Episode 120. presentation (4)

The observers who arrived at the banquet hall excitedly did not even think that Seryl, who was famous for not leaving her place, would appear at the banquet hall in person.

It was because Seryl, who handles most of the work while living in isolation, was extremely reluctant to face-to-face with others.

It’s not enough to visit the banquet hall where many people have gathered, to give one’s side to a vampire… . It was something that the aristocrats, who had reacted sensitively to news from the imperial family, could not even dare to imagine.

The emperor, who wants to cooperate with the different races to establish a common front and minimize conscription, and the princess, who seeks to develop the empire at the expense of improving relations with the different races and defend the border with human strength.

The confrontation between the two opinions that had lasted for two years was a fact that anyone who had set foot in the imperial family could not be unaware of.

Not long ago, among the nobles, there were even rumors that Seryl hated vampires.

‘By the way… .’

The exception appeared today.

* * *

The fact that Seryl wouldn’t show herself beyond the screen unless she trusted her completely, even professors Kiruna from beyond the imperial family had heard of it.

It would be clear that that vampire girl was Seryl’s closest friend.

She had to think that there was a political ulterior motive behind her openly calling out vampires at such a large event, as she had always adhered to an exclusive attitude towards the different races.

While the nobles rolled their eyes here and there to figure out what the hell was going on, Seryl calmly wet her lips with wine.

“… This wine has been treasured for a long time in the imperial palace. There will be no shortage of decorations for such a meaningful day.”

Following her comment, all the drinking glasses in the banquet hall were tilted once.

She looked at the observers who couldn’t even put down the empty glass first because they noticed, and said to Rane.

“Rane, poor child. Isn’t it strange that so many people are gathered together?”

“… .”

However, no answer was heard from Rahne, who was concentrating all his nerves on acting as an ordinary human being.

“… ok, that’s it Now that you’ve seen it, hold Kegar’s hand again.”

“thank you.”

Did you say that you grew up not knowing about human customs and etiquette?

Although Kegar taught the minimum example, there were too many clumsy aspects to keep around for a long time.

‘It’s not a hand that can be used many times.’

With Seryl’s permission to leave, the girl who revealed herself from the screen immediately ran to Kegar, who was waiting nearby.

The observers, who bowed their heads to Seryl and began to desperately roll their eyes to observe her, soon discovered something strange and had to rack their brains again.

‘Vampires don’t wear red clothes?’

The anecdote that Esca banned vampires from reckless blood-sucking and told them not to dress themselves in red under any circumstances was quite famous.

At the time of entering Esca’s arms, vampires were more unstable than they are now, and they were not good at controlling their desires, so they ordered them to stay away from things that remind them of blood.

The red skirt that matched her eyes, which looked like a vampire to anyone, swayed at her steps, and stopped when it touched Kegar’s ankle.

A banquet hall full of chaos. Kegar held her hand, her blonde hair down to her waist like a foggy wheat field.

“I’m leaving, so get ready to play the song again.”

Seryl, who confirmed this, ordered the musicians to put their instruments on the floor.

* * *

When Seryl left and the band started playing soft music, the banquet hall, which had been dead quiet, began to liven up again.

Even before she entered the banquet hall, the observers who had gathered among themselves had a quiet conversation, predicting the professor who would be chosen by Caldera for the next day’s announcement.

“Looking at it now, it’s not just the clothes that matter. The ribbon in her hair is red, and she even has earrings.”

“earring?”

“Oh, I heard. Didn’t they say vampires can’t pierce their ears because they bleed?”

Everyone glanced at Rahne, and began to infer her identity and her relationship with Cheryl.

Ultimately, this meant that the focus of this performance presentation was passed on to Rane.

“Then is that child Difel?”

“No way. Would the princess have put something so dangerous around?”

Rox and Elsie, who arrived at the banquet hall as observers, continued their reasoning about Rane’s identity and her relationship with Seryl.

“Obviously not Dipel. By the way… . Even a vampire who doesn’t care about Esca’s last name won’t be able to escape the punishment of the wardens if they go around like that.”

“Well, um. uh… . By obeying Princess Seryl’s authority-“

“Princess Seryl’s authority is great, but… . No matter how much, vampires prioritize the authority of the imperial princess over the guardian deity?”

“Then, wouldn’t Princess Seryl have been forced to wear it?”

“But he doesn’t show any signs of being ashamed of his clothes.”

A few daring observers, unable to contain their curiosity, sneaked up to talk to Rane, but all such attempts were cut short by Kegar.

“He is the first princess’ favored child. Don’t be mean to them.”

Seeing Kegar warn the guests around her, Elsie said to Rox.

“Looking at him, don’t you feel like Princess Seryl or Kegar are taking care of you? If you think about how the princess said that she was a pitiful child when she saw Rane earlier, she seems a little sick. You saved something abandoned by your own people.”

“So, you mean image management?”

“Yeah.”

True to her words, several observers were praising the virtues of Seryl and Kegar, saying that they had saved Rane from being abandoned or almost killed.

It didn’t sound strange to say that Princess Seryl, who had opposed the policies pursued by the emperor, wanted to show off her tolerance by embracing different races.

Establishing a confrontational angle with the emperor may have come as a burden over time, and if Seryl really wants to become emperor, she will need to show this side of herself.

‘but.’

Rocks shook his head.

“Is it really so? Aren’t the two of you free enough to take care of the abandoned child? Judging by the fact that she dared to dress that child in red, Princess Seryl still hasn’t opened her heart to people of a different race.”

“then… . how. What is the reason the princess brought him?”

“I guess we can find out tomorrow. There must be a reason why you showed up like this at the banquet the day before the announcement.”

“Tomorrow… . uh? Come to think of it, we forgot what we had to do!”

Elsie pointed to Mina, who was watching Rane and Kegar alone in the crowd.

They were dispatched to ask Mina, who was invited to the presentation, to cooperate with the Imperial Academy’s unique magic research.

Rox casually approached her and greeted her.

* * *

This banquet was an opportunity to show Frill’s matured appearance, and for Carol and Mina to grow by interacting with other scholars.

At the banquet held to relieve the fatigue of the visitors from far away and to encourage the presentation participants, only stories about Princess Seryl and Rane were exchanged.

Although Mina had no political experience, she could clearly sense that all of that was buried in Seryl’s presence.

however… . The only thing he can do here is to watch so that he can stop Rane from revealing his true colors.

‘Professor Ian will surely overcome it.’

Mina only trusted Professor Ian and kept an eye on Rane.

“Thank you for accepting our invitation. My name is Rox, a member of the Imperial Academy’s Unique Magic Research Department.”

“Oh, hello. You’re the one who wrote the invitation, right? You also wrote your name down, right?”

“Thank you for remembering.”

At that time, Rox, a dispatcher from the Imperial Society whom Mina had met in Kiruna, approached Mina.

“It’s okay if you keep looking at the side you were looking at. Are you spying on that vampire girl? Even if not, we were also keeping an eye on it.”

“Hello, student Mina. It’s been a while.”

“The reason we invited Mina this time is-”

Mina, who had finished talking to Elsie, who had followed her, quickly organized her thoughts.

‘Since it is said that Princess Seryl took control of the Imperial Academy, these people may have something to do with the Eclipse, but… .’

Mina, who had overheard the conversation between the two while deducing the identity of Rane earlier, judged that they did not have a close relationship with Seryl.

‘Still, helping the Imperial Academy is no different from helping Princess Seryl… . Well.’

After thinking about it for a while, Mina first accepted Rox and Elsie’s proposal.

Looking towards Rahne, Rox said to her.

“There are people in the world, like Mina, who feel responsible for the power they have and use their own magic where it is absolutely necessary… . There are many more who do not.”

“… .”

“As such, ability control is a necessary requirement for unique magic users, but due to the small number of research subjects, research on this has not yet been properly conducted.”

Prisoner number 14 came to mind.

If many of those who have awakened to native magic suffer like them.

‘That’s me, it could be Yuri… .’

As Mina fell into trouble for a moment, Elsie, who was next to Rox, helped.

“It’s also a problem that there are very few scholars who study unique magic who conduct research related to ability control.”

“Me and Elsie are in charge of managing the Unique Magic Runaway. If you are interested in our research at a later date, please contact the Imperial Society and give me my name. I’ll see you right away.”

When Mina showed concern, the two of them expressed their opinions plainly, as if they would not burden them, and left immediately.

* * *

‘This is obviously… . I’m trying to publicize the existence of Diepeln at this presentation.’

I covered Rane’s slightly open mouth and watched Kegar from a distance, who was glaring at him.

‘Since what happened in the underground laboratory has already reached the ears of the different races, are you trying to announce that Dipeln is a safe existence before the opponent rebels?’

While looking at Rane and Kegar in agony, Dana, who came looking for me in the crowd, said.

“You’re plotting something like this with a kid who used to eat people. If you ask me to do something that doesn’t suit me, I’m so sluggish.”

As she said, “Doesn’t her eyes look weak?”, Rahne, who hadn’t been socialized yet, was holding onto Kegar’s crotch, half-fazed among the crowd.

Dana, who had been observing her with a glass of wine to her lips, spoke again.

“Brother. I told you, remember? According to him, he was experimented on by vampires for hundreds of years.”

“Yes, I remember. At this presentation, what drew people’s attention to Rane… .”

“I think it’s bigger to tell the world about the sins of vampires through Rane’s mouth.”

For Vampires whose prestige has been eroded by the rapidly increasing Dipels, Rane’s exposure could be fatal.

“Besides, Dipeln is a being that damages the prestige of the guardian deity… . If Rane’s identity is announced tomorrow, not only vampires but the entire heterogeneous race will be shaken.”

It is true that Rahne was not naturally blessed by a guardian deity, and the statement that he had been tortured under the guise of long-term experiments by vampires was sufficiently credible.

After hearing that, Dana made an impression.

“then-“

“Of course, we can’t just sit still. We will not refute or disparage the claims of the other party. but… .”

On the verge of dying, a way to protect the faith in the guardian spirit came to mind.

I looked straight into Dana’s eyes, the key.

“Right now, let’s prepare for the presentation tomorrow.”