Eustia Banquet (13)
Zeke frowned deeply.
‘What? Beautiful? Is this bastard for real?’
The First Prince was acting as if he had fallen head over heels at first sight, just like a scene from a movie.
He was a sight to behold, with his mouth agape and a stupid expression plastered on his face.
‘Right, she’s the female lead, after all.’
Soi Spoon had successfully captivated the First Prince from the moment she entered the banquet hall, as if she were emitting pheromones.
However, Zeke couldn't just hand her over to some random guy now.
Soi Spoon, destined for a sad ending.
As her main stage was a romance fantasy, her tragedy would surely begin with her meeting the wrong guy and getting entangled in his schemes.
She would eventually have to act independently to advance the story, but not now. Absolutely not now.
Soi Spoon was the only hope for Zeke to return to Earth from this world.
‘She’s a 99% death flag, the biggest problem is that you never know when, what kind of incident will get her killed like a fragile pufferfish.’
No sooner had he decided to teach her extrasensory perception than this happened.
It was as if her ill-fated destiny was trying to hinder him.
Zeke suppressed his discomfort and cooled his head.
‘Calm down. First, hiding Soi from this guy… It’s going to be difficult.’
Zeke looked at Yuri Gilbert, who was standing next to Iloise with an indifferent expression.
Even if he glossed over it here, if the First Prince asked Yuri about Soi Spoon, he would find out soon enough.
‘No, he probably already knows almost everything else. This is just the first time he's seen her face.’
A guy like the First Prince, Iloise, would only become more persistent if he tried to hide it and avert his gaze.
He had to give him something and block his approach with a suitable excuse.
‘To do that…’
Zeke pondered, racking his brain.
At that moment, the First Prince, Iloise, spoke.
“Lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Iloise Leonine, the First Prince of the Empire. If you don’t mind, may I ask for your name?”
*Shudder*
Soi Spoon’s body trembled.
She looked at Zeke with eyes that seemed to ask what she should do.
‘Hmm.’
Zeke spoke to the girl standing next to Iloise.
“Yuri Gilbert.”
“……Yes.”
“Didn’t you tell him about Elise?”
“Yes, I told you, but…….”
“Elise?”
Iloise raised an eyebrow at Zeke and Yuri's conversation.
“Yuri, didn’t you say she was a commoner? But how could she be at the Eustia banquet…….”
Iloise asked Yuri in a bewildered voice.
Then, the First Prince smirked as if he found it amusing.
“Ah, I see. Iriel Eustia clearly said that she sent invitations to all the students. Yes. Ha. I see. So that’s how she was able to enter.”
Zeke couldn't hide his discomfort.
‘Can’t that idiot stop smirking like that? Why is he acting so smug about something so trivial?’
“Yes, Elise. I remember. A commoner whose family runs the Hillaise Bakery, the top student admitted to Ramielli Academy……. Was it the Department of Accounting, and Swordsmanship…….”
As if to show that he already knew most of the information about Soi Spoon, the First Prince muttered her details.
Every time her personal information flowed from his mouth, Soi cringed.
It was as if he was accusing her of being wrong to come here today.
“That’s enough.”
Zeke interrupted him, cutting him off.
“Hmm? It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with you right now.”
Iloise frowned and spoke to Zeke.
“Disgusting. First Prince.”
“What……? What did you just say?”
“If you want me to say what’s going on in that head of yours, keep going.”
“……I don’t think this is the place for you to interfere.”
‘Look at this bastard, being all shady. I can’t give Soi to you, you bastard.’
Look at him, spouting such nonsense as soon as he found out she was a commoner.
He was trying to manipulate her by making her feel guilty by muttering about her personal information and showing the magnanimity of a person in power.
The status of a commoner and the status of royalty.
Attacking the other person's weakness and pressuring them with his own strength.
Gaslighting was done so naturally, as if breathing.
He was a truly unpleasant fellow.
‘In that case, I should intervene with something similar.’
“I’m intervening as her instructor.”
“As her instructor?”
“Yes, I don’t want Elise to be noticed by other nobles. As her teacher, I have a duty to protect her.”
Zeke stepped forward and met Iloise's gaze.
“Ha, that’s even more my…….”
Iloise scoffed and retorted at his words.
Zeke cut him off again.
“No, you wouldn't. If you really meant it, you wouldn't involve other nobles. Right now, can you promise me on your name? That you won’t use other people to get involved with Soi.”
“…….”
Zeke looked down at him with cynical eyes.
‘No way he could. Using other people to make someone dependent on him is this guy's specialty.’
The First Prince gritted his teeth, displeased with Zeke for interrupting and hindering him like this.
“You, you're being a little impertinent. I've been letting it slide, but I am the First Prince, heir to the bloodline of the Emperor of the Empire.”
“I see. But, hasn't the position of Crown Prince, the one to inherit the great Empire, not been decided yet?”
“What does that have to do with anything right now? I’m talking about your insubordinate attitude……!”
Zeke nodded his head in agreement at his words.
“As expected, it can't be helped. Then I'll just have to support the Second Prince.”
“What!?”
“Hmm? Is there something wrong with that?”
“That's, then the magic stones!”
Sparks flew from Iloise's eyes.
“Instructor Zeke! I, what I just heard is it true……. You, you’re supporting me!?”
At that moment, the Second Prince, Rosnante, intervened with an urgent look on his face.
Zeke had spotted the blond head peeking from afar and subtly amplified his voice with mana so that it would reach his ears.
“!”
Iloise's eyeballs shook from side to side at the sudden intrusion of the Second Prince.
Seeing his flustered appearance, Zeke smirked.
‘Hey, you bastard. You should've at least prepared multiple losing cards. Keep talking about magic stones or whatever. You punk.’
Zeke had indeed made a deal with that First Prince, Iloise, to remain neutral in exchange for magic stones.
But when he had checked Rosnante’s mana road last time, he clearly heard him mumble about 60 magic stones.
He had only asked him for 40. So what about the remaining 20?
Zeke was able to figure out that the sly First Prince had inflated the number of magic stones and passed them off to the clueless Second Prince.
Zeke leaned in slightly and whispered into Iloise's ear.
“First Prince. You do know that I have the contract we signed for the magic stones, right? What do you think would happen if I showed it to the Second Prince? You probably signed a contract with him too.”
He didn’t know for sure, but wouldn’t the First Prince have written down the circumstances in detail to blackmail the Second Prince in various ways?
If that’s the case, the Second Prince could use it to expose the First Prince’s dishonesty, nullifying the contract and damaging his image.
For someone like Iloise, who manipulates people with image-making without any real power, having his past manipulations exposed would be a fatal blow.
It was enjoyable to see Iloise's face stiffen, but Selena would be arriving soon.
Zeke decided to wrap things up here for now.
“One more thing, you'll come see me again after the banquet today. We’ll talk again then. And I hope your attitude won't be the same as it is now.”
‘You'll find out then that I’m Yohaiden's benefactor.’
* * *
Iriel glanced over at where Zeke was standing.
Iriel had been aware of his location from the moment she heard that he had arrived.
“Why is he sticking so close to Elise…….”
Iriel muttered, unable to hide her discomfort.
Elise, smiling brightly, chatting with Zeke.
Jealousy welled up in her heart.
However, she was not in a position to approach Zeke right now.
For a dramatic effect, it was best to talk to him after Selena Yohaiden, that airhead, revealed that Zeke was her benefactor.
“This is the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful banquet!”
“Glory to Eustia.”
“Hoho. Thank you.”
Iriel greeted other nobles, keeping her distance from Zeke.
After exchanging a few more words, she sent them off.
Iriel turned to Hades, who was standing behind her, with a tired expression.
“I hope the ball starts soon. When does it start?”
“Preparations are complete.”
“Hmm, and the location of the First and Second Princes?”
Iriel asked, concealing her true intentions.
‘I didn't expect them both to actually come. But it’s better this way.’
The fact that they had actually come to the Eustia banquet made the plan she had devised with Zeke and the airhead more convincing.
“Hmm, it seems they're with Zeke Clayman.”
Hades, who had been narrowing his eyes, answered Iriel's question.
“What!?”
Iriel abruptly turned her head to look at Zeke.
At some point, the First and Second Princes had gathered around Zeke Clayman.
Facing the First Prince head-on, they didn't seem to be on particularly good terms.
‘What is this? I heard rumors that the First Prince favors Zeke. What’s going on!?’
Just then, the first chords of the piano, signaling the start of the ball, echoed through the hall.
“Lady Selena Yohaiden, daughter of the Yohaiden Dukedom, has arrived!”
At the announcement, every eye in the banquet hall turned towards the entrance in astonishment.
Selena Yohaiden had made her grand entrance.
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