Gasi

Part 1 Now then」

With that short sentence, the atmosphere of Maggot who had a smile of affectionate mother changed completely. She became the Silver Light Maggot who had overcome numerous battlefields.

「Baldr already know this but, I have a secret.」

Her low and calm tone was like an unsheathed sword that was pointed toward the listeners.

Seyruun and the others unconsciously gulped from feeling that pressure.

「I intended to bring that secret until my grave. Because I absolutely couldn't allow my family got hurt because of me. It was also because I swore to protect this family even if it cost me my life.」

That was why Maggot had to be someone strong at all cost.

She had to train Baldr to be strong.

「I have really grown old...my heart was shaken a little just because my stupid son told me 『I'll protect everything together with you』.」

Maggot laughed in embarrassment. With that it felt like the tense atmosphere was enveloped in something soft. Seyruun and others breathed a sigh of relieve.

Ignis was wearing a conflicted smile because the one who liberated Maggot wasn't him who should be the one who wanted to protect Maggot more than anyone else.

At the same time he was also feeling something similar with pride because the one who accomplished it was his son Baldr.

Ignis knew about Maggot's strength and personality better than anyone. It was exactly because of that he understood just how difficult and magnificent this accomplishment was.

(You have grown into a splendid man──father is...father is happy! You should quickly let me hold a grandson next–!)

Ignis was thinking such thing. Perhaps he was someone who would quickly grow old.

「...Now that Baldr has found out, it makes me feel stupid thinking of carrying this secret to the grave. When I think that──」

Maggot said that and closed her violet eyes.

The faces of the people that floated at the back of his mind were always smiling peacefully at her.

Even though she wouldn't be able to blame them if they looked at her resentfully, they were always smiling in her thought no matter what.

They were the figures of irreplaceable family for Maggot.

「I think that it will be lonely for them to be forgotten just like this. Because even I, don't want to be forgotten by my adorable children who I gave birth to.」

「Okaa-sama!」

Seyruun and others were moved to tears. Seeing that, it seemed there was no need to worry about dispute between mother-in-law and daughters-in-law.

Although if things became like that, then Baldr would be completely unable to do anything to stop it.

「Kaa-sama...Lisha-kaasamastepmother...and then Nigel-niisama...there will be no one to remember them if I die. I didn't even notice something like that. I too was really immature.」

「Ni...gel?」

Ignis spontaneously turned his gaze toward his beloved son who was sleeping soundly when his name was suddenly mentioned.

「Yeah, Nigel's name came from my really, really important big brother.」

Maggot said that and reminisced of the far away past.

It was when she was still childish and innocent.

She held an unconditional trust toward her family and didn't actually know how dangerous and malicious the position she was placed at.

For Maggot, Nigel was someone who she could entrust the deepest part of her heart to.

「I loved being called Marguerite by Nigel-niisama's kind voice.」

「Marguerite...is that your true name?」

Maggot nodded weakly at Ignis's question.

Although she had resolved herself, something that was stretched to its limit inside her snapped by recognizing that and it felt like tears would flooded out from her eyes.

「My name is Marguerite Pazarov Trystovy. I was called the eighth princess of the fallen Trystovy Kingdom.」

「What!」

Ignis, Seyruun, and everyone were lost for words at Maggot's completely unexpected statement.

Baldr was the only one who was staying silent without any change in his expression as someone who had known everything.

「──I want my family here to listen to my story, not anyone else. And then I want all of you to remember it in your heart, about the tale of the woman called Marguerite and her other family who aren't here anymore.」

Part 2Going back to more than thirty years ago, there was an internal trouble within Trystovy Kingdom.

In a glance it looked like the kingdom was enjoying prosperity.

Its royal capital Millianna(ミリアーナ) was full with many things that came from the whole continent. Its population continued to increase and right now it might even keep growing until it surpassed Answerer Kingdom that was the greatest nation in this continent.

Especially their powerful navy and influential merchants, the transport armada that was formed by them might be already number one in the continent.

The support of the populace toward the royal family was unshakable. It was even rumored that in ten more years this country would become the strongest country.

But, just like there was shadow where there was light, there was a force that found this development unpleasant.

A part of the nobles who were the ruling class of Trystovy Kingdom had their vested interests being usurped by influential nobles and bureaucrats with commoner background.

Any country wouldn't be able to avoid the spreading of plutocracy as the country was getting wealthier and the economy became more developed.

And so vested rights were gradually getting traded with money in Trystovy. The nobles who lost their fortunes were ruined and before anyone realized it there were even merchants employing nobles in order to earn even more profit.

The number of nobles who were criticizing the structure of society that got overturned like that wasn't few.

The central figure of those nobles was Duke Batista(バティスタ) Sforza.

Duke Sforza possessed the biggest territory in the kingdom. He was a grandson of the king two generations before and he was considered as a cousin of the current king.

Furthermore he offered his daughter Veltina to be the queen. His influence was extremely vast.

He was planning to have nobles controlling the economy and forbidding the trade of the vested rights in the kingdom by the merchants using the economic clout.

In respond to this, there was also a faction that was aware that the flow of the world was already leaning toward the commoners and they insisted that the nobles had to change together with it.

The person who gathered the most attention within that faction was Count Viktor Pazarov──Maggot's grandfather.

He raised achievements as military officer when he was young. Furthermore he succeeded in improving his territory's condition and strengthening the public order there. He was thinking that the domestic situation of the country should be reformed by allowing the wealthy commoners into the elite class.

With this faction's backing, administrative posts for commoners were created in not few numbers and that number was also increasing every year.

Duke Sforza felt a sense of impending crisis by that trend. He made a resolute decision to remove Viktor using any means available.

.

「──What is the meaning of this?」

Viktor glared threateningly at the group of dozens of knights that was surrounding his residence.

For a veteran warrior like Viktor, dozens of knights weren't beyond his means to defeat.

The knights seemed to be aware of that too. They kept their manner when facing Viktor.

「With all due respect, there is a suspicion of my lord count being in collusion with Answerer Kingdom. Please accompany us in order to clear this suspicion.」

「──Collusion? Are you accusing me of receiving bribery?」

Viktor who had retired from military was considered as the leader of the reformation faction, but he didn't have any post in the government that gave him authority to do anything that other country would consider bribing him.

Viktor sensed that this was clearly a scheme by someone to frame him with false charge.

「Those curs! They don't understand that the flow of the world can't be changed even if they toy with this kind of crude scheme!」

「Please don't act rashly my lord. If you draw your sword and pint it toward this kingdom, your daughter will also get implicated in this suspicion.」

Even Viktor had to restrain himself from rampaging after his daughter who was living in the inner palace got mentioned.

With this Viktor's fate had been decided.

If this was a plot of Duke Sforza, Viktor wouldn't become the only scapegoat. A lot of the reformation nobles would also get affected.

It wouldn't be impossible for him to take up his weapon and revolt even if it would only end up in failure. The number of nobles and commoners who were looking up to Viktor was just that many.

However his daughter was a concubine of the king. There was also his adorable granddaughter. When their face floated in his mind, Viktor couldn't bring himself to oppose this.

(Forgive me, Gina. I'm sorry that I can't make the daughter who you entrusted to me happy.)

.

Part 3「Oh, you are still living shamefully like this despite the crimes that your father committed? You are really the daughter of that shameless criminal!」

The queen, Veltina Sforza appeared with a triumphant look while bringing his hangers-on with him.

It was like a bolt out of the blue for Dahlia when she was told that her father was arrested. Her punishment was lightened by a degree because she gave birth to a princess, even so she was still banished from the inner palace. Despite that she accepted Veltina's words calmly.

「I have nothing but gratitude for his majesty's mercy to me...」

「Pathetic. His majesty too, there is no need to be merciful to this woman!」

That was the only thing that Veltina was dissatisfied with.

Dahlia was the woman who she wanted to kill the most in the inner palace.

Veltina had been a woman with strong jealousy from the start, but she hadn't been blessed with children even after three years had passed since her marriage. Her flame of jealousy was burning hot toward the concubines who gave birth to a child.

Several concubines with low status had already been killed. There were also a lot of pregnant women who were killed.

Dahlia managed to give birth safely because of the king's great affection for her. At the same time the commoners who were working in the inner palace were also giving their unspoken support toward her.

「Die! Die to protect the prestige of the king's concubine! It's too good for the like of you, but I shall lend you this protector sword of mine.」

Veltina said that and threw a short sword toward Dahlia.

「You will only be treated as the daughter of a criminal even if you keep living anyway. Won't it be easier to die?」

「That's right. You yourself also don't want to live a poor life like a commoner do you?」

Dahlia felt like she couldn't breathe in front of the malice from Veltina and her hangers-on.

However she couldn't possibly die and leave behind her small daughter.

Dahlia shook her head and bowed deeply.

「I'm simply following his majesty's will.」

「I'm telling you to die!」

Dahlia stayed firm and gave a hint about the king's decision to allow her to live, but Veltina was simply turning furious and threw her fan.

She wanted to kill this woman no matter what.

Veltina hated Dahlia to this degree because of one reason.

Dahlia's father Viktor was proposing so there was a marriage between Trystovy's king and a princess of the neighboring Mauricia Kingdom in order to whittle the influence of Duke Sforza.

Veltina was a daughter of the most influential noble within the country, but if a princess from a great country like Mauricia married the king and became another queen here, her rank would be below that Mauricia princess.

Viktor had violated a taboo for Veltina. She couldn't forgive him no matter what.

「No matter. All of you, hold that woman for me.」

Blood vein pulsed on Veltina's forehead. She gave an order to her hangers-on.

The women were drunk in pleasure like kids who were tormenting a small animal. Their hands reached out toward Dahlia's shoulders and hair.

Dahlia turned pale and tried to resist, but then,

「──Pardon me, my name is Ramillies, a knight who is bestowed with a guard duty by his majesty. Please tell me what is going on here.」

「U-uncouth! How dare a mere knight enter the inner palace!」

Veltina was hindered just a step away from the fulfillment of her wish. Her beautiful face distorted like a horned demoness and she screamed.

「It's a royal order from the king. From now on this humble knight shall accompany Dahlia-sama to live in a detached palace and act as her guard.」

Ramillies unfolded a royal script that had the king's seal stamped on it.

Ruin would be waiting for those who opposed this royal edict, at least on the surface. Even Veltina wasn't an exception.

She bit her lips so hard that blood trickled out. Veltina clenched her shaking fist before she finally calmed down herself.

「──Don't forget. I don't have any intention of choosing my method in order to grant my wish.」

She would definitely kill her.

She would send both mother and daughter to hell with the brand of loser stamped on them. She would watch that happened joyfully while drinking a high-grade alcohol──Veltina swore that in her heart.

「Let's go. The air of the lowly mongrels will only dirty us if we are staying here.」

Veltina disappeared from view with her hangers-on trailing behind her. It was then Dahlia staggered on her feet. She almost fell on the floor face first if not for Ramillies who barely supported her with his right hand.

「It looks like I'm not late.」

「Ramillies, thank you for coming here. Even so, I'm amazed that his majesty is sending you here.」

「With all due respect, this is a deal that was made so that Viktor-sama won't let his blood rush to his head. If Dahlia-sama's safety isn't guaranteed, it's possible that Viktor-sama might cause a revolt.」

「I see...so Otou-sama is...」

She couldn't tell her father to rampage as he pleased without minding about her.

It was because Dahlia had a beloved daughter who she had to protect no matter what.

「His majesty is also aware of this. From now on I shall protect Dahlia-sama's life with my life at stake.」

「If it's you then you should be able to obtain promotion as a royal guard to a very high position...even so this kind favor of yours toward this helpless self is truly something irreplaceable. I'm grateful to you.」

「Compared to my debt to Viktor-sama after he saved my life, something of this degree isn't anything big at all.」

Ramillies declared that without the slightest hesitation.

For this man of integrity, the man called Viktor was someone worthy of his loyalty.

When he was still a trainee knight, he got carelessly isolated in a conflict against Nedras Kingdom. It was Viktor who saved him from that tight spot without even caring of the danger to himself.

After that he also caused a problem with a son of a great noble. It was also Viktor who helped him out just when he was about to be punished. It was also Viktor who recommended Ramillies to be a royal guard that was a glorious post for a knight.

Originally Ramillies wanted to serve Viktor himself, but Viktor felt that Ramillies's talent would be wasted on him and pushed him into an elite course for a knight.

Since then Ramillies raised achievements smoothly and many people put their expectations on him that he might even become the royal guard commander in the future.

However such thing worth less than a dust for Ramillies.

If only he wasn't entrusted with safeguarding Dahlia and others, he would have cut his way into the prison where Viktor was imprisoned around this time.

He swore that he would protect Dahlia and others in Viktor's place without fail.

That was Ramillies's oath as a knight and as a man.

.

「Oh? Sir Ramillies, why are you here?」

「Aaa! Beardy uncle! You're coming to play?」

A lively girl with silver hair and sparkly violet eyes appeared with a maid leading her here. She called out with a bright voice.

「Ha ha! I told you to just call me Onii-chan, Marguerite missy.」

「Because, Nigel-oniisama said that beard is something that adult man grow out.」

「That's certainly true but, that boundary is a delicate and important matter for a man.」

「Marguerite doesn't get difficult thing like that.」

Although she said that, Marguerite pestered Ramillies so he would give her a lift.

Her daughter wasn't understanding their situation at all. Dahlia finally realized that she was shedding tears in front of her daughter's loveliness.

「Mama, what's wrong? Are you hurt?」

「I think so. Mama's heart is a bit painful. That's why, is it okay if mama cry for a bit more?」

──In the first place Dahlia became the king's concubine not because she wished for it.

She was Viktor's only daughter. She was raised believing that one day a husband would marry her to take over the headship of Pazarov House.

But the king fell in love with her at first sight by chance. Five years ago she left the house where she had been living in until then and entered the inner palace thinking that doing this would help her father.

However with the incident this time, even the promise that her daughter would be allowed to succeed Pazarov House when she grew up had become completely pointless.

What would happen to little Marguerite after this?

Just like how her father was gambling his life in order to secure safety for Dahlia and others, the determination to throw her own life away in order to save Marguerite was also starting to bud inside Dhalia.

From how she acted, the possibility of Veltina having a change of heart was extremely low.

Even if it was alright right now, it was unknown how it would be two or three years later, or perhaps even earlier than that. Dahlia didn't have the confidence to protect her daughter for that long.

She would even become a demon if it was for the sake of saving Marguerite.

It didn't matter what she needed to sacrifice for that, even if she dirtied her hands with numerous wrongdoings that would drop her into hell after she died.

That was why she wanted to cry just for now.

Because she wouldn't hold any resentment no matter what was done to her when the time for her judgment came one day.

「Mama, where is the heart located? Marguerite will pat it so that it won't hurt anymore.」

「You're really a good girl Marguerite. But mama is fine already. Mama is strong you see.」

Dahlia lifted her head and said that. Her eyes had stopped crying, in exchange flame of dark madness that was difficult to dispel flickered within them.

──And then, her father Viktor Pazarov was executed.

.

Part 4「So this is the detached palace.」

It was a small house located around 700 meters from the inner palace.

It was a detached palace in name only. The place was too crude for a king's concubine to live in.

However Dahlia felt that it would be easier to live here compared to the inner palace where there was almost nothing but enemy at the surrounding.

「Looks like this will be a good chance to show off my skill to clean up this place!」

Dahlia's maid, Lisha puffed out her chest while breathing roughly.

She had been serving Dahlia all this time ever since she was still living in Pazarov House. She was like a little sister for Dahlia.

She had blonde hair with color that looked like bright honey, round eyes that looked friendly, and innocent experience. She allowed Dahlia to forget about the graveness of their situation.

「Hey! Mama! There is an attic inside! Can I go there?」

A young boy cling on Lisha's skirt with a face shining bright from curiosity. Marguerite also showed her agreement with him.

「Nigel-niisama! Me too! Me too!」

The young boy's hair color was blonde like her mother, but even though he was a child, the features of her face gave off a sharp elegance. He looked more similar to Dahlia rather than Lisha.

It wasn't anything strange. These two would never say it by themselves, but actually Dahlia and Lisha were sisters from different mother.

If Dahlia's mother Gina learned this, it was unknown what would happen to Viktor's life. But, Viktor only laid his hand on the now departed mother of Lisha after he parted from Gina, so he wasn't guilty in this matter.

Originally Dahlia and Lisha should be raised as sisters.

However Lisha's mother knew about the ardent love between Gina and Viktor. She feared her child getting into a dispute of inheritance rights with Dahlia.

Dahlia's position was very unstable because Gina was gone. It was possible that the retainers might be pushing for Lisha inheriting the house, but Lisha's mother obstinately refused such thing and she denied having any relationship with Viktor.

And then she taught her daughter Lisha to serve Pazarov House and Dahlia with everything she had.

Because of that the two of them had been getting along with each other like best friends since their childhood, but Lisha never forgot her loyalty to Dahlia as a maid.

「Nigel, be careful so that Lady Marguerite won't get hurt up there okay?」

「Yep, I understand.」

「It'll be fine! I'm more worried that it will be Nigel-sama who get hurt rather than myself!」

Nigel smiled wryly at Marguerite's frank words.

It was something shameful for a man, but it was true that Nigel's physical ability was far below Marguerite even though he was seven years old while Marguerite was five years old.

To be honest, Nigel even though that Marguerite was too strong.

Even his mother Lisha wasn't a match for Marguerite if it came to a head-on contest of strength.

「Hey! Let's go quickly!」

Marguerite pulled at Nigel's right hand. He stopped thinking and ran toward the attic together with her.

It might be good for those children that we left the inner palace.」

That inner palace couldn't be called as a good environment for energetic children to play around even as a flattery. It wouldn't be strange for them to die an accidental death any time if they let down their guard down even slightly.

Dahlia didn't have any power anymore now after her father Viktor was executed.

It was impossible for her to return to the inner palace at this point. She had no attachment to this world after her husband abandoned her.

She had no attachment except one, the future of her daughter Marguerite.

Would that Veltina feel satisfied with just her life? The answer was no.

Putting aside Dahlia, Marguerite was a fully-fledged royalty.

She was like an insignificant surplus with her title as the eighth princess, but all her siblings had already died.

There was widespread rumor that this too was the work of Veltina behind the scene.

Besides Veltina also still didn't have any child of her own.

For her, all the concubines who were blessed with child were target of her jealousy. Her way of thinking was that it would be better if her child who would be born someday had as few rival as possible.

In other words the possibility of her overlooking Marguerite was extremely low.

What could someone powerless like her do for Marguerite's sake?

Dahlia silently smiled while feeling anguished inside her mind that was on the verge of insanity.

Fortunately as long as Veltina was in the palace, there wouldn't be anyone who proposed marriage talks for Marguerite.

Ramillies would protect them while they were living here.

No, would it really be like that?

How long an overly energetic girl like Marguerite could contend herself being cooped up in this residence?

Wouldn't she sneak out from under their watch and run away to the outside world, and ended up as a cold corpse after the enemy found her out?

Dahlia felt cold as though her body was freezing just from imagining that.

She had to think.

In order to protect her daughter, she couldn't be picky with her method──.

Dahlia who should be a delicate and gentle woman was captured in her wild delusion. She was transforming into a different existence even though there wasn't any change in her appearance.

──She could hear the joyful laughter of children from above.

Marguerite was really attached to Nigel. Dahlia recalled the memory of her happy childhood just for a little bit.

She never thought that this kind of future would come when she was playing house with Lisha in Pazarov House.

「When I look at those two, I can't see which one of them is a girl.」

「It makes me worried for the future of my son.」

Those who saw Nigel's crisp good looks predicted that he would become an extraordinarily good looking man in the future.

Marguerite also inherited the beauty of her mother, but even she had to admit that Nigel was a step above her in that respect.

If Nigel grew his hair and Marguerite cut her hair, there would be few people who could correctly guess their gender if there was any.

It was here that a devil's temptation whispered into Dahlia's head.

It was truly a devil's deed. If Dahlia still had her sense, she would never even contemplate such absurd plan.

However Dahlia wasn't the young lady of Pazarov House anymore. She had fallen to be a monster in the form of mother.

Dahlia spoke with a cold-hearted voice that she never used toward her half-sister who had accompanied her life since she was born.

「Lisha, can you please listen to a request of mine?」

.

The attic was still covered with a thin layer of dust, but there was no way children would be bothered by such thing.

Marguerite and Nigel tumbled into the room while messing around with each other.

The ceiling inside was so low that even children could just barely stand up in there.

The light of the setting sun was shining in from the roof window. The children's hearts felt something mystical from that.

「This is amazing, Nigel-niisama!」

「Yep, now I want to stare at the star at night from here.」

「You're right! I want to do that!」

Marguerite hugged Nigel from behind happily.

There wasn't any maid who gave them cold gaze or annoying auntie here like in the inner palace.

It was fine no matter how much she fawned Nigel here. That feeling of liberation was making Marguerite's tension rising.

Nigel who was two years older than her was astonishingly pretty. He had a nice smell when she hugged him like this.

Marguerite knew that Nigel was always kind and considerate to her.

Her heart felt cheerful just from staying at his side.

Her cheeks naturally loosened when she thought that these fun days would continue forever from here on.

「Look, your clothes got dirty.」

Nigel dusted off her clothes that got covered with dust. Marguerite smiled bashfully.

「Ehehehehe...」

This time Marguerite hugged Nigel from the front.

「Marguerite is more spoiled than usual today.」

Nigel spoke in exasperation, but Marguerite knew the truth.

Nigel's hand was gently caressing her hair. He didn't dislike what she was doing no matter what he said.

.

Part 5Ramillies was sleeping in front of Dahlia and Marguerite's room. His hands were still holding on his sword.

It was late at night.

There was no sound in this silent night except the sound of trees rustling and insects chirping. There the door at the entrance opened slowly without any sound.

At the same time men dressed in black entered inside one by one without making any sound.

Their number was six.

「Hmph, I heard he is the number one swordsman in the kingdom, but this is all he amounted to.」

A man dressed in black laughed soundlessly.

For this man who lived in the world of darkness, Ramillies who obtained fame as a knight under the light of the day was a target of scorn and also envy at the same time.

In the end a knight was nothing more than a muscle-brain who could only fight head on.

They could be killed anytime if a resident of darkness like him felt like it.

A knight was no different from a baby for them.

Ramillies showed no sign of waking up at all. The men approached him with satisfied self-esteem.

It was then.

Ramillies who shouldn't wake up because of the effect of sleeping aroma they carried with them opened his eyes.

「──Rookies.」

The man spontaneously trembled in rage by the words of someone strong looking down on someone weaker.

Even so the man just barely swallowed his words due to the instinct engraved into his body to prioritize his duty.

And then he silently raised his short sword to sever Ramillies's life.

Ramillies was still sitting while holding his sword in his arms.

There was no way he could evade this.

The man's lips twisted in pleasure because he was convinced of his victory.

This man was talking big, but he couldn't do anything anyway.

In addition he wasn't alone. A human with only two arms couldn't possibly dodge all the attacks from his four comrades.

「──Too slow. You guys are inferior even to the average knight in the knight order if this is your best.」

「What...?」

Short swords were swung toward Ramillies's neck from left and right. In addition there were also simultaneous attacks from the front and above.

Ramillies shouldn't be able to do anything while he was still sitting like that.

And yet....

Ramillies snorted with a nonchalant expression while holding his sword in one hand.

He deflected all four attacks with a quickness that made it looked like it all happened at the same time.

The men accurately realized the gap between their strength with just that.

No, they were forced to realize it whether they wanted it or not.

Because it wasn't just their short swords that were repelled, even their wrist had been severed.

Even so they didn't even let out a scream. Their tenacity at least deserved a praise.

The vanguards who lost their ability to fight exchanged glances. Then they leaped toward Ramillies once more.

They hardened their resolve to use their body and life as sacrificial pawn in an instant.

Two men were readying their long sword behind the four. They closed the distance to pierce Ramillies together with their comrades.

The four would die in an instant.

Their torso might be severed into two. Or perhaps their head would be split open.

However there was no doubt that their body would serve as hindrance to Ramillies's movement.

「Die!」

One of the men let a word slipped out from his mouth. It seemed he flew into rage by his comrades' death.

However not a single one of their expectations came true.

「Foolish.」

From Ramillies's perspective, he was simply being underestimated if they thought that the bodies of mere four assassins could serve to restrain his movement.

Ramillies had faced knights in full armor and war horses at the battlefield.

On the other hand the assassins were just killers who murdered the weak with surprise attack in the end.

They didn't understand at all just how absurd a man who had fought at the frontline could be.

They shouldn't try to stab Ramillies together with their comrades' bodies.

With a simple light swing from Ramillies's sword, the dead bodies of their comrades got blasted away instead. The two assassins with long sword who tried to stab Ramillies were blown away until outside the entrance door.

「Don't disturb Dahlia-sama and Ojou-samaMarguerite's sleep. If you want to defeat me, bring a company of knight squad with you.」

The assassins were writhing in pain under their comrades' corpses without understanding what just happened. They realized with despairing clarity that Ramillies hadn't even displayed half of his true strength.

Till the end he was paying meticulous attention to not make any sound so that his master wouldn't wake up from her sleep.

「It'll be bothersome if you guys dirtied the garden too. Trash should die like the trash they are.」

And then with an outrageous physical strength that was like a bear, the assassins' bodies were thrown away over the tall rampart and even the moat to the roadside.

At the next morning, the corpses were discovered. Because the bodies were in a terribly atrocious state, rumor that there was an apparition in the capital was spreading, but the assassins' corpses then vanished without anyone knowing about it.

.

Part 6Around half a year passed since then.

「YAAAAAAAH!」

A girl with her blonde hair cut short let out a slash with an eye-popping speed.

However it was only relatively surprising for a five years old. It was nothing but a child's play for veteran warrior like Ramillies.

「You are still lacking strength! Don't swing your arm! Imagine your whole body turning into a single sword!」

The girl's eyes moistened in frustration because her sword was easily deflected.

The girl couldn't accept defeat even though she was inferior in everything compared to her opponent whether it was in age, physique, and also experience.

The girl used her frustration as fuel to charge once more.

「YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

「Umu, it's quite good this time!」

Ramillies smiled broadly after feeling the attack this time that was backed with the heaviness of the girl's body weight.

The girl's body weight was around 20 kilograms.

Her height was around 110 centimeters. She was taller than average, but it was her physical ability that was more surprising than anything.

There was no way anyone in the same age with her could win against her.

It was doubtful that even twelve years old boy who became a knight apprentice could win against her.

The girl became stronger in a visible rate like a sponge that was sucking water. Ramillies's heart was beating hard in his chest.

It was a joy that he hadn't felt for a long time since his lord Viktor was executed.

「But it's still too inadequate! Your foot stamped on the ground too weakly, so the impact wasn't fully transmitted!」

「UKKYAAAAAAH!?」

The girl was blown away like a ball. She rolled over on the ground.

「Damn it! Did I hit too strongly!?」

Ramillies held up the girl's body in panic.

「A-are you alright? Marguerite missy!」

Ramillies unconsciously called the girl that because of his habit. The girl pinched his nose with a displeased expression.

「I'm 『Nigel』. I told you that already.」

Ramillies finally realized what he had just whispered and scratched his head awkwardly.

「Sorry. Let me rephrase that. Are you alright, Ni?」

「Well, I'm not even scratched from just this much!」

The girl smiled. She was really a sturdy kid.

She was carefree to the utmost. She was also persistent and tenacious. She would surely become strong. Ramillies believed that without a doubt.

「Then let's have one more bout!」

「I'll land a hit today for sure!」

The girl laughed animatedly. She continued challenging Ramillies until she became unable to stand anymore.

.

The morning training ended. It made the girl sweaty and dusty all over her body. She rushed toward the house with empty stomach. However, Lisha immediately dragged her out.

「Eeh? What? What's the matter Lisha-kaasama!」

「Are you going to show yourself in front of the madam looking like that? Wash your body in the bathroom right away!」

「The water hasn't been boiled right?」

「Obviously! Go already!」

「Ye~~~~s!」

The girl imagined the water that had turned cold in the bathroom while heading toward the bathroom grudgingly.

Lisha sighed seeing the girl's skin that had become tanned from sunlight.

The girl had become like an uncouth child even until her appearance. Lisha couldn't hide the bewilderment in her heart after seeing such degree of change.

No, the girl already had the potential to turn out like this from the start.

Thinking back, the girl's grandfather, Viktor was also a completely unruly child at his childhood.

Even so, she wondered if it was alright for a princess of a kingdom to become completely uncouth like this.

The girl was turning manlier day by day. It made Lisha felt a tinge of uneasiness.

「Well, it's fine that she is like this for now.」

Yes, the matter of future could be considered again at the later time.

Right now they should focus more on surviving in this completely unforgiving world.

.

「Yo, you're completely pitch black, Ni.」

「Mar-oneesama, you're pretty!」

The girl returned to the living room after she finished taking a bath. A girl with shiny silver hair welcomed her there.

──Strictly speaking, it was actually an extremely beautiful boy dressed in girl's attire. In contrast with the girl whose hair was roughly cut short, the boy was wearing a wig of beautiful silver hair that reached until his waist.

The boy's bearing was filled with graceful elegance. It was hard to believe that he was still seven years old with his appearance. The girl blushed ecstatically seeing the boy.

「As I thought, Mar-oneesama is really a princess!」

The boy who was called with the nickname Mar──Nigel tilted his head in embarrassment and smiled at Marguerite.

The two's positions had been reversed after they came to this mansion.

.

『Actually my true child is Nigel. I might get killed if they found out that a concubine like me gave birth to a boy, so I asked Lisha to swap baby with me.』

.

Dahlia gave such explanation to Marguerite not long after they arrived in this mansion.

The first queen Veltina didn't have any legitimate child. Although Dahlia was a concubine, she came from a count house. It would be too dangerous if she gave birth to a boy.

She might be assassinated or poisoned. Either way it was clear that Veltina would kill her at all costs.

Actually there were already two boys who were born in the royal family until now. But both of them didn't even manage to live for one month.

Dahlia devised a plan to exchange child with Lisha who by chance gave birth to a girl──in other words, Dahlia's true child was Nigel while Marguerite was Lisha's child. Such lie was told to Marguerite.

If one thought carefully, they would be able to spot a lot of holes in this story.

If Nigel was the one who should be protected, it wouldn't be logical for him to disguise himself as the princess whose life was being targeted. Nigel was also older than Marguerite. The timeline already didn't match from there.

But Marguerite's physical ability was far more developed than Nigel, so the lie that Marguerite was actually older was quite convincing.

And above all else, these were the words from her two beloved mothers──Dahlia and LIsha, so Marguerite believed the lie easily.

「Ni. Mar has to dress like a girl so that no one will notice that he is a prince.」

Dahlia kindly patted her daughter's hair.

「But Ramillies will protect us so there is no need to worry. Keep getting along well with him too from here on, okay?」

「Yep! Then, I also will protect Mar-oneesama!」

Marguerite accepted her position without any objection. That was because from the start she had been thinking that Nigel was prettier than her.

.

Marguerite was smiling cheerfully in a good mood.

She was just having too much fun staring at Nigel who was dressing himself up beautifully.

「Ni, come here for a bit.」

「What's up?」

「You're injured here. You're still a girl Ni, no matter how strong you are.」

Nigel dipped Marguerite's right hand in water and wiped it with handkerchief worriedly.

Nigel found small marks of bruise on Marguerite's skin that had fine texture that was sucking in his skin. Although the bruises weren't so serious to be called injury, they could be found all over her body.

Ramillies had held back skillfully in the sparring, but Marguerite was getting better faster than he expected.

Ramillies was thinking that at this rate, he would be forced to get somewhat serious in the sparring sooner or later.

Of course it would only be to the degree of paying attention when the opponent was just a child. However at any rate, it shouldn't be that long before Marguerite had mastered martial arts enough to be able to face adult opponent.

Ramillies had been wondering if this martial arts talent was really natural.

Viktor was a prominent fighter even throughout Trystovy, but Ramillies didn't think that Viktor's talent as individual fighter was as great as Marguerite.

Stamina, reflex, instinct. Marguerite possessed all of them in higher level as though she was in a different dimension. If times were better, it might even be possible for her to make a name of herself as the world's strongest warrior.

Ramillies regretted that Marguerite's talent would be wasted because that dream couldn't come true due to her background.

Even so, strength was needed more than anything in order to survive.

Furthermore it had to be an overwhelming strength that could push aside the impossible.

To do that, even the slightest pampering wasn't allowed. Ramillies decided so in his heart.

Of course, there was no way Nigel understood that kind of hidden circumstances.

He was simply worrying about his beloved little sister who he was serving as his master.

Marguerite got into a good mood because her beloved big brother was taking care of her. Her eyes squinted fondly while she allowed Nigel to continue what he was doing.

「I'll become stronger to protect Mar-oneesama!」

Marguerite seriously believed that.

She innocently believed that her role as Lisha's daughter was to protect an ideal princess like Nigel.

「Yes...thank you.」

However Nigel knew.

Marguerite was the only one in this confined world who didn't know the truth.

It was Marguerite who should be protected.

I am the last fortress that is protecting you.

Nigel had certainly inherited the blood of the family that had offered their complete loyalty and devotion to Pazarov House since the generation of his grandmother.

Since he became aware of his surrounding, his mother Lisha had imprinted into him that 「Your body exist for the sake of Pazarov House」.

Even though he was still seven years old, no, perhaps it was exactly because he was seven years old that Nigel didn't feel any doubt at all toward his position.

Because of that, even if it cost him his life──.

「Oh, Nigel, are you injured?」

「This is just a scratch! Madam!」

Even though she was the one who made the lie, Dahlia felt ashamed in her heart to hear her actual daughter calling her madam.

Even so she didn't show her feeling at the slightest on her face. Dahlia gently caressed Marguerite's head.

「I see, Nigel is really a strong child.」

At the same time Dahlia knew that strength was a double-edged sword.

Because this talent was without a doubt something that Marguerite inherited from her grandmother Gina who was a peerless warrior.

Trystovy was a country with many traditions. It would be a great scandal if it became known that beastman blood was mixed into the royal family.

Originally Marguerite shouldn't be allowed to learn how to fight like this.

However that extraordinary talent in martial arts became absolutely necessary in order for Marguerite to survive as the maid's son Nigel.

Veltina's target was still Dahlia and her daughter, but there was no guarantee she wouldn't direct her ire toward Lisha and her son as harassment.

Besides if they lost Dahlia's patronage, Lisha and Nigel would be banished from the palace and became jobless.

There wouldn't be any disadvantage in having as many powers as possible in order to protect themselves.

In fact if Marguerite could survive until she became adult, she would become capable enough to protect herself even if her opponent was a country.

She had inherited Gina's blood thickly, so Dahlia didn't doubt that at all.

「Forgive me then, but can I ask Nigel to leave. Marguerite have a lesson to do after this.」

「...Understood.」

Marguerite became visibly dejected. Nigel smiled kindly at her.

「I'll read a picture book for you later, so wait for me.」

「Thank you! Mar-oneesama!」

「Then come with me Marguerite. Today's lesson is about manner.」

Fortunately Dahlia and others were living quietly without anyone watching them.

If they didn't show themselves for one or two years, there should be no one who could imagine how the children had grown up.

In addition Nigel's beauty was something that clearly would draw interest. If he was made to wear silver hair, other people would just think that the princess had grown to be very beautiful while outside of public's eye.

Additionally, it was essential to teach Nigel manners and educations that were worthy for a princess in order to strongly impress others that he was Princess Marguerite.

Luckily or unluckily, Nigel wasn't lacking in strength of will, talent, or looks to endure the situation and pull that off.