At Ray’s words thrown without hesitation while crossing his arms, not only Naro but even Mellian looked at him as if surprised. Because if there was someone among the two who wouldn’t accept this request, they thought it would definitely be Ray.
“But what’s a banquet?”
“What?”
Mellian’s brow furrowed slightly. Reading the look in her eyes that said how could it make sense to not know what a banquet was, Naro hurriedly covered his mouth.
“Haha, Ray really… I guess he’s not fully awake yet.”
Fortunately, Mellian seemed to perceive Ray’s words as nonsense from not being fully awake. Naro sent Ray a look while feeling relieved for now. Ray, who understood the intention that he would explain later, nodded.
“Will you really go with me?”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
Naro also intended to accept her request like Ray. He never had any desire to refuse her who came all the way here to urgently ask.
“But is it okay for commoners like us to attend a banquet held by a marquis family? If people see the princess associating with commoners, there will definitely be talk behind your back.”
If word spread that the princess of the Hernia ducal house attended a banquet after a long time but brought two commoners with her, it wouldn’t help Mellian’s reputation much. Weren’t nobles those who stuck together closely among those holding power and honor, enjoying their own sense of belonging?
“Don’t worry about that. I plan to explain that you’re not commoners but people of the Hernia ducal house.”
“We’re members of the ducal house? But… will I look that way?”
It might be possible for Ray since he’s tall and handsome, but Naro lacked confidence. He wasn’t tall or well-built like Ray, and externally he had nothing particularly outstanding.
“You’re saying strange things.”
“Pardon?”
Mellian stared at Naro intently with a somewhat uncomprehending face. When she suddenly made persistent eye contact, Naro smiled awkwardly.
Mellian reached out her hand and lifted Naro’s bangs.
“Uh…”
“You’re more than enough.”
“What?”
“Hey, don’t touch Naro.”
Before Ray could stop her in surprise, Mellian withdrew her hand.
“First, let me say thank you. It seems I only receive help from you two. Taking care of my body is because Father officially called you here and employed you, but this is my personal request. So when this matter ends well, I plan to compensate you sufficiently.”
When the word compensation came from Mellian’s mouth, Naro flinched. He had momentarily forgotten because he was distracted since Mellian had barged in from the morning and brought up talk about the banquet.
“Um… Princess, may I ask one thing?”
“Of course.”
“By any chance, does the Hernia ducal house have an entry pass to enter Roton’s Room?”
At talk completely off from the current conversation topic, Mellian tilted her head for a moment. Ray, who was hearing about Roton’s Room for the first time, also looked at Naro.
“Roton’s Room… are you talking about that restricted area in the Lupel Library?”
“Yes.”
“If you mean the entry pass that can cross that door, the Hernia ducal house has it. I know the Imperial Palace directly bestowed it to the previous or previous-previous duke.”
Naro’s face brightened. As expected, the Hernia ducal house had a Roton’s Room entry pass. While once again feeling that the status of a ducal house within the Empire was exceptional, his expectations grew even larger that he might be able to receive help.
“But it’s been a while since I’ve heard that name. I just remembered it because you mentioned it.”
“If it’s not too rude, could I receive that entry pass as compensation?”
“You want to enter Roton’s Room? Why?”
“Well…”
Naro paused. The reason was clear, but he couldn’t reveal it as is.
“Actually, I heard they store materials like ancient books there. I was hoping I might learn knowledge about herbs that I didn’t know.”
So Naro decided to temporarily become someone overflowing with passion for his main profession and burning with scholarly fervor. Mellian was probably just asking out of curiosity, but he still didn’t want to look suspicious.
“Ah, I see. But will that be enough compensation?”
“Pardon?”
“Lending it isn’t that difficult. If you want, I’ll help you enter Roton’s Room safely. But why not demand something more expensive while you’re at it? Money, jewels, or art pieces. Any rare item, if it’s the price you want, I can get it for you.”
Naro waved his hands in shock.
“No. I don’t need such things. And if it wasn’t for that room’s entry pass, I wouldn’t have particularly demanded compensation from you, Princess.”
“Why?”
Mellian tilted her head as if not understanding. Isn’t it normal to demand and give compensation when making a request?
“You said so earlier, Princess. That this is a personal request. Originally between friends, you don’t exchange compensation or rewards when making requests.”
At Naro’s words said with a beaming smile, Mellian halted. Ray’s lips, who had been looking at Naro, also relaxed gently.
“Ah! Of course, I don’t mean we’re friends with you, Princess… it’s more like that kind of feeling…”
As if belatedly thinking ‘oops’ at arbitrarily calling the daughter of the Empire’s renowned ducal house a friend, Naro quickly added an afterthought. His gestures were urgent, expressing that he absolutely had no such intention.
“Hmm, wouldn’t that be fine then?”
“Pardon?”
Mellian turned her gaze to some random place and picked up her teacup. The earlobe of her holding the teacup already emptied because excited Mellian had drunk it all earlier was slightly red.
“I’m saying wouldn’t it be fine to be friends?”
Naro’s eyes widened slightly. The princess who had been cold-faced, exuding a chilly aura with an atmosphere of ‘don’t approach’ wrapped around her body, was now embarrassed. Seeing that made him want to laugh for no reason.
“Stubborn, your face is red.”
“Shut up! I know that too!”
Watching the two bickering again, Naro smiled softly. The anxious signs she had shown earlier had completely disappeared from her.
“By the way, Princess, when is the banquet?”
“Ah, that? It’s this evening.”
“Ah, today… What? Today?”
Naro jumped in surprise, lifting his bottom. The empty teacups on the table shook and made a loud noise.
“I-I didn’t know it was today. But what should we do? We don’t have anything prepared…”
It wasn’t just any banquet but a gathering made by a marquis family. Seeing that they invited the Hernia ducal house, it meant renowned noble people would gather, and they couldn’t go to such a place shabbily. Moreover, Mellian said she would disguise Naro and Ray as members of the ducal house, so at least externally they had to be in a state befitting that.
“Naro, what do you take me for?”
“Pardon?”
Watching Naro flustered and confused, Mellian shook her head. She put down the teacup she was holding and placed money on the table. It was the price for the three cups of tea that excited Mellian had emptied all at once.
Mellian slowly rose from her seat. When she lightly gestured backward, Hayla who had been waiting in the distance approached behind her.
“What are you doing? You two get up quickly too.”
Mellian urged the two still sitting blankly.
“Why should we…”
Naro looked at Mellian with a face still not understanding, and Ray sat in his chair working hard to speculate alone what exactly this thing called a banquet was.
“We have to prepare to go to the banquet. Did you think I’d tell you to prepare and come on your own when I’m the one who even made the request?”
Hayla behind them also spoke to the two.
“I will escort you to the mansion.”
Currently, Naro and Ray were riding in a carriage heading to the ducal house. He was relieved by Mellian’s words that she would take charge and prepare everything separately, but too many things had happened since morning and it was hectic.
“So in short, you can think of a banquet as a place where people gather together in formal attire to converse and enjoy music. And usually such banquets are hosted by nobles. The purposes vary. Sometimes it’s just to build friendships, or because it’s someone’s birthday or there’s good news and they want to celebrate.”
While moving to the ducal house mansion, Naro explained in detail to Ray what exactly a banquet was.
“Do you understand?”
“Yeah, it’s a place where humans who have a lot gather to indulge in luxury.”
Ray nodded and summarized the banquet in just one line. It was words that accurately hit the core of banquets hosted by nobles. Naro sympathized but firmly warned him that he must never say those words carelessly anywhere.
“And Naro, what’s this about Roton’s Room?”
“Ah, right.”
Naro revealed all the plans he had been thinking to Ray. He explained everything—the incident of meeting Jerian by chance at the library and what he heard from him about Roton’s Room, what materials and books were stored inside there, and even the words that he might be able to obtain important information about the Dragon Tribe there.
“There might be clues that could trigger Ray’s memories. That’s why I really want to go.”
And even the detailed contents of the incident that occurred 25 years ago. Naro burned with determination to safely finish attending the banquet well with Mellian and definitely enter that place.
