Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
39. House of cards
Thanks to Count Agreas’ arrangement, Elliot and his companions were treated to dinner at Duke Ziemeld’s mansion
The meals at the castle had been lavish, but this time, the food was even more extravagant and refined.
“Ammaaazing! It looks delicious!”
Emily couldn’t help but exclaim, and Madame Marianne smiled.
“Today is a banquet to celebrate everyone’s hard work, so let’s not be too polite. Please enjoy yourselves.”
“Thank you, lady Marianne! Yay!”
While Emily was happily frolicking, Elliot had an awkward smile on his face.
The food was fine and elaborate, something he would never have been able to enjoy when he was a commoner. But perhaps due to the tension and the situation he was now in, he couldn’t taste anything, it was like chewing sand.
After the dinner was over, Count Agreas, Elliot, and Lloyd moved to the cigar room. Although As knights, they didn’t smoke, but they sipped the spirits that had been served.
After the alcohol had taken hold of him and he had calmed down a little, Count Agreas placed a small bottle on the table. It was intricately decorated and looked like a glass bottle of perfume oil a nobleman would carry around for grooming purposes.
“It’s holy water. Please carry it with you just in case. Also, you can purify yourself beforehand on a regular basis.”
Count Agreas then looked at the replica of the sword that Elliot was holding.
Elliot’s brow wrinkled involuntarily.
“If you believe that… it has served its purpose, then why go to such lengths?”
Count Agreas had a graceful smile on his face.
“You must have been worried earlier. It’s on the matter of the undead magical beast that appeared on the outskirts of the royal capital. That’s why it’s an insurance policy. If it’s just one, that should be enough to cover it up.”*
Hearing this in a calm, nonchalant voice was enough to convince him, but the unease in his heart still didn’t go away. Elliot bowed his head and remained silent.
“The other day, I believe it was in the northeastern part of the Capital, along the coast of the Ureri River. That river originates in the mountains to the north and flows through our Ziemeld territory to the capital. The river flows particularly fast in the north. It would not be surprising if undead beasts that had escaped from the search for them had washed up in the river.”
Elliot’s sorrow deepened as he heard this, but Count Agreas continued speaking to try to persuade him.
“…Even if there was no holy sword in the first place, the same thing would have happened. So there’s no need to be nervous. Besides──…”
Count Agreas then stood up and went over the window. Outside the window, the sun had set and the royal castle was visible in the moonlight.
“You can say that it’s to give new recruits experience. You can keep them away as much as you want……. As I will soon be taking up my post as the Commander of the Kingdom’s Knights’ Order.”
“……?! Wait, what do you mean? Where’s Commander Lionel…?”
Taken completely by surprise, both Elliot and Lloyd stood up with their eyes wide open.
“Ah, that’s right. You have not been informed yet, it was so as not to spoil the celebrations.”
Count Agreas then turns around and smiles, pretending to have completely forgotten about it.
“Apparently, he had a falling out with His Majesty over a difference of opinion regarding the future treatment of the Holy Knight. He’s a stubborn man, you know.”
Returning to the sofa, he sat down comfortably and crossed his legs.
“I may not have his greatness or military prowess, but I too was once a proud leader of the Knights of Ziemeld.”
“…… that, of course w are aware of that.”
Lloyd replied, and they both sat back down on the couch to compose themselves.
Dylan Agreas Ziemeld is the next head of the Ziemeld Dukedom, and he is also a collateral relative of the present royal family in terms of bloodline, having received royal blood when they were annexed. And even though he may not have had any military achievements, he is a descendant of a royal lineage that has long defended a country in the northern region, a place infested with magical beasts.
Because of his noble blood, he has never been in the front lines, but it is not wrong to say that he was the leader of the Ziemeld Knights, which has been inherited from the time when the kingdom was still a kingdom.
In terms of status and position, he would certainly be well suited to assume the role of commander of the Kingdom’s Knights after Lionel’s departure.
“Besides, I think I could be of more help to you in this position.”
– it would be more convenient to have someone on top who shares the same secret, I guess…….
Elliot looked down and took a breath. It was true that this was much easier than having to hide a secret from Lionel, the former leader, or even confiding in him. Thinking of it like that, he felt somewhat lighter.
After leaving the Duke of Ziemeld’s residence, Elliott and the others returned to the royal castle, taking Emily with them.
The corridors of the royal castle were lit by magic lamps made by the court magicians and were as bright as daylight even in the darkness of the night.
Ahead of them, a familiar-looking man, almost tall enough to reach the ceiling, walks toward them. It was Goliath, an arms dealer. He had probably come up to the castle to take some orders.
When they got closer, Goliath looked a little surprised, then smiled and bowed.
“Oh, you two are already back?”
“Yeah, we are. ……”
Even though it was in the corridor of the royal castle, it was impossible to talk about the Hidden Village and the sword in a place where you did not know whose ears might be listening. He had planned to visit him after consulting with Count Agreas, but now the atmosphere was extremely awkward.
While he was thinking about whether he should just get away with a casual exchange for now, Goliath’s gaze stopped on the sword Elliot was holding.
There was a moment of silence, and Goliath’s expression went blank.
“…I see. So you have chosen your path.”
The eyes of Goliath, a connoisseur arms dealer who has seen the real thing, cannot be fooled. The voice that Goliath muttered was hard and emotionless, but the color contained within it was freezing cold.
In the end, without exchanging any more words, Goliath leaves.
After all that time, it felt like he was standing on a terribly fragile footing, and he felt dizzy. With heavy steps, Elliot said goodbye to Lloyd and walked down the corridor to take Emily to her room, when she clung to him, hanging onto his arm.
“Hey, Elliot. Can I come to your room tonight?”
Emily looked up at him with a superior gaze, her cheeks flushed, and there was not a single trace of melancholy on her face.*
– Even if the vessel was given to me by Flora, the one who brought the holy sword through prayer was… Emily.
For Elliot now, that was the only truth that remained. It was also his only source of support. He had seen her devotion with his own eyes, so there was no doubt about it. That was what Elliot felt.
–And besides, if Emily, the saint, prays, eventually…
With this thought in mind, he tightened his grip on the replica sword in his hand.
Tl note:
Collateral relatives are relatives who are not direct ancestors or descendants of an individual, such as siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.