Yustia Banquet (6)
That time.
The First Prince, Ilouis Leonine, was holding a private meeting with a girl in his mansion.
A girl with black hair and black eyes, a bob cut reaching her shoulders—Yuri Gilbert.
"So, how was it today? Personally, I liked the story about the Second Prince's training."
Ilouis asked with an intrigued expression.
"In the Second Prince's case, he underwent mana road work today and screamed before collapsing."
"Mana road?"
"Yes. He even fainted briefly."
"What's that?"
He'd heard of mana roads before, but only as some vague concept from legends.
Ilouis's brow furrowed at the sudden unfamiliar term.
"It's a new training process. As far as I know, Serena Yohayden, Iriel Yustia, and the Second Prince have received it so far. I'm scheduled for the day after tomorrow."
"Hmm. For now, give me the details after you go through it."
Yuri's expression soured for a moment.
"……Yes."
"Right, and the other info."
"I confirmed Serena Yohayden's power."
"Serena Yohayden out of nowhere?"
Yuri nodded.
But she was at a loss for how to explain that mysterious power.
It wasn't even certain if it was due to the mana road, so she hesitated to share prematurely.
For now, she decided to relay only what she'd seen.
"She swung her fist, and dust rose up."
"……I see. Dust rose up."
"And there was a loud boom."
"Must've been a spirited shout."
Ilouis felt a bit frustrated.
This girl was rational and loyal, but she had no knack for storytelling.
Every report came in this Q&A style, scratching only the surface without digging deep.
He tried a few more questions, but Yuri Gilbert spat out only abstract, vague terms.
"Haa…… Enough. Well, she must've gotten a lot stronger."
"Yes. She was strong."
"Then you'll get that strong too."
"……."
Yuri couldn't respond to that.
She couldn't even imagine herself reaching that level.
As she pondered if there was other info, she remembered the paper she'd tucked away.
"And this……."
She handed the First Prince the Yustia invitation.
"Yustia?"
Ilouis furrowed his brow and unfolded it.
To First Prince Ilouis Leonine. Please attend the Yustia banquet. — Iriel Yustia.
'Hmm? That's odd.'
"Iriel Yustia gave you this?"
"Yes."
"What did she say when she handed it over?"
"She said to please grace the Yustia banquet with your presence."
Ilouis looked at Yuri and said,
"It's awfully formal."
"Yes."
"The timing's too rushed too. A banquet at the Yustia mansion in a week……."
"That's right."
Ilouis scratched his forehead, lost in thought.
'The key point is she handed it out where Serena Yohayden was.'
Serena Yohayden and Iriel Yustia.
It was easy to see that the ladies of those rival ducal houses didn't get along.
Of course, it wouldn't be strange if the impulsive, willful Yustia had done this to flaunt her faction in front of her.
'Yeah, inviting me and Rosnante makes sense…… but why now, specifically?'
He checked the invitation for any tricks, but it was plain, without even flowery phrasing.
For a ducal invitation, it screamed last-minute.
As if saying your attendance or not makes no difference to us.
'Hah, if this is provocation, it's brilliant.'
Feeling a slight crack in his pride, Ilouis asked Yuri,
"……Was there any difference between Rosnante's invitation and mine?"
"……The Second Prince didn't open the seal, so I couldn't check properly. But the ones given to Lady Serena Yohayden, the commoner girl, and me were the same."
"Could this be Yustia leaning toward the Second Prince's side?"
Yuri tilted her head.
Iriel's favors so far had been more toward the swordsmanship instructor conducting classes, Zeke Clayman, than the Second Prince.
But rather than judge herself, it was better to leave it to this sharp, lofty man before her.
Yuri told him what she knew.
"She also gave an invitation to the swordsmanship instructor, Zeke Clayman. And Iriel Yustia seemed more focused on the instructor than the Second Prince."
"……Zeke Clayman, that guy again."
Ilouis recalled the impassive man who'd squeezed magic stones out of him.
Of course, he'd successfully passed him off to Rosnante with interest added,
and the magic stones he delivered monthly had been quite profitable,
but that was that, and this was this.
Still, it was hard to judge accurately from just Yuri Gilbert's reports.
He'd need to see the man in person.
"Alright, a Yustia banquet. I'm curious what'll happen that day. I'll attend too. Prepare to go to the Yustia banquet yourself."
"……Yes."
“Then let's begin.”
Zeke said to Soy Spoon, who wore a bewildered expression.
‘Th-there was no talk of this!’
Soy felt mortified and heartbroken.
It was as if she'd become some low-class tavern dancer.
She'd heard the rumors too.
High nobles. Their entertainments.
Dancing before them, shedding layers of clothing to the music.
If luck was on your side and you caught a high noble's eye, you could rake in unimaginable wealth.
‘So that's why the instructor's been so nice to me all this time……!’
It wasn't strange that women sought out such humiliations for a single shot at glory.
But,
‘I didn't want that…….’
She bit her trembling lip, but the people before her were ducal ladies.
People she couldn't even meet eyes with.
She'd let herself think they were friends because they'd grown a bit closer.
Forgotten the class divide that left her no right to refuse a noble's whims.
‘The academy being equal, no discrimination…… it was all lies…….’
Yeah,
she'd thought it was weird.
A noble who was an academy instructor paying her this much attention.
‘Was I just eye candy?’
First meeting.
The instructor pointing at her during the entrance ceremony.
Second meeting.
Coming to the bakery himself to chase off the loan sharks.
Third meeting.
Casually handing her a gold coin to join swordsmanship class.
……Fourth, fifth, sixth…….
Soy had received endless help. Only received.
Without knowing the price.
It was nothing to him, but dazzling to her.
Just.
Thinking there were nobles like this. Foolishly.
Or blushing at night, wondering if he was interested in her.
But what was this situation now?
If the instructor had come alone and asked, she might've shyly agreed, chalking it up to unavoidable necessity.
But with her surrounded by her classmates—high noble girls—gawking, it screamed ulterior motives.
‘The Second Prince too…… At least no other male nobles…… But why would girls want to watch another girl strip?!’
She felt disgust at noble tastes.
But there was no choice.
Soy squeezed her eyes shut in betrayal and reached a trembling hand to her training uniform buttons.
Then Iriel hurriedly stopped her.
“Wait! Why so hasty, Elise?!”
“We need cloth to cover the instructor's eyes! Ugh, cloth…….”
“I'll find some!”
Iriel jumped up and rummaged through the room's corners.
Soy stared blankly at Serena and Zeke Clayman.
“Wh-what's going on here……?”
“Oh, I forgot to explain.”
Serena spoke as if just remembering.
“You saw the Second Prince getting his mana roads checked earlier, right? You know it requires removing the top, yeah?”
“Uh, yeah…….”
Soy started casual as usual, then raised her speech upon realizing they were outside the academy.
“But our class has a lot of girls.”
“R-right?”
“I thought doing that to a female student without precautions could harm the instructor's reputation. Even if necessary, seeing a girl's bare skin……”
Soy nodded hesitantly.
“So, we'll blindfold the instructor during the procedure, and I'll observe to ease your worries. To show it's purely for training, no funny business. Of course…… no idea why she followed us all the way to this cliff.”
Serena shot a glare at Iriel rummaging through the room.
“Ah, uh, ah…….”
Soy realized the misunderstanding she'd harbored moments ago, trembling in shame.
She'd thought she was being discriminated against lately,
that they weren't paying attention to her,
harboring ridiculous misconceptions.
She was the one drawing lines because they were nobles and she a commoner.
‘Uwaaaah, so embarrassiiing!!!’
Then,
Iriel returned with cloth to blindfold Zeke.
“Elise, what's this…… Where did you get this…….”
She spoke in a chilling tone.
In Iriel's hand was an old shoe.
And on its side was a large 'V' mark.
“Th-that's Dad's keepsake!”