Chapter: 31
Still, that didn’t change the fact that he was someone worth admiring.
He was the only character from the Irregular elite squad that I actually knew.
I’d been looking forward to meeting him.
I stared at him with sparkling eyes.
But then—
“What are you looking at?”
Yuis frowned deeply.
The vice captain’s eyebrow twitched.
“How dare you speak so rudely to the young lady.”
“The mission’s over, so what ‘young lady’?”
He was right.
I had only become Esgarott’s adopted daughter so I could be sent there as a page.
It had been necessary to establish a legal parent-child relationship so I couldn’t betray them.
The Empire had a system of collective punishment. If a parent committed a crime, the child would also be implicated.
The mission’s over now, so they could disown me whenever they wanted.
That was why I’d worked so desperately to earn the Irregulars’ approval.
The vice captain’s eyebrow twitched again.
“Watch your mouth.”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“Come to think of it, we haven’t done that in a while.”
“…Fine.”
I had no idea what “that” referred to, but Yuis visibly flinched before quickly turning his head away.
Then he sat across from me.
The vice captain gestured toward a chair with one hand, signaling for me to sit.
Once I did, he began the introductions.
“This is Yuis from the Intelligence Division. Tell him whatever information you need, and he’ll prepare it for you.”
“I’m Eustea.”
When I introduced myself again, Yuis clicked his tongue.
The vice captain called toward the door.
“Open the training grounds and prepare for a spar—”
“I’m Yuis.”
Hmm. So that the vice captain had mentioned must have been sparring.
Looking annoyed, Yuis corrected him with his name.
“I’ve received an invitation from Asta of House Shintes. This is the guest list.”
I handed him the paper.
“I’d like background information on everyone attending.”
Yuis accepted it with a bored expression.
A dry laugh escaped him.
“So forcing out Asta Shintes’s adopted younger sister paid off. You even got invited by the only daughter of one of the Three Elders’ families.”
My eyes widened.
He already figured out I was involved in Ayaabel and Asta’s falling out?
It had happened inside Esgarott Castle. It shouldn’t have been easy to uncover.
As expected of the leader of the Irregular Intelligence Division.
Though he got one thing wrong.
“I didn’t force out her adopted sister. We just happened to become friends.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Open the training grounds!”
“I said I got it! Can’t you let me finish one sentence?”
The vice captain glared at him.
“Investigate every last detail.”
Yuis took the list with an irritated look.
As he read through it, his eyes suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
At my question, he slapped the list onto the table.
Then he looked at the vice captain.
“I don’t like her, but she’s technically part of San Miguel now, so I’ll say this. She shouldn’t go.”
“Why?”
“If you walk into a garbage dump, all you’ll come back with is the smell of trash.”
“What?”
With an indifferent expression, Yuis pointed to a name.
“Start with this woman.”
I looked at the name and nodded.
“Oh. She’s famous for being elegant, isn’t she?”
“Asta Shintes’s stalker. She bribed a dormitory janitor just to buy Asta’s trash every month. A genuine obsessive.”
“…What?”
The vice captain and I stared at him in shock.
But he wasn’t finished.
“And this man.”
“He has an excellent reputation. I heard when I worked as a page that he’s kind to everyone and highly educated.”
“Drug addict. Even the lunatics in the back alleys won’t touch some of the stuff he’s taken.”
“…Wow.”
Yuis pointed to another name.
“And this guy.”
“The eldest son of Baron Kiyones. The baron used to boast endlessly about him to the former Viscount San Miguel.”
“Sex offender.”
“What the hell?!”
After that came one horror story after another.
A supposedly devoted couple who were secretly cheating on each other.
A noble lady obsessed with a dangerous cult.
By the end, the vice captain and I simply looked at each other.
“Wouldn’t it be better to blow the whole place up and wipe them all out, Young Lady?”
“That might actually be patriotic.”
We were speaking seriously.
The vice captain shook his head.
“I’ll come up with a suitable excuse at the castle. You should send House Shintes a letter saying you can’t attend.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you can’t possibly go somewhere filled with people like this.”
“That’s exactly why I have to go.”
“…What?”
The vice captain’s eyes widened.
Yuis frowned as well, clearly assuming I’d refuse.
“I know their weaknesses. I should make use of them.”
The weaknesses of trash were excellent weapons.
Besides, if people this awful were still walking around freely, that meant there was a cartel protecting them.
And that cartel would surely play a role in the absorption of Balboa Territory.
Then I’ll just dismantle it.
After I explained my reasoning, both the vice captain and Yuis stared at me with wide eyes.
Yuis asked,
“What exactly have you been through to act like you’ve dealt with this much garbage before?”
“…Be quiet.”
The vice captain fell into thought.
After a long moment, he finally spoke.
“I understand your intentions, Young Lady. But I still worry. Please take an escort.”
“Then Charlie…”
“No. Considering the risks, Charlie isn’t enough. We’ll send one of the elites.”
An elite?
Well, with one of them, even if every guest’s bodyguard attacked at once, I’d be safe.
But the vice captain had to assist the captain.
He’d already been away for several days raiding Andres’s treasure vault, and he was busy with Balboa Territory as well.
Holding his chin, he muttered,
“Antonio…”
…
The vice captain and I met each other’s eyes.
I smiled kindly.
He nodded.
We’d both remembered Antonio causing a spectacular disaster.
“Then that leaves…”
Still muttering, the vice captain turned toward someone else.
Resting his chin on one hand, Yuis immediately frowned.
“Don’t look at me. I refuse.”
…
“I said absolutely not.”
The vice captain smiled warmly as he grabbed Yuis by the back of the neck.
Yuis and I left the room together.
He looked thoroughly furious.
In the end, he’d been assigned to accompany me to the Shintes estate.
His stubborn refusal hadn’t worked.
Besides acting as my escort, the vice captain had decided it was only natural for the Intelligence Division leader to attend and gather high-quality information.
Even I couldn’t argue with that reasoning.
And then the captain himself, after hearing from the vice captain…
[Go.]
…had simply said that.
Yuis had no choice.
I cautiously spoke.
“Um… then, I look forward to working with—”
Before I could finish—
Yuis suddenly grabbed my wrist and strode forward.
I was practically dragged after him.
We stopped in a deserted hallway.
He backed me against the wall and spoke coldly.
“Say you don’t want to go.”
“Uh… but this is a good opportunity for the Irregulars…”
“And who are you?”
His eyes flashed dangerously.
“Your usefulness ended the moment you arranged a private meeting between the captain and the duke.”
…
“You think the Irregulars are going to accept you? Wake up. Know your place.”
To the world, I was nothing more than a vile woman consumed by jealousy who had targeted her innocent half-sister.
Most of the Empire despised me.
Even many influential figures who owed Stella a debt—or loved her dearly.
A giant in the medical world.
The president of a major bank.
The heirs of renowned military families.
The king of a nation famous for its enormous iron ore reserves…
Staring at me sharply, Yuis continued.
“Taking you in means making enemies of everyone who hates you. Do you really think you’re worth more than they are?”
…
“So get lost.”
The captain, the vice captain, and Antonio were good people.
They knew all these problems and still accepted me.
But anyone who thought practically would naturally reject me.
That was why I’d been trying so desperately.
“You should stop being stubborn before I pay your mother a visit.”
…!
The instant he mentioned my mother, I froze.
Yuis turned to leave.
That’s when I spoke.
“Can I ask you something?”
He paused and looked back.
I quietly met his gaze.
“Even if I do everything I can not to become a burden… can I never become your comrade?”
“Never.”
“Then I guess I don’t have a choice.”
“Right. So now just—”
“Vice Captain Lorenzo! Vice Captain Lorenzooo!”
…!
I suddenly shouted the vice captain’s name at the top of my lungs.
Yuis lunged toward me.
“What are you—!”
He desperately tried to cover my mouth, but it was too late.
The commotion had already drawn everyone nearby.
“What’s going on?!”
“Young Lady!”
“The vice captain! She called for the vice captain!”
Yuis stared at me in panic.
“What are you doing?”
I sighed regretfully.
“If you’re never going to become my comrade, then there’s no point trying to get along with you.”
“What?”
And there had never once been a time when I’d let someone off after using my mother as a threat.
Moments later, the vice captain arrived.
His gaze immediately landed on Yuis’s hand, which had been trying to cover my mouth.
“I suppose the training grounds need to be opened properly after all.”
“…Damn it.”
Yuis was dragged away by the vice captain.
The members of Yuis’s squad approached him as he lay sprawled across the dirt.
“Are… are you alive?”
“You hoping I’m dead?!”
Yuis, who’d looked half-dead, suddenly roared.
Grumbling, he forced himself upright.
His hair, normally shining as though every strand were a priceless treasure, was a complete mess.
His immaculate shirt had disappeared entirely, leaving his bare chest exposed.
His trousers were filthy.
Blisters covered his hands.
With an irritated expression, he snatched the glass of water one of his subordinates offered him.
He hadn’t even had time to drink water.
He’d been sparring continuously for five straight hours.
Yuis specialized in magic.
Compared to the other elites, his stamina and martial ability were weaker.
“Damn it…”
“The young lady?”
At those words, Yuis’s eyes snapped open.
His subordinates laughed awkwardly.
“Lady Eustea certainly is… difficult.”
“What are you talking about?”
“While you were sparring, some of us approached her. We figured threats wouldn’t work, so we tried persuasion.”
No one was better at charming women than Yuis’s Intelligence Division.
Approaching noble ladies for information gathering was part of their job.
But…
“We happened to see a cute daisy that reminded us of Lady Eustea, so we picked it for you.”
“Do daisies bloom this season? Is it a new variety? Could I plant them in the garden? Are they expensive?”
…
Instead of blushing at the flowers, she’d stared at them with wide eyes and immediately asked whether they were affordable enough to grow in her garden.
“Sweet things suit a young lady.”
“Charlie, eat slowly. You’ll upset your stomach.”
…
When they presented expensive sweets, she’d smiled kindly and handed them all to Antonio’s squad.
“Oh, my apologies. I couldn’t help staring. You captivated me at first sight…”
“You must be busy. I made these as snacks for Antonio’s squad. Would you like some? Something sweet helps when you’re tired.”
“I’m not really into sweets… Wait, these are delicious!”
…
Some of the squad members had gone to make her like them—
and returned liking her instead.
“The biscuits were incredible. They had a thin layer of chocolate…”
“Idiots.”
“…Sorry.”
The squad members quietly backed away.
Still looking thoroughly irritated, Yuis left the training grounds.
As he headed back toward his room—
he spotted the face he wanted to see least.
Eustea was walking somewhere, carrying an armful of documents.
“You.”
When Yuis called out, she turned around.
“What?”
“You’re speaking pretty casually now.”
“I’m the young lady. You’re just a squad member.”
“You still speak politely to an idiot like Antonio.”
“That’s out of respect. I respect the elites who survived life-and-death battles with the captain. But I’m not such a saint that I’ll respect someone who openly dislikes me.”
“So you’re picking a fight with me?”
Eustea frowned.
Then answered firmly.
“As if!”
“What?”
“The most I’ve learned is self-defense! How am I supposed to beat one of the Irregular elites?”
She adjusted the stack of documents in her arms and looked at him.
“I’m absolutely not fighting you. I’ll just report you instead.”
“What kind of person are you?”
She never lost an argument.
Yuis was a beautiful man with refined features.
But no one underestimated him.
He carried the sharp, intimidating aura of someone who’d lived surrounded by bloodshed.
And after sparring with the vice captain, that pressure had only grown fiercer.
Yuis ground his teeth.
“Don’t you have any fear?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then do I look like a joke to you?”
“Yeah. Your methods are too shallow.”
“What?!”
Yuis exploded.
Eustea continued calmly.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t have mentioned my mother first. I’d have secretly moved her somewhere I couldn’t find her, hoping I’d lose my mind and run out of the castle.”
…!
“And if you were worried I’d leak Irregular information because I held a grudge over my mother, you’d cut off a lock of her hair and send it to me. Then I’d wonder if the next thing arriving would be one of her fingers.”
“…Are you a demon?”
“Someone who can’t even do that shouldn’t pretend to be a villain.”
She snorted dismissively and walked away.
Left standing alone, Yuis could only stare blankly after her.
This is driving me insane.
Ever since coming to San Miguel, he’d prepared himself.
Not only Antonio, that fool—
even the vice captain had been swayed by this girl.
She clearly wasn’t ordinary.
He’d decided to deal with her before things got worse.
But ordinary methods couldn’t drive her away.
Grinding his teeth, Yuis muttered,
“You think that’ll make me give up? I’ll send you away no matter what.”
“Back to the training grounds, you mean.”
Hearing the voice behind him, Yuis froze.
Turning his stiff neck, he found the vice captain standing there with folded arms.
“…I just got out of the training grounds.”
“Perfect. Get back in before your body cools down.”
The vice captain grabbed him by the back of the neck.
“Damn it!”
Yuis could only shout as he was dragged right back to the training grounds.
Five days passed.
For the first few days, the castle was noisy.
After all, every time Yuis saw me, he’d pick a fight.
Naturally, every single time, I’d loudly call for the vice captain to solve the problem.
But starting on the third day, he disappeared completely.
He seemed to be absolutely furious.
The vice captain sighed.
“That idiot Yuis…”
He wasn’t just avoiding me.
He’d stopped showing himself to the other elites as well.
He’d even disappeared from his own squad.
One of Yuis’s subordinates came running over.
“He isn’t in his room.”
“Have you searched everywhere he might go?”
“Yes…”
There was a reason the vice captain had mobilized Yuis’s entire squad to search for him.
Today was the day I was going to the Shintes estate.
I spoke up.
“It’s alright. I’ll go with Charlie for now.”
“But…”
“Sir Antonio left on a mission the day before yesterday, and you have urgent documents to send to Esgarott Castle, don’t you?”
“…That’s true.”
“Asta is there. No one will dare touch me recklessly.”
“I’ll send Antonio to the Shintes estate the moment he returns.”
“Okay.”
With that, I boarded the carriage bound for House Shintes.
The carriage departed.
Charlie was excited because it was his first time visiting another noble estate’s garden.
Meanwhile, I sat lost in thought.
Does Yuis really dislike me that much?
Well, he certainly had plenty of reasons.
Still, I hadn’t expected him to disobey even the vice captain’s orders and hide.
Maybe life in San Miguel wouldn’t be as easy as I’d hoped.
Thinking that, I looked out the window.
The carriage sped through San Miguel.
Eventually, it passed through the gates of a magnificent mansion.
When I stepped down at the carriage station, several soldiers approached.
“Anyone other than the invited guest must register before entering.”
That applied to Charlie and the coachman.
Leaving them behind, I entered alone.
Wow.
As expected of one of the Three Elders’ estates.
The sprawling gardens were breathtaking.
Filled with every variety of rose imaginable, they immediately reminded me of Asta.
They’re blooming even in winter. They must be maintained with magical tools.
That must cost a fortune.
I wonder if there’s a cheaper way to buy magical tools.
I’ll ask Asta later.
Thinking that, I walked through the garden.
Then—
Someone suddenly came up behind me.
Having sensed them beforehand, I instinctively stepped aside.
Laughter rang out.
“Why so jumpy? Are you one of the invited guest’s maids?”
Three men were staring at me.
One of them—the one who’d tried to put an arm around me—reached out again.
“Ever thought about changing jobs? My family treats its servants very well.”
As he spoke, he reached toward my cheek.
Should I throw him to the ground? But I was invited here… causing a scene would be bad. Should I call Asta?
Just as I was debating—
“AAAAAH!”
The man screamed.
Someone had twisted his arm behind his back.
I looked at the person holding him.
Clad in silver armor and wearing a crimson cape…
“I thought my neck would snap from waiting so long… Young Lady.”
“Yuis.”
It was him.
