Chapter 226

[ Episode 226. Banquet]

“You can use this annex.”

Baron Frigen, who guided us, bowed his head and retreated.

There were many rooms in the annex, so we each picked a room we wanted and put down our luggage.

“thank you.”

“If you need help with anything, please ring this bell anytime. For the banquet to be held in the evening, we will visit you one hour before the banquet starts and let you know.”

The attendant smiled and stepped away, and I looked around the room for a moment.

All those who worked in the imperial palace were small but titled nobles.

Handmaidens were mostly the daughters of aristocratic families, and attendants were barons and barons.

When it came to the head of the chamberlain and the head of the butler, there were many people with the title of count like me, so it was a passage that showed how large and spacious the imperial palace was.

“It’s okay.”

After looking around, there was no evidence of anything being installed or spying on.

I’ll have to check the other rooms, but they seemed to be all right.

smart.

“......who are you.”

Someone knocked on the door.

Of course, I knew how to tell who it was and waited, but when there was no talk, I finally asked first and felt the movement of Mana.

That flow of mana was something he had felt once before.

“Hegel?”

“Long time no see Adrias Cromwell.”

Hegel, who had transformed into a black butterfly and entered the door casually, greeted me as he was.

“You are crazy.”

“what? What am I here for?”

“That’s what came to me.”

“don’t worry. Because no one will know.”

I frowned as I watched him calmly sit on the sofa, but I managed to manage my expression and sat across from him.

“You were in the imperial palace. I thought you couldn’t even come close to this place because of the war.”

“Why can’t I come?”

“It’s because the rally hit the back of the emperor’s head.”

“It wasn’t me, it was an act of their own accord. Wouldn’t that be what you would say?”

He stared at my face with a strange smile.

The tattoo on his face wriggled and crawled across his face.

“Why is that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The emperor still doesn’t know who did it, but I do. Don’t even think about pretending.”

“If you’re talking about anger, I have nothing to say.”

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned comfortably on the sofa.

Even if he threatened to tell the emperor about this, there was no way my answer would change.

It’s something I can’t change that my anger has already returned, and even if I go back, my choice will be the same.

“I don’t understand. I’d rather be convinced if you took over your anger. What on earth did you do that for?”

“It is as you said. That was an advantage for me.”

At my words, Hegel became expressionless and just stared at me in silence.

In the meantime, I got up and took out the tea set in the room.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“You are really strange.”

“Is that so?”

I magically heated the water and started brewing the tea.

He wasn’t interested in brewing tea, but it was an act to show his composure.

“As I said, the emperor doesn’t know about this yet. I may find out some day, but at least I won’t tell you.”

“Thank you.”

“thanks? No, that’s not something to be thankful for. did you say that too? That the action was done for your benefit after all. So do i. I’m not saying that not telling the emperor is just a little more in my interests.”

“Thank you anyway.”

As I handed over the brewed tea to Heigel, I said steadfastly.

The words were strange, so even if it wasn’t the other person, I could force myself into a debt of heart.

Hegel could have ignored it, but the difference between trying and not trying is big, so I’ll just spit it out and see.

“I don’t know why, but it feels like Hegel always looks out for me.”

“It’s not a feeling, it’s a fact. I didn’t give you the ring for nothing.”

He took a sip of the tea I brewed, narrowed his brows, and put the cup down.

“I thought you were good at anything, but brewing tea is a bad thing.”

“I will practice.”

“no. I will do it next time.”

Hegel got up from his seat.

Are you done with your business already? I don’t think you said anything?

“I don’t know if there will be an opportunity for that in the future.”

“Are you going to leave already after coming here?”

In a word, he is my enemy.

You probably can’t imagine that I know who you are.

‘Come to think of it...’

Honen of Millennium Academy, who had not been able to deal with it during the war, was also invited here.

Although he hasn’t been seen yet, knowing that he will become Zefar’s incarnation, I couldn’t help but doubt.

Could it be that Jared Tyson was the reason he joined the Zefar Order?

‘It was never before in the game that academy students were invited to this banquet. But I’d better pay attention.’

Maybe Honen was already a Zefar fanatic.

If that’s the case, it’s possible to send and receive some kind of signal with Jared.

There are still a lot of things to care about, but since I know a lot, my work doesn’t decrease, it just increases.

“Earl Cromwell and His Excellency Tyson are having a conversation.”

“Hmm, to the extent that His Excellency Tayson would visit him himself.......

“As expected, the trend is the trend? Still, I don’t think it’s enough to be bothered by something that caught my eye just this once.”

After talking with Jared, more attention was poured out than when he entered.

Jared also smiled bitterly thanks to those who were now staring at this place openly.

“This is what being a socialite is like. After all, they are all those who move to take care of their own interests.......”

“I see. But neither do I. It is no different from them.”

“Hoo. Is that so? Being honest makes me feel more comfortable dealing with Lord Cromwell. Can we set up a private dinner next time and talk about business?”

“I would rather ask. Thank you, Lord Tayson.”

After a short conversation in a friendly atmosphere, Jared went back.

The banquet was still in its infancy, and since it was held for five days, there was plenty of time.

In the meantime, the sons of noble families were approaching and flirting with the party that came with me.

No one was responding, and rather, Amy was taking one more drink and going around all over the place promoting the guild without knowing it.

“This isn’t the first time, but I’m tired after all.”

After a while, as the atmosphere in the banquet hall matured, Lucia, who was dealing with the ladies and children of noble families, approached me while I was resting after greeting the nobles.

“Because you are pretty.”

“......yes?”

“And these days, the Everlast top ranks are also doing well......”

“What did you say before that?”

Lucia, who looked sleepy, opened her eyes wide and looked at me brightly, which was a little strange.

I said it again, biting into a cocktail snack.

“It’s because you’re pretty. Don’t you objectively know your beauty too?”

“I know, of course, but I didn’t expect to hear it so bluntly. That too by the mouth of a senior.”

I took a sip of the cocktail and said what a big deal it was.

Then, Vivian, who had been clinging to me throughout the banquet, touched me from the side.

“I am?”

“......Vivian is also beautiful.”

“huh.”

As I stared blankly at her smiling happily, Lucia suddenly stood up.

“I will go see my father.”

“Oh, I should go and say hello too.”

“no. I will go alone.”

Watching her suddenly disappear in a cold wind, I wondered if I had done something wrong.

Since I’m not used to dealing with people, I couldn’t think of anything.

“what?”

“Adrias.”

“Yes Vivian.”

“That...no.”

I tilted my head at Vivian, who was about to say something but closed her mouth again.

Looking at her reaction, I guess I did something wrong, but I can’t figure out anything.

“Adrias did nothing wrong. It’s my fault.”

“yes?”

As I was about to ask Vivian, who was talking incomprehensibly, to tell me what she was talking about, the entrance to the banquet hall suddenly became noisy.

I turned my head to see what was going on, and the bugler introduced the family of the nobleman who was entering.

“This is the position of Alven, one of the four pillars of the great Laudelen Empire and symbolizing the blue hawk!”

Alven already came?

On the first day of the banquet, not even the marquis came?

But that was not the end of the trumpeter’s words.

“...This is the position of Minus, one of the four pillars of the Great Laudelen Empire and symbolizing the green leaf!”

“What is that bastard’s green leaf? We need to change the symbol quickly.”

A familiar voice was heard and familiar-looking people entered the banquet hall.

“Behave like a duke.”

“Yeah yeah.”

Bahat Alven and Minus Morhaim.

They appeared leading the family.

[ Episode 226. Banquet ] End