Chapter 42

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: A Rowdy Reunion
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#42

“Your Majesty… As it happens, my godchild is visiting the estate, and he and my daughter have expressed a desire to see you.”

“A visitor? Who is it?”

“The Young Marquess Ras.”

As soon as she heard the name, Lucy let out a snort.

The Young Marquess Ras. Hearing her friend's name preceded by his title felt strangely unnatural.

Barely maintaining her composure, Lucy nodded with a solemn expression.

“Very well. Tell them to come together.”

After Marquess Rutherford left again, a small commotion broke out beyond the door.

The faint sounds of Marquess Rutherford's nagging about dignity, etiquette, and various pleas could be heard, interspersed with a man's low voice insisting it was fine and telling her to stop.

A delicate voice also slipped through the cracks, softly saying that everything would be fine if *he* just kept quiet.

A moment later, the door burst open, and a booming shout echoed out.

“Hey, Arsinoe! Long time no see!”

A man in a suit ran toward Lucy with his arms wide open. Behind him stood a pale-faced Marquess Rutherford and a young woman who resembled her but seemed calmer.

Just as Lucy was trying to figure out how to react, Whees stepped in front of her and slammed the man to the floor.

“Ugh!”

“How dare you speak Her Majesty's name so carelessly!”

Whees firmly gripped both of the man's wrists, straddled him, and pinned him down. His ability to overpower a grown man so easily proved he was every bit a soldier.

Lucy sighed and stopped Whees.

“Whees, calm down. It's alright, you can let him go.”

“But you just saw him! He charged right at you, trying to assassinate Your Majesty!”

“No, no. He's a friend of mine. We're just very casual with each other.”

The man pinned to the floor let out a choked gasp, like a squashed frog. Fearing he might actually die if this continued, Lucy quickly pushed Whees aside.

Whees, though still suspicious, slowly backed away. The man on the floor coughed and awkwardly pushed himself up.

Lucy offered the man a hand and helped him to his feet.

“It's been a while, Geronimo.”

A handsome suit, naturally styled hair. Beneath his long lashes, his dark brown eyes held a look of intellectual melancholy.

His appearance had changed quite a bit, but his essential aura was exactly the same. This was undoubtedly the idiot Geronimo Ras, who had been through thick and thin with Lucy during their military academy days. It was him.

Besides, he was the only Young Marquess Ras she knew.

“Ugh… I thought the Raphi just flew around, but they're incredibly strong. Seeing his skills, I guess there's no chance of you getting assassinated.”

“You haven't changed a bit either. Your guard slammed you to the ground because you charged at me like that. You're the heir to a marquessate now, and your manners are still atrocious?”

“That's rich. Arsinoe, you're a whole queen, and you're still talking like that?”

“Look who's talking.”

“You started it.”

They bantered back and forth, trading sarcastic remarks. Unlike the two of them, who spoke casually without regard for titles or status, the others standing around watched them nervously, as if sitting on pins and needles.

Marquess Rutherford disappeared, saying she would prepare more refreshments, and her eldest daughter stepped between the two.

With her glasses and hair pulled back tightly in a bun, she had a stern look that was surprisingly unlike Vanessa Rutherford's relaxed demeanor.

“It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Cocoche Rutherford. Before I offer my greetings, may I be excused for a moment?”

“Excused? Well… as you wish.”

Her eyes twinkled behind her glasses as her gaze shifted to Geronimo. Cocoche pulled him into a corner and began to lecture him in a low voice.

“Don't you think you're being too rough with Her Majesty? Now that you're the heir, your words represent the Marquessate of Ras. I've told you this countless times. It was fine when you were living like a hooligan, but as the heir, you must be careful with your words and actions.”

“Please, stop nagging, Cocoche. Do you know how old I am?”

“You're much younger than I am. It feels a bit odd to say this, but you really need to listen to your elders. Just yesterday, I…”

“I told you to stop. Anyway, about Arsinoe—”

“Geronimo…! How many times have I told you not to call Her Majesty by her name? You may have been friends in the past, but now Her Majesty represents the dignity of Parnas.”

“Oh, come on!”

The two bickered for a long time, regardless of whether Lucy was there or not.

Seeing them, Lucy figured this squabbling must be a daily routine for them, so she sat quietly and focused on eating grapes. The argument only died down when she had nearly finished a whole bunch.

“Anyway, what's wrong with calling a friend by her name? Honestly, I never thought she'd actually become queen.”

Geronimo returned to his seat, crossing his arms and smirking.

Cocoche, looking too drained to nag any further, pushed up her glasses with a disgruntled expression. Lucy pushed the bowl of grapes toward them and chuckled.

“I know, right? I never thought I'd be talking down to the heir of the Marquessate of Ras.”

At her sarcastic remark, Geronimo's brow furrowed. He then leaned in close, out of Cocoche's earshot, and lowered his voice.

“If you had just asked for help when you first returned to the capital, I would have gladly given it. Why did you do everything so secretively on your own…? Did you not trust me?”

“Why would I ask for help from someone who's busy enough just taking care of himself? Still, I'll thank you for lending me your troops when I went after Duke Kill.”

“And my payment?”

“You just got it. The heartfelt thanks of Lady Arsinoe.”

Geronimo scowled and shuddered. Pleased by his reaction, Lucy puckered her lips and winked.

“Disappointed? If you want, I could give you a kiss?”

“Crazy… Get lost.”

“Hmm, I don't really have anything else to give you. Let's see… Here, you can have this.”

Lucy picked up a leftover grape skin and placed it in Geronimo's palm. Geronimo bit his lower lip and clicked his tongue as if he'd just seen something utterly bizarre.

Lucy pushed him back by pressing a finger to his forehead, then turned her attention to Cocoche with a bright smile.

“Lady Cocoche. Your wisdom and intellect are renowned among the nobility. I've heard that Marquess Rutherford even discusses official matters with you.”

Cocoche's face flushed red at the sudden compliment. She stammered a reply, unable to meet Lucy's eyes.

“You're too kind, Your Majesty. It was you who subdued Duke Kill with such an extraordinary strategy. For someone younger than myself to devise such a brilliant plan… I was truly impressed.”

Blushing, Cocoche shyly lowered her head. She darted a glance at Lucy before looking down again and speaking timidly.

“Your Majesty, you saved me and many other nobles. My mother praised you so highly, and I've wanted to meet you ever since. But now that I'm actually here…”

“Now that you're here?”

“You're even more wonderful than I imagined.”

*Pfft.* Cocoche burst into a bright, cheerful laugh. The corners of her eyes crinkled behind her glasses, adding to her incredibly innocent and charming impression.

Geronimo, who had been watching them with sharp eyes, grabbed Cocoche with a scowl and pulled her toward him.

His eyes blazed with jealousy as he looked at Lucy.

“Wonderful, my foot… Cocoche! You'll be in big trouble if you fall for her! She's a total snake. She'll eat someone like you alive in the blink of an eye!”

“Geronimo! How many times have I told you not to speak so rudely to Her Majesty!”

“Hey, Arsinoe. I don't care what else you do, but if you so much as try to flirt with Cocoche, we're done.”

“Hey, why are you picking a fight with me when I haven't done anything…?”

Lucy let out a weary sigh and leaned back on the sofa.

It was obvious at a glance who Geronimo was in love with.

Cocoche, on the other hand, seemed to see him as nothing more than a foul-mouthed brat. And from her innocent expression, it looked like she didn't know the first thing about romance.

Lucy reached out and offered a cookie to Geronimo. As he looked at her with a questioning face, she gave him a pitying look and said one thing.

“You've chosen a difficult path, Geronimo.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

About an hour later, Lucy left the Rutherford estate and returned to headquarters, her still-damp hair fluttering in the wind.

It was just after she had finished a brief meeting with Walter and left the commander's office. Lucy looked up at the sky in dismay.

“It's raining in this weather?”

The sky had been overcast since morning, and as soon as she stepped outside, it began to rain.

Was it because the temperature was higher than usual for this time of year? It was raining when it should have been snowing. It seemed to Lucy that the days were getting warmer with each passing year, and she tilted her head in thought.

“Your Majesty. Stay close to me.”

Whees, who was following behind her, spread his wings wide to create a shelter.

Being a Raphi of considerable size, his outstretched wings formed a rather large umbrella. Lucy didn't hesitate to huddle against his side and quicken her pace.

“Whees. Are you alright? I thought the Raphi disliked getting wet.”

“Of course we do. But the reconnaissance unit must go out on patrol whether it rains or snows.”

“…You always have it rough.”

“Well, no matter how hard it rains, it never reaches my under-feathers, so it's fine. I just end up looking a bit of a mess.”

As he spoke, Whees instinctively shook his body with a flutter.

Realizing his mistake a moment too late, he looked down to see Lucy, now soaked like a drowned rat.