Chapter 4

3.

Rachel inwardly let out a hollow laugh.

"Wow. This is really a mess, isn't it?"

On one side, bottles were scattered, and on the other, old and worn-out weapons were strewn about.

Moreover,

"Hey, you brat, if I say one word, firing you would be nothing. What? Do you want to be fired?"

The Parachute Knight Captain, drunk red, was holding a knight as if he were a mouse.

'That person... is Rupert Archer?'

The indomitable knight who had protected the female protagonist, the 'Holy Maiden,' through countless crises.

'He was originally a knight of the Agnes family, right?'

Judging from the atmosphere of the training ground, it seemed that today was the day he was leaving this family.

"These brats. If you don't stop right now...!"

I guess I should step in.

I can't let Rupert slip away.

He is a great figure who will later rise to the rank of 'Master.'

If I don't secure him, he will become a major obstacle to my favorite character's future.

Rachel let out a derisive laugh and spoke.

"Or what?"

The knights' faces showed confusion as they finally noticed her.

"Are you planning to fight?"

Til, tilting his head, asked, and then, flustered, sheathed his sword.

"Y-Your Excellency, what are you doing here...?"

"Is it so strange to see me in my own house?"

Of course, it would be.

He probably thought she had started the day with alcohol again.

"Hey, you. Can you bring me a chair?"

"Ah, yes!"

The knight who was called quickly placed a chair in front of her, and she sat down with a calm expression, crossing her arms.

Anyone could see that she was in a position to watch the show, but Til and Rupert were still standing there, unable to grasp the situation.

"What are you doing? Weren't you planning to fight?"

Rupert asked with a predatory gleam in his eyes, like a beast waiting for an opportunity.

"Is that allowed?"

"Of course. No matter what the outcome, you will not be at a disadvantage. I swear it on my name."

A noble who values honor had sworn on his name.

In other words, it meant that he could freely deal with the Knight Captain.

Swoosh.

Rupert, who wouldn't miss such a good opportunity, drew his sword with a fierce look.

"Y-Your Excellency, are you really going to do this?"

Til sent a pleading look to Rachel.

But for some reason, her eyes were cold.

Something was wrong.

Something was definitely wrong.

'The lady-in-waiting said she would definitely be out of it. How...!'

His thoughts didn't finish.

"Ah. Thinking about it, using real swords against the Captain would be disrespectful to the sword."

"What?"

"I'll use this."

Rupert sheathed his sword and picked up a practice wooden sword.

"You crazy bastard. You're going to fight me with a wooden sword?"

No matter how skilled he was, attacking a real sword with a wooden sword was suicidal.

Til, who believed he had a chance of winning, drew his sword with a sneer.

"Arrogant brat. I'll make you regret that choice!"

But.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Ah! Wait, wait a moment!"

Despite his earlier bravado, Til was beaten like an animal without even a chance to counterattack.

The result was, of course, a decisive victory for Rupert.

"...Really, you're terrible."

Rachel muttered to Til, who was writhing on the floor.

She hadn't expected much, so she wasn't disappointed, but he was worse than she imagined.

Drinking on duty, a rusty sword, and a sloppy stance that even she could see were wrong.

If it weren't for Abigail, he wouldn't have become a knight, let alone a Knight Captain.

"This is because I'm not in good condition. If you give me another chance, I'll make up for it!"

"Really?"

"Your Excellency!"

She turned her gaze from the flustered Til and approached Rupert.

"Sir Rupert."

The tension in his face was evident as he heard his name.

Perhaps she was going to retract her promise not to hold him responsible.

Given the low trust in the Duke, it wouldn't be surprising if she changed her mind.

However,

"From today, you are the Knight Captain."

"Excuse me?"

What did I just hear?

Suddenly becoming the Knight Captain?

'Recalling the Duke's eyes...'

The Duke's blue eyes were shining like precious gems.

Was she dreaming?

Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but they didn't last long.

Because of the low, clear voice that reached her ears.

"I need to give you your first order."

"Please, give your order."

He bowed with his fist to his chest, taken aback.

"Arrest those scoundrels right now."

A gentle but unresistable voice.

'Ah, finally...'

The Duke had changed.

She didn't know why.

The important thing was that the moment she had long awaited had arrived.

She suppressed the thrill rising in her chest and called out.

"...I accept your order!"

The Steward's office.

Abigail's mornings were always leisurely.

She would tidy her hair with expensive perfumed oil every morning and have her hands and feet massaged by maids.

She enjoyed the wealth and power of the Agnes family as if she were the mistress of the house.

'Heaven helped me. If I hadn't accidentally gotten my hands on it...'

No one thought the current Duke was addicted to 'drugs.'

They believed he had fallen into depression and grief after the sudden loss of his parents.

Given his inherently weak and introverted nature, who would suspect anything?

'There is something bothering me about this morning...'

Usually, the Duke would immediately seek out alcohol as soon as he woke up.

She had trained him to do so with the help of drugs.

But the pattern that hadn't broken for half a year had suddenly changed?

'It must be a coincidence.'

He was probably drinking in the bathroom.

Addiction is a disease.

It can't be overcome by willpower or a change in mood.

The morning incident was just a fluke.

Abigail tried to suppress her unease and said to the pink-haired maid who was massaging her feet.

"Can't you do it more thoroughly? Your grip is so weak. Tsk tsk."

"...I'm sorry."

Massaging feet and other menial tasks were the responsibility of lower-ranking maids.

She would sometimes give jewels to her favorites and make them her confidants, and they would willingly become her pawns.

Abigail had used such methods to gain people's loyalty while the Duke's trust was waning.

Abigail looked at Ann, who was massaging her feet inadequately, with disapproval and clicked her tongue.

"Tsk tsk. It seems you still don't know who you need to impress."

Ann was a maid the head maid had cherished.

She was making Ann do menial tasks to show her what would happen if she didn't impress her.

After a while,

A maid came in with an urgent look.

"Steward, I have something urgent to report!"

The maid who had been locked in the wardrobe by Marcus and managed to escape dramatically.

"Why are you making such a fuss? You're being noisy."

"Y-Your Excellency and Lord Lantern met!"

"What?"

Abigail jumped up from her seat.

She glared fiercely.

"Didn't I tell you to inform the Duke?"

If he had been drinking, he wouldn't have the presence of mind to meet Lord Lantern.

But they had met?

"Yes, I did inform him... but..."

"Did you even check if he drank it?"

"Well, I confirmed he put it to his lips, but... the Duke locked me in!"

"You stupid thing!"

The cake plate Abigail threw hit Ann's face.

Thud.

"Ah!"

"Didn't I tell you to make sure he drank it?"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"That's why I don't use stupid, clueless people. You're fired as of today. Get out of this mansion!"

Lord Lantern.

I should have dealt with that annoying fly long ago, but he managed to meet the Duke!

Clang!

Abigail threw a vase from the table to the floor in a fit of temper.

After imprisoning the trash, including Tail.

Rachel explained to Rupert that her strange behavior over the past half year was due to the drugged drinks Abigail had given her.

She was sure that the drugs, whose exact nature she didn't know, had some effect.

"Sir Rupert, remember. Not a single one of them must escape."

"Yes, I will complete the task Your Excellency has given me, even if it costs me my life."

"No, no, there's no need to go that far..."

"Don't worry. I will accomplish it, even if it means staking my name and honor!"

Rachel looked at Rupert's determined eyes and smiled wryly.

Why do you keep staking something?

It's burdensome...

"Anyway, do you know who to arrest?"

"Yes!"

The fief was five minutes away from chaos.

If the knights were in such a state, the rest of the fief was even worse.

Those who should have held important positions had been demoted or left, and their places were taken by the Steward's relatives.

They must not be given a chance to escape.

They needed to be arrested all at once before the Weaver family, who had been supporting the Steward, could intervene.

'Besides, the current head of the Weaver family is in my hands. Hehe. The timing is perfect.'

She smiled in satisfaction, thinking of Tail, who had been beaten up by Rupert and thrown into prison.

Rachel instructed the knights and available soldiers to arrest the people listed in 'Marcus's report.'

The charge was attempted poisoning of the Duke.

Her target, along with Rupert's, was the Steward.

'Hmm, thinking about how much Liz suffered because of the Steward...'

Shivers.

Her fists trembled.

Her favorite character would enter the Duke's household in a year, at the age of nine.

From then on, her favorite character would suffer and grow into a great villain.

'I won't let that happen as long as I'm alive.'

I will make sure my favorite character only walks the path of success.

'...Because you helped me endure that time.'

A shadow of darkness passed over her blue eyes as a memory from the past flashed through her mind.

But it was only for a moment.

"Alright, shall we go and arrest them now?"

She forced a bright expression to shake off her gloomy mood and took the lead.

The destination was the lair of the mastermind.

The Steward's office.

Clang!

Was something wrong?

Rachel entered the Steward's office, hearing the sound of something breaking.

Her brow furrowed.

The room looked as if a wild rampage had taken place, with various items scattered on the floor.

A pink-haired maid was trembling in a corner, her face smeared with cream.

"What's going on here?"

Abigail's eyes, which had just noticed her, trembled.

"I, I was just about to come and see you..."

"..."

But Rachel passed by Abigail with a cold, frozen gaze.

"Use this to clean yourself."

She handed a handkerchief to Ann.

And then,

"Abigail."

She turned to face her with a cold expression.

Abigail's lips stiffened as she sensed the change in Rachel.