As Jake expected, the guest who came to the inn was Baron Nolson’s servant.
The letter the Baron sent contained news that the festival planning was complete, along with detailed future schedules.
“It hasn’t even been a full day, yet the progress is fast.”
“It’s probably because he’s become accustomed to working according to Father’s instructions. He’s someone who doesn’t tolerate delays in work.”
“Thanks to picking and planting someone easy to manipulate but fast at handling work, only we benefit. Should we send a thank-you note to the Duke?”
“If we did that, our location would be exposed immediately.”
“I wasn’t saying I’d really do it.”
“But weren’t you considering it?”
“I was being sarcastic.”
Jake had long been poor at distinguishing sarcasm and empty words.
It was only natural. When he was young, with his status as the heir to the House of Duke West, and afterward with the title of Hero, there was no one who dared speak plainly to Jake. How could anyone tell a Hero who couldn’t properly wield swordsmanship that he had no talent for it and should lock himself in a room and study political science instead?
Rather than distinguishing lies in the words of those who approached him under his father’s orders while acting as if they truly wanted to become his friends, it was easier to just accept everything as sincere.
But Klad was different. Klad either laid bare only his true feelings, or he would be sarcastic and let him know that it was sarcasm.
“There’s much to learn.”
“Indeed. Empty words, jokes, and even sarcasm. There’s a lot to learn.”
“If I learn one at a time, I’ll become familiar with them eventually.”
“At the point where you don’t realize that was just now a snide remark, it’s already hopeless.”
“Mm.”
As expected, Klad was honest enough to immediately admit when he’d made a snide remark.
It felt strangely unpleasant, but anyway.
“Just finish reading what’s written in the letter, Klad.”
“‘This festival will be the first festival held in Baron Nolson’s territory. We sincerely hope you will attend and make the festival shine even brighter.’ Is this supposed to be bragging?”
“Until now, they had to minimize outside access and prevent the territory’s recognition from rising, so they couldn’t hold festivals.”
“Unfortunate news for the territory residents.”
“The festival news will spread quickly, which is good for us.”
There was nothing but dense forest without a single passage toward the capital, so people here probably never even thought about visiting festivals in the capital.
What’s more, the road to the city on the opposite side was a rough mountain path so difficult that no one could travel it unless they were merchants accompanied by mercenaries.
Going outside the city wasn’t prohibited, but for people who didn’t dare attempt it, this event would be tremendous news just from hearing about it. The festival news would spread throughout the entire city in less than half a day.
“The territory residents will be delighted.”
Jake felt proud as he finished checking the rest of the letter the Baron sent.
The Baron revealed plans to improve the road leading to other cities to increase outside visitors.
Of course, that plan didn’t include opening a road to the capital. If the village serving as a breakwater were exposed to the world by mistake, it would be a disaster.
“Then I should also start preparing for the festival soon, Klad.”
Jake stood up from his seat as if he’d made a grand resolution.
“What do you have to prepare?”
“Didn’t the Baron ask me to attend the festival and make it shine? That’s a request I can grant, so I should cooperate as much as possible.”
“That’s…”
Klad was about to explain that it was just a formal courtesy, but he shut his mouth.
Looking at Jake’s sparkling eyes, it was obvious that the letter was an excuse and he actually wanted to attend the festival more than anyone.
‘Right. Rather, using festival attendance as an excuse to squeeze the Baron isn’t bad either.’
Even if he said the preparations for attending the festival cost a lot so contribute some money, the Baron couldn’t back out saying it was just something he said casually.
This was a good opportunity to secure escape funds and drain the Duke’s side of spare funds.
“What did you say, Klad?”
“It’s nothing.”
Instead of stopping Jake, Klad sent a reply to the Baron saying they would visit the festival.
The next day, flashy clothing and a money pouch full of gold coins were delivered to the inn.
***
A few days later, the festival began.
Because it was hastily prepared, there were many sloppy parts in various ways, but for territory residents who had never experienced other festivals, it was the best festival.
Jake put on the flashy clothes the Baron had prepared and went out to the streets.
At the news that the Hero himself would come out and greet people, countless people flocked. The procession of territory residents that filled the streets made it difficult for the horse Jake rode to even advance a single step, and dust was thick in the air. His ears even hurt from the resounding cheers.
“Waaaaaaah!”
Rumors were rampant that the Hero had deceived the Empire and even lost the Hero’s Sword, and they’d gather in groups to curse the Hero, yet the moment he actually made an appearance they came flooding out cheering—it was quite amusing.
Jake, knowing this, showed not a trace of displeasure and waved his hand toward the crowd with a bright smile.
Klad whispered softly enough for only Jake to hear.
“You look practiced at this. You must have enjoyed festivals like this often?”
“No way. During the Hero appointment ceremony and other festivals, I always had to stand on a platform. That height was so tall that even stacking three adults wouldn’t reach it, so looking at a festival procession up close like this is a first.”
“For that, you look pretty practiced?”
“I’m pretending to be practiced. I can’t show an inexperienced appearance in front of them, can I?”
Jake said this while waving his hand with a bright smile. People who witnessed the Hero’s greeting rejoiced greatly and shouted in jubilation.
“Waaah, Hero-nim!”
“Hahaha.”
Watching Jake like that, Klad thought.
‘He’s just enjoying himself.’
Sure enough, Jake expressed his intention to attend the festival the next day too.
And even the day after that.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Smile, Klad.”
The third day since the festival started. Today too, Jake went out to the streets in his capacity as Hero.
What about showing an inexperienced appearance or whatever. This bastard just enjoys the festival.
Hero duties and such were just an excuse—he clearly just wanted to come out and have fun.
“Please defeat the Demon King, Hero-nim!”
“We can’t live because of the demon race!”
“You’ve finally come to save us! Thank you!”
“Hero-nim has come to save the world!”
These residents had never suffered damage from the demon race, yet they rushed forward crying out the Hero’s name as if their lives had been ruined by the Demon King. There were even those wailing that they were too scared to live because of the demon race.
From Klad’s perspective, knowing that those who truly suffered damage weren’t even given the right to come here, it was absurd.
“Aren’t you enjoying this too much, Hero?”
“What’s wrong with enjoying something I have to do anyway?”
“…Right. Better than crying.”
This was already the third time coming out to the streets at this hour, yet the crowd showed no signs of decreasing, as if they weren’t bored of watching the same event.
No, rather it had doubled.
‘They must have flocked here from other cities.’
It hadn’t been long since announcing that the Hero had arrived and starting festival preparations, yet this many people had gathered, which meant rumors were spreading that quickly.
Today happened to be exactly one week since visiting Baron Nolson. It was also about time for news of the Hero to reach the capital.
‘I need to leave before the Duke moves.’
Klad hurriedly pulled the horse Jake was riding, planning to suggest they leave immediately upon returning to the inn.
The crowd came flooding after them.
“Hero-nim, please look this way!”
“Hero-nim, me too!”
Jake looked at each place asking him to look and waved with a bright smile, seeming so pleased.
If Jake weren’t a noble, there would have been hordes of people rushing to at least hold his hand once.
“Hahaha, thank you.”
Jake, excited by playing Hero, greeted the crowd until the moment he entered the inn.
When the Duke came and spread rumors that the Hero was a fraud, they would all become enemies anyway, so what was there to be so happy about?
Klad closed the inn door and cast a silence spell. The buzzing noise disappeared in an instant.
‘Now I feel like I can live.’
With the noise that seemed like it would shatter his eardrums gone, Klad’s mood improved considerably. Only after thoroughly checking whether any rat bastards had snuck in while they were away to ransack the room or hide magical items for eavesdropping did he approach Jake.
He was planning to say they should prepare to leave now.
Jake was sitting on the sofa with an innocent smile.
“That was really fun. So this is what it feels like to receive so many people’s attention.”
“At the Hero appointment ceremony, even more people cheered than this, so what’s so novel about it?”
“Back then, I was just standing in a false position under Father’s orders for the glory of the West family. Every word said and heard at the appointment ceremony was a lie, so how could those cheers have been welcome?”
“This festival will ultimately end with elevating the House of Duke West’s prestige too, won’t it?”
“You’re wrong, Klad. The conclusion of this festival isn’t the rise of the ducal house. It’s the salvation of those suffering because of the demon race.”
“……”
“Do you have something more to say?”
Jake looked up at Klad with blue eyes sparkling twice as brightly as usual.
Klad looked back at Jake like that with a face that seemed to find him pathetic and answered the question.
“No.”
Staying one more day should be fine.
