27 – Invitation – 3
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I had closed my eyes in the rattling carriage, but I stopped playing the chant and slowly opened my eyes.
It has already been more than a week since we left the territory. Looking out the window and looking around, I turned my eyes to the luxurious box on Lucy’s lap.
That was our present.
Originally, like the other nobles who were invited, we would have to put in effort to find gifts, but our gifts have already been decided.
There was something prepared separately from the letter Count Estal sent to Balonde.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“The important thing is not the price. It’s the heart inside it.”
Yes. I wonder if this would be enough to make Count Esthtal thrilled. I looked at the box Lucy was holding dearly.
I hope that our hearts contained in it will be conveyed well to Count Estal.
“Oh, no, it’s not like that…”
At her worried words, I smiled once and glanced outside.
“The land is very wide.”
“Because the Countess of Estal occupies half of the kingdom. That’s why even the royal family said they couldn’t touch Countess Estal.”
I heard from Cecil that there was a time when the royal family dreamed of centralizing power, but it was said that it was thwarted by Count Estal in his youth.
After that incident, Count Estal’s influence grew rapidly within the kingdom, and he used that influence to conduct several territory wars. He created a great estate by absorbing other fiefdoms, and then made the lords around him swear an oath of subordination.
In other words, this is the kingdom of Otland, but it could be seen that the influence of the Earl of Estal is much greater than the royal authority.
“My sister said that this place is a kind of county. They say that territory laws take precedence over kingdom laws.
It was then. The wagon stopped. Looking outside, there were already quite a few wagons gathered on the road leading to the count’s castle.
“There are many people who want to enter the castle.”
“…I will.”
This is enough to call it spectacular.
There is still quite a bit left to the castle, but the road big enough for three wagons to pass at once has been blocked.
If you sell squid and fried dumplings here, they will sell well.
I looked at the carriage next to me and asked the driver.
“How long do you think it will take?”
“Well… I don’t know how long it will take because I got stuck in front of this.”
Even the coachman, who boasts a long career, had this kind of experience for the first time, and there was a hint of embarrassment in his voice. Looking around, other coachmen seem to be similar.
After I told him I didn’t know the carriage, I got off the carriage.
“How long have you been waiting here?”
And after walking quite a bit forward, I asked a coachman who was holding the reins with a bored expression on his face. He slightly lifted his buttock and, looking away toward the castle, raised two of his fingers.
“Twenty minutes?”
“Two hours.”
Wow. You waited here for two hours? So maybe we’ll have to wait here all day to get into the castle?
“I’d rather walk…”
“Will the nobles do that?”
“hahahaha. That’s right.”
Yes. Ordinary nobles would snort at being told to walk to the castle.
But Lucy is far from your average aristocrat. Returning to the carriage, I explained the situation, and she got off the carriage as if it were natural.
“What about the luggage?”
“I have to carry it. Waiting for the wagon to come will take time.”
I took out the luggage on top of the wagon. I have very little of my luggage and most of it is Lucy’s.
Of course, her luggage wasn’t too much. A party dress and a change of clothes. And there was only a gift box to send to Count Esthal and personal belongings that could fit in a small bag.
“Please.”
“It’s mine, so I’ll carry it.”
I told the coachman to come slowly into the castle, and when I lifted all the luggage, Lucy shouted urgently.
But I didn’t have to listen, so I whistled and walked ahead, and eventually, with a pout on her face, she walked beside me.
“Cheonyeong. You are not a servant. Then it is only right that you carry your own burden.”
“Of course it is. But wouldn’t it be better to have someone with extra strength?”
It’s lighter than a feather to me, but it’s quite heavy to Lucy. To get to the castle from here, and from the castle to the count’s mansion, we had to walk quite a bit.
If Lucy had good stamina like Elan, she wouldn’t know. It must be difficult just walking to the entrance of the castle, but carrying the luggage would be exhausting.
Then it’s much better for me to take it.
“Really… Phew. Thank you.”
“He says everything.”
As I walked along her pavilion, I saw some nobles walking on their own feet as if they couldn’t help it.
The fact that most of them are wearing weapons makes them look like nobles on the unmanned side.
As expected, it seems that ordinary aristocrats are just waiting.
“Oh honey, the lady over there is walking too.”
At that time, two sturdy male and female nobles who appeared to be middle-aged laughed and started talking. Lucy smiled at them and slightly lowered her head.
“This is Lucy Stein from Baron Stein.”
“This is a late introduction. Call it Baron Varian of Lordaeron.”
“I’m Ryuin Varian. My husband and I both earned our titles on the battlefield. So please understand that I don’t know the etiquette of nobles.”
Looking at the scars on their faces, they definitely look like people who were rolling on the battlefield. Not just for one or two years, but for at least ten years.
It seems defenseless as it walks around, but it is ready to draw its weapon at any time.
There is also a lot of caution.
“Anyway, you seem normal for someone who serves a beautiful lady… Will you be okay?”
“If you want, we can get the bastards off the sidelines. How about it? Would you like to come along?”
I heard that at a party like this, your position in the party changes depending on who you’re with. Then you’d better go to a better side than us.
“To be honest, it’s my first time participating in a party like this, so there are many things I don’t know. I didn’t really want to come, but my wife insisted on going…”
“Honey. I received an invitation, but it’s a big impoliteness if you don’t go.”
“hahahahaha. Anyway, that’s right. The lady looks classy and seems to know the etiquette of a party like this. How about we protect her and she teaches us the etiquette of a party?”
It’s a good deal in its own way. But considering what we’re going to do, I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do with them.
“What should I do?”
I asked Lucy, and she thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“I’m sorry. Can I introduce you to some nice people instead?”
“Ahahahaha. This seems like a burden for no reason.”
Baron Varian of Lordaeron laughed awkwardly after being rejected. But what can I do? What has already been rejected.
“Then why don’t we go with you at least until we’re gone? In the meantime, I’d like to ask you to be my companion.”
“That’s fine. Cheonyoung. Are you okay?”
“As you wish.”
I can’t let you do things like this. I walked with my luggage while she had a rather pleasant chat with the two middle-aged men.
In the middle of the story, I was able to get some pretty good information. That a black alchemist had appeared on the battlefield, or that the situation on the continent was strange recently. To hear that barbarians in the north suddenly disappeared.
They generously gave us quite advanced information, so the road to the gate was not boring.
“You’ve arrived now.”
There seemed to be quite a few people like us walking through the gate. Some were yelling at the guards as if they didn’t like the situation.
But what can I do? What’s sad is that they are themselves.
I finally turned my attention to Lucy when I saw that a nobleman, exhausted from screaming, was carried inside by a servant.
“Why?”
“Can I pick you up?”
“Hohoho. It’s okay. I’m strong! I have good stamina! It’s hard to see me as an ordinary aristocratic lady.”
You look tired. What?
But I just nodded my head because I couldn’t keep recommending him even though he said he would do it.
Then it was our turn and the soldier approached.
“Where are you from?”
“This is Lucy Stein from the Stein Territory. This is Chunyoung, a vassal.”
“Stein… Ah. Yes. Yes. Welcome from far away. Wearing this will allow you to enter the inner world.”
“Thank you.”
Lucy seemed a little taken aback by the soldier’s polite response.
Obviously, I was a bit embarrassed too.
‘Get those bastards out of jail right away!’ ‘The Count told me to crawl up to the castle.’ I thought it would do it to an extent.
“…What happened?”
“That’s right. Well… It doesn’t matter anyway.”
If you don’t provoke from the beginning, there’s no need to move.
“This makes me nervous.”
“I will.”
The couple next to me were showing off that it was their first time. The more you go inside, the more nervous you see. To them, Lucy smiled and spoke kindly.
“There’s nothing much different about a party. Naturalness is important. So it’s better not to be too nervous.”
“Ahhhhh. I’m really cramped in a place like this.”
“I’d rather be on the battlefield…”
“I heard that even a party like this is like a battlefield, with nothing but knives.”
Cecile was like that.
Aristocratic parties are said to be a battleground for fighting with words.
Of course, I didn’t intend to fight with words over my good fists, so I just said I knew.
Can these people survive this battlefield?
“Come on guys.”
It was when I arrived near the castle while thinking about this and that.
An old man was standing on the stairs leading up to the inner castle.
He was quite a big man for an old man.
He was almost the same height and build as Atram, and his gray hair and wrinkled face showed quite strong fighting spirit.
That’s right. I ate something good, so should I correct that?
I wish I could share some good ones.
“Miss Lucy Stein. And… Cheonyoung. It’s an honor to meet you. Estal Pierre. Please call me Countess Estal.”
You knew about us, too. Lucy bit his lip, and I smiled and told him instead of Lucy.
“hahahahaha! It’s an honor to meet Count Estal, whom I’ve only heard about in words. And the gift you sent me was well received.”
So I hope you accept our present well.