How to Tame That Gentle Male Lead - Chapter 1.11
“I appreciate the offer. But it’s just a matter of opening the window and throwing them out, so I’ll take care of it.”
“Alright. Thank you, Alken.”
“No, this is included in the cost of food and lodging. I’ll handle the monster disposal from now on.”
Resena nodded and replied.
“Then I’ll go wash up in the meantime. I just woke up and haven’t had a chance to clean up. Let’s meet at 1 PM after I’m done.”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
She closed the door. Resena stretched and entered the bathroom. Since there was no washing machine here, she would have to go with Alken to use the laundry room to do the laundry.
After finishing her shower under the warm water stream, Resena made a simple lunch. She spread strawberry jam on the soft part of a baguette and alternated between bites and sips of milk, savoring the sweet and tangy taste of the homemade jam that pleasantly filled her mouth.
“So delicious… The homemade strawberry jam from Arnasus mansion is really something else.”
Chuckling softly, Resena finished her meal and started reading a book. With plenty of time left until 1 PM, she thought she could read about 100 pages of this thick book.
Her gaze, which had been moving back and forth between the densely packed lines for a while, stopped when she heard a knock. It seems she had lost track of time while concentrating. Resena got up and opened the door.
Alken, dressed in a dress shirt and quilted trousers, was smiling brightly at her. Feeling somewhat relieved, Resena went back inside to get the clothes that needed washing.
“Resena. Where are we going?”
“To the laundry room. You don’t sense any monsters, do you?”
“No. There are none inside the mansion.”
“Hmm… Then Alken, bring your laundry too. It’s incredibly hard to wash clothes without a magic stone-powered washing machine. Come on, let’s stop by your room first.”
Alken came out with the blood-stained pants he had been wearing yesterday. It seemed he was planning to throw away the shirt as it was torn.
Resena led him to the laundry room. The laundry room on the first floor still had detergent left. Roughly estimating, there should be enough to last about a year…
“Alken. How was it facing His Highness the Crown Prince? Do you think it would be difficult to handle even if two Sword Masters teamed up?”
“Hmm…”
After putting the clothes in the washing machine and starting it, Resena went out and headed to the library for a moment. Although the book she was reading was good, she wanted to spend some time reading a romance novel from the library.
When Alken arrived at the library, he naturally picked up a book like ‘The History of Swordsmanship’. So they both talked while looking at their books.
“His Highness the Crown Prince was terrifyingly strong. For an ordinary Sword Master to face him, you’d need at least three.”
“Is that so…”
Resena recalled the powerful strike she had seen through the telescope. That swordsmanship that had cleanly cut through Alken’s chest was truly the pinnacle of precision.
“Compared to him, the monsters following him are nothing. A Sword Master like me alone could handle most of them. …Someone who has reached the level of a Sword Master like me can cover 100 meters in 5 seconds, so it’s not difficult to outrun them either.”
However, regarding other matters, Alken spoke casually.
“Even if a mage were to join in the attack, they would need to draw his attention to avoid being pierced by his sword, but since it’s His Highness the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t fall for that…”
“…So you’re saying we’d need at least four Sword Masters to fight stably.”
“That’s right. I thought I wouldn’t stand a chance rushing in alone, but I didn’t realize he had reached such a powerful level. He’s truly a terrifying person.”
Resena looked up from her book to Alken. Alken, too, lifted his head from his book at her gaze.
“Then would it be impossible to persuade him with words?”
Alken closed his book.
“It’s not impossible, but.”
“….”
“I tried it myself. However, His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to be sick of all humans. He said that my words were just the ramblings of a human too immersed in happiness to distinguish right from wrong.”
“That’s harsh.”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Perhaps he didn’t want to speak ill of the former Commander-in-Chief who once led the entire army. Looking at Alken, who was being evasive, Resena also closed her book.
“I once instigated murder out of impulse against Lady Lorona Weiz, so he probably wouldn’t even listen to what I have to say.”
“….”
“Sigh… It’s sad when a loved one dies, but destroying the Imperial City itself is a bit…”
Alken shrugged.
“It’s extreme. But it seemed that was the only will he had left.”
“…Huu.”
“If there was a way to revive Lady Lorona Weiz, he would stop destroying the Imperial City immediately. Or if he had never loved her in the first place, he wouldn’t have done something this severe.”
‘If he had never loved in the first place…’
Those words left a long trace in Resena’s heart. But for now, she pushed it aside and listened to Alken’s story.
“To be honest, I resent Lady Lorona Weiz more than His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“…Why is that?”
“Because she stepped in front of the dark mage Zergard without the power to protect herself, taking the blow meant for His Highness and dying. That was truly not something to be praised. If His Highness had taken the hit as he normally would have, it would have been nothing more than a minor scratch for him.”
“…Ah…”
“As all the imperial citizens know, Sword Masters basically always have an aura around their bodies, giving them resistance to dark magic and magic. So if she had just trusted him and watched without intervening, she wouldn’t have died, and His Highness wouldn’t have gone mad like this.”
There was nothing to say. Resena inwardly cursed the author who had written such a sad ending. After all, it was because of this novel that she had been reincarnated as Resena, so what else could she do but curse the writer?
“Sigh… But what difference does it make to criticize someone who’s already passed away? His Highness the Crown Prince loved Lady Lorona Weiz, and now that she’s dead, he’s fallen into despair and turned the Imperial City into a mess.”
“….”
“I don’t mean to belittle Lady Weiz’s spirit of sacrifice, but I think it would have been better if she had judged whether such a sacrifice was really necessary before acting. Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince is a Grand Sword Master, isn’t he? It wouldn’t have been difficult for him to break through a dark mage’s attack. That’s why I resent Lady Lorona Weiz even more.”
Resena quietly studied Alken. Alken met her gaze and then grinned.
“I’ve seen so many people in high society who only praise Lady Weiz… You’re the first person I’ve met who dislikes her like you do.”
“Haha, is that so? I try not to discriminate against people in general, but in this situation, I think it’s best not to associate with someone who has such an extreme spirit of sacrifice.”
“…Hmm.”
“Ah, shouldn’t the washing machine be done by now? I remember the voice guidance saying it would take about two hours.”
Resena stepped forward with her novel in hand.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes, Resena.”
So there are people in high society who think like Alken.
Thinking this, Resena suddenly brought her hand to her mouth in surprise.
‘Come to think of it, I felt uncomfortable about Lady Weiz when I was reincarnated… It could have been because of aspects like this.’
The angelic lady who always smiled and tried to give away what she had.
But Lorona had so little to give, and she received much more from those who praised her.
Actually, thinking about it made her feel uneasy. She knew from the novel that Lorona’s behavior wasn’t fake, but she still felt a bit of aversion to getting close to her.
