Episode 86. I Met Kalin Ankart
“You are now in an unconstrained competition. I cannot confirm his intentions, but His Majesty is watching over everyone.”
“...‘Join the hunt’?”
The Count’s face darkened even more.
“I do not know whether the predator will win or the one who upholds human morality will win. However, His Majesty is not a person who believes that the qualifications for the future ruler of the empire can be determined by a few questions.”
“I thought His Majesty was seeking peace in the imperial family...”
I felt a slight chill. However, the Count did not answer. I did not want to guess the doubt contained in that silence.
After a long time, I was able to answer.
“Power is truly scary.”
“You have learned a valuable lesson.”
The Count answered, and I looked at my familiar balcony with a heavy heart.
‘To find an answer that does not even have a problem...'
I felt fear. Then how will this competition proceed? Will I ever be able to leave the palace...
There were more than a few things I wanted to say to the Count.
For example, ‘This crazy guy is chasing me, how can I get rid of him nicely?’
If it were Misha, she would be able to say such things to the Count without hesitation, but I thought I would never be able to do so until I died.
That’s all I could ask.
“Count, can I do well?”
“Lorisha. When you run into trouble, the only one who can help you is yourself. You have to make yourself your comrade.”
“...Believe in yourself?”
The Count gently patted my head and left the room.
Believe in yourself.
That I’m an illegitimate child. That I’m a swearword. I have a future dream that’s barely achievable.
What else do I have?
Only men like Locard Kydel can enjoy the luxury of believing in themselves and being confident in themselves. And trust in people.
I realized that I was secretly wary of the Count, even though I hadn’t seen him in a long time.
What if he reprimanded me? What if he laughed at me if I revealed my true feelings? What if...?
If I were to be certain, I was more certain of Locard Kydel than of myself.
For some reason, I could tell very clearly when he was telling the truth and when he was acting calculatedly.
I knew that he believed in the madness he had recently begun to display with good intentions. But knowing that and believing him were two completely different things.
I didn’t seem to trust anyone, not even myself.
If my mother hadn’t left me like that, would I have been able to continue to trust the world as I had trusted her?
Or am I just like my mother, who ran away from the Count because she couldn’t trust him, and I just don’t know how to trust anyone...?
“I never thought I’d see your face here again. Did you come to show off your maid medal to me?”
Misha was standing in front of me without me noticing. I flinched in surprise.
Misha glared at me and crossed her arms. The tea party at the palace last time still left her feelings unsettled.
'I've come to the Count's residence.'
The old Misha was cute and innocent, but when I saw her again after a long time, her face was sensitive and fierce.
It was because of that brown-haired girl.
After experiencing Kalin Ankart, Misha really wasn't someone she could deal with.
I felt Misha's hatred and laughed, wondering why I was getting angry at the tailor shop. When you think about it, it was a good thing that Misha was being bullied.
But things happened, and Kalin Ankart, who had a weakness for me, wouldn't be able to do anything to Misha anymore.
So if Misha continues to attend the academy well and marries into a good family, the Count will have fewer worries.
'I should say I was filial, what's wrong with that?'
I said bashfully.
"I came here for a while because the Count was worried about me, so don't misunderstand."
"I thought I would live without seeing you. I think I should go back to the academy dormitory until you disappear."
Ah, that’s right!
Misha thinks I was bragging about how I was a maid, so she's going to brag about being an academy cadet that I wanted so badly.
I also said, feeling offended.
“Really? Thanks. It’ll be nice to have friends in the dorms, right? Isn’t it?”
“...”
Misha shut her mouth tightly and glared at me.
From Misha’s reaction, I could tell who she first thought of when she heard the words ‘dormitory friend.’
“I met Kalin Ankart.”
“What...?”
Misha's eyes were filled with fear.
I thought that shaking Misha would make her feel better, but when I saw her, it wasn't so bad.
"I got her weakness, so if she keeps messing with you, tell me."
Misha turned pale and seemed to have stopped breathing.
What on earth did that girl do to make Misha react like that? Should I have just torn Kalin's hair off? I regretted it later.
Misha managed to spit out the words in a cracking voice.
"You...!"
"I don't know what weakness you had, but don't go out and embarrass the Count. You and I are in different positions, right?"
The eldest daughter should go out and behave properly.
"..."
Misha bit her lip, trembled, and fell onto the sofa. I was startled by the sight of her body collapsing.
"Are... you okay?"
"Really? Ugh. Really, didn't you tell me about me? Don't you know?"
“Misha Loire. You seem to hate me so much that you can’t live without me, but I don’t care about you that much.”
“Yes.”
“Academy students must be loyal to the royal family and maintain dignity, right?”
Misha nodded so hard that I was worried about her neck.
Indeed, if she were an academy student, the crime of insulting the royal family would be more serious. I confirmed that fact and then said proudly.
“I’ll just say that if I want to, I can turn the Ankarts upside down and get Kalin kicked out of the academy. Yes?”
“Lo... Lorisha! Ugh.”
Misha fell on my lap and started to cry. I was surprised and threw up my arms, gasping for breath.
‘You ridiculous girl. Do you think I’ll forgive you just because you do this!’
But I was already patting Misha on the back. It must have been because I could feel how much Kalin had trampled on Misha’s heart.
My thighs soon became wet from Misha’s tears. I felt uncomfortable, so I pulled the hem of Misha’s shoulder to push her away, and only then did the girl wriggle up and wipe her tears.
Misha’s eyes were swollen shut.
I swallowed hard and spoke. I needed to warn Misha in advance, who didn’t know where she would run.
“Don’t go back to the academy and bother her for no reason. Pretend you don’t know each other and just study.”
“Yeah, yeah. I will. I will study hard. I will work hard until I can confess to Prince Kydel in person.”
“Ugh...”
Why does that guy appear there?
Locard Kydel. There is nothing that doesn’t fit. It’s as if I am possessed by the ghost of Locard Kydel.
Misha, as if she couldn’t even see my tired face, diligently wiped away her tears and fixed her hair before speaking.
“But why? Why did you do that to me?”
I briefly considered making up a reasonable excuse to make Misha owe me something.
But why.
Just as Misha had to live a peaceful life away from Kalin Ankart, I also wanted a free life away from Misha.
“Misha. Not everything in the world is related to you.”
“...”
“I happened to meet Kalin Ankart today, and it just so happened to be helpful to you. I’m just telling you this out of goodwill.”
I muttered absentmindedly.
“No matter how much you hate it, we’re the daughters of the same father... Even if I never wanted it.”
Why did I say something like that? I paused and closed my mouth, and looked away.
But then I thought, maybe I’ve been wanting to tell this story for a long time.
Like it or not, we’re sisters. So stop hating me.
Misha didn’t say anything. She stopped crying, stopped breathing, got up quietly, and went to the door.
She opened her mouth at the door.
“Kalin Ankart is excellent. With her skills and her family’s wealth, she will advance in the future. Whether it’s the Imperial Academy or an administrative position. As long as you’re in the palace, you’ll eventually run into her. So don’t think that weakness you’ve caught will last forever.”
“...”
“There’s a rumor that the Ankarts bought their titles with money. No one has confirmed it, but the reason they’re ostracized in high society is because everyone believes it.”
“...Misha.”
“And she has an inferiority complex about her looks. If you ever get into a fight, you’ll use that to your advantage. It seems like her father is after this iron smelting business, but I don’t know the details either.”
I forgot to respond to Misha’s mature tone, which I was hearing for the first time.
It was a little disappointing to think that Misha had grown up so much that I couldn’t hear that childish tone anymore.
I answered sadly.
“I won’t be in the palace until she graduates, Misha.”
“No, in my opinion, you will.”
“...”
“Because you’re better than Kalin. You’re the most talented and strongest person I’ve ever seen. There’s no way people wouldn’t know that. I’m telling you not to lose to a lowly girl like Kalin.”
“You are now in an unconstrained competition. I cannot confirm his intentions, but His Majesty is watching over everyone.”
“...‘Join the hunt’?”
The Count’s face darkened even more.
“I do not know whether the predator will win or the one who upholds human morality will win. However, His Majesty is not a person who believes that the qualifications for the future ruler of the empire can be determined by a few questions.”
“I thought His Majesty was seeking peace in the imperial family...”
I felt a slight chill. However, the Count did not answer. I did not want to guess the doubt contained in that silence.
After a long time, I was able to answer.
“Power is truly scary.”
“You have learned a valuable lesson.”
The Count answered, and I looked at my familiar balcony with a heavy heart.
‘To find an answer that does not even have a problem...'
I felt fear. Then how will this competition proceed? Will I ever be able to leave the palace...
There were more than a few things I wanted to say to the Count.
For example, ‘This crazy guy is chasing me, how can I get rid of him nicely?’
If it were Misha, she would be able to say such things to the Count without hesitation, but I thought I would never be able to do so until I died.
That’s all I could ask.
“Count, can I do well?”
“Lorisha. When you run into trouble, the only one who can help you is yourself. You have to make yourself your comrade.”
“...Believe in yourself?”
The Count gently patted my head and left the room.
Believe in yourself.
That I’m an illegitimate child. That I’m a swearword. I have a future dream that’s barely achievable.
What else do I have?
Only men like Locard Kydel can enjoy the luxury of believing in themselves and being confident in themselves. And trust in people.
I realized that I was secretly wary of the Count, even though I hadn’t seen him in a long time.
What if he reprimanded me? What if he laughed at me if I revealed my true feelings? What if...?
If I were to be certain, I was more certain of Locard Kydel than of myself.
For some reason, I could tell very clearly when he was telling the truth and when he was acting calculatedly.
I knew that he believed in the madness he had recently begun to display with good intentions. But knowing that and believing him were two completely different things.
I didn’t seem to trust anyone, not even myself.
If my mother hadn’t left me like that, would I have been able to continue to trust the world as I had trusted her?
Or am I just like my mother, who ran away from the Count because she couldn’t trust him, and I just don’t know how to trust anyone...?
“I never thought I’d see your face here again. Did you come to show off your maid medal to me?”
Misha was standing in front of me without me noticing. I flinched in surprise.
Misha glared at me and crossed her arms. The tea party at the palace last time still left her feelings unsettled.
'I've come to the Count's residence.'
The old Misha was cute and innocent, but when I saw her again after a long time, her face was sensitive and fierce.
It was because of that brown-haired girl.
After experiencing Kalin Ankart, Misha really wasn't someone she could deal with.
I felt Misha's hatred and laughed, wondering why I was getting angry at the tailor shop. When you think about it, it was a good thing that Misha was being bullied.
But things happened, and Kalin Ankart, who had a weakness for me, wouldn't be able to do anything to Misha anymore.
So if Misha continues to attend the academy well and marries into a good family, the Count will have fewer worries.
'I should say I was filial, what's wrong with that?'
I said bashfully.
"I came here for a while because the Count was worried about me, so don't misunderstand."
"I thought I would live without seeing you. I think I should go back to the academy dormitory until you disappear."
Ah, that’s right!
Misha thinks I was bragging about how I was a maid, so she's going to brag about being an academy cadet that I wanted so badly.
I also said, feeling offended.
“Really? Thanks. It’ll be nice to have friends in the dorms, right? Isn’t it?”
“...”
Misha shut her mouth tightly and glared at me.
From Misha’s reaction, I could tell who she first thought of when she heard the words ‘dormitory friend.’
“I met Kalin Ankart.”
“What...?”
Misha's eyes were filled with fear.
I thought that shaking Misha would make her feel better, but when I saw her, it wasn't so bad.
"I got her weakness, so if she keeps messing with you, tell me."
Misha turned pale and seemed to have stopped breathing.
What on earth did that girl do to make Misha react like that? Should I have just torn Kalin's hair off? I regretted it later.
Misha managed to spit out the words in a cracking voice.
"You...!"
"I don't know what weakness you had, but don't go out and embarrass the Count. You and I are in different positions, right?"
The eldest daughter should go out and behave properly.
"..."
Misha bit her lip, trembled, and fell onto the sofa. I was startled by the sight of her body collapsing.
"Are... you okay?"
"Really? Ugh. Really, didn't you tell me about me? Don't you know?"
“Misha Loire. You seem to hate me so much that you can’t live without me, but I don’t care about you that much.”
“Yes.”
“Academy students must be loyal to the royal family and maintain dignity, right?”
Misha nodded so hard that I was worried about her neck.
Indeed, if she were an academy student, the crime of insulting the royal family would be more serious. I confirmed that fact and then said proudly.
“I’ll just say that if I want to, I can turn the Ankarts upside down and get Kalin kicked out of the academy. Yes?”
“Lo... Lorisha! Ugh.”
Misha fell on my lap and started to cry. I was surprised and threw up my arms, gasping for breath.
‘You ridiculous girl. Do you think I’ll forgive you just because you do this!’
But I was already patting Misha on the back. It must have been because I could feel how much Kalin had trampled on Misha’s heart.
My thighs soon became wet from Misha’s tears. I felt uncomfortable, so I pulled the hem of Misha’s shoulder to push her away, and only then did the girl wriggle up and wipe her tears.
Misha’s eyes were swollen shut.
I swallowed hard and spoke. I needed to warn Misha in advance, who didn’t know where she would run.
“Don’t go back to the academy and bother her for no reason. Pretend you don’t know each other and just study.”
“Yeah, yeah. I will. I will study hard. I will work hard until I can confess to Prince Kydel in person.”
“Ugh...”
Why does that guy appear there?
Locard Kydel. There is nothing that doesn’t fit. It’s as if I am possessed by the ghost of Locard Kydel.
Misha, as if she couldn’t even see my tired face, diligently wiped away her tears and fixed her hair before speaking.
“But why? Why did you do that to me?”
I briefly considered making up a reasonable excuse to make Misha owe me something.
But why.
Just as Misha had to live a peaceful life away from Kalin Ankart, I also wanted a free life away from Misha.
“Misha. Not everything in the world is related to you.”
“...”
“I happened to meet Kalin Ankart today, and it just so happened to be helpful to you. I’m just telling you this out of goodwill.”
I muttered absentmindedly.
“No matter how much you hate it, we’re the daughters of the same father... Even if I never wanted it.”
Why did I say something like that? I paused and closed my mouth, and looked away.
But then I thought, maybe I’ve been wanting to tell this story for a long time.
Like it or not, we’re sisters. So stop hating me.
Misha didn’t say anything. She stopped crying, stopped breathing, got up quietly, and went to the door.
She opened her mouth at the door.
“Kalin Ankart is excellent. With her skills and her family’s wealth, she will advance in the future. Whether it’s the Imperial Academy or an administrative position. As long as you’re in the palace, you’ll eventually run into her. So don’t think that weakness you’ve caught will last forever.”
“...”
“There’s a rumor that the Ankarts bought their titles with money. No one has confirmed it, but the reason they’re ostracized in high society is because everyone believes it.”
“...Misha.”
“And she has an inferiority complex about her looks. If you ever get into a fight, you’ll use that to your advantage. It seems like her father is after this iron smelting business, but I don’t know the details either.”
I forgot to respond to Misha’s mature tone, which I was hearing for the first time.
It was a little disappointing to think that Misha had grown up so much that I couldn’t hear that childish tone anymore.
I answered sadly.
“I won’t be in the palace until she graduates, Misha.”
“No, in my opinion, you will.”
“...”
“Because you’re better than Kalin. You’re the most talented and strongest person I’ve ever seen. There’s no way people wouldn’t know that. I’m telling you not to lose to a lowly girl like Kalin.”
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