Villainess? Young Lady - 1
The Duke of Victory, Richter Nüren of Hablem.
The Iron Blood Duke, Oliver Valenti of Ulken.
The Golden Duke, Lapros Ociden of Boyar.
The Magic Duke, Beatrix Katoban of Servet.
The Wise Duke, Alodel Salon of Chenes.
These five dukes currently stand at the absolute pinnacle of the Empire’s nobility.
Descended from the Empire’s foremost founding heroes, the five dukes have reigned second only to the Emperor throughout the Empire’s three-hundred-year history. And across those three centuries, while countless other noble houses rose, fell, or were wiped out entirely, the five ducal houses never once wavered. No new duke was ever elevated to join them, and none of them ever slipped from their rank. Together with the Imperial Family, the five houses have remained immovable upon their thrones.
Even emperors who boasted absolute imperial authority and regarded the rest of the nobility as little more than spare parts still treated the five dukes as partners, granting them the highest possible respect—though the relationship remained, of course, one of imperial supremacy.
Such is a duke: a being even the Emperor cannot casually slight, and one whom lesser nobles dare not even look upon. Naturally, the prestige of a ducal house’s members is nothing to be dismissed either.
So what must it feel like to be coldly carved apart by a member of such a house—especially by the youngest daughter the current duke dotes upon without limit?
“Hic… hhk…”
“It’s all right. You won’t have to see her again.”
One glance at Luise, trembling and hiccupping in the clubroom, was answer enough. She had looked so wretched that I brought her here for a moment, but the instant she stepped into a place that felt familiar, the tension snapped and she collapsed into this state.
If I had simply sent her to class like that, disaster would have followed. As for the lessons she was skipping without leave, I could just send a suitable excuse note to the teachers. Power exists to be used for things like this—even if this particular use was a little petty for the authority I held.
“O-Oppa…”
I steeped some tea leaves that had been sitting unused in the clubroom for ages. Gently patting her back, I set the cup in front of her; she lifted it carefully even as tears welled. What am I supposed to do with this girl?
I understood why she was like this. The gulf between a duke and a baron is beyond ordinary comprehension. Stretch the truth a little and it is worse than the gap between a baron and a commoner. Or perhaps it is not a stretch at all. A baron has only crude ways of crushing a commoner; a duke has endless refined methods for destroying a baron.
And the precious jewel of a ducal house had just coldly cornered her? It would not have been strange if the extinction of House Naiad had flashed through Luise’s mind. Realizing that her own actions might have been the cause would have blanked her thoughts completely.
The fact that she had not burst into tears right in front of Margareta was already impressive. Well done, our club president.
“She didn’t do it out of malice. She came alone to talk and then left. If she had been serious, she would have said it publicly.”
I sat beside Luise and kept soothing her. In truth, Margareta did not seem to have set out to snipe at Luise with real intent. The Valenti family, when they truly want someone gone, act first and talk later. A few sharp words like that are practically a greeting.
Of course I kept that observation to myself; telling Luise would only have made her wail even harder.
“B-but… if it’s because of me… F-Father… the family…”
My comfort was not enough. Tears finally spilled as she forced the words out. Coming back after a year only to make a perfectly fine girl cry and then leave—thank you so very much, Lady Margareta…
“Even a ducal house cannot attack a blameless noble family. If anything like that ever happens, I’ll stop it. So don’t worry.”
Pure bluff, of course. When a duke starts swinging the sword in earnest, it already means the Emperor has given silent consent. Trying to block a duke alone without the Emperor as my backer would require writing my will first.
Well… if I really tried, I might hold out for three days or so… After that I would simply become “the late Karl Crassius.”
The bluff seemed to give her a little comfort; Luise managed a small smile, though her eyes remained red. Best to keep her in the clubroom for the rest of the day. If I let her outside and she happened to run into Margareta again, she would genuinely collapse.
Right now I was starting to dislike Margareta just a little.
In the end I kept Luise in the clubroom until club time began. She insisted she was fine to leave, but that was nonsense. Stay right here, I told her. Her face was still flushed; where did she think she was going?
Then, from far down the corridor, five sets of footsteps approached—faster than usual, practically running. At least they had the self-control not to come during class. Something so ordinary should not have made me this happy.
“Lady Luise!”
The first through the door was Ainter. His eyes met mine where I sat beside Luise; I gave a small wave of greeting. Yes, you lot may be complete idiots, but your concern for Luise is genuine.
With the members arriving, I gently shook Luise, who had fallen asleep face-down on the desk. The mental strain must have been heavy; she had drifted off at some point. I reclaimed the coat I had draped over her and stood. Watching five young men come charging in was a little intimidating.
“Luise, are you all right?”
Erich shoved past Ainter and tried to rush the half-awake Luise; I casually blocked him. Springing at a girl who just woke up would only startle her again. After all the work I put into calming her down.
“She’s not hurt, so don’t worry. Something startled her earlier, so I let her rest for a bit.”
When I stopped Erich, the four behind him also read the room and halted. Looking back, I saw Luise fully awake now and rising from her seat. All right—time to let them through.
I stepped aside and opened the path. Instantly the five swarmed her. For a second I thought of a pride of lions pouncing on prey; maybe my eyes were just playing tricks.
Surrounded in a heartbeat, Luise looked flustered yet clearly pleased by their worry, greeting them with a soft little laugh. After Margareta’s sharp attack had left her so gloomy, the members’ warmth must have been melting the ice.
We would just forget, for the moment, that those same members were the reason Margareta had attacked in the first place.
“We’re happy just being able to stay with Luise. So you don’t need to mind anything.”
“What do other people’s stares matter? What matters most to us is your warm heart, Sister.”
While I watched quietly, Luise finished explaining, and their comfort session began in earnest. Don’t mind it, don’t worry, if anything happens we’ll step forward to defend and protect you—solid, reassuring words poured out.
Again: we would just forget that those members were the original reason for Margareta’s attack.
“Mm. Thank you. Karl Oppa said he’d stop anything that happens, too.”
Luise, now smiling brightly without a trace of shadow, mentioned me, and five pairs of eyes locked onto mine. Ainter in particular let out a sigh that looked almost relieved.
I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re probably overestimating me by a wide margin.
How is a civil servant supposed to stop a duke?
Up to marquis there is still some room to maneuver; marquis houses do occasionally get demoted or wiped out. But a duke is a walking natural disaster. Once a duke’s assault begins, the only meta left is prayer.
Still, I was the one who started the bluffing, so this was my karma. I lifted the corner of my mouth slightly in answer to their stares. Then again, the Valenti ducal house was never actually going to attack Luise, so why was I getting nervous too? The power of atmosphere, I suppose.
At any rate, Luise’s condition recovered and club time ended.
During club I had comforted her by saying she would not have to see Margareta again, but of course that was a lie. High probability Margareta would seek her out once more. She had criticized Luise for associating with key foreign figures; if that criticism were accepted, the only solution would be dissolving the club.
And Luise would never dissolve the club, nor did I have any intention of letting her. What about the rage of those five if it disbanded? And how was I supposed to keep an eye on them once they scattered in every direction? Even if Luise herself tried to dissolve it, I would have to drop to my knees and beg her not to.
But Margareta did not know any of that. The club would continue, and Luise would keep associating with important people. Then Margareta, deciding her advice had been ignored, would come looking for Luise again.
The Crown Prince is already a pain, and now a duke’s daughter is joining in.
My head throbbed. The silver lining was that no attack would come at the ducal-house level, but Margareta alone still had plenty of ways to make Luise’s life miserable. The Valenti house as a whole would not move against Luise; Margareta as an individual was another matter.
I’ll have to go see her soon.
What other choice was there? Before Margareta returned to Luise with a cleaver in hand, I would have to go to Margareta first. Explain the necessity of the club, tell her I was watching carefully as advisor so no accidents would explode—she would understand.
But thinking it over, something felt off. Margareta already knew I was hanging on as club advisor, yet she still went out of her way to warn Luise? Was she trying to put Luise on alert regardless of my presence? Or did she simply think the club itself would be better off gone?
No way to know right now. I would probe a little when I met her.
“The opportunity came sooner than expected. Good morning, Young Master Karl.”
The next day, in the clubroom—during regular class hours, no less—Margareta paid a majestic visit.
I had planned to go find her.
I had not planned on her coming to me.
Looking at Margareta’s bright, cheerful smile, I found myself disliking her just a little more.