episode_0133

000

The carriage carrying the group, having safely passed through the kingdom’s checkpoint, unreservedly travels along the well-maintained, large roads of the kingdom’s capital.

People don’t usually walk on the roads in the first place, so there’s little risk of accidents. They simply lower their heads whenever a fancy carriage passes by, assuming a noble is passing.

Looking out the window, a girl who doesn’t seem to be even ten years old makes eye contact with Cleon. Cleon raises his arm, contemplating whether to wave back at the girl who is waving at him, but –

“Stop it.”

Laila stops him as if asking what he’s doing, and he awkwardly stops his hand and scratches his head.

“Why? It’s okay. She might become a Cleon Tromaeier in the future.”

Then, Aruru, who is speaking from next to him, makes Laila sigh deeply as she looks at her.

“Only vassals of the kingdom or members of noble families respond when commoners wave. Someone who is neither, waving from a carriage to someone outside, is treated as impersonating one of the two.”

“And. The crime of impersonating a noble, or the crime of impersonating a public official, is treated quite severely in this country. This road is even equipped with magic that can check such things one by one.”

Watching Aruru, who speaks as if adding an explanation to Laila’s explanation, Cleon lowers his hand and says quietly.

“It wasn’t okay at all…”

Then Aruru shrugs as if there’s no problem and answers Cleon.

“Well. Even if it’s a severe punishment, if a noble allows it, they won’t give such a big punishment. Maybe just a fine?”

“E, even if it’s a fine, it’s still against the law…”

At Sasha’s reply, Laila sighs and looks out the window. She could still see many citizens looking at the carriage and waving.

“It’s a ridiculous law created by nobles and wealthy people for their petty self-satisfaction. There are probably few people outside who genuinely wave at nobles.”

“…What else is it-”

When Cleon says that, Aruru answers once again.

“According to the kingdom’s law, if the rank of the carriage running on the road is 4 stars or higher, commoners must show respect to that carriage.”

It was a pretty clumsy and absurd law.

“Absurd, right? Even if there’s no noble family crest, if the quality of the carriage is high, you have to greet it just because of that. Originally, it was a law proposed by nobles, but their patrons, wealthy people – for example, merchants who have accumulated enormous wealth – added their own touches to complete the law.”

“Which bastards are making such stupid laws?”

When Cleon says that, both Aruru and Laila are silent for a moment, then look at the center of the royal capital – clearly visible from the street. They gaze at the royal palace.

“The guys who live right over there.”

001

The carriage stopped at a modestly sized mansion on the ambiguous boundary between the luxurious residential area where nobles reside in the royal capital, and the ordinary residential area where ordinary commoners live.

In terms of size, it was quite small compared to Laila’s mansion or the mansion they used without permission in Elesia.

However, compared to an ordinary commoner’s home, it was larger, making it an awkwardly sized building, just like its location.

When Cleon and his party stopped the carriage, about seven servants who came out from the mansion’s entrance bowed deeply and greeted Aruru.

“Lady Aruru. And, Sir Cleon. Welcome. To ‘Palantir’s Residence’. We have been waiting.”

“Palantir’s Residence?”

When Cleon looks at Aruru and speaks about the name he’s hearing for the first time, Aruru nods.

“Yes. Originally, this place was where Palantir… a person who was acquainted with my mother used to reside. Like my father, she was a war hero, but her status was that of a commoner. However, Palantir passed away from an illness not long after the war ended. She had no family, so she left this mansion and her remaining assets to my mother.”

“Hee…”

At Cleon’s reaction, Laila looks at Cleon and speaks in a quiet voice.

“Palantir is quite a famous figure, so remember her. She was a woman who went to the front lines with a sword and shield, but she was not a hero or a saint, but merely an ordinary adventurer who led the ‘Volunteer Corps,’ a unit of commoners who were not conscripted. The kingdom also recognized her contributions, and they were going to grant her noble status after the war, but she refused. The reason why this mansion is in this place is also because she claimed to be a guardian of the commoners after the war.”

“She’s a wonderful person. She’s qualified to be called a hero even without the Holy Sword…. But is it okay for us to stay in the mansion where such a person lived?”

When Cleon answers that, Aruru nods once again and looks at the mansion as she speaks.

“Of course. According to Palantir’s will, if the Tromaeier family ever has to treat adventurers, they should stay at her mansion as a condition of inheriting the estate. The fact that adventurers are being called in the name of a family whose head is the Minister of Defense means that there is a threat to the kingdom.”

Considering that she entrusted her mansion for the sake of adventurers, who are treated as mercenaries and often mistreated by nobles and even commoners, her consideration was quite deep.

Most adventurers are commoners, not nobles, and most of them spend their time sleeping rough, so they would likely feel awkward and uncomfortable even if they entered a magnificent mansion in the noble district.

And rather than living in the same building as nobles with different lifestyles and building conflicts, it was meant to provide a suitably spacious and comfortable place to rest and prevent unnecessary collisions and disagreements with nobles.

“The furniture and room arrangements have all been completed so that you can stay comfortably. While you are staying in this mansion, please leave the management of the mansion to us. From cleaning to laundry. And if you allow it, even cooking. Lady Tromaeier has instructed us to ensure that Cleon’s party has no discomfort while staying in this royal capital. We will come to this mansion every morning to work and leave in the evening.”

At those words, Quon and Sasha make slightly surprised expressions. It was because of the scale of assigning seven servants to this small mansion.

“Ah- I’m sorry. There’s no need to go that far-”

Cleon feels a bit burdened and tries to say something to the maids, but this time as well, Laila stops Cleon.

“Understood, but there is one condition. Please do not enter our personal spaces as much as possible – that is, our individual rooms. Especially since I am a mage, I will decorate my room like a workshop. If you happen to come in and change something, I cannot guarantee what will happen afterwards.”

When Laila says that, the maids politely answer, “Understood.”

“Hey, Laila.”

“…Aruru. Those maids aren’t ordinary servants of the Tromaeier family, are they?”

When Laila says that, Aruru nods.

“That’s right. Tromaeier family’s Battle Maids. They are close to a private army that my mother directly hired and is in charge of.”

“Should I think of it as surveillance?”

Cleon is slightly taken aback by Laila’s direct expression, which doesn’t go through any filters, but Aruru, on the contrary, doesn’t waver and shakes her head as she answers.

Laila didn’t have any malice, but she had suspicion. Aruru honestly answered without trying to decorate herself, in order to erase such suspicion.

“It’s not that harsh. My mother really needs your help, so please think of it as she’s just trying to ensure a little safety.”

Laila stares at Aruru’s eyes for a moment, then sighs and nods.

“Well. If Aruru says so. I guess that’s it. Sorry, I was being too sensitive.”

“I think it’s a natural suspicion. Considering the evaluation of the royal nobles…”

Somehow, the atmosphere was settled well without escalating into a big deal. The others breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the scene and moved their feet to enter the mansion.

Suddenly, Cleon turned back to Aruru as if there was something he was concerned about.

“Come to think of it. Why did Lady Tromaeier, the wife of the Minister of Defense, call us, and not Sir Percis, the Minister of Defense himself? If there is a problem to be solved in the royal capital, shouldn’t it originally be the job of Sir Percis, the Minister of Defense?”

Aruru scratches her cheek and smiles bitterly at Cleon’s question. It seemed like this wasn’t a conversation to be had here.

“That…. I think it would be better to hear it directly from my mother. Apparently, it’s a bit of a secret.”

Cleon still has lingering questions about that ambiguous answer, but he nods as if he understands and steps inside the mansion.

Considering each person’s living space, it wasn’t that wide or that narrow, just the right size.

And in the living room visible after passing through the entrance, a portrait of a woman hanging on the wall was eye-catching.

She was a beautiful woman with orange hair, and her golden eyes were so brilliant that you could feel the sparkle even in the painting.

She was probably around her 20s.

“The person drawn in this painting is… Palantir?”

When Cleon says that, Aruru nods.

“That’s right. They say it was painted right before she died. My mother asked the court painter to do it to commemorate her.”

“I see.”

Cleon feels a bit of magic in her portrait and places his hand on the frame containing the painting.

“…I’ll be in your care for a while.”

Even if he says that, no one’s answer comes back.

According to what he heard earlier, she was a person who deserved respect from anyone.

It was a greeting close to a prayer mixed with the hope that the party would be safe in the royal capital.

“Everyone, come to the Tromaeier mansion in the evening after unpacking. It’s my mother’s invitation.”

“…Do I have to wear a suit again…”

Cleon sighs as if he still hasn’t gotten used to suits, but Aruru smiles as she strokes Cleon’s head.

“Hehe. Come dressed as nicely as possible.”

002

Cleon and the other three members of the party, each dressed in the most polite attire they could manage. They walk through the noble residential area, following the servant who came to guide them.

The people passing by on both sides were all nobles, but most of the men looked at the group with surprised expressions as they saw Quon’s slightly form-fitting dress.

Quon tries to somehow cover the lines of her body as if she feels burdened by such gazes, and Laila stands next to her, trying to cover her body with her own as if acting as a guard.

But as expected, her area was ridiculously insufficient.

Regardless, Sasha’s eyes, which had widened at the array of large buildings around her, were unable to shrink.

The nobles’ mansions were all so huge that there were rows of even larger mansions than the residential area for chief and noble children where Laila’s mansion in the academy was located.

“The, the nobles’ houses are really big…. Even if there were only 4 of these mansions, it would be about the same size as the mountain village where I lived.”

“The size of the mansion is ultimately like a symbol of the noble’s wealth. The population difference between nobles and commoners is 10 times. But even so, the proportion of land occupied by commoners and nobles in the royal capital is said to be almost the same.”

Cleon replied with a slightly disgusted tone to Laila’s explanation.

“What a waste of space.”

As they walk while having such trivial conversations, the guiding servant stops in front of the largest mansion in the residential area.

In front of it, Aruru, wearing the red dress she had seen before, was waiting for Cleon’s party.

“…The Duke’s daughter is coming out to greet us in person. What an honor.”

When Cleon says that, Aruru smiles awkwardly and answers Cleon.

“My mother told me to wait quietly. But I became restless for no reason. So I was waiting outside.”

Cleon and Aruru are unable to continue their conversation after their initial greeting because of their formal attire, which they haven’t seen in a long time. The slightly awkward silence they felt at the academy flows between them once again –

“Come in quickly. Lady Aruru. And, Cleon.”

A low voice that Cleon hasn’t heard in a long time.

When the two people turn their heads towards that side at the same time.

A black-haired, black-eyed woman frowning in front of the mansion’s main gate, as if asking what they were doing.

A magic swordsman of the Black Magic Clan, one of the few remaining in this world, along with Cleon.

Wearing a maid outfit with even more frills and white parts than the Woodknocker family’s servant uniform she wore before.

The girl who fought alongside Cleon against Talcheck to stop the World Tree, Shuradsel, before. It was Rubera.

“Still being grumpy as ever, Rubera.”

“…Hmph. The Lady is waiting.”

Cleon greets her with a degree of welcoming intention, but Rubera stares at Cleon for a moment before turning her body.

“Do you two not get along?”

When Aruru says that, Cleon could only give a bitter smile.

003

Passing through the main gate and the long garden, and entering the mansion’s building, the mansion’s interior, which wasn’t decorated as luxuriously as the width of the incredibly large mansion, was visible.

Decorations that were truly practical and arranged only to the extent that they wouldn’t look desolate.

And, walls and ceilings made of materials that were simple in design but felt elegant.

The personality of Lady Tromaeier, who actually rules this mansion, could be felt.

“Welcome. Adventurer Cleon. And, everyone in your party. I am the mistress of this mansion and Aruru’s mother. My name is ‘Aurelia Tromaeier’.”

She too was wearing a demure dress that was polite enough to welcome guests.

It was hard to believe that she was the mother of a child – and even a woman with a daughter of similar age to Cleon.

Her appearance, which could still be believed to be in her 30s or late 20s, was somewhat similar to Aruru but had a more feminine aspect.

However, her eyes were sharper than Aruru’s, and Cleon swallows as he feels as if her gaze, which wore a smile on her face, was piercing through them.

The golden hair in a braided bun and the clear, transparent blue eyes were like symbols of nobility, but they felt a little different from Lesia.

Like Aruru, she is a woman who possesses a strong golden light.

“…I’m Cleon. Thank you very much for inviting us today, Lady Aurelia.”

As Cleon bows slightly and greets her with the same politeness, she simply nods, still not erasing her smile.

“There are many things I want to share with you all. The incident where you saved my daughter at the academy. And – about what is happening in this royal capital right now.”

“It seems like it will be a bit of a long story.”

When Cleon says that as a joke, Aurelia nods once again.

“Hehe. I’ll have to be careful not to make it boring. Now. First, I should treat you to a meal. I’ll guide you to the dining room.”

Aurelia says that and leads the party along with the servants.

“…Whew. Good job, Cleon. The first impression doesn’t seem bad.”

Laila, who sighed from behind, says that to Cleon, and Cleon, who felt tension as soon as he faced her, also sighed.

“Aruru. Is Lady Aurelia usually like that?”

Then Aruru nods with a bitter smile.

“Of course, she’s a bit strict, but I think she’s the most flexible of the nobles. So don’t be so nervous.”

“Aruru. Chatting in the mansion’s hallway as a woman of the Duke’s family-”

“S, sorry!”

Looking at her mother, who allows the adventurers, Cleon, to do so, but asks her daughter, Aruru, to keep her duty as a noble.

Cleon and his party felt a bit of worry.