Chapter 7

“Ah, just as I thought. It’s a blister.”

In contrast to my calm voice, Nazelbert—who was sitting across from me—scrunched up his handsome face in a fluster.

“This is terrible; you’re bleeding. We’ll have to treat that as soon as we reach the estate.”

“Oh, you’re exaggerating.”

I usually just leave them alone since they heal eventually anyway. It’s not like I have parties every day, so I manage just fine.

“Are those shoes perhaps the wrong size for your feet?”

“Ehehe, actually, they are. They’re my grandmother’s shoes, and they’re a bit smaller than my actual size. If I grit my teeth, I can just barely squeeze into them, so I always wear them for parties.”

“Is the House of Eventail truly that impoverished…?”

“No, my parents are just obsessed with old things.”

Midway through our conversation, the carriage came to a halt, and the coachman announced our arrival at the Ducal estate.

Nazelbert told the coachman, “Bring the shoes later,” and stepped out of the carriage while carrying my barefoot self in his arms.

“Um, I can’t possibly intrude upon a Duke’s residence while barefoot!”

That was simply too disrespectful. My nerves weren’t quite that thick.

“It’s alright. We’re heading to the detached palace. You won’t run into anyone else, so just relax.”

“Even if you say that…”

Being carried like a princess made me incredibly tense. Not to mention, with this heavy dress on, I had to be a burden on his arms.

Ultimately, while I was still stiff as a board from nervousness, I was carried into the detached building of the Ducal House.

The Duke’s gardens were meticulously maintained, featuring rows of rose hedges that stood taller than I was.

This is the kind of place where you’d definitely get lost. Once you go in, you’re never coming out alone!

As those thoughts crossed my mind, we arrived in front of a simple, rustic building.

It was a new wooden structure that felt warm and welcoming. While larger than a commoner’s house, it was too small to be called a mansion—it felt more like an atelier.

“We’ve arrived at the annex. You can live here for the time being.”

Nazelbert bustled inside while still carrying me. His footsteps seemed somehow lighter than before.

“Don’t worry. You can relax and spend your time however you like here.”

Nazelbert didn’t have the same impenetrable air he’d carried at the castle; he seemed a bit more relaxed now. Even so, “relaxed” for him still meant he was the picture of elegance.

“Hieee… even for an annex, this is a beautiful building.”

The interior, finished with wooden floors and walls, felt quite new, and the stylish furnishings were modern. It didn’t feel like a typical stuffy noble residence; it was the kind of space where one could actually feel at home.

Entering a spacious room at the front, Nazelbert gently set me down on a sofa covered with an expensive-looking quilt. He then took a seat in a chair across from me. To my surprise, he began to treat my feet with his own hands. Does he not have any servants here?

“Let me introduce myself properly once more. I am Nazelbert, the second son of the Duke of Florescrus.”

“I am Agnes Eventail, the eldest daughter of Marquis Eventail. Thank you so much for helping me when I had nowhere else to go.”

“I am the reason you were cast out of your home. Please, let me at least protect you… though you might find it unpleasant to be looked after by a man like me.”

“Not at all! I’m incredibly grateful!”

I was truly saved by Nazelbert showing up just as I was about to be left wandering the streets.

I never imagined someone from a Ducal House would care about someone like me.

“Rest well today. My room is at the end of the hallway, and yours is on the second floor.”

“You’ve even prepared a room for me…”

“It may only be for a short while before we head to the frontier, but let’s try to get along. I’ll be on the lower floor, so call out if you need anything.”

At his words, I tilted my head in confusion. “Huh?”

“Wait. Lord Nazelbert, are you going to be staying here in this annex as well?”

“I am. Technically, I’m a criminal now. I’ve been barred from the main estate. My parents are currently petitioning the King for a reduction of the sentence, and I expect a formal decree will be issued in a few days.”

“I see.”

I’m sure the King and Queen will make a calm, rational judgment, but…

No matter what the decree says, my stubborn father will never allow me back into the mansion.

As I sat there gloomily worrying about my future, Nazelbert spoke up apologetically.

“Lady Agnes. There is a possibility that you might end up being sent to the frontier along with me.”

“The Princess did mention something about ‘banishment,’ didn’t she?”

“The frontier is extremely rural. And there are many Magic Beasts there.”

Magic Beasts were creatures that possessed mana; in this country, we distinguished them from regular animals by calling those without mana “beasts” and those with it “Magic Beasts.” The latter were far more dangerous.

“The Eventail Marquisate is also quite rural, so I don’t think it would lose to the frontier in that regard.”

Perhaps bothered by my carefree answer, Nazelbert looked worried and grabbed my shoulders with both hands.

“You’re on the verge of being exiled just because you got caught up in my annulment, you know? Do you really not blame me?”

“I don’t. I was shocked when I was kicked out of my house, but… how should I put it? I’ve actually wanted to join a convent for a while now, so I’m not all that bothered.”

Nazelbert stared at me, looking completely dumbfounded.

“A convent? Why on earth would you want to go to a place like that?”

…Well, I suppose that would be a shock.