*****
"No, just kidding."
I shook my head with a pale face.
Despite strongly denying that it was a joke, the doubts between the two did not go away easily.
Even though they weren't related by blood, it seems like Sharkis and Shurei are brothers.
They were both looking at me with narrowed eyes.
'Looking at it that way, there are quite a few similarities.'
What are you going to do?
Shurei, who had that look in his eyes, looked at me and burst out laughing as if he was dumbfounded.
Phew, thank goodness.
Because Shurei doesn't see me as a competitor.
It seemed like it was simply dismissed as a child's tantrum.
'It was perfect!'
It was a time when I was proud of the thought that I had preserved the peace.
Shurei and I became tense as Sharkis continued to speak.
"Or should this brother help you?"
"Hiccup."
It wasn't my voice.
The maid gasped, surprised by Sharkis's subtle suggestion.
I felt like I was losing my mind like a deflated balloon.
"...... Huh."
Even though he knew I was quite surprised, Sharkis patted my back lightly and said.
"Our youngest, do whatever you want. This older brother will support you."
When I heard him say I should tell him whenever I wanted to inherit the Duke's throne, I was so surprised that I looked up at Sharkis's.
It's good that you're supporting me, but I'm not interested in a successor.
I had no desire whatsoever to compete with Shurei.
I was able to win Shurei's favor, but it all flew away because of Sharkis' interference!
I said, looking at Shurei's expression.
"......That won't work, right?"
"You have to dream big, right? There's nothing you can't do in Visenna, Ciel."
Sharkis, who seemed interested as if it would be fun, somehow reminded me of my father.
A villain at the end of the century who would put all the traitors in the world under his feet.
"If the Dukedom is not enough, hoe about a rebellion?"
"..... I won't do it."
I flatly refused.
When the history teacher asked, I gave a
plausible answer, but when Sharkis offered to help, I didn't want to do it anymore.
Anyway, I only have one life.
"Yes. Oh, does our youngest know I'm a knight?"
How could I not know, but Sharkis Visenna had sworn to offer his body and soul to the Emperor.
Of course, no one, not even the Emperor or Sharki's colleagues, would believe that oath.
Shurei seemed to have lost his temper after trying to fight Sharkis.
He was looking at Sharkis and me with a cynical gaze, his arms crossed.
Sharkis asked with regret.
"Isn't there anything our youngest wants to be?"
Oh, there's one. I said, as a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"Grand Duchess!"
If a contract is made between the Visenna and Yekart families, a large deposit is bound to be received.
Unlike me, who was full of enthusiasm, Sharkis and Shurei's expressions hardened terribly.
"Why do you want to marry a dead person?"
"What does that mean? He was still alive......"
"He is going to die soon."
Sharkis, who intercepted my answer, made a strange face.
I guess becoming a Grand Duchesss wasn't a good answer.
Two weeks have passed since the little commotion.
It was a peaceful morning like any other day.
Barney had been braiding my hair since early morning. The veteran maid's hands were busy.
Barney said, putting a red ribbon on my head.
"There will soon be a banquet for Miss Ciel!"
"Really?"
Barney looked more excited than I was.
She looked around and whispered to me.
"Young lady, did you know that? This is the first time The Visennas are opening up the grandeur palace to the public."
Visenna was a bit closed off.
Although known for its infamous family, few people actually knew about Visenna.
As soon as I finished my preparations with Barney's help, a polite knock was heard.
The one who opened the door and came in was Shurei, neatly dressed in a black uniform.
His blond hair and blue eyes, sparkling in the sunlight, accentuated his beauty.
As always, Shurei looked elegant no matter what he wore.
Unlike the maids who blushed with excitement, Shurei asked me with an indifferent expression.
"Ciel Visenna, I have good news and bad news. Which one will you hear first?"
I tilted my head at the meaningful words.
The bad news was bound to be the worst, and the good news wasn't bound to be so good.
I chose it without much thought.
"The good news first."
"......."
Shurei, who had been looking at me with a strange gaze, sighed deeply and said.
"Ferze Yekartes is dead."
'....... What?'
This was really something I didn't think of.
I thought he was joking and told him not to lie, but Shurei remained silent.
I was about to ask again if that was true, but then my eyes widened.
'Your clothes are different from usual, aren't they?'
When he was a priest, he wore black vestments that reached to his knees, and usualy wore a light linen shirt.
Today wasn't even the day to go to the temple, but he was wearing a black uniform with a purple pendant.
Shurei noticed my gaze and spoke in a calm voice.
"Still, since he is the Grand Duke of the Empire, I decided to offer my condolences."
"...... Lie."
Did you say Ferze died?
I looked at Shurei with a face that still said I couldn't believe it.
It seems like only yesterday I saved him from Riena.
I saved the Grand Duke even though I turned into kid. You can't be serious.
Didn't you say there was a banquet coming up soon?
Not only was it not something to be said lightly, but Shurei had never made a joke so lame that it could not be taken as a joke.
Shurei, you're not doing anything wrong, are you?
Either he mistook the person, or judged at will, I sighed and asked.
"What's the bad news?"
He is alive? Something like that, right?
Even though I thought the news Shurei had told me was ridiculous, my heart was pounding.
'It must be a lie. There's no way Ferze would die.'
I waited anxiously for Shurei's answer.
"The body was not found."
"........"
Shurei delivered the news without smile.
His face was pale, and I was seriously wondered if I should believe this or not.
"Congratulations, Ciel."
"....... What?"
"For being free."
I still firmly believed that Shurei was lying.
Until the door opened, and my dad appeared in my room.
I heard the sound of neat footsteps.
When I turned my head, I saw my father
wearing a black suit similar to Shurei's.
I asked with an uneasy feeling.
"Dad, where are you going?"
"I plan to visit the Imperial capital."
"Why?"
"I have to attend the funeral."
They're plotting to deceive me.
I pretended not to see the white paper in my father's hand.
I'm sure there's something written there.
It was an obituary I had seen several times while I was at the Grand Duke estate, but I didn't believe it.
"I'll go too."
"You stay here. Daddy will come and offer his condolences."
Now I'm starting to not be able to tell if it's a joke or real.
I thought I heard a noise again, and Sharkis, wearing a black uniform, came in through the open door.
Sharkis, who was standing next to my father, said while ruffling my hair.
"The capital is too dangerous for you to go there."
Are this three men plotting to deceive me?
I bit my lip, repeating to myself that it couldn't be true.
'Let's not get carried away. That's what all the villains of Visenna think, isn't it?'
They'll be nagging me not to get engaged to Ferze.
If not, it could have been a trick like Romeo and Juliet's –even though it was a contractual relationship– to prevent them from getting engaged.
Since there was no other way to find out the truth, I decided to let it go today.
Instead of arguing with my dad, I gave him a belly button greeting.
"Have a nice day, Eustia daddy."
"Don't call your dad by his name."
Dad gently stroked my cheek with the back of his white-gloved hand.
"Youngest, won't you call my name?"
"It will be too late, brother."
Although Brother Sharkis hesitated with
regretful expression, Shurei urged him on, cutting him off with a sharp blade.
Before I knew it, my two older brothers had followed their father out of the room.
'I should ask my father aide secretly.'
It's perfect if you approach him while your dad and brothers are away.
I watched them leave through the window.
My heart was already pounding even though I wasn't doing anything bad.
support me please, simply by clicking on ads on this blog. Thank you~
Anyway, I only have one life.
"Yes. Oh, does our youngest know I'm a knight?"
How could I not know, but Sharkis Visenna had sworn to offer his body and soul to the Emperor.
Of course, no one, not even the Emperor or Sharki's colleagues, would believe that oath.
Shurei seemed to have lost his temper after trying to fight Sharkis.
He was looking at Sharkis and me with a cynical gaze, his arms crossed.
Sharkis asked with regret.
"Isn't there anything our youngest wants to be?"
Oh, there's one. I said, as a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"Grand Duchess!"
If a contract is made between the Visenna and Yekart families, a large deposit is bound to be received.
Unlike me, who was full of enthusiasm, Sharkis and Shurei's expressions hardened terribly.
"Why do you want to marry a dead person?"
"What does that mean? He was still alive......"
"He is going to die soon."
Sharkis, who intercepted my answer, made a strange face.
I guess becoming a Grand Duchesss wasn't a good answer.
*****
Two weeks have passed since the little commotion.
It was a peaceful morning like any other day.
Barney had been braiding my hair since early morning. The veteran maid's hands were busy.
Barney said, putting a red ribbon on my head.
"There will soon be a banquet for Miss Ciel!"
"Really?"
Barney looked more excited than I was.
She looked around and whispered to me.
"Young lady, did you know that? This is the first time The Visennas are opening up the grandeur palace to the public."
Visenna was a bit closed off.
Although known for its infamous family, few people actually knew about Visenna.
As soon as I finished my preparations with Barney's help, a polite knock was heard.
The one who opened the door and came in was Shurei, neatly dressed in a black uniform.
His blond hair and blue eyes, sparkling in the sunlight, accentuated his beauty.
As always, Shurei looked elegant no matter what he wore.
Unlike the maids who blushed with excitement, Shurei asked me with an indifferent expression.
"Ciel Visenna, I have good news and bad news. Which one will you hear first?"
I tilted my head at the meaningful words.
The bad news was bound to be the worst, and the good news wasn't bound to be so good.
I chose it without much thought.
"The good news first."
"......."
Shurei, who had been looking at me with a strange gaze, sighed deeply and said.
"Ferze Yekartes is dead."
'....... What?'
This was really something I didn't think of.
I thought he was joking and told him not to lie, but Shurei remained silent.
I was about to ask again if that was true, but then my eyes widened.
'Your clothes are different from usual, aren't they?'
When he was a priest, he wore black vestments that reached to his knees, and usualy wore a light linen shirt.
Today wasn't even the day to go to the temple, but he was wearing a black uniform with a purple pendant.
Shurei noticed my gaze and spoke in a calm voice.
"Still, since he is the Grand Duke of the Empire, I decided to offer my condolences."
"...... Lie."
Did you say Ferze died?
I looked at Shurei with a face that still said I couldn't believe it.
It seems like only yesterday I saved him from Riena.
I saved the Grand Duke even though I turned into kid. You can't be serious.
Didn't you say there was a banquet coming up soon?
Not only was it not something to be said lightly, but Shurei had never made a joke so lame that it could not be taken as a joke.
Shurei, you're not doing anything wrong, are you?
Either he mistook the person, or judged at will, I sighed and asked.
"What's the bad news?"
He is alive? Something like that, right?
Even though I thought the news Shurei had told me was ridiculous, my heart was pounding.
'It must be a lie. There's no way Ferze would die.'
I waited anxiously for Shurei's answer.
"The body was not found."
"........"
Shurei delivered the news without smile.
His face was pale, and I was seriously wondered if I should believe this or not.
"Congratulations, Ciel."
"....... What?"
"For being free."
I still firmly believed that Shurei was lying.
Until the door opened, and my dad appeared in my room.
I heard the sound of neat footsteps.
When I turned my head, I saw my father
wearing a black suit similar to Shurei's.
I asked with an uneasy feeling.
"Dad, where are you going?"
"I plan to visit the Imperial capital."
"Why?"
"I have to attend the funeral."
They're plotting to deceive me.
I pretended not to see the white paper in my father's hand.
I'm sure there's something written there.
It was an obituary I had seen several times while I was at the Grand Duke estate, but I didn't believe it.
"I'll go too."
"You stay here. Daddy will come and offer his condolences."
Now I'm starting to not be able to tell if it's a joke or real.
I thought I heard a noise again, and Sharkis, wearing a black uniform, came in through the open door.
Sharkis, who was standing next to my father, said while ruffling my hair.
"The capital is too dangerous for you to go there."
Are this three men plotting to deceive me?
I bit my lip, repeating to myself that it couldn't be true.
'Let's not get carried away. That's what all the villains of Visenna think, isn't it?'
They'll be nagging me not to get engaged to Ferze.
If not, it could have been a trick like Romeo and Juliet's –even though it was a contractual relationship– to prevent them from getting engaged.
Since there was no other way to find out the truth, I decided to let it go today.
Instead of arguing with my dad, I gave him a belly button greeting.
"Have a nice day, Eustia daddy."
"Don't call your dad by his name."
Dad gently stroked my cheek with the back of his white-gloved hand.
"Youngest, won't you call my name?"
"It will be too late, brother."
Although Brother Sharkis hesitated with
regretful expression, Shurei urged him on, cutting him off with a sharp blade.
Before I knew it, my two older brothers had followed their father out of the room.
'I should ask my father aide secretly.'
It's perfect if you approach him while your dad and brothers are away.
I watched them leave through the window.
My heart was already pounding even though I wasn't doing anything bad.
support me please, simply by clicking on ads on this blog. Thank you~
====================
0 comments:
Post a Comment