Chapter 67: Party (2)
While the students revealed in the festivities, a man and a woman were having a private conversation in a secluded corner of the space, far removed from the party’s lively atmosphere.
It wasn’t some romantic tale of forbidden love or anything of the sort.
“My gratitude for providing the venue… and for your various technical assistance, Professor Georg.”
“Oh, think of it as simply repayment for something wonderful I’ve received. Thanks to you, I’ve found something new to explore.”
“You sound almost delighted that there’s a problem. How does one even think like that?”
“Of course, you wouldn’t understand. You view magic as a means, not an end in itself. Isn’t that right, Miss Stefania?”
“…Is that so?”
In the shadows, something moved busily. Outside the window, the party continued in full swing, but neither of them paid it any mind. Stefania, instead, handed her glass to something in the darkness.
“Angelos? My glass is empty. Refill it.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The being waiting in the shadows revealed itself—it was a homunculus, property of Stefania’s family.
This homunculus, one of the rarest on the continent, possessed intelligence and physical abilities indistinguishable from those of a human.
Her family had amassed tremendous wealth through the use of these homunculi, as there was an endless demand for beings that were human but not quite.
“Still… turning an entire corner of your personal subspace into a party venue and handing it over? What exactly are you thinking?”
Stefania’s tone carried a hint of probing curiosity as she posed her question to Georg.
She couldn’t understand why he was being so generous after she had simply delivered a few worthless creatures turned into demons.
“You’re persistent. Very well, I’ll be blunt. I wish to continue doing business with you. The subspace and technical cooperation are gestures of goodwill.”
“Goodwill, is it? Well, that’s certainly sufficient… though I can’t exactly mass-produce demons on demand, you know.”
Georg silently sneered at Stefania’s transparent lie. Having witnessed an entire village transform into a den of demons overnight, he knew how absurd her words were.
“…Ah, of course, I could if I wanted to, but there are too many eyes on me these days. Meeting your demands every time might prove difficult,” Stefania quickly amended, sensing Georg’s suspicion.
“No need to worry about that. One per month will suffice. By the way, Miss Stefania, does your family’s black market deal in elves or beastfolk?”
“…Oh my. Whatever are you talking about?”
Stefania’s expression turned blank. While it was true that her family operated a black market, only the family members were privy to that fact.
Even the merchants, informants, and VIP clients of the black market had no idea who ran it. How could a mere university professor—former hero’s party member or not—have such knowledge? Stefania felt a surge of unease.
“Do you know who killed your ancestor… Maurizio Pecci?”
“That would be the Hero… Ah.”
Hearing the name of her disgraceful ancestor, Stefania let out a brief sigh.
The man who had nearly destroyed their family by clinging to every underling had apparently confessed everything. Stefania silently accepted the situation.
“…Yes, we do.”
“Then bring some of them to me as well.”
Realizing that she had misjudged her opponent and lost her leverage, Stefania begrudgingly listened to Georg’s demands.
***
Meanwhile, Hoyeon was visibly uneasy. To most, she might have appeared composed, but subtle changes in her ears and tail betrayed her nerves.
“Lady Hoyeon, are you feeling uncomfortable…?”
“No. It’s nothing like that. Perhaps I’m just hungry.”
Perhaps it was because the only familiar face at the table was Anya. Or maybe it was the unfriendly stares directed toward her from the others.
Anya seemed to be the leader of this gathering, which likely kept anyone from openly voicing complaints, but the underlying sentiment was palpable—What is she doing here?
Camilla’s gaze, in particular, was anything but kind.
Her jealousy, a trait that had caused plenty of trouble in her harem dynamics and earned her the readers’ ire, now seemed directed at Hoyeon.
It wasn’t because of me—or at least, not entirely. Camilla’s sharp stares were also occasionally aimed at me, albeit not as intensely as at Hoyeon.
This tension was likely the result of Anya continually singling her out.
“Oh, I see. Well then, let’s eat! Here, take this.”
“Lady Hoyeon, try this too! It’s delicious, I promise.”
“Lady Hoyeon!”
“Lady Hoyeon!”
Taking Hoyeon’s casual mention of being hungry at face value, Anya kept serving her food.
“…Right. Thank you.”
Hoyeon’s discomfort was evident. The stares directed at her—full of curiosity and jealousy—were intense enough for even me to notice.
Yet, oblivious as ever, Anya happily continued piling food onto Hoyeon’s plate.
…Sometimes, being carefree isn’t a good thing.
“Lady Hoyeon, you seem full. Would you care for a drink instead?”
Seeing that she had no way of escaping, I decided to intervene. Knowing her, she wouldn’t refuse a request, even if it put her in an awkward position, as long as it came from someone close to her.
It might be rude to leave after being invited, but…
Hoyeon looked utterly drained.
“…Oh, are you leaving?”
“Yes… I seem to have overeaten. Thank you for the invitation. Let’s meet again later.”
“Oh… If you’re full, then I understand. Let’s meet again soon!”
To the very end, Anya remained unaware of the awkward atmosphere and unwittingly poured fuel onto the fire.
It wasn’t malice—just a complete lack of awareness. It was hard to hold it against her.
Hoyeon and I moved quickly, putting distance between ourselves and the group until they were out of sight. Only then did Hoyeon finally relax.
“…Haa… Huff.”
She was trembling so much that I worried her princess facade might have cracked if we’d stayed any longer.
“Are you all right?”
Even I had felt the weight of the gazes directed at her. For someone with heightened senses like hers, it must have been unbearable.
Especially Camilla’s expression—it was clear that, if not for Anya’s presence, she might have confronted us outright.
Hoyeon wasn’t the only one struggling… I had my own problems, too.
By now, I should have built a connection with Camilla, but the opportunity had vanished entirely. There was no chance to interact with her at all.
Even in the original story, no further events with her had been written. I’d unexpectedly encountered Iris, but she was tightly bound to Stefania, leaving no way to help her.
When finals came, Stefania would undoubtedly try something. I could use that moment to take her down and free Iris.
But Camilla?
A headache was beginning to set in. Could I really pull this off?
“…Yes. I’m fine now. Thank you, my lord.”
As I wrestled with my thoughts, I faintly heard Hoyeon speaking softly to someone. Yet, there was no one else nearby. Just as I puzzled over this, I noticed a faint thread of magical energy connecting her to something unseen.
In that instant, an idea sparked in my mind.
Perhaps there was a way to take down Stefania.
But this wasn’t the right time to bring it up. It seemed as though Hoyeon had only been talking to herself. If I pressed her about it, she likely wouldn’t appreciate it.
As for Camilla… I’d have to talk to Anya and arrange a separate meeting with her. Using my connection with Anya seemed like the only plausible way to get close to Camilla.
“…Ah, I feel a bit better now,” Hoyeon said.
“Really? That’s good to hear. In that case, should we head back to the dining area—”
“Just a little longer. Let’s stay here.”
Since she’d eaten much less than usual, I suggested going back for more food, but she expressed a desire to remain where we were.
Ah, she wasn’t ready yet.
I waited patiently until she said she was finally ready, and then we headed back to the dining area—only to find it had already closed.
Breakfast time was over.
“…Sorry, I think I took too long,” Hoyeon murmured.
“No, I should be the one apologizing. I dragged you away suddenly,” I replied.
I should’ve chosen a quieter spot within the dining area instead of somewhere completely deserted.
As we exchanged apologies, I noticed Anya approaching from a distance. She seemed to have shaken off her entourage.
Now that I could see her properly, I realized her dress was also fairly revealing.
She really… stood out.
“…Lady Hoyeon, earlier… um, I’m sorry. I got so excited that I forgot to explain who you were…”
Anya appeared to have realized her mistake. The moment she saw us, she returned and offered an apology.
“…It’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes. But I don’t think I can join your group for a meal again. It’s… difficult,” Hoyeon replied.
“I see…”
Anya looked crestfallen at Hoyeon’s decision, but it didn’t last long. Soon, her usual energy returned as she shared other news with us.
“Still… you’ll be attending the luncheon ball, won’t you? There’s plenty going on until dinner, but… the ball is essentially the highlight of this party!”
A ball, huh? That sounded promising.