Chapter 2. Kneel! (7)
Chapter 2. Kneel! (7)
"I, I can't! I won't!"
I had just entered the training ground when I heard that sound from over there.
"I, I am a young lady of the Kleefeld Barony! Why should I be beaten up by someone like you?! This is absurd! You're just a commoner!"
"What are you saying right now?"
"Hiiik!?"
Perhaps because my soft, gentle voice carried from afar, Ella von Klepelt turned toward me, startled.
I approached Ella with a gait as light as if I were walking on feathers.
Chak.
I unfolded my fan with my hand. I had asked Frida for it this morning and received it. The old me didn't usually bother carrying a fan, but since this was a ducal household, there were quite a few luxurious ones, so I was able to pick a suitable one.
It was a fan with red and black colors mixed in sequence, just like the clothes I was wearing.
Covering my mouth with that fan, I looked alternately at Ella and Erna, my eyes slightly curved.
Erna was not much different from usual.
Perhaps because she had been moving intensely, there was a little sweat on her face and her cheeks were slightly flushed, but that was all. ......No, maybe her expression looked a bit dangerous. She seemed to be enjoying beating up a noble.
I rolled only my eyes to look at Ella.
"I'm curious what kind of pleasant conversation you two were having. It seemed a bit loud."
Well, the only voice I heard was Ella's.
"Ah, I, I—"
Before Erna could open her mouth, Ella spoke first.
"Your Grace!"
Ella finally shouted as if exploding.
"Isn't this a bit too much!?"
"Too much?"
As I asked, looking at Ella, who was shouting at me, with interest, she took a step forward.
But that step was immediately blocked. Thanks to Erna and Frida, who stepped smoothly in front of me. Good. Excellent. At least Erna has become a wonderful puppy. I like that her face is pretty, too. Actually, the reason I specifically picked Erna as the Knight Commander was because of her appearance. She's excellent to use as an ornament.
Vice-Captain Inge was restless, as if she didn't know what to do.
"What do you mean by 'too much'?"
"I, I."
She had lost her reason for a moment, but her eyes trembled as if she realized too late who she was shouting at.
"I, I...... W, we."
"I am not."
At Ella's words, Leana quickly opened her mouth to deny it.
Merit was naturally shaking her head vigorously as well. Only Ella's younger sister, Lila, was pale, unable to even take her sister's side.
Do they look down on me?
That could be. In fact, until before my father passed away, I was just a clueless brat who didn't know how to do anything but whine.
'What could she possibly do?'
Looking back at the gazes that were directed at me, most of them were like that.
That pisses me off. Even to me, who didn't notice it at all back then. If I hadn't had the intuition from my past life, I might not have known even going forward.
Then I would have exploded and tried to make the entire Duchy submit in 'my own way.' It's an obvious story.
"Go on. I'm listening."
At my words, Ella continued to speak, albeit stammering.
"I, I, so...... nothing since this morning."
"I already gave you the food."
"......."
At my words, Ella bites her lower lip.
The food for the knights, including Ella, had already been distributed. It's just that their families had snatched it all away.
Of course, if I had just left the knight order alone, nothing would have happened. The third and fourth daughters of noble families would have just stayed stuck in their own territories. I don't know how long they intended to do that, though.
"B, but."
"If someone took that food, and if you let it be, isn't it only natural for you to come and retrieve it yourselves?"
Ella closed her mouth at my question.
I quietly watched the knights of the Blutrosenorden in the silence.
They all look a mess.
Was Erna too excited? Hmm, even so, I don't really have the desire to let them go.
As a test, I had secretly leaked the story that these young ladies were being rolled around excitedly to their family homes, but there was no particular reaction.
In the first place, by their standards, the fact that they could push their daughters into the 'Knight Order' was not much different from the fact that their daughters 'went to a convent.' Either become a saint who makes a name for herself in the convent, or really achieve merit in the Knight Order. That's usually how the position of the third or fourth child in a family works.
"Erna."
"Yes, Your Grace."
At my words, Erna turned toward me briskly.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. It was a gaze that didn't even see me as a noble just a short while ago.
Does she feel good after tasting power? Well, I've already said it several times.
And, because I said it so many times.
"Could you come a little closer to me?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Please lower your waist a little. So you can face me."
"Yes, Your Grace—"
Slap.
Erna's head turned.
My hand stung a little. And I felt a very slight, tingling sensation. I lifted the fan again with my other hand to cover my mouth. To hide the corners of my mouth that were creeping up.
I didn't hit her very hard. Because I hate pain. I decline having my hand hurt too much.
Erna looked back at me with a slightly dazed expression.
"This is a lesson."
I said.
"Your Grace?"
"You smeared my name, didn't you?"
Of course, I like puppies. Shiny golden hair, skin that didn't tan even after moving around like that under the sun. I like her noble appearance, unlike a commoner.
But, you see.
If you're a dog, you should also know how to bark when it's time to bark.
"Erna. Didn't I tell you?"
"......Your Grace."
Even after being slapped, Erna's eyes somehow shone.
Yes. It seems she realized what I was saying.
"Straighten your waist again."
I said.
Erna's waist stood straight.
"Turn around."
Erna turns.
As if controlling an avatar, I continued to command. Move forward. Stand in front of Ella.
"......."
As Erna approached, Ella shrank little by little.
Just in time, because of the sun's position, the shadow of Erna, who was taller than Ella, cast over Ella's face.
"Now, try following me."
I said to Erna.
"Kneel down."
"Kneel...... down."
Erna's voice, following my words, was a low voice that sounded as if it had been scraped and dredged up from the very bottom of her emotions.
Feeling that ecstasy was layered beneath that voice, I laughed happily.
Oops, but it would be troublesome if my mouth were seen, yes.
I walked slowly and stepped to Erna's side. And I went to Ella's side and stared intently at her profile.
'Beautiful Female Knight Order'
It was the Knight Order that I, Rosalyn von Artena, wanted to have. Because I read about it in some old story.
Of course, I lost interest immediately after making it and neglected it.
Still, I like this pretty face. If Erna was born with a noble appearance despite being a commoner, Ella was literally a young lady of a noble family.
Of course, now there are scratches here and there, her hair is messy, and there is dust on her clothes and face.
I liked that dishevelment.
I like that the subject who made her disheveled is also a beautiful woman.
My heart as Rosalyn was already not the heart of an ordinary person.
Perhaps that was because the heart that had already been slightly twisted from my past life continued as it was.
"Kneel down."
I said in a low voice.
"Kneel down!"
Erna shouted more clearly this time.
Ella looked at me with a very confused face. Does she want to say what the hell is this?
I reached out and placed my hand under her chin.
"She's saying it. Your Knight Commander. Borrowing the name of your Duke."
"Ro, Rosalyn-nim...... no, Your Grace—"
"Kneel, down."
I said.
"Before your Knight Commander. Rules and rank are absolute within the Knight Order."
Erna's lips tremble.
Her cheeks are still a little red. The trace of where my hand touched.
But Erna, as if not even caring, held her head high and looked down at Ella with only her eyes.
It's a wonderful expression.
Yes, it's probably an expression she learned from me.
I grabbed Ella's chin tightly and turned it toward Erna.
"Erna."
"Kneel down!"
Erna shouted.
"No, kneel! It's an order from the Knight Commander!"
She's very excited.
But, excellent.
Yes. If you're raising several puppies, you have to clearly establish the hierarchy.
It's fine if I throw them away. But I don't like it when my things fight on their own and sink their teeth into each other's throats. That's just a loss.
Ella's body flinched.
I let go of her chin.
Whether out of shame or pure fear, Ella trembled and slowly knelt on one knee.
"Erna."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"If there is a hungry knight, that is also your responsibility."
"That is correct, Your Grace."
"Good. I will generously overlook that 'mistake' with the slap from earlier. But if a similar incident happens in the future, it won't end with a slap then."
"Understood, Your Grace."
"Let's resolve the problem generously just this once. Erna, order Vice-Captain Inge to investigate the amount of food needed by the members within the Knight Order and report it. I will resupply it just this one time, so from next time, make sure it doesn't get taken by anyone. Because the property of this Knight Order is purely this girl's property."
"Of course, Your Grace!"
Erna's voice is energetic.
Good, good.
I reached out and tickled Erna's chin slightly, then turned around.
Chak.
Inge, who was watching the situation while sweating, immediately stood at attention.
I smiled softly at such an Inge and moved my steps.