Absolutely Do Not Touch ELdmia Egga – Chapter 171

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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This country might have a strange structure where decisiveness and boldness increase with social standing.

Honestly, I hadn’t imagined she’d reveal herself like this after moving so discreetly.

I had no choice but to wave my hand dismissively and accept her request.

“Alright, but first, could you please lower the curtain? There’s nothing to be gained from revealing your appearance.”

“Th-this is because you’re blatantly ignoring me…”

“I’ve just been released from temporary detainment. The royal family hasn’t even issued an official statement about the incident yet. Isn’t it natural for me to avoid clandestine meetings?”

Even if Duke Lesrom and the King had decided on a laissez-faire approach, there was still a high probability of other nobles raising objections.

If it came to light that I’d secretly met with royalty in the midst of all this, some crazy people would start concocting scenarios, claiming it was all a royal fabrication.

There was no guarantee a second or third Envelde wouldn’t emerge, using that as an excuse.

I am a crazy person who tells everyone not to mess with me, but I’m not crazy enough to give them a reason to mess with me while still telling them not to.

“Hmm, hmm. I came here to express my personal gratitude. Now, if you’ll just step inside…”

“No. We’ll talk here. Your… butler can pretend to escort the carriage with me.”

“H-here?”

“Yes. Here.”

I leaned against the carriage, maintaining a firm tone.

A brief silence followed.

I had no intention of prolonging this conversation, so I remained poised, waiting for her response.

Fortunately, it was positive.

“Very well. The purpose of this meeting is to express gratitude and goodwill, not to inconvenience you.”

“I’m already inconvenienced.”

“…Y-you’re certainly bold. Frankly, I never imagined you’d respond so consistently. I understand why my father tried to avoid a formal meeting.”

I thought it was simply prudence, avoiding hasty actions in an uncertain situation, but there was no need to drag out the conversation with my opinion.

I remained silent.

“I owe you a great debt. Separate from the official royal reward, I wish to offer you a personal token of gratitude. Please, tell me what you need. I’ll prepare it within my capabilities.”

Well… unlike the suggestions to “join my side” or “stop causing trouble,” this was a perfectly reasonable offer.

“Can I leave after I tell you?”

I asked, thinking of something I needed.

Her response seemed strangely deflated.

“A-are you that averse to conversing with me?”

“It’s not that. I just don’t want to be entangled in politics anymore. It’s nothing personal. Anyway, there is one thing. It’s not a difficult or unreasonable request, so it shouldn’t be a burden. Can I tell you and leave?”

“…Very well.”

“Please ensure there are no more meetings like this in the future. Now, please excuse me.”

Since she couldn’t see my face anyway, I stepped away from the carriage as soon as I finished speaking.

Whether she accepted my request or was simply speechless, I was able to continue on my way without further hindrance.

I was still debating whether to accept anything from the royal family.

Why would I accept something from her?

She didn’t seem that old.

Perhaps she’d read too many chivalric romances.

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Messina Vans Da Itsiel could only watch, dumbfounded, as the boy’s footsteps faded into the distance.

Her reaction stemmed from two factors.

First, she had never experienced such an absurd encounter, resulting in a severe case of cognitive dissonance.

Second, her highly capable butler, who usually anticipated her every need and reacted accordingly, was present.

Naturally, with the carriage curtains drawn, it was impossible for her butler to perceive her emotional turmoil.

By the time Messina regained her composure, the boy was long gone.

“…Did I do something wrong…?”

Had she miscalculated, misspoken, or misjudged the situation?

If there had been any discernible error on her part, she might have understood.

“How could this…?”

Therefore, Messina could confidently declare:

This was unfair and unjust.

So unfair, in fact, that she felt tears welling up.

“…If I may be so bold, the issue lies with the other party’s… unconventional nature.”

Having overheard her mistress’s mumbling, the butler, Haylee, refrained from explicitly stating what she was already thinking: Eldmia’s evaluation was complete, the book closed.

“He doesn’t fear authority, but he doesn’t rely on violence either. Otherwise, his reaction to your appearance would have been drastically different. He doesn’t disregard the law, but he utilizes every available legal means to his advantage. Count Bosha serves as a testament to that.”

Eldmia was, in layman’s terms, a lunatic.

Not just any lunatic, but a dangerous one, capable of wielding his abilities and common sense to his advantage.

“Rather than questioning your approach, it’s more reasonable to conclude that the other party is an exceptional… eccentric.”

“An eccentric? He was… well, he seemed normal?”

It was a difficult admission, but Messina couldn’t deny it.

This applied not only to their recent conversation but also to the series of events he had orchestrated.

His actions, while seemingly insane, had unfolded with a precision that suggested careful planning.

‘He could have achieved the same result without resorting to such extremes’

While the thought lingered, the calculated nature of his actions was undeniable.

Although he had disregarded the social divide between royalty and commoner in this instance… she had been the one attempting a clandestine approach, not him.

So, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

Except for the nagging feeling.

‘I’m royalty, you know…?’

“If someone of his social standing behaved in such a manner after encountering individuals like yourselves, they would typically be labeled as an eccentric.”

For a commoner to privately insult nobility or royalty was considered disrespectful, but hardly unheard of.

It was common for people to boast, “I could rule better than the King,” or “Nobility is nothing special.”

However, even those individuals would balk at the prospect of voicing such sentiments directly to the individuals in question.

Such behavior was inherently dangerous, a matter of common sense.

“Perhaps he’s simply confident in his position? Considering Princess Esmee’s visit, he has reason to be proud of his abilities. He might be considering defection to the Empire.”

A fifteen-year-old boy who had not only bested the Hero in a duel but also rescued the Princess and defeated a seasoned knight who had earned his Countship through combat.

While his mature appearance raised questions about his true age, his accomplishments alone were worthy of the title of hero.

Having achieved so much at such a young age, a degree of arrogance was to be expected.

This was why Messina struggled to agree with Haylee’s assessment of him as an eccentric.

“If he were planning to defect, he wouldn’t need to wait.”

“…That’s true.”

His connection to Princess Esmee had been confirmed by her visit.

He could have easily sought asylum immediately after the conflict with Count Bosha.

But he hadn’t.

Messina clung to that fact.

“Yet, he chose to address the kingdom’s internal issues, despite having the power and opportunity to leave. Despite his cold demeanor, he must harbor some patriotic sentiment. I’ll have to arrange a formal meeting next time.”

A fragile hope, born from a flawed premise.

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