TMKWPL CH 25

Chapter 25

• ────── ✦ ────── •

A Chaotic Entrance Ceremony (3)

The fanfare marking the end of the ceremony filled the small hall.

Lucia held Nia’s hand, waiting for the crowded, clinking toasts to thin out. Glancing at her daughter, she noticed the child had been utterly dejected since returning from the garden. Nia was naturally a crybaby, but her plump cheeks were so slumped now that it looked like tears could spill at any second.

She had left for the garden smiling and holding Ivonne’s hand, but she had returned alone.

Did they have a fight?

“Nia, what happened in the garden?”

Nia glanced up with watery eyes, pressed her lips tight, and shook her head. Whatever happened, she wasn't ready to talk. Lucia decided to ask again once they were back at the lodging and headed toward the plaza in front of the kindergarten's main gate.

But, as soon as they stepped out, the anxious murmurs of the crowd stopped her in her tracks.

“Honey, look at those uniforms... Aren't those the Black Knights?”

“It seems so. Did something happen? I heard they showed up in the slums recently and someone died...”

“Goodness! I heard they used to be from the underworld. How terrifying! Let’s get home quickly.”

...Don’t tell me.

Hiding cautiously among the crowd, Lucia peered toward the centre of the plaza. Unfortunately, her prediction was correct: a dark, rowdy group was gathered there.

“Vice Commander!! Are you insane? If the Commander comes out, you’re actually going to die!!”

“Oho, Gilliana. How did you find out about this? There must be a traitor among us. Daring to steal my glory?”

“This is driving me crazy. Enough! Disband them! Now!!”

In the middle of the chaos, Berl was being held by the collar by Gilliana. Vernon was trying to shoo the knights away like they were pesky flies, while Heath watched from a distance, casually eating snacks. The chaotic scene had become a spectacle in the middle of the kindergarten plaza.

Those idiots...!

Lucia felt the lingering headache from earlier crawl to the back of her skull. Despite being told to stay hidden, they were being more conspicuous than anyone else.

She needed to leave immediately. Rumours had already begun painting her as some virtuous mother. If people learned she was the commander of those fools, things would become even more troublesome. She turned to take Nia toward the back gate, but a sharp cry from a child stopped her.

“I DON'T WANT TO!!”

Looking closer, she saw Julie (Ivonne's mother) trying to force Ivonne to bow her head.

“Apologize this instant!”

“I already did!! I did it, so Ivonne won't do it again!”

“Forget it! I’ll let it slide today for the Headmisstress’ sake, but I won’t stand for it next time! Oh, my poor baby, are you okay? Does it hurt much?”

A flashy couple stood arrogantly in front of the Berna family. As the woman leaned down to check her son Gederin’s forehead, a rare amber stone decorating her hair caught the light, momentarily dazzling Lucia’s eyes.

Julie tried to apologize and check on the boy, but Gederin dodged her hand and stuck out his tongue. Little Ivonne looked ready to pounce again.

“Aha! Trying to raise your hand again?! If a girl is this aggressive, who would ever marry her? Control your child!”

The father's shout at Ivonne—who had only taken a stance and hadn't actually done anything—finally caused a vein to pop on Julie’s forehead.

“Look here, I’m sorry my child hit yours. But you don't say something ill-mannered. She’s five! Who are you to talk about marriage?”

“W-What? Ill-mannered? Look here, Madam! Do you not see my son’s forehead? How dare you be so unreasonable...!”

“Ha! Unreasonable? Fine, my kid hit him. But seeing how you talk, I bet your kid deserved it! He definitely deserved it!”

As expected of the Berna family's straight-forwardness. If her gentle-looking husband hadn't been holding her back, Julie might have lunged for the woman's hair right then and there.

Overwhelmed, Gederin’s family took a step back.

“W-Where does a woman get such nerve! We’ll see how my Merchant Guild calculates the medical bills! You’ll regret this today! Mark my words!”

Terrified that a literal beast might be unleashed, Gederin’s parents hurried toward a red carriage where their servants were signalling. Julie, huffing with fury, grabbed Ivonne’s hand, muttering that they’d settle this at home.

Desperate to avoid trouble, Ivonne scanned the area and spotted Lucia.

“L-Look! It’s Nia’s mom!”

Julie quickly turned and approached.

“Oh my, how embarrassing! You had to see such a sight. Hoho. I was so busy with the event I’m only just greeting you properly. Thank you for looking after my child last time, Lady Lucia.”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Lucia. I am Dave Berna.”

The Julie who had just been radiating a murderous aura toward Gederin’s family instantly transformed into a warm, lovely lady. Ivonne let out a sigh of relief.

“Yes, hello. But things are a bit complicated today, so let’s exchange formal greetings next time.”

Lucia greeted them back, but she was in no position to linger. She tried to lead Nia away to find the back exit, but Nia suddenly let go of her hand and ran forward.

“It's because of me...! I’m sowwy! Ivonne...!!”

The child threw her arms around Ivonne in a sudden hug.

“It's okay, Nia. It’s not your fault. That lowborn commoner’s the bad one.”

Ivonne looked strangely enlightened.

“Shh! Again?! I told you not to use those words in front of adults! I’m so sorry, Lady Lucia. Ugh, this little troublemaker.”

“Hmph. Ivonne isn't a troublemaker. Mum, you don't know! That jerk told Nia she can't even dream because her rank is low!”

“What?”

Julie’s face hardened. She hadn't heard the specifics of the fight until now.

“Why are you only telling me this now?!”

As Lucia’s expression turned icy, Julie felt the shift in atmosphere and grew awkward. But Ivonne just shrugged her small shoulders.

“I thought I had to apologise because I didn't have enough money and he’s rich. He said if you have lots of money, you don't have to apologise. But my allowance ran out. I’m broke.”

The adults' faces turned grim at Ivonne’s precocious, cynical words.

“Goodness. He said those things to the children?! That man, draped in jewels but looking like he rolled in a gutter—what on earth is he teaching his kid?! HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE!!”

“H-Honey, stop. It’s enough. Our child did hit him, so...”

Julie ignored her husband and prepared to chase them down. However, the one who truly needed stopping wasn't Julie—it was Lucia.

So that’s why she was so dejected.

Lucia had heard insults about her rank or lack of wealth before. But usually, anyone high enough to meet her at the Palace knew she chose not to hold a high title, so the words never had any sting.

But seeing it happen to Nia, something twisted inside her. It was an impulse to grab those people and hang them upside down from the kindergarten roof. In her pre-regression days, she would have already done it.

“COMMANDER?!”

It was Berl. He had recognized her back.

“Gasp. It really is the Commander! Vernon! Heath! Cover his mouth! Quick!”

“Let go! Why are you guys allowed to see her and I’m not? I want to congratulate the Commander on her daughter's big day too!”

“Are you actually insane? The Commander is hiding her identity! How many times do we have to tell you?!”

“What do you mean? Why should the Commander hide that she is the proud leader of our Knights?”

“Vice Commander! Don't you know?! What they call her?”

“...That would be... the Black Mon—”

Berl’s face suddenly turned pale as a dead tree root. He was a good man, but his excessive loyalty was often his undoing.

“She definitely called that lady Commander. Could it be... that lady is the... Black Monster?”

Someone in the crowd, watching the knights' commotion, spoke up. One by one, eyes in the plaza began to shift toward the woman Berl was pointing at. Lucia stood frozen, her eyes darting around.

Honestly, if the knights hadn't stopped her, she would have come in uniform anyway. The whole world knew the Black Monster was a terrifying entity, and she had never been one to care about public opinion.

But...

“...Wait, if it's the entrance ceremony... does that mean the Black Monster's child goes here?”

“It must be. That child has black hair too. What if she's in the same class as my kid?”

Monster...

Hearing their trembling whispers, the uncomfortable sensation in Lucia grew. For the first time in her life, the woman who was always bold felt a flicker of self-consciousness because of her child.

She wasn't ashamed of the title, but until now, the world’s perception hadn't affected her life. In this moment, however, imagining the gaze her child would receive because of her was an entirely different matter. Her world, long ago locked away by her father's cursed words calling her a monster, began to shake.

Then, someone else entered her field of vision.

It was Leon, coming out while holding a shy Cézar’s hand. He locked eyes with Lucia and gave a weary, faint smile, likely remembering her command not to act like they knew each other.

As he tried to walk past, he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to find Lucia’s sparkling, clear blue eyes staring back at him. Leon’s breath hitched.

“Commander Leon. Is that offer from earlier... still valid?”

“...The... the escort?”

She nodded, her eyes shining. Leon couldn't believe it. It was the first time she had ever called him over in public, let alone grabbed his clothes. Ignoring his racing heart, he cautiously extended his free arm. To his absolute shock, her arm settled onto his as lightly as a bird.

...Am I dreaming?

He couldn't take his eyes off her hand resting on his arm. It felt like his blood had stopped flowing, a tingling sensation of pure bliss. But the bliss was short-lived.

“...?”

Instead of heading toward his carriage, he was being pulled in the opposite direction. Even though he was supposedly the one escorting her, he was being dragged by the sheer, iron strength of her grip.

Ah. So that’s why the blood wasn’t flowing.

Leon stared at his hand, which was turning white from her grip. He glanced at her, but Lucia’s expression was unreadable as she looked straight ahead.

Using Leon as a shield, Lucia forced her way through the crowd and straight into the group of her knights. Sensing their leader's arrival, the quick-witted knights immediately surrounded them in a tight circle, blocking anyone else from seeing inside.

Vernon, Gilliana, and Heath frantically shook their heads, denying any involvement, while Berl just stood there with his mouth agape, looking shell-shocked.

“C-Commander...! I have committed a sin worthy of death! I didn't know... I...”

As Berl fell to his knees, Lucia cut him off.

“No, good timing. I’ll keep it brief. 1 o'clock. The red carriage that just opened its door. The target is a smuggling ring. Smuggled item No. 187, the Firefly Amber, and any other gems over 1 carat. Arrest them and investigate everything.”

She was right. The rare amber in that noblewoman's hair was a known smuggled good. Even the diamonds on the Baron's sleeves weren't things one could simply buy legally.

Berl’s face, which had been like a withered branch, bloomed with joy at the unexpected praise. Following her command, the knights swarmed toward the red carriage like a pack of wolves.

Amidst the chaos of the fleeing crowd, Lucia had managed to kill two birds with one stone: the downfall of Gederin’s family and the preservation of her secret.

Yet, despite the successful manoeuvre, she couldn't easily forget the feeling of being isolated by the crowd's gaze just moments before. Through the eyes of her child, the monster's small, closed-off world was beginning to crack.

Chapter 24

Chapter List

Chapter 26