Chapter – 52
Esphra flowers were a rare species that originally bloomed in the Fifth Imperial Consort’s homeland. They contained an extraordinary amount of mana, but because of the severe soil contamination left behind by years of war, they had become extremely difficult to obtain.
The Fifth Imperial Consort herself had long since passed away. She had come from a small nation that no longer existed.
However, the greenhouse she had lovingly tended as a hobby still remained.
And now, Celiette was the one taking care of it.
“When the Esphra flowers bloom soon,” I said, “could you send a few to the ducal estate?”
“I-I will!”
Celiette nodded frantically.
“Of course I will! Y-You’re my benefactor!”
“…Sorry.”
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
“This wasn’t exactly a selfless rescue. The truth is, I was already looking for you at today’s banquet because I wanted to ask that favor.”
“W-What are you talking about?”
Celiette shook her head vigorously.
“P-Please don’t say that!”
I smiled and nodded.
“Fair enough. To be honest, I care most about results anyway.”
Then I finally turned to leave.
I was genuinely busy.
Now it was time to meet Judith.
Because I hurried away so quickly, I never heard Celiette’s soft murmur behind me.
“Now… I have a reason to see her again…”
At the time, I had no idea.
There were hardly any rumors about Princess Celiette.
No one had ever mentioned that once she became attached to something, her fixation could be overwhelming.
Nor did I realize that she had become attached to me at that very moment.
“I’m not washing my hands today…”
Celiette stared at the hand that had received my gift and smiled foolishly.
“Hehe… I never understood before…”
“So this is why Brother Ed was in love with her…”
“She’s so cool…!”
“Father. Mother. Hurry.”
Judith pulled at the Duke and Duchess of Pubes’s arms.
“I need your help again.”
“You know I can’t do this alone.”
“Kiana said she wanted to see both of you too.”
Rodrigo, standing behind them, also nudged them forward.
He had his own calculations already worked out.
“Go ahead.”
“I’ll make my appearance after everything is finished.”
Judith happily headed off with her parents.
Thank you, Judith. I’ve actually been looking forward to hearing from you.
With that in mind, would you like to meet in the Hydrangea Garden behind the Imperial Palace after the second dance? I’d love to catch up, but I’m a little embarrassed about talking in crowded places.
Come to think of it, I’d like to see the Duke and Duchess of Pubes as well. They gave me so much advice when I was younger.
Coming back to the capital has reminded me of those days.
Thank you for the hair ornament. I’ll see you later!
The Hydrangea Garden lay behind the Imperial Palace.
At this point, the banquet atmosphere was only growing more lively.
There was no reason for anyone to visit such a secluded place.
When Judith arrived with her parents, she found Kiana sitting alone on a bench, quietly admiring the hydrangeas.
Judith unconsciously swallowed.
Why does she have to be so pretty too…?
Honestly, if Kiana started actively participating in high society, surpassing Judith in popularity would be effortless.
All it would take was a few conversations with noble ladies before people realized how much Judith had been slandering Kiana behind her back.
That’s why Kiana needs to stay locked up in the ducal estate like before.
Just quietly obsessing over strange formulas.
The Duke and Duchess of Pubes were thinking something similar.
Historically, Pubes had always ranked below Frelai.
The Duchess, Lisinis, had long accepted that her family stood near the bottom among the ducal houses.
But Duke Pubes was different.
This generation might finally overturn Frelai’s dominance.
Once old Scary passed away, Frelai would inevitably decline.
And if Kiana truly married Rodrigo…
“Kianna!”
Judith ran over with a bright smile.
“The hair ornament looks wonderful on you.”
“I knew I had good taste.”
“Really?”
Kiana stood up.
“Actually, I don’t like it very much.”
“Huh? Ah… um…”
Judith faltered.
Ignoring her reaction, Kiana continued.
“The Duke is here too.”
“Oh, and the Duchess.”
“It’s been a while. Nice to see you.”
The Duke and Duchess stepped out from behind Judith.
“Kiana! It’s been so long!”
The Duchess approached first with a warm smile.
She had clearly drunk quite a lot of wine.
The smell was strong.
“Oh my…”
“You’ve grown up exactly as I expected.”
Kiana nodded with a slightly dark expression.
She looked deeply uncomfortable.
It almost seemed as if she were suppressing nausea.
The Duchess continued gently.
“You know, everyone keeps saying you look just like Eners returned from the dead.”
“Now that I see you myself, I understand why.”
Many people had been talking about Kiana lately.
How beautifully she’d grown.
How she seemed surprisingly reasonable now that Melissa was gone.
How rumors of her outstanding Academy achievements kept spreading.
The more Judith heard those comments, the more desperately she wanted Kiana to disappear from society again.
Naturally, her parents were eager to help.
“People have been discussing old stories again,” the Duchess said sympathetically.
“If Duke Frelai heard them, he’d probably be quite upset.”
Kiana lowered her head.
Just like she used to when she was younger.
Judith wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly.
“Things weren’t like this when Melissa was around.”
“But now that you’re here, everyone seems to miss her even more.”
“What should we do, poor Kiana?”
Watching this, Duke Pubes added,
“Ahem.”
“Well, Kiana doesn’t have a familiar, after all.”
“People are bound to gossip.”
“Even Duke Frelai seems quite conscious of that fact.”
The old Kiana would have looked down sadly and said:
“Maybe I really shouldn’t come to places like this…”
But this time she remained silent.
So the Duke continued.
“Even if it’s painful, someone has to tell you these things.”
“Otherwise you’ll only become more of a laughingstock behind your back.”
Finally, Kiana spoke.
“You’re right, Duke.”
“You, the Duchess, and Judith all gave me similar advice throughout my childhood.”
“Exactly.”
The Duke smiled.
“You’re Judith’s dear friend.”
“That’s why we’re honest with you.”
“Who else would tell you the truth?”
“Yes…”
Kiana brushed her hair aside.
“I remember very well.”
“You always kindly reminded me that I wasn’t a true Frelai.”
“Every single time I visited your estate.”
“And the Duchess consistently advised me that my family was probably ashamed of me, even if they never said it aloud.”
Her words were sad.
Yet strangely clear.
“Judith, you told me that everyone would always choose Melissa over me.”
“You said we should bully Melissa together.”
“That was quite a toxic friendship, wasn’t it?”
Everything she said was true.
Neither Judith nor her parents could deny it.
Instead, they smiled gently.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“We only said those things for your own good—”
“BLAAARGH!”
Kiana suddenly retched violently.
She had looked nauseous the entire time.
And then—
“What did you just say?”
A massive white-haired old man crashed straight through the garden hedge.
“What kind of nonsense have you bastards been saying to my Kiki?!”
His crimson eyes blazed.
He looked less like a nobleman and more like a gatekeeper from hell itself.
<Julian! Control yourself! You can’t kill them!>
“So these bastards have been saying things like that to Kiki since she was little?!”
“You pieces of trash deserve to be beaten within an inch of your lives!”
<Julian! Act your age!>
Ignoring his familiar’s stern warning, Julius charged into the garden swinging his axe.
“I’m only sixty-seven!”
“The perfect age for disciplining youngsters!”
The axe sliced through the air.
The enormous haft slammed directly into Duke Pubes’s waist.
The Duke collapsed instantly.
<That’s not what I meant!>
Clinging desperately to Julius’s beard, the squirrel familiar screamed.
<I meant your physical age!>
“Ugh!”
Finally remembering his own condition, Julius clutched the back of his neck and collapsed.
“Lord Julius!”
Kiana rushed forward to support him.
“Are you alright?”
“Blaaarggh!”
“Look at Kiki!”
Julius shouted.
“She’s retching from trauma!”
“How terrible must this have been for her?!”
The commotion immediately drew nearby knights.
They rushed toward the fallen giant.
“Oh no! Oh no!”
“I’m dying!”
“My frail old body is finally giving out!”
Julius’s dramatic groaning was far louder than Duke Pubes’s actual suffering.
Four knights struggled to lift him.
“Hurry!”
“Take him to the Imperial physicians!”
“To the infirmary!”
As a result, Duke Pubes—who had genuinely injured his back—was completely ignored just as he tried to yell,
“Me too!”
Then—
A cold voice sliced through the chaos.
“What exactly… was that?”
Even Kiana froze.
The chilling presence had been completely overshadowed by Julius’s entrance until now.
“…Grandfather?”
“How dare a house like Pubes…”
Scary’s face was filled with terrifying frost.
His voice trembled with icy fury.
“You dare question whether my granddaughter is worthy of being a Frelai?”
The sheer pressure of his presence was overwhelming.
Judith and the Duchess of Pubes collapsed onto the ground.
And Scary’s fury had only just begun.
