Chapter 21

"Why is Your Highness here?! Were you watching properly?!"

At Leonhardt's appearance, Katharisa panicked and looked around.

Perhaps it was understandable for her to be flustered. Leonhardt had infiltrated the garden in the form of a lion cub and had been hiding, holding his breath. Then, when Katharisa cast a spell and drew the attention of those around her, he quietly returned to his human form. His appearance at a moment when Katharisa couldn't deny her actions was all part of his plan.

"You were supposed to be watching, right? So you were aware that you were doing something wrong, weren't you?"

Katharisa's back stiffened at the calm but sharp voice. Confusion, chaos, humiliation, anger, and scheming rapidly crossed her face, finally settling on a twisted smile.

"... Women's conversations always have secrets. There are things we don't want others to hear."

"If it's a conversation between women, it's natural to have someone watching, right?"

"Yes, that's right!! Your Highness, as a man, you might not know this, but—"

"—Enough nonsense."

"Ah?!"

Struck by Leonhardt's amber eyes, Katharisa let out a small scream.

"If someone like you represents women, it would be a great disservice to all women."

"Y-Your Highness...!!"

"Are you saying that it's normal for women to cast fireballs at each other?"

"Th-That...!!"

Katharisa's throat gasped like a fish out of water.

"...!! That's right!! It was a joke!! I never intended to really cast a fireball!!"

"Really? Just a joke?"

"Think about it logically!! It's impossible to cast a fireball at someone, right?!"

"...... For you to lecture me on common sense..."

A sarcastic smile crept onto Leonhardt's lips. Katharisa returned an awkward smile as he sighed and laughed, but—

"‘If you make a fool of me, a duke's daughter, I'll show you what happens!!’"

Katharisa's back trembled and stiffened again.

"Did I hear that correctly?"

"W-Why do you know that...?"

"I heard everything from a corner of the garden."

"!! Eavesdropping is despicable!!"

"Does your reaction mean you admit it was true?"

"!!"

Realizing she had dug her own grave, Katharisa's face turned pale.

"N-No!! It was just a slip of the tongue!!"

"A slip of the tongue?"

"Yes!! I accidentally said it—"

With a humble smile, Katharisa desperately tried to explain herself to Leonhardt.

"—The same excuse you used at the ball."

At Cordelia's remark, Katharisa gritted her teeth.

"That day, you ‘accidentally’ spilled wine on me. Was it intentional from the start, just like today?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"

Katharisa glared at Cordelia with eyes filled with hatred and frustration.

"I'm talking to His Highness!! Don't interrupt!!"

"I almost died because of your ‘accident.’ I have the right to speak up."

"Be quiet!! If you don't, I'll use a fireball again—!!"

Katharisa let out a scream. Leonhardt's blade gleamed at her throat.

"Be quiet, Katharisa. If you harm Cordelia, I won't hold back."

"Ah...!!"

With the blade at her throat, Katharisa collapsed to the ground.

It was over. She had been caught in the act of trying to cast a fireball at Cordelia and now, she had admitted to trying to harm her again.

Katharisa trembled, unable to stand. Her followers, who had been standing on either side, did nothing to support her and instead backed away.

"Where are you going?! Help me!!"

The more Katharisa screamed, the more her followers distanced themselves with looks of disgust. They had no sympathy for her, only turning their faces away.

(...... Of course. They were never her friends, just her followers.)

Feeling a slight pity for the abandoned Katharisa, Cordelia thought to herself. Her followers had only been loyal to her status as a duke's daughter, not to her character. With Leonhardt, who was of higher status and spoke the truth, there was no one left to follow Katharisa.

"Miss Cordelia!! Are you alright?!"

Pamela rushed in from the gate, followed by several men in the capital guard's uniform. Pamela had apparently called for help instead of fleeing.

The guards, initially suspicious, quickly saluted upon seeing Leonhardt.

"Your Highness?! Why are you here?!"

"Thank you for your hard work. You arrived just in time. Can I ask you to do one more thing?"

"Yes!! What is it?"

"I need your help to transport a criminal. The woman sitting there."

At Leonhardt's words, the guards approached Katharisa.

"... Criminal...?"

Shaking off the guards, Katharisa stood up forcefully.

"Don't be ridiculous!! What crime have I committed?!"

"This!! Stop struggling!!"

"I haven't done anything wrong!! I was just punishing Cordelia, a mere countess, for being insolent!!"

Shaking off the guards, Katharisa, with her hair disheveled, shouted.

"All of it!! It's all Cordelia's fault!! Because this woman is so arrogant and shameless, I, as a duke's daughter, was going to teach her a lesson as my duty as a noble—"

"Restrain her. No need to hold back."

"Ah?!"

At Leonhardt's command, the guards pulled Katharisa to the ground. Leonhardt looked down at her calmly as she continued to curse Cordelia.

"You, not Cordelia, fulfilled the duty of a noble?"

"What are you talking about?! When did this woman—"

"The first time was at the ball."

Leonhardt spoke as if explaining to a child.

"That day, despite the malice directed at her, Cordelia did not condemn you. It wasn't out of fear or cowardice, but to avoid causing unnecessary trouble for the duke's family and, by extension, the country."

"I don't know anything about that!! That was her own decision—"

"And the second time. When you tried to drown Cordelia, she didn't intend to publicly condemn you. She was thinking of the bigger picture and was willing to let it go."

"Then why?! Why are you treating me as a criminal now?!"

"—There is no third time."

Cordelia spoke.

"The first time, I considered it an unfortunate accident. The second time, I thought there might be some reason on your side, so I endured it."

But, Cordelia continued.

"There is no third time. I am not so forgiving as to overlook someone who harms me unjustly three times. Moreover, it would be unfair to the people to let a duke's daughter go unpunished."

No matter how much Katharisa was a duke's daughter, it was not something to be forgiven. Cordelia explained it clearly and politely, but—

"Why?! I am a duke's daughter!! No, no!! Stop it!! Take your hands off me!!"

It seemed that Katharisa, refusing to accept reality, did not understand.