And the storm arrived just as forecast, right as we finished breakfast.
I led her to the parlor, and once everyone had been served tea, introductions began. Angela had only brought one maid with her while we had four people present: me, Gramps, Albert, and Kriss. Angela’s maid and Kriss stood quietly at the back of the room.
“My father and brother owe you a great deal,” Angela said.
“It definitely goes both ways,” I said.
After the introductions, we exchanged some light small talk. Albert and Kriss were both very tense. Every time Angela moved even slightly, they flinched.
“I’ve heard so much about you, Master Otori, from all sorts of people. It feels like we’ve already met, especially when it comes to how much trouble my little brother has caused you.” Angela paused and flashed Albert a smile while her eyes glared at him. Albert instinctively got up from his seat so he could flee, but the moment Angela cleared her throat, he froze and quickly sat back down. He did shift a few centimeters farther from her, but I’m not sure it was a conscious movement.
Honestly, if someone gave me that look, I’d want to run too.
“I’ve heard so many things, but when I heard he’d been stalking someone, I blacked out! Apparently, when I had been told that, I grabbed a sword from the wall and was about to head straight for the capital myself. That’s what my husband and the staff say, anyway. They had to physically restrain me right as I was about to mount my horse,” she explained.
“Oh, just so you know, Albert wasn’t the instigator of that incident. He was simply dragged into it,” I said. “Also, please just call me Tenma. That’s what my friends call me.”
The first thing that came to mind when I heard Angela’s story was Man, Albert really lucked out that she wasn’t in the capital that day... But of course I couldn’t say that out loud. And since I didn’t know how else to respond, the only thing that I could get out was a weak attempt to defend him.
“If you say so, Tenma. I did learn later that he wasn’t the instigator, but he was involved nonetheless. And when you’re acting as an accomplice, you’re equally responsible,” she reasoned. “It’s nice that he’s close with those two since they’re all heirs, but honestly, they might be a little too close...”
Of course, being family and a fellow academy graduate, Angela must’ve known that Albert and the others were pretty much idols among the fujoshi crowd.
“Half the rumors about Albert and his friends are those kinds of stories, you know. But I wish people would consider how it feels to be on the receiving end of them.”
Albert couldn’t take it any longer and tried to shift the attention away from that topic. “Sis, can we not? That’s not why you came here today, right?”
“Oh, right. We got a little off track. I came here today to discuss Primera, after all.”
Here it comes...
“First, I want to make it clear that I’m not here to demand you take responsibility for anything involving my youngest sister. If you do take responsibility, that’s great. But I don’t think being together out of a sense of obligation will lead to happiness for either side.”
That wasn’t what I’d expected her to say at all. Or, at least, she was veering way off course. But just when I thought this discussion would go one way, she threw me a curveball.
“At this rate, however, she’s never going to get married. And you’re the most promising candidate I’ve heard of so far. So I hope you don’t mind if I start thinking of you as my future brother-in-law,” she said.
“Come on, Sis...”
“I’m only saying that that’s how I feel! I’m not going to go blabbing that to just anyone,” Angela said. “But you’re the one who tried to force them into a marriage by using someone else’s wedding as bait, weren’t you, Albert? So between you and me, which one of us crossed the line more?”
And just when I thought that curveball was headed towards me, it changed directions and hit Albert right in the face.
“By the way, I’ve been wondering for a while... Isn’t the one standing behind you a knight from the king’s guard? Kristina, I believe? Or wait...Kriss, right? Either way, why is she here?”
And just like that, Angela’s gaze slid right past Albert and landed on Kriss.
“H-Hello, Lady Angela! I’m, um...here today because I felt like I should apologize for going along with Albert’s plan, and we ended up tricking Primera. That’s why I asked to be here today!”
Kriss stepped forward and bowed, acting like she’d come to apologize entirely of her own volition...but not before shifting the blame squarely onto Albert.
“Oh, you don’t need to apologize for that. I don’t believe your actions directly affected Primera in any significant way. And more importantly, I’ve already heard that Her Majesty gave you a thorough scolding. If I were to scold you again here, it might be seen as me insulting the queen’s judgment.”
Angela told us that while she had every right to scold Albert as his sister, she had no such authority over Kriss. Since the queen had already reprimanded her and Duke Sanga had accepted that and closed the matter, it would be improper for Angela to step in and say anything else.
Basically, if she were to go after Kriss now, it’d look like she was saying Queen Maria hadn’t done a good enough job in the first place.
“I’m truly sorry,” Kriss said again, offering one final bow before returning to her spot.
Angela gave her a soft smile and then shifted her gaze back to Albert.
Isn’t there any way I can excuse myself for a bit here?
She didn’t seem upset with me, but I didn’t want to get caught in the cross fire while she focused on Albert. I figured that if I could step out now, she’d take the opportunity to talk things out with him. I just couldn’t figure out how to make a clean exit without it being awkward.
As I pondered that, Jeanne came in, using the more formal tone she reserved to announce guests. “Pardon the interruption, Master Tenma, but you have a visitor.”
“A visitor? I can’t really step away right now. Can you ask them to wait for a moment?” I maintained my composure on the outside, but internally, I was striking a victory pose. And thanks to Detection and Identify, I already knew who it was.
“Well...” Jeanne glanced at Angela before leaning down to whisper the visitor’s name to me.
“I’m terribly sorry, Lady Angela, but I need to step away for a moment,” I said. “Kriss, can you come with me?”
“Of course. Please excuse us.”
Angela must’ve guessed that the visitor had something to do with Kriss, since she nodded right away when I asked Kriss to come along. “Of course. I’d actually like to have a little chat with Albert, so please don’t worry about me.”