“So?”
“I heard you were invited, so I eavesdroled a bit and came out.”
I had entrusted Rozennia with gathering information.
The news she brought was quite unexpected.
‘Bucena made the first move…?’
She said the content wasn’t anything special.
Just the usual chatter among noble ladies.
But towards the end, there was an additional proposal.
“They mentioned a regular gathering held outside of Arcane.”
They said it would allow nobles to enjoy pleasures they couldn’t experience due to public scrutiny.
Just hearing that made it sound suspicious.
“Right, they said to bring a partner.”
“A partner?”
“Yeah. It didn’t matter who, as long as it was a man.”
“…Sigh, that sounds ominous.”
“Well, we have no choice but to go and see.”
I was chosen as her partner.
After all, bringing someone like Lord Huen would immediately raise suspicions.
‘I’m on the weaker side, so I’m not a bad choice for deception.’
Plus, the men were supposed to wear masks, so it seemed fine.
“And that Capina powder. Something’s off about it. The researchers need to dig deeper.”
She had taken the Capina I gave her to some mages she knew for analysis.
‘And those mages are probably royal mages.’
They’re highly skilled, so they’ll figure out exactly what Capina is.
“I listened to what you said and searched the empire. Surprisingly, everyone from high nobles to commoners had it.”
“It’s already widespread.”
“But it’ll all be confiscated soon. That’s what I heard.”
Searching the empire?
Her scale is on another level.
She seemed to regret saying it, but it was already out.
She decided to brazen it out and continued speaking with a straight face.
“There were even records of murders related to it. As you said, Theonar, it seems highly addictive.”
“Right. They didn’t seem in their right minds when I saw them before.”
“The date is tomorrow. They said to dress in party attire… Hmm, I guess you don’t have anything like that, junior?”
“Ahem. All I have is my uniform.”
“…Let’s stop by a clothing store first.”
I thought focusing on my studies was enough, so I didn’t own any party clothes.
Isn’t that right?
A student only needs a uniform, nothing more.
“I can wear anything—”
“Junior. Even if it’s a one-time party, you’ll have more occasions like this in the future. It’s good to have one tailored.”
Led by Rozennia, I had no choice but to head to a clothing store with her.
The moment I entered, the price tags everywhere made me dizzy.
Fortunately,
“From here to here. Tailor everything for this person.”
Rozennia generously covered the cost, saving me.
…If it were me, my wallet would’ve been ruined.
Once the purchase was confirmed, the store clerk’s eyes sparkled, and they immediately approached me with a measuring tape to take my measurements.
“Ah! Can this outfit be altered as quickly as possible? I need it by tomorrow evening.”
“Of course, ma’am! We’ll work through the night if we have to.”
“Thank you.”
I stood there dazed, having unexpectedly received such a lavish gift.
“It’s nothing. You’ve been helping me with the club and activities. Consider it a reward.”
“…That’s something everyone does. This feels too excessive.”
“Shh, quiet. If it’s given, just accept it without a word.”
Rozennia said it was a reward for helping with the club and told me not to feel burdened.
‘Still, this is a bit…’
I would’ve accepted a modest gift, but the amount was too much, making me uneasy.
“How much is all this?”
Even a rough estimate made Arcane’s annual tuition seem trivial.
So, while she briefly stepped away, I tried to refund part of it by sneaking over to the clerk.
“No. Absolutely not.”
Rozennia caught me and returned, foiling my plan.
“Let’s leave from Arcane together tomorrow. Understood?”
“…Yes. Thank you for the gift.”
“Mhm. Sure, sure.”
When we returned to Arcane, she waved, saying she needed to prepare, and headed back to her dorm.
“I’ve never worn clothes like this before.”
I’ve worn suits while working, but compared to this, they seemed plain.
The outfit had all sorts of frills and looked like it would be a hassle to walk in.
‘But I can’t just not wear it.’
It was a gift.
I can’t just discard it because it’s uncomfortable.
‘Sigh… I’ll have to ask Gray for help.’
***
“It looks more decent than I thought.”
“Right. It doesn’t seem like a secret meeting.”
The party venue wasn’t far from Arcane.
Located in the heart of the bustling district, it was crowded with people, making it hard to imagine anything bad happening here.
“Let’s go in.”
We showed our invitation to the staff at the entrance and went inside.
“Oh…”
Inside, it was a surprisingly ordinary party atmosphere.
Tables lined with food, and a spacious area in the center for dancing.
Even though it was early evening, many were already drinking heavily, getting tipsy.
Even the host, Bucena, was no exception.
“You’ve come, Lady Rose.”
“You invited me, so it would’ve been rude not to.”
“Hoho, thank you. By the way, who is this…?”
After greeting Rozennia, Bucena glanced at me and spoke.
“Yes, this is my partner.”
“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Bucena.”
“…Nice to meet you too.”
I shook her extended hand and exchanged brief greetings.
“You seem rather stern.”
“That’s just how he is.”
“Anyway, please enjoy the party…”
“Thank you, my lady.”
Bucena gave a graceful bow and left. We found a spot and looked around.
“Senior.”
“Yeah. I noticed it too.”
Though it looked like a normal party venue, there was one thing that stood out.
“These windows, they’re all fake.”
The windows showed a clear view of the outside.
Some were small, others full-length.
But they were all fake.
Illusions created by embedded magic.
‘Why would they install fake windows?’
The exterior also had windows, so I didn’t notice anything strange at first.
But upon closer inspection, the answer became clear.
‘The scenery outside feels slightly off.’
It didn’t look too different from what I’d seen earlier, but the seasonal vibe was strange.
It was the time of year when cool breezes gave way to the heat of summer.
People’s clothing varied depending on how they felt the temperature.
But everyone outside the window was wearing short sleeves or shorts.
As if it were the height of summer.
‘Even so, there should be quite a few people wearing long sleeves.’
I noticed the oddity through observation, but she, being well-versed in magic, immediately sensed that the windows had some magical manipulation.
“Senior. Don’t eat or drink anything. Just in case.”
“Okay. Got it. Let’s observe a bit longer.”
Two hours into the party.
The intoxicated guests grew rowdier, and the venue became increasingly chaotic.
Just as I thought it was time to leave,
“Now! Everyone, the moment you’ve been eagerly awaiting has arrived.”
Bucena went upstairs and shouted loudly to the crowd below.
The noisy party instantly fell silent.
All eyes turned to her.
“Please enter in the order I call.”
One by one, people followed her instructions and headed down a hallway on the second floor.
The cheerful chatter from earlier was gone.
Only the excited breathing of the crowd remained.
“Senior. What should we do?”
“Let’s follow. This doesn’t seem normal.”
***
At Bucena’s urging, we entered the hallway on the second floor.
It was lined with numerous rooms.
“Hehe, finally, I get to experience it…”
“It’s mine! Mine!”
“It’s my turn this time! I gave it all last time!”
As we walked down the hallway, screams and shouts mixed with madness echoed from the rooms.
The soundproofing was poor, so Rozennia and I heard everything clearly.
“Here you are, Lady Rose. I hope you and your partner have a wonderful time.”
Bucena opened a room at the far end for us, gave a sinister smile, and disappeared.
“…Let’s go in.”
Inside, it was ordinary.
A typical bedroom, perhaps?
A large bed, a table, and chairs were arranged.
The room felt sparse for its size.
And on the table where we briefly rested…
“Found it.”
A jar of Capina, emitting a sweet and sour scent, was placed there.