Episode 90
"Young master, are you ready?"
"Yes, Kania."
A day passed after parting with Serena, and the day of my birthday party arrived.
Of course, I don't particularly like birthday parties, so I really don't want to go, but what can I do? This is a birthday party hosted by none other than the imperial family.
"I've prepared a carriage outside. Please, let's go."
"Alright, thank you as always."
Still, at least I have people who understand me at this birthday party. With just Kania and Serena, I should be able to endure the pretentious and terrible time to some extent.
"Frey, are you going to the birthday party?"
"Ah, Irina."
As I came out of my room with such thoughts, Irina, who had been waiting for me outside, asked me a question.
"Yeah, I am the main character of the party after all."
"I don't need to follow along, right? There aren't any assassins or anything like that anymore, right?"
Judging by Irina's attitude, she seems quite worried about me. Well, given the incidents that have occurred since she became my ally, that's only natural.
"Don't worry too much. Kania is coming along, and I've gained a new life force recovery increase ability."
"Still..."
"It's fine, so just rest here for a while. Check on Lulu's condition while you're at it."
Irina quietly nodded at my words. Looking at her, I suddenly recalled something and asked.
"Ah, by the way, didn't you say you'd be going somewhere while we're away?"
"...Yes, there's something quite important. I'll probably be leaving the mansion for a while."
At my question, Irina's expression stiffened as she quietly nodded. Judging by that, whatever it is seems to be quite important.
"Alright. I don't know what it is, but I hope it goes well."
So I encouraged her by patting her shoulder, and then I began descending the stairs with Kania.
"What is it, Lulu? Were you waiting outside in advance?"
"Yes, y-yes..."
Upon arriving at the lobby, Lulu was waiting for Kania and me, fidgeting nervously.
"Today, officially, you're accompanying me to my birthday party as a 'servant.' You know that well, right?"
"Yes..."
"Of course, the real reason you're going... is to show you off to my shadow friends."
At those words, Lulu began to show a fearful expression.
"There's no need to be so afraid. They each have a pet like you too."
"W-what does that mean..."
"That's right, keeping people as pets is trending among nobles these days. Especially my friends really like it."
As I said that with a smile, Lulu began to look at me with a cold expression. Judging by that, I'm successfully being hated by her, as expected.
'Damn bastards... why do they insist on having a secret meeting even at my birthday party.'
With such thoughts, I stepped outside the house and sighed, lost in thought.
Originally, the plan related to my 'shadow friends' was to proceed secretly by inviting them separately to my home.
However, upon hearing the news that I had finally acquired a pet, they got too excited.
Thanks to that, I received news that they would bring their so-called 'pets' to my birthday party, and I had no choice but to rack my brains.
'Still... at least I can handle things quickly.'
The fortunate thing is that since they gathered on their own, there's no need to individually coordinate schedules and invite them all at once.
Therefore, I must succeed in my plan at today's birthday party.
"Um... Lord Frey. I have a question."
"A question?"
While I was thinking, Lulu, who had been watching me with trembling eyes, suddenly asked.
"By any chance... are you sick somewhere?"
"What?"
I tilted my head at the incomprehensible words, and Lulu hurriedly spoke.
"Ah, n-no... you just looked a bit tired."
I gently patted Lulu's head as she said that while watching my expression, and answered with a smile.
"You already know how to worry about your master. You've completely adapted to being a pet, haven't you?"
"Eh? Ah, y-yes..."
"Good, just keep doing that. And I'm perfectly fine, so don't worry unnecessarily."
Saying that, I carefully boarded the waiting carriage and quietly muttered to myself.
'It's close... but doable.'
Judging by the fact that no particular misfortune has befallen Lulu recently, her stigma seems to be gradually weakening.
Of course, thanks to that, Lulu seems quite anxious because no misfortune is appearing. She's even asking about my well-being because she can't find any misfortune.
Having never received affection for this long, she doesn't even seem to realize that the stigma is weakening, but she'll probably get used to it gradually.
"Then, we're departing!"
While I was thinking, the coachman announced our departure with a booming voice.
"Come here, Lulu."
"Yes, y-yes..."
Before long, I was boredly watching the scenery passing by outside, and I called Lulu, who was sitting across from me, to my side.
"Sleepy? Take a nap."
"Ah? Ahh..."
She's been nodding off continuously since earlier, perhaps she stayed up all night. I laid her on my lap and gently stroked her.
"Hmm..."
At that, Lulu, who initially had a surprised expression, soon closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Moreover, seeing her even talking in her sleep, she must have been quite tired...
"Mmm..."
"...Huh?"
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a sound Lulu was making, but a sound Kania was making while dozing off right next to me.
"...Well, Kania would be tired too."
She handles the ducal family's duties together with me, so naturally she would be tired. So, I should let her rest comfortably before going to the birthday party.
- Swish...
With that thought, I grabbed the dozing Kania and made her lean against my shoulder.
"Mmm..."
After a while, seeing her begin to smile, it seems I did the right thing.
.
"Entering now is the temporary heir's first son of the Starlight Ducal Family, and the main character of this birthday party, Lord Frey Laon Starlight!"
'It's quite long...'
As soon as we arrived at the banquet hall prepared by the imperial family, a waiting attendant announced my arrival loudly.
Then, the noisy banquet hall instantly fell silent.
"U, ugh..."
Soon after, as people's gazes focused, Lulu next to me began to make pained sounds. It seems the attention from many people is quite burdensome for her.
"What are you doing, Lulu? Hurry up and come in."
"Ah... yes."
But for me, it's just a familiar scene. For better or worse, I always attract the attention of many people.
".........."
However, today there's something different from usual.
The nobles aren't rushing toward me like at the last banquet, but are quietly sitting in their seats, sizing me up.
Well, given all the things I've done in the past three months, that's only natural.
The rumor of being the actual culprit behind the commoner dormitory attack incident, the rumor of being behind the sacred undead knight incident, and even the rumor of being the Demon Lord's confidant.
Of course, all of it is wrong... no, except for the last part, it's all wrong, but the public accepts it all as established fact.
Therefore, nobles who calculate everything, no matter how high their power and wealth, would naturally want to keep their distance.
If the 'imperial family' hadn't personally hosted my birthday, probably half of the people here wouldn't have even shown their faces.
"Lord Frey! Have you been well?"
"...Hmm?"
While thinking about that, someone tapped my shoulder and spoke to me in a friendly voice.
"Ah, it's you."
As I wondered who it was, it was one of my trash friends.
"Please follow me. I've secured a seat in that room over there."
"Is everyone gathered?"
"Yes, of course. Lord Frey finally got a pet, so naturally everyone should gather, shouldn't they?"
Saying that, the guy began leading me toward a secluded room.
"By the way, why haven't you been coming to the shadow meetings lately? Without Lord Frey, the meetings have become incredibly boring."
After telling Kania to wait for a moment, I followed him with Lulu, and he asked with a disappointed expression.
"Sorry, I've been busy lately."
"For someone who's busy, you haven't shown up so much that we thought Lord Frey had abandoned us. Well, since you've even got a pet and are making a splendid return, everyone will understand."
When I answered with a calm expression, he replied while glancing at Lulu, who was shrinking beside me.
"By the way, it seems I won't be able to stay for long. I am the main character of this party after all."
"It's still early, and not all the invited guests have arrived, so there should be an hour or two. So, please enjoy yourself with us during that time."
"...Sigh."
Judging by what he's saying, my trash friends seem to have prepared thoroughly.
Well, all the members are children of prestigious families, but at the same time, they're irredeemable trash, so to commit their atrocities, they'd have to risk their lives on their connection with me.
Whether they have some shame or not, they take pleasure in secretly committing atrocities while hiding behind my notorious reputation.
"Here we are. In this room, you can enjoy yourself to your heart's content before the birthday party officially begins!"
"Oh my."
Continuing to walk with such thoughts, the guy ahead pointed to a room and spoke.
Seeing that they've even put up soundproofing magic and detection prevention, they seem to have prepared thoroughly.
- Creak...
Following the guy who entered first, I carefully stepped into the room, and the gang sitting on sofas and chairs chattering noisily all fell silent at once and began staring at me.
"Long time no see."
In that silence, I murmured in a calm voice, and their expressions began to brighten.
"Lord Frey! Where have you been?"
"You've been absent without leave for months, so you need to drink a penalty drink! Come here quickly."
"See! I told you Lord Frey wouldn't abandon us! I said that, but you couldn't believe me..."
Before long, they all simultaneously looked at me and began chattering noisily.
"U, ugh..."
And Lulu, watching that scene, froze with a pale blue face.
That's because next to each of them, women who were utterly ruined were sitting with dead eyes.
Of course, they had clearly used illusion magic scrolls heavily coated with money to conceal it, so to ordinary people, they would appear to be in a normal state.
But I was gathering star mana in my eyes, seeing through the illusions cast on the women.
"Th, that's... what on earth..."
And Lulu is the same in being able to see through illusions.
Thanks to her innate 'magic eyes,' which were the reason she, frail and untalented, could enter Class A, she would be seeing through the illusions.
"For Lord Frey, we even used expensive scrolls to disguise our pets as servants. A party wouldn't be complete without pets, after all."
"...Right, of course."
As I looked at the women with dead eyes with a calm expression, the trash guy next to me spoke in a smarmy voice.
Suppressing the anger boiling inside me, I answered him and began taking in each of the women one by one.
'...This is serious'
Although those bastards call the women behind them 'pets,' even considering that, they're all in terrible states.
Their whole bodies, especially their faces, are covered with bruises and wounds, their eyes are lifeless and dead, and their clothes are disheveled.
And what makes me most angry is that most of those women are tender girls around Lulu's age.
"...Wow, Lord Frey. Where on earth did you get such a high-quality one?"
While I was quietly clenching my fist and looking at the girls with dead eyes, someone approached Lulu and asked.
"Hic!"
At that, Lulu shrank back in disgust.
"My, my pet is still inexperienced in such matters."
I gently stroked her head and said in a low voice, looking at everyone.
"So, I'd like to let my pet play with your pets for a while."
Then they began to show puzzled expressions.
"So, everyone get out."
When I told them with a smile, everyone in the room began looking at me with surprised expressions.
"Except for the pets."
Receiving those gazes, I added in a calm tone.
"It's been a while, so I need to have my fun."
For some reason, I feel like one more rumor about me will be added after today.
.
"Happy birthday, Lord Frey."
The ruined girls, who were standing in a line in front of me, all prostrated themselves flat on the floor at once.
"Yes, yes."
And I was sitting in a comfortable chair, holding a wine glass in one hand, looking down at them with an arrogant expression.
"Hmm... this isn't fun as is."
After being served by Lulu, who had been trembling for a while, I smiled and spoke.
"I want to see your ruined appearance... so I'll remove the illusion for a moment."
As I said that while taking a sip of wine, the girls began to show surprised expressions.
- Rip!
But I paid no heed and tore the scroll that had been shining brightly in the middle of the room.
- Knock, knock, knock!
And at that moment, someone began knocking on the room door.
"Stay still."
At that, the girls, who had returned to their ruined states, tried to hurriedly rise with surprised expressions, but I gave them a cold command.
"Please come in."
After I gave permission to enter, the firmly locked door slowly opened.
"Frey, long time..."
Then the 1st Princess, who had entered with a smile, opened her mouth wide and began staring at the scene inside.
"Greetings, Princess. But what brings you here?"
After drinking wine again and crossing my legs, I asked the princess in a leisurely tone, and she opened her mouth with a flushed face.
"Ah, I just had something to discuss with you for a moment with Klana..."
As the 1st Princess said that and entered the room, Klana, who had been hidden behind her, revealed herself.
"Oh my god..."
Klana, who was appalled by the terrible situation in the room, soon showed an expression of disgust and began walking toward me.
"Frey, you really are..."
I was preparing to sneer at her with a cold voice, but suddenly Klana, who had been approaching me, came to a halt.
"What is it?"
Soon after, what she did while trembling was enough to baffle me, who had perfectly planned today.
"Ah..."
A single tear was flowing from Klana's eyes as she stared blankly at me.
What is this?