CH 8

We arrive at a large town next to the Royal Capital.

It took about a month and a half to get here.

It took a month and a half despite the capital being only a month away, because this horse carriage entourage didn’t want to stop at small towns.

It seems that they didn’t want to rest anywhere other than large towns with special inns for aristocrats, so they carefully planned their itinerary as to not go near inn towns or medium-sized town where a normal caravan could have stayed.

Count Lunan Forseed seems to be a person with quite high aspirations.

No, maybe all aristocrats are like that?

By the way, I was made to sleep in horse stables the entire time we were moving.

Even Full-Body-Armor was allowed to stay at the inn, what’s with this unfairness?

Because of this, I was mistaken as a laborer at many places and made to do small jobs.

…There’s no point in complaining now, let’s think of it as an experience.

The carriage stops at what seemed to be today’s inn, so I got off the carriage and stretched.

To be honest, the horse carriage wasn’t all that painful.

The clothes I’m wearing right now have wind protection blessing and warmth blessing.

If I’m wearing this, neither the outdoors nor indoors would be that different for me.

I also added shock absorption blessing on the way, so I don’t mind the carriage shaking at all.

I’m so glad I got blessing magic!

But being in an environment where you can’t move makes your shoulder stiff.

There were days where I read books all day long, and while I didn’t mind reading books on top of the carriage, it feels pretty good to go out and stretch like this.

I really liked moving like this to remove stiffness from my previous birth.

However, today there appeared one person who wanted to talk to me during my solo-stretching session.

“Oi, Lain.”

It was Count Lunan Forseed.

We never talked during the past one and a half month, so what’s with the sudden change?

I stop stretching and turn towards the Count.

I then reply while being humble.

“It has been long time, Count Lunan Forseed. What business would you be having with me on this occasion?”

This is the correct move when an aristocrat talks to a higher aristocrat.

Actually, there was a book on court manners in old-man Gil’s shop.

I read it in the free time which was the past month and a half, and practiced by myself so I could properly use it when needed.

Truthfully, I don’t care in the slightest for these old men, but if my fiancée is the princess then I’ll be meeting members of the royalty as well.

I’ll be troubled if I’m called disrespectful and get executed.

I don’t even know if the venue for the party has escape routes.

Count Lunan Forseed open his eyes after hearing me.

(Oh? He’s surprised, he’s surprised.)

One of my goals was also to give him a surprise, so I feel satisfied.

The Count speaks, while pulling his cheeks to hide his surprise.

“H-Ho, despite being a frontier aristocrat, at least you know your court manners.”

“Yes, I cannot be unsightly in front of this noble one.”

It was an old book, so I was a bit worried, but it seems to be working well.

It is sometimes said that the older ways are more humble.

“Then, I’ll lend you Earthfeed, so get your costumes for the party prepared at once.”

“I understand.”

One of the guys in full body armor stands in front of me.

Most likely, he’s the one called Earthfeed.

“I’ll be in your care, Earthfeed-sama.”

“Then please follow me.”

Oh? His attitude has softened a lot now.

I’m pretty sure it’s the same man who corresponded to me till now, but at home he was more prickly. Was it because I can speak honorifics now?

This is an unexpected harvest.

Well, even though he’s a knight working under an aristocrat, he should be more respectful to me since I’m a frontier aristocrat and have a higher status, but I won’t be meeting him after returning to the frontier, so I’ll hold off lecturing him.

If it were me, I wouldn’t even bother listening to such a drag lecture.

I headed out to buy clothes for the party which is in a few days.

Afterwards I learnt that the party was in two weeks, and during that period, I’ll be learning court manners, dance, and common sense of the palace.

More than that, I was worried about the Central Army which was said to fill in for me at the border for two months, but the party itself was in two months from my leaving the frontier, so did they not factor in my returning time?

(…No way, I’m sure they must have just said it wrong)

At this moment, I was thinking about that care-freely.

***

I saw off the rear view of Lain who followed Earthfeed.

Since he’s the son of that woman, I wondered what sort of barbarian he would be.

The Lain I saw in the frontier was indeed like a barbarian.

However, his court manners just now were impeccable.

From the angle of bowing, the position of his fingers, to his words, such a perfect display could only be expected from either the royal family, or the closest aristocracy to that, a duke family.

It seems that my noble blood, did not lose its excellency after mixing with that barbarian.

“My lord, with the current state, a week’s tutoring should suffice.”

“Yes.”

My knight suggests so.

I want to make this engagement a success no matter the cost.

Even if it’s through an anti-demon aristocrat, this is my chance to become related to the royal family.

Which is why I picked him early enough so we had half a month’s leisure to reach the Royal Capital.

I cut my hand in many ways trying to keep the central army from moving for half a month, but it was worth it.*

“This is a chance for the house of Count Lunan Forseed to leap forward. You all do your best.”

“””Ha!”””

Marquis in my generation, if this marriage goes well.

If it goes better, I might even become a Duke.

Even if my rank doesn’t rise that high, I’ll still get a lead over the innumerable Counts.

I enter the inn, imagining the bright future of my family.