“Anyway, you’re the one who took my madness.”
“…So what? You’re still suffering the same.”
“If you ask me whether enduring madness or enduring you is better, I’d say you.”
“…Are you making fun of me for being weak?”
Carlothian chuckled softly.
“Caught me.”
“You, really… Do you want to be bitten?”
“Where? Here?”
Carlothian stuck out his tongue. Ariadeline’s ears instantly flushed. Her small hand struck his shoulder, but his solid shoulder didn’t budge.
“If you’re going to keep making fun of me, move aside.”
“Are you done now?”
Ariadeline narrowed her eyes sharply. It was clear she didn’t like the situation.
Carlothian swallowed his laughter and willingly stepped back, causing Ariadeline to spring up from her seat.
“So why are the knights being punished?”
“Didn’t you point it out yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
Carlothian recalled the report he had received and recited it.
“The knights of Denaves do not waver in the face of such temptations. If you don’t believe that, you are betraying the Duke of Denaves’ trust.”
Ariadeline recalled what she had said and looked very displeased.
“I don’t remember saying it that grandly, but I do recall saying something similar.”
“That’s right. Those idiots who don’t know that are the real fools.”
“So, they’re being punished for dishonoring their comrades and for dishonoring Carlothian, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Then, I guess there’s no room for me to intervene.”
Ariadeline sighed. Carlothian suggested gently, “If you ask nicely, I might make an exception.”
“Eh? What do I mean?”
When Ariadeline looked at him strangely, Carlothian tilted his head toward her, as if to say, “Why are you asking that?”
“If they know it’s over because of you, they’d at least feel thankful.”
“Isn’t that a bit old-fashioned?”
“Is there anything wrong with being old-fashioned? It’s the truth.”
Ariadeline lightly pushed Carlothian’s cheek away as he got closer and replied,
“I don’t want to earn points like that.”
“Why would you need to earn points with those guys?”
“Well, if you put it that way, I have no argument…”
Ariadeline looked at him suspiciously.
“If I really ask you to stop, will you stop?”
“Of course.”
“Then please stop. Oh, what if someone collapses from this?”
“Anyone who would collapse from that isn’t worth keeping around.”
“You never know with people.”
“Hmmm.”
“Go and let them rest! Hurry up!”
Carlothian couldn’t resist Ariadeline’s insistence and stood up. He sauntered down to the first floor and headed for the backyard.
The knights’ faces were all red. After hours of keeping their heads down, it was no surprise that, as Ariadeline said, some of them might start to collapse.
“Everyone, stand up.”
“Yes!”
The knights sprang to their feet without the slightest wobble, standing at attention. Carlothian tilted his head as he looked at them.
“Let me ask once more. Does anyone realize why I did this?”
“No!”
“What a shame.”
Carlothian clicked his tongue.
“Does this mean that the command of a man enchanted by a villainess doesn’t matter anymore?”
At this, the knights were visibly flustered. Carlothian walked among them, just as he had during the day, and asked,
“Do you really believe I was enchanted by the villainess and punished you on her behalf?”
He spoke as if mocking their foolishness.
“Who is your master?”
“Duke Carlothian Denaves!”
“After Duke Carlothian Denaves, even the knights were enchanted by the villainess. That’s quite the rumor to delight high society.”
The knights’ eyes widened. Only then did they realize their mistake.
They had doubted their master.
They had dared to doubt him and tried to judge him.
And they had openly spoken of rumors that could harm the Duchy of Denaves, who had many enemies. …That was the superficial reason for now.
“Does anyone have something to say?”
Everyone fell silent. The knights bowed their heads as if to continue pressing them to the ground.
“Those who believe I was enchanted by the villainess, leave the order right now.”
“No!”
“If you believe she clouded my judgment, you don’t deserve to bear the name of the Denaves Knights.”
“We will correct it!”
“To have my knights disgrace me.”
“We’re sorry!”
“This won’t do. Bosh your heads again…”
At that moment, the curtain on the top floor was pulled back with a harsh sound.
“Carlothian! Stop tormenting the knights and come up here!”
“…”
In an instant, everyone shut their mouths and looked up at the fifth floor. Ariadeline was peering out, looking at Carlothian.
“Disperse! Disperse! Carlothian, aren’t you coming up?!”
Then the curtain closed again with a sharp sound. Carlothian looked up in silence for a moment before clicking his tongue.
“Disperse.”
“Yes!”
Carlothian sauntered back inside his quarters, and the knights cautiously made their way to the third floor.
They all entered their rooms and began to blame themselves for their shortcomings.
“To think that as knights of Denaves, we couldn’t trust our master, the Duke…”
“Have we been too prejudiced against Miss Ariadeline?”
“The Duke recognized how wonderfully Miss Ariadeline has grown.”
“Our Duke would never misjudge a woman!”
“That’s right!”
Pierne sighed as he watched the idiots each saying something. At least it seemed that no bad rumors about Ariadeline would circulate now.
He sheathed his sword and chose to go to bed early rather than mingle with those fools.
And as Pierne fell asleep, the knights on the third floor began to share their thoughts about Ariadeline.
“Come to think of it, Miss Ariadeline was angry about how the Duke and Pierne were dishonored.”
“It’s surprising that we, as knights, didn’t realize what Miss Ariadeline knew about it.”
“Hey, what would you do if someone was spreading bad rumors about you?”
“Well, I’d probably beat them up until they apologized.”
“But Miss Ariadeline didn’t say a word about being insulted.”
“How could that be?”
With their heads still throbbing from being bowed for hours, the knights began to sing praises of Ariadeline.
“I heard the saintess has been visiting Miss Ariadeline frequently lately!”
“We can’t disrespect someone who has repented and found her life again!”
“The temple has acknowledged Miss Ariadeline’s repentance, so who are we to dare say otherwise!”
They were almost fanatical. They might have lost their senses after disappointing the Duke and disgracing the Order. In any case, they were acting like drunken toads.
“Let’s die like this! Let’s die and leave behind some honor!”
Some even began thinking about dying in their delusions.
Fortunately, those whose blood had begun to cool started hitting the heads of those out of control.
The knights fell into a sleep of sorts, and the commotion seemed to settle down.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
What’s going on?
“Good morning, Miss Ariadeline!”
What’s this about?
“Miss Ariadeline, good morning!”
I mean, what’s happening?
“Ariadeline! You are beautiful today as well!”
“Miss Ariadeline! I feel like I’m going blind from your beauty!”
I stood there feeling quite awkward as the knights greeted and praised me every time our eyes met.
I just wanted to go to the temple, but they started praising me like they were possessed as soon as they saw me.
“The holiness of Anrize seems to enhance Miss Ariadeline’s beauty!”
I raised my hand.
“Enough.”
“Yes.”
I pulled one of the knights aside and whispered to him.
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“We’ve simply realized our foolishness.”
“…Foolishness?”
The knight flashed a bright smile, showing his teeth, and gave me a thumbs up.
“We’ve come to realize Miss Ariadeline’s kind heart too late.”
A chill ran down my spine. It was as if the entire order had taken some sort of drug overnight; all they could say was nonsense like that. This was already the fourth time I had heard that line.
I leaned closer to Carlothian and whispered.
“I think everyone went a bit crazy after bowing for too long yesterday.”
