Chapter: 457
Last time, when facing the alchemist, Joy interpreted the Authority of Evil God present there with her magic.
While searching for what she could do, this miracle she created was surprising even to Joy herself.
To be honest, if someone asked her to do it again right now, she would doubt whether she could pull it off—it’s that outrageous.
However, the scene Joy reached back then was a definite truth, and whether by chance or not, the fact that she reached beyond her limits broadened her perspective.
And so, she was able to notice that the energy of the Young Lady in front of her was quite strange.
That’s not just a matter of having unusual energy.
“Is that you, Ducal Young Lady Partlan?”
“…Ah. I’m sorry. I momentarily made a slip while recalling the names of the Young Ladies.”
Laughing, Joy called out the names of the first-year Young Ladies one by one.
The first-year girls called by her voice were thrilled to discover that the Young Lady of the Partlan family remembered them.
Having already built a great reputation in the social circle, Joy’s name only grew after entering the Academy, proving herself with various achievements, making her an object of admiration among many Young Ladies.
As the excited atmosphere continued, Joy’s voice reached a Young Lady with a strange energy, surpassing Young Lady Kent’s lively demeanor.
“You’re the second daughter of the Cleve Marquis Family, right? I remember seeing you when I visited the Cleve Territory before.”
“It’s truly an honor for someone from a small territory to be remembered by you.”
“A small one? You’re being too modest. If the beautiful rose-blooming Cleve Marquis Family is small, what does that make other families?”
With a slight lift of her lips, Joy turned her gaze toward the surrounding Young Ladies.
“Is there anyone else who remembers the Cleve Marquis Family besides me?”
“I remember too! It was such a wonderful garden.”
“And the tea perfumed with rose scents, how about that?”
“…The atmosphere of being one with nature was truly delightful.”
Just from uttering a single word, the Young Ladies sharing tea in the gathering were non-stop in their attempts to agree with what Joy said.
Among them were genuinely those who remembered the Cleve family and some who were just babbling nonsense to fit in with the atmosphere.
However, none of them pointed out what was right or wrong.
The reason they spoke was simply to match the vibe set by the Ducal Young Lady Partlan.
Since she didn’t mention it, causing trouble for others could ruin the gathering’s atmosphere and create more enemies.
With a Young Lady from the Rumly family stepping back, the internal disputes disappeared, and no one wished to create conflict.
“Hahaha. Thank you for the kind words, Young Ladies.”
The Young Lady of the Cleve Marquis Family also laughed in sync with that atmosphere.
As the warm atmosphere was flowing, suddenly, Joy’s voice lowered slightly.
“By the way, how is the Cleve Marquis doing? I heard he has been suffering from an illness.”
The Marquis’s illness.
At the mention of this topic, the Young Ladies exchanged glances.
Those who didn’t know about the Marquis looked away, while those who did, found differing information between hers and their knowledge, prompting furtive glances.
The lively man, Cleve Marquis, seemed to be someone who was entirely devoid of illness.
Could the Ducal Young Lady be mistaken?
Or did she hear something unknown to me beforehand?
Or was she deliberately fabricating lies to evaluate others?
The Young Ladies striving to decode Joy’s intentions chose silence in the end.
In uncertain situations, speaking out impulsively isn’t the way of noble family Young Ladies.
“…Yes. He’s recovering well.”
The Young Lady of the Cleve Marquis family, observing the eyes around her, forced an awkward smile.
“Really?”
Joy’s voice, throwing the question back, was chillingly cold.
Her low, monotonous voice froze the atmosphere of the gathering.
“Is it true? Is he indeed getting better?”
The blue-eyed gaze of the Ducal Young Lady Partlan evoked an image of ice, a cold stare belonging to someone with the power to look down upon the world, pressing down on the Cleve Marquis Young Lady.
The weight of this pressure was so intense that even those nearby could feel chills running down their spines.
Why is she doing this?
What displeases her?
Did the Cleve Marquis family make some mistake?
The Young Ladies in attendance felt bewildered by Joy’s chilling demeanor.
Having spent so long in the social circle, they had a rough idea of what kind of personality the Young Lady of Partlan possessed.
While she may seem cold at first glance, she is far more compassionate than one might think.
Unless someone crossed a basic line, she rarely expressed anger.
Thus, for the Young Lady of Partlan to pressure the Marquis Young Lady in front of everyone certainly indicated something was amiss.
The sharp-eyed Young Ladies began to distance themselves silently from around the Marquis Young Lady.
Little by little. Little by little.
Before long, only two remained before Joy.
The Young Lady of the Cleve Marquis family, whom Joy was reprimanding, and the Young Lady of the Kent family, who seemed to have no idea why she was still there.
Switching her gaze between the pale-faced Cleve Young Lady and the innocent Kent Young Lady, Joy instantly relaxed her previously serious expression as if the previous gravity was a joke.
“I was just teasing a little. Don’t be too scared.”
“…Teasing?”
“Yes. It’s what they often call a ‘rite of passage,’ right?”
As Joy explained that she’d wanted to try it after seeing others do it, awkward laughter erupted from the gathering, excluding the Young Lady Marquis.
Though they all thought it might have been a bit too intense for a joke, none dared to voice such thoughts out loud.
After all, Joy had the power to turn even things that weren’t jokes into jokes.
“If I went too far, I apologize, Cleve Young Lady.”
“Oh, no! I’m truly happy that you treated me so warmly!”
“No, since you adapted well to my little prank, I must repay you. Could you follow me?”
“I’m fine! Really, I am!”
“Dear Young Lady, it would be rude to keep refusing.”
With a slight smile, Joy insisted, and the Cleve Young Lady cautiously nodded.
Turning her head amidst the envious gazes directed at her, Joy then noticed the Young Lady of Kent still standing by.
“Kent Young Lady.”
“Yes!”
“Why didn’t you step back?”
“…Why should I?”
Seeing her tilt her head as if truly unsure of why she should, Joy couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You resemble your sister quite a bit.”
She’d thought so since being with Lucy, but truly, she’s an endlessly pure person. Definitely not a fit for a gathering.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, in many ways.”
“I don’t really want to resemble her besides the swordsmanship, though…”
Seeing the Kent Young Lady sulk brought laughter to Joy’s face as she glances at the other Young Ladies and took the Cleve Young Lady out of the gathering.
“Um. Ducal Young Lady Partlan. Where are you going?”
“To a place I’m sure you’ll like.”
As they walked down the corridor with the Cleve Young Lady, Joy recalled the earlier conversation.
It’s understandable to give awkward smiles when talking about the Cleve Territory.
After all, discussing what’s real and what’s fake would just draw attention.
However, the expression shown at the mere mention of the Marquis’s health was definitely strange.
Hearing news of her father’s illness without any surprise or concern and merely watching the eyes around her wasn’t an action befitting the Cleve’s second daughter.
I don’t know who this person really is, but it’s clear she’s connected with the Evil God in some capacity.
For now, let me take her to Lucy or Phoebe.
As Joy continued her thoughts, the Young Lady of the Cleve Marquis suddenly twisted her body back.
What she had grasped in her hand was a crystal filled with ominous energy.
Is it a pearl containing a curse or black magic?
Raising her guard, Joy activated her prepared magic.
The moment her magic shone, the fake arm imitating the Cleve Young Lady froze instantly.
A water-type spell that froze the designated area entirely.
The fake caught in this quickly displayed a bewildered expression upon seeing its frozen arm holding the crystal.
“You’re pathetic.”
To Joy, who had trained in the Allen Knights, the moves shown by the fake before her were nothing but pitiful.
If it were the knights there, they would have struck before her magic even activated.
She had anticipated that and prepared several other spells, but to think she’d be neutralized by the first one—it seems that really was a magical labyrinth.
“Well then, imposter. You’ll have to tell me where the real Cleve Young Lady is.”
“…What if I don’t want to?”
“Then I’ll have to force you to speak.”
Flashing a menacing smile, Joy’s words were nothing more than bravado.
As the beloved daughter of Partlan, what would she know about torture?
However, from the perspective of the imposter unaware of Joy’s true nature, the intimidation was quite effective.
The vicious rumors surrounding Partlan combined with Joy’s villainess-like demeanor had turned her bravado into something authentic.
“Tsk.”
The fake clicked her tongue lightly and, without hesitation, smashed her own left arm before clutching the crystal tightly to unleash magic.
“Ah!”
The moment Joy froze for a split second, realizing the fake was trying to cast a spell, it was already too late.
The energy flowing out from the crystal turned into the Power of Void, taking the fake away with it, leaving behind a hurriedly created, messy magic circle that Joy had conjured.
“Aaaaah!”
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