FDLBF 23

Chapter 23

Click-clack, click-clack. Whinny, whinny.
I opened my eyes at the sound of the horse catching its breath.
Judging by the little shops visible outside the window, it looked like we’d stopped for a short break.
Everyone climbed down from the carriage and headed to the largest teahouse.
The moment we sat, a tempting spread was placed on the table.
Thin sandwiches, fruit tarts, butter biscuits.
The adults had black tea; Juno-sama and I had milk, and we sat staring at the passing dishes, self-conscious.
I started to pay attention because my snacks had been set in front of the woman who had come with us.
Unable to hold back, I reached for them, and Lady Diana spoke up.
It was our first conversation since last night’s heated argument.
“Lady, how was the carriage? You seemed to sleep well.”
“Y-yeah, it was really comfortable. Hehe.”
I was late to respond, but I tried to placate her.
After all, I had to pay respects to His Majesty, and she was his sister — so I wanted to show a little decorum.
She seemed to like that attitude; she smiled faintly and moved some desserts in front of me and the duke.
“I’m not sure this will be enough. In the capital there are far fancier and tastier patisseries. Duke, please make time to come sometime.”
Embarrassingly, the duke didn’t reply at all.
But she didn’t give up.
“Oh my, how cold-hearted.”
[Wow, she’s got a real poker face.]
Like Juno-sama’s blunt simile, it looked like last night’s commotion had been completely forgotten.
As if whatever had happened, she was determined not to lose the duke no matter what.
‘Sigh. I’d rather suffer and go straight to the capital. Is this what “resting” looks like?’
When my discomfort peaked and my stomach started to hurt, someone fortunately appeared.
He looked troubled — he was a servant from our household.
“Your Grace the Duke, requests for audiences are flooding in.”
“What audience requests?”
Only then did I hear the buzzing of voices past the teahouse partition.
Apparently some nobles who’d recognized the duke had gathered like mushrooms after rain.
It was a common occurrence when a high-ranking noble entered a town.
The duke said, “Tell them we must leave quickly and refuse.”
But Lady Diana stopped the servant as he was about to leave.
“Duke, this seems like a good chance to share recent news — how about greeting them? I’ll stay by your side here.”
“…….”
Her suggestion was certainly sensible.
If we shooed people away now, when rumors were already flying about, it would only create worse gossip.
For the duke, who’d barely been on a local tour because of his steward, such an unexpected encounter was more valuable than a fancy banquet.
So I couldn’t just sit still either.
“Go on! Father! I’ll be right here!”
Although the duke was reluctant until the end, he eventually rose from his seat as if he’d come to the same conclusion.
I waved both my hands to give him encouragement.
But not long after, Lady Diana stood up.
“Lady, I’d like a moment alone before we depart. Make sure the guards attend to you properly.”
Her back felt ominous; I stared at it.
But I soon stopped worrying, distracted by Juno-sama’s reply.
[She says she wants to be alone. She said the same thing a thousand years ago — such a tiresome way of speaking.]
“Don’t say stuff like that. Could say she’s off to pick flowers like children do.”
[Just say she’s going to the restroom. It’s a bodily function, who cares. Do nobles never crap?]
“Ugh. Gross. Don’t ruin snack time by saying stuff like that!”
Juno-sama could be remarkably blunt despite being a noble.
The strange thing was that, beyond class-consciousness, he seemed to lack that very sense of reserve.
As he was imparting his offbeat common sense, an employee who hadn’t been ordered to bring anything appeared and pushed past the guards.
It was a woman and a man, but something about them felt off.
I whispered to him as I sipped my milk.
“Juno-sama, that’s weird.”
[Oh come on, you’re so dramatic. Why does that make your stomach weird? Just eat.]
“No, it’s not my stomach… it’s that they shouldn’t be here…”
No matter how I looked, they were the same.
The silhouettes of the people who had exploited my parents’ lives and the waiter carrying a plate.

It happened in an instant.
With the certainty that they were the people who had been my parents, a sack was thrown over my head.
Even the guards seemed to be in on it; no one stopped them.
“Ugh ugh!”
Gyaoow!
Juno-sama and I struggled desperately to get down from the shoulders we’d been heaped onto like rice sacks.
But it was useless.
I was only five years old, and Juno-sama, aside from speech, was just a beast.
So I kept trying to concentrate to use the power of the relic.
Just like in the last meeting hall, I tried to increase the size of the sacred beast to escape the situation.
Grrr!
But I still couldn’t move.
The constant jolting made it impossible to focus.
“Dear! The kid is heavy enough, and now we have to carry this weird beast too? It’s so heavy.”
“Is it? Hmm. Right, we weren’t told to bring an animal. Dump it in some corner or something. Tie it tight, though.”
At that, the woman who was acting like my mother hummed gleefully, and Juno-sama barked angrily.
[What the— hey! Twenty-second! Grow up quick, hurry!]
‘Ow! Wait! Please wait a moment! Juno-sama!’
“Grrrr!”
After straining with all my might, my body finally began to shimmer with light.
But, unfortunately, an even stronger light burst through beyond the sack.
It looked like the movement scroll had been torn.
‘No!’

“Phew, arrived, huh. Long time no see, daughter!”
The fake father pulled the cloth gag from my mouth.
“Puh-hah! What kind of stunt is this? Does the Duke think we’ll just stand by?”
“Hohoho. I didn’t realize before, but our daughter really has become a lady now, hasn’t she? Her divine beast is shining.”
“What daughter? Don’t be ridiculous! You cowardly abusers!”
They laughed wildly despite the angry curses.
“Aren’t you being petty about how many times you hit her? You were angry back then, weren’t you? We were even imprisoned because of it. Let’s call it even. Eh?”
“Alright, fine. Take it easy. You found your real family because of this, didn’t you?”
What? Found my real family because of this?
I was losing my mind.
These impulsive, thoughtless idiots somehow had heard a rumor somewhere and were believing my situation of being made a lady as truth.
“Enough. What are you two doing? I’m on my way to the capital right now to see His Imperial Majesty! His Majesty!”
“We know, we know. It’s fine, it’s fine. How else do you think we got out of that prison?”
“Huh?”
‘……No way.’
The guards pretending not to notice.
The woman who had gone to the restroom at just the right time.
Even an expensive scroll, something a great noble might possess.
“Could it be…… Lady Diana?”
“Oh, is that the blonde beauty Lady Diana? My, she was very pretty.”
“What? Pretty? Honey, are you really going to say that in front of me?”
“No, it’s true, what can I do? You saw her too; she had eyes like anyone else.”
They suddenly began to argue.
I was utterly stunned by the absurd turn of events.
Would the royal family actually arrange the abduction of a lady?
Are royal people allowed to get away with that?
No matter how well someone was raised, rudeness and crime are not the same thing, are they?
While I was stunned by this shocking new idea, someone opened the door and came in.
Looking around at the presence, at the rope on the wall, the rusty tools, and the musty smell of mold, I realized this place was a perfect den for criminals.
And the men who entered also gave off the unmistakable vibe of people who did bad things.
The roughest-looking one, the one with a scarred eye, pointed at me.
“That kid? Is she the one with special conditions attached?”
“Yes, yes. A very clever child. Our daughter can really calculate things well.”
“Being a bit smart doesn’t usually earn one special conditions. Did you kidnap some noble’s child?”
“Ha ha. Does it matter?”
I was speechless at their irrational conversation.
They intended to sell their daughter?
Was that daughter supposed to be me?
And what did “special conditions” mean?
“What is this? What are you saying now?”
Then the woman who had been my mother whispered.
“What’s there to say. Since the duke’s household didn’t work out for us, we’ll just resell her. That ugly woman knew where to sell her, she said.”
As she spoke, the couple held sacks of money.
“Ha ha ha. In the end, we profit from the kid after all. Thanks. We’ll put it to good use.”
“Hohoho. Such a dutiful daughter. Dutiful daughter.”
They laughed without a care.
I was utterly speechless.
“……You two are insane. If you get caught this time you’ll actually die for it.”
Even as the words left my mouth, I felt a pang of surprise.
‘I’m the one who still hasn’t come to my senses. Who am I lecturing?’
But whatever turmoil I felt, they just kept counting their money with utterly guiltless faces.