Chapter 178
It May Not Be Entirely a Good Thing
Valdrova Castle, underground.
“How would you feel about spending some time with a young lady?”
“A young lady?”
Valdrova, who had been practicing her writing, turned her head.
Luri did not like the way her golden eyes lit up.
“W-What kind of person is she?”
She cautiously asked while trying to suppress her rising excitement.
Finding that behavior far too unbefitting of a ruler, Luri answered calmly.
“From what I have heard, she is similar to you, Master.”
“Would we get along well?”
“If she is like me…”
The words Indeed, that is the problem rose all the way to Luri’s throat.
“There is no need to worry. I have been told she is lively and an excellent conversationalist, so she should get along well with you.”
“Then she is not really like me, is she?”
“Indeed.”
Who would ever approach a dragon first and attempt to engage her in idle chatter?
Dragons ruled above all living things. They were embodiments of wisdom and experience who had lived hundreds of times longer than humans.
Human politics amounted to children’s games to them, while even matters humans considered grave were little more than trivial conversation.
But that was merely what humans assumed.
Valdrova preferred the ordinary chatter shared among women.
‘Talking with a human noblewoman.’
Why did something so simple make her this nervous?
Fear came first, and the urge to refuse surged within her.
Yet if she turned down this opportunity, there was no telling when another might come.
“I-I’ll do it.”
She suppressed her pounding heart and asked,
“When should we meet?”
“She is coming immediately, so you should begin preparing.”
“R-Right now?”
“If that feels too burdensome, I can reschedule the meeting.”
“N-No! Let’s do it! They say you should strike while the iron is hot!”
“Then I will make the preparations.”
Luri bowed and withdrew.
As Valdrova watched her leave the room, a thought that had not occurred to her before suddenly surfaced.
‘Come to think of it, it is strange for Luri to suggest something like this.’
Luri did not approve of Valdrova associating with humans.
A dragon gaining intimacy with a human benefited only the human, and there was always the risk that they would try to exploit the dragon.
Valdrova’s innocence had caused her to suffer such treatment many times before.
For that reason, Luri was never pleased when Valdrova personally interacted with humans.
How long had it taken even Ferda, her fiancé, to arrange their first tea party?
‘Has Luri begun trusting humans a little more?’
The thought that the little girl, always so serious and expressionless that she resembled a doll, might be becoming more human made Valdrova happy.
However, Luri had not changed at all.
‘A tea party with humans…’
She still found the idea thoroughly displeasing.
But Luri had been given no choice.
When Ferda suddenly contacted her and said that he intended to bring Ludmilla Purity with him, Luri had replied,
—Have you lost your mind?
She had been completely serious.
—Lady Valdrova is a dragon. That young lady is an insignificant human. Do you truly believe I would permit such a casual audience?
—I understand.
—Then why are you saying something so absurd when you understand?
—I also know that this should be handled with proper courtesy. Even so, it must be done.
Anguish seeped into Ferda’s voice.
He swallowed his pain several times before finally saying,
—Penelope.
“…”
—That damned demon woman… is the Princeps’s first friend.
Penelope.
A pink-haired demon whose behavior was unbearably frivolous.
Had Ferda not repeatedly insisted that she was important, Luri would have twisted the neck of such a worthless creature long ago.
—She is my friend…
When Valdrova had shyly introduced her that way, Luri had felt as though she had been struck across the face.
It was like watching a daughter whom she had raised to be beautiful and proper announce that she intended to marry a thug she had picked up from the street.
Luri had bitten down on her lip so hard that blood flowed freely.
—And now you want me to stand by while that woman, who is interested in women rather than men, remains close to her?
—If you remember the tears of blood we shed that day, then we must find Her Highness a new friend as quickly as possible.
Only then did Luri understand.
This was not the time to complain about standards.
—I will proceed.
That demon had to be driven away.
Without fail.
“Lord Ferda has arrived. It seems he has brought the young lady with him, so I will guide her inside.”
“O-Okay!”
Valdrova wore a dress, and the table had been piled high with sweets.
Since this was not a tea party with her fiancé, it was held not in the recreation room, but in the garden filled with spring.
The rich fragrance of flowers made everything feel strangely new.
She was truly about to spend time with another woman.
“Master, Lady Purity is entering.”
The main gate opened, and a woman stepped inside.
She was a charming person with a smile on her lips.
“I greet the Princeps. My name is Ludmilla Purity.”
Valdrova could not bring herself to answer properly and merely nodded.
Ludmilla carefully entered and took the seat across from her.
For the first time, someone other than Ferda sat on the opposite side of this table.
“This is our first proper introduction. I should have greeted you when we first met.”
Valdrova tilted her head.
“You have… seen me before?”
“At the Spring Festival. You danced with the Regent, remember?”
“Ah…”
Valdrova’s face reddened.
She did not know how it had looked to others, but she had barged in that day because of a feeling called jealousy.
It was fortunate that she had been wearing a mask.
This time, Valdrova attempted to continue the conversation herself.
“I heard that… you became engaged.”
“Yes. I am to become the lady of House Consilus.”
“Congrat… ulations.”
“It is an honor to receive the Princeps’s blessing. And please, feel free to speak casually with me.”
“Speak casually…?”
“Yes! Just call me Ludmilla and speak to me comfortably, as you would with a friend!”
“F-Friend…”
Ludmilla’s boundlessly cheerful energy seemed to push Valdrova forward from behind.
If she continued using formal speech, it would feel as though she were drawing a line between them.
She had no choice but to speak casually.
“L-Ludmilla…?”
“Yes, Princeps!”
Ludmilla clapped her hands in delight.
Seeing her radiant smile put Valdrova at ease as well.
She thought she understood why Luri had made an exception this time.
“May I ask you one question?”
“Yes.”
“Why do you wear a mask?”
It was an incredibly bold question.
“Does it look strange?”
“No. Rather than strange, I wondered whether there was some story behind it. I apologize if it is a sensitive subject.”
“No, it is not sensitive.”
Valdrova was surprised, but she did not consider Ludmilla rude.
If anything, was Valdrova not the discourteous one?
Ludmilla had shown her face openly, while Valdrova refused to show hers.
“Do you want to see what my face looks like, Ludmilla?”
“Gasp! Am I allowed to see your face?”
“You do not have to if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“No, no, no! I absolutely want to see it.”
Seeing how vigorously Ludmilla refused, Valdrova realized she could no longer take back the offer.
She carefully removed her mask and revealed her face.
Ludmilla, who had been holding a hand over her pounding heart, opened her mouth wide.
“Forgive me for asking, but… are you wearing makeup?”
“Hm? No.”
“My goodness. How can you be this beautiful without any makeup?”
Valdrova finally became embarrassed.
The urge to pull the mask back over her face surged within her.
“I am not merely flattering you. You are more beautiful than Princess Olivia.”
“I do not think it is quite that much…”
“With just a little more effort, you certainly would be. If you wore a few ornaments and applied only a light touch of powder, you would be faaar more beautiful than Princess Olivia.”
Luri had always handled Valdrova’s appearance for her.
However, Luri had been raised as a warrior and naturally had no connection to such feminine skills.
Moreover, adding anything to a perfect dragon was in itself an act of irreverence.
Unlike Luri, however, Valdrova had always been interested in such adornment.
“Are you good at that sort of thing?”
“Of course! I was always the one who braided my older sisters’ hair! They’re extremely particular, but after I started doing it for them, they kept making me do it every time.”
“Hmm… That must have been difficult.”
“Not at all! I enjoy things like that, so I didn’t mind. I also like packing lunches for my brothers!”
“You know how to cook?”
Valdrova’s eyes changed.
Ludmilla noticed the look immediately.
“Are you interested in cooking?”
“Well…”
After hesitating, Valdrova answered shyly.
“A little.”
She had wondered what she could do for Ferda.
What could she do to show him how deeply she loved him even without revealing her face?
Cooking had been one of the answers she came up with.
“I once thought it would be nice if Mr. Ferda ate something I made.”
“I know! I know exactly how that feels!”
Ludmilla clasped both hands against her chest and eventually began to tear up.
Valdrova panicked.
“W-Why are you crying?”
“No, it’s just… I’m so glad I said I wanted to speak with you, Lady Valdrova. There’s truly no one else I can talk to about things like this.”
“What are the other young ladies like?”
“They’re completely different from you! Do you know what they say when I tell them I enjoy cooking? They look down on me as if it’s something only common maids would do! They say I must already be preparing to marry into some shabby household that cannot even afford a cook.”
“That’s awful.”
“I’m doing it for the people I love, so I don’t understand what they find so objectionable! People who only know how to receive things and never show gratitude are no better than beasts. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And wealth and family status aren’t everything. Even if two people are pushed together by their families, if they try to understand each other, it can still become love, can’t it?”
Ludmilla’s words struck a chord in Valdrova’s heart.
They perfectly described the feelings she held for Ferda.
She felt that she could share more of those emotions with this girl.
“Ludmilla.”
“Yes, Princeps?”
“Um… This might sound a little strange…”
“It won’t be strange at all! You can tell me anything!”
“Then… would you be my friend?”
Valdrova worried that Ludmilla might be stunned, but her eyes shone like the sun in the sky.
“Of course! That’s what I wanted to say! I kept thinking how wonderful it would be if we could become friends!”
Ludmilla rose from her seat and tightly held Valdrova’s hands.
“I’m so happy that I can be your friend.”
Valdrova was startled by her enthusiasm, but only for a moment.
Unlike the hands of most noblewomen, Ludmilla’s were slightly rough.
“I’m also very happy that I can be friends with you.”
Valdrova liked those rough hands so much that she continued stroking them as though they were silk.
While the women spent time together in the garden, Ferda was meeting with Arwon and Zed in his office.
“Pwahahaha! That’s absolutely hilarious!”
Zed laughed loudly enough to shake the castle.
Arwon frowned.
“What exactly is so funny?”
“Of course it’s funny! Your future brothers-in-law kept aiming for your groin during a sparring match, even though that’s the one thing you should never do. How could I not laugh?”
Life was said to be a comedy from a distance and a tragedy up close.
For Zed, it was a comedy.
For Arwon, it had nearly become an absurd tragedy.
For Ferda, it was a matter of complete indifference.
“Still, considering how murderous they seemed, you look relatively unharmed.”
“I may look fine, but I lost consciousness three times. They avoided my face, but they kept targeting my groin, so guarding was somewhat difficult.”
“Wow. The heir of House Purity is quite the capable man. If you’re lacking the necessary qualifications, he’ll personally create them for you.”
Zed burst into laughter again.
“To think a man would let himself be completely controlled by a woman. Honestly, what kind of man are you?”
Zed continued needling Arwon without pause.
Ferda looked at him disdainfully.
“I don’t think you’re in any position to criticize him.”
“What did I do?”
“Aren’t you completely under the merchant guild master’s thumb?”
Zed flinched.
“What are you talking about? When has that ever happened? I still go around seducing women, just like I used to…”
“The last time I saw you, it looked as though you were asking for permission. Was that my imagination?”
“Oh dear, I just remembered some unfinished work! I should be going. It was a pleasure seeing you today!”
“Yes, your wife is calling, so you should hurry.”
Realizing the conversation had turned against him, Zed fled at once.
Ferda watched him leave with a look of contempt.
“…Regent.”
Arwon, who had lowered his head, called out to him.
“What is it?”
“Could you perhaps keep a secret for me? You seem discreet, and I have nowhere else I can bring myself to speak of it…”
“Go ahead.”
“Well… I’m telling only you this, Regent…”
Arwon stammered in a manner entirely unbecoming of a knight.
“That time… it wasn’t exactly something that happened by mutual consent…”
“What do you mean? Are you saying you really assaulted her?”
“No.”
He struggled to continue.
“I only meant that I wasn’t the one who did the assaulting.”
Ferda understood and slowly looked over Arwon’s body.
He was sturdy enough to subdue ten grown men charging him at once.
It was difficult to believe that a woman had overpowered someone like him.
“Was she truly that strong?”
“No. She was delicate. That’s why I…”
“You couldn’t bring yourself to use your strength. Even so, you should have been able to restrain her.”
“…”
“Ludmilla said that if I refused to embrace her, she would assume I did not love her and go marry someone else…”
“So she threatened you.”
“Yes…”
Chivalry or not, she had told him that unless he embraced her immediately, she would take it as proof that he did not love her and seek marriage with another man.
Once Arwon explained it that way, Ferda began to see the entire picture.
‘Could it be…?’
What if there had been a noblewoman’s calculation hidden beneath the innocence Ferda had sensed in Ludmilla?
A duke’s daughter and a frontier knight.
What if Ludmilla had already understood that there was an insurmountable gap between them?
Had she merely introduced Arwon as a man she fancied, both of her brothers—and even Valery Purity, the head of the family—would probably have opposed the relationship.
Another young noblewoman might have chosen some childish act of rebellion, such as running away from home.
Ludmilla had instead chosen to create an irreversible incident.
She already knew that it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission.
Ferda thought,
‘What if everything proceeding so smoothly toward the engagement was part of her design?’
No sooner had the conversation ended than the garden doors opened.
Valdrova and Ludmilla emerged side by side, still chatting without pause.
Their conversation continued until they noticed Ferda, at which point both fell silent.
Valdrova awkwardly brushed her hair back, her body shrinking in embarrassment.
Ludmilla found the innocent reaction delightful and did not know what to do with her hands before clearing her throat.
“I had a wonderful time today, Your Highness. I hope we can arrange another occasion like this.”
“You may come whenever you… wish.”
Valdrova replied in an awkwardly regal tone.
With other people watching, she had become self-conscious again.
“When would be convenient? No, it would be rude for me to decide, wouldn’t it? Whenever you wish, Princeps! Please send me a letter without hesitation, and I shall come running as swiftly as an arrow!”
“O-Okay…”
Valdrova laughed at Ludmilla’s lively and daring manner.
Even as she climbed into the carriage, Ludmilla continued waving until the very end.
Valdrova waved back and watched her depart.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
Valdrova nodded.
“Yes, very much. Ludmilla seems to be good at everything I’m interested in.”
“I am glad you enjoyed it.”
Ferda felt something similar to what he had felt when she spoke about Penelope.
He sighed inwardly in relief.
At last, she had made a friend who actually seemed like a proper friend.
“Ludmilla says she will be married before the year is over.”
“She is of marriageable age, and given… everything that happened, it is only natural.”
“I see.”
Envy overflowed from every breath she released.
“Ludmilla told me something.”
“Yes?”
“She said that if I want to get married sooner, it might be a good idea to assault you, Mr. Ferda.”
“…”
“What do you think she meant by that?”
“…I have no idea either.”
Perhaps gaining a friend was not necessarily something to celebrate without reservation.