Chapter 27

Translator: True Detective

Chapter 27: At the Social Gathering (1)

The gigantic banquet hall inside the Main Castle was a world completely different from Hamelon's.

On the high ceiling, crystal lamps lit by mana were embedded like constellations, and on the marble floor, the Wintel family crest shone subtly.

Music flowing with overlapping string and wind instruments filled the space neither excessively nor insufficiently.

Iden entered that banquet hall.

Behind him, Erwin followed as an attendant one step back.

Without bowing her head excessively nor placing her gaze on the floor, it was a dignified attitude with a soldier's posture ingrained in her body.

Naturally, as soon as he entered, gazes focused on Iden.

Conversations cut off, and hands holding glasses stopped.

Whispers spread like ripples.

"So that's the person."

"Savior of Hamelon."

"The man who caught Grand Duke Your Highness's eye."

"Did they say he bought the Baronet title this time? Seems he intends to solidify his noble position in earnest."

Iden felt it. That most nobles here were seeing him as an 'incident', not a 'person'.

Northern Grand Duke's official recommendation, border city victory, and sudden title.

It was a gaze created by all those overlapping.

Even amidst burdensome interest, he didn't flinch.

Of course.

This place is noble high society.

If the capital streets were waves of praise and admiration, here jealousy and checks were mixed in them.

"Is that guy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Summoner of the Dark Night?"

"Right. A guy using uncivilized sorcery."

"Hmph, he won't be able to think Grand Duke Your Highness picked him out of sympathy being the same Summoner."

Checks seeping in even in the place where the Northern ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Grand Duke's eldest son handling Summoning Arts is present.

Naturally, instead of raising their voices, they scratched nerves by whispering barely audible like noble nobles, but Iden's ears just let such narrow-minded checks flow lightly.

"Shh, he might hear."

Probably if this place weren't the Northern Grand Duke's land, he would have received even more blatant and petty checks and been humiliated.

Iden, realizing the Summoner's position anew, moved his steps without caring.

With one thought.

The reason he stepped here is to get acquainted with the target he must save and find clues to the opposing forces.

Since he didn't step here to receive adoration from high-ranking nobles, he didn't bring a broad mind to deal with those united by jealousy and check from the beginning.

He headed straight to the head table of the banquet hall.

At the head table, the Northern Grand Duke's eldest son, Galliard, was conversing with those appearing to be high-ranking officials.

Short cut white hair and deep dark grey pupils.

Dignified physique not awkward even on the battlefield and magnanimous impression were like seeing Eldmonde's younger days.

That determined and centered face headed to Iden, and showing his palm to those he was conversing with, he stopped the flow politely.

Iden also offered a greeting politely.

"I am Iden Summonfield. Thank you for inviting me."

Galliard held out his hand with a comfortable smile while sitting.

"I heard a lot about you from Father. There is no big meaning, I just called you because I wanted to see you once, so don't feel burdened."

Iden bowed his head accepting the handshake.

The grip strength felt from the held hand is extraordinary.

Even the size of the hand was extraordinary.

"It is an honor."

Galliard, letting go of the hand, looked around the banquet hall once and laughed.

"Haha. It is an honor for me. The preparation is meager, but please enjoy comfortably."

There was no affectation in his tone, nor sign of directing friendliness forcibly.

His attitude was unreserved, polite, and treated as a person first rather than status.

Iden judged inwardly that at least Galliard is a figure trying to see the opponent as is rather than testing.

So he thought it was extremely fortunate.

Because the person to save is likable, he felt he could feel rewarded saving him.

Of course, he didn't conclude hastily.

Because he is also a noble.

"Then I will take my leave."

"Okay. I look forward to working with you."

As greetings were organized like that, surrounding gazes also began to scatter little by little.

Although not completely disappeared, now it had changed to cautious interest, not blatant observation.

Iden moved his gaze inside the banquet hall again.

The social gathering had only just begun.

And in this place, he would begin a fight of a completely different method from the battlefield.

He called Erwin.

"Erwin, may I ask for something to drink?"

"Of course. Wine type? White? Red?"

"White please."

"Okay."

Erwin moved to get a drink, and Iden, confirming Erwin receded, moved straight to one of the passages in the banquet hall.

Taking advantage of the moment gazes turned away briefly.

Quickly.

**

Iden roamed everywhere in the banquet hall.

In the shape of exploring the banquet hall as if curious with the gaze of a commoner just become a noble.

He moved naturally pretending to watch paintings and decorations hanging on walls, statues displayed in the corridor.

Outwardly, he was merely a watching guest.

However, every time he stopped, a very minute trace remained on the floor.

Movement lines where people's gazes reach least, shadows of pillars and behind curtains, stands of decorative flower pots etc.

Pretending to watch sculptures, he installed micro summoning circles in secret places where gazes wouldn't reach.

It was a structure folding mana texture with lines thin enough to be invisible.

It was a technique Iden reconstructed based on 'Sensory Medium Theory' presented in Eldmonde's Summoning Arts book, a formula synchronizing part of the body or senses with the summoning circle, then collecting information transcending distance.

The sense connected this time is hearing.

Not ears, but a method detaching 'listening' itself and hanging it on the summoning circle.

The formula was simple but precise.

Excessive mana inflow leaves traces, and if insufficient, it collects only noise.

Iden balanced with minute trembling of fingertips.

Lastly, at the boundary where the corridor and banquet hall meet, standing in front of a huge oil painting hanging on the wall, it was when he was drawing a summoning circle behind an orchid pot.

"What are you doing there?"

Soft but clear voice.

Iden turned his head without stopping his hand.

White hair as if molded with a comb made of snow, white pattern necklace symbolizing Wintel family, refined formal dress, and natural smile.

Northern Grand Duke's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠daughter, Emiline.

She approached looking alternately at the painting hanging on the wall and Iden.

Iden thought for a moment, then spoke calmly.

"I was appreciating the masterpiece. It is excellent."

"Oh my."

Emiline's dark grey eyes sparkled.

"This painting? I really like it too. It's painter Felbiere's painting, gaze gathers to the center even though color contrast isn't excessive. Especially the way he processed light in that part is truly exquisite."

Iden looked at the painting once again.

To be honest, until just now he didn't even see properly what this painting depicted.

But he nodded.

Until the summoning circle is completed, there should be no unnecessary friction.

"It is certainly so. Because it isn't excessive, one looks at it longer."

"Right? You know how to look. Not flashy but charm making one look repeatedly is painter Felbiere's style."

Emiline continued speaking laughing as if satisfied, then introduced herself.

"Father doesn't know this well. Says rough war paintings are the best."

"Haha, I think painting is fun because of that. Since individual taste is revealed distinctly."

Iden chimed in laughing moderately.

"Ah right, introduction is late. I am Emiline Wintel."

"Ah, I am Iden Summonfield."

While exchanging belated greetings, the last binding ended at his fingertips.

The summoning circle had already melted into the wall behind the orchid pot like part of a shadow.

Then Emiline suddenly looked at Iden again.

"...Uh?"

Gaze fixed a beat late.

"But, aren't you the Summoner of the Dark Night?"

Iden nodded awkwardly.

"Embarrassingly, I am called that."

"As expected!"

Emiline clapped lightly.

"I think I saw you coming out of Father's office the other day. So about ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that..."

She tilted her head for a moment.

"Are we perhaps, acquaintances?"

Iden answered without shaking a bit.

"I think it's the first time meeting."

He was someone who passed by coldly without remembering even Vivienne.

There was no reason, nor possibility to recall Emiline who was just one of the Academy classmates.

Emiline looked at Iden's face carefully for a moment, then soon smiled mischievously.

"Strange~ I definitely felt like I saw you somewhere. Well, must be my mistake."

She shrugged her shoulders then stepped back.

"Anyway, it was fun to talk about paintings after a long time. And—"

Emiline, about to move her steps, stopped for a moment, and added words covering her mouth with her hand unnecessarily as if whispering.

"I think the job 'Summoner', is cool."

Leaving only those words, she turned the corridor corner and disappeared.

Iden looked at the direction she advanced for a moment, then moved his steps towards the center of the banquet hall again.

Right now, finding clues to opposing forces was priority.

He heard it was a banquet where all prominent nobles of the capital Helon gathered.

And if it's Eldmonde Grand Duke's opposing force, they wouldn't view his children favorably.

Galliard dying during war would be in the same context.

Family children Galliard and Emiline are in the same space.

It would be a perfect place and time for a small incident not mentioned in the original work to burst.

Iden, completing summoning circle installation like that, moves his steps to the banquet hall again.

As each summoning circle was laid, thin threads connected in his head.

Organizing threads not to overlap, and splicing delicately so gaps don't occur.

Whispers and laughter, sound of clinking glasses and footsteps etc. came in separated.

'This is enough.'

He, organizing even the circuit in his head, returned to the center of the banquet hall calmly.

Erwin, who was looking for him, approached immediately.

"Where have you been?"

Iden received the glass Erwin handed, drank a sip of white wine, and answered.

"Ah, just to exchange some greetings."

Erwin examined him for a moment.

And asked abruptly.

"Woman?"

Iden reflexively recalled the meeting with Emiline.

"Well... right?"

Erwin's face looking at Iden's profile was an expression wanting to ask something more, but soon nodded.

"Okay."

With a short answer saying that, she just stood next to him again.

With a distance closer than usual.

The music of the banquet hall was still elegant, and laughter continued to spread.

But in Iden's head, quiet doors that can be opened whenever needed stood in line now.

Savoring the wine in the glass, he focused on things heard through the summoning circle.

**

The banquet added heat as the evening deepened.

Iden was walking leisurely in the venue holding a glass.

He intentionally didn't approach anyone first, and didn't feel a reason to bother talking.

His gaze was only moving busily to ferret out opposing forces.

"Tsk, should leave tactfully but keeping the seat until the end."

Subtle checks of young masters were still there but just up to there.

Although an eyesore, he was the unofficial 'Grand Duke's Man' and a person who came here by invitation of the Grand Duke's eldest son Galliard.

Only swallowing anger at the fact he isn't a person to be treated carelessly, there was no one with bravado to commit harm to him who was consistent with feigning ignorance.

"Is a moment of conversation okay?"

"I heard it's your first banquet. If it's not uncomfortable... tell me anytime if you need help."

Iden's seat was naturally filled with noble young ladies.

Formal greetings, light chat, meaningless praises.

Iden kept the line laughing moderately and chiming in moderately.

"Really cool. To defeat the Northern Barbarian Chief single-handedly..."

"Haha. It is undeserved praise."

Beside such him, Erwin stood one step behind.

Expression was still close to expressionless, but gaze kept staying on the gestures and laughter of young ladies approaching him.

Gestures touching him lightly look like a harlot's, and laughter shown to him looks like a fox's coquetry.

'...Cunning things.'

Erwin, chewing her lip slightly, lifted the glass to give to Iden and drank the alcohol unwittingly.

One shot.

Erwin, glaring at young ladies approaching Iden with half-opened eyes, moved her steps to fill the empty glass, and Iden, having no way to know that, spends time responding to approaching hospitality.

And at that time.

A strange sound brushed his ear.

Texture was different from general noise of the banquet.

Sound like whispering very low and thick.

He focused instinctively.

'...!'

Definitely unusual conversation content.

Iden, setting his nerves on edge, left the banquet hall with the excuse that urgent business arose to the young ladies, and began to head somewhere straight away.

Emiline Wintel.

Towards the corridor where he first met her and exchanged talk about painting.

"...."

Meanwhile, at Iden disappearing again while she came filling the glass, Erwin's breathing began to become rough.

—!!!