#058
"Hmm. So you're finally acknowledging this body of mine? I was this close to taking offense, you know. Ah! Don't get too upset about me dropping the formalities, young man. Seifran Crown Prince and I call each other sister and brother. Just roll with it."
"Of course, of course!"
Chezare eyed the vigorously nodding Chen Viscount and remarked,
"He's saying it's a lie, so filter it out yourself."
"Fontpado Madam? Did you read my mind or something?"
"Hardly. I just figured Catherine would say something similar if she were here. She and the Crown Prince have no such connection."
"No need to go that far with the lies..."
"She's enjoying it, so let her be. She'll take responsibility anyway."
Fair enough. It hadn't been that long, but Fontpado Madam wasn't the type to say anything she couldn't back up. Who knew—maybe some distant relative by marriage... no, an academy classmate of a cousin was the Crown Prince or something.
"But... what brings you all the way out here, Madam...?"
Chen Viscount asked Fontpado Madam in a puzzled tone. She replied with perfect composure.
"Why, as the companion of an invited guest, of course. A very, extremely, profoundly, terribly dear friend of mine has a sister who's about to become Viscountess. Companions are allowed, right?"
"Of course! If she's Anne's sister... as far as I know, that's only Miss Magi? Is your friend perhaps related to Anne?"
"Hmm? Who's Magi?"
Catherine, who had been watching quietly, moved to open the carriage door.
"Hold on."
But Chezare swiftly blocked her path, stepping down first to escort her.
"Thank you."
All eyes turned to them. Catherine and Chezare slowly made their way toward the wedding venue in the garden. As the distance to the guests narrowed, the murmurs grew louder.
"...Your Grace?"
"What? His Grace?"
"M-move aside! His Grace?"
"Heavens. They say Duke Chezare has arrived."
The guests swarmed like bees, scrutinizing Chezare's every move as if he were some exotic creature. Chen Viscount, who had been standing dumbfounded, belatedly rushed over in a fluster.
"Y-Your Grace? Isn't that Duke Chezare? Argh, if you'd told me ahead of time, I would've come to escort you...!"
But Chen Viscount's sprint was soon blocked by a man.
"You vile demon!"
The thunderous shout drew everyone's attention to the man.
"Did you think I wouldn't recognize you? Sneaking in among the crowd again, you arrogant wretch!"
The man who had abruptly cut off Chen Viscount stood with veins bulging in his neck, spewing venom. Catherine grimaced upon recognizing his face—he was one of the cardinals who had harassed her at the Christopher Ducal Residence before.
What rotten luck running into him here again. And thanks to that mess last time, I can't even hide my face.
The cardinal bellowed,
"Failing to capture you at the Christopher Ducal Residence was my regret. I'm glad I came to Viscount Chen's wedding. Today, I'll end you for good!"
End him? Did he think starting a brawl at someone else's wedding was fine? The cardinal clearly had no intention of resolving this quietly. Sensing something amiss, the guests began murmuring and shrinking back.
"What's this, miss? What's going on? Why's that cardinal calling you a demon and flipping out? Want me to send him flying?"
"I could settle this in one stroke too, miss. If only I could ditch this ridiculously heavy armor first."
Fontpado Madam and Demian fussed around Catherine.
"It's fine. No big deal, so stay out of it."
Catherine reassured them and turned to Chezare.
"Chezare, aside from Lemor, tell me another of your demons I can summon. Ideally one with a very strong sense of pride."
"Wouldn't it be easier if I just called one and had it drag him off?"
"No. You told me to get used to summoning demons instead of relying on magic."
It might prove quite useful in a pinch like this. Chezare, fiddling with his earlobe with a slightly sulky expression—clearly displeased with her answer—finally spoke languidly.
"Can't be helped, then. Call Queen."
Queen?
"[Queen]"
⟨ Summon: Queen ⟩
"Queen matches Lemor in power, so she'll be a big help. Prideful as you wanted, but mild-tempered enough not to cause too much trouble."
Got it. Recalling the sensation of summoning Lemor on the Lilith Ship, Catherine invoked the demon's true name.
A massive magic circle etched itself into the air, accompanied by the faint sound of crashing waves. A fresh sea breeze wafted from somewhere. Bursting through the circle came a colossal sea turtle large enough to blot out the sky above the mansion.
"Kyaa! Kyaaak!"
"A demon! Run!"
The guests screamed and fled into the mansion. Chezare, gazing up at the sky, let out a rare note of admiration.
"At this level... 'talent' doesn't even begin to cover it."
The massive turtle, Queen, slowly swam through the air before dipping her head. Her eyes fixed precisely on Catherine and Chezare. Queen greeted Chezare with proper respect, then turned her attention to Catherine.
「Hmm. A friend of my lord? To summon this Queen—what an impressive human. I salute your ability.」
As Chezare had said, Queen's temperament was far milder than Lemor's.
Boom! Then, out of a clear sky, a bolt of lightning struck Queen's shell. Queen turned toward the caster without a hint of agitation, her four legs paddling lazily.
"You demons! Ruining this sacred wedding! Duke Chezare, how far do you intend to fall?"
In the mage nation of the Iterana Empire, dismissing demons—who weren't even monsters—as filthy was utterly unacceptable. Queen spat toward the fuming cardinal, who was busy frothing at the mouth.
「I wondered where that sewer stench was coming from. So the Pope's dogs were here.」
Catherine mimicked Chezare's style and commanded Queen.
"Queen, haul that cardinal far away."
「How far? 」
"Somewhere a carriage ride of about a day would do. Then come back and report."
「Without killing him? How merciful. Fine. An unarmed cardinal is just a snack to me.」
Like Lemor, Queen opened her massive maw and lunged at the cardinal.
"Y-you fiends! You think I'll fall for the same trick agai—!"
The cardinal vanished into Queen's mouth in an instant. Her sturdy shell slammed into the mansion with a deafening crash, crumbling part of the wall and windows. One leg swept through the garden, demolishing tables and food. With a leisurely tail wag, Queen vanished into the distant sky.
A demon who caused satisfying collateral damage—what a gem.
"Not bad at all. You deserve the praise."
Chezare complimented Catherine with a satisfied smile. He sat in the sole intact chair amid the upturned garden.
For a fleeting moment, Catherine wondered if being praised by a demon for something like this was something a human should be happy about.
"If the mages saw this, they'd line up behind you fighting over whose tower you'd join."
Really? But with her finite lifespan, she had no plans to become a mage. Soon, a woman rushed out of the mansion in a flowing floral-embroidered wedding dress adorned with fresh flowers—a lovely sight. She was the star of this wedding, Anne.
"Wh-what on earth...?"
The wedding guests began emerging into the garden one by one, dazed by the sudden disaster.
"Sister Catherine?"
Anne approached Catherine slowly. She looked exactly as she had when Catherine left Orleans—a face that just begged for a punch out of spite.
"What a shame, Anne. Some cardinal turned your wedding into a pigsty. Truly tragic."
Anne's shoulders trembled. Tears welled in her eyes, reddening them. Catherine knew that look all too well from experience—it was the prelude to one of Anne's fits.
"Sob... Sister! Even if we weren't close as kids, h-how could you ruin your little sister's once-in-a-lifetime wedding like this?"
Her tactics hadn't changed a bit. Same act as in front of stepmother and ex-fiancé. Back then, for family peace—and sheer laziness—she'd shouldered it all herself. But now? No need.
She eyed the porcine Viscount charging over in shock at Anne's tears and replied,
"Once-in-a-lifetime? That must hurt Viscount Chen's feelings—he can hear you. Wasn't this his third marriage? Or fourth? Fifth?"
"Not content with ruining the wedding, now you're insulting Viscount Chen too? Sob... How can you be so heartless?!"
"The fact it's not his first is the insult?"
Anne paused mid-tear-wipe to glance at the approaching Viscount.
"I'm asking if that's an insult, little sister."
She looked speechless. In moments like this, Anne would wail louder, blaming herself for things no one had done.
"...Hic, sob! It's all my fault, Sister. Please stop tormenting me! I'll stay out of your sight. I'll live like I'm dead in Chen!"
Just like now. It was almost touching how consistently her sister played the part.
"What are you doing to my wife right now?!"
At that moment, Chen Viscount scooped up the kneeling, collapsed Anne and flew into a rage.
"Get out of my mansion this instant! As long as I draw breath, I won't stand for anyone tormenting my wife right in front of—!"
Gasp. Spotting Chezare behind Catherine, Chen Viscount gulped.
"Sob, Viscount!"
Anne flung herself into his arms, tears flying. Chen Viscount glanced nervously at Chezare and hastily helped her up.
"I-it's fine, wife. J-just stand up first."
"No! It must be my fault! I'll beg Sister's forgiveness instead. Don't stop me!"
"Th-that might not be a bad idea."
Anne froze mid-wipe, her face hardening. With the Viscount not actually stopping her, she seemed flustered.
If Chezare weren't here, this could've played out just like when I left Orleans.
My demon really is the best. Amid the chaos, the distant guests began drawing closer out of curiosity. By this time tomorrow, the noble ladies' gatherings would buzz with every rumor, true or not.
Chezare, watching the melodrama with detached calm, remarked,
"This play wouldn't even sell at a theater, Catherine. Just in case, make a note."
Turning, she saw Chezare absorbed in a book he'd somehow produced. Was that even readable? Truly a man who carved his own path anywhere.
"...Found yourself a new man already, Sister?"
Anne glared at Catherine through reddened eyes, feigning innocence.
So begging forgiveness was just lip service, huh.
"Yeah, handsome, right?"
Catherine didn't deny it, proudly showing off Chezare's nation-shaking beauty.