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After parting ways with Luke, Riche immediately began to explore the interior of the social gathering. I didn’t really want to meet anyone, but they say it’s better to strike first, right?

Since I was going to run into someone anyway, I decided it was better to take the initiative and move first.

Having accompanied my father a few times in the past, I knew roughly when he would arrive. Also… I knew I wouldn’t be wandering around alone.

While wandering the hall, Riche managed to find her older sister talking with children from other noble families.

“Sister.”

“Yes?”

At first, the sister didn’t recognize her and spoke formally, but upon turning around and confirming it was Riche, a frown appeared on her forehead.

However, as if nothing had happened, she quickly composed herself and excused herself to the nobles she was conversing with.

After bidding farewell to the departing nobles, she finally turned back to Riche once there was no one else around. Unlike the cheerful demeanor she had just shown to others, her expression was now cold, as if a blizzard had suddenly struck.

“So, why have you come? Before that, how did you get in here?”

The eldest daughter, Carol Winchester. She was a person of sheer pragmatism. As a child, she was innocent like Riche, but the circumstances around her had shaped her differently.

It was unlikely that an invitation had reached Riche while she was at the academy, and while news of her withdrawal had already spread, it hadn’t reached Carol since it was of no interest to her.

“I have a party I’m traveling with.”

“Oh? Did you manage to catch an A-Rank adventurer with that pretty face of yours? Good for you. Off to find your own lord, huh?”

Hehe, Carol laughed. It was a scoffing kind of laugh that was hard to miss. If this were the usual Riche, she would have shot back at such cheap provocation with confidence, but the current Riche could only lower her head and fiddle with her fingers.

They hadn’t always had such a frigid relationship, but everything changed after their mother passed away.

After their mother’s death, someone had to become the vessel for Hex, of course. But it was impossible for her elder brother, the eldest son, to take on that role as he was meant to inherit the family in the future.

That left either Riche or Carol to become the vessel for the seal. Disliking that prospect, Carol had proven her worth.

From a young age, she had helped with family affairs and taken on diplomatic duties, thus proving herself. Naturally, Riche, who had done nothing so far, became the vessel for the seal.

Ever since Riche became the vessel for the seal, she was treated as nonexistent by her father, just like her brother.

“Right. I can’t stop you from making your own decisions. But I wouldn’t recommend going to see the family head. You might go on a rampage if you get overwhelmed, and that would be troublesome for us.”

“… That won’t happen.”

Hex is gone now. Riche wanted to say those words, but once Carol finished speaking, she quickly turned away, as if the conversation was a waste of time.

Thinking following her would result in more silence, Riche took her leave.

This time, she was looking for Duke Winchester. Along with the butler, Conrad, he was one of her few allies—her older brother.

True to the future heir, he appeared busy mingling with the other nobles, but upon catching Riche’s eye, his expression brightened in stark contrast to Carol’s.

Duke Winchester excused himself from the other nobles and quickly approached Riche.

“Riche…!”

“Brother.”

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Her always considerate brother asked worriedly, “I heard you dropped out of the academy. What happened?”

It was all thanks to Duke that Riche had been able to enroll in the academy. Hex was a family secret they wanted to keep hidden, and their father had resolutely refused to allow Riche to leave the territory with that secret.

Duke was the one who had persuaded their father to let Riche attend the academy. Now… she had dropped out on her own.

“No… I found something I wanted to do.”

“… Is that so?”

How long had it been since Riche could say she had something she wanted to do, rather than being consumed by her desire for revenge?

Duke’s heart ached. The image of Riche cheerfully sharing her dreams as a child flashed before his eyes.

“…”

“…”

The conversation was brief, but silence quickly fell between them. It had been a long time since they had seen each other face to face, which made it all the more awkward.

In the noisy social gathering, it felt as if the two of them were in an entirely different place. The first to break the silence was a self-deprecating comment from Duke.

“Riche… are you happy right now…?”

Duke’s voice, shaped by the cold training of being the head of the family, trembled slightly.

Duke had always felt sorry for Riche. He had imposed the burdens he was supposed to shoulder onto her innocent self.

When Duke asked, Riche met his gaze and smiled faintly.

“… Yes.”

“I see…”

“Well, I’ll go see Father now.”

“What? Riche, wait a moment…!”

Before Duke’s voice could reach her, Riche was the first to turn away. Although she had just run into her family, her original purpose was to see her father. Fortunately, her father was not far away.

“… Father.”

“What do you need?”

Ultimately, she had to face him, but the tension made her forget all the words she had wanted to say. Or, originally, had she had anything to say? Struggling to remember what she was going to say, she finally recalled.

“R-right! I finally killed Hex! Not by my own hand, but that bastard who killed mother…”

“So?”

“Yes…?”

“I asked what has changed.”

“That… I avenged mother…”

Her voice dwindled as she spoke. She could feel the icy stare of Gerald. Overcome by trauma, Riche gradually shrank back.

Still, she thought that killing Hex would change something. But it didn’t seem to. In fact, Gerald spoke as if those events would not return no matter what.

“More importantly, how did you get in here? You shouldn’t have had an invitation.”

“Uh, um… I came with a group that includes an A-Rank adventurer…”

“With that appearance, did you manage to lure a man? If used wisely, it could be beneficial for our house.”

“Y-yes…? No, he…!”

“Where is your party?”

Luke is dangerous. He surely thinks he got me, but in reality, it is the opposite.

He likely intends to use me for something, and if he gets caught up in any of it, he’ll be dead for sure.

Just as Riche was about to dissuade Gerald…

“Attention!!”

*

As the guards endured being ignored, a plump nobleman couldn’t take it anymore and barked orders at them.

The guards hesitated, but ultimately drew their swords. Whether they drew them now or later, they’d end up in trouble either way.

Truly, as I said, nobles are foolish. That’s why they dared to command guards to draw weapons in the royal palace.

And not only that, but knowing I was an A-Rank adventurer and still attempting to kill me with mere guards was absurd.

-Thud!

As the guards swung their swords, an intangible force pressed down upon them as I wished. Consequently, they naturally knelt before me.

“Attention!!”

At that moment, the clanking of armor echoed through the entrance, and knights entered the hall, moving in an orderly fashion. The knight at the front called out loudly to announce someone’s arrival.

“His Majesty the Emperor, the one and only light of the Empire, enters!”

Immediately, an emperor with a long white beard and white hair made his entrance. Clad in a red cloak and a resplendent crown, his demeanor and movements exuded nobility.

All the nobles inside knelt and bowed their heads at his presence. To avoid adding to my already frequent troubles, I knelt as I popped a piece of meat into my mouth.

There’s no need to create unnecessary trouble.

At that moment, as the emperor stroked his beard and took a step forward…

-Slash!

The emperor’s head was severed by the sword of a guard standing behind him.

“…!!”

In the midst of the royal palace, with guards all around, the emperor had suddenly been assassinated. Silence descended in the hall as a few nobles gulped nervously. All the guards on the scene drew their swords.

But strangely, the guard who had just beheaded the emperor stood frozen in place. Did he accomplish his goal by killing the emperor? Just as I was pondering this…

“Hahaha! What do you think? This new artifact I acquired.”

The voice came from the entrance of the hall. The freshly decapitated emperor strolled in, laughing heartily. He stepped forward among the knights, speaking as if nothing had happened.

“It was a simple show to help ease the tension.”

To think he risked his life just for a show to relieve tension. That moment defined my perception of the emperor.

‘He’s out of his mind.’

The knights standing right next to the emperor appeared just as dumbfounded, as if they hadn’t been informed in advance; I could only imagine their hearts racing.

But whether it was simply the emperor’s personality or not, some nobles displayed no reaction whatsoever.

“Now, I’ll take care of my duties, so don’t mind me and get on with what you all do.”

With that, the emperor blended back into the nobles, flanked by guards. Surprisingly, the emperor had such a grand entrance but left no significant impact. Was he always this way?

“I don’t understand. I’d rather eat something than waste my time thinking.”

“Ugh… Clear this up…”

“Oh, right.”

Momentarily lost in thought, I’d forgotten. As I released the skill bound to the plump noble still kneeling, he immediately sprang up and took off.

Even amid the emperor’s presence, he couldn’t risk escalating to violence. I understood that, and while munching on food and putting it away in my inventory…

“Luke. I’m here.”

“Is it over already?”

“… Yeah. It seems he has no intention of listening, so I just left.”

“Really? Who is that person behind you? Is he your ex-boyfriend?”

“Huh?”

Riche turned, bewildered about who was behind her, only to find her eyes nearly popping out.

“Ah, f-father…?”

That stern-looking man must be Riche’s father. I didn’t believe in reading faces, but he certainly looked like an old-school strict type.

“Excuse me. I am Gerald Winchester, the head of the Winchester family and Riche’s father who travels with her.”

I thought it was impressive that he introduced himself without so much as a flicker in his gaze, ignoring Riche entirely.

I guess he didn’t expect an adventurer to know their family background? That way, he could approach with a straight face.

“I’m Luke, an A-Rank adventurer.”

“Actually, I’d like to offer support to you since my daughter is traveling with you. What do you think?”

I may not have mind-reading abilities, but I felt like I could see through his intentions. He was just too predictable.

By the way, this man had previously attempted to use Riche to manipulate Arthur when I was in the original story, so what he was doing now was annoyingly obvious.

People like that always think they can fly too close to the sun. In that case, it’s time to show him the universe that exists above the sky, right? With a grin, I reached out for a handshake.

“Sounds good.”

 

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