CH 36

Chapter 36: Are you serious, Lars-sama?

“Do you mean that I have to go to the Academy as a noblewoman?”

I couldn’t help but frown.

I was trying to escape from there, but I was told to go back.

“What should I do if I go back? Eventually, I will become the daughter of a traitor. If that happens, even if I continue to go to the Academy and graduate, it won’t mean anything.”

I endured and continued to go to the Academy as one of my noble status. But I cannot be a noble anymore. Such status is not necessary for a prisoner.

And if I give up being a noble and escape, it is still unnecessary.

Even if I pretend to be someone else, I have useless long things like an unimpressive academic background.

“Your father may not be acting yet. So there is a possibility that there is still no evidence to be found. So you can look for it later. And make it look like you accused him.”

“Me…?”

Lars-sama nods.

“If you accuse your real father for the sake of the country, you will be a kind-hearted woman who thinks of the country, and your treatment will be different even if you are a criminal’s relative.”

I bite my lips.

But I think that’s the problem.

Probably no one will believe me. Even if I gather evidence and accuse, I will probably be suspected of being involved because it is true. That’s all I can imagine.

“The fiance said he would accuse you and your father, right? Before that, if you can accuse, the fiance’s affairs will become irrelevant. And I will help you so that you can be believed and your statement will be trusted.”

“Eh…”

Without realizing it, I lifted my face that was hanging down and looked closely at Lars-sama’s face.

He doesn’t look like he’s lying.

The smiling expression doesn’t particularly feel like it’s tricking me either.

“Is that possible? Even if the daughter of the evil Count house press charges, won’t she be told that she was a member of the group because she gathered evidence that she lived in the Count house?”

Exactly what I was worried about, it seems that Lars-sama is helping me with a solution.

But such a way, I can’t really think it’s possible…

“It’s okay, there is a way. First, can you tell me in detail why you are not living in the Count’s house?”

“The reason…”

I hesitate to speak.

The curse is just a lie that I made up for my father. Is it okay for me to tell it as it is?

Although I hesitated, I made up my mind in a matter of seconds.

“I, have been cursed.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Even after hearing the word curse, Lars-sama did not flinch and urged me on.

“Well, I saw a nightmare and just wanted to get as far away from my father as possible and be in a place where I could easily run away… I pretended not to hear certain people’s conversation. And then, I said that I might have been cursed and ended up in that separate house…”

I didn’t say that I was transferred there easily. After all, that word doesn’t make a good impression.

“I thought I would be sent to the mansion in the territory, but my father chose that separate house. And I was told that I didn’t have to go to the Academy, and if I didn’t graduate from the Academy, my engagement would also be cancelled. And since there are not enough hands in that separate house, I thought I could learn the commoner skills little by little and be able to live on my own…”

“Did you acquire those skills?”

Lars-sama asked with interest.

“I can do cleaning, somehow.”

I can’t do anything else yet.

“Did you come to me saying you wanted a job because you became confident? But you got caught up with the nobility on the way … right?”

“That was the father of my fiance, Count Herkuvis. He was the one who offered me and his son’s engagement in order to get money from my father. So if I don’t go to the Academy, my value as a noble lady will drop and it will be harder to get married.”

“So he tried to keep you under surveillance under the pretext of catching and protecting you so that you could go to the Academy?”

“I think it was something like that.”

At that point, Lars-sama furrows his brow.

“By coincidence, it looks like he was well prepared. It seems he hired ruffians in advance to catch you.”

“Oh, that is.”

I told him about a ruffian watching the servants around the mansion. Once, one of my servants was almost caught.

“I think Count Herkuvis probably tried to catch my servant to lure me out and take me away. But since I came out, I think they just decided to catch me.”

“Well, you managed to get here safely.”

I replied with a few words to Lars-sama’s impressed voice, “Yes.”

I don’t want to use my skills if possible… No, should I say it now to get a job?

While I was hesitating, it seemed that Lars-sama had come to a conclusion.

“Okay, I’ve decided. I’ll try to find a way to break the curse.”

“Eh…”

I frantically say.

“Um, the curse is a lie…”

“Of course I know that.”

Lars-sama nods.

“So, in this convenient way, I’ll take responsibility for your identity. As an excuse, I will take care of you while we search for “a way to break the curse” by trying various sacred flowers. That is, if you agree.”

Lars-sama took a sip of the remaining tea in his cup before continuing.

“For this reason, I will move you from Count Elvasti’s mansion to my house. We can say that you are a student of etiquette to the outside world. Even if your father is already carrying out the invasion, wouldn’t it be better for the daughter to try to break the curse rather than remain cursed? I think he’ll agree.”