Day one of the early morning training with Mashiro and the others.
I woke at my usual time and got up.
But the morning greeting I always heard first wasn’t there.
”…… Alice — overslept?”
She wasn’t in my room as usual.
Since I’d hired Alice, she’d never once been late.
Not just mornings. Alice always kept her time precisely.
Setting aside oversleeping, two possibilities:
She’s prepping the training equipment ahead, or going to wake Mashiro and the others.
That she’d prioritize them — who can’t naturally wake at this hour — over me, who can wake himself, is reasonable.
Waking up at hours when your body is used to sleeping is harder than it sounds. Changing ingrained habits takes time.
In fact, my training wear was folded on the table.
“It’s been a while — dressing on my own.”
I’ve turned into quite the luxury creature.
Maybe a first — changing clothes feels annoying.
Slipping the wear on, feeling slightly awkward without help, I headed to the training room adjacent to the manor.
This is a facility I’d asked Father to build, so it’s relatively new compared to the manor. For reference, it was completed a week after I asked.
Father’s family love shows in places like this.
“Ah, morning, Ouga.”
“Morning, Ouga. Fufu, we’re the first ones in.”
“Good morning, Ouga-kun. Now that everyone’s here, let’s beg…… oh? Ouga-kun, isn’t Alice with you?”
The three greeted me when I entered.
The scene wasn’t what I’d expected.
”…… Wasn’t Alice with you, waking you up?”
“Nope. We got up on our own.”
“I went to bed really early and adjusted to make it in time.”
“Same here. I’d assumed she’d be with you, Ouga-kun……”
Something is off. The everyday has slipped.
Before I could clap for someone who might know — Morina appeared next to me.
“Lord Ouga.”
“Morina! I have a question. About Alice……”
“That girl’s exactly who I came about. Her early-morning duties had passed with no sign of her, so I came to check if she was with you, but……”
The moment I heard, I turned and bolted toward Alice’s room.
A horrible feeling.
If she’s just overslept, fine. I’ll forgive it with a laugh.
But Alice — because it’s Alice — anxiety surged.
…… I had one suspicion.
Juke Andrews.
The noble who’d sent the party invitation — and her sworn enemy.
If she learned that he’d reached out to me, Alice might rush ahead alone.
That’s why we’d kept her out of the loop. We hadn’t told her.
So — did Andrews contact her directly? How……?
”…… No, that’s not the priority now.”
Before chasing possibilities, confirming Alice’s safety is first.
Let it just be paranoia……!
Reaching Alice’s door, I threw it open.
There — only the curtain swaying from the open window. The scene I wanted wasn’t there.
Alice — left? Am I dreaming a nightmare……?
I drifted in, and a familiar envelope caught the corner of my eye.
”…… I didn’t want a letter like this from you, Alice.”
A single sheet on the desk.
“I hereby take my leave.”
The neat script I hadn’t wanted to see lined up straight, like her personality.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Having left the manor, I was on the overnight carriage to Andrews territory, clutching my beloved sword.
When I closed my eyes, I could vividly recall it. The day I met Lord Ouga at the arena.
Lord Ouga’s eyes were the kind I loved.
Eyes that spoke of dreams and the firm will to drive toward them.
He needed me, too.
But beyond that…… that strong gaze drew me, and foolish me only realized recently — that’s why I took his hand.
”…… What might Lord Ouga be doing now?”
He’s far brighter than I could ever reach.
He may have already noticed I’m gone.
He saw me receiving the letter that afternoon.
Lord Ouga, at that moment, saw through my lie.
I’d said the letters were for everyone. They weren’t, of course.
That’s why Lord Ouga gave me a thank-you letter — without saying so, trying to keep me there.
His first letter-exchange question, “Will you stay as my blade going forward?” — he knew everything I was planning.
”…… My memories with you are my treasure.”
But…… because of that, I decided I cannot drag him into this fight.
I gently folded Lord Ouga’s letter into my pocket and pulled out another.
Three lines: information indicating a place, instruction to come alone, and Juke Andrews’s signature.
What I’m about to do is private revenge.
To prove my…… no, our justice, I’m going to kill that man.
Lord Ouga has the quality to become the world-saving [Saint] eventually.
A maid serving such a man cannot be a noble-killer with a tarnished name.
”…… Juke Andrews……”
Reading the name in the letter, my back teeth creaked.
The noble who drove me out of the Holy Knight Order…… and.
The evil I must, above all else, slay — the man who framed my admired Captain.
“I will avenge you without fail, Captain Lily……!”
A past that no time can dilute.
The events of that fateful day that changed my entire life.
It rose up from the pit of my stomach with my fury.
◇ To commemorate the same-month release of Volume 3 (novel) and Volume 1 (manga), we’re running a present campaign for hand-signed illustration boards by me, illustrator Herigaru-sensei, and manga artist Senjou-sensei, plus limited original goods!
Details on my activity notes — please give it a look ↓
https://kakuyomu.jp/users/kinome_mogumogu/news/16818093073759058740 ◇