[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 89 - A Face I've Never Seen Before in My Life
"Haaah... It seems that persuading her will take so ti... I apologize for showing you such a disgrace. I raised my youngest daughter by giving her everything she wanted, and she ended up becoming quite a headstrong child..."
"..."
The Northern Grand Duke sighed deeply, shaking his head.
I found myself at a loss for words.
'Anyone can see that she's an extrely reasonable and kind-hearted daughter.'
The Empress scared so much that I was quite worried.
But the ones to worry about weren't Lady rilda, but her guardians.
The Lady seed far more mature than Charlotte and Julia, and yet her guardians seed even more childish.
How did such a capable and clear-headed lady co out of such guardians?
It's just fascinating.
"Has the Lady always been like this since she was young?"
"Haa. Not at all. She wasn't like this when she was young. If we doted on her and adored her, she'd obediently do whatever we told her... But at so point, she started pleading with us to stop treating her so specially! I don't know what she learned in the academy, but she keeps thinking only of the people...! The people want you to live comfortably and luxuriously, rilda!!!"
He seed unable to control his emotions, almost sobbing as he cried out in frustration.
I could more or less understand the situation.
Logically speaking, the Lady's words were a hundred percent correct and reasonable...
But reason doesn’t necessarily apply in this fortress city.
'It’s obvious just by looking around briefly. Lady rilda is like an idol here.'
rilda wasn’t just a regular lady in Ester, she held a higher position.
It wasn't just the Northern Grand Duke and her nine brothers who adored her.
The entire city cherished her, almost sanctified her, as if she were an idol.
Have you ever seen fans criticize an idol for eating good food and wearing nice clothes as being extravagant?
Have you ever seen fans begrudge spending money on their idol?
No. Ester was a city filled with fans who worshipped rilda, their idol.
So naturally, they were extrely sensitive when it ca to rilda's safety.
Even though Ester had not had a single casualty in a hundred years, contrary to popular belief, and was a very safe city...
The re fact that there was a 0.1 percent chance that rilda might get hurt was sothing these fanatic fans could not accept.
'The path that truly serves the people is for her to flee extravagantly...'
No one wants their beloved idol to jump into danger alongside them.
Only when she's in a safe place, resting comfortably, can the citizens focus on fighting monsters.
What a truly bizarre city.
How can an entire city be one giant fanbase?
"Of course, even if the escort mission is canceled, the commission fee will still be paid in full. So don't worry too much."
"You don’t need to worry about that. We'll see the mission through, one way or another."
"Hoho. Does the Count have a sure way to convince my daughter to co with you?"
"I can’t make any guarantees, but I believe it’s worth giving it a try."
"Go ahead and give it a try! Whatever it may be! Ah, of course, shock therapy is strictly forbidden! Any ans that involve deceiving, frightening, or threatening rilda are entirely off-limits! Even if I forgive you, the citizens may turn into a mob and do you harm, so be particularly careful."
"...Yes. I understand."
I gulped and nodded.
In other places, talk of mobs might have sounded like a joke, but in Ester, it was genuinely frightening since it seed entirely possible.
Of course, the thod I planned to use to persuade her wasn’t anything like shock therapy, so there wasn’t much to worry about.
"Just leave it to ."
Let’s go. Ti to convince the early-maturing Lady.
***
"What is this, Charlotte...?"
"There’s so much food!!!"
Thud.
Charlotte and Julia’s jaws dropped as they entered the banquet hall.
Nurous large dishes lined the spacious banquet hall.
Charlotte and Julia couldn't help but drool at the sight of all the colorful food piled in each dish.
'This is the Northern Grand Duke's castle! A person even higher in rank than the Count, far above! So, we have to be careful not to lose our dignity here...'
They'd received enough etiquette education to last a lifeti at the estate.
Despite the maids' persistent recomndations, Aslan had wanted to put off etiquette education for as long as possible.
But after the Empress's visit, even Aslan could no longer delay it.
What Charlotte and Julia had learned from the maids was...
Never move ahead alone.
Always follow your companion, walking slightly behind them.
And also... and so on...
Julia was ntally going over the many rules of etiquette she had morized when—
"So much at...!"
"Charlotte!"
Dash.
Charlotte suddenly rushed forward, grabbing a dish.
Seeing this, Julia's mind went blank, and all the etiquette she had painstakingly morized was forgotten.
“No, Charlotte, you can’t do this. They said it’s rude to get up without permission during a al.”
“Hmm? They did?”
Charlotte tilted her head, looking bewildered.
Julia slapped her forehead in frustration.
She hadn't paid any attention during etiquette lessons!
"It’s okay, Julia. Feel free to get up and help yourself to so food."
"Huh? But..."
"It’s a buffet, so it’s fine. You serve yourself as much as you want."
"Ohhh...!"
Charlotte and Julia's eyes widened.
A buffet, was it? Anyway, it was fascinating.
Back at the estate, food was served in asured portions in bowls.
If they wanted more, they had to go through the trouble of calling a maid, which was both annoying and embarrassing.
But here, they could eat as much as they wanted, freely!
Buffet-style was definitely the best!
Charlotte and Julia looked up at Aslan with a pleading expression, seeking permission.
When Aslan nodded, the two hurried off to get food, as if they had been waiting for it.
“Adorable children. Count, in so ways, you seem quite similar to . Cold and calculating when away from the children, but endlessly soft when it cos to them. Did I get that wrong?”
“You’ve got it exactly right. We are the sa in that regard, I believe. It’s just a matter of degree...”
I don’t let my judgnt get clouded to the point where I can’t make rational decisions.
As the Northern Grand Duke tried to be friendly, Aslan drew a clear line imdiately.
"Haha. Perhaps it’s a matter of whether they are your own children or not. When do you plan to grant them the Vermont na, Count?"
"Well. I think it’s still quite early... It’ll likely be around the ti they reach adulthood."
"Hmm."
Adopting them as family when they beca adults, then.
There’s no need to rush this process.
It would take quite so ti for the children to accept the Count as their father, so waiting patiently wasn’t a bad approach.
I had been worried since rumors painted Aslan Vermont as soone with despicable intentions, only interested in seducing children.
But as Vanessa said, he seed to be a rather reliable person after all.
As the Northern Grand Duke chuckled with a satisfied smile, patting Aslan's shoulder, anwhile in Aslan’s mind...
'No, wait. I answered wrong. I could give them the Vermont surna with the engagent. The wedding can happen after they beco adults, but the engagent can happen earlier.'
He was plotting sothing else entirely.
Still, getting the Northern Grand Duke's trust was the important thing.
Aslan decided not to think too deeply about it.
“Hey, mister! There’s so much at! Lamb, goat, duck... So much variety, and there’s a lot of it!”
“Aslan, Aslan! There are so many fruits I’ve never seen before! Co and try so! ...Please!”
“Go ahead and eat first.”
At so point, Charlotte and Julia had returned, filled with excitent.
Their plates were piled high with all sorts of dishes.
Sitting down, they couldn't hide their excitent and quickly picked up their forks.
“Let’s dig in...!”
Chomp chomp.
They began stuffing their mouths with various types of at, each from a different part.
Table manners? Eating gracefully?
All of that was forgotten.
Besides, the others around the banquet weren’t exactly eating with elegance either.
They were enjoying drinks and food freely, chatting away.
Given the North’s frequent battles, they maintained strict discipline during warti, but outside of that, they had a rather relaxed culture.
So, Charlotte and Julia continued to eat hurriedly, savoring the food.
“Why... is all the food cold...?”
“It all tastes the sa... Everything's salty with just a lot of pepper...”
Soon enough, their expressions hardened.
The food was cold! It was tough!
Maybe it was because the prepared dishes had been left out for a long ti.
This never happened at the Vermont estate...!
And most importantly, the problem was that all the different kinds of at tasted similar.
The at had been heavily salted and seasoned with spices, cooked until all the juices were gone.
It was too tough to chew, and the spices overwheld their tongues after only a few bites.
The steaks at the Vermont estate were much more tender, and you could really taste the flavor of the at!
'The maids at the estate must be incredible cooks!'
Until now, they had thought that nobles always had delicious als.
But even the Grand Duke was eating such tasteless food!
Charlotte and Julia were so shocked that they completely lost their appetite.
Of course, compared to the als at the Vermont estate, the taste fell short.
Still, at was at, so the two of them kept eating without showing their dissatisfaction.
'Hehe. I was right to get rid of the incompetent cook and promote the talented maids to head chef. They’ve beco accustod to the food at the estate, and now this place's food doesn’t satisfy them.'
Watching the children close their eyes tightly, struggling to eat the at, Aslan grinned slyly.
Just a few months ago, they thought hard bread and thin soup were the best delicacies.
And now they found at unappetizing.
The sense of satisfaction was so great that he couldn’t stop smiling.
“But when is rilda coming?”
“Ah, I believe she’s still in the garden...”
“Hmph. She’s not even going to show up at the banquet. How long does she plan to keep this up...?”
Throbbing.
The Northern Grand Duke pressed against his throbbing temples when Aslan, who had been cutting his at, spoke up.
“The Lady will be arriving soon.”
“...?”
The Northern Grand Duke tilted his head at Aslan's confident deanor.
rilda was coming now?
How could soone who had been at the banquet all this ti possibly know that?
“Apologies for being late.”
Just then, bang, the door to the banquet hall opened.
A masked guard appeared.
With Lady rilda following behind him.
"Yuria, let’s go together..."
"...!?"
But sothing was strange about rilda’s expression.
That looked almost like... a girl in love, didn’t it?
Seeing a face on his daughter that he'd never seen in his life, the Northern Grand Duke's brow furrowed deeply.
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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