Negotiations With The Knight Captain

Seated at the table were Kent, Marie, Catherine, Al, Caro, Rachel, Elnette, Emily, and Josette, whom Elnette had likely called over early in the morning. Patty was not involved this time, so she was not included among the members.

“This time, the two points we will confirm with the other side and present demands for are the abduction of Marie-san and the violence committed against Kent-san.”

Josette said this in front of everyone.

“By the way, why is Josette-san the one taking charge here?”

Rachel asked a simple question.

“Why, you ask? That is because it is only natural for m-me, a duke’s daughter, to take charge, is it not?”

As Josette said this calmly, Elnette timidly raised her hand.

“Um, I am also technically… a duke’s daughter, you know?”

“…”

At Elnette’s modest words, Josette was left speechless. Starting with Kent, everyone ended up giggling.

“That is right. I was just lonely because I was the only one left out. It should be fine to let me take charge at least a little so I can show Kent-san a good side of myself.”

With her face bright red and tears welling in her eyes, Josette insisted on this.

“All right, all right. I’m sorry for saying something strange. You can continue, so don’t make that face.”

Seeing Josette’s expression, Rachel felt as if she had done something wrong and hurriedly apologized. Then everyone present exchanged opinions on how to handle things from now on, with Josette at the center.

“Then shall we go?”

After they finished exchanging opinions and had a light lunch, Josette and the others boarded the carriage. If everyone went, it would become a large group, so this time, Kent, Marie, Josette, and Elnette would go as representatives. Josette and Elnette changed into noble clothing for going out, Kent wore his academy uniform because he did not have clothes suited for such a place, and Marie changed into clothing for going out. The remaining people stayed behind. Though it was called staying behind, they were not going to sit still and wait until the others returned, and since there was nothing in particular to do, each of them decided to spend the holiday as they liked.

“I am sorry for forcing my way along.”

Marie apologized inside the carriage. Normally, as the person responsible for the shop and the victim, Marie ought to accompany them, but out of consideration for the emotional distress she had suffered, the discussion had been heading toward not making her come along. To fill Marie’s place and make the talks proceed even slightly more advantageously, Caro, who was a noble, had been scheduled to go in Marie’s place. However, because Marie strongly wished to accompany them, Caro withdrew, and Marie ended up going as planned. One might say that five people could have gone, but this carriage could only seat four people, excluding the driver, so the number ended up like this due to the passenger limit. Normally, they would bring attendants, which would reduce the number of people who could ride even further, but this time, they had not brought attendants in order to increase the number of people who could ride in the carriage.

Since this was a formal visit, the carriage boldly entered the Knight Captain’s mansion through the front gate, and when they got off, the Knight Captain’s servants lined up to greet them.

“Welcome. Master is waiting in the room at the back. Please come this way.”

A maid who represented the servants guided them, and Kent and the others were shown to the reception room.

“Elnette-sama, Josette-sama, and your companions, welcome today. Please have a seat.”

The Knight Captain guided them, and Elnette, Josette, Marie, and Kent sat in their respective seats in that order. After confirming this, the Knight Captain, Mark, and a plump middle-aged woman on the other side also took their seats.

“I apologize for troubling you to come here during your busy schedule due to what my son has done. After questioning my son, we confirmed that he did indeed take Marie-dono away.”

First, the Knight Captain began with an apology.

“Abducting the shop owner is an act of interference against Marie’s Bakery, which is under the protection of our Duke’s Household, and by extension, it will be regarded as a hostile act toward our household. You are aware that interfering with a shop protected by a noble can be taken as a hostile act, are you not?”

Josette, who had been entrusted with leading things this time, spoke to the Knight Captain in a strong tone.

“I have dispatched the Knight Order to Marie’s Bakery before, so I know of the shop itself, but I did not know that this woman was the owner of that bakery, nor that it was under the Duke’s Household’s protection.”

“That is strange. You should have heard from Rachel, the shop employee who is your classmate, Mark-dono, that Marie is the shop owner, so there is no way you did not know. Is that not right, Mark-dono?”

The Knight Captain made an excuse, but Josette pressed him further.

“…Yes, I knew.”

Mark answered reluctantly.

“And for the past month, you have been going to the shop almost every day, have you not?”

“Yes. However, there were no notices inside the shop indicating that, so I did not know it was under the Duke’s Household’s protection.”

“As you say, the shop did not have a notice posted stating that it was under our household’s protection, but we had made it clear in an even easier-to-understand way that it was under our household’s protection. You understood that, did you not?”

“Um, what exactly would that be?”

Mark answered Josette’s question with an expression that said he had no idea what she meant.

“Are you aware that members of our Duke’s Household work at Marie’s Bakery?”

“I believe you are referring to the fact that Elnette-sama works at the shop… Though it ended up that way, I only learned today that Elnette-sama was a member of the Duke’s Household. Therefore, I did not know that the Duke’s Household was involved. As such, I had no intention of opposing the Duke’s Household.”

Mark answered Josette’s question.

“I see. Then, did you know that Caroline, the daughter of Baron Frederick, who has friendly relations with our Duke’s Household, also works there?”

“No, I did not. However, now that you mention it, I do remember seeing her together with them in town before.”

When Caro had returned from the territory, she had stopped by the shop with Kent. Mark had apparently been inside the shop at the time, but he had not noticed.

“I see. Then I will change the question. When you visited Marie’s Bakery, do you remember the employee who mainly served you inside the shop?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“What sort of person was she?”

After Josette said this, Mark began thinking. Since he was a noble, Josette had mainly been the one handling his service inside the shop.

“Um, she had long silver hair, her chest was not as large as Marie’s, but it was still big, and I feel like she had a good figure. Also, she seemed unlucky, and her face was…”

As Mark muttered to himself, he suddenly raised his head and realized it.

“Josette-sama…”

“There were a few words there that bothered me, but you understand what I am trying to say, do you not?”

“I should have seen you together with Kent several times too, so why did I not notice until now?”

Mark truly seemed not to have noticed Josette, even though he should have met her face-to-face since childhood. Even he looked puzzled by it.

“I apologize. I did not notice until you pointed it out, but the person who served me was indeed Josette-sama. It seems the responsibility lies with me.”

“Since you have acknowledged it, please be prepared for an appropriate formal punishment regarding this matter at a later date.”

“Understood.”

“I would like to confirm just in case, but is it correct that you still harbor romantic feelings for Marie?”

“No. Regarding that matter, please rest assured that I no longer have such feelings.”

“Understood. May I ask the reason you lost those feelings… Eek! …Excuse me. It was nothing.”

Mark lowered his head and seemed to have resolved himself to accept their demands. Then, just as Josette was about to ask why he had lost his romantic feelings, she noticed Marie’s gaze, let out a strange sound, and withdrew her statement.

“Now then, next…”

“““Huh?”””

When Josette tried to bring up the next matter, Mark, the Knight Captain, and the woman seated with them, who had thought this was over, all let out surprised voices.

“Is this not the only matter?”

The Knight Captain timidly asked Josette.

“This is not the end. Rather, the main subject begins here.”

Since Mark had admitted the facts regarding Marie’s matter, Josette cut that discussion short and decided to bring up the topic that she considered the highest priority.