CH 209

Opening

Translated by Raizu

There are over 200 Noble families belonging to the Levios Kingdom.

This is almost double the number of the Zinkaen Empire’s Nobles.

As far as I can see on the map, there is not that much of a difference in area between the Kingdom and the Empire. Despite this, there is a clear difference in the number of Noble families.

The Imperial Noble territory is often larger than the Royal aristocratic territory.

It’s easy to understand if you compare the size of the Sylopea territory with a three-level ABC relative evaluation. If you look at it as a Royal Noble, it will be an A grade, but if you look at it as an Imperial Noble, it would only amount to a B grade. That’s because there are many small Nobles in the Kingdom.

The western part of the continent, which is currently the territory of the Empire, was the site of the fiercest battles in the turbulent times, and the flames were burning up to the point of scorching the heavens. It was an era when many Noble families were reduced to ashes. However, it is also true that many ambitious Nobles have risen to power riding the updraft that was born there. Emperor Zinkaen goes without saying, and the Quordenze family and the Spierzeig family are also representative examples.

In the boiling melting pot that is western continent, it was easy for the Noble territories to consolidate or vanish. Their fate varies, from finding a strong boss early on and subordinating to them for protection, or falling down at once in the middle of a turbulent era, or just being lucky and somehow surviving… But even now, there are no Imperial Nobles who only have small territories..

On the other hand, even in the eastern part of the continent, the number of Noble families who made great strides was not so large.

The priest line is connected vertically, and the indigenous line is connected horizontally. This is the view expressed in his book by a historian who analyzed the warring period and the rise of the nobility.

Prior to the turbulent times, priestly Nobles who had more or less connections with the central government often got married to daughters of priestly families from the Holy City, or had marriage proposals with Nobles from other regions through the introduction of high-ranking priests. There was a tendency to emphasize the vertical relationship of “Priest and Noble”.

In comparison, the indigenous Nobles who originated from local Highlords had the idea of ​​​​valuing the connections between relatives, neighbors, and regions, in other words, the horizontal relationship between “Noble and other Nobles”. There may have been some aspiring Nobles who yearned for the Holy City, the center of continental culture, but it is said that there weren’t many of them.

And there were many indigenous Noble families in the eastern part of the continent.

They were also forced to go to war on the orders of their superior priests during the war, but they weren’t as eager to fight as the western Nobles. The opponents to fight are the neighbors who were close to each other on a daily basis, the local Nobles. They are like comrades-in-arms who can’t be said to be friends or foes in a single word, sometimes conflicting over rights and interests, sometimes connecting to maintain their homes, and sometimes joining forces in battles against mature demon beasts. is. They wouldn’t want to kill each other just because they were ordered to.

As a result, I think it’s unavoidable that the priest will be in a state of slapping each other in a friendly manner while looking at the priest’s complexion.

…..When you think about it, the Levios family, which began to move from the early stages of the turmoil and expanded greatly, is quite a different existence. The invader’s spirit was laid bare.

In the end, it wasn’t until the generation that knew the circle of the region disappeared that the eastern region really caught fire. For the generation born after the start of the turmoil, the local Nobles were not comrades-in-arms, but enemies fighting against their own family from the time they were born.

It took a generation or two for the eastern part to turn into a sea of ​​fire, compared to the western part, which immediately ignited and burst into flames like it was sprayed with kerosene.

Around the middle of the turbulent era, the amount of heat finally reached its peak.

However, at that time, there was a definite difference between the West and the East.

In the east, the influence of priests still remained. It was probably because the conflict continued, and the intervention of the priests continued halfway, making it a very troublesome situation.

On the other hand, the western part burned in flames early on, so by this time the vertical line of “Priests and Nobles” was completely reduced to ashes. It is said that the reason why the war continued was purely due to the Nobles’ ambition to grow, and that the existence of priests had ceased to serve as a just cause to spread war.

One can see this by looking at historical facts.

The first Noble nation on the Eruo continent was born in the western part of the continent 70 to 80 years after the start of the turmoil. In a world where the authority of priests is maintained, such as the establishment of a country by Nobles, it would never be allowed. Considering that around the same time, the Spierzeig family’s Voistra Kingdom was born, and several other nations were born after that, it is easy to surmise that the priestly power has lost its influence in the west.

However, the first Noble nation born in the east was the Levios Kingdom. Counting from the outbreak of the turbulent times, it will be about 120 or 130 years later. And so far this is the first and last Noble nation to be born in the East.

It is clear from historical facts that the western continent was the first to break free from the clutch of the priests.

It is said that the King especially hated priests and devoted himself to getting rid of them.

Hearing only this, it seems like a person who moves with passionate emotions. However, considering his later reign, which deserves to be described as absurd and reserved, I don’t think it can be said unconditionally.

In order to establish a Noble nation in the eastern part of the continent, it is essential to completely destroy the authority of the priest, as in the western part….. I think I would be convinced even if I was told that he was acting to hate the priest based on such cold-hearted calculations.

When I think about it, I think that there is something behind the advocacy of the independence and unity of the Nobles. For example, he wanted to bring an end to the war before the number of Nobles with large territories like in the west increased…

In any case, due to the slow start and the presence of the powerful Nobles of the Levios family in the eastern part of the continent, it was relatively easy for the Noble families to survive even if they were small.

It is quite natural that there are many small and medium-sized Nobles among the Royal Nobles.

Even so.

The Zinkaen Empire was a vertical system with the Emperor at the top, and the Levios Kingdom was a horizontal system where the Nobles were nominally equal. It’s quite interesting to note that they settled into a system similar to that before the turbulent times, although the form was different.

…..And so on, while thinking like I was half escaping from reality, I looked at the large number of Nobles wriggling in front of me.

My head felt dizzy.

[…..that’s an amazing number.]

The opening ceremony of the Royal Capital Social Gathering was held in a large conference hall called “Round Table Room”. It seems that there’s not much difference between the usual social gathering and the extraordinarily big one like this time.

It is said that the first King Levios once sat around a round table with neighboring Nobles under the blue sky of summer to discuss the establishment of a Noble nation. Well, in reality, it was probably just a follow-up confirmation rather than a discussion. In any case, having Nobles talk at a round table is an important ceremony for the Kingdom.

[Umu. It’s the first time I’ve seen them all together in one place.]

My father reacted briefly to my words.

Every year in mid-August in the Royal Capital, a meeting is held at the round tables hall. Even if it was called a meeting, it was just a dinner party between the heads of the Royal Noble households, and there was no obligation to attend. Basically, the Royal Nobles put their own territory as priority, so even if only 20% of the total attends, it’s still a lot.

And the period of about two months from the meeting in August is the Kingdom’s social season. Around October and November, it’s time to sow wheat seeds, so the Nobles naturally disappear from the Royal Capital.

The Royal Nobles who did not attend the meeting would visit the Royal Capital in September or October at a time convenient for the head of the family, as if to create an alibi, and returned home after about half a month. Depending on the house, it seems that there are places where they return in just about a week.

It’s truly a free Kingdom. However, a meeting between Nobles is also a difficult event to handle.

According to the values ​​of the Eruo continent, only a Highlord can take the place of another Highlord. In other words, it would be extremely disrespectful to dispatch a knight as a representative to a place where Nobles are expected to attend. It’s akin to saying, “You’re only as good as my Lord-class minion”.

A knight can pass a letter or gift from the master to the organizer and convey the words of the master, but they cannot attend the meeting in place of their master. This is because it is also considered as insulting to the other participants, who are Highlords.

And in the Kingdom, the independence of the nobility is respected. It is a very high hurdle to impose some kind of obligation on the family head. It was only natural that attendance at meetings would drop.

[Isn’t the round table usually used for this kind of event?]

[Yes. But not for this amount of people attending.]

Where did the name “Round Table Room” come from? Now, in this large conference hall, tables and chairs were set at equal intervals like a Japanese wedding reception hall. The shape of the table is a vertically long hexagon, the size is about one tatami mat, and one table is assigned to one Noble. In other words, there must be nearly 200 tables lined up in this room right now.

The large conference hall is spacious enough, but even so, it shouldn’t be possible to prepare a round table where all the Royal Nobles can sit. Even if one person has a width of one meter, there are more than 200 Nobles and two people of the present and next generation can sit, so 400 people, even by simple calculation, a round table with a circumference of 400 meters is required. Dividing this by the circumference of the circle, the diameter will be about 130 meters. Turning it into a reception hall would be an unavoidable decision.

However, consideration was given to the fact that the table was placed with the wheat symbol drawn on the flag of the Kingdom of Levios.

The table this time was not a round table, but it has the motif of the Levios flag.

The Levios flag is based on the equality of Nobles.

As mentioned above, although the round table will not be used this time, it will not shake the national policy of equality among the nobility. It’s a big deal for the Royal family to always be careful.

By the way, when the country was founded, they used a huge round table that was made by cutting down a large tree, but as the Kingdom’s nobility increased, they became unable to sit on it, and now it has changed to a donut-shaped round table made by connecting several desks.

Yesterday, when I visited the Royal castle, I asked Prince Dunkel if I could see the original round table, but unfortunately it was stored in an old warehouse in the castle town, so I couldn’t.

[Why bother still calling it round table when the actual round table is no longer used.]

[You have a point there. But, that would be a radical idea in the Kingdom.]

I think that the equal relationship between the Royal Nobles is already over, but it seems like it’s a topic that shouldn’t be talked about too loudly.

For the Quordenze family, it is convenient and easier to wage war if there is a theme that the Nobles are equal. There is no need to dare to deny it.

Maybe it’s because I’m in a bad mood, I just started thinking about trivial things.

[And don’t carelessly use magic detection. You’ll get dizzy.]

[Yes. I feel very sick already…]

Earlier, I unconsciously activated detection magic, and I was tormented by terrible discomfort.

Only the current generation, the next generation, and one subordinate are allowed to enter this large conference hall. Basically, every house has a head knight in the subordinate frame, and the Quordenze family also has a knight Gatoren.

There seems to be some despairing families like the Evenafis family who don’t have a next generation, but since they are basically the same as the current generation’s next generation, a simple calculation shows that there were about 400 Highlords in this room. It’s an incredible space.

Even though it’s a large room, frankly speaking, it’s an abnormal state for so many Highlords to gather in one room.

The detection magic that I inadvertently released captured the horde, and I was blinded by the powerful rush of magical power unique to the Highlord…my brain was dizzy. A flash of light pierced through my head, and my thoughts became pure white for a moment. The pressure of information seemed to crush my brain.

Frankly, I felt pretty sick.

My father was looking at me with a slightly frightened face. At this rate, I’m a foolish son who was told, [Don’t do it? Don’t do it!?], I should make up some excuses.

[I was wondering if Princess Orshian was hiding somewhere. I accidentally did it.]

[…..I don’t think she’s even here.]

That girl is neither the head nor the next head of the Milendorva family, so she shouldn’t be in this room… I don’t know why, am I the only one who feels like she’s going to pop up from behind while I’m doing this?

I wanted to confirm that she’s in this room. Almost unconsciously, I was activating detection magic.

[Are you alright?]

[I’m fine.]

But, sensing 400 Highlords at the same time was too disgusting.

Using magic detection inside Quordenze mansion was enough to make me feel sick, so I should’ve known better. Apparently Orshian has inspired a sizable fear within me.

[…there will still be time before King Levios’ greeting. Why don’t you go out and relax?]

People entered the large conference hall in the same order as when they joined the Kingdom. Only after the Levios family and the initial founding member had entered the hall, did the rest of the members that joined afterward could enter.

The Quordenze family joined the Kingdom only recently, about 20 years ago, but even after that, several small Noble families have joined the alliance as well. Some had not arrived yet, as they entered the rooms at leisurely intervals.

[No, it’s okay. There are people who come to say hello, and it will be a problem if there is an important conversation when I am not here.]

Maybe it’s because I’m so irritated that even my words become sarcastic. It’s also a check ball for my father, who is even positive after hearing about mutual engagement when I’m not around.

I told my father that I had a strong objection. The only thing left is how far you will go. I wish I could find a breakthrough somewhere…

My father looked at me with a wry smile on his face, but he didn’t come up with any particular words. He must have decided that this is not the time to discuss that topic.

Right now, the round table hall was still in the casual chatting phase.

According to my father, in normal social gatherings, until King Levios’s general speech begins, it seems that there is free time to hover around and have conversations. In the Eruo continent, where there are no clocks, there is no minute-by-minute schedule such as what time to come to each house, what time to greet the opening, and what time to chat. The Levios knights and civil officers who serve as guides must be able read the time and atmosphere and proceed with the program.

However, it seemed that the incident with Orshian the other day made it difficult to create a social atmosphere.

Most of them were chatting near their seats, in other words, they’re making small groups of people that consisted of their own factions or regions.

I said it as a sarcasm towards my father, but as expected, there was nothing important to say in a place like this.

When a Noble of the Quordenze faction came and greeted them with [Hi there, nice to meet you~], they would reply with a simple [Yes], repeating that process over and over again. It’s mostly a simple and lighthearted exchange.

For a while, my father and I received greetings from the visiting Nobles, chatted lightly, and parted.

While doing so, the number of Nobles who greeted us eventually decreased, and my mood improved somewhat, giving me time to look around. For a change of pace, I looked at the stage set up in the innermost part of the room and the table set up in the front row of the stage.

In the front row, in addition to the Levios family, the Adellahan family, and the Milendorva family, there are several smaller Noble families.

As expected, there are many Nobles who come to greet those three families. Due to the distance, it is not possible to confirm the appearance of Archduke Milendorva, his legitimate son, or Marquis Adellahan, and the next head of the family, Princess Kalmia.

I thought about improving my eyesight, but I didn’t want to cast magic on this spot and pull everyone’s attention. I still hadn’t fully recovered yet after all.

[What are you looking at?]

[I’m looking at those Nobles from the Lushna region. I wonder which seat belongs to which house.]

The Nobles sitting near the Levios family were easy to see because not many Nobles came to greet them. Since I had some free time, I was doing a quiz to check which seat was which house in my head and compare it with my knowledge.

I didn’t want to look around too much, but it didn’t look good because it was vaguely up in the sky. While doing this brain quiz, onlookers might think that the eldest son of the Quordenze family is looking around with a serious look on his face for some reason.

Anyway, I’m going to talk to them after this, so I want to match the face and family name now. But there are just too many of them.

Besides, the Nobles in the room were getting bored and staring at the crests of all the Nobles of the Kingdom posted on the wall, so my actions are probably within the bounds of common sense.

[Remember the seating order.]

After my father said so in a low voice, he cut off the conversation with me.

The Nobles of the Lushna region correspond to what I mentioned earlier as, [Nobles who quickly found a strong boss and were subordinated to them]. The strong boss here is the Levios family. Naturally, their territory is small, and neither their financial power nor military strength are significant. However, due to their proximity to the Royal Capital and their status as the Royal Nobles since the founding of the country, they have a certain amount of political influence.

In order of proximity to the Levios family… Duke Padra, Marquis Bancibol, Marquis Mormire, Marquis Bercrolla, Marquis Ogro, Count Rigelon…maybe? Un, I don’t know any more.

I remember all the Nobles in the Lushna region, but that’s all I can tell from the seating order and atmosphere. About the remaining 20 or so Houses, it’s impossible to tell without looking at the crest on their cloak.

From now on, I will have conversations with Nobles who might have a big attitude despite their small territory, so let’s review it later just in case.

Even so, they are people who symbolize the meaninglessness of the title of the Kingdom. Even if I added up all the 6 Noble territories that I could identify, it wouldn’t reach the size of the Sylopea territory. I am impressed that they believe that they have a big face. Somehow, I had the impression that the class was set at the beginning of the story, but as the story progressed, it became too inflated and obsolete.

I don’t know much about the time when the country was founded, but the Adellahan family and others were often satisfied with just the title of Marquis. If we only consider the area of ​​the territory, Adellahan alone is much larger than the entire Lushna region.

In the meantime, Nobles came to greet the Quordenze family.

As I checked the Quordenze Nobles list in my head and noticed that only one family left, a familiar voice approached me.

[Marquis Quordenze, Wilk-dono. How are you doing?]

A middle-aged man with an ugly appearance, Viscount Galiana. This old man has a villainous face and figure that makes me wonder if he’s doing it on purpose.

[If it isn’t Viscount Galiana.]

There, my father and Viscount Galiana briefly greeted each other.

In addition to the knight, a girl was standing next to Viscount Galiana. She doesn’t look bad. Although it is a bit pushing it to say that she’s a beauty.

Prompted by the Viscount, the girl greeted us with a firm gesture of gratitude. It is the movement of someone who has lived as a Noble since she was born. At least, Viscount Galiana can’t move so naturally.

Viscount Galiana smiled at me.

[Princess Tochi, please give your regards to Wilk-dono as well. Our family will have a long relationship with the Marquis Quordenze family from now on.]

[Yes, foster father…]

We have already met in Callahanasso City, but the greeting here also has a performance element. Above all, the Galiana family should be in a better position to come and greet us sooner. The reason why they came all the way to the end was nothing other than the purpose of attracting the attention of other families.

The Galiana family took part in the major counterattack devised by the Spierzeig family.

The Galiana family was originally in financial difficulties and was saved by the great merchant Mylord Galiana when they were in dire straits. The Galiana territory, which had been on the verge of bankruptcy due to a drastic decrease in the population at one point, was splendidly revived by his skill. At this time, the head of the Galiana family made a promise to adopt Mylord as a provisional head of the family, and in fact after the restoration of the territory, the head of the Galiana family was born.

It’s like Grandfather Galfis temporarily took over from Grandmother Cassia in the Quordenze family. There is a prerequisite that he will hand over the family estate to my father Luxus in the near future.

Mylord Galiana also assumed the position of head of the family on the condition that he handed over the family estate to Deanreich Galiana, the legitimate heir of the Galiana family.

However, while Mylord serves as Viscount, Galiana’s diplomacy was leaning more toward the Quordenze family. For the main Galiana family, the branch family, and the knights, who were originally closer to Adellahan, it was a troublesome policy.

To make matters worse, Marquis Quordenze was favoring Viscount Galiana. This raised a sense of crisis for the members of the Galiana family. What if the Quordenze family interferes with the Galiana family and presses them to make Mylord’s child the next generation…

His involvement with the Quordenze Allied Forces in the Battle of Nambonan was also significant. Their anxiety was growing.

At that time, a conspirator from the Spierzeig family arrived.

It was a chance to get rid of the current head of the family, Mylord, and establish the legitimacy of the Galiana family lineage in the current generation.

The Galiana family rode it. The Spierzeig family, a Great Noble family, has that much name value. The counteroffensive strategy was sure to succeed, and Mylord could be brought down.

Using the legitimacy of Deanreich as an heir, a rebellion in line with the Spierzeig family attack was put into action.

However, Viscount Galiana was aware of the plan in advance. It seems that it was easy for the Viscount who has strong connections in the commoner area and who has a large number of Lord-class soldiers to follow.

The Viscount defected to the Quordenze territory with his Lord-class subordinates, who were also his own children, and used the people to agitate unrest within the Galiana territory.

After that, the success of Operation Serpent’s Fang shattered the Spierzeig family’s plans. In this way, the Spierzeig family, who had been robbed of Reisleaf Castle and suffered great losses, the official head of the Galiana family who had defected to Quordenze with enough Lord-class soldiers, and the act of rebelling against the head was the most avoided behavior in the Noble society. It was the worst case scenario for the rebelling side.

The rebelling side was thus filled with great despair.

There is enough circumstantial evidence that she sided with the Spierzeig family, and above all, from the perspective of other families, Mylord Galiana is the justice. Even if the Quordenze family backed up Mylord and invaded the Galiana territory, there would have been no problem.

And above all, the problem was that there was no problem even if the Galiana territory was annihilated. Mylord is a blessed child with a strong libido. It wouldn’t be that difficult to rebuild even if all the knight houses in Galiana were destroyed. There are already a large number of Lord-class soldiers who are also his biological children. Also, in spite of his face, the trust of the commoners was strong, and it was easy to imagine that there were many people who would assist in the reconstruction.

In other words, the Galiana family could be wiped out from this continent at the fingertips of the Quordenze family. What will be completed later may be the Mylord’s family, a Noble family who is loyal to the Quordenze family.

At this point, they chose to protect their lineage. The rebellious Galiana family agreed to change the next family head in exchange for peaceful surrender.

Tochi Galiana was thus appointed as the next head of the family.

It goes without saying that her role is to give birth to Mylord’s child and make that child the head of the Galiana family.

The spider, who entered the position as the temporary head of the family regardless of lineage, finally succeeded in wrapping the butterfly around with its thread.

At the end of the event, the city of Nambonan became so lively that Anna even sent a letter saying that a festival had begun.

It should be noted that Deanreich was sent to a branch family for adoption.

It’s quite difficult to execute a Highlord through negotiation. No one can negotiate like that. This is because the underlying thought is [How can a fragile serf or Lord-class messenger take over the life and death of a Highlord! Unforgivable!].

If the execution of the next head of the family, Deanreich, was the condition for a truce, the Galiana knights would have resisted and chose to fight back.

They can be crushed, but that goes against the idea of ​​the Quordenze family, who want to devote themselves to fighting the Spierzeig family. That’s why it was settled in the form of dropping him off to the branch line.

At least, as long as the Quordenze family remains strong, he should not be able to return to the main family.

Deanreich and I have been exchanging letters for a long time, and I think we have built up a friendly relationship. Perhaps for that reason, I received a heartbreaking letter asking me to intercede for this matter, but I forwarded it all to my father for the time being.

I don’t cross dangerous bridges, and I think it’s a blessing already that he gets to keep his life. Besides, Viscount Galiana is more useful to the Quordenze family, and I don’t get tired of talking, so it’s convenient.

Tochi Galiana smiled at me and greeted me with a calm voice.

[I’m Tochi Galiana. Thank you for taking great care of my foster father. I would like to do my best to repay this kindness to the Quordenze family, we will continue to support you in the future.]

I see. The “Quordenze family”, huh? The fact that she dared to say this means that even if we secede from the Kingdom, they will follow us unconditionally.

If it’s the words of the next generation, even if the surroundings have some kind of fate, they can be taken care of. Even if it was an insured word, if there were people around who were listening, they should have understood that the Galiana family was completely subordinate to Quordenze.

[I have a close relationship with Viscount Galiana. I hope to build a good relationship with him, not only in the present generation and the next generation, but also in the future.]

Hierarchical relationship centered on the Quordenze family.

Then Viscount Galiana laughed out loud.

[Of course. From now on, I would like to deepen our friendship.]

Then, the Viscount skillfully moved his cloak to block the view of others while changing his standing position in a natural flow. And then he moved his gaze sharply as if to look at the surroundings.

When I was wondering what the end was, Viscount Galiana gave me a greasy smile that made me feel like I could hear the sound effects of grinning and sticKing, and rubbed Princess Tochi’s breast several times with one hand.

Grabbing and squeezing with his eagle claw.

[Umm…! F, Foster Father…]

[Oops. I guess that’s it for now. Wilk-dono, if you have any trouble with souvenirs from the Royal Capital, please contact us. I have an idea of ​​a good company.]

After saying that, he calmly left Quordenze’s seat as if nothing had happened. Apparently, my father could also see the breast rubbing, and he was smiling wryly as if to say, [Oh well…he’s that kind of guy after all]. I was caught off guard too.

Well, even so, Viscount Galiana is really a villainous Noble…to be honest, I admire him quite a bit.

I feel like I’m going to get an erection just by imagining that he’s pushing Princess Tochi with his fat chin and beer belly, trying to impregnate her.

I couldn’t help but envy that a middle-aged chubby commoner guy gets to rape his Noble Princess foster daughter. Princess Tochi’s embarrassed expression when her breasts were rubbed, and the voice that exuded disgust towards Viscount Galiana…..it was very good.

It’s hard to say if I personally want to have sex with Princess Tochi, but if I can possess Viscount Galiana and have sex with Princess Tochi, I definitely want to do it. If I can’t do that, I’d like to at least watch.

[Souvenir? Did Fanny ask something?]

I had to clear my throat when my father asked that.

[She did. But, I think it can wait until later.]

[Un, very well. Go ask them later.]

In addition, should I ask the slave company? If there is an elf like Eve, I would like to take this opportunity to get it. I feel that using Viscount Galiana’s connection is the most efficient.

With Viscount Galiana, that makes most of the Quordenze faction Nobles. The number of Nobles who came to greet us decreased at once. The ones who still did were either neutral or indecisive Nobles. There were also some that were seemingly part of Zeldomitra and Adellahan families. I feel like the three families were trying to treat us delicately.

Just when I thought it was about time for the Levios family to begin their opening remarks, someone called out to me.

[It’s been a while.]

A dignified and calm voice.

When I turned around, there was a girl in a red robe standing there with a servant.

[…..I don’t think it has been that long though.]

Since the voice was seemingly directed toward me, I replied.

It’s only been three days since our meeting. At that time, the owner of the dignified voice, the mysterious red riding hood, came to pick up Orshian.

But, today the red riding hood was not up.

The fabric, which could be described as a silk shawl dyed bright crimson, was a considerable luxury item. The gold thread embroidery was minimal, and the main color is bright red. One can feel absolute confidence from dye alone without needing to see the embroidery. It is to the extent that I think a castle could be built with just this one.

This shawl is probably intended to hide the white dress underneath. It can be said that it fulfills its role admirably. This beautiful crimson was more than enough to attract the eye.

And with a graceful demeanor that not even the reds could hide… she now truly looks like a Noble Princess. Beautiful.

[Perhaps it is so. However, a day in this Royal Capital can feel like 100 or 200 years to me.]

Fufufu. A beautiful smile bloomed on her face.

Eyes that make the viewer uneasy like the darkness of the night, but are filled with blackness that draws you in. Glossy black hair exuding an adult atmosphere that is disproportionate to the girl’s age.

As I listened to her warm, gentle voice, it felt like my heart was slowly loosening up.

After greeting my father, she turned to me again and showed a bright smile.

[If you don’t mind, can I talk to you? Just for a little while until the meeting starts.]

Her expression was pure and innocent, and I could feel her affection towards me naturally.

The girl’s smile conveys overflowing curiosity, a little affection, and honest feelings. If I let my guard down, I would have replied, [By all means, let’s talk. Actually, let’s talk in bed].

[…..will it be really alright?]

So, I turn my eyes to the one who keeps an eye on her back. I could have predicted that one of the two side servants would be a member of the Levios family. I think he’s probably keeping an eye on her for any strange movements.

[Yes, I have permission.]

[Then it must be something important. So, what is it that you want to talk about?]

[No, it is nothing like that. I just wish to have a small talk…because I can’t attend the exchange meeting.]

[Here I thought things have already been decided?]

She looked surprised, putting her hand over her mouth. Somehow I felt guilty.

However, there is no particular problem. There is nothing wrong with wanting her in a coercive attitude.

Besides, I don’t have a very good impression of her.

The proposal that this girl brought to the Zeldomitra family and then to the Levios family ended up being a really unnecessary proposal of mutual engagement. It’s inevitable that bad feelings will come out.

And when I think about what the Levios family proposed to me from my father, I think she’s a very unreliable person. No, it would be more accurate to say that she is a dangerous person.

But, I wonder why?

I couldn’t help having a relatively good impression of her.

Is it because she’s beautiful? Being beautiful really has its perks.

[I just wanted to talk to you for a little while…to ascertain something.]

Looking at this girl’s face darkened made me feel like I’m doing something wrong.

However, she witnessed my conflict with Orshian. And this girl thinks Orshian is a Progenitor. I think it’s correct from what I know now and could sense back then.

And I am a Highlord with enough magic power to compete with a Progenitor.

It’s only natural for her to probe into this. It doesn’t matter if she has good intentions or bad intentions.

I started wondering if she’s trying to seduce me. Could it be that the Levios family told her to look into my identity…?

Knowing that I have to be careful with what I say, I tightened my loosened heart.

Seeing that I was on guard, she turned her attention to the accessories I was wearing. The safest way to create a topic is to touch upon what the other party is wearing.

[That is a splendid orb. Does it belong to Wilk-dono?]

So, she decided to bring up the orb of the mature demon beast that I subjugated.

As my father used to say, by showing the orb as a barometer of strength, it is possible to prevent unnecessarily fueling anxiety.

Well, what should I answer? It would be nice if options were available like in a dating simulation game. Things like [It’s not mine], [I beat it myself], [Let me have sex with you]. I’d want to save and then choose number 3.

[Yeah… Last year, it emerged from Newnelly Field, so I killed it.]

[That is wonderful. Truly the honorable example of the guardian of the land.]

It’s a line that, on another occasion, may feel like ass-licking, but when she says it, it’s filled with pure surprise and respect.

And she didn’t show any special reaction to my answer.

If the talk ends here, it won’t be a proper conversation. So, I decided to follow her lead and brought up the topic of accessories as well.

[You’re wearing a different hair ornament. What is the occasion?]

She has a silver hair ornament on the side of her head, and several white ribbons hanging from it. It’s a bad analogy, but it’s like fly paper hanging from the ceiling.

It almost looks like the white silk ribbons are growing out of her black hair. Like the ribbon was a version of hair extensions.

[No, I’m just not wearing my coronet at the moment.]

[I see. I wanted to see it once…though it will really stand out now, I guess?.]

Her gaze shifted to the orb again as she bowed her head apologetically.

[Are you really that interested in it?]

[…This may sound rude. There aren’t many Kenthark-class demon beast orbs remaining in such a strong color, so I couldn’t help but wonder…… Speaking of the demon beasts of Newnelly, it was the demon beast Charybdis. I’m sure this is also of the same class, but I’ve heard that the color was very light.]

As if to hide her rudeness, she continues to praise me.

It was a praise for me for subjugating the mature magic beast, and from there it gradually spread to praise the Quordenze family and then the Nobles as a whole.

Her smiling smile was nothing but innocent, but I felt something empty.

So I listened to her half-heartedly.

[…..I’m fine with boring flattery. So, let’s get this straight, what did you come to talk to me about?]

[I apologize if I have caused you any discomfort. I’m just worried since I left the garden without being able to say much the other day…]

She said in a very polite but heartbroken voice.

I want to tell her not to worry about it, and if a Japanese person were told the same thing, I would probably answer with a spinal reflex, [It’s okay, it’s okay, I don’t care] voice. I don’t want people around me to hear about it, as they’re likely to think that I’m the bad guy.

[My father told me about your story. I’m sure it can’t be helped about what happened in the garden the other day. I would have been in trouble if I heard a long name on that occasion.]

[I appreciate the consideration.]

Hearing my answer, the girl looked relieved.

[Is it my misunderstanding to think that you had other business? Even if you can’t attend the meeting, there will be an evening party later. I thought that was the reason why you came here now.]

The meeting including the opening ceremony can only be attended by the current and next generations of the Royal aristocrats, the exchange meeting can be attended by anyone who belongs to the Noble family of the Kingdom, regardless of position, and the evening party is not limited to Royal Nobles.

In order to expand the base of the Kingdom, the First King Levios devised a dinner party and dance party in the evening. It is an event that even independent Nobles who are thinking of joining the Kingdom can participate if they make an offer.

Since all the Nobles of the Kingdom gathered this time, quite a few came to the Royal Capital. The Levios family will certainly be happy.

[Is that so? I don’t have any plans to attend the evening party. I’m here just to greet King Levios. I don’t have many opportunities to talk to Wilk-dono like this. That’s why I asked for your time. Although, I don’t have anything in particular to talk about… As I said earlier, it’s a meeting after a long separation, I’m just trying to build a good relationship.]

[…I see, so that’s how it is.]

In a sense, it’s like a bird in a cage. The Levios family will not allow her to act freely, and if there is a chance to meet next time, it may be in a meeting place that is not a public place.

Isn’t it reasonable to say that she just wanted to say hello to me?

And her demeanor is always friendly, and it doesn’t seem like she’s lying. At least I think so…

After that, she and I continued chatting for a while.

There was nothing political, nor did she try to estimate the amount of my magic in the talk. No questions about the Quordenze family, nor any mention about the Levios family’s proposal. Nothing like that was brought up.

I wondered what her aim was. Did she really just want to talk to me? She was an amazing beauty, so I’m happy with that, but…

…..But, outside of private discussions, I can’t ask in-depth questions in a place where people’s eyes are around us like this. Ultimately, I couldn’t glean anything important.

I was almost listening to King Levios’ welcoming speech on stage.

My gaze truly caught the stage from the moment King Levios began introducing the guests. There was a special participant who came from the back of the podium.

[To the podium.]

King Levios’ solemn voice amplified by magic resounded in the room.

A girl approached the stage in time with that voice. The pure white dress hidden under the red shawl was exposed to the public.

A silver hair ornament with a white silk ribbon, and a coronet on her head that she hadn’t worn before.

Red…a coronet colored in red of affection.

The reaction of the surrounding Nobles to the sudden guest split into two.

[Who is she?], I could hear people who showed interest muttering.

While the other seemed to be shocked to see her, muttering […that formal dress, could it be?].

The ratio seems to be much higher for the former. I’m neither of those, because I already heard from my father.

Standing in front of King Levios, the girl picked up her fluttering skirt with both hands and bowed her head in greeting.

“Oh…”, Such an indescribable murmur resounded very slightly.

This is the etiquette that once showed the master-servant relationship that female Nobles used to show to priests.

A gesture that is rarely seen in this part of the continent.

Rona Zesly Cattlearch Lukot Kipara Zesly Carline.

Priestly name, Rona

Her true identity is Rona, the current Holy Maiden of the Zeth Holy High Society.

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Author’s Note:

※Territory evaluation (from the perspective of the Kingdom):

Quordenze Territory → Super large

Evenafis territory → Large

Sylopea Territory → Medium – Large

Galiana territory → Medium