Chapter 164
Chapter 164
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Dodging the Leash (3)
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The next day, a small party on the orphanage lawn.
After the negotiations wrapped up, Earl Teman kept his promise and sent my sister to the orphanage.
But only one person showed up right away.
My sister, who once packed me lunches when I applied to knight candidate school and even bought me a wooden sword.
Elina.
“Veil…!!”
“Sis…”
My voice trembled at the sight of my sister, whom I hadn’t seen in so long.
Even after ten years since I’d sent her away, her face was almost the same.
“How long has it been…!!”
No.
Was it thanks to the luxurious dress and the care she’d received?
“You’ve been doing well…?”
She looked even more beautiful than back then.
Her once dull brown hair now gleamed with luster, and the freckles on her nose bridge had long vanished.
“Yeah, as you can see.”
“Look at you, all grown and fit. You could get married now, no problem.”
Teman’s sixth wife, Elina, grabbed my shoulder with a hearty laugh.
And right there in front of everyone, she kneaded it freely.
“Hey… Knights are all like this as a baseline.”
Was it because I’d died in my past life and reunited with this cherished person?
Her face somehow felt overwhelmingly dear.
It was like defying fate to meet again.
“Still, I’m glad. I heard most commoner knights get sent to the borders or end up as retainer knights…”
“You knew about that?”
I grinned at how well-informed she was.
My sister crossed her arms confidently and replied.
“He told me.”
“He did?”
I frowned at the sudden image of the gruff-looking Earl Teman.
Elina smiled brightly, as if she’d expected it.
“Yeah, he looks rough, but he does whatever I say.”
“That’s unexpected…”
When I made a dumbfounded face, she—now the wife of Cornel’s top magnate—nodded.
“He’s a good person deep down. He didn’t mistreat me after bringing me home.”
She placed a hand on her chest.
And spoke with a serene expression.
“He even assigned me personal tutors until I came of age. Thanks to that, I learned everything I wanted.”
Elina had dreamed of running a big shop in the past.
He’d even made sure she studied, thinking of her aspirations.
“He’s not some beastly lecher, then…”
I knew Earl Teman was exceptional compared to other nobles.
But I never dreamed it was to this extent.
“He might be a beast…”
Hearing me, Elina covered her mouth with her palm.
Her face flushed slightly as she mumbled.
“W-what…?”
When I asked again, she half-closed her eyes.
Her now-thinner eyes looked more mature and feminine than before.
“No—anyway, I’m doing great right now.”
Elina waved it off as idle talk.
Then, with the pure gaze from our orphanage days, she took my hand.
“Sorry for making you worry, Veil, and for coming so late.”
“What are you talking about? Just seeing you again like this makes me so happy.”
We smiled together after so long apart.
“So, what are your plans from now on? Staying in the capital?”
Hearing her, I glanced away.
I looked at the round table where Lea, disguised as a civil servant, and Lydia, as a schoolgirl, sat.
Even Irina, disguised as a nun, held state documents in one hand while playing with the kids.
Everyone had come here for me despite their busy schedules.
“…”
Watching them, I lifted the corner of my mouth in a smile.
“Yeah. Doesn’t look like I’ll be leaving the imperial capital anytime soon.”
Elina smiled in relief at my words.
“Come visit often. I’ll be staying in Cornel too.”
“Sure, gives me even more reason to drop by home.”
As we chatted happily, I suddenly felt the gazes of the princesses I’d glanced at earlier.
“…”
Lydia stared with a sulky expression, her canine tooth poking out over her lip like a pouty cat.
Lea sipped her tea leisurely, but I knew her cup was already empty.
Irina pretended to read state documents, but the pages were blank.
Seeing them like that, I chuckled.
“Sis, hold on a sec.”
“What’s up?”
Elina asked as I headed toward the princesses.
“I’ve got some ladies I’ve been looking after lately.”
I covered my mouth with my fist and cleared my throat.
Then stood before the noble women at the round table.
“Ahem. Enjoying the party?”
At my question, Lydia chewed sullenly on the candy in her mouth.
“Dunno—”
“The perception-lowering spell is in place, so it’s fine.”
Lydia mumbled around her mouthful of candy.
Even Lea’s icy expression.
‘No way they’re jealous of me being close to Sis…?’
“You two seemed awfully close, Veil.”
Irina approached from behind, no different.
It must be her first time seeing me open up like that to a woman.
“First time seeing you talk casually to a woman.”
“Couldn’t help it. When I was little, Sis even bathed me herself.”
We’d bathed together.
At those words, Irina’s slender eyes flashed.
Her eyes widened wolfishly, filled with all sorts of fantasies.
“I-is that so…?”
Lydia and Lea reacted the same.
Lydia, who’d bathed with me once, coughed awkwardly and swallowed hard.
“H-how improper… Men and women bathing together? Ridiculous.”
Lea set down her teacup and took real interest in the story.
She pretended indifference but was listening intently.
“It was when we were kids, Lydia. People might misunderstand.”
Seeing them, I narrowed my eyes foxily.
“No way… are you jealous…?”
At my sly question, the princesses reacted in unison.
“What could a married sister possibly do to you?!”
“No, not at all!”
“Cute provocation, Veil.”
The princesses answered one by one.
In response, I gave a wry smile.
“You’re right. How could I now cherish someone I failed to protect back then.”
I gazed at Elina chatting amiably with the medieval nobles.
Irina pressed her lips tight at my words.
“Now, it’s probably best to just watch from afar.”
She had become a noble lady who fit social gatherings better than the orphanage.
“Someday, I wanted to repay the sisters who cared for me like a mother.”
That was one reason I’d worked so hard to make money.
Among them, repaying those who raised me.
“But seeing you thriving, I might not even get the chance.”
To her, now the wife of Cornel’s magnate, what use was my meager savings?
Realizing that, I glanced at the princesses and chuckled.
“I’ve rambled too much. Sorry.”
Afterward, I bowed to them in apology.
“I wasn’t myself around Your Highnesses.”
“…”
The princesses stared blankly at my apologizing figure.
When they said nothing, I quietly withdrew.
Cain was due soon, so I planned to greet him.
“Hmm…”
As I walked away, the princesses watched silently.
They lifted their lips, intrigued by my first bitter expression.
As if that was what they’d wanted to see.
“Veil…”
“That look’s cute too? Like a dejected fox.”
Irina with a meaningful expression, Lydia chuckling.
“Definitely, this Elina girl has a special bond with Veil.”
Lea adjusted her monocle and analyzed coolly.
“…”
The princesses stared intently at the elegant Elina.
Despite her lacking their beauty or nobility, her presence grated quite a bit.
“Hmph, annoying.”
Lydia stood from the round table.
She smoothed her twintails neatly.
Then stealthily approached Elina.
“Ah, hello, miss.”
Perhaps from accompanying Earl Teman to meet nobles, Elina instantly recognized Lydia as highborn.
“What brings you to me?”
“Come with me.”
“Pardon…?”
She followed the schoolgirl behind the orphanage.
There sat a luxurious Eastern-style carriage.
“Get in.”
Elina hesitated at the twintailed girl’s red-eyed command.
“W-where are you going…? And who might you be?”
The voice from inside the carriage first.
It carried an inexplicable pressure.
“I have something to discuss, so just get in.”
She’d felt a similar aura from her husband, Earl Teman.
But from a girl who looked barely twenty?
‘Is she a grand duchess or something…?’
Elina boarded obediently for now.
Lydia, sitting opposite, ordered the coachman to keep everyone away.
“I overheard your chat with Veil unintentionally.”
Lydia chuckled, propping her chin on her hand.
“You’re the sister who cared for him at the orphanage?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Elina placed a hand on her chest and replied politely.
She instinctively recognized the girl’s higher status.
“Casual talk and growing up together means you know everything about him.”
“…”
At the question, Veil’s sister clamped her mouth shut.
From her perspective of cherishing him, she had no intention of sharing info with this suspicious schoolgirl.
“Oh…? Living luxuriously as a noble’s concubine, yet keeping loyalty?”
“What is it you want from me?”
Elina’s brown eyes flashed as she asked.
Her steadfast gaze resembled Veil’s.
“Hmm, well…”
Lydia chuckled at the look.
She quite liked the girl’s will, akin to his.
“Drive on.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
‘Your Highness…?’
Elina stared blankly at the twintailed schoolgirl before her.
Come to think of it, there was one black-haired imperial princess.
“No way… Third Imperial Princess…”
“Who I am doesn’t matter.”
Lydia extended her palm imperiously, cutting her off like an empress.
“What matters is why Veil likes you.”
Lydia thought her own looks far surpassed Elina’s.
Yet, their lover-like closeness piqued the young Eastern ruler’s curiosity.
“Does Her Highness fancy Veil?”
Veil’s sister-like sharp question.
Lydia cleared her throat.
“You don’t need to know that far. Just answer mine.”
“…”
Elina stared at the flushing Lydia.
Remembering orphanage girls who’d liked Veil, she couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What…? Did you just laugh at me?”
“N-no, milady. I’ll tell you the way.”
The man’s sister smiled brightly.
“First is familiarity.”
“Familiarity?”
Elina clasped her hands.
And smiled kindly, like a gentle big sister.
“Veil, did you study well? Tired—?”
Suddenly calling Veil’s name.
Lydia blinked her red eyes at the sight.
“I’ll set the table first—. Go wash up—.”
A wifely, domestic air.
Lydia stared as the mature gaze soothed the man.
“Veil likes homey big sisters like this. It’s like a warm embrace after tough times.”
“B-but that’s only for tall, mature types like you, right?”
Lydia glanced at the carriage mirror.
Her reflection looked far from domestic.
Maybe as a little sister.
“No. Surprisingly, Veil’s weak to petite types like Your Highness.”
Elina spoke to Lydia with serious eyes.
“There was an orphanage girl who was domestic and liked Veil. Her cuteness was overflowing; Veil always blushed around her.”
Hearing a type like herself troubled Veil, Lydia perked her ears.
“That girl had charming eyes like Your Highness’s.”
“H-hum… Quite intriguing. So he likes that type plenty?”
Elina nodded at her question.
Then, with sly fox eyes like Veil’s, continued intriguingly.
“This leads to the second method: skinship.”
“Sk-skinship…?”
Veil’s first love grinned.
And untied her shoelace.
“Asking a man to tie your shoelace lets you naturally kneel before him.”
Lydia imagined Veil bowing before her.
Her fingers twitched, wanting to stroke that petite crown.
“Classically, spill coffee foam on purpose. Kind Veil would wipe it himself.”
As Teman’s sixth wife, Elina had shared intimacy with him many times.
Each gesture was seductive.
“Like this, bodies touching deepens even nonexistent bonds.”
“Haha… As expected of Veil’s sister, so foxy.”
Elina smiled brightly.
And looked at Lydia fondly, like an orphanage little sister.
“I’m just saying this because Your Highness seems to truly like my brother.”
“Truly…?”
The twintailed girl tilted her head.
“Yes, even as a princess, if you just wanted him as a toy, I’d stay silent. But…”
Elina recalled Lydia blushing shyly when asking about Veil.
She realized it was genuine affection, not mere possession.
“Like how my husband cherishes me, I think Your Highness will treasure Veil, so I’m sharing.”
“…”
Lydia stared at Veil’s half-sister.
Then lifted her lip.
“Better than kin who’d kill each other—your sibling bond.”
The two women acknowledged each other.
They sensed she’d be safe around Veil.
――――――.
Right on cue, the carriage stopped.
“We’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
Elina peered curiously out the curtained window.
But couldn’t tell where they were.
“Let’s go.”
Lydia led her out.
Soon.
“…!”
She showed the stunned Elina the grand new city construction site.
“Only day four, but with mages, it’s progressing fast.”
“Am-amazing, Your Highness…”
Lydia pointed at the massive commercial building’s first floor, hands behind her back.
It had just one door, slated for a spacious restaurant.
“I heard you’re learning management.”
Elina glanced at Lydia.
Despite being taller, Lydia’s aura made her feel looked down upon.
“I’ll give you that first floor. Run it yourself.”
“Y-yes…?! For real?”
Elina’s eyes sparkled like a surprised fox.
Lydia turned away briskly and replied quietly.
“It annoys me seeing you stuck to Veil, so I’m separating you. Work there forever.”
The princess walked off, hands behind back, surveying the site.
Elina stared, then hurried after.
“W-wait, Your Highness!”
「――――――」
Meanwhile, as Cornel urbanized rapidly.
Cain arrived at the orphanage.
“Wow… What’s this? The vibe changed in days…”
Cornel nobles crowding the lawn.
Even the kids in clean clothes.
The rundown orphanage now looked like a stately mansion thanks to its guests.
“Every noble with money in Cornel’s here.”
As a knight stationed nearby, he recognized all their faces.
But.
“Hm…? Who’s that…?”
A saintess seated in the party’s remote corner.
Her striking beauty furrowed his brow instinctively.
“…”
Cain approached them stealthily.
The moment their eyes met.
“G-Good heavens…! Your Highness…?”
“Cain, be quiet.”
Irina quietly pressed a finger to her lips.
Cain nodded hastily.
“You spotted us despite the perception-lowering spell.”
“As a knight myself…”
The knight who’d trembled at the appointment ceremony now bowed proficiently.
“But what brings you here…? Don’t tell me you princesses are the backers of the massive force investing in Cornel?”
Quick-witted from strategy division.
“Uplifting underdeveloped areas is our imperial duty.”
Irina smiled and replied.
The border knight chimed in.
“So you’re volunteering, hence the nun outfit?”
“Thanks for noticing.”
The Second Imperial Princess nodded gracefully.
“You’re here for Veil, right?”
“Yes, actually…”
Cain scratched his head.
And cautiously explained.
“Two days ago, there was this ‘talk.’ After hearing it, his face soured. Worried, so I came.”
Talk.
Irina took interest at the word.
“What talk?”
“Well…”
Cain coughed, hesitating.
As if unfit for princesses’ ears.
“Speak freely, Cain.”
Veil’s comrade clamped his lips and turned away briefly.
That instant.
“Yeah, now I’m curious too.”
He flinched at Lea approaching from the side.
“F-First Imperial Princess too…?”
Cain swallowed hard at the princesses flanking him.
Neatly surrounded.