Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Microwave Oven (5)
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According to the records, parties hosted by great nobles in the Holy Asetaria Empire were akin to a kind of jungle.
With the authority of someone like Marquis Elvin, it was only natural that countless people would gather just to enter his salon.
However, accommodating all the nobles from across the nation was impossible due to limitations in space and budget.
Thus, it had become a custom to select those with sufficient qualifications from the banquet that began several days prior and discreetly hand them invitations.
The selection criteria varied, but unless one had prior familiarity with the host or could leverage their status, they emphasized noble qualities.
In other words, beautiful appearance, impeccable etiquette, refined speech free of frivolity, and knowledge of magic were required.
Even if Erzebet didn't quite mesh with the codes of past eras, her poise and intelligence as royalty didn't vanish anywhere.
She had merely been overlooked as a minor noble from the frontier land of Penheim, but in just three days, she had carved out a position drawing attention from numerous nobles.
"It was truly enjoyable today as well, Lady Erzebet. Do you have any plans afterward? If it wouldn't be rude, I'd like to treat you to dinner."
"I'm sorry, Viscount Berkel. I already have plans for dinner."
Of course, brushing off the flies that stuck to her required the social finesse to do so with a smiling face.
But perhaps because Louis wasn't there today, the nobles kept making persistent advances to lure her away.
"Is that so? Yet seeing how no one has come to fetch you despite the late hour, that partner of yours seems to lack any lingering attachment. What is his name?"
"Ah, he's my escort from before, Louis. We're supposed to meet at the hotel..."
"That ignorant mercenary scum treats a noble so poorly! Lady, don't worry—I'll discipline him with my family's secret art, then we can go grab a sandwich."
'If you said that in front of Louis, you wouldn't even collect your bones!'
As she rejected Viscount Berkel's invitation—his belly overflowing—Erzebet's mind was filled solely with thoughts of the meal Louis would prepare.
Fortunately, her concept of post-meal hypotension that made her collapse after eating had worked well; she hadn't touched much of the horrific party food.
"Ah, sorry! I left the gas on at the hotel without turning it off—I'll be goooone—!"
"Lady Erzebet!? Wait!!"
In the end, she bolted from the party hall at full speed, boarded the carriage, and let out a sigh of relief.
At the same time, a surge of joyful emotion welled up.
'Now I can finally eat proper food!'
Though she had no idea what dish awaited, even tap water mixed with soy sauce would be better than this place's offerings.
Was it because she had finally escaped the unfamiliar foreign customs of clothing and shelter, glimpsing a thread of salvation? Suddenly, a familiar sense of déjà vu washed over the entire situation.
Lehel's words resurfaced: that Louis was her former fiancé.
Wasn't this just like returning home exhausted after a grueling day of duties to find him waiting?
He had even brought Uzet along and readily taken on the escort role.
In this situation rife with reasons to stay on edge, Louis's absence today alone had left her wistful more than once or twice.
Erzebet realized she relied on his presence far more than she had thought.
"Ugh, it's just because Piy isn't here."
She consciously shook off the thoughts and closed her eyes.
This training session demanded results, no matter what.
There were no major obstacles to her succession to the throne, but surprisingly after the great war, Penheim's royal authority wasn't all that strong.
Just look at the recent minor war with the Holy Kingdom.
The royal family had failed to persuade the five grand dukes, and through the grand dukes' council, they had refused participation on their own.
The 12 Alliances remaining in the mountains had also expanded their forces, establishing themselves as hegemons of the Raviel Mountains.
The demon subjugation party that slew the Demon King had already scattered; aside from White Knight Whitelett, they had all refused the Grand Croix first-class medals that should have been theirs.
The people's evaluation of the current king as the one who ended the war with the demon race was limited to Baor III.
In short, when Erzebet ascended the throne, she would have no real support base.
If she failed to achieve even minimal results at the academy, she could truly become a puppet.
Her ignorance of the suspicious points listed above was proof she wasn't yet recognized as a proper royal successor.
'I must obtain the Ironclad production technology.'
Or something equivalent.
That was why she had proposed a title to Louis.
If he stayed by her side even after graduating the academy, he would be an unparalleled asset.
She believed he deserved at least that much.
He was an excellent escort, and every night when her stomach acted up, he bought her medicine.
'If tonight's dinner is delicious too...'.
It would be perfect.
As recompense for serving a kingdom's princess.
So she thought.
While I was in the midst of frying chicken, Erzebet arrived.
It was later than expected, but thankfully nothing had gone wrong.
Quite the opposite—she scolded me for not having dinner ready even at this hour.
When I explained I'd been late clarifying a misunderstanding with Caroline, she suddenly flew into a rage.
"Why is my escort colluding with a saintess from another country? And delaying dinner for it!"
"It wasn't collusion; we just shared a cigarette."
"Good heavens, even cigarettes...! This won't do, Louis. Sit down here."
It was like scolding a kid who'd fallen in with a bad crowd and was turning rotten.
While tearing into a chicken leg, Erzebet expounded on the Holy Kingdom's ugliness, selfishness, the saintess's duplicity, and suspiciousness.
"You can't trust a single person connected to them right now!"
"Didn't they help quite a bit during the last election? Their Pharenchia branch doesn't seem on bad terms either."
"Sigh... They're affiliated with the Temple of Light, but they're still Penheim citizens. The same goes for the Alios Magic Tower. But have you forgotten where the people who came from Monarch with the saintess are staying?"
"At the temple."
"Exactly, so their influence will be far stronger. They're direct priests of the church. They might even outrank the saintess."
In any case, she meant to beware of the saintess and all that.
Fortunately, she liked my cooking; declaring no medicine needed tonight, she collapsed into bed.
It was the night of the fourth day since training began.
When I arrived at the library, Liv had seven magic books floating in the air, her eyes darting busily.
The sight of pages turning with a rustle each time she waved her hand through the air was always awe-inspiring.
Her rune language acquisition speed was incredibly fast; now, she barely needed my help unless it was truly difficult passages.
With some free time, I pondered reading a picture book myself when someone poked me from the side.
"Boss, you're here?"
"Ah, Baroness Liv."
"Yep~. It's Lev, hehe."
It was a clone Liv had created, identical in appearance.
Unlike the first day, there were a few differences: unlike her aloof main body, this one was quite talkative and energetic.
For me, seeing another side of Liv was a treat for the eyes.
Still, being an illusion conjured by mental magic, petting her head or belly felt somewhat hollow.
"Boss, boss."
"Yes?"
As Liv organized the books she'd read and fetched new references, Lev beckoned me to lean in as if sharing a secret.
"Do you know why Liv's studying so hard?"
"Hmm? To inherit the Peck Magic Tower?"
"Nope~. It's because she wants to stay by your side."
"By my side?"
"Yup. She got super jealous seeing Adella awaken her unique magic circuit and stick right by you."
The reason I'd kept Adella around after break ended was simply because it was too hot.
I wanted to tell her I wasn't discriminating over something so trivial.
"Her ultimate goal is recognition as a grand duke, then earning a barony. There are secondary preparations like royal cooperation or merits for medals, though."
"I see."
"If she gets territory near Greenwood Forest, shall we sail boats on the canal? Let's go blasting during winter break together."
She was already acting like she was furnishing a newlywed home.
"Before that, we should set a dinner date."
"Oh, right! When works for you?"
"The 6th, evening. The princess's schedule should be done by then. Can you pass it to Baroness Liv too?"
"She's probably already heard everything?"
Grinning, she pointed to the sofa where Liv was furiously turning pages, ears beet red.
I thought I'd spoken softly, but the library acoustics must have carried it.
Scratching my head sheepishly, Lev whispered so softly it was barely audible.
"Boss, take this."
"What's that?"
"Adella gave it to me, but it keeps beeping like a bomb whenever I'm near. Feels like it'll explode."
What she handed over was the ice duck that occasionally wandered the canteen floor.
True enough, upon seeing Lev, it began wailing and puffing up, unmistakably on the verge of explosion.
"Actually, I've seen it react to someone else too."
"Who?"
"That person."
She pointed to Caroline, who had just opened the door to the secret archive.
"Want to try?"
Seeing it shriek peeeek! and charge at her, I hurriedly dashed to grab it.
Separate from Louis's presence, the order Caroline received from the church was to locate the Sacrear Dragon's Nest during this training.
As the nest of an ancient great dragon, it was now a secret realm hiding the empire's treasures, known only to a select few nobles or royalty.
Thus, she decided to check the security documents in the Uzet Grand Library.
The books here held all the empire's secrets.
Gaining access was surprisingly easy.
It made the decades-long efforts of the Penheim royal family to enter this archive amid scandals seem futile.
Because the empire's saintess had directly aided Caroline.
Showing the permit bearing her signature, she entered even the second-level archive.
But—
"Peeeeeee—!"
"Damn, finally caught it...! How the hell did you get in here?"
"You're the one—why are you here?"
I'd wondered why things were going so smoothly; it was Louis again.
And, as usual, he wasn't alone.
"Baroness Greenwood?"
Liv Lavre de Greenwood.
Not someone the brigade monitored, but since enrolling in the academy, the mage's name most frequently reaching Caroline's ears.
Undefeated year ranking first from admission to now.
Not just theory—she had reached the stage of crudely creating her own magic and demonstrated it before professors during midterms.
The seven magic towers were desperate to recruit her, the prodigy.
And there she was, alone with Louis.
In the empire's secret archive, said to be inaccessible.
"Why are you here?"
"Had some business. You?"
"Ah, Baroness Liv asked for my help..."
Not again?
Suddenly, phrases from Adella Sylvestra's seventeen-hour story flooded back: 'alley cat,' 'perverted belly-rubber.'
Only then did she truly realize the man before her was a player who seduced every woman he met.
"Caroline?"
"Hold on. So right now..."
She counted on her fingers, reexamining Louis's relationships from her investigation.
"Chairman yesterday, princess in the same carriage, Roshiar's idiot, her sister, Baroness Greenwood..."
As her five fingers fully extended and she reflexively reached for the sixth—
"Even leaving me out!"
"?"
She finally regained her composure.
And this might not even be all of it—that was the scarier part.
The Church of Light, with most believers commoners, doctrinally emphasized monogamy.
Even nobles of some standing, if close to the church, faced pointed remarks from old temple priests starting with their third wife.
Like, don't dream of us officiating next.
Yet a mere canteen owner, not even noble, had such promiscuous relations.
And every suspected candidate wasn't some village maiden or miller's second daughter—they were all nation-toppling talents.
"Good lord..."
Caroline seriously pondered if the great calamity the goddess mentioned wasn't a 'person' turning into a 'disaster.'
If so, the most endangered would be none other than Louis himself.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Keep that up and you won't even collect your bones, you idiot."
It burned her up why she had to worry about this philanderer, but having decided to heed the revelation, she had no choice.
"What, did you chop off the Demon King's head? Unless you outrank a grand duke, how do you plan to handle all those women...? Sigh, fine. I've warned you."
"......"
Caroline flicked the ice duck's nose—glaring at her—and said to him.
"Don't come crawling to the temple stabbed in your sleep."
She didn't notice Louis gave no reply.