CHAPTER 12………………………………….
After sending Uti-no away, Elexena and Panake did not sleep until dawn. Once morning came, knights would immediately be posted, and after that it would be difficult to speak freely as they had now.
“What do you want me to do from now on?”
Panake’s red eyes gleamed. If all she needed was tears, she wouldn’t have been brought into the house. Panake made that assumption.
It was a reasonable guess. Elexena lowered her gaze.
“I want to apologize first about that.”
Elexena’s words dragged unusually. Panake grew tense at the unexpected apology.
A man who normally never says he’s sorry and does insane things—now apologizing in advance? Just what is he planning?
“I’m going to use you as leverage.”
Contrary to Panake’s worry, it wasn’t anything complicated. But Elexena’s expression was unpleasant, as though she were doing something she truly disliked.
“Cardia has nothing.”
Elexena let out a sigh.
In the past, she had dealt with half-siblings and concubines. Back then, she hadn’t needed much help from Panake. But things were different now.
She had no reliable allies, no reputation she had built herself. Her knowledge of this place was close to nonexistent. The only thing she had was her position as the eldest daughter—but even that was not particularly useful. What did bloodline matter if she did not have her father’s support?
So the only card “Cardia” could use was Panake.
“To think I would use you as a tool.”
Elexena hated using her friend as a means. Even when she had lived as Elexena before, she had not brought Panake to Palakium for that very reason. She didn’t want people to treat Panake like an object of curiosity.
The more attention he drew, the more Panake became nothing more than a spectacle—as long as there existed someone like Elexena who could control him.
“I’m not being used by you. I’m helping you.”
Panake spoke firmly.
Honestly, he was a little stunned. The same guy who had been laughing while charging through a window—no, the same shameless guy who returned after a thousand years and casually asked for help—why was he acting like this now?
But separate from that, he didn’t want to see Elexena’s dejected face. He wished that face would always remain clear and bright, never clouded with sorrow.
“You could at least smile like you did earlier.”
Panake said indifferently.
As Elexena had expected, Iglea sent knights at the break of dawn. At first, there was only one knight assigned directly to Elexena—but they hadn’t truly sent just one.
Three knights waited in the garden beneath the window. Two guarded the front door. In total, six knights were present. Among them, the one stationed directly beside Elexena was noticeably younger than the others.
“My name is Calisto Larvan. I will be protecting the young lady from now on.”
Because of that, the young knight did not hide his dissatisfaction with the situation.
Elexena narrowed her eyes at the knight’s rudeness. His tone was polite, but his attitude was insolent.
“Very well. I look forward to your service.”
“Let’s let this slide for now.”
Punishing a knight personally appointed by her mother right away would not look good. Unlike maids or servants who could be punished at will, knights were mostly of noble birth.
“If I punish him now, it will be seen as disobeying my mother’s order—and also as harming a noble.”
Elexena turned her gaze toward Yutino.
The salve must have worked; Yutino looked perfectly fine. In fact, he seemed more cheerful than yesterday, smiling brightly.
“Seeing him smile, I suppose I should put him to work.”
Elexena said to Yutino:
“Yutino, bring me some books to read.”
“Should I pick them myself?”
“Yes.”
At her confirmation, Yutino quickly ran off. His bouncy steps were out of place in a ducal household, but she let it be.
“I’ll rest a bit until Yutino returns.”
Elexena leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.
She could endure long periods without sleep, but fatigue was still fatigue. Moreover, Cardia’s body was still weak, so she needed to conserve it.
“I should find time to train as well.”
There was too much to do. Learn about this place, take revenge, train. Still, it wasn’t bad. Better than having nothing to do or wanting nothing at all.
Just as she was about to sink into thought again, footsteps came bouncing back. It was unmistakably Yutino. The door burst open, and he spoke brightly.
“I went to the library, and they recommended a lot of books!”
His arms were full of books.
Doesn’t that weigh him down?
Elexena clicked her tongue inwardly but accepted them. She had expected a few books, but there were more than ten.
“This one is about the history and myths of the Empire. And this one is art history—”
Elexena let him continue chattering, curious how far he would go. His explanation was surprisingly detailed and continued smoothly.
He might have kept going if not for someone interrupting the mood.
“Hah.”
A knight watching from behind scoffed at the books. Startled by the sound, Yutino snapped his mouth shut like a clam and looked anxious. Panake, crouched quietly, also let his red eyes flare.
Elexena looked at the knight and spoke calmly.
“What’s so amusing?”
“I believe the librarian should be punished. Or perhaps that maid instead.”
The knight ran a long finger across the book spines with a sneer.
Elexena tilted her head slightly, as if telling him to continue. The knight casually picked out the books Yutino had brought.
“These are books meant for young noble ladies and gentlemen just beginning their education. Offering them to the young lady is clearly mockery.”
His gaze was condescending, as if asking how she could not know this. Yutino trembled, then dropped to his knees.
“Ah… Lady, I didn’t mean it like that. I really just asked for recommendations…”
Elexena waved a hand.
She already knew Yutino hadn’t done it intentionally. A child who endured a beating yesterday wouldn’t suddenly change his attitude overnight.
I am a fool. That’s what everyone calls me.
The child who stood at the boundary between life and death looked about four years old. The person who recommended these books likely had one of two intentions: either they were matching the child’s level—or they were mocking him.
But what did it matter?
They were all equally ignorant here anyway.
“It doesn’t matter. I needed something to pass the time anyway.”
Elexena leaned back and casually picked up one of the low-level books the knight had selected. Soon, the steady sound of pages flipping filled the room.
At that, the young knight Calisto Larvan frowned and turned away.
He could not understand this Cardia who let such behavior slide so easily.
Nobles, by nature, should not tolerate those who mocked them. Yet the young lady had already ignored such behavior twice.
First, the knight’s own insolence. Second, these books.
Pathetic excuse for pride.
Calisto gritted his teeth. He had not endured harsh training just to serve someone like this. He had joined the knights of House Wincedius to serve a noble he could respect. But due to the household conflict between the lady and her mother, that dream had been shattered.
Instead of a noble life, I’m stuck playing watchdog in a family feud.
Just as his expression twisted in frustration, the young lady suddenly turned to him, smiling languidly like a predator spotting prey.
“If you’re bored, why not sit down?”
“No need.”
Calisto replied, suppressing his temper.
“Tch.”
Panake clicked his tongue immediately. The young lady glanced at him instead, eyes overflowing with fondness as if he were a small pet.
“Why is that?”
“It’s just too boring here.”
“Is that so? Then I suppose I should make things interesting.”
Snap.
She shut the book harshly.
“Yutino, bring me the three people listed here.”
Conveniently, there was something amusing at hand.
“Let’s conduct the interviews we were supposed to do today—right now.”
She bared her teeth and smiled.
“My name is Seto. I handle cleaning the first-floor stairs.”
“I’m Jonathan. I clean the corridors.”
“My name is Martin. I take care of the garden.”
The three servants kept their eyes lowered as they introduced themselves. As rumors in the estate had suggested, the young lady truly seemed different now. Her sharp gaze swept over them like a blade.
“Yutino, leave.”
Her voice was low and soft, yet it cut through the air like a needle.
As the door closed behind Yutino, suffocating silence filled the room.
The young lady slowly stood and approached them. None of them dared lift their heads.
“As I said, if you tell the truth about what you did, you will not be severely punished.”
Someone swallowed audibly.
“Seto, you go first.”
Seto forced down his nerves and lifted his head.
What should I do?
In front of him stood the young lady—and behind her, Panake. Beside her stood the knight the lady’s mother had assigned.
Seto took a deep breath.
Panake was frightening. The awakened young lady’s intentions were unpredictable. Even if he confessed, there would still be consequences.
And the knight—he was the mother’s man. Everything said here would reach her ears. And if he had to choose between the young lady and the lady’s mother, the mother would be the safer choice.
In that case—
“I only cleaned the stairs. I did nothing else.”
Seto chose to hold back.
The young lady frowned. She sighed in displeasure—but that was all.
Seto smiled inwardly.
Exactly. What can a newly awakened young lady even do? Even Panake, the so-called legendary bird, just sits there doing nothing.
I made the right choice choosing the lady’s side.
Pleased with himself, Seto smiled.
“Understood.”
The young lady accepted his answer obediently.
Then—
THUD!!
She grabbed Seto by the hair and slammed him straight into the floor.
