The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

81 - Evening Meeting

Alstair Schwartshertz's Point of View

The sun has set, and night falls on the Camellia academy. The baths have finished, but tonight the knight dorm is silent. Their usual evening jog has apparently been canceled.

This brings an unfamiliar silence over the area and makes the students stay indoors. They can  sense something is wrong.

I gaze over the paper in front of me. A suggestion for a minor revision of the tax system. It's not something big, but a small minimum on how much of the taxes should be used for maintaining the territory. After Lily and the commoner made a scene it was brought up for discussion by multiple duke houses. After all, the 'future queen' had agreed that it was dishonorable not to manage your fief properly, and started demanding formal rules.

Why?

Probably to harm or mock some of the lower standing nobles who are more tightly pressed for money. Many of the lower standing nobles misuse their territories to come up with enough money to get things comparing to that of the high nobles. Still, this is the first time I'd heard Lily directly make comments about laws. I'd thought she avoided it to prevent herself from being seen as the best queen candidate.

I peer out into the courtyard on this full moon night, and find it empty. The mist will crawl in soon. The ground was still warm, but the air was chilling at an uncomfortable pace.

"Your highness."

I glance back to Gilbert who appears as quietly as usual. For how cute and cheerful he usually is, he is surprisingly good at sneaking up on you once he's done playing pretend.

I look down back over the stacks of papers in front of me.

"What is it, Gil?"

"How is the proposal coming along?" He asks calmly as he attempts to peer over my shoulder.

I put the pen down at the redwood desk and lean back in the chesterfield chair as I look back at him again.

"As well as you would expect. I've a week to finish it before father decides what to do. If I don't have a flawless proposal, then this will be shot down. No, it probably will either way. Proposals that are too kind to the lower classes don't come by often, and they get brought to reality even less. Even with our control of them, some things they'll just struggle against till the end."

I take a breath to cease my annoyance with the nobility. As usual they're selfish and power hungry. Do they have any idea how much effort is put into keeping them from ruining each other? It is an elaborate chess game with traps and pitfalls that aren't actually a part of the game.

"Lionel-sama!"

A bright female voice sounds from the courtyard. Lionel appears to be returning from the baths as Lily's companion approaches him. Interestingly Claire is right behind her as well. I'd thought the two would never get along.

Lionel stops up, and just in time for Magdalin Ruche's palm to cross his face.

Gilbert walks to the window quietly and opens it... I want to sigh at his little obsession with poking his nose into people's matters, but it's his job. I suppose there is no helping it.

"It's you fault isn't it?! You knew and you still hurt her!" Magdalin Ruche recklessly accused Lionel without thought for timing or social standing.

"That's right, Lionel-sama! You should not be half naked in front of a lady like Lady Lily!"

Hah?