A Twisted Nature
“...I will be going now, Rika. Rielia, please take good care of Rika.”
“Yes! Leave it to me!” Rielia puffed out her flat chest and patted it confidently.
Rika stepped closer, looking straight at me.
“I shall await your return for as long as it takes, Princess.”
“Yes. I will return before long.”
Would Rika still behave this way the next time I visited? Perhaps the effects of the Hypnotic Incense would have worn off, and she would be gone. I waved to the two of them and departed from Orbin Monastery.
There was still plenty of time before sunset, yet I felt as exhausted as if I had finished a grueling day's work. On my way back to the royal palace, a noisy commotion echoed from the training grounds of the Knight Order.
“Nice! Press your advantage, Baron!”
“Right there! Right there!”
“Don't hold back, Rolex!”
Were they in the middle of training? The knights had gathered in a wide circle, leaving the center empty. It looked as if they were spectating a match. As I drew closer to steal a glance, I saw William Roberts and another knight facing off in the center, both holding wooden practice swords.
The difference in their physiques was stark. To begin with, William was a mere novice who had only started basic training a few days ago. Could he be getting bullied here because of his noble title?
The reason William had been bullied at the Academy was his commoner origins. Surely they weren't repeating such pathetic behavior within the kingdom's own Knight Order?
“Is that you, Princess?” Filgret, who was standing in the very front row, spotted me with uncanny sharpness. Upon seeing me, the knights quickly parted to make a path. I approached Filgret and asked:
“What is going on here?”
“As you can see, it is a spar.”
“Between an adult and a child? Besides, William was a weakling who couldn't even hold a proper stance until recently. I believe I only instructed you to have him participate in basic training, Sir Filgret Ostana.”
Detecting the clear note of anger in my voice, Filgret looked troubled. He straightened his posture and spoke to me.
“My apologies. I do not mean to make excuses... but would you mind watching for just a moment?”
Watch? At Filgret's words, I calmed my mind for the moment and crossed my arms. Very well, let's see. If I watched and still found it unacceptable, I was fully prepared to hand down disciplinary action.
Once I took a spectating stance, the spar—which had been paused by Filgret's call—resumed. Though the fervor of the cheering had died down considerably.
Even amidst the brief, quiet commotion, William kept his eyes locked solely on his opponent. The instant the match resumed, he lunged forward as if rolling, slipping deep into the man's guard. Though it was a blunt practice sword, his attack was sharp. William's blade thrust straight up from below, aiming for the man's chest.
Could William actually win? Against an official knight twice his size? The thought crossed my mind for a split second, but it was merely the groundless anticipation of a swordplay novice.
Clang! With an effortless flick of the knight's wrist, William's sword was deflected. As it plunged into the sandy ground, the surrounding knights regained their previous enthusiasm and cheered.
“Ah, so close, Baron!”
“That Rolex bastard's heart must have skipped a beat!”
“Ah, if only he had gone just one step deeper!”
This was certainly not an atmosphere of public humiliation. Their cheers were entirely directed toward William. Even Rolex, his opponent just now, approached William after the match concluded to offer some feedback.
“Is he already at a level where he can practice actual swordsmanship?”
“In terms of physical capability, he still has a long way to go. However, his understanding of theory is exceptional. Within just a few days, he memorized the entire swordsmanship manual. His ability to apply it is also outstanding.”
So he's compensating for his lacking hardware with superior software. His movements just now did look quite plausible.
“Well, as long as it isn't malicious bullying, that is fine.”
William bowed deeply to me from a distance. As he picked up his sword, his next opponent stepped into the center.
“Has William ever won?”
“No, as of now, he is at twenty-one losses in twenty-one matches. If he steadily builds his stamina and gains about fifty... no, seventy more matches of experience, he might be able to manage a draw against a recruit.”
Well, it was a match between an adult and a child—and an official knight of the Royal Guard at that. Even this outlook might be considered incredibly generous.
“I understand. I did leave his training entirely to you. Just make sure he doesn't overdo it.”
“I shall do so.”
While we spoke, William was already rushing toward his next opponent. A stubborn grit and combative spirit, the likes of which I had never seen in him before, flashed in his eyes. So, the entire Knight Order had banded together to raise William. This wasn't basic training; it was a customized special course. At least he seems to have shed his soft, bookish air, so I suppose that's a relief.
“...Tina Lorencia.”
Upon entering the royal palace, I came face-to-face with a familiar countenance. It was Lady Tina Lorencia of the Lorencia family, whom I had met at Carmel's tea party.
“Princess Sera!”
The moment she saw me, Tina rushed over with a bright, radiant smile. Her thick, wavy hair swayed dramatically with her movements. A member of the Lorencia family being present at the palace did not strike me as a particularly positive sign.
“What brings you here, Tina? Have you been invited by Mother again?”
“Ah, yes, that's right! But she left, saying she had something to discuss with my mother in private. I was just about to take a stroll in the garden in the meantime... I never dreamed I would run into you, Princess!”
Tina looked ready to grab my hand without a second thought. However, I felt the exact opposite—something akin to a sense of crisis. Tina's mother was Luna Lorencia. She was the person most likely to have joined hands with Carmel from the Lorencia faction. The fact that Carmel was speaking with such a person in private was not a matter to be taken lightly.
I had to grasp at least a sliver of what Carmel and the Lorencias were plotting. I took Tina's hand and spoke.
“How perfect. I was just hoping for some company myself. Why don't we head to my room and have a chat, just the two of us, Tina?”
“Oh, oh my...! O-Of course! It would be more honor than I deserve! I would love to!”
An unadorned joy spread across Tina's face. She had harbored a near-fanatical admiration for me from the start. Luring her in was simple. The real challenge began now. The key would be finding out how much Tina knew about the conspiracy, and how much of it I could pry out of her. Holding hands with Tina, I made my way to my chambers.
A luxurious spread of tea and refreshments was perfectly arranged on the table. For some reason, even the plating felt far more elaborate than usual. Was it because the guest was a young lady of the Lorencia family? Perhaps it was an expression of pride—a refusal of the capital's servants to be looked down upon by those from the northern duchy of Lorencia.
“Quite some time has passed since we last met. I wanted to become closer with you, Tina... Have you by any chance visited the palace since then?”
I was trying my best to probe her without making it obvious. Although Tina showed almost no wariness, I couldn't afford to let my guard down.
“Yes! I received invitations from the Queen quite often after that. Ah! Though she didn't say anything to me, Mother visited the palace secretly on her own a few times as well.”
“Really? How did you find out?”
“Our coachman, Gehem, told me. Apparently, Mother visited Lurie by herself on several occasions. And here I was, always telling her how much I wanted to come along whenever she visited the palace...”
Luna Lorencia visited Lurie... It is safe to assume she met with Carmel each time. Unofficially, and likely somewhere outside the palace.
“Oh, that is too bad. I wonder what our mothers are discussing that they must exclude both you and me...”
“It was probably business. She always carried the bag she only uses for work. Maybe she's thinking of opening a wonderful boutique near the palace? Perhaps she wanted to let the Queen know about it...”
“Ah, that might be it! Fufu, I wonder what kind of shop it will be... I am truly looking forward to it!”
Well, there is absolutely no way she came all this way to meet the Queen just to open a clothing store. I took a sip of my tea, organizing my thoughts.
Tina twirled a lock of her hair around her finger—seemingly a habit of hers—and spoke.
“Um, Princess... do you remember the promise you made to me last time?”
“You mean your invitation to Lorencia? Of course I remember. I am sorry. So many things have happened since my house arrest was lifted.”
Ever since learning of the existence and effects of the Mistylia curse, my mind had been entirely occupied with breaking it. I simply hadn't had the leisure to accept Tina's invitation. Furthermore, since it meant stepping directly into enemy territory, it was an endeavor that required thorough preparation.
“Ah, I-I see. What kind of things do you usually do, Princess?”
“Well... not long ago, I helped out a certain monastery. It was a place where the support was far too lacking compared to the number of people they had to care for. And, well, other things...”
“Oh, I have a similar hobby! There are many poor churches in Lorencia as well. It truly makes me feel so good to watch starving people reveal their ugly, primal natures when presented with food.”
...Wait, what?
Forgetting to maintain my composure, I stared blankly at Tina Lorencia. Yet, she merely tilted her head with an innocent, guileless expression.