They say the academy, where the overwhelming majority are nobles, has a famous dance hall.
To be honest, it was the sort of place I thought I’d never have anything to do with, so when I’d once heard about it in passing, I’d simply thought, So there’s a place like that, and promptly erased it from my memory. But as they say, life doesn’t go the way you want it to. In the end, I found myself visiting it.
‘There really are a lot of people.’
By now, I had come to understand just how much authority the House of Count Avatus possessed, so honestly, I wasn’t even surprised.
Most of the faces coming and going were ones I was seeing for the first time, so I couldn’t really tell, but I assumed they were probably children of fairly high-ranking nobles or famous families.
I could see students who looked like vassals surrounding and protecting certain people.
‘I wonder if Noel or Erika have people like that too.’
And while I was wondering, if they did, how those vassals would see me—
—“Is it true? She came?”
—“Good heavens. I’m glad I came, just in case!”
The surroundings suddenly grew noisy.
Soon, I began to hear the familiar rhythm of a cane.
“Lord Aizen.”
Noel was walking over alone.
She wore a thin, pale green dress that suited her blond hair, and her face seemed faintly luminous, as though she had put on her best makeup.
She had not brought even a single attendant with her, and was walking alone.
Noel was approaching from close enough for her voice to reach, so I turned toward her. Then, someone suddenly burst out of the crowd.
“Lady Noel Nexia! I am of the Viscount Rangper family…”
“My partner is waiting for me. I must politely decline your escort.”
The man, whoever he was, was shot down the moment he appeared.
Noel passed him by, looked up at me boldly, and said,
“You’ll escort me, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
Just as Noel had taught me before we came, I took her hand and slowly walked toward the banquet hall.
Slowly, one step at a time, matching Noel’s pace.
—“Damn it. Why would the young lady of the Duke of Nexia be with that bastard who doesn’t even have a title…!”
—“I heard she went to that bizarre workshop every day, so I thought this would be my chance!”
“You’re drawing envy, Lord Aizen.”
Noel looked up at me with a gentle smile.
“I’m starting to understand very well that you’re the daughter of a ducal house.”
“You didn’t know until now?”
“It’s not that I didn’t know. It just didn’t feel real. Noel is Noel, after all.”
As I answered while enduring the surrounding gazes mixed with jealousy and even bloodlust, Noel smiled.
Just as I was wondering if she was pleased, seeing how her smile seemed to brighten a little more—
—“Mm, will Father scold us? For not staying by her side and serving her?”
—“Shut up and take the detour. We need to shake them off quickly.”
“Yeah. I knew they’d come.”
“They followed us after all, those two. …How boring.”
We accurately picked out the voices we always heard from among the crowd’s voices, snickered together, and continued toward the banquet hall.
Just walking together was enough to make the surroundings begin whispering, and as I let the jealousy and murderous intent contained within simply flow past me, Noel’s quiet voice reached my ears.
“The surroundings are so noisy, but for some reason, I don’t feel bad.”
“You must have experienced occasions like this often… No, you wouldn’t have. Sorry.”
“I’ll make a special exception for you.”
Noel’s limbs themselves were fine, but she was frail enough to need a cane to walk.
She probably hadn’t attended many parties.
When I immediately apologized for my thoughtlessness, Noel mercifully forgave me, and we continued walking with smiles.
Because I matched Noel’s slow walking pace, our movement was extremely leisurely. Thanks to that, we entered the banquet hall while drawing even more attention than we already had.
The students of noble status who had already entered were chatting among themselves, but when they spotted us, they soon divided into three types.
Those who watched as if considering whether to speak to us.
Those who turned their heads as if uninterested.
And those who looked at us with clear hostility.
“The ones trying to speak to us must be because of Noel, but the ones showing hostility—are they Avatus’s lackeys or something?”
“Rather than vassals of Avatus, it would be more accurate to call them allies. Nobles, especially titled nobles, can be considered a force in and of themselves.”
Since nobles possessed the power called magic, even weak minor nobles became a truly great force when gathered together.
Even the Arclight family, despite having no title and a poor territory, could use earth-attribute magic to easily subjugate monsters.
In a sense, the Kingdom of Vespia was a place where great and small forces possessing power had gathered after receiving the status of nobility.
“By the way, since he invited us, I thought someone would come guide us.”
“I don’t think they’re trying to ignore us. The host usually doesn’t even have a moment to catch his breath. And… he’s coming.”
I could see Noel growing tense.
Outwardly, she looked composed and smiling, but she was clearly on guard.
I followed her gaze to its end.
And I was a little surprised.
“…Is this what people mean when they say someone looks like they were drawn in a painting?”
He was a tall man with white hair.
But he wasn’t aged.
He was so tall that even I, who was by no means short, felt like I would have to look up at him a little. His body was firm, and his back was straight.
His skin had a healthy flush, he looked well, and his eyes and mouth formed gentle arcs.
His eyes, too, were a kind-looking gold.
If someone were to sculpt him as he was and put the statue out on the street, the sculptor would probably despair, saying they had failed to properly capture that appearance.
Perhaps that was why.
“He doesn’t feel human.”
“I think so too.”
He was so picturesque that it was eerie.
Was it because, though he was clearly speaking with a smile to those around him, his eyes barely smiled at all?
Though there was some distance between us, I couldn’t feel any human warmth from him.
It was simply the unpleasant sensation of such a painting approaching.
And before I knew it, the painting was looking this way and coming toward us.
“Good heavens. To think Lady Noel Nexia would grace us with her presence. When you declined, I felt as though the world had collapsed, but you have reversed your decision and illuminated this gathering. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Before Noel, the painting bent one knee and bowed.
He seemed to move as if to lightly kiss the back of her hand, but Noel quietly withdrew her hand and smiled.
“My health was poor, so I originally declined. However, I felt it would be discourteous to reject the House of Count Avatus’s goodwill too many times, so I have come with a partner I can trust. I pray that the glory of the kingdom be with you.”
“…Thank you for your blessing. I sincerely congratulate you on having found a partner you can trust.”
When Noel withdrew her hand, his face showed a hint of surprise, but he soon rose with a gentle smile.
Then he looked at me.
“At the same time, I cannot help but be surprised that this partner is the very person I invited as an honored guest. Thank you for visiting, Lord Aizen Arclight.”
Did he really feel grateful?
As I was thinking that—
“I am Cardio Avatus. The eldest legitimate son and heir of the House of Count Avatus. I pray that we may spend meaningful time together at this gathering.”
The painting named Cardio Avatus introduced himself with an inscrutable smile.
****
Just inside the banquet hall, there was a waiting room.
A noble’s party wasn’t simply about eating, drinking, and having fun.
Even during a party, one met and mingled with all sorts of people, so it inevitably consumed a great deal of stamina. It seemed there were spaces prepared for those who wanted to rest after diligently going around greeting people.
Then again, even the banquet at the House of Count Phoenix had waiting rooms for changing clothes, so perhaps, by the common sense of this world, it was only natural to have rooms where guests could rest.
Of course, there were also rooms for the host and rooms for people of high status, so Noel and I were guided toward one of those.
Naturally, there was an attempt to interfere on the way.
“We have prepared a room for the young lady of the Duke of Nexia, so this way…”
“I intend to stay with my partner.”
Cardio said nothing in response to Noel’s refusal.
Instead, he only looked at me with a smile and spoke.
“Lord Aizen, you are favored by Lady Noel. I heard that despite being from a rural territory, you possess remarkable abilities. This is where I learn that you are indeed an excellent person, just as your reputation suggests.”
His face was smiling, and his words were gentle, but was that praise? Or was he complaining that someone of an insignificant background was being treated favorably as the partner of a ducal lady?
He wasn’t openly insulting me, but it was a way of speaking that scraped at a person’s insides.
Noel opened her mouth with a smile.
“Lord Cardio, your own reputation is quite high as well. I’ve heard that there are truly many ladies who wish to meet you, especially because of that beauty of yours, as if you were drawn in a painting.”
“I am honored. If Lady Noel is perhaps one of them, then I would gladly make time for you. Lady Noel is a truly precious person, after all.”
“Those words are very pleasant to hear, but I shall politely step back. Unfortunately, a person has only one body, so it is only proper to spend precious time preciously.”
“…Precious time, you say.”
“Yes. Precious time.”
Are you two speaking in code? I wondered. But judging from the nuance, it felt like Cardio had praised her by saying she was of precious status, and Noel had indirectly said that since she was of precious status, she wouldn’t associate with that guy… maybe.
I needed a translator.
“It’s a party, so I think it’d be better not to overthink things.”
“You’re right, Lord Aizen.”
Noel moved a little closer to me.
Cardio was smiling, but somehow, his cheeks seemed stiff.
Was this that thing where words said without much thought get used politically?
“Should I stay as quiet as possible unless I need to say something?”
“That would be best.”
Noel answered my quiet question with a smile.
Cardio then took the lead again and said,
“In any case, once again, welcome, Lord Aizen Arclight. I would like to commemorate your gracing this gathering with your presence, but first, there is a matter that would be best settled, so we should begin with that.”
“Is that where we’re going now?”
The official pretext under which I had been invited here.
Cardio smiled.
“Yes.”
A short, cold voice.
The room we were guided into was extremely splendid.
Cardio took hold of the doorknob and said,
“As the mediator, I shall proceed. It may be unnecessary, but there are procedures to follow, so I will introduce you to one another.”
With a gentlemanly motion, Cardio opened the door.
And then—
“This is Lord Gilford Rex Vespia.”
The prince I had seen before was looking at me with an anxious expression.