The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 101

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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 101

“That girl catching birds flying in the sky? Even Count Pabein, who shoots the bow best in our knight order, said that would be difficult.”

“A-and Count Pabein said that guns aren’t proper weapons! He said they’re unreliable and what kind of weapon is it if anyone can use it the same way!”

The words Lavinia had said came to mind.

Lillieta had gotten so upset back then that she decided to find out who this Pabein fellow was, but after her head cooled down a bit, she thought it was too childish and just let it go.

But that Count Pabein had appeared before her eyes of his own accord and was making a fuss.

“Your Grace, you must stop this immediately! It’s already shocking that the Noblewoman is participating in the shooting competition, but to hold such a thing as a gun that could explode in her hands at any moment! If she gets hurt because of this!”

“Explode in her hands?”

Duke Duirebourg raised his eyebrows. Pabein added in an agitated voice.

“Yes! Guns are like toys for eccentrics, so they’re extremely unstable—”

“Lavinia’s gun is fine. I’ve maintained it so that won’t happen.”

Rita interjected with a firm tone. She couldn’t just leave it alone when it seemed like Lavinia’s gun would be confiscated right before the finals.

Pabein turned to look at her with hostile eyes.

“Maintenance, as if such a thing could solve…!”

The knight’s words trailed off and his mouth fell open after seeing Lillieta’s face up close. Rita, who was starting to get used to such reactions, ignored the dazed knight and turned her gaze to Duke Duirebourg.

“You don’t need to worry about the Duirebourg Noblewoman’s safety. I guarantee it.”

“Raskail Princess, what are you to guarantee my daughter’s safety?”

The Duke asked expressionlessly.

“Are you saying you’d stake Raskail’s name on this matter? Does a princess who isn’t even the heir have such authority?”

“This has nothing to do with Raskail. Haven’t you heard about what I did during the boat trip on the Drakanis River?”

“…I’ve heard the rumors.”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed.

‘Come to think of it, only Lavi and Sister Anne were on Duirebourg’s yacht back then.’

Though many people had witnessed her shooting the Kraken to death, that didn’t mean everyone had seen that scene.

In fact, it was a story that was hard to believe just from hearing about it.

The seemingly delicate youngest daughter of a ducal house had defeated a giant octopus monster with eight legs like spires using just a single gun that was dismissed as not even being a proper weapon.

Especially for House Duirebourg, which was close to the Duke’s Faction, they had no choice but to be even more negative. The Duke’s Faction was negative about the Kraken incident.

Sure enough, Pabein, who had belatedly come to his senses, began to voice the Duke’s Faction’s claims directly.

“Your Grace, surely you don’t believe that ridiculous rumor as it is? Does it make sense that such a huge monster would die from bullets smaller than pebbles? Obviously, ahem.”

Pabein, who had been raising his voice, deliberately swallowed his next words. With the nuance that he wanted to say it was obviously just a show planned by the Crown Prince, but was holding back out of courtesy.

The Duke didn’t stop his knight and watched while staring at Lillieta. His face seemed to be gauging something.

Rita thought for a moment.

It would be troublesome and difficult to prove here that the Kraken wasn’t some show. Given her current position of needing to win over Duke Adikel, it would also be awkward to openly defend the Crown Prince.

Besides, she had a much simpler way to shut Pabein’s mouth. A more straightforward method that suited her taste better.

Lillieta opened her mouth lightly.

“Count Pabein’s common sense seems quite different from the common sense I learned.”

“It seems the Raskail Princess learned common sense in a unique way. Ah, you said you grew up in a special place, didn’t you? What was it, the Order of the Dusk?”

Pabein said with a crooked smile. Rita momentarily wondered what the Order of the Dusk was, then remembered a beat late.

‘Ah, that was the background setting Gid created for me. Something about being secretive since ancient times or whatever.’

“…That’s right, in the Order of the Dusk’s common sense, such things are entirely possible. Not only hunting monsters with guns, but even greater feats.”

She naturally picked up on Pabein’s words and then calmly added.

“Since you seem unable to believe it due to your narrow perspective, shall I show you directly?”

“What?”

“The Order of the Dusk’s common sense. There happens to be a good means for it too.”

Rita pointed beyond the general division targets.

A place with various obstacles and even magic circles installed. The Combat Event Battlefield, which was the core of the shooting competition.

“Lavi said that Count Pabein shoots the bow best in Duirebourg’s knight order… How about it, shall we directly confirm which side’s common sense is correct?”

In such cases, Gid preferred to just laugh it off and then use the fact that he was underestimated for other schemes, but Rita had always solved doubts about her abilities or crawling provocations by crushing them head-on.

‘But this isn’t the Ash Age, and I’m a noble who must maintain propriety… so directly beating them up would be a bit much, right?’

So wouldn’t it be fine to beat them in an elegant and indirect way called a ‘competition’?

‘While I’m at it, I’ll show those ignorant fools what kind of weapon a gun is once more.’

It absolutely wasn’t because she was secretly annoyed by what the audience had chattered about while Lavinia was competing. It also wasn’t because she’d wanted to humble this Pabein fellow for a while now.

Anyway, it wasn’t. This was all to properly correct perceptions about guns.

“Are you saying you want to have a shooting match with me right now, Raskail Princess?”

Pabein said with an incredulous expression, then asked again.

“With me, a knight, Your Highness?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to see it directly rather than just talking about it? What kind of power bullets smaller than pebbles can demonstrate.”

“Ha.”

The knight who let out a hollow laugh looked back at his lord. Duke Duirebourg answered calmly.

“Since the Princess wants it, comparing would be good too.”

“Pardon? Your Grace, are you serious?”

“Why are you surprised, Count Pabein? Do you lack confidence?”

“How could that be! I’m just worried that if the Princess gets upset by the results and throws a tantrum to Duke Raskail—”

“Enough, shut your mouth. It’s the finals now.”

The Duke, who stopped the knight trying to protest, looked intently at Lillieta.

“I’ll try believing the Princess’s guarantee once.”

It was about Lavinia’s safety. Rita smiled faintly and sat in the viewing stands, looking straight ahead.

The general division finals.

As the announcer made a fuss calling it an upset, Lavinia entered the shooting range.

She glanced at the viewing stands. Her gaze, which had been nervous and trembling while looking at the Duke, became firm when it reached Lillieta. When Rita nodded to her, Lavinia smiled brightly.

She smoothly raised her gun and aimed at the target. A stable stance gained through countless practice. After taking a deep breath, she fired. With a bang, a bullet hole appeared in the dead center.

“Duirebourg’s Noblewoman Lavinia! 10 points, a perfect score from the first shot of the finals!”

The announcer shouted excitedly. The equally excited audience raised their voices and applauded.

People love upsets and dramatic reversals. Before long, the atmosphere of the shooting competition was leaning toward Lavinia.

The finals opponent who entered the shooting range next seemed intimidated by such an atmosphere and shot his arrow off-target to the edge.

The results afterward were overwhelming. Lavinia’s stable shooting of 10 points, 9 points, 10 points, 9 points. Her opponent, who had messed up from the first shot, sank completely.

The winner was decided. Loud cheers erupted.

Duke Adikel, who was hosting the shooting competition, approached Lavinia as she stood on the podium and pinned a brooch with a golden gem to her. It was the Black Dragon’s Eye, an award given by the Royal Family to winners of each division of the shooting competition.

When the award ceremony ended, Lavinia hurriedly ran up to the audience seats. And as if she couldn’t even see the dazed Pabein or the Duke with his complicated expression, she passed by them and stood in front of Lillieta.

“Teacher Rita!”

With her pink hair wet with sweat sticking to her forehead and her shoulders heaving, Lavinia removed the brooch from her chest.

“This belongs to you, Teacher!”

With an overwhelmed face, she held out the Black Dragon’s Eye to Lillieta.

“Winning, winning was all thanks to you, Teacher, so I’ll give it to you!”

“No, Lavi. I can’t accept something like this.”

Rita took the brooch from Lavinia’s hands and pinned it back on her chest.

“This is the fruit of Lavi’s efforts. It’s yours, so be proud of it.”

“Teacher…”

Lavinia’s face, looking down at Lillieta pinning the Black Dragon’s Eye on her, turned bright red and she choked up.

“T-Teacher, Teacher Rita, I’m really, so, grate—”

“Princess, you just got lucky this time!”

Pabein shouted loudly.

“You were lucky that the gun didn’t explode, but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen next time! You must never hold such trash again!”

“Count Pabein.”

Lavinia’s face, which had been choked up with emotion, changed instantly. She glared at the knight with sharp eyes and snapped.

“I’m talking with my teacher right now. Where do you get off interrupting?”

“P-Princess.”

“Seeing how you’re addressing me, you haven’t forgotten who I am. How dare you tell me what to do right now?”

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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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