Chapter 9

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It was not a fight between people, but against monsters who had been tamed with ferocity.

Although the match itself was a terrifying contest, only the nobles were allowed to attend, and a committee was formed to identify foul acts and prevent accidents, by all priests.

Yes, Cesare was coming to see me using that as an excuse.

Ah, damn it.

“Do you not have an appetite?”

Ellenia suddenly asked me, sitting down and listening to the conversation with her cold and indifferent face as always.

Did she notice that I was only sipping from my glass?

“I just love the taste of alcohol.”

“It’s not good to just drink on an empty stomach.”

So, I put down my half-drinking glass and pretended to eat the lemon pie in front of me.

Then, when everyone left to join the dance, I made an excuse to use the washroom and slipped away. I didn’t mean to vomit the pie crumbs.

There was a serious problem that a rumour would spread if anyone saw me vomiting in a place like this.

Obviously, I was a little dizzy because I drank on an empty stomach.

“Ah…!”

“Oh, excuse me.”

I left the banquet hall and tried to enter the balcony, which I was closest to, but I bumped my shoulder hard with someone who came out from the opposite side.

My shoulders were quite unfortunate today.

The other person held my hand and helped me hastily, just as I was about to stumble.

“Are you all right?”

He sounded quite young. When I raised my head, slightly frowning to endure the pain in my shoulder, I faced somewhat mesmerising purple eyes.

He was tall, but he seemed young. I felt that he was about 15 years old.

His pale blonde hair covering the back of his neck and pretty face type, looked a lot like someone.

“I’m fine, but…”

“Ah, I’m Lorenzo van Furiana. You were with my sister a little while ago, weren’t you?”

As expected, Freya’s brother. He really resembled her.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to help you to the banquet hall?”

“I’m okay. I was just coming out to get some fresh air. Are you a paladin?”

“Sir Izek would laugh if he heard this. I’m still too young. But, are you bored with the banquet?”

Banquets were always boring. Though, why did he hate me?

The boy smiling in front of my eyes was acting quite friendly and cheerful, but the hostility that he emitted with his whole body was so vivid that it was suffocating. I was always sensitive to this, but the disgust in his eyes was too obvious. Maybe it was because he was still young.

Look at him. When did he ever see me to get such a bad impression?

My husband didn’t have this bad of an impression either. As for Ellenia, she had a god-given poker face, it was difficult to catch sight of emotions. Freya was a little vague as I had just met her, but it was hard to call her hostile.

But why was Freya’s brother making such a fuss?

I smiled silently and looked at him, and he stared at me for a moment, too.

Then, he scratched his head as if he was embarrassed.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just can’t believe I’m seeing you in person… “

“It sounds like I’m famous here.”

“Where in the world would there be a man who doesn’t know My Lady’s name? You’re the Pope’s daughter.”

“Really? I’m not as famous as my brothers, so I’m a little surprised.”

A short silence passed by. Lorenzo, who pretended to think about something while scratching his temples, smiled and confessed,”Actually, there’s a famous song that was not too popular until a while ago.”

“Oh really?”

“Seems like you’ve never heard of it before. Would you like to listen to it?”

“I’m curious, please go ahead.”

“This is what it’s all about,” he hummed, exaggeratedly clearing his throat.

“Sistina’s larks said she couldn’t find a man to suit her taste, but her half-brothers would be fine…”

Whatever reaction Lorenzo had expected from me, it remained an eternal unknown because of the sudden sound.

Wham!

“Argh!”

“Didn’t I tell you not to f*ck around alone, huh?”

“Ah, wait a minute, ahhh!!”

My eyes widened. It was Sir Ivan who jumped out of the hallway like a basilisk, cuffed Lorenzo’s head mercilessly, and then pulled his ear mercilessly. The pretty, foul-mouthed paladin.

“Apologize immediately before I rip your mouth!”

“Ha, but…”

“To think you admire Izek. Do you want me to bring you to him? If it’s that a**hole, he would tear your bloody mouth up, when he hears the sh*t you just talked about. Then, you’ll apologize to Lady Omerta with that sh*tty snout of your’s.”

I didn’t think Izek would rip Freya’s brother’s mouth just because I listen