Chapter 9 - Birthday Night

In the family castle, which was in the middle of their estate, everyone was rushing. The servants hurried to finish cleaning the rooms, while others rushed to decorate the main hall. Cooks do their best to prepare the best dish of their lives.

The guards put on their most resplendent armor as the principle captain of the guard lectured and amnosted them to be perfect. The main butler moved from room to room to check that everything was perfect before welcoming the convives over.

Today was the birthday of young master Rohan. In normal times, although the birthday of the son of the count led the castle to make a buffet and invite the noble surroundings, never the things would have been done in such proportion.

All this effervescence came from a message that had arrived the day before: The mighty General Chrisfold, rank 13 Advanced Warrior, and his brother, the prestigious nobleman possessing the Duchy of Barnes, Duke Chrisfold, had sent a message saying that they would like to be be present for Rohan's birthday.

This news had circulated around the duchy in a matter of moments, and as a result, all the other prestigious nobles would no doubt come in the hopes of approaching the duke.

Of course, as a rule of thumb, a nobleman would never come without an invitation, moreover, since Rohan's father was a count, not everyone could show up like that!

This situation being somewhat special, Rohan's mother decided to use this opportunity to bring together as many nobles as possible. Thus, she sent letters of invitation to practically every noble family in the duchy, as long as they had either money or prestigious status.

So things exploded like this, and Rohan, standing in his room with a dead man's expression, allowed himself to be dressed by a maid.

"Tell me Jonas."

His butler, who was waiting at the side looking out the window, turned his face and focused on Rohan.

"Yes young master?"

Rohan, with his special 'I want to kill everyone involved' expression, stared at Jonas in the eyes.

"I had no idea it was my wedding today."

"It's because it is not, young master."

"So maybe my grandfather died yesterday and today is his funeral?"

The servant, who continued to dress Rohan, flinched a little upon hearing this sentence, but reprized herself in the process. Jonas, meanwhile, had no reaction.

"Neither it is, young master, he has been deceased for many years now. You were also present during his funeral if you can remember."

"So can you tell me what's going on today? Why am I dressed like a doll for my fourteenth birthday when everyone doesn't even give a shit? Hell, I don't give a shit about it either ! "

"The most powerful nobles of all the duchy have been invited, so you have a duty to be presentable before them young master. Moreover, if I may say, you are now fourteen years old. To put you in the greatest light and to bring you to court women should also be your duty for tonight, young master. "

"Ha! And what a feminine kind, tell me! Each is more ridiculous than the next, spending their time talking about the gossip of the nobleman next door or the new rejuvenating potion that costs more than an estate. The last time I talked with a girl of my age about a book I had read, I thought I was going to murder her. "

The maid, livid, almost dropped the fabric in her hand. She tried her best not to listen to the conversation, but it was not as easy as it may seem.

"Besides your judgment for these women, young master, old ties with people of your age could be beneficial to you later, you can for example start with those who were with you on the day of your promotion. What do you think about this excellent idea, young master? "

"Bha, of course, children who have been brainwashed from birth to be spitting portraits of their father, or even their great grandfather, and who have taken the path of being warriors to please their daddy darling. Definitely better than spoiled rotten princesses."

The maid, with trembling hands, got up and took a step back.

"Young master, the outfit is finished, would you like to look at yourself in the mirror to see how it looks on you?"

"Sure, why not, it'll waste our time before I must go."

The dress he was wearing came down to his feet. It was a classic outfit for nobles, pale green with yellow edging. It fit him perfectly, and highlighted his fit body. At first glance, the quality of the fabric was high, his family had to pay the price for it.

"Look at this, why don't I have some magic lights on it, just to get even more attention?"

*sigh*

"You did a good job, thank you. You can go now. "

As Rohan prepared to leave his room and head for the hall, he put his warrior's badge on his chest. A warrior always had to show his status.

Jonas raised an eyebrow when he saw the number 1 displayed on the badge, but refrained from commenting. It didn't make much difference whether there was a 1 or 2, and he knew that at least the reaction of the guests would be less exciting, exactly what Rohan wanted to evade.

The sun had already started to set, and the guests were starting to arrive. The names and titles of each individual were thus shouted from time to time in the large decorated hall.

And when the nobles who arrived were friends of the family, or the family of a count, Rohan and his father went to welcome them together.

The room filled up, and different status groups had already settled in. Large tables had been moved earlier, and on top were placed various dishes, drinks, which each guest was free to help themselves.

"The Duke of Barnes, and his wife, Duke Chrisfold and Duchess Chrisfold."

"The Protector of the Duchy, General Chrisfold."

As the servant's voice echoed through the room, the ambient hubbub immediately died down. Each guest turned towards the main entrance.

It was very rare to see the Duke at this kind of buffet, so every nobleman had done their best to be present.

It was always complicated to know when to arrive in the room, you certainly shouldn't enter after the Duke and Duchess, it might be frowned upon, but arriving too early could also be evidence of too low a status.

Where it was rare to meet the Duke, it was almost impossible to see the Protector of the Duchy, so all the guests wondered what were the possible links between the Chrisfold family and that of Rohan.

Before anyone could recover from the idea that they were in the presence of the most prestigious family in the duchy, another servant arrived with a man dressed simply in a gray robe.

"The Protector of the Duchy, Wizard Mardrick."

A silence even heavier than before engulfed the room. Even Roland was shocked. Never had a wizard deigned to participate in a simple nobleman's buffet.

His wife, elegantly dressed in a dazzling dress, was overwhelmed with joy. She motioned for Luke to take this opportunity to approach this individual.

Although Wizard Mardrick and General Chrisfold both had the same title of Protector, the latter was just a 'simple' warrior. The wizards were much more mysterious, especially in this small duchy.

Rohan hurried with his father to welcome these most powerful men, and accompanied them inside. The evening had officially ended and the night began.

Rohan left his father with the duke, and wandered from guest to guest, a cup of fruit juice in his hands. He would just exchange a few courtesies with people, nothing more, and leave them between them.

Rohan spent some time like that politely greeting all those who had taken the trouble to come before thinking about leaving. 'I mean, I talked to everybody so I can go now right ?'

But, as he wanted to find an excuse to leave this cursed place, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his butler, Jonas, pointing with his chin at a group of people to signal him to go toward them.

This group was where the sons and daughters of the noblemen were having fun. He had especially avoided these people earlier when he was greeting the guests.

With a sigh of resignation, he decided to go. After all, Jonas wasn't totally wrong, bonding could still be useful. And who knows, maybe he was going to have a good time, and even make a few friends !

As he approached this group, he heard an obnoxious and unbearable laughter reaching his ears.

Well that was it, at least he had made the effort to try. Then, seeing that the night was well advanced and that no one was paying attention to him, he was about to slip away discreetly. But as he approached a side door, suddenly, a voice called out from behind him.

"Rohan!"

Turning around, he saw a young man, presumably his age, standing there, upright as a stake with an expression of superiority on his face.

"Yes ? Maybe we know each other ?"

Calling him by his first name like that was already a lack of politeness, more, for some reason he did not explain, he wanted to slap this person. Maybe it was because of his expression of the typical nobleman who looks at the peasants like cattle and rapes his maids at night.

He didn't really invent the last part, he had already heard this kind of discussion between young noble sons, it was apparently a common activity. One of the reasons why he did not come closer to these bastards.

Otherwise he would already be arrested and may be executed for murdering several nobles. Truly, he really looked with disdain at these pathetics nobles.

His deep disgust must have been shown on his face, as the person in front of him got angry.

"How dare you look at me like that ?! I remind you that we were in the same group to become warriors a few months ago! Not that I expect a false nobleman to remember it.. I am Mileim, son of Count Gourdo. "