Chapter 54
He stroking his beard with one hand, entered the annex’s drawing room. Despite the snow outside, he had come without an umbrella, snow piled thickly on his shoulders and head.
He looked so much like Santa Claus that I almost laughed.
“Long time no see, Count. Is it alright if I come to the annex? Everyone must be waiting at the banquet.”
Among the Western nobles, the Marquis of the Borderlands was one of the most respected figures.
Even just showing up at the banquet would have dozens of nobles rushing to make their mark, so I wondered if it was appropriate for him to come to the annex.
“Not at all. My wife dislikes drinking parties, and I find this more comfortable.”
He joked as he sank into the sofa.
“Oh, and if the Grand Madam finds it inconvenient…”
“It’s fine. I also want to hear some stories.”
The Marquis was an easy conversationalist. Among the nobles who came here, the ones I found enjoyable to talk to were really only the Marquis, the Viscountess, and Jane.
Before he sat on the sofa opposite the Marquis, I called Nata, who was standing by the door.
“Ah, before that… Sir Nata?”
I called him to give me some time to talk with the Marquis, but he seemed lost in thought, staring at the floor.
For someone like Nata, who never missed a small detail, this was unusual. As I tried to call him again, the Marquis stopped me.
“You can leave him be. I’ll say a word to him later. It’s odd to see a bodyguard spacing out like that.”
“He’s been like that often these days.”
“Did something happen?”
“I don’t know why, but I think it’s related to the reading club.”
I briefly explained what had happened at the reading club.
The Marquis initially listened with interest, but when my name came up, his face slightly crumpled. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to suppress a smile or if he was angry. When I expressed my curiosity, he said:
“No, it’s nothing. Call it indifference, or coincidence… I’ll leave it at that.”
After hearing everything about the reading club, he glanced at Nata and, with a chuckle, said:
“It’ll be fine soon. You just stumbled upon a big mystery.”
“…Was my reading club really that much of a problem?”
“Something like that.”
Thinking, I should warn her later, he then diverted the conversation, taking a sip of tea from the table.
“By the way, how was your meeting with His Majesty the Emperor? I heard your speech was impressive, though I’m not sure if my information was of help.”
“It was… flirty.”
“…Excuse me?”
“He flirted with me like a street thug.”
“That sounds like a story worth hearing.”
The Marquis clasped his hands and listened attentively. I slowly began recounting what happened when I met the Emperor.
Phew, coming to the annex was the right choice.
After the conversation with Wilhelmina ended, the Marquis stepped out into the annex garden. Excited by the entertaining stories, he felt a sudden rush of energy.
He wished he could release it by swinging a sword, but since he couldn’t, he decided to walk through the garden to calm himself.
Winter made the sun set early, and the moon was already high. The snow had just stopped, and under the clear sky, he leisurely enjoyed his stroll.
Before dinner, Wilhelmina had said to return, then she went to the study with Anna to oversee Sido’s studies.
While inspecting the well-maintained garden, Nata emerged from the annex and approached the Marquis.
“Your Excellency.”
“I’m no longer your superior. Speak freely.”
“…Count, I apologize for not greeting you properly.”
“That’s fine. I have a rough idea why.”
The Marquis laughed heartily and sat on a bench at the center of the garden.
Nata stood before him and asked cautiously:
“Do you know the identity of a man named Rohan?”
Skipping all the small talk of greetings and asking about the journey, as usual, he got straight to the point.
The Marquis leaned back on the bench with his arms crossed.
“You tell me first. What did you notice about him?”
“He’s a strong knight. Probably… stronger than me.”
A hint of rivalry flashed in Nata’s eyes.
Nata was one of the most skilled knights in the Western army. Only a handful could claim victory against him in a one-on-one duel, not counting the Marquis.
If Nata judged him as strong, then it was safe to say he had few equals in the West.
“Of course. If you lost to him, your name wouldn’t mean anything.”
“So you do know his identity?”
“I certainly do.”
He chuckled, recalling the past.
It felt like just yesterday he and Rohan had swept across the battlefield together.
“Do you remember when I reclaimed the second occupied territory?”
“You mean the battle where you ambushed alone and decapitated the enemy general?”
“Yes. I held the front to cover your retreat, but I took advantage of a gap and reclaimed the enemy’s territory.”
It was one of the Marquis’ heroic feats.
Despite the battle being on the verge of defeat, he stayed behind for his troops, and in that gap, broke through the enemy lines to seize victory—a story that seemed straight out of a novel.
Even the commanders who were close to him had a hard time believing it.
“The one who helped me then… that man was Rohan.”
“…Really?”
“There’s no reason for me to lie to you, is there?”
Though the feat would have been impossible alone, I hadn’t expected there to be a hidden ally. Moreover, Rohan didn’t seem to belong to the Western army.
For someone of that caliber, even his name should have been known on the battlefield, yet it was unfamiliar.
“Is Rohan some kind of reclusive genius?”
“Hahaha! You read too many novels.”
The Marquis said with a laugh to the blushing Nata.
“He’s hiding his identity. Far more important than you think. Why we met… I’ll tell you next time. We just shared a common purpose. I wanted to drive out the foreigners, and he wanted peace in the West.”
“Then why is he now serving as a merchant’s bodyguard? Is there something in Goldrail?”
“No. As you know, Goldrail is a worthless merchant guild.”
The Marquis frowned at the mere thought of Goldrail, clearly displeased.
“He just needed that position.”
“So, his true purpose is serving the Grand Madam?”
The Marquis remained silent, a tacit confirmation.
“He said he isn’t an enemy when I asked, and he apologized.”
“…Apologized?”
“Apologized for making me, his Grand Madam’s guard, feel suspicious.”
Very Rohan-like.
“Did he say anything else?”
“He said nothing about his identity. I tried to get an answer by force, but Jane stopped me. She vouched for him, being the Grand Madam’s guest.”
Since Jane risked her life to guarantee Rohan’s identity, Nata couldn’t draw his sword.
Besides, accusing him without evidence would have been Nata’s fault too.
Moreover…
‘Instinctively, you must have realized. Rohan is dangerous.’
The Marquis understood why Nata had been wary.
A warrior who faced life and death develops special senses, and Rohan challenged them mercilessly.
Realizing it had all been a misunderstanding, Nata sighed.
“If he’s an acquaintance of yours, I don’t need to worry. Even if I wanted to investigate more, he suddenly took leave, so I couldn’t find him… Thankfully.”
“Leave? Ah, yes. He should be in the East by now.”
“Do you know where exactly?”
“Not exactly, but I can guess.”
The Marquis stopped talking, fearing Nata would figure out more than intended.
“I’ll return now. I also need to apologize to the Grand Madam for my recent negligence as a guard.”
“Ah, don’t mention Rohan.”
“Is he really that dangerous?”
“No, it’s not that.”
With an oddly excited smile, the Marquis continued:
“It’s just an old man’s hobby.”
He thought it would be fun to leave things alone.
Nata frowned, but the Marquis just laughed.
Across the Empire, New Year’s banquets were being held.
Commoners celebrated the New Year in their homes. Nobles gathered with their acquaintances to plan for the future, and regional lords summoned their retainers to display their family’s strength.
Just as in the West, the ducal house of the East also began the New Year’s banquet in grand fashion.
