“Excuse me, I’m really sorry! Are you okay where I bumped into you?”
“…Yeah.”
“Did you dislocate your shoulder or break any bones?”
“I’m fine.”
“Whew! That’s a relief. You’re really tough!”
As I responded indifferently, Elda, who had been furrowing her brow, let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed she was worried that her sturdy body might have caused me harm.
Meanwhile, perhaps because of my elegant attire, she didn’t seem to mind my somewhat high-handed tone.
‘…I didn’t expect to meet Elda here. What a surprise.’
I calmed my startled heart and stared at her intently through the gap in my mask.
Elda Perenka.
One of the heroines from the original story, a woman from a northern tribe who migrated to the empire in her childhood.
I recognized her immediately.
A beauty with black hair and black eyes was definitely not common.
‘Besides, Elda is also a foodie…’
My gaze shifted to the chicken skewers in her hand.
She was holding three in one hand, eating them.
How does she maintain such a figure while eating like that?
Does all the food just go to her chest and hips?
Glancing down at her well-nourished chest, it seemed like any future child wouldn’t go hungry.
“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, are you participating in the upcoming Sword Demon Festival?”
“How did you know?”
“Well, your voice sounds young, but you seem incredibly skilled.”
Elda mumbled while chewing on a chicken skewer.
She must have instinctively sensed my energy.
Even though I was suppressing my energy to participate in the Sword Demon Festival, she still noticed.
She’s a sharp-witted she-wolf.
“I see. Anyway, since the bump was nothing serious, I’ll be on my way.”
“Huh? Oh, okay.”
I subtly turned my back on Elda, who was scrutinizing me with her sharp eyes.
I would have loved to keep talking to her, but it felt ridiculous to hide my identity like this.
Thinking that I’d see her again soon, I walked away from her gaze and headed towards my original destination, the chicken skewer shop.
“Welcome! What can I get for you?”
“One chicken skewer.”
“Got it!”
The vendor moved quickly to take my order.
A moment later, I received the skewer and found a spot to sit.
‘Hmm…’
At first glance, it looked like a regular chicken skewer.
It wasn’t as big as I expected for ostrich meat.
With a sense of anticipation rising in my chest, I lifted my mask slightly and took a bite of the skewer, seasoned with spices.
“!”
So this is what a chicken skewer made from ostrich meat tastes like.
It’s just… ordinary.
No wonder the smell was so plain.
‘Sigh… The food at the mansion is really the best. Is there nothing else?’
After hastily finishing the rest, I wandered around looking for a good place to eat and eventually found myself in front of a bakery.
“Hey, Hanson. I heard the salted bread here is famous?”
“Yeah, I heard that too. It’s been famous since they started selling at the academy! There were rumors that the owner put drugs in the bread, but when the security captain took a bite, he cried and let him go!”
“Is it that good? I have to try it!”
While waiting in line, I overheard some passersby chatting.
The familiar words triggered a flood of memories.
Academy… drug bakery…?
‘Ah, that bakery.’
The bakery I visited when I was staying at the academy.
Back then, I thought the owner had been arrested for actually putting drugs in the bread, but it seems it was just a rumor.
‘That’s a relief.’
By the way, it seems like he was suspected because of me…
Curious about the taste and wanting to apologize, I decided to tip him and joined the line.
After waiting for a while.
Finally, it was my turn, and I handed the owner a shiny imperial gold coin.
“Welcome! Oh…! Wh-what’s this?”
“I’d like to buy one salted bread.”
“Th-that would be ten copper coins, sir.”
“I don’t need change, just give me the bread.”
I handed him the coin, and he trembled as he accepted it.
Before he could say anything, I quickly grabbed the bread and left, hearing the announcement that today’s batch was sold out.
I guess I got the last one. Lucky me.
I found a spot in the park, sat down, and unwrapped the bread.
Crunch.
“Oh.”
The rich aroma of the bread filled the air instantly.
The quality of the butter and flour was evident, giving it a distinct appearance.
It was larger than I expected, with a perfectly baked crust that seemed to scream, ‘I’m delicious!’
Just as I was about to take a satisfying bite.
“Ugh, the salted bread is already sold out. I came all the way here to try it…”
A woman’s voice came from the park entrance.
I turned my head and saw Elda walking in, sighing heavily.
“I’ll be too busy to come back tomorrow, ugh…”
She seemed genuinely disappointed about missing out on the famous bakery’s bread, sitting on a bench and groaning.
I stared at the salted bread in my hand for a moment, then walked over to Elda and offered her half.
“Huh, we meet again? But this is…?”
“I’m full. Could you help me finish it?”
“…Are you an angel?”
Elda’s face lit up as if she had met a savior.
After feeding the hungry she-wolf.
I sat down beside her and took a bite of the bread.
Crunch.
“Wow.”
A short exclamation escaped my lips.
This isn’t just any salted bread.
It’s really damn good.
Slightly salty and savory, with a crispy exterior and a chewy inside.
This is easily one of the top three things I’ve eaten since I got here.
Glancing to the side, I saw Elda devouring her half with gusto.
‘She really enjoys her food.’
It felt like watching a pet eat.
Is this what complete domestication feels like?
Still, it reminded me of the Elda I knew, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Whew, thank you so much. I actually tried to get this yesterday but failed.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you could have it.”
“It’s all thanks to you. Oh, I’m Elda Perenka. I’m a professor at the academy’s knight department, and I’m here to escort the students participating in the Sword Demon Festival. You seem to be participating too, so if you don’t mind, may I know your name?”
“Licht.”
“Hmm, Licht. I’ll remember that.”
Munch.
Elda mumbled as she took the last bite.
Her eyes, with their slightly upturned corners, curved in satisfaction.
‘Anyway, I should get going now.’
The enjoyable time with Elda was brief.
Looking up at the sky, the sun was already high.
To avoid any delays in my plans, I needed to leave now.
I tucked Elda’s warm gaze into a corner of my heart and stood up.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah. The Sword Demon Festival will start soon.”
“Ah! Right. I should go check on my students too.”
Elda stood up as well.
Before leaving the park, we shook hands lightly.
“Then I’ll see you at the venue.”
“Sure.”
“My student will win this Sword Demon Festival, so keep an eye out.”
Elda confidently patted her ample chest.
She didn’t know it, but I was planning to win this Sword Demon Festival.
That was the only way to destroy Albireo’s trap.
“Sorry, but I plan to win.”
“Oh, confident, are you?”
Elda’s expression showed clear interest.
Perhaps it was the Perenka family tradition to consider strong men as potential husbands.
She seemed instinctively eager to spar with me.
“If you want, I’ll show you my skills later.”
“Great! I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Elda replied with a bright smile, clearly excited to face me.
After promising to meet again.
I removed my mask and headed to the venue.
***
After parting with Elda.
I entered the noble’s viewing area of the coliseum-like venue, where many nobles were already seated.
The viewing area fell silent as I appeared.
Walking through the familiar gazes, a red-haired noble with a thin mustache approached me.
“You’ve arrived, Your Grace.”
“Baron Kierun. Have you been well?”
“Of course. All thanks to Your Grace’s favor. My son Dustin has been selected as the academy’s representative for this Sword Demon Festival, and I assure you he will make you proud.”
Baron Kierun Redfield, father of Dustin Redfield, the third-year representative of the academy’s knight department.
He was one of the nobles under my command, originally loyal but even more so after I provided financial support.
“That’s something to look forward to. I’ll be watching.”
After exchanging pleasantries with Baron Kierun.
Other nobles also greeted me.
In addition to the families already under my command, those I had recently recruited.
With the imperial succession competition underway, my unintentional display of power naturally drew the attention of nobles aligned with the first and second princes.
‘They must be nervous.’
They must be wondering how to align themselves to survive.
While receiving their subtle glances.
Someone at the entrance announced.
“His Highness, the Second Prince, has arrived.”
It seemed Albireo had arrived.
The room fell silent.
A moment later, the door swung open, and he entered.
Albireo, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, looked much the same as before.
His striking blond hair and adorned figure.
He still carried himself with the same flamboyant and arrogant demeanor.
However, one thing was different: an elderly man with white hair accompanied him.
‘The Tower Lord…’
I recognized him instantly.
Since arriving in this world, he possessed the most immense mana I had ever seen.
‘Crazy old man. Just in terms of mana, he might even have a bit more than me.’
Seeing the white-haired old man floating as he walked, I couldn’t help but curse internally.
How could one person exude such vastness?
In the original story, the Tower Lord increased his mana by draining talented children.
At this level, how many children had he turned into skeletons?
‘Disgusting old man.’
Following my angry gaze, others also turned their attention to Albireo and the Tower Lord.
A moment later, Albireo, seated near the front, spoke to a noble beside him.
“Brother isn’t participating in this Sword Demon Festival either.”
“It seems so. He must still have much to do on the eastern front.”
“Haha, indeed. He’s probably too obsessed with his sword to leave the battlefield. Swinging his sword every day, using enemy knights as training dummies. By the way, is His Majesty coming?”
“Yes. He’s on his way to the venue with Commander Friedrich.”
The noble beside Albireo wiped his sweat as he spoke.
The news that the emperor was arriving with the commander of the imperial knights.
It was my first time seeing him, so I was curious, but my heart grew cold.
To me, it was like a father watching his children fight to the death for succession.
However.
I didn’t hastily label him as evil.
Even in the original story, his morality was ambiguous.
I wanted to judge him based on what I saw and heard.
Would he be a good person, an evil one, or somewhere in between?
Lost in thought.
“His Majesty, the Emperor, has arrived!”
Someone announced, and the closed doors opened.