Vol 1 Chapter 28 (1/2)
n.o.bles and Commoners
“Hey, Wynn!”
Locke, who had finished his work as a knight (errands normally for full-fledged knights), called out to Wynn when he spotted him standing on the red carpet in the hallway with nothing to do.
Wynn turned around and waved upon hearing his voice.
Upon recognizing Locke, relief showed on his face.
“So you finished your work?”
“Ah, huh? Leticia-sama isn’t with you?”
“Cornelia-sama’s maid came, and just dragged her off. There should be another guide that will come but…”
“Then you should wait a bit. Around here, there are places where lower cla.s.ses aren’t allowed to enter.”
“Of course. It’s my first time in a palace like this, I can’t calm down.”
Wynn uneasily looked around him.
When Leticia was with him, he didn’t feel as helpless as when he waited alone.
It was inevitable that the palace knights that stood guard here and there gave him looks of rejection.
Wouldn’t anybody apprehend a suspicious person?
That thought crossed his mind.
In reality, they knew that Wynn was the Master of the Brave, and were merely observing him, now that the rumored person was before them.
“However, it’s just like you to come to the palace in your knight school uniform, when the princess invites you for tea.”
“I just don’t have any other clothes. If I had them, I would have also worn them to that banquet. This is the most formal set of clothes I have.”
“If that’s the case, then why don’t you borrow some?”
“If I wore it, I wouldn’t suit the clothes. Are you wearing the uniform of a full-fledged knight?”
“That’s right. But since I am an apprentice knight, I don’t have the insignia. As an apprentice knight, I’m in charge of the miscellaneous errands.”
“That’s so cool… I’m jealous…”
‘Is he an idiot?’
Locke was truly amazed at his friend.
‘The things that are truly cool aren’t these superficial garments, but the fact that a commoner without any political influence like you was invited to the castle.’
Not even the highest ranked n.o.bles get invited, much less other n.o.bles.
‘You dense fool! Notice it!’
It was Locke who was jealous of Wynn, who was looking at his garments.
Locke smiled wryly at the fact that his friend hadn’t grasped the true amazingness of the situation.
“I wasn’t minding the stares of the palace knights, but…”
“If they really thought you were a suspicious person, we would have been apprehended by now. Don’t mind it.”
“Palace knights, huh…”
Wynn looked at the palace knights standing close to him.
“I admire them. Though it may be impossible to be an Imperial Knight, I want to be part of the palace knights.”
“Well, it will be fine. Maybe you will become one. Rather than that, you might end up working your way up to the Imperial Guards.”
“Is that so?”
“With the support of the princess and a duke’s daughter, you could almost do anything.”
The Crown would want to tie Leticia the Brave to the country.
Rather, it would be convenient if Wynn was close by.
Up until now, it was difficult to get Leticia to leave Wynn’s side.
The problem was, there might have been n.o.bles who didn’t find this arrangement amusing.
“So the rumour that they would start accepting commoner knights is true?”
“I don’t think that it’s because they’re shorthanded. However, it is still hard to be a.s.signed to either the Royal Knight Order, or the Imperial Knights.”
“Just now, didn’t you say that if it were me, I could even become an Imperial Knight?”
“Wynn is special. Don’t you remember that you’re the Master of the Brave?”
“Really? Even then, I would probably be a clerk or something…”
“Excuse me. Please excuse me for being late. Locke Marine-sama, Wynn Byrd-sama.”
They heard a female voice carrying a hint of mischief, mostly likely the maid.
“I have been asked by Her Highness the Princess to guide you. This way, please.”
The two exchanged glances, then followed behind the maid.
The palace was a place completely distant to a commoner.
Unlike the people who only temporarily worked there, everybody was of a higher status than the two of them.
Still, Locke was used to interacting with eminent n.o.bles in high society, but to Wynn, who had no experience[1] he felt that this environment was suffocating..
In this solemn mood, the two silently followed the maid.
After they had been walking around the enormous palace for a while, they heard the sounds of several people laughing and chatting.
They must have been n.o.bles.
They weren’t wearing the clothes of servants.
The youthful n.o.bles wore dazzlingly gorgeous clothes.
The maid stepped to the side of hallway.
Wynn and Locke likewise stepped aside.
Rather than pa.s.sing by them as one would expect, one of the n.o.bles stopped in front of the three of them.
“Hey, I haven’t seen those faces before. Miss Maid, who are these guys? New servants?”
“No, they are Princess Cornelia-sama’s guests, Locke Marine-sama and Wynn Byrd-sama.”
“Aren’t they commoners?”
Upon hearing their names, the young n.o.ble frowned.
“Commoners? Why is Her Highness the Princess inviting commoners?”
Hearing the young n.o.ble’s voice, the other n.o.bles also cut in.
Locke clicked his tongue silently.
‘What a ha.s.sle it has become.’
“Wait a minute. isn’t the Marine house a merchant house?”
There was a guy who knew him.
Locked stepped forward, bowing deeply.
“Yes. I am the second son of the Marine House, Locke. Thank you for your patronage.”
“Oh, your esteemed father even helps here.”
The twenty-something year old n.o.ble, whose body was as fat as a toad and whose head was as barren as a desert, held out his hand, having been a business partner of the Marine house.
“Count Elstead, it is good to see you.”
‘Yuck, his hands are sweaty… Gross…’
Even while thinking negative thoughts, Locke merely displayed an artificial smile, cultivated since he was young, and returned the handshake.
He truly was a merchant to the core.
Even though he was not going to succeed the family business, he was still trained in the craft.