episode_0026

“Ugh.”

I had never worn a military uniform to attend a banquet. The Frankia Army did have dress uniforms. I didn’t even know they existed, let alone that the women’s dress uniform wasn’t a neat suit but a dress. I hadn’t worn it even at the graduation ceremony of the Madobyeong Training School, so I didn’t even know of its existence.

The valet who dressed me in this uniform said that it was originally attire for banquets. Well, how many soldiers would be suitable for attending court banquets, and among them, how few would be women? It felt like being betrayed, although it wasn’t something hidden.

Apart from the white and blue color scheme, there was no trace of a military uniform in the dress uniform. The shoulders and chest were deeply sunken, letting the cold wind in. The abdomen was tightly cinched with a corset, making it feel like I could barely breathe if I moved a little roughly, and the billowing skirt and high-heeled shoes made walking carefully necessary. I wondered if this was the result of contemplating how to create a visionary garment.

I stood in front of the mirror to check if I was properly dressed, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at my own reflection. I had been aware of my attractive appearance for about ten years. However, seeing myself dressed so extravagantly feminine was torture. Marian, reflected in the mirror with one eye slightly open, looked surprisingly good, enough to make me open both eyes without realizing it. Well, at least they did a good job on one thing—my face.

“Now that you’re dressed, please sit down. It’s not over yet.”

As the valet clapped twice, the door opened, and maids rushed in. They began applying various cosmetics to my face, things I had never seen in my entire life.

“Cough, cough. Slowly…!”

“We don’t have much time until the banquet! Let’s focus on preserving the best features since the canvas is good.”

It made me wonder if they were trying to emphasize the paleness to the extent that it floated in the air, but this wasn’t the 21st century. It was an era where men wore white wigs sprinkled with flour, striving to make their faces as pale as possible, adhering to the standards of beauty. I had given up everything and entrusted myself to being a maid.

#

“Wow.”

Once when I saw the Etoue Palace’s garden, once again when I saw the paintings and sculptures in the corridors, and now once more as I gazed at the enormous chandelier in the banquet hall. It seemed to be over 10 meters, and I wondered if such a size was physically possible. Furthermore, the splendor of the banquet hall surpassed anything I had seen at the Etoue Palace.

As we entered the banquet hall, the herald by the door shouted loudly, “Make way for the miraculous Marian Louche, the darling of Cler Montoire!”

Although Cler and I were followed by members of the Madoc Infantry, they were not mentioned separately, perhaps considered part of our entourage. The gazes of those present at the banquet were fixed upon us, as this banquet was held to honor those who had brought about the first victory.

“Marianne, does it suit me well?”

Cler was also dressed in formal attire like me. Not only she and I, but all the members of the Madoc Infantry were in formal wear. The only difference with Cler was the crimson hairpin adorning her hair. It was a combination of red against her blonde hair, an intense color scheme, yet it didn’t seem out of place.

“It suits you well too, Lieutenant. Oh.”

She quickly covered her chest upon noticing where her gaze had landed. I had been startled to see the maids applying makeup, even shading my exposed chest with whiteness, but it seemed to have an effect. When wearing military uniform, it hadn’t been so noticeable, but now, in clothes that revealed the chest, her seemingly modest bosom felt more pronounced, especially compared to mine.

“You look overwhelming without your military uniform, darling.”

“Don’t tease me.”

With a shy heart, I quickly downed the drink being served by the servant in the banquet hall. The cool carbonation hit my throat and went down to my esophagus. Ah, they have carbonated drinks here too. It’s been years since I’ve tasted one. It wasn’t as familiar as the cola in my memory, but the carbonation was intense against Marianne’s body.

“Huh, Marianne! What will happen if you drink that all at once?”

“?”

As I reached for another glass, Claire stopped me. She took the carbonated drink from my hand and returned it to the servant, giving me a look that said she couldn’t let me do that.

“Why are you drinking this like it’s just a soft drink? It’s quite strong, alcohol-wise.”

As she finished speaking, the alcohol hit me suddenly. Even if it’s strong liquor, having this much in one glass… Is my tolerance too low?

“Leaving this kind of alcohol so unguarded, isn’t that a bit reckless? Ugh.”

“No one drinks it all at once. The banquet is just beginning; you shouldn’t get drunk already. Marianne, pull yourself together.”

“I’m not drunk. I’m not.”

I’m not someone who collapses after just one drink. I felt a little tipsy for a moment, but I wasn’t drunk. My vision was clear, and the ground didn’t seem to be rushing toward me.

“Ah, it’s been a while. Montmartre, my dear.”

Seeing that I was okay and not intoxicated, Claire reluctantly left her seat. Did she used to be well-known in high society before joining the military? Watching her almost get swept away by the sudden influx of people, I chuckled.

The officers were also gathered in groups, chatting away. A Company was engaged in lively conversations, drawing the attention of the noblewomen, while B Company was solving riddles and C Company was wandering around the party with Emma and Kilian at its center. With the appearance of rare new faces—soldiers—at the usual gathering of familiar people, the nobles must be finding it quite entertaining.

I confirmed that Claire had gone far away and then picked up the glass containing the strong liquor. If the alcohol content is high, isn’t it okay to sip it slowly? I wasn’t the type to enjoy alcohol even in my past life, but the carbonation, this carbonation was hard to endure. If I had continued to be unaware, I wouldn’t have known, but having tasted it at least once in this world…

Leaning against the window, enjoying the banquet, wasn’t such a bad idea. I never learned anything like dancing, nor did I have confidence in doing it well. A cool breeze blew in from the open window. Before I knew it, I had emptied another glass. I poured another drink. When the pungent fumes met the cool breeze, a smile formed on my face involuntarily.

“The breeze feels nice, doesn’t it?”

I looked at the person who made the casual remark with narrowed eyes. A young man with a half-and-half face. Judging by the way his gaze was fixed on my chest, his approach was not purely innocent.

“….”

“That liquor is quite strong, yet you seem to like it very much.”

In order to succeed and maintain a peaceful rear service, ropes and connections are important, so normally, I would have dealt with this man’s flattery appropriately. But right now, I didn’t feel like doing that at all. Above all, there was no way I could feel good about a man staring at me with a sleazy look.

“Go on, don’t make trouble for no reason.”

“It’s a royal banquet, isn’t it lonely to be alone?”

“I want to be alone, so please leave.”

Even if I told him to go, he just wouldn’t listen. He was reasonably drunk, and as a soldier who didn’t know much about banquets, what could I do?

As my thoughts reached that point, I suddenly came to my senses. I slapped away the hand that had been subtly groping my waist. By nature, I wanted to retaliate using magic, but this was the royal palace. I couldn’t use magic to that extent, and I couldn’t do that without knowing the other person’s status.

“Tsk.”

Fortunately, the annoying situation of not knowing who he was and causing a scene did not occur. After all, no one in their right mind would do such a thing at a banquet hosted by His Majesty the King. Despite the sinister appearance, the man had retreated, and even after that, a few more people came to hassle, but I paid them no mind.

Deciding I didn’t want to stay in the same place any longer, unsure of how many more times I’d have to brush off, I moved to another spot. I wanted to go somewhere quiet, and as I looked around, someone entered the banquet hall.

“Viscount Marcel Champagne is entering!”

With a tall stature, objectively handsome looks, and a cool demeanor of a man in his early thirties, the banquet hall fell momentarily silent as he entered, then erupted into noise once again. Many people in the hall flocked to him. Viscount Champagne? He was someone I hadn’t heard of before, but there must have been a reason why people were gathering around him. He seemed quite powerful himself.

I tried to take an interest in him, but when I saw where he was heading, I couldn’t. He ignored the numerous nobles trying to engage him and headed straight for where Claire was. Claire had also spotted Marcel. Unlike Marcel, her expression wasn’t pleasant. Where had I seen that before? Ah, yes, it was similar to when I met her father, Frederick, yesterday.

“The darling of the Montuar family and Viscount Champagne make a good match.”

“They’re a perfect couple.”

“Oh, if only I were ten years younger, I’d try to charm Viscount Champagne.”

“Oh my, even if you were ten years younger, would you be a match for the Montuar family? I heard they are engaged.”

“Truly, the elite always stick together. Sigh.”

Amidst the murmurs around me, the conversation between the ladies caught my ear precisely. Engaged? So, yesterday, Claire met her father because of the engagement. Now I understood why she didn’t look happy. The rumor must have spread quickly within a day, and it seems like the rumor of Claire being engaged to someone has been circulating for quite some time.

Marcel and Claire linked arms. Her expression worsened. She was trying to mask it with a smile, but I could see that Claire was struggling to maintain her composure. Is the Marquis de Champagne really so impressive as to force a marriage upon a woman of the Montuart family who doesn’t want it?

“Hmm, this is strange.”

Claire claimed she linked arms with someone else, but seeing her smiling made me uncomfortable. I had no reason to be uneasy, as I was merely observing the personal affairs of my direct superior in the military.

The Marquis de Champagne released their arms, holding a drink in one hand and wrapping the other around Claire’s waist. Seeing Claire flinch, I found myself striding toward her without even realizing why. In my mind, I was telling myself to stay put, but my body moved on its own.

“Marie-Anne, is it?”

Claire’s awkward smile as she looked at me. I grabbed her wrist, ignoring the Marquis de Champagne’s bewildered expression, and simply left the reception hall. It wasn’t until we reached a secluded part of the palace that I realized she had been asking me to let go.

“Marie-Anne! Let go of this!”

I had been gripping her wrist so tightly that it had turned pale. Even though my basic strength was abysmal, Claire, unable to use magic within the palace, seemed equally weak. She couldn’t overpower me with strength alone.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant Claire.”

As I released her wrist, Claire clenched and unclenched her fist, her arm still numb.

“Why did you suddenly leave? If you have something to say, say it now.”

I didn’t know. I had told my mind to stay put, but my body acted on its own, leaving me unable to answer her question.

“You’re not going to answer?”

“…Are you engaged?”

“Yes. I was informed yesterday. By my father.”

The air around Claire was so heavy that the word “gloomy” seemed to fit perfectly. Unlike Auguste, she had steadily climbed the ranks from a junior officer. For her, who was earnestly aiming to be a soldier, a sudden engagement was synonymous with giving up being a soldier. If it was a notification, Claire probably wouldn’t have cared.

“I just didn’t want to. I wanted to be next to someone else.”

“Is that all?”

I didn’t respond to her desire for something more. There was a weighty word stuck in my throat. But I doubted if that was really what I wanted to say, and whether my feelings were correct, so I swallowed hard. As I remained silent, she let out a deep sigh and then smirked.

“I can’t help the engagement, but I don’t want anything beyond that either. This should put your mind at ease, Marianne.”

“Oh, never mind about putting my mind at ease. It’s cold. Let’s go inside.”

She gently linked her arm with mine. Warmth spread from her elbow to my side. It felt like my complicated emotions were being sorted out, just as she said.