Chapter 42: Shall We Start Vigorously Today as Well? (6)
People were enthusiastically scattering flower petals and blossoms as if trying to block the carriage. Thanks to that, the carriage was naturally becoming a flower carriage. This year is a bumper year for Azot’s flower farms.
As we passed by, in front of the Light of Origin, led by High Priest Micheland, numerous priests came out to see us off with prayers.
I glanced at Priest Micheland. Just then, the High Priest, who had just raised his head, and my eyes met.
“Sir Herduke, please take good care of High Priestess Benamijan.”
At his benevolent voice that resonated in my head, I nodded.
The one I was asked to take good care of is currently in Aila’s carriage. As discussed before, she will enter the country as a maid brought from Azot. After that, she’ll start chasing Artshever Le Setrife.
And again, a voice echoed in my head.
“Good work, Risel. That was a passionate farewell.”
Unlike the High Priest’s one-sided words, this was something I could fully respond to. Though no one knows, a new ornament I haven’t seen before has been added to my neck. I raised my voice from within.
“It’s thanks to Your Highness, the Crown Prince, for working hard behind the scenes.”
“What did Father say?”
“Don’t ask.”
With a much longer career than me, he, who could be considered a senior in a way, has already built up quite a lot of his own over the past four years.
The reason why the perception of the Imperial delegation was strangely favorable was also because he had manipulated public opinion behind the scenes.
In the end, today’s splendid farewell can be considered a collaboration between him and me. Although not openly, the mission of this delegation, where we both worked secretly”behind”the scenes, has changed history in every way.
Now the problem is……inside the Empire.
While we have gained a powerful ally on the outside, we have no one on the inside.
The two most powerful people in the family are rejecting me, and the aristocracy is a place where you can’t rise without the support of your family.
On top of that, my father is going to forcibly enlist me in the Imperial Army when I turn 19.
Until then, I have to meticulously gather people under my influence, one by one, so that I can exert enough power even without the family’s support.
But before that……
“I’d like to get some rest for a while. What do you think, Teacher?”
“I don’t particularly care as long as you don’t neglect your daily training.”
You’re a villainess.
Except for the minor (?) issue related to my life, I just want to relax until I return to the Imperial residence.
This is, in a way, the first success I’ve achieved with my own power, a first in my life.
I savored the feeling and leaned back comfortably on the carriage cushion.
For the time being, the Duke’s second son is on hiatus.
I won’t work.
The delegation safely returned to the Imperial Capital Nek.
There were no strange incidents like Breedpo on the way back, and the journey was repeated without any particular friction.
I don’t want to worry about the fact that the Empire’s 7th Knight Order and the Azot Royal Knights showed off their hot camaraderie and had a tearful farewell at the Kinchedin-Edikinz border.
The friendship of sweaty soldiers was hot just to watch.
The rumors of the delegation had already spread widely in the capital, and although not as grand as in Ast, we received a relatively grand welcome, and the delegation members were praised by the Emperor – along with a tedious congratulatory speech.
After filling the faces of the anti-Azot nobles with displeasure, and the faces of the pro-Azot nobles with satisfaction, the delegation officially disbanded on September 16, 372 of the Imperial Calendar.
Along with the successful achievement of establishing the greatest goodwill since the Empire and Azot began their feud.
September 18, 372 of the Imperial Calendar.
Oh, sweet my home.
My mother welcomed her long-returned son with tears. Sera also rushed into my arms, and for the first time since I returned to 10 years ago, I felt warmth in this house.
With the successful return of the delegation, preparations for the Founding Festival were being carried out joyfully, and my mother told me that my father would be returning early with his vassals tomorrow, the eve of the festival.
Thanks to this, the house became busy preparing for guests and dinner. As the head of the household in the absence of my brother, I……had to devote myself to work once again to direct all those tasks.
Oh, deadly my home.
Is this what it means to have mixed feelings? Because of this, I had to reopen the office of the second son of the Imperial Duke, which had been closed.
Therefore, until yesterday, I was drooping like a salt-cured sardine.
Anyway, that’s also been resolved as of this morning.
Immediately after, I was subjected to Levidian’s venting disguised as training – who the hell is it! Who touched this woman! – and I’m currently having tea time.
“Joey, come and have a cup of tea!”
“Yes!”
Joey, who had initially made all the servants and maids pale with fright and made Sera cry with his first appearance, liked the wide garden more than anything else. And after gaining the favor of Benika, the gardener, he is now a member of the Herduke family as my attendant and apprentice gardener.
Joey, wearing blue overalls, a white shirt, and a straw hat, wiped the sweat off his neck with a towel and walked over to the table where the four of us were sitting.
To name the members, Levidian and Benamijan – whom I call Namia – the High Priestess of Lynin and……
“That look suits you better than swinging bars, Joey.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Trust your sister’s eye. Haven’t the servants been talking to you more lately?”
“Uh, yeah. As Sister Aila said, the number of people who greet me as I pass by has increased.”
It was Aila, why?
“But aren’t you going home?”
“Oh my, are you trying to kick me out already? How cold. Is this how the Herduke family usually treats their guests?”
“That’s not it, the delegation is over.”
“My father and family said they’d be coming to the Founding Festival. I’ll be going with them, so don’t worry. I’m not planning on staying here forever, Sir Herduke. No, should I call you Sir Arisein now?”
“Ah, forget it. Forget it.”
I waved my hand, and in the meantime, Joey brought the log he had designated as his chair and joined us.
“Please, have some.”
“Yes, th, thank you. He……”
Namia poured tea for Joey, and Joey eloquently expressed that even his large frame could be shy as he lifted the teacup. Wow, I got scared for a moment.
Of course, Aila and even Levidian turned their heads, but Namia was enjoying her tea with her usual expressionless face.
I’ve been thinking about it on the way back to the capital, but I sometimes wonder if she has any emotions. Even Aila, who shared the same carriage, said she’s never heard Namia speak more than ten words a day.
Aila, as usual, spoke to her, perhaps to break the awkward silence.
“By the way, Namia, have you found any trace of Artshever?”
“No.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Not really.”
“Then how are you going to find him?”
“Well.”
She should be called the master of short answers.
On the surface, Namia is disguised as a priestess of Lynin on a pilgrimage, exceptionally crossing over from Azot for an Imperial pilgrimage. On Damachi’s recommendation, she is currently staying at our house. That guy, after I deliberately lost a couple of chess games to him, he was in a good mood and readily agreed.
Thanks to this, the number of women in our house, which already had a high female index, has surged. My mother asked me with a serious expression.
“Cutting it by age, top, middle, bottom. Who’s your match?”
Mother, I’m not old enough for that yet.
Like with Daisy, the reason I try to be deliberately insensitive to things like love or marriage is because I don’t have the time for it.
Either way, I have to devote a considerable amount of attention to it. However, right now, I’m too busy establishing my foundation.
Anyway, aside from that, from an objective point of view, it’s quite pleasing to the eye that the three are beauties of different types.
As I always say, beautiful women are valuable natural resources.
“But, Risel. What will you be doing at the Founding Festival?”
“Well, this time, there will probably be an event to celebrate the success of the delegation and to commend it. And there’s a grand ball hosted by the Imperial Family, and as entertainment, there will be a jousting tournament at the Grand Arena. Actually, it’s not much different from the usual festivals.”
Even if I say it like it’s nothing, the jousting tournament is extremely popular. After all, it’s a tournament, so there’s a sense of urgency, the winner gets great honor and prize money, and the audience can gamble.
Funny thing is, legal gambling is allowed in the tournaments held at the Grand Arena. Since people would gamble anyway, the Imperial Family, sensitive to money, decided to make it legal and collect taxes.
In addition to that, various citizen events are held in many places, and fireworks and various traditional games are played everywhere. In any case, the areas from the 1st to the 12th district, where the bustling downtown area is concentrated around the Imperial Palace, are nothing short of a festival cauldron during that period.
Our house is quiet now, but if you go outside, there are about three times as many people as usual walking around. They are people from other regions or travelers who have come to enjoy the festival.
“So, a continuous festival for five days?”
“Yes. For five days, everyone just eats and drinks. As you may have heard, the festivals in our country are quite intense. Thanks to this, the capital’s security forces are having a hard time in many ways.”
“Indeed. I’ve only heard rumors, but it sounds amazing.”
Levidian nodded. Since she lived a dry life except for swordsmanship, it seems like she hasn’t experienced many festivals. Just by looking at her, you can tell she’d rather swing her sword than enjoy a festival.
Ah, there’s another person who seems similar. I looked at Namia and asked.
“Namia, do you like festivals?”
“To some extent.”
“Have you experienced many festivals?”
“No, not really.”
“What did you usually do during festivals?”
“Pray.”
“……”
“……”
This won’t do. There’s nothing to continue the conversation with.
As I sighed lightly and lifted my teacup, Aila reprimanded me with a disappointed look. ‘You idiot! Did I only teach you that much!’ But since when did you teach me anything?
As the leisurely afternoon tea time continued, a servant approached. He politely bowed to everyone and whispered in my ear.
“Young Master, right now……”
“Yeah? I understand.”
I nodded and dismissed the servant. I was going to take a break, but something I had briefly forgotten came to mind again.
“Well, I’ll be going out for a while.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“Something came up. Then everyone, please rest.”
I greeted everyone and left my seat.
“Yo, Old Man, long time no see. Did you have a comfortable trip? You look much younger.”
“Are you out of your mind? The Old Man is over there.”
“Oh, is it Jay? You’ve lost weight.”
“Thanks to that, I had a hard time.”
The capital is divided into six districts surrounding the Imperial Palace. The 17th district of the capital, which has 36 districts starting from the 1st district north of the Imperial Palace.
I was able to meet them at an inn in the street of inns for travelers.
Jay grinned, stroking the rough stubble on his slightly thinner cheeks. He seems to like his beard. I smiled back at him and said.
“It doesn’t suit you, so shave it off. Old Man looks the same.”
“Damn it! I grew it out with great effort!”
“Good to see you, Master.”
“Good to see you too. I had a comfortable trip.”
I shrugged my shoulders once, looking like a wicked employer bragging about his comfortable trip in front of his subordinates. But honestly, I’m impressed. I didn’t expect it, but they actually succeeded in sneaking in.
Not that I didn’t believe them.
“How did you get here?”
“We went north from the Penkeal Republic. We thought we’d need ID cards. I wanted to arrive before the boss if possible, but Old Man said we should go south and get ID cards.”
“We didn’t have enough spare funds to get them for everyone. About half are currently scattered, and the remaining half will come through the route used by smugglers.”
“You took care of the details. Well done. We don’t need it right now, but it will definitely be helpful later. Did you just arrive yesterday?”
“That’s right.”
Old Man nodded politely. Despite the arduous journey, he was unfazed, even though he was older than Jay. Somehow, I’m reminded of Namia for a moment. It would be quite a sight to see them have a conversation.
Jay yawned widely and looked around at the capital outside the window before turning to me.
“So, when can we start working?”
“Before that, how much money do we have left?”
“Didn’t Old Man say? We spent all our spare money getting fake ID cards, so we’re broke now. We won’t even have money to pay for the inn in a week. Damn it. That damn innkeeper is charging us a ridiculously high price because of the festival and acting all self-righteous.”
Jay grumbled and fiddled with his beard.
It seems the rooms are indeed expensive because it’s peak season. I thought I had given them enough funds to stay put like mice for a month……It seems it wasn’t enough after all.
“About 60 people left, right? How many are left now?”
“How many do you think there are?”
“Considering your abilities, I’d say all of them?”
“Oh, correct answer. You must know one more reason why we’re late.”
I nodded. I expected that with Old Man’s resourcefulness and Jay’s drive, they would be able to arrive without any dropouts among the 60 sturdy night people. Although it’s not much of a reward, I held out the box I had brought.
“Here, take this.”
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