141 – The Imperial Ball – (2)

“A prom, what the hell is going on?”

After hearing the unexpected news from Lucy, I went that way to the magistrate, Coreld Higgins, to ask what was going on.

Just then, he was looking at the papers with his monocle frowning. As soon as I entered the office, he put down the bookshelf with a murmur as if everything went well.

“Ah, you are a protector of the country. It just went well.”

“Huh?”

“I must have heard that there was a ball going on.”

“Ah, I’m just passing by.”

Coreld stood up, took off his spectacles, and replaced them with unprescription single-eyed glasses.

“Just as Hoguk-gyeong heard. The Imperial Ball will be held as normal in two weeks.”

“Why? You are well aware of our situation right now.”

“I fully understand Sir Iscobal’s concerns. But one thing to note, we decided that we should hold more balls because of the situation.”

Correld spoke solemnly.

I twisted my head, not knowing why.

The threat of the church and the imperial ball, what the hell do they have to do with each other?

“As you know, Kyungsoo, we’ve been through a lot lately. The magistrate, Earl Orrie, wanted to assassinate His Majesty, and the Grand Duke of Winter, Aranion, and the church joined hands to raid the imperial palace.”

“Yes.”

“So much so, I thought that something like this might happen again sometime.”

Koreld pretended to raise his index finger.

“In other words, we plan to call the local nobles in the name of a ball so that they never have any idle thoughts.”

“…… Hmm.”

To sum it up, that’s it.

It was meant that he would call them to the capital once and set discipline through the external excuse of a prom, since he could always think of something else if he left it unattended just because the situation was serious.

In fact, the imperial authority itself has been lost a lot. Since two of the five grand dukes or the empire showed their displeasure, it wouldn’t be strange for other nobles to have vain thoughts after seeing this.

“But there’s no guarantee that the same thing won’t happen at the ball. There is no need to take risks.”

Gathering nobles from all continents is like a buffet for the church.

On the contrary, there was a high possibility that it would turn into a major incident.

But Coreld shook his head.

“That is why the role of the Royal Guard, including the Lord, is important.”

“Ha.”

In the end, there is a clear call to roll on the front line.

To disobey, Koreld’s words are practically the same as the meaning of the Imperial Cabinet. No matter how much you protect the border, you can’t go against the current.

In the end, I let out a small breath and nodded.

“Ha ha. Well, I see. If that’s what you mean.”

Still, now it’s a side story that deviated from the flow of the original main story. I didn’t think that something big would happen.

Above all, Lynchia had grown enough to be able to take care of herself. To the extent that even I could overwhelm it for a moment.

“Ah, and I have something else to tell you.”

“Huh?”

As if this was the main topic, Coreld pushed his body and lifted the glasses that were placed on the bridge of his nose.

*

“Ah, Fried. It is late today.”

Lynxia greeted me in front of her bed, waving her legs, as if she had returned to her bedroom after finishing her business earlier. Her hair was wet, as if she had just finished taking a bath, and her white legs glistened between her short skirts.

Beside him, Lucy was wiping and cleaning the room, and as soon as she saw me, she started laughing secretly, invisible to Lynchia.

Maybe it’s an extension of that escort and all that bullsh*t.

“I had something to see outside the imperial palace.”

“What happened?”

“…… Mmm.”

It was a bit sensitive to be honest.

In the end, I had no choice but to draw in moderation.

“Just…… I have a close friend outside the imperial palace, and I’m on my way to meet him.”

“Hmm… ….”

However, as if Lincia was not satisfied with my answer, she walked towards me with quick steps and started sniffing.

What is it, a dog?

“I smell like another woman.”

“Oh!”

I hurried back.

Come to think of it, Hilda was spraying a strong perfume all over her body to get rid of the stench from her underground aqueduct. Could it be that the scent was on your body?

While she was adjusting her clothes in her embarrassment, Lynxia in front of her trembled her shoulders.

“I was joking… ….”

“… ….”

“I just tried it…… How can you get caught in the middle of the day.”

Lin Xia clenched her fists and glared at me with an unfair expression. Her bulging green eyes looked like they would burst into tears at any moment.

Lyncia used to make a face like that of a windswept woman these days.

In the end, I had no choice but to sincerely apologize.

“Sorry. Actually, I was on my way to the Thieves Guild.”

“Thief, guild?”

Lyncia also had the experience of touring the underground waterway with me during Aranion’s raid.

I was also acquainted with Hilda, whom I met along the way. When I told her a little bit of a lie about her deal with Hilda, Lyncia nodded her head in agreement.

Then, as if sorry for misunderstanding, he clung to my arms.

“It’s okay if you tell the truth. You just misunderstood me.”

“No, that misunderstanding… ….”

“Wasn’t it decided that there would be no lies between us?”

Lin Xia looked up at me with her slender eyes and said that.

I couldn’t find the words to answer.

“Grincia.”

“Yes.”

“I think you will stain her body.”

“…… Ah.”

My clothes were dirty from my trip to the underground waterway.

The clothes are very dirty, but Lynxia had just finished taking her bath. No wonder she got stains on her clothes.

Seeing Lucy let out her sigh for her land to die, Lynxia smiled bashfully, perhaps embarrassed.

“Well, I’m glad I did. I can see that Fried is trying to do something.”

“Why are you talking like a mother?”

“Huh? Did Fried’s mother say something like this?”

“…… To be precise, my kid is smart, but he doesn’t study.”

“hahahaha. What is it?”

I smiled bitterly at the sight of Lyncia slapping me on the shoulder.

It was because it reminded me of a conversation we had just had in the office.

“Oh, that’s right. Did you hear the news, Fried?”

“What news?”

“Prom, prom. The news that it will be open this time.”

“Ah.”

Lyn Xia continued her story, waving her dainty legs to and fro.

“Actually, I’ve been watching it since I was young, but it’s the first time I’m attending in person.”

“Hmm. I’m surprised. Did Your Majesty hate balls?”

“Does it look like that? I’m sorry, but I really like it. Something cool Beautiful lighting, sweet music, and delicious food.”

“Then why?”

“Because only the elder brothers attended. I was just locked in a drab room and watched the banquet hall through the barred windows.”

“… ….”

Through Lyn Xia’s baggy clothes, her immaculate skin was visible after her bath. As a result, I inadvertently bit my lower lip at the bright red whiplash.

Lyncia herself didn’t show it, but she wasn’t a well-bred child either.

“There is no such thing as a face. Old stories are old!”

Lin Xia spoke vigorously, she looked up at me cautiously, and she said.

“Fred would do well to take good care of himself. You never know if a great fate will come, right?”

“A relationship?”

“Woman, woman. Is there more to it? A woman who will like and love Fried may appear…… Isn’t it?”

“… ….”

Lynxia licked the tail of her horse and saw her fingertips fidgeting with her reddened face.

“Of course, such a relationship could come to me as well.”

Lyncia’s back muttered blankly, and her Lucy was there, waving her arms as hard as she could.

A truly silent clamor. It can be said to be the pinnacle of synesthetic imagery.

I took a deep breath and slowly opened my mouth.

“Lyncia.”

“Yes?”

“About that prom… ….”

When I finished my rhyme, Lynn Xia opened her eyes slightly wide.

Then she stopped to purse her lips, turned her head slightly, and pulled her blanket up to her chest.

Lyncia asked with a slightly expectant look.

“What, what is it?”

“I have something to tell you about that prom… ….”

“Clap.”

Lynn Xia swallowed her saliva.

Lucy’s gestures intensified.

However.

I said, feeling the pain gripping my chest.

“I will not attend.”

“…… Yes?”

Lynxia asked back, not knowing what she meant, and Lucy, holding her duster from a distance, said “Heh ―?” I let out a stupid sound effect.

I desperately made an excuse while scratching the back of my head.

“Just…… As the situation is dangerous, I decided that it is more important to protect His Majesty’s safety as a border guard. Because I don’t think there are any nobles with dark feelings…….”

“… ….”

“Moreover, we haven’t figured out the clue to the oath yet, isn’t it a situation where Cleta can attack the imperial palace at any time? That’s why it’s better to pay attention to the defense of the imperial palace…….”

I made excuses.

Lyncia didn’t seem to understand that.

She shook her head and looked at me again. This time, I felt that those big eyes were really going to get wet, so I sneaked away from her gaze.

And there was a chilly silence.

“Uh, hmm.”

It was Lyncia who broke the silence.

She nodded her head in a clear tone.

“If that’s what Fried meant, then that’s it. Because Fried is a good friend. It’s all for you. Yes?”

“…… Yes.”

“Eh, yes. Yes. Yes.”

Lyncia uttered words of agreement several times, but it seemed that she was lost somewhere.

It was hard to stand still, so I said hastily.

“I’m going to go to work first.”

With those words, she left the room as if running away.

I go outside and lean on her balcony and let her sigh.

“What are you asking me to do?”

What lingers in my mind is, of course, a conversation with Coreld.

I still remember what he said to me while asking for trust.

‘Sir Fried, I understand your loyalty to His Majesty. But please keep your distance from His Majesty at this ball.’

‘What is the reason?’

‘It means that Your Majesty is about to get married. Since there is only one year left until coming of age, courtships from various influential families must be endless at this ball. In such a situation, if the emperor shows closer than necessary to the border guards, that will affect the position of the imperial family.’

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Correld put his hand on my shoulder and emphasized it again.

‘For the sake of the future of His Majesty and the Empire, I think it would be best for you to keep your distance for a while. Besides, leaving behind a successor is also important beyond being in the imperial family.’

‘…… Successor. His Majesty is still here.’

‘Soon, soon. Either way, the situation is not urgent. I think it’s right to proceed with the marriage right after the coming-of-age ceremony.’

… ….

“You say that, but what should I do?”

I felt really bad, so I collected the spittle and spat it out out the balcony.

Even after doing that, the bitter taste still lingered in my mouth.

“That’s unpleasant.”

It was really unpleasant.