowered his arms. Franz, who had been holding his sword and panting, rubbed his knees, which were boiling hot from his constant movement, and then collapsed on the grass.
“If it weren’t for the sparring, you wouldn’t have stopped, right?”
At Franz's words, Rogero, who had been sitting with his legs stretched out in a similar position, tilted his head back and made an "Ah" sound.
“Of course. Even if I lose an arm, it’s still a good deal if I can take the head of the guy in front of me.”
“Yeah, in the end, it wasn’t a real match, so I won. But somehow, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Are you saying that because you think it’ll feel less uncomfortable after getting beaten up?”
Rogero said with a chuckle. He now knew that he had never been sincere in his fights with Franz. Not only Franz, but he did the same with anyone. The same was true when he was fighting Bartholomew or Neos. But even if he wasn't sincere, no one could easily defeat Rogero.
“I’m actually surprised that things about you have been kept so tightly hidden.”
“Oh, that’s it. Even if I earn merit, it’s not a merit with my name on it, so that’s natural.”
"Why?"
“Think about it. All the imperial officers who fought alongside me were from families with solid backbones. They were experienced and prestigious. What would happen if I revealed that in a war where so many of them fought, the one who made the greatest contribution was a mere fourteen-year-old Prince?”
“Are you saying that you hid yourself because you were worried about the harm that would be done to those people?”
“It may be a bit misleading to say that I hid... Well, in the end, isn’t that wrong? But it wasn’t just because I was worried that they would feel embarrassed. It was more for the peace of the royal family.”
It was a vague statement that was both understandable and ambiguous. Rogero wiped his face with the dry cloth the servant had brought and sighed.
“You know that the powers of the Empire are very subtle and intricately intertwined. If I were to emerge at such a young age, my father would have thought that the balance he had been trying to maintain would be easily upset. My eldest brother is not very good at fighting, although he is very intelligent.”
“Are you preparing for the possibility that someone will emerge who will use you as an excuse to threaten His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“I think that’s the main reason. Besides that, father didn’t want the royal family to create unnecessary fear among the nobles.”
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