PR: Ford 53 & Alive Sigh
He knew this day would come eventually.
After all, it had only been last fall that he had written a letter to him through the Imperial Quartermaster Polo, who had come to visit Wiven.
Of course, Elric hadn’t expected him to come all this way.
“I see, so this is a royal banquet in Ferdinand. It’s not often that I’m invited to a banquet in another country, so it’s refreshing… Well, I hope you all have a peaceful year.”
He quickly tore his gaze away from Elric and spoke to the crowd as he moved to the center of the banquet hall.
In an instant, a crowd of people surrounded him.
“Elvus Grayman… a celebrity is here.”
Tyria muttered in a low voice.
It was as if she was about to tell Elric something he didn’t know.“He’s known as the “Dead Man’s Land Commander” of the Empire. He became a war hero even before reaching adulthood, actively participating in the war until his retirement due to injuries. His achievements are still legendary, and there are few in the East who do not know his name.”
Elric let out a small chuckle full of weariness.
“I know that. I’ve traveled across the continent after all…”
Ah well, there was no need to say more.
He swallowed, and to his relief, Tyria let out an exclamation in understanding.
“…Yes, he is famous in many ways, so I apologize. I was rude.”
“No. If something like this happens in the future please explain. I do not know much about noble society after all.”
His hand reached out, absentmindedly, and covered the back of her hand.
Tyria gave a small nod whilst Elvus was skillfully brushing off all the fuss around him.
Elric was lost in thought.
‘I wonder if Elvus was the first target of the Moonlings…’
That was something to think about.
They’d already tried to assassinate him, although with him, they had had their asses handed to them.
He wondered about the reason why they were targeting Elvus again.
Herein, the reason was one of two possibilities.
‘It’s a lot less riskier to do it here.’
Or, his appearance had just been an unforeseen accident.
Either way, this was not a pleasant situation.
Elric was honestly offended.
‘Why did you come all the way here?’
His gaze went straight to Elvus.
The last thing Elric had expected was for him to leave on a leisurely cruise to the east whilesneaking into Ferdinand.
Knowing his temperament though, he judged that Elvus wouldn’t deliberately cause embarrassment to him in such a public setting.
However, his appearance was still unexpected.
He couldn’t just dismiss it as a whim.
Elvus knew Elric as well as Elric knew him.
Behind his aristocratic demeanor, there was always immense calculations behind his actions.
His appearance today must have been part of those calculations.
His eyes locked with Elvus’ for a moment.
Their lips curled into a smile.
-We’ll talk later.
His eyes said.
Elric nodded in affirmation.
And so the banquet began in earnest.
Dun- dun- dun- dun!
“His Majesty the King is entering!”
The king entered.
“It is indeed a pleasure to see the faces of my many vassals at the beginning of the year, and this event is even more special because we have such an important guest.”
The middle-aged man began to speak in a regal voice.
“…So, I’ll end my speech by wishing you all the best for the year ahead in Ferdinand. Enjoy the banquet.”
With a wave of his hand, the orchestra changed its tune once again.
It was the beginning of the ball.
“Milady, it’s time to…”
“No.”
“…Yes?”
Elric said, looking at Tyria.
“It’s a ball, so why don’t you enjoy it for a bit? Though, I won’t be able to dance with you because of my knee.”
Her eyes narrowed.
He wondered if he would be uncomfortable with her dancing with another person, but he couldn’t help it.
Elric felt a small twinge of regret, then forced himself to control his emotions.
“Would you mind doing so?”
“…No.”
“That’s good. Then do you mind if I run some errands for a while?”
She nodded as he spoke, perhaps feeling a little embarrassed.
“I’ll be right back.” Elric said, as he stood up.
Elvus had already left the ballroom.
He didn’t need to bother to look for him.
Zing–
Mana waves were fluctuating.
He was telling Elric his location through a code.
Elric arrived in a garden somewhere on the royal estate.
Whether he had scouted this location in advance or not, the vicinity was covered in a deep silence, unlike the bustle of the banquet hall.
It was a miracle of magic that the gardens were still in bloom in the dead of winter.
Elvus Grayman stared at him with a wry smile on his face.
“Long time no see.”
He said, turning his head.
Elric stopped and laughed.
The words that came out afterwards were a little playful.
“You always seem to exceed my expectations.”
“May I take that as a compliment?”
“Oh man, how could it be a compliment? You had to give me that look as soon as you walked through the doors, didn’t you? I thought my heart was going to fall out of my chest.”
“I apologize.”
Elvus chuckled as he added,
“Gee, I never would have guessed that you were married.”
Elric’s lips pressed themselves together.
For some reason, he felt himself blushing.
“It’s…”
“It was strange, how you’ve had so many women flirt with you, and yet you’ve never given them a second glance. The rumor that you were gay? So it was all a lie.”
“That’s because…”
“You’re such a child. You couldn’t even forget your wife while you were on the battlefield…”
“…It’s not like that, so why don’t you stop it, okay?”
Elric felt his face heating up.
In those days, he truly had had no time for women, and there were too many sins he had committed against Tyria for him to even think about cheating on her.
It was a complicated tangle of reasoned causes and misleading effects, but Elvus clearly only shrugged off his words as an excuse.
“Your wife is a very beautiful woman.”
“I’m sure your wife would be disappointed to hear that.”
“That’s okay. Ilya is quite lenient in that way.”
In his eyes, she was just the most sophisticated person that he had ever seen.
Ellic recalled the face of a certain woman who was elegant to the extreme.
-”You two, play with each other.”
A woman who had been confident and assertive since their first meeting through their formal introductions.
The fact that he hadn’t brought her along must have been his own consideration in keeping that thing about himself hidden from her.
But Elvus wasn’t that considerate.
“Her eyes were literally dripping with honey. I saw that you two were holding hands, and I was losing my mind trying to figure out what you two were talking about.”
“That’s enough.”
“It was like watching a man and woman falling in love for the first time. Have you two kissed yet?”
Elric’s fists clenched.
Elvus laughed heartily.
What a shallow man.
There was no way in hell that he would get away with this.
Elric sighed and spoke.
“…We’re not here to talk about that, are we?”
Elric was getting to the point.
As far as he could deduce, what was going on between Elvus and the Moonlings was not something of the ordinary sort.
“I’m sure you’re aware of them. You’re not one to move this quickly without thought.”
“Oh, the assassins? Of course, I’ve had my share of enemies.”
“This is no laughing matter. There are only a few who would target you…”
“Well, technically, they’re not after me.”
“…What do you mean?”
Elric’s brow narrowed.
Elvus smiled wryly.
“It would be an assassination aimed at an emissary of the Empire, not me. This position wasn’t even mine to begin with, and I only received it last week.”
“…Ah.”
So it was because of that.
Elric suddenly understood why the Moonlings had been assigned to this assassination.
The image of the three assassins on their knees begging for their lives flashed through Elric’s mind.
‘What a way to live.’
It must have been quite embarrassing for him, given his cowardice, to be replaced by Elvus.
A smirk slipped out.
“Whatever you’re thinking is right.”
Elvus reached out and plucked a flower.
It was a red one.
“I’m sure you’ve been keeping up with the news from the western battlefields. Things have really changed there, haven’t they?”
“…”
“A full-scale conflict is about to begin, and that’s when the true war will break out.”
Elric could predict his next words.
They were on the tip of his tongue actually.
“A great despair for some.”
“But for others, a great opportunity. You remembered?”
“I’ve heard it so many times.”
“Have I really recited those words that much?”
Elvus chuckled softly.
Then his expression hardened, and his smile turned bitter.
“Now though, there are also those who will take advantage of it all.”
It wasn’t a hard thing to figure out.
An Imperial noble from the East.
A group of assassins targeting that noble.
Thinking hypothetically…
What if he hadn’t been here? what if it had been the man who was supposed to be the emissary that had been here, not Elvus?
And now, what if the Moonlings assassinated that Elvus?
“An Imperial noble was assassinated in the eastern lands.”
It was all,
“A good cause for war.”
Under that man’s machinations, another sea of blood was forming.
“There is a faction that wants the war to expand to the East. They’re an allied force within the Empire, perhaps even with some outsiders.”
Elvus’ words made Elric’s heart run cold.
How far were they going to take this tiresome war?
“Look, Kasha… no, Elric. I’m going to ask you a question.”
Elvus’ gaze turned to Elric.
“Do you have any intention of returning to the battlefield? We need you.”
He was serious.
He wanted a direct answer.
The irony in that was somewhat funny.
Suddenly, Elric’s mind flashed not to the horrors of the battlefield, not to the memories of those terrible moments, but to a wheat field.
And the face of a woman.
“I…”
His lips parted in hesitation.
“Did you two know each other?”
That was when a third party broke in.
Both Elric’s and Elvus’ eyes snapped to the direction the voice had come from.
There, approaching them, was a middle-aged blond man with a massive build.
A man they had both never properly met in person.
However, Elric knew his identity all too well.
“…Count Nimrud.”
The man who had ordered the assassination.
Their clear enemy.
“What a coincidence.”
He smirked.
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