Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Party Day
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Party day.
At the party held in the Helian mansion located in the heart of Julia, my brother Max entered stiffly like a robot.
I waited outside the banquet hall for Beryl, giving strict instructions to Eonia, whom I'd brought along as a retainer.
"You know this, but your identity must not be revealed, Eo."
"I understand. Right now, I am Rania. Whenever I'm by your side, Als-nim, I am not Eonia but Rania, the wanderer."
Eo beamed happily. She was overjoyed that I'd chosen her over Ymir or my master.
*I hope she doesn't cause any unnecessary trouble.*
Just in case, we'd decided to have her wear a helmet to hide her face. Once her identity was confirmed, it didn't matter if she wore armor, so after checking her face, the guard issued her pass.
Naturally, the guard froze as if struck by lightning upon seeing her face.
*Eo's far more eye-catching than I am.*
As the former captain of the Kurabel Holy Kingdom's Royal Guard, she possessed a grace that put most nobles to shame. If left as is, she might be mistaken for a highborn lady and flooded with dance invitations.
While I was coaching Eo like this, Beryl arrived.
"Als! Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?"
"I just got here myself."
Behind her stood a man with a calm demeanor.
"And who's that...?"
"Oh, this is Jade. He's a mercenary who works in our territory. He came to help with the retainer tournament."
"Hmm."
Jade was a mercenary in his later years. He didn't give off the sharp, battle-hardened vibe of a veteran warrior.
He probably specialized in things like hunting or search-and-rescue rather than full-scale war. Eo sized him up instantly and snorted.
I poked her side sharply with my elbow, then shook hands with Jade.
"But who's that lady over there?"
Beryl tilted her head, looking at Eo.
"She seems unfamiliar. I wonder if I'd recognize her without the helmet."
"Probably not. She just started working with me recently. Her name's Rania."
Eo straightened up and bowed politely.
"I serve Als-nim. My name is Rania."
"Wow...."
Beryl let out an exclamation at her unmistakable elegance.
"Y-You're from nobility, right? How does the Ilrain family have a noble-born servant...? Ah, no, that's not meant to belittle your family."
"There's a story behind it. Anyway, let's head in. Rania, wait here and enter last."
"Jade too!"
We wrote our names in the guestbook and chatted while waiting to enter.
We thought we'd arrived early, but as minor nobles, our turn kept getting pushed back.
People who clearly arrived after us were entering first.
"Get lost. You're in the way."
The one who said that was Kate, who'd proposed partnering with me yesterday.
Her partner was Casper, masquerading as Wade.
"Hmph."
Kate snorted in annoyance and entered the party hall.
Beryl let out a sigh of relief.
"Als, did you do something to upset Kate?"
"Who knows."
"You should be careful. The Macmillan marquisate ranks among the top five even in the Helian faction. Kate's on the same level as Erina."
Speak of the devil.
"Who's on the same level as whom?"
"Ah...! Erina."
Erina was partnered with cadet Ruan Chase.
"You look beautiful as always, Erina. And R-Ruan looks great too...."
Beryl blushed at the sight of Ruan and fidgeted awkwardly.
"Oh ho. So that's how it is. Hehe."
Erina smiled, seemingly pleased by the reaction.
"More importantly, Beryl, you're acquainted with Ilrain here."
"Yes, our families are close."
"How old were you when you first met?"
"About three. Why do you ask?"
"Th-Three...!"
Erina shuddered.
"...One thing I'd like to ask. Has he ever forgotten your name or made some other blunder?"
"Me?"
"Him."
"Not that I recall. Why bring it up all of a sudden...?"
"It's nothing. Hmph!"
*Snap, click!* Erina opened and closed her fan, shooting me a protesting glare.
Ruan spoke to her.
"Save the rest for the party hall. Please enter first, Lady Erina."
"Got it."
Once they left, Beryl exhaled deeply.
"That was tense! I didn't expect Erina to show up like that. A-And with Ruan too."
"Ruan Chase, huh...."
They say if the Helian faction has prodigy Casper Millias in strategy, the Salleon faction has Ruan Chase in martial prowess.
*If Casper's the strategist type, that guy's the martial artist.*
I'd felt a prickling at my fingertips as he brushed past, so he must have real skill.
"Why are you just standing there, Als? Let's go in."
"Oh, right. Let's enter."
It was finally our turn. I headed into the party hall with Beryl.
*
*
*
The party attendees were divided into three main groups.
The first: adults. The second: young people seeking marriage prospects. The third: those who'd just come of age.
There were real kids aged 5 to 12 in the hall too, but they were there just to eat and play, so irrelevant.
I belonged to the third group.
But even within that, there were subgroups based on family prestige.
A kind of caste system.
Beryl and I, from a minor barony, couldn't join the main crowd and sat quietly at a corner table, eating.
"Ugh.... I can't find a way to join in at all."
Beryl was too intimidated to leave the table.
I was grateful, as it let me guard it. Meaningful gazes had been fixed on me for a while.
*As expected. Someone's watching me.*
The Helian duke's people? Or maybe the Millias marquis.
Some young ladies were also stealing glances at me. If Beryl weren't at the table, they might have approached boldly.
"Does it matter? Our role was just to fill seats anyway."
"True, but...."
Beryl couldn't tear her eyes from Ruan. She clearly wanted to at least say hello.
Finally working up the courage, she headed toward the group with her retainer Jade in tow.
It didn't last long. Sure enough, a young lady approached.
"May I have a word?"
"Of course."
Turning someone away at a party would be rude, so I had to oblige.
That opened the floodgates, and other watching ladies joined, forming a crowd.
"And who's the stand-in behind you?"
One lady eyed Eonia askance.
"My personal martial arts instructor. Her name's Rania."
"A martial instructor?"
"I'm aiming to become a cadet."
"Oh my, is that so!"
The ladies giggled as if it were the funniest thing, though it wasn't.
As their numbers swelled and things grew awkward, my brother Max approached with a cough.
"Ladies, might I have the honor of a conversation as well?"
I'd have thought he had superpowers.
The clustered ladies scattered in an instant.
"Why am I the only one who ends up like this...?"
Max slouched away, shoulders drooping.
Thanks to him, I regained my peace and passed the time feeding Eo some food.
That was when it happened.
"Als Ilrain."
A burly man approached stealthily and spoke in an intimidating tone.
"The higher-up calls for you. Come along."
"And who might that higher-up be?"
I could guess easily enough.
"No need to know. Just follow without a fuss."
"No thanks."
"What?"
"If he has business, tell him to come here himself. Don't send a lackey."
"A lackey...? You insolent brat. I'm telling you it's a higher-up's summons. Someone a punk like you can't just face casually."
"Ha, insolent? You talking about me? Or... yourself?"
"What...!? Ngh!"
The burly man froze, unable to move under the crushing killing intent.
"Who do you think you are, threatening Als-nim? You worm...!"
Sensing he couldn't match her, the man trembled like a frog facing a snake.
"Rania, enough."
"Yes."
Only after Eo withdrew her aura did the man gasp for breath.
"Hah! Hah!"
"Fine, I'll humor you this once. I've been curious to talk anyway. Lead the way."
"W-What are you?"
"Didn't that higher-up tell you?"
"...."
Apparently not.
The man swallowed hard and began leading. He kept stealing glances at Eo, clearly cowed.
He took me to a parlor inside the mansion.
"You're here."
Marquis Millias waited there.
*
*
*
Jolette Millias. One of the pillars of the Helian faction and among the top ten powerhouses in the Caliper Kingdom.
Having cleared the room of everyone else, he said to me,
"Good to meet you, Wade. First time speaking directly, right?"
"...."
"No use denying it now. I heard everything from Ironheart."
"So? What's your business with me?"
"Mutual benefit."
He'd ordered his son, Casper Millias, to impersonate Wade.
A highly risky move. Exposure meant massive humiliation.
*He must've thought of a way around that.*
And that was me.
"Why not work for my family? I promise fair treatment. For you and your house."
"And all of Wade's achievements go to Casper?"
"What's unfair about that? It's just a win-win."
Like being a ghostwriter.
*My prediction was spot on.*
This was how Casper could impersonate Wade without repercussions: by making the real Wade his own man.
And Marquis Millias had the clout for it.
The Ilrain family was less than an ant to them.
"A few years at most. By then, my son will be a proper general. You can go your own way after."
No chance of that. He'd silence me for sure.
"Hmph."
"What's that laugh?"
"You're underestimating me too much, aren't you?"
"What?"
"You seem to think you're above me."
"...."
Jolette narrowed his eyes.
"Is that not the case?"
"On the surface, sure."
No matter my skill, I was a kid, and my family was at the kingdom's bottom.
But that was just the surface.
The hidden Wade. The Wade who'd ended the Three Lions War was different.
"Jolette Millias. I could crush a nobody like you anytime I wanted. Know your place."
"What!?"
"...Eonia."
Eo unleashed her killing intent, overwhelming him.
"Hk!?"
Jolette paled and collapsed. No guards in the room. He'd never dreamed of an attack here.
"W-What are you doing! Harm me and...!"
"Just ask Jurass-nim to clean it up."
"Jurass!?"
"Why do you think I worked in Crossing?"
Wade had worked in the Crossing Republic. Easy to infer a connection.
*Though there isn't one in reality.*
No evidence it was bluff.
So the bluff became a fine weapon.
"Eek!? St-Stop! I...!"
As Eo approached, Jolette fell on his rear and crawled away pathetically.
"Eo, stop."
"Yes."
Eo stood behind me mechanically. She looked utterly ruthless, but I knew better.
Inside, she was thrilled at executing my stylish command.
"Well, even Jurass-nim might struggle with cleanup like this. And... those people over there would be a problem too."
As I addressed one wall, a "Haha" laugh echoed from it.
A hidden door opened, revealing two men.
"I thought I'd held my breath, but no luck. See, Dunan? Told you not to follow. You got us caught."
"...."
Duke Regnat Helian and First General, Grand General Dunan.
Eo tensed warily, ready to draw her weapon. Dunan eyed her back, fully prepared.
"L-Lord Regnat!"
Jolette's eyes widened; he'd been unaware.
"How...!"
"It's my mansion, Jolette. Of course I'd have a few crude traps like this. Forgot who directed you here? Now get up. Don't tarnish a great noble's dignity."
"Urk!"
Jolette scrambled to his feet.
Regnat sneered at him, then turned to me.
"Good to meet you, Als Ilrain. Or should I say Wade?"
"...."
Unlike petty Jolette, Regnat exuded a whole different level of pressure.
"But do you know this? Threatening to borrow Crossing's power is treason."
"Didn't think you'd take a joke seriously."
"Well, naturally."
Regnat chuckled.
"I'll apologize for this rudeness on their behalf. Wasn't my doing, but it happened in my faction."
"You mean...?"
"I want to keep good relations with a talent like you."
He knew.
There was no gain in pressuring me.
If the Helian faction pushed, I had options.
Join Salleon outright, or actually borrow Crossing's power if needed.
"I'd like to avoid that. Especially you joining those incompetents in Salleon."
"So that's why. The Salleon faction doesn't know my identity."
"Right. We kept it quiet. They'd have come after you otherwise."
That left only Erina in Salleon who knew.
"And about Casper Millias?"
"He'll self-destruct soon enough. He pays for impersonating recklessly."
Jolette bellowed,
"What do you mean, Lord Regnat!"
"What else? Clean up your own mess. Why make Casper impersonate Wade in the first place?"
"That was...!"
"You thought you could handle the fallout. Now you can't, so pay the price for your recklessness. Agree? You can still salvage it with minor embarrassment now."
"Kuh!"
"Let's end this here. Fine with you, Wade?"
A pact.
They wouldn't leverage my Wade identity, so I wouldn't side with Crossing or Salleon.
*A decent offer.*
I'd build a new nation with the protagonist later anyway.
Until then, this pact with the Helian duke would be good cover.
"Agreed. Let's keep smooth relations."
"Good. Now go enjoy the party."
He'd honor it. But who knows when he'd scheme next.
I needed a stronger shield of my own.