Book 2: Chapter 50
Book 2: Chapter 50
When I returned to the mansion, the Earl was having a late breakfast. The young lady was still asleep, so I had some free time.
The bread just baked this morning had a buttery aroma and looked delicious. The Earl ate the bread with lingonberry jam. I wonder if people who use their heads a lot naturally crave sugar? The Earl always drinks his morning tea with a lot of honey.
Though the Earl did not seem to get fat at all even with all the sugar consumption.
「You were still here, Reiji-san?」
The Earl seemed surprised as I entered the dining room.
「Yes. We’re going to the Holy Royal Palace at noon, correct?」
When I answered, the Earl’s eyes widened, and then he looked at the butler next to him. The butler probably also knows the situation to some extent.
「What about you, Earl? How are you feeling?」
「I am far from feeling perfect, but I am not in a situation where I can sleep comfortably in bed right now.」
After finishing the meal quickly, the Earl went to get ready to leave. There was about an hour until noon.
「Reiji!」
When the Earl and I met back at the entrance of the mansion, the young lady appeared from the corridor on the second floor of the atrium. She looked like she just woke up, but she had changed clothes from her pyjamas and her hair was neatly combed. Well, she is a noble. She couldn’t possibly come out in her pyjamas.
「Good morning, my lady.」
「Reiji, where are you going?」
The young lady rushed down the stairs. Her eyes were filled with anxiousness.
「I’m heading to the Holy Royal Palace with the Earl. To report on yesterday’s incident.」
「Ah…」
「I also fought a giant snake after that, so I have to report on that.」
I said so to plant the seed that it wasn’t about her Magic Eye of Inspire or Louis’ death. The young lady nodded in response.
「That… is indeed very important.」
「Yes, so please stay in the mansion today, young lady.」
「Okay.」
「Eva. You have nothing to worry about. Because I will be serving my duty as a noble and Reiji-san will simply serve his duty as an escort.」
「…Yes, I understand.」
「Good girl.」the Earl said, lightly stroking the young lady’s head.「Let’s go.」
「Yes.」
And we left the mansion. When I glanced back, the young lady was still standing at the entrance, seeing us off.
「…It seems that my daughter has taken a real liking to you, Reiji-san.」the Earl said, as he got into the carriage.
…The chief butler is right next to us, so please stop talking about that topic, Earl.
When our carriage entered the 1st Holy DIstrict, the atmosphere suddenly felt heavy.
「Where are you headed today, Your Excellency Sillys?」
Immediately after entering, the carriage was stopped by the Knights Order. There was even a barricade with fences to prevent carriages from passing through.
Earl Sillys normally should be able to pass with just his face—it’s natural because he goes to the office in this district every day for work—and today he was asked where he is going.
「To the Holy Royal Palace. Summoned by His Majesty.」
「…Please wait a moment.」
Then the Knight started reviewing something.
Looking out from the open carriage window, there were knights everywhere. The officials who would normally come for work could not be seen anywhere.
「I have confirmed. Please return here once you have finished your work at the Holy Royal Palace.」
Permission was given and the carriage rode on.
「…Earl. Did the situation with Duke Riviere influence this change?」
「Yes. Everyone, including the head of House Riviere, have been ordered to wait in the mansion in the 2nd Holy District, but it seems that the houses related to House Riviere seem to be gathering troops. Though publicly they claim it to be for self-defense.」
「Doesn’t that just raise suspicions towards yourself? Are they even allowed to gather troops in the first place?」
「It can’t be helped if they claim it’s for ‘self-defense’. Moreover, House Riviere is a Duke house. Fortunately, House Riviere’s territory is quite far from the Holy City, so they have almost no troops here. Furthermore, many of the nobles who were connected to them were also captured.」
「Eh?」
「Oh, I didn’t tell you, did I? House Riviere’s faction was involved in the selling of skill orbs from the First Altar in the black market.」
That was also the incident which gave Earl Sillys his “Cold-Blooded Lord” reputation. The Earl suspected that the skill orbs that appeared in the black market was secretly stolen from the First Altar. He investigated, and sent many nobles to the execution table.
(The Riviere faction was involved in it? Furthermore, House Riviere planned to assassinate Prince Kluvshrat?)
All of this made my brain hurt. Somehow, it felt like I was overlooking something.
「We will be entering the Holy Royal Palace.」
I suddenly realized as the Earl said so. It was so easy to enter the Holy Royal Palace, considering the checking in the 1st Holy District. There aren’t many people visiting here in the first place, so I guess everyone knew about my visit.
After getting off the carriage, only the Earl and I entered inside the palace.
The stone-built palace has waterways here and there. You can hear the tranquil sound of water flowing. Like old Japanese architecture, a wooden sliding door was the entrance to each room, and the door was painted a certain light blue—the Holy Blue.
A large table and chairs were placed in the center of a tasteless, empty room.
「The room is very simple, is what you’re thinking, correct?」
「Y-Yes.」
「The Holy Royal Family has inherited the old lifestyle.」
「I see… It seems inconvenient.」
「It is extremely inconvenient.」
Even if you were born as a king, you can’t afford luxury, huh.
A few minutes after sitting and waiting, the Holy King appeared with one other priest and high priest, El-san.
「I thought you wouldn’t show up– Oh, nevermind that. Just sit down.」
When the Earl and I stood up, following etiquette, the Holy King quickly sat down on his chair while telling us to do the same. So I sat back in my chair and waited for the other party to start.
The Holy King looked extremely haggard. He might have aged several years due to just the one day yesterday. Although he was still blunt with his words and had the dignity of a king, it also felt like he was putting on a brave face.
The rabbit, El-san, and the other priest stood behind the Holy King. I couldn’t tell how El-san was doing because I can’t read the complexions of a rabbit.
「Well, first of all, the escort of House Sillys… You’re called Reiji, right?」
「Yes.」
「Thank you. Thank you for your work」
As straightforward as words can be. However, I didn’t work for this person.
「No, I acted according to the contract with House Sillys.」
「…You say that you just worked for the Earl?」
「To be exact, it was for the young lady. I shall return this.」
I presented the knife that I kept in my chest pocket. Which reminds me, they didn’t do a body check up to this point. Is this kind of security reliable? Does that mean that they have so much trust in the Earl?
「…I see. Hey, put this back in the vault.」
The priest nodded and left the room with the knife.
「Even if your actions were for the Earl’s house, the whole nation benefited. Let’s talk about the reward for your actions.」
「Okay.」
「First of all, to praise yesterday’s courageous action, you shall be presented with one holy gold coin.」
One holy gold coin. It’s worth about 5 million yen(50k usd). The first thing that came to my mind was, “Is that all?. Compared to my annual salary of 3 holy gold coins, it’s kinda low.
「…What’s with your face? Is that too low?」
「N-No, that’s not…」
「Are you paying much higher, Victor?」
「It’s natural to give high rewards to talented people, Your Majesty.」
「Tsk. That’s why I told him to bring out more, but the treasurer was stingy. Even one holy gold coin was too much if we looked at the rewards of the past he said.」
「Such a big incident has never happened in the Holy City in the past, after all. If you become active in war activities, that would be a different story altogether however.」
When the Earl said that, the Holy King’s face turned increasingly bitter.
Even I thought if that was all I was getting. When in truth, one holy gold coin is not a small amount by any means. Does this mean I am getting greedy?
「For the time being, this is the reward. Please accept it.」
「Of course.」
I have no problem with accepting extra money.
「Now then, I’m going to another meeting. I’ll leave the rest to El.」
「…Is that so, Your Majesty?」
When the Earl asked so, the Holy King nodded with a bitter face.
「We have to talk about House Riviere. My children, royalty, and other dukes have gathered. Victor, you come with me.」
「However–」
「Come.」
「Haa… Reiji-san, I am sorry about this, but I don’t think you will have a problem in going back on your own.」
「It’s okay.」
It’s a little easier to talk to El-san than to the Holy King.
Or rather, isn’t the Holy King a little too open around me? Or does he think I’m on his side while Earl Sillys is around?
When I took a glance at the Earl, he had a complicated look on his face. It was like anxiousness due to his misreading. I guess he didn’t tell the Holy King accurately about me.
「Oh, Reiji. Just in case–」the Holy King started, as he stood up.「We’ll conclude with a contract magic for this incident. Think of it as a confidentiality obligation.」
It came as I expected. The contract magic.