Chapter 53

Chapter 53

We met up again with Mercy at the villa’s rear garden, and there, she updated us on the status of the operations—it seemed like Rosteratu and some other people were inside. As I changed clothes, Schubert and I infiltrated the mansion posing as attendants.

As I was on my way to the banquet hall, I passed by the kitchen where someone handed me a tray of dishes, so I brought it with me there.

Lights illuminated the hallway brightly. It was around midnight, but it’s as bright as the daytime inside the villa.

It looked more simple on the outside, but sure enough, the inside of the house was practically gilded with gold. I would have even believed that this was Midas’ mansion after he had turned everything he touched into gold.

…That impotent king’s brain really seems to have turned to spongey mush. I can’t believe he’s wasting so much money into a place like this.

I really hope Albert can ascend to the throne soon.

I tried to recall the original story and when exactly Albert was supposed to escape the tower. I think there’s a few months left… Though I’m not entirely sure.

Glancing at me sideways, Schubert whispered.

“And your glasses?”

“I’m wearing it properly.”

Even though I’m wearing pants right now, it would be difficult to pretend to be like the other attendants just like that due to my smaller physique. It was thanks to the magic spell engraved on the glasses that I could fit in here naturally.

The glasses made sure that my gender and my face itself looked ambiguous to the eye. Because of this, other people didn’t give me any particular attention, so my smaller physique didn’t matter to them. I was just an attendant who’s hard at work, that’s all that they could see.

Schubert was pushing a two-tier tray on wheels beside me, and Alexander was hidden in a box at the lower compartment. Blanc, on the other hand, was hiding in the box that was at the bottom of the second tray. Mercy had placed the ‘Hide’ spell on those boxes.

“Once we’re done distributing the liquor and food, the dragon will knock on the box three times—that’s the signal for us to get out of the way.”

Schubert whispered to me under his breath as he pointed to the box where Alexander was.

“If you’re too far away, then I’ll wave my hand three times to let you know. Still though, are you sure you won’t avoid it?”

“Alexander vowed his entire existence if he lied to me.”

Earlier, Liam asked to confirm my safety several times over.

“…That’s true.”

Schubert looked like he’s worried about me. It was not too long ago that he said he’d never ever trust me, but I seemed to have successfully gained his trust now.

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“I’m not worried.”

“Yeah, I guess not. I saw it wrong.”

“…But when you say it that way, it really does make me worried.”

He mumbled again shyly. Schubert grumbled as the doors opened.

And soon, I entered the banquet hall where Rosteratu was.

A dazzling chandelier hung opulently overhead and shone brightly, and there were some sofas positioned in several places. This wasn’t a regular banquet hall.

The nobles conversed and exchanged subtle glances. There were men and women holding hands as they left their seats. But the most eye-catching one was—

“Rosteratu. That’s him.”

It was that middle-aged man sitting there while surrounded by women. Anyone with eyes could tell that the person who had the most power on that sofa was him.

Only a few small memories of Rosé’s remained with me, so I didn’t know what Rosteratu looked like. But the moment I saw him, I knew it was him.

An expression full of lust and desire, a cloudy look in one’s gaze. At just one glance, I knew that he was a man who lived a deplorably hedonistic life.

There’s this saying that goes: the longer you live, the more your true character shows on your face. That’s exactly the case with Rosteratu. His life was plain to see on that face.

He had a smaller build than Albert, despite his plumpness, and he looked so shabby when he looked like he had no muscle in his body at all.

He had a condescending, pompous expression on his face, but despite that, he still looked so terribly small in that crowd.

I recalled Albert, who was trapped in the tower yet was still busy managing his condition every day. And how brilliant he was.

Yet because of this small man.

Albert had been robbed of his life.

The scene in the novel that talked about how Albert killed Rosteratu was short.

The rebellion succeeded, Albert stormed the palace, he raised the same sword he used to kill Rosé, then slashed Rosteratu with one strike.

What was he thinking when that happened?

After handing down an insignificant death to the man who pushed him into the abyss, did this bring Albert happiness?

I hope it did. I hope Albert was so happy that he wouldn’t be visited by any trifling thoughts of the previous king.

I gripped the tray’s handles tightly.

Looking around, I began to distribute the dishes to the tables around me. A service smile was plastered on my lips.

* * *

Doing an attendant’s work was far more difficult than I thought. It’s like these nobles had vacuums installed in their stomachs or something because the food I gave them disappeared right after every single time. People around me were busy laughing and chatting as they promiscuously played around.

There were some people who really just talked. I have no idea what happens behind the scenes in their minds, but they looked like those aristocrats I’d see in the movies, greeting each other with prim and proper courtesy as they conversed.

However, those who acted ever so gracefully soon turned one-eighty. They let out their contemptuous remarks and shouted with all the strength left in their body that ‘I’m the best!’.

At the back of my mind, I acknowledged two things vaguely: one, that this was the kind of social environment I’d have to face later, and two, that this surely wouldn’t suit me.

…That is, it’s something that I’d have to deal with if I ever decide to stay by Albert’s side.

But Rosé Artius was a maid. What would happen when the rumors spread?

There was a lot on my mind tonight.

In the middle of serving, I ran into Schubert a couple times, but it seemed like Alexander still hadn’t given the signal.

I tried not to wander close to Rosteratu as much as I could, but I couldn’t completely keep my distance.

I placed a plate of grapes and a bottle of wine on Rosteratu’s table. His vulgar laughter pierced my ears.

“So, how is the Prince doing, Your Majesty?”

“He must be suffering right now. Haha! That bastard who comes from nothing doesn’t know how to repay my favor, what with him trying to surpass me and become king.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. You made such a good choice.”

“Haha, I never liked him ever since I first got him. His brothers and parents were all dead, and yet that look in his eyes was just ridiculous despite it all.”

“You’re right, you’re definitely right, sire.”

The noble sitting across Rosteratu nodded, but in fact, it didn’t seem like the king’s blathering interested him at all. It’s obvious that he’s just saying that for the sake of keeping up with Rosteratu’s mood.

…I immediately saw how he’s just forcing himself to please the king, perhaps because I often did it at work, too. Setting aside the feeling of bitterness, I eavesdropped on their conversation.

“According to the latest report, a lot of things with this and that had been demanded of Albert, that’s why he should be feeling tortured right now…”

Rosteratu let out a bark of laughter that was laced with satisfaction. Haha! I almost want to go see that bastard just to see him in pain!

…Huh? Latest report?

I’m confused. It seemed like he’s talking about the report that Albert wrote for me while I was sick.

But the content sounded embarrassing. I’m suspicious of the sticky tone Rosteratu had when he emphasized the words ‘this and that’.

Whenever I sent reports, it was to the tune of ‘What do you think we did~’ and it’s usually just something like that. This was because I felt bad for Albert if I really would put a lot of details in those reports.

But what on earth did Albert write?

“Ah, with the help of that wand’s power, the report said that he couldn’t resist at all and he did everything that he was asked of. It was demanded that he give several kisses many times a day, all day long.”

My face burned up in an instant. I took a deep breath to steady myself.

Well, I usually made up some things whenever I sent my reports, but…! It’s so embarrassing to listen to a report being recounted in real time. I came from a country that’s trained me to have an iron plate on my face, but this is a little…

I’ll need to ask Albert later just what he wrote.

On the other hand, I couldn’t help but think that Albert was truly admirable. He figured out what to write in the reports, and I think he really remained faithful to the tone of it, too.

Albert was perfect, even in this kind of thing.

“Suits him well, doesn’t it? A king is not required to be handsome. He’s far more suited to that kind of thing.”

Rosteratu’s absurd remarks continued. In the meantime though, it’s funny how—though he didn’t outright say that Albert’s handsome—he just fully acknowledged Albert’s good looks. It definitely looked like he had some inferiority complex about his looks.

Hearing this constant stream of gossip about Albert, I wanted to wash out my ears.

But no, it’s not just that.

I was overcome with this very persistent impulse.

…Can’t I hit him once, huh?

Seriously, let me at him just one time…?

When else would I be this close to Rosteratu?

I agonized over the dilemma like a high school student who’s about to take the deadly college entrance exams. As I looked through a window of the banquet hall, I could see the sky turning into an emerald hue.

It’s the first time I’m seeing a sky like this. It’s too bright to say that it’s still nighttime.

Wondering if it’s already daybreak, I then turned to the clock, but it’s still just two o’clock. We’re still a long way off from sunrise.

From some distance away, I saw Schubert push the tray slightly forward while waving at me.

It’s time.

The scenery outside the window looked much too beautiful for it to be the prelude to a disaster, with its harbinger being Alexander.

The nobles were all staring out the window, too. And the same was true with Rosteratu.

“Just what…”

Schubert opened the box beneath the tray, and there, Alexander slowly staggered out.

Before coming to this banquet hall, the dragon could barely move his legs and couldn’t walk properly, but right now, he flew with all his might. The blue wings on his back moved urgently.

“Y-You!”

The nobleman sitting across Rosteratu pointed a finger at Alexander. And since he knew who Alexander was, it seemed like this nobleman was Marquis Evnen.

The marquis’ outburst drew the other nobles’ attention.

“What…?”

“It’s just a puppy though?”

“Who brought that here?”

Of course, the nobles who couldn’t wield magic couldn’t see Alexander’s true form.

Graaaah! There was a vibrating sound like ultrasonic waves emanating from Alexander. At the piercing noise, the nobles grimaced and covered their ears. I did as well.

Alexander’s pupils were wide. His slit eyes looked straight at Marquis Evnen, glaring at him ferociously. Hate filled the dragon’s eyes entirely and shot out a killing intent.

With a grudging tone, he spoke.

“How dare you use a dragon while pretending to enter a contract.”

Scales peeled off from Alexander’s body one by one. The nobles began to collapse around me.

“Foolish man.”

The disaster has commenced.