Chapter 150
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Rendezvous at the Meeting Plaza
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There is a fountain in the Meeting Plaza.
"Today's the day, huh. Go on and enjoy yourself without a care."
It was the usual breakfast time.
Her sister hadn't forgotten and brought up the promise with her brother-in-law for that evening.
"Y-Yeah!"
"If there's anything you need or if I can help with something, just say so now."
Chloe shook her head with a smile at Eclair's words.
"I've got everything prepared already, so I'm good!"
"...You've gotten spirited."
In her subtly confident tone, Eclair could sense Chloe was growing bit by bit.
"It'd be nice if you could join us for dinner tonight too, Sis..."
Sorry as she felt for her disappointed little sister, Eclair wasn't truly trying to avoid being around Chloe and Roman together.
Her conversation with Rike was a separate matter.
She did worry a bit about Roman's mischievous side, but she was confident it would be a fun time if they were all together.
Still, it couldn't be helped this time.
With so many sudden incidents popping up constantly, Eclair's schedule was one she couldn't guarantee even up to the day of most events.
But on days like today, with a firmly set important engagement, she had no room to spare.
"I'm sorry, but today's a busy one, so I can't make it. Let's promise to do it together next time. This isn't the last chance, and we'll have plenty of time ahead."
"Right... Yeah, we'll have more times ahead...!"
Chloe nodded in understanding, shaking off her regret with a smile, her face full of anticipation for a happy, joyful future.
The girl with blue eyes, who now held a firm grasp on the time ahead, was beginning to shed the raw form of an uncut gem and take on the polish of a refined jewel.
'I really owe Roman for this.'
She'd cleanly bisected an object she couldn't even scratch before.
And no longer feeling fatigue from their daily training sessions made the word "growth" feel real.
But for humans, growth wasn't measured solely by martial prowess.
And Eclair could confidently say it wasn't the most important measure either.
The hardest parts to grow in life, the trials toughest to overcome, had no clear shape.
That made them all the more insidious.
The path of inner growth was like walking a forest tangled in pitch darkness without a single light.
You couldn't see the destination, nor be sure you were even heading straight.
If there were visible milestones—like using mana, forming aura, succeeding in chantless casting, or cleaving steel that once only dented your blade—you could feel accomplishment and sense your progress alone.
But the path of mental discipline lacked clear sight, making it hard not only to gauge advancement but to recover once you'd lost your way.
'She's already better than those title-holding knights who just stumble around.'
Eclair wasn't mature enough herself to judge Chloe's inner refinement process.
But she knew Chloe was striding forward more boldly and greatly than she herself had, back when she'd foolishly agonized in silence.
I have no idea how today's classes at the academy passed.
I definitely had a delicious lunch with Rike and Seria.
And I'd rolled hard in Practical Combat with my brother-in-law, my body heavy with fatigue, but my memories had holes punched all through them.
They'd all fall into place if I looked back slowly, but right now, Chloe had no such leisure.
'...Gotta hurry.'
After academy ended and she returned to the estate, Chloe began changing in her room, donning the outfit she'd hung there.
If she hadn't picked her clothes in advance, she'd have agonized and missed the appointment time.
Click!
She unfastened the black brooch from her uniform, set it on the desk, and methodically removed the uniform, hanging it on the rack.
Flashy styles or revealing outfits didn't suit her and weren't her taste anyway.
She chose a long skirt reaching her ankles, a white shirt, and a plain cardigan to wear over it.
'The brooch too!'
As the recipient of a gift, she felt it proper to wear it as much as possible, so she pinned the black brooch to her shirt.
Swish... rustle...
"Hmm~?"
But twisting this way and that in front of the mirror, she wondered if the outfit actually looked good.
She'd thought this set was safe and best when laying out clothes the night before, but wearing it now, she wondered if something more formal might be better.
As her tendency to waver on decisions crept up again, Chloe tore her gaze from the mirror.
'...This'll do!'
There was still time, but it was her first time there—she couldn't afford to be careless.
She grabbed the return gift for her brother-in-law, slipped on some loafers with a slight curve, and boarded the Dreitna family carriage.
One hand held the cardigan, the other a paper bag with the wine bottle, making her wish she'd brought a bag—but the carriage was already speeding off, too late for regrets.
If only she'd grabbed that earlier, or worn that other outfit instead... As stray thoughts bubbled up, Chloe leaned her head against the carriage window.
The cool glass seemed to cool her head a bit.
'Let's not overthink today...'
After Practical Combat ended, she'd had a brief chat with her brother-in-law and headed to the prearranged spot.
Considering her position—one that might raise eyebrows among nobles if seen—he'd chosen the location thoughtfully.
She alighted from the carriage and walked straight along the path as he'd instructed.
Clack...
"Wow..."
To think there was such a quiet, peaceful place in the capital, which she'd imagined as flashy and crowded with imperials everywhere.
There were hardly any buildings over two stories, and dilapidated ones made up most, but signs of diligent maintenance and care were everywhere.
She'd thought the capital's outskirts would be rife with poor security, but even peeking into alleys, not a single shady figure lurked.
It was as if someone had stepped in to clean things up.
'Straight along the path to a small fountain... Ah!'
There it was—a modest fountain serving as the Meeting Plaza, catching her eye in the distance.
And her appointment was already there.
About to rush over, Chloe slowed as she saw her brother-in-law crouched, chatting and laughing with a child.
Even someone as worldly-naive as Chloe could tell from the kid's appearance what was going on.
'A kid selling stuff...?'
Children who scraped by selling a day's labor for a day's meal.
Kids carrying baskets and hawking wares along streetsides were a common sight anywhere in the capital.
Given her brother-in-law's intimidating look, even bold adults and men would steer clear, yet this girl had guts.
A few more steps brought her near the fountain, and snippets of their talk filtered through the water's murmur.
"One flower for two coppers?"
He didn't sound angry at all, but the little girl's legs trembled fiercely.
"Eek—! E-Even one... is fine."
Trembling in terror, the girl folded one finger.
His hearty laugh was the picture of a classic adventurer.
Seeing his bright smile, her brother-in-law took the grubby child's hand and pressed something into it.
"Kiddo, two coppers is way too cheap. You worked hard on these—you gotta charge at least this much. These handcrafted silk flowers are so lifelike, you can't tell 'em from real blooms."
"...!"
The girl's mouth gaped, eyes widening like saucers at the silver coin in her palm.
Her brother-in-law covered it with his big hand, checked that the surroundings were quiet, and reminded her what to do.
"Whoa there! Keep it hidden from prying eyes... Don't carry cash around—buy food or what you need and head straight home, got it?"
Any kid surviving here would understand instantly.
Even with patrols in the capital, the powerless could face disasters beyond handling just for holding money.
Watching the girl bow deeply and scamper into an alley, Chloe turned—and locked eyes with her brother-in-law at the same moment.
"...You got here early!"
"I just arrived too. Chloe, you're early even though there's still time?"
Her brother-in-law wore a white shirt just like hers.
Reassured she'd dressed right after all, Chloe suddenly realized she held the silk flower—and stared at it blankly.
He'd naturally handed her the freshly bought flower, then smoothly took her cardigan and gift box from her hands.
"Wha—! I-I can carry them!"
"Nah, it's fine. See? One hand for both. Way more efficient. If you get cold, just say so—I'll give you the coat."
"...Okay."
Tripping over her feet to keep up, she heard him speak with a hint of amusement.
"She did a great job on those, huh? No scent aside, they're indistinguishable from fresh flowers. Amazing handiwork. I'm all thumbs at crafts, so I'm jealous of talent like that~"
Fiddling awkwardly with the flower in her hand, Chloe said to Roman,
"Brother-in-law, you live so generously..."
At her words came a bold laugh she'd never hear in academy classes.
"Haha! This isn't some noble act of charity or anything grand. It's more like paying for the fun of that surprised reaction—an immature whim, really."
Hard to grasp, yet it revealed a side she didn't know.
Her sister called him playful and mischievous, and it suddenly made sense.
"S-Still...! For those kids, it's a huge help."
"Hmm~ Not many kids even approach me anyway... If it helped, it's reward for their courage. You've gotta get some small luck for your efforts, or what's the point of living?"
Seeing him scratch his chin sheepishly, Chloe's lips curved up just a bit.
Eclair had shown her face to the knights as usual after arriving at work, and was heading back to her office.
Then Leo Floyd appeared, his face haggard like he'd fallen ill.
He claimed he had urgent business with a grave expression, so she spared him a moment.
Only for him to abruptly shove a formal marriage proposal—bearing the Floyd family head's name—toward the Dreitna house.
No need to agonize; she refused outright, as expected.
If anything, it was a relief.
Better than his usual nagging probes and circling annoyances—this gave her clear grounds to shut him down for good.
But there were limits to arrogance and baseless audacity.
Even on a pleasantly busy morning, Eclair's mood teetered on the edge of plummeting.
As he was rejected, Leo curled one lip in a sinister smirk and tossed in a parting shot while submitting his resignation.
He'd always lacked manners, but today he seemed like a lunatic with his desires off the leash.
'No purpose here anymore, so no need to stay...?'
What gall to provoke her openly—and faintly, her sharp senses picked up an eerie malice.
Her anger surged at his selfish antics and words, sans proper procedure; her hand instinctively went to her sword at her waist.
But if this monster was forged by the Fourth Knight Floyd's obsessive favoritism, pity crept in too.
'Heh... Ridiculous.'
The more she saw how the empire's vaunted men behaved, the more she was glad she'd met Roman—and her rage evaporated in an instant, replaced by laughter.
Only then did Leo seem truly offended, as he turned in his insignia and supplies and vanished.
....
"Captain... I'll handle submitting Leo Floyd's resignation to the department for processing."
In a situation where even the vice-captain tread carefully, Eclair let out a deep breath to steady herself.
"Sorry, I'll leave it to you."
"To pull something like this on the day the Saintess arrives... If word gets out, it won't do the Floyd name any favors."
"Eh, I couldn't care less about that."
Power and politics could go hang, as far as Eclair was concerned now.
The vice-captain pocketed Leo's resignation, stepped out briefly, then returned with a report.
"Captain, word from the Church—they've departed."
"Mm—tell everyone to prepare."
For Eclair, guardian of the imperial family, today's event was unavoidable, mood and health be damned.
Yesterday's notice said a rare figure—Urus's Platinum adventurer party was one thing, but this was another—would suddenly return to the capital today.
"Still as free-spirited as ever."
Eclair nodded in agreement with her vice-captain.
Her returns were always unpredictable; the Church likely learned just the day before and rushed word to the empire.
When the Church's saintess returned from pilgrimage, she toured the capital's heart, bestowing blessings on the empire's path.
A short rite of set prayers and blessings from the weary traveler.
But also a display proving the tight imperial-Church bonds.