Chapter 46
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Chapter 9. Parkro Ducal Territory
46.
A modest dinner party was unexpectedly held in the grand dining hall of the lord's castle.
Though small in scale, Viscount Cobern's efforts to welcome the direct line of the royal family and the nation's foremost noble house, the Parkro Ducal family, were plain to see.
In the end, by greatly satisfying the extravagance-loving Second Prince Clobero, Viscount Cobern's hard work did not go to waste.
"I hope we haven't put too much strain on them because of us."
Windsor muttered with a wry smile, and Delron Parkro, standing beside him, chuckled softly.
"From Viscount Cobern's perspective, this puts his mind at ease, so don't worry about it."
Saying that, he clicked his tongue as he glanced at Viscount Cobern attending to Clobero.
"If anything, keeping the Second Prince in good humor is the real challenge."
With a light bow to Windsor, Delron Parkro headed toward where Clobero was.
Though he was the heir to the Parkro Ducal family, Delron Parkro was in his mid-to-late forties, around the same age as the king.
As the one effectively managing the ducal house, he was one of the few people in the kingdom whom even the Second Prince couldn't treat lightly.
"Lord Delron has his work cut out for him."
Ross chuckled as he watched Delron approach the Second Prince, and Windsor clicked his tongue in response.
"He's the real reason for our escort, after all."
The Parkro Ducal family members were accompanying the direct royals partly to keep Clobero in check.
Even the utterly arrogant Clobero found it hard to act recklessly in front of Delron Parkro.
"By the way."
Turning his attention from his younger brother, Windsor scanned the surroundings.
And he furrowed his brow.
The party included the entourage's close aides as well.
Yet, amid all that, one person who should have stood out was conspicuously absent.
"What are you looking for?"
Ross asked curiously, and Windsor chuckled.
"No, just noticing one person missing."
"Ah."
Ross let out a knowing exclamation and replied.
"She hates these kinds of gatherings."
"Come to think of it, you seem to have a personal rapport with Eirana beyond just business matters?"
"It naturally built up from helping her with this and that."
Windsor and Eirana had virtually no interaction outside of work.
Of course, Windsor wasn't just idling around.
He had recently received invitations to royal social parties and suggested dining together a few times, but Eirana hadn't batted an eye.
This wasn't mere thick-skinnedness; she simply had zero interest.
"Do you talk about me in private settings?"
"Not at all."
Ross shook his head.
Windsor narrowed his eyes at that.
"Really not at all?"
"......"
Staring silently at his persistently probing superior, Ross hesitated before speaking up.
"If anything came up......"
"What?"
"She griped that you've been a nuisance lately."
Not good news, by any means.
"What the hell is that woman's deal?"
"What do you mean?"
As childhood friends who had always been close, the two girls naturally dropped formalities in private.
Lea looked puzzled at Benea, who approached with narrowed eyes.
"Your tutor."
"She's just a tutor."
Benea had often heard tales of how Lea had shed her somewhat immature ways to become a gracious, kind-hearted princess.
Her father, Count Delron Parkro, had even tried to hire Eirana because of it.
And upon first laying eyes on the much-rumored Eirana, she was utterly stunned.
She was more beautiful than anyone Benea had ever seen.
But what bothered her more was Windsor's attitude toward Eirana.
Having been close to Lea since childhood, she also shared a deep familiarity with Windsor.
On top of that, she harbored romantic feelings for him.
Though it was the tender affection of a girl in her mid-to-late teens, she was endlessly sensitive about the object of her affections.
Thus, she easily discerned that Windsor held some feelings for Eirana.
It was a sore spot for a girl in the throes of her first love.
"Does that woman fawn over the Crown Prince like the other socialites?"
At Benea's words, Lea recalled Eirana.
She couldn't imagine her flashing coquettish smiles and pandering to a man like typical society ladies.
'She'd probably just deck him first.'
As Lea mused on Eirana's temperament, she turned to Benea.
Seeing the jealousy in those eyes stirred up some mischief in Lea that Eirana had kept suppressed.
"Lady Eirana does have such refined beauty. They seem well-suited together."
Lea smiled slyly, teasing Benea gently.
Benea bristled at the sight.
"A woman of dubious status suits the Crown Prince?"
"Sir Ross vouches for Lady Eirana's background. And she's not only beautiful but exceptionally capable."
The mere fact that she tutored the princess in all subjects attested to Eirana's prowess.
Lately, she was even guarding Windsor.
"And it doesn't seem like your brother is indifferent to her."
"Eek."
Benea flinched at that.
Windsor didn't judge people solely by their status.
Benea knew that all too well.
Lea, who had been smiling brightly and prodding her, now narrowed her eyes to gauge her childhood friend's mood.
As expected, Benea was fuming.
She had liked Windsor since childhood.
Thus, she had spared no effort to win him over.
Her reputation in society was even better than Lea's.
Still, Lea knew they were essentially alike at their core.
If she poked her this much, Benea would surely try to cause trouble for Eirana somehow.
The outcome was obvious.
'She'd get utterly crushed.'
Lea smirked inwardly with a meaningful expression.
Eirana, who resorted to violence even against a princess without hesitation, wouldn't let Benea's provocations slide.
'Lady Eirana said it herself: retaliate against provocations without mercy or restraint.'
Lea murmured to herself that she was merely putting her lessons into practice.
'Your turn to feel it.'
It wasn't about sharing her misfortune with a bad friend, of course.
"Not going to the dinner party?"
Celia tilted her head curiously as she opened the door, bringing in the evening meal.
Eirana, who had been staring at her silently, sighed before scratching her head in response.
"You don't need to go this far."
Eirana was referring to Celia personally serving her dinner.
"I'm your maid right now, Lady Eirana. Think of it as a bit of fun."
Celia smiled warmly and wheeled the simple cart of food over to Eirana.
Currently, Celia’s hair was magically altered to a thick, dull gray.
Her eyes, too, had shifted from a dragon's gaze to human ones.
She hummed a tune as she set the table.
"It's been ages since I last showed off my skills."
She had apparently prepared it herself in the kitchens.
No fancy dishes, but the aroma was enticing.
And so, Eirana and Celia dined together.
"I've been meaning to ask: why don't you ever attend parties, Lady Eirana?"
It had been a full month since Eirana and Celia first met.
"I hate the commotion."
Even so, her indifference seemed extreme.
As Celia pondered this, Eirana remarked curiously.
"By the way, things have been awfully quiet from those guys."
"Lord Terthus must have informed the Dragon Lord about the demons. I doubt they'll act rashly for a while."
Even as the Demon King, with his power halved by contract and under dragon scrutiny, reckless moves would be tough.
That was why Kerdic had tried to manipulate Eirana's mind back then.
Thinking of Kerdic soured Eirana's expression naturally.
Celia looked puzzled at her.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. That Demon King's ugly mug just popped into my head."
Celia's face darkened slightly as she watched Eirana grumble, chin in hand.
Noticing, Eirana tilted her head.
"What's up with you?"
"It's nothing... just one thing that's worrying me."
"Worrying?"
Eirana voiced her confusion.
With dragons now intervening as a check, the Demon King's movements were heavily restricted.
For Celia, concerned for Adea Kingdom's safety, this greatly eased her worries.
Yet her mood remained heavy.
"What I'm worried about isn't Adea Kingdom—it's you, Lady Eirana."
"Me?"
Eirana blinked in bewilderment, and Celia nodded.
'Is there really something to worry about?'
From Demon King Kerdic's view, Eirana—a newly ascended holy dragon—was no major threat.
He likely wouldn't pay her much mind.
So thought Eirana.
Celia sighed softly at her, twirling the end of her hair with a finger.
"Precisely because that Demon King showed interest in you—that's what concerns me."
Eirana muttered indifferently, chin still propped.
"Yeah, that was annoying."
She growled low.
As Eirana, she didn't welcome the Demon King's romantic interest.
It differed from Windsor.
Unlike Windsor, whom she could pummel to deter him if she wished, Kerdic was beyond her.
Thus, she wanted no further entanglements with him.
"But with other dragons involved, he has no reason to bother with a non-threat like me. We won't cross paths again."
Eirana shrugged it off nonchalantly.
Celia sighed at her.
She wasn't wrong—her assessment was spot-on.
'Incredibly mature for her age, perhaps?'
Newly ascended holy dragons often lacked experience and had immature aspects, making this impressive.
'Maybe I'm overthinking it... but still......'
Centuries of instinct left Celia uneasy.
Resolving herself, she spoke up.
"This might just be me overreacting, but......"
Celia paused briefly.
Then, locking eyes with Eirana earnestly, she continued.
"Lady Eirana, do you know about the Demon Dragon?"