The Hero’s Party Members Treat Me Well for Some Reason - Chapter 92



Ian von Pildor (3)

Silence once again enveloped the banquet hall.

It was a situation reminiscent of when the First Prince had spoken to me.

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But this silence was of a different nature. While the previous one had been filled with curiosity and intrigue, now it was dominated by an entirely different emotion.

Astonishment.

As I poured the wine, onlookers gaped at the scene before them.

Everyone looked at me as if I were a madman. This included our party members, Camilla and Adele. Even Ulyss seemed taken aback.

“W-What is the meaning of this!”

Gregonue, drenched in wine, shouted at me furiously.

No matter how much nobles valued face and indirect speech, it seemed that such concerns were irrelevant when something like this occurred. Or perhaps he was too enraged to care about such things.

His face was as red as the wine itself. Regardless, I continued speaking.

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? I mistook you for a wine glass.”

“What? Mistake a person for a wine glass? Is that even a reasonable thing to say?!”

“Haha! Sorry, I have a habit of losing my sense of distinction when I drink.”

As I said this, I took another sip of wine. The guy, seeing this, seemed to be fuming with anger.

But that was only for a moment; he glared at me and muttered lowly.

“…No matter how much of a hero you are, there are lines that must be respected. How long do you think you can continue living so recklessly?”

“Ha.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

Who drew that line in the first place? Who is calling it reckless now?

It was truly fascinating that just a moment ago, he had been throwing crude glances at the Third Princess and now spoke such words.

Thus, I had no choice but to respond with a slightly serious tone.

“I’ve been saying I’m sorry, haven’t I? Who told you to look like a wine glass and confuse me?”

This is why people need to exercise. If you don’t, your body ends up resembling a wine glass.

“What did you say? Y-You…!”

My words seemed to have struck a nerve, as his face turned even redder. I thought he might explode at any moment.

He was about to say something more, but before he could, other nobles quickly intervened.

“Enough, Count Gregonyu.”

“Getting angry only harms you. Just think of it as stepping in dog poop.”

“Come over here quickly. My attendant has prepared a wet towel and a change of clothes.”

Thus, Gregonyu was almost dragged away by the nearby nobles.

And what remained was me and the Third Princess, Deila, standing there in a daze. I paused for a moment, contemplating.

‘What should I do…?’

The gazes of the nobles were still fixed on us.

And looking at the situation, it appeared as if I had come to Deila’s aid while she was being bullied.

While that was indeed the case, it would be troublesome if others interpreted it that way.

After all, the contract with Deila was a secret known only to us. To the outside world, we were practically strangers.

So, if someone were to speculate that we had some sort of relationship, it could become quite bothersome.

Then how should I handle this…?

Fortunately, a thought came to mind.

“Ahem, by the way, are you a princess? Am I right?”

I clear my throat and address Deila. As if she were a stranger. And as if I were genuinely interested. I scan her body up and down with my eyes, almost appraisingly.

“Quite to my taste… your figure is nice. How about it? Would you like to spend some time with me?”

Such a blatant and one-dimensional pick-up line.

But that’s precisely why it was perfect for conveying my intentions.

Today’s concept is that of a randy dog, so I’d appreciate a decent rejection. Fortunately, she seemed to catch on to my true feelings perfectly.

“Hmph, as expected, you’re utterly low-class. I’ll pass.”

With her straightforward refusal, the nobles who had been watching meaningfully turned their heads, murmuring, “Well, of course…”

I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

This should alleviate some of the suspicions.

With that, I distanced myself from her, and it wasn’t long before the banquet came to an end.

*

“…Thank you for earlier.”

Though I said I wouldn’t meet her, Deila found herself face to face with the hero after the banquet ended.

Luke had approached her while she was walking down the street at night.

The brash demeanor from before had vanished without a trace. His face, once flushed from drink, had returned to its usual color as if nothing had happened.

He chuckled softly and said,

“Oh, it was nothing.”

“Still, it was dangerous. You were so reckless. What would you have done if others had noticed?”

“Well, I thought she might cry if I left her like that. Would you just let that happen?”

“Ugh, that’s…”

Deila was at a loss for words. Because it was true.

At that time, she had been so angry, and her situation felt so pitiful. If she had continued to be provoked like that, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to shed a tear.

But her pride wouldn’t allow her to admit it, so she ended up shouting instead.

“I wouldn’t have cried even if you weren’t there, you know?!”

“Ah, sure, let’s say that.”

Of course, Luke let it go in one ear and out the other.

Watching him, Deila felt a strange mix of irritation and intrigue.

He was truly a fascinating person. When there were many people around, he acted like a ruffian, yet when it was just the two of them, he showed this composed side.

And yet, he still had a hint of playfulness about him.

Honestly, she still didn’t understand his intentions. The fear she felt when she looked at him remained the same.

But the glimpses of his humanity that appeared now and then at least sparked some interest.

As I was thinking that, Luke opened his mouth.

“By the way, where’s that knight who’s always sticking to you?”

“Oh, you mean Railey? He’s probably busy sparring with Belita right now. They’ve been at it every day lately.”

“Are the kids growing up well?”

“Don’t even get me started. They’re eating so well these days… Kids in their growth phase are truly different.”

The little ones Luke had entrusted to her were growing up diligently. Many of them were more talented than expected, learning quickly as well.

Especially Belita. Perhaps because of her abilities, she was already able to hold her own against a few knights.

Thanks to that, Railey, who was sparring, was having a tough time. It seemed he felt a bit inferior about losing to someone younger than him.

Anyway, that was what happened. After that, the hero and Deila exchanged light conversations about their daily lives.

She still felt uncomfortable around Luke, but at least she had grown enough to handle this level of conversation without issue.

In the midst of it all, he asked.

“By the way… what are your plans now?”

It was a somewhat significant question.

“What do you mean?”

“During today’s banquet, the First Prince stood on the platform. It seems the succession to the throne is approaching, but it looks like the Third Princess isn’t particularly prepared.”

“That’s…”

As Luke poked at a sore spot, Deila’s expression darkened for a moment.

He was right. It had been almost a year since they made their pact, but during that time, she had made almost no progress.

The only thing she had gained were the children Luke had given her… Aside from that, she was currently lacking in money, power, and connections.

Of course, she had tried. She reached out to the nobles who maintained neutrality and even attempted to start a business herself. But each time, she had to fail due to the interference of the First Prince’s faction.

It was truly a seemingly hopeless situation. Yet even so.

“… I do have a way.”

There was indeed a solution.

The First Prince had much to his name. But he was also a man with many weaknesses.

Deila had nothing. But that meant there was also much she could potentially gain.

If she could skillfully target what lay beneath the surface, even she, in her current state, had a chance of winning.

“We just need to dig up the truth behind Sister Ayla’s death.”

And what she would target was the death of the First Princess, Ayla.

The person she had respected the most, and the one most likely to become the next Emperor.

—

—

And a person who passed away ten years ago due to an unfortunate incident.

That incident was a suicide.

It was said that her esteemed sister took her own life.

People regarded Ayla’s death as merely a tragic accident.

They said she had committed suicide because she couldn’t bear the pressure of being the next emperor.

Of course, there were those who suspected the first prince, her rival, to be the culprit, but there was no evidence to prove it. Moreover, very few had the courage to voice such suspicions.

In any case, for that reason, the first prince was cleared of suspicion, and Ayla’s cause of death was concluded to be suicide.

But the one who loved her sister more than anyone else, Dayla, knew the truth.

“She would never do something like commit suicide. It’s clear that someone must have killed her. If only I could find the evidence, I could deal a significant blow to Ian oppa.”

“But what about the evidence? They must have conducted a thorough investigation when she died. The emperor himself was involved, after all. But the lack of evidence suggests it might already be too late, doesn’t it?”

Luke countered.

In fact, this was something that had come up in the game as well.

Could it be that someone as invested in this game as I was had never attempted the third princess’s quest? Each time, the death of the first princess Ayla was a recurring theme.

Yet it was a quest that couldn’t be properly cleared due to the absence of evidence.

In truth, Dayla was one of the characters with a mortality rate as high as that of the hero party members.

“There may be no evidence. But there are witnesses.”

At that moment, Dayla spoke again.

“The only person who witnessed that day, you just need to meet the second prince.”

Currently confined due to mental instability.

The second prince, Aiden.

“If that’s possible… even Ian oppa could suffer a significant blow!”

It was the moment a new quest was assigned to Luke.