It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story! - Chapter 29 – Servant Life at Claudia House

“Lady Misty is busy, hurry up and leave.”

“What! Do you know whose messengers we are, you scoundrel?!”

“We’re from Lord Elliott…”

“Irrelevant. I’m here by His Majesty’s orders. Or does His Highness Elliott have complaints about His Majesty’s judgment?”

When called by the gatekeeper and arriving, noisy monkeys were making a fuss, so I firmly rejected them.

Good grief.

“Thank you very much, Lord Rubert.”

After finishing work and returning to the mansion, Lady Misty appreciated my efforts.

I, Rubert, was currently at Lady Misty Claudia’s mansion.

The reason goes back to before Zeke-sama’s departure.

☆☆☆

“Rubert, while I’m away, go to Count Claudia’s mansion.”

Zeke-sama was to go to Marquis Ribauto’s territory together with the knight order by order of his father the king, His Majesty.

When I said I definitely wanted to accompany him, he returned this.

“Listen well, Rubert. When I leave the capital, someone will definitely move. Elliott or Tigos… or someone I don’t know.”

Well, the Tigos possibility was low, I laughed.

“To target Lady Misty? But she’s already your fiancée, Zeke-sama?”

It had been four years since Lady Misty became Zeke-sama’s fiancée.

Those around them acknowledged it, so should it be a concern?

“No, in my memory, even with long-time fiancées, engagement annulments can happen over trivial matters. That’s why I absolutely won’t let my guard down.”

“Understood.”

I don’t feel engagement annulments happen easily, but if Zeke-sama says so, I’ll work with full effort.

I’m a former noble but ignorant regarding such political struggles.

“Incidentally Rubert, even if Elliott says something, there’s no need to back down. I’ve taken measures.”

“Meaning?”

☆☆☆

When Zeke-sama dispatched me to the Claudia house, he had the order issued via His Majesty.

In short, while I’m Zeke-sama’s retainer, in terms of chain of command I’m protecting this place by His Majesty’s instructions.

Though nominally, that gives me an absolute position.

Still, Zeke-sama, you actually moved His Majesty.

From what I’ve observed, His Majesty seemed to take an outwardly neutral stance regarding factional disputes, but is he on Zeke-sama’s side?

As I was thinking, Lady Misty smiled at me.

Lady Misty is considerate of me whenever I’m at the mansion.

This person was also wise beyond her years.

“…Oh my, it’s already this late. I must hurry.”

While saying so, Lady Misty entered the library.

Probably to study.

I learned after coming to the Claudia mansion that Lady Misty was extremely hardworking.

Studying in the library, magic training in the garden, etiquette like table manners and dancing, appearing at social gatherings with her father at night—her days are busy.

I asked about this once.

“Lady Misty, you work hard every day. Do you like studying and such?”

Then Lady Misty answered like this.

“No, honestly speaking I dislike studying, think table manners are troublesome, and initially disliked magic too. I like it a bit now though.”

While smiling gently.

“Then why do you work so hard? If progress is poor, you even worry about time. What are you being pursued by?”

When I asked that, Lady Misty hung her head, showed signs of debating whether to speak, then raised her face and looked straight into my eyes.

“Because Zeke-sama is working hard.”

“Huh?”

Zeke-sama?

Lady Misty began speaking volubly.

“Zeke-sama is a person working very hard contrary to his reputation around him. I heard stories from when he was even younger—in the past he’d immediately skip and flee from studying, dancing, and swordsmanship.”

“Ahh…”

I’d certainly heard that story.

Sebastian-san had said it nostalgically before.

“Studying, swordsmanship, magic, etiquette. Originally Zeke-sama should hate them all. But look at Zeke-sama now. Despite saying he dislikes them, because they’re necessary for the future, isn’t he desperately working hard?”

Saying that, it’s true.

I also thought Zeke-sama was someone who’d worked hard from the past until Sebastian-san told me.

“Even horseback riding, though he struggled so much at first, he could ride in no time… surely if he gets serious he can do anything. Even oversleeping is just him deliberately doing so to not seem too perfect.”

“Is that so?”

Until Lady Misty came, dancing didn’t improve at all, table manners weren’t very good either, and oversleeping really seems genuine though.

Hmm, doesn’t Zeke-sama have strengths and weaknesses?

But correcting this as a retainer…

“I’m anxious. I’m not confident whether Zeke-sama truly has affection for me. I can tell Zeke-sama’s lies, but he’s someone whose true feelings are hard to read. If I stop working hard, surely Zeke-sama will go to unreachable places. Perhaps the engagement might even be dissolved.”

“No, I don’t think that would happen.”

She denies my denying words.

“No, surely he’ll tire of a fiancée who doesn’t work hard. And by then, more wonderful women suitable for Zeke-sama will have appeared before him. I’m afraid of that. That’s why I’m desperate, working hard not to be left behind by Zeke-sama.”

Lady Misty saying this with a serious expression must truly think so.

Working hard seriously for her beloved fiancé… amazing from such a young age.

Lady Misty turns her dress skirt.

“Lord Rubert.”

“Yes?”

“Please keep what I just said secret from Zeke-sama.”

Lady Misty closed one eye and smiled while placing her index finger to her lips.

And then, she walked to the library just like that.