After briefly greeting me, Owen de Gatmora said he had business to attend to and headed toward the main building of the mansion.
I stood there, quietly watching his retreating figure.
Being a merchant guild master wouldn't be a problem no matter where he was. Naturally, he would come and go for profitable ventures, and the Grantz Ducal House was undoubtedly a wealthy place.
That would have been the case not too long ago.
However, I now know that he is involved with the revolutionary forces.
Owen de Gatmora is a man who can go anywhere.
Therefore, he could easily enter the Grantz Ducal House for business or any other reason.
It's an overreach to think that the Duke of Grantz might be involved in the revolutionary forces, as he has no reason to be interested in the revolution. But it's not like there hasn't been a history of privileged nobles pouring everything into such matters.
Since I don't know what kind of person the Duke of Grantz is, I cannot know what he thinks or what kind of disposition he has.
My head felt like it was going to explode.
What if the Duke of Grantz is a core figure in the revolutionary forces?
So what if he is?
Does it matter either way, considering I will eventually cooperate with them from the position of a demon prince?
No.
After the Gate incident is resolved...
If the anti-empire alliance survives, whose side should I take?
Thinking about the aftermath before the main event seems absurd.
If I choose to maintain the empire and sabotage the anti-empire alliance, the result will be a massacre.
If I choose to maintain the alliance and incite rebellion against the empire, it will be a war.
-Suddenly!
I heard the sound of a window opening from behind the annex.
“Hey! Are you coming in or not?”
Liana, shooting sparks of electricity as if to threaten me, shouted at me.
It can't be.
The Duke of Grantz couldn't be involved.
There's no rationale.
Why would the Duke of Grantz, born with everything and sure to live with everything, risk it all on a reckless challenge?
But what if he isn't?
Whether the Gate incident is resolved or not, the moment I formed the anti-empire alliance, countless people will die depending on my choice. That fact won't change.
Choosing the empire or the anti-empire alliance.
I just realized another truth: that many will die due to my decision.
“Stop standing there and hurry up!”
-Zap! Zap!
"Alright, alright."
Liana de Grantz, who knows nothing of the world and lives by doing whatever she pleases.
It would be nice if she could live her whole life without knowing such things.
Liana doesn't know about the dilemma I'm facing.
As winter break approached, various discussions arose about where to go for some fun, but everyone seemed lukewarm about the idea.
"I'm planning to train. I've rested too much while visiting my hometown this time."
Although Ellen hadn't participated in the tournament, her desire to become stronger hadn't lessened but had grown even stronger than before. Eventually, she would have to face the Demon King, and she might have to stand at the forefront of that battle, so she believed it was essential to make good use of her time.
Moreover, for now, albeit uncertain for how long, the strongest swordsman on the continent, Saviolin Turner, resided in the dormitory.
Ludwig kept pestering Turner and learning various things, but Ellen hadn't had the chance to train with Saviolin Turner due to preparing for Miss Temple last time and visiting her hometown this time.
Thus, it was inevitable that she felt restless.
"Um… I think my magic research is finally starting to make progress…"
Adelia hesitated but seemed reluctant to take a break for a week or so, as the completion of the power cartridge was gradually coming into view.
Harriet was in the same boat, with her interdimensional magic research and a schedule so tight that even splitting her time would hardly suffice.
"Thanks for today, but I also have plans."
Although unable to explain, in the end, everyone was busy, and personal training like Ellen's could serve as an excuse.
Eventually.
Regarding the trip, everyone but Cliffman found it difficult to go.
"What's going on? Why is everyone… living so diligently…?"
Liana murmured blankly, her eyes unfocused.
I chuckled at Liana's expression.
"…You seem to have forgotten, but isn't it appropriate for Royal Class students receiving full support from the Empire to live like this?"
"Wow… Hearing that from you makes me feel even more disgusted…?"
Liana continued to murmur blankly.
Come to think of it, the kids here were all exceptional even among the top students.
It would be strange if they didn't live like this!
Without any particular effort, your psychic output may skyrocket, so it's fine for you to have fun, but everyone else must put in the effort!
"…"
Liana looked at Cliffman weakly.
And you?
That was the vibe she gave off.
Cliffman was indeed born with exceptional talent, but he too needed to train. He hadn't yet awakened his Magic Body Strengthening.
However, Liana might be utterly disheartened if she got rejected this time as well.
"Th-that's… I, I am… I am…"
But if Cliffman said it was fine, it would really just end up with the two of them going on a trip, so his face turned red, and he stuttered.
Seeing Cliffman like this, Liana finally dropped her head.
"Never mind… Everyone just die… Everyone live diligently… Let's see how well you live…"
Liana muttered, seemingly devoid of spirit.
Her friends were living so diligently that it had broken Liana's spirit.
As evening approached at the Grantz Ducal House, Liana's mental state, which had been shattered earlier, slowly began to recover.
Heh heh.
The hour of indulging in a drink was fast approaching.
At this age, is it really alright to enjoy alcohol this much? Whether the Duke of Grantz was involved in the revolutionary forces or not, wasn't his management of his children a failure from the start?
"Ah, Miss... there are guests here..."
"It's fine. Hurry up and leave. Rest, go and rest. It's alright."
That couldn't possibly be alright, could it? Judging by how she was pushing the servants away and telling them to rest, they seemed to know that something was about to happen here.
With so much money and no worries about the future, there truly is no one like her.
"Is... is it really okay to do this?"
"I said..."
Both Harriet and Adelia looked uneasy, unable to settle down, not knowing what Liana was thinking.
Nearly everyone in the Edina mansion was a servant.
But here, in the main house where the Duke of Grantz resided, it would be nothing short of rude to not greet him and to just have a drinking party among the children.
It's not a problem with me being steeped in Confucian thought. This really is strange! The fact that everyone, except Ellen, looked as if they shouldn't be doing this was proof.
And so, one by one, as Liana pushed the servants away, the mansion was now completely empty according to her plan.
"Heh heh, shall we begin now?"
I cannot forgive you diligent ones.
At that moment, as Liana was about to open the display case with such an expression.
Bang
"Liana! Why aren't you introducing your friends?"
"Ah, Dad?!"
A man with a pleasant demeanor opened the door to the mansion and shouted cheerfully.
Liana, with a clearly flustered expression, finally raised her fists in anger and yelled.
"Argh! I told you not to come to the mansion when I'm playing with my friends!"
Huh.
What is this familiar feeling?
"I should at least greet your friends when you brought them along! Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
"Ah, you've already met these two before! Why do you want to see them again!"
That's right.
During the Miss and Mister Temple contest, Liana had taken Cliffman and Ellen to the Grantz Duke's house.
Ellen and Cliffman, who seemed to have become acquainted with the Duke back then, bowed their heads when they saw him.
"Hello."
"It's an honor to see you, Your Grace."
"That's right, Ellen. Still as cute as ever. Cliffman, it looks like you've gained some more muscle. But there are some new faces, aren't there?"
As Harriet, Adelia, and I were about to stand up and say something, Liana forcefully pushed the Duke's chest.
"This is Reinhardt, this is Adelia, and this is Harriet. There, satisfied? Now go! Leave, quickly!"
"Ouch, my dear daughter is pushing me away. Did I say I was going to scold you? Let's just chat, alright? Let's chat, you little rascal."
"Ah, I don't care. Just leave!"
What could it be?
The feeling with Harriet and the unapproachable Archduke was different.
Still, the unapproachable Archduke at least tried to appear stern. The Duke of Grantz seemed a bit mischievous, didn't he?
"Oh dear, you must have a hard time dealing with your daughter's temper, huh, guys?"
"Ah, stop spouting nonsense and just leave!"
It seemed that rather than being a doting father, Duke Grantz enjoyed watching his daughter struggle.
Watching Liana's irritated face while chuckling to himself was more than enough to confirm this.
"Get out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!"
"Good grief, fine then."
In the end, Duke Grantz was pushed out of the annex by his daughter.
-Bang! Clank! Clank!
"Ugh, seriously."
After forcefully closing the door, Liana locked it.
"I told him not to come, what's his deal?"
Liana grumbled, showing off her spoiled nature without holding back.
-Click!
The sound of the lock opening accompanied the annex door swinging open again.
"Did our daughter not know about this?"
In his hand, a large keyring jingled.
Oh, no.
This father-daughter relationship is complicated.
"Does my daughter think that locking a door will keep her father out of his own house?"
Duke Grantz, jingling the large keyring in his hand, reentered the annex with a sly laugh.
"Ah, seriously!"
-Sizzle!
As if genuinely furious, sparks began to flicker from Liana's hair.
"Oh dear, I was only joking, but it seems like you want to roast your father. What's the use of raising a daughter? Sigh."
"Get out!"
"Fine! I'm going! Go!"
-Thump!
Duke Grantz, fearing Liana might actually strike him with lightning, truly left the annex this time.
“Stop bickering, you guys!”
Duke Grantz continued to provoke them from beyond the door.
After the storm had passed,
"This is why I didn't introduce him!"
Liana stomped her foot, grumbling.
Though he had only appeared for a few minutes, we were all overwhelmed by Duke Grantz's imposing presence.
"What can I say... He's quite an extraordinary person..."
Harriet murmured blankly, her mouth agape, while Ellen, who had already seen this commotion several times before, casually sipped her tea and commented,
"He's a good person."
This was the first time Ellen had ever spoken about someone in this manner, leaving everyone baffled. Liana's eyes narrowed in response.
"What? Good? What's good about him?"
"Hmm. Based on my standards, you're definitely a spoiled brat."
I crossed my arms and looked at Liana.
Seriously!
Not to the heavens, but to her parents, seriously!
"Do you want to die?"
-Sizzle!
"No, it's obvious to anyone that you're a spoiled brat."
Everyone subtly nodded their heads in agreement with my composed conclusion.
"That's a bit... harsh, I think..."
Adelia's reaction.
"Looking at it this way... I think I might have been too harsh on my dad..."
Harriet began to reflect on her actions.
"Well, that's... true..."
Even Cliffman chimed in.
Ellen and Cliffman had seen this chaos more times and had witnessed Liana's antics more than the rest of us.
"Do you really want to die?"
"Are you really going to die?"
"Ah, no... well, it's not wrong, is it?"
Cliffman, surprisingly, knew what to say.
"Really... does everyone think that way...?"
A brat's trait: They don't listen to their parents, but they listen to their friends.
Even Cliffman, who would agree that the sky is yellow if Liana said so, was persuaded this time. Liana was dumbfounded.
"Am I... am I really a brat...?"
Liana ended up showing a typical brat's reaction, not listening to her father but finding enlightenment in her friends' words.
In any case, Duke Grantz, though not aware of Liana's thoughts, managed to dispel the last of our anxiety.
He clearly said, "Drink in moderation."
To drink in moderation meant that he was ultimately allowing us to drink.
Since it was said with the intention of letting us have a good time without worrying about him, Duke Grantz was not being malicious, even though he liked to see his daughter in trouble.
Liana and I had whiskey, while the rest drank sweet wine.
As we chatted, there wasn't anything too remarkable. The main topic was about the juniors who would join us next year.
"It would be nice if there were no kids like you."
Harriet said the exact same thing Liana had said earlier today.
"How common do you think someone like me is? It's a talent, you know."
"Wow... You're actually aware of your exceptional nature in that regard?"
"I'm surprisingly good at understanding the situation."
"Isn't it something you should fix instead of acknowledging it?"
"Isn't it about time you realize I'm not that bad of a person? You blockhead?"
"Talking to you always makes me mad... And stop calling me a blockhead!"
"You're used to it by now, right? You'd feel left out if I didn't call you a blockhead, right?"
"Argh! I don't feel left out! I don't!"
"I get it, Harriet."
"...Huh?"
"You feel a bit awkward now, huh? It's weird that I called you by your name, isn't it? Blockhead sounds better, doesn't it?"
"Aaaaaaaah! Stop it! You're really mean! Why do you treat me like this?!"
I succeeded in blowing Harriet's top, which hadn't happened in a long time, and felt a great satisfaction.
"Ah, I'm getting hot... Dizzy... It's because of that jerk..."
"Lie down for a bit."
"Ugh..."
Harriet groaned, then slumped down on the sofa, seemingly overwhelmed by the alcohol.
Harriet eventually fell asleep without realizing it.
Adelia, who was intoxicated and staggering, clung to Harriet like a pillow and fell asleep as well.
"I'm sleepy."
Ellen, who appeared not to be drunk at all, gulped down her wine and laid her head on Liana's lap.
She would probably fall asleep soon.
The only ones who were fully conscious were Liana, Cliffman, and myself.
Surprisingly, Cliffman didn't get very drunk.
I thought his alcohol tolerance was strong, but it seemed he hadn't been drinking at all.
Perhaps he was afraid of what he might do if he got drunk.
"Ah, what did I do so wrong..."
Liana seemed to have seriously pondered whether she was a brat or not, and concluded that she had done nothing wrong. She didn't seem too drunk, but she was tipsy enough.
I didn't drink much either. My reason wasn't the same as Cliffman's.
"Hey."
"I'm not a brat."
"No, what did I say?"
As soon as I called out, she reflexively blurted out those words, as if expecting a slap.
Usually, when you're unsure whether something is right or wrong, it's right, and Liana was indeed a brat.
Of course, that's not what I intended to discuss.
Owen de Getmora is a member of the revolutionary forces.
Because he came here, it is impertinent to suspect that Duke Grantz might be a part of the revolutionary forces.
However, there's a possibility.
Just a possibility.
But there's a very important question to ask in order to confirm that.
"Did your father also... attend the Temple?"
"The temple? Of course!"
My heart raced wildly.
Liana said that, taking a sip of her whiskey.
"Did he graduate from the Orbis Class?"
Damn it.
Blast.
