Chapter 31
The knights in the training ground were also showing great interest in the rumor that Lady Roena had been scolded by the lord.
I felt pity for their appearance, chewing over gossip no different from maids and engaging in heated debates.
“Goodness, what reason is there for an angelic lady to be scolded? The bad one is the person who asked for the maid.”
“That’s right! How much must our Lady Roena’s heart have hurt? Just thinking about it tears my heart apart. Ah, Lady. Do you know my burning heart like this?”
“Sir Halberd. Sir Halberd has been escorting Lady Roena and staying with her. Did you see the lady today too? Huh? How is the lady?”
One of the reasons I tolerate Fel’s frivolous attitude is his skill in polishing swords.
Even though he acts annoyingly by wagging his tongue here and there, his efforts limited to his duties were quite impressive.
I looked satisfactorily at the blade shining brightly reflecting the sunlight. I was quite pleased as sharpness flowed on the well-sharpened edge.
“Hey, Sir Halberd. Didn’t you hear me?”
“I don’t know what you’re saying. Above all, visiting the lady privately is not the duty of a knight. So please allow me to concentrate on the sword?”
The sharply shining sword is sufficient to intimidate the opponent. If they wanted, I was willing to spar like this.
In fact, being loved by everyone is difficult. Because not all people can like that person.
But for a knight to be captivated by vain rumors and blame a delicate girl is a line that cannot expect understanding. Where have the knight’s oaths and duties that I heard when first learning the sword gone?
Even setting aside faith in the lord, a man who worships a lady should know to calmly judge and think about the situation.
People should have seen those delicately trembling eyes that I discovered in the garden. Then they wouldn’t be able to mock her so easily.
If they can fiercely blame after seeing that look in the eyes, his heart is made of iron or merely a cold-blooded person who knows no humanity or sympathy.
***
Fel exhibited strange persistence in unhelpful places. His patience and efforts were displaying innate talent in carrying gossip.
Until Madame de Lavallière visited the mansion, he ceaselessly spread rumors about Lady Sisse everywhere.
However, most of what he said were implausible things like ‘Lady Sisse killed and buried the maid sent by Lady Roena, she curses Lady Roena every night.’
I tried to correct his vulgar behavior every time, but Fel’s temperament didn’t fix easily. Rather, I heard resentful sounds for not taking Lady Roena’s side.
In the midst of that, Madame de Lavallière’s visit to the mansion was nothing short of good news for Sisse de Wischwaltz.
She solidified her position by receiving Lady Lavallière’s recognition in front of everyone. Madame de Lavallière is a woman renowned in high society, and her saying it’s not bad is no different from praise for being excellent.
The people who had been badmouthing and whispering about Lady Sisse until then gradually shut their mouths starting from Lady Lavallière’s recognition.
The person leading the Wischwaltz family is the count, but the one exerting influence beyond the family to high society is Madame de Lavallière. Her presence was indescribably large.
“The madam is taking charge of Lady Sisse’s education. Goodness, that madam for Lady Sisse? What should we say about this?”
Many people including Fel exclaimed with confused expressions. Their faces were twisted as if unbelievable.
It’s natural to sigh at that pitiful sight. The appearance of trying to deny it when the truth becomes reality, after constantly doubting the lord’s decision, was contemptible.
If the madam hadn’t visited the Wischwaltz mansion, they would have continued to tear at Lady Sisse and enjoyed it.
I even felt disgust at this unbearable pettiness. I felt nauseous from the stench they emitted.
Fortunately, Lady Sisse seemed like a very clever girl. Even while riding on Madame de Lavallière’s halo, she didn’t step forward in the mansion and do things that frown everyone’s brows.
She just humbly accepted her situation, but tried as if wanting to belong to this world as soon as possible. Her face shining smoothly like a well-molded vessel was just calm without any sign of excitement.
I thought that was the ceremonial face a noble lady should have. Perhaps that’s why? Somehow, I felt relieved.
But if I had known that it was the other side of ‘giving up,’ I wouldn’t have praised her composure so easily.
Lady Roena has participated in falcon hunting since the year before last. It’s called falcon hunting, but in reality, it’s no different from a small picnic.
Count Wischwaltz appointed me as the knight to escort her. Father considered it a great honor, and other knights also envied it greatly.
Lady Roena was a lovely girl. She was very kind to those around her and treated everyone with a lively and gentle tone.
It’s needless to say that most people belonging to the Wischwaltz family are followers of the lady.
But at the hunting ground, her loveliness didn’t work well. The group led by the duke’s daughter was noticeably cold, and had a knack for scratching people’s nerves with sly tones.
I felt chills every time they looked with subtle smiles.
I try to endure thinking of virtues toward ladies, but the attitude of blaming the opponent with a mix of coquetry and flattery was so repulsive that my stomach churned.
Therefore, when I heard that Lady Sisse would accompany this falcon hunting, I felt a strange feeling.
Lady Sisse, dressed in riding attire and mounted on a horse, was undoubtedly the lady of the Wischwaltz family itself to anyone who saw.
She maintained a mild expression despite the muddy ground and hot weather where sweat dripped down. Her posture never disheveled even once until arriving at the hunting ground and sitting down.
The inside of the tent was humid and hot. It was to the point where breathing was stifled. The maids stood beside the ladies fanning, and knights like me stood a bit away behind the chairs, guarding the surroundings.
Outside was very noisy as the young lords’ hunting was in full swing. Inside the tent, the ladies were starting their own hunting.
If it were last year, their gazes would have turned to me and Lady Roena.
But this time, it seemed a bit different; they chatted on trivial topics and soon turned their gazes to Lady Sisse and spoke. It was words insulting to the point of being blatant.
From the appearance of Lady Roena with teary eyes and Lady Sisse calmly looking at it, I recalled my second brother and myself.
In the past, there was someone who spat out such rude words to me. How did I act then? And my brother?
The sad memories in my recollection were stained with fiery anger, shouts, and shame.
Passing the situation composedly like Lady Sisse is unimaginable. I was young and more faithful to emotions. Therefore, I thought that was the natural reaction.
But you, Lady Sisse, how can you accept this so easily? I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears.
It would have been better if she had been sad like Lady Roena. But that face smiling as if nothing happened feels precarious like a flower swaying on a cliff.
Her appearance going outside the tent and staring ahead seemed like it would disappear soon like sand in the hand.
Perhaps that’s why? I entrusted Lady Roena to Sir Bern and followed Lady Sisse as is. It was truly close to an impulse, something the past me couldn’t imagine.
Yes, I admit it. When I face Lady Sise, I end up doing something close to “impulse.” It didn’t align with the chivalry I had been taught, nor was it the behavior of a well-trained knight.
Where is the rudeness of an escorting knight speaking first to the lady? However, impulse had a magic-like power to break and shatter everything.
Therefore, I had no choice but to think that this piece of my heart was part of the ‘worry’ that Lady Sise mentioned.
“You don’t need to worry.”
Lady Sisse’s face was pale. She looked at me as if frightened. Even trying to act composed, her whitened face looked precarious as if about to collapse.
Isn’t she the lady who didn’t lose composure even to the pack of hyenas in the tent? I couldn’t know what she was afraid of.
“Aren’t you Lady Roena’s knight?”
Also, what is she pushing away so desperately.
Probably, if the horse hadn’t run toward you, I would have risked rudeness and asked. ‘What do those words just now mean?’
The body pulled into my arms was so fragile. The sky spun around, and slight pain arose in limbs, but the feeling touching my chest came first.
From the delicate body trembling with fear, eyes shaking due to confusion, to the voice whispering low as if holding breath, there was no part not pitiful.
What would have happened if I hadn’t followed you? Just thinking makes me dizzy. It was a sense of duty as a knight and at the same time something indescribable.
For avoiding a charging horse, the wounds I sustained were minor. No, they were merely small scratches not worth calling wounds.
The arms, legs, and back that hit the ground were numb, but this degree is something experienceable even in the training ground.
Therefore, the doctor should have attended to Lady Sisse, not me. But what happened afterward was only fuss poured toward me and Lady Roena saying she would forgive the servant who seemed the culprit of this incident.
No one, nobody asks Lady Sisse if she’s okay. They don’t worry about her wounds. Among those present there, no one noticed this discrepancy. Even Lady Sisse herself!
In fact, even Lady Roena should have first checked and worried about Lady Sisse’s wounds rather than saying she forgives the servant.
But she didn’t. Lady Sisse also seemed to show no particular interest in that.
No, it looked like she didn’t even expect it. What does this mean? Can this be called normal?
Why? I felt a numb sensation as if cold water was poured on my crown.
Right now, I, a sturdy man armed with armor, am being examined by the doctor, yet no one raises questions about this.
How can they overlook this? Why? How?
Suddenly, Lady Sisse’s words come to mind.
‘Aren’t you Lady Roena’s knight?’
I finally understood her words. No, I had no choice but to understand. Lady Sisse, you knew.
That no one here worries about or welcomes you.
Also, that there is nothing of your own and nothing can be yours. Even those belonging to the Wischwaltz family.
☆☆☆☆
By Anna 💓
Hello, I hope you’re doing well. The next two chapters can be unlocked with the site’s free coins enjoy 🫶💓
