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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The culture of the North was more free-spirited compared to other places.
Considering a re rcenary group had swept through the region and gained recognition, it could be said to be worlds apart from the noble culture of the central region.
If the central banquet was a place for socializing and all sorts of sches, the banquet in the North was completely different.
It was a small festival in itself, celebrating the fact that a new connection had been made.
To put it simply, it ant there was no harm in emptying one’s mind and just drinking.
As I was putting on the clothes hanging in the room and heading out, a particularly large person caught my eye.
Anyone could tell he wasn’t an ordinary person, his body alone seed twice as big as others.
He was too big to ignore, so I approached him and greeted him.
Slightly surprised by my greeting, he then grasped my hand and shook it gently.
With his build, it was closer to being swayed, but I was used to moving my body to barely avoid falling over.
“You have quite a strong grip.”
“Oh… You’re the first person I’ve seen withstand this.”
“My na is Robert Taylor. If you’re heading to the banquet hall, shall we go together?”
“Sure, call Bunta.”
Although I already knew his na, I shrugged my shoulders and greeted him happily.
He could be said to be a rather unique hybrid with orc blood mixed in.
If he went to the central region, he would face persecution, but he had joined Adele’s rcenary group and put his unique brute strength to good use, rising to the position of a close aide.
Of course, since his intelligence was low, Adele and Lothos handled most of the administrative tasks.
Bunta’s job was mainly to liven up the atmosphere at banquets.
As Bunta occasionally glanced at , I looked at him, curious about his gaze, and he awkwardly scratched his head with a smile.
… When he did that, it ant he was hiding sothing.
Judging from Lothos and Bunta’s reactions, it wasn’t hard to guess what it was.
They probably thought I was soone close to Adele, and if the misunderstanding had deepened, they might think I was her lover.
Since they had decorated the room like that, I had thought about it, but I wondered what they were trying to do if Adele found out.
Knowing Adele’s personality, she would quite sternly punish such misunderstandings.
I thought it would be a light punishnt if only the head was left and buried.
If it got worse and Adele felt uncomfortable, she would personally take up the sword and deal with it.
By the way, Adele’s lover. Even before, Adele’s subordinates had tried to connect and Adele unusually.
They must have found it quite interesting that I, as a foreigner, was close to Adele.
However, getting close to Adele was not a difficult task.
Especially if she showed interest herself, afterward, even if I just agreed with her words, I could maintain the relationship.
I rembered Lothos’ dumbfounded expression when I asked what was so difficult about it.
I thought I would see it at least once today.
The reason I had brought a sword was because I had sowhat anticipated what Adele would do today.
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Coincidentally, my seat was right next to Adele’s.
It was quite blatant at this point, but Adele just stared at with a curious expression, as if she didn’t know or care.
Well, since I was a guest, there wouldn’t be any problem even if I sat next to Adele.
The only problem was that the seating at this banquet was first-co, first-served.
Adele must have taken her seat first, but only the seat next to her was empty.
Lothos, who was sitting next to , smiled and offered his hand.
His goat-like beard was the sa, so I felt strangely unpleasant.
“I introduced myself earlier, but my na is Lothos. Is this your first ti in the North?”
“Yes, I just know a bit about the greeting customs.”
“Usually, there are often people who co here without knowing anything, but I’m glad that the perception of the North seems to be improving these days.”
“It seems there are people who have co to visit besides .”
Then Lothos, who had been smiling for a mont, pointed to the northwest and continued.
“Recently, Her Highness the Princess visited. She hasn’t left yet. She said she would personally inspect the Terra Knight mine in the northwest. It was quite a sudden event, so I was a bit surprised.”
“… Aha.”
The northwest, it was too obvious what Miragen was thinking when she made a move, so a hollow laugh escaped .
I told her to take an interest in the northwest, not to go directly and even inspect it.
If she had just stayed still, there would definitely have been results around the new year.
It was my fault for overestimating Miragen’s intelligence.
I should have added that she shouldn’t go directly, and it would be better to observe the situation.
If it was the northwest from here, would it barely overlap with Adele’s territory?
If I had so spare ti, I thought it would be good to head towards the northwest as well.
Adele’s subjugation of the tribes would probably extend to the northwest as well.
In addition, there was a possibility of the tribes occupying the mines,
so if I didn’t warn her, she might be stuck there for a while.
By now, she would be anxiously waiting to see when the Terra Knight ore would be discovered.
As I let out a small sigh thinking about Miragen, Lothos looked at with a puzzled expression.
Well, Lothos probably had a high probability of not knowing about my connection with Miragen.
Even if he knew, it would be a public relationship.
He wouldn’t know exactly how close we were privately.
“Were you acquainted with Her Highness the Princess?”
“We know each other to so extent. I received help from her in various ways.”
“You know the Princess too.”
Hearing Adele’s voice, I turned my head to see her looking at with quite an interesting expression.
Co to think of it, she had a similar expression when I said I knew the Saint.
Although she seed to be smiling softly, her eyes contained a faint chill.
Adele, who had drunk the alcohol placed in front of her, quietly moved her lips.
“You know the Saint, you know , and you know the Princess. You have quite a wide network, unlike what I know.”
“There were various circumstances. Since I’ve spoken about becoming the family head, I couldn’t just stay still.”
“Yes, that’s understandable. But that’s your situation. Do I have to pay attention to that as well?”
Staring blankly at the empty glass, Adele then poked my shoulder with her finger and continued.
“The only thing I’m concerned about right now is you. Since you’re the only one I’ll keep in the North, whether you’re close to the Princess or the Saint. It’s better not to talk about other people here.”
“… Did you say you’ll keep ?”
“Yes, isn’t that the reason you ca this ti?”
As Adele calmly drank her alcohol, a strange silence fell over the banquet hall.
It was clear that what she had just said could lead to various misunderstandings,
but what was more problematic was what she said next.
She said she would keep . Did she an she was thinking of keeping in the North?
“Didn’t I tell you before that I like you? I was thinking of making you my deputy, didn’t you know?”
“I think I just told you that I’m going to beco the family head.”
“Strictly speaking, I’m the Grand Duchess. If I wanted to, I could make you my deputy.”
Her words, spoken in a serious tone, seed quite sincere.
However, she wouldn’t really say this. I was just a bit surprised that she brought up this topic so lightly.
If soone in this place were to spread it outside, it could spread widely.
Did it an she trusted the people here that much?
“I believe you’re not saying this in earnest.”
“I am serious.”
Staring at , who was slightly taken aback, Adele then chuckled and poured the alcohol.
She poured half in her glass and filled mine to the brim, then raised her glass and opened her mouth.
The serious atmosphere from earlier had dispersed in an instant, leaving only a playful smile.
“Of course, I’m just saying it. I know well why you ca here, and I have no reason to interfere with that.”
“Is that so? I was about to be quite disappointed.”
“… Just bring your glass closer. Don’t say anything unnecessary.”
Clang-
As the lightly colliding glasses were emptied, Adele took a deep breath.
It was puzzling that a hint of regret had passed by, but soon her eyes that had returned to normal turned to .
“If I were to say your purpose for coming here, wouldn’t it be a trick to return the handkerchief and take various things with you?”
“Various things, you say.”
“You probably need my support too. Robert, didn’t you say it yourself that you’re going to beco the family head?”
She had indeed seen through it to so extent.
Although I didn’t think it would go unnoticed, I was a bit surprised that she had realized it faster than I thought.
Saying this ant she had been certain since the mont I sent a letter saying I would co to the North.
Since it must have been known that the family head competition had started here as well, she must have inferred it in her own way.
As I didn’t particularly deny it since it was true, Adele glanced at my sword and continued.
“I think I’ve already sufficiently repaid the debt between you and . Although I feel sorry for slitting your throat, I ended it by not asking about the secret you ntioned.”
“… Yes, I rember.”
“I can’t say it’s bad for you to seek my support, but to obtain such a thing, you’ll have to pay a proper price. So I have a proposal for you. Are you willing to hear it?”
Looking at Adele with a serious tone again, I nodded and answered.
Actually, I had sowhat anticipated this conversation.
Since Adele would realize my true purpose at so point, there was a high probability that she wouldn’t think favorably of that purpose.
If there was a chance she would set conditions, and if her interest was directed towards right now.
There was only one thing left that she would propose to .
“During your stay in the North, be my deputy. Listen to and follow my orders, but I promise to treat you on par with other deputies. Depending on how you act during that period, I will decide whether to support you or not.”
“If I’m a deputy, there will be tis when I have to participate in battles.”
“Are you not confident? You don’t seem to have such skills.”
“It’s not like that. I’m just curious about when you prepared this proposal.”
Then Adele answered with a small laugh.
It was quite a natural response, as if she knew I would ask this.
“From the mont I first saw you. Didn’t I tell you that I would make you my deputy?”
“It… wasn’t a joke.”
“If you do too well, I won’t let you go. So you’ll have to behave well. Adequately, so that I can let you go, but well enough to gain support.”
Isn’t that too difficult a request?
As I laughed slightly at the absurdity, Adele emptied her glass while drinking, unfazed.
She must have ant it sincerely in her own way.
She would set a standard and say she wouldn’t support if I couldn’t surpass it.
Making her deputy ant she would take to the upcoming subjugation of the tribes.
However, the atmosphere around us was slightly chilly.
Although they completely followed Adele’s decisions, her deputies had an air of not being able to accept .
From their perspective, I was just a rolling stone, so I could understand their reaction.
What could a young master who had been living luxuriously in the central region do?
There were even rumors about that I had never held a sword since birth, so so openly expressed their discomfort.
A typical example was Bunta.
He had been smiling well until earlier, but now he was glaring at and panting heavily.
Lothos, who had seen my sword energy, understood Adele’s thoughts and remained still,
but even he seed to have noticed that the people around were feeling uncomfortable.
Lothos, who had been making a troubled expression while looking at , then let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth to Adele.
“Your Grace, I think there will be quite a few objections to this decision.”
“Is that so? Then what do we do?”
“There’s only one thing, isn’t there? We’ll have to follow our way.”
Then Adele’s gaze turned to .
I smiled bitterly at the look in her eyes, as if asking what I was going to do now when she knew it would turn out this way the mont she said she would make her deputy.
Last ti, I had shown a single sword energy and said it was a secret.
This ti, it seed she wanted to properly see my skills.
The gazes pouring on were plentiful.
The noisy banquet hall had beco quiet in an instant, and a suffocating silence descended upon .
The overwhelming pressure weighing on my shoulders, the dismissive looks, and the wary attitudes.
I had always received such gazes whenever I ca to the North.
However, the reason I had beco quite close with them was simple.
Because I had the skills.
Standing up from my seat, I looked at Bunta and opened my mouth.
Bunta snorted at my playfully moving finger.
“We just need to fight once?”
“Fight and win.”
“I see.”
My attitude was still relaxed. That was because it wasn’t the first ti I had experienced this situation.
My first ti was Bunta, the next ti was Bunta. And this ti, it’s Bunta again?
In fact, even if everyone here attacked , I was confident I could survive.
If Adele intervened, it would be a bit overwhelming, but I could still sohow endure it.
I didn’t wield a sword.
I had little mana, and compared to before, my body was so pitiful that it could be called trash.
However, I was still the one who was called the Sword Saint.
If I had a sword, defeating soone was not that difficult.
That was the Sword Saint, so was that title false?
I smiled slightly.
It was a more relaxed smile than ever.
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