The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 113
EP.113 Invitation (3)
Even within the same city, traveling from one end to the other could take quite a bit of time, whether by car or subway, and the capital was no different.
Of course, the capital hadn’t grown to the extent of a “megapolis” like the advanced country capitals on modern Earth. Both the level of technology and welfare remained at early 20th-century standards. While the population had exploded compared to the Middle Ages, not all of humanity had achieved an average lifespan of 70 years.
According to official census data, the Empire’s population was just over 110 million. If you consider the many illegitimate children and orphans who are born and die in industrial zones, the actual population would likely be a bit higher.
The capital’s population had just begun to densify, reaching a little over 7 million. By the standards of this world, it was an overwhelmingly large city, but compared to real megapolises like Seoul, New York, or Tokyo, it inevitably seemed a bit lacking to me.
Nonetheless, a city with a population of 7 million was by no means small. It might be smaller than Seoul, but in Korea, no city other than Seoul matched the capital’s population.
Due to a law known as the “Anti-vehicle Law,” steam cars were virtually impossible to operate within the capital, so the only available means of transportation was horse-drawn carriages. Given that the speed of these carriages was just over 10 km/h, the city, with a population of 7 million, felt much larger than any modern city.
Fortunately, the Grace family estate wasn’t too far from the academy.
It had been only once during my childhood that I’d come this far, but even now, it was an impressive sight.
The smoke billowing into the sky was widely accepted as a symbol of industrialization, and the steam released by the locomotives at the train station was seen as a symbol of modernization. However, it was rare to find a place in the center of the capital that still maintained a lush green lawn.
I wasn’t saying it looked rural or anything like that; I just thought that with that much land, it would usually be put to other uses. Nobles wouldn’t build factories in their front yards, but more often than not, they’d create large gardens rather than grassy fields like this.
Furthermore, for an “estate,” there weren’t many guards around. Places like Winterfield, Northwood, and Crowfield had heavy security around the lord’s castle, with guards glaring at every passerby, heavily armed with swords and guns, causing people to avoid them from a distance.
But this estate was guarded by only two people standing at the entrance.
Their armaments weren’t much different from those of regular police officers in the capital. The only difference was that they were both wearing swords on their hips. On the left, a sword; on the right, a pistol. Their uniforms weren’t too different from those worn by the police either. They wore long coats with large buttons, a thin leather belt, and formal trousers and shoes, reminiscent of early 20th-century British police. The only difference was that the color of their uniforms was black instead of the police’s blue, likely to make them more distinguishable. They also lacked the characteristic hats.
In terms of appearance, their attire and weaponry were enough to intimidate anyone who passed by. But the relaxed and comfortable expressions of the two guards made their weaponry feel less threatening. Honestly, if there was no one else to ask for directions, I would have felt comfortable asking them instead.
“Welcome, Young Master. And Miss.”
“Long time no see!”
After a brief formality check—just a casual question of whether we had any weapons—one of the guards greeted us. Claire smiled brightly and waved her hand as if she were seeing an old friend. The guard responded with a smile, his face lighting up as Claire’s own joyful smile bloomed.
Even now, his appearance resembled that of an uncle happily laughing while holding his niece or daughter, rather than someone who would wield a sword.
When Claire said it had been a long time, it seemed that these guards weren’t just hired hands but rather more like retainers of the Grace family. After all, retainers were technically hired with money, too.
“Have you been well?”
Following Claire, Leo, who was sitting across from her and could see the same window, also asked the guards.
“Of course, Young Master.”
“How about you, Young Master?”
Even in front of Leo, the heir to the family, the guards spoke casually without any real tension.
“Yes, of course.”
“I see.”
The older-looking guard smiled as he spoke.
“The lord has been worried that perhaps Young Master is doing too well.”
“…Excuse me?”
“For example, that you’ve lost muscle and gained some weight…”
The younger guard examined Leo from head to toe, and Leo gasped, shouting in surprise.
“No! I’ve been working hard on my training!”
“Well, I’m sure the lord will judge that himself.”
The atmosphere seemed a little different from when they had been speaking with Claire.
Maybe it was because Claire was a woman and Leo was a man. In this world’s view on gender, it would probably be considered impolite for a man to fight or argue with a woman.
Moreover, Leo was the heir to the family. He would be responsible for the family as its head until his death.
On the other hand, Claire… well, she would eventually marry into another noble family. While she would still be connected to the Grace family through her bloodline, once she took her husband’s surname, she would no longer be a member of the Grace family.
Therefore, it made sense that it would be less of an issue to treat Claire more freely. As long as she maintained the minimum manners expected of a noble, that would suffice.
After a brief exchange of playful banter, a bell rang from somewhere near the main gate, sounding like a speaker.
The younger guard walked over to the speaker and listened for a moment before returning to us with a smile.
“The two princesses have arrived, and Baron and Baroness Grace have sent their regards.”
The two guards then drew their swords and performed a sharp salute. The pose—holding the sword upright in front of their faces and placing one hand behind their backs—was so dignified it could have been the cover art for a video game package.
“On behalf of the royal family, I express my gratitude.”
Alice said this as formally as she could from inside the carriage, and the two guards relaxed their salute.
“We hope you will have a pleasant and fruitful time at the Grace estate.”
*
Simplicity doesn’t always imply poverty.
Typically, noble estates were decorated in a lavish manner: gardens full of colorful flowers, grand fountains, and sometimes even elaborate mazes.
However, as I mentioned earlier, the Grace estate wasn’t one of those extravagantly adorned places.
Maintaining the lawn in such a pristine condition wasn’t an easy task either. Not a single blade of grass was out of place, nor were there any holes or yellowed, withered patches.
The buildings, too, reflected the same care. The structures on the Grace estate, seemingly built with the latest methods, lacked the ornate decorations that characterized the buildings of other estates. Instead of resembling the castles of Europe, they more closely resembled the architecture of early 20th-century New York.
The restrained, almost minimalist design of the buildings made the estate feel less like a traditional “manor” and more like some sort of “facility.” If anything, it resembled the atmosphere of a historic university.
“It’s an honor to have the princesses visit.”
Baron Edward Grace, the head of the family, was already waiting at the main entrance of the mansion.
I couldn’t tell how much his face had changed since I saw it ten years ago. Admittedly, I hadn’t had a clear view of him back then, so it was hard to recall.
Nevertheless, there were parts of his face that resembled Leo’s. The blue hair, the eyes. The reason Claire, despite not sharing their bloodline, blended so naturally into this family was likely due to this man’s hair color and blue eyes. If someone didn’t know better, they might even assume she had some familial connection.
Maybe they were distant relatives. We hadn’t learned anything about Claire’s parents up to the part I played.
The baron bowed in the noble manner, and the baroness, who stood slightly behind him, also bent at the waist and knee. She, too, had blue hair, though it wasn’t as vivid as her husband’s. Depending on the light, it appeared to have a hint of emerald mixed in.
“Since we are here as friends of Claire and Leo, there is no need for such formalities.”
Alice said calmly, and I nodded in agreement.
Though we didn’t bow our heads or bodies, of course.
Social status really does complicate relationships, doesn’t it?