Chapter 357: The Ball (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 357: The Ball (6)
After hearing those words from Siyan, words that overflowed with an indescribable sense of unease.
Alon let the moment pass without giving a proper answer.
And soon after, he found he could not have a conversation with her about the eyes—
"I don't intend to tell you this time."
"…Pardon?"
Alon looked at Siyan with a bewildered expression, but she maintained her smile.
"It can't be helped, even if you look at me like that. I've already made up my mind."
"If… if it isn't too rude, may I ask why?"
"The reason—"
Siyan gazed at Alon, lost in thought for a moment, before finally giving her answer.
"I was asked not to."
"…Asked, you say?"
"Yes."
"By whom…?"
"Even if I told you, you probably wouldn't be able to find them."
Because they aren't from around here.
Alon was momentarily dazed by Siyan’s playful remark. However, it didn't take long for him to grasp the meaning behind her words.
"Is it a promise that remains in your memories?"
"As I thought, you're usually quite dense, but you can be remarkably sharp about things like this."
"…May I take that as a compliment?"
"It’s best to think of it as half-compliment, half-sarcasm."
Alon considered pressing further, but he soon gave up. Since she had already resolved not to answer, asking again would be meaningless.
"You don't have to look so disappointed."
Siyan was still smiling mischievously. Alon clicked his tongue and asked, "…Was it that obvious on my face?"
"No? You still have that expressionless look."
"Then how did you know I was disappointed?"
Alon grumbled, only to realize immediately that he had said something foolish.
"Because that's how you would normally react."
That was Siyan’s follow-up.
* * *
In the end, all Alon gained from his conversation with Siyan was a sense of frustration and her final words.
'I'll tell you naturally once time has passed…' she said.
Siyan had worn a playful smile until the very end, as if she knew something he didn't. Recalling that image, Alon tilted his head in curiosity.
'…Normally, she said.'
He thought about it all the way from Siyan’s office back to his room, but he couldn't understand why she had said such a thing.
"Hmm—"
Why had she suddenly blocked the information she used to give him? And why did she use the word 'normally'?
As Alon pondered with a strange expression, a voice called out.
"Teacher."
"Yutia."
He met Yutia, who had been waiting for him to head to the ballroom.
"Have you been waiting?"
"Hmm—what kind of answer do you want to hear?"
"…What do you mean, what kind of answer?"
"Between 'I wasn't waiting at all' and 'I've been waiting for you.'"
Yutia’s lips curled into an elegant smile as Alon replied.
"Well, I'd prefer you be honest."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, I'm a bit conflicted then."
"…About what?"
"The truth is, I was waiting, but the waiting wasn't hard. However—"
Yutia leaned forward slightly and whispered.
"—If I say that, I won't have an excuse to come visit you later, so I was debating."
Whether to lie or not. Alon looked at the gently smiling Yutia and answered.
"You can come visit whenever you want, even without an excuse."
"Really?"
"As I said before, I don't think our relationship is one where we can't speak freely about such things."
"Mmm—but having an excuse makes it more comfortable, doesn't it?"
"…Should I give you something like a wish ticket, then?"
At those words, Yutia took her place beside Alon as they walked toward the ball.
"Then that makes two now, doesn't it?"
"Two? Ah."
He nodded. He had already given Yutia something similar to a wish ticket once back in the North.
"You remembered?"
"Yes, that makes two."
"I like that."
Unlike her usual smile, Yutia gave a playful, beaming grin. Seeing her, Alon found himself smiling unconsciously as well.
Soon, they stepped into the ballroom.
"…There are a lot of people today as well."
Alon felt overwhelmed by the crowd, which was even denser than the day before.
"The ball technically starts in earnest from today, after all."
"I suppose so—"
Since the ball lasted five days, the second day could be considered the true beginning. As Alon scanned the room, his gaze stopped at one spot.
A place where a massive crowd of nobles had gathered, just like yesterday. Elivan was there.
"There are still many people around Elivan today."
"It seems so. Ah—it might be because of his birthday."
"Birthday?"
"Yes. I heard it's coming up soon, and he's inviting nobles to a birthday party."
Yutia informed him, placing an index finger to her lips. Alon nodded slowly.
"…A birthday party."
It was an event that hadn't existed in Psychedelia.
"Teacher."
"What is it?"
"Um, would it be alright if I stepped away for a moment?"
As Yutia pointed in one direction, Alon naturally followed her gaze. The Cardinals of Rosario were there.
They should have been able to see him from over there, but…
Twitch—
They looked awkward, as if they were trying their best to avoid eye contact. It was strange, but Alon nodded.
"It's fine."
"Then I'll be back in a moment. I should at least go say hello."
Watching Yutia walk away, Alon felt a sense of doubt.
'I thought you needed a partner to enter this ball. How did the Cardinals get in…? No, before that, isn't it a bit strange for Cardinals to be at a party like this?'
Just as Alon was harboring those doubts—
"Ah, Marquis!"
A voice called out to him.
"Elivan?"
"Yes! I knew you'd come!"
Before he knew it, Elivan had slipped through the crowd of nobles and approached him, wearing his usual refreshing smile.
"Yes, and you… seem quite busy."
Alon glanced behind him. Nobles were still lined up, waiting for a chance to speak with Elivan.
Elivan laughed as if he were in a difficult spot, then spoke as if something had just occurred to him.
"Ah. Do you happen to have a moment, Marquis?"
"A moment?"
"Yes. If it's alright, I was hoping we could talk for a bit!"
"…? Well, that's fine."
Though puzzled by the sudden request, Alon nodded.
* * *
The two of them stepped out onto the balcony.
Under the glow of the setting sun, Alon stole a glance at Elivan. Elivan was simply staring at the sunset with a calm face.
'…Does he just want to rest for a bit?' Alon wondered.
Indeed, Elivan had been surrounded by nobles since yesterday. He hadn't had a moment's peace at the ball.
However, Alon couldn't just stay silent forever. Just as he was about to say something—
"Looking at it like this, it's really been a long time, Marquis."
"…Hmm?"
"Since you suddenly came to me and started looking after me."
Alon searched his memory.
"I suppose so. It has been quite a while."
"Right? When we first met in that empty forest and you started handing me all sorts of things, I wondered what was going on."
As Elivan burst into light laughter, Alon fumbled for words. Back then, he had been so focused on the goal of 'giving him items' that he hadn't given it much thought, but looking back now, it certainly could have seemed strange.
As he stammered, Alon felt a slight sense of dissonance.
It was very faint. But it was a nagging feeling that something wasn't right.
Thinking deeply while watching the sunset, Alon realized the source of that dissonance.
'…Forest?'
Elivan said he had met Alon in a forest. However, Alon had met Elivan in a crowded village, not an empty forest—
"Marquis."
But Elivan’s call broke his chain of thought.
"What is it?"
"Do you know what the most important virtue is when becoming a god?"
"…So suddenly?"
"Yes, suddenly."
It was an incredibly out-of-the-blue question. Alon couldn't fathom Elivan’s intentions.
"Why are you asking that?"
"Hmm—just think of it as a sort of personality test."
Though it was sudden, Alon answered for now.
"…Omnipotence?"
"Well, isn't that a virtue a god possesses? What I asked was about the process of becoming a god."
"The process of becoming one—"
While Alon pondered, Elivan spoke quietly.
"Shall I tell you?"
"What is it?"
"It's the Engraving."
"…Engraving?"
"It's about how one is perceived as an existence."
At Elivan’s low-voiced remark, Alon stared at him intently.
"Elivan."
"Yes?"
"…Didn't you say this was a personality test? It seems meaningless to say that at this point."
"No, it's fine. I've already received my answer."
Heh heh heh— Elivan let out a soft laugh.
Though Alon was bewildered by the incomprehensible conversation, he continued the dialogue anyway.
"By the way, I heard you're having a birthday party."
"Ah, yes. You heard?"
"I did."
"Yes, I'm planning to invite a few nobles and hold it in Tern."
"If it's Tern—"
"It's the Central area. Fortunately, I received permission to use it."
"If I have time, I'll try to attend."
Alon nodded as he spoke. However—
"No? You don't really have to come."
"…Oh, is that so?"
"Yes. You're a busy man, Marquis."
Elivan spoke with a smile, then immediately stood up.
"Ahem—well then, I'll be going first!"
He abruptly left the balcony. And Alon, left alone, stood there blankly.
'…What was that? Did I just get rejected?'
Of course, attending a birthday party was a huge hassle in itself. If he didn't have to go, it was actually for the better. He had only asked out of politeness anyway.
But regardless of the circumstances, the feeling that he had been rejected lingered.
"……."
Alon felt a strange sense of betrayal welling up.
And a short while later.
After leaving the balcony, Alon suddenly realized that the nobles were all looking toward one spot.
He wondered if it was Elivan again, but even Elivan was looking in that direction. Alon turned his gaze as well and saw a woman approaching him.
From her attire, she was clearly someone of very high status. Stunned, Alon suddenly realized her face looked familiar.
"It's been a long time."
At the sound of that familiar voice, Alon finally recognized the woman before him.
"…Sirkal?"
"That's right."
Sirkal answered with a smile.
Feeling the nobles' gazes intensify even further, Alon felt awkward but opened his mouth to speak.
"I heard the news. They say you've become King."
"Yes, that's right. A sudden, uncomfortable incident befell the former King."
"An uncomfortable incident?"
"Yes, an uncomfortable incident."
"Was he injured?"
"It wasn't quite like that, but something did happen. He hasn't passed away, though."
"…He hasn't passed away?"
"No, he's still alive."
…Can a King usually be replaced if they haven't died?
Thinking this, Alon looked at Sirkal, who was nodding with a smile.
Naturally, he kept his mouth shut.