「……I don’t have to submit it… what she says is true…」
After spending plenty of time, Raul said this with a potty mouth as everyone but me watched with bated breath.
「No way… Captain…!」
You don’t have to sound so tragic… But from Brace’s point of view, he can’t help but feel sorry for him because he was betrayed by the captain whom he trusted. But that’s different from my case.
You should have been quiet when your turn was over, but because you butt in, you’re going to get yourself into this mess. It’s a matter of discerning the right time to pull out. Reflect on the good lessons you have learned.
「I hope this has convinced you. Is there anything else?」
I don’t think there is any better evidence than Raul’s statement, but if you still want to make accusations, I will take them.
「But, Marsha… I hope you understand that I had my reasons…」
You still say that? You’re not going to let up, Raul. Or are you in tragic hero mode again?
「…Is that the kind of situation that allows you to keep hurting and sacrificing my heart?」
And even if it was a non-negotiable situation for Raul, it was an insignificant situation for me. I don’t want to understand, no matter what your reason is.
「……urk…」
See, when you can’t answer, you’ve proven that it’s just an excuse. And there is no way I can give Raul the words he wants when he looks at me as if begging for forgiveness.
I turned my face back to the front to cut off Raul’s gaze. There was Brace, who was hanging down helplessly, and three knights with bright blue complexions. What awaits us from now on is the punishment from the Commander of the Kingsguard, right? They must be pale at least.
But before that, let me tell you something.
「Gentlemen, do you know what a knight should be?」
My words came out of nowhere, and all of them shook their bodies in unison.
「Chivalry is the virtue of loyalty, fairness, courage, bravery, charity, generosity, civility, and service.」
I told Brace, who doesn’t even look up, quietly, as if I was telling a child.
「You have a false sense of justice, you undermine me with unverified accusations and testimonies, and you humiliate me with uncertain rumors. You also try to make me look guilty by forcing me to make a false statement. Is that chivalrous behavior?」
Brace does not answer anything. I continued, turning my gaze to the knights other than Brace.
「You don’t even question me, you take advantage of my naivete, and you are complicit in falsely accusing me, an innocent person. You put aside the fact that it was you who neglected to check, and shifts the blame when you found yourself in a tight spot. Can you proudly say that this is the way a knight should be?」
None of them can even make eye contact with me.
「A knight of the Kingsguard is judged by his every move. Who do you think will suffer the most trouble for your easy actions to bring me down? To whom do the Knights of the Kingsguard of the Kingdom of Gran swear an oath of allegiance? In whose name is the oath taken?」
A moment of silence. The faces that came to mind in each of their brains were probably not the right ones for a knight.
「I will not ask you whose face you had in mind…」
“But,” I continued to speak.
「If that is the face of Her Royal Highness the Princess who caused you to act in this way, then you must resign your position as a Knight of the Kingsguard right now.」
At those words, I heard someone gasp.
The knights of the Kingsguard must have as their lord His Majesty King Gran. Although she is the royalty to be protected, Her Royal Highness the Princess is not the sovereign.
「You should call yourself a personal guard knight of Her Royal Highness the Princess.」
The color of the knights’ faces gradually changed from blue to white. Although his color is not visible, Brace’s trembling, which had been small, has become so large that it seems to be a convulsion.
「You have denounced and disgraced me in the name of Her Royal Highness the Princess, whom you yourself adore. Moreover, you have dishonored the face of his sovereign, His Majesty the King. Such a person has no right to call himself a Knight of the Kingsguard of the Kingdom of Gran.」
The moment I said this, Brace made a noise and got up from his chair.
「…! Daryl, stop!!!」
“Ahh!” By the time I thought that, it was already too late, a rumbling sound echoed, and I was slammed against the cold wall.
「Take him down!!」
Raul’s impatient voice reaches my ears, but it is rasping and rumbling. Although I quickly shielded my face with my arms, I was blown away by the impact and hit my forehead and shoulder against the wall.
「Marsha, are you alright?」
「…..uaargh.」
Do I look alright to you, don’t screw with me!!!! I mean, what do you think will happen if a woman was slammed against a wall!? And then he hits me with his fist… Haaaarrrghhh!? This is before you were a knight or a gentleman. This, this is unbecoming of a man!!!
I wanted to yell at him, but despite my heart’s cries, my body would not move.
「……!」
I think this is when I use the phrase “blood in my head”. As I lay on the cold floor, my body began to shake with so much anger. Ahh, by the way, Brace was shaking too. He wasn’t trembling from the magnitude of what he had done, but from uncontrollable anger, just as I am now. I let my guard down!!
「Marsha…」
JUST SHUT UP ! ! ! !
I shook off the hand that touched my shoulder with a snap. The pain that flashed through my body at the action was unbearable, but I didn’t care. I know he tried to wake me up, but I don’t want to be touched.
「…urk… ugh…」
When he tried to put some effort to wake me up, my whole body hurt as if I had been struck by lightning. But I had no intention of asking for Raul’s help.
「Lady-in-waiting-dono, my hand…!」
It was he, the secretary, who reached out to me.
「…Tha…nk… you… ver…y… mu…ch…」
A scruffy voice came out. Maybe the physical damage was worse than I thought. But I will get up and show you. I will not be defeated by violence in a place like this.
I rouse my trembling legs. My head is spinning and my shoulder is throbbing. I repeatedly take deep breaths and suppress the pain.
Then, I finally stood up, and what came into my view was the sight of Brace, who was held down by the three knights and was excited with anger. He looked as if to say, “I haven’t beaten her up enough yet.”
「…I have nothing more to say to you… I am sure that the Commander of the Kingsguards will deal with you as promised…」
The punishment will definitely not be light. He has done this much. He may even be discharged from the military. I don’t know any more about such anger directed at me.
I wobbled away from the supportive clerk and turned my back to them. I don’t want to be humiliated or violated any more. Above all, I am afraid that if I relax even a little, I will lose consciousness.
「…Well, then… have a good day…」
I said so, just meanness.
It would’ve been perfect if I had done a carte blanche to include the sarcasm that I am a proper lady and you are not a knight or even a gentleman, but my body wouldn’t listen to me, so I gave up. I am sure that their true intentions have not been conveyed.
Where the door is closed, I’m at the end of my rope.
Without the strength to support my body or the energy to stay conscious, I collapsed with a thud.
I will only praise myself for not fainting in front of them, I thought, and in my fading consciousness, I thought I heard the clerk calling my name and a woman screaming.
