Odette smiled at the dirty potato.
“Ah. Corporal Marco. I’ve heard that name before. Nice to meet you.”
“Haha! I guess so. If you had pretended not to know me, you would have seen something really funny. I have a very vicious side even when I act like this.”
'Yeah. Yeah. That's what it looks like.'
Like a potato that has become very poisonous.
Odette pretended to be friendly and helped Corporal Marco remove the thread from the medal on his chest. To be exact, she pretended to remove it.
Because she had to check exactly what identity this guy had written on his medal.
'A C-class Transcendent... What is this? Isn't he more amazing than I thought? Then, he's one of the top ten Transcendents in the Barceha Empire, so why is he only a sergeant?'
At that moment, a loud, ear-piercing crash was heard. When Odette turned her head, the glass the Crown Prince was holding was shattered.
“I’m sorry for bothering you. I’m just not good at controlling my strength.”
His hands were dripping with blood.
The sound of the breaking was so loud and noisy that even the orchestra playing the dance music stopped and everyone looked at John with surprised expressions.
Transcendent beings who are overflowing with power are bound to make mistakes like that.
Everyone knew that fact as common sense, but everyone seemed surprised because it was the first time they saw the always dignified John act like that.
“Play the dance song again.”
John gave the order plainly. All the guests were about to let it go, as they were struck by his graceful manner. But the chamberlain started to fuss.
“How could this be a mistake in controlling the power? It looks like glass, but it was made specifically for Your Highness with magic stones. Please call Your Highness’s personal physician immediately!”
“Now that you’re done with the doctor... please start playing again. If you start quickly, won’t it end quickly?”
“Your hands are covered in blood! Your Highness!”
“Play! Now!”
What can I say? John looked really pissed.
'I've never seen John, the knight among knights and the gentleman among gentlemen, act like such a tyrant.'
Yes... The Emperor was a bit too much today. He must be moderate in using his son politically.
Sensing the calm before a storm, Odette hurriedly linked arms with Corporal Marco and headed toward the wall furthest from the royal family’s high table.
It was because she was afraid that the sparks of John's anger might fly towards her.
“I wonder. What kind of wicked side does Corporal Marco have?”
Of course, he was a brat who didn't like being treated with honorifics, but there were many people around him who were secretly listening.
Odette had been to many banquets like this, but this was the first time they'd seen her talking to a male guest. Everyone seemed secretly curious.
'In this situation, there is no need to speak informally and further damage my reputation.'
A soldier who received a medal meant that he had contributed to the empire. Although he was of a lower status, it was an unspoken manner to use honorifics in such a setting.
Marco's shoulders tense up at Odette's polite speech, making him look even more like an ugly potato.
“Well, what if you told the Count that I knew that the young lady had sneaked into the asylum?”
“...”
“I am the Count’s right-hand man. I must report to the Count about the visit to the prison camp on the last day of the founding of the country.”
“...But?”
“I would be so upset if you didn’t recognize me, even though I’ve abandoned my duty for you, my lady. I can’t torment you like I torment the Fenrir clan.”
You're a real punk. You're talking about doing it for my sake when you're just talking to me for the first time... And your tone is already completely threatening.
I thought the Empire was strict on merit, but to give this son of a bitch a medal, the highest the Emperor can give? The country's in good hands.
“Ah. Corporal Marco. I’ve heard that name before. Nice to meet you.”
“Haha! I guess so. If you had pretended not to know me, you would have seen something really funny. I have a very vicious side even when I act like this.”
'Yeah. Yeah. That's what it looks like.'
Like a potato that has become very poisonous.
Odette pretended to be friendly and helped Corporal Marco remove the thread from the medal on his chest. To be exact, she pretended to remove it.
Because she had to check exactly what identity this guy had written on his medal.
'A C-class Transcendent... What is this? Isn't he more amazing than I thought? Then, he's one of the top ten Transcendents in the Barceha Empire, so why is he only a sergeant?'
At that moment, a loud, ear-piercing crash was heard. When Odette turned her head, the glass the Crown Prince was holding was shattered.
“I’m sorry for bothering you. I’m just not good at controlling my strength.”
His hands were dripping with blood.
The sound of the breaking was so loud and noisy that even the orchestra playing the dance music stopped and everyone looked at John with surprised expressions.
Transcendent beings who are overflowing with power are bound to make mistakes like that.
Everyone knew that fact as common sense, but everyone seemed surprised because it was the first time they saw the always dignified John act like that.
“Play the dance song again.”
John gave the order plainly. All the guests were about to let it go, as they were struck by his graceful manner. But the chamberlain started to fuss.
“How could this be a mistake in controlling the power? It looks like glass, but it was made specifically for Your Highness with magic stones. Please call Your Highness’s personal physician immediately!”
“Now that you’re done with the doctor... please start playing again. If you start quickly, won’t it end quickly?”
“Your hands are covered in blood! Your Highness!”
“Play! Now!”
What can I say? John looked really pissed.
'I've never seen John, the knight among knights and the gentleman among gentlemen, act like such a tyrant.'
Yes... The Emperor was a bit too much today. He must be moderate in using his son politically.
Sensing the calm before a storm, Odette hurriedly linked arms with Corporal Marco and headed toward the wall furthest from the royal family’s high table.
It was because she was afraid that the sparks of John's anger might fly towards her.
“I wonder. What kind of wicked side does Corporal Marco have?”
Of course, he was a brat who didn't like being treated with honorifics, but there were many people around him who were secretly listening.
Odette had been to many banquets like this, but this was the first time they'd seen her talking to a male guest. Everyone seemed secretly curious.
'In this situation, there is no need to speak informally and further damage my reputation.'
A soldier who received a medal meant that he had contributed to the empire. Although he was of a lower status, it was an unspoken manner to use honorifics in such a setting.
Marco's shoulders tense up at Odette's polite speech, making him look even more like an ugly potato.
“Well, what if you told the Count that I knew that the young lady had sneaked into the asylum?”
“...”
“I am the Count’s right-hand man. I must report to the Count about the visit to the prison camp on the last day of the founding of the country.”
“...But?”
“I would be so upset if you didn’t recognize me, even though I’ve abandoned my duty for you, my lady. I can’t torment you like I torment the Fenrir clan.”
You're a real punk. You're talking about doing it for my sake when you're just talking to me for the first time... And your tone is already completely threatening.
I thought the Empire was strict on merit, but to give this son of a bitch a medal, the highest the Emperor can give? The country's in good hands.
At that moment, the orchestra's dance music ended. The sound that had been filling the background disappeared.
‘It’s difficult to just cut off the conversation like this, but I can’t continue the conversation like this either...’
It's a story that would be embarrassing if someone next to her overheard.
“Lady Odette, will you dance with me?”
As it happened, the potato guy asked Odette to dance.
“What if I don’t dance?”
Odette put away her playful smile and asked with a serious expression.
Then Marco took a step closer to her, his expression clearly showing that he was more excited. As if he was glad that he had made her serious.
Then he whispered so that no one around him could hear.
“My lady, I told you that I kept quiet to the Count about your impertinent outing. Does that mean that I fully understand how you are treated in the Count’s household?”
“Please keep talking.”
“If you, my lady, do not dance with me, will my mouth not become infinitely lighter in front of the Count?”
“Oh my God, I’m scared.”
Odette said in a tone that said she wasn't scared at all. Then Marco, who was furious, leaned closer to her ear and whispered.
“Are the Fenrir children really buried in the graves inside the camp? Shouldn’t you stop me from reporting such a thing to the Count?”
'Look at this. You know how to threaten?'
The more vile the kid, the more fun it is.
“Okay... Sounds good. Let’s dance.”
Odette smiled brightly and grabbed the potato bastard's hand. Then they glided onto the dance floor.
The song happened to be a waltz. It was perfect for just the two of them to stick together and talk.
'How can I get that kid onto the terrace?'
As the sticky hands of the potato guy escorting her were similar to Ferdinand's, it was easy to guess what feelings the potato guy had for her.
A base, unpleasant, and violent desire.
It was a moment when the gentlemen greeted her first to the beat of the song, and she also greeted them by lightly lifting up the hem of her skirt.
A moment when dozens of men and women are about to join hands with their respective partners.
The song suddenly stopped. Everyone, including Odette, looked at the orchestra.
John, who had broken the baton, was standing there.
“Excuse me. I really don’t like the song selection.”
With an even more vicious and tyrannical expression than before.
'But somehow... it seems like he's looking this way?'
Didn't I ask John to please look at this dress earlier? I'll cancel. I had a gut feeling. If I get caught by that guy today, I'm screwed.
In an instant, the hall that had been so scary began to slowly roar.
“Change the song selection to one that doesn’t bother me.”
At John's command, the conductor hurriedly looked through the music and began playing a quadrille, not a waltz.
'The Crown Prince is also a member of the royal family, so he is the host of the banquet. So it's not like he can't change the song selection. That's surprising.'
Wasn't it John who was known for being both rule-abiding and gentle? Even though he didn't like the song, he handled it in a crude way that even the current Emperor wouldn't do.
She wondered if she was the only one who was surprised because the Emperor also had a very puzzled expression on his face. Of course, the other guests gathered there were also.
The sudden change in song selection caused the people on the dance floor to change into a flustered quadrille.
'It's too much for just the two of us to talk.'
Since this is a dance that is mostly performed together, even with partners, it was difficult to have private conversations.
As Odette was walking the quadrille steps, she thought to herself that things were really not going well today.
***
“We still had something to talk about. Shall we go out to the terrace for a moment?”
When the song ended, Corporal Marco spoke to Odette with a proud expression.
It was clear that he was completely intoxicated by the fact that he had danced with that noble Odette.
"Great."
Odette was already wondering how she could drag him out to the terrace, so she was so grateful that he brought it up first.
'It's a great place to enjoy a secret chat. Above all, if you have the time-'
But then, through the magic tool, John's voice echoed across the dance floor.
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