The Extra's Academy Survival Guide Chapter 146: Returning in Glory (4)
The third princess, Penia, returned to the Kroel Imperial Family.
It had been more than half a year since Princess Penia, who had always stayed within the Imperial Household, had left for Silvenia Academy.
The way she always walked around the Imperial Household beautifully, caring for the servants with the utmost kindness, was admired by everyone.
The Imperial Family was worried about Princess Penia spending four years in a foreign land to graduate from school. However, every vacation she would return to the household to ease their worries.
The same was true for her third break since entering Silvenia.
All of the guards, mercenaries, and servants paid their respects towards Princess Penia, who they had not seen in a while. Princess Penia was the same as always, with her gorgeous platinum blonde hair, a beautiful dress that suited her, and her dignified yet elegant appearance that people admired.
Like a triumphant general, she proudly walked through the main entrance of the Imperial Palace. As she walked through the splendid rose garden, she offered a prayer to Telos. Countless servants and attendants followed behind her as if she were holding a ceremony.
Finally, when she went to the presence chamber, Penia bowed politely in front of Emperor Kroel.
"I have returned for vacation, Emperor. Have you been in good health?"
"It has been a long time, Penia. My health is the same as always. Perhaps it is because I don't follow my doctor's advice, since I am always concentrating on my work."
"All of the people of this land praise your name, so what would it mean if your body wasn't in good health?"
"That's true. My body is not only mine. However, you don't look all that healthy either."
Penia was suddenly speechless.
Princess Penia returned to the imperial family in a fancy outfit with splendid accessories that embodied dignity and nobility. No matter who saw her, she looked just as beautiful and benevolent as she did before she left the household.
However, to Emperor Kroel, that didn't seem to be the case. He looked at Princess Penia with even more focus.
He has been watching over Princess Penia since she was a child. That was why he noticed that the current Princess Penia in front of him was unlike her usual self.
For example, whenever she visited Emperor Kroel, she would talk about her experiences and the new things she learned rather than worrying about his health and safety. She was a girl that would become overly excited, telling her stories until she belatedly remembered to ask about the emperor's health.
Princess Penia's childhood wasn't great.
Even though she lived at the peak of power, she was on the receiving end of several secret attacks against her family and authority. However, she continued to show a lively and active appearance in front of Emperor Kroel. Such strength was one of the reasons Emperor Kroel valued Princess Penia the most.
However, the more time she spent on Acken Island, the more Princess Penia seemed to gradually be losing that side of her.
It was her third vacation since entering Silvenia. Now, Emperor Kroel was beginning to worry about her.
Seeing Penia change little by little was something that was all too familiar to him. After all, he was someone that had seen all sorts of people.
"You seem to be frustrated with your failures."
Hearing those words, which were right on the money, Princess Penia kept her mouth closed.
She had gained much experience since entering Silvenia, and she had even gotten involved in various incidents… However, no matter what she did, things never turned out the way she wanted them to. It was quite different than in the imperial household, where all of her actions worked out as she had planned.
From Emperor Kroel's point of view, it was impossible to know exactly what she went through. It could simply be issues with her grades, or it could be that she was deeply frustrated with human relationships or politics and reality.
Human growth takes place amidst many setbacks. Emperor Kroel wasn't unaware of that fact, but it was still heartbreaking to see his daughter, who was born of the same blood as him, continue to walk down such a path of suffering.
The fact that Crown Prince Lindon had been thrown into disarray because of the fierce battle for the royal court, thus giving up on taking the throne, remained a great wound to Emperor Kroel. He didn't want that history to repeat itself.
"It seems… That I am lacking in too many areas to succeed the throne."
"Penia."
"Surely, after being away from the Imperial Household for so long, my position must have also been greatly weakened as well."
The hierarchy of power within the imperial family was gradually shifting towards the first princess, Selah.
One's position in the imperial family was ultimately achieved through the support of key officials.
The imperial prime minister, the commander of the general guard, the commander of the knights, the head butler… They were all slowly turning their hearts towards Selah… Only a few key personnel remained under Penia.
In the end, authority was established through subordinates.
It was inevitable that the less people Penia had supporting her, the further away she was from gaining power.
Penia was well aware of that fact. However, she had no intention of re-establishing her foundation.
Chronic lethargy was eating away at Princess Penia.
* * *
"After the heir of House Rothstaylor, Ed Rothstaylor, was excommunicated, I thought that he would never side with Penia. If I didn't come here, to the Rothstaylor Mansion, there would have been no way for me to know of this."
When she had entered the audience chamber, wearing a high-class noble outfit, she had a lofty elegance around her. It was as if the air in the room around her was frozen.
Due to the unique chilly atmosphere she created, Selah Einer Kroel was known as the Princess of Frost.
That year, she had finally become an adult. She was the first of the one son and three daughters under Emperor Kroel to become an adult.
After her coming-of-age ceremony, she announced her intent to inherit the throne in earnest. However, no one in the Imperial Household was surprised by it. Rather, being the person who had overtaken Princess Penia, Princess Selah was considered the most powerful.
The second princess, Persica, had a lot of knowledge in various fields. She dreamed of becoming a monarch that valued intelligence.
The third princess, Penia, dreamed of becoming a monarch with virtue. One who embraced everyone, regardless of their status…
And the first princess, Selah, dreamed of ruling over everyone by thoroughly using her high authority and power.
A strong and stable country stemmed from one's high authority and centralized power. A monarch was one who controlled the center of the vast empire and stood firm. That was the rulership of Selah.
That was why Selah was extremely sensitive when it came to changes in power structure or the direction of it.
"But I heard that Ed Rothstaylor had been excommunicated through the suggestion of Princess Penia."
"That's right. It wouldn't be strange for them to be enemies that were at each other's throats. So, what exactly happened to the two of them on Acken Island that made them become special to each other, to the point that she would entrust him with an unsealed letter?"
Dest, the butler who was standing next to Selah, refilled the tea in her empty cup.
As she was reading Penia's letter, which Krepin Rothstaylor had handed her, he even went so far as to pour the tea quietly, to not break her concentration. That showed the skills of a talented butler.
An elderly gentleman dressed in an elegant suit, white silk gloves, a red bow tie, and a neatly trimmed square beard. Even the way he poured the tea was pristine.
Dest, the butler, was Selah's closest aide and managed Selah's private palace, Ruhr Palace, for seventeen years.
Selah only wore a lace slip, which made her look half naked, but she didn't care about Dest's presence. In the first place, the difference in their status was so great that she didn't even consider him a person.
For her, a difference in status held such a meaning. It went beyond just being high and low. It was a standard that separated people from those who were less than human.
So, unless they were a person around the level of a member of House Rothstaylor, she wouldn't even notice them.
Her platinum blonde hair was similar to Princess Penia's, but it was—strangely—a bit bluer. She brushed her hair to one side as she spoke, as if talking to herself.
"The contents of the letter itself are certainly nothing much. It is just a greeting to Krepin Rothstaylor, one that is sent every season."
"Then, that letter…"
"Yes, rather than the contents, it was the form that mattered. During a time like this, there must certainly be an important reason she sent such a letter through Ed Rothstaylor. Was she trying to say Ed Rothstaylor was on her side? It is as if she is announcing it."
Right now, Princess Penia was the biggest thread to Selah.
If he were a person that Princess Penia had brought over to her side, then Selah couldn't easily laugh about the matter.
Selah crossed her legs as she lifted the teacup with one hand. Her cold gaze turned towards the rim of the cup.
Her bare leg stretched out, tapping the edge of the wooden desk.
"Is he a person of such worth?"
That question lingered in her chest.
"I don't know."
There was no criteria when it comes to evaluating another's judgment of someone. Or rather, one shouldn't blindly trust another's judgment.
Selah was a person who saw and judged whatever happened on her own. However, she could still refer to another's evaluation.
"Well, I guess it's something to think about during the social gathering. After all, it will begin tonight."
"How should I prepare your outfit, Princess Selah?"
"I'll leave it to your discretion."
The social gathering at the Rothstaylor Mansion lasted for five days. Towards the end, the event got even bigger. It was said that on the last day, the entire large garden would be used to create a large party hall.
Since all of the influential individuals attending were busy people, it was difficult to find time to all meet together. That was why they created such a grand event with the idea that they may not all see each other again for a long time.
The five-day itinerary wasn't all that complicated. In the evening, there would be parties, social events, dinners, and the like taking place. In the morning, everyone would be resting in their own rooms.
In the afternoon, you could personally go around and meet with those that had come. Wherever you went, whether it be a private room, the mansion's garden, or a nearby pavilion, you would find yourself talking with like-minded people.
Then, when it became evening, everyone would gather back together again for the social gathering. As one repeated that schedule for five days, there would only be more and more people arriving, making things even more hectic.
"Who else arrived for the first day?"
"Aside from you, Princess Selah, there are a few other influential people. Margrave Zahul, as well as the head of House Bloomriver, Sinir Bloomriver. Other than them, most of the rest are small nobles who have come to try and make even one more connection."
Dest flipped the document he was holding onto, placing it in front of Selah.
It was a well-organized list of guests. The arrival schedules of those Selah would be interested in were also written down.
"Commander Magnus arrives on the third day and Saint Clarice arrives on the second. As for Investor Roland… he arrives on the third day…"
Folcurt, the commander of the Northern Grasslands defenses, would be arriving with Commander Magnus—both of whom were already under Selah's power.
Magnus was one who held tremendous military power, so she definitely wanted to make the time to talk with him.
Not only that, but Samuel, the Archbishop of the Telos Religious Group, would also be coming.
Selah was delighted when Samuel had taken over as the successor of the excommunicated Archbishop, Verdio.
Since Samuel was a bishop, he was indebted to Selah. And now that he had grown in power, that meant her relations with the Telos Religious Group were also getting stronger.
Now that he was the Archbishop, he was in a position where he could directly exchange opinions with Saint Clarice and actively express what he desired.
And that meeting was a chance to solidify that connection.
Selah also needed to keep her eye on Roland, an investor and influential member of the Elte Company.
Selah has a history of making the Elte Company's Kroelon branch review the tax exemption bill time and time again. She was also in a position where she could use the imperial family's power to strangle him at any moment.
So, if she used the opportunity well, she might be able to create a point of contact with Lortel Kehelland, who was his direct supervisor and had risen to a high position of power.
"The issue is with the one who comes from the alchemy city, Krett…"
Scrolling through the papers, Selah lifted her ruffled hair, putting it at the nape of her neck.
Valvern, the master of Alchemy who resided in the land of alchemy, Krett. She had no connection with him. He was a research fanatic who lived his life buried away.
She needed to build up her relationship with him from the ground up.
"Shall I prepare a present to give him? I've been told that alchemists prefer practical gifts rather than ceremonial ones. I'm sure he would enjoy receiving new test tubes or consumable supplies that are nicely packaged."
"Could you prepare it right now? We are in the Rothstaylor Estate right now, after all."
"Valvern arrives on the fourth day, so I believe I can manage it just on time."
"Then, please do so."
After saying that, Selah put the papers down.
Seh smiled coldly as she gently shook her feet.
"Should I go and talk with the head of House Bloomriver tonight?"
Of course, that was what she needed to do at the social gathering that night. But right now, the sun is still high in the middle of the sky.
"But before that… Hm…"
* * *
Boom!
A dozen wolves, which appeared through hallucination magic, were instantly enveloped in flames as they disappeared.
The ice spear that was cast instantly afterwards was blocked by an enormous amount of magic power.
Even though it was magic that was cast sincerely, Sinir Bloomriver—a white-haired middle-aged woman who was the head of House Bloomriver—was completely surprised. However, she didn't let it show.
"Are we done now…?"
The duel took place in the practice area of the Rothstaylor Mansion's central garden.
There, the girl who had been on the receiving end of all of Sinir's magic was standing as she yawned. Her white hair was tied together as it fell down gracefully. It was Lucy Mayreel.
House Rothstaylor had gathered together to watch the duel. They even had a tea table set on the side of the arena. There was also a wooden stand that was set up to block the sun. All of these were high-quality products.
There, Krepin Rothstaylor sat with his children next to him… Ed and Tanya.
"Not even a single scratch…"
Sinir let out words of admiration.
House Bloomriver was a noble family of the empire that was at the peak of magic.
Particularly, they were a house that focused on practical combat magic to emerge victorious from a battle, rather than digging into the academic field and researching magic.
In order to win, they also used cunning and wicked magic. After all, House Bloomriver was known as 'The Witch's House' within the empire.
That was because the head of the house, Sinir Bloomriver, was wicked in her own way, just like a witch.
However, in the face of overwhelming power, all of those tactics were nothing more than miscellaneous techniques.
It was hard to believe, but it seemed as if that girl had skills in magic that even surpassed Sinir, who had been the head of the mighty House Bloomriver for a long time. And she was only a student.
Sinir swallowed her dry saliva.
She was the one who started the duel.
That was because the previous winter break, she heard stories about Lucy Mayreel, a student at Silvenia.
The current fourth year's top student in the magic department, Trayciana Bloomriver, and her twin sister, Patriciana Bloomriver.
Both were members of House Bloomriver and were children of Sinir.
The twins came home during break and talked about Lucy Mayreel all day long. So, she wanted to see just how capable the girl really was.
The results were beyond her imagination.
Sinir couldn't even land a scratch on Lucy.
When Sinir nodded her head in a cold sweat, Lucy turned her head as she yawned. She didn't even give any greetings or thanks.
She continued to walk away towards Ed Rothstaylor, sitting down in his lap. She didn't pay attention to the glances coming her way.
Seeing her bury her head in his chest, falling asleep, it was as if that overwhelming power she showed just moments ago was all just a dream.
"…You have quite the strange friend."
"Yes, she's quite strange."
Even Krepin had to admit it after seeing Lucy's performance. She was beyond his expectations.
Sinir Bloomriver was someone who was recognized and held authority beyond the highest rated magician within the Imperial Household. Thus, it was objective evidence that Lucy had already far surpassed the level of a student. She was strong enough to easily enter the ranks of the most powerful within the Empire.
All at that age… she wasn't even an adult yet. No one knew what kind of monster she would become as she grew older.
"Thank you for allowing us to have such a duel upon my arrival. My children made quite a fuss about her, so I wanted to test her skills."
"Don't worry about it. I was glad to have seen this as well."
When Sinir politely bowed her head, Krepin responded like a gentleman.
"Since it's still the first day, few influential people have gathered yet. Still, there will be quite the luxurious social gathering from this evening, so please enjoy it to the fullest."
"Yes. Thank you."
Sinir lowered her head as she bowed, unable to get rid of her puzzled expression.
Krepin said goodbye to Sinir as such. Lucy wasn't ignorantly acting arrogantly. Only then did he realize that her confidence was not in vain.
"She looks quite exhausted now."
"She usually sleeps a lot. She fell asleep most of yesterday as well."
"Traveling such a long way, I'm sure she's still exhausted. She probably hasn't gotten used to the bed yet, either."
Though, honestly speaking, since Ed stayed up all night reading the letters he found in the drawer, Lucy stayed up as well.
She fell asleep halfway through, but her magic power sense was still as sharp as ever, even while asleep. Even considering how she usually was, she must be really exhausted at that point.
"If she feels better in the evening, I would like to talk with her during dinner."
A person who could make the great and noble Krepin wait just because they were tired. Aside from Emperor Kroel, could such a person possibly exist in this world?
The servants murmured to themselves as they had that thought.
"Then… We can talk before the evening."
* * *
Lucy's room was just as luxurious as mine.
I threw her onto her bed as I left the room, closing the door. There were relatively few things that could take place during the broad daylight, so it was necessary to let Lucy rest during that time.
As I crossed the hall, a familiar girl was standing in front of my room. It was none other than Yennekar Palerover.
"Ed…!"
She quickly walked over to me, speaking slowly.
"Like you said, I had the spirits look around the mansion… There was barely anyone who had spiritual resonance, so it was much easier than I thought. So… Near Duke Krepin's personal office…"
Fwoosh.
I quickly covered Yennekar's mouth with my hand as I looked around.
Her cheeks started to blush since I touched her so suddenly. She took a deep breath as I continued to check that there was no one else around.
Seeing me act like that, Yennekar widened her eyes and nodded her head, as if admitting her mistake.
"For now, let's go to a place where no one can listen in. Let's go to my room."
"Y-Your room…? J-Just the two of us…? R-Right now…?"
I opened the door and grabbed her by the wrist. Yennekar entered the room with a bewildered face. She looked around as if she had just visited a city for the first time.
"S-So, this is the room you used… I-It's definitely clean…"
"The maids clean it every day."
"I-I see… Uhm… S-So… Where? Where should I sit…? On the floor? Shall I sit on the floor?"
The sofa was large enough for four dogs to walk around on it, so why would she ask to sit on the floor? I couldn't understand her mindset. She must have just been flustered because it was such a luxurious room.
"Anyway, no one should be listening in on us from here. No one would rashly enter my room. So, the two of us can talk here."
"O-Okay… B-But… coming into your room… What should I say… Ah, that's right! Yeah! That's definitely it!"
Yennekar looked around back and forth as she fiddled with her wand. And as she tried to get rid of her flushed cheeks, deciding what to say next—
"I'm not sure. This doesn't seem like a very suitable place for a secret meeting. There is someone already waiting here for you."
It was a clear and sweet voice.
We couldn't see her, as the sofa was covering her. Suddenly, someone popped up next to the sofa and table.
A woman sat there with her legs crossed and hands on her chin… She was the first princess of the Kroel empire, the Princess of Frost, Selah.
Chilly air wafted through the room. Her strangely alluring smile matched her personality.
I calmly got on my knees to give her my greetings. I tried to be as polite as possible.
Because of Silvenia's culture, where education takes precedence, I had an upperclassmen-underclassmen relationship with Princess Penia at school. Thus, I didn't have to act as such.
However, we weren't in Silvenia Academy, nor did I have the same upperclassmen-underclassmen relationship with Princess Selah.
"I have committed grave disrespect, Princess Selah. I didn't realize you had come to my room."
As soon as she heard the name Princess Selah, Yennekar swallowed her breath, quickly kneeling down. It looked as if she were sweating profusely.
"I had ordered my butler to call for you, but I didn't realize that you would arrive before that. It seems that you must have just missed him."
"…That is how it seems."
"That's that, but it seems you have quite the complicated relationship with women. Reaching your hand out to a commoner and even having a secret meeting with them. You must not be the nicest man towards women."
After saying that, Princess Selah glanced at Yennekar.
Yennekar blushed as she trembled, but Selah didn't even recognize her as a person.
Commoners and nobles were different, and nobles and royals were different. Thus, the gap between the two was greater than just two stages.
She treated commoners completely differently than Penia, who treated them equally.
"If I made you feel uncomfortable…"
"As if I would be uncomfortable. It's quite the classic hobby for high-ranking nobles to play with four or so common women before getting married. I truly have no intention of arguing with your own personal hobbies."
"..."
"What? Was it a relationship you considered to be sincere? From the looks of it, it looks like you two became close at Silvenia."
Selah spoke as she laughed for a moment.
"It's not good to be so sincere about all those miniscule things. Even a child knows the difference between their ups and downs. I've seen quite the few noble men who were swayed by a mere commoner like that. How ridiculous they are. Well, now they have all but disappeared."
"Thank you for your consideration, Princess Selah."
"Alright. It's best to be careful when playing around in your private area. You have quite a precious body. One that should be used on another precious body."
Yennekar had already reached a lethal level of embarrassment as she was on the verge of exploding. It was enough to be embarrassed after being misunderstood for having a secret relationship but seeing as Princess Selah kept making further remarks without a break, it was becoming harder to handle.
However, it didn't seem like she cared about being looked down upon. In fact, we were both rather relieved.
"Well, I'm sorry for interrupting you at an important moment. Still, since the two of us are here right now, let's cool off from the heat and have a talk."
"Do you have business with me?"
"Ed Rothstaylor."
Selah took out a letter, throwing it on the table. It was the handwritten letter from Princess Penia that I gave to Krepin.
"There's no need to have a long discussion. She seems like she also knows about it all."
I knelt quietly, looking up at Princess Selah, who was sitting with her legs crossed.
Princess Selah spoke softly with an alluring smile.
"Will you continue to stay on a sinking ship?"
That… was an unexpected offer.
-x-X-x-
A scenario where Krepin's real face was revealed to the public and House Rothstaylor began to collapse fully.
She was a person that symbolized that the end of House Rothstaylor was nearing.
"Don't be hesitant when talking to me about Penia. She is also precious to me, as we share the same blood. So, I don't want to hear anything bad about her, either. However, since you've become close to her, you should know it well. Her becoming the emperor… Don't you think it's a bit much?"
When I saw Selah in my room, I was sure of it. The story was now steadily entering Act 4.
Also, the fact that the final battle of Act 3, the Lucy Subjugation, had been completely skipped.
The story has changed so much already. It was at the point where it had become difficult to predict what would come next.
Was it really okay?
In my head, the final scene of Act 3 in
The image of seeing Lucy stand on the top of Right Mountain, looking up at the sky while being rained on. Only at the end of Act 3 was she able to finally shake off all her burdens of the past.
However, as always, one change led to another.
Taylee's growth had been incredibly fast, but now that he had entirely skipped over the boss fight of Act 3… I didn't know if Acts 4 and 5 would play out normally.
The final boss of Act 4 was Krepin Rothstaylor, who wielded the power of an Evil God. The final boss of Act 5 was the god-destroying Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok. Could Taylee really take down both of them…? At that point, I could only shake my head.
Even though there were events that happened at the end of the scenario, which seemed far away, the story had already taken a great turn and the end was now nearing. If I stopped getting involved, after doing all that I did in the first half, then a major disaster could take place.
That fact put a newfound pressure on my chest.
"Come to my side. This is my proposal to you. But for you, this is also a great opportunity."
Selah looked at her hands for a bit before reaching out towards me.
The imperial family seldom shook hands. At most, only five or six times a year.
That was because there were very few people within the empire who could maintain eye contact and shake hands on equal terms with the imperial family.
So, allowing me to shake her hand was an act of utmost respect from Selah's point of view.
"How could I dare touch the hand of the first princess? Even though I am a member of Duke Rothstaylor House, I wouldn't dare touch your noble and precious body."
"Haha, you flatter me. Then, I wouldn't mind if you agree to it verbally…"
After saying that, Selah shut her mouth.
She frowned looking at me kneeling on one knee, not moving one bit.
"…I was rejected."
"I only respect your nobleness."
"Penia has no desire for imperial power. As for me, I tend to be on the ambitious side."
Didn't she tell me to get off of the sinking ship?
However, I was already well aware that the ship which would sink was Selah's, not Penia's.
"Your father Krepin will be on my side. As you are under him, you must also choose wisely."
The Princess of Frost, Selah, cooperated with Krepin's plans to obtain the power of an Evil God. In the end, however, she was unable to fully control its power as she was eaten alive by Mebula.
It was rather gruesome compared to the other characters of Act 4.
"According to your words, Princess, Princess Penia has no interest in imperial power at this time. However, as you said, that is only for now."
"Do you think that child is fit for the throne?"
"In an age of peace like we are currently in, the emperor needs the same virtues as Princess Penia."
I couldn't bluntly tell her 'I know your future in which you will face a gruesome end. That's why I won't take your side.'
Ultimately, I had no choice but to use another excuse. I just happened to have such a letter to help with that… Right now, there was no better excuse than Penia.
"I have no doubts that Princess Penia will become someone worthy of the position of emperor. Even though you say she has no intention of becoming the emperor right now, I will continue trusting in her and waiting."
"Ha… I don't know what happened in Silvenia, but it's incredible to see you supporting her to this extent."
I was ready to get yelled at if she became furious, but to my surprise, Selah only smiled softly, looking straight at me with her bluish eyes.
"I'm salivating."
"Pardon?"
"To be honest, I like looting."
Yennekar was the one who responded to her in shock. Her shoulders trembled as she stared back and forth between me and Selah. She looked like a terrified mouse. It made me start to feel sympathetic for her.
I looked at Yennekar and shook my head. I was trying to tell her to stay still.
"I'm not sure the meaning of your words."
"In most cases, one's principles and beliefs are most beautiful when broken. I want to see just how far your convictions towards Penia will go."
Selah's thoughts were completely incorrect.
The reason I spoke in support of Penia wasn't because I really wanted to support and follow her from the bottom of my heart… It was simply for my own safety. Right now, I have no intention of being close to Selah.
"Well, there is still plenty of time. The social gathering will last for five days… So, I hope that, during this time, you'll realize just how big the gap between Penia and I really is. If you change your mind, you can always tell me."
"Thank you very much."
"It's nice to see you being polite to the very end. I wonder what will happen when those principles and beliefs of yours shatter? Well… I'm sure it will be great…"
Selah touched my cheek with her cold hand. She had a strangely faint smile on her face. Even her smile was extremely cold.
"Flowers in a flowerbed are much too easy. A person's heart is much more cunning. We tend to pay more attention to the grass on a cliffside than the roses in a flowerbed."
"You think of me too highly."
"Alright. I will see you again."
After saying that, Selah flicked her hair before leaving the room with a smile.
Dest, her butler, was already waiting for her in front of the door.
* * *
"Thinking about it makes me feel bad…!"
Yennekar was squeezing her skirt tightly, getting angry.
In front of Selah, she couldn't let it show that she was angry. But the moment she left, she started fuming, saying 'I should have told her that…' She was acting like the rather timid person she is.
However, when Selah was right in front of her talking about romantic relationships and having a child, her cheeks were completely red… Well, thinking back on what happened, I guess her emotions could have changed.
But now she felt bad? Did she think she was being looked down on? Hm?
I understood why she felt angry, but… Unfortunately, if you were to get angry at the first princess, you would only be giving yourself a death sentence.
"I've been at the top in my grade for a long time and it's not like I'm weak. I might be a commoner, but does that mean I'm someone who deserves to be looked down on? No, she is still the princess, so I can't get angry with her… maybe just a little…? Like an adult…? I'm not an easy person either~ Why did she act so cunning like that? Just like Lortel…?"
"Yennekar…"
"Even though I might not be as high and mighty as her… Still, sitting still holding in my anger… Errrgh… Errghhh…!"
"Yennekar, you're not the type to get so angry over something like that."
"But she kept on bothering you, Ed~!"
After spitting out the words that were in her mind, she trembled suddenly looking at me.
I took a deep breath as I pushed the table towards the chair Yennekar was sitting on. As I pushed the table, the cup of tea the maid brewed was right in front of me.
Yennekar took a deep breath as she picked it up and drank it… She then asked me, while fanning her face with her hand,
"Still, Princess Selah is quite the beauty. Right?"
"Having a few servants next to her the entire day, they are bound to take care of that."
"I think she had come here because she wanted to recruit you, Ed… What will you do…? If you keep rejecting her like that, won't it be bad for you?"
She spoke looking into my eyes. It seemed like she was feeling strangely worried about it, so I decided to clearly state it now.
"As I said, I will never be on Princess Selah's side."
"Th-That much…? I didn't realize that you supported Princess Penia so much. And even during the student council president election…"
"Well, for that. Uhm… my reasons are complicated."
After saying that, I decided to continue talking about what we were discussing earlier.
"So? What did you find after looking around the mansion?"
"Yeah, the mansion is really big and a hassle to look around, but… Mugg was able to gather some information."
"Mugg?"
"He said that he could feel an oddly large amount of magic power reacting underneath Duke Krepin's personal study. But… According to the structure of the mansion, underneath his study is supposed to be the kitchen. There's no way you should be feeling such a large amount of magic power in a kitchen where the servants are working."
"…That is definitely suspicious."
Our main purpose was to collect material evidence to accuse Krepin of conducting evil deeds. It wasn't going to be easy to find evidence of what he was trying to hide, but it felt like we had found a clue.
"I think it would be better if we went to see it ourselves. But… The study that Duke Krepin comes and goes from frequently seems to be locked when he's absent. I think it'll be difficult to investigate."
"Alright. We still have five days, so let's take our time looking for an opportunity. I will attend the social gathering schedule as diligently as I can so that I don't look suspicious."
There was a lot of work to do in five days.
I had to diligently participate in the social gathering so that he wouldn't be suspicious of me. I had to find out what Krepin's intentions were in regard to reinstating me. I needed to investigate the origin of the magic power under Krepin's study. And at night, I needed to read the letters that I found in the cabinet of the desk.
I still hadn't even read half of the letters between Arwen and Ed. Most of them were basic greetings, so I needed to organize them. I didn't have enough time to properly determine the contents of the letters yet.
If I continued to stay up all night like I did last night, the servants would begin to think something was strange. That was why I needed to split my time up. The most important thing was to avoid looking suspicious. Krepin was already keeping his eye on me, so even a trivial mistake would be reported to him immediately.
"My door will always be open, so if anything happens, you can come to my room. It doesn't matter whether it's day or night. Just remember this location."
"H-Here…? In Ed's room…? Any time?"
Yennekar started to blush again as she glanced around the room. She finally lowered her head, bowing quickly.
"I-I got it…"
It was unsettling to see her move around like that.
* * *
The first night of the Rothstaylor Social Gathering.
The first day of the social gathering was the shortest.
That was because, towards the later days, the number of distinguished guests increased, and the venue moved to a larger location.
It was a five-day schedule that got busier the more time passed. That was why, on the first day, the attendees felt as if they were simply resting in anticipation of the upcoming event rather than running around in excitement.
An artfully arranged dinner was arranged in the first-floor lobby of the mansion. The orchestra off to the side played music quietly. Nobles clinked their wine glasses between tables.
There was the sound of chattering here and there, hearty laughter, and those who asked for a light-hearted dance.
The people who were gathered in the lobby were nobles trying to meet with each other and raise the name of their estates. However, they never wanted to sit in the center seat.
Even though it was only the first day, there were still a few people who had quite the name.
In particular, there was Margrave Zahul, who was dressed in fancy clothes with a chubby body. He was talking to the other nobles, whose estates were near the border.
Because he was someone who managed the large granary in the southern tip of the Empire by himself, he received much favor from Emperor Kroel.
For a while, various conversations were taking place around Margrave Zahul. Then, when the atmosphere seemed to have built up to a certain extent…
Parting through the crowd, the Princess of Frost, Selah, entered. A cold silence passed through the crowd.
She was elegantly dressed in a pure white dress. Young nobles and the wealthy elderly alike marveled at her beauty.
She walked through the crowd with a graceful yet confident elegance to her. However, no one could hastily speak to her first.
She wasn't someone a regular or lower noble could talk to. She was a member of the imperial family.
But at the same time, it was ridiculous for such a noble guest to be left alone. Thus, it was necessary for the person with the highest status among them all to take the initiative.
However, who was going to be the one to talk to the Princess of Frost, Selah? It was only the first day, so the majority of distinguished guests had yet to arrive. It was hard to find someone suited to talk to her.
"Greetings, Princess Selah. It is an honor to meet with you like this."
At that moment, Tanya, who was talking with other nobles in a corner of the lobby, broke through the crowd.
Tanya was dressed in a neat ruffle dress. She gently raised the hem of her skirt with both hands as she curtsied in a polite manner.
"I am the current heir to House Rothstaylor, Tanya Rothstaylor."
"Oh, it's nice to meet you. I was going to meet with you after seeing your brother in the afternoon, but to see you come here to meet with me… You are certainly reliable. It seems House Rothstaylor's prestige lives up to its name."
"Thank you for thinking as such. However, I must apologize for the small size of the venue, as it is only the first day."
"Well, it's not like I don't know how the social gathering hosted by House Rothstaylor usually goes. I've heard that it gets bigger as time passes. So, you don't have to worry, as I was the one who had come early in the first place."
Selah smiled as she looked around.
To an ordinary person, the current venue alone was enough to be considered a splendid luxury. However, considering the large number of distinguished guests, it was definitely small for a banquet.
However, this was only a temporary venue, as it would later change places. That was why Selah could gladly accept her apology.
"Th-That boy—Isn't he the previous heir that is being reinstated."
"Certainly… he looks rather impressive. Compared to before, his physique seems to have grown quite a bit."
"I also think he's become much wiser. He looks like a completely different person."
At that moment, murmuring started to erupt from the crowd. That was because Ed Rothstaylor had entered.
Selah was the most noble of all that were there. And yet, the focus of the murmuring wasn't her.
Ed quietly sat next to Krepin, discussing something with him and quietly attending the dinner party.
However, the crowd couldn't help but focus their eyes on him.
Looking at his blonde hair, which was neatly tied in the back, the impression he had was completely different than before.
He wore a well-suited brown banquet jacket with gold bands. He looked rather slender, as the clothes were a slim fit, but if you looked closely, you could tell his shoulders were rather large and he was taller than one would expect. He was a typical handsome man.
"Ohh. Seeing him dressed up, the impression he gives off is certainly different."
Selah smiled as she clinked glasses with Tanya.
"You have a good older brother."
"Yes. I am quite proud of him."
Selah regarded it as empty words, but Tanya was quite sincere about it.
"Yes. This is a big opportunity for him. I hope he is able to learn a lot."
Selah smiled as she brought the glass to her mouth.
Either way, there weren't many distinguished guests on the first day. The only person Selah needed to meet with was Sinir Bloomriver.
Sinir didn't have a particularly close relationship with House Rothstaylor. That was why it felt as if Sinir's attention was towards Selah instead.
As for Selah, she had the same amount of interest in Sinir as she did with Ed Rothstaylor. She took a sip of her glass as she fell into thought.
As it was only the first day of the gathering, the scale was rather modest and there were no particularly large events taking place. It was only the beginning.
Once the first night came to an end, the bigger names would begin to arrive. That was when Selah would become quite busy.
So, in a way, today was the last day to purely enjoy the banquet.
Thinking of things as such, the food started to taste better. And like that, Selah spent her time enjoying the atmosphere of the banquet.
* * *
The morning of the second day of the social gathering.
After breakfast, it was around the time the morning sun started to clear away the fog.
The banquet that had been held the previous night had ended quite early. After all, it was only a time to get to know each other and understand the atmosphere.
The guests would rest in their assigned rooms in the morning. In the afternoon, they could enjoy some refreshments in the garden, the roof of the mansion, or on a nearby hill. Then, after dinner, the banquet would begin in earnest.
The natural atmosphere of the Rothstaylor Estate was rather beautiful and calming. Just walking around was enough to make it feel as if your heart was healing.
So, even though it was a rather empty schedule, the guests would be able to spend their time relaxing how they wanted to.
Though, the servants were quite busy. Even though it was an annual event, it seemed as if they were handling everything quite skillfully.
Amongst them, the busiest was the head of house, Krepin Rothstaylor.
Every time a distinguished guest arrived, he had to personally go and greet them.
It would have been fine if he didn't greet some of the lesser nobles, but there were also a few individuals that were so esteemed, he couldn't possibly refuse to greet them.
That also included the Princess of Frost Selah, Margrave Zahul, and Sinir Bloomriver.
However, the distinguished guests that arrived on the morning of the second day were completely different in terms of nobility. It was not just Krepin—Ed and Tanya also had to come out.
The head of House Rothstaylor was someone that was considered the highest authority on the continent. So, someone that needed to be personally welcomed by not only him, but also all of his direct descendants… It seemed unrealistic.
However, when the front entrance of the mansion—made of iron bars—opened, you could see a magnificently large carriage that left a profound feeling around you.
Ed had already seen that carriage before.
Thunk, Keeek.
The carriage stopped as music began to play. It was as if a military general were marching.
One of the servants that was driving the carriage quickly jumped from the driver's seat. They went over to the carriage's door as they politely opened it. The first to appear was Archbishop Samuel, who was dressed in a holy robe.
He looked rather slender with a slightly gloomy appearance. It was probably because he was not used to these events.
He was the new Archbishop that succeeded the previous one, Verdio, who was removed after being excommunicated. Thus, he still wasn't used to the position of Archbishop.
He stepped down the stairs of the carriage as the real esteemed guest stepped out.
"Ohh."
"That person…!"
"Th-This is the first time I'm seeing her in person…!"
Murmuring was heard from the servants. Since I had heard it, that meant Krepin, who was next to me, did as well. It was a major mistake to make, but Krepin didn't immediately scold them, considering the atmosphere.
The majesty of the person stepping down from the carriage was astonishing enough that even a veteran servant could make such a rudimentary mistake.
Although she was small, one couldn't hastily approach her from the divine grace that exuded from her body.
A neat, dress-like robe wrapped around her body. Her hair, which was as white as her outfit, was wrapped around her shoulders. Even though she was completely white, her eyes and the butterfly pin on her were a fierce red, like a rose that bloomed alone in a snowy field.
The Saint who stood at the top of the Holy Capital. The one who represented the will of God, who came down to Earth.
"It must have been a long journey. It is a great honor to have you visit, Clarice."
"It's been a while, Sir Krepin. I feel much better seeing you look much healthier over the years."
Clarice gave her greetings to Krepin.
She then turned her gaze towards Tanya and me.
"This is my official heir, Tanya Rothstaylor. As well as my son, Ed Rothstaylor, who will be reinstated during this social gathering. I heard that you are also a student of Silvenia. You must already be acquainted."
"Yes. Tanya is the student council president that I am proud of, and Ed is my dear upperclassman, who I have much respect for."
Dear upperclassman.
Saint Clarice, who only called Krepin a sir, went so far as to show her respect for Ed by calling him a dear upperclassman.
She didn't make it stand out as much as she could have, but that comment alone made the people there feel that something was strange.
Clarice grinned as she walked past Krepin to shake Tanya's hand.
"S-S-Saint…"
"Even though it's a lot of work, you have always done a great job acting as our student council president, Miss Tanya. I am always watching over you."
"Th-Thank you…"
One might think that saying 'I am always watching over you' is just proper etiquette as the Saint, but she actually meant it.
Of course… Tanya had no way of realizing that. She only stood there greeting the Saint with a look of reverence.
Clarice smiled as she then came over to me, shaking my hand.
"It feels rather special to see you again in your hometown like this. After a long trip, it feels like a rather romantic meeting."
"It's an honor."
"What do you mean, it's an honor? It's an honor for me."
As we exchanged greetings, I quietly waited for her to stop shaking my hand.
It was not polite to pull your hand away from a superior first, so I quietly waited for her to let go of my hand… But Clarice only raised her other hand, grabbing onto mine. She then looked at me with eyes that twinkled like the stars.
"..."
"..."
Like that, Clarice continued to tightly hold my hand for a while not paying attention to the gazes around her. She continued to look straight in my eyes.
As the murmuring started to grow, Krepin and Tanya stared intently at me. The servants started to furrow their brows more and more.
The second day of the social gathering.
It was already starting to look like things would get noisy. It felt as if the back of my head was starting to heat up.
-x-X-x-
"A cause comes from a sacrifice and progress comes with a price."
Her shiny blonde hair suddenly became dry as her bright eyes became cloudy.
However, the girl continued to smile nonchalantly as she sat on the terrace, looking up at the sky.
The scenery of the Rothstaylor's Estate from Arwen's room, which was located on the top floor of the mansion, was beautiful. It boasted peaceful scenery that made you wonder how such a paradise even existed.
"Look ahead, father. You don't need to worry, I will continue to do my part."
When a dazzling light covered the back of Arwen, who was sitting on the terrace—
At that moment, Krepin woke up.
"..."
Lifting his upper body and looking around, he only saw the most luxurious and large room in the Rothstaylor mansion. It was the bedroom of the head of house, Krepin Rothstaylor.
After meeting Saint Clarice, he remembered going to get some shut eye for a bit before the morning schedule began. Even though he was only able to rest for around thirty minutes, Krepin quickly got up without hesitation.
Every day he carried the feeling of being slightly exhausted. So, fatigue of that level was nothing.
However, it still didn't feel great.
The dream that crept into his subconscious whenever he forgot about it. As he remembered that scene, it felt as if he was going to dry heave.
He quietly lowered his head as he looked down fiercely.
Although he was someone who didn't show their true emotions on their face, there was no reason to wear a mask when sitting alone in his private bedroom.
He desperately wanted to rest a little more, feeling exhausted. However, it was already the second day of the social gathering, which meant that the size had increased. It was a time where Krepin had a lot to think of and take care of.
There were two days left until the great alchemist Valvern would arrive, who was nothing but a thorn in his side. Until then, it was necessary to maintain the grand social gathering well.
Still, a brief break wouldn't be all that much of a luxury.
Krepin sat on the bed for a while as he looked down at the sheets with determined eyes.
* * *
Saint Clarice was considered special even within the Rothstaylor social gathering, where all sorts of influential people gathered.
She was a Saint who was always locked up within the Holy Father Building, never coming out. Thus, opportunities to meet her in person were rare, no matter how high-ranking of a noble you were.
Although she was someone that didn't have a strong political influence, she held some of the highest authority on the continent as a religious symbol. And that was within the continent as a whole. So, just within the Telos Religious Group, her political influence was enormous. No one could order or control her aside from the Holy Father, Eldane.
Among all of the distinguished guests who had gathered, she was easily among the top three. So, it was inevitable that all sorts of attention would be gathered towards her.
That was why many were interested in what activities she would be doing while spending her time at the Rothstaylor Mansion.
After being assigned to a room as grand as Krepin's, there was still quite a bit of time before she needed to attend the dinner party.
It was a leisurely afternoon for all of the attendees. So, would Saint Clarice use that time to meet with someone? And what would she be talking about with them?
That period was much more than just leisure time. Depending on who she met with, political implications could be made and the structure of power at the gathering could be rearranged. Her support held much political significance.
So, Selah, who had strong ambitions, had already made a connection to meet with her.
"In terms of flowers, Freesia is purity, innocence, and eternal friendship. There is no better flower suited to give the Saint than this. It also implies that you wish for the growth of an amicable relationship between the two of you."
"As expected, you have a great sense of giving gifts, Dest."
"You flatter me."
Dest, who briefly accepted Selah's compliment, gave her a bouquet of flowers.
Selah accepted the beautifully decorated bouquet as she smelled it. She didn't particularly enjoy the scene of flowers, but she needed to check it.
"As I have spoken to Archbishop Samuel in advance, I should be able to have a conversation with Saint Clarice without much difficulty."
Not all of the distinguished guests had arrived at Rothstaylor Mansion.
No matter how many aristocrats were currently there, the only person who could match Saint Clarice was ultimately the Princess of Frost, Selah.
From the position of the Holy Father Building, they also wanted to use the time to meet with Selah. Regardless of how much power the Holy Father Building currently had, they still needed to become close to the top candidate to become the next emperor.
Since they were in a position where they needed to respect each other, Selah decided to be as polite as possible.
As she walked down the hallway with her servants, the eyes of the nobles around her looked towards her.
Each of them held a status where they would be the center of attention back in their own estates. But in front of Selah, they were nothing but background characters.
Because of the nobility that came from her authority, it was difficult to even say a word to her. So, only those who were confident of their status greeted her with basic phrases such as, Isn't the weather quite nice?
After taking in all the attention with a graceful smile, Selah continued to walk towards the room where Saint Clarice was staying.
Seeing the direction she was heading towards, the other aristocrats nearby could only nod their heads. No matter what, the first person Saint Clarice should meet with was Selah, the only imperial family member to come to the Rothstaylor Mansion.
"The Saint is currently absent."
But just five minutes later, she was rejected.
"…What?"
Archbishop Samuel spoke, looking down in a shy manner as he muttered his words.
Getting angry would only be rude. However, seeing Samuel look down like that, she wondered if there was more to the story.
Two Knight Templars stood by the Saint's door in a dignified manner, blocking it. In front of them, Archbishop Samuel played with his glasses awkwardly.
"I tried to secretly tell her that you, Princess Selah, were coming… But she ignored me, running off immediately to meet with someone else."
"Running off… Does that mean that she didn't call this person to her room? Rather, the Saint personally went to meet with them?"
That was unusual.
There was no way that someone in Rothstaylor Mansion had the authority to call the Saint to them like that. If anyone, perhaps it was the head of house, Krepin Rothstaylor, who was in charge of the social gathering.
"It's hard to imagine, but… Was it perhaps Sir Krepin who called her?"
Archbishop Samuel shook his head.
And hearing the name that he said, Selah couldn't help but scrunch her eyebrows and doubt her ears.
* * *
"A sword made of iron from the Kaldorn Mountain. Putting something like this in the middle of the room creates a rather dreary feeling…"
In Arwen Rothstaylor's room on the upper floor of the mansion.
It was rather strange that they would leave the room of a person who had passed away a long time ago the same.
Well, seeing as how, even after I was excommunicated, my room was still the same… Maybe they couldn't take care of all the extra space in such a magnificent mansion.
Still, wasn't it a waste to leave such a room as-is, despite it being so large and having a beautiful view?
It was probably because Krepin held onto the former owner of this room close to his heart. That was my guess as to why the room was left as-is.
"Saint…"
As soon as Clarice was assigned a room, she stormed into mine, rejecting all the requests of the distinguished guests.
If she wanted to meet, then she could have called me to her room. That was why I was surprised that she showed up personally. She grabbed my hand, holding onto it tightly as I nearly died from the heavy gazes around us.
When I told her that I was planning to tour the structure of the mansion today, Clarice declared that she would come along with me.
As a result, all afternoon the two of us walked around together under the pretext of showing Saint Clarice the Rothstaylor Mansion.
In the process, I had to endure the gazes of all the distinguished guests. Chances were that word of the situation would spread through the mansion before the dinner party even began.
"Saint, everyone is interested in your every move. Aren't you supposed to be conscious of that fact and act appropriately…?"
"I act as such back in the Holy Father Building when I'm surrounded by followers."
Clarice stopped walking around Arwen's room as she turned around to look at me.
"But now… I must have drunk too much of Silvenia's water."
After saying that, she smiled widely. She looked much different than a regular aristocrat or a noble messenger of God.
"And… I'm a bit excited. I can't stay in my room because I'm getting fidgety. To be this excited after only a few hours… It's quite strange. But did you know, during Easter I had to pray for twelve hours."
"So, what made you so excited this time?"
"Because this is your hometown."
She smiled brightly, grabbing my hand.
"You look quite different from back in Silvenia… It feels quite special when I think of this as the place that you spent your childhood."
"Actually, I didn't have such a great childhood to be proud of. Rather, I made quite a few enemies back then."
"That was also something I didn't know. People say the more you know someone, the closer you become. You would also be surprised when you see how I am when I lead prayer at the Holy Father Building."
After saying that, she put her hands together as she playfully closed one eye, as if praying. She didn't look like a messenger of God at all.
Rather, it reminded me of her second identity back in Silvenia. Kylie Eckner.
In front of the public, she acted holy and elegant. However, when it was the two of us alone, she became a girl that acted her age. It was hard to keep up with the constant changes with her.
"Honestly, I was a little worried."
Clarice sat on Arwen's old bed as she took a deep breath.
"When I heard that Ed was going to be reinstated, I was overjoyed. But I also worried that you wouldn't be treated well."
"Well, in the first place, I wasn't a person that was thought of highly, so it can't be helped."
"So… I was planning to become upset if someone said something offensive or rude towards you… But fortunately, that doesn't seem to have happened."
After saying that, she looked up at the high ceiling as she tapped her foot on the ground.
"This is the room that you talked about… The room Arwen Rothstaylor used."
"Yes. It's amazing to see that they are preserved as they were."
"Rumors were that she was a great person."
"She was the person I admired the most."
At least, that was the case for the old Ed Rothstaylor. She seemed to be a special and respected person to him.
I had already read almost half of the letters from the desk. Reading through their conversation, it was evident that he respected her.
However, what were his intentions in collecting all of those letters and keeping them hidden in his desk?
It seemed that I hadn't reached the core point yet, so I wanted to quickly read through the rest and figure out the truth.
But sitting in the corner of my room and reading through old letters would only raise suspicions. So, I had to do at least some activities to shake off the suspicions Krepin might have towards me.
Well, it was good news that in the process, I got tangled up with Clarice. At least rumors of what I was doing should have spread.
"…I see. I'm sure you have mixed feelings. I'm sorry I couldn't read the atmosphere."
"No, there was no need to feel like that. That's all in the past."
After saying that, I looked around Arwen Rothstaylor's room for a bit. There was nothing there that was worth any information.
The only thing I could see among all the luxurious furniture were girly items, like combs, hairpins, and a makeup mirror.
On one side of the wall, there was a large glass door that led to the terrace. If you looked through it, you could see one side of the Rothstaylor Estate.
I suddenly started to admire the view. It was not an exaggeration to say that the room had the best view in the entire mansion.
Clarice also stood up from the bed as she walked out to the terrace, standing next to me. Her eyes were wide, surprised by the scenery.
"It's a great place. Growing up in a place like this, you would surely become a good-hearted and wonderful person."
"..."
"I'm sure that Arwen must have been such a person."
Clarice spoke softly as she suddenly grabbed my hands again.
"Saint?"
"Ed, do you feel overwhelmed after being reinstated? There isn't any reason to bring up your personality. So, you must have felt a bit upset from all the strange gazes towards you. All because the disgrace of having been excommunicated is so great. Even now, there are still those who look at you as if you are worth nothing."
"I can't do anything about that. It's something I will just have to deal with."
"Don't try to deal with it alone."
Clarice put her hands on my chest as she spoke, as if whispering.
"We can deal with it together."
"…What are you saying?"
As I looked quite perplexed, Clarice also seemed to be a bit shaken… She spoke in a strangely flustered manner.
"Uhm. I mean… Using my authority. If you are by my side at the dinner party tonight, no one can carelessly look down on you…"
"If you're going to tell me to use you so bluntly, it would make me a strange person to willingly accept it…"
"N-No, that's not it… I didn't mean that. What is good is good. So, if we can, wouldn't it be better to do something that can benefit you, right? And during it all, for me too… Uhm…"
Clarice didn't want to say any more as she took a deep breath.
"Phew… Trying to use this and that for justification is only confusing. Right. I won't give some useless reasoning."
"..."
"I need a partner tonight. Would you like to share a dance with me at the dinner party?"
Clarice spoke quickly as she lowered her gaze.
"It would be good for your status to show our relationship like that. And, well… from my point of view, there could also be a few positives…? Or maybe not, but either way, doesn't there seem to be a higher possibility that there would be positives to it…?"
"Did you just say that you didn't want to come up with some strange reasoning…?"
"You don't need to be so sharp when it comes to these things, Ed."
She then let go of my hands as she grabbed my shoulders and stood on her tiptoes. She then spoke, as if whispering in my ear.
"Anyway, at the dinner party tonight I'm going to reject all dance requests, no matter who asks me."
She didn't forget to finish things with a smile.
"Except for one person."
The terrace in the afternoon. A sense of dread that someone might be watching. In front of Arwen's door, the Knight Templars stood guard.
Rather, perhaps enjoying this subtle sense of danger, Clarice laughed as she took a step back.
"I will get going now. I have to meet with other distinguished guests as well. I'm sure there are some who are upset that I have run off to meet with you first."
"That wouldn't be good."
"Well, it's not all that bad."
Responding coolly, Clarice quickly turned around.
Suddenly, looking towards the entrance of the terrace, Tanya stood there with a face dyed blue.
"..."
"..."
"Uhmmmmmm. H-Hello, S-Saint. I was asked to check… The outfit my older brother will be wearing this evening, so… I came here to see him… and… I heard something…. N-No, I didn't mean to see anything."
Normally, Clarice would have been surprised, making a fuss.
But she only swallowed her breath as she put on a smile.
After a while, that smile also calmed her heart.
"Oh, there you are, Miss Tanya."
"Y-You remembered my name. Th-Thank you…"
"Of course. Let's talk a lot at dinner tonight."
Clarice had already become quite close with Tanya.
Of course, Tanya, who was ignorant of that fact, bowed her head awkwardly. She would have fainted if she knew the fact that the girl in front of her was the same person as Kylie Eckner.
Clarice lightly gave her greetings as such before quickly leaving the room.
"…Older brother…!"
What she had seen at Silvenia Academy, what she had seen on the carriage on the way here, and what she had just seen on the terrace.
Tanya could only tremble seeing each one. But the reason for trembling was different for each incident.
She stormed up to the terrace, grabbing the ends of my collar. Her complexion looked even more blue now.
"Tanya…"
"Wh-What are you going to do…?! There's Yennekar and Lucy… And now there is even Saint Clarice… How are you supposed to deal with all three of them…?"
Was her imagination running wild as my younger sister? It seemed that she has imagined all sorts of different futures, taking into account all the possible cases… From my point of view, there wasn't much I could say.
"Things just… ended up like that…"
Tanya suddenly felt dizzy as she lifted her head, taking a step back.
* * *
Clarice seemed to be blushing as she walked down the hallway at a brisk pace.
She lowered her head in fear that her escorts might see her expression and see that she had lost her usual composure. Though, she wasn't sure if there was a point.
E-Either way… I have the highest authority of those here in Rothstaylor Mansion right now…!
Clarice repeatedly spoke to herself, saying such. Of course, there are a few people who could rival her authority, but it was obvious that they would all respect her actions.
So, if she wanted, she really could monopolize Ed Rothstaylor.
She heard that Lucy Mayreel and Yennekar Palerover were also in the mansion… But since there were so many eyes around, they couldn't take sudden action and ignore the Saint's authority.
They weren't at Silvenia Academy, where the virtue of learning took precedence over everything else. Here, their school year was nothing more than a number.
At least during the dinner party tonight… No one can hold me back…!
* * *
"You don't have to ride in this carriage."
The commercial city of Oldek. The place where all materials that went to the empire's capital Kroelon had to pass through.
In the city of merchants, where only money flows, a silver-haired middle-aged man stood in front of a carriage.
"What did you say?"
The wagon was marked with a large symbol of the Elte Company. Even in the commercial city of Oldek, where many massive trading businesses were located, the Elte Company was still one of the three major ones that held tremendous value.
"You are Roland Bellatrax, an investor that belongs to the Elte Company's central branch, correct?"
The driver confirmed the man's identity once more like that.
From a young age, he had been involved with the Elte Company. He was a close aide that directly managed the majority of their funds.
He was a person who rose to a high enough level that he could represent most of the decision-making authority that the head held.
"The boss has canceled the order of your business trip. You can go back to the main office and focus on your bookkeeping once more."
"What? How can my business trip be canceled in just a day? Who is so important that they can do that? Are you sure there wasn't a misunderstanding?"
"Please check the order yourself. Here."
It was an embarrassing situation for Roland.
Roland was going to meet with Princess Selah at the Rothstaylor Mansion and talk about distribution of rights and such. He was the only person inside the Elte Company that was on Selah's side.
Roland checked the orders that were given to him by the driver. The contents of the letter were exactly what the driver had said.
Those who had the power to make such an important decision… There were only a few people.
The moment he saw the seal of the head deputy director at the bottom of the document, Roland swallowed his breath.
"Are they going personally? She must have been at Acken Island during the semester, so she probably hasn't dealt with the main office's work…"
"She's a busy person. I also know that as well, but if she made the decision herself, what can we do?"
"Then let me meet and talk with her in person. If I don't check with her, I won't feel comfortable."
"Then let's talk now."
"What?"
The driver shook his head as he pointed inside the carriage. It sounded like the voice came from inside.
Roland stuck his head inside the carriage.
There, inside the luxurious carriage, a girl in a robe sat by herself.
It was hard to see her face, but seeing her with her arms and legs crossed made him feel uncomfortable. Her stretched-out leg tapped the edge of the simple desk.
The head deputy director of the Elte Company. Someone that even Roland couldn't speak easily to.
A massive book, the Sage's Seal, was spread out on the simple desk… But the girl didn't seem to be reading the book.
"…I'm not going to talk for no reason though."
As soon as Roland saw her, he immediately stepped back in fear. The driver nodded his head.
From Roland's point of view, his entire life could crumble if he hastily spoke to her.
Things had gone awry. Roland had a bad feeling and right now, there was no way for him to do anything about it.
Only those who knew, understood the situation… Right now, the Rothstaylor Mansion was rather brutal.
High ranking nobles and heads of famous families. Famous people who came from power, such as the first princess of the imperial family.
Plus, there was a high-ranking elementalist and a legendary genius magician who had gotten involved as well. Plus, even the Saint of the Telos Religious Group was on her way. Now, if the head deputy director joined the party as well, who knows just what kind of chaos would ensue… It was difficult to even imagine.
From Ed Rothstaylor's point of view, the social gathering was nothing more than a war of nerves against Krepin. A battle of searching for evidence…
But whether he liked it or not, it was certain that the situation would end up completely contrary to his intentions.
You could consider it pandemonium.
Sadly, it was all Krepin Rothstaylor's responsibility to deal with.