01 It Felt Like An Unexploded Bomb Was Pressed
Despite not even a month left before the spring break from the study institution ends, since a letter has arrived from the royal family with the content of, "Hurry and visit the castle," I must quickly reach the royal castle as soon as possible.
Yes, such is the duty of a noble.
In order to carry out that duty, it's a matter of course to use an animal whose legs are the fastest.
Therefore, it was decided that I would ride Rashiok to the royal castle accompanied only by Claudia who was completely useless at the preparation and arrangements. Naturally, I want to retaliate for this very abrupt summoning.
…We advanced on the highway where people made way for us, and the people around the normally crowded road all voluntarily avoided our way.
It was an unprecedented pleasant journey, but as I heard continuous screams here and there, as I thought, I should refrain from riding Rashiok to the royal capital as much as possible…
"Please go on ahead, Earl Einsbark."
The audience room's door was opened, and we were urged to enter.
Just what on earth is going to be discussed? Though I understood that it was a royal call, I had never expected that I would be officially summoned to pay an audience to the king.
If such an opportunity comes to a low-class noble, then it would be some necessary courtesy ceremonies for things such as giving rewards for triumphal return or giving medal of honor, and so on. More or less, I have experiences in all of them, but… for the current situation, I do not have any clue at all.
For some reason, even though there was the king's imperial command this time, the venue wasn't the Arktoria castle that was usually used for political affairs, but we used the living room of the Farudaru palace which was the royal family's castle.
The Arktoria castle's dazzling audience room was originally made in order to hold audiences with the state guests, and it costed the amount of gold needed to hold a small-scale evening party just to use the room.
Deep inside that audience room, there was His Majesty the King sitting on a throne that was made similar to a tiered platform, and beside him, there was Archduke Dovadain, and Marquis Rittergau stood just beneath the platform. Looking at how the three people, who are responsible to make decisions in the imperial court, are all here, I felt a mysterious chill. It was a keenly dreadful hunch.
Because I didn't want to be considered disrespectful, I carefully paid my attention to His Majesty who was sitting on top of the platform, stepped forward, and kneeled down.
"Eliza Kaldia Einsbark has just arrived and humbly offers her presence to answer your Majesty's summoning."
"You have come. You may raise your face, Earl Einsbark. There is something that I would like to ask you to do."
Though I was a little bit bewildered at his directness to cut straight to the important matter, I did as I was told and raised my face.
Once I raised it, something entered my line of sight for a moment. It felt like something that you couldn't see… or I felt like it was an existence that I didn't want to see. Looking at the dress that's colored like the hanging banner behind the throne, the moment I realized it, I was foolishly too late.
Why would the otome game's heroine be waiting for me along with the king?
"Let me introduce you. This is Emilia Yuriel De La Rindarl, the daughter of the Archduke of the Rindarl Union, our neighboring country, who's staying in our country as an exchange student at this time. I would like to depend on you to ensure that Emilia-dono won't feel any discomfort within the study institution."
Uhm… that, does that mean that he would like me to look after the heroine? However, wasn't that role given to those four people in the game…?
My future vision of the two years ahead that I had roughly decided was smashed to pieces in my mind.
Or more precisely, I don't understand the meaning. To purposely choose me, who's famous for my ill reputation throughout the Rindarl army.
It is still unknown whether Emilia (the heroine) knows about me, but in case that she knows about me all along, then my first impression would be bad.
…Or was it the purpose all along?
To choose me would be equal to humiliating the hostage princess of the defeated country…, like that.
I have never thought of Arxia to deal with Rindarl in this kind of way, but since the hatred for Rindarl has been growing stronger within the nobles, then the likelihood won't be nonexistent.
"I'm Emilia Yuriel De La Rindarl. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Emilia stepped forward in regards to the king's words, then gave out her name with a voice that wasn't able to conceal her anxiety, and gave me her salutation. It was Arxia-styled salutation, …though still quite unrefined.
I quickly repaired my grimaced expression that was produced reflexively. Among all of the people within the imperial court right here and right now, I'm the one with the lowest rank. For me to receive such a respectful bow from her, who's another country's archduke's daughter, regardless of the speculation behind it, it doesn't look very good.
When I reflexively turned my gaze towards Marquis Rittergau, he lightly nodded. Is that it? I even have to look after her… etiquette?
"………………………I humbly accept this official appointment."
After a silent period, I managed to squeeze out those words. Well, I have no choice other than squeezing those words out.