Chapter 15 - A Disaster for the Fish in the Moat
Note: Hi, everyone. Neither of us actually celebrate Christmas, but anyway, here's an extra chapter as a present. Happy Holidays. Enjoy your day.
◆ Be involved and involve others.
The first night event, the gratitude banquet, was to be held in the same grand hall of the castle. Therefore, all the participants of the ceremony were to head to the waiting room first. One by one, those of higher rank began to leave the grand hall and move toward the waiting room.
I, too, was to leave the great hall of the castle last.
By that time, the preparations for the gratitude banquet had already begun, and various tables of different sizes were being brought in. Additionally, a wide array of appetizing dishes were being carried in from the kitchen.
There were those preparing the drinks, adjusting the brightness of the magic lamps, cleaning the spots that stood out as dirty, and the maids and servants of the castle, as well as the palace attendants overseeing everything. Their efforts to ensure the successful execution of the gratitude banquet showed both their dedication and... their pride.
Oh, the castle is being managed by those who are steadfast and sincere.
I understood it like that. My heart trembled at the sight, and after offering a knight's salute to their devotion, I left the grand hall. I knew it was self-satisfaction. Still, the way they carried out their duties with such seriousness deserved enough respect, and I, whose title wasn't much different from theirs, thought it wouldn't be wrong for me to show that respect.
Of course, for those of higher rank, this might be something they could take for granted. But for someone from a knightly family, it's only natural to acknowledge and show respect for each person’s pride.
It wasn’t about the nobility’s rank but about respect for one’s character. Well, it didn’t really matter. I knew that such behavior would appear strange here in the capital. As I left the grand hall, for some reason, that guy was standing there with his fiancée.
"Is that the spirit of the frontier?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The people you showed respect to. I’ve heard that a knightly family's lives much like the common folk. However, they’re still nobility, even if at the lowest rank. Protecting the duties and purpose of nobility is written in the kingdom’s laws. But that’s not an easy thing to do. Especially near the capital and its surroundings."
"My family oversees a region close to the border, near the Demon Forest. Monsters roam freely, and peace cannot be said to exist among the common folk. There is no fool who would fail to show respect to those who diligently carry out their duties in such a place."
"I see... I see. So, The kingdom’s pride lies in the frontier, huh? The king certainly has an eye for such things."
For some reason, the young marquis heir, perhaps deeply moved, was looking at me with an unusually serious expression. His fiancée, standing half a step behind him, also seemed to be thinking something, and there was no trace of contempt in her gaze. At that moment, a woman of a certain age approached us. From her attire, she appeared to be a high-ranking lady-in-waiting in the royal palace.
"Informing the son of a knightly family. You have been commanded to attend the gratitude banquet in a separate room."
"I take it you are a lady-in-waiting from the palace?"
"I am the head lady-in-waiting to the royal harem."
"From whom does this command come?"
"It comes from a highly esteemed person. Since it is a private command, I am conveying it orally rather than in writing."
Hmm, I had gotten caught up in a complicated situation. The head lady-in-waiting of the royal harem, one of the highest-ranking officials in the castle, had addressed me, someone with a near nonexistent noble title, and was attempting to guide me to a separate room. She was vague about the person who had given the order and avoided naming them directly. In other words, it was someone whose identity couldn't be revealed in front of others.
Moreover, considering her position, I could make an educated guess about who that person was. The royal harem managed the private matters of the royal family. If she wouldn’t disclose the person’s identity, it was likely a member of the royal family or perhaps someone from the upper ranks of the nobility.
Hmm... I glanced briefly at him. He too seemed to be contemplating something. It seemed he was getting involved in this as well. Fine, that would be for the best. After all, I might not be able to handle this alone. Most importantly, he was the heir to the Minister of War, one of the higher-ranking families among the marquisates. He was more accustomed to dealing with the nobility than I was. Alright, I’ll pull him in.
"Head lady-in-waiting. I have a friend, someone who could be called a companion. If they could accompany us, it would give me more confidence. What do you think?"
"A companion... you say?"
"Yes. I don’t think it would be inappropriate to call the one who gave such fine attire to the third son of a frontier knightly family a 'companion,' would it?"
"I see... The son of the Minister of War has an eye for things, I understand."
A somewhat pleased expression appeared on the head lady-in-waiting’s young face. It must have been rare, as his expression showed a hint of astonishment. His fiancée, standing half a step behind him, seemed unable to grasp the situation. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she desperately tried to hide her expression. She opened her fan and raised it in front of her face, her hand trembling as she gripped his sleeve. Hmm... as for his fiancée, I thought she was just a typical noblewoman.
Well, the only person who might be able to respond immediately to this unusual situation would probably be the young lady from the Grand Duke's family. She was engaged to a royal family member, and although still only a rumor, she was the future crown princess and the queen-to-be. After murmuring "very well," the head lady-in-waiting began walking with us toward the stairs that led to a higher level of the royal hall.
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