There's something I hate about having a party on my birthday. So, Alfried is now seven years old. I'm not going to celebrate his birthday because of the party. Well, I don't have to, because I'm old and I don't need it.

　Today is the day of the invitation, the day of a nobleman's social gathering hosted by the Duke of Leengrande, as I recall.

　The duke has a very high rank. You need to be related to the royal family or have made significant achievements to become a duke. As I recall, Linaria, the wife of Viscount Lorena, as well as Yulina, was also a duke.

　Since you are the host of the party, you must go and greet the dukes. So I've been nailed down to never misspell their names and not to be rude.

　Totally, Nord dad and Erna mom are so worried. How can I be more involved than necessary with such a knightly and troublesome person?

　I've already made up my mind what I'm going to do today.

　First, you'll go into the hall.

　Isn't that going to draw a lot of attention to Father Nord and Mother Erna?

　While Nord Dad and the others are surrounded, I take my place at the edge of the room, pretending to be a stranger and eating the delicacies on the table.

　Hmmm........isn't that perfect.

　All that's left to do is paste a smile on my face and make the rounds of greetings once I've settled in appropriately.

　I'm sure Nord-Dad will take care of the details for me.

　That's the end of the day's battle.


What are you smiling about, Al?　Besides, you're wearing a suit and you'll get wrinkles if you sit like that, right?

　I'm not trying to make Father Nord and Mother Erna into scapegoats or anything.　

It's nothing, mother.

　I straighten the collar of my suit and straighten my back. Does this make me look a little more like an aristocrat?

　Shucks, why do I have to wear something so stifling? Let's leave the buttons unbuttoned until we enter the hall.

'Oh my, you're strangely paused. Besides, you're calling me differently than usual.

　Mother Erna narrowing her slit eyes.

　Mmm .............sharp.

''No, this is me practicing so that I don't end up calling you Mother Erna in the hall. I accidentally almost called her Mother Erna as usual, so there was a pause.

　I'm not lying. I'm not lying.

　I was never in a hurry or anything because I was thinking of sacrificing him and making it easy for him.

'That's certainly true too. Al is so cute already.

　When I replied, your mother put her hand on my head and gently - the iron claw is stuck in it, ugh!

'It hurts, Mother. I think something is coming out of my head.

Oh, yeah. Is this your idea of a bad idea?

'No, no, it hurts!　You know what I thought?

　I don't get it. What's the point of being treated like this!

How can you be ecstatic with that evil grin on your face?

People should have the freedom of imagination.

　We will not give in. I will not give in. I will not bend my mind, even if I am subjected to unwarranted violence. And to bend the knee to a judgment based on mere conjecture and without proof the name of Thurlowlett will go out of fashion!

I heard something about sacrificing me to make it easier.

No, no...

　That day I wasn't let out until the party started.





　We entered the nobleman's quarter from the inn and rocked the carriage for a few dozen minutes.

　I arrived at the party venue.

　So this is the Duke of Leengrande's house.

　It was an elegant three-story mansion painted in white.

　Despite it being nighttime, there was a lot of light coming out of the windows and joyful music playing in the background.

　The lush green garden was also set up with light sources and tables, where we could enjoy the illumination that only nighttime could provide.

　Many of the nobles would come in carriages just like us. There's still some time until the time of the event, so it's probably the barons and viscounts who are arriving here now. The rule is that those of lower status should arrive as soon as possible.

　All of those carriages will be painlessly stowed away into the grounds by the duke's servants with great skill.

　We likewise leave the carriage to the servants and walk on the luxurious-looking carpet to the entrance.

　The grounds are overwhelmingly large.

　Perhaps this place is just for holding these kinds of events, and the duke's house is even more impressive.

　It's also probably a way to show that our family has this much power by holding these events regularly.

　A boy my age who walks in front of me seems to be already nervous and tense.

　My hands and feet are moving at the same time.

　The father next to me noticed this and gave him a pat on the head.

　So the boy finally starts to walk normally.

'I don't like what I'm doing. It's unsettling, as if I'm being threatened all of a sudden.

'You're very perceptive, Al. Every member of the Duke of Leengrande's family is famous for his strong-mindedness.

　Mother Erna replies to my little murmur with a look of admiration.

　A person's character comes out after all, doesn't it? I don't know if that's on purpose or not.

You are always on the offensive when something happens. "I'm always on the side of the attacker when something happens. Or maybe they often crush you before you can attack them.

　

　What words were about to come out of my mouth, but I held back since I was already on the premises.

　Anyway, let's be careful not to leave a lasting impression on the duke's family.

　With that in mind, we entered the venue.

　When we entered the venue, it was like a different world separated from the rest of the world.

　It's a large space that can accommodate hundreds of people, and many aristocrats are already wearing glittering dresses to assert their presence.

　Some accentuate the lines of the body, some have frills adorning their skirts, some wear elaborately embroidered dresses.

　One look at them told me that they were of considerable value.

　There were many chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and their light sources shone suspiciously on the ornaments that accentuated the beauty of the women.

　I'm getting tired just looking at it somehow.

　As the three of us walked into the hall, all eyes were instantly drawn to Father Nord.

　A group of people quickly began to trickle in.

　The noble ladies who had been chatting peacefully until now also cut off their conversation and changed the atmosphere completely.

　Alright, if we leave now........

　Without making a sound of footsteps, I was grabbed by an arm as I retreated to eliminate the signs.

''.........This is the best time to sacrifice them, right?

　Smiling, Mother Erna holds my wrist.

　d*mn, you didn't even tell me the details of the plan, but you saw it coming.

''It's been a long time since you've been here, Baron Throttlett. I see you haven't been attending many of our parties lately.

It's good to see you looking well. 'It's good to see you, Viscount Cabor. I'm not very good at these events, after all, I'm an upstart. You'll have to excuse me.

Don't be so modest. Even in King's Landing, you're a renowned dragonslayer.

　Wow, that word that came out of nowhere.

　After that, Mother Erna introduced me, and then she turned to me.

"By the way, is that your son there?

　Viscount Kabor glanced at me.

''It's nice to meet you, Viscount Kabor. My name is Alfried, the second son of the House of Slowlet.

　And me bending my hips carefully.

　I remembered the first name I heard. I'm so proud of myself.

'Ho, is this your second son?　

　A rude stare. A stare from top to bottom.

　It's okay to be clear about this, right?　Compared to her sister and brother, she's plain.

　It's a good thing I'm not going to be able to say it's ugly, though.

I'm not going to be able to say anything about it.

'You're kidding, right?　A dull man like that!　I thought you were a squire or something.'

''I can't say that you and Silvio-sama are very much alike.

　I'm sorry. Please don't be so straightforward.

　I feel like crying.

　Even so, I still think women have a hard eye.

　I'll make sure to stay away from that gorgeous noblewoman's place over there.


　× X X X



"Hey, did you see that? You're in this brightly lit hall, and you're disappearing into the night.

'I'm sorry, Father. I couldn't see it at all.

'No, it was a coincidence that even I noticed it. That thing may be different from the ordinary looking one, an alien one we'll continue to monitor.

"Yes, Father.