episode_0077

We headed to the zodiac without knowing the English. Hegemonia, where the Academy is located, is located not far from the zodiac, so after a few hours, we could see the tall walls characteristic of the zodiac in the distance, and the city surrounding the walls.

“Haa, I’m dying of curiosity. What kind of ball are you talking about?”

The coachman didn’t know anything, so there was no way for us to know.

“I don’t even know who called.”

“If it’s the imperial palace, it could be the empress who called.”

Bandi, who had been pondering something in our conversation, claps his hands.

“Maybe it’s because of Elfin’s Tri-Conflict win.”

“Hmm… I see. That sounds plausible.”

I also nodded to Bandi’s opinion. Empress Alexandra also heard the news of Elphin’s Tri-Conflict victory, so it could be a ball to celebrate it.

“Um~~ A ball… It’s been a really long time since I went when I was little.”

Hoyo groans and tilts his head to the side. If you think about it, it’s easy to live in because magic and vision engineering are advanced, but anyway, the setting is medieval fantasy and there are definitely five-tiered characters, so it’s only natural that there would be a ball.

“How about a ball? Just a place to dance?”

Night shakes its head at my question.

“It’s a place where many secret struggles take place, and where unresolved issues in the palace are brought up for discussion. It also strengthens connections between nobles… Well, for men and women who haven’t yet become adults, or for people our age, it’s a place where they meet, but that’s not the main thing.”

“The name is Ballroom?”

She shrugs her shoulders in response to my question after hearing the night’s explanation.

“Originally, when nobles gather, politics is bound to happen. Because nobles and monarchs lead the country. I think it’s natural.”

“Should I have taken political science during the free lecture?”

I thought that maybe it would have helped, but the three members of the miscellaneous club looked dumbfounded.

“Why is a male studying political science?”

“Don’t men do politics?”

“I don’t think there’s anything they can’t do, but no one does it. Managing females, taking care of the mansion, and raising children are all big problems. Above all, there are no males who are interested in those things.”

“That’s amazing.”

I answered, thinking of the female parliamentarians in the world I was in. The night gave me some opinions, wondering if my opinion was quite interesting.

“What would happen if a male entered central politics? It would be quite interesting since males and females have different perspectives.”

Leaving the night alone muttering like that, I follow Hoyo and Bandi and look down at the zodiac through the window of the vision carriage.

“It’s really big. I’ve only been here a few times, but it’s amazing every time I see it.”

“If you have time, can we take a look around the Hwangdo bookstore?”

While Hoyo and Bandi were talking like that, I decided to buy Hela a real weapon if time allowed. Since her skills have improved by leaps and bounds, it would be better to have a weapon that she can use properly.

Even as the four (or maybe five) men were thinking different thoughts, the vision chariot steadily continued toward the zodiac.

“Come on in! Her Highness the Princess has gone to the palace first, and Ion and Lulu are supposed to come in the evening.”

The Vision carriage stopped at a large and splendid mansion located in the center of the zodiac, near a huge commercial district, and the first thing I met upon getting out was Marquis Jude, Bandi’s mother.

“Mom, why are you suddenly like this?”

Bandi hugs Marquis Jude once and asks.

“Don’t you remember what your mother said? If Princess Crown Princess and her son-in-law win the Tri-Conflict, our Gold Bunny family will treat you to a big meal.”

“I remember that. But it’s Hwang Do-ni, and the ball.”

At Bandi’s words, who tilted his head, Marquis Jude smiled slightly and continued talking while guiding us into the mansion.

“I’ve had a good conversation with Her Majesty the Empress, so the royal family, our family, Anastasia, and Starstream have decided to throw a grand ball. It’s going to be in two weeks, and I need to be here to prepare for it, so I’ve called you all to the Imperial Palace.”

Then Marquis Jude added, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend your vacation in the zodiac?’ and winked at me.

“This is my first time coming to Hwangdo. I’ve been to Hwangseong before.”

“That’s great! The zodiac is such an interesting place. I’m going to enjoy it to the fullest.”

As I entered the imperial mansion of the Marquis of Jude, my eyes widened and I began to look around the interior of the mansion.

“Wow… This is no joke…”

“Haha, it’s a bit frugal compared to Yeongji’s mansion, but it’s not bad, son-in-law!”

“Sorry… I see…”

Everything I see looks incredibly flashy and expensive, but if this is all frugal, what on earth is the state of Bandine’s mansion?

“Ain, almost everything related to the Goldbunny family feels like this. You’d better get used to it quickly.”

At the end of the night, I nodded dryly, unable to take my eyes off the mansion.

“I can’t even imagine. That’s the main house.”

“Me too.”

It wasn’t just me who was surprised, but Hela’s eyes also widened and she followed me around the mansion.

“Okay, the guest rooms are on the right side of the third floor, so the females can sit anywhere, and the son-in-law can use the innermost room. That’s the best room.”

“Thank you…”

The Marquis Jude was generous enough to give Hela a room across from mine (even though he didn’t want to bother assigning separate rooms).

“…Am I here?”

Hela looked around her room with a puzzled expression. It was the same layout as the rooms each of the females in the group had.

“Because they hire and manage the people in the palace, if they aren’t on duty, they leave work at night. That’s why there aren’t any separate rooms for servants or maids.”

Hela nods her head at Bandi’s explanation.

“Okay, then I have to go to the Imperial City again, so let’s unpack and get some rest. Our Bandi knows a little about the Imperial City, so after you rest, go sightseeing in the Imperial City.”

“Thank you for your consideration, mother-in-law.”

“Haha, get some rest, son-in-law!”

Marquis Jude, laughing heartily enough to shake his big chest, leaves the mansion with his secretary, and we tour the Goldbunny family’s imperial mansion under Bandi’s guidance.

The mansion was literally splendid in every way, and everything was expensive. Moreover, nothing was too extravagant, proving that the Marquis of Goldbunny was not a nouveau riche.

In some ways, it may seem like a collection of valuable things that are in disarray or even vulgar, but it has reached a state where it does not lose its value due to extreme artistry.

“At first, I didn’t quite understand why the Goldbunny family appealed to males with a ‘slightly different charm’… but now I understand.”

“Hmm… That’s right.”

Bandi laughs awkwardly at my words.

The Goldbunny family is known throughout the empire for having the most money, but it is said that they have difficulty forming a group due to their unique physical characteristics.

It was said that Marquis Jude and Sir Nicholas met as business rivals and eventually grew fond of each other after meeting each other so often and competing in business, and Bandi had no connection with the males themselves.

“I’m glad I met Ain. Did you save the country in your past life?”

Bandi said that with a pretty smile, but Bandi, Hoyo, and Bam were the ones who approached me first.

“Okay, enough of that sad story, would you like to show me the zodiac?”

We left the mansion, with Bandi leading the way, following my words.

The mansion is splendid, and it’s in a busy area with lots of people passing by, so I feel like everyone’s attention is drawn to it.

“Hela, can you give me the cape?”

“Here it is.”

At my request, Hela hands me a hooded cape similar to the design of the Academy uniform from her bag. After I put the cape over my head, the stares started to subside a little.

“When I was at the Academy, Ain didn’t get much attention because of Elfin, Ion, and Lulu, but now that I’m in the Imperial City, I can really feel how handsome Ain is.”

The night makes me stick out my tongue at the constant gaze directed at me, who is wearing a cape over my head.

“Hey, did I see you earlier in Tri Conflict…”

“Oh, no.”

As soon as a female rat who had been staring at me intently approached me and brought up the topic of Tri-Conflict, I suppressed my voice and pretended not to hear anything.

“Oh, sorry. They look so similar…”

“By any chance try conflict…”

“Do you need a job…”

“Are you interested in musicals?”

“Can you be the subject of a portrait…”

“There’s a vacancy for a receptionist at the Zodiac Adventurer’s Guild office…”

Exactly fifteen minutes after we followed Bandi out onto the Zodiac Road, we found ourselves back at the Zodiac Goldbunny Mansion.

“Yeah, this won’t work.”

“Look, the bitches who were staring at Ainyi so ominously earlier are gathered over there.”

“Hey, come in and stop talking nonsense.”

Bam shook his head as he grabbed the back of Hoyo’s neck, who was trying to grab him by the sleeves.

“At this rate, I won’t be able to leave the mansion, let alone see the zodiac.”

“Let’s wait until Ion and Lulu come… If they’re together, I’m sure we can come up with something good.”

The three members of the research group and Hela nodded to my opinion and followed me back into the mansion.

As some more time passes and the sun sets, Lulu and Ion appear in the living room where I, the three members of the Jabso Research Club, and Hela were gathered.

“Ion, Lulu!”

“Ain. And everyone. It’s the zodiac, so why are you at the mansion?”

When Lulu and Ion, who had received my hug, asked, Night explained to them what had happened during the day.

“It’s a problem if the males are too handsome. Now, let’s see…”

While Ion just giggled at what we had been through, Lulu rummaged through her bag and took out a book.

“I can’t use it yet, but Ain has a level 5 spell slot, so she should be able to use it.”

Lulu opened the book and pointed to a place where a spell called ‘Similarization’ was introduced.

-Similarity: A 5th level illusion spell, can be used on the caster or a target not far from the caster. If the target does not refuse, the caster can change their appearance to the caster’s will until the spell is canceled. The target of this spell will not change their appearance back to the original appearance even if they take violent actions or are attacked until the spell ends.