Chapter 96: Chapter 2, Episode 21
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
「No way…」
Why,” I muttered quietly.
She covers her mouth with a cloth to hide her face. However, the hood is off, and her hair, clearly visible in the moonlight, is the color of blood red jade.
「Keith…-dono.」
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. I was deceived, I thought. But immediately the question arose as to where it would have been fooled from.
If he intended to kill me from the beginning, why did he jump off the cliff without taking any risks? If he had just left me there, I would have died for sure. So why go to the trouble of trying to kill me again after saving me? And why am I being targeted for my life by the Quanda Kingsguard?
「Ah… Who are you? Are you not Keith Miller-dono?」
The first thing that came to my mind was the fact that Keith-dono wasn’t a member of the Quanda Kingsguard. However, it is hard to imagine that he isn’t a member of the Quanda Kingsguard, as far as I can see from his red lotus uniform and purple ornamental cord.
So, is he a genuine Quanda Kingsguard? If so, why would the Quanda Kingdom want the life of the Special Goodwill Ambassador? The first thing that comes to mind is breaking the alliance, or declaring war. But there is no sense in going to war between the Gran and Quanda kingdoms. Since Queen Myra of Gran Kingdom is the sister of Queen Kwanda, I don’t think that she would ignore it and start a war. Moreover, I know the Queen of Quanda very well. It is hard to believe that that person would do such an unproductive imitation. Where is the right answer? Thinking about it doesn’t give me the answer.
「Hah! That’s my line.」
「Eh…?」
What does that mean? I could not understand it.
「What was your purpose in entering Quanda?」
This is even more puzzling. He must know that I entered Quanda as the Special Goodwill Ambassador.
「I am sorry, but I don’t understand what you are saying. Is it too late to tell me why I entered the country?」
It serves no purpose other than to promote friendship between the Gran and Quanda kingdoms.
「Don’t play games with me! I’ve known for a long time that you’re not Marshallie Gracis, the Special Goodwill Ambassador of the Gran Kingdom! Now, come clean!」
「………………Hah?」
You think I’m not Marshallie Gracis? Eh? What kind of mistake is that?
「Uhh… what in the world…??」
It’s a crisis situation and I’m getting even more confused. I really don’t understand.
「Enough is enough. How can a little girl like you, no matter how much you love her, deceive the young Marshallie Gracis, who is well remembered by Her Majesty the Queen? Shame on you!」
「……………………」
I was taken aback. Marshallie Gracis is definitely a little girl like me, what the?
「Listen to me. Miss Marshallie Gracis is not a little girl like you, but a grown woman!」
「…Haah.」
What is he talking about, this guy?
「You’re still going to pretend. It’s no use, listen to me. Miss Marshallie Gracis is a benefactor, so to speak, in our country of Quanda, where she has helped Her Majesty the Queen with her exceptional intelligence. She is a visionary, calm, observant, and a woman worthy of being called a brilliant woman.」
The person who holds my life in his hands is praising me for something great.
「That’s not all. Her Majesty the Queen said. She is a person who can work hard and not be carried away by her talent. She also praised her as a warm-hearted person who was worthy of taking care of the Second Princess, the younger sister of Her Majesty. Her Majesty the Queen, you know.」
「…………………………」
「You may have fooled your age with makeup, but you can’t fool my eyes. It is beyond absurd for a poor, devious little girl like you to deceive such a wonderful woman. Give it up and come clean!」
Eh——————?????
「…………………………Haaaaaaaaaaaghh.」
I don’t know what to do about this anymore. I’ve been lowered with all his might by a mouthful of praise. All that came out of my mouth was a grand sigh. My whole body is in a state of weakness.
Despite the urgency of the situation with the sword at my neck, the emotion in me was dismay. The feeling of fear that I had just had disappeared somewhere with a word of praise I didn’t understand.
「Hey, what’s with that attitude?」
No, no, no, that’s a line which supposed to be coming from myself. I straightened up and sat on the ground, looking up at the man.
「First of all, let me say thank you for your compliments, or should I say」
The compliments were not very clear, and I ended up in a very delicate mood, but it didn’t change the fact that he praised Marshallie Gracis.
「You’re still saying that.」
That’s the kind of reaction you get when you don’t believe I’m Marshallie Gracis. Yes, yes, I understand. But I am the person I am.
「Haah… I ask again, are you sure you are Keith Miller-dono of the Quanda Kingsguard?」
「What’s the matter with you now? I’m nothing but me.」
His strange way of addressing himself. Ihey? I wonder how confident he is in himself. I have never seen this kind of person before.
「So the Quanda Kingdom is not after the life of Marshallie Gracis?」
That’s how I interpret what you just said. It’s only a sword against an impostor who is deceiving Marshallie Gracis.
「There is no need for that. She is the one I should be protecting. If anyone tries to kill her, I will cut them down myself.」
「………」
It’s undoubtedly him who is holding the blade of a sword to my throat, the very being he was supposed to protect. I am laughing my head off. How can I help him understand that I am Marshallie Gracis?
「Allow me, Keith-dono. I know you don’t know what Marshallie Gracis looks like, but I’m sure you’ve at least heard of her.」
Just remember for a moment and compare it to me in front of you.
「Of course. She wears the color of sunflower, and I hear that she is a graceful adult woman whose slender body seems to break just by touching it.」
Ahahahahaha. I can only laugh dryly now. Unfortunately, the only place that fits is the sunflower color. That’s putting it nicely; in fact, it’s a yellow that fails to be blonde. I insist, though, that it is a lighter chestnut color. And what about the slenderness that seems to break if you touch it, or what you said earlier about it being frail? Except for its tenderness. An adult woman, I was called a little girl, I am truly a 25 year old adult woman. Should I be happy or sad that this makes me look young? No, this is where I feel shameful.
I really don’t know what to do. I’m so glorified in Quanda that I don’t think they’ll believe I’m real.
「…I understand very well.」
「Finally, a confession, hmph.」
「No. It is not!」
All I understood was that I had too little material to convince them that I was real, no matter how hard I tried. So why not turn the idea around?
「Keith-dono. I have no way to prove that I am Marshallie Gracis. But you don’t have any proof that I am an impostor either. Everything you just said is just your subjective opinion.」
「…Guh!」
You seem to have false certainties, but no hard evidence.
「What if you are wrong, Keith-dono? I have a Quanda Kingsguard officer pointing his sword at the Special Goodwill Ambassador of our ally. You know what that could be taken to mean, as I’m sure you do.」
If the Kingsguard of the Queen of Quanda kills a representative of the Gran Nation, then big trouble is also big trouble. He alone would not be responsible.
「…I don’t recognize you as Marshallie Gracis.」
You’re stubborn, ugh.
「This is not about admitting or not admitting. We both have no way of proving that I am lying or that Keith-dono is wrong. Then there is only one thing to do!」
「Haah?」
How inconsiderate of me. I want to punch myself for thinking yesterday that I was lucky that he wasn’t only a good-looking but also capable and dependable person. In reality, he was an overconfident and misunderstood man!
「The best way to prove whether you or I are right is to join up with the Gran Kingdom group, as we originally intended. Is that not so!?」
Ah, ugh, I’m so irritated! I remember this feeling of not being able to communicate. I feel like I’m talking to someone with a flower garden in their brain. It’s already a hassle. Please convince me. Don’t be selfish, please.
「…」
Say something. But I don’t want to hear denial or rejection.
「Very well. If you insist, I’ll make some concessions.」
In my heart, I said,『Yay!』I exclaimed with joy. Thank God, I got through to him.
「But, listen.」
What? If you’re satisfied, I’d like you to put the sword away.
「If you do anything even remotely suspicious, I will cut you down immediately. No questions asked.」
Having said all this, he doesn’t doubt for a second that I am an impostor. His baseless confidence would have been shattered by the results. I’m starting to feel sorry for him.
「Good. If you are ready to do so, then do so.」
And by that resolve, I mean if he was prepared to crack the alliance between the Gran and Quanda kingdoms.
「But in that case, don’t think you’ll be the only one.」
But I don’t want to be killed so easily. Many lives could be lost by one action of Keith-dono. He has to be aware of that.
「Clever little girl… Hmph.」
Hahahah, that clever little girl is Marshallie Gracis, whom you have so lavishly praised, very, very stupid.
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