A Test of One's Own
A Test of One's Own
The estate of Count Jahel, finally arrived.
Perhaps because it was a Count's estate, it did feel smaller than Count Lugner's.
"Still, it's considered the third-best estate in the South. It's the next largest and strongest after Lugner."
"Hm? Lugner is second? Then who's first?"
"...? Obviously, it's Silberg-nim."
"Haha, you had me there... Come on~ You can't include Silberg in that."
"Yes? ...Ah. I see. Silberg's level isn't something you can judge like that.... Please just think of it as a joke."
"Heh heh. Still, it was funny."
Sonia, perhaps nervous about the upcoming tea party, was cracking lame jokes.
Still, it didn't feel bad.
After all, it meant she had a good enough impression of Silberg to make such jokes.
Anyway,
"Shall we prepare appropriately over there?"
"Yes."
We didn't head straight to the mansion upon entering the Count's estate.
I needed to make some preparations while touring the city, so I asked Shikarian, who had come along as a bodyguard in place of Cecil, to pick up a few things.
"Shikarian, first go find a tool shop and an herb shop and buy the things I wrote on this memo. Oh, and if you go to the blacksmith, there should be fragments left over from grinding mana stones. If you slip them some money, they'll turn it into powder for you, right? Get some of that, too."
"What are you going to use that for?"
"Shall we call it the Hero's special hair dye, courtesy of a graduate of the Department of Cosmetology?"
"Hair dye? What is that?"
"It's a thing."
It was to make the hair dye that appeared in the original work.
The plan was this.
It seemed Sonia felt burdened about going to the tea party alone.
I understood.
I heard that, contrary to my thoughts, the relationship between the Lugner County and the Jahel County was not good.
In the past, when Lugner was a Viscount, Count Jahel had attacked Lugner first, but the Jahel family ended up losing, and the Lugner Viscount, who had extracted various compensations, became a Count.
Since that happened about 50 years ago, it meant there was still bad blood between them.
Since then, as they were both Counties in the South and their estates were adjacent, there were frequent disputes, and they were essentially sworn enemies.
Because of that, I learned one more fact.
The relationship between the Jahel daughter and Sonia was also different from the concept of best friends I had imagined.
'Since our estates are adjacent, we meet often at the same events. So, we invite each other out of courtesy.'
'Then you aren't actually that close?'
'Yes, well... I suppose?'
Therefore. I did feel sorry for Sonia.
I had thought the Jahel daughter invited Sonia out of genuine concern, but it seemed there was something else going on that I didn't know about.
Well, even so.
Considering that Sonia is a workaholic who works day and night, and that the invitation also contained a desire to converse,
Perhaps it was a mix of things—the sense of camaraderie between peers and the conflicting relationship of their families.
To put it simply, could you call it a love-hate relationship?
Anyway.
Regardless, it was clear that Sonia didn't want to go to the tea party alone.
And since I was the one who created that situation, I needed to take some responsibility.
However, I couldn't step forward in the name of Viscount Silberg.
How could a mere Viscount, who hadn't even been invited, dare to crash a Count's tea party?
What about going as her lover?
Well, Sonia seemed to have thought along those lines because she had feelings for Leon Silberg from the start, but....
For me, who hadn't reached that stage yet, it was too much of a burden.
So, I planned to deal with it by using an episode from the original work.
The Grand Duke, who had to hide his signature black hair for negotiations with the Imperial Family.
What played a key role back then was the Hero, who was a graduate of the Department of Cosmetology.
Since the author, trying to pad out the page count, had described the process of gathering materials, their sources, and the combinations, it wasn't difficult to follow along and make it.
Even if it wasn't perfect, I only needed it for one day, and I didn't need a specific color, just something to cover my blonde hair—so after trying it two or three times, I managed to make something suitable.
In this world, where hair color is like a family's business card, just like in the original episode, that alone should be enough to hide my identity.
"Are you really going to be okay? Even so, I, daring to have the head of the Silberg family...."
"It's fine. Ah. Miss?"
"Oh...? Leon-nim... right?"
Even though I had only changed into a tuxedo along with the hair dye,
The people here didn't recognize me.
"My, 'Leon-nim'? Please, just call me 'Resh'."
So, I decided to accompany her as a butler.
Since it's said that young ladies attending tea parties usually bring a few butlers or maids to pour their tea, this was the best way to blend in appropriately.
I knew a fair amount of noble etiquette, so there shouldn't be any major problems.
"Yes... I understand."
Sonia took my extended hand with a slightly brighter smile.
Seeing her mood lift, I couldn't help but smile too.
"Then, shall we go? Miss."
"...Yes!"
So don't worry too much.
Because I, Resh, will be with you.
Heh heh.
What an incorrigible young lady.
Count Jahel's mansion.
I always think this, but... as expected of Count Jahel, who values appearances, the mansion was very large.
Should I call it a castle within a castle?
"Young Lady, you must walk from here."
"...Yes, I understand."
I got off the carriage, guided by the servant.
And the sneers that followed behind.
They were a Count's servants, so no one spoke carelessly, but their characteristic giggling was carried on the wind.
I knew the reason.
Even though they were sworn enemies, I had visited the Jahel estate often for various reasons.
Therefore, I already knew that the distance from here to the garden where the tea party was held was considerable.
In other words, they were playing a prank to make me walk on purpose.
It was probably the Jahel daughter who ordered it.
Normally, it was a trick I wouldn't have fallen for, but this time, I decided to take it.
I had no choice.
Because the Lugner County was as good as ruined after the last party.
As a result of the poker game, Lugner was in a state of subordination to Silberg, and since the whole process took place in public, everyone knew about it.
Thanks to Leon-nim's consideration, the form of the County remained the same as before, but this, too, could change depending on what I did.
A test for that purpose.
Leon-nim intended to verify through me whether there was a reason for Lugner to exist as Lugner.
I think I've received a lot of praise recently, but it's too early to be relieved.
Even though there was praise for me... it was because there had been no judgment on the family yet.
So, acting rashly just because I was displeased was an act I absolutely must not do.
Especially now. I had to be even more careful when Leon-nim was right by my side.
"Miss. They say it's that way. Shall we go together?"
Leon-nim, who showed no change in emotion even at the Jahel daughter's obvious prank.
Judging by his slight smile, he seemed to have noticed, but he seemed to want to ignore it because it was such a trivial prank.
"...Please follow me."
Anyway, guided by the servant, we walked inside.
━Ttokak. Ttokak.
A path covered in bricks.
I heard the sound of Leon-nim's shoes matching my footsteps.
When I turned back slightly as if to look at the scenery, I saw Leon-nim still smiling.
No, is he not smiling, but just has small eyes, making it look that way?
"The weather is nice."
"Ah... yes, no, yes."
An expression where I couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.
A face where, at times, innocence and, at other times, a chilling feeling coexisted.
But thanks to that, I was able to engrave it in my mind.
That this person is the head of the Silberg family.
This eccentric behavior of his right now probably didn't come out without thought.
"Hoo~"
Thinking that, my hands and feet broke into a sweat.
There was the reason that I was walking in a heavy dress, but wasn't tension the main cause?
Anyway, I had to keep thinking.
Just, why.
Why did Leon-nim tell me to accept this invitation?
I thought about it in many ways, but no suitable answer came to mind.
He wasn't a person in a position to care whether I was ridiculed or not, and even if he were, there was no reason for him to come along.
If I were to guess, perhaps the purpose was to inspect the surrounding estates.
Silberg, Lugner... and Jahel.
These three places were practically the entirety of the South.
Historically, examining surrounding estates when planning to do something was also a basic principle of history taught at the academy.
I didn't know what big event he was planning. But that was at least a possibility.
Well, that didn't mean he intended to subjugate Jahel after Lugner.
In the first place, to Silberg, Lugner and Jahel were existences not even worth the dirt under a fingernail, so there would be no reason to be interested.
...Wait a minute, then why did he subjugate Lugner?
"Miss, is something the matter?"
"Ah, no, Resh... it's nothing. My shoe slipped a little."
"Hahat. I see. Be careful."
"Yes... okay."
For a moment, I thought I was missing something.
It was the family and estate I belonged to, so I had forgotten for a moment, but to Silberg, Lugner was an unnecessary existence.
It didn't matter if it existed.
It didn't matter if it didn't.
But Leon-nim took Lugner. And as proof, he brought me to Silberg.
But what if the goal wasn't Lugner, but me?
Cold sweat ran down my spine.
It wasn't simple narcissism.
Rather, fear brushed through my body.
One thing I felt from living in Silberg.
It was a place where everything was measured by thorough meritocracy.
It was a jungle where only those worthy of the name Silberg survived.
Because of that, the people of Silberg worked fiercely every day and sought to have their abilities verified.
Knights honed their skills through daily sparring that was just like real combat, and servants were diligent in self-development in addition to their respective roles.
Even the lowest-ranking maid was a runner-up from the academy and possessed an official judge's license.
That was Silberg.
...And I, too, was a runner-up from the academy and a mage, even if it was just once.
Perhaps Leon-nim wanted me as a candidate for a Silberg servant?
And he was keeping me by his side and constantly testing me.
Then everything would be explained.
From keeping me by his side after Cecil-nim among all those talented people, to moving himself to bring me.
He was constantly verifying if I was a decent person as a retainer of Silberg.
"Miss, your pace has slowed. If you keep doing that, you'll fall behind."
"Ugh! Oh... right."
Then this tea party right now must be the same.
I should have noticed from the moment he suddenly brought up the invitation when I was there...!
From making me naturally take out the invitation, to saying he would accompany me and inducing me to have no choice but to go.
Thinking that his clumsy appearance when he said he would go to a place where only lovers attend, and this playful disguise right now, were all planned actions...
Yes. This current situation is another place to test me.
Leon-nim probably already knew that the invitation from the Jahel family had come to me.
And he probably already knew the contents, too.
A humiliating message.
Watching me, who had cried for a long time holding the invitation because it was hard just to read it, he must have thought.
That he would watch how I deal with this situation as a retainer... that kind of thought.
The proof is what Leon-nim said to me a moment ago.
'You must not fall behind.'
I steeled my heart.
I had to quickly correct my complacent thoughts.
If I didn't, I would be discarded.
No, it would be fortunate if I were just discarded.
I was already in a situation where I had encountered various secrets while living in Silberg.
If I were deemed unnecessary in such a state...?
Disposal.
In other words, death.
I was afraid.
I was scared.
But I still had to do it.
Even if I was induced, it was a path I chose.
To remain a useful existence.
I had to win on this battlefield right now.
In that sense.
Thank you, Jahel daughter.
Thanks to you making me walk on purpose, I was able to organize my thoughts.
So, I'll return the favor.
In the way of Silberg, which I've learned, even if clumsily.
Heh heh.