Formerly, The Fallen Daughter of the Duke

"... you're not going home?

After his first day at the Royal School, Vik looks at Claire surprised not to get in the carriage to pick her up.

"Yeah. I have a question for the teacher. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

……

Vike looked suspiciously, but managed to drop off his friends.

Back in school again, Claire hurries to her promised place.

This time, I was not willing to apply the protection again. Because if Claire's expecting it, he should know best the dangers of using that technique.

"Thank you for waiting, Dear Dion"

In the lecture room that Claire chose for her intimate meeting place, Dion sat down smaller.

"Miss Claire... do you know me"

Dion, whom I had previously met, had a noticeable behavior that also seemed over-conscious. But now there's no shadow to see.

"Yeah. I know. You know me, too."

Claire answers farther away so as not to reveal too much in her hand.

"... I thought it was a little later that you were coming to Papeet country"

"You, too, should still have over a year to move into this royal school, right?

Dion, who saw Claire's face in the lecture room this morning, clearly looked surprised and unable to hide his shock. Claire clearly thought that Dion had come to the Royal School in the King's Capital to approach herself with some clear purpose, but apparently she didn't.

(So, for what the hell?)

Dion answers Claire's question powerlessly.

"He says I've been asleep for over a week since I failed to apply that technique to you. When I returned to my territory, my grandfather gave me an allowance.... that night. What caught me in the inexperienced light? When I found out, I was back a month ago."

……

"You know me, I guess.... and the fate of the Mead family. When I understood that time was back, I honestly thought it was a chance. So, I was going to be here first."

"That was the intention of Count Meade."

"Oh. Your father and grandfather, he didn't seem to believe it at first, but as soon as I gave him the name of the Duke Martino family in the Noston Country, he moved.... In the end, the landfill of the Holy Springs didn't come true."

"You don't have to tell me beyond that."

It is easy to imagine how we can talk about the demise of the Lindell Nation if we stay this way. Claire didn't want to hear details from anyone close to the killer about how her mother died.

But Claire's thoughts did not reach Dion, who looked greatly disappointed.

"Your mother is one who has roots in the Lindell Country. Right. I cannot dwell on you, but your grandfather has told me that the demise of the Lindell Nation was a necessary step for our clan to regain its sovereignty. No one doubts that my clan deserves to rule the country."

"Even to chase and kill a princess who was let go at the age of three, who knows nothing?

Claire was surprised that she could have such a low voice.

"It's..."

"About my mother."

Dion froze. No way, I guess I didn't expect Claire to know this far.

But he and his sister asked Claire that question after knowing everything at the Queen's Night Club. - "Could your mother not have died early? '.

Claire had felt an uncontrollable magic overflow in her palm.

This is anger.

Those with strong magic can lose control of their magic when their emotions shake badly. Claire felt that she was now falling into that state.

Claire distracted herself from Dion and took the pocket watch she borrowed from Veek out of her pocket. Hear the sound in your ear. The sound of being engraved in a flat rhythm that never changed and the chilling feeling made Claire feel calm.

(... okay)

Claire asks Dion, having regained just a little calm.

"What is your purpose here?"

"... I wanted to crush Holy Springs to keep you from waking up your magic, but it was going to take an unexpected amount of time. That's why I've changed the operation and come ahead of you to make a pipe with His Royal Highness Vike. And I was going to interrupt the two of us when you moved in.... to my friend's lover, Your Highness won't be able to help me."

"That's the thing......"

Everything Dion talked about had ended in failure from what to what.

"... I'm done... About you, there's too much difference in magic to be erased, no matter what you think. But your grandfather only thinks of keeping Papeet country in his hands while he lives. I've lived to make your grandfather's wish come true."

"Does your grandfather know what's going to happen in the future?"

"After failing and being deported, there's almost no way I can say the house is going down, either. All they know is that they have to stop you from becoming a royal shield. But you even know how the Lindell Nation died.... I'm done."

Claire stared and said Dion, sitting on the chair, holding his head and dripping.

"I knew someone very similar to you."

There's no response from Dion.

"He lived, too, tied to his family name. All I thought about was looking at my surrounding complexion and meeting my surrounding expectations.... I never lived my life"

"... but when I realized it, it wasn't the center of the world. Perhaps the heart of you now is the Count Meade family. But the center changes all the time. Living your life is a luxury and a lot of fun"

Claire wasn't sure herself why she suddenly talked about this. But even though the directions were different, it was true that Dion and I overlapped in the part where we had lived faithfully for the house.

When I realized, at some point Dion's eyes were out of focus and vain as he raised his face and listened to Claire.

……

"What is it, Dear Dion?"

Claire, who felt strange, asks Dion. At that moment, the light returned to Dion's eyes, which were vain.

"... you're right. I was too tied up at home. [M] Maybe you wanted someone to release you from your grandfather's curse. Am I free to live?"

Dion gives a refreshing look, as if the way he was depressed earlier was a lie. Like so much change, Claire was confused.

(This change is too unnatural. If it's an act to deceive, it should do better)

"What the hell... what do you mean?

Claire noticed there that the magic that was all over her palm had subsided from earlier. In my memory, I tried to contain the outburst of magic, but I shouldn't have tried to fit it in my body. What Dion looks like and what he talked about. And Claire calms down and rethinks about the whereabouts of magic.

(... it would be a lie.... Wait!

Claire tried to eliminate that possibility, but it was pointless. Because it couldn't have been anything else, no matter what you think.

Claire gazes at Dion, who stands up like a blowout and smiles refreshingly. It seems to be a lie that I was frightened and shrunk until just now. The expression gives you a glimpse of the same confidence you saw in the world ahead.

Apparently, Claire has put on Dion what Donnie calls a 'bluff'.