< Chapter 58 - Invitation from the Duke #2 >
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“Is this indeed an invitation from the Spencer Dukes?”
A smile spread across the faces of Count Bayer and Gail as they checked the invitation.
The two men were still unaware that Uther and Cordelia had become friends with Princess Darian.
But despite that, he showed the same reaction now.
I’m glad I got an invitation.
No, it’s natural that an invitation would come.
Relief and pride.
A look of satisfaction on the faces of the two people looking at Yuder.
‘what?’
Although Yuder was well-versed in all things heroic, he didn’t know much about the invitation from the Spencer Duke.
This is because among the playable characters who could visit the capital during this period, there was no one who would have any contact with the Duke of Spencer.
‘If the original story is to be followed, Yuder is still at home, making noise.’
Cordelia is missing in action and wandering the North.
In Lucas’ case, although he was able to visit the royal capital during this period, he was unable to make any particular contact with the Duke of Spencer.
‘First of all, Duke Spencer was sick and groaning.’
How can one invite guests while sick?
Moreover, Lucas was nothing more than a stranger from the North to the Duke of Spencer.
He was not a precious guest that I had to meet on my sickbed.
‘But things have changed.’
Princess Darian, who should have returned empty-handed, ended up saving the rainbow grass thanks to Uder and Cordelia.
That is, the story was that the Duke of Spencer was freed from a long illness and regained his health.
‘That’s why I thought you’d call.’
To Duke Spencer, Uther and Cordelia were not only benefactors who had cured his long-standing illness, but also friends of Princess Darian, whom he loved so much that he would not mind putting them in his eyes.
‘I was expecting a proper tea party.’
But what actually arrived was not an invitation to a tea party.
An event with a more extravagant and flashy name.
‘The Banquet of Swords.’
The reason why Count Bayer and Gail have such happy expressions.
“I miss you. I also attended the Duke of Spencer’s sword banquet once.”
“Yes, Father. I remember participating too.”
As Count Bayer and Gail exchanged warm glances, Adelia suddenly became cocky and haughty.
“Hehe, of course. As expected, you are Prince Gale and your father.”
Edward clicked his tongue at Adelia’s boasting as if it were her own work, Cordelia tilted her head, but Uther nodded without realizing it.
‘It’s the same.’
Sisters, after all.
It was Adelia, who looked almost exactly like Cordelia’s usual self.
‘What’s the same?’
‘Yes, there is something like that.’
‘Tch, there’s something going on every day.’
Cordelia pouted, but Uther didn’t say anything else.
‘How can you say that every time I brag?’
Without even making eye contact, Yuder thought to himself and smiled slightly before looking back at Gale and Count Bayer.
“Father, what is the Sword Feast?”
Actually, I had a rough idea of what it was, but it was just a guess.
There was no need to move on to a state of uncertainty when an answer could be found.
Count Bayer smiled brightly and answered Yuder’s question.
“Hehehe, the Sword Banquet is, as the name suggests, a banquet where swords gather. To be exact, it is a banquet where young and promising swordsmen gather.”
Count Bayer, who seemed to have realized that he was a prosecutor, gently caressed the sword on his waist and continued speaking slowly.
“As you know, Yuder, the Spencer Dukes are a renowned sword family with a long history and tradition.”
“Yes, because it is a family with a longer history than the kingdom.”
The Spencer Dukes are one of the families that contributed greatly to the founding of the Kingdom of Cailun, and the Duke of Spencer at the time was also the sworn brother of the founding king, Lion D. Cailun.
‘The family that was practically in charge of military affairs in the early days of the nation’s founding.’
While the Duke of Bothan, one of the other noble houses, provided troops, the Duke of Spencer provided strong and excellent swordsmen to lead and command.
Thanks to their success in many battles, the founding king, Lion D. Cailun, highly recognized the Spencer Dukes’ achievements and awarded them special honorary positions.
‘Master of the Sword.’
The one who leads all the inspectors who have enemies in the kingdom.
The Duke of Spencer at the time of the founding of the kingdom was a man worthy of the title of Master of the Sword.
No matter what anyone says, he was undeniably the best prosecutor in the kingdom.
But the later generations were not like that.
There were many excellent inspectors, but none had the skills to be considered the best in the kingdom.
‘But even so, it is still a prestigious swordsmanship school.’
Clearly, the kingdom’s greatest swordsman did not appear in the direct line of the Duke’s family.
The Spencer Dukes were no longer the family that produced the kingdom’s finest swordsmen.
But the ‘Spencer Inquiry’ was different.
The Spencer Inquisition produced at least one swordsman in every generation.
‘Checkpoint.’
A group that learns and teaches swordsmanship.
The result of the pride and responsibility that the former Duke of Spencer had for his honorary position as ‘Master of the Sword’.
“It’s certainly been a long time. The title of ‘Master of the Sword’, which was an honorary title in the past, has practically disappeared in this era. However, the Spencer Dukes still have a sense of responsibility as Masters of the Sword, to raise the military power of the entire Kingdom of Cailun… or to be precise, the skills of the swordsmen.”
To the Bayer family, Lucas Hresvel was a stranger.
A complete stranger, neither by blood nor swordsmanship.
But not for the Duke of Spencer.
Lucas was an inspector of the Kingdom of Cailun.
“The Sword Banquet is an event that brings together promising young swordsmen from all over the country. It’s an event that shows the world to the hopefuls from the countryside who are like frogs in a well.”
Count Chase snorted and laughed as Count Bayer spoke in a slightly self-mocking tone.
“I don’t think that’s something a gentleman who went to the sword banquet and destroyed all the other promising candidates should say. Oh, by any chance, was that bragging about yourself in a roundabout way?”
Count Bayer said with a pleasant embarrassment at the criticism that he could make because they were old friends.
“That guy is exaggerating a bit, so just ignore him.”
“Hmm, that’s an exaggeration.”
In fact, Count Bayer, then and now, was the strongest swordsman in the Kingdom of Seilun if limited to those of a similar age.
There were other Ten Swordsmen, but they were all slightly different in age.
‘Isn’t Count Hresvelg almost ten years younger than your father?’
With this age gap, I couldn’t spend my promising years with him even if I wanted to.
“In any case, the Sword Banquet is definitely an honorable occasion. Just being invited to it is something to be proud of.”
Count Bayer quickly finished his speech before Count Chase could tease him again and turned to look at Gale.
Gale nodded at the look in his eyes that demanded further explanation.
“It is as Father said. Being invited to the sword banquet means that you are a promising talent from the Kingdom of Cailun, recognized by Duke Spencer, the master of swords.”
As always, Gale’s explanation was straightforward, but for some reason her cheeks turned slightly red, and Uder could see why.
“Of course, our Prince Gale also attended the sword banquet.”
As Adelia spoke, gently embracing Gail’s arm, Gail blushed even more, and a smile spread across Count Bayer’s face.
“But now even you, Yuder, have been invited.”
Because it was a letter from the Spencer Dukes inviting Uther and his fiancée Cordelia to the sword banquet.
“It’s really good. It’s really good.”
Count Bayer’s eyes turned slightly red as he smiled pleasantly.
Count Bayer was always concerned about Yuder, who had been sickly since birth and could hardly go outside, let alone to the royal palace.
But now, not only have I become so healthy, I’ve even been invited to the sword banquet.
It was truly a very moving feeling.
“Huh, it’s only natural since the Spencer Dukes have eyes too.”
As Count Chase spoke with a snort, smaller and cuter snorts followed.
“Huh, that’s right. If you can’t recognize the swordsmen of Count Bayer’s family, you can’t call yourself a master of the sword.”
“Hehe, Duke Spencer knows something.”
“Every time something like this happens, I feel a strange sense of alienation.”
Adelia, who was holding Gale’s arm and getting excited, Cordelia, who was pretending to be nice next to Uther, and Edward, who was sitting alone in the corner.
The three sons of Count Bayer could not help but smile at the remarks of the three Count Chase siblings.
‘Indeed, the Chase Count family has cuteness in their blood.’
How can they all be so cute?
‘Oh, except Edward.’
Because he himself felt alienated by that fact, he was chewing on that feeling alone in a corner.
“Anyway, Yuder, have a good time. Those invited to the sword banquet are all promising prospects in the kingdom, so you will be able to greatly broaden your horizons.”
“Huh, is that really so?”
Count Chase was taken aback by Count Bayer’s kind words, but no one present felt offended.
Because everyone knew why Count Chase said such things.
‘It’s not that our house’s Yuder will broaden your horizons, but it will broaden the horizons of promising players.’
Because the current Uther is abnormally strong.
And everyone, including Count Chase, has already witnessed Uther’s strength more than once.
‘And, and, and!’
Cordelia, unable to control the corners of her lips from rising, cheered again.
Because Cordelia knew one thing that no one else in the room knew.
‘I’ve completely changed.’
Not only did he open the Omundo, he also learned the Ultimate Sun Divine Art.
Of course, Count Bayer and Count Chase, who were strong enough to reach the realm of power, would have already realized that Yuder had become much stronger than before he left for the capital.
However, even they, no matter how advanced they were, could not immediately grasp how much stronger they had become and what had changed as a result of the transformation.
‘But I think Father felt something a little more.’
In fact, since he had grown almost 10cm in just a month, even laymen would have easily been able to tell that Yuder’s body had become stronger.
But Count Bayer seemed to have noticed the changes that were occurring within Yuder’s body, beyond the physical strengthening.
The circulation of energy reestablished through transformation.
The things that Yuder got because of that.
A change that goes beyond simple efficiency gains.
“Hehe, hehe, hehe.”
Everyone’s faces smiled again at Cordelia’s excitement, which had greatly improved her mood.
Because the sight of Cordelia bragging about her fiancé was so cute and lovely.
‘I need to catch the day quickly.’
‘Why don’t we have to wait until the coming-of-age ceremony?’
‘No, no matter what, I have to get married sooner.’
‘You’re cute.’
As the dream of the statue unfolded, Yuder opened his mouth.
“Then, father, are you going to the palace with me?”
“I think so. The Sword Banquet is a gathering of young promising people. Count Chase and I… will be able to meet His Excellency the Duke of Spencer later when the opportunity arises.”
“Huh, is it really worth going that far?”
The Counts of Bayer and Chase, who belong to the 12 Northern Houses, were strictly speaking closer to the nobility, but since they were northern nobles, they did not particularly feel a sense of belonging to the nobility centered around the Spencer Dukes.
The same was true for the noble faction of the royal family.
“I, the Earl of Chase, and Edward will be moving to the accommodations provided by the royal family today. Gale… has decided to stay here with Adelia?”
“Yes, Father. I intend to do so.”
As Gail answered with a faint smile, Adelia blushed brightly and looked down slightly.
Edward frowned like a real older brother at the sight that was obviously embarrassing to anyone, and Cordelia narrowed her eyes like a real younger sister.
‘What is it? What are you two going to do now that you’re left alone?’
Strictly speaking, Becky was there too, so it wasn’t quite just the two of us, but whatever.
Cordelia gave Adelia a sharp, accusing look, but she paid no attention.
As I have emphasized several times, unlike Cordelia, who was still a minor, Adelia herself was an adult.
‘Doing this and that······ Wow.’
As expected of the daughter of the Countess of Chase, Adelia’s face showed her thoughts, and Edward and Cordelia’s expressions became even more rotten.
Count Bayer and Count Chase looked pleased, though.
“Anyway… Then Cordelia and I will visit the Spencer Duke’s residence.”
“Yes, I will probably stay for two days at the shortest, or three days at the longest. When you are done with your business, come to the palace.”
“Yes, father.”
Uther immediately answered and gently touched Cordelia’s shoulder, who still had a rotten expression on her face, and Cordelia looked up at Uther.
‘why?’
‘just.’
Uther smiled brightly and lightly extended his hand to Cordelia, who tilted her head, and Cordelia instinctively took his hand.
Because Uder’s escort was so familiar now.
And about four hours later.
When Uther and Cordelia packed their bags and arrived at the Spencer Duke’s residence in the suburbs, they were greeted by very happy faces.
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< Chapter 58 - Invitation from the Duke #2 > End
