Triggering the Trap Card (1)
I wasn’t particularly moved by any of it.
What I had to do was already decided, and by now, simply making my debut in society no longer carried much weight for me.
I just have to do what I’m supposed to do.
Wherever you went, a new face was bound to draw attention—especially if that face belonged to the Mercenary Queen’s lover, and the hot topic of tonight’s gathering.
It was an advantageous position.
Merely showing up here was, in effect, a public announcement that I’d already cleared myself of at least some suspicion.
There wasn’t a single bastard with enough guts to try anything on me while Victor Hart was backing me.
When the door opened, a luxurious interior spread before my eyes.
There were tables set along one side, servants carrying light desserts and wine, and a number of East Asian faces among the crowd. But above all else, what stood out were the imperial noblewomen with their brightly colored hair.
The fabrics of their dresses looked expensive at a glance, and the accessories they wore were so lavish it would’ve been impossible to put a price on them.
Imperial nobility.
Some people were also dressed in the robes of priests from the Holy Empire.
Those were probably the ones belonging to the papal faction.
What struck me as mildly absurd was that they, too, were wearing clothes and ornaments that looked disgustingly expensive.
Apparently, this religion didn’t make a virtue out of austerity.
Before I could even take a step, Cha Heera casually reached out and took my hand. A sliver of guilt flickered across her face.
“Hold on to me, jagi.”
Even in the Holy Empire, it was generally the man’s job to escort the woman. Cha Heera, however, treated that custom like something fit for the trash and simply grabbed my hand, pulling me along.
The mana flooding into her grip made my arm ache, but I kept my mouth shut and followed her lead.
That hurts like hell. Goddamn….
Her stride was long and confident. Her gaze swept over the room as if she couldn’t be bothered to care about anyone else’s attention, and the woman beside me looked exactly like the Mercenary Queen I’d imagined.
I had no idea what the people here would think of a frail-looking man being escorted by a powerful woman, but…
It’s working.
This helps my image.
“That’s him….”
“So the rumors were true—that the Mercenary Queen is completely smitten. This is a first, isn’t it? Probably?”
“He looks a little different from what I imagined. I thought he’d seem rougher….”
“They say he’s a talented alchemist. I guess he’s more of a scholar type.”
“He doesn’t look like someone who could’ve harmed anyone. He’s almost cute….”
“Oh, I know. He gives off this feeling like you want to protect him.”
“Exactly. That’s the vibe.”
“The Mercenary Queen’s taste is impressive. At first glance he seems ordinary, but there’s something faintly seductive about him….”
“Yes. Yes, I see it too.”
They were hiding behind their fans and whispering among themselves, but I could hear every word.
What the hell are these old ladies talking about?
I couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like I was surprisingly popular with the noblewomen.
I had trouble understanding how I could possibly inspire a protective instinct, but that seemed to be how I was coming across.
Of course, there were also men looking at me with obvious disdain.
It stung a little, but honestly, being remembered as some idiot trailing after the Mercenary Queen wasn’t the worst possible outcome.
My worth would come out eventually anyway. For now, it was easier if people just remembered me as the victim.
That guy?
Seriously?
Murder? No way.
He must have his reasons.
That was the first impression I needed to plant.
I didn’t know whether Cha Heera had intended this or not, but thanks to her behavior, selling that image to the crowd had already succeeded halfway, and that would be putting it lightly.
Even after entering the society hall, the stares still refused to leave me alone.
I could see people moving in this direction, clearly trying to strike up a conversation with me somehow.
Who you spoke to first was a fairly important matter in a place like this.
If possible, it was best to start with someone powerful.
Once we settled into position, I caught sight of Jung Hayan biting her lip hard enough to turn it white.
“Our second’s face is a mess.”
“……”
“You can come in with us tomorrow, if you want.”
“Ah… yes.”
“I like fairness, you know.”
Even in the middle of all this, her effort to spare Jung Hayan’s feelings was unexpectedly considerate.
While I was looking around, I heard a voice.
“It feels like all the main characters have gathered here.”
“Long time no see, Duchess Catherine.”
“It has been a while, Victor Hart. And how have you been, Mercenary Queen?”
“I’ve been well.”
Not bad.
The woman who had addressed us was a blue-haired lady.
Even at a glance, it was obvious she held considerable status.
Duchess Catherine.
She was the kind of woman you could call the center of social circles. Beyond the fact that she was a duchess, she had a talent for making connections and had built a vast network of acquaintances everywhere.
Because her elderly husband was bedridden, she handled affairs in his place and was deeply influential within the Holy Empire.
In other words, she was the perfect person for making small talk and networking.
“So this is the gentleman everyone’s been talking about?”
“My name is Lee Kiyoung.”
“A pleasure. I’m Catherine. You look a little different from what I’d imagined.”
“How do you mean…?”
“Well, I’d pictured someone a bit more frightening. I didn’t realize you’d be so handsome.”
“Thank you. You’re every bit as beautiful as the rumors say, Duchess Catherine.”
“Oh my. You know who I am?”
“Of course. I’ve heard so much about you from my older sister.”
A little flattery like that was only proper. As expected, I could see the faintest smile curving her lips.
“Mercenary Queen, if it isn’t too much trouble, would it be all right if I borrowed your boyfriend for a moment?”
“Of course, Duchess. I was actually worried you’d be bored, so I’m glad.”
“Hehe. Thank you.”
Jung Hayan looked regretful, but she’d at least gotten Cha Heera’s approval.
It made sense that she had things to do of her own.
She would probably be discussing Lindel’s current atmosphere with the master of the Black Swan.
Jung Hayan would also need to start making acquaintances with the court mages, so it was only natural that I would be the one to handle this side.
When I offered my left arm to Duchess Catherine, she looked at me as if surprised.
In truth, I was only doing it to spare my right arm—the one Cha Heera had already seized—but to her, it probably looked like I was escorting her.
And naturally, the other noblewomen began drifting this way one by one.
Since I was at the center of gossip, there was nothing strange about that kind of treatment.
Eyes and questions poured in from every direction, and I did have to think for a moment about where to begin. In the end, I decided it would be best to start with topics as unrelated to the real issue as possible.
It’s important to lay the groundwork first.
There was no way I was going to dive straight into the matter at hand.
“Oh… so then the Mercenary Queen….”
“Yes. I’d known Heera noona since we were in our world. She helped me a great deal back then.”
“Aha. I see.”
“And where did you obtain the sword Yuliena?”
“I got it while raiding a dungeon in order to find a party member. Originally, it was supposed to become Guild Master Kim Hyunsung’s property, but Yuliena chose me.”
“That’s amazing. I’m very interested in the free cities, so I heard about what happened to Blue too. Wasn’t it a treasure discovered during the Cursed Shrine raid?”
“You’re well informed.”
“Yes. I also heard that the potion you made, Mr. Lee Kiyoung, weakened the curse’s effects and made the raid successful. Am I correct? It was the first case of an alchemist directly helping with a raid, so it was a huge topic in Lindel.”
“I’m embarrassed.”
“Oh my, is that really true?”
“How interesting.”
There were already people here who knew things about me.
Of course, it wasn’t because they had investigated on their own.
Without a doubt, Lee Jihye had been running her mouth all over the place. If I had to guess, she’d fed them nothing but good things about me.
While we were exchanging stories and deepening our little friendship, that happened.
“Ito Souta of the Yamato Guild from the free city of Celia has entered.”
The bastard who had handed me a giant fuck-you began walking in slowly from the entrance.
And naturally, everyone’s eyes flew toward him.
His face was sharp-looking in a way that suggested image management had always been one of his strengths.
Not only the papal faction, but even the noblewomen and other aristocrats seemed to regard him with an inexplicable sense of favor.
He’s got ability, all right….
Being able to earn that kind of goodwill from people was a skill in itself.
People were already starting to greet him from all over the room.
At first glance, it almost looked like he was flaunting himself in my direction.
His connections, his abilities, his power.
Every movement he made was full of elegance, and his kindly expression made him look nothing like someone who’d do something vile behind the scenes.
I didn’t know when he’d arrived here, but if I considered the fact that he’d been managing the people in this place all this time, his level of trust had to be beyond imagination.
That was a completely different situation from Cha Heera, who’d only maintained a connection with Victor Hart.
Black Swan’s Park Yeonju had only recently become guild master, and Kasugano Yuno simply wasn’t the sort of personality to do something like that. So…
He’s popular.
A childish, one-dimensional way of putting it, but Ito Souta was undoubtedly the popular one here.
What I hadn’t expected was that he was already walking toward me.
It was only natural that I changed my expression at once.
I put on a slightly frightened look and posture, and saw a broad smile spread across his face.
“It’s been a while.”
I couldn’t figure out what he wanted by talking to me.
Just posturing? Or reconciliation?
I didn’t think he’d gotten scared by the fallout by touching me and come running over to make amends.
“Yes… it has.”
The noblewomen quietly stepped aside, and Victor Hart’s expression grew a little more guarded.
As my escort, that was only natural.
What showed on the bastard’s face was a trace of amusement.
Ha….
An entertained expression.
That’s right. That’s it.
He didn’t really know who I was.
He probably thought this would all be over easily, too.
But the result would be different.
I wasn’t standing in a courtroom right now—I was standing in a social hall, and Lindel itself was on the verge of exploding.
Even the Holy Empire was in no position to treat me carelessly.
Maybe he found the fact that this was the first time he’d ever experienced something like this novel and amusing.
For someone who had everything, a guy like me might just seem like a curiosity.
“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding, Mr. Lee Kiyoung.”
The son of a bitch….
This wasn’t him throwing himself flat on the ground.
He wasn’t retreating in fear of the card I’d played and the dice I’d thrown. No—he was looking down on me with certainty. The kind of conduct a winner shows toward a loser when he’s being gracious.
He was praising the move I hadn’t predicted, applauding my effort, and offering me a way into the room.
You worked hard. Not bad. So what now? You know this is your only option, don’t you? Take my hand. It’s the best choice.
That’s what his voice sounded like to me.
If I said it didn’t bruise my pride, I’d be lying. That was when I heard a voice from behind me.
“Cut the crap. ‘Misunderstanding’ my ass.”
“Lady Cha Heera, our Celia simply wants to maintain a good relationship with Lindel. Whatever the reason, the two sides have grown far too heated.”
“Really?”
“The Holy Empire does not wish to see conflict. Whatever the details of the incident, it would be better for everyone to let go of the resentment they’re holding. I’m heartbroken that I lost one of my guild members as well, but… isn’t it a better choice than having those of us who stand on the same side within the Holy Empire clash with one another?”
In summary, he was saying he was prepared to sacrifice himself.
He was giving in for the sake of peace.
“The one you should be telling that to isn’t me, Ito Souta. It’s our jagi.”
“Yes, of course. I’m speaking to Mr. Lee Kiyoung as well. I truly hope you won’t make any more trouble than this. If our conduct seemed threatening, then I sincerely apologize.”
The sight of him bowing ninety degrees while extending his hand was a sight to behold.
In a situation like this, with the powers that be of the Holy Empire watching, it seemed like I had no choice but to take his hand.
I slowly held out my own hand as though I were reluctantly giving in, and saw the bastard grin as he squeezed it tight.
There was only one thing he hadn’t anticipated…
“Thank you for your reasonable choi— huh?”
“Aaaaaaaaagh!”
The fact that one of my arms had stopped functioning the moment I entered this place.
Trap card activated, you bastard!
“Aaagh!”