Summer Vacation – J of Hearts (Part 3) Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.
I was stunned by the sudden development, but immediately regained my bearings and ran towards Camille’s side. Naturally, I ignored the viscount’s daughter.
“Camille, are you okay?”
It seems that she lost consciousness, but she was unhurt. But she smells a little bit like alcohol… She drank, didn’t she?
“You-… Bakamille!”
I’ll immediately take her elsewhere and nurse her. I can’t leave her like this. I picked Camille up.
“Whaat, just when I was thinkin’ that some couple was foolin’ around. Isn’t this little miss out cold? Wasn’t that fat Niichan over there forcefully attackin’ ‘er?”
The shadow that tackled Dominique slowly stood up. Their true ident.i.ty of that black thing was actually the black-clothed servant of the Jade house; a bespectacled girl with black braids. If I remember correctly, she’s a new maid that we recently hired for the villa. Since she just entered our service at the villa, she probably doesn’t know my face, nor Dominique’s.
“You there! What is a lowly maid like you thinking, to ram me like that!”
Dominique who was thrust away was supporting his heavy body as he got up, and glared at the maid with rough breathing. That guy is always haughty to those lower than him, without distinction.
“There’s nothin’ to say about it! Someone like you who was going to do indecent things to a b.l.o.o.d.y unconscious girl ‘ere shouldn’t be talkin’!”
“Miss Camille belongs to me! That’s why I can do whatever I want! Achille… Get away from her!”
Dominique whose gaze turned to me raised a hateful voice as his body shook. His words make no sense.
“…So troublesome.”
Dominique has completely hated me since childhood. He 100% ignores my words anyway. When I ignored his demand, he approached with bloodshot eyes.
“You illegitimate childd-!”
The frenzied Dominique came to attack me, so I promptly avoided him. Wouldn’t it be terrible if he hit Camille? Having lost its destination, that large body lost its balance and once again tumbled to the floor. I desperately kept down the urge to kick flying the lump of meat in front of me that lay its hands on Camille, and bound him with magic.
As though binding him, I sealed the movements of his two hands and feet.
“I won’t! I won’t hand her over! The marquis’ position and Camille… As if I’ll let an illegitimate child like you have a single one of them!”
“Should I seal up that noisy mouth as well?”
I fired magic at Dominique’s mouth as well. It’s unpleasant to hear Camille’s name come out of that mouth.
“You there, please carry him into the bas.e.m.e.nt from the back entrance.”
I called out to the maid with braids who was conveniently here. However, she pouted in displeasure.
“Hahh? Carry this fat mister? Why do I ‘afta…?”
“You’re our family’s maid, right? This is the first time we’ve met, but… the one you’re working for is me, you know.”
The maid widened her eyes at my words.
“…Could it be?”
“I am Achille Jade. This family’s second son.”
And the one lying on the floor is the first son, but… I doubt there’s any need to say it right now. After showing acknowledgement at my words, the maid said she was going to get a trolley and headed to the storeroom.
“Now then…”
I looked at Camille who was in my arms. She’s sleeping quietly, oblivious to anyone else.
“You really are too defenceless… What should I do now?”
I’ll immediately head to the mansion. It’s not bad either to spend time alone with Camille in a room until the reception starts.
“Achille-sama, where is it that you are headed? I shall also-…”
Ahh, she was still here, wasn’t she. The viscount’s daughter followed me even this far.
“To nurse my precious fiancée…”
“My, Achille-sama. There’s no need to go that far for a shameless woman who even lay her hands on your real brother.”
I want to erase this rude and shameless woman from this place right this instant…
“Miss Wazzurri, please return to the party. If you cannot, then please leave here immediately.”
I tried to speak as gently as I could. If I didn’t, it felt like my true colours would spill out at any moment.
“How cruel. To pick a woman like that over me… I know! Achille-sama, you’ve had magic cast on you by that tattoo woman! If she didn’t, there is no way that you would like a woman who is so strange in the head!”
“Please stop it already.”
“Oohhh, they’re fightin’ over love…”
While I was arguing with this viscount’s daughter, the braids maid from before returned. She came back with a trolley for carrying Dominique, and a number of fellow maids. …Her timing is just right. I decided to let the maids take care of the annoying stuff.
“Please have this young lady return. Please guide her to the entrance.”
“Achille-sama… Understood.”
The oldest maid answered. She’s a veteran who’s served the Jade family for many years. It’ll probably be fine even if I leave this viscount’s daughter to her.
“Wha-… Achille-sama? I’m not returning yet, you know? I still have many things I would like to chat with you about! And furthermore, if somebody has to return, then should it not be Miss Camille that leaves first? She was on the brink of drunkenly doing indecent things with Dominique-sama, you know? Whilst having a wonderful fiancé like you, Achille-sama!”
The viscount’s daughter desperately went on and on. Hearing this, the maids looked at each other with uncomfortable expression. With the exception of the newcomer maid with braids, all of the loyal retainers of the Jade family know very well the relationship between Camille and I. Because of that, they’ve also noticed my bad mood.
“Would it not be better to change your way of speaking…?”
After giving once glance at the n.o.ble daughter who was stubbornly staying here, I turned to face the maids and gave them another order.
“Take this rude thing that insulted my precious fiancée, and immediately remove her from the premises.”
After giving a reverent bow, the maids immediately became to bring the viscount’s daughter away.
“You insolents! A lowly maid should not casually touch mee! Achille-sama, Achille-samaa!”
With only fruitless resistance, the viscount’s daughter was surrounded by the maids, and then dragged outside the estate. While that was happening, the braids maid and another young maid picked up Dominique together and placed him on the trolly.
“AAAahhh, even though it’s a rare chance for a big celebration, in the end I hafta carry this big mister…”
“After carrying him inside, lock the door. I’ll take care of the key after that.”
“Understoood. Achille-sama, your keigo and pokerface are slipping, you knowww?”
While smirking, the maid with braids left the with the trolley.
The only ones left in the vicinity of the gazebo were Camille and I.
“Camille… I’m glad that you’re safe, but why did things end up like this?”
Camille was sleeping quietly in my arms. I decided to carry her into my room in the village, and nurse her there.