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“My Lord Camille, welcome to our humble home, and thank you for coming all the way here.”
“Count Arceides also looks well.”
Ten days had passed since we left the capital, and as soon as we arrived at the Arceides estate, the knights came to pick us up and take us to the castle, which I had not seen in five years.
Father had aged a bit, but he was still in good health. Behind him, I could also see mother. Her spirit seems to have recovered, and she was cheerfully glaring at me with a demon-like face.
“Your Highness must be tired from being with such an abominable child. We will prepare a banquet for you, so please take it easy for a few days.”
Would you call your own daughter, who was engaged to His Highness, an [abominable] child? I was relieved to hear that neither father nor mother had changed.
“No, we can’t take our time. I would like to visit the heavy knight squadron here, which one is it?”
“No, well, you see, they are currently on a training exercise…”
Sweat broke out on my father’s face as he was asked to show us a heavy knight squadron that didn’t exist.
“For now, His Highness can see the knight squad’s training grounds… Carol, you come here. We need to talk.”
I looked into my father’s eyes as he spoke in a calm and seemingly peaceful manner, but I slowly shook my head.
“I will be assisting Camile-sama.”
“Carol, you!!!”
He didn’t expect me to defy him, so his mask was torn off as he began ranting angrily.
“Count Arceides, she will be assisting me.”
“…I see…”
Camile-sama gave me some backup fire, and father just managed to contain his anger …or so it appeared to me.
“Oh, that’s right. The heavy knights were training at a nearby campsite near the Devil’s Forest. The Devil’s Forest is dangerous, so it’s not the kind of place His Highness should be going…”
“No, that’s fine. I’ll stop by there.”
“…Are you sure you want to do this? It’s dangerous.”
“Of course.”
As His Highness said this, a fierce smile appeared on father’s face, as if he could not suppress his anger.
“I…I warned you.”
“…”
What was he up to? I went with Camile-sama because I was afraid that they would do something to me if I stayed behind, and also because I was afraid that Camile-sama might be in danger.
But still, father, would you allow me to go to the training ground of the heavy knights, which did not exist? Or perhaps…
We returned to the carriage and headed for the Devil’s Forest before even having a cup of tea at the castle.
“Nicholas, when we get into town, find us a place for us to stay.”
“We are not staying at Arceides’ castle, are we?”
“You don’t need to ask me that.”
“Yes, of course.”
Camille answered Nicholas’s question, and they both grinned. They both know what they’re doing, don’t they?
“…There could be an assassination attempt.”
Nicholas said.
“Miss Carol should stay at the inn while in town…”
“[Ice Lance]”
Silence settled over the carriage as the [Ice Lance] shot out of the carriage window pierced the tree trunk.
“Are you up to the task?”
“…”
The guard knights of Camile-sama appeared to be loyal, and these two were probably capable individuals in their own right, but there was nothing better than having a large force.
It would be enough to leave only non-combatants like Maia and the others at the inn.
“Are you sure about this? It is dangerous. If you are worried about my safety…”
I stopped Camile-sama, who was about to say something, by raising my hand.
“I want proof of the Arceides family’s misdeeds.”
“…I see.”
I wasn’t lying, okay?