Chapter 76

Little Sister’s Strategy III

*Ludy POV

“…I was taken aback, you know? That brother of mine, showing interest in other people? As well as paying attention to those he encountered? Brother always ridiculed anybody who would dare try becoming a part of his ‘world’, you and I being the exceptions, of course . Hey, Ludy…?” (Leticia)

“What is it?” (Ludy)

“…I wonder if I should ask for your opinion, since you’re related to her . From your own perspective, what kind of person is the Daughter of Duke Armelia?” (Leticia)

“…She is a noblewoman to the core, for better or worse…” (Ludy)

“In a bad way, too…?” (Leticia)

“Yes… She was, from what I could gather, a proud being . She has enough strength to stand on her own two feet . And for that reason, she stood firm in the face of her engagement’s annulment . The result of that led to her new authority over her company and fief . ” (Ludy)

“…I see . In a way, she is similiar to brother . Don’t you agree?” (Leticia)

“I do… Her pride does not permit any display of weakness . She won’t let herself rely on anyone but herself . How she handled being harassed within the academy is also indicative of it… And although she could’ve acted discreetly, she chose not to, and instead confronted the issue head-on with bravado . Or rather, even if the harassment hadn’t occurred… She still could’ve donned the facade of a damsel in distress, altering the impression placed upon her . ” (Ludy)

She moved with undue grandeur and poise . As a result, her name was incriminated and she had to shoulder all the crimes herself in the end .

…Even if I didn’t know of her circumstances…there were many others besides her who joined in bullying the Baron’s daughter .

That might also be the case . Because the second Prince, the first son of the Duke, the son of the Knight general, and the son of the Pope…essentially the highest lineage in this country, had lined up to serve a baron’s daughter, whose power was at the lower bracket of high society . It was possible for the other nobles to not be pleased with the Baron’s daughter’s new allies .

But even when all was said and done, it was still impossible for Iris to confront the Baron’s daughter directly, for Iris had suddenly become Prince Edward’s clique “favorite” . For those who also bullied the Baron’s daughter, the only way around taking the blame themselves was to deftly use Iris as a scapegoat for their unsightly harassment . They first evaded those who questioned their actions, and then shifted all the blame onto Iris .

If only Iris carried herself better . Had Iris behaved well in the eyes of those around her, she wouldn’t have been taken down by such a humiliating farce .

In any case, the harassment she executed was petty in comparison to the circulating rumors and rampant bouts of sarcasm from other nobles… Yes, put the gravity of those two instances side by side . . And what Iris did seems almost . . cute…

At any rate, it is quite detrimental to say something disagreeable towards the daughter of a Duke . Even in this nation, a woman such as herself can hold a lot of power .

The evil intentions of noble society are terrifying . Compared to what others of the same echelon did, Iris’s actions seemed harmless .

“Even now, her attitude remains unchanged… Though she had servants she could confide in, their relationships had been built on “trust(credibility)” . A line had to be drawn somewhere, so Iris had decided that she could not bare her weaknesses to them because there was a part of her that had to be protected at all costs . ” (Ludy)

But after that incident, they became irreplaceable existences to her — aside from her servants, it became difficult for her to learn to trust anyone else . It felt as if she has since mixed up “trust(credibility)” with“trust(reliance)” .

“Indeed . In a way, they really are like peas in a pod . It’s just… perhaps she really is a good person, but is not seen as one due to her rigid morals . ” (Leticia)

Fuuh, Princess Letty let out a sigh .

“…If brother truly feels frustrated whenever he sees her, I would hope that you assist him in this matter, even if for a miniscule amount . ” (Leticia)

“Haha… but I think this has incited change in him . After all, it was the first I’ve seen him bustling around in such a way . He even severed ties to his important ‘hand’ for her sake . ” (Ludy)

Even Prince Alfred would need some tricks up his sleeve to make a connection with the church interior . But, in any case, the Pope’s authority within the church was all-encompassing and absolute . So naturally, it was a difficult task to find and string together a connection with a high ranking church member who was not under the influence of the Pope .

And, instead of using this connection himself, the prince gave it to Iris instead… Well, he may have thought it would be more effective, given the timing .

“So it was like that, huh… Out of curiosity, how close do you think they are?” (Leticia)

“The only progress he’s made on that end is grasping a hold of the question… of whether or not he has feelings for her . . ” (Ludy)

“Oh, my! So, has brother made preparations for the next step?” (Leticia)

“No, that’s…” (Ludy)

“Good grief, it seems brother is still a good-for-nothing when it comes to the matters of the heart . And on the other side of things, Lady Iris is likely also oblivious to the possibility…” (Leticia)

I narrowly managed to bar my tongue from voicing the words I was about to say .

“I implore you to understand . There must be a reason for his inability to move forward . ” (Ludy)

“If It’s brother we’re talking about, no matter how difficult the predicament, he will always strive towards his goal . And you won’t convince me otherwise, even if you present me with a ‘cool’ phrase . ” (Ludy)

Due to my ties with the second prince having been completely cut, I could no longer provide any further objections to her statement .

“As for me, it would be better if he were to head towards a more welcoming c-i–…… No, nevermind that . It’s nothing . As his sister, I support his decision from the bottom of my heart . ” (Leticia)

Although I thought I heard the beginnings of a disturbing word, I decided not to press any further . Princess Letty wouldn’t do anything strange, not so soon .