“(Heyy, shouldn’t stuff like this be directed at Zan instead? He’s a Salemabart too, rather than getting me couldn’t they take in Zan to form some bond or other? Are these guys such gambling addicts they can’t be satisfied without the bonus prize?)”
“(Going after Zan would be awful optics. Phil’s reputation is steadily gaining but Zan totally bellyflopped into the pond.)”
“(I see…you’re totally right.)”
While exchanging idle complaints with glances, one noble suddenly looks towards Kahlua.
[However, Lady Kahlua disappearing from high society and being present here…could those rumors be true perhaps?]
The rumor he refers to is likely about Kahlua serving some Count’s son.
Although now wearing a dress selected by Phil, usually a proper maid uniform.
Precisely because inconsistent credibility arose, the inquiring noble poses it as a question.
“Kahlua-sama, please refrain calling me with that name. I am currently just a humble maid.”
Seeing Kahlua bow her head, a sudden stir spread through the surroundings.
Rumors had only circulated to a limited extent since she rarely made public appearances, but now that the words had come directly from her mouth, it was a surprise.
She had discarded her position as a member of the duke’s family and openly declared herself as a servant in this social gathering.
What did that mean? Few nobles would believe that such an eccentricity alone had landed her in that position.
In other words──
[So the Scarlet Duke already made a preemptive move after all]
[It was even before the rumors started flying! He saw through Sir Phil being the [Hero of Shadows] that early!?]
[But Sir Phil still has no engagement. Shouldn’t we take it as the Duke house not yet making a decisive play?]
[Then there may still be a chance if we can finalize the engagement discussion…]
The fray around Phil intensifies further.
Uh-uh, no not that, nor this either. While conjecture flying about is fine, he’d prefer they not do it right in front of him.
“(Kahlua-san you’re causing a ruckus. Wasn’t it unnecessary to say this in a place like this? If you don’t feed them appropriately, these fish won’t be satisfied and will refuse to return to the pond, right?)”
“(The koi in the pond is also full of curiosity. If you don’t tell them from the beginning when you show your face, it’ll be troublesome later, you know? I originally wasn’t going to participate, but someone over there was bothered by the rumors, so I came along. So, bear with it.)”
“(Sure, it’s my bad then. I’ll gladly accept it.)”
Why did Kahlua, who hadn’t shown her face in society for a while, choose to do so now?
Phil, understanding that, didn’t say anything more.
“(But, how should I handle this now… Is there a good way to cover up me being the [Hero of Shadows]? If there’s a way to cover the rumors, I won’t hesitate to go all out.)”
“(Isn’t it impossible now? There are no tools to play it off, and even if we say something now, people will just think it’s an excuse.)”
“(Thinking about it, it might be more practical to figure out how to escape from this bargain sale…)”
“(Leave that to me. I have a good idea.)”
“(Oh!)”
In response to Kahlua’s words, Phil gave her a knowing look, his eyes shining.
“(Truly my partner! I’ve never seen such a reliable girl before!)”
“(Hehe, thank you. Well then, don’t say anything about what I’m going to do from now on.)”
“(Got it! I’m watching with warm eyes full of complete trust and confidence!★)”
Phil gave a small thumbs up and stepped back from the crowd of nobles.
With an appeal that said, “Listen quietly because Kahlua is the one speaking, not me,” he entrusted her with his complete trust.
And then, with the weight of that trust on her shoulders, Kahlua spoke.
“My humblest apologies, but please refrain from engagement discussions regarding my master. As his engagement with me is advancing─”
The nobles instantly fall silent at Kahlua’s words.
A sudden bombshell leaving their brains unable process to keep up? Or for some other reason, it’s unclear.
And the same went for Phil warmly watching her from behind.
“Huhhh? This is quite the unexpected development, for lil’ ol’ me? Despite boasting some decent mental faculties~”
“Oh shush. Now’s our chance while they’ve given up on the product. Fleeing bargain sales is the way to win.”
“Rather than fleeing, isn’t it more accurate to say we purchased ahead of the housewives…”
Bewildered, Phil gets dragged away by the hand, Kahlua moving to withdraw from the location.
Did Kahlua’s strategy work? Not one noble tries restraint as the two successfully reposition themselves to a less crowded corner of the venue.
But──
“Um, Miss Kahlua? I seem to hear humming, is that you by any chance?”
“The orchestra improved so much~”
“Or is that story just a lie? I’ve never heard anything like that—“
“Hehe, who knows?”
“!?”
Kahlua wore a mischievous smile.
Perhaps it was because of her elaborate attire, but Phil’s heart skipped a beat, and he couldn’t say anything more.
“(Well, if Phil doesn’t fall for me, I can’t proceed… but if I want to, I can.)”
Even though she could, whether or not to proceed ultimately depended on their feelings.
“Alright then, I’ll go get some drinks. The idol causing a buzz should behave herself.”
“…Sure.”
As Kahlua moved towards the edge of the venue, Phil, away from the noble crowd, didn’t touch the food, calmly surveying the venue and waiting for time to pass.
The actual start of the party would be when the Crown Prince and royal family members entered. Still, it would mainly consist of greetings and the final dance, not much different from the current situation.
If anything, were there royal members among those going to greet? For Phil, this was a heavy topic.
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“Here, is this drink okay?”
After staring blankly for a while, Kahlua returned with drinks in hand.
“Oh, thanks. Choosing a non-alcoholic juice is quite fitting for a maid.”
“Someone foolish slipped up under the influence of alcohol, so I learned from that incident.”
“Mistakes lead to growth.”
“But that mistake was only yours.”
Sipping grape juice to moisten his throat, Phil casually looked over the venue again.
Were there familiar faces, or were there people he should go greet? He had to observe now.
Was it because he was the eldest son of the Count’s family? Even though he wanted to live freely, this habit was hard to break.
“By the way, there are quite a few church-related people, as Nikola-sama said. The rosaries hanging around their necks are so conspicuous. It seems like a useful accessory for finding lost things if you put it up for sale.”
“Did someone say that?”
“Yeah, with a ‘be careful’ option included. I don’t particularly need to be careful, though…”
Being careful meant not getting further involved in factional disputes.
Currently, no church-related individuals were approaching him, but as long as he skillfully avoided them, it should be fine.
“Well, maybe Nikola-sama is just talking about ‘extreme factional disputes.’ It’s possible that many attend the party to garner support for their factions in the country. It’s a kind of religious recruitment, in a sense.”
“Which way it goes depends on His Majesty. It would be nice if he wasn’t swayed just because he’s approached by the purest beauty in the world.”
“That’s disrespectful to His Majesty, you know? Do you realize that, my lord?”
Making light banter, the two waited for the main stage to progress.
At that moment—
“Ah, there you are, Sir Phil!”
Wearing a dress that glowed in jet black, Milis arrived, waving her hands vigorously.
“I went to the most crowded place, but couldn’t find you, so I started searching…”
“A precise way to search for a lost person.”
“Yeah, if the departure had been later, it would have been a perfect bingo.”
Now, Phil is the person most talked about in the world as the [Hero of Shadows].
Naturally, a crowd gathers when he shows up.
Milis’s way of searching was not completely off; it was close to the correct answer.
“So, Milis-sama? Did you finish talking to the church people?”
“Yes! I talked a lot about what’s going to happen next! But…”
Milis looked somewhat anxiously around the venue.
“There were many people who are not part of my faction…”
“Is it true that people become less friendly when they’re in different factions?”
“That’s not true at all! It’s just that their directions are slightly different; everyone is equal believers. While there are such trends within the organization, the church as a whole still remains united. However, some people are conscious of such factional disputes…”
“I see. Even though the organization maintains appearances, there are still people who take factional disputes seriously.”
“I was attacked not long ago, so I can’t help but be a little cautious…”
Of course, Phil understood the change in Milis’s expression.
And then, as Milis opened her mouth again—
“Also, the Grand Bishop, who is not from my faction, is here, and he has given me a new duty—“
“…Phil.”
“!?”
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, causing Milis to jump with a start.
When she cautiously turned around, there stood a man with a sturdy physique, clearly visible from his well-coordinated outfit.
“(Who is he? But he somehow seems familiar…)”
Suddenly, Milis looked towards Phil.
Phil wasn’t looking at Milis or the man; instead, he was gazing towards the chandelier, as if looking into the distance.
“Kahlua, I wonder how much that chandelier costs?”
“Phil…”
Called by name, Phil does not meet her gaze.
Kahlua beside him heaves a big sigh.
“Well then. We’re out of drinks too, so why don’t we go get something new…”
“Phil…”
“Kahlua? Is there any other good drinks around…?”
“Look this way.”
“And, let’s go outside for some refreshing air…”
“What’s up…?”
“…………”
Cold sweat runs down Phil’s forehead
like a waterfall as he desperately avoids looking at reality like a whimpering baby enduring chills.
And then─
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