Chapter 126 : Chapter 126

Chapter 126: Festival (4)

I decided to take a ship to the Imperial Capital.

The distance isn’t much different, but traveling by land would require passing through several domains, which is cumbersome and takes more time.

Bolero said he’d return to the Solari Order right after the coronation ceremony.

There were still some matters to settle, and since I was planning to catch a ship from Breadport anyway, I decided to pick up a new sword from Gaff in the meantime.

Fortunately, the three locations were close, giving me a few extra days to spare.

“Conwell’s specialty is spicy chicken skewers! Try a bite!”

“Tonight at the Easton Theater, a free performance of Callence and the Four Crocodiles! A tribute play dedicated to Her Grace! Come watch!”

This was Easton’s city district.

The streets, swept up in a festive mood, were teeming with people.

Everywhere I stepped, colorful confetti fluttered alongside the Conwell crest.

“Even. This time, it’s definitely even.”

“Ugh, tsk tsk. With instincts like that, you’re hopeless.”

I was passing by the entrance to a back alley branching off from the city district.

My head turned instinctively at the sound of chattering voices.

“Shut up and place your bet.”

“Odd. I’m betting everything I’ve got.”

Inside the relatively narrow alley, a group of people was huddled together.

Their hair was disheveled and their tattered clothes were streaked with grime.

At a glance, they were beggars who’d been chased away from the market stalls en masse.

Even the back alleys are festive.

Clatter—

Just as I turned to leave, the sound of wooden dice rolling stopped me in my tracks.

“Wooaah!”

“No way, odd again!”

“See that? Six knots ain’t nothing special, huh? Haha!”

“…You filthy beggars, you’re cheating, aren’t you?”

“Come on, talk sense. This is Conwell. Your turf.”

“Ugh, I can’t take it anymore!”

“Fight!”

Soon, the clamor of scuffling erupted as the beggars tangled together.

Most of them were laughing as they traded blows, as if it were all in good fun.

Were they so carefree because they had no worries?

Even rolling around in a brawl seemed like pure enjoyment.

“Oof!”

One beggar was flung out of the group and rolled to my feet.

Our eyes met, one looking up, the other down.

“…Ramba?”

“S-Sir?!”

* * *

Jewel and I played a decisive role in Adeline’s victory, but we couldn’t take center stage.

This was to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to the fact that imperials had intervened in the Kingdom’s succession dispute, which could stir up trouble.

There was someone else in a similar position.

For similar reasons, a beggar named Ramba was excluded from the rewards and recognition.

“Everything's been alright with you, sir?”

“Thanks to you?”

“Me? Heh, same old, same old. By the way, why aren’t you at the coronation afterparty? Why are you here…?”

“And you? You didn’t even show your face at the coronation, so what are you doing here?”

“…Haha, that was a dumb question on my part.”

Ramba and I walked side by side through the city district, like we were taking a stroll.

The festival was lively, but both of us felt slightly out of place in the heated atmosphere.

“I wanted to see you, sir, but I didn’t go out of my way to find you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Somehow, I had a feeling you’d leave Conwell quietly. Showing up unannounced in front of someone like you didn’t feel polite or natural.”

Ramba grinned and added,

“What’s a mere beggar like me gonna do to go against the flow of the wind?”

I let out a wry chuckle.

What’s he going on about?

“I got one thing right about you too.”

“Huh? About me? W-What’s that?”

“I figured you wouldn’t go around boasting about the feats you accomplished during the civil war.”

If he had, every beggar in Conwell would probably be strutting around with their shoulders squared by now.

Strictly speaking, Ramba’s contributions in the civil war were second to none in Adeline’s camp.

The very idea of a beggar joining the fight was absurd to begin with.

“Since it came up, I’ve been wanting to ask. Why? You didn’t have to risk your life fighting. You said you stood against Callence, who wanted to wipe out the Wild Dogs and Sewer Rats, but as you put it, a mere beggar could’ve just run or hidden.”

“….”

“And you didn’t even ask for any reward. Sorry, but if I were Adeline, I’d be pretty suspicious of you.”

Even I could see my attitude was contradictory.

Just moments ago, I assumed Ramba wouldn’t brag about his deeds, and now I’m finding his silence suspicious.

That’s how hard it is to understand him.

“You said before, didn’t you? Thanks to me, you realized a lot and went through some big inner changes.”

“…Well, yeah, you did say some embarrassing stuff like that.”

“Hehe, I did. Actually, I…”

Just then.

A group of kids burst out from the opposite alley, split into two groups, swinging toy weapons as

they chased each other.

“Take the blade of Sword Fiend Bihen Benkou!”

“Wait, hold on! A shield’s cheating! The Sword Fiend wields dual blades!”

“And you! The Phantom Thief Cervantes fights barehanded, so why do you have a sword?”

The kids bickered as they rushed past us.

Their shouting was so loud it was dizzying, like they were competing to see who could yell the loudest.

I pulled my robe’s hood lower. Phantom Thief? What the hell?

As I hurriedly hid my flushed face, something caught my eye.

“….”

Ramba was staring blankly at the kids’ retreating backs.

“What’s up? Know those kids?”

“…N-No, sir!”

The rowdy kids had broken the flow. Where were we in the conversation?

“Phantom Thief Cervantes… Pretty cool name, huh?”

“Hm?”

“Isn’t it, sir?”

He looked up at me suddenly.

His eyes somehow resembled those of the kids who’d just passed by.

“Well, I guess it kinda is.”

“Haha! Phantom Thief Cervantes… Must be the name of a character from some popular play. I heard the Easton troupe’s been pretty active lately.”

One of my eyebrows twitched.

Ramba’s the type who knows every rumor in Conwell inside and out, and he doesn’t know Cervantes?

…That Walter guy said he was famous. All hot air, huh.

My hand instinctively slipped under my cloak, brushing against the golden masquerade mask from that day.

Good thing I kept it.

“By the way, sir, where are you headed?”

“The Oath of Bastion.”

“Huh? What’s that?”

Tch, he doesn’t know anything.

I was about to tell him to step it up but held back.

“The Oath of Bastion is a hidden gem in Easton. I’m treating you.”

I can’t let a beggar treat me.

By the time we reached the alley where The Oath of Bastion was, dusk was settling in.

The festive atmosphere in the streets was only getting hotter.

Drunken revelers were already stumbling around, shouting loudly.

Mana Stones, generously placed everywhere, glowed vibrantly, competing with the starlight.

The afterparty banquet must be in full swing at the mansion by now.

…What, after acting all lonesome, now you’re getting soft? Pathetic. I nearly slapped myself but

managed to hold back.

“Eek! S-Sir, look at that line…”

Ramba was flailing, tapping my arm.

As I lowered my gaze from the sky, my eyes widened.

The line starting at the entrance of The Oath of Bastion snaked through the alley, stretching so far I couldn’t see the end.

What the… Why?

For a moment, I tensed. Was this like that time with the Dovun Guild, with some trouble brewing?

Honestly, part of me wished that were the case…

But they were all just waiting. Everyone was patiently standing in line.

I glanced at Ramba, who quickly averted his eyes after sneaking a look at me.

His face practically screamed, Do we really have to eat here?

“Ahem.”

I let out a chuckle.

It reminded me of the first time I came here.

Back then, I was already irritable from hunger and when Bill brought me to this cramped, unassuming place, I almost snapped at him.

I was in a foul mood.

But one bite sent me to paradise, and from then on, I awakened to the world of fine dining.

Ramba needs to experience that too.

Ultimate ascetic joy? I’ll shatter it with worldly flavors.

I smirked at Ramba.

I could guess how Bill felt when he brought me here.

“Get in line.”

“Huh… What?”

“I said, get in line. We’re eating, no matter what.”

The faint sting of missing the banquet fueled something simmering inside me.

We finally found the end of the line and took our spot, but just then, someone cut in right in front of us.

“….”

My hand instinctively reached for the hilt of Zahara Toxeed. Cutting in line now?

My lips twitched.

“Hey, don’t you see we’re in li—”

Before I could finish, they turned around.

A scent tickled my nose first, followed by clear, deep blue eyes like sapphires meeting mine.

They’d wrapped their face tightly in a robe to hide, but they couldn’t conceal the elegance in their bearing.

“Sir Bihen!”

The hushed voice was filled with delight and excitement.

“Y-Your Grace…!”

I quickly clamped Ramba’s mouth shut.

I glanced around, but the surrounding noise thankfully drowned out his voice.

“How are you here?”

I couldn’t help but ask sharply, my voice lowered so much it sounded like a growl even to me.

“Are you upset? If I was rude to cut in…”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just surprised to see someone who should be hosting envoys at the banquet here.”

Adeline was pulling her robe’s collar up, covering the lower half of her face. Her emotions shone clearly through the two exposed eyes.

She was smiling slightly now.

“Don’t worry. My duties as Duke of Conwell ended with the coronation. I excused myself from the banquet, claiming I wasn’t feeling well.”

“…Is that allowed?”

“Of course. Roland will handle the rest just fine and right now, this is my most important agenda.”

The drab color of her robe contrasted sharply with the few strands of platinum hair spilling out.

Her exposed eyes were quietly smiling.

“Both officially and personally.”

“….”

“Hmm, let’s see.”

Adeline casually looked around, as if it were no big deal.

Meanwhile, I was frozen stiff.

“Oh, over there I should do.”

She pointed toward the entrance of The Oath of Bastion, specifically at the people waiting in line just in front.

What to do?

I couldn’t exactly lecture a noble about the etiquette of waiting in line.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, well, Your Grace, these people…”

“It’s fine. Almost everyone here is my people.”

“…What?”

Adeline shrugged nonchalantly.

“I sent my mansion staff to hold the line in advance. It seems some real customers joined in seeing the long queue, but it’s a win for everyone. My people get to eat well, the restaurant owner gets good business, and we get to go right in.”

My jaw dropped.

My eyes darted around, and I saw some people rubbing their full bellies, rejoining the line.

“Ha.”

I let out a dumbfounded laugh.

I’d seen plenty of noble abuses of power, but this was the first time I’d encountered such an adorable misuse of authority.

“S-Sorry to both of you…! I-I think I need to go!”

“Ramba? Why not join us?”

“Uh… How do I put this? A beggar like me eating proper food feels, uh, like a pang of conscience? A-And I’d be too embarrassed to face the others below. Haha…!”

Adeline looked at Ramba with pity.

He was fidgeting, at a loss, when our eyes met.

My glare was already loaded with force.

A silent warning: Don’t go blabbing nonsense.

“I-I’ll see you next time…!”

Ramba clamped his mouth shut, bowed hastily, and fled like he was escaping.

He got the message.

That was enough.

“Let’s go, Sir Bihen.”

My facial muscles relaxed on their own.

My expression probably looked pretty foolish right now.

Well, whatever.

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