The Duke’s Daughter Is Hated

Chapter 16

16. I'm just trying to protect my friend who are on the opposite side

Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV

Our relationship did not change, especially after hearing about Ihmut’s origins. Because no matter what position he was in, he was still my friend.

On the contrary, I was convinced by his words that he was able to arrange for me and Nathe to go to the neighboring country even if I did as I pleased from now on.

「Nathe-sama, let’s go get new textbooks together.」

「I understand. Ollie-sama.」

I decided to be outwardly present at Nathe’s side.

I headed to the teacher with Nathe, who was holding a tattered textbook in her hand, to receive a new one.

I was fed up with teachers who didn’t like me, telling me that I was acting out and that I was acting this way to get the attention of the Second Prince.

Me being there for Nathe in public makes it harder for her abusers to use the exoneration,『It’s all Ottilie Shefinko’s fault.』

The Prince and others hated me and said what about me being around because they were convinced I was a bad girl. Nathe said,「Ollie-sama is my friend! She would never do such a thing!」Then he retaliated in front of the person in question, that I was deceiving her even if I’m not. I also decided to be out in the open with Nathe, and as a result, I was often in the company of those who were stalking her to protect her, and various troublesome rumors recurred again.

I was aiming to be the Second Prince’s fiancée, so I was trying to protect Nathe and make me more likable, even though with the habit of harassing her personally… The headache is that the rumor is one that is spread by the Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess is trying to protect Nathe. She says that she is trying to protect Nathe from the evil woman called me who is abusing her. I really don’t understand what she mean.

I am a Duke’s daughter, so I am not harassed in any way. But I had a lot of things said to me by Djeeta-sama…

By the way, it seems that Djeeta-sama also wants to marry the Prince, but I think that Prince will have a hard time marrying her.

Because he is on a rampage, speaking uncertain words like “fate” and mistakenly thinking he is well-liked. I think he’s usually going to say it’s fate again and start cheating on her.

「——You manipulated Father as well!! Father and your parents have been deceived.」

「…I have only seen His Majesty at parties.」

「If not you yourself, then you are using people. Macey said it too. You are sneaking around with the servants. You’re always up to no good. My sister-in-law is trying so hard to protect Nathe, but Father has given her a hard time!! It’s all your fault!!」

I heard that His Majesty has been warned about this.

Still, I wonder if this prince is aware that he is saying great things. Does he really think that the King of a country is really being manipulated by a frail Duke’s daughter? I think that is moderately insulting to His Majesty.

I think His Majesty must have his head in the sand. I think it’s a fine violation of the Royal Order to not even listen to His Majesty’s words.

Macey is my brother. When he said that I was sneaking around with the servants, does he mean that I was having friendly chats with them?

The duke’s servants show up at the royal palace and manipulate His Majesty. How unrealistic do they really think it was possible?

「I have done nothing. I just want to protect my friend Nathe-sama. If His Highness the Second Prince also wants to protect Nathe-sama, please keep your distance. This is caused by the ladies who desires to be your betrothed. Therefore, if you could just stay away from Nathe-sama, it should come to an end.」

「What a bunch of nonsense!! Without us by her side, you will abuse Nathe!! You’re just blaming others!! Nathe is out destiny. We must protect her!! That’s what my sister-in-law said!!」

He really only uses the word “sister-in-law”… I have a great deal of paranoia about my sister-in-law, and to be honest, I pull away.

I feel that it was the Crown Princess’s fault that the Second Prince, the Vizier’s son, and the Knight Commander’s son are running amok like this. Also, the teacher who used to hate me is now kind of recognizing Nathe as the one who is meant to be for him. A teacher who was trying to get his hands on his student, or something.

Can’t he see that Nathe isn’t also attracted to him?

「That’s right. On Nathe’s side, we must protect Nathe. If it’s our fault, then we are responsible for protecting her.」

「Nathe, we will protect you from that villainess!!」

Can’t you see that Nathe has a very distant look in her eyes? Are these people really deaf? And probably blind, too.

Can’t they see that the commoners are pulling away, let alone the high-ranking aristocrats? And also the lower nobility. They don’t speak up because they have no power, but behind our backs they are helping us. And they are clearly pulling away from Prince’s group.

I wonder if they can’t see that they are being pulled away by those comments because they have been clinging to Nathe which she doesn’t like for the last year or so.

「…Ollie, these guys are scary. They’re kind of making weird assumptions and running off the rails.」

Nathe grabs my hand and tells me this in a frightened whisper.

Even with that they assume that I am deceiving Nathe and that I am trying to fit in as the Second Prince’s bride, such is the way they think of me.

In the first place, Nathe clearly told him,「I’m going to a neighboring country,」but somehow he interpreted it in a strange way and said,「It’s because of that evil woman, isn’t it? Let’s be happy in this country somehow,」and so on.

Was he an idiot?

And they seem to think that Nathe will choose one of them… What kind of punishment would it be to have to choose among these misguided people? It oozes a narcissistic part of them that says it’s impossible not to choose when they have so much love for her, and to be honest, it’s sickening.

Nathe’s heartache is immeasurable to have been hounded by such a thing.

She was graduating soon, and despite all the things these people were saying, she hoped that she would somehow be able to graduate without incident.