Orobas’ Banquet Hall.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a banquet this large.”
“That’s right. This place will be the highlight of this social season.”
The people gathered at the banquet hall were gathered in small groups, chatting.
Among them were Yubar, who was often compared to the host of the banquet, Duke Orobas, as well as the royal family and the most prominent families of the empire.
“I knew about it through letters.”
Among them, a group wearing white priestly robes was looking around.
They were looking at the banquet hall, which was decorated with pure white decorations, with a displeasure.
At first glance, it seemed as if this was a temple or that the banquet was hosted by priests, as the banquet hall was decorated in similar colors.
“You said you would prove your divinity with this banquet?”
“I wonder how you could say that so confidently.”
Displeasure flowed through the priests talking about Duke Orobas.
It might have been different in the old days when the distance between gods and humans was close, but now, even among the priests, there were few who could hear the voices of the gods throughout their lives.
In an era where the distance between gods and humans was that great, it would not have been good for them if a non-priest tried to prove his divinity.
If the Duke of Orobas could prove his divinity, even by some means, wouldn’t there have been a backlash against the temple for designating Orobas as a demon?
Perhaps there would have been those who doubted the divinity of the temple. If that happened, there might have been those who were dissatisfied with the fact that they had been receiving offerings under the pretext of divinity.
In many ways, it would have been a bad situation for the temple.
“Your Highness the Duke of Orobas is here!”
At that moment, the entrance to the banquet hall became noisy and the Duke of Orobas appeared.
“It has been a long time since I have seen you, Your Highness the Duke.”
“Oh, you are here.”
He received the nobles’ greetings with a face that was more rosy than usual.
Then he approached the priests straight away.
“...”
He smiled at the guarded gazes of the priests.
“I am very happy that the priests are here. As I said in the invitation.”
“...You said you would prove your divinity at this place?”
The one who received the words was the priest Cladda.
He has recently become the real power in the temple, right?
Duke Orobas nodded, his eyes shining as he looked at him.
“Orobas will prove his divinity at the main banquet of this event.”
The banquet hall became quiet for a moment at his words.
It was the opening party. A simple place to welcome the guests before the banquet began in earnest.
The main banquet would begin after all the guests had arrived.
“How can you prove your divinity so confidently?”
Duke Yubar approached the priests and Duke Orobas at that moment and asked.
Yubar, Orobas, and Vine. The three families are designated as the demon family.
Vine was specifically designated by the Saintess, but there was no mention of a demon being found.
If it is proven that there are no demons in Vine, Orobas and Yubar will once again become suspects of the demon family.
Then, if Orobas were to prove his divinity here, it was obvious that Yubar would be in trouble.
Furthermore. He recalled what the demon had said.
The demons would come soon.
If his divinity was proven at this banquet, the temple would become more assertive, and the demons would have less room to maneuver.
So he had to help the 'surging demons'.
But when? You said soon, but when?
It was while he was lost in thought.
"I understand that you have many questions."
Duke Orobas spoke somewhat loudly, looking around at the suddenly quiet surroundings.
He then raised the corners of his mouth at Duke Yubar, who was squinting his eyes.
"I can prove it now, but please watch during this banquet. I will prove it proudly when all the guests are present."
Duke Orobas glanced toward the temple. They will prove that the holy water he makes is real.
It was then.
"The Duke and Duchess of Vine enter!"
The butler's voice rang out from the entrance of the banquet hall. And at the same time.
A woman in a pitch-black dress and her escort were revealed through the huge door that opened silently.
People's eyes widened.
***
The high-heeled shoes were awkward.
It was nice to hear a confident click-clack sound every time I walked, but it was difficult to keep my balance.
It would be difficult if I fell here.
“Carefully, slowly.”
But Belled kept pace with my pace. Hearing that, he held me steady with his firm hand.
“You don’t have to rush.”
I looked up at him as he spoke softly.
His face was slightly smiling, and he was gentle. I could feel the people around him pause at the sight of him.
Could a devil laugh like this?
They seemed to be wondering.
It seemed like a conversation was flowing between them. There was no way a devil could laugh like that.
But he was a devil. And that was a secret that only I knew.
I felt a strange sense of satisfaction at that fact, and I held his warm hand tightly.
“Shall we go?”
I nodded slightly at his words.
“This way.”
The servants of Orobas, who were leading us to the banquet hall, walked ahead, trying not to glance at them.
Soon, the large banquet hall door appeared in front of the two. I kept my mouth shut.
Thump.
The small sound of the door opening seemed to be the sound of my heart sinking.
Through the crack in the door, I saw the people who had gathered in groups of three or four looking around.
As their gazes focused, their chattering voices stopped.
“The Duke and Duchess of Vine are here!”
The sound of people’s clothes seemed louder than the loud voices next to me.
I grabbed Belled’s hand tightly again. I felt like I was sweating.
When I turned around, concerned about my hand, Belled held my hand tightly as if it didn’t matter.
Click clak.
I followed him as he led me.
It felt like my own footsteps were louder than the footsteps of the knights escorting the two.
“That person...”
“The rumor that she wore a black dress was true.”
The murmurs also seemed to be louder.
“Was she always like that?”
The people looked at me with surprised faces. But that was all, no one cursed me.
Was it because of that, or because his hand was firmly holding me?
My steps became a little more confident.
It was strange to me that my timid, hurried steps, which had always seemed like I was walking when I was locked in the priest’s robes, had become longer.
However, it was not a bad feeling.
“...The Saintess?”
Of course, I felt a chill when my eyes met with the priests. It was the same when I received Cladda’s cold gaze.
“That’s the Saintess?”
Some priests were surprised. For a moment, I looked so different that they couldn’t recognize me.
“You seem very nervous.”
At that moment, Belled whispered to me. I nodded slightly.
“Let’s go inside and sit down.”
Belled gently led me to one side of the banquet hall after hearing my answer.
The knights of Vine surrounding us silently spread their formation slightly, creating their own space.
And the people who saw that began to murmur.
“The Duke of Vine is very devoted to the Saintess.”
“I thought you would be angry because you were labeled a devil.”
Among the murmurs, Duke Yubar clicked his tongue.
“He has to prove that he's not a demon, so how could he be so rude to the Saintess?”
Stupid things. Even as he said that Duke Yubar felt his stomach burn.
Duke Orobas suddenly insisted on proving his divinity, but the Saintess, who seemed to think of Vine as a demon, seemed friendly with Duke Belled.
At this rate, Yubar was in danger of being misunderstood.
If only the demons had made an environment where they could move earlier, there would have been no need to be so anxious! It was when he bit his lip.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s polite behavior...”
Those who were sharp saw it differently.
They looked at Vine and Beryl and added to their words one by one.
In particular, those who had been in high society for a long time and knew how to distinguish between pretense and sincerity cautiously offered their opinions.
“Don’t you think they don’t want to let go?”
“And their outfits...”
Didn’t they look like a married couple?
Furthermore, the black-clad knights of Vine surrounding them seemed to create a different realm.
Naturally, since it was a place where even royalty was present, the knights did not bring weapons, but their mere presence seemed to be intimidating.
“...!”
As evidence, even the high-level knights of the royal family flinched.
“How could you look like that?”
Some people clicked their tongues at the changed appearance. Of course, one of them was a priest.
“...!”
The knights of Vine tensed up as they saw Cladda, who gave them a sharp gaze when he passed by.
Did he really know who they were?
However, Cladda’s next words were different.
“How dare you reveal your body without dignity.”
His gaze was fixed on Beryl among the knights.
“You’re too worldly.”
Another priest heard his words.
“That’s right. If you return to the temple like that, aren’t you going to look for luxury goods?”
The other priest sighed at the priest’s words which sounded unpleasant.
“But when you return, won’t you have caught the devil? At least you’ll have more donations.”
“Even so, if you buy luxury goods, ahem.”
The priest who had been speaking closed his mouth as if he couldn’t bring himself to say that ‘our share will be reduced.’
“She hasn’t known luxury for a long time, so she’ll be fine if we retrain her.”
Said Cladda. Then, a priest suddenly asked. It was a fundamental question.
“But, will the Saintess come back?”
A Saintess who had tasted the world once?
However, the priests who only remembered her dependent appearance in the temple shrugged their shoulders.
“We have to make her come back.”
As their gazes focused, their chattering voices stopped.
“The Duke and Duchess of Vine are here!”
The sound of people’s clothes seemed louder than the loud voices next to me.
I grabbed Belled’s hand tightly again. I felt like I was sweating.
When I turned around, concerned about my hand, Belled held my hand tightly as if it didn’t matter.
Click clak.
I followed him as he led me.
It felt like my own footsteps were louder than the footsteps of the knights escorting the two.
“That person...”
“The rumor that she wore a black dress was true.”
The murmurs also seemed to be louder.
“Was she always like that?”
The people looked at me with surprised faces. But that was all, no one cursed me.
Was it because of that, or because his hand was firmly holding me?
My steps became a little more confident.
It was strange to me that my timid, hurried steps, which had always seemed like I was walking when I was locked in the priest’s robes, had become longer.
However, it was not a bad feeling.
“...The Saintess?”
Of course, I felt a chill when my eyes met with the priests. It was the same when I received Cladda’s cold gaze.
“That’s the Saintess?”
Some priests were surprised. For a moment, I looked so different that they couldn’t recognize me.
“You seem very nervous.”
At that moment, Belled whispered to me. I nodded slightly.
“Let’s go inside and sit down.”
Belled gently led me to one side of the banquet hall after hearing my answer.
The knights of Vine surrounding us silently spread their formation slightly, creating their own space.
And the people who saw that began to murmur.
“The Duke of Vine is very devoted to the Saintess.”
“I thought you would be angry because you were labeled a devil.”
Among the murmurs, Duke Yubar clicked his tongue.
“He has to prove that he's not a demon, so how could he be so rude to the Saintess?”
Stupid things. Even as he said that Duke Yubar felt his stomach burn.
Duke Orobas suddenly insisted on proving his divinity, but the Saintess, who seemed to think of Vine as a demon, seemed friendly with Duke Belled.
At this rate, Yubar was in danger of being misunderstood.
If only the demons had made an environment where they could move earlier, there would have been no need to be so anxious! It was when he bit his lip.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s polite behavior...”
Those who were sharp saw it differently.
They looked at Vine and Beryl and added to their words one by one.
In particular, those who had been in high society for a long time and knew how to distinguish between pretense and sincerity cautiously offered their opinions.
“Don’t you think they don’t want to let go?”
“And their outfits...”
Didn’t they look like a married couple?
Furthermore, the black-clad knights of Vine surrounding them seemed to create a different realm.
Naturally, since it was a place where even royalty was present, the knights did not bring weapons, but their mere presence seemed to be intimidating.
“...!”
As evidence, even the high-level knights of the royal family flinched.
“How could you look like that?”
Some people clicked their tongues at the changed appearance. Of course, one of them was a priest.
“...!”
The knights of Vine tensed up as they saw Cladda, who gave them a sharp gaze when he passed by.
Did he really know who they were?
However, Cladda’s next words were different.
“How dare you reveal your body without dignity.”
His gaze was fixed on Beryl among the knights.
“You’re too worldly.”
Another priest heard his words.
“That’s right. If you return to the temple like that, aren’t you going to look for luxury goods?”
The other priest sighed at the priest’s words which sounded unpleasant.
“But when you return, won’t you have caught the devil? At least you’ll have more donations.”
“Even so, if you buy luxury goods, ahem.”
The priest who had been speaking closed his mouth as if he couldn’t bring himself to say that ‘our share will be reduced.’
“She hasn’t known luxury for a long time, so she’ll be fine if we retrain her.”
Said Cladda. Then, a priest suddenly asked. It was a fundamental question.
“But, will the Saintess come back?”
A Saintess who had tasted the world once?
However, the priests who only remembered her dependent appearance in the temple shrugged their shoulders.
“We have to make her come back.”
They absolutely had to make it happen.
Only then would the authority of the temple be established even after the demon was captured. Otherwise, all the divinity would be focused on the Vine family that had Beryl.
That was not something that should be done as a temple.
“If we knew that she would be easily influenced by the world, we should have thought of a different method than marriage.”
One of the priests clicked his tongue.
Meanwhile, a little away from the priests who were thinking complicated thoughts, the nobles were exchanging glances.
“Duchess Vine...”
Some people were thinking about that word.
“The level of the knights is high overall.”
Some were looking at the knights of Vine.
“Vine has many monsters, but isn’t it the family that suffers the least damage from them?”
The one who paused and turned to look at her was the Marquis of Rogal.
Recently, his family had suffered devastating damage from monsters, and he had come to the banquet to see if there was a family that could receive support.
“The family with the least damage from monsters...”
Why didn’t I think of that?
Until now, Vine had never been to high society, so he had never even thought of approaching them, but things were different now.
Furthermore, the Vine Duke’s family had little experience in high society, and wasn’t their mistress, the Saintess Beryl, a greenhouse flower?
“The mercy of the Saintess.”
The Marquis of Rogal began to quickly turn his head.
The duty of the Saintess was to save the commoners, so maybe...
He raised the corners of his mouth.
Maybe he could get a good harvest without paying a high price.
His eyes landed on Beryl.
Only then would the authority of the temple be established even after the demon was captured. Otherwise, all the divinity would be focused on the Vine family that had Beryl.
That was not something that should be done as a temple.
“If we knew that she would be easily influenced by the world, we should have thought of a different method than marriage.”
One of the priests clicked his tongue.
Meanwhile, a little away from the priests who were thinking complicated thoughts, the nobles were exchanging glances.
“Duchess Vine...”
Some people were thinking about that word.
“The level of the knights is high overall.”
Some were looking at the knights of Vine.
“Vine has many monsters, but isn’t it the family that suffers the least damage from them?”
The one who paused and turned to look at her was the Marquis of Rogal.
Recently, his family had suffered devastating damage from monsters, and he had come to the banquet to see if there was a family that could receive support.
“The family with the least damage from monsters...”
Why didn’t I think of that?
Until now, Vine had never been to high society, so he had never even thought of approaching them, but things were different now.
Furthermore, the Vine Duke’s family had little experience in high society, and wasn’t their mistress, the Saintess Beryl, a greenhouse flower?
“The mercy of the Saintess.”
The Marquis of Rogal began to quickly turn his head.
The duty of the Saintess was to save the commoners, so maybe...
He raised the corners of his mouth.
Maybe he could get a good harvest without paying a high price.
His eyes landed on Beryl.
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