Chapter 31

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Falcon Hunt
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The knights in the training grounds were also showing great interest in the rumor that Young Miss Roena had been scolded by the lord.

I felt a sense of pity watching them, no different from maids, chewing over gossip and engaging in heated debate.

“Heavens, what could an angel like our young miss have done to be scolded? The one who asked for the maid is the one at fault.”

“Hear, hear! How hurt must our Young Miss Roena's heart be? Just thinking about it tears my own heart to pieces. Ah, young miss. Do you know of this burning heart of mine?”

“Sir Halberd. You've been escorting Young Miss Roena all this time. Did you see her today? Hmm? How is she?”

One of the reasons I tolerated Pell's frivolous attitude was his skill in polishing my sword.

Though he ran his mouth and acted detestably, his dedication to his duties was quite commendable.

I gazed with satisfaction at the blade, shining brightly as it reflected the sunlight. The well-honed edge exuded a sharp aura, which pleased me greatly.

“Hey, Sir Halberd. Didn't you hear me?”

“I don't know what you're talking about. More importantly, it is not a knight's place to seek out the young miss for personal reasons. So please, would you allow me to focus on my sword?”

A sharp, gleaming sword is enough to intimidate an opponent. If they wished, I was willing to spar with them right then and there.

In truth, being loved by all is a difficult thing. Not everyone can like the same person.

But for a knight to be swayed by baseless rumors and slander a delicate girl was beyond the pale. Where had the oaths and principles of knighthood, learned from the very beginning, all gone?

Setting aside faith in one's lord, any man who reveres a lady should be able to calmly assess a situation and think for himself.

They should have seen those delicate, trembling eyes I had seen in the garden. Then they would not be able to mock her so easily.

If one could still condemn her so fiercely after seeing that look in her eyes, his heart must be made of iron, or he is nothing but a cold-blooded man devoid of compassion and sympathy.

***

Pell displayed a strange persistence in unhelpful matters. His perseverance and effort revealed a natural talent for spreading gossip.

Until Madame de La Vallière's visit to the estate, he relentlessly spread rumors about Lady Cisse everywhere.

However, most of what he said was unsubstantiated nonsense, like 'Lady Cisse killed and buried the maid sent by Lady Roena,' or 'She curses Lady Roena every night.'

I tried time and again to correct his vulgar behavior, but Pell's nature was not easily changed. Instead, I was met with resentful remarks for not taking Lady Roena's side.

Amidst all this, Madame de La Vallière's visit to the estate was nothing short of a godsend for Cisse Vischwartz.

By receiving Lady de La Vallière's approval in front of everyone, she solidified her position. Madame de La Vallière was a woman of high repute in society; for her to say someone was 'not bad' was tantamount to the highest praise.

The people who had been slandering and whispering about Lady Cisse began to quiet down after Lady de La Vallière's endorsement.

While the Count led the Vischwartz family, it was Madame de La Vallière whose influence extended beyond the family and into high society. Her presence was immeasurably great.

“They say the Madame is taking charge of Lady Cisse's education. Heavens, *that* Madame, taking on Lady Cisse? What are we to make of this?”

Pell and many others exclaimed with confused expressions. Their faces were contorted in disbelief.

It was only natural that a sigh escaped me at such a pathetic sight. To constantly doubt their lord's decision, only to desperately try to deny the truth when it materialized before them—it was utterly contemptible.

Had the Madame not visited the Vischwartz estate, they would have continued to tear Lady Cisse apart for their own amusement.

I was utterly disillusioned by this unbearable pettiness. The stench they exuded made me sick.

Fortunately, Lady Cisse seemed to be a rather clever girl. Even with Madame de La Vallière's backing, she did not step into the forefront of the household and do anything to displease everyone.

She simply accepted her circumstances with humility, striving as if she wished to belong to this world as quickly as possible. Her face, smooth and radiant like a well-crafted vessel, remained serene, showing no trace of excitement.

I thought it was the ceremonial face a noble lady ought to possess. Perhaps that was why I felt a sense of relief.

But had I known it was the other side of 'resignation,' I would not have been so quick to praise her composure.

***

Lady Roena had been participating in the falcon hunts since the year before last. It was called a falcon hunt, but in reality, it was little more than a small picnic.

Count Vischwartz appointed me as her escort knight. My father considered it a great honor, and the other knights were deeply envious.

Lady Roena was a lovely girl. She was quite kind to those around her, addressing everyone in a lively and gentle tone.

It goes without saying that most people in the Vischwartz household were followers of the young lady.

But on the hunting grounds, her loveliness did not seem to work as well. A group led by a duke's daughter was noticeably cold and had a knack for grating on one's nerves with their subtle turns of phrase.

I felt a chill run down my spine whenever they looked our way with their faint smiles.

I tried to endure it by reminding myself of the virtues concerning a lady, but their way of criticizing others with a mix of coquetry and feigned charm was so repulsive it made my stomach churn.

Therefore, when I heard that Lady Cisse would be accompanying us on this falcon hunt, I was filled with a strange feeling.

Mounted on her horse in riding attire, Young Miss Cisse looked every bit a lady of the Vischwartz family.

Despite the muddy ground and the hot weather that made sweat trickle down, she maintained a serene expression. Not once did her posture falter, even after arriving at the hunting grounds and taking her seat.

The inside of the tent was humid and sweltering. It was stifling enough to take one's breath away. Maids stood beside the ladies, fanning them, while knights like myself stood a short distance behind the chairs, keeping watch over the surroundings.

Outside, it was noisy with the young lords in the midst of their hunt. Inside the tent, the young ladies were beginning a hunt of their own.

Last year, their gazes would have been directed at me and Lady Roena.

This time, however, it seemed different. After chatting about trivial matters, they soon turned their attention to Lady Cisse and spoke to her. Their words were so blatant as to be insulting.

Seeing Lady Roena with tears welling in her eyes and Lady Cisse watching her calmly, I was reminded of my second older brother and myself.

In the past, there was someone who had hurled such rude words at me. How did I react then? And my brother?

That sorrowful memory, etched in my mind, was stained with fiery rage, shouts, and shame.

To handle the situation with such composure, as Lady Cisse did, was unimaginable. I was young and more faithful to my emotions. That's why I thought it was a natural reaction.

But you, Lady Cisse, how can you accept this so easily? I could not believe my eyes and ears.

It would have been better if she had shown sadness like Lady Roena. But that smiling face, as if nothing were wrong, felt as precarious as a flower trembling on a cliff's edge.

As she stepped out of the tent to gaze ahead, she looked as if she might vanish in an instant, like sand slipping through one's fingers.

Was that why? I entrusted Lady Roena to Sir Bern and followed Lady Cisse. It was something my past self would never have imagined, an act driven purely by impulse.

Yes, I admit it. When I face Lady Cisse, I commit acts bordering on 'impulse.' It did not befit the chivalry I had learned, and it was hardly the conduct of a well-trained knight.

What knight would commit the discourtesy of speaking to a lady first? But impulse had a magical power that shattered all rules.

Therefore, I had no choice but to think that this piece of my heart was part of the 'worry' Lady Cisse had mentioned.

“You need not worry.”

Lady Cisse's face was deathly pale. She looked at me as if frightened. Though she tried to act composed, her ashen face looked so precarious, as if she might collapse at any moment.

Was this not the same lady who had not lost her composure before the pack of hyenas in the tent? I could not understand what she was afraid of.

“Are you not Roena's knight, Sir?”

Nor could I understand what she was so desperately trying to push away.

Had a horse not come charging toward you, I would have risked impertinence and asked, 'What did you mean by what you just said?'

The body I pulled into my arms was so fragile. The sky spun, and a faint pain shot through my limbs, but the sensation against my chest came first.

Her delicate body trembling with fear, her eyes wavering in confusion, her voice a hushed whisper—every part of her was heart-wrenching.

What would have happened if I hadn't followed you? The mere thought was dizzying. It was a knight's sense of duty, and at the same time, something I could not put into words.

For having dodged a charging horse, my injuries were minor. No, they were nothing more than small scratches, not even worthy of being called injuries.

My arms, legs, and back stung from hitting the ground, but this was something I could experience on the training grounds.

Therefore, the doctor should have been tending to Lady Cisse, not me. But what followed was a fuss made over me and Lady Roena's declaration that she would forgive the servant who seemed to be the cause of it all.

No one, not a single person, asked Lady Cisse if she was all right. No one worried about her injuries. Among those present, no one noticed this discrepancy. Not even Lady Cisse herself!

In truth, Lady Roena, at the very least, should have checked on Lady Cisse's injuries and shown concern before declaring she would forgive the servant.

But she did not. And Lady Cisse, too, seemed to show no particular interest in the matter.

No, it seemed she didn't even expect it. What did this mean? Could this possibly be called normal?

Why was this? I felt a tingling sensation, as if cold water had been poured over my head.

Right now I, a robust man clad in armor, was being examined by a doctor, yet no one raised any questions about it.

How could they overlook this? Why? For what reason?

Suddenly, Lady Cisse's words came to mind.

'Are you not Roena's knight, Sir?'

I finally understood her words. No, I had no choice but to understand. Lady Cisse, you knew all along.

That no one here worried about you or welcomed you.

And that nothing here was yours, nor could it ever be. Not even from those who belonged to the Vischwartz family.