Chapter 1, Episode 40
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
「Fu, fufu, fuhahahaha…!!!」
Oh, excuse me. I know it’s an unladylike laugh, but please let it slide for once. Because I hear it’s going to be very, very fun, ufufufufu.
Five days after the hearing took place. I had returned to my parents’ mansion to recuperate from the injuries I had sustained. The forehead injury was not serious, although there was a lot of blood, but the bruised shoulder required two weeks of home care.
Today, Douglas-sama took the trouble to visit me at the mansion to report on the punishment handed down to Raul and the 4th Unit.
First, the entire 4th Unit was not disposed of.
It was decided that this case was only an outburst by a few members of the group, and that the entire 4th Unit couldn’t be held responsible. One of the reasons was that my suspicions had not been completely dispelled. Although I found it unconvincing, it was understandable when I thought about it calmly.
He said that no matter how much I debunked what that violent man had laid out as evidence, it didn’t prove that I was falsely accused because the original evidence was sloppy, and that there was still doubt. If they had come up with more solid evidence of fabrication, I could’ve debunked them and proved my innocence as much as I wanted to, but it wasn’t enough.
However, as for the four knights, including that violent man, they were punished for making a big commotion on their own despite the fact that it was a top-secret mission, and for unjustly treating me as a criminal and taking me in. The ringleader, the violent man, will receive a pay cut, three months back pay, and be suspended indefinitely, including for assaulting me. The three men, except the violent man, received a pay cut and three months back pay with Brace, but were suspended for three weeks. Raul’s punishment was a six-month pay cut for failure to supervise his subordinates. It was then decided that the difference in salary for all of them would be paid as medical treatment and alimony to me.
As the suspicion against me hasn’t been completely cleared at this point, it is a reasonable punishment, but my feeling is that I would rather have them get down on their knees in front of the public than pay me money. Letters of apology were received from each house, but for a proud knight, getting down on his knees would be more humiliating. Well, I guess it’s impossible.
And the official punishment will come down again when my false accusation is confirmed. He said that Raul and the others aren’t exempt from the demotion. They’re going to be held accountable, so they deserve it. I am sure that I am falsely accused, so it will be confirmed eventually, demotion. Fufu, they deserved it.
「Hey, you look amused.」
Yes, very much. I replied with a big smile.
「I’ve known you a long time, and I’ve never seen you laugh that good.」
Douglas-sama said this with a dumbfounded look on his face.
「Because it’s just so much fun, ufufu.」
Here’s the real reason I can’t stop laughing.
Douglas-sama told me that there was a great deal of commotion that day.
When Douglas-sama heard a woman screaming, he rushed to the front of the hearing room and found the secretary and Raul arguing with each other while holding an unconscious me. I heard that the secretary was condemning Raul’s action against me amidst the crowd of onlookers. Thanks to that, the rumor is now all over the palace, gufufu.
There are many other rumors with many variations, such as the following,『All the bad press Lady Gracis has been getting so far has been deliberately spread by Lord Colden,』『It’s not a man’s style to disrespect his fiancée,』and『He took advantage of his higher title and kept the woman tied up for 10 years, using her for his own convenience.』In contrast, to me, it was,『A true example of a subject who has been treated badly, but never shows it and is devoted to Her Highness the Queen,』and『A healthy woman who has sacrificed herself to stand up for her fiancé,』and my stocks soared. Raul’s stock crashed.
He seems to be on the edge of a needle. I am already laughing so hard that my stomach is twitching more than my shoulders and I am screaming with joy. I have been covered in unjustified bad publicity for 10 years, so please don’t make a sound after only 5 days. Let’s take the facts as they are, unlike my own baseless rumors. This is karma. He deserved it, wahahah. I can’t stop laughing.
「Shouldn’t you weigh yourself a little…?」
I’m in a good mood about the delicacy of Douglas-sama saying, “Your face is falling apart,” so I don’t mind at all. But remember?
No, but we really got lucky from an unexpected source. Because I don’t think that what I said in the hearing room would leak out, does it? At the time, I was only trying to get him to change his perception of the knight in front of him, but I didn’t expect this. I don’t know why the Secretary told him that, but he did a real good job. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I don’t even know your name, but I will be sure to thank you next time!
「By the way, Douglas-sama.」
「Nhn? Are you done with it?」
No, no, the smirk has not returned yet.
「How did the investigation into the theft of the palace of the king’s brother and princess end up going?」
I would like you to name the real culprits as quickly as possible in order to push them into the abyss.
「Ah, about that… In the meantime, the 4th Unit will continue the investigation.」
「Haah!?」
They said they weren’t going to take any action, but I wonder how they can continue without even being removed from the investigation.
「…Will you take responsibility if it happens again because of recriminations?」
Despite the amusing turn of events, I honestly don’t want to be accused of such a travesty. I don’t trust the 4th Unit enough to say never, and even if Brace and the other four run amok this time, it doesn’t mean there aren’t others of their ilk. Rather, they are absolutely there. You know how many believers there are out there for nothing?
「Don’t worry about it. I’m in charge of this investigation.」
「So is this a joint investigation with the 1st Unit?」
「Yes. This incident has brought to the surface the problems in 4th Unit… and we need to leverage them.」
What’s the point of having the 1st Unit with His Majesty the King go out of their way to investigate jointly with the 4th Unit with the King’s brother and the Princess.
「Ahh… I see what you mean」
The question is where the loyalty of the 4th Unit lies. If the loyalty lies with Her Royal Highness the Queen, then the 4th Unit would need to be reorganized. For this reason, they will probably sift the members of the unit under the guise of a joint investigation with the 1st Unit with His Majesty the King.
「It’s a little late for that.」
It’s not the first time today that Raul, the captain, is so enamored of princess that he is called the『tragic lover,』and it is only natural that his subordinates would follow in the footsteps of their boss. Originally, this should have been handled by Douglas-sama, the head of the Kingsguard, before this issue came to light.
「My bad, Marsha.」
The back of Douglas-sama’s fingers touched the gauze covering the wound on his forehead. Douglas-sama didn’t have to look so pained, even though he wasn’t injured.
「Yes, I accept your apology.」
I wish I could tell him that it wasn’t Douglas-sama’s fault, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want me to. As expected, Douglas-sama looked unconvinced as I readily accepted his apology.
「This is partly my own fault.」
It was definitely me who poured oil on the fire at that time. No matter how much frustration had built up due to the incompleteness of the argument, it wasn’t my place to say so, as I was only in the position of a lady-in-waiting. I don’t have to say that I would have made the situation go away, but I do think that if I had not said anything unnecessary, I wouldn’t have been injured. But I have no regrets.
And if I hadn’t been injured, the rumors might not have been so favorable to me. Thanks to the violence, I became the『victim』in everyone’s eyes, and Raul and the rest of the 4th Unit were the『perpetrators.』Indeed, it is a blessing in disguise.
「Yet, however…」
I don’t know where Douglas-sama, who was donkey-dogging my amusement a moment ago, has gone.
「What’s bothering you so much already?」
I said that’s what I want, didn’t I?
