42 – Splendid Vacation (4)
“Ah…”
The servant let out a sigh, containing a deep tension.
Dressed in a fairly luxurious attire,
he cautiously approached the door, prepared for any possible unfortunate event, and knocked.
“Come in.”
A haughty voice could be heard from inside the room.
Receiving a ‘permission’ that was not entirely pleasing to hear,
the servant carefully entered the room.
What appeared immediately after was
a man with an enormous build, reminiscent of a throne.
Dressed in an extravagant attire that resembled a king,
the servant kneeled respectfully, as if he was addressing a ruler of a kingdom.
“What is the matter? What is the reason for bringing baggage at this early hour?”
“Yes, master… No, your majesty. I have come to present this to you.”
The servant handed over the documents he had brought.
The man who received them, with an ominous expression, began to examine their contents.
However, after a moment,
his expression, which resembled a large and dull pig,
changed.
It began to change sharply, like a wild boar facing a hunter.
“What? Eli has returned?”
“Yes, my lord. It seems that she intends to participate in this meeting, just as you expected.”
“Damn, that troublesome brat has shown up. I thought she would be dealing with demons in the north for a while…”
“What should we do? As you know, now that she’s back, it’s difficult for us to act rashly.”
“That’s true… Although public sentiment is bad, she’s an exception.”
Droughts and famines consecutively. And due to the appearance of demons, the Kingdom of Franzia was greatly devastated.
And naturally, this led to the deterioration of public sentiment towards the king and the central nobles, who had to take responsibility for everything.
In reality, they may not have done anything significantly wrong.
Droughts and famines had limits in terms of how humans could prepare for them, and the appearance of demons was not their fault either.
But regardless of the circumstances, as those responsible, they couldn’t help but become scapegoats for a series of dark events.
However,
In the midst of worsening public sentiment towards the royal family and the factions surrounding them, only one person.
The public sentiment towards Eli, the person currently being mentioned, was actually becoming stronger.
Eli, who had exerted efforts to save the people in difficult situations.
She had recently commanded her Devil Hunters and wiped out all the powerful demons in the north, and as a result, the support of the people towards her was unwavering.
In addition, in the current situation where the deeply-rooted royal faction, which is her core support, is on the verge of collapse, this support towards her plays a role as a bulwark to maintain that faction.
The fact that such a person has returned to attend the upcoming grand meeting is undoubtedly a major obstacle to their plans.
But…
In relation to this matter, the man in charge exuded restlessness and dissatisfaction, instead, he began to display a deep smile on his lips.
“But there’s no need to think poorly of it. It’s actually turning out well.”
“What?”
In response to his owner’s words, the servant expressed doubt.
It was to deliver bad news to someone who usually had an impulsive personality.
Honestly, the servant was prepared to be scolded by his owner before entering the room.
However, contrary to expectations, the owner started to smile deeply upon hearing the news.
A sinister smile that distorted his face.
Such a smile was enough to invoke a sense of human disgust…
*
After a tumultuous meal, the place we headed towards was Eli’s mansion located within the royal route.
To be honest, it felt more like a fancy hotel than a mansion.
With its dazzling decorations and luxurious furniture.
Especially the incredibly soft sofas and beds made us feel as if we were on a vacation.
That way,
In that place, which was incomparable to the northern estate that we had used as our base until now, we relaxed and eased our bodies during the journey.
“Aah~ so comfortable~.”
“As expected, every time I come here, I feel the same way. It really is like paradise.”
“I agreee.”
The three women happily rolled around on the bed.
However,
Leaving those girls behind for now,
I called Gabriel separately and the two of us started talking.
“You’ve been looking uncomfortable for a while, is there any problem?”
“…”
Unlike others, Gabriel didn’t seem to be in a good state since the beginning of this trip.
Seeing her face, as if being chased by something, I cautiously asked with concern.
However,
Regarding this matter, Gabriel slowly raised her head and quietly spoke to me.
“It’s fine. It’s nothing.”
Gabriel expressing that she’s fine on her own.
However, no matter how oblivious I may be, I could instantly tell that her current state is not good.
Keeping that in mind, I spoke to her in a serious tone.
“I know it’s nothing. Keeping it to yourself will only make it worse. Don’t talk about it to others, but you can tell me.”
“!… Um…”
Gabriel expressing a slight moment of confusion in response to my words.
However, soon she closed her mouth and slowly shook her head as if trying to say something.
“It really is nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
With a firm voice, Gabriel refused to speak any further,
Regarding this matter, my worries and curiosity only grew stronger.
“What on earth is going on?… Could it be that because I come from a noble background, I have to attend this meeting… Is it something like that?”
If that’s the case, she couldn’t help but not understand why she was so indulging in this.
Honestly, it was a situation where someone who used to fight with a sword on the battlefield had to devote themselves to work buried in piles of paperwork, which in itself could be considered torture.
That was when I, in my own position, tried to understand Gabriel’s situation and started talking about various things.
“Excuse me, Gellard, please follow Gabriel. There is a lot of work to be done, starting with the meeting preparations.”
“…Sigh…”
Eli’s words confirmed my guess.
Upon hearing that, Gabriel let out a deep sigh.
It felt like watching a child being dragged to study against their will.
Then, she left the room with Eli, flustered and in a hurry.
“Nobles really seem tiresome…”
Honestly, even though I myself was a noble, there was a difference between me and those high-ranking nobles.
Feeling strangely uncomfortable, I could only watch Gabriel and Eli, who were silently disappearing.
*
“Do you really dislike it that much?”
Eli asked with a calm voice.
In response, Gabriel slowly nodded her head and said, “Can’t say I like it. Especially since lately, I’ve been feeling quite overwhelmed, and now I have to get sucked into this.”
“Nevertheless, you still have work to do. I’ll do what I can, but there are some things that I can’t handle.”
“Hmm…”
Gabriel, who frowned at Ellie’s words.
However, she quickly erased that expression and responded in a calm voice.
“I understand. If it’s something that can’t be helped, I’ll refrain from complaining.”
“Yes, then all preparations have been completed. Please follow me.”
*
At the Franz Kingdom Assembly.
This meeting, where the high-ranking nobles, clergy, and the king, the ultimate authority, gather together, is held once a year to discuss the country’s important policies.
As this meeting determines the future governance of the country, it is only natural that there is a scene filled with messy disputes and noisy arguments.
In this moment, with that scene right in front of her.
She slowly began to do what she had to do.
“Dress me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A woman wearing only thin undergarments.
On her fair skin, her face began to adorn a splendid makeup, with a serious and firm expression.
In one hand, she held the king’s royal robe, a symbol of his authority.
On her head, she wore the king’s crown, another symbol of his reign.
After the servants finished adorning her in a attire that exuded the majesty of a ruler,
she slowly began to exit the room.
And then, the figure that caught her eye.
A woman with red eyes and silver-white hair.
Representative Eli of the Franz Kingdom bowed respectfully, showing her respects to the woman.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
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Eli, accompanied by a Devil Hunter with black skin behind her, also bowed in respect.
In response, the woman tilted her head slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Good work, then… You may go.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
And so, Eli boarded the waiting carriage with the monarch.
Meanwhile,
Someone watching their figure in the darkness quietly spoke in a voice that others could not hear.
“We’re departing. Don’t make any mistakes.”