Volume 8, Chapter 22 – The Method

“Yo. You look like you’ve run into some trouble. Need my help?”

“Hm?” Cynthia’s unexpected arrival made Yisi’s eyes widen slightly. “Cynthia? Why are you here?”

“What, am I not allowed to come over? I’m here to offer you help.” As she spoke, Cynthia turned and waved. “It’s alright now. Come on over.”

“Alice is with you too? Ah, I forgot Alice left with you.”

Back at the ducal estate, Cynthia had angrily taken Alice and left because of what Duke Wozwahl had told her about Alice’s Fallen abilities. Yisi had thought that she had offended Cynthia and that they would no longer have any contact. But it seemed now that Cynthia’s anger was only directed at Duke Wozwahl, and Yisi, as a listener, had not been caught in the crossfire.

With a well-behaved expression, Alice walked side-by-side with Yisi. Cynthia nudged her chin.

“Let’s go. We can talk as we walk.”

“Mm.”

Letting out a light breath, Cynthia took the first step.

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“I heard you hadn’t given up on finding Master Avis, so I followed you. It’s just as I thought, Master Avis didn’t see you.”

“As you thought? Even though I had your father’s letter of recommendation.”

“A letter of recommendation isn’t always effective, is it?” Pointing back in the direction they had come from, Cynthia shrugged at Yisi. “If it weren’t for the convenience of forging weapons, Master Avis wouldn’t even have accepted the title of honorary baron or the position of vice-president of the Blacksmiths’ Association. A longsword of that caliber appeared at the auction last night. Even if those three people hadn’t delivered the sword to him this morning, he would have personally sought out the person who had won it. Master Avis values weapons more than his own life. At a time like this, even with my father’s recommendation, it’s impossible to move him.”

“You seem to know Master Avis very well.”

“Of course. Although people call me the Flower of the Kingdom, what I like are swords, which have nothing to do with such delicate plants.”

She was probably proud of it. Cynthia puffed out her chest slightly, her turquoise eyes filled with satisfaction.

Yisi couldn’t help but look at the white flower crown on Cynthia’s head. It wasn’t a knitted item, but an ornament made from real flowers. In other words, this flower crown had to be replaced almost every day.

“Even though you’re wearing a flower crown?”

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Cynthia’s mouth twitched unnaturally, and she glanced away.

“I’m a woman, after all. What’s wrong with liking pretty things? Besides, I’m always being called the Flower of the Kingdom. If I don’t do something that fits their image of me, won’t people who see me for the first time think ‘is that all she is’? I hate being looked down upon.”

“Mm… I can sort of understand that feeling.”

It’s probably like when I walk through the temple. Because I have the high status of a Cardinal, the Holy Knights and priests always look at me with reverence. But I don’t actually have the qualities a Cardinal should have—dignity, trustworthiness, an unwavering will, and the leadership to command respect. Therefore, whenever I pass by a place where the faithful are gathered, I feel a sense of trepidation, afraid that someone will notice I’m doing something wrong. After all, if I were to be called out, it would be too embarrassing.

Yisi’s words made Cynthia glance at her again, her turquoise eyes filled with interest.

“You seem to have all sorts of troubles too.”

“Well, something like that. You didn’t just come here to watch me get rejected by Avis, did you?”

“Of course not. I came to give you a way to see him. In any case, I can’t get angry at the benefactor who gave Alice the Tears of God. And I think you’re an interesting person.” At this point, Cynthia paused for a moment. “You’re not like those delicate noble ladies. You have a dangerous air about you. Mmm… I’m not saying you’re a dangerous person, but that your actions are hard to read. You’re full of openings, yet you give me the feeling that even if I were to attack, it would be ineffective.”

“Is that so? I’m not as amazing as you say.”

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While replying in a deliberately relaxed tone, Yisi sighed inwardly. Why were the people she met always so perceptive?

Cynthia pointed to Mary, whose hand was being held by Yisi.

“Who is this child? She doesn’t seem like your younger sister.”

“Her name is Mary. Although we’re not related by blood, she’s currently my family.”

“Younger sister?”

She’s my daughter.

Although she really wanted to correct Cynthia’s mistake, she wasn’t that shameless yet. To suddenly tell someone that you’re her mother, if it wasn’t taken as a joke, the only other result would be that they’d think you were insulting them. Yisi curved her lips, neither confirming nor denying.

“I am the fourth daughter of the House of Wozwahl, Cynthia Wozwahl. It’s nice to meet you.”

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“Ma… Mary, she says. Is Master’s slave.”

“A slave… no wonder you didn’t answer me earlier.” Cynthia pouted in dissatisfaction. “But looking at her, she doesn’t seem to have suffered under you. Your claim of her being family isn’t a lie either. And the way you looked at Mary just now… could it be that you think of her as a daughter? Aren’t you just barely an adult?”

“Cough! Ahem!!” With an exceptionally stiff cough, Yisi deliberately cut her off. If Cynthia had said that to her in private, she would have been so happy she’d agree to most of Cynthia’s requests. But in front of Mary, she could never admit it. “Wait, Cynthia, you still haven’t told me how to see Master Avis.”

“Ah, I almost forgot about that. My relationship with Master Avis is very good because I often help him test newly forged weapons. My skills, while not top-tier in the kingdom, can still be ranked among the best. The people who are higher level than me are either busy with official duties or not often in the capital, and Master Avis needs someone who is on call to help him test the strength of his weapons, so the task fell to me. Of course, it’s my hobby. To be able to use newly created Crimson Gold-grade weapons, just thinking about it is exciting, isn’t it?”

At this, Cynthia stopped in front of a building.

“The reason Master Avis is shutting himself away is because he’s captivated by that sword. So, if you can present a weapon better than that one, you can get him to do things for you—I know it’s difficult, but it’s not impossible. I can lend…”

It wasn’t that she had misspoken and fallen silent, but that she had deliberately left her sentence half-finished. Cynthia turned to look at Yisi, a belligerent look in her turquoise eyes.

“Before that, I’d like to test your sword skills.”