Ch.83This time, safely… #3

The King’s birthday inevitably draws all nobles together. Which means,

“This is our first time meeting face to face, isn’t it? Pleased to meet you. I’m Luke Killinear.”

Meeting the young man who had become the new Duke of Killinear, Luke Killinear, was already a predetermined event. Especially since he had recently solidified his position, he couldn’t possibly miss attending.

The only issue was that Luke had approached to greet me first. Quite awkward to respond to.

“Indeed. I had only heard your name and exchanged letters, but now we meet in person. I’m Helena Krauser.”

Helena shook hands with complete indifference.

She didn’t seem particularly concerned that he had suddenly approached wanting to greet her. Though they had engaged in minor transactions, it appeared to be just that and nothing more. Neither good nor bad—just neutral.

Luke, however, seemed quite welcoming toward Helena and, by extension, the Krauser duchy.

“I wanted to personally express my gratitude. The King’s birthday has provided an excellent opportunity for that.”

“Gratitude? What reason does Duke Killinear have to thank me?”

When Helena tilted her head questioningly, Luke nodded as if it were obvious.

“Of course. Regardless of our past connections, it was you who appointed me as the next Duke, giving me the opportunity to reach this position. As you know, there were some shameful incidents because of it, but…”

The shameful incident must refer to the conflict with his brother Locke that led to an execution.

Luke seemed to be subtly referencing the deal made for his benefit, though his words could be taken at face value—that unnecessary family strife occurred because he, the second son, was appointed as the next Duke.

“…Yes, that’s right. I thought you might resent me for involving you in unnecessary trouble, but I see that’s not the case.”

“Unnecessary? Not at all. Rather, it was unexpected fortune for me, who had been frustrated without succession rights. In other words, you opened a path for a man’s natural desire to aim high.”

A path, he says.

It would be frustrating for an ambitious man to be in the position of a second son. Though the cause was unfortunate, a path had indeed opened for him.

“A path… You have quite a way with words.”

“Oh my. This isn’t flattery, but sincere appreciation. For the Grand Duke as well, of course.”

Suddenly, Luke turned his attention to me, who had been standing quietly like a decoration, and addressed me. His friendly smile gave such a good impression. Even knowing it was fabricated, it didn’t come across negatively.

“To me? I don’t recall helping the Duke…”

“Yes. As a member of House Killinear, I should normally harbor ill feelings, but I don’t at all. It’s difficult to discuss in such a formal setting, but…”

He casually spoke of matters I found extremely awkward to respond to, all while smiling comfortably. At a glance, one might wonder if becoming Duke pleased him that much, perhaps even judging him as lacking principles.

However, I’d heard he was quite shrewd and had won the power struggle against Locke. Though I couldn’t deny the advantage of being the official successor, it seemed unlikely that alone had secured his current position.

“Anyway, though we may walk different paths… I believe we share the same heart for this country. We might have minor conflicts, but I wish to build a good relationship moving forward. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

A good relationship, he says. I sighed quietly as I watched Luke’s retreating back after those final words. His respectful attitude toward us—who were essentially enemies from his family’s perspective—despite having received significant help. Plus, the secret deal made to eliminate a troublesome political rival from his standpoint.

I shook my head, newly uncomfortable with this man called Luke. Thinking it would be best to keep my distance, as if he were from a faraway country with no connections.

◎◎◎

The Grand Duke is the Duke’s sore spot.

Therefore, it’s best to remain observant.

Most nobles at the banquet thought this way and were practicing it well. Only nobles of the royal faction, like Krauser, greeted him warmly.

Helena’s madness and former Duke Killinear Albus’s arrogance. If last year’s duel resulting from those two elements had to be described in one word, “catastrophic” would be perfectly fitting.

All nobles remembered their shock upon hearing rumors that the two Dukes had not only quarreled but nearly engaged in territorial warfare. And that the madness and obsession of Helena, a Swordmaster known for her composure, ran so deep.

Zion Altram is a sore spot. In modern terms, a trigger button. Thus, attempts to use women to establish connections with the Grand Duke, despite him being a son-in-law, were blocked from the start.

So they either left him alone or exchanged only formal greetings, unable to close the distance…according to Ellen, who was waiting on the balcony. All stories gathered by her elven ears.

“May I make these incredibly rude creatures realize their mistake?”

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down.”

I stroked Ellen’s chin as if soothing a fierce bull. It was a gesture not unlike petting a dog. Though it might have been somewhat offensive from her perspective, she seemed to greatly enjoy my touch.

“Ah… could you stroke a bit lower as well?”

Ellen looked at me with drooping eyes full of desire. The way she alternately glanced at my hand and her curved chest made me wonder when she had become so eager.

“Ellen. We’re at a banquet hall.”

“But… I can hear moaning from the forest area and other rooms?”

Startled, I turned my gaze in the direction Ellen pointed. Enhancing my vision to peer into the forest, I saw rather explicit activities taking place discreetly. Surely the artificial forest wasn’t created for such purposes.

“It’s true.”

“See? So who would complain if the Grand Duke, at the top of nobility, did the same?”

“I would.”

*Snap!*

I lightly flicked Ellen’s forehead. I hit her hard enough that she instinctively covered her forehead and stepped back. Our relationship had deepened enough that such actions felt comfortable.

“Ouch?!”

“You’ve become too uninhibited lately. Try to control yourself when there are many people around.”

“Yes. I’m sorry…”

Seeing Ellen’s dejected apology made me feel somewhat heavy-hearted. I felt uncomfortable, as if I had forcibly broken her spirit. Though I didn’t think I needed to apologize or that I had done wrong, it was a separate matter.

Moreover, it was right to subdue Ellen’s spirit for safety’s sake, as Helena’s ice-cold gaze was directed at her.

“By the way, have you already delivered the gift to the King?”

Ellen asked while gently rubbing her slightly swollen forehead. It was natural she wouldn’t know, not having been present when I met the King. Though she had been a party to the duel out of necessity, the King was an ordinary person who disliked dark elves.

“Yes. We arranged to place it in the King’s bedroom.”

Between the dining room and bedroom—the two best places to administer poison—I chose the bedroom. Assuming both the King’s bedroom and dining room were safe with knights standing guard, I considered which location would be easier to deal with poison in, and which would be more troublesome.

“The bedroom is a good choice. There are more gaps in security at night.”

“Right. And if something happens, the bedroom is a good place to rest and recover.”

It was quite pleasant chatting leisurely while enjoying the cool breeze. I was comfortable thanks to the nobles being considerate, and it gave me a good excuse to step away. It was especially welcome since dealing with people politically was difficult and awkward.

Additionally, Ellen’s eavesdropping provided the unexpected benefit of information gathering.

“Most of it is gossip about hidden funds, jewels, and scandals. It might be useful for blackmailing individuals, but there’s not much valuable information.”

“I suppose the banquet hall is equally unproductive?”

“Yes. Mostly things you don’t need to hear. They’re discussing business plans, but even I can tell they wouldn’t interest the Duke or Grand Duke.”

We couldn’t and didn’t want to interfere with nobles forming connections for private business. Ellen knew our inclinations well, which is why she spoke as she did.

“Nothing particularly special then.”

Though nothing special, I was able to grasp the general situation without leaving my seat. Thinking that was achievement enough for today, I glanced at the banquet hall as it gradually cooled down.

◎◎◎

“Finally over…”

My shoulders felt lighter now that the time spent unnecessarily observing etiquette had ended.

Of course, I couldn’t say it was completely meaningless in terms of being careful with my behavior, but I wondered if I had been too passive for a Grand Duke. Greeting appropriately, withdrawing appropriately to avoid disrupting the banquet’s atmosphere. The overall mood hadn’t been bad because of it.

Normally, one should avoid Helena, who had directly displayed madness, but the nobles thought and acted differently. They concluded that as long as they didn’t touch me—the trigger button—they didn’t need to fear Helena much.

That conclusion proved accurate, and as a result, Helena engaged with the nobles and maintained the atmosphere. I, who merely watched and offered support from the side, was relatively comfortable.

The King was also pleased with the expensive artifact he received. The aftermath of that day’s duel hadn’t completely faded, but I thought it might improve with time.

“You worked hard. I should have stayed by your side the whole time…”

“It’s fine. We agreed on this together. And we’ve somewhat eased the King’s wariness, so that’s good.”

Helena leaned her head on my shoulder and smiled faintly. As she had said, we had gained the King’s favor, which was most important, so we could be satisfied. Additionally, we could see the nobles of the same faction subtly holding their heads high.

Regardless of the reason, it was undeniable that the royal faction had significantly suppressed the noble faction. Whatever the cause, that was the reality, and the noble faction’s power had relatively weakened.

This situation would be difficult for Luke Killinear to welcome, as he needed to improve it. Nevertheless, he seemed confident he could resolve it. If not, perhaps he was simply pleased to hold power.

“By the way… why did you have me prepare this? I followed your orders, but…”

As Helena dozed off on the carriage seat, Ellen tilted her head and pulled out a bundle of papers from her chest. Even at a glance, the densely written text resembled the documents I often handled.

“The saying ‘prepare for war in advance’ suddenly came to mind. It might not be much help, but I thought it would be better than nothing.”

“This… adultery list?”

Adultery list.

That’s what we called it for convenience, but it was a detailed record of the nobles’ private lives that Ellen had overheard. True to its title, it contained everything from simple affairs to activities that bordered between legal and illegal, making it truly the nobles’ sore spot.

Of course, without specific and decisive information, the consequences would likely be limited to damaged reputations or domestic troubles, but I had created an opening to dig for more information based on this. Also, even if not used immediately, it might be helpful someday. That’s why I changed my mind and had at least the conversations recorded.

“That’s what I think. Having it prepared might be of some small help.”

“I think so too.”

Ellen, who had been tilting her head wondering if it would really help, nodded vigorously as if she had always agreed with me. Finding her increasingly dog-like behavior compared to when we first met quite adorable, I unconsciously smiled while stroking her cheek.

“Yes. You worked hard. I should reward you when we return to the mansion.”