Chapter: 199
Surrounded by Arthur and the first prince, the onlookers were so bewildered that they couldn’t find their words.
They had forgotten all sense of decorum in front of a prominent heir, gaping like fish out of water.
Joy, her mask of the villainess cracking, stared at me with trembling eyes.
As I watched the icy silence unfold, I internally screamed.
“Grandpa!!!”
Help me, Grandpa! How do I get through this situation?! I have no idea!
[For now, keep your mouth shut. Just watch how things unfold.]
Following Grandpa’s advice, I clamped my mouth shut and glanced around, noticing the expressions of those perplexed people starting to shift.
“How dare you!”
One person shattered the thick silence with their voice.
It was Arthur.
“Do you think this is the Academy?!”
He stepped forward, pretending to be angry, standing next to the first prince.
[Quick on the situational judgment.]
‘Huh? What do you mean by that?’
[That guy just gained control of the situation by shouting first.]
Arthur’s outburst was a purely strategic move.
I had committed a grave offense in front of everyone. It was impossible to brush it under the rug now.
I could no longer escape the responsibility for my actions.
But how I would take responsibility had yet to be decided.
“Unbelievable! Do you think you can get away with such arrogance just because you’re the daughter of Duke Benedict?!”
By raising his voice first, Arthur was trying to take control of the penalties.
After all, he had the excuse of being the prince’s brother.
“That’s enough, little brother.”
However, that was only a justification as long as the first prince remained silent.
The first prince was at a higher status and had a stronger rationale, so if he stepped forward, Arthur would have to step back.
“But brother!”
Arthur raised his voice, knowing full well it was in vain.
To protect me.
“Did I say it was enough?”
But even that had its limits.
As the first prince furrowed his brows, Arthur hastily muttered an apology and retreated.
In the silence where everyone was wary of one person’s reaction, the first prince approached me with deliberate steps.
His pitch-black eyes were fixed firmly on me.
Finally stopping in front of me, the first prince looked down at me in silence.
Then he whispered softly into my ear.
“Do you think I’m still that pathetic loner?”
You still remember that, huh?!
You held onto that, didn’t you?!
No wonder you haven’t forgotten!
What kind of crazy person would let go of being called a gloomy loner?!
After delivering that one line, the first prince raised his head, a smile creeping onto his face.
It was not a smile born out of happiness.
It was clear enough to see.
That was the smile of someone who had resolved to take me down.
[This should pose no problem.]
‘No problem?!’
[He’s not losing his temper and saying he’ll punish you, right?]
Well, that’s true.
But it’s hard to ignore the fact that I’ve caught the attention of that guy!
You can literally see him plotting how to take me down!
[What kind of mess could the one targeted by an evil god even dare to cause?—It’s okay as long as he’s rational.]
Grandpa tried to reassure me that as long as he maintained his reason, there was nothing to worry about.
I get that.
But it’s not the situation that’s the issue right now?!
I’m being targeted by one of the final bosses!
On top of currently being tormented by the main god and the evil god, now there’s another on the list!
I’ve got one more challenger trying to teach this brat a lesson!
“I’ve heard you’ve become somewhat useful, but your personality hasn’t changed.”
While I was screaming internally in a state of panic, the first prince continued speaking.
His clear voice caught everyone’s attention.
“You’re participating in the Partran Festival, right?”
‘Yes, that’s correct.’
“How do you know? Are you a stalker, gloomy loner prince?”
Please stop it, Mesugaki skill!
Pick your moments to jump in!
Can’t you hear the sound of people holding their breath around us?! Huh?!
“Hmm. Right. It’s more fun if things stay the way they are.”
I thought his voice would rise, but it didn’t.
The first prince scoffed and turned away after those words.
Consequently, the ones who appeared more flustered were the guards standing next to him.
“Prince, are you really going to just let this rudeness slide?”
“That’s just how he is. Raising your voice will only tire you out.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. That girl is the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Considering his achievements, I think we should let this one go.”
Although the first prince mentioned Benedict’s accomplishments as a reason to overlook the incident, there was a hidden meaning behind those words.
The fact that he invoked Benedict’s name served as a reminder that he was looming behind me.
The guards, along with those standing behind the first prince, could only keep silent in the shadow of Benedict’s name.
After confirming that everyone was silent, the first prince led his party back down the path they came.
Huff.
I thought I was going to suffocate for real.
What the heck was the past Lucy doing!?
She ran around insulting nobles and kings, completely ignoring the atmosphere!
Even if there was Benedict behind her, wouldn’t she feel some kind of pressure?!
Was the Mesugaki skill just immune to others’ gazes?!
Well, someone who cared less about being stared at wouldn’t walk around wearing a dress fancier than a princess!
While I was admiring the past Lucy for various reasons, someone tugged at my sleeve.
It was Joy.
“Really, Young Lady Alrn is as consistent as ever.”
Listening to her voice, mixed with a sigh and concern, guilt surged within me.
I’m sorry, Joy. I’ve put you through so much trouble having a friend like me.
I’ve prepared a present just to cheer you up, so accept it and let it soothe you.
Not being able to express my apologies out loud, I silently prayed for forgiveness as she chuckled softly.
“Come on. Arthur wants to talk to you.”
Huh? Arthur?
*
Joy took me to a fancy restaurant intended for wealthy patrons.
As soon as the staff saw Joy’s face, they hurriedly led us to a room.
“Finally, you’re here.”
Inside the room, Arthur was waiting for us.
“Sit down. Since we just had quite the introduction earlier.”
As soon as we sat around the table, Arthur sighed and called my name.
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Yes!’
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry.”
His sudden apology left me dazed.
Why on earth is he apologizing? Shouldn’t I be the one to apologize?
“It’s a grave sin that I couldn’t stop my brother from coming to see you after knowing what kind of person you are.”
From what I gathered, the first prince, who was supposed to be holed up in the capital, was influenced by Arthur and decided to visit the Partran territory.
Originally, Arthur shouldn’t even be participating in such festivals, but when he expressed his desire to come, the first prince became curious and, through their conversation, ended up deciding to join.
No.
So, what you’re saying is…
Summarizing this, he’s the one to blame for this mess?!
Arthur!
You idiot!
Thank you for trying to protect me, but I take it all back!
Knowing what kind of individual Lucy is, you should have risked your life to stop the prince!
Why on earth would you draw aggro from a boss like that and turn the situation into a complete disaster?
“I’ve heard you’ve become quite capable, but your personality hasn’t changed.”
As I was nearly screaming internally, the first prince continued.
His clear voice drew everyone’s attention.
“I hear you’re participating in the Partran Festival?”
‘Yes, that’s correct.’
“How do you know? Are you stalking gloomy loner prince?”
Please stop, Mesugaki skill!
At least pick an appropriate moment to surface!
Can’t you hear everyone holding their breath? Huh?!
“Well, yeah. It’s more amusing if things remain as before.”
I thought his voice would rise, but it didn’t.
The first prince scoffed lightly and turned away after speaking.
Surprisingly, the ones who seemed more startled were the guards standing next to him.
“Are you really just going to let this rudeness slide, Your Highness?”
“That’s just how he is. Raising your voice only leads to fatigue.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. That girl is the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Given his contributions, I think we should let this slide.”
Though the first prince mentioned Benedict’s achievements as a reason to overlook the matter, it clearly had a different underlying meaning.
He brought up Benedict’s name to remind everyone of the serious implications tied to my side.
Indeed, both the guards and those behind the first prince fell silent in the shadow of that name.
Once they were all silent, the first prince took his party and left down the trail they came from.
Whew.
I thought I was going to die from suffocation.
What on earth was the past Lucy thinking!?
She just ran about insulted everyone without a care for the atmosphere and rank!
Even with Benedict behind her, wouldn’t she feel some pressure?!
Was this Mesugaki skill stonewalling again against the gazes of others?!
Well, anyone who gives no thought to being watched wouldn’t wear a dress fancier than a princess!
Just as I was admiring the past Lucy for some reason, someone tugged at my sleeve again.
It was Joy.
“Honestly, Young Lady Alrn is as consistent as always.”
Listening to her voice brimming with concern and disappointment filled me with guilt.
I’m sorry, Joy. I’ve made your life difficult having someone like me around.
I’ve prepared a present just for you, so accept it to ease your mind.
I couldn’t say it out loud, but as she gave a small chuckle, I silently apologized.
“Let’s go. Arthur wants to talk to you.”
Huh? Arthur?
*
The place Joy took me was an upscale restaurant targeted at wealthy patrons.
Seeing Joy’s face, the staff directed us to a private room.
“Finally made it.”
Inside, Arthur was waiting for us.
“Take a seat. We already had quite the introduction earlier.”
Following his words, we sat down, and Arthur sighed as he called my name.
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Yes!’
“What’s the problem?”
“I’m sorry.”
His unexpected apology stunned me.
Why on earth is he apologizing? Shouldn’t I be the one to apologize?
“It’s a grave sin that I couldn’t stop my brother from coming to see you after knowing what kind of person you are.”
From what I gathered, the first prince, stuck in the capital, was heavily influenced by Arthur’s interest, which led him to decide to visit the Partran estate.
Originally, he shouldn’t even be attending such festivals, but when Arthur expressed interest in coming, the first prince became curious and ended up deciding to attend during their conversation.
No.
Does this mean…
Putting this all together, he’s the one to blame for this whole debacle?!
Arthur!
Oh man!
Thank you for trying to protect me, but I’m taking that back!
Knowing who Lucy is, you should have risked everything to stop the prince!
Why would you attract a boss’s attention and turn everything into chaos?!
“I’ve heard you’ve become useful, but your personality hasn’t changed.”
While I was screaming internally, the prince continued on.
His clear voice drew everyone’s gaze.
“I hear you’re participating in the Partran Festival?”
‘Yes, that’s correct.’
“How’d you know? Stalking gloomy loner prince, are we?”
Please stop it, Mesugaki skill!
Pick an appropriate moment to show up!
Can’t you hear the crowd holding their breath around us?! Huh?!
“Hmm. Well, it’s more entertaining to keep things as they are.”
I expected his voice to rise, but it didn’t.
The first prince scoffed and turned after his words.
The guards appeared more startled than anything else.
“Your Highness, are you really going to let his rudeness slide?”
“That’s just how people are. Raising your voice only tires you out.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. That girl is the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Given his contributions, I think we should let this slide.”
Though he referenced Benedict’s accomplishments to justify overlooking my offense, that was not entirely the point.
He used Benedict’s name to remind everyone that I had backup.
After all, the guards and even those standing behind the first prince could only keep their mouths shut in the face of his name.
And once everyone fell silent, the first prince led his entourage away.
Whew.
I thought I was going to suffocate from nervousness.
What on earth was the past Lucy doing!?
Running around insulting royalty and other nobles without a thought for the situation!
Even with Benedict behind her, wouldn’t she still feel a twinge of apprehension?!
Was the Mesugaki skill just blind to the stares of others?!
Well, someone who cared about being judged wouldn’t have been seen in a dress more extravagant than a princess’s!
Just as I was in awe of the past Lucy’s audacity, someone tugged on my sleeve.
It was Joy.
“Honestly, Young Lady Alrn is as consistent as ever.”
Hearing her voice, laced with sighs and concern, sent a wave of guilt through me.
I’m so sorry, Joy. I’ve put you through a lot with a friend like me.
I’ll get you a gift to make it up to you, so please accept it and lighten up.
Not able to voice my apologies, I silently wished for her forgiveness as she chuckled softly.
“Come on. Arthur has something to say to you.”
Huh? Arthur?
*
Joy brought me to an upscale restaurant catering to the wealthy.
The staff guided us to a room upon seeing Joy’s face.
“Finally, you’re here.”
Inside was Arthur, waiting for us.
“Take a seat. We just had quite an introduction earlier.”
As we sat, Arthur sighed and called my name.
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Yes!’
“What’s the deal?”
“I’m sorry.”
His sudden apology left me in shock.
Why on earth is he apologizing? Shouldn’t I be the one to apologize?
“It’s a big sin that I couldn’t stop my brother from seeing you, knowing what kind of person you are.”
It seems like Arthur played a massive role in the first prince—who should be holed up in the capital—deciding to visit the Partran territory.
Arthur had expressed a desire to attend the festival, piquing the first prince’s curiosity, which led to their discussion, resulting in the first prince deciding to attend.
No.
So it amounts to…
Putting all the pieces together, he’s the root of this situation?!
Arthur!
You jerk!
Forget the thanks for defending me!
Knowing what Lucy was like, you should’ve risked everything to keep the first prince from coming!
What kind of fool draws the attention of a boss and turns everything chaotic?!
“I’ve heard you’ve become reasonably competent, but your personality hasn’t changed.”
While I was nearly screaming internally, the first prince continued to speak.
His clear voice drew the attention of onlookers.
“I hear you’re participating in the Partran Festival?”
‘Yes, that’s right.’
“How do you know? Are you stalking the gloomy loner prince?”
Please stop it, Mesugaki skill!
Can’t you recognize the moment for discretion?!
Can’t you hear the crowd’s breath being held?! Huh?!
“Well, it’s more enjoyable for things to remain unchanged.”
I thought his tone would rise, but it didn’t.
The first prince scoffed and turned to walk away after his words.
Strangely, the ones who were more startled were those guards standing at his side.
“Your Highness, are you really going to let this rudeness slide?”
“That’s just his nature. Raising your voice will only tire you out.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. That girl is the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Considering his accomplishments, shouldn’t we let this go?”
Even though the prince cited Benedict’s renown as a reason to overlook my mistake, it had a deeper meaning.
He’s signaling that I have a considerable shadow looming behind me.
The guards remained silent, and everyone behind the first prince quieted in the name of Benedict.
Then, having confirmed the silence of everyone present, the first prince led his band back down the path they had arrived.
Whew.
I thought I would suffocate to death.
What on earth was the former Lucy thinking!?
Walking around and insulting royalty and nobles without a care!
No matter how much she had Benedict backing her, wouldn’t she have felt slightly wary?!
Was the Mesugaki skill just oblivious to what others thought?!
Well, if she cared about the stares, she wouldn’t wear a more flamboyant outfit than a princess!
As I marveled at the audacity of the past Lucy, someone yanked at my sleeve.
It was Joy.
“Honestly, Young Lady Alrn is as consistent as ever.”
Hearing her mixed voice of concern and exasperation ignited a wave of guilt within me.
I’m sorry, Joy. I’ve dragged you into trouble with being friends with someone like me.
I was planning to gift you something to make amends, so please accept it and cheer up a bit.
Unable to express my apologies aloud, I sent silent prayers for her forgiveness as she let out a soft laugh.
“Let’s go. Arthur wants to talk to you.”
Huh? Arthur?
*
Joy took me to a fancy restaurant where wealthy patrons dined.
The staff, upon seeing Joy’s face, led us promptly to a private room.
“Finally made it.”
Inside was Arthur, waiting for us.
“Sit down already! We just had quite the introduction outside.”
Upon settling in, Arthur sighed and called out my name.
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Yes!’
“What’s the deal?”
“I’m truly sorry.”
His unexpected apology left me completely gobsmacked.
What’s with the sudden regret? Shouldn’t I be the one feeling sorry right now?
“I commit a grave sin for not being able to stop my brother from coming to see you, knowing full well what kind of person you are.”
It turns out Arthur had a heavy influence on the first prince, who shouldn’t have even been attending this kind of event, deciding to show up at the Partran territory.
When Arthur expressed interest in coming, it piqued the first prince’s curiosity, leading them to discuss things, which ultimately convinced him to join.
Oh, so…
Summing this all up?
It’s him who’s the main culprit behind this mess?!
Arthur!
You fool!
Forget thanking you for protecting me!
Knowing the person Lucy was, you should’ve put everything on the line to stop the prince from coming!
Why on earth would a mere soldier draw the ire of a boss like that and ruin everything?!
“I’ve heard you’ve become fairly competent, but your personality hasn’t changed.”
As I was nearly screaming inside, the first prince kept talking.
His clear voice grabbed everyone’s attention.
“I hear you’re participating in the Partran Festival?”
‘Yes, that’s correct.’
“How do you know? Are you stalking the gloomy loner prince?”
Please stop it, Mesugaki skill!
Choose your timing!
Can’t you hear everyone holding their breath? Huh?!
“Well, it’s amusing when things stay the same.”
I thought surely his voice would rise, but it didn’t.
The first prince merely scoffed and turned away again.
Continuously, the guards seemed more shocked than anything else.
“Your Highness, are you really going to let this rudeness slide?”
“That’s just how that person rolls. Raising your voice only makes you exhausted.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. She’s the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Considering his contributions, I think we should just let this slide.”
Although the first prince cited Benedict’s achievements to justify letting my actions go, it had a different implication.
He was subtly reminding everyone of the serious backing I had behind me.
Definitely, the guards and all present wouldn’t dare challenge the name of Benedict.
Once everyone seemed to remember their place, the first prince led his group down the path from which they came.
Whew.
I thought I’d suffocate from sheer tension, oh geez.
What on earth was the past Lucy thinking!?
She ran about hurling insults at nobles and royalty, totally disregarding the atmosphere!
Even with Benedict backing her, wouldn’t she have felt some pressure?!
Was the Mesugaki skill immune to the judgment of others?!
If she had cared, she wouldn’t show up decked out in more glitz than a princess!
While I marveled at past Lucy’s gall, someone tugged at my sleeve once more.
It was Joy.
“Honestly, Young Lady Alrn is incredibly consistent.”
Hearing her voice laced with a sigh and concern, guilt swelled within me.
I’m really sorry, Joy. A friend like me must be a hassle.
I prepared a little gift for you, so please accept it and let it soothe you.
Struggling to voice my apologies, I mentally expressed my regret as she let out a soft laugh.
“Come on. Arthur has something he wants to say to you.”
Huh? Arthur?
*
Joy led me to an elegant restaurant catering to the affluent.
Upon spotting Joy, the staff promptly showed us to a private room.
“Finally, you’ve arrived.”
Inside, Arthur awaited us.
“Have a seat. We just had quite the introduction outside.”
As we took our seats, Arthur sighed and called my name.
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Yes!’
“What’s up with this?”
“I’m apologize.”
His sudden apology had my head spinning.
Why on earth is this dude apologizing? Shouldn’t I be the one feeling sorry?
“I commit the grave sin of not stopping my brother from seeing you, knowing full well what kind of person you are.”
Seems like Arthur played a pivotal role in the first prince— who shouldn’t even be out of the capital— finally deciding to visit Partran.
The moment Arthur expressed an interest in the festival, it sparked curiosity within the first prince, leading them to a conversation where the prince decided to join.
So…
Putting this all together indicates…
Arthur’s the main culprit behind this whole situation?!
Arthur!
You dumbass!
Forget thanks for defending me—I take that back!
Knowing the kind of person Lucy was, you should have risked everything to get in the way of the prince!
Why would you go and catch a boss’s attention, turning everything upside down?!
“I’ve heard you’ve seemingly become useful, but your personality remains unchanged.”
As I was screaming inside near a breaking point, the prince carried on.
His clear voice captivated everyone’s attention.
“You’re participating in the Partran Festival, aren’t you?”
‘Yes, that’s correct.’
“How did you know? Are you stalking the gloomy loner prince?”
Please, Mesugaki skill!
Could you time your outburst appropriately?
Can’t you hear the crowd that’s holding its collective breath?! Huh?!
“Well, it’s a lot more fun when things keep the same.”
I thought without doubt his voice would grow louder, but it didn’t.
The first prince snorted and turned away after speaking.
To my surprise, the surprise looked to affect those guards who were nearby.
“Your Highness, are you really just going to stand by and overlook this rudeness?”
“That’s simply how he is. Raising your voice only leaves you fatigued.”
“But still…”
“Let me remind you. That girl is the daughter of Benedict Alrn. Given his accolades, we should let it slide.”
Though the first prince referenced Benedict’s achievements as a way to gloss over my misstep, it indicated something deeper.
He’s subtly reminding everyone that I had considerable backing behind me.
Definitely, the guards, and even those backing the first prince, couldn’t muster words against such a reputation.
As everyone seemed to remember their places, the first prince took his entourage and made his way back down the path they arrived.
Whew.
I thought I was on the edge of suffocating.
What on earth was the previous Lucy thinking!?
She ran about insulting nobles and royals, totally ignoring every atmosphere!
No matter how much backing she had from Benedict, wouldn’t she feel something—a touch of anxiety—at least?!
Was the Mesugaki skill merely immune to the gazes of others?!
If she did care, she wouldn’t be spotted wearing something more extravagant than a princess’s attire!
As I reveled in the past Lucy’s audacity, someone tugged at my sleeve again.
It was Joy.
“Honestly, Young Lady Alrn is ever the consistent one.”
Hearing that laced with concern brought up guilt after guilt.
I’m so sorry, Joy. I must be a hassle with such a friend.
I got you a little something as a gift! Please accept it and lighten your mood.
Being unable to voice my apologies, I silently sought her forgiveness as she let out a gentle laugh.
“Come on. Arthur has some matters he’d like to discuss with you.”
Huh? Arthur?
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