Chapter 38 – Crisis
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 38 – Crisis
Finally, the cursed National Foundation Festival was just a day away.
This Foundation Festival was unlike any other festival, with royalty and nobles from other countries, as well as all sorts of merchants, gathering to participate in large numbers.
So, I too was forcibly getting dressed up since the crack of dawn.
I couldn’t help but wonder why I had to put so much effort into dressing up, but isn’t living and dying by pretense the essence of noble society?
After moving my half-closed eyes for a while, I suddenly came to my senses to find that the dressing was already done.
Merlin glanced at me once and nodded satisfactorily.
“Now you look like a noble.”
“What about Diana?”
“She finished a while ago. Go in and check.”
I moved in the direction Merlin pointed.
As I opened the door and stepped in, a girl covered in pink from head to toe was standing there.
With strong makeup, a tightly laced corset, a billowing dress, and even voluminous rolled-up hair.
If she spoke, she seemed like she might scrutinize with wide-open eyes and a clattering voice, the epitome of a fickle noble lady.
“What do you think, convincing, right?”
Merlin chuckled and burst into laughter.
At the sound of laughter filling the air, Diana’s cheeks flushed crimson.
A smile escaped my lips.
At this level, she seemed like a completely different person.
I marveled once again at the power of disguise artifacts.
“Her name is Odette Astoria. Just remember her as the mischievous daughter of a Count from the Kingdom. Keep it in mind. It might come in handy for small talk in unforeseen situations.”
Diana’s hands, clutching the frills, were trembling.
There was no room to offer comforting words.
Just swallowing the laughter about to burst out right now was torture enough.
“If you’re ready, let’s go downstairs. We don’t have time to dawdle.”
I walked down the stairs slowly with Diana.
It was difficult to manage my gaze with the frills swaying by my side with every step.
As we stepped out of the main door, a carriage waiting in line came into view.
It was a luxurious carriage adorned with white marble and golden engravings.
It clearly boasted, “I am a noble.”
“There’s only one carriage?”
“What more do you want? One carriage is enough for the two of you.”
“The two of us? Merlin, you aren’t accompanying us?”
“That’s right. I don’t particularly want to run into people from the Royal Family.”
People from the Royal Family?
Was there some sort of unpleasant history between Merlin and them?
“Do you know them?”
“A few. There’s no particular reason to pay attention to them, but it would be awkward to pretend not to know them, wouldn’t it?”
That makes sense.
When I nodded vaguely, the coachman descended from the carriage, approached me and cautiously delivered a message.
“Young Master, it is getting late. If you want to arrive at the designated time, we must depart now.”
“Let’s leave immediately. Dia… I mean, Odette. Follow me.”
“… …”
Diana nodded with a flushed face.
As Diana and I boarded the carriage one by one, the carriage set off with the clattering sound of hooves.
And thus, the peculiar journey began.
****
The time inside the carriage was truly an ordeal.
It wasn’t because the carriage was rocking or because the seats were uncomfortable.
It was all because of Diana’s magnificent appearance sitting opposite me.
“… …”
“… …”
Her cat-like, uplifted eyes were quite charming.
But suppressing laughter every time I met that face was a different story.
An oppressive silence followed.
Throughout the journey, I barely managed to swallow the laughter that rose to my lips.
As we approached our destination, the carriage’s speed slowed abruptly.
Glancing out the window, I could see a long line of carriages stretching from the entrance.
“Why is the line so long…”
“It seems that there’s a security check since it is the National Foundation Festival.”
“A security check?”
“Yes, since it’s a festival directly hosted by the Royal Family, safety is paramount, isn’t it?”
I nodded in agreement.
If an accident were to occur there, all the blame would fall on the Royal Family.
‘It seems it will take a while.’
The pouring sunlight induced drowsiness.
Nodding off, our turn approached unnoticed.
The inspection didn’t take long.
A member of the Duke Winfred family.
And to top it off, the Chief Alchemist of the Imperial Palace.
With just that, my identity was practically guaranteed.
As we passed through the entrance, a fairly large garden appeared a little away from the forest.
Various flowers bloomed along the stone walls.
Tranquil flowing fountains, and elaborate decorations and lights dotted around.
With vast stretches of grass and thick bushes casting shadows, every breath felt refreshing.
Diana, too, looked around as if amazed, following behind me.
Servants from the royal family busily moved between tables, serving food.
Under the tents set up here and there, nobles who had arrived early gathered to chat.
I looked around for a suitable empty table.
At that moment, snippets of conversation caught my ear.
“It’s surprising. Duke Winfred is not attending the Foundation Festival.”
“Even more surprising is the Empress’s absence. She’s never missed the Foundation Festival once. Could there be something wrong with her health or…?”
What nonsense is this?
Both the Empress and Duke Winfred aren’t attending the festival?
“But the Little Duke and the Duchess are present.”
“What about Luna Winfred?”
“Well, I haven’t seen her.”
Of course Luna Winfred wouldn’t be here.
She’s probably busy trailing behind Isabel by now.
In other words.
‘They must be nearby.’
Coincidentally, this place where the festival is being held is near the Alter Forest, where the Holy See is located in Eastern Territory.
When the Black Mist encroaching begins, they’ll soon be meeting here too.
No matter what, I have to meet Isabel.
That’s the only way to receive the Sacred Solvent and complete the Elixir.
‘The Black Mist… There is no need to worry about it.’
Yeah, there’s really nothing to worry about.
Although the area will become a battlefield with high-risk demons popping up, there won’t be any casualties.
With all the world’s key figures gathered here, it’s arguably the safest place.
‘If it’s Isabel and Luna, it’s game’s over.’
Isabel is the core figure meticulously crafted by scraping together all the blessings of the gods in this created world.
Purifying the Black Mist? That’s just a small part of Isabel’s abilities.
Isabel’s true power lies in the authority to annihilate evil derived from her overwhelming divinity.
The same goes for Luna.
Duke Winfred is one of the three guardian families protecting the Empire, and also the greatest swordsman family in the Empire.
There’s no way Luna, who is a direct descendant of such a powerful family, would be weak in natural combat ability.
No, if we’re just talking about combat ability, Luna might even surpass Isabel.
Luna didn’t just become a potential candidate for the head of the family for nothing.
Moreover, they’re both regressors.
There’s no need to worry about safety here.
My job is simple.
Spend some time with Rudine, and when the time comes, meet Isabel to receive the Sacred Solvent.
At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind.
“Kyle—!”
Rudine Eckhart.
She was waving her hand and approaching.
****
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Isabel was walking along the forest path.
After investigation, it was revealed that Ludvik was a spy for the Kingdom.
Not only Ludvik but quite a few others had come from the Kingdom to the Holy See through a series of routes.
It was possible because the Holy See had relatively less influence from the Empire.
Ludvik died by her own hands.
And the Kingdom’s dogs associated with Ludvik were executed on the spot.
Isabel muttered absent-mindedly with a vacant expression.
“Kyle….”
She had received the News from the Pope.
Kyle was expected to attend the National Foundation Festival.
And there.
He’s supposed to escort the Princess.
“…”
Isabel affirmed this to herself.
The Princess, Rudine Eckhart.
Once this incursion is over, she will definitely separate that vile woman from Kyle.
Thud, thud—
Isabel walked.
To see Kyle’s face.
And to rescue Kyle amidst the impending chaos of the National Foundation Festival.
She refused escorts because she didn’t want anyone to hinder her reunion with Kyle.
At least for this moment, she wanted to enjoy it alone without anyone’s interference.
As she walked alone for a while.
“…”
Over the regular footsteps of Isabel, another set of footsteps overlapped.
A heavy and ominous… discomforting sound spread into her ears.
Undoubtedly, it was a sound coming from behind.
Turning her head, she saw a woman approaching in her direction.
A familiar face.
“…Luna Winfred.”
Luna Winfred.
She was dragging a sharply honed longsword along the ground, approaching Isabel.
Isabel asked with a scoff.
“Why are you here…?”
“Do you really have to ask? You’re quite annoying.”
“Wait, what’s with that black thing?”
“This?”
When Isabel asked, Luna’s lips twisted.
Luna raised the sword.
The sunlight poured down on the blade.
“What is it? It’s a sword.”
Luna grinned.
The eerie aura pricked Isabel’s skin.
At the same time, a realization struck her mind like lightning.
“Ha…”
That gaze, that momentum, that attitude.
It was clear.
Luna Winfred, she had come here to kill her.
“What gives you the right?”
A mocking laughter mixed with ridicule burst from Isabel’s lips.
At the same time, a resentful voice followed.
“If it weren’t for you…”
Isabel was stunned.
To think she would stoop so low as to use Kyle as bait.
She was overwhelmed by the terrible contradiction, and a dry heave gripped her as if she was seeing her own vile reflection in a mirror.
“…I would never have been fooled by such nonsense.”
A divine light emanated from Isabel’s body.
The thick radiance rippled like a halo, and soon enveloped her in a hemisphere.
Luna kept silent.
Her sunken eyes flashed ominously.
And then.
“Why are you so noisy?”
The sword swung.
“…”
Crack—
A massive line appeared in the air.
Countless lines intersected diagonally above it.
At that moment.
Zzziik—!!
A twisting sound tearing through space filled the air.
Simultaneously, beams of light shooting through the air created flashes as they collided with the sword strikes.
“What is this…”
Zzzeeiik—!!
The condensed aura surrounding Isabel began to split as if a crack had appeared in glass.
An overwhelming wave of mana surged between the fragmented spaces.
Kwong— The vibrating arches shook the ground.
Isabel barely managed to steady her staggering body.
“…Crazy bitch.”
An irritated curse escaped Isabel’s lips.
The heightened divine power dispersed without effect against a single sword strike.
This was dangerous.
A piercing warning echoed in Isabel’s mind.
Luna continued to advance, her unfocused eyes unyielding.
Seeing her relentless demeanor, Isabel swallowed deeply.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Noisy.”
“No matter how much Kyle hates me, do you think he’ll tolerate your actions? By now, Kyle is probably eagerly waiting for me beyond that point.”
“…What?”
Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.
Isabel seized the opportunity to speak.
“Didn’t you know? Rudine Eckhart, that woman, invited Kyle to the Foundation Festival.”
“…”
“And I’m only here at Kyle’s request.”
Isabel sneered.
Then, she slowly shook the vial of Sacred Solvent she held like medicine.
“What can you do? Kyle still needs me. Now and in the future.”
“…”
“In such a situation, do you think you can kill me?”
Luna’s pupils undulated like waves.
Isabel’s voice was as sharp as a dagger.
“Can you handle that?”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
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