Episode 111 – Has your head gone crazy, or is it filled with evil spirits?
111. Has my head gone crazy, or is there an evil spirit?
The soft piano sound surrounds the venue.
A beautiful chandelier that looks like a cluster of stars. A pure white round table was placed beneath it.
A man and a woman were sitting side by side at the table.
“Are you here?”
Leon responded to Duchess Elliot.
“Yes, mother.”
He turned his gaze to look at Duke Locke.
“Father.”
“Okay. Come and sit. “We still have to wait a bit for the guests to arrive.”
“Yes.”
Leon was walking to the table when he saw Celia. Because for some reason she was stiff.
‘Hmm.’
After her nod, Leon whispered into her ear.
“Go down to the bathroom on the first floor and look to your left.”
“It’s noisy…!”
Celia muttered through clenched teeth, then calmed her expression and approached the duke and duchess.
She held both ends of her skirt and bent her knees.
“Celia of House Hellbridge, meeting the Duke and Duchess.”
It was a very elegant greeting tailored to the etiquette of nobles.
A question crossed Locke’s eyes.
“······? Why are you doing this all of a sudden? “It’s a private meeting, so you can do it as usual.”
Elliot laughed and interrupted him.
“Princess Celia, I am glad to meet you on such a wonderful day. “Please sit down.”
When she received her proper greeting, Celia smiled brightly.
Leon sat down in her seat and whispered to Celia again.
“Did you know how to greet me like that? “Why are you doing something you’re not used to doing?”
“Shut up please…!”
A little later.
“Father, mother. How have you been?”
For some reason, Lehman appeared without armor and with a neat appearance.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Welcome.”
While Locke was calm, the smile that did not leave Elliot’s face as she greeted her sons.
Leon spoke to Lehman.
“Brother, are you okay?”
“Of course. “There was no problem.”
Leon asked about what happened last time. So, spies from the Reconnaissance Bureau.
“How are things going?”
Lehman responded.
“Hmm. “The work you entrusted to me is going smoothly.”
“Thank goodness.”
As her brother spoke in a friendly way, Elliot’s face was filled with emotion. Locke also touched his chin at the unfamiliar sight.
This time Lehman spoke.
“When did your mother and father arrive at the island? “If you had given me a message in advance, she would have come to meet me.”
“Oh, as soon as I arrived at the island, I came here right away. Until I come to meet you. “Don’t you have a lot to do too?”
“Is there anything more important than meeting you two?”
Elliot intervened.
“How can it not be important to benefit the world?”
“hahahaha. “I think you’re being too complimentary.”
‘Oh.’
Leon, who was listening to the conversation between the three, was inwardly surprised.
The relationship between the Duke and Duchess and Lehman was better than expected.
The eldest son was Leon, who thought he was a wandering knight and that he would be treated like a child who only wandered around on empty days.
After a few more exchanges of words.
Leon, Lehman, and Locke stood up at once. Elliot and Celia followed suit and stood up.
Soon.
“Nice to meet you all.”
Men from the Hellbridge family came rushing in, led by Ervion.
“Are you here?”
“You’re here, Duke.”
“Matriarch, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. “I hope you’re okay.”
While they were busy exchanging greetings with each other, Leon suddenly ran out to Ervion.
“Hey, matriarch!”
“Oh, you.”
The two naturally shook hands.
“Wow, you look very nice today. “The coat suits you very well.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. “You look 10 years younger than the last time I saw you.”
“hahahahaha!”
When Leon gently played with her tongue, Ervion was so happy that she was about to die.
Of course, it is just empty words and flattery. It was a service for handling Count Wendell’s affairs.
“Leon, how are you?”
“Oh my, brother.”
Leon also shook hands with the three Hellbridge brothers one by one. When the brothers saw Leon’s prayers as he grew up, something special caught their eye.
“Let’s all sit down.”
“Yes.”
The tables were packed.
This meal was not a meeting like Celia had expected.
It was a place to unite the two families, Crusip in the east and Hellbridge in the west. People who have had close exchanges from the beginning often have events like this.
Ervion looked around and said.
“One person is late.”
One of the 10 prepared chairs was not occupied.
At that time.
Tap- Tak- Tak-
The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs attracted the attention of the audience. It was an intentionally loud sound.
“······.”
Leon slowly felt relieved. I could clearly feel the other person’s prayers, which were not hidden at all.
If I were to express this prayer, it would be like a blade heated in a fire until it turns red.
The man’s close-shaven head, like that of a soldier, rose, followed by sharply slit eyes.
At his waist was a long sword decorated with gold decoration. However, it wasn’t too much and was just right.
He wore a black military uniform, and his every movement was angular.
“Sorry for being late.”
He bowed his head politely and apologized. No excuse was added.
“Hurry up and sit down.”
“······.”
The man raised his head at Locke’s words.
He slowly started walking to his seat.
Tak.
Tak.
Tak.
The man looked at Leon, and Leon was glaring at her man.
It was inevitable that Leon and her man’s eyes would meet.
“······.”
“······.”
In an instant, our gazes became entangled. They both looked into each other’s eyes. Although the two pairs of red eyes had the same color, many things were different.
Leon has a unique glow. He gave an intense, motionless look.
Astonishment flickered in the man’s eyes, as if he had read something there.
—Tak.
A moment passed, and the two looked away at the same time, as if they had made a promise.
‘Yes…’
Leon leisurely leaned his back against the backrest and snorted briefly. It was a snort.
‘That guy is Raoul Crusif.’
* · * *
A few hours later, entrance to the restaurant.
After the meal was over, everyone was saying hello to each other before parting ways.
Leon spoke to Locke standing in front of the carriage.
“Where are you going, father?”
“Of course it’s the family villa. Please stop by when you have time. Shouldn’t you use it every time you come to the system from now on? “You have to show your face to the people who use it.”
“Of course.”
Lock looked at Leon blankly.
“Hmm.”
At that moment, he raised his hand and tapped Leon’s shoulder a couple of times.
From Noble mtl dot com
“I’m doing well.”
A short word implied a lot.
Locke’s words, actions, and eyes contained a kind of firm trust that is difficult to explain.
“······.”
That left Leon speechless.
Loke’s unexpected actions caused his pupils to tremble slightly. His facial muscles twitched and his expression changed strangely.
Elliot spoke before he could even adjust his expression.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. Always take care of yourself. “It’s good to help others, but your safety is most important to me.”
She smiled softly and held Leon’s hand.
“······Yes.”
Leon gave out a short answer as if he was squeezing it out. He couldn’t even get his hand out of his grasp.
This was so unfamiliar. It was unfamiliar and awkward. A strange sensation that I had never felt in my life tickled the inside of my chest.
It was an atmosphere that was absolutely unbearable.
Fortunately, Celia intervened appropriately.
“Your Excellency the Duke and Duchess, it was a meaningful time. “I hope you have a restful night.”
Elliot answered this time too.
“Me too. “I hope I can see the princess with my son again next time.”
“······!”
Celia’s face lit up at her favorable words.
Meanwhile, Leon slipped away and went towards the Hellbridge men.
“Matriarch, please take a look.”
“You too, please go in carefully. “I guess I’ll see you again at the banquet.”
“Yes.”
Ervion subtly lowered his voice.
“I don’t think you need to worry about Count Wendell and other barons. I will take care of blocking political maneuvers. “I don’t think you contacted me because you were afraid of a fight.”
Here, ‘fight’ means actual armed conflict.
He understood well what Leon found disturbing. Leon expressed his gratitude once again.
Before leaving, Aqua said.
“Leon Wow. “It looks like your skills have improved a lot. Would you like to spar sometime later?”
It was a welcome offer to Leon, who was desperate for enlightenment.
“Oh, good. “Just tell me the time and place.”
“Then tomorrow at 9 a.M. “Come to my family’s villa.”
“I understand.”
* · * *
Inside the dark carriage.
Gulp, gulp-.
The hip flask tilts steeply. Raoul closed the lid only when no whiskey came out from the entrance.
“······.”
He looked out the window. The scenery flowed slowly. The night streets of District 2 were still dazzlingly beautiful.
Raul silently asked the man sitting in front of him.
“Did you say mana reflux?”
Even though the questions seemed endless, the man calmly answered them.
“Yes. “It is said that the Three Dukes lost consciousness due to a mana reflux accident and showed a different appearance after waking up.”
“Ha.”
Raul laughed. He recalled his meal.
Leon’s eyes, actions, attitude, personality, momentum, facial expressions, words and actions…
Everything. Literally everything was different. He wasn’t the guy he knew. Just because he looks the same doesn’t mean he’s the same person.
Mana reflux? It’s not even funny.
Raul muttered something that suddenly occurred to him.
“Has my head gone crazy, or is it possessed by an evil spirit?”
Good luck!
Suddenly the flickering lights outside became annoying, so Raoul nervously drew the curtains.