第８７０堀：顔に傷がある女はダメ？ (Part2)
That was it—it was because she looked so natural that way.
Princess Stacia, bewildered by our lack of reaction, began to sink into a self-imposed gloom.
"Um... did you not notice? Well... I suppose I never had a particularly lovely face to begin with..."
She was taking the shock all on her own and started moping.
"That is not true!! Sister, you are dignified!! You are cool!!"
"...Thank you, Arge. But being called 'dignified and cool' simply means I lack feminine charm, doesn't it?"
"N-No, that's not it! Sister, you are beautiful and dignified!!"
"...You don't have to force yourself to say things you don't mean."
Princess Arge’s attempts to help only seemed to deliver the finishing blow. Well, Arge looks up to Stacia as a knight, so she probably thinks she’s giving the highest praise, but as far as compliments for a woman go, it was a bit of a swing and a miss. It’s the kind of thing that would be a compliment for a top-billed actress in an all-female theater troupe, but here...
As I was wondering how to comfort her, Yuki-san spoke up immediately.
"No, don't let it get to you. No matter how you look at it, Princess Stacia, you are a beauty."
He said it without a hint of embarrassment, as if stating a fundamental law of the universe.
""Eh?""
"R-Right! Exactly, Yuki-sama! No, Brother!!"
"Y-You don't have to force yourself to cover for me..."
"No, really, have you actually looked in a mirror? If you call yourself ugly with a face like that, you're picking a fight with the rest of the world. You are a stunning beauty."
"He's right. You're breathtakingly beautiful."
I chimed in to support Yuki-san's words without a moment's hesitation.
Princess Stacia does indeed have a diagonal scar running across the bridge of her nose, but her beauty is so great that it doesn't even matter. She’s true royalty; it’s almost mysterious how someone can have such perfectly formed features. It really makes you feel the unfairness of the world.
If anything, the scar on her face serves as a charming accent. Of course, a scar on a woman's face is generally considered a flaw in this world, so one can't exactly go around praising it directly. In fact, if you handle it poorly, it comes off as a blatant insult. That’s why I simply agreed with Yuki-san to back him up.
Because, in truth, she really is beautiful.
"I-Is that true? Do you truly think a woman with a scarred face like this is beautiful?"
"Sigh... Beauty isn't defined by the presence or absence of a scar. I know who you are, Princess Stacia. I know that scar was earned protecting Princess Arge and Princess Carrie. People who don't know might say something about it, but I don't mind it—in fact, I'd be proud of it."
"Proud?"
"Yeah. It's a scar earned while protecting your precious family and friends, isn't it? Besides, didn't you say so yourself? You told Princess Carrie that this scar was both a reminder and a badge of pride for having protected her."
"Ah... yes. I did say that."
"If anyone hears that story and still obsesses over superficial beauty, I'd question their sanity. And, like I said before, you're a beauty regardless of the scar."
Yeah. Yuki-san is right. The most important thing isn't the beauty of one's face. It's whether that person is someone you can truly rely on. In that regard, Princess Stacia is undoubtedly dependable.
And, as a bonus, she happens to be gorgeous.
"...I... I see. Th-Thank you very much."
"As expected of Brother! To make my sister turn that bright red... you're amazing. But now there's nothing to worry about, is there, Sister? You can get along with Brother with total peace of mind."
"Yes. There was nothing to worry about at all. I am a very fortunate woman. Yuki-sama, I believe the details regarding the ceremony will be coordinated with the schedule of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance meeting. Shall we speak further at a later date?"
"Right. I'll be in touch."
"Yes. I shall be waiting."
And so, we left the Findall Embassy, but...
"At the end there, weren't you just totally following through with Princess Stacia?"
"In that situation, I couldn't exactly say 'Your face is hideous so I won't marry you.' That would turn into an international incident."
"True... I couldn't do it either. Well, next is Enola, then?"
"Yeah. She doesn't have any scars on her face, and since that marriage talk is almost certainly being forced on her, we can probably talk our way out of it."
Thus, I continued to accompany Yuki-san on his quest to... prevent? these marriages.
Ah, I should probably send the video data of the exchange with Princess Stacia. Seraria-san and the others will be mad if I don't.
The idea that a scar on a woman's face is a tragedy exists even in the modern world. After all, getting injured implies you were doing something dangerous. Even if it was an accident, people might avoid it as a bad omen.
But a true gentleman wouldn't discriminate against a woman for such a thing. Yuki was just that kind of serious guy.
And that is how Yuki digs his own grave.
A grave in the shape of a wedding hall!!