22 - A Duchess’ New Life

— Crusch Karsten —

In the past month, my life had undergone a massive change, and not in the way I would have previously thought.

I would have expected such a change to come from our victory against the White Whale, but while that accomplishment had been realized, the change in my life was not due to that, but rather an incredibly unforeseen factor.

The Witch Cult… the Archbishop of Gluttony… due to that fiend, I had lost all the reputation I had built up, including the relationships with those I held dear, as well as my position as a candidate for the throne.

And now, here I was, serving as a knight for another one of the candidates, one Priscilla Barielle.

How ironic… that formal ceremony that I had such fond memories of where Ferris pledged his blade towards me, where he also promised to bear my burdens of femininity so that I could inherit my father's title… to think I would be on the opposite end of such a thing.

I had mixed feelings about this situation, but considering my position in the world, as well as the inspiration that I saw in those two… I was confident in my decision, and would now do just as I promised as I held out my sword to the so-called 'Sun Princess', and do my best to serve as her support as she vied for the throne against the other three competitors.

Taking a short breath, I once again looked outside, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar scenery as we continued down the road, and with the carriage rolling past the short wall that surrounded the town… I had finally arrived at the place I would likely call home for another two years.

As we made our way through the settlement, I couldn't help but voice a thought that came to mind.

"It is… not what I would have thought… it almost looks like the capital," I said, watching the happy civilians cheer as we made our way through the streets.

So the influence of these two was this strong…

"Hmph. That is an apt way to put it," Priscilla said, sitting with her legs crossed as she stared out the window. "But it is nothing special. Such is the fated success of a settlement that serves as mine home."

…Right.

But still… it was amazing.

Past the capital and the Five Great Cities, it was rare for a town in Lugunica to feel so lively.

"Pris, you know that's not entirely true. It seems that the reforms we put forth are finally showing some results," Selian said, waving to one of the children that was looking towards us with a soft smile.

Hmm… so he was good with kids… interesting…

"Duchess," Priscilla said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"A-Ahem! Yes, Priscilla-sama?" I asked, having heard my new nickname get called.

"…You will be joining me as my assistant once we return to the manor. There are bound to be many things to do, considering the time we have been away," she said, having sent a small glare my way.

Why was she… ah, it must have been because I was looking at Selian, right?

Yes… because those two were quite close… and I was very surprised at the things they did together… things that would usually be considered extremely disrespectful to do between a lady and her knight.

They spent a lot of time together, which wasn't in itself an odd thing, but with how close they sat next to each other… the glances they shared… the way their eyes sparkled when they talked to each other… it was suffocating to see from an outside perspective.

There were even a few occasions where I saw them k-kiss!

Not as a greeting, but on the mouth, just as lovers did!

And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that the two had begun sleeping in the same bed ever since the night of that celebration at the Mathers territory.

Just… what was their relationship, I wonder?

Being a candidate, Priscilla was unable to marry until the selection was finalized, but that didn't mean they couldn't pursue a relationship in other ways… so I was curious, just how far had they gone, and how far did they intend to go?

But… even I had to admit… I could find myself looking on in envy at their obvious affections to one another more than once.

I mean, any woman would… though for someone like me, who had taken to the sword rather than beauty, that was unfortunately an unlikely possibility.

"Pris, turn over here for a moment," Selian said.

"Hm? What is it?" she asked, doing as he asked.

"You had an eyelash on you… there," he said, gently caressing her cheek as he held her face with a warm smile.

"You fool… was there truly an eyelash?" Priscilla asked with a loving smirk.

"Who knows…?" Selian responded before moving his face forward, the two's mouths gently overlapping before they separated a moment later, their faces both glowing with affection.

Urgh… and why, past the slight envy and curiosity at such a relationship… why did I feel slightly unwell when I saw such things between them?

It wasn't a feeling of disgust, nor embarrassment, but rather… something else.

Something akin to annoyance, perhaps…

Shaking my head, I briefly glanced over to Ferris, who was sitting at my side, his eyes looking over the passing houses with interest and veiled enthusiasm.

At least he seemed to be in a good mood.

But I felt the same… there was a subtle excitement that was permeating my body at the new surroundings, and the possibility of contributing to such a place.

Just what methods could bring a border town to such prosperity, I wonder?

I wanted to learn.

The lands of the Karsten duchy were already quite developed, after all, and did not have much room for improvement.

But here… that would prove otherwise.

And there was also my new position… a knight.

A simple knight, with no name and no history to support me, but rather, only my abilities.

I… couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and admiration for such a thing, not being given automatic praise and reverence due to my position as a duchess, but rather through my own competence.

And then, there was the new absence of responsibility I felt… this was a place where I could be myself rather than the candidate that would bring the nation towards independence.

But… just who was I, without such pressure?

Perhaps, here in the Barielle domain… I could find the answer to such a question.

Just who was the true Crusch Karsten, that only had herself to push her forward, rather than bearing the burdens of the future of a nation?

Indeed… I was very intrigued.

This feeling must be part of what Selian felt when he mentioned how rewarding it was to serve under Priscilla, wasn't it?

Although for him… that feeling of being 'rewarding' might have a different meaning…

—

A week had passed since my arrival in the Barielle domain, and since then, my respect for the two I had pledged my sword towards for the future of the kingdom had only grown larger.

After all, how could I not, when I had the opportunity to witness their abilities firsthand?

Having remained at their sides as they toured the territory, as well as aiding Priscilla in completing much of the paperwork that had gathered during their month away at the capital, I was able to see just how this former backwater town had flourished under their management.

While I considered myself experienced in such areas, many of the changes were completely foreign to me, and according to Selian, they had focused their efforts on the 'urbanization' of the domain, concentrating their efforts on centralizing the land by developing a proper city, with less importance placed on rural areas.

And some of the methods they had implemented in order to incentivize such changes were just as impressive.

Creating large complexes similar to manors with many smaller rooms for small families to live in, which Selian called 'apartments'.

Guilds for many prominent trades such as woodworking and masonry that would expand apprenticeship to young men and women, increasing the employment and creating a skilled workforce that could aid in the rapid development projects of the territory.

The recent implementation of a central public marketplace for both internal and external trade, although the building of such a place had only recently begun.

It was all amazing.

While those reforms and public works had been planned for a while, with Priscilla now being revealed as a candidate for the throne, her authority was now unmatched in her territory, so there was no worry about any objections that had previously made such changes difficult.

But while Priscilla was brilliant as a leader… many of these changes had to do with Selian's ingenious management skills.

To be honest, despite the rumours of the Barielle domain's success, I had underestimated it, and that was mainly thanks to him.

Initially, when I heard of his plans for 'urbanization', I was quite uncertain about such an idea, especially with the farmlands that thrived on the rural villages.

After all, they were the backbone of a territory's food production and growth capacity, so to move away from supporting such an integral part of the land could easily lead to negative outcomes.

But Selian quickly quelled such worried as soon as I brought it up.

He explained how mages could make food creation and farmland upkeep much more efficient, though they would need to set aside their pride in order to use their magic for such mundane, 'commoner' tasks.

And to rectify that, he planned to create a magic academy within the coming year to make magic more commonplace among the citizens, although with a focus on everyday uses rather than combat.

Using magic for tilling and watering fields… only he could think of such an outrageous thing.

But I believed in his abilities, so I would trust his word.

And even Ferris was fitting in quite well, having reorganized the local hospital while also healing many of those with injuries that the previous healers could not handle with their, in comparison, mediocre skills.

As for our relationship, while we still were not as close as before, which did hurt, the connection we did have now, was… better, in my opinion.

More genuine, one could say.

After all, in this world's history and his memories, I was not the woman who saved him and gave him a home, nor his liege to which he pledged his sword to.

No… now, we were on equal standing, and he had even called me my name without any honorifics, something I was previously unable to get him to do despite all of our time together.

But unfortunately, he wasn't at the estate at present, as he had already been called back to the capital for his abilities.

Such was the responsibility of a royal knight and the best healer of the nation… even though he would often try to delay those orders when he was with me.

Knock! Knock!

Hm?

"Crusch, are you decent?" Selian's voice said from behind the door.

"Ah, yes… I am. Come in," I said, turning my gaze from the window to the door, watching as Selian walked inside. "What brings you here?"

"Just… well, with you having been with us for a month, I believe I can trust you enough to share a secret of mine… a secret only Priscilla and Reinhard know of," he said, gesturing towards the seat at my desk. "Do you mind?"

"Of course, but… just what could be such a secret?" I asked, confused.

One that only Priscilla and the Sword Saint knew of?

Just… what could that be?

"It's… about my origins, I suppose," he said, having taken a seat. "Say… you know about the legend of the lost prince, correct? The one that suddenly disappeared 15 years ago."

"Of course. It was a most pressing matter for many of the nation's leading nobles, especially as the Fifth Prince was said to be a genius," I said, folding my hands over my lap. "Even though he had no possibility of becoming King, many families were hoping for him to marry their daughters in order to secure a connection to both the royal family and the talent that he possessed."

And funnily enough, I was one of those supposed daughters, considering how we were close in age.

But what did that matter in this context…

My thoughts trailed off as Selian's blue hair faded away, revealing a beautiful gold colour that shined in the light of the setting sun.

The very colour of the former royal family…

"Then, allow me to formally introduce myself," he said with a smirk as he placed his hand on his chest. "The former prince of the kingdom, Altair Lugunica, at your service."

A ridiculous statement.

But yet, the wind around him… did not waver.

My eyes widened in astonishment as a vivid image of the past flashed into my mind.

It was back when I was no older than six, when I visited the royal palace to introduce myself to the royal family just as my genius in swordsmanship had begun to flourish, and upon my arrival, I was told to spar with the Fifth Prince.

Seeing as he was younger than me, and not from a martial family like my own, I intended to go easier on him, but his swordsmanship, while basic, completely overwhelmed me with strength and polished skill.

To lose to someone younger than me… that was quite the shock for the prideful me of the past, but I was able to move on, although that memory had always remained in my mind as a reminder to strive for greater things and to not rest on my laurels.

To think I would meet that boy again… and to think he would take up the spear instead.

Was it a way to distinguish himself from the past?

He had yet to reveal himself, so it must be so…

"W-Why… why did you leave?" I managed to choke out, my voice trembling in surprise despite my efforts to steady it.

"Well… in essence, I was told to by the Dragon Stone… I can tell you more if you want, but it isn't so interesting," he said with a shrug.

"No… there is no need. I am simply surprised… but now, I am more assured of my decision to follow you and Priscilla-sama than ever," I said, shaking my head.

Back with the Great Rabbit, then again with the White Whale… the vision of him standing tall with the pride of a Lion King… I was not wrong in what I saw!

"Thank you for your trust… Selian… sama…" I said, my eyebrows furrowing as I wondered how to address him with this new knowledge.

"It's no problem… and I am simply giving back the trust you placed in me… in us… so think nothing of it," he said with a smile. "And please… just call me Selian as always. I am simply a knight, and your colleague, so there is no need for such respect."

That smile… no, never mind.

"Then… do you have any plans on revealing yourself?" I asked, having retained control of my emotions.

"Ha. No. Not only would it be out of my position as Priscilla's knight, it would also complicate things unnecessarily," he said, waving his hand in dismissal. "But once Priscilla wins the selection, she will probably reveal my origins. She would definitely find that amusing."

"I see… I certainly see that being the case," I said.

"Yeah… and on that note… why do you believe me?" he then asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "Even with the hair, it's quite the unbelievable thing, and even if you trust me, you should at least have some doubt…"

Ah… right.

I had still not revealed that, had I?

While Ferris would have known without the incident of my name being lost, now, it was only Subaru that knew the truth of my Divine Protection… if he remembered, that is.

"Well… you know of my Divine Protection, correct?" I said with a smile.

"I believe so… it allows you to use your signature technique, correct? Something to do with wind magic?" he said.

"That is true… but not the entirety of it," I said, shaking my head. "The Divine Protection of Wind Reading… while it does deepen my connection with wind magic, it also allows me to sense how the winds change around people… especially when they are lying."

I felt a victorious smirk rise to my face as Selian's eyes widened in understanding.

"So… you can tell when someone is lying… what a terrifying ability," he said, furrowing his eyebrows. "That must have been quite helpful in negotiations… and is this something I can pass on to Priscilla?"

"Yes, I already planned on telling Priscilla-sama, but I never found the time," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Besides, I have a feeling that she already had a suspicion of me having such an ability."

Such as when she trusted my word when I verified the truth of a townsfolk's concern without question… and also those cryptic words of 'there is no use in deceit around you' when I asked why she was so forthcoming with the questions I asked when we worked together.

"Yeah… she's just like that," Selian said with a smile.

"Yes… indeed she is," I replied.

Priscilla Barielle… I wonder what sides of her I would end up seeing from the position of her knight.

With only a month, the previous perception of the woman as an overly arrogant and prideful noble had been changed… so I could only imagine that there was more to see.

— Selian —

With all the initial policies we wanted to implement now in progress, and all the concerns that were left neglected during our time away having been sorted out, we decided to spend the afternoon of such a nice day with a picnic, a practice Priscilla and I did quite often, whenever we found the need and the time.

But this time… we had Crusch with us.

A small part of me was disappointed that Priscilla and I's private time was no longer shared between only the two of us, but considering the other person was Crusch, it was only a minuscule disappointment.

"Selian, these savoury meat pie are delicious," Crusch said, deftly wiping her mouth of crumbs. "But I have to ask… just why are we eating outside?"

"Well… don't you find a certain charm in eating outside, with the passing breeze, and beautiful scenery?" I asked, taking a bite of my flatbread as I looked over the rolling hills.

Before, this river was still nice, but the surroundings were undeveloped, leading to a picturesque yet, according to Priscilla, 'boring' image.

But now, there were lush farmlands that stretched across the distant lands, with windmills dotting the landscape, and watermills and bridges scattered down the river, fit with passing civilians that came to enjoy the beautiful day.

A completely different view, and it was all thanks to our work here in the Barielle domain.

And I could only imagine that this place would change even more as the main town expanded to reach the river, as the waterway would be extremely useful for trade, transportation, and of course, water.

Once the town spread this far, which would likely happen in the coming months at this rate, we could really begin forming a proper sewage system, and if those magic tools I had ordered worked as promised… well, we could find ourselves with one of the best civil water distribution systems in the world, even matching the Water City of Priestella in some areas, if what I had heard of that city was correct.

"I… suppose so… yes," Crusch said, smiling as she followed my gaze. "And you mentioned that you two did this often? Just how did this start, I wonder?"

"Well, Priscilla wanted to do something interesting, so I thought that giving her a change of scenery while she ate would be a good idea," I said, looking over to my lady. "And at this point… well, I suppose you could call it a tradition… a family tradition, even."

My smile widened as I watched Priscilla's cheeks turn a few shades redder, her cheeks filled with berries as she pouted at me with an equally scathing glare… which was not scathing at all.

What an adorable creature.

With such a sight, I nearly instinctively leaned over to kiss her… wait, I didn't have to hold back here, right?

There was only Crusch with us, after all.

And so-

Bzz~

My thoughts ground to a halt as the sound of buzzing entered my ears.

"I-I see… um, Selian? What's wrong?" Crusch asked, having noticed my frozen state.

I wanted to respond, but I couldn't.

Instead, my gaze was locked on the wasp that was hovering over our basket, my heart thumping in nervousness as that grating sound entered my ears.

Impossible.

I had thought that these things were practically extinct outside of forests… so what was the bane of my existence doing here?

"Fool? What is it?" Priscilla pressed.

Right… it was just by the basket, so it was fine.

Everything was fine.

"N-Nothing, just- Eee!" 

Seeing the wasp dart towards me, I let out an embarrassing squeal as I instinctively jumped in fear, scrambling backwards as I tried to maintain some distance with my foe.

Wasps… fucking wasps!

Trying my hardest to control my breathing, I briefly glanced to the side, watching as both Crusch and Priscilla shared a surprised look before breaking out into laughter, their teasing smiles turning directly towards me.

"Oh my~? Is the revered 'White' of Lugunica truly this weak against such a thing?" Priscilla said with flushed cheeks. "Who would have thought that my knight could be so easily conquered by nothing but a bug."

"Selian… do you require some assistance? Having someone by your side to support you is a good way to counteract such… primal fear," Crusch added with an amused grin.

They were making fun of me…

"S-Stop messing around!" I said, raising my chin in an attempt to hide my shame. "Wasps are a serious threat, you know!? Such agile and evasive creatures are-!"

My words were interrupted as the wasp landed directly on the tip of my nose, it's legs crawling across my skin sending a vile feeling of fear and disgust running through me, the sickening ticklish sensation akin to a knife being dragged across my face.

And, of course, having such a thing happen to me…

My mind went completely blank.

Was this… death?

Felt… I'm sorry for not being with you more.

Crusch… I apologize for not remaining as your support.

And Priscilla… I love you, and always will…

"Oh my, it seems that it truly is your weakness," Crusch said as she stood up, her sword having flashed outwards to cut the wasp in two, it's body falling to the ground. "Honestly… just what would Wilhelm-dono think if he saw his most respected comrade as he was now?"

Taking a deep breath, I felt my nervousness calm as I shook my head.

"Thank you… Crusch," I said, bowing my head before I looked over to Priscilla. "And… I apologize for such a sorry display…"

Dammit… just what had I been doing?

I know I hated wasps, so why didn't I just kill it right away?

"Hmm… no matter. In fact, I found it quite amusing to have discovered such a cute side to you," Priscilla said, her finger stretching out to poke my cheek. "But know that I will absolutely hold this against you in the future, Selian~"

And from the giggles Crusch was currently letting out, it seems that she had found my earlier actions hilarious to watch as well.

With Crusch's sword clinking as it found its place in her scabbard, I tilted my head downward as I bit my lip in frustration.

Dammit… there went my respect.