C26
Although Mia has a divine power so pure that they call her the embodiment of a saint, she was an unfortunate character who couldn't be healed.
She helps others but can't help herself. Do I help her or not?
I quickly came to the conclusion that, in a situation where we were already face to face, it would be better to help her than to ignore her.
There's nothing good about displeasing the heroine.
So, when I reluctantly approached her.
"Miss Mia!"
In that ambiguous moment, Philap came running without stopping, and I stiffened like a stone, my hand extended.
No, wait a moment.
This makes it seem like I pushed her down!
"Mr. Philap."
Lifting Mia like a princess, Philap looked at me furiously as if I were a bully.
"I was wondering what you were doing because you were so quiet, but you were doing this kind of thing behind my back."
As he shouted fiercely, my hands and feet suddenly grew cold, and my heart beat strongly.
The reactions imprinted on Deborah's body were more intense than usual, and my mind went blank.
Philap looked at me sternly and snorted.
"That's right. There's no excuse for this. No matter how obsessed you are with me, I can't believe you pushed Miss Mia out of sight of everyone. You're a coward."
At this point, I really thought that our kind-hearted heroine would explain it, but she only said, "Mr. Philap," in a disheartened voice.
Are you trying to stop him or encourage him?
Perhaps due to the heroine's lack of tact, I regained my senses for a moment. I quickly pointed at Mia with my finger.
"She tripped on the root of a tree and fell. I was trying to help her get up. Don't misunderstand me. Hey, you, isn't what I'm saying correct?"
"Yes..."
Mia's eyelashes trembled gently, and her complexion grew paler. Somehow it felt like I was coercing her response.
"Are you telling me to believe you? Lady Mia, you don't need to take this woman's side just because you're scared."
God, isn't there a VAR here? Call the referee! Referee!
"Deborah, don't you know that you've been constantly harassing the women who admire me? If you're going to lie, say something plausible."
Philap hit me with a sharp energy as if he were dealing with enemy forces.
I felt suffocated by the pressure.
However, I didn't want to appear weak, so I clenched my fists as tight as I could and spoke up.
"I've already told you twice that I'm not lying. Are you so stupid that I have to say it a hundred times for you to understand?"
My words made the blood rush to his face.
I faced him fiercely, my eyes wide open.
"Deborah, I suppose it seems that you think the successor of the Montes family, chosen by the Spirit of Water and Fire, is quite easy to quickly understand and let go after catching them doing bad things. Apologize to Miss Mia."
As the energy he released grew stronger, it felt like my body was being crushed.
It seemed like I was going to fall to my knees in embarrassment, but I gritted my teeth and faced him.
"Apologize."
"Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"
Right now!
So, as I stood my ground.
The intangible pressure disappeared, and my vision was filled with a large figure.
That's enough.
The sunlight filtering through the leaves gleamed on the man's beautiful blond hair.
I looked at the unexpected man and squinted my eyes.
... Isidor Visconti?
I can't believe you're suppressing a lady using force. I didn't know you were such a cruel person.
Isidor, who effortlessly took off his round, gold-framed glasses and tucked them away in his pocket, completely shielded me from view with his back.
It was only when Philap's murderous gaze subsided that I was able to slowly catch my breath.
Stay out of this, Isidor.
Philap's voice lowered like a beast. The sound of clenched teeth was also audible.
You, if you keep doing this, you'll break all your molars. If you don't want to eat porridge when you're older, why don't you calm down?
Step aside while I'm still being kind!
I won't move even if you're not being kind.
Why are you suddenly interrupting and making me angrier? It's none of your business.
—There's no "gentleman" who sees someone trying to overpower a lady with force and just walks on by.
Philap hesitated when Isidor mentioned chivalry, the most important virtue for aristocratic men.
How much did you see?
From the moment you cunningly boasted of being chosen by both the spirits of water and fire.
Don't distort my words!
Why are you angry? I thought you were trying to be funny.
You son of a...
Philap erupted in anger and summoned the Spirit of Fire.
Even behind Isidor, who acted as a shield, I could feel a burning heat on my skin.
Seeing that you're trying to use your power, I think I won with my words.
Isidor spoke in a soft voice like someone on a picnic, but he tensed his back muscles like a beast about to pounce, slowly drawing the sword hanging from his waist.
Immediately, there was tension between the two, as if the strings were pulled taut.
Sir. P-Philap, please...
The tension, which had continued anxiously, was weakly cut by Mia's voice.
Perhaps because the fire emitted by the spirit was too much, she shook Philap's arm as if pleading, dissuading him.
Whoo.
Philap continued, breathing slowly as if he were suppressing his anger.
This is really frustrating. Isidor, you. You're siding with Deborah, who pretends to be a lady you're supposed to protect, but isn't she a lady who torments weak young girls behind the scenes? I absolutely must demand an apology.
Isidor shrugged and spoke.
The person you're talking about is keeping quiet, so I don't know why you're making such a fuss. You, pink-haired one. Did Princess Deborah do something to you that she should apologize for?
N-no...
I'm glad to hear that. Still, you should know your place.
What are you talking about...!
If a woman from an unknown family dares to coerce Seymour, who is close to my family, into kneeling and apologizing, then she doesn't know her place. Don't you think?
Upon hearing his words, Mia Binoche's face turned pale.
On the other hand, Isidor displayed the pride that only a high-ranking aristocrat could have and contained a disdainful laugh.
First of all, I can't believe he's using social power to say that apologizing to Mia Binoche is nonsense.
I'm learning some valuable things.
Huh? But I didn't do anything to apologize for.
Isidor!
Although Philap shouted so loudly that my eardrums hurt, the man in front of me didn't even flinch.
—Now that everyone knows my name is Isidor, why don't you stop bothering me? If you have nothing to say, don't force yourself anymore and let us go our separate ways. Aren't you worried about your princess's knees?
Philap's expression wrinkled even further when Isidor gestured with his chin towards Mia's bloodstained dress.
Gasping, he reluctantly turned around and lifted Mia into his arms.
Isidor, today you'll regret turning your back on me.
Hm. You talk as if we were ever face to face.
You're a damn chatterbox!
I have a lot to say, so I guess I'll never shut up.
In the face of Isidor's endless banter, Philap screeched like a fire-breathing dinosaur.
After kicking a tree several times and venting his anger, he walked away with large strides.
He has a lot of energy.
Isidor, who made a brief comment while looking at the base of the tree, turned his head in my direction.
Are you okay?
... I'm fine.
Nothing bad happened. It's ridiculous that the situation itself has become so serious.
It seems like I started a catfight.
When, in reality, he did everything himself.
You look pale.
Because my face is as white as white jade even if I don't apply anything... Oh!
I pretended it wasn't a big deal, but as soon as I took a step, my long model-like legs betrayed their owner's will and I staggered like a newborn giraffe.
It seemed like my legs had lost their strength due to the murderous look Philap was giving me.
You're a terrible liar.
Isidor grabbed my arm and saved me from falling to the ground.
I think you should go back for now and recover. I'll help you get to the carriage.
His mood was quite different from when he was dealing with Philap.
Certainly, he felt light, but now there was a hint of coldness.
Does he look a bit angry...?
Does his face look so cold when he doesn't smile?
Unless you plan on crawling to the carriage, don't be so stubborn.
I hesitated for a moment, overwhelmed, and finally leaned on Isidor's strong body.
Surprisingly, he supported me very carefully, as if I were made of glass.
... Why are you helping me?
I asked, looking at his face, which seemed to have been intricately carved by a master craftsman.
Isidor, who happened to witness it, is a man who was always surrounded by people.
It doesn't seem like he's unaware of all the rumors about me, so I don't know why he simply took my side.
Let's say it's because of chivalry.
...
What the princess described as being meddlesome.