Chapter 14 – They're gonna be so mad... (怒られるじゃん。)
After waking up in the parlor of Ursch-kun's house with no grasp of the current situation, Marie-chan had a small panic attack, but after hearing the details from Ursch-kun, she got down on her knees and apologised profusely.
"Please forgive me, My Lady! Not only was I so preoccupied with my personal problems that I neglected the task I was given, I involved the Young Lady in a disturbance I had brought about, and even with compensation for the damage I caused!!"
"It wouldn't be that unusual to get fired over this, you know?"
Upon hearing Ursch-kun's remark, Marie-chan's already pale face went as white as a sheet, tears welling up in her eyes.
Certainly, just hearing about a maid who "after damaging the catch of three burly adventurers, fainted, then burdening the 6-year-old noble lady she works for to confront said adventurers, pay the compensation fee, and to carry the unconscious maid to safety" would lead to her immediate dismissal, no questions asked.
However, many details were left out in that explanation, so I'd like to prevent Marie-chan from getting fired because of it.
To begin with, the fact the I, a Duke's daughter was there at all is in itself, odd.
Plus, it was my fault that Marie-chan fainted.
Well, even if I tried explaining to everyone that Marie-chan passed out because of my "Intimidation", they'd probably laugh it off saying there's no way an adult could possibly faint from the intimidation of a mere 6-year-old child...
In regards to the compensation, honestly, with the other party not looking too pleased with it, I can't say that I handled it all too well.
And as for carrying her around, Marie-chan was as light as a feather, so I didn't feel particularly burdened, but...
because her legs were too long, I had to drag it around, and it seems that it whacked quite a few things on the way....
Marie-chan's ankles were blue-black due to copius bleeding under the skin, and the area was swelling terribly.
Something... is definitely broken... right?
Frankly, I think there would have been much less damage had I not stuck my nose into this.
No matter how many cheat powers I possessed, if I, the person using it was worthless, then nothing good would come out of it.
Now, after considering everything as a whole, the best course of action would be to pretend that this event never happened.
It'd be inconvenient if my family or the servants back in the manor were to ever find out.
"Marie, regarding the current incident, would you kindly pretend that I was not there at the time? "
Upon hearing my words, not only Marie-chan, but even Ursch-kun looked at me with a surprised look on his face.
"My Lady, you knew the name of a servant like me—ah, no, I mean... May I ask what My Lady means by that?"
"Ehh~. I think it would be pretty hard to pretend you weren't there, seeing as a huge commotion happened and all. Not to mention, I've already sent one of our workers to inform your place that the maid is with us, so someone will probably come to pick her up soon. Wouldn't the secret be out the moment they see you here?"
"When that pick-up person arrives, would you please pretend that I was never here? I would like this to be resolved with either Ursch-kun or 'someone from the Schneiver Company' to be known as the one who protected Marie."
"Why are you so reluctant for it to be known that you were there, Isabella?"
Seeing me so adamant about not being here, Ursch-kun tilts his head.
Why do you think?
It should have been obvious to someone as smart as you, Ursch-kun.
"Because... I secretly snuck out of the mansion, you know? They're gonna be so mad..."
"Isabella, I knew you were secretly tailing that maid over there, but this is the first I'm hearing that you left home without telling anyone?"
"No no, it should have been obvious the moment I, a Duke's daughter was seen alone without a single guard nor attendant. There's the danger of kidnapping and such, so it's not normal for a 6-year-old noble lady to be walking around by herself."
After saying so, Ursch-kun's usual healing smile had a bit of a dark tint to it.
Rather than a smile, it's looking more like a smirk right about now. I wonder why?
"That's right, isn't it~? You were fully aware of it, weren't you, Isabella? A young lady of Ducal descent walking around town without a single guard nor attendant is indeed dangerous. Yet even knowing so, you still decided to sneak out, hmm? And you wanted us to keep quiet about it, didn't you?"
Crap, I've been had.
Without any warning, I was tricked into confessing what I've done and "whether I was aware of it".
But why the sudden need for confirmation–
All of a sudden, the doors of the parlor flew open, and two burly men burst in.
“Bella!! What am I going to do with you?! How could you have done something so dangerous!!"
"───Father?! Eh?! Brother Daemon too?! Why are you here?!"
The two men who appeared was my father, and my second brother, Daemon.
Urk!! Don't tell me... did they overhear our conversation?!
U-U-U-U-Ursch-kun!! Did you plan this?!
Eh! Aahh, w-w-w-w-what should I do?!
H-How should I trick... No, where should I start explaining–Arghh!! Geez!!
In a state of panic, I────
smashed the window and ran away.
""Whaaaaaaat?! Bella!!!""
"You're kidding-?! Isabella!!"
I paid no attention to the surprised voices of the men behind me as I bolted.
Ah, this might be the first time I've heard Ursch-kun's flustered voice.
In the middle of the night, on my knees in the hallway, I was scolded by Father and my brother Daemon for 2 hours.
Seeing as it's unbecoming to make a noble lady kneel in a hallway, Shaun-san tried to step in, but...
With Brother Daemon placing great emphasis that "Not even male commoners would break the glass windows of someone else's house and jump out of them. Right now, this girl is to not be treated as a lady.", he was stopped in his tracks.
While being watched upon by the many servants of our manor, I had my public execution at the hallway.
Personally, I think this is even worse than the public condemnation and engagement annulment event.
As for why my brother Daemon, who should be working in the palace for the Order of Imperial Knights, is here right now, that would be because everyone in the mansion freaked out way more than I thought they would when I was discovered missing.
And my father, being the Prime Minister, was working in the palace when he was notified of my disappearance. After recalling the difficulties the servants had experienced while attempting to find or catch me, he believed that his second son in the Imperial Knights would be up to the task. Thus, they came home together.
However, even with the addition of my brother to the already-large search party, I was nowhere to be found in the mansion.
And when they were starting to get restless at their failure to locate me, a Schneiver employee arrived, notifying them that I was with the maid, and the events leading to it. After hearing the full details, Father fainted.
I’m getting the feeling Father is fainting more often these days.
Incidentally, this public execution of mine is being held at 2 o'clock in the middle of the night.
The combined power of our employees and Brother Daemon was not enough to capture me. Thus, Brother Daemon solicited aid from his juniors and subordinates in the Order who were off-duty, to assist in the capture of his runaway little sister.
The Imperial Knights who answered his call initially wondered what all the fuss over a 6-year-old noble girl was all about,
but ultimately were unable to catch me.
Gradually getting serious with the chase, they even called in their other off-duty comrades to give them a hand.
As the number of Imperial Knights chasing me down steadily increased, so did my fear, thus I began running away in earnest.
Which in turn made them round up more knight acquantances, derailing this into an all-out manhunt.
Under pursuit from all the brawny Imperial Knights and Knights Corps members, my fear meter hit MAX level,
making me use my 《Omnidirectional Movement》skill , desperately sprinting through the streets and jumping over buildings in attempt of getting away.
Unfortunately, this caused the adventurers to get interested, with them deciding to join in on the fun.
The entire town was caught in a huge commotion starting in the evening and lasting through the night.
Incidentally, the adventurers were split into factions of those chasing me down, and those helping me get away, which added even more confusion to the situation.
Treating the commotion as the liveliness of a festival, I heard that food stall sales increased everywhere.
In the end, however, the one who caught me was none other than Ursch-kun.
As I was mentally driven into a corner after being chased around by all those huge, burly men, there stood Ursch-kun waving at me with his healing, angelic smile, beckoning me as he did so.
I jumped into Ursch-kun's arms without a second thought. The next thing I knew, I found myself tied up with the whip he had been hiding behind his back.
As expected of a Magic Item made by Ursch-kun. I was unable to break free even with my monstrous strength.
What's up with this whip, so scary!
And so, after that day, word spread that the youngest daughter of the Rottenstein family, Isabella,
”is able to run through the streets in an extravagant and hard-to-move-in dress, scale across tall walls and leap between buildings. Even the Imperial Knights, Knight Corps and the adventurers are unable to capture this young lady. The only one who can is her fiance.”
There wasn't a single townsperson who didn't know about it, and it became a hot topic within the Imperial Knights, Knight Corps, and the adventurers.
Yes, everyone is properly recognising Ursch-kun as my "fiance". Truly wonderful.
But with how greatly word was getting around, it would eventually reach them, wouldn't they?
My uncle, the King, the Head of the Imperial Knights, the Head of the Mages, and the Master of the Adventurer’s Guild...
It would get them interested, wouldn't they?
A/N: Thank you for all the reviews!! I'm really happy that the both of them are well liked.
No matter how things turn out, no matter who Isabella marries, with Isabella in this state,
Where would the Rottenstein family be heading?
...is how it would turn out. There's no helping it, is there? (lol)
And thank you for worrying about the wagon horses!! The horses would without a doubt, die from that whip, wouldn't they...
winter's T/N lol: Isabella refers to Marie as "Marie-chan" only in her head. When actually talking to Marie, she calls her "Marie" and speaks like how a noble would.
Isabella's speech with Ursch is as casual as her thoughts tho
Isabella adressess Daemon as "Daemon-niisama" but I'll be translating it as "Brother Daemon"