The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 62. Adorably Drunk (4)

“Do you have something to say?”

Emilie’s voice was directed at Astrid, who stood fuming beside the table where Emilie and Leopold were seated.

But no answer came.

【…Honestly, you’re even more reckless than I am…】

‘N-No! That’s not true!’

【Then speak. What were you going to say?】

Seeing Leopold enjoying a meal with another woman—especially Emilie, a candidate for Crown Princess—had sparked a sudden surge of anger that propelled Astrid to storm over. But now that she was here, words escaped her.

She had been the one to say Leopold should pursue the idea of a Crown Princess. She had even told him to give it his best shot. 

Complaining now, asking why he was “flirting” with someone else, would only make her look inconsistent and foolish.

“Astrid, don’t you have something to say?”

“…No, nothing.”

‘Take over.’

【W-What?! Now? Right now?!】

‘Take over, now! Hurry!’

This time, it was Astrid asking to switch places. Normally, it was the other Astrid—the original Astrid—who would clamor for control, but now the roles had reversed. Astrid couldn’t think of a way out of this mess she had created.

She couldn’t even understand why she had acted the way she did. Why did it matter if Leopold ate lunch with Emilie? Why had she rushed over, only to find herself at a loss for words?

【Why should I clean up the mess you made—】

‘Are you switching or not?!’

【Fine, fine. Switching.】

Astrid relaxed, letting her body go slack. In an instant, her vision shifted, and the original Astrid settled into her place, calmly sitting beside Leopold.

“Lady Jorgien… no, Cadet Emilie.”

“…?”

Emilie didn’t respond immediately. She simply stared at Astrid, her gaze sharp and searching. 

Among the many people Emilie encountered, few shared the profound resonance of mana that Astrid seemed to exhibit, and this sudden shift in demeanor triggered her sense of unease.

It was the second time Emilie had felt this—a similar sensation had struck her during the ball when Astrid’s presence had changed.

“Cadet Emilie?”

“…Ah, yes. My apologies, Cadet Astrid.”

Emilie finally responded, though her tone remained thoughtful. Astrid, however, had already turned her attention to Leopold.

“Cadet Leopold, an explanation would be appreciated.”

Astrid’s behavior shifted. She gracefully took a seat, her hands folding neatly atop the table. In moments like these, her noble upbringing became unmistakably apparent.

Unlike her usual fiery temperament, Astrid now refrained from confronting Emilie directly. 

Instead, she directed her request for an explanation toward Leopold—a marked change from her previous self.

“I can understand that you might have had lunch together. However, in such a public setting, it may have been prudent to avoid dining with another lady who is not your fiancée. Therefore, I would like to know what kind of conversation transpired between the two of you.”

Her gaze flickered between Emilie and Leopold.

‘She’s… changed. For the better.’

Leopold decided to view this development positively. Surprisingly, Astrid was now speaking with logical reasoning. 

It wasn’t an unreasonable request for a fiancée to ask about a conversation between her betrothed and another woman.

Compared to the Astrid of the past, who might have barged in demanding to know “what nonsense” they were up to, this was a significant improvement.

“…Cadet Astrid, you know what my field of study is, don’t you?”

“You’re a Magic Knight, aren’t you? That, um… toothpick—excuse me—rapier, and bracelet user.”

Leopold ignored the slightly irksome word choice and nodded.

“Indeed. And do you also know who developed the Magic Bracelet?”

“The Marquis of Jorgien, I presume.”

Astrid’s knowledge of military affairs was extensive. She was well aware of the Magic Bracelet’s functionality and the history of its development.

“That is correct.”

Leopold nodded easily. With her understanding, his explanation would be straightforward.

“The successor to the Magic Bracelet has been completed, and the marquis wishes for me to test it and provide feedback. The father of Cadet Emilie here, Marquis Jorgien, intends to present it to me personally.”

【What’s a Magic Bracelet?】

‘It exists. Go study it later.’

【Hearing you tell me to study feels so wrong…】

‘Quiet!’

“In any case, I understand your misunderstanding, but… it’s nothing like that.”

Leopold spoke calmly, offering Astrid a gentle smile.

“Furthermore, Marquis Jorgien has taught me much about magic and magical engineering. He is another mentor to me. My conversation with Cadet Emilie was nothing for you to concern yourself about.”

【Lucky you.】

‘Of course.’

【…Your honesty is commendable, at least.】

From both Astrid’s perspective and the real Astrid’s perspective, there seemed to be no romantic undertones between Emilie and Leopold.

Emilie’s expression was composed, as if she had said all she needed to say. Leopold, too, wore a face that didn’t suggest any sort of intimate conversation had taken place between them.

‘It doesn’t seem like anything happened, right?’

【Hmm… yeah, it looks like nothing to worry about.】

“Astrid.”

It was around then that Emilie, who had been quietly observing Astrid and Leopold in turn, suddenly addressed Astrid.

Astrid, who had been gazing at Leopold with an expression as sweet as honey, quickly shifted her attention to Emilie. 

She was about to ask what was going on when Emilie beat her to it with a question of her own.

“Astrid, what do you think of His Highness Leopold?”

“Excuse me?”

Astrid was caught entirely off guard. 

First, she didn’t understand the intent behind the question. 

Second, she couldn’t fathom why Emilie would ask this now. 

Third, who asks such a question with the person in question sitting right there?

“I meant exactly what I said. What are your thoughts on Cadet Leopold? Isn’t this a perfectly reasonable, logical question to assess the nature of your relationship in the current context?”

‘W-What is she saying?!’

【It sounds like she’s asking if you like Leopold.】

“You can’t answer immediately, can you? But I can answer right away.”

Emilie picked up a napkin from the table and carefully wiped her mouth. Some of the sauce from the southern-style stir-fried noodles had smudged the corner of her lips. After folding the napkin neatly, she placed it back on the table.

“I intend to become Crown Princess.”

【Enemy alert!】

‘Confirmed enemy!’

“I have my reasons for needing to become Crown Princess.”

“…Wait, hold on a second. Cadet Emilie, what exactly do you mean by that?”

Astrid’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but Leopold, seeing her struggle, stepped in to answer. His voice carried a hint of unease, as if he too found this situation unexpected.

While Akemilla and Violet had made similar moves in the past, Leopold hadn’t anticipated that Emilie would enter the fray as well.

“Exactly what I said. I have my reasons for needing to become Crown Princess.”

“And what might those reasons be…?”

“I can’t reveal them just yet. But, Astrid.”

“Go ahead.”

Astrid’s face darkened with irritation. She had just begun to feel reassured that nothing untoward had happened during their lunch, only for Emilie to blindside her with this declaration.

‘She needs to be dealt with—’

【Calm down, calm down! You can’t just go around causing a scene!】

Astrid had worked hard to make a good impression on Leopold. She couldn’t afford to ruin it now. Yet, despite her efforts, the real Astrid’s patience was rapidly nearing its limit.

“Wasn’t it you who allowed this in the first place?”

“Cadet Emilie, do you realize what you’re saying?!”

Leopold’s voice, attempting to mediate, went unheard.

Eyes blazing with anger, Astrid rose slowly from her seat, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. 

Recently, she had tried to be more tolerant and mindful of others’ feelings, but this had proven to be futile.

The world was full of things that didn’t deserve leniency, and Emilie, standing before her now, was one of them.

“Calm down, Astrid.”

A firm but cheerful voice pushed down on her shoulder, forcing her back into her seat. The voice belonged to none other than Violet.

“Astrid, if you cause a scene here, things will get really complicated.”

Violet leaned in close, whispering into Astrid’s ear. Astrid responded with a sulky expression, finding it hard to see why this situation could become a problem.

“You’re clearly forgetting that we got demerits because of your drinking last night. If you cause more trouble and rack up more demerits, things will get much harder for us. You don’t want to stop attending the academy with Leopold, do you?”

【Right?】

‘Of course not.’

If that was the case, she had to hold back. Gritting her teeth, Astrid forced a smile.

“…It won’t go the way you expect, but I wish you the best of luck, Cadet Emilie.”

“Thank you.”

Whether Emilie missed the underlying threat in Astrid’s words or simply chose to ignore it, her expression remained unchanged. It was Leopold who now gazed at Astrid with a thoughtful expression.

On his face was a subtle, unmistakable smile of amusement.