Sylvia had someone call Jeffrey and wait for him in her room while chatting with Philia about this and that. But unexpectedly, Rubia came to see Sylvia a step ahead of Jeffrey.
“Duchess, Countess Glever wishes to see you.”
“Rubia?”
"Eww."
Sylvia tilted her head in confusion, and Philia frowned as soon as she heard Rubia's name, then slowly hugged Sylvia's waist. Sylvia blinked, not knowing what was going on, but first stroked Philia's head with one hand and spoke.
“Let her in.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The maid nodded and opened the door.
“Rubia Glever meets the Duchess of Belfort...”
Rubia, who had appeared with an elegant appearance, stopped herself as she was about to greet her. She furrowed her brow when she found Philia clinging to Sylvia’s waist like a cicada.
“...Why are you doing that here?”
“You still have the same personality that calls people this and that.”
“If you act like a human being, won’t you be treated like a human being? It seems like Madam is uncomfortable, so why don’t you leave?”
“How do you know that?”
Rubia and Philia each opened their eyes in a triangle shape and glared at each other. Sylvia was a little flustered because it was her first time seeing them together. She covered Philia’s eyes with one hand, thinking that she should calm them down first, and asked Rubea a question.
“By the way, what about Countess Glever?”
“...I came to get a simple self-defense magic stone that Dosler promised to make for me. Since I was near your room, I wanted to pay my respects on my way back, but I didn’t know there would be a passenger.”
Rubia noticed that Sylvia was trying to change the subject, but she coolly answered following her intentions. Sylvia's eyes widened at the unexpected name coming out of Rubia's mouth.
“Auston? To you?”
"Yes."
However, Rubia remained calm throughout. Sylvia looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm.”
“...Why do you look at it that way?”
"No, just..."
“This is just a thank you for helping him during the last banquet hall raid. Don’t get any weird ideas.”
“You said you helped him...”
Rubia seemed to sense something unusual and quickly explained, but Sylvia did not hear it. In her head, the rumors that had been circulating about Rubia and Auston, and Auston’s attitude that had added credibility to those rumors, came to mind. The same goes for Philia and Jeffrey, and Rubia and Auston.
'It's a good time.'
“These days, young people really live passionately.”
“It’s amazing. If you keep doing that, your eyes will fall out.”
“This is real. Why did you follow me here and cause trouble!”
In a situation where she was anxious because of Jeffrey, Philia let out a cry as Rubia scratched her insides. Rubia, seeing this, snorted and tilted her teacup.
“I don’t think that temper of yours, which starts screaming at the slightest provocation, will change. That would only be a nuisance to the Duchess.”
“Isn’t it true that the Countess doesn’t notice that others are uncomfortable? I worry that someone who can’t even properly judge where she should and shouldn’t be can lead a family.”
“What did you just say?”
Sylvia was watching the conversation between the young people with a big smile on her face, but when the topic suddenly came up and an argument broke out, she was flustered and just blinked.
“Good to see you, Duchess. You look very happy, even though I heard you weren’t feeling well.”
David, who had suddenly appeared, raised one corner of his mouth and grumbled. The group, who knew that Sylvia had been intentionally avoiding the Crown Prince, remained awkwardly silent.
“But an apology in words won’t suffice, so I’ll treat you to a separate meal. When would be a good time?”
But David didn't stop at apologizing, he tried to somehow arrange a time for Sylvia to meet him alone.
“Just having you apologize in person is enough.”
“That can’t be. If you don’t like food, how about jewelry?”
“I will decline that as well.”
Philia and Rubia, who had witnessed David’s trickery, exchanged glances. Their eyes were cold and settled with a different meaning than before.
“Duchess, Countess Glever wishes to see you.”
“Rubia?”
"Eww."
Sylvia tilted her head in confusion, and Philia frowned as soon as she heard Rubia's name, then slowly hugged Sylvia's waist. Sylvia blinked, not knowing what was going on, but first stroked Philia's head with one hand and spoke.
“Let her in.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The maid nodded and opened the door.
“Rubia Glever meets the Duchess of Belfort...”
Rubia, who had appeared with an elegant appearance, stopped herself as she was about to greet her. She furrowed her brow when she found Philia clinging to Sylvia’s waist like a cicada.
“...Why are you doing that here?”
“You still have the same personality that calls people this and that.”
“If you act like a human being, won’t you be treated like a human being? It seems like Madam is uncomfortable, so why don’t you leave?”
“How do you know that?”
Rubia and Philia each opened their eyes in a triangle shape and glared at each other. Sylvia was a little flustered because it was her first time seeing them together. She covered Philia’s eyes with one hand, thinking that she should calm them down first, and asked Rubea a question.
“By the way, what about Countess Glever?”
“...I came to get a simple self-defense magic stone that Dosler promised to make for me. Since I was near your room, I wanted to pay my respects on my way back, but I didn’t know there would be a passenger.”
Rubia noticed that Sylvia was trying to change the subject, but she coolly answered following her intentions. Sylvia's eyes widened at the unexpected name coming out of Rubia's mouth.
“Auston? To you?”
"Yes."
However, Rubia remained calm throughout. Sylvia looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm.”
“...Why do you look at it that way?”
"No, just..."
“This is just a thank you for helping him during the last banquet hall raid. Don’t get any weird ideas.”
“You said you helped him...”
Rubia seemed to sense something unusual and quickly explained, but Sylvia did not hear it. In her head, the rumors that had been circulating about Rubia and Auston, and Auston’s attitude that had added credibility to those rumors, came to mind. The same goes for Philia and Jeffrey, and Rubia and Auston.
'It's a good time.'
“These days, young people really live passionately.”
Sylvia said with a kind smile like an old man.
“Countess Glever. Since you’ve come this far, wouldn’t you like to join us for a picnic? I heard Auston is in his room, so I’ll call him. I was just about to go out with the Lady Seicrine.”
"... Yes?"
“Ugh.”
Rubia was embarrassed, and Philia frowned even more than before. But they couldn't bring themselves to scream in disapproval in front of Sylvia, who was smiling like an angel, so they prayed inwardly.
'Don't come.'
'Don't come!'
Rubia wished that Auston would not attend, and Philia wished that Rubia would not attend.
“Madam, have you called?”
However, after learning of Sylvia's magical abilities, Auston became her willing servant and came running as soon as he heard the call.
‘...A person who is so obsessed with money would come running like that without any reward? He clearly said that he didn’t like it.’
Rubia, who was bothered by the sight, could not bring herself to turn away and decided to attend the picnic.
'No way.'
Philia, who had planned to enjoy a picnic with Sylvia and Jeffrey, was frustrated.
'That sounds fun.'
And Sylvia, the real culprit behind all this, was delighted at the thought of seeing young people dating for the first time in a long time. So the five of them went outside, each lost in their own thoughts. It was an unusually clear day.
“Countess Glever. Since you’ve come this far, wouldn’t you like to join us for a picnic? I heard Auston is in his room, so I’ll call him. I was just about to go out with the Lady Seicrine.”
"... Yes?"
“Ugh.”
Rubia was embarrassed, and Philia frowned even more than before. But they couldn't bring themselves to scream in disapproval in front of Sylvia, who was smiling like an angel, so they prayed inwardly.
'Don't come.'
'Don't come!'
Rubia wished that Auston would not attend, and Philia wished that Rubia would not attend.
“Madam, have you called?”
However, after learning of Sylvia's magical abilities, Auston became her willing servant and came running as soon as he heard the call.
‘...A person who is so obsessed with money would come running like that without any reward? He clearly said that he didn’t like it.’
Rubia, who was bothered by the sight, could not bring herself to turn away and decided to attend the picnic.
'No way.'
Philia, who had planned to enjoy a picnic with Sylvia and Jeffrey, was frustrated.
'That sounds fun.'
And Sylvia, the real culprit behind all this, was delighted at the thought of seeing young people dating for the first time in a long time. So the five of them went outside, each lost in their own thoughts. It was an unusually clear day.
***
Sylvia and her party searched for a deserted place within the palace. However, most of the nobles were staying in the palace by order of the King, and the weather was good, so the garden and rear garden were already full of people.
“I didn’t know it would be this hard to find a seat.”
Auston, who had been looking around on behalf of Sylvia, who would have been embarrassed if she had shown herself to the public and rumors had spread, sighed. At that moment, Philia, who had gone in a different direction to find a seat, returned waving her hand.
“Everyone, come this way!”
The place Philia found was a small palace in a corner of the palace where no one could feel the presence of people. The palace, which had a strong overall feeling of modesty, seemed to have been occupied by someone in the past, but it was completely quiet now as if it was not in use.
“I didn’t know it would be this hard to find a seat.”
Auston, who had been looking around on behalf of Sylvia, who would have been embarrassed if she had shown herself to the public and rumors had spread, sighed. At that moment, Philia, who had gone in a different direction to find a seat, returned waving her hand.
“Everyone, come this way!”
The place Philia found was a small palace in a corner of the palace where no one could feel the presence of people. The palace, which had a strong overall feeling of modesty, seemed to have been occupied by someone in the past, but it was completely quiet now as if it was not in use.
After walking around the palace and confirming that it was a place where no one had visited Sylvia and her party sat down in the small garden. Sylvia sat down next to Philia and asked.
“How did you find a place like this?”
“My feet were hurting from walking around, so I was holding onto the wall, and suddenly my hand went in. I realized that the entrance was blocked by vines.”
“I’m glad you weren’t hurt. You had a hard time.”
“Don’t worry. If the Duke had been here, we would have been able to find this place without wandering around for too long.”
Philia pouted, saying that her soles were cold. Of the people from the North, only Randall had lived in the palace for a long time. Strictly speaking, Sylvia had also lived in the capital city for a longer time than in the North. Since she had never left Count Florette’s residence, she could not possibly know anything about the palace.
“There’s nothing we can do since the investigation is making no progress.”
Sylvia shrugged her shoulders. Randall was currently with the investigation team formed by royal command. The investigation team, consisting of several powerful nobles including Randall, worked hard to find out the truth behind the previous incident, but with no significant results, there were many days when they could not return to their rooms.
‘...I wish you had come with me.’
Although he said it couldn't be helped, it was true that Randall's absence was felt because there were so many people around. Sylvia made a sullen face for a moment, then tried to erase her thoughts and focused on the people in front of her. Jeffrey was in the position of an escort, but he couldn't resist the continued urging of Auston and Sylvia and sat down on the mat.
“How did you find a place like this?”
“My feet were hurting from walking around, so I was holding onto the wall, and suddenly my hand went in. I realized that the entrance was blocked by vines.”
“I’m glad you weren’t hurt. You had a hard time.”
“Don’t worry. If the Duke had been here, we would have been able to find this place without wandering around for too long.”
Philia pouted, saying that her soles were cold. Of the people from the North, only Randall had lived in the palace for a long time. Strictly speaking, Sylvia had also lived in the capital city for a longer time than in the North. Since she had never left Count Florette’s residence, she could not possibly know anything about the palace.
“There’s nothing we can do since the investigation is making no progress.”
Sylvia shrugged her shoulders. Randall was currently with the investigation team formed by royal command. The investigation team, consisting of several powerful nobles including Randall, worked hard to find out the truth behind the previous incident, but with no significant results, there were many days when they could not return to their rooms.
‘...I wish you had come with me.’
Although he said it couldn't be helped, it was true that Randall's absence was felt because there were so many people around. Sylvia made a sullen face for a moment, then tried to erase her thoughts and focused on the people in front of her. Jeffrey was in the position of an escort, but he couldn't resist the continued urging of Auston and Sylvia and sat down on the mat.
Sylvia, who had been worried that it would be okay to gather people in one place like this, soon put her worries aside when she saw them chatting amicably. Meanwhile, Philia kept her eyes fixed on Jeffrey throughout the conversation, thinking, "Let's see if he can avoid me."
However, Jeffrey continued to cleverly avoid Philia's gaze and looked elsewhere. Rubia, who happened to witness the two engaging in a silent chase, muttered with a face that said, "I can't stand to see this."
“It’s amazing. If you keep doing that, your eyes will fall out.”
“This is real. Why did you follow me here and cause trouble!”
In a situation where she was anxious because of Jeffrey, Philia let out a cry as Rubia scratched her insides. Rubia, seeing this, snorted and tilted her teacup.
“I don’t think that temper of yours, which starts screaming at the slightest provocation, will change. That would only be a nuisance to the Duchess.”
“Isn’t it true that the Countess doesn’t notice that others are uncomfortable? I worry that someone who can’t even properly judge where she should and shouldn’t be can lead a family.”
“What did you just say?”
Sylvia was watching the conversation between the young people with a big smile on her face, but when the topic suddenly came up and an argument broke out, she was flustered and just blinked.
Feeling some sense of responsibility, she tried to stop the two with an embarrassed expression.
“Umm, over there...”
“Why is that? If we judge based on the facts, wouldn’t it be the Countess, not me, who is more important to the Duchess?”
“You two, wait a minute.”
“The fact that you are making such a judgment on your own is proof of your shortcomings.”
“Ha! Then I guess I can just ask the Duchess directly!”
Philia snorted sharply. Immediately afterward, Philia and Rubia turned their heads at the same time and looked at Sylvia. Their blue and purple eyes were each burning with a strange competitive spirit.
“Umm, over there...”
“Why is that? If we judge based on the facts, wouldn’t it be the Countess, not me, who is more important to the Duchess?”
“You two, wait a minute.”
“The fact that you are making such a judgment on your own is proof of your shortcomings.”
“Ha! Then I guess I can just ask the Duchess directly!”
Philia snorted sharply. Immediately afterward, Philia and Rubia turned their heads at the same time and looked at Sylvia. Their blue and purple eyes were each burning with a strange competitive spirit.
“Duchess, which of us would you rather have by your side? Me, of course.”
“I trust that you won’t make the wrong decision just because someone forces you to answer in that way.”
Philia and Rubia waited for Sylvia's answer, arguing. Sylvia, who had been exhausted by the commotion, lifted her teacup with a detached smile as if she had put everything down.
“I like my husband the best.”
“...”
“...”
Philia and Rubia, who had their positions in Sylvia's inner circle taken away by an unexpected opponent, were both speechless. Sylvia was finally sighing, saying that she would finally be able to be quiet.
“I guess you two are still in your prime. It’s nice to see how much you care for each other."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice cut through the group. Before the group could respond, an unfamiliar figure suddenly sat down next to Sylvia. Sylvia, who recognized the other person, opened her mouth, hiding her expression of frustration.
“...Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“I trust that you won’t make the wrong decision just because someone forces you to answer in that way.”
Philia and Rubia waited for Sylvia's answer, arguing. Sylvia, who had been exhausted by the commotion, lifted her teacup with a detached smile as if she had put everything down.
“I like my husband the best.”
“...”
“...”
Philia and Rubia, who had their positions in Sylvia's inner circle taken away by an unexpected opponent, were both speechless. Sylvia was finally sighing, saying that she would finally be able to be quiet.
“I guess you two are still in your prime. It’s nice to see how much you care for each other."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice cut through the group. Before the group could respond, an unfamiliar figure suddenly sat down next to Sylvia. Sylvia, who recognized the other person, opened her mouth, hiding her expression of frustration.
“...Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Good to see you, Duchess. You look very happy, even though I heard you weren’t feeling well.”
David, who had suddenly appeared, raised one corner of his mouth and grumbled. The group, who knew that Sylvia had been intentionally avoiding the Crown Prince, remained awkwardly silent.
In the meantime, Sylvia regained her composure and asked, sneaking her body away.
“Why does Your Highness the Crown Prince come to such a remote place?”
“Don’t look at me like I’m a stranger. This is the Prince’s palace. You’re the ones who have trespassed.”
“The Prince’s Palace... you say?”
Sylvia frowned in confusion and looked around. However, this place was quite small for a palace where a Prince had stayed. As if answering the question, David sat crookedly and ruffled his hair with one hand.
“When I was young, I used to break things a lot. His Majesty put me here under the pretext of reducing the amount of things I would break. It’s a place that’s not very noticeable, but you managed to find it.”
As David continued to speak, Philia, who had guided the group here, became increasingly gloomy. Sylvia smiled at her to tell her that it was okay, then stiffened her face and got up again.
“I’m not feeling too bad today, so I just came out to get some fresh air. I’ll be leaving now.”
“Oh, well. But you should at least get an apology before you go back.”
But David grabbed Sylvia's wrist and sat her back down first. Jeffrey was about to draw his sword, but Sylvia stopped him with a wink.
“Why does Your Highness the Crown Prince come to such a remote place?”
“Don’t look at me like I’m a stranger. This is the Prince’s palace. You’re the ones who have trespassed.”
“The Prince’s Palace... you say?”
Sylvia frowned in confusion and looked around. However, this place was quite small for a palace where a Prince had stayed. As if answering the question, David sat crookedly and ruffled his hair with one hand.
“When I was young, I used to break things a lot. His Majesty put me here under the pretext of reducing the amount of things I would break. It’s a place that’s not very noticeable, but you managed to find it.”
As David continued to speak, Philia, who had guided the group here, became increasingly gloomy. Sylvia smiled at her to tell her that it was okay, then stiffened her face and got up again.
“I’m not feeling too bad today, so I just came out to get some fresh air. I’ll be leaving now.”
“Oh, well. But you should at least get an apology before you go back.”
But David grabbed Sylvia's wrist and sat her back down first. Jeffrey was about to draw his sword, but Sylvia stopped him with a wink.
David may have been rude by touching Sylvia first, but he was royalty. And this was not the north, but the capital, the palace in the middle of it all. If Jeffrey had pointed his sword at the Crown Prince in such a place, he would have been harmed for some reason.
When David saw that Sylvia was not going to run away, he let go of her hand. He apologized to Sylvia with a rather gloomy face.
“... I sincerely apologize for touching your face that day at the banquet hall. For a moment, I thought you were someone I knew, and I was out of my mind.”
Sylvia, who didn't like the way things were going on until the end, but didn't want to face David for a long time, reluctantly accepted the apology.
“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave...”
“... I sincerely apologize for touching your face that day at the banquet hall. For a moment, I thought you were someone I knew, and I was out of my mind.”
Sylvia, who didn't like the way things were going on until the end, but didn't want to face David for a long time, reluctantly accepted the apology.
“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave...”
“But an apology in words won’t suffice, so I’ll treat you to a separate meal. When would be a good time?”
But David didn't stop at apologizing, he tried to somehow arrange a time for Sylvia to meet him alone.
“Just having you apologize in person is enough.”
“That can’t be. If you don’t like food, how about jewelry?”
“I will decline that as well.”
Philia and Rubia, who had witnessed David’s trickery, exchanged glances. Their eyes were cold and settled with a different meaning than before.
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