After breakfast and lunch, Gremory was led by Isolene to have tea time in the garden. Isolene asked Gremory, who was chewing on a goat's bone.
"Mori, aren't you really interested in gems?"
"Yes, it looks like a snag."
"It's not as bad as I thought. You can do at least one. Wait a minute."
Isolene stood up and untied her emerald necklace, and stood behind Gremory. She then put a necklace around Gremory's neck.
"What do you think? Isn't it very awkward?"
"It's not as troublesome as I thought."
"Really? Then you'll do it from now on."
"Why? This is something you care about. I do it every day."
"If you give what you care about, it's doubly good."
Isolene smiled and went back to her seat and sat down. Gremory stared at Isolene and understood what she meant.
"You must have been cool to Kenneth Ortega."
"Yes, it was really cool. And I was grateful."
Gremory put down the goat bones she was chewing. She lowered her head and stared at the jewel on the necklace. Gremory's eyes lit up as she looked at the beautiful jewels.
"...Thank you too."
"Ahaha! Mori, it's so cute that you talk with those eyes!"
"There are so many beautiful things in the human world."
"Kenneth would have had something prettier than this."
"It wasn't pretty because there was something dark on it."
"Is it black? It looked so clean. Didn't you see it from a distance?"
"You were spying too."
"Hoo."
The spring breeze blew warmly. Gremory stared blankly at the swaying pale leaves of the landscape trees.
Isolene said in a sad voice while enjoying the spring breeze.
"Well, spring has arrived. That means the imperial banquet is near."
"Ah, the imperial banquet."
Gremory searched through a long-forgotten memory. Because of the 'Imperial Banquet', she had learned etiquette from Isolene. And Chession, who was injured by the spider monster's poison, asked her to go to the imperial palace with him as a partner at the "Imperial Banquet". Also, did the Emperor and the Crown Prince promise to entertain her at the "Imperial banquet"?
She didn't know what his imperial banquet was, but it seemed to be quite an important event for the members of the Grand Duke's family.
"Hah. His Orient Knight will be very popular at imperial banquets. We are the only ones who would attend a banquet without the Orient."
"I suppose so."
"But let's not be discouraged. The jewels my family gives me are pretty good."
Gremory stared at Isolene. A dark aura was rising around her.
Even if she said that, she was afraid that she would be ridiculed.
"Isolene."
"Huh?"
"Since you gave me something pretty. I'll give you something pretty, too."
Gremory clenched her fist and squeezed her grip. For a moment, the red energy seemed to gather in her hands, and when she opened her hands, she found a red gem that was more brilliant than a ruby.
"Wow! What the heck is this? How did you make it? It's so pretty!"
"I can make a green color that suits you."
Once again, Gremory tightened her grip and unfolded it. The green jewel that resembled Isolene's eyes instantly bewitched Isolene.
It was natural for humans to be possessed. This gem is the crystallization of the witch's power.
Gremory grinned proudly.
"It's a witch's jewel. It will bewitch people's hearts."
"Wow, that's a very good name, isn't it? Thanks! When did you prepare for this?"
"It's a real witch's jewel."
"Yes, yes. Got it. Hoho. I have to leave the work..."
Isolene got up from her seat and ran to give the jewelry to her father.
Gremory looked at it with pride. The darkness around Isolene disappeared.
***
Chession had something to do whenever he was invited to a banquet at the Imperial Palace.
Twelve-year-old half-sister Saera.
Saera, the younger maid, was hated by the Empress. She had been guarded until she was seven years old, but now that she had been cast out of the palace, she was lonely and in pain.
Chession, who had been expelled from the Imperial family, could only secretly check on Saera's death whenever he had the chance. Be didn't have the authority to meet her or take her out.
The process of secretly confirming Saera's life and death required a special operation. So Chession now summoned the right men to help with the Saera rendezvous.
He seated the two maids on either side of the square table and began his important presentation.
"The imperial banquet is a week away. Mori, as I told you before, I'm going to see Saera then. It would be nice if I could get it... Unfortunately, I think I will have to check the condition again and come back."
"So what should I do there? Can we eat human food while observing etiquette?"
"That's what you have to do. Originally, Isolene was supposed to help me alone, but Mori. Now that you've joined, we've decided to change the operation more efficiently."
"So, what should I do?"
"You and Isolene fought loudly for more than 30 minutes in the banquet hall. When all eyes are on you, I'll come to see her."
"It's more primitive than you think."
Isolene seriously agreed with Chession.
"It's a method that I came up with after a lot of trial and error. If you use too thorough a method, the imperial family and knights will notice and block the way. So it's better to use a ridiculous method to catch the Imperial family off guard."
"I've never fought a human for half an hour. I don't know how to fight."
"Just do what you did with Catherine, and we've decided on a concept. Political drama."
"... Could it be that the two of us fight over Chession?"
That's the most natural thing."
"Why..."
Gremory was not given a choice. Chession went straight to the next explanation.
"Saera is imprisoned in the western spire. It takes at least 30 minutes to get through the guards and come back after seeing Saera. You have to fight the loudest fight in the world to gain that time. So start swearing once a day from now on."
"I'm confident."
Isolene proudly declared. Then came Chession's earnest orders.
"Yes, practice now."
The first person to hit the opponent was Isolene.
"How dare you, a lowly woman who doesn't know where you came from, covet His Highness's side? You need to know the subject. Your partner recognizes you over there, among the ugly guys who can't even fit into the banquet."
"What are you talking about, ugly, a drunkard with a bad personality and nothing to use."
"...!"
Isolene's eyes lit up. On the other hand, Gremory, who was trained to be humiliated in the demon world, was calm.
"A vulgar thing that doesn't know proper etiquette! How dare you be rude to a nobleman...!"
"An incompetent human being who has nothing to offer but the status of 'Lady of a Count'. All I know how to do is have a temper and deal with a few documents, and I get a lot of dirty stuff out of it."
"!"
Chession became excited. The maids who were passing through the hallway also heard the sound of the fight and eavesdropped on the crack in the door.
"I... I thought you were my friend! You clearly knew how I loved His Highness, so how could you, my friend, betray me!"
"I knew. But what should I do when His Highness the Grand Duke came into my bedroom first?"
"!!"
"And I went in. We were together all night."
"!!!"
"Isolen, it's so disgusting that I have to live with you and your face. I want you to get rid of it. Either you go to your Count, or you can be thrown into the witch's cage where you were originally imprisoned."
Isolene's face turned red as if it was going to explode. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Chession grabbed Isolene by the shoulders and soothed her.
"Calm down. Isolene! It's just a situation play!"
"Ahh..."
Isolene, who couldn't overcome the anger, fainted. For some reason, it felt like steam was rising above her head.
"Oh no, Mori! In the banquet hall, lower the intensity a little and swear! In less than five minutes, Isolene will faint."
"Yes."
"And don't use fact-based insults as much as possible. Never forget that this is just a play. I'm afraid that this will really break things up between you."
Chession pressed his fingertips against his throbbing temples. It was a miracle that he could have fought for 30 minutes, but even if he had lasted 10 minutes.
It seemed that he would have to change his plans. He and Isolene have a political drama, and Mori goes to the spire to check on Saera's condition.
Mori is a 'warrior in the northern snowfields', so she should be able to do that kind of mission.
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