Resetting Lady

“As expected, men should be powerful. I was told that a strong body is necessary not only to lead the country, but also to temper the mind.”

Was that Baron’s Strieder’s opinion? It didn’t seem like that’s the only takeaway. Then again, Carynne just wanted to watch everyone else and had no intention of being involved any longer. So, she watched Prince Lewis try to calm William down as he insisted that, ‘Physical strength is the nation’s power! We must promote this as a national movement!’

“Ah, then is it true that Carynne likes Sir Raymond for his strength?”

“No, I don’t think so. William’s a boy, isn’t he? Only a fellow woman will know what another woman thinks.”

Lady Lianne countered the question as she waved one hand. If she had been five years older than she was now, her argument would have been more convincing.

Carynne could sense the amusement and nervousness of the adults in the sidelines.

“Really? Then what do you think is the reason?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s his face.”

That’s what Raymond said, too. In her mind, Carynne recalled Raymond’s brazen smile.

“Whenever I look at a woman, all I see is her face.”

Come to think of it, was he serious when he said that? Carynne struggled to keep her expression neutral. Why did she even think that Raymond was the male lead? Because of his face? For some reason, she was half-convinced by this supposition, but at the same time, she didn’t want to admit it.

“Wow. What a brave theory, Lady Lianne.”

Prince Lewis’ eyes grew wide as he looked at Lianne. And while looking at that brave expression on her face, Carynne sympathized a little with the girl. Prince Lewis’ gaze and all the attention of the male nobles were focused on Lady Lianne.

Lianne seemed to always put a lot of importance on people’s appearance. Maybe it’s because of Carynne’s looks that Lianne tended to stick by her side?

“What if it wasn’t Sir Raymond who saved her, but his squire?”

“Of course, as the master of that squire… Um, couldn’t that be considered as something that falls under his authority?”

“B-But Lady Lianne… You shouldn’t judge people based on just their appearance.”

“Then Miss Soleia, do you not judge people by their looks?”

“Of course I don’t. The most important thing is authority! Judging by someone’s face won’t be enough. Miss Carynne must be in love with Sir Raymond because he has a higher social standing.”

“……”

While clasping her hands together, Lady Soleia replied like so. She was looking up with such firm conviction in her eyes.

Countess Elva initially grew nervous when she heard her daughter’s answer, but the moment she heard Lady Soleia’s, she relaxed. ‘Face’ was a better answer than that.

Prince Lewis asked grudgingly.

“Then Soleia, do you like me because of my authority?”

“Yes!”

“And if I don’t have any power?”

“Then I won’t like you.”

Lady Soleia’s answer brought upon silence to the immediate vicinity.

“I like Your Highness because you’re handsome.”

Lady Lianne also replied with a very confident expression.

“Uh… Thanks?”

“For me, I like Your Highness because you’re healthy and strong.”

William also pitched in, equally confident. With one hand to his chest, he knelt before the prince as though he was taking an oath in front of him.

“…I’m very thankful that you think so, William. It’s a bit burdensome, so please stand up.”

As he asked William to raise himself, Lewis turned to Carynne.

“Then, would it be alright for you to consider these three answers first?”

“Oh, but there’s still a lot of other people.”

Carynne tried to put off her choice by pointing out the other young nobles who looked like they were itching to speak. However, Prince Lewis shook his head.

“It will be time for our luncheon soon.”

“Alright…”

“I don’t quite like being hungry.”

“That’s very natural. It wouldn’t be good for Your Royal Highness to become emaciated, that will be a cause for worry. We should move forward.”

“Um, yes. Thank you.”

Roughly brushing aside William’s flattering remarks, Prince Lewis soon sat at the seat in front of Carynne and asked her.

“Okay, then. Miss Soleia’s answer is authority, Lady Lianne’s answer is appearance, and William’s answer is a strong body. Whose answer is the closest to yours? If none of these match, then we can ask the others. After the luncheon, of course.”

“I…”

Carynne tapped her fingers as she mulled over her choices. Which answer would benefit her here? Truthfully, Carynne had been bored since a while back. Whatever it was that these children thought and whatever kind of arguments they could come up with, what did it matter? Wasn’t this all just to kill time?

She was planning to say, ‘It just happened, I’m not really sure either’. If she’d give a serious answer here, it wouldn’t do her any good.

“I don—”

“You can’t say you don’t know.”

Somehow, he resembled Raymond. When Carynne looked into Prince Lewis’ eyes, this was what she thought.

The reason she liked Raymond? Carynne didn’t know what to say to that. Did she even like Raymond? Supposing that this was the initial question, she wasn’t even sure about her answer to that. All she was thinking was that this world was inside a novel.

And she’s had this notion for one hundred years. She was bound to Raymond, that’s how it was in the novel… But did she actually even read that novel? No, don’t. Don’t think about it. Thinking about it deeply here would lead to a breakdown. What should she answer right now?

“Is… Is my answer important?”

Carynne realized that her voice was quivering slightly. And Prince Lewis’ gaze deepened unexpectedly. His eyes were curved.

“I’m curious about what a woman who’s about to be married considers lovable.”

He’s just one soldier though. Carynne wracked her brain. She needed to think of an answer that anyone would consider good to hear. A good answer. As expected, personality?

“For the sake of my future vassals, it’s not bad for me to be curious about this, no? I can’t imagine marrying a woman who doesn’t love me. That’s too heavy of a thought. I would like to hear it in more detail, of course, since it will help me in the future as I rule my country and—”

“’My country,’ huh, what a funny thing to hear.”

A cold voice cut through the people there.

It was just one sentence. However, it was enough to change everyone’s expressions. The smile on Prince Lewis’ face hardened for a moment, but he smiled once again. This time, it was a smile that was full of courtesy and tension.

“Isn’t it too early for you to call it ‘my country’?”

Step, step.

Carynne knew. She knew who that man was. But did he act in the same way before?

Carynne rose from her seat and immediately curtsied. All the nobles in the hall also rose and bowed down, taking a step back. The children’s gathering was now over. There’s no need for smiles and laughter now. Because that man did not like that kind of thing.

“Father.”

“It’s been a while, son.”

Crown Prince Gueuze had arrived.

* * *

“You’re not going to eat, sir?”

“No. I don’t feel like eating.”

Now seated inside a train, Raymond stared at the steak that Zion was cutting into. Only the surface was cooked slightly, and so blood dripped down from the meat. It made him feel sick for some reason.

Zion had personally cut into the duke’s flesh to decapitate him, but it didn’t seem to affect him in the slightest. After cutting his steak, Zion looked up at Raymond, and when he saw how his superior’s expression wasn’t so good, Zion openly said, ‘How fussy’.

“Wow, for you to be so delicate now— You’re acting like a 17-year-old girl.”

Not only with his expression, but also his words, apparently. Raymond nodded readily and provided a pre-rehearsed answer.

“Because I’m in love these days. Isn’t there a saying that you start resembling the other person when you’re in love?”

“That’s a very funny joke, sir.”

That’s a much more clipped reaction compared to Xenon’s. Xenon just looked at his master with an exceedingly suspicious look.

While recalling his loyal servant, Raymond answered.

“That’s what Xenon said, too.”

“Ah, that reminds me, why did you leave him behind? There are few servants as fit as Xenon.”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

Raymond’s quick answer made Zion protest with an outcry, and he dramatically grabbed his chest with one hand.

“How about me, won’t I be faced with danger as well?”

“Why are you asking such an obvious thing?”

“Wow.”

“Haven’t you already prepared to die when you swore before His Majesty? Xenon isn’t on the same line of work as us. He’s just my servant. There’s no need… for him to suffer, so…”

Raymond trailed off. He’s alive. That’s an overwhelming outcome, too. But still, he was alive. Raymond survived not at all because of the new weapon he was asked to carry.

“I have to finish my report. Where’s the inkwell?”

“…I haven’t even started eating yet.”

He was about to retire now, but was he being too lenient? Raymond thought about it for a moment as he watched the back of Zion’s head. Still, he decided to let it go. Zion just tended to act like this in front of everyone. He was good at his job and he didn’t mind doing the dirty work. Outside his role as a soldier, however, he wasn’t very sociable.

When he was first assigned to work under Raymond, didn’t he even try to blow smoke into his face? But even when he got hit until his ribs got fractured, Zion’s attitude remained the same. Maybe that’s something good about him. He’d be the same until he’d die. Raymond just sighed and got up to find the inkwell himself.

“Why don’t you have even just the vegetables, sir? There’s a long way to go until we return.”

“I’ll eat on my own later, so just leave me be… Found it.”

Raymond opened the inkwell, dipped his pen’s nib in it and started writing his report. The new gun was not likely to be very useful. Raymond survived not because of the weapon’s performance, but purely due to his own dexterity, agility and physique.

During that infiltration, Raymond killed more people with his bare hands or with a dagger compared to the gun. The gun would give the advantage of stealth because of its silencer, but it was unnecessarily bulky and heavy, and loading it took too much time.

While meticulously writing the weapon’s pros and cons, Raymond felt a little sentimental. He thought that his bones would be buried with the military. He also thought that it was only a matter of time until that would happen.

However, his sentimental mood did not last long.

Rattle.

“…Damn it.”

The train shook. The inkwell dropped to the floor as the compartment rattled. The ink was spreading out of control. Now, the floor became dirtied with the black ink as the inkwell rolled around. Far from being emotional now, Raymond groaned.

“S-Sir Raymond.”

“There’s no maid, I know. I’ll clean it up.”

“N-No.”

Zion tried to call Raymond’s attention. While setting aside the report he had been writing until now, Raymond turned his head. Zion’s going to nag at him.

However, that’s not important right now. Did Zion spill the ink? For a moment, this was all Raymond thought about. He couldn’t comprehend why Zion’s face was covered with black liquid.

“Zion?”

“…Cough.”

As Zion covered the lower half of his face with his hands, his nose and mouth spewed black blood, which then started spilling through the gaps between his fingers.