Chapter 43: Waiting Outside the Door Until the Right Moment
I had been waiting outside the door until the timing felt just right. After drinking too much tea, I felt the urge to relieve myself and borrowed the restroom. As I stepped out, I unexpectedly bumped into Lily, who had just finished getting ready.
“I’ll say this in advance: it’s not diarrhea, okay?”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
As I preemptively clarified, Lily placed her hand on her forehead in exasperation.
She wore long black flower lace gloves, and a fiery crimson dress that flowed elegantly along her slender figure. Her hair shone more than usual, and her already beautiful features were enhanced by makeup, making her even more stunning.
A true beauty stood before me.
“…What? Are you staring so much? Are you perhaps captivated by my charm?”
“Ah… Yeah, I was captivated. I can’t deny that. I admit defeat.”
“It’s not really a matter of winning or losing… But yes, I was captivated. Hmmm. Hehe, if I’ve won, I don’t feel bad about it.”
With that, Lily blushed slightly and smiled. Unlike her usual mature demeanor, this smile held a youthful innocence that was fitting for her age.
…That’s unfair!
I struggled to suppress the urge to shout out my feelings. To avoid revealing my racing heart, I slowly exhaled.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes, thank you for waiting. Did you manage to speak with my father?”
“Sort of. I handed over the letter I was entrusted with. He should be on our side now.”
“Of course, he loves me dearly. Though sometimes his overprotectiveness can be a bit much.”
It seemed she trusted her father without needing Prince Lucas to tell her.
“…That’s why I couldn’t bear to see my father suffer because of my engagement. He was even willing to defy Prince Slay and Duke Lecherie to break it off. Can you believe that? He would have put House Puridi at risk.”
“So, you accepted the engagement because of that?”
“…Yes, at that time, I thought it was the most correct choice. If I hadn’t met you at the academy, I probably wouldn’t have changed my mind even now.”
“I didn’t do anything. It was Prince Lucas who paved the way for a solution. Knowing him, even if I hadn’t been at the academy, he would have intervened in this engagement.”
“That may be true. But that intervention doesn’t guarantee my salvation, does it?”
Lily extended her slender hand, wrapped in black flower lace gloves, toward me.
“Please escort me, my knight?”
“As you wish, my lady.”
I exaggeratedly bowed before taking her offered hand.
Afterward, we boarded the carriage prepared by Marquis Puridi and headed toward Duke Lecherie’s residence.
The Royal Capital, radiating outward from the Royal Castle, was filled with various noble estates in the Central District. Among them, Duke Lecherie’s mansion was the most magnificent, more fittingly described as a palace than a mere estate.
The wide path through the central garden was congested with numerous carriages. Nobles attending the evening party were arriving in droves. Our carriage was given priority, smoothly passing through the traffic of other carriages.
Lily was one of the main attractions of tonight’s gathering. VIP treatment was only natural.
The carriage stopped right in front of the mansion, and Lily stepped out with the escort of Marquis Puridi. The servants and gathered young nobles greeted them in unison, exclaiming, “Congratulations!”
There was nothing to celebrate, but… both Lily and Marquis Puridi maintained their smiles, which was impressive. I followed a bit behind them. Thanks to Marquis Puridi’s arrangements, we were able to slip into the venue without any trouble.
Outside, it had already begun to grow dim. The venue was brightly lit as if it were daytime, illuminated by dazzling magical tools. The spacious area was filled with tables laden with extravagant dishes.
As Lily and Marquis Puridi entered the venue, they were immediately surrounded by a throng of nobles. A line quickly formed as nobles came to greet them one after another. So this is noble socializing…
Lily and Marquis Puridi seemed accustomed to it. Their smiles remained fixed on their faces, not wavering even slightly.
However, my enhanced vision from the «Ninja» Skill caught the slight twitches at the corners of their mouths and eyes every time someone said, “Congratulations.”
That must be incredibly stressful…
They would likely be stuck there for a while. With nothing to do but stand around, I wandered through the venue, glancing at the array of dishes on display.
As expected of a duke’s household, the food was extravagant and stylish, unlike anything I had seen in my previous life. I didn’t even know the names of most of the dishes. The only thing I could barely identify was whether it was meat or fish…
While sampling the dishes that caught my eye, I ran into a familiar face.
“Oh, isn’t that Hugh over there? What a coincidence to see you here.”
The one who casually approached me was Idiot. Ever since our duel a few days ago, it felt like he had been talking to me more often at the academy.
“You’re here too, Idiot. So, House Hortness is siding with Prince Slay?”
“Yeah, that was my father’s decision. Honestly, I don’t care where I end up.”
Nobles around us shot us sharp glares. Come on, don’t make careless remarks in a place like this… Idiot shrugged, seemingly unfazed. Is he a big shot or something…?
“Speaking of you, why are you here? Did House Pnosis join Prince Slay’s camp?”
“No, I’m just accompanying Lily.”
“Accompanying Lily Puridi, huh… Then you know she’s engaged to Duke Lecherie?”
“Yeah. Please, just don’t say anything reckless, okay?”
I warned him in advance to avoid any potential blunders.
Idiot nodded, “I’ll be careful.”
“By the way, have Duke Lecherie and Prince Slay arrived yet?”
“What are you talking about? The hosts are supposed to enter with the start of the evening party. …Ah, speak of the devil.”
The magical lighting illuminating the venue dimmed. Following that, the stage area was lit up.
“Esteemed guests, thank you for your patience. We now welcome the host of today’s event, His Royal Highness Prince Slay Rai Reese and the head of House Lecherie, Duke Greed Lecherie!”
As the announcer introduced them, two men appeared on stage. The plump middle-aged man was the Duke Lecherie I had seen before. The other, slender and bespectacled, was likely Prince Slay.
“Now, let us hear a few words from His Royal Highness Prince Slay. Prince Slay, the floor is yours.”
Prompted by the announcer, Prince Slay stepped forward.
“First, I want to express my gratitude to all of you gathered here! Thanks to all of you, I am able to celebrate this wonderful day!”
Prince Slay praised the nobles who supported him and passionately spoke about his aspirations to become king and the future of the kingdom. The gathered nobles listened quietly to his speech.
…I hate to say it, but it was, for better or worse, quite ordinary.
His desire to become king was clear, and it was evident he wasn’t saying anything ridiculous.
But still… there was a lack of that captivating eloquence.
“Now, let me introduce today’s main attraction! As you all know, it is thanks to her that we are united with Duke Lecherie—”
Just as Prince Slay was about to announce Lily’s name, the doors at the back of the venue swung open with a loud bang.
Everyone who had been listening to Prince Slay turned to see who stood beyond the door.
There stood a figure with long golden hair, confidently striding through the stunned nobles toward the stage.
With a smile on their lips and their eyes covered by cloth, they moved without hesitation.
“W-why are you here…?”
“Good evening, Brother Slay. I happened to be nearby, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Lucas von Reese instantly took control of the atmosphere.