The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 134

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 134

The white horse Raphael was riding came to an abrupt halt.

Soon, his red eyes that had been thoroughly scanning the dense thicket turned to look at me.

“Are you asking what I would do if Andert were alive?”

His fierce gaze, like that of a predator eyeing its prey, seemed to cry out ‘How dare you?’

Somehow I felt like I had asked a question I shouldn’t have, but there was no taking back words already spoken.

“Yes.”

“Rather, that’s a question I’d like to ask you, sister. Isn’t he your blood relative?”

“Well, me… I’d immediately search for him frantically. I actually wandered around for a long time doing just that.”

Raphael, who had been staring at me intently, only began slowly urging his horse forward to match my pace after our positions became parallel.

“Do you feel vengeful?”

At that question, I recalled the modest stone grave I had built on Quin Island.

Perhaps that stone grave was the very embodiment of the hatred and revenge I felt toward Mephistopheles.

“Toward Mephistopheles? Well. What would be the point of feeling such emotions toward someone already dead?”

“You mean you would have felt them if he weren’t dead.”

“Not just me, but anyone would.”

Since I had answered, now it was his turn. Raphael immediately responded to my meaningful look.

“I have only one answer to give to your question, sister.”

After a brief pause, his gaze turned forward again.

“Andert is dead. So such hypotheticals would be meaningless.”

Meaningless.

In a situation where such a hypothesis had already arisen, it wasn’t the answer I wanted.

“Don’t you think I know that? I’m just asking what you’d do under the assumption that he’s alive.”

“Is such a question meaningful at this point?”

Raphael’s counter-question contained not a trace of agitation. Rather, it had only sunk lower and more viscously.

“If he were alive, he would have come to see me. Even if we couldn’t meet, at least some contact would have reached me. Whether to inform me of his life or death, or to ask for help. Through some matter or another.”

Raphael’s sharply extended voice, honed like a craftsman’s sword, pierced my heart with its blade.

Raphael’s words were right.

But I had not done so.

And I did not regret that decision.

Even so… I clung to his words as if making excuses.

“What if there was a proper reason he couldn’t appear?”

“Alive but not appearing for some reason. Are you still caught up in such fantasies, sister?”

While waiting for my answer, his lips, closed in a straight line, twisted upward crookedly.

“A reason… yes, there could be one. But whatever the reason, I cannot accept it.”

“…”

“If he were alive, he should have come to find me first.”

Among all the rigid words he had uttered, this was the only sentence that scattered like a sigh.

Silence settled around us.

I couldn’t say anything. Looking down, I noticed my hands were gripping the reins tightly, as if they were my only lifeline.

I didn’t have the confidence to look at Raphael’s face.

I know the name of this feeling. This is guilt.

Regardless of whether my own judgment was right or wrong, it was the most natural emotion I had to feel toward Raphael Jenail as Andert Pager.

The question I had posed was infinitely light, but only for me. The arrogance I belatedly realized weighed heavily on my throat.

“…But such a thing never happened. So Andert is dead. Now all I have left is you, sister.”

His tone, which I thought had calmed down, turned fierce again.

“But you appeared and immediately started acting selfishly… no, perhaps I’m hoping for too much. Continue acting selfishly as you are now. As long as I’m alive, I’ll protect you no matter what.”

The head of Raphael’s horse turned forward and moved a bit faster. I slowly followed behind him, organizing the various emotions rising in my mind.

Guilt. This was an emotion I rightfully had to bear. There was no need to try to shake it off.

Anxiety. He was someone who firmly denied even the hypothesis that ‘Andert is alive.’ I was scared to reveal my identity, but I couldn’t hide it forever either. Therefore, I would have to bear this as well.

The overflowing frustration, disappointment… and one thing among them that couldn’t quite be organized.

Suspicion.

Since our reunion, such suspicion had arisen for the first time.

‘Does Raphael truly accept me as Andert’s sister?’

Raphael had never asked me about Andert.

Was it because he had cleanly accepted my death?

No, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have expressed his anger so openly as he did now.

I pride myself on knowing Raphael well.

His words were half sincere and the other half venting. Venting his sense of betrayal and disappointment directed not at me, but at Andert.

Why was he, who was infinitely rational, venting that anger on me?

Because I’m Andert’s sister?

Or perhaps, Raphael knows that I am…

‘He might have realized I’m Andert.’

Ah.

Aah!

‘…Damn it.’

It’s too plausible, isn’t it?

‘If I assume he knows my identity, the conversation just now makes perfect sense…’

I didn’t want to believe it.

‘Have I… could it be that I’ve been putting on this whole charade in front of Raphael who knows who I am?’

My head went blank and my heart pounded rapidly.

This was a different dimension of anxiety from when the Swordmaster discovered my identity. Even if it had been Natasha, I probably wouldn’t have been this shaken.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of being a major criminal.

I am a criminal… and I know I’m a criminal and Raphael knows it too, so ultimately I have no choice but to keep acting like a criminal… that kind of…

Whoosh.

Suddenly, a clean sound of cutting through air was heard.

When I looked up, prey with its throat pierced was fluttering its limbs as it crashed to the ground.

Originally, as his assistant, I should have personally taken care of the prey, but Raphael dismounted from his saddle as if he had forgotten my existence entirely and dragged the prey over himself.

I approached him with feelings that were awkward, shameful, and strangely complex, offering him my water bottle.

However, Raphael conspicuously ignored my goodwill and opened his own to wet his throat.

It was a huge shock.

“Why…”

Raphael, who had swallowed water so roughly that his Adam’s apple bobbed greatly, wiped his mouth and looked at me.

I opened my mouth, feeling my nose tingle.

“Why won’t you drink the water I offer? Do you dislike me? Have you become so disgusted that you find it unpleasant to even touch water I give you?”

Raphael furrowed his brow uncharacteristically, then reproached me with an incredulous look.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice you filled it with alcohol instead of water?”

…

…Oh, that’s right.

Damn. I had completely forgotten. I was already trash, but now I’d become even worse trash.

“Moreover, you subtly moved in the exact opposite direction from where the prey escaped. You seem to genuinely want to sabotage my hunt.”

“No, that… that was just me being absent-minded and making a mistake.”

“Say something believable.”

After that, Raphael threw himself into hunting like a madman.

Due to unnecessary guilt, I couldn’t properly execute my sabotage operations. I was essentially nothing more than a spectator. A guilty spectator, to be precise.

An hour later, the interim scores were reported. A servant came to find us directly to inform us of the progress.

While there were various changes in the scores, at least the top rankings remained the same.

“Would you like to designate a new assistant?”

To the servant’s question, Raphael answered while keeping his eyes fixed on me.

“No. We’ll continue as we are.”

I pretended not to see that look and naturally changed the subject.

“That’s impressive. The point gap with the Swordmaster is being maintained as well.”

Unlike before, Raphael answered with a noticeably calm voice.

“There’s nothing surprising about it. He’s approaching the hunt with an unserious attitude.”

“How do you know that?”

“Isn’t he only appointing daughters of noble families as assistants? I’d guess it’s because of promises made to the noble ladies. Last year, he used renowned knights as assistants and focused on the hunt. This year, he doesn’t seem to have that intention.”

What, Swordmaster. Were you really some kind of Casanova? Why do you live so happily? It’s annoying for no reason.

30 minutes later, the first day’s hunt came to an end.

As soon as I returned to headquarters, I checked the hunting scores.

Our team was still in 4th place, just like 30 minutes ago. The point gap had even widened.

And he said he’d work hard.

“Not even close, Liwein.”

Liwein’s cheeks, standing next to me, turned very, very slightly red.

“To make an excuse, Gern Rosebel’s interference caused the prey to flee hastily…”

“Sure, sure. There’s tomorrow too, so cheer up.”

“…Tomorrow, it’s not me but you who should cheer up, Baroness.”

“Ah? Come to think of it, that’s right.”

Tomorrow I’ll be the hunter.

“Thank you for your hard work hunting today, Baroness.”

“Yeah, you too. See you tomorrow.”

When I turned around, Raphael was waiting for me.

“The day after tomorrow, I’ll hand over the item you requested. Don’t forget to come find me.”

The item I had requested…

‘Dian Cecht’s cage.’

My nose stung at this unexpected matter.

Seeing how he always kept promises once made, regardless of the situation, guilt welled up in me once again.

After clearing my throat softly, I called out to him as he was walking away.

“Raphael.”

He stopped and looked back at me.

Should I or shouldn’t I. Should I or shouldn’t I. After agonizing madly, I approached him and courageously blurted out.

“I am a woman.”

Raphael looked at me as if to say ‘so what.’

“I can see that.”

“Right, you can see that. What I want to say is… the me that you see is all of me.”

After a long silence, Raphael opened his lips.

“You’re saying something difficult.”

Tilting his head slightly, he suggested to me with a somewhat more gentle attitude.

“Then since I am a man, would you dance the first dance with me at the hunting festival banquet?”

The first dance of the banquet?

‘I was planning to dance with Liwein.’

Since I’m consistently receiving attention, it would help raise that guy’s value too. Paradoxically, he’s also the most comfortable among those I’ve gotten acquainted with in high society.

‘…Never mind.’

Suddenly, I wondered why I was calculating things so complicatedly.

How much could I really scheme anyway? There’s no reason I couldn’t dance with Raphael.

“Let’s do that.”

Raphael returned with a satisfied expression.

Thus, the first day’s hunting schedule ended.

And the next day.

Just before the second day’s hunt began.

“Baroness Weatherwax. There is someone who wishes to see you.”

I was summoned by the Emperor.

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