Chapter 55

In the continent of Europa, the wealthiest empire known as Elaline, the bards express the opulence of its capital, Elysium, in this way.

The city walls touch the sky, and the roads within are paved with bricks, while the residents are weary of meat and beer… it must be the closest place to paradise on earth.

When I first heard this song at a banquet occasionally held in the Count Nante’s territory, I thought it was an exaggerated literary expression unique to bards…

Yet the scene unfolding before my eyes within the castle boasted a richness that justified such expressions.

The city walls, built with large square stones, appeared to be more than 15 meters high, and though the roads inside the castle were somewhat worn, they were nonetheless paved with bricks.

Furthermore, even those within the castle, even if they were slaves, were not wearing tattered clothes, albeit a bit worn.

In other territories, only citizens of the middle class or higher would be seen in decent attire…

As I, along with Ella and Balt, stood awestruck by the wealth of the royal capital, some young noblewomen passing by covered their mouths with fans and whispered.

“Looks like they’re nobles from the countryside.”

“The rural noble must find this too extravagant. After all, not all nobles are the same.”

“Still, they don’t seem to be poor nobles. The knights, as well as the maids, are all dressed in silk maid outfits.”

“Well, they’re still countryside bumpkins. Come on, hurry up, Lintra.”

Seeing that they weren’t accompanied by any servants, those girls could only be daughters of some knightly households…

Yet even those girls were strolling around in dresses lavishly adorned with silk and frills, just as one would expect from the nobility residing in the empire’s capital.

In our Count Nante territory, one would typically need to be around a countess or her daughters to wear such clothing…

As I momentarily gazed at those lavishly dressed women, Ella, dissatisfied with the situation, looked at me with a sulking voice.

“Master, do you perhaps prefer those dressed so splendidly? If you wish, I can learn to put on makeup too.”

What absurdity! No matter how much those women were adorned in make-up and luxurious silk gowns, they were still inferior to Ella, dressed in rags.

Proof of this lay in the fact that everyone around was looking not at those women passing by but at ‘Ella’, right?

To prevent Ella from becoming covered in makeup like those women, I gently patted her head and said.

“No, Ella. It’s just that we rarely see anyone dressed so extravagantly in Count territory, so I ended up staring for too long.”

Upon hearing my explanation, Ella replied in a somewhat lonely tone.

“I see, Master… Ella isn’t as splendid as those people…”

So, to uplift Ella’s spirits, I raised her chin gently with two fingers, akin to a character from a drama, and said.

“Ella is prettier than those women. And once the funeral is over, I will buy you a beautiful dress like that. Let’s wear it next time we go out beyond Croilet Castle.”

Hearing my words, she smiled happily with teary eyes and said.

“Yes, Master!”

“After the funeral, let’s choose outfits together; you’re adorable, so I’m sure those dresses will suit you well.”

**

The royal palace, built with bricks and lime, was as high as a modern low-rise apartment and spacious enough to rival Gyeongbokgung…

However, once I entered the palace, there was no room for leisurely gazing around as I did outside.

This was because…

“Over there, the person wearing the coat with golden buttons is His Excellency, Count Brandel of the Court. Please go greet him.”

As soon as I stepped inside the palace, I had to pay my respects to those of higher rank than myself.

“Good day, Your Excellency Count Brandel. I am SIEL von Croilet, the lord of Croilet Count territory. I have just come to the capital from a remote place.”

Dressed in a red velvet coat embroidered with gold thread and 16th-century European noble attire complete with frills, Count Brandel regarded me with irritation.

“So you are the new Croilet Count? Your father was a good man… a noble and admirable one… I apologize for not being able to offer my condolences.”

Typically, the inheritance of titles occurs through the death of the ‘father who held that title,’ so what he said was not entirely incorrect.

However, isn’t it somewhat foolish to inquire, “Did your father die? That’s why you inherited the title,” upon first meeting someone?

If he had passed away, it would be a poor choice of words, and if he hadn’t, it could come off as, “I hope your father dies soon.”

So in such cases, the usual approach is to ask, “So you are the newly inherited Croilet Count. How is your father doing?”

This buffoon calls himself a Count of the Court; it’s no wonder the Empire will fall into chaos after the Emperor passes…

“When my lord Count Nante’s title was changed, my father became my guardian and passed the title down to me.”

Upon hearing that, it seemed Brandel realized his mistake and spoke in a flustered voice.

“I regret it; please forgive me. Yes, Croilet Count, since it’s your first time in the capital, if you need any minor assistance, just call on me. I swear on the honor of Brandel to give you a little help. But this matter…”

Given that a lord of the court directly manages accommodations and ceremonies for the highest nobles such as ‘immediate imperial family and dukes’ attending the funeral…

I could directly ask him to arrange a meeting with ‘Duke Your Majesty’ whom I had to meet.

The Duke family governing the territory next to Count Nante indeed…

“I would like to meet Duke Brussels Your Majesty during this opportunity, can I ask for your help?”

“Of course, but…”

“Don’t worry. I’m just glad to have the fortune to meet the esteemed Count Brandel today.”

Upon hearing that, Brandel nodded, satisfied.

“The Duke will not be able to meet anyone for three days due to the Emperor’s funeral. Therefore, while ordinarily you, as a Count, would not be able to meet him, I will make arrangements for you to have an audience within a week. Once the date and time are set, I will send my servant to inform you.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

To meet the Duke, I had been considering to draw attention by holding various banquets with ‘modern cuisine’ typical of isekai reincarnations, then cook for him when his interest was piqued…

But now, there was no need for that at all.

The time remaining until the funeral concludes would be roughly… two weeks.

During this time, how could I lay the foundation for a successful strategy?

**

For five days in the royal palace, I was swept away in a whirlwind of various funerary rituals and banquets.

For almost four days, I was stuck behind Count Nante, greeting people like a greeting machine, bowing respectively.

Like this.

“Oh, I am the newly inherited Croilet Count.”

“Is that so? I am Lord Gran von Seitel of the Seitel Count territory. Ha-ha, indeed you are quite handsome. Do you enjoy women and drink?”

“I’m not married yet…”

“Oh no!! A talent like you!!”

“But I plan to marry once Count Nante’s daughter, Alice, comes of age… haha.”

The remaining day was spent attending the continuous ‘memorial service for the late Emperor’.

I endured a day-long sermon from a cardinal, who could put anyone to sleep, seated on the long pews of the church.

To think there would be a more boring sermon than a professor’s lecture putting students to sleep with his final-year courses in college, it seems the world is vast and filled with remarkable individuals.

Yet, how did the highest nobles, such as dukes, endure such sermons at least two more times?

It made me consider the possibility of them being dukes.

Oh, by the way, Count Nante, who was sitting in the position of honor above me, had already closed his eyes and was quietly asleep as the sermon exceeded three hours.

Soon enough, the whispers of his behavior would spread. He would be labeled an unfaithful noble who slept during the Emperor’s memorial.

However, as of now, I had no obligations to attend any banquets until the final imperial memorial service declaring the Emperor ‘completely dead’ took place one week later.

Thus, just as I planned for a modest amount of rest in the capital during this time, Ella entered the room where I was resting and said.

“Master, a hunter suddenly came demanding payment for the wild boar you ordered from Croilet Count territory. Should I tell Balt to chase him away?”

Finally, an informant had arrived; moreover, the idea of wild boar meat was quite innovative.

I handed a gold coin to Ella and said.

“No, Ella. Settle this with this, and bring the hunter in. Tell those soldiers following me to share the boar meat. Would you like some too, Ella?”

Ella shook her head and replied.

“I’m not fond of wild boar meat… The meat is too tough and not tasty.”

She then quietly left my room.

A little later, a supposedly fake hunter dressed in hide armor made of boar skin and a hunter’s hat entered, albeit with ‘fair skin’.

“Did Count Brandel send you?”

“Yes, indeed. Here’s a letter from Count Brandel to be delivered to Croilet Count. You may read it.”

After speaking those words, the fake hunter handed me a letter.

The letter contained the following:

[Three nights later, enter the fourth confessional room of the Great Cathedral of Elysium dressed as a ‘bride.’ Then, Duke Your Majesty will come to find you under the pretense of confession. I hope this helps you forget the unpleasant matters between us.]

I had thought he was a fool, but perhaps it was merely a farce due to the ignorance typical of court nobles regarding the local regions?

Confession rooms are places where even a ‘king’ cannot enter recklessly, thus secrets are well protected…

Should I disguise myself as a bride and enter, no one would know that Duke and I met.

I tossed a few gold coins to the faux hunter who provided such valuable information and said.

“Alright, take this. Burn the letter.”

The informant held the letter to the candle in front of me and burned it before quietly leaving the room with the coin.

Originally, I should have been spending vast amounts of money today throwing banquets, yet here arose an opportunity to meet the Duke so easily.

By now, one could say the universe is aiding me.