The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 18.
After changing clothes again and returning to the party, Ferge approached me with a serious look.
“Ars, you…. What on earth did you do?”
“Shh, just let it go for now, Ferge. I’ll explain everything later.”
Ferge sighed and then nodded. “I should warn you, there are people here who know or suspect that you’re Wade.”
“Ugh. Is that so?”
Felix and Joshua, who were involved in the plan at that time, and even Deputy Commander Ironheart.
Considering Deputy Commander Ironheart’s affiliation, it was safe to assume that the core members of the Hellian faction knew my identity.
Even Erina was looking at me with suspicious eyes.
She probably became suspicious after seeing me disappear, Wade appear, and then me reappearing only after Wade vanished.
‘I feel like I’m sitting on pins and needles.’
Just as Erina was about to approach me, a commotion broke out.
“So that’s it! That’s what happened!”
One mid-ranking nobleman said this.
“It was Casper who reappeared wearing a helmet!”
It was a petty trick.
They couldn’t publicly announce that the Giraffe of the Calliper Kingdom had lost to Juras, so they tried to confuse the mercenary Wade with Casper to obscure that fact.
This could also simultaneously boost the prestige of the Hellian faction. After all, the Marquis Millias family, to which Casper belonged, was one of the core forces of the Hellian faction.
From the beginning, there were rumors that Casper Millias might be the mercenary Wade, so this petty political maneuver was working.
The nobles of the Hellian faction played along with this obvious act, even though they knew Casper wasn’t Wade.
The problem was that it went even further.
The Marquis Millias family, who should have neither confirmed nor denied it, acknowledged this political ploy.
“Me…?”
Casper, who had just returned to the party, was bewildered by the sudden situation, but after receiving a hint from his father, Marquis George Millias, he widened his eyes.
Marquis Millias then looked precisely in my direction.
“Huh.”
Josette Millias raised the corner of his mouth while looking at me.
I could clearly read his thoughts.
‘So you’re trying to use me, huh?’
After receiving the hint from Marquis Millias, Casper swallowed hard and shouted with uneasy eyes.
“Y-yes. I wore a helmet and faced him again with renewed determination.”
Woah! Exclamations rose in the banquet hall.
Most of the nobles played along even though they knew it was an act, but there were also some who actually believed it.
The Saleon faction watched silently, knowing it was an act. They knew that impersonation without any evidence would lead to ruin anyway.
“To win against Juras, truly worthy of being called the Giraffe of Calliper!”
“So the mercenary Wade was indeed Casper!”
I felt incredibly sorry for Casper.
Seeing him being manipulated by adults’ selfishness reminded me of my past self.
“This is ridiculous.”
Erina, who approached and sat in front of me, seemed disgusted by this act as well.
“To steal your achievements in such a way.”
“Miss Merina? What do you mean by that?”
“How many times do I have to tell you it’s Erina? Mr. Wade?”
“…”
She’s terribly quick-witted, as always.
It’s understandable since Erina is well aware of my martial arts abilities.
Knowing that I’m strong enough to handle Aura but hiding my skills, it must have been easy for her to deduce.
“The iron spear I gave you wasn’t broken because you fell on your bottom, but because of the duel with Gillias Melbourn, right?”
“No way. If that were the case, I’d be bragging about it all over the place.”
“Peculiarly, you’re not that type of person. Rather, you’re probably thinking it’s fortunate that those fools stole your credit. Am I wrong?”
She hit the nail on the head.
I was in a difficult situation as I couldn’t think of any other excuses.
It was then that it happened.
“Young lady, please refrain from actions that might cause problems.”
Joan, the head servant of the Saleon family, approached quietly and said.
“You’re attracting attention from others. Unless you’re conversing with a noble youth from our side, it could lead to troublesome issues. Both for you and for the other party.”
“I know. It’ll only be for a moment.”
“Yes, please be careful not to let the conversation drag on.”
After saying that, Joan glanced at me and gave a slight nod as a greeting.
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
“It’s been a while, Joan. Have you been well?”
“The same goes for you, Sir Elaine. Have you been in good health?”
“As you can see, I’ve been doing well.”
“I see, I’m relieved to see you haven’t changed.” Joan sighed, glancing at the noble young ladies around who were stealing looks at me. “You’re still receiving passionate gazes, I see.”
“Haha…”
“Even so, I don’t think it’s advisable for you to be seated with Miss Erina. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?
“As I think I’ve said before, I’m not at fault. It’s not me who comes looking, but the other party.”
“Yes… That’s right.”
Fortunately for me, it seemed Joan was trying to smooth over the situation.
She subtly signaled Erina to get up from her seat, but for some reason, Erina looked shocked.
What she took issue with was a different matter.
“Wait a minute, why do you remember Joan’s name?”
“Huh? Because I remember it.”
“But, but you didn’t remember my name!”
“That can’t be helped. How long have I even seen you?”
“Are you saying Joan is different?”
“She is different.”
I had faced Joan every day during the two months of butler training. Even I can remember a face and name to that extent.
“Ugh…!”
Erina bit her lower lip as if she couldn’t accept it.
Joan shook her head as if it was troublesome and said to me, “Sir Elaine. How about talking to some other people now?”
“I suppose I should.”
As it happened, a guy named Denian was approaching with fire in his eyes, so I decided to use that as an excuse to get up from my seat.
***
The royal party where various incidents occurred.
After ending the party and returning to my daily life, I was anxious about whether Juras might do something, but several days passed without anything particular happening.
Judging from this, it seemed he had failed in his background check on me.
‘No, maybe he simply didn’t do a background check.’
He didn’t show any lingering attachment like having me followed, perhaps thinking he had cleanly handed over the matter of Eonia as well.
Thanks to that, Eonia had safely gone to a city with a skilled priest to receive treatment.
If there was anything happening, it was that, Casper’s influence, which took advantage of my reputation, was skyrocketing.
─Mercenary Wade defeated Juras Pamilion!
─Mercenary Wade is Millias’s prodigy!
As these rumors spread throughout the kingdom, Casper’s status had become remarkably high.
While other kingdoms didn’t easily believe such groundless rumors, it was easy to incite such idolization among the citizens within the kingdom.
The Students of Julia would stop their work and stare at Casper as if looking at an animal in a zoo when he passed by, and I heard that marriage proposals were flooding in from here and there.
‘How blatant.’
The intention of the Marquis Millias family was obvious.
It’s clear from the letter that arrived for me.
─I want to meet and talk. Wade.
A letter with Josette’s official seal.
It was all too clear what kind of proposal they would make to me, so I needed to prepare for it.
‘For now, I should delay the timing as much as possible.’
Fortunately, it seemed they didn’t want to rush things either, as they didn’t choose forceful methods like sending people.
I decided to ignore the message and spread a rumor that I had health problems. This allowed me to skip attending the academy I had been going to.
I decided to use this gap to start on that task.
ironwall Rosenberg. It’s about recruiting him.
What I needed to avoid falling for others’ schemes was backing.
With a force guarding my back, I wouldn’t have to fall for those petty schemes.
‘There are three candidates.’
Rosenberg was one of them.
Count Rutger Rosenberg.
Although it’s said his family has lost its fortune now, the Rosenberg family was once among the top five noble houses in Alvard during their prime.
If I could make him my ally, I might be able to find a way to keep Marquis Milias in check.
‘Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough.’
But it was true that it would be helpful for now.
I headed towards the Kalon Mountains where Rutger had been reportedly sighted, accompanied by Yumir.
Sightings of Rutger were coming from this border region between the Kingdom of Beckavia and the Kingdom of Alvard.
Arriving at a village near the mountains, I found traces of him in a shabby tavern.
‘Those guys.’
Two men with clearly different auras from others. They were too refined to be mercenaries, yet had a hint of wildness unbefitting regular soldiers or knights.
I spoke to the tavern owner loud enough for them to hear.
“Innkeeper, is there a seriously ill patient here?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I see medicinal herbs. That looks like Ruer’s grass over there. And next to it, is that Siseo stem? Both are quite potent herbs, so I thought there might be a critically ill patient.”
“Haha, I’m just keeping those. There is a patient… But I don’t know the details.”
The innkeeper glanced at the two men when the patient was mentioned. The men fixed their gaze on me and were urgently discussing something.
“Hmm, this might be unnecessary meddling, but I’d advise caution when using Ruer’s grass. It’s an herb, but it can act as a deadly poison if prescribed to a patient with high fever.”
“Then, would you like to give the warning directly?”
The innkeeper pointed at the men who had somehow approached close by.
They addressed me with an oddly mixed attitude of wariness and politeness.
“Do you have a moment?”
“What is it?”
“Um…!?”
They frowned upon seeing my face hidden under the hood. Seeing my face covered with a mask, their wariness increased.
“Huh, judging by your attitude, it seems your business with me has disappeared.”
“Ah, no. If we’ve offended you, we apologize. If it’s not too impolite, we’d like to ask for your esteemed name.”
“I’m not in a position to easily give out my name. I refuse.”
Either understanding that I had a reason for hiding my face and letting it slide, or perhaps because they were desperate enough not to care, one of the men continued speaking.
“Then, never mind about the name. There’s one thing we’d like to ask of you. You seem knowledgeable about medicine, could you possibly see a patient for us?”
Good, they’ve taken the bait.
However, agreeing too readily would negate the purpose of this little act, so I decided to stall a bit.
“I’m in a hurry, you see.”
“Couldn’t you somehow…”
“I don’t want to repeat myself. Let’s end this conversation here.”
At this, the other man who had been quiet spoke up. Seeming hot-tempered, he snapped at me.
“We told you there’s a patient! Just shut up and come with us!”
“…Troublesome fellows. Yumir. Chase them away.”
At my words, Yumir emitted a subtle fighting spirit. Faced with the spine-chilling killing intent, the men stumbled backwards, frantically reaching for the swords at their waists.
The innkeeper, who turned pale, shouted, “Please, take it outside! I beg you!”
“…Hmm. I apologize. It would be better if I leave.”
Clank! I placed a copper coin on the table and stood up.
As I was about to leave the tavern without hesitation, one of the men went down on his hands and knees, banging his head on the floor.
“Please! We apologize for our rudeness earlier, so please look at the patient… Our lady’s condition!”
Yumir’s show of force had been effective.
It had conveyed that I was no ordinary person.
This should be enough. Now all that’s left is to accept.
“Hmm, but why aren’t you banging your head too?”
“…Huh?”
The hot-tempered man who had been standing dumbfounded groaned in confusion.
The man prostrating beside him growled in a low voice.
“Hey, George. If you don’t want to die, bang your head.”
“…Yes sir!”
Perhaps the polite man was his superior, as the hot-tempered man soon banged his head as well.
Seeing this, I pretended to give in, following them.
TL NOTE:
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