Chapter 2: An Old Country Bumpkin Meets a Noble
“Good morning, Master.”
“Aah, morning.”
It had been several days since we’d departed from Baltrain. After passing through many unfamiliar villages and towns, I was finally getting used to sleeping in a different place every day. I greeted Allucia in the morning on the first floor of a villa that belonged to the local ruling noble.
The journey so far had been utterly peaceful. We’d also been blessed with good weather, so there’d been no delays to our schedule. I didn’t really have any clue exactly where we were in Liberis, but I wanted to believe that we were on course, given how much time the knights and soldiers had spent staring at the map.
“If things proceed smoothly, we should enter Flumvelk within the day,” Allucia told me.
“That’s good,” I replied with genuine relief.
It wasn’t like I was anxious during the trip. I was glad things were going smoothly—we were slowly approaching our destination. If there was anything at all to complain about, it would be this: I was a little mentally drained from being surrounded by Allucia, Vesper, and Frau inside the carriage.
The two young knights weren’t crowding me in the carriage or anything. They kept an appropriate distance at every stop. However, being inside a carriage placed them physically close to me. I was happy that they didn’t hate me, but it was tough being admired from up close. It was a new experience for me, though I couldn’t say I’d ever wanted to go through this.
“Getting enough rest?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m all right,” replied Allucia. “Thank you for your consideration.”
“Got it. Try not to push yourself. Well, I say that, but it’s not like I can take your place...”
“It’s fine. Your concern is more than enough.”
I kept an eye on her as we talked, but just as she claimed, she didn’t look particularly tired. She seemed to be sleeping at night. However, she couldn’t slack off with her subordinates present, so she needed to spend the majority of her day with a more formal demeanor. She wasn’t one to lapse in her duties as commander. As a result, she hadn’t had much time to rest without having to worry about appearing unprofessional to others. That would be fine for a day or two, but this had been going on for pretty much the entire trip.
Day after day, she had to meet a stream of high-ranking officials, most of whom she didn’t know. After that, she had to go over the itinerary with everyone. It reminded me of how much responsibility and pressure came with the title of knight commander.
This trip wasn’t exactly relaxing for me, but my responsibilities seemed so trivial in comparison. I was most stressed about staying in the mansions of nobles and other big shots. I’d figured we’d just be staying at regular inns, but that wasn’t always the case. I knew the nobles were entertaining us, and I was grateful for it. I just didn’t have enough nerve. It was pretty pitiful.
“Besides, the real mission is only about to begin,” Allucia said.
“Aah, I guess that’s true...” I nodded, smiling bitterly.
The towns and villages we were passing through were no more than incidental stops on the road—they were merely one-night associations. We met with new people and had meals with them, but we hadn’t yet participated in anything as luxurious as a noble’s party. That was what was awaiting us in Flumvelk. I was feeling more and more depressed about it, whereas Allucia seemed much more reliable. She had a lot of experience with this stuff.
And as Allucia and I continued chatting, an old woman who appeared to be one of the mansion’s maids came by.
“Good morning,” she said. “Would you like a drink?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“Don’t mind if I do.”
Allucia and I accepted, and she placed cups of white liquid before us—fresh milk.
“Ooh, this is really good,” I commented.
“Oh my, it is delicious,” Allucia agreed.
“I’m glad it suits your tastes,” the maid said.
The milk in Baltrain was good, but not as good as the stuff that was fresh off the farm. This region apparently specialized in animal husbandry, and their dairy farms were particularly prosperous. They not only had enough to have dairy products for their daily meals, but they could even export goods both inside and outside the country.
Baltrain’s abundance of goods could be explained by its ability to gather items from blessed regions like this one. Dairy products tended to spoil fast, except for stuff like cheese, but they could still be exported to Baltrain and beyond largely thanks to our wizards. During my fight with Lucy, she’d created ice as a projectile. In the same vein, ice magic could apparently be used to create a cold room to preserve goods.
Still, it was impossible to prevent deterioration over really long distances, so having fresh milk was a treat. Just being able to taste it was satisfying enough to make this long journey worth it.
Knights, soldiers, wizards, and adventurers all ran about busily throughout the lands to make sure such production bases and trade routes weren’t being threatened. What each of these groups did differed in scope, but they were all sort of doing the same thing in the sense that they were securing the safety of the nation’s people. This included protecting citizens directly or by making sure the people of Liberis could be supplied by trade routes. I truly admired them for it.
“Knight Commander, our preparations are complete.”
“Thank you.”
And just like that, after we took a small breather in the morning, it was time to get busy again. The one addressing Allucia wasn’t the garrison’s platoon commander, but a young man wearing gear that differed from both the soldiers and knights we’d left Baltrain with. He was part of the local noble’s provincial army.
I hadn’t known this before the trip, but even among fellow countrymen, having an armed group passing through was bad for public order and the ruling noble’s reputation. It would be problematic if the group started any trouble, and even worse if they attacked the locals. The noble would be faulted with an inability to maintain their people’s safety. That applied even if it was the Liberion Order passing through.
This was especially true when the knight commander herself was leading the group. It was very unlikely for the order to cause any problems of their own volition, but not completely out of the question. So, the lords who ruled these lands mobilized their own troops as escorts to show their loyalty to the crown, to demonstrate their own martial prowess, and to prevent any problems from occurring within their lands.
At any rate, it had to do with a noble’s honor or dignity or pride or influence or whatever. That was why we had new soldiers accompanying us along the way. I spent pretty much all of my time on the road inside the carriage, so I never really had the chance to speak with any of them. It sounded like a lot of work for the soldiers of the royal garrison, though. Working side by side with a group whose character and skill were a complete mystery was surprisingly difficult.
It would be best if nothing happened to put that to the test, of course. In all likelihood, adventurers like Surena had patrolled the route and mopped up the bandits and monsters along the way ahead of time to prevent such problems from occurring. Even back when Mewi and I had shared a lunchtime charcuterie plate with Surena, she’d mentioned being busy because of the upcoming visit from Sphenedyardvania’s delegation. The success of this expedition was thanks to the efforts of many people.
“Shall we get going then, Master?” Allucia asked.
“Sounds good.”
The preparations were finished, and we couldn’t just sit back and enjoy our morning. We didn’t want to keep our escorts waiting, as that could leave an unnecessarily poor impression on them. Unlike my days in the countryside swinging a sword without a care in the world, I was now more conscious of how I appeared to others. This, of course, included noticing both favorable gazes and suspicious ones. We were off to meet some pretty important people, so I was expecting them to view me with particularly harsh scrutiny.
I was trying to watch how I conducted myself, but I had pretty much no experience in this regard, so it was a pretty thorny path. Allucia didn’t comment, and she seemed to be pretty good at it, so I wanted to believe I’d been doing fine so far. She was also strangely soft when it came to me, though... Maybe I shouldn’t trust her too much on matters related to my behavior. Man, this is rough.
Before boarding the carriage, Allucia did a final check with Zed.
“Hanbeck, is everyone set?”
“Yes, all present and accounted for. We can leave at a moment’s notice.”
As to be expected, there were no shortcomings. The whole group was ready to go. After observing them these past few days, I had the impression Zed and all his subordinates were used to long expeditions on the road. I doubted I would be able to lead people on a long escort mission while maintaining morale.
I had a sense these were the elite of the royal garrison. And I was just guessing, but they were probably candidates for Princess Salacia’s royal guard. In that respect, this expedition to the party in Flumvelk was something like a dress rehearsal. When the princess married Prince Glenn, they would be taking this same route, so taking this trip now would only make the next one smoother.
At any rate, I couldn’t just ask the garrison members whether they were in the running to be Princess Salacia’s royal guard—it was simply a hunch I had. I wouldn’t gain anything by finding out for sure, nor would I act any differently on the journey with such knowledge. Sticking my nose where it didn’t belong would just shorten my life, so it was best to act within my station.
As Allucia finished her checks with Zed, Vesper, and Frau came over with their equipment. The two of them had been acting like our attendants during our meetings with nobles and other influentials. They had to be feeling exhausted by now, but it didn’t show on their faces—they seemed used to it.
“Commander, Mr. Beryl, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not a problem,” Allucia said. “Let’s get going then.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With that, we were back on the road. If we reached Flumvelk within the day, this part of the trip would be over. However, the next part would then begin, and this was sure to be far more awkward than my time in the carriage. I’d been personally invited to the noble’s party, so I couldn’t do anything about it, but I found myself quite unenthusiastic about the prospect.
◇
Around the time I was starting to get used to the atmosphere inside the carriage, surrounded by soldiers of the royal garrison and the local provincial army, Zed knocked on the door.
“Excuse me, Knight Commander,” he said. “We’ll be arriving in Flumvelk shortly.”
“Thank you,” Allucia told him.
“Looks like we’re finally at our destination,” I remarked.
Allucia nodded. “Yes. It was a smooth journey.”
We’d left the previous town early in the morning, and now the sun was low in the western sky, casting long shadows beneath us. It seemed Allucia’s claim in the morning that we would reach Flumvelk within the day had been true. Our journey here had pretty much been ideal.
I looked out the window. The road was well maintained and easy to walk on. The view was unobstructed too. Seeing as we weren’t in town yet, the road wasn’t paved in stone, but there was evidence of it being well-trodden. All of this indicated that Flumvelk was relatively prosperous. I wasn’t here for sightseeing, but since I’d come so far, I preferred a bustling town over a desolate one. I didn’t know if I would have any free time, but if possible, I wanted to try the local taverns.
I’d never been to Flumvelk before—I’d barely even left Beaden—so this trip was a pretty new experience for me. With the full journey now nearly half over, I came to realize just how blessed Liberis was. The towns and villages we’d passed through all flourished to different degrees, but at least from what I’d seen, none were impoverished. Well, the order and royal family were capable of setting a route to avoid such places, so this didn’t necessarily paint the full picture. Still, the places we’d visited were able to house and supply a group of dozens of soldiers all at once.
For example, it would be pretty hard for Beaden to handle so many visitors at the same time. We didn’t have that much surplus food, and even if we did, it would be better used for the emergency stores. That could also be a matter of Beaden being such a small village, though.
At any rate, excluding such backwaters, most towns were big enough to have food stored up for a sudden rush of visitors, meaning the country as a whole was really thriving. What was more, Liberis had a transportation network to meet its needs, and as long as there weren’t any huge natural disasters, goods kept flowing. I was constantly reminded of how nice a country I’d been born in.
“Platoon, halt!”
I continued pondering such matters as Flumvelk got closer and closer. Suddenly, Zed’s sharp voice resounded in the air. Our carriage stopped, and he knocked on the door once more.
“Knight Commander, we’ve arrived in Flumvelk. Soldiers are here to meet us.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
It seemed we were finally within Flumvelk’s territory. I tried poking my head out the window to take a look. It looked like a river was used as a simple means to mark the province’s border. There were ten soldiers next to a checkpoint. They wore different armor from the provincial army that was already accompanying us, so these were likely the margrave’s troops.
Zed took several of his subordinates, as well as one of the provincial soldiers who’d been accompanying us, and they made their way to the checkpoint. He was probably reporting in and doing the handoff among our escorts.
To state the obvious, a noble’s provincial army couldn’t enter another noble’s territory without permission. Well, it was physically possible, but it would cause all sorts of problems. So, in the case of an escort mission, once we reached the next province, we reported in and got new escorts. I casually pondered how annoying these restrictions seemed for those involved, but it was a job they had to treat with deadly seriousness. After all, a single misstep could trigger a fight between the nobles they served.
“Vesper, Frau, we’re stepping out. Master, please come with us too.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Sure thing.”
We’d repeated this short exchange so many times since leaving Baltrain that I was used to it by now. The soldiers who were escorting us were swapping out, so we had to give the new ones a simple greeting. It was pretty hard to protect someone in an emergency if you didn’t even know what they looked like, so we had to acquaint ourselves to a certain extent. I really was experiencing so many new things, not only on this trip, but ever since leaving Beaden for Baltrain.
“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Sergeant Major Sahat Ranvaren of the Flumvelk Provincial Army. My lord has commanded me to see you to his estate.”
“Commander of the Liberion Order, Allucia Citrus. We’ll be in your care along the way.”
“Yes, ma’am. Please leave it to us.”
Sahat looked around thirty years old. He had almond eyes and black hair that was swept back. To put it nicely, he really looked like a swordsman. To put it less nicely, he seemed rather curt. His skill with a sword likely matched his rank as a sergeant. I’d seen several provincial soldiers during my trip to Flumvelk, but going by first impressions, his squad seemed to be the most skilled, though they would measure up far less favorably against the likes of Allucia or Henblitz.
“Forgive me,” Sahat said, turning a suspicious gaze my way. “Your companion doesn’t appear to be a knight. Is he...?”
I felt like it’d been a while since anyone had looked at me like that. It reminded me of my first encounters with Henblitz at the office, and with Meigen at the adventurer’s guild. It was a little nostalgic, though I wouldn’t want to go through this endlessly.
“This is Mr. Beryl Gardenant, special instructor for the Liberion Order,” Allucia said, her tone sharp. “Is there a problem?”
“No, not at all,” Sahat replied after a short pause. “Let us depart.”
“Let’s. Lead the way.”
Personally, I didn’t really care. I was aware that I was still getting looks like this because of my demeanor, though I’d come to the realization rather late. I wanted to improve on that front, but I had no idea how to give myself a more commanding presence. I already had facial hair, so maybe it was my clothes. I did dress like a total commoner, but having clothes that were easy to move in was best for a swordsman, so I wanted to stick with what I had.
“He lacks discipline,” Allucia said the moment we were seated in the carriage with Vesper and Frau again.
“Y-You’re awfully harsh...” I muttered.
Well, in the extremely unlikely chance that I had to actually fight Sahat, I was pretty confident I would win. Still, latent potential and first impressions were separate matters.
“Emotions shouldn’t be so clear within one’s eyes,” Allucia elaborated. “He needs more training.”
“You’re quite right, but still...”
Anyone would’ve noticed such a blatant display. Sahat had refrained from saying anything aloud, but it had been easy to see the “Who the hell is this old fart?” in his eyes. In that sense, he really did need more discipline. I personally didn’t care about being looked down upon, but considering the political nature of this expedition, it could affect the Liberion Order’s reputation.
Maybe it would be better for me to care about my outer appearance after all. I wanted to complain about being dragged out into the public spotlight, but that seemed useless at this point, so I had no choice but to resign myself to it. If staying low-key had been an option, I would never have become a special instructor.
“Anyway, it sure is thriving here,” I commented some time after entering Flumvelk.
This must be the center of town where the margrave’s estate is. It was now possible to hear the hustle and bustle of the town from within the carriage. The buildings weren’t too tightly packed together, nor were they particularly tall. In terms of simple prosperity, Baltrain was far superior. Still, there were many energetic pedestrians, and it was as if the downtown area had expanded to an enormous scale.
“Flumvelk is the keystone of national defense,” Allucia explained. “People and goods naturally gather here.”
“I see.”
We weren’t actually at war, but being on the border meant remaining in a constant state of tension. Also, due to the recent assassination attempt, nothing could be left to guesswork for Liberis or Sphenedyardvania.
In that sense, maybe the margrave’s invitation to the Liberion Order was a way of keeping forces across the border in check. I don’t really understand any of this political stuff, though. It’s all just guesswork on my part.
I continued pondering such things as I enjoyed the view outside the window. It was getting dark outside, but there were lights here and there, and I could hear people going about their business. Out in the sticks, sunset meant getting ready to go to bed, but much like in Baltrain, this town had entertainment to offer at night. If I had the time, I definitely wanted to check out the taverns.
“Oh, is that it?”
I spotted a conspicuously large building outside the window. That was likely the margrave’s estate. It couldn’t be compared to the royal palace, of course, nor was it on the scale of the order’s office or the magic institute. Still, its size caught the eye at a glance.
“Excuse me,” Zed said. “The carriage can only go this far. Sergeant Sahat would like us to walk the rest of the way.”
“Understood,” Allucia responded. “We’ll comply.”
The carriage stopped before the gate, and the long leg of this journey came to an end. We had to walk the rest of the way, but it was basically just from the gate to the estate. It was perfectly reasonable.
“I’ll take you to the estate,” Sahat said. “The rest will be staying at an inn. You lot, guide our guests.”
“Yes, sir!”
It looked like we were parting ways with Zed and the soldiers of the royal garrison here. We couldn’t go strolling into a noble’s mansion with dozens of people in tow. Sahat was also leaving his subordinates behind to show everyone to the inn.
We were now down to myself, Allucia, Vesper, Frau, and Sahat. We soon walked through a garden and into the mansion. I couldn’t see very well because of the darkness, but during the day, the blooming flowers probably drew a beautiful picture.
“I’ve brought the members of the Liberion Order,” Sahat said, knocking on a stately door.
“Come in.”
The voice that responded was far younger than I’d imagined. I’d figured a noble in charge of the border would be some wise old man.
“Excuse me.”
Sahat led the way into the room, followed by Allucia, me, Vesper, then Frau. The room was larger than expected, but the lights on the desk and walls provided more than enough illumination. The free use of lighting was enough to prove the wealth at work here. As expected, Flumvelk seemed to be pretty prosperous.
Sitting behind the desk was the lord charged with ruling Flumvelk, who stood up to welcome us with a smile.
“It must’ve been a long journey,” he said. “I am Flumvelk’s lord, Warren Flumvelk.”
“Thank you very much for your invitation. I am Allucia Citrus, commander of the Liberion Order.”
The margrave and commander greeted each other courteously. Viewed in a box, this was truly a meeting between the kingdom’s elite. Even if it wasn’t on the scale of the dinner King Gladio had invited me to, it would normally be a tense situation. That wasn’t how I felt, though.
Dammit, Allucia, you knew and didn’t say anything. I had no memory of the name Flumvelk, but I knew this man well: Warren. That explained why I couldn’t remember. This guy had never mentioned anything about being a Flumvelk.
“Good work, Sahat,” Warren said. “You may take your leave.”
“But...”
“Sahat, do you not trust the Liberion Order?”
“As...you wish.”
Sahat tried to object for a moment, but he lost to the margrave’s pressure and obediently left the room. I understood how he felt. It was concerning to leave the lord he’d sworn his fealty to alone with someone he’d just met, even if they were knights of the Liberion Order. That said, in this one case, his concerns were completely unnecessary.
“Knight Commander, these two are...?” Warren asked, gesturing to Vesper and Frau.
“It’s all right,” she told him, assuring him they could stay. She was likely implying that their lips were sealed.
“Then I suppose it’s fine,” Warren said. “Long time no see, Allucia. And Master, I’m glad to see you too.”
“It’s been a while...my lord?” I responded. “Is that right?”
“Ha ha ha. When the public isn’t watching, you can treat me the same as usual, Master.”
“That so? Then I’ll take you up on that. Good to see you again, Warren.”
His domineering aura instantly vanished, and he transformed into a young man befitting his age. Warren Flumvelk was one of my former pupils. He’d attended the dojo during the same period as Allucia, but unlike her, he’d often had a hard time with the basic forms. He’d always been quick-witted, but he had issues moving the way he wanted to—Allucia had acquired techniques two or three times faster than him.
“Allow me to start with introductions, Your Excellency. This is Vesper and Frau. They are knights, but are serving as something like Mr. Beryl’s attendants for this occasion.”
“I see. I suppose the two of you wouldn’t have been able to come here alone.”
He seemed to be meeting these two for the first time. They bowed without saying anything. They probably weren’t going to speak unless addressed directly. Warren could see this too, so even though their silence would normally be interpreted as rude in the presence of a margrave, he acted as if it were nothing serious.
“Anyway, shall we take a seat and chat?” Warren asked.
“That works for me,” I said.
I sat on a sofa meant for receiving guests. It was really cozy.
“Allow me to thank you once more for making the journey,” Warren said. “Baltrain is quite far away, isn’t it?”
“It is,” I said, “but the journey was pleasant thanks to all the work everyone put in.”
The trip hadn’t been a bother at all. I’d learned that a long journey wasn’t all that bad with careful planning and preparation...though I hadn’t done any of that myself. I’d relied entirely on the order’s preparations.
“Oh, Allucia, there’s no need for you to act on ceremony either,” Warren told her. “We’re out of the public eye here.”
“Is that so? Allow me to take you up on that.”
Allucia immediately let the tension drain out of her shoulders. I felt like I’d done something wrong by letting loose while Allucia had still been all stiff and formal, but Warren had been the one to tell me to act as usual, so I wanted to believe my dignity was intact.
“Warren, you’ve been too lenient with that Sahat fellow’s discipline,” Allucia commented right as she took a seat.
You’re still holding a grudge over his attitude? I mean, you could blame me for giving off that impression instead, but I guess she doesn’t see it that way.
“Did Sahat do something impolite?” Warren asked.
“He looked down on Master Beryl.”
“I see...”
What’s with the serious look? Cut it out. I looked like a plain commoner through and through, so Sahat’s suspicions had been well-founded. Showing his opinion so clearly in his behavior was a separate matter, though. On that point, maybe he did need more discipline.
“I’ll speak with him later,” Warren said. “Sahat worked his way up to the rank of sergeant major, so his skills are at least reliable...”
“He’s still not good enough to serve by a margrave’s side,” Allucia remarked.
Her assessment of him remained harsh. I really hope this isn’t some kind of personal grudge. She wasn’t one to mess up her public character, but when it came to me, she had a tendency to loosen a screw or two every now and then.
Now that we were seated and had finished a slightly radical shift away from what was supposed to be a nice chat, I turned to Warren.
“So...mind if I ask for an explanation already?” I asked.
“Aah, right.”
Warren was one of the pupils who’d devoted himself to the sword at our dojo alongside Allucia. He’d spent more time with us than her—somewhere around five or six years. He’d learned all of our techniques, and I’d given him a farewell sword upon his graduation.
However, he’d never called himself Flumvelk at the time—he’d gone by the surname Heleste. During his time as my pupil, I’d never questioned it. After all, the person who’d brought him to us had also gone by Heleste.
“Is Gisgarte doing well?” I asked.
“Yes, my father is retired now and still healthy,” Warren answered.
“That’s good to hear.”
Gisgarte was Warren’s father, and my fellow student. In other words, he was one of the men who’d studied under my dad, Mordea Gardenant. Gisgarte had left Warren with me, saying no more than, “This is my son—take care of him.” So yes, he’d been my peer, but I was acquainted with him through my dad, so I’d never paid too much attention to his past. Both Gisgarte and Warren had come to us without guards and hadn’t worn anything that would identify them as nobles.
“By retired...you mean he was also a margrave?” I asked.
“That’s right. My father was the previous lord here.”
“I see.”
I seriously had a connection to an important noble without even knowing it. Baltrain and Beaden were pretty far from Flumvelk though, so I doubted we would get very involved, but it was a strange connection nonetheless. I hadn’t built the connection, though—my dad had.
“By the way...” I said. “Why didn’t you call yourself Flumvelk back then? Gisgarte didn’t either.”
“Ummm, about that...”
Now that we were caught up on the current situation, I got right to what had been bothering me. I didn’t understand why Warren hadn’t named himself Flumvelk. You would normally wield the authority of a powerful family name. Not that this necessarily applied to Warren and Gisgarte, but those two hadn’t done anything of the sort. That was why I hadn’t once questioned that they might be nobles.
“Both my father and I had no intention of succeeding the family,” Warren explained. “My father was the youngest child, and I’m the third of four siblings. Heleste is the surname of a servant who has been working for us since my father’s generation.”
“Why go out of your way to borrow another name?” I asked.
“To avoid confusion. If someone bearing the name of a margrave were to suddenly drop by, it’d be rather troublesome, wouldn’t it?”
“Aah... I guess so...”
It would be serious news for the son of a great noble to be learning swordsmanship in some backwater village. It would turn into a huge uproar and could even become a political issue. On that point, Gisgarte’s caution was warranted, but I never imagined it would come back around to a situation like this.
“So ultimately, both you and Gisgarte succeeded the house?” I asked.
“Well, that’s how it ended up,” Warren confirmed with a resigned smile. “It was a series of unfortunate events.”
“I see...”
In most families, not even just noble ones, it was generally the eldest son who succeeded the house. If something happened to that son, it would then fall to the second, then the third, and so on and so forth. Going by my memory, there’d been no wars, so any deaths would’ve occurred by disease or conspiracy. I didn’t want to pry though, so I left it at that. From a father’s perspective, all the family’s children were beloved, even if it was very unlikely for sons to succeed them. It was normal to want to do something for them. A daughter could be married into another family, but that was somewhat harder for a son.
The remaining choices for younger brothers were to have them become soldiers or knights, to have them support the eldest son, or to acquire some kind of vocation. Gisgarte and Warren had polished their skills with a sword while carefully considering options one and three. Instead, they’d unexpectedly succeeded the family.
They must’ve gone through hardships I couldn’t even imagine. It was difficult to find the right words to say, considering the grief they must’ve gone through after losing family members.
“That’s why I didn’t use my family name,” Warren continued. “I figured I wouldn’t be part of the house for long. My father had me learn swordsmanship with that in mind.”
“I understand,” I said. “Sorry for bringing up bad memories.”
“It’s fine. Please don’t worry about it.”
Even if it was only natural for the conversation to flow in this direction, it wasn’t something to be spoken of casually. Warren was the epitome of tolerance.
Now that the heavy talk was over, Allucia asked, “By the way, what are the plans from here?”
We hadn’t come to Flumvelk all the way from Baltrain just to renew old friendships. The public reason was an invitation to a party. Behind the scenes, this was to prepare for Princess Salacia’s wedding.
“The party will be held in three days,” Warren said. “I’d like the four of you to stay in my villa until then.”
“Understood,” Allucia agreed.
As expected, we weren’t going to be staying at a normal inn. I would’ve found one more relaxing, but I couldn’t say that to a noble. I wasn’t planning to be a total slob or anything, but being in someone’s house where other people could see me was somewhat nerve-wracking. It was pretty hard being in a position that gathered public attention, and I was once more reminded of how amazing Allucia and Henblitz were.
“On that note, Master, are you aware of the situation behind this party?” Warren asked.
“The situation...?”
The question brought my thoughts to a halt. I had no idea what he was referring to. Is this more than just a noble’s party?
“Not really... Is there something special going on?” I asked.
Warren smiled before answering, though it looked strained. “In all likelihood, many nobles and other influential people...especially women, will try speaking with you. It’s almost guaranteed.”
“Huh? Why?”
The heck? How does that make sense?
“I assume you’re not aware of this. You’re extremely famous among certain circles,” Warren elaborated. “You’re known by the royal family and are linked to the Liberion Order. Everyone wants to make a connection with you.”
“Whaaa...?”
I couldn’t hide my bewilderment. How had it ended up like that? I hadn’t heard anything like this during my time in Baltrain. Nobody had ever tried talking to me in the streets, nor had I sensed anyone eyeing me. I couldn’t imagine how this was now the case in Flumvelk, so far away from where I lived.
“Things will work out fine if I just remain by Master Beryl’s side and handle it.”
Sensing my bewilderment, Allucia provided immediate support. That would be very reassuring. I had no idea how to interact with VIPs. Just greeting people during the journey had been a lot for me, so having to mingle with bigwigs at a glamorous party hosted by a noble would be pretty rough.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Warren objected.
“Why?” Allucia asked. “We’re a knight commander and special instructor. I do believe it’s an appropriate pairing.”
“Allucia, I understand you’re a lovely woman, but you’re not attending this party to be a lady, right?”
Warren cut down her proposition immediately. I didn’t know anything about noble etiquette, so I had no idea which of them was right. I just sat back and watched. Huh, I don’t have a say in this, do I?
Vesper and Frau had splendidly kept their silence this whole time. They hadn’t even whispered among themselves. That was amazing in its own way. It would’ve been much too awkward for me in their place. In that sense, they were well disciplined.
“I don’t know how it is in Baltrain,” Warren continued, “but due to recent events, interest and praise for the Liberion Order and Master Beryl has risen significantly. I’m sure everyone attending the party will want to speak with you.”
“It’s an honor...but it makes me kinda uneasy,” I said.
Honestly, I wanted no part of it, but I couldn’t say so. By recent events, he was almost definitely referring to the royal assassination attempt. Flumvelk was on the border with Sphenedyardvania. We weren’t at war, but they had to keep vigilant against a hypothetical enemy at all times. It was perfectly reasonable for them to hear of an incident involving their neighbor.
Looking only at the result, the Liberion Order were heroes who had—right at the precipice of danger—prevented an extremely perilous international problem. That was exactly why they’d been invited to this party. So with heroes coming to their home, the local powers wanted to form a connection. That much I understood. I still didn’t like it, though. It sounded like a pain, and I had no idea how to conduct myself. In this sense, I was a bona fide commoner.
“In that case, Vesper and Frau can stick to him,” Allucia said, refusing to back down.
“Their presence is required, but given their status, there are many people they won’t be able to stop,” Warren refuted. “Even if they’re knights, they are here as attendants. They won’t be able to brush off the many nobles thinking of marrying Master Beryl into their families—and forgive the discourtesy, but especially the women.”
Hmm, what do I do about this? I’d accepted the invitation, so I couldn’t refuse to go to the party now. Even I understood that this would be a slap in the face to all those attending.
“I think it’ll be fine if Master Beryl can handle it all on his own, but...it’ll be pretty hard on you, right?” Warren asked, turning to me.
“Yeah, it sounds rough... Though I’m ashamed to admit it...”
He was one of my former pupils, and his dad had been my fellow student. He understood my personality well. And just as he said, I didn’t believe I could pull it off.
“So, to prevent that to a degree—as bug repellent, if you will—and admittedly to add some value...” Warren said. “I think it’ll be better for him to have another partner with him. What do you think?”
Allucia gave a long pause. “No...objections...”
It definitely looked like Warren was coaxing her into something. She was smart, but a man who served on the front lines of the noble class had way more experience with this stuff.
“B-But who exactly can we ask?” I interjected.
According to Warren, I needed a partner to go with me to the party. From what I could tell, I would be in pretty big trouble if I didn’t have someone to stem the tide of curious VIPs. Vesper and Frau couldn’t stand on equal footing with nobles—I couldn’t either. This had nothing to do with ability but was a simple matter of status. Still, even if I did go with his plan, who exactly could be my partner? It was too late to call someone from Baltrain, and I obviously had no acquaintances in Flumvelk besides Warren and Gisgarte.
“So, I’m thinking of having my younger sister Shueste be your partner,” Warren answered with a splendid smile. “She should be able to pull it off perfectly.”
“Huh?”
“Ah?”
My bewilderment was accompanied by intense pressure from Allucia.
“You have a sister?” I asked.
“Yes. I’m embarrassed to say she’s an inept sister who missed her chance at marriage, though.”
I’d never heard about his sister before, but he’d mentioned being the third of four siblings. That would make her Gisgarte’s youngest. If I remembered right, Warren was about the same age as Allucia, which would put his sister in her early twenties at most. Wasn’t it rude to see a woman so young as past the age of marriage? Or was that normal in the world of nobles? She sure had it tough. By those standards, I’d not only missed my chance, but I was already a mummified husk with zero prospects.
“Warren.” Allucia’s tone was sharp.
“Is there a problem, Allucia?”
The pressure coming from her was intense. Well, uhhh, yeah, I get it. I knew she had feelings for me. I mean, no matter how much of a blockhead I was, I could see that much. During her days at the dojo, she’d gone as far as telling me, “Master, when I grow up, I’m going to marry you.” Those feelings probably hadn’t changed after all these years.
Answering her feelings was a different matter, though. Even if it was because of my dad’s pestering, I was out searching for a wife. I wanted to put a little effort into it. Just as I’d discussed with my mom during my return to Beaden this summer, even if I’d surpassed my dad as a swordsman, beating him as a man was still beyond me.
There was no reason I absolutely had to win against him, but he’d been my lifelong goal. I felt the urge to surpass him, not only in swordsmanship, but as a person. I probably never would’ve felt this way had I continued holing up in Beaden. Also, after stepping away and coming back, I felt envy toward the relationship my mom and dad had.
Up until now, I’d never had an interest in creating a peaceful future with a spouse for the rest of my life, but I was starting to believe it would be nice. At the same time, I wasn’t thinking of proactively doing anything until Mewi was independent. Coming home and telling her she had a new mother would be too much for her. Besides, I doubted a lovely wife who met all of my criteria would pop up right away.
Well, even without any criteria, I still questioned whether any woman out there would willingly choose to spend her life with me. And though I felt somewhat regretful about it, I had no intention of laying a hand on any of my former pupils.
It definitely wasn’t a matter of them lacking charm or not being to my tastes—it was something like a fixation of mine. Maybe I was being too hardheaded, but a part of me kept saying it wasn’t right. If I had looser morals, maybe I would already be taking full advantage of Allucia’s favor.
It was possible she saw me as a nasty old man who kept avoiding her approaches. A part of me figured things would work out if her feelings cooled down because of this. I didn’t know whether to tell her directly or leave it to her heart, though.
“But that could cause an unwanted misunderstanding for Master Beryl.”
“Wouldn’t it be worse for him to make a sudden commitment with some noble lady? I’m telling you, it’s bug repellent. If it’s going to cause a misunderstanding, it might as well be with family.”
“Mrgh... Mrrrgh...”
While I ruminated, the two continued their heated debate over what to do regarding my partner. From what I could hear, Allucia seemed to be in a losing battle. It was pretty rare to see her talked down like this.
This was almost nostalgic. Matters that were supposed to be my choice were once again being decided without any of my input. I was still grateful for Warren’s consideration, though. Getting thrown into a gathering of nobles on my own would’ve been a bit too much for me.
“Uhhh, mind if I say something?” I cut in.
At this rate, the argument was going to go on forever—rather, Allucia was going to refuse to let it end. My voice brought their dispute to a complete halt. I was glad all of my pupils were so obedient. Allucia had a tendency to keep talking regardless, though.
“I think Warren’s idea is good,” I said. “I doubt there’s anyone more suitable for the role, and we won’t be able to call someone from Baltrain in time. Besides, it’ll be far more dangerous on my own.”
“M-Master?!”
The Liberion Order’s commander was shocked—her current tone and expression wouldn’t have been appropriate for the public eye. Vesper and Frau were here too, but they’d completely assimilated with the atmosphere in the room. That’s an impressive feat.
At any rate, it was impractical for Allucia to be by my side at all times. Just as Warren had said, she had too many things to do as the knight commander. Compounding that, I had absolutely no experience socializing with upper society, so being left to my own devices would be horrible.
Setting aside the veracity of my fame in certain circles, I’d been invited to a margrave’s party as a guest of honor. It was only natural for people to want to talk to me. I was glad to make more friends, but it would be a problem if they prodded for more than that. This was especially troublesome with big shots like nobles and major business owners—the typical attendees of a noble’s party.
I would be extremely grateful to have someone to serve as a bulwark. What was more, having the status of Warren’s family and being a bachelorette filled the role perfectly. Her being okay with it was another matter, though.
I made sure to make that point clear.
“That’s only if your sister agrees to it,” I told Warren. “If she doesn’t, I don’t want to insist. I’ll tough it out on my own.”
I didn’t want her next to me in a state of constant irritation, after all. If things were going to end up like that, I preferred to try my best to give everyone evasive answers on my own.
“There’s no need to worry about that,” Warren said. “I conveyed the possibility to her once the party was decided on, and she has already consented.”
“I-I see...”
My reaction had apparently been fully within his expectations. All the necessary arrangements had already been made. Warren had predicted that I would attend from the moment he’d started considering this party, and he’d also guessed I wouldn’t have a partner with me. I wasn’t going to lose against him with a sword, but when it came to worldly wisdom, he had me utterly defeated.
“Then I guess it’s not a problem...” I said. “It might be quite the burden for her, though.”
“Very well, then I’ll get things moving on that front,” Warren said.
That wrapped things up nicely, but Allucia was making quite the face. Though Warren’s logic held up perfectly, she wasn’t convinced. I wasn’t going to point any of this out, though. I wasn’t the type of idiot to stir up the hornet’s nest.
“The villa is some distance from here, but it has a stable, so staying there shouldn’t be a problem,” Warren continued. “There are servants too. I’ll assign you a maid, so let her know if you need anything.”
“You’ve really thought of everything...” I commented. “Sorry for being a bother.”
“That’s what it means to be the guest of honor,” Warren said. “You should get used to it, Master. You’ll be invited to more such occasions, so you have nothing to lose by doing so.”
“Ha ha ha, I’ll try... I feel like Allucia said the same thing on the way here.”
I wanted to put in the effort, but I didn’t feel like I would ever get used to it. If anything, I wanted to refrain from repeating this experience. But it seemed that was wishful thinking. I had to steel myself. I’m not sure if I have the necessary resolve for anything but wielding a sword...
“Sahat and his men will escort you to the villa,” Warren said, then added, “just to be safe.”
It seemed our escorts were sticking around. On the way here, I’d pondered visiting the local pubs if I had the chance, but that wasn’t likely at this point. It was questionable whether I would get any time to myself.
I had no choice but to accept that. More importantly, I had to focus on the party coming up in three days. I would definitely have to do some speaking, even with Warren’s sister helping, so I wanted to learn what little I could. I didn’t mind bringing shame to myself, but it would be problematic if I disgraced the Liberion Order.
Anyway, Warren’s sister, huh? I’ve never met her. I didn’t even know she existed. I wonder what she’s like.
If I had to guess, she was courteous and well-mannered, being from a margrave’s house and all. Still, it was stressful having to go to a party with someone I’d never met. And just as I started wondering whether her hair was the same blonde as her brother and father, Warren’s voice brought me back out of my thoughts.
“Aah, one more thing,” he said.
I cocked my head. “Hm? There’s more?”
“Master, it’ll be difficult to manage if you meet Shueste on the day of the party, yes?” he said, as if just coming up with an idea. “I’ll send her to the villa, so you can use the time to get acquainted beforehand.”
“Huh?”
“Ah?”
Warren’s proposal was met with my bewilderment and Allucia’s intense pressure.
This feels like déjà vu...
◇
“Welcome, and thank you for taking the long journey here. It is an honor to make your acquaintance. I am the eldest daughter of House Flumvelk, Shueste Flumvelk. Though it may only be for a short period, I shall provide you with the best of my hospitality.”
After our brief meeting and reunion with Warren, Sahat and the provincial soldiers had guided us to one of the margrave’s villas. It wasn’t all that far away—the road was just long enough for some light exercise. We’d gone by carriage, though.
It seemed Warren had already completed all the necessary arrangements. Upon our arrival, a row of servants and maids and whatnot had bowed to us. And as I’d been wondering whether the overly formal greeting was necessary, the woman at the center of the line—Shueste Flumvelk—had introduced herself to us with the utmost courtesy.
“I must thank you for the grand welcome. I am the Liberion Order’s commander, Allucia Citrus. With me are the knights Vesper and Frau.”
“Lady Allucia, Sir Vesper, Lady Frau, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
From what I could tell, neither the three knights nor Shueste showed the slightest hint of tension or anxiety. I could easily imagine how used Shueste was to such occasions. On that point, she seemed like a good choice to accompany me to the party.
Allucia followed up after a strange pause. “And this is the special instructor serving the Liberion Order, Mr. Beryl Gardenant.”
“I’m honored to meet you,” I joined in.
Allucia was probably affected by what Warren had said. Now wasn’t the time to ask about it, though.
“Master Beryl, I greet you with great excitement in my heart. Long have I awaited the day when I could meet you. I look forward to our continued association.”
“Uhhh, likewise...?”
The sun was completely gone, but as to be expected of a margrave’s villa, there was an abundance of illumination, giving me a clear view of everyone’s faces despite the veil of darkness. I could also see that Shueste’s expression had brightened up considerably the moment I’d been introduced. It was supposed to be our first meeting, but she seemed to have an awfully positive opinion of me. Gisgarte and Warren had probably filled her head with half-truths. It was better than being hated, at least.
Her hair wasn’t the same dazzling blonde as Warren’s—it was instead a darker color similar to tea. Gisgarte also had beautiful blond hair, so she’d likely inherited this from her mother. She looked somewhere in her early twenties and was shorter than Allucia. Her large, chestnut eyes were accented by a gentle expression, making her seem like a sweet girl. Going only by aura, she was similar to how Rose had been during her youth.
“You must all be tired from the long journey, so how about starting with dinner?” Shueste suggested.
“That is certainly true,” Allucia said. “Please allow us to take you up on your offer.”
We hadn’t had anything to eat since entering Flumvelk, so I was grateful for a meal. The same seemed to apply to Allucia.
“Get things ready,” Shueste said, addressing the servants. “I shall show them the mansion. Sahat, good work bringing them here.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
At her command, the line of servants briskly got to work, and we finally parted ways with Sahat and the provincial soldiers. About the only servant I knew of who worked for someone really important was Haley, and these servants looked in no way inferior to her. It seemed those working at a noble’s mansion weren’t the type to set a bad example by lounging around.
Shueste led us into the building. Much like the outside, the interior was a splendid construction of stone. Nobles are probably more focused on personal security than the regular commoner. During a war, this could even become a command post. It was very sturdily built, just like the royal palace and the order’s office.
I wanted to live in a world where such things were unnecessary, but life was rarely so ideal. It wasn’t utter chaos, but considering the many countries that shared the Galean continent, smoke was bound to rise somewhere. Was it selfish to want them to at least do that stuff where I couldn’t see it?
I’d felt fine shutting my eyes to it back during my days of swinging a sword in the countryside, but with my new post, I felt like that no longer applied. I really didn’t want to be called on to participate in some international schism. It was frightening how I couldn’t completely discount the possibility.
“This is the dining room.”
“Oooh...”
Not too far from the entrance, we found ourselves in a room. While the ceiling wasn’t too high up, the space itself was vast, and it contained a long dining table lined with chairs. It didn’t compare to the dinner party I’d been invited to at the royal palace, but it was still more than splendid enough—certainly far beyond the inns and taverns I’d frequented before moving in with Mewi. A part of me wondered if I really had to get used to fancy dinners like this.
“The food will be arriving shortly, so please take a seat,” Shueste said, walking to the chair at the center of the table.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do. As one of the main guests, it made sense for me to sit near Shueste. Allucia was the most important guest, so that meant she would take the closest seat to her. Does that make me next in line? I don’t get it. Allucia just marched right to the nearest seat like it was the most obvious thing. Vesper and Frau aren’t moving at all. What do I do?
“Come, come, Master Beryl, over here,” Shueste said, urging me to sit right next to her, across from Allucia. I really was being treated on the same level as the knight commander. “Hee hee, I’ve been so eager to speak with you. I’ve heard many tales of your prowess from my brother and father.”
“Uh... Thank you...?”
Shueste remained rather talkative, even as we waited for the food to arrive. She had a uselessly positive opinion of me. What prowess? You guys only ever knew of me during my days in the sticks. Dammit, what do I do about this?
From an outside perspective, I did have an impressive title as special instructor for the Liberion Order. In contrast, my outer appearance and mind were completely that of an old man. I had no idea how to act around a younger woman who possessed both status and beauty.
“Lady Shueste, it must be difficult having to deal with an old man like me,” I remarked.
“Oh my, nothing of the sort. Also, please refer to me simply as ‘Shueste.’”
“Ah, no, that’s...I mean...it’s inappropriate, or rather...”
“It’s fine. Just address me as you would my brother or father.”
Shueste was clearly quite enthusiastic. It was a little scary. I didn’t know what was going on in her head. Was part of her behavior calculated self-interest? No matter how you looked at me, I wasn’t the type of person a noble would take interest in. I just couldn’t understand how their minds worked.
Meanwhile, Allucia was making a terrifying expression and unleashing some overwhelming pressure. Didn’t you just criticize Sahat for showing his emotions so easily? Don’t repeat the same mistake so quickly.
To add to that, Vesper and Frau were still maintaining their utter silence. I felt like they hadn’t said a word since entering Flumvelk. I felt kind of sorry for them.
“Excuse me. Dinner is ready.”
And as I found myself in this exquisitely awkward atmosphere, it was finally time to eat. This situation was rather tough on my nerves, but my stomach was eager to have some food. I had to be careful not to devour my meal.
Several servants came in and set the table. There was meat, vegetables, soup, and even alcohol. I was really glad for some proper meat. It showed how strong production and trade were in Flumvelk.
Once everyone had food before them, Shueste offered a toast. “Then let us begin. In celebration of your safe arrival and in thanks for today’s meeting, cheers.”
As to be expected, this wasn’t a situation where I could knock back a tasty ale. There was a glass of deep red wine before me. I didn’t hate wine or anything—I’d had plenty of it back home. I simply preferred ale. I would never mention this though, so I gratefully sipped my wine.
“Oh, this is good,” I commented.
Shueste smiled. “Hee hee, I’m glad it suits your tastes.”
A rich aroma and faint sweetness dominated my mouth, followed a beat later by a unique bitter tang. It really was delicious. I couldn’t even compare it to the cheap stuff I’d had in Beaden. The wine they’d served in the palace had probably been equally exquisite, but I’d been so nervous at the time that I hadn’t been able to taste it. Drinking that wine was a total waste... But I could taste this one now, so I must’ve grown somewhat accustomed to high-society affairs.
“Are you enjoying it as well, Lady Allucia?” Shueste asked.
“Yes. It is delicious,” Allucia replied flawlessly as she manipulated her fork and knife elegantly. She really knew her etiquette. I wasn’t exactly clumsy with my tableware, but I was inexperienced with the manners of upper society. I was also pretty desperate on the inside not to bring shame to everyone.
“After dinner, I shall give you a tour of all the rooms and facilities here,” Shueste said.
“That truly helps,” I told her. “Thank you for your consideration.”
“Master Beryl, could you please act like your normal self around me?”
“Aah... I’ll put in the—I’ll try.”
“Yes, yes. That’s the spirit.”
I didn’t feel like I could win against her charming smile. She had a point, though. I was quite frank with her older brother, the current head of House Flumvelk. Trying to act formally around him actually made me uncomfortable. Going by that logic, as long as she was fine with it, there was no problem doing the same for his little sister—when out of the public eye, at least.
Still, that was entirely based on the premise that I hadn’t known Gisgarte’s and Warren’s identities. I didn’t have the nerves to be so casual around the eldest daughter of a margrave’s house when I knew who she was from the beginning. I wanted to put in the effort, though.
If anything, I wanted her to stop calling me Master Beryl. She didn’t speak to me as a pupil would to an instructor, but she called me “Master” as if I were a really important guest. I already knew she would use that as an excuse to have me drop the titles around her too, so it seemed I had no choice in the matter.
“Individual rooms have been prepared for all of you,” Shueste continued, gracefully taking a sip of wine. “And I have a proposal concerning that...”
“Hm? What is it?” I asked.
I was glad we all had our own rooms. We’d also gotten this treatment on the way here. Sharing a room with someone you didn’t really know was stressful. I’d spent a long time living with my parents, so aside from Mewi and my family, I was a little nervous about sharing with anyone.
Anyway, I had no idea what her proposal could be. If we had individual rooms, then that worked out just fine. Did they really need to put forth effort on top of that?
“Master Beryl, we’ll be attending the party together in three days,” she started. “To get to know each other better before then and to make the party a greater success, I was thinking we should share a room,” Shueste proposed.
“What?”
“Ah?”
That’s a tremendous statement to make with that blooming smile. You siblings really don’t need to be that similar.
Also, we were back to me being bewildered and Allucia exuding some serious pressure. How many times had this been today? This time though, I was in agreement with her.
◇
“Hwaaah...”
Things had been rather shocking since entering Flumvelk, but the day had somehow reached a safe end, and it was now the next morning. I was woken up by gentle sunlight pouring through the windows.
The rooms we’d been given were more than large enough. The excess space actually made me restless—my room was probably as large as my entire house in Baltrain. At least I now knew that a uselessly large living space was actually bad for the nerves.
I wasn’t dissatisfied with my current house, and I was very grateful to Lucy for it. As long as I was living with Mewi, I was very unlikely to look for a new place. I had no reason to. I could think of only two reasons I might leave: if the house became too cramped for my family or if I vacated it to return to Beaden. The latter was entirely possible, but the former was pretty unlikely.
“Anyway, I’m glad I got to sleep alone...”
While pondering my household matters, yesterday’s exchange came back to mind. Shueste’s proposal had ended as nothing more than a proposal. She’d apparently been half joking. And after being faced with my bewilderment and Allucia’s rapid-fire objection, she’d backed down with ease.
As a result, I’d managed to spend my night peacefully, but I still found myself somewhat uneasy around Shueste. It didn’t seem like she was trying to trick us or anything. If she’d had ill intent, Allucia’s sensitive instincts would’ve picked up on it. And before any of that, it was hard to imagine Warren plotting something with his little sister.
I also felt that she wasn’t quite playing with me or teasing me. Hypothetically, had I agreed to it, I was pretty sure Shueste would’ve refrained from coming to my room. And yet, I didn’t believe it had been entirely a joke either.
“Hmmm...”
There was some kind of ulterior motive, but I had no idea what it was. I didn’t even know if it really involved me. It was generally useless to worry about these kinds of things, but once it was on my mind, I couldn’t get it out. I definitely couldn’t go to Shueste and plainly ask, “Are you plotting something?”
“Master Beryl, are you awake?”
“Whoa... Haaah... Yeah, I’m up.”
A knock came at the door, as if someone were reading my thoughts. The voice on the other side was Shueste’s. I was glad she was visiting in the morning rather than at night—I wouldn’t have known how to handle that.
“May I come in?” she asked.
“Go ahead.”
“Please pardon the intrusion.”
She entered the room and was the same Shueste as yesterday. Her clothing was somewhat more plain, though. To be specific, it was less flashy but still had a fine texture and featured calming colors.
“Good morning, Master Beryl.”
“Morning, Shueste,” I replied a beat later.
Yesterday had been really busy, but I’d had a night to rest up. We were also in my personal room, and Shueste had nobody with her. We were genuinely alone. Viewing this situation in a box, it would be impossible to remain calm. After all, a woman was visiting a man’s room first thing in the morning. But unlike yesterday, I’d managed to calm my nerves somewhat, so I was able to act the same as always—just as she’d requested.
“Hee hee... Thank you very much.”
I was worried for a moment that her request might’ve also been a joke, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. I’d responded to her like I would to Mewi, and she returned a gentle smile. It looked like I had the right idea, so maybe it was best to be like this whenever we weren’t in public. Adjusting my behavior based on the time and place wasn’t really my specialty, though.
“Did you enjoy your evening?” she asked.
“It really is a nice house,” I said. “It was a pleasant night. I’ve got nothing to complain about.”
This was a margrave’s villa. How arrogant would I have to be to be unsatisfied with it? Shueste’s gaze remained unchanging. It was tender, cheerful, and without the slightest hint of hostility. In contrast, she did seem to make a lot of bewildering requests of me, but I didn’t want to directly confront her about it.
Maybe, in her own way, she was trying to evaluate what kind of person I was. She wasn’t causing any harm, so maybe it was fine to just go along with it until she was satisfied. After all, I was very unlikely to ever meet her again after this expedition was over.
“By the way, the whole Master Beryl thing...” I began.
“Oh dear. You’re a guest, so it’s only natural.”
“R-Right...”
I’d stopped with the formal behavior, but my suggestion for her to do the same had been shot down instantly. It was pretty unfair. I mean, I could’ve told her, “You’re part of House Flumvelk, so it’s only natural for me to be formal.”
Even if I had told her that, I was pretty sure she would’ve skillfully found some reason it didn’t apply to her. I wasn’t particularly good at arguing my point and didn’t have any kind of force of personality or anything. Instead, I moved on to a simpler matter.
“So, what brings you here this morning?” I asked.
“Oh, yes. I’d like to invite you to have breakfast with me. I was thinking we could improve our friendship, even if only a little.”
“Underst—got it. Ummm... Then allow me to acc—”
“Master Beryl. You’re forbidden from being formal.”
“Then...what about you?”
“I am the one inviting you, Master Beryl.”
“Whaaa...?”
I was fine with having breakfast together, but now I’d even been banned from being formal at all. My objection had also been pitifully obliterated. I was far older than her, but maybe because she was a noble, she’d received an education on this front. I didn’t feel like I could ever win against her in a war of words.
This was fine around Shueste—I could just laugh the whole thing off as rather harmless—but it would definitely be bad if some sly nobles attended the party. I was liable to make some kind of weird commitment without even knowing it.
From that perspective, I was grateful to have Shueste as my partner for the party. It was indeed important that we understood each other a little more in preparation for said party.
“Let us go immediately,” Shueste said. “The weather is fine today, so I was thinking of eating in the courtyard.”
“Ooh, that sounds nice.”
I figured we would either end up in the dining hall or have the food brought to my room. Instead, we were going to eat outside. The courtyard was still on the premises, so it wasn’t a security issue. And just as she said, the weather was nice. It was early fall, so it was cool in the mornings and evenings. This was sure to be very pleasant.
I made myself presentable—to the extent that I could—and left the room. On the way there, Shueste got the attention of a maid who’d been waiting outside.
“You there—today’s breakfast will be in the courtyard.”
“Certainly. As you wish.”
Naturally, while Shueste was very courteous with me and Allucia, she used a more commanding upper-class persona when dealing with servants. If she didn’t, her servants could end up looking down on her. They could even spread rumors that would threaten her position. The worlds commoners and nobles lived in were different based on what each side viewed as common sense.
“Here we are,” Shueste announced.
“Hmm. I didn’t get to see it in the darkness last night. It really is beautiful.”
I was guided to a space with well-pruned trees and a modest display of nature’s beauty. There were all sorts of flowers—enough for none of them to look lonely, but not enough to be suffocating. The garden had a terrific atmosphere. Some kind of exclusive gardener must’ve been in charge here.
“I help tend to things here, just every now and then,” Shueste said.
“Huh? You do?”
“Yes. Is that unexpected?”
“Well, a little.”
It was hard to imagine the daughter of a margrave doing any gardening. Not that I believed it was a noble’s job to lounge around and do nothing, but it was still surprising. In my terms, it would be like Allucia cleaning the training hall.
And just as I took a seat at the table with a clear view of the vivid trees, a waiter placed breakfast before me.
“Your meal, sir.”
“Ah, thanks.”
It was basically a reflex for me to say thanks. This was common sense for me, but was it the same for nobles? This was the kind of stuff I had to learn.
Breakfast consisted of a baguette, bacon, cheese, and milk. The menu reflected the region’s specialty in animal husbandry.
“Thanks for the meal,” I said.
“Please enjoy,” Shueste told me.
I put the bacon on the baguette and took a bite. The bread wasn’t dry or hard, and the bacon had a proper bite to it with plenty of grease. It was genuinely delicious, though I could’ve guessed that before trying it.
Unlike eating at an inn or at home, there was a certain coolness to eating outside in such a liberating and quiet space. The restaurant Kinera had taken me to had a terrace, but a fair bit of the town’s hustle and bustle could be heard from there.
After making sure I’d started eating, Shueste tucked into her meal too. She used her fork and knife with terrific manners and took tiny bites. It painted quite the picture. And, it was a little late to comment on this, but having a meal with a member of high society made me feel out of touch with reality.
Around the time we’d both had some of our breakfast and my stomach was beginning to settle, Shueste struck up a conversation.
“Master Beryl, I’ve heard from my brother and father that you’ve spent your whole life pursuing the sword.”
“Hm? Well, I guess I have. Now and in the past, all I’ve ever been capable of is frantically swinging one around.”
I didn’t know what exactly Gisgarte and Warren had told her, but she was right. My life had consisted of nothing more than wielding a sword and teaching it to others. I didn’t regret it, though. Looking back on things now, my only criticisms were things like, “I could’ve done that better had I done it like this instead.” Still, it was hard to deny that I would’ve liked a bit more color in my life.
“I was somewhat envious of my brother,” Shueste muttered quietly.
“You envied him...?”
She had the same friendly smile as usual, but the moment those words left her lips, a slight bitterness was apparent behind it.
“I am the eldest daughter of House Flumvelk. I feel no discontent toward being raised to live up to my name, and I believe my father and brother are worthy of great respect. I also know how dearly they cherish me.”
Shueste set aside her tableware and cast her eyes down somewhat. There was no extra drama in her voice. She didn’t seem to be lying.
“However, if I could be allowed one selfish request...I would’ve liked to see beyond the walls of this restricted world, just like my father and brother did. A part of me believes that, even now.”
“I see...”
She’d surely been raised like a princess with plenty of affection. According to Warren, she had nothing but older brothers. Now that I was looking after Mewi, I understood how much I would dote on a daughter of my own.
On the other hand, there was a significant distance between Flumvelk and Baltrain, and Beaden was even farther. It would be a tough choice to send an adorable daughter on a journey like that, especially if she was the youngest child.
“Have you told Warren and Gisgarte that?” I asked.
“No... How could I...?”
Shueste looked somewhat bewildered by my question. Hypothetically speaking—really, just hypothetically—say Mewi told me she wanted to travel all over the world. Ultimately, I wouldn’t stop her. I would, of course, be ridiculously worried and would confirm over and over that she was truly all right. We would also have to talk and talk until she finally convinced me. In the end though, I would choose to respect her wish. The same likely applied to Gisgarte and Warren.
Naturally, nobles were bound by far more fetters than commoners from the very moment they were born. Regardless, I didn’t want to believe there were any parents out there who would disregard a beloved daughter’s will. The same went for brothers with their younger sister. They would’ve done everything in their power to actualize her request—if, of course, it could be realistically achieved.
“Shueste, you’ve probably never told them what you really want,” I said. “That’s why you don’t know how they’ll react.”
“Yes...that is definitely true.”
She knew they cherished her, and that was precisely why she couldn’t open up about her feelings. If she did, it was possible that things would all come crumbling down. However, I knew Gisgarte and Warren, not as nobles, but as individual people. In my opinion, even if Shueste expressed an adorably selfish request, they wouldn’t treat her any differently.
“I bet it’ll be fine,” I told her. “I’m just not sure it would be possible to grant your request, though... Still, Gisgarte and Warren won’t come to hate you because of it. If anything, they might rejoice.”
“Rejoice...?”
“They would think, ‘Shueste has finally told us her true feelings.’”
Being unreasonable and being selfish were technically different things. From what I knew, Shueste wasn’t being unreasonable. She could do with being a little more honest with herself.
“But suddenly asking to go on a journey might pose too many problems...” I added. “To test things out, why don’t you ask about tending to the villa’s garden more freely?”
To state the obvious, it was probably unrealistic for a noble’s eldest daughter to suddenly take a trip around the world—starting with such a request would only cause trouble for Warren. That was why I believed she could start with a far more meager indulgence.
“How...?” Shueste muttered.
“Hm? You like nature, right? I can at least see that much.”
It seemed my suggestion had shocked her a little. The smile she’d maintained since our first meeting was falling apart. We’d only just met, but I’d been able to see right away that she loved flowers and nature. It’d been obvious from the smile she’d had when she’d guided me to the courtyard.
“Hee hee... I suppose so. You’ve watched both my father and brother for many years. I’m sure you’re right.”
“It’s a bit troublesome if you put that much trust in me, though.”
As a member of their family, she’d watched them for far longer than I had, but I did understand what she was getting at. I just knew a side of them that she didn’t, nothing more.
“I’ve decided,” Shueste said, seeming to find a new resolve in her heart. “I’ll try being more honest with my family. If they say anything, I’ll tell them it was your suggestion.”
“Ha ha ha, I bet they’ll get really angry with me.”
Her smile was far more invigorated than before. It was such a modest thing—a story that was perfectly commonplace in any household. However, there were families where such commonplace problems were never resolved. I was hoping that my words, as little as they were worth, could help give her the push on the back she needed.
“Now that we’ve talked about me, please tell me some more about yourself, Master Beryl.”
“Sure thing. But despite my long years, I don’t have all that much to tell.”
The morning with Shueste had started somewhat tensely for me, but it ended up being so modest, quiet, and fulfilling.
Talking about stuff like this every now and then doesn’t seem so bad.
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