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Chapter 67
The Second Tea Party
Ferda examined the happenings at Valdrova Castle.
He had been away for a whole month, so he wondered if something had happened, but things were proceeding smoothly.
The first place he stopped by was Vernel's laboratory.
Vernel's hard-to-understand theories were gradually being refined to the point of being comprehensible.
It was an achievement made with the help of 15 assistants.
Е̊n̂ ŭ m ã
'The big mountain is still far off, though.'
His biggest challenge was, as expected, Malcolm.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Mr. Malcolm, could you put this in the right inlet?"
"The right one, you say!? Understood!"
"No, the right! The hand you eat rice with! No, not there! Aaack!"
To those who had lived competing with geniuses, Malcolm was nothing short of a calamity.
E ň û m̌ а . і̆ d
If you used even slightly difficult words, he'd immediately put a question mark over his head,
The world's greatest idiot who couldn't tell left from right, let alone the four cardinal directions.
Making an idiot understand something even geniuses couldn't comprehend.
Vernel had pulled out so much hair that his once-lush head was showing scalp.
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The culprit himself, Malcolm, was just bright and cheerful like a dog out for a walk.
'Magitech is ultimately something for humans who aren't mages to use.'
E n ùm а̂..і̂ d̈
If a human on Malcolm's level could grasp the purpose and operate it, even ordinary people could use it.
That was the ultimate goal Ferda desired.
'Anyway, this place seems to be going smoothly.'
While passing by, watching Vernel clutch his head, Ferda heard a noisy voice from a corner of the corridor.
"Hyyaaang!?"
The moment he heard that fussing voice, he knew.
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It was the demon Penelope.
"What is this witch?! Why is a witch brazenly walking around a dragon's castle?!"
The witch she referred to was undoubtedly Echidna.
"Fufufufu, a demon's walking around, so why can't a witch walk around toooo?"
Wondering why those two were entangled, the reason was quickly revealed.
"Hey, Miss Echidna? Can you calm down and listen to me?"
Е̂ n̆ ǔ m а̀
It was because of Jed.
Approaching closer, it was certain.
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Penelope was clinging to Jed's leg, Jed was flustered, and Echidna was pointing a knife at Jed.
Echidna's eyes were half-lidded.
"Aaaah, Lord Jed. Don't worry. I won't harm Lord Jed. I'm just trying to perform Contract Separation Art."
"Contract Separation Art?"
Wе̂b nо̇ v̈ el̆ Ē n ũmа̂_
"Yes, it's a method to cut off where Lord Jed engraved the mark and grant it new life to avoid the curse. Then Lord Jed will have a perfectly clean body like before."
"......That sounds like you're saying you'll cut off my arm?"
"And you'd have to live a painful life every day. But that much pain is nothing!"
Jed inadvertently revealed his true feelings in disbelief.
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"Are you crazy?"
"It's okay! Even with just one arm, I'll looove Lord Jed forever!"
En̂ ü m ǎ
"I love my arm, though?!"
"We'll overcome it! With our love!"
A mess was unfolding here in its own way.
Just listening to the story, the cause could be sufficiently inferred.
'It's because of the pact made with Penelope.'
On the day of the rescue, Ferda made Penelope and Jed form a contract.
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So Penelope's body wouldn't return to Hell, and simultaneously to monitor her movements.
And he firmly placed a silencing device so she could absolutely never speak of Sitri's Life Vessel without his permission.
Though she was in a position with a dog leash on, for Penelope it was the best possible condition.
Wasn't it better than living as a fugitive everywhere? She could hide safely inside the dragon's nest.
'Is it... good for Jed too?'
He's a guy who reflexively throws himself at anyone if they're a woman.
W ê bnо̂v̌ е̊l̂ E n úm̊ ă
Penelope was a woman too, so he thought it wouldn't be bad.
Ferda didn't explain Penelope's exact utility to Jed.
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Just knowing she was Sitri's incredibly cherished daughter was enough.
While Jed was caught between a demon and a witch, his eyes met Ferda's.
Jed's eyes said this.
Save me.
Ẅе b̀n̄ о̊ v̇ е̃ l. Ѐ nû m а̃
A real man speaks with his back.
Ferda manfully turned his back.
You handle it yourself.
'Anyway, it's rolling along without problems.'
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He didn't know what had happened while he was away from the castle.
"Lord Ferda."
Е̊ń ǔmа̇
A small girl in a maid uniform, Ruri, approached as usual.
"I've prepared it."
"Understood."
Ferda fixed his tie for no reason.
Black hands stretched from his clothes and began fixing his attire once more.
He risked dealing with a demon to gain information.
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He killed what was threatening her to not lose Ruri.
Two situations threatening the nation's survival had come to him.
But even combining all those moments, nothing was as nerve-wracking as this moment right now.
Like hiding a bedsheet he'd wet as a child inside a wardrobe.
Like hiding a secret that might not be known now, but will be someday.
That anxiety also vanished as the arcade door opened.
W e bn о̇ ṽеl Е n u m а
What was visible was a wide-open balcony and a tea table.
And the strange dragoon armor.
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'Today too, huh.'
He'd already seen it twice, so it wasn't that surprising.
She was sitting still, looking this way.
The helmet made from Valdrova's dragon face intimidates the one facing her.
Е̃ñům̌â .і̇ d̃
'Why is she just watching?'
Ferda walked forward for now.
He arbitrarily imagined what expression she might be making behind that helmet.
Before reaching the worst imagination, he realized.
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"Koo......"
She was asleep.
W ӗ b̄n o vе̌ l Еn u̇ mа̇
Valdrova's head tilted forward.
It tilted as if to bury itself in the floor, then returned to its original position.
"Mmnya...... mm...... mm?"
The helmet of Valdrova, who had been waiting quietly, lifted and turned toward Ferda.
"Mm...... Ferda-ssi......?"
A faintly echoing voice.
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Staring blankly at Ferda.
"Huh!? Ferda-ssi?!"
She urgently rose from her seat and greeted Ferda.
"O, o, you're here?!"
"Yes. I pay my respects to the Archduke Valdrova."
"Ah, ah, welcome. Ferda-ssi. I was that......"
Е nũḿа
Valdrova, unable to think of a proper excuse.
Ferda helped her out.
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"It seems you had many things to think about. You were even deep in thought."
"Huh? Ah, that's actually because I fell asleep......"
"Usually when a king wakes up from dozing, it's etiquette to say that."
"Ah, th, that's right. Yes. I was th, thinking. Yes!"
É n̆u m̈ а̊
She nodded repeatedly, seemingly glad to have found a good justification.
She was a woman bad at lying.
"Are you alright, Ferda-ssi?"
"Yes."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"I heard there was a problem with the carriage. So you stopped at Count Consillus's territory......"
Ferda glanced at Ruri.
Е̂n̈ u m̂_å
She, standing like a folding screen, slightly nodded her head.
So Ferda affirmed it too.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Were you hurt or anything?"
"It wasn't a big problem. It was solvable with light maintenance."
"That's a relief. I was a little worried."
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She genuinely felt relieved.
That reaction became the reason secrecy was needed.
"What did you discuss at the Grand Council?"
Ferda told the story of what happened at the Grand Council.
A simple territorial dispute story.
"I see. On the Serdes Continent...... Of course I've heard wars break out occasionally."
Énŭ ṁӑ
Territorial dispute between elves and dwarves.
"Are they still fighting? It seemed like that in the old days too......"
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Mostly such stories.
Conflict and anger.
No stories to make flowers of laughter bloom.
But Valdrova was listening deeply.
Ё n ú mǎ. ї d̃
That's why it's scary.
Worried he might make a mistake, caught up in her innocence.
It wasn't easy to step into that pure snowfield with muddy feet.
"And......"
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The story reached its climax.
"We discussed the Eastern Conquest."
Е ñ uṁ а̀. іḋ
"Eastern Conquest?"
"We declared we would conquer the Demon Land at our border region."
"Ah."
Demon Land.
At those words, even Valdrova, who had been giving agreement, fell silent.
She was fiddling with her forearm for no reason.
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Her gaze turned beyond the balcony.
The early autumn scenery where colors change most richly.
And the scenery typical Serdes Continent people see.
"That place now called the Demon Land too."
A voice soaked in faint memories.
"Once had such beautiful scenery."
E n um̈ а
Complex emotions dwelled in that voice.
"It's turned black now, but it can regain those pretty colors again, right?"
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Of course.
It could have ended simply with those words, but Ferda couldn't do that.
"It won't be easy."
Ferda didn't speak with certainty.
E.n uḿ а̃
"But I'll do anything to regain the scenery you saw."
Instead, he revealed his will.
"Is that so?"
Valdrova also seemed touched by those words, her expression brightening.
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"If it's something I can help with, I'll help as much as I can."
She clenched her fist tightly.
Е̇ṅ ŭ ḿ а́
"My fiancé is working hard, so I can't just play around."
"If Your Highness extends your hand, it will be an honor beyond compare for me."
Watching that, Ferda felt his heart grow comfortable.
Being able to accept it as-is without needing to deeply read her inner thoughts.
This must be what true purity is.
"Th...... is there no other story?"
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"There's nothing else."
"Ah, yes......"
Valdrova, her tone fading into one lacking confidence.
What is it?
What story was she expecting?
Ferda brought the cooling black tea to his mouth.
Ė n̈ u m а̀ .î ḋ
"That is, Ruri said......"
"Yes."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"You held hands with a woman named Olivia."
"Puhup."
He choked and spectacularly sprayed the black tea.
Valdrova was more flustered than Ferda who had sprayed the tea.
Wе̄ b̌ńо v е l̀ Е_n̄ ù m̆a
"Ferda-ssi? Are you alright?!"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you...... I just wanted to talk......"
Ferda wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and looked away.
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His eyes met Ruri's, standing like a folding screen.
So you even told her that?
Еn u m а̇.і̊ d̄
As he glared with that question in his eyes, Ruri averted her gaze.
It would be a lie if resentment didn't rise.
His head suddenly ached.
What should he say to escape this situation?
That she grabbed first?
That he held hands but it didn't have that big a meaning?
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Dozens of excuses popped into his head, but Ferda immediately erased them.
"I apologize. To hold hands with another woman before Your Highness......"
"Yes, betrayal? I don't care about that!"
She waved her hands and said.
"Ferda-ssi is a man too...... and I heard that person is incredibly pretty, yes, I think that can happen."
She murmured as if understanding, but her fidgeting fingers and lowered head said otherwise.
E n ūm.а . і̃ d
Ferda's heart was crushed by guilt.
"So the thing is......"
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Her eyes looking down cautiously.
"Perhaps......"
She tilts her head slightly at Ferda and asks.
"Perhaps you...... want to hold my hand too......?"
Е̊ ǹ um а́ .і d̈
Ferda's head rang with a thud.
"......Yes?"
He stupidly asked back.
"Your Highness's...... hand, you mean?"
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"Yes. I held it once before too...... and I think I can do that much too......"
My face is still impossible though.
Ẇе̃ b̌n̂ o̊ ṽе̂ l Enũ mа̇
She waited for an answer, mumbling that last part inside her mouth.
"H, how is it?"
Unlike that light heart, Ferda was more cautious than ever.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He can't just let it slip away.
Suppressing his trembling, he swallowed saliva to clear his throat for a rational voice.
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"I...... want to hold it."
"I understand. Just a moment."
She took off her gauntlet.
Unlike the large gauntlet, a small, slender hand showed itself to Ferda.
An arm so fragile it couldn't be felt as the Phase of Power.
She shyly clenched that fist, making it even smaller.
Wе.b ṅ о̂v ѐl Ėn̆ u mа
"He, here it is!"
She showed her palm and held it out.
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Ferda looked down at it as if entranced.
Slender fingers and even the palm lines on her palm looked like a painting.
Ferda carefully placed his hand on her palm—.
"Hic!?"
Ë nü m̈ ӑ..i d
Valdrova's hand snapped away.
He didn't even get to feel the softness.
"Why is that?"
"No, that's...... that is...... I might not control my strength well...... just a little more mental preparation......"
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Her words trailed off, and rough breathing could be heard from within the helmet.
Thinking she might say she changed her mind, his heart sank involuntarily.
Е̂ nũm ӓ . і̂d̆
She placed her mismatched hands on her chest and caught her breath.
As the tension wouldn't easily disappear, Ferda suggested to her.
"If controlling your strength is difficult, how about I place mine on top?"
"Hah! That method exists! Let's do it...... that way."
Valdrova carefully placed her hand back on the table, palm up.
Ferda once more placed his hand on top of hers.
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Crunch—.
At that moment, a sound of something breaking was heard.
Looking closely, the table had cracked.
'Was this table made of granite?'
A material boasting high strength that wouldn't break even if a meteor fell from the sky.
If a table was made of that, it's practically the hardest table on the continent.
Ẅ_е̊ b̂ ṅ о̊ v́е l Е̊ ňum̂ à
'They said it doesn't crack easily, but as expected......'
She wasn't called the Phase of Power for nothing.
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Thinking that, Ferda suddenly recalled his own past actions.
First meeting with her.
The impulse to see Valdrova's face.
'Back then, I definitely think I even interlocked fingers.'"
W е b́ń o v е̇l Е_n̄ûm̌ ã
Ferda was grateful his right hand wasn't crushed back then.
Feeling that eeriness, Ferda still couldn't let go of Valdrova's hand.
Small and soft.
Warm body temperature and a clearly felt pulse.
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A small part he never wants to let go of for a lifetime.
If he must let go, at least he wants to feel it without regret.
Wеb̌ nо v̂ ёl E núm а̀
'Even if my hand gets crushed, it might be okay.'
He thinks about just going for it, but Ferda's reason suppressed that thought.
"Are you still suffering because of that blood rage lately?"
Valdrova shook her head.
"Nooo...... I'm fine."
"Your Highness Valdrova couldn't hunt yesterday."
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"Ru, Ruri?"
Valdrova, flustered.
Ruri threw out information like someone popping up, then closed her mouth again.
"Is that true?"
"Th, that's...... yes...... But it'll be fine. Just because they didn't come out yesterday doesn't guarantee monsters won't come today."
"But there's no guarantee they will come either."
Ӗ ň ü m а̀
"Ye, that's...... right."
"If you can't hunt, you'll self-harm."
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"......"
Valdrova closed her mouth.
In this atmosphere, she didn't know what to say.
But conversation wasn't really needed.
Ė_n̄_u m̂ а̃. і̇.d̃
"Ah......"
Valdrova felt something flowing into the back of her hand.
A familiar sensation.
It was what had calmed her blood rage before.
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"Ferda-ssi......"
"It's fine."
W ēḃ no vё l̊ Е̂n umа̀
Valdrova closed her mouth.
As it entered her body, it was calming her heart.
Even though she'd felt it once before, admiration almost came out.
That sensation which could only be resolved by raging was subsiding this calmly.
"Um, Ferda-ssi......"
"Yes."
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"I think this is enough."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Ferda stopped the mana injection.
Silence circled.
An awkward silence beyond compare.
W̃еb̌ n̄оv.ě ľ Е̇ṅ ũ m̀а.
But neither dared break that silence.
It felt like the moment they opened their mouths, both would rise from their seats without fail.
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Because it felt like this hard-won connected hand would drift away.
Just a little more.
He enjoyed this uncomfortable silence.
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