Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Key and the Flower (3)
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The buildings near Beldaine's gates were mostly inns, taverns, eateries, stables, and mercenary guilds.
Most of the passersby were merchants, travelers, and mercenaries.
This narrow street was overflowing with people, and every tavern and eatery they passed was packed with customers.
The air buzzed with chatter and music, thick with the aromas of food wafting from all directions.
I wove through the crowd in a somewhat excited mood, nearly missing the building the coachman had pointed out.
It was the largest and most ornate three-story structure on the street.
It even had an annex, a garden, and a rear courtyard, with sparkling ornaments dangling from every window.
"Liberic, over here."
Belpons called out to me from in front of the main gate. He seemed to be standing in for the doorman.
"I heard there's a banquet."
"That's right. They say the Lesion Kingdom Knight Order Commander, the Lesis Duchess, and the court mage rented out the whole building. To welcome the delegation. Go on in."
Who had come out to greet the Lesion Kingdom's delegation? The Lesis Duchess?
That was... Clemence's mother.
"Got it..."
I stepped inside the building, a wave of bewilderment washing over me, and paused for a moment.
It felt like a sudden chill wind had sliced through.
The flow of mana shifted in an instant.
I looked up to see the defensive barrier enveloping Beldaine slowly fading away.
"Liberic? What's wrong?"
Belpons eyed me curiously as I halted.
I blinked in disbelief and gazed up again at Beldaine's walls and sky.
The barrier I'd thought was vanishing had returned to normal, fully encircling the city once more.
"No, nothing."
Strange. Did I imagine it? The sensation had definitely changed...
Shaking off the uneasy feeling, I entered the building. No sooner had I taken a step than Shuren snatched me up.
Ibla Lesis.
The Lesis Duchess, daughter-in-law to the White Guard Knight and Clemence's mother, was by far the most striking figure at the banquet—and the one who fit in the least.
Her reddish-brown hair was piled high and secured with jeweled ornaments embedded with red gems.
A translucent black shawl draped her shoulders, and a gold necklace encircled her neck.
Her elegant dress clung to her slender waist and cascaded downward, overlaid with ornate embroidered fabric that tempered its extravagance just enough.
Her small, pale face, heavily made up, was half-hidden behind a violet-tinted translucent fan.
Through the gaps in the fan, her face looked astonishingly youthful, thanks to the makeup.
After seeing the Duchess's attire, Father must have decided to mind the banquet's formality.
Shuren and most of the White Guard knights—including Father, the Silver Guard Knight, and even the White Guard Knight himself—had changed out of their travel clothes into full knightly regalia.
Which meant I had to ditch my mud-caked pants and boots for a clean uniform too.
After swapping my clothes entirely, Shuren deposited me at Father's side.
Father introduced me to the Lesis Duchess.
I greeted her with proper etiquette, and she smiled faintly.
"I've heard you've been friends with our Clemence since childhood. Thank you for being such a good friend."
But her eyes weren't smiling as she said it.
And the closer she got, the heavier the cloud of thick perfume, making my head spin.
I kept a polite distance and replied courteously.
"No, I'm the one who's grateful..."
"You look so young, yet so well-mannered. Do they teach etiquette at knight school too?"
"Of course. It's basic training."
Father jumped in quickly. Her words must have irked him a bit.
Clemence stood rigidly beside the Duchess, as if forcibly placed there, her expression stiff.
She was in banquet attire too, far more ornate and adorned than her usual dresses.
The short shawl around her shoulders was a deep crimson, weighing heavily on them. Probably something the Duchess had brought.
Our eyes met, and Clemence lifted the corner of her mouth in a slight smile.
I want out of here. Her face said it all.
"Ibla, that's enough introductions. Everyone's tired—let them eat and drink. We can talk privately."
Sure enough, only the White Guard Knight could play savior.
The Lesis Duchess couldn't refuse her father-in-law and followed him.
Her flowing red dress trailed behind, chased by two maids.
The thick perfume lingered in the air, refusing to dissipate.
"...You two should go eat as well."
Father sighed quietly and spoke to me and Clemence.
The entire first and second floors of the inn-tavern-eatery had been turned into the banquet hall.
The owner and staff bustled between tables, ferrying food and drinks, while a quartet on the central stage played elegant dance tunes.
With the same two songs repeating endlessly, that must have been their entire repertoire.
Not just the delegation, but even Hoff the merchant, his workers, Lambert, and Tasha had been invited—a bit unusual.
It was just like the White Guard Knight to include everyone without fuss.
Lambert and Tasha sat at a table apart from the merchants, eagerly devouring the incoming dishes.
The court mage, who'd supposedly come as the palace representative with the Duchess, was nowhere to be seen.
Rumor had it he'd gone out somewhere and hadn't returned. I was quietly curious about him.
And then there were the Lesion Kingdom knights.
About twenty of them, dressed in uniforms emblazoned with white flowers and shields, gray cloaks draped over their shoulders.
They were scattered throughout the hall.
Some mingled freely with Prius knights, while others watched warily.
"That's the Knight Order Commander. Sir Alick Jennerd."
Shuren pointed across the room, chewing a hunk of meat.
A middle-aged man with short, dark brown hair sat at Father and Erner's table.
He looked about ten years older than Father, solidly built and sturdy.
His uniform matched the other knights', but with more decorations on the collar.
Even when Father smiled and spoke, he barely changed expression, just nodding solemnly.
"Sir Jennerd... I've heard he's a knight of deep loyalty, devoted to the royal family for years."
Clemence spoke up quietly between bites.
Despite eating for a while, her plate was hardly touched.
"Doesn't seem too friendly with the Duchess, though."
Wedin's offhand remark made Clemence's voice sink lower.
"Yeah. I wonder what he thinks of us..."
"Clemence, 'us'? You haven't decided to stay here yet."
I hurriedly tried to lift her spirits.
Clemence smiled faintly.
"True. But Mother acts like it's already settled. She hasn't changed a bit, even after all this time."
Wedin and I exchanged quick glances.
How to cheer her up? Nothing good came to mind.
Talking about how little she resembled her mother, how fortunate that was, how lucky she was raised by her White Guard Knight grandparents... It all felt too rude to say.
"Whoa."
Shuren stopped eating and made a weird noise, peering past my shoulder.
I immediately sensed a powerful presence approaching from behind.
Thick perfume.
The Lesis Duchess was approaching, two maids in tow.
"Clemence, there you are."
"Ah... Mother."
Clemence looked up at the Duchess in surprise.
The Duchess's gaze quickly swept over Shuren, Wedin, and me.
Her stare was so blatant that Shuren stealthily lowered his propped-up arm, and Wedin froze mid-chew, bread still in his mouth.
"Come here, Clemence. Let's go upstairs. I've prepared a meal for you."
The Duchess turned without waiting for a reply, as if none was needed.
"I'll eat here, Mother."
Clemence said clearly.
Her voice carried because the surroundings fell instantly silent.
Even the repeating dance tunes faded, and voices at other tables quieted under the Duchess's presence.
"Clemence. Come here."
The Duchess repeated herself without turning, her tone unchanged but laced with undeniable authority.
Yet Clemence looked straight up at her.
"I misspoke. I prefer eating here, Mother."
Clemence's eyes didn't waver as they met the Duchess's.
For the first time, I realized how much they resembled each other.
The Duchess opened her mouth as if to say more, then closed it.
With a slightly weary expression, she shook her head.
"Very well, then. Do as you like for now."
She spun on her heel and retreated the way she'd come.
Clemence stared at her back until it vanished completely.
"...I'm gonna hurl."
Wedin finally swallowed his bread with a groan.
After a hard-won finish to the meal, the knights were finally permitted alcohol.
Cups clinked eagerly, fresh barrels rolled in.
As glasses emptied one by one, two by two, the hall's energy heated up.
Once it leaked that the Duchess had ordered the band to play only 'elegant dance tunes,' the White Guard Knight dismissed it with an official "No need."
He then loudly suggested to the Duchess they talk privately somewhere quiet and left the hall with her.
Several White Guard knights, including the Silver Guard Knight, followed as escorts.
With the Duchess gone, the band ditched the now-mournful 'elegant dances' for lighter, more improvisational, upbeat tunes.
I didn't catch who started it, but soon enough, drunken knights, officials, servants, workers, and Lesion knights were all mixed in—dancing, singing, shouting.
Shuren got swept into the crowd and couldn't get off the stage; even doormen Belpons and Legnitte were dragged up.
Those who needed to keep face enjoyed the banquet calmly on the second floor.
Clerk Wilton and the officials gathered at one table; Father joined Sir Jennerd and the kingdom knights.
Vice Officer Erner was at Grain's table, looking unwell from too much drink.
We perched on an empty table, watching the stage.
As the "stage" expanded, tables got pushed outward.
The pounding music, songs, and dancing feet made my body sway even sitting still.
When the band, caught up in the excitement, struck up a new tune, Clemence shot to her feet.
"I know this one."
Before I could ask how, she held out her hand.
The crowd on stage began spinning to the music.
On impulse, without thinking, I shoved seated Wedin toward her.
"Hey...!"
Wedin glared at me as Clemence grabbed him, but only briefly.
"Come on, Wedi!"
Clemence and Wedin vanished into the swirling throng like a whirlwind.
Wedin's faint scream pierced the merry music from afar.
"I-I can't dance...!"
"Just spin!"
As the rhythm quickened, so did the spinning.
Watching Clemence whirl with laughter and Wedin flail pale-faced was as fun as the music.
Right then.
Screeeeech!
A piercing ring drowned out all sound.
"Ugh!"
I clapped my hands over my ears reflexively.
My vision blurred dizzily, then snapped back. Like being doused in ice water.
The same mana surge I'd felt entering the hall.
But far more intense this time.
What is it?
The ringing faded quickly, but the mana churn didn't.
Music resumed; people spun on, blissfully unaware.
As if nothing had happened.