228. Harvest Festival (4)
●
Evenings in the Duchy of Tristan are quite chilly. Could this be because it is adjacent to the Kendrid Margrave, the passageway to the north?
The Marquis Bogart let out a short sigh as he adjusted his coat.
While walking out into the courtyard with the duke’s residence at the back, white breath was coming out of the breath he exhaled.
Since he saw everything he wanted to see, there was no hesitation in his gestures as he walked out.
“…It doesn’t make sense that you can really exert dominance over demons.”
He muttered that and scratched his head.
“Do you think so too?”
It looks like it’s talking in empty space, but it doesn’t really seem like that.
Because there was a human who showed up expressionlessly in shallow shadows right away.
The Marquis Bogart let out an absurd snort. To erase all signs of his body and hide in a shadow that could not be this shallow even if it was shallow.
It is clear that the prestige that one can infiltrate anywhere even if there is only a span of space where light cannot reach is not a lie.
“…It’s a skill worthy of a person engaged in a job with only two people on the continent.”
Marquis Bogart continued, looking at the two animal ears poking over his opponent’s head.
Bipeds, a race that is severely discriminated within the Empire.
It would be suicidal for such a race to be in one of the most representative noble estates of the Empire, but it’s nothing strange to us,
“Nice to meet you, Grand Assassin. It’s the first time I’ve met you in person, not in writing.”
“…”
“Come to think of it, was every other Grand Assassin part of your family? All of my blood relatives are very extraordinary-“
“The matter is.”
I can’t even eat the seeds.
This is the first time I have met the author of Grand Assassin, but the hardness I felt in writing is not that different from seeing his face in real life.
“…That’s the target.”
The Marquis Bogart looked around the duke’s residence and continued.
“Did you check it from afar? What are you doing with the ‘Devil’s Vessel’?”
“…I don’t accept requests to assassinate that man.”
That answer came back in a toneless voice.
“The other side has already put an assassin on the Seonghwang-guk side. It’s not okay to get entangled badly with people in the same industry.”
“No. It’s not killing.”
“…What?”
Then why hire an assassin? It was an answer full of questions, but Marquis Bogart smiled and continued his explanation.
“What that man just did is just the beginning. Perhaps from now on, the activities of demons around that man will begin in earnest. And you are the only ‘human’ who can observe it in detail without being caught and sober.”
“…”
“You know why I hired you, right?”
“…”
It was hard to see because his entire face was tightly covered with a hood, but the Marquis Bogart continued to speak with a grin again to the opponent who was probably frowning.
“Infiltrate the academy. The closer you get to that guy, the better. If there is any activity that stands out, please report it to me.”
Marquis Bogart paused for a moment before adding a meaningful smile.
“…If I’m lucky, I might even run into your family.”
“…”
The opponent, who had been silent for a while, opened his mouth with a laugh.
“I don’t care about that.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Again, just before disappearing into the shadows.
The other person continued with a cool voice.
“Because you betrayed me.”
“…”
Marquis Bogut silently looked at the opponent who disappeared with such a sentence.
‘…Betrayal.’
It’s a familiar word to him as well.
There will be more in the future.
From noble mtl dot com
“-!”
Suddenly, thinking so, he violently bent his upper body forward.
A violent cough bursting from the stomach, accompanied by terrible pain to the point that blood pooled in the mouth.
“…”
He covered his mouth with a wry smile.
The white breath leaking out of his mouth was mixed with the fishy smell of blood.
“…I hope you can hold on a little longer. You’ve done well so far, Bogut.”
Muttering so, Bogart instinctively grabbed his own neck. It was a habit he always did whenever this phenomenon came to him.
However, the rocket that was supposed to be there was out of hand.
A locket containing a photo of him, Astrid, and Armin together.
“…”
As expected.
It was good that I gave it to Armin and came out.
Every time I try to be weak, it feels like I’ve dropped the bad habit of relying on you.
Instead.
He gritted his teeth and recalled the words engraved on the locket.
“Friends.”
From now on, forever.
Until death do them part, on and on.
“Just a little more, guys.”
It’s not long.
Now, it’s really right in front of you.
Until he fulfills what he promised them.
“…Just a little more, Astrid.”
Muttering that, Bogut started moving forward with a staggering gait.
It didn’t take long for the figure to completely disappear into the darkness.
●
Recovery wasn’t that difficult.
The magic of the white devil is sure to have an adverse effect on a person’s mind, but luckily it’s just a piece now. It is said that there are no serious aftereffects.
Those who come to their senses may wonder why the banquet hall is so quiet, why they were just standing there blankly.
‘…Thanks to that, I passed it smoothly.’
With that in mind, I look at His Majesty the Emperor, who walks around the banquet hall and greets nobles.
No matter how hectic he is, in front of the ruler of the empire, everyone has no choice but to pay attention to that side. Even if you feel strange, you are forced to act normally.
Thanks to that, the banquet hall regained its usual atmosphere, although not as much as before.
“Isn’t the atmosphere a bit cluttered?”
However, such an appearance seemed very strange to Elnor, who had just entered the banquet hall.
With those words, El Nore looked around her with a strange expression.
“…Isn’t it because of my mood?”
I pull out those words with a smile that I laboriously made up.
Fortunately, it’s fortunate that this person showed up late because he was preparing something from somewhere.
If YuRia, who had lost her mind, had not been sent to her lodgings right away with Lucien’s side and destroyed her evidence, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to run wild, asking what she was doing in her own house.
“…I see.”
After answering that with a tilt of his head, Elnor walked toward me as if he was okay with that.
A white dress, earrings, a decoration on top of her head, and sparkly shoes.
“…”
To be honest.
It is breathtakingly beautiful.
The reason she didn’t show up at the banquet hall for a long time was to the extent that she believed it was just for her appearance.
“Then.”
With that look, El Nore slowly held out her hand to me.
“Shall we dance a song, Dawood?”
“…Yes?”
Before she had time to say anything, El Nore, who slightly twisted the corner of her mouth, took her hand and dragged her away.
The place to be taken is the center of the stage. It is right in front of the stage where the orchestra plays. A place where like-minded men and women dance with each other as partners.
“…Elnor?”
She says, twitching the muscles in her face.
Attention is already focused on the surroundings. There were some cases where I was dragged in so violently that it was noticeable, but the target was none other than Princess Tristan.
Since the person who is the owner of the party dragged out his partner, there’s no way he can’t keep an eye on it.
“…”
And, in other words.
This is a loud declaration.
This man is my partner. Don’t touch anyone
The problem.
“Elnor.”
He whispers quickly in a low voice.
“It’s my first time dancing…!”
“I know.”
“…Yes?”
“I was sure you were the first, so I brought you.”
After saying that with a light smile, Elnor continued with a delightful voice.
“I will lead. Just follow me.”
With those words.
Elnor started to lead my movements naturally.
When I was young, I learned simple dance from my father, saying that it was an aristocratic skill, but thanks to that, I was able to blend in naturally without standing out too much.
“This is my revenge.”
Suddenly, that voice flew in again.
“Yes?”
“When you return to Elfante, you will most likely go up to District 3 with a high probability. I mean, there are a lot of outstanding balls. Do you know what that means?”
A mischievous smile crept across Elnor’s face.
“You mean ‘Gohakgun’. Treated just like frontline forces in the field. Now, the events you will experience in the academy will enter a completely different phase than before.”
“…”
That means.
“New events, opportunities, and countless experiences will come to you in the future. And.”
A sharp turn.
The dance moves changed as if they were sticking to each other, and Elnor whispered sweetly in my ear at that moment.
“Every time, I will take that ‘first’. Like this now, like I took away your ‘first dance’,”
“…”
“Think of it as revenge for you stealing my heart.”
That’s true.
What should I say?
“…A terrible revenge.”
This is a revenge worthy of this man.
Thinking of that while smiling wryly.
[Yes. But now that I’ve heard this, I won’t be able to find out more.]
‘Yes?’
[Isn’t there a ‘first’ that this person couldn’t take?]
‘…’
[What will happen if you find out who your virgin was stolen from…]
No, what.
No matter how much I think about it, there is no real answer.
‘…Let’s think about that later, Caliban.’
I answered that, and for now, I focus on dancing on stage with Elnor.
It’s clear that he’s dressed up tremendously for this. Can’t disappoint
Fortunately, even with my poor dancing skills, thanks to this person’s lead, the movements somehow continue smoothly.
‘…Am I going to get over it this time too?’
And like that dance.
It seems that the case will be over soon.
To be honest, until I was invited to the Duchy of Tristan, I was really nervous that something big would happen, but I feel fortunate that it wasn’t to that extent.
“…”
Well.
If it’s the only thing you’re worried about right now.
Is it because the emperor is looking at me and Elnorre dancing on the stage with interest enough to make me suspicious?
As if.
Like being envious. With a hint of envy.
“…”
Cecilia XI.
Until the party was over, he didn’t show signs of it.
●
“How was the outing, Your Majesty?”
Suddenly, such a sentence flew at the emperor who walked silently with a cane.
As soon as I got near the carriage, the swordsman who was sitting on the driver’s seat and holding the whip asked such a question.
The emperor stared blankly at him.
It seemed like he was thinking deeply about something. I just keep looking at him without saying anything.
“…Your Majesty?”
Rad asked again, furrowing his brows a little.
“Lard.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I am listening.”
“Have you ever been to school?”
That’s a strange question.
But there is nothing difficult to answer.
“No. I was born and raised in the Order of the Knights, so I never had a chance to come across such a place.”
“I see.”
The emperor smiled and continued.
“I don’t have one either.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, the Sword Master managed to raise an additional question.
“Can I ask why you’re curious about that all of a sudden?”
“You looked happy. Speaking of Elnor.”
“…Is that so?”
The Sword Saint said that in a voice that sensed something uneasy.
I can say it with more confidence because I always support her by her side.
Cecilia XI is a human being who casually commits eccentricities that sometimes shock those around her.
And the atmosphere she was exuding was the same as right before she did that.
“Lard.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Me too. When I go to school, I wonder if I can make such a wonderful connection with someone.”
“…Yes?”
Rad asked back in a voice that gave goosebumps.
No way.
The emperor, the ruler of the empire himself.
Are you saying you’re going to enter an educational institution under the Empire?
A total crisis worse than the commander-in-chief enlisting as a low-level soldier in the army…!
“That’s just what I said.”
“…”
“If the emperor said he was going to school, wouldn’t there be a skit like that? You’re going to faint in Elfante. There will be a lot of problems politically.”
“…Isn’t that right, after all?”
He smiled and tried to answer.
Yes. After all, I’m glad the emperor wasn’t that crazy-
“Then, if you are going as a non-emperor…”
“…”
“…Hmm.”
From noble mtl dot com
“…”
“Hmm. Hmm. Perhaps…”
Lard closed her eyes tightly.
For him, it was undoubtedly force majeure.
●