Chapter 50

While the demons were away, Kishutaria said, "Dad is still on his expedition."

Dad, who is extremely popular, has a rather dubious personality, but I thought he would be a character that would make people say, "Wow, he's so cool and consistent," but to my surprise, he turned out to be the most popular character, which shocked me.

Today, the weather and climate were both pleasant, so I was reading a book on the terrace.

The tea that Anna had prepared was a refined reddish-brown, and its fragrant aroma wafted even without tilting the cup.

It was a rather pleasant morning, but Kishutaria came with a solemn expression that didn't match the beautiful sky. Sebastian, who was standing just behind him, also looked somewhat apologetic.

"Alber, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong, all of a sudden..."

"...We're suddenly having a tea party at our place. There's pressure from the royal family and the other four great ducal families, and I couldn't refuse.

Even if they dress up, they're all just a bunch of demons mixed with intrigue. I was hoping Alber could stay at the secondary residence to avoid them."

"Is it okay if I just stay in my room?"

"Even being nearby could lead to someone trying to call you over.

They're trying to attack the Latzche ducal family while Father is away, and they'll take any opportunity to do so.

I don't want to say this, but Alber is their primary target."

Somehow, while I thought Kishutaria was just busy, there was another bombshell.

They're trying to outdo our ducal family while Father is away.

Kishutaria looks very apologetic, but honestly, the ducal estate is vast. It's large enough to fit a small town or village.

Well, you can tell from the fact that there are separate buildings like a library or museum on the estate, even though it's a private residence.

"By the way, is this the first time you're having a tea party here?"

"Lord Grail was the same when Lady Christina was around, and Lady Albertina also avoids being in anyone's line of sight. After that incident, this tendency became even stronger. She no longer holds any social events at the main residence.

We've had a few at the secondary residence in the capital, but they've increased since Lady Latine started socializing more seriously."

Sebastian answered quietly, and Kishutaria continued.

"By the way, even then, there were fools who pretended to be confused and searched for Albertina regularly.

Usually, it was at a secondary residence far from the outer gate, but this time it's inside... I wonder how long it's been since we had a tea party at the main residence."

"It was the last time Lady Christina was alive."

I felt a hint of Father's heavy love.

Sebastian's distant gaze seemed to be tinged with more than just nostalgia.

Sebastian, who has served Father for decades, still seems to be under a lot of stress, which shows how mischievous Father is.

However, there were some rather foolish people who were willing to risk the ducal family's disapproval to come and gawk at me.

"Because of the incident at the academy, Alber's appearance has become more widely known.

Most people only saw her from a distance, but it's extremely unusual for a noble lady of a ducal family to be of this age and still not engaged.

Some foolish son might try to do something rash, so you absolutely cannot be alone, okay?"

Sebastian's face turned pale. He must be remembering how Father would throw or tear up the marriage proposals in the fireplace when he was in a bad mood, but I tilted my head, not understanding.

"Don't worry so much, Kishutaria. I'll be fine, I promise."

"...Actually, I want to assign Julius as a guard and have more knights around, but there are many guests at this tea party, and we can't neglect the security of the main residence.

I'm sorry, Alber. I hope you're not too uncomfortable."

Kishutaria looked worried. I don't want to cause him more worry. He's doing his best to protect me.

"It's okay, Kishutaria. Don't overdo it."

I reached out and cupped his cheeks with both hands. Kishutaria looked taken aback for a moment, but then he lowered his eyes and smiled, nodding.

Normally, moving off the estate would be an option, but considering the risks of leaving the main residence and the number of guards, staying at a secondary residence within the estate grounds was probably the most reasonable choice.

Hmm, having so many secondary residences on the estate really shows how impressive the Latzche ducal family is. Is this a common thing among nobles?

After Kishutaria explained the situation to me with a worried look, Lady Latine, Anna, and even Julius came to reiterate the instructions.

...Do I really lack that much trust?

On the day of the event, I was spending a leisurely day at the secondary residence.

From a distance, I could see carriages arriving one after another, bringing guests to the main residence.

Kishutaria and Lady Latine must be very busy, but I was sipping tea elegantly and watching from a distance.

Just in case, I was wearing earrings for disguise. My appearance had changed to a bright ash brown, similar to Father's, with gem-like aqua blue eyes.

I wouldn't say people are like trash, but seeing the long line of carriages and the waves of people reminded me of a line of ants.

It's something that catches my attention. When I was a child, I once found a line of ants in the corner of the greenhouse and got so absorbed in observing them that Julius and Anna went into a panic and searched the entire estate.

In the end, a servant found me hiding in the corner of the greenhouse, where I had fallen asleep while observing.

Despite the commotion that turned the estate upside down, I had been sound asleep, which was quite a nuisance. I was a troublesome young lady.

The servants must have been shocked to find the young lady on the floor.

Moreover, I was the beloved daughter of the ducal family.

It was quite a coincidence that I was in such a blind spot.

The greenhouse is close to here, even though it's far from the main residence. I suddenly had the urge to visit it again.

"Is it okay?"

"If you go with a guard, it should be fine."

"I'm so happy!"

"You do love flowers, don't you?"

Anna's expression softened slightly. She's usually calm and composed, but I like the occasional smile that she lets slip.

It's like a tight bud slowly opening into a bloom.

"Anna, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"I really like your smile. When your expression softens, you look so kind."

As I said this, Anna's face turned bright red, even though she remained expressionless.

Her mouth moved, but she only managed to bow deeply, saying, "Thank you."

The guard, who was used to her, smiled and said, "Please take care of her," and received a stiff salute in return. Hmm, he seems very serious, but isn't he getting tired from being so tense all the time?

This greenhouse is smaller than the one at the main residence but is well-maintained.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a bright and comfortable atmosphere. The humidity was a bit high, which is typical for a greenhouse.

There were succulents and knee-high plants with few flowers scattered around. They might be herbs because they have a pleasant aroma.

While they lack the grandeur of large flowers, the simple and lovely flowers are soothing to the soul.

"What a lovely scent..."

It felt fresh and cool. Is this mint?

By the way, the Rose Trading Company also deals in chocolate, and maybe we can extract ingredients from this mint to make chocolate mint?

Yes, I should definitely ask our Latzche chefs. I smiled, feeling the promise of deliciousness, and Anna suggested, "Shall I prepare some herbal tea with these herbs?" and I nodded.

There was a small space with a table, chairs, and a parasol where we could have a simple meal. I sat down as I was encouraged, and waited for Anna to prepare the tea.

I'm sure it's very busy at the main residence, but it's not like that here.

I can't help but admire my excellent and considerate brother-in-law.

The herbal tea Anna prepared was mint-based with a tangy sweetness from lemon and berries, and a hint of honey.

Oh, Anna, you hit the bullseye of my preferences.

I drank it with a happy, relaxed smile, unaware that Anna and the guards were watching me with a warm feeling.

Suddenly, there was a sound. I looked over to see a guard standing in front of me, but he was blown away by an explosive sound. The first sound was the clank of his armor as he stepped forward.

I stared at the guard, who was smoking and motionless. The other guards quickly drew their weapons and focused on one direction. Anna quickly came to my side.

"Finally found you... Don't make me search for you, fake."

A blonde girl with blue eyes appeared. Despite her adorable appearance, her smile was arrogant and malicious.

Her outfit was similar to our maids' uniforms, but the details were different.

Her charming face was ruined by her expression. I tilted my head, wondering who she was.

"Ouch! It's your fault I had to run around!"

The blonde wig that the girl slammed onto the floor tiles revealed dark chestnut hair underneath.

"Who are you...?"

"Why should I tell you? Fake Alber.

Just because you're a bit pretty and Lord Grail dotes on you, you think you're so special!

If you had just done your job properly, I wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble!"

I was stunned by the girl's incomprehensible words. Despite the guards, who seemed to be more numerous than I thought, appearing from the greenhouse, the girl showed no signs of fear.

"Hey, do you understand? The woman you're protecting is a fake. She's not Albertina! Look at her hair and eyes! They're completely different!"

The guards' hostility intensified, even though it wasn't directed at me.

I could feel the guards' alertness turning into hostility.

The girl laughed, which sounded familiar, but more than that, she was terrifying. I felt an inexplicable fear.

Why does she know my true hair and eye color, which I've hidden even from the royal family?

"Well, it doesn't matter. Albertina will disappear from the Latzche ducal family anyway.

Whether it's the Lucas route or any other route where that woman gets in the way, it's all the same!

Even if the order changes a bit, the result will be the same, right?"

She raised her hand, and a black mist swirled and condensed into a baseball-sized ball.

I thought, "What a talkative kid," as I watched the dangerous black magic ball.

From the way she was spilling out information, this girl must be another reincarnated person like me?

"But, since I'm here, you might as well be useful before you die.

I need Albertina to die, even if she's a fake. Vivian didn't even make a good substitute.

Everyone treats me like a liar and a villain! But if you search here, you'll find out about all the bad things you and Albertina did! I'll be the savior of the nation!"

...What is she talking about?

This secondary residence is usually used to accommodate guests or for events. It should be well-managed by Sebastian, and there shouldn't be anything strange here...

Despite my confusion, the girl wore a smug expression.

"Also, I'll get rid of the evil woman who deceived the nobility and had the future savior imprisoned! Yes, it's the perfect scenario!"

I have no idea what she's talking about!

The girl, who seemed to be satisfied with herself, kept smiling. Does only I feel that her smile is insane?

Her charming face was twisted with desire. I clung to Anna, who was holding my hand, but Anna hugged me back firmly.

"Ridiculous... This is the genuine Albertina von Latzche.

You are not in a position to speak so casually about her."

"Whatever. It's none of your business, mob."

Anna's cold, low voice. I've never heard her speak like that. I was surprised, but that wasn't the main issue. The girl looked at Anna with disdain.

"I'll tell you one last thing. I am the heroine of this world, Renaria Dace. Goodbye, everyone! Try to be useful for me!"

...That's a lie.

The adorable image of the heroine, which was already fragile, had rotted and turned into sludge.

Renaria, who was about to throw the magic ball, was stopped by a barrier.

The ball bounced off and flew to Renaria's side, exploding with a loud noise and a blast.

Everyone, including me, was protected by individual barriers. Only Renaria, who was not protected, was hit by the blast and was covered in scrapes and mud.

Oh, the herbs that the gardener had carefully tended!

"The greenhouse..."

"Who the hell dared to lay a hand on our young lady?!"

The gardener, who was about to deliver the final blow to the already damaged greenhouse, was an old man carrying an axe as tall as himself.

Wait, what about his back pain? But before I could think about it, the large axe got stuck in the entrance, and the old man (probably) couldn't stop his momentum, causing the greenhouse's frame to collapse. The sound of the destruction was indescribable, and the old man, relieved that I was safe, tried to hide the axe.

He passed the axe to a young gardener, who struggled under its weight and wobbled. He looked like he had back pain.

Seeing me, the old man quickly changed his usual gentle expression and approached, "Young lady, are you alright?" but he kicked the heroine, who was trying to stand up, in the side.

"Um... What about that person?"

"Huh? There's a stray dog mixed in! Don't worry, I'll chop it up and bury it in the western forest to use as fertilizer! Although the wolves will probably dig it up before it decomposes!"

Stray dog... The heroine is a stray dog...

The powerful words coming from the old man made me feel like a cat that has sensed a cosmic presence.

As I stood there in shock, Anna, the guards, and the gardeners, mistaking my shock for fear, tried to comfort me with soothing words.

"...So..."

Words filled with hatred and curses were spoken.

"Why should anyone other than me be loved? Be cherished? This is my world..."

No, everyone is living their own lives and has their own will.

I felt a chill, confirming my suspicion that this girl couldn't distinguish between reality and a game.

She muttered something, slowly raising her face from the ground like a horror movie.

"Don't get in the way! Don't get in the way!"

B-grade horror, I mean Renaria, started throwing magic balls randomly.

Oh no! This self-proclaimed heroine is scary! What is she doing in someone's house!?

This is clearly illegal entry, property damage, assault, and attempted murder!

I cast barriers around myself, Anna, the guards, and the gardeners again. Oh, I accidentally got in the way of someone trying to apprehend Renaria from behind... I caused more trouble... I'm such a klutz!

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Renaria used people she had manipulated with homemade sweets to come here.

Those who noticed it were already aware of the dangerous sweets.