Chapter 5: The Duke Who Dies 149 Pages Later
It was around the time we started talking about wrapping up lunch and heading out to do some shopping. A carriage pulled up right in front of the café where we were sitting. It wasn’t the kind of ordinary carriage you’d see around town—it was a custom-made spectacle, adorned with lavish decorations that screamed extravagance.
To put it politely, the carriage’s taste was questionable at best, and it drew the attention of everyone in the café.
In the midst of this,
“…!”
Thanks to my 〈Ninja〉 skill, I noticed Lilly sharply catch her breath. A quick glance showed her face maintaining a calm facade, but her fists were clenched tightly. There was even a slight sheen of sweat on her neck, likely from tension.
Did something happen between her and whoever’s inside that carriage…?
“That carriage… could it be from the Letchery Ducal House…?”
Lugue murmured, eyeing the ostentatious crest emblazoned on the carriage’s side.
A ducal house is a great noble family, a branch of the royal line. If I recall correctly, there are three ducal houses in the Reese Kingdom… My knowledge on this is still lacking. Since I’m working with Prince Lucas, I really ought to study up soon…
Anyway, a portly man stepped out of the Letchery Ducal House’s carriage. He was a middle-aged man, likely in his forties, dressed head to toe in a white vest and trousers. His gaudy outfit, dripping with glittering accessories, seemed to proclaim his status as one of the most powerful figures in the kingdom.
Is he the Duke of Letchery…?
The duke strode straight toward us at the terrace seats.
Every patron in the café placed their right hand over their left chest and bowed their heads. As a duke with royal blood, he didn’t require anyone to kneel, but failing to bow would be considered disrespectful. The only one permitted to keep her head raised in this situation was Lilly, the daughter of a marquess.
“Greetings, Lord Greed. I trust you are well.”
Lilly gracefully curtsied, delicately lifting the hem of her uniform skirt. Her movements were elegant, flawless—or they should have been.
—SLAP!
A sharp sound rang out. Lilly staggered, clutching her left cheek, and immediately shot me a glare with her jade-green eyes. I’d instinctively moved to intervene, but her piercing look stopped me in my tracks.
Lilly had been slapped across the left cheek by the Duke of Letchery.
“A woman who would be my wife dares to eat such shabby food in a place like this?! Are you trying to tarnish the name of the Letchery House?!”
…What?
What the hell is he talking about?
“…My apologies, Lord Greed.”
Why is Lilly apologizing? All she did was have a meal with us at a café. What’s there to apologize for?
“I went out of my way to visit the academy to invite you to dine with me! And what do I find? You’re cavorting with some nobodies whose names aren’t even worth knowing! This is exactly why I opposed you attending the academy!”
“Ow…!”
The Duke of Letchery shouted rapid-fire, roughly grabbing Lilly’s hand. I moved to step in again, but this time, Lugue clung to my right arm, stopping me.
I glanced at her, ready to shake her off, and our eyes met. Lugue stared straight at me, her navy-blue eyes pleading with me not to move.
…Damn it.
In this life and my previous one, I’ve never felt this much anger. My chest ached, and I could barely breathe. Why isn’t Lilly resisting? I even felt frustrated with her for not fighting back.
“Come! I’ll graciously allow you to join me for a meal!”
“I am deeply honored, Lord Greed.”
The Duke of Letchery turned on his heel and started walking back to the carriage. Lilly followed, her arm being pulled along.
She glanced at us briefly, flashing a troubled smile—likely trying to reassure us that she was fine, that we shouldn’t worry.
But as she passed by, I caught a faint whisper: “I’m sorry.” Her voice trembled, and her expression looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“…!”
In that moment, a memory from my childhood flashed through my mind—a dream I’d had yesterday morning.
A little girl I met in the forest, desperately holding back tears.
Could Lilly be…?
The carriage carrying the Duke of Letchery and Lilly sped off somewhere. Compared to Idiot, this storm had swept in abruptly and taken Lilly away.
“Hugh-san, Lugue-san, what about Lilly-chan…?”
Lecty’s worried voice hung in the air, but neither Lugue nor I could answer. The urge to chase after them clashed with the rational voice asking what I’d even do if I caught up.
Finally, I let the tension drain from my body, and Lugue released my arm.
“…Sorry, Lugue. Thanks to you, I calmed down.”
“No, I understand how you feel.”
Lugue gave me a gentle smile, and it eased my heart, even if just a little.
After that, we finished the bare minimum of shopping and returned to the Royal Academy. I escorted Lecty to the girls’ dormitory.
Since Lecty seemed anxious, I asked Lugue to stay with her (male students are allowed in the dormitory’s entrance hall), and I sat alone on a bench near the academy’s entrance. I waited for Lilly’s return, half-hoping a certain someone might pass by.
Sure enough, after a while, the person I’d been waiting for appeared.
“Hey! If it isn’t Hugh-boy. What’re you doing sitting on a bench out here? Waiting for a girl, maybe? Quite the charmer, seducing a princess and all.”
Alyssa-san, spotting me with her sharp eyes, teased me playfully. I gave her a wry smile in return.
“I was waiting for you, Alyssa-san. I saw your carriage was still parked.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Can you tell me about the Duke of Letchery?”
“…Something happened, didn’t it?”
I nodded, and Alyssa-san’s expression grew serious as she scanned our surroundings.
“This bench is too exposed for that talk. We should move somewhere else.”
“Got it.”
There was a chance I’d miss Lilly’s return, but I had no choice. I followed Alyssa-san and left the spot.
She led me to a reception room inside the school building, a place typically used for hosting distinguished guests. Apparently, it was soundproofed for private conversations.
“This should be safe enough.”
“Does this mean the other party requires this level of caution?”
“They’re a ducal house, you know? If they take offense, you’re done in this kingdom.”
“Even for you, Alyssa-san…?”
“I’d have to throw away my current status, life, comrades, friends, family—everything. That’s about the only way.”
That’s practically the same as dying…
Thanks to my 〈Ninja〉 skill, I could sense Alyssa-san’s strength. Even someone as powerful as her, among the kingdom’s top fighters, would have to sacrifice everything to oppose them…
“So, what exactly happened? Tell me.”
I recounted the earlier events to Alyssa-san, including the likelihood that Lugue’s true identity had been figured out by Lilly. By the time I finished, Alyssa-san’s face looked like she’d bitten into something bitter.
“This is quite the mess… The matter with Princess Lucretia is one thing, but the Duke of Letchery calling the Puridy family’s young lady ‘the woman who would be my wife’ is a much bigger problem. You’re sure you heard that?”
“I definitely heard it. Is it not public knowledge yet?”
“It’s news to me, at least. I doubt Prince Lucas knows either. If it’s true, our entire faction will have to move to stop it.”
“…I’m sorry, Alyssa-san. I’m still understudied on this. What kind of problem would arise if the Duke of Letchery and Lilly’s engagement were finalized…?”
“Well, let’s start with the succession dispute. Hugh-boy, do you know why the succession dispute is happening?”
“Because His Majesty the King is in poor health, right…?”
“Correct. His Majesty suffers from chronic illness and often spends entire days bedridden. It’s not something to say lightly, but the consensus in the Royal Castle is that his time is short.”
“And that’s when the issue of succession came up…?” High asked, unsure.
Alyssa faintly nodded, before continuing, “There are three princes with succession rights, all born to concubines. The First Princess, born to the Queen, is our boss—the current Knight Commander. There were expectations she’d become the kingdom’s first queen, but she declined early on. Now she’s stationed at the border with a neighboring kingdom, staying out of the succession dispute.”
“So the First Princess distanced herself from the Capital to avoid being used as a figurehead.”
“Exactly. The knights not aligned with Prince Lucas’s faction follow her and are stationed at border fortresses. The remaining forces are all under Master’s command, sworn to Prince Lucas.”
“So that’s how Prince Lucas gained control of the Kingdom’s Knights…”
“Our boss was quite fond of Prince Lucas and Princess Lucretia, after all.”
…I see, so that’s the reason. Perhaps some bureaucrats are also supporting Prince Lucas under someone’s influence within the Royal Castle.
“Let’s get back to the succession dispute. Currently, there are three prominent princes. First Prince Sley, backed by the nobles. Second Prince Brute, supported by the military and guards. And our Third Prince Lucas, supported by the Kingdom’s Knights and bureaucrats.”
“Wouldn’t First Prince Sley naturally take the throne?”
“Here’s the thing: all three are concubines’ sons, and Sley’s mother comes from the royal family of a former enemy nation. While he has the nobles’ support for his bloodline, he has almost no popularity among the military or the people.”
“So the military supports Second Prince Brute instead…”
“Brute’s maternal family descends from a great general, once called a war god. Their influence in the military is immense, so it’s only natural the military backs Brute over Sley, whose blood ties to an enemy royal family.”
That’s how the succession dispute began. Initially, it was a contest between First Prince Sley and Second Prince Brute. Now, Prince Lucas has emerged as a third force, eyeing the throne…
“For now, Sley is slightly ahead in the succession race, followed by Brute, with our Prince Lucas still gaining ground. That’s where the ducal houses come in.”
“There are three ducal houses, right?”
“They’re sometimes called the three great ducal houses. As direct branches of the royal family, their power is immense. They hold vast territories, practically like three separate kingdoms within the Reese Kingdom. Their influence far surpasses other nobles.”
“Are the ducal houses supporting Sley…?”
“No, all three declared neutrality in the succession dispute early on. So we shouldn’t have had to worry about them—until now.”
“But behind the scenes, talks of an engagement between the Letchery Ducal House and the Puridy family have been progressing.”
“The Puridy family is a key supporter of Sley’s faction. Sley is definitely involved. If this engagement goes through, the succession dispute is as good as decided in Sley’s favor. Our faction would be finished before we even step onto the stage.”
That’s why Alyssa-san said we’d need to mobilize the entire faction to stop it.
Thanks to her, I’ve gained a much clearer understanding of the succession dispute.
“…Still, Sley and the Puridy Marquess are ruthless. Even if it’s to pull the Letchery Ducal House into their camp, marrying a fifteen-year-old girl to the Duke of Letchery? And the renowned Puridy heiress becoming his seventh wife? That’s just too cruel.”
“…Seventh wife, is that true?”
“He’s notorious as a womanizer. There are even rumors he keeps multiple girls and indulges in debauchery every day.”
“…”
“I get how you feel, but don’t act rashly. If you mess this up, it won’t just endanger us or Prince Lucas—it could put Princess Lucretia in danger too.”
“I understand that much.”
“Good. I’ll report this to Prince Lucas. What about you, Hugh-boy?”
“…I’ll talk to Lilly first. I might get some useful information.”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and can you pass a message to Prince Lucas for me?”
I entrusted Alyssa-san with a few messages and returned to the bench to wait for Lilly.
Lilly appeared as dusk began to settle.
When she spotted me, her eyes widened in surprise.
“No way, have you been sitting here waiting for me this whole time?”
“No way. I just wanted to watch the sunset.”
“The sunset’s behind you.”
Lilly sighed, pointing it out with an exasperated look. After a moment’s hesitation, she sat down next to me.
“…Where are Lecty and Lugue?”
“They’re waiting for you at the girls’ dormitory entrance. They were both worried.”
“I see… So you sitting here means you were worried about me too, right?”
“…Yeah. Is your cheek okay?”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry, it wasn’t violent or anything. I just had to join him for lunch. Other than feeling sick from overeating, I’m perfectly healthy.”
Lilly placed a hand on her chest and smiled. My 〈Ninja〉 skill didn’t detect anything unusual about her.
But…
“Praise me, Hugh. I haven’t let that man touch me even once. The infamous lecher and pervert, the Duke of Letchery? If you don’t believe me, want to check for yourself? For you, I might just—… I’m kidding, please don’t make that scary face.”
Even in our short time together, I can tell.
The calm Lilly would never make a joke like that.
“Lilly, are you aware of the face you’re making right now?”
“Of course. The same perfect lady’s face as always. The face of Lilly Puridy, the renowned heiress.”
“…I remembered a girl I met in the forest when I was a kid.”
“…!”
Lilly’s body stiffened.
I pretended not to notice and continued.
“She was lost in the forest, looking anxious, like she was about to cry. But when I called out to her, she tried so hard to compose herself. She forced a smile, saying it was nothing, and made some unfunny joke.”
“…Calling it unfunny is uncalled for.”
Lilly pouted, muttering under her breath.
…So it really was her.
I hadn’t noticed during the entrance exam. After ten years, memories fade, and Lilly had grown so mature and beautiful—unrecognizable at first glance.
But seeing her so defeated, with that painful expression as she fought back tears, I finally connected her to the girl from the forest.
“Lilly, is your marriage to the Duke of Letchery Sley’s doing?”
“…! Don’t say such reckless things! You don’t know who might be watching or listening!”
“At least right now, we’re safe. There’s no one else around.”
“Even so…! You shouldn’t get involved in the succession dispute. No one cares about the Pnocis Domain, so you could stay out of it… Why are you sticking your neck out…!?”
“Because I know Lugue’s true identity.”
“…! So that’s it…”
Knowing Lugue is Princess Lucretia means I can’t look the other way. If something happens to Prince Lucas, it could endanger Lugue too. To keep my promise to Lugue, I have to ensure Prince Lucas wins this succession dispute.
That’s why Lilly’s marriage isn’t irrelevant to me.
“…Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about Lugue’s identity. We used to visit each other’s homes when we were kids, you know? If Lugue’s in danger, I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“So you’re telling me to stay out of it?”
“Yes, exactly. This is also a Puridy family matter. You, an outsider, have no right to get involved.”
“Isn’t the Pnocis family distantly related to the Puridy family? That makes us practically family.”
“That was obviously a lie.”
“Yeah, figured.”
Lilly had remembered me all this time. She recognized the crest on my cloak and recalled my self-deprecating comment about being a “backwater poor noble” from our secret base.
But since I didn’t remember her, she pretended it never happened. The “distant relatives” bit was just a lie to cover for that.
“It’s not my fault. You lied about being a merchant’s daughter, so I didn’t connect the noble Lilly to that girl. I did think your face seemed familiar, though.”
“Really? It looked to me like you genuinely forgot. Don’t shift the blame.”
“You’re the one who needs to stop acting tough. You don’t want to marry the Duke of Letchery, do you?”
“Why not? He’s a great noble of this kingdom. Marrying into his family would be far more luxurious than marrying into the royal family. I could live a life of leisure forever. And if Sley gains the Letchery House’s backing, he’ll almost certainly become the next king. That would secure the Puridy family’s future. Isn’t that all good?”
“…Your happiness isn’t part of that equation.”
Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.
“…I’m sorry.”
Lilly stood from the bench and quickly walked toward the girls’ dormitory.
I didn’t know what to say to her retreating figure and could only watch her go.
…Can I make Lilly happy?
I thought about it until the surroundings grew dark, but no answer came.
◇◇◇
“Lecty’s hair is really beautiful.”
Lilly murmured softly, washing Lecty’s pale aqua hair with gentle, combing motions. They were in the bathroom, enveloped in steam and the sweet scent of shampoo. Lecty, sitting on a bath chair while Lilly washed her hair, shook her head modestly.
“N-No, it’s not…! I think Lilly-chan’s hair is much prettier!”
“Hey, accept the compliment gracefully. You don’t want to sound sarcastic.”
“I-I didn’t mean it like that…!”
“Hehe, I know. Thank you, Lecty. I’m going to rinse now.”
Lilly operated the magical showerhead, washing the shampoo from Lecty’s hair with warm water.
“There, all done. Go soak in the tub first.”
“Y-Yes…”
Standing from the bath chair, Lecty followed instructions and slipped into the tub. The bathtub, exclusive to the girls’ dormitory, was filled with warm water.
(It’s like a dream…)
For Lecty, who just days ago was living in the back alleys of the slums, being enveloped in warm water was unimaginable. The drastic change in environment left her feeling like she was floating, a sensation that lingered within her.
Her gaze was unwittingly drawn to Lilly, who was showering. With her hair let down from its twin tails, Lilly looked even more mature. Water droplets clung to her porcelain skin, accentuating the luster of her hair.
And what caught the eye most was her full, shapely bust. Lecty instinctively brought a hand to her own chest, sighing at the stark difference.
Lecty had never cared about her figure before, but the sight before her was overwhelming. Her thin, twig-like limbs and visible ribs were hardly attractive. Lilly’s curvaceous, well-proportioned figure was so captivating that Lecty couldn’t help but aspire to it.
Lilly finished her shower and joined Lecty in the tub. The tub was a bit cramped for two, so they sat facing each other, hugging their knees. Lilly, submerged up to her shoulders, let out a soft “Ha…”
It didn’t seem like a sigh of contentment. Her brows were furrowed, her lips slightly bitten. The faint tension in her expression wasn’t just imagination.
(She’s still thinking about what happened earlier…)
It was only a few hours ago that a portly man suddenly appeared and forcibly took Lilly away while we were having lunch with Hugh and Lugue.
Upon returning to the girls’ dormitory, Lilly had initially seemed composed, but as time passed, she let her guard down, revealing a troubled expression like the one she wore now.
Lecty, unfamiliar with noble society, couldn’t pinpoint the cause of Lilly’s distress. She vaguely understood that the noble who took Lilly away was a bad person, but she had no idea how to resolve Lilly’s troubles or what specific actions could help. No answers seemed forthcoming.
“Lilly-chan, are you okay…?”
When Lecty cautiously asked, Lilly’s eyes widened in surprise before she nodded with a troubled smile, saying, “Yes.”
“It’s not something for you to worry about, Lecty. For a noble lady, this sort of thing is commonplace, a problem everyone has to face eventually.”
As if reassuring herself, Lilly added, “So it’s fine.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ll definitely protect you. Don’t worry, okay?”
To Lecty, those words felt like a gentle rejection. She could sense Lilly’s kindness in wanting to keep her out of it, and in truth, even if Lecty learned the details, there was likely nothing she could do.
Even if she took a step forward here, it might only worsen the situation or cause Lilly significant trouble.
But even so, Lecty lacked the courage to take that step.
“…Okay.”
Nodding faintly, Lecty saw Lilly smile with visible relief.
“Shall we get out soon?”
“Um, no, I’ll stay a bit longer…”
“Okay. Don’t overheat, alright?” Lecty watched Lilly leave the bathtub and exit the bathroom, then sank her face into the water, letting out a bubbly sigh.
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