Chapter 25: Fragrance and Odor
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 25: Fragrance and Odor
The banquet hall of Valdrova Castle.
Ferda looked down from the balcony as the knights gathered below.
"Loathsome creatures," Ruri remarked, standing beside him and peering down at the hall.
"You seem to have a severe case of misanthropy."
"It’s not misanthropy; it’s just that those things are revolting."
Ruri pressed a handkerchief to her nose and mouth as if she couldn't bear another second of it.
"When I heard they were wandering knights, I expected them to be like field mice, but this... how can they be even worse?"
They had practically doused themselves in perfume.
However, that was only enough to mask the scent for a human nose. To Ruri, a Dragon Spawn, it was a different story entirely. She gagged.
"Do humans always walk around reeking like this? Is this supposed to be a fragrance? It’s more like liquid filth."
Ferda nodded understandingly. "That much is standard when seeking an audience with a ruler."
"You mean not washing?" Ruri asked, her expression screaming, Are you serious?
Ferda nodded again. "It is considered one of the virtues of a knight. To wash away one's scent is seen as a disgrace to the order. Even if one arrives in haste, what matters is being a person who can still project a 'fragrance.'"
"You certainly know a lot about barbaric customs."
"I was born into a family of knights, after all."
Ferda had always considered it a barbaric custom himself. Most knights likely felt the same way, yet it was maintained solely for the sake of that cursed thing called 'tradition.' The knights of the Empire were the type of people who would stab their own fathers if tradition demanded it.
"Will you be doing that as well, Lord Ferda?"
"I’m not a knight, so why would I bother?"
Ferda liked being clean. Even when he lived in the latrines, he had kept them spotless. Cleanliness had become an inseparable part of his identity.
"It seems they’ve all gathered. What is your plan?"
"Hmm..." Ferda carefully scanned the crowd once more.
As expected, he’s not here.
Ferda had lured the wandering knights with the promise of land in exchange for thirty monster corpses. While it was a tactic to gather the materials all at once, it was also a way to screen the candidates.
Is Alberdo, the Walking Fortress, not among them?
He was looking for a wandering knight who wore armor as hard and heavy as a tortoise shell, carrying a greatsword in one hand and a tower shield in the other. He traveled on his own two feet without a single horse or squire—a shabby yet noble man.
I knew he wasn't interested in land or titles, but I thought he might be interested in the Far East.
The man had sworn to fight everything that threatened humanity. Since the Far East was exposed to constant peril, Ferda had assumed the Walking Fortress would be drawn there.
"Are you looking for someone?" Ruri asked softly, watching him scan the crowd.
"If I am, I am; if I’m not, I’m not."
"What does that mean?"
"It’s like hoping to find a silver coin on the road while walking. Enough small talk. Let’s head down."
"Yes."
Ruri pointed her index finger at Ferda’s feet and gave it a swirl. A white vortex began to rotate quietly beneath him. Ferda felt his body grow light.
Heaven Stair.
A 3rd-tier spell that allowed one to descend from the air slowly and safely. Despite being a minor and somewhat niche spell, it was frequently used by nobles to maintain their dignity.
Ferda stepped into the air, his body gliding down diagonally toward the dais.
"Huh?" Someone spotted him and let out a gasp.
"Someone’s coming down."
"Is that... the master of this castle?"
The clueless wandering knights stared blankly as he descended. Ferda landed on the dais with his hands behind his back. He turned and looked down at the knights.
He possessed the lofty dignity of an Archmage, a presence perfectly suited for such elegant magic. Even the tactless wandering knights were forced to fall silent.
"Greetings," he said, his voice solemn and commanding.
* * *
Watching Ferda, Stephan was momentarily dazed by his extraordinary appearance.
That’s Valdrova’s consort? The brat drunk on power?
It was baffling. He had heard the Archduchess’s fiancé was a young man who had just come of age, but he looked truly young. There wasn't a single wandering knight in the room younger than him; even the youngest among them was at least five years his senior.
And yet, he overflows with dignity... His charisma is on par with patriarchs who have held their positions for decades.
Despite Ferda being years younger, no one dared to try and intimidate him.
Now isn't the time for this! Stephan snapped out of his trance. He was standing stiff-legged in front of a ruler! A few quick-witted knights were already dropping to one knee.
Stephan nudged Robellus in the ribs. "Sir Knight."
"Uh, what? Oh!"
"You need to kneel."
"Huh? ...Ah!"
Robellus hurriedly knelt as if he had just realized where he was. It was a graceless, frantic display, but it didn't matter. Soon, the other knights came to their senses and followed suit.
Ferda continued, "I am Ferda Valdrova, fiancé to the Archduchess of Valdrova and current Regent of the Archduchy."
"We greet the Regent!" someone offered in a booming voice. The dazed knights followed, shouting their greetings a moment later.
One knight at the very front smoothed back his hair, attempting to introduce himself before anyone else. "It is truly an honor to set foot in the domain of a ruler of such great power. As for myself—"
"There is no need for that."
Ferda cut the greasy knight off mid-sentence. Refusing to hear a knight’s introduction was a blatant breach of etiquette.
Why did he stop him? Stephan wondered.
There was no need to think deeply. Ferda simply had no intention of observing etiquette in the first place.
"The wrapping paper you’ve prepared is useless. When the contents are nothing but trash, why bother making people expect something better?"
"...Pardon?"
"W-what do you mean by that...?"
The wandering knights murmured in confusion, their plate armor clanking and rattling.
Ugh, this is terrifying! Stephan’s head was already spinning from the cloying perfume, and now the atmosphere was turning hostile. Ferda, having thrown out the insult, remained as calm as a great, silent river.
"Do you need me to put it more simply? I am saying you are all hollow. You are nothing but empty shells—loud, vacant carts."
Thump!
Someone slammed their gauntlet against the floor. "Your words are too harsh, Regent! Please, withdraw that statement!"
A grim-looking knight spoke up. His armor was covered in deep scratches, giving him the appearance of a veteran of many battlefields. He was the same man who had bought thirty monster corpses from Stephan.
Wow, the nerve of this guy, Stephan thought in disgust.
Ferda looked down at the man intently. "Too harsh, you say..." He nodded as if conceding the point. "Fine. If I am wrong, I shall apologize to you all."
Ferda walked along the edge of the dais with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over every knight. "Is there anyone here who hunted all thirty monsters by their own hand?"
"Urgh..."
"Ahem..."
Some of the knights who had been fuming at the insult cleared their throats and lowered their heads. However, those who weren't among them watched the reactions of their peers with mocking smiles.
The grim-looking knight still held his head high. Ferda turned his question toward those who still dared to meet his eye. "Is there anyone among you who hunted thirty monsters alone?"
"Well..."
"Alone? How could anyone..."
They muttered, then fell silent, overwhelmed by Ferda’s gaze. A few more lowered their heads, making disgruntled noises.
But for the rest, it meant they were claiming to be wandering knights who had hunted the monsters purely through their own strength, without buying them or using help.
There’s no way such a person exists, Stephan thought. If a wandering knight had enough martial prowess to hunt thirty monsters alone, they would already be serving a high lord. The fact that they were holding their heads high meant they were all lying. They were acting bold because they thought the Regent had no way of knowing the truth.
No, unless the lord is a complete fool, there’s no way he’d believe that.
Stephan watched Ferda’s reaction. Ferda met the eyes of those holding their heads high and nodded. "I see."
Ferda accepted it. Just like that?
"Then, I shall apologize."
Ferda approached the young maid standing beside him and held out his hand. She pulled a scroll sealed with red ink from her skirt.
"Do you know what this is?" Ferda asked, holding it up. Even the slowest among them knew instantly. "What I have here is the deed to the territory and the certificate of title formerly managed by Thesalos Wolcher. The moment you write your name here, it becomes effective."
The prize every knight desired.
"Regardless of how it was done, you have presented thirty monster corpses, so I must keep my promise, shouldn't I?" He placed it on the table on the dais. "If you want it... come and take it."
It was the signal fire for war. Light flared in the eyes of every wandering knight. Stephan instinctively curled into a ball. This was a situation he had seen far too many times.
It’s like middle-aged women when a '70% Off' sign goes up!
If you got caught between those crazed women, you’d be lucky to escape with your ribs intact. These were knights; the physical struggle would be even more violent. Judging it best not to watch, he bowed his head.
But no one moved. Not even Robellus, who was right next to him. Stephan peeked up and whispered, "Sir Knight, aren't you going?"
"Ugh... uuuugh..."
He wasn't moving—he couldn't. Robellus was suffering. His eyes were wide, as if they were about to pop out of his skull, staring at a single spot. Wondering what he was looking at, Stephan reflexively turned his head.
"H-ack!" Stephan let out a choking sound.
A-A dragon?
In the spot where the maid had been standing, a Silver Dragon was coiled, glaring with predatory eyes. Everyone was pinned in place by that gaze.
What is this? When did that get here? O-or did we get transported somewhere else?
Stephan doubted his own senses. The terror was so deep it hindered his ability to think. Even while everyone else was frozen, someone stood up.
"Success..." A wheezing breath, like a dying man's, escaped his lips. "Land..."
"Marriage... escape...!"
They struggled toward the blank certificate like zombies. As the race toward the dais began—
—Grrrr...
The dragon’s form distorted. As they approached, the figure began to growl as if enraged. The wandering knights who had forced themselves to move froze once more. The body of the coiled Silver Dragon began to shift.
—ROAARR!!
It let out a roar as if its Reverse Scale had been touched.
* * *
—What happens to knights if you use Dragon Fear? Ferda had asked Ruri before the meeting.
—Most of them run away, believing a dragon is chasing them.
—What if you use it weakly?
—Hmm, their five senses will believe a dragon is present, and they will become unable to move.
—That sounds about right. Can you release some Dragon Fear when I give the signal?
—On the knights?
—Yes. If we’re choosing a lord for the territory, they should at least not be cowards, right?
Ferda had said so, and Ruri had agreed.
I thought it wouldn't matter who it was...
But Ruri’s mind was changing. There was a decisive factor swaying her heart.
That damn smell.
Because of the Dragon Fear, the knights were breaking into cold sweats, and their body temperatures were rising. As a result, waves of heat radiated from them, causing the scent of the perfume and their body odor to spread even more intensely.
A disgusting cloud—a haze of perspiration—was forming near the ceiling. Even Ferda could now smell the foul mixture. For Ruri, it was nothing short of hell.
The men sweating probably didn't even realize it. They were too preoccupied with Ruri’s Dragon Fear. Some trembled in fear, while others, driven by greed, forced their feet to move.
"I... I’m finally... going to make it...!"
"A-A d-d-dragon... I-I’m n-not s-scared!"
They were even blabbing their pathetic inner thoughts out loud. It was a triple threat testing Ruri’s patience.
I want to kick them all out right now.
However, Ruri did her best to fulfill her role. She tried to watch them until the end. But then, Ruri’s silver eyes saw it.
The man in the lead, climbing onto the dais, hadn't washed in days. A pungent odor wafted off him. Layers of sweat must have dried and reapplied on his skin for weeks. A single drop of sweat rolled down his cheek, picking up the accumulated grime on his face. As it reached the tip of his chin, it hung there like a drop of liquid filth.
Drip—
The dirty, stinking sweat soaked into the floor of the precious Valdrova residence.
Snap.
The sound of something breaking inside Ruri. The moment that registered, she lost her reason. Dragon Fear exploded at maximum output, flooding the entire banquet hall. It was only for a split second, but the effect was devastating.
"Aaaaah! I don't want to die!!"
The knights who had been overcoming their fear were the first to turn and bolt. The panic spread like wildfire.
"Get out of the way! I’m going home!"
"Aaaaah! Mommy! Mommy!!"
The knights began to run pathetically, their armor clattering. They scrambled over each other to reach the exit, and the banquet hall was empty in an instant.
"Hmm..." Ferda looked at the battered main doors. "I wanted to watch a bit longer. That’s a shame."
"...I am sorry."
"Well, it’s fine. There are plenty of such riffraff; we can just pick again. And..." Ferda’s eyes slid toward another spot. "It seems the screening wasn't a total failure."
In a place that looked like a hurricane had swept through, one man remained. He wasn't a knight. His legs were shaking violently, but he was forcing himself to stay put to keep from running. Tears streamed from his eyes, and snot from his nose. He looked like he was suffocating from terror.
And yet, his eyes were fixed on Ferda. Whoever he was, he seemed worth talking to.
* * *
Valdrova Castle, drawing room.
"Your name?"
"S-S-Stephan Pascal."
"Is your name S-Stephan?"
"I-I’m sorry. I-I stammered. It’s Stephan! Stephan!"
"It’s fine. I understand. Speak slowly. There’s no need to push yourself."
"Y-y-yes, sir! Hooo, hooo!"
Stephan had not yet recovered from the aftereffects of the Dragon Fear. He was breathing deeply, but a few breaths weren't going to settle his nerves.
His mental strength is extraordinary, Ferda thought. The fact that he could hold a conversation while his mouth was trembling proved it. Ferda swallowed his admiration and asked, "If you are of the Pascal family, are you related to the Pascal Trading Company?"
"T-that is correct. I am the second son of H-Herman Pascal! I-I am currently the branch manager of the Imperial headquarters. No, Branch! Manager!"
"I see. What brings you here?"
"I was s-s-selling monster corpses to the k-knights, and I thought the Regent m-might need monster corpses, so I wanted to t-talk..."
He was a man who had come with a clear purpose. He had suppressed his instinct to flee because he couldn't give up on his goal.
But what catches my attention is...
The name Stephan Pascal itself.
It’s a name I’ve never heard before.
Herman Pascal was the most famous merchant on the continent, so Ferda knew him well. After his death, a massive succession battle had broken out, but the two main pillars of that conflict were Murchit and Tilda.
Is this Stephan a lonely sailboat?
Destined to drift forever on a windless day until he died forgotten. A man who possessed the qualifications of an heir but would die in vain due to a lack of support. There were plenty of reasons to think of him as insignificant.
But if he is destined to fall because he lacks backing... what would happen if I provided that backing?
Murchit and Tilda had already firmly established their own factions. Even if Ferda took a side, there would be no room for him to gain anything.
I’ll insert a new axis into the succession struggle: Stephan.
If successful, he would be able to utilize the trade network and information of the Pascal Trading Company, the greatest in the Empire. It would be a massive help to the development and technological revolution of the wild Far East.
"You." Having made his decision, Ferda spoke. "While you’re calming down, would you like to hear an absurd story?"