YL 07

Chapter 7

“May I ask why you were watching us?”

The man answered.

“I simply became interested while passing by and happened to watch. This village is not one that nobles often visit. Why? Is watching also a problem?”

“If that was all, then of course it would not be a problem.”

“That is all.”

These people…

They seemed completely absorbed in their own world, as if they did not even care that there was a sword pressed against their neck.

However, this was hardly the first time something like this had happened, and the lieutenant simply gave up.

While the lieutenant was thinking this, the knight, who had been calmly observing the man, seemed to judge that the man’s words were sincere. He obediently removed the sword from the lieutenant’s neck.

Then, after briefly bowing and apologizing for his rudeness, the knight turned around and walked away.

The lieutenant found it genuinely strange.

What is with that guy?

Even if he himself could not tell, his lord was clearly not an ordinary person. Even if someone had no interest in him, it was obvious at first glance that he possessed the aura of someone far from being an ordinary noble.

Yet the knight showed no interest in his lord at all. He did not ask anything, nor did his attitude change in the slightest. It was as if he treated everyone this way—the polite, clean greeting without any unnecessary words proved it.

When the lieutenant let out a disbelieving chuckle, the man seemed to feel similarly. With an extremely intrigued smile, he called the knight back.

“Wait.”

At the call, the knight turned around and looked at the man.

The man asked him:

“Why did you not ask anything? Are you not curious who we are?”

The knight replied.

“I needed to determine whether you were a threat to my master, and I judged that you were not. What else is necessary?”

“……”

“Not only myself. None of us prioritize anything above my master’s safety. Judging by appearances, even if I learned your identities, it would not benefit my master. Rather, it might become a threat. Is my answer sufficient?”

There was not even the slightest hint of a lie in his words.

No, it was as if he did not even feel the need to lie.

That attitude made the man even more interested.

“Sufficient.”

“Then… I have neither met nor seen the two of you today. That is what you require, is it not?”

At the knight’s words, both the man’s and the lieutenant’s eyes sharpened.

Yet the knight stood there completely calm, unaffected by their gazes.

The man asked:

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

“I merely guessed after seeing that the two of you were traveling so simply. I am apologizing for my earlier discourtesy. Please do not take offense.”

“I will accept your goodwill.”

“Then.”

As if he had nothing more to say, the knight turned away from the two men without hesitation.

A clear loyalty toward his master.

A stubbornness that refused even to indulge his own curiosity for his master’s sake.

And his ability.

He was far from ordinary.

The fact that someone with such skill displayed such loyalty made the lieutenant wonder who his master truly was. Because of that, his doubts only grew stronger.

Surely, someone like that could not be the only one.

Then why had they never become known?

Something felt strange.

A very extraordinary scent surrounded them.

The man seemed to feel the same way and asked toward the knight’s back:

“Where do you belong?”

The knight stopped walking again and turned his head.

And as if it was not some great secret, he answered willingly.

“I am Howell, of the Alvis Knights of House Stacy, Count Stacy’s family.”

“……Stacy?”

An unfamiliar family name, yet somehow strangely familiar.

While the lieutenant was thinking, the man asked the knight once more.

“Who is the person you are currently escorting?”

At that question, the knight’s expression changed completely.

A warm smile appeared on his face—one that shattered the image he had shown until now.

The lieutenant stared at him in surprise.

Still wearing that gentle smile, the knight answered:

“She is the treasure of our House Stacy.”

“……You seem to cherish her greatly.”

“That is why I volunteered for this journey. There were many competitors, so it was quite difficult.”

The knight answered playfully, saying that although it might not look like it, everyone who came along had survived that fierce competition.

Then, as if he truly had nothing else to say, he walked away without hesitation.

After the knight had moved far enough away, the lieutenant finally spoke to his lord.

“Those who survived a competition? That explains why they seemed to be an elite group, even though there were only a few of them. More importantly, if that man says there were many competitors, then there must be many skilled individuals hidden away.”

“A pearl hidden in the mud, perhaps. Whether they intentionally hid themselves, or whether they simply remained unknown because they were a completely insignificant count’s family……”

“No matter how insignificant a count’s family may be, they are still a count’s family. With that level of military strength, there is no way they would remain unknown.”

“Then they deliberately hid it. Yet they remained as an insignificant count’s family…”

The man thought for a moment.

“Was it because they could not protect themselves?”

Judging from the knight’s character and the affection he showed toward the knights, they did not seem like the type to rebel or plot anything.

If anything, they themselves were excessively modest, and the knights were the same.

The fact that they did not attempt to hide their identities proved it even more.

Then perhaps the family lacked power, so they hid their strength to protect themselves.

If their abilities became known, people who wanted to use them would appear.

And a powerless family would not be able to protect them.

Their family and territory would probably not remain safe.

It was a very wise and ungreedy choice.

The man began to wonder what kind of person had made such a decision—and what kind of people had accepted it without complaint.

“……House Stacy. Have you ever heard of it, Rosen?”

At the question, Lieutenant Rosen desperately searched his memories.

“It sounds unfamiliar, so it is likely an unknown family. Yet strangely, the name feels familiar.”

“……Stacy. Stacy. The treasure of House Stacy……”

The man muttered repeatedly, trying to remember.

Considering the knight’s affectionate attitude and loyalty earlier, their true master was probably not the count himself, but the person they were protecting.

No, he was almost certain.

And treasure.

If someone was called a treasure, it was likely a woman.

People did not usually call a man a treasure.

“……The daughter of House Stacy… a woman with the surname Stacy……”

Stacy.

Stacy.

The more he repeated it, the more familiar it became.

The man had an excellent memory, so if something felt this familiar, he had definitely heard it somewhere.

The reason he could not remember clearly was probably because he had never met her.

Where had he heard it?

As he thought, Rosen also searched his memories while listening to the man mutter.

Then suddenly—

“Ah!”

Rosen exclaimed as he remembered something.

When the man turned toward him, Rosen hurriedly shouted.

“Why! That young lady who became a topic of discussion a few years ago! The one that former Marquis Halbert Jeffreid cherished so dearly!”

At those words, the man’s eyes lit up as he finally remembered.

That was right.

He had heard that name several times as well.

Even though Halbert Jeffreid had retired, his reputation still remained. Naturally, anything he showed affection toward would attract people’s attention whether he wanted it or not.

It was said that the girl in question hated those gazes so much that she completely withdrew from high society.

And because of that timid action, people gradually lost interest.

Not completely, but mostly.

That name was definitely……

“……Rose Stacy.”

Yes.

That was the name.

She was said to have bright cherry-blossom-colored hair and a lovely, delicate appearance that matched it perfectly.

If that was true, recognizing her would not be difficult.

At that moment, the banquet that had made his mood so unpleasant suddenly did not seem so bad anymore.

And the moment Rosen saw his lord’s expression, he panicked.

“My lord. What are you planning? Your face has become terrifying.”

“……What?”

“You only smile like that when you are plotting something extremely suspicious. A dark aura is practically already rising from you.”

Rosen asked, in an extremely disrespectful manner, what cruel thing his lord intended to do to that young lady.

However, the man did not scold him.

He was not the type to care about such things in the first place.

And Rosen was not entirely wrong.

Seeing this, Rosen grabbed the man’s cloak with a pale face.

“Duke Enoch Chester! Please! As a nobleman, as a man, let us maintain some dignity. Please?”

“Be quiet.”

Of course, he ignored Rosen completely.

And so—

Enoch Chester smiled.

A very dark smile.

As if he had finally found something entertaining after a long time.

Of course, this was extremely unfortunate for Rose.

“Goodness! My lady! You are incomparably more beautiful than your portrait! My eye for choosing you was not wrong after all!”

Madame Antte excitedly exclaimed that it had been a long time since she had found such a wonderful muse.

Seeing Antte’s excitement, Mother became excited as well and happily joined in.

No matter how much of it was flattery, what mother would dislike hearing that her daughter was beautiful?

Perhaps it was only natural for her to be delighted.

And I……

“The measurements are exactly as the countess informed me. There is no need for alterations. That is fortunate, considering today is the celebration banquet.”

“Rose’s measurements rarely change. She has not changed sizes even once since she finished growing.”

“Oh my. You take such excellent care of yourself. Ah, please try on the shoes and accessories that arrived as well.”

I was suffering.

I liked dressing up.

I liked pretty things.

But since the destination was practically a road to hell, I could not feel happy about this preparation.

On top of that, enduring all this excessive flattery that made my hands and feet curl from embarrassment was difficult.

Still, I did not want to ruin Mother’s mood, so I stayed quiet.

There was no way I could avoid doing this anyway.

The sooner I accepted it, the better.

“I do not even know how to apply makeup to you because you are already so beautiful. No matter what style I choose, I feel like it would be perfect. This is truly the first time I have struggled with such a thing. Ah, I am so happy. Would you allow me to continue taking care of your appearance even in the future? I am already excited thinking about how I will style you.”

“If I continue appearing in high society, then I will.”

Of course, I had absolutely no intention of doing so.

Perhaps she noticed my thoughts because Antte asked:

“Oh? You do not intend to continue appearing publicly?”

“I do not particularly enjoy receiving attention.”

At my answer, Antte muttered:

“Well, that is true. Lady Stacy became even more famous because of that. Even if you are friends, it seems personalities do not always resemble each other.”

“Excuse me?”