636 – The doubts were not completely eliminated. (2)
Episode 636: Suspicion Not Completely Relieved (2)
Jiselle turned her head and asked.
“Erenes, what do you think of that? Do you understand what it means?”
Jiselle stopped herself from adding something because Erenes’ expression was somewhat awkward.
But Erenes quickly twisted the corners of his mouth and laughed again as if nothing had happened.
“I heard you two are pretty close. I guess you really are best friends.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s so funny to see you both spouting out such nonsense. Your delusions are just too severe. Is that something that can be transmitted between friends?”
“… … .”
“I’m so dumbfounded that I don’t know how to react. The saint who saved the world suddenly appeared to me and started talking nonsense. Do you think that makes sense?”
At those words, Giselle shrugged her shoulders.
They had very little information about the war a thousand years ago. They had no choice but to make judgments based on what they saw.
“Well… we don’t know.”
“I have nothing more to say. As for the aura, you should study it with the wizards. If it really came from Arterion, it probably isn’t a good aura.”
Erenes closed her eyes and rested her hand on her forehead. She looked very tired.
“I wish I could just go back now. My head hurts from hearing this nonsense over and over again.”
“Erenes.”
“Stop, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“… … .”
“If you think too much, you won’t be able to see the essence. Find your opponent and kill him. Then everything will be over. That’s the ‘only’ way to keep the peace.”
With those words, Erenes turned his gaze out the window again, indicating that he would not continue the conversation.
Jiselle licked her lips for a moment and then said.
“It’s been a while since everyone has gathered, so how about attending the dinner party?”
“I’ll just rest.”
“It looks like there are a lot of fresh vegetables.”
“……good.”
Giselle shrugged her shoulders as if she had no other choice and stood up. For some reason, Erenes seemed quite angry.
Jiselle turned around and her expression hardened.
‘The reaction is quite sharp.’
Certainly, whenever stories from the past come up, Erenes becomes more sensitive than usual.
There was nothing wrong with her logic, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding something.
So the doubts did not disappear either.
‘The only way?’
Doesn’t it sound like there’s another way? There was no need to emphasize that it was the ‘only’ way.
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It seemed as though Erenes wanted to catch his adversary somehow and end everything quickly.
Just like Arterion did.
Julian also turned around to follow Giselle. Since Erenes didn’t know, they had to find another way.
The assumption that it was the energy that bound Arterion seemed the most plausible. I decided to think about it a little more based on that.
The moment he was about to take a step, Erenes opened her mouth.
“Julian.”
Julianne stopped and turned her head. Erenes was still looking out the window. She continued, her gaze fixed outside.
“I still haven’t completely let go of my doubts about you.”
“… … .”
“If by any chance that energy… … tries to eat you, come to me right away.”
“… … .”
Erenes slowly turned his head and looked at Yulien with indifferent eyes.
“Others are too weak-hearted to kill you… …so I will kill you myself.”
“……okay.”
Julian answered plainly as always and left.
After the two people left, Erenes stared at the door for a long time, then closed his eyes and placed his hand on his forehead.
“I’m tired… … .”
I didn’t want to talk about the past anymore.
and…….
I also wished that the remnants of the saint would disappear from this world.
* * *
The banquet for those who returned soon turned into a welcoming banquet.
This is because the scale of the event grew as the nobles of the capital tried to participate in some way.
Because the kingdom was still in a state of turmoil, they could not prepare a lavish table. But no one cared.
Because they gathered not to eat food, but to see the returning heroes.
“Oh my! Your Majesty, who has spread the word of the greatness of the Goddess, will surely be blessed!”
Now Archbishop and official ‘saint’, Porisko was blustering in front of Giselle.
He approached Giselle before anyone else, to show off that he was the closest friend to her.
“We! Ever since we received the Goddess’ ‘revelation’ together! I knew this day would come!”
“Ha, hahaha… … .”
“And there! Weren’t we the first ones to ‘catch’ the Salvation Church’s judge ‘together’?”
“That’s… … that’s right.”
When fighting Raviere, the judge of the Salvation Church who first appeared in the capital, Porisco was also present.
Although they didn’t actually catch each other, Porisco cleverly changed the subject.
Porisko was so happy now. The terrible war was over and he had become an archbishop and a saint.
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After unintentionally saving orphans during the tyranny of Berhem, he was constantly praised by people.
He excommunicated the archbishops and high priests who had run away. Now, nothing could stand in his way.
‘You did well to join hands with Archduke Fenris back then! You did really well! That guy Naran really made an excellent choice!’
In fact, it was a semi-forced hand-in-hand thing, but it changed Porisco’s fate.
Porisco was originally good at dealing with the world. He took advantage of the situation in which he was forced into by Giselle to ascend to the position of archbishop and saint, and solidified his power.
The other nobles were only able to meet Giselle after the withdrawal of Porisco, who boasted the highest(?) influence in the capital.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
“I can’t tell you how much my heart ached.”
“I naturally expected Your Majesty to win.”
Many people praised and flattered Giselle. Most of them were people who had been displeased with Giselle for a long time.
‘Ugh! I have no choice but to admit it now.’
‘How did things turn out like this?’
‘We need to become friends even now!’
Those who used to curse at Giselle behind her back at every banquet now couldn’t even open their mouths about him. If you say something wrong, you’ll die.
The public’s hearts were set on the new dynasty, which could not match Giselle’s in both power and legitimacy.
Another thing that was different from before was that the ladies of noble families no longer rushed around Giselle.
‘Damn it… … . I should have caught it back then somehow… … .’
‘Ah, now you have gone too far.’
‘When I was a northern country bumpkin, I had to get married even if it meant being forced.’
Until he became a count, I had somehow managed to get by, but now he was an archduke. To be honest, it was burdensome to keep trying like before.
Their gaze turned elsewhere instead. Not only to the young ladies, but also to the sons of noble families.
In addition to Jiselle, there were many other famous heroes here. It was originally a place to celebrate their victories.
As expected, the most people gathered around Julian. However, because of his uniquely cold atmosphere, no one dared to speak to him.
‘What’s with that face… How can someone look like that?’
‘I feel like my heart is going to burst just by looking at it!’
‘The exiled prince of Turian? Oh my, you’re crazy.’
Everyone surrounding Julian was holding their breath. This side seemed like a completely different world.
Julian, who was standing in the middle of it all, quietly lifted his glass and drank as if he had no interest in his surroundings. Then, he glanced around briefly and made eye contact with a noble lady.
“ah…….”
The noble young lady who saw those eyes immediately fell to the ground with her hand on her forehead. The ecstasy had reached a lethal dose.
“What the! Someone has fallen! Move them quickly!”
“Why did the guy next to me fall down with me? What is this guy?”
Julian’s charm captivated people of all ages and genders.
It’s because Julian was so overwhelming, but the other side was no joke either.
Gillian was surrounded by nobles who wanted to persuade her to remarry. There were many who wanted to somehow form a relationship with the superhuman.
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Tennant was no different. A successful nobleman in the West, he was adept at dealing with the nobles at the banquet hall.
Jerome also enjoyed considerable popularity.
“Oh my, so cute.”
“She’s so cute, but she’s an 8th circle wizard?”
“You seem like a naughty kid.”
Jerome, who was not yet immune to such things, was frozen as hard as a rock with his face reddened.
“Uh, yeah, uh, um. Thank you.”
“Oh my, why are you so nervous?”
“Uh, um, well, I don’t know.”
“I guess this is your first time at a banquet like this. Isn’t it?”
In particular, many noble ladies of a certain age approached him. Jerome could not help but be continually drawn to their skillful aristocratic speech.
Belinda was approached by countless noble men.
“Belinda, would you allow me the honor of dancing with you?”
“It is an honor to meet you, more beautiful than the roses in the garden.”
“Your beauty brightens up the banquet tonight. Hehehe.”
“… … .”
Belinda took a step back with a disgusted expression. Everyone was approaching her so openly.
In the past, everyone would have ignored her, the head maid of Ferdium.
But now she is one of the heroes who won the war and is a superhuman. No noble can even mention her.
A number of princes invited Belinda to dance. There were so many people there that it was almost suffocating.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Belinda placed her hand on her forehead and pressed her temples.
Everyone’s eyes were filled with desire. Belinda was one of only two female superhumans in this kingdom, along with Vanessa.
If they marry those two people, the family’s prestige will rise to an incomparable level. So the princes who are not yet married have no choice but to flock to those two people.
Belinda continued to refuse with difficulty, but the courtship procession showed no end. There was nowhere to run.
Vanessa was no different. Like Belinda, she was caught up in the courtship of numerous nobles and was in an awkward position.
But the mood quickly changed when someone asked a question about magic.
In fact, he was using a social tactic of bringing up topics of common interest, but Vanessa answered as earnestly as usual.
“Oh, that? So, it captures the magical waves and transmits them as vibrations in space, but the periodicity in time and space is at one point… … .”
“… … .”
“Do you not understand? So, there are types depending on the direction of travel, but particles that move by transmitting magical power… … .”
“… … .”
Vanessa’s magic lecture began unintentionally. The nobles gathered around her had no choice but to listen to the lecture without interrupting her.
There was no one here brave enough to interrupt a superhuman’s words.
Even though several people were in such trouble, there was one person who was more excited than anyone else.
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“Poohahahaha! So I just cut off the dragon’s neck with my twin swords!”
“Oh my, it’s so cool.”
“Wow, Kaoru is really strong. I want to become strong like Kaoru.”
“Then, then. I’m the strongest! Even inspiration doesn’t work for me!”
Kaoru loved the fact that people were paying attention to her. She was busy drinking, bragging, and having fun.
This is definitely an easy strategy. Just answer all the questions and you’ll be good to go. The nobles started gathering one by one to attack Kaor.
In addition, the nobles constantly approached the major figures who had participated in the war. They were not superhumans, but they were also the meritorious subjects of the kingdom and war heroes.
As an exception, the nobles only greeted the priests Parniel and Piote and did not say anything to them.
This is because you just need to get to know the priests and maintain good relationships.
Of course, there were exceptions.
“Mr. Fiote! Let’s go out to the terrace and have a drink while looking at the night sky… … .”
“No, I am better than this guy! Today, avoid the eyes of the goddess and I… … ”
“Lord Parniel! I’ve always liked women who are taller than me… … .”
A few drunken and delirious princes crossed the line and were captured by the temple knights.
Giselle watched them with amusement as they continued to talk next to Zwalter.
“Fighting is good, but sometimes you need to rest like this.”
It seems like everyone is having a hard time, but this was also an experience.
Then suddenly, Jiselle tilted her head as she felt something was missing.
“Huh? Why hasn’t that Alfoy guy come yet?”
His fame is growing and he must be enjoying the greatest popularity, but he has not shown up yet.
If things were as they were, he would have come by now, showing off and driving around nobles.
“Claude hasn’t come yet?”
I couldn’t meet Erenes because I went straight to the banquet. I thought I would meet him at the banquet hall, but he wasn’t there at all.
Then Zwalter coughed in vain next to him.
“Ahem, Giselle. That wizard Alpo.”
“Why? Did you have an accident again?”
“That… …is because his reputation is so bad. He harasses people so much that everyone is having a hard time.”
“……ah.”
“I heard that the top lord is out of control. Even though he is a public servant, I think you should talk to him carefully.”
“Phuhu… … .”
Jiselle sighed, leaning back in her chair. As expected, that guy causes trouble if you let him off the hook just a little.
Zwalter changed the subject as if trying to change the mood.
“But don’t you have a commander?”
“Why Claude?”
“He really is a sincere person.”
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“……yes?”
“You work so hard as soon as you get back. You’re out on another expedition, taking charge of everything from suppressing bandits to maintaining public order. I gave you permission to go on an expedition before you came back.”
“… … That guy?”
“That’s right. When I saw you before, you were just a slacker… … Well, anyway, I didn’t know you could work so tirelessly.”
Giselle crossed her arms and frowned. Claude was good at his job, but he wasn’t that conscientious.
As Giselle gestured behind him, one of his aides approached and whispered.
“I just got back and was planning to report to you after the banquet was over, but… … the investigation is already finished.”
The aide took a bundle of documents out of his bosom and handed them to Giselle. Giselle read them all in an instant and chuckled.
So… … Claude took care of the Alfoy who had the accident, and Claude, who had the other accident, was running around trying to clean it up.
Jiselle said to her aide.
“For the time being, tell everyone to pretend not to know anything. I think it’ll be better for both of us to suffer a little.”
“All right.”
Alfoy will struggle in the eastern region, and Claude will be left alone, anxious, trying to somehow fill the military coffers.
In short, it meant that two idiots were having a hard time buying it. In this case, it was better to leave it alone.
Zwalter and Giselle, who had met for the first time in a long time, talked a lot. Suddenly, Zwalter became curious about their future plans and asked.
“I heard that you’re forming a pursuit party to chase after the Duke of Delphine and Gator. It’ll take some time to find them, so what do you plan to do in the meantime?”
I had already thought about that part, said Jiselle with a smirk.
“I’m trying to push away the forest of demons.”
A forest that has long tormented the spirit world. And a thousand years ago, it was also called a magic forest.
Jiselle now intended to completely eradicate that ominous forest.
