Chapter 88
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Chapter 88
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To Luke Nineheart.
A fair amount of time has passed since vacation began. I hope you've been doing well all this while.
Summer is hot as always, but this year it feels especially sweltering. Still, no need to worry. Thanks to the magic artifacts crafted by the imperial mages, I'm staying nice and cool.
The North where you live is relatively temperate, so you might not have much interest in such devices. Even so, it's a rather fascinating invention, and I wanted to show it to you at least once.
...Omitted...
The reason I'm writing this letter is partly because I was curious about you and Lady Elena's well-being, but the main purpose is to invite you to the banquet hosted by His Majesty the Emperor.
You two probably know better than I why you've been invited. If it's not coming to mind, think back to the academy's entrance ceremony.
I'll leave it at that.
Your affectionate,
Erze Kaiser.
Erze's letter, true to form, opened with inquiries about my health before getting to the point.
One odd thing, though—unlike the convoluted prose in most noble correspondence that requires deciphering archaic phrasing, hers was strikingly direct.
Well, she had read my mind, after all. It was no wonder, given how many times I'd inwardly groaned while eavesdropping on the idiot trio's banter.
In any case, the purpose was crystal clear.
An invitation to a banquet. One personally hosted by His Majesty the Emperor, no less.
Of course, since she'd penned it herself, part of it was surely just checking in.
'No helping it, then...'
Much as I'd prefer to hole up in the ducal residence and forget about banquets altogether, I couldn't very well snub an imperial summons over mere inconvenience. Especially not when Erze had written it personally.
With my decision made, I turned my head—only to lock eyes with Elena, who had just flipped her head up as well. She'd apparently finished reading her copy.
"Luke, does your letter mention an invitation to the banquet too?"
"Yes, it does."
"I thought as much..."
Judging by her reaction, the contents were much the same.
No further need to keep staring at the letter, then. I was sliding it back into the envelope when—
"...What's that?"
Elena suddenly voiced her curiosity. Her gaze was fixed on my hand—more precisely, on the letter from Erze.
"I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Something's written on the back of the stationery."
On the back...?
Puzzled, I flipped the paper over. Sure enough, there it was.
『P.S. - I haven't forgotten that midnight memory from the festival's final night. Shall I dare to hope?』
The handwriting matched the front perfectly, so it was definitely Erze's hand. And the "midnight memory" undoubtedly referred to our dance in the empty banquet hall.
Whether those words reflected her true feelings, I couldn't say. I didn't have her mind-reading ability, after all.
One thing was certain, though: she was up to some mischief. Otherwise, why scribble it on the back when there was space on the front?
The issue was that Elena had no idea. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at me.
"Luke, what's this 'midnight memory'? Have you been up to something behind my back?"
"Well..."
I trailed off, racking my brain.
It's said that even identical meanings can shift with a single syllable's difference. I had no intention of hiding the fact that I'd danced with Erze, but I needed to phrase it carefully.
In a way that painted me in the best light, naturally.
Survival first. Erze was untouchable anyway.
"On the final night of the festival, at midnight, I danced with Her Highness the Princess."
"You danced? Where? Why?"
"In the empty banquet hall. Because Her Highness wished it."
"Well, that tracks. You're not the type to beg anyone for a dance."
Elena apparently saw me as too timid to ask someone to dance.
What a massive misunderstanding. I'd never asked because there hadn't been a suitable moment—or person. If someone caught my eye, of course I'd request a dance.
Not that I could voice such thoughts aloud. Say that now, with her in a sour mood, and I'd be in for a cheek-stretching.
Too late for that, it seemed.
"Why on earth did you keep something that huge from me?!"
Elena seized my cheeks and yanked them outward with a long streeeetch.
"I-I'm sor..."
"Think 'sorry' ends your servant duties? Shape up!"
Who'd have thought I'd hear those words here? Echoes of long-ago scoldings flitted through my mind.
"Ugh, things always get messy when Her Highness is involved..."
Wait—no...!
I hurriedly clapped a hand over Elena's mouth.
In a world where the Emperor held absolute power, badmouthing the Princess was no small offense. We had to be careful, just in case.
Had it dawned on her belatedly? She gaped wide and bit down on my hand.
Unladylike as it was, I couldn't very well correct her as her servant—not in this situation.
What could I do? I simply endured the pain, cheeks and hand alike surrendered to Elena.
Unfair? Sure. But if you've got complaints, you should've been born into a ducal house.
Shortly after I regained my freedom—
Elena scowled deeply as she scrutinized her own letter, turning it this way and that.
"She didn't pull any pranks on mine too, did she...?"
"...Honestly, I can't say for sure."
Erze sending a perfectly ordinary letter? Not a chance. There was bound to be a trick somewhere.
We wouldn't learn the truth of that prank for a little while longer.
Time flowed on, and before we knew it, the banquet was just two days away.
After bidding farewell to the ducal household, Elena and I boarded the carriage.
The reason for such an early departure? The imperial palace was quite a distance away.
Leaving the morning of would have us arriving at dawn the next day—hardly in prime condition to enjoy the festivities. It would've been disrespectful to His Majesty, who was hosting.
A single day early would suffice for the schedule, of course... but.
We'd extended it by one more day to accommodate Elena's wish to tour the capital.
"We're off."
A faint jolt accompanied the coachman's voice, and the carriage lurched forward.
The ducal mansion dwindled into the distance, vanishing entirely as we passed through the gates.
At the same moment, Elena's gaze shifted from the window to me.
"Luke, I wonder what the capital's like."
"It must be the empire's grandest city, home to His Majesty the Emperor."
Prime idiot trio member Evan lived there, and the original work had described it a few times.
Nothing crucial, so the details had faded from memory—but I hadn't said anything inaccurate.
"I'm looking forward to it."
A faint smile graced Elena's lips. She was holding back, but her excitement shone through.
At times like this, she seemed unchanged from her childhood. Her face overlapped with old memories.
'Please let this trip go off without a hitch...'
I hoped it would live up to her expectations. It'd be good for me too, as her servant.
Who knows? A pleased Elena might even gift me something.
...Or so I'd thought, mere hours earlier.
"A fine young sacrifice... The gods are sure to approve..."
We were lunching in a quiet meadow midway up the mountainside when a man in a black robe appeared out of nowhere. His eyes were unfocused and glassy, like he'd sampled illicit drugs.
Elena's narrowed gaze flicked to me as she sized him up.
"...Do you know him?"
"No reason I should."
"So he just wandered over on his own..."
"I'll handle it."
"Thanks."
I shoved the sandwich into my mouth and rose. My sword clinked noisily at my waist.
As I approached him, a foul stench wafted over—rotting flesh mingled with the tang of blood.
My appetite vanished in an instant. Frowning deeply, I spoke.
"No idea who you are, but head home. I'll pretend I didn't hear that sacrifice nonsense."
Killing him wouldn't be hard, but I had no desire to spoil Elena's meal with ugliness.
It should've been a decent offer for him too.
'Hold on—'sacrifice to the gods'?'
Something about it felt vaguely familiar from the original story...
That was when it happened.
"A-a-a-all... is as the gods will...!"
His head twisted unnaturally. Gray smoke began seeping from within his robe.
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