Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 186. Fox Hunt (1)
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Her beautiful yet decadent eye shape.
I gazed for a long time at the pupils embedded in those eyes like obsidian.
"Why are you staring like that.... It's embarrassing."
Miya narrowed her long eyes.
In this empire steeped in class society, she treated everyone fairly despite being a noble.
I pressed my lips to hers, using those sincere eyes as an appetizer.
"Just because."
No more cigarette smell came from Miya's mouth.
As if she had been tamed by me.
The sweet taste of my senior's saliva, thick with sugar, touched my tongue.
"I was wondering if that's how my eyes look to other people."
The words projecting myself onto her.
At that, Miya's lips curled up unwittingly.
"What, you saying you and I are alike?"
The princesses who had approached Veil until recently.
Realizing she had a big advantage they lacked....
"I'll take that as a compliment."
As if she realized she had a winning chance in this game, she pulled my nape closer.
"Mm...."
We continued the friendly, playful kiss like that.
Was it because of the sticky sweat seeping from her stockings?
Or because we were so focused our bodies clashed fiercely?
"Whoa...!!"
My hand, gripping her thigh, slipped slightly.
"...!"
Thanks to that, Miya's body shook for a moment.
I barely managed to catch her like a princess.
"...."
Miya stared up at me blankly in that position.
Then, we both ended up chuckling.
"What is this.... Put me down quick."
My senior pointed at her own disheveled state in my arms, her nose bridge flushing red.
At that, I said okay and tried to set her down on the ground.
However, at that moment.
―――――.
We flinched in surprise and pulled our faces apart.
Because....
"...."
While holding her like a princess and laughing together.
The gate of Miya's mansion had opened.
"Miya...?"
A thick middle-aged man's voice rang out.
We turned our heads toward the voice in unison.
"Ah, Dad...!!"
Miya, who had been trying to show me her senior side until now.
Upon seeing the middle-aged man, she cried out in the friendly tone of a youngest daughter.
'Ah, her father....'
I hurriedly set her down on the ground.
And clasped my hands politely.
"Ah, hello, sir...."
Baron of the Greta family.
Mitrovich Greta.
"To dare hold Miya in front of my mansion...."
He looked at me with deeply suspicious eyes.
No wonder.
'Late evening, openly holding his daughter in front of the house, even kissing!'
In his eyes, I must have looked like a wild fox trying to snatch his cute daughter.
"Who the hell are you?"
The baron who had squandered his family fortune on gambling addiction, they said.
Yet, unlike such a man, his gaze was still intense.
As befitting the head of a seasoned noble family, he exuded dignity, and even without money, he seemed to have his bearing.
"Ah, well, I'm Miya's junior.... From the same baron's family...."
These people usually judge by status first, so I tried to reveal my status.
However, at that moment.
"Same baron's family, and you treat other people's daughters so roughly?"
He pointed his finger at my face.
And alternated glances at Miya's black stockings, stretched from our embrace and kisses.
"Like some toy...!"
As if he had been harassed by other nobles before, he was full of wariness.
He must have been greatly affected by the debt collectors.
"What family are you from exactly?"
At her father's repeated wariness, Miya became a fidgety cat.
Clasping her hands, at a loss, she alternated looks between me and the baron....
"Dad... stop it!!"
Miya cried out urgently and clung to her father's arm.
"This is Veil. You know, the junior I told you about."
Veil.
At my name, the baron's blazing angry eyes subsided.
As if he already knew who I was.
"I sprained my ankle, so he brought me home himself! Don't assume things...."
At Miya's follow-up, the baron glanced down.
And upon seeing his swollen daughter's ankle, he pursed his lips tightly.
"Yes, sir. I was just escorting your daughter home...."
Taking the cue, I replied with an awkward smile.
It seemed Miya, as the current head of the household, had some sway over the baron.
"Is that so...."
Only then did the baron look at me with softened eyes.
"Sorry, I misunderstood. There've been more than a few guys pestering my daughter."
He closed his eyes tightly and apologized on her behalf.
It seemed even Senior Miya had received quite a few marriage proposals.
Well, that made sense.
Maybe because I only hung out with the princesses, but.
Miya was quite a beauty among the knight order.
Her signature decadent eyes and chic speech.
Plus the rare image of a female knight who smoked.
"What, why are you staring so intently?"
"No, sir. You two resemble each other a lot."
I smiled brightly as I looked at the family duo.
"I can see where Senior got her beauty from."
I smoothly continued the compliments.
However, the baron didn't calm down easily even at my praise.
"Thanks for the compliment...."
If anything, upon hearing my name, his eyes tensed further.
His emotions shifted from anger to anxiety, his fingers trembling.
"Come inside first. It's late, I'll call a carriage for you...."
"No, sir. Since it's late, wouldn't it be better for me to head back?"
I shook my head with a forced smile.
However, the baron, recognizing who I was, tried even harder to usher me in.
"No! How can I send away my daughter's benefactor like this...!! Come on in...."
"If you insist that much...."
The baron kept gesturing for me to enter.
With no choice, I stepped inside the gate.
Thanks to that, for the first time in my life, I entered the home of a woman with the same rank.
"Miya, wait in the living room for a bit. I'll guide the guest."
"Wouldn't it be better if I did it, Dad?"
Miya tilted her head at her father's unusual behavior today.
But the baron firmly shook his head.
"It's men's talk."
At Baron Mitrovich's serious tone, Miya nodded for now.
And after giving me a look that said it'd be fine, relax.
She headed alone down the hallway to the living room.
"You follow me."
"Yes...."
Unsure what was going on, I followed the baron.
Thus, my senior and I headed down opposite hallways.
Unaware of what might happen to each other.
――――――.
Miya walked down the hallway, recalling her father's unusually anxious demeanor today.
All sorts of delusions filled her head.
"No way Dad saw Veil and me kissing...?"
He's not yelling about Veil being an orphanage kid, is he?
Still, same baron rank, he won't discriminate....
"Or maybe he's going to suggest marriage."
Thinking such thoughts, as she entered the lit living room.
Miya suddenly halted her steps with her keen senses.
Her father aside, the house atmosphere felt off today.
Like burdensome relatives visiting, an unfamiliar perfume scent wafted in.
"Someone's here...."
Miya held her breath and tiptoed, peeking into the living room.
Soon....
The crowns of four women sitting on the sofa came into view.
"Uh...?"
Silver hair, blonde, black hair, white hair.
Different hair colors, but all gleamed with luxurious luster.
As if proving their status.
"Veil seems to have come inside."
"Yeah, I can feel it."
"Him coming means the thieving cat's snuck in too, right?"
Miya had definitely entered the living room entrance very quietly.
Yet, somehow the women noticed her presence right away.
"Oh my, Lady Miya-. Long time no see."
"What are you doing there, come in."
Irina and Lydia looked up first to greet her.
But while Irina smiled, Lydia's expression was extremely uncomfortable.
"Ahh.... Yes.... Greetings, Your Highnesses...."
Miya hunched her shoulders like a cat caught making a mess at home.
And quietly approached the princesses.
"Sit there."
Lea, seated on the sofa that was her father's usual spot.
She gestured calmly for Miya to sit with a straight face.
Between Irina and Lydia.
"Yesss...."
As Miya sat, across from her sat Princess Christina too.
The beautiful royalty of Bacal, whom she had only seen in newspapers from afar.
Her snow-white stunning features made her tense involuntarily.
"Your father has good taste in tea. The aroma is lovely."
Lea spoke leisurely, holding a plate and teacup.
Her feet already wore house slippers, as if familiar with Miya's home.
"Ahh.... Yesss.... We have a small green tea field in our territory...."
"Hmm, is that so? Next time, we should get tea from Lady Miya's territory."
Lea set down her barely touched tea on the table.
And casually brushed her radiant golden locks behind her ear as she spoke.
"Here."
"Yes...?"
Miya followed Lea's finger to her cheek.
Then, she picked off a strand of hair stuck with saliva and gently smoothed it.
"You two seem to have had quite the good time."
"You two.... Who do you mean...."
Miya turned her head to avoid Lea's cold gaze.
And ended up locking eyes with Irina's equally icy stare.
"Who else, my Veil of course."
Miya gulped deeply at the chilling smile from the usually pure and gentle Second Imperial Princess.
It was the first time in her life seeing her heart sharpened like this.
"No way, you saw us at the front gate...?"
Miya asked back like a cat with a guilty conscience.
Then, Lydia flashed her red pupils like a finishing blow.
"The kiss that stretched your stockings all the way down?"
"You have strong thigh grip. Hanging on like that forward isn't easy."
Princess Christina chimed in.
Her voice was as cold as her snow-like beautiful locks.
"H-Hiiik...."
Rulers representing their regions.
Before these rulers, Miya, a mere fallen noble, trembled.
To hide her shaking hands somehow, she slipped them under her thighs.
Then, her gaze fell on the stockings stretched long, proving her recent time with the man.
"You knew how much we treasure Veil, yet approached him anyway...."
"Means you're that determined, right, Lady Miya?"
Lea and Irina spoke in succession.
Especially Irina stood up imposingly as she spoke.
"Th-That is...."
Miya had brimmed with confidence right up to kissing him.
The joy of being loved by him left her fearless.
But before this group of not one, but four, that courage vanished entirely.
She could only bow her head and hide her trembling lips.
At that moment.
"We should at least look at your hand first."
Irina's cold voice struck Miya's crown.
Look at your hand.
Not some thug, but a princess saying it, terrified her.
"...."
This is it.
She had succumbed to momentary instinct and lusted after the man; now she was done for.
Thinking so, the fallen noble's eldest daughter squeezed her eyes shut.
Then, as she awaited the punishment to befall her.
――――――!!
A thud of something set down on the floor made her eyelids flutter.
"Uh...?"
When she opened her eyes again.
What entered Miya's view was no fearsome punishment.
"How bad did you twist your ankle to swell like this...."
It was literally tending to her hand.
Her ankle injury.
"Even as a knight, a lady should treasure her body more."
Irina began treating Miya's swollen ankle with her graceful hand.
She soaked cotton in potion and dabbed it gently, caring for the wound like a saint.
"Y-Yes...?"
Miya lifted her head at the unexpectedly warm Second Imperial Princess.
Soon....
Unlike their first impression, the princesses appeared gentle as usual.
"I've been curious watching from afar."
Lea took another sip from her teacup.
Turns out, she was refilling and drinking several cups of Miya's tea.
"Why Veil shows you such friendly eyes and bold skinship."
"Honestly, a bit envious."
Lydia admitted straightforwardly too.
No longer the bratty girl mocking her as commoner out of jealousy.
"Will you tell us?"
Lea extended her palm.
And sent Miya a soft gaze, as if recognizing her as a valuable asset.
"The secret to making Veil approach us without hesitation."
Miya blinked her eyes like a small animal.
She had thought they'd interrogate and exile her to the boonies.
Instead, the princesses seeking to learn and improve to claim Veil.
Impressed and relieved at once, her tension melted, her body stretching cat-like.
"Huaaah...."