Chapter 17
Banquet (2)
"...Sir."
Stella, who was seated with her, spoke up with an expression that suggested she had a headache.
"I heard that man definitely had no connections in noble society."
"That's what I know as well."
Noel replied, looking incredulous.
"I thought he would be similar since he’s the husband of that always solemn hero, but he’s just a young man who’s had some good fortune. He should come to my mansion sometime. I’ll treat him well."
"I’ll be looking forward to it, Viscount. Ah, and General, you must come along later as well—"
Right in front of them was Aiden, engaged in conversations with several people at once, wearing a sociable smile.
The way he chatted effortlessly with the sly nobles, even leading the atmosphere rather than simply blending in, gave the impression that he was thoroughly accustomed to occasions like this.
As if this was closer to his ‘real job.’
Laughter never ceased around him. Even those who had eyed this mysterious figure suspiciously at first—someone who kept a foreign dignitary as his adjutant—gradually lowered their guard and began speaking with him more warmly the longer the conversation continued.
Of course, she had already known that he was undoubtedly some kind of swindler skilled in dealing with people, but to be honest—
'...Was that not a lie after all?'
Noel scratched her cheek as she had that thought.
She could not even count how many times that man had shown remarkable prowess in combat-related situations. And it was certain that such feats could only come from someone who had undergone terrifyingly rigorous training in supernatural power control and battle since childhood.
People like that were usually terrible at ‘dealing with people’ in settings like this. They simply had no experience.
Like herself.
She had always found these gatherings difficult, so it was a talent she could only envy.
'Aiden is… an incredible person…'
She thought to herself and fidgeted with her toes for no reason.
'...It was the right choice to leave him to the Central Intelligence Department.'
The problem was that, at this point, she had even less idea what this man used to be.
She let out a quiet sigh as she recalled the ‘personal file’ on Aiden she had previously left with them.
Really, it was a relief that she had even that. Without it, she would not have had the faintest clue who he was.
"So, how has married life with the Lionhearted been?"
"I think she is far too good a partner for me. I live each day grateful for all the blessings she brings."
...He kept going around making declarations like that as if determined to keep his promise not to let her feel diminished, and she could not help wondering if it was really necessary.
With a sigh, she drained her glass of champagne in one go.
If she had to keep watching him make such mortifying statements in real time, she needed to dull her senses a little.
"Would you care for another glass?"
"Ah, if you would be so ki—"
And the moment she turned her head toward the side where the voice had come from,
She felt something like ice running through her veins.
"Are you enjoying the banquet, Dame Noel?"
"……."
"Has it been since the battle with the Magic Kingdom that we last met face to face? You haven’t changed at all."
"……."
For someone to continue speaking to her so familiarly while she offered no response at all—normally, that was a blunder Noel would never have committed.
But.
—If the other person was this man.
A polite voice. A courteous demeanor. Refinement and decorum flowing through every gesture.
A man who radiated such an exalted aura that it felt impossible to approach.
To Noel, he was the one person in the world she most wished never to meet.
Just listening to what he said next was proof enough.
"Haven’t you found a decent ‘stand-in’? He seems good enough to pretend as your groom, even if it’s all fake."
He spoke so casually.
His words dug into her insides like a dagger.
"Was my proposal really that repulsive to you? I’m a little hurt, you know."
To the man who teased her like that, she finally managed to force out his ‘title.’
Somehow, her voice even carried a trace of fear.
"……Your Highness."
The Prince.
Her ‘prospective husband’ smiled faintly.
▣
-System Message
[ ‘Skill: Weaver of Fate’ is operating smoothly. ]
[ Rewards are granted in conjunction with the ‘bond relationships’ you form with others. ]
[ ‘Baron Lannister’ shows you favor. ]
[ ‘Viscount Clinsman’ offers you his goodwill. ]
[ ‘Lieutenant Colonel Shepard’ shows you favor…… ]
‘That’s right, that’s right, just like that…….’
Aiden looked at the system windows updating one after another beside him and smiled inwardly.
He was merely standing still and exchanging conversation here and there, yet the number of people taking a liking to him just kept growing. Like fish getting caught one after another in the trap he had set.
That was how important first impressions were. Because he had planted the impression of being an ‘important person,’ all he had to do was keep up a few conversations, and people freely extended their goodwill.
‘It was the right call to prepare thoroughly beforehand……!’
It must have been the effect of the ‘Imperial Bloodline’ skill combined with having Katya accompany him as his adjutant.
Did Aiden himself have any true standing? He was just someone who had lived an ordinary life.
The ability to tailor his words to the topic at hand, to sense the other’s mood and deliver the right comment at the right moment—those were his own talents. But the ‘stage’ that let him put them to use was thanks to his skills and the companions he had chosen.
Still, if there was something that bothered him, it was that the form of the ‘rewards’ this time felt subtly different from what had come before.
-System Message
[ The scenario importance of these targets is low. The number of skills available to copy is extremely limited. ]
[ Weaver of Fate converts into ‘points.’ When a sufficient amount of points has accumulated, the ‘Point Shop’ will be unlocked! ]
……A point shop, huh.
He had no idea what kind of function this was supposed to serve, but at the very least, he was sure it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
His reasoning was simple enough.
‘I feel like I’ve spoken to quite a lot of people….’
He must have talked to dozens of people by now, and yet this so-called shop still hadn’t unlocked.
Chances were, it had been stocked up with things of tremendous value, which was why.
‘Still, it should be about time to meet them, shouldn’t it?’
One of the two people he had set as his targets should be showing up soon.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to dwell on the thought any longer.
One familiar face was approaching him from the side.
"Ah, Sir Aiden."
"Chieftain?"
Dragon Hunter, Dunadan Uzal.
He had heard that the man was still staying in the Empire due to diplomatic exchanges, and apparently he had also come to attend the banquet.
But what really caught Aiden’s attention was the petite woman walking alongside Dunadan with steady steps.
"And this is…?"
He spoke as though he didn’t know, but Aiden had a rough idea who she was.
After all, she was one of the reasons he had come to this banquet.
"This is my eldest daughter. Rania A‘Shan."
At those words, the woman lifted her head and looked up at Aiden.
Rania left quite a vivid impression on him.
She was a beauty. That much was certain. But—
Her thick pink hair, the eyepatch slanting across one eye, the loosely draped traditional garb of the Tribal Alliance, the tattoos running up from her collarbone to her neck, the look of profound annoyance at everything in the world, and the cigarette hanging cynically from her lips.
On top of all that—
"Hey."
She gave a little flick of her fingers in greeting and spoke informally.
"……."
She hardly gave off the image of a priestess serving a god. Not at all.
But Aiden wasn’t the sort to be bothered by such things.
"Urgan’s priestesses don’t use honorifics for anyone except Urgan’s divine personhood itself. In fact, using them would be a breach of etiquette, so I ask for your understanding."
"Of course. It’s no problem."
Dunadan’s apologetic explanation was something that existed in the game’s setting as well.
Besides, if one only considered the status the priestess of Urgan held within the Tribal Alliance, there was nothing strange about her speaking informally to Aiden.
Every divine being appointed one agent to act as their representative, and within the Alliance, that role belonged to the priestess.
Because they possessed a ‘direct communication channel’ to the deity they served, whether in terms of combat power or symbolic authority, they ranked among the most elite of those who wielded supernatural abilities.
She was someone even the Grand Chieftain of the Alliance could not treat lightly. It was possible she was more valuable than Dunadan himself, who was standing next to her.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rania."
He offered that greeting, but—
There was no response from her.
And.
Rania simply stared at Aiden without a word.
Continuously.
She kept staring until Dunadan, who had introduced her, began to look flustered.
At last—
-System Message
▶ You are coming into contact with ‘Sacred Flower Wheel,’ Rania A‘Shan.
▶ This is a story-important character. Depending on how you influence her, the scenario may change to some extent!
▶ The bond level with the target has increased to Level 1!
▶ Linking with the skill ‘Weaver of Fate’!
…Of course.
Aiden knew.
If it was this person, she would take an interest in him the moment she saw him.
Considering Rania’s traits, this was inevitable.
‘…After all, it’s not just anyone. I’m carrying the Protagonist’s karma on my back.’
The ‘Savior’s Vow’ he had taken on recently was a Geas that no priestess of Urgan could help being intrigued by.
"You know, you’re pretty interesting."
As she said that, the uncovered eye on Rania’s face ‘split.’
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of colors flooded into that eye all at once. Like a kaleidoscope, they rotated in a violent spiral, fixing themselves unflinchingly on Aiden as if peering straight into his ‘insides.’
"Can I be honest with you?"
"…Pardon?"
"I’ll just be honest."
"……."
Left speechless by her unrestrained manner, Aiden watched as Rania lit her cigarette and continued speaking.
Honestly, he had planned not to think much about whatever she said. He already had a fair idea of how she would react anyway.
"You’ve got something pretty horrible stuck to you."
…Hearing something like that out of nowhere was a bit unexpected.
Rania tapped her finger lightly against her temple, where that complicated glow still flickered in her eye.
"…I’m talking about the source of the supernatural power you’re using. Even with the Divine Eye, I can’t see it. There are only two possibilities for a power source that can’t be detected, even with eyes that borrow the sight of a god."
"…Pardon?"
"First, you’re a human with a means to communicate directly with divinity, like me. Naturally, if you hold a similar power, it cancels out, so it can’t be detected. That would honestly be the better scenario."
While Aiden stood blinking in a daze, Rania took a deep drag of her cigarette and went on.
"But you don’t serve a god, do you?"
"……."
"You’re not a priest, are you?"
"That…is correct."
"Then it’s the second one."
Rania smiled faintly and patted Aiden lightly on the shoulder.
It almost looked like she was offering encouragement.
"Hang in there."
"Excuse me, what is this all of a sudden…?"
"It’s not widely known. But it does exist. A being that can be more dangerous than the celestial ‘gods’ that grant supernatural power."
Out of nowhere,
She said it.
"You’ve been marked by one of them as ‘mine.’ The power you’re using right now comes from there."
"…What?"
"Because of the karma you chose to bear yourself, you can’t even run away from it anymore. How pitiful."
Rania lightly brushed her hand across Aiden’s cheek.
As if she pitied him. As if she were offering sympathy.
"……."
What in the world was this woman even talking about?
That question naturally rose in his mind.
But there was one thing he could feel for certain.
‘…This doesn’t feel like she’s just talking about using supernatural power.’
More than that, it felt a little more fundamental.
It felt as if she were speaking about the true source of Aiden’s ‘uniqueness’—the ability to freely copy other people’s skills and wield numerous supernatural abilities without any limitations or restrictions.
As if she were saying it came from some influence that was not divine—but something else entirely.
"That’s why—hang in there."
Rania grinned broadly and repeated those words.
"You’re going to have a rough time from here on."
"……."
"If you’re still alive later, let’s meet again. I’ll try to help you out with something then."
While Aiden stood there dazed, listening to her words, Rania gave a little wave of her hand and wandered off in the opposite direction.
As if she’d said everything she needed to say.
"…My daughter is a bit unusual, isn’t she."
Watching her walk away, Dunadan let out a wry smile and spoke.
"Those who commune with divinity often behave in ways beyond common understanding. Their entire perspective on the world inevitably changes."
"…It does seem that way."
Aiden murmured vacantly, and Dunadan chuckled softly and nodded.
‘Well, I got the skill, so that’s good enough.’
He’d heard something ominous, no question.
But in any case, he had earned her goodwill and succeeded in copying one of her skills.
‘If she’s a priestess of Urgan…’
She was someone who possessed skills he would need to use before long.
If things hadn’t gone smoothly, he would have had to work painstakingly to build rapport with her. Since it had turned out easily, he could only consider it fortunate.
"By the way, where did your companion go, that you’re wandering around alone like this?"
"I had my adjutant wait outside for a while."
"…Why?"
…Because if I left her alone in here, she’d probably cause an incident.
There had already been a few questionable people trying to approach, and knowing Katya’s temperament, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she cracked someone’s jaw with holy power the moment she got irritated.
Better to separate her for a bit than let her cause a major incident.
"I had my reasons."
"…Well, I suppose you must have. Then, what about Dame Noel?"
He turned his head slightly and saw her standing with someone.
"Ah, she seems to be with the Prince. You don’t have to feel guilty for leaving her alone."
"That’s a strange way to put it."
"If it’s the Prince, isn’t he practically the treasure of the Empire? A brief conversation with him wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Lionhearted either."
"That’s true."
Aiden let out a small laugh and agreed.
Thinking of the Prince’s portrayal in the game, he was certainly a man worthy of respect.
He was like the personification of the term ‘saintly gentleman.’ Even during Act I of the main scenario, “Imperial Capital Fracture,” he had risked his life for the people without hesitation.
Of course, that was one thing.
But the fact that he was over there now was undoubtedly an opportunity.
After all, the ‘main target’ of this banquet was that man. It was the perfect chance to pry a skill from him.
"Still, I ought to go and interrupt. She is my wife, after all."
"Hm. Go ahead."
Exchanging such frivolous words with Dunadan, Aiden rose lightly from his seat.
And then—
A strange feeling began to climb up inside him as soon as Noel’s expression became fully visible.
‘…Huh?’
Noel’s demeanor was…off.
Her clenched hands were gripping so tightly that the blood seemed to have stopped circulating. Her face had turned deathly pale, and her shoulders were trembling, tense with strain.
It was obvious what that meant.
This woman, right now—
Was clearly terrified of the Prince—
Who should by all accounts have been a ‘good person.’
As Aiden realized that, he heard the Prince’s voice before the man noticed his approach.
"—Or is that too difficult a request for the ‘Butcher’?"
The strangeness grew only stronger at those words.
His tone was still kind, and his demeanor remained perfectly polite.
But Aiden could see it clearly.
That slick, sticky, pitch-black feeling, like the mire of a swamp.
This man was unmistakably showing Noel ‘malice.’
"—"
For a moment, Aiden’s body went rigid with tension.
Then the Prince, noticing someone’s presence, turned to look at him.
And as though a different ‘personality’ had surfaced, a smile instantly spread across his face.
In that expression—
The malice he’d just shown Noel had vanished without a trace.
This was the Prince Aiden knew.
A good man. A perfect gentleman.
"Ah, Dame Noel’s husband."
In a warm voice, the Prince spoke.
"I’m glad you came. There was something I wanted to discuss with you."
…There was no doubt.
Something here was very wrong.
▣
Strangely enough, the Prince had expressed a desire for a private conversation with Aiden.
There was a terrace set up outside the banquet hall for people to speak one-on-one, and he had suggested they talk there.
Sitting out in that space beyond the noisy hall, it almost felt as though the world itself had been left behind.
And even here, in this place that felt separate from the world, the man sitting across from him looked as though he alone belonged to some other realm entirely.
The Prince, sitting quietly with his eyes closed, radiated such overwhelming presence just by being still.
‘So this is what it feels like.’
It must be similar to how others perceived him when he had [Imperial Bloodline] activated.
"……."
Of course. Even putting that aside—
There had already been plenty of times when knowledge Aiden possessed from the original work ended up applying differently in reality.
The biggest difference, naturally, was the absence of the Protagonist. Without that axis, everything diverged.
But if he had to pick what came next in significance—
Without hesitation, Aiden would have chosen the man in front of him.
‘…Was he always like this?’
He looked silently at the man across from him.
The aura he remembered was still there. Goodness. Untainted innocence. Warmth. Gentleness.
But—
No matter how he tried to deny it, he couldn’t help feeling those qualities had been subtly warped.
The spaces between those impressions were filled with a chill, almost ruthless ‘rationality.’
Rather than the saintly gentleman of the original, he now felt more like an iron-blooded ruler who would do anything for the sake of the people.
"Are you Aiden Kellermain?"
As he turned these thoughts over, the Prince’s soft voice flowed toward him.
"…Yes."
Aiden answered after a slight pause.
Perhaps he was reading too much into it.
But of all the people who had spoken to him so far, this man alone had not once called him ‘Sir.’
Almost as if he already knew that Aiden was no true knight.
"It is quite remarkable."
The Prince continued.
"Most people can hardly bear to meet the eyes of a member of the Imperial family. Except for His Majesty the Emperor, who goes out of his way to suppress his bloodline’s force, it is very rare to find someone who can remain composed in our presence."
"……."
"Especially someone as ‘ordinary’ as you. As I’d heard, you are a most interesting person."
…So it seemed what he had felt earlier had not been an exaggeration.
This man clearly knew a good deal about Aiden. Without question.
"—May I ask what it is you want?"
He had agreed to be led outside to the terrace for a private conversation, but the direction this talk was heading felt ominous. Like a tightness pressing down on his chest.
"What I want… Yes. There is something."
"I am listening, Your Highness."
Without so much as a blink, the Prince opened his mouth.
"Break off your engagement to the Lionhearted."
He said it so casually.
"In exchange, I will grant you anything you wish."
The words came out with a smiling face.