Chapter 129
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Magic Genius with Korean Patch
"Heh heh heh."
A mansion located near the heart of the Imperial Capital Eldrasil.
The owner of that mansion, Dillingham, let out a pleased chuckle.
"Everything prepared properly?"
"Yes. We've prepared without any oversights."
The head butler bowed his head in response to Dillingham's question.
'Ever since returning from Princess Katrina's birthday party, he's been in a great mood.'
The butler, who had entered old age and served Dillingham for many years by his side, thought as much.
In his eyes, Dillingham had seemed particularly cheerful since the birthday party, and after a dinner appointment was set a week ago, a smile never left his face.
"We can't afford any mistakes."
"Of course. We've put our all into the preparations."
"Hoo, I'm looking forward to it."
The reason Dillingham was so excited.
It was because Jeon and Lena, whom he had met at the previous birthday party, were coming to visit him.
'And with a guest, no less!'
Jeon and Lena alone were like strokes of good fortune to Dillingham, and now they were bringing along a fairly prominent noble to propose a dinner together.
'Meeting those two might have been a stroke of heaven-sent luck.'
Though he had made a name for himself in the Imperial social circles as an object of interest.
As his nickname wasn't exactly positive, few people sought personal friendships with Dillingham.
Excluding the opportunists drawn by his imperial bloodline, that number dwindled even further.
Yet for such a Dillingham, the chance had come to share a meal with those who had left him good memories, plus a noble of some renown.
"Heh heh heh."
As a result, Dillingham was experiencing considerable satisfaction, setting aside any material gains.
"The guests have arrived."
"Oh, already?"
While Dillingham was brimming with anticipation, guests arrived at his mansion.
Upon hearing the news, he hurried out with excited steps to greet them.
"Welcome!"
Jeon's group arrived first.
Leading with the carriage carrying Jeon and Lena, followed by Risar and the escorts, they entered the mansion.
"It's an honor to meet you again like this, Lord Dillingham."
"Honor? I'm the one who's grateful!"
Lena stepped forward as representative to greet him, and under Dillingham's thrilled guidance, Jeon's group headed to the dining area.
'He's really excited.'
Seeing Dillingham's delighted smile as he looked at them, Jeon could tell he was quite thrilled.
"It could have just been passing words, but thank you for making time like this."
"No, we're the grateful ones. You even accommodated our request to invite someone else."
"What request? Besides, didn't you help a lot with these preparations? This is a first for me. Truly, thank you."
"We're grateful you think so highly of it."
Even while guiding them, Dillingham repeatedly expressed his thanks.
It got to the point where Lena, speaking on behalf of the group, felt a pang of guilt for using him.
'...Next time, we really need to set up a separate meal, just us.'
Jeon, listening in, felt the same as Lena and resolved to arrange something private with Dillingham after this.
"Come, everyone, sit comfortably."
"...You've prepared so much."
"Haha, this much is only natural."
Soon, they arrived at the dining area set up in one wing of the mansion.
However, the scale was more lavish than expected.
'Musicians at a dinner? Seriously?'
Not only were there luxurious tables for Dillingham and his invited guests, plus two more for their escorts to enjoy separately.
There were even musicians with pianos, string instruments, and various others seated to perform.
It was a clear sign of how much care Dillingham had put into this gathering.
"Lady Perna has just arrived."
"Oh, really?"
Just as Jeon's group was about to take their seats under Dillingham's guidance.
Word came that Perna had arrived.
"Stay seated, everyone. I'll go greet her."
Dillingham stood up abruptly before anyone else could move, heading toward where Perna had arrived.
"No need to get up."
But before he could fully rise from his chair, a group approached the table.
Perna, dressed in a black gown, appeared with her escorts.
"Heh heh, you arrived so quickly I didn't even have time to greet you."
"I was so eager to see everyone that I rushed over the moment I got down."
Dillingham gave a flustered laugh at Perna's unexpectedly swift arrival, and she replied with a slight smile.
She then naturally took a seat across from Jeon's group at the table.
'She's smooth.'
From her entrance to her greetings and seating, her actions felt so natural it was as if she had hosted the event.
"Well, no matter. The important thing is we're all gathered. Now, have the food served."
Though slightly flustered, Dillingham saw no real issue with her actions.
He made no pointed remarks to the seated Perna and instead asked a nearby maid to prepare the meal.
'Trying to take control, huh.'
Watching this, Jeon cast a brief glance at Perna, who was still smiling faintly.
Normally,
in such a setting, the host and organizer, Dillingham, would lead the atmosphere.
"You've prepared so splendidly. Thank you again for inviting me to such an occasion, Lady Lena."
"Ah, we didn't prepare the venue; Lord Dillingham did..."
"Oh, of course I know and appreciate Lord Dillingham's preparations. But wasn't it Lady Lena who arranged this gathering and invited me?"
"Ah... well..."
"Haha, that's right. Without Lady Lena, I couldn't have prepared something like this either."
Yet Perna seemed unwilling to yield control to Dillingham.
'I've only heard rumors... She's a real sly fox.'
She wasn't outright seizing control herself.
Instead, she subtly elevated Lena too, steering it so that Dillingham, Lena, and herself could all share the lead.
'She knows she can take it eventually.'
Her actions started by disrupting Dillingham's initial control, confident she could claim it herself in the end.
"My, the meal is so exquisite."
"Mm, the music is lovely. Could I request a piece?"
She opened with casual conversation, skillfully dominating the mood step by step.
"How did you come to know Lord Dillingham, Lady Lena?"
"And how did you meet the Jeon beside you?"
"My, I wish I had such connections too."
But she didn't steer straight to her own topics.
Directing all questions to Lena, she stripped control from Dillingham and handed it to her, then gradually pulled it toward herself in the ensuing talk.
"This gathering is wonderful, but next time, I'd love to invite you all to my home."
"I didn't know much about Rangle Kingdom, but you've taught me a lot."
"So, Lady Lena, anything you're curious about the capital? Ask me—I'll tell you everything."
Eventually, Dillingham was all but excluded from the conversation.
Though he had prepared the event, Perna now led the atmosphere as if she had hosted it.
'Playing her like a fiddle over Lena's head.'
This was Perna's scheme, recognizing that Lena knew noble etiquette but lacked experience leading such gatherings.
Jeon noticed it too, but it wasn't his place to intervene now.
'No need to, anyway.'
Who controlled the mood here didn't matter to him.
Jeon's goal was solely to discern Perna's intentions for attending.
"Mm~ Dessert time now?"
"Indeed. We've prepared ice cream made from the finest milk."
"Wow, I'm so excited! But... could I take a short walk first?"
"A walk?"
As Dillingham's prepared course neared its end.
Perna pushed back her chair, suggesting a stroll.
"Yes. The food was so delicious I think I overate a bit. I want to walk it off."
"Mm, good idea. My garden is well-kept. Shall I guide you...?"
"No need for that."
She stopped Dillingham from rising and glanced at Lena.
"Instead, how about a little ladies-only chat while we walk?"
"Ah... Me?"
Subtly appealing to Lena to join her.
Lena's eyes wavered at Perna's proposal, but Perna pressed on without missing a beat.
"It won't take long. Say... 5 to 10 minutes? That's fine with you, Lord Dillingham?"
"Mm... If the ladies wish to talk, by all means."
Even securing Dillingham's approval.
Faced with Perna's innocent expression, Lena had no choice but to nod and stand.
"Sure."
"Oh, thank you for agreeing. Shall we go?"
After confirming the garden's location with a nearby maid, Perna led Lena ahead.
Her five escorts followed her, and in kind, five of Lena's—including Jeon and Risar—trailed behind.
"Ah, a walk is just what you need when you're too full."
"I'm a bit stuffed too."
"Right? Even if dessert is separate, we need a little break."
Even on the walk, Perna steered the conversation.
She chatted casually as if with no ulterior motive, and Lena chimed in, following her lead.
By the time they reached Dillingham's mansion garden.
"By the way, Lady Lena, no more ambitions in high society?"
"Pardon?"
"Well, from what I know, no one debuted in the capital's social scene as spectacularly as you and Jeon. Yet I haven't heard of you attending any other parties since."
"Ah, since I don't plan to stay in the capital long..."
"How long do you intend to stay?"
"About a week more."
"Hmm~ That's a shame. If you were interested, I was ready to push you hard."
Perna, bringing up social circles abruptly, halted and turned to Lena.
Having entered the garden entrance a bit further, to a sparsely peopled spot, Lena felt an inexplicable unease at Perna's pause.
"Isn't it such a waste?"
"I'm... fine. No ambitions."
"Really? With the right moves, not just you but the entire Silvermont family could bask in the Empire's graces?"
"Yes, really fine."
"No, I'm saying it's a waste."
"...Pardon?"
In that moment of facing each other, Perna switched to informal speech, her smile vanishing.
Her once-innocent face turned chillingly cold.
"If that's the case, you shouldn't have stepped forward. I shouldn't have dragged you out like this."
Snap!
At the flick of Perna's fingers, her five escorts positioned themselves surrounding Lena.
"How dare you to Lady Lena!"
Lena's escorts moved to react immediately.
"You'll have your own opponents."
Clang!
From the quiet garden spots, over a dozen men in black suits emerged, encircling Lena's escorts.
"...You think it's fine to pull this in Lord Dillingham's home?"
"Heh heh, this? Whatever I do, as long as I'm not caught, isn't that all that matters?"
Perna casually removed her bracelet, which began emanating a faint glow, though it had seemed mere jewelry.
"From now on, what I do will be a perfect crime no one notices."
With Perna's cold smile, the seeping black light exploded, dyeing the surroundings.