The royal road was bustling.
Because the banquet celebrating the first birthday of the prince is just around the corner.
but….
“No, but there’s still a month left! And what are the prices of the inns?!”
“Keep in mind that the prices are reasonable right now. They will go up soon.”
"oh my god…."
Considering that the banquet was still about a month away, I wondered if it was too noisy.
The population density of the capital was at its highest in nearly three years, and there were streets so crowded that it was difficult to even find room to set foot.
Carriages came in from all over the country, and the accommodations were mostly fully booked despite their eye-popping prices.
Naturally, people flocked to the market, which became active and other small business owners also made a lot of money.
It would be like earning two years' worth of living expenses through one-season business.
but,
“There’s a fight going on between local nobles on the southern street!”
“The knights are fighting!!”
“What are these guys doing wanting to play war games!?”
… As if to prove that there cannot be only positive aspects in the world, the negative aspects resulting from the sudden influx of people were certainly giving the royal officials a headache.
A feud between rival families from the provinces.
What started out as a minor quarrel escalated into a fight that resulted in bloodshed.
With so many influential people gathered together, these are bound to be inevitable side effects.
However, the struggle for vested interests among nobles and merchants was relatively good.
Can't we at least show it openly and stop it?
In that sense, the worst side effect is,
“It’s easy, too easy. So easy that I feel sorry.”
“Not only is he not sorry, he just looks like he’s complaining.”
“It’s noisy!”
“Huh, I tell you, you always start by raising your voice.”
“This guy!?”
The point is that even if there are 'suspicious people' hiding in the crowd, they don't notice it.
… Of course, the knights and soldiers are confident that they thoroughly investigate those who enter the royal capital, but their standards are general standards.
If he wanted to be more thorough, he would have had to pour all his energy into Wangseong, but Wangseong did not do that.
It could not have been anything other than a mistake that stemmed from arrogance in thinking that this much would be okay, and for them, that mistake was something to be thankful for.
“By the way, what are you going to do about that?”
"hmm?"
“The Black Apostles, that’s what they asked for. Should I grant it?”
“…Ah, that’s such a ridiculous request? It’s useless.”
“Is that okay? I owe them something, especially the 1st Apostle.”
The middle-aged man frowned even more, his already scarred eyebrows furrowing as he asked the question with a strange smile on his face and a worried tone.
“What debt? How could we possibly owe each other anything? Him or me.”
The middle-aged man spoke as if he was muttering something, and then glanced at a newspaper lying on the side of the road.
It was a newspaper with a large article on the front page titled [Arthur Pendragon, the Miraculous Prince Connecting Pendragon and Britain], and looking at it… .
“You guys are really amazing. You can commit such frauds.”
The man simply laughed at the story of the royal descendant who inherited the blood of both the House of Pendragon and the House of Brittany.
No, it was even contemptible.
“You inherited the blood of both Pendragon and Brittany? That’s bullshit.”
─It would be more believable to say that oil and water mix.
The man's muttered words were quite loud, but they were drowned out by the voices of the countless people.
…leaving behind only a handful of ominous air.
*
*
*
“-Hmm, so you ended up rejecting them all?”
“That’s what it is.”
“Hoo….”
“…You suddenly look happy, don’t you?”
“Oh, no! That’s not it!”
The blonde-eyed girl quickly denied it.
He himself was never happy that he had refused to be the chaperone for other young ladies.
I was just glad that he didn't get involved in anything annoying…
[No, actually, I'm secretly happy. I almost got into trouble because some idiot like you tried to ruin the plans you made.]
'Hey, be quiet!'
[The truth hurts. And get rid of that haughty woman concept. That doesn't suit you.]
'this person!'
Irene Windler, a beautiful girl reminiscent of a fairy.
The girl was having a light dinner with the knight who lived next door to her and was going through a real emotional turmoil after hearing about what had happened a few days ago.
'Foxes for real!'
Yeah, to be honest, I was on the verge of saying something harsh.
But there is a reason for that, because these fox-like things are making a fuss about wanting to make the instructor their guardian!
And being a guardian.
'That means I won't be able to apply to be a partner!'
Any adult over the age of 19 could attend a debutante, and Irene's participation in this royal banquet was also mandatory.
Well, to be honest, I don't really want to attend, but I have no choice.
Irene was Galahad's adopted daughter and had to fulfill her duties to him.
So, attending was inevitable, and if she was going to attend, it would be best to do it with a man of her choice.
In that sense, I tried to apply to be a partner today under the pretense of having dinner.
‘…not easy.’
[You're just a coward. Oh my, what a waste of a face. Why can't you use that pretty face properly?]
'But….'
[But, what?]
'Whoa, if it's already over, it would be nice if the instructor asked me to be his partner. While handing me a hundred roses, hehe.'
[… … .]
'Why, why are you looking at me like that?'
[… No, I just. I thought the dream was big.]
'Hey!!'
It was the girl who kept screaming, and the ghost girl shook her head as if she had given up.
[You have to say something reasonable for them to react or not.]
It was a ghost girl who was so ridiculous.
* * *
'What has he been doing all this time?'
The girl who had made the dinner table herself, but was not eating, her expression changing every moment and muttering to herself, made Lee Han blink as he watched her.
'Well, there's nothing I can do since he uses magic.'
Lee Han decided to look at the girl who seemed to have lost her mind with warm eyes.
Even if he is a normal person among the orderers, he is still a orderer, so isn't it natural for him to have mental problems like that?
That makes sense.
'It's common sense that orderers have mental problems.'
This was a situation where the stereotype about wizards was more firmly held than that of a diamond, and it was a situation where the girl's strange behavior was easily overlooked.
Above all else.
“But, Master. Why did you refuse the other young ladies’ requests? I thought you would accept them if you were the instructor.”
There weren't any guests.
Levy, the girl blinked and asked a question, and Lee Han answered with a slight shrug.
“I only have one body. I can’t not do it for someone else. Rather than have any ill feelings between us, I’d rather not do it.”
“Hmm, I don’t think the ladies would have any ill feelings over something like that.”
“I don’t know. The kids just can’t express it. Who knows if they feel disappointed?”
“That’s it….”
“There are also things I need to check personally.”
“?”
“There is something like that. But the other two guys, they won’t come until the end? I was just trying to feed them.”
“Both of you look out of your minds….”
It was the chick next door who suggested dinner tonight, but it was Lee Han who prepared the food and invited the people.
To treat the important people who helped in making the stone statue.
There are only two people gathered together.
As expected, the gray hair and black hair were insensitive.
“These guys only come looking for me when they’re feeling sorry for themselves.”
“Huh huh….”
Levy didn't deny it and smiled timidly.
Even though his words were a bit harsh, it was obvious that he cared about them.
As expected, he is a kind person.
That's why I'm smiling for a moment.
"…hmm."
Levy fidgeted with his fingers, looking somewhat impatient, but then… .
“Excuse me, instructor.”
"huh?"
“He, Sha, if a chaperone is too much, ho, is a partner okay….”
“?”
“The banquet lasts for five days. So I was wondering if you could come with me on one of those days…!”
“…with me?”
"yes!"
“…….”
The girl mustered up her courage, and Lee Han blinked slightly, remaining silent for a moment at the girl's bold suggestion.
As if he never expected to receive such an offer.
“…….”
However, he soon noticed the girl's hands trembling like a pine tree… .
“When is a good day?”
“!!”
“Tell me which day you want.”
“Well, then…!”
“If you think about it, I didn’t do a good job as a partner last year, so I’ll do a good job this time. Look forward to it. I’ll do my best to shine the brightest on that day.”
"……yes!"
Levi smiled broadly, saying it was good that he had the courage.
The girl was happy.
…and,
“……What did I do?”
[Ugh, I had the man stolen from me right in front of my eyes.]
“…….”
[He who has courage wins the man of the real country.]
“…….”
The magical girl, who had no courage and only had many wishes, felt a deep sense of defeat today as she witnessed the cat trying to climb up the hut before her.
However, there was one thing the magical girl didn't know… .
'Let's see, I made plans to meet the maid on the last day. The lady said she wanted to meet me on the first day… . And the person I made plans to meet again… .'
The girl must have already been defeated by not only Levy, but by many others.
In the social circle of Pendragon, where trickery and intrigue run rampant, the weak cannot survive.
