Night of the Ultimatum (1)
Before long, the sun had set.
As the saying goes, “A hungry man is an angry man,” so I headed to the annex with the intention of eating first.
I was haunted by the thought of the wyvern fin roast I hadn’t tasted, urging my hunger.
I heard its chewy texture and savory meat were exceptional.
I must try it if I get the chance.
By the way.
“Who cooked those dishes?”
Each dish boasted excellent flavors, suggesting that among the chefs at the Duke’s castle, there was a master of monster cuisine.
It would be great to invite them, but I wasn’t sure if I could match the substantial salary they received at the Duke’s castle or convince them to leave their stable job for a culinary tour.
First, I would have to look in the restaurants in the northern city after finishing the ultimatum with Sir Gelwood.
There were many restaurants specializing in monster cuisine.
Perhaps a chef dreaming of adventure and romance was waiting for a benefactor to present that opportunity.
Hoping to find such a person, I arrived at the entrance of the annex….
“Eeeeellllllddddeeeennnn!”
I had to turn my head at the passionate voice calling my name.
Of course, it was the voice of Lady Ariel, with her bun hair.
She was the one who had aroused curiosity amid all the joy and praise during our first meeting.
She had met the white-haired Erinssia earlier than anyone else.
She must have been dying of curiosity.
She didn’t seem to have read today, not holding a book.
“Ariel?”
“What is it? What’s going on? How did it happen?”
Ariel, her blonde hair flying, ran up to me and started pouring out her pent-up questions.
Her face was full of unresolved queries.
Was the white-haired Erinssia she met late at night really the Grand Duchess Remian?
Was the red-haired Baroness Erinssia from the Royal Academy the youngest daughter of the Winterfell Ducal family?
What circumstances led to this?
What hidden story was there?
Who.
When.
Where.
What.
How.
Why.
She asked questions based on the six Ws, and just as I was about to answer them….
“What?”
Another question arose in Ariel’s eyes as she looked at me.
It started the moment she saw my right cheek.
And.
A similar but different question was asked again.
Ariel pointed her index finger at her own cheek.
“What, what’s this? How did this happen?”
I thought it best to clear up that question first, so I rubbed my cheek and answered.
“I got slapped.”
“What? Did you mess with Sir Rachel and finally get slapped?”
I laughed at Ariel’s expression, which seemed to say she always knew this day would come, and answered.
“No. The Grand Duchess slapped me.”
“What? Why?”
Ariel’s reddish-brown pupils and lips widened in surprise at my unexpected answer, and she had to ask another question at my final response.
“I rejected her proposal.”
“…What?!”
Lady Ariel, with her bun hair, had many surprises.
**
“So, you’re saying the Grand Duchess Remian proposed to you publicly in front of the candidates, you rejected it, and got slapped?”
“Correct.”
I told Ariel everything that had happened during the second encounter without holding back.
There was no reason to lie or conceal anything from a fellow student like Ariel now that the truth was out.
It was better to tell her the facts.
Remian had approached Ariel under the cover of night, unable to accept the changes.
Not knowing what variables she might create, it was better to tell her the truth.
“So, it’s better for you to stay away from the Grand Duchess.”
“I wanted to go greet her, but it’s probably better not to, right?”
“Yes. At least for now, it’s better to avoid her.”
The heroine’s condition wasn’t good.
Those consumed by revenge often met miserable ends.
I hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but since she might use third parties, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious until the marriage duel was completely over.
Remian had already used Ariel once.
“Well… I’ll do as you say. But are you okay?”
Ariel, having resolved her new questions, asked worriedly, looking at my cheek.
The warm touch of someone applying the precious ointment.
The warm question of a friend who valued my injury over long-held curiosity.
Considering the karma of the original Elden Raphelion, Ariel and Rachel might be overly generous beings.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
“That’s a relief. But what happened? Was Erinssia really the Grand Duchess Remian?”
Then, I explained everything to Ariel.
Of course, excluding what I knew as a reader of the original work.
“Wow… It was true. So, it wasn’t a coincidence that the top graduates of the Royal Academy became the final candidates?”
I nodded.
“That’s right.”
“So, is your withdrawal approved now?”
“The final decision-maker has changed, so not yet, but it’s practically approved.”
“I see….”
Although a week remained for the marriage duel to end grandly, it was as good as over for me.
The time had come to play the card I had saved, indicating that my escape from the Duke’s castle was imminent.
Therefore.
“It looks like the gourmet tour will be moved up a bit. Is that okay?”
I asked Ariel.
If she asked to delay the departure because she still had many books to read, I would wait.
I didn’t want to live so heartlessly as to ignore the request of a benefactor and the first friend I made in this world.
Moreover, there were still preparations to be made for the peaceful and romantic gourmet tour.
Contrary to my expectations, Ariel nodded readily.
“Of course, I’d love that!”
“…Really? But don’t you still have a lot of books left to read?”
“Well, so what? I can always come back to read them later, but the opportunity to see you catch monsters is now, right?”
“I don’t plan to rush. There are still things to prepare. If you need more time, feel free to say so.”
Ariel, who had readily agreed, hesitated when I said I could wait.
With my current skills, I would struggle against higher-level monsters.
I hadn’t even started developing my ability to handle mana.
There was no need to rush, nor any reason to be impatient.
Most importantly, the peaceful and romantic gourmet tour should prioritize leisure.
After a moment of hesitation, Ariel carefully spoke.
“Or… I heard that there will be a [Monster Cooking Festival] in the northern city after the marriage duel ends. Didn’t you say you needed to find a chef? There’s supposed to be a cooking competition too, so why not stay in the northern city and enjoy the festival for a bit?”
What?
Wait a minute.
“There’s a monster cooking festival?”
Seeing my interest, Ariel answered excitedly.
“Yes! The event will be held on Central Street for five days! Top chefs from around the northern region will gather, so you might find one there.”
“Oh. This sounds interesting.”
“Hehe. I knew you’d like it!”
Meeting Ariel felt like a blessing, considering not just the invitation of a chef but also the delightful feast for me.
“Then I’ll be off! Rest well! You too, Sir Rachel~!”
With that, Ariel, who had once again offered invaluable help, walked away.
I wondered when I could repay this grace, when I could reciprocate the tree that gives unconditionally, hoping that moment would come soon.
**
“Hmm….”
From early evening, the office of the central aide had been filled with groans and sighs.
Gelwood, sitting in his chair, looked at the seal on the desk.
It was a seal symbolizing the enormous, absolute power of acting on behalf of Duke Logan.
“Foolish… Truly foolish.”
Gelwood blamed himself.
He regretted it immensely.
He regretted not stopping Remian from making the four classmates from the Royal Academy the final candidates, thinking, ‘It might be better to choose from people she knows.’
He regretted not properly addressing the ominous signs he sensed.
He regretted not doubting Elden’s sudden withdrawal and Remian’s obsession with him.
He regretted passing notes and cheering for them instead.
Everything was regrettable, and he felt burdened as if the situation, which had grown beyond repair, was entirely his fault.
An ill-fated relationship disguised as coincidence.
Kyle’s fainting and disappearance.
A twisted obsession with the withdrawer.
Even the lukewarm attitude of the Royal Academy.
All these signs indicated that the marriage duel was a revenge drama from the start, and he had done nothing to address it.
Gelwood, watching the flickering candle, took a sip of wine.
Then, he sighed with a self-deprecating, bitter smile.
“Sigh… I guess I’m getting old.”
His insight wasn’t what it used to be.
His judgment felt clouded.
Even his concentration, which never overlooked minor issues, seemed to have dulled.
Probably, his aging energy was dulling all his senses.
“What on earth were you thinking… Grand Duchess.”
The marriage duel that had started off-track was heading towards disaster.
Of the candidates, only three were left to become the winner.
Even then, one was adamant about withdrawing, making it difficult to have a winner.
To manage this disaster before Duke Logan’s return, he had to reschedule the entire duel and find a way to stop the rampage of the third Grand Duchess.
And that method might have to be quite ruthless.
To mend the cracks, there could be no restrictions on means or empathy.
Gelwood stood up and looked out the window.
He looked towards the third outer wall where Grand Duchess Remian would be and thought.
Maybe.
“…Th curse might not have ended.”
His journey to the Royal Academy, driven by a thirst for knowledge and stubbornness, might have marked the beginning of the curse.
Thinking this, Gelwood sighed with a bitter smile.
Then.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door, and when Gelwood opened it to greet the visitor, he was surprised.
It was the one person whose visit could bring a smile amid this chaos and disaster.
“Master Elden?”
“Do you have time?”
“…Yes, but what brings you here…?”
“I have something to deliver.”
In his hand were two mana records along with the note he had delivered.
And.
On his face was a long scar that hadn’t been there during the first encounter.
That indicated.
That there were now officially only two candidates left.
