Chapter 32
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: A Fluffy Bed and Simmering Rage
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Betty, who had been slipping fresh white covers over the new cushions, fluffing them up, and putting the finishing touches on the room, spotted Charlotte and hurried right over.
She looked like she'd contributed quite a bit to completely transforming the room's appearance. A little tired, sure, but utterly thrilled—her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
She eagerly grabbed Charlotte's hand and pulled her along.
"Miss Charlotte, come look at these. We've even got new teacups all set up. And there's books in the study, too."
"They say there's magic here... It really does feel magical."
"Right? Master Russell and the Minor House Lord went to all this trouble, preparing everything one by one."
"Wow..."
'Russell and Dad...?'
It was a bit late to think about it now, but she finally felt like the duke's youngest daughter for real.
Charlotte had inwardly scolded Jerome quite a bit on the way here, but suddenly she felt bad about it. Sticking out her tongue, she approached the bed.
Just running her hand over it lightly, the bedding clung softly to her skin in the most wonderful way.
Excited, she hopped up onto it. The plush sensation that welcomed her put the previous bed to shame.
Charlotte flopped right down, rolling around on the bed and deeply inhaling the cozy scent of sunlight from the linens.
"I never imagined they'd go this far... so suddenly."
She'd always prided herself on not caring much about material things, but thinking about how they'd put this much thought into decorating her room for her sake made her heart pound.
It felt like she was truly part of the household now.
But because it felt so good, a twinge of unease crept in too.
She'd never properly belonged anywhere before, never had a family she could trust not to betray her. So now, someone doing this for her felt strangely off.
What if she got her hopes up, trusted them, and ended up badly hurt later?
Just like back at Mount Hua Sect.
She'd naively thought everything would work out fine, only to get betrayed by someone she trusted. Better not to open her heart fully from the start.
'...I still don't know what to do.'
She'd never felt this before—a strange, queasy flutter in her chest that was happy yet uncomfortable all at once. Burying her face in the fluffy pillowcase, she thought it over.
Lancelot returned to his room in the Setia main house and lay on his bed, grinding his teeth.
His mood was the worst it'd ever been.
He had no idea what kind of sorcery that girl Charlotte had used, but losing to her in a duel right in front of the instructor, Russell, and Byaki... it was utterly humiliating. He couldn't even hold his head up.
Even recalling it now, he couldn't figure out what had happened or how.
She didn't have any overwhelming power, nor was she particularly fast.
By the time he snapped out of it, the match was over in just a few exchanges.
'...She must've used some illusion technique. Figures a direct lineage kid would have money or artifacts.'
He tried to calm himself with that thought, but his head kept heating up with anger.
On the way back to the main house, those idiot noble kids had spouted the most ridiculous nonsense.
And secondly, the moment he got back, he'd heard that Jerome had lavishly decorated Charlotte's room out of nowhere.
She hadn't always been neglected like this—at least, not in Lancelot's memory. Back then, she'd always lived in a shabby, messy room.
In the annex, not even the main building.
And that made sense.
Every time she caused trouble, ran from the training grounds, disrupted others' training, or tormented the servants, her room got progressively more pitiful—until now.
But with Shadow Blade Day approaching, the heir selection tournament just around the corner, they suddenly changed attitudes and treated her well?
Lancelot had clawed his way here purely on his own merits.
Considering how long it'd taken him—a Setia side branch member—to even get assigned a room in the main house, it was only natural he'd feel this furious.
'Everyone talks about merit above all, but deep down, they favor the direct line, don't they? Does anyone not know I'm way better than Charlotte?'
That's what he hated about her.
If he'd been direct lineage, he wouldn't have squandered his life like she did. That idiot girl played the pitiful card because she had no talent.
And even after all his hard work, he got different looks just because he wasn't direct line.
Someone like Russell acknowledged him for his skill, but Isaac and Byaki barely glanced his way.
All because he was side branch.
Side branch—that was it.
Fuming, Lancelot shot up from the bed. Once again, the morning's duel replayed in his mind.
"...Hah."
Bam!
In his rage, he punched the wall. The solid wooden surface reverberated from the force.
Showing off his strength whenever he got mad was a bad habit he'd picked up from watching his seniors.
And there was another reason his mood was this soured.
"They all look down on me, huh?"
The kids who'd feared and followed him before were starting to see him as easy prey after the duel with Charlotte—that annoyed him plenty. But what really pissed him off was Prince Joseph's attitude.
A discarded third prince, no less.
A guy who'd never once rebelled against him.
And now, of all times.
"Why's Russell suddenly going easy on that girl? If not for that, I'd have shown that prince what for right there. Charlotte too."
Bam, bam.
He punched the wall again, but it didn't help.
"Tomorrow, I'll give them a real lesson."
Remembering Second Prince Ricardo's words—thoroughly drill them so they never even think of crawling back—Lancelot spat out the rage boiling deep inside.
As usual, when the pre-dawn star rose, Charlotte naturally opened her eyes, got up, and sat cross-legged.
Circulating qi through meditation every morning had become such a routine she no longer needed to force it.
As she meditated, recalling the heart method's culmination like always, she soon stopped and opened her eyes wide.
A hollow laugh spread across her face.
"...Good grief."
This had never happened before.
The bed was too damn fluffy, and that trembling, ticklish sensation in her gut... she just couldn't focus.
'Suddenly being this nice... my stomach's all queasy...'
She should just gratefully accept kindness when it came, but it felt burdensome instead, leaving her fidgety. Ridiculous, really.
But what could she do? Her heart wouldn't obey.
She rolled around on the massive bed a few times in her small body, trying to settle, but gave up and got down to the floor, crossing her legs again.
After a shorter-than-usual session, by the time Betty opened the door, she was already dressed in her training clothes.
"...Oh my, Miss Charlotte?"
"Morning, Betty."
"Going somewhere?"
"Yeah. Starting today, I'm training with Prince Joseph. Gonna lecture me?"
Before Betty could respond, Charlotte widened her eyes and asked.
Betty couldn't help but chuckle at how cute she was.
She didn't have as many prejudices against Prince Joseph as others did.
His angelic, beautiful looks helped, but also seeing him visit her bedside during her collapse, arms full of huge bouquets, had left a good impression.
Whatever had happened between him and the young lady, she admired how he brought the best gifts he could manage in his situation every single day, stoic-faced. Even skipping the banquet festivities because he was so worried.
Still, she worried about them hanging out.
The young lady already drew plenty of bad looks from those around her. Getting involved with the third prince—who wasn't on great terms with House Setia—could only bring trouble.
"You won't listen if I try to stop you anyway... So I'll just prepare everything diligently. Others will try to dissuade you too, I'm sure. Training's fine, but don't get hurt, okay?"
Charlotte beamed and nodded.
"Everyone gets hurt in training sometimes, but since you said it, Betty, I'll try my best not to."
Betty chuckled softly at her words.
She sounded like someone who'd trained dozens, hundreds of times already.