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Chapter 27
A dizzying exchange of words continued for fifteen minutes.
Avell, who gave up just as quickly as she made up her mind, was the first to raise the white flag.
“Fine, let’s say I defeated you with some miraculous move I don’t even know about. So what?”
“Lady Avell Delaphion.”
Thud.
Cardel dropped to one knee.
Cardel Lucio—renowned since childhood as a swordsmanship prodigy—murmured like she was receiving a knighthood.
“Would you be my friend?”
“Would you want to?”
Avell shot back reflexively, then cleared her throat and added kindly,
“If you were in my shoes, would you want to?”
“What’s the problem?”
“Everything is a problem. Is this how you deal with the bitterness of losing a duel?”
“I-I’m not that petty!”
“You cried after I disarmed you.”
“That was just a little tear… H-How did you know?”
“I could tell just from your back.”
Anyone watching would have found it suspicious how the older child was clinging so desperately to the younger one.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the corridor was near the palace outskirts, so no servants were passing by.
“What do you even want to do by being friends with me? I mean, I know I’m cute, lovely, and outstanding, but—”
“I didn’t say that much.”
“Anyway, what’s your plan?”
“Obviously, we’ll spar every day and find each other’s weaknesses and problems!”
“Oh, dear father.”
This was exhausting.
Avell ran a hand through her bangs, frustration written on her face.
Just then, someone unexpected came to her rescue.
“Are you Lady Lucio?”
“Yes?”
“Pardon me. I’m Grace Fachet, attendant to Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty requests your presence.”
“Her Majesty?”
“Yes, my lady.”
Even dung has its use in medicine, as the saying goes.
Recalling the slightly off proverb, Avell slowly started walking away.
Even if Cardel Lucio was more overbearing than expected, she wouldn’t dare reject a queen’s summons.
However…
Avell’s hopes—
“Sorry, but I’m a bit busy right now.”
—were crushed beautifully.
“Of course, I understand you must be very busy. But Her Majesty personally requested it.”
This wouldn’t do. Avell, like her first time in the palace, began glancing around nervously. She needed to find a chance to escape…
“Yes, as you can see, I’m a little busy. Ah! Miss Delaphion! Come with me!”
“Why me?! Her Majesty the Queen is calling you! You! And you alone!”
Despite having refused the queen’s request himself, he had the nerve to drag her into it.
Avell whispered in a tone that practically screamed How dare you!
“How could a mere baron’s daughter be summoned! By Her Majesty herself!”
“She’s not the one I want to talk to. You are, Miss Delaphion.”
Cardel, speaking firmly, grabbed Avell’s wrist tightly to keep her from running and turned his head.
“As you can see, I have prior plans.”
“But, my lady—”
“This is quite sudden. If Her Majesty truly wishes to meet, please arrange it in advance through our estate.”
“…Understood. I shall relay that message to Her Majesty.”
As soon as the attendant left with a displeased expression, Avell asked blankly,
“Was it really okay to say that?”
“What do you mean?”
That innocent question made Avell realize once again the kind of background he had.
The House of Lucio.
A prestigious family that dominated high society—even in defiance of the Queen.
So this is the power of status.
She had declined the queen’s call out of consideration for her father’s future job change!
She hadn’t even fought and yet she lost.
Shuddering from the bitter taste of defeat, Avell turned around.
“Anyway, where are we going?”
The golden-haired knight-to-be naturally followed behind her.
In the silent garden of the detached palace.
A bright voice startled the birds resting on the branches.
“Princeeee!”
The boy sitting under the shade of a tree looked up.
His cheeks, which had filled out over the past few months, were glowing with color.
“Why are you running like that? Did you see a ghost?”
On the other hand, Avell—normally so energetic—was panting with exhaustion.
“Hah… this is… no different… from a ghost…”
“What are you—”
“No matter how many times I throw him off, he keeps chasing me…”
Her cutely braided hair and the lace on her skirt hem were both in disarray.
Her pale forehead furrowed.
Unlike her usual self, who repeated things two or three times, Avell was strangely uninformative.
But Tessa wasn’t about to waste words asking again.
“Miss Delaphion! Where are you rushing off to?”
A squishy boot sound followed Avell.
The count’s daughter smiled as she wiped duckweed off her pants.
“Ah, I see you had prior plans. You should’ve said something.”
“I did! Just now!”
“Did you? I thought you were making excuses to get away from me.”
“What kind of person tries to make friends just to figure out someone’s weaknesses…”
With a heavy sigh, Avell casually said while retying her ribbon,
“Well, now that we’re here, you two might as well introduce yourselves.”
“Ah, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Cardel, the eldest daughter of Count Lucio.”
“…Alright.”
“This is the First Prince, His Highness.”
“Oh, I see.”
Then, silence.
Normally, Avell would’ve chattered away with all sorts of nonsense, but now she looked completely dazed.
Unlike with Avell, Cardel seemed shy and kept glancing at her rather than speaking.
In the end, it was Tessa, the one with the highest nominal status, who broke the silence.
“So… why did you run?”
“It’s basic human instinct not to deal with lunatics.”
“Lady Lucio, your pants are wet.”
“Miss Delaphion pushed me into a pond.”
“…Don’t look at me like that. I knew it wasn’t deep.”
The prince, who had never really interacted with kids his age, looked visibly shaken.
“You already had someone to meet, so I’ll take my leave. It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
“Why did you follow me if you were just going to leave?”
“Because when someone runs away, it’s a knight’s instinct to chase them.”
“You’re not even knighted yet.”
“I’ll invite you to our estate next time!”
“I’m not going!”
“Let’s spar again!”
“No way!”
Leaving behind her dazzling presence, Cardel vanished in a flash.
More exhausted than usual, Avell finally relaxed her forehead.
“What on earth were you doing?”
“Well—”
After summarizing the situation briefly, Avell groaned.
“What is with that girl? A certified lunatic…”
Tessa’s blue eyes narrowed sideways.
With lips twisted in an odd smile, he lowered his gaze and searched his pockets.
“What are you looking for?”
“A mirror.”
“A mirror? Why?”
She stared at him, wondering, You carry that around?
Tessa stared right back.
“They’re not that rare, you know.”
“…”
“Think about it.”
His green eyes, catching the white sunlight, gleamed as they reflected Avell.
“They might be closer than you think.”
“What did you just say?!”
A shrill voice rang through the elegantly decorated parlor.
The woman’s hair was perfectly swept back without a strand out of place, but her lips twisted unpleasantly.
“Say that again.”
“She said… if Lady Lucio truly wishes to meet, please arrange it in advance…”
“…Like father, like daughter.”
The Queen, Felcia Lagracio, murmured evenly, as if she hadn’t just flared up.
But the rage in her red eyes was still blazing, unrestrained.
“Count Lucio…”
A man who dominated central high society, even with the Queen present.
His influence was so immense, even the royal family didn’t dare challenge him.
“Barely thirteen or so and already unbearably arrogant.”
She’d hoped to charm the count’s only daughter since bringing down the count himself would be difficult.
How impudent.
The Queen forced a composed smile, masking her displeasure.
Adorned in amber and pearls, she looked like a princess from a fairytale.
“So, is that all she said?”
“There was no other message. However…”
The queen’s straight, sculpted brows arched slightly.
The maid hesitated, lips parting and closing a few times before she shared what she’d seen.
“Avell? Avell Delaphion?”
It was a familiar name.
The Queen’s expression—so gentle like a rose with all its thorns plucked—turned sharp.
Normally, someone of her stature wouldn’t remember the daughter of a lowly baron.
But she’d taken a liking to the girl who once playfully flattered her.
“That brat’s little playmate.”
At least, before the cheeky girl dared reject the Queen’s offer.
