—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The culture of the North was more free-spirited compared to other places.
Considering a mere mercenary group had swept through the region and gained recognition, it could be said to be worlds apart from the noble culture of the central region.
If the central banquet was a place for socializing and all sorts of schemes, the banquet in the North was completely different.
It was a small festival in itself, celebrating the fact that a new connection had been made.
To put it simply, it meant there was no harm in emptying one’s mind and just drinking.
As I was putting on the clothes hanging in the room and heading out, a particularly large person caught my eye.
Anyone could tell he wasn’t an ordinary person, his body alone seemed twice as big as others.
He was too big to ignore, so I approached him and greeted him.
Slightly surprised by my greeting, he then grasped my hand and shook it gently.
With his build, it was closer to me being swayed, but I was used to moving my body to barely avoid falling over.
“You have quite a strong grip.”
“Oh… You’re the first person I’ve seen withstand this.”
“My name is Robert Taylor. If you’re heading to the banquet hall, shall we go together?”
“Sure, call me Bunta.”
Although I already knew his name, I shrugged my shoulders and greeted him happily.
He could be said to be a rather unique hybrid with orc blood mixed in.
If he went to the central region, he would face persecution, but he had joined Adele’s mercenary group and put his unique brute strength to good use, rising to the position of a close aide.
Of course, since his intelligence was low, Adele and Lothos handled most of the administrative tasks.
Bunta’s job was mainly to liven up the atmosphere at banquets.
As Bunta occasionally glanced at me, I looked at him, curious about his gaze, and he awkwardly scratched his head with a smile.
… When he did that, it meant he was hiding something.
Judging from Lothos and Bunta’s reactions, it wasn’t hard to guess what it was.
They probably thought I was someone close to Adele, and if the misunderstanding had deepened, they might think I was her lover.
Since they had decorated the room like that, I had thought about it, but I wondered what they were trying to do if Adele found out.
Knowing Adele’s personality, she would quite sternly punish such misunderstandings.
I thought it would be a light punishment if only the head was left and buried.
If it got worse and Adele felt uncomfortable, she would personally take up the sword and deal with it.
By the way, Adele’s lover. Even before, Adele’s subordinates had tried to connect me and Adele unusually.
They must have found it quite interesting that I, as a foreigner, was close to Adele.
However, getting close to Adele was not a difficult task.
Especially if she showed interest herself, afterward, even if I just agreed with her words, I could maintain the relationship.
I remembered Lothos’ dumbfounded expression when I asked what was so difficult about it.
I thought I would see it at least once today.
The reason I had brought a sword was because I had somewhat anticipated what Adele would do today.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Coincidentally, my seat was right next to Adele’s.
It was quite blatant at this point, but Adele just stared at me with a curious expression, as if she didn’t know or care.
Well, since I was a guest, there wouldn’t be any problem even if I sat next to Adele.
The only problem was that the seating at this banquet was first-come, first-served.
Adele must have taken her seat first, but only the seat next to her was empty.
Lothos, who was sitting next to me, smiled and offered his hand.
His goat-like beard was the same, so I felt strangely unpleasant.
“I introduced myself earlier, but my name is Lothos. Is this your first time in the North?”
“Yes, I just know a bit about the greeting customs.”
“Usually, there are often people who come here without knowing anything, but I’m glad that the perception of the North seems to be improving these days.”
“It seems there are people who have come to visit besides me.”
Then Lothos, who had been smiling for a moment, pointed to the northwest and continued.
“Recently, Her Highness the Princess visited. She hasn’t left yet. She said she would personally inspect the Terra Knight mine in the northwest. It was quite a sudden event, so I was a bit surprised.”
“… Aha.”
The northwest, it was too obvious what Miragen was thinking when she made a move, so a hollow laugh escaped me.
I told her to take an interest in the northwest, not to go directly and even inspect it.
If she had just stayed still, there would definitely have been results around the new year.
It was my fault for overestimating Miragen’s intelligence.
I should have added that she shouldn’t go directly, and it would be better to observe the situation.
If it was the northwest from here, would it barely overlap with Adele’s territory?
If I had some spare time, I thought it would be good to head towards the northwest as well.
Adele’s subjugation of the tribes would probably extend to the northwest as well.
In addition, there was a possibility of the tribes occupying the mines,
so if I didn’t warn her, she might be stuck there for a while.
By now, she would be anxiously waiting to see when the Terra Knight ore would be discovered.
As I let out a small sigh thinking about Miragen, Lothos looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Well, Lothos probably had a high probability of not knowing about my connection with Miragen.
Even if he knew, it would be a public relationship.
He wouldn’t know exactly how close we were privately.
“Were you acquainted with Her Highness the Princess?”
“We know each other to some extent. I received help from her in various ways.”
“You know the Princess too.”
Hearing Adele’s voice, I turned my head to see her looking at me with quite an interesting expression.
Come to think of it, she had a similar expression when I said I knew the Saint.
Although she seemed to be smiling softly, her eyes contained a faint chill.
Adele, who had drunk the alcohol placed in front of her, quietly moved her lips.
“You know the Saint, you know me, and you know the Princess. You have quite a wide network, unlike what I know.”
“There were various circumstances. Since I’ve spoken about becoming the family head, I couldn’t just stay still.”
“Yes, that’s understandable. But that’s your situation. Do I have to pay attention to that as well?”
Staring blankly at the empty glass, Adele then poked my shoulder with her finger and continued.
“The only thing I’m concerned about right now is you. Since you’re the only one I’ll keep in the North, whether you’re close to the Princess or the Saint. It’s better not to talk about other people here.”
“… Did you say you’ll keep me?”
“Yes, isn’t that the reason you came this time?”
As Adele calmly drank her alcohol, a strange silence fell over the banquet hall.
It was clear that what she had just said could lead to various misunderstandings,
but what was more problematic was what she said next.
She said she would keep me. Did she mean she was thinking of keeping me in the North?
“Didn’t I tell you before that I like you? I was thinking of making you my deputy, didn’t you know?”
“I think I just told you that I’m going to become the family head.”
“Strictly speaking, I’m the Grand Duchess. If I wanted to, I could make you my deputy.”
Her words, spoken in a serious tone, seemed quite sincere.
However, she wouldn’t really say this. I was just a bit surprised that she brought up this topic so lightly.
If someone in this place were to spread it outside, it could spread widely.
Did it mean she trusted the people here that much?
“I believe you’re not saying this in earnest.”
“I am serious.”
Staring at me, who was slightly taken aback, Adele then chuckled and poured the alcohol.
She poured half in her glass and filled mine to the brim, then raised her glass and opened her mouth.
The serious atmosphere from earlier had dispersed in an instant, leaving only a playful smile.
“Of course, I’m just saying it. I know well why you came here, and I have no reason to interfere with that.”
“Is that so? I was about to be quite disappointed.”
“… Just bring your glass closer. Don’t say anything unnecessary.”
Clang-
As the lightly colliding glasses were emptied, Adele took a deep breath.
It was puzzling that a hint of regret had passed by, but soon her eyes that had returned to normal turned to me.
“If I were to say your purpose for coming here, wouldn’t it be a trick to return the handkerchief and take various things with you?”
“Various things, you say.”
“You probably need my support too. Robert, didn’t you say it yourself that you’re going to become the family head?”
She had indeed seen through it to some extent.
Although I didn’t think it would go unnoticed, I was a bit surprised that she had realized it faster than I thought.
Saying this meant she had been certain since the moment I sent a letter saying I would come to the North.
Since it must have been known that the family head competition had started here as well, she must have inferred it in her own way.
As I didn’t particularly deny it since it was true, Adele glanced at my sword and continued.
“I think I’ve already sufficiently repaid the debt between you and me. Although I feel sorry for slitting your throat, I ended it by not asking about the secret you mentioned.”
“… Yes, I remember.”
“I can’t say it’s bad for you to seek my support, but to obtain such a thing, you’ll have to pay a proper price. So I have a proposal for you. Are you willing to hear it?”
Looking at Adele with a serious tone again, I nodded and answered.
Actually, I had somewhat anticipated this conversation.
Since Adele would realize my true purpose at some point, there was a high probability that she wouldn’t think favorably of that purpose.
If there was a chance she would set conditions, and if her interest was directed towards me right now.
There was only one thing left that she would propose to me.
“During your stay in the North, be my deputy. Listen to and follow my orders, but I promise to treat you on par with other deputies. Depending on how you act during that period, I will decide whether to support you or not.”
“If I’m a deputy, there will be times when I have to participate in battles.”
“Are you not confident? You don’t seem to have such skills.”
“It’s not like that. I’m just curious about when you prepared this proposal.”
Then Adele answered with a small laugh.
It was quite a natural response, as if she knew I would ask this.
“From the moment I first saw you. Didn’t I tell you that I would make you my deputy?”
“It… wasn’t a joke.”
“If you do too well, I won’t let you go. So you’ll have to behave well. Adequately, so that I can let you go, but well enough to gain support.”
Isn’t that too difficult a request?
As I laughed slightly at the absurdity, Adele emptied her glass while drinking, unfazed.
She must have meant it sincerely in her own way.
She would set a standard and say she wouldn’t support me if I couldn’t surpass it.
Making me her deputy meant she would take me to the upcoming subjugation of the tribes.
However, the atmosphere around us was slightly chilly.
Although they completely followed Adele’s decisions, her deputies had an air of not being able to accept me.
From their perspective, I was just a rolling stone, so I could understand their reaction.
What could a young master who had been living luxuriously in the central region do?
There were even rumors about me that I had never held a sword since birth, so some openly expressed their discomfort.
A typical example was Bunta.
He had been smiling well until earlier, but now he was glaring at me and panting heavily.
Lothos, who had seen my sword energy, understood Adele’s thoughts and remained still,
but even he seemed to have noticed that the people around were feeling uncomfortable.
Lothos, who had been making a troubled expression while looking at me, then let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth to Adele.
“Your Grace, I think there will be quite a few objections to this decision.”
“Is that so? Then what do we do?”
“There’s only one thing, isn’t there? We’ll have to follow our way.”
Then Adele’s gaze turned to me.
I smiled bitterly at the look in her eyes, as if asking what I was going to do now when she knew it would turn out this way the moment she said she would make me her deputy.
Last time, I had shown a single sword energy and said it was a secret.
This time, it seemed she wanted to properly see my skills.
The gazes pouring on me were plentiful.
The noisy banquet hall had become quiet in an instant, and a suffocating silence descended upon me.
The overwhelming pressure weighing on my shoulders, the dismissive looks, and the wary attitudes.
I had always received such gazes whenever I came to the North.
However, the reason I had become quite close with them was simple.
Because I had the skills.
Standing up from my seat, I looked at Bunta and opened my mouth.
Bunta snorted at my playfully moving finger.
“We just need to fight once?”
“Fight and win.”
“I see.”
My attitude was still relaxed. That was because it wasn’t the first time I had experienced this situation.
My first time was Bunta, the next time was Bunta. And this time, it’s Bunta again?
In fact, even if everyone here attacked me, I was confident I could survive.
If Adele intervened, it would be a bit overwhelming, but I could still somehow endure it.
I didn’t wield a sword.
I had little mana, and compared to before, my body was so pitiful that it could be called trash.
However, I was still the one who was called the Sword Saint.
If I had a sword, defeating someone was not that difficult.
That was the Sword Saint, so was that title false?
I smiled slightly.
It was a more relaxed smile than ever.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
