Formerly, The Fallen Daughter of the Duke

55. Scars

At the doorstep of the Mead family apartment, the pressing questions of the Vik and Mead family owners were repeated.

“I wonder if there are any international students here who our country keeps from the Noston Country”

“International students…? I’m not at home. In some mistake, Your Highness.”

“Mind if I check inside?

“Fine. … if only with the permission of His Majesty the King.”

Vique did not feel that Count Meade’s confidence was unnatural at all.

(Doesn’t look like he’s in a hurry at all. Are you sure Claire’s not here?)

“Father, what’s wrong?

Deanna faces out of the back room when she realizes the entrance is noisy.

“Deanna, stay back. His Royal Highness, Vik, is in need. I’m not sure, but I’m looking for an international student from Noston.”

……

For a moment, Vik didn’t miss Deanna’s eye swimming.

“Miss Deanna. You know the situation.”

“No…… I’m nothing.”

“Count Meade, let me search the mansion…. Everyone, come in!

With Veek’s hanging voice, the soldiers simultaneously broke into the mansion.

“… what do you mean”

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Lord Meade looks at Deanna with the colors of confusion and anger.

“… Mr. Oswald told me last night. There’s a child named Claire in the royal palace. Dion doesn’t seem to realize he’s in and out of both the Royal Palace and the Royal School, so I asked Master Oswald and his friends to move. I was going to talk to you at today’s meeting…. but I can’t believe that kid is going to be a royal shield. They brought me here so easily.”

Deanna has a ‘bad’ face on the Lord’s too sword screen, but it wasn’t the wind that understood the situation.

“Why did you do that without consulting me…!

“Because neither your grandfather nor your father is all about Dion. I could do it myself.”

“Your Highness, there are shoes in the garden. Miss Claire’s name is embroidered!

The moment that voice rose from the soldiers searching the premises, Count Meade raised his voice.

“Deanna! What the hell did you say to an international student from the Noston Nation!

“O… father…?

Until just now, Deanna stiffens, who had a fuzzy face as if to say she wasn’t bad.

“Your Highness, Vik! My daughter just confessed. He says he’s holding international students from the Noston Nation in this mansion!

My gaze gathers on Count Meade.

“He says he went out of his little jealousy to behave like this, which is common in young daughters. As for the international students, there is no need to search the mansion because my daughter will bring them here now.

“… that it was the decision of one of your daughters?

Veek’s eyes had a terribly cold color. I had a strong aversion to the fact that this Count was still trying to push the Great Sin against one of his 15-year-old daughters – in fact, it was something Deanna had set up without saying no to.

However, it was extremely unpleasant for Vik to offer his daughter a light offer just to avoid a search for the mansion.

“Yes. I’ve just never known anything. I’ll take you right to the international student named Claire. So you don’t have to look for the mansion. Your Highness, please stop the soldiers.”

I can feel a strong will from Count Meade that he really doesn’t want me to search the mansion.

“Is this what Count Meade wants to hide from you?

I heard a voice from upstairs.

Slowly coming down the stairs was Claire.

“… Claire! Are you okay?”

The colour of relief floats in the expression of Veek, who was tenacious. Going down to the ground floor, Vike and Claire, eye-to-eye, had a full grin that didn’t fit the occasion. Then I turned to Deanna, who didn’t have much of a surprise voice.

“Dear Deanna, thank you for welcoming us today. Thanks to you, we found such wonderful evidence.”

“… it is!!

Deanna at the time is pompous, but Count Meade, who was next door, rushes to grab Claire’s hand. Veek stood in between in the old days. Behind Count Meade, late Keith and Lewis are waiting.

“I found it in the upper room. This is a back-trade purchase order that orders large quantities of weapons and stockpiles without going through the royal palace. Besides, it’s written on His Highness Oswald’s crested paper.”

“What?”

Veek, who received the paper from Claire, read it to eat in its contents.

Both the Paft and Noston countries have systems that cannot be purchased without passing through the Royal Palace for large quantities of weapons and supplies that will be needed in the event of an incident. This was a strictly controlled decision to prevent a coup d ‘état, for which severe punishment awaited that, if broken, the worst territories and titles would be confiscated.

Anything involved in the back deal would be subject to equivalent disposition. The use of Oswald’s crested paper in return for the coup d ‘état’s success seems to have been a vendetta this time around.

“… Keith, Lewis”

“” Yes “”

“Return to the royal palace immediately, brother… to capture His Highness Oswald”

“” Your will. “”

“Count Meade, Miss Deanna. Let me take you to the royal palace…. and so did our previous owners.”

After grasping the evidence of the plot, there will naturally be a trial for that crime. However, the end was known not until the trial was opened in respect of this one.

There’s nothing in Veek’s eyes right now in front of Claire. However, there was only a hold there as a successor to the country.

Claire was to return to the royal castle in the company of the Veeks taking the Mead family.

“… Also, you’re not wearing shoes”

Look at Claire’s feet, and Veek laughs powerlessly.

Claire, too, just smiled without saying anything.

―――――

The trial concerning the House of Counts Oswald Meade and the House of Marquis Liu took place promptly. Sometimes about past history, treason against the royal family is a felony in the Paft country. No matter what the reason, the execution cannot escape.

A week from the day the sinner was captured. The owners and former princes of the Count Meade family, Oswald and the Marquis Liu, were executed, and the remaining clans were also stripped of their title and all their status and possessions before the disposition was decided to leave the country.

Only Dion was granted a commutation of his sentence for contributing to the blocking of the coup, and although it was the survival of the Mead family that did not materialize, he was allowed to live in the Paft country with a new name.

“My new name is Dion Minogue. Pretty good, huh?”

Dion says with an innocence that seems cheerful.

“Right.”

Claire smiles just a little.

Today was the day when those involved in a series of felonies would be executed.

“It comes from the name of the protagonist in a book my father used to buy me. I’m not involved with the Mead family, and that’s about as good as it sounds, right?

“Yeah. I think it’s nice…. very”

Now Claire said, staring straight into Dion’s eyes without loosening her expression.

“As for me, I came here after I found out that charm doesn’t matter…. When it comes to executions, it’s still hard. Even if it’s a black criminal, it’s family to me.”

……

Claire didn’t know what to say. If Dion hadn’t been fascinated by Claire, there might still have been hope that the Mead family would avoid disposition. Of course, then the royal family will suffer the pain.

When I thought of it, I felt that no word was appropriate for this occasion.

(Vik must feel the same way)

Vik hasn’t come to the Royal School since Oswald was captured. I’m spending the rest of my time without leaving the royal palace until the trial is over. Given the situation, it was natural.

Claire and Dion sit in the chair of a church in a cancerous royal palace for a little while.

There is no one else.

On the far side, the voices of the people pursuing sinners were ringing.

The two had a long moment that seemed forever in prayer.

―――――

That evening.

Back in the private room of the outhouse, Sophie has a subtle look on her face.

“Um… Miss Claire”

“What’s wrong, Sophie?”

“As a matter of fact,… I just got this letter from His Royal Highness Vik”

It’s not unusual to get a letter from Veek. Claire, wondering how Sophie was doing, receives and confirms the letter.

The content was, ‘Come to my private room this evening’.

“Sophie… that’s not what this letter means.”

“But, lady,”

“Look at this. It says,” Have a strong drink. “I’m sure we’ll all make a toast…. for your brother.”

Claire said so, dropping her gaze on the floor.

After nightfall, Claire turned to the area behind the royal palace where the royal family lives, relying on her memories from her last life. I’m a little confused about speaking up when I pass in front of the Lewis’ room, but I’ll stop.

(They might already be gathering in Veek’s room)

Claire showed her pocket watch to the guard standing during the connection to Veek’s room and stood in front of the door.

Concon.

I tried knocking lightly but haven’t heard back.

I thought the Lewis were coming first, but I didn’t hear a particular voice from inside.

(Private room, but can I come in like this?)

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve visited Veek’s private room. Only for Veek, there can’t be anything Sophie is worried about.

But when I calmed down and thought about it, there was no way Claire could have visited Veek’s private room alone. Perhaps even to avoid a scandal, I feel that Lewis is picking up Claire by now at Veek’s behest.

(… maybe we should go back. But……)

After getting lost, Claire gently pushed the heavy door open.

“Oh, you’re first.”

Vike sat alone on the floor of a very large room that seemed three times as likely to be Claire’s private room. There are no lights, but the moonlight is plugged in and I don’t feel strange and dark. All the windows leading to the terrace are unleashed and the curtains are stirring in the wind.

“Right. The three of you haven’t come yet?

“… right. I sent him to pick up Lewis, didn’t I see him?”

“You still did. I’ve done something wrong to Lewis.”

Claire says so, sitting on a blanket laid on the floor.

“This place is hard. Use the couch.”

“No. I’m here today, too”

“… thank you”

Vik seemed to have guessed Claire’s will.

In the glass that was prepared, pour the distilled liquor and hand it to Claire. The bottle containing the distilled liquor looked something special.

Says Veek, who noticed Claire looking interested in the bottle.

“A bottle that changes color depending on how the light hits would be rare. They don’t use magic, do they? I got this distillery from my brother for his 15th birthday celebration. After my reign as king, accompany me with a word to drink with you.”

Claire didn’t know what to answer. I just snort to affirm Vik’s words.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been a man of some distant existence. I don’t remember playing friendly, and they said we shouldn’t get any closer than we had to.”

“… Yep”

“Even myself, I might have expected this to happen. But I was hoping somewhere in the past few months that the day would come when we would be able to exchange this drink in the future…”

In Claire’s eyes he was so grown up that he didn’t seem the same age as himself. Only very few human beings can live for their country and withstand unimaginable pressures, yet rely from the bottom of their hearts.

This time, too, I had to give priority to my position as the First Prince and spearhead the end of my own brother’s execution myself. It’s about Veek. I’m sure I’ve enjoyed this past week in public without changing my complexion one at a time.

And I guess I’ll continue to behave modestly…. even in front of the neighbors.

“… eh”

When I noticed, Veek’s shoulder was trembling in small pieces.

The moment I admitted it, Claire’s body was moving before I thought about it.

Every glass of distilled liquor from Veek’s hand slips off. The rolled glass made stains on the blanket without being picked up as it was.

Claire was enveloping Veek so as to hide the tears that zeroed out of his eyes. Veek says nothing. Neither will his hand be turned on Claire’s back.

Just Claire, without wiping her own tears, wanted to hold him strong and strong.