Volume 2 Chapter 78 Dark Knight I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The response of the guards was unresponsive.
From behind the visor, only dark eyes looked out.
When Kian bowed to the other guests and turned his back, he sensed that the knight also slightly bowed and returned to his original place.
’For a guide to the venue, this soldier is rather quiet.’
(‘Glasses’)
Kian called out as he entered the venue, following the elegantly dressed noblewomen.
(Was that the subordinate of Owl? Was he human?)
’Well, he seemed dead at first glance, but he showed no sign of decay and was moving properly. Quite intriguing. Hehe…’
”────”
Moving along the stone wall of the spacious venue that spanned 50 meters square, Kian glanced at the knights in full armor standing like statues on the mezza9.
They remained completely still, indicating strong core strength.
They really looked dead.
Observing the knight subordinate to Owl closely for the first time, it certainly emitted an eerie and ominous presence.
He shouldn’t be overly cautious, as he’s not unfamiliar with Owl, but it seems wise to keep an occasional eye on them just in case.
”────”
Finding a suitable space by the wall, he settled down.
Looking around the venue again, it became clear that this gathering had far more money put into it than the previous one.
First, red and gold cloth bearing the Knights of the Sun emblem was hung even on the walls of the mezzanine.
The carpet laid on the first floor felt much better underfoot than the mat in Maribel’s office, and the wine and meat being served seemed to be high-quality items that took time and care to prepare.
Almost all the guests appeared to belong to the upper class.
Perhaps aristocrats from the borderlands.
Wealthy merchants.
Or the leaders of the adventurers’ Guild.
Searching for Friedrich, he instead found Oswald, surrounded by many noblewomen before him.
He was charming the young ladies with a refreshing smile.
Behind him stood Aisha and Eleonora, dressed in elegant gowns, smiling and chatting.
Looking for other acquaintances, he also spotted Natasha and Archbishop Homolka.
Unsurprisingly, they were participants of the soirée as well.
(I wonder where Maribel and McCutchen are?)
And then there’s Christy.
She might have faked an illness to go home since she’s not good at these kinds of parties.
Otherwise, perhaps she’s acting as a bodyguard for Maribel.
Christy was supposed to keep an eye on Kian as per McCutchen’s orders, but she hadn’t been seen since they parted in the morning.
”Sir Kian, considering what comes after the ball, wouldn’t it be wise to eat something?”
”That’s true.”
”If I may materialize, should I bring some food?”
”No, it’s better for me to get it myself to avoid any issues. You just stay quietly in my shadow.”
”Understood.”
With that, he approached an appropriate table, cutting some meat before returning.
He found only alcohol for drinks, so he decided to hydrate with his own water bottle.
Kian handed the empty water bottle to the Night Wraith lurking in his pocket.
”Thanks, Tengu. But make sure not to drop my belongings. That’s a must.”
”Hey Tengu, did you hear? Fulfill your duty as a toolbox as commanded by the lord. Understand?”
’Is this some advanced act? Tengu’s talent as a jester is being tested.’
(Tengu shouldn’t be capable of high-level reasoning yet. They probably don’t understand such acts.)
Just as Kian thought this, the entrance of the hall opened, and McCutchen and Maribel’s group walked in.
* * *
Flanking McCutchen were the Katze he had parted with earlier.
There were also several ladies attending to him.
In contrast, behind Maribel were 2 young guards, a lady named Fringilla, along with Christy and Owl following closely.
The young princess, wrapped in a light pink dress, wore a gentle smile.
Owl was also smiling cheerfully.
However, Christy, Fringilla, and the young guards looked slightly pale and were downcast.
If only Christy was the one with a scared expression, he could have brushed it off as shyness, but seeing the usual young guards trembling their lips raises a strong sense of discomfort.
However, all Kian does is gorge on the expensive meals at the banquet.
He has no one else to talk to, silently taking food from the nearby plate and stuffing it into his stomach.
At the same time, he minimizes his presence, slipping through the cracks of the surrounding nobles’ awareness.
With this, only those powerful enough to break Kian’s concealment can cast suspicious glances.
’Is it good?’
(It’s nuanced. The taste has a sweet and sour flavor that doesn’t suit me. But if it fills my stomach, I have no complaints.)
It’s more about nourishment than the flavor of the food.
Moreover, the expensive seasoning used abundantly makes him feel luxurious while eating the dishes.
That’s all there is to it.
While ignoring McCutchen and the others starting their rounds of greetings, he calmly chew his food.
When his cheeks is full, he wash it down with water from his flask.
The repetition continues.
After continuing this for a while, a loud noise suddenly echoed from the center of the hall.
’What’s going on?’
”……?”
The noble guests buzzed all at once.
Kian collected the leftover food from a nearby table for Natra while chewing the piece of pork left in his mouth, blending into the crowd to gauge the center of the commotion.
In the center of the hall.
In the empty space surrounded by the murmuring nobles, the food table had dramatically overturned, and in front of it, McCutchen and Maribel were glaring at each other.
’Oh… it seems something interesting is happening.’
True to the words of ‘glasses,’ the atmosphere is certainly not peaceful.
It appears McCutchen was the one who pushed the table, with droplets of spilled wine dripping from his fingers.
Behind McCutchen, the guards Katze had their hands on their swords at their waists.
Next to Maribel stood the tall knight Owl, lurking like a shadow.
”…Princess? What did you just say to this McCutchen…?”
In the hushed hall, the old steward’s voice, quivering with anger, echoed softly.
Maribel tightly clenched her fists, placed in front of her skirt.
”I said I would condemn you, McCutchen. In this hall where the influential figures of the border gather.”
”Condemn? What are you condemning? With all due respect, it seems the princess is confused.”
”No, I am not confused. Everyone, the crime I accuse McCutchen of here is──”
Maribel paused for a breath.
The surrounding nobles, waiting for her words, seemed to focus on the young princess.
”My father──Godfrey Danofen, was poisoned.”
”Impossible! This is an unfounded accusation!”
McCutchen’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth foaming as he shouted.
His white eyebrows raised, face flushed, veins bulging at his temples.
”I poisoned the master, Sir Godfrey!? What are you saying! His Excellency Godfrey fell ill, and then──”
”My father Godfrey fell bedridden 8 years ago. Three years later, he started weakening, and eventually passed away. There may be those here who witnessed Godfrey’s final moments 5 years ago. Archbishop Homolka, for example, you were there, weren’t you?”
”Yes, Your Excellency.”
The stout Archbishop standing next to Natasha stepped forward and nodded.
”Until he suddenly collapsed 8 years ago, he was remarkably robust for his age. To think… he became emaciated, barely able to breathe. I still remember him, tearfully asking me to take care of the princess after his death.”
”You weren’t told, Homolka! He spoke to me!”
”After Godfrey died, his doctor and the chef at that time were also assaulted and died one after the other. Three years ago, upon learning of the deaths of those 2, I questioned whether they were not coincidentally attacked by robbers, but rather intentionally murdered by someone hired.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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