Switch Mode

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 107

The Extra Strategist Royal Road Chapter 107

After finishing the other follow-up tasks, I had to start preparing in earnest for attending the party.

As I had become the main character, I needed to prepare better formal wear, and I also had to familiarize myself with the corresponding high-level etiquette.

I had learned most of these things during my butler training when I was young, but that was from the perspective of serving master, not from the perspective of being the person in charge, so I had to review.

This seemed to be the same for other cadets as well, as everyone was busy studying etiquette, regardless of factional fights.

It was noon on the day of the party.

The first-half academic results of the academy were announced.

The intention of announcing now was obvious. It was meant to be a topic of conversation at this party.

The officer, holding a scroll with the rankings, says, “There were difficulties in evaluating this quarter due to various incidents.”

In spring, there was the Chimera War. In summer, the Beckavia War. We spent more days on the battlefield than at the academy.

We couldn’t take the exams we were supposed to take.

“Therefore, we compiled rankings based on evaluations from the teachers who guided you at the academy and the senior officers who commanded you on the battlefield. It’s difficult to call it an objective evaluation, so it’s better to use it just for reference. Now, I’ll announce.”

The officer attached the scroll to the bulletin board.

As this ranking could affect future factional fights, everyone checked the ranking list tensely.

The ranking was as follows:

—–

  1. Ars Elaine 
  2. Dorofei Grimwood
  3. Joshua Herald
  4. Casper Millias 
  5. Ruan Chase
  6. Denian Geglish
  7. Yubel

—–

Exclamations of shock burst from the other students.

“Casper is 4th…!?”

“Ruan is 5th too!”

“To think the top and second from Grancel Academy are 4th and 5th….”

Then, a cadet from the Saleon faction shouts, “This is biased! This result came out because there are many Hellian faction officers in the military!”

“That’s right! In reality, Casper should be 1st… Right?”

“Um, um. At least 2nd place, wouldn’t he?”

“Yeah! That Elaine guy is only good at things like this! Casper is generously conceding to him!”

They were busy praising Casper as if he was actually first.

They knew it would be difficult to overturn my grades. As they said, the grades from 2nd to 6th place lacked objectivity, but not mine.

General Ironheart and his officers, and General Delbadova’s close associates would have given me full votes. My academy grades were not lacking either, so there was no way any result other than 1st place could come out.

Bannings patted my shoulder as if he had somewhat anticipated this.

“Oh my. Top of the class here too? Congratulations. Well, you probably don’t care about being top or whatever.”

“You know me well.”

Yubel, who ranked 7th, was also a topic of conversation.

“Right behind the six who were chosen as commanders! Yubel, it means you beat all the other nobles except them! You’re the hope of us commoners!”

“If you had received extra points for being a noble, you would’ve been first, right?”

They were also rationalizing that they were essentially first.

The landscape of factions stirred according to the rankings.

On the other hand, there was someone who looked dejected despite a high ranking.

“Why am I second… They didn’t need to boost me like this just because I have a Count title…”

Dorofei was sighing deeply. Feeling a bit sorry for him, I decided to encourage him.

“Stand tall, it’s a fair evaluation.”

“A fair evaluation?”

“In my opinion, Dorofei, you’re more excellent than anyone else here.”

“I’m not happy with insincere praise, you know?”

“I’m being sincere though? Do I look like I’m lying?”

“Well… No. But why exactly?”

“Character.”

That was it.

Except for Dorofei, everyone else’s character was lacking. Including me.

Moreover, Dorofei had built amicable relationships with everyone, commoners and nobles alike.

You could say he had excellent ability to mediate between people.

This was also a type that could lead an army. If he had many good subordinates, he could certainly play an active role as a general.

The fundamental problem was that he himself had no will to do so.

“I guess that aspect was evaluated in this war too. Even after the last battle ended, you continued to help the wounded, right? Moreover, you distributed reward money equally to your subordinates, and personally met with soldiers who became disabled, giving them generous consolation money. That’s not something easily done.”

“D-don’t go that far. “Feeling embarrassed, Dorofei forcibly changes the subject with a reddened face. “B-by the way, Ars! Have you found a partner to go to the party with today?”

“Yeah, I have.”

“…Really?” He opens his eyes wide in surprise and whispers while looking around. “Are you going with Erina by any chance?”

“No way. You know well what would happen if I did.”

“Indeed, it would cause an uproar. Then who is it? Estelle? Ah, Estelle would be difficult since she’s from Crossing. Then Beryl?”

“I’m only telling you this. It’s someone I’m meeting for the first time today. Her name is… Lynette Feland, I think?”

“Lynette!?” Dorofei lets out an involuntary shriek. As people around look at him strangely, he pulls me to a corner and continues talking. “By Lynette, do you mean the youngest daughter of the Viscount Feland?”

“If you say it like that…. Is she a famous person?”

“Well, not really, since her family’s power is weak. Compared to Erina or Casper, it’s not much. But I heard she’s famous among peers because of her extraordinary beauty.”

“Oh my.”

Duke Hellian is cunning too. To try to create something as soon as I gave a little opening. Well, I was careless for saying I didn’t care who it was.

From what I hear, this Lynette is two years younger than us. She’s just become an adult.

“She hasn’t made her debut in high society as an adult yet. If she enters the party venue with you today, it will be her social debut.”

“Hmm.”

It didn’t seem to matter much. Unlike Erina, she’s from the same faction, and the gap between our families isn’t big. Rather, if attention focuses on my partner, I might be able to use that as bait to stay quiet.

* * *

The party officially began.

An hour before the party started, people began to enter busily. Those without importance wrote their names in the guest book and entered through the side door. Those with importance were announced by the doorkeeper and entered.

I usually used the side door, but today was different.

After I wrote my name in the guest book, the doorkeeper checked the list and said to me, “Do you have a partner?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then please come with your partner. I’ll let you in when it’s your turn.”

This was clearly a different treatment than before.

‘I’d prefer to use the side door though.’

Since it turned out this way, I decided to enter quickly and secure a corner seat.

For that to happen, my partner needed to arrive, but their arrival was later than expected.

Eventually, Erina, who was trying to enter first, says mockingly, “You’re waiting longingly, I see.”

“Indeed, my partner is a bit late.”

“Hmm? Who is this person you call your partner?”

“Well, I’m not sure what kind of person they are either.”

“…Hmph.” Erina opens her fan with a snap and speaks softly so others can’t hear, “You should have said something to me.”

“About what?”

“About finding a partner. I have wide connections among young ladies of our age. I could have found you a suitable partner.”

“But then you’d interrogate the partner about various things after the party. I don’t like feeling like I’m under surveillance.”

It must have hit the mark, as Erina pouts.

“I don’t know who your partner is, but don’t be too friendly with them. The other person might get the wrong idea.”

“And if that happens?”

“I’ll tell Estelle everything.”

“Gasp.”

Truly scary.

“Don’t worry about that part. I’m being careful too.”

Even now, romantic relationships are overwhelming for me. With Estelle and Erina, and the mysterious fiancée my mother mentioned. If things get any more complicated, I might really end up stabbed.

“By the way, where is your partner?”

Erina’s partner wasn’t visible either. Since a woman coming alone to a party is tantamount to advertising that she’s looking for a husband, in cases that aren’t like that, they usually bring at least a family member.

“Don’t tell me you’re entering with that Casper fellow?”

“Haha, are you perhaps jealous?”

“If that were really the case, I might be a little jealous.”

Erina smiles broadly, seeming pleased with my words.

“My partner is my grandfather. He’s gone somewhere else for a moment because he has some preparations to make. Besides, I’m not the main character today. I’ll enter through the side door alone.”

“Grandfather…?”

Altior Saleon, who hadn’t shown his face in official settings since retirement.

His appearance at this party meant nothing else.

“…He’s returning as a general. Today is the appointment ceremony, isn’t it.”

“Sharp as ever. Oh my, I should go in now. See you in the ballroom.”

Erina, who was heading to the ballroom, paused for a moment, turned her head and said, “If your partner isn’t inconsiderate, they might be in the outer garden.”

“Ah… That might be the case. Thank you!”

I hurried to the garden outside the palace as Erina advised.

The garden at the entrance of the palace was a kind of meeting place, like the shady side of the party.

It was a place where nobles who weren’t invited to the party would grab onto trouser legs trying to get into the ballroom somehow. In addition, commoners with outstanding looks would also linger here just in case.

On days like today when a grand party was held, the scale was enormous.

There was some demand too. Just as I had worried about a partner, people without suitable partners would often find someone here.

Since we agreed to pretend we met by chance, having had no prior connection, she might have thought we were meeting here.

‘Oh dear, if I had known it would be like this, I should have asked Duke Hellian to prepare everything from start to finish.’

When I said I’d handle it on the day, they must have really thought I’d take care of it.

‘The description…’

She said she’d wear a mint-colored dress with a ruby brooch. Was the hairstyle supposed to be a ponytail?

However, there were too many people, making it difficult to find her.

In the midst of this, someone approached me.

“Hey, you.”

“…?”

“Do you want to enter the ballroom? Would you like to go in with me?”

It was a woman who looked to be in her early 30s. She looked me up and down with sticky eyes and smiled with satisfaction.

“No, I’m looking for my partner. I’ve been invited to the party.”

“Tch.”

The woman clicked her tongue and left, but other women who overheard my words approached, seeing their chance.

“Please take me as your partner! I’m Aiera, the fourth daughter of the Benheim baronet family!”

“Can we talk for a moment? I’m Angelica, known as the best dancer in Julia.”

It was like a war zone. That’s how much they wanted to enter the party.

‘Max said he used to look for partners in places like this until a few years ago…’

However, he said he never actually found a partner. Because there are fewer people invited to the ballroom compared to those who want to go.

“I’m sorry. I already have a partner. Excuse me.”

Pushing through the crowd, I was somehow able to find the person I was looking for.

A girl wearing a mint-colored dress.

She was at a loss with men trying to persuade her.

“I’ll take you to the ballroom. That’s what you want, right?”

“N-no. I already have a partner…!”

“Partner? Who?”

“It’s Sir Elaine.”

“Elaine? I don’t know who that is, but seeing how he’s making you wait like this, he’s probably already found another partner and entered the party. Come with me. Even if that Elaine guy says something, I can smooth things over.”

“But that’s…”

There wasn’t just one or two people making such suggestions.

No less than four men were persuading her in this way.

‘Oh no, I’ve done something to feel sorry about to my partner.’

I hurriedly intervened.

“What business do you all have with my partner?”

“What…”

The men flinched and glared at me. I shrugged my shoulders slightly and pulled Lynette’s arm, quickly leaving the garden.

“Phew! I thought I was going to die from the crowd.”

It was a place I never wanted to visit again. Everyone’s level of desperation was different, you could say.

“Ah, sorry. Was I holding on too tightly?”

I let go of the hand I was holding. She had been staring at me as if in a trance, then seemed to realize and said, “Th-thank you for helping me. But I need to wait for my partner. I think I should go back.”

“Huh? Oh.”

Come to think of it, I had taken off my outer coat because it was hot.

I put on the white coat I had been carrying on my arm. There’s a purple flower decoration on the chest of the coat.

“There, that’s better? Nice to meet you. I’m Ars Elaine. I heard about you from a boy named Dorofei. He said you’re two years younger than me. Is it okay if I speak casually?”

“Ah…!?”

Lynette’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just…! My father forced me to come, so I thought for sure it would be someone much older…”

“That happens sometimes.”

It was a method often chosen by young ladies from less powerful families to attend prestigious parties.

“Shall we go in then?”

“Yes!”

I headed towards the ballroom, inwardly hoping that everything would go smoothly.


TL NOTE:

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 30 chapters ahead, you can do so via patreon.com/ChibiGiant. OR by unlocking chapters.

You can also Rate this series in your free time @NovelUpdate.

Hi guys, please check out the new novel I picked "The 163,417,413th Soulslike Hero."


To Buy Coins, please Register and Login before purchasing any chapter! Please join our Discord to get updates on normal and locked chapters! Also, Illustrations are available for some novels!
The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road

Score 9.2
Status: Completed Type: Author: Released: 2022 Native Language: Korean
I ended up possessing Ars Elaine, a supporting character in the game. Struggling to prevent my death, I pave my way.

Comment

  1. Jay Crowler says:

    If Lynette turns out to be mysterious fiance all he’ll is gonna break loose.

  2. Tinyant says:

    He will be stabbed in his bed

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset