Chapter 21
“Ah, no……!”
The flustered Mark clutched his slapped cheek and looked around.
“I-It wasn’t on purpose! I just accidentally pushed you!”
“If I said I accidentally flew your face, would you accept that?”
“What are you saying! That’s different!”
“To me, it’s the same.”
Daphne, who retorted, raised her clenched fist. Seeming intent on hitting him once more, Mark hurriedly stepped back.
“You’re sneak-attacking me cowardly!”
He shouted while pretending not to see the stinging gaze of his father, Duke Brown, whose eyes met his.
“Aren’t you a swordsman too?”
Mark pointed the wooden sword at his waist toward Daphne and shouted.
“If you’re a swordsman, shouldn’t you fight with a sword? This would be more honorable than a half-assed fistfight. Ah, but since you’re a rascal and a liar, you probably don’t know about honor?”
It was a remark intended to grate on her nerves.
It had to be that way.
Because Mark had deliberately picked a fight with Daphne on Duke Brown’s orders.
Duke Brown didn’t like the gossip about Daphne spreading through the capital. He thought the grand duke household, which seemed to have lost the emperor’s favor, was resorting to crude measures.
So he ordered his recently promoted squire guardian son, Mark, to provoke Daphne. And if a fight broke out, to cross swords with her.
Daphne, wrapped in false rumors, would be a rascal who had never properly held a single sword, while Mark was a talented individual who became a squire guardian at a young age, so the outcome was obvious.
Daphne’s skill would soon be exposed. And the rumors about Daphne would turn into scandals that would strangle their necks.
Mark also harbored ill feelings toward Daphne from being beaten by her before, so father and son steadily established and executed the plan.
“I’ll let it slide once if you apologize now. But if you refuse to back down, I’ll fight with all my heart.”
At Mark’s sneering words, Daphne narrowed her eyes.
Whether he had been beaten by this body before or not, to the current Daphne, Mark Brown was just some irrelevant bastard. But pushing Brysa was a different matter.
Who was Brysa? Wasn’t she the child who first uttered the words ‘Great Lady Daphne’ that Daphne hadn’t properly heard since possessing this body! Already recognizing her greatness, the capable subordinate No. 1!
And yet, to casually push such a subordinate……! Daphne had no intention of letting Mark off easily.
“I really can’t fathom what you’re thinking.”
Daphne let out a long sigh and tilted her head obliquely upward.
“I can clearly foresee you getting beaten by me and fainting, yet I can’t understand why you disregard your own dignity so much. You’re stupid and dull. How utterly pitiful.”
“You, you……!”
Mark gripped the wooden sword tightly.
“You must still think of me as the old me, but I’m a squire guardian now! I’ve risen to a position you can never challenge!”
Those words didn’t seem like a lie; Mark’s stance holding the sword was quite good. With the difference in build, it was to the point where no scenario of Daphne winning could be imagined.
“Hurry and draw your sword! I’ll show you what for!”
“Spare me, you greenhorn.”
But Daphne was utterly composed.
“I don’t need a sword to deal with the likes of you.”
“Argh! Fine! Don’t cry after getting hit!”
In the end, Mark, furious to the tips of his hair, charged straight in. In truth, charging with a sword at an opponent who hadn’t drawn one—in other words, an unarmed opponent—was a severe deviation from chivalry.
But the nobles gathered around wanted to see Daphne’s skill, so they were late in stopping Mark, and those who weren’t thought of the prestige of the Brown duke household and couldn’t bring themselves to stop Mark. Thus, Mark’s sword tip reached Daphne first.
“Die!”
Oh no!
Those who missed a beat naturally thought Daphne would go flying. Some ladies even squeezed their eyes shut. And the marchioness pondered how on earth to handle this situation.
But,
“……Huh?”
An astonishing scene unfolded.
With just a light turn of her shoulder, Daphne had dodged Mark’s attack!
“That it?”
Daphne smirked as she looked obliquely down at Mark, and Mark’s face flushed red as a beet.
“Not yet! I won’t go easy!”
Mark swung the sword largely once more. The sword, slicing through the air in a semicircle, advanced precisely toward the heart. Fitting the title of squire guardian, Mark’s swordsmanship was efficient and powerful.
However, regrettably, the opponent was Daphne.
Whoosh!
Before they knew it, Daphne had wrapped a handkerchief around both hands, pulled it taut, and blocked the strike. Then, she twisted her hands to wrap around the sword and used the recoil to flip Mark over.
“You’re a hundred years too early to touch me, you lowly brat.”
Thud!
Mark, with his vision suddenly inverted, lost his wits entirely.
I, who is four years older, I, the squire guardian, I, who has always been praised for my swordsmanship…… to be completely flipped over by that frail-looking Daphne without even touching her once.
“This can’t be.”
Daphne tilted her head as she looked down at the dazed Mark.
“What can’t be is you, who pushed a little girl and didn’t even apologize.”
In other words, dealing with Mark wasn’t simply because Daphne was in a bad mood, but under the pretext of avenging Brysa’s humiliation.
My goodness.
The nobles who had watched the fight on tenterhooks simultaneously let out their breaths.
“Just now…… Lady Daphne took down squire guardian young master Mark in one go, right?”
“Even with a body that weak…….”
People widened their eyes.
“So the rumors were true!”
“The guild master wasn’t lying!”
“What did I say? I said it could be true, didn’t I?”
They each clapped, celebrating Daphne’s victory.
But Daphne ignored their cheers and walked toward a certain point. Toward Brysa, who was standing dazed.
“You’re not hurt, are you?”
“……Pardon?”
“I asked if you’re injured anywhere.”
“Y-Yes! I-I’m fine! Thank you for worrying!”
Brysa felt her heart warming as her cheeks flushed.
She had been so afraid of Daphne as the rascal lady, unable to even meet her eyes out of fear. But Daphne was showing interest and care toward someone like her. How amazing is this person!
Perhaps the rumors about Daphne are all fabricated. There’s no way such a warm and kind Lady Daphne could be a rascal! Brysa’s eyes sparkled.
“If you’re okay, then go bring the tea and snacks now.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you’d bring them earlier.”
“Ah.”
No way, she didn’t help me just because of the refreshments……? Brysa suppressed the rising suspicion and hurriedly turned her feet.
‘Hmm.’
Daphne crossed her arms and tilted her head to one side. She could feel gazes piercing her with every movement. Not particularly welcome.
‘Being a popular dragon is tiring.’
Clicking her tongue, Daphne passed by the people smiling at her and walked toward the balcony. Even though no one was approaching now, she felt like if she stayed there, she’d get dragged into something uncomfortable for some reason.
‘This is what they call the instincts of the wild.’
Having gone out to the balcony, Daphne confirmed there were no people around and took a deep breath. Because she had moved somewhat vigorously just now, she was slightly out of breath. Her throat felt ticklish, so her condition didn’t seem great.
“Sigh, this damn body. When will it get better.”
“But isn’t it getting better slowly?”
“That’s true, but I want it to get better faster…… What are you!”
Daphne widened her eyes and turned her head. And right away, the person who appeared was a man firmly imprinted in Daphne’s mind.
“You, you! You bastard!”
“It’s been a while, Lady Daphne. Or rather…….”
The man grinned and took off the robe he was wearing, and right away, black and white hair cascaded with a swish.
“Should I call you Lord Sellus now?”
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By Anna 💓
