Chapter 23
Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Victory Celebration Party
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The victory celebration party hosted by Count Karognar.
A banquet to honor the hero who liberated the city from the demon tribe's occupation and saved his beloved subjects.
No one believed the latter was the count's true intention, even if the former might be.
Inside the carriage heading to the count's mansion.
Rex sent the 200th message today to his vassals.
But Duke had turned off the messaging function long ago, and Ari was already so smitten that she soothed Rex every time.
"It's okay, Lord Rex. I'll take the lead."
Duke paid no attention to the two's bickering and sank into meditation inside the carriage.
'I wonder what kind of party dress code it'll be this time.'
Though his mind was filled with somewhat impure thoughts, it was still meditation nonetheless.
The carriage, carrying each of their different dreams, soon arrived at the count's mansion.
After having their identities and invitations checked, the group tried to enter the ballroom.
But an unexpected person was stopped at the entrance...
"My lord, please adhere to the dress code."
The knight guarding the entrance blocked Duke.
The reason only Duke among the group was stopped was simple.
While everyone else was in party attire, Duke was in his usual helmet and uniform.
His appearance screamed that he had at least one weapon hidden under his cloak, so even Rex, his comrade, couldn't defend him.
"Duke, I told you it'd be a problem."
"How dare you doubt my lord? If he had any intention of that, you lot would— Mmph!"
Blocking Ari's mouth, which had started acting strangely lately, Rex gauged Duke's mood.
The Duke that Rex knew was a bit extreme but generally respected common sense.
So Rex couldn't understand why he would enter the party in such attire.
However, Duke had his own reasonable excuse.
"I understand a soldier's uniform knows no place. The same goes for the sword. Has the common sense of this territory changed without my knowledge?"
At Duke's counter-question, the entrance knight showed bewilderment and signaled to his colleague.
The colleague shook his head, meaning he didn't know either.
Knights are basically tough thugs, but that doesn't mean they lack etiquette.
It's just that in this group overflowing with idiot knights who can't even count money properly, exemplary knights who study etiquette are rare.
So even if Duke claimed his uniform didn't violate etiquette, no one there could verify it.
However, in this case, the knights' judgment was correct.
Duke was the one throwing an unreasonable fit.
But etiquette is ultimately an agreement and perception between people, and such things depend on the authority of the speaker.
Just as in an absolute monarchy, if the king says it's noble etiquette, it becomes etiquette.
Similarly, if a fairy-tale knight says it's etiquette, it is.
Gauging the mood appropriately, Duke prepared for the possibility his fit wouldn't work and pulled out his rehearsed line.
"The Empire holds banquets for knights returning from war and allows them to wear uniforms out of respect. Am I mistaken?"
With Duke bringing up imperial etiquette, the knights had nothing to say.
Of course, the country they were in wasn't the Empire but the Esirick Kingdom, and more precisely, Count Karognar's territory.
One might question invoking imperial etiquette here, but in a culture that discriminates against non-humans by following imperial customs, they couldn't ignore etiquette.
In the end, the knights had to concede to Duke's logic.
"Understood, my lord. However, may we discuss this with the lord?"
Duke gladly consented.
The knights quickly reported to the count, who added one condition.
"Pardon me, my lord. If you're carrying any weapons, please surrender them."
Duke currently carried no weapons on his person.
Yet asking him to surrender weapons meant the count knew about Duke's subdimensional magic.
Demanding weapons from the subdimension could be seen as provocation, depending on the person.
The knight relaying the count's order knew this too, sweating coldly as he watched Duke.
Duke felt unexpected pity for the knight.
'Middle management really is tough.'
That's why it's better to be the second-in-command, answering to just one person, than a middling knight.
With that sentiment, Duke handed the pitiful knight his greatsword.
'I have plenty more in the subdimension anyway.'
Ugh!
As Duke's massive greatsword was placed in his hands, the knight tumbled forward.
Duke caught him with telekinesis before his jaw hit the ground.
"Apologies. I lacked consideration."
It was a lie.
He had chosen the burliest-looking knight on purpose for this reaction.
He wouldn't pass up a chance to indirectly advertise his strength.
Watching the knights grunt and haul his greatsword, Duke smiled contentedly.
The group, having a brief scuffle at the entrance.
"Wow..."
Rex, from commoner origins, looked around curiously, as if it was his first time in such a place.
"Hmph..."
Ari scanned the ballroom with dissatisfied eyes.
And Duke...
"Hm."
'Ah, looks delicious. If not for the Duke persona, I'd devour these freely.'
Duke drooled.
Maintaining this massive frame required enormous calories by default.
Moreover, Duke faithfully indulged his desires when no one was watching.
Thus, his gluttony was at least as great as anyone's, if not more.
Yet he didn't touch the ballroom's food.
'Gobbling with the helmet on would ruin the image too much.'
Solely for the perfection of the Duke character, he suppressed his rising gluttony.
"Please partake as well, my lord."
Despite the two's urging, Duke refused the meal in his solemn posture.
"I wish to focus on protecting Lord Rex."
"My apologies, my lord. I was thoughtless..."
"No. Aren't you responsible for escorting Lord Rex? We're simply doing our duties, no fault to blame."
While Duke watched the others fetch food, the count sent him wine.
As consideration for a knight focused on guarding, to quench his thirst.
It was a culture born because superhumans don't get drunk easily.
Duke eyed the wine.
'Poisoned?'
He couldn't tell at a glance.
But one thing differed from the original: the wine meant for Rex was now before him.
'Poison... whatever, I'll drink it.'
Rather, shattering the count's mentality might be fun, so Duke accepted the wine.
Pop.
The servant poured the wine into the glass, and Duke picked it up.
As he lifted the glass, eyes focused on his helmet.
Even Ari stared intently at his face, veins bulging in her eyes.
'Come to think of it, she hasn't seen my face either.'
He'd been wearing the helmet when they first met.
But Duke had no intention of meeting her or the ballroom's expectations.
'Sorry, but I can't reveal my face that easily.'
This helmet was made for moments like this.
Click.
Responding to Duke's mana, the helmet's lower jaw opened.
Magic on the helmet shrouded even the lower face in shadow, invisible.
"Ahh..."
Duke downed the wine, savoring the crowd's sighs.
'Too early to reveal my face.'
The mystique concept couldn't crumble so lamely.
Mindful of dignity to the end, Duke emptied the glass without spilling a drop.
'Poison... can't tell.'
His tongue lacked poison detection, and he'd ingested far harsher elixirs and toxins before anyway.
Just in case, Duke glanced at the count.
- Tsk.
For a brief moment, the count unmistakably clicked his tongue.
'So it was poisoned.'
Duke inferred from the reaction.
Not wanting to let it slide, he sent thanks via a servant.
- "Excellent taste. The wine of Count Karognar's territory has a charming bitterness at the end."
Obviously a jab.
Wine turns bitter at the end if cheap or adulterated.
Either way, plenty of room for insult.
Crack.
Confirming the count's glass shatter, Duke nodded satisfied.
'That'll do.'
Push more, and he might throw a chair.
Having perfectly landed the jab, Duke sat back, arms crossed, passing time.
Soon, music filled the ballroom.
'Hm? Dancing time?'
As music played, the count's vassals rose with lovers or concubines to dance.
Ari stood as if familiar with the mood.
"Master. Shall we dance?"
"Uh?"
Rex tried to refuse, but couldn't resist her strength.
He was dragged to the center and began dancing with her.
Fortunately, Rex knew dances from academy life, matching the music.
But knowing didn't mean he was good.
"Ah! Sorry."
He kept stepping on Ari's feet, failing her tempo.
Yet she smiled faintly, finding his clumsiness cute, teaching him step by step.
'Ah, young love.'
Duke watched them fondly.
Then, he noticed vassals mocking the pair.
Unable to trash Rex by force, they nitpicked his lack of refinement.
Duke's expression hardened.
'Got all your faces memorized, you bastards.'
Compiling a list for later when conquering the territory.
As the pair's innocent love story bloomed, Duke quietly checked his watch.
'About time for one to arrive.'
Speak of the devil—the entrance grew noisy.
'She's here.'
The count's vassals were flustered.
They'd invited only Rex's group and their own, yet a neighboring lord appeared.
But one with an invitation couldn't be turned away.
"Viscount Sneria, Your Excellency! Entering!"
In the end, the count reluctantly allowed her entry.
'This ruins my final plan too.'
He'd planned to overwhelm Rex with knights and assassins once the ballroom mood peaked.
But Yu Hana's presence forced cancellation.
Facing both Rex and her was burdensome even for the count.
Evidence: the count's side bustled with vassals and servants rushing about.
'Now I can enjoy freely too?'
Duke shifted from the count to the entrance.
Soon, the awaited Hana entered.
Seeing her attire, Duke...
'Huh?'
Couldn't hide his surprise.
The Hana he knew wore uniforms to parties.
A statement of not giving her heart to any man.
Yet...
'Why a party dress?'
She emerged in an unknown party dress.
Not backless or cleavage-heavy.
Dark as a crow's feathers.
But definitely a party dress.
If anything...
'Black swan.'
The ballroom crowd shared the impression, unable to look away.
The elegant black swan scanned the room with one female knight escort.
Spotting Duke, she approached briskly.
"Sorry. It took time since it's my first makeup."
Hana was famous for not wearing makeup well or keeping maids.
Her deliberate effort explained the delay.
'Doubt she did it alone; that knight's work probably.'
Duke mentally thumbs-upped the proud female knight behind her.
As he thought that, Hana blushed and offered her hand.
"My lord. Might you dance with me?"
Her girlish demeanor shocked her escort knight.
'Her Majesty!?'
Hana hosted parties occasionally in her territory but was the Shadow Queen, famous for sitting by the window.
Her knight never imagined her inviting dance first.
Duke gazed at the shyly extended hand.
Finally, breaking silence.
"I don't know how to dance. Is that alright?"
"I'll follow your lead."
Duke nodded quietly, removing cloak and uniform coat into subdimension.
Hana's gaze briefly fixed on his firm body under the white shirt.
Duke, focused on her dress, missed it.
"An honor."
"Likewise."
Grasping her hand, Duke began moving.
He didn't know dances well.
But one thing he excelled at beyond all: distance control.
With overwhelming reflexes and combat experience, he maintained perfect spacing without stepping on feet.
Hana was similar.
She didn't know dances but was adept at expressing emotions bodily.
Especially as one who'd observed and mimicked Duke's battles from afar, she matched his rhythm.
Soon, their dance dominated the ballroom.
"Wow..."
Initially just basic steps adjusting distance.
Growing comfortable, they slowly added spins and techniques.
Their gentle moves turned passionate.
"Reminds me of Swan Lake."
A vassal's opera reference, others agreeing.
Duke: stern, precise control.
Hana: plain but honest lines.
The crowd evaluated thus.
But handsome pair made any dance picturesque.
Even modern dance would've been praised for image.
But Duke and Hana cared little for opinions.
"My lord."
"Ending soon."
Exchanging glances amid fading music.
Trusting Duke, she boldly placed hand on his shoulder, arching back.
Duke slid his hand to her waist, supporting.
They didn't know if it fit the music's finale.
Didn't matter.
Confirming each other's feelings was key.
Dance over, she murmured softly for him alone.
"I was but a grain of beach sand, yearning all life to shine like stars. Today, I finally made my existence known to one."
Duke pondered, offering honest sentiment.
"Do you know? When you call that shining sky being a star, the sky's grains call you a star too."
Stars are relative after all.
Praising himself for the line, Duke checked her face.
But couldn't see it.
"Sorry, my lord. Can we end here for today?"
She bowed, showing only her crown.