The appearance of the Duke of Lucien itself was not all that surprising.
Because this was the corridor that connected to the convention hall where Aletheia was held.
The problem was that I had no idea he was here until he spoke to me.
If there were a lot of people coming and going, I would have thought it was because it was buried in other sounds, but that wasn't the case, so his appearance was a bit surprising.
The Duke of Lucien glanced in the direction where the Marquis of Prasis had disappeared and said.
“I didn’t know you were close with the Marquis of Prasis.”
“We are not close. And I would have asked you to speak more respectfully, Duke Lucien.”
“Oh, I see. I forgot for a moment.”
How could someone as smart as the Duke of Lucien forget something like this?
I couldn't believe it.
It must have been intentional.
“Then what kind of intimate conversation did you have with Marquis Prasis, whom you were not even close to?”
“That has never happened.”
“No. I saw it all. Even the way the Marquis of Prasis asked the Duke with a pale face.”
I crossed my arms and lifted my chin.
“I didn’t know that the Duke had a hobby of eavesdropping on other people’s conversations.”
“I didn’t eavesdrop. If I had, I wouldn’t have asked what you talked about.”
How can he be so shameless?
When I looked at him with bewildered eyes, the Duke of Lucien smiled with his eyes curved like crescent moons.
“No matter how attractive I am, you shouldn’t fall in love with me. The Duke has a fiancé.”
“...Are you serious?”
“I always speak with sincerity.”
..That kind of nonsense.
I knew that the Duke of Lucien was a man without common sense, but I didn't think it would be this bad.
People in high society lamented that he was not a statue that could not speak, and I thought I knew why.
That's why it was like that.
“So what did you talk about with the Marquis of Prasis that made him thank you so much?”
Am I obligated to answer that question?
I wanted to snap at him like that, but it only served to provoke him.
I answered even though I didn't like it because provoking a madman would do me no good, and he was a madman who would dig deeper if I tried to hide it.
“It was a story about the Pura transaction. The Max top suffered a huge loss due to the counterfeit gold coin incident, so it was difficult to pay the money, so he asked for the payment date to be postponed a little.”
Of course, I didn't tell the truth. Then, the Duke of Lucien nodded as if he understood.
“Actually, the upper class within the empire suffered great damage due to this incident.”
“Yes.”
“The damage can only be minimized if the culprit is caught quickly...”
“Yes, I hope the culprit is caught soon.”
“Do you really think so?”
"That..."
I was just casually clapping along, but when he asked me a question in return, I swallowed what I was going to say and looked at him.
“...What do you mean by that?”
“That’s true. I’m just curious to know if the Duke really wants the culprit who printed and distributed counterfeit gold coins and disrupted the empire’s economy to be caught.”
No matter how much I think about it, there's only one reason I'm asking this.
“Are you doubting me now?”
"You're right."
“You answer so confidently.”
“Because honesty is my charm.”
If someone else had said something like that, it would have been ridiculous, but since the other person was the Duke of Lucien, I was able to let it go and just let it go.
“I don’t know what basis you have for suspecting me. I don’t think I’ve done anything that would make you suspect me.”
“You didn’t do the work, but someone else did.”
“Someone else?”
For a moment, the faces of several people, including Perdes, flashed through my mind.
They were the people who helped greatly in uncovering the counterfeit gold coin incident.
Which of them got their tail stepped on?
“It's Prophetes IV.”
I was curious, but Duke Lucien answered before I could ask.
“Isn’t Duke Leopold someone who is so closely related to Prophetes IV that he would want to take you as his Queen?”
“What does that have to do with doubting me?”
“Of course, the prime suspect in this counterfeit gold coin incident is the Allied Forces, and the Kingdom of Artina at that.”
It was widely known that the Allied Forces were the prime suspects in this incident.
It was also mentioned in Aletheia.
But this man was the only one who specifically mentioned the Kingdom of Artina.
That means he knows something.
“What is your basis for saying that?”
“Oh my, you want me to back up everything I say?”
The Duke of Lucien crossed his arms and frowned as if in trouble.
“Duke Leopold really likes ground.”
“It’s not that I like you, but I asked because Duke Lucien keeps saying strange things and I’m curious as to why you think that way.”
“What a strange story. Why is it so strange that the Kingdom of Artina is a prime suspect?”
“Well, there is no evidence that the Kingdom of Artina is the culprit. Do you know of any evidence that I don’t know of?”
There was no way it could happen.
Even though Prophetes IV created counterfeit gold coins, I was the one who distributed them throughout the empire.
Using the 'temple', of course.
So, even though I was sure he had no evidence, I asked in case I was missing something.
Then the Duke of Lucien smiled, smoothly raising the corners of his lips.
A smile that seems like there's something there.
“There is no evidence.”
...I thought it was that, but it wasn't.
For a moment, I felt like an idiot for feeling anxious.
“You say something like that without any evidence. If the Kingdom of Artina finds out about this, they’ll be furious and file a formal complaint with the Empire. Is that okay?”
"It's okay."
The Duke of Lucien smiled.
“I haven’t said anything like this anywhere else, so if you just keep quiet, the Kingdom of Artina won’t find out.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course. The Duke is also a noble of the Empire, so I believe you will not do anything that will cause trouble for the Empire.”
He said he trusted me with his words, but his eyes were filled with distrust and suspicion.
It seemed that the Duke of Lucien firmly believed that I was involved in this counterfeit gold coin incident.
But it was all just a vague belief without any evidence.
If there was evidence, instead of being so indifferent, he would have pressured me directly.
Or he could have reported it to the royal family.
“It seems like you’re impressed by me. Well, there’s no need to be so impressed.”
What the heck is this?
“Where did you see that I was moved?”
“I thought that was because you didn’t say anything, didn’t you?”
"No."
Being able to interpret it that way was a talent if anything.
“I was speechless because it was so absurd.”
I let out a short sigh.
“I wish you would stop bothering innocent people with baseless rumors, like the one about Prophetes IV wanting to make me his Queen.”
“Does that mean I’m annoying?”
“Yes, it’s annoying. I hope I won’t be on the Duke’s lips anymore.”
I told him straight to the point because he wouldn't understand even if I beat around the bush.
Then the Duke of Lucien's eyes narrowed shallowly.
You have a displeased face.
He actually stabbed many people in the heart with his straightforward speech, and yet he made such an expression.
It was funny.
“If you have nothing more to say, then this is it...”
“This is really difficult.”
Because this was the corridor that connected to the convention hall where Aletheia was held.
The problem was that I had no idea he was here until he spoke to me.
If there were a lot of people coming and going, I would have thought it was because it was buried in other sounds, but that wasn't the case, so his appearance was a bit surprising.
The Duke of Lucien glanced in the direction where the Marquis of Prasis had disappeared and said.
“I didn’t know you were close with the Marquis of Prasis.”
“We are not close. And I would have asked you to speak more respectfully, Duke Lucien.”
“Oh, I see. I forgot for a moment.”
How could someone as smart as the Duke of Lucien forget something like this?
I couldn't believe it.
It must have been intentional.
“Then what kind of intimate conversation did you have with Marquis Prasis, whom you were not even close to?”
“That has never happened.”
“No. I saw it all. Even the way the Marquis of Prasis asked the Duke with a pale face.”
I crossed my arms and lifted my chin.
“I didn’t know that the Duke had a hobby of eavesdropping on other people’s conversations.”
“I didn’t eavesdrop. If I had, I wouldn’t have asked what you talked about.”
How can he be so shameless?
When I looked at him with bewildered eyes, the Duke of Lucien smiled with his eyes curved like crescent moons.
“No matter how attractive I am, you shouldn’t fall in love with me. The Duke has a fiancé.”
“...Are you serious?”
“I always speak with sincerity.”
..That kind of nonsense.
I knew that the Duke of Lucien was a man without common sense, but I didn't think it would be this bad.
People in high society lamented that he was not a statue that could not speak, and I thought I knew why.
That's why it was like that.
“So what did you talk about with the Marquis of Prasis that made him thank you so much?”
Am I obligated to answer that question?
I wanted to snap at him like that, but it only served to provoke him.
I answered even though I didn't like it because provoking a madman would do me no good, and he was a madman who would dig deeper if I tried to hide it.
“It was a story about the Pura transaction. The Max top suffered a huge loss due to the counterfeit gold coin incident, so it was difficult to pay the money, so he asked for the payment date to be postponed a little.”
Of course, I didn't tell the truth. Then, the Duke of Lucien nodded as if he understood.
“Actually, the upper class within the empire suffered great damage due to this incident.”
“Yes.”
“The damage can only be minimized if the culprit is caught quickly...”
“Yes, I hope the culprit is caught soon.”
“Do you really think so?”
"That..."
I was just casually clapping along, but when he asked me a question in return, I swallowed what I was going to say and looked at him.
“...What do you mean by that?”
“That’s true. I’m just curious to know if the Duke really wants the culprit who printed and distributed counterfeit gold coins and disrupted the empire’s economy to be caught.”
No matter how much I think about it, there's only one reason I'm asking this.
“Are you doubting me now?”
"You're right."
“You answer so confidently.”
“Because honesty is my charm.”
If someone else had said something like that, it would have been ridiculous, but since the other person was the Duke of Lucien, I was able to let it go and just let it go.
“I don’t know what basis you have for suspecting me. I don’t think I’ve done anything that would make you suspect me.”
“You didn’t do the work, but someone else did.”
“Someone else?”
For a moment, the faces of several people, including Perdes, flashed through my mind.
They were the people who helped greatly in uncovering the counterfeit gold coin incident.
Which of them got their tail stepped on?
“It's Prophetes IV.”
I was curious, but Duke Lucien answered before I could ask.
“Isn’t Duke Leopold someone who is so closely related to Prophetes IV that he would want to take you as his Queen?”
“What does that have to do with doubting me?”
“Of course, the prime suspect in this counterfeit gold coin incident is the Allied Forces, and the Kingdom of Artina at that.”
It was widely known that the Allied Forces were the prime suspects in this incident.
It was also mentioned in Aletheia.
But this man was the only one who specifically mentioned the Kingdom of Artina.
That means he knows something.
“What is your basis for saying that?”
“Oh my, you want me to back up everything I say?”
The Duke of Lucien crossed his arms and frowned as if in trouble.
“Duke Leopold really likes ground.”
“It’s not that I like you, but I asked because Duke Lucien keeps saying strange things and I’m curious as to why you think that way.”
“What a strange story. Why is it so strange that the Kingdom of Artina is a prime suspect?”
“Well, there is no evidence that the Kingdom of Artina is the culprit. Do you know of any evidence that I don’t know of?”
There was no way it could happen.
Even though Prophetes IV created counterfeit gold coins, I was the one who distributed them throughout the empire.
Using the 'temple', of course.
So, even though I was sure he had no evidence, I asked in case I was missing something.
Then the Duke of Lucien smiled, smoothly raising the corners of his lips.
A smile that seems like there's something there.
“There is no evidence.”
...I thought it was that, but it wasn't.
For a moment, I felt like an idiot for feeling anxious.
“You say something like that without any evidence. If the Kingdom of Artina finds out about this, they’ll be furious and file a formal complaint with the Empire. Is that okay?”
"It's okay."
The Duke of Lucien smiled.
“I haven’t said anything like this anywhere else, so if you just keep quiet, the Kingdom of Artina won’t find out.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course. The Duke is also a noble of the Empire, so I believe you will not do anything that will cause trouble for the Empire.”
He said he trusted me with his words, but his eyes were filled with distrust and suspicion.
It seemed that the Duke of Lucien firmly believed that I was involved in this counterfeit gold coin incident.
But it was all just a vague belief without any evidence.
If there was evidence, instead of being so indifferent, he would have pressured me directly.
Or he could have reported it to the royal family.
“It seems like you’re impressed by me. Well, there’s no need to be so impressed.”
What the heck is this?
“Where did you see that I was moved?”
“I thought that was because you didn’t say anything, didn’t you?”
"No."
Being able to interpret it that way was a talent if anything.
“I was speechless because it was so absurd.”
I let out a short sigh.
“I wish you would stop bothering innocent people with baseless rumors, like the one about Prophetes IV wanting to make me his Queen.”
“Does that mean I’m annoying?”
“Yes, it’s annoying. I hope I won’t be on the Duke’s lips anymore.”
I told him straight to the point because he wouldn't understand even if I beat around the bush.
Then the Duke of Lucien's eyes narrowed shallowly.
You have a displeased face.
He actually stabbed many people in the heart with his straightforward speech, and yet he made such an expression.
It was funny.
“If you have nothing more to say, then this is it...”
“This is really difficult.”
...The story isn’t over yet.
I let out a deep sigh, and then suddenly I felt a presence behind me.
Who is it?
As I was about to turn around, Duke Lucien grabbed my arm.
“I want you to focus on me right now.”
What?
"Now..."
I was about to snap at him, asking what nonsense he was talking about, but before I could finish my sentence, someone grabbed my other arm.
“Please let go of her hand, Your Excellency the Duke of Lucien.”
At the same time, a voice full of thorns pierced my ears.
Is this voice Sir Aldor?
I looked back, slightly surprised.
Sir Aldor was glaring at Duke Lucien with a hardened face.
“Hmm?”
Duke Lucien, on the other hand, snorted and tilted his head as if he was interested.
“Am I obligated to follow your words?”
“You are under no obligation to do so, but I ask that you do so. Otherwise, as Her Excellency's escort knight, I will have no choice but to use force.”
“So you’re saying you’re going to subdue me with force?”
“If you wish.”
“Both of you stop.”
If left alone, Duke Lucien will certainly take advantage of Sir Aldor and suppress him.
It was annoying that they kept fighting over me, so I shook their hands away and spoke firmly.
I thought the Duke of Lucien would be a stickler, but he backed down surprisingly cleanly.
“Let’s go back, Captain.”
Instead, Sir Aldor was slimy.
He grabbed the arm that had been shaken off and spoke pleadingly.
“I think it would be best for you to go back now.”
Why are you doing this?
“Phuha.”
I was looking at Lord Aldor, wondering about his unusual attitude, when suddenly Duke Lucien burst into laughter.
It was natural that everyone's eyes turned to him.
As Duke Lucien approached, smiling despite the pouring gazes, Sir Aldor stepped forward and sent me behind him.
“What a truly loyal and faithful dog.”
Then, Duke Lucien patted Sir Aldor on the shoulder and smiled meaningfully.
“I hope that you will remain a loyal dog and not a dog that bites its owner.”
I let out a deep sigh, and then suddenly I felt a presence behind me.
Who is it?
As I was about to turn around, Duke Lucien grabbed my arm.
“I want you to focus on me right now.”
What?
"Now..."
I was about to snap at him, asking what nonsense he was talking about, but before I could finish my sentence, someone grabbed my other arm.
“Please let go of her hand, Your Excellency the Duke of Lucien.”
At the same time, a voice full of thorns pierced my ears.
Is this voice Sir Aldor?
I looked back, slightly surprised.
Sir Aldor was glaring at Duke Lucien with a hardened face.
“Hmm?”
Duke Lucien, on the other hand, snorted and tilted his head as if he was interested.
“Am I obligated to follow your words?”
“You are under no obligation to do so, but I ask that you do so. Otherwise, as Her Excellency's escort knight, I will have no choice but to use force.”
“So you’re saying you’re going to subdue me with force?”
“If you wish.”
“Both of you stop.”
If left alone, Duke Lucien will certainly take advantage of Sir Aldor and suppress him.
It was annoying that they kept fighting over me, so I shook their hands away and spoke firmly.
I thought the Duke of Lucien would be a stickler, but he backed down surprisingly cleanly.
“Let’s go back, Captain.”
Instead, Sir Aldor was slimy.
He grabbed the arm that had been shaken off and spoke pleadingly.
“I think it would be best for you to go back now.”
Why are you doing this?
“Phuha.”
I was looking at Lord Aldor, wondering about his unusual attitude, when suddenly Duke Lucien burst into laughter.
It was natural that everyone's eyes turned to him.
As Duke Lucien approached, smiling despite the pouring gazes, Sir Aldor stepped forward and sent me behind him.
“What a truly loyal and faithful dog.”
Then, Duke Lucien patted Sir Aldor on the shoulder and smiled meaningfully.
“I hope that you will remain a loyal dog and not a dog that bites its owner.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment