Banished Villainess

73 : Clandestine Meeting

The lodging-house has begun their feast celebrating Locke’s party’s successful gathering of the magic crystals. Dai got drank immediately and was naked down to the waist. He was having an arm wrestling with Sam while Kisara overlooked them with disdain. Because Chloe will be resting for the night and stayed inside her room, Shin had cut the footage there.

The succeeding footage shown was Shin’s lone conversation with the 2nd prince.

“Are you leaving now, sir?”

“Yeah, I have things to do.”

Prince Keith was affectionately caressing Citrin’s head as he looked upwards. Leddorio thought that the unspecified things to do that he talked about was likely coming to his party to show these footages.

“Are you not taking Sir Dai along, highness?”
“Yup, he doesn’t seem to feel like coming back anyway… and from what I can see, he’s fallen deep too.”

“Huh! …. Do you mean to Kisara, sir!?”

Shin momentarily wondered just who the prince was referring to but his voice croaked in surprise to his own conclusion. The footage recorded so far had only shown several scenes of the two quarrelling inside the bar. Leddorio also thought that Kisara does not fit Dai’s preference of pure women that begets protection like Momo.

“A son of a general together with a maid from a different house? Not to mention, Kisara originated from the slums. I believe this would only create problems, sir.”

“Dai isn’t the type of person to mind such things. I mean, even Momo was just a commoner before becoming the saintess. Besides, Dai really hates being bound by something. Even if they try to pressure him otherwise, he’ll just end up leaving his house.”

“….I see.”

Leddorio thought that Shin must be having mixed feelings upon knowing that his former love rival have developed feelings for his close friend instead. On the otherhand, Prince Yello merely chuckled at the butler’s fatigued voice and straddled at the back of Citrin.

“Well then, take care of Lady Chloe. She should be waking up around soon.”

After saying that, Prince Keith soar to the sky riding alight Citrin and Shin saw them off. He stood there in thought for a moment until the sound of two people murmuring behind the church caught his ears. He approached them while keeping his feet light and hid himself from the building’s cover.

The two people in question was Chloe and Locke. They stood on a place considerably lit by the barrier’s light and were having conversation. Shin operated the brooch in order to increase the recording volume.

“You should be resting a little more. You still look pale, you know?”

“I already recovered a considerable part of mana I used to erect the barrier, but thanks for worrying about… someone like me.”

Chloe meekly smiled towards him while Locke was scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

“I can help you get a carriage anytime but… are you leaving soon?”

“Yes. That’s the main reason why I left the capital after all. I’ll leave right after I finish my preparations.”

Chloe had left the procurement of carriage entirely to Locke. Leddorio thought that she will likely head towards the Nansonia convent in a day or two. As Locke’s green unkempt hair was roused by the wind, his eyebrows lowered seemingly in regret.

“Knowing you, you’ll probably get through it easily no matter how harsh. After that, when you come back to aristocracy…, although it might not be on the level of a prince, there’s probably a high ranking noble fiancee waiting for you already…”
“I guess so.”

Chloe answered with one word without so much a thought. Locke’s eyes wavered but they still wondered elsewhere.

“If… you were to lose your place again, just come back and be this bar’s poster girl again.  I’m sure boss and even mistress will always be here waiting.”

“Locke….”

, who watched as the scene unfolded, couldn’t figure out where the irritation he feels stems. It shouldn’t matter to him whoever Chloe falls in love with. After all, they are no longer related to each other. Has the lady truly fallen in love with Locke? Did Chloe truly think of this boorish man better than him that she fell for him instead? As such similar thoughts began to surface in his mind, his irritation kept growing even more.

‘Is my little sister… thinking of discarding her status and following this adventurer instead?’

‘Who knows? However, the lady had been burdened by so much responsibilities thus far, and I’m thinking of giving her more leniency after her atonement. I mean, she’s still young so she should be allowed to experience love.’

”I’m still too young! Am I even not allowed to experience love before I end up being wed politically?”

Suddenly, Leddorio remembered the complaint he had to Chloe regarding Momo. Normally he would be find odd how his little brother knew that, but he knew it’s far too late for him to try figuring Keith out. All this time, the 2nd prince had been looking at the entirety of the picture, while him, on the other hand, averted his eyes away from many things, pretending not to notice.