CHAPTER 8 - III -
Anyway, the Duke continued to introduce the rest of the people who were with us inside the dining hall. Well, honestly, I think it’s a kind of time-wasting process, for if you had about 20 individuals to introduce and they all have different ways of welcoming you, the food would be cold before you could even take your first bite.
Really, is this how the nobles of this world do their introductions? I’m hungry…
“Finally, this is the Ban of Kistral.”
“Ah yes, Your Excellency!” Maddie interrupted him, “We already met each other when you sent him to Devyere to meet us.”
“Oh, I did?”
“Yes, you did, Your Excellency!” the Ban of Kistral told him, “You ordered me to meet with Her Holiness.”
“Ah! R-Right…hahahaha!” the Duke had an awkward laugh, “Right, right. Sorry for that, my memories were failing me. Please, I know you’ve all been waiting for this, but let’s partake of the food!”
I looked at Maddie, who seemed to be in a hurry to eat. We’d been traveling before we ate dinner, so it’s only natural that we’re hungry…
Anyway, finally!
The Duke raised his glass for a toast, “For Her Holiness’ success and long life!”
“Cheers!” Every one of us raised a glass to Maddie’s honor. Of course, I had to go along, looking around to make sure that I correctly follow their movements well. I don’t want to make a fool out of myself on a formal occasion such as this.
“Eris, that’s not how you raise a glass properly!” I heard the Lady Ulrika Marie Hanna correct the young duchess once again.
“E-Eris is sorry…”
“It’s fine. Just try to do it properly again next time.”
And then we ate. Of course, it’s the usual Chersean manner of messy, wasteful eating, so I tried my best to appear as dignified as possible while I ate. I didn’t find their customs that appealing to my values.
“That’s not how you hold the fork, young lady.” Mistress Johanna was the one correcting Eris this time, “Why are you doing it that way?”
“Uhm…but Mister Kuro’s table manners looked so graceful!”
“Well, it is. But that’s not how we do things!” she explained with a gentle voice, “Come now, hold it correctly.”
“Y-Yes mother…” the duchess sadly complied.
Oh boy…I didn’t know they really were enforcing such a stupid way of eating. Queen Elizabeth II would surely be embarrassed to witness such manners. Not that I’m one to speak about it; I’m not much into royal mannerisms, either. But for goodness’ sake, Chersean nobility looked like a bunch of uncivilized people on a drunken revelry when they eat.
They really have stupid customs in this world…
“!!!”
A fork suddenly flew to my plate. Yeah, I kind of expected that, since they ate like barbarians. But this was the first time that cutlery fell right onto me. Surprised, my eyes quickly fell on Maddie’s direction, in which I presumed the fork came from.
“Oh, my apologies, Kuro!” she said.
I was about to let it go, but then I noticed she had a ‘strange’ stare on me. It’s as if she’s sending me a signal that she wanted to talk to me, but couldn’t do it in front of the table.
“Y-Your Excellency…” I raised my hand.
“Yes?” the Duke asked.
“Can I ask for the directions to your toilet?”
The Duke then signaled for a maid on standby to assist me. I quickly stood up and went out.
“M-M-Maddie, I don’t think we…we should do it here…ahn!”
“Uhh…what are you doing, Kuro? You look stupid!”
“Come on, Your Holiness! I’m just joking!”
“Well, I don’t find it funny.” the serious tone of her voice told me that Maddie was not in the mood for jokes.
I immediately turned on my ‘business-mode’ as well.
“Listen, Kuro. I only excused myself for a quick break, so they were expecting me back as soon as possible.” Maddie furiously whispered to me inside the comfort room. Apparently, she teleported to my location—once she got a considerable distance away from the dining room, to avoid being spotted by anyone.
“Well, if you’re in a hurry, then tell me what you found out already.”
“Rrriiggghhtt!” she then took a deep breath before continuing, “I can’t read the Duke’s thoughts.”
“What?” now I’m surprised thoroughly, “What do you mean you can’t read his thoughts?”
“There seems to be a dark barrier surrounding the Duke’s mind as I try my best to peer into his mind. The same applies to his wives, and the other nobles present, save for the Marquise of Monfort, and Eris.”
“Seriously?”
Maddie nodded.
“Then what’s the meaning of that?”
“Well, I need to tell Lily about this as well, but without arousing suspicions. I don’t know, but maybe one of those people who belong to the Duke’s household had been deliberately hiding information from us.”
“Is it really possible for a Saint like you to create a spell to negate your abilities to read minds?”
“Well, it’s only applicable to other saints. For example, I couldn’t read Ruro’s mind, no matter how I try. And she’s the same as well. But for a subject of ours to cast such powerful magic…”
“It means someone powerful is with us!”
“No. It’s much worse…” Maddie clicked her tongue, “To cast this kind of magic, it must be the work of a saint, for that power is only reserved for us.”
“You mean, we’re possibly fighting another saint?”
Maddie nodded, “And it could be connected to the Empire’s provocations. Remember that person you and Lily fought before?”
“The one who calls himself ‘Traveler’?”
“Yes. I know the emperor personally, Jean Durres III—Lily and I fought against him before in the old wars. He’s cautious, and wouldn’t move his armies against the northern kingdoms if he had no support from someone who could equal my powers. And now that the Battle of Hagena Castle happened, the appearance of the imperial legionaries shows that Emperor Jean is confident he could defeat me.”
“Damn…”
“I don’t know whether the Duke and his entire household, save for the Marquise and Eris, knew about this. Or it could be the work of an individual, being used by the saint. Or no one knew they were being used at all!”
“Maddie…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you think we’re surrounded by hidden enemies?”
“Looks like it, Kuro.”
“Well…” I could only laugh dryly, “Seems that we fell for a trap.”
