Ch.8080. In the Shadow of the Banquet (2)

“You catch on quickly.”

I looked at Daphne and Marianne, who had rescued me, as if they were the most adorable beings in the world. Daphne smiled brightly at me. Her violet eyes sparkled in the deep amber light like the sunset. A brilliance like two embedded crystals. I raised the corner of my mouth at the sight.

“…Aren’t you people from the hero’s party?”

Lady Corelaine, who had spoken to me earlier, asked cautiously. She was trying to gauge the situation while asking questions, when she could have just backed off halfway. Daphne put on a rather haughty expression.

“Yes. If you’ve greeted Ilroy, would you please excuse us now? I’m sorry, but the hero didn’t come today to see the faces of young ladies.”

At Daphne’s words, Corelaine’s face began to contort before she regained her composure. As expected of a high noble’s child—her expression management was top-notch. Corelaine cleared her throat and met my eyes as if to say something. I let out a chuckle and placed my hand on Daphne’s waist, pulling her closer.

“I apologize, but today my priority is to greet our party’s sponsors. I’ll just pay my respects and then take my leave.”

Daphne didn’t resist being pulled close to me, but her face turned bright red. I looked toward Marianne, but she was just fidgeting near me. Corelaine looked back and forth between Daphne and Marianne as if dumbfounded, then eventually backed away.

“Good, you came at just the right time, Daphne.”

I said, looking down at her. It was a bit ridiculous that after coming to me so boldly, she was now blushing deeply and not saying anything. At times like this, the calm Marianne might be more reliable.

“…”

Thinking that, I turned my head toward Marianne, but she was still like a stiff doll. Well, I was surprised she even participated given her personality. She wore a simple sky-blue dress with almost no decorations and no noticeable accessories. Her long hair was all tied back.

“Are you okay, Marianne?”

“…”

She seemed to need time to adjust to the atmosphere. I walked without hesitation to the table where the heads of noble families were gathered. The gazes of the young ladies and gentlemen remained fixed on me, but as I moved with clear purpose, no one tried to approach me. The nobles turned to look at me with wide eyes as I approached.

“My, if it isn’t the hero.”

“Thank you for your hard work, hero. I am…”

The nobles put down their glasses and eagerly greeted me. I shook each of their hands, confirming their names and faces. Perhaps because I had felt a real threat when seeing Barktins and Evernode? The nobles from the frontier seemed to have sponsored me with surprisingly pure intentions. They simply exchanged greetings with me and then disappeared to attend to their own business. Daphne furrowed her brow as if surprised, watching the nobles walk away.

“…Do those people really want to help our party’s activities? They didn’t say anything.”

“If they’re nobles who deliberately avoid coming to the capital, they might genuinely think that way.”

Yes, they weren’t the problem. I was conscious of the arrogant gazes still watching me as if sizing me up. Most were court nobles or those wanting to enter the royal city. Did they want me to approach them first? Their backsides were heavy. Many of them probably attended the hearing too.

“[What amusing people.]”

Well, I could just leave them be. If they were in a hurry, they’d approach me first. If they had nothing to say to me, I had nothing to say to them either. I gave them a glance and moved on.

“My, my greetings are late, hero.”

And now, the heavy-bottomed nobles were slowly walking toward me to pay their respects. I deliberately put on an artificial smile to greet them.

“That’s fine. It happens. I was about to greet you first, so I apologize for the oversight.”

“Ahem! Anyway, I’m glad to meet you like this. You must have received many invitations to social gatherings, but I hear you’ve never attended.”

The nobles looked as if they were bothered by the fact that they had to greet me first. Their attachment to such unnecessary pride was so typically noble that it was actually reassuring.

“Yes. I’m usually busy with other matters. I probably won’t be attending social gatherings in the future either. I appreciate the invitations, though.”

Well, I never replied to them anyway.

“Don’t be so rigid. Even at social gatherings, it’s just a place to meet people and exchange greetings. Who knows, you might make valuable connections there, hero.”

I smiled without answering. When I didn’t respond, an embarrassed noble picked up a glass and drank it down. I also casually picked up a glass from the table.

“Ah, yes. My daughter is here too—why don’t you greet her? I’m embarrassed to say it myself, but she takes after her mother and is quite beautiful.”

“Let me make one thing clear.”

I downed my drink in one go and my eyes flashed. The nobles took a step back, intimidated by my aura. The empty glass was placed on the table with a thud.

“I’m not interested.”

After making that declaration, I left with Daphne and Marianne. If they were people worried about the end of the world, they wouldn’t just be thinking about recruiting me for political gain. If Quenore the Grand Duke had been here, he would have smashed the table and left.

“[How ironic. Those who shouldn’t worry about the end are worried, while those who should be concerned about the end have their heads filled with other thoughts.]”

The Holy Sword spoke in a cold voice. I shook my head slightly and turned to look for George, who would be somewhere in the banquet hall. The band began playing a waltz, and people started pairing up and moving to the center of the hall to dance.

“…I wonder where they all learned to do that.”

Daphne muttered as if amazed. The path to surviving as a noble in the royal city seemed arduous. Rather than enjoying the dance, it looked more like a ritual following certain procedures. There were no romantic couples, just people exploring each other and following the steps they had learned.

“Dignity is quite frightening.”

“I agree, Hero Ilroy.”

I turned around in surprise. I wasn’t the only one startled—Daphne and Marianne were too. The owner of the voice I was gradually getting used to, Queen Agnes, was there. Agnes was watching the dancing nobles with her ruby-red eyes.

“I was late because I was receiving reports from core administrators. I saw how you dealt with the nobles.”

The queen looked at me, then turned to Daphne and Marianne.

“With flowers in both hands, how could other ladies catch your eye? Even I would ignore them.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“It’s a jest, a jest. Look, aren’t their reactions adorable?”

The queen laughed, looking at the embarrassed Daphne. I scratched my head awkwardly.

“You’ve had a hard time because of the nobles. I’ll make things clearer at the next meeting.”

The queen narrowed her eyes toward the nobles as she spoke.

“I apologize. My lack of judgment has caused this. I’m concerned that I’ve troubled Your Majesty.”

“Nonsense. What kind of king would I be if I couldn’t control my own subjects?”

The queen chuckled as she answered.

“I personally reviewed the financial statement you submitted. Aside from the cost of your new sword, you sent most of it to Barktins.”

I nodded calmly. Beside me, Daphne’s eyes widened in surprise.

“It was necessary. It was also my responsibility.”

“…I can only say thank you, Ilroy. As the ruler of a country, I’m ashamed.”

The queen shook her head as if embarrassed.

“I’ll pay more attention to the reconstruction. And thank you for resolving the doomsday cult issue in Barktins. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

“Please withdraw your words. Your Majesty has no reason to make such an expression.”

I looked at the queen’s gloomy eyes. The queen opened her eyes wide, then gave a weak smile.

“…Yes. Thank you for saying that.”

The queen took one step closer to me. I froze, watching the approaching queen. I’ve dealt with many people since possessing this body, but no one has been as difficult to handle as the queen.

“By the way, if annoying people keep sending matchmakers to you, wouldn’t it be good to firmly establish that you’re not available?”

“Pardon?”

I reflexively made a stupid sound.

“There’s Daphne behind you, but…”

The queen, finding my reaction amusing, smiled and gently took my hand.

“If you don’t mind, there’s no law saying I couldn’t be that person.”

“[That tyrant!!!]”

Suddenly, the Holy Sword exploded with anger in my mind. I put my hand to my ringing head. Daphne stared at the queen with shocked eyes, forgetting that it was rude, and Marianne was looking at me with wide eyes. The queen seemed to enjoy my reaction and those of Daphne and Marianne before releasing my hand and turning away.

“It’s a jest, a jest.”

Then she slightly turned her head to look at me.

“Have a good time, Ilroy. Daphne, Marianne. The same goes for you.”

The queen walked leisurely toward the courtiers waiting for her. Somehow, even a brief conversation with that person left me feeling drained. I picked up a glass and took another sip. At that moment, George approached us with a tired expression, sweating profusely.

“I’ve been looking for you, Ilroy. Where have you been?”

“That’s my line. Where did you go after abandoning me?”

“…I went to see my fiancée’s father, my future father-in-law. I’m sorry for leaving you behind.”

“Drop dead, social butterfly.”

I muttered that while sipping my drink again. George looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask “What’s a social butterfly?” but I just ignored him and downed the rest of my drink in one go. I’m not getting drunk. Looking at the empty glass, I wished I were.

Just then, someone grabbed my hand. As expected, it was Daphne, her face already red from alcohol. Why did she drink so much when she can’t handle it well?

“Dance.”

Daphne pulled my hand as she stood up. I was half-dragged by her to the hall where people were dancing.

“Let’s dance.”

Daphne started fumbling with my arms, not knowing how to position her hands for dancing. I sighed and grabbed both her arms to straighten her up.

Hiccup.

A hiccup escaped from Daphne’s mouth. I took her right hand with my left and guided her left hand to rest between my arm and shoulder. The music changed from a lively waltz to a very slow one, and I slowly stepped with Daphne, awkwardly following the movements of the nobles.

“…”

And over Daphne’s shoulder, I could feel Marianne’s golden gaze piercing through me as she sat quietly.

“[…I’m just at a loss for words, Ilroy.]”

At the Holy Sword’s ice-cold voice, I closed my eyes and sighed.

But Marianne’s eyes weren’t simply looking at me. Those eyes seemed to want to ask something. With that desperate look in her eyes, I couldn’t help but wonder what was on her mind.