Episode 80: Luna’s Plan ③
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Luna left the Queen’s chambers, and waiting for her in the hallway were three Stella-Class individuals.
One was her brother, Nicholas.
The other two were acquaintances of Luna, but not people she particularly wanted to see. However, they seemed to be waiting for her.
“It’s been a while, Lady Luna.”
“Yes, Lord Claudio.”
“My father was terribly rude earlier. He shouldn’t have said such disrespectful things to you, Lady Luna. I apologize on his behalf.”
The young man with green hair bowed his head as he spoke.
He was Claudio de Hoshiros, the second son of House Hoshiros.
He was two years older than Luna and had once been her fiancé.
Since the Barbat incident, the engagement had been called off, and opportunities to meet had greatly decreased.
“No, I understand Marquis Hoshiros’ concerns. So, is there any room for Marquis Hoshiros to agree to a ceasefire?”
“That depends entirely on Ortenos’ approach. My father is concerned about the cession of territory, so unless Ortenos’ demands are acceptable, he will not agree to a ceasefire.”
The gaze Claudio directed at Luna was filled with affection.
And then there was another.
The blonde-haired, drill-curled lady was glaring at Luna, but for now, she decided to ignore her.
“I will do my best to adjust that point. Lord Claudio, could you please ask Marquis Hoshiros on my behalf?”
“…Unfortunately, considering my father’s personality, a ceasefire is unlikely. My father and brother will be participating in the Ceasefire Talks. Moreover, we suffered significant damage in the previous conflict…”
Claudio seemed a little hesitant to say it.
“I would be very grateful if you could try to ask him somehow.”
Luna looked up at him with pleading eyes.
It was a gesture from someone who was at least somewhat aware of her own feminine charm.
Even now, with the Seal of Chastity engraved upon her, many men were still captivated by her appearance and gestures.
Claudio was also one of those captivated by Luna’s charm.
Pierced by Luna’s devilish, moist eyes, Claudio’s switch was flipped.
“Understood! If it’s Lady Luna’s request, I cannot refuse. I will try to negotiate with my father.”
Claudio said so and took Luna’s hand.
Luna felt a chill run down her spine at Claudio’s unexpected counterattack.
The blonde-haired, drill-curled lady who saw it frowned.
“Ah, um, could you please let go?”
“Lady Luna, is the ‘Androphobia’ still present?”
“…Yes.”
Androphobia.
It was a topic Luna didn’t particularly want to touch upon, but because it could greatly change the future of the country, it was a matter of concern for everyone.
Luna herself was obligated to undergo daily visual confirmation by multiple attendants.
“I see…”
Claudio was disappointed, but also relieved.
If, by any chance, the Seal of Chastity had been lifted, it would mean that Luna had found new love.
Claudio didn’t know what he would do if he found out that she had been completely healed by a man other than himself.
“Lady Luna, please allow me to assist in the recovery of your ‘Androphobia’…”
Just as Claudio was about to say something, his hand was brushed away.
“Don’t touch Luna, you scoundrel.”
“Ugh…”
Nicholas stood in front of Claudio.
Claudio retreated, holding his hand.
“Your kind is not needed for Luna’s happiness. Leave at once.”
Nicholas stood in front of Luna and coldly declared.
“Lord Claudio! Are you alright?”
The blonde-haired, drill-curled lady rushed to Claudio’s side.
And for some reason, she glared at Luna instead of Nicholas.
“Luna, that’s terrible. Lord Claudio was worried about you. How could you brush his hand away like that?”
“Please stop making unfounded accusations, Julia.”
The blonde-haired, drill-curled lady’s name was Julia La Padovan.
She was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Padovan and the daughter of Chancellor Gianluca.
She was a branch of the Naia Royal Family and held the second position in the line of succession after Luna.
She was one year older than Luna.
“Luna, it seems you’ve been forcibly pushing forward the Ceasefire Talks.”
“It’s not forcible. I believe I used legitimate means.”
She had played the part of a frail maiden a little, but she had gathered the support of the central nobility with her own power, so she had no reason to be criticized.
“Please stop causing further chaos in Naia. Shouldn’t you just give up the position of Crown Princess already? Don’t you understand that it’s you, Luna, who is endangering the current situation in Naia?”
“…I’m doing this for the sake of Naia. And if this ceasefire is successful, the tide should turn significantly.”
“I wonder about that. My view of you won’t change. Because you’re flawed as a woman. It’s still there, isn’t it? The crystallization of Androphobia—the Shame Crystal.”
“Ugh!”
Shame Crystal.
It was named so because it was the greatest disgrace for a noblewoman.
Luna’s face flushed red with humiliation.
“Hmph.”
However, Nicholas laughed triumphantly through his nose.
“…You seem to want to say something, Nicholas.”
“Julia, you don’t understand anything. What’s wrong with having a Shame Crystal?”
“Huh?”
Julia didn’t understand the meaning of Nicholas’ words.
“Luna is attractive with the Shame Crystal. No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she shines precisely because she has the Shame Crystal. Loving the Shame Crystal is what a true gentleman should do, wouldn’t you agree?”
“H-How disgusting…”
Julia’s face twisted greatly at Nicholas’s eloquent words.
There were many nobles with twisted fetishes, but Nicholas’s was too abnormal.
Nicholas had handsome features and was popular with women, but he had never had a fiancée.
Julia was strangely convinced that this was the reason.
“Nicholas, please, stop it…”
“? Understood. If Luna says so, I will.”
Luna stopped her brother in a faint voice.
Her brother Nicholas had a twisted, obsessive love for Luna.
As long as Luna had Androphobia, she would not leave Nicholas’s side, which was convenient for him.
However, he also sincerely wished for Luna’s happiness, so he also wanted her to overcome her Androphobia.
“Hey Luna, what does it feel like to be covered in a Shame Crystal?”
“…”
Julia ignored Nicholas and asked Luna.
“I’ve heard that if you become distrustful, you’ll suffer from frustration. Considering the depth of love among nobles, isn’t that terribly inconvenient?”
“…That’s not true.”
It might be comfortable in that she wouldn’t be harassed by troublesome male nobles.
However, her heart was drying up.
“I couldn’t stand being in Luna’s position. In that regard, I became engaged to Lord Claudio and learned the joy of love. Right, Lord Claudio?”
“That’s… right.”
Claudio and Julia became engaged a few years after Luna’s engagement was called off.
Julia smoothly intertwined her arm with Claudio’s right arm.
Claudio, on the other hand, was directing a lingering gaze at Luna.
That alone was enough to imagine their relationship, but love must be blind.
“Luna is truly pitiful. Because she can’t know the wonderfulness of loving a man. Hey, does Luna have any men she’s interested in? Of course, there’s no way she would, right?”
Julia laughed at Luna with disdain.
Certainly, Luna didn’t know love.
That’s why she was constantly tormented by vague anxiety and fear.
Someday, like a noble lady of her age, she wanted to fall in love with a male noble and have a love that would melt the snow of Mount Gerend in the south.
Perhaps it was because Julia, who was close in age, had taken the upper hand.
“…I do have a man I’m interested in.”
Luna couldn’t help but put on a brave front.
“Eh?”
Nicholas and Claudio reacted simultaneously.
The two looked at each other, confirming, “It’s not me, is it?”
“T-That’s a lie. Then who is it?”
Julia asked back, sounding a little flustered.
However, Luna didn’t have any more material hidden away.
“It’s a secret. I still have business to attend to, so excuse me.”
Luna was satisfied that she had succeeded in getting a little revenge.
Leaving the two stunned, Luna walked away.
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After getting away from the two, Luna asked her brother.
“…Nicholas, do you also think a ceasefire is impossible?”
“It will be difficult. With Hoshiros involved, it’s questionable whether we can even have a proper conversation with Ortenos.”
“I see…”
Luna’s shoulders dropped at her brother’s realistic words.
Nicholas hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly stopped in the hallway.
Luna turned around and asked, “Nicholas?”
“…Luna, isn’t it enough already?”
“Enough?”
“Our allies have decreased considerably. Those with loose tongues are only cursing Luna maliciously. I don’t want to see Luna get hurt anymore—”
“…”
Luna understood what her brother was trying to say.
“Perhaps… you should relinquish your right to succession?”
Luna could tell there was no falsehood in her brother’s words.
She knew he was worried about her.
Her brother, who was always by her side, must have a reason for saying such a thing, even if it meant denying her will.
However, for Luna, it was something she could never accept.
“…So, Nicholas-niisama, you’re saying the same thing as everyone else?”
“No, but Alberto-niisama’s faction has Serpens, and we don’t know what they might try to pull in the future. At this rate, the Ceasefire Talks will…”
“I don’t want to hear it!”
Luna raised her voice in front of her room.
Neither her mother nor her brother truly intended to make peace.
Everyone denied Luna’s ideas.
She felt a sense of loneliness, as if she were all alone.
The heavy, murky emotions that had been building up all day had finally exploded.
“Luna?”
“…I’m sorry, please leave me alone for a while.”
Luna couldn’t bear her brother’s gaze and fled into her room.
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Bedroom.
Luna had finished her work and was being helped into her nightgown by her attendant.
A thin top and shorts.
Suddenly, Julia’s words resurfaced.
“…Frustration, huh?”
She didn’t have a specific partner, but she still had sexual desires.
But even if she put it into words, Luna didn’t know how to resolve it.
“What am I supposed to do…?”
At that moment, her attendant knocked on the door.
Luna told her to enter, and the attendant held a letter.
“Luna-sama, a letter from Sharka-dono of House Ortenos…”
“Really?!”
“Y-yes.”
“Thank you, you may leave.”
Luna almost snatched the letter.
Judging by the timing, it was written after the Bangwall incident.
It wouldn’t be strange if the letter said he was giving up on the ceasefire.
Luna sat on her bed and took a deep breath.
(Please…)
With a prayerful heart, Luna opened the letter and slowly began to read.
And…
“…Thank goodness.”
The letter stated that his intention for a ceasefire remained unchanged.
Luna was so relieved that she pressed the letter to her chest and fell back onto the bed.
Each and every word was filled with consideration for Luna.
She doubted whether he was really a noble from Ortenos, or even two years younger than her.
But it soaked into Luna’s heart, which was currently frayed.
Her parched heart began to regain its moisture.
“The scent of Freesia Gold…”
The letter smelled of Luna’s favorite flower.
Through their previous correspondence, they had already become well-acquainted.
A noble boy with delicate consideration.
A person who hated war, loved his family, and was full of intelligence and nobility.
Only this boy never denied Luna.
Only this boy affirmed everything about Luna.
He was the most distant, yet he understood Luna’s feelings more than anyone else.
But Naia and Ortenos were enemies who hated each other.
–You must not harbor affection.
–You must not let your guard down.
–You must not fraternize.
(I mustn’t, but…)
Even so, she couldn’t help but think.
She wanted to meet and talk to him soon.
Luna pondered about the eldest son of House Ortenos, whom she had never even seen.
“Sharka…-sama.”
Unconsciously, she reached her right hand inside her shorts, to her lower abdomen.
In the bedroom, the moist, rough breathing of a young girl began to leak out.