11. Miss Elisse, the Sweet and Simple of Glamorgan Castle
After I expressed that I would “handle it,” the queen, with her ample bosom occasionally swaying in front of me, shared more information: the family background of Glamorgan II and details about himself; his family’s influence in Glamorgan Castle; and what I should do to thwart his plans for seizing the lordship.
The queen’s thorough instruction felt like a parent who, fearing their child might fail, dumps all their knowledge in one go. It was a stark contrast to the times when the queen would simply say, “Then I’ll leave it to you, Mr. O’Keefe,” and wash her hands of it.
I had no time to ponder, as Glamorgan II’s so-called “council” to contest Glamorgan Castle was about to commence after I had nervously endured a few days of Kephiel and the queen’s seaside antics. Before I could disguise myself as an ordinary attendant, I needed to meet the “insider” the queen had arranged.
At this moment, within the residential area of Glamorgan Castle, I prepared to visit this “noble young lady” the queen had arranged for me. Compared to the luxurious and grand “big castle” owned by Glamorgan II that I had seen in the main street, this noble young lady was much more understated.
Nestled away from the noisy streets, the residence at the end of a quiet tree-lined path, while not grand, reflected its owner’s character well; the maid who guided me after I announced my identity was a genuine maid, not one dressed in a “provocative outfit that nearly spilled out” trying to be flirtatious. If I had to describe it, I felt a chill run down my spine the moment I stepped into the residence, but I dismissed it, perhaps due to the sudden shift from the seaside warmth to this cool atmosphere.
After a brief wait, accompanied by the appearance of a script, I finally met the “insider” the queen had mentioned.
[Elisse Meets O’Keefe!]
Her name was Elisse, a “trusted person” arranged by the queen, holding the identity of an ordinary noble young lady. However, even though I had known this from the queen, I nearly lost control of my emotions upon meeting her!
Some surprises and shocks are simply uncontrollable!
“Lady—”
As Miss Elisse walked in to meet me, I stood up in astonishment, almost shouting “Your Majesty!”
Because the Elisse before me was simply the queen herself, with her braids down and dressed in a black midget outfit, no longer the most popular idol of the Great Yng Empire! If it weren’t for the script clearly stating her name was Elisse, I would have thought that the “insider” the queen referred to was actually her!
In the next moment, I gathered my wits; after all, she wouldn’t give me the chance to be dazed!
“What’s wrong? If you’re wondering ‘why do I look so much like Her Majesty,’ let me answer that in advance: I’m a distant royal relative, so it’s inevitable that I bear some resemblance to Her Majesty.”
She guessed what was on my mind immediately, but I wasn’t surprised; after all, she had probably encountered that question many times before. The only thing that puzzled me was that the moment I laid eyes on Miss Elisse, I felt an unsettling sensation deep within, even more so than when I was constantly on guard against the queen’s schemes.
No, it must be an illusion; it was probably because this young lady resembled the queen too closely.
“My name is Elisse, and I’m the ‘insider’ who needs your little help under Her Majesty’s orders.”
The girl lifted her skirt slightly and curtsied, forcing me to shake off my wild thoughts; after all, I couldn’t view people through tinted glasses.
“As the ‘helper’ sent by Her Majesty, Mr. O’Keefe, I will be relying on your skills.”
The queen had informed her of my identity!?
“O’Keefe, your collaborator.”
I shook my head to dismiss further thoughts. “As for the ‘help,’ please don’t expect too much; there’s not much I can do. But I will certainly intervene when Glamorgan II takes action.”
“That’s enough; after all, Her Majesty has been praising your ‘prophecies’ and adaptability. I’m very much looking forward to your performance in this ‘council.’”
The smile that blossomed on Elisse’s face, which was almost identical to the queen’s, was distinctly different. If the queen masked her sinister intentions with a cheerful innocence, this young lady wore her emotions openly on her face.
However, this cannot be considered “simple” at all; rather, I even felt a bit unsettled inside because… could a “queen’s own person” really be a naive, sweet fool!?
“This time, you will accompany me as my attendant to the council meeting to meet with Lord Glamorgan II and others. It’s getting late, Mr. O’Keefe, let us depart~”
“……”
It wasn’t until the moment I followed Miss Iris, who picked up a black umbrella and led the way out, that I began to grasp a bit of what I had just sensed from her.
Perhaps it could be called… effortless ease, as if… once one has everything under control, it manifests in a way where no matter what is done, the course of events cannot escape her grasp.
But I had no time to ponder further.
After all, when Miss Iris and I arrived at the venue for this council meeting regarding the “governance” of Glamorgan Castle—inside the grand castle of Lord Glamorgan II—the “adverse factors” I sensed were far more severe than what the queen had informed me.
On the surface, this “council meeting” was supposed to involve several nobles and merchants from Glamorgan Castle discussing the governance direction for the next quarter, but I could see without needing a script: aside from a few “self-serving” minor characters, the majority of the nobles and merchants seemed to be sitting at the farthest end of the round table, where Lord Glamorgan II—a golden-haired man stroking his chin, attended by a maid—was seated.
And while Iris was said to be someone secretly arranged by the queen, it appeared that her position and voice were quite small and difficult to assert!
In the next moment, with the appearance of the script, this so-called “council meeting” was, in fact, a “promotion meeting” for Lord Glamorgan II, who had been eyeing Iris since the very beginning.
[Lord Glamorgan II attempts to gain the title of lord of Glamorgan Castle!]
[Lord Glamorgan II’s attitude towards Iris is domineering!]
Not only did I learn of his intentions, but the script also revealed some troublesome entanglements between him and Iris, causing me to furrow my brow.
To be honest, the situation was not looking good; could this really be a scenario where I could just watch from the sidelines?
——
Tap tap tap! A new character has arrived!
Though the color illustration had already been there.
Black and white illustration: Iris X Ludwig
July’s black and white illustration