Chapter 51
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Royal Audience (1)
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Thankfully, after Bell Mayer slept soundly and woke up, her condition had improved significantly. As they say, eating and sleeping well is the best medicine for mental stability.
Of course, the fact that we were staying in a lodging far superior to our own probably played a big part in it. The soft, fluffy blankets and the wide bed definitely helped.
For me, it was the first time since coming to this world that I fell asleep naturally without needing a cigarette or any other mental stabilizer. I wasn't even that tired, but the moment I lay down, sleepiness came over me like a ghost.
Of course, I couldn't resist the morning cigarette.
"Hoo─."
After enjoying the cool morning air on the open terrace and taking a good drag, I returned to the lodging.
"Did you sleep comfortably?"
Breakfast was already prepared. The dining table had been completely empty before I left.
...Is this the majesty of a lodging directly managed by the royal palace?
I couldn't help but be amazed again. In reality, you'd have to be at least a VIP at a 5-star hotel to receive this kind of service.
"Then we shall take our leave. We hope you enjoy your meal."
"Ah, yes... Thank you."
From start to finish, they were the epitome of discretion. Since I've never been in such an atmosphere, I awkwardly just waved my hand.
The problem is, I only realized it might have looked silly after all the maids had disappeared.
"Good morning, Platoon Leader."
"Lumia, Bell. You're right on time."
"Of course. This is a special day."
As if drawn by the pleasant aroma, Bell and Lumia came out of their rooms at just the right moment. The two of them must have just washed up, as their hair was still slightly damp.
"Mmm, it smells great."
"The head chef who manages this place is always hired from the best in the duchy."
Bell said, shrugging her shoulders at Lumia, whose eyes were already sparkling.
Maybe it's because I heard that story yesterday, but Bell's image, which I used to think of as just a layabout back at the unit, was starting to look completely different.
'Looking at her like this, she really looks like a noble scion. Lumia by her side suits her well too.'
After all, I thought Lumia was a noble at first too.
In any case, breakfast was as delicious as Bell had boasted.
While the menu itself wasn't much different from the rations we got at the unit, aside from appetizers and desserts, the quantity and quality were in a completely different league.
Now that our stomachs were full.
"Bell, Lumia, let's get ready to move out."
"Roger!"
"Of course."
It was time to move for the purpose we had come all this way to the capital for.
"You all look very good in your formal attire."
"Thank you for your kind words."
The moment we went out to the main gate, Lieutenant Lanister greeted us with a wide smile. Unlike us in our pristine white formal attire, he was dressed in his usual black military police uniform.
"Then shall we?"
We boarded the carriage following his guidance, and the carriage started off smoothly. He said it takes about 10 minutes by carriage to Petrovna Palace, where the Grand Duke resides.
Considering the annex is the outermost facility on the palace grounds, the palace grounds themselves were enormous.
As we stopped in front of Petrovna Palace, members of the Capital Guard, whose gaze was clearly different from the guards in Cherno City, approached. Their red wool coats and leather boots immediately brought the British 'Royal Guard' to mind.
"Glory to the Fatherland!"
"Glory."
As the soldiers lined up in a row saluted, Lieutenant Lanister answered leisurely.
"The audience chamber is on the second floor. We will guide you there."
"Please do."
As expected of the National Military Police?
I hadn't felt particularly emotional until now, but upon arriving at the palace, I was starting to feel a bit of tension. Lieutenant Lanister, however, strode confidently ahead and entered the building.
'I've been to the Blue House once, but... a real palace has a different atmosphere altogether.'
The building was only two stories high, but the grandeur it exuded was more overwhelming than a skyscraper with dozens of floors.
The antique wallpaper covering the entire interior of the building, and the Baroque-style lighting that perfectly complemented its uniquely cozy yet luxurious atmosphere.
Soldiers standing guard with rifles at every corner were so disciplined they could be mistaken for statues.
"..."
I subtly turned my head to check Lumia's expression as she walked beside me.
She seemed to be trying her best to act nonchalant, but seeing her anxious, trembling eyes and fingers, it looked like she was failing miserably at hiding her tension.
She seemed somewhat intimidated. In any case, she didn't look like someone who had earned a great achievement and was going to meet the Grand Duke with pride.
It made it look like she was being dragged off to somewhere.
Seeing this, I nudged Lumia's shoulder with my elbow.
She flinched violently.
Did she instinctively hold back a scream she was about to let out?
"Wh-what, wh-what are you doing, Platoon Leader?"
"Why are you so tense? Don't be so nervous."
"How can I not be when we're going to meet the Grand Duke I've only heard about? Aren't you tense, Platoon Leader?"
"To be honest, I can't say I'm not, but if you stay as stiff as you are, Sergeant Lumia, you might make a mistake."
"...Ah."
When I first saw her, Lumia gave off a very cold impression, but the more I got to know her, the more I realized she was a bit of a ditz.
She's decisive when it counts, though, and that aspect of hers actually softens her cold image, so it's not a bad thing.
"The Platoon Leader is right. It's better not to be too nervous. Rather, acting with composure can make you seem more like a veteran."
Bell said in a calm voice. She looked the most relaxed of the three of us.
"Straighten your back and chest out proudly. You have the qualifications to do so, don't you, Lumia?"
"Bell, sis..."
At those words, Lumia seemed to make up her mind, clenching her fist tightly.
Following Bell's advice, she straightened her back and squared her shoulders. The formal attire itself was made of a very stiff material, so just changing her posture made her previously intimidated demeanor change completely.
"Much better, Lumia."
"Yeah, yeah. That's the way."
"We have arrived at the audience chamber. Please prepare yourselves, everyone."
Lieutenant Lanister and the guards, who had been walking ahead, stopped in front of a massive door and said.
Knock, knock─
"Lieutenant Lanister of the Northern Branch of the National Military Police, along with three others. We have arrived at the audience chamber!"
The guard knocked lightly on the door and announced in a heavy voice, and the closed door slowly opened.
The first thing that appeared was a long hall. Stone pillars, seemingly made of marble, supported the ceiling like a temple, and at the end of the red carpet stretching between the pillars, there was a round table with about nine people seated around it.
Their formal attire was adorned with numerous medals on their chests.
I could intuitively tell they were the 'generals' gathered for this audience.
And finally.
There was a man sitting right in the center of the round table, exuding an overwhelming presence even among the generals, who was smiling leisurely.
Like the others, he was dressed in army formal attire, but the gold braids running from his shoulder to his waist stood out vividly.
'Orlando Ruth III.'
The difference in class was instinctively felt. An immense pressure sent a shiver down my spine.
Tap, tap!
"Attention!"
As Lieutenant Lanister aligned his feet with perfect discipline, we naturally stepped to the side and fell into a single line.
"Salute to His Highness the Grand Duke!"
"Glory to the Fatherland—!!!"
Although there were only four of us, the thunderous command that erupted almost simultaneously echoed deafeningly throughout the audience chamber.
It was pure instinct, in front of a superior, and what's more, an absolute power called a 'Grand Duke'.
"Glory."
He stood up from his seat to formally receive the salute, then slowly approached us.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, heroes of the Fatherland."
The current Grand Duke of the Ukran Duchy, and the nation's sovereign.
And at the same time, the last ruler of Ukran, who would meet a wretched end in the Great War five years from now.
He looked much younger than I had imagined. I'd heard he was in his late thirties.
"Lieutenant Lanister, I thank you for successfully completing your assigned duty."
"I only did what I had to do, Your Highness."
"We are always relying on the National Military Police."
"Thank you, sir!"
After briefly praising Lieutenant Lanister's achievement, Orlando Ruth III shifted his gaze to me, who was standing next to him.
"And this must be the officer I've heard so much about. Was it Enok Levandel?"
"It is an honor that you remember me, Your Highness."
"I hope you will continue to work for the peace of the Ukran Duchy."
As I stood straight and answered politely and concisely, the Grand Duke added with a smirk.
"Enok Levandel, Lieutenant."