Eustia's Banquet (6)
Meanwhile.
The First Prince, Iloise Leonaine, was having a private conversation with a young woman in his mansion.
Yuri Gilbert, a girl with short black hair that reached her shoulders and matching black eyes.
“So, how was it today? Personally, I enjoy hearing about the Second Prince’s training.”
Iloise asked with an intrigued expression.
“In the Second Prince’s case, he received mana road work today and collapsed screaming.”
“Mana road?”
“Yes, he even fainted for a while.”
“What's that?”
He had heard of mana roads, but they were something out of legends, a figment of imagination.
Iloise’s brows furrowed at the unfamiliar term that popped out of nowhere.
“It's a new training course. As far as I know, Selena Yohaiden, Iriel Eustia, and the Second Prince are the only ones who have received it so far. I'm scheduled to receive it tomorrow.”
“Hmm. Tell me more about it after you receive it.”
At that, Yuri’s expression momentarily soured.
“……Yes.”
“Right, and what other information do you have?”
“I confirmed Selena Yohaiden’s power.”
“Selena Yohaiden, all of a sudden?”
Yuri nodded.
However, she was unsure how to explain the unidentified power.
She wasn't even sure if it was because of the mana road, so she was hesitant to give out information prematurely.
She decided to tell him only what she saw.
“When she threw a punch, dust rose from the ground.”
“……I see. Dust rose from the ground.”
“And there was a loud noise.”
“She must be quite strong.”
Iloise replied a little dryly.
‘This girl is rational and loyal, but she’s so poor at conveying information.’
Receiving information through this kind of question-and-answer session every time felt like scratching around an itch without ever quite reaching it.
He tried a few more questions, but Yuri Gilbert continued to respond with abstract and conceptual words.
“Haah……. Forget it. Well, she must have gotten a lot stronger.”
“Yes. She was strong.”
“Then you’ll become just as strong.”
“……”
Yuri couldn't answer that.
She couldn't even begin to imagine herself being capable of such a feat.
Just as she was about to conclude that there was no more information, Yuri remembered the paper she had tucked away.
“And this….”
She handed Iloise the invitation to the Eustia estate.
“Eustia?”
Iloise frowned and unfolded the invitation.
[Eustia Banquet Invitation]
『To the First Prince, Iloise Leonaine. I request the honor of your presence at the Eustia banquet. - Iriel Eustia.』
‘Hmm? This is strange.’
“Did you say Iriel Eustia gave you this?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say when she gave it to you?”
“She said she would be honored if you could grace the Eustia banquet with your presence.”
Iloise looked at Yuri and said,
“How formal.”
“Yes.”
“The timing is too sudden. To host a banquet at the Eustia estate in a week….”
“That's right.”
Iloise scratched his forehead, lost in thought.
‘The important thing is that she gave the invitation in front of Selena Yohaiden.’
Selena Yohaiden and Iriel Eustia.
It was no secret that the two daughters of the feuding families were at odds.
Of course, it wouldn't be strange for the impulsive and capricious Eustia to do this as a show of force in front of her.
‘Right, if she gave the invitation to invite Rosnante and me…. I understand. But why now?’
He examined the invitation for any hidden meanings, but it was plain, devoid of even the simplest embellishments.
For a ducal invitation, it seemed hastily made.
It was as if it was saying, ‘Whether you come or not is of no consequence to me.’
‘Ha, if this is a provocation, it’s a brilliant tactic.’
Feeling slightly offended, Iloise asked Yuri,
“……Was the invitation Rosnante received any different from mine?”
“……The Second Prince didn't open the seal, so I couldn't check it myself. However, the invitations given to Lady Selena Yohaiden, the commoner girl, and me were all the same.”
“Can we interpret this as Eustia trying to side with the Second Prince?”
Yuri tilted her head.
The favor Iriel had shown so far was directed more towards the swordsmanship instructor, Zeke Clayman, rather than the Second Prince.
However, she thought it best to leave the judgment to the intelligent and noble man in front of her rather than making her own.
Yuri told him what she knew.
“She also gave an invitation to Zeke Clayman, the swordsmanship instructor. And Iriel Eustia seemed to pay more attention to the swordsmanship instructor than the Second Prince.”
“……Zeke Clayman, that man again.”
Iloise recalled the man with the impassive expression who had swindled him out of his magic stone.
Of course, he had later succeeded in pawning it off to Rosnante with interest, and thanks to the monthly tribute of magic stones he received, he was making a pretty penny.
But that was then and this was now.
As expected, it was difficult to make an accurate judgment based solely on Yuri Gilbert’s reports.
He felt he needed to see the situation for himself.
“Right, the Eustia banquet. I wonder what will happen that day. I’ll attend. You should prepare to go to the Eustia banquet as well.”
“……Yes.”
* * *
“Then let's begin.”
Zeke said to Soi, who was wearing a bewildered expression.
‘T-That’s not what you said!’
Soi was mortified and devastated.
She felt like a cheap tavern dancer.
She had heard about it too.
High-ranking nobles. Their entertainment.
They said that in front of them, one would dance while taking off their clothes one layer at a time to the music.
If one was lucky enough to catch the eye of a high-ranking noble, they could earn an unimaginable amount of money.
‘The reason why Instructor has been so nice to me all this time was for this…!’
It was just a one-time humiliation, so it wasn't strange that there were women who were desperately seeking such opportunities.
However,
‘I didn’t want to do that….’
She bit her trembling lips, but the people in front of her were the daughters of ducal families.
They were people she couldn't even dare to make eye contact with.
Just because they were a little comfortable and friendly, she had mistakenly thought they were ‘friends’.
If a noble wanted entertainment, someone of her status had no right to refuse.
‘The academy’s claim of equality, of non-discrimination, was all a lie….’
Yes,
She had thought it was strange.
That a noble, an instructor at such an academy, would pay so much attention to her.
‘Did I just stand out?’
Their first meeting.
The instructor who had pointed her out at the entrance ceremony.
Their second meeting.
The instructor who had personally come to the bakery and chased away the loan sharks.
Their third meeting.
The instructor who had offered her a gold coin without hesitation, telling her to join the swordsmanship class.
… Their fourth, fifth, sixth meeting….
Soi had received endless help from him. She had only ever received.
Without even knowing what the price was.
It might have been nothing to him, but it was so dazzling to her.
Just.
The foolish thought that there were such people even among nobles,
Or the times she had blushed at night, wondering if he was interested in her.
However, what was this situation now?
If the instructor had come to her alone and said such a thing, she might have been a little embarrassed, but she would have allowed it, thinking it was an unavoidable part of the deal.
However, the fact that the high-ranking noble students in her class were gathered around her like this, as if watching a show, could only mean that there was another intention.
‘It’s fortunate that the Second Prince and other male nobles aren’t here, but… Why would they want to see another woman undress!’
The tastes of nobles knew no bounds.
Disgust welled up inside her.
But there was nothing she could do.
With a sense of betrayal, Soi closed her eyes tightly and brought her trembling hand to the buttons of her training uniform.
Just then, Iriel stopped her with an urgent voice.
“Wait! Why are you in such a hurry, Elise!”
“I need to get a cloth to cover the instructor’s eyes! Um, a cloth….”
“I’ll find one!”
Iriel jumped up and began rummaging through the corners of the room.
Soi looked at Selena and Zeke Clayman with a dazed expression.
“W-What’s going on…?”
“Ah, I forgot to explain.”
Selena said as if she had just remembered.
“We saw the Second Prince getting his mana road checked earlier. You know he had to take off his shirt, right?”
“Uh, yes….”
Soi Spoon, who had been speaking informally as usual, suddenly became aware that they were outside the academy and switched to formal speech.
“But there are a lot of girls in our class.”
“T-That’s right.”
“I thought it would be a problem for the instructor’s reputation if he did that to a female student without any measures, even if it’s necessary. It’s still seeing a female student’s bare skin.”
Soi Spoon reluctantly nodded.
“So, we’re going to cover the instructor’s eyes while he’s working and I’ll be here to observe and alleviate any anxiety, to show that it’s purely for training purposes. Of course… I have no idea why she followed me all the way here.”
Selena glared at Iriel, who was still rummaging through the room.
“Oh, uh….”
Soi Spoon realized the misunderstanding she had been harboring and trembled with shame.
She had been feeling discriminated against lately,
Thinking they weren't paying attention to her,
And had harbored such an absurd misunderstanding.
It was she herself who had drawn the line, thinking ‘They are nobles, and I am a commoner.’
‘Uwaaaaah, this is so embarrassing!!!’
Just then,
Iriel, who had been searching for a cloth to cover Zeke's eyes, returned.
“Elise, what is this…? Where did you get this…?”
She asked in a chilling voice.
In Iriel's hand was an old shoe.
And on the side of the shoe was a large ‘V’ mark.
“Th-That’s Father’s keepsake!”
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