Aside from Flens, wasn’t there some way to find out detailed information about that day? Meeting people who had witnessed something from that incident or knew important information would be difficult since it had already been several decades. Moreover, if he went around spreading word like that, news that someone was investigating the incident could reach the ears of the knight order.
“Roton’s Room…”
Naro muttered quietly. That section he’d seen at the Lupel Library kept coming to mind. It didn’t make sense that there would be no records at all about an unprecedented incident that had even predicted the Empire’s annihilation.
However, among the people, only the result—that a dragon had attacked back then but humans had won—was circulating. Didn’t that mean the details of that incident were somewhere people couldn’t easily reach?
Of course, there was a possibility this was an exaggerated thought. In any case, humans had won the war between one dragon and humans at that time, and for the victors, results mattered more than the process. It could be because people hadn’t taken interest in exactly what had happened back then.
That’s why Roton’s Room kept weighing on his mind. But as Jerian had said, that place wasn’t a space just anyone could enter. There was no way he, a commoner with only the skill of handling herbs, could set foot in a place that even most nobles couldn’t enter.
“Most nobles…?”
Just as his thoughts were spiraling, one idea suddenly came to mind.
‘Yes, if you really want to enter, you have no choice but to ask someone who has a pass… but that won’t be easy either.’
Wasn’t the Hernia Ducal House not just any noble family? If it was a family with a deep history, recognized by the imperial palace, and currently respected by the Empire’s citizens, wouldn’t they have a pass that could get through that door?
If he could just borrow it…
“…It’s shameless, but I’ll have to visit the estate tomorrow right away.”
With hope blooming once again, Naro clenched both fists tightly.
***
The next day, Naro woke up early to visit the ducal estate. However, it was right after that when he heard unexpected news.
When he went out at the sound of knocking on the door, an inn employee was standing there. And he delivered a certain message.
‘Someone from the Hernia Ducal House has come. They want to meet you and asked me to tell you to come down when you’re ready.’
He’d been planning to visit them anyway, but someone from the Hernia Ducal House had come to find him instead? Surprised, Naro thanked the employee, then immediately woke Ray and headed down to the first floor.
“Now that I think about it, those people from that house seem to have a hobby of doing whatever they want.”
Naro had been about to say he’d originally planned to wake up early and visit the estate anyway, but Ray’s complaint felt a bit cute, so he just quietly listened.
When they went down to the cafeteria, he saw a familiar figure. Mellian’s skin, with her deep purple hair hanging long and loose rather than tied up, looked especially pale because of the sunlight streaming in through the window. She was sitting in a corner with Hayla and flinched when she spotted the two of them.
“My lady?”
Actually, Naro had vaguely thought it would be the head butler or the coachman who always helped with transportation, since someone from the Hernia Ducal House had come. He’d heard that Mellian basically didn’t go out much. After she’d become confined to her room because of her health, even her personality had changed to become introverted.
“Hmm, first of all, I’m sorry for coming so suddenly.”
Mellian cleared her throat and offered an awkward apology. Hayla excused herself to give them privacy to talk comfortably.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Why do something you need to apologize for?”
When Ray crossed his arms and tossed out a blunt remark, Mellian glared at him once. Normally, a prickly comment would have popped out of her mouth, but for some reason, she just let out a deep sigh.
“Actually, I came because I have a favor to ask of you two.”
“What is it?”
“Haa.”
Mellian let out an even deeper sigh than before, then immediately downed the tea in front of her. At this behavior unbecoming of a ducal lady, Naro unnecessarily glanced around. It would be troublesome if word spread that the Hernia lady was drinking tea like liquor in an inn cafeteria.
Fortunately, today the cafeteria was unusually empty.
“The thing is… Father… accepted a banquet invitation without even informing me!”
Mellian clenched her fists and exclaimed.
“A-a banquet?”
“Sorry, can I order more tea?”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
Only after Mellian refilled her tea and emptied it did she open her mouth again.
“There’s a marquis family that has ties with the Hernia Ducal House. It seems they’re holding a banquet this time. For reference, normally Father goes to such occasions alone. As you can see, I’m in this state.”
It sounded somewhat sad to hear Mellian speak self-deprecatingly like that.
“In any case, this time that marquis family sent our house an invitation too, and I naturally thought Father would go, but he up and said I would attend, can you believe it? Is it okay to do this without a single word of consultation with me?”
“Then stubborn one, do you consult with your parents who worry about you before staying holed up in your room like that?”
“Ray…”
“You’re annoying because you sometimes say the right things.”
Mellian swept back her bangs. Seeing her respond without flaring up at Ray’s words, it seemed being made to go to the banquet had come as quite a shock.
“I’ve hardly ever attended banquets since my debutante. Not only banquets held by other families but even at banquets held by our ducal house, all I did was greet the distinguished guests with Father and then immediately disappear. But for someone like me to go alone to a marquis family’s banquet, does that really make sense? Hm? Naro, what do you think?”
Perhaps quite worked up, Mellian leaned her upper body forward as she spoke passionately.
“Don’t stick your face in Naro’s.”
“C-could it be that the Duke saw how you’re changing and deliberately did that, my lady? With the hope that you would engage in outside activities…”
After Naro had visited, Mellian had been changing day by day. Of course, the constitutional problem was still in the process of improving, but at least she was gradually escaping from the daily routine of being holed up in her room looking only at cats and books. Bern must have seen hope in that and pulled such a thing.
“And I heard from the Duke that your natural personality was originally quite lively, my lady. He must have accepted knowing that.”
Bern had certainly said so. That originally, Mellian had been spirited and cheerful. That even when she fell ill, it was rather Mellian who didn’t give up hope and acted brightly.
However, even though her illness had miraculously been cured, her weakened immunity caused trouble, and because of that, her frail constitution showed no signs of changing. Exhausted by repeated disappointments, Mellian had holed herself up in her room, and because of that, her personality had changed. So strictly speaking, being shy and prickly wasn’t her real personality.
“If you hate going that much, don’t go.”
“Black lump, you say that so easily because you don’t know, but going back on attendance after already saying we’d attend is extremely rude to the other family.”
“Then are you planning to attend, my lady?”
At Naro’s question, Mellian paused for a moment before nodding.
“That’s why I came to ask you two a favor.”
“Yes? What…”
“Come to the banquet with me. Both of you.”
“To the banquet?”
Naro asked in shock. From the moment Mellian said she had a favor, he’d thought it would be something unusual, but the words she actually brought up were even more bewildering than expected.
“Hmm, going alone is too burdensome, so I came to ask you.”
Naro wanted to ask back if they were really the right people to ask this favor of. But before he could, Ray casually tossed out a remark that hit Mellian’s sore spot.
“Stubborn one, you don’t have friends, do you?”
“…”
Naro bit his lip. It was his fault for not stopping Ray. Seeing her just clench her lips silently and grip the teacup with her hands, when she usually responded sharply to everything Ray said, it seemed Ray had guessed right.
“That’s right, as you can see, I don’t have a single close friend I could ask to go to a banquet with me. It’s been a long time since I cut ties with high society.”
That was probably largely due to Mellian’s constitution. Naro understood well too. When you’re sick, you don’t have the stamina to enjoy being with others, and situationally it’s not feasible either.
“As you said, Naro, I know what kind of heart Father had in doing that. Since I’ve been holed up in my room all this time, I want to show him a good side out of guilt at least, but I’m anxious. It’s a banquet I’m going to for the first time in years.”
Mellian confessed her honest feelings in a calmer state than before, with a flat voice. More than feeling burdened, anxiety and worry were greater. It was when Naro was about to tell Ray he’d better apologize quickly.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Roton’s Room (로튼의 방) – Restricted section/room
