Chapter 49
“This is really, so fun! Lady Cecilia, since when have you been shooting? Has it been a long time?”
The brown-haired girl, Sophia, held her hands clasped and her eyes shining. Sophia looked like she was about to bounce up and down.
More ladies than the initial four challengers tried shooting. Their reactions varied. Sophia, among them, seemed uniquely captivated by shooting.
Isn’t it scary when you fire the gun? But isn’t it still fun? The rifle was fun too, don’t you think so?
Sophia was a born chatterbox. So much so that Cecilia felt a little overwhelmed.
“This is only my second time, too. And my first time with a handgun.”
“Wow… I’m so jealous. Are you going to do it again? Could you invite me then?”
Her bright, light-brown eyes looked up at Cecilia. The way she held her hands together looked pitiful and cute. Cute, yes, but a little much.
‘She’s a kind girl, though. The way she chatters and clings is like a puppy.’
Besides, she was the daughter of the Marquis Demore.
As she hailed from an influential capital noble family—one mentioned even in the original novel—there was no harm in forging a connection.
“I’ll ask the Grand Duke.”
“Wow! Thank you!”
“Lady Cecilia, I…….”
“Me too…….”
“I will mention it to him for those of you who are interested in shooting. But if you are hoping for a social gathering… there probably won’t be another one like this.”
“Ah…….”
Naturally, not everyone was interested in the gun itself or truly wanted to come to the shooting range. They likely wanted to catch the Grand Duke’s eye.
David von Raphaeli was, on the surface, a tremendously handsome man. The problem was that his personality was like a thug, his behavior was like a delinquent, and he was a crazy bastard who might lash out anywhere.
Looking at his actions in this gathering today, he was quite polite to women. Using formal speech was limited to women; conversely, he treated male nobles of lower rank, regardless of age, like he was their boss.
That behavior might be attractive to some, but for Cecilia, he was simply someone she wanted to avoid.
“Me! My interest is only in shooting. Purely!”
Sophia Demore, raising her hand high, seemed sincere.
“Alright. I’ll speak to him about it.”
“Well, I can understand why Lady Sophia is so dedicated to shooting.”
Eva, one of the women who wanted an invitation to the shooting range, interjected with a smug smile.
“Perhaps she has a target she wants to point her gun at, which is why she was so devoted today…….”
“Oh my!”
“Pfft…!”
Snickers erupted here and there. Sophia froze with an embarrassed expression. After rolling her eyes for a while, she finally forced a laugh herself.
“That’s so ridiculous…! No, not at all.”
“Really? Then do you have the confidence not to point your gun if Viscount Lionel were to appear at this very spot?”
“Uh…….”
Sophia stiffened again.
Her light-brown eyes wavered aimlessly. This time, even the spirit to conjure a fake smile seemed to have vanished.
“How unfortunate. Well, I’d probably be the same way. The man I was seeing turns out to be a kidnapper!”
“Lady Sophia, you didn’t know about it, did you?”
“By the way, Lady Sophia, why is your expression like that? We’re only saying this because we’re worried about you.”
The situation was turning interesting.
Viscount Lionel had recently been announced by the temple as the main culprit in a kidnapping incident. It seemed Sophia Demore had some kind of connection with him.
Cecilia couldn’t miss this opportunity.
“If it were me,”
Cecilia, who had been silent, opened her mouth.
“I’d want to shoot the people trying to ruin my reputation because of an ex-lover, first.”
“……Pardon?”
Everyone doubted their ears at the content, which was utterly murderous despite her faint smile. Eva, who was spearheading the attack on Sophia, was so startled that her voice cracked when she asked again.
Cecilia answered calmly.
“I said, I’d want to shoot the people I can shoot, not the one who’s already captured.”
“…….”
“The prison is far away, but the gun is close. I think I could grab one right now if I ran to that table. What do you think?”
“N-Now what are you saying, Lady Cecilia!”
It was almost a scream. But Cecilia didn’t flinch. She just smiled, like a sacred painting.
“Oh my, why are you so excited?”
“Of course…!”
“I only said that because I was worried about all of you. It pains me that you’re misunderstanding my good intentions.”
“Ha, ha! What… concern? A misunderstanding? Do we look like fools?”
Cecilia only smiled a little brighter instead of answering.
“My heavens!”
It was clearly an affirmation. The quick-witted nobles understood immediately and flew into a rage, their faces turning red. Someone grabbed and shook the sleeve of the composed Cecilia. It was Sophia.
Sophia shook her head with a deeply anxious look.
‘Why stop me? I’m trying to help.’
I’m deliberately intervening right now to put you in my debt, you know.
Cecilia smiled sweetly and gently removed Sophia’s hand.
“Lady Cecilia, you must not know, having stayed only on your estate. You shouldn’t behave like this in high society.”
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