The Young Lady Has Disappeared

While having lunch, Lillian glanced at Yulia from time to time. 

She hadn’t noticed it when she only saw her in the game, but now she could understand why men kept flocking around her. 

Beyond her beautiful appearance, Yulia had a bewitching, demonic charm that seemed to enchant people. The fact that all the men’s gazes were fixed on Yulia was proof of this.

Lillian’s appearance was also beautiful enough to not fall behind Yulia at all, but unlike Lillian’s fierce and sharp looks, Yulia had a charm that seemed to draw people in, so it couldn’t be helped. It’s not that she didn’t feel jealous. But because the woman in front of her held the power of life and death over her, Lillian couldn’t show her jealousy.

“Yulia.”

“Hm? Ah, Lillian. This is really delicious. Did Catherine really make this?”

“Yes. It tastes exactly the same as I remember.”

As soon as she said that, Lillian’s body shuddered for a moment. The taste of Catherine’s cooking that she remembered? There’s no way such a thing could exist. Is it just a memory imprinted on her body? 

It’s not that Lillian has no memories of herself at all. But they weren’t detailed enough to remember individual tastes of dishes like this. 

Lillian tilted her head but soon shook it, thinking it must be something close to a habit that she remembers.

“So this is where you were.”

“Kuh.”

Yulia turned around in surprise at the sound of Lillian making a choking noise as if her throat was being strangled in real-time. There, she saw Lillian facing an exotic man with brown skin. 

Though exotic, he was a very handsome man. A man with such an appearance that could easily bewitch many women lightly brushed Lillian’s hand. 

Lillian shuddered and slapped his hand away.

“It seems my fiancée is not in a good mood again.”

“Who decided you’re my fiancé? I told you I want to break off the engagement.”

“You should know that breaking off an engagement isn’t that easy.”

“…Kuh.”

Why wouldn’t she know? Lillian also knew that what she was doing now was unreasonable. But she couldn’t help not wanting to be involved. 

Lillian, who looked back and forth between the express trains to bad endings existing on both her sides, let out a deep sigh. In any case, it was no different from a disaster she had brought upon herself.

Now… it would be better to act with Lillian’s original inconsiderate personality. Having finished her calculations, Lillian raised her head high.

“But Your Highness, if I want it and my family wants it, even breaking off an engagement is possible.”

“I don’t think the Fortus family will listen to your unreasonable demands though.”

“Unfortunately, I’m the only legitimate daughter of the Fortus family. I’ve actually been this unreasonable quite often.”

“…”

At Lillian’s arrogant gesture, Prince Belrus seemed to ponder for a moment as he looked down at her, then slightly bent his knees to meet her gaze. Then he looked at Lillian with slightly pitiful eyes.

“Do you dislike me that much?”

Yulia gasped beside them. To be honest, Lillian almost wavered for a moment, but she quickly steeled her heart, thinking of the destruction ending that would await her if she followed him.

“Yes. I dislike you that much.”

“…Then I have no choice.”

As if his previous action had been a lie, no, it probably was actually a lie, Prince Belrus immediately straightened up, slightly furrowed his brow, grabbed Lillian’s hand, and started to drag her away. Surprised by the sudden action, Lillian resisted as much as she could, but Prince Belrus pulled her hand regardless.

The confused Yulia grabbed Lillian from the opposite side, but there was no way Prince Belrus, who had trained in martial arts, would be overpowered by two weak women.

“Kyaaah-! Help! Catherine!”

“…What are you doing, Your Highness Prince.”

“Maid? This is a matter between your master and me. Don’t concern yourself.”

“The young lady is clearly expressing her dislike.”

“Ah, this? It’s just an act. Just an act.”

Prince Belrus’s face was full of slyness as he said this.

* * *

…Is he expecting me to believe that excuse? No, it probably is true. He must be saying he’ll respect my position as a maid. If I just pretend to fall for that ridiculous excuse, I won’t receive any punishment.

But if he thinks that, Prince Belrus has greatly misjudged. I’m sorry, but regardless of the contents, that person is clearly my ‘young lady’.

“Please stop. Even if you take the young lady away now, how do you plan to appease the protests from the Fortus family?”

“If we create a fait accompli, that’s all there is to it.”

Prince Belrus’s face as he said this was filled with the coldness of a butcher just doing his job. It wasn’t a decision driven by lust, nor one wrapped in impulse. It was simply the decision of someone who thought this method was the wisest. 

Hearing these words, Lillian’s face turned pale white. So did Yulia’s face, who was holding onto Lillian from the opposite side.

“Haah…”

Is there no choice? Even if he’s her fiancé, this was enough reason for me to intervene. 

No, even if there wasn’t a reason to intervene, I couldn’t just let it go after seeing Lillian’s face like that. 

As I took a stance, Prince Belrus looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it. Along with him, two knights with the grand duchy’s emblem engraved on their swords appeared around him. Of course, I couldn’t be certain they were knights, but given the grand duchy’s emblem, it was right to consider them knights rather than soldiers. Bringing knights to the academy should be illegal under imperial law, but as expected of someone who commits illegal acts without hesitation, he must have secretly brought them.

“Felix. Aaron. Subdue her.”

“Yes!”

The two knights called Felix and Aaron approach me. I slightly lifted my skirt and pulled out several daggers from my thigh. Felix and Aaron, who were startled and turned their heads away at this sight, were instantly tackled by me.

“What-!”

Although they’re knights, if they’re not wearing armor, I can handle them sufficiently. After all, I’ve been trained in one-on-one combat for over ten years. I pummeled Felix’s solar plexus with my fist and then struck the back of his neck hard as he bent into an L-shape, knocking him down. Judging by the thickness of his neck, he probably wouldn’t pass out but would have difficulty moving for a while.

Aaron, who saw his comrade fall in an instant, seemed flustered and drew his sword towards me, but I threw the daggers I had pulled out, disrupting his stance. 

Although Aaron barely managed to block the thrown daggers, he had no choice but to be pushed back consistently in the hand-to-hand combat that followed.

The only way I, who am inferior in strength, can win is through technique and psychological warfare. For me, who has trained in duels with death just a moment away, dealing with knights who are no different from frogs in a well, having only practiced duels using wooden swords, was as easy as eating cold porridge.

Thud-! 

After striking Aaron’s vital points several times and subduing him as well, I completely knocked out Felix who was trying to get up and looked at Prince Belrus. Even though I was just standing still and looking, Prince Belrus broke out in a cold sweat, let go of Lillian’s hand, and ran away. 

At times like this, my eye shape helps. As I was thinking this while touching my eyes, Lillian ran towards me.

“Catherine-!”

“Ugh, young lady. Your dignity…!”

“As expected, only Catherine…!”

Lillian, who is about a hand span shorter than me, rubs her face against me while in my arms. 

…After doing this for a while, I felt like I might open my eyes from the strange feeling, so I gently pushed her away and sighed. After wiping her tear-stained face, I gestured to Yulia, who was looking at Catherine and me with envious eyes.

“Huh? Me? Why?”

“I want to express my gratitude.”

“Oh come on, it’s between me and Catherine. No need for that.”

Shouldn’t it be between me and Lillian there? I tilted my head, but Yulia didn’t seem to notice she had misspoken and was just smiling brightly. Well, it’s not something worth pointing out anyway.

“Will you be able to attend today’s classes?”

“…”

Lillian, who pondered for a moment at my question, nodded. Since it was the first time I had seen Lillian look so weak, I was a bit worried. If it were the ‘young lady’ I knew, she would pretend to be strong on the outside, but inside she would be completely falling apart.

But… But, that Lillian and the ‘young lady’ I know are fundamentally different. Remembering this, I let go of Lillian’s hand. Then Lillian stood next to Yulia, looked at me for a moment, and waved her hand slightly.

“Lillian, what does that hand gesture mean?”

“Huh? Ah, yes! It means ‘goodbye’. It’s, um, a greeting used between close people.”

“Aha. I see.”

Lillian’s seemingly flustered voice and Yulia’s innocent voice grow more distant. I bowed slightly to them and then left the place. Leaving behind the knights who were starting to wake up.