Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 87

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

Chapter 87
* * *
“Huh? My lord. Isn’t that Prince Thierry and Princess Deborah over there?”
Miguel tilted his head at the unusual pairing stuck together in the Main Building Gallery Corridor of the Epsilon Club Room.
‘Their relationship doesn’t seem particularly bad.’
Both of them exuded a faintly delinquent air, yet they complemented each other quite well with their striking beauty.
‘As far as appearances go, they’re certainly flashy problem children.’
Princess Deborah had been famous as a troublemaker since her youth, and Prince Thierry was a wastrel that everyone who knew him was aware of.
‘Thanks to Princess Deborah, Prince Thierry’s frivolousness has largely been overshadowed.’
“What?”
Isidore’s cold voice reached my ears. As the atmosphere beside me suddenly turned ominous, Miguel glanced up at his lord.
‘Oh no.’
Normally, when I maintained my true form, I didn’t reveal my foul nature much, but now I was staring intently at where the princess and Thierry stood with a distinctly displeased expression.
Meanwhile, Thierry was engaged in some awkward conversation with Deborah.
“You really came to the Music Room just to see me?”
He continued with a light chuckle, his characteristic frivolous tone intact.
“What kind of pieces do you like? Thanks to you, I barely escaped a fate where I would’ve died from Father’s sword. If you request anything, I’ll play it for you. I mainly play nocturnes, but I can play minuets too.”
As he spoke rapidly in his excitement, Deborah’s eyes widened slightly. After a brief pause, she opened her mouth.
“It’s not because of the piano performance. I came to ask you something.”
For a moment, it seemed she was interested in the performance, but it appeared to be just a misunderstanding on his part.
“What is it?”
“Does Knight Diera happen to have any more holy water eggs?”
Since it was such a trivial question, Thierry inexplicably felt disappointed and scratched his chin. He had wanted to make up for the shameful display he’d shown last time.
“If he had any, I would’ve smuggled those out too.”
“…I see.”
“My brother Diera has no interest in anything besides swords. The incubation stone is probably just that one thing he received when he was young.”
“I understand.”
“If you have time, stop by the Music Room. The Music Club is just me, but that makes it even better. It’s not like listening to some mediocre performance.”
“With just one person, can you even call that a club?”
“I heard the Mana Research Circle has only two members, including the Fifth Princess.”
“…There are three.”
“Michèle Grandbert is a phantom member anyway.”
As we exchanged idle banter with silly grins, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
‘Knight Isidore really is handsome every time I see him.’
He walked toward me with composed movements. The moment our eyes met, Isidore seemed to regard me with a cold expression, so I tilted my head.
‘Ah, I must have misread it.’
The Isidore I knew was gentlemanly and kind to everyone. He had such strong patience that he would never get angry without reason.
“Princess Deborah, what are you doing standing here?”
Isidore inserted himself naturally, flashing a sweet smile at Princess Deborah as he asked kindly.
‘Wow, he’s disgustingly handsome, come to think of it.’
Thierry clicked his tongue inwardly. Until now, whenever he looked at that face, admiration would overflow as if he were beholding a masterpiece of art. Yet now, an inexplicable irritation was beginning to creep in.
‘Why is this bastard suddenly acting so cunning? I clearly gave him a sharp glare just moments ago.’
“Knight Isidore, why am I being treated like a ghost? How disappointing.”
“What were you discussing with Knight Thierry, my lady?”
“Look. I’m right here.”
Deborah Simour blinked slowly while gazing at Isidore, then opened her mouth.
“It’s, well, nothing important. We were just having a conversation. I have a class soon, so I should be going.”
She swiftly extracted herself from the discussion. The moment Deborah Simour vanished, Isidore’s expression turned distinctly cold, and Thierry’s shoulders tensed.
‘So that sharp glare earlier was real after all.’
“Knight Thierry. Why did you suddenly start speaking to the lady so casually, as if she were a fellow knight? Weren’t you two not particularly close?”
“Why does it feel like you’re interrogating me? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I’m asking very politely right now. Would you like me to show you what a real interrogation looks like?”
“Honestly, as the lady said, it’s nothing remarkable, so there’s no need to concern yourself. You have so many other things to worry about—why are you fixating on such trivial matters?”
“Have you forgotten that I’m one of the vice-commanders of the White Knight Order? If I were to compile and send the reports from the past three years regarding your training attitude to the Duke, I’m sure he’d be delighted. Now, that’s an interrogation.”
“How despicable—threatening me with something like that! This is too much. You’re telling me to die.”
“Threatening? I’ve simply been concealing your poor conduct all this time. If anything, you should thank me for withdrawing the special treatment.”
“Wow! I can’t win against your words. Is this really who you are?”
“Which is why it would be simple if you just told me what happened. I’ve never been good at resisting curiosity.”
Thierry narrowed his brow slightly, observing Isidore’s persistence—so unlike his usual self.
‘This is strange indeed.’
The relationship between Deborah Simour and Isidore seemed quite different from the rumors circulating about them.
Most speculation suggested either that Deborah Simour was blackmailing Isidore, or that some sort of transaction or agreement existed between their families. The former lacked evidence and contained exaggerations, but the latter held considerable credibility. After all, both Simour and Visconti were venerable Imperial faction families when classified by faction.
‘But looking at this now, Isidore seems far more interested in the lady than she is in him.’
As he kept pressing for an answer, Thierry paused to consider.
‘What should I do?’
He couldn’t very well confess that he’d fabricated a counterfeit fossil, sold the genuine article to the lady, and then used the money to take everyone to the Horse Racing Track. He quickly conjured up a plausible excuse.
“I mentioned to Deborah Simour the other day that if she wanted to hear a piano performance, she should visit the Epsilon Club Room.”
It was the truth, in fact. She had actually come to him seeking to hear a performance the last time.
“A performance?”
Isidore’s eyebrows shot up.
“I’m quite skilled at piano, you know. The lady seemed to enjoy appreciating lyrical music. Our musical tastes align quite well.”
“….”
“Are you satisfied? Then I’ll head to training. I thought you were the most lenient person, but it turns out you’re the most terrifying.”
Thierry grumbled as he walked toward the exit of the Main Mansion, while Isidore ran his hand roughly through his hair, his mind in turmoil.
‘Why does that bastard irritate me so much?’
His mood had already been poor, but when Thierry smiled with that easy, familiar manner and spoke to the lady in such an affectionate tone, something twisted violently inside him. Moreover, the fact that Thierry had grown close to the lady over something as simple as piano playing kindled a quiet but intense resentment.
What? Their musical tastes align well? What kind of musical preferences does the lady even have that he would say such a thing?
The thought that Thierry and the lady might grow even closer through this shared interest in piano only made his jealousy coil tighter. With an irritated expression, he strode toward Miguel, who had been waiting near the entrance.
“Miguel.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I’m going to practice piano.”
“….”
“Find me a grand piano with the most exceptional tone—one crafted by a renowned master.”
“…Yes, my lord. I shall prepare it at once.”
That very day, he visited the largest sheet music shop in Yones District and returned to the Mansion laden with stacks of nocturne scores, each brimming with lyrical melodies and atmospheric beauty.
* * *
“Sigh.”
I turned the pristine white stone over in my hands before exhaling deeply.
“Why on earth won’t this respond?”
Every circumstance pointed to my having acquired both the holy water egg and the magical artifact, yet despite striking and rubbing it with my blade thousands of times, nothing changed. I had even placed the sword and egg together beneath my blanket, hoping to provide the comforting warmth of a mother’s embrace.
Of course, it remained unresponsive.
‘Could there be another activation method I’m unaware of?’
Arin, being well-read and erudite, might know something about ancient hatching artifacts. I picked up my tea leaves and headed toward the Annex Building where her laboratory was located.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————