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The Baron’s Daughter’s Lèse-majesté

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*****

---It was at an evening party held at the royal castle, the first she had attended in quite some time, that Wellmy first encountered the daughter of Baron Traff, Teresalo.

When Wellmy entered the hall escorted by Leo, the room was enveloped in a wave of shock. By the time they took the floor for the first dance, the atmosphere had soured into something far more hostile.

Wellmy felt the sting of a vile, sharp enmity directed her way.

(Ordinarily, this role would be filled by Lady Dalistia or one of the other few remaining fiancée candidates from the high nobility.)

Most of the guests exchanged skeptical whispers, wondering exactly what the circumstances behind this arrangement were. Others—and this was the next most common reaction—watched with calculating gazes, weighing whether there was any profit to be found in cozying up to Wellmy or bringing her into their respective factions.

Just as she had predicted, favorable reactions were virtually non-existent.

The nobility were aware of the facts: that Wellmy bore the name Lyloud, that she was the biological daughter of Professor Crates—a man famous as a first-class curse-breaker—and that she likely possessed the backing of the House of Marquis Ormirage. However, as long as they couldn't read the connection between these facts and the rumors of her engagement to Eides, they remained cautious.

There were some ladies from Carla’s faction who didn't direct such malicious stares toward her, but they were in the minority.

(I doubt any of them could even imagine just how incredibly Eides pampers me...)

While she was amusing herself with such thoughts, a memory of her life at the estate caused a faint blush to rise to her cheeks.

「What's this? Have you finally fallen for me?」

Leo tossed out the cheeky remark. It was, of course, a blend of irony and sarcasm. No doubt his usual circle consisted of ladies who wouldn't dream of thinking about anything other than the honor of dancing with a member of the royal family, but Wellmy responded as she always did.

「Fallen for you? Why don't you consult a mirror before you speak, Crown Prince?」

「...You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?」

「Of course I do, *Crown Prince*. Unfortunately for you, I’m quite used to seeing Eides’s face up close.」

In truth, she wasn't used to it at all; his proximity still made her incredibly flustered. Nevertheless, she gave Leo a small, mocking laugh.

With his golden eyes and damp-looking purple hair, Leo was indeed a handsome man with a strong, confident cast to his features. But between his looks and his personality, he simply wasn't Wellmy's type.

「...Ugh. Honestly, why on earth do I have to dance with the likes of the Crown Prince?」

She made a show of sighing the words audibly.

If this were a dance with Eides instead of Leo... well, she might actually be so captivated, so happy and embarrassed, that she might accidentally trip over her own feet.

「I’m the one exercising restraint here; I’d much rather be dancing with Iola. I'm impressed you can talk me down that much. You know I could charge you with lèse-majesté?」

「You’re welcome to try, but I doubt Eides would stay quiet about it.」

All of their exchanges thus far had been conducted in whispers.

On the surface, they wore melting, radiant smiles, maintaining an intimate distance for the benefit of the observers. To any onlooker, they appeared to be whispering sweet nothings; in reality, they were spitting venom rather than honey.

Wellmy was confident in her acting, but Leo—having undergone royal training—was equally perfect. Not a single muscle in his face twitched.

Since the King was not present, the duty of hosting had fallen to Leo. Once they finished the first dance, which Wellmy had performed with a reluctant sense of obligation, she quickly moved toward Carla.

Eides had told her to 'Leave the rotten nobles to Leo,' so she was more than happy to put some distance between them. After Leo finished dealing with the crowd that immediately swarmed him, he would likely head over as well.

Carla, the daughter of a Viscount, had been a member of 'Sister's Salon' back at the Academy. She was the first person Wellmy had truly trusted to look after her sister. Although her family held no territory, their business was successful and reached as far as foreign lands, allowing her to build a faction that wasn't strictly dictated by rank.

According to what Wellmy had heard, Carla’s family handled the sourcing of various medicinal herbs and materials for magic items based on Iola’s thesis on magic-drain reduction. In exchange, the contract granted them exclusive distribution rights for the finished products for a set period, along with the authority to develop markets in other countries.

Furthermore, Carla was one of the few people who knew the deep secrets of the House of Earl Ernest. She was the only person Wellmy had informed in advance about the plan for her to act as a decoy.

「It’s been a while, Carla.」

「It has. Have you seen Iola?」

「She’s much more energetic than she used to be. Sister was always brilliant, after all.」

Most of the work involved in Iola's position as Countess had already been handed over. With the help of the capable Goldray, the eldest son of the Schuniger family—a man so competent it was hard to believe he was Irvine's brother—was currently managing the estate’s affairs on a trial basis.

If no major problems arose, it seemed the plan was for the eldest son to be entrusted with the full operation of the Ernest territory until he officially succeeded the House of Schuniger. Once he succeeded his own earldom, the Ernest lands—which had been scaled back after cutting ties with the relatives—would be annexed and managed as a single entity.

Iola was using her newly freed time for the research and 'Crown Princess training' she was receiving secretly from the Queen. Even though she had been 'liberated,' she had very little free time. When Wellmy complained about this, her sister had simply smiled and said, 'It's fun, so it's okay.'

(Is it possible she just fundamentally loves to work?)

When she voiced this suspicion to Carla, the other woman gave her a look of exasperation.

「You're one to talk, considering how you go out of your way to shoulder one troublesome burden after another.」

「It's for my sister's sake. That's only natural, isn't it?」

Wellmy tilted her head, and Carla shook her own as if to say, 'Good grief.'

「The two of you are remarkably alike. Come, let me introduce you to some of the ladies my family is close with.」

Wellmy spent some time exchanging greetings and chatting with young ladies she was meeting for the first time or had seen at the Academy. Eventually, Leo joined them, wearing a smile that nonetheless radiated a sense of weary boredom.

The well-meaning young ladies reacted in various ways—some with delight, others with visible tension—as they dropped into curtsies for the Crown Prince. Wellmy followed suit, though inwardly she found it a chore.

Leo seemed to have every name and rank memorized. He addressed them in order of status, exchanged a few polite words, and then let out a sigh.

「Probing everyone’s intentions is stiff work. Being surrounded by such beautiful flowers feels like a cleansing for the soul.」

While the ladies fluttered with joy, Wellmy immediately offered a word of caution—though this time, she kept her tone polite for the benefit of the audience.

「There are ladies from other houses present, Your Highness. Perhaps you should mind your speech?」

There was no telling who might be eavesdropping. But Leo, who had added that unnecessary bit of flattery before his compliment, simply shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world.

「I agree with her, Your Highness.」

When even Carla—who was likely closer to him than Wellmy—chimed in, he made a sour face.

「Surely you can let me grumble a little?」

Leo was about to continue when... suddenly, Wellmy spotted a flash of peach-colored hair approaching from a distance. The girl walked straight toward them and began to speak.

「Um... Le—」

The moment the girl spoke that much, Wellmy, despite her own surprise, instinctively used her fan to strike down the hand the girl had hesitantly reached out.

(What on earth is this girl thinking!?)

Wellmy had stopped her just in time before she could utter the name. Though she was panicking internally, she scolded the girl with a sharp voice while the other girl stared at her with wide eyes.

「How insolent, Lady Traff! To speak to the Crown Prince without obtaining his permission first!」

「...!?」

(If I recall, Lady Traff was originally a commoner. I heard her father was raised to the rank of Baron when she was twelve, making her sixteen now.)

While keeping her eyes on Leo, Wellmy pulled the information from her memory. To ensure she didn't make a fool of herself at the Academy or at parties, she had memorized the lineages of the students and the major nobles of the kingdom. She remembered this specific Baron's daughter in detail because of her striking hair color and her title as a Saint candidate.

Given her background and future, she might have been forgiven for a minor breach of etiquette with a simple 'how foolish,' but such behavior toward royalty was unacceptable.

(She seems anxious, yet she’s acting familiar with Leo... perhaps it's because she was receiving instruction on mana manipulation from his brother, Prince Tygrim.)

It was possible they were acquainted in a near-private capacity. Leo seemed to grasp Wellmy's intent from her gaze; he immediately gave a small nod.

「This is why low-ranking nobles are such a bother! Come with me!」

「Eh? Ah...」

The situation was critical. She had to get the girl out of the public eye before the commotion grew. Wellmy took Teresalo by the hand and began walking toward the garden.

The reason this girl had opportunities to interact with the royal family was due to her special circumstances. The Church strictly protected those who could use healing magic. Since such individuals were worth as much as rare jewels and were useful in countless ways, they were prime targets for kidnapping during times of national unrest.

Teresalo had been identified as a Saint because her hair and eye color had been officially recorded upon her enrollment at the Academy. However, she had refused to enter the Temple. Because of this, she was unable to receive instruction from high-ranking priests, who were forbidden from contacting outsiders.

As a result, the task had fallen to members of the royal family who could interact with the clergy—specifically the King and Prince Tygrim, both of whom were excellent silver-eyed healers. Whether one called it 'Sacred Arts' or 'Divine Power,' the root was still mana; only the method of activation differed.

The King himself couldn't spare the time, but at the request of His Holiness the Pope, Prince Tygrim had likely spent a fair amount of time with her.

(Even so, that doesn't mean you can behave that way where everyone can see.)

Wellmy led Teresalo into the shade of some trees and cupped the trembling girl's cheeks in both hands.

「What exactly were you thinking? If I hadn't stopped you, you could have been charged with lèse-majesté!」

Teresalo’s shoulders gave a violent flinch.

「L-Lèse-majesté...?」

Wellmy sighed at the girl's mounting terror.

「This isn't the downtown district or the Academy. In a public setting, you cannot simply speak to high-ranking nobles whenever you wish. If you let your guard down, you and your family could be charged with a crime or put in danger. Is that what you want?」

「—!」

As Wellmy explained precisely what the problem was, Teresalo’s eyes began to well up with tears.

「I-I’m so sorry...」

「I'm just glad it didn't turn into something serious.」

Even a man like Leo was still the Crown Prince—the second most powerful person in the country after the King and Queen. Even if he personally forgave her, there was no telling what kind of pressure would come from those around him.

「Th-thank you... very much...」

As she thanked her, Teresalo didn't seem like a bad girl at all. However, sensing a mix of relief and a faint, dark shadow deep within her eyes, Wellmy ushered her toward a bench.

Wellmy offered a handkerchief to the girl, who was sniffing quietly. Teresalo took it with a polite bow.

「...Lady Wellmy, you’re... nothing like the rumors said...」

「Is that so?」

「Yes... the aura of the power enveloping you... feels warm.」

Teresalo broke into a tiny, sweet smile, and Wellmy’s own features softened.

「I might be deceiving you, you know?」

「An aura of power doesn't lie.」

It seemed Teresalo had a way of judging people that was similar to Wellmy's own intuition. Sensing she was trusted, Wellmy decided to push a little further.

「What exactly were you trying to say to the Crown Prince? ...You're hiding something, aren't you?」

If she had malicious intent toward Leo, it would be strange for her to show relief at being stopped. Most likely, Teresalo had been coerced into speaking to Leo, and she had relaxed because Wellmy had prevented it.

It seemed Wellmy's reading was correct.

「I... I don't know what to do anymore...」

Teresalo’s face darkened, and she hung her head low.

*****

I want Wellmy to smack me with her fan.

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