Chapter 26

Various circumstances intertwined.

This time, the knight responsible for the stomachache was undoubtedly Duke Carras. He was just as serious as Mikaelis.

The VIP room, of course, could only be used by those of high status.

Or, by special guests associated with them.

This time, due to the two princes being under house arrest, they were not present. And the sidekicks, who were involved and implicated, were also under house arrest.

Naturally, the VIP room was more vacant this year compared to previous years. Even with the king, queen, and the princess, who usually had no interest in swordsmanship tournaments, in attendance, there were still empty seats.

In such a situation, the knights received a terrifying announcement.

It was that the beloved daughter of the Duke of Grail von Lattiche, known as the Duke of the Demon Lord, was to attend.

Incidentally, not long ago, Prince Lucas, who had forced himself on the beloved daughter, was thoroughly and completely defeated, along with his faction. The repercussions even reached the second prince, Prince Leord, and extended to the House of Nobles and the Council of Elders.

The Duke, in principle, was indifferent to everything and prioritized efficiency. In terms of work, he was exceptionally competent, but in proportion to that, he was inhuman. Countless young lords and ladies had been deceived by his beautiful appearance. His beauty, which still attracted admiration, was a source of fear both domestically and internationally.

Everyone predicted that if another failure occurred, the number of deaths would be incomparably higher this time.

The last time, due to the victim, the beloved daughter Albertina, stopping the incident, only a few people died. However, the Duke had no mercy. This time, he would crush them even more thoroughly.

Duke's daughter Albertina was an unknown young lady who received the affection of that monster.

Albertina rarely left the Lattiche territory.

The first time was for a royal tea party. There, she was mistaken for a princess and kidnapped, leaving a scar that would ruin her life as a young lady.

The second time was when she accompanied the Duke to the neighboring Dimitrius territory for a high-end resort and spa.

The third time was when she went to the academy with the Duke to meet her step-brother and childhood friends. There, Prince Lucas took advantage of the Duke's guard being slightly away to cause trouble.

In two out of three cases, when the royal family was involved, she suffered terribly.

Naturally, Albertina's impression of the royal family was not good. This should have been obvious.

This time, on her fourth outing, she must be protected without fail. If not, the Demon Lord might say, "Such useless knights are unnecessary," and this time, he might mean it.

There were rumors that the servants of the Duke's household were punished after that incident.

Even young servants were treated this way. It was likely that the knights involved in the incident were not severely punished because of the young lady's intervention.

At least, the young lady herself was not as cold as the Demon Lord, which was a relief.

I, unaware of the knights' intense determination and resolve, was leisurely looking around the VIP room.

The terrace was directly connected to the VIP seats, a luxurious design.

Finally, with the surrounding gazes blocked, I could take off my bonnet with ease.

"Oh, it's so beautiful inside."

"The VIP room is regularly renovated. You can rest here if you get tired of watching the tournament."

The room, though slightly angular, had a carpet on the floor and large, intricately patterned tapestries and grand paintings in ornate frames on the walls, making it quite luxurious.

There were proper tables and sofas inside, creating a comfortable space. I tilted my head in wonder at the bed in the adjacent room, but since it was a swordsmanship competition, there was a possibility of bloodshed. It was also a place to let fainted young ladies rest.

"Should I go see Mikaelis?"

"No, it's about my brother. If he hears about Lady Albert, he'll rush over."

"Oh, you didn't tell him? That's a shame."

"Whatever he says, he'll be thrilled. He'll be more motivated, seeing it as a rare opportunity.

Usually, with Kistaria and Julius around, he can't make a move."

"Oh? So they're fighting?"

"In a sense, it's a constant, unprincipled struggle. They also cooperate at times."

"I hope they can make up."

"That's difficult. They have their pride."

The conversation seemed to be on and off...

But I don't want them to fight. When they were together, they didn't seem to have a bad relationship. Were they just being nice to me? Or was I left out? That's sad... Especially since they've been more isolated since entering the academy.

"Unless we defeat the Duke of Lattiche, we can't do anything. It's like comparing a pill bug to a chestnut."

Why is my father mentioned?

However, catching those handsome young men and comparing them to pill bugs seems a bit too high for Jibriel's ideals?

Why is Jibriel sometimes so harsh even to his real brother Mikaelis?

They shouldn't have a bad relationship, but sometimes Jibriel uses particularly harsh words on Mikaelis. The mystery is why Mikaelis accepts these words without resistance.

"Kistaria, being in his position, is close to Lady Albert, and Lady Albert is sweet to her step-brother Kistaria. However, Kistaria himself is also extremely sweet to Lady Albert, so he can't take drastic measures. The problem is Julius. He has recently obtained a title, and though he doesn't have a territory, his business acumen is renowned... Rather, by subtly manipulating that delicate line, he maintains his position as a servant while steadily securing his footing, which is troublesome.

My brother has always had a sort of admiration or worship for Lady Albert—occasionally, his rationality flies out the window and he reaches out, but ultimately, he lacks the decisive blow.

Despite the distance, his awareness of the opposite sex is much higher than theirs, but even so, he's too much of a wimp...

My brother, though, is quite reserved, and he's really, really wimpy when it comes to Lady Albert, which is frustrating..."

Jibriel is turning into Black Jibriel.

Did something happen at the academy? I want the usual cute Jibriel back.

Besides, why would Mikaelis have such a good impression of me?

Father has guided and cooperated with the management of the Dimitrius territory, but what I did was mostly pampering and petting Jibriel, his sister, though I sometimes received criticism.

"Don't be too mean to Mikaelis?"

"If nothing happens after all this preparation, even my brother would be helpless."

Jibriel! What's driving you to be such a noble lady!?

"I'll take Lady Albert for myself!"

"Oh, how brave of you."

Wanting to be with Lady Albert is such a cute thing to say.

Hmm? Why do I need to be taken?

While I felt a bit puzzled, I watched with a smile as Jibriel's maid and Anna nodded and made eye contact.

In the warm atmosphere, a knock echoed.

Anna, who had finished tidying up the bonnet and bag earlier, headed for the door instead of Jibriel's maid (Smya, apparently).

A guest? Maybe Mikaelis.

"Miss Albertina, the knight assigned to guard you today has come to greet you. What would you like to do?"

Come to think of it, there were heavily armored people standing in front of the VIP room. They quickly moved aside when we arrived, so I didn't see their faces much.

"Alright, let him in."

It wouldn't be a long conversation. He came in, making a slight clinking sound with his armor. It seemed only a representative came in. When our eyes met, he bowed and quickly knelt, lowering his head.

The one who came in was a knight in his late twenties with green hair. His large build, tanned skin, and rugged features were familiar. Could he be the knight who was with the prince at that time?

"I am Walrig Carras, assigned as your guard for today.

Duke of Lattiche's daughter, Countess of Dimitrius. We, the knights, will do our utmost to ensure you have a pleasant stay. Please enjoy the event with peace of mind."

"Thank you for your service today, Sir Carras."

"Sir Carras... Could you be one of Prince Lucas's guards? Why are you here?"

With a slightly stern face but a soft smile, Jibriel asked clearly.

The knight, still bowed, continued, "With all due respect."

What a good voice. Well, my father, Kistaria, Julius, and Mikaelis also have beautiful voices, but they are a bit different.

My father has a rich baritone with a mature, seductive tone. He can be mysterious, but he's usually meltingly sweet to me. Otherwise, it's like a hurricane of diamond dust and frequent ice storms.

Kistaria has a soft tenor that matches his sweet appearance, with a hint of youthful tenderness. When he was with Renaria, I was surprised by his low, father-like voice. He can produce such a voice? Usually, he's in a little girl mode with me. I'm the big sister!

Julius is generally cold. His voice is cool