Chapter: 457
Last time, when Joy faced the alchemist, she did interpret the power of the Evil God right there with her magic.
The fact that she could pull off such a feat was surprising even for Joy herself.
Honestly, if someone told her to do it again right now, she’d probably be left questioning if she could even pull it off.
However, the scene Joy witnessed back then was a definite truth, and whether it was by chance or skill, reaching beyond her limits made her vision even broader.
That’s why Joy could sense that the energy emanating from the Young Lady in front of her was quite strange.
This wasn’t something that could be simply brushed off as odd energy.
“Lady Partran?”
“…Ah. I’m so sorry. I got lost in thought recalling the names of the Young Ladies.”
Joy chuckled and began calling out the names of the first-year ladies one by one.
The freshmen she named perked up at the realization that the scion of the Partran family remembered them, letting out excited squeaks.
With a reputation already established in high society before entering the Academy, instead of fading away, her identification continued to grow as she proved herself academically, making her a figure of admiration for many young ladies.
As the lively atmosphere unfurled, Joy’s voice reached the Young Lady with an unusual aura after Kent’s Young Lady.
“You’re the second daughter of the Klebb Barony, right? I remember meeting you when I visited Klebb Territory.”
“It’s an honor that you remember someone from a small barony.”
“A small one, you say? You’re being too humble. If the blooming roses of the Klebb Barony are small, then what does that make the other families?”
Joy raised a subtle smile as she cast a glance around at the other ladies.
“Is there anyone else here who remembers the Klebb Barony?”
“I remember too! It was such a beautiful garden.”
“And the tea had that lovely rose fragrance!”
“…The atmosphere of being one with nature was truly delightful.”
Having only uttered a few words, the ladies engaging in the tea party started chatting away enthusiastically to match Joy’s remarks.
Among them were genuinely those who remembered the Klebb family, and then there were those who just blurted out nonsense to fit in with the social mood.
However, no one among them pointed out what was right or wrong.
They were all speaking to align with Lady Partran.
After all, bringing anyone else into the conversation could spoil the mood of the tea party and create unnecessary enemies.
With the Young Lady of the Rumley family stepping back, the internal disputes seemed to have vanished, and nobody wanted to stir up conflict.
“Haha, thank you for the compliments. Ladies.”
The Young Lady of the Klebb family also followed suit, laughing in the same warm atmosphere.
Just when the pleasant conversation was flowing, Joy suddenly lowered her voice a bit.
“By the way, is Lord Klebb doing well? I heard he was unwell.”
Lord Klebb’s illness.
Upon this topic being mentioned, the young ladies exchanged glances.
Those who were unaware of the lord’s condition looked confused, while those who did were now glancing about, realizing that what Joy said conflicted with what they knew.
Lord Klebb was the sort of man one would never associate with illness.
Was Lady Partran mistaking something?
Or had she heard something that they hadn’t?
Alternatively, was she just purposely lying to evaluate the others?
The young ladies, desperate to read Joy’s intent, ultimately chose to keep quiet and side with her.
In an unclear situation, speaking out’s definitely not how noble ladies behave.
“…Y-yes. He is recovering quite well.”
The Young Lady of the Klebb family awkwardly smiled as she observed her surroundings.
“Really?”
Joy’s coldly pitched voice responded with a question that sounded practically chilling.
The low, dry tone froze the atmosphere of the tea party.
“Is it really true that he is recovering?”
The blue eyes of the Partran noblewoman, reminiscent of ice, bore down on the Young Lady of the Klebb family.
The pressure was so intense that even those nearby could feel chills crawling down their backs.
What on earth is going on?
What’s bothering her?
Did the Klebb family make some blunder?
The young ladies at the tea party were bewildered by Joy’s sudden chill.
Having spent enough time together in high society, they somewhat understood what kind of personality Lady Partran possessed.
She had an aura of coldness but was much kinder than she appeared.
As long as the bare minimum of lines was respected, she usually refrained from showing anger.
So, for Lady Partran to pressure the Young Lady of the Barony in front of everyone meant there was definitely something wrong.
Aware of the situation, the ladies at the tea party quietly shifted away to distance themselves from the Young Lady of the Klebb.
Little by little. Little by little.
Before long, the only two left before Joy were the Young Lady of the Klebb, whom she had been lecturing, and the Kent Young Lady, who for some reason remained.
Joy alternated her gaze between the pale face of the Klebb Young Lady and the innocent face of the Kent Young Lady. Her serious expression from moments ago vanished in an instant.
“I was just playing a little joke. Please don’t be too scared.”
“…A joke?”
“Yes. Just a little initiation, you know?”
She playfully admitted to having tried it out because it looked fun when others did it, prompting awkward laughter from everyone present except for the Young Lady of the Barony.
While many thought this wasn’t quite a joke at all, nobody dared to voice their thoughts.
Joy possessed the power to turn even serious matters into jokes.
“If it was too much, I apologize, Lady Klebb.”
“No, not at all! I’m actually quite happy that Lady Partran is being so friendly!”
“No, since you played along with my joke so well, I think I should reward you instead. Will you follow me?”
“It’s really fine! I’m really fine!”
“My lady! It’s not polite to keep refusing.”
As Joy flashed a slight smile while speaking, the Young Lady of the Klebb nodded cautiously.
With envious gazes directed toward her, Joy turned her attention back toward the Kent Young Lady still by her side.
“Kent Young Lady.”
“Yes!”
“Why didn’t you step back?”
“…Why should I?”
Seeing her seriously tilt her head as if not comprehending why she should have made an exit, Joy couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You truly take after your sister.”
She had thought this even when she was with Lucy, as the young lady was utterly pure. Not exactly someone suited for the social occasion.
“R-Really?”
“Yes. In many ways.”
“Other than swordsmanship, I don’t wish to be like my sister…”
At the sight of the Kent Young Lady looking forlorn, Joy let out a laugh and then slyly cast her gaze toward the other ladies before leading the Young Lady of the Klebb away from the tea party.
“Um, Lady Partran, where are we going?”
“To a place you’re sure to like.”
As Joy walked down the corridor alongside the Klebb Young Lady, she recalled what she had just observed.
It was understandable that they only wore awkward smiles while discussing the Klebb domain.
Bringing up anything regarding authenticity would only draw attention.
However, the expression that the Young Lady made the moment she mentioned Lord Klebb’s health was definitely peculiar.
For her to be so nonchalant, checking others’ reactions while I brought news of her father’s illness, was not something I’d expect from the known second daughter of Klebb.
I don’t quite know her exact identity. However, she clearly has some connection to the Evil God in one way or another.
For now, I’ll take her to Lucy and Phoebe.
As Joy continued her thoughts, the Young Lady of the Klebb suddenly twisted her body back.
In her hand, she held an orb full of suspicious energy.
Was it a sorcery or dark magic orb?
Raising her guard, Joy invoked the magic she had prepared in advance.
The moment her mana lit up, the fake impersonating the Klebb Young Lady froze in place.
A water-element magic spell that could freeze a specified area whole.
The impersonator, caught in the act, gaped as they saw their arm encased in ice along with the crystal ball.
“Quite pathetic, really.”
To Joy, who had trained among the Knights of Alrn, the fake’s movements were but a joke.
If it were the real knights from that place, they would’ve penetrated past her spell at the very moment it activated.
She had even prepared several other spells anticipating that, but who would’ve thought the first one would neutralize them? It’s pretty evident it was a magic dungeon.
“Now, fake. You’ll need to tell me where the real Lady Klebb is.”
“…What if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll forcefully make you spit it out!”
Joy flashed a menacing grin, but deep down, she knew it was just a bluff.
What does a sheltered daughter of the Partran family know about torture?
However, to the impostor unaware of Joy’s true colors, her threats had substantial weight.
The fearsome rumors surrounding Partran combined with the villainous aspects of Joy’s reputation had shifted the bluster into something believable.
“Che.”
The impostor clicked their tongue, immediately shattering their own arm without the slightest hesitation. With their remaining hand, they grabbed the orb and activated the magic.
“Ah!”
In the instant Joy snapped back to reality, already too late to counter, the magic unleashed by the orb quickly enveloped and whisked the impostor away.
Leaving behind the chaos of the hastily conjured magic circle that Joy had conjured in a rush.
“Ahhhhh!”
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