Chapter 34
Vesta Kingdom.
A kingdom that borders the Minerva Kingdom and the Mars Empire, and faces the vast Oceanus Ocean to the east.
Naturally, trade flourished due to its proximity to the ocean, and Vesta Kingdom became a major hub for trade between the Gaia Continent, where it is located, and the Uros Continent across the Oceanus Ocean.
When trade thrives, wealth accumulates, and when wealth accumulates, the nation’s power grows. Naturally, Vesta Kingdom became the most powerful among the five kingdoms of the Gaia Continent.
Even within such a powerful kingdom, there was one noble family that stood above the rest—the Batory Ducal Family. It was the home of Elfride Batory, hailed as the strongest hero of the current generation.
“Did you call for me, Father?”
“…Yes, you’re here.”
After parting ways with Abel, Elfride returned to the capital of Vesta Kingdom, Poclum, upon receiving a summons from her family. She immediately met with her father, the head of the family, to inquire about the reason for the summons.
“You came straight here without resting?”
“I’m fine. More importantly, why did you summon me back home?”
Elfride asked, almost interrogating him. Her tone suggested that if the reason wasn’t significant, she would leave again. The Duke of Batory overlooked his daughter’s attitude and spoke to her.
“Hmm, Elfride. As you know, the Crown Prince’s birthday is approaching. You’re aware, right?”
“…Yes, I know.”
“Attend the banquet. I know you’re busy as a hero, but you must attend the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.”
Elfride felt a bit of dissatisfaction at her father’s command, but if she refused this order while using her status as a hero to skip other events, her father would surely be angry. Reluctantly, she nodded.
“Understood.”
“Good, you made the right decision. Go and rest. The banquet is tomorrow evening.”
“Yes.”
Leaving her father’s study, Elfride sighed, then furrowed her brow at a voice that seemed to speak directly into her mind. She tried to ignore it and head to her room, but the incessant chatter became unbearable.
“Luna, you’re being noisy.”
Luna. That was the name of the consciousness residing within Elfride’s Holy Sword, the “Sword of Trust.” The Sword of Trust, Luna, paid no heed to Elfride’s complaints and continued to chatter away.
[You’ve been ignoring me since I asked if you’re going to the banquet! So, are you really going? You’ll get to see a lot of handsome people, right?]
It wasn’t a voice heard through the ears, but a voice transmitted through thoughts. This was the consciousness of Elfride’s Holy Sword speaking to her.
“…Yes, I have to go.”
[Yay~! I’m so excited! Do you know how bored I’ve been because you always refuse to attend banquets? Oh, I can’t wait!]
“…What could possibly make a sword bored?”
[Hey, we have our own consciousness too, so we have things we like and dislike, you know? Oh, right. Speaking of handsome people, I want to see that guy. The new hero!]
At the mention of Abel, Elfride suddenly stopped in her tracks.
[He’s really~ good-looking, isn’t he? I’ve seen quite a few men, but I’ve never seen someone as handsome as him. Plus, he has that rare white hair. I was so surprised when I first saw him~!]
Elfride didn’t interrupt Luna’s rapid-fire chatter this time. She somewhat agreed with everything Luna was saying.
Indeed, Abel was an exceptionally handsome man, even in Elfride’s eyes. Having grown up surrounded by noble sons, she was still somewhat taken aback by his appearance.
Moreover, his personality was excellent. While Levius, another hero, was also good-looking, his personality was problematic. Abel, however, had no such issues.
He was kind, gentle, and possessed the qualities befitting a hero. It was almost surprising that such a man existed.
[Right, Elfride?]
When Luna asked, Elfride couldn’t deny it.
“…You’re somewhat right.”
[See~? I wasn’t exaggerating for no reason. I wonder how he turned out like that. Are his parents exceptionally good-looking? They must be. Looks are mostly inherited, after all….]
As Luna’s chatter resumed, Elfride shook her head and headed to her room.
#
The next evening, Elfride attended the banquet held in honor of the Crown Prince’s birthday as planned. She felt like she was representing the Batory Family alongside her father, the head of the family.
The appearance of the two most influential figures of the Batory Family, the most powerful family in Vesta Kingdom, naturally made all the nobles of the kingdom slightly tense. Especially since Elfride rarely attended such events, her presence was even more notable.
Her radiant golden hair, cascading down to her chest, seemed to hold starlight, and her blue eyes resembled a clear, cloudless sky. The pure white dress she wore today harmonized beautifully with her skin, exuding an elegant charm.
Even the Crown Prince couldn’t help but notice them. As they approached, he spread his arms in welcome.
“Duke Batory, welcome. Oh, Lady Batory, you’ve come as well.”
“Congratulations on your birthday, Your Highness.”
“Congratulations, Your Highness.”
As the two offered their congratulations, Crown Prince Sergio of Vesta Kingdom smiled warmly and accepted their greetings.
“Elfride, mingle with the guests for a while. I’ll have a brief conversation with His Highness and then join you.”
“Yes, Father.”
Following her father’s words, Elfride stepped aside for a moment. As she withdrew, the key power players of Vesta Kingdom, including her father, gathered around the Crown Prince.
‘…As expected.’
Elfride quietly planned to pass the time in a corner.
Though she was famous as a hero, she rarely attended banquets as a noble, so she had few close acquaintances. As a result, there were few who bothered her.
“Lady Batory, you look as beautiful as ever today.”
Of course, there were always those who approached her solely because of her fame. Like the man who had just spoken to her.
Calculative actions and gazes filled with ulterior motives. Elfride could see it all.
As a hero wielding the Sword of Trust, Elfride could discern the intentions behind anyone’s approach. In that sense, this man was…
“Cut to the chase, Lord Ternak.”
…the type Elfride disliked.
“What do you mean? I merely wished to build a rapport with you, my lady.”
“Then please leave. I’m a bit tired and would like to be alone.”
Elfride’s clear dismissal left Lord Ternak embarrassed, and he bowed his head before retreating. Seeing this, other young nobles lost the courage to approach Elfride and gave up.
[Hey! Why did you send him away? He was so handsome!]
“Who…?”
“…Because I kicked him out.”
If it weren’t for the Holy Sword of Trust, I wouldn’t have been able to sense the other person’s intentions. But the very person who gave me that ability was now scolding me, leaving Elfride utterly baffled.
[Well, human relationships are built on trust, but who approaches with trust from the very beginning? You’re still so naive.]
“There was someone like that. You must have seen it too.”
A man had approached her with pure intentions, without any ulterior motives. Luna retorted to Elfride’s words.
[That guy was an exception! Most humans aren’t like that!]
“There might be others like him.”
[Ugh, did you learn about the world through fairy tales?]
At that moment, a familiar face caught Elfride’s eye. Short red hair, slit snake-like eyes, and a dagger at his waist—all of it was familiar.
It was Levius Grosspel, one of the heroes like Elfride. It didn’t take much thought to figure out why the hero of the Minerva Kingdom was here.
“Did he come as a guest from another country?”
[Who?…Oh, Levius! Levius is handsome too. If only his personality wasn’t so sharp, he’d be great. But honestly, I prefer the guy we saw earlier over someone like Levius.]
“I’m not interested in your taste, Luna.”
Unlike Elfride, who didn’t bring Cynthia along, Levius seemed to have brought all his companions. It was unnecessary to bring them to a noble social gathering, but Levius probably wanted to show off his status.
“All of this is pointless.”
[What are you suddenly talking about?]
“Never mind.”
Perhaps she had been staring too long, as Levius noticed her gaze and approached her with a smile, his companions in tow.
“Elfride, it’s been a while!”
“…It has, Levius.”
Levius greeted Elfride warmly. Even with the Holy Sword of Trust, there was no ulterior motive in his actions. He genuinely seemed happy to see her again.
However, unlike Abel, this didn’t sit well with Elfride. She knew why Levius was so eager to greet her.
He was a member of the Grosspel family, a prestigious noble house in the Minerva Kingdom. Like many nobles, he didn’t see commoners as equals. He had shown, more than once, that he viewed commoners as tools or livestock.
Levius’s fondness for Elfride stemmed from his values.
Elfride wasn’t a commoner; she was a noble among nobles, the legitimate daughter of the Batory family, the most esteemed house in the Vesta Kingdom.
“I heard the news. You defeated another Balvatos-class monster in Habsburg. As expected, Elfride, you’re strong.”
“No need to flatter me. Honestly, I’m not even sure if it was me who did it.”
Levius looked puzzled at Elfride’s response, not understanding her words. But he didn’t press further.
“Is that so? Still, you saved Habsburg. Congratulations, you’ll likely receive a hefty reward at the next Regular Reporting Meeting.”
“…Sure.”
“By the way, I heard that guy was also there when the monster appeared in Habsburg.”
“That guy?”
At first, Elfride didn’t realize Levius was referring to Abel. There was no reason for him to refer to Abel, a fellow hero, in such a way. But Levius was indeed talking about Abel.
“The hero from the Empire. Abel?…Was that his name? Honestly, I can’t even remember his name.”
“It’s Abel. He fought alongside me.”
“Fought alongside you? How could he? He’s only been a hero for a short time. How could he possibly face a Balvatos-class monster?”
“That’s not what I meant. He helped save people.”
“Ah, well…he must have taken down some intermediate-level monsters.”
Elfride narrowed her eyes slightly. She sensed a subtle tone in Levius’s words, as if he was trying to belittle Abel.
“Isn’t it natural for someone new to the role? I respect him for stepping up despite his lack of experience.”
“…Elfride, you’re too naive.”
At Levius’s remark, Elfride’s expression turned icy.
“…What do you mean?”
“Do you really think Abel came with pure intentions? He probably just wanted to ride on your coattails and gain something for himself.”
“…What?”
“You know how commoners are. They jump at any chance to gain something. Even if he’s a hero, he’s still a commoner at heart. What difference does it make? He probably came to build some merit by tagging along with you.”
Levius then turned to his companion behind him.
“Right, Natalie? What other reason would a hero who can barely handle intermediate-level monsters have for being there?”
“Uh…yeah, that’s right. But Levius, um…”
“Natalie, what’s wrong?”
Natalie looked ahead with a cautious expression. Levius followed her gaze and turned his head forward, only to be startled.
Elfride’s blue eyes were glaring at him coldly. Clearly, she was not pleased.
“Elfride? What’s wrong…?”
“Levius, do you remember when you first became a hero?”
“Why are you bringing that up now…? Of course, I remember. You helped me a lot back then.”
“Why do you think I helped you?”
Levius was still puzzled but answered Elfride’s question.
“Well…because we’re both heroes, right?”
“Exactly. You know that well.”
Knowing that, how could you act like this? Elfride narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold voice.
“Then why, knowing that, do you keep belittling your junior instead of helping him?”
“…Elfride, are you really defending that commoner hero?”
Elfride let out a hollow laugh and snapped at him.
“Commoner or noble, what does it matter? A hero is a hero, and that’s enough. In that sense, Abel is more of a hero than you.”
Levius’s brow twitched.
