NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
Episode 181 Secret Social Hall (3)
'You have a good eye.'
I never thought I'd be suspected the moment I saw you.
Robert, head of the investment department in Wintert.
He doesn't seem to be strong enough to threaten Verden, but he seems to have at least one outstanding sense.
But that's it.
The face of deception was functioning normally, and Robert had no means of penetrating its camouflage.
There is no reason to be shaken.
Because her suspicions will not lead to certainty.
Verden shook his head firmly without showing his reaction.
Robert narrowed his eyes.
I also knew that this was our first meeting. However, it was difficult to ignore this ominous feeling. It was Gail who broke the silence that followed.
“Please go now.”
Only then did Robert stop looking at her with suspicion.
“I guess I was mistaken. Excuse me, Dark Merchant.”
“Don't mind it.”
“Then I’ll see you inside.”
“I will guide you personally.”
Butler Senuel took the lead and guided Bintert.
Cland exhaled as Robert and his party disappeared from sight.
“Black Hand Robert. He’s not so easy going, is he?”
Verden shrugged.
Not only did he not react to Robert's suspicions, but he also acted like a mute Malted even though no one was watching.
Cland chuckled.
“……It seems like things aren’t easy here either.”
Cland pulled his fedora down low.
“Let’s go now.”
* * *
The Marquis of Ruben de Esperanza stood at the window.
It was the Marquis's long-standing habit to stand still and gaze upon the vast and peaceful land. However, his bloodshot eyes were focused on something other than the landscape.
“We must have arrived at the social gathering place by now.”
“If everything goes according to plan, then yes. But… you seem to be thinking a lot.”
“Do you see? You know so much just by looking at the back.”
“Hahaha. Hasn’t it been several decades since I’ve known Your Majesty?”
Edmon asked with a smile.
“Is it about Asher? I’m sure he’s helped Miss Kalia a lot, but I think it’s a bit too early to be entrusting him with this mission. What if he betrays……”
“How do you see him?”
“……He doesn’t seem like someone who would betray. Because his magic told me so.”
Edmon witnessed the power of Verden
Talent overflowing from his entire body. But it doesn't stop there. He also has the hard work and mental strength to match.
“He is not a wizard who will bend rather than break. If you give him a few pennies, a magic item, or an artifact, if it does not suit his wishes, he will refuse. Even if it is your request.”
The Marquis recalled the walls of Verden.
“……It certainly seemed that way. Well, I didn’t think at all that he would be attached to the First Prince. And if it weren’t for Asher, I wouldn’t have even attempted this request in the first place. Even if he fails, he won’t reveal any secrets. Of course, if he has the skills I’ve heard, he won’t be caught either.”
“What's the problem with that?”
“It’s not Asher that’s the problem, it’s the secret Asher will find out.”
The Marquis frowned.
“As you know, the First Prince is not a big deal. He is not even a king yet, and he only has a sham power among criminals with Wintert on his back.”
but.
“The King of Estiria is different.”
1The prince is extremely arrogant
The second prince is obsessed with sex.
The third prince's greed is endless.
Children born to different queens.
What about their common father, the King of Estyria?
“The King of Estyria was arrogant yet humble, lustful yet pure, greedy yet temperate. In short, he was an ordinary man. An ordinary man with nothing special about him.”
To put it nicely, he is an ordinary king.
To put it badly, he is an incompetent king who is manipulated by the nobles.
“But he changed.”
27 years ago, when the country was reeling from the war with the Republic of Beldirn, a 'new prime minister' appeared.
Since then, he has invaded the territory of the Republic and has had the opportunity to become a great king who will be remembered in history.
“But isn’t the new prime minister dead?”
“Of course, the new prime minister is dead. The wizards he brought with him are also missing or dead. However, the King of Estyria is still obsessed with not having achieved glory then. Even now, with his age and poor health.”
The Marquis was convinced.
The King of Estyria would not forget that moment when he had momentarily overwhelmed the Republic.
“Of course, it could be a needless worry. But… it’s true that I can’t let my guard down.”
Edmon knew very well what that anxiety was.
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Edmon asked, his smile fading away.
“What will you do if the King of Estyria tries to start a war again?”
“What if you find convincing evidence in your dealings with the First Prince?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t matter. The result won’t change. But…….”
The Marquis' eyes sparkled.
“I guess we need to bring forward our plans.”
* * *
The secret social hall is different from other noble social gatherings.
They don't fake smiles or give insincere compliments to network, and they don't stay for days and enjoy noisy parties.
A more raw atmosphere.
The criminals who came to Ariente had no intention of forming friendships with one another.
They came here not for connections, but only to seek the privileges that the First Prince would grant.
“…….”
Verden quietly looked around the hall.
The invited leaders and their associates were sitting in their respective seats eating. A dreary silence flowed, unbecoming of a social gathering place.
'They're all playing separately.'
A crazy person who suddenly bursts into laughter.
A bald mercenary who swallows food roughly.
An orange-haired woman who eats a piece of cake bit by bit.
A large merchant who serves several meals with elegant movements.
Each has a distinct personality.
Being chosen by the prince means that you have as much ability as you do looks.
'By the way, I don't see Robert.'
On the Bintert side, only three men were visible, excluding her.
Are you having a private meeting with the prince?
Probably so.
Even though Wintert was already receiving special treatment, Robert, one of the three powerful men, came to see him in person.
It's only natural that the treatment is different.
It was then that the silence was broken.
Tolab, the madman who blew a whistle on a bottle of whiskey.
He raised his voice so that everyone could hear him.
“Keep on eating. You really do eat a lot. Even an orc wouldn’t be able to fit that much in his stomach. If he keeps doing that, he might burst later.”
It was a sudden provocation.
It was obvious who the ending was pointing to.
The giant Dario paused and sighed.
“Ha, that crazy guy. He still hasn’t gotten over his habit of picking on people who are just sitting there.”
The best answer for a crazy person is to ignore them.
Dario shook his head and continued eating. Tolab taunted him a few more times, but he ignored him and continued to ignore him.
Tolab clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, I was just trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn’t fun. You’re still so narrow-minded, don’t you think, merchant? Isn’t that right, Robart?”
“Don’t talk to me. It’s noisy.”
The twin wizards of Wintert.
Among them, Robert, who was called Hyung, wiped his mouth with a napkin. Tolab giggled and shook his bottle of alcohol.
“Kihikihi, you’re the one who’s being noisy. I’ve been hearing all sorts of rumors about you… no, your brothers.”
"what?"
“You got screwed over at the underworld auction house, right? You said you were preparing a birthday present for your little brother, and you even used all your pocket money to raise the funds, but then you got beat out by the same guy three times in a competitive bid, and you caused a scene. Come to think of it, you’re pretty lucky, aren’t you? You almost ruined the auction house, and you’re still alive and kicking… Kick!”
A laughter tickled my ears.
When his twin brother Rocky glanced to the side, he saw a strong vein bulging at Robart's temple.
'Brother, I'm mad!'
“Who dares this psychopath say……!”
“Kick. How dare you? You should talk like that to your subordinates. You’re just sitting in the Wintert executive’s seat and talking big. Hey, why don’t you just do it like you used to? You should fry and kill all the guys who bother you.”
Ah, Tolab has turned bright red.
“But what happens if I kill you? Can I go into the Vintert and do some executive work?”
“Shut your mouth!”
Boom!
Robert slammed the desk down.
At the same time, the magical circuit was activated. A small electric current flashed at Robart's fingertips.
“Oh, it looks like Robert is really pissed.”
“Yeah. If you do it right, you’ll be able to see some interesting things.”
Mercenary leader Gaul and designer Nellita watched with interest.
Dario continued eating with his eyes turned forward, while Guile tilted his wine glass with an expressionless face.
The same goes for Cland.
There was no chaos.
Still, it was a good situation for Verden.
There was no need to try hard to act like Malted since no one else would care.
Besides, if there was a chance to see what kind of skills that lunatic and the Wintert executives had… … that would be perfect.
'Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to see it.'
Verden turned his head to the side.
Immediately after that, the chairman's door opened and many footsteps were heard.
Robert.
Next to her was the master of this castle.
“What are you doing instead of eating what you’re told to eat?”
The first prince of the Estirian royal family, Valgna Bain of Estiria, has finally revealed himself.
* * *
A perfectly coiffed, tawny hair with not a single strand out of place.
The symbol of the Estyrian royal family was engraved in the center of the chest. And the splendid decorations and jewels embroidered next to it were so ornate that it hurt the eyes of those who saw it.
'How much money did you spend on something that wasn't even a magical item, just an ordinary garment?'
Not only is the appearance a problem, but there is no practical aspect to it at all.
I heard you were arrogant and full of pretense, but I didn't expect it to be this bad.
I can confidently say that he is more extravagant than any figure Verden has ever seen.
Moreover, the design was also the worst. It was difficult to control one's facial expressions because the appearance completely denied Verden's aesthetic sense.
But I had no intention of showing my feelings.
It was Malted now, not Verden. He stood up from his seat to join the others.
“Your Majesty, Valgna.”
Cland got down on one knee, and Berden followed suit. Madman Tolab chewed the inside of his cheek, stifling the laughter that was about to escape his lips.
Not all of them knelt down.
The characters of Wintert merely bowed down before the First Prince.
Guile, Robart, and Rocky.
Those who serve the ruler of Wintert.
It may be understandable for the King of Estyria, who is on the same level as the King of the Underworld, but it probably means that a candidate for the throne is not enough to set an example.
The first prince blinked when he saw him.
It was quite a blow to my pride… … so I quickly gathered my emotions.
“Get up.”
Everyone who was present stood up.
“I heard it was quite noisy from outside. What on earth is going on in my castle?”
“There was a little friction.”
When Gail answered, the first prince's expression suddenly crumpled.
“Friction? At a social gathering I hosted? Who would dare!”
Tolab and Robart.
The gazes split into two. Prince 1, who confirmed that there was a member of the Wintert clan among them, turned his head straight to Robert.
“Oh, really. Robert, no matter how much I respect Wintert, isn’t this wrong? Trying to shed blood in my castle without my permission? Isn’t this disrespectful to me?”
“Don’t be angry. I don’t think you really intended to see blood, did you?”
“Of course.”
“Of course……kick.”
Robart and Tolab nodded.
“Please, please look upon it as a simple pastime.”
"sideshow……."
1The prince chewed on the words.
If it were his usual self, he would never have let it go. The Prince really, really hated any slight blemish on his authority.
But Wintert is not someone to assert authority against.
Because the one who had given that authority was none other than Wintert. Even if he was the first prince, provoking them would only be detrimental.
'It's not worthwhile to back down like this.'
Those invited to the social gathering and their escorts.
Many eyes are on him.
He was not the next king of the underworld to rise to the top of Estiria, and he could never allow himself to be intimidated by his subordinates.
How to do it.
While thinking for a moment, the first prince caught sight of an unfamiliar man. It seemed like Cland had brought him in as a new confidant… … .
'Yeah, that'll do.'
A good idea occurred to me.
With this, you will be able to lead the atmosphere of the social gathering.
The smiling prince sat on the empty chair.
“Entertainment. Now that I think about it, Robert, you seem to have a point. Even if it was a secret social gathering place, it was still too bleak and boring up until now. Isn’t that right?”
“Your Majesty, what is that…?”
“So, what I’m saying is, let’s have some fun.”
Robert tilted his head as if to ask what she was talking about.
Without waiting for her answer, Prince 1 raised his finger.
“I’m meeting someone for the first time. I think this will be quite an interesting pastime.”
A finger adorned with a diamond ring.
The end was pointing directly at Verden, who was disguised as Malted…
Gathered gazes.
Berden, standing in the center, blinked.
'I haven't heard of this.'
A variable has been created.