Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Back to the Capital (3)
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“Then, Uncle Dorian, I’ll leave it to you.”
With one week left until King Leogart’s birthday celebration, I asked Dorian to handle things back home as I stood in front of the carriage, ready to depart for the capital.
Lately, I’d been realizing that Dorian managed the estate more often than I did.
Perhaps sensing my apologetic gaze, Dorian chuckled softly.
“Heh heh, don’t worry about it. Miss Maria’s here this time, isn’t she? And the count has already taken care of all the important matters, so there’s not much left to do.”
“Yes, Clay. You don’t need to worry about the territory.”
Hearing Maria say that put my mind at ease.
Truth be told, I wanted to bring Maria along, but she’d been so busy lately that it wasn’t possible.
[Just get some sleep at night. I’m tired too.]
‘You don’t seem like someone who’d get tired from something like that.’
[I’m tired if I say I am.]
Though I teased her, I did feel a bit sorry for Gransesia. After all, she’d been teaching me every night.
Thanks to her, my skills had been improving by leaps and bounds day by day, but lately, it felt like I’d hit a wall—progress wasn’t coming as easily.
[…How much faster do you expect your skills to improve? If that wasn’t an issue, you’d be Fabian. No, even Fabian didn’t grow as ridiculously as you.]
‘True enough.’
If anything, I was improving too fast compared to my innate talent. It was all thanks to devouring every opportunity that came my way.
On top of that, I’d mastered the true perfected form of the Single Moon Divine Sword, something even Fabian hadn’t achieved.
“Clay, we should get going.”
Riya smiled brightly as she spoke.
The only one accompanying me to the capital this time was Riya. She’d insisted she’d be needed.
‘Is it something related to the novel?’
Or maybe she had something to tell King Leogart about the Ain race.
In any case, she promised not to get in the way, so I happily agreed. She’d been cooped up in the mansion, so she might just want some fresh air.
“Then, let’s depart!”
As I climbed into the carriage, the coachman shouted energetically, and the carriage lurched into motion.
It had been a few weeks since my last outing, so the sense of freedom felt refreshing.
* * *
Sioten, the capital of the Talua Kingdom.
True to its reputation as the land of knights, the city was dotted with pristine white knight statues everywhere.
Last time, I’d passed through in a rush due to the victory parade, but now I could take my time to appreciate them.
“This is my first time in Sioten.”
Riya said that as she stepped down from the carriage.
It caught me quite off guard.
“Really?”
“Yes. Imperial royals rarely leave the empire.”
Makes sense. From the Asktalin Empire’s perspective, they could just summon anyone they needed.
“Well, when you think about it, that’s only natural.”
“It’s just that they’re too comfortable in their nests and don’t want to leave.”
It was hard to respond to Riya as she covered her mouth and giggled mischievously.
“Shall we head straight to the mansion?”
After ending the war with the Kainzel Kingdom, I’d been rewarded handsomely with a massive sum of gold and a mansion in the capital.
I’d all but forgotten about it since I hadn’t needed it, but it was a relief to have a comfortable place to stay.
“Yeah. But first, I need to meet someone.”
“Someone to meet?”
“It’ll be quick. They should be coming to greet me any moment now…”
I scanned the bustling crowd around us.
If it was him, he’d definitely show up right on time for my arrival.
“You’re not expecting them to time it perfectly, are you?”
Sure enough, a man pushed through the crowd and approached.
With his narrow, squinting eyes and amiable face, he wore unremarkable, everyday clothes that blended anywhere.
“Jade, did you find the place I mentioned?”
“Of course.”
As expected of the Thieves’ Guild master.
Even in such a short time, he’d tracked it down.
“Find the place? Mind filling me in on what you two are talking about?”
“Oh, I asked Jade to look into something beforehand.”
After the Rugal episode, the most likely place Fabian had headed was the Lavanteira Kingdom.
It was even harder to enter than Aintban.
Primarily due to their strong hostility toward humans.
‘So, if I can just eliminate that hostility, the problem solves itself.’
That’s why I’d asked him to find an auction house in the Talua Kingdom’s capital.
The kind where nobles held secretive “special auctions.”
“Auctions for other races?”
Riya’s face twisted in disgust. She hadn’t even imagined such auctions took place in Talua’s capital.
“For the record, the empire has them too.”
Jade grinned at her.
“…Is that true?”
“I can mark it on a map for you. It’s much bigger than the one here.”
“Oh my.”
Riya’s eyes darkened coldly.
Lately, the policy she’d been pushing hardest in the empire involved the Ain race—other races in general—so she couldn’t help but react sensitively.
“Looks like you really are the empire’s flower. Who’d have thought you were unaware of something like this.”
She shook her head slightly and let out a faint sigh.
It was rare to see her so disheartened.
Jade eyed her with mild surprise, probably not expecting such a reaction from the usual her.
‘She’s probably the imperial royal who loves her people the most.’
Setting aside her usual behavior, just looking at her actions during her time as the ‘Dragon Calamity’ proved it.
Even as she was consumed by dragonization, she’d tried to stay as far from the empire as possible to avoid causing harm.
She must have instinctively known that awakening would destroy it.
Jade watched her for a moment before handing me a small piece of paper.
“Count, this is a forged identity. Check it and burn it.”
“You even managed to get a forged ID?”
“Forging identities is the Thieves’ Guild’s specialty.”
Jade’s grin was reassuring.
“So, you’ll need to wear a mask when entering the auction house. Of course, all the other nobles will be masked too, so no need to worry about prying eyes.”
He explained a few more rules about the auction house.
It started tomorrow at 9 p.m., with entry allowed an hour prior.
I nodded along to the various regulations.
‘These shady types sure make things complicated.’
Still, thanks to him, I could handle this easily.
My goal was simple: buy every other race being auctioned tomorrow.
* * *
About five days remained until King Leogart’s birthday celebration began.
The palace hosted banquets starting a week in advance, followed by social gatherings attended by numerous influential nobles.
‘What a stark contrast.’
In the past, I would’ve rushed to every banquet first. I wouldn’t have missed a single social event.
I needed solid connections to save the family.
But now, it was irrelevant to me.
“Gasp! I-Isn’t that Count Banheart? You’ve come to the capital?”
As I arrived at the banquet hall entrance, the guarding knight spotted me and jumped in surprise.
“I just arrived today. Is Duke Gail inside?”
“Y-Yes, sir! His Grace has been in the hall since this afternoon!”
“Thanks for the polite answer.”
“No problem!”
The knight, brimming with enthusiasm, showed me excessive courtesy, making me uncomfortable.
His eyes sparkled so intensely I could barely meet them.
Creak!
Pushing open the banquet hall doors, I stepped inside, drawing glances from several people.
Normally, an announcer would herald my entrance, but this was a casual affair, so there was none.
‘I didn’t expect this much attention.’
I was relieved not to have announced my family name.
I hadn’t imagined my name had become this famous.
“Count Banheart is attending this banquet?”
“Didn’t he skip every one since the Founding Festival?”
“I heard Duke Gail went down to southern Talua… Surely to summon Count Banheart…”
People who wouldn’t have known me before were whispering and staring nonstop.
Especially the women—their gazes were practically aflame.
‘W-What’s this?!’
I’d never felt stares this hot in my life. It dwarfed even the hero’s welcome after the war.
Back then, I was a hero too… What was going on?
“C-Count Banheart! Good to see you!”
Then, a portly noble approached and greeted me warmly.
I recognized him as one of the nobles.
“Hello, Marquis Boyan.”
I hadn’t expected someone of his stature to approach me first.
Marquis Boyan wielded considerable influence in western Talua.
Our family had risen high, but this level of interest exceeded expectations.
“But what brings you here…?”
“How could I pass by Talua’s hero, Count Banheart, without saying hello?”
He thrust forward a petite girl hidden in his ample frame.
“Jemina, greet him properly.”
“Oh, hello, Count. I’m Jemina Boyan.”
The demure girl bowing was probably just past fifteen.
I wasn’t oblivious—I could guess Marquis Boyan’s intentions.
But knowing them didn’t help. As a marquis, he wasn’t easy to brush off.
“Hello, Lady Boyan. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“I’ve heard so much about you, Count! Y-You’re even more dashing than I imagined… I was utterly mesmerized.”
Her blushing words left me awkward.
Regardless of her father’s intentions, she seemed genuine.
“I’ve heard you’re currently unattached, Count Banheart.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Then! How about my Jemina? Oh, not marriage or betrothal right away, of course. You’re around the same age, so spending time together might spark feelings. I know it’s forward, but as you see, she’s a beauty and remarkably clever…”
Marquis Boyan launched into praise as Jemina blushed and fidgeted.
“Oh my.”
What silenced his endless spiel was a sudden disaster.
“Having quite the entertaining conversation, I see.”
Click-clack.
Black high heels echoed through the quiet hall.
Riya Asktalin, in a black dress with ornate decorations, stepped into the banquet hall.
“P-Princess Asktalin…?”
“Yes, it’s the princess?”
Riya positioned herself right beside me and pressed close.
Marquis Boyan’s face paled instantly, and Lady Jemina looked ready to burst into tears.
“But why stop talking?”
“W-Well, that is…”
“You were saying something quite intriguing.”
Riya slowly trailed her hand along my wrist before boldly linking arms.
“Care to continue?”
Her pupils sharpened like a reptile’s.
Her mouth curved in a soft, delighted smile, but her eyes were chillingly cold. That beautiful, pale face felt pitch black.
“No! N-No need. How could I waste Her Highness’s time?”
Marquis Boyan grabbed Jemina’s arm and fled.
Watching them go, Riya licked her lower lip slowly with her soft tongue.
Like a predator who’d missed its prey.