Episode 69: How a Mercenary Prepares a Court Banquet (2)
“And we should deal with the remaining rats faster.”
Regina could tell by Kablen’s relentless eyes and arrogant tone that he was making sure not to miss anything. A sneaky rat was still hiding and staying behind.
“It will be over soon.”
From a private meeting with Eileen, she even counted how many rice spoons the maids had at home. So the one good at hiding would be the one stirring the water.
Still, Valentin did not look relieved by that certainty. He looked more disappointed and uneasy.
“Duke, the Harne trade master is here.”
Confe’s low voice announced the visitor with a polite knock. The door opened as Regina gathered the things she had used.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yes, hello.”
Regina and Weil exchanged a light greeting, close enough that their shoulders almost touched. It was enough time and distance to feel a faint trace of magic.
“What are you hiding in your bosom?”
“…Yes?”
Regina pointed at the left chest of Weil’s robe. Then everyone in the room turned their eyes at once.
“It’s a necklace with protective magic. Did you really notice it?”
Weil looked surprised and took the pocket out. Inside was a silver chain with a ruby-like gem.
The chain was unusually long, and if worn you could easily hide a tiny ruby or a thimble-sized gem inside the clothes.
“How did you—”
Only a mage could feel and find a magic item tucked in an inner pocket. Three pairs of eyes now looked at Regina.
“I… just felt something. It was protective magic.”
All the surprised looks made her uncomfortable. Valentin’s reaction—who should have heard once from Allen that she could sense magic—was excessive.
“I’ll step out. You two talk.”
She did not want a long talk about magic. Regina left the room like she was escaping and took a deep breath.
Especially if talk about Clarte slipped out by accident, it would be troublesome. Everyone had opinions about the great archmage, and as his granddaughter she could not just sit and listen without showing anything.
‘I have no other plans this afternoon, so I should go to Miss Joy’s.’
She had asked Joy to prepare a dress for the Day of Blessing banquet. She should have visited earlier, but the nonstop rain was the problem.
Also, she didn’t want to call someone to the castle to carry many dresses when she still had no proper assistant.
A proper lady could have handled it by ordering servants, but that felt awkward. It was easier for her to do it herself.
“Madam, what are you thinking?”
“Oh, nothing.”
It looked like only Valentin and Weil were left talking. Confe, who had followed Regina out, wore a friendly smile.
“I didn’t know you could sense magic, Madam.”
“I can’t use it. I can only feel it a little.”
Who would say that being able to find a magic item hidden inside a lining was “a little”? Confe took a step closer to Regina, who tried to avoid the conversation.
“Then do you feel stronger magic items more? Even the smallest ones?”
“I don’t know what counts as a great magic item, but the more the spell and power involved, the stronger the presence feels.”
The question was odd. Confe shook his head and chuckled when he met Regina’s look.
“Ha ha, I’d like to ask you to inspect things for me later.”
“If there aren’t many, I’ll do it.”
Confe bowed with thanks. The suspicious light under his eyelids was well hidden just then.
“I’m surprised.”
Weil pressed at his chest with his hand to calm himself. He was surprised Regina had seen what she had in her bosom, and he was more startled by the wary look on her face.
“Right. I didn’t think she could sense that. I’m glad she didn’t bring it.”
Weil almost showed a worried expression at the idea. If the object Valentin had asked Harne’s warehouse to bring—the thing that could cause a huge blaze—had been there, Weil knew he couldn’t have stayed in that room.
The mad prince planned to hide that thing in his ruined palace on the Day of Blessing.
It would be the start of his true revenge.
He would break the palace’s protective magic with a great explosion and take advantage of the gap. If the fire he started ate the whole palace, so much the better. Many would die, but he didn’t care.
After the revenge finished, he would turn to ash anyway.
‘That’s the only reason I’m still alive.’
“We have reports to give.”
Finally Harne asked for information. They were slow, but Valentin nodded like he wanted them to speak.
“First…”
Weil began to speak through his restless mouth. Rumors said Count Gambor’s second son was hiring and that the Persona Guild took secret jobs.
The problem was the gathered information was vague and needed inference. Weil bowed his head and looked troubled, but Valentin was already piecing together a plausible story.
It helped that the Persona Guild had overheard Regina and Gyle.
“The Persona took that count’s second son’s job. Regina interfered with that job.”
“So that means…”
Valentin’s face cooled. Regina Lofman had no contact with the Empress Dowager at all. His earlier suspicion was gone. Weil’s fingers trembled with guilt.
“I guess I worried too soon. I did the same when you first visited the trade hub, Madam.”
Weil sighed, filled with self-blame.
“Was nothing strange there?”
Nothing strange—where did that line stop?
Did they get everyone drunk and take advantage? Or did they shelter under cover and nearly steal a kiss? If she had felt his gaze and nearly buried him in her arms, that would still count as something.
He almost gave in to that rising desire. Looking back, that actually would have been something.
“My lord?”
“Hey, I ran here even though my waist hurt. I was worried about you.”
He smiled like a poor beast tasting a human touch for the first time. The crooked smile held deep obsession.
“I wish you’d think of me only. I want you to give me your care and kindness only. I could lock you up.”
He wanted to keep her safe and show kindness just to him.
“Weil, I think I’ve gone crazy.”
Weil’s face went pale at such a rough remark.
Luckily by afternoon the rain eased. Regina took the chance to go to Joy’s atelier. Joy blushed when she saw her in the half-messy workshop.
But Regina had asked Joy for clothes without giving her time to tidy, so Regina understood.
“…Did you stay up all night?”
Up close Joy looked tired under her eyes. She rolled up her sleeves and exclaimed,
“You asked me to make an outfit for the palace! I have to pour my soul into it.”
“That’s not necessary…”
“Try it on now!”
Joy loudly pulled back the dressing-room curtain. Inside were several garments: three dresses and one practical hunting outfit.
Regina first picked up the deep navy hunting outfit.
“It’s a bit daring, but I designed it so you can move easily.”
The top emphasized the waist and had fine metal decorations. The front hem was short so the legs wouldn’t get in the way, and the back was slightly tail-like.
The pants were light, but Regina liked how they matched Joy’s black leather boots.
Joy laughed softly to herself as she watched Regina favor the hunting outfit more than the dresses.
“You should still be careful.”
The fabric was thinner than a mercenary’s gear. It would tear easily in a sword fight—even though such a thing was unlikely at a court banquet.
“We couldn’t add heavy cloth and leather for the look. But it won’t easily tear on a branch or other obstacles.”
Some noblewomen wore hunting clothes to events to appear brave, though they rarely actually ran into the field.
Regina assumed she wouldn’t be the one to go rolling into danger either.
“That will be enough.”
“Then try on the dresses.”
They moved to the dresses at the end. Teal, pale pink, and a yellowish dress—each tried to capture the freshness of spring sunlight.
‘Harder than training.’
Time flew while she changed and checked the dress in many mirrors and fixed small flaws.
Regina felt she could draw her own face with her eyes closed after looking so long. The small and large mirrors in the atelier were all useful in ways she had not expected.
