Ch.324EP.69 – The Knight Cheers for the Youth(4)

# The capital was bustling with activity.

It was approaching the time for the banquet celebrating the first birthday of the royal heir.

However….

“Come on, there’s still a month left! Why are these inn prices so ridiculous?!”

“You should know these prices are still reasonable. They’ll go up even more soon.”

“Good heavens…”

It seemed excessively busy considering the banquet was still about a month away.

The population density in the capital had reached its highest point in nearly three years, with some streets so crowded it was difficult to find space to step.

Carriages poured in from every province, and accommodations were mostly fully booked despite their eye-popping prices.

Naturally, as people gathered, the market flourished, and small business owners were making substantial profits.

It was truly a situation where one season’s business could cover two years’ living expenses.

However,

“There’s a dispute between provincial nobles in the southern district!”

“Knights are having a duel!!”

“What’s with these people wanting to play war games?!”

…As if proving that nothing in the world could be entirely positive, the negative aspects of this sudden population influx were definitely giving the capital’s officials severe headaches.

Conflicts between hostile families from the provinces.

Minor disputes escalating dramatically until blood was shed.

These were inevitable side effects when so many influential people gathered in one place.

Yet disputes over interests between nobles and merchants were relatively manageable.

At least they happened openly and could be stopped.

In that sense, the worst side effect was,

“Easy, too easy. Almost apologetically so.”

“Far from apologetic, you look downright smug.”

“Shut up!”

“Hmph, always raising your voice first.”

“Why you!?”

The fact that “suspicious individuals” could blend into the crowd undetected.

…Of course, the knights and soldiers would insist they thoroughly investigated everyone entering the capital, but their standards were merely ordinary.

If they had wanted to be more thorough, they should have devoted all their resources to the royal palace, but they hadn’t.

This was undoubtedly a mistake born of arrogance, thinking that the current level of security would be sufficient, and this mistake was nothing but fortunate for them.

“By the way, what are you going to do about that?”

“Hmm?”

“The Black Apostles, what they asked for. You’re going to grant it, right?”

“…Ah, that ridiculous request? It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure that’s okay? We owe them, especially the First Apostle.”

In response to the man’s concerned tone yet strange smile, the middle-aged man furrowed his already scarred brow even more and sneered.

“What debt? There’s no way either of us could be indebted to each other. Neither him nor me.”

The middle-aged man said mockingly as he glanced at a newspaper on the street.

The headline [Miracle Royal Heir Arthur Pendragon Connecting Pendragon and Britain] dominated the front page, and seeing this…

“Such wicked creatures, truly remarkable. Even pulling off such a fraud.”

The man could only snort derisively at the story of the royal heir who supposedly inherited blood from both the Pendragon and Britain royal families.

No, he was even contemptuous.

“Inherited blood from both Pendragon and Britain? What nonsense.”

─It would be more believable to say that oil and water could mix.

The man’s harsh muttering rang out quite loudly, but it was drowned out by the voices of countless people and dispersed.

…Leaving only a trace of unsettling air.

*

*

*

“So in the end, you rejected them all?”

“That’s right.”

“Hooh…”

“…You suddenly look pleased, don’t you?”

“N-no! That’s not it at all!”

The blonde, blue-eyed girl quickly denied it.

She was certainly not happy that he had rejected other noblewomen’s requests to be their chaperone.

She was simply purely glad that he hadn’t gotten involved in troublesome matters…

[That’s not true, you’re actually delighted inside. You were about to go wild because those vixens were trying to ruin the plans you made, Irene.]

‘S-shut up!’

[The truth hurts. And drop that haughty woman concept. It doesn’t suit you.]

‘Hey!’

Irene Windler, a beautiful girl reminiscent of a fairy.

The girl was having dinner with the knight who lived next door, hearing about what had happened a few days ago, and was experiencing quite the emotional turmoil.

‘Those foxes, really!’

Yes, to be honest, she was on the verge of saying something harsh.

But she had good reason—these fox-like creatures were making a fuss about having the instructor as their chaperone!

And becoming a chaperone meant…

‘That I wouldn’t be able to request him as my partner!’

Anyone over 19 years old could attend the debutante ball, and Irene was definitely going to participate in this royal banquet.

Well, honestly, she didn’t want to attend, but she had no choice.

Irene was the adopted daughter of Galahad, and she had to fulfill her duties accordingly.

So attendance was inevitable, and if she had to attend, it would be best to have the partner she wanted.

With that in mind, she had planned to request him as her partner under the pretext of dinner today, but…

‘It’s not easy.’

[You’re just a coward. What a waste of that pretty face. Why can’t you use that beautiful face properly?]

‘But…’

[But what?]

‘I-I’d prefer if the instructor asked me to be his partner. Maybe while holding a hundred roses, hehe.’

[……]

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

[…Nothing. Just thinking you have big dreams.]

‘Hey!!’

The girl finally shouted, and the ghost girl shook her head as if giving up.

[You need to say something that makes sense for me to respond.]

The ghost girl was utterly exasperated.

* * *

‘What has she been doing all this time?’

She was the one who arranged this dinner, yet she wasn’t eating and instead kept muttering to herself with constantly changing expressions. Ihan blinked as he observed her.

‘Well, she’s a magic user, so it can’t be helped.’

Ihan decided to look kindly upon the seemingly mentally unstable girl.

Even among spellcasters, no matter how normal they might appear, they were still spellcasters, so it was only natural they would have mental issues, right?

After all,

‘It’s common knowledge that spellcasters have mental problems.’

Ihan had an ironclad stereotype about mages, and he easily overlooked the girl’s strange behavior.

Moreover,

“By the way, Master, why did you reject the other ladies’ requests? I thought you would accept them.”

There wasn’t just one guest.

Levi Jeanne d’Arc, the girl, blinked her eyes as she asked the question, and Ihan shrugged lightly as he answered.

“I only have one body. I can’t favor some and not others. Rather than leaving hard feelings between them, I’d rather not do it at all.”

“Hmm, I don’t think the ladies would hold grudges over something like that.”

“You never know. Kids might just not show it outwardly. Who knows if they’re feeling resentful.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Also, I have some personal matters to check.”

“?”

“Just something I need to do. But aren’t the other two coming? I was going to feed them.”

“Both of them seemed quite busy…”

Today’s dinner was proposed by the neighbor chick, but the food preparation and invitations were handled by Ihan.

As a way to treat the important personnel who helped with creating the statue.

But only two people showed up.

The gray-haired and black-haired ones were, as expected, nowhere to be seen.

“Those guys only come around when they need something.”

“Hehe…”

Levi didn’t deny it and laughed softly.

Even though his words were a bit harsh, it was clear he was worried about them.

He truly is a kind person.

But her laughter was short-lived.

“…Um.”

Levi fidgeted with her fingers, showing signs of nervousness, but then…

“Ex-excuse me, Instructor.”

“Yes?”

“If, if being a chaperone is too much, would you perhaps consider being my partner…”

“?”

“The banquet lasts for five days. So I was wondering if maybe we could attend together for one day…!”

“…With me?”

“Yes!”

“……”

The girl gathered her courage, and Ihan blinked briefly at her bold proposal.

As if he hadn’t expected to receive such an offer.

“……”

But soon, after noticing the girl’s trembling hands like an aspen tree…

“Which day would you prefer?”

“!!”

“Tell me which day you want.”

“Th-then…!”

“Come to think of it, I didn’t properly fulfill my role as your partner last year, so I’ll do it right this time. Look forward to it. I’ll make sure you shine your brightest that day.”

“……Yes!”

Levi smiled broadly, glad she had found the courage.

The girl was happy.

…And,

“…What did I just do?”

[Hmm, you just had a man stolen right in front of your eyes.]

“……”

[Those with courage win the prize men.]

“……”

The mage girl, who had plenty of desires but no courage, witnessed a cat trying to climb onto the hearth before her and felt a deep sense of defeat.

However, there was one thing the mage girl didn’t know…

‘Let’s see, I agreed to meet with the maid on the last day. That woman asked to meet on the first day… And the other person I agreed to meet with…’

The girl had already lost not just to Levi, but to several others.

In the intrigue-filled social world of Pendragon, the unskilled cannot survive.