WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Unleashed a Gossip Gallery in Another World ◈
Chapter 43: House Agnail's Tea Party (2)
──────
“My, everyone, look at this.”
About ten minutes had passed since Lady Yurian, the host of the tea party, returned to her seat.
“A mere count’s second son is daring to touch the Empire’s ducal lady’s leg so freely.”
Lady Yurian immediately glared at Elrod, who had been fidgeting and trying to remove her leg from his lap. Pouting, she raised her voice.
“Lady... no, Yurian.”
“...”
“My constitution has always been frail...”
Elrod cast a sidelong look at Lady Yurian, cold sweat running down his face, and began pleading while holding her leg.
“Are you saying I’m heavy?”
“Ha...”
“You’re truly awful...”
Yet with only a slight exertion of force, Lady Yurian placed her leg back on Elrod’s lap.
“Ah, I don’t believe I’ve told you all.”
“...”
“Lord Elrod and I...”
Lady Yurian then gave the guests, who still wore blank expressions, a smiling glance.
“Why don’t you guess what our relationship is?”
And at that moment, the Gossip Gallery was going wild at a terrifying speed.
[Anonymous: That is the Empire’s only ducal lady...?]
[Anonymous: Yurian <<< The strongest and worst villainess in Imperial history lol]
[Anonymous: Upvote if it looks like she formed a relationship only she knows about when even Elrod doesn’t lol]
[Anonymous: But Elrod <<< His reaction seems kind of familiar, which is unsettling;;; No, right???????]
But nobody knew at the time.
Sliiide...
That someone would appear and confront Lady Yurian head-on.
“Lady Yurian, excuse me, but...”
It was Ciel, who moved to sit beside Elrod, where no one else had even dared approach.
“Has this joke not gone too far?”
“Hmm?”
“Lord Elrod appears quite uncomfortable.”
She spoke in an exceedingly businesslike tone as she stared Lady Yurian down.
“Elrod, do you dislike it?”
“...Haha.”
“The Empire’s ducal lady has placed her bare leg on your lap. Do you truly dislike that?”
After glancing at Ciel for a moment, Lady Yurian caressed Elrod’s chin and asked in a whisper.
“See? Elrod likes it too.”
“It does not seem as though he has said anything of the sort.”
“...Hmm, but.”
Lady Yurian, who had shamelessly spoken for Elrod, suddenly narrowed her eyes coldly.
“By what right do you dare scold me at my own tea party?”
Lady Yurian began radiating such murderous intent that most of the young noble ladies could not even meet her gaze.
“I am merely worried that such conduct from a ducal lady who ought to set an example may tarnish House Agnail’s reputation.”
But Ciel was no easy opponent either.
[✪(Breaking News) Lady Yurian VS Ciel Catfight Begins lol]
ㄴAnonymous1: Excuse me? lol
ㄴAnonymous2: What kind of fucking nonsense is this lol
ㄴAnonymous3: My brain is refusing to understand that title. Is this real?
The tension between the two became so fierce that someone even made a spinoff post from the tea party’s live thread.
“Thank you for your concern, but... I am a woman with no reputation left to lose.”
“Is that so?”
“And look. Why is this a problem?”
As she spoke, Lady Yurian slipped her leg between Elrod’s thighs and smiled with her eyes.
“This is friendly physical contact. It is an act very far removed from romantic affection between a man and a woman.”
Anonymous93: Friendly physical contact, my ass lol
Anonymous94: Why not have a friendship marriage and friendship fucking while you’re at it?
Anonymous95: That phrasing is fucking inventive lol
Then a question post appeared in the Gossip Gallery, where every one of their lines was being relayed in real time.
[Church Gallery Eraser: Everyone! If the Empire’s ducal lady and the Commander of the Imperial Knights fought, who would win?]
ㄴAnonymous1: You don’t know...? Well, the answer is...
ㄴAnonymous2: (Orc emote doing the “Dunno?” pose)
ㄴAnonymous3: We don’t know either!
For once, even the Gossip Gallery users who usually acted like know-it-alls could not give a proper answer.
ㄴAnonymous4: But seriously, which one ranks higher?
ㄴAnonymous5: Ah, fuck, the tier list is messed up.
ㄴAnonymous6: Upvote if you’re one of the social-circle tier-list makers with a headache right now lol
Legally, Ciel’s status should have been higher, since she was treated with the ceremonial precedence of a marquis.
However, Lady Yurian was the sole heir of the Empire’s only ducal house and the confirmed next head of House Agnail.
Furthermore, Lady Yurian’s standing and power were far beyond anything a marquis could dare aspire to.
The problem was that Ciel also held the position of Commander of the Imperial Knights, overseeing the entire order.
That made it difficult to judge by ceremonial precedence, and difficult to judge by social standing as well.
One of them had fallen from grace and only recently recovered, while the other was of lowborn origin, so their respective disadvantages were even similar.
If the two women were to fight under such circumstances, matters would naturally become quite complicated.
Usually, in cases like this, the parties would both make concessions to avoid fighting whenever possible.
“Lord Elrod, if you are uncomfortable, you may lean on your master.”
“What?”
“Is a master not someone who ought to share hardships with their disciple?”
Yet at this very moment, that unwritten rule was crumbling in real time.
“...”
“Elrod, you are not going to lean on another woman when you have a friend, are you?”
“It makes more sense for a master to lend her shoulder than for a friend to do so, Lord Elrod.”
“Ha... Was our friendship worth only this much?”
The two women, with Elrod caught between them, were arguing amid an icy atmosphere.
‘Fuck...’
Of course, neither of them fought directly.
They were simply fighting fiercely to claim Elrod.
[✪Elrod <<< Upvote if you are starting to wonder whether he saved a country or sold one out in his past life lol]
[✪The truth is that he is fucked no matter which one he chooses lol]
[✪Elrod <<< Upvote if the young master suddenly seems pitiful lol]
As a result, for the first time since the Gossip Gallery opened, sympathy for Elrod Durgel began to emerge among the noble young men.
(Author: Eirin, Top Disciple of the Mage Tower)
[Anonymous: You fucking bitches, I’ll definitely become stronger than all of you and kill every last one of you, you trashy bitches, get away from Elrod right...]
(Author: Saintess of the Holy Church)
[Church Gallery Eraser: This is fun hehe]
(Author: Commander-in-Chief Elosia)
[Anonymous: This makes me want to turn the army around hehe]
Of course, it was now plain as day what the noble ladies and those connected to Elrod would think.
(Author: Goddess)
[<Message failed>]
ㄴ(Goddess): (Orc emote with a dead-serious expression)
ㄴ(Goddess): (Orc emote sharpening a sword)
ㄴ(Goddess): (Orc emote cutting its throat)
That day, a shower fell over the Empire for around ten minutes.
It was the world’s most pathetic miracle, born from the resentment of the Imperial noble ladies unable to attend the tea party and the frantic struggle of a certain being watching the situation in real time.
‘Did I choose the wrong master...?’
Even after the shower stopped, the confrontation between Lady Yurian and Ciel showed no sign of ending.
Just as Elrod began to wonder whether his judgment had truly been right.
“Excuse me, Lady Ciel...”
“Hmm?”
“A message has arrived from the Imperial Palace...”
A maid of the ducal house suddenly rushed over to Ciel and whispered urgently into her ear.
“What?”
The next instant, Ciel’s expression filled with bewilderment.
“...I have been ordered to return?”
She had realized that an unexpected and rather early order to return had arrived from the Imperial Palace.
* * *
[✪(Breaking News) Ciel <<< Changing out of her dress after receiving a return order lol]
“Ha...”
Ciel changed from her dress into her knight’s attire with a blank expression, then stepped out onto the balcony and let out a sigh.
Anonymous1: I knew it lol
Anonymous2: But what happened? There has not been an emergency order for the Knights lol
ㄴAnonymous3: Obviously Lady Yurian put pressure on them hehe
Anonymous4: Social-circle tier list <<< It is fucking hilarious how Ciel got downgraded already lol
Anonymous5: Upvote if you are an Imperial Knight who has no idea how to look at the Commander tomorrow lol
After blankly scrolling through the Gallery for a long time, Ciel finally lowered her head.
‘If that had been the reason, I could have accepted it.’
The reason for her return order was neither the emergency that the Gallery had guessed at nor pressure from Lady Yurian or Duke Agnail.
“Your Majesty, for what reason have you ordered my return...?”
“By now, everyone should have understood my deep intent, so that is enough.”
Who could have known?
“But, Your Majesty. You said the escort duty would last at least a week... that I should expect nearly a month...”
“Hmm, did I?”
That the Emperor’s thoughtless whim was the reason she had to return early.
“Well, what is wrong with that?”
Of course, even the Emperor had his reasons.
‘That frail bastard becoming too famous does not sit well with me...’
He had been quietly lurking in the Gossip Gallery, and he did not like the current topic of conversation.
“Your response is slow.”
“...I will return promptly in accordance with Your Majesty’s will.”
Thus, the escort mission came to a rather absurd end.
‘A fleeting dream, was it...?’
Ciel stood on the balcony, leaning blankly against it, before turning her head back.
“...”
As the day began to darken, Lady Yurian’s tea party had entered a brief recess.
Even so, the waiting room was filled with the lively conversations of several young noble ladies and young noblemen who had hit it off.
“Ha...”
Ciel watched them with a lingering gaze, then clenched her teeth.
‘Right. It was never a place for me.’
She began forcing her reluctant feet forward.
‘I should leave before I grow too attached...’
But the next moment.
“Excuse me, Lord Elrod.”
Ciel’s sharp hearing, honed as a Swordmaster, caught those words.
“Lady Penelope?”
“Hehe... You remember my name.”
Ciel’s eyes widened as she instinctively looked around. Before long, she easily found the source of the sound on the ducal estate’s walkway.
“Then... you also remember the request I made earlier, correct?”
Elrod had taken refuge on the ducal house’s walking path during the break to escape Lady Yurian.
Now, Penelope was hounding him instead.
“As I said before, I...”
“Lady Ciel has just returned to the Knights.”
“...Is that so?”
Elrod tried to walk away from her, only to cast an annoyed look at Penelope as she continued to block his path.
“And... she will continue to be buried in Knightly duties, so she likely will not have many chances to teach you.”
“...”
“But I am different, Lord Elrod.”
Despite that, Penelope stepped even closer to Elrod.
“If I become your swordsmanship instructor, I can reside at the count’s estate and spar with you whenever you wish.”
“Hmm...”
“And you know it, do you not? The standardized sword forms of our house suit you better than the difficult forms of the Knight Commander.”
She walked beside Elrod with a smiling gaze.
“Surely you do not think that the Empire’s Finest Sword’s swordsmanship is the strongest simply because of its title?”
“...”
“Ah, I acknowledge that it is powerful, of course. But its form is too...”
Penelope abruptly stopped walking and quickly looked around.
Whoosh, whoosh...
After confirming no one was nearby, Penelope put a hand to her mouth and whispered quietly into Elrod’s ear.
“...Have you never felt that it was lowly?”
Of course, after reaching the realm of Swordmaster, Ciel’s five senses had become sharper. Even though she did not want to hear it, those words pierced her ears clearly.
“Ciel’s sword forms are killing forms meant for survival and desperate combat.”
“...”
“In comparison, the forms of our swordsmanship house are the righteous path, honed and polished by our ancestors over countless years.”
While Ciel quietly lowered her head, Penelope proudly raised hers and held out her hand to Elrod.
“Lord Elrod.”
“...”
“Do you now know whom you should truly take as your master?”
Silence followed.
‘Right...’
Ciel hesitated in that silence, then eventually smiled sadly and turned away.
‘For that child’s future, that is the right choice.’
Aside from her personal insult that Ciel’s swordsmanship was lowly, Penelope’s words were, surprisingly, entirely true.
‘After all, I have not even completed my own sword forms...’
The ultimate technique inherited from every previous Commander of the Imperial Knights.
Unless she could incorporate it into her sword forms, Ciel’s swordsmanship was an unfinished work, not even worthy of being called half-complete.
Perhaps she had wanted Elrod to complete it in her stead.
Once she realized that, Ciel felt that she could no longer remain there and began walking away without hesitation.
“Lady Penelope, I apologize.”
Until Elrod’s voice came from afar.
“But...”
“...”
“I cannot agree that the Knight Commander’s swordsmanship does not suit me.”
Silence continued for a moment.
“And as for calling it lowly...”
“Hah.”
“I agree even less with that.”
When Elrod finished speaking in the silence, Penelope let out a cold sigh.
“Elrod Durgel, what do you mean by that?”
“It would be better if someone like you did not know.”
“Hah, is that so...”
At last, Penelope began revealing what she truly felt.
“...Then how about this?”
Penelope pulled a wooden sword from her clothes and pointed it at Elrod.
“If you can block even a single attack using that precious master’s sword form, I will readily acknowledge you.”
As if she had expected this to happen, she took out another wooden sword of the same size and tossed it to Elrod.
“But if you fail to block it...”
“...You want me to become your disciple?”
“My, I welcome a disciple who learns quickly.”
At that moment, Ciel grabbed the railing tightly, cold sweat breaking out over her body.
‘What are they doing...!’
Of course, what was about to happen in the distance was closer to child’s play than actual combat.
“Then, the time and place for the duel...”
“Let us do it right now.”
“What? Haha... I like you more and more.”
But even if they used wooden swords rather than real ones, Elrod was far too frail.
“Of course, I will not use sword aura or killing techniques. The basic swordsmanship of a swordsmanship house will be enough.”
“...Is that so?”
“Of course, you must use your full strength.”
Penelope had considered that and even imposed those restrictions, but could Elrod truly come through unhurt?
‘No matter how much of a genius you are, there is no way you can block an attack from a swordsman on the verge of reaching Swordmaster...!’
Ciel began calculating the distance between herself and Elrod as she climbed halfway over the railing without realizing it.
“So you know how to swear a Duel Oath as well.”
“...Well, yes.”
“You are more combative than I expected, Lord Elrod.”
But the Duel Oath had already been completed.
Their duel could no longer create legal liability, and both sides were now obligated to fulfill the victor’s demand.
“Then please do not regret it.”
“...”
“Here I come, Lord Elrod!”
No matter how many times Ciel ran the situation through her mind, she could find no way to reach Elrod before Penelope’s attack ended.
“Kh...!”
Ciel’s face went pale as she gritted her teeth and quietly drew up the life force within her.
Clatter...
Then, with almost ridiculous ease, the wooden sword rolled across the ground and the duel came to an end.
“What?”
The one who had dropped the wooden sword was not Elrod, but Penelope.
“...”
She stared blankly at her empty hand for a long time before looking at Elrod with an incredulous expression.
“L-Lord Elrod?”
“...”
“What in the world...?”
Elrod glanced at Penelope, then fluidly withdrew his sword form and returned the wooden sword in his hand to her.
“My victory, then.”
“W-Wait!”
“As promised, I ask that you make no further unreasonable demands.”
With that, Elrod turned away without any regret.
“Furthermore, I forbid any direct or indirect disclosure regarding this duel.”
Just as he was about to truly leave the walking path after saying that.
“Wait!”
“...”
“W-What was that sword form?”
Penelope hurried after him, grabbed his cloak, and asked with a pale face.
“How can a beginner like you use such a perfect defensive sword form...?”
Elrod quietly tilted his head at her question.
“It seems my master has never used it before you.”
Elrod let out a hollow laugh, as though he had realized something.
“Ciel-style Sword Form, First Form.”
“...”
“It is called Everyone’s Shield.”
He explained the sword form, the first and last one he would learn from Ciel as her disciple.
“It was created in the back alleys by a righteous young girl who could not tolerate injustice, so she could protect her friends.”
“...”
“...When introducing this sword form, Lady Ciel smiled so purely.”
Silence flowed between them again.
“Lady Penelope.”
Elrod whispered quietly to Penelope, whose face was still full of shock.
“A sword is something you raise to protect someone.”
“Ah...”
“It is an aphorism left by the previous Hero. I hope you will take it to heart, even now.”
Then, in the next moment.
“...”
Penelope, who had stood there with her mouth open blankly, quietly lowered her head and began to tremble.
Tremble...
Because of that, Ciel, who watched everything from afar, could not see what expression the woman who had tormented her so much was wearing.
“Still, it is fortunate that you are someone capable of remorse.”
Instead, the last words Elrod spoke finally broke Ciel down.
“...”
A tear slipped down from Ciel’s left eye as she continued gripping the railing roughly.
‘I thought I had lost my path forward...’
At last, Commander Ciel had recovered what she had forgotten.
‘...I had not lost it. I had forgotten it.’
The life force she had been recklessly releasing until moments ago was, astonishingly, gradually settling into a pure state.
* * *
‘Fuck, my wrist hurts.’
Honestly, I had almost died.
Thank goodness it was a match decided in one exchange. If it had been any other kind of duel, I would be a bloody pulp by now, right?
Tremble...
Even now, the hand that stopped her attack hurt so badly it was driving me mad.
But I had no choice.
“Ugh...”
I would not deny that her proposal had been somewhat tempting.
But the swordsmanship houses I had learned about through the Gossip Gallery were groups riddled with corruption.
I hated the ruling class. Becoming the disciple of a house that colluded with that ruling class?
Even if it meant ruining one of my hands, I could never accept that.
‘A Duel Oath is not something that can be broken easily, so this should not leak out...’
Fortunately, the cleanup was perfect this time too.
I had sealed the other party’s mouth with a Duel Oath, so my true skills would not leak into the Gossip Gallery.
‘Another crazy bitch almost got tangled up with me.’
I sighed in relief and was about to return to the House Agnail estate.
“...”
When someone suddenly blocked my path.
“Master?”
“...”
“Had you not returned already?”
It was none other than Ciel, whom I had thought would be back at the Imperial Palace by now.
“I was just about to.”
“I see.”
“However... before I leave, I still...”
I gave an awkward smile and hid my bruised hand behind my back. Then I heard Ciel’s next words, and my chest strangely tightened.
“...I wanted to see my only disciple before I went.”
It seemed I had misunderstood her a little earlier.
Commander Ciel of the Imperial Knights might have been a validation-obsessed ego-searching addict in the Gallery.
But in reality, she was still a model knight worthy of respect.
‘Perhaps this is as far as our connection goes.’
But now it was time to end things.
Until now, I had needed to use Ciel because of the situation, but with my escort mission over, I needed to end my connection with her.
There were already three Erasers I had become entangled with in reality.
At this rate, some minor mistake might really expose my identity.
“I believe work will become busy for me for some time...”
“...”
“I do not think I can remain Lord Elrod’s master any longer.”
Yet astonishingly, it was Ciel who first asked to end our relationship as master and disciple.
“I understand. You are a very busy person.”
“It is truly regrettable that things have turned out this way.”
“...Haha.”
I felt a slightly strange emotion, but perhaps this was fate as well.
“Lord Elrod.”
“Yes?”
“If it would not be rude, would you grant me just one request?”
I had been thinking that as I prepared to offer her a respectful farewell, however brief our time as master and disciple had been.
“May I swear an oath to you?”
“What?”
Those unbelievable words suddenly reached my ears.
“Do not be so surprised.”
“But...”
“It is only a formality.”
Still standing before me, Ciel wore such a serious expression that it could not possibly be a joke.
“I have already sworn an oath as an Imperial Knight.”
“...”
“As Commander of the Imperial Knights, I serve the Emperor as my lord, so it has no practical effect.”
Her explanation only left me more confused.
“Then why...?”
Ciel stared at me silently for a moment.
“...Because thanks to you, I found the path I should follow.”
Then she smiled gently as she answered.
“Because of me?”
“Yes.”
“Uh... Really?”
Of course, I did not understand what she meant.
“Come, quickly.”
“...”
“You may do it in abbreviated form.”
Before I could ask anything else, Ciel had already knelt before me.
“If it is you, who helped me regain my original resolve, then I will forgive even the discourtesy of making your master kneel.”
Silence followed.
“Hmm...”
I scratched my head in silence, then took the sword she offered and held it to Ciel’s shoulder.
‘At least the mental care worked out. That is fortunate.’
Compared to when she had first visited the count’s estate, Ciel’s expression was far more at ease.
Unlike in the past, when she seemed to be chased by something, her eyes also looked as though she had realized something.
Whoosh...
Still, Ciel’s kneeling posture somehow looked a little strange.
‘Do knights normally kneel on both knees when taking an oath?’
For some reason, a locked secret post by an anonymous knight that I had seen in the Gossip Gallery recently came to mind.
‘This composition reminds me of something...’
But I soon shook my head, forcing those stray thoughts away.
“There is no time, Lord Elrod.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Then please.”
At Ciel’s request, I ultimately began conducting the oath in abbreviated form.
“Keep faith in the face of injustice, and answer malice with goodness.”
“...”
“Do not speak falsehoods, and make your oath worthy of trust.”
It was fortunate that the knightly oath I had overheard during my time as the previous Hero was still in use.
“Can you swear that there is not a single shred of falsehood in the words you are about to speak?”
When I finished speaking.
“I swear.”
Ciel spoke in a low voice.
“I, Ciel...”
With an expression and manner that embodied chivalry itself, she calmly completed her oath.
“From this day forth, I will serve Elrod Durgel as my benefactor.”
Silence returned.
“...”
I watched Ciel for a moment in the silence before quietly speaking.
“Master, is that all?”
“...”
“I apologize, but I do not really enjoy this sort of embarrassing thing...”
But I could not finish what I was saying.
“...What?”
I had noticed something too late.
“Master.”
“...”
“Something is strange.”
I did not know why.
But something that should not have happened was happening.
“Why is the sword... suffused with mana...?”
The Oath Sword held against Ciel’s shoulder was glowing blue, as if she were taking an oath for the first time.
“Come to think of it.”
Ciel, who had kept her lips firmly closed, spoke in a low voice the next moment.
“There is something I forgot to tell you.”
I listened quietly to her words.
“...I actually botched my first knight’s oath.”
In that instant, I felt as if countless exclamation points had appeared above my head, and I doubted my ears.
“Is it not fucking bullshit?”
“...?”
“Why should I, who risked my life to survive in the back alleys, become the sword of some bald Emperor?”
It was immediately afterward that the expression on Ciel’s face, as she still knelt demurely before me, began to change.
“Fortunately, the Emperor... was thoroughly fooled by the fake Oath Sword I made when I was young and hot-blooded.”
“...”
“Do you know what that means...?”
After speaking that far and taking a breath, Ciel no longer hid the curl of her lips.
“Taking a proper knight’s oath...”
“Is actually something I am doing for the first time.”
The Empire’s Finest Sword, the strongest female knight, had become mine before I even knew it.
Footnotes:
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