CH 470

Miabel is Brainwashed: Part 1

“Okay, Bel-sama,” he said. Ludwig held up a piece of paper and said, “This is your homework for tonight.”

Bel looked at him with a puzzled look. She didn’t know why, but it looked like he was in a hurry.

“Um, Ludwig-sensei, are you going somewhere?” she asked in a childlike way.

He grimaced. “Please stop calling me ‘sensei.’ But you’re right. I’m going to leave soon.” He stopped for a moment. “That reminds me, where’s Miss Citrina?”

“Oh, she also went out. Right now, I’m the only one here.”

“I get it… Huh?” A thought made him frown. All of the Princess Guards were in the mansion, except for the ones who were with Mia. This meant that…

“Oh, I was wondering where Sir Dion is. That makes sense.”

As Ludwig nodded to himself, Bel said, “Um, Ludwig-sensei, if it’s okay, could I go with you?”

Ludwig frowned when she used the academic term over and over again. “Give me a moment…”

He thought about what she asked. He wished she would stay here and do her homework, but he wasn’t so foolish to think that would happen without him. Mia also cared a lot about her, and Count Lampron was definitely not a friend. He would make sure that a few imperial guards stayed with her, but even so, he would be leaving her in what was essentially enemy territory. That was something to worry about.

It might be good for her to see real politics take place in front of her.

Ludwig didn’t believe for a second that Bel was Mia’s half-sister. Still, it was clear that the girl looked a little like her. Maybe a long-lost cousin. That seemed plausible.

Not only does Her Highness trust her completely, but she is also close with Duke Yellowmoon’s daughter and a number of other people at Saint-Noel. It looks like Her Highness has a plan for her in the future…

Before he decided, he asked her a question to make sure. “Bel-sama, you are acquainted with Lady Rafina, right?”

“Oh, yes. I’m good friends with her. In a way, you could even say that my fate and hers are tied together forever!” she said with her arms akimbo.

Ludwig raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Your fate? What do you mean?”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

“Uh… Oh well. I just mean that we’re good friends,” Bel said quickly, understanding that what she had said didn’t make sense. “Why do you want to know?”

He looked at her for a moment, then gave her a shrug and said, “Because she’s the person we’re going to see.”

After that, they left the Lampron house and went to the Solecsudo Castle. What are they for? To meet up with Anne first. She had gotten orders ahead of time, so she was already at the gate waiting for them.

“I’m sorry Miss Anne that you had to wait.”

“Oh, I don’t mind at all. But why are we here?” she asked with a confused look on her face.

“I was wondering the same thing. Why are we going to see Miss Rafina?” said Bel, who was just as confused.

“Excellent question. I’m not sure myself, to be honest, except for… When I brought up Lady Rafina in a conversation with Her Highness earlier, her face changed, almost as if a troubling secret had been revealed.”

When Ludwig heard that Rafina was in Sunkland, he thought of a possible way out of their problem right away. If they could get the Holy Lady of Belluga to work with them, it would send a strong message to the Greenmoon-Echard group.

But Her Highness did not even attempt… Why?

He couldn’t help but think that her strange look was the answer. She seemed surprised that he knew Rafina was in Sunkland, which made it seem like she didn’t want him to ask Rafina for help. But for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why.

So he went to see what was going on.

After hearing him explain, Anne nodded.

“I see… Milady does tend to keep her problems to herself, that much is clear. We should look into it for sure.”

“Excuse me, Ludwig-sensei,” Bel said, putting up her hand. “I want to know something.”

Ludwig gave a sigh of defeat. “Yes, Bel-sama?”

He quit because he had given up trying to stop Bel from calling him ‘Sensei.’

“Mia-sama is the Great Wisdom of the Empire, so she must know about everything, right? If that’s the case, why wouldn’t she just tell us what to do if there’s something that needs to be done?” she asked, genuinely confused.

“That’s a good question,” Ludwig said, moving to a more instructive tone. “Don’t forget this, Bel-sama. It’s a sign of negligences to only do what you’re told. I think it’s a betrayal of Her Highness’s trust.”

“A betrayal of trust?”

“Yes. Since Her Highness asked us to go with her on this trip, it means she has high hopes for us. Bel-sama, each of us has a mind that can think on its own. Even if we are not told, we are supposed to exercise it. Not doing so would be a sign of negligence and a betrayal of trust.”

“Even if we are not told…” Bel muttered to herself and then nodded as if she heard a private revelation. “When you say it like that… I think I get it… That’s how everyone was… Everyone did what they thought would be best… for me.”

The question of who “everyone” meant was left open. Bel just looked up to meet his eyes without saying anything else. At that moment, something seemed to rush out of her, something like an aura. Something that is truly and incorruptibly noble. Ludwig stopped his breath for a second because he felt like he was in the presence of a sovereign.

“Then let’s go,” Bel said, her voice carrying a sense of dignity and power that was just as impressive as Mia’s.