“I-is there something wrong with this?”
When Nora asked in bewilderment, Lady Valet coughed and shook her head. “I thought so too, so I asked Sir McCauley several times, but…”
“No, hahaha! Have all the knights gone out of their minds!? Voting for an anonymous woman!?” Nora snatched the paper off the table, crumpled it, and threw it behind her.
And then silence.
The three girls sitting around all looked at Lillia’s expressionless face.
“P-Princess Lilia, have you prepared your handkerchief? There’s a tournament coming up soon. All the knights must have been anxious to get yours.”
“Right, right. Sir McCauley asked me to let him know in advance who the princess intends to give the handkerchief to.”
When Nora raised the topic, Lady Valet responded.
A tournament held in Lubon at the end of June; this annual tournament was a yearly event that knights and the ladies waited for because the romantic relationship between a knight and a lady would be highlighted.
The lady presents a handkerchief embroidered by herself to the knight she likes and wishes for victory; the victorious knight gets the honor of kneeling before the lady and kissing the back of her hand.“Everyone seems excited because it’s Princess Lillia’s first time attending.”
Since adults or near-adult ladies dominated this event, this would be Lillia’s first time attending, and she was looking forward to it.
“All the knights must have wanted to kiss the back of Princess Lillia’s hand!”
“Of course.”
“Stop it. That sounds embarrassing.”
When Nora and Lady Valet cheered her up, Lillia felt a little better.
“By the way, did you hear the news? I heard that Her Highness the 3rd Princess, the organizer, personally invited Madame Ruby?”
Again, again, again! That damn Madame Ruby!
All eyes were drawn to Lady Seaton’s words as she poured cold water on them.
“It seems that <Blanc de Ruby> will be in charge og the imperial family’s gift to the winning knight this time. The 3rd Princess invited Madame Ruby as a token of her gratitude. I guess we can finally see her in person.”
Lady Seaton, who seemed obsessed with Madame Ruby, seemed more interested in seeing her in person than watching the match.
“Haha. Lady Seaton is too…”
Nora poked her side and hinted, but Lady Seaton only tilted her head.
Crack.
A loud grinding noise erupted from Lillia’s silently smiling mouth.
“What kind of noise is this?”
“L-Lady Seaton. Shh.” Lady Valet also poked her side to hint.
“Beautiful ladies, are you having a good afternoon?”
At that time, the dessert they ordered came out, and the female owner of the store came over to serve the ladies of wealthy families. A male employee pushed the dessert tray and followed the boss.
“Wow, thank you. Thank you so much for coming.”
“Oh, look at that pink fraise. It looks pretty and delicious.”
Nora and Lady Valet sincerely thanked the saviors who broke the atmosphere on thin ice.
However.
‘That fuckin’ XX. Augh, I’m so annoyed! Aaaaaugh!’
Gorgeous and luxurious desserts were placed on the table one by one, but Lilia’s already ruined mood could not be relieved. She quietly lowered her eyes and trembled inwardly.
“Whoa, you are gorgeous…angel…:
Lillia paused when she heard the voice of the male employee pushing the tray.
There were often people who unknowingly expressed admiration for Lillia’s beauty.
‘Well, you have an eye for beauty.’
She felt a little better now. Since you’re cute, should I send you a smile?
Thinking of this, Lillia smiled and raised her eyes.
‘…?’
However, for some reason, the employee’s eyes, who opened his mouth, went elsewhere.
She turned her head to follow his gaze…
Their choice of throne
<Blanc de Ruby>
Outside the window of the store, the video board.
Again, again, again!
The bothersome video of ‘Madame Ruby’ that came out these days!
Bang!
“Oh no!”
“Kyaaaa!”
Finally, unable to bear her anger, Lillia jumped up, and the table swayed. She forcibly smiled at the surprised gaze.
“I am not feeling well. I’ll go home first today.”
Anger that could not be contained came out through the gritted teeth.
***
Time went by, end of June.
The day of the tournament, an annual event sponsored by the imperial family, which countless knights and ladies had longed for, finally dawned.
“Waaaaaa!”
“Oohhh!”
The jousting arena, a renovated dome-shaped racecourse, was deafened by the shouts of spectators.
Aristocratic girls, each beautifully adorned, sat in the best seats and chattered.
“Her Highness prepared a seat for her beside her, right?”
“I-I guess so.”
Lady Valet and Seaton whispered with mouths wide open as they stared at the VIP stands in the distance.
The emperor and empress were at the head of the table.
Below them were the princes and princesses.
And the bottom row. Initially, the 3rd Princess, the organizer, would have sat alone, but ‘Madame Ruby’ had the honor of taking the seat beside her.
“Lady Seaton must be disappointed. She’s wearing a mask again today.”
“I know, right?”
Besides them, many eyes were peeking at Madame Ruby among those who came to watch the tournament today. Everyone expected to see her in person, but unfortunately, her mask was no different from the video.
“Is she very ugly, as rumored?”
Nora Pelkan snorted, and Lillia, sitting beside her, chuckled.
“Is that so…” Lady Seaton muttered sullenly.
At the same time.
The 3rd Princess, Aristana, who was in the organizer’s seat, raised her body slightly.
“The game will start soon, so I’ll have to go see my Brother Lark.”
“Thank you for listening to my request, Princess.”
When Madame Ruby spoke, Aristana, startled, bowed and whispered, “Brother Nathan will be distraught if he finds out about your suspicions. I hope no one knows.”
“Sure, don’t worry. And if you don’t mind, could you pass this on to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Hmm?”
What the madame handed over was a handkerchief embroidered by herself, a present a lady gave to a knight she cheered for safety and victory.
Aristana, staring down at the handkerchief, sat back down and whispered in Madame’s ear, “I’ve been suspicious since the request you made to me, but… Madame Ruby, are you dating my brother?”
“Oh, no. In many ways, I received much help from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Hmm.” Aristana, who didn’t take away her suspicion even after the madame’s denial, stood up again. “Anyway, hold on a second. I’ll be back soon.”
***
The waiting room for Group A participants.
The crown prince, Lark van Rashmagh Descarde, swallowed a sigh as he looked at the match list that could only be confirmed on the same day.
“Mm…”
(Group A) Lark van Rashmagh Descarde — (Group B) Nathan van Rashmagh Descarde
“Aristana.”
“Yes, Brother,” Aristana, who was hanging a pocket watch directly around Lark’s neck, answered.
“You didn’t make the bracket like this on purpose…?”
“Wh-what?”
“Haha, I’m just kidding.”
It was a serious question to be considered a joke.
Although Lark boasted perfect martial arts, he had often lost to Nathan in jousting matches, and Aristana knew that…
Lark, scratching his head awkwardly, murmured, “This is unfortunate. If only I meet Nathan at the final match…”
Then, at least in the previous game, he could have shown an excellent performance to Rubette. Being Nathan’s opponent in the first match was like being a sacrifice for the opening ceremony.
[I firmly believe that Your Highness will win.]
Lark let out a long sigh as he recalled Rubette’s letter.
‘I’m sorry, Princess. It’s hard to live up to your faith.’
Rubette could see the future, but her firm faith was uncertain. Because, presumably, the current Rubette couldn’t foresee the future.
‘Once she takes a certain action to change the future, it seems that some adjustment time is needed for a completely new future to be created following it. She clearly cannot see the future in the meantime…’
Lark nodded, assuming the limits of Vista in his way.
If Rubette could see the future now, she would have responded to the kidnapping a month ago and asked for help.
“Are you not confident?”
When Aristana asked, Lark, who had escaped his thoughts, burst out laughing.
“Nathan wields spear incredibly well.”
“That’s true, but looking at your face, you seem certain that you’re going to lose. It doesn’t look like you.”
Aristana asked the question to try out Lark, but he just chuckled. “If I’m lucky, I’ll win.”
“…”
“But what is this?” Lark asked, hinting at the pocket watch Aristana had hung around his neck.
“Ah, just…you know. All participants are obliged to carry one.”
“A watch? Umm, did something like this exist last year?”
“Well, what does that matter!? Hurry up and put on your armor!”
“Yeah.” Pushed by the urging Aristana, Lark hurriedly began to arm himself.
Aristana, who had been watching him silently, handed him a handkerchief.
“Oh, are you rooting for me?”
“No? I am a neutral organizer. I never root for anyone. This is the handkerchief that Madame Ruby gave.”
“… What?”
Lark, who accepted the handkerchief with a smile, paused and drooped his shoulders.
“Sigh.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m a little upset that there’s nothing I can’t show her after receiving her handkerchief.”
“Huh? I’m really curious. Why are you so sure you’ll lose—”
“I’ll be back.” Lark, who shook his hand, left Aristana behind and left the waiting room.
“Whoaaaa!”
“Here comes the crown prince!”
When he came to the stadium, the crowd’s cheers that rang out directly hit his ears.
After waving his hand and responding to the fierce cheers, Lark donned a helmet and quickly mounted his horse.
“Oh, my.”
With his narrowed vision, he could see the dense crowd and Rubette, who seemed to be watching him.
‘Ah, this is unfair.’
He could see his opponent, Nathan, in the distance.
It was a match that was decided from the beginning, and it was not that his skills were lacking. So there was no need to be upset…
Maybe if Rubette weren’t watching, it wouldn’t have been this unjust.
‘This is so unfair…’
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