25. A Lucky Day
25. A Lucky Day
A nasty gaze swept up and down Eurasia's body.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Shivria Eustetia, the second daughter of Barham Eustetia."
Then she offered me a graceful greeting.
"I have the honor of meeting Lady Eliarnes Eustetia. My name is Aaron Kularus."
Right after, the grim-faced man behind her also offered a greeting.
Though saying he "offered" it would be more accurate than saying he "gave" it.
He knelt on one knee and bowed his head low.
Well...
I get that she's from a Eustetia branch family, but who the hell is Barham?
"It's the Beruna Region, where the iron mines are located."
"Ah, I see."
As if she'd read my expression, Shivria kindly told me about her family.
If they're sitting on iron ore, that must be a branch family with a fair amount of power.
Anyway, a branch family...
Given that she recognized me even with my hood on, it seems she spotted us from the start and approached.
What a shady bitch from the very first meeting.
For now, I hid my expression as much as possible and returned the greeting.
"I am Eliarnes Eustetia."
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
Shivria accepted my greeting with a bright smile.
The knight behind her also rose to his feet.
But when have we ever met for you to act so familiar?
I wanted to say that, but I just nodded.
"Yes."
"Is the head of the family still in good health?"
"Yes."
"That's a relief."
Even to my curt replies, which carried the message of "get lost," Shivria wore that smile unique to nobles and kept talking.
"I heard you'll be entering Karelai Academy this time. I'm enrolled there too."
"Is that so."
"How was the exam?"
"No problems."
"Hehe, did you apply to the Research Department?"
"I applied to the Combat Department."
Shivria's eyebrows rose slightly.
"...Is that so? That's... unexpected."
And for a moment, those pink eyes, close to red, swept over Eurasia and me.
"As expected of a Eustetia, I suppose you use a sword."
"I don't."
"Oh my? Then, a bow?"
"I don't."
"...A spear?"
"I don't."
"Wow... then ma—"
"I don't use anything."
Shivria's eyes widened.
A crack appeared in her smile.
The knight looked surprised too.
"...Martial arts?"
"Yes."
The corners of her slightly parted lips trembled, and the ends of her eyebrows drooped.
That expression, which might have looked like concern to someone oblivious or a little naive,
was an expression full of scorn and contempt.
"How unfortunate..."
Should I just jab her in the eyes?
"Since you'll be attending Karelai Academy, we'll meet again soon. Well then—"
If I kept talking to her any longer, I felt like I'd slap her across the face, so I tried to cut the conversation short and move on.
But I couldn't.
"And you?"
Because Shivria's casual voice, as if she hadn't heard me, stopped Eurasia in her tracks.
"Ah, hello. I am Eurasia Espirot, a member of the Eustetia First Knight Order and the dedicated knight of Lady Eliarnes Eustetia."
And so, I had no choice but to stop in place.
"A dedicated knight, huh. But—"
Shivria, who had been looking at Eurasia as she belatedly bowed slightly in greeting, wore a peculiar smile.
"That's a little different from the greeting I know."
She spouted something truly infuriating.
"...Excuse me?"
"I was under the impression that a greeting should be done while making eye contact."
Having said that, Shivria's gaze was fixed far below where Eurasia's eyes were.
"Maybe it's because she's a commoner, but she has no sense. Didn't you see what Aaron just did?"
Meanwhile, Eurasia, who hadn't properly understood Shivria's words, opened and closed her lips for a moment.
"Do you not realize that such stupid behavior undermines your master's authority?"
Shivria's finger wagged back and forth.
"Ah, that... I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Seeing that, Eurasia finally seemed to understand and tried to kneel.
"Eurasia."
I grabbed Eurasia and held her up.
"...Ah, my lady?"
"Don't."
"...Oh my. Lady Eliarnes is so very kind. If it had been the Eustetia Knight Order in our territory, they wouldn't have gotten off so easily."
Then Shivria, without looking at me, stared straight at Eurasia and spoke.
"Because this is something that tarnishes the name Eustetia. We can't let our standing be blemished by someone so ill-bred, can we?"
Following Shivria's lead, even Aaron's gaze fixed on Eurasia.
Eurasia shrank into herself.
Her face went pale, and her hands trembled badly.
Look at these bastards.
I squeezed Eurasia's hand firmly and stepped in front of her.
"I appreciate your concern, but it's unnecessary."
I thought I'd spoken like a noble, but apparently not in Shivria's eyes.
Her expression soured.
Same for the knight behind her.
Whether she liked it or not, I kept talking.
"By any chance, when was the last time you visited the main house?"
"...Excuse me?"
"It's nothing much. I'm just asking because it seems like it's been quite a while."
"...Ten years ago. I went on the day of the young lady's birth celebration."
"Aha. Then it's possible you wouldn't know."
I grinned.
"Because the regulations of the Eustetia Knight Order at the main house where I reside were changed just under ten years ago."
Not "our," but "my."
Not a branch family, but the main line.
Not just any rabble, but the Eustetia Knight Order.
I put emphasis on each word.
The unpleasant face in front of me crumpled beautifully.
"The head of the family once said this: 'For warriors of the caliber of our Eustetia Knight Order to kneel before others is absurd. So let us set aside the old regulations in the pages of history and establish new ones.'"
I squeezed Eurasia's hand tightly.
Damp sweat soaked into my hand.
But the trembling had stopped. The warmth had returned to her hand too.
"Since then, our family's knight order no longer kneels before 'others.' It seems the news didn't reach as far as the Beruna Region. Well, it couldn't be helped. It must be hard to set foot in a place surrounded by such great mountains."
Having finished speaking,
I looked at Shivria's hair and murmured very quietly.
"Speaking of which, I suppose the Beruna Region doesn't get much sunlight because of the iron mountains. The color seems a bit... faded."
Hearing that murmur, the corners of Shivria's mouth trembled. Her smile vanished.
"Anyway, that's how it is, so you can set aside your concerns. The Eustetia Knight Order of the main house operates on a different level from your average rabble."
I said this while looking at the grim-faced knight standing there like a beanpole.
But that knight was still glaring at Eurasia.
Who does this worthless bastard think he is, glaring at my Eurasia?
"Of course, this regulation applies only to the 'Eustetia Knight Order' of the 'main house,' so don't misunderstand. You can keep doing what you've always done. Lower your eyes, bend your knees, fold your waist, and bow your head."
At the end, I enunciated each word clearly, practically chewing on every syllable.
At those final words, the knight's eyes dropped to the ground.
A heavy silence settled.
It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. If anything, I enjoyed it.
Of course, using the family name to pressure someone like this wasn't my preferred method.
I didn't even want to do it.
In my Past Life, I was more the type to knock out a couple of teeth and then have a conversation.
That way, people listened better. It was faster, easier, and more reliable.
But this bitch was from a branch of House Eustetia.
If I actually started swinging and beat her to a pulp, it would obviously cause trouble for Father and Mother, so I had no choice but to hold back.
There were also too many eyes watching here.
Anyway, that was the end of the conversation.
Had I gotten my point across?
Feeling my heart pounding, I stared straight into Shivria's eyes.
Her red-tinged eyes were practically shaking.
They looked like they might go cross-eyed from all the fuss she was making.
In front of her, I grinned once more.
"If you smile like that, you'll get deep frown lines before long. Do be careful."
As if that was the finishing blow, Shivria quietly answered, her carefully maintained expression finally crumbling.
"Thank you for your consideration."
And then she walked away, grinding her teeth.
Of course, I didn't move until Shivria disappeared.
I even personally turned my back and saw off those insolent bastards as they vanished.
Anyway.
How can a mere second daughter of a branch family act so brazenly in front of me?
Even if we do meet again at the academy, we'd only be together for three years at most—no, less than two.
Her words and actions weren't light enough to dismiss as mere rebellion against the main house.
It seems like there's something behind it.
But as long as the main house has Nameless, there's no way Father wouldn't know.
What the hell is it?
"Hmm..."
Just as the two of them disappeared from view,
Eurasia's voice, thick with moisture, reached me.
"...Ah, my lady..."
"Hm?"
"What you said just now... was it true?"
"It was bullshit."
"Nyehng...?"
I chuckled and lifted my head.
I could see Eurasia, huddled pathetically like a dog caught in the rain.
Tears were welling up in her blue eyes, and she was chewing on her glossy red lips.
"But part of it was true."
"True...? What part...?"
"I don't know about the Eustetia Knight Order, but you. My knight, Eurasia Espirot, doesn't have to kneel before others."
I giggled, remembering Shivria's face twisted with malice from a moment ago.
"Because I'm your master."
Then I let go of her hand and started walking.
"The mood's ruined anyway, so let's just go back. We can come back to the library on an academy day off."
Eurasia didn't answer.
She just quietly followed behind me.
"Come with me then too and help me find some books."
As for what Eurasia's expression was like, well.
I think she was probably smiling.
*****
On the way back to our lodging like that,
Eurasia was quieter than usual, but the atmosphere wasn't uncomfortable.
The bustling streets of the Imperial Capital played a part, but it was also because her expression brightened once I put something sweet in the mouth of the still-gloomy Eurasia.
What was it called again?
Tanghulu?
It's fruit coated in sugar and hardened, and it's pretty good.
What I'm holding is strawberry and green grape.
Eurasia has blueberry and orange.
A whole strawberry doesn't fit in my mouth, so I bite it in half, but every time I do, it scrapes my gums and it's annoying.
But it's delicious.
What the hell is this irony?
Crunch crunch—I was biting into half a strawberry as we were almost back to the lodging.
"Eurasia, go on inside first."
I decided to send Eurasia ahead.
"What about you, my lady?"
"I'm going to buy you a congratulatory gift for entering as the top student. It's no fun if we pick it out together."
Eurasia's eyes went wide.
"A, a gift?! Whoa, whoa whoa. Really?!"
"Yeah. So go on inside first. I'll be back before our restaurant reservation time."
Eurasia, who had been bouncing on her feet and swaying her body this way and that, broke into a huge smile.
"Yes! I'll be looking forward to it!"
"Don't get your hopes up too much, though."
I waved to Eurasia as she walked away with a bright smile, and once she disappeared from view,
I turned around.
Crunch crunch—I quickly finished off the tanghulu in my hand and hid the skewer in my pocket.
I need to get back quickly before dinner.
Somehow, I don't think I'll have enough time.