[ Episode 227. The dukes and the ongoing strife]
The sudden visit of the dukes was enough to freeze the inside of the banquet hall.
Even the musicians, who were playing soft background music, stopped playing their instruments.
“what? What’s the mood like?”
Minus, wearing sunglasses, raised his arms and made a disapproving expression.
When the musicians came back to their senses and resumed playing, people began to move as if the stopped time was passing again.
“To think that the Duke of Alven and the Duke of Morhaime are coming at the same time…!”
“It must have come together, not at the same time. Could it be that they overlapped accidentally?”
“But you’re already coming. None of the marquises have come yet…”
The nobles below the viscount did not dare to meet their eyes and ran quickly to greet the two dukes.
I couldn’t stay still either, so when I got up and walked with the party, Minus suddenly looked in my direction.
“Who is this! Aren’t we Count Adrias Cromwell?”
He immediately approached me, ignoring all the nobles who had gathered around him.
Behind him, he saw his younger sister, Greta Morhaime.
“Meet Your Highness Morhaime.”
“What manners are between us? Rather than that, it seems like quite a while has passed since the war ended. How have you been?”
“Thanks to you, I was having a worthwhile day.”
“That’s good!”
It was very burdensome to see him patting my back and welcoming me so violently, but since the place was the place, I had no choice but to smile.
“Anyway, I didn’t know you would participate from day one. Everyone else is also surprised.”
Those who had been eavesdropping on our conversation quietly listened.
It seemed that everyone had no idea why the dukes had come so early.
“hmm? Of course I came early to see you. I knew you would come from day one.”
“Is that so.”
The answer was completely unexpected, but it seemed plausible.
My relationship with Morheim was like an alliance.
However, Minus’ remarks caused quite a stir.
“The duke of Morheim attended the banquet from the first day because of Cromwell?”
“The story that there was a deal between the two is already an open secret, but that’s what it means!”
The excited nobles seemed to have no intention of hiding it.
After spitting out such controversial words, Minus lifted his sunglasses and smiled.
“Who are the beautiful ladies next to you?”
“This is Lucia Everast, daughter of Viscount Hollington, Vivian Velokan from the Kingdom of Nichel, and my sister, Amy Cromwell.”
“Hmm…….”
Minus, who smiled strangely, felt uncomfortable for no reason.
What else are you trying to say with that expression?
“Why did you reject the engagement proposal?”
“You misunderstood.”
Once again, an enthusiastic response erupted from the surroundings.
I’m going to gossip for a while.
Now that I see it, it seems that he has not come here to talk about business, but simply to make fun of me.
It was really nice to see Greta behind Minus laughing with her mouth covered as if she was having fun.
“Adrias. Didn’t you even say hello to me?”
“It can’t be. Long time no see, Your Highness Alven.”
Fortunately, Minus’ teasing ended thanks to Bahat who spoke as if he had waited.
It was a matter of course, but Diene was also with Bahat.
She just greeted me with her eyes and immediately went up to my party and started chatting.
“I’ve heard many stories, but this is the first time I’ve seen you. My name is Murin Alven.”
“Nice to meet you, Duchess. This is Adrias Cromwell. I am always indebted to the Alven family.”
Duchess Murin, whose birth family was the Marquess of Oswald, had a slight age difference from Bahat and even had a baby face, so she looked very young.
It was to the point where she could be seen as a sister to Diene, but her expression was not very good.
“No matter how much Lee urged me to go see Mr. Cromwell…Originally, I was planning to attend in two days, but I came in such a hurry that I didn’t even prepare properly.”
“ma’am.”
Bahat was embarrassed with a troubled expression.
It wasn’t surprising since he was a pathetic character from the game, but it was just amazing to see him like that in real life.
“My daughter, let’s step back. Please have a good conversation…….”
When the Duchess left, Bahat tried to hide his embarrassment by clearing his throat.
Apparently, the word has been coming out since we left here.
“You are a beautiful person.”
“Well then. My wife is second only to my daughter.”
In any case, that arm’s length……
Anyway, if the story the Duchess said was true, the reason why the Alven family came early was because of me after all.
And maybe I wasn’t the only one who thought of it, but the nobles around me were so surprised that they couldn’t accept it.
“Because of two ducal families and only one earl?”
“Look carefully. No matter how much, His Excellency is only a count.”
I can hear you guys
Ignoring the noise around me, I asked the two dukes.
“Did you two come early because of me?”
“huh? Originally, I was the only one who came early, but I accidentally got in touch with the old man. At that time, I said that I would go soon to meet you, so he said he would go soon too.”
“It is not wrong. I actually came early to see you.”
Seeing the two of them affirming my question, I didn’t really realize the title of duke.
Maybe it’s because they’re the faces we see so often.
Now, even if he came to see me, it felt just like that.
“For now, let’s enjoy the banquet. I’ll call you later.”
After that, Minus waved his hand and disappeared into the middle of the banquet hall.
Should I say it’s like Minus?
Bahat also continued to glance in the direction the Duchess had disappeared, and then spoke to me.
“There is no need to have a conversation in such a noisy place. I’ll see you later too.”
Then, going quickly to the place where the Duchess was, felt a joy that was difficult to express in words.
“why? Did His Excellency’s future look overlap?”
As the dukes disappeared, someone came up to me among the scattered nobles and said,
It was Greta who had attractive brown skin.
“I saw that beautiful people were following me. After all, are heroes a popular corporation?”
“My younger sister and my academy classmates. It’s been a while, Miss Greta.”
“Are you trying to turn things around? I have no intention of making you uncomfortable. But these days, rumors about our relationship are spreading, and I’m in trouble. Do you have anything to say about this?”
I don’t feel uncomfortable.
I looked at Greta for a moment before putting down my cocktail glass.
“sorry. You unintentionally created an embarrassing situation.”
“Involuntarily? You don’t think our smart sir couldn’t have predicted that things would turn out like this?”
“Is there anything else you want?”
I said it as if it was nothing special, but in reality, my rejection of the engagement proposal was a serious blow to my image and reputation as a noble lady.
Since she is a duke, there will be no end to marriage talks, but if she was a woman from a weak family, it might have been difficult to get married.
“As expected, His Excellency is too cold-hearted. It would have been fine if it was just a warm word and consolation. Rather, when you say that, it seems that I have become a calculating person who just wants something and says it.”
“Excuse me. Please do not burden me with my words.”
Minus was a bit more easy to use, whereas Greta was not too picky.
Besides, she is not known to the world, but she is also a great martial artist.
If you were to pick the most difficult person to deal with in Morheim, she would confidently come first.
“oh. Aren’t you Miss Greta?”
At that time, Amy, who must have been chatting there, appeared before I knew it and pretended to know.
Upon her appearance, Greta’s expression changed interestingly as if she had met a match.
“It’s been a while, Miss Amy. How have you been?”
“sure. Thanks to you, I spent every day to the fullest.”
Amy said that and touched me.
“Viscount Hollington is looking for your brother over there. Are you busy right now?”
At a glance, the estimate comes out.
It was clear that the quick-witted Amy was there to help me.
And I am willing to accept that help.
“Miss Greta. Could we talk again next time? I will definitely think about an apology for this incident.”
“No apologies. You don’t have to. Since the banquet is long anyway, there will be plenty of opportunities to talk, so I’ll just let you go.”
Greta seemed to have noticed this shallow trick, but it was just passing through.
Amy seemed to have felt the same atmosphere, so she spoke kindly to Greta.
“There was something I wanted to share with Lady Greta. Would it be all right for a minute?”
“Sure. I’ll see you later, Sir Cromwell.”
After Greta disappeared, I thanked Amy and made my way to the place where Viscount Hollington was.
I didn’t do anything special, but I felt like I was already exhausted, so I felt strange.
“ha ha ha! Who is this! Aren’t you Sir Cromwell!”
Viscount Hollington, who was already very drunk, shouted as if telling the people around him to listen.
“Whoa.”
I’m going to take a deep breath.
It was only the first day of the banquet yet.
**
Two days after the banquet begins.
It was the day when all the aristocrats who participated in this war attended and finally had a non-commissioning ceremony.
Starting today, the royal family could also attend the banquet, so it could be seen as the culmination of the banquet.
“Thank you.”
I thanked the attendant for helping me get dressed and looked in the mirror.
In this world, there are not many things to look at in the mirror, so even after several years, there was a look that I was not used to.
“Is it time to cut your hair?”
She tied her long hair down in a ponytail.
Still, it would be polite to go in a neat appearance.
Amy should have gone ahead and been seated by now.
Those who will receive the award directly for the Nongonghaengsang are probably still preparing like me.
smart smart
“Sir Cromwell!”
“yes. who are you?”
“It is a message that Princess Michaela is visiting.”
……3 Princesses?
“You mean now?”
“That’s right.”
You say you’re coming at a time when you’re supposed to be participating in the Non-Gong Festival?
Something didn’t feel right.
And if it’s the Three Princesses, the royal family who even came to visit me when I cleared the Tower of Modras.
“His Excellency, Your Highness has arrived.”
“Come in.”
The room door opened, and two escort knights and several maids entered first.
Behind them, Michaela, whom I had seen before, slowly walked in with an expressionless face unlike before.
“Meet the noble person.”
“wake up.”
This is the Imperial Palace.
Contrary to what I saw from the outside, when I got down on one knee and greeted her, she immediately stood me up.
“I’m sorry for visiting so suddenly.”
“no. It is nothing but an honor.”
“Then I’ll just go.”
“……It was an honor to meet you.”
I was so confused that I almost couldn’t answer.
No matter what country this is, I have no choice but to panic.
It’s okay to come suddenly, but I’m going back right now, am I not awake right now?
‘What were you looking for? They just come and go?’
fuck?
Something was going strangely.
I didn’t know what it was, but I could intuitively feel that I was caught up in something unknown.
[Episode 227. The Dukes and the Ongoing Secret Fight] End
