Banquet (3)

Banquet (3)

The dictionary meaning of a banquet simply meant a feast but.

A high noble’s banquet was a place beyond just a simple feast, where contracts and future directions were announced.

‘Therefore, usually people who are close, or those who are or will be central to one’s faction are invited to banquets but.’

In my case, since I wasn’t included in any of these, there was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling.

As I was sipping a drink while participating in the banquet, several days after that day.

I felt gazes from surroundings gathering on me excessively.

‘… Even if it was a normal noble it would have been quite a hot topic, but since it’s not a normal noble but the Lercier family’s youngest son openly standing here.’

From their perspective, how they should take this.

Furthermore, it seemed they were checking reactions about what stance they should take.

While thinking I can hear the sound of their brains working all the way here as I pretend to be relaxed, Delia’s voice comes from far away.

“DerenDeren!”

Since starting to attach my name continuously before, now she seems to have gotten a taste for it and keeps calling like that.

When I slightly nodded my head looking at such Delia.

Delia smiled brightly and hurriedly approached my direction.

‘… She’s definitely pretty.’

Though I thought she was pretty usually too, when she’s dressed up formally I think even more strongly that she’s definitely pretty.

I inwardly laugh as I see people of all ages and genders around me staring blankly at Delia.

Delia snuggles up close to my side and whispers.

“Woof.”

Does she bark even in a place like this?

The moment I hear those words, I reflexively try to pinch her cheek.

But with so many eyes watching, I hold back, and Delia continues speaking to me with a look of accomplishment.

“Your clothes look really good today.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I guess it’s because you have good proportions, the suit suits you well.”

Delia looks at me with a beaming expression, then as if suddenly remembering something.

She carefully takes hold of my slightly disheveled necktie and adjusts its position while saying.

“Like this, don’t we look just like a married couple?”

“……”

It’s a question that’s difficult to answer.

Not knowing how to respond, I keep my mouth shut.

Delia says, ‘Just kidding, just kidding,’ as she slowly lowers her hand.

“Then let’s enjoy today to the fullest. I specially ordered some foods you might like from the chef, so you’ll probably be quite pleased.”

With those final words, Delia gives me a smiling glance and moves away from me.

As Delia leaves my side, I lean slowly against the wall, watching the crowd gather around her.

‘The Herdi family, huh.’

In the case of ambiguous noble families, there were often cases of mutual animosity.

Here’s the English translation of the given text:

When positions are clearly established, most people tend to be friendly rather than fight.

‘There’s no need to fight, after all.’

Those in ambiguous positions often try to bite each other for their own gain or to establish their position.

In the case of the Lercier family or the Herdi family, biting each other would result in extreme losses rather than gains.

They were living well together, deliberately not interfering with each other… or more precisely, avoiding each other while maintaining an appropriate level of interaction.

‘As a result, they neither show hostility nor affection.’

Everyone was just watching me cautiously, unable to approach.

Sensing this situation, the head of the Herdi family took the initiative to greet me first.

“Has the prospective son-in-law arrived?”

He seemed quite pleased that I had come, approaching me with a rather generous voice.

Taking a seat nearby, he continues to speak to me.

“To be honest, I thought you wouldn’t come, so I’m really grateful that you did.”

As I looked at him quizzically at those words, he chuckled and continued.

“You know that saying? That marriage is the grave of life… You seemed like someone who dislikes being tied down, so I thought you wouldn’t come to something like this.”

Although I came because there was no need to create problems by breaking a promise to the head of a prestigious family, not just an ordinary nobleman.

Since there was no need to ruin the atmosphere, I smiled back.

He smiled along with me and said,

“So, Deren, what do you think of Delia?”

This was probably why he came to find me directly.

As I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer that question.

He continues speaking to me in a calm voice.

“She’s truly a child I’ve raised with great care.”

I nod silently, and he takes a sip of the wine he’s holding, smiling bitterly.

“A daughter I was too afraid to hold properly, fearing she might fly away with the wind or be extinguished if I grasped her. Yet here she is, already bringing home a son-in-law like you. It feels good, but also strange.”

“……”

… I really don’t know what to say to this.

From the family head’s perspective, I was nothing more than a thief trying to steal away the daughter he had raised like precious gold and jade.

‘The problem is that this thief’s specs are too good.’

I could see that he was speaking like this because he thought that since she would have to be married off someday, it might as well be to me.

As I was just sipping my drink and nodding to his words,

He seemed to come to his senses and said, “Never mind,” putting down his wine.

“Well, regardless of how things turn out, I don’t know how this relationship will unfold. But I hope you’ll maintain this connection for a long time.”

“Yes.”

I nodded, and he smiled brightly before saying he would take his leave and promptly departing.

As I was watching the retreating figure of Herdia’s family head,

Delia, who had returned at some point, smiled brightly and said to me.

“What were you two talking about?”

“Nothing much.”

“For ‘nothing much,’ our dad looked quite gloomy…”

To me, he didn’t seem any different, but apparently, it looked otherwise to Delia.

As I listened to Delia’s words, I silently turned my gaze away.

Suddenly, Delia seems to remember something and tugs at my sleeve while speaking.

“Deren Deren Deren. It’s too noisy and stuffy here… Let’s go outside.”

The name keeps growing.

I nod, feeling a bit uncomfortable as the gazes around us gradually converge.

She says, “I know a good place,” and slowly leads me away.

*

Unlike the Lercier Family’s garden, the Herdi family’s garden was characterized by its extravagance.

As I was looking at the garden lavishly decorated with all kinds of ornaments, thinking that they certainly have a lot of money.

Delia picks up a nearby flower and speaks to me.

“There’s something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Um… Ahaha. Trying to say something serious makes me feel a bit shy.”

She shakes her head quickly for no reason and waves her hand.

Then she spins around me in circles before seemingly giving up and saying.

“… Never mind, just ignore it. I think it’s too early.”

I wonder what she was trying to say.

Thinking that I don’t understand Delia’s feelings at all, I sit down on a nearby bench and slowly open my mouth.

“Then let me ask you something instead. Delia, why do you want magical modification so badly?”

“Oh… huh?”

Although the saying that one would become a slave just to get magical modification is a common expression among magicians.

To use an Earth analogy, it’s closer to a declaration of will like ‘I’d sell my soul to the devil if it meant success.’

It was just something I really wanted to do, but not to that extent.

‘Delia is really obsessed with modifications as if she’s going to sell them off.’

Wondering what the reason was, I asked.

Delia blinked and stared at me blankly, then spoke to me with a dazed expression.

“… You’re the first person to ask me about that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’ve always shown it, but everyone just ignored it. No one was curious about the reason.”

With those words, she stared at me intently.

Tucking her side hair behind her ear, she speaks to me.

“Were you that curious about why I’m so hung up on magic modifications?”

I nodded lightly, and Delia seemed quite pleased with my response, smiling broadly as she spoke.

“Hmm… What should I do? Should I tell you or not?”

Then, humming a tune and swinging her legs, she soon speaks to me as if she’s made a decision.

“I just want to have fun with you today, Deren. I’ll tell you about that story later.”

“Alright.”

“Yes. Well, it’s not much of a story anyway. I don’t want to make you worry unnecessarily, so let’s just have fun today instead of talking about that.”

Delia said, ‘That’s what the banquet is for! Got it?’

She smiled brightly as she tucked the flower she had picked earlier into my front pocket.

As the flower was placed in my clothes, a sweet scent from it lingered around my nose.

Just as I was satisfied with the unexpectedly pleasant fragrance.

Delia stretches and says refreshingly.

“Then, I’ll be in your care from now on, Deren.”

I nodded while looking at her brightly smiling face.