Chapter 3 | The Assassin Receives a Party Invitation
After my clandestine meeting with the snake demon Mina, I returned to the room that had been provided for Dia, Tarte, and me.
“What do you know, the cheater has returned,” Dia announced.
“Welcome back, Lord Lugh,” greeted Tarte.
The former looked wounded and was puffing out her cheeks, while the latter’s eyes were moist from crying. My expectations had been so on the nose that I almost laughed.
Tarte took my jacket and hung it on the wall.
“I wasn’t cheating on you. That was for work,” I answered.
“And what kind of job has you meeting alone with a seductress like her? She was definitely interested in you. She practically looked ready to eat you,” Dia fired back.
Eat me, huh…? You’re not wrong.
“I need Countess Granfelt’s cooperation. She can serve as a quick source of information and make it easier for me to act freely.”
Dia frowned. “You’re lying. Counts don’t have that kind of political power.”
From highest to lowest, the aristocratic hierarchy went like this: duke, margrave, marquis, count, viscount, baron, and lastly, knight. Just as Dia had stated, a count usually wouldn’t possess that much influence.
“Even if she doesn’t hold much sway herself, the men she has ensnared do. I wonder just how many in the central government have had relations with her…”
“Um, Lord Lugh, what do you mean by ‘relations’?” Tarte asked, tilting her head inquisitively.
Seeing that I was having trouble answering, Dia explained it for me.
“Let’s see. He’s talking about all the men who have had sex with this woman.”
“Eek!” Tarte squealed in shock, her cheeks blushing red. Dia, on the other hand, had lived in noble society all her life and was used to this sort of discussion.
“Hmm, so I guess she’s added you to her total,” grumbled Dia.
“If that were true, I wouldn’t have returned so quickly. I can’t give you the details, but we have a strictly business relationship. She did offer, but I thought of you, Dia, and declined,” I assured Dia before embracing her. She was rigid at first but swiftly relaxed.
“…Okay, I believe you.”
“Thanks. Do you believe me, too, Tarte?”
“Of course. You aren’t the type to be tempted by sex, my lord.”
Physical intimacy could entice me. Young bodies are naturally attracted to those kinds of advances, after all. I just didn’t let it show.
“Um, Lord Lugh. You received a letter from Lord Naoise,” stated Tarte.
“Hmm, how should I respond?” I wondered. “I have no lack of reasons to refuse.”
“You have a lot of other invitations, too. Um, here are all the ones we got while you were gone, my lord,” Tarte said before spreading a pile of envelopes on a desk.
Now that I was both a Holy Knight and a Chosen, it appeared that everyone hoped to curry favor with me.
“Not all of these are invitations to parties. This one’s a mating offer,” I remarked.
“You’re so popular, Lugh,” Dia commented.
“‘Mating’? That makes you sound like a horse, my lord,” Tarte interjected.
Although odd phrasing, mating was the correct word. The more powerful one’s mana was, the more likely it was that their children would possess strong mana as well, which was what the invitation was after.
“The strength of one’s magical power is a status symbol among nobles, and ethics often get thrown out the window when pursuing that coveted prize. They’re asking me if I want to leave behind a child in case I die against a demon. It’s just an excuse to get my mana, though,” I explained.
“That’s a real turnoff when you put it that way,” Dia commented.
“Um, what do you think, my lord?” questioned Tarte.
“I’m with Dia. I don’t even want to think about what will happen after my death,” I answered.
Tarte looked disappointed.
She was probably hoping to offer her help if I wanted to have a child. Her filter had been growing looser and looser. I needed to be careful.
I ran through all of the invitations, reading Naoise’s last. A full list of attendees was included in his message, each one a young person with true talent. It was a very Naoise thing to do.
“Tarte, this is my reply to Naoise. Please deliver it to him,” I instructed, handing Tarte the missive.
“Yes, my lord. Ah, so you are going?” she questioned.
“Are you sure you want to go? That party is going to be full of children doing nothing but playing at knights. There are plenty of gatherings where we could make better connections,” Dia interjected.
“That’s harsh… There are names on this list I can’t ignore. Countess Granfelt and Marquis Granvallen will both be attending.”
Naoise was in danger, and I was interested in the talented folks he was assembling.
The snake demon had flashed me a suggestive smile when I left her room. She must have known we would be meeting again soon.
“Urgh, you really do just want to spend time with that big-boobed woman,” Dia spat.
“…Lord Lugh, if you like sexy women like her, I-I’ll do my best to satisfy you!” declared Tarte.
“I have no particular desire to see her. It’s just dangerous to leave her unchecked. She’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and no one is aware of the threat she poses,” I explained.
Worst-case scenario, Naoise and all the other promising young nobles could get added to her list of victims.
Dia eyed me doubtfully. She probably would have understood if I just told her that Mina was a demon, but the agreement I’d made prevented me from doing that. I abided by any contract, no matter the other party. Thus, I needed to persuade her with a different method.
I kissed Dia. It caught her completely off guard, and her eyes went wide. Tarte covered her face with her hands, but she watched through her fingers.
“You really don’t trust me? I’m telling you, Dia, I love you most of all. Let’s go to the next room. I’ll prove it to you with my actions,” I said and picked her up in my arms. Dia did not resist.
“You can be really pushy sometimes, Lugh,” she replied with a sigh.
“Do you not want to do this right now?”
“…I do. I want you to love me.”
“Then let’s go.”
It’d been a while since I’d been with Dia. Finding time alone wasn’t easy at the Tuatha Dé estate. Aside from a few exceptions like my dad’s office and the torture chamber, the rooms weren’t soundproof. And to make matters worse, there was a certain pair in the household who liked to strain their ears and listen attentively.
However, this was the royal castle. We could make love in peace.
“Ah, um, I’ll go deliver the letter!” Tarte shrieked, red-faced. Then she dashed from our apartment.
She was trying to be tactful by giving Dia and me time alone. I would have to ensure her consideration didn’t go to waste.
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