150 – A strange day
After the grand event in the Hero’s Room, Edgar and his friends attended a modest banquet that followed.
In fact, Edgar refused at first, saying that there was no need to make such a position for him.
However, I ended up attending because of the promise that this was a ceremonial schedule that would be opened when a new being suitable for the hero’s room appeared.
The fortunate thing was that he had the feeling that he was the main character, but he was able to talk to the people on the invitation screen in a natural atmosphere rather than trying to force it to appear.
If he had told him to go up on the podium and give a congratulatory speech, he would have collapsed in his seat as Edgar’s stomach twisted.
“Are you planning on sending everything you received back to your parents’ house?”
“I guess so. I have nowhere to use it anyway.”
When Ariel, who was tilting her wine glass, asked about the future whereabouts of the award she received today, the answer came as expected.
Anyway, he had piled up the things he had received from Yulken during his nongong peddling the other day, so he had no place to use them right away, whether it was gold or silver treasures.
That’s why I’d rather send it to the main house than to rot it, and although it’s a small territory, I hoped it would help the development of the place.
“Pufu, something happened to my chest.”
“Do not laugh. Because I’m awkward too.”
“How are you? Is it nice to see?”
Ariel pointed at his left chest with a mischievous grin like Edgar’s usual.
There was a platinum-colored medal, with an eagle spreading its wings and a shield drawn in the center.
This is a medal called Equenor, which indicates that the person whose name is engraved on the monument of heroism. Directly translated, it can be interpreted as a person who has kept the honor of a knight.
“It’s the same pattern as my father’s.”
“Yeah.”
Ariel, who confirmed this, muttered in a low voice, and Edgar accepted the words with a light smile.
As she said, this medal was worn by Yulken, who had his name engraved on the heroic monument before Edgar did, when he appeared in public.
It’s a rarely seen item, so Ariel had never seen anyone with this medal except for Yulken, but today the second one appeared.
And the fact that it was his lover couldn’t be this proud.
“how? How are you feeling?”
“I still don’t feel it. You’ll get used to it, though.”
Edgar said that while caressing the medal on his chest for no reason.
The weight of the medal was quite heavy, but the position next to the owner of the grand duke’s family still felt heavier.
That said, it wasn’t a sense of pressure on my shoulders, and if I had to express it, it felt like a moderate weight that I could enjoy.
While they were talking about Oh Sun-do-soon, Sylvia and Hagel, who hadn’t been able to see where they had been, came to the two of them.
“Edgar, I saw you today. Was it cool?”
“Congratulations, Edgar. Engraving your name on a hero monument… As a friend, I was proud of everything.”
Sylvia is also Sylvia, but especially Hagel, as if he were a descendant of an authentic samurai family and a man of honor, looked at Edgar with sincere respect.
He was proud of Edgar who made it happen, as the place he wanted to be named at least once in his life was the Hero Monument.
At first, I thought he was a cheerful and playful friend, but the more I looked at him, the more I thought he was genuine.
“thanks. To be honest, I think I would have been a bit nervous if I was alone… It was a little less because I thought you guys were watching.”
“Are you surprisingly nervous too? The same goes for succession ceremonies.”
“Doesn’t it look like you wouldn’t?”
When Sylvia recalled the memories from the other day and asked with a somewhat surprised expression, Edgar’s mouth was filled with laughter.
Just the fact that so many people are watching makes you nervous to some extent, but since there are seats, the tension inevitably doubles.
Edgar thought himself very brave just for being so skillful.
“Then what are you going to do? You want to go straight to the villa as soon as the banquet is over?”
“To do so. We started pretty early anyway, so there should be plenty of time.”
In fact, Ariel was also thinking about staying overnight at the imperial palace if the time was late.
However, after hearing about Albrich from Edgar earlier, he felt somewhat reluctant to even stay in the imperial palace, so he decided to head for the villa even though he was a bit tired.
Sylvia and Hagel just nodded as if they didn’t care.
It wouldn’t make much sense to stay in the imperial palace for one more day anyway, since tomorrow I’d have to go outside again.
Besides, it was always better to sleep in a comfortable place rather than a flashy place.
“Your Highness, you are staying at the villa.”
“ah… Marquis Bertus. Yes, I plan to. Rather, what about eavesdropping on other people’s conversations?”
When Albrich, who had overheard the party’s conversation, approached with his characteristic somewhat languid voice, Ariel slightly wriggled her eyebrows and showed her displeasure.
I didn’t care as much as I was talking to you because it was a seat, but it was clearly uncomfortable to overhear and interrupt a conversation.
In response, Albrich lowered his head and expressed his apology to the point of being somewhat excessive.
It was to the point where Ariel felt it was rather strange that a person of the level of a marquis was the owner of the grand duke’s family, but Ariel didn’t even bat an eye even though she had been scolded face to face like this.
“I am sorry. Stopped by because I overheard the conversation in the moment I stopped by to say hello… … .”
“… it’s okay It’s because I don’t feel like I raised my voice too much. Rather, why are you asking if we are staying at the villa?”
“Since you came to the imperial palace after a long time, I thought about staying there for a day or so. Deep down, His Majesty seemed to be hoping for this as well.”
Did the emperor wish for this?
Ariel frowned at the statement, which somewhat contradicted the story she had just heard from the guide.
Apparently, the guide said that Bartheus had predicted early on that Ariel would not stay at the imperial palace.
Of course, the expectation was that way and the actual intentions could be different, but the emperor did not even express such an opinion even after meeting several times.
Then why did Albrich come out like a spokesperson at this late hour?
It was truly questionable.
“I apologize to His Majesty, but we will see you next time. In the first place, today I followed you for my love.”
“Is that so. This is unfortunate. Oh, and if it’s not rude, as for what I asked earlier… … ?”
What I asked for was that she would hold a banquet to celebrate her taking over the title of head of the family, so I would say to visit the Bertus family at least once.
It was a fairly explicit tone, but Ariel was rather calm.
From the first time he found this place, he vaguely thought that this would be his purpose.
Rather, it was surprising because it was so predictable.
“Thank you for being considerate, but I will decline. Marquis Bertus. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been long since I inherited the job, so it’s still time to focus on the family.”
“You don’t have to apologize. It’s just embarrassing to see Your Highness working hard on the family, as if it’s letting me know what I’m lacking.”
“… … .”
Even Sylvia quietly burst into exclamation at Albrich’s skillful handling so as not to embarrass the opponent who refused, but Ariel was unable to do so.
I don’t know if it’s a prejudice caused by hearing Edgar say that a while ago, but I really felt nothing but emptiness in what he said.
It’s not the bad guy or the good guy or anything like that.
If I had to ask, maybe it wasn’t included anywhere. At least that’s what Ariel thought.
“If you have time in the future, I would appreciate it if you could stop by at least once. Oh, I see… … .”
Albrich held out his hand to Edgar, who was belatedly standing next to him, as if he had forgotten.
However, Edgar was able to detect that this was an intentional action.
That would also be the case, since he pretended not to be looking and secretly glanced in the direction where Edgar was.
It was such a fleeting moment that an ordinary person would not have noticed it, but at least he couldn’t escape Edgar’s attention.
“Congratulations are late. Please continue to devote yourself to this country. Sir Edgar.”
“I will do that. Sir Bertus.”
“The next time we meet, please feel free to call me Albrihi. then.”
After that, Albrich disappeared, and Edgar inadvertently tilted the wine glass in his hand.
wrote. I don’t know why, but the wine, which had been scented with fragrant grapes and violets until just a moment ago, had only a bitter taste like burnt ash.
“Edgar, why? You don’t look good.”
“… No, it’s nothing.”
Sylvia, who had been watching him, tilted her head and asked, and Edgar tried to change the subject and looked at Ariel’s profile as she quietly grabbed his hand.
She also had a bad expression, probably feeling something different.
It would be more correct to see it as bizarre rather than unpleasant. It was exactly the same when he first saw a man named Albrich Bertus.
“Ed, let’s go back to the villa and rest. I don’t want to be here any longer.”
“It’s a coincidence. So do i.”
Fortunately, as the seat was in an atmosphere of slowdown, the party was able to leave the imperial palace without much restraint, get back on the carriage, and head for the villa, which was their original destination.
While going to the villa, Sylvia and Hagel, who felt the atmosphere was unusual, asked the reason for the details, but the two kept their mouths shut after saying that they would explain in detail at the villa.
Even though it was such a happy day, somehow today I didn’t have enough energy.