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UPON returning to the castle, I heard voices arguing in the entrance hall. As I approached them, curious about the commotion, Julietta’s back came into view. She seemed to be in a heated discussion with someone. Within moments, I identified her interlocutor as Damiana. The moment she spotted us, Embert’s face darkened.
“Prince Embert,” Damiana called out in a saccharine voice.
Until now, she’d been glowering at Julietta while striking a daunting pose. As soon as she spotted Embert, however, she adopted a coquettish air. While I marveled at her sudden transformation, Embert clucked his tongue beside me. Startled, I looked up at him. He wore an impassive expression, not even bothering to fake a smile. I shuddered. Why were beautiful men always so terrifying when stone-faced?
Regardless, Damiana shoved Julietta aside and strode towards us, hearts practically bursting from her eyes. She didn’t seem to have noticed Embert’s expression.
Despite having been pushed, Julietta continued to admonish Damiana. “Like I said, Prince Embert is engaged to Lady Alexandra.”
“Are you okay?” I asked while running over to Julietta. “What the heck is going on here? It sounded like you two were fighting.”
Julietta glared daggers at her cousin. “She stormed up to me and demanded to know where Prince Embert was. When he studied abroad in Bragioga three years ago, she followed him everywhere. No matter how many times he asked to be left alone, she never listened. Back then, I couldn’t be as direct with her since Prince Embert didn’t have a fiancée. She should know better now, but she won’t stop mocking you, Ally.” Here, Julietta turned to speak directly to her cousin. “It’s no wonder you don’t have any suitors with that attitude.”
Wait, didn’t Damiana claim to have turned down numerous proposals? Guess that was a lie.
Damiana glowered at Julietta, ignoring me. Yeah, that pretty much substantiated my hypothesis. Huffing, Damiana turned away from us and approached Embert. “Would you like to have tea at my manor, Prince Embert?” she asked in a saccharine voice, attempting to wrap her arm around his.
However, Embert slipped away from her advance. “Princess Julietta,” he said while still looking at Damiana impassively. “What did your cousin say about Ally?”
Julietta looked grateful for the opportunity to speak. “All right,” she said, fists clenched and brimming with anger. “Here’s every word of Damiana’s nonsense: ‘Regardless of what others might call her, Lady Alexandra isn’t very powerful, is she? I mean, what kind of holy woman is only capable of summoning such a tiny dragon? Oh, and what’s with that disgusting slime she carries on her shoulder? In the end, both of them are just monsters. Is she a witch rather than a holy woman, perhaps? If so, Prince Embert must be under her bewitchment. A woman like her isn’t worthy of such a fine man.’ And that about sums it up…”
Tears filled Julietta’s eyes as she recounted Damiana’s words. It was touching to see her get so angry on my behalf. I had a truly wonderful friend.
I wrapped my arms around her while she trembled. “Thank you for caring so much about me,” I said, rubbing her back consolingly. “I love you, Julie.”
Julietta hugged me back, crying even harder. “I hate being related to her. It’s so frustrating…”
S-So cute, I thought while tightening my embrace. After jumping on my head, Squishy extended part of himself like a tendril to pat Julietta’s head. All the while, Damiana glared at us disdainfully.
“Lady Damiana,” Embert said.
Damiana looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes. Hearing her name called, rather than mine or Julie’s, delighted her.
Her eyes are the same color as Julie’s, I thought. So why aren’t they the least bit cute?
“You seem to have been looking for me,” Embert continued. His expression was still as impassive as ever. At the same time, a foreboding sweetness emanated from his gentle voice.
However, Damiana seemed oblivious to this chilling contrast. “That’s right,” she said while beaming up at Embert. “I came to invite you for tea at my manor. Why don’t we leave together now?” When Embert remained silent, not responding to her invitation, Damiana continued, “You must have gone mad while under that woman’s spell, Prince Embert. You don’t truly love her, do you? After all, you’ve loved me for these past three years. Isn’t it suffocating being forced into an engagement with someone pretending to be a holy woman? Don’t worry—I’ll heal you of her bewitchment. So, shall we leave her behind and go to my manor? I’ll lead the way.”
For some reason, Embert was holding Custode in his arms. Although both radiated hostility, Damiana didn’t notice this as she blathered on haughtily.
Welp, this looks like the end for Damiana. Not my problem, though.
I observed Embert and Custode while still hugging Julietta. Neither of them seemed likely to stop even if I intervened. Besides, that idiot woman had made Julietta cry. What did I care?
Embert donned his most sinister smile yet. “Let’s take a walk outside, shall we?” he asked, radiating a terrifying aura.
Damiana giggled. “Just what I wanted to hear.”
How had she not noticed Embert’s terrifying aura? Even worse, she tried to wrap her arm around Embert’s with a jubilant expression. Right before she made contact, however, Custode growled at her.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to escort me,” Embert said. “My dragon is in something of a foul mood. Forgive me, but let’s proceed as we are.”
After regarding Custode like he was vile, Damiana turned her doe eyes on Embert. “Perhaps you should leave the dragon with that woman, Prince Embert.”
Custode growled again.
Likewise, Embert shook his head while still smiling wickedly. “Apparently, he doesn’t want to leave my arms. Oh, but don’t worry. I’ll hold onto him tightly so that he doesn’t escape.”
Realizing she couldn’t push the matter further, Damiana walked beside Embert. She turned back to me with a smug look on her face. “Well then, have a nice day,” she said with a titter.
As I watched her and Embert in silence, Julietta looked up at me with an anxious expression. “Are you okay with this, Ally?” she asked.
Is Julie some sort of Goddess? She’s cute even when she’s anxious.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” I responded with a sigh. “There’s no stopping Em now.”
“Huh?” Julietta asked with a puzzled expression.
She’s cute when she’s confused, too, I thought with a laugh.
I gave Julietta’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Well then, want to go spy on them?” I asked.
I cast a concealment spell on Julietta. Afterward, we followed Embert and Damiana into the garden while maintaining a safe distance. Seeing Damiana speak to Embert excitedly filled me with mixed emotions. I felt uneasy, a little sympathetic, and a smidge of superiority.
Wow, that makes me sound terrible, I thought as we walked.
Eventually, Embert and Damiana stopped at the pond. Julietta and I hid behind a tree just close enough to hear the conversation. In all likelihood, Embert had noticed us following him. Thus, he’d chosen a place where we could find cover.