Chapter 30
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 30
Entry (2)
The gatekeeper knew Aniel's name as if it was natural and so announced her arrival inside.
Up to here, there was no problem at all.
Exactly after checking me standing side by side next to Aniel.
"Um, G, Grand Duchess. Who is the person next to you...."
"It is absurd. Are you even a gatekeeper of the Imperial Palace like that."
"Grand Duchess. I am fine, so please calm down."
The gatekeeper doesn't know my name.
One might say what's the big deal about not knowing a name, but it is important here.
"This can absolutely not be passed over. Because it's no different from ignoring your existence itself."
"I am really fine."
Because here, it's something that can be taken as meaning someone like you is a person they don't even need to remember.
Of course, I didn't think the gatekeeper harbored such a mind.
"Because it's been a whopping 6 years since I last went out to high society."
Ending with that day 6 years ago, I didn't attend any gathering.
Partly to avoid Lucia, but not feeling the necessity was the main reason.
'Because I intended to live quietly with a good destiny in the Wiesent territory.'
With my ability, achieving some will in this world was close to impossible.
To catch one lower-class demon, ten ordinary people are well needed.
If I, who am only at a slightly better level than an ordinary person, set out on an adventure, wouldn't I die away from home in some unknown place in my first year.
Just like I wished in my past life, I only hoped to live long and thin. So I stayed holed up in the Wiesent territory.
"It's only natural that that person doesn't know my name."
A gatekeeper is a high-class manpower in their own way.
Because they have to memorize all names and faces of those who attended even once within the recent 1 year.
If they make even a slight mistake, they get fired immediately or go straight to a sinecure.
Feeling sorry that he is in such a crisis right now because of me, I requested her to please show mercy.
"Since there is no perfect person, how about forgiving him."
".... Something like this must absolutely not be passed over."
"I know it's a big insult to nobles, but I am fine. Because he doesn't seem to harbor any particular ulterior motive either."
"Ha. It seems someday you will be troubled because of that nature."
Aniel frowned as if she still didn't like it, but still turned her head towards the door following my will.
Looking at her like this, I couldn't understand.
'Why she is this angry.'
The gatekeeper might not know, and Aniel could express displeasure because he doesn't know.
Since I am strictly her partner. But she surpassed the level of displeasure and was firmly angry like she would aim at his neck if she had a sword in her hand right now.
It was difficult to understand. Watching her from the side until now, I thought even if the opposite situation occurred, she would have just let it pass.
"Hurry and come quickly. Because if I keep looking at that face, my mind seems like it will change."
"Yes, let's go in quickly."
Watching the gatekeeper bowing his head continuously as if thankful, I stood side by side next to her according to Aniel's words.
I felt like I was already getting exhausted, but looking at the sullen Aniel, thinking I still should say a word, I approached her ear and whispered.
"Still, I was glad you got angry for me. Thank you."
Just conveying the words that I am thankful.
Without harboring any other intention.
"...... Ugh."
[The number above Aniel's head has become 37.]
***
Is it thanks to feeling unusual from the entrance.
After entering the banquet hall, I didn't have any particular thoughts even receiving everyone's gazes in one body.
"To think we would see the Little Head Wiesent at this place."
"And attending as the Grand Duchess's partner at that."
"Was it Aren? Is there anyone who knows about that person?"
Because I had already anticipated this level of situation before coming here.
'I feel like I became a monkey in a zoo.'
They were sending gazes fully mixed with curiosity and wariness.
Probably because this place is a place with the Imperial Palace Faction as the main axis.
Even looking around right now, not a single person who seemed to be from the Noble Faction was visible.
It felt like standing right in the middle of enemy lines.
"Don't be tense."
Whether she noticed me being slightly tense, Aniel spoke.
"Because there will be no one coming to talk to us until it ends anyway."
Wondering how she could assure that, I also thought maybe it might really be so.
Even though quite some time had passed since entering, they only sent gazes our way, and there was no one approaching first to offer a greeting.
"We are just quietly showing our faces and then leaving."
"Haha. That is totally like a bridesmaid."
"Because we are actually bridesmaids."
Who here thinks of you as a bridesmaid?
I looked at Aniel. The sole Grand Duchess of the Empire, the sole hope to save the world, and she who has beautiful looks.
If you, who lack nothing in lineage, beauty, and skill, are a bridesmaid, what are all the people in this place.
As I was looking with an expression that I couldn't understand, Aniel let out a smirk.
"You still have a naive side."
She said. To try thinking about why she is in this place after returning.
I, who didn't have much interest in politics, didn't come to mind right away, but I could catch the hint.
That for some reason, things I don't know are unfolding.
"... Or shall I teach you here right now?"
In an already close sense of distance, Aniel narrowed it further.
Simultaneously, she stroked my hair.
..... When did she spray perfume? I felt like a dangerous scent that wasn't smelled from her was rising up.
Above all, is it a misunderstanding if I say it feels exactly opposite to my long and thin life?
"There is one thing I learned from my father."
Whether in my past life or this life, fathers taught me one thing.
That if you want to live long without trouble, pretend not to know even if you know, and pretend not to hear even if you heard.
Whether she was satisfied with me not digging deep unnecessarily, Aniel tried to bring up some words.
"T, this shameless...!"
But there was a person who brought up words before such Aniel.
Ah, come to think of it, Iris also said she would attend this place.
While wondering if I should greet her at least, Iris, whose face was red and body trembling, shouted.
"What are you trying to do to the Grand Duchess!"
What am I doing?
***
At first she couldn't believe it.
Are her ears broken?
Who just attended this place? Clamorous noise echoed from the surroundings, but it didn't reach Iris's ears at all.
"I am sorry. I will be back for a moment."
"Lady Teira!"
Her partner called, but Iris's steps continued to move. She had to check it directly.
The gatekeeper might have called wrong. Or she might have heard wrong.
Then, when she reached the place where the two people were standing, Iris stopped.
'But why am I trying to check.'
She couldn't understand. Of course, it was still true that she didn't like him.
But for some reason, right now a mind different from the hatred and resentment she felt at first remained.
Iris, having difficulty fathoming what this emotion was, bit the lips finely painted for today.
'If it's someone the Grand Duchess chose.... It's not like I can say anything.'
She is the one she respected and worshipped the most. How could someone like her dare say anything about the person such a she chose.
She didn't want to step back, but tried to turn away turning off her nerves.
'What are you doing right now....?'
But at that time, it was caught in Iris's view. The appearance of Aniel and Allen's faces getting closer.
The moment she checked that appearance, without hesitation, Iris immediately approached the place where the two people were.
"What are you trying to do to the Grand Duchess!"
Asking what he is trying to do to the Grand Duchess in this place where everyone is present, not anywhere else.
To dare on the divine Aniel's lips, a k, kiss...! That could absolutely not be tolerated.
To try to cross the line without being satisfied with the partner seat, with the thought that she must stop it somehow, she approached closer and raised her voice.
But the reaction was strange.
"What do you mean what am I doing, I didn't do anything?"
Allen was flustered as if he couldn't understand what she meant.
She tried to claim whether he intended to push through brazenly until the end, but the reaction of Aniel next to him was even more than that.
"Haa. My words were wrong. There was a person to come talk to us."
The soft and gentle expression she showed to Allen disappeared like a lie, and right now Aniel's expression hardened coldly more than usual.
At Aniel unmistakably revealing unpleasant signs as if she was interrupted, Iris felt a sense of crisis.
"So what did you come finding us for this time again? Iris Teira."
"G, Grand Duchess. T, that is...!"
Iris wanted to turn her gaze and ask for help.
"It seems something happened over there?"
"Isn't that person the young lady of the Teira family?"
"But right next to her is the Grand Duchess."
But in the eyes of the gossips, it was just an interesting scene, and they didn't seem to have any thought of giving help at all.
"I just knew it."
"What is it?"
"It's a love triangle."
"Love triangle?"
"Right, Lady Iris liked the Little Head Wiesent over there."
And also outrageous stories were spreading.
"If it's not that, how could she dare visit right in front of the Grand Duchess and raise her voice?"
"Indeed, they say love paralyzes reason."
Aniel's expression hearing this rotted and crumbled even more, and Iris's face reddened as if to burst with embarrassment, shame, and an aggrieved mind simultaneously.
And Allen.
'I want to go home.'
He wanted to escape from here.
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