Chapter 76

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Martha is actually Masa!

In the kingdom, commoners like Martha don't have last names.

"Um... about this symbol... do you know what it means?"

Martha asks worriedly as the three brothers stare intently at the symbol.

"Martha, this isn't a curse symbol, it's a character from the Imperial language."

"Yeah, in the Imperial language, it reads 'Ono Masa'."

Georg and William point to the characters to reassure Martha.

"Wait a minute!!! Do you mean that even Lord Georg and Lord William can speak the Imperial language? And even the complex Imperial script that is said to be undecipherable???"

Joshua exclaims in surprise.

"Oh..."

After all, they had been keeping it a secret from Emma alone... What are these brothers doing? Moreover, they even admitted they can read the characters. Well, they had already figured it out from the kairo and the bandage.

"...What does 'Ono Masa' mean?"

In the awkward silence, Martha timidly asks, feeling bewildered as she has become the center of the commotion without understanding what's happening.

"This is Martha's name written in the Imperial script. 'Ono' is the family name... huh?"

Wait... come to think of it... Martha's grandfather...?

"Martha's family lives in the Stewart household, right?"

"Yes, my husband was a servant at the Palace, and although my parents passed away early, we have always been in the service of the Stewart family."

Martha's husband is a coachman who travels between the Palace and the capital, transporting silk for the Rothschild Company, much like a long-distance truck driver in the previous life. And since everyone in the Palace was considered family, I had forgotten that Martha's grandfather is the gardener Imoko, a kind old man who often brings rare insects to Emma.

Now that I think about it, at the tea party, the knowledgeable son mentioned that the Stewart family's garden has many plants from the East...?

Although he has given up on traveling to the capital due to his age, Imoko still maintains the garden at the Palace.

"...Martha's grandfather is... the gardener Imoko, right?"

I confirm with Martha, and she nods. Georg and William also seem to have forgotten, as they suddenly look up.

"If that's the case, is Imoko an Imperial person?... Wait, the last name... Ono... Imoko... 'Ono no Komachi'!?"

The name of a historical figure from the previous life comes to mind. It's from a much earlier era than Takeda Shingen, so the connection to that mobile game is a bit tenuous.

"What about Imoko?"

Joshua is completely lost and confused.

"Isn't 'Ono no Komachi' a 'Japanese envoy to Tang'?"

Even Georg, who is not well-versed in history, knows this.

Brother... Ono no Komachi was actually an envoy to Sui, not Tang. You're still as clueless as ever...

"From the name alone, it's possible that Imoko is an Imperial person."

It's understandable that no one realized Imoko had a Japanese name without the last name. The pronunciation is a bit different in the kingdom's language, and it's an old name, like Marco Polo being just Marco.

"But if Imoko is an Imperial person, it gives us a reason why we can speak the Imperial language."

I never thought we'd have such a convenient explanation... Let's say we learned it from Imoko. Alright, case closed! I take a sip of iced tea and sigh in relief.

However, Joshua is not convinced.

"Wait? What do you mean by 'convenient explanation'? Why can Lady Emma and the others speak it? And even if you say you learned it from Imoko, it's been proven that the brains of kingdom people cannot understand the Imperial language, so it's unlikely, isn't it?"

If I say that we can speak the Imperial language because we remember it from our previous lives, will they believe me? No, no, I'm already considered a bit of an oddball, and I can't afford to be seen as even stranger.

"The Imperial language... I just worked really hard to learn it."

I'll stick with this. Lies, excuses, and alibis—everything gets complicated if you make it too complex, especially in our family. I'll just say I worked hard.

"Joshua, will you believe me?"

I preemptively speak before Joshua, who doesn't seem convinced, can open his mouth. There's no other choice. It's time to use it.

I look at Joshua, who is sitting next to me, with a worried smile, tilt my head slightly, and place my lightly clasped hands under my chin. This is the pose Lady Rose taught me: when in trouble, smile and bluff.

I was a bit worried that it might seem a bit manipulative, so I checked with Lady Rose, who gave it a 100% approval rating for teenagers, so I have to believe it.

"...A... Angel!!!"

Joshua, whose face has turned bright red, falls off his chair while clutching his heart.

"...C... Cute... Cute... What? An angel? Such a cute angel? There shouldn't be one even in heaven... the only, the only angel..."

He lies on the floor, still clutching his heart, muttering to himself.

As expected, the pose Lady Rose taught... Joshua's mind is completely off the Imperial language. The effect is so strong, Lady Rose is truly amazing!

Emma reaffirms her loyalty to Rose in her heart.

Georg, William, and Martha, who have fallen off their chairs, all sigh.

"Who taught Lady Emma these tricks?"

Joshua's damage is greater than usual.

The perfectly calculated pose, the perfect upward gaze, the green eyes that look worried... I know that Lady Hilda taught her proper manners, but this is different. It feels like the skills of a professional in a different field.

"...I don't see an angel at all... more like a devil, if anything."

"No, she's Satan. The Devil. A psychopath."

Georg and William's lukewarm gazes turn to pity. Joshua is beyond saving. He has completely fallen, straight into the depths of hell where Satan resides.

Lady Hilda's etiquette, Lady Rose's survival skills.

Due to direct instruction from these two extremes, Emma is unknowingly equipping herself with even more weapons.