Festival of Silver Dust and Iron Blood (5)
Evening, 7 p.m. The sun had set, and night had fallen. The streets glittered more with the light magic embedded in mana stones than with sunlight, and the scent of alcohol was gradually thickening the air.
My father had already returned home with Mother, Noir, Letar, and Ruby. They would watch the fireworks from the mansion, safely ending the day with the beautiful bursts lighting up the sky.
I no longer needed to keep up the act. The Empire's Shadows would report that the imperial granddaughter had been dragging someone around by a leash, and the crown prince would piece together that the one led like a dog was Grey Gibraltar.
—Childish games for kids. Ha, enjoy it that much? Fine by me. That's what I hoped he'd think. It would keep the knife hidden behind my back from being discovered.
'This should be enough.'
I'd performed all afternoon. I'd spent the morning scouting the con artists too, so now the evening belonged to Grey Gibraltar.
"This suits me much better, after all!"
Astasia, who had briefly returned to the orphanage and changed back into her maid outfit, fluttered her skirt and beamed.
"And the young master looks better in his original color than any other!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes!"
"Then I'm glad."
Astasia liked this gray. Similar to ash, yet not completely dark somewhere in its depths.
"Personally, I feel like it's white dyed black."
"To me, it's right in the middle between white and black? It looks stunning! But..."
The moment I reached for the pruning shears.
"No!"
Astasia rushed over and stretched her hand toward my neck.
"You're going to cut this off, aren't you?"
"We don't need the leash anymore, do we?"
"We just bought it—I can't let you ruin it by cutting it!"
I was about to snip the collar when Astasia began carefully removing it.
"I'll keep this."
"Keep it?"
"Yes! As a festival memento."
"A memento..."
A glint of greed flickered in Astasia's eyes. In this state, even Chairman Erwin couldn't stop her.
"Did you want the floral crown that badly?"
"It's not just the crown—it's that you made it yourself that's the best part!"
"I rushed it this time. And honestly, the Somnus crown is just for eating."
"Even if it's edible, what matters is that you wove it with your own hands!"
Astasia thumped her chest with her fist.
"It's like handmade chocolate—giving it yourself makes it meaningful!"
"All that involves is melting store-bought stuff in a double boiler and hardening it, though?"
"That's where the heart goes in!"
"I'm kidding."
Astasia was the type to custom-order molds and make chocolates herself.
"If you're giving me something, don't put anything weird inside as a prank."
"Ah. Busted!"
I knew from experience.
"I get that you want a festival souvenir. With that in mind, I prepared something..."
"R-Really?"
"Yes."
The moment I reached into my pocket.
"Ah, wait!"
Astasia blocked me.
"I-I haven't prepared anything yet!"
"An exchange?"
"Ugh, of course! I looked everywhere from morning till now, but nothing caught my eye!"
Astasia had wandered the festival quite a bit from morning to evening.
"It's hard to find jewelry or gems worthy of an imperial granddaughter's eyes around here."
"Ugh..."
"You'd need one of the capital's top salons to satisfy you."
"I wanted to give you something pretty..."
Astasia pouted.
"Gibraltar, I'm disappointed."
"Don't blame me—blame this kingdom's commoners' craftsmanship. And..."
I pointed to the collar in her hand.
"Just as Your Highness graciously put that on me, I'll gladly accept whatever you give."
"R-Really?"
"Of course. A gift is all about—"
"The giver's heart!"
We said it in unison.
"Heehee, got it. Then, shall we meet at the fireworks peak?"
"You mean the fireworks?"
"Yes! Um, actually..."
Astasia whispered.
"The margrave and—"
"Crimson Margrave."
"Pardon?"
"Add 'Crimson.' It's confusing otherwise."
"In Gibraltar, 'margrave' only means one... You're so stubborn about weird things?"
Astasia tilted her head, but I couldn't budge on this.
"Anyway, Crimson Margrave and Marchioness Charlotte apparently exchanged gifts during the academy festival fireworks when they attended."
"Ah."
"Do you know something?"
"......Did Mother tell you?"
"Yes!"
Damn.
"She said they exchanged precious things!"
"......."
"Huh? Why the face?"
"Nothing. Just wondering if I should pay Mother a hot filial visit soon."
Very hot.
"Anyway, Astasia. See you later. I'll ask Knight Mente to escort you."
"Yes! Of course—"
"Before that."
I grabbed her shoulder with one hand.
"Eek...?!"
"If you're thinking of disguising yourself, ditching Knight Mente, and sneaking up to scare me, I'll be very disappointed."
"......W-Why would I?"
Astasia's eyes darted sideways for a moment.
"I-I'm going like this! For the gift... ugh, I'll find something by fireworks. We'll exchange then. Got it?"
"Yes. Looking forward to it."
While Astasia prepared, I stepped out as Grey Gibraltar.
"Young master."
"I know."
The lively atmosphere around us died the moment we emerged.
"Anyone can see I'm a pissed-off brother dragged out by his sibling for the festival, despite wanting to sulk at home."
"......Sometimes, when you talk like you know how others see you, it scares me."
"Just facts."
Robert sounded worried, but I'd already gauged the surroundings from their glances, expressions, and movements.
The woman clutching her daughter, warning her not to go near that. The merchant frowning and turning away upon spotting me. The guard quickening his pace as if he'd seen filth.
"At this rate, I'll get the 'degenerate margrave's son' label."
If I'd been over twenty, I might've done exactly what Noir did after turning adult. Chug booze and bellow. Pick fights with passersby. Shove my face in a margrave's man's and dare him to swing.
Get clocked.
Drunken Noir was no different from a beast.
'A monster, maybe.'
A Sword Master swinging shattered wine bottles like mad— I'd often had to drag him away myself.
'The eyes once on Noir are now on me.'
Unfamiliar, yet familiar. Pity mixed with the fear of beholding something terrifying.
But it wasn't bad.
"Knight Robert."
"Yes, young master."
"They might look at me pitifully, but the fact they're staring like that proves I'm a decent actor, no?"
Ahead.
"Guh?! N-No way...?"
"What's this?"
"Th-That...!"
Arriving at the stand where I'd bought the grapefruit that morning, the merchant—desperate to offload the last few—was pale as he scanned me.
Gray hair: one glance. Fine clothes: one glance. Robert at my back: one glance.
"A-Are you Young Master Gibraltar...?"
"I'm Gibraltar's heir, sure. But I asked what this is."
"Th-This! It's Red Orange airlifted from Seirene County...!"
The merchant clasped his hands and bowed low.
"I-It's all flawed for someone like you...! Truly sorry, but the premium and mid-grade ones sold out...!"
"How much for the whole basket?"
"Uh, well. There are five total, but..."
The merchant licked his lips.
"......30,000 gold."
"What."
Robert behind me glared.
"Young master. That's—"
"He's dumping them cheap to close up fast. Fine. You bought at retail, I'm buying wholesale."
I raised a hand to stop Robert—who'd been about to rage for real—and pulled out a single 30,000-gold Somnus note.
"Y-Young master...? Th-This is..."
"Somnus gold's a pain to carry. Take it. Don't make this annoying."
Festival rule: All merchants must trade in Somnus gold, not regular gold.
"What? Gonna piss me off?"
"N-No...! Th-Thank you!"
Power and violence trump rules. The Empire has a saying: The law is far, the fist is near. The kingdom's no different where people live.
"Take it. I'll take the whole basket."
"Thank you, young master!"
I grabbed the basket and turned toward the festival square, thick with excitement.
"Knight. Want one?"
"Too sour."
"Not 'cause it's a waste of money?"
Robert knew what the grapefruit really was.
"I nearly decked him right there."
"Hold it. If you punch him and he shows up with fake Somnus demanding reimbursement, smash him then."
"He faked it too?"
"Fake or not, if he's got it, it's fake."
"You're just looking for an excuse to beat him."
"That's my specialty."
I handed Robert a grapefruit.
"I can turn the innocent guilty, make the blameless commit crimes themselves."
Evidence tampering, cover-ups, suborning perjury, inducing crimes, and more.
"Knight. You didn't watch me constantly, but after observing the festival—what do you think?"
"......."
"Four out of five enjoyed it, participated happily. But that one soured the waters."
Scams, counterfeits, dirty looks, gossip.
"Still, this is decent. No deaths."
"Ah, right. By your standards, the worst is murder?"
"Not just any murder..."
I lightly gripped my throat.
"An assassination attempt on Gibraltar blood."
"I'll throw myself in the way."
"Touching. Thanks."
Time was nearing.
"Perfect, here she comes."
"Were you waiting?"
"Of course."
I checked the accessory in my pocket, then waved to the maid running up from afar.
"Ellie."
"Young master~!"
Ellie arrived panting hard.
"You ran?"
"Yes! Rushed to find this—sorry I'm late! Haah, haah."
"Doesn't seem late..."
Honestly, anticipation bubbled up.
"What'd you bring to make you run like—wait."
A strange feeling hit me.
"Wait, hold on."
"W-What?"
"Ellie."
I peered behind Astasia.
"Did you cut your hair?"
"......."
"It's at least 10cm shorter than earlier."
"......Whoa, chills."
Astasia gaped in shock.
"How'd you know?"
"Who?"
"Ask who after using honorifics with me."
"......."
Shoot.
"Who did this to my maid?"
"I did."
"......."
Naria approached slowly with Knight Mente.
"Jabes."
"When Ellie asked what gift you'd like most, I recommended this. Ellie. Show it."
"Huh? Now? Ugh, I timed it for..."
Astasia pouted but pulled an ornate box from her maid apron pocket.
"Ta-da!"
"......Hair as a gift?"
"Yes!"
The box looked like it held a trophy. In the center of red cloth, white hair bound with purple silk hung like a tassel.
"Decorate with it anywhere later. Heehee."
"......Well. What to say. It's impressively memorable."
"Uh...?"
Astasia blinked in confusion.
"D-Disappointed? In the e-eyes..."
Astasia reached out.
"Y-You're gonna c-cry..."
"Not crying. Disappointment's leaking from my eyes."
I dodged her hand and took the box.
"I might've bought festival junk, but hair as a gift? Never guessed."
Really.
"Anyway, you."
You never change.