Chapter 348. Kingdom of different races (3) Tonight as planned.
A party was held to welcome our visit.
Dressed up to the fullest, we followed the guide and headed to the banquet hall.
Upon entering the banquet hall, we glanced around the hall and admired it.
‘Really… Did he care enough about his appearance to invite us and show us?’
It has something in common with a party usually hosted, but also shows a different side.
Perhaps the basic procedures were based on those of the human kingdom, but the decorations and styles were based on their own.
Even the lights that illuminate the inside of the banquet hall do not come from chandeliers.
Instead of candles, something like light grains emitting soft light floats around us.
is it magic
The music that comes to my ears is not played by someone else, but it is played by itself even though there are only instruments lying around.
But that’s more grotesque than mysterious. A bit excessive in my opinion. What kind of ghost orchestra is this?
“… Indeed, it’s different from the magic we humans use.”
Next to me, Dia noticed it and showed a slight interest.
“Hmm, how does it look different?”
“It’s a bit more intuitive. It feels like emotion rather than calculation.”
In that short period of time, she seemed to feel a sensory difference from magic used by humans.
Since the style is different from the magic that has been handed down among humans so far, she seems to have developed curiosity as a magician as well.
Shall we see if we can get some data related to the magic here?
I think it will be a good research material.
“I don’t know much about magic, but everyone is unique
.”
I also affirmed the impression Pena muttered.
The style is unique, but what she says about it must be the atmosphere itself.
It was the heterogeneous people who attended the party that created the unique atmosphere.
Various tribes gather to drink, eat, and chat.
Elves, minotaurs, dwarves and mermaids… In addition, other races known to be incompatible are enjoying the banquet atmosphere together.
Although each of them may have different looks and customs, they naturally enjoy themselves in the same place.
It felt like they didn’t care too much.
“Even though they are of different races, they can be together like this.”
“Even though we look different, do you feel like we’re friends?”
It’s an atmosphere where Pena doesn’t care anymore, except for the first time, to see if she can adapt to this atmosphere.
The escorts seemed nervous as well, but more relaxed than at first.
‘Looks like it’s not just domination, it’s literal unity….
While I was sneaking into my thoughts, there was a woman coming towards us.
A woman wearing a crown and covering her face with a veil…?
At first, I thought it was someone, but I noticed it soon after seeing the color of the hair flowing out of the veil.
I remember that messy hair color.
The Queen of Kelia, Hetia Loa Jewirenros.
‘Looking at this, you look sober again?’
Since I only remember the way I was openly drunk, it’s strange to see the clean look now.
A person like that is doing his job.
I was amazed again.
While I was thinking these silly thoughts, the Queen welcomed us.
“I am so glad you came here. Guests from the kingdom of Ernesia.”
“I am honored to invite you personally, Her Majesty the Queen.”
The place is different from then.
Both I and the Queen put on a pretentious voice and treat each other in a businesslike way.
Mmm.
The Queen’s eyes were not only on me, but also on Pena next to me.
Then to the aides.
Penado felt the queen’s gaze and hurriedly raised her greetings.
Even his aides do not speak and are quietly polite.
“Nice to meet you, Her Majesty the Queen.”
“The atmosphere may be unfamiliar, but I ask for your understanding. Putting him second, I don’t know if this kind of atmosphere would be okay for girls from other countries.”
“Don’t worry. It’s a beautiful enough atmosphere.”
Pena responded calmly to the queen who smiled bitterly.
“Did you mean decoration?”
“That’s not all. Wouldn’t it be more beautiful than anything to have a banquet where all the different races can enjoy the banquet?”
I looked at Pena, who was talking plausible nonsense without any hindrance, with mischievous eyes.
If you think about it, is it natural that you know how to pretend so skillfully?
For girls from aristocratic circles, social gatherings are a battlefield where not a single mistake or mistake is tolerated.
Their world begins with pretense and ends with pretense.
It’s a world I hate.
“I really admire Her Majesty the Queen for creating such an event.”
….Sorry, I got chicken skin.
How can you say something like that without spitting on your lips?
When I glanced at it like this, Pena, who clearly knew what I was thinking, just smiled and replied with a wink as if she had something to say later.
“I’m glad you think so.”
The queen nodded happily, as if she liked what Pena said.
“Well, even if they look like that, they must be nervous too. I’m sure you’ll be relieved to hear that.”
“Tension…?”
Pena pretended to be puzzled.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a banquet like this. There was so much talk about preparation…. Huhuhuhu. In fact, you wouldn’t know how stubborn the elves were with just one light floating overhead.”
“Come to think of it, I thought it was a little odd. I heard that the festival of different races is different from here now.”
I sneaked in.
It was definitely different from what was handed down in the literature or what the Dwarf blacksmiths said.
That thing bothered me.
“Which way it feels like it’s just in line with the trend of the continent?”
“Exactly!”
The Queen nodded as if she had guessed right.
“Even now, the festival you mentioned is being passed down. It is constantly open in each province. That too is a sight to behold. But it seems strange to humans. I secretly called a human merchant in the past, and I was very puzzled.”
“I can’t deny that for sure.”
“I heard that human nobles have strong pride. That’s why we also wanted to show a look that could be called elegant by their standards. How is it?”
” aha??????
Only then did I understand
I’ve heard rumors that there are still opinions in other countries that look down on Kelly as a barbarian.
It is inevitable that there is prejudice in the past.
Prejudice has no choice but to break through their own efforts.
That’s why they would have wanted to appeal that they are not lagging behind human civilization.
‘And are we the test for it?’ It must have been his true intention to invite him.
But on the other hand, they might have wanted to test how they would look.
“I also put a lot of effort into cooking to suit your tastes, so I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to tell me your impressions.”
“In that case, I will give my opinion without hesitation.”
If it doesn’t taste good, I’ll call the chef and seriously criticize it. I’m kidding.
‘Are you more active in exchange than expected?’
Can you see the behavior of the queen now?
It may be a little sooner that Kelly take a proper position in the competition with other countries.
After all, the basic materials are well equipped.
In addition to the superior labor force than humans, the magic ability is also higher on average.
In particular, there is a theory that elves are role models for magic used by humans.
With this potential, in the future, if properly guided, it should be able to easily surpass other countries.
Well, maybe not as much as we do.
Because I am on this side.
At least as long as I exist, the Kingdom of Ernesia will not fall behind.
Should I remember it for now?
“Also, even if it’s not a place like this, I want to have a conversation with a genius like you, so I hope there will be exchanges in the future.”
“You are welcome anytime.”
I readily answered her.
Afterwards, the queen chatted a little more and said that she would like to enjoy the banquet, then moved to another place for a while.
If you keep talking only to the queen, this side will not be able to enjoy the things they want to brag about, so let’s talk about it later.
“. Arell.”
“hmm?”
After the queen had left, Pena spoke to me quietly.
“The queen must be of a different race, right?”
“I guess… maybe?”
This time, I have no choice but to give a slightly puzzled answer.
Pena tilted her head as she looked in the direction the queen had gone, as if something bothered her.
“Which race is she?”
It may have been a bit rude, but Pena had no choice but to ask such a question.
It is difficult to deduce the queen’s race purely from her appearance.
“First of all, there is almost no difference in appearance from humans, so it is certain that it is not at least a lizardman or a minotaur harpy… For an elf, it is too snobbish. Can’t you tell them apart by your presence?”
“I can’t tell them apart.”
Pena responded immediately.
Spirituals are developed in a slightly different direction than other masters.
That’s why they should be good at detecting identities and distinguishing the unique signs of their race.
But that Pena said he didn’t know.
“Actually, I was curious too, so I kept checking the signs.”
“…You’re talking like that with the queen, don’t you?”
“But I don’t know. Do you feel all kinds of signs?”
“…Many signs.”
I murmured as I peeked at the queen, who was conversing with a mermaid with only her upper body exposed in the water droplets that were made into spheres by magic and floated.
That’s right, Pena felt the same way.
“You will find out when the opportunity arises someday.”
Because there seem to be many opportunities to talk.
“Because it is a rare place. Shouldn’t we enjoy as much as we enjoy, as the Queen recommends?”
If you talk too hard, it’s not fun.
I shrugged and said let’s forget the complicated stuff for now.
Don’t forget, we’re just on a trip this time.
That is, to play.
So all we have to do is have fun.
The party that welcomed us went off without a hitch.
At first, the different races, who glanced at us from a distance, as if they were wary of us humans, finally approached and talked to us one by one.
It seemed that they also had a sense of purpose.
During the conversation, he secretly asked for information such as fashion and food in other countries.
From what I hear, it seems that the different tribes participating today are all the ones who are assigned territories by the queen and lead each tribe.
They, too, have to be sensitive to this kind of information if they want to feed their tribe.
That’s why it pays a lot of attention to us.
In that respect, there is not much difference from the human nobles.
When I sneakily asked if there was any place to see, everyone started scrambling to appeal that there was something in their territory.
If the queen hadn’t intervened in the middle, it would have wasted time listening to the boasting of their territory the whole time.
But it’s not just that everyone is actively sending favors.
Although it was only a small part, I felt a gaze that was not so desirable.
It wasn’t really limiting.
It is simply unfamiliar to us.
It must be that humans themselves are still on guard.
That much would be unavoidable.
It’s because they’re just starting to come together.
‘Looks like the queen would have to go through a lot to lead them.’
The king can’t do anything either.
I realized it once again.
