RTTE 08

Chapter 8

“…Your Highness the Princess, it has been a long time.”

“Indeed it has, Lady Edverd.”

The last time Lumiere had seen her was on the day she had held a dagger to her own throat and threatened to kill herself.

That meant it had been roughly two months.

[I tried to leave him, but he wouldn’t let me go.]

Clora was the person who had made her realize just how futile her desperate, life-risking struggle had been.

Perhaps because it was all so long ago now.

There had once been a time when Lumiere had been consumed by jealousy and resentment toward her, but now she felt absolutely nothing.

“Since you’ve met again, why don’t you have a conversation? I’m sure there are many things Your Highness would like to ask Lady Clora.”

Clora anxiously grabbed the hem of the woman’s dress as the woman sneered.

Well, considering Lumiere had once been a crazy woman so obsessed with another person’s lover that she had even risked her life, Clora probably had no idea what she might do.

“I only came here because I had business to attend to. Now that I’m finished, I’ll be leaving.”

There was no reason to remain any longer and make things uncomfortable for everyone.

Lumiere turned to the employee.

“I’ll pay immediately, so have the goods loaded onto the carriage in their crates.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She had just finished paying and was about to turn away when—

“Even though you’re being sold off to the North, Your Highness is personally shopping for supplies. How very thrifty of you.”

Why did this woman keep provoking someone who was trying to leave quietly?

Lumiere swallowed a sigh and spoke, already growing annoyed.

“I don’t know who you are, but judging by the way you’ve been running your mouth since earlier, it seems you have something to say to me.”

“Hah…!”

The woman let out a hollow laugh as though she found the situation absurd.

Her manner toward a Princess was unbelievably insolent, but Lumiere was so accustomed to such treatment that she was hardly surprised.

“L-Lady Roselyn!”

A flustered Clora grabbed the woman’s arm in an attempt to stop her, but the woman gently brushed her hand away.

“My name is Roselyn of House Veleno. We have met several times, yet you don’t remember me. I must say, I’m deeply concerned about Your Highness’s health.”

Roselyn.

Was she one of those women who often clung to Clora’s side and picked fights with her?

So many people had treated Lumiere disrespectfully that she could not be certain.

But judging by how confidently Roselyn was provoking her, this sort of behavior was apparently quite familiar to her.

It doesn’t matter who she is.

What mattered was that if Lumiere let this incident pass without addressing it properly, the story that the Princess had tucked her tail between her legs and run away would spread throughout Imperial high society.

“So, you are the young lady of Viscount Veleno’s family? I’ll give you an opportunity. Stop beating around the bush and say whatever it is you wish to say.”

“Even if you are leaving, shouldn’t you apologize to Lady Edverd first?”

…Apologize?

“It is unfortunate that Your Highness was not chosen by Duke Trovitan, but after tormenting an innocent person so terribly, isn’t it improper for you to leave without even asking for forgiveness?”

For a moment, Lumiere was speechless.

Even the person directly involved was keeping her mouth shut, yet a completely unrelated Viscount’s daughter was standing before a Princess and lecturing her.

Lumiere quietly called to Clora, who was fidgeting anxiously beside them.

“Lady Edverd.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“Do I need to apologize to you?”

“…No.”

“Then must I ask you for forgiveness?”

“No, Your Highness. How could Your Highness possibly…?”

Clora answered in a trembling voice before lowering her head.

This was the proper attitude a noblewoman should take before a Princess in a society governed by rank.

Lumiere turned her gaze away from Clora and looked at Roselyn.

“So that is what she says. Then how do you intend to take responsibility for this situation?”

“…Excuse me?”

“You dared to make light of a Princess’s authority by arrogantly lecturing me. Shouldn’t you bear responsibility for that?”

Before her regression, Lumiere had been someone completely broken after years of abuse and oppression within the Imperial Palace.

Even when a mere maid looked down on her, even when she was treated as nothing more than a flower on the wall at every party, all she could do was tremble.

The only reason she had threatened Clora was because she had been so terribly afraid of marrying the Grand Duke.

…And even then, she probably would not have dared to do it if Clora had not seemed like someone she could easily intimidate.

Perhaps Roselyn was so accustomed to seeing Lumiere silently endure everything without ever speaking back.

After hesitating for only a moment, Roselyn soon regained her arrogant attitude.

“Responsibility? Isn’t it simply common sense that the person who did something wrong should apologize?”

How strange.

Lumiere herself had never once received an apology from anyone.

She almost laughed in disbelief, but Roselyn continued.

“And yet Your Highness is threatening me simply for speaking the truth. I must say, I’m deeply concerned about the future of the Grand Duchy that is supposed to have Your Highness as its future mistress.”

“The future of the Grand Duchy…”

How dare she speak of the Grand Duchy’s future in front of Lumiere?

There was no reason to listen any longer.

“It seems I’ll have to teach you some manners.”

The moment Lumiere finished speaking, she swung her hand.

Slap!

A sharp sound echoed through the room as Roselyn’s face snapped to the side.

“D-Did you just hit me…?”

Roselyn covered her cheek and stared at her in shock.

Lumiere looked back at her with an utterly indifferent expression.

“Yes. Have you finally come to your senses?”

“H-How dare you—!”

“How dare I?”

“N-No, that isn’t what I meant…!”

Had Roselyn secretly considered the Princess—who had been so mistreated in the Imperial Palace—to be beneath her?

“It seems you’ll need to be taught a harsher lesson before you come to your senses.”

To think that, after everything, someone would actually dare to say how dare you to her.

Lumiere slapped her again.

Slap!

“Your Highness!”

Roselyn’s eyes flew open sharply, filled with indignation after being struck again.

Even after being slapped twice, she did not lower her spirit in the slightest.

Instead, she continued glaring at Lumiere insolently.

“Let us see how long you can continue looking at me like that.”

This time, Lumiere swung her hand with even greater force.

Slap! Slap!

Every time Roselyn’s head snapped to the side, she stubbornly turned back to face Lumiere and glared at her.

As though they were engaged in a battle of wills.

Lumiere had to break that arrogant attitude.

With that determination, she raised her stinging palm and brought it down again—

“Y-Your Highness the Princess!”

Clora suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Roselyn, shielding her.

“…What exactly are you doing?”

Lumiere stopped her hand in midair and narrowed her eyes.

Clora had just interfered while a member of the Imperial Family was personally administering punishment.

It was not something the woman who had been lowering her head before Lumiere only moments ago should have dared to do.

“Y-Your Highness. I’m sure Lady Roselyn has reflected on her actions by now. Please… perhaps Your Highness could forgive her this time…”

Forgive her?

When Roselyn should have been on her knees begging for mercy?

“Move aside.”

“Your Highness…”

“This is not something you should interfere with. Move aside.”

“But…”

“Can’t you hear what I’m saying?”

Clora hesitated, unable to bring herself to move.

Then—

“What in the world is going on here?!”

A man suddenly appeared and grabbed Lumiere’s wrist tightly.

“Duke Trovitan…?”

“Don’t tell me you were threatening my fiancée?”

Why is the Duke here…?

Lumiere’s violet eyes trembled slightly.

Logan’s face was twisted into a deep frown, as though he were furious beyond measure.

She stared blankly at him before suddenly remembering that Clora was here.

The day after Lumiere had been driven away to the North—

These two had spent a pleasant time together here.

A hollow laugh escaped her.

Once again, she realized just how foolish and pathetic she had been in her previous life.

You stupid Lumiere…

What he gave you was nothing more than cheap pity.

Why did you cling to him so desperately?

An indescribable emptiness washed over her like a rising tide, and a subdued voice slipped from between her lips.

“…Duke, release my hand immediately.”

“Didn’t I ask you? Were you threatening my fiancée?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Release my hand at once.”

When Lumiere coldly twisted her wrist in an attempt to pull free, Logan tightened his grip even further and spoke through clenched teeth.

“Didn’t I clearly tell you that day to keep quiet? And yet, how could you continue causing trouble until the very end…!”

A sharp pain shot through her wrist as though it were being crushed.

Lumiere let out a quiet groan and frowned.

Then—

“Let go.”

A large man, dark and imposing as a shadow, seized Logan’s wrist and twisted it with tremendous force.