Noblesse
"Hee-hee."
A voice rang out, slicing through the quiet atmosphere.
In the capital of the Marinella Kingdom stood a grand mansion, and in a secluded private bedroom within it, a man stared at a spread of photographs laid out on the table—photographs of a woman.
Carius ban Ilate.
The Duke of Ilate House was one of Marinella’s most prestigious families, a line that had risen with the kingdom itself. Though their standing was not quite equal to the royal family’s, their influence was enormous.
Since the days when Marinella had first been founded centuries ago, the family had been granted mining rights, and when orichalcum was discovered in those mines twenty years ago, it was as though wings had been given to an already fearsome power. Orichalcum was a mineral that displayed astounding efficiency when added to weapons or equipment used by all manner of superhuman beings, a dream ore whose value only climbed higher and higher with each passing year. The royal family took a tremendous cut from the mining profits, but even after that, the remaining wealth was more than enough to drown a man.
Carius was a man in his early fifties. He was gaunt, with little muscle despite having trained some, and his rat-like face could easily have seemed sly and unpleasant. But no one dared treat him with disrespect, not when he stood at the pinnacle of power. Because of the force of his position, nobles called Carius sophisticated. He himself thought that he looked rather young for his age, and in his own way, handsome enough.
The woman smiling out from the photographs in his hand had been sent to him just today, hurriedly transmitted through a secret channel by a reporter using emergency teleportation. The sight of her boarding the royal carriage had struck his heart all over again.
Kukukuku. Truly a fatal woman.
Carius, who had opposed Hilde’s participation in the hero party in hopes of profiting from the arrangement himself, had watched the match between Ian and Hilde in a much more relaxed mood—and fallen twice over.
Once, at the overwhelming strength that had utterly subdued Ian, one of the strongest knights in the kingdom, without sustaining so much as a scratch.
And once again when she smiled at him.
Hilde had merely been laughing at him, more or less aware of the circumstances, but Carius had been completely captivated by that smile. The fact that he already had a thirty-year-old eldest son and a twenty-six-year-old younger son did nothing to hinder his conscience at all.
His gaze drifted downward, passing over Hilde’s face in the photograph, her slender neck, her full breasts, and settling finally on her hips as his imagination ran wild.
Heh heh heh. She’s from the church, so she probably doesn’t have a fiancé yet. The plan is perfect. Hahaha!
Duke Carius reached for the glass bottle placed near the right edge of his desk. Inside the bottle, a pink liquid sloshed gently.
Commonly known as Devil’s Tears.
Just one drop is said to make someone cry and weep for three days and nights. Heh heh.
Even though he had spent a third of his mining income just to obtain a single bottle, Duke Carius felt no sting of regret whatsoever.
---
Hilde had left the inn and was walking around the outskirts of the capital. The bakery, about a twenty-minute walk away, was the perfect place to stroll while taking in the paved roads and the lavish flowers and trees lining the streets.
Having changed out of her priestly robes and into everyday clothes, she wore a masculine outfit—a white shirt neatly tucked into brown cotton trousers, cinched with a belt—but rather than diminishing her beauty, it only emphasized her lines and drew even more attention. In truth, Hilde’s radiant appearance was hard to find even in Ozenris, the capital, so whatever she wore was bound to attract attention. She had chosen this outfit because, psychologically, she simply felt more comfortable in men’s clothing.
Since this was a capital with safe public order, Hilde had even left her usual weapon behind. Anyone who saw her now would think she was simply a girl visiting the city to watch the victory parade. Men stared with reddened faces, while women with lovers clicked their tongues and kept a close eye on their partners.
The buildings are all luxurious, and the roads are nicely maintained, but people are still people.
Ignoring the commotion around her, Hilde walked on until a neatly dressed man gathered his courage and approached her.
"Good day, miss. I’m Zenrot, the eldest son of Viscount Leavis, whose home is here in Ozenris. Would you honor me by allowing me to escort you?"
Zenrot, eldest son of Viscount Leavis, knelt in the manner of a nobleman and extended one hand. The men who had been sneaking glances at Hilde glared at him with envy, while also growing uneasy. If he actually succeeded at this first attempt, they would spend the night regretting that they had not approached her sooner.
Hilde was seeing a nobleman courting someone for the first time. And she nearly gagged on the spot. The way he looked up at her, eyes sparkling, was not the sort of thing she could endure.
He was fairly handsome, but for some reason, his butter-slicked manner didn’t suit her at all. In truth, she might simply be incapable of keeping men closer than a certain distance.
Maybe she was only realizing it now, after spending her life shut away in the church and training beside her mother until the age of sixteen.
Seeing Hilde lost in thought, the young viscount grew anxious and spoke again.
"I was born and raised here in the capital, so I know the area well. If you’ll give me just a little of your time, I’ll provide you with the finest escort possible."
Hilde snapped back to attention. However much it might be, daydreaming in front of someone was rude.
"Ah, I’m sorry. I’m with companions, so I must decline. Still, thank you very much for the offer."
"I see. Then I hope you enjoy your time here."
The young noble kept his manners intact, holding his smile even though he was swallowing tears inside. She was a woman he wanted to see again, even if he couldn’t be with her today. If he made an ugly scene, she might never come to the capital again.
The men who had been watching the exchange breathed sighs of relief. If she had accepted the viscount’s escort, they were sure they’d have shed blood tears. They would have liked to speak to her, even just once, but unless they had some real business, any further attempt at contact would only make them seem irritating.
Hilde’s refusal had been exactly right. It tipped the hesitation of the watching men in one direction and erased any lingering thought of trying to flirt with her.
Feeling much more at ease, Hilde browsed the many restaurants, weapon shops, and even stores selling musical instruments before finally arriving at her destination.
How long is this line supposed to be?
Rainy Bakery
The sign in the distance matched the bakery name the saintess had told her about. Apparently, the younger daughter of a prominent count’s house, one of the major noble families residing in the capital, had taken up baking as a hobby, and her pastries had become a huge sensation. But because the shop was not very large, there weren’t enough people making cakes to keep up with demand.
She had thought the part about waiting an hour was mostly a joke. Apparently, it wasn’t. Hilde took her place at the end of the line and resigned herself to it.
Wasn’t standing in line itself something you could only really experience in the capital?
Thinking that way, she found her mood brightening at the idea of buying a cake after the wait and eating it together with Irene and her mother.
Jaon Rasa Marinella was the first heir to the Marinella royal family.
He was the king’s eldest son, and after earning recognition for his character and ability, he enjoyed firm support from countless nobles and commoners alike. That aside, he had disguised his identity with an artifact that slightly altered his face, and had come a little early to the Rainy Bakery, where Hilde now stood waiting, leisurely joining the line.
If he had wanted to, he could have ordered a wizard from the royal family to deliver a cake straight to him fresh from the oven without ever needing to stand in line, but Jaon had not done so.
Even today, after finishing his heir training early, the greatest joy of his life was seeing the younger daughter of that count’s family—the girl he secretly loved—from far away. Jaon was the type not to abuse power even in small things.
His modest desire had begun with wanting her to bake cakes just for him for the rest of her life, and ended with the hope that their love would one day be shared openly. To steady his pounding heart, he took a deep breath.
Of course, if he were to pressure the count’s house under the guise of a royal command, they would certainly hand the daughter over to him. But he had not the slightest intention of doing anything of the sort.
Jaon believed that love had to flow in both directions before it could truly become happiness.
"Wow, look at that person. He’s not someone who usually comes here, is he?"
"If I’d seen that face even once, I’d never forget it. She’s the prettiest young lady I’ve ever seen."
"What family is she from, anyway? Should I try speaking to her?"
He heard murmurs from behind him. Curious, Jaon turned—and his eyes widened. It wasn’t just because of her appearance.
The holy knight from the hero party! Why on earth is she here?
Ah. She came to buy a cake.
Once he realized the truth, he turned his attention away. Having memorized every report that had come up through the royal family’s intelligence bureau, he made his judgment quickly. The files said that even within the church, she was kind-hearted, delicate, and the type to avoid trouble. There was no point in approaching her here and making a scene by revealing that he was a prince. Right now, this was his happy time—his chance to watch the girl he secretly loved for just a little while.
"Hello! Here’s your cake! Ah…? Sir, are you all right?"
"Ah… here. You don’t need to give me any change."
But when his turn finally came, he was disappointed. It wasn’t the woman he loved, but a staff member. It happened often enough, yet today it hurt more than usual. Still, he shook it off, paid, and left the shop. If he could at least eat the cake that contained her essence, his heart would calm down.
As he walked toward the castle, breathing in the sweet scent of the cake, he passed by the holy knight’s side. She seemed to be looking at him with an envious gaze. Soon, it would be her turn to buy a cake too.
And then it happened.
"Aaaah! Thief! A pickpocket!"
A familiar female voice reached Jaon’s ears. Rainy, the woman he loved, had collapsed to the ground and was calling for help. He felt a brief surge of joy at seeing her, but now was no time to think about that.
If you get caught, you’re dead.
He hurriedly set the well-packaged cake box aside and activated his mana. Jaon was a sharp swordsman who had trained with the blade since childhood.
But when he tried to give chase, it did not seem easy. The culprit was dodging everyone with some absurd, almost grotesque movement. Just when he was about to grab them, they would leap into the air, and their escape only grew faster and faster until Jaon was exhausted. Watching the pickpocket pull farther and farther away, he felt terribly pathetic.
Damn it. I can’t even help the person I love even a little.
He lamented that this was happening right in the middle of the capital he ruled, and though he drove his feet as hard as he could, it still wasn’t enough to catch up. Huff, huff.
He had pushed himself hard for just a brief moment, and just as his breathing grew ragged—
Fwoooosh!
Something golden flashed past Jaon faster than the eye could follow. A moment later, the pickpocket was grabbed by the collar in midair and slammed safely to the ground. Jaon was stunned by the movement—he couldn’t even see it happen.
"Ghk! I’m sorry! Please spare me! Nngh! Somebody, help me!"
"I waited two hours for this! What a waste of time, because of you! Is this supposed to be the kingdom’s best city?"
The youthful holy knight was shaking the pickpocket by the collar. And then the thief promptly passed out.
He was astonished by martial skill so far beyond his ability to measure, but when he thought of the hero party’s accomplishments, it made sense. Each of them was a being beyond ordinary humans.
"Sob. I really wanted to try that massage chair as soon as possible!"
However, it seemed that the report describing her as kind-hearted and delicate would need some revision.