Second Arc: Twenty-Sixth Chapter

"Oh, that reminds me — I told Her Majesty the Queen about your riding wear, Cosette."

Just as I was at the table savoring the head chef's delicious cooking, Mother made a remark I couldn't let pass. I set the juicy piece of chicken on my fork back down on the plate and turned to face her.

"O-oh, did you. Thank you… um—"

"And then! A letter came from Her Majesty just now. 'I've prepared the finest stage!' she said. Whatever could she mean?"

Before Mother — who beamed and said she didn't quite understand, but was sure Her Majesty had some wonderful notion — I clutched my head despite myself.

The finest stage — that means the duel—!! Well, it'll draw eyes! It'll draw eyes, all right? But as for actually winning the duel — isn't that quite the gamble?! Because I'd be showing off the riding wear not just before the school's students, but before nearly the whole nobility. And among them, of course, there'd be conservative nobles.

"Cosette? What's the matter?"

"Cosette! Are you hungry?"

No — rather, just as Her Majesty said, this is the finest opportunity. Let me set the matter of my duel aside for now. I could have the riding wear seen by great numbers of people — I could advertise it. Even if I lost the duel, I'd still have Signora; I could take the riding wear and go off to Lumelica or somewhere as a woman merchant.

"Head chef! A second helping for Cosette, quickly! Hurry!"

"Cosette? What is it, groaning in that low voice… you're hungry, aren't you?! Head chef! Cake for Cosette!"

I snapped my face up and declared to my parents:

"Father, Mother! Look forward to the hunt! I shall show off the finest riding wear! And if fortune allows, I'll win the duel for you to see, besides!"

Hand on my hip, chest thrown out as I proclaimed it, my parents blinked in bewilderment but applauded all the same.

"That's the spirit, Cosette! …By the way, what is all this about, Cordelia?"

"I believe it's about the new clothes Cosette designed, Edward."

Satisfied with my grand declaration, I set to furiously devouring the chicken and cake that had somehow piled up in mountains before me.

You can't fight on an empty stomach!

Ahh, delicious…

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"By the way, I could have sworn I just heard something about a duel…"

"So it seems. Let's ask her once she's finished eating. She won't hear a word of it now, anyway."

The head chef's cooking really is exquisite. The herb-roasted chicken — crisp on the outside, juicy within — was so good that, honestly…