Chapter 121

I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 121: Scandal

Scandal
Chapter 121. Scandal
Ruri spoke, looking at the excited Valdrova.
— Since Ferda-nim is the banquet host, the hostess’s role is also important.
— Hostess means… that would include me, right?
— Yes.
— Mmm……
Valdrova lowered her head.
As much as she admired it and wished to attend, now that it was her own story, she felt fear first.
Ruri, of course, perceived that tendency instantly.
— Ferda-nim is scheduled to perform a dance there.
— Dance?
— It is called a waltz, a dance where a man and a woman match their steps. It is a basic refinement for nobles.
— A man and a woman together……
The man is Ferda, the woman is herself.
Imagining them forming a pair made her heart race.
Due to her large physique, the beating of her heart echoed clearly.
— What if I say I cannot go……?
— Then Ferda-nim will dance with another partner.
— Uum……
Valdrova fell into deep contemplation.
Imagining him dancing with another woman made her chest ache even more.
Either way, she had to attend.
— Then going in armor……
— Impossible.
In case she even thought about reducing the armor’s size, Ruri spoke more firmly than usual.
— Above all, wouldn’t it cause trouble for Ferda-nim? He would have to guide an imposing figure over 2 meters tall. And besides.
— Besides?
— If you step on his foot even once, his bones will shatter into pieces. If you plan to leave him crippled, I agree, but you wouldn’t do that, right?
— Of course not.
In dragon form, the armor alone weighs several hundred kilograms. Fragile Ferda obviously could not endure it.
Valdrova understood the logic and nodded.
Seeing her unable to decide easily, Ruri spoke.
— Not attending is also an option.
— Is that what you really mean to say?
— Yes.
Ruri said that.
— Master-nim is the Aspect of Fire and Power. As an immortal being who does not easily reveal herself to humans, it is better to maintain the mystery.
— ……Is that so?
She nodded with a hum, as if she had found a good excuse.
Ruri knows that she will only hide even further if she does that.
Because Ruri is the assistant who has served her longer than anyone else.
— I forgot to mention something.
But if there is something Valdrova does not know, it is that this is one step back to take three steps forward.
— Do you know that Olivia Arken came today?
Valdrova’s movements stiffened.
She knew that they called her the Golden Rose of the Empire and that she was popular among men.
Ferda is also a man.
— I know roughly.
— Then, did you see her when she entered?
— I was working, so I couldn’t see her.
— That woman personally trained Ferda-nim.
— She danced with my fiancé?
— Yes. They held hands and danced the waltz without music. For nearly 4 hours.
— 4 hours……
When she heard that Ferda had held her hand, she felt very displeased.
But dance?
And 4 hours, to top it off.
A man and a woman for 4 hours.
Valdrova’s inner world felt bleak and depressing.
— Do you know what that means?
— What?
— Ferda-nim wants to dance with Master-nim.
Her uneasy mood soared in an instant.
Flapping her phantom wings, exhaling hot snorts, Valdrova.
Then Valdrova’s body began to gradually shrink.
The scales retreated beneath smooth skin, and her form finally transformed into a beautiful woman.
A woman with gentle eyes, uncharacteristic of the Aspect of Fire and Power.
That woman spoke with an expression of great determination.
— T-t-that waltz matter, I will try it!
— It is waltz.
Considering what she does, a tomboy is the most suitable anyway.
Ruri, satisfied that everything had smoothly returned to her intention, spoke.
— I will teach you the dance.
— Huh? Do you know how to dance?
— Originally no, but I came to know.
She observed the dance practice for 4 full hours.
In that time, she mastered all the steps and details of the dance.
Ferda, who actually received the teaching, cannot even move his feet, but Ruri memorized everything.
One thing is certain: Olivia Arken teaches well, and Ferda is a hopeless klutz.
— Think of me as Ferda-nim and try taking my hand once.
— Ferda-ssi isn’t this small, though……
— That is why I am saying to think that way, Master-nim.
— Uh, yes, sorry……
She touched a sore spot without meaning to.
Valdrova lightly took Ruri’s hand and looked at it.
“This is Ferda-ssi’s hand……”
Conscious of that, it really seemed like it.
The hand that warmly wraps around me.
The hand that makes my heart race and tense just by looking at it.
Ferda-ssi’s hand.
Crack—!
It was.
— Kyaaaaa!
— ……
— Fe, Ferda-ssi! No, Rurururi! Is your hand okay? What, what do I do?
The one who broke it stays still while the one who crushed it makes a fuss.
Ruri silently looked at her own hand.
Strength did not enter her fingers and they had become irregular.
Seeing that, Ruri realized.
Practicing the waltz right now is not the problem.
She sighed and said this.
— Let’s practice controlling your strength first.
She has to prevent the murder that Valdrova will commit.
The planner that Olivia sent from the Empire entered.
They brought several luxurious carriages and prepared the banquet and events.
Not only the events inside the castle, but also outside the castle and in Hestia Village, they devoted all their efforts to finish successfully.
The only place Ferda had to worry about was how much would be spent on the Spring Festival, so everything proceeded smoothly.
— These are greeting letters that arrived from all over the Serdes Continent.
She poured the letters contained in a box onto the desk.
Enough to drown in greeting letters.
— That is a lot.
— This is after filtering and filtering. Considering regional influence and growth potential, I narrowed it down to approximately 400 people.
— Did you do it all alone?
— If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to send them on time. I did it ‘together’ with Mori-chan.
Her skin, strangely, seemed glowing.
Only 250 people can attend the Spring Festival. The remaining 150 to filter were Ferda’s job.
Ferda read their letters.
— I sincerely support the construction of Hestia Village by Regent Ferda Valdrova. I……
Content praising Hestia Village, in which they had no interest, and content promoting what kind of noble they were.
And they slyly inserted a phrase wishing success for the Spring Festival, showing their willingness to attend.
Every single one was like that.
— There is one more letter, but this one is almost an exception.
At the word exception, he was perplexed, but upon seeing the sender, Ferda understood.
— It is from the Duchy of Urey.
— What do you think?
The duchy that incurred massive debt after losing the war.
Peasants exploited by that debt arrived in Hestia Village in search of freedom and survival.
From Duke Urey’s perspective, Ferda is no different from a kidnapper.
— It seems better to invite him anyway……
Duke Urey is the biggest victim.
If we do not send an invitation because it is uncomfortable due to this situation, we would be giving him reasons to become a victim.
— Either way, even if we deal with him, it will be the young master of Duke Urey.
— That is true.
The Spring Festival celebrates the arrival of spring.
It is a social gathering of young people where, in principle, only unmarried youths participate.
In such a place, Olivia Arken is really good bait.
The imperial people would see her multiple times at tea parties or events, but for people from outside the Empire, she is a figure with whom it is difficult to even secure an audience.
“The plan is progressing smoothly, fortunately.”
If only it would continue without any mishaps.
But the world, as always, did not move according to his heart.
Bang!
A figure appears, throwing the door open.
Unlike the loud sound, a girl of small build entered.
Without her usual maid demeanor, she strode in with long steps and asked Ferda this.
— Have you been talking carelessly?
He wondered why she was acting like this.
— You are speaking aggressively.
— It is information that reached me, which I regret and at the same time do not regret.
She handed him the telegram paper she had received.
He could understand why she was so angry.
Ferda also saw it and was dumbfounded while anger boiled within him.
— A rumor that Regent Valdrova and Princess Arken are having an affair has spread throughout the Empire. What do we do about this?
When Olivia said she would come to Valdrova Castle, Ferda thought of several unfavorable situations.
There are many scenarios, but the most worrying one was one.
“Scandal.”
There are cases where a young lady inevitably stays at a man’s house, but since servants and knights block it thoroughly, it is not considered as serious as one thinks.
But the more beautiful the jewel, the bigger a small scratch seems.
The higher the status, the more strongly even small rumors shake things up.
“It is especially more serious for Olivia.”
Maintaining her chastity, preserving a dignified behavior so as not to invite any suspicion, is her duty as a princess.
For those who adore her, Ferda Valdrova is an enemy.
If their relationship breaks because of this, it is fatal for Ferda.
But beyond such political calculations, a face appeared before Ferda’s heart.
— Does she…… know this fact?
Ruri calmly replied to his voice which contained anger.
— Not yet. But she will find out sooner or later.
……..
What if Valdrova found out about that fact?
It seemed she would kill someone.
He wanted to rip out this heart that was beating wildly with anxiety.
Phew……
Ferda took a deep breath.
Getting angry wouldn’t solve it, so he had to do it.
— We need to talk a bit.
Inevitably, he decided to connect with the Imperial Court and speak with Olivia.
Since she is deep within the Empire, she would know how to handle this situation.
— It is just light gossip.
Unlike the anxious Ferda, Olivia was calm.
The importance of reputation, she knows it best, so he didn’t think she was saying something foolish.
Ferda asked the reason.
— Light gossip?
— Think about it. Did we do anything there that could be misunderstood?
— We did not.
— We didn’t even stay overnight, only in the reception room. The captain of the knights stepped out, but there was a valet inside, wasn’t there?
— That is correct.
— Ruri Silverwind-nim swore loyalty to Valdrova-nim. Of course, if that loyalty condones adultery, the story changes—.
— If she had spoken such nonsense, I would have ripped her throat out.
Ruri cut in fiercely.
She didn’t say whose throat it was, but from her eyes, Ferda was sure for the moment.
Despite that, Olivia retorted unfazed.
— As expected of a loyal person, a blunt response. There is a witness, and it is enough.
Hearing that explanation, his anxiety eased a bit.
— Even so, the fact that a rumor has spread is a headache. It could become fuel for hostility toward the Regent.
— That is what I am saying. That is why I contacted you.
— My, do you need my advice?
— Be that as it may, in this field you know more, so it is a situation where I must listen to advice.
— Mmm~ So you are saying you need me.
Olivia exhaled a breath as if she enjoyed it.
Then she said this.
— Then, how about this? Have the Regent ask me for a dance in the banquet hall.
No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed far from a solution.
— Then, what happens?
— I will politely decline.
— Then, doesn’t that mean I was rejected?
It would be interpreted as Ferda harboring a certain affection for Olivia.
He didn’t want only Olivia to look good.
— My, thinking like that, Regent-nim, does my image seem similar to a witch’s to you?
— It’s not that.
As someone who had seen all the witches, she was a fairy.
— Do not worry. The Regent, as the host of the party, has the duty to mingle with the young ladies who do not have a dance partner.
— The Flower of the Empire will not be left alone, does that duty apply?
— You know nothing. I do not dance with any man.
Ferda understood with those words.
Olivia synthesized the information and told him again.
— The Regent dances with other young ladies as the host, and approaches me. It must appear that you are fulfilling your duty as a host, not that you have other intentions toward me. If you say that, I will refuse that dance.
— Is that enough?
Ferda thought the fundamental problem was not resolved.
How can only that situation explain anything?
— Yes, you don’t even need to express an opinion. Rather, putting it into words might invite trouble. Time will naturally let them know it is nonsense.
— What is the basis for your certainty?
— I know it just by looking at the Regent’s eyes.
— My eyes……?
— You always only act with seriousness, you know you are really bad at acting, right? Just do what you always do.
Olivia suddenly uttered a curse word.
— Anyway, this is light gossip, so do not overthink. I will leave now. This could also create more gossip.
— Yes. Thank you for the advice.
Ferda cut off the telepathy and looked at the ceiling for a moment.
— Ruri.
— Yes.
— Do you know what she meant by ‘I know it just by looking at your eyes’?
Ruri met Ferda’s gaze at those words.
It was a strange look as if saying ‘is that even a question?’
— I know.
— What is it?
— It’s a secret. But as the Princess said, it will be enough.
Hmm……
I see.
Ferda, relieved for the moment, leaned his body back against the backrest.
— Then, has your mood improved?
— ……No.
This is this, that is that.
Ferda could not stand this situation.
That bastard who puts him to the test, who could it be?
“The starting point is the captain of the knights.”
He does not belong to Olivia, but to the Emperor.
But he won’t be the ringleader.
He must have reported to the Emperor and it spread to many people.
“I have to find them.”
I have to know what that bastard’s purpose is.
No, the purpose isn’t really necessary.
Just ruin them.
That is why Ferda pulled something out from inside the drawer.
It was a black hood.